There's no way. No fucking way. He was so close-so goddamn close-to break into algorithm. To achieve the impossible. To avenge his planet, his people, his land. To give back freedom to his only fucking family left. To wipe off these alien garbages who invaded his home and treated it like their fuel mines till they swallowed everything and left humans to fend for themselves on barren planet riddled with otherwordly monsters.
As his breadth started thinning out from the panic that had pierced his heart Ethan's left hand immediately came to clutch the fabric of his garment right above his heart.
His eyes were burning. Fuck, he couldn't fucking breathe. Was there something in this food? But he still didn't had single bite. Fuck. What's was even going on? This wasn't how all of this supposed conclude? This can't be his end. He had so much still left to do.
[It was on that moment when Ethan realised that sweet release of death he always yearned for had finally turned into curse he wouldn't wish on his greatest enemy.]
"Tch" calm yet hellishly chilling response that travelled from other side of room, cut into his musings and dragged Ethan back to the situation on hand.
"To think that only time I am getting pleasure of witnessing such lovely expression on your face is cause of fear about your looming death and not when you saw my real body's genitals for the first time while writhing under me in human realm. Seriously, how upsetting!", the King pouted & continued with his usual crude bullshit but instead of annoying menace he appeared to be few minutes prior, Ethan's mind had alarmingly started to conjure his image back into monster that he originally was.
How could've Ethan forgotten? How could he'd forgotten that this creature was very definition of danger itself? That they will be the one delivering his sentence if he ever stepped out of line.
Delivering him to afterlife.
Was this Karma?
For eloping with his nemesis. For abandoning his own kind in pursuance of selfish motives for satisfying his own burning rage. For betraying trust of those few who treated him with unbiased kindness without expecting anything in return.
Is this how it was going to come back to him in end?
[For a moment there Ethan had thought-hoped-that universe couldn't had been that cruel to him. Couldn't hated him this much. But now. Now looking back at how things went, maybe it was part of its plan all along. Maybe he should've expected it. Saw it coming.
Cruelty is all he had ever known and cruelty is all he will know. Whether it was in life or now, in incoming death.]
'And what about my brother?', as the reality of situation was starting to dawn on him, the terrifying thought about his only remaining family immediately crossed his mind.
Is he okay? Had they already captured him? He last talked to him two days back. Anything can happen in two days. Fuck. He needs to get up. He needs to leave this place. Get out of here. He cannot leave his little brother to fend off for himself after Ethan dragged him into this mess in first place.
"Aren't you curious though?" King nonchalantly continued unlike the one in front of him who seemed to appear as been frozen in time with all the panic he was stricken with just under a second, "...that how we came to know? How I came to know? About what my clever little kitten had been cooking up storm in my own basement."
"I actually do have to give to you for this one. If it wasn't for immense bad luck that seem to grip your life like an iron ball, this revered one truly wouldn't had seen this coming until you had already pulled ground below my leg. It's almost too bad the nature of humans can either run deeper than abyss or shallower than this liquid in my glass. You know, as fickle as things can get." and than they decided to drop the bomb.
"Almost too bad that in the end it was your own gene who choose his ambitions over alturistic endeavour that his older brother was carrying out, from what he was lead to believe, with him."
And world around him stopped just like that.
No.
What? No.
This creature was lying.
No.
Not his brother. His little brother. The one he raised on his shoulders like his own son.
For whom he started this mission.
For whom he stared death in eye and still confidently continued on path leading to it.
No. Just no. He cannot accept this.
He cannot accept words of fucking monster. How dare they slander his brother like this. How dare they try to turn his own blood against him.
How dare they.
"You're lying." he finally retaliated, as burning anger started coursing his veins, and stared at the ugly mug of creature who seemed to had momentary taken back cause of vicious tone coming from mouth that only ever regarded him with respect or aloofness.
"Oh.." King's expression slowly morphed into sick type of amusement that only demons of his species seem to possess, "..am I now?" he chuckled.
" Tell me this than Shaafua's Choosen One! How else was this revered one might had came to know otherwise?"
Ethan's doesn't knew what to say at that. No one else had ounce of knowledge about his plans outside of his little brother. He had made sure of it. Had took unimaginable measures for it. Had invented whole new branch of potions away from everyone's eye.
Nobody should've know. Nobody.
Unless.
Unless they were guided in.
Deliberately. Intentionally.
Greedily.
[Somewhere, in very back of his subconsciousness, Ethan was aware of truth behind King's words. Was aware of passing comments, obvious lies and diverted intentions of his brother than Ethan brushed off as natural response in relation to his brother's blooming youth. He wanted to believe in his only remaining family so bad that he turned blind eye towards everything.]
"I don't know." but he still refused to see.
"I- I cannot think of it right now but likes of you definitely recieved clues via those psychosis creature of yours. There's no way my own kin will ever betray me like that. I refuse to accept your ludicrous claims." he angrily stomped his both fists on table while seething.
"Oho.." King who's face was gradually losing traces of amusement as conversation went on sighed.
"It would've been numerous times better if my beloved had accepted this truth before I were to deliver your sentence but I had expected this. Cannot remember the last time you went down without some fight after all.." King almost mumbled the last line and pushed his chair back to stand. He lowered his head & met the purple orbs laced with fire, "..you might not believe me but I actually didn't wanted us to come to this point."
And than they straightened their posture for an announcement.
"Bring him in."
King ordered no one in particular but extravagant doors behind him automatically opened and Ethan saw his worst nightmare happening right before his eyes.
Walking through the door with same expression of accomplishment as he once had after getting first place in class, Enon Miller looked very image of someone who had achieved his ultimate goal.
"This humble servant greets, His Reverence!" his brother cheerfully greeted the monster with same shining eyes that Ethan once wished to be directed upon his own self.
"Enon Miller, my beloved's only kin alive, this Shaafua of Chief Civilization of Samsaara recognizes your aid in exposing crimes of Ethan Miller who planned my demise in disguise of seducing my revered self." King proclaimed all while looking directly into eyes of said person which were increasingly turning into one stricken by horror.
"As a reward, I now grant you immediate accession to Third-type Race of Samsaara & also permit you to apply for higher accession at end of every five years."
"Your Reverence is too gracious. This humble servant finds himself undeserving of such extravagant titles but still swears on his soul to embrace them in his utmost proficiency." Enon bowed ninety degree in gratitude and Ethan felt ground slipping below his leg after witnessing entire exchange.
King expression suddenly turned wicked at that.
"You wish to deliver any last words to your kin?" they asked with smirk.
On that, his brother raised his head and looked Ethan beside him with extremely reserved expression that was hiding the initial disgust he felt beneath it.
"I am afraid I have nothing left to say Your Reverence." Ethan visibly flinched at that, woken up from trance of initial shock of being betrayed by his own brother.
"Dr. Ethan Miller had his own goals that he dragged me into. Not once he found it material to ask for my consent before dragging me into his suicidal schemes. I simply made my choice that facilitates my survival at best. Him being my kin is now immaterial to me." Enon answered.
"H-How-How could you say something like that!!!!???" Ethan stammered in disbelief. What the fuck? What the actual fuck?? Just who is this person in front of him cause it definitely cannot be his brother. He refuses to accept such unforgivable betrayal.
"I don't wish to be interrogated by likes of you considering I am now part of higher race & you are some bottom barrel criminal." his brother replied & disgust he was trying to conceal finally slipped into his tone.
Ethan's knees buckled.
"Yo-You-How dare you-"
"Very well" King interrupted before Ethan can let out spew of curses building on his tongue, "..since 3rd Tier citizen Enon Miller concluded his assigned tasks, they're free to leave. I've yet to deliver Ethan Miller's sentences you see." their eyes curled in smiles like they were about to deliver some sweet secrets rather than punishment to afterlife.
"Very well Your Reverence. I once again express my gratitude towards invaluable rewards you granted on my name today. I will work my best to not disappoint you for it." his little brother bowed once again, threw Ethan a dirty smirk and hurried through the door as they closed behind him.
"Now.." King turned to him, looking true image of devil one can expect to deliver them to hell, "..let's discuss our own personal matter on hand, shall we?"
'Huh?'
"After all, Ethan Miller isn't the only one who got betrayed by their beloved today."