Cohort VI was in full retreat. Sune watched as they re-grouped and fled back to the castle.
A warm breeze enveloped the scene. The orange hue of the sunset bathed it. It somehow gave him peace. It was entirely out of place…
Especially considering his situation.
"Well… what can I say… foreigner? You're a monster, to say the least."
Sune kept his knife lifted firmly. Guarding his face. Even if there was no hope of escape, he wasn't going down without blood. Without a final middle finger.
Vicram spoke on.
"I had no idea you had it in you."
Sune furrowed his brow.
"…Had what?"
Vicram grinned gleefully. Clenching and unclenching his fists.
"That bloodlust of yours! That murderous intent! That beautiful killer's edge! I have never seen more men slain at once, not by someone else's hand other than mine, at least!"
"…I guess you simply bring out the worst in people."
Vic chuckled for a second. Then, he stopped, abruptly. Too abruptly.
"But now… you get it right? Surely now you understand."
"Get what? Get to the point."
Vic's smile flickered.
"Well, you understand that the path to impact in this world always leads to murder! Violent and uncaring!" He exclaimed. "You had to kill so many of my men, just to take a step closer to that mysterious goal of yours, right?! You could have ran, you could have even flew away with the raven you stole. But you just had to do it! You only needed to survive, but you wanted to kill!" Vic jabbed his finger at Sune, pointing at him. Accusatory.
Sune considered his words carefully. He wanted to call Vicram sick. He wanted to deny this philosophy. But he didn't. Not just because he no longer believed he had the right, but because in truth, he did not entirely disagree.
"So what?!"
Vic grinned even wider. His movements more erratic, hyper.
"So you can forgive me! Forgive us! Forgive Amandla!" He turned and gestured widely to the city with both arms. "Open your eyes, boy! Whoever we have killed in your past, you now understand the necessity! You understand that you're no better! None of us had any choice!"
Sune's chest shook. Suddenly, he was shivering with rage once again. He made no reply.
"What? You think I can't recognise revenge when I see it?!" Vicram giggled. "It was clear as day! There's no use denying it!"
"They were trying to kill me! On your orders! The thousands of innocent people you have slaughtered and captured, they never even batted an eyelid toward you!" Sune snarled.
Vic froze. Puzzled. His smile faded. He appeared deep in thought. Trying to decipher something. He remained still for a while.
Once he had put all the pieces together. Vicram burst out laughing. Dry and cruel. Forced.
"Oh no! Surely not!" he hollered. "That cannot be what you mean! Surely you jest!"
Sune clenched his jaw. Eyeing Vicram down like a hawk.
"Surely… you don't mean… them, do you…?—"
"SAY THEIR NAMES!" Sune bellowed. "SAY IT!"
"Gremlins?!" Vicram howled. "All of this for Gremlins—?!"
"I SAID SAY THEIR NAMES! THEIR REAL NAMES, YOU FUCK!"
"NEVER!" Vicram snapped back. "IN FACT, I CANNOT EVEN REMEMBER WHAT THEY CALL THEMSELVES! AND WHEN I AM THROUGH WITH THEM, NOR WILL THE REST OF THE WORLD! YOU ARE IN NO POSITION TO MAKE DEMANDS, SO SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"
Sune grimaced. The satisfaction of killing Cohort VI had lasted but a moment. They were merely a pawn in Vicram's game, and Sune had finally remembered it. Whoever had told him that revenge will never bring you peace had clearly lied. Only now, Sune craved more. Every second Vicram was alive was nothing short of agony.
"Honestly! A human gremlin sympathiser! One with Assurance at that! Who the hell raised you, boy! Didn't they teach you never to fall for their lies! Those gremlins are masters at trickery—!"
"SHUT UP ALREADY!" Sune roared.
Vic fell silent. But clearly not because Sune had told him to be.
"…But still. There's something off about it. There's empathy, and then there's what you've done today…" Vicram held his hand over his chin.
"You act as if you're one of them…"
Sune didn't reply. Even if Vic could figure it out, it didn't matter. Especially not now.
Vicram's demeanour had shifted noticeably. He was less eccentric, less loopy. All smiles and laughter had faded. Finally, he fixed his vision directly on Sune. Scowling.
"…It's disgusting, just disgusting. You dishonour your great combat skill, your great heritage, by aligning so closely with those beasts. Foul, dull creatures that will take a chunk out of you the second you turn your back. You make me sick."
Sune snickered.
"I hope it kills you, y'know? To know that someone like me can exist."
Vicram frowned.
"I will ensure they never will again."
Silence rang through the air.
Vicram turned to Yorgos.
"What should we do with the little bastard? He's essentially captured already."
Yorgos had been observing Sune closely this whole time. Lurking in the background. Sune assumed he was watching for an escape attempt.
"We need to know where he comes from, we can't do anything rash. We also need to understand his power, and we can't do that if we shatter his Assurance through torture."
Vicram flicked his head back to Sune, indignant.
"God. Fine. So what do you suggest?"
Yorgos narrowed his eyes. Lowering himself down to Vicram. This was the first time Sune had gotten a good look at him appearance wise.
He was decently old, perhaps in his 40s, his hair was a dark grey, slicked back across his head. A faint yet sizeable scar across the left of his temple, down to the right cheek. He wore the same black textured armour as all the other soldiers. With silver engravements the shape of lightning bolt across the chest plate. His most noteable feature was his size. He was several inches taller than Vicram, his stature much wider.
"You should let me deal with this matter. He killed my men. To make him pay back their lives, there is no length I will not go to." Yorgos grumbled.
"Indeed, they were my men too. But I should like to oversee his punishment and interrogation myself. He needs to be made an example of […]"
Vicram and Yorgos continued to discuss his fate, but Sune merely tuned it out. Something else had caught his attention.
In the sky.
A faint flicker of light.
It did not appear natural. It was moving far too fast.
Vicram and Yorgos had not taken notice. Sune tried to be subtle, pretending that he hadn't either.
The light barrelled closer. The whistling of the air could now faintly be heard.
"…Sire. Do you hear that?"
Vicram lifted his head. Turning in all directions.
"Where's it coming from?"
The light no longer appeared to be moving. Vicram and Yorgos had finally noticed, but likely assumed it posed no threat because of this.
But Sune knew. He knew that when something is heading straight towards you through the air, it will appear still.
And there was but one person he had learned that from.
His accomplice… his lifeline out of the city… had finally arrived.
'Pandora…'
"No… it's not staying still. It's heading towards us!" Yorgos exclaimed.
The light was now more than a faint shape. It could be discerned.
A bird glowing golden, a falcon. Atop it, a helmed rider. None could see their face.
"They're after him!" Vicram panicked. "Seize him!"
Yorgos charged toward Sune. Sune darted back. Buying time.
'Come on!'
Yorgos bolted at him, trying to grab hold. Sune weaved through each attempt. He winced from the ache.
Yorgos, frustrated, whipped out his hammer. He leapt in the air, rearing the hammer behind his head. Sune had run out of room to dodge. And he could not use Assurance to stop it.
Sune guarded his face. Accepting his fate. Eyes closed.
But the strike never arrived.
Hesitantly, Sune wrenched his eyes open.
'…What?'
The stone of the citadel wall had extruded upward, blocking the strike in front of him.
'Was that… me… or her?'
Sune turned to his side. His eyes widened.
He had been wrong. It was neither him, nor Pandora.
It was Adriel.
Adriel held his Assurance ability upright with both hands. Groaning, straining. His temporary blockade protecting them both from Yorgos's wrath.
"Why… what're you doing—?"
"There isn't time!" Adriel exclaimed. "Go with your friend and leave! I'll find you later!"
Sune was too lightheaded to truly question this. He was merely grateful for the help.
"Thank you, your highness." Sune chose to pay his respects.
"Call me Adriel, Elias Sune."
"Adriel…?" Vicram muttered. "Wh— what are you doing?! You're helping this little rodent!? YOU CHOOSE HIM OVER YOUR OWN FATHER?! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"
"…I no longer think of myself as your son…!"
Vicram shuddered. His mouth agape. He took a step back. It was interesting. To Sune, he appeared truly offended. Sune relished the sight, despite the fact he could not understand how it was even happening.
"You… you take my son from me…? You take my slaves… my hunters… and now you… you take my SON?!" Vicram wailed. He panted as if he were winded. I SWEAR TO YOU BOY… I NO LONGER CARE WHERE YOU COME FROM, WHO YOU ARE! I WILL GUT YOU LIKE A PIG!"
Sune chuckled.
"Now you see, Vicram?" he mocked. "Now you have the same thirst as me. The thirst for vengeance. I welcome you to try and quench it. Your blood shall be the beverage."
Vicram growled. Storm Assurance streaked through his arms. He prepared to strike Adriel's barricade.
He let out a final howl. The strike nearly fled his fingertips. That was when she arrived.
An single arrow fired at lightning speed. Impaling Vicram through the forearm. His Assurance faded.
"No…!"
Vicram and Yorgos both charged at the blockade. Striking it with all their might. Trying their hardest to bring it down. It was all too late.
Pandora's falcon stormed through the air, aiming directly for Sune.
It picked him up. Gripping him in it's talons as it continued forward.
Vicram tried to strike it down. The falcon was quicker. He screeched at the sky.
Adriel vanished back down into the citadel wall. Passing through the stone with his Assurance.
Sune dangled mid-air. The wind hammered at his face, sweeping his clothes. He could barely feel it. Stared at the view below. Too close to fainting to be afraid.
Finally, he could rest. Finally, he did not need to wear this disguise any longer.