Chapter 23: Rouge Blade
Gideon
“DEVIL IGNITION” Shouted Gideon, as he held Zantetsuken in a position that looked as if his scabbard was attached to his arm. The black cloud formed around him, and the magenta light lit the area around the man within the room. As the cloud quickly reversed away, he stood in his demonic form. His garish sharp teeth were fully exposed and his scabbard had become attached to his arm. As he stood in the form, he felt his lost strength return to his body. His ribs recovered from his encounter with Yami. Once again, he was able to stand properly, however now with his demonic energy low, he quickly dismissed the form once he had fully healed, it burnt off his body like embers until he returned to his human form once again. Entering Devil Ignition twice within thirty minutes was a lot for him. Not impossible, but just to enter Devil Ignition burned a vast amount of demonic energy, never mind staying in the form. Gideon stood in the throne room of Voekn. The fortress that was erected outside the capital of Vholeria. The fortress was a gigantic brutalist castle, composed almost entirely out of dark grey stone. It hung over the capital of Vholeria like a slumbering demon as the harsh waves of the ocean crashed into the base of the structure.
“So you say Nalory was a traitor?” Asked Lord Oprhzus as he sat on his throne in a relaxed posture, with his head resting on his hand. The throne room was cold, it was only lit by crystals empowered with an unknown energy that radiated a foreboding light across the room, regardless, the room still felt eerie and dark.
“She was!” Gideon protested. “She was feeding intel to the Ashians!” Orphzus's face relaxed slightly.
“Oh? And do you have proof of this, Gideon?” Asked the King as he raised an eyebrow.
“No, only from what I gathered from eavesdropping but she was cooperating with Gheptiza behind your back.” The king remained quiet for a moment as he mulled over what Gideon had told him, He then leaned forward and leaned on his knees.
“Even if what you said is true, Gideon. You still went behind my back to eliminate her” he said furrowing his brow.
“I didn't make you aware because I wanted to ensure your safety. I didn’t want her to believe her intentions had been revealed,” explained Gideon.
“To ensure my safety?” The king rose from his chair and in that moment, it felt like the room itself was filled with demonic energy. “While yes, I do not wish to die from a coward who cannot face me in battle and instead has to resort to backstabbing…” as the king paused for a moment. Gideon felt a burst of demonic energy flow through him, though invisible, he still felt it pass through him. At that point he was too afraid to move, it felt like he stood in front of death itself. “I certainly do not need subordinates making my decisions for me!” For a moment, the king had an afterimage overlap with his own body. An after-image that Gideon could only describe as something more demonic than even his own Devil Ignition. “Need I remind you, Gideon, I decide when I will die and I will decide how I die!” Orphzus sat back on his throne and slumped back into it. The pressure of the room faded and Gideon's muscles no longer felt stiff. The king’s face rang of frustration as he sighed deeply. Gideon stood frozen waiting for his next order. “Leave,” he said dismissively
“What?” said confused as to what he meant
“I no longer have need for you Gideon, now leave,” He said no longer looking at him as he stared off into the room.
“I…don't…what!?” Gideon exclaimed in frustration and confusion.
“I can't have someone going behind my back Gideon, someone who acts on their own without given order.” Orphzus sat forward as he continued. “Whether you were right or wrong about Nalory doesn't matter Gideon. She may have gone behind my back, but so have you. You are a loose cannon, whether you agree, or not.” He paused before then slouching back on his throne. His long white hair slumped down his back. “You are no longer under my service Gideon…now leave” Gideon stood there, dumbfounded.
“You would exile me and my eight years of service over this!?” Gideon asked, still trying to comprehend the king’s words. The king did not move, he only raised an eyebrow.
“Did I trip over my word Gideon? Now leave, to keep your life and devil relic will be my act of gratitude.” He said as he waved his hand. Gideon only stood there in anger, disbelief, and frustration. He is fine with letting a devil relic user go from his service? He fought to himself. Should I…no…not while I’m depleted of demonic energy…even then, I couldn't bring myself to fight him. Gideon turned quickly as he gritted his teeth. He left the chambers of the throne room and walked down the hallway of Voekn, again, only lit by the mysterious energy that lay in the crystals that were hung against the wall. Eight years…and he throws me away just like that? Gideon thought to himself, still trying to process if what happened in the throne room was real. I killed Nalory for his own sake. Not to betray his trust. Still, it wasn't like Gideon could fight back against his word. He was the king, not just in title but in power too. Gideon didn't want to believe he was the fault of his own exile. Orphzus wasn’t just his king but he was the one who gave him someone to fight for. For eight years he had served under him and acted as the advisor of the king. No longer hired for odd jobs to assassinate lovers and businessmen for his own sake. Instead, he could use his skill for a worthy purpose. Now he was back to square one. Back to serving no one other than himself, however this time, he wielded a Devil Relic. The one that the king entrusted to him many years ago. This worried Gideon, Zantetsuken originally belonged to the king. Now he was just letting him walk out the door with it. The king did mention this was a form of gratitude but he still couldn't shake the feeling the king had something planned. Gideon couldn’t properly think about that though, he was too upset from the betrayal of the king. Gideon had all the time and money in the world now but had no idea how to spend it. He now wielded a devil relic however, he couldn't go back to a regular life with this type of bounty on his head. Though, he was know as The Dark Slayer which tended to wave off bounty hunters. I hate that title. Gideon strode out the castle gate, the spearman nodded to him and let him pass back out. Gideon stood and waited for the carriage man to prepare his travel. The castle Voekn and the capital of Vholeria, named Garos, were separated by a long and gigantic stone bridge. So long that it made traveling across it by foot an endeavor on his own. Gideon needed time to sort through his thoughts and decide what he would do next so he decided to rely on the carriage man to travel and not his blade.
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“Your ride is ready sir!” Said the carriage man swiftly as he bowed. Gideon ducked and entered the cabin, he opened the shutters to allow him to view the sea that the bridge hung over. The cabin was small, and functional, not a lot of decoration but that didn't bother Gideon. He was still recovering from being exiled. What now? He thought to himself. He couldn't just go back to regular assassin work. He had more than enough money to see him through his life and there was no fun in killing easy targets for sport. The carriage began to roll across the uneven stone, it stirred up the carriage slightly as Gideon looked out onto the open sea. Darkness had fallen and the sea was only lit by the moonlight, the ocean looked rough and unsynchronised.
“I’ve lived so long under the orders of others, I’ve forgotten how to live on my own accord.” Said Gideon to himself quietly as he rested his chin on his hand, staring out into the endless ocean of the east. I suppose the action I took against Nalory was of my own accord. Though it was still to aid Lord Orphzus Gideon thought. No, give it some time, I’m sure I'll find an answer for what I should do with myself.
Gideon left the cabin of the carriage that sat outside of the walls to Garos. He quickly pulled up his hood so as to not be recognized and entered the city. It was cold and bleak. Gideon’s hood had no use considering the citizens of Garos would always walk with their heads down. Citizens were always keeping one eye open due to the strictness of the guards. Vholerian soldiers always had to check each citizen they found suspicious to ensure they were not magicless. If they were found to not possess magic, they would be publicly executed like animals, not only them but their families too. Still, he kept it on. Gideon never liked drawing attention to himself. Garos, the capital of Vholeria was a grey city. That was the best way to describe it. It was re-constructed within the last forty years under the orders of King Orphzus. Reconstructed under the idea of being functional rather than a place where someone would actually want to live. Only high-ranked citizens would have the privilege of even leaving Garos. Any citizen under that hierarchy would be bound to the city permanently, and no citizen would be allowed to live in another dwelling outside of Garos, no matter their rank, lest they be hunted and executed. It was a brutal city, even Gideon had to admit that. He had hardly given these ways of dealing with citizens thought. As the Lord's advisor, these rules did not apply to him. Still, that position was taken from him now, though, with Zantestsuken in hand, no wall could hold him in. It wasn't time to escalate things to that level though. The king seemed genuine when he said Gideon could leave free of charge. Once Gideon had walked through Garos enough, he stopped by the first pub he saw and took refuge from the terrible weather soon to come. Inside it felt like a completely different world he had entered. The fire illuminated the large hall of the pub, spreading warmth throughout the men who sat there as a bard rhymed through the night. The pub was the one place the city was more lenient on when it came to breathing down the neck of their citizens. Gideon seated himself at a small corner table. He stuck out too much with his black uniform and cloak. Most of the citizens were working-class men who all usually wore the same style of tunic. Gideon never went to the pub, he never found the appeal to sit in one by himself. In times of rest he often found himself within the castle and not taking advantage of the freedom he had been given outside of pursuing specific targets he was given. As he began to zone out and take in the ambience of the room, Gideon begins to overhear a conversation from two men. Something about the Red Wings was what he was able to gather. It had only been hours since Gideon had been humiliated by Yami, still, He wasn't to blame for his exile. Orphzus self-obsessed nature was. Gideon decided to sit in the pub some more, to contemplate what he would do with his life now he was no longer a citizen of Garos.