Aike
The coat over Aike's shoulders was suffocating and tight, restricting the movement of his arms. Rolling his shoulders and trying to stretch out the fabric, Aike walked down the dark manor's hallway. He could hear Claire and Lillian's voices in the nearest room, making conversation as Claire got dressed. Looking down at himself, he examined the expensive black and white three-piece suit he wore. It was slightly too small to fit him, likely because of the muscle he had accumulated from work. The shoes were made from black leather and shone from the polish across their exterior. Trying not to think about how much his outfit cost, he continued his pacing outside Lillian's room while he waited. Their laughing and joking was muffled, but audible through the door. After over fifteen minutes of pacing and absentmindedly listening, the door finally opened.
Looking toward the room, Lillian stepped aside to reveal Claire with a dramatic flourish of her hands. She had chosen a dark blue dress, one that was covered in small gemstones across one side. The dress fell in waves from the waist down, the cloth waving and shimmering in the light of the room. The sleeves had been sewn from transparent lace, their intricate patterns covered with small crystals. When she turned back and forth to show off the dress, its gemstones reflected the light across the walls in an array of shining points. Lillian had rewrapped her bandages, applying them so they wouldn't be visible in the gaps of the dress. Even so, a few of the bandages were still visible around her arms and back, partially hidden by transparent lace but still apparent.
"Wow," Aike said in mock surprise, "I didn't know you knew how to wear a dress"
"Says you!" Claire laughed, stepping forward and playfully punching Aike's arm, "I don't think I've ever seen you wear something so nice!"
"Yeah, yeah, very funny," Aike said with a smile, rubbing his arm where Claire had hit him even though it didn't hurt.
"Alright, I've done all I can," Lillian said, a satisfied smile on her face as she looked Claire up and down, "Make sure you come right back here after you leave. I need to properly rewrap those bandages before you go to sleep"
"I'll make sure of it," Aike said, nodding at Lillian as he spoke.
Looking satisfied with his proclamation, Lillian patted Aike on the back as she pushed him out the door.
"Just keep an eye on my patient for me, got it?" she said, pulling Claire along by the hand as she guided them both out of the room, "Don't forget to eat as much as you can since the food's free!"
"Tell me again which one of us is supposed to be poor?" Aike said sarcastically, getting a laugh from them both.
Turning around to face her, Claire rested one hand on Aike's shoulder like she usually did when they walked together. With a wave and a few more promises to be safe, Aike led Claire down the stairs and into the streets of Highmaw. Crowds celebrated around them as they walked, paying no mind to the Champion as she walked among them. The sound of music echoed throughout the streets of the capital, different bands playing outside each of the taverns that they passed. Approaching the central plaza, the size of the crowds quickly became dizzying. More than a thousand people had gathered at the city's center. The smell of food and the sound of laughter filled the air, the pair of them having to squeeze through the thick crowds as they made their way up the main road.
Far above, the Gilded Palace shone with ethereal flames. The last rays of the sunset washed over the palace's brass and gold as the sun slid downward, the sun's orange light slowly dissipating along with the ethereal flames. Finally leaving the majority of the crowd behind, Aike and Claire stood at the base of the steps leading to the Gilded Palace. \
The road was perfectly straight, a number of various expensive-looking stores lining the road as it climbed upwards, their white stone and dark wooden exteriors dark and lifeless. Three separate sets of stairs broke up the street, a flat stretch of road between each one as they ascended towards the shining palace far above. The final set of steps leading to the palace was the largest, constructed in a semicircular shape and connecting to five roads. Each road descended into the city in a different direction, allowing the Gilded Palace to be approached from any angle. Even though the Gilded Palace glittered at the highest point in the city, the crowds had steered well clear of it during their celebrations.
Silence and anticipation filled the air between Aike and his sister, the pair moving up the stairs slowly and carefully. By the time they had climbed the second set of stairs, Claire's breathing had become labored despite her best efforts to hide that fact from Aike. Her hand remained as still as stone, and her grip was still relaxed as she did her best to hide her discomfort. Even so, Aike could hear her struggling with the exertion.
"Sorry, can we take a break?" Aike asked, guiding Claire to an empty bench on the side of the road, "These stairs have me exhausted"
"What? Need me to carry you up?" Claire said in a joking tone, poorly disguising her own lack of breath.
"No, I'm fine," he said as they sat down, "Let's just rest a bit before we go on"
Not responding, she sat on the hard stone bench and drank deep the cool night air. The breeze washed over them both, cooling Aike's face and carrying the scent of grilled meat and alcohol. They sat and enjoyed the night's atmosphere for a while, giving Claire some time to catch her breath.
Looking out towards the east, rolling hills of grass extended out to the horizon, the lights of a distant city shimmering at the furthest visible point. To the south, the Gate Mountains and the Crown of Astus loomed into the sky, their stygian peaks home to wyverns and demons alike. Looking north towards the Gilded Palace, the cliffs above it extended upward in several steps, the mountain's surface dotted with small glowing windows from the palace's interior, snaking through the mountain and holding hundreds of tunnels and rooms. Aike had always seen the palace from a distance, admiring its construction. Now that he was so close the building seemed almost unreal, as if it were a painting just out of his reach.
"Alright, ready to keep moving?" she said, standing up and stretching her arms over her head.
"Yeah," he answered, standing as she moved her hand to his shoulder once more.
Continuing their march, Aike and Claire ascended the final set of stairs, approaching the massive doors of the Gilded Palace. The strips of shining metal were massive from up close, the largest strip more than twenty feet across at its lowest point, growing thinner as it weaved upwards and stabbed into the sky. Beneath the strips of brass and gold was a dark stone wall, designed to blend into the cliffsides around the palace. Small slits between each strip glowed with light from the interior of the palace, thin and tall brass and gold-framed windows built wherever the outer design would allow. At the center of the magnificent building sat the entrance, a pair of massive doors crafted from brass and gold. The left door was decorated with the relief of a dragon, clutching a ball of flames and grappling with the creature on the opposite door. The dragon's opponent was a fierce looking beast. It resembled a man, with scaly legs and horns like a bull. Clutching a spear in one hand, it stabbed out towards the dragon. Above both of the figures sat a winged human, their magnificent plumage spread over both of the combatants below. Lining the bottom edge of the door, humans watched the figures above with fear and wonder. Overall, the door gave off an ominous aura that made a chill run up Aike's spine.
"Ready?" Aike asked, looking up at his sister's face.
Her eyes looked pensive, but she still wore the confident smile as always. Giving him a nod, they walked forward together. Approaching the door, they each placed a hand one of the doors and gave it a push. The doors slid open with unexpected ease for their size, silently revealing the beautiful interior of the gleaming palace.
The entrance hall was grand, the ceiling far above decorated in an array of hand-painted reliefs. Aike's gaze danced across the art, recognizing various historical events from across the Empire's history. Humanoid figures stretched lazily across the marble, while others wielded their Circuits in grand battles, some laid dying in their beds. Dropping his gaze, he followed the shape of the single large chandelier dangling from the center of the art pieces. It was constructed to look as if it had melted down from the ceiling's brass and gold frame, shining with various light mana crystals across its fixtures. Looking down, the walls of the palace were lined with beautifully carved marble pillars extending to the roof above, one standing along the edge of the room every fifteen feet. Each pillar's base was carved into a design like a dragon that clutched the stone above, as if they held the palace's weight on their shoulders. The floor was shining black and white marble, polished to a perfect shine that reflected the chandelier above.
It was the most beautiful, and expensive, building that Aike had ever seen. Judging by Claire's slack jaw as she examined the room, she felt the same. Slowly walking into the palace with their gazes upwards, Claire's heels echoed throughout the massive hall, echoing until they sounded like the steps of a giant. Behind them, the palace doors silently slid shut, a soft boom echoing through the room as they fell back into place on their own.
"Good afternoon, I assume you are Champion Claire of Highmaw?" A deep and regal voice said, his accented words echoing throughout the room.
Looking for the owner of the voice, Aike saw a well-dressed older man standing a few dozen feet in front of them. His posture was perfectly straight, like a blade, making his black tailcoat suit appear smooth and without the slightest wrinkle. His silver hair and beard were expertly trimmed, his sharp eyes inspecting them closely before bowing. As he rose from his bow, he smoothly retrieved a pocket watch from his coat and checked the time, a thin golden chain dangling from its knob.
"You are right on time, as expected of the Champion," he said, obviously satisfied with their punctuality, "If you are both ready, the Empress will see you now"
"I, uh-," Claire began, but was interrupted when the butler swiftly turned and began walking to the opposite side of the hall.
Glancing at each other, Aike and Claire followed behind the man as he approached another set of doors. They were slightly smaller than the entrance to the palace, but mirrored the design and materials. Looking up at the door, another chill ran down Aike's spine, and Claire tightened her grip on his shoulder.
The butler stepped forward, placing his hands on the handles of both doors and pulling on them. The doors silently slid apart, the older man stepping aside and bowing his head as they did.
"The throne room," he presented, "Her Majesty will be waiting within"
Nodding, Claire stepped forward, leading Aike by the shoulder as they entered the extravagant room. It was egg-shaped and around one hundred feet long, the room growing wider as the walls curved away from the entranceway. Seventeen golden sconces decorated the left wall, equidistant in their placement, but ending before they could reach the halfway point of the room. The shining sconces were each designed as a dragon's head, each one unique in appearance. The eyes of each dragon burned with a fierce orange light, tinted glass set over the white mana crystals within. Above, the room had a domed brass ceiling that almost seemed to droop and melt down into a thick copper spike. The copper was covered in engravings and reliefs, and looked similar in shape and size to the copper spike that jutted from the roof of the palace. At the far end of the room, a small set of three steps led to an elevated platform where the throne stood, bisecting the room into two distinct areas of different sizes. The throne was constructed in a design similar to the palace's exterior, made from strips of brass and gold that twisted and flowed like water. The back of the chair consisted of an array of the strips that stabbed upwards, forming a flat surface that stood out like a crown hovering over the head of whoever sat upon it. Shadows blanketed the room beyond the throne, the gleaming seat and the figure upon it partially covered in shadow as well. Sitting in the seat was the tall and regal figure of the Empress, the light of her eyes burning through the darkness like spots of hellfire. Behind the throne, a pair of glowing and flickering orange lanterns hovered, only the light they gave off visible through the shadow. Stepping forward, Claire and Aike kneeled and bowed their head to the Empress, who raised a hand to dismiss them a moment later.
"Champion Claire of Highmaw," she said, her commanding voice echoing through the room, "I dislike indirect conversations, and wish to immediately reach the conclusion of our meeting. Please, stand and raise your head"
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"Yes, Your Majesty," Claire answered, quickly standing and raising her gaze to meet the Empress's form. She was wrapped in a thick black cloak, lined with fur and with golden chains binding it shut. Her hands and feet were covered in dull black leather, gold plating over her knuckles and toes like armor.
"Your strength is great, however, you no longer possess the ability to wield that strength freely," she declared, her voice visibly sending a shiver through his sister's body, "Due to your current circumstances, I have no choice but to absolve you of your duties from this moment onwards"
Aike was stunned into silence, then slowly stood as Claire remained motionless. Looking at her expression, she looked as if she had just been punched in the gut, with sweat beading her brow and her mouth hanging open. Aike's heart twisted at the sight, her ever-present smile now gone.
"Wait, you can't just-" Aike began, silencing himself as the Empress stood.
Looking at her now, as she rose from the throne and stepped forward into the light, the Empress was terrifying. Her eyes twisted and shone with deadly light, and she stood head and shoulders over them both. She gave off an aura that made Aike's knees want to buckle beneath him, and every instinct within him told him to run. His hands trembling, he slowly reached out towards Claire to take her shaking hand.
"I hope you both can understand," the Empress said, unchaining the cloak and allowing it to fall from her shoulders, revealing the dark bands of leather armor and gold accents beneath, "This is my duty as the ruler over Astus"
"Claire!" Aike shouted, jumping towards her and grasping her hand, "Run!"
Pulling on his sister, her feet remained motionless on the floor as she watched the Empress with horror. The glowing lanterns behind the throne rose, moving forward as their owner stepped over the throne. Emerging from the shadow was the massive form of a semi-transparent and glowing orange dragon. Its scales were heavy and large, like plates of spiked armor. Held up on stout and powerful legs, it rested its thick and bladed claws over the back of the throne, watching them both with killing intent in its gaze. Its eyes glowed with a twisting and shining pattern that matched the Empress's, and its head was framed by six thick and twisting horns. From between the dragon's central horns stretched a long and thick mane of electrified white hair, standing in stark contrast to the orange glow of its body. Massive armored wings stretched out until their tips brushed against the walls of the room. With a twisting feeling in his stomach, Aike recognized the dragon's face, one of the unique dragon sconces that lined the throne room's walls.
As the massive Dragon Circuit stepped forward, the Empress summoned two additional Circuits. With a crackle of lightning and thunder, a pair of heavy dual-edged greatswords appeared in each of her hands. They were magnificent in their design and ethereal construction, shifting patterns like lightning along the blades. Wordlessly, the Empress leapt towards Claire, lifting the blades to strike as Aike screamed his sister's name.
Suddenly snapping to attention, Claire moved faster than the Empress could, pushing Aike away and summoning her Circuit in a single fluid motion. Blocking the Empress's attack, Claire was thrown back and into Aike, causing them to skid across the ground and away from the attacker. Aike attempted to slow himself on the polished marble floors, feeling his skin on his palms burn from the friction as they dragged across its shining surface. Looking up, he saw the Empress descending on Claire once more, their Circuits clashing with a shower of sparks as Claire stood to defend. Focusing inward, Aike tried to awaken his dormant Circuit, focusing on the inside of his body as he tried to drag out a power to match his sister's. Feeling nothing but empty space, Aike cursed his lack of power as he stood. Claire and the Empress had their weapons locked, Claire struggling with the strain while the Empress looked down at her with an expressionless gaze.
"Aike! Get out of here!" she shouted, dropping to the ground and attempting to sweep the Empress's legs out from under her with a kick. Claire's kick struck true, her bones audibly cracking against the Empress's unmoving boots. Crying out as her bone fractured, Claire raised her Circuit once more to block an overhead attack. Instead, the Empress lifted her foot and kicked into Claire's chest while she was low to the ground, sending her flying towards the door. Sprinting towards her, Aike dove in front of his sister's body as she rocketed towards the door, cushioning her impact but feeling his own ribs crack against the brass and gold.
The two collapsed to the floor, Aike clutching onto Claire as he attempted to breathe. It felt like shards of glass were lining the air, shredding his lungs apart with every ragged breath. He clutched as his chest as he tried to inhale, feeling the strength sap from his limbs as he struggled to breathe. Coughing aloud, Claire slowly stood and summoned her Circuit once more, using it to support her weight. Her steps were uneven as she stood, keeping her eyes on her opponent as she spoke.
"Aike, are you alright!? You need to-!" she began, interrupted when the Empress began slowly approaching them.
"I cannot allow either of you to leave," she said, her tone apologetic but cold and cruel.
With a defiant roar, Claire desperately rushed forward and swung down towards the Empress's head. At the last moment, her blade burst with light and energy, crashing down on her target's crossed blades with a bright flash of light. Dropping to the ground, Claire spun around and swung towards the Empress's hand, attempting to disarm her. In an instant, both greatswords vanished in a burst of orange sparks. Appearing in one hand was a wide shield, ringing out as Claire's sword struck it and fell still. Bringing her other hand in front of her, there was a sound like an explosion as a semi-transparent and glowing orange maul formed in her hand. Bringing the maul around, Aike heard a sickening crunch as it made contact with Claire's ribs. Claire rolled across the ground from the impact, sent to the opposite side of the room from Aike before falling still. Turning her attention towards him, the burning light of her eyes seared into him. Holding his own ribs as he stood, Aike shakily raised his fists in preparation to fight, stumbling back and leaning against the heavy doors. Despite opening outwards, they didn't shift or move from Aike's weight. Pushing against the doors, Aike surged forward and swung towards the Empress, who made no move to dodge. His fists struck her stomach as she inspected him, her gaze boring into his. Looking up at her with hatred in his eyes, she looked down at him with an expression of pity, or sadness.
Suddenly, he heard Claire scream, the sound echoing across the room. Looking past the Empress, he saw her stand, holding her Circuit with both hands before dropping her stance low to the ground. A thick orange aura surrounded her as the air crackled with energy, orange light like lightning flickering from the edges of her eyes. The wounds across her body burst as she shot toward the Empress, a trail of light and blood behind her as the air cracked from the energy. Turning around at the last moment before impact, Tyrsyss dispelled her Circuits and faced Claire's charge head on. Swinging her sword in an upwards strike at the Empress's chest, there was a flash of light between them and a small storm of wind in every direction that buffeted the room, pushing Aike away from them until his back hit the door once more. When Aike opened his eyes, the sight made his heart sink into his gut, a cold sweat spreading across his brow and back.
Calmly looking down at Claire, the Empress held the blade between her fingers, a gauntlet Circuit surrounding her hand and forearm that crackled where it made contact with his sister's Circuit. Looking up at her with terror, Claire tried to pull her blade free of the Empress's grasp. Holding it firm, she stepped forward and grasped Claire by the throat. Pulling her with one hand as she shattered her Circuit with her fingers, the Empress threw Claire across the slick floor towards Aike, who dropped to his knees to catch her before she could hit the door.
"I take no enjoyment in your suffering, I will end this with my next strike," Tyrsyss's words sent a violent chill down Aike's spine as she spoke them, slowly approaching them as she dispelled the gauntlet and summoned her twin greatswords once more.
Straining to stand, Claire summoned her own blade once more and rose to meet Tyrsyss's assault head on. The Circuits clashed with another burst of light and sparks, Claire's blade beginning to crack from the impact. Pushing her twin blades down on her, Tyrsyss had the advantage of height over Claire, looking down at them both as she applied force to Claire's guard. Claire's circuit crackled fiercely as it was slowly being cut through, the Empress's Circuits unharmed as they continued to push through Claire's blade. The force of the clash caused Claire to start sinking to the ground, sliding back across the slick stones towards the door as Tyrsyss's heavy footfalls pushed them closer and closer to their deaths. Rushing forward, Aike pushed against Claire's back with all his strength, even as his lungs screamed out in pain. Even with the two of them together, they slowly slid backwards, inching closer and closer to the door.
"Aike! I'm sorry!" Claire shouted, tears streaming down her face as her skin suddenly grew hot to the touch.
The crackling aura of energy enveloped her once more, her Circuit expanding and growing in size until Tyrsyss's advance slowed to a halt. With a single shaky step forward, Claire managed to push the Empress back, her eyes widening as she was matched and surpassed.
"I see," Tyrsyss muttered, her voice free of strain, "You use all of your strength to protect what you stand for. Then so too shall I"
Slowly, the massive form of the Dragon Circuit moved forward, its heavy footfalls shaking the ground as it made its way closer and closer to the Empress. Fear filled every inch of Aike's body as he watched it bow its head, dipping its thick and sharp nose into Tyrsyss's back. The dragon's form melted into formless energy, slowly wrapping around Tyrsyss's body and solidifying into plates and scales of armor. The armor resembled the dragon's form, six prominent horns lining the bladed helmet, their burning orange eyes visible through holes in the dragon's visage. Wings folded around her waist to create a skirt-like mail, deadly claws surrounding her hands and feet like the limbs of the dragon before. In an instant, the force of the Empress's blades tripled, suddenly forcing them both back across the ground once more.
"Now… die," she said, her merciless eyes burning into them both as she pushed down on Claire's blade.
Screaming defiantly, Claire doubled the energy running through her veins, causing her skin to grow even hotter and begin burning Aike's skin where they touched. Her blade expanded again, crackling with energy that arced to the walls and floor around them as it did. Sparks of energy struck Aike as well, burning away small patches of skin where they made contact and sending the smell of burning blood into the air. The two women remained evenly matched, for just a moment. In an instant, the wounds across Claire's body exploded, blood spraying in all directions and staining the floor and walls. Aike felt the hot crimson flow over his hands and face as he watched in horror. At that moment, the energy around his sister waned, her strength failing as her body reached its limit. With a sickening crash, Tyrsyss pushed her blades down.
A crash of thunder, an impact, the smell of blood.
Aike laid on the ground, struggling to breathe through the dust in the air. He could feel a pounding pain in his ribs, greater than before. One of his legs had gone numb, and many fragments of shattered stone and metal now pitted his skin. Looking up, half of his vision had been tinted red as Claire's blood seeped into his right eye. Attempting to pull himself forward, Aike felt all the strength within him disappear. Looking up, he searched for Claire, finding her lying on the rubble only a few feet away.
The throne room's doors had shattered from the force of Tyrsyss's attack, breaking off large chunks of the stone around the entrance as well. Rubble populated the magnificent entrance hall's floor, the chandelier above illuminating Claire's unmoving and damaged body. The bandaged wounds across her body had erupted, spreading across her skin until they could be seen beyond the bandages. Numerous additional wounds had appeared across her skin, appearing like splits in her flesh rather than cuts caused by a blade. Blood trailed from her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears as she reached her bloody hand towards Aike. Tears formed around her eyes as she looked at him, her ragged breaths and the blood in her throat preventing her from speaking.
At that moment, Tyrsyss emerged from the throne room. The glowing armor she was wearing had disappeared, taking the form of the armored dragon from before. Its glowing form illuminated Tyrsyss's back, just barely visible through the veil of dust and smoke that filled the area. Slowly, she approached the still form of Claire, summoning a curved dagger Circuit in one hand with a sound like whirling wind. Claire croaked, her words indecipherable as she struggled to speak to Aike.
He clutched at the stones in front of him until his fingernails bled, trying to crawl forward. He wanted to protect her, to help her escape, to take the hit, to do anything. Despite his struggling, he could only watch helplessly as Tyrsyss kneeled down by Claire and plunged the blade into her chest. Convulsing once, Claire fell still. Tears streamed down Aike's cheeks as he watched the life drain from his sister's eyes, her face twisted up in terror and pain as his only family took her last breath.
Dispelling the dagger and standing tall, Tyrsyss looked down at her palms, covered in Claire's blood. With a swift motion, she brought them down with a flash of orange light and a sound like a dagger on stone. There, formed in each of her hands were hand-and-a-half swords, with a single-edged thick blades, their points swept back and away from the edge. They were magnificent swords, with round guards and a blade meant for slashing rather than stabbing or piercing. Aike looked up at Tyrsyss, holding Claire's Circuits in her hands as she turned her attention towards him. Her twisting and shining eyes flared brighter as she looked down at him, like a merciless god examining her next victim. At that moment, he felt a heat deep within his chest like never before.
It felt like his heart had been filled with boiling oil, pumping it throughout his body in an instant as he felt the energy flood his muscles. Gripping the stones beneath him, he slowly stood and glared at Tyrsyss. His vision began to glow with orange light as he stared her down, rage searing through his mind and body that made him forget his pain.
"TYRSYSS!!!" Aike screamed, the heat within surging forth and spilling from his skin with a sound like steel scraping steel, "I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
Aike felt his skin and flesh tear apart, his surroundings exploding with orange light as his consciousness disappeared.
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Aina
Aina's fingers swept across the cool silk of the dress. Looking it over, she knew she would never see it again after tonight. At least, not while Tyrsyss still lived.
Examining the silk closer, she found a spot near the bottom hem where it had frayed and split. Taking hold of it with trembling hands, she tore at the dress until she had separated a thin strip of fabric. Holding it in her hands, it was about two and a half feet long, with soot stains across its surface. Standing from the floor, she left the dress behind as she entered the room once more. Making her way to the nightstand, she reached underneath it to retrieve a small gilded butter knife. It's edge had been scraped away at on the stones of the walls, giving it a jagged but sharp edge. Wrapping the blade with the majority of the makeshift ribbon, she tied the blade to her forearm, securing it beneath her armpit where it couldn't be easily seen.
Looks good, no sign of it from the outside, she thought, running her hands over the cloth covering the blade, I just hope I won't have to use it.
Allowing her fingers to linger over the ribbon, Aina shut her eyes and listened for any sign of movement from the guards outside her door. Hearing nothing but idle chatter, Aina took a deep breath, steeling her nerves as she turned towards the door. Tonight was the night she would escape, or she would die trying.