Chapter Text
“Mornin’, how was your sleep?” Elio giddily asked with a smile that rivaled his namesake. The darkness of the silo doesn’t dissuade it any less.
“It’s nice to have my mind for more than ten minutes. What about you? Headache still?”
Elio shakes his head warily, “Stings, though not as bad. Think my body was adjusting while I slept. You reckon it’ll be gone if I keep this up?”
There’s fragile optimism in his eyes. It’s inevitable he’ll find out, but I’d like to keep this dirty little secret a while longer. Not that I’m not remorseful about my choice.
“Perhaps. We ought to have something to look forward to after settling your debt.”
Taken aback, Elio sensed a mistrust in my words. “I wouldn’t be here without Julius. He brought me to ‘justice’ sure… but he saved me a number of times in return. I vouch for him.”
“I’m unsure why you’re trying to convince me. Not like I’ll take you by force and leave him to die.”
“...knowing you, you just might!”
In our conversation, Julius approaches us, yawning from his stupor and fixing his eyes from crusts. “What were you two ‘friends’ talking about?”
Elio stares back at him with a puzzling look. “I feel like you’re insinuating something there but… I don’t get it. What are we if we aren’t friends?”
Julius stands silently, confusion takes a hold of him. He gazes at me hoping for an answer. A half smile shapes his lips. “He’s joking…?”
“I don’t even know what to tell you.”
Casting it aside, Julius explains the plan, or more accurately, admitting his investigation hasn’t borne a single fruit. His suspicion wants us to head upwards to the top of the tower city. I haven’t called out on his incompetence for a number of reasons. For one, the campaign didn’t seem to aim to retake the city.
Would’ve been simple. Kill the remnants, then sprinkle a bit of those stuff that made the wall and voila, you’ll have a city – free to live in. But the higher ups – particularly Gaius – were preoccupied with something… We weren’t told much, just that we had to advance to the top of the city and hold a checkpoint before a chamber of some sorts.
It was painless – very much over after mere hours. The bumbling Corrupteds were easy to dispatch. But all hell broke loose that night.
Each one of us was turning. The Acolytes were nowhere in sight. Same goes with the higher ups – Gaius, Flaggard, I believe the name, some other mooks – they disappeared into thin air. Left the rest of us for dead while a horde of Corrupted clawed our insides. Until now, I can’t shake the feeling that it has something to do with that chamber.
“That sounds… horrifying,” Elio’s eyes were watering, empathy taking hold of him.
“Not as horrifying as not having my own thoughts. Endlessly roaming this blasted place till the end of time isn’t exactly on my bucket list. But hey, I’m here now – and I can move my hand however the fuck I want.”
Julius scruffs his chin, “The voices… what exactly– what do they sound like?”
“...like a little kid, playing a messenger game with me. Sometimes I could make up the words. Even when I couldn’t, my body would move on its own despite the lack of understanding.”
The Sergeant falls silent. His mind is intrigued, puzzled, but more importantly starting to connect the dots I have yet to know exist. “Whatever the cause, I have a strong feeling we’ll find out at the very top,” he said confidently.
“What makes you so certain, ye who hath no evidence?”
Julius grins, “Take it as… familial intuition.”
The Corrupted paid me no mind when I was one of them. Now that I’ve regained my own body, I’m unsure how they’ll react – and I’m not keen on testing the water. That said, having a sane trained officer is a welcomed addition. What comes as a surprise, however, is how apt Elio is around the Corrupted.
I expected him to be jittery, nervous, fainting at the sight of blood. The reality is this Holy Boy would have his knife ready whenever there’s no chance of safety. No hesitation – follows our lead quickly and concisely. His dream of picking up a sword isn’t far out of reach after all.
“Good job keeping up,” I complimented, patting his back to see him recoil forward.
Elio grunts, “Ow, thank you! I can’t afford to fall behind – not in front of you,” He said sheepishly. It’s adorable.
Julius interjects from the front, “Hear that? Means we can chuck him at Corrupted when need be!”
The Holy Boy catches up to the man. In a low voice, yet not low enough for me to miss, demands an answer. “At them, you mean? Why don’t we throw you instead? You have armor. The weight would crush them.”
“Wouldn’t make it far, throwing Julius. The point is to stun them, not dispatch them.”
Elio turns behind him, looking betrayed. “Ah, you too?! Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?! Okay, look, why don’t we NOT throw anyone? Sounds like a plan, right?” He switches glances between Julius and I, asking for confirmation to his plan.
“We’ll save it for last. How about that?”
“Can we NOT make it an option?!”
The bickering went on and on. Before we knew it, we were approaching the coveted chamber. Purple glow seeps through the ajarring large door. Its illumination hasn’t waned since I guarded this checkpoint. Placed at the very top of the inner tower, the stone sky has never been nearer. Shriveled corpses, tattered and broken, strewn across the walkway that connects the stair and the inner tower. Each limb was from conscripts of the campaign, their armors made for the identifier. Elio gasps at the sight. He makes a face of uncertainty, like he expected to be more tolerant. The issue lies in the fact it’ll never happen. “Can I?” He asked compassionately.
“We’ll cover you.”
The Holy Boy kneels and prays with purple prose, pouring his heart to the Silver Lord. Confinding me, Julius remarks on their journey thus far. “Just days ago, he lost the light in his eyes – on a tightrope. You have quite an effect on him.”
“It goes both ways. And you don’t seem immune to his little brother energy yourself.”
Julius scoffs and snarkily replies, “Bah, I’m just using him! Morale is needed in these lands, and you tend to be a little kinder to someone with a shortened lifespan.” He switches his view to the praying boy, face hardly readable. “My father was a scholar for the Gunnir’s senate. That chamber was his study.”
“Wasn’t all that curious but tell me more.” I glance at him to see a reaction, “Why would the high priest cause the Shadow?”
The sergeant chuckles nervously, “That is the question! He was against me joining the City Guards – disowned me when I informed him. But really, what can I say? The path to scholarship is not for me! Unlike my little sisters…” His face turns a grimace, as if recalling unsavory memories from a time ago.
Before he could elaborate more, our eyes were drawn to Elio walking backwards. “I… don’t think that’s normal…” He whimpered, casting our attention to a group of Corrupted marching towards the coveted chamber like moths to a fire. The sound of clashing bones and merging gloppy flesh make it clear something is upon us. The air starts to chill or is it my sweat? Seconds later, the door to the chamber smashed wide open. A hulking brute, around two men tall, emerged with countless flowers on every corner of its body. Each limb is a contorted body, controlled by the myriads of intertwining roots, and they groan still. Every step is an earthquake as it picks up speed and charges towards us.
Narrowly, we dodged it. Pulling Elio with me, the brute paves its way through the corpses and to the wall behind us. The whole city tower shakes in its impact. There is little room to maneuver.
Hiding is no option.
So is falling back.
The Corrupted below would tear us apart.
There’s an answer in the chamber right behind us and only one way to see it through.
Elio sees me drawing my sword, “A-are we fighting? H-how are we supposed to fight it?!” he panically asked.
“Aim for the flowers, kid!” Julius resolutely replied, his sword readied. “See if that works first.”
Before it turns around, Julius slashes its back.
Its attention on him opens an opportunity.
Cut the flower on its arm, its root retracted.
Lifeless bodies emerge as they fall to the ground.
They don’t move – except for one – the one I missed.
Elio fends it just in time.
Stunned and overwhelmed by two-pronged assault, the brute goes on a rampage. Flailing its remaining arm in a desperate hope, spinning out of control. It crashes Julius to the wall to his right and flies Elio to the other side of the walkway. I dodged its swing and began rushing to catch the flying Acolyte. His arm was just in reach when I spread mine. Dangling by an arm, he trades his knife for safety from falling to his death.
As the echo of the knife is nowhere to be found, and Julius fights valiantly against the unknown brute, Elio and I confide to come up with a plan. Head-on assault like we did won’t take us anywhere. However, Elio notices a strange difference to the other Corrupted.
Its head, or what constitutes a head, is covering a flower. Its strange light faintly shines through gaps of bodies piling on it. The oddity lends us a new approach, strategy. Yet it’s unreachable, not even me, the tallest of us. My eyes drift looking for ideas, unbeknownst to me, it’s been by my side the whole time.
“Hold my sword and don’t let go,” I said to Elio while hoisting his waist with my arms around my abdomen.
Elio fumbles on his words, “W-wait, hold on, what are you–”
“Getting you up there. Make sure you cut the flower clean!”
The Acolyte widens his eyes, stunned and panicked, “WHAT?! That sounds– I don’t– At least let me prepare!”
There was no time for that. Julius was about to be beaten to a pulp had I hesitated. It helped that Elio remained the same weight from the day we met. Not that gaining a few kilos would matter…
Biding my time, waiting for the brute to stand still, an opportunity arises. I swung my arm as hard as I could, arching my hip and shoulders alongside it. Elio soars, screaming like a mating parrot, and lands just above the brute’s head. Holding on for his dear life, he shrieks, “What do I do? GODDAMMIT, WHAT DO I DO?!”
“The flower, Elio! Beneath the corpses!”
His eyes zeroed to the faint light, slowly encroaching towards it with desperate intent. The brute retaliates, endlessly attempting to shake Elio off of him. It grows angrier, more unpredictable. Julius recovered from its assault and lends his support by slashing its corpse-legs. Finally stabilized, Elio has the balance and focus to pierce the flower through the pile of corpses.
The moment his sword is driven, the brute of corpses come crumbling down. Each Corrupted piled onto another and became cushions for Elio to land on. Under the weight, they couldn’t fight on, making it easy for Julius to dispatch the rest. As the storm finally settles, a celebration is in order. Adding to the mood, the Acolyte quickly stands, rushes towards me and furiously runs his mouth. “Didn’t I tell you to wait?!?!? I could’ve DIED there!”
It is amusing to see him so worked up, “...But you didn’t. In fact, you did very well.” I told him, knowing full well it’d only feed the fire.
“That’s BESIDES the fucking point!” Elio’s fury knows no bounds. His temper reddens his face like a dragon unleashing its fire.
“It could’ve knocked me off, flown me again out of your reach this time! I WOULDN’T survive the drop!” He shouted, vehemently pointing at the height we were currently standing on.
Julius emerges behind him with a relieved yet devious snigger, “Don’t get lost in the detail, kid. We’re still breathing. It could’ve knocked all of us off if it weren’t for you – it was only a matter of time!” He pats Elio’s back, “Thank you, truly.”
Julius’s gratitude overwhelms him. Fluster wells over his frustration and anger. Washed in mixed emotion, the Acolyte kicks a slab of the railings when it then proceeds to crack and plunges down the well of darkness below. As it echoes its landing, murmurs of Corrupted reach our ears. And suddenly, the raging Acolyte is no more.
Elio turns around, deflated, face shivering, he changes the topic like a sudden gust of wind, “...Seems like a good time to investigate the chamber… doesn't it?”
We concurred.
With heightened caution, we slowly approach the coveted, purple lit chamber. We aren’t about to let anything have a jump on us again. Surprises, however, are always in droves. The same voice – the one not so distant from my memory rings in my ears. The flower residing in my eye brightens up, but no puppetry is at play. It keeps repeating the same two words.
“Stay… away…” Like a plea, a beg. It’s nothing unlike what I've heard from it before. Relaying the voice to the rest of my party, we came to a conclusion: its source must be inside the chamber. My expectation is raised. I hope for nothing but to rid of this voice permanently.
The entire chamber is lit by the myriads of flowers different to the ones we’ve encountered. Its stems and roots converge and take shapes like drawings on a paper, like an adept hand of a child.
“Dandelions – Tilly’s favourite,” Julius muttered under his breath. He shakes his head to regain composure, averting his eyes from them. “No, this… has to be a coincidence.”
Elio finds a place beside him, comforting the distraught Sergeant. “Do you need a moment?”
Julius closes his heart, exasperatedly says, “No. The faster we wrap this up, the faster we get the hell out of here.”
“Stay… Stay… away…!”
The voice intensified the deeper we went. As if losing its patience, terrified.
In the heart of the chamber, it’s revealed to us: the cluster of dandelions adorning the walls are but seedlings to the flower chimera in the middle of the room. Dandelions make up most of its heads, whereas the rest are similar to Corrupted’s flower and mine. Its stems are as large and wide as pine tree barks. A lead could blanket us through the night. It glows its light like a shimmering breathing. The endless mist of Shadow pours from its pollen.
“Stay away, my seeds aren’t yours…!”
The voice has never been clearer, like talking face-to-face. The chimera has been the source of my unwilling obedience all this time. Yet as I look at it now, my wish to relinquish its influence is gone. It sounds in pain.
“Why do you think we’re taking your seed?” I asked and it fell silent.
The flower chimera rustles its leaf, blowing us a gale through the thick Shadow.
“...You, wilted flower – you understand me? The men in armour like yours. They came, defiled me, and took my seeds. They didn’t wish to see them bloom.”
Its voice, exasperated still, but its spirit is lifted.
“But you… you seem nicer.”
To have a voice but no ears to listen, talking to a void all this time. I can imagine the relief in seeing a kindred spirit. Seems rather appropriate to try and make sense whatever we’re encountering.
“What are you exactly? Never met a telephatic flower before.”
“Then I must be the prettiest telephatic flower you’ve met! You can call me Tilly. Pleased to meet you, wilted flower, and your companions too.”
I relay the familiar name. As expected, Julius’s eyes narrowed. In his dismay, he demands answers from Tilly the flower chimera, raising his voice just like his sword, “What are you? Why do you have that name?!”
Elio is quick to calm him, calling his name to dissuade his sword and him off from doing something he’ll regret. Hearing his name garners a reaction out of Tilly.
“Julius…? Julius, is that you? You look… different…”
It said excitedly and slowly turned to a choking sorrow.
“It– She said you look different.”
The Sergeant’s shaking arm subsides. Tears welling up his eyes as they are fixed to the chimera. Though he tries, a single touch would never convince this was once his sister.
“What… happened?”
As words flood my mind, I become a bridge between them. Though I cannot capture even the slightest weight of them, it’s the least I could do. I’m the only one that can.
“Father promised a new world – a better world. Where our research and findings would never be a subject of mockery or heresy like that of the senates. Where humanity would thrive under their own will… and not through the will of those above.”
“My little ones… beautiful, aren’t they? They are fruits of our labour, Clarus. Hundreds and thousands of iterations resulted in a life form as complex as man. Self-sufficient… and eternal.”
“They are catalysts to our new world – of which complacency has no place. A visible, common enemy, an obstacle to prevail, that can only be fell by swords and not faith.”
Thus the plan of the mad scholar – nothing but a meaningless, idealistic drivel. However, she too is a victim. One can hardly press a judgement over her.
Julius’s silence is interrupted by his saddened glee as he tries to pull himself together.
“New world? Common enemy? What’s with all the responsibility? I thought you prefer running around playing hide-and-seek with the other kids? Here you are talking like some malevolent force of nature!”
A flame is burning in his eyes, a set of conviction fuelled by grief. His breath, an ember, asks the flower chimera.
“Do you… still believe in our Father, Tilly?”
“Seeing you and your companions here, he must’ve prevailed over the senate. The age of man is at hand. Tell me, Julius, did he send you to deliver me my fate?”
Julius is at a loss for words. He shudders, unable to break the truth to his sister. Clearly, he doesn’t want to. Hence I speak out in his stead and bring her up to speed. The senate is no more, replaced by Ordo de Lunae with her father at the helm. While it’s true he led a decree to eradicate Shadow, we have yet to retake a single city over the five years and countless are lost for it – setting me as an example.
There’s stagnant reluctance in the air around Tilly’s leaves – as if disbelief has taken hold by her stems. After a moment, after letting Julius have his dose of tears, her words reach me once again.
“No wonder you are familiar, wilted flower… and they were uninterested in delivering my fate.”
Julius raises his voice, airing his frustration.
“Can’t you see, Tilly? Father has betrayed you, betrayed humanity! If we are supposed to prevail, then he led us astray – comfortable in his throne of stagnancy he vowed to eradicate!”
On his knees, he begs Tilly to consider a choice.
“You can still… you can still order your little ones to hold back. Symbiotic relationship you said right? We don’t have to play this cruel game!”
“Julius… we’re destined to be at odds. My little ones will wreak havoc until no shred of humanity is left. That is in their design – to destroy and multiply. Even I cannot control them.”
“I… refuse to believe that…”
“Please… Julius… Big Brother… deliver me my fate…”
Julius gazes at his sword, an answer he’s not willing to give. Tilly’s end is predetermined. By whose hands was up to fate, but by her family is once in a lifetime luck. Shakingly, he raises his sword one breath at a time. Not yet ready to end their reunion but it was never meant to last. Just as he was set, however, Elio stopped him in his tracks.
Tears streaming down his face, the Acolyte offers to carry the burden Julius isn’t ready for. Determinedly, he runs his palm along his sword. Blood flows and glistens, soaking her roots like his hope for her peace.
“What is this…? Bliss…?” Her words, like a whisper, free from doubts and ideals not of her own. “Oh… I see… you are… mother’s…”
Like the flower presiding my eye, Tilly begins to wilt, shriveling and withering away from her existence. Her voice, distorted and distant. The shadow is thinning. As fresh air is filling my lungs, Elio recites his prayers with compassion.
“Fear not for the darkness, for the moonlight has finally found thee.”
“Fear not for thine steps, for the thou shalt never be astray.”
“Fear not for the heart, for the Silver Lord shalt walk beside thee.”
“Embrace thy fate. Embrace thy peace. For thou hath travelled far – rewarded, thou shalt be.”
Dandelions all around the chamber are turning to dust alongside Tilly. She welcomes her peace with open arms and for the final time imparts her gratitude and request.
“Mother and Lily are to the west…”
“Please… bring them their peace…”
“See you again… big brother.”
With Tilly gone, the Shadow dissipates. The moonlight finally lights this place as intended. It’s eerie. No murmurs haunting this place, no Corrupted left to tear us to shreds. Only silence in this bygone city. Everything returned to how it was supposed to be – except for my eye. Seems I won’t be getting it back. Though I’m already used to it by now, I prefer my vision unimpaired. It helps during night watch, not that it’s currently. Many happenings left us perturbed. I’d wager none of us can get a wink of sleep.
The sound of footsteps echo in the dead city, drawing closer and closer behind me along with exhausted breaths. Elio takes a seat beside me on the ledge, basking in his silence and half-dead sighs. Crossing his fingers, his cyan eyes glance back and forth between the empty air and me. I stare him down, urging him to tell whatever is in his mind. And before long, he speaks out.
“Suppose Tilly and I aren’t so different – we’re both destined to die.”
“I don’t know where you get that idea. We’re all gonna die one day.”
Elio chuckles, appreciative of my dark comfort.
“Well, mine’s a bit earlier than yours.”
“Tilly lived so humanity can unite. Her existence is a hurdle and her death is a goal.”
“I live to keep the Shadow at bay. When I die, my peers will live through my remains.”
“Our lives and deaths are to benefit humanity. It’s by design. The only difference is Tilly and her family chose to be shackled and became what they are. I scarcely believe my parents knew what they signed me for…”
“We were destined for such a grand and noble reason, but I can’t help but doubt, is it truly as incredible as the Ordo– High Priest Corovan made it out to be?”
“...Since in the end… are we not made to kill each other?”
I don’t envy his position. Julius asked– no, begged his help to find the rest of his family. ‘Deliver them their deserved fate,’ he said. And it’s not out of reach to say it’s unfair for Elio.
The Ordo was never as noble as they made themselves out to be, but the depths of their despicableness was never in anyone’s mind. Helping Julius means following their design., as if he’s indebted for the fate they put on him. It’s easier when the monster is faceless.
Turning back against humanity is a fair choice. Unfortunately, Elio is too kind for his own good. It’s not out of reach to say he’s the only one who can do this. I wager it’d take this kind of twist another five years to repeat itself.
I’d rather not tip either end of the scale, but there is something Elio needs to consider. And hopefully it doesn’t change his view on me.
“Tilly was at peace when you delivered her fate. She was… she felt serenity. I doubt any swords can have the same affect.”
Elio gazes at me with uncertainty.
“Are you… guiding me somewhere, Aradia? You want me to… side with humanity?”
“Merely telling you the side that’s most left unheard. If their fate is to die, then the softest deaths is what they deserve. It has nothing to do with humanity – just giving them what they signed up for.”
“And on the other end, would you prefer other Acolytes go through the same experience as you?”
Elio detests that question, turning his face the other way and hiding his contempt. However, he’s always been quick to think and quick to decide. I believe he has his answer beneath that anger of his.
The sound of footsteps echo once again. Weighted, heavy steps along with a steady breath. Julius stands a distance between us. He doesn’t need a word to tell why he’s there.
Elio deems him unworthy to look behind his back. Gripping his fist, he asks the tired Sergeant,
“If I were to decline, what would you do?”
“I’ll find another like you – and I won’t rest until my family do,” Julius answered in a heartbeat.
Elio sighs for there has only been one choice for him – one choice that he’ll ever make.
“...then I’m doing this for them – my peers. Not for you or your family but those that suffer the same fate as me.”
“Then I owe you for the rest of my life,” Julius said, relieved.
Having his answer, The Sergeant walks back to the chamber Tilly was in. Hopefully his rest won’t be disturbed for the rest of the night.
On the other end, Elio is disappointed at himself, slapping his face as a tribute to his ‘mistake’.
“I’m sorry, Aradia. I wish I was braver to refuse. I… didn’t want to drag us into this.”
To dissuade him from his disappointment, I shove his shoulder, not too much so he doesn’t fall to his death.
“That’s not something you need to apologize for. Where the hell are we gonna live anyway with the Corrupted around? An exile and a flower-eye – no city would want us.”
The Acolyte lightly chuckles, a heart I haven’t seen in a while.
“Sometimes I wish I was as carefree as you – to see things the way they are instead of overthinking them.”
His smile slowly fades as he takes a piece of Regolith out of his ration bag.
“If we were to traverse the Shadow, I’d need to be in tiptop shape, always,” He said before attempting to shove them into his mouth.
However, his body and mind denies it, refusing to take even a single bite.
“...Hah, guess it's easier said than done…!”
Elio notices my worry and reluctance. He places the piece of Regolith onto my palm, tucking it with my fingers.
“I have a favor,” he continued sheepishly. “Can you… feed it to me while I’m asleep? Sprinkle them into my mouth so I don’t choke. I just– I don’t think I can bring myself to do it.”
Though I nod and smile reassuringly, I can’t help but feel it’s like I’m paying my due. It’s hilarious how my little secret goes around – perfectly buried without a single loose ends. Any smuggler would be content with it, but things have changed.
Will I ever tell him the truth I wonder?