46

Sion wakes up on the floor of the spire. The motes of light are bundled up around him, covering his entire body. Sion looks around from the floor and sees the portrait of Cenit. He’s sure that it must be the same person, though there was something more impressive about her in the flesh. And something brighter and warmer, and far more human. Sion wonders if she knows about how people will remember her, and if she’s pleased that these motes of light are still here.

“I’m awake. I’m fine. Can you let me get up?” The motes of light scatter and begin to swirl around Sion, seemingly happy that he has awoken. Sion stands up and rolls his shoulders. He begins to pump his soul around his body, slowly, gently, just enough to gather his strength. The mote on his brow seems excited.

“It’s the same as Cenit! Are you really sure you aren’t her?” Sion laughs gently.

“I am. I’m really sure now. When I was asleep I saw her. She spoke to me, and told me to do this. You were right. She really did seem very kind.” The motes get whipped up into a frenzy. They almost glow too brightly for Sion to handle.

“You know! Cenit will always be the one we love the most! But from now on, we’ll love you the second most!”

“Isn’t that too easy? You’ve barely known me for more than a couple minutes. But I’m happy.” Sion looks towards the dark edges of the room and remembers his purpose. “Ah! Can you guide me up to the roof? I have something I need to do there.”

“Okay!”

With the motes of light surrounding him in a glowing swarm, Sion continues on his way up the spire. Soon enough, he reaches a door. He looks at the glowing motes around him as he places a palm against the white stone.

“If it’s alright, can you all stay back? I don’t want to put you in danger.” The motes move back slightly as Sion takes his palm from the stone. The stone opens up, revealing the top of the spire.

There’s nothing but the sky as Sion steps out. Nothing but the sky and the two figures at the far edge of the spire. The pale blue is beautiful to Sion’s eyes, all the more so as it stretches out endlessly, not a single cloud to interrupt it. Sion can see so far from this vantage point, even further with the strength of his vision. In the distance are mountains, their bodies scarred from ancient battles. Sion marvels at the sight. He had never fully understood how a fight could cause so much damage, but he has begun to grasp it after watching even just the subdued fight between Cenit and Khotempora. And indeed, this is the world Cenit saw.

Sion steps into the center of the spire and faces Hyrtan. Though he knows he ought to be angry, even just the short pleasure of talking to the motes of light and to Cenit has dulled the edge.

“Hyrtan, let’s put an end to this. Surrender.” Hyrtan laughs.

“Surrender? Boy, why would I surrender? I have no reason to fear you.”

“I defeated Mr. Kreteo. Is that reason enough?”

“Kreteo? Hah! What does beating a weakling like that mean?!”

“Mr. Kreteo is not weak.”

“Of course he is! To fall to a man such as I! What else is that but weakness!?” Sion does not let himself be moved to rage.

“He did not fall. You tricked him, and placed him under that terrible spell. What part of that makes you strong?”

“The weak serve the strong, that natural order, it’s as simple as that, my boy.” Hyrtan ponders something for a moment. “You’re too young, and you’re not the swordsman, so you must be Sion. I’ve heard that you have no loyalty to the throne, so, Sion my boy, serve me.” Sion grits his teeth at the request.

“You’re right that I don’t understand things like politics and kings, but there’s no way I’ll betray my friends! And if you think something like strength is more important than bonds, then I’m sure I don’t want you to rule anyone! Not over Eva!”

“What use are friends? All people should simply accept their fate to be ruled by those above and to rule those below. What else matters? Following something like friendship won’t do you any good. Won’t do anything for you but getting yourself hurt and killed. My boy, the die is cast; join the winning side.”

“None of us will die! We won’t lose!” Hyrtan smiles wryly.

“To be in denial of such a simple truth… Follow this path and you will die, boy. In fact, you should have died from that goblin! A disgrace like you shouldn’t even be here! It was pure luck that you survived! Nothing but chance that you’ve even made it this far!”

“It wasn’t luck. That was the weight of bonds. My bonds are what saved me then.”

“Pure sophistry! Things happened to align, nothing more! Your so-called ‘bonds’ are also why your body is broken. Getting this hurt trying to protect others, how foolish! How do you intend to fight with a body like that!?”

“That doesn’t matter. That isn’t what matters. The only thing that matters is that you need to be stopped.”

“Fine! Have it your way! Let’s see how strong those ‘bonds’ of yours really are in the end!”

Three glassy spheres appear at Hyrtan’s feet. Sion recognizes it as summoning magic and prepares for their attack. The spheres, some kind of slime, Sion presumes, begin to move away from Hyrtan. Their translucent surfaces undulate as they begin to grow. They take the shape of three people. Though their features are indistinct in the clear goo of the slimes, Sion can make them out as Scima, Eva, and Anima.

The Eva slime begins to gather magic near its chest. Sion dashes towards it and slams his fist into the slime. Its surface hardens as he makes contact. Sion then grabs the slime by its neck. It’s cold to the touch. Sion gathers his soul in his palm and passes it through the neck. The slime begins to lose hold on its form, the head falling off of the body and becoming a puddle on the ground. Before anything can reconstitute, Sion forces soul magic into the rest of the body through the neck stump, causing the whole slime to fall apart. Sion glares at Hyrtan.

“My eyes see the truth. This sort of pathetic trick won’t do anything to me. Stop hiding behind your schemes and fight me.”

A slime blade and a slime tendril come flying towards Sion. He grabs both and soul magic rushes through the slimes. As with the other one, the two other slimes fall apart.

“If this is how strong you think they are, then it’s no wonder you think we’ll lose. Fight me, and let me show you our strength.”