RICHARD.
He did not know how he had not noted Emil’s familiar colours, but his mind had been elsewhere, consumed by the chaos of the battlefield. He had to put an end to this, he couldn’t cause any more suffering. He had to destroy these monsters before they hurt more people, before he hurt more people. They were the result of his mistakes and he had to make amends… no matter what the cost.
Emil’s sudden pleads broke through his thoughts, desperation capturing his attention where little else might have pulled him from the battlefield. He could hear Emil’s words and yet could not make sense of them. He knew his friend’s affinity with monsters, knew that the other counted among his friends some who were not human, but this was not the same.
Emil didn’t understand, these were not simply any monster. They were aggressive, they hated and destroyed without reason just as he once had, just as he had wanted them to. They were twisted and suffering because he and Lambda had been the very same when creating them. These monsters were the mark of his mistakes and he could not let them hurt any more people. Too many already suffered at his hand!
“I cannot stand down,” Richard answered. “I cannot let more people get hurt in this onslaught. These creatures are not like most monsters in these lands, they will not cease attacking until they are driven back. These are my knights, my people, it is my duty to protect them. I cannot let them get hurt!” Traces of desperation escaped into Richard’s voice despite his attempts to tame it.
Too many times had moments such as this haunted his nightmares.
But he was not ignorant of Emil’s pleads, words that wrapped around and squeezed a heart already suffocating in his own fears. He wanted to help his friend, wanted to give him the chance he wanted, but the risk was too great… his duty came before anything else, even if it meant Emil would hate him for it.
“I will take some of the men and help move the injured civilians to safety,” Richard answered. “I cannot order the remaining knights back or the monsters risk attacking the capital. You are free to try what you wish, but please do not underestimate these creatures. If they are still attacking once the innocent are out of harm’s way, we will have to act.”
“Please Emil… be careful. I made a promise that no one else would be hurt by these monsters. I cannot let anyone else suffer for my mistakes.”
Emil’s eyes grew wide, worry etched upon his face. Fear, pain clinging the edges of his irises. ( they wouldn’t know ) His fingers tightened around Richards wrist. “Just…y-you have to…” The pain that emanated from these creatures. He knew they were different, he could feel that they were different. The words were stricken with hatred for humanity, despising the whatever pain that had caused them. His head lowered, flinching, his fingers loosening before falling to his side.
So determined was Richard, to stop these carless deaths, that he could not see. His head turned, looking at the creature several paces away. He had to … then, he had to. Before anything bad happened.
‘ so much grating lies. ‘
‘ awful. vile. treacherous ‘
‘ everyone must die. ‘
They wouldn’t understand. Not this. They wouldn’t hear the biting words which spat between fangs of a creature, much to provoked in any other way. Emil’s hand reached to his chest, clinging to the scarf that clung about his neck. He could not stop this pain, the inner turmoil building so tightly as blonde hair spun, shifting around his face, and he began moving forward before Richard could finish giving him a warning. Emil was not listening to him anymore. His head was lowered, bangs covering his eyes. Hiding battling thoughts as he slowly drew closer.
Stopping a few feet in front of the monster, a slow darkness seemed to draw across Emil’s being. A single breath, pulled.
His motions were fluid. His stance shifting, kicking up dust all around him, metal of his blade spinning in a circle around him. A glistening of red sparkled in his eyes. Looking up towards the creature as it came nearer. Breath a ghastly smell.
‘ evil ‘
“You’re wrong.” Emil’s voice was careful, restrained.
‘ they only cause pain ‘
‘ wherever they go ‘
‘ pain and war ‘
It was a sliding forward, a rolling of his wrist, a sharp bark of the word ‘ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ ғᴀɴɢ’ slipping past as the arte sped free of his weapon, landing with a smart on the Nova monster. Emil’s darkened expression showing how vile he could be. The dark anger near dripping in waves of his form. “I know you’re smarter than this!” His hands pressed forward, his feet pressing inward. The muscles strained in his legs, his feet pushing off from the ground, jumping into the air, swinging hard downward onto it. The monster’s head snapped around, a paw rising, catching Emil and swatting him back.
The movement required another shift, backflipping awkwardly with the momentum, he stumbled, Nova creature reacting to Emil’s unstability and going to attack once more. Yet the sword met in defiance. “You can’t tell me,” Emil pressed forward, sword pressing harshly back, biting into it’s fur, “that you don’t know you’re causing the war here.” The humans were innocent in this regard. They fought back, Richard’s voice clinging to his skull.
it is my duty to protect them.
i cannot let them get hurt!
As it was Richards duty to protect his people, this was Emil’s duty. As Ratatosk, this was his job. He could listen to these animals. Understand them. “As your Lord, I demand you!” Part of him felt satisfied, his voice was loud between gritted teeth, sweeping forward before hopping back again. “Answer me!”
‘ not our lord ‘
‘ not to be listened ‘
‘ liar ‘
Words stunned him. His eyes widen, the glistening red eyes, dark aura he once possessed slowly drawing back. “Then … who?” Another snap of teeth, Emil had to dodge, rolling out of the way. Keeping in a tight circle around the beast. “Nevermind, that … that doesn’t matter.” He had to keep the vision occupied on him. Bruises were already beginning to become visible, and that earlier swat had left him with a scar along his left arm, bare shoulder bleeding.
‘ human. wouldn’t understand the pain. ‘
“You know a-as well as me, I’m not human.”
Emil’s voice quieted. He did not appreciate the reminder. The monsters eyes seemed to narrow before lashing out again. Swift barks and Emil had to dodge again before the beast turned. Now ignoring the continuously dodging summon spirit, ( boredom ) licking at it’s teeth and lunged at another of the innocents that were by.
“No!” Emil’s voice jumped an octave, ducking inward, his sword arm raised, and teeth sunk down into the flesh. Ripping tendons as Emil gave a quiet whimper in pain.
‘ human sympathizer. ‘
‘ why do you protect ‘
‘ those who will curse you ‘
Emil didn’t move, standing his ground as teeth tightened into the limb before he was dragged. Back, back into a free space where the beast locked it’s jaw and swung.
Bone snapped, Emil’s voice crying out in pain. The release of his arm throwing him to the side, landing awkwardly on his back. Wind spilled from his lungs in a gasp, something mingling in his mouth like blood as matted blonde hair moved. Tickling against a childish face, green eyes glistening dimly towards the nova beast stalking after him.
There was no hurry.
Injured prey could not run far.
‘ why? ‘
“Because…” Emil’s eyes closed, taking a deep breath. Picking up his sword with his uninjured arm. “I n-need to protect you.” Shifting back to a ready stance, eyes opened once more.
“Now let’s show you some real fun.”