Chapter 18: Oath

"That was an incredibly stupid thing to do," Ozymandias chides, but I pay him little mind. His words mean absolutely nothing at this point. "Did you really not think anything would happen if you went there alone? There was absolutely no reason to do that. You could have just told me about it. I would've sent a magic knight squad to investigate."

I look up just long enough to glare at him, then close my eyes again, not liking the sight of the iron bars.

"The damage you caused was catastrophic. Over ten people died, Jonah, and you were seen casting those spells. Even I can't pardon something like that, or the people would revolt." Keep on yapping, little man. I'm not interested. "It will take a whole lot of digging to find a reason not to execute you within a week, even with most of the Apostles vouching for you."

"Maybe now is not the time," Nanami, the newest amongst the Apostles, tells him. "He did just lose his mother, after all." She just about looks like an older version of Yukiji. It's king of creepy, actually. "Surely we can at least afford him a day of mourning."

Ozymandias angrily turns toward her, about to give her a verbal lashing, too, but Xerxes clears his throat in time, reminding us that he's here as well. "I agree with her. Leave him be for now."

The fairy looks reluctant to go along with their words, and gives me a spiteful look one more time. "You've really ruined things this time around." With that, he turns around and storms out, Xerxes in tow. Dexter gives me an apologetic smile once the door to the dungeon closes.

"Don't mind him. We'll get ya out of this one, bro." Normally, Patrick would say something similar, replacing the bro with a dude, but the encounter with Risk has changed him, and I don't just mean the missing arm. I haven't seen him smile once since we went to Rook. "He just needs some time to cool off. That's all."

Once the twins leave, Sheba enters, already shaking her head. "You're bothering him now of all times? Out, all of you. The nerve." Neither Seraphina nor Xerxes does anything to counter her argument, and so I'm left alone with her. "How are you holding up, boy?"

I hold up my hands, bringing her attention to the chains around them.

"Just following protocol. You'll be out of them soon enough. That wasn't what I was asking, though, and you know it. Don't play me for a fool. I'm a bit older than these others. Doubt there are any tricks I've not seen by now. Tell me, boy; How are you holding up?"

I shrug, feeling absolutely nothing. "I don't know."

"Shock, you think? No, that would not have lasted this long. You don't look like you've cried a lot." She pauses, then shakes her head again. "Your brother and father, at the very least, have been found." My eyes widen at that, and I jump to my feet. Kieran. My little Kieran.

"Where is he?"

"Calm down, boy-"

"Where's my brother!?" They got to my mom. I need to be with Kieran, or they'll get to him to. He's not safe.

Sheba scowls, raising her chin to look at me from a higher ground. "They're with us, safe and sound. Nothing you need to worry about. The demons would be fools to attack us all."

"Don't fucking trust him!" I snap, and start trying to pry the chains off, smashing them against the bars.

"What are you talking about, boy?"

"Ozymandias! He's working with the demons! He's the third Apostle who betrayed the kingdom!"

The old woman looks around briefly, then approaches the cell. "Who told you that?"

I can't tell her that. What story did Obi go with, anyway? Wait. That reminds me... "How's Obi?"

"Don't change the topic, boy!" Sheba scolds. "Don't go accusing the head Apostle of being a traitor without proof. Who told you of this?"

"Tit for tat," I reply, sitting back down. "How is Obi?" Did I hurt him? If even the civilians got caught in the action, who knows what happened to someone who was standing so close? I hope I didn't hurt him. He doesn't deserve that.

"You're in no position-"

"I know," I reply, guessing what she was about to say. "And yet I'm pushing you anyway. You can have your pride, or you can have the information you seek. It's all on your shoulders. How is Obi? Don't lie and tell me he's alright if he isn't. I want the truth. Did I hurt him?"

Sheba glares at me for a moment, and I notice small amounts of sweat forming on her brow. Something else is wrong here, and she's not telling me. "He was hurt," she says, and I lose my breath. Oh, no. What have I done? What did I do? "He will live, but he's got quite the scar now, courtesy of your fire."

I look down at the ground, still unable to draw breath. "I see."

"Now for your part, boy."

"Juno told me. She's the demon who killed my mother. I also killed her in the fight, but Risk – the demon we fought back in Rook – he took her body away." It's the only lie that will make sense in this scenario. I can't tell her about the real truth. I'm in enough trouble as it is, and they've got my brother. They have my Kieran.

Sheba studies me as I explain the situation, and I can't tell if she's buying it or not. The gambling is the worst part about lies. All these people have so much experience that it becomes easier to mask their thoughts, and so I can't always tell whether or not I've managed to deceive them. "I see. She just started talking in the middle of the fight, did she?" The old woman shakes her head, and I slouch my shoulders. "The real truth, boy. Out with it, or you never see your brother again."

I sigh. Fine. Guess there's no way around it. I'm in more trouble for the deaths I've caused than I can be for letting a fugitive get away, anyway – or at least I hope so. "I saw Medea while she was escaping."

"You what?" Sheba snaps, reaching between the bars to touch me. "Where is she, boy!? Do you have any idea how dangerous she is? She must be found – at once!"

"More dangerous than the guy who took on two demons and won?" I ask, and her eyes betray the first hint of fear I've seen in her. "You're good with mind-based magic, aren't you? Tell me I'm lying when I say I'm capable of killing Medea."

The old woman lets me go, and takes a few steps away from the cell. A needless precautionary measure. Truth be told, there's not enough spirit in me to beat Marcus, let alone an Apostle. The thing with Juno and Risk isn't something I understand, and I doubt I'll be able to do that again. Beating Ryan did a number on my organism, so what on earth have I done to myself this time? If I keep doing shit like this, I'll kill myself before ever laying eyes on Kieran. Bluffing is what I'll have to do. Bluffing and lying is what I'm best at. I'm like a coyote; I can't challenge wolves outright, but with enough deceit, I can have them at each other's throats, allowing me to reap the rewards of the kill. Ozymandias leads them, and he has allied himself with the demons. They're all the enemy now. I'll trust Yukiji, Snow and Raksha, and no one else. The rest are all pawns as far as I'm concerned. They're pawns I'll need to move in the best way possible, if I'm to get rid of the demons and get my brother back. Before, they were a looming threat. Now – now that they've allied themselves with the one who would use them as hostages – they are an enemy.

"Continue," Sheba says, and I think I hear a dark chuckle coming from her. It's gone as soon as it comes, feeling little more than a distant memory.

"The deal we made was simple; She told me where to find my mother, and I helped her escape." I'm being honest, of course, but that shouldn't imply trust. The truth can be deadlier poison than any lie, if one learns how to administrate it. "Please, Ms Sheba. I couldn't refuse that. I didn't know what it would lead to. The power I used – I don't even remember controlling it. I just remember hearing someone speak to me." Lies should be thrown in as well, of course. "I don't want to die." A slump of my shoulders, and a barely-noticed, as if being purposely contained, quiver of my voice, and she's nodding her head.

"Your temporary survival, at the very least, is guaranteed, boy."

"What do you mean?"

"The trials – they did not get finished on time, on account of the business in the Labyrinth. The three participants will take the final one soon." She's losing me.

"What's that got to do with me?" It's not like backing up one of the contenders for the Child is enough to let you break the law. It'll take more usefulness than that.

"Each contestant was to choose a partner for this, and you were among the three chosen. You will participate in the third trial, and then the Festival will end, and the Child will be made clear to us."

I quirk my head to the side. "You actually believe that person exists?"

Sheba starts nodding again, folding her arms. "Of course. Whether they are destined to do great things or not is another matter entirely, but a lot of people seem to have decided that this is the year when we'll get a worthy mage. Whether chosen by fate or the Apostles, Valhalla is going to be getting a hero. When we're done beating the demons, the Child will be given all of the credit. We will spread their legend far and wide, so that the nations around us get too scared to attack. That, I believe, is that cocky king's plan, and has been from the start."

I can't help the frown forming on my face. Luck is definitely a tricky factor. I still don't know if he truly gives a damn about the kingdom, or if he's just doing things for shits and giggles.

"Come in already. I've told him about the trial."

I look behind the woman as the door to the dungeon opens once more. Way to go, Snow. That was some amazingly quick thinking. Didn't think you had it in ya.

Those would have been my thoughts if the person entering the dungeon was actually Snow. Alas, the one standing before me is an entirely different contestant – one I've decided not to dismiss completely. Though she lacks my potential in regards to magic, Aisha can match me thought for thought, making her even more dangerous than some of the kingdom's powerhouses. "Don't start thinking I'm doing it for you," the woman says upon noticing my hopeful look. "You were the best possible choice, so I went with it. Now remove those chains already. We've got preparations to get out of the way."

Sheba snaps her fingers, and the chains binding my hands fall off. It's only now that I realize how sore my wrists are. Are all prisoners treated like this? Dark, empty cellars, with chains around you? Seems a worse experience than death, if I'm honest. If I hadn't been busy thinking about my mother's death, I surely would have started going mad, despite only having been in there for a short amount of time.

"Don't go getting distracted," Aisha tells me. "I'll be expecting your best performance here."

I nod, not interested in the trial at all. Valhalla's future is irrelevant. I'll take Kieran and fly away if I need to. Solaria seems better. Hel and Jotunheim would also do. Would've done that ages ago, but, well, I didn't have wings. Poor people don't get to travel a lot.

"You better not let me down, boy," Sheba warns, but there's a significant lack of bite in the bark, so I just nod at her as well, then start following Aisha out of the dungeons. I stare at her back as she walks ahead of me. What is she planning? I'm positive she isn't in cahoots with the demons, since she was one of the ice demon's targets back in the Labyrinth. She's got some connection to the king, though. Lovers? She doesn't seem the type to settle for that. What is she after?

"Why me?" I ask her as we reach a level of the palace lit by the sun. "Raksha's overall better with magic, and his attribute suits yours perfectly. Why pick me?"

"Because the kid already chose him."

"Ah." Figures. With me out of commission, Snow would've had Raksha, Yukiji and Obi to choose from. I would've guessed he'd gone with Yukiji, but I guess he went with his head over his heart. Raksha is the strongest of the three, and trumps all three of the competitors, as well as myself. Aisha knows this, so there's only one reason she chose me to counter him; She believes Raksha will hold back because of the thing we have between us. "He's not going to let Snow lose just to spare my feelings, you know," I let her know, and she shrugs.

"We'll be linked throughout the trial – all three pairs – and I know a spell I can use to harm us both. He might be willing to fight you, but I doubt he's gonna let me torture you by burning myself. He's gonna put Snow out of the fight to spare you the pain." She says it so nonchalantly that I almost feel as though I'm listening to myself. It's a cruel strategy, but it's bound to work. There is absolutely no doubt Raksha will be the first one out if she applies it.

"You have to be able to see the flaw in that," I reply, realizing I've not been in the part of the palace toward which she's leading me. "With us both injured, even if Snow is out, we'll have Marcus and his partner to deal with. That will put us at a disadvantage."

"Not if I force Raksha to knock Marcus out first. Oh, and he's partnered up with Yukiji, by the way."

What!?

"He can't-"

"He can, and you know it," Aisha interrupts as we reach a door with an intricate floral design on it, flanked by two guards. She pulls a piece of paper out of her sleeve, then hands it to them. Upon reading it, the two men step aside, and we pass through, entering yet another corridor. "He's using his brain for once. That win in the Labyrinth probably gave him hope he can actually win this, so he's not pulling any punches. Through Yukiji, he can force both yours and Raksha's hands."

I frown, already ready to slit Marcus' throat. "Then what's the point of using me? Anyone else would have been better. Raksha would have been beaten by Yukiji and Marcus, neither of whom has an offensive spell in their arsenal, and then you and the other partner could have taken him out." I force a chuckle, to further undermine her brilliant plan, attempting to knock her off her game. "Seems like picking me was just about the worst move you could have made."

We reach another door, but instead of going through, Aisha turns around, then smiles at me. My heart skips a beat, though not in the way you might be imagining. She can actually look soft if she tries, it would seem. "Try to act tough all you want, but we've been through hell together in the Labyrinth. We nearly died saving each-other's lives, and that means something. You know you'd give a damn if I was to die in front of you right now." What is she getting at? She's not making any sense. How is any of this related to the trial?

"Well, maybe, but-"

"I chose you as my partner because I knew how important the Festival of Death is to his highness. He'd never allow you to be killed if you were needed for the trial. This third one is the most important of them all. Marcus may have taken the lead earlier, but if I win this, I'll be declared the Child of Light and Shadow, and I'll be the most important person in the country, according to the civilians. I'll officially pardon the damage you've caused when I win. I chose you as my partner because I didn't want a friend to die, Jonah. It's as simple as that."

Wow. What do I say to that? I hadn't even considered the possibility of us being friends. Up until this moment, Aisha was competition; Nothing more. What the bloody hell am I supposed to say?

The woman gives me a coy smile. "Finally saw something you didn't expect? Personally, I didn't believe you were capable of being speechless. Nice to know you've got a cushy side not related to your kids."

She turns around and starts to pull the door open, but I grab her by the sleeve, then pull. "Aisha."

"Yes?" she hesitantly asks, her guard still not up, reminding me of what a piece of garbage I am. Her guard is down after she declares me her friend, and I actually contemplate taking the chance to attack her, then make my escape? Is this what I've become? Is this what I've always been? It's not even for Kieran at this point; I'm just taking the easiest route out of this mess.

Well, I'm not going to be doing that anymore. The fight with Juno is as dark as ever intend to be. Sure, it would be easier to tap into all that dark potential. Hell, it let be beat two people I used to be scared shitless of. What was the cost, though? People died. No, I killed them. I murdered innocent civilians without batting an eye – without even noticing them. They were insignificant as insects to me at that moment. I was no better than Risk.

"I-I really didn't mean to..." I start to say, but my voice fails me. Shit. I've some so far. Don't break down now. It was an accident. I didn't know they were there. Were any of them kids? Is Obi gonna forgive me? Did I hit a pregnant woman? Were they in pain, or was it over quickly? Did they see it was I doing all that as they died? Did they see anything at all, or was it all too sudden to comprehend? I'm not sure I even want to know. I am sure I don't have the balls to ask the question out loud.

Aisha pats my head gently, yet awkwardly, and clears her throat. "Yes, I know that. You don't have to explain yourself to me, Jonah. Don't you think of apologizing, either. Hollow words – apologies. What's better is the promise to do better next time." She grabs me by the shoulders firmly, shaking the would-be tears away. "Can you promise me that, Jonah? Can you promise them such a thing won't happen again?"

Can I? Is that a promise I'm capable of making? How do I know how I'll react if I see Kieran in danger? What if Yukiji or Raksha get hurt in the third trial? What if Risk returns to avenge Juno? Impossible. "How can I promise that, when there are so many things that could go wrong?"

Aisha pulls her hand back, then slaps me across the face. It's not harsh, but it's enough to sting a bit. "That's why we make promises, Jonah. If we help others only based on the circumstances at the time, we wouldn't be deserving of asking for things in return. Bonds would mean nothing if that were the case. That's why we have promises; They bind us to our words, regardless of what the future holds." I don't respond to her. I don't know how to. Will I be able to fulfil that promise? What if going dark is the only way for Kieran to make it out of this alive? Will I-

"Alright, moment over," Aisha suddenly says, pulling back. "Tough love time. Man the fuck up, grow a fucking pair, and promise not to get genocidal again." She claps me on the shoulder, then turns around and walks through the door. I'm left standing there, mouth no doubt hanging wide open. How the fuck do I react to that? She ruined it. We were having a moment, and she ruined it.

I follow after her, entering the room. "You bloody suck, you know that?"

"Oh, you done cryin'?"

"Piss off. I deserve some time to cry."

"This is a silk dress. Tears would stain it. Find someone else to bother with that crap."

I open my mouth again, ready to retort, but then I realize where we are. This room is far fancier than any other, and there's a throne in the middle of it, atop which is perched a handsome redhead. "Luck?"

The man standing next to him gasps. "You will refer to him as, "Your majesty!""

I wave him away. "Nah, I like Luck more."

The guy draws his sword. "Your insolence shall cost you your life, villain."

"Calm down, Arthur," Luck tells him. "Take a deep breath, sheathe your sword, then breathe in and out slowly." His majesty stands up, still wearing that revealing little outfit of his. I'm so far from the mood for that right now, it doesn't even begin to affect me. "The others were here before this. You're all that's left."

I turn toward Aisha, hoping for an explanation. She taps the talisman on her forehead. "Best to let him remove them, just to be on the safe side."

"Has it even been a week?"

"Well, no," the king replies, rubbing his neck, "but the people have been pressuring me to start the final trial already. The disease Juno spread and the increasing chill in the air were both taken as omens of bad things to come. The people demand their chosen one, and so I must deliver. Talk about a thankless job."

Aisha crosses her arms, scowling almost as expertly as Medea or Sheba.

"Your tunic cost more than my house," I point out, and the king waves me away.

"Maybe if it was a mere two-story house."

"One story, with a roof full of holes and a door that never locks."

Luck's eyes widen, and he starts checking his outfit out. "How do you even live like that?"

"You're making it really hard not to hit you."

Arthur, the uptight servant, draws his sword again. "Villain!"

"Quiet, lackey."

"L-Lackey?" His will to serve leaves his body with an insult as simple as that, and his sword falls out of his hands. Honestly, how did Luck even survive this long? If security is this lax, how does he get anything done?

"What of the other problem?" Aisha asks, throwing me a quick glance. Luck eyes her wearily, but she gives him a firm nod. "He's about as close to the centre of it as a person can be. He should know."

"Know what?"

The king looks at Arthur, then nods. The man leaves, suddenly dead serious again, and starts to call for more men. While we wait, Luck walks up to me and peels the talisman off of me, doing his best to get his bare chest as close to my face as possible. It has absolutely no effect anymore, which he's disappointed by just enough to be forced to hide it. "You see, there seems to be a third demon fighting with Risk and Juno. It was here during your fight, but we couldn't figure out what it wanted."

"What'd it do?" I ask, and the king shrugs.

"Far as we know, not a damn thing. It just strolled into the palace, freaking out the knights and servants, and it eventually made its way here, then just stood there, eyeing everything in bewilderment, as if seeing everything for the first time. Honestly, it kind of reminded me of a baby."

"Everything is ready, sire," Arthur says upon returning to the room, taking over ten men with him.

"It'll be a short trip," Luck says. "I don't enjoy being near that thing. Its mana is all wrong."

Wrong? How can it be wrong? Does he not mean malevolent, like Risk's and Juno's was? Everyone's mana can reveal what they're like as a person. If this thing has wrong mana...

"Don't take your eyes off it for a second," Arthur instructs the guards, who take us into the room just beyond the throne room. In the middle of the room is a very short hooded figure, glancing up at the ceiling, motionless. It's short – around Yukiji's height. The mana it gives off isn't particularly strong, but the odd sensation is definitely there. This thing – if it even is a demon – does not feel like the other two. It doesn't feel human, either.

"Still no movement?" Luck asks, and Arthur shakes his head.

"Not one budge, sire."

"During all this time?" I ask, and the king smiles helplessly.

"We tried taking it away, but everyone who gets close loses control of their body and magic. The thing may not be active, but it's powerful. If it's awaiting orders from the others, we're in trouble." Upon explaining, he nods at Aisha, who holds her hand up, holding a fireball with much more power than her usual ones would have. Now that her talisman is gone, she's definitely gone up a few levels.

"Be ready to dodge," Luck tells me, and Arthur steps in between him and the demon. Aisha throws the fireball at the little thing, but the flames don't go directly into it. Instead, they circle around it, then come flying back toward her. Luckily, she manages to extinguish the attack by catching it and rolling it into a puff of smoke, not singeing herself once.

"So, uh," I start, unsure of how to proceed. What kind of magic was that? That wasn't the demon controlling fire, and it also wasn't wind or direct mana control. Instead, the fire seemed to decide to fly back on its own. "What the hell do we do about that?"

"Beats me," Luck replies, and I remind myself to be careful with him. He's close to Ozymandias, so letting slip the truth of the fairy Apostle's betrayal might end up revealing even more secrets. If the king is against me on that matter, I'm screwed, so I'll just keep it from his ears for now. "All we can do is wait for it to make its move."

As if on cue, the little demon turns its head toward me, and its red eyes meet mine. I jump back instinctively, as do most of the guards, with only a handful of them remembering to shield Luck first. I summon up as much mana as possible, which isn't much, thanks to the recoil from using so much power against Juno.

"Hi," the thing says in a childlike voice, then goes back to looking at the ceiling.

I'm about to ask what that was about, but then loud metallic bells start ringing, and Aisha immediately starts running away.

"That'd be the trial starting," Luck tells me, unsubtly pulling more of his vest open, now revealing his abdomen. "You best be running, Jonah." His smirk reveals so much of his royal confidence that I can't help but smirk in response.

"You're not my type."

Then I turn around and run after Aisha, but the trial isn't what's on my mind right now. That demon – he felt familiar. I don't know how I know it's a he; I just know. I've definitely seen him somewhere before, but I can't remember where, and that's the scariest part of it all.