A/N: 20k Words, I destroyed those exams, and now have a 2 week break. :)
Expect the next chapter to come out fast at around 20k words, wanted to combine them into 40k, but the amount of scenes I have to write is lowk A LOT.
***
Trudging through the snow was something he was familiar with. There was nothing that had ever stopped him in his steps ever since he had arrived into this world, neither the might of a dragon-slaying sword ready to split him in twain, nor the face of the Divine General. A small force of nature in a cold field land wasn't anything to bat an eye over.
The wheel above his head was a lighthouse, lighting up the path ahead indiscriminately. Any darkness that dared rear their ugly heads toward the wielder of such a divine artifact had themselves vanquished within a moment's notice. All that remained was endless snow, an uncarved path which could lead to nowhere.
Megumi's head turned toward his right. Despite the azure fog blanketing the entire landscape, he knew that location as if it were a familiar childhood memory. However, he would never place it in there with them, it was merely the desperate attempt to wrestle survival into his arms which had found its place in his hippocampus.
Misty clouds left his lips, travelling across his cheek and through his black hair, before travelling back to nature's embrace, wherein it would become its morning bride. There was always an appreciation for nature that he held, but all it boiled down to was a temporary serenity that he found in its silence. There were many atrocities in which the force could commit, he was not one to turn his head nor heel away from them.
By all means, he had been fighting against nature's force ever since his conception into a collapsing and capricious society. The blood of many young people were stained on the structure he once stood, their coagulated liquid life having provided enough of a support to keep the structures of cinder blocks attached.
Breaking out his thoughts, the black haired man felt the weight of all the Shikigamis in his shadows start to take its toll. A method of training, for both the physical and spiritual body was extremely effective. Although he doubted he would be able to reach Laurentina—an Abyssal Hunter's level of strength—it would serve to thin the gap by a small margin. After all, removing weights which pulled somebody down would bolster speeds to an extraneous level, as the burdens of pressure no longer existed.
...The same could not be said for himself, in other regards.
There were trees now, a vast lushless forest of dead leaves. The objects of nature were no longer the fantastical brown of sturdiness or the glimmering emeralds of beauty, but a grey monotone plastered with white parasites. Winter ate at every single one of the structures, supposed monoliths which were supposed to represent all of nature's beauty, leaving nothing but an abhorrent symbol.
Megumi turned away. He hated looking at them, it reminded him too much of death. Death of his friends, death of his comrades, and death of himself. There was always such a lingering scythe grazing at his neck, ready to strike at any moment. Whether he was allowed to see the next day by such an unknown force was unforeseeable, something that all Jujutsu Sorcerers in the business had to mull over at some point of their lives. Unless, of course, they were a True Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Ryomen Sukuna.
He feared the day that his mindset would devolve to be somebody like him. There were many paths which he could take, and Megumi wasn't so blind as to see himself at times straying toward the King of Curses' route. Even the Sorcerer was sure that he was overthinking such matters, the possibility still remained, and every second of remembrance toward such a thing was the anchor holding himself down.
The bearer of the Zen'in Clan's prized jewel reminded himself: to not cause any more problems which could paint a target on his back—or which terrorized people for his own gains and selfish desires. That should have been enough, and he hoped it was enough to deter himself from enacting any thoughtless plan which would explode in his face. Yes, that affirmation toward himself made his heart calm down.
There was nothing worse that would happen in the future.
As he made it deeper into the forest, Megumi found a strange phenomenon appearing around him. To be more accurate, the word 'phenomena' would be more suitable, as there were several signs of melted snow and singed tree bark. It was a smell that some people would find horrendous, but for himself, it wasn't anything that disturbed him. In fact, he was sure that there was a certain demographic which would find it soothing.
Feeling his eyes slightly tense, the Sorcerer had already assumed the worst to have happened. The burn marks were reminiscent of somebody that he knew, and the melted snow in the shape of footsteps was something that could have only been done by a skilled Arts user who could wield the fiercest of flames.
His steps quickened, leaving their mark amongst the white filled land. Everytime his feet sank into the ground, Megumi moved faster and faster. Despite the weight of all his Shikigamis acting upon him, a small application of Cursed Energy and adrenaline was the only thing needed to keep himself steady.
The scenery passed him by, the low temperatures rising the more he made it through. Once his senses detected a person, Megumi slowed in his steps, their vague figure finally making itself clear to his eyes. It was unmistakable, from the attire they wore to the draconic horns atop their head, along with the luscious ashen hair that would become one with the wind.
Megumi opened his mouth to call out to the woman from where he was at, confused of what had warranted the instability of her Arts. However, her name died out in his mouth, as he had fully registered her current state. She was leaning on a tree, arms huddled close to herself and shaking. There weren't any signs of battle or injury... only sorrow. It was something which bled far deeper than what a wound lashed by steel could do, a fact that the Sorcerer was all too familiar with.
He watched with a startled berth, frozen from the jarring shift of her character that he was familiar with. There wasn't a leader which led Reunion with her hopeful speeches and dreams, but a girl despairing for reasons unknown. There were many possibilities, one which ranged from the most atrocious trauma his mind could incur, to... perhaps lesser reasons. But with the aptitude he was aware of from the woman, Megumi was sure that it had to be something severe.
"Who... who's there?!"
Despite the shadows of the trees casting themselves over him and cloaking his presence, the Sorcerer was immediately detected. He moved his hand to rub his eyes, removing the stupor which had kept his mind occupied. The choked sobs he heard from Talulah wasn't anything that Fushiguro Megumi was knowledgeable in responding to, and he wouldn't even attempt to do so.
Walking out, he was presented with the full view of the Draco pointing her blade to where his position was, tears streaming down her face. He kept silent, while a guilty expression vaguely looking away from the woman had adorned his face. From the small stagger from Talulah, Megumi could tell that even she was shocked—even embarrassed.
"Y-you..."
His body and mind were at a pause, realizing that he shouldn't be seeing this scene in front of him. Megumi stared at the shaking blade pointed at him, the steaming heat flowing off of it as if it were the origination of all flames itself. His skin was starting to become dry, and there was a lack of moisture between him and the snow, which had all already melted from their general vicinity.
There should have been no biting cold from the melted snow, yet it still remained.
"What are you... what are you doing here...?" Talulah quickly lowered her sword with a jolt, swiping her free hand over her eyes. Dashes of clear liquid fell off them, before being evaporated into the desolate wind, "you shouldn't be here...!"
She didn't know what to say other than to deflect, to make sure nobody saw her like this. Maybe it was the toss of the dice, the man in front of her loved to walk into forests after all. However, the woman couldn't think of any clear reason in her storming mind, only wishing for the other party to leave the scene and forget what they had just laid their eyes upon.
Indeed, Megumi's eyes turned away with an imperceptibly disturbed look. It shook him to his core, the many waves of emotion targeting him with no remorse, a mass of negativity which he was all too familiar with. In terms of others, and in terms of himself, the Sorcerer could have sworn bile was piling up in his throat.
Everybody possessed personal problems, and it wasn't in his heart to butt into them. Especially not for somebody he wasn't sure he would ever see again, seeing how aimless his journey had been. Megumi took a step back when he had fully turned around, content with moving out of the scene.
"...Wait!"
He stopped in his steps, feeling his brows crease. Not even a third step was needed and he was called back, so the black haired man turned around warily, attempting to find out what had caused the Draco's sudden lapse in decision.
"Please... could you stay?"
He could see the dragon lady looking down, a shadow casted over her eyes. Her posture was shaky at best, a tale of tragedy and despair pouring out of her very stance. Megumi didn't know how to respond, he never did for a stranger who he hardly knew, but the woman looked at him like he was somebody familiar to her—even if he didn't understand a single thing underneath that gaze.
...Stay? Should he stay?
When glancing at Talulah, he had to ask himself that question. He wasn't one to comfort somebody after a tragedy, or during any tragedy. He couldn't even regulate himself to basic mannerisms when struck with one, wouldn't it be hypocritical for himself to act like he could comfort her?
There was a wound, streaking far and deep under Talulah's scales, her usual strong exterior was betraying everything that she had held up. This wasn't a leader, this wasn't an icon, this wasn't a deified person who he had heard so much about...
...Megumi opened his mouth, "I'll stay. That's it."
There wasn't a response, not even for the entire duration.
The flames calmed during the approach of the silence, which had encompassed the entire land.
Wisps of smoke flew through the air between them, distorting the air and Fushiguro Megumi's sight.
He stood there, heeding the woman's words. He didn't know what it meant for Talulah, or what purpose it served...
...But he didn't need to know.
So he stood there, frozen in time.
***
Megumi felt somebody grab at his sleeves with both hands, just as he was making his way back to the Reunion settlement. To accommodate the action, the black haired man stopped walking, turning around to look at the cause of such an action, Talulah. There was no longer any burning heat, but only the whisperwind of winter's breath moving across and blighting the land—something he found himself to be much more familiar with.
"Please, forget what you just saw." Talulah didn't gaze upwards, keeping herself steady.
Megumi took a moment of his time to hear her words on the previous matter. There was no need to deny her request, so he let his lips part without any hesitance.
"...I will."
***
The doors to the white Spire were opened by two guards attending to it, moving with practiced precision only seen by professionals in a certain occupation such as the medical field. It was a reminder to Fushiguro Megumi that the person in charge of this place, such as the patriarch, would be somebody in a high position of power. As if the concept hadn't already been seared into his brain with how much respect was shown to a single letter, then it surely did now.
Laurentina followed behind him, gazing around the room as the door behind them closed. There was a click behind them which reverberated and echoed across the vast walls of the Spire's beginning floor. It was like looking at a vast journey ready to be undertaken with how large it was from outside, and the inside had definitely made the entire structure seem much larger than they had perceived.
Megumi looked around, feeling a person starting to approach them from in front. She was a woman dressed in dark green and, possessing horns atop her head, while her eyes looked to be... purely white. Only a faint trace of a differentiating color could be seen in her pupils, which was already hard to spot as it blended with the whites. There was no doubt about it, the woman, a Caprinae, was blind.
He promptly took out the letter of invitation from his black haori, handing it in front of him as she had approached them.
"Greetings," she respectfully called out to the two, reaching her hand out to grab the letter. Once Megumi's grasp was off of it, she introduced herself, "I act as the retainer for Herr Werner von Hochberg, you may call me Cora Lowenstein."
"It's nice to meet you too," Megumi responded with the same respect as she did, finding the air to be... uncomfortable. She was refined and educated to a degree that reminded him of the Clan Nobles back in Jujutsu Society, despite only being a retainer as she spoke.
"You... two..." There was a confusion for the slightest of moments, but Cora quickly recovered "...must be the esteemed guests invited by Herr Werner von Hochberg, I presume?" She finished her full assessment, feeling at the letter in her hands. "My apologies, it has been quite a while since I've acted as a retainer for this house, my time has been consumed as a conduct master of Leithanien's Reichsorchesters."
The black haired man took a glance at Laurentina, the shark lady giving a small and disinterested glance toward the other woman. His gaze turned back to Cora Lowenstein, the Caprinae fiddling with the invitation letter, perhaps checking the contents for any signs of fraudulence in its make-up or Arts.
He opened his mouth after, "that's completely fine, I'm only a guest, after all." Megumi saw the woman extend the letter back to him, before he took it and placed it in his black haori, putting it back into his shadow. "I'm here on the basis of... an acquaintance's request, I wouldn't want a letter such as this to go to waste," he was mentally glad that this woman was normal, as compared to everybody else he had met.
"Indeed, I've heard of you quite a fair bit from Frau Arturia, you must be Herr Fushiguro," Cora lowered her head in respect, her eyes closing to cover up the lost luster within them. "Although I haven't been quite informed of your other companion, may I have your name, Frau...?" Her direction turned toward the one beside Megumi.
"Laurentina, that is my name, a pleasure to meet you on this fine day," Laurentina replied, wondering if she should be extending a greeting in the form of a formal bow... since their attendant was blind after all. However, she decided it would be courteous enough to do so, seeing no harm in such an act.
"Ah, there's no need to bow," Cora's hands were delicately placed over her stomach as a refined lady would, "but if you insist on doing so, then I have no complaints." She also made sure her words were not offensive to the person committing to such an act.
"It's only common courtesy," Laurentina replied.
'No harm in doing so,' Megumi mentally rolled his eyes. "That's humble of you Frau Lowenstein..." the other two glanced at him with some sort of acknowledgement in their eyes, perhaps even surprise? It was only now that he realized his language had switched to perfect German "...But I believe other things should be underway." He decided to go on with it, this world's German language not possessing any differences.
"I believe so, too..." Cora replied with a slightly dazed voice, but quickly recovered. "I take you to be Higashinese as described, but I do not know of your companion's nationality. If it is disrespectful for me to ask for it, then there's no need to reply, of course," she made her stance clear. "Although I wasn't quite aware of it before, I take you, Herr Fushiguro, to be an excellent polyglot."
"Thank you for the compliment..." Megumi drew out, motioning for Laurentina to respond to the blind woman.
"Aegir," Laurentina crossed her arms delicately and replied, "both in race and nationality—I don't believe you're much... aware of the latter."
If the confused expression of Cora Lowenstein was anything to go by, then Laurentina's assessment surely was correct, "apologies once more, I may not be well educated in the matters of what you speak."
"There's no need to be educated in such matters anyway," Laurentina brushed her off with a smile, "after all, how did the saying go again? Ignorance is bliss? Yes, that must have been the correct one."
"I'm afraid I don't... quite understand?" Cora slightly shifted from her position.
"Precisely so," Laurentina nodded in satisfaction.
Megumi decided to speak up this time, "sorry for her behavior, she tends to be..." he stepped forward, hoping that his movement would be detected by the blind woman "...eccentric at times. She just wants to keep her nationality and home as a private matter, but she's not afraid to point herself out as an Aegir."
"...I'm not perturbed by her behavior, if that is what you'll lose sleep over," Cora waved her hand in the air dismissively, "just healthy confusion,that is all."
"That's good to hear," Megumi could feel some tension leave his chest, while Laurentina moved closer to his side.
They would all eventually be cut off when the sounds of footsteps cut them off. It emanated from behind Cora, off a good distance away. There were large stairs leading upwards toward what looked to be spiral staircases leading up the Spire itself, and somebody had recently descended from the latter. Atop the large stairs was somebody recognizable to a certain black haired Sorcerer, gazing down upon the three.
Megumi paused his conversation with the well-dressed woman, Cora Lowenstein. From what he had synthesized during their brief talk, she was a conduct master for Reichsorchesters of Leithanien, and was a retainer for House Hochberg. Right now though, the only business she had here was to pay Werner von Hochberg a visit, and from what he had heard... The patriarch was not present at the moment.
Some political business it seemed, a notion that made Megumi's lips thin. He didn't want to be the type of person to think that every person involved in politics were mustache twirling villains, but his recent and past experiences with them were... not the best, to say the least. In fact, the Sorcerer was confident he would absolutely lose his mind if he was involved in another political dilemma.
'I'm getting lost again...' Megumi dryly thought. He didn't need to delve on those thoughts right now about these matters, what mattered even more now was... 'Arturia.' His gaze had been fixated on the black shard winged Sankta with a halo of similar materials. It was the racial features of these angel inspired races, the most jarring feature he had ever seen.
'Arturia Giallo.' He held a complicated look on his face when staring at Arturia, a flood of memories bashing down the barriers in his brain. The questionably sane woman who made him almost summon Mahoraga before it was tamed, and the one who made him cause a ruckus throughout Lungmen when he attempted to lay low.
...He could admit that Tiger Funeral was also a fault of his own, considering how it could have been dispelled with the Inverted Spear of Heaven at any time. 'What was I thinking during that time?'
Shaking his head, Megumi noticed that Arturia's attention was turned elsewhere, onto Laurentina. The other woman known as Cora looked to have detected the Sankta walking into the room, 'She's blind,' the black haired man also kept note of that specific feature of hers, seeing the whites of her eyes shining no light. 'Her other senses must be enhanced,' he kept a calm posture, remembering the promise he made to Arturia, 'just keep calm. You have many means to deal with her Arts.'
'...What is Laurentina doing?' His gaze shifted back to the Aegir, slightly flinching when he saw her expression. He hadn't seen her like this much... but it looked like she was... 'judgemental?' Megumi didn't know what to say in this situation.
***
There were many things the Abyssal Hunter viewed herself as. A finely crafted effigy meant to demonstrate to the horrid creatures of the sea that their existence was naught but a passing moment before her tuned blade? Most definitely. Ever since her and Megumi's exit from Ursus, the Aegir had been pondering over when she would face those treacherous monsters again... no, they couldn't even be called treacherous, such a concept never existed for them in the first place.
That title more so belongs to the walking heaps of trash who would throw themselves upon their kind without a moment's hesitation. 'People' who had abandoned their humanity for a fickle and dreamless world that valued nothing which made the world so beautiful. So, it had crossed her mind aplenty on when she would find her allies—if she could find her allies—or when the next time she'd strike her weapon against those Seaborn would be.
...But those thoughts were not needed at the moment, there were more present matters to be pressed about.
Laurentina crossed her arms, turning away from Cora Lowenstein. The woman was polite, trained professionally to greet guests and act upon a respectful demeanor—that much should have been a given. Something else caught her sight though, for better or for worse.
She wasn't expecting much when visiting Leithanien, her current impression of it being a 'decent' place, especially with their more lax treatment on the Infected populace, so there was no need to fret about such a thing being found out. It was also a country populated by a lot of deer and goat people, something she had noticed to be a recurring pattern across dry land.
Everybody she had encountered so far were based off of land animals, but that shouldn't be too much of a surprise. After all, the Aegir people were based off of sea creatures, so recognizing a pattern such as this elsewhere wasn't much of a difficulty for the Shark lady. Still, an angel person of all things? That was a new occurrence, but something she wasn't too surprised about.
Her focus wasn't on her racial features though, no, no, no, it was the way this mischievous little angel had laid her eyes immediately on her Princess when walking into the room. Laurentina could call herself a good guess of a person's character—by her own standards—and that look in the other person's eyes was not something that she liked.
Interest wasn't something bad, in fact, as it provided many benefits for humanity to grow and prosper. However, the interest deep in the eyes of that little angel was far too vested to be anything ordinary, and she had to wonder how her Princess had come in contact with somebody such as this. Perhaps it was by mere chance?
'How unfortunate he must be then,' Laurentina commented in her mind.
***
Arturia could tell Fushiguro Megumi was a man in love. In fact, he was so deeply in love with something distant and unreachable, that the Sankta was curious to learn more about what could have made somebody as cold as him feel in such a way. It was beautiful how somebody could be so appreciative of something, yet also so twisted in the sense that nothing else mattered before their eyes when struck by such feelings.
In the case of this black haired man, there was no need to bring out his greatest desires like before. The last one had been vanquished, slaughtered in a heap of burning amethyst flames, replaced with a new one. She could tell it was at the very forefront of his mind, something he was acting upon at this very moment, contemplating in the deep recesses of the mind.
It was a twisted curse, distorted into something so unrecognizable that Arturia sought to see what it truly was. A mere glimpse at what was hidden behind a near limitless barrier wasn't something she was satisfied with. She wanted to see more, to see how love could become so distorted as what she was witnessing.
'How could this have come to be?' The Sankta was even more curious, shifting her gaze between the black haired man, his wheel, and to the... white haired woman standing beside him. 'A companion?' That was a strange sight, with how closed off the black haired man was, and with what had happened back in Lungmen, she wondered how he could have a companion of all things with him.
The one possessing white hair wore a dashing dress, decorated with so many features that Arturia had to wonder if it were some elaborate art piece or fashion statement. Her frame was perfect, one befitting a beautiful and mystical woman, which was the only thing Arturia could help but compare her to. But what laid underneath was far different from what was given off, and she was not too particularly surprised to find that to be present.
Instead of reading one emotion, she was reading two. It was a strange sensation, like flipping through a book which told two stories at once. From what she could tell at the moment, the Aegir had a predatory stance toward herself and raised a high guard, especially when she stared at... 'me.'
Arturia placed her arms over the railing, feeling the white haired woman's gaze lock fully on her. If she hadn't known better, the crimson light coming off of the other's eyes looked to be the blood of countless sea monsters gathered together, like a mascara of slaughter had been applied to them. It was vicious and cruel, painting a picture in her mind of a powerful force capable of bringing upon a reckoning toward any enemy who dared stand in sight of those orbs.
The one who stood as its enemy, was the Sankta staring deeply into it. Mirth started to find its way on Arturia's face as the... shark lady, yes that was an apt descriptor, continued to stare holes into herself. 'Has he only made negative connotations of me in front of her? My, I almost feel hurt.' She met the hostility with a smirk.
Now, what could have caused this lady to be so protective of Fushiguro Megumi?
***
"Frau Arturia?" Cora Lowenstein looked to have felt the Sankta's approach as she turned around. "It seems the person of your interest is here, I believe she should be the one to have you both familiar with the Spire."
"...That's for certain..." Megumi could feel Arturia's gaze fall on both and his Dharmachakra, before turning toward Laurentina—the latter also gauging the other person. 'Strange... does Ms. Lowenstein not feel my Dharmachakra?' Aside from the elephant in the room being Arturia, the black haired man was also confused on why the Caprinae hadn't paid much attention to the object.
For somebody who was blind and had her other senses enhanced as a result, she didn't pay much credence to an object that had everybody else turning their head toward it. 'Or maybe she just isn't making it obvious,' Megumi dryly continued his thought, before shaking his head. He looked at Cora making her way up the stairs toward Arturia, while motioning for him and Laurentina to follow.
Megumi turned toward the Abyssal Hunter. She kept her gaze trained on Arturia with an indescribable attitude, making him wish he could read other emotions rather than negative ones much more easily. Sighing, he tapped Laurentina on the shoulder, making her break off from her trance and turn toward him.
"Hm?" Laurentina let out a small sound of recognition, placing her left hand under her right shoulder while her right fingers were placed over her mouth. "Have I spaced out for too long? Ah, my apologies, I was just distracted by quite an astute sight," she kept her tone steady and filled with meaning, to convey a hard to read message toward the black haired man. Watching him raise his eyebrow in confusion was an adorable sight, "let us be hasty, then."
Megumi felt the white haired woman gracefully grab his hand with her own, before pulling him along with her. He was able to keep up with her pace, albeit with a slight shock at first, but he adapted to the situation. The many lessons she had taught him in how to be 'delicate' with a lady in terms of mannerisms were starting to show themself.
Arturia's gaze continued to scan them from what he could tell, while they made their way to Cora Lowenstein's path. Their steps made it to the grand stairs, making progressive steps upward. The lights of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling with nothing but a sturdy golden chain became more intense as a result, as if it were telling them they were making it closer to a grand revere.
For Fushiguro Megumi, the place looked too expensive for his liking. It was no different in pretentiousness as the hilariously expensive apartments Gojo Satoru had rented out for him, boasting such unnecessary features that it made golden toilets look like a joke. Seriously, why were such things even made? Weren't there far more useful applications for gold? Nevermind such distracting thoughts, the Sorcerer needed to focus on the present.
At the final step, he and Laurentina had made their destination alongside Cora. Megumi could still feel the Aegir grasp at his hand with a tight grip, for reasons he didn't know. The white haired woman stepped in front of Arturia, the black haired man having no choice to linger behind her and stare at the Sankta with a complicated expression.
"Arturia Giallo, I have heard many things from my dear Princess here," Laurentina spoke without hesitation, calling the man by her hand by his nickname and declaring what she knew. "I must say, it doesn't seem to be appropriate for an invitation to such a... place of grandeur unbefitting for a small occasion."
Megumi had to wonder if she was secretly insulting the place.
"My name is Laurentina, I'm quite unaware of how you had met with Princess, but I take it as... an eccentric encounter, is that the right word?" She continued to speak, showing off her shark teeth and pinching her skirt with her free hand—crossing her right leg over her left with a majestic motion. "But enough small talk, I'm just so pleased to make your acquaintance."
Cora Lowenstein 'looked' at the scene with confusion, before shaking her head and turning toward Fushiguro Megumi. The latter only shrugged in response, not sure if she could even detect his movement, but decided to bet on it. There wasn't much to say about Laurentina, he had already gotten used to her talking about him like this.
Especially back in Reunion.
"I could say the same, it is indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Arturia responded without so much as a pause, mimicking the same bow as Laurentina had, but using two hands instead of one. "I would have never expected Fushiguro Megumi to be aided with a companion such as yourself, it is a rather large revelation to be presented with."
"Oh really? Haha~ that's pleasing to hear from you of all people," Laurentina placed a hand over her mouth and laughed.
Megumi looked at the two amicably chatting with each other, wondering if it was a good idea to bring Laurentina with him. The way the two of them looked to synergize so well with each other and getting along in regards to... talking about him while he stood right there was a new experience. He had almost forgotten that the black haired Sankta was the one who nearly got himself killed, while the white haired Aegir was somebody who could snap all his bones in half. Almost, just almost.
Unbeknownst to him, sparks were flying on a more unindicative scale, one which was barely perceivable by even the Six Eyes. To the Sorcerer, what was all sunshine and rainbows was actually something which held a bloodied battlefield underneath, with sparks and blades flying across the air.
Such was the underlying gaze between Laurentina and Arturia, despite their chatter about related and shared topics.
"You two..." Megumi spoke up, watching as the two casually turned toward him. Their expressions which looked like they could never be swayed even by the fiercest of storms made him barely reign in his irritation "...we have other matters to attend to." He pulled his hand away from Laurentina's grasp, massaging it while referring to Cora Lowenstein, "Would Werner von Hochberg, the patriarch of this Spire, want to see us? we're his guests after all."
Cora let the conversations die out for a moment, before clearing her throat, "did I forget to mention a crucial detail?" She spoke out toward Laurentina and Megumi, not particularly Arturia as the Sankta already knew, "it seems I have, my apologies. To cure any further inquiries, Herr Hochberg is not present in the Spire at this time. He is off to attend important businesses in accordance with Sturmland's needs."
"Oh..." Megumi didn't know how to reply to that, when looking at the blind woman. She seemed to be looking at him with an apologetic expression for not getting out that facet of information sooner, but he didn't mind it much. "It's... completely fine, we can wait for Werner von Hochberg to come back. But there isn't much purpose for us being here, I have to admit." He scratched the back of his neck, sending a discreet glance toward Arturia.
She crossed her arms with a neutral expression, before an all-knowing smirk came across her lips. It did not bode well for the black haired man, as Megumi could feel butterflies form in his stomach when gazing at her rose-tinted lips, and it was not butterflies of happiness or of lovestruck awe.
"I wouldn't say so," Cora shook her head, "Herr Hochberg has expressed some interest in you, from what he has heard from Frau Arturia. There is no need to be so humble about yourself. Please, make yourself at home in this estate."
Megumi understood what her smirk was for now, feeling his stomach sink further. He had already decided to visit Leithanien for a few minutes and then leave, satisfying his promise to visit Leithanien upon her request, but he hadn't accounted for the Kurfurst of Sturmland himself gaining interest in him of all people. Things had just gotten more complicated, and the Sorcerer did not like it one bit.
"An interesting facet of information to learn," Laurentina placed a hand under her chin, turning away from Arturia, "I don't take it you were aware of this, Princess?" She ignored the stares she received from Cora and Arturia, along with Megumi gaining second-hand embarrassment from having his nickname stated out loud again.
A certain Sankta decided to speak up, "well, Fushiguro Megumi, what do you implore to do next?" Arturia crossed her arms while leaning against the fancy wooden railings, the object standing tall against the pressure her body put on it. "You have a vast amount of time to explore such a culturally rich country you've never been to before, wouldn't it be best to make the most of it?"
Laurentina huffed out from the sidelines, confusing Cora. The latter was starting to gain a small understanding... that the Aegir woman wasn't too partial with the Sankta, not that she wished to point it out. Gaining the ire of their guests was the last thing she would want to happen, so the Caprinae decided to see how this situation would develop, before imposing a role of a mediator. The black haired man known as Fushiguro Megumi wasn't too much of a problem, he was simply a polite man if anything was to go by.
Megumi placed his left hand in his pocket, before running his right hand over his face in stressful contemplation. There was a heavy weight that he felt like was pressing down on his back, further adding on to the weight of what he had done back in Chernobog, in Lungmen, and in Primavera. If he didn't pace his steps well, then he could trip over the tightrope he was walking over, and then add Leithanien on the list. His best option was to...
"...Then we should explore the Spire then, if we're going to be staying overnight at such a place." His gaze turned toward Laurentina for any signs of affirmation. He was mentally relieved when she had given him a 'whatever' shrug, turning her gaze elsewhere for any inspiration from the looks of it. "Is that okay with you, Frau Lowenstein?"
Cora nodded, "that is completely fine with me, what places would you like to be toured of, Herr Fushiguro?"
Arturia was about to speak up for a suggestion of her own, but was beaten to the chase by Megumi speaking up almost immediately.
"I would like to see a library, if this Spire has one." A library, a place of stored education, amassing to what can be considered a small city of books that could be picked out at any time. For a private place of residency such as Werner von Hochberg's Spire, and especially because of the political power that he held in Leithanien as a whole... then there must be something that he could pick out. "Is that doable?"
Cora gave her response, "of course."
***
Megumi walked through the library, gazing at the many assortment of hardcover books lining the shelves. The entire place possessed an air of wisdom and intelligence, which was a facet of life that the Jujutsu Sorcerer half-expected from a place such as Leithanien. From what he had heard from Laurentina—as the woman had conversed with nearly all Reunion members and gained knowledge from them—Leithanien prided itself as a country which explored the concept of 'Arts' more than others.
There were more universities and schools in this country than any other which specialized in teaching Arts and exploring its concept much more deeply than any other place. Many applications could be made with the mystical force, and it further added to its mystique when seemingly nobody knew where it had first originated from. Only theories and conjectures could be made, but one thing was for certain toward Fushiguro Megumi, this country was the epicenter for the study Arts.
Especially with the Witch King, being the Strongest Caster in all of Terran History, having originated from these lands. Even if his history wasn't something that Megumi could say that he was familiar with, the black haired man only needed to bear witness to his title in order to get a vague understanding of where they stood in this world. 'The Strongest...' the two simple words irked his mind, even when the aroma of pristine books acted as a calming agent for them.
Megumi raised his hand to place it on the passing books.
A rustic and noble feel was what met the nerves of his fingers as the tip grazed through the multitude of objects. The feeling was coarse and bumpy, moving across the sides of the books constantly. While that was happening, Fushiguro Megumi's steps were slow and deliberate, taking all the time in the world to make it through the section he had found himself in. Amongst the stored books were subjects relating to history, and only history. Such historical records in the form of books mainly included ones belonging to Leithanien.
The titular Witch King, the famous Septemberrevolution, the sublime Guldenesgesatz, and many other miscellaneous subjects in regards to Leithanian history. There included some subjects of geopolitics, but they only served to make his stomach churn the more he looked at them. He wasn't impartial to reading them, though, as they would serve as a good enlightener in the subject of each country's relationship with each other.
His steps stopped, before nabbing it from its place with what looked to be 'practiced' precision, despite that kind of skill having been honed for other matters in his previous occupation. It went into his black haori, and then transferred into his shadows. Megumi kept a mental note to return it, and that was all that was enough for him to keep it memorized. His steps continued once more, across the finely crafted towers of altered lumber.
There was a faint light coming from the ceiling, the black haired man having already recognized it to be powered by some application of Arts, which most definitely came from Originium. Unlike the grovelling Jujutsu Society, this world had widespread magic which could be applied to daily life. The conservatives and traditionalists back in his world would never dare to see such a world unfold before their eyes—most likely revolting at the mere thought of such an occurrence. It was an amusing thought.
Instinctually, his hand moved to grab another book that had caught his attention. It was a quick motion, barely perceptible to a normal human eye. The object and weight felt just like any other when placed between his fingers, the pseudo-limbs grasping to find the perfect balance with it. The Sorcerer shifted his arm, feeling his black haori twist and turn with his movement, before taking a glance at what the title was. He had already seen and registered it, but one for look didn't seem to hurt.
It was a history book, not unlike the other ones he saw earlier. Even though it was similar to the other ones, it still had its specializations and purpose as like any other book did. To better describe it, Megumi would describe it as an educational course on Leithanien's general history, rather than a specification upon a single subject. It didn't just talk about the Witch King or Leithanien's wars, but it talked about everything to the best of its capabilities. He would be the listener, while the book would be the storyteller.
"What a curious book you have your hands on."
Megumi felt his expression falling to a deadpan, like an internal light switch having been turned off. He was sure it wasn't much of a change in expression, with how his face usually was. Taking a glance to his side, he was greeted with the same black hair, black wings, and almost smug expression on her face. With how relaxed she looked, he had to wonder if anything had ever disturbed her once in her life. Her head was tilted curiously, while her hands were clasped behind her back and leaning forward.
He decided to respond, "it is." Megumi placed it into his haori, using the function of the Ten Shadows as how it was supposed to be. "Is sneaking up behind people one of your hobbies?" Raising an eyebrow, he watched her curious gaze follow where his hand had gone, most likely deducing what he had just done.
"A hobby? I wouldn't say so," Arturia held a thoughtful look, "that book you have just retrieved, though..." her mind replayed the title that was on it, connecting it to the emotions she had felt from him "...reading itself, is one of your hobbies."
He was about to refute her as he classically did everytime the Sankta made a claim, but promptly shut his mouth. She was right, "a fair assessment to make," Megumi placed a hand over his mouth and wiped it down, "where did you get that from?"
"A rhetorical question?" Arturia smiled, but decided to bite, "well of course, your emotions give all of your demeanors away."
"Mhm." He nodded his head, turning away to scan the other parts of the library. Aside from the wall of bookshelves surrounding the both of them, there were multiple floors to the library which held more books, and even chairs with tables to read at. "What do you want?" He began walking to one of them, it was best to make use of his time before Werner von Hochberg returned.
"The age old question," Arturia closed her eyes and followed him, "the more I gaze upon you, the more differences I see between your demeanor from back then, to now. The biggest outlier? Just how similar it also feels."
"...Elaborate," Megumi took a small glance back at the Sankta with a stone-faced expression. Although preferably wished to not play into whatever she had 'schemed,' her ability to read emotions was something that he could see being an 'opportunity' for him to learn more about himself. In fact, learning about oneself is crucial in the art of Jujutsu Sorcery, and it dates back all the way to its origins—further being expanded upon during the Heian Era.
"And here I believed I would never gain your curiosity," Arturia placed a hand over her mouth and softly laughed, her eyes peering directly into his soul. "A small deluge of your emotions, one so vast that it floods my sense of the world with a mere glimpse, it is naught but unordinary. From the vast shadows from before, to the boundless abyss which I feel almost nothing from."
Megumi kept silent, ignoring the scenery that passed him. Her words were interesting, as it described his Innate Domain perfectly. That should have been expected though, considering how she had been inside his Innate Domain itself, so her analysis and extrapolation of it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
"I see it, the light of divinity that caresses your figure with its grace. The prize granted upon subjugating a general venerated by the Heavens..." Arturia's mind flashed back once more to the monster of adaptation "...yet at the same time, those walls and barriers still remain. In fact, I'm sure they've become more hardened."
'My Domain Expansion's barrier has gotten stronger ever since I had fully completed it. So she can even see—or feel—things such as that. Divinity... should be obvious enough,' Megumi didn't delve much deeper into the implications, "go on."
"Prowling beasts await beneath, ready to be placed under your command, the Sovereign as I would put it." Arturia pressed her index finger against her chin and closed her eyes, "really, that mask of yours remains ever persistent." She playfully clicked her tongue three times, as if chiding the black haired man in front of her.
"That's good to hear, then." Megumi saw a desk make itself known in front of him, before reaching into his black haori and reaching out for one of the books he had stored in his shadows. "The ability to see the soul and its emotions, how useful. I'm curious, can you see memories too?"
"Have you forgotten? I've told you this before back during our little connection." Arturia kept note of his words, there was interest in her that she hadn't seen before, rather than one that attempted to push her away, "your head is quite the mess to navigate, especially with what looks to be a torrent of memories, experiences, and... information—yes—information that shouldn't belong in the first place." A vast understatement she would say, merely comparing it to a torrent. How amusing.
"Seems accurate," Megumi said while pulling back a chair, before sitting down on it and crossing his legs. "I guess you do have some positives about yourself, after all..." he flipped the object of his interest open, watching as a wall of words made itself known in front "...Is what I would have said, if I didn't already know everything that you had just described."
Arturia paused for a moment, the man's demeanor in front of her having taken a complete turn, "well, that aspect of yours still has not changed." The Sankta sighed, moving to sit down by the chair beside Megumi's. She made herself comfortable after settling down, placing her elbow on the library table and propping her head up. "I can tell many things."
"That's already certain," Megumi tilted his book a few times, reading every inch of the paper which had been taken up by words. "So tell me, what else can you tell me about me? Are you hiding something, or are you just keeping your words vague?"
"That companion of yours, she's quite interesting too. Are you aware of what I'm talking about?" Arturia switched topics with bemusement of all things.
"Excuse me?" Megumi set his book down for a moment, wondering what she was talking about, "Laurentina? What about her?"
"...Hm, forget it," Arturia sighed, 'two emotions in one, conflicting each other... How interesting. One lays dominant while the other lays to rest, what could bring it out?'
Megumi felt his eyelids twitch, before slowly picking his book back up.
"Back on to other topics," Arturia leaned back and tapped her cello case, the object placed by her seat. "You are—by far—the most constrained I've seen." Her words held not a gram of sugar coating, as it cut through the atmosphere of the library. "It makes me wonder if my music has even done anything for you," the Sankta hummed thoughtfully.
"So that's it..." Megumi mumbled to himself.
"So have you finally caught a hint?" Arturia questioned, "it's almost as if you have become an accursed being, far worse than the mass of suicidal intent from before."
"...I can't deny that," the Sorcerer bitterly continued to read his book, crossing his left hand under his right elbow, and keeping it held upwards with the object in his hands. "You've already seen how I've acted back then, yet you always keep pushing barriers that should have been kept closed."
"What can I say?" Arturia fiddled with the locks of her case, "curiosity killed the Feline—in my case, I'm afraid I haven't passed on just yet."
"I should take you as a fool then," Megumi flipped to the next page, "if that's the purpose you want to serve for your life, be my quest. I have no place in it."
"Oh, but what if you do?" Arturia held a vague smile, crossing her right leg over her left, "you're the worst case I've seen of such a chained soul, and I believe it has only become more chaotic as the test of time has worn you down. Bringing you far below than where you have been previously."
"There's a floor, I'll reach it eventually," Megumi boredly responded, "and the only direction that can be taken, is up."
"Not unless you dig yourself deeper," Arturia's hand moved to the side of her case, pulling out an orchestra baton and twirling it between her fingers, "what will it be then? Your grave?"
'...My Domain.'
"What else could there be for somebody who has fallen so low, but for Death's cruel embrace?" Arturia danced the baton in the air, watching the faint trail it produced at its end, "such a path is unseemly for someone like you. Fushiguro Megumi."
'I'm already a toy of Fate,' Megumi flipped to another page. 'What reason is there to choose a path, when it is already chosen for me?'
"There's many things you could learn from somebody, especially from their emotions. Their gripes, their greed, their pride, their joys, their sorrows..." Arturia paused her movements, sending a side glance toward the other person, her hair tilting "...yet at this very passing of time—you hide not only from others—but from yourself."
"Does this have to do something with greatness?" His voice was dull, finally directly responding to the woman.
"Greatness?"
"To see the true side of humanity, to see it united in some way, is that what you're looking for?" Megumi felt his glare toward the contents of the book deepen, "if you really wanted to see something like that, I would have killed you ages ago, back then, and perhaps even now."
"We've been through this play before, I remember it vividly, as if it had just happened yesterday," Arturia noted, fiddling with the instrument once more. "How could anybody forget it? When you were truly yourself for what seemed to be a million years, wherein I believed myself to be consumed next in your ravishing fervor."
"Do you want to be?" Megumi snapped his book shut, giving her a tired gaze. "Leithanien—I could always run away from the city, hide off at some other place, and sear my face so it never looks the same again."
"A hasty approach to things, I wouldn't recommend it," Arturia said without much of a hitch, her expression staying ever constant. "Despite what you might say, it's an impossibility for somebody to be so righteous of heart to do such a thing."
"...Righteous?" Megumi blinked, that singular action causing his expression to shift. Not to one of amazement or acknowledgement of her words, but to one of sheer disgust at such an inconceivable statement being directed toward him of all people. "Haha... where the hell did you get that from?"
"Don't you hate it? Don't you despise it?" Megumi asked his own question with a deadpan, "to see the ugliness of humanity every day, to be exposed with ulterior motives everywhere you walk, without an opportunity to trust a single person with those abilities of yours?" The black haired man had experienced it in brief bouts after having become a Jujutsu Sorcerer, the implicit Cursed Energy that would radiate from a person whenever there was a malicious undertone within them. "You'd understand it best, wouldn't you? Or have you never encountered such a thing, or does only your ability encompass everything in rose-tinted glasses?"
"...An astute question," Arturia closed her eyes, letting his words digest. "Tell me, does your inherent selfishness and broken resolve define you in your entirety? I believe that isn't the case, for they are merely fetters for what you desire. Such desire however..." She had never seen anything like it before, so many desires jumbled up together that even the Sankta didn't know what would happen when they spiked out all at once.
They were a sense of longing, a sense of duty, a sense of righteousness, a sense of anger, a sense of sorrow, a sense of loss, a sense of desire, and a sense of wishing to see nothing but death and slaughter. All boiled together into a fury of emotions, all fighting for their place in the black haired man's body—so evenly matched that Arturia had to ponder if they were locked into a neverending eternity of indecision.
"You didn't answer my question," Megumi thinned his lips.
"It should have been implicated enough," Arturia retorted with a smile, opening her eyes.
"I'm not in the mood for these games," his book flashed back open to the page where he had left off. "At this point, we're getting nowhere. Answer this directly, it's a simple question that you already know, do you still want to play your instrument for me?"
"What other wish would I have for bringing you here?" Arturia rhetorically responded.
"Many, many others. I can't tell if you have an ulterior motive for yourself or not, but I assume you do. Everything done is for your own twisted self of satisfaction, isn't that right? Out of everybody I've met in this world, you are the most Cursed out of them all." Megumi gave his analysis as a Jujutsu Sorcerer. "You don't care what damages you cause, or the paint that you inflict as a result. How many have needlessly died as a result, just because you balanced their life on a string."
"Liberation, is a clause for humanity, I don't believe you to understand such a concept, and neither do I expect you to. How many tortured souls roam these broken and cruel lands to never have what they truly wish realized? Don't you feel it clinging to your chest every day, every night? Those rusted chains will only serve to tear apart your heart the tighter it wraps, before your delicate organ bursts—the embrace of death and dissatisfaction being the only companions to your grave. Is that what you want?"
"That... would be perfect," Megumi shot back without hesitation, "isn't that life fitting for somebody like me, to die a meaningless death after everything? Ha...haha... It's almost comedic isn't it? With how many righteous people there are out in the world, all they are resigned to by Fate is to bite the soil beneath their feet, while people like me get to walk around doing as I please—isn't that hilarious? It is almost as if Fate favors the worst of humanity. Is that what you want?"
"There is a flaw in that belief, such as how your mind is riddled with a multitude of flaws in of itself," Arturia sighed, watching the black haired man's eyes start to lose the light it held. "It pains me to see such a bright star such as yourself dim out in its light. Is there truly a need for you to doubt your actions, the truest ones with such a vehement rage?"
"Yes, there's no denying that, and you'll never change my mind. Just as how I will never change yours." Megumi grit his teeth, feeling his lips clasp together. There was a rough sound that left his mouth, the hands which were a part of his body clenching tightly, "so why is there a need for you to play your damnable music to my ears? There is always something that you find interest in, and there is always something that you question with somebody. I'm not the first one, am I?"
"I can't deny such a thing, because there is no need to in the first place."
"You want to liberate me, with how much you've spoken about that nonsense, it only had already become clear to me ages ago. There. Is. Nothing that you gain from liberating me, and there is nothing I gain from liberating myself either. So answer. Me. What is the purpose of this...?" Megumi narrowed his eyes in an unseen rage.
Arturia sighed, fixing herself into a more comfortable position, "there is nothing to be gained. If the world was all about gains and greed, then how utterly uninspired would it be as a result? Can you imagine yourself in such a world, can you find yourself pontificating and becoming an advocate for materiality?"
"..." Megumi didn't respond.
"There is no need for me to have to gain anything from this, simply unleashing the fetters clinging to mankind as a whole is enough. You have spoken of the gains and losses that could come with me... but have you seen any of the satisfaction and euphoria that has resulted from it?" Arturia opened her eyes, a glint coming out of her narrowed orbs. "Have you ever experienced such... such a beautiful moment?
"...What are you getting at?"
"Might I suggest... you are the twisted one?" Arturia playfully remarked, gaining a tired look from Megumi, one that suggested... "oh? You already know it seems. I should have expected, with the logic you rely on, it would be foolish of me to assume that you would be in the dark about such things. But do you know how deep it reaches? How could you spit upon the idea of truly being oneself in spite of all things..."
"..."
"Is it hurt? Is it pain? You've experienced a lifetime of bountiful afflictions, nine times over. Is that why you wish to not see those around you flourish? It is my own postulation, and you need not take it as fact, but pardon me for such an assumption... for I don't understand why you cannot see the joy of doing what you so truly desire."
"Have you heard of a story?" Megumi set his book down, crossing his arms while staring off to somewhere else.
"...Hm? A story? I've heard of many stories," Arturia found it weird how the black haired man was the one to change the topic, but followed it nonetheless.
"There were two gods, Izanami-no-Mikoto and Izanagi-no-Mikoto," Megumi replied, his brain retracing the story which he had heard from long ago. "The two gods of creations who had made the mantle of the earth, and forged the core of the planet. Have you heard of this story?"
"I have not," Arturia could tell those names were of Higashinese origin, but she had to admit that she wasn't the most well-versed when it came to Higashinese mythology. She was still quite aware of the existence of their 'deities,' however.
"It is said that Izanami, wife to Izanagi, had died giving birth to Kagutsuchi. With it being the God of Fire, she had suffered severe burns and died as a result, with the husband—Izanagi—moving to bury her under a mountain. To cut things short, her soul was transferred to Hell, and because she had eaten food belonging to that place, her soul was forever entrapped there as a result." Megumi tapped his finger on the table, feeling Arturia's interest toward his story. "Izanagi wished to bring her back from Hell, and so he travelled there in order to do so. Because Izanami was a decaying corpse in hell, she had begged the other god to promise to not look at her while she negotiated to the other gods residing in Hell if she could leave, and he agreed to do so. However, he became impatient, and lit a fire as a result of impatience to see his wife one last time."
Arturia interlocked her fingers and hummed, painting the scene vividly in her mind. Gods were revered as possessing near omnipotent strength by the masses, usually. To hear a story where complications that had arisen such as the case of Izanagi and Izanami... was a different view to look at. It was almost as if they were humans, struggling with human means and human results. She wanted to hear the rest.
"She was decrepit, ugly, and disgusting. Izanagi was so revolted in fact, that he immediately ran away, leaving his wife in the confines of Hell without any more effort to help release her." Megumi bit his tongue recalling that part of the story in dissatisfaction, "Izanami was enraged with the promise being broken, and sent the 'hags of Yomi' toward Izanagi. He was able to escape in the end, sealing off the gateway to Hell and purifying himself. It's a controversial story, on which side you take, do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Certainly."
"So tell me," Megumi felt his left hand clench, out of view of Arturia, "was Izanagi's action, what he most desired at the time, the right act to make? If he had just waited for his wife to negotiate with the gods of Hell, would they both have been able to leave, all in one piece?" If it had been Itadori Yuji or Fushiguro Tsumiki, the Sorcerer would not hesitate to force the Gods of Yomi themselves to release them—no negotiations held.
"...Stories..." Arturia entered a contemplative trance, envisioning the scene over and over again in her head. The Great God known as Izanagi-no-Mikoto abandoning his wife, Izanami-no-Mikoto into the endless damnation that was Hell. All because he had been impatient, all because that was what the Great God had desired the most "...to answer, it's quite hard to say—"
"Izanagi is a terrible husband, his action was one of the scummiest in my opinion. He shouldn't even be called Izanami's husband, and all his actions reflect just how twisted the Shinto Pantheon was at the time," Megumi found the air around him to become more irritable. "He was a god, he could have purified Izanami after they left Hell, he could have struggled more to retrieve her from its clutches. No, all he did when seeing her state was abandon her to an eternity of damnation. Because that was his truest desire, isn't that just so righteous?"
"Admittedly, I would not desire to play my music for the 'god' you have just described," Arturia brushed a strand of her hair to the side.
"...So you do have limits to who you play for?" Megumi found himself genuinely appalled at this singular revelation, before recovering from his expressions. "Then... why? Why play for me when all I have are selfish desires? Can't you see it, can't you understand what I'm talking about?" He placed a hand over his mouth while speaking and creased his brows.
"I'm afraid you are the least qualified among Terra to understand even yourself," Arturia crossed her arms with a 'lecturing' disposition. "I don't blame you at all in that regard, with how broken and scattered your emotions are. However..."
Megumi found two hands cupping his cheek, pulling face closer to the Sankta. His limp body was pulled easily forward, his sights meeting the other woman's eyes, looking at the golden-graced sparkles underneath them. Yet the surrounding iris was dark, unfitting for such a bright star to be placed in between them—or perhaps, it was the most fitting place where it could be placed.
"...I can see it all, what you desire at the moment, how troubled you are with your life." Arturia's voice crawled to a whisper, "I remember it before, two months ago. When your heart burned the brightest, like a star shining its overbearing fever across all other celestial objects that had dared stand in its presence. It was enrapturing... I felt as if I would be consumed by the inflorescence of such a dazzling scene."
"..."
"Isn't it ironic yet so beautiful, how even the deepest and darkest chasm could hold the most breathtaking spectacle?"
"..."
"You've only grown to glow brighter, with the golden instrument hovering above your head acting as a protective ward, I'm sure of it. However, I fear that light would plunge back into the abyss of your soul, as you have strayed from your path, haven't you?"
"..."
"So please, I ask you one more time..." Arturia leaned forward, her lips finding themselves close to the black haired man's ear "...let me play for you, the delicate strings which shall strike all the chords in your heart."