PART III: Demons
In the silent night, knocks on wooden doors echoed through the halls of the Sunrise estate, along with the old and weary voice of Bronn, calling out to his daughter.
"Eliza, please open the door. I know you and Sang are in there—I saw you enter myself... Eliza, my angel, stop ignoring your father and open the door, please." Bronn knocked on the door relentlessly.
Inside Elizabeth's room, however, the sound of her father was dimmed out by the sound of her and Sang's crying and apologizing.
Sang sat on the side of the bed, his hands rested on his face as he could not stop himself from shedding tears no matter how hard he tried.
And sitting behind him with her back turned to him was Elizabeth. Her feet were on the bed as she curled herself into a ball and cried away her feelings.
After a few moments, Sang let out an apology between his ugly cries. "I'm sorry," he said, his breath hitching with each word. "I'm so—" A sob cut him off. He sniffled hard, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth, I... I don't think you are pathetic."
Elizabeth turned around slowly as she wiped her own tears, then she opened her arms and hugged him tightly from behind as she placed her face on his shoulder. Her tears slowly slid down his shoulder as his blood tears dropped hard on the ground.
Then she said quietly, "I know... I know, brother..." The sound of knocking almost covered her small voice as they both kept on weeping and ignoring their father.
Away from all the heavy emotions, on the second floor in the chambers of the Countess, sat Nex on the couch with the Countess on his left on another couch.
Nex opened up the discussion as soon as he was seated.
"Well, that was a disaster—no offense, Countess, but is this how family dinners usually go?"
She did not hesitate to respond to his rude remark: "I don't know—how does it go in your family, Prince Servus?"
Nex was silent for a moment, realizing his own rudeness and shying away from apologizing.
He asked, "Well, let's move on to something more important. What is it you want from me, Countess? I owe you for saving my life, and wish to repay you. However, my friends' safety comes first. After all, what kind of prince abandons his sworn subjects just because they might be dead?"
She answered fast again. "A smart person who doesn't want to contract the plague he saw in the barn earlier today.
Nex paused for a second. He looked her in her crimson eyes as she looked into his blue, then he responded with a light smirk that he hid away from the Countess by looking at the door until it faded.
"Well, Countess, I find it hard to believe that the plague would be so easy to catch. Otherwise, your beloved heir and daughter would never enter that barn."
She paused for a second, smirked herself, then mockingly stated, "They aren't human. I thought you were smart enough to tell from the taste of my son's blood."
Nex responded without any change in his expression, as if he'd grown cold to the inhuman things that always surrounded him.
"Yes, I noticed back in the forest. I knew something wasn't right with you people when I saw the steel sword that went through my stomach break off of your bare skin, but the doctor and soldiers that were in the barn were very much human."
The Countess smiled wide, then commented, "I guess you were smart enough after all."
"So how does one exactly catch this plague, Countess? I expect you to answer me truthfully this time, since we have grown closer during dinner."
Nex asked as the Countess's smile faded.
That is a secret only very few people know. Besides, isn't it time you tell the truth if you wish to be told the truth as well?" She responded as she crossed her legs and arms.
Nex raised his eyebrows and let out a small laugh, acting confused. Then he responded, "And what is it exactly I lied about, Countess?"
She fixed her posture and rested her hands—one on the arm of the couch and one beside her—then uncrossed her legs as well. She smiled for a moment before revealing, "Well, you lied about many things, or just kept them hidden. For starters, your name."
Nex responded without hesitation. "What about my name?"
"Servus?" the Countess asked, then continued, "Slave? You mean to tell me your parents named you, a prince, slave in the dynasty's old tongue?"
Nex crossed his arms as he laid back and let out a small chuckle before responding. "Countess, I am called Servus."
She responded instantly, "You are not lying about that. You are called Servus, or were once called Servus, but that isn't your name... That isn't what your parents named you."
And how can you tell that I am not lying about that? You seem pretty convinced that Servus isn't my birth name," Nex asked.
The Countess leaned forward towards him a bit, still towering over the young boy, and said, "I have been alive longer than some ancient cities, boy. I can tell when someone is lying to me."
Nex uncrossed his arms. He leaned forward himself, collecting his hands together as he trembled from her towering presence. He hadn't forgotten whom he was speaking with, or what, but he had hidden his fear pretty well until now.
Then, with a shaky voice, he broke the silence after a few moments. "Nex... my name is Nex. Do you think I am lying, Countess?" he asked as he avoided her eyes, hiding his fear and shame.
"First, memories of the nightmare flowed through the mind of the Countess—the Black Sun banners filled her mind as she heard his name.
After a moment, she collected herself, hiding her own fear from the nightmare, The Countess's expression lightened. Her smile faded, her eyebrows raised in shock.
She slammed her back against the couch as she fell back.
She broke the silence and said, "YOU are Nex? The dead prince of the empire... To think the great-grandson of Augustus would come to me by himself."
Nex observed her reaction at first. He saw she was shocked. He tried to lighten the mood before changing the subject."I am Nex, but I am also very much alive, Countess," he said as he forced himself to smirk.
"She remained quiet and avoided looking Nex in the eyes, lost in her racing thoughts.
"Should I kill him?... But then the debt—I would owe that family, that kingdom, twice as much as I do now. But he is HIS great-grandson. I can't let him go. I can't waste this opportunity. I... I need to—" she thought to herself before a shaky voice cut through her thoughts."Countess?" said Nex, with his hands trembling, his lips quivering.
He couldn't look at her crimson eyes anymore.She asked herself, "What expression do I have on my face now?" Before she looked at him again, studying him. His hair was pitch black, unlike the empire's royalty with their white hair. His build was small compared to all the previous emperors who were great warriors.
She had seen him soaked in his own blood in the forest, and even then there were scars on his little body that were there from before.
"This is but a child," she muttered to herself. Then she calmed her expression, softening her clenched fists, and asked with a calm and soft voice, "Who gave you that name? Who named you Death?"
Nex's eyes widened. He did not expect her to know the meaning of that name; he had hoped she didn't. He relaxed his face and lifted his head up as he recalled the many painful memories that this name brought him.
"My father... Aurelian, the emperor," he answered as he calmed his own expression.
The Countess did not respond, but just quietly and calmly stared at him. Then suddenly she commanded, "Ask away now, boy."
"Pardon?" Nex asked with confusion.
"It's a reward. You get to ask me a question which I shall respond to truthfully every time you answer mine truthfully or correct a lie you have told. So far, you are rewarded two questions, so choose wisely, young prince."
She stood up and looked outside the window, giving Nex a chance to ask his questions without fear of her.
Nex looked at her from his seat, then he raced through his own thoughts, trying to find answers for questions he had since the moment he laid eyes on her and her kids back in the forest. One thing came to mind, and another was a necessity for him to know.
"Well, I guess I shall ask the most logical question any human would ask in my place. What are you people exactly?"
The Countess did not look back. She expected such a question from a human; it was only natural after all to ask after he had witnessed so many of her gifts.
She answered him, "I am a Demon, not those born in hell and such, but a race of people that do not belong here. My children and husband are human."
"Your children are hum—" Nex immediately covered his mouth with his hand before he could finish his question. He didn't want to use up his second question here.
She slightly turned around, then smirked and looked away again.
"Cough. I meant to ask, how does the plague spread?" Nex asked.
The Countess asked, "Are you sure, prince? The plague is within Stella. It won't concern you once you leave. Are you sure that is the question you want to ask?"
She hid her expression so Nex couldn't read whether or not that was the right question.
Nex took a second to respond, then he said with a firm voice, "Yes, I am sure, Countess."
The Countess froze with a weird expression on her face that Nex couldn't see, then she broke the silence. "I... I can't tell you that, prince. Ask me something else.
"Nex pondered for a second, then he asked, "But, Countess, with all due respect, you said anything, and you answered me about the true nature of what you are.
Surely how the plague spreads isn't that much more important than what you are."
"It isn't... however, I still can't tell you, prince, since I— no, we don't know. No one knows the answer to that question, prince," she stated."What? How could that be? How long has this plague been spreading for? And where did it even start from?" Nex responded with eagerness to get answers.
"Why are you concerned with the plague, prince? It will never reach you or your people as long as you stay away from Stella."
She asked as she turned around, carrying an annoyed expression at his questions.
"Are you serious, Countess? You really can't tell why I am asking about it?"
Nex asked calmly.
She responded, waiting for an answer eagerly. "Yes, Prince, I can't tell. Why don't you enlighten me?"
"Because I am scared. I... have seen death... Hell, I have probably known him more than any human that ever lived," Nex said as he touched his scar on his throat.
"But whatever was in that barn... It was vile... I felt like it shouldn't exist in this world. It felt... Alive... How can I or anyone rest knowing something like that exists, and not knowing how to defend ourselves from it?"
He said as he locked eyes with the Countess.
The Countess's expression lightened up as she calmly walked up and sat on the couch.
She sighed, then answered, "Listen, child, your fear changes nothing. I am still unable to answer your question about how it spreads. The best way I can describe it, and this is just a feeling, is that you are right—it is alive and it is choosing certain victims. But those are nothing but speculations, nothing confirmed by the doctors or anyone else for that matter."
She paused for a second, letting her answer sink into Nex's thoughts, before she continued, "I will however tell you other things that we know about it. First, what you saw wasn't the final state of the plague. Given a week or so more, the bodies will be filled with strings and moved around like puppets. And we also know that the only way to kill it is fire. However, if you encounter it in its final state, one touch from its strings could rob you of your life... That is all we know about the Binding Rot."
"But how do you know that I or one of your people aren't infected?" Nex asked.
"Well, Prince, if a person is infected, his skin would decay within the first few hours. Hopefully that satisfied your fears," she answered.
Nex, even though he was conflicted about her answer and how illogical it was, nodded, then said mockingly, "Yes, Countess, that satisfied all of my fears," as he put on a big smile.
The Countess smiled back at him. then both of their smiles slowly faded as they were lost in thought.
Nex stood up and walked around the Countess, reaching Amal's bed. Then, as he laid her head on his palm, he broke the silence.
"Well then, Countess, I think it is time we moved past this charade and talked about the thing we both wanted to talk about."
The Countess smiled faintly, then responded, "Well then, shall we, Prince?... I still owe a debt to one of your ancestors from about what now... four hundred? Three hundred years ago? Well, it doesn't matter. What matters is a chance to repay them walked right into my doorstep, and I don't plan on letting it go to waste. You will be delivered to them to rule as their rightful heir, with or without your friends."
Nex chuckled, then responded, "I thought we were over this already, Countess. I will head to the kingdom and claim my right, but only after learning the fate of my friends, and not before."
The Countess remained calm and answered back without moving. "You think if you turn your back to me I can't tell when you are lying to me, boy? I can tell, from the way you speak to the way you move around while asking that question... Everything you do reveals something to me. I know you don't intend on holding on to your words."
She stood up and turned around to face him as he kept avoiding her eyes.
"And you probably think just because I can't hurt you that I would rather let you escape whenever you find your friends, but boy, I will repay my debt, no matter the cost."
Nex's eyes widened, his hand started to tremble as it touched Amal's cheeks, then he removed his hand and tightened his fist before he turned around and responded while trembling.
"And you think I am ignorant enough to risk my friends' lives when we find them? You think I would plan an escape knowing I could barely escape a group of soldiers from the empire? If not for your help, I would have been dead."
He moved past her and sat down back on the couch as his legs failed to carry him any longer.
"I am scared of you, not as much as the plague, and not for my life but definitely for the lives of my friends... Countess, I am begging you. All I need is to know they are alive and I shall take Amal and go to wherever it is you want me to go."
His eyes did not leave the ground, as fear crept in whenever he saw glimpses of crimson.
"Take her?" The Countess's calm voice broke Nex's heart.
"Who said that she is going with you, boy?" Nex's heart raced against his chest as realization came in.
"The place you are about to go to is quite dangerous. It is no place for an infant to travel through the neverending forest. Besides, you could barely protect her from the empire's dogs. She should remain here, where someone strong, like me, can protect her."
For a moment, Nex's heartbeats were echoing in the room as silence fell on their conversation. Then Amal's slight movement took away the Countess's attention.
Nex's heart calmed down agonizingly slowly. With every beat, a flashback of the child's innocent smile came to his mind, a moment of hesitation. As he saw the Countess pick up and hug Amal like a mother would, he understood she would be cared for here.
But he couldn't let her go. Memories of the days of his slavery by his twin siblings, as he slept on mud while hearing the infant's cries, unable to comfort her. Memories of when he reunited with his friends and saw the color of her eyes change to grey. Memories of when she held his fingers as Varya watched. Memories of when he woke up and found the necklace that Varya had crafted for her... With her name that he chose for her, Amal.
"No..." He muttered to himself as his heartbeats were finally as calm as a human's heartbeats could be. "Not her... Not my hope." He stood up and looked at the Countess .
He paced forward towards the Countess.
The Countess turned around, then as he paced closer she found it strange and took a step backwards as she held tight onto Amal.
He looked up at her. In his small frame, he defied her like no one else had in her entire life. Then he said, "You care for her, and you owe a debt to my family. I promise you, if you dare and try to take Amal from me, I will end her life, then mine right after, robbing you of the child you wish to raise, and a debt to erase... So choose wisely, Countess—you either let us both go back into the empire, or watch us die."
She let out a small laugh as she regained her footing, then escalated into a more genuine laugh, one that she hadn't let out in decades.
Nex's calmness was tested by her abnormal laugh. However, he did not falter—he remained calm and did not give ground as he stared at her.
As she held Amal with one hand, she wiped her tears of laughter with another, then she calmed herself before asking through her laughter, "Boy, do you think I will just watch? I owe a debt to deliver you to your family alive, but that doesn't mean I won't cut off both of your arms if I have to."
Then she stepped forward and leaned down and whispered to him, "Do not... test me." Then she leaned back as she awaited his reaction.
Nex slowly backed away. As Amal's cries grew louder, the Countess went to place her back in her bed to comfort her.
Suddenly a chill crept through from behind her, and as she calmly placed Amal down, then turned around, she said, "Boy, do you think jumping from this height would kill you? Best it would do is cripple you—"
And as she fully turned, she saw Nex standing in front of the open window, his arm extended, and on it stood the eyeless crow, the familiar of Death.
The Countess's expression hardened as she remembered unpleasant memories, then she asked, "Why? Why is Death's messenger abiding by your orders, boy?"
Nex responded calmly, "It isn't. It simply protects me. Now, do you think that this thing here would watch as you harm me? I bet whatever it did to you earlier today—it would do much worse if you actually meant me harm, Countess."
As if on cue, the eyeless crow tilted its head, as if challenging the Countess to make a move.
"I will be leaving the Sunrise estate, Countess. Your hospitality has been... interesting. However, I still owe you a debt for saving my life, and I will repay it—when I return to the empire and claim the throne for myself."
Nex said firmly as he took slow steps towards Amal.
Behind the Countess's anger and annoyance at the boy's arrogance, she let out a small smile, then yelled out, "You truly have his blood in you. You arrogant, selfish, ungrateful brat... You think you can protect Amal because of this stupid bird on your arm? You said it yourself, you naive boy—the crow protects you! No one else... I wonder how many times the crow could have saved your precious friends but chose to let them suffer, and Amal will meet the same fate as your dead friends if you take her with you."
Nex remained composed as she watched him walk past her and pick up the infant. Then slowly he locked eyes with her one last time before he responded.
"And you? Would you protect Amal if it meant you couldn't repay your debt anymore? Or would you choose a four-hundred-year-old debt over her innocent life?"
Then he walked past as he whispered just loud enough for her to hear, "Hypocrite."
She exploded in anger, yelling out her lungs as she watched powerlessly while Nex took away the infant she had hoped to raise herself.
"NEX!!!!!!!!!!!"
Nex, unbothered, walked down the halls as the servants doors opened as the Countess's voice echoed through the halls, and closed again as the presence of Death was felt from Nex and the crow.
Sang and Elizabeth were no different. Although they weren't completly human, they both fell back against the wall at the sight of the bird that reduced their mother to her knees.
And as Nex stepped out of the estate, and took his first steps forward towards his friends back in the north, under the light of the moon, and the darkness of the night, the only thing that lit up the nameless woods were the lights of massive fires as smoke rose from between all the green trees.
It lit up Nex's road back to the same woods that he had almost died in.