Chapter 217: Chapter 217
Arthur's Point of View
The Island
"You're a good man, Arthur Pendragon. Far better than our Queen. Never before have I ever seen a man such as you care so much for those who are weaker than themselves. Your loathing for those with power makes me wonder just what it was that happened in your past." I didn't reply. "And the fact that you seem to hold such sadness in those eyes of yours. Why do you look upon me with pity?"
"Believe it or not, killing someone who looks like Elincia isn't exactly easy."
"You care for her?"
Nodding, I sighed. "I care for both of them. I'm just sorry it came to this."
Another chuckle escaped her lips. "And here I thought you hated them. Afterall, not just everyone is able to dismiss people so casually with so little feeling."
I was quiet for a moment before my arms fell to my side. "I don't hate the Priestess. I hate Lestrania. I hate what it has become. A perversion of everything I tried to do and a monument to my failures." My words made her silent. "When everyone looks at Helmsforth, they see a beacon of power, the home of the Lestranian Priestesses, and a place of magic."
"You don't?"
"No. That Mountain haunts me every day and that's partially why I stay."
"That's a little surprising..." She commented and went quiet for a moment before she tilted her head back up towards me. "Would you grant me one last request?"
Giving her a curious, but cautious look, I replied. "What might that be?"
"You've given me the fight I asked for and it was glorious. However, I am still alive, and I will continue to recover while on this Island." She explained. "Never before in my life was I given a choice."
"Okay?"
"I'd like you to kill me in spectacular fashion. I did not get to choose my life, but I'd at least like to choose my death. At your hands, perhaps I will be at peace with that." She stated.
"How would you define spectacular fashion?"
A grin split her lips. "Surely you're creative enough to come up with something."
Cassidy's Point of View
The Island
The beach was silent as we all waited for something to happen. Anything. Behind us, the Sun was starting to rise. None of us had gone to sleep that night. How could we? All of us were afraid and the noise itself would've made it impossible.
I, myself, was alternating between the sky and tree line. Imagine all our surprise when Arthur walked out onto the beach with his hair a mangled mess. His beard had blood in it and his ponytail was broken with his hair in a thrown about manner. Typhon and I were the first two to move. We raced over to him while others waited a moment before following our lead.
"Arthur!" Typhon yelled in concern.
I beside the boy as sand kicked up behind us and I heard the flapping of wings overhead. "Are you okay?" I asked as we stopped in front of him.
His eyes no longer had their weird symbol, but instead were back to being their silverish grey. "Just tired. How's Elincia?"
Ziah landed next to us. "Everyone is safe, Sir. Do you need medical treatment?"
My heart sank when I noticed his dazed look glaze over us. "No. As long as everyone here is alright, I'll be fine after some rest."
Biting my lip, I glanced at Ziah who shared my look. "Ya look exhausted." I stated and he chuckled.
"Then I look how I feel."
"We should clear a spot for him to lie down." The Priestess said suddenly from behind us, and we all turned to her. "Sir Arthur will no doubt need rest to recover his strength."
Arthur stared at the Priestess for a few moments as the two studied one another. Typhon seemed confused as to what was happening, but I was more than aware. Part of me hoped the two wouldn't be foolish enough to attempt anything at this moment. Although, if anyone was to make a move, it would be Arceana, and that was an unsettling thought.
After a moment, Arthur replied as his eyes morphed back to their strange symbols. "I'll take you up on that offer." He answered and turned to Typhon, Ziah, and I. "Would you three be willing to help me?"
Ziah quickly nodded, but Typhon responded first. "Of course!"
We moved next to him to help him as he turned back to Arceana. "Please keep a close eye on Elincia. I can't imagine what she might be going through."
The Priestess nodded. "Of course. Thank you for helping her and curing my sister of her Demonic curse. A hero indeed. Sleep soundly, for no harm will come to you, Sir Arthur. Of that, you have my word." Arceana stated firmly.
"I could use some sleep." He then turned to us. "Lead the wa-" Before Arthur could finish, his head whipped up before an alarmed expression made it's way to his face. "Wha-"
Arthur looked around rapidly in confusion and concern. However, as he took a step to investigate whatever grabbed his attention, he collapsed face first onto the ground. We cried out in alarm as he essentially belly flopped onto the sand. Ziah and I tried to grab him, but it was so sudden and unexpected that none of us were able to respond.
Priestess Arceana quickly lifted him in her magic and flipped him over. "What happened?!"
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