(You better take over the world, you prune. Build it the way Maellan wanted. Keep him safe just as I did to you. Promise me.)
(If you can make that promise, then I suppose I don't hate you so much anymore…... My brother. Hahahaha!)
Ronin used the powers of the God of Art to make Maellan hear Zeuxis' inner thoughts as he watched this scene.
Maellan went by his brother's side, trying to touch his face. The moment he did, Zeuxis did his dying laughter, and it felt like he was laughing because he was seeing Maellan.
But it was nothing but an illusion.
"Zeuxis..." Maellan called out, as hot tears fell from his face to this apparition of his younger brother.
He remembered how one time, Zeuxis was crying in the garden. He was only 4 that time, a year before Ronin was born.
The little boy was kicking at the grass and throwing a tantrum where no one could see him. The fact that he was doing this in private meant that he really was upset.
It was because when he showed their father, Duke Taevas, his tiny little lightning sparks…..
He just waved it away, saying. "You still need to be as strong as your big brother."
When Maellan approached him as a 9-year old who acts more mature than his age, little Zeuxis immediately threw pebbles at him.
"Go away!" He yelled.
"But we would have to eat dinner soon, Zeuxis. Mother and Father would not like it if they saw your clothes dirty." Maellan said.
"I don't care! I hate you! I hate all of you!" Zeuxis hit him with his tiny fists.
He then summoned his lightning sparks towards Maellan, which only felt like tiny ant bites.
But the patient older brother knew that he shouldn't get mad at this little boy. He was young, and he needed care and affection the most at this age.
Yet their family won't give it to him. So it was up to him to make Zeuxis feel loved.
He went over, and gently wrapped his arms around the little bratty kid.
"What are you doing!? Let me go! I'm not coming with you, I'm not going to eat!" He struggled and hit and kicked him.
But Maellan did not let go. "We'll both stay here in the garden until Mother and Father find us. Then they'll both scold us for playing in the dirt."
This made the little boy stop crying, and look confused. His elder brother just smiled, and took his tiny hands.
"Zeuxis….. Even if you hate me, I will never hate you. Because I know that deep down, you don't actually hate me. You hate that you get less attention than me."
"I'm your family, your brother. Forever and ever." He promised, pulling his tiny head close and stroking it.
And now, he was doing the same with the slowly vanishing illusion of Zeuxis.
"My brother..." He said softly.
Ronin could not bear watching this any longer, so he snapped Maellan out of the amber goo that brought him to a world of illusions.
"I….." Ronin started.
He's a villain. He should not be apologizing. It was not his fault too, it was Zeuxis' impulsive decisions that brought him to his demise.
And yet…..
He still felt something similar to guilt from it.
"Why didn't you save him on time?" Maellan asked, a little bit on edge as he wiped his tears away.
"He didn't want me to. If I did, Cermin would notice something wrong."
Maellan spoke colder than he had ever in his life. "I see. You chose your little cattle of gold over your brother's life."
"It's for the revolution, Brother." Ronin told him, trying to act just as cold.
But it did not work. And it was actually to his benefit that it did not work, because that hesitance in his eyes…..
It managed to make Maellan snap out of it and calm down a little.
"Please give me a moment alone." Maellan said.
Ronin did so, standing a little bit more awkward than he usually does. His spunk and arrogance lessened.
As soon as he left…..
"I'm sorry for your loss, Maellan."
The Spear Daemon turned to the Core Daemon. Pavone looked very remorseful for him, his brows furrowed.
He offered up his arms. "Would you like some comfort? I know how difficult it is to lose a brother like you..."
Maellan accepted his hug, though he looked a bit stunned to see him here.
He frowned, remembering what Ronin showed him.
"I never knew why Sordido died….. You did not tell me."
"Ah, it's because it's too painful." Pavone easily lied as he sink in Maellan's embrace. "You know how it is. I love my brother very much, he was the only family I had."
He lied so easily to gain the sympathy of the Daemon he admired. Pavone did not care at all that Sordido died.
He choked on fake tears. "I am so distraught, Maellan….."
He was merely distraught because he was not able to kill Ronin that night, and he was even here.
"So I understand your pain, Maellan—"
"Your brother would not have died if you did not attack Ronin, Pavone."
Pavone's eyes widened. So he now knew after all. He only managed to watch the part with Zeuxis, not when he showed the fight.
"Maellan, can't you see? Ronin keeps on stalling, trying to fatten his cattle of gold while we do all the work. What kind of king is that?"
If he could not appeal to Maellan's emotions, he'll try to use logic.
"Not to mention that he does not care about his subjects at all. He was willing to let his own blood die for that prince. He will do the same to you, to all of us."
Maellan shook his head. "That's not true at all."
"Would you still blind yourself just for your affection for him? Maellan, he doesn't deserve to be King. He doesn't even have the interest of the Common people in his mind."
"All he want was his revenge for that golden prince, and to gain power." Pavone held him closer. "Wouldn't it be better to have someone else instead?"
"The First Daemon... The one who had spread the Gift." He looked up at Maellan, his eyes pleading.
"My friend….. You know that you are the rightful one. Let me make you King. Let me stand by your side as you become the new Lord of Darkness."
Maellan was about to answer when—
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Rabuka's Cordial Surge came as an ear-piercing shriek, and a part of the already ruined building had exploded!
Maellan's eyes widened. "Stop this! Don't let them attack him!"
But Pavone had tackled him in the hug tightly, not letting him go to see his brother that's under attack by their own people.
"I'm sorry, Maellan. But it's for your sake. Once he's gone, you'll realize that we don't need him. You will be our King, and we will build our kingdom together!"
He sounded so delusional as he smiled up Maellan, who struggled at his grasp. Before he could escape, Pavone had already pulled out a needle...
And stabbed it at Maellan's back, where his spinal column was. It was a really strong poison, that it could incapacitate even Divine Beasts and minor gods.
Maellan collapsed to the floor, unable to move at all. He was still awake and aware, as Pavone put him down back at his chair.
"I will be back, my King." He said, hugging him once more.
Maellan's face contorted as Cholie appeared, gnashing her teeth at Pavone.
"How dare you! I knew my beloved should have never helped you! A spoiled rich man that—"
Pavone shoved a marmalade on her mouth. "I will find a way to get rid of you too, eventually."
He left the pavillion, and went for the war.
Ronin was pushed out of the building because of the shout, the debris all around him. He was bleeding everywhere....
But was wearing a wide smile.
"You think any of you can defeat me? Your Dark Lord, your King?"
"You'll never be our King." Pavone raised his hand to use Erasure on him….
But Ronin had moved quicker than their eyes could see, already pouncing on him and hitting his already damage Obsidian core again and again.
"Pavone! LET HIM GO!!!!!!!!!!!!" Rabuka shouted his ears off again—
But Ronin used his Illusive Shift again to hit her throat, punching it until she vomits blood.
Volken's Rapier Lunis continued to zoom and follow after its target, but Ronin dodged it all and punched the Silver Daemon's scarred face!
Ronin sneered. "I will kill every single one of you myself...…."
He looked behind him. There was a piece of needle sticking out on his back.
As it turned out, Pavone let him attack him in order to stab that poison needle into his spinal column.
Ronin tried to endure it, but he staggered to keep his mobility. His nerves felt like they were burning and screaming inside him, like he was being pricked by a thousand needles.
Pavone stood up and spat out a broken tooth.
Then, he brought his foot to Ronin's face.
"Some King you are. You will reach your End soon."
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