#💎 Crystalized Hidden Gems (Drabble)

[universestreasures]

Drabble: Release At Last

@voiderequiem (New Ep Brainworms)

His first day as the new lord of this castle had come to end and Yudias was still very much acting on autopilot. Since arriving in this era, he has had no time to process everything that has happened to him. His duel against Yuhi as Otes. The loss of the Darkmen. The ritual he was forced to undergo and what he saw during it... All of it had to be buried deep inside his heart in order for him to keep moving forward on his road, a road that he is unsure what he'll find at the end of.

Rush Duels being used for war and violence...Yudias cannot let what Zuwijo tried to do so long ago come to pass, no matter the era. That was why he opposed the former lord of this castle and usurped his rank and the responsibilities that came with it. The burden he now carried was a heavy one, further adding to all the baggage he was already carrying.

And despite his immense strength of spirit and resolve, even he had his limits...

Zuwijo escorted him to his new chambers personally, his violet blade in hand. He was the lord of the castle now, after all. Surely in such a raging time of war there would be those who would be after his head, and his former commander thought it be best he had him to protect him. He had become his sword, it seemed.

It was odd...having the roles reversed like this. Back during the endless Velgearian war, Yudias was the one who had followed Zuwijo's command. But now, Zuwijo was following his command, devoting himself to the new cause with all he had to offer.

It was...nostalgic fighting side by side with him once more. Though, there was no joy to be found in it for Yudias. For the happiness he used to feel so strongly, even during times of war when he found the light in the dark, had seemingly been sucked out of him. In it's place was nothing but a cold and hardened exterior, one that mirrored Zuwijo's own.

"Zuwijo." His voice is commanding, just as it had been since his duel with Oteiusu the previous day, as he calls for the other to stop his exit from Yudias' room. "Stay. Please..."

Upon providing the order, Yudias approaches the other. His steps are slow and purposeful. His expression unreadable. When he does reach him, he leans forward to rest his head on his shoulder. And all at once he releases...everything.

Everything he had been holding in, from the tension in his shoulders to the pain in his heart, he releases it all in that moment. Much like during the war of the past, Zuwijo was to be his rock. He was to provide him the stability he so desperately needed, just as he provided him with the courage to continue forward when he wanted to give up countless times.

"...it hurts." Yudias whispers into the fabric of the other's cloak, his voice sounding crackly as it is rocked by tears he finally sheds from his teal hues. "It hurts so much, Zuwjio. It's...unbearable. The things I've seen...The things I've...I've had to do..."

His hands then grip onto the violet of the other's uniform, finding stability in his sturdy frame. The close proximity made the tears of his eyes stain the other's clothes. Though, that doesn't seem to bother Zuwijo at all, who simply continued to stand there and give his silent support through it all as Yudias continued to cry into his chest.

He truly was...always there when he needed him. Whether in his brightest moment or his darkest hour, Zuwijo always found someway to connect himself to Yudias. It was another showcase of the bond of fate these two Velgearians, one of Light and one of Darkness, shared. It has been this way since the day they were first created, and it will continue...always and forever.