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simpingforthisonedeer · 11 months

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Chapter 15: Mercy, Mercy

Summary: Aika and Evan are gone for an indefinite period so the story turns to Julius. A ghost from the past and painful memories for the failed protagonist and a new chapter in his life.

Notes:

- Manga and Movie Spoilers from here on out! - 5k words - We’re going to touch more on Ellie’s power later but you do get to see some of it here. - Relationships are really important in this fic. Not only Aika and Julius’s but the other characters' relationship to them and others as well. - Read endnotes for more info and commentary

Tagging: @t-f-t @funky-sea-cryptid @loosesodamarble @lyranova @thoughtfullyrainynightmare

“Then what about her grimoire?” Julius moved his gaze to Ellie’s grimoire pouch but it was not there.

“Where’s my grimoire?!”

“Gods don’t need grimoires, Ellie,” Arthur said wryly as he plopped down in an armchair. “You’re a part of The Pantheon now, and you draw your power from all your fellow Gods.”

“I—Okay…” What? She sighed deeply, begging the tears to stay away. She needed some private time to come to terms with all this. “I did not ask for this…”

“We know you didn’t.” Arthur grinned. “No one asks for Godhood. You achieve it or in your case, stumble upon it. I’m sure Aika saw this coming since she met you. You were, after all, enlightened since you were born, right?”

“Yeah,” she answered meekly. She was born with eyes that burned her mother, father and midwives out of existence. She lived her life blindfolded until Miss Aika reached a hand out to her like a lifeline and taught her how to bring her strange powers under control.

Ellie didn’t like all the attention that the room was giving her. Most of them she doesn’t even know. And Miss Aika was not here to guide her through this. No one would know more about divinity than her or her master.

“That’s why she took you along, you know?”

“What?” She looked up at him. What was he saying?

“What are you implying?” Jayce growled beside her.

“I’m not implying anything! I’m saying that she only gives the time of day to people who she sees potential in, or has business with.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, but not everyone has a wrinkled prune for a heart. She actually likes the people she spends most of her day with. She has friends.” Jayce cocked his head as he stuffed his hands in his pockets in a blatantly arrogant pose. Julius, Jien, Fuegoleon and Dorothy shared a look crossed between amusement and concern. “Something you clearly don’t have even after thousands of years!”

Arthur leapt out of his seat and Jayce flinched when he closed the distance and smiled down at him, gleeful.

“Ah, but that’s where you are wrong.”

“I’m the keeper of Aika’s secrets,” he turned to look at Julius dead in the eyes. “And she’s mine.”

Julius stared back impassively, tamping the ugly jealousy that was welling up in him.

“Look at me,” Jayce bared his teeth in a mocking grin. “Do. I. Give. A. Shit.”

Ellie threw up some portals where fists flew.

“Stop it!” She turned to Jayce. “Have some respect for your elders! He’s not wrong!”

“But—”

“Zip it.”

She pointed an accusing finger at Arthur.

“And you! Responding to schoolyard taunts is beneath you,” she snarled. He pursed his lips and looked away. “People would be nicer to you if you didn’t portray the most benign things so negatively!”

Arthur clicked his tongue but said nothing.

“Okay, well, if we’re done talking, I need to take you to Aika’s old Temple. The High Priest is waiting for you.”

“Wh—”

“No.” Jayce placed himself between Ellie and Arthur. “You are not taking her away too.” He hung his head, fists shaking by his sides.

“Too?”

He exploded on Arthur.

“Aika and Evan are gone! And you didn’t even realise because your head is so far up your ass, you self-serving prick!”

“I’m going to ignore the last half of what you said.” Arthur narrowed his eyes. “But what do you mean they’re gone?”

“Evan’s dead, and Miss Aika had gone berserk so she activated her Shadowed Star spell which Ellie had to transport using impossible means which is why you are here in the first place!”

“Evan is dead?” Arthur whispered, eyes widening. “But Aika brought him back, right?”

“Yeah, but it’s not going to matter because,” Tears fell as he looked up at the older man. “Because what use is it to be alive when you can’t feel happiness, grief, anger, love, all the things that make us alive. He’s going to wake up in a month, a shell of what he is.” He buried his face in his hands. “Why the fuck do you care anyways?”

“Why do I care about Aika’s oldest child, my daughter’s beloved brother, a young man whom I have known way longer than you have?” Arthur grit out. “Where is he?”

Julius cleared his throat. This was going too far in front of people who are completely unaware of what they are even talking about.

“This discussion is getting out of hand. Evan is in the infirmary. Please continue there.” Julius all but glared at them in disappointment. His tone made no room for argument so Ellie made a portal and before she walked through it after Jayce and Arthur, she locked eyes with Julius, looking for something, permission or assurance, he wasn’t sure. His expression softened and he nodded curtly. She pursed her lips and frowned as she walked away. Julius had a sneaking suspicion as to why.

It was 2 a.m.

“What the hell just happened.”

Julius stayed quiet as discussion exploded along with his head. It felt like there was a raging storm inside but he kept calm and restored the room back to its previous state and walked over to the desk where his gifts were. He plucked the gold ring Aika left him out of its box and slid it down his pinky finger as he stared at the wisteria trees glowing outside the giant arched window that the long desk faced. He shuddered as a warmth washed over him, and hugged him like a weighted blanket.

Julius closed his eyes and for a moment, pretended it was Aika hugging him from behind. He smiled at the fantasy but the voices behind him were only getting louder.

“The Pantheon? Does that mean she is one of—”

“Who is she anyway? I haven’t seen her around before.”

“Agreed. I would remember a dark-skinned foreigner like her.”

He turned around as he took off his cloak. It seemed like he didn’t need this giant blanket for warmth anymore.

“Enough.”

A word alone brought the room to silence in an instant.

“It was unfortunate that you all had to witness Miss Aika’s troubles throughout the day but please be professional. Go home, get some rest, write a report if you can’t sleep. Prepare for the Captain’s meeting tomorrow. We’ll discuss everything then.”

Everyone quietly mumbled “goodnights” and “goodbyes” as they left. Marx and Jien gave him worried looks but understood that he wanted to be left alone with his thoughts right now. They needed time to reflect on the day too.

Julius laid back on the armchair and laced his fingers on his lap, closing his eyes with a sigh.

What a long day.

A deep laugh echoed in his head as his stomach fell.

An apparition of his mirror image sat in the sofa in front of him, legs crossed in an arrogant pose and a bemused smile. The man was his twin, looked exactly like him except for his dark hair, deep as the night sky.

“Lucius.”

“I have to applaud your restraint, Julius.”

The memories came roaring back, a migraine pounding in tandem with each glimpse and tidbit of information.

A childhood in a cold country, two brothers and a sister who were ever so relieved to see him. His real family, not the fake one his brother masterminded in Clover Kingdom. The grief, the pain, the guilt, the shame. Blood dripping down his chin and a half eaten heart in his hands. Visions of the world ending, a cataclysm of his own design. Monsters encased in crystal. The wheelchair.

Lucius kept talking.

“There is no greater story than your life,” he laughed. “And I have enjoyed watching every single moment of it. You definitely keep it interesting.”

The fear, the pain. And a reprieve. Watching swordsmanship practice. An eager friend with a beautiful smile. The only person ever brave enough to befriend Lucius. Someone his siblings looked up to with awe and affection in their eyes. The only touch Lucius didn’t flinch at as she picked him up and ran. Explosions that left bells ringing. A pact made from mercy and a new lease on life.

“You and I have disagreed on some things, but I have never taken you for a fool—”

“She knows.”

Lucius dropped his head to the side.

“Knows what?”

“Our father was her mentor. She studied at the War College. She babysat our siblings for free and our father favoured her,” Julius’s voice rose with each word in panic. “Lucius put your arrogance aside and remember! The Oath she made with Arthur broke that made people forget that she ever used Time Magic but you were so obsessed with the fact that she used Time Magic that the Oath made us forget her entirely. But Arthur and Aika never forgot as they were the ones that cast the magic. She knows about us, Lucius.”

“She—” Lucius' eyes widened.

“I desperately want to say she doesn’t remember because she has never seen me but she has always remarked how Zenon was ‘Mini-Lucius.’ She has an eye for appearances and a long memory.”

“In one of your conversations with her, she mentioned that she hasn’t been to Spade Kingdom since she had left. She hasn’t seen Zenon and she most definitely doesn’t remember us. She would have said something if she did.” Lucius touched his chin in thought. “Was it only the pact that was broken?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve never taken this tone of voice with me,” he scrutinised Julius. “I never allowed you to.”

Julius felt the hairs raise on the back of neck.

“I wouldn’t know if your spell is there or not because I’ve never felt it.” He glared at him coldly.

“That’s right. You wouldn’t.” Lucius only smiled. “I was just wondering because it would be a problem if my spell on our siblings also vanished.”

“Even if that did happen, you won’t be able to do anything about it.”

“After all these years, you’ve finally developed a rebellious streak.” Lucius stood up and placed his hands on Julius’s armrest, caging him. “I really do wonder where this confidence comes from. Is it from her?”

“You can’t even bring yourself to say her name,” Julius spat, his eyes glinting in anger.

“She’s not even worth mentioning.”

“Lies.” His heart was in his throat as he ran his mouth. “She just foiled your plans and it spells the end of you if she did this on purpose. And I can’t say she was your friend, but she meant something to you and you can’t reconcile with that and your delusions of grandeur.”

“Now where is this resistance coming from? This,” he grabbed Julius’s head, searching for his resolve so that he may squash it before it turns on him. “Determination.”

Julius faltered as Lucius poked around his head but he gathered his courage and grit his teeth.

“Is it, again, from her? You were feeling particularly inspired earlier in the dungeons.”

“Just because she has affected you so much when we were teens doesn’t mean the same for me. My determination comes from years of experience and rising above my station to become Wizard King.” Julius glared up at him. “Not trauma and obsession.”

He flinched and gasped when Lucius began choking him, that smug expression gone and his eyes wide in that all-so-familiar insanity.

“My, my,” he grit out between his teeth. “Where did you acquire that silver tongue of yours? You’re so quick to hurt your brother.”

Julius grabbed his wrists and gasped for air. Blood roared in ears as Lucius’s magic lashed out at him. He heard the muffled screams of souls he had consumed and Julius made a decision. Enough was enough.

He took them to the infirmary with the last of his strength and to his relief, Jayce was there. And so was Arthur and Ellie. It was two too many people but he was out of options and didn’t have space for “Plan B.” They all leapt to catch him as he fell to his knees and the moment they touched him, they felt an evil unlike any other. They stared at the warping silhouette of a demon, not unlike Aika earlier, who pressed on their hearts, as if directly stepping on it to squash it.

“Seal…Him!” Julius gasped. Jayce set to work as Ellie held the dying king. Arthur used all of his strength to pry this poltergeist’s arms away, growling as it barely budged.

Ellie took this moment to whisper into Julius’s ear.

“You cannot keep this from her. She will know.”

He turned his quivering head in question.

“You dare? You dare?!” Lucius’s garbled screams shook the room. “After all I’ve done for you?!”

Arthur reared his arm back and punched the apparition.

Lucius’s form went back to normal and looked at him in shock. How did he touch him?

“Anyone who claims to have done something for someone and then tries to choke them has probably done jack shit.”

Jayce’s makeshift seal shook and shook, threatening to break.

“Aim at his soul,” Ellie whispered to him as Julius rubbed his neck in her arms.

“I don’t know how to do that!”

“Yes, you do,” she said gently. “It is like sealing anything else.”

Arthur pinned Lucius to the floor and bared his fangs at him. He tried to fight back by reaching for the man’s soul but it was nowhere to be found.

“Whatchu lookin for?”

“How?”

“You live for over two thousand years, you’ll find a lot of things to do in your free time.”

“Jayce, go for the soul Arthur has grabbed.”

“Oh, gee, yeah let me suddenly learn Soul Magic right now so I can find it.”

“Ugh.” Ellie grabbed his hand and placed it on Julius’s chest. “Everyone has a soul. Meaning we all have an affinity for its magic.” Her eyes shimmered with her newfound powers, and she lent some of it to him.

“Look,” she commanded, and so he saw. He saw what made the king before him: the life, the memories, the atoms—

“That’s too much.” She reeled her power back with a wince. “Sorry. Still getting used to it.”

Jayce blinked quickly and then he saw what he needed to. Two souls crowded in one body, but one was going nuts, as if fighting back.

His magic locked in on it.

“Yes, that one.”

And it snapped into place.

Silence as Lucius disappeared.

“Did it work?” Jayce whispered.

“Yes.”

“Mmm.”

“How?” Jayce jumped with an embarrassing yell when Lucius reappeared in front of him.

“You,” Julius gasped for air. “You sealed his magic.”

“That’s what I am most familiar with so that’s what I did. I-I don’t know how to seal souls!”

“That’s okay,” Julius rasped as Arthur handed him a glass of water. He downed it in heavy gulps. “It was better that way.”

“Why?” Ellie asked him. She had a strange glint in her eyes that made him look away for some reason.

“Because he had granted me mercy not once, but twice. Even when I didn’t ask for it. If you had sealed his soul, he would’ve been stuck in purgatory with nothing to see and no one to talk to.” He looked up at Lucius’s openly shocked face. “He may be a bit prickly, but he’s still my brother.”

“First thing,” Arthur raised his hands. “You have a brother? Second, him choking you is him being ‘a bit prickly?’”

“That soft heart of yours will be the end of you,” Lucius hissed as everyone stood up.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay.” Jayce caught Julius as he nearly fell. “How can all of you see him?”

“Godhood.”

“I sealed him so…”

“I grabbed onto his soul in case he acts up.”

“Godhood,” Lucius scoffed. “How ridiculous.” He gasped when a force grabbed him and turned him around to face Ellie.

“Careful,” she warned lightly. “It won’t be so ridiculous when I erase you out of existence.”

“How do you know what to do with your powers?”

“Instinct. It comes with her Awakening,” Arthur explained quietly.

“Please don’t do anything to him,” Julius pleaded.

“I wasn’t going to. If I wanted to, I would’ve when you first fell to your knees but I wanted to hear the story before I did.” Lucius closed his eyes when she tried to force him to look at her. Ellie let him go and he dropped to his knees. “I simply wanted to remind him of his place.” She picked him up by the collar. “You are a mere apparition now with your magic sealed. Try to hurt Sir Julius who is dear to Miss Aika and even the last vestiges of your ambitions and your memory would be wiped from reality.”

Silence again.

“That was hot,” Jayce whispered and Julius stared at Ellie in shock.

“It looks like she learned from the best, isn’t that right?”

“I’ve never seen you like that.”

“It’s because you’ve never seen me on solo missions with Miss Aika.” Jayce seemed disappointed at that. What Jayce also doesn’t know was that she had been faking it. It took all of her strength to keep her voice from shaking. Arthur had just calmed her down earlier but Gods she was just acting on her protective instinct. That is all.

“Er, thank you. Ellie, was it?”

“Yes,” she smiled. Julius bowed his head.

“Thank you, Ellie.”

“We have to get going. We’ve already stayed for too long.”

“Wait—”

“It’s okay, Jayce. I’ll be back as soon as I figure things out. You know how to take care of Miss Aika’s paperwork and whatnot, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Then you got this.” She laid a hand on his shoulder and leaned it to kiss his cheek. “You are more like her than anyone,” she whispered as she pulled back. “If anyone can do it, it’s you.”

Jayce’s jaw fell as she walked away. Do what?

“I’ll keep her safe and sound. Don’t worry,” Arthur smiled wearily and turned to Julius. “Take care of yourself. We’ll talk about your so-called ‘brother’ next time I see you.”

They disappeared together in a flash of light, leaving some residual magic in their wake.

Jayce led the quiet Julius to a chair next to Evan’s bed and brought him another glass of water as he eyed Lucius’s floating form warily.

“Let’s go to sleep, Sir.”

He nodded but just barely and stood up, lost in thought.

“Are you going to be okay?” He asked as he walked towards the door. Jayce faltered but in a stuttered breath,

“I will be.”

“Will you be okay, Sir?”

He paused and looked down at his feet. The silence stretched for a minute before Julius drew his shoulders back and smiled at Jayce.

“I will be,” he echoed.

Julius woke up to someone trying to break down his bedroom door.

“Sir! You are going to be late to your meeting!”

Oh, it was just Marx. He stumbled into the room as the doors flew open.

“I’m sorry, Marx,” he yawned as he rubbed his eyes.

“Don’t be sorry, Sir!” He exclaimed as he threw the closet door open. “I already ordered breakfast to the conference room for everyone. All the Captain's secretaries informed me that no one ate so you won’t be the odd one out.”

Julius jogged into the bathroom with half-formed thoughts and did a 3 minute version of his morning routine, which was the whole routine sped up to 3 minutes with the help of Time Magic so he walked out looking fresh as ever.

When Marx looked at him, he paused with a slight frown. Apparently he doesn’t look as fresh.

He helped Julius into the first layer of his clothes with the shirt and pants and when he tried to fit the brown robe over him, Julius stopped him.

“That’s no longer needed, just get me a standard open cloak.”

“You don’t have a Wizard King version of the open faced one, Sir…”

“Order one then.” Julius walked to his bedside table and slid the gold ring down his pinky and sighed as warmth enveloped him.

“Yes, Sir,” Marx said as he offered him a plain red robe. Julius moved to leave as he threw the robe on him, thinking about how quiet Lucius had been since last night. But he was stopped as Marx tugged at his sleeve. He turned around in question and Marx simply just pursed his lips and dragged him to the vanity. When Julius was forcefully sat down, he saw the problem in the mirror, he understood why his assistant looked like he was constipated.

Julius had bags under his eyes, dark enough to put a raccoon to shame. He did not have any energy left to use magic to elongate the time he slept, hence the bags.

Marx sifted through the drawers looking for something and pulled out a tube of makeup and powder that was surprisingly his shade.

“I ordered stage makeup but also the everyday one just in case,” Marx muttered to himself. “Knew it would come in use.” He showed the tube to Julius. “This is a concealer.” He began applying and blending it under Julius’s eyes. “And the powder is setting powder.”

Julius just sat still as Marx fussed over him as one thing became apparent: Marx really cared about him. He makes sure he eats breakfast, he stresses over his work, he cares that he looks good to the people. He really cares about him. He thought back to last night.

The way Jayce, Ellie and Arthur didn’t even hesitate to help him and ensure his safety just because he meant something to Aika. He wondered if Aika would also help Marx if he needed it because he meant a lot to Julius.

He wondered if Marx knew he meant a lot to him.

His eyes fluttered as Marx brushed the excess powder away.

“Don’t bother walking to the room, Sir. Just teleport.” He stepped back as Julius got out of his seat. “I have your agenda set in your seat and—” He nearly fell back as Julius hugged him.

“I hope you know how grateful I am for you, Marx.”

“Sir, I—”

“You mean a lot to me.” The younger man’s throat closed up all of a sudden. When was the last time he heard that? Heck, has anyone ever told him that at all?

“All your hard work that you put into me, I know you stress over me so much, but it’s never wasted.”

Julius pulled back and smiled warmly. Marx blushed at the emotion on the older man’s face.

“Keep up the good work.” He laid his hand on his head and he was gone before Marx could get a word in.

Julius had praised him before but not like this. This was more of an emotional confession than praise. Marx let a tear fall as he blinked. He began to worry even more now. Why did it sound like a deathbed confession? Can’t be, because Julius’s story has just started. He won’t let it end yet.

Julius sat in his throne-like chair at the head of the table, staring at the omelette in front of him.

He was early for the first time in forever.

“What are you going to do now?” He asked Lucius who stood by the window, looking out at the wisteria trees.

“Watch you, I suppose. I can’t do much when you have such fierce protectors.”

“I don’t believe you’ll just give up.”

He stayed quiet.

“Did you really spare me like I spared you?”

Julius shrugged, opening the folder Marx set aside for him.

“This soft heart of mine is the reason why you’re alive today. But I’ll tell you what? That’s a lie.” He let his head rest against the chair. “I know you wish you were dead rather than be trapped with nothing to do for the rest of our lives but that's exactly why I spared you.” Lucius stared at him in shock but he continued.

”You erased the memories of our pact, the reason why you spared me. You erased my conviction. If I had known, I would’ve acted quicker, I would’ve worked harder but no.” Julius gripped the armrests as anger like never before raged beneath the surface of his skin. “You stacked the odds against me. I never knew the stakes. Now you will get to watch me as a powerless ghost. You will get to watch me fall in love, succeed in our dream without the bloodshed you desperately wanted, and watch me be happy. You took my anger, but now I have it back. I will prove you wrong.”

Knock, knock.

Julius took a deep breath and counted to 10.

“Come in.”

The new Captains filtered in and split off in a ceremonial fashion to stand behind their respected seats. Julius nodded and they all sat.

“Welcome, Captains,” he began, making eye contact with each and every single one of them. The stasis spell over their food broke. “Please dig in while I ramble,” he joked, motioning to their plates. “We will have meetings all week because we have a lot of work to get done. But afterwards, we will have a meeting weekly and sometimes it may be as short as an hour or as long as a day. Plan as if it will take up the entire day.”

“Straying from the agenda you have in front of you, I have to let you know that there was an incident or two yesterday and a report could not be sent to all your offices in time. Captains Dorothy, Fuegoleon and Jien were present when it happened. You three can take this initiative on this.”

They took turns explaining what happened as Julius sat back and ate slowly, quietly listening. One thing that intrigued him in the oral report and the subsequent discussion was that they never mentioned the incident with Aika and Ellie. Perhaps that was for the best.

“Who is Aika Tolliver?” Charlotte, the Captain of the Blue Roses asked, directing the question at Julius directly but he seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

“Sir?” Fuegoleon called out a little louder.

“Julius.” He looked up when Jien called him by name.

“Ah, sorry.” He wiped his mouth with a cloth. “Was the question about Miss Aika?”

Everyone except Nozel, the Captain of the Silver Eagles nodded.

“She was a consultant for the previous Wizard King and is going to be one for me. Miss Aika usually prefers to work in the shadows but decided to be public recently. She is an excellent strategist, fighter, and knowledgeable about all sorts of magic and magic techniques. She was born and brought up here in Clover Kingdom but lived most of her life overseas.”

The Captains who didn’t know about Aika before erupted in silent awe.

“She left the continent? People who leave usually don’t come back.”

“Ke, was it too good for them that they can’t come back? At least she did, I guess.”

“She sounds a bit familiar to me.”

“She is the owner of the merchant and information guild, Eidolon, here in the capital. So I’m not surprised you know, Gueldre.”

“Mmhph,” Julius finished the last bite of his meal. “If that is all, Captain Sal of the Royal Guards is investigating the two assassins. If you wish to work on the investigation, talk to him. Let’s get onto the next piece on the agenda.”

“We don’t know what the next piece is because it only says ‘Surprise!’”

Julius laughed.

“That is because I wanted to let you all know, we will be having two new Magic Knight squads!”

The room blew up in discussion as they all bombarded him with questions. Jien looked utterly betrayed. He mouthed “sorry” and then answered each question one by one.

After what felt like an hour of answering questions, Julius gathered his papers and stood up to dismiss them but then, Marx’s screen popped up in front of his face, with a dire expression that he knew would foil any of his plans to relax.

“Sir! I have some news! The Spade Kingdom has retreated all its troops and our spies say that the Zogratis siblings have stepped down and pledged a Magic Oath of fealty to Queen Ciel of Spade.”

That was very quick.

The room exploded once again.

As Marx’s screen turned around to face the Captains and tell them again and again that he doesn’t know every detail yet, Julius only looked at the one person that mattered.

Lucius looked furious.

And so it begins.

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