Yonsu continued to mutter under his breath. The dragon and sword of moonlight.
"The prophecy... it wasn't about the Kardos and Lyrell families... it was about the two of you."
A madness was seeping into his bones. It clawed at him as he tried to remember things of the past.
Oliver didn't wait until he became lucid and attacked, backing him away from Draco. Yonsu stepped back to avoid the blade, and Oliver rushed towards Draco's spear that was embedded into the ground. With a quick kick, the spear flew to Draco, and he caught it with ease.
They both rushed forward after their prey, not giving him time to relax. They showed a tacit understanding as they fought, pushing Yonsu back even further. Oliver struck toward Yonsu's stomach while Oliver thrust his spear at Yonsu's head.
Yonsu dodged the two attacks, but Oliver's blades caught him in the side. Draco's spear flew past Yonsu's head, but Draco followed it. When he was close enough, he let go of his spear and swiped his claws toward Yonsu's throat.
Yonsu fell back with a groan. He lifted his hands to his throat and felt the blood pulsing out. His eyes turned red with anger and condensed his magic.
Both men felt a foreboding stir in the air. They both stepped back as Yonsu embedded magic into his sword. They could sense the blade's power as if it became unbearably heavy.
Yonsu launched himself toward Oliver at an unbelievable speed. Oliver had used too much of his energy and did not think he could dodge the attack and win. He erected a shield of ice, but even he knew it was weak.
Yonsu's sword shattered the ice. Draco launched his spear at Yonsu, and it pierced into his shoulder to slow his attack.
Oliver yelled and used both of his blades to divert the attack. Oliver groaned from the impact, and his swords creaked. However, it was just enough to redirect the sword. It cut deeply into the ground instead.
Yonsu fell to the ground. He pushed himself up and retreated a few meters as he pulled out the spear from his shoulder. However, Oliver's attention wasn't on him. He was looking at his uncle's swords, the ones who accompanied him for decades, had finally shattered.
Oliver felt his heart shake as if he had lost a dear friend. However, his eyes turned venomous as he drew his gaze to Yonsu. "You'll pay for this," Oliver said through gritted teeth.
Yonsu laughed and showed Oliver his large sword. It was cracked and about to fall apart. Blood dripped from the hilt because the impact was too much for his palms. He tossed the sword on the ground and spat at it.
"You've become stronger than before. I think... it's a little scrambled up here." Yonsu placed a hand over his temple and tapped his head lightly. "Pictures of what is or was flicker through my mind. It's simply maddening."
Oliver glared. So he did remember a little. But perhaps it was a little out of order.
Yonsu chuckled, his fingernails scraped across his scalp. "Some things I remember clear as day. How you lead an army. How you wore a necklace... how you were so compliant. So willing to die... What happened to the ghost I trained? Why couldn't you die like last time?"
Oliver guarded himself against Yonsu, whose eyes were shifting between clarity and mania. He seemed to be teetering on the edge of insanity. Were the memories too much? He didn't know what was worse, a cunning enemy or an unhinged one.
"It's harder to beat someone who is not chained up in a cage," Oliver said quietly, stepping closer to Draco. "Besides, did you think I would be content with dying how you deemed fit?"
Yonsu's lips split into a grin, and he laughed. "Gods... I had feared it was a nightmare. But you do remember... so it must be real. It must be true. I held the pieces in my hands."
He looked down at his bloodied hands, then flicked his eyes up, focusing on Draco. "Do you remember as well?"
Oliver and Draco remained quiet, watching him unravel.
Yonsu snickered and ran his bloodied hand over his face. "I thought I was doomed when the fires consumed me. But when I opened my eyes again, I found that I had returned to a world where magic was stronger than before. I thought my wish had come true. But things are skewing out of my control, and you are the vortex of that change."
Yonsu cocked his head. "You two have meddled incessantly.. changing half-remembered things. Lately, I feel like I'm constantly looking into a splintered mirror. Glimpses of clarity between a mass of distorted cracks... I thought my wish had come true. But I think I understand now."
He snapped his head straight again. "You stole my wish."
Oliver felt Yonsu's killing intent, and it was saturated in madness. Different from before... as if his mental stability had deteriorated over time.
Oliver's arms were bleeding from his last attack. He didn't have the energy to fight, but he didn't let Yonsu see. He lowered his stance, ready to defend.
"You're the one who had the shards, not me," Oliver said.
"If my wish were granted, I would be sitting on a throne with unimaginable power."
Oliver sneered. "Maybe you were unworthy of making a wish."
Yonsu shook. "It was you. I spent decades preparing for it, throwing the continent into war to find the pieces... but you stole it."
He paced a little and yelled, his eyes reddened with anger. "You dare steal from me when I offered you a fair deal!?"
"Deal? My death in exchange for a half-cocked promise not to harm the other kingdoms? That's not much of an offer, Ravager." Oliver's voice was low.
Draco turned toward Oliver with a complicated expression. "What are you talking about?"
"Does your lover not know of your great noble sacrifice?" Yonsu sneered and then addressed Draco. "I wanted power, and he feared the repercussions on you and the other kingdoms."
Oliver clenched his fists but did not respond.
"If he dies the way I choose, then I will take over Bierze and leave the other three kingdoms alone," Yonsu explained.
Draco turned a dark look toward Oliver. "And you believed him?"
"I didn't believe he could grant peace... but I did believe that he could have torn the continent to shreds. I took a risk and prayed for the best possible outcome for you." Oliver said quietly.
Draco turned a growl toward Yonsu. He leaped forward with his claws and raked them over Yonsu's cheek. Yonsu cried out and jumped back to avoid Draco's second attack.
He glared at Draco as he held his cheek. "Out of everything shifting in my mind, you have caused me the most... confusion. The dragons were extinguished... the last of the dragon line died in the Rucrean raid. I killed him myself."
He then snarled at Oliver. "But you knew a Lyrell still lived! Another red-eyed beast was storming the battlefield, and you never told me about his existence! You led me to believe I killed all of the dragons."
"Like I would tell a monster like you about Draco." Oliver laughed coldly as he picked up the discarded spear.
Yonsu looked between the two men and cackled. "Monster? Me?" Yonsu stepped back a little further and grinned at Draco. "I am simply a King yearning for power to help my people overthrow their oppressors. In my eyes, the bloodthirsty ghost and the mad Dragon King are the true horrors of the world."
"How about I show you the pleasure of removing your tongue?" Draco bit back.
Yonsu's eyes glinted. "You destroyed a city, Dragon King. You tore down the buildings till it was rubble and burned the remains."
"City?" Draco laughed, but it was solemn. His red eyes darkened, and the dragon became more present. "I destroyed the entire kingdom. From the Bolitai Forests to the borders of Wynter, I did not leave a single blade of grass unburnt."
Yonsu seemed to be slightly taken aback. "I thought I was a calamity, but you have set the bar high. I wonder, how many died while you were rampaging as a feral beast?"
"Countless. I spared no one. I crushed the nobles hiding in their castles and tore apart the peasant mothers protecting their babes." Draco's voice was dangerous, trembling with a growl. "I'm not a monster because of my actions. I'm a monster because I feel no remorse."
Yonsu turned towards Oliver. "This is the true face of your husband. This is the creature you love."
Oliver gave Draco an affectionate smile, showing that he was unperturbed by this news.
He turned back to Yonsu, and his smile twisted to a sneer. "What you experienced was a dragon grieving. The world should be grateful that he only attacked Bierze. If it was Draco who died in front of me, I doubt that I would have shown the world that level of mercy."
Yonsu took a step backward. "Wasn't your goal to protect the kingdoms?"
"I want to save this word, Yonsu," Oliver said. "But no world is worth saving if it doesn't have Draco. And if he dies at the hands of man, then I will destroy mankind."
"You're both villains clinging to the threads of heroism," Yonsu muttered but then laughed quietly.
"Perhaps we are. If we want to be heroes to save the world, then the world shall be saved. If we want to burn this world to the ground, we will sink into villainy together." Oliver's lips curled up tenderly. "We shall be kings or monsters together."
Yonsu pressed his hands over his eyes. His laugh became loud and increasingly deranged, and his body shook.
"Good... good... perhaps we, those who remember, all have a little madness inside us. This war will be entertaining, at least." Yonsu stomped on the ground, and dust flew toward them.
Oliver and Draco raised their arms to block and attack, but none came. When the dust settled, Yonsu was gone.
"It's good he left. We're both mentally and physically exhausted. Neither side could sustain a lengthy battle." Oliver said lightly as he approached Draco and examined his bloodied arms.
Draco gave him a concerned look. "Aren't you worried?"
"No. We got a decent preview of Yonsu's strengths. I will have to adjust some of my plans, but it's feasible." He continued to look at Draco's wounds.
Draco pulled his arms from Oliver's grasp and clasped his chin, forcing him to look up at him. "Dragons love fiercely... to the point that I will slaughter kingdoms for you."
"Over thirty years, I have killed a kingdom's worth of people. I slaughter as you do. Do you still love me knowing this?"
Draco exhaled with a chuckle."Devastatingly, yes."
Oliver smiled. "Good... Will you tell me what happened after the burning and massacre?"
Draco hesitated but finally spoke. "I took your body to the tombs and laid you at the feet of my ancestors..."
A shuddering breath passed his lips. "A dragon cannot live long after his partner has died. It's unbearable... The dragon was in control, but the pain was shared between us. We had no desire to continue in either form... So I ripped out my heart and died next to your body."
Oliver planted a gentle kiss on his lips. He then placed a hand on his chest over his heart so he could feel the strong beats. "I will not allow this to happen again, Draco. We both gave up too much while we danced to their schemes."
Draco nuzzled his cheek on top of Oliver's head. "We were both fools back then."
"And what are we now?" Oliver asked with a smile.
"Vengeance... and wrath."
Oliver hummed with acceptance.
Oliver and Draco made their way back to the palace and gathered with the rest, who assessed the damage to the prison. Oliver sighed heavily, realizing that he would have to care for the death of Ewen. Oliver had stopped caring about Ewen's fate long ago and hated to admit that his death was a relief.
Oliver clenched his fist. "He should rot in the fields like the traitor he is."
Draco held his hand. "I will follow your lead."
However, no one noticed their arrival. They focused on Sophia and Aaron kneeling next to Ewen's bloodied body. Sophia was sobbing while Aaron tried to calm her with a pale face. Conrad stood behind them with a clenched jaw and balled fists.
Oliver sighed and made his way to his family. Conrad was the first to notice him. "You're injured again," he said quietly, but it was enough to draw his parents' attention. "Did you catch who did this?"
"The Ravager King is a troublesome opponent," Oliver finally said. "Where is Avery?"
"Sarah is taking care of him. He doesn't know about... this."
Oliver nodded and pulled Conrad into a hug. Conrad trembled in his arms and hugged him back.
"I'm still angry with him," Conrad said. "He died too quickly... and I can't let go of this anger."
"Me either," Oliver admitted.
He broke from the hug and turned his gaze toward Ewen's deformed and broken corpse. His eyes were cold and unflinching. Death no longer fazed him like before, and he was good at masking his emotions in times like these.
He rubbed his temples, trying to figure out the best way to get rid of the body. "Men, please construct a pyre," he finally said.
There was some murmuring. A pyre was for great nobles or soldiers. Ewen didn't deserve this honor, but Oliver was trying to help his parents find comfort in their son's death. It was a small gesture, but it was the only thing he could do.
"No..." Sophia's weak voice broke out. "I cannot allow that."
Oliver sighed and knelt next to her. "Mother..."
But she shook her head. "You don't need to protect me from his crimes. Just lay him on straw, turn your swords on him, and burn him."
Nobles were burned on a pyre. Peasants were burned on a bed of straw.
Yet, both nobles and peasants shared a tradition passed down through their ancestors. Afraid that evil spirits would take the souls of the deceased, men would station themselves around the fire and guard against the spirits. The ashes of the dead would rest on the men's backs, and they would carry their wishes out throughout their lives.
However, when a sinner dies, the guards turn their swords toward the deceased, ensuring their soul will not escape and become an evil spirit.
Burn him on a bed of straw and turn the sword on him... it was a shameful death. There was no ceremony, kind words, or honor.
Oliver marveled at his mother's resolute strength. "Do as she says," he ordered.
A group of soldiers left to carry out the task. Oliver stepped forward and asked for a cloak. He wrapped up Ewen's body and carried it to the fields where several soldiers had already gathered the straw.
Oliver waited without a ripple of emotion. When ready, he laid down the body and ensured it was covered.
Four volunteers took guard of the flames and drew their swords. They stood still, their eyes never leaving the burning body.
His family stayed silent behind him except for the quiet sniffles and cries. Oliver couldn't share their sorrow or confusion. He couldn't feel joy either. He had already said his goodbyes to Ewen long ago.
Draco had leaned against him, his arms now bandaged. "How are you?"
"Just another fire," Oliver said quietly. "This wasn't my first time seeing him die. I suppose it's somewhat poetic that Yonsu killed him twice."
Draco chuckled lowly. "I suppose it is."
Oliver motioned Ian to come over. Ian approached and bowed low. "Guardian. Please accept my condolences."
Oliver nodded at the sentiment. "Advise the other leaders that we will gather within the hour."
Draco placed a hand on his shoulder. "No."
Oliver turned his head with a raised eyebrow. "This isn't something we can delay."
"It can and it will," He nodded toward Oliver's parents, who were still struggling with their emotions.
"I can't," Oliver hissed. His heart would not let him mourn or grieve the loss of this man, even if he wished it. But his family's pain was raw. They had lost a member, so perhaps he should take a moment and spend more time with them. "Fuck."
Oliver rubbed his eyes. "We will meet tomorrow—"
Draco coughed, interrupting his words.
"In two days. We will meet in two days," Oliver said with a sigh. Ian bowed and left him with his family.
Oliver watched him lead and then approached the front of the burning straw bed. He took a sword from a guard and pointed it toward the fire, joining the other four men. He could not offer kindness or sympathy to his family, but he could ensure that Ewen's soul returned to the halls of hell where he belonged.
Draco stood next to Oliver, bearing part of the burden.