The Last Shade: The Finality of Death

Chapter 3

With nothing to do, and powerless from the manacles made from an extremely rare mineral scarcely available on the floating islands, two days passed. Despite being beneath the island, at least a good few feet away, the heat from it was still unpleasant. A thunk sound made Kiel look up, the refreshing chill from ice seeping towards him from above. He almost laughed from the absurdity.

Despite things being what they are now, Malikayn has still been actively exchanging fire with ice from Nephilim's Servants. Only with fire could Nephilim's residents venture into the freezing parts of their own home, smelt weapons and other products and enjoy heated baths, and only with ice could Malikayn residents have respite from the heat and engage in or enjoy certain things like cuisine. As opposites, the two factions' symbiotic relationship never appeared more like a curse than now.

A Ruler who believes something is futile, and another who wants to gamble everything to defy fate, what a cruel outcome.

———~~<~>~~———

YThree days later, Kiel awoke from the sound of clanking chains, and he leaned into the cage's bars, heart pounding in anticipation of the unknown. As the top of his head emerged from the hatch, Kiel saw Nephrite heaving at the pulley mechanism, sweat coating his brow.

"Shade Nephrite, what are you doing?" Kiel couldn't help but ask.

Nephrite wiped his brow, unlocking the cage and pulling him out unceremoniously. Unused to standing for the last few days of lack of exercise, Kiel's weak legs wobbled and almost gave way. Hurriedly steadying himself, Kiel was bewildered as Nephrite unlocked his manacles and tossed them over his shoulder like a sack of hot potatoes.

"The invasion is going to take place in an hour, everyone is too busy to guard you," Nephrite panted, grabbing Kiel's arm and dragging him past the pulley system and towards the monstrous iron wall.

"Nephrite, how about you?" Kiel gasped as the other Shade released him to fumble with the lock on a small door, its seam in the wall almost invisible.

"My Lord's going to use my crown. As a being who has outlasted many, what do you think is going to happen once I lose it?"

The door finally opened, and the black-haired teen shoved Kiel through it, his eyes shining with a fervent light.

"It doesn't matter if you can't make it back to Nephilim. As long as you live." His features softened with wistfulness. "I promised Annabella."

The door was shut in Kiel's face before he could react. Annabella. Annabella? He rubbed the space between his eyebrows. Come to think of it, the elder Shade always seemed rather enthusiastic during certain nights when he saw her sneaking out of the palace.

Breaking into a run, Kiel no longer cared about the relationship between his long deceased elder sister figure and the enemy Shade, or about any guards in his path, the only thing on his mind was getting back to Nephilim as fast as he could.

———————

With some great stroke of luck, Kiel met not a soul along the way. When he reached his landing point, he straightforwardly blasted a bridge to the other side, sprinting across it. Breathing felt like knives stabbing his lungs, his calves burning terribly. Clutching his chest, Kiel doubled over the second he reached Nephilim, panting breathlessly.

Propping himself against a tree for support, Kiel opened his hand, a small icicle shooting into the sky and bursting into a cloud of dust. Instantly, the barrier was lowered, and he staggered in, anxious Servants crowding around at once.

"Your Honor, you're back!"

"We were so worried!"

Kiel surveyed the Servants who were talking over one another, getting close but not quite enough to touch him.

"Sound the bell," he said, wiping the sweat from his face. "The Flame Ones are coming."

Pushing past the stricken Servants, he picked up speed as shouting ensued behind him.

"You heard what he said! Sound the bell!" someone bellowed.

The sonorous booming of the massive brass bell in the clock tower reverberated through the air, the bell striker gritting his teeth as he struck his hammer against it again and again. All around, people panicked, ran around checking supplies, distributing weapons and shouting orders, Kiel's heels ringing against the floor in time to the vibrating echoes.

He pushed open the door to the throne room and knelt heavily before Escarcha, who turned with a frown on his face.

"My Lord, I miscalculated and was captured by Lord Eldur. If Shade Nephrite had not aided me, I would not have been able to return to aid my Lord with the invaders."

Escarcha, a long silver sword in one hand and a chunk of ice in another, looked down at his sword and then his prostrating Shade.

"Rise, it doesn't matter. You delivered the scroll successfully, so your mission is complete. As for the invasion...if you had returned early, I would not have been informed that there would be invaders at all."

"My Lord."

Kiel rose, slightly unsteady, his eyes roving across the shattered remains of Escarcha's statue on the floor, the Frost Ruler standing among them, already dressed for battle with resignation on his face.

"This might be the last time we will see each other-"

Escarcha paused, his mouth open slightly in shock. In the hands of his last Shade, an ice crown reflected light back to him, its multi-faceted surface holding countless copies of his figure.

"My Lord, it is my greatest honor for you to use to the fullest extent what I cannot."

The deep purple irises that bled into turqoise spoke of the depth of Kiel's conviction, bereft of any shred of regret. Escarcha knew that his Shade was just like him, unamenable to persuasion or coercion when they have decided on something.

"Kiel. Thank you."

Outside, an explosion rocked the palace, a row of windows shattering from the blast. Escarcha took the crown from Kiel's hands, forming a small smile. He looked at the Shade's trusting appearance then down at his sword- and ran the latter through the former's heart with deadly accuracy. Frost rapidly spread out from the blade, freezing muscles and veins solid, and before the shock could register, Kiel had already been sealed in a block of ice.

"Now then, it's time to finish this."

Escarcha placed the ice crown back in its rightful place, crushing the block of ice he held. A stream of white-blue flowed into his hand, forming a long sword.