Charred Remnants of the Sacred Flame

(昇) – Guy’s hand dropped like an anchor… and so did his jaw. Hearing Asch’s assumptions sent a shock through him similar to a Lightning Tiger Blade attack that Luke had used to best him in a spar only a few days prior.

“I.. Uh…”

Nice save… He couldn’t help but stammer. The fact that Asch already knew what this was about had him dumbfounded and backed into a corner. Even though he was dreading it, at least his previous method of delivering the news put him in control… It gave him the opportunity to prepare and expect what was to come afterwards. This little ‘hiccup’ had derailed his whole plan and now his mind was in a tailspin.

“Um… Y-yeah…” Guy gulped, the swallow probably audible all the way from the lower ring of the city.

Oh well. It can’t get any worse than this, may as well own it.

“Since you were able to guess the subject of our talk… I’m assuming you’ve already heard…” he spoke in a disappointed tone. His eyes glanced down to the grass below and then slowly back up to meet Asch’s gaze. “I’m sorry, Asch. I wanted to be the first one to tell you. I didn’t think anyone would be careless enough to talk about it so freely given the circumstances..”

Carefully approaching the other, his steps were light and he maintained a good distance to allow personal space, something Guy knew Asch found very valuable. “I didn’t want you to think we were keeping a secret. I just wanted to give you a day or two to settle. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen you. I can’t imagine it’s super easy to just jump back into the swing of things. I understand if you’re frustrated, but please just know I intended to tell you first.. even if it didn’t work out that way…”

                He spoke the words with a half smile on his face, but at the same time there was an annoyance in his eyes  that was hard to miss. It all honesty, he was more upset by the fact that his one time companion had thought he would have become angered about this development. Natalia had been his childhood romance, but it had come with the fact that she would never be his long ago. In all honestly, he wasn’t even sure if she was ever in love with him. Luke Fon Fabre, sure, but he was no longer that man.  He was no longer the boy she knew and cherished so. The fact of the matter was, he was quite positive she had fallen for the nostalgia they had together rather than actually loving the cold hearted soldier he’d become. 

“You’re acting like you expectedsomething else from me, Gailardia.” He spoke as even toned as he could. 

Why did everyone insist on making such a big deal out of the entire situation. He had been dead for two years. Could they not grasp that? It would have been naive of him to expect his life to fall back into place like a perfectly fit puzzle after being deceased for so long. By all accounts he shouldn’t have even been alive, and if it wasn’t for his idiotic replica being so hell bent on not living without him, he would have stayed as such. 

“Did you except me to raise my voice to you? Scream at you for betraying me?” He started with a sigh as he sat the book on his lap to the side. “Tell me. How long was she supposed to wait for the return of a dead man? How long was she supposed to waste her life on something only a miracle could grant?” 

He stood at the lack of the Count’s compliance to set, and took a step forward - commanding in presence, but still calm in demeanor. 

“If you want the honest truth, Luke is the one who told me. Mother only filled in the details.” 

He shifted his stance letting the whip of crimson sway with his weight as arms crossed over his chest. This idiot seemed to be just as fool as he was before, no, perhaps more so than before. Had the replica infected him with his stupidity as well?  A groan left him in the moment he collected himself and sighed. 

@the-original-luke

(昇) – Today was the day… Wonderful… How the hell was he supposed to go through with this?

Hey Asch, you died so I got engaged to your betrothed.

Maybe he could put it on a cake…? Yeah… maybe not.

With a deep breath, Guy threw on his jacket, ran a comb through his hair and took a good extra twenty minutes to mentally prepare for the meeting that he himself had arranged. Asch had only just returned, but he wasn’t stupid. Kimlasca was buzzing about with the wedding planning between Natalia and himself, it wasn’t exactly easy to hide.

Luckily, Asch had opted to remain in solitude for a few days to grow accustomed to being back, that was why Guy had to take matters into his own hands before his crimson haired friend could hear it from someone else. The last thing he wanted was to lose his trust even more than he undoubtedly already had.

Making his way out the doors from the castle, he took his time walking to Fabre Manor. Unfortunately, however, it was a short distance. Even a slow walk got him there in mere moments. With one final deep breath, he entered the premises. Luckily (or un-luckily for Guy in this case) Asch was in plain sight sitting in the courtyard. Guy put on his best poker face, and approached, waving his hand to get his attention.

It wasn’t as if Luke had been sticking his nose into his original’s business. No it was quite different from that entirely. It was more that he  younger had happened to come across some questionable information upon their return to the capital, and well with everything that was going on he wanted to make sure that his original was in sound mind to have such a conversation. 

Asch assured him that everything would indeed be fine. He was a noble and a soldier, he knew full well how to keep his temper and hold his tongue. For some reason or other the statement has caused his replica to laugh as he left the courtyard to go tend to is studies or whatever the else it was that he did now that the world wasn’t about to come to an end. 

‘I live here idiot, of course I made it.’  He thought to himself as he looked up from the book he’d been reading to pass the time and shifted over as if to offer the other a place to set.

“What did you want to talk about, Guy?”  He spoke in a level tone, closing the tome in his hands and lacing his fingers together as they sat on top of it. “This is about Natalia I assume.” 

Straight to the point as always. It wasn’t like the entire situation had been kept very secret though. It was one of the first things his mother had brought to his attention upon their return. Even if they had only just returned the manor in the past few weeks, it didn’t change the fact that he was a dead man. Who would be fool enough to waste their lives waiting for a ghost? It was almost comforting to know that she was in the hands of such a man as Gailardia Galan Gardios.