Knights Apocalyptica

Chapter 164: Nature

“The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind is open to their influence. Nature never wears a mean appearance. Neither does the wisest man extort her secret, and lose his curiosity by finding out all her perfection. Nature never became a toy to a wise spirit. The flowers, the animals, the mountains, reflected the wisdom of his best hour, as much as they had delighted the simplicity of his childhood.”

- R. W. Emerson, Nature (1836 , 2nd Era)

Duke Nitidus loomed over Colin. His arms were crossed, and his glare was like the Goddess glaring down at a sinner from the heavens above. After a few miles free of Vega, the Pack pulled over to talk route and travel arrangements with the Arch-Magi. And to have a more frank discussion about their new agreement outside of the listening ears of the rest of the council.

But this. This was something Erec hadn’t expected. After parking, the Duke yelled at his son that it was time to have a discussion. Within the city, he’d kept his distance from Colin. But, over nothing, he’d flipped a switch. Maybe it was because Colin had avoided him as much as possible since the Rift. But in a group of Knights this small, trying to prevent someone could only go so far before they noticed, especially when that person was your father.

Erec gawked with Gwen and Enide on the hood of a car not too far away.

“This has been building for a while. The only reason it didn’t happen before was cuz, in Vega, he was too busy.” Gwen took a bite of jerky, then talked as she swallowed it down. “Had me running around town delivering messages any spare moment I got.”

“Why didn’t he have Colin do it? He’s his squire.” Erec asked.

“You really wonder why? Ya think Colin has what it takes to make for a good messenger when you’re trying to establish alliances and ties with new people? You don’t lob in a grenade in a canteen when you wanna walk in and chow down.”

“Suppose not.”

“He’s been testing him the entire time.” Enide said absently, “Trying to figure out if he’s ready to drive. And he hasn’t been. Now he’s changed, clear as day, but his father doesn’t know why.”

The Duke barked a command; Colin stood straighter. Then, the Duke asked a question, only for Colin to retort with a noncommittal grunt.

“Still. Seems silly to treat him like he’s in trouble. Even if he’s normally a pain in the ass, bit of a jump.” Enide said.

“You aint wrong. He’s checking if Colin’s ready for his inheritance. S’how how nobles are, since he’s the firstborn son and all. These connections he’s been running me and himself to the ground for will be Colin’s when he’s buried. Whole trip is a way to get an edge for his houses’ future. But, like it or not, Colin’s that future. So this is important. Colin needs to know what he needs to do and whats been done since the Kingdoms gonna change.” Gwen said.

Colin dropped to the ground and began to give push-ups. They were easy with the Armor aiding him, so the Duke slammed a boot onto his son's back and pushed down.

“This is tiring. All this dancing around and noble stuff, don’t know how you manage it.” Enide replied.

“Oh I getcha, I learned it from Knighthood, mostly. Friends, too. But if ya marry Erec, this sorta stuff will be your problem. He’s a count, remember?” Gwen tapped the side of her head.

“There’s that word again. Marriage. You all throw it around, as if it’s the most important thing. If we were to stick together, what makes you think he’d wanna go back to your stuffy kingdom anyway? Hitching a ride with me seems more like him,” Enide replied.

Erec’s heart skipped a beat. They were both beside him, but they certainly didn’t run around the bush. In the distance, Colin’s arms gave out under him, and he fell to the ground; the Duke was talking louder, angrier. But the content of them was hard to focus on, given what the two girls next to him were discussing. His future. With Enide.

“Tell her, big guy. We’re gonna run off together, yeah?”

“Don’t joke about that in front of Boldwick. Think he’d put ya in the ground,” Gwen chuckled.

“Not really a joke if you mean it, right?”

“I…“ Erec said, deciding to cut this off before it got out of hand.

“Sir Erec!” The Duke yelled, stopping him in his tracks. “Come here this instant.” Well, that at least saved him from commenting on those nebulous plans. And the admission that if things had played out differently… He very well might have run off with her to this vault. After this, if they found his mother, it was getting harder to stomach the idea of returning to the Kingdom. Other than Duty, he owed his people a resolution to the trouble he’d caused, at the very least.

For the first time, he felt relieved for being dragged into the Nitidus family drama. Erec apologized, popped off the car, and then jogged over to the father and son.

Colin sat on the ground and refused to look at either one of them.

Erec didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t. He kept his lips shut and waited for why he was now in the middle of this.

“Tell me what my son is hiding,” the Duke commanded.

With those words, a hand wrapped around his heart. A cold hand. One with nails that dug in paused, along with a strength to it that promised that, like pulling the trigger of a gun, they could shove their way into his ventricles and stop the pulse. Erec’s eyes went wide.

This was the vow. The one he’d man when he’d passed the trial. Two parts. One of which he’d fulfilled by befriending Colin. He wished he could forget the second, not to remember his promise. It was to provide the Duke with any information about his son he’d wanted. Until now, that hadn’t happened. There hadn’t been this demand and in the wake of his rise to Count… He’d hoped the Duke forgot.

Erec’s hand gripped his chest, eyes bulging as his instincts fought against the demand. Why should he give in to it? Fuck the Goddess. This body was his, his soul was his, so why did he feel her hand clutching at his heart?

“I told you that nothing is going on. There is no secret; I’m not hiding anything,” Colin insisted.

The duke didn’t turn away from Erec.

Fight. Fuck you. His veins bulged, and the air refused to leave his lungs, heavy in there, like a thick sludge of oats. Much longer, and he’d die.

[Do it. Tell him. Your vitals are dropping, and nothing I’m doing can stop it. Speak! Damn it! This isn’t worth dying for, and trust me, you will die!]

There it was. This wasn’t a foe to conquer, and his oath had a consequence. Erec strained to look at Colin, wishing he could keep the trust from breaking. But he couldn’t. “He lost connection to Faith, then ignited his talents. That’s what he’s hiding.”

“You bastard, how dare you!” Colin yelled.

“He made me. He made me swear a vow, I swear, Colin, I had no choice!” This was long overdue—he may have been sworn to this vow, but not to secrecy. Sure, it would have been hard to admit that well… The main reason they were friends was because of this vow, and that he’d agreed to be a spy since he’d been blackmailed. But, now, the damage was done. A range of emotions ran over Colin’s face. Fear. Confusion. Anger. All of it justified.

“You ignited your talent?” the Duke asked

“I—Yes, I did.”

“Why would you refuse to tell me that?” The Duke almost looked hurt.

“Because—it’s not like your talent, not like Erec’s, and I’m not sure what it is. And it was given to me, by something other than the Goddess.”

“I see. Just what is it, then, that is so worthy of hiding? Of course, you shall tell me all about what gave it to you and what that entails, but for now, I’ll settle with an answer for what this power is.”

“It lets me see magic.”

His father leaned down, grabbed him by the arm, and brought his son to his feet with a single yank. Then, he pulled Colin into a hug. “No matter how it happened or what it is, I’m proud of you, boy. At last, you’ve awoken your power. It worried me to send you through the Academy. There were risks, but I was at my wit's end on how to spark growth. There’s opportunity there, more than joining the military; among those, there were leeches who would’ve filled your mind with poison. Erec was one of my solutions to that. A controllable pawn to levy and ensure your safety so that you might grow strong.”

“F-father…” There was sniffling as tears rolled down Colin’s cheeks.

“Blame him little. I swore him to a vow. It was necessary. I don’t envy you the details you’re no doubt confused about. Seeing how things have panned out and his clear reluctance to admit your secrets, which meant much to you, my plan far exceeded the role I’d wished of him. For that, Sir Erec, I absolve you of your vow. On this, I invoke the Goddess Lavinia to witness.” He pulled away from Colin and gestured towards Erec with the words.

Like that, the cold fingers caressing his heart vanished. The instant they were gone, a red-hot rage took its place, burning him out from the inside.

Erec snarled and stepped forward, not a thought in his head. He threw a fist right toward the Duke’s face—only for the man to catch it and stop him.

“Colin is my friend. You failure of a father, and his secrets were his. I know the Vow I made to you, but your intention to use people like pawns to manipulate your son. No more. Apologize to him.”

“My house affairs are not your business, Count Audax.”

“Your vow no longer applies, and I’m not bowing to any more of this blackmail bullshit. Not anymore.”

The heat within only rose; Erec pushed against the Count’s palm, annoyed that he could hold him back; who was the stronger hero? The Slayer of the White Stage, or the murderer of the Rot Behemoth? In this world, if you wanted to survive, you must become the monsters you’ve slain. In that instant, he saw it in the Duke’s eyes. That little bit of him that changed that became the monster he’d killed. Just like Erec was sure he’d see the scars, the Stag left on him. The Duke gave him a mocking smile; his eyes brightened. He saw. And that smile only pissed Erec off more. It was a challenge. At that moment, he knew. The Duke wanted to answer that question as badly as he did.

For a second, nothing changed.

“Bring it, boy.” The Duke mocked.

And so, Erec did, letting the anger flow free. The Duke’s palm shook, and then, his palm retreated an inch. Another inch. There was alarm and confusion on his face. Without a doubt, he’d break through the guard. And then, he’d hit the Duke.

“Erec!” Colin yelled, closer then expected. He slammed a hand into Erec’s shoulder to push him away, but it wasn’t anywhere near the force needed. His eyes shot towards the clench, then he tried pleading. “Please… Drop it. You’ve dealt behind my back, but I understand. It was my father. I’m willing to forgive it, but not if you push this any further. We are not in a place to have this conflict.”

Erec stopped his assault, let out a breath of air, and stepped away.

“We can all be responsible adults. Shelve this discussion, and then we can return to it once we’ve had time to process our thoughts.” Colin said.

Both the Duke and Erec stared.

[By Dan. He’s being the most reasonable one here. The world has turned a new leaf; I think we’re about to have a second apocalypse. Quick Erec! Find another hole to dive into before another crazy ‘goddess’ shows up and floods the world with a bronze tidal wave.]

The fire sputtered away with that, and Duke Nitidus walked off without another word.

“You owe me an apology. I expect it later, rust bucket.” Colin said before rushing off after his father.

[Well, there goes your tenure in espionage. I do not think it was your strong suit, but nonetheless, it’s for the better. Vortex Industries doesn’t officially approve of multiple jobs. I’ve been looking past this and your ‘Knighthood’ until your performance report… But, well, let's mark this one as a point in your favor.]

Erec watched his friend go. Colin had grown a lot. More now than he’d expected.

Yet here Erec was, still picking fights at the drop of a hat; he could blame Fury all he wanted, but it didn’t sit right. The need to be free and let himself burn into a rage lacked depth to it. A part he couldn’t fit—something Colin had. Which meant there might be something he could learn from Colin. The concept alone made his head spin.

“I need a drink,” Erec called loudly, looking at Enide.

She gave him a thumbs up, still sitting in the car, gawking with Gwen. At least he had a drinking buddy for the road.