by Yoshiyuki Ly
When we arrived to Miranda’s home, she was already outside her front door, looking out to the crowd of Elysium’s people following us. She already knew what I was here for. Vespair must have told her about my relationship; Miranda seemed unsurprised to see Raj with me this intimately. With that lack of surprise came the inevitable envy through her eyes, but she knew not to speak on it. Without a word she let us in while Nyte stood watch outside. In the safety of my old closet, I found the rest of my heart that I’d parted ways with before leaving to Elysium. Elegance, pearl-white armor, with the violet cloth symbolizing my Seraphim rank: I put it on, letting Raj drape the cloth around me. I took my two-handed katana, admiring this feeling of completeness, wholeness. My Mutsunokami finally felt like it belonged to me now that I had someone to fight for. I sheathed my blade at my side, ready for anything.
The Grand Cathedral was surrounded by the remaining paladins on-duty. With Nyte leading our way through again, none of the paladins tried to stop us this time. I kept my free hand along the hilt of my sword just in case—knowing that it would have been suicide to go up against so many of my fellow knights, knowing that Nyte had little training with greatswords and couldn’t have helped me. The strength of my convictions helped us pass. The certainty in Raj’s eyes and the power of her people behind us paved the way further to the double doors.
Night’s glow lit through the lancet windows on the farthest wall, basking the cathedral in the golden light from the chandeliers, the artistry in the building’s make. Along the circular stage of the quire stood Ser Rin, the Zephyr Seraphim leading the investigation into Raj’s practices, and Cain Astaroth, one of the few reputable Holy Knights left. They were both aghast to see the three of us together—and without Raj in chains.
Ser Rin grabbed the railing, stopping himself from jumping over. “Ser Videl, what is the meaning of this?!” he shouted, voice echoing along the high ceiling. “Archangel Vespair said the two of you would be here, certainly, but not with the Empress! And what are her people doing outside!?”
Raj stepped forward. “You know damn well what they’re doin’ here!” she argued. “We’re sick of you lookin’ for any reason to tear us down! You can’t tax the charity money I make for my people!”
“Tax money! Is that the pathetic excuse you’ve come up with? Your people put on a charade of poverty so we’ll feel sorry for them! All the while, they put you on a pedestal of a woman who can do no wrong! And you dare to walk on this sacred ground in the presence of two knights? What other lies did you spew to convince them of your supposed innocence?”
I moved right to the fountain at the base of the quire, drawing my blade. “She didn’t have to lie to us,” I said. “By the Right of Acquiescence, we’re not to injure any of the Empress’ people. During their assembly six months ago, a group of temple knights followed the Right and refused to cut innocent citizens down in the name of order. I took the fall for a few temple knights who did nothing wrong, and you stripped my title from me without a trial. You’ve cherry-picked the Empress’ practices and turned them into some scheme to deny Eden more tax money. Eden has enough money! The nobles and government hoard it and use it as unnecessary status. You deny Elysium anything more than the barest of rights and opportunities, and you call them all lazy scum for not finding honest work! This greed and corruption can’t go on anymore.”
“She’s right,” added Raj. “Without me, Elysium would be a dump of corpses. You don’t wanna take responsibility for us. You don’t wanna give us what we deserve as human beings. I do what I can to keep things goin’ and you accuse me of bein’ some fraud? I’m all they’ve got!”
Cain Astaroth didn’t like the sight of my blade; he knew I’d use it if I had to. “Ser Videl, what are you proposing?” he asked.
“Give the Empress what she wants. Otherwise there will be civil war in the streets and I will tear you down. I spent too long thinking Tynan would fix itself. This has gone on long enough. Archangel Vespair is willing to speak on my behalf. She’s realized what this investigation truly is. I know you have, too.”
Luckily, Nyte didn’t need to say a word. Ser Rin knew he couldn’t speak out against his direct superior. Ser Astaroth looked to Raj and said, “To avoid unnecessary bloodshed, I am willing to listen to what you need. If it is plausible and fair, then I will allow your offer to pass. In light of the accusations of unlawfulness in these halls—which I fully stand by—I will make the decision on behalf of the remaining Holy Knights Thirteen.”
“It’s simple, Ser Astaroth,” began Raj. “All I want is Elysium’s independence. The idea of Tynan as a single city is a joke. Eden’s got their ways and we’ve got ours. It needs to stay that way.”
Ser Astaroth looked between Nyte and me. “For formality’s sake, both Ser Vespair and Ser Videl will need to oversee your emancipation,” he said. “Once they report to us that you are a fully-fledged autocrat of your new government, you and I will sign the bill that will recognize Elysium as its own independent state. The bill will outline any and all particulars that we might wish to negotiate. In turn, I ask that you leave the investigation into the Excalibur’s practices up to me. Is that fair, Empress?”
Raj smiled in satisfaction. “Best news I’ve heard in ages,” she replied. “Fair’s fair, all right. I hope you deal with Ser Rin over there for puttin’ my knight out of work for no good reason.”
Ser Astaroth bowed. “I will, and I sincerely apologize for my inaction,” he said. “I wish you all the best.”
Nyte went up the winding stairs to the quire. I’d prepared her on how to formally accuse Ser Rin of the crimes he’d committed. I sheathed my blade, relieved I didn’t need to use it tonight.
“And you said you couldn’t act,” said Raj, teasing. “You’d better put these skills of yours to use more often. Satya’s gonna want to put on that play once we’re fully independent. It’ll be a nice celebration.”
I smiled back at her. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Slight somberness weighed Raj down again. “Thank you for everything,” she spoke in a lower voice. “About what happened tonight… I never thought you’d take my side. I know I told you about how terrible my childhood was. Hell, you’re the first person who’s ever said that they loved me. But my bad past don’t excuse what I did. It don’t matter that my folks were about to die anyway. Vespair called me selfish. She was right. You don’t gotta pretend to love that part of me.”
I wrapped my arms about her waist, feeling her relax in my hold. The weight of the divided city finally washed away. “I meant what I said to her in the church,” I promised. “Your past is what it is. If that scared me, I wouldn’t be here. I devoted myself to you knowing that you have demons. I do want us to talk about everything—but not now. Not yet. I want to enjoy this victory with you.”
I knelt before her and kissed her hand, in view of Ser Rin who’d torn me down, Ser Astaroth who brought me back up, and the rest of the Excalibur’s paladins filing through the double doors. Stunningly, Raj smirked at me, glowing in the golden lights of the Grand Cathedral. I’d dreamed so long of having just a taste of this dedication for another. When she tangled her soft hands through my hair, holding my head close to her, I felt the full gravity of the moment. The shadows around us were Vespair’s ghost, yet she couldn’t come close to haunt us any longer. The silence around us were the omitted lies I’d made for Raj’s sake; the lingering specs of blood on my hands remained as the stand I’d taken against the only obstacle that had been in my way. Raj had gone to her own extremes, as she had needed and willed. I had gone to my own extremes to deal with my past and to serve her. We were no different from one another, blessed all the same to have this peaceful release together. I would do it all over again by her command if that was what she required, inescapably to serve my Empress at her pleasure.
End
About the Author:
Yoshiyuki Ly was born in San Diego, CA. She lived there until moving away to college. In high school, she
began writing fanfiction as a serious hobby. Her pen name is representative of her multiracial heritage and a unique, diverse outlook that is reflective in her work. While pursuing an undergraduate degree in philosophy, she spent her free time reading the works of Virginia Woolf, Soren Kierkegaard and Simone de Beauvoir. She then spent the next years honing her craft to become a published author.
Acknowledgements:
Eleven years ago I faced a terrible trauma; instead of expressing my feelings, I held them in. I have found my voice: words black as ink, pages white as bone, as opposed as the forces I now live with. To my catalyst, Melanie—thank you for breaking my voice inward.
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