Chapter 406 - Old friend

"Fate is such an elusive lady," said Staxius stood as the guests entered.

"Very much so," added Queen Gallienne as they now sat in the lounge right after the bar. 

"Rosetta, please, have Rile tend to the bar."

"Will do, majesty," bowed the head-maid.

"Meanwhile we wait for refreshments, care to speak of the reason for this impromptu visit?" a frown had the room tense, not overbearing, but present.

"I'd like to say thank you," smiled the queen lowering her head into a grateful nod, "-I can't believe thee did the impossible. I never thought of Ardanian magic being so potent."

"One can't just raise the dead," interjected Staxius who gestured to be at ease, "-dear friend, I did what was necessary and what thee desired. Think of it as nothing but the duty we are bound to as comrades to one another," the phrase disarmed her guard, the Queen felt no misgiving of which she exhaled softly. To her right on the same couch, Lady Aceline's fingers moved, her body language was of a person unable to keep cool or relax. Perpetually tapping her fingers against her knee, her gaze wandered around to reluctantly settle onto his face. 

"Nonetheless, I'm thankful," said she as the door opened. Rile and Laura came to serve drinks as well as snacks. The visit was casual as was told by their outfits.

"The reason we're here," her body turned to Aceline, "-go on, speak," articulated the voiceless mouth. 

"King of Arda." 

"What?" he crumbled her courage with a single harsh tone.

"I want to pay back the favor I owe since my life belongs to you, I'll do as you say," soft at first glance, the conniving look, despite how deeply it hid, couldn't escape his watch.

"Payback the favor," said he cutting and lighting a cigar, "-how amusing," he puffed. "Do you think me a fool," the words came across as rude and intolerable. 

"No…" returned the idol uninterested, "-wait, I mean, I'll do what you want, I'm being honest, give me a chance to prove my worth."

"You don't understand," said he caught on her intent, "-Lady Aceline is no longer part of this world."

"W-what do you mean?" inquired Gallienne with a shift in her sharp-edged lips. 

"What I mean is simple," he touched his earlobe, "-Éclair, if you would."

"Orders confirmed." The harmless wooden table split to reveal a stand onto which rose a screen. Information on the state of things in Alphia was filtered and shown. "The idol Aceline is dead as far as the continent is concerned. I don't have to remind you," a side-glance had her breathe restlessly.

"Are people mourning my death, will I not be able to return to the spotlight. What of my belonging, what about my fortune, what will happen of it?" her thumb and middle finger pressed hard against her temple, one could have mistaken her intent as wanting to break her forehead. 

"I don't know yet, it's not decided. There was no will in the discussion, it's probably going to be returned to the state. Idol Aceline, or should I say, Aceline, what happens going forward? You're but a remanent of the past, thy manager left, thy fame left, and thee were betrayed in the end by those who thou slept with to reach thy position of power." The more he spoke, the more aggravating grew the sentences, and just like that, the sharp words chipped away at her shield, her façade, her illusions.

"You're nothing," he added the cherry on top, "-nothing more than a whore who has but herself to blame. Do apologize for my use of vulgar language."

"Stop," said she quietly.

"I can't hear anything amidst the enormous pile of garbage of which is thy mouth, do say once more, lady who's been but an insolent brat. Where's the bravado, where is it now, why won't thee fight back, come on, do something, say something."

"SHUT THE F.U.C.K UP," she screamed and kicked the table. *Woosh,* by hands, feet, and neck, white strings came from out the walls to bind her upwards.

"LET ME DOWN," an outburst to no avail, her body was restrained to the point where a single hair wasn't allowed to move.

"Majesty," said a rather darkened voice, "-should I send her to the afterlife?" asked Laurance in ire.

"Forgive me, majesty," said the king facing Gallienne, "-you see, my retainers are very much like myself. We don't take lightly to act of disrespect; in that regard, you could say I'm more or less lenient. Sadly, I can't vouch for them," he pointed back with a thumb.

"Do as is pleased," realizing the situation, "-there's nothing more I can do to help. My request was fulfilled, a friend of mine was brought to life. The latter is in her hands, if she chooses to die, then, who am I to stop the will of nature," a push on the door had her blend and fade into the common room. 

"Aceline, Aceline, Aceline," he shook his head smugly, a blatant act of superiority which was backed by Laurance. "The higher thou art, the harder thy fall – it couldn't be any truer. The same could be said to me, though, I know how to keep my feet on the ground. What of you, Icarus, what shall thee do for thy wings are melted?"

"Let me go," said a persistent voice, "-LET ME GO."

"Majesty," gritted Laurance, the strings tightened as it turned red. 

"Ease up, else you'll ruin the room."

"I apologize, majesty."

"Aceline, listen," said he with a certain degree of kindness, "-what was said earlier is true. You were assassinated by those who you thought were on thy side. Backed stabbed, my trouble doesn't lie in that, no, far from it. Why in the hell would one willingly turn away from her friends, the people she could rely on for strangers in another realm. The fear of the unknown, name the excuse, I'll understand. Still, if it wasn't me, you had Scott and the Queen of Hidros. Don't get me started on the half-asked fight for peace. What was done in Alphia is shameful and hypocritical. The girl who preaches for peace but uses violence to get what she wants. Sugar and his girlfriend received the worse of it. Did you know Dei came to the concert in hopes of ending thine life?" 

"Those two again," her eyes rolled, "-what a pain." 

"Laurance," the intensity by which the name was called meant one thing, death. Five strokes later, the arms, legs, and head, were slowly decapitated. He took time in crushing her bones, tearing through the skin, veins, muscles until it severed. As to have the sufferance be felt fully, the head was kept for last. A prolongation of her final moments as a living being.

*Present and never changing, present and never yielding. All who wait break and all made are subjected to thine will. I, God of Death, the humble inheritor of thy power; call upon thee to have mine will answered: Time Control – Reversal.*

A cocoon of greenish color wrapped around the lifeless body. The spewed blood and body parts began to hover. A gesture had them return from whence they came; time went backward. Her body reconstructed itself and returned to being hung. Laurance's perplexed expression spoke volumes.

"WHERE AM I?" screamed she with absolute pain.

"How does it feel?" stood inches away from her face, "-how does it feel to be brought to life a second time. Does it make you angry, or does it give a sense of purpose? Aceline; I want one thing, and that is for thee to cut the bullshit and speak. The more lie told the more suffering will follow. I'm a giving man, I repay kindness in double – yet, I take triple what is owed. So, shall we have a normal conversation, or being cut open by a more skilled torturer be adequate?" 

"Fine, fine," her face relaxed, the lips returned to a state of being there for the pleasures of the other to see. The knitted brows came to a slow landing above her semi-emotionless eyes.

"Laurance, go fetch us something to drink."

"Will do, majesty," the intent was clear, and thus another headed to what seemed to be another dimension. So close yet so far; even if she wanted to leave, her feet felt glued to the floor. Invisible arms seemed to tie her against the couch; the will to leave crumble by the pressure of Staxius's sternness.

"I'll admit, I came here to try and exploit the favor I owe you. There's no way around it. My actions are what landed me in this position. It was a question of pride; it just wouldn't let me ask for help. I was new in Alphia, the way things worked, how unfair it was – I couldn't take it. I wanted to reach out for help, but… but, what's the point in getting everything given. That's why I chose to be alone, I wanted to prove to myself that I was still dependable. At some point, I must have lost sight of what was ahead," the more she spoke, the warmer and sweet grew her lips. Each word felt as if a fruit plucked from a withering tree; a tree that had life rekindled within.

"See," nodded the king, "-could you not have done that before? It would have saved me the trouble of reviving thee again. About the visit, what's the purpose?"

"I want to return to my former life," her head lowered, "-I'm being greedy, I know, but it's what I want. There's so much thing I have left to do; please, give me a chance to redeem myself. Even if it means starting over, I don't mind, I want to go to the stage and sing. I regret refusing the invitation to perform while thee held the guitar – I was afraid, afraid that my walls would break if I gave. I didn't want to be dependent." 

"On one condition," said he, "-apologize to Scott, Sugar, and Dei." 

"Yes, I'll beg if that's what you want."

"No, nothing of that sort," the dimness grew into blissful colors. The prior atmosphere resembled a prison as opposed to a lounge. Drawn so to have the sun be welcomed inside, the room felt friendlier. Two faces of the same coin depending on the context and situation. 

"What then?" she asked.

"A simple sorry will be enough. Don't expect Scott to return; he's gone for good. I'll make sure thee returns to stardom in the next few weeks. I have a plan in mind. For now, just take a break and relax – Hidros is a changing continent. Go around and visit; my door will always be opened. What do you say, old friend?" he raised a hand.

"W-what?" her mouth dropped in awe.

"Why so confused, do thee not know of what a handshake means?" asked he in jest.

"I know, but why, I've been nothing more than trouble for the past months or so."

"Listen, Aceline; however bad you think you are, I'm worse. The only guilt thee needs to deal with is how thee fell into the chains of emotions. You let yourself go with the atmosphere. Going with the flow might seem wise; yet, there are times when one must flow against the current for a waterfall might be what lays ahead."

"I see," her head lowered in shame, or what was projected. "Staxius," her eyelashes fluttered sweetly, "-can I consider you a friend again?" 

"The issue was never on my end," he laughed, "-it was you, dear Aceline, who chose to alienate us. A friend led astray is but a lost lamb, I don't blame thee for anything. On the contrary, I think it's best to embrace the experience; don't be a fool any longer." 

"Thank you," as he said, she was only someone with a clouded mind, clouded judgment, none was a harder critic than herself. The blindness made the blood boil, her cupped hand gradually clenched into a fist – reborn as her old self, a welcome addition to the ever-growing connections.

'It's going to plan,' thought Staxius, '-Aceline's a friend once more, a will be rival for the actual star, Emi Muko.'