Chapter 7: Sip that Poison
#7 of A chronicle of Lunrba family
"Yu!"
"Yes Mama."
"Where is Wei ?"
Lunbiv, with the aid from a seemingly innocent and worthless emperor, secure himself in the prince's chamber. For those killed by Hilos and Helina, Lunbiv decided he need to punish them for what they did, for what they do, for the prove that they are nothing different from a feral beast. But Lunbiv decided he need to do more, work with the king and the prince is not enough, even before the fall, one must stand tall and be prideful. There is time for a mask and there is time for manner. Beside, Lunbiv saw much more than just astrologik, with his talent, there is much more than just watching the star.
"Through a report, I think you can do more than watching the star... do you want me to teach you what you can truly do ?"
"What do you see in me ?"
"Spirit, a pure light, despite your desire, your lifestyle, there is something pure. I can't understand this paradox but I will help you."
"But Lunbiv, what is that power, the power you wield ?"
"It is not something someone can simply have, let's focus on you first."
Domain
A reward for those managed to do what a normal person can't. The power blessed by the emotions received their own domain for their effort, they will to escape the sea that no one dare to return. And that is the moment when one is blessed with their own domain, the domain will be shaped those are blessed but the rule are decided by the emotions.
Some special cases are listed to receive the domain without the aid of an emotion. Their domain are devoid of divinity but they will have more freedom in adjusting the domain to the image in their mind even forbid an emotion from entering. These domain are called the lawless zone by the emotions, the only place they can't interfere and it is also the only place where they are powerless.
"These domain are created by the stars, why it should be bound to the laws of these self-proclaimed gods." - Luxon, the Star Eyed Prophet.
Lunbiv is impressed with the purity and talent of the young prince, the presence of the elements that Lunbiv thought was once slained by the emotions still reside inside the prince. His potential is the proof of his bloodline, Lunbiv feels the presence of the elements and the potential and this can be perfect for the one who would be able to use Domain.
"My prince, the queen wants to enjoy the afternoon tea with you."
"What should we do Lunbiv ?"
"We still need to wear our mask, don't worry I will protect you, the queen is all talk but her pitiful trick won't work."
"Alright but next time, can you call me Kirros ?"
"But, is that appropriate ?"
"You are an ancient one, we should be the one who pay respect to you but my grandfather being the tyrant that he was..."
"There is no need to be gloomy my dear little Kirros. The past is past, my family was killed countless times for countless sins made up by human, what with one more death."
The palace's garden is beautiful and full of life, but they are not exactly alive in Lunbiv's eyes. The grow but they can't thrive, they are cut, they are fixed to fit in the eye of human, they are arranged and they are only allowed to grow in a specific spot. To Lunbiv, this is not different from this palace, a place where people can only live then wither and then replaced by something else to continue the perpetual cycle.
Helina, the queen, the mother of the country, but to Lunbiv, she is different from what Lunbiv expected. She is arrogant but that is nothing more than a mask, he sees through that woman like how he saw through the young Orne prince. Helina is nothing more than Hilos's tool, her eyes reflect both misery and arrogant but sympathy for a murderer who use nearly twelve thousand years of the compass was never a choice. But in the end, they are all pawns on a chess board and plants in the palace garden, Helina maybe Hilos's daughter but Lunbiv doesn't doubt a person like Hilos can find someone else to replace Helina.
"Prince Kirros, how is your day ?"
"Very good, Queen Helina. And how about you ?"
"Marvelous. The white camellia is blooming, soon we will have another festival isn't it ?"
A futile attempt in Lunbiv's eyes, the aroma of tea is different, the water is slightly off color and even the silver needle turned black. A futile attempt, depend on the compass too much and she doesn't know how to properly serve a poisonous cup of tea. To Lunbiv, this is nothing more than child play, but to doubt that every servants here except Lunbiv are bribed to say he is the culprit. That is how every drama goes, and it bored Lunbiv to see everything far too predictable.
"(Kirros, don't drink the tea.)"
"(Lunbiv ?)"
"(I don't want to explain but don't drink the tea, it was prepared by her and she is intended to pin the crime on me and kill you at the same time.)"
"(And I just come up with an idea.) Here by the words of the prince, Wei, you can have my tea, feel this as a heavenly blessing."
"(What a wonderful idea, this will be just enough to make her tremble.) My gratitude my prince."
As Lunbiv feel the poison flow in his vein, this is nothing more than a childplay to him, but an actor must finish his act. Lunbiv let himself fall to the ground, the poison flows in his vein can only cause minor headache because of the augmentation on his vessel but this amount of poison can easily kill someone. With the device still active, no one except Kirros can see through his act, but Lunbiv knows their plan work and with the ambush of the guards.
But of course, nothing is fun for Lunbiv with out a little scandal, a little destruction torward the queen's reputation even when it is already fell so low. And a further investigation toward every servants and members of the palace for the poisons or weapons, even when this plan failed and the queen's reputation remain, to Lunbiv, this should be enough fear.
"Oh my, my queen, he was my favourite you know that ?"
"I thought you were the one who do that to him."
"Well, why should I do that ? To kill my best friend, to think you actually think I would do something like that... I should go and ask father what should we do... But I suggest you don't touch him or trying to do something like that."
"I bestow the heavenly will to my fallen loyal friend, guard him even in his eternal rest."
They never agreed to do this but this is their play, on the stage, they are the brightest star, every actions are natural acting. Lunbiv isn't afraid from a fair fight or a fight where people throwing dust into their opponent's face. To frame, to blame is normal during the old era, and it is not so different in this era, trick and deception are used in this palace.
"So my Duet, seeing this little boy performance, what do you think ?"
"I never underestimate his talent, Purifier, but I have a reason to believe that he is very dangerous and maybe we should turned him into one of our own. Even Tomoe think the same."
"He is still sleeping ?"
"Just the look, he is aware of everything around."
"I really hope he can open his eyes once again. It was such a joy to see him running around... where are you going ?"
"A lot of work to do before a revolution. And next time, tell you students to control themselves, I don't want to clean up your mess."
The Purifier can only smile, every trial need to be extreme, the Jbys are cowering in fear, the prideful wolves become nothing more than few puppies. The Poet did something that he doesn't know but he doesn't need to care, what the Poet did is his own method and that is not something the Purifier has the right to complain. What the Purifier felt is a sense of relief, every Geniuses did something for him and they all do it so he doesn't need to do something significant. His student turned into perfectionist, the Geniuses did everything that considered immoral for him, even in every world, all he needs to do is deliver the final judgement when everything is over.
"Stop hiding yourself, I know you are standing behind the curtain."
"My child..."
"No more words needed, the council has gone too far..."
"Luckily this is just a simple play."
"It has been a while, hello there, well, Lunbiv will be absent for a while and I will be his replacement."
The same child looks like Lunbiv but the voice and with the astrologik, they know that isn't the truth, this person is different, much more ruthless and dangerous. Even discarded the device and changed his clothing, his current clothing is not different from an uniform wore by students during the old era. Very malicious and ruthless, but there also a hint of something twisted, even the uniform he is wearing right now is not even a proper uniform. There are cuts and tears on the sleeves, and his eyes are different compare to the original Lunbiv.
"Don't be scare, I may look a little bit twisted but if it is the mission from him, I will never do anything to you."
"Who are you ?"
"There is no need to be afraid, I am still your ally and your teacher, I will try my best to act like him and during that period, I won't be like Lunbiv, I don't mind the killing."
The other side of Lunbiv, twisted, obsessive and possessive, countless lovers fell for him and a lot of them left him but peace doesn't last for them. He gave them all of his heart and all they want is the Lunrba name, and when they can't have what they wanted, they chose to leave him. But his love it is a possessive and twisted love, slowly he was born from the hatred that Lunbiv has for those dared to call themselves his lover.
"Because he asked then I guess I will be gentle and loving. But no more play, I am not him and do not interfere."
The boy presumed to be Lunbiv left, and the warmth returned to the room, the conversation was tense and even after he left, Kirros and his father - Aphaze still see something else. The sky are filled with the stars and the world are filled people but this is just pure darkness in their eyes, there is no starlight or any sources of light.
"Welcome back, sir."
"There is no need for traditional custom or formal greeting. I'm just here under his request and I won't be exist for a long time so, the information I need ?"
"Everything is here, their schedule, their photos, their scandal. Everything is prepared to destroy their reputation."
"Very good and what about those that support them ?"
"Also here. Young master has a few task for me..."
"Yes, you can leave."
Every members of the company knows their existance, but both of their existance are required. Lunbiv is graceful but his action are far too slow and aesthetic is the principle of his action, but the Lovesick doesn't care about aesthetic or gracefulness, the Lovesick only care about his target. His first target is obliviously a member of the council.
"A very bad man, but to be honest, I am worse. But judging yourself is his job and not my job, Sotho, don't describe anything to him."
"You know he knows everything right ?"
"Next time in the sea of torment, I don't want to be the one who tell him. You are his husband now, that will lie on your shoulder..."
"And I am fine with that... There is nothing left to say, may you stain every stars blood red."
One of rare Gvtre noble with human slave, one of the first family along with the royal family that exist until this day, the Jyar is one of the most prestigious family in Gvtre Dynasty. They were one of the first contender to the throne but the Jyar's elder has his own scheme and that is the moment the council was created. Their scheme is simple, control the Dysnasty through a puppet and even orchestrated the death of the descendants of a lot of family in the council.
Despite their existance, the Jyar never had the astromancing ability of the royal family but to maintain a seat, they need a weapon, an anchor to let them remain in the council. That is what driven them insane with the desire to learn, to study and to master the forbidden art of Lunrba family. Driven to absolute insanity by nothing more but desire to remain in the council, the elder - Tethos Jyar becomes nothing more than a mad man and his children has to be those that represent their house.
"Driven to madness by our knowledge, but how can a fool understand our words and how can a fools know our secret. He is not your pawn then I guess I will do this quick."
"Who is there ?"
"You can call me the shy boy that send you the love letter. After all, our semester just begin, let's love each other for eternity shall we ?"
Different persons lead to different domains, the same applied to different souls, Lunbiv's domain is the dream, the beautiful memories exist for eternity but not everything is simple. The other side of a dream is simple can be described as a nightmare, the memories and the dream reflected the best of the best but the nightmare reflect the worst memory in Lunbiv's mind. The academy that broke his heart, the hall is littered with corpses, and blood splattered on the wall, the scene only exist in the most horrible nightmare. But right now, in front of Tethos's eye, the nightmare become the reality that threaten to make him one of them.
"Welcome to the start of your eternal semester."
The Nightmare chased his prey, every cuts send fear to every parts on their body and make them run faster but that is exactly what the Nightmare wanted, the prey keeps running and the Nightmare is just right behind him to deliver the next cut. The excitement of filling something with fear and despair and stripping everything beautiful from it, it is the feeling that caused the Nightmare become something that even himself can't describe. Chasing in the hallway until Tethos Jyar becomes nothing more than a dried corpse only able to drag himself on the floor while his blood pouring out, always filled him with excitement before all of that end with a cut.
With the notes and some help from the other Lunbiv, prince Kirros can open his domain even for a few minutes without the need to pass the trial in the sea of torment. And despite his life, Kirros's domain is absolutely beautiful but it is different from the beauty defined by Lunbiv. And that is their only word to describe the domain before it closed, but Lunbiv can't blame the child, it tooks him at least two hundred years to practice the art in order to maintain his domain.
"Your Majesty..."
"Alright, you can start the investigation... Is this your doing ?"
"Well, can you guess ? Keep practicing Kirros, I will need to talk to your father."
The king's chamber is different from the prince's chamber, despite bearing the title of a lazy king and a worthless emperor, everything is orchestrated by the council to take his power away from his reach. Aphaze still cares for his people and do everything he can even when he can't do anything much, the chamber is filled with books and reports. He is sitting on a throne filled with thorn and dagger, one wrong move can get him killed.
"I appreciated for what you are doing for us but we shouldn't be far too illustrious. We should try to mimic how nobles fighting each other."
"You are talking like how he always talk, but I will tone down the performance."
Less illustrious but Lunbiv still perform behind the closed curtain is the bloody performance targeted member of council. Blood splattered on the floor and their corpses are destroyed to the state that they can't be recognized. The horrible death of those people are nothing more than entertainment for the nightmare within Lunbiv, still the beautiful white fur linger, the nightmare know this is not his place. His place is among the eternal semester.
Corpses scatter in the hall, limbs torn from their torso, the blood dried and painted the wall black, the nightmare and darkness looming in the hall where nothing more than memories of horror exist. Two children facing each other and none of the creatures dare to disturb them, the first child with the human form lean his back on the locker, in his hand is a paper cutter still dripping with blood. On the other side is the true Lunbiv, the one who carry his form with pride, in his hand is the blade forged by his husband, his ornaments blessed by his father and grandfather.
"Well then, let's do this again."
"Our battle once again."