Nico sat on the parapet of the Bright Castle's western wall. One of his legs dangled in the air, and the other was brought up to his chest — head resting on a knee as he vacantly overlooked the dilapidated landscape below.
It was dawn. The warped discus of the sun crept over the horizon, illuminating the Forgotten Shore with dim, warm colors.
He wouldn't be bothered out here, so he had removed his armor entirely, relaxing in only the spare linen clothes rewashed by Seishan's Handmaidens. They were loose, despite his larger frame, and rippled in the breeze.
With nothing to do, he let his thoughts brush over the recent events.
Even in his dying moments, Gunlaug had refused to give Nico his prized Echo. It was odd given that he now knew the Bright Lord was under Shaman's control, but alas, it seemed he had retained enough of his will to deny. Or, rather, he was incapable of accepting. The truth was buried with his death, so there was no point fretting, but it was a sub-optimal result, nonetheless.
Everything else had gone well after the trial. Changing Star took over the Bright Castle. The lieutenants, excluding Tessai and Harus — the latter now deceased, and former imprisoned — acted as temporary advisors to her established cohort while retaining their past duties.
Plans were no doubt being drawn at this very moment. The siege of the Crimson Spire was on everyone's mind, and in order to get there, they first had to survive the coming month before the solstice. People needed to be fed, watered, and protected while Memories and equipment were being procured. That meant operating the Bright Castle at a capacity none had thought possible.
Nico had done his part long ago by helping Kido craft the most optimal crops. With his Aspect, they all molded whichever way he desired, and the result of that had been quite noticeable.
Other than that… well, he didn't really know.
He didn't care to find out, either, and had quite pointedly told anyone who came to find him that.
In fact, he hardly cared about anything at all. Nobody was around him — not even Shaman, despite its active hex.
It was so blissfully quiet. He could almost feel like his mind was whole again. The trial, with all its people and the surprise influx of fragments, had done far too much damage to him.
An hour passed. He watched the landscape shift, untold hordes shuffling between ruined veins of the city until something else grabbed his attention.
A single soul had begun climbing the ramparts up to him.
For a moment, he considered retrieving his armor, then barely focused his senses and recognized the stranger's figure.
A slightly grave, slightly whimsical expression. Light brown hair that fell around her face and scattered in the wind.
It was Kido.
'How did she get here?'
Seishan knew of his… predicament… and had ensured that nobody but herself would come up here after him. Everything he supported was to be issued at her word, and even the other lieutenants were supposed to be informed that he was watching over Tessai constantly.
When she reached the top, she paused, watching the picturesque scene of his idle relaxation before her pleasant mask crumbled. A simmering anger hid underneath. That emotion, carried over to him, was pungent.
Memories of their previous discussion all that time ago, when she had viewed his ideas as no more than a fantasy, replayed. It was all too real now. The future waited for no one, and unless you followed it with relentless ambition, you would fall behind without anyone to rely on.
She exhaled, calming herself and taking several steady steps towards him while saying:
"You know, I didn't expect anything to come of your words. If anything, after Gunlaug's announcement, I figured that taking Jubei's life had driven you to something drastic — too dangerous for even you — and that had been your demise. In hindsight it had been quite foolish. Nothing like that could rattle you."
Reaching the edge, she stood awkwardly, her gaze flickering to his side-profile — his dead, passionless face.
The words flowed out from her lips before she could stop them.
"Now, it's here. More accurately, you're here, with all these tangent connections I knew nothing about. Because of you, the Bright Lord is gone, replaced by… Changing Star."
She repeated her earlier thoughts, mouthing:
"It's all too real…"
His face betrayed no thought, but his mouth moved, and his deep voice hummed, almost as if to appease her:
"That was her presence."
Kido tilted her head.
'Presence? Who's presence?'
Before she could actually question him, he added:
"My mother's. Her mere being made everything else more material. More of this world, or perhaps all worlds…"
He lifted his head and shrugged.
"Of course, that was when she was alive. A lot has changed since then. One thing, as you've said, is the death of Gunlaug."
His eyes narrowed.
"To your point, it's all strange, but I'm alive. You're alive too."
Kido's light armor scraped against the stone as she scowled and leaned her forearms against the battlements.
"How can you follow Changing Star? She's selfish, bold, and overly important. Everyone from the outer settlement treats her as their god, and her strength is below yours. Can you believe she even wants to leave before the solstice?!"
Her tone dropped.
"Of course, you would know that if you ever bothered to check up on anything, but instead you've gone and just sat here, promising to ensure Tessai never escapes…"
Nico's face dimmed.
"Her plans are sufficient. Why should I bother?"
He shook his head.
"My strength is above hers, you say? You would do well to know that the reason this castle is still functioning is that I coerced people into putting aside their prospects of power and notions of overwhelming strength."
Kido seemed even more aggrieved. Her hands clasped together furiously.
"Exactly! Since when did you ever become satisfied? Nothing was enough — not Gemma's plans, my work, the state of the outer settlement, or Gunlaug's regime. You always undertook anything and everything given to you seriously. Now that you're back, and you've finally the power to do what you want, it's enough? That's absurd!"
Nico grimaced as Kido's displeasure seeped from her to him. His head throbbing wildly, he replied:
"You seem to be mistaken. I decided to offer my input to help secure my own position. My only purpose has been survival. To that end, strength and assurance were what I gathered, and I'm sure you can see how my actions have followed that path. Regardless, I have plenty of both now. The rest of the crusade doesn't concern me."
Gritting her teeth, Kido clenched her fists and glared at him.
"Perhaps I made the wrong choice, then! Gemma too! We trusted you… We allowed you to be our leader considering Seishan's, Gemma's, and my allegiance following their takeover. You already lied to Gemma about who'd be fighting the Bright Lord! Now, you're willing to just sit around too?! It's been two weeks!"
She grasped his shoulder.
"You may not care, but your choice will decide the fate for all of us! As it stands, her plans are unquestionable! She takes your 'words' like suggestions. Just come back and talk to her! Can't you do the right—"
Something shattered. Kido's hand flinched away, and she watched a stream of cracked rubble fall from beside Nico and crumble down the wall.
"Quiet."
His voice was dark and furious. She had never heard anything like it from him.
He was always perfectly composed.
"You seem to be confused. The right thing to do? Since when has anything ever been the right thing to do? Was it right to execute Jubei or take the Host's ire too early? Was it right to leave the outer settlement for nine months in order to build myself stronger or continue assisting Changing Star and save more lives? Was it right for the lieutenant Kido not to offer food to those beyond the castle's walls?"
He looked at his open palm, dumping the remains of stone dust down below.
"No… there have only ever been two poisons, and when forced to pick, I — as do you — choose the one that benefits me, not others."
Without sparing her even a glance, he waved a dismissive hand.
"You may request Changing Star to rescind her decision in my name. You may, as per usual, request whatever you wish in my name. That is all. Leave."