"Who am I? Oh why? You already know that. I'm the great—"
"Cut the bullshit."
Reina growled as her hand clenched something, then she opened her back foot and slid it back while slightly raising her front shoulder.
Ixion's stare went vacant.
Then, he began to sniffle, the glistening of a tear forming in his eye — a manufactured tear.
"Are you insinuating I'm lying? Oh, how hurtful! Let it be known that I am quite an honest and genuine young man."
The blonde woman's eyes reflected dancing fires.
"You come in here, knowing who I am. Then mock our cause, calling it a charade even as you ask to join us. What sense is to be made of your actions other than provocation? So, what are you actually here for? What's your aim? To silence us? Are you a Royal Assassin?"
As Reina studied her stance, the people around the dimly lit storehouse began to swallow their nerves and take stances as well.
Even Lance, the child, had stepped away and not so discreetly hid a slingshot behind his back.
Ixion cast a drifting gaze across the dark room.
"We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot, dear Reina. I truly do want to step in and help with this folly of yours!"
Anger flared in the woman's expression.
"Quit mocking us."
Ixion laughed and took a slight step toward Reina.
"Mocking you? Quite the opposite! Bring down that deplorable king? Why not?! However, what about what comes after? The world is dying. Dethrone Ixion, and the Scourge will dethrone his successor in due time. What does that make a rebellion if not a folly?"
At the mention of the king's name, a silence grew and propagated. No more shifting feet. People stood with bated breath.
After all, they didn't dare to mention the King's name so callously, even if they hated him. And no matter what, nobody from the palace or loyal to Ixion would dare to address him so.
Only a few could get away with such a transgression and live.
Those being the Chancellors and a few of the Dukes.
The woman slightly eased up, but still prepared for a fight at any moment,
"Seriously, Veritas, who are you?"
Ixion laughed as he adjusted his tattered clothes.
"Do I have to spell it out for you? V, e, r, i — what's with that annoyed look?"
Ixion stepped forward to inspect the fallen knight's face, causing Reina to finally draw her hidden dagger, as well as everyone else to close in and draw whatever weapon they held.
"I do pray you know I hate Ixion as much as you all. I truly do wish to help you bring about the worst of his days!"
Reina grit her teeth and replied:
"Then drop the act and show it."
Ixion rolled his head.
"Fine, fine… but how about you put this away?"
Then, his hand flashed, and his fingers pinched the tip of the girl's dagger.
At his sudden move, a few people charged, but Reina motioned them back down…
'Smart girl.'
Ixion knew she'd never let them initiate a fight.
Not only had he already expressed his strength, but fighting someone of his stature wasn't going to be a quiet endeavor.
Reina stared Ixion down while trying to pull her dagger away. But Ixion held it firm, betraying no effort, even dragging Reina's arm side to side.
Seeing it was futile, the fallen noble eventually surrendered the blade.
"Alright… Make your case."
Ixion stepped back, flipped the dagger, and caught it by the hilt.
"Ah, much better. Well, I truly do wish to join you, the oh so valiant Oathsworn!"
Reina's glare tightened, and her nose crinkled.
Ixion smirked.
"My bad, my bad. I'll stop. Ahem… I'm a former general who once fought by Ixion's side. Yet, after he became king, something happened, and the man I once lauded as a hero went mad. I want revenge for all the tears he's made my fellow soldiers shed. And for the soul of a dear friend he tarnished. As for coming to you… I was a friend of your father's, and I told him I'd watch over you if he should happen to fall."
Ixion tattled off his fabrication with glorious confidence.
Reina's eyes went wide at the mention of her father, and her jaw tightened.
But her expression soon flopped into a scowl.
"Such a close friend of my father, yet I nor anyone else knows anything about you."
Ixion grew a gentle smile as he flipped the dagger, holding it by the blade, and gestured it toward her.
"Of course. We'd only met on the battlefield. I hadn't even known you survived until recently! I am also dead to the wider world. And, no, I will not reveal my true name."
Reina swiped the dagger from Ixion's hands, then said:
"And yet you approached us in this fashion? Bursting through a wall and taunting us?"
Ixion shouted:
"It's the end of the world, darling! If you're not having fun, you're doing something wrong!"