The inhuman appearance of Anselm, now Flicker, was less jarring with every passing drink.
The face that was once identical to his own had new eyes (black, except their bright red irises - the red ring of Vesh), new teeth (fangs, which Klaus had seen them cut their own tongue on already), rough nails on the ends of long slender fingers (very different from when Klaus had first seen them on their incapacitated twin - they naturally formed into viscous looking claws). Small nubs of horns dotted their hairline, a cropped, soft brown crew cut, with white creeping in on the shortest parts (Harland had already lamented about how difficult it was to keep it dyed when Klaus had commented on it). All physical evidence that Flicker’s patron was the Bloody Siren, and that they’d been irrevocably changed by her.
Despite that, they still had the same voice, the same laugh, nearly the same sense of humor - they hadn’t even been released before they were making the kind of sibling taunts that Klaus met with the exact same energy.
Harland had frozen a group of the cultists, but Klaus wasn’t willing to take down the easy targets. One too many kills had been stolen by Leo and Alonne, and Cyprus would have a fireball on that crowd in no time.
Even though the parties had met the day before (Sybil and Harland knew each other, but that was a discussion to acknowledge for when his twin wasn’t in mortal peril),
Klaus charged straight for the slab where Anselm was being held - Hummel and Alonne flanked them.
“So. What’s Sebastian’s deal?”
“...really? He’s pretty much the normalest guy, it’s great. He’s like. Over two hundred years old. He has a widow. He has a bunch of kids. He fuckin’ hates Vesh. Also, he fucks. I highly recommend chatting with him.” Flicker sounded so casual, leaning back in their chair so just the two back legs were on the ground.
“Kids?”
“Yeah?”
“Are they…fine?”
“...yeah? Klaus, what the hell is your party like? Do you not have any normal guys?”
“Flicker. I met them in the middle of the swamp after Vesh took out an entire military base.”
“...okay? And? I met these guys on day two of being out of the woods. They came over when someone started accusing me of being a demon. And screaming. Only time it’s happened, though.”
Klaus snorted before he could help himself, even though thinking on it for more than even a second made his chest ache. He looked back over to his party, where they were in a loose clump with a handful of satellites - Alonne, Fiona and Hummel slightly away from the rest, and Harland and Sybil (probably gossipping about someone else in the tavern by the look of it) at a smaller table of their own.
He tore his eyes away from Cyprus laughing at some joke Sebastian told, away from where Fiona broke off from her smaller pod to go talk to him. Away from where Sybil and Harland were speaking in hushed tones while Leo watched them over the rim of his drink. When he turned back, he was surprised to see Flicker had kept their eyes on him the whole time.
“...it’s alright. You don’t need to dance around it, Klaus. You’ve got your path and I’m not following you. Just like you’re not going to follow me on mine. I’ve got people to protect now, and it seems a lot like you do, too.”
Klaus nodded. He almost tried to speak, but he found his throat was a little too tight.
“Hey, what’d they do to make you a crybaby?” Flicker was trying to be friendly, but for some reason it hurt. Klaus shrugged.
“I guess they made it safe for me.” Klaus wasn’t sure what he was saying, even as he said it, but it felt true. Flicker’s smile dropped. They said the words that Klaus never, ever expected to hear from them.
“What do you want?” Somehow, Flicker sounded sincere. He instinctively tried to think of how this would end with what Flicker wanted - but he tried to believe them. Against all odds, against their upbringing, he wanted to believe that Flicker wanted to know the real answer to that question.
“I want you to stay alive. Please. Once we’re both finished with. Whatever we’re doing. I want to…” Klaus trailed off, more out of a struggle to think of how to word the last part than not knowing what to say. Flicker had gently swung their seat down, sitting in it properly, leaning over the table.
“...I want to learn to be friends with you. Without the destiny, without mom, without Emmyth. Just. To learn to like each other as people.” Klaus managed to keep his eyes on Flicker, so he didn’t miss the hurt that took over their features. He braced himself for the rebuttal - the establishment of what Flicker wanted. The painful reality that would follow where he would have to follow their lead.
“...yeah. That makes sense. I can’t make any promises that I will survive. But I promise to try. For you, and for my family.” At ‘family,’ they jerked their head toward where the parties were lounging together. Flicker still sounded like they were in pain, but they were sincere.
Klaus smiled. Relief washed over him.
“You’ve changed.”
“Yeah. You too.” Flick was smiling back - a little more forced, but not entirely.
It's gonna take you people years to recover from all of the damage
If it was ever going to happen, tonight made sense.
Klaus and Alonne sat together on watch, completely silent. Usually Alonne would put off his trance until the second half of their rest, and in return Klaus would only take third watch. Unfortunately things got complicated, this time.
It had already been over an hour of total silence.
Klaus made the mistake of sneezing, which earned him a death glare.
He really couldn’t blame Alonne for any of this. Maybe it even helped him stay true to his oath. A living, quiet, seething reminder that traveled with him. Not just of their past, the way that Klaus fled and didn’t take Alonne with him, but also the way they’d both had their darkest hour in that fort.
Klaus came away with an oath to protect the weak, to kindle gentleness, and to show kindness to everyone he meets.
Alonne got…
Well.
They had very different outcomes from their time at Fort Venture.
And that wasn’t even getting into the Vesh of it all (something Klaus had an easier time letting go than he’d thought he would).
Klaus felt the urge to chat, but what the hells would they talk about?
“Nice weather we’re having on the coast! The humidity really reminds me of the warm meat walls of your patron’s plane.”
“So, what have your dreams been like? In mine I was met by my giant flower and moss covered creature and he told me he was proud of me for working against the principles I was raised with that dictated I torture people. Not that you’d know anything about that. It’s great when your patron supports your growth into a better person, am I right?”
“Hummel’s pretty hot. Are you two officially a thing? Let me know if you’d stab me for asking her out to dinner or something.”
Klaus just kept quiet. That seemed like the best option.
Unfortunately, Alonne disagreed.
“How does it feel to kill your own family?”
Alonne had said it so casually that Klaus started to respond before he actually processed the whole sentence.
“I dunno, I guess-” He cut himself off, and dared to look up from his sword, trying to see if he could figure out what angle Alonne was going for with that question. He noted how Alonne was staring directly at him - a challenge. He was interested.
The only person who cut down more cultists than Klaus was Alonne. They crumpled at his sword, to his magic, and his movements were precise out of practice, not focus. The injuries he left the cultists with were fatal, but not immediately - Klaus wasn’t complaining, though a part of him thought he should.
They were evil. He accepted that. There were no tugs inside of him like when he violated his oath - Naviask was at least indifferent to his actions and the actions of his companions.
“...it feels right.” He settled for those words, nearly mumbled, even though he felt shame in admitting it. Klaus held Alonne’s gaze but as with Sybil, he wasn’t really able to read as much as he wished he could. The drow continued with another question.
“And the ones you knew?”
Alonne had nearly gutted someone who Klaus recognized. She’d bring new victims for his village to sacrifice to Vesh. Scared, quivering people, who’d already tried to escape had been incapacitated or terrified into compliance once they were inevitably caught again. Dragged out into the remote forest to be tortured to death.
Klaus almost finished her off with his sword as a mercy.
Almost.
“They’re easier. I know exactly why they’re not innocent.” Klaus was more sure of this answer, and his tone was stronger.
“Have you seen anyone who raised you, yet? Who would have thought to escape before your twin ascended?” Alonne was getting more excited as he spoke. This wasn’t the emotion that Klaus had expected to see from Alonne during their first private conversation, for all the subject matter was more predictable.
“Yes. They deserved everything we’ve done to them. They deserve worse. The things they’ve done have been irredeemable, unjustifiable, evil, and we’re right to destroy them.” Klaus spoke harshly, and despite the surprise Alonne seemed like he didn’t necessarily expect it. Klaus’s fists clenched around the hilt of his blade, around his whetstone.
“When I watch them die at your hands, at my hands, more than anyone else’s, it’s like a rush. It feels like when I smite something undead, something that only has one chance in their whole life to understand what they’ve done to people, and we’re the sword of justice that shows them what fear is like. What true pain is. If I think about it too long I feel sick that I won’t get to kill all of them, every single person who had a hand in raising my sibling and me.” Klaus’s voice stayed at a quiet, seething volume. He looked back up to Alonne, meeting their eyes again. The words he was saying felt dirty. He felt terrible for saying them, but he didn’t want to dig into why, right now. They were still a few days away from Anselm. Now wasn’t the time to scrutinize over morals.
Alonne didn’t think so either, seeing his satisfied smile. There was a long moment of silence where they held each other's gaze. Klaus tried to keep a straight face, and focused just on Alonne’s eyes, on not backing down even as he felt some odd dread from deep inside of him. Finally, Alonne spoke.
“Good. We’ll make sure that anger stays useful, and doesn’t burn you to the ground along with them.” They held still as Alonne spoke, and Klaus was the first to break. He turned his eyes to his hands, still clinging to what they held.
“...if I burn out, I hope it’s while taking down as many of these monsters as I can drag to the hells with me.” He spoke quietly, but he knew Alonne heard him.
“I’m sorry I didn’t save you. Before all of this happened. At the fort. I’m so sorry.” The words spilled out of Klaus before he could stop himself.
“Are you stupid, or a martyr?” Alonne sounded closer to bored already. Despite the fact that his reply was an insult, Klaus felt some level of release. Not a relaxing feeling - just the sensation of something deep inside of him snapping out of the knot it had been tied in.
Alonne didn’t need to clarify. Klaus already had a date of execution at the fort. There was virtually nothing he could have done to save Alonne when he was there that wouldn’t have gotten them both killed. He didn’t feel the need to preface it with a ‘maybe,’ anymore. Klaus knew it.
The release gave way to something closer to euphoria, and he had to stifle the uncomfortable urge to start giggling. Then he realized that this was the only burden he’d been carrying, really - the only person who he felt he owed. Any efforts to keep from dissolving into laughter dissolved. Alonne probably watched him as he clutched his stomach but couldn’t stop. His face was probably disapproving, but Klaus could only guess, his head feeling light as he could barely take in gasps of breath. Distantly he heard Thalia ask Alonne what they did to break him, but he didn’t really comprehend it.
Klaus was worthy of carrying Naviask’s mantle. He deserved to carry it into battle, and he deserved to use the divine power to protect what was good. He and the Shades would take down the cultists, and he would finally, finally see Anselm again.
For once, Klaus would be the divine force to save the ones he loved.
Klaus only managed to stifle his panic when he saw that Fiona was attempting to do the same bad idea that he was, rather than a completely different bad idea.
They stared at each other, Klaus almost finished easing the door to his room at the inn shut while Fiona still had one foot in her room. Both were clearly holding their breaths as they made eye contact. Slowly, gently, Klaus shut his door. Fiona did the same and stepped fully into the hallway.
“...I’ll meet you on the roof?” Klaus tried to make it sound noncommittal - he wanted Fiona to be able to brush it off as a joke if she didn’t want to meet him. That said, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t thrilled when she smiled and nodded.
She made it to the roof first, which was no surprise to Klaus who’d made the even-less-advisable-than-sneaking-out choice of scaling the wall of the inn. In his defense, the roughly hewn bricks had looked inviting. He winced as he sat down next to her and aggravated the muscle he’d definitely pulled trying to catch himself halfway up. Rolling his eyes, he clasped his hand around his other arm and pooled some of his spare magic into himself. The relief was instant.
“Pretty good view. It’s my first time seeing the ocean.” Klaus smiled and leaned to get into Fiona’s field of vision, her eyes fixed on the dark horizon. They had an amazing view of the port from here.
“You and Thalia. And Cyprus.” She still sounded distant, and her eyes remained fixed on the water. “We should go swimming, before we leave.”
“Sure. I know how. It’s not too different from a lake, right?” He gave up on trying to get her visual attention, and turned to watch the port with her. It was the middle of the night, and late enough that the foot traffic had slowed to a crawl.
Klaus idly considered the handful of people still on the streets. Though he didn’t want his thoughts to pull him in that direction, he couldn’t help but think about any one of them being grabbed and pulled into the shadows. Was this where his village kidnapped people? Were there people in the city that Anselm had killed? People who worked for Fiona’s family? Their friends? Their children? He began to feel sick.
“...be fine.” Fiona’s voice slowly pulled Anton back to his own mind. He shook it once, which did actually catch her eye. She turned to him, her face showing growing concern. He blinked a few times, and searched for a subject change.
“I’m happy I’m not the only twin in the party, anymore. So. Welcome to the club. Even if you’ve joined with unconventional methods.” Klaus put effort into smiling, and Fiona followed his lead on the mood change. She laughed.
“Thank you?” She was still smiling, and Klaus giggled.
“Look I…wasn’t going to bring it up, until we finished everything here. And we will. I got a vision from my patron, and I’ve got something really, really important to do near here. It’s. Personal business, nothing about the war or the mission we’re doing.” He still felt sort of floaty, like he wasn’t fully in his body. It started moving without his permission, speaking words he didn’t mean for it to.
“What kind of business?” She sounded curious, and not particularly worried - the kind of tone that Klaus had come to recognize from her.
“My twin’s been kidnapped. They were travelling with people. They said that none of their friends would be coming for them.” Klaus felt odd, saying that last part. But the idea of Anselm having friends at all was foreign and sort of uncomfortable to think about. The longer that he’d had to ruminate on his relationship with his twin, the more he realized that they were selected and prepared for a fate that Klaus felt some sick relief of not sharing.
“How’d you find out?” She sounded a little more curious - a little more interested. If she was worried, Klaus couldn’t hear it, though he wasn’t surprised about that. It wasn’t as if their group hadn’t had their fair share of terrible knowledge given to them when the others couldn’t see.
“...they. Um. Prayed for me. And my patron…passed the note, I guess. I heard their prayer. I know they’re near here, just further up north. It’ll be near where I’m from, in the forests. They don’t know I’d be coming. They think I’m…dead.” Klaus managed to cut himself off there. He didn’t say that they were hoping that wherever they went, he wouldn’t be there. He made sure that he didn’t mention that Anselm wished that he’d died peacefully, or without fear, or at least quickly. He barely even thought about it, really.
“Yeah. Let’s go for it.” Klaus was jerked out of his thoughts before they could spiral, caught off guard by Fiona’s steady, nonchalant tone. He turned to her, though she was still looking out over the sea as she continued.
“I mean, we’re switching up this mission for my family. You just said it. We’re in the club together now. And, if I get to find my family, you should get to, too.”
“You’re sure?” He leaned toward her, putting his weight on one arm.
“Yeah.” Still so casual.
“They’ll be Vesh cultists.” He didn’t want to say that.
“We can take ‘em.” Still so confident.
“They’re really good at killing people.” He wasn’t sure why he was arguing.
“So was everyone else we’ve beat.” She stated the fact as it was - a fact.
“I don’t know if Anselm is evil.” He felt sick saying it, but the words came out anyways.
“Between the two of us, I feel like you’d be the one with the evil twin. But we won’t know for sure unless we go rescue them.” She sounded so sure. Klaus blinked. Fiona was still smiling.
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