Second Genesis

Giyoto’s aura went from a delicate candle flickering in the darkness to a raging inferno in a split instant. It felt like a white hot flash of light passed before Grey’s eyes, and a hand reached toward his throat like lightning.

The Baron didn’t even need a ramp up time, the world whining and bending to his whims as though the energy that made up reality was twisting to accommodate his sudden change.

And yet, Grey didn’t flinch even when the hand was around his neck, squeezing so tight veins writhed beneath the surface of his quickly paling skin.

Instead, a sneer hung on his features, a cold light radiating from the depths of his eyes.

For some reason, Giyoto found himself shaken. There was a madness in Grey’s eyes that held a fury no less than his own.

It didn’t make much sense. The kind of weight Giyoto held was far more than a child should ever be able to fathom.

Many people spoke of maturity, of the complexities of love or the layers of joy. But very few people spoke of what an aged fury could become, the sort of fury stoked through life and experience, of a hatred that built itself into the layers of your being so far it was hard to distinguish where you ended and where this external emotion began.

The depths of Grey’s rage almost felt as complex as his own, and he didn’t understand it at all.

Giyoto’s fingers slowly loosened around Grey’s neck. After a long while, he flicked a finger and a beam of light entered the latter’s chest.

Grey had never seen something like that before, but he didn’t feel any threat coming from it. Instead, he found a new ping on his map and a compass pointing in a new direction.

"Oh, and I’d like a Cyber Core, please and thanks."

**

Grey slipped right out of the city. He didn’t hide his presence, mostly because he couldn’t. But not every Holy Knight was plugged right into Terran’s doings, and because there was no warrant hovering over him anymore, the guards had no reason to stop someone who was effectively a quasi noble from leaving the city whenever they wanted.

Still, there would probably be a report of his leaving. If Terran was thorough enough to check, he would definitely be after him soon.

Grey didn’t care.

’This direction is in the same direction as the outpost...’

Grey had been half expecting to decide whether he should risk going to the outpost first and potentially getting intercepted by Terran, or just going directly to the location of the Instance.

But it seemed for once, lady luck was shining down upon him.

’But first...’

...

Grey stood in front of what were now two makeshift tombstones.

’A skull for both of you.’ Grey thought calmly. Then he turned and left.

**

"Baron, is it really fine to allow Sir Temolt to dictate so much?"

Silva spoke with a lowered head, a broom still in his hands as he did his best to try and clean up the mess.

"I do only what must be done." Giyoto said calmly, still organizing his stacks of papers.

"But what if he dies?"

"Then he dies." Giyoto said calmly. "He is a loose cannon that cannot be controlled. Maybe it would be for the best."

"And what of the armor? I saw it today, Baron. He found it so easily. I am certain that Globb passed on to him the full mechanical jaw lineage."

The two spoke as though Globb had always had it. It seemed as though there was either a misunderstanding... or Globb had misrepresented the facts as they were.

Giyoto fixed up the last of his papers and then slowly stood, facing Silva.

"Sometimes, when you want for something so badly, for so long, it is easy to stumble at the finish line. I have waited so very long for this, Silva. I have given my everything to reach this moment, and it is all so very close. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"To you, it may seem as though I am pushing too hard to take the final step. But trust you me. I am not. Even if it takes another 10 years, 20 years, more, I will be ready.

"This is simply the best decision to make for the time being. If he dies, then he dies. A problem has rid itself of us on its own.

"If he survives, then it only proves that he was correct to twist my arm as he did. When the time comes, the conclusion will be the same."

Silva lowered his head further. "Yes. I understand, Baron."

Giyoto walked forward and patted Silva’s shoulder. "A time will come, Silva. A time where we can all raise our heads as equals. Where you can be yourself without the judgment of the common man or the suppression of the church.

"This I promise you.

"I have already grown old, and I’m not sure how much time I have remaining should I not progress. But make no mistake, that time is still not short.

"I will give you everything I have."

"Yes, Baron." There was a lower tone to Silva’s voice, almost like he was trying to hold back a sob, but not quite. It carried the near guttural growl of a beast.

BOOM.

The city shook on its very foundations, golden light sweeping down and piercing through the windows in rays nearly as sharp as blades.

Giyoto’s eyes widened as most everyone else in the city responded with the opposite.

’No...’ Giyoto’s heart shook.

He knew what that was. That was the sign of a breakthrough. There were only four people in the city capable of a breakthrough with this kind of momentum, and there were only three of them that could have been capable of doing so with this level of Holy energy, and but a single one of them that could have realistically accomplished it.

Bishop Calixan had broken through, lighting up the city to the point dawn shone down from above.