Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

"Something's wrong," Saparata said. Something exploded in the distance, but he could barely hear it over the yells and shouts ringing through the messaging system. He pressed his hand harder against his ear, trying to filter out a coherent sentence. "They... I think they can't find Fluixon."

"How'd you know?" demanded one of the guards by his side — What was his name, Turkey? "Fuck, are you actually tuning in? Isn't it a shitshow in there?"

"Someone's gotta — Shit!" A direct whisper from Schpood (obviously at the volume of a cacophonous scream) had popped out of nowhere, nearly bursting Saparata's eardrum. "Ow! Okay — Okay, Schpood wants us up there. Let's go."

He took off before the guards could question him, climbing his way up the frantic build constructed by raging soldiers. Footsteps followed him, clambering up the wood and stone. The archers from Infernus had long retreated back into the castle, giving them practically no opposition before they cleared the lip of the volcano.

Saparata expected chaos, but it was still disorienting to see. The sun was setting behind the mountain, throwing an orange, fiery gleam over the hovering castle. Most of the battle had moved from the shoddily created bridges into the keep itself, the ringing of clashing swords against shields and armor echoing across the caldera. The glint of diamond flashed everywhere he looked, like an infestation of bright turquoise beetles crawling over igneous rock.

(Whoa. That was a very Fluixon simile. Saparata needed to focus.)

"Okay," Saparata said, "gimme a sec." He pressed a hand to his ear. Schpood?

He's not fucking anywhere! Schpood shouted immediately, his voice ringing through Saparata's head. Man, would taking off his helmet help with the echo? Since when did whispers have echoes? SitzKrieg0 and Cynikka are already dead! Why the fuck isn't he here?

Not here, like, at all? Saparata put a hand to his forehead. He could feel a headache coming. Has no one spotted him?

I mean, some of my men swore they saw — Shit, hold on. Bazooka!

"What," Saparata said out loud, before a corner of the Infernus stronghold exploded. "Oh, Jesus. Schpood?"

No response. But Saparata didn't see Schpood's name pop up in Ish's (Floating) (Constantly Updating) Divine List of Casualties, so he was probably just busy post-bazooka.

"What did he say?" Turkey asked.

"Not sure." Saparata put his hand down. "It sounds like Fluixon was sighted near the beginning, but not now."

"What does that mean? He's escaped?"

Ooh, Saparata hadn't thought of that. Still, he adjusted his grip on his sword and began making his way down to the closest bridge. "If Schpood contacted me, that probably means he's confident Fluixon's still here." (He hoped.) "Let's try to get in there. Maybe he wanted us to — "

Saps.

Saparata froze. The delegation of guards immediately collided into him, nearly knocking him down the caldera.

There was no way. It couldn't be.

Saps. Look up?

"What's going on? Saparata?" someone was demanding, but it sounded like they were from miles underwater. Saparata pressed a hand over his ear again. It couldn't be. But —

Fluixon?

Look up.

Saparata jerked his head up, scanning the keep. He didn't know what he was looking at. Looking for.

Come on. Is the sun in your eyes?

What? What was he talking about? It wasn't the sun, it was that there was no way Saparata could identify anyone from this distance. Was that what Fluixon was asking for?

Sorry. Can you squint?

"What the hell is going on," Saparata muttered, but he squinted regardless. The guards behind him were hissing into the backdrop of his hearing. "What are you doing?"

The left side. Your left.

Shut up, Saparata couldn't help but snap. But he followed the instructions, eyes flitting over, looking for anything that might be shadowed against the sun.

He found him.

Bizarrely, the first thing that popped into Saparata's head was astonishment. How could no one have spotted Fluixon? Even Saparata could tell it was him from just a silhouette. He was standing alone on the hanging edge of a castle tower, eerily still, in clear sight of any archer around. The sun shone over his diamond helmet, glinted over his blue armor. He seemed unarmed.

"What the fuck," Saparata managed. More hissing. Dude. What the fuck?

Fluixon didn't respond. Instead, Saparata saw how he tilted his head, slowly, like he was studying Saparata across the chasm. It was creepy as hell, even for Flux.

A hiss transformed into a sharp inhale next to him, and Saparata heard one of the guards begin shouting into the messaging system. They've finally spotted him.

Saparata gritted his teeth and pressed harder against his ear. Okay, jackass. What are you doing?

I've been asking myself that a lot, believe it or not.

You're asking yourself that now? There was a commotion in the keep, like a ripple spreading across the soldiers, the shifting in the direction of tides. They got the news. There's this shit called too little, too late, you know?

Too early, Saps.

What?

I could have dragged this on for days. Months. Years, even, Fluixon said. So really, I'm asking this too early.

What the hell.

But I'm ending this now. Since I'm bored.

"What the hell?" Saps shouted, both through whisper and out loud. The guards around him jumped. "Are you hearing yourself? Bored? What are you — "

You really should be thanking me, you know.

"Thank — "

You should. I made sure you wouldn't mourn me.

Saparata's thoughts screeched to a halt.

Blue was swarming the tower, with people climbing up from both inside and out. Archers were lining their shots. Saparata thought he could hear Schpood's and Cass's voices mixed in with the cacophony.

Fluixon was standing on a hanging edge. He was unarmed.

For the record, I meant it, Fluixon said, as the first of the soldiers reached the roof. Being sorry.

Saparata couldn't respond. He didn't have time to.

Without any fanfare, Fluixon tipped over, and his body fell down through the scorching air.

"Something's wrong," Saparata said. Something exploded in the distance, but he could barely hear it over the yells and shouts ringing through the messaging system. "They can't find — "

Found him! Schpood hollered over the messaging system, followed by a cacophony of deranged screams from Westhelm members. He's just standing there, what —

Saparata's heart jumped into his throat. Schpood! It might be a —

Wah-BAM! Schpood yelled. Whoo! Let's go, Corg! That did it! He's dead!

What? "What?" Saparata said out loud, blankly.

There was no way. Fluixon wouldn't have gone down without a — What? Seriously?

He checked. Ish's (Floating) (Constantly Updating) Divine List of Casualties glowed serenely before him. The words blinked there near the bottom, recorded and definite: Fluixon was impaled by CorgiMan.

It wasn't long before that Casualty was swept away, replaced by other names, by other soldiers who were unluckily swept into the wake of a huge conflict.

That's it? Not even a trap? Saparata thought blankly. Seriously? That's so not your style.

Saps.

" — storm the volcano, and we get — What the fuck?"

The coliseum stuttered. Saparata's mind went blank with panic. But before he could open his mouth, a hand slapped his back so hard his sword fell out of his inventory.

"Wise words!" Schpood shouted, and the coliseum erupted. Saparata gaped at him, but Schpood just nodded sagely at the crowd. Saparata genuinely couldn't tell if the man actually noticed something was wrong.

CallMeCass caught Saparata's eye, a frown already across her face. But she quickly stepped in front of him to let him duck to the side.

He pressed a hand to his ear, trying to keep out the shouts of "Death to Flux!" and "Kill the traitor!" in the background. Because surely not. Surely not?

Flux?

Oh. Sorry. Just noticed you were doing something. A pause. "And we get..." What? Justice? Really?

You — What — What — Hey, you framed me! Of course it's justice!

What the fuck was going on.

And — And how did you even know I was going to say that? How did you know I said any of that?

Through the messaging system? Obviously? Everyone with half a brain is quoting you, apparently.

Jesus. Saparata was not paid enough for this. What was he even talking about, no one paid him for anything. What the hell do you want?

What do I want? What do you mean?

You're — What? You're talking to me? You reached out to me!

Really? Well, sure, if you insist. I'm surrendering.

Saparata's brain blue-screened. "What."

Around him, the coliseum let out a deafening cheer at whatever Schpood said.

To be specific, I'm surrendering in exchange for the lives of Cynikka and Sitzkrieg0, Fluixon continued, as if he hadn't said the most insane thing ever said in the (albeit short) history of State 2.5. They promised to reform, and want peace for their citizens. They agreed to be deprived of their leadership positions if necessary.

"Wait — Wait, Flux. What."

Feel free to discuss it with that joke of an emperor. And Cass if she's there. Who else — Is Jophiel alive?

What the fuck. "What the fuck?"

No? Forget it, then.

CallMeCass grabbed Schpood's arm and said something sharp into his ear. Saparata was grateful she was letting him focus on the conversation, but he wasn't sure he was doing a good job at it. He felt like his head was splitting apart.

What else? Er, we can meet wherever and whenever you want? Doesn't really matter.

"Flux," Saparata managed, before giving up and just crouching down on the ground. Flux. What makes you think you — they — You know they also did horrible things, right?

Who?

Can you please stop being snarky for one second —

I'm not being snarky. Seriously, who are you talking about?

Cynikka and —

Oh, them? Seriously? Saps, Cynikka killed one leader that betrayed her first, and she didn't even get her trial, Fluixon pointed out. And Sitzkrieg0... Oh, right, he killed 5pyder. He did do that. Why did you do that? A much longer pause. Saparata slowly covered his face with his hands. Okay, he was being petty. Is being petty a crime worthy of death?

Flux.

Fine, fine, I don't know how to justify that, whatever. Look, I just convinced them that maybe they don't want to die, so I'd appreciate it if you put in a bit more effort into this.

What are you talking about.

I'm talking about how I've somehow managed to make them believe that the lives of their citizens are worth more than a volcano, or a dying reputation, or something. Surely that's earned them some moral credit, or whatever. Is that not worthy of a meeting?

The crowd screamed at something Schpood said. A lot of guards banged their spears against their shields this time. Everything was really loud. Saparata's head was going to explode.

Hello? Saps? State to Saps?

Why are you doing this? Saparata asked weakly. Why — after everything?

Oh. Fluixon paused. That's... a long and complicated story.

Saparata could see Schpood frown, could see him yell something at Cass with an offended look. They both turned to stare at him.

I... might have time to tell you about it, Flux continued. If it works out this time. I'm not sure.

Not sure about what? About what? Flux, you — You realize how insane this sounds, right? You made my life hell the past few days. You united both islands against you. You did that! You did that yourself!

No need for that, Fluixon muttered.

And now you're saying you want the islands to — You want me to — You want us to give you a trial!

You want honesty, Saps? Fluixon didn't sound angry, which was the most bewildering part of it all. The Fluixon Saparata knew would have snarked, and sneered, and snarled his way through any semblance of conflict. But his voice now was flat, and bland. Like he was agreeing with a child that the sky was blue. I'm exhausted. I don't see a way out of this. Any soul I had left was completely eroded a long time ago, and I've been a walking corpse waiting for the sun to rise so I'd burn to death. That's about it.

Saparata stared at nothing. What did that mean? What did any of that mean?

Just — Fluixon's voice cracked. That startled Saparata so badly he nearly dropped something else from his inventory. Did Fluixon just — falter? Fluixon? Falter? Oh, for fuck's sake, sorry. Just take the deal, Saps. If this works, we'll have time to talk. Okay?

He didn't know how to respond. Seriously, how was he supposed to respond? This was so sudden. It came out of — of absolutely nowhere. What happened to Flux? Why was he doing this?

Saps, Fluixon said, voice finally as quiet as a whisper usually was. Please. Especially because I don't even know how much time we'll end up having.

Thirteen years and five months and twenty-three days, came Fluixon's monotonous whisper in the middle of Saparata's speech at the Coliseum. All wasted time, by the way. Don't know what I expected. Give Cynikka and SitzKrieg0 a fair trial, they're perfectly capable of getting pardoned without my help. Bye forever.

Before Saparata could say anything, completely blindsided, a messenger came rushing into the Coliseum, shouting about the surrender of the Infernus keep. Before Schpood could even demand where the leaders were, there was a metallic sound in Saparata's ear, followed by an ugly squelch.