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“Do you remember the start after we found the glitch? When Scar died from Grian leading that creeper into the group and just watching it explode?” The star demon asks, causing his friend to laugh a little and say, “of course I do! Do you remember when he told us it was going to be a peaceful life?” in a mocking tone. Despite how hard they try to ignore it, the air is heavy and sorrowful. This is the first time they’ve talked about what happened then. About the two of them remembering everything that happened, being the only ones who do remember. The demon chuckles, taking a sip of his of his tea. A lull appears in the conversation, the Mezalean King thinks back to everything that happened in that cursed three lives only world and the demon recalls his marriage to his human, how he wished it would have lasted longer. That he would have lasted longer. What a world that was.
“Hey, Scott,” the king says, “I’m... sorry for everything I did back... then. You and Jimmy didn’t deserve it.” The demon, Scott, looked up at him, “Joel, you have nothing to apologize for.” The king, Joel, opened his mouth to protest, but Scott beat him to it, “you were red life, Joel. We both know what happens when you turn red. The bloodlust, the anger. The hatred... nothing was your fault.” His tone left no room for argument, but Joel tried anyways, “I burnt your wall, I betrayed your trust, I betrayed you! Are you not angry at me? I would hate me! You and Jimmy just wanted to live in your hobbit hole, together, but-” Scott cut him off, rolling his eyes. “Talking like that doesn’t help your case, we can shift the blame to anyone. Everyone betrayed some. No one in that world was innocent. Everyone killed someone, whether it was their allies or not, it’s how we had to live then.” After he says this, he pauses, making sure Joel understands what he’s about to say clearly, “you could blame anyone if you try hard enough. It’s not any one person’s fault. What happened there... everyone was a part of it in some way. Do you understand?” Joel tears up a bit, water rising in his chocolate brown eyes, but he nods anyway. “Good,” Scott says, the stars in his hair turning from a fiery orange to a radiant white and the small amount of frost surrounding him retreating closer to him.
They sit in silence for a few more minutes, just drinking their tea and breathing and existing together. The tea’s sweet but lemony flavor washing over the two and calming any nerves. Joel still had some tears in his eyes but looked much calmer, more put together. The star demon glanced up at him and, after a second of hesitation, got up, went over to his side of the table, and gave him a hug. Joel froze, tense, but relaxed after a moment and returned the hug.
They stayed like that for a few seconds, happy to just exist together and enjoy each other's company. After some time, Scott let go and went back to his seat, looking apologetic when he noticed the king’s shivering. He opened his mouth to say something, the galaxies in his hair and wings were flowing in the still air, when the door flung open. “Hey Joel,” Sausage exclaimed loudly, “I need so-,” he saw Scott and froze. “Beulbhad! What are you doing here!?” He yelled while getting out his magic staff and pointing it at Scott- Beulbhad- “threateningly". The demon rolled his blue-violet eyes and stood up, Sausage eyeing him cautiously. Ignoring Joel’s questioning, “who’s Beulbhad,” the two stare at each other, Beulbhad having a hint of a smirk when the other glanced away looking slightly nervous. His gaze lingered for a little longer, then he turned towards the Mezalean King with a small smile, “see you next time,” he said, sounding more like a question at the end. Joel smiles, saying, “of course,” causing Sausage to look at him in bewilderment and start protesting it.
They both ignore him and shake hands, Joel shuddering from the cold aura the demon gives off. Beulbhad goes out to the balcony they’re on and jumps onto the banister, flaring out his wings, the constellations on them slowly swirl and move around, the stars illuminating the dim evening. He looks back and nods farewell to the two men, one returning it with a soft grin and the other looking beyond confused and suspicious. He tucks his wings in and steps off the banister and waits till he’s a few feet from the ground to spread his wings and shoot off, the wind blowing into him.
Behind him, he can hear the wizard interrogating Joel, the air carrying his loud voice over. The demon laughs and continues his way to his Champion’s empire. She said she found a better, faster way to spread Exor’s beautiful corruption after all.
Just the thought of it spreading makes his eyes glow a brilliant cyan.