"Come with me." Markus said
They went outside and he grabbed her hand before flying to the roof.
"Mark what are we doing up here—" she began to say
"I'm getting dragged back to The Capital on the graduation day of the final year students… because I too will graduate with them. So I won't be here… for the next two years. I won't be here… ever again probably. So you'll have to take over." Markus said
"What..? Why!" Helen exclaimed
"I can't tell you why. But that's all I can say is that I'll serve at the royal palace… so if you're even in The Capital maybe we'll run into each other. Who knows…" Markus said
"… this doesn't make sense— why—" Helen said, taken aback and in shock
"I wish I could tell you." Markus said with his head down as he turned his back
"Is this related to why you broke up with Amy? Wait— is this why you needed to become an expert? To move to the Capital?" She asked
"Apparently… although I didn't know at the time. And if I failed, I would've been killed. I needed to prove my value— only that when I did, I was pulled in and had no hope of escape." Markus explained
"Can I try to help—" Helen began to ask
"No!" Markus exclaimed
"The closer you get— the closer you are to death." Markus said
"It can't be that bad—" Helen said with a scoff
"Remember Jack's family? The Viscount family— the Jurens." Markus said
"… what about them?" Helen asked
"They got too close… Helen. And just like that they were all killed. I'm not saying it because I'm scared of a possibility. I'm saying it because it's a fucking certainty." Markus said
She approached and put her hand on his shoulder
"Okay, Mark. I believe you. Even if you have to leave— we can stay in touch. Write to me and send a return address. You're my friend— that won't chance just because you leave. Same for the rest—" Helen said
"Don't tell them… it's better that they do not know until the last moment. But you, I wanted to be honest with you. And I wanted to leave the council in your hands ahead of time." Markus said
"What about Amy?" Helen asked
"It's better that she doesn't know." Markus said before dropping from the roof
Helen stretched out her hand after him but he was already gone.
In silence, she too dropped down.
A few hours later, Amy was in the student council chambers.
The door opened and she looked up.
"Hey Helen." She said as she did some paperwork
"… let's have one more in-school competition." Helen said
"What? Why?" Amy asked
"For the seat of student council president." Helen said
"What!?" Amy exclaimed
"… Markus is being forced to leave in June. He's spoken only to me about it and how he wants me to fill his position… but I want to earn it." Helen said
After a few moments of silence, Amy spoke.
"You did earn it… as vice-president. When the president is unable to do his duties, you are up next for the role." Amy said
"Are you not surprised he is leaving?" Helen asked
"I figured that once he became an expert something would happen. He chased it like his life depended on it. And now that he got it… he's moving on." Amy said
"It did depend on it. He was going to be killed by someone from the royal palace if he did not advance. But now that he did— he's being dragged there to serve." Helen explained on his behalf
"Honestly… I don't care. He never bothered to explain anything to me. Said it was all to dangerous for me to know— but you seem to know a lot. So maybe the problem was not the danger, but trusting me." Amy said
"You resent him for it…" Helen said softly, realising it
"Ofcourse I do! He was my boyfriend and he just became a power obsessed guy who kept all his secrets. I've had to lie to my parents… for months, that we're still together and that it's all fine so my father wouldn't probably kill him!" Amy said in frustration
"He told me something else. The last time anyone found out the truth behind him, the whole noble family was killed. Viscount Juren and his family—" Helen said
"Viscount Juren and his family were killed for high treason by the Queen. How would Markus be at all involved in it… unless…" Amy said
"Unless it was Markus… and the Queen? Who were doing the treason? That's insane right…" Helen said
"Students said Markus was trying to destroy a crystal construct when the guards tried to intervene… there's a link there… but what—" Amy said then she remembered something
'Do you think imperial vessels deserve to die?'
'What if one heralded life?'
Those questions were strange then… but now…
'Markus is an imperial vessel that the crown knows about and is… raising? And the Jurens found out about it and the queen killed them for it… executed them for treason when she was doing the treason— against her people!' Amy thought
"You've thought of something…" Helen said, not even asking
"Markus… is an imperial vessel… and the crown knows about it." Amy said
"That's ridiculous— why would the crown go against its own decree? And Markus… conveniently wasn't in the capital where they did a decree inquisition…" Helen said, incredulous
"The thing is… Markus isn't a vessel of destruction. He tried to ask me about it but I didn't budge… yet the truth was right there. Remember when he healed overnight after the student council battle? He has healing powers… then he's an emperor of healing and life… and more importantly, he needed to be an expert to meet a deadline the crown set him. And if he failed— they'd execute them under the decree. She's not raising them… she's selecting the ones with potential, putting them through trials and then making them submit. He's taken to the capital to serve her… as a disposable tool… as a weapon…" Amy said softly
Helen took a chair and collapsed on it.
The two girls had just formed a solid theory that would reveal the most scandalous secret in the continent. The weight of that knowledge… the weight of the secret settled in them… and it was heavy.
"He carried this- all of it… this knowledge… and the pressure to try his hardest just to live… the whole time we knew him. And we find out just when he's about to leave…" Helen said, taken aback wholly
Amy stood up and ran out of the chambers.
Before long, she found him.
"Chambers. Now." She said to Markus as he was in a lesson
Markus stood up with the class watching and left.
'Helen talked—' Markus thought to himself
Markus walked into chambers and saw Helen there, sitting down and deep in thought.
Amy followed, closed the door and sealed it with her essence.
"We figured it out. All of it." Amy said
"No you didn't." Markus said
"You're an imperial vessel of a different primordial who has passed the trials of the Queen, among which was advancing to expert. Now that you passed it, you're being called to The Capital to be under her direct control. The Jurens found you out and she killed them for treason when it was her who was doing the treason." Helen said
"Okay— you did figure it all out. How the fuck—" Markus exclaimed
"It was right there. We just read between the lines and counted for your slip ups." Amy said
"So what are you going to do now? You're both noble women. The nobility has been commited to genocide against imperial vessels…" Markus said
"… honestly… I could care less. Especially that you are of a different type than the other emperors— I won't say a word of it to anyone regardless. I swear it." Helen said, looking him in the eye
Markus sighed with relief.
"And you? I wanted to tell you that night… but your response… even if you despise my existence reporting me won't solve anything. The Queen will just—" Markus went on but Amy just shushed him with her index finger over his lips
"I had a feeling but I ignored it. You were never a bad person and being an imperial vessel doesn't change you. I just wish… I would've known. That you would've had to the trust in me to tell." She said
"Me too… but even if I did. I would've never said anything. Or so I'd like to believe. You are now in danger. Right where I didn't want you to be. I kept this secret— even if it broke us up— because if she asks me point blank if anyone who shouldn't know knows— I'm afraid I won't be able to lie. And then what— you end up like the Jurens? I don't want that." Markus said solemnly
"We won't. It will be fine. But what exactly is her plan?" Amy asked
"… control me before I inherit the imperial powers and use me in some way… I've been able to dissolution myself all this time I've been away but when I was there… when she used the crystal— I was a mindless soldier. A…" Markus trailed
"A tool. For her war against the dukes. Beware of the four dukes, Markus. They do not get along with the queen and she senses their disobedience and fears their power. She's raising an emperor to use you against them. They might be able to do take down a monarch— but a monarch and an emperor? No." Helen said
"Is that so… so she's been forging a tool this whole time…" Markus said, processing the information
"On the thing you mentioned Helen. A succession battle?" Amy asked
"Yeah. I want to earn it, Markus. That way nobody will dare question it if I prove myself. We both go all out and if I still lose, then at least I lose fighting the strongest. Nobody will challenge me either way." Helen said
"Nobody will challenge you as is—" Markus said
"But they will. In your training time, plenty of people wanted to have a jab at you. I fought them off naturally but there are people who would pounce at the chance of you leaving. Next year we can get challenged but it will be a lot less likely to get challenged if I prove myself against the nutjob who took down a whole lotta guards." Helen explained
"Oh… sorry I wasn't there. And if it helps— fine. It will be… like we're coming full circle I guess. We started off with a spar didn't we? Seems right that I leave with one. Let's do it at graduation." Markus said
"I'll be ready." Helen replied
"I have news too… so as you know, I was a transfer student… from the Royal Academy. After the performance in the competition… they want me back. Initially I wanted to say no but my father already accepted on my behalf. I didn't want to drag it out either but it's better to say it now since it would be pointless to tell Markus on graduation. Sorry, Helen." Amy said
"… there goes like half my friends. You two better write to me and don't be strangers!" Helen said with a sigh
"At least we'll be staying close, Markus." Amy said
"Yeah… it might make the move to the Capital less misereable." Markus said
"Then I suppose we should set up the farewell battle." Helen said, pulling out a stack of papers
"'We'!? Who's we! It was your idea— I'm just gonna show up and kick your butt." Markus said before trying to make a quick getaway but the door was sealed
"Uhm— mind undoing this?" He said to Amy
She sighed and let the seal vanish.
Markus walked out and saw the guard there.
"Have you actually prevented any entries?" Markus asked the guard
"This year? No. People were scared of pissing you off." The guard replied
"So you get paid to stand guard… right… well. Enjoy, I guess. I hear there's a change in leadership." Markus said with a chuckle as he went back to lessons
And so, departures were set and new beginnings were planned. Now, only graduation day awaited them.