RuneScape Forum Archive | Fall From Grace

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2020

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"The willingness, the commitment, and the faith in a person," answered his uncle. "a person you'd be willing to stop if they stray, shepherd if they are lost, help up if they've fallen. These men, your "Loyal Knights," even your citizens... They are not loyal to you, their only obedience is to the crown, to the thirst of a world in which they prosper. They care for nothing about who you are, Balor, only what you are!"

"As king, you use people who use you," declared the king. "The world is a selfish place, it matters very little to them if they use me for their own prosperity, just as it matters very little to me if I use them for my own prosperity. I serve them as they serve me, irregardless of the intentions."

"That logic is flawed," Momus angrily expressed.

"Then what do you suggest?" asked Balor, out of curiosty. "To let all that I've worked for just fall to pieces? All because fools stop and stare, praise my feet, for what is upon my head?"

"The cost of your rule is too much," said Momus. "The madness of that which you needlessly sacrificed."

"Allow me to quote a line a very important person told me," Balor quoted his sister, remembering that day she was crowned queen, when the two spoke. ""Sacrifice is paramount to a ruler's success.""

"Those "sacrifices" weren't necessary to begin with,"

Balor sighed heavily. "I do not expect you to understand, uncle," said Balor. "You and Raphael both, thinking you can solve everything without sacrifice, without payment, without bloodshed. You know not what is like to rule, a place where such naiveté gets you killed. I expected such ignorance from Raphael, but not you, uncle. Instead of staying loyally beside your king, your brother's son, you decide to side with some long-dead phantom wretch."
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09-Oct-2014 01:24:36 - Last edited on 10-Oct-2014 20:47:58 by Serene End

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2020

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"Both of my brother's sons are dead," Momus corrected. "They were kind-hearted children, thinking of others before themselves. But their lives were cut short, murdered by two people who have become intoxicated by absolute power."

Such a feeling that was familiar to Balor, being yet again caught off-guard by Momus' knowledge. It was clear to the king that his uncle did not speak about him when he referenced "two sons," he was talking about both Lelantos and... Raphael. "So, you knew about Raphael," realized Balor, not angry but disappointed.

"I did," he answered honestly. "I have guarded the secret for nineteen years, since the very day of his birth."

There was then a knock at the door, a very recognizable knock to both men. This pulled Balor's eyes over towards the sound, knowing well who was behind the door. Causing Balor to cease, not wanting to show all that had happened to anyone -- let alone her. He simply closed his eyes, letting out a heavyhearted sigh. "Enter," he told the person behind the door, causing the door to peel open.

The door pulled open, revealing Balor's sister just behind it. "Hello," she greeted as she took a second's glance into the room, closing the door behind her. "I hope I'm—..."

Her voice froze solid the moment she truly took a look at the state of the room, being left literally speechless. Her pale blue eyes saw the table in shambles, the tea that stained the floor, the body of Medea Ishvara, and the two she loved more than anything else in this world with their weapons drawn, all covered in blood.

"What is...?" she uttered in her bemusement, perplexed by what was she seeing.

Balor opened his eyes, looking to her and seeing the complete confusion and shock upon her face. "Sister," Balor called.
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09-Oct-2014 01:26:14

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2020

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Lucia's eyes shuffled to the left, becoming lost. She did not to believe her instincts were true, her senses telling her that Momus truly did intend and thought about betraying them. She shook her head, attempting to rid herself of these feelings "So," she mumbled. "it is true..."

"What is?"

Lucia's eyes then flipped to Momus, who seemed saddened that she had to bear witness to this. "That uncle means to kill us," she answered.

Balor raised his eyebrow, surprised by his sister's knowing. "How did you know?" he asked.

"I sensed it when he came into my room just before he came here," the ebony-haired queen answered, walking over to her brother's side. At the right side of her brother, her eyes gazed down upon Momus. "Uncle... I thought you were among "us.""

"Yes," he responded. "I am to be but a stone, a stone paved upon your path moving forward."

"His mind has eaten poisoned fruit, sister," Balor informed Lucia, his eyes turning to Momus. "He is a Lamian, even able to speak in her language. He's been conspiring against the Imperial Kingdom for almost the entirety of his life, leaking information, aiding the Resistance, helping Astrid out of the city, led the Resistance into the city. He's perhaps the reason the Resistance was so strong, giving them revenue and information about anything they wanted."

Lucia's eyes then turned to Medea's lifeless body. "And what of Medea?" she asked.

"Bribed into service," her brother quickly answered. "She was given leniency and favoritism, given power over treasury by vote of the Ruler's Counsel. She was given wealth and power beyond what her inherited nobility could give, all in exchange for her support."

The queen looked back at Momus. "I see," she replied, attempting with great effort to absorb all of this information. "Did father know about any of this, uncle? About how you've been quietly mapping out his destruction?"

"He did," Momus responded.
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09-Oct-2014 01:27:15

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2020

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"Then why would he allow it?" Lucia muttered a question, one that would truly have a strange answer. "Surely he realized that he was just setting himself up to have his throne get pulled out from under him."

"It seems you know not your father's true intentions," the noble went on, looking up at Lucia as she, him, and Raphael have had such a discussion. "Although his role as king was very important to him, he intended for his place to one day be usurped by the humans. It is why he asked Raphael to take his place, and why Malik wanted Raphael as the leader of the Resistance. Malik wanted Raphael to gain favor with the humans, to prepare him for the role of leader."

"How very intricate," Balor commented upon Momus' explanation. "What a shame that his unfinished plot was picked up by the wrong hand, and completed in a way I'm sure he'd not quite like."

"Brother," Lucia called, painfully did her thoughts attack her. "what shall we do with uncle?"

Balor turned to Lucia. "I do not wish to take another from you, sister," he responded. "...But to be frank, if it were truly up to me, I would kill him. Treason is like a disease and must be contained before it becomes a plague."

"Then do it," demanded the noble, causing the king to pause and really think about it. Did Balor have it in himself to do it again, and this time in front of his sister? His hand was frozen, he really didn't want to take yet another from Lucia. Momus was able to sniff out this moment of weakness, waiting patiently. "Why do you hesitate, Balor? You were not daunted when you killed your father, or your mother, nor your brother. This should be almost natural to you, as simple as child's play!"
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09-Oct-2014 01:28:46

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2020

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Truly, Balor did not want to. He didn't want to kill him, didn't want to make yet another person haunt her memories. Though, Momus made a point... He didn't hesitate in his killings of Divus, Leena, nor Lelantos. Why now? Why now does he choose to doubt himself? Lucia's eyes watched from its corner, seeing Momus' hand slowly becoming more focused.

In a flash, Momus prepared himself. He bolted up to his feet, readying his gladius and kill the distracted Balor. Having been viewing this all happen, Lucia was prepared for Momus' sudden and decisive action. "Brother!" she shouted, pushing him out of the way. Balor was hurled off of his feet, hitting the ground just to the right of where he was standing.

Snapping out of his trance, his sapphire blue eyes peered backwards. And they then widened, seeing Momus' gladius going into Lucia's chest, its bloody half having pierced through her flesh and finding itself behind her. Balor was stunned, utterly shell-shocked by the horrible actions of his uncle and the sacrifice of his sister.

Lucia's face painfully contorted, riddled with the agony of her injury and the mental suffering of her uncle's betrayal. Blood flowed down her lips once again, dripping down her chin. Momus' eyes looked up at the victim of his attack, but quickly he recognized that it was not the intended target. But rather someone he wished to avoid hurting, his brother's only daughter. "Lucia," named Momus. "Ever the sharp one, you saw my scheme right from its start."

"...You're a coward, uncle," she then callously told her uncle, her voice stricken with discomfort. "To think you... would sink so low that you would betray those you're meant to protect."

"To reach the highest top, one must sink to the lowest bottom," replied Momus. "I only do what I think best for our world."

"That's exactly right," Lucia returned. "Just as I have."
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09-Oct-2014 01:30:06

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Momus seemed puzzled by that statement, his face reflecting it. But its answer came to him, just not exactly as he would like. He suddenly began coughing like a violent spasm, tightly closing his eyes and covering his mouth with his hand. His coughing fit over, his light blue eyes taken as he saw red stain the hand he covered his mouth with.

Blood rolled down his mouth, dripped from the palm of his hand. His vision scrolled down, seeing a blade of adamas entering into his abdomen. The Eshenel burrowed inwards, stabbing through him, pushing out red like dirt from digging. The blade he bestowed upon her, the one to take him. A moment after his eyes found the sword, Momus then looked back up at Lucia.

His face distraught and bewildered, feeling the pain of the deep, aching wound he had suffered. He didn't expect this from her, never from her... "Lucia..." he muttered painfully.

"I do not wish it to be this way," she truly did admit. "But you forced my hand, you left me with no choice. I swore to act as both sword and shield to this country, protecting it from all threats. You are a threat, uncle, so I have to eliminate you."

Momus smiled lightly, his left hand slowly reaching over for Lucia's face. His hand caressed her cheek, his face glowing with pride. "Yes... I was right," he said to her. "You are a wonderful queen, Lucia... Even though you might disagree, I am certain your father and mother both would be as I, proud to see what you've become."

The two then ripped their blades out from each other's bodies, the two staggering backwards in weakness of their wounds. Momus dropped his sword, clenching onto his grisly wound. He collapsed onto his knees, his blood forsaking him. Balor had jumped back onto his feet, rushing over to his sister, watching her drop to her knees. "Sister!" he yelped with concern, sliding down onto his knees beside her, putting his right hand against her back.
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09-Oct-2014 01:31:18 - Last edited on 13-Oct-2014 12:03:28 by Serene End

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She looked to him, her face grew tight and distorted. "I'm... I'm all right, brother," she assured him, clenching onto the hole in her chest.

"I am... sorry, you two," Momus chose to apologize in his final moments, coughing out more blood. "You... know I love you... both... right?"

Lucia and Balor both looked to Momus, but the two had very different reactions. Saddened was Lucia by these words, but Balor was infuriated, enraged. How could he possibly love them after what he's done, what he tried to do? ""Love"?" Balor's voice suddenly jolted, his eyes beaming like death rays. "You call what you've done l—!?"

"—Balor," Lucia then interrupted, her head flipping back over to him.

Balor looked to his sister, confused. He saw her then shaking her head, telling him that it wasn't the time for his anger. To be mindful, respectful, now that he witnessed his final moments. The king let out a heavy breath, his eyes becoming half-closed. Lucia turned to her uncle, smiling lightly. "Of course we do, uncle," she responded to the dying Momus. "We love you too."

Momus' weary eyes then turned to Balor, who looked to him and assured his uncle that Lucia's words were true, shaking his head. Momus let out a very weak smile, elated to hear this from those he betrayed, those who betrayed him. His body restless and sore, truly suckled until it became hollow much like described by Pallas Barn, Momus thought it impossible and pointless to continue on fighting.

His body began to fall to its right, his limp arms swaying with his movement. He hit the floor, bouncing very slightly at its impact. Looking forward at his brother's children sideways, Momus' one final regret was that he had hurt them, turned his back to them. Although he knew it to be necessary, it still was a very painful thing to have done.
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09-Oct-2014 01:32:36

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Balor and Lucia then just watch as Momus' smile fell from his face, his breathing grow swallow and virtually non-existent. The noble's vision grew unclear, unable to see their faces anymore. The light blue glow of his eyes slowly fading away like his consciousness, a depression spreading between the king and the queen.

The two siblings then just looked to each other, their blue eyes fraught with sorrow. A terrible situation upon them, their hearts grievous. They watched as the very final seconds of their uncle's life come and go, the glow of his irises all but faded away, signalling his end. Their eyes drawn to tears, the sobering message rung well. They only had each other now, no others to stand with them.

They drew close to one another, cuddling in a way to comfort the other. Balor wrapped his right arm around Lucia's back and sat his head on top of hers, her right side of her face pressed into the upper left side of his chest. Lucia closed her eyes, clenching her right hand upon her brother's left hand.

The two attempted to comfort the other in this time of crisis, both lamentful and remorseful over the death of their uncle. They both blamed themselves for what had occurred, absolving the other of the crime. With her eyes closed, her hand that clasped Balor's began to feel liquid brush across its tan-skinned hide.

Her eyes opened up to figure out the source, seeing blood. But it was not hers, but her brother's. She then pulled off of him, her pale blue eyes seeing the wound across Balor's torso. She grew worried, looking up at him. "Brother," she named with concern. "you're hurt."

He shook his head. "You needn't worry about me," he told her. "I'll be fine."

"Brother," she named again after a moment of silence. "...Is it right what we're doing? It seems like so many people disagree with us... especially the closest to us."
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09-Oct-2014 01:33:42

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2020

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Her eyes shifted over to Momus' body the moment she spoke those final five words, conflicted with all that they've done thus far. Balor looked to his sister, confident and strong. "I pondered that question for a very long time," Balor informed her, grabbing her right shoulder. "Listen to me... It matters very little if the world chooses to agree with us or not, we only do what we think is best, just as any rebel or any man in position. This world is one ripe with countless versions of the concept of "right," ours is just one of the millions upon millions. Some people, like uncle, choose to act upon their version of right, while others simply follow behind those with their most agreeable version. There is no absolute "right" in this world, only people who do only what they think is right. Like us, we're doing what we think is right, correct?"

"Yes," she agreed, looking back at her and then laughing lightly under her tears. "Ha, you're starting to sound like father, brother."

Balor sighed, his head hanging low. "That seems like a popular opinion today," the queen's brother mumbled.

"But still..." she said, turning away once more.

Balor wrapped himself around Lucia, embracing his sister to comfort her. "I know," he understood well the way that she felt. The two hugged, wrapping their arms around each other. They needed each other to help get through this darkness, to get passed this pain. And still, the rain poured down outside, dark clouds that would not allow the light to shine through.

Not even a day into the start of Utopia, and already blood had been spilt. Was this the signal of things to come? Was this the truth of it all, the one and only truth? Utopia is along a path painted in blood and paved in bodies, the grandest thing rewarded only to those who committed the wickedest of crimes.

...Was this just the start?

The End of Chapter 22,
Next Chapter:
Chapter 23: A Second Wind

Thank you for reading, I appreciate it. ^_^

~Serene End
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09-Oct-2014 01:35:54 - Last edited on 15-Oct-2014 13:04:55 by Serene End

Azigarath

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I was away last week in Vancouver Island. I expected to read this before I left, but I soon realised I ran out of time.
The first sentence of chapter 22 ends a bit weirdly, I think it needs a quick fix.

I really liked how you describe the town, corpses, desert environment, vultures, and mercantile-related things. A bit later, there is brief talk about a specific time, presumably one of action. Going to page 27, I need a break from reading. Hopefully, I can finish the chapter later.

OK, back.
*blink* *blink* why are your chapters getting so long? D:

As usual, your metaphorical elements of description are put to use very well, as seen on page 97. The godly ones are quite happy and celebrating, contrasting the torment of the mortals described earlier.

“Her long, obsidian strands of hair not allowed to flow freely upon this special day, banded together in a long French Braid.”
Ah, the French are within context of the story! They sure know how to get around.

“The small orb of light was isolated from its kind, shunned like a beggar looking for change.”
The sentence after the comma is great.

(continue from page 98)

Second day, second sitting...

There is more artistic description, tension of sorts, and mention of a Utopia.

Alrighty, third day, third sitting.

Gallows has a slight predicament. If I were him, I’d give the boy a knife and tell him to go kill the king.

Fourth day already? Hopefully I can finish reading this chapter.

“. . .skeletons and rotting carcasses made up for its lack of living residence.”
I really liked that one.

A while later, an old lady is killed.

DOORKNOB!
Ah, a ferocious demon is about to appear before the queen! Oh, wait, it’s just an old lady. The two exchange a brief discussion with a little heat here and there.

22-Oct-2014 02:25:58

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