Only Skeletons Remain

Chapter 19: The New Prophecy

The low hum of the Neon Graveyard was the only sound as Miguel and Keons stood across from each other. The distant flicker of neon lights illuminated the graves of those lost to DEMA's grip. The air was thick with tension, as if the city itself was holding its breath.

Keons, the tiger-bishop of the DEMA High Council, stood tall, his striped fur shimmering faintly in the artificial glow. His golden eyes locked onto Miguel's, intense but unreadable. Miguel, arms crossed, stood firm, though the weight of Keons' presence was undeniable. He had brought a few trusted Banditos along, but they stood far behind, giving the two leaders space.

Keons' voice was the first to break the silence, low and steady. "I've seen what's to come, Bandito. What your future holds—what DEMA's future holds."

Miguel narrowed his eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. "You and your prophecies," he muttered. "What now?" He still remembered the one Keons had given him before his escape. 

'There will be Three, kin of your kin, who hold the power to reshape the world and defy the shadows.'

Keons took a step forward, and Miguel resisted the urge to flinch. The tiger's gaze pierced through him, as if searching for something deeper inside. "There is no escape from this path, Miguel," Keons said, his voice thick with meaning. "The blood that flows in your veins is not ordinary, though I'm sure you know that. You carry a legacy you haven't even begun to understand."

Miguel's fists clenched at his sides. He hated when the bishops spoke in riddles, twisting truths and half-truths into something maddeningly elusive. "Spit it out, Keons."

Keons smiled faintly, as if amused by Miguel's impatience. "From your bloodline," Keons began, his voice dropping lower, becoming almost a growl, "the flame that devours shall ignite, and when the beast bows to its master, the city of lights will fall."

Miguel's throat tightened. "My bloodline? Keons, you know I have no children." His mind raced, thinking of a future that felt far too distant to concern him now. But the weight of the words lingered. His child's child, someone who would finish the war he had begun.

"They will be the one to quell the beast inside," Keons continued, his eyes glowing brighter as the words took hold. "The one that tears at you even now." He motioned to Miguel's chest, where Loki rested, always waiting, always watching.

Miguel's jaw tensed. "Loki... is not something that can just be 'quelled.'" He spoke through gritted teeth, the memories of his torturous transformation still fresh in his mind.

"You're right," Keons said softly. "Not by you."

A chill ran down Miguel's spine.

"But your descendant will succeed where you falter. They will be the one to tame the storm inside you. They will wield the power that you fear. And they will bring DEMA's downfall."

Miguel's hands shook. It wasn't fear, not entirely. It was the weight of knowing that his fight was not just his own. That it stretched beyond him, to some distant future where a child of his child would inherit his war.

"And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?" Miguel spat. "Just wait for someone else to clean up the mess?"

"No," Keons said, stepping closer. "You must survive. You must lay the foundation. Without you, none of this will come to pass. You must fight Loki, keep him from consuming you before your time is done."

Miguel swallowed hard, the enormity of it all crushing down on him. The prophecy, Loki, the future—it was too much.

Keons' gaze softened for just a moment. "You're not alone in this, Miguel. But I need something from you in return."

Miguel raised an eyebrow, wary. "What do you want?"

"Help me escape DEMA," Keons said quietly. "I can't stay there any longer. I'm as much a prisoner as you once were. The council is crumbling from within, and soon, the others will turn on me. But I can't do it alone. I need a way out. And you, Bandito Leader... you can give me that."

Miguel's brow furrowed, the weight of Keons' request settling heavily on him. Helping a High Council member escape wasn't something he could do lightly.

"Why should I trust you?" Miguel asked, his voice low, suspicious. "You're a bishop. You've ruled over DEMA for who knows how long. You vowed for my transformation! What makes you any different from the rest?"

Keons' eyes gleamed with something Miguel hadn't seen in the tiger before. Pain. Desperation. "I'm not different," he said. "I was once like the others, trapped by DEMA's lies, thinking I could wield power without being consumed by it. But now... now I know better. I want out. And I can help you, Miguel. I can show you things about DEMA, secrets you can use to bring it down." The tiger bishop coiled around him before letting go. "I have always known you were special, Miguel. You have seen the gods. I see the conflicting marks on your body."

Miguel looked down, his mind swirling with possibilities. Helping Keons escape could give the Banditos an upper hand, information they desperately needed. But it was a risk, trusting a bishop. Especially one as cunning as Keons. He then looked up when he mentioned the conflicting marks on his body. He clenched his fists a little bit. If he chose to help Keons, he risked the wrath of DEMA. If he didn't help him, they would never have the power to take DEMA down.

"Fine," Miguel said after a long pause. "I'll help you. But if you cross me—"

"I won't," Keons interrupted. "I have as much at stake as you do."

Miguel nodded, though a part of him still felt unsure. Keons was dangerous, and this prophecy weighed on his mind like a ticking clock. The future loomed over him, uncertain and threatening. He had seen the failed outcome of prophecies given to others, and Miguel had receieved two of them in the matter of years.

But if Keons was right... if his kin of kin was destined to destroy DEMA... then Miguel had to live long enough to make sure it happened.

"Let's get out of here," Miguel said.

"I cannot leave now." Keons said, his ears pinning to his head. "I shall take my leave when the moon drips red, and its light no longer shines upon the city."

Miguel nodded, looking up when he heard wings flapping. Ni'lls... He needed to leave. If anyone would report it'd be the eagle. Keons seemed to sense it too.

"Time for you to go, Bandito Leader." Keons said before scaling up the tower to meet Ni'lls on top of one of the smaller towers.

Miguel snuck away, meeting up with the patrol.

"What happened?" Lara asked. "Is he coming?" 

Miguel didn't answer, walking over to her and pressing a kiss to her lips. He cupped her face in his hands, pulling away after a few moments. He stared at her.

"I love you." He blurted out.

Lara just smiled. "I love you too, Miguelito."