Malicious Tales

Epilogue

The mausoleum was filled with Fallen as they paid their respects to the late Lord Ruin, although if a human were to join the funeral, they would have thought it a party. The aristocratic Necromancers mingled throughout the crowd, clinking glasses of wine, or blood, depending on their tastes. The Faeries flitted across the room, just hoping for someone else to die. After all, a party wasn’t a party when they didn’t get to eat someone. The Zombies and Vampyres were mindless as ever, wandering around without a care in the world. Even the Morphs were enjoying themselves, ignoring their duties as assassins and guards for the occasion. They were Fallen, death was only a cause of celebration, and it was a well known tradition.

    Haru swirled the blood around in his glass, scanning the crowds for any sign of their newest ruler. He found Salem and Fallon at the buffet table, trying to ignore the flesh in favour of actual food. Felix was standing against a wall, his scarves covering his mouth and Faerie markings, silver hair covering one eye.

    “You quite possibly look like the world’s biggest emo kid right now, Felix-san,” he teased as he approached the brooding half-breed. Felix looked up, raising his one visible eyebrow.

    “You haven’t seen Malice-sama, have you? She should be here.”

    Felix sighed, pushing away from the wall and pushing the scarf down from his mouth.

    “Stop being so damn pretentious, Haru. She’s been through enough thanks to him. He’s lucky he’s dead, or I’d have killed him myself. She doesn’t owe him, or you, anything,” he said fiercely, before leaving the mausoleum.

    “I have to take over now, Syn. This should have been your job, not mine. I don’t want this. You didn’t need to die,” Malice said softly as she spoke to her half-brother’s grave. She’d had enough of the overcrowded mausoleum, leaving in search of a place to think and found herself sitting outside at the grave.

    “You know, I was always fond of you, even when I was stuck in that cell with Felix,” she continued. “Do you remember that time when I was locked up and you snuck me in some chocolate cake, even though Father told you not to? You were always looking out for me weren’t you. After all that, I couldn’t even save you. And now they’re expecting me to somehow lead an entire race of-”

    “Malice? That you?” Malice smiled softly at the sound of Felix’s voice. “Well, Syn, I guess it could be worse, eh? At least I’m not by myself. Over here, Felix,” she said to the gravestone before calling out to the hybrid.

    “Here you are, Mal. I’ve been looking for you. You left me at that dreadful party all by myself,” he grinned, sitting down beside Malice.

    “Sorry ‘bout that, Fayt, couldn’t quite manage the aristocratic snooting,” she smiled. The two were silent for a while, just sitting their in the dark, deep in thought.

    “Malice..” The Necromancer looked up at her friend as he moved closer to her, his attention solely on his own fidgeting hands. “I.. About that time.. You know, in the tent, when I.. I never meant to hurt you. I’d never.. I mean, I just..,” Felix stammered before being cut off by Malice who promptly covered his mouth with her gloved hand.

    “Felix Fayt, you are ridiculous. I did it, not you. I needed you to be strong and well, and that was the only way I could think of. It wasn’t your fault and don’t you ever think that, you hear? I need you.”

    Felix only continued to look at his hands, his mouth still covered. After what seemed like a lifetime, he pulled Malice’s hand from his mouth and held it in his own.

    “Malice.. I love you,” he declared before pulling her over to him and kissing her. It was a soft kiss, one of those that generally only happened in cheesy romance movies, and thankfully it had a distinct lack of pointed teeth. Slowly, Malice pulled away, holding Felix’s hands in hers.

    “I must say, that’s much nicer without the blood,” she joked, much to Felix’s dismay.

    “I‘d rather you didn‘t bring that up again, Oh Almighty Ruler.”

Six Months Later…

    Malice looked out across the Fallen kingdom from her castle balcony. The whole Dark world belonged to her, but she just couldn’t care less. She wanted every world.

    “Ruin-sama, your forces are ready to move. Shall I give the order?” Malice turned to Haru, ruffling her ebony wings as she moved. Her crimson eyes flashed with an unnatural spark as she faced her second in command.

    “Good. Begin rounding up the hybrids. And make sure Felix does not leave the dungeons.”