Desolate Throne [ClefDraki]

31. [To Right The Wrongs]

[Song Above: All Gone by Mother Mother]

He opened his eyes, staring up the trunk of an apple tree. He sat up, being met with his old tormentor. Lily. She was grinning wickedly.

Why is she here?

He struggled to his feet, staring at her. The Scarlet King whispered into his ear, "You remember this, don't you?"

He did.

The flicker of memories, buried in years of escapism. Memories of him holding his daughter for the first time. He still remembered how he felt in that instant.

He was violently protective. He would do anything to insure that she didn't have to experience the same thing he did. If it meant enduring more pain, so be it.

But one day he had snapped. He remembered it. He did. The familiar voice in his ear and his third eye cracking open. The gunshot still rung in his ears if it was quiet enough.

Maybe... If I can just... Get rid of anything that might point to Lily... She won't ever know the suffering I went through...

And he began to consciously bend reality for the first time in a long, long time.

Come on, Alto. It's not that hard. Follow the story you made up. You got lost in the woods and fell in love with a goddess. Epon, I'm sorry for this.

He slowly exhaled and felt that familiar buzz in his fingers and warp in the air around him.

I'll change your appearance and your abilities. You won't ever feel the same pain. No one will touch you like she did to me, I promise. Your legs shall be that of a satyr and you can now change your environment. Anything manmade you will look upon with distaste and change it. You're safe now.

And he felt those emotions again. When she wrapped her tiny hand around his finger and he cried.

He looked around, Lily and the King were gone. But he still felt watched. He glanced into the tree, a bird was sitting on a low branch.

This again? What's with these stupid birds?

It squinted at him, tilting its head. It cawed at him aggressively before flying off in a cloud of smoke.

The King returned, hovering over the grass leisurely. The shadow checked his wrist for a nonexistent watch, he tsked.

"Looks like our time is cut short. Have fun explaining all that to your little boyfriend or whatever." The King cackled at him.

His eyes cracked open, bombarded by blinding white light. His eyes adjusted and he found himself on a bed in the medical bay.

He couldn't move right. He was really weak, barely even capable of being awake. His skin felt... weird. Feverish but soothing. And it absolutely stung. It was like the pins and needles feeling but set on fire... while simultaneously felt like putting aloe on sunburn.

He glanced at the silver pendant around his neck. Oh. That. Okay. He rubbed his fingertips together experimentally, it also felt weird. Like how your mouth feels after eating pineapple, subtly slimy.

He froze, someone was sitting next to him in a chair. Their head was in their hands but he could still see who it was.

Kondraki. He was rocking back and forth slightly, mumbling like an insomniac, "I'm sorry. I love you. Don't die, Alto. I'm sorry. I still love you. Why the fuck did I stab you? Why'd you even do all this?"

He just stared at Kondraki. He cracked out through a dry throat, "Hey, Konny."

Kondraki shot his head up, "Alto! You're awake!"

He's relieved.

"Well someone's relieved." Sarcasm still laced his tongue even when he almost died a few hours before hand.

"Wha—? Of course I am! I may not agree with your actions but I still care about you, you moron."

They paused. Sitting in silence.

He made a decision.

"Ben?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something? But you've gotta promise that you won't tell anyone. Not Glass, not Bright, not even my own kid."

"Of course." Kondraki nodded, confusion in his eyes.

"A long time ago... I worked for the GOC."

"Obviously, everyone knows that."

"But I lied about the mother of my daughter. I didn't know I was lying though. I had pushed it aside and replaced it with a lie and I didn't even know it."

"Alto... where is this going?"

He took a deep breath, "I was married to this... woman..." Monster. "...named Lily."

"And?"

"Ben— I—..." You can do this. You can trust him. "I have PTSD. She abused me. She'd insult me. She'd hit me. She'd—..." His voice cracked.

Kondraki stayed quiet. An extremely dark look in his eyes. If looks could kill, the entire site would be fucking obliterated.

"She'd—... Touch me—... And I didn't want it. Konny, I tried to say no— But she just wouldn't listen—!"

"Shh. Alto, it's okay. I'm here now, you'll never go through that with me. I genuinely love you."

Alto smiled, tears in his eyes.

"I knew if I tried to get her to stop with force, I'd get hurt. I was trapped. I thought that if I could just endure it, then it would eventually end and everything would be okay because it would be over for that moment."

"Alto, you could've gotten help. If I had known you at the time, I would've done everything I could to get you to a safer place."

Alto shook his head, "She's dead now. It's in the past. There's nothing anyone can do anymore."

"Alto, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead." He shrugged, staring at the ceiling.

"How'd she die?"

"I shot her. He told me to."

"Who told you to?"

"The Scarlet King."