Chapter 87: Cross My Heart and Hope to Die

"Vendetta...?" Cross tilted his head up, meeting his father’s eyes. "You killed my sister... for petty revenge?"

Idolan gestured toward Ash.

"Cross, you know full well that he was the one who slew Vera. This is revenge for Fire and for all the suffering Winter has inflicted upon our nation. My motive is anything but petty."

Cross let out a wry chuckle as his fist tightened around the stake.

"Don’t act like her death wasn’t part of your twisted desires. You may not have killed her with your own hands, but her blood stains your soul. And... our nation? Since when has this nation ever claimed me?! Never! I’ve tried to be its stalwart prince — the ideal leader the people wanted — only to be met with fear, disgust, and scorn!"

Idolan fell silent for a moment, studying the scene that would soon bloom into carnage.

"I see..."

Ash forced a faint smile onto his lips.

"It seems you finally understand, Cross... what it means to think for yourself."

Before, Cross had justified his actions by claiming that sacrificing himself would serve the thousands upon thousands of people he led and allow him to save Vera. Now, however, that excuse had revealed itself for what it truly was: a flimsy justification. Saving Vera had always been his sole purpose.

Cross’s incandescent gaze shifted to Ash, embers of his ability activating.

"Yeah... Perhaps you were right about one thing, trash. Why save people who don’t want to be saved... people who don’t deserve to be saved?"

He raised his gaze toward the crystal expanse above and continued:

"They were the ones who cast Vera and me away. My father was a slave of the people — merely the weapon through which their collective, abhorrent will held power over us."

Cross turned back to Idolan.

"You’re nothing but a marionette still dancing after its master has abandoned it."

Idolan scoffed and shook his head.

"So... that’s your decision?"

Cross answered in an even tone:

"Yes... No one will emerge victorious today. The three of you... all three of you have stolen my purpose. Therefore, I will shatter the meaning of meaning."

With that, Cross began slowly walking toward Vera’s corpse.

"I will carry on Vera’s will and bring ruin upon everything."

Winter finally broke from her stupor and screamed at Ash:

"Stop him!"

Grimacing, Ash planted his feet against the ground and forced himself up.

’Ah, shit. He’s gone off the deep end.’

It was something Ash had loosely accounted for. Not that it changed much. In fact, it was somewhat good for Ash.

Cross simply no longer cared about the nation below the seal.

This meant he’d entirely lost his pragmatic reason to kill Ash.

The only thing left between them was hatred.

The odd thing was that Idolan hadn’t made a move. His face was nearly vacant of expression as he stood watching Cross’s slow advance.

Demitra stepped up beside Ash and rasped:

"He’s trying to consume her spirit. It will remain in the abandoned vessel for the next ten minutes. Do not let Cross near her!"

The moment she finished, Demitra shot through the air. Ice burst outward beneath her, racing across the floor until it reached Vera and encased her corpse alongside the rest of the landing.

"Easier said... than done."

Now within striking distance, the almost tailless Ash — still bleeding profusely — positioned himself between Cross and Vera’s frozen corpse. He settled into a stance and summoned a tooth into one hand.

He rolled the white canine between his fingers while keeping his eyes fixed on Cross.

The prince came to a stop several paces away.

In the span of a second, the atmosphere shifted.

The dim light in Cross’s eyes grew ferocious, and his muscles bulged as if trying to break free of his shirt.

’I guess I can’t simply play defense.’

Ash had no idea what Cross’s range was or whether he needed to touch Vera rather than simply get near her. Since he didn’t exactly want to risk Cross getting such a dastardly power-up, he charged.

All he needed to do was stall until Cross was forced to assist Idolan, whether he liked it or not.

Thankfully, the ice sheet gave the spikes of [Snow Crawlers] something to grip, solving Ash’s mobility issue.

Ash kicked off the ice and charged, throwing the tooth as he did.

Uncaring, Cross let the tooth strike his body and bounce away, though the impact forced him into a stutter-step.

Ash instantly summoned more, throwing them the moment they formed.

As Cross closed the distance, he began dodging them with terrifying grace and speed.

Then...

’You’ve got to be shitting me...’

Cross began sliding sideways across the ice.

Ash was bewildered at first, but then noticed the thin scratches trailing behind Cross’s boots. Narrow blades of stone had formed beneath their soles, turning them into makeshift ice skates.

Once again, Ash had completely lost the mobility advantage.

Worse...

Stakes rapidly formed around Cross, orbiting his body as he glided across the frozen floor.

The skates had allowed him to circumvent the sluggishness that plagued him whenever he telepathically controlled the stone he summoned.

With few counters available, Ash could do nothing but watch as stake after stake launched at him.

He ducked and jumped, trying to protect his armor as best he could. But he was awfully slow with how injured he was.

Countless stakes punched small holes through [Snow Crawler’s Pelt].

’Tch.’

Ash dropped the teeth and claws he held, scattering them across the ice. A long, sleek, tenebrous katana slowly materialized above his open palm and settled cleanly into his grasp.

[You have equipped [Sealed Fate]]

Cross launched several more stakes, but with careful maneuvering, Ash dodged those he could while blocking the rest with his blade.

Finally, the assault relented, and Cross slowed his glide.

Ash followed the prince’s gaze toward the battle raging nearby.

Idolan and Demitra were locked in a fierce brawl. Ash’s eyes couldn’t keep up with their movements amid the flares and arcs of ice cutting through the air, but whatever Cross saw caused every muscle in his face to tense.