The Duke's Passion

"...Salvation.

"Salvation...? This is not taking out its root, Alphonse. You are trying to flee from it."

"You are so stubborn, but this time, I understand since your wife is involved." Alphonse glanced at Lilou, lying unconscious behind Samael. "I am genuinely saddened about her fate, but if I am going to choose, I will always choose my family."

There was a moment of silence between the two before Alphonse gazed back at Samael. The side of his lips curled up into a subtle smile. 

"But you have a different opinion, don't you? Brother?" 

"We can never erase the origins of our blood, Alphonse." Samael breathed out as bitterness flickered across his crimson eyes. "No matter how we detest the king and the blood that is running through our veins, we are who we are!" 

His voice pitched until it shook in anger. It was easier to fight Alphonse if his reasons were pure destructions. But alas, Samael couldn't deny the slight goodwill behind it. Alphonse was simply doing what he thought best for his siblings, even if it meant being the villain of the story.

"Alphonse... did you destroy all those countries because we can flee in a country that desperately needs salvation? Did you think that if we settle in a country where we can be heroes, they will accept us and we can live in peace?"

Alphonse's expression died down as his aura grew colder. "Caecilius, don't be a hypocrite."

"Your ideals, brother... I appreciate them, but we do not live in the past." Samael gnashed his teeth as he swallowed down the tension in his throat. "That is not what Dyrroth wants, Alphonse."

They looked at each other; one had nothing but coldness in his eyes while the other bore fire. It didn't matter who was in the right because they were fighting for a different thing.

"You do not know what Dyrroth wants, Hell," Alphonse answered in a low tone after the long silence. 

"I don't, but I understand his heart. Causing another person's destruction for our sake is something he will never approve of." 

Dyrroth, the late crown prince, and Claude's father was a warm and compassionate person. Despite that, the La Crox family was filled with lunatics, everyone, including Samael, respected and listened to their eldest — Alphonse, included. Dyrroth had mentioned the 'what ifs' in passing, but Alphonse had taken those moments in the heart.

"Among your siblings, you are the one that is the closest to Dyrroth." Samael sighed heavily as he studied Alphonse's demeanor. "You have to accept his death, Alphonse."

This was painful for Samael.

"No." Alphonse let out a weak chuckle and shook his head. "It's too late to accept his death." because accepting Dyrroth's death also meant letting go of his purpose. 

"Dyrroth..." He paused as he gazed down at his bloodstained palm. "... shouldn't have died. He and Lucia should've lived longer with that little runt. He deserved that life, Hell."

Sadness and bitterness resurfaced in Alphonse's eyes, but they vanished almost immediately. The late king had forced his children to be cruel, to see each other as competition. If only they were raised differently and in a different environment, instead of stifling family dinners, they would be laughing and sharing funny stories.

Others wouldn't understand that, but that was what Alphonse wanted.

To see his siblings smile without malice or worry. 

To eat in peace while listening to their blissful laughter and stories.

A life just like a normal family.

A relationship where they had each other's back, not scheme behind each other's back. 

A restart. 

Their father and this life deprived them of those simple things, so Alphonse planned to give them a second chance in life.

  "We all deserve that," Alphonse added after a moment. "You are too blinded to see that now, but once you die, we will all forget this nightmare of a life. You will forget this and I am only the one who will bear all the guilt, Hell."

Samael let out a shallow breath as his lips opened and closed. "Why... are you and Stefan so stubborn?"

If only they had chosen to be on the same side at the very beginning, they could've worked things out. Samael tried to fix it with Stefan, but it was already too late. They already reached this point and the damages to their family were too severe. 

"What you want is nothing but a superficial life, Alphonse. You are only doing this for self-satisfaction."Samael bit his tongue and slapped his hand in the air, making his nails look like claws. It was not that his own happiness with Lilou blinded him. 

Samael loved the idea, but they had to consider their siblings. Would they want their memory to get wiped just to live a normal life? Was there not a point in their life where they were satisfied being a La Crox? 

Both didn't know the answer, nor would they ever hear their deceased siblings' wishes. But what Samael knew was, there was only one way, and that was to move forward. 

"I will stop this madness," his tone was solemn with a touch of bitterness. "Big brother."

Alphonse opened his mouth, but no words came out. Instead, he pressed his lips together until the side of his lips curled up into a subtle smile.

'Please, do.' 

The aura they emitted grew stronger that anyone who stepped in would instantly suffocate. In a blink of an eye, they both disappeared from their standpoint and clashed mid-air. 

No matter how excruciating Samael's heartache, he bore his fangs and didn't hesitate to attack his brother with an intention of killing him. This was the only thing he could do for him. 

Alphonse didn't also back down as he blocked and assaulted Samael with all his might. This would be his final fight that would determine whether his plans would proceed or he'd die along with it.

"Caecilius! I will still bring you back to life!" yelled Alphonse while charging towards Samael.

Samael stood at the center of the throne hall, watching Alphonse blink from different areas. The latter's voice and chuckles reeked of madness, but all he could hear was the desperate beating of his heart.

"Thank you, Alphonse," he whispered as a ball of red blood formed under his palm. 'And I'm sorry for failing to see the reason behind your madness until now.'

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, planning to end this once and for all. 

"Darkfield."