Lucius actually preferred the company of dead people. It beat having to listen to choir practice and mass inside the sanctuary the larger part of his day and the entrance to a neglected crypt was relatively nice for a burial place. At least it provided him with shelter from the rain and a reassurance that no one would be coming to murder him.

No one commits murder on holy ground. Not even Damien, and by extension, Derek wouldn't either. Lucius doubted he would want to regardless, despite the man's sinister nature.

A large raven flew past the crypt to sit down on the stone fence surrounding the grounds but Lucius didn't look at it, instead throwing a tired glance at the setting sun.

"Bit early for night ravens, isn't it?" he mumbled to the creature he reckoned was nearby.

"This is your fault!" the raven on the fence shrieked as soon as it had opened its beak, imitating a high pitched voice only to quickly exchange it for a deeper one. "My son, I leave all my wealth to you!"

Lucius clicked his tongue.

"Go back to your master, mangy soul. The sun is still up."

He reluctantly peered across the graveyard. Fortunately no one was staring back at him, but a nagging feeling in his chest still suggested he was being watched. He'd thought the grim had disregarded his presence somewhat after he'd discarded all his weapons and other items that could cause harm inside the sanctuary. He posed little to no threat to the souls resting there, yet it kept its eyes on him, and those restless, feather-clad spirits seemed to love talking to him.

As much as repeating the last dying words of the corpses here count as talking.

Still, it beat the agonising songs inside the building. Whether the pain stemmed from trauma or the fact that his damned soul didn't belong there he couldn't say, but for what it was worth, scary ravens of death didn't judge him for his past.

Or, perhaps they did.

"Is that why you're still looking at me? Why you've summoned your spirits?" he whispered while twirling the white figure on his necklace, convinced the grim was within earshot. "You know, don't you? What I've done. What the thing on my chest is. You can't trust someone like me around the place you're guarding."

With that in mind, he considered the grim benevolent. Not that it supposedly was a malicious creature in itself, but from all the tales he'd heard growing up it didn't seem to be a merciful one either.

He flinched as another night raven swooped down to sit on a tombstone near the crypt, possibly looking at him with beady eyes, but he couldn't quite tell.

"I can't wait for the guards to gather you and your little friends up!" it screamed at him, and for perhaps the hundredth time he suppressed the urge to throw a rock at the thing. "So we'll finally be rid of you pests!"

"You're the pests," Lucius muttered in pointless response. There were only so many souls in the graveyard, and most of the ravens' shrieks had gotten old no matter how many different voices came out of them. "Why don't you let the place rest in peace like it's supposed to?"

The raven blinked, then it opened its beak again.

"I l— lo... ve y—"

Lucius knew there wouldn't be more than that. He slowly turned his head to give the poorly carved headstone by the fence a sombre look.

"I know."

"Know what?"

Lucius jumped once again as a familiar face came into view, and his bitterness soon turned into a blend of frustration and overwhelming relief.

"Anthony," he almost yelled, only keeping from hugging the frizzy-haired man out of caution. "You— You're... Outside, I see."

"I'm..." Anthony's gaze was on the ground, and he pinched his lips together while finding his words. "... Sorry. The others told me what happened at the gallows, and... I should have been there for you. I— I should have been there for you all along. Not just then."

Lucius had no words of comfort to say. He wanted to have them, but Anthony had more or less left him to die and it was true that he had let Damien go too far too many times before that as well.

"I couldn't handle it," Anthony whispered as Lucius said nothing, and he sat down next to him on the crypt floor. "I'd already screwed up so much, and no matter what I did it got worse. I wanted to choose both sides while I already knew it wouldn't be possible."

"Choosing the side of a man you care a lot about or your father who's trying to murder said man just so you can't be with him?" Lucius laughed wryly. "Yeah that sounds rough."

Anthony did not find this amusing, and Lucius couldn't help but feel bad.

"You shouldn't listen to him just because he's your father, you know?" He placed his hand on Anthony's. "I know it's hard to realise your family sucks, but the sooner you do, the better."

Anthony scoffed.

"I've known he... Sucks, for a long time. I guess I just waited for him to stop."

"Kind of like Ethan?"

"Ethan hoped Damien could change back to himself, and be a good father again." Anthony's lips quirked. "I know better. I just wanted him to be decent enough to let me die."

Not that again.

"Would you... Really destroy it immediately?" Lucius' words were barely audible. "If you got it back?"

Anthony looked down at their hands.

"... I can't risk having it taken away again."

Lucius hummed. While he wasn't kind enough to wish for Anthony's death, he wouldn't risk scaring him away again.

"Maybe you could, I dunno, put a trap around it or something? If someone tries to touch it, it will be destroyed somehow."

Anthony finally managed a soft laugh.

"I suppose... Though I shouldn't keep dreaming about things that won't happen."

Lucius' shoulders slumped as the man's smile died again, and he tilted his head to the side.

"What was he like before? Ethan's been so set on having him back, and you've held out some kind of hope for so long."

"He... Was a good man. I don't know how to describe it." A pained smile appeared on Anthony's lips as he shrugged. "A good father, and husband. He loved his family more than anything, and... He still does, it's just become a twisted kind of love over the years."

"He sure has a strange way of showing it to Ethan."

"Well, yes and no. He still talks about Ethan fondly, but... He doesn't acknowledge that the current Ethan is his son, you know?"

Lucius scoffed.

"So despite everything, his faith comes first?"

"It's not just that." Anthony shook his head. "I don't think his faith plays a big part at all. He's just scarred by his past."

"Oh..." Lucius' face scrunched up. "... Something happened?"

Anthony nodded gravely.

"Hundreds died. Damien was terrified something would happen to his family so he swore to protect us, and... Make sure we wouldn't meet the same, cruel fate."

Lucius made an 'ah' face.

"Truly extreme measures."

"Our mother refused though, and he couldn't bring himself to go against her will even though it destroyed him inside." Anthony's anguished expression grew softer. "And Ethan died before he could receive a painting, so... Despite his efforts I was all that was left in the end."

"And then... You didn't even want to keep living." Lucius found himself with a reluctant sympathy towards Damien, but he decisively swallowed it down. "Then somehow, he reached the conclusion that it was better to destroy anything you held dear that was affected by time, as if it would make you happier."

Anthony squeezed his eyes together.

"It's just that he's usually right. Not about you, but... About me. I am torturing myself by living the way I do."

"You know he's the one torturing you the most." Lucius shook his head, trying his hardest not to yell at the man. "You can't even learn to move on from losses. Not when he rips them away from you."

"Yet I let you get close." Anthony's smile was bitter. "I was foolish enough to think we could keep it a secret from him, and even when he found out I couldn't bring myself to push you away. Maybe that would have changed things, but... I was too selfish."

"As if I would have let that happen anyway." Lucius made a face. "You not wanting me around would have been one thing but losing you because your scourgefucking father decided so? Never."

A chill in his spine reminded him of his situation, and he glanced over at Anthony with a hopeless look.

"But... I might be out of options now." His chest squeezed tight around his heart. "I've tried to think. I— I don't know how we can be together anymore."

Anthony sat quiet at first, but then he drew a deep, shaky breath before meeting Lucius' gaze.

"Let's leave. Together."

Lucius blinked.

"You...? But what— What about your—"

"He's never going to give me my painting, it's just another delusion I've had." Anthony clenched his fists. "And I'm tired of people I love dying because of me, so I'll go with you. We can be together somewhere else, where he can't find us."

Lucius could not find the words at first, and part of him didn't dare to cheer yet. It seemed too good to be true that Anthony just chose to abandon his father all of a sudden after three hundred years.

"I guess... You could always go back and kick his ass when I'm dead," he tried to joke, only receiving a half hearted smile in return.

"I'm hoping I will find reason enough to never return, unless he changes his mind."

"And you're sure about this?" Lucius still had to ask. "You're not gonna break down every now and then because you left?"

"That's not something I can make go away. I break down from time to time anyway." Anthony shrugged. "I just know things can't be much worse anywhere else."

"What about Tom and Richard? Ethan travels, but they live here."

Anthony smiled softly.

"I'll at least tell them, and they can choose whether they want to join us or not. Though I'd prefer not to lose them."

"They're good people," Lucius agreed with a slow nod. "Awkwardness aside."

"Part of their charm, I'd say."

A new raven joined the first one on its gravestone.

"I'll ki—ill you, you son of—"

The spirit's words didn't continue as death must have claimed it before it could finish its sentence, but it felt like an appropriate place to cut it off, and Anthony chuckled.

"This isn't the most romantic spot, is it? Perhaps we should get moving?"

"Night ravens aren't romantic?" Lucius put on a mischievous smile as Anthony stood up. "I'm pretty sure the grim is a big supporter of our love."

"Maybe so." Anthony smirked back. "Still time to go though. I'll keep an eye out so no one gets near you."

Lucius couldn't help but doubt his safety, all things considered, but he supposed it was as good of a time to get out of there as any.

"Here." Anthony reached out his hand to help him up. "Let's leave this town for good."

Lucius had just raised his hand to grab Anthony's as a heavy sensation weighed down his arm, and the inside of his chest began writhing, crawling along the rest of his torso.

"I..." His hand trembled as he struggled to stretch it forward. It was as though his body refused. Not moving. Just moving forward.

Moving forward to leave.

"... I can't," he then whispered under a breath as his arm fell limp to his side. "I can't leave."

Anthony stared at him as if he was going to punch him again.

"Excuse me?"

"It's just... This is my town now," Lucius reminded him, and though his mind screamed at him to stop, it was drowned out by what seemed to be the more reasonable voice in his head. "I promised I would fix it. I will change things for the better."

"But that's not an option anymore!" Anthony balled his fists again. "As soon as you set foot outside these holy grounds your life is in danger unless you leave! You can't change anything like this!"

"And I can't leave it to him either." Lucius' voice had grown monotonous, and he stared into nothing as his mouth kept going. "It's my town. I fought for it. I did unspeakable things for it, and I'm not leaving it to the likes of him. I'm not leaving it to anyone."

Anthony's face shifted to despair as he knelt down and tried to make eye contact with Lucius.

"Wh— What about me? I thought you wanted to be with me, I— I'm ready to throw my life here away for you. Wasn't that what you wanted? For us to be together, away from all this?"

Lucius' empty gaze met his.

"No."

"How can you—"

"I want to be with you, Anthony." Lucius turned his eyes away again, veins on his chest slithering and burning behind his shirt. "But I won't sacrifice this town— my town, for that to happen."

"But you—" Anthony's breaths were shallow as he placed his shaking hands on Lucius' shoulders. "You can't do this. It can't end well, no matter what you try. You— You can't do this to me. I'm giving up everything."

It just didn't make sense in the end. Lucius had sold his soul for the power to change South Kerilia. If he couldn't do that, his eternal suffering would have been for nothing. The power he'd finally seized would go to waste. He couldn't let sentimental feelings distract him from his goals.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say. He genuinely felt he was. Despite his stance, he wished Anthony would remain by his side.

"Lucius, please." Anthony tried to shake some emotion out of him to no avail. "I don't know what's wrong, but this isn't you. This isn't who... Who I fell in love with."

Lucius didn't budge.

"Maybe not, but it's who I have to be."

With that Anthony got up again, standing still for just a moment to try and gather his composure, but ultimately failing. He gave Lucius a last, pleading look, opening his mouth only for a trembling breath to escape before striding off.

Lucius remained in the silence. The night ravens had flown elsewhere, and the last burning rays from the sun were gone. He stared up at the blue, darkening sky with a sinking feeling of anguish. He wasn't sure why he felt it. He'd made the right decision. Anthony couldn't see it, but he'd understand it in time. There was no reason for Lucius to feel all that pain. For his inner voice to cry out and wish to move his legs. To follow him.

It was simply unreasonable.

A movement among the gravestones alerted him of a new presence. It was earthbound, and thus not a raven. Grims were also too dignified to sneak around their own territory as if hiding from something, yet the creature in question was definitely smaller than a human.

A cat, Lucius figured, but a sudden curiosity still enticed him, and so he couldn't help but move out of the crypt to have a look.

As soon as he did, a brush against his leg that caused his heart to skip a beat confirmed that it was indeed a cat. To his disappointment however, it was not one he wished to see.

"Blight cat," he muttered in acknowledgement. It had been a while since it had dared to come close to him, likely because of his threats to throw rocks at it, but now it kept bumping its head against his leg and he clicked his tongue. He just didn't feel the desire to kick it away.

"My, this is quite the interesting hiding place you've found," a voice said from behind him, and Lucius froze where he stood.

It didn't belong to Damien, nor Derek, yet he had every reason to fear its owner after everything that had happened, so he slowly turned around as his heartbeat picked up its pace.

"I hear Damien is not very pleased with you, not that I suppose he ever was," Lady Catherine of Marberry said with a beaming smile. "You certainly know how to get in trouble, sweet ladybug."

"L—Lady Marberry..." Lucius croaked, taking a poorly masked, nonchalant step backwards as she approached him. "How, uh... How have you been?"

"Oh, I've had some terrible weeks of travelling." Catherine exaggerated a pout and let her shoulders slump for just a second. "Hopefully I can forget all about it soon enough."

Lucius attempted a sympathetic look, followed by a weak, nervous laugh.

"Sounds like we've all had a bad time recently then."

"It's just a pity that you're the cause of most of it." Catherine looked genuinely disappointed, and she reached out a hand to try stroking Lucius' cheek with the latter pulling away in the politest manner he could. "I really was hoping for Damien to warm up to you so all this could have been avoided, but then you went and did all that horrible damage. I'm not trying to be mean, but it was a very crass thing that you did."

"I'm... Terribly sorry if I caused you any inconvenience, Lady Marberry." Lucius held up his hands in resignation. "I want you to know that I hold no ill-will towards you. It was strictly Damien that had to pay... And also Derek."

"But if those paintings had been the real ones, as you apparently thought that they were, I would have perished in that explosion as well. Isn't that right?" Catherine chirped, and Lucius swallowed.

"I... I didn't want you to get caught in the crossfire, but... I couldn't risk saving more portraits than—"

"Oh, it's all right," Catherine interrupted him, to Lucius' great surprise and cautious relief. "I forgive you for that. We barely know each other, after all."

Lucius couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh.

"I wouldn't say that excuses murder, but... I'm grateful for your forgiveness, Lady Marberry."

"See, the problem is my belongings," Catherine then continued with a not so cheerful voice anymore, and Lucius' heart sank once again. "I lost a great deal in that explosion. Many rare items, and I can't quite go back to where I got them empty handed."

"I— I don't know if I have any rare items you'd be interested in," Lucius began, and Catherine gently shushed him while raising a finger to point at his chest.

"No worries," she whispered, voice bouncing back to a twittering kind. "I'll just take back what's already mine."

Lucius jolted backwards as Catherine's hand grazed the pendant around his neck.

"No, not— Not now. I— I can give it back, just... Later. I'll get it back to you later, but— But you see where we're standing. You know what would happen."

The next step he took backwards caused him to stumble as something blocked his path, and as soon as he'd landed on the ground the culprit, in the form of a certain blight, made its escape further into the graveyard.

"Lady Marberry, I— I just need to get out of here, and you can have it back." He tried to crawl backwards as Catherine casually walked to stand over him. "I promise. I—"

"I understand, but after everything that's happened... I find you've given me some difficulties trusting you."

Before Lucius could retreat further she'd taken a firm hold of the necklace.

"Also, if we're being honest..." she whispered as she leaned closer. "... I'm a bit unhappy with you."

As the thin chain tugged at his neck, Lucius' mind reeled. He'd discarded all his weapons before. He didn't have the time to stop Catherine from pulling the necklace off.

He felt regret, but couldn't figure out why. He regretted something. Something other than dying. A choice he should not have made.

Then the chain broke, and his eyes widened.

Anthony.