The Duke's Passion

What were you fighting for?

Rufus already had an answer to that question; it wouldn't even take time for him to answer such a simple question. However, ever since Acheron Roseberg asked that question, Rufus couldn't help but think about it. It wasn't that Rufus was questioning his own agenda, nor was he thinking about it to judge Acheron. In fact, the more he thought about that question and what drove Acheron this far, the more Acheron's action made sense. Not everyone was like Rufus and Samael's relationship. 𝘧𝘳𝓮𝓮𝓌𝘦𝓫𝓷𝘰𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝓬ℴ𝘮

Acheron and Zero's relationship didn't stem from friendship. It wasn't anything like that. From what Rufus heard from Lilou, Acheron treated Zero as his own. Like a parent who would do anything for their child, even if it was wrong. Rufus trusted Lilou, but now that he was fighting Acheron, he had confirmed that. Acheron's loyalty wasn't just that of a hellhound, but he truly cherished Zero.

"What a shame…" Rufus trailed off as the tip of his sword glinted while Acheron's pupils went wide. "... that your own son sent you to your death."

SLASH!

Blood spurted from Acheron's chest, splashing some blood on Rufus's stern countenance. Rufus held his breath while noticing Acheron's breath hitch.

Acheron stumbled back, hands on his bleeding chest. When he peeked down, he realized the slash was deeper than it appeared. Not just that, but it wasn't healing on its own. If anything, the wound was slowly growing deeper.

"I do not know your story." Acheron raised his head to Rufus, only to see a solemn expression on Rufus's bloodstained face. "However, I believe that if you love someone and see them as your own, you'd correct their wrongdoing and not enable them. I guess you already figured that out, but it was already too late."

"Hah…" Acheron winced in pain, pressing his chest to stop the bleeding, but alas, it was to no avail. All he could do was lift his gaze on Rufus once again and scoff bitterly. "What… do you know?" he whispered, but somehow, it reached Rufus' ears. "You know nothing, Rufus Barrett."

Rufus didn't refute Acheron's remarks, watching the man drop his hand from his wound. Rufus's sword was said to be blessed by the goddess of light, inheriting it a long time ago. His sword came from Samael because Samael couldn't wield it, and thought it was just rubbish. Only after a while when Rufus started noticing that this sword never gets dulled no matter how he abused it, and after doing some investigation, he slowly learned what his sword could do. The bringer of light. That was his sword, and as his sword was called, he could slice through the darkness. The darker the person's soul was, the more painful the wounds he would inflict. Acheron managed to conceal the crippling affliction across his chest, but the blood gushing out of it was enough for Rufus to know his opponent was in a lot of pain. It wasn't surprising, though. Acheron did a lot of atrocities to please his master, Zero. Now, he was being cleansed, and the cleansing Rufus had done would be a lot more painful. However, only Rufus was aware of what could happen with this cleansing. Instead of killing Acheron immediately, the man would have a chance to enter the pearly gates. That was what Rufus believed, and he wanted to keep believing in that fable. "His Majesty… is a kind man." Acheron fluttered his eyelashes before he slowly dropped to his knees. Normally, if he was just a normal person, Acheron would be writhing in pain on the ground. However, he impaled his sword on the ground as a support.

"The Moriarty… they ruined that poor boy," he continued in a hushed voice. "I regret nothing until now. Though I will not give justification for what I had done for him, I regret nothing, Rufus Barrett."

Acheron's lips parted, gazing up at the black sky that covered the countless stars. The corner of his lips curled up into a subtle smile, blood dripping from the side of his closed lips. "All Hail… Your Majesty, my King…" came out a weak, airy voice. "Long live my king…"

THUD!

Rufus kept his eyes on Acheron as the latter dropped to the ground. Acheron lay on his side, eyes on the pair of boots not far away. As his consciousness slowly drifted from his grip, he reached his hand out with all the remaining strength he had. "Your Highness…" a tear rolled across the bridge of his nose, talking to someone Rufus couldn't see. "... did I do a good job?"

Rufus kept quiet as he listened to Acheron's weak voice talking to someone. This wasn't a new sight to behold for him. The last phase of the cleansing was bringing out the person's deep desire that originated from the little goodness left in them. If a person didn't have the slightest goodness in them, then they would just perish immediately. "I see… I'm glad that is what you think." Peace dominated Acheron's face, closing his eyes ever so slowly with a subtle smile. Whatever Acheron saw as he hovered between life and death was not something Rufus wanted to know. Acheron's face, as he perished, was enough for Rufus to know that Acheron did what he could to protect his words. Perhaps, to protect a promise he made to someone else. "Love… is truly such a strange thing, isn't it, Acheron Roseberg?" whispered Rufus, breathing out calmly. "Also, a man's oath is such a tricky situation. Perhaps men, in general, are pitiful creatures."

Rufus slowly turned on his heel to walk away from the scene, setting his eyes on his next agenda. Fighting Acheron wasn't his original plan, but now that it was over, Rufus thought he could provide assistance to Heliot or Stefan. However, just as Rufus took a step away, his heart suddenly pounded against his chest. His eyes dilated, gazing up at the darkening hell's gate before his breath hitched. Rufus looked back in panic, only to see Acheron slowly stand back to his feet. "No…" he whispered, assessing the lifeless body of Acheron as the latter's pores sucked the dark mist into the air. It wasn't over yet.

Zero was just starting and Rufus had just grown aware of the situation all across the land of Spade.