Chapter 100: The Last Time You Could Have Had Me

False hope is a terrible thing. If it’s the only thing keeping you alive, you’ll be dead by dawn.

Zane didn’t kneel.

But he bowed and joined his palms to make one deal.

The Emberlord might act high and mighty but Zane knew that the priest also hated Zane. He also wanted to torment Zane.

So Zane himself asked for that.

He offered to give all his life to Coin to play with in return for Milo’s safety and well being.

He would rest in hell in return for Coin to take back his order that he gave to Kairon.

He hoped the Emberlord would be satisfied with such a voluptuous offer.

However...

"My orders are absolute, Zane Atlas. Your sister shall appear today."

Hopes and gutterborns, they weren’t used in the same sentence.

The Halocrats’ smile vanished. The corner of their lips turned down. They felt the Emberlord missed a golden opportunity.

But they smiled again as they were sure they would get to play with Zane one day or the other.

Xavier and Tesla kicked the floor at the reply of the Emberlord.

Xavier lashed his anger on the Enforcer he was fighting with.

Their fight was completely physical and the Enforcer was easily and naturally winning.

Not only was Xavier smaller than the Enforcer, his health also wasn’t at its best.

But for some reason, whenever he was near Zane he felt a little rise in his strength. Around ten percent.

He didn’t know why but he believed it was because his friendship was true.

Only because of those extra ten percent, Xavier was able to stand his ground against the Enforcer.

Unlike Xavier, Tesla didn’t know what he should do.

He didn’t have an Enforcer to lash his anger on.

And he couldn’t just take on a fight. It would invoke problems for him and he wasn’t big enough to deal with them if the people of the church got to know more about him.

He wanted to speak his heart out to the Emberlord to accept Zane’s request but then again, how could he convince someone to make his friend hostage? He had a heart. A heart that still beats.

He was helpless.

He could only be a bystander and watch Zane gambling with his life to save his sister.

I am a merchant and yet, I can’t buy life.

Tesla slammed his fist on the stage and laid on its stairs. Motionless.

Just like Zane stood motionless on the stage with his bowed head.

The cold refusal of Emberlord rang in his ears.

His palms stayed joined, his feet stayed glued.

The gutterborns at the back felt the immense need of helping Zane but the fear, the fear of death and defying the god they prayed to, overpowered everything.

They wanted to light the way for Zane but not by burning their own house.

However, they didn’t know Zane.

"Emberlord," he said, his voice above a whisper. "The offer I gave you..."

Zane raised his head.

The look on his face returned.

The look of the man who forsake everything.

"That was the last time you could have had your way with me. But now..."

Zane removed his joined hands and the next second, the gutterborns at the back got to know that the man on the stage never needed light. Because now...

"There will only be darkness."

Silence.

The Enforcer stopped fighting.

The Halocrats shut their murmurs.

The Commoners remained silent as ever.

The Gutterborns watched with thumping hearts.

Tesla stared at Zane’s back.

Xavier had a blooming smile.

And the Emberlord...

Not one muscle on his face flinched.

Zane’s words did nothing.

He only spoke.

They were just some words.

But he was under an oath.

It was impossible to lie.

So the one tiny seed crept inside everyone’s heart.

What if he meant what he said?

What if he really brought darkness in their lives?

They weren’t able to think further as Zane carried on saying:

"You will not take back your orders. The trial will go as you want. Fine. I know for a fact that even if I am proven innocent here, I will be branded as a rebel. Someone you all fear. Someone who could disrupt you from your comfortable chairs. I know one way or other you will find a way to get rid of me and my sister. By hook or by crook. You will use religion, you will use Citadel exams, you will use rifts, you will use any means necessary to make my breath stop. That is why..."

Zane paused. He turned around and looked straight at the Halocrats standing at the corner of their section.

"I will not die." He shook his head and thumped his leg on the stage. "I will keep living. I will keep surviving. Puncture me with a thousand holes and I will breathe from all of them. I will bribe the grim reaper with the promise of me giving him your souls every time he will come to take my soul. Till the end of Dwarkam, me and my sister will be last one living to watch your golden thrones crumbling."

Zane gritted his teeth.

"I, Zane Atlas, with all the broken pride I have left, welcome all of you..."

He jolted his head at the Emberlord.

"To the age with the death of reason."

The Emberlord narrowed his eyes.

He opened his mouth but Zane raised his dangling wrists.

"Don’t speak. I also have no idea what I am saying. But, Emberlord, I have an intention. Intention of taking the first step."

Zane turned once more but this time, he didn’t look at the Halocrats.

His eyes went to the closed doors of the Cathedral.

Tesla was near his feet and ignoring him, Zane stepped over the man.

He climbed down the stairs and walked on the red carpet, with his chains dragging, towards the door.

"Emberlord!" Zane yelled while walking. Not turning around to face Coin. "Do you know my first step? Do you know what I will do?"

He reached in front of the door and before opening it, he looked over his shoulder, straight at the Emberlord.

And as the two men stared, Zane finally revealed his first step.

"I will devour Kairon right in the presence of God to show the supreme existence the extent of my hunger I developed after being starved my whole filthy life."