Revolutionary (Part 4/5)
In the dead of night, the two hidden figures moved towards the barn. The crisp night air rustled through the trees around them, Lux pulling her hood down to let her hair flow freely. It was frigid outside but the upcoming trial made Lux feel warm. The apple orchard provided ample cover for the two, easy to conceal themselves in this miniature forest as moonlight ran between the leaves. Lightbaum was none the wiser, already having gone to bed. There was not a single light in the house. The barn was a different matter.
As Lux moved to the front door of the barn, she knelt down and placed her staff in the dirt. While it was almost impossible to see, Lux could make out a faint glow. A lantern or a torch, to be sure, but there was something in the barn. Not to mention if it was just an apple orchard, there would be no need to have lights for animals.
Lux stood, picking up her staff as she took a deep breath. “Alright, here’s my plan. If Sylas is in this barn, I’m going to talk to him and try to convince him to give up willingly.”
“And if that plan doesn’t work? Which it won’t, just so we’re clear,” C whispered. Lux’s glare could have burned a hole through him. “We’re just supposed to bring him in. Why’re you so concerned about him having a change of heart? Besides, you’re ruining MY fun.”
“It’s not a change of heart at all,” Lux whispered back fiercely. “Sylas may have done bad things but he is a good person beneath it all. Not that you would know. Not everyone is like you, C. Sylas has something he’s working towards.”
Scoffing, C waved a hand to the door. “Then go on. Open it. I’ll be right out here for when this whole stupid move blows up in your face.”
Lux gripped her staff tighter. “You’re wrong. In fact, I’m going to prove you wrong and I expect an apology when it turns out how utterly incompetent you are at anything that isn’t drinking, smoking or punching.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
“Then go.”
“I am.”
“I’m waiting.”
Lux, taking a deep breath, opened the massive barn door by just a crack. When there was no immediate call to arms she opened it a little further, enough to slip through. The last thing she saw was C leaning on the door, eyes shut as he listened in to Lux as best he could. Stepping inside and shutting the door, Lux looked around the barn to discover something she hadn’t anticipated.
There had to be at least fifteen people in the barn, all of them quiet, almost as if they were stone statues. Some were huddled against the wall, hiding from Lux the best they could. Others regarded her with glares, opening their palms and closing them. They all had to be mages, the gesture a show that they were ready to use whatever magic they had at their disposal. Lux clutched her staff tighter, ready for a fight.
“Everyone, stay your hand. She’s a friend.”
The few mages ready for a fight parted as one man stepped forward. She could hear the chains dragging on the ground even now, the man stepping forward with a soft, welcoming smile. “Luxanna.”
Her heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t changed at all. “Sylas.”
The two looked across from each other, saying nothing. This time it was Luxanna who was alone with Sylas surrounded by a crowd of like-minded allies. His word was the only thing keeping her safe. “It’s good to see you, Little Light.”
Lux bristled at the name. “Don’t call me that.”
“And why not? In prison, you were the little light that kept me sane,” Sylas spoke, his words nothing but warmth and kindness. “I knew when we spoke, you’d have a change of heart. That you’d come aid us in our cause.”
Taking a deep breath, Lux looked to Sylas. “No, Sylas. I’m not here for that.”
Silence. The tension in the air spiked as the fellow mages realized they were in danger. Sylas raised a hand. The other mages fell back, comfortable enough to trust their leader. In truth it was for their own good, Sylas knew Lux was well trained and unleashed her inner spark to deadly effect if she felt threatened. “If you’re not here to aid me…then you’re here to kill me?” Sylas asked. His expression went from the warm and welcoming visage Lux had seen countless times they had spoken to something colder. Something that knew this could end in tragedy.
Lux shook her head. She stepped forward, bearing no terror in her heart. “Sylas, you’re my friend. I know what happened was awful but what you did…you hurt people, Sylas.”
“I killed them, Luxanna. I did not HURT them. I killed them.” Sylas’s correction made Lux flinch, gripping her weapon tighter. “Don’t pretend that what I did was anything less than what it was. I had to survive.”
With another deep breath to retain her composure, Lux looked to Sylas. “But you didn’t want to. I know you Sylas, you’re better than that. You didn’t want to kill them, did you? Not everyone in that crowd wanted to hurt you and-“
The sarcastic laugh from Sylas caused Lux to pause. “Oh? Not everyone!? Well I guess if you’re in that crowd that is technically correct. Wake up, Luxanna. Everyone in that crowd wanted my head on a pike. For what? For something I couldn’t control. For being born. You were different and I will always cherish that but those ignorant masses had to die. It was not ideal but it was a necessary sacrifice.”
These words caused Lux to snap, her expression morphing to one of anger. “Necessary sacrifices!? Do you hear yourself, Sylas? This is nothing like you! What happened to the man I spoke to in prison?”
“Sylas. My name is Sylas.”
Lux leaned on the wall, not looking within but speaking to the prisoner all the same. “That’s a lovely name, Sylas. So, tell me, what do you want to do?”
“I…” There was a long, low pause as Sylas seemed to think it over. “I want to learn. I want to be someone who studies the works of old. Just spend my days in a big…giant library. Just read forever and love every minute of it.”
A soft smile ran across Lux’s face. “That sounds wonderful. I wish they’d let you read.”
“They probably think I just want to make a key out of paper,” Sylas said, snorting at his own joke.
Lux chuckled at his joke, knowing full and well that Sylas was far too locked up for a key to help. “You know, if they won’t? I could. So long as it’s our little secret, I could go get you some books to read. Think of it like an education! Just tell me something you want to study and I can find a book about it.”
Silence from the other side of the door. It was long and low, as if Sylas had fallen asleep. Lux worried she might have said something wrong. “You’d…do that? Risk danger just to get me something to read? Something to learn about?”
Lux nodded, although she realized Sylas couldn’t see her nod. “Yes. There’s nothing illegal or wrong about wanting to learn.”
“I- I would like that very much, Luxanna. I’d love to read whatever you can give me. Thank…thank you…” While she couldn’t see his face, the tone of voice gave her all she needed. With overflowing curiosity, Lux stole a look through the small window into Sylas’s cell to see his reaction to what she was offering.
There, bound in chains, she saw the middle-aged man crying tears of joy as warm drops of water hit the white, stone floor.
Sylas’s face was stern, cold and unfeeling. “Nothing changed, Luxanna. I was always the same man. The only difference now is that I’m a man who is free.”
Her heart sank as she heard this. “What are you going to do? What are you planning?”
Sylas shook his head. “Isn’t it obvious? Get rid of the ruling class. Get rid of all these inane laws that dictate that the poor mages should suffer while those born by luck, like your brother, are free to live as kings.”
A light appeared at the end of Lux’s staff, illuminating more of the barn. “You WON’T hurt my brother!”
“Cut the act. You and your brother are about as close as Demacia and Noxus. Why can’t you just see how ruinous this system is!?” Sylas asked. “Why is it so difficult to view how this system must be gutted like the innards of a fish?”
Regaining some composure, the staff’s light dimmed. She knew that if she tried to strike Sylas, she was liable to be hit by her own magic. “Then what? What happens after you get rid of everyone? Just…be king?”
“Me? King? No no no. I’d just establish a council. WE would be the new ruling class, mages and non-mages alike, who could rule as a group! No more worrying about being abducted, no living every day in fear of being taken from your home for something you can’t control!” Sylas’s compatriots stood taller and prouder as he spoke, all of them nodding along with his vision. “We just need to get rid of those in power now.”
Speechless, Lux covered her mouth. Sylas, noting how quiet she was, continued. “Do you see now, Little Light? Do you see how we could make Demacia better? We could fix it all! No more mages in chains! No more hiding from hunters! We could even topple that hideous statue of the gargoyle that they’re all so proud of.”
“Be. Quiet.”
Sylas froze. Lux looked down at the floor, gritting her teeth. “…Be quiet?” he repeated, echoing her words.
“I can’t believe he was right,” she muttered.
“Who was right?” Sylas asked, trying to understand Lux’s change. “You’re not making sense, Luxanna.”
Raising her head, Lux focused on Sylas. “I told them. I told everyone you were different. I wanted so damned hard to be right. That you just wanted to fix things, not break everything! Do you have any idea that the people you want to destroy love Demacia just as much as you do!?”
Sylas growled. “I love the IDEA of Demacia. Not what it is.”
“Don’t argue semantics with me!” Lux yelled back, raising her voice. “How could you hurt those who have done nothing to you!? Galio-“
“-is an immobile statue that signifies everything that is wrong with Demacia. Don’t tell me you’re defending a hunk of stone just for the sake of patriotism.”
If Lux could have shown him Galio. To hear that giant speak about his dreams of living, it would have changed Sylas’s world. She couldn’t. What she did know was how wounded Sylas was. He wouldn’t come back with her. What everyone had said about Sylas was correct. Sylas was a danger and there was no end to the people he’d step over or upon to bring about his Demacia. “I trusted you, Sylas. I wanted to be your friend. I wanted so badly to be right about you.”
Sylas’s expression moved from anger to pain. “I’m sorry, Little Light, but this is the way of the world.”
“Then we have nothing more to speak of.” Lux turned on her heels, looking to the door of the bar. She noticed it was ajar, despite remembering that she had closed it.
There was the telltale noise of chains moving behind her, Lux looking over her shoulder to see Sylas. He was closer now and, if he wished to hurt her, within distance of swinging his chains. “You know I can’t let you leave here. You know where we are. If there’s even the smallest of chances you could tell others where we are, we can’t let that happen.”
Sylas moved closer, now within touching distance. “So you’re going to kill me then?” Lux asked.
“I don’t want to, Luxanna.” He reached over, grabbing her arm. “Please. Don’t make me do this.”
Lux pulled her arm, eyes narrowing at Sylas. “Let me go. Now.”
Sylas looked upset but it was clear he wouldn’t budge on this matter. “I’m sorry. In time, you’ll understand.” Lux knew that Sylas had taken her power, now about twice as dangerous as before. “I promise. One day, you’ll see why this is for the good of everyone.”
“Hey. Buddy.”
Another hand grabbed Sylas’s arm, twisting it. Sylas grimaced as he tried to hold onto Lux’s arm before letting go, being pulled away from the woman. His eyes turned to the person who clutched his arm, clenching his hand into a fist as he made eye contact with the man who had gripped him.
“When a lady says “let go”, you let go,” C said, flashing a grin of malice and joy. Looks like he’d get his violent fun after all.