Embrace darkness 1/2
As we arrived at the mansion, I focused on the two 'prisoners' that were here with us. "Bring them." I told while looking to Giorno and Artoria. "Medea, try to locate Berserker or Rider, whichever you find first will be our first target."
Medea nodded at my words and dematerialised.
"Diarmuid, make sure no servants or familiars followed us. I wouldn't be surprised if Assassin was hiding nearby." I tell Lancer, to which he nods and dematerialises.
Moving to the basement, I focused on Artoria's hand and looked at the ring I gave her. Originally it was a golden ring with the red philosopher's stone, however as soon as I placed it in her finger it turned black, giving it a pretty cool appearance that matched her armour and sword.
( Image here. )
Once we got to the basement I looked at Artoria. "So?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "What do you want to do with him?"
Artoria looked at Kiritsugu, who she had been carrying, with the same expression devoid of emotions. "Kill him." she replied coldly.
"Hmmm, but is that enough though?" I ask while rubbing my chin. "The guy killed your husband a couple of times you know? And he wanted to betray you so it is naturally not enough for him to simply die."
Artoria remained silent for a moment, still focused on Kiritsugu who was now laying down on the floor. Pulling out her sword, she hit him in the stomach and forced him to wake up.
"Garghhh!" exclaimed Kiritsugu as he opened his eyes. Looking around he saw my smiling face and Artoria's expressionless face, both focused on him. "W-What are you doi-" he spoke, however his words were interrupted by a sword going into his abdomen.
Artoria looked coldly at him as she slowly moved the sword across his body, opening his stomach and letting all his organs come out of his body. Pulling her sword out, she took a step back and got next to me, while we both watched Kiritsugu's expression as he moved his eyes down and saw his organs spilled on the floor. Moving his eyes back up he focused on me one last time as hatred grew in his eyes.
"That was good dear." I tell Artoria while caressing her cheek. "But you still lacked a bit of cruelty, you should have told him something like the mother of his child will soon follow him to hell, or something like that. Then I would have told him about how I tortured Maiya, who he left behind with no remorse. Let's try again." I say while crouching down and pulling a ring out of my pocket before putting it on Kiritsugu's finger.
Standing back up I looked and Saber with a smile. "Why did you do that?" she asked confused as Kiritsugu began healing.
"You see, Artoria, everyone dies, so simply killing someone doesn't really count as punishment. If you want people to fear you, to respect you, to never even think about betraying you, then you have to show them that you are ruthless to your enemies. Of course you also need to show them that you are great to those who serve you, but we will close that bridge eventually, for now just focus being crueler my dear."
Artoria rubbed her chin, still not completely convinced that torturing people was necessary if you were already killing them painfully.
"Tell me dear, do you think that the nobles and knights would have betrayed you if they knew that you would torture them and their families?" I asked her.
Artoria remained silent for a moment, recalling the people that betrayed her. "No." she replied shaking her head.
"Exactly, they would have known their place and acted accordingly." I explain her. "And if not then you would have made an example out of them, that way the ones who came after them would have known their place."
Artoria nodded in understanding. In her alter form, Artoria's alignment shifts from lawful good to lawful evil as she basically realises that being a tyrant is the only way she could have succeeded as a king. Both fascinating and completely perfect for me. Since she wasn't inverted by Angra Mainyu however, she isn't completely evil either, so I have to give her some of the last pushes if I want her to get there.
"Still, you did a good job." I tell her while patting her head. "Its just that you are still to tied down by your very own ideals, so let me help you a bit."
One of the command seals in my hand began glowing as Artoria raised her eyebrow, however she remained silent as she watched me. A smile blossomed on my face as I saw she didn't even question what I would order her to do. "I order you my dear, follow what your heart desires." I say with a smile.
Such an order is too general, similar to Rin ordering Archer to respect her, however it will undoubtedly influence her mind, bringing her closer to my own.
Artoria let out a small smile, which didn't quite fit the setting, however it matched perfectly my own as we looked at Kiritsugu's blood spread across the floor.
Artoria took a deep breath before getting back down next to Kiritsugu, who was breathing heavily after experiencing death. Placing her sword right back into his stomach, Artoria watched the life drain out of his eyes as he once again saw his organs spilled on the floor, this time however the process was much slower, and it ended up with a phrase from Artoria that convinced me I made the right choice.
"You killed my husband three times, did you not?" she said calmly, yet with a slightly sadistic and obsessed grin. "It is only fair that I make you feel what 30 deaths are like then."
"Very nice desires that you heart has." I say while patting her head.
"Wasn't that a waste of a command seal, my husband?" she asked.
"Not quite." I reply while shaking my head. "Now you are free from the logic that held you back, besides we still have five more command seals, and its not like we can't get more."
"I see..." she replied with a small smile. "You know... it is tradition for a husband and wife to have a wedding night..." she said while a small tint of red appeared on her cheeks. "I know that we haven't had a proper wedding but you used you command seal and well..."
A wide smile appeared on my face as I caressed her cheek. "Well if it is what my beloved's heart desires, then I should help you right?"