So Be It

A moment of silence lingered in the air.

"…Your Highness," Sage Sayfeel whispered. "You think…I want him to die?"

His gaze bored into Rui's eyes. 

"…You think I don't want him to live?"

His voice quivered ever so slightly.

"You think his ailment…his fate pleases me?"

He shook his head. 

"You are wrong."

He turned to Rui, meeting his gaze. 

"It was his will that you ascend the throne."

Rui narrowed his eyes. "I rejected his will."

Sage Sayfeel closed his eyes. "And what will you do when you fail?"

Rui stared at him.

The man opened his eyes. His powerful gaze bored into Rui's.

"…If you fail, will you ascend the throne?"

A moment of silence lingered.

It was deafening.

The two Martial Artists stared at each other.

The air seemed to boil.

It boiled, wrung taut with the weight of the escalating tension.