Already Dead

It was so hard for him to figure out what to say. What to do. How to feel. But the more he thought about what he saw on the top of that mountain...the more he replayed the scene in his head...the less he was able to contain it. Shaye spoke, promising that she would protect Ignis and Actaea. Of course...she thought it was them he was worried about. Granted, he was. He always worried about them. But the possibility of Elias trying to take them back wasn't on his mind. He knew he would fight Elias to the death for those kids if he had to, and anyone else who sought to take them away. They would not be slaves to Ruina's ways...to those demons that caged his brother's mind and made him a prisoner. Ace had been lucky enough to not suffer the same fate as his brother and the rest of his family. But he always thought he was stronger than them, too. Strong enough to keep those demons at bay...so far.

He closed his eyes. Another wave of sadness hitting him harder this time. It was because of Elias' beliefs that Domina was dead...his niece was innocent...she didn't deserve it...she had so much ahead of her...she could have been happy...here...with her brother and sister...and now?

He had been too late in saving her...

Without warning, Ace turned his head and buried it in Shaye's fur. He felt defeated. He felt smaller than ever. A wave of pain and guilt consuming him. He was always the strong one. Rarely one to show so much emotion. Most of what he did let others see was anger. But this? The last time it showed was when Winter had died. And even then, he had cried and mourned in secret. But in this moment, the tears flowed freely as his body shuddered with each aching breath. Heart clenching tightly, painfully. "He...killed her...she didn't deserve it...I was...too late..." His voice was broken. Full of powerful, raw emotion. He had been too late to save Domina...just like he had been too late to save Winter...

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