It was time. He could no longer delay what his brother deserved. Too much time had passed, and he was determined to see this through to the end. With Elias no longer under the protection of his nephews pack, Acere made his way to the battlefield. He had spoken already to Ignis, Actaea, Tyranis, and Cloudburst. The rest of the pack wouldn't know until he summoned Elias. Although Winterfell was barely a newborn pack, this was a family matter. It always had been, thus he had decided to only tell those who needed to know. Those that would be affected by their father's decisions in some way. Elias had ruined lives, hurt others, and destroyed everything in his path. After be murdered Domina in cold blood, Acere had vowed to make him pay his debts. Today was it. With grim determination and lack of emotion in his crimson gaze, he walked quietly to the bloodied fields. He wore his armor, and although he wouldn't be using it in the potential fight to come, it brought him a form of comfort. A theoretical form of weighing down his heart and quelling any potential emotions he might feel that would cause him to think twice. Elias was his brother...they had been through so much together. But...time and time again, Elias disappointed and abandoned him. And he did the same to all of the children he brought into this world. Elias was nothing but a plague on the lands...and Acere was determined to wipe him out. He stopped in the center of the battlefield, both foxes standing on either side of him. His heart beat in his chest like a war drum and his blood roared in his ears. Today, only one of them would walk away from this. After a few moments of silence to calm his thoughts, he threw his head back and let loose a powerful call, commanding his brother to meet him on then fields of war. To answer for his crime against the world. Acere VS Elias for DEATHMATCH "Speech"||Thought||"You"

And the winner is...

ACERE! Due to Elias not posting in the allotted time the death match has been defaulted in Acere's favor and Elias has lost his life.

[Lazuli]

Heloise did not follow people lightly. when her king began to act odd, shutting himself off and leaving the territory alone... she followed him. to her surprise, he came to the battlegrounds and called for another promptly. the alabaster wolf had attempted to follow from a good distance, yet when she had come upon him, the body of the fallen wolf was before Acere. blood pooled the ground from the fight, yet the foe did not move. he was dead. she felt her eyes squint, attempting not to judge the king for his actions. she did not know the motives nor the crimes this dead body had given. "Acere" she did not address him as 'my king' this time as she neared. Heloise gave the body another glance before turning back to the white pointed wolf. her shoulders sagged with concealed effort to remain neutral. "what would have happened to Winterfell if you did not come back?" Heloise did not demand an answer, nor expect one from the king. he knew what he was doing. he must have had a plan of some kind. if he failed... would she even remain in the pack? but as a member of the community, she had a right to know. he had fought so hard for his pack. she did not think he would throw it away so easily. "SPEECH"

art + code by Kara

He had done it. Blood spattered over his white fur after his teeth had sunk into his brothers throat. He had done it as quickly as he could to spare his brother anymore pain than was necessary. Even though Elias deserved nothing but pain and misery after all the things he'd done, part of him still loved him. They had been through alot together...but all of that came crashing down. This was perhaps the kindest act he could give him. Feeling stoic, he stood there and watched as the blood pooled. His heart clenched at the sight of his brothers now lifeless body, and despite all the anger and rage that had consumed him, he couldn't help but still feel heartbroken over the loss. Things could have been different. They could have still been at each others side, but they had each chosen a different path. Elias had destroyed himself, succumbing to the ancient demons that plagued him. Allowing them to control him. Ace had escaped that long ago, and even doubted their existence. He never truly heard the voices that some of the others claimed to hear, and always wondered if they used them as excuses to do the cruel things they did. He stood there, staring at his fallen brother for what felt like an eternity. "Acere," He did not move, nor acknowledge anything for a long moment. The king still processing what he'd done. But...he had done it for a good cause. To both save his brother from himself and others that would have gotten hurt by him. Finally, after several long and quiet moments, he spoke. "I don't know. I had requested Ignis to take charge if I didn't come back..." He murmured quietly. He wasn't even sure if Ignis would have wanted to take up the mantle and continue, or if he would become overwhelmed and disband everything. Whichever way Ignis would have taken, he would understand. But it didn't matter now, because he'd be returning home. It started to drizzle, then. Great, he thought. The drops started to mix in with the blood, and he could feel the blood mixed water soaking his fur as it trailed down his body. He felt tears slip from his eyes as he kept watch over his brothers body, his form unmoving from his position. His foxes sat in silence as well, not speaking a word as they felt the gravity of the situation. He refrained from looking at Heloise still..."It had to be done.." He whispered, loud enough for her to hear but not quite strong enough to hear the quavering in his voice. "Speech"||Thought||"You"

the taking of a life was never easy. it left trauma on both the fallen and the living. if she knew Acere suffered from the kill, she would have comforted him. yet she had just arrived before the deed was done, and she faced his back. he told her that a wolf named Ignis would have become the new king, and her eyes briefly squinted before she walked to his side. "Ignis is not the one I chose to follow" she told him bluntly, though soft enough to be comforting "Winterfell chose to follow you, Acere. you are our ideal, our hopes... never forget you have us. you do not need to go through it alone again." her eyes never left the form of the dead man as she spoke to her king. she did not care to be berated for speaking to Acere like this. Heloise only hoped that he knew his people would care if he did not make it back, and they would not have all followed Ignis as he planned. Winterfell would be in tatters from his decision. "I know" she uttered at his insistance. she didn't know the reason behind this death but if her king needed to kill this man... she trusted that he did it out of a kindness to the rest of Boreas. "would you... like to bury him?" a feast for the crows he would be, but perhaps Acere wished to give the man some form of final respect. "SPEECH"

art + code by Kara

"Ignis is not the one I chose to follow." He didn't have a response for that just yet. He knew Ignis was young and inexperienced, probably too much to lead. He wasn't very well known around Winterfell's members, either. And he was sure there would have been others who would feel the same as her. It was a good thing he was coming back then...she continued. Her words hitting home for him. For so long he had been so independent, handling things on his own so that others wouldn't get hurt. He didn't want a repeat of his past, when he lost her. So he had opted to go this alone...but perhaps Heloise was right. He just wasn't sure how to admit that, let alone come to terms that he really wasn't alone in these sort of things. "I know...I just...I couldn't let anyone stop me from doing this. Not this..." He took a deep breath and exhaled. He was sure someone would have tried to stop him. And he didn't know what he would have done if they had tried. Would he have fought them? The reasons were a bit too personal to explain, and he felt like maybe nobody would understand. But then again...maybe they would, if they knew what his brother had been like. If others had shown up to his challenge or witnessed him killing Elias without knowing why he had done it, would they see him as a monster? His gaze darkened at the thought, so he was glad that nobody had witnessed it and that it was only Heloise here now. "Would you like to bury him?" He considered it for a moment. He hadn't thought about burying him at first, and on the way here had debated just leaving his body there to rot and to let the vultures pick away at his corpse. Ruina's demons demanded the bodies be feasted upon, but Acere could not stomach the thought, nor would he have cannibalized his brothers corpse or anyone else's corpse for that matter. He wished Elias had had a similar mindset...and despite his brother eating his own daughter's body for whatever sick reasons the demons commanded, Acere would not partake in that religion. He had long ago abandoned them. With furrowed brows, he quietly nodded and turned away, keeping his back to the she-wolf so that she couldn't see the tears that continued to slip quietly down his face. The drizzling rain was steady now, but at least it made it easier for him to start digging. Once his claws started pulling away the dirt, he would dig furiously, steadily. It was the only thing he could really focus on right now that would keep him from a breakdown. "Speech"||Thought||"You"

Heloise knew someone would have stopped him, but she didn't know who would. Acere was their king and his word was absolute. if he had told Winterfell what he planned on doing, would the masses disagree? would it have caused more suffering? a rift to be made? she did not know. she kept her words to herself, though she had wished he had at least told someone to follow him. if they did, if Acere had been harmed, they could have helped him get back. she didn't know why she felt so betrayed at the thought of him leaving without a word. this was her first experience with a pack, and the leader did not need to explain themselves. she wished she could comfort him, but it seemed he was going to do this alone. watching as he buried the man, pointedly turning his back to her... Heloise bit back a sharp reminder that he didn't need to do this alone. she could help him. she could help bury this man, this man that had been so wrong that the king felt he needed to kill him. the body was large, and two wolves digging instead was better than one. though, she turned away and resumed her usual outward coldness. her eyes shut, feeling slighted though she did not understand why. "let me know when you are ready to leave" she said to her king softly so not to disturb his work. "SPEECH"

art + code by Kara

Large paws ate away at the earth, tearing it up as he dug a hole large enough to accommodate his brothers body well enough. It was the least he could do. The least he would do. It was more than Elias deserved...it didn't take him terribly long, so when he finished digging he grabbed his brother by the scruff and dragged him in. He stood over him for a few moments, wordlessly staring at his fallen brother...his former comrade. Things could have been different. They should have been different. But this was the path that Elias had chosen, and his journey had ended with Ace. Sighing, he started to cover up his body with fresh earth. Nobody would disturb him, and if they did well, he wouldn't know about it. He likely wouldn't visit this spot again, and nobody but him and Heloise would know where he rested now. He'd remain here...alone...and eventually forgotten. He knew that after this, he could finally move on now that he knew Boreas would be safe from his deranged brothers madness. Ignis and Actaea would be safe. Tyranis' kids would be safe...he hoped. He didn't know if Tyranis still held onto those ideals after all that had happened, but he supposed he'd find out in due time. When he finished, he took a moment to clear his head and wipe away the tears. When he felt he was steady enough, he turned around and looked at Heloise. She had said he didn't have to do it alone, but right now, he felt more alone than ever. Killing Elias and burying him was something he had to do on his own. He didn't think she'd understand, but that was something he wasn't quite ready to talk about just yet. Quietly, he walked over to her and sought to press his head into her neck if she allowed him to, seeking some sort of comfort as well as showing his thanks for her being there. He was sure that if he had been left alone after the ordeal, he would have broken down. speech action

when it was clear he was done, she looked back to see him approach her. without a word, he pressed his muzzle against her neck. she could see, from this closeness, that his eyes were red from tears he tried so hard to hide. Heloise frowned, twisting her own head to trail a soft tongue along his muzzle in hopes to comfort his uneasy mind. like a mother would do for a small child. "I am sorry, Acere" she said quietly "I know you did what you felt was right." she had no place to judge his actions, for if she felt so strongly about another's wrongdoings... well, she would end them too. to protect the world they all lived in and to stop the madness. but they could not remain like this in the presence of a gravesite. Acere could be comforted by his family in Winterfell, not with a lowly squire such as herself before the dead. she pulled away from her king to look north. "we should go back, before you are missed" she added in with a soft smile. an attempt at being normal when this was far from it. "SPEECH"

art + code by Kara

She comforted him in a way nobody had in a long time. He leaned into her for a moment as she said she was sorry, and he could only glance at her briefly before he looked away and sighed. Despite his feelings for his brother, part of him had been torn away when he dealt the killing blow. No matter what, Elias would always be his brother. He always had been, even if he tried to deny it in the days leading up to this. "Thank you," He murmured. Even though she was of a lower rank, he recognized her efforts in the pack, and even now. He appreciated her efforts and everything she did. "We should go back before you are missed." She was right. He was sure Actaea and Ignis were no doubt worried about him, so he didn't want to keep them waiting. He wasn't sure if he was ready to explain let alone face them should they decide to confront him about his actions. He would be honest. Maybe they'd understand. Maybe they wouldn't. He turned and started to walk in the direction of home, though his pace would be slow as he beckoned her to follow. He tried to walk tall, but he couldn't help the slump in his shoulders nor how heavy his feet felt with each step he took. "He was my brother." He told her. He felt like he owed her some sort of explanation. After all, she had made the journey here to ensure he would be okay...it was the least he could do for her now. speech action

Heloise nary turned back to Acere as he admitted he knew the man. she paused briefly in step before continuing alongside him. killing a blood relative was not as easy as killing a stranger or a predator on one's border. Acere had known the dead man vividly. she felt all the more sympathetic to his actions. it was not a light decision having been made. "perhaps you did him kindness then" the ivory woman stated "being slew by one he loved and who loved him... a mercy compared to the brutality of a stranger or foe." she spoke with some deeper meaning behind it, though she did not elaborate. she continued in silence as they walked, her head focused entirely on the mountain peaks. though she did have a question or two to pose to her king. "what will you do now?" Heloise asked. Acere must have plans to tell relatives, to let them know the man had died. if he had any living family left that is. but how much would he tell? she never felt he was one for secrets yet he had galavanted off with the intent to face the dead man alone... without telling anyone in Winterfell to her knowledge. she hoped to lull him back to his usual self when they spoke of plans. he had seemed so sure, yet this was another side entirely of Acere she never had known. "SPEECH"

art + code by Kara

"Perhaps you did him kindness then," He breathed in a heavy sigh as he mulled that over. "Perhaps...and perhaps more than he deserved. In truth, he did a lot of bad things. Evil things...that's why...I chose to do this." Even though he chose to kill Elias himself and felt like he deserved it, why did it hurt so god damn much? "In a way...I'm glad I got to him first before anyone else did." His brother had made a lot of enemies...and he was surprised none of them had come after his head before now. Maybe he had manipulated them all almost the same way he himself had been. Blind to what Elias truly was until he finally saw it for himself. He wasn't sure how much he wanted to tell her. Wasn't sure if he should tell her. His past was all fucked up whether Elias was there or not, and the parts with his brother were most certainly all kinds of fucked. None of it mattered anymore though. Elias was now just another memory. "What will you do now?" He kept his gaze focused on the ground as the four of them walked in silence. He didn't want to feel like this. He didn't like to feel like this. But given the circumstances, he couldn't help it. "I don't know." He admitted. The only ones he had told about what was going to happen to Elias one way or another was his main family. As for Elias' other kids...he supposed he could track down the ones who's whereabouts he knew, and the others? He had no idea where they were. "Ignis, Actaea, Tyranis, and Cloudburst know. The others will find out, likely from one of them since I don't know who the others are save for Dominus, but I don't know where they are, either." He assumed that's what she was talking about. If she meant something else, then maybe he was just rambling about things that didn't really matter. Sure, the others had a right to know their father was dead...but he also felt like they wouldn't care. They didn't know him. He was a stranger to them all. speech action

her king was in a flurry of emotion. it was a wonder he could even speak; the emotion he must feel overwhelming to him. he seemed to regret such actions against his brother, though Heloise knew it was not so simple as that. regret there may be, but Acere knew in his heart he had to do it. he followed his conviction through. that is why she had followed him; she saw a good man, a decent man, who could make his actions from his words. "it is not a crime to mourn, however evil he may have been" she said quietly, though offered no other words to him for that subject. he admitted he didn't know what he would do, though. Heloise turned to look at his once proud features clouded with uncertainty. she did not feel bad for him - pity gave way to nothing gained - yet she wished she could do something. Heloise could think of nothing but to keep him talking. if he talked, he would not bundle his emotions up inside. it would destroy him to keep it all in. she knew that well, even if she did not practice her own belief. a shuddering sigh escaped her lips as she looked away from Acere. "I mourned an evil man once" she dared say "I was forced to raise my teeth to him, yet I still cried for him." so she knew, in a way, what the king was feeling. the memory of her past threatened to overwhelm her, yet she remained strong. Heloise fell silent, though if Acere perhaps asked she would elaborate. perhaps was the key word. "SPEECH"

art + code by Kara

"it is not a crime to mourn, however evil he may have been" He glanced at her, words tugging his focus away from the ground for a few moments. She was right. He knew that. Yet he didn't want to feel this all the same. He knew it would be a matter time before he got over it and just...forgot Elias had even existed at all. There was nothing the man had done that was great. Nothing...memorable. Save for all the kids he had created, but as far as he knew, they were all drastically different than their now dead sire. It was funny...despite the white she-wolf being years younger than him, she often seemed to speak with the wisdom of someone much older. He himself had imparted wisdom onto others during trying times, but never had he felt like he was in a predicament that required it for himself until now.

"I mourned an evil man once" Again, he turned to look at her. "I was forced to raise my teeth to him, yet I still cried for him." So then...she knew what it felt like. He was curious about the circumstances surrounding that, but he would not pry into her past if she did not wish to share it. "So you understand," He said softly. Of course she did. She seemed to understand a lot more than most considering their age gap. Not even wolves closer to his age understood. Most lived sheltered lives, oblivious to the heartache and the pain that plagued so many inhabitants of the world. He had never lived a soft and sheltered life...and it seemed neither had she.

"Speech"

Acere had fallen silent, only his short sentence minutes later reaching her ears. she didn't look at him as the pair continued on with their walk back north. "yes" Heloise said simply at first, giving a curt nod as to shake her feelings away from her body. "I understand." she understood loving someone only for them to disappoint her with their actions. she understood the burden it was to decide to act against them, and ultimately the conflict she felt afterward. the brief spurts of anger at her king for running off alone seemed to have vanished. she only hoped next time, he would include her. even if she was to spectate his will, she would rather be here for him if he should fall. to let him know that someone was near, someone loyal to him that would help him breathe his last. or at least carry his body back to his people. they deserved to know he fell. a blessing, then, that the man Acere killed was known to him. Heloise could not imagine a stranger standing over oneself while they died. the last thing they saw was their defeater. and how utterly lonely that would be, for their soul to remain in torment. "let me know... if you need anything in the following days" she went on "I shall keep the facade. your people will not know." it was important that Acere healed best he could, even if he would soon forget the man he killed, for it could make a lasting impression upon him and the people surrounding him. "SPEECH"

art + code by Kara