Archive of Our Own ^beta

Straybow watches as the demon’s attack. He doesn’t have any choice but to watch. To watch as his former friend destroys everything they once worked to protect. He watches as the demons tear the people limb from limb, slowly, as Odio forces families to kill one another. As they beg and plead and scream and fight, and Odio-

Odio calls forth Alicia, tearing her soul apart once again, and she screams-

That snaps Straybow out of his trance. He died, but he knows what that scream means, what he must do-

He’s powerless, though, and-

He’s a soul.

Magic is powered by the spirit, which is formed by the soul.

He’s the one who’s powerless. Alicia has power even if she can’t use it, and he has magic, even if he can’t command it. 

He can cast the spell, maybe, but his power isn’t his anymore, it’s Odio’s. 

Odio, who feeds off hate. 

Emotions hold power.

And Odio just severed many, many souls from their bodies. 

Suddenly, Straybow knows what he must do. How to help Lucretia crawl out of the hole that’s been dug for it.

He mutters a spell, impossible to hear, impossible to feel the effects of.

Yet.

With every innocent Odio tortures and slaughters- because that’s what they are: innocents, who had nothing to do with Straybow’s crimes- Straybow asks them if they are willing to give what they have left, their pain, to Alicia, to the spell Straybow cast.

He asks-

-Annette, Franklin, Marianne, Henry, Christoph, Kirisa, Samuel, Cassandra, Dianna, Vincent-

Each and every one agrees.

-Malin, Anna, Selma, Markus, Zvi, Thorin, Arvid, Filip, Freya, Noah, Lief, Karter, Khloe, Eliza-

They agree, because-

-Eric, Mary, Song, Karr, Lauris, Alleta, Alfonse, Shannea, Von, Rhea, Eir, Ulick, Willie, Jessie, Jadyn, Johanna, Adeline, Alexanda Jair, Abagail, Lillian, Jamie, Jaxson, Dawson, Makena, Ash-

-Because they died screaming. 

-Niel, Dane, Jan, Selma, Oscar, Thorborg, Inge, Kathrine, Erus, Viljo, Viola, Lillian, Micheal, Alyvia, Coal, Brenden, Davian, Nicolas, Gabriela, Gina, Brianna, Jamal, Brylee, Lena, Mylesl-

-Because Odio forced them to die killing their loved ones. 

-Rose, Thora, Erik, John, Vendela, Robert, Everlyn, Marrie, Johannes, Vanja, Bardra, Jasmine, Endon, Sharn, Amaya, Genesis, Eli, Tyrese, Yoselin, Dashawn, Cedric, Alexis, Dalton, Kamari-

-Because they had to watch as their husbands, wives, siblings, children, were tortured and slaughtered.

-Steven, Thomas, Ava, Rin, Frederica, Hugh, Karla, Fir, Ingrid, Davin, Bjorn, Claudia, Dimitri, Ross, Jared, Antoine, Diego, Talon, Cesar, Elyssa, Amelea, Rolando, Adrian, Jonathon-

-Because they do not want that fate for others.

-Frey, Daisy, Gabriel, Hannah, Charls, Hans, Marth, Silica, Alm, Tobin, Fae, Ruby, Ymir, Stella, Robin, Ashlynn, Jaeden, Devan, Nehemiah, Dakota, Danny, Lia, Reece, Junior, Eliana, Conrad- 

-Because they’re vengeful, too. 

-Harry, Saffron, Alice, Ron, Asra, William, Snøfrid, Viljalmr, Saturn, Anya, Tryggvi, Olan, Agathe, Synnove, Timothy, Emily, Lainey, Saul, Jaime, Rory, Jakayla, Danika, Carleigh, Franklin, Karlee-

-Because they’re scared. 

-Colm, Sofie, Madeeha, Lucia, Patrik, Dora, Duncan, Riley, Etta, Ulffr, Toril, Ylwa, Dag, Savea, Kaj, Rosa, Aniya, Jonah, Dylan, Lawson, Henry, Zaria, Violet, Adonis, Harold, Naomi, Kael- 

-Because they want to move on. 

-Leticia, Evonne, Rune, Vannevar, Lucian, Haley, Chole, Barney, Alaina, Ayda Mcphee, Terry, Simmone, Veronica, Kurt, Justus, Addisyn, Derrick, Daniel, Russell, Christian, Sam, Milagros- 

-Because all their worst fears came true.

-Maariyah, Thorborg, Haris, Maya, Thyrrni, Jakob, Morgan, Neptune, Clark, Stieran, Bruce, Cavan, Sunil, Penny, Danielle, Aaliyah, Arjun, Holden, Randy, Leandro, Anya, Sofia, Katelyn, Arita, Atticus, Isabella, Allison, Rene, Rubi, Frankie, Laylah, Jagger, Mohamed, Darrell, Reagan, Alicia, Mckayla, Israel, Yadiel, Drew, Phoebe, Lina, Clinton, Ernest, Kendrick, Josephine, Sarai, Rachel-

After asking Rachel- a farmhand that died from blood loss when her legs were torn off, who wanted to visit her new godson in the city once everything calmed down- Straybow realises something.

-Royce, Haiden, Marlene, Makenzie, Keyla, Nicole, Micah, Ryder, Gerardo, Leia, Lisa, Felix, Bernadette, Julissa, Skjøld-

He may have dug the hole, he may have pushed Oersted in, but Oersted was the one who made his bed in it. Oersted was the one who chose to lie in it, chose to drag Lucretia down with him. 

-Krish, Sanna, Fortinbras, Kolby, Igor, Shyanne, Kieran, Chandler, Cristina, Laylah, Allie, Adrienne, Valerie, Richard, Olivia-

And Lucretia is paying the price.

-Fiona, David, Karla, Alexis, Dyre, Conor, Ayana, Isaias, Keely, Marin, Virginia, Svea, Dagna, Aaron, Leanna-

Odio could have simply summoned Straybow’s shade, could have simply tortured him.

-Jalen, Cindy, Jaden, Aaliyah, Shawn, Jermaine, Lun, Mohammad, Rinda, Derrick, Ashly, Odo, Heidy, Waage, Kash- 

Odio, Straybow realises, is the greatest hypocrite of all, no matter how much he claims his “Saint Alicia” is.

- Theresa, Miguel, Raiden, Erica, Hudson, Rayna, Lisolette, Angie, Beatrice, Walker, Melissa, Kelsey, Tiana, Steven, Delling -

He called Alicia shallow for “betraying” him. For dying instead of spending the rest of her life unhappy. 

- Sullivan, Zainab, Damaris, Justin, Rubi, Billy, Andre, Kelton, Zechariah, Clarence, Keira, Unn, Yadiel, Lundy, Ansley-

As if it didn’t take the actions of others for Oersted to turn against people he barely knew. People who had nothing to do with anything that happened. People who have only seen him in passing.

-Hana, Athena, Priam, Marisa, Sirius, Amber, Karena, Ena, Raphael, Ull, Max, Niels, Deshawn, Kade, Aryanna-

How was Alicia meant to know for certain that what Straybow told and showed her were lies? When she barely knew Oersted? Yet, when Oersted fell for those same lies, same illusions, it was somehow justified.

-Basilio, Bo, Liza, Egil, Cornelius, Monica, Lloyd, Amelia, Madelyn, Sophia, Pascal, Deen, Lex, Ronan, Dolph -

He said Alicia’s love for him was shallow. 

-Quan, Mordecai, Marcia, Gandolf, Geoffrey, Phila, Nils, Niles, Marny, Xander, Mia, Erik, Douglas, Cormag, Zeke-

As if he knew her, knew her pain. As if any love he had for her wasn’t false- because if her taking her own life caused him to decide to tear her soul to pieces again and again, then Straybow cannot believe any love he held for her was true. That it was anything but desire.

 -Toyah, Jill, Brendan, Fiora, Mustafa, Muhammed, Nyna, Garrick, Thiassi, Cecilia, Glen, Olivia, Corrin, Saleh, Gordin- 

As if Oersted’s love for Lucretia hasn’t been proven to be just as shallow.

-Ezra, Roy, Teodor, Alva, Nelson, Jorge, Matthis, Renault, Baldur, Bertram, Glade, Percy, Sue, Jake, Kelsey-

As if Oersted didn’t throw the gifts Lucretia piled at his feet back at their face. They gave him armour, weapons, clothes- even one of the villages offered to let him take every herb growing there, even though they needed it. 

-Eliwood, Franz, Idonea, Clarine, Azura, Elliot, Ralf, Orton, Lester, Vanessa, Ludvig, Maybell, Halle, Joshua, Tina-

As if they didn’t place their faith in him. 

-Seth, Katarina, Darin, Cliff, Sorley, Warren, Dalton, Orsin, Florina, Ursula, Cain, Rickard, Cameron, Lang, Kellam-

Oersted didn’t want faith. Instead he wanted blind devotion.

-Zola, Guinivere, Carlyle, Fergus, Denholm, Linus, Draco, Oswin, Layla, Candace, Mikhail, Laurent, Maribelle, Ignatius, Isadora-

He claimed Alicia was dull, for breaking in the time she was taken. As if it didn’t take half the time Alicia was on that mountain for Oersted to become a demon.

-Lorenz, Leo, Hector, Lars, Heath, Steinar, Carson, Erika, Tana, Vidkun, Gudrun, Lana, Lara, Judah, Cord-

He claimed that Alicia never suffered, and that he, her knight, was the one suffering on those quests.

-Robert, Stefan, Hughette, Minerva, Krystyn, Linnea, Nichol, Arete, Camilla, Ulrik, Vali, Castor, Quinby, Xavier, Astrid-

He claimed that as if that was not his choice.

 -Daniela, Linde, Peri, Serra, Wallace, Gerrard, Silk, Sølve, Miranda, Hyman, Raymond, Arran, Mara, Lillia-

As if none of this is his choice.

-Aran, Nissa, Murdock, Rody, Linda, Charlotte, Johan, Canute, Hilda, Raven, Kyle, Ranveig, Jakob, Vanslow, Knute, Ryan-

As if, somehow, Odio’s the one suffering the most, and not the thousands he’s torturing in ways worse then he ever suffered.

-Paul, Wil, Llewelyn, Dorothy, Deirdre, Frey, Gomer, Abel, Eleanora, Tanya, Arden, Mats, Caesar, Leanne, Hannes, Lance-

Because Uranus was the one tortured by the guards. Odio is the one enacting a vengeance that the priest never would have wished.

-Colm, Soleil, Roger, Odell, Tyra, Perceval, Vidar, Ced. Lyon, Serenoa, Kaden, Damian, Lilith, Watt, Saul, Inigo, Scarlet-

Odio claims that the guards were irrational after he killed the king, and uses it as proof of humanity's evil. Of his own justification. As if he didn’t also act irrationally when he believed there was a demon before him.

-Eda, Wendy, Viggo, Dory, Dean, Rutger, Meg, Norb, Mila, Elvis, Bryce, Jesen, Edward, Hawk, Ephraim, Cordelia, Lis, Hezekiah, Aden, Maren, Laurel, Marilyn, Jovany, Leonidas, Matilda, Sienna, Lana, Braxton, Ansley, Reynaldo, Conner, Alisha, Kamora, Guillermo, Belen, Natalie, Sasha, Melissa, Cassidy, Reina, Kathryn, Robert, Colten, Axel, Lee, Tyree, Carlee, Antony, Kyle, Adam, Milas, Erik, Pelle, Vincent Villads, Ella, Holger, Ebbe, Walter, Luca, Benjamin, Olivia, Freja, Emma, Luna, Agnes, Nora, Karla, Lucas, Aksel, Noah, Victor, Elias, Sofia, Anna, Frida, Ellen, Astrid, Isabella, Saga, Aya, Lærke Marie, Liva, Hannah, Mathilde, Maja, Vilma-

Odio, Straybow now knows, does not see them as people. A part of him thinks he never did. 

-Callum, Bastian, Oscar, Ike, Vigdis, Nanna, Sully, Kieran, Owain, Orson, Gray, Natasha, Roberto, Thorstein, Wade, Rad, Lyn, Paisley, Sierra, Tyson, Silas, Riley, Khalil, Leo, Kaeden, Ruth-

If he did, he wouldn’t be making all of Lucretia, all of humanity, pay for the crimes of a few.

-Matilda, Lucina, Keaton, Gerome, August, Kerr, Juno, Rebecca, Ultar, Sophie, Bjorn, Aida, Fiona, Samson, Anastasia Rudolf, Ayra, Kade, Jamie, Cohen, Frances, Litzy, Ariana, Aedan, Allie, Tristen-

And Odio acts as if it is his right to kill them. 

-Thurid, Victor, Pablo, Georg, Valter, Lucius, Donnel, Selena, Pamela, Coen, Gaius, Dara, Louise, Ares, Haakon, Leonardo, Larsen, Nasir, Jadiel, Corey, Austin, Janae, Beatrice, Deon, Nevaeh, Emilie, Yosef-

Straybow always hated his self-righteousness. 

-Misha, Slater, Kelda, Sylvia, Elen, Hayden, Patty, Benedict, Nels, Wolf, Horace, Garcia, Luka, Lissa, Petrine, Artemis, Effie, Desmond, Audrey, Gilberto, Donna, Peyton, Joe, Keyon, Celia, Roman, Donald-

Now, he’s too tired to. 

-Julian, Odin, Cassius, Karel, Garon, Janne, Corrin, Artur, Ewan, Laura, Sonia, Finn, Forrest, Oliver, Gareth, Rhys, Dan, Reese, Brooks, Billy, Gianna, Keegan, Madison, Eddie, Luca, Pamela, Chelsea-

Too weak to even think about it.

-Lyre, Felicia, Julius, Reina, Flavia, Nyx, Benny, Ninnian, Rafiel, Priscilla, Signa, Titania, Roland, Silas, Ophelia, Mia, Norris, Keyla, Lawrence, Sincere, Zoe, Jayden, Ian, Zaiden, Jayla, Aniyah, Braylen-

So he watches as he as been forced to, as Odio proves the guards right for claiming he is a demon. 

-Clement, Gunda, Marty, Brady, Nolan, Avolra, Clive, Elise, Shanna, Leila, Kettil, Kent, Karin, Alec, Lute, Innes, Soren, Yadiel, Tia, Courtney, Ali, Tania, Davin, Ayden, Tori, Joselyn, Ronnie, Phoenix, Jazlene-

He watches-

-Arthur, Cynthia, Holland, Beck, Signild, Frederick, Wagner, Lena, Anthony, Emil, Flora, Brighton, Bernard, Luke, Heather, Colten, Jamison, Marie, Giada, Judith, Jordin, Brayan, Fletcher, Jadyn, Franco, Annabella, Jean, Marin, Avery, Mylee, Kylie-

-die 

He asks-

-Rolf, Homer, Scott, Thalas, Gregor, Donovan, Ulster, Elice, Matthew, Fisher, Brom, Pal, Fred, Sigrun, Ethlyn, River, Seth, Samantha, Mara, Raymond, Angie, Javier, Jennifer, Elisa, Matthias, Zackery, Allen, Triston, Milo-

Alicia’s getting stronger. Each time Odio calls her forth, she takes slightly longer. Sudders more.

-Garret, Sonja, Valkyrie, Iago, Aimee, Marcus, Ruben, Snorre, Tristan, Quinby, Tomas, Elena, Clair, Emma, Sigurd, Wendell, Carolus, Gunter, Boyd, Kenneth, Sara, Jarl, Philip, Ellis, Dana, Kassandra, Denzel, Parker, Anderson, Damian, Reuben, Madelyn, Reagan-

Until-

-Uriah, Esperanza, Anastasia, Oswaldo, Elle, Johnathan, Yasmine, Jade, Thoralf, Yoselin, Runa, Nathanael, Ali, Bridger, Emilia, Molly, Nina, Quintin, Edwin, Izabelle, Milagros, Ran, Ruben, Elliana, Kellen, Dalton, Jayla, Allisson, Aiyana, Ingvar, Ingmar, Jaidyn, Frank, Wray, Brenda, Kingston, Angel, Dahlia, Kiersten, Litzy, Matthew, Laney, Amari, Ula, Colby, Keith, Grayson, Maeve, Kael, Kadin, Julia, Richard, Quenby, Bernard, Shiloh, Annabel, Kaia, Harley, Camryn, Amare, Clara, Gillian, Campbell, Landen, Kasey, Eliezer, Joyce, Ava, Arturo, Ray, Else, Isaias, Dale, Anabel, Esmeralda, Gavyn, Victoria, Delaney, Tyrone, Gunnar, Barbara, Emilee, Jaylin, Ebony, Zachery, Ally, Bruno, Brendan, Karma, Jacey, Kelvin, Caylee, Nelson, Jase, Haleigh, Edith, Alex, Darion, Caitlin, Cayden,  Levi, Hazel, Angela, Eliezer, Bella, Cristofer, Nancy, Kash, Ashlyn, Baylee, Van, Kailyn, Jane, Maritza, Sara, Mars, Daniella, Josue, Jerimiah, Vanessa, Andrew, Eden, Dylan, Magdalena, Null, Will, Rylee, Arielle, Kamron, Giovanni, Kevin, Maribel, Elliott, Tyshawn, Ryleigh, Hunter, Janiyah, Paulina, Marcus, Brooklynn, Tripp, Danica, Pierce, Samir, Taniya, Nathanial, Sage, Livia, Aleena, Kolby, Luis, Leonard, Alia, Adam, Desirae, Jaylon, Nayeli, Cade, Eve, Guadalupe, Viona, Gertrude, Alannah, Sharon, Clara, Brandon, Jayleen, Lillianna, Hugo, Wendy, Jewel, Makaila, Lola, Witney, Brennen, Cristina, Nathalia, Giovani, Kamryn, Maliyah, Beckham, Kallie, Gabrielle, Branson, Kaylah, Lara, Alejandro, Asia, Killian, Seia, Branden, Jaiden, Merle, Victoria, Mille, Liv, Emily, Sofie, Leonora, Molly, Lea, Andrea, Gry, Emilie, Vera, Rosa, Alva, Elina, Johanne, Oscar, Karl, William, Oliver, Alfred, August, Valdemar, Malthe, Arthur, Emil, Theo, Josefine, Laura, Esther, Otto, Viggo, Magnus, Felix, Elliot, Nohr, Liam, Matheo, Anton, Hugo, Villum, Marius, Christian, Alma, Ida, Clara, Loui, Alexander, Theodor, Frederik, Konrad, Lauge, Anker, Albert, Johan, Storm, Ellie, Asta, Lily, Alberte, Davis, Cael, Savanna, Aryanna, Abram, Lucas, Maci, Dillon, Jazlyn, Donte, Jamya, Quintin, Alisson, Sean, Jacqueline, Adolfo, Jada, Kylan, Kayleigh, Jace, Juliana, Esteban, Aldo, Nolan, Amari, Larry, Keenan, Gunnar, Marely, Logan, Rogelio, Marisa, Aubrey, Noel, Andreas, Sissel, Eden, Roberto, Kendra, Diana, Tamara, Liana, Kole, Alyson, Kadence, Catalina, Stephanie, Sonny, Agustin, Johan, Jonas, Kamila, Leland, Mckinley, Bryanna, Ramon, Jude, Alena, Jessica, Valerie, Gracie, Rishi, Lisa, Matteo, Marcelo, Bethany, Karina, Juan, Abigail, Genevieve, Lancelot, Mordred, Greta, Amy, Uriel, Paige, Ariel, Griffin, Christine, Jazlynn, Semaj, Lilianna, Tristian, Steve, August, Samson, Daisy, Ashanti, Chase, Xiomara, Deven, Shiloh, Baron, Summer, Ana, Tatiana, Josiah, Bailey, Alani, Delilah, Jayvion, Hallie, Izayah, Jaqueline, Madeleine, Angelica, Maddison, Ayaan, Diamond, Armani, Gretchen-

-The shackles that bind her actions to Odio’s will break.

She was kept aware during everything Odio did. 

She, like everyone else he tortured, just wants the horror to end.

Over a thousand souls worth of pain and screams and agony are directed towards Odio as Alicia turns on the man who enslaved her. She tears him apart as he did to her hundreds of times over. As he forced her to do hundreds of times over. As he forced families to do to one another hundreds of times over.

Odio is torn apart, like all of his victims. He struggles, like some of them did, demonic powers letting him last longer than all others.

He dies screaming, just as many others. Just as he forced upon Alicia again, and again, and again.

Finally, finally, Straybow can close his eyes, and fade away. 

Finally, the dead can rest.