The horse skidded to a halt in the courtyard of the palace, Decius and Lucius quickly dismounting. Soldiers from the unit that had accompanied them to the upper portion of the hill flooded the area, easily beating through the guards defending the palace. There was nothing to stop Decius and Lucius from just walking in.

So they did.

The corridors and rooms of the palace were so familiar, filled with memories like corpses in a battlefield. Every corner, every space, had a memory of Lucius' mother, his father, a younger Decius. His parents smiled and laughed, lectured and scolded, and they had loved him. They marked the milestones of life for both the boys, Lucius always itching to be where Decius was, to be better, older than he was.

Now, as a man, he found himself longing for the days of his childhood.

No. I must not dwell on the past. The one who took them from me is still alive, and I must make him pay, his heirs mourn, before I can reflect.

The few guards who attacked the brothers were easily cut down. Decius had a determined expression that mirrored Lucius', both wishing to avenge their parents on the one man behind it all.

They found Regius Pirilius in the throne room, a fact Lucius found satisfyingly ironic. He killed my father here, and here he shall die, at the base of the throne he stole from me.

He wasn't alone; his son stood beside him, fists clenched, eyes hard. He looked to be a little older than Decius; Julius Pirilius, if Lucius remembered his name correctly. He appeared to be only a younger version of his father, sharing the same despicable eyes and expression as he would soon share the same fate.

"Decius Numas," Pirilius said in a low voice, standing on the dais. He held no weapon, his hands hanging stiffly by his sides. But Lucius could see the slight transformation that had come over the interrex before he killed Sipio. He was poised to strike, to kill, to tear living flesh to pieces. He was preparing to kill them.

"Regius Pirilius," Decius said, his features twisting from determination into anger. Lucius remembered in that moment that Pirilius hadn't just killed Sipio – he had killed Numas, too, had at least orchestrated Decius' father's death if he hadn't actually killed him. This was as much vengeance for Decius' past as it was for Lucius'.

Nothing binds two people closer than a bond of revenge.

"This ends now," Decius declared, stepping into a defensive pose. Lucius mirrored him, glaring at the Ascantals. Both would die today, for he wouldn't leave the son alive to launch a rebellion later. "You killed my father, you killed Lucius Sipio, and so today, for your crimes, you shall die."

"On the contrary," Pirilius said calmly. "Today, you and the other one will die and I will rid Fure of the threat of your tyranny. Or perhaps, your own brother will do it for me." He looked to Lucius. "You're fated to end Ciceri's tyranny, boy. That means Vican and Decius Numas here. He may have fooled you, but your own fate doesn't lie with them – it lies with me, as an ally to the throne."

"I'm not here to end any tyranny but yours," Lucius spat. "And don't call me 'boy.'"

He and Decius charged right as the Ascantals lunged. Pirilius' fingers scraped against the flat of Decius' blade as Julius struck out at Lucius. Lucius parried the strike, his mind whipping into overdrive. One wrong move and he would die, cut open just like his father had been.

So he must not make a wrong move.

Lucius moved instinctively, twisting to avoid a lunge or lifting his sword to strike a blow. In this second form, the Ascantals' limbs were impervious to blows, their skin too thick for his sword to cause any damage. He needed to aim for the head or the torso if he wanted to kill them.

He stabbed for the chest but Julius caught the sword in his hands, twisting it with such force that Lucius was flipped over, landing on his side, his hands still wrapped tightly around his hilt. But instead of pressing his advantage and killing Lucius right there, Julius turned and lunged at Decius, who was focused intently on dueling with Pirilius.

"Decius!" Lucius screamed, struggling to rise and go to his brother's aid. Decius shifted his stance, sweeping his sword around and plunging it into Julius' chest, the blade sinking up to the hilt.

Julius' body stiffened as a soft moan escaped his mouth, blood bubbling along his lips. "No!" Pirilius yelled, and he hurled himself at Decius in his rage.

Decius was already moving backward, yanking his sword out of Julius' body as the Ascantal crumpled to the ground, already beginning to bleed out. Due to his movement away, Pirilius missed his original target; instead of tearing open Decius' chest, he sank his fingers into Decius' thigh.

Decius' eyes widened as he hissed in pain, his trousers stained with bright red blood.

Lucius was charging as Decius thrust down at the Ascantal, managing a glancing blow on his shoulder as he hit him in the face with his fist, attempting anything to escape the interrex's grip. Lucius slammed into Pirilius, too furious to think rationally as he and the Ascantal went sprawling, Pirilius' fingers tearing a gash in Decius' leg.

Lucius rolled up onto his feet as Decius sank to the ground, panting slightly from the pain. He still held his sword but his leg was bleeding. Lucius didn't have long to kill Pirilius before his brother would be too far gone to save.

Let's end this, then.

"Your destiny lies not with him," Pirilius snarled. "It lies with me, Lucius Sipio."

"No," Lucius shook his head. "I don't believe in fate. I only believe in revenge. And you killed my father."

"Then die," Pirilius growled, and he lunged at Lucius.

Lucius managed to deflect his first attack but the Ascantal's fingers caught his cheek, ripping through his skin like it was cloth. Warm blood gushed down his face as pain assaulted him, his eyes watering. But he jumped backward, readying for another attack.

Pirilius pressed his advantage, swiping again at Lucius as Lucius parried the attack with his sword, jabbing at his stomach. The Ascantal caught the blade in his hands and snarled at Lucius. "You will die like your father."

Lucius yanked his sword away, glaring at the interrex. "And you will die like your son."

Pirilius charged, his powerful muscles surging beneath his skin. Lucius sidestepped, slashing at his opponent and catching him on the shoulder, his blade drawing a line of blood. It wasn't much, not nearly enough. He needed Pirilius to lose as much blood as his son, he needed to be able to laugh as his heart pumped the blood out of his body, to know his father could finally rest in peace.

I was not able to bury his body. No one will be able to bury yours. Your people abhor cremation? I will burn you on a pyre so large it shall be seen far and wide across Quirina.

As Pirilius pivoted, Lucius moved in, thrusting upward . Pirilius caught the sword in his hands, his fingers restraining the blade. They stood in a stalemate, each straining against the other's strength.

"It's over," Pirilius swore. "There is nothing left to do, boy."

Lucius just smiled.

He dropped into a crouch, yanking Pirilius off balance before forcing his sword up with all his strength, springing back up onto his feet. The tip of the blade caught Pirilius right under the chin, cutting into his skull.

The Ascantal froze, his eyes wide open. Blood trickled down the sword blade as Lucius smiled viciously up at his now dead enemy. "I will enjoy watching your body burn," he whispered, already envisioning the leaping flames devouring the Ascantal's corpse. An enemy like Pirilius deserved no turn of honor, for one act of treachery deserved another.

Lowering his sword, Lucius watched in satisfaction as Pirilius slid off the end of his blade. "Don't worry," he told the corpse. "I'll burn your son, too, so the both of you won't be allowed into Verula's presence."

"You did it."

Decius' voice came quietly from behind him. Lucius turned and hurried over to his brother, sinking beside him. "I must get you aid," he said. "We can still stop the bleeding yet."

Decius gave him a slight smile. "You did it," he repeated. "You avenged your father and my own, as well as saving my life. Thank you."

"You're my brother," Lucius said.

"When I left the offering for the Forelooker last night, she told me something," Decius said, his face pale from the pain and loss of blood. He gripped Lucius' arm. "She said that the king strikes the final blow. I want you to have the throne, Lucius. You killed Pirilius, you struck the final blow. The throne belongs to you."

"Decius, you're in pain, you don't know what you're saying," Lucius said, yet hoping his brother was in earnest.

"I mean it," Decius whispered, eyes shining fiercely. "I swear my allegiance to you, to my king, Lucius Sipio. May the gods grant you a prosperous reign."