I noticed how incredibly and indescribably exhausted I was. As soon as Izuna pointed his sword at my throat, I dropped mine.

I was panting like a madman, my blue cape hanging dull and lifeless at my sides in the dim, still cave, our breaths the only sound along the eerie whooshing of the planets as they swerved around us, some fast, some so slowly they seemed to be still.

Izuna was clearly still in pain from the poison of the gas planet, but was fighting it. My strong, brave lover. He looked at me with killer instinct, but at the same time with such a great love, it made me feel as though I was drowning. I felt my knees buckle beneath me, and I landed on them, bruising them. His sword didn't leave me at any moment, its point following my Adam's apple as I fell.

"I did what you said. I trained your army. Where is my brother's body?" I looked at him. "Where is my brother's body?" he repeated.

Oh, how he would loathe me for this.

"I can't tell you", I said.

"BUT YOU PROMISED!!" he roared. His voice always became darker when he screamed. I had noticed when I fucked him.

"I know, I know, but listen", I said. "It's dangerous. When I hid his body, I didn't love you, I didn't care, but now... Retrieving his body is dangerous."

"Why?" he asked with a wobbly voice, looking angry and hurt. "I've completed dangerous tasks before. Do not underestimate me."

"I am not underestimating you, Izuna. You of all people know that I of all people don't. You..." I looked away. "You have to make a blood sacrifice to the great stone to retrieve his body. And I made a blood sacrifice upon hiding his body to make certain that only a blood sacrifice from you can get him back." I noticed his sword was trembling. "I don't fear death", I said, changing the topic. "But I fear the lack of you that comes with it."

Izuna was quiet for a while, biting his lip, brows furrowed. I wondered what millions of things went through his mind then.

"Remember when you told me about the blood sacrifice?" Izuna asked, not taking the bait. For what reason he ignored my claim of love, I could not discern. Was it because he tried to hate me? Was it because he already hated me? Or was it because he loved me?

"I remember", I said.

"You told me that was a story for another time. Now is another time."

"No", I said simply.

He connected the tip of the sword to my skin. It was sharp as a razor. A drop of blood trickled down.

"Now is another time", he repeated, ignoring my question.

"I refuse", I said. "I will not let you make the blood sacrifice at the cost of my pathetic excuse of a life."

Izuna looked angry, and he opened his mouth as if he was going to retort something. But then, his face changed. His eyes focussed on something far, far away, and his features softened. It was as if he'd finally figured something out. I frowned. He's figured out...

How to let us both live!!

But oh, how wrong I was. How incredibly, pathetically wrong I was. He hadn't figured out how to let us both live.

He had figured out how to let himself be the one who died instead of me.

Slowly, very, very slowly, he turned the sword so it pointed towards his own throat instead of mine. And he looked so happy, so incredibly happy, it broke my heart.

"I can't believe I didn't figure it out sooner", he whispered, tears of joy glittering at the corners of his eyes.

"Izuna, no-"

"You'll live... You'll get to live..."

"I'll tell you!" I said, panicking, reaching my hand out towards him from where I sat on my knees but not daring to touch him, not wanting to egg him on. This had all gotten so terribly complicated. "I'll tell you how to make the blood sacrifice!"

Upon hearing this, Izuna relaxed his sword's hand a little. Good God... I need to figure out how to kill myself first before he cuts his throat or makes the blood sacrifice.

"It's just communication. The stone speaks. You ask to make a blood sacrifice. The stone does the rest. But Izuna..." I considered lying to him, as I thought the truth might make him more eager to sacrifice, but then decided to stop infantilising him. He was smarter and more skilled than me, and I wanted to give him every right to make informed decisions based on whatever piece of information I could provide him. "Humans have tried making blood sacrifices for hundreds of years, but all have died. The elves can tolerate one, even if none but the king is allowed." I didn't tell him how many I had made. "But humans..."

Izuna looked incredibly hurt.

"Why would you do that? Why would you hide my brother's body in this way? Why would you want me dead?"

"I told you", I said, a bit too venomously. "I made the blood sacrifice when I hid the body. You were ten! You were my enemy! I was young and foolish! I couldn't undo it because I'd locked it away, enabling it to be brought forth just by your blood!"

"But why didn't you tell me when I first came here?! When I first came to the capital?!"

"You were still the enemy!!" I was full-on screaming now. "I wanted to use you!! And then..." I looked away, suddenly mellow. "Then I fell in love with you. And I became afraid you would leave my side and go back if I told you."

Izuna didn't say anything. He just turned to the stone. He was standing wide-legged, strong, his sword never leaving my throat, its egg leaning on my skin so that he could feel every little movement underneath it and react. I stood no chance of overpowering him.

"Let me do it", I said, but I knew he wouldn't listen as he knew it would kill me since my last round of sacrifices. I regretted having told him that. 

"Great Planetarian!" Izuna screamed.

"NO!!" I screamed over him. "Great stone, listen to me, I wish to-"

But Izuna turned round, grabbed my hair, moved his sword to the side of my throat so he could put his knee to my chin so harshly, it forced my mouth to close.

It was enough time for him to turn around and speak to the stone.

"Please... I would like to make a blood sacrifice."

No... NOOOOOO!!

The great stone spoke in its eerie way, not out loud but in both of our heads.

"Are you aware that you are human, and thus will not survive said blood sacrifice?" it asked.

"Please-" I began, but the great stone interrupted.

"The demand of a sacrifice has already begun. You will have to wait your turn."

Shit.

"Will I have time to see my brother's body?", Izuna asked, ignoring me, safe now that his wish would come first. "Because if not, I'll just kill myself with my sword, thank you very much. Seems far more convenient."

"Yes", the Great Planetarian said. "You will see it. Now. Are you aware that you are human, and thus will not survive said blood sacrifice?"

"Yes", Izuna said without a moment's hesitation."

"Very well. I welcome your question."

And asked the words that would kill him:

"Where is the body of my dead brother?"

I hid my face in my hands.