Focus.

Staring down at his feet, Arthur had the vague sense that the logical part of his brain was trying to get his attention, to get him to pull it together and take action.

"Tell meeeee Arthur," The oil slick at his feet crooned, stroking his sneakers like they were made of gold, "and I will salt the land with their blood."

Focus.

Callie. Why?

A grunt drew his attention to Inari Okami. They dumped Vivi unceremoniously on her rear, hurrying toward the still-prone Mystery.

"NO." Callie was no longer at Arthur's feet. Now she hovered over Mystery, open-mouthed and snarling. "MINE. MY PROPERTY." Her hands gripped his fur, and his back arched as he yowled. Steam poured off her arms on contact, and her voice rose in pitch. "MINE."

"You have no claim on him. I made him." Inari's voices crept like vines. "So you are mad enough to take his corruption? That is your concern. But he is my servant, and now he can continue with his intended purpose."

"MINE!" Callie screeched.

"I am a god, you dare defy me?" they whispered.

"What is a god?" Callie cackled. "What is a god but collected power? I was just below you. Now where am I, god?" She released Mystery, crawling over him. "Why do you tremble? You couldn't be afraid of me, could you?"

FOCUS.

"Why?" Lewis rasped just to his left. With Vivi out of danger, he would return his attention to Arthur.

"I do not fear you. Controlling you is as simple as retrieving your anchor." Inari Okami spread her fingers out, the lotus blooming with fresh runners that stretched toward Arthur. "Or controlling the one that holds it."

The shoots wound like snakes up his legs and torso, sprouting thorns that sank into his skin. He dropped to his knees, clutching the sword with both hands.

"Arthur of the line of Kings, give to me the sword of your ancestor and submit her to me. You have failed her, as your ancestor failed her. You are not worthy to wield her."

The vines jerked at his arms like puppet strings, extending the sword out to Them.

"I do not submit her to you!" Arthur shouted. "It doesn't matter if you take the sword, you can't have her will!" As he shouted, the thorns sank deeper, stirring darkness in his mind.

I failed Callie. I didn't think it through enough. I didn't listen to her. I should have listened to her. She deserves a better master.

He dug his chin into his chest, shutting his eyes and trying to close out the thoughts.

Murderer. Look at Lewis. Look at how much he suffered. Now Vivi sees how much he suffered because of you. No murderer can care for a water spirit. The most pure beings in the spirit world, and look what happened with one in your care.

His fingers remained locked on the hilt.

You can't even do anything. You've never done anything to save anyone, someone else is always saving you. Pathetic.

"Have you any idea how much pain she is in right now?" Inari Okami asked. "You don't even have the decency to look at her and acknowledge it."

Arthur's eyes snapped open and he stared over at Callie. She hadn't moved to defend him. She stood in front of Mystery, watching Arthur with a face more like stone than water.

She's waiting for me to hand Excalibur over. Waiting for me to give her away. Just like he did.

Driving the tip into the ground, he hauled himself back to his feet. "I'm unfit," he panted, "but she submitted to me. And I promised to take care of her. You'll have to kill me to get her anchor. But you wouldn't now." Blood ran down his arms and soaked his shirt. "You can't. Now I'm the only person keeping her in check. Kill me and no one can stop her." Red ran over the hilt of Excalibur, sliding down the length of the blade.

"You worm." Inari Okami turned to Callie. "I will defeat her directly. You will not stay your execution or Mystery's reclamation."

Arthur opened his mouth to command Callie's attack, but nothing came out.

I won't send her to kill.

A demonic grin stretched Callie's face. "Ohhhhh, Mystery, what a lovely loophole." Her arms split apart, separating into a set of horns and a set of arms as her tail lengthened to the ground. Recognition jolted Arthur.

I didn't command her attack form!

"Lovely, lovely loophole," Callie purred, stroking her own horns, "Arthur is in danger." She smirked, stretching herself toward Inari Okami. "I don't need permission!"

Inari Okami jerked back as Callie's fingers tore across her robe. Deadbeats shrieked out of the tear, pouring back into Lewis. In the time it took Arthur to blink, Lewis' form shifted. His eyes glowed and Arthur could see recognition kindling in the now-skeletal features. A thorny vine crawled across Arthur's face, forcing itself between his lips and gagging him.

His vision tilted as the thorns raked across his face and mouth. A bitter, coppery taste filled his mouth, and he wondered how much blood he had lost. Abruptly, Lewis vanished, and Arthur was no longer alone in his thoughts.

"Let it go!" He could feel Lewis frantically pulling at his thoughts and pouring strength into his body, fighting the whispers the vines had dredged up. "Arthur, snap out of it!"

He knew exactly what Lewis was talking about.

Murderer.

"Arthur!" A warmth swept through his chest, and he knew Lewis was holding his soul. "Arthur you idiot!"

I'm sorry. I killed you. That will never go away.

"You listen to me." Arthur could smell jalapenos. His throat tightened. "You killed me, yeah?"

You know I did.

"Fine. You did something terrible, and you did it to me. So guess what, I get to judge you, don't I?"

You should.

"I'm your judge, not Them!" Lewis was practically shouting, the warmth edging closer to uncomfortable heat in his panic. "And whatever I say about what happened goes! You got that? ARTHUR?"

Yes. You're my judge.

"You know what my decision is? Huh?" Heat crept down Arthur's arms. "My decision is that it's over! It's in the past! And Arthur, if you don't let it go you might as well be pushing me off a cliff every time you see me!"

Arthur's eyes widened.

"Get it through your head Arthur!" Lewis' anger roiled inside him. "Once and for all, I forgive you!"

The vines loosened. Arthur's arms reached up as Lewis tore them away from their face.

He forgives me. He always has. I don't have the right to hold onto it anymore. He's right.

The coils binding them sagged as Arthur released his regret. His vision blurred, and he could feel Lewis assuming more control, disentangling their body from the remaining thorns.

How much blood did I lose?

Callie. Where…

All around them the grass was gray and brittle. Every tree stank of rotten wood. He could see Callie darting around Inari Okami, twisting and bending her body away from the god's strikes. She thrust her head forward, aiming her horns for a killing blow as They dodged, nimbly flipping backwards and landing on Their feet again. He could see no mark on Inari Okami aside from the ripped robe, but he couldn't tell if Callie was injured.

"Lew."

Their eyes snapped to the side. Vivi kicked off the last of the vines, grabbing their arm. "Call it a hunch, but Callie might need a little more of a boost. I say we heat things up." She grabbed a handful of the vines, her hands glowing. "Nice of Them to leave me some juice."

"I love you," Lewis breathed, sheathing Excalibur and extending his arms, palms out, toward the fight.

"On three!" Vivi shouted. "ONE. TWO. CALLIE-CATCH-THREE!" Blue flames shot from her palms, followed by two pink fireballs from Arthur's hands.

The flames hit Callie, then rushed along her form. Her eyes lit with unholy glee. "Ohhhhhh I like this."

"But how?" Arthur broke through to his mouth. "She's water!"

Vivi blinked. "Wasn't thinking about that, but…"

Callie began to spin in place, faster and faster. Water streamed out of the ground and condensed around her from the air, swirling around her form. She reached her hands out, turning the water a murky greenish black. Flames leaped from her arms to the liquid around her, pink and blue flames lighting up the whirlwind as she hurled herself at Inari Okami.

Inari Okami fled. Every green footprint They left instantly dried to brittle gray as Callie swept over it, inches behind Them. Inari Okami gathered Their robes about Them, spreading them into great wings and leaping into the air as They became a small bird, soaring away. Callie shrieked in rage as she leaped after Them, missing and splashing back to the ground. Screaming, she dispersed the whirlwind of flaming pitch into great whips of fire, snapping them after the god.

Inari Okami tucked Their wings, diving just enough to avoid the whips before spreading them again and gliding beyond Callie's reach, and out of sight.

Callie scored the ground with her whips, beating the earth over and over. "COWARD!" She railed. "COME BACK AND FACE ME! YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT WIN SO YOU FLEE, WHAT KIND OF A GOD IS THAT?" She turned, fixing her eyes on Vivi, seething. "I will have blood today. Do you hear me?" She lunged at Vivi. "I WILL HAVE BLOOD!"

Arthur didn't think twice. He stepped in front of Vivi, yanking out Excalibur and presenting the hilt. "Back in the sword!" he shouted.

"NO!" Callie wailed. "NO!"

He watched as Callie was siphoned back into the sword. The gem gleamed black in the morning light, and he lowered his head.

"I'm sorry."

…..

Note: I borrowed the concept about forgiveness from one of my two favorite books of all time, The Book of Sorrows by Walter Wangerin Jr. It's the second book, and comes after The Book of the Dun Cow. Amazing two books… also THIS IS THE END OF LOUDER THAN WORDS. Stay tuned for… um… whatever the next fic is named. *sweats nervously trying to think of a title*