Chapter Text
"So, what are we going to do with it?"
The three wizards and Julia kept silent as she sat with her hands resting on top of her pregnant belly.
All of them looked tired, but no one as much as the sun struck, malnourished young man, Julius, who half leaned across the table instead of sitting at it upright.
"It's our only option.", the gruff man with the silvery hair said, "I'm going to take it."
"Papa, no.", Julia pleaded again, but the man sternly shook his head.
"I will not curse your family if I can help it Julia. Don't worry about me. I've lived a long enough life."
He tried to ignore his son- in- law's doubtful gaze, as he helplessly shared it with his wife.
With a deep sigh, Julius sat up and slouched into the backrest.
"Stop it, Armin. Let me continue on with it and spare yourself and your family this grief. Maybe you're old enough, but there's a chance I won't die for much, much longer than you."
Even from underneath dark eyebags and on his caving cheeks, his scratched up, stubbled face flickered with the warmth of a compassion that defied the depravity of their situation. Arminius answered his look stern and unmoved, but they all knew. He was scared as well.
"Arminius, let me.", Julius pressed on and reached over to hold his arm but was denied.
"No, because your life isn't worth any less! If it goes on forever you shouldn't spend it in such agony. You're already burdened by the past. I want for you to live."
Despite the wear on him, he scoffed at this statement. "But why would I want that for you in exchange? To doom my friend with this curse?", Julius argued.
The group fell silent as Arminius rubbed his temples, contemplating, with his eyes fixed on the magical object that caused them all this trouble.
"Arminius.", his son in law Friedrich interrupted him with a look straight from the mirror.
Arminius shook his head, "You? Never. I want for this family to be in peace. It can't be you. It shall be me."
Julius threw his head back as he let out one accentuated, bitter laugh.
"This is insane!", he announced to his friend, "Don't be ridiculous! It is my burden to bear and I've come this far with it! I can go on longer. I can go on forever!"
"No!"
The room shrunk as Arminius voice boomed, loud and desperate. He was trembling from an intelligible emotion and had to take a breath to settle himself.
"But you can have it back once I've died. Somebody will have to carry on."
Julius looked at him for what felt like a long time and then closed his eyes in defeat.