1523 Hopeful

He turned to the carriage.

BADUMP

BADUMP

BADUMP

He had already deactivated his Martial Heart, yet he could feel his heart beating harder than it ever had before.

He was finally here.

After nearly eight years, he had finally reached this point. 

He almost couldn't believe it. He had dreams about this moment more times than he could count.

He took off his mask, tossing it away.

"Huff…" He took a deep breath, before forcing open the carriage door and surging in with his hand stretched out, his arms reaching out.

CLASP!

He caught a hand.

A hand that held a detonator to a bomb.

A bomb in a man.

"Not so fast…" Rui whispered. "Deacon Vernes…"

There he was.