Author's Note: Hey everyone! Welcome to Chapter 28 of End of an Era! In this chapter, Milla and Jude learn the myth of Khebexaré Rakpom and Sigikara Kugobyuk, learning as to why Maxwell is feared in the continent of Glenwood. Can the former Lord of Spirits accept the role she the people of Glenwood had placed her in, or will it only act as a driving force in her quest to stop the supposed savior in the eyes of Glenwood? What of Muzét, how is she faring now that she no longer has the powers of Maxwell or of a Great Spirit? How can she fare as another misunderstanding between herself and Lady Julia arises? For that matter, what is Symonne scheming as she chooses to remain in custody of the Shepherds? And finally, why does Elize feel so helpless, yet empowered, as she speaks to a certain young Squire? Find out all this and more in this dramatic chapter of End of an Era!
So as you can tell from the description so far, this is a world-building, drama only chapter. Originally it was going to have a fight scene at the end (I won't reveal who was to participate) along with the party's trial with the Shepherds and information on the previously introduced "Scholars" (they were originally introduced as the "Scribes" in the last chapter but I recently changed their name due to what they actually do), but the chapter got a bit too long that I had to actually split this chapter in two. As such, the trial and fight had to be held off until the next chapter.
In any case, I don't really have much else to say, so let's get back to the story!
Chapter 28: Tension Between Worlds
His feet were heavy and his muscles sore. His nose was itching, but his hands were bound tightly together with his ankles. Suddenly he felt like his leg jerk, his body nearly falling over, along with the others in front of him. Looking back, he saw his wife having suddenly stopped, kneeling to the floor as she panted heavily. Immediately he recognized the symptoms, the effects their unborn child had on her body nearly every morning.
"Milla, are you all right?" the young researcher asked his wife as he hurried to her side as best as he could.
"…someone, please hold my hair back," her stomach grumbled.
"Allow me," the one that was in their charge got off her horse.
"What's wrong?" the fire seraph questioned, curiosity and worry taking over her in that same instant.
"You might not want to look unless you feel like having your stomach turning in knots," the earth seraph sarcastically replied, making sure to he keep her eyes forward. "Trust me, it's a domino effect."
"A domino effect?" she questioned, unsure of what Edna spoke of until it was too late. "Oh my, I see what you mean," Lailah soon found her own stomach in knots.
"This really can't be the Death God of Legend," Jude overheard some of the Shepherds and Squires speak now. "How could a pregnant woman bring the end to us all?"
"Perhaps it's the child that's supposed to bring the end?" he overheard another speak.
"I'd like to say that's preposterous!" another objected. "The mother herself doesn't seem malicious, but still, I suppose we can't rule out that possibility."
Jude was not the type to let other people's words get to him, but the things that were being said about his wife and child, he would not stand for so easily. If he were not bound, he would have easily lashed out at them with his fists and feet, cursing at them for offending his family. He knew that such actions would only anger Milla however, especially considering how she and everyone else were willing to go along with being apprehended so as to prove to the Shepherds that they were no threat. But still, his often long-fused temper was growing short, so much that he knew not how much longer he could take it.
"Keep your comments to yourself!" Head Shepherd Natasha ordered her subordinates in the young researcher's stead as she hurried to Milla's side. "This isn't the time nor the place to be spreading such baseless rumors. Are you all right, Mrs. Mathis?"
"I'm okay," the former Maxwell heaved. "How much longer until we've arrived?"
"Just another few minutes," she assured her. "Once we've cleared this last part of the forest, we'll be in Elysia. If you desire, we can take a break."
"No, I'm okay," Milla replied, getting up on her own. "It wasn't my intention to delay everyone."
"It's quite all right," the Head Shepherd softly smiled. "Isn't that right, everyone?" her eyes glared at her subordinates.
"Er, yes ma'am," the Shepherds and Squires nervously replied.
"Come on, we'll go at your own pace," Natasha continued, helping the former Lord of Spirits to the front of the ranks.
"Hang in there, Milla!" Elize cheered as she walked in front of her.
"Don't push yourself too much," Leia added.
Jude's apprehension disappeared at that moment, breathing a sigh relief in response to Natasha's consideration. That sigh would soon turn to a gasp however, his eyes widening as the forests they had been walking through for the last day began to clear. Before them stood a cloudless sky and a gentle breeze; they had reached the top of what seemed to be a mountain, but with never-ending meadows of green grass and flora. It was unlike anything he and his companions had never seen, a virtually untouched utopia of nature. To the east, he saw what looked like some sort of ruins that had become one with nature, covered almost entirely in greenery, as if it were untouched for many centuries, and to the west, what looked like a fortress surrounded by a humble village. From what he could see, there many more individuals also dressed in the same white coats their captors were wearing, all varying in age. He saw some of these individuals casting what looked like spirit artes, others training with wooden weapons, and even a rare few actually merging together into a single being.
"Welcome to the home of the Shepherds," Natasha announced as they drew closer to the civilization. "Welcome to Elysia."
"Yeah, love what you've done with the place," Edna sarcastically replied. "Add a few water slides and I'm sure tourists will be lining up to come here in no time."
"Just a little more," she heaved. "Almost there."
The sensation of needles quickly shot through her leg the moment her foot touched the floor, her hands gripping the metal bars so tightly that her fingers felt like they were going to bleed onto their smooth, cold surface. She wanted to scream as her limb tightened in place, her eyes burning as if they were swimming in acid, the air in her lungs traversing inward and out as if she were breathing glass. Her body was ready to collapse, to succumb to the agony, yet the thought of her friends and her sister would not let her give up so easily.
"Just another step," Muzét huffed. "…just one more…"
Another cry escaped her lips, her opposite leg slowly coming forward now. The same feeling of lightning bursting through her every nerve took over again, her knees quickly being pulled downward the moment her foot touched the ground. Unlike the last time however, she found herself falling to the floor, her hands having let go of the bars. Before she knew it, she was now lying face first on the matted ground, her body's weight pulling ever closer to the earth's center. Despite her will, she could not find the strength to continue, her body remaining completely still with the exception of her mouth which continued to draw breath.
"Is this all I'm capable of?" she cursed herself. "Is this all I can do?"
The current Maxwell lay defeated; despite her wish and will, she could do no more. It was her duty as the new Lord of Spirits to protect this world, to ensure that no harm would come to the human or spirit realms, and yet, Muzét thought that maybe she wasn't worthy of such a task. What good was a protector of this world who couldn't walk? How could she even fight a battle against the Demon King if she could not even stand on her own two feet?
Like eleven years ago, she felt her faith and confidence beginning to slip away from her. She felt her eyes continue to melt as she lay there, her fingers weakly collapsing unto one another, and her voice beginning to break. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, but most of all, she wanted to curse herself for being so helpless, so weak. She wanted to give up, even if it meant giving up on the world and her sister, yet…
"Get up," the sound of a firm voice retained what little sliver of faith she had in herself.
Looking up, she saw the confident stare of a man she had grown close to, the embodiment of self confidence and faith in one self. He was standing as determined as ever before her, his arms crossed as he stood. Though he would not physically help her in her current predicament, his eyes told her another story, telling her that he still had faith in her and her abilities. She felt her confidence become renewed as she stared into his dark violet eyes, her revitalized vigor now pouring into her arms.
She found her upper body rising with the push of her arms on her own accord shortly thereafter, her arms burning from the sensation of fighting against her own form's desire to lie. The easy part was done, but now came the moment of truth. Her knees felt like they were being impaled by daggers as they pressed against the ground, the very sensation causing more tears to run down Muzét's face. Again she wanted to quit, but that look in his eyes would not allow her to do so. Slowly, she felt her right leg coming forward, bending so that her foot could lay flat against the ground.
Another jolting sensation sprang from her leg, the insides of her limb practically exploding in agony. In spite of the pain, her body moved again, her leg beginning to straighten upward as her body began to rise. Slowly, little by little, she continued to stand upward, the pain slowly subsiding the more she rose. Finally, the pain was virtually gone and both of her legs finally straightened, with both feet flatly placed on the floor. For the first time, she was standing, standing on her own two feet.
"My, this feels rather different," the current Maxwell remarked, trying to act like her usual self despite the trial she had just overcome.
"Your progress is impeccable," the king added as he approached her. "You're certainly recovering much quicker than I had anticipated. I'm surprised you can actually stand after only three days having never walked before prior."
"Underestimating me are we?" the Lord of Spirits questioned in her wispy voice. "Isn't it the first rule a warrior learns is to never underestimate his opponent or anyone around him."
"True enough," Gaius could only acknowledge her words. "Forgive me, I shouldn't have underestimated your recovery time."
There he goes again, acting all serious. To any other person, the monarch's attitude would have quickly become off putting, but for Muzét, it often left many opportunities to goad the normally stoic Gaius much to her own amusement. He was once more leaving himself open to one of these opportunities, the current Maxwell already beginning to relish in the many possibilities she could act upon in this very moment.
Yet she stopped herself before she could speak a one word or take a single action. She had to concede to the fact that he was to be married, married to a woman she herself did not approve. Muzét knew the moment she first laid eyes on the noblewoman that she would not like her, and it became even more apparent the more they interacted with one another.
Yet as time passed, the Lord of Spirits questioned if any woman would have gained her approval, even if she wasn't so haughty and rude. She tried not to think about it however, this was none of her business after all. His affairs are his own affairs and she should have no say in the matter.
"It's fine," she could only bring herself to shake her head. "I-"
Yet it seemed like her body really did overexert itself now, her legs once again giving way as she plummeted toward the ground once more. Muzét could do nothing to brace herself from the impact, only able to shut her eyes as she waited for the inevitable. She felt a weight suddenly press against her stomach, but the rest of her seemed to stop moving forward. As she opened her eyes, she found herself staring back at a pair of stern, dark violet pupils before her.
Again she felt the urge to play with him, to tease him as she always had in times past. However she was able to fight off this urge again, despite her instincts to go against her better judgment. Yet she knew she at least had to say something, even if it wasn't truly in her nature to act so proper.
"Thank y-!"
Before she could say another word, Muzét suddenly found herself suddenly falling to the floor again, but not in a manner she expected. Her arm had suddenly been pulled backward, the rest of her body then being dragged with it before quickly being tossed backward. Within the split second, she saw the dark eyes of another, as well as the scowl of her attacker before she was flat against the ground once again, her arm still in the possession of the one who threw her.
"Maybe you should be the one to underestimate your opponent!" the king's fiancé snarled as she continued to lock Muzét's arm in place.
It didn't come to a surprise that Julia Leonhart had suddenly attacked her, in fact, she should have expected it. For some reason, Muzét had let her guard down in that moment, Gaius too in fact. Yet even if she had remained cautious, there was little she could have done to prevent this situation with the current state of her body.
"Lady Julia, what are you doing?!" Gaius quickly tried to intervene, trying to come between the two.
"What any fiancée would do if she saw a harlot try to steal away her husband-to-be!" the noblewoman quickly defended herself, tightening her grasp on Muzét's arm. "How else do you expect me to react if I see another woman flirting with you, Lord Gaius?!"
Flirting with him, is that what it was? It was true that Muzét would tease anyone, male or female, rather provocatively just to make their hairs stand, but flirting? Perhaps it could have been interpreted as so, but she knew for a fact that this time she was acting neutral toward the king. Even if that was how she acted, the current Maxwell could only admit that there was a want, an urge, to act that way toward him, like that desire she had one month ago when she placed her lips on his.
As much as the Lord of Spirits didn't like Lady Julia, she wasn't the type to break up their engagement in spite of her personal feelings. Gaius was engaged to this woman, there was nothing she could do to persuade him otherwise. It was his duty as king to take the noblewoman as his bride, to ensure that his bloodline would continue and foster the peace between Rieze Maxia and Elympios. Again Muzét had to remind herself that her actions just now and that from one month ago were simply a whim, that it was nothing more than a joke. Though she could have easily come back with an equally frustrating insult to Lady Julia, the current Maxwell placed her own feelings aside once more, reminding herself that her actions were a whim and nothing more.
"I wasn't flirting with him," Muzét tried to explain, her tone serious and to the point. "I simply tripped over and he caught me. I have no intention to break up you and Gaius from-"
"Simply tripped over, why do I find that hard to believe?!" Lady Julia quickly interrupted, exerting more pressure on the spirit's arm as she spoke. "Don't think I don't know what your intentions are, Harlot?! Lord of Spirits or not, I won't allow you or anyone to take Lord Gaius away from me!"
Her jealousy was understandable, justifiable even. Yet there was also something dark, something malicious in her actions that went beyond mere jealousy. It was subtle at first, but within seconds, Muzét felt a familiar aura emanating from the noblewoman. Before her very eyes, the same dark violet silhouette from one month ago had appeared around Julia, its very presence suffocating the current Maxwell, burning the air around her. The dark mana quickly began to collect into her right fist, collecting into a purple shade around her hand, the air around it burning to the touch.
"Lady Julia, that's enough!" Gaius tried to intervene once more, trying to take hold of fiancé's shoulders. "Lady Julia!"
Despite his pleas, his words were completely ignored. No, it was more than simply ignored, her body had reacted to his touch, acting in manner neither the king nor Lord of Spirits would have ever expected.
The dark mana collecting in her fist suddenly launched forward with her arm, striking the monarch in the abdomen. The single punch was enough to actually make Gaius lurch forward, his body then quickly being pushed backward and onto the ground beside the Lord of Spirits as the noblewoman raised her arm further. Though it had caught him off guard, the king was still able to stay conscious, but his body surprisingly paralyzed from the strike as he lay upward.
"Lady Julia…"
Yet she didn't seem to want to stop, her hand still collecting more of the dark energy into her fist. The darkness around her only continue to infect the atmosphere from where she stood, her body hunching over as she dragged herself toward the king now, having now forgotten all about Muzét. The pupils in her eyes had disappeared now, her finely combed brown hair turning mangled and her teeth being bared like fangs. She continued to approach the monarch like a beast stalking its prey, her arm pulling backward as she chanted her arte's name.
"Lion's How-!"
"Stop it!" Muzét suddenly found herself standing again, this time attempting to use her body as a shield for the injured king. "Don't you realize what you're doing? You're attacking Gaius, the man you're supposed to be betrothed to! Weren't you supposed to defend him from harlots like me? Weren't you supposed to care for him? If you're supposed to do all of these things and be the woman he is to wed, then why are you trying to hurt him? Why are you trying to kill him?!"
She was the last person she expected Lady Julia to listen to. She expected her to simply punch through her and end her existence right then and there. Yet her words somehow reached the noblewoman, the color in her eyes slowly shifting back into her empty pupils, the darkness surrounding her dissipating into nothingness once more. For a moment, both women remained completely still, neither one moving an inch from where they stood. After a few seconds of tension, one of them finally broke, falling to the floor and paralyzed by disbelief over what had just occurred.
"What-what did I…?" the noblewoman tried to ask herself.
"Lady Julia…"
All forms of the darkness had disappeared in her eyes, instead fully replaced by sadness and regret. Her body looked to be in complete shock over her actions, her body trembling uncontrollably as water started to roll down her cheeks. It was clear that she lost herself for a moment, losing herself into her dark legacy.
Watching her, Muzét couldn't help but pity Lady Julia. The way she looked so lost, so pitiful, it almost reminded her of herself eleven years ago. She remembered the days when she gave into an uncontrollable rage, when she acted merely on instinct without care for others, and even harming the one she once so faithfully served. Reflecting on this, the current Maxwell began to think that maybe they weren't so different after all.
If Julia truly was like her past self, there could still be hope in containing her family's dark power. Maybe in time they could even become friends, maybe she could come to accept her and Gaius's marriage. Taking this to hear, the current Lord of Spirits offered her hand to the noblewoman.
"It's all right," she offered her hand as her sister had eleven years ago. "I know what it means to lose yourself as well, to lash out those you care about. It was not your intention, you simply lost control and it happened."
"Muzét…" the monarch could only look on.
The noblewoman looked at the other woman's hand for a mere moment, her eyes still lost at first. Yet her pupils widened the further she stared at the one attempting to help her. Muzét could only continue to hold her hand outward, watching as the light in Lady Julia's eyes began to spread throughout the rest of her being. The noblewoman's hand then began to reach for hers much to her relief, the air around her no longer burning, but warm. Their fingers were about to meet, their digits about to wrap around the other's hand, but…
"There she is!" several castle guards suddenly burst on the scene.
…but before their truce could be solidified, it was broken in a single second.
Before any one of them could speak a word, the soldiers had quickly pinned down the noblewoman against the floor, pressing her head against the ground as they bound her arms and legs in chains.
"Wait what are you doing?!" Lady Julia tried to protest. "Why are you-?"
"Shut up, Elympion scum!" one of the guards ordered, pressing her face further into the ground as he spoke.
"Stop it!" Gaius ordered his men. "I command you to release her instant!"
"Your majesty, this woman just tried to kill you just now!" another of the soldiers pointed out. "We saw it all on the security cameras. How can we be sure that this woman might not try to take your life again if we release her?"
Muzét could only look to the monarch as he was inquired on this subject. For the first time, she saw him unsure of how to answer, simply remaining silent as they continued to hold his fiancé against the ground. Watching him, she could see the gears in his head turning, contemplating how to react to this situation. Though he understood that she merely lost control for a moment, he also knew that if it had happened once already and he was unable to stop her, another incident could happen again. Yet he also had to think of the treaty he had to reinforce with their marriage, but what good could it do if word eventually got out that his bride-to-be had possession of this dark power? There were many other factors he had to think of, factors that were even beyond Muzét's understanding. Yet to her surprise, he seemed to come up with an answer, an answer she did not expect.
"Place her in the castle dungeon," the king ordered his men. "I want her put under anti-arte shackles so that her power cannot manifest."
"Wait, Gaius!" Muzét found herself protesting. "Are you really-?"
"You have an objection to my decision, Muzét?" he said, his tone and demeanor as calm and serious as ever.
Did she truly object? There was their antagonistic relationship over the past two months to consider, but there was also that moment of understanding they recently just shared. However, there was also the danger she possessed. It was only a miracle that she was able to convince Lady Julia to stop her continued assault. Conflicted, the current Maxwell couldn't reply to his inquiry, finding fault in both sides of the argument, with neither outweighing the other.
Unable to speak, Muzét could only remain silent as the soldiers did as they were ordered, pulling the noblewoman off the floor like some common criminal. Yet like a desperate person apprehended for a crime they didn't commit, Julia spoke again, her body lashing about as her voice yelled.
"How dare you treat me like a common criminal!" the king's fiancé screamed. "I am Julia Yun Leonhart of the esteemed Leonhart Family of Elympios, I won't be treated like the scum that continues pick away at this barbaric land you call a country! I…!"
She was losing control of her emotions again, but unlike moments ago, it was merely her true personality shining through. Her insults and boasts were falling on deaf ears, the soldiers quickly becoming annoyed and angered by her words, even the Rieze Maxian king found himself insulted by her actions. Yet above it all, Muzét felt a jolt emanating throughout her body, the shock cascading over her as the noblewoman's eyes glared directly into her soul. The emotions she saw running rampant through Julia's eyes, Muzét knew it all too well. It was the look of betrayal and the desire for revenge.
"Get her out of here," the monarch simply ordered as he turned his back on his betrothed.
The current Maxwell saw the noblewoman's soul break as she heard her fiancée's words, her own voice becoming mute and her body limp. Her inclination to object and fight against the guards was gone now, her body little more than a lifeless mannequin as the soldiers took her away. In spite of what just happened, Muzét still sympathized with the noblewoman to a degree, but at the same time, she feared of what could happen next.
"Gaius," the Lord of Spirits tried to speak now. "Are you sure-?"
"An individual who cannot discern between ally and foe when enraged is too dangerous to be within my presence," he simply said. "…more importantly, one who cannot respect my people or simply accept our ways of life cannot become my bride."
"Gaius…"
"…I had been denying it for the past few months, but the simple fact is that even if Lady Julia and I were to wed, she would be ill fit to be queen. She thinks little of Rieze Maxia and its people, thinking herself higher than anyone else. I regret to say that I have been in denial of this fact for the last two months, in fact, I have known that marrying her would only create rifts within Rieze Maxian society, returning us to the days of old when the various tribes of Auj Oule were at war with one another. I cannot afford to have Rieze Maxia become divided once again, not after all the sacrifices and my people have made to come this far."
If it had been her from one month ago, no, maybe even one hour ago, Muzét would have felt relieved to hear Gaius say these words. Yet her sympathy for Julia was still overtaking her, but at the same time, she could find nothing to say in protest. Alas, all she could do was continue to remain silent and continue to stand from where she stood, at least, until her legs could stand no longer.
"Muzét!"
Her legs finally gave out now, no longer able to hold the weight of her body. It was a miracle in itself that she was able to stand and even run in order to defend Gaius, but the fact remained that she was still not used to her legs carrying her weight. Her arms did catch her this time however, preventing her from fully falling to the matted ground. Noticing this, the monarch tried to hurry to her side, only to stop at the behest of the current Maxwell's arm.
"I'm all right," she assured him. "Really, I am."
"…yes, my apologies for overreacting," he tried to keep his composure as always, watching her pull herself back into her wheelchair as he spoke. "I suppose the after effects of what transpired are still too fresh that I-"
"I think I should call it a night," Muzét simply said as she got back into her wheelchair. "Good night, Gaius."
Not even waiting for him to say a single word, the spirit started to push herself down the hall. Many emotions were swirling inside her now, emotions such as relief, disgust, joy, and even worry. On one hand it was a relief that Gaius had finally ended his one-sided engagement to that boorish noblewoman, but on the other, Muzét felt guilty that perhaps she had played in part in the collapse of their engagement.
Yet above all else, Muzét was worried for Gaius, and surprisingly, worried for Julia. That dark power she wielded, it would only be a matter of time before it would activate again. Without Gaius able to restrain the noblewoman any longer, it was clear what had to be done now to ensure the safety of both the human and spirit realms. This was nothing personal; it was simply another part of her duty as Maxwell, that's what Milla would think, right?
"I'm sorry," the sins of her past came to mind once more. "But when the time is right, for the sake of our worlds, I must do what must be done…"
Refreshing, if Lailah could pick one word to describe this moment, it would be refreshing. No, maybe that wasn't right she thought; could a reunion with an old friend be considered refreshing? Maybe in the sense of rekindling an old relationship it could in a sense, but what she was thinking now was more of referring to the recently brewed beverage that was sitting in her cup at this moment.
Unfortunately, it didn't seem like her old friend was enjoying herself however, simply sitting in her chair with a rather bored and disinterested look on her face. Actually, that was always the look Edna always seemed to have, it really was difficult to tell what her old friend was thinking sometimes.
"Edna, don't you want to drink your tea?" the fire seraph questioned after taking a second sip of her drink. "It will lose its flavor if you continue to let it sit there."
"And just how am I suppose to grab it when I still have these on?" the earth seraph groaned, lifting her arms to her face to reveal the shackles still on her wrists.
She did it again, overlooking the situation and letting her excitement get the best of her. If it were anyone but Lailah, they would have quickly remembered that the people that were brought in from Ladylake were prisoners, including her old friend. Still, at the very least, the Prime Lord thought she should try to make her old friend's stay as comfortable as possible.
"I'm sorry, I forgot you were tied down at the moment," Lailah's latest pun made Edna's eyebrow twitch.
"If I weren't in these chains, I'd summon up a rock just so I can kick it into your face."
"Well you're certainly as charming as ever," the Prime Lord said, still keeping a smile on her face as she spoke. "I'm taking it that you and Mikleo had another argument, is that why you're not with him?"
"No, I decided to play tour guide to the supposed Death God and her companions instead of making up with my dummy-for-a-husband," Edna sarcastically replied.
"Edna, you always knew Mikleo was the sensitive type," it was Lailah's turn to lecture. "You have to be more gentle and nurturing toward him."
"Ugh, you make him sound like a baby; when we got married, I agreed to become his wife, not his mother."
"Hm, well you are several millennia older than him, so I suppose maybe the more appropriate term is 'ancestor'."
"Are we just going to exchange insults, or did you actually have something to say?" the earth seraph began to grow impatient.
"You don't think it's true, is it?" the Prime Lord now got to the point. "That woman, can she truly be Khebexaré Rakpom?"
Another bitter taste entered Edna's mouth at that moment. It was stupid of her to let her guard down, even ever so slightly, with the one named Milla. Maybe it was just the idea that she and her friends could cast seraphic artes with no ill effect that made her think that was all there was to it in regard to their story; if she had met them a few centuries ago, she would have pressed for more answers, and even then, keep them more than an arm length's away at best. Still, at least she was right in taking them to Shepherd territory to check out what their deal was, too bad she wasn't expecting things to go down like they did.
Still, they weren't the ones who were outright responsible for the chaos that ensued in Ladylake. She hated to admit, but they did their best to ensure the safety of the civilians during the fight and if they really were after Lailah's Sacred Sword, they would have tried to take it during the battle.
"Other than hiding the fact that her maiden name was 'Maxwell', she doesn't seem like a malevolent deity," Edna honestly replied. "If anything, she's more of your typical blond ditz, saying and doing stupid things without her realizing it. How someone so clueless can also be so determined and wise is beyond me. Actually, now that I think about, maybe lightning does strike twice…," the earth seraph stopped upon remembering who she was talking to. "…of course, there's also something not right about what she's carrying inside of her…," the earth seraph's tone became more somber.
The fire seraph's expression became more serious now as she placed her cup of tea on the table. It was subtle at first, but with the passing of time, they could both feel a change in the mana around them. It felt like it was slowly being sucked into the void, whittling away at nature itself. For Lailah, she had only felt it briefly the night before when they all made camp in the forest, how the heat of the campfire was slowly being drained from its heat. For Edna however, she felt it in the earth itself, as if she could hear the silent agonizing moans and screams of the flowers and trees. The change in the natural flow of mana, it was as if it were slowly being stripped or dragged away into the one who was once known as Maxwell, specifically being pulled into the life that was growing within her belly. Yet the two seraphim could tell it was neither Milla nor her unborn baby's intention for this growing disaster; though it was subtle for now, they knew it would just be a matter of time before the effects would exponentially increase, possibly turning everywhere they go into a wasteland within moments.
"…you're not suggesting that we-?"
"I'm not suggesting in anything," Edna quickly cut off her old friend. "I was just making an observation out loud, that's all."
"Edna…"
"Anyway, are we done here?" the younger seraph groaned. "I'd like to leave now."
"…I suppose we are done," Lailah said. "I'll be sure to tell your assessment to Natasha during the trial."
"Natasha, huh? Is she the latest from the Diphda lot?"
"One of them, yes," the Prime Lord replied.
"Shows how long I've been away," the earth seraph shrugged. "Then again, if I hadn't brought those people to Ladylake, then I wouldn't have come back here to begin with, even if this place is Meebo's hometown. Of course, how could either of us return after what happened that day?"
The two grew silent again, that fateful day from centuries ago coming to the forefront. The stormy clouds were rumbling in their ears, crashing against the sound of a young knight's voice bickering with that of an older veteran. The younger woman's voice was angry and hurtful, the elder simply trying to find common ground and speak things out. There was a young man there as well, one who tried to mediate the situation, coming in between the two of them as the fighting intensified. With the crashing of thunder, steel was suddenly drawn, and then-
"…I don't blame you and Mikleo for leaving," the fire seraph said after a moment of silence. "After that day, I-"
"I didn't come here to play 'let's remember the past'," Edna quickly interrupted. "I told you that I want to leave, now."
"Yes, I'm sorry," Lailah apologized as she got out of her chair. "I'll go inform Natasha what you've told me. …just so you know, Mina's here now," her words quickly caught Edna's attention.
"What?"
"She came to us about a century ago and hasn't left since. Ever since her arrival, she's been acting as the Prime Lord for the Strelka family's seraphim. Although maybe it's more accurate to say she's been they're only seraph as she's never made a Sub-lord contract with anyone. You should at least say 'hello' before you depart, I'm sure she'd be glad to see you."
This was the third time the earth seraph grew silent. The name Mina, she tried for so long not to think about it, or for that matter, the actual individual. There was a time when she remembered doting on the younger seraph, teaching her the ways of the seraphim and their place in the world. The younger seraph used to always follow her and her husband around with a crown of flowers in her hair, almost like a little puppy. If it were anyone else, Edna would have quickly got annoyed, but Mina, she was one of the few exceptions, exceptions that seemed to slowly grow in number over time…
Yet like she lectured to her husband centuries ago, people just naturally began to grow apart over time. For Mina, she started to avoid Edna, and to an extent, Mikleo as well. There were times she just wanted her space, yet it was a privilege neither seraphim could not so easily give the younger seraph. She started to become withdrawn and silent over the years; sometimes that silence would be peeled away however, only to come in the form of a raised voice or anger. Her husband, ever the optimist, always thought that maybe things would improve again between the three of them, and for a while, even Edna hoped the same. Unfortunately optimism can only go so far.
"…yeah, I'm sure she'll be glad to see me…," Edna sighed as she finished reminiscing.
"I'm sure she will. Of course, now that I think about it, aren't earth seraphim supposed to build bridges, not burn them?" Lailah innocently remarked.
"Enough with the puns already!"
It had been a while since Elysia had any proper guests, so much that it seemed like all of the Squires, Shepherds and seraphim were looking at their prisoners as if they had never seen another human before. No, it was more like they would look for a moment, only to quickly look away the moment they thought she even began to look in her general direction.
This village, it seemed welcoming at first to Milla, familiar even, despite the fact that they kept her anti-seraphic arte binds on her and her friends' wrists while they roamed its confines. The way people seemed to live as if they were one with the spirits, or in this case, seraphim, it was no different than back home in Nia Khera.
She saw some humans trying to build a wooden structure, the humans standing on rock platforms as a nearby earth seraph raised and lowered the makeshift podium accordingly. Not too far away, she witnessed a few other Shepherds cooking some sort of stew, the temperature of the fire they were using intensifying and cooling per the will of the fire seraph that stood by them. The former Lord of Spirits also observed another group of people planting seeds in a nearby garden, the newly seeded ground then being watered by a water seraph soon after. The wind was the next thing that caught her attention, find a gentle breeze suddenly blowing past her, turning her attention to the air to find several kites being guided by the younger Squires with a wind seraph watching over them as they played.
For a moment she thought she could try to enjoy seeing the unification of humans and seraphim working together to create a society she and Jude had always dreamed of, but such a wish was quickly shattered as she saw and heard the people's reactions to her.
"Hey, why is that lady-?" she overheard one of the younger seraphim question a Shepherd.
"No, don't look at her!" the Shepherd quickly ordered.
"…is it just me, or does something feel off?" another seraph spoke.
"It's barely noticeable, but ever since Lady Natasha came back with those foreigners…"
The irony she thought. Back home in Nia Khera, she was revered by the people of her village, placed on a pedestal higher than any king or other spirit. Yet the moment she came to this land and her former identity revealed, she found herself hated, loathed and feared. Khebexaré Rakpom, those are what the people of this continent have been calling her since they arrived. From what she understood, Rakpom was apparently the seraphic pronunciation of Maxwell, but what it entailed, she did not know other than it earning her the ire of everyone she met.
"Are you still feeling sick, Milla?" her husband questioned, taking a seat beside her on the grass.
"We used to dream this, right?" the former Maxwell asked. "A time when humans and spirits could live in harmony with one another, this is what it's supposed to be, right?"
"It was our dream, it still is," Jude assured her. "But you're wondering why you feel out of place here, right?"
"…I've been thinking since we've arrived," Milla admitted. "I've been thinking about something Amilla said one month ago. Amilla once asked me 'and just who was it that made Sekundes the bad guy here?'. During our adventure one month, I had little time to ponder her words; I had always thought the words of Nia Khera's old myths and legends held enough merit to back up this claim, but…"
"But?"
"…but upon coming to Glenwood, I think I'm just now beginning to understand what Amilla meant," uncertainty began to fill her being. "In this land, the name Maxwell, or Rakpom as the seraphic tongue translates it, it's seen as some sort of omen, a name that evokes anger, hatred, and fear. To this day, I still do not know everything my predecessor has done, I'm still not aware of everything that occurred in eras past. It was said in the old myths and legends that Maxwell had always saved the world from complete destruction from the Demon King, creating a new era in its place. Each of these tales always portrayed Maxwell as the hero of these stories, but now I've been thinking…"
"You've been thinking that maybe those old myths and legends only told one side of the story, am I right?" Jude asked.
"…yes…," she admitted after a moment's hesitation. "If history has taught us anything, there are always multiple sides to every story, but in the end, history is always written by the winners. Often times, remnants of the stories told by the losing sides are kept hidden, away from the eyes and ears of the victors, only to be rediscovered much later on or forgotten in the echoes of time.
"If these past two months have taught me anything, it's that the past can and will eventually catch up in ways that can never be imagined. Many years ago, I killed the parents of Elize's old friend, Zoe, simply because it was part of my duty when I believed I was Maxwell. Never did I expect that I would encounter the child of that couple while I am carrying our own. Back then, in my eyes, I thought I was only acting in the best way possible to protect the human realm, but in the eyes of that girl, I was a monster, a murderer."
"What are you saying, Milla?"
"I'm saying what if the old myths and legends of Nia Khera only spoke of half the truth? What if there was more to it than a simple conflict between my predecessor and Amilla's? I want to know what truly happened; I want to know what crimes and atrocities were committed by my predecessor, and if so, if I can redeem those mistakes. The story behind Maxwell and Sekundes' never-ending conflict, I wish to learn the origin of it, I have to learn it so that such mistakes can never be repeated again, even if the truth is not favorable for me, my sister, or any one else who inherits the title of Maxwell. The truth must be learned, each side of this story must be told, I will see to it that these tales can never be forgotten again."
After her speech, the former Lord of Spirits heard what she thought was the sound of clapping. She found it strange that she finally receive a reception like this, even if it sounded like only one person doing the applauding. Turning to the source, she found the fire seraph she had met yesterday standing behind her and Jude, her lips surprisingly beaming from ear-to-ear from where she stood.
"That was truly uplifting," Lailah cheered. "Such a speech would surely keep anyone's spirits up."
"Is there something we can help you with, Lailah?" the young researcher questioned as she took a seat with the couple.
"I'll be forthright with you," she got to the point. "As you've noticed the Shepherds and seraphim of Elysia have been talking since your arrival."
"I think it's safe to say they've been avoiding me and keeping their distance the entire time," Milla added.
"Even though many of them think of you as the Death God spoken of in the old myths, I'd like to believe that you are not that type of individual," the fire seraph continued. "I'd also like to believe that your child is also not going to grow up to be such a malevolent deity."
"Wait, you can feel our daughter's mana consumption too?!" Jude exclaimed.
"Only when it comes to fire," Lailah admitted. "However, Edna admitted to me just now that she's known since your meeting, that she has been feeling slight, albeit barely noticeable, differences in the earth. Don't worry, I didn't come to speak with you to start a fight," she said, noticing the apprehension that quickly swept through the married couple's eyes. "I just wanted to let you know that at the very least, I believe your story, that you haven't come to Glenwood to bring this era to an end. However, I must say, I also don't know what to think in regard to that other woman who looked like you, the one who claimed to be Sigikara Kugobyuk. She claims to be the Savior of Old, but…"
The fire seraph became silent now, uncertainty filling her eyes. Milla knew right away that the Prime Lord was lost, unsure of what to believe after the events that unfolded yesterday. She couldn't help but empathize with her, having learned what she believed for so long may end up being false. However, perhaps it was true, Milla didn't know this continent's version of the old tale. If she were to find the truth, then this was probably the best way to start.
"Lailah, what exactly is the Myth of Rakpom and Kugobyuk?" the former Maxwell questioned.
"Are you sure you want to know?" Lailah asked. "Considering you are, or rather were, Maxwell, you still wish to know such a story despite the light it paints you in?"
"I do. As I said just a moment ago, I must learn all sides of this tale if I am to find the truth. I had always believed that it was my duty to protect the human and spirit realms from all atrocities, even if that means having to protect the world from myself. Please Lailah, I have to know, please tell us the story of the never-ending battle between Rakpom and Kugobyuk."
"…very well…," she could only concede after a moment of silence. "Even though I am several millennia old, please be aware that even I didn't exist when the events of this myth were unfolding. There are many details and iterations of the myth, but I will go over the basic story and the details that are shared in each version.
"It was said that many millennia ago, long before civilization as we knew it was in existence, Mankind and seraphim co-existed together in a kingdom now known as 'The Shepherd's Paradise'. One day however, mankind was exiled from this kingdom. In the beginning, humans struggled to survive in these new lands; they had become too reliant on the powers of the seraphim to aid them in running their civilization. Yet after many years trials and tribulations, humans adapted to their new home; they believed that they could prosper, but it seemed one high-ranking seraph could not stand to see the humans thrive.
"It is unknown when exactly Rakpom first came unto the human realm, but what is known is that many civilizations were destroyed by his manipulation of the four elements. Within days, nearly every civilization of Man had crumbled before the great seraph, falling before his might; he would soon be called 'Khebexaré Rakpom' in the seraphic tongue, or 'Death God Maxwell' by the humans at that time.
"Mankind was on the verge of extinction when their savior finally appeared, a seraph who took pity on the humans, a seraph who could control time itself, a seraph known as 'Sigikara Kugobyuk', or 'Time Lord Sekundes' in the human language of the time. Kugobyuk came to defend the humans, fighting Rakpom for thirteen days and thirteen nights with no rest.
"It seemed neither seraph would gain the upper hand of the other, but then it happened. In that moment, Rakpom thought that if it was necessary to sacrifice his own life to destroy the humans, then so be it. And with that, he summoned a storm of meteors unto the world in an effort to destroy all human life. Knowing that he too must risk his own life, Kugobyuk gathered what little power he had left, focusing it into a single beam of light. However, the light was not meant to destroy the meteor however, it was meant to only delay it for several millennia, freezing it, Rakpom, and himself in time.
"With that, time had come to a standstill between the two seraphim, their battle as of yet to be finished. However, time continued for the rest of humanity, and as they say, 'the rest is history'."
Milla could only remain silent after hearing the myth. As she had predicted, it was a different side of the myth, a version that would have been considered blasphemy in Rieze Maxia. At the same time however, it explained the reason for the coming of both Maxwell and Sekundes, an aspect of the tale that was never touched upon in the old myths. Even though she had now heard Glenwood's version of the myth, something still didn't add up.
"Lailah, may I ask something?" the former Maxwell questioned. "Why did Maxwell, or rather Rakpom, wish to destroy humanity even though they were already expelled from The Shepherd's Paradise? For that matter, why was humanity expelled to begin with?"
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" the fire seraph seemed to suddenly get distracted. "Ooh, look at the pretty butterfly!"
"…um, okay…," the Prime Lord's actions only confused the former Lord of Spirits. "So regarding The Shepherd's Paradise…"
"Ooh, look at that caterpillar over there!" she ran to another part of the field now, much to their dismay.
"I don't understand," Milla groaned. "Does her interest in insects really need to take precedence over our conversation?"
"…I'm sure it's more than just distraction," Jude commented, having read between the lines of Lailah's sudden change in actions.
At the very least, she had gotten some answers. From what she could gather from Glenwood's version of the myth, her predecessor had come here in the ancient past. Even if he did appear, there was still no explanation as to why Maxwell would attack the people of Glenwood. Moreover, why would Sekundes want to come to the people's aid? Also, if Sekundes' laser simply froze time for the two spirits in the myth, what happened to the Meteor Storm and why was at least Maxwell still alive and well when she and her comrades confronted him eleven years ago?
"The plot thickens…," Milla thought aloud as she finished putting the pieces she had gather so far together. "It seems we've only scratched the surface of the truth."
"Yeah, I know," Jude nodded. "We might need to find someone else that has another side to this myth, that's what you're thinking, right, Milla?"
"Indeed it is. However, as it stands now, we're still the Shepherds' prisoners. Even if we were to attempt to escape, we would only gather further ire from the people of Glenwood and be hunted down by the Shepherds again."
"I know. I'm afraid all we can do for now is wait for our sentence and hope they'll give us some leeway. After all, if we are to believe Lailah's statement, I think she will come to our defense when the trial does move forward."
"That is true, although I don't know how much assistance she'll actually be…," Milla's eyebrow arched as she saw the seraph now becoming wide-eyed over another insect.
"Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed as she observed a potato bug bending into a ball. "A perfect curl!"
So this was Symonne, the dark seraph that could create illusions. Melrose had heard stories about her directly from Lailah, namely the phenomena she could create that no other seraph could mimic or share. Don't let her words get to you, the Squire had to continue reminding himself of Lailah's advice, how everything she could create was a lie or illusion. Even if the anti-seraphic arte bonds prevented her from using her power, he knew she could not underestimate this woman, even if she seemed like a rather helpless child.
"Like what you see?" the seraph was beginning to grate his nerves from the other side of the cell. "I can show you more if you release me from these bonds."
"You really think I'm stupid enough to fall for that?" the red-haired Squire scoffed.
"Yes, I believe you and the rest of these morons who call themselves Shepherds and Squires are just as, if not more, stupid than that."
"Hey, stop taunting the Squire!" one of the younger Shepherds ordered, tapping the bars of her cell with his scabbard. "Melrose, just focus on cleaning the cells."
"Trust me, I got this…," Melrose groaned at his supervisor.
Again they were looking down at them, these Shepherds and Squires who had no place to do so to begin with. If anything, he believed they should treat him with respect, the same respect that was given to his ancestor, or at least, the one he claimed was his ancestor…
Like his (supposed) ancestor, the Shepherds found him wandering a battlefield fifteen years ago when he was about five; the boy having no recollection of anything about himself, the only word he was able to speak back then was the word 'rose'. Perhaps it was fate that they came across the child in the same manner as the Legendary Shepherd when she was adopted centuries ago into the Sparrowfeathers, or maybe it was a sick irony as time passed.
The Legendary Shepherd Rose was indeed described as brash and headstrong in the ancient texts, but she was also a natural leader and considerate of others. This young man seemed to more headstrong than anything, always rushing into situations without thinking, often times without consideration of his colleagues' well being. He seemed to have a problem with authority as well, often refusing to wear the Shepherds' cloak whenever he ventured outside of Elysia.
"My ancestor wouldn't have simply dealt with this," he muttered under his breath. "She would have taken charge and…!"
There he went again, bragging about his 'legacy' of being the descendent of the Legendary Shepherd Rose. It was a legacy neither himself nor anyone could prove or disprove; aside from the personality traits and even origin mentioned prior, he also shared her red hair and preference for dual daggers like her. It's true that it was well known, even by Lailah's account, that Rose was the lover of Natasha's ancestor, Alisha Diphda-Strelka, even marrying her after the Legendary Head Squire divorced her husband, Sergei Strelka. However, what happened in her personal life prior to that relationship, even the history books and did not state. It could have been possible that she did have an illegitimate child prior to becoming the Squire to the Great Shepherd of Order, but the only person who could truly validate his claim would have been Rose herself.
"Really, that redhead Shepherd was your ancestor?" the statement made Symonne roll her eyes. "Just what do you know about your supposed ancestors?"
"Wanna repeat that?!"
"Melrose, that's enough!" the Shepherd quickly ordered. "Stay focused and complete the task given to you."
Keeping his mouth shut, the Squire returned to his duty, continuing to scrub the moldy walls, his temper now forcing itself into his hand as he scraped off the residue. Under his breath, he continued swearing his vulgarities, once again speaking of his being the 'rightful heir' of the Shepherds.
As immature as he was, this Squire piqued Symonne's interest. The similarities were certainly there, but like him, she could neither confirm nor disconfirm his ancestry, not with these shackles still on her wrists. Still, despite his harsh words and anger, there was something different about him. Normally such negativity would emit malevolence of some sort, but he was emanating none whatsoever. His heart seemed pure, as if he truly was being guided by the reason of him being that woman's descendant. No, it was more than just him believing this, there was a certain drive she could sense from him, a drive that would go uncorrupted regardless of what happened to him, a drive he seemed to keep hidden from anyone else's eyes.
"There you are," an older Shepherd soon entered the prison area.
"What is it?" her original guard questioned.
"The team from the voyage to the Eastern Seas has returned. They've brought back a new relic. So far all Shepherds and their appointed seraphim have not been able to armatize with it. All remaining Shepherds are to report to the Memorial Hall at once in an attempt to armatize with the relic."
"That's great, but what about her?" they turned to the dark seraph. "She's too dangerous to leave alone."
"I'll take over for now, just report to the hall immediately."
"Very well."
Typical Shepherds she thought; so orderly and prompt. Even if she wasn't in these bonds, she'd still be bored with the whole situation. Actually, would she be bored? This Squire could certainly make things interesting.
"What exactly makes the difference between a Squire and Shepherd?" the dark seraph questioned the red-haired young man. "Is it simply a pact between the parties, or is it something more?"
"Why do you care?" his gruff demeanor intrigued her further. "If you do need to know, it's more than just a pact; it's the ability for a Shepherd to armatize with their seraph."
"If armatization was all it truly was, then why haven't you been made Shepherd?" she continued to get under his skin. "For that matter, where's your appointed seraph?"
"…I work best alone…"
Even without her powers, she knew at that point she had him in her grasp. Words alone would be enough to provoke this one's petty little mind she thought, this pathetic mortal who believed the world owed him everything.
"Is it that you choose to be alone, or is it merely because no seraph would actually choose to make a pact with you?" she continued to provoke him.
"…that's none of your business…"
"You know I've never once truly made a pact with any human," the illusionist continued. "I've never once experienced armatization. I never could find a human worth sharing that experience with."
"You think I'm dumb enough to let you out and create a pact with you?!" the young man spat. "For all I know you'd use me for whatever under-handed trick you have up your sleeve and then kill me in my sleep."
"Me, kill you?" the dark seraph giggled at the thought. "If I could kill you, I would have done it long ago, but my oath forbids me from ending any lives. You may find it hard to believe, but my powers are not inherently evil.
"Long ago, there was a village filled with troubled souls," she began to narrate. "The humans lived stressful and unfulfilling lives, hardly knowing pleasure itself. With my powers, I thought I could help them, I thought I could give them happiness they desperately wanted and clearly deserved. Though I could not make their wishes a reality, I could at least give them comfort in their dreams.
"In their sleep I would grant their every wish; food, money, power, love, I would show them many things in their dreams to give their lives some form of comfort. For a time I thought I had done well, that I had made them happy. Yet it seems I had done otherwise.
"Soon the villagers were no longer content with the living world, running back to their dreams at every opportunity they could. The blessings I had bestowed them had worked all too well; they chose to dream instead of live. One-by-one they succumbed to their dreams until before I knew it, they had all chosen the comfort of eternal slumber. I realized then that my powers were not a blessing, but a curse.
"I sought to end my own life after that, I thought that my power should not exist, that it had no purpose in this world. And yet I thought I found purpose when he approached me, the one who would be come to be called the Lord of Calamity, the one you all know as Heldalf. He gave me purpose, he said my powers could be used to cleanse this world with malevolence, but I soon learned that this was not purpose I was meant to fulfill.
"After my battle with the Great Shepherd of Order, the one you all revere as the one who brought an end to the Age of Chaos, I wandered the world searching for my purpose. It was then that I encountered the savior, the one known as Sigikara Kugobyuk. She gave me a greater purpose, a purpose to truly cleanse this world in light, to end this never-ending cycle of destruction and rebirth of civilization. Is it not your purpose as Shepherd to extinguish the darkness to bring forth the light?"
The Squire remained silent after her question. Though he seemed to be focusing on his work, Symonne could still tell that her words had struck a chord. Nothing could hit harder than the truth she thought; a kindred soul like his would have certainly resonated with her story.
"…isn't that a bit contradictory?" he finally asked. "Aren't you using the power of darkness to supposedly bring forth this light?"
"Without darkness, there is no light," the illusionist replied without hesitation. "Should there be no darkness to shine over, how can light exist? After all, wasn't that the type of life your supposed ancestor once lived?"
There was no denying that fact. It was well known within the Shepherds that the Legendary Shepherd Rose was an assassin of the Scattered Bones before she became the Squire to the Great Shepherd of Order. Despite her dark past, she was still able to see the seraphim and become a Shepherd in her own right, her intentions pure despite the sins she willingly committed. Without darkness, there is no light, there were merits to these words, but…
"…not interested…," was all he could say as he got up and left.
Not interested, what a liar that boy was she thought. If he truly wasn't interested, why bother to even listen to her tale? No, the truth of the matter was he was looking for an opportunity, to prove himself worthy of the legacy he inherited from his supposed ancestor. She knew that look in his eye, that feeling of being confined, of wanting to be more. Yes, it was the same look at those villagers back then, that wish for wanting a better life than what was given to them. If he could prove that himself to his peers, he thought that maybe, just maybe, he could get the respect he thought he deserved.
"Still acting like a chameleon I see," the dark seraph spoke under her breath, addressing the mechanical boy that stood on the other side of the stone wall she lay against. "I know what you're thinking, but let me tell you this. I can get out of here on my own accord. Tell Lord Sekundes that I will reunite with her in Igraine, the Shrine of the Fire Trial in one week's time; I'll be bringing along a new friend when I return..."
It was strange not hearing his voice, it was certainly odd just having him lay still. It's true that she often kept him in storage for long periods of time; in fact, she had him locked away for about five years after a certain incident in Hamil. She welcomed the silence for a change, but at the same time, it felt…strange. This was the first time Elize could think of where Teepo remained completely lifeless despite being out of storage; the anti-seraphic arte binds seemed to not only prevent her from casting any artes, but it seemed to also shut off Teepo the moment they were placed on her wrists. Even if things were silent, there was another reason why things didn't feel right.
She felt a shiver running down her neck again, her ear unable to comprehend a single inaudible whisper they spoke. Without even looking, she felt their icy stares and felt the fires of contempt. It was a feeling Elize was all too familiar with, the feeling of being an outcast.
As she listened to the whispers she could not understand, the young teacher began thinking, thinking about the hardships Zoe had to endure over the years. Elize thought it was already difficult for her to go through the torture she had to endure from Hamil when she was brought there shortly after being brought there by Jiao and again after her mishap with Teepo and Sherry, but what of the twenty years Zoe was forced to live after leaving Labari Hollow? She pitied her old friend; if she could, she would have traded spots with her without a second thought but…
…but it frightened Elize whenever she thought of Claritha, her memories of the doll always causing her to tremble in fear. Whether it was simply jumping at its sight when she first met Zoe, to how it hid the shiv that Zoe used to brutally kill those scientists that day, to how it took control of Zoe in an attempt to-
Just the very thought of it almost put Elize in tears, her body shaking uncontrollably. It disgusted her that she could be so selfish, how even though she felt she wanted to trade places with Zoe, she simply could not because she was too frightened. She was pathetic she thought, she was weak.
"Is everything all right, Milady?" a gentle voice asked.
Looking up from the grass where she sat, the young teacher found the Squire that she had helped yesterday standing before her. Out of all the people in this town, it seemed he was the only one brave enough to speak with her, much less approach her. No, it was more than just that, he seemed to speak to her with the utmost respect, offering his hand to her as she sat on the floor.
It was in this moment that Elize realized that the two of them were the same age. His eyes were green like hers, but his hair a light shade of brown, almost like chestnuts. Though it was short, his hair was still somewhat wavy, and his bangs shaped in some sort of strange cross-cross pattern. He wasn't all that tall either, about the same height as Jude in fact. Even with his Shepherd's cloak on, Elize could still tell his muscles were rather tone despite having what looked like a skinny appearance at first glance.
"I…I'm okay," she could only shake her head in response. "Don't worry, I'm used to it. Your name is Piotr, right?"
"I am," the young man nodded, taking a seat beside the teacher now. "And what do you mean 'used to it'? I don't see how anyone should get used to being feared and held with contempt."
"…it's a long story…"
The Squire didn't prod any longer, he seemed to be doing so out of respect. He certainly was a strange one, Elize thought, the way he seemed to take short glances at her from the edge of his eyes, only to look away a second later, as if he were embarrassed. He could tell he wanted to say something, but he couldn't seem to find the right words. At the same time, she somehow felt an odd feeling of contempt coming from him, as if he were okay with simply sitting beside her. Strangely, this awkwardness caused a slight shift in Elize's lips, curling ever so slightly as she observed him.
Yet in that very moment, she caught herself from dwelling any further. She was supposed to be worrying about Zoe, but yet, for some reason here she was taking amusement from the young socially awkward Squire. Socially awkward, was she not the same eleven years ago, the way she always had trouble expressing what was on her mind. Not only that, this young man seemed adamant in wanting to help others, much like herself.
'Wait, what am I doing?' Elize thought to herself. 'I should be thinking about Zoe, not…'
Yet she found herself taking another glance at him, staring into his light green eyes even though they were averted slightly away. She felt her cheeks becoming somewhat flushed as she looked at them, how they reminded them of newly grown grass. The waves in his hair reminded her slightly of a gentle breeze, its reflection against the sun reminding her of shimmering silk. She felt her chest tightening as her eyes drew closer to him, only for her eyes to quickly avert away the very same second their pupils turned to one another.
What was this feeling she wondered. She felt so weak just staring at him, so helpless. But at the same time, she felt empowered, strong perhaps. She wanted to gaze into his eyes again, she wanted to draw closer, yet something forbade her from doing so, something she could not understand or put her finger on.
"Can I ask you something?" the young teacher tried to break the off aura around them.
"Please, go right ahead."
"…was there ever a time in which you wished you could help someone but felt powerless when it came down to it?" the frightened girl from eleven years ago seemed to speak in her stead. "Was there ever a time in which you couldn't save anyone but you were too scared to do so?"
The young man's face quickly became serious at that point, his gaze now turning forward. He grew silent again, his eyes no longer wandering toward the young teacher. Maybe it was strange to ask Piotr to begin with; after all, she didn't really know him, and yet, she felt compelled to speak with him strangely enough. She thought at any moment he would just get up and leave after hearing these stupid words, but…
"…more often than not," the young Squire admitted. "In the few excursions I have participated in, I often found myself paralyzed from fear, my feet quaking in my boots, my teeth chattering, and my fingers trembling until I could hold my sword no more. And yet each time, I find myself becoming a little less scared and a little bit more brave. I wish to become a hero one day, much like the Shepherds of old, but I know I have a long way to go before I can achieve that dream. I continue to tell myself that one day, just one day I'll be brave enough like my idols, that one day I'll be brave enough to lead the charge into battle, one day I will become a hero."
His speech was empowering, it was enough to resonate with her heart. She felt the muscle in her chest beating against her ribcage and ears, how it throbbed deeply yet slowly. The atmosphere was starting to feel humid and her throat parched. At the same time however, she felt like her head was floating in the clouds and her body weightless. This feeling, it was hard for her to describe.
And yet before anymore words could be exchanged, the reality of the situation quickly returned to the present.
"There you are," the Head Shepherd and a party of other high-ranking Shepherds approached the young man.
"Lady Strelka!" the young man quickly stood at attention.
"The deliberation regarding the foreigners is about to begin, I would like you to attend," Natasha ordered the young man.
"Yes, of course my lady! My apologies ma'am," the young man addressed Elize again, "but I must be away for now. Please take care."
"Elize!" the young teacher quickly called to the Squire before he could take more than two steps. "My name is Elize Lutus."
"Lady Lutus, it was a pleasure speaking with you," the young man bowed before hurrying to his comrades.
She watched him disappear before her very eyes, her vision never once fading or blinking as she observed him grow smaller by the second. Even when he was out of her sight, her heart was still racing and her body still tense. Though their exchange was brief, she oddly had the urge to speak with him again, she had to speak with him again, and yet…
"Just when things were starting to get interesting," the sigh of her younger comrade had caught Elize off guard.
"You saw everything?!" the magician turned around to find the young recruit and a few of their other friends standing beside her.
"Honestly, we heard it too," Sophie added, her remark causing Elize to blush an even brighter shade of red.
"Ah to be young and in love," the elder in the group sighed as his gaze turned to the clouds.
"Elize, you should be careful when you fall in love," Milla lectured. "As a teacher, I believe you've had the talk with your students about safety when it comes to-"
"Milla, Elize is an elementary school teacher!" her husband quickly interrupted. "There's no way she could talk to children about that!"
"Jude, you understand that I do love you, but I think our experience should serve as a prime example of what could happen when two people in love don't take certain precautions when-"
"Anyways, looks like you picked a winner, Elize!" Leia quickly interjected, giving Elize a pat on the back, the young teacher burying her bright red face in her palms as her friends continued.
"What do you mean a winner?" Alvin questioned. "What does that make me?!"
"There are only winners and losers when it comes to love, I'm sure you can guess which camp you're in," the visitor from another world snidely remarked.
"Seriously, even the pipsqueak's taking a jab at me?!" the salesman exclaimed as his friends laughed at his misfortune.
Despite their predicament, at the very least they were able to share a joke amongst one another like old times. Even the on-looking seraphim and their human brethren were looking at them again, this time not with contempt, but curiosity and maybe even a few thinking they were just 'weird'. Still, maybe this was what Elize needed for time being; she knew simply moping about Zoe's situation would solve nothing. Be positive, she had to be positive if she were to find a way to help her former childhood friend.
And yet in the midst of their laughter, the purple-haired girl's excitement was the first to come to a close.
Sophie felt it. It was a familiar feeling, one that she had known for many millennia. Looking directly behind her, she thought she felt a presence, his presence in fact. Yet when she turned in the direction of the source, she found nothing but the clouds staring back at her, along with a ledge that dropped who knew how far.
"Is something wrong, Sophie?" Milla was the first to notice the purple-haired girl's growing apprehension.
"…no," she could only shake her head after several moments of silence. "I was just imagining things, that's all…"
It was her imagination, that's all she could hope it was, her imagination and nothing more.
Once he again he was there, his presence unknown to all as he hung from the cliff's edge. In Psi's possession was a GHS, its screen recording the events that had just transpired. The awkward stares between the young teacher and the Squire were as prevalent as they were as if he were standing next to them, the smiles they shared as bright as the morning sun, and the tears that were practically falling from their parting were still fresh. With a click of a button, he saved the video into the mobile device. It had nothing to do with his mission to retrieve the dark seraph, but he knew this event was still important, it was something the Splintered magician had to see. Even though he could not speak, he knew that he had to show her the events that transpired, he had to relate to her the emotions that were exchanged, he had to prove to Zoe of the betrayal Elize had just now placed in her heart.
Skit: Testing Fate
Lailah: (hold several sheets of paper in front of Jude) Let's do some fortune telling. Please pick one.
Jude: I guess I could give it a try. (picks one sheet of paper from Lailah's hand).
Lailah: Though fulfilling to your soul and heart, be wary of those whose heads are filled with air for they are equal parts love and frustration.
Jude: …that's a rather…strange fortune…
Milla: This looks interesting. Let me give it a try. (takes a sheet from Lailah's hand)
Lailah: The pit is not as bottomless as you think. Continuing to fill it as you are now will only cause it to expand exponentially with time.
Milla: (confused) That doesn't sound good, I must've picked the wrong one. Let's try again. (puts original sheet back and takes another)
Jude: Milla! You can't just-!
Lailah: The blessings of life can also become the source of frustration. Though the frequency of intimacy will be lessened, the quality will certainly be amplified.
Milla: …it sounds tempting, but that doesn't sound like a sacrifice I'm willing to make… Let's try this one. (puts sheet back and takes another)
Jude: Milla, you can't just exchange fortunes!
Lailah: The knowledge you wish to spread will pass onto generations to come, but the sights before you shall wear thin in your endeavors. Look no further than to the eyes of your spouse to know what I speak.
Milla: …I don't like that one either… Jude, can I trade my fortune with yours?
Jude: (sighs) …yeah, sure… I don't think I'll be needing it anymore, it seems to have already come true…
Author's Note: And with that, tensions arise once again.
I figured it's been a while since Muzét and Gaius made an appearance, so I thought it was about time to give them a bit of a small arc in this chapter. Regarding Gaius now (finally) ending their engagement, I always thought his character would eventually end it once he saw her truly lash out at his people; it's one thing for her to talk smack when others aren't around, but it's another thing to act out and directly insult the people themselves. I think once Gaius would witness such actions, he would then end such an engagement, despite being in denial that she might change over time. However, now that Julia has been 'betrayed' by her betrothed, what will Julia do now? For that matter, what is Muzét planning after the events that had just taken place? I'm afraid we'll just have to wait and see…
So what exactly happened to make Mikleo and Edna leave Elysia centuries ago? I don't want to give too much away for now, but I can say that it has to do with some repercussions due to Alisha's decision she made back in Simply. For that matter, who is this Mina character that Lailah spoke of that Edna was hesitant to speak of? I'm afraid we'll have to wait until the next chapter to learn this answer.
Regarding the myth of Khebexaré Rakpom and Sigikara Kugobyuk, I always planned to have the myth of the never-ending battle of Maxwell and Sekundes to have different interpretations; it's only natural that some interpretations differ depending on the one who tells the story. As Milla mentioned, history is always written by the winners, and in the case of Rieze Maxia, Maxwell was the 'winner'; on the other hand, in the case of Glenwood, Sekundes was the 'winner'. As far as the actual truth goes for what truly happened in that battle, I'm afraid that will have to wait until a later chapter; I can at least say for now that the answer will be revealed before the end of this Act. I'm still doing some research on both Tales of Xillia's and Tales of Zesteria's (and for that matter, Tales of Berseria since it occurs in the distant past of Tales of Zesteria) timelines so I can get a better sense of where it might better fit in terms of canon. As far as why Lailah couldn't answer Milla's questions, it goes back to her oath that she can never speak of Maotelus (I learned of her actual oath from canon material that was translated on the Taleslations tumblr page; I'm assuming that her oath may even extend to Maotelus's predecessors to an extent).
In terms of Symonne's talk with Melrose, I can say that her story is actually based on canon material I got from the Taleslations tumblr page. I always thought Symonne had some kind of tragic backstory before she started serving Heldalf, so I thought I should implement it into this story to show that she isn't "just evil just because". Speaking of Melrose, is he truly Rose's descendant? I can't say for now, but the answer will be revealed before the end of this Act.
So then what's the deal with Elize and Piotr? I did mention in a prior chapter that I would introduce a male love interest to complicate things between Elize and Zoe. As far as who Piotr is exactly, we'll learn much more about him in the next chapter. But regarding how Zoe is going to take the news that her beloved Elize seems to be falling in love with someone else, well, I'm sure we can imagine how this is going to go…
In other news, I've been watching Tales of Zesteria the X on Funimation and I'm happy to see (or rather hear) that they've got all of the same English dub voice actors from the game. I have to admit that I'm also actually liking the story in the anime much better than the game, though I have to admit that the two Tales of Berseria episodes feel out of place in context with the rest of the anime so far (hopefully they can create a better link in Episode 12 and season 2; I'm thinking maybe Velvet will take Heldalf's place as the Lord of Calamity in the anime). Hoping to see some more Mikleo and Edna moments (I loved the 'Do you want me to hold your hand?' line Mikleo had for Edna when they were walking through a graveyard) and maybe some Alisha and Rose (their relationship in the anime is much better developed than the game) in future episodes.
Also, while watching Tales of Zesteria the X and the recent Tales of Berseria trailers for TGS, I'm happy to say that I have no complaints with the English dub voice cast for Tales of Berseria. What really surprised me was hearing Cristina Vee (who also voiced Nova in Tales of Xillia 2) as the voice of Velvet Crowe; I never thought her voice could go that deep and I think she makes a perfect match for Velvet. I can already imagine a skit I could make for this fic involving both of her Tales characters; though at this point, I'm not sure if that will be possible since I have yet to play Tales of Berseria and I don't know Velvet's fate yet. (Please don't spoil it for me as I'd rather play the game and learn firsthand. However, I am aware of the identities of who you fight in the cameo battle and really hope their respective voice actors return to play their roles. Really looking forward to fighting this battle and might even be able to implement it into this story if possible considering how I made the Hexen Isle events of Tales of Zesteria canon to this fic.)
In any case, next time on End of an Era: The trial of this age has begun. Though claiming to wanting to save the world from the one Glenwood has deemed the savior, Milla and friends fight an uphill battle to prove their innocence against the Shepherds and seraphim. Will they be able to convince the people of Glenwood that they are here to save the world and not destroy it? And what of the one who proclaims to be their executioner? Brandishing power no Shepherd or Squire has ever wielded before and commanding a scythe that can rip the fabric the reality itself, can the party hope to defeat such a foe? For that matter, Edna confronts a figure from the past she had hoped to avoid, an unsolved conflict that will ravage her soul regardless of the outcome. The call of duty, divine right, and personal vendettas will clash and more in the next exciting chapter of End of an Era, look forward to it!
As always, if you would be kind enough to leave me a review, it'd be much appreciated. Your kind words continue to inspire me and continue to improve my craft. See you all in the next chapter!
