Author's Note: Hi everyone! Welcome to the long-awaited next chapter of End of an Era! I know that it's been a while since I last updated, but I wanted to try to finish my side story, How Far We've Come, before I returned to my main project. Unfortunately things didn't pan out so well because the next thing I knew, there were massive lay-offs at my company and everyone who's left is forced to pick up the slack, meaning there was less free time for me to write. As such, I've decided from this point forward, it is very unlikely I'll have any more side stories for this fic; ideas I originally had for side stories will be integrated into End of an Era so as to hasten the overall plot as updates may be slow for a while. For that matter, I've also tried to condense my original story outline as much as possible so as to hasten the plot (so for example, my original plan to have the party meet Zaveid before Mikleo has been changed so as to hasten the plot; I'll just say for now that the party will be meeting Mikleo very soon).
In any case, when we last left our story, Milla and her party were successful in their rescue attempt, the City of Pendrago was mysteriously left peacefully after a sudden attack from Julia Heldalf, who had fully succumbed to her malevolence. As to why the city was somehow apparently peaceful after Milla and the others left, this will be revealed in a later chapter when the full party reunites.
In the meantime, for the next two chapters, we'll be following Leia, Alvin, Elize, Mina, and Piotr, who volunteered to travel to the region formerly known as Southgand as they attempt to procure a ship to travel to Lionel, where Flamberge apparently rests. Yet as Leia and her entourage (along with several Shepherds, Squires and their seraphim that have volunteered to accompany them from Lastonbell) traverse these lands, they encounter a group of people who once dictated the history of the world to Glenwood, a group of people who had gone silent since the Age of Chaos, a group of people known as the Mayvin Tribe. As they speak with the tribe's elder, they learn the dark history behind their new foes, the Scholars of the Crowe, and of a prophecy foretold by the tribe's founder, Magillanica Lou Mayvin. How did the Scholars of the Crowe come to be, what was it that the one once known as Magilou foretold thousands of years ago, and how will it affect their current journey? Find out in this chapter of End of an Era!
With that said (and that is a lot I had to say I have to admit), let's get back to the story!
Chapter 37: A Story Forgotten
Again there was darkness; not a sound, not a sight to behold around her. It was slowly becoming a normal occurrence for Leia, to be experiencing the world as she knew it, only to suddenly be "shut away" by the other soul inside her. Though it was occurring more and more as time went on, it was not something she could ever grow accustomed to.
Though everything was empty at first, in time, that emptiness would be filled with the images and voices of those that all blurred together. With every occurrence however, each of these experiences would become clear, they would become a part of her, as if they were her own memories.
In this particular instance, she saw a strange woman, one she had never seen before. This woman's hair was green like the healthiest of leaves, her eyes glistening like emeralds, yet her face stoic and firm. The white garment she wore was similar to that of a white tulip hanging downward, with her arms adorned in gloves that shared the same color as her eyes. She gave off a rather commanding presence, as if she demanded that she be worshiped, but at same time, she left the impression of a caring, yet doting mother. This woman, though Leia did not know at first who she was, she knew she was one to be trusted, that she could confide in, that she could willingly serve. This woman, through the memories that were not her own, was none other than the will of a world that was slowly recovering, a world Leia herself had not stepped in, the world where Sophie was born; this woman was the will of Fodra itself.
"Listen carefully, my child," the will of the visitor's world spoke. "Though this world is precious, there is something that is even more precious than this planet and the life herein. The very foundation that allows Fodra, its sun, its moon, its stars, and everything beyond will eternally be at risk, not from the hands of Man, but from the hands of something greater, something that is eternal, something that has existed since before the beginning of time itself."
"Do you speak of the source of the void, my queen?" the voice of the other soul within Leia questioned.
"Tell me, my child, what is the purpose of the power dwelling within you?" the will of Fodra questioned. "Why is it only you and children borne from the planet's will possess it?"
"To protect life," Little Queen had replied. "This power was granted to protect the life you had blessed in this world."
"You are half-right, my child. But the truth is it is not only to protect the life of this world, but all life in general, regardless of origin. Whether it is the life from this planet or that of a world beyond these stars, the truth of the matter is that this power was granted to us by the Creator, by the one whose name has been long forgotten in the sands of time. However, one can also argue that this power was created for a more selfish purpose, a purpose so selfish that it was sealed away eons ago in hopes that it will never have to be used again."
"And what is that purpose, my queen?"
"I'm afraid its true purpose will only be made apparent when history forgotten shall return to the forefront once more, a history of destruction and rebirth, a history beyond good and evil, a history that shall never repeat itself once more regardless of its future's outcome…"
She was shifting again, the voice speaking from her lips not of her own. Alvin could only watch as his girlfriend struggled in her sleep, struggling with the other soul inside of her. He knew better than to wake her when she was having these nightmares, knowing from past experiences that if he were to try and wake her now, he wouldn't be able to tell who it was residing within her body should he force her into consciousness. After all, it wouldn't exactly do any favors for this wagon, its driver and everyone within if all of a sudden she woke up, declared "die humans!", and obliterated everyone within by merely raising a finger.
The businessman couldn't even begin to fathom what she was dreaming this time, but often times he would learn of the images and sounds she witnessed only after they were mostly forgotten. From what was remembered, the editor would always speak of images of war and destruction, how many landscapes of a forgotten world were maimed and destroyed simply for the benefits of the humans who lived therein. Many times these descriptions were painted far worse than the bloodiest battlefields Alvin fought in during his mercenary days, with countless bodies laid out far beyond the eye could see, where the cries and screams of the dying were as commonplace as the sound of birds chirping.
Helpless, the former mercenary reached for the pack of smokes he often kept hidden away from sight, tucked neatly in his jacket and concealed so closely that it was nearly impossible to find it with the naked eye alone. He knew Leia hated it whenever he smoked, and he always did his best to hide it in front of her or whenever they weren't together, but this time, he couldn't help himself. Chomping on the cigarette and breaking the filter within, his hand trembled as he reached for the lighter in his other hidden pocket, only for it to fall out of his hand as a stinging sensation overtook his hand.
"Don't," the young teacher beside him ordered, "you know how Leia hates it when you breathe in that stuff."
"What are you, my mother?" Alvin tried to break the tension with his usual wit.
"Didn't your teachers ever tell you that smoking is bad for your health?" Elize continued. "I know I've been telling my students this for the past few years."
"Besides, how can you even breathe in that stuff?" her plush added. "Do you really like breathing in the air from car mufflers that much?"
"Is that why you're lecturing me?" the former mercenary questioned. "You miss the classroom that much?"
"Maybe," the young magician replied.
"Let's not forget that we're in unexplored territory," the young Squire added. "Who knows or what might find us if they detect a scent of the tobacco."
"It's not exactly unexplored territory; the Shepherds just haven't set foot here in ages," the water seraph corrected Piotr. "Granted I myself haven't ever been here, and neither has anyone really for the past who knows how many years, but this was part of the Southgand region during the Asgard Era."
"But doesn't that mean it is unexplored if no one has been here in that unknown amount of time?" the Descendent of Strelka questioned. "I mean doesn't the map gradually change as time goes on; if I'm not mistaken, ever since the Age of Asgard, the oceans that once engulfed Glenwood…"
Amidst their arguing, a sense of foreboding began to overtake the businessman in that moment. It was a feeling he often got whenever danger was lurking about, whenever he was about to walk into an enemy ambush. Predicting the worst, Alvin picked up the ancient cannon-like rifle he procured from Glaivend Basin a short time ago, loading a fire-based extractor into its crystal-like clip.
"Alvin, what's wrong?" Elize questioned as her comrade readied his weapon.
"Something's not right," he replied, the volume of his voice loud enough to warn their entire entourage. "Everyone, get ready!"
As if on cue, a single projectile suddenly broke through the fabric covering their wagon, impaling itself on the wooden plank just before the former mercenary's feet. The very sight caused the young teacher to jump slightly, her plush emitting a loud scream as several more projectiles suddenly began to rain upon them.
"What in the-?!" one of the Shepherds in their group exclaimed.
"Everyone, find some cover!" Alvin ordered as he took his girlfriend in his arms, his body acting as a shield as he held her.
"Huh, what's going on?!" the editor suddenly awoke now.
Before he could even begin to explain, an assailant suddenly burst through the fabric of the wagon, his face obscured by a strangely colored wooden mask and two stone knives adorned in his hands. Before Alvin could even begin to raise his weapon, the Squire accompanying them sprang toward their foe with his own, striking their attacker in the ribs with his blunted sword, shoving him out of the entrance they had just made.
"Are you two all right?" Piotr questioned.
"We'll be sitting ducks if we remain here," Elize pointed out as she caught a glimpse of several more attackers coming out from the shrubbery that surrounded their path.
"Then quit sitting and move!" the water seraph ordered.
Not wasting anymore time, the five quickly jumped out of the carriage, only to find another slew of attackers charging at them. Despite having just been awakened, the editor met the assailants head on, her body spinning forward as her staff swung with her turn. The single swing was enough to knock three of the attackers backward, but with her attack now done, another slew of these strangely dressed men
and women sprung forth. With his relic ready, Alvin quickly charged forward, pulling the trigger of his weapon as he chanted the name of another arte he inherited.
"Burning Force!" he cried as a blast of fire erupted from the barrel of his cannon.
The flames were enough to cause each of their immediate assailants to retreat, the seraphim among their ranks now preparing their own elemental artes as their respective Shepherds and Squires fended off whatever attackers they could.
Though Alvin's artes were enough to dispel the few that attacked them a second prior, it had gained the ire of the rest of their forces. More of the enemy now forced their efforts toward him and his four comrades, much to their dismay.
"I've heard about bringing the heat, but this is ridiculous!" Mina exclaimed, catching the edge of wooden spear with her staff as their new attackers sprung forth.
"Alvin, can you fire another shot?" Leia questioned as she found herself accosted by another two of their enemies.
"If I could, I would," he explained, catching another attacker's spear with his broadsword. "Unfortunately my new toy's got a bit of a cooldown time. It might be a while before I can even prepare another."
A while, at this rate, it would be little more than 'a while' before they would be totally overwhelmed. Even if he were to switch to his pistol, there wouldn't be enough bullets to take down their attackers. As much as he hated to admit, now would be a convenient time for the other soul inside his girlfriend to awaken, but even if Little Queen were to awaken, what guarantee was there that Leia herself would regain control afterward?
"Damn it, we can't go on like this!" the salesman seethed through his teeth.
"Everyone, give me some cover!" Elize suddenly ordered. "Teepo, are you ready?"
"Anytime, Elize!"
Another risky venture the former mercenary thought, but one that was the least dangerous. Agreeing to her orders, Alvin and his other comrades now hurried by the teacher's side, each of their backs facing her as they acted as her shield, fighting off those that attempted to break through. Though they were outnumbered, the businessman knew he had to distract the enemy as much as possible, keeping them away so that the magician would not focus on the events around her, instead allowing her to concentrate on the actions that could potentially end this battle as quickly as possible.
"Scythe of darkness…," the young teacher began to chant, "…punish the wicked… Dark Visitor!"
With the incantation now cast, a shadowy apparition now befell their immediate foes, bewildering each of them before striking them down with a single swoop of its scythe. This single act had stopped the rest of their assault, even the Shepherds and Squires that had been assisting them bewildered of what they had just witnessed.
Though the fighting seemed to come to a stop, the effects of the recent battle were now taking their toll. Once again the Squire that was to inherit the leadership of the Order of the Shepherds was injured, his fingers now dropping his blade as his left hand took hold of the wound that had recently befallen his shoulder, the young man forced to kneel as he began to succumb to the pain. It wasn't just Piotr that had suffered injuries however, in fact, several other Shepherds and Squire in their entourage had been either cut or bludgeoned during the skirmish; in truth, their attackers appeared to be more injured than themselves, but fortunately, there were no casualties on either side.
"It seems you're the who always coming to my rescue, Lady Elize," Piotr tried to smile as the young teacher came to his side.
"Hold on, just give me a moment," she ordered as she began her newest incantation, one that quickly caught Alvin's attention. "Spirits flutter and grant us fortune… Nurse!"
The swirled of mana of her arte enraptured not only the Squires, Shepherds and their seraphim, but also the strange individuals that initiated the assault. The casting of her arte was no mistake however; at least not in the eyes of its caster.
"Elize, what are you thinking?!" Alvin protested. "These guys just attacked us, why did you-?"
"Isn't diplomacy supposed to be a trait of a good salesman," Leia could only groan at her boyfriend's reaction. "Besides, didn't you volunteer coming here so you could negotiate getting us the lumber for a ship?"
As much as he wanted to argue, the former mercenary could only hold back any further protests. It's true that they hadn't come here looking for a fight, and if anything, now that things have calmed down, he came to the realization that these people may have just been protecting their homeland from would be invaders. After all, he was on both sides of the attack in what seemed like a lifetime ago during his days as an agent of Exodus.
"I see, you're all from the main continent," one of the natives began to stop forward now. "…at least a majority of you. I'm assuming that three of you however, are from Rieze Maxia, are you not?"
Hearing the name of their homeland came to a complete shock to the three comrades. Throughout their time here thus far, there was not another soul that knew of their country or what laid across the sea; even the Shepherds had not clue what or where Rieze Maxia was. Yet knowing that someone from this strange land knew of their home, the three couldn't help but now put up their guards once more.
"How do you know about our homeland?" Leia questioned on behalf of everyone.
"My apologies for my men and I attacking your entourage moments ago," the old man before them said as he and his people removed their wooden masks. "You see, our ancestors have unfortunately had bad luck when it came to meeting others from the main continent. However, the artes you displayed just now, they've shown me that you've come from the homeland of those that aided the Harbinger of the End."
"Wait, someone from Rieze Maxia was here before us?" the businessman questioned.
"Yes, two people in fact per the founder of our tribe. A young man who claimed he was medical student from Rieze Maxia, and a woman who called herself the Lord of Spirits; their names were Jude Mathis and Milla Maxwell."
Another jolt shot through each of their systems now. Did they just hear this old man right? Jude and Milla were here before? But how was this even possible, neither one had ever mentioned that they had come to this strange land prior, even before Muzét had transferred them to this continent. If they really did come to this place at some point in their lives, why had they not mentioned this everyone?
"That's not possible," the teacher tried to brush off this latest revelation. "If Jude and Milla really were here, then why didn't they mention this before? And even then, when could they have even come here? This continent wasn't even known to us until-"
"I see you have many questions," the old man continued. "Come, let us continue this conversation in our village, it's only a short walk away."
"Wait, before we go, can I ask you something?" Piotr questioned on behalf of the party. "Who exactly are you people?"
"Many years ago, between the Era of Asgard and Age of Chaos, my people would pass along the ancient stories of the past and forgotten to the common folk. Though many of us would simply take refuge in these lands, in every generation we would send but one individual to Glenwood to conserve and teach these histories. We are the Tribe of the Storyteller, the tribe that has remained silent since the Age of Chaos, the tribe that must forever atone for the sin the First Storyteller committed during the Age of Asgard; we are what remains of the Mayvin Tribe."
"The Mayvin Tribe, huh?" the water seraph questioned. "Didn't think you guys were still around, I mean other than-"
"Come, let us take this conversation to the village," the man offered. "Don't worry, I assure you that none of my tribesmen will do you any further harm."
With that said, the elderly man and his fellow tribesmen began walking toward the south, each of them having lowered their weapons and removed the masks from their faces. Though still cautious, the Shepherds, Squires, and seraphim slowly obliged, making sure to keep their distance as they followed. Oddly however, the silver-haired seraph came to a stop after taking only a single step.
"Is something wrong, Mina?" the young teacher questioned.
It was for but a split second, but the water seraph believed that they were still being watched. For a moment, her eyes began to survey the shrubbery of the jungle, looking for anything out of place. Yet her eyes found nothing, her ears hearing nothing but crickets and other beasts that dwelled within ocean of the trees.
"…what's wrong is that we're going to get lost if we keep dawdling here," she finally replied with her usual snark, brushing past the magician as she spoke.
"Seriously, how rude!" Teepo remarked as he and his handler followed.
"Must run in the family," Alvin added, recalling their encounter with the seraph's mother. "Not sure if she packs the same punch as her mom though."
"Is that something you really want to find out?" Leia questioned, giving her boyfriend a slight jab in the same spot Edna had struck him several weeks ago.
"…I don't think I'm in the mood to be 'floored by another little girl' as you put it…," he replied.
Though Mina had passed off the presence she felt as nothing, the truth of the matter was otherwise, the one in hiding letting off a short groan as the party continued onward.
"You always weren't the type to read between the lines," the earth seraph sighed as her child and comrades disappeared from her sight. "Really Meebo, our eldest brat really is a daddy's girl…"
"Do you know why you did it? Do you remember what happened?"
Again the doctor was asking these questions, the same questions he was asking for the last hour or so. Each time he asked, she always provided him with the same answer, her words never changing in the slightest.
"Zoe, can you tell me why?" the doctor asked once again.
"…I didn't do it…," she reiterated for what seemed like millionth time that session. "Claritha did. One of the boys said I took his chair, and when I tried to tell them it didn't belong to them, him and his friends pushed me to the floor and then they starting kicking me. That's when Claritha woke up and-"
"How many times are you going to lie, Zoe?" the man in the white coat began to grow impatient. "Do you really expect me to believe that your doll suddenly came to life told you to kill those children?"
"I'm not lying!" the young girl shook her head. "Claritha really did wake up. She was protecting me, she told me that if I didn't-!"
"Do you really expect me to believe that this rag could tell a person take a piece of metal and stab someone with it several times over?!" the doctor questioned, his hand wringing the aforementioned doll by the throat. "Stop trying to pass the blame and tell the truth, Zoe!"
"B-but it's true," the child stuttered. "It wasn't me, it was Claritha. I would never…"
Upon seeing the girl's reaction, the man calmly returned to his seat, taking a deep breath as he placed the doll in question to the side. She didn't what to expect of this man; was he going to lose his temper like those men a year ago? Was he going to subjugate her to more of those tests? Was he going to force her to kill others just like her?
"Sorry, I didn't mean to lose my temper," the doctor calmly apologized. "After all, out of all the children that came out of the Labari Hollow Institute, I'm afraid your experience was the most…eventful to say the least. So then, may we try another approach?"
Though his demeanor had changed, the red-haired child knew better than to let her guard down. The moment she left herself open, she knew that's when things would only worsen. Even if during times of respite such as when she was allowed to nap, those men in the white coats would often enter her cell, dragging her against her will to the strange metallic room and hooking several tubes and wires into her body, forcing that strange solution into her as she tried to fight back. She thought over time that the pain would numb, but if anything it worsened, as did the feeling of anything she touched.
It wasn't long before it felt like pins and needles were scraping against her skin, even when she simply wore the clothes on her back. Those things those men did to her, she didn't know what they did to her exactly, but it intensified her sense of touch so much that she found it best to simply try and stand still for as long as possible lest she be overwhelmed by the mere sensation of walking or even touching the air.
What they did to her, the experiences she was forced to endure, 'she' would not have it any longer. 'She' would not allow it ever happen again.
"Yes, another approach is best," 'she' spoke once more.
Before their very eyes, the doll had come to life once again, levitating from the desk as a black silhouette surrounded its form. Her sudden awakening was no longer a surprise to the young girl, but at the same time, it was never welcomed, it was always feared.
"What the hell is this?!" the man quickly sprang from his chair once again. "Zoe, are you doing this?!"
"It's not me!" the child tried to explain once again. "I can't-!"
Before she could speak another word, the energy that surrounded the doll suddenly expanded, pushing both the girl and the man backward until their backs struck walls opposite one another. Once again the pain overwhelmed Zoe, her body paralyzed from the sudden force. Yet as she tried to fight back the tears that came from such agony, the plush came before her once more, its empty black eyes once again peering into her soul.
"Zoe, you know what this man was going to do," Claritha spoke.
"N-no, you're wrong," the girl shook her head. "The doctor, he didn't mean to yell, he was just-"
"He was just trying to help, is that right?" the toy seemed to read her mind. "Yes, just like those men in the lab, just like the ones who beat you every day, like the other children who took advantage of your situation, like the one who feared you despite everything you had done for her!"
The doll spoke the truth, she always spoke the truth, no matter how much the child denied or feared it. Claritha, she would not lie, she would not betray her, she was the only one who was ever there for her; she was always the one to show her the way.
"Zoe, you know what needs to be done…," the doll ordered her once more. "You know this is the only way."
What needs to be done; though the child herself knew what had to be done, it was never easy for her to commit such acts. And yet, like the times before, the rings of metal appeared on her wrists before they slipped into her hands, appearing without saying a single word, without a moment of hesitation. With an empty look in her eyes, she approached the doctor, approaching him silently as the plush continued to look on.
"W-wait, what are you doing?" the man quivered from where he laid. "Zoe, please, listen to-!"
"Keep quiet," she spoke. "It'll make things easier if you don't struggle."
And with that, the magician awakened once more. She was standing up already, her body drenched entirely in sweat and her heart racing as quickly as a jackhammer. For a moment she continued to stand there, struggling to catch her breath as she wrestled with the concept of reality and dream. Slowly but surely things were coming together once more, but even as she placed everything back in its rightful place within her mind, there was something that she could still not fully fathom.
"Where am I?" she now realized she standing in a place she had never seen before.
The area around was scorching like magma, the stones beneath her feet searing like steam. The walls before her looked to stretch endlessly along what looked like an enormous cavern wall, at least, she what she first believed was a cavern wall.
A rumbling noise then echoed from behind her, the magician then turning to the source to find a ledge that would keep one from falling several stories below. From what she could see, there were several more stone bridges and floors beneath, and at the very bottom, what looked like a circular stage that was surrounded completely by magma.
Before she could fully grasp the situation, a strange growl had now stolen her attention. Turning to the source, she found a menacing monster suddenly appearing before her, a strange creature she had never seen prior. This fiend was similar to a wolf, but with streams of what appeared to magma running down the bulk of its body and face. A silhouette of fire also surrounded the creature, the element growing as the beast opened its jaws and emitted a ferocious howl. The very sound perturbed Zoe, nearly knocking her to the floor. For a moment she thought of running, but like many times before, her support had come to her aid, perching on her shoulder as she whispered her usual words of encouragement.
"Zoe, you know what must be done…," Claritha urged the red-haired woman. "This beast seeks to harm you, to eat you; it seeks to kill you. If you don't kill it, it will kill you. Do you understand?"
Looking at the creature, Zoe could instantly see the truth her plush had laid out for her once again. Within seconds, the fear that overtook her had melted away, replaced by an emptiness that had become commonplace over the many years prior. Once again the chakrams took form around her wrists, only to drop down to her hands with a single swift motion downward, stopping the moment her fingers wrapped around them firmly. With her tools in place, the former Splintered magician spoke once more, her words as empty and cold as the expression in her azure eyes.
"Keep quiet," she spoke as she readied her arms. "It'll make things easier if you don't struggle."
The young teacher found herself giving a brief sigh of relief. It felt like eternity since she had such delicious food; even though the meals they had shared at the various inns were certainly tasty, they lacked the warmth and flavor of a true home cooked meal. It was strange how just a few hours ago, these people were viciously trying to defend their homeland, but now, it was as if they were always welcome here. In fact, the village did seem rather peaceful, and with the exception of the few guards who kept watch on the outskirts, the entire civilization didn't look like they were ready for a war or any kind of battle. Moreover, most of the civilians were dressed in rather simple clothes, namely cropped pants and skirts, along with shirts that exposed more skin due to the rather humid climate. In fact, it was so uncomfortable that all of the Shepherds and Squires were forced to remove their cloaks in order to keep cool. Well, almost all of them anyway.
"You're not hurt anymore, are you, Piotr?" Elize questioned the heir to the Order.
"No, I'm fine, Lady Elize," the young man replied with a smile.
"I really don't think our hosts would like it if you kept holding your sword," the water seraph added in her two cents as she leaned against the tree beside them. "I mean really, if they did want to gut us and offer them to their ocean gods, wouldn't they have led us deeper into the jungle and cut us open there?"
"Has anyone ever told you that if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all?" Teepo inquired as his eyebrows scrunched.
"Yes, somebody did tell me that, but no, I don't feel like following that philosophy," Mina sarcastically replied.
"She's got a point, Piotr," the young teacher agreed to an extent. "I doubt these people want to cause us anymore harm otherwise they wouldn't be this hospitable. I mean, they've even cooked a feast for us."
"And if you're thinking they poisoned it, then why would they be eating it too?" the former mercenary and editor now joined in, scarfing on a grilled rappig leg as he spoke.
"…I suppose you're right…," the young Squire reluctantly sighed as he sheathed his ceremonial blade.
"I take it the food and everything is to your liking?" the elder from earlier now approached the five.
"You guys definitely know how to throw a feast," Leia said as she took another spoonful of soda rice into her mouth. "Really, it's delicious!"
"Well then, I'm glad."
"But on a more serious note, you claimed there were two people from our homeland that were here prior," the editor's tone now became serious. "You mentioned Jude Mathis and Milla Maxwell, and then you called yourselves the 'Tribe of the Storyteller'. Do you mind elaborating more on this?"
"I suppose I do owe you an explanation. Very well, come with me if you please."
Not wasting anymore time, the five began to follow the old man deeper into the village, away from the festivities and bonfires of the beach. As they ventured deeper into the village, the young teacher couldn't help but observe the architecture of the houses; though they were constructed of wood, many of them lacked proper doors or windows. Most of these structures were also built with what seemed like many branches strewn together instead of planks, along with a cluster of large leaves to make up the roof. Such architecture was certainly unique to these lands, in fact, Elize had never seen anything like this in any of her travels.
Yet there was one structure that looked to be of Glenwood design, albeit somewhat older however. This building where they were now approaching consisted of a more solid wood design, with stained glass windows above the door and its walls. Upon entering, the facility was adorned with several long benches and an altar; there was no doubt this was a place of worship. Yet this didn't seem to be a place to worship a deity or spirit it seemed, perhaps it was closer to say it was a library or museum.
Though there were still stained glass windows throughout its perimeters, there were also many parchments and books strewn throughout, including on the very seats that adorned this building. Many desks and quills with ink bottles were also strewn along the perimeter, some of which had pages of unfinished manuscripts therein. As her eyes continued toward the center of the outer wall, she found various shelves of artifacts that were alien to Glenwood, Rieze Maxia and Elympios, artifacts like a bracelet of a strange design, a staff of unknown origin, and even a statue of what looked to have been a Great Spirit or other deity.
What caught her eye the most however, was the single large mural which hung in the center part of the back wall of the structure. It was the painting of a woman dressed in rather strange raiment, almost like a jester with an over-sized hat and several books as a skirt. This woman looked rather mischievous, almost sinister at first glance with the grin that was stretched across her lips, but at the same time, her eyes looked to be full of compassion and wisdom. In her left hand was what looked to be book or journal, with her right carrying what seemed to be a pen, as if she were writing her thoughts on the parchment.
"Excuse me, Sir," Elize inquired to the old man. "Who is this woman?"
"You mean the woman in the mural? That would be the founder of our tribe, Magillanica Lou Mayvin."
"Magillanica Lou Mayvin…," her name seemed to fly off the magician's lips with ease.
"Is it just me, or does she look like someone we all know?" Teepo questioned.
"Hm, the hair, the eyes, even the colors she's wearing, they really do look familiar, don't they, Elize?" Leia asked.
"Wait, what do you mean?" the young teacher stammered knowing full well the direction where this conversation was going.
"So is it safe to assume this is supposed to be your tribe's library or house of records?" the young Squire inquired, returning everyone to the matter at hand.
"It is, but long before that, this was once a church for the Abbey," the elder replied. "I'm sure you recognize the name of this organization, young Squire."
"Supposedly the Abbey were the predecessors of the Order of the Shepherds," Mina recalled aloud. "During the Age of Asgard, they protected the people from hellions and malevolence, which was apparently running rampant at the time. They even managed to wipe out most of it, but then one day, Mount Killaraus suddenly erupted, and the Abbey and the order they created fell apart. It was after this that ocean exploration came to an end, and Glenwood as we knew it was formed within the next hundreds of years that followed."
"Yes, that's it," the elder nodded. "That's the history that has long been passed throughout the Continent of Glenwood, but what if I were tell you this was only part of the truth."
"What do you mean?" Elize asked.
"You're not going to tell me you believe in the heresy the Scholars of the Crowe preach, are you?" Piotr questioned.
"I do believe, in fact, everyone in this village takes it as a fact," the older man nodded.
"And just what exactly is this 'heresy' you're talking about?" Alvin questioned. "And what about what you said earlier about Jude and Milla?"
"Now now, I can provide you all the answers you request, but it will take some time for me to explain," their host assured them. "First I must ask the three who are not of this continent; what do you know of the Scholars of the Crowe?"
"Well from what we've heard since we got here, they're a rival organization of the Order of the Shepherds, right?" Leia replied.
"That's only part of it, but what if I were to tell you that the Scholars of the Crowe are another branch of the Mayvin Tribe."
"What exactly do you mean?" Piotr questioned, his temper flaring further. "The Scholars have done nothing more than spread lies and malevolence throughout their existence! They are agents of chaos, nothing more than terrorists! I'm sure you know of what happened in Glaivend Basin fifteen years ago when-!"
"Hold your horses," the water seraph calmly interrupted, tapping the young man in the head with her staff. "Jeez, what happened to the whole 'reason over emotion' stuff you so religiously follow?"
"So then how are the Scholars of the Crowe and the Mayvin Tribe related to one another?" Elize inquired.
"The answer to that is not so simple, but before I can explain, I must ask you, young Squire, do you know what became of the last Storyteller?"
"Near the end of the Age of Chaos, the Shepherd of Order fought against the last known Lord of Calamity, Georg Heldalf, but in order to fully understand his foe, he sought the knowledge of Heldalf's history throughout the land. The Shepherd's journey eventually had him cross paths with the Storyteller simply known as 'Mayvin', and once Mayvin had provided the knowledge he had of Heldalf's past, he passed over into the next life."
"What you speak of is true, that was the fate of the last Storyteller," the elder nodded. "The Storyteller was an important role in our tribe; every few centuries or so, after the previous Storyteller has passed on, a member of tribe was chosen to spread the knowledge passed amongst our people to the citizens of Glenwood. The chosen one would then take an Oath once their training was complete, an Oath that despite the path history took, they would never become an involved party in such history. However, the Last Storyteller broke this Oath when he agreed to provide his knowledge of the Lord of Calamity's past to the Shepherd of Order."
"So then if this Storyteller broke his Oath, then why wasn't another one chosen to take his place afterward?" Elize questioned.
"I'm curious about that too," Mina added. "For a tribe that's supposed to keep track of history and spread it to the common folk, why haven't you just elected another Storyteller like you always did?"
"…we had our reasons," the man said, turning his attention to the mural of his tribe's founder. "In fact, once our tribe had learned of the previous Storyteller's passing, we had already begun the process of raising a new Storyteller.
"It was said that there was a prodigy within our ancestors' ranks, a young boy who took great interest in history and current events; his name was Martin. At the age of thirteen, Martin was able to recite the entirety of Magillanica Lou Mayvin's scriptures by heart. He was also said to be kind-hearted young man, and very adventurous to boot, yet at the same time, he was said to be very caring about those around him. Our ancestors were worried that if Martin were elected to become the next Storyteller, he would quickly waste away this opportunity as he would involve himself in some sort of conflict between the powers that be. Yet against their better judgment and with no others willing to take the role, Martin was elected to become the next Storyteller at the age of twenty-two. Though he was elected to become the next Storyteller, the young man elected not to inherit this role, instead choosing another path."
"And what path was that?" Leia inquired.
"About a year before Martin was to take his vows, a foreign woman had come to our people, a woman from the continent of Glenwood," he continued. "When she arrived, she was carrying little more than the clothes on her back, her spear, and one peculiar item; she was carrying with her an old copy of Magillanica Lou Mayvin's teachings that she found in the basement of the cathedral in Pendrago. This woman was of noble birth, a princess and the daughter of a great knight, yet she abandoned her position in order to learn more of the world's true history, and so, she sought out our ancestors. This woman who came to our village was known Olivia Diphda."
"Olivia Diphda?" the name quickly caught the young Squire's attention. "The founder of the Scholars of the Crowe?!"
"Olivia was a fine student, in fact, she learned our teachings at an astonishing rate; if she had been born in our tribe, she would have no doubt been another candidate to inherit the role of Storyteller. She and Martin were said to be inseparable during their studies, the two of them often comparing notes and stories of her life in Glenwood. As time went on, it became apparent that Olivia was obtaining our knowledge for her own gain; her goals themselves were not selfish, but what she wished to do with it went against the very nature of our people.
"The more she learned of the forgotten Tales, the more she became intrigued by them, wishing to harness the power mentioned therein. She believed that such power should be shared with the people, that the knowledge held within should be made known to the public. Yet this knowledge also had the power to destroy the foundation of everything the common man knew of the world, that it would destroy the peace that had been long fought for even before the Ancient Era.
"Knowing of her plight, Martin offered to aid Olivia in her cause and helped find like-minded individuals within the tribe. The truth of the matter was Martin had fallen in love with Olivia, and he was willing to abandon his role of Storyteller so that she may fulfill her goal. And so, on the day in which he was to take his Oath, Martin abandoned the role he was to inherit, stating that he would instead use the knowledge he gained so that he may aid Olivia in her wish. Though many tribesmen were flabbergasted and appalled by Martin's decision, there were also those that took to his side, leaving with him and Olivia, and thus becoming the first Scholars of the Crowe.
"Ever since that fateful day, there hasn't been a Storyteller in the Mayvin Tribe out of fear that any more of our teachings that were not meant for the common folk may spread to Glenwood and beyond. For the most part, we have been living in seclusion ever since, scaring away any potential parties that may try to obtain our knowledge and spread it to the main continent."
The elder had finished speaking now, his tale silencing even the snarky seraph as the words continued to gel in each of their minds. The Mayvin Tribe and the Scholars of the Crowe were once one and the same, and in Elize's eyes, it seemed as if even Piotr had no idea of this, nor did possibly anyone else in the Order. Yet even after this tale, there were still some questions that were left unanswered.
"That's nice all said and done, but what does any of this have to do with Jude and Milla?" the businessman returned to their original inquiry.
"Oh, my apologies, I'm afraid I got caught up in our tribe's history that I almost forgot about your inquiry," the elder apologized. "If I am too relay this information to you, I'm afraid I must go over the biography of Magillanica Lou Mayvin herself. You see, Magillanica Lou Mayvin was the adopted daughter of-"
"Look we get it that you're all supposed to be storytellers or whatever," Alvin's impatience began to grow, "but can you get to the point?"
"Alvin!" his girlfriend quickly nudged him in his ribs. "I'm sorry, sir, but my boyfriend's not exactly the most patient guy when it comes to rather long-winded stories."
"No, it's quite understandable, after all, if Magillanica's prophecy is true, then I can see why you are all pressed for time."
"And what prophecy is that?"
"To be brief, during the Age of Asgard, Magillanica Lou Mayvin fought alongside the First Lord of Calamity, Velvet Crowe. In their war against the Abbey, they were also allied with four other allies particular: Rokurou Rangetsu, a hellion who fought only to quench his thirst for battle; Eizen, an earth seraph and leader of a band of pirates known as Aifread's Pirates; Eleanor Hume, a former exorcist of the Abbey; and Maotelus himself, also known as 'Laphicet' to his comrades."
"LIES!" the young Squire quickly protested once more. "How dare you speak such blasphemy! You would dare claim that Maotelus himself, the Leader of the Five Lords, would align himself with a Lord of Calamity?!"
"Yes, it's true," the elder nodded. "Per the records of Magillanica Lou Mayvin-!"
"I can't listen to anymore of this nonsense!" Piotr spat, his temper having reached its peak.
"Piotr, wait!" the young teacher called as he swiftly made his way out the door.
Yet before she could take a single step, the world around Elize felt as if it had come to a complete stop, as if time itself has become frozen. Though her surroundings had remained still, the young teacher was still able to move, still able to breathe, still able to interact with the world around her. Before she could fathom what was happening, she felt the touch of another suddenly falling upon her shoulders, followed by a crude, yet gentle whisper into her ear.
"So you're the one I've been waiting for all this time…," a stranger's voice sailed with the wind.
"…you've been waiting for me?" the young teacher questioned. "Who are you?"
"Don't turn around," she felt a pair of fingers pinch her chin. "Look forward, never back. When you're ready to overcome the trial, find me within the deepest part of the earth, where the sands of eternity meet with the origins of life, where neither are supposed to exist, but somehow live in harmony. Only when you're ready to confront what has been and what may have been, only then can you look back."
"Wait, what are you-?"
"Naughty girl, I told you not to look!"
"Hey, what are you standing around for, Elize?" the voice of the former mercenary suddenly spoke. "Weren't you going to go after the kid?"
In the blink of an eye, the young teacher found the world around her in motion once again, her eyes now focusing on her two friends, the water seraph and the Mayvin Tribe elder, all of them with somewhat puzzled looks in their eyes.
"Er, sorry, I must've spaced out for a second…," she said after a moment of awkward silence.
"Maybe you had a bit too much of the alcohol," her puppet spoke her thoughts aloud, much to her embarrassment. "After all, we know what happens when you have a few sips of-"
"I'll be going now!" the young teacher quickly stated as she covered Teepo's mouth with her hand.
As soon as she made her way out the door, she couldn't help but stop once more, sensing the same aura she had felt and heard just moments ago. This sensation forced her to focus on the mural in the back of the church, as if it were coaxing her to look at it once again. She found herself staring at the Storyteller for a moment as if it were going to move or act before her eyes. Thinking again that maybe she did in fact have a little too much to drink, the magician returned to the task at hand, looking forward as she continued her search for the young Squire.
Yet unbeknownst to her, the moment she turned, the mural had winked at her, as if it were playfully teasing those that heard its muse's voice.
The green-haired woman stood aghast from the site before her and her young master. Before their feet were several men on the ground, battered and bloodied, but somehow still alive. It was similar to scenes she had read to her young master when he was but a child, scenes in which the hero would arrive to what was supposed to be a secret lair or temple, only to find its guards on the ground nearly dying. And just like in said novel, there was still one who was still barely conscious, but able to speak.
"Hey, what happened here?" Gilford quickly questioned this man.
"Your friend broke in a few minutes ago," the man stated. "We told her she couldn't pass, but then that weird doll-"
'Doll', that was all Kaon needed to hear.
"Young Master, go get help for these men and alert Lord Sekundes of what happened here," Kaon ordered as she took her staff into her hands. "I'll go after Zoe."
"Wait, but Kaon-!"
She was never the type to disobey his orders, much less give him one unless it was for his own benefit. But this was neither here nor there, the fact of the matter was that 'she' was acting out once again.
Within a few steps, the former Great Spirit of Light found herself running along paved tiles, but the walls of the structure she now occupied were similar to that of a mountain's interior. The smell of fire and molten rock soon swept into her nostrils, just as the air itself became dry and burning. In the distance she then saw a fountain of red erupt, revealing to her that she was now within some sort of volcano, or at least a structure in which magma ran rampant.
As she drew closer to the liquid fire, the atmosphere itself became heavier, just as a chill began to circulate within her. Voices and words began to sail into her ears now, sentences and phrases that were filled with great negativity. Anger, sadness, hatred, and many other such emotions began to fill her as she drew closer. Without a doubt, this was malevolence swirling within the air, malevolence that seemed to reach even into the depths of this temple.
"Why is there malevolence here?" the former Great Spirit questioned aloud.
Before she could begin to ponder her inquiry, her attention turned to a peculiar sight just a few feet before her. On the ground was what looked like a beast with magma illuminating its veins, similar to the creatures found in the Fire Caverns near Kanbalar. Despite laying on the floor, the hellion was still alive, writhing on the ground, its body then turning to its other side to reveal the truth of its injury.
Pieces of the other half of its body were missing entirely; its legs were ripped clean off, the remaining parts of its limbs cauterized from the magma that ran through the monster's veins. A web of fresh cuts were strewn throughout the rest of its side, as if it had been sliced many times by a pair of blades. Kaon expected to find anything that had tried to confront Zoe to have such injuries, but then there was something even more peculiar about this creature's wounds.
"Bite marks?!" the sight forced the green-haired woman's eyes to widen.
These were not the bite marks an ordinary monster would leave on its prey however, these were the bite marks that were similar in size to that of a human being's jaw. Though the size was the same, the very indentation was deeper, sharper even. The teeth marks were not flat like a normal person's, they looked to be jagged, sharpened to a point in fact. These marks seemed to run deeper the more Kaon's eyes surveyed further up the creature's mangled form, finding the subsequent bites more ragged, more vicious; just before she could look at the creature's neck, the former Great Spirit had no choice but to avert her eyes from the hellion's remaining form, the sight unsettling her stomach and nerves far beyond her comfort zone.
"Disgusting…," was but an understatement she uttered as she averted her gaze.
Though she turned away from the sight, her ears then picked up another noise, similar to that of an animal crying in agony. Wasting no more time, the former Great Spirit hurried to the source, running into the main corridor of the temple to find an even more gruesome sight.
On the ground was another hellion, this one in the form of a humanoid lizard. This beast had also gone silent, but its body still quivered, moving as another that sat beside it brought her jaws into the creature's form. Her teeth pierced into the hellion's flesh as if it were little more than paper, pulling away at the fibers of its muscles piece by piece as her head pulled back from its form. The sound of juices mingling in one's mouth echoed as her jaw tore into the meat further, the crimson fluid from within dripping from her lips as she chewed on the monster's flesh. With a loud gulp, she swallowed the fibers she had torn from the fiend, only for her teeth to fall upon the creature's fresh corpse once again, pulling another chunk of muscle with her mouth before grinding it between her teeth.
This creature that was devouring this hellion, its appearance looked to be that of a human at first glance, consisting of red fiery red hair in rather large, curled pigtails. Its body was also adorned with a strange frilled dress with red and black stripes, as well as several runic scriptures on its arms and sides of its face, scriptures that turned and moved almost like a never-ending escalator. No, this wasn't a creature, this was a person, the very individual she had volunteered to find moments ago.
"Z-Zoe…?"
"Don't you know it's better to leave a dog to feast than interrupt its meal?" a familiar voice now whispered into the former Great Spirit's ear.
It was the doll that spoke now, having suddenly perched on Kaon's shoulder. Turning her head to the source, the green-haired woman found herself staring back at a pair of empty black eyes. The former Great Spirit found herself paralyzed as she found herself face-to-face with the plush, the living toy's arm now caressing her cheek, as if it were playing with her skin, her emotions.
"As the humans say, 'it's a dog-eat-dog world'," Claritha spoke. "So why do you continue to play with the dogs instead of cavorting with your own kind?"
"Do not try to confuse me, Puppet," she calmly replied. "My loyalties are to my young master, so do not think you attempts to charm me-"
"Is it truly loyalty or is it a shackle?" the doll questioned, its arm now patting one of its own legs. "Have you ever wondered how far you could truly go if you were to remove the thing that binds you? Have you ever believed it was not a lifeline, but a chain that binds?"
A feeling of disgust slowly filled within Kaon now, swelling from within her artificial leg. She did not want to hear any more of this doll's words, and yet without her knowledge, her own hand had begun reaching for the cube that rested within her metallic limb. A warm air then swept over her as the compartment that housed her former self's essence opened, her digits tingling with what seemed like anticipation as they reached for it. Yet her hand would travel no further, her fingers closing into a fist as the metal panels that housed her spyrite shut once again, her purpose having becoming clear once more as the voice to whom she swore loyalty to echoed behind her.
"What the hell is this?!" Gilford's shock quickly caught her attention. "Zoe, what are you-?!"
"Young Master, why are you here?" Kaon quickly turned to the former Splintered Leader. "I thought I ordered you to-"
"…get a help," a third voice now echoed from behind the young man, finishing his words.
Before she could react, the green-haired woman suddenly found herself a legion of men and women adorned in the black cloaks of the Scholars suddenly rushing into the vicinity. Unsurprisingly, each of them had drawn their swords and spears, encircling the red-haired magician as she continued to feast on the creature, as if they were holding their ground against a pack of beasts. Upon seeing this, Zoe had quickly ended her meal, returning to her feet as she flicked her wrists toward the ground, her chakrams appearing around her wrists as she did so. Taking little time, she immediately changed into a fighting stance, holding one sharpened ring in each of her hands. As she stood there, a familiar energy began to smolder around her, a cold flame that swept into one's very soul. The very essence quickly sent the former Great Spirit to her knees, her young master also weakening in the same manner after several seconds.
"What is this?!" the silver-haired young man tried to protest. "Zoe, what are you-?"
The reply she gave only sent Kaon and her young master deeper into the ground, almost as if the very core of the planet was pulling them in. It was nearly impossible to move at this point, as if the sky itself was pushing down on her shoulders and back. Yet amidst this surge of power, the men and woman in black cloaks remained where they stood, somehow unhindered. No, it wasn't just the fact that they were unhindered, they were reacting to this power, in fact, they looked to have been resonating with it.
This aura, this darkness, for some reason, each of these men and women were also emitting malevolence!
"Why do you think it is we have been at odds with the Shepherds since the beginning of our existence?" an elderly man spoke on behalf of the Scholars. "Was it simply because our founder branched off from the Shepherds to find our own path? The answer is much more complicated I'm afraid. The Shepherds believe that malevolence is something that must not exist in this world, that it must be eradicated at all costs. However, such a goal is impossible. Anger, sadness, loss, lust, desire, and all emotions that would be considered negative are but feelings every living creature experiences to varying degrees; to rid this world of such things would mean ridding all sense of emotion from this world; it would mean getting rid of what it means to be human to begin with. But we, the Scholars, believe in something more profound, something less idealistic.
"In order for life to truly thrive, in order to truly live as humans, a balance must be made. Thus, we embrace our sadness, our anger, our lust, our grief, we welcome malevolence itself. Yet at the same time, we understand that the malevolence itself should not be widespread; such negativity will lead to chaos and destruction, and thus we find a way to control it, to manipulate it for our own sakes.
"This place, this temple was once a ground in which the Shepherds would attempt to gain the blessings for their seraphim, but now it is where our ranks can learn to embrace and control the darkness within them, where they can expose themselves to malevolence and accept the darkness. Those that cannot learn to properly accept and control this power become nothing more than mindless beasts to be put down by their former peers. On that note, I'm afraid this young lady is already becoming such a fiend."
"Fiend?" the word hissed from Zoe's breath. "…that's right, I'm a fiend… And I'll show you what a fiend can do!"
"Zoe, that's enough!" the doll once perched on Kaon's shoulder quickly flew before her handler.
"Get out of my way, Claritha!"
Instead of calming the magician, the very sight of the doll seemed to infuriate her further, causing the mass of darkness surrounding her to expand further. Despite the increase in force, the doll continued to stand (or rather hover) its ground, remaining still and composed as the aura surrounding the red-haired woman intensified with her temper.
"You truly are a naughty child, aren't you?" the doll calmly lectured. "You let a little power get into your head, and then you believe you can take on the whole world? You're even stupider than I thought."
"Zip it, Claritha!" Zoe tried to retort. "I won't take orders from you, not anymore! You can't-!"
Before she could protest further, the magician suddenly found herself falling to the floor, her entire body having suddenly become paralyzed with the wave of the doll's arm, much to the shock of everyone in the vicinity. Barely able to move, the red-haired woman tried to pick herself off the floor, only to scream out in pain as the doll raised its arm further into the air.
"Did you really think you could defy me?" Claritha questioned as her handler's screams became shriller. "Do you truly think you can continue to speak to me in such a way?"
"C-Claritha, stop it…," the magician's tone had quickly changed once more. "Sto-!"
"Who's the one that's going to 'zip it' this time?" the plush interrupted once more with the wave of her arm, causing Zoe's body to writhe deeper into the ground. "Keep spouting your empty words and acting upon futility; no matter how many times I must, I will remind you that I'm the one pulling the strings!"
And with that, a final piercing cry left the magician's lips, the darkness around her fading into nothingness as her body went completely limp. Though the air slowly became warm once more, the sweat upon Kaon's brow continued to chill her to the bone, her body still paralyzed in spite of the malevolence having been lifted. Even her young master continued to remain paralyzed from where he lay, his eyes unblinking and his jaw held aghast.
"I've subdued her for now," the doll then turned to the black-cloaked individuals that still surrounded them. "I advise you lock her up for now and give her some time to let her think over her actions."
Without stating another word, two of the Scholars picked the magician off the ground now, dragging her away as the former Great Spirit and Leader of the Splintered remained, the two of them still perplexed and shocked over what they had just witnessed. Neither one was afraid to speak a word at this point, their voices instead running amok in their thoughts over the events that had just occurred.
Never in the time they had known Zoe had they witnessed Claritha take control like this; for all they knew, the doll was little more than a punching bag for the irrational magician. Yet what they witnessed today looked to be the complete opposite. 'I'm the one pulling the strings', just what did it mean?
"Why not break from your shackles and then you will understand," the doll's voice suddenly whispered into the former Great Spirit's ear.
"What?!" the terror within Kaon enveloped her further as the doll now floated toward the exit of the cave.
"You are a slave, Luna," the doll continued to speak within her mind, never once taking a second to turn back. "You know this is a fact, you know it to be true. Do you want to be emancipated?"
With these last words spoken, the plush had disappeared from their sight. With the toy now gone, the green-haired woman and her young master found themselves able to move once more. The first breath she took felt like a gentle breeze despite the aroma of brimstone and ash that accompanied it. Her body began to loosen, her right hand pressing against her heart, but her left was reaching elsewhere.
Again she found her digits reaching for her leg, reaching for the cage that housed her very essence. She felt a gentle warmth emanating from the spyrite within, a tiny ember that felt like it was dying with every second. This essence, this tiny light, it wished to breathe, it wished to grow, it wished to be free, and yet-
"Is everything all right, Kaon?" the silver-haired young man questioned his servant.
"Y-yes," she quickly composed herself once more. "Everything is fine, Young Master…"
It was a rare moment, one that felt like an eternity since she last experienced it. Silence, complete and utter silence from the other soul that resided in her. There were no words of ridicule, no strange images of another's past, no desires to harm without cause, there was simply nothing but Leia's own will. The other soul in her had gone silent since last night, having not said a word or shared a thought after hearing the remainder of the elder's tale. The editor first thought it was blessing to not hear from Little Queen, to not share her memories out of the blue or be influenced by her desires. Yet as more time passed, Leia began to worry; she knew the Child of Fodra would not have gone quiet unless something truly troubled her. Leia couldn't blame her though as the tale even upset her and Alvin upon learning of such an outlandish story.
"That's impossible!" the editor refused to believe what she just heard. "There's no way that's the case! Jude and Milla would never-!"
"I'm afraid it's true," the elder regretfully said, his back still turned toward the two as he finished his tale. "The records of Magillanica Lou Mayvin state-"
"Screw your records!" it was Alvin's turn to get upset. "Do you honestly believe that our friends would ever volunteer to destroy the very world they swore to protect?!"
"Sheesh, why is everyone so uppity today?" the water seraph shrugged. "I mean seriously, my dad's pretty passionate about history, ruins, and old myths, but even he never got this excited."
"I know it is hard to believe, but take a look at this," the older man brought before them an old scripture. "This is an excerpt from a journal found in Normin Island shortly after the Battle of Judgment; it's written in a language that is foreign to the people of Glenwood. Based on the looks on both of your faces, this writing is familiar, is it not?"
It couldn't be true, could it? The writing style, the perfect spacing between words, the perfect curves and straight lines for the appropriate letters, it was almost too good to be a coincidence.
"'I still find it hard to believe that it's come to this'," Alvin read from the manuscript. "'If we are to return home, we need to test the Lord of Calamity. I know we've experienced a lot of fighting and hardships in the short time we've been together, but even this is something I'm not sure I can do. To go back to our world, we have to destroy this one. I can't fathom doing such a thing, but Milla-'"
Looking at the text, there was no doubt the alphabet used therein was the same one used in Rieze Maxia, but its exact style and grammar was familiar, too familiar in fact. If she hadn't known any better, Leia would have mistaken the writer as a rather educated noblewoman from their homeland, but in truth, she had seen this writing often growing up, having copied most of it almost every day in her school life. This writing, this scripture, and the events narrated therein, there was no doubt about it, it was written by Jude!
"No way, it's just too much of a coincidence," the editor continued to deny this journal's existence. "This can't be real."
"I know it is difficult for you to understand, but I believe your friends returning here was foretold in prophecy passed down for several millennia," the elder man continued. "Even Magillanica Lou Mayvin predicted their return from her powers of insight."
"All right, let's just say this so-called prophecy is real," the businessman bitterly decided to go along. "Does that mean Milla's supposed to come back and destroy us all or something? I mean it seems like everyone in this continent already thinks so."
"It's true that Milla Maxwell was said to fight on behalf of the Harbinger of the End, but what you state is not what our founder predicted," the tribe leader continued as he procured another parchment. "Rather, what she had written was vague; this is a but a copy of one of one of Magillanica Lou Mayvin's writings, but I'm afraid a majority of the text was lost when Martin left the Mayvin Tribe with Olivia Diphda."
"Mind if I take a look?" Mina took the writings before, reading its contents aloud soon after. "'…and so, when the night's forgotten twin rises in red with its sibling, the Gates of Paracelsus will appear once again. Opening the entrance with the sword borne from the blades of ice and fire, and the Jewel of Origin, the path therein will lead towards history's crossroads. At the end of those crossroads will stand savior and destroyer alike, two who are but one and the same, yet two who are as different as water and oil.'
"'…at the pinnacle of the era, the Pact of Thirteen shall be invoked once more, the pact made with heavenly hosts of both the descendants that remained and the descendants who had gone astray. The Light of Creation too shall be invoked, but instead of repeating the cycle once more, the eternal wheel will be broken and-' …it seems like the rest of the text is missing."
"…well that's a bit foreboding…," was all the former mercenary could say.
"'…savior and destroyer alike'," the editor contemplated aloud. "There's no doubt that could apply to Milla and Amilla, but I don't know what to make of the rest."
"What I can gather from this though is that this battle between them is just the beginning of something bigger," Mina summarized. "Seems like the historians from both our lands forgot to leave the last bit out."
"I'm afraid only the Scholars of the Crowe know the tale in its entirety," the elder regretfully added. "All that we can surmise from this incomplete text is that your comrade and her nemesis are unwittingly the keys to the end of this era. What the end entails, I can't even begin to imagine."
"So then what, we're just supposed to let Amilla go on her merry little way and continue what she's doing to prevent this whole prophecy from happening?" Alvin questioned. "She's already gotten so many killed in whatever she's planning; even if she's just 'unwittingly' following her role in this prophecy of yours, we can't just let her keep doing whatever she's doing!"
"Yeah, totally," Leia agreed. "There's no way we can just back off; not after everything she's done to the people in EX Laboratories, the Splintered, and Nia Khera."
"I'm gonna have to side with the earth dwellers on this," Mina also complied. "I've heard of the stunt she pulled in Ladylake; who knows what else she'll do if we keep letting her roam free."
"It was not my intent to deter you from your quest, if anything, I believed it was merely my role to inform of the events that may have yet to come," the tribe elder explained. "However, I do know why you are here; you wish for a vessel to cross over to the islands once known as Endgand."
"That's right," the editor nodded. "Any idea where we can get a ship or at least some wood for it."
"A majority of the trees on this island are capable of creating such a vessel for such a perilous trek, however, I'm afraid to create said vessel would take months, if not years. However, not all hope is lost. Another story passed down to us by our founder states 'within the sanctuary of the Lord of Water sleeps a vessel that had once crossed between worlds, a vessel belonging to the man who once ferried beyond the Eleven Seas. Van Eltia is the name of this vessel and its captain named Aifread."
"Aifread?" the businessman immediately recognized the name. "That old pirate actually managed to go beyond Rieze Maxia and make it all the way to Glenwood?"
"So the Legends of the Aifread Family exist in your neck of the woods too huh?" the water seraph questions. "Not surprising though; there are a bunch of old fairy tales of Aifread. If the stories are true, then it's safe to assume each story might tell the tales of a different generation in the Aifread family tree."
"In any case, you should all rest here for the night," the elder began to make his way out of the old church now. "I will guide you to the domain of the Water Lord tomorrow where the Van Eltia sleeps."
"Wait a second," Leia quickly stopped the man. "Why are you willing to help us? I thought it was against your people's beliefs to help change the course of history."
"…it has been our belief since the founding of the Mayvin Tribe. However, it is my personal belief that it is because we have done nothing to change the course of history that the Mayvin Tribe and the world is in its current state. Besides, the role of Storyteller has long since been abandoned, so it's not like any of us will disappear if we help change the course of history."
"The course of history…," the other soul within her contemplated within Leia's mind.
"Little Queen…?"
"'…when the night's forgotten twin rises in red with its sibling, the Gates of Paracelsus will appear once again.' Is this what was prophesized back then; is this the precursor you had warned me about many eons ago, my queen?"
"Little Queen, what are you talking about? Little Queen?" Leia tried to inquire, only to be met by silence.
'You haven't said anything since last night,' the editor tried to speak her concerns to her other self. 'Normally you'd share with me whatever's going on through your head, so why is this time different?'
"We're here," the old man announced, returning Leia's thoughts to the present.
Turning her attention ahead, the party now found themselves before an ancient, but grand structure. The architecture itself looked to be built into the mountain and earth itself, almost as if it were one with the environment. Many giant columns adorned its exterior, many of which had crumbled over time, but the few that remained seemed to prevent the rest of the entrance from collapsing into itself. The ocean itself could also be seen from nearly angle from the outside, having surrounded three of its four corners with the exception of the entrance.
"So this is the temple of one of the Five Lords," Piotr and several of his Shepherd comrades stood in amazement as they viewed the ruin.
"Come this way," the elder ordered as he walked through the entrance of the ruin. "I'll inform the guards within that- By the seraphim!"
Upon hearing the tribe elder's exclamation, the entire party quickly rushed into the structure. The moment she stepped inside, the editor was quickly taken aback by the scene strewn before her.
A battle had recently been fought here, with many Mayvin tribesmen either lying face first in the floor or against the nearest wall or column. The stairs themselves were washed with several rivers of blood, the crimson liquid seeping into the ocean water that pooled at the bottom of the stairs. From beyond the stairs, even more bodies were strewn on the floor, as well as what looked to be recently crumbled walls and columns, having been destroyed by what looked to be the elements themselves.
"What the hell happened?!" the businessman exclaimed.
"Elder…," one of the tribesmen weakly called.
"What happened here?" the old man hurried to the dying Mayvin's side.
"Hang on, let me help you!" Elize rushed over to the man, immediately beginning to cast one of her healing artes.
"A man in blue and silver hair came through here…," he explained weakly as the teacher continued her incantation. "…he claimed to be an explorer. We let him in without a second thought, but then the Traitors in Black came and-"
"Scholars!" Piotr quickly concluded the identity of the so-called traitors.
As if on cue, another scream echoed from deeper within the ruins. The sound of steel clashing soon followed, as did the sound of elemental artes roaring amidst the ringing metals. It was clear that another battle was being fought therein, a battle the party knew they could not allow to continue.
"We'll take it from here," Leia volunteered as she tightened the grip on her staff. "Old man, I think you should take your tribesman, go back to the village, and get some reinforcements from the rest of your people. A few Shepherds and seraphim should go with him just to be safe. The rest of us will go in and try to stop the Scholars."
"Gee, who died and made you leader?" the water seraph snorted at the editor's orders.
"This isn't the time to argue about who's in charge," she continued. "People are dying in there, we have to do something!"
"All right, all right, it was a bad time for a joke," Mina groaned.
"Is everyone ready then?" Elize questioned as she drew her wand.
"Ready, steady," her plush replied.
"Everyone, let's go!"
Not wasting another moment, the editor led the charge deeper into the interior, pushing through the giant wooden doors to find the aforementioned men and women in black cloaks. Upon entering the vicinity, they now found themselves in the midst of another battle. No, this wasn't merely a battle, in fact, it was a slaughter.
The Scholars were more properly armed than the Mayvin warriors. Though their blades lacked edges, their metal weapons were more than enough to break through the wooden tools the native fighters used, their grass-weaved armor providing no protection as the steel crushed their bones. It wasn't just the superior weaponry that gave them the upper hand however; much to the shock of the seraphim in the party, the Scholars also wielded seraphic artes, having been assisted by several of their brethren, including their tiny associates who once lent their powers to the Lords of the Land during the Age of Chaos.
"Lay down your arms," one woman amongst the invading forces made her presence known as she spoke above the fighting. "You've already forced our hand long enough; there's no way that your victory can be assur-!"
Blam! All it was supposed to take was a single shot while she was speaking, but much to the former mercenary's shock, the bullet had come to a halt as a young man in a black coat suddenly appeared before her, having knocked away the projectile at the last second with the back of his hand.
The gunshot had captured the attention of everyone in the vicinity now, including the black-haired woman who had tried to speak. Despite the danger she was in, the woman remained completely stoic, her bandaged left arm simply flicking the braid of her hair as if it were merely the wind, her spear still angled so it stood upright from the ground.
"Are you all right, Ana?" the blond-haired main questioned his superior.
"I am unharmed," she replied, her expression still calm.
"That was really scary!" a normin soon perched on the woman's shoulder, wiping away sweat that had somehow accumulated in the top hat that covered a majority of his face. "That could have been really bad-bad…"
"Didn't think I'd ever see you as a human's lapdog, Meizen," the silver-haired seraph interrupted. "But then again, you were always beneath my heel when we were growing up, isn't that right, Little Brother?"
"Mina!" the earth seraph immediately recognized his sister.
Though they had heard about the others' encounter with Edna's son, it still surprised Leia and the others to see the two siblings acting in such a way. Unlike the banter that was exchanged between Edna and Mina, the animosity between these two was much more tense, more hostile. Though neither were a seraph of fire, the atmosphere felt as if it was set ablaze as the two exchanged glares, the earth seraph in particular balling his fists as if he were already strangling his sister.
"Why don't you come over here and give your big sister a kiss?" the elder sibling continued to taunt the younger. "Better yet, why don't you kiss my a-!"
"Just shut up!" the earth seraph retorted. "I'll crush you here and now, do you hear me?!"
"Meizen, calm yourself," the Head Scholar ordered. "This isn't the time to let your feelings of the past run rampant."
"…yes, Ana…"
"Jeez, I've heard about awkward family reunions, but this is definitely something else," Alvin quipped regarding their current situation. "I mean, there's always the awkward brother, the parent the kids want nothing to do with, and-"
"Ana…," the heir to the Shepherds now stepped forward. "Is it safe to assume that you're Anastasia Diphda?"
"Man, now you're just gonna make this even more awkward!" Teepo exclaimed.
"You assumed correctly, and you are?" the dark-haired woman inquired.
"You are disgrace to the Strelka Family!" it was the Squire's turn to let his emotions run rampant. "I, Piotr Strelka, will erase the blight you and your ancestors have placed upon our family many generations ago! Come my fellow Shepherds, let us bury these traitors within the annals of history!"
With nothing more to be said, the young man quickly charged forward, drawing his ceremonial blade as he sprang forth. Despite his charge, the Head Scholar simply remained where she stood, even as the young man and his fellow Shepherds sprung forward en masse. The small army of white cloaks would charge no more than five steps however, each of them suddenly springing backward as a familiar dark aura began to envelop each of their foes, the very essence chilling and numbing everyone in the vicinity. Though they were not native to this land, the editor quickly recognized the source of this horrific power.
"Why are they emitting malevolence?!" Leia exclaimed as the chilly atmosphere weakened her. "They're not even hellions!"
"Hellion or not, even you must be aware that all living creatures are susceptible to it," a familiar, arrogant voice spoke.
"You again?!" the puppet quickly recognized the red-haired former Squire and the dark seraph at his side.
"You think you can take us on, Kid?" Alvin mocked their foes. "If I remember right, your powers crapped out on you last time and you had to make an oh-so glorious retreat."
"Things will be different this time though," Melrose spat as he forcefully returned his daggers to their scabbards.
"Why must we waste time with idle chatter?" the illusionist questioned. "The curtain has risen once more so let us not dawdle before our audience."
"Khebrokiga Kqribu!" the former Squire chanted his seraph's true name.
In the blink of an eye, Symonne had turned into a beam of dark light, the illumination quickly pouring into the red-haired young man's body, merging the two of them once more. Their new form had again transformed the former Squire, the seraphic scythe he had stolen in his hands once more, the shade of his clothing having transformed into the same shade as those he now served. The whites in his eyes were violet bordering on black, his pupils red like blood, and his hair now tied in a ponytail that hung to the lower parts of his legs. Though his appearance was no different than his first transformation, something was different about him.
His stance was more poised, the hold on his weapon more firm and tight; it was clear that he had further adapted to the concept of armatization, his current state seemingly more natural. Yet Leia also noticed the tension in his limbs, as well as the tiniest grit in his teeth. It was just like during her training when she was younger; he may have gotten a bit more experienced, but he was far from adept and still uncomfortable with his current skill level.
"Don't let them get to you," the editor urged her comrades as she readied her staff. "They're still not fully adapted to each other yet. If we can outlast them, then maybe we can just tire them out."
"So we're just supposed to run around like idiots and hope for the best huh?" her boyfriend questioned. "I guess it's better than charging straight on."
Amidst the discussion amongst the foreigners, from the corner of her eye, Leia saw the Squire's attention return to his distant relative, the aforementioned Head Scholar's attention having been placed solely on the three from Rieze Maxia. Something was wrong with the normally composed young man, his eyes and teeth baring hatred and the grip of his sword tight, yet quivering. Anger, for the first time, it seemed as if he was unable to control his emotions, his body soon charging at his nemesis without warning.
Clang! Despite her apparent aloofness at the situation, the Head Scholar managed to catch Piotr's strike with the blade of her spear, using only her right hand to hold the spear in place. The parry had shocked the Squire; despite her apparently fragile frame, she was able to hold the weapon and his body in place with little effort, mocking him further as her bandaged left hand played with the tresses of her raven black hair.
"You said your name was Piotr Strelka, correct?" her gaze fell upon him from the edge of her eye now.
"Piotr, hold on, I'm com-!" the young teacher tried to rush over, only to be interrupted as sudden rush of air brushed against her.
It was little more than a blur from the corner of Leia's eye at first, and by the time she realized the danger her younger comrade had put herself in, it was too late. The seraph that had recently stood by Anastasia's side was now stopped before Elize, his left arm pulling backward and his fingers balled into a first.
The editor's instinct told her to rush over to help the teacher, but this second of misjudgment had also put Leia at risk as a gleam of steel suddenly flashed underneath her neck, her body unable to react accordingly as it naturally fell toward the scythe's edge.
"Look out!" she suddenly felt her body being pulled away in the same moment a loud thud echoed in her ears.
A warm splash of red met with her cheek now, but she soon found her body being pressed against another. At the last second, Alvin had managed to come to her rescue, pulling her away before she could fall to Melrose's scythe. Yet it seemed his rescue had come at a cost, the blade having cut into the former mercenary's left arm, the limb merely dangling at his side as his other arm continued to wrap her in his embrace.
"You all right?" he questioned, ignoring the deep cut that had swept into his bicep.
"Yeah, but Elize…," she quickly returned her attention to their younger friend.
Yet as she mentioned the young teacher's name, her gaze fell upon where the teacher had fallen. To her relief, the magician was sitting on the floor, shaken, but unharmed. In front of her however, was the water seraph pushing her staff outward, using it as a shield as it pushed against her younger sibling's fist.
"Even after all these years you'd still have the audacity to hit a girl, huh?" Mina snorted. "If I had seen you in Glaivend Basin fifteen years ago, I'd have given you a remediation course on how to treat a lady."
"Don't get snarky with me!"
The elements of earth and water clashed in that moment, creating an explosion of dust and mist so thick the editor could no longer see the two seraphim. Though she knew Elize was unharmed, Leia's attention turned back to the young Squire and the Head Scholar, finding the two of them standing before one another with their respective followers at their sides.
"Stand down!" Piotr ordered the Shepherds and seraphim at his side. "I will deal with Anastasia Diphda myself!"
"But Piotr-," one of the Shepherds tried to protest.
"This is a family matter," the dark-haired woman added, speaking to both her subordinates and her foe's. "I won't allow anyone to intervene, is that clear?"
"Family, don't you dare lump my kin with yours!" the Squire spat. "Our ancestry may have been shared up to a certain point, but that does not make us family."
"…if you insist…," the Head Scholar scoffed as she placed her spear at her side. "…and so, history repeats itself once more. Are you aware of what happened fifteen years ago in Glaivend Basin, when your mother and mine crossed blades? That was when-"
Before the editor could hear another word from the two's conversation, another sharp wind suddenly blew from her right. Again she felt her body being pulled backward, her eyes barely catching the flash of steel that emitted when the former mercenary's broadsword met with their opponent's scythe. With the ringing of steels, their enemy's form had disappeared, only for another flash of metal to appear in the corner of her eye. Freeing herself from her boyfriend's grasp now, she lunged her staff in the direction behind him, barely halting the former Squire's next blow as he suddenly appeared once more. Their clash lasted no more than a second however, her opponent choosing instead to jump back as both she and her boyfriend readied themselves once more.
"What the heck's your problem?!" Leia questioned the young man, remembering the grudge he had for her when they last fought. "Just what do you have against me?"
"That lunge…," he began to speak. "The few inches you stepped as you pushed your polearm outward, I knew the speed and the distance it could reach, even with my eyes closed. No, not just your lunge; the way you hold you staff, the way it interchanges between your hands with every swing, how you could use it as a lever to pull yourself into the air after swinging downward, I know your technique and all possible combinations it comes with."
"Are we supposed to be impressed by your observations or something?" the businessman scoffed.
"No, this is more than just observation," the young man shook his head. "This is knowledge, this is something I've known for as long back as I can remember, no, it goes beyond what I can remember. Why though? Why is it that your fighting style is so familiar, but at the same time gets me so pissed off every time I see it?! Tell me why that's the case!"
"How the heck would I know," she innocently replied without hesitation. "All I know is that ever since we first fought, you've had it in for me. I don't know why that is, but I'll tell you know that if you keep this up, I'm just gonna have to keep knocking more sense into you until you knock it off!"
This whole predicament was just frustrating her further. She had a feeling this wouldn't just be a simple fetch quests for a boat the moment they stepped on this island, but now her frustrations were hitting a new high point. Though she could not see all the battles occurring around her, she could hear the melodies of screams of strikes, she could feel the heat of anger and battle, and she could smell and taste the aroma of iron that sifted into the air with every cut.
Yet she knew she could do nothing but focus on the task at hand. It didn't matter what the reason was why Melrose continued to go after her; she knew that if she wanted to help any of her friends and comrades, she needed to stop him here and now.
"Knock it off, huh?" the former Squire huffed. "I'll knock something off all right. I'll knock you and your friends into the next life. Prepare yourself, Leia Rolando!"
Skit: Dining With The Devil
Alvin: (exclaims) Aw jeez! I stepped in bird crap!
Leia: Again?! Seriously, I've never seen so many pengyons gathered in one place before.
Alvin: I mean what the hell, it's like they grow like weeds here.
Leia: With all the pengyons wandering this place, you'd think they would've been the main course in the feast they prepared us, but instead they haven't served us a single one. I mean back home, they're quite the delicacy; the meat's rather lean, yet tender, but also so juicy that it practically melts in your mouth.
Mina: (interrupts) You mean you foreigners actually eat this stuff? Didn't you read the warning label when it comes to eating these poor birds?
Alvin: (sarcastically) High cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, what is there you can't eat that won't kill you? Besides, it's not like we'll find a warning label tattooed on the bird anywhere.
Mina: (points to a pengyon statue not too far away) Yeah, but we can start with what the oh-so-ominous quote written there. It reads: "When the end times come, a talking pengyon will declare judgment upon the sinful. Goldipen is said to be an ominous creature that signals the end of the world."
Leia: (shocked) Wait seriously? Is that why the Mayvin Tribe lets all the pengyons run loose?
Alvin: Well if there is a chance you might accidentally munch on the destroyer of the world, would you take it?
Mina: (sarcastically) Yeah, if you actually believe a warning written by the same guys who also wrote on the same statue: "In memory of the anti-poacher pengyon. 'I'm a medical student from Rieze Maxia'". Seriously, who would believe such nonsense?
Leia & Alvin: (remain silent) …
Alvin: …well as they say, whatever doesn't kill you will only make you stronger.
Leia: Yeah, says the guy who stopped eating rappig ears after learning piggitt ears they were poisonous.
Mina: (groans) I swear, I can't tell which species is the real bird brain here…
Author's Note: And for now, the story comes to a close. Since it had been a while since my last update and because my new work schedule will make it more difficult to write nowadays, I decided now would be a good time to reveal some revelations for the story with this chapter.
As we learned in this chapter, the Scholars are in fact descended from those that left the Mayvin Tribe years after the events of Tales of Zestiria. In turn, their leaders are descended from Alisha's daughter, Olivia, and the man who was supposed to become the next Storyteller after the Mayvin encountered in Tales of Zestiria died. Readers of my side story, How Far We've Come, may recall that Olivia was infected with malevolence during her battle with Alisha, but in the end, she managed to control it. As such, then it can be concluded that the Scholars are those with high resonance who can interact with seraphim, but at the same time, they can control malevolence to an extent to enhance their own strength. In other words, they try to find a balance between malevolence and their own pure wills, so in a sense, they are not truly evil as Piotr and the Shepherds make them out to be. However, because the current Shepherds believe in the total eradication of malevolence (something that is completely impossible), the Shepherds and Scholars are at odds with one another.
Of course, there is a bit more to it than just differing ideologies that put the two organizations with one another. Another reason is more personal, namely between the leaders of the Scholars and Shepherds, a reason that stems back to many centuries ago and is also the reason why Mikleo and Edna left Elysia long ago. What that reason is will be explored in the very near future.
On the subject of malevolence, as we've seen in this chapter, the malevolence within Zoe is increasing, and her power as a hellion is also being amplified as she devours other hellions. Yet somehow Claritha is keeping her at bay, and as we've seen, the doll's mechanizations are even reaching Kaon (formerly the Great Spirit Luna) now. Claritha is more than just a booster as we've learned throughout the story, and as the plot progresses, we'll learn more about her true goals; what I can say now about Claritha is that her goals do weave into the larger plot of the story.
Speaking of the larger plot, I was originally going to write a sequel to my Tales of Berseria one-shot, Knowing You, which would have detailed Magilou's life in the years that followed the game. In that story, Magilou was to have foreseen the events of this fic and the future; as I no longer have as much free time as I'd like anymore, I figured I'd at least fit in her predictions into this story's narrative. As such, in future chapters, the characters will learn more of her predictions and even the consequences of the party's actions in Tales of Berseria and how they coincide with the actions the Tales of Xillia cast committed in their games.
Speaking of Magilou, I'm sure readers might have been surprised to see her speaking with Elize. I'm aware that in Tales of Zestiria that Magilou's apparent grave is found in Trizolde Cave, and as we saw in an earlier chapter, this is where Elena discovered Muzét. However, is this cave truly Magilou's resting place and why has Magilou chose to speak to Elize (for that matter, I'm sure readers now know whose artes Elize will be inheriting in the near future). I'm afraid this will be revealed in later chapters.
In any case, next time on End of an Era: The conflict between families continues as the Shepherds and Scholars continue their battle. As the fight rages on, raw emotion begins to swell within the leader of the Scholars and heir of the Shepherds, raw emotion that may lead to corruption. As malevolence begins to run rampant within the ruins of the Water Lord's domain, a new entrant suddenly appears, bringing the war to a halt with his appearance alone. Who is this mysterious young man and the creature by his side, and what business do they have with the Shepherds and Scholars? Find out all this and more in the next exciting chapter of End of an Era!