Thesis officially starts in a few days, so I might not be able to update this anymore for the foreseeable future. Ah well, since this chapter is going to be shorter than the previous ones lets just get it over with.
"Void Magic?" Henrietta asked back, "I mean, yes, of course we do. Every Mage is taught that what the Void is either from their families or when they start their early education. Though there are four primary elements used by Mages today they all fall under relatively equal standing, though each element as its own preferred use. Fire for destruction, Wind for transportation, Earth for creation and Water Magic for healing. In this way all elements stand in equal balance."
"And what is Void magic known for?" Derflinger clicked.
"Its intended use is debated even up to now," Louise spoke up, "I've read a lot of books on the subject. Some say it's the power to destroy armies while others still claim it can be used to heal every sickness plaguing mankind. Among the four elements it's acknowledged as the legendary fifth element and many scholars claim that even the combined powers of the four main elements would be unable to stand against the void."
"So much for balance," Raziel muttered to himself.
"Right, right. Books say a lot of crap like that," Louise looked slightly annoyed at Derflinger's dismissal, "Ever since Brimir and his 4 heirs died people have been making crap up about miracles and other shit like that. Fact of the matter is, have there ever been any confirmed cases of Void magic? As in one that didn't end with the person claiming Void Mage status being some kind of conman or being burned at the stake by those pigs at Romalia?"
"Confirmed cases are hard to trust," Henrietta answered, "As you said many incidents are often con-men or cult leaders using dark magics such as cursed artifacts or firstborn magic in order to appear more powerful. The Church of Romalia is understandably wary of necromancers or blood mages using the reputation of Void magic in order to spread their dark influences."
"There's also debate on whether there's only one Void Mage or if they've been split among the royal families and the ruling clergy of Romalia," She continued, "It's well-known that in his death Brimir split his divine power between his three sons and his gravekeeper. Certainly there are cases of my familial ancestors claiming that they had inherited the void, but records are hard to trust given the history of many royal families."
"Bah, apprentice my ass! That damn Forsythe, he was nothing but a leech! A leech I tell you!" Derflinger clicked rapidly, surprising the three with his sudden shift in mood, "Now none of them were saints, I'll grant you that, but the fucking bastard was the worst! Always kissing up to old Brim and licking his boots no matter what he did. Breaks my core to know that he managed to get a bit of Brimir's powers."
The three were silent for a moment before Raziel spoke up, "Past grudges aside, you asked us for this 'Void magic' for a reason, I presume," He queried, "I have no inkling as to what it may be, but I suppose I can assume that it has something to do with what had happened to the fleet." Off to the side he could make out Louise barely flinching. He frowned slightly and shook his head.
"Oh, right, right. Well, Pinky's a Void Mage. Congratulations," The way in which he said it was similar to the tone of a parent whose child had gotten a passing remark on a test, "...What? I mean what did you think was going to happen? I talked about Void Mages for a reason, you know. Or didja all want some kind of big ceremonial thing where I reveal it dramatically like those damn stage plays?"
None of them replied. Louise's face was torn between disbelief and what Raziel guessed to be elation while the princess looked halfway between confusion and reverence at her closest friend. Raziel just looked slightly confused and stared back and forth between the sword and the two nobles. He didn't really understand what they were being so shocked about. Magic came in many forms, no? Frankly the Princess' mention of necromancy and blood magic worried him more.
"You really want me to say it? Alright, here goes," He clicked roughly to mimic a cough, "Louise le blanc de la Valliere I, the sacred sword Derflinger, hereby officially pronounce you as an official successor to the void born out of the bloodline of Haldor, Eldest son of the allfather Brimir. With his bloodline you have been blessed with the magic of the strongest Mage ever to grace this earth. Stand proud and fulfill your destiny and yak yak yak," He groaned, "Really, just don't blow yourself up and you're all set. The last one in this bloodline ended up blowing his willie off when he thought Void magic would make it bigger."
"Wh-Wh-What did you say!?" Louise picked up the talking sword and shook it frantically. Henrietta was still silent, her hands covering her mouth in shock, though Raziel was unsure whether it was due to her best friend's newfound abilities or the revelation that her ancestor killed himself in an attempt at extending his manhood, "Y-Y-You're saying that I'm the inheritor of the void!? B-But if there's royalty to inherit it wouldn't it be Princess Henrietta rather than myself!?"
"Well what I was saying was that you don't try to make your chest bigger using the Void, but that's a good question too!" He chuckled, "Anyway, I can't really answer why it's you rather than Ms. Fancyarmor over there. Maybe your family line's close to the royals that the Void decided you were good enough? I dunno. My memory's not too good on these things to be honest. Six thousand years is a long time."
"W-Well, yes, the Valliere line is very close to the royal family," Henrietta stated, "By blood it wouldn't be inaccurate to say that me and Louise are close enough to be considered cousins and it's in part one of the reasons the Valliere line has always been loyal to the reigning family. They are tied together not just by noble connections but by familial ties as well."
"Well, there you have it," Derf conceded, "Guess you got lucky! Good for you!"
"Good for me!?" Louise let him go and, ignoring the ear splitting clang he made, paced back to the chair, "I just- How am I supposed to react to this!?" She yelled back hysterically, "All my life I thought I was the 'Zero'! My own family thought I would never amount to anything! Now you tell me I'm the inheritor of Brimir's Holy Void and you act like it's no big deal! Heck, why should I even believe you!?
"Yeesh, stop being so dramatic," Derflinger 'yawned', "Masters come and go, so I don't see what's the big deal. Besides, if you don't want to believe me then don't, it's none of my business how the masters act," He nudged his scabbard to the left in an attempt to move, "Besides, if you don't believe me then you can find your own explanation on how that entire fleet went splat and why the Familiar you summoned is Un-"
"Do not say anything more, Derflinger. The princess is here, if you recall, and I have reasons for keeping secrets," He nudged his head to Henrietta, who looked even more confused at Raziel's interruption, "Regardless, Louise's...confusion is understandable. Why did you not explain this earlier rather than telling us in the midst of battle? It would have saved me having to jump from the ship."
"You never asked. How was I supposed to know you-"
"Never asked!?" Louise charged towards the swords and made to grab at him. Raziel stood and circled his arms around her, though he had a difficult time restraining her due to his injured state, "You stupid, rusted sword! You've been with us for a month and you didn't once think to tell either of us this information!? I'm going to melt you down and turn you into a lump of scrap, you piece of sh-"
"Princess, I could use your aid- Ah!" Raziel screamed as Louise elbowed him in the stomach and bit into his hand. Normally he would ignore it but considering he had been nearly bisected it was proving rather painful, "Now, if you please. She is starting to bite through my bandages and- Ah, Louise you are being childish!" He moved his hand away and shook it. She'd bitten hard enough to draw blood.
"L-Louise, please calm yourself!" Henrietta took hold off her waist and pulled her back, ignoring the blood slowly staining her armor from the Undead's reopened wounds, "I understand that you have reason to be angry at Mr. Sword, but melting him down is not the solution," Henrietta groaned as she tried in vain to pull the girl back. For such a small girl Louise was nearly unstoppable once her anger flared.
"I thought you didn't believe me?" Derf clicked, "Besides, why are you so pissed? You just found out you're a successor to the void and all you can do is get mad? I thought you'd be happy all things considered. I mean you used your new power to- Oh..." He suddenly went back to his sheath, "Uh, yeah, guess you'd be pretty ticked off considering what your first time was. Most masters just end up blowing a pot roast, not an entire fleet."
"Don't joke about it!" Louise snarled, "Do you have any idea what it was like, you damned blade!? I could feel them all dying! I can still hear their screams! Their ragged breaths and their death cries! You told me that my magic could save all of us, but you didn't tell me about that! Do have any idea what it's like to hear the screams of hundreds of people being burned alive!? Or hearing their cries as they choked to death while their friends were crushed and blown apart next to them!? Don't you dare act like this is something I can just laugh about!"
"Power comes at a price," Derflinger spoke back, "Besides, would telling you have made it any better? Hell I was tempted to not say anything back when you and partner were arguing but if I didn't all of you would be dead," He made a metallic sound that was reminiscent of a 'tsk', Be mad all you want, but there's a reason all three of you are still standing and it's not because the fleet decided to turn back and say it was all fun."
"That still doesn't..." Louise couldn't even finish her statement before she collapsed, a fresh wave of tears escaping her eyes, "I know that, but it doesn't help..." Henrietta and Raziel looked at one another with conflicted expressions before deciding to gently set her down back onto the pew, "Maybe if I'd known, I could have changed something. Had the ships crash without killing anyone."
"Are you listening to yourself?" Derflinger asked, "Crash without killing anyone? Even if you did somehow burn the ships without burning the people inside what do you think happens to people inside a crashing and burning ship loaded to the brim with gunpowder? They'd have died either way from the crash, the smoke or the powder blowing up. The only way no one would have died is if Brimir himself came down from Valhalla and struck the fleet down."
"Sh-Shut up," Louise shook her head and continued crying. Henrietta sat down next to her and pulled her close, patting the younger girl's back as she cried into the soon-to-be Monarch's chest. Raziel watched them both silently before heaving a sigh; he should have known she was still hiding her grief during their conversation. He had grown to trust Louise enough that he stopped observing her to see if she was lying.
"Look, Pinky, I know there's nothing I can say that can make it all better but sometimes that's just how the world works," Derflinger spoke up, "If you honestly think this is the end, though, then I'm sorry to say you're going to disappointed. I'm not going to sugarcoat it: The life of a Void Mage isn't an easy one. Brimir placed the restriction to ensure that his powers wouldn't be abused. Lets face it, would you use the void to burn someone's face off when you understand what's really happening? Trust me, he had his reasons for making sure the power of the void couldn't be abused again."
"You are not improving her mood," Raziel clicked his tongue and placed Derflinger in the pew as well before sitting down next to him. A princess, a Void Mage, an Undead and a talking sword; he would have found the idea of them sitting down together to be amusing if not for recent events, "Can you answer my question, then? Why was I summoned? What do these markings mean?" He raised his bandaged left hand where five of the seven runes glowed.
"Right, well, Void Mages need Familiars don't they? Every Mage needs one and Void Mages aren't exempt. Thing about Void magic is that it's stronger than anything the other four elements could kick up, but it takes a hel of a long time to cast. It just ain't practical for the average fight since someone can just shoot the user mid-chant. They also don't have any cantrips, so no luck there. The Familiar - that's you - is supposed to defend her so she can get a spell off."
"But why me?" Raziel pressed, "Every Familiar I've seen they're all animals...beasts. I know I am..." His eyes flicked over to Henrietta before he rephrased his words, "I have circumstances, but I have seen no one else under similar origins in my travels here. Nor did I see any other Familiars with this brand," He pursed his lips, "Professor Colbert explained little."
"I believe I may be able to answer that," Henrietta interjected, shifting Louise's position in her arms, "In legends past it was often guessed that the Void Mages summoned a human Familiar, for their will was so great that they could imbue blessings even to other men and women," She frowned, "Sadly this has never been officially confirmed excepting some obscure books since there have been conflicting records. Some who claimed Void magic had human Familiars while others still commanded legions of magnificent creatures like Dragons and Manticores in order to prove their power. It became muddled as to what exactly was true."
"Hmm, it is something to ponder," He nodded to her in thanks before turning back to Derflinger, "Your choice of wording is also suspect. You called Louise 'a' master, 'an' official successor. Is this a slip of the tongue or is there more you have not told us?"
"Hah, caught that, did you?" He 'smiled'. Raziel made a non-committal grunt; in his experience finding the details and facts hidden in words proved important. His lack of foresight with regards to Kaathe had doomed him; he wouldn't make the same mistake again, "Right, right. Guess I should follow up then. The princess over there said people argue about how many Void Mages there are. Truth is there are four, same as the number of successors."
Raziel could hear Louise gasp slightly from behind. It might have come as a relief for her all things considered, "Is it possible then that the princess could be another Void Mage, as Louise theorized? If there are four, then-"
"That's now how it works," Derflinger interrupted, "Four Void Mages split among the four countries. One for Gallia, one for Tristain, one for Albion and one for Romalia...much as I regret that son of a bitch Forsythe getting anything from Brimir," He 'tsked' again, "Anyway, Pinky here's the Void Mage for Tristain and there are three left. Whether they're your friends or not, I can't be sure. Some people let the power go to their head, restrictions or no."
"But you said the royal bloodline carried the potential to wield, is that not correct?" Henrietta asked.
"Yup. Royals or anyone close to them in blood."
"Then...what of the Tudor family? Wales and King James perished in Newcastle and with them the royal bloodline was extinguished. Was the Void lineage of Albiion destroyed on that night?"
"Hardly," He snorted, "Brimir's legacy will find a way to keep going. Besides, I'm sure the king or any of his siblings fathered a few illegitimate bastards that the rebellion won't know or care about. Right now some kid must have found themselves waking up with the power to teleport or set people's hair on fire with a few words. Hopefully they don't abuse it and get killed or that's another blow to the family tree."
"...All of this is confusing," Raziel pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "Louise is in terrible condition now and the village has been nearly razed. Now we add questions and riddles on secret bloodlines and hidden power. I do not suppose there is anything else earth-shattering
"Well, don't tell this to anyone else, but I'm not really a natural brown! Kekekekeke!" Derflinger's clicked rapidly, earning a flat glare from all three present, "Right, right, guess this isn't the time for jokes," He let out a 'breath', "Tell you what, you all ask your questions and I'll answer them honestly and as best I can. No ogreshit this time, alright? Figure I at least owe you that much."
The three looked at one another before nodding with a unified "Agreed". This was going to be a long night."
Wardes awoke with a gasp, his right hand reaching outwards as sight returned to him, "Wh-Where," His voice was soft and came out in strangled gasps. He didn't have to look around much to figure out where he was: A cart, and a moving one at that. Through the flaps of cloth he could make out the figures of hunched and injured soldiers, some with horses and most without, trailing forward with dead expressions on their faces.
"Ah, what-" He was struck silent as he saw the stub that used to be his left arm. Right...he had almost forgotten what that monstrosity had done to him, "Damn!" He closed his eyes and let out a pained growl. His head throbbed uncontrollably and his body felt...wrong in a way that he couldn't explain. However he couldn't deny that despite his ragged state he couldn't feel any pain from his no doubt numerous injuries.
"I'm alive..." He muttered. The former Viscount rested on the blanket again and stared up at the wooden ceiling, the rocking of the storage carriage lulling him into a sense of calm. He didn't feel tired, which confused him greatly considering all he had experienced. As a matter of fact he couldn't feel much of anything: His throat was dry and yet he felt no thirst. His stomach, and indeed most of his body, felt as if it was empty and wasting away and yet no hunger consumed him. Even the stiff wooden boards, barely padded by the thin blanket, caused no discomfort.
Something was wrong.
"Hold. We stop to make camp," A female voice commanded. Wardes sat up and watched as Fouquet entered his makeshift 'den', her expression turning to disgust for the briefest of moments upon seeing him before she managed to suppress it. He raised an eyebrow at the action; he certainly wasn't in the best condition, but her brief contortion seemed much more disturbed considering the state of the army.
"You're awake, huh?" She sat across from him, nudging a pile books out of the way, "I'll admit I half-expected you to just be a corpse."
"It's to my relief that you're wrong, then," He coughed. Talking was difficult, "What happened? I'm afraid I was...handling other matters and didn't have the luxury of seeing the end of the battle."
"It was a disaster," She scoffed and pointed to the soldiers making camp, "Some explosion came out of nowhere and destroyed the entire fleet, tearing apart anyone caught in the blast. Our 'guaranteed victory' was destroyed and suddenly the ground soldiers found themselves heavily outnumbered and outmatched. Many were killed and those that managed to escape...well, you can see them now."
"An explosion?"
"Yeah, came from the middle of the fleet, or at least that's what the soldiers said," She shrugged, "I don't really know. I was in the forest scouting when I heard the ships crashing like a bunch of dominoes. There were some survivors, and believe me when I say they look even worse than you do if that's even possible. As for you, we found you passed out a few feet in front of the flagship. You weren't breathing when we found you and healing magic wasn't working so we thought you'd passed on."
"I nearly did," He flinched as he remembered. An iron grip on his throat, a knife stabbing his neck, the shot passing through his mouth and then finally the rush of air as he fell onto the field below. But in the end what he remembered most were those eyes - Dark, devoid of anything resembling humanity...or maybe it would have been more accurate to say they were overflowing with it. He couldn't really explain it.
"Well you weren't exactly giving us any signs you weren't dead," She pursed her lips and rummaged through a box briefly before offering him a mirror, "Here, look yourself in the eye and tell me this isn't the visage of a dead man."
Reluctantly Wardes grabbed the mirror and looked at his reflection, "...Impossible," He gasped, raising his free hand to verify what he was seeing. His skin was torn and burned, no doubt due to the fire that nearly consumed, and the area around the right side of his mouth was missing flesh altogether. He could see his teeth and the reddened skin beneath, he could make out what looked to be the beginning of bone on his forehead. The damage done to him...he should have been long dead.
"See what I mean?" She took the mirror from his shaking hands, "How do you not know? Aren't you in massive pain right now?"
"...I feel nothing," He wished he could say he was simply bragging, but it was the undeniable truth. His flesh had been torn from him bad enough that he could see the skull underneath, but he felt fine. He certainly didn't feel well in the normal sense of the word, but considering the state of his injuries the somewhat airy feeling on his face
"Well, we're making our way back to Albion. Cover your face till then," Fouquet suggested, "Don't lose hope just yet. Lord Cromwell sent a messenger raven and said he might find a way to fix your 'condition," She coughed, "Something about a 'cure', though I'm not really sure how. Apparently he was watching the fight and is planning to reward the injured for even managing to survive."
"How noble of him," He didn't really believe it, to be honest. He still confused on how he was even alive at all.
"Get some rest then," She clapped him on the shoulder, "You can stay here or walk among the troops. The Tristanian army isn't chasing after us so we should be safe for now. The trip to La Rochelle should be two to three days if we pick up this pace. If you want to walk around, use this," She tossed him a thick clock and scarf, "Cover your forehead and mouth and no one should look twice at you."
"You have my gratitude," He waited for her to exit the carriage before following her outside, fastening the cloak and scarf to securely cover himself from any prying eyes. Just as she'd stated none of the soldiers even looked at him twice, being more concerned at looking after their own injuries or those of their comrades. He could make out men missing fingers still standing up to try and comfort their friends.
Poor sods. Many of them probably came because of Cromwell's promises for a better life for them and their families, and the irony of it all was that it was doubtful anyone would benefit except him and his council. He looked up; rain was coming soon, judging by those clouds.
Still, that explosion worried him. He'd had his theories on Louise - She matched the description of the prophets claiming to be Void Mages in the past, but to see such power firsthand...it made one realize how insignificant they were in the face of true power. With one spell she had destroyed an entire fleet, burned and killed hundreds of men in the blink of an eye. He knew it was her; her location prior to the damned Familiar's attack on him was no coincidence.
"Hahahahaha," He laughed to himself, the sound hollow and devoid of any joy. It was as if Brimir himself had denied them victory in the last moments, "If Brimir himself stands against us, then he shall fall as well," He continued laughing, the other soldiers ignoring his actions. Fate had allowed him to survive, denied death his soul, and Void help him if he wouldn't make it regret that decision.
The impromptu question and answer lasted for hours, enough that he was surprised the sun hadn't risen yet. Raziel stayed quiet, only interjecting when necessary, but for the most part he was content with listening on Derflinger's explanation. Louise in particular let loose so many inquiries that he found it a miracle that she hadn't fainted from lack of breath. Spells, previous known users, responsibilities etc etc. He thought she would never let up.
The princess had questioned him as well, though less so compared to Louise. Mostly she asked him on the royal artifacts such as the ring and the prayer book and what role, if any, they provided to those of the Void lineage. If he had to guess she was going to ask to meet Louise properly in the palace after this in order to collaborate with her. After all she already had two of the four rings.
Of course Derflinger's memory was faulty due to age and not all could be answered. He could answer the princess' questions just fine, but with Louise he wasn't so sure. Her demand to know the different spells was left with unsure guesses with Derflinger remarking on spells that ranged from teleportation to invisibility and being able to see the future. He doubted even half of the suggested spells were actually real.
"I do not think we can find out any more," Raziel interjected before Louise could ask another question, "Louise, regardless of how many times you ask Derflinger will not suddenly remember
"How could he not remember?" She grit her teeth and turned to her Familiar, "He was alive since the time of Father Brimir! Surely he would remember it all!"
"Hey, do you remember what you had for lunch two weeks ago?" Derflinger asked back.
"Well, no-"
"Then how the hel do you expect me to remember crap that happened six thousand years ago?" He rebutted, "Really, Pinky, if you haven't noticed I'm not exactly a newly forged blade. This rust isn't all for show. I can remember bits here and there, but if I'm a sword not a journal. I'm lucky I can remember anything past the last person i stab considering what I'm made of."
"But...fine!" She threw up her arms and huffed. Raziel was just glad she seemed to be getting better, "But this isn't over, you hear me! The second you remember anything new about this you tell me right away. I don't care if you have to grow legs and run to me, you're not getting away with 'You didn't ask' anymore. I never want to be caught unaware like that ever again."
"Fine, fine. Your wish is my command, Master Pinky," Derflinger replied.
"This has been an...educational experience," Henrietta stood, "I suppose I should go and aid with the-"
"Ah, hold please, princess," Raziel said, "I would like to ask what will happen to Tarbes," He stood up on wobbly legs, "The buildings and the surroundings were destroyed but the people remain. They have lost their home and their livelihoods. What will happen to them
"That will have to be discussed with the council," She replied neutrally, "I will grant the survivors sanctuary within the capital and that the village be rebuilt as best as we can, but I'm afraid I cannot place priority on this. With the successful defense against Albion's fleet the council will no doubt be clamoring to strike back while Reconquista's weakened. If we can hire Earth Mages to rebuild then the reconstruction would be quicker, but expenses will be focused on the inevitable war effort now."
"Hmm..." Raziel frowned. Much as he might have wanted to he couldn't fault her for that decision, "...Then what if you received funding?"
"Then the reconstruction will go quickly, but the council members will all choose to divert their funds and taxes to the war rather than this village, I'm sorry to say," She gave a sympathetic frown, "My apologies Mr. Raziel, but a princess' power is limited. I shall do my best, though I know it will never be enough to compensate those who lost their home and loved ones."
And with that she left, leaving the three standing around in awkward silence. Raziel sat down again and rubbed his knees; Louise had hit them earlier and Amethyst's kick wasn't doing his legs any favors. Still, he had one last thing to do before he could even consider resting. Biting his tongue, he stood up and attempted to walk to the exit before he found himself crashing onto the floor. His legs felt like melting slime.
"Watch your step," Louise took his arm and slung it over her shoulder before raising him up "Look, I know things are bad right now, and believe me when I say I'm still not in the best mood, but maybe we should just stay here and rest. I'm tired and you can barely walk." She pointedly ignored the fact that it might have had something to do with her kicking him in both knees and elbowing him in the stomach.
"I have one last thing to do," He muttered, "He is here. I know he is."
"Who?"
"An old acquaintance," He forced himself to stand, "Siesta told me he was here and I doubt he left. He has answers to questions I have."
"Who is this 'acquaintance'? A friend from your past?"
"Not a friend," He shook his head, "But he knows more than he let on. I need to talk to him. Maybe he will be more open to discussion now that we are meeting face to face with no walls between us."
"More enigmatic riddles," She clicked her tongue, "You know what, I'm coming with you," She placed her free hand against his mouth when he moved to protest, "Raziel, you can barely walk and believe me when I say that I'm tired of secrets. You act as if I'm not curious either about what exactly is up with you," She sighed, "So come on, no more fighting. Just lean on me and say where we're going."
"...As you wish," He laughed softly.
Walking back to the tombstone was a lesson in patience. Louise had a somewhat difficult time dragging him forward and Derflinger's suggestion of going with them was denied on account of his weight (though the sword took it was an insult about being fat for whatever reason). There were corpses still littering the field and Raziel made sure to grab one of the flintlocks. He didn't want to come unprepared.
"Why are we here?" Louise asked as they neared the tree and burial slab.
Raziel didn't answer, so Louise pressed forward. Raziel looked sadly at the burnt flowers; the village's pride and joy that had no doubt taken centuries to bloom, all turned to ash. Consumed by fire and dyed in the blood of the fallen. Just before they reached the grave with the strange writing Louise froze as she heard the crunching of footsteps against the dead field.
"Well, I didn't expect you to bring a friend," Chester stepped out from behind the tree, causing Louise to let out a surprised squeal, "Now, isn't that rude. Our second meeting and you didn't even bother to tidy yourself up," He chuckled, "Manners, manners. Why don't you introduce me to your friend first? It's only polite that we all get acquainted with one another."
"Leave her out of this," Raziel scowled, "You came here for a reason. Why?"
"To see my family, as I told you," He walked away from the tree and stood closer to the grave, "Did you think I lied when I said Carimians take our familial ties seriously? I'd heard of rumors in Gallia of Albion's plans to attack Tristain, though I must admit I didn't expect them to appear using this village as their entry point," He smirked from underneath his mask, "In the end it cost them their lives."
"Raziel, what is he talking about?" Louise cut in.
"Ah, now I recognize you. Its been years but you still have your mothers looks and voice. A shame I had to part ways with her so soon," He bowed, "To you this will be our first meeting, but to me it will be the second."
"W-What?" She moved closer to her Familiar, "I-I don't know you. And-And how do you know my mother?"
"We traveled together briefly, but that's a story beyond your time," He waved a hand dismissively, "I'm sure you'll meet me again...or is it before? Time gets so confusing when you go forward and back. In any case, I doubt this will be our last meeting," He let out another chuckle at Louise's confused expression, "Ah, but you did not come here to discuss this. I can see dear Raziel has some questions of his own."
"You know what it is I want to ask," He separated from Louise and forced himself to stand, "What is happening to me? You have been here for years and yet your knowledge surpasses that which you can learn from mere reading," He leaned against the tree as he felt trickling down his leg, "You know more than you let on. Tell me what is happening here. Now."
Chester looked up, all traces of mirth disappearing in an instant before he spoke again, "Tell me, Raziel, what did you think happened when you sacrificed yourself to the fire?"
"Gwyndolin ruled with those serpents pulling his strings," He answered.
"Now that's where you're wrong," He turned back to look at him, "Kilning the flame starts the cycle anew. As you had done and as Gwyn did before you," He spread his arms slightly, "Kingdoms rise and fall. Undead and other monstrosities begin to plague the land and brave heroes try in vain to find a solution and be the next savior," He clicked his tongue, "Light and Dark are forever at a battle for dominance."
"More riddles," Raziel scowled.
"Not riddles; the truth you do not wish to hear," He crossed his arms, "When you kilned that flame the cycle begun anew. Old kingdoms fell and new ones took their place. Different pawns, yet similar to the ones in cycles past. A demon representing light, a sinner to represent life, a mountain of corpses to represent death and a queen to represent the darkness. The pawns change, but in the end they still follow fate's weave."
"What cycles? What are you talking about? Make sense," He demanded.
"Another took your place," He shook his head in pity, "A lass whose name was lost to history. The few who remember her only know her as the bearer of the curse, who ultimately became a pawn of the Herald. She followed in your footsteps, she fought and gathered the souls, she stemmed the tide of the abyss, and in the end her reward was eternal suffering. The same fate that fell before you."
"You think the same events happen again and again? You are mad," Raziel said.
"Am I? This land already begins to suffer the same fate," He turned his back to them, "Lordran fell only to be replaced. Following in its footsteps Drangleic had fallen as well. And now, this land of 'Halkeginia' will undergo the cycle and fall into oblivion like those that came before it. Can you not see it already? Madmen lead armies to destroy one another not for glory or ambition but the simple desire to see the world burn. Soon this world will be consumed; there is no stopping the inevitable."
"Enough!" Raziel growled, "I did not come here to listen to your inane theories of the world's fate. I want you to tell me what is happening to me. In all my days in Lordran I have never experienced these changes, and now...I have no idea what is happening to me."
"Hmhmhm," Chester chuckled, "Tell me, girl, did you know who exactly it is you summoned?" He asked Louise.
"He's an Undead, I know," She answered firmly, "But it doesn't matter. He's my Familiar and I trust him."
"How touching," He drawled sarcastically, "No, if he was but a mere Undead he would be perfectly suited to be a pet. It wouldn't be the first time others of his kind were treated similarly," Raziel twitched. He was pushing his limits, "But he is something more. A cocoon protecting a shard of a whole. Children of the Dark they were called, for their origins tainted them before all else."
"Children of the dark..." Louise shivered. The name sent a chill through her.
"Nashandra, Elana, Nadalia and Alsanna," Each name sent uncomfortable bursts through him, "The Dark Monarch, The Squalid Queen, The Bride of Ash and The Silent Oracle. Each was a different facet of his. His ambition, his wrath, his loneliness and finally his fear. Each sought a king to thether them to this world, each sought to survive and spread their influence. One turned against her goal when met with genuine acceptance, another was doomed to a soulless land while the remaining two continued with their plans unabated."
"Shut up..." Raziel gripped the tree tightly.
"But I wonder, what do you represent?" He asked curiously, "You are the smallest fragment, pieces that have barely stitched themselves together, and yet your capabilities possibly surpass even theirs. Your 'sisters' were ruled by their instincts and yet you content yourself with simple survival. How is it that you survived while the rest couldn't? Why has fate elected to spare you, the youngest and frailest of the five?"
"I told you to shut up!" Raziel yelled, "You speak names that hold no meaning and cast words that bring me ever closer to doubting myself! Even now you have not changed at all."
"No meaning? Your actions say otherwise," Chester sang, "Like a child you rage and threaten when deal with the harsh reality. You are a lurker in the dark, a piece that holds the barest traces of sanity and with every passing day that hold weakens. Soon you will be nothing more than a monster a slave to its own instincts. You've done well to last this long, but the game will soon end."
"Quiet...I do not want to hear another word out of you..." Rage clouded his mind. Without thinking he grabbed the flintlock and aimed it at the back of the aristocrat's head. This time he didn't waver.
"Raziel, NO-"
A single gunshot pierced the night air. Chester stood still, his body rigid, before finally he crumpled forward and landed facedown on the ground. Louise covered her mouth with her hands as she saw the hole and the blood pooling around his head.
He was dead.
"Wh-What did you do?" Louise asked.
"...I killed him..." His tone held no emotion. He stared down at the gun and the aristocrat's cooling corpse before he tossed the gun away, "...I hesitated once...I should have done it a long time ago..."
"Hasn't there been enough death, Raziel?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "You had no reason to kill him."
"Yes, I did. More than you know," He knelt in front of the body, "He was an old man, past his time. He'd attempted to kill me in the past out of simple greed. I should have killed him then and there. When I first summoned him he attempted to end my life once again before passing it off as mere jest," He rolled the body over. Even now he was smiling with that demented grin, "Twice he'd attempted to kill me and twice I hesitated. No more."
"What are you doing now?" She said.
"He put a summon sign here before. He must have- found it," He held up two crystal-like objects; one orange and one white in color, "As I suspected. This will come in useful in the coming, days I am sure," He pocketed them both with a small smile and stood up. Assuming they still worked the summon sign could prove very useful with regards to keeping in communication over larger distances.
His joy was short-lived, however, as when he had turned around he came face to face with his master's glaring visage, "...Is something the matter?" It was a stupid question to ask; considering the way she was staring at the discarded weapon she'd obviously taken issue with his prior actions. Her glare only worsened as time passed, "Hmph, are you to keep glaring at me or is there a point to all this?"
"You killed him," She crossed her arms and frowned.
"So you have noticed," He winced slightly as another jolt of pain went up his legs. At least he could walk now, "He has tried to do the same to me twice now. If you are asking me to feel guilt then it is a lost cause. I have told you before that I feel nothing when taking life, especially not from one who has attempted to kill me twice now."
"But he answered your questions," She argued, "And you knew him from the past, didn't you? Surely-"
"Would you wish Wardes alive, Louise? He was your fiance from the past, was he not?" She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came, "Louise, I think we are past the stage of moralizing to one another. You feel guilt, believe in some abstract justice, and I...envy you for that, truly," He frowned, "But I do not. Your belief would not have saved the invading fleet the pain of death. Intentions or otherwise a hill of corpses litters this field whether at your hands, mine or theirs."
"Don't you dare compare the two!" She hissed, "The fleet was invading, killing everyone! What choice did I have!?"
"And you believe him to be a saint?" He scoffed, "I do not believe in heroes and villains, Louise, but Chester was an unrepentant selfish bastard! Does caring for his family excuse his atrocities? Should casual way in which he mentions killing others to steal from their labors and sentencing their souls to eternal anguish be redeemed due to him caring for the seed that escaped his loins?"
"You're no better..." She answered back weakly.
"I know, and I never claimed to be," He sighed, "We all have our sins to bear, Louise, even you. I understand your reason for the fleet's destruction and I am grateful for it was also my aim, but those who died and the few that survived will not look at you the same way. With every action we take, someone suffers, even if we do not care to acknowledge it."
"I was protecting my home!" She replied bitterly, "Or am I wrong for doing that?"
"No, and I wanted to protect the others, but to those soldiers that must have been what they thought as well," He shook his head, "Enough. Louise, I have no illusions of being a hero and I urge that you do not either. Think that you are if it helps you sleep at night, but I know well enough that heroes end up nothing more than manipulated tools."
"So you just kill him because you don't like the answer you heard?" She accused.
"Why do you care so much?" His eyes narrowed, "His answers were prophetic garbage. Cycles and children of the dark...all something that came out of the some fairy tale," He scoffed, "In all my travels in Lordran I never once heard mention of similar cycles or these 'children of the dark'. No, Chester said what he wanted and all his words are nothing but the ramblings of a madman."
"You sound like you don't believe that."
"And you sound as if you are looking for anything to avoid facing your own problems," He ignored her new glare, "Think on his words if you wish. Even if this new 'cycle' came to pass it is not as if I will live long enough to see it come to pass," Impending death tended to sober one's worldview, though he doubted Louise saw it as such, "I have told you of my experiences in Lordran. I would not let him live now any more than I would Patches."
"More talk like that," She frowned, "You can't use that as an excuse to kill people."
"I am not. It is a statement of fact," He replied, "It is not as if I planned it, Louise. I had done it in the spur of the moment, but now that it has come to pass I feel no regret for it. I can apologize to his dead body if you wish."
"No, let's just- Gah, enough of this!" She threw up her arms, "I'm through arguing with you. It's obvious neither of us are going to convince the other, so I'll just make this clear: When we're together and you have to defend me I want you to make absolutely sure that you don't kill unless it's absolutely necessary. There are alternatives and death isn't always the best solution."
"What do you wish me to do then? Lull them to sleep?" He scowled.
"Knock them out. You're strong enough to do it," She wrung her hands together, "Just promise me you won't kill unless absolutely necessary. I don't want another repeat of this," She pointed at the body, "I don't want you losing control anymore. You're not in Lordran anymore, Raziel. You may not think you need to change but I beg to differ and last I checked you're still my Familiar."
"As you wish then, Master," He started walking past her back to the village, "If our enemies wake and stab you in the back then take care not to curse me with your dying breath. I was only following your orders."
"I'll deal with it when it comes to that," She acceded. She watched her Familiar go briefly before turning her gaze to the horizon. The sun was rising and it marked the beginning of a new day. She could only hope in her heart that she would never be forced to experience this tragedy again. She'd already seen enough death to last her three lifetimes. Closing her eyes she clasped her hands together and spoke a soft plea.
"Brimir give us strength. Protect us in the coming days."
Rewrite of the end bit. Hopefully its better.
Well, with this is the start of a new arc :D One that'll come later due to thesis, but until then hope this tides everyone over.
LD 1449 - The problem I have is timing. Oolacile fell before New Londo, this is what the loreists agree on, but the ring didn't even exist by the time you fight Artorias in the DLC and he died before New Londo meaning he shouldn't have been able to make the pact to create the ring since he was dead by the time of the New Londo incident. Then again it's completely possible someone else made the pact and they just said Artorias did it, same with him killing Manus when you were the one who did it.
Loyaltothelegion - Thanks man/woman :) Raziel's personality actually changed: Early chapters he was much more naive and some could say innocent and he only really became cold and assholish when he regained the ability to talk. There's not much in-universe explanation for this beyond I didn't know how to write his character yet. Originally he was meant to be a blank slate, but I suppose you can say gaining more and more depressing memories caused him to be more serious.
Galeiam - Uh, this was called 'Dark of Zero' before but I took it out because the name made no sense. I said I would do it. so it shouldn't be a surprise.
Dark Cryo - Hey, thanks for the long review :) Stuff like this is what motivates me to keep writing. For Hexes I'm not so sure yet, mostly cause I don't know who he can learn it from. Likewise for google drive, I'm not so sure about it :/ I've tried word online and its crapped out on me time and time again so I'm wary of using it now. I'm shortening my notes, so if you need anything just PM.
kishinokurobi - Thanks for the review:) Now as for the erection deal, lets counterpoint: Why can't zombies get erections and yet move? Why can liches and revenants move but not have sex? They're moving around via magic, not biological means. Raziel would be comatose if he relied on his natural organic functions to sustain him. He's basically moved by the same power that moves all movie Undead and I'm pretty sure outside of Hentai and Warm Bodies Zombies and Undead can't have sexual intercourse.
Scount - Take note I made that chapter before DS2 came out, so I couldn't exactly make plot points on it since I'm not psychic. Hopefully this chapter acknowledges them more.