The
Truth and Lies…
Glast Heim Culvert, Glast Heim, an hour after Chapter 11
"I told you this is the wrong way!" Clover chided as another Anolian swung its sword at her. She ducked, avoiding the attack by inches, retaliating with two swift arrows into its chest.
"Shut up, concentrate and fight, damn it!" Turamii retorted, slicing a Sting into half, only to see it regenerate itself. Turamii swore under his breath. His venom and blades couldn't kill that thing. What's more was that there were at least five more of them behind the one he was attacking. He had to think fast, if he ever had a chance against them…
"Look out!" Clover cried. An arrow struck Turamii's shoulder, spewing blood all over his clothes. 'Great. Now my suit's all messed up,' he thought to himself.
Looking up, he spotted a Gargoyle strafing him from a distance. "You'll no where safe from me as long as I could see you," Turamii thought to himself. He crouched low onto the ground, ignoring the incoming stings. With a hard kick off the ground, he flew past the stings, straight for his target…ten metres away.
"Gotcha," the Gargoyle heard before being torn apart by Turamii's Meteor Assault. Bits and pieces flew in every direction as Turamii forced a huge crater into the place the Gargoyle was standing. Clover flinched as one of the Gargoyle's finger landed on her shoulder.
"Now for the stings…what are they weak against?" Turamii thought out loud, dodging the Stings around him. Damn, there had to be away…
"They're weak against fire, and even if you don't have a fire weapon, that tiny katar of yours isn't going to do any good either," a voice from the shadows answered, "You should use what I'm holding."
Turamii spun around, watching as a tall man with long blue hair walked into the light. He had a huge sword, which ignited with a bright light, blinding Turamii for a while.
Turamii has only seen something like that happen once before. Auril had the ability to imbue his weapon with spiritual energy, making it much more powerful then before.
The Stings attentions were drawn toward the light, all of them crawling in that direction.
"Humph, six on one? You're all outmatched by me," the man said, raising his gigantic sword. The first Sting came toward him, glove hungrily reaching out toward him. Soon all the Stings followed suit and came straight for the man.
The man sneered once, slamming his sword into the ground. The ground shuddered violently as the Stings exploded into air, mud and leather bits covering the sewage. Another crater, this one much larger then Turamii's, was being slowly filled by the water seeping into the culvert.
"Humph, and watch your back," the man said. Turamii spun around, seeing an Anolian heading straight for him. He readied his katars, but the Anolian fell to the ground before it even got close to him. Clover had shot an arrow into its head.
"Yes! I finally managed a headshot!" she squealed from behind, doing a little victory dance. Even Shumi joined in the festivities by chirping loudly, flying in circles around her.
"Well done, I see great potential in you, young miss," the man said, walking toward Clover, "I'm sure with more time, you could be come an…excellent hunter."
Turamii watched the man's eyes. It was very brief, but he caught a glimpse of them staring just below Clover's head…
"Back to the point," the man said, "tell, me assassin, who are you? I don't recall you being in my team."
"…'Lord Balmung' himself…" Turamii breathed, finally recognising the man, "Leader of the Aubis Legion reinforcement group."
"I don't need a murderer to tell me who I am. My question was simple. Who are you?" Balmung said.
"…Turamii," he said rather reluctantly, with a hint of threat in his voice.
"And you, my lady?"
"M-me? I…I'm Clover…hello…" Clover said, hands behind her back, feet shuffling the floor.
"I see. So you're the ones from the Abyss Legion to clean up Valentine's mess? Humph, that idiot wanted so many non-melee combatants that it got him killed. So, I heard a report saying that you've rescued that girl Alice. Where is she, may I ask?"
Turamii turned around, scanning for the pale girl. She was gone.
"Ah…where'd she go? Alice! Alice, where are you?" Clover shouted out, but received no response. "She was here a minute ago…" she turned to her falcon, "Shumi, go look for Alice! We'll search the other way."
The falcon gave her master a nod, taking off into the air in search of the girl.
Balmung's face contorted in concentration, then softened up again. "I've just told everyone in the Aubis Legion to search for this Alice in addition to their previous orders. We'd better get a move on it to, whoever she is; Auril must think she is very important to take such measures to retrieve her."
"Such measures? An inexperienced hunter and only one man to invade something that obliterated a whole legion? That's not even desperate, it's suicidal," Turamii retorted.
"If she wasn't important, Auril would never even bother to look for her," Balmung's face became grim. "He may seem friendly outside, but he's much more selfish then he seems."
Turamii stared at Balmung for a second, but didn't let his curiosity wander too far. It had cost him dearly the last time. He shook of the feeling, returning his attention to the current situation.
"C'mon, you guys, as much as I want to hear why Mister Balmung thinks Auril is a jerk, we have to find Alice!" Clover complained.
Balmung looked at Turamii, then looked away, closing his eyes, shaking his head slightly. "Kids," he mumbled to himself.
Alice ran, through the cold wet sewage and into the darkness. The stench got worse and worse the deeper she went in. But it didn't matter. Those Anolians chasing her weren't about to turn tail and walk away.
Somehow, this place didn't feel right. It had enough light to make it seem like evening at least, but there wasn't a trace of where the light was coming from; not even in the water's reflection. Alice could see the place clearly, but with no source of light…how odd…
But she didn't have time to dwell on such things. The Anolians were much faster then she was and were closing in fast. Alice took another tight turn, panting from the effort of running for so long.
Suddenly, loud cries broke out from behind her. Alice glanced back, watching in wonder as the Anolians slammed themselves into the wall. What were they doing? They were supposed to be chasing her…
Some of the Anolians got up, and looked like they were groping in the dark. There was enough light to see, what were they thinking?
Unless…they couldn't see?
A sudden realization came to Alice. She could see in the dark…that would explain why it was so bright without an obvious source of light…
No time to dilly dally though, Alice took this chance to run further ahead of them. She left the trashing crocodiles to their own devices, not wanting one of them to grope her. The smell in this tunnel must be hiding her too, and it got even worse the deeper she went in.
It has been an hour since Alice started running from the Anolians. The stench somewhat died down, letting her breathe fresher air then she could before. She stopped for a break, sitting on the dry side of the culvert.
It was a dreadful place. Everything was so dirty. Bits of slime covered the lower part of the sewage, only to be run over by the streams of water flowing out of Glast Heim. Dust and blotches filled the walls, covering the stones and bricks with a slick layer of filth. Alice had a desperate urge to clean this place up, but she held the feeling back.
It was so peaceful somehow, being alone in the dark…it makes you think about life, how it seems like it's unfair, yet just as important…to Alice, experiences in life were like trials before passing on…she was sad that she lost her friends; Tiana, Al De Santra, Jovich, Rephere…but she had accepted it now, looking at what could be ahead of her in life. If Auril's plan works, then she'd be back in a city, probably sweeping the floor of an inn again or a shop…maybe she'd get her own job…as an acolyte maybe? They seemed like nice people…but even if Auril failed, she had a way out; the sewages must lead out of Glast Heim and Alice could escape at the end of the sewage. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all…
"W-who's there? Show yourself demon! I could feel your presence!"
Alice, startled from the sudden outburst, blinked in the direction of the sound. Unmistakeably, a priestess stood just beside her, glancing left and right nervously. She held her arc wand tight with trembling hands, fearing the worst. She was definitely blinded in the darkness.
Alice stood up silently, shifting just beside the priestess. Alice put her hand gently on her shoulder, whispering, "Please don't be afraid, I'm not here to harm you."
But the priest backed away from her, blindly stumbling backwards, landing in a heap on the floor.
"No! Please don't hurt me…please don't hurt me…please don't hurt me…! I'm sorry Victor…I'm sorry for running away…please god, forgive me…I couldn't bear to face them…" the priestess rolled herself up into a ball, sobbing into her dress. The powerful figure of a priest disappeared from her. She felt…weak, puny, pathetic…
She felt just like Alice…
Alice approached her again, stroking her hair like how she stroked Little Tails to calm him down. "Please…I'm not here to hurt you…I…yes, I'm a half-demon…but please don't hate me…I don't mean any harm…I was just running away from some Anolians…"
The priestess didn't seem convinced. She continued to drench her dress, rolling up into a tighter ball and continued to plea for mercy.
'Now I know how the Sage Worms felt like when I ignored them…' Alice thought to herself. She continued to stroke the priestesses' hair, persuading her further, "Please…believe me…I was too scared that my friends would die to…so I ran from them…I couldn't bear to hear what everyone else would say if they heard that their friends got killed…just for a girl like me…"
The priestess uncurled herself, looking at Alice, tears still streaming down her face. Alice felt like she was looking at herself. Memories streaked past as gazed into the priestesses' sad eyes. Was this what she looked like every time she cried? It was truly a pitiful sight…
Pushing on, Alice continued to talk to her, "Um…I'm Alice…Alice Ashkebourne…what's your name…?"
The priest eyes opened wider. "A-Alice…? You're the one the Owl Baron wanted…"
Alice put a finger to the priestesses' lips, indicating her to be silent. "Yes…I'm that Alice. Please don't cry, I'm not here to hurt you…"
The priest stuttered, she was slightly confused, "But…you're a demon…"
Alice couldn't bear it anymore. She threw her self around the priestess, sobbing as she spoke, "Please! Please believe me…nobody else has been like me…it had cost me so many of my friends to be here…please…you're the first person I've met that's…like me…please don't be afraid of me…"
The priestess looked wide eyed at Alice at first, but her face softened, and she stroked Alice as she continued to cry in her lap. "I…I think I know how you feel…losing friends, leading a miserable life…" the priestess wiped her own tears, giving a genuine a smile, "just like me…"
It has been another ten minutes since Alice and the priestess, Patience, met.
They sat huddled together, sitting in the darkness, only to be lighted by Patience's mage light. The little orb glowed a soft whitish blue, illuminating their faces for each other to see.
"So…um, how did you become a half-demon anyway…? If it's not too much to ask from you to tell me…" Patience asked.
How did she become a half-demon? Alice remembered that dreadful day, "I…I was taken by the Dark Lord…he made me into a demon, so I'd live forever…and forever be a slave…it was painful," Alice looked at her hand, "almost all my blood was drained out to make space for the demon part of my body…that's why I'm so pale…"
"Oh…I'm sorry you had to go through…so much…" Patience whispered, "But if you live forever, how old are you now?"
"One thousand and fourteen…I think…"
"One thousand years…" Patience repeated, "If we weren't so miserable…maybe it would've been nice…"
"Patience, why are you here?" Alice asked, "I've been answering so many of your questions…but why did you come here, in the darkness?"
"I…I ran away from my friends…" Patience started, "It was all my fault…I cast the wrong spell on Hanna…my mind's always jumbled up with thoughts…I can't concentrate very well…then…if I cast the right spell…Hanna wouldn't have died…"
Alice patted Patience's back. She didn't have a thousand years to think about her life. Sympathy seeped out of her as Alice did her best to comfort her new friend…
…a new friend…
"Alice! Alice, where are you? Alice!"
Alice woke up, startled. Somebody was calling her name…?
She glanced to her side; Patience continued dozing peacefully on her shoulder. Not wanting to disturb her, Alice carefully moved her head back straight into position. 'Sleep well,' Alice thought.
She ran to whoever was calling her name, then stopped. If she went back now…then she'd be stuck here…and if Auril's plan failed, then she'd be tortured by the Owl Baron again…
No she had to believe in her friends. This had to work, or they'd all die…just like the others…
'I'm sorry…' she mentally called out, running in the opposite direction of the shouting.
She couldn't bear to think that all her friends were going to die. She just couldn't…everyone meant so much to her now…she couldn't bear to see this all end…
Clover went into the dark passage, using her Shumi keen eyesight to navigate through the dark.
"Alice! C'mon, Alice, no more hide and seek! Alice!" Clover shouted. Nothing.
Maybe she went really deep inside…Clover went deeper into the passage, shouting out Alice's name. Still no sign of her.
"Oh, Shumi, where could she be?" Clover asked her falcon. The falcon just made a shrugging motion, letting her master stroke her head.
Clover rounded another corner, calling out Alice's name again.
"Alice! Alice! This isn't funny! Alice-" Clover stopped. Through her falcon's eyes, she could see somebody on the floor. She wasn't very clear, but Shumi could see a young girl roughly around Clover's own age.
"Alice, is that you?" She called out. The person on the floor rubbed her eyes, feeling around for a support to stand up.
"Alice…? Where's Alice?" the person asked through the darkness.
"I want to ask you that same question miss," Clover replied, "Were you with Alice?"
"Yes, for a while…we were talking to each other…then we took a nap together…and now she's gone…"
Clover swore under her breath. Why was Alice running away? There wasn't anything to be afraid about. Everyone was here for her!
Clover kicked the wall, sending bits of dirt flying in every direction. Some gratefulness she showed…especially after she and Turamii saved her…if only they didn't get lost, then things would've been much smoother…
And who was this girl, or rather, priestess? What was she doing, sleeping with Alice? Oh well, she can be interrogated later.
"C'mon, sister of god, time to go back," Clover helped her walk through the darkness, "we could find our run away maiden later."
The priestess nodded, holding Clover's hand through the darkness. Alice helped her make this part of life much easier; she was ready to face her friends again…knowing someone has been through worse…
Turamii couldn't take this anymore. That girl has wasted three hours of his precious time. And now where was she?
"Calm down, I could tell you're overly annoyed by the situation now," Lord Balmung told Turamii, "you're too spoilt by power; you've lost most of your assassin characteristics. You show your emotions all too easily and lost all your patience to greed. Haven't you, assassin…or should I say assassin cross?"
"I could say the same to you, lord knight. I could tell you hunger for women, ever since you met Clover," Turamii retorted.
"Humph, looks like we're on the same ground then. Our reincarnation definitely made us all seem very much alike," Balmung grinned, "Ah, but when it comes to power, Auril has it all. Not even when I have the Balmung in my hands. That Abyss Legion blood running through his veins makes him one tough son of an arse to beat, even if I had some too."
Turamii said nothing, listening intently without actually letting his face betray his feelings.
"Ah well, nobody remembers the first Abyss Legion anymore…the most powerful force in Midgard back then, besides the Dark Lord himself. Lord Auril the First led his men into a battle that has long been forgotten by many. You know the legend of the Titans? The Abyss Legion back then killed more then nine tenths of them in the Forgotten War. They were slaughtered instantly by the Dark Lord however, due to heavy damages taken from fighting the Titans. Sigh, my ancestors must have known the end was neigh for them and the kingdom of Glast Heim anyway."
"Your ancestors?" Turamii asked, puzzled.
"Heh, I have the Abyss Legion's blood in me too. And I know exactly what Auril wants to do," Balmung replied.
"So, what is he going to do?" Turamii asked, not noticing his sudden rise in curiosity.
"I told you he was very selfish earlier on. That's because this plan of his; it's a failure from the start. Odin Legion wasn't wiped out by a mere coincidence. The Owl Baron knew from the start. And when the Owl Baron knows, the Dark Lord knows. You know what the Dark Lord was capable of. Auril knew all this, but he never withdrew the troops," Balmung smirked once, "He's willing to send everyone to hell, so long as he took the glory. Like greatly-great grandfather, like greatly great grandson. One's already dead and the other's going to die."
Turamii said nothing. He didn't believe for a second that Auril didn't know. He didn't believe Lulaba, Meth and the other were all going to die because of his already insane plan. And even if they died, couldn't they just be resurrected?
Turamii didn't believe a word Lord Balmung said.
Zephyrus opened the package written to Auril. Maybe there was some useful information inside?
A blood stained message held some almost illegible writing.
Almost.
"Dear Auril," Zephyrus read to himself, "Your plans were a failure from the start. Your mad plot to destroy the Titans' base is insane. I and seven other members of the Abyss Legion have opted to stay by the king, where we are needed the most. Our adventuring days are over, Auril. Open your eyes and see. I will not let good men and women lie in waste because of you. I hope you would rethink your ways. Signed…Lord Balmung?"
There was more, "P.S. The Dark Lord has ways of fighting our resurrection spells. He will not let your soul return in peace…" The Dark Lord can stop the Metempsychosis Spell? Impossible...
Zephyrus ran toward the Glast Heim Church as fast as possible. Auril had to be stopped…
Alice gazed at the sky. It was still raining, and the amount of water coming out of the pipe she was walking through increased. 'I have to go back to Prontera…' Alice thought to herself, 'I have to find Little Tails…then we could run away together…to wherever fate takes us'
The sad truth awaited her arrival…and the final fate of all who perish…
