It's been 17 years since Velvet left, she traveled all around Gleenwood but it wasn't for adventure nor investigating ancient ruins to find her answers. Instead, she met many people and helped them in order to get the information she needed. In return, Velvet did favors and request as a member of the Bloodwing Butterflies, she did these requests only to those she trusted enough. But in the back of her mind, Velvet couldn't stop thinking about Sorey and his growth without her but she knew it was for the best.
Now, Velvet was walking through the woods forwards Ladylake together with one of her new allies. A purple wolf that was wearing bag on its body as it walks by Velvet's side, its appearance might be seeable to humans but it was a special seraph. The Nephilim was wearing a black cloak over herself with the hood on. Underneath the cloak was a black dress that wraps around her neck, a belt was over her cleavage that goes around her shoulders, holding the long sleeves attached to the dress. A Victorian styled coat was attached in the upper part with a belt sewn into the back of the fabric as well piercings at the front. A corset like front that had ribbons crossing each other and make a bow right under her chest, a black glove was covering her left arm as the right had a gauntlet that didn't really match her clothing. On her feet was a pair of knee high boots with multiple belts in the front and a choker around her neck.
They arrived a few meters away from the town in a lake, they've never had the time to visit Ladylake in the last couple of years since they had to help a few people on their way there and was in Rolance for the most time. Once arriving, a guard asked Velvet for an ID of her being a traveler and of course she showed it to the guard but told her about the delay thanks to a merchant guild had to fix one of their carts. Velvet got on the small stone wall at the edge of the bridge and took it to get by the guild, not noticing a familiar boy coming to the same guard.
In the town square, many decorations was up and confetti came down the sky as there were a lot of people out on the streets. Velvet scanned the town with a smile and was proud of the celebration they were having.
"Looks like the Sacred Blade festival is being held after all." Velvet said proud over that they were holding the special festival after all these years.
"It may be because of all the chaos, that princess knight really done incredible work." The wolf pointed out and people couldn't hear the wolf talk so they didn't bother.
"I just hope the new Shepherd isn't like the two Shepherds I knew and takes the people before himself." Velvet pointed out, being reminded of the information she got from Zenrus when she was recovering from her wound. Michael had offered his own nephew as a sacrifice which was the reason Mikleo was turned into a seraph in the first place.
"Don't worry, Milady. I'm sure it will happen, your judgement is what got us here from the start." The wolf tried to cheer her up which worked a bit.
"Thanks for trying to cheer me up, but it isn't as easy to forget than you think." Velvet replied as they stopped while placing her hand on her hip. "Also, I want to pay a visit to Elysia while we're here. I want to meet Gramps again." Suddenly, somebody bumped into her and Velvet was pushed onto the ground.
"I'm sorry about that." A male voice said and Velvet looked up to see a boy with brown hair that was slightly spiky and green eyes holding out his hand, an image of Simon appeared on him but vanished. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, thank you." Velvet thanked him and took his hand, the boy helped her up.
"Well, see yah!" The boy said before running away, Velvet looked at him feeling deja vu of the situation. This was almost like when she first met Rokurou in Titania under her escape but this was more normal.
"What a weird person." Velvet pointed out but couldn't stop thinking that that boy could actually be her son while the wolf chuckles.
"He's special, I think he has the potential of becoming a Shepherd." The wolf said.
"You think so, Kurumi?" Velvet asked confused.
"I certainly feel strong resonance from that boy, I am a seraph after all." Kurumi explained happy.
"Let's go to the pedestal, I want to see who is going to help me save this world again." The therion suggested and they both began to walk the same way the boy went.
The duo arrived at a sanctuary where many people was gathered at the entrance, it took some time before the two managed to get in and managed to get a decent place to watch the events. The princess-knight named Alisha held a speech together with Lady Maltran, her teacher, before things really got out of control, people watching by the pedestal was arguing and threw pebbles at the guards. Right in front of the blade was the Lady of the Lake no one besides Velvet and Kurumi could see, but everything was a planned riot and Lady of the Lake tries to stop it. One of the people in the crowd turned into a werewolf and launched himself to attack Alisha but crashed into the fire behind the Sacred Blade and it turned dark while spreading the normal flames and the dark flames around the room.
"This isn't good!" Velvet growled as she jumped back to avoid an attack from big blobs of slime.
"Milady, look!" Kurumi exclaimed and Velvet turned around to see the boy who jumped into her earlier had drawn out the sword, the woman felt the power and stared wide eyed at him.
"He was able to draw the sword out, then that means…" Velvet mumbled as she watched the boy blocking an attack from an another werewolf, sending it to the other side of the room while slimes tries to attack him as well but he avoided an attack while slashing on another, Lady of the Lake send a fire arte on it before it dissolved.
"All right! Now let's do this!" She said as they got down to attack the remaining ones.
"Well, it looks like my calm time is over." Velvet said and dashed before the two before ripping of her coat, showing what was underneath. Underneath was her long hair in its usual style and tied with black ribbons with red lining instead of the bandages that was usually there.
"You're-!" The Lady of the Lake begins to say before being cut off by Velvet.
"Lailah, you two take care of the slimes! I'll handle this werewolf!" Velvet commanded and takes out a blade from her gauntlet.
"Okay, let's go, Sorey!" Lailah said, understanding her idea.
"Right!" The boy, Sorey, agreed and the fight started. Now Velvet knew that it was her son all along but she has to think about it later.
Velvet charged with her blade, unleashing a wave of fire onto it. She takes out blades from her feet and kicked the werewolf a couple of times, her body turning black with a dark purple aura. The werewolf tries to slash her with its claws but the black haired warrior was too fast and slashed it while dashing by, getting behind it. The werewolf burst into blue flames before turning into a human. Velvet breathed out as she retract her blades back in to watch Sorey and Lailah purify the flames behind the pedestal, saving the man. Lailah got into Sorey and he suddenly begins to collapse on the floor with Alisha questioning what is happening, Velvet and Kurumi hurried over to them and Velvet placed a hand on his forehead.
"He has a high fever, is there a place for him to rest?" Velvet asked the princess.
"We can bring him to an inn nearby, there he can rest." Alisha suggested and Velvet nodded as she started to carry him on her back, thanks to her enhanced strength for becoming a therion.
Alisha led the duo through the city forwards the inn, where Velvet placed Sorey on a bed in a room as Alisha got a towel and cold water to place a cold towel on his forehead before leaving Sorey to rest. Velvet saw the seraphim watching over Sorey in the meantime as she followed Alisha to her residence leading her to the terrace, where two cups of tea had been served to them. The two women sat down at the table as Kurumi lays down next to Velvet's chair.
"Thank you for all the help." Alisha thanked Velvet grateful. "I hoped that I could thank Sorey as well."
"Don't worry, his condition is a side-effect from what happened at the festival." Velvet explained with a smile.
"You're the traveler that been able to talk with seraphim, are you not?" The princess asked and Velvet nodded as she took a small sip of her tea, being able to taste a small part of it.
"I am. My name is Velvet, Kurumi is one of the seraphim I talk to normally." The Nephilim replied, patting on the wolf a little. "Don't judge someone because of appearance, she's a powerful seraph because of that she can be seen by normal humans. You're not able to hear her talk, that's all."
"Wow, you know a lot. Does Sorey see seraphim as well?" Alisha question. Velvet smiled as she looked back at the princess.
"Seems like it, I haven't met someone that can see the seraphim for 17 years besides me. That's how long I've traveled." Velvet replied. "I'm older than what I look but what I'm interested is how you two met in the first place."
"Sorey found me in a ruin near his village, Elysia." Alisha began to tell her, Velvet begins to think back at her last moment with Sorey. "He helped me prepare things to the journey back to the capital, I was really surprised that he was able to draw the Sacred Blade out."
"Let's hope he'll recover soon, we don't want the people to worry about the Shepherd." The therion pointed out, not wanting to tell Alisha about her relationship with Sorey.
"That's true." Alisha agreed as they were conversing for a bit longer before Velvet finally left to go back to the inn, she hadn't time to check in for a room herself after what has happened.
After getting a room at the inn, Velvet and Kurumi was exhausted over the events. Before Sorey became the Shepherd, the pair had been walking for two days and fought a few rogue hellions of animals on their way to the Hyland capital. Now, they were in their room to rest as Kurumi was laying on a bed but she noticed that Velvet was still awake, sitting her bed with her back against the pillow and the bed frame while starring at her amulet.
"Lady Velvet, aren't you tired?" The wolf asked, Velvet noticed she was still awake and glances at her.
"I'm just going to stay up for just a little longer, you can rest." The Nephilim replied with a smile before looking back at her amulet in her hand, she hasn't been wearing since she left Elysia.
"Well, don't stay up for long. You need your rest." Kurumi said and lays down her head and closes her eyes, Velvet looked at her until she was sure her comrade was asleep.
"Do you think that boy is your son?" Velvet looked in front of her to see Seres standing there in front of the bed.
"It's a high chance it is, I have to ask him once he's woken up." Velvet replied. "After all, Sorey is the only human in Elysia and it has been 17 years since I left him with Zenrus. I can see Simon in that boy."
"The only way to be sure is to see if he can open and see the content of the book." Seres suggested, the therion narrowed her eyes at the mention of the book.
"It have to wait until I'm sure it is him, I'll call you out to look after him when I'm not." Velvet said, placing the amulet under her pillow before laying down to sleep. Seres smiles before going back into her body, knowing that the Nephilim had good intentions.
- Three days later -
Mikleo and Lailah sat around in Sorey's room as they waited for the new Shepherd to wake up but in their minds was on Velvet and her involvement in what happened at the festival a few days ago.
"That woman... what do you know about her?" Lailah asked Mikleo.
"Not much. Sorey accidently bumped into her when we arrived. Though there is something off about her." He told her.
"I agree. The artes she uses are powerful and she has her own domain as well." Lailah commented, holding her chin. "She also managed to purify a hellion too." That's when Sorey groaned and sat up. Mikleo and Lailah greeted him and asked how he was doing.
When Sorey said he was fine, all three of them exited the room. The innkeeper and his family were glad that he was okay and offered a meal on the house. Sorey said thank you and continued out of the inn. That's when he sensed and saw it. Malevolence had corrupted the city.
"The city..." Sorey said in sadness.
"Come. Let's talk away from prying ears." Lailah said, walking away towards the port. Sorey and Mikleo followed her. Lailah then explained to them the duty of the Shepherd and his mortal enemy, the Lord of Calamity.
"The Lord of Calamity?" Mikleo questioned.
"An entity of immeasurable power and controls malevolence in this world." The voice of Velvet explained and the three turns to see the black haired girl walking forwards them without having Kurumi by her side. "Legends say that the Lord of Calamity is the cause of all malevolence." Velvet looks at Sorey with a smile. "Glad that you're awake now."
"Seems like you know a lot about him." Lailah pointed out. "You have some experience with him."
"Don't get the wrong idea, I've known about this for longer than you know. I've met two of them in two different times." Velvet replied going to the edge to look at the lake. "One of them is the one in this time and I saw a vision of him a long time ago."
"How does it connect to you?" Sorey asked and she glanced at him.
"I'm a new race called Nephilim." The therion said and shocked the group before her. "A being that have the appearance of a human but with powers of both a hellion and a seraph, it is connected to my origin and past." The boys looked at her confused and Velvet sighed in irritation. "I was trained how to fight and a few forms by a man who later on became a Shepherd."
"Wait, you were trained by a Shepherd?!" Mikleo exclaimed, not believing what he just heard.
"That's how much I want to tell you right now, it brings back bad memories that I rather forget." Velvet replied serious but a little sadness zipped through her mind. "Sorey, why do you think it is that birds fly?"
"Huh? I don't know how to answer that…" Sorey replied unsure.
"Don't worry, I'll be patient until you know your answer." Velvet assured him with a smile. "After I'm finished with my business, I think I'll join you on your journey around the world."
"Wow, that's very kind of you but we still don't know your name." Lailah pointed out and Velvet turned to them again.
"Velvet, a traveler that takes on requests to people I really trusts that isn't in capable of humans to do." The Nephilim introduced herself, holding out a hand to the Shepherd. "Nice to meet you, Shepherd."
"I'm Sorey, the water seraph is Mikleo and the other is Lailah." Sorey introduced them and shook her hand.
"I already know who Lailah is, I knew a few people that knew her." Velvet replied as they break up, getting a feel of his power by the touch. "I'm going to help you understand the purpose of being a Shepherd the right way since the Shepherds before you didn't have guidance."
"Thank you!" Sorey thanked her before Lailah started to explain for Sorey about the Lords of the land that they needed to purify Ladylake so it could have back its blessing, after they were done they decided to head back to the inn to get some food as well check on Kurumi as Velvet left her. The group of strange people walked through the door as Lailah came out.
"You know, I've always wanted to travel the world." Sorey said getting everyone's attention and Velvet looked at him with sympathy and sadness, reminding her of someone close to her. "But I never imagined it'd be so important! It's kinda weird, but I can't say I'm excited."
"I think it's safe to say that Sorey's probably the most, uh," Mikleo said trying to find the word as everyone stopped to look at him, "sheltered Shepherd in history." Velvet looked at him confused.
"You really think so?" Sorey asked sarcastic as he turned to Lailah. "Hey, Lailah, what kind of people were the other Shepherds?"
"Huh?" Lailah replied as if she didn't hear what he just said and Velvet crossed her arms. "Oh! Sorry! I missed what you said."
"So…what were the other Shepherds like?" Sorey asked again but Lailah turned away from him.
"I missed what you said." She said again and Velvet sighed, knowing what she was doing.
"Lailah?" Sorey questions her strange behavior.
"Yes?" The fire seraph replied.
"Hiding something?" Mikleo asked and once again, Lailah looked away pretending to see a butterfly flying away.
"You took an oath, am I right?" Velvet asked and Lailah nodded before looking down embarrassed. "Figured as much since you have the flames of purification now."
"What's an oath?" Mikleo asked her.
"An oath is a ritual that grants special powers depending on the restrictions you take, the harsher the restrictions the more powerful you become. In a sense, an oath can be a curse." Velvet explained while placing a hand on her hip. "A seraph mistaken me for having one when she saw the strength I had."
"The terms of my oath prohibits… things." Lailah said while still looking down.
"So, wait, does that mean there things you can't discuss?" Sorey asked but it was Velvet who answered for her.
"Looks that way, I know what it is but it's best for you to find the answers yourself." The black clothed girl suggested.
"You're kind of bad at this, aren't you." Mikleo said to Lailah.
"Does it really matter? We're traveling the world to find these answers anyway, after all." Sorey pointed out and Velvet smiled gently over the young Shepherd's happy personality.
"So we need to go investigate each land's Shepherd myths?" Mikleo questioned.
"Yes yes yes! That's 1000% correct!" Lailah replied finally.
"Seeing as Velvet wields the power of purification, I take it that other seraphim can wield it as well?" Mikleo asked and Velvet sighed.
"I'm a special case since I have an incredible power that's using my arm as it's vessel." Velvet answered, starting to get bored of all the questions the two boys was asking which she clarified that those two didn't know how things work in the world until now.
"We should get back before Sorey collapses from hunger and we have to sneak his body through the back alleys!" Lailah said clapping her hands together. "We'd better get going, chop chop, no time to waste! The food is probably ice cold by now!" Sorey nervously chuckled as they continued to walk back to the inn.
Now it starts, if you come up with any ideas so please send me them. Review, favorite and follow and I see you next time!
