Welcome to another Chapter! This one is a special one..
Now, quick reminder. I have read the 'Unveiling Lore Book.' Along with a few others that I can't remember the name of.. But I can still forget a lot about it. Especially when I also have Tensura story to follow which means I have a lot of information to keep saved for the future.
I will go back and reread a few lore tabs of course.
But I guess what I'm trying to say is if I messed something up with the Lore in this chapter, Let me know, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Without Further a do!
Enjoy!
Chapter 8, A Test Of Will Power
Kingdom of Ingrassia, Light Estate
A Week After the Renovation
Aria observed her Guardian, he was currently working hard on his armor. While he managed to be able to repair it with some magisteel he purchased, it was still hard trying to enhance it with engraving magic. Sivert's hands glowed gold as held them over his set of armor.
His eyes were closed, he was focusing. The Hunter slowly lowered his hands onto his chest piece. His armor glowed, Sivert opened his eyes and looked down at his glowing armor. A few seconds passed and it stopped glowing.
"Did it work?" Aria asked, "I don't know.." Sivert answered.
He picked up his chest piece and examined it. Then it started to glow again, he titled his head in slight confusion.
"Ah.. you've got to be kidding me." He whispered. Suddenly his armor exploded in his hands, sending the Hunter flying across the room and straight into a wall.
Sivert looked up at his ceiling and sighed. "This is a lot harder than I thought." He slowly sat up and looked at his arms, or arms that didn't exist anymore.. He healed them using his skill and stood up. He looked at his destroyed armor, and walked over to it. His armor was in pieces once again..
"Damnit." He picked up the pieces and placed them back on the burnt wooden table. "At least the helmet survived.." Aria said, trying to cheer him up. Sivert turned around and looked at his helmet on the floor.
He picked it up and stared into the black visor for a moment, Sivert placed the helmet next to the destroyed armor and walked out the room. Aria quickly followed behind. "Giving up?" she floated next to him and asked.
"No, I just figured I'd practice Summoning magic again." Aria quietly snickered in amusement. Seeing her guardian like this was a rare thing not that she liked seeing him fail but instead liked seeing him so dedicated to something, Sivert ignored her snickering and entered another room. It was the training room, or at least what he calls it.
It was very open and roomy for combat, he's only trained a few times in here. Sivert walked towards the center of the room, the Hunter clapped his hands together.
"You know.. it said that you can't summon Spirits or Demons even a monster without a contract or deal." Aria told him.
Sivert nodded, "I know but I'm not trying to do either of those, I'm trying to see if there's at least a small chance of being able to summon something from our world. Like.. a smaller otherworlding summoning.. is what I'd call it."
Aria sighed. "Well, I hope you can summon a ship and a sparrow for us. Cause That'd be nice. "
Sivert chuckled, he wished he would to.
His hands glowed and he closed his eyes, a small blue summoning circle appeared in front of him. Sivert immediately opened his eyes.
"I did it!" he shouted, the Hunter crouched down and observed the circle. "Wait didn't the books say there's more to this process?" Aria couldn't help but ask out of worry.
Sivert shrugged, "I don't think it matters, I'm just glad I got the first step done." He smiled at his ghost, Aria cautiously observed the summoning circle. Then it started to glow.. just like his armor.
"Is it supposed to be doing that?" Sivert looked down at the circle after his ghost asked him, he could feel a ton of unconcentrated magicules forming within it. "Oh.. not again.." before he could even move to safety, the magic circle exploded right in front of Sivert sending him flying and killing him in the process.
His lifeless body landed in front of Aria, "Guardian.. down." She said with a another sigh afterwards. She revived her guardian and healed any injuries on him. Sivert opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling.
"That felt like getting hit by a Warlocks Nova Bomb." The now revived Hunter slowly sat up and stood up. He stretched his muscles before, patting his ghost on the top of her shell. "Thank you." Sivert said with a smile.
Aria fluttered with Joy, she always liked being pet by him. Even if it makes her look like a weird Ghost, being cared for by your guardian was the best thing ever!
Sivert walked back over to the center of the room and stood over the burnt area. "Are you going to try again?" Aria floated close to him and asked. He gave her a light nod, "Just be on standby just in case I can't run from it again."
She obeyed and floated farther away, Sivert clapped his hands together and took a deep breath.
His hands glowed gold once again, he closed his eyes and focused even harder mostly on memories from his previous world. Aria watched as nothing happened.. only his hands glowing. After a few more minutes nothing happened.
She was starting to get little bored. Finally her guardian separated his hands and placed them on the ground he stood on. A magic summoning ring with the color of yellow appeared a few feet away from him.
"Summon!" Sivert shouted, small sparks of yellow lighting sprung from the magic circle as it began to spin in circles at fast speeds. Aria's instincts told her to dematerialize since there could be a large explosion like Sivert's last attempt on summoning magic.
The circle began to glow brighter and brighter, causing Sivert to cover his eyes with his arms. He couldn't even see anymore as he was blinded from the brightness of the magic.
Soon the bright light that emitted from the circle started to lessen and the Hunter's vision was starting to return. The magic circle was gone and in front him was a floating long lost weapon.. In an instant all of Sivert's excitement to practice more summoning magic vanished!
"No.." Sivert whispered and backed away from the weapon. "No.. No.. No.. No.. Why you!" He shouted, Aria materialized next to him and examined the weapon.
"Out of all things.. why you." Sivert placed both his hands on his head and grabbed his hair tightly. Wanting to rip it out from the current sight in front of him.
"It's that Glaive!" Sivert shouted in anger. Aria floated closer to the weapon, she could feel powerful darkness radiate from it.
It was invading her light.. she quickly flew back towards Sivert. The Hunter didn't know what to say or do!
"Tch." Without care, Sivert held out his right hand and prepared to fire a powerful explosive spell to destroy it. Before he could fire, the weapon flew towards Sivert and into his hand that he tried to fire the spell from.
The weapon was light, easy to move around but it was also invading his light.. Sivert could hear whispers from it. The same whispers from back then.
"The Light is weak." One whisper said.
Sivert lowered his hand, the weapon still in his grip.
"Lubrae's Ruin.." he heard another whisper.
"Disciple of the Witness." And another.. "You are chosen." And another. "The Light sees you as nothing but a solider." And another.
The Hunter dropped to his knees, "To the Light you are but a means to an end. To the Deep, you are majestic." Sivert's grip on the weapon tightened. "Rise from the Deep. Accept your role."
He closed his eyes, "Use me to strike your foes down." It whispered. The Hunter took a deep breath and cleared his mind of the whispers.
"Good.." one last whisper was all he heard before collapsing sideways and his vision going black.
"Sivert!?" Aria tried to check on her guardian but the darkness from the weapon grew stronger, preventing her from getting closer.
"Sivert! Wake up!" she shouted at her unconscious guardian
The Heir's Challenge
His eyes slowly opened, he looked around only to see black structures around him. He was standing in a large area... He recognized the structures, Sivert looked straight ahead and saw a set of white stairs. "This place.." for some reason, he was calm.
Because being present in an area like this was something to not be calm about.
Sivert was standing right where he fought the First Disciple Rhulk, he looked around once again. The bodies of his previous fireteam were scattered around him.
"There's Four.." he whispered, there was six of them that fought Rhulk. So where was last body? Sivert couldn't find it, this was strange..
The missing body was the last person who stood next to him in the fight against Rhulk she was a Human Warlock by the name of Lyra. Her ghost did survive courtesy to Sivert, but her guardian was drained of her light and the body was no where to be found as he looked everywhere for it.
So did she possibly survive? Or was this illusion not showing the full thing.
Lyra was an old friend of Sivert, if it wasn't for her last move to strengthen him he wouldn't have won. She was a powerful Warlock, second to Ikora.
"?" He heard a noise, the Hunter turned around and looked up.
He met eye to eye with his old foe, yet. Sivert was still calm. He wasn't scared or panicking not even confused on why he's here, He couldn't feel any emotions.
Rhulk floated down and landed in front of Sivert, the Disciple towered over the human.
"You do not fear me." He finally spoke to Sivert. The Hunter only nodded, "Fool.. you do not realize the gift you were given. A gift from the Deep."
Sivert didn't say anything, only staring at the Disciple. "I will take that gift from you. I will return to my Witness's side and slaughter your fellow children of the Light." Rhulk lowered his upper body to get a closer look of Sivert.
"Using your body." The Disciple said, in his normal tone.
The Hunter continued to stay silent, eventually angering the Disciple. "You are not worthy!" Rhulk tried to kick Sivert only for him to roll and jump away from the Disciple.
Sivert held out his right hand, Dark Orange Resonance energy enveloped the hand.
The Disciple's Glaive, Lubrae's Ruin appeared in his grip.
"What? Damnit.." Sivert whispered in frustration as he looked at the glaive in his hand. He was trying to wield the Light! Why the hell was he using darkness right now?!
"You dare use my Witness's gift against me!" Rhulk dashed over to Sivert who aimed his own Glaive at him. The blade area of the Glaive began to spin and glow in a dark orange color, firing a powerful Resonance beam in the process that even knocked Sivert back from its power.
The attack struck the Disciple, knocking him to the ground and critically injuring him. "No.." Rhulk slowly sat up and looked at his hands. His abilities, They weren't working?!
He looked back at the Hunter, Sivert stood up and walked over to Rhulk. Who was trying hard to stand up. "Impossible.." Rhulk said with disbelief in his voice. This couldn't be possible! This Child of Light robbed him of his abilities?!
Him? Being defeated by this weakling again?! His own will power should be able to overcome this child!
Sivert looked at the Glaive in his hand and back at Rhulk. The Hunter jumped up into the air above Rhulk.
"No.." Rhulk looked up, Sivert's right arm was enveloped with the same dark orange resonance energy, he dashed down towards Rhulk and impaled the Disciple with his own glaive.
"Why My Witness!" The Disciple shouted as his body slowly began to disintegrate, much different than before...
Sivert looked down at the ground, he took a deep breath and walked over to one of the bodies of his old Fireteam members. He wished this was real, so he could pay his respects again.
Sivert looked down at the dead Titan, his deceased ghost was laying next to him. Suddenly the Ghost activated and floated in the air in front of Sivert. "Congratulations." The Ghost spoke.
The Hunter knew what this was.. the Ghost was possessed like how Aria was by the pyramid on the moon. "Do you see now why the Light is weak? It left your comrades to die, but when you finally took control. You struck your foe down in but a single blow."
The Ghost floated closer to Sivert, "You lie. That was an illusion. He is stronger than that." He spoke to the possessed Ghost.
"Yes, you are correct but that was no Illusion. But his own will he placed on the weapon to take control of your will. And you defeated it with raw power and cunning. You did what he could not."
Sivert looked down at the Glaive in his hands. "He was powerful but he had no cunning, unlike you. He was also to arrogant, not treating you as a threat but only as a mere test subject. He was a fool…"
He looked back up at the Ghost. Sivert could feel darkness radiate from the Ghost. There was no more light in it.. confirming his earlier theory.
"Tell me. Why are you in my head? And why are you able to communicate with me when I'm far from you?" he asked the Voice behind the Ghost.
"You are not far, you are close. Your cries for Salvation are why we are here and why we are able to offer you only truth through a puppet of the light."
The Ghost looked down at the dead Titan it floated over, "Shame is it not? This being was unable to prevent his own destruction. A mere soldier to the Light, he could've been so much more if he took control like you."
Sivert also looked down at his fallen comrade. The ghost looked back up at Sivert.
"The Weapon and the Disciples abilities are yours. Though you are still not able to fully draw it all out.. take it as a reward for your expertise. Use both however you wish. As another reward, accept another truth. This world you are currently standing in, is a world the Light has sent you to so you may grow stronger to protect it."
Sivert didn't speak, he only continued to stare at the deceased body. Sivert finally looked back up at the Ghost.
"Why tell me all of this?" he asked the voice behind the Ghost. "It is your right to know."
"The Future holds your last test Sivert..." It said.
Sivert was confused on what it meant. He didn't even know if this was the Darkness speaking, an entity behind it or the Witness. But there was one thing he knew..
"The Darkness gives its favor to those who commit acts of genocide. Yet you say you offer truth, but instead you lie. You offer rewards when I haven't slaughtered thousands like the Hive." He pointed at the Ghost, it continued to stare at him.
"Indeed you are correct, but also to those who can prevent their own destruction. To those who can stand and show others that they are worthy of existing. You have fulfilled the requirements. You are worthy among the Final Shape."
Sivert was now in deep thought.. he's died many times so wouldn't that be the same as not existing at all? And sure he's defeated extremely powerful beings but he was a wielder of the Light so why try to turn him?.. The Logic of the Darkness was indeed very confusing for him.. If only he could study it more with Eris like he did back then.
He continued to delve deep in his thoughts until he remembered something. "You say that my previous Fireteam was too weak to prevent their destruction. There were six of us who fought against Rhulk, there are only four bodies."
The Ghost stopped staring at Sivert, while it didn't expect this it was curious on what he meant.
It floated over to the other bodies, there were only four.. "Or did you forget to place Lyra's body in this test?" He asked it. The Ghost turned back to face Sivert, it floated over to him.
"The soul of your comrade was taken in by the Gardener and sent somewhere we do not know where. It is why it's not here." Sivert raised an eyebrow.
What is this whole switcharoo thing between the Light and the Gardener? It made him suspect that perhaps there is more than one person talking to him, and he could be right due to the fact that earlier the ghost said 'we'. And 'Gardener'.. could that perhaps be another term of naming the Light?
He had so many questions about this..
But Sivert decided not to ask about the 'Gardener' and instead decided to ask another question about Lyra.
"Reincarnation?" he couldn't help but ask it. The Ghost stayed silent, not answering.
"I'm going to guess it is then.." Sivert sighed in relief. He just hoped she was living a much better life.
"You must return now, you may still use the Light. But beware that the closer you get to the light, the more pain and suffering you'll go through. Would it not be better if there is no pain and suffering at all?"
It floated closer, "Do not be afraid to give yourself up to the Deep and draw out your full strength to rise from it. Become something Greater than the Light. Something much more powerful."
The Ghost vanished and Sivert's vision turned black.
Light Estate
His eyes opened, the Hunter realized he was laying down and stood up. "Your awake!" Aria shouted. She flew closer to him, but immediately flew back.
"You.. reek of Darkness." Aria said with fear in her voice. Could he be corrupted!? Her cute innocent guardian couldn't be corrupted!
"I didn't know Ghost could smell." Sivert joked, Aria realized that her Guardian was still himself. "You know what I meant. What happened?" she floated closer and asked in worry.
"The Weap-" Sivert looked down at his hands, the Glaive was gone. "Where'd it go?" he asked her. "I don't know." Sivert grumbled, it couldn't be gone. So he decided to try something.
He took a deep breath and focused his mind on the weapon. A surge of Resonance energy appeared right beside Sivert and the Glaive appeared next to him, floating.
"Woah… Don't tell me your using more Darkness. Stasis itself was enough.." Aria asked, this couldn't be true! And how!?
"I know, I don't like it either but I don't plan on using it anytime soon. Only if I have to which I doubt I will." That still didn't make Aria feel any better.
The Glaive disappeared and Sivert looked down at his hands. He didn't want to wield the weapon that killed his comrades, but since it was attached to him. He couldn't do much about it.
"I'm still pissed that out of all the things I summoned it had to be this glaive." Sivert crossed his arms and quietly pouted. His luck was really bad right now. Why couldn't he summon a sparrow or maybe even an apple..
Those were good!
"Yeah I could see why.. so what happened? You never told me." Aria floated closer and asked, Sivert stopped pouting.
"I don't know if it's true but apparently Rhulk implanted his will and power on the weapon so he could take control of me. So I fought his will and exterminated it, stealing his abilities in a way I don't know how I did.. then the Darkness spoke to me. At least I assume it was the Darkness.."
Sivert uncrossed his arms and took another deep breath as he remembered the words it told him, "I'm guessing it tried to convince you that the light is weak?" he nodded, answering Aria's question.
His ghost sighed, "Look, I don't care if you use the Darkness or the Light. Use any, as long as your using them for good. I just don't want to see you end up like those Guardians who were seduced by the Darkness. So please promise me you won't change, promise me you won't turn and become some evil monster."
Aria asked in a caring tone, "I promise." Sivert gave her a smile. "Good, now you should go repair your armor and get some rest, I want you to take on another quest. I'm starting to get a little bored and I miss seeing you in action."
Sivert chuckled, "Got it."
24 Hours of Sweet Rest Later
He tightened the straps of his armor, the Hunter holstered his Ace and sheathed his Rapier. He adjusted his gauntlets to his liking, He picked up his helmet and put it on. Finally Sivert placed the hood of his cape over his helmet.
He hooked the sheathed sword to his left side of his belt. Sivert picked up his Sniper Rifle from the table next to him and wrapped the leather strap around his chest.
His weapons were ready, he was ready. It was time for another Adventure!
Of course he made sure to check he had ammunition on him before heading out, which he did thankfully.
Soon though, he would run out...
The Hunter walked out the room and into the hallways of his home, he walked towards the front entrance and opened the door. He walked out and closed the door behind him.
It was early in the morning, which was a good thing for him. It meant people wouldn't bump into him on the streets a lot! He walked down the pathway towards the front gate to enter his estate.
Sivert opened the gate and walked out, closing the gate behind him. As he was locking the gate he felt eyes on him. One set of eyes In fact.. He locked the gate and looked around with his eyes, trying not to move his head. Thanks to his helmet and black visor whoever is watching him won't know.
He heard the bushes rustle behind him, he could feel the direction of the wind change! Someone was sneaking up behind him! Sivert immediately drew his rapier and turned around, blocking the sword of his attacker.
Their sword was enveloped with flames, Sivert pushed the person back with his raw strength and put some distance between his attacker. They were wearing a large black robe, he couldn't get a good look at their face.
"I'm not one to get angry, but when you ruin a perfectly good morning for me. I won't hold back from kicking your lifeless head in the dirt." He said with killer lust in his voice, his attacker for some reason didn't expect that.
Sivert switched his Rapier to his left hand and drew his Ace, firing a few shots at his attacker. They managed to avoid a few but hit one shot in their shoulder as they tried to avoid the last one.
The Hunter holstered his ace and switched his blade back to his right hand. He dashed towards his attacker, catching them off guard by his speed! Sivert's blade clashed with theirs.
He grabbed their blade with his left hand, the powerful flames on their sword not even warming his hand due to his resistance. Sivert pulled the blade from their hand and tossed it, the tip of his blade was on the chest of his attacker.
They had both their hands raised, "Remove the hood." He ordered them. They obeyed and removed their hood.
Sivert's eyes widened, "Shizue..?" he couldn't believe it! Shizue smiled softly at him and blushed in embarrassment.
"I know, I know.. I was just trying to test you. It seems you still outclass me." She scratched the back of her head and hid her blushing face.
Sivert lowered his blade and sheathed it. "Your hurt." He quickly turned to worry mode and grabbed her right arm. Taking a look at the bullet wound, "Nothing I can't fix." Shizue chuckled.
He let go of her arm, "It's been a while Sivert, it seems you've gotten stronger just as I expected." She pulled the bullet out of her arm feeling a little bit of pain and healed the wound. Sivert didn't speak.. he was still surprised.
"Don't you have other students to tend to? Instead of attacking me." He finally spoke and asked her. Shizue continued to smile, "It was just a test. Don't you remember what I taught you?" he nodded. 'Expect the Unexpected.'
"Also your my student as well. So of course I'd tend to you to, or are you perhaps jealous that you're not receiving enough attention?" Shizue leaned closer and asked, in a teasing manner. Sivert only turned around and walked away.
"Huh? Sivert." Shizue followed her student, trying to get his attention. "Hey! I'm talking to you. Don't avoid m-" as she tried to grab his shoulder, the Hunter grabbed her arm and flipped his teacher over face first onto the ground. Her left arm was pinned behind her back and a knife was positioned onto her throat.
Shizue looked up at Sivert with one eye.
"Don't avoid you? Like you've been avoiding me the past two months." He said with anger in his voice.
Shizue's eyes widened, she stared into the black visor of his helmet. "I wasn't avoiding you. I was just.. still trying to get used to the truth about your immortality. So I couldn't bear to look at you in the eye or even talk to you. I needed time."
Sivert scoffed, "I told you that in a letter months ago. Your excuse makes no sense, especially when you still spoke to me after that month."
Shizue turned her head to look away, "I- I accidentally read yours late." She said with a disappointing tone. Sivert removed the knife from her throat and stood up, "I see." He sheathed the knife and walked away.
Shizue looked at him as he walked away, she quickly stood up. "Really? What about the apology of placing a knife to my throat?!" she shouted angrily at him.
Sivert fixed a glance at his teacher. "It was just a test, to get you to reveal the truth. Always expect the unexpected, right?"
He said in his normal tone that slowly returned and a teasing smile under his helmet, Shizue puffed her cheeks in disbelief and balled her hands into fist.
She was just tested by her own student! "Well at least wait up! I want to spend some time with you!" her protest were ignored and Sivert continued to walk away.
Shizue quickly ran for her sword that he threw and sheathed it, she ran after her student.
Free Guild Head Quarters
Sivert walked inside, his teacher followed in after him. The inside of the guild wasn't packed since it was the morning but he still received a lot of looks as he entered. It's been Three weeks since he last entered the Guild.
He walked over to the quest board and examined it. "Hey, wait up. I asked if you wanted to get breakfast first." Shizue walked up next to him, in her normal outfit. With her mask on.
"I already ate.." Sivert answered her, and continued to look for the perfect quest. Shizue crossed her arms, "You can at least take your teacher out to breakfast." The Hunter chuckled from her words.
"Maybe when I get back, I'll treat you to a meal as an apologetic gift." Sivert reached out and grabbed a paper from the board. He began to read the contents.
|A+ Adventurers needed for the extermination of the Invading Demons from the Northern coast.|
Sivert smiled underneath his helmet, this sounds like it should help him progress in getting stronger. Maybe even help him evolve into a Saint just like how's he been wanting to.
"Hey, I think you should try something different. That's very far and I think it'd be better if you did something close-" before Shizue could finish, the doors to the Guild were slammed open catching the attention of everyone.
"I'm looking for the Champion Sivert! Does anyone know where he is?!" Sivert didn't believe it, his old wealthy noble friend Lockwood was at the door with his guards.
Everyone in the guild pointed at Sivert except Shizue. "Ah! My boy there you are. Please I am in need of your expertise, I will pay anything!" Lockwood ran up to Sivert despite his old age.
"Sir Lockwood. What is it you need?" Sivert bowed in respect, Lockwood grabbed both his hands. "It's my Youngest Grandson Jamie, I believe he's gotten himself into trouble!" Lockwood shook Sivert's hands in desperation.
The Hunter exchanged looks with Shizue who only shrugged, "Alright, just tell me what happened with him?"
Lockwood took a deep breath to Calm down.
"The Sons Of Veldt Took him!"
End!