Author's Note:
I should note before this chapter begins that I've actually made some significant changes to the preceding chapter to increase canon accuracy. It may be best to give it a quick once-over before you move on. Cheers.
(It was just bothering me too much!)
Chapter 18 – Forward.
"You… IDIOTS!"
The enraged bellow echoed up and down the ancient hallway, bouncing off the hallowed stone walls only to return and assault Sorey and Mikleo's ears, further driving the point home. The two kids winced, their heads hanging lower and their feet shuffling closer together as the deceptively diminutive elder in front of them bore down upon them with the full range of righteous parental anger.
"Just what were you two thinking?!" the elder raged. "Sneaking off on your own to explore ruins without a word to anyone otherwise!" The white-haired seraph let out a breath of pure disbelief at their stupidity, shaking his head. "…To think, if I hadn't come!" his voice trailed off, his face contorted with indignation.
Both of the boys winced again, their fists curled in shame at his words.
His lower lip trembling, Sorey glanced to the side, recalling how at thing had dropped down out of nowhere and cornered him amidst the ruins. Gramps was right. Even with Mikleo there at his side… If Gramps hadn't come and driven it off…
After a pause, the elder spoke once more, this time with a gentler tone. "Sorey. Mikleo." he implored tiredly, prompting the two boys to reluctantly meet his gaze. "How many times must I repeat myself? The hellions that infest our world are a serious threat, to both human and seraph alike." His gaze, obscured by his heavy eyebrows, moved between the two boys in front of him. "You must stop taking such blatant risks, both of you."
Both boys nodded mutely, fiddling with their hands. "Yes Gramps." "Yes Gramps." they both chorused dully, quite noticeably avoiding meeting his gaze.
Zenrus's left eye twitched.
He sighed at length, relaxing his aggressive posture and pulling out his pipe in resignation. "…I see I must prepare to repeat myself some more." he muttered as he stuck the pipe in his mouth. "…In that case, all I ask is that is that if the two of you learn anything from today's ordeal, learn to be more careful." He huffed to himself, turning around and facing the darkness of the ruined hallway behind him.
"The next time you two decide to sneak off into the ruins, know that I will not stop you. I only ask that you let me know where you are going." he uttered to the empty ruins, his expression one of a surrendering parent. "Do not treat this as a blessing." he warned, waving his smoking pipe disdainfully. "It is a simple matter of fact that trying to stop you little scamps from coming into these ruins is akin to trying to halt a firestorm with my bare hands."
A shocked silence followed his resigned declaration. Sorey and Mikleo exchanged befuddled looks behind Zenrus's back, before wild smiles broke out on both their faces. The two 9-year-olds whooped simultaneously, leaping forward and latching themselves onto the poor old man in excitement.
"You're the best, Gramps!" Sorey exclaimed happily.
Mikleo hugged the elder tightly. "We'll be more careful, Gramps!" the young seraph promised heartfeltly. "Don't worry!"
"For sure, we will!" Sorey chorused without missing a beat. "Don't worry, Gramps!"
The aged, powerful seraph stumbled forward, fighting to keep the smile from breaking out on his face. "Blasted children." he grumbled half-heartedly, ruffling their hair even as they stood almost as tall as him. "Come."
Together, the two boys grinningly followed their parental figure as the seraph led them out of the darkened ruins, now completely unafraid of the presence of any hellion with the powerful elder at their sides. They soon resumed their initial chat about the ruins themselves, animatedly arguing over what era the carvings on the walls indicated. The Celestial Record was constantly in play, cited by either party as a rebuttal to the other. Zenrus himself shook his head in bemusement as the two children continued to bicker, his hands clasped habitually behind his back.
Later that day as the setting sun basked the vibrant, rolling landscape of Elysia in a glistening golden hue, Sorey found himself trotting to the familiar house at the top of the hill overlooking the entire shrine. Remembering his manners, the boy slipped his shoes off as he came in, padding quietly on the carpeted stone floor into the warm dwelling.
Sitting cross-legged before the pot suspended over the hearth, Zenrus glanced over his shoulder as Sorey entered. "Something on your mind, Sorey?" he asked.
Sorey nodded absently, kneeling down beside the seraph with respectful posture. "Yes, Gramps." He paused, taking the time to formulate his question properly. Zenrus didn't seem to mind the silence, quietly reaching out to stir the stew bubbling in the pot. The wooden ladle rubbed softly against metal, the sound mixing with that of the crackling flame to create a warm, harmonious feeling. Of being home.
Sorey's thoughts flashed back to the monster that he had seen earlier. "It's about hellions." he began, shifting in his seat.
Zenrus tilted his head slightly to indicate that he was listening, continuing to stir the pot at a methodical pace.
"Well... you said once that hellions are monsters, created by malevolence." Sorey recalled, idly staring at the gently bubbling stew in the pot. "But… what really are they?" He quickly followed up, "I know we're not supposed to fight them if we run into any. I just… was curious." he finished lamely.
The white-haired seraph let out a breath in the silence that followed, continuing to stir the pot in a clockwise direction. Eventually, he let go of the ladle and instead used his hand to bring his pipe to his mouth. "Some here in Elysia would say that hellions are the antithesis of seraphim." he stated, exhaling slowly. "Hellions spawn from malevolence – poison to us seraphim. We are natural enemies, by this logic."
Sorey's brow furrowed. "Natural enemies, huh?"
His expression fell. "But… then wouldn't that make humans like me natural enemies of seraphim too?" he asked weakly. "You once said that humans are what cause malevolence, and that's why seraphim can't live near too many of 'their kind'…"
Zenrus gave the young boy a long, considering look. "...You're worried about your own identity." he stated seriously. "Your place amongst seraphim."
The boy nodded mutely, fiddling with his hands.
The smell of tobacco filled the room as the seraph inhaled through the pipe, slowly exhaling and letting the smoke mix with the rising steam from the bubbling stew.
"…Hellions have always been beings to fear, for all stretches of history imaginable." Zenrus spoke, idly studying the sheening gold of his pipe. "Borne of malevolence, they are raw, untamed beasts, naturally drawn to extremes. That is why I bid you to run should you ever encounter any in person."
"So, they really are just monsters," Sorey began, "just like Mikleo says-"
"Don't interrupt me, child." Zenrus snapped, causing Sorey to instantly zip his mouth shut.
The seraph let out a breath. "…For many, it is of a simple enough matter to place other beings into categories." he continued. "Yet, it is merely a matter of time until those same people inevitably come to the realization that things are never so simple." He turned and met Sorey's eyes directly, his pipe in his hand.
"Heed my words, Sorey." he intoned seriously. "The world is a vast and complex place, full of places and beings just as varied in traits and behavior.
"Be guarded, and carry yourself through its hallowed lands with strength, determination, and an open mind. Listen to what you feel in your heart is right." he finished, drawing deeply from the pipe in his hand.
"…That is all you need to know."
The smoke left his lips once more, trailing upwards and into the air.
Shepherd Sorey sighed, mutely staring at his own reflection rippling in the clear waters of the lake. The memories of that day from his youth were still clear in his head, even after all the time that had passed.
What is right… huh?
He shook himself, reminding himself of what he was there for. Tearing his eyes from his reflection, he knelt down and dunked the empty pot in his hands into the clear waters with a soft splash, distorting the water. After letting the excess water drain out, Sorey stood with the filled pot and turned away from the quiet lakeside, setting off.
His boots crunched on the mix of gravel and grass as he followed the game trial back. A murder of crows cawed noisily in the distance, nesting amidst the sparse trees dotting the surrounding ragged landscape of the Biroclef Ridge. Sparse clumps of clouds dotted the sky above, intermittently hiding the distant setting sun from view. The air was cold and crisp – still slightly humid in the wake of the drizzling rain that had fallen that morning.
To think that when the day had begun, so many things had been different.
The group had set up camp not long after they had left the earth shrine, finding a dry patch of dirt on the crest of a hill amidst the clearing weather to rest for the night. Silence reigned over the campsite as the Shepherd returned with the filled pot of water, the other members of the group mutely going about their perfunctory tasks settling down for the night. The distant murder of crows continued to caw, filling the silence as Sorey knelt down, placing the pot of water and quietly igniting the prepared bundle of firewood and starter underneath.
The stew was bubbling heartily by the time the group had finished with their tasks, gathering together before the warmth of the campfire. The sun had long since disappeared beyond the distant horizon, leaving the light of the flickering campfire a ship adrift in a sea of darkness. Her features cast in the grim lighting, Rose, sitting cross-legged before the fire, was the first to break the pregnant silence.
"It's time you finally spilled the beans, Lailah." she announced. "We all heard what Velvet said today, but it all doesn't make any sense yet." She furrowed her brow, crossing her arms. "Just what is she after? What did she mean by Sorey being her 'tool?'"
"Right." Sitting beside the assassin, Sorey nodded seriously. "Lailah. Please tell us what you know."
Lailah nodded slowly, threading her fingers together atop her bunched-up dress. "Well…" she hesitated; her expression deeply preoccupied. Yet before she could continue, she was interrupted.
"You won't get too much out of her because of her oath."
The group turned in surprise as Edna stepped forward out of the shadows surrounding the darkened campsite, her expression serious and grim. Tapping her unopened umbrella rhythmically on the gravel underfoot, she said, "You should ask me instead."
Emotions flitted through Lailah's expression. "…Edna." she breathed.
Standing behind Rose, Dezel crossed his arms. "So." the wind seraph concluded. "You knew, too."
At his words, Mikleo got to his feet hotly. "I knew there was something off!" he exclaimed; his eyes wide. "Edna, how could you?!"
"…Edna." Sorey's shadowed expression was unreadable as he asked in a quiet tone, "Is this true?"
The earth seraph held Sorey's gaze resolutely. "That's right." she confirmed with an inflectionless voice. Her umbrella continued to tap rhythmically on the gravel. "I recognized who she was the moment I met you all. I kept the secret about a hellion in our midst to myself. She told me and Lailah what she was after, and I never said a word about it."
Her umbrella stopped tapping. "Feel free to hate me for it." she offered emotionlessly. "If you'd like, I can even leave. It doesn't matter to me."
"But why?" Sorey urged quietly. "Why did she do all of this, and what does she want with me?" He shook his head, clarifying his question, "Just what is she after?"
Edna looked on quietly. "Maotelus."
Rose blinked uncomprehendingly. "…One of the strongest seraphim in the world? What could Velvet possibly want with him?"
"She wants to save him."
A quiet silence fell. The group exchanged utterly incredulous glances at her words, as well as the flurry of implications such a statement created. It was simply too much to take in at once.
Edna abruptly opened her umbrella, raising it to rest on her shoulder as she spun it idly in the darkness. "That's all I'll say." she said quietly. "The rest you'll have to find out on your own."
Dezel's teeth bared. "What?" he said incredulously. "You can't just say something like that without an explanation! Why the hell would Maotelus need a Shepherd to save him? And why would a hellion even want to save him?"
She simply stared back at him; her eyes unreadable.
"Tch!" A growl of frustration echoed in Dezel's throat as he recognized the iron wall he was facing.
Sitting in front of the wind seraph, Rose crossed her arms seriously. "…There's a lot of stuff to unpack from what you just said, Edna. But I guess we'll just have to find out for ourselves if you're not going to tell us more."
Edna nodded wordlessly in confirmation. It was clear to all that there was no more information she was going to divulge in that respect.
"As for how I knew her," she continued, pressing on and answering their other unspoken questions, "I had never seen her before our meeting at Rayfalke. But I recognized who she was, going by what my brother had described in his letters, long ago." She glanced off to the side. "About the person he had once traveled with."
Mikleo blinked, his fists curled at his sides. "…A seraph knowingly associating with a hellion – and a Lord of Calamity at that?" he said in disbelief. "Do you really expect me to believe that?!" he demanded.
"Believe me or not, that's your choice." Her gaze returned to Sorey's. "…You can have me leave, like I said." she said in an inflectionless voice. "I don't mind. But this is all I will say about her – nothing more."
Silence fell in the wake of her words, filled only by the crackling of the flames in their midst. The shadows bordering the sea of darkness around them seemed to shift and warp ominously with each twist of the flames. Their own shadows, cast long by the campfire, danced amidst the quiet.
Suddenly, Sorey stood, gravel crunching underneath his boots.
His expression was shadowed as he faced the earth seraph. "…Okay." he said quietly. "I'll trust you, Edna." His right hand fell habitually to his sword pommel, his fingers slowly rapping upon the ceremonial wood. "I'll trust that you had a reason to keep this a secret, and to continue to keep the rest of it from me."
His gaze swept across all of his companions gathered before him, his jaw stiff. "I've always counted on all of you, for every step of the way down the path of the Shepherd. And I won't stop now." His eyes studied all of his friends; his gaze unreadable. "I'll just keep going forward from here, and trust in you all." He abruptly turned around, putting his back to them all.
"…I don't know what else I'd do." he admitted quietly, more to himself than to anyone else.
The group watched mutely as the Shepherd walked off alone, headed to his bedroll for the night. The silence continued from there, broken only by the cracking and popping of the dying fire in the enveloping darkness.
"I'm tellin' ya! That lady barkeep over there is fine! I oughta…"
"You oughta stop drinking for tonight is what you oughta. How many have you had already?"
"Uhm, seven, I think? Wait no…" A hiccup. "…Yeah, sev'n."
A sigh. "You're hopeless…"
A gruff laugh. "That he is. Ever darn time we go drinkin' his ass gets wasted."
"I ain't wasted!"
"Cross-eyed idiot says what?"
"Wuh?"
A raucous burst of laughter rang out over the general noisy dim of the tavern, followed by non-coherent drunken slurs of indignation. Sitting by herself in an isolated corner of the bar, Velvet sighed and focused her hearing elsewhere, idly fingering the nearly untouched glass of red wine in front of her.
All around her, more and more townsfolk were getting drunker and drunker, and were as such growing louder and louder. Some of the information was utterly useless, as always – gossip over local town boys, who stole crop from who, and the like. But every now and then the therion would catch wind of something truly useful.
"Did you hear?" One trader asked, lounging back in his chair while repetitively tapping his beer bottle on the table. "They say that the rumors of infighting between the Church and the Knights are true."
"I'd believe it." his acquaintance replied, pausing to take a swig. "That Captain and the Cardinal were always saying completely opposite things. T'was only a matter of time until that tinderbox caught ablaze."
"From the sound of things, it looks like it'll be up to who the King sides with to truly end the conflict." The trader rapped his fingers on the table. "All I know for sure is that all this uncertainty is bad for business. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll hurry up and figure themselves out already."
"Heh!" the other barked, taking another deep swig of his drink. "You and I must be talking about two different Rolances."
"…Ugh. Ain't that the truth."
The two of them clinked the necks of their beer bottles together before both rearing back and chugging the last of their drinks. The door to the tavern slammed as some villagers left while others fresh off of work stepped into the noisy atmosphere.
Velvet's ears twitched as she registered the footsteps of a lone teen reeking of drink stumbling towards the stool at her side. She turned her head and glared daggers directly at the approaching teen; an unspoken warning clear in her venomous gaze. Predictably, the young man flinched and swerved drunkenly off to the side, seemingly as if he had remembered something else that he had to do. That having been dealt with, she shifted in her seat, focusing her attention elsewhere.
"…Hey. You hear about that Shepherd guy? I heard he's in Rolance." a logger remarked, sipping his drink on the other end of the bar.
One of the barkeeps raised an eyebrow, perfunctorily wiping down the glass in his hands. "That's old news now. I heard from a cousin of mine how he single-handedly routed our forces his supposed powers." He raised the glass up to the light for a closer inspection. "Still sounds like a load of rubbish to me, though. Maybe the drink's finally getting to him."
"Hell, I'd happily let this stuff get to me if it means that there really is a bon a fide Shepherd out there." the logger grunted, coincidentally taking a big chug of his drink. "…Heard from a friend of mine that Rolance might be considering another offensive." he sighed, running a hand through his mangled hair.
"Damn. You're not serious?" In response to the man's glum nod the barkeep sighed, shaking his head. "We can hardly feed ourselves and the crown's thinking of spending the rest of its money on war?"
"I imagine Hyland's feeling about the same right now. We are technically at war right now, after all." the logger replied. "…Wonder where that Shepherd is now." he pondered glumly. "If he's even real."
Velvet ran her finger along the rim of the clear wine glass, contemplatively staring forward. All around her, the dim of talking and laughing seemed to rise and fall like waves of an ocean, engulfing her in a sea of noise. Her thoughts were constantly in motion, considering one course of action after the other.
Suddenly, a feminine shriek rang out over the uninterrupted clamor, drawing her attention.
"Hey! Let me go!" The barkeep demanded hotly, vainly tugging her wrist away from the hand that had clamped around it.
The drunken man leered at her, his breath reeking of alcohol. "I'm just giving you a complement, lady." he slurred, taking a step forward. "It's not nice manners to ignore people, you know…" His free hand rose, poised to land a strike.
His eyes bulged. "I oughta teach you a lesson!" The hand fell.
CRASH!
Suddenly, the raucous tavern fell completely silent, the attention of the dozens of clients drawn to the limp body of the drunk pervert who had just been kicked clean into the wall, knocked out in one fell swoop. Velvet crossed her arms, repeatedly tapping her index finger on her arm as she looked over her handiwork, before turning and facing the surprised barkeep with a softer expression. "…You alright?" she asked.
The barkeep nodded. "I am, thanks for that. But…" her gaze shifted past the other woman; trepidation clear in her expression.
Velvet followed her gaze and internally sighed as she laid her eyes upon the half-dozen burly-looking men stepping towards her, all in varying stages of inebriation.
"…What?" she growled lowly at them, her index finger continuing to tap in irritation.
"I won't say he didn't deserve tha'." one of the men grunted. "But. Ye hit one of us, ye hit all of us. Tha's the rule." Grumbles of assent from the other men accompanied his statement. The man brought his knuckles to his chest, progressively and audibly cracking each knuckle. "Now 'e get to hit back." he sucked in a hard breath. Velvet's muscles tensed.
"GET HER!"
Chaos exploded in an instant, enveloping the tavern into a space of complete and unbridled anarchy. Tables were upturned smashing glass containers and spilling alcohol, chairs were thrown splintering noisily against the walls, and men roared and bellowed as they attacked like a pack of enraged bulls. Those who didn't want any part in the conflict hurriedly scattered out of the building, taking their drinks with them while more brutes looking to dish out justice charged in, aiming to land a blow upon the stranger who had slighted them and their friends.
Velvet danced to a violent rhythm amidst it all, gracefully sliding between the brute attacks of her attackers. Her steel boot whistled through the air as she twisted abruptly, landing with a satisfying crash upon one of them and sending the man flying. Without delay, the therion used her follow-through to twist into a backflip, dodging a wooden chair thrown her way. She kicked off with both feet as she landed, twisting around to strike the head of the lumbering man trying to grab her from behind. He tumbled to the soiled floorboards below, unconscious.
Instantly gauging the distance and trajectory, the woman snapped her foot forward and sent the fallen barstool at her feet flying away at the very same moment that she whirled around to slam her steel boot into the crotch of another attacker, who bent over with a high-pitched yowl. Said attacker was then unceremoniously slammed into the bottom of the bar by her follow-up roundhouse kick right at the same time the barstool that she had sent flying seconds ago slammed into another man on the other side of the tavern, breaking his nose and sending him reeling.
She twisted around, her body poised in a fighting stance as she faced the remaining attackers, her eyes narrowed. The six men exchanged furious glances between each other and nodded before lunging forward as one with ferocious cries, wielding assorted pieces of furniture as clubs. Velvet readied herself, her tongue clicking in annoyance.
"GAH!"
She blinked as one of her six opponents was swept off his feet, only to have his head kicked unconscious by a newcomer woman wearing the clothes of a trader. The newcomer then quickly leapt acrobatically away from the retaliating swing of the man's friends, landing lightly next to Velvet with barely a sound.
Felice Talfryn of the Scattered Bones glanced over her shoulder, sending Velvet an amused look. "Having fun, Velvet?" she asked casually.
"Not especially." The therion raised an eyebrow. "Did Rose send you?"
"Of course."
The two women simultaneously leapt away in graceful dodges as the gang of drunkards reached them, wildly swinging their weapons at the two strangers with roars of fury. Felice bounced off the nearby wall, whirling around to bash her boot into the back of one of her opponents, sending him stumbling into his friend. Velvet, meanwhile, jerked the leg of a bar stool out of one of the men's hands, only to flip it around in her grip and slam it into the side of his head, sending him reeling.
"The boss wanted me to keep tabs on you." Felice explained as the two of them propped up against each other's shoulders, the remaining three men bearing down upon them. She gave her a shrug. "I figured there wasn't any point in trying to hide from you."
Velvet ducked her head to avoid a clumsy slash of a barstool. "Fair enough." With a concise sweep of her feet, her opponent was sent crashing onto the ground, whereupon he was unceremoniously kicked unconscious by Felice. Said assassin leapt back as she was forced to dodge the remaining two men ganging up on her, both of whom were wielding short knives in absolute fury.
Before Felice could pull out her own daggers in response, the two men were suddenly thrown clear across the entire length of the tavern, slamming violently into the opposite corner and falling into a disorganized heap, unconscious.
Felice raised an eyebrow as Velvet stepped forward, flicking her seemingly normal bandaged left arm in the aftermath of her attack. "…You really are one of those hellion-things, huh?" the assassin observed, an intrigued expression on her face.
"No more reason to pretend I'm not." Velvet replied succinctly, resting a hand on her hip. She glanced over her shoulder to survey the results of the battle; her lips thinned.
"I got it." Felice walked across the desecrated tavern, acutely stepping over the heads of the fallen men to arrive at the bar, whereupon she reached into her jacket and plopped a leather pouch full of gald on the counter. "That should suffice." She turned around and gestured towards the door. "Now let's get outta here before the town guard makes things difficult."
Velvet nodded. Together, the two stepped out into the fading light, leaving the wrecked tavern and the collection of unconscious men behind in their wake.
The town was a collection of stone buildings amassed in the center of various patches of farms situated amidst the vast Meadow of Triumph. With their settlement having been built along the primary road between Lastonbell and the capital, the townsfolk were accustomed to strangers coming and going at all times of the day. Trader wagons rumbled in the streets as caravans went about looking for a place to rest as the sun went down. Local farmers walked tiredly back to their homes, their arms and clothing dirty and marred with sweat. In the distance, a group of dogs began to bark at each other, their yips and yowls carrying easily through the plains for miles around.
Velvet and Felice walked amidst the busy streets by the light of the flickering streetlamps, both making a point to avoid any large groups of town guards in the process as they distanced themselves away from the tavern.
"'…If it's evil, the Scattered Bones slay it.'" Felice quoted suddenly.
She gave Velvet a look as the two of them came to a halt at the entrance of town, a good distance away from the rest of the townsfolk and out of earshot. "I gotta say it, Velvet." she remarked. "You're not making things very easy for us with what you've been doing."
Velvet crossed her arms. "You're free to try to kill me, if you'd like." the therion offered. "As for how it'll end for you…"
Felice shook her head, her red hair shifting from side to side. "I don't doubt it'll be ugly. I sure hope it doesn't come down to that." The assassin tilted her head thoughtfully. "But from the looks of things, even the Boss has no idea what to make of you. You're an enigma to pretty much everyone, Velvet Crowe."
"What's so hard to figure out?" Velvet waved a hand disdainfully. "I'm a monster, manipulating and killing to get what I want. Short and simple."
Felice hummed thoughtfully, crossing her arms. "…While that might be true, you also remind me of Rose in a lot of other ways." She gave the other woman a meaningful gesture. "I'm sure she feels the same way as well."
"Do they know where they're going next?" Velvet asked, raising an eyebrow. "The Shepherd and Rose?"
Felice nodded. "They do. They've decided to head towards the next trial, west of the capital of Pendrago in Aifread's Hunting Grounds. They should arrive there in about a week."
The therion blinked. "…That's more information than I thought you'd give." she noted neutrally.
"I see no harm in it." Felice replied, shifting on her feet. "The Boss told me all about how hellions are supposed to be these crazy possessed monsters that spawn out of this Malevolence, and how part of the Shepherd's journey is to help save humanity from them. Still, I look at you and see none of that."
"Looks can be deceiving, as I'm sure Rose found out." Velvet pointed out darkly.
"I'm sure she did." Felice leaned in intently, her eyes glistening in the torchlight as she examined Velvet with a candid gaze. "…Hellion or not, there's no denying that you're a dangerous woman, Velvet. What remains to be seen for us is whether that danger threatens the lives of the innocent."
Velvet sighed disdainfully. "Save your breath. I don't care about that." She let her hand rest upon her hip, her eyes narrowing. "What matters to me when I do what I do isn't good or evil. It's what stands between me and my goal. That's all."
Her bandaged hand fisted tightly. "I'll do whatever I have to, even if it means pretending to be the Shepherd's companion. I'll kill whoever I have to, even if that person isn't 'evil.'" She gave Felice a grim look. "I've had plenty of experience in that regard, trust me. And unlike you all, I don't have to worry about my conscience when I act." Her lips twisted upwards darkly. "That's just a perk of being a monster."
Felice looked on silently; her lips drawn in a thin line. Behind them, the thoroughfares of the town were steadily growing less and less busy, with fewer people and caravans in the streets. The streetlamps on either side of the town entrance continued to flicker, fighting off the encroaching darkness beyond.
"…So then, what is next for you?" the assassin asked quietly, crossing her arms. "What is it that you'll be doing next to achieve what you want?"
Velvet's head turned to the side as she stared out into the darkness of the meadow beyond, her eyes contemplative and her expression partially masked in shadow. Her thoughts flashed back to the various ominous conversations she'd overheard earlier. "I can't have distractions for the Shepherd right now." she stated into the night. "I'll find a way to delay this war that's brewing, one way or another."
Felice bobbed her head quietly. "…If that's the case, you should know that the Scattered Bones have not stopped aiding your 'cousin' and the rest of the Platinum Knights in their battle with the Cardinal. For now." she added.
"Good." Velvet turned her head back to face her; her expression hard. "Then for now, it would seem that our interests align in that respect."
She purposefully lifted her left arm, slowly tightening a loose strand of bandage with her other hand. "Just know this." Her eyes were deathly serious. "If you or your friends ever get in my way, I won't hesitate to devour you all in the blink of an eye. That's a promise."
With that having been said, the hellion abruptly turned on her heel and set off boldly into the dark of the nighttime wilderness, her black coat and hair swaying in the night breeze. Felice watched the former Lord of Calamity leave in silence with a hard expression; her lips drawn in a thin line. In the quiet of the night, the nearby streetlamps continued to flicker, fighting off the encroaching shadows.
And so, time passed.
The uneven walls of the massive chamber hidden underneath Aifread's Hunting Grounds in the west of Rolance shimmered constantly with waving, otherworldly light that reflected off the deep crystal-clear waters below. The sound of falling water that echoed off the surrounding walls was an eternal constant inside the vast underground space, caused by the distant cascading waterfalls. A complex network of bridges and towers were spread throughout the seemingly never-ending space between the falls which rose hauntingly out of the distant waters like disfigured ships standing defiantly against the ever-present passage of time.
Sorey walked through the shrine bridge by bridge with his eyes focused firmly forward, the others following in his steps. The scuffing of their boots on wet stone echoed loudly off the distant stone walls as they continued to traverse the path of the ancient shrine, their eyes wary and their hands never straying too far from their weapons.
At the head of the group, walking with Sorey and Lailah, Rose turned her head to the side, carefully inspecting her surroundings with a practiced eye. "…I still don't get what that thing that attacked us back there is doing here." She glanced to the side. "You're sure it's a hellion this time?" she asked.
Sorey nodded succinctly, maintaining his steady pace forward as the group transitioned from one bridge to the next. "I'm sure." he confirmed. "The malevolence it gave off was very strong."
Lailah put her hands together in thought. "That book we encountered earlier may be of significance. An excerpt from the diary of a man who had once been called Asura." Her fingers threaded together in consternation. "A man burdened by the role of the Shepherd. One… who seemed to have taken on too much of a burden." Her expression had fallen.
"'Cleave them all,' it had said." Sorey recalled quietly, tapping his fingers on the pommel of his sword. "'Cleave them all.' The last entry was just that phrase, with nothing else written. The remaining pages had all been torn out."
"Cleave all of what, exactly – vegetables for soup?" Rose waved a hand in the air helplessly. "In the end, all the diary seemed to show was a guy who wanted to save the world, and who had a tough time in doing it. What does that have to do with that hellion that attacked us earlier?"
Lailah glanced at Sorey's back worriedly. "…It is safe to say that such a well-preserved diary was intentionally made accessible to those visiting this place. Furthermore, it is unlikely that the caretakers of this shrine, whoever they might be, would allow such a hellion to reside within the shrine on accident." She hesitated, glancing forward furtively. "It might very well be that the hellion that attacked us earlier… is Asura himself."
Sorey took this information in like a sponge to water, his expression unchanging as he continued to walk forward. "…Asura or not, that hellion might attack us again at any moment." He glanced over his shoulder at the two of them; his expression serious. "Be careful, guys."
Rose and Lailah nodded wordlessly in response.
As such, they continued in wary silence. The air itself was humid and damp, yet stale with the scent of ancient stone and dislodged dirt. A large, jagged crevice in the roof of the cavern sent large volumes of water crashing down into the waters up ahead, sending droplets of water splattering upon the low-lying bridge like rainfall, soaking the group as they walked through the downfall.
The droplets pattered noisily off the amber umbrella that Edna rested on her shoulder as walked by herself at the rear of the dispersed group. She raised an eyebrow as she soon noticed Mikleo slowing his steps on purpose in order to match hers, walking alongside her amidst the silence.
She tilted her head slightly to the side in idle curiosity. "…That's strange." she observed aloud. "Have you decided to start acknowledging my presence again, Meebo?"
The water seraph crossed his arms defensively, still walking forward while keeping his gaze firmly fixed head. "I still haven't forgiven you for keeping the secret, you know." he replied shortly.
She tilted her head a bit more to the side. "What are you doing talking to me, then? It's been over two weeks."
Mikleo hesitated. "I… wanted to ask about your brother." he admitted, still not looking at her.
The earth seraph blinked, raising an eyebrow at the strange request.
He finally turned his head to meet her eyes, returning her inquisitive gaze with a peculiar look on his face. "His name was… Eizen, right?" he asked hesitantly. At her silent nod of confirmation, he elaborated, "I wanted to know what sort of person he was."
"What sort of deranged seraph would want to associate with a hellion, you mean?" Edna twirled her umbrella once more with a precise twist of her wrist. "You should say what you mean. It's rude to be dishonest, you know."
His eyes narrowed. "Look who's talking!" he shot back, anger coloring his voice.
She rolled her umbrella once more. "I know." she replied simply.
A strange sort of silence followed, broken only by the pattering of boots on stone and the distant crashing of water.
"…Look." Mikleo shook his head, the latent anger at the earth seraph having abated for the moment. "We've both seen how Sorey's been lately." He sighed, shaking his head. "Ever since she said what she said… he hasn't been the same."
Together, their gazes went to the form of their Shepherd, determinedly forging forward through the ruins with barely a hint of his former enthusiastic self. It was clear that both of them knew exactly what he meant.
"He hasn't once mentioned a single thing about the ruins ever since we entered. I don't think he's smiled for days." Edna observed absently. "It's like he's been going in circles in that head of his, suck in a loop with no end in sight."
"On that, at least, we can agree on." Mikleo shook his head soberly, watching the back of the Shepherd at the front of the group with worry. "It's like he's there, but at the same time he's not."
Edna glanced at the other seraph inquisitively. "We've all been able to tell that. But what's this got to do with my brother?"
He heaved a sigh, opening and closing his left fist in agitation. "I'm worried." he admitted openly. "With each passing day it becomes more and more apparent just how deeply that hellion's words hurt Sorey. How much her betrayal threw his world into disarray." He shook his head, his eyes distant. "…And to be honest," he admitted quietly, "I've been thinking too. About who that hellion really is."
"Calling her by her name would be a good start." Edna's suggestion was quiet.
"Which one?" Mikleo retorted. He waved a hand in the air. "And that's the thing. I can't pin her down. Going by the things you and Lailah have told us about her – going by her own words even – she'd been manipulating us from the start. She'd been so extreme, even going so far as to be willing to sacrifice Sorey's life for her own goals!"
He shook his head, his eyes growing contemplative. "…But even still, she'd been with us for so long. She'd helped us out so many times, and the things she said sometimes were so… genuine." He sighed and glanced over his shoulder; his expression deeply preoccupied. "I just get the feeling there's much, much more to her than meets the eye." he admitted. "That's all."
Edna spun her umbrella around once more, her boots landing steadily on the stone below. "So that's why you want to ask about my brother." she concluded. "To learn more about her."
Mikleo nodded, coming to a complete stop and turning to face her fully. "Assumptions and conjectures are little in the way of cold, hard evidence. When you research the past, you have to gather as much information as you can." he explained. "And that's what I'm after. If I'm to try and help Sorey through this, I have to try and understand exactly who she is. That's all."
"That's all, huh?" Edna's eyes were distant, staring out into the misty air. "Not going to try to ask me more?"
Mikleo's jaw tightened. "I think it's plenty clear now that you're not willing to elaborate to us on what exactly is wrong with Maotelus, and what a past Lord of Calamity could possibly have to do with an Empyrean's well-being." the seraph replied, his hands balled into fists. "I'm just working with what I have," he muttered lowly, "since Sorey hasn't seen fit to cast you out for your betrayal of trust."
Edna shrugged softly; her expression unchanging. "I suppose that's fair."
All around them, the cascading of water continued in the silence that followed, rumbling into the waters surrounding the bridge they stood upon. Basked in the abnormal lighting accented by the rippling of the reflecting waters below, their surroundings were akin to a different world entirely.
Abruptly, Edna turned on her heel and resumed walking, closing her umbrella succinctly with both hands. "My brother hated having others dictate what his life could be." she began.
As Mikleo fell in step with her, she continued, "For example, because of his affinity for earth, he lived at sea. If there was anyone who tried to keep him from living the way he wanted, he fought them tooth and nail. He hated being bound to the laws of others and didn't consider himself a servant to anyone but himself. Every action he made stemmed from that inherent desire to live the way he wanted."
Mikleo furrowed his brow. "Then why didn't he live with you? You said earlier that he had left you, didn't he?"
Too late did he realize the insensitivity of his words as Edna fell silent. He found himself stammering quickly to backtrack. "S-sorry if it's a sore subject-"
"I was the only one he allowed to let influence the course of his life." Edna said softly, interrupting him. The tip of her umbrella tapped in time with her steps forward. "That just showed how much he cared for me."
"I… I don't follow." he said hesitantly.
Edna gave him a dull look. "His seraphic 'blessing' caused misfortune to fall to those around him. It was really more of a curse." She turned her head back forward, angling her face away from Mikleo. "He thought it was too dangerous for me to be near him, so he left. For my own safety." she explained emotionlessly.
Silence fell in the wake of her words, punctuated by the repetitive rapping of their boots on stone.
"Did that answer your question?" Edna's voice was quiet.
Finding his voice, Mikleo nodded, his expression having softened. "…It did." he replied. "Thank you, Edna."
She nodded wordlessly in response. The two of them continued to walk amidst the silence behind the group, side by side at the same pace. In the distance, the final bridge loomed before them all, a massive entryway in the cavern wall leading to a grand chamber that promised to be the end to the trial of water.
The sound of falling water lessened amidst the hallowed air of the vaulted chamber as Sorey and the others stepped forward through the gateway. The large room was empty, save for a closed stone door at the other end, and a pedestal in the middle. Together, they warily approached the center of the circular area towards the preserved book that had been laid atop the pedestal.
"Another part of the Shepherd's diary, it would seem." Lailah noted as Sorey stepped forward, carefully turning the leather cover over to the first page.
The Shepherd nodded. "This one seems to be the complete copy." he observed, flipping through the pages with careful hands. "It looks like what we saw earlier was missing the last few pages." He stopped flipping, quietly reading the text on the aged pages.
Dezel crossed his arms. "I'm tired of this leading around by the nose." he muttered. "They could have just told us what we're supposed to do from the start rather than leave these cryptic clues all over the place."
Lailah intertwined her fingers together before her dress thoughtfully. "It's likely he or she who designed this place made deciphering the Shepherd's objective as part of the trial itself." she conjectured.
Standing to the side, Edna tapped the tip of her umbrella on the stone floor. "Which means nothing that we've seen so far has been a coincidence. It's all been orchestrated to test Sorey, to see if he has the correct reaction to it all."
Standing beside her, Mikleo crossed his arms. "Not much room for error, then." he concluded.
"'…Cleave them all.'"
Sorey's voice drew their attention, his words echoing off the curved walls of the chamber. "'I know now what I must do. Every day, malevolence encroaches further upon the world. I can stop neither disaster nor war. It is no good.'" Sorey slowly flipped the page, reaching the very end of the presented diary. "'…There is only one true way to solve this problem. Only one true way to stop the futility of my actions. I need greater power if I am to do so. To vanquish this malevolence… once and for all. To cleave them all.'" he finished reading, furrowing his brow.
Mikleo's eyes abruptly widened. "SOREY!" he yelled, charging forward.
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
The world abruptly erupted into a chaotic flurry of sparks and steel as massive weapons rained down from seemingly nowhere only to slam against Mikleo's hastily erected shield over Sorey and himself. The rest of the group quickly leapt back as a malevolent, multi-armed giant crashed down into the chamber, frothing at the mouth while wielding an assortment of oversized metal weapons in each of his six hands. With an immense breath, the horned beast let out a wild bellow, the sound echoing deafeningly within the vaulted chamber.
"The hellion from before!" Rose yelled as she landed in a fighting stance, drawing her daggers.
Sorey quickly drew his own sword, exchanging a nod of thanks with Mikleo as the seraph dispelled his shield with a flick of his staff. "Everyone, get ready!" he warned as the monster's body tensed. Together, the group scattered as the giant charged, its heavy footfalls causing the ground itself to shake.
Dezel was quick to dodge the spear of the hellion as it zeroed in on him, leaping to the side with a flash of wind mana. He retaliated with a flick of his wrist, sending a pendulum flying into the exposed flesh of the giant's back. It barely seemed to notice the attack, instead swinging back around with another one of this six arms to force the seraph once more into a dodge. At the very same instant, it swept its other arms in tandem, sweeping the metal weapons around with a roar to cause the rest of the group to give the raging monster a wide berth.
"Lailah!" Sorey called, readjusting the grip on the sword in his hand as he intently observed his opponent. "What can you tell me?"
"I'm afraid there isn't much I can offer!" the fire seraph replied, hurtling a fireball at the monster with a swift flick of her wrist. The arte exploded as it collided directly upon the monster's chest, but barely elicited a response as it continued in stride, charging forward like a bull. "This hellion seems to be completely engulfed in rage." she responded. "The most prudent approach to besting it may simply be to match it in raw power!"
Sorey nodded, turning his head. "Rose!" he prompted.
The assassin quickly leapt away from the monster's side, sheathing her knives and giving him a short nod. "You got it!"
"LUZROV RULAY!"
"FETHMUS MIOMA!"
The Shepherd and his squire were engulfed in vast quantities of mana as they fused on the spot with their seraphim in two blinding flashes of blue and red light. When the light faded, two angels of water and fire stood in their places, their eyes ablaze with brilliant golden hues.
Dezel dodged the monster's swings once more, leaping back and quickly readjusting his top hat. "We'll stick to long range artes. Don't let them distract us!" he warned them.
At his side Edna nodded in agreement, focusing her mind before slamming her foot into the stone floor. Her actions forced a spike of stone to violently jut up out of the ground and into the monster, yet it barely even reacted in response.
"WALL OF FIRE!"
Before the frothing monster could retaliate, it was forced to guard with all its limbs as a massive spout of fire exploded from out of nowhere and crawled towards it. Rose's face was twisted into an expression of deep concentration as she urged the flames onward, driving the monster back and away from the rest of the seraphim.
Just as the flames puttered out, the hellion was pierced by a violent barrage of azure arrows, each slamming into its skin and sending it stumbling backwards. His eyes aglow with mana, Sorey drew his arm back once more, angling his bow upwards once more. "Rose, get ready!" he yelled, closing his eyes and focusing.
Not needing elaboration, the armatized squire quickly exploded forward with her longsword held out behind her, charging into the barrage of metal weapons held by the hellion as it attacked her. Sparks flew loudly as she drew arcs of flame with the tip of her long sword, wielding Lailah's flames with graceful swings that rivaled the brute strength of her opponent.
"NOW!" Mikleo's disembodied voice soon rang out, causing Rose to instantly disengage and fall back, just in time to avoid being caught in the line of fire of Sorey and Mikleo's arte.
"ARROW SQUALL!"
The world became one of flashes of blue as a shower of razor-sharp blades of water mana crashed down from above in one relentless burst directly upon the distracted hellion. A roar of agony echoed through the chamber as the arrows hit their mark, each slamming against the monster's skin with an audible thwack.
Anger winning out over pain, the giant forcefully pushed through the agony and shoved himself forward and out of the line of fire, bearing down upon Rose with bloody streaks all over his body.
CRASH!
Only to run directly into the combined artes of Edna and Dezel as they finalized their complex incantations, eliciting a massive explosion of crystalized earth and razor-sharp wind directly at its feet and sending it hurtling back into the wall of the chamber with a deafening crash.
Heaving for breath, the mindless giant recovered from the blow by slamming one of its many fists on the ground, pushing its enormous body back up onto its feet. Its expression was contorted into pure fury, its mouth frothing in rage as it glared at them all, tensing its muscles to charge once more.
Sorey stepped forward abruptly, dispelling the armatus and lowering the sword in his hand, drawing the attention of the mindless beast.
"Shepherd." he called out. "That's enough."
He carefully met the pupil-less eyes of the monster with respect, purposefully keeping his stance straight and unaggressive. "I know who you are, Asura." he announced gently. "And I know what you want."
Behind him, the group exchanged glances at his words, all carefully on edge and prepared in the case the monster resumed its rampage once more.
"You wanted to save the world back then." he continued steadily. "You wanted to stop the suffering and the chaos wrought by the malevolence." He rapped his fingers on the pommel of his sword. "So much so that you came to realize that the only way to really do that… would be to cleave them all." He carefully held its eyes, observing the mad lack of emotion within them.
"That is, to eradicate all of humanity." he concluded quietly. "To truly purge the world of the source of malevolence once and for all."
Asura's rage-filled eyes widened at his words. The raised arms of the furious hellion faltered slightly, its hulking breath hitching momentarily.
Sorey shifted on his feet. "I asked the one who raised me about this, long ago." he explained softly, his eyes distant. "About how humans are the source of all malevolence in this world. He never did give me a clear answer as to what was the right thing to do. All he could tell me that this was indeed the case – that humans truly are the source of it all."
He met Asura's eyes once more, respect in his gaze. "All you wanted to do was to save the world from the malevolence." he intoned softly. He gently rested his free hand on his chest. "As a fellow Shepherd myself, I can respect that desire. I promise."
Asura stared at him unblinkingly in the silence that followed, broken only by the distant crashing of water through the gateway behind them. And then, ever so slowly, the monster's raised weapons fell limply down by its side.
It opened its mouth.
"…It was all I wanted." It growled roughly, its guttural voice coarse and low with remorse. "I tried looking for other answers. I truly did." The hulking monster exhaled slowly, its grip on its weapons pulsing roughly. "But in the end… it was just too hard."
"Your anger towards yourself was what turned you into a hellion, wasn't it?" Sorey said softly, taking a step forward. "You knew what you needed to do, but you knew how much you didn't want to."
Behind him, Mikleo took an alarmed step forward in response to Sorey's bold actions but stopped when Edna sent him a meaningful glance.
Asura the fallen Shepherd nodded slowly; his bared teeth gritted harshly. "They all abandoned me." he growled. "Cast me off as mad. And I fully knew they were right to do so. But even still…" He abruptly let out a shattering roar, whirling around and slamming all six of his weapons into the stone wall of the chamber in absolute fury.
"I HAVE TO DO IT!" he screamed.
Sorey continued to step forward heedlessly towards the fallen Shepherd. "I understand." he promised. "I am travelling down the very same path you did." He shook his head, fisting his free hand before himself. "And I'm still going. I still intend to save this tortured world from the malevolence, as is my duty as a Shepherd."
His fist fell down limply by his side, his eyes distant. "…Even though I'm not entirely sure how to go about doing it."
Breathing heavily, Asura slowly absorbed the young Shepherd's words, his stiff jaw loosening in their wake. Quietly, the hulking monster nodded his head, carefully eyeing Sorey. "…If that is so…"
He paused, before inclining his head, seemingly confirming his thoughts to himself. "…Then perhaps it would be best… Yes, best, for me to pass my burden on to you." His many hands let go of the weapons embedded in the wall beside him as he brought one of his monstrous appendages up before his eyes, his inhuman expression grim. "I… I see now… I see now that I am no longer fit for duty."
Sorey quietly sheathed his sword as he walked forward, respect in his gaze.
"Through the many years of my existence, I lost it all." he muttered blithely, growing reflective. "My companions deserted me. My righteous belief in myself vanished. But most cutting of all… I lost control. I was adrift in a sea of madness, lost by my own desire for prosperity." He let out a low breath as his gaze fell once more upon the Shepherd before him. "…Perhaps you might fare better, young Shepherd." he supposed softly. "Perhaps you might find the answer that I sought, so, so long ago."
Asura angled his head up to the ceiling unseeingly as Sorey approached, his empty monstrous hands falling limply by his sides. "…All I wanted was to save the world." he bemoaned, squeezing his eyes shut with hopelessness. "That was all I wanted." A single tear fell from his pupil-less eye, streaking down his inhuman skin.
Sorrow in the face of his failure.
The feathers on his white glove emblazoned with the sigil of the Shepherd moved in tandem as Sorey raised his left palm towards the form of the monster, his eyes soft. "…Rest now." he said quietly. "I'll do my best, no matter what."
With that, he closed his eyes and focused, unleashing the powers of purification that engulfed the hellion in a conflagration of silver. The flames burned unnaturally brightly amidst the chamber, casting hauntingly long and flickering shadows against the surrounding walls as it consumed the hellion. When it was all over, nothing remained of the fallen Shepherd's legacy but burnt ashes, settling silently on the floor where the hellion once stood.
Slowly, Shepherd Sorey turned his back upon the ashes to face the rest of his followers, his eyes determined. "…Let's go, guys." he urged quietly.
They nodded back in return.
Together, the group sheathed their weapons and walked over to the stone door embedded in the wall, leaving the empty chamber and the opened diary on the pedestal behind. With a gentle touch of the Shepherd's hand, the blue sigil emblazoned upon the door flashed brightly, ancient artes pulling the stone slabs apart with a grating squeal of stone on stone.
Behind, in the final chamber at the end of it all, stood a lone woman in a dress of white and blue.
Power coursed and surged steadily through the domain that they entered as they stepped through the entryway, clearly demarcating it as the aura of the Empyrean of Water. Sorey stepped forward at the head of the group, respectfully holding the gaze of the god as they came to a halt before her.
"You did well."
The woman's voice strong and powerful as she studied Sorey with piercingly keen eyes. "The late Asura was filled with regrets. Ones that you were intelligent enough to discern and express. An admirable job."
Sorey nodded, stepping forward. "I take it you are the Empyrean Amenoch?"
"Correct." The water Empyrean crossed her arms, her body shifting slightly with the action. "…It isn't normal for I as an Empyrean to appear before the Shepherd, yet as Eumacia has chosen fit to do so, it seems only right that I do so in kind." With that, she uncrossed and raised a single gloved hand, hovering two of her fingers in Sorey's direction.
A hum of power filled the chamber as the spiritual power of water seeped into Sorey's veins at the Empyrean's behest, entering his body with a vigorous, acute sense of strength. Flexing his fists in response to the bestowment of power, Sorey respectfully nodded, feeling the strength of his domain growing ever more intense in the aftermath. "Thank you." he said.
Lowering her gloved hand, Amenoch continued to study him with keen eyes reminiscent of a hawk. "Two more trials await you. I assure you that we Empyreans will be following your progress with great interest."
Rose stepped forward. "About that." she addressed the god. "I've got a question for you, if you don't mind."
As the Empyrean's gaze turned to her, the assassin elaborated, "You say you'll watch Sorey's actions, but you clearly don't plan on doing anything more than that. Eumacia also mentioned something about the Shepherd's burden being his and his alone." She tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Is there a reason why you Empyreans don't do… more?" she asked hesitantly. "You're all like, super powerful, aren't you?"
Amenoch nodded in response to the squire's query. "Our role is to represent and embody the four elements that serve as the foundation for this world." she replied. "It is a delicate balance. One that has been carefully maintained throughout much of the history of the world."
"…So." Dezel crossed his arms. "The Shepherd is a mediator. Someone that can right the wrongs of the world by proxy, so that the balance can be kept."
Amenoch nodded. "Such has been the arrangement that has persisted between the Empyreans of the world. The Shepherd is to be the champion that faces the challenges that arise through the passage of time." The regally dressed woman shifted slightly, letting her hand fall from her hip. "…You are all aware of the Lord of Calamity. His presence is one that threatens the delicate balance and is a threat that only the Shepherd can quell." Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "As of now, another roams the land as well. One I believe you are all closely familiar with."
Sorey's expression deepened. "…Velvet Crowe." he answered, his jaw tightening. "The Lord of Calamity from a thousand years ago."
"Her presence is also subject to great interest from us." She placed a single hand on her hip, the blue earring dangling from her right ear lobe swinging softly with the movement. "…As I find myself in the unusual position of having direct contact with you, I would like to offer something to you, Shepherd."
Her steady gaze carefully bore into Sorey's, her steeled expression betraying no emotion. "I offer unique, personal information regarding this second Lord of Calamity that you face." she said as a statement of fact. "It is your choice whether to accept or deny it."
Mikleo shifted on his feet, frowning. "…Does this possibly have anything to do with the person you once were?" he asked. "Like what Eumacia mentioned?"
Amenoch nodded slowly. "You are correct in that the form I take was too once a soul of a human. The memories of this particular soul have returned to me in time. They are accessible if I wish." She crossed her arms. "Regardless, what matters now is what the Shepherd wishes with regards to the information I offer to him. That is all."
Sorey's boot scuffed on the stone as he took a step forward. "…Please. Tell us."
"Are you certain?" Amenoch tested, her otherworldly green eyes seemingly burrowing into his. "You may not react well to direct proof of who the being that associated with you really is."
"Well, that certainly doesn't bode well." Mikleo muttered, crossing his arms.
Sorey shook his head, breaking eye contact with the Empyrean and instead looking away distantly. "…I'm still looking for answers." he admitted. "Just as how Asura himself searched, I too find myself looking for who I really am, and what I believe is right."
Slowly, he turned his gaze back towards the golden-haired Empyrean, determination steeling his gaze. "Please. Share with me what you have seen." he requested.
Amenoch seemed satisfied with his response, nodding slowly. "…As you wish."
Her expression seemed to morph in an instant, her previously emotionless eyes narrowing with acute, vicious rage while her gloved fingers curled fiercely into fists, shaking with rage. "…Then I shall impart to you the true nature of that despicable monster." the Empyrean spat, spontaneous venom coloring her words. "The one that murdered my brother in front of my very eyes."
A shocked silence fell in the wake of her words.
With that, the woman shut her eyes and raised a hand directly towards them all. A low hum filled the chamber, the domain seeming to shift with the Empyrean's actions. The group exchanged glances as a strange warbling sound resounded out into the air, originating from a shining orb that had begun to pulsate on the ground before them.
With one last final burst of colored light, the newly formed iris gem clinked quietly as it landed on the stone at the Shepherd's feet, glowing with an innocuous violet hue.
When Amenoch lowered her hand, the fanged emotion that had so suddenly appeared in her expression had vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, stone once more steeling her unaffected features.
"These are the memories of an event that is important to this particular soul, retrieved from the land itself through the strength of its hatred." she explained, her voice once more level and steady. "With this, I bid you farewell, Shepherd. I shall trust you to do with this information what you judge best."
Her eyes were unreadable as she studied him one last time. "For the sake of this world."
With that, the mysterious woman closed her eyes as if falling back asleep, before being engulfed in a stream of blinding blue mana. The pulsating light soon faded, leaving the group alone once more amidst the empty chamber. Behind them, through the open doorway, the sound of distant flowing water continued to echo through the cavernous chambers.
Slowly, Sorey stepped forward amidst the renewed silence, kneeling down towards the iris gem at his feet. He reached towards the mesmerizing surface of the stone with his gloved hand before hesitating for a split second.
And then he pushed forward and wrapped his fingers around it, enveloping their world in a different time and place.
What they all saw next was a memory borne of a canvas of white, marred by streaks of bright red. One of violence, tragedy, and rage.
Unhindered and clear.
Unmistakable.
The screams of Teresa Linares lasted all the way until she was cut down herself – until the memory itself ended in a slash of red, followed by only darkness. Her last utterance was a pained, delirious repetition of her brother's name, before her ultimate death at the hands of the Lord of Calamity, lying side by side by her slain sibling.
Her horrified, uncontrolled screams of anguish and fury would echo in their ears long after the memory had ended, haunting their dreams at night.
Author's Note:
Hey, All.
It's incredible to think that it's been a full damn year ever since I began this story. It's even more incredible to reflect upon just how much it's grown – to try and comprehend the sheer amount of readers I've had the pleasure to have and to interact with over the course of said year. You're all absolutely breathtaking, each and every one of you, and I'm honored to have been able to share my passion for these two Tales of titles with you all.
Thank you for clicking, that is, for joining me on this journey of deceit, malevolence, and uncertainty. I very much look forward to the many future developments to the characters, plot, and setting in the coming year.
Oh, and have a (late) Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, everyone! :)
- CloudFry, December 26, 2019