A/N: Hello and welcome to chapter 4? I am terribly sorry it has been over a year. . . my mental health went to shit, and I've had school hahaha. I am doing way better now, so I hope you enjoy this chapter. As usual please enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think :)
"Say we believe you, why was Zaveid the Oathkeeper hanging with the Shepherd."
"Because, I had a promise to keep to future Eizen, and since his little sister was with the Shepherd I have to keep him out of trouble to keep your precious sister safe".
Eizen sighed and looked at the Velvet.
"Ughhh fine, we will try to help you out, but right now we need to get back to Titania so we will have a proper discussion about this once we get there! Understood?"
"Your kindness is appreciated Lady Calamity" Zaveid replied.
"Save it for someone who cares, now move it, folks."
The trip to Titania was long, and Sorey began to appreciate how the climate changed the further they got from the icey country of Hellawes. It was on the trip that the group got a better look of the figure that was being carried and thrown over the shoulder of Eizen. When Sorey got a better look it looked like a human woman mixed with a tentacle daemon. "It is a Therion , I will tell you that much" Zaveid vaguely clarified.
" So this is the creature they went to Hellawes for?" Alisha asked. "Be careful what you call creature, she may be a therion but therions were once humans as well. Not all daemons are the heartless creatures you are thinking of" Edna replied snappishly. Alisha had the grace to look guilty if only a little bit.
Rose stood up suddenly."So is someone going to at least clarify why we are heading to this Titania place anyway?"
Eizen who had been relaxing near by overheard and decided to walk over. "Titania is basically abandoned since it was attacked by our crew. It used to be a prison, now we use it as our base. It allows us to safely keep the therions here without interruption and it allows us to safely plan our next move".
Edna looked up "Eizen? Why?"
Eizen looked taken aback for a second. "Edna, you know why. Whoever spends time with me is bound to be surrounded by danger. I refuse to expose you to that".
"And you should know I don't care about that . I just want to be able to spend time with you".
Time Skip to Titania:
Once arrived at Titania , the group followed Eizen out of the ship onto the docks of Titania. The Therion, who the little Malak Laphicet had indicated was named Medissa, was followed closely by Velvet with enchanted chains keeping her arms tied to her body.
"So this is your secret hideout. Once I get free you won't stand a chance. You all had better sleep with one eye open." Medissa Growled.
"Look how worried I am" Velvet replied back.
All of a sudden a child-like voice excitedly yelled out "Welcome back!".
The crew looked up and saw a little girl with a few demonic features running towards them.
Laphicet turned to look at Medissa."That's Kamoana".
Medissa gasped in shock. "She's the same age as Diana! Did the Abbey really turn someone so young into a therion?".
Kamoana ran towards them and stopped when she saw Medissa. Looking frightened , she turned around and tried to run back to the Titania building but ended up tripping and falling down on the ground. The second she hit the ground the little girl began to tear up and let out sorrowful , and scared cries. Just like that of a human child. Sorey, Lailah, and Rose were shocked seeing a daemon express that much human emotion. Meanwhile Medissa was horrified seeing a child as young as her deceased daughter having been turned into a therion. This entire time she had been under the impression that the Abbey was there to save , not to ruin the lives of children.
Eleanor all of a sudden reached out and undid the magic chains she had previously placed on Medissa.
"Eleanor!" Velvet yelled in shock and anger. Eleanor ignored Velvet in that moment and faced Medissa , looking down at her feet in the process. "Medissa . . . Please. Would you be able to talk to her?"
"Is this a trick?" Medissa questioned.
"Kamoana may be a therion, but deep down she is still a normal little girl who misses her mother. But I can't do anything to console her. No matter what I try. But if it were you . . . "
Medissa considered momentarily before walking over to the crying therion and kneeling down in front of her.
"You okay?" Medissa asked holding Kamoana's hands in hers. "You can call me Medissa, alright?"
Kamoana looked up at Medissa, still looking a little frightened but the tears had stopped.
"Do I scare you, honey?" Medissa tried again.
Kamoana sniffed a little and replied ". . . A little. But not as much as Velvet and Dyle. But. . . Don't you think I'M scary?" pausing for a second Kamoana looked back down at the ground " I had a bad dream earlier . . . My mommy said I looked scary and that she. . .she didn't want me anymore" Kamoana said breaking out in tears again. Looking horrified Medissa reached out and pulled Kamoana into a tight hug. "She would never! Your mother would NEVER think that about her daughter!"
"But. . . how do you know?" Kamoana asked."Because I'm … I'm a mother too. Mothers always love their children, no matter what. No matter if we die. . . No matter how the world changes. There is nobody in the world who loves you more than . . . than" Medissa replied beginning to tear up herself. Kamoana reached her arms out and hugged Medissa back. "It's okay, you don't have to cry. . ." The who continued to hug and cradle eachother while everyone watched.
Laphicet turned to Velvet " I hope Kamoana and Medissa won't have to feel so lonely anymore. . ."
"Yeah trying to stop the waterworks gets old fast" Velvet replied.
"Listen if it's not too personal. . . was your mother uh . .. "
"She's dead. I lost her when I was even younger than you."
"Oh. . . I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's fine. It just means we have things in common . So no feeling sad and alone, okay?" Velvet replied smiling lightly.
Eizen and Rokurou took to the side chuckling "It's definitely growing on her." Rokurou smirked elbowing Eizen in the process. "Ay it definitely is," he replied.
Benwick rushed out in that moment. "Velvet! Grimoirh's calling for you. She says to meet her at the observation tower and bring Laphicet"
"Alright, after I get back from the observation tower, we will have a meeting in the main area of Titania and decide on our next move. That includes all of our supposed time travels. Try NOT to get into trouble while I'm gone."
With that Laphicet and Velvet disappeared into the depths of Titania
"That reminds me . . . Eizen. You said Malakhim can have familial ties, but what makes you and your sister siblings , if you are not related by blood?" Eleanor asked.
"Well, a very long time ago , I was born into this world from an earth pulse point up on a sacred mountain.I remained in that place for a while , and then one day she was born from the very same earth pulse we knew it , we had wound up living under the same roof".
"So . . . are Malakhim always siblings then if they are born under the same earth pulse point?" Rokurou asked.
Eizen shrugged " No. Other Malakhim were born from the same earth pulse point, but I never felt like they were my family. But something. . . I don't know. . . something was different with her. If she was sad , I would feel sad, I'd feel sad. And if she was happy, I'd feel happy too. She can be abrasive. . .But when she smiles , it's like nothing else. I swore to myself, that whatever happened. I would protect her. I made a pendant from a stone on that sacred mountain and gave it to her as a good luck charm. Of course she just wears it as a necklace".
"And your pendant? Did she give that to you?" Laphicet asked.
"She had the same idea I had. She made the pendant herself and gave it to me as a good luck either of us having mentioned a word of it beforehand , we gave each other pendants in the same shape on the same day. That's when I knew that what I had felt all along was true. We were brother and sister".
"I'm right here you know!" Edna said sharply.
"I think it's cute Malak Edna, knowing your brother cares so much about you" Alisha said.
"Yeah but I didn't need to hear those details" Edna grumbled.
"Alright, Laphicet, let's go see Grimoirh".
Time Skippp:
"This is all so fascinating! I can't believe we are in the past inside a secret dungeon hideout!" Sorey fanboyed.
"As much as I love exploring, I don't think time travel is the greatest thing to be excited about" Mikleo replied.
"You got a helluva good point, we honestly still have no clue on if and how to get back to our time period" Rose groaned. "Do we even know what will happen to us if we are stuck permanently? Do our future selves disappear, are we going to assimilate?!" Alisha exclaimed.
Zaveid groaned. "Will you guys shut up, I'm trying to take a nap. My best bet is that your future will cease to exist, and the only version of yourself that will exist is your present. So yes you could be altering the future".
Velvet and Laphicet came back into the room with Grimoirh in tow. "Grimoirh has deciphered more of the seems to be more to the Shepherds great plan." Velvet said.
"There was a second counting song, about Innominat, would you read it child" Grimoirh spoke to Laphicet.
"When the Eight Malevolences Overflow/ In the Culmination of Mankinds Despair/Innominat will bring an end to all peoples/ And restore them to time immemorial. Four Empyreans shall wield a wrathful sword/And cleave the great devourer/ Two asunder sleep beneath the earth/ As scarlet moonlight illuminates the evil. The Nameless Empyrean hath one heart/ The Nameless Empyrean hath one body ".
Magilou gave a very dark and sarcastic giggle "Oho, yet more delightful material to keep us awake at night".
Velvet ignored her and spoke up "If I am understanding this right, it's discussing the specific nature of Innominat?"
"That's what I believe, yes" Grimoirh replied.
"So. . . when the world is at peak malevolence , Innominat will use that power to "bring an end to it all" is that it?" Eizen summarized.
"He is going to wipe out all of humanity!?" Eleanor asked shocked.
"Is that what the Abbey is after? Is that why they have been trying to bring back Innominat?" Rokurou chimed in?
"No!" Velvet yelled suddenly surprising everyone.
"Artorious is not that kind of man. His two primary ideals are "the many over one" and "the restoration of of order through will and reason". He sacrificed Laphi to protect this world not to eradicate it!"
"You mean that is who he is as far as you know, yeah?" Magilou chimed in."People change Velvet, perhaps the Shepard gave up hope. Maybe he lost faith in mankind- - fools prone to sin, endlessless generating malevolance"
"He's not like that. . . If that's all true, then what point was there to Laphi's Death?!" Velvet yelled out.
"Is there anything else in that book?" Eleanor asked.
"I have done all I can, this copy of the book is incomplete , there are pages missing" Grimoirh replied.
"Then I think the next step is finding out where a complete copy is. I do not think that the Abbey would go this far if they did not have a complete understanding of Innominat" Eizen finished.
"Alright well let's get some rest then , it is getting late…" Velvet sighed.
"Woah… hold on, you are forgetting about us!" Zaveid exclaimed gesturing to himself and the rest of the time travelers.
"Hmm, you came here with a cursed Lumen Histoire yes?" Magilou asked thoughtfully.
"Yeah, why?" Zaveid asked.
"There is only one person who is powerful enough to place a curse on a history telling orb . . ." Magilou replied.
"You are talking about Melchior aren't you…" replied Eizen.
"Magikazammmm right you are".
"Hmm, well if Melchior created a cursed orb, your only way back is if Melchior either reversed it or if he were to die." Velvet mused.
"I can assure you . . . Melchior will not reverse any sort of curse he created… he creates them for a reason" Magilous grumbled.
"Well, then seems like killing is the only option. . ." Rokurou replied cracking his knuckles.
"Hmm true, When he is gone, his orb curse will be gone, which should transport you guys back into your time." Eizen concluded.
"So. . . I guess that means that they are going to have to travel with us then ?" Eleanor asked?
"Ohhh what a tragedy… it seems that may be our only way!" Magilou cried out dramatically.
Sorey having been looking back and forth listening to the conversation stopped short at the word kill.
"WAIT! Did you say kill? Are you sure maybe we can't purify him? Or maybe … maybe negotiate?"
"Sorey. . . we have no way to purify daemons. . . and besides . . . Melchior is a human, a sorcerer making him very powerful. . . but still a human."
"Then. . . Then how…" Sorey stumbled helplessly.
"It is best we get some rest. Right now this is our best plan. For now you will travel with us, but right now this is the best plan we have." Velvet replied.