Chapter 14: Here be Lions
Foul child, bastard and beast
O lost lamb, first to the feast
Come claim if you're able
A spot at this table
The Heavenly Steppes
Each chamber was different from the last. That much was true as they navigated through each while taking care of a few lesser Daemons along the way. Yet nothing about their enemies provided any form of challenge, nothing that could hold her interest for long.
And yet, they also came across beings of incredible malevolence that lay deep in slumber as well. Attacking them as they were was a possibility, but she would rather hurry this incident along than pick fights with sleeping dragons. Best to let such creatures lie in wait and deal with them afterwards.
There were far too many of them though. Six in total so far, and each chamber felt like a completely different region of the world by itself. An assortment of biomes housing a myriad of creatures drawn to them. Traversing through all of them was, while no means exhausting, was getting incredibly tedious while they followed the directions of a voice that promised them answers.
"This isn't exactly how I originally planned for events to unfold." Said Oscar with a hearty chuckle as they walked forwards.
"But what do you make of these… revelations?" wondered Saya. The voice leading them on gave cryptic warnings but also information about the world. A world that she wasn't fully part of yet had swiftly grown to be assimilated into.
"A 'Gate' to the Heavenly Realm where the Seraphim reside. And the true world. It is similar to what Lord Artorius mentions at times though he would likely know more about the subject." Teresa said. "Or Lord Melchior."
"And what about this mention of Malakhim being Seraphim who descended from said Heavenly Realm? With this talk about how most Malakhim on the surface are ignorant of the original oaths they took, one can only wonder what other secrets are left to be unravelled." Saya replied, suddenly shielding her eyes as the familiar orb of light appeared in front of them.
"That is correct." It said. "They are what's left of those who chose to coexist with mankind. The ones who made a bet with those who sought annihilation and in so doing, ensured they and their successors can never return to the Heavenly Realm."
"I fail to see how this concerns me. For all you know, I would rather choose to be on the side of those who seek annihilation." Saya replied, standing directly in front of the orb.
"It is possible… if the Gate opens for you. But what of your comrades? Surely they have formed an opinion about all this?"
"That is their own business. Innominat is an Empyrean is he not? If such a powerful being, the object of their devotion and worship, acts to save this world in his own way, that's on them. Even if he himself has forgotten the original pact that you claim the Seraphs and the Malaks made with each other."
"It isn't… wholly heretical." Teresa said, tapping her chin with her fingers as she pondered the exchange. "The Church had always been a proponent for goodwill to all. And once our Lord rids the world of all malevolence, then perhaps it is possible for the Heavenly Gate to open and for coexistence to be possible. That is the ideal dream after all."
"But we constantly face setbacks at every turn." Nodded Oscar. "It is difficult to accomplish that goal when the effects of Malevolence are readily apparent. The change it brings in people, daemonhood and other effects… if it could be suppressed, then the goal will be in reach."
"You still do not fully understand." The voice sighed, "But perhaps that is expected. Come, the final chamber awaits. And with it, the rest of the truth."
Saya shrugged, and pressed onwards, leading the way through a shining doorway and into a clear, crystal-like chamber. The walls of the place looked as if stained in glass, colors criss-crossing while at the other end of the chamber, a staircase that lead higher towards a more massive gateway. She can only make a guess at to its destination based on what the voice told them. Speaking of which…
"Is that…a Rappig?" Teresa wondered. It was floating down from the clear steps ahead of them and approached the central chamber.
"I don't think I envisioned that form as the owner of the voice. Or am I mistaken?" Oscar said.
Saya noticed his hand travelling to the hilt of his blade and then returned her attention to the creature. Oscar had the right thought. Though it looked harmless, she could sense an incredible amount of energy from it. Energy that radiated off it in waves. This was no mere Malakhim.
"I admit that your arrival here had been wholly unexpected. An otherworldly Malak and two Humans. While I doubt you are here to open the Gate, your intentions are still questionable. And so I feel I must test your wills before you are granted the burden of truth. Prove your worth." The being said, as if speaking directly into their minds. "In transformation, I reveal to you my own will. I am Zui Fuu, Gatekeeper of the Heavenly Steppes."
Another bright flash of light and in the Rappig's place, another more massive being stood in its place. A winged, four-legged beast with feathery wings and a head that looked like a mix of lion and human. Had it appeared elsewhere, it would probably have been mistaken for a daemon.
"I see. So this Sphinx is your outer shell" Saya said. "To test our wills, you would appraise us in battle."
"Prove ourselves worthy. That sounds straightforward enough." Oscar replied, drawing his blade and stood besides her.
"I hope the two of you know what you are getting into. We know next to nothing of this being, how it fights, or its capabilities. Keep your guards up." Teresa said, raising her staff.
"Before we begin, I leave this question to you, Malak of another world. What do you hope to gain, when all this is over?" asked the Sphinx before suddenly rearing up and down with a roar. "I would hear your response, should you emerge victorious."
Saya grunted, her heavy robes disappearing as she assumed a more familiar battle stance and then struck first. A dash so fast that couldn't even be tracked by the human eye with and the sound of the cracking impact of her palm against something hard thundering across the room.
She had elected to strike head on, only to be stopped by a barrier that formed in front of the Sphinx. It retaliated immediately, opening its mouth to fire a straight beam of light at the girl right in front of it.
Saya motioned with her arms, the ribcage like construct forming its own barrier in front of her to dissipate much of the beam, splitting it in a Y shape behind her but also forcing her back.
When the beam vanished, Oscar and Teresa made their moves, running forward to outflank the Sphinx on both sides. Oscar to its right and Teresa to its left. Before they could strike though, the Sphinx moved with surprisingly agility and leaped back. Wings unfurled as projectiles of light shot out at the pair. What they couldn't avoid, they struck at. Teresa casting projectiles of ice to clash against the magical shots while Oscar swung his blade at those that came too close.
A short distance away, Saya held up a hand as a familiar ball of purple flame gathered energy. Then with a flick of the wrist, she sent it forward. The projectiles the Sphinx created were drawn to it like a Singularity, absorbed and then simply grew bigger before exploding just in front of the Sphinx.
Oscar and Teresa leaped back, though the explosion did no harm even against the Sphinx's barrier. From the dust however, Saya saw the glow of its left wing. Without even thinking, she dashed towards Teresa and simply threw her at Oscar, who caught her and fell back from the impact. But that entire half of the room was suddenly engulfed in a blinding, incinerating light.
The two siblings got up soon after, Oscar looking more than worried at where Saya had just stood moments ago. Seeing her down on her knees but still conscious, he turned his attention back towards the Sphinx.
"Oscar!" Teresa called out and he raised his blade, suddenly becoming coldly enchanted by Teresa's spell.
The Sphinx leaped at them then and Oscar sidestepped to slash at its sides, his blade not breaking through… but at least it managed to get in contact just long enough to begin covering the area it struck with a thin layer of frost. The barrier was not up when it's attacking physically and as the Sphinx turned around to make a swipe at him, he leaped away.
It looked from Oscar, then to Teresa, then back towards him again. Saya had reached him, giving him a different enchantment on his blade different from Teresa's frost. A black flame of malevolence.
The Sphinx flew up and from its mouth another beam of light shot out, starting from the ground and then a swift tilt upwards towards the ceiling. Oscar leaped directly at it, twisting his body in mid-air as he attempted to strike down its left wing. A dark explosion cracked the barrier and Oscar reached one of the pillars around them. The Sphinx turned towards him once more, taking a swipe with its claws but Oscar used the pillar as a spring to propel himself right at it, slicing its wing off as he landed on the ground.
The flames at the stump of its wing continued to burn, though with some effort, the Sphinx purged it and leaped away to keep its distance. "So it's true," Zui Fuu's voice echoed about directly in their minds. "Not just a Malakhim from beyond the veil of this world, but one that can wield Malevolence to such a degree. Almost carelessly even…"
"It seems my arrival was expected. Or perhaps, it was my brother?" Saya said, her weapon forming a triangle behind her before flying off to circle the Sphinx.
"Another of you? I have to admit, I find myself surprised too. Perhaps..." it paused, its barrier reraised to stop the beams of light from Saya's flying weaponry. "…there was an event so great that the world itself called out for help? And the ones who answered are you, travelers from beyond."
"There is a flaw in that logic. I would not have deigned to answered if so." Saya replied, readying herself to attack once more.
"Would you? You present yourself as a cold and unassailable individual like the Malevolence you wield. But you yourself are not Malevolence incarnate. The 'you' still remains and I sense something else. Power… compassion…. loneliness."
"Enough…" she hissed, staring directly at the Sphinx only to realize her mistake. The Sphinx's eyes had been glowing, and all of them were looking directly at it. Reality seemed to crack around them and they fell into a gaping void.
She shook the feeling off, before Saya looked around herself. Gone was the chamber they were previously fighting in. Instead, she found herself alone in the ruins of an old Temple, and only a Temple. Like an island adrift, the Temple floated in the void of space and at its centre, the Sphinx stood.
At either side of it, Oscar and Teresa lay immobilized by bright chains. But neither were awake.
"Young Malak. I sense much fear in you. But I ask you this question once more. What is your desire within this world?"
"It doesn't matter." Saya shook her head. "I will not be bound by such a narrow purpose. What I want, I shall take when I want it."
"Freedom then." Zui Fuu replied. "But despite the freedom you seek, your bond with others will tie you down. Your anchor in this world. Knowing this, can you keep going if they eventually disappear?"
The chains around the two humans tightened but Saya said nothing. She simply acted how she wanted and dashed towards Oscar, slicing through the chains of light with little effort before her weapon flew to slice apart Teresa's own chains. Both fell to the ground… though dissipated into dust upon impact.
"I wonder how your brother would have responded?" Zui Fuu wondered and leaned forward, much closer to Saya now. "But no matter. I've seen your will and am… satisfied."
The space around them vanished and a blinding light transported her back to the original chamber. The Sphinx was there too, though the shell of its body disappeared and the Rappig form could be seen once more floating in front of them.
Saya looked back at her two companions and narrowed her eyes. "You two look like you've just seen a ghost. Were you subjected to a small trial as well?" she wondered.
"I… yes, unfortunately. Though I'm not proud of my decisions in there." Teresa replied, looking away from her. "I'm sorry, I thought I left you to die."
"That's fair." Saya replied, unconcerned by her response. "And what of you, Oscar? How fared your own trial?"
He shook his head. "Not as well as I came to expect. I acted too slow and could save neither of you."
"There is no single correct action." Zui Fuu responded. "It was a way to look at your own hearts. The instinct of what, or who to preserve at the heat of the moment. You are proponents of suppressing the world and halt the spread of malevolence. But if the world is to continue, something would still need to remain afterwards."
"Our own hearts…" Saya murmured.
"So what now?" Teresa wondered. "Zui Fuu, was it? While I'm glad that this… challenge wasn't as life-threatening as it could have been, we still don't have an answer to why we came here in the first place."
"And why did you come here in the first place?"
"We had to help a Katz who transported us here. Apparently a high concentration of malevolence broke open the seal to this place and could become a danger in the future." Oscar nodded his head. "Thankfully, it doesn't look like it awakened anything else. Not the daemons close by or the dragons that lay slumbering."
"They all change in due time, but you needn't worry about this place. Not yet at least. As I've said, I am the Gatekeeper of this place. The bits of malevolence that make their way here will eventually disperse."
"You were hoping for something else weren't you?" Saya narrowed her eyes.
"In a manner of speaking." Zui Fuu, replied. "I cannot help you with unravelling the mystery of your origins. But I had hoped that a Malak not normally bound by the rules of this world would be one who could eventually open the Gate. While it doesn't look like you're interested in doing so, you are interesting enough to keep an eye on in the future. Do take care of her, if you can." The Malak looked at Oscar.
"As if I needed to be taken care of." Saya scoffed, crossing her arms and then looked up at the stairs. A Gate to the Heavenly Realm… different from something she had encountered before. Or rather, different from what the true Saya had encountered before. "The Forbidden Gate. The Altar that leads directly to the Azure…" she whispered. This wasn't it of course, but a sudden headache suddenly coursed through her.
Saya clutched her head, averting her eyes from the Heavenly Gate above. She shouldn't be seeing this. She didn't want to see this…
"I think we are done here. Let us depart." She said quietly and turned away.
Titania
Ragna thudded back against the wall, having just been punched straight in the face by an angry-looking Wind Malak.
"Argh! Goddamn it, what the hell?!" Ragna shouted, nearly lunging at Zaveid right after. Both were held back immediately. Zaveid via Eizen and Ragna via Rokurou.
The Wind Malak had arrived with little warning, directly at the port and made a beeline straight for Ragna. He didn't even realize what was going to happen until that fist collided with his face.
"What the hell are you?!" Zaveid glared at him.
"What the hell are… what the hell are YOU doing?! That hurt!"
"Easy there, Ragna. I'm sure he knows you can take a punch." Said Rokurou.
"Yeah, well I'm sure he can take one in turn!" Ragna answered, on the edge of just pushing Rokurou aside.
"The hell even happened?" Eizen pulled Zaveid back, waiting as the two cooled down.
Both glared, and then Zaveid spoke up.
"Theodora's gone."
"…What?!" exclaimed Eizen.
"Whoah, wait. The dragon? Where? When?" Rokurou said and let go of Ragna.
Ragna straightened his jacket and adjusted his jaw. It hurts still, and while he still wanted to retaliate. He could tell this was much more serious. "…and why do I have anything to do with it?" he added.
"I'm getting to that." Said Zaveid, himself relaxing as Zaveid let him go. "A few weeks ago, around the time you left for Eastgand, that Praetor Oscar and his Malak went by and killed her. We were completely outmatched."
"Wait, his Malak…" Ragna started, "…damn it!"
"Now you're getting it. Your sister. And she was the entire reason everything went wrong. But that's not all." Zaveid continued. "During our battle, I found out that the Siegfried had no effect on her. And get this, she reverted Theodora's transformation before she died."
"…How?" asked Eizen.
"As that Malak's brother, I figured you would know." He pointed at Ragna. "Devouring malevolence is Innominat's power, that much I know. But you two, there is something different at play here. The only reason I didn't try killing her immediately after was because it was Theodora's dying wish for me not to cause any harm to her. But I figured I can take it out on you instead."
Ragna rubbed his temples. "Fair enough. I didn't think something like that would happen. At least I know she's still active somewhere." He looked down at his right arm and frowned. "I guess she too has my Soul Eater ability. Or at least, something close to it."
"So you, your sister, and Velvet. Kinda concerned now that I think about it. The ability to just consume anything including souls is actually pretty scary. With all three of you running about, I can't say the Abbey would be thrilled either." Rokurou said. "Though I guess they're fine with it if she's on their side."
Zaveid spoke up. "The only silver lining is the fact that they aren't. Or at least she isn't, as far as I could tell. I could detect the venom in her voice when she spoke of Melchior and while it still didn't seem to sway the Exorcist, I think doubt has been planted."
"Ahh…I see what you're getting at." Eizen said, his eyes looking from Zaveid and then to Ragna. "We are on the hunt for Therions to stop Innominat's awakening, but we have to keep in mind that the Abbey is not sitting idly by. If we can get her to defect and sever her ties with the Abbey, I can imagine that would cause a bit of chaos."
"Yeah, and it'll get her killed by them if done so suddenly." Ragna frowned.
"She has at least one defender." Replied Zaveid. "She and Oscar are surprisingly close. If we're lucky, we can also get him to defect."
"Like Eleanor then? But that would require a bit of foresight." Rokurou nodded.
"…Close how?" Ragna said, his expression unchanged.
"Good question. Enough that sharing her true name with him is a possibility. A far closer pact between an Exorcist and a Malak in contrast to those who just went through the motions." Zaveid replied.
"That close, huh?" Eizen.
"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Ragna said.
"You're in the same boat, Ragna. You have no vessel and no True Name that we know of. But once you figure out your true name well, don't just give it out to anyone." Eizen looked at him.
"Tch. Whatever. If that punk tries anything with her, I'll do worse to him compared to last time we met." Ragna scoffed.
"Ah, overprotective older siblings. That seems to be a common thing here." Rokurou laughed.
"Shut it, you…" he glared at Rokurou. "Still, I still don't feel fully at ease with all this. You've seen what Melchior could do, the horror of what illusions he could conjure up. I don't know if they're prepared to go up against him, not yet."
"Hopefully we have time to disrupt them once we gather up the other Therions. But we also know that you can fight them off by yourself." Eizen looked at Ragna. "That's no small feat. You alone against both The Shepherd and Melchior? I know I give you a hard time sometimes but you have my respect."
"Thanks, Eizen." Ragna said, approaching the two Malakhim and extended his hands out.
Eizen took the handshake and Zaveid hesitated before doing the same.
Almost immediately, he tugged on them both as they each received a punch in the gut.
"One for just a few moments ago and one for Aball. Now we're even." Ragna said, looking at the two crumpled Malakhim down on the ground.
"He… hits really… hard…" Zaveid wheezed.
"…Yeah. That's fair." Eizen muttered, looking up as Ragna began walking away.