2 Chapter 2 - Soaring Fire and The Past Mire
[It is ultimately unable to be known for all who fly the endless skies about the shadow that crawls under the clouds. Life, is the cost for those who dawdle upon the heaven in parade, yet fail to known of the hell that is knocking on the door.]
Eremir stands tall, holding firmly to his belief, refused to turn away from what he deemed wrong. King Halius approaching him slowly. Although maddened, he genuinely hopes that Eremir would take back what he has said and reflect upon them. As Eremir has always been one of the most respectable figures in the kingdom, it would surely create a great disruption had the king were about to chop his head off of his neck, regardless of the reason.
Unfortunately, it seems like Eremir has no intention to do so. Therefore, King Halius raises his hand, ordering the guards to quickly hold Eremir down to his knees.
" You are a man of history and a mentor of mine, take back what you had said, or else. "
Eremir did nothing but glares. Left with no choice, King Halius raise his sword while all the attendees turned the other cheek. Just when he is about to swing his sword, separating Eremir's head from its body, suddenly a red cape flutters before his eyes.
" I beg your utmost forgiveness for my insolent interruption, Your Majesty. "
A tall and hefty figure donned in silver armor suddenly leaps into the middle of the feud, kneeling down before the king. His left hand is carrying his sheathed sword while his right hand is sternly crossed onto his left chest. Silver armor and a red cape; it is the epitome among the knighthood of Edessia. Every eye in the High Chamber immediately recognizes the sight that they are beholding.
" What foolery is this, Rein? "
It was no other than Rein, Lord Commander of The Royal Guards who interrupted the execution. He kept his mouth shut for he knows that the king's rage has clouded his own mind, hence he should proceed very carefully.
" Explain yourself! "
" As you wish, Your Majesty. I believe we're facing far greater danger than we had expected. "
" Have you gone deaf Rein? I said I myself would march to subdue the beast! "
Rein glance at his subordinates, giving the signal for them to step forward as they had planned beforehand. The royal guards bring forth a black colored sphere locked up inside a magical glass container. The sphere releases a rotten smell and malevolent aura that grows stronger every second, the attendees started to murmur to each other while covering their nose.
" In the name of The Great Father...! what filth have you brought upon this sacred hall?! "
" Your Majesty, after the sudden wave of unknown malicious energy back then, I immediately contacted Lady Meldia to send out an emergency warrant to order The Investigation Chamber to inspect every corner of the kingdom. "
Meldia, the Lady of The Investigation Chamber, who not long ago just entered the High Chamber, stand up to testify and confirm what Rein has explained. She hopes that by doing so, the king would consider a wiser act to confront the crisis.
" Forgive my tardiness, but please allow me to testify, Your Majesty. The lord commander is telling the truth...
An hour after the wave, one of my men showed up before my mansion's just when I was about to head to my office. He was a first-rank investigator, yet he was gravely wounded and died soon after delivering that suspicious object. "
King Halius lowers his sword, surprised by the fact that the dragon was not the only thing he has to be concerned about. He closes his eyes to subside his anger so that he could tread to a more careful approach to deal with this dire situation.
" You may continue, Meldia "
" Thank you, Your Majesty. We strongly believe this black sphere to be an instrument of a summoning ritual, and the person who possesses them is no amateur by any means. The sphere itself is constructed of- "
" If we have time for such details, Meldia. I would prefer you to take a bath and dress up before showing your lacking sense of urgency in front of all of us. "
" ...I-I apologize, Your Majesty. Currently, we have discovered three spheres, but on the other hand, seven of eighty investigators were killed in action, including the one that showed up in my mansion. Therefore, we hypothesize that there were six other spheres that are still out there somewhere. "
"Where do you find these spheres?"
Suddenly Lady Meldia having cold sweats and shivering, she realizes something very important yet fails to notice earlier. One simple fact that is overlooked by her.
" Y-Your Majesty... all of our investigators... were killed around the plaza... "
King Halius surprised beyond words, his pupils shrink, he trembles in fear, for he knows that the plaza is the highest populated residential area. He could feel as if the devils are laughing at him and his narrow-mindedness, causing him to lose his temper.
" You stupid woman-! "
Before the King could finish his words, another sudden wave of malice surges all over the kingdom. But this is nothing like before, this one was a little bit weaker, but still massive enough to cause a mana disruption nonetheless. The king along with all of his attendees, the higher-ups of the kingdom, quickly run towards the balcony outside the High Chamber as they can feel that the source of the wave is somehow near.
Before their very eyes, a mysterious figure appeared upon the sky of the Plaza. It's a mage in a tattered dark robe with a skull ornament on his right shoulder. Its face is hidden under a hood and it wields a crooked y-shaped wooden staff in his left hand. Then once again, a strong magical wave surged all over Edessia.
" The time has come, pathetic skyling! Your filthy breeds shall be burned in a sea of flame, and thus this long-promised land will be ours! The new age has come, and the rightful heir shall claim back the marble throne! "
Before that mysterious figure starts anything, Rein's hunch made him cast a magical yellow-colored flare as a signal to every outpost and turret to activate a defense layer above Edessia. On such short notice, the guards are doing well in responding and repeating the flare thus ends up with the barriers being successfully placed.
"Blood, bone, eye, and tongue. Cast the world aside with a sundering flame, Oh Great Prince of Fire! Burn down all who stand upon this realm with which you had conquered once, so that you may feast on what the heavens have denied!"
"Dark art: Tears of Izghar! "
After the incantation, the sky cracks and seeps with flame. As if there are giants on the moon hurling fire. Countless meteors descended from the night clouds, falling free like autumn leaves of an old tree. Terrifying as it is, but fortunately, the layers of the barrier were able to fend it off.
The barrier is so powerful to the point that it made everything seem to be alright, until suddenly, due to unknown reason they wane and finally dispersed. The meteors instantly break through. Horrors pour down from above, it's a burning rain that spares nothing in its way. Children cries and women die, the fire didn't know mercy as it devours everything the eyes can see.
" What is happening?! Why did they undo the barrier?! "
Eremir shouted, his frail bones run cold, shaken to its core. His soul screams, cursing his old age and helplessness. 'If only I was two hundred years younger' He thought to himself.
On the other hand, King Halius refuse to stand idle. He commands Lord Argil, his Field Marshal to assess and regain control of the situation. Lord Argil excuses himself before the King and heads out to the Plaza along with his men.
In the despairing refulgence. Sargaroth let out a powerful roar, striking fear to the heart of all Edessian in the most dreadful way in the worst possible moment. 'This could really be the end of all' they all thought to themselves.
Yet despite all the chaos and turmoil, King Halius stands calmly. The soldier’s footwork, the call to arms, and the crackling flowers. His mind ignores all as he is reminiscing about the past, back to the day of his coronation.
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*Flashback*
It was a cold mid-summer day, roughly three months after the kingship trial. Young Halius went to pay a visit to The Altar of Vashuldor.
His heart aches as his legs take him closer by every second. His thought turns his fiery eyes grey, like a faint twilight. As someone who always walks in power, never once he has ever felt such overwhelming anxiety in all his life.
He is expected by The Great Elder, a figure - or rather - a being shrouded in mysteries. Even though nobody has actually seen her, except for the fact that she had an elderly female voice, everyone treats her with respect and obedience, even more than what they had for the king himself. Some said that the Great Elder has been around since time immemorial, but that rumor has yet to be proven. The only thing for sure is that she only appears on a certain occasion for reasons unknown.
" I have come to answer your call, Great Elder. "
Inside a room full of white-colored curtains and fabrics, Halius sits on his knees. Before him lies a wide veil, separating him from the Great Elder. The veil is quite thick as Halius can barely see anything on the other side.
" I had foreseen this outcome. "
" ...I am honored by your wor- "
" That was not a praise. "
Silence fills the air, Halius dares not to even let out a breath. a dozen seconds have passed without a single word spoken, Halius is getting nervous. He knows that The Great Elder already found out about the trial.
" What has become of your brother? "
" He... My brother... is still unconscious. "
Halius mopes, for he knows that the trial has been defiled by scheme and disdain. A crown overruled by the blood of greed and blackened thread, to take it as it is, would simply be an act as depraved as spitting on the grave of his predecessors.
After a million times the thought had passed his mind, He is finally able to muster his courage and speak the truth. But just when he is about to open his mouth, the whole room suddenly surged by air, waving the fabrics within.
" I said I had foreseen this. There's nothing that you can do about it, it is simply beyond you. "
" This is too heavy of a burden to bear, O Great Elder. The trial was not held in sanctity, therefore I have no right to be here. "
" You have the right to feel that way, but Vashuldor acknowledged the trial. Consequently, the outcome is legitimate. "
Halius is shaking, his broad shoulder turns limp. He is ashamed of himself and lost all confidence to step any further. 'I am not worthy for any of this', he thought to himself.
" Is there any sane soul who would pledge loyalty to someone who ridiculed their legacy and desecrates their ancestor? "
The Great Elder keeps silent. She knows well that Halius is a man of such character who upholds honor above anything else. Certainly, such an incident would leave more than a scratch on his pride.
" I myself would rather die as a dog of rebellion than to bow to such a dishonorable reign. "
" You may curse all that exists between heaven and earth. All but to no avail, not even in a million years. Hence, rather than be drowned, you should embrace it with all of yours. "
The Great Elder's voice suddenly changed, from an elderly woman into an unknown otherworldly entity. The room is shaking and bursting with light. Halius who had known nothing about this was very surprised.
" I will bestow upon you the stout that shall never falter. It is as strong as your resolve to make up for your past. Be valiant and keep the shadow of your crown as an impetus to rule in just. "
The Great Elder mystically carved a symbol of a simple straight line at the back of his right palm that shines in bluish light. Halius can sense a surge of power flooding into his body from the carvings.
" From now on, you are Halius The Gallant, sixth king of Edessia. I trust you and your renowned might to protect the people of this land as well as your forefathers did. "
That day, he took an oath to protect his people. But the oath has long withered since then. Consumed by mourn and distraught, he cast aside all which he has worked hard to earn. The throne, the crown, the title, they all but a little of mean now.
Sky folds and years passed by. Losing most of his will to live, he often spends his time cursing his fate. The world itself does not end yet, but his world might be. The death of his most beloved ones leaves his mind to rot. Truly unsightly for someone who used to make the earth tremble wherever he walks.
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*Present Time*
Triggered by portentous threat and mortal danger, who would've ever thought that it is the rain of fire who rekindled the long-forgotten dignity in his heart? In the mist of terror, the lost knightly soul found its way back home. The power, the memory, and the heart. All that he has lost are coming back to where they once belong.
A storm of embers dancing within him. It's as if he has been reborn. The dreary eyes are turning clear, the pale and flagging skins are bursting with youth and might. The one-most basic duty that he took when he first started his knighthood has returned to him in the grandest way, 'Ensuring the safety of the people'.
" How I have failed you, my people "
The attendees turned their sight to their king. They watch him taking off his mantle, his jewelry, and his luxurious dress. All that is left is a single piece of cloth covering his skin and his crown.
" To think that I used to sleep on a branch of Adam trees for a whole week without even a single piece of clothing back in my days in the military. All of this... really doesn't suit me after all. "
Everyone is shocked by the sudden change of heart. The king which they had known for years is suddenly acting like a totally different person.
" Y-Your Majesty! What are you doing! You are embarrassing yourself! "
Tariel, one of his servants rushed to put his clothes back on, but Halius raises his hand, telling him to stand back. Instead of putting his clothes back on, Halius took the crown off his head.
" I should've known that I was not meant to have this. "
Halius throw away the crown, rendering everyone silenced in awe. His servant quickly retrieves the crown as it is a royal heritage that must be preserved.
" Your Majesty, please! "
" Calm down, Tariel. It's just a mere round-shaped clump of colored steel. "
Halius lift up his right hand and clenching his fist. He wanted to know if the gift is still within him. The symbol in the back of his right palm glows with a faint light. 'It is still there, but weak' he thought to himself.
" Still, it's enough. "
" Sage art: Flight of the White Swan "
Halius release a burst of white rays from his palm to the mage who cast fire upon his kingdom. With that very single spell, the mage lost its right arm. It would surely be dead by now had it not put up a protective barrier.
Realized that the king's absurd magical power might put its life to an end in an instant, the mage cast its final spell with the remaining of its strength.
" Despite the decadence of your mind, you still have such power resides within you. Still, strong as you may, I will accomplish my role and fulfill my master's wish. "
" In the name of black and chaos, I shall quench your thirst of conquest! O, Riders of a Thousand Plane! Heed my call-! "
Halius knows that the mage was up to something and decided to bombard it with magic. His spell was able to separate the mage's head from its body. He thought he had it, but not long before he realizes that the mage is still chanting its spell.
" - Submit yourself to my decree and I shall open a path for your horses and hounds to hunt! "
" Dark art: Infernal Gate "
Again, Halius fire away his magic to kill the mage for sure this time, but it was futile. The mage might have perished along with the burst of light, but the spell has been completed.
