Prophecy. Roughly a future event that dictates the path a person is to take to reach a preordained destination. An understanding between the individual and Fate that ultimately tells the participant that everything in their life from then on is no longer theirs alone? That nothing they do or strive for means anything in the end? Because the only thing that matters is the prophesized event that will inevitably come to pass.
I’ve always hated that literary tool. It’s the ultimate crutch that removes any agency from the person involved with the prophecy.
Those were the thoughts going through my head as I sat with my class in a surprisingly regular looking lecture hall in one of the towers in the castle’s keep. It was a large, half-circle room, with a faintly curved inner wall that held what looked like a black chalkboard. We were all sitting on stiff-backed chairs with the table-desks resting in front of groups of threes. The walls were a smooth, dark grey stone, with a few glass windows along the walls behind us. Both attached to and hanging from; the ceiling was some glowing blue stones that added to the ambient light in the room.
There were four long tables, with three of us sitting at each.
Luke, Kacee, and me.
Mitsuki, Amber, and Rudy.
Guang, Colette, and Tadashi.
Deandria, Baasima, and Nailah.
Mr. Lethe was off to the side, looking a cross between amused and out of his depth, considering he’s our teacher.
Standing across from us was appeared to be a youngish looking woman with short, frazzled black hair, a pair of curved, cracked half-circle glasses and was dressed in a merger of a flowing dark brown cloak and a black tunic with the sleeves pushed up. Soot and a variety of other odd bits of grime peppered her clothes, though she paid it no mind. Thin lips were curled downwards as she looked from the podium in front of her, to us, then to the side where Emelina was standing, looking apologetic. Bright, almost ethereal, green eyes narrowed as she half glared, half stared at the contrite princess. Valeri, who stood behind her, had managed to remain stoic, despite the amusement I could see in her eyes.
“Princess Emelina, I thought I told you that I was leaving on for my journey tomorrow? His Majesty gave me a day to get ready.” Her voice was rough, as if from overuse.
“My apologies, Lillian, but you’re the most versed in Verum’s geography, having traveled all over. I thought that you would be the most qualified to educate the Heroes of our world.”
Lillian’s eyes narrowed, green taking on a more bright hue. “Your attempts to butter me up are failing, Princess. My patience is limited.”
“Please, Lilly. For me?” Emelina pleaded mutely, eyes falling as she gave her a sad smile.
The disheveled woman didn’t react in the least, merely staring at Emelina. The two studied each other for a few more seconds before she closed her eyes and sighed. “I could never say no to you or your sister, Emelina. Never asked for much, at that…” She then turned an exasperated glare to the side. “If only the same could be said for your brother…”
“Lilly.” The princess’s voice was faintly reproachful, even as a smile grew on her face.
The woman rolled her eyes, waving a hand at Emelina. “I’ve known your father since he was Rex’s age. I won’t be condemned for speaking the truth.” She then waved again, motioning for her to leave. “Now go, my Princess. Just as I have to educate these ignorant Heroes, you still have your studies. Now shoo.”
Emelina smiled widely at Lillian. “I shall; I shall.” She inclined her head once more to the woman. “Once again, thank you, Lilly.” Then she turned and left the room, Valeri following after her.
Lillian then turned her gaze towards, having acknowledged that we existed. Her gaze was critical and seemingly uncaring of our status. “I don’t want, nor need, to be here, but Emelina asked it of me, so I’ll teach all of you what you need to know. Can’t have our Heroes being ignorant fools, now can we?” She then clapped her hands, and the board behind her flickered and flowed until a picture-perfect rendition of a map appeared upon it. “I am Lillian Laffey, and I am the Court Mage of the Kingdom of Veritas.”
As if conjured from the air, maps miraculously appeared in front of each of us. “Save your questions until the end, because I will not answer if you’ve already been given one.” She turned and pointed to the center of the map.
“In the very center is our nation, Veritas, the largest and most prosperous Human-dominant nation.” Lillian waved her hand, causing a line to trace itself along the map, filling out borders. It was primarily flatlands if my reading of the route was correct. Few mountains and mostly valleys, though there were quite a few pockets of forestry. Lakes peppered it, broken apart by rivers and inlets. Veritas was a land-locked nation.
“To the far east is the Holien Empire, where those who wish to live their lives dedicated to the clergy are set,” Lillian explained, moving her hand to the side — separated from Veritas by a mountain range. It spanned the far east, more mountainous than Veritas, though there were long sweeping valleys that spaced themselves among the fields. Very few forests, though there were a few fjords and waterfalls. It manages to border the ocean on its leftmost edge.
“To the northwest, above beyond Veritas, are the thick forests of Melia. Woodland creatures, Elves, and other related peoples all live there in harmony.” From the image the map gave, it was indeed comprised primarily of forests. It was mostly valleys and plains, though there was a notable number of rivers, lakes and other bodies of water.
“In the south, amongst the treacherous mountain ranges, is the nation of Kohinoor. The home of the dwarves and other mountain folks.” Oh, yeah. Kohinoor looked like it was all mountains. Rivers and lakes were sparse, though I would probably be right to assume that the majority of water would be underground. I also spied desert, a barren wasteland where I doubted that life could adequately thrive.
“Predominately in the west, where nature has run amok due to long past time, is the vast wilderness of Verum,” Lillian spoke softly, though there was a spark of glee in her glowing green eyes. “Though it has been lost to time, it is rumored that the nation led by the Demon Lord himself, Terras, resides.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Many people have tried to map out that region properly, but they’ve either lost their lives in the attempt or have simply lost the proof of their cartography.”
Indeed, the west-most portion of the map seemed to be…well, not blank, but a loosely drawn/written description of what could be there.
“Now, I’ve told you about the lay of the land. Do you have any questions?” Lillian asked abruptly, turning her intense gaze to us.
“It’s all a single landmass,” Kacee spoke up, meeting Lillian’s intense gaze with her own. “What’s on the other side of the world?”
“No one’s ever returned from the journey,” Lillian explained succinctly. She then narrowed her eyes and continued. “Many people have tried to traverse those wildlands between Veritas and Terras, but ever since the Hero King’s journey, it’s always failed.” She shook her head. “Nothing gets in or out magically. It’s as if Verum itself has decided to protect the Demon Lord’s domain.”
I took in her words with careful thought. I could imagine various reasons why that was the case, but none were beneficial immediately, or even provable at the moment. With that in mind, I decided to clear the air about something specific. Lifting a hand, I called her attention to me. “Can you give us a brief rundown on how magic works?”
Her eyes narrowed, almost warningly. “A ‘brief rundown’ on magic, young man?” She scoffed. “The mystical art of manipulating the fabric of reality is not something a ‘brief rundown’ can adequately accurately convey.” She smacked the board with the flat of her hand, causing the room to shake almost violently and the board to blank. “Magic is more than the average person can ever fully comprehend. It encompasses life and enshrines death. It creates hope and shatters despair. Magic is a lifestyle that only the most capable can even dream of pursuing.” Lillian spoke passionately, yet her voice did not rise above a whisper, her happy expression telling me how much she adored her craft.
Lillian turned her deep regard onto me, the glow of her eyes flaring minutely, before dying down to a faint glimmer. “You are the Hero who recently awakened his Affinity, yes?” I nodded to her, causing the corner of her mouth to quirk upwards. “A martial Affinity limited to the physical representation of skill and ability.” Her studying gaze became sharp, green eyes focusing on me intently. “The practical use of the Arcane arts is forever outside of your casual grasp, Young Hero. Though, your physical attributes will be augmented by the unconscious use of your internal magical reserves.”
I found myself nodding to her explanation. It made sense. If there were any form of natural balance in the world, then my instant mastery of the sword would positively be matched by my inability to use necessary magical abilities. Didn’t mean it wasn’t disappointing though.
“However,” She suddenly caught my attention once more, Lillian’s demeanor unexpectedly severe. “Every Affinity has a Name, a Title. Upon awakening your Affinity, you wield but a fraction of its true potential. Should you learn its Name, though, you will gain the full breadth of its Power.” Her smile turned sharp, almost predatory, as she looked over everyone else. “Make no mistake, though the rest of you have yet to undertake the Awakening, your Affinities will represent your ability to direct and manipulate the ambient magic in the air and the reserves you carry within you.”
“How do we learn its name?” Luke asked her, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his seat. “Our Affinities, that is.”
Lillian simple shrugged, her eyes drooping almost half-closed as if she had lost interest. “Experience. Learning how to use it effectively. Self-discovery. It all depends on both you and the Affinity you carry. There is no end-all, be-all to learning about your abilities.” She smiled, almost playfully, as exhaustion seemed to seep into her posture. “Simply grow, Heroes, and progress as those meant to fight for what you believe.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out an ornate rectangular box. It was brown and decorated with a series of runes and carved images of various mythological creatures. Lillian toiled with a notch on the front of it, and with a click, it opened fully. Turning it around, she showed a collection of vials filled with a glowing liquid.
“Her Highness has given me permission to offer these to you, to finally awaken your Affinities.” She smiled widely, her slowly dimming gaze falling onto me. “You have proof that it works, now, after all.” With a wave of her hand, a vial levitated almost lackadaisically out of its confines. “Now…who wishes to go next?”
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Each person eventually took a vial for themselves. Passing out after taking one was a standard reaction, so I felt vindicated from my frustration at falling unconscious. The amount of time each person was out, though, varied for each person, but the length they were unconscious was primarily between a night's sleep, or a whole day.
Every Affinity was different, maybe with similarity or two, but each was unique in how they utilized them. Some were physical, some outwardly expressed themselves, but the Affinities were all different in the way that they used them.
As that was going on, though, the appointed knights that Emelina had directed to help us grow worked us into the ground. Aside from that first day I woke up, where Geoffrey worked with all of us, each of us were assigned a single knight that would teach us what they could. Each person showed ways they could leverage their abilities while showing them how to use the weapon of their choice.
Even with that, though, interspersed between training with the knights, we received rudimentary tutoring in how magic worked, also if the majority of us weren’t able to use it as we hoped.
The knight that was asked to work with me was Valeri.
Along the inner wall of the Keep, Valeri ran alongside me with a steady, but fast, pace. As we ran, Valeri spoke in an even tone that dragged along my nerves with how firm it sounded. "Your Affinity opens up various avenues for how we can help you grow as a warrior." Her eyes trailed over to me as I held back a strained gasp, lifting my feet step by step. "You already have the skills to fight. Skills that normally take years to develop, let alone master." The corner of her mouth twitched upwards. "Your ‘hacked skills' can't be fully leveraged against your classmates when you're exhausted, now can they?"
I gasped out a groan, turning a tired glare towards her. "I…still…can't beat…Luke." I sucked in air greedily as she slowly accelerated.
"At least you're not fully alone when it comes to your conditioning. Madam Mitsuki's Affinity lends itself well to unarmed combat." She continued as if I didn’t speak, her tone is dry in its humor.
I snorted despite my exhausted. "Unarmed? Yeah, right." Can't exactly call yourself unarmed when your hand can grow claws sharp enough to rend steel. Valeri offered her smile before coming to a slow stop. I did as well, sucking in breath after breath to regain what life I had left.
"How are you feeling?" She asked me, her serious mien focused on me. At my confused look, she elaborated. "Of all the summoned Heroes, you are the quietest. You reply either with one word or nonverbally…" Valeri frowned. "Are you unhappy?"
"No," I answered her almost immediately. I wasn't unhappy. Hell, I felt liberated. Free. I had a strength that I lacked before, and it was something I could call upon at a moment’s notice. Though, I did miss Maggie, terribly. Still… "I appreciate what you all are doing for me, for us. I feel honored that Lady Emelina is going so far for us."
Valeri nodded to that, a small smile growing on her face. "Her Highness has always been abnormally dedicated to whatever she puts her mind to, given the right incentive." Yes, that damn ‘prophecy.'
Keeping my distaste off my face, I continued, "But…all I've seen are the inside of the walls." I said to her, catching my breath as my posture straightened. "Aside from the first day, none of us have seen any of the outlying villages…" I frowned as I studied her contemplative regard. "If my class and I are meant to be Heroes, how can we put our all into defending something that we've never experienced, let alone seen?"
Valeri considered me intently, her eyes searching mine. She didn't blink as she did so, her eyes locking with mine. After a few moments, her face became pensive. "Yes…that is a failing I did not notice." Then she nodded. "I shall bring it up with Her Highness the next we meet." She then reached behind her and pulled out her weapon. It appeared to be a three-segmented staff with a retractable blade on either end. "With that out of the way, we shall begin combat routines." Valeri smiled as she flicked her wrist, causing the weapon to snap outwards and fully attach, becoming a staff that was as tall as I was. "Your Affinity may grant you mastery over the blade, but developing proper physical muscle memory for combat will save your life in the future."
I nodded to her, warily studying the staff as the blade jutted up and out, forming it into a halberd. "Okay…then, what's the plan?"
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Her smile remained kind as she said a single word, "Evade."
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As it turns out, my Affinity doesn't just give me technical mastery with a sword, but any weapon I hold in my hands. I had my suspicions, considering I knew I had no ability with the sword before my duel with Geoffrey, so I figured that that might be the case.
I discovered this during a joint training session with Kacee, under the purview of her appointed trainer, considering that Valeri had an assignment of her own that day. Her assigned knight was an older, distinguished gentleman with a meticulously clean-shaven face named Welton. He was tall and bore it with confidence as he held his spear in one hand, the bottom end of it resting on the ground. His armor was primarily chain mail, though his legs were less armored than his upper body, covered in a loose-fitting leather and worn boots. His dull amber eyes were kind as he looked between the two of us.
"Good, the two of you are properly armed and armored. I'm glad to see that you take your precautions seriously." His voice was soft but commanding, neither heavy nor light, but still caught one's attention.
Indeed, each of us received a standard set of protective clothing. Not fully ‘armor,' but just enough for us to eventually get used to the weight of armored clothing and the feel of it against our bodies. We were given these formfitting quilted jackets, internally layered with links of metal. They were also enchanted to breathe since we would be working to grow as warriors.
Honestly, I think they did that because they wanted us to be happy, considering an offhand remark by Colette about ‘heat and chafing.'
On my back and poking over my right shoulder was the hilt of my sword. I had considered placing it at my hip but decided to test things out both ways, to see which felt best. Held in Kacee's hand, like the knight before us, was a polearm with a small domed ball atop it. A standard, but without a flag.
"Now, my first instinct was to treat this like I would any aspiring squires and have the two of you spar, to gauge your skill levels. However," His amused gaze fell upon me. "One of our esteemed Heroes has a very effusive Affinity, so that wouldn't be effective for either of you."
"How about if I use a different weapon?" I asked him.
Welton narrowed his eyes at me in consideration, before looking to Kacee. "Would you consider that acceptable, Madam Kacee?"
Kacee furrowed her brow at me, before nodding succinctly. "Yes." Not one for unneeded words, she accepted without a struggle, and we put a few more feet of space between us after I received a spear. As I grasped the shaft of the weapon, a tingle raced up my arms, and I felt my body subtly adjusting itself so that wielding the spear felt more comfortable. I was angling the spear-head downwards, spacing my hands farther apart on the haft, lightly lifting my back elbow, turning my body so that I stood sideways, and bending my knees to lower my center of gravity. Kacee saw my movements, before her eyes widened minutely, then rolled in exasperation, amusement and frustration present in a slight quirk of her lips.
In my periphery, I noticed Welton's eyes narrow, before he called out for us to start. I kicked forward, closing the distance between us almost instantaneously. The point of my spear rocketed towards her legs, hoping to end the spar right at that moment.
Suddenly, a translucent purple, circular barrier the size of a basketball appeared in the path of my strike, stopping my charge cold and sending a jolt through my body. I grimaced at the sensation and watched as the barrier vanished as quickly as it appeared, and the haft of my spear was slapped away mercilessly by Kacee's standard. Her counter followed a twisting slam, aimed at my left forearm.
Pulled my spear back just in time to skip back and widen the distance between us, before lunging forward again. I threw a feint at Kacee’s left shoulder and watched as another barrier appeared in the way. With a flick of my wrists, I swerved the direction of my thrust at her other shoulder. Kacee's eyes widened in surprise, and her barrier vanished, jerkily pushing her standard in the path of my thrust. It hit the haft of my weapon and sent it off course. Planting my feet, I released my rear grip on the spear and slammed the bottom end of the haft on the inside of her leg, hooking it and gave it just the slightest of nudges.
One moment she was standing and the next she was sprawled out on the ground behind me, face down. After a few seconds of silence, I froze and looked down at my friend. "Kacee! Are you alright?"
She grunted and rolled over onto her back, before sitting up and gave me the driest glare imaginable. "You set me on my face. The only thing hurt is my pride." I offered her an apologetic smile as I held a hand out to her.
As she took it and I helped her get to her feet, Welton cleared his throat. "I believe we've discovered a new limit of your Affinity, Sir Joseph."
"Yeah. I guess we have." I muttered with a grimace.
Welton hummed after my words, a small smile playing at his worn features. "I can now tell how Geoffrey felt after first meeting you…" His regard was intense, though curious. "You fight…like an old soldier just coming out of forced retirement." He frowned as he studied my body with a trained eye. "Are you certain you've never carried a weapon before, Sir Joseph?"
"Yes, Welton. The day I dueled Geoffrey was the very first. Why?"
The older knight didn't reply immediately, his deep regard causing me to fidget. "It's just…there's an odd grace to your movements. Even your martial Affinity wouldn't fully explain it, but magically granted skill doesn't grant a warrior's grace." His eyes narrowed as he looked into my own. "A grace that you seem to carry well, just like Madam Kacee next to you."
That caused her eyes to widen as she looked to the knight in surprise. The man nodded to her silent question. "Yes. It's as if the two of you were born to stand on the battlefield, but in different areas." He motioned to Kacee. "You, Madam Kacee, strike me as a warrior that others would rally upon in battle. There is a quiet intensity to the way you carry yourself, a subtle, but powerful, reassurance that grants strength to those who stand alongside you." His eyes rolled over to me. "You, however, Sir Joseph, have a very different impression about you."
"What is it?" I asked him, stabbing the blunt edge of the spear into the ground so that I could lean on it.
Welton scowled faintly at my actions but did not say anything against it. "You are the warrior that will no doubt lead the charge. Your instinctual understand of the weapon you wield and clear capability to follow those instincts will instill s supreme confidence within your person." I gave him a confused look, but he waved it off with an amused smile. "It's a common correlation between those with exceptional martial capability and subtle physical charisma. Your very presence and physical skill may push those who fight alongside you to fight even harder in the hopes to lessen the burden you carry on the battlefield. Because, no matter what, one man can never win a war."
He paused, his eyes examining the two of us. “Besides, the two of you are ideal for team combat.” At his words, Kacee stiffened, her eyes flickering from me to him, then back to me. Welton smiled widely, pride in his eyes. “You recognize it, do you not?” She nodded, and he waved his hand to her. “Explain it. I wish to hear your words for it.”
“Defense and offense,” Kacee stated plainly. I felt my eyes widen at that, causing her to smirk. “Your pure physical capability coupled with my preference, and ability, for defense offers an almost perfect counter to any combat scenario.” She motioned to me. “With our Affinities working in tandem, we’d be able to fight and defend simultaneously.”
“Yes,” Welton said softly. “Working together, the two of you would be ideal went acting in defense of an objective.”
Kacee and I looked to one another at his words, as I digested his words and I was sure she was doing the same for herself.
"Enough of that, though. Battlefield strategy is not yet something we need to teach all of you. Perhaps only those with a desire to learn it, though." Welton smiled almost knowingly at Kacee, who looked away with a blushing scowl. "Now, I think we've wasted enough time talking. There's still more to do when it comes to your combat abilities. We have much to do before your visit to the chapel tomorrow morning."
With that, Welton resumed our combat training, only this time he made sure he added himself to the equation.
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Shining radiantly, high in the blue sky, the sun beat down on us as we stepped out of our respective carriages in front of a large white building. It appeared to be immaculately carved alabaster marble with a high, rounded roof, encompassed almost entirely with stained glass. Above the tall double-wide doors was what seemed to be a beautifully engraved hilt and cross-guard of a sword pointed downwards as if sheathed into the earth. Along the outer edge of the church, there was a trail of immaculately trimmed shrubbery and trees. In the distance, I could see the Castle Keep, the three towers standing proudly on the horizon. Behind us, there was a village for the common folk, with an assortment of wooden and stone buildings, primarily being a merchant's quarters, if the constant foot traffic and bartering civilians at stands were any indications. A few yards to the side was a horse's stable, where the horses from our carriages were resting after having brought us here.
"A sword for their deity? Sheathed in the earth and waiting to be drawn by a higher power to smite the unbelievers?" I murmured to myself, half-joking and half-serious, unable to hide the playful smile on my face. A small laugh escaped me.
"God, you're morbid." Luke snorted as he heard my sleepy mumblings. He gave me an oblique look as if he thought I was crazy. "Is there anything in the water? Or are you just loopy from exhaustion?"
"I'd rather lean on the side of caution and assume the both and neither at the same time," I answered him with a broader smile. Luke let out a laugh, his eyes closing as he did so.
Rudy gave us a sidelong look, his brow raised in question. "You're both insane; I hope you know that."
Luke grinned at our subdued classmate. "I prefer the term ‘fun.'"
He rolled his eyes. "So that's what we're calling it now. I'll keep that in mind." Rudy very clearly did not walk away from us, still walking along my right side.
Our class was spread out in front of the chapel, in no real order, while Mr. Lethe was in front and speaking with Emelina and the robed man I remember seeing the day they summoned us. As we stood there, waiting for the tour to begin correctly, I looked over to Rudy. "You never really explained before. What's your Affinity again?"
Rudy didn't explain; his eyes closed as I heard him inhale through his nose. After a few seconds, he spoke, "There's a garden around the back of the chapel. A young neophyte is currently tending it. She's not giving enough water to the herbs for them to grow to fruition, but just enough to keep them alive. Likely due to ignorance." He motioned to the side, along with the outer edge of the chapel grounds. "There's a squirrel foraging for nuts within that tree, but it's dangerously close to a bird's nest." He grimaced and waved his hand lightly. "The mother bird has already warned the squirrel, but he doesn't care. There's going to be a conflict soon, but I don't know the specifics."
Luke and I blinked in hilarious unison as we listened to our soft-spoken classmate speak more in a minute than we've heard in a past class session. "Um…okay, Dr. Dolittle," I said with a slow grin growing on my face. "Have you considered using your Affinity in a forest, yet?"
He glared at me. “I can see through Nature, not talk to animals.” He rolled his eyes and nodded lethargically, though a smile played at his lips. "Yeah. Though, it's sometimes too much." He pushed a hand through his dark hair, a small grimace on his face. "It's like a new sense; I have to adapt to it before I can experiment with it."
Luke scrunched his nose as he nodded. "Yeah, I know how that feels. Accelerated perception's a pain when you're not used to it." He placed a hand on his forehead, shaking his head with a gusty sigh. "Too much at once and it's a migraine enough to knock you out."
"Yes. Says the guy who's the best fighter amongst us right now." Rudy drawled, his expression dry as he turned a gimlet eye to Luke.
"To be fair," I started, my tone careful. "Luke's limits are like mine. Where mine is a physical weakness; his weakness is mental." I shrugged at their studying looks. "Once we resolve those, we'll technically be undefeatable." Honestly, I wasn't sure I liked how that sounded. I loved a challenge, so the thought of being functionally ‘undefeatable' was something I wasn't overly wanted.
Before either of them could respond, Mr. Lethe clapped his hands together, catching our attention. "Alright, everyone. Princess Emelina has managed to convince Father Emmerich to allow us to tour the inside of the local chapter of the Church of the First Hero." He offered us a playful grin. "So, let's try not to cause them too much trouble now." He motioned towards the man in the robes.
His expression was stern as he looked to each of us with a masked gaze. He held no expectations, from what I could tell from him, but he could be pretty good at masking his mien. "As your instructor has stated, I am Father Emmerich of the Church of the Hero." He turned partially and motioned to the chapel. "We do not worship the first Hero, but we do exalt his deeds, as they shaped the kingdom in which we live, as well as saving mankind as it stands." He looked to each of us, his gaze meeting ours in turn. "The Great God that watches over us sent the Hero to us, granting him the power to change our Home for the better." He closed his eyes and turned his head down as if praying. "The sacrifice he gave for our continued lives is one that we should never forget. I hope that each of you measures up to a third of his strength so that all of your endeavors end in victory." He turned brusquely and walked into the chapel.
Each of us remained still as we watched him leave and I blinked faintly in minor disbelief.
"Well, that was…odd," Deandria stated as she placed a hand on her hip, arching a brow as she stared after the priest.
Emelina offered her a shaky smile. "Please, forgive Father Emmerich. He is very dedicated to the parish." She paused and looked over to Kara.
The knight smiled ever so lightly. "He's also frustrated that his liaison to the Royal family did not inform him of our arrival."
Mr. Lethe let out a sigh and shook his head. "Well, I suppose we should go inside the chapel before he gets angry." That brought out an amused smile from Kara as he led us into the chapel proper. It was like walking through a wall of cold air when I stepped through the entrance. The dimmed lights made little difference, even as sunlight bore through the stained-glass dome ceiling. The main building seemed to be a standing room only building, with very few seats, with the side walls decorated with a pair of different murals, each depicting a separate individual, surrounded by a collage of various paintings and colors.
In front of us was a raised altar with a bright silver cauldron sitting next to it. A place for donations? There was also a closed door off to the side. People clad in robes were milling about, speaking with one another, though they paused in their discussions as we entered, looking to us in surprise and…awe?
"These are the murals dedicated to the two most influential individuals connected to the evolution of Veritas and the history of Verum." Emelina motioned to our right, to the image of a man clad in thin, light armor. "This is the artistic rendition of our vaunted Hero King." At his side, stabbed into the ground, was what appeared to be a European longsword with a simple cross-guard and hilt. Flowing from his left shoulder was a wrist length cloak that concealed his arm. The mural depicted his armor as a gleaming silver and a cowl masking his face, though it showed his eyes as having a golden hue. Around him, stood a group of others, though their faces were shrouded in shadow, each carrying a different weapon — dagger, spear, bow, ax, staff. Above them, in the sky of the mural, were angelic-like beings, with their wings outstretched and encompassed a bright light shining down upon them.
Then she motioned to our left. "And though he is feared and hated by those of our home, the Demon Lord is no less important." This image depicted what looked like a demon clad in darkness, a dark cloaked armor that was meant to intimidate. His face was shadowed over, revealing only a pair of menacing red eyes, the color of freshly spilled blood. He had no weapon near him, just an open hand that seemed to beckon you to him. All around him stood creatures from mythology and stories of old. At his left was what looked like a shadow of a black dragon, displaying bright white fangs and dark yellow eyes. Next to them was a crouched bipedal creature with outstretched leathery wings and bared claws. On the man's right was another figure, clad heavy mail, with a sword as long as they were tall, and had spread wings of what resembled blades, outstretched behind their back. Next to them was what looked like the outline of a woman, with nine extremities behind them, hands outstretched and mysterious energy flaring outward.
But what drew my eye the most was the creature that stood behind and above all of them. It was a creature of nightmares, an ever-shifting beast that continued to change before my very eyes. Its manner was one of chaos and hatred, with an insane look in its vast, dark gaze. Claws outstretched, fangs dripping and blood pouring…
It seemed to draw me in, my focus honing in on the depiction of the mindless beast. My heart pounded deep in my chest as the sounds of clashing steel and cries of pain echoed in the back of my mind.
"It's too much!"
"We can't stop it!"
"Send the people away! We can win this!"
"Hold!"
"Bring it down!"
"I-I-I can't do this…"
"Stand and fight. For it is all we have in the end. When all seems lost, and death stares you in the face. The only thing one can do is continue to move forward. If only out of spite, for all those who wish to see our pain." Lost as I was in my thoughts, my murmurs remained almost inaudible as Emelina resumed speaking.
"The important players involved in the confrontation between the Hero King and the Demon Lord, long since coined as Verum's first and only Cataclysm, all those years ago are depicted here, on these moral." She motioned to the mural on the right. "The Hero and his companions, who arrived and guided those of Veritas to an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity." She motioned the left. "The Demon Lord and his four Generals, followed by the Apocalyptic Beast, Typhon."
That jarred me from my intense focus, bringing my attention to what she just said.
"Typhon?" Colette asked her, tapping her chin in confusion. "As in ‘King of Monsters' Typhon?"
Emelina jerked in surprise. "Yes. Has such a beast tormented your world as well?"
My classmate shook her head airily, though I could see the slight stiffness in her shoulders. "No. But there are stories in our world, mythologies, that tell of such a monster and many others."
The princess regarded her, then us, for a moment, before she looked to Father Emmerich. The priest hummed faintly. "Perhaps, there were those in your world who could see through the veil between our worlds. They caught sight of our struggles and crafted tales from them."
"Makes sense, I suppose. People love stories, especially stories about an underdog rising and becoming victorious in the end." Colette mused as she crossed her arms, eyes flickering to Kacee. "Isn't that right?"
She frowned as she nodded, her eyes focusing on the mural of the monster. "Yes. Though in our world, it was the Greek gods that fought it, and it was still a struggle. It wasn't a true victory, either. They were only able to seal it away."
Emelina smiled a gloomy expression that seemed to dim the already subdued atmosphere. "Yes…I supposed that part might have remained the same." Her turned playful. "Though, I wouldn't call the Hero King and his companions, gods."
Compared to witnessing the mural, the rest of the tour wasn't as…exciting, I would say is an adequate word. Still, my thoughts continued to race as they always returned the two murals.