The sudden appearance of Vixen could become hard to explain to all of these leaders who thought the angels were no more. Luckily for them, Vixen had the ability to hide her wings, after I had helped her out of the realm wound and healed her at her request with the help of Hollow with some extended input from a cranky Alex. Vixen regained her wings at the slight cost of them becoming darker, emerald evergreen became closer to a dark navy mixed jade. The summit being a few hours from now with the first of many ballroom events I had to think on my feet, Vixen saved my thinking by asking to become a knight.
At first, I was a bit taken aback so were Hollow and Alex who all saw her previous wounds before she was healed. However, from the glint of determination in her eyes and the effortless stillness in her heartbeat, I felt obligated to allow it. I did say I'd help her any way I could. Thinking on my toes telling Vixen that Ciaran’s legion was the best to join in that regard as Ciaran could teach her things I cannot even Kaine could. I gave Ciaran full reign of that legion or as she called it the right hand of divinity, she even allowed the angel Valkyries to join along with any remnants of the fallen winged kingdom of harpies.
“Oh, I almost forgot! This blade should be yours.” Holding out my hands with extended arms, a blade made of pure silver light, Uriel’s light. Pure Macedonian silver with a pinch of divine yellow not gold, The angel’s divinity wasn’t the same as mine as theirs was a replication so to speak. Nevertheless, it didn’t diminish the fact that Uriel the timeless angel of judgment and wisdom picked Vixen. Not getting another word I felt the blade call to Vixen in a tongue I could speak but currently very rusty in.
“She calls to me… I don’t feel ready, but I’ll never get another chance.” Vixen’s hand slowly made its way from the blade’s tip to the pommel. Vixen gripped hold of the handle of Uriel’s light, the blade held in my hands, the sword didn’t take the same form as many weapons in the army or even held by the angels. Uriel’s light which was Uriel herself in a way took on the form of an ancient relic of Numena’s past the Ulfberht. Its silver blade was practically a mirror, the guard of the weapon took on the form of a metallic cream gold half reef with interwoven string embossing.
The pommel of the weapon had a unique shape taken on the shape of a crystallized butterfly wrapped under black silk. The handle followed a simple design of hard birch with golden strands driven into it, to help with better grip. On the blade was a few words in the language of the angels. Two phrases written in golden essence or something giving off a similar colour. ‘Ad astra per aspera’ was written closer to the blade with ‘Alea iacta est’. They held special meaning to Uriel and the many under her command as well.
“The die is cast. Through hardships to the stars” Those two phrases well quotes are of unknown origin not a single person knows where they come from, the only thing linked to it was an old god the first of them all. Malfera the old god of nightmares or as others call her the old god of sleeping wars. The only existing things connected to her were these quotes and a sentence written in blood I found as Sif that read ‘When the god of nightmares returns the old will remember and requiem will follow in the form of a white golden blooded dragon’.
“Hey Rias, shouldn’t you be getting ready?” Hollow noted looking from the sole of my shoe to the very top of my head. I knew what she was referring to, but I still had a few hours left until the summit would actually fully begin with the banquet.
“Can I talk to you alone Rias?” Hollow looked at me with a slight look of caution in her eyes, but I didn’t let it bother either of us. Those words became a signal for everyone to leave the room, under her own resilience Vixen left the room holding Uriel’s light with a smile on her face. Hollow began to stand in front of me portraying the look of a nervous wreck on the brink of succumbing to something, her silver-green elven eyes stared into my own. Sparks of various melancholic thoughts bled through.
“Lately I’ve been wondering about a lot and I just… I think I’m no longer a firewatcher but something akin to it.” Hollow looked down to her feet as she spoke. Not sure what she meant I listened on as she explained it even further. “I never said anything because I wasn’t sure if what I was thinking was right. Being born a firewatcher to elven parents was seen as impossible yet here I am… then a few years later my sister is born. I think I’m becoming an elf or something else.” Hollow pulled up her sleeve even removing her mask to show rocky scales covering parts of her body. Tips of her fingers up through her neck to just shy of her left eye.
From the rocky pattern I knew it wasn’t any disease known to us and not even the weeping had this effect on one’s body. Even her once black hair had begun to change to being a silvery orange flame that was impossible unless it was dyed a certain way. From what I had learned from Valentina’s daughter Caroline, something like this had a name that Hollow was no doubt aware of. They called it ‘Eden’s regression or sleep’s lullaby’. ‘Rocky textured patchy skin with hair becoming a silver orange flame hue along with eyes becoming brightly coloured suns’ was the description given for Hollow’s current condition.
“It’s irreversible I know that much. I’m becoming a revenant Ain’t I?” She asked now holding her right hand with the clean and unaffected left hand. This hollow I was used to being around, but I wasn’t going to let that deter me from helping her, becoming a revenant is hard because the full change puts you through excruciating pain that doesn’t subside. It slowly drives you to the point where you’ll eventually kill yourself, a truly slow process that can happen over your entire life from birth.
“Hollow. I’ll never let you become a revenant remember what you told me when we met in that run-down tavern in Nora… you helped Artoria pick up the sword again which she and I are thankful for. I'll do everything to help you find the courage to tell Elinore and your daughter who you are.” For almost a year Hollow and I had kept the fact she was Ciri’s mother and by extension Elinore’s sister a secret because she is believed to be dead. Technically she was dead by the laws of nature but through her sheer strength of will her body carried on existing. That could be the very reason she was slowly becoming a revenant.
“When I find the courage if that will ever happen.”
“I know it will, things like this take time… nothing happens overnight. Not even my revenge can happen overnight, and I’ve hardly thought about it, since I’ve been so preoccupied, that however is ever different from this. Right now, revenge isn’t my focus, the summit and helping you is.” I spoke seeing Hollow shuffle moving her unaffected left arm closer to the middle of her body to around the area of the sternum.
Under the sternum where the mana core should be in Hollow’s case, there wasn’t one but a glass moon core. Unlike deus machina core or glass cores, the glass more core is what is referred to as a dead core which is wrong as a dead core just looks like a dishevelled hazel nut. A glass moon core should really be referred to as a heart core, it acts as a heart and core, two in one. No mana can be produced instead it uses the electrons, neutrons and protons in the blood to form artificial mana to replicate the effects of deviant and pure mana.
As Hollow had one of these, she could only replicate the effects of certain mana types and abilities, yet because of her born nature of a firewatcher and her need to consume hearts, she gained the use of a mana core without needing one. Her heart-core was also acting as a natural staller slowing down how long it was taking her to become a revenant.
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Hollow explained that her heart core if removed from her body would kill her just like if you removed a mana core from a person’s body even if their heart was still intact. This I didn’t quite understand even after several lifetimes of being alive, as artura and Marin I had a mana core. I had one inside me in life, but it was useless because of my eclipse core in this life anyway so in theory I had two just one is inactive. When I was Sif I didn’t have one altogether. Hollow explained to me that mana cores have become so essential to life that even if the heart keeps beating they die because of that need.
The need for mana had made hearts only useful only keeping the body alive.
“So zombies?”
“I think I've confused you with all this.” She paused, and Hollow scratched her cheek finding a way to explain this properly. “So, someone dies that’s when they lose all mana or their mana core is ripped out because the human mind relies on mana however there are exceptions to this such as the nameless.” The nameless, humans who are born without a mana core, these can also be referred to as the grunt humanoid which is a horrid term. “The body can go without a mana core just… mindless so yes technically they are zombies.” She laid it out simpler than I could even think.
Now I understood that removing the mana core killed the soul and mind of a being leaving the body to become mindless or in other terms a zombie. A new question arose in my head after understanding what this meant by killing something. Mana cores were untouchable, yet I could plunge my hand into the chest of something and rip out a whole mana core of a being leaving it lifeless. That included the body, which normally disappears after a few seconds.
“I’m not sure why you are the only one that can do such a thing. what does it feel like when you’re pulling out a mana core?” I responded to her by explaining that when I pull out a mana core, I feel like I’m holding a barrier between the seen and unseen. It feels as if I’m pulling something that is attached to another using strings or very thin lines of stitching. Hollow in response said that it is exactly how it feels when she uses mana with her heart-core, it's like fate is playing a cruel trick on her or giving a helping hand to me.
Going back to subject that started this conversation I happened to theorize that the heart core which is stalling her transformation into a revenant could alter her altogether and create something entirely different. Revenants don’t have a core just like the nameless and mindless the difference being that the core inside of them, something that I still understand little of. It will take time to understand the effects on Hollow as she is unsure as to what is happening to her even if she thinks she’s becoming a revenant.
“If I become a revenant with no will of my own, can you tell Elinore and Cirilla for me? If I completely lose myself, can you promise to end my suffering?”
“I-I no… Hollow you have to live and power through this but if you can't I-I will end your suffering. Tell your family who you are before you lose yourself.” I wasn’t even sure if I could end Hollow and she could see that in my expression, I might even hesitate to do it and that could cost me, my life. no matter what life it was, the promise of having to end someone’s suffering was always hard for me. “Even if I can't do such a thing I'll try my best to end your suffering if you ever lose yourself.” Hoping this wouldn’t become a burden I promised that I’d end it.
…
Only one hour was left until the summit would officially begin with the banquet. Nobles of all ranks and influential merchants would be present along with grand dukes and duchesses beside the kings or queens they serve. Some known eldritch gods would be present some lesser gods could also be present as this was the dawn of a new kingdom, a new empire, and they would want to see it for themselves. They wouldn’t draw attention to themselves knowing what the summit means to the ‘lower races’ yet there were some people I had to keep an eye on. Imra is one of them as well as Wolfram Wolfgar, potentially even needing to keep an eye on Corvus.
Normally these banquets which were held at the beginning and the end of a summit were ways to bring a close to the current year and beginning to another, the first banquet would end the current year along with giving a chance for various merchants to make connections, allowing nobles to mingle in an environment that could feel more at home. The last banquet at the end of the summit which would commence at the beginning of the new era could also be used to close an epoch into a new one with a new calendar which would take a fair few weeks to complete. At this first banquet, I wanted to announce something that was important to both myself and Talia aside from Rain being born which was already widely known.
“So everyone seems to be here soon they will be allowed to enter the throne room which we painstakingly decorated, as the biggest room we did put arguably the most effort into it.” Talia stepped beside me starting to get ready for her first appearance in the high society of the nobles, it acted as both mine and her debuts. I didn’t care much for these things even when I saw others doing such things, I stayed out of them as I’d spend most of my time sparring with the queen's guard or just hunting.
“It's good that everyone seems happy to be here. It’d be nice to talk to some people again even if I do hate these things.” With a smile on my face, I placed my hand on the frame of the mirror before me, imagining myself as sixteen the youngest queen's guard standing next to me now. Back then I was a five-foot nine uncovered fair skin muscular teen who valued being a knight over everything. In the space of two years, I’ve become a queen well an empress of an entire continent living my fourth life in a Valkyrie body covered in markings and tattoos.
Back then this would have felt like nothing more than a pipe dream. Now It feels like I’m living the dream of a fantasy character inside of a book not knowing what the world has in store for me in the future far to come. Talia gripped my bio-mechanical hand, with a smile on my face I looked back at her.
“What?!” she asked holding back a smile of her own.
“Nothing just thinking about much I love you.” Just as Talia leaned to kiss me, however someone just so happened to time them knocking at that very moment interrupting us both. “Impeccable timing fuckin ‘ell. Come in.” I rolled my eyes holding Talia’s hand firmly interlocking her fingers between my own. Three maids came into the room holding Talia’s dress which she had designed in response to seeing the dress I had picked then altered the design. Talia didn’t seem to have a lot in the way of jewellery similar to myself this was probably because I had a present for her that she said would out-match the jewels.
“I'll go get ready myself, so I can well see you when you're ready so it'll be more impactful.” Before exiting the room, I kissed Talia on the forehead which seemed to make the Maids giddy with excitement. ‘So… can I go now or do I have to stay by your side?’ Luna asked walking beside me rocking her black fur and red eyes, after being able to freely use it, she has used this form nonstop. ‘Sure. You can go hunting with ironwitch your best friend or lover.’ I teased Luna knowing she had a thing for iron witch Talia’s guardian bond.
She quickly ran down the halls towards where Ironwitch probably was. In the last few months, Luna and Ironwitch having the freedom of being in Numena spent a lot of time hunting monsters that were on equal footing of strength or even stronger such as king clerics or queen clerics. When Luna was out of my sight, I turned a corner into another room where I would get ready with the help of three maids, one of them being part of Nox’s legion. She was a quiet girl, who cared more for her work as a maid than anything else.
The three maids wasted no time, trying their absolute hardest to get me to look the most beautiful as possible. No detail was spared, from the fingernails to the lipstick even the eyeliner they wanted to be perfectly matching to the look of my dress. Removing the magic from off my hair showed its real length of being down to my waist. As one maid took on the job of painstakingly making the makeup perfect, one of the other two began to braid various strands of my hair on each side that were then tied into one big braid behind my head down my back. The last maid took up the task of making my dress seem perfect whilst matching the colours of my nails to the exact hue of the one-shoulder dress and my biomechanical arm.
Time flew by as they were getting me prepared, watching them at work allowed me to talk to them mainly a little about their selves, each of these maids seemed to be from noble families wanting a new start in Numena. I acknowledged their family’s decision but did advise them that life here wouldn’t be easy and that other nobles might begin to detest them for it. Before I went on my way, I gave them the most needed advice whilst the summit was on.
“Stay away from Prince Imra and Harmon.” They all nodded back to me saying that they would try their best to avoid him and thanks to Talia’s own intervention, Imra couldn’t puppet them. Smiling I made my way towards the throne room where Talia was already waiting for me, the best she had ever looked. For a moment being so amazed at her current look I thought I had stepped before a goddess of beauty.
“What?”
“You look beautiful… to be fair you look even better than just what beautiful could describe.” I couldn’t take my eyes off her beauty and I almost forgot my gift for Talia. Trying to hide her flushed face from behind her hands, gave me the time to conjure up a box. Hearing me use magic Talia lowered her hands to see a large black and golden marble box fit for a crown. Upon opening the box, she was speechless. I had been very tight-lipped about the crown or circlet inside.
Talia lifted a silver crown from out of the marble box. The crown was made from four intertwined metallic silver strands adorned with a few glass-melted thorns. The four intertwining pieces of metallic silver were forged in such a manner to resemble the roots of a tree, which was inspired by Hera’s wraith banner. In the front centre of the crown was a small purple ruby that reflected the same colour as Talia’s eyes.
“Can you place it on my head?” gently taking the crown from her hands, I began to place it on her head. The crown was a nice contrast against her midnight blue to faded purple hair, there was just a lovely euphoria to seeing her magnificent beauty.
“Now announcing the Empress Rias Eventide and her consort Talia Eventide.” The booming voice of a noble announced our entrance as the large oak doors of the throne room opened.
“Talia Eventide has a nice ring to it… Rias I’m nervous.”
“It’s okay, I’ll stay by your side throughout this. I love you.”