In the heart of the Duraed Kingdom, a new system of rule had been brought. Something that had never been seen before. Neighbouring countries felt uneasy at the possible consequences of this new concept.
Democracy!
The royal blood had all been assassinated, with not even branch families being spared! The dukes and duchess’ were also slain, and all of this had occurred in one night! Who was at the heart of this?
The Revolutionary.
As the people were plunged further into the depths of sorrow, a light had finally shone on the lives of the common people. Someone who understood them. Someone who also had power. They couldn’t believe it. It was with the help of the Revolutionary that they had learned of all the misdeeds committed by the Royal Family. His words sparked the way of rebellion throughout the entirety of the Kingdom!
And for the first time, this revolution had power. The power that was the Revolutionary.
The wave of revolt had exploded in a single night after months upon months of build up. Individuals who weren’t affiliated with the royal family and agreed with the notion had joined forces with them. People at the boundary of becoming a Runemaster, those who had opened their 5th circle, all were welcome. With everything combined, a single burst of power was all that they needed.
“His heart is that of gold, gold I tell you! Even at the 7th Circle, he still has compassion and understands us!”
The people still wanted a ruler. It was simple to decide, really.
“It must be the Revolutionary.”
In a few days after the death of the royal bloodline, the Revolutionary had taken hold of the position of power.
Seated in a nonsensically designed throne, the Revolutionary had a solemn look. Not an ounce of light was present in the room. Nothing could be seen apart from the vague outline of ornaments.
“Becoming a leader, it seems too easy almost.”
Starting as the young child of the King, he first grew as a respectable figure of the Arjies Kingdom. Someone stole his name and committed atrocities, slightly ruining his name but it seemed that the Heavens wished for him to get his old status back.
Hesies smiled at the idea.
—
Blood.
Carnage.
Anguish.
The Duraed Kingdom had been consumed by endless flames. Nothing but a sheet fire could be seen; the only thing proving anyone’s existence was the wails that sprinted through the air. In secluded corners of the Kingdom, villages in mass had been wiped out, the bodies being left out there to bleed out.
It had only been 4 years since their revolution. The Kingdom…it was thought to be entering a new era of prosperity. All they had now was the old wraith of a dream screaming out.
A young man no older than 21 had huddled his arms and legs, gently rocking his body with the tears streaming from his eyes. The inferno would soon scorch him, but there was no resistance. Fate had already decided, so he had no option but to accept. Small sobs were all he could do.
In this despair, an arm wrapped around his shoulder. A strong, firm grip was placed on his shoulder. “What is wrong, my friend?” Even with the pressure of despair heavily weighing his head, the man poked his face out. An instinct? An instinct for their hope.
“...Sir Revolutionary? Is that really you? Sir, sir, please! My friend! It hasn’t been long since he died, please save him!”
Hesies looked at the pitiful man. A face that looked at him with so much hope. It didn’t feel right to not give him a glimpse at the truth. Hesies’ hands clutched upon his own face. Tightly. A rough grip.
All to reveal something. Something underneath. A new face.
“...?! W-What?! No…no, that can’t be…no! Isaac Vespertine? What…does this mean? Did you kill the Revolutionary?! You demon, are you the cause of this?! Why?! What did we do to you?!”
Everyone seemed to deny Hesies. First the Goddess, then the few tens of others he had revealed his face and now even this man.
“My name is Hesies. Please, don’t defame me in such manners. I did not kill the Revolutionary, no, why would I? I am the Revolutionary. My ideals have not changed. Don’t worry about my old identity. I am Hesies. Trust in me.”
Apart from a shriek, Hesies received nothing.
He truly must be in pain. He thought to alleviate their suffering.
A simple flick of his finger. Looking at the now lifeless corpse, he stated “I will reunite you with your friend.”
In the burning heat, Heises nodded in satisfaction at the results of his work. Under the guise of a defense spell, he managed to get an absurd level of mana stored within the Divine Relic he had used inside the Arjies Kingdom as well. After that, it was a simple task of setting up a magic circle large enough for all the mana to enter inside to activate a Kingdom Level attack.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
533,915 wills have been transferred into my body. I’ve surpassed 1,000,000. My existence’s weight has increased. My karmic value has completely shifted now, as well. It’s not enough. It’s far from enough. Karmic values can be supplemented by justified vilification. My karmic values are proof of my success!
Unlike in the Arjies Kingdom, a good number of people had managed to survive this attack. Archmages could keep themselves from harm easily by feeding a shield sufficient mana. In fact, from the 5th circle on, surviving the ordeal would be quite simple.
However, Hesies’ preparation did not end there. Magic circles were wistful and mysterious, still elusive in nature. Their properties were endless. One, which was capable of creating illusions. Some, which were capable of mental suggestion.
[Fountain of Everlasting Life].
“I hope they all enjoy my gift. Another Fountain of Everlasting Life, at this news, who wouldn't start to get excited? The concept of myth starts to break, and more people begin to search for it. A baseless rumour happening twice becomes suspicious. And nobody desires to become eternal more than Archmages. Only 2 Archmages in this Kingdom, and both of whom chose to leave the Kingdom after the royal bloodline died."
Indeed, some high mana circle mages would still reside inside the Kingdom. So what? They lacked the capability to have any true significance in the scenario. They could save close friends and family, but saving a town? Saving an entire city? They would die of mana depletion.
Peace had tamed the fangs of every Kingdom. It wasn't natural. How? How could these bloodthirsty beasts enter a tranquil cohabitation? Hesies laughed at the thought. "The jungle has become quiet for me to hunt and I'm complaining."
No unexpected results had occurred.
Victims who had seen his face still existed. His name would not stop here.
Hesies felt he was successful.
—
“You told me this, Adjir. Isaac de Vespertine was dead. The Goddess must have killed him and was simply pretending to look for him. Explain it. Explain it to me clearly, in a way I can understand, why a dead man has destroyed another Kingdom.”
The reuniting of old friends was something that one would expect to be a meeting of warmth and joy.
Virane de Vespertine looked at his lifelong friend, Adjir. A specialised tracking expert who he had met nearly 5 years ago in hopes of discovering where his son had gone. No matter who he asked, he was met with the same answer.
His son must have died.
Even as the wrinkles on his face grew and his hair whitened, he continued his search. Such an answer, it couldn’t have been the only one. At least, that was the hope he held on to. But time and time again, all called him mad.
At the break of dawn, an envoy had reached him.
Isaac de Vespertine had been sighted and recorded as the individual responsible for burning down the Duraed Kingdom.
This corpse called Isaac had destroyed a Kingdom. Again.
“Explain it. Explain it, damn it!”
His violence was met with silence.
Finally, the man responded. “...His karmic value has become too large now. He’s killed at least 1,000,000 people. Civilians, at that. He’s clearly committed even worse sins, things we can’t even fathom. Such a disgusting value…he will officially be branded as a Demon by the Heavenly Court. Detecting Demons, it’s far easier. His karmic value will reach a level large enough that it holds weight. We can track him, no doubt about it. Trust me, Virane! I failed you! I called you mad whilst spewing nonsense! I will not ask for forgiveness but rather fix my mistake!”
—
“...” The Goddess of Blue, Aria. She was the sponsor of the man named Isaac de Vespertine. Her last meeting with him took place 8 years ago, in a state where she could hardly be called a Divine being.
The rationality fit for a Divine being had returned to her after fighting against the collective consciousness of her people for days, and as it did, she pondered. Days became weeks, and weeks became months. Multiple streams of consciousness were opened up by her, itching providing different insights at the possibilities.
Isaac de Vespertine. That man…was not someone like this. Was he?
Divination on his existence also was strangely blocked off from her. It was an impossibility. Interfering with the realm of fate was not something a 5th circle Mage could do. So how? How did the gentle and tame man become twisted in an instant, someone who murdered his own Kingdom?
There was only one logical conclusion she could come to.
Isaac de Vespertine was possessed by someone who tried to ascend past the realm of an Archmage.
There could be no other way. The strength demonstrated inside the Arjies Kingdom was something that was absolutely impossible for someone of his caliber. Control over mental magic, and at such a fine extreme at that, was something that only someone at the cusp of the Archmage realm could do.
So that meant one thing. Her treasured Emissary had been stolen by the soul of another mage.
“Impertinent fool. Who dares to steal my possession?”
It marked her hunt. If divination didn’t work, then she would rely on mortal methods. To first confirm her hypothesis, she spread her consciousness in search for the soul of ‘Isaac de Vespertine’. Every soul had a brand, one which could be learned and memorised if one could begin to leave behind their mortality and grasp the steps of the Divine.
The brand of Isaac’s soul.
It no longer existed.
“...Possession.”
No, it existed. Somewhere, muddled underneath a heavy fog, Isaac’s soul was resting. But Aria could not understand where. He couldn’t have died, else his soul would dissipate.
8 years. 8 years was used up spending time spreading the word of Isaac de Vespertine’s sins. The fact that he acted without her command and went rogue, everything was given out in hopes of creating a chain reaction. More eyes had to be on him to catch him.
Yet nothing fruitful came out of it. Not a single person had identified him. The world continued to move forward, the insanity of his action slowly fading into obscurity. Emissaries were the only individuals clearly feeling the effects of his actions.
It didn’t matter now, however.
“...Such a heavy karmic value. How? Merely killing a million can’t give this. What are his other sins? This Archmage…scum of the world.”
Tracing such a tangible karmic value would be simple.
The hunt for Isaac de Vespertine would begin once again.