Dragon-Kin arc

Eastern Continent

The Machina Empire

The Capital: Andromeda

The Palace

Zenal was in his dark room with four holographic screens floating around him. The four screens displayed showed the faces and information of Jayden, Ziera, Henro and Emilia.

Since Tenjin was always on the frontlines Zenal expected him but now thanks to Fury's intel, Zenal now knows who will be accompanying the next wielder of Ragnarok on his mission. His daughter, Silas' pet project, and the princess of ventus.

Henro and Emilia were seen as potential threats that needed to be dealt with. While with Ziera he had his own plans for. But what caught Zenal's attention at the moment was the next wielder. Jayden.

Zenal had done a background check on Jayden and read his file. A boy from a town called Lockwood which was a part of Zariah's domain.

There was nothing special about this boy whatsoever in Zenal's eyes. Low mana reserves, was homeschooled most of his life, and had no connection to Midgard.

Yet this boy not only found Ziera but obtained Ragnarok's power. Zenal wondered, what made him worthy of such infinite power?

Zenal also did a background check on his parents. His mother, Maria Cortez, ran a homeless shelter. While his father....

Zenal squinted his red eyes.

"I see. I remember now. I've met this boy once before. And what he said to me that day. About Perseus." Zenal said.

Zenal then felt a huge presence. A huge surge of mana that was very familiar to him.

"Ziera. How long will you hold it back? Your true self." Zenal said.

***

Ziera POV

11 Years Ago

Eastern Continent

The Machina Empire

The Imperial Citadel

After my first kill when I was five, Zenal would have me execute traitors, criminals and spies once a week without fail. They were my enemies but that didn't help. I couldn't sleep and I cried so many times in my big sister's arms I'd lost count.

My sister even had to sleep in the same bed with me until I got better. I loved her for that because I never felt like I was alone with her.But the nightmares wouldn't stop.

The faces of the people I killed for Zenal lingered in my mind everyday. Even now, I still remember their faces. I remember all of their faces.

On my eighth birthday, Zenal had once again taken it upon himself to teach me my next lesson. A lesson on how to get the truth out of someone when they are being uncooperative.

Interrogation.

Zenal and myself were in one of the interrogation rooms within the imperial citadel. Before us both was a man strapped to a table. He was already roughed up. Covered in brushes and torn up clothes.

"Tell me Ziera. What is the Insurgency?" Zenal asked.

"The Insurgency is a terrorist organization bent on overthrowing our government and eliminating the royal family so they can rule the country. It consists of humans who don't agree with the empire's policies, demons who fight for equality and even machines that betrayed the empire due to their own faulty programming." I answered.

"And who is this man before you?" Zenal asked.

"Henry Topher. A renowned politician and member of the imperial senate. He is one of the few on the senate who fights for demon rights despite being an android. He did everything in his power to help the lower class. He created schools, established medical facilities in smaller towns and funded homeless shelters. In short he has served the empire well for over a decade." I answered.

"Until?" Zenal asked. I stiffened at his question.

"Until...until it was revealed that he had turned traitor years ago. He actually helped fund the insurgency in fighting against us. Even went as far as to feed them information on what people in power to take out. Members of the senate, military personnel, and.... even me and my siblings." I said and balled up my fist.

"Correct. Fortunately one of his allies within the senate was actually an informant working for us. Taking him in was rather simple but we know there is still information he is withholding about the insurgency." Zenal said.

"Like who from their organization he's been talking to? Maybe even a clue as to where their base of operations is?" I asked. Zenal turned his head to me.

"You catch on quick. As expected." Zenal said.

Back then I looked at him with shock and awe. I rarely got any praise from Zenal. So him saying that lifted my spirits. At least a little.

But you know how I felt later? Disgust.

"Now it's time to begin your lesson. You will interrogate him and retrieve any valuable information regarding the insurgency. Do whatever it takes to make him talk." Zenal ordered.

I looked at Henry. My feelings towards him were complicated.

He was a traitor and he tried to kill me and my siblings. That alone should make me want to kill him. Yes. I wanted to kill him. He was a traitor. He didn't know his place. And worst of all he targeted my family. He had to die. He deserved to die. I thought.

And yet at that moment, despite my mind telling me this. My heart told me something else.

He wasn't a bad man at heart. He helped our people. So why? Why did he turn traitor? And why do I not...? I thought.

"Ziera." Zenal said, snapping me out of my trance.

"I'm sorry father it's just-." I tried to say.

"Whatever it takes." He said plainly.

I scrunched up my face slightly but still kept my composure as best as I could. I turned around and stepped towards Henry.

"Tell us what you know about the insurgency. Where are they hiding?" Who did you speak with?" I asked.

Henry looked at me with pity. He didn't have to say anything. I knew exactly why he did.

"I've spent my whole life fighting for this nation. I never would have guessed that my end would be at the hands of it's greatest treasure." Henry said with a sad smile.

"Answer me. Please." I begged. I didn't care if Zenal didn't approve. I wanted to avoid hurting this man as much as I could but even then Henry wouldn't let up.

"If I do, more innocent people will die. You may be too young to understand this but...there are soemthing's worth dying for. I'm sorry he's someone as young as you do this. I really am. But I will not waver. So, you do what you have to do princess." Henry said.

I froze up and grit my teeth in anger. He was willing to die for his cause. Something he thought was admirable. Back then I thought it was foolish. Hilarious even. And yet...

"Ziera". Zenal said.

I widened my eyes and released the man from his bindings on the table. I grabbed him by his collar and threw him against the steel wall. Henry grunted and fell to the floor on his face. I walked over to him and kicked him hard in his stomach.

"GAAAH!" Henry coughed up blood.

"Tell me about the insurgency." I ordered. Henry coughed up more blood and looked up at me with defiance.

"No." He said.

I kicked him in the stomach again and laid him flat on his back. I grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head up so that he was eye level to me.

"Tell me about the insurgency." I repeated.

"I can't." He said.

I punched him hard in the face.

"Tell me about the insurgency." I growled. I was beginning to lose my patience.

"I won't." He said.

I punched him in the face again, making him lose teeth.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"Tell me!" I yelled. I began tearing up. I hated this. I didn't want to do this but I had to. I had to do this. That's what I kept telling myself.

"Don't stop Ziera." Zenal said. I turned to him. Crying my eyes out. Trying everything in my power to garner sympathy.

"Father please I don't-."

"Do what I say. Nothing more. Now proceed." Zenal said. At that moment, I began losing it. My eyes glowed bright green and I went berserk.

"I SAID TELL ME DAMMIT!" I roared as I slammed his head onto the floor and punched him again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.

"Please. Please just tell me. Please." I cried out and covered my eyes with my hands.

I begged him to listen but that didn't matter. For Henry's jaw was broken and was barely conscious. I pulled my hands away from my face and looked at them. They were covered in blood. I wasn't just horrified. I was petrified. At what I had just done.

Crazy right? You'd think after three years of executing people that you might get used to all this violence. That it's as natural as getting out of bed in the morning. Well....I did eventually get used to it. It didn't make it better.

While I sat there on the ground frozen, Zenal had placed his hand on the back of my shoulder.

"Well done, Ziera. You once again showed me that I was correct." Zenal said. I didn't turn my head to see Zenal. I just kept looking at my hands.

"C-Correct? Correct about what?" I asked.

"That you and I are the same. This may scare you now, but I promise you this as your father. That you...were made for this." Zenal said.

I dropped my hands and looked horrified. I looked back then at Henry and saw all the damage I caused him. It was then I realized how much Zenal's words hurt me back then. That I was made for this.

"You may not have retrieved any new information out of him, but you still handled that interrogation well. We will need to work on your outbursts but you still completed your lesson. You may go back to your quarters now." Zenal said.

"B-But. What about him?" Ziera asked.

"We can retrieve any information out of him by extracting his core. This was just to test your ruthlessness. That will be needed for the future of this empire. And you succeeded. As for you Topher, I no longer have any use for you. So this is goodbye" Zenal said.

And while I remembered this moment. I remembered something else too. A murder I committed a couple weeks ago.

I stomped my foot down hard onto Cozar's dismembered head. He couldn't talk anymore because I broke his jaw. He grunted in agonizing pain.

"Thank you, Cozar. I'm truly grateful to you. You pass with flying colors. But now I no longer have any use for you. So this is goodbye." I said.

Zenal placed his foot on Henry's face. I watched in horror at what he was about to do. What made it worse is Henry was conscious again. His one good eye was opened and he looked at me. He still looked at me with sympathy.

Cozar began panicking. He couldn't talk but he cried and begged for his life but it all fell on deaf ears to me.

"FATHER PLEASE WAIT! I know what he did was wrong but please! Can't we give him the chance to better himself!? We can't just....just show him mercy?" I cried out.

"What do you mean daughter? This is how we show mercy." Zenal said.

"Here, let me remind you how the empire shows mercy." I said. Cozar's muffled screams were silent as I stomped my foot hard onto his head, shattering it to pieces.

Zenal pressed his foot down hard onto Henry's face and crushed it into pieces.

I just sat there mortified at Zenal's actions. I've done multiple executions for him before but to see him just personally execute one of his own people without a shred of remorse.....

It was said by people that Zenal was like he was a true machine. A being with no soul. At some point I believed them. But what I also realized, was that I was the same.

I tortured and killed Cozar. Not just because I needed information, or because he hurt people I cared about, but because I wanted to. Because I was raised to. Because I was...because I was...

Made for this.

***

Ziera vs Ryoka

"Get...away from me...please." Ziera said as she began to cry.

She's crying? Ryoka asked herself in thought.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!" Ziera roared.

Ziera fired her cannon at Ryoka. Ryoka flew away and avoided the attack.

Her attacks are becoming more predictable. It's obvious she can't control her ascension yet. But still, her mana keeps rising. Just how much potential does she have? Ryoka pondered.

"ZIERA!"

Ryoka heard a voice coming towards her and Ziera and saw that it belonged to Emilia. Tenjin was flying right beside her.

"Emilia, stay back!" Tenjin ordered.

"But!" Emilia protested.

"Hey! What do you two think you're doing! This is our fight! Stay out of it!" Ryoka demanded.

"Ryoka! Get away from her now! This fight is over!" Tenjin ordered.

"Piss off, old man! It's not over until I say it-!"

"LOOK OUT!" Emilia shouted. Ziera had fired another beam attack at Ryoka but Emilia managed to slam into Ryoka and shoved her into the ground before it struck her.

"EMILIA! DAMMIT! ZIERA STOP!" Tenjin cursed as he flew to Ziera.

"RAAAAAH!" Ziera roared as she began opening fire on Tenjin.

Tenjin disappeared. Before Ziera could react he was already behind her and bearhugged her.

"Ziera, listen! Remember what I taught you! I know you're in there!" Tenjin said.

"I...I'm trying. But it...hurts." Ziera stuttered.

"It's okay. I'm here for you. I always am. You know that." Tenjin said softly.

"Tenjin. No." Ziera cried out. Energy started to build up inside of her.

"You're not his weapon Ziera! You're..".

"I SAID NO !" Ziera roared. A red energy blast released from Ziera and pushed Tenjin back.

"Dammit! Ziera!" Tenjin yelled out.

"RAAAAAAH!" Ziera screamed as the red energy formed around her forming a barrier.

Shit an Omni-Barrier. And it's stronger than before. Only way through is with Ascension but I wanna avoid hurting Ziera. If I'm too reckless, it'll be just like last time. Which would put us all in danger. Tenjin thought.

"Tenjin please. Please....kill me." Ziera begged.

Tenjin looked at Ziera. He felt so many emotions at once. Anger, sadness and fear. Angry at Zenal for doing this to his own daughter. Sad that he wasn't there for Ziera when she was going through this after he promised to look after her. And afraid that she was going to lose herself.

Tenjin thought back to when he first took in Ziera. How broken she was.

No. I won't fail her. I promised I would look after her. Same with Emilia. And same with these other kids. I won't fail again. Never again! NEVER!

Tenjin gritted his teeth in anger.

"DON'T BE STUPID! You have to keep fighting! Ziera! We'll get through this! I promise!" Tenjin shouted.

On the ground, Emilia was on top of Ryoka mounting her. She lifted herself up and held her hand out to Ryoka.

"Are you alright?" Emilia asked. Ryoka, while not injured, was more baffled than anything.

She's fast. Faster than Ziera. Ryoka thought.

Ryoka took Emilia's hand and stood back up.

"Thanks but I could have dodged that." Ryoka said.

"Oh? Then why didn't you?" Emilia asked with an innocent puzzled look.

"Because you were in the way! Don't get cute with me blondie!" Ryoka argued. Emilia giggled.

"Uh huh. Sure. Now come on. We have to stop Ziera." Emilia said.

"Didn't you hear what I said? This is our fight. Not yours." Ryoka said. Emilia turned back to Ryoka with an annoyed expression.

"That doesn't matter anymore. Ziera isn't herself right now. We have to help her." Emilia said.

"I am. By taking her down. One slash from my sword and she'll be out cold in no time flat." Ryoka said.

"No! Don't hurt her! She's our friend. We can talk her down." Emilia protested.

"Your friend. To me she's prey. Now move it blondie." Ryoka said as she pushed past Emilia. But Emilia got right back in front of her again.

"Please! Just help us slow her down! We can still talk her down!" Emilia begged. Ryoka laughed.

"Talk her down? Are you stupid? She can't even control her power and you think talking is going to work. Ha! Good luck with that. Now if you'll excuse me." Ryoka said as she grew her wings. She was about to fly away until Emilia pulled out her dagger and pointed it at Ryoka's neck.

"I'm not going to let you hurt Ziera." Emilia said sternly. Ryoka's pupils became slit like that of a dragon and she glared daggers at Emilia.

"I'm sorry? You're not going to what exactly?" Ryoka asked.

"You heard me." Emilia said as she glared back at Ryoka.

"Did you forget who you're talking to right now? Blondie?" Ryoka asked.

"No I haven't. You're Ryoka. Princess of ifrit. And right now, you're talking to me. The princess of ventus. So I don't care if you're stronger than me. If you come after my friends, then I'm coming for you." Emilia said in a threatening tone.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Ryoka asked with a grin.

"A warning. One I won't need to act on because you're going to help us." Emilia said.

"Oh really? What makes you think that?" Ryoka asked.

"Simple. It's not your style to pick on the weak." Emilia said.

"What are you-?"

"If you were serious about fighting Ziera right now you would have shoved past me and attacked her. But you didn't, because despite your arrogance you have honor. And there's no honor in beating someone who's not even in control now is there?" Emilia asked.

Ryoka didn't answer. Emilia lowered her dagger from Ryoka's neck and softened her expression.

"Uh huh. That's what I thought. If you don't want to help that's fine I won't force you. But I hope you'll change your mind. You helped us before, we could use your help again." Emilia said.

Ryoka crossed her arms and had an annoyed expression on her face as she watched Emilia walk away from her. Before Emilia flew away, she looked back at ryoka one last time.

"And by the way. My name isn't blondie or Emma. It's Emilia Sylphion. Please remember it. Kay?" Emilia asked with a bright smile. She then flew off back into the frey. Ryoka was left on the ground still annoyed.

Ryoka looked towards the sky at Ziera. Ziera had an Omni-Barrier around her but what ryoka mostly focused on was Ziera's expression. She was crying.

Ryoka sighed. "Not my style huh? Heh. Blondie. No. Emilia's got a mouth on her. Hmph. I think I might like her." Ryoka said with a grin.

***

Jayden, Julia and Henro finally found the group and flew towards them at full speed. Jayden looked ahead and detected an Omni-Barrier around Ziera.

An Omni-Barrier? Ziera can do that without tech? And these mana readings are off the charts. Ziera. What's happening to you? Jayden thought.

"Boy." Ragnarok said.

"Ragnarok? What is it?" Jayden asked.

"Listen. You saw it yourself. Ziera has an omni-barrier around her. It won't be easy to break without hurting her. And if that happens it will be bad." Ragnarok said.

"What!? What do you mean?" Jayden asked.

"Jayden? Who are you talking to?" Henro asked.

"Me." Ragnarok said through the suit.

"WHOA! Who the hell are you!?" Henro questioned.

"Ragnarok." Julia said.

"Smart girl. You catch on quick. Now listen up you brats. As I told this to my master but Ziera is fighting against her ascension. If she keeps resisting it her soul will be torn apart. But that's only one problem." Ragnarok said.

"Of course. Why wouldn't there be just one problem with Ziera?" Henro asked.

"Henro shut it! Ragnarok! What's the other problem!?" Jayden asked.

"With the amount of mana she's building up, I believe Ziera is planning to self-destruct. Taking herself out." Ragnarok said.

Jayden, Henro and Julia were all shocked to hear this.

"That fucking idiot!" Henro roared.

"I see. She knows the harm she could cause to the others if she can't get it under control. But to destroy herself. That's...". Julia said sadly.

"Then we'll stop her." Jayden said with a serious tone.

Henro and even Julia were shocked that Jayden wasn't even phased by hearing this.

"Ziera never once gave up on any of us. So we won't give up on her. It's that simple. If she can't see that her life is worth keeping, then we'll show her. Together." Jayden said.

Henro smirked. Julia cracked a smile.

"Hmph. Well said Jayden! Then get to it!" Ragnarok shouted.

"RIGHT!" Jayden shouted back as his suit picked up speed and flew towards Ziera.

Tenjin and Emilia felt the trio's presence and turned around to see them flying towards them.

"YOU GUYS!" Emilia shouted in a cheery tone.

"ZIERA!" Jayden shouted. He got Ziera's attention. She looked at him flying towards her and kept crying.

"Jayden. Please. Don't." Ziera cried out.

"Hell no! I already lost someone I cared about once. I can't...I won't lose you to. None of us will.! Not now. Not ever. And that's a promise." Jayden said.