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[Somewhere at Holy Palace]
[Young Aries, point of view]
Saintess Angela. Rumour has it that she's older than her looks. While not exactly immortal, she's said to be born right after the sealing of the fallen around 90 years back.
She's a beautiful noble looking long black hair lady with faint freckles on her cheek, which just add to her charm, that, as well as the sweet lavender perfume that she always wear. 30 years old, but beautiful nonetheless, and as a paladin for the old follower, I thought of devoting my life for her, or so I thought
"Sis... help me. I'm scared!" [Young Lisa]
"Come on! Get moving!" [Priest A]
"No! Please, don't do that to her!" [Young Aries]
Saintess Angela are currently locking us all, whether human or non human, for some sort of experimentation. Every day, I can feel my body becoming more and more abnormal. She might give me some anaesthesia during the time, but the horror of having my body cut before my eyes, the horror of seeing my little sister, Lisa, being stampede by those old follower for trying to retaliate... I am near my breaking point, but
"It's fine. We will let you out" [Erinmorlin]
"They will come and rescue us" [Flinar]
"Who?" [Young Lisa]
"You'll see" [Erinmorlin]
I'm skeptical. I don't even know who those two are, and
(They're non human... can they be trusted?) [Young Aries]
.
.
.
"My, to think that we have the fragments of Drant magic core with us. Now then, I wonder how I should implant this to you, Paladin Aries" [Angela]
~Spit~
"Why you!" [Priest B]
"Ughh..." [Young Aries]
The priest launch an attack towards my left eye with his staff. I thought the momentary blackout was just because of an injury, but
"That's not good. You shouldn't destroy her left eye. But, I think I can just implant and integrate this fragment of magic core there" [Angela]
Since I spit on her face, she didn't bother to give me any anaesthesia this time around, and the experiment to integrate Drant's power into my body went on and on, and somehow, my body and Drant's seems compatible, and thus, every day, I was brought to the room filled with strong smell medication. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, day after day. I feel like ai was drugged at some point
as
"I have my eyes on you for quite some time now, Paladin Aries" [King of Holy Palace]
.
.
.
"Halt!" [Priest A]
"Just who are you people!" [Queen of Holy Palace]
"Well, I can't really speak who are they, but you see, I am just a mere young traveling bard" [Traveling bard?]
"Everyone! Release them all!" [Very old elf]
"We will free those people!" [Liger beastman]
"All of you, prioritize saving as much life as you could!" [Royal demon]
"Then, Paladin Aries, if you could help us?" [Angela]
"What power does she hold?" [Young Saint Louis]
So much for asking, but she's just threatening me since Lisa is with them, but
"Sis! Don't worry about me!" [Young Lisa]
"She's fine! She's with us!" [Erinmorlin]
"Prioritize saving yourself!" [Flinar]
"What! How... urghh?" [Angela]
"Thank you, for this power" [Young Aries]
With the power of Drant on my side, and with all of restrictions on my body being released by Angela as she thought I will obey her, I run amok. Almost destroying the holy palace, but since this is the first time I unleashed those power, my episode of amok run short.
I was then taken by Druser, who along with the new Achalasia religion, I sworn to uphold the justice. Becoming their sword and shield. It was also at that moment
"The war broke out. But, you should just rest, and take good care of those child of your" [Lisa]
"No... They're the child of that vile king... I, I don't want to take care of them! They're nothing more than to strengthen this vile power of mine!" [Aries]
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That was the time, Kara and Mara was born. I can't remember how old they were when I say those line. I did breastfeed them, whether it was our of pity or because of motherly instinct, that I do not know. I said that every single time after coming back home from battlefield, but I keep on playing with them, feed them, buy them a new clothes when they grow, just like how a mother would. It was strange as I feel both happy and angry at the same time, as every time I look at them, I would smile but also remember about the holy palace. It was also around that time that I met a young couple, whom I save during the war of succession. A human couple, who would later become Kara and Mara's adoptive parents
As I conceive them during the experimentation, they actually bore the power of Drant as well. Miniscule, but it was there, and it was growing steadily as evidence of steel like armor that keep on growing every so often. Again, I do not know whether I act out of pity as I don't want other to have the same fate as me, or out of motherly instinct, but, I suck those power dry. Strengthening the Drant power within me while also keeping their power under check. I can feel the power growing each time, and it was actually rather addicting, but I keep it to myself, thinking nothing bad will happen. I thought I was doing them a favour until...
"Sis! What are you doing!" [Lisa]
"Urghh... Gaaahhhhh!" [Aries]
""Mommy??"" [Young Kara, Mara]
The war is over, and they both grew up well. As I keep on pondering, my mind suddenly snap. Maybe because it was me abusing Drant's power all this time couple with taking it from Kara and Mara, or maybe because of all the stress that I undergo, or maybe because of nightmare of killing countless other during war, maybe because of all of it. I snapped, and in the process, I don't know what I was thinking, all I know is that
"They're not my child! They're not my child! They're not my child!" [Aries]
I... Try to kill them... I don't know how or why. It's rather mysterious. I know raising them as a single mother was complicated, and they're not children of marriage, but I do feel some love towards them even though it was a bit complicated. Flinar and Erinmorlin try to stop me, but
"All the power within them! Is mine!" [Aries]
"She transform into Drant once more!" [Erinmorlin]
"Tchh!" [Flinar]
They both try their best to subdue me as I keep on sucking dry Drant's power from Kara and Mara, which I manage to do so completely. All that's left was the mana of Kara and Mara, and somehow
""Mommy? Alright??"" [Kara, Mara]
I stop. I can't bring myself to continue. But, if this current situation continue, one day, they might be kill by my own hand, that's why I took the decision, which I secretly regretted, with each passing day, I thought everything will be fine, they will be safe should they're not near me, but, I was wrong. I thought of reaching out for them, but I couldn't find them until...
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"I see. You have Lisa erase all their memories, including Flinar and Erinmorlin about what happen. Then you ask Lisa to give those two to the couple you save back during the war. They then travel around before deciding to stay at Estel and then..." [Ash]
"True. When I first saw them, I was in disbelief myself, but, I kept it a secret until Sis herself come and saw them during the malignant wormhole incident" [Lisa]
"I'm..." [Aries]
Damn... I do feel pity. On one hand, she did abandoned them but on the other hand... No, personally speaking, I don't think what she did was right, but not to say I can't sympathize with her. Raising a twin as a single mother when she was called during the succession war of the demon kingdom, and not to mention, the child of those she hated the most because she was rap...
""..."" [Kara, Mara]
"Kara! Mara! Wait!" [Elise]
The two of them are speechless. They simply went out, trying their best to hold the tears. Once they went outside, I can hear the sound of them, running to their room, while Rean, Elise and Farhah keep on calling their name to make them feel better.
"Sob..." [Zerolith]
"Kara and Mara are... God!" [Karon]
"Why you leave them?" [Charlotte]
"Isn't leaving someone bad?" [Singa]
"What actually happened? Why everyone feel sad?" [Savel]
""..."" [Lara, Nara]
"Singa, Savel, Charlotte..." [Rafiah]
Karon also try his beat not to cry, while the youngest three can't fully comprehend the story. The mood was heavy, and I don't think I should brought them, but Aries herself insist on telling the other, because, even though unrelated by blood, they're siblings. Rafiah, Filvisar and Claude then brought all of them out, leaving Mira, Khamishah and I as Director of Orphanage with the four of them
"I, I don't know that actually happen, but now that I think of it, I do heard a rumor here and there about you having children" [Khamishah]
"I was trying to hide them. Should the traitor princes of the demon kingdom knew of their existence, Kara and Mara would be used in order to stop me from supporting Druser" [Aries]
"..." [Mira]
"Mira?" [Ash]
"Mr Flinar, Mr Erinmorlin, can you be honest with me" [Mira]
""Yes"" [Flinar, Erinmorlin]
"Do you think Mrs Aries here is fit to become a mother? Both during the war and as of now" [Mira]
"!" [Other]
I see... I'll leave it to you, Head of Director of Orphanage