Chapter 1: The Sovereign Falls
Gideon
Year - 860
The cover of night hid the assassin as he entered the Atlus kingdom. Clad in an ash black uniform with a cloak that let him cover his face with a hood and tailing behind him in a tattered cape, The uniform sporting studded black belts for his legs and torso.
“It's just one more job…no…no it's not. Killing a king is far more dangerous than anyone I have killed previously.” Gideon said to himself. He had worked as an assassin for over a year now, Killing bandits, Businessmen, or anything that would pay. He had found his calling in life but, if knew it would lead to a job like this, he wished he hadn’t. He strode quietly through the crowds of a busy evening in the residential district filled with Eldians, Keta’s, and even a few men from the country of Ash. There was no shortage of diversity in Atlus but its royal bloodline would forever remain Eldian. The capital of Atlus - Aptly named Atlus City - was ginormous, sprawling, and drooling in holier-than-thou architecture despite the demographic of women chatting, men gambling, and people laughing drunkenly. Frankly, it made him cringe. However, It was all the perfect background he needed to infiltrate the walls. Gideon made his way down to the docks that entered into the Castle. Plenty of tradesmen hauling resources and food, some using ice magic to keep their stock fresh. He could smell the gameness even from this distance away. He snuck past the guards who looked too underpaid and tired to care even if they did catch him. Despite Atlus not being as Authoritarian - such as the nation of Ash - they were still derogatory towards men and women who carried less magic potential than others. Humans who were born without magic at all weren't even treated like humans - more like slaves - It wasn't any better in Vholera, the King of Vholera would simply execute any born without magic. He wasn’t one to judge though, afterall, he served the very same man. Using the docks, Gideon snuck through the old cobblestone hallways up to the cells of the castle. The damp cobblestone dripped cold water down onto his garbs. He slowly opened a wooden door, the planks at the bottom beginning to rot from the dampness of the docks. As he reached the dungeon, the cells filled with what looked like magicless citizens that paid no bother to him, probably to avoid trouble for themselves, seeing as they looked as if they were all beaten mercilessly.
For a city of holy imagery, they could really look into the term hypocrisy Gideon thought to himself as he snuck up the stairs leaving the dungeons. As he turns the corner through the cold cobblestone lit by oil lamps - most likely lit with fire incantations - he sees two guards chatting. They looked quite young but there was no way around. Gideon wouldn't let anything stop his mission. Gideon dashed like a shadow and delivered a thrust kick downward to the man's ankle which returned a shout of pain from the guard as he fell to the ground.
“Shit INTRUD…..” The second guard wasn’t able to finish his call before being stabbed through the throat. As quick as he saw Gideon he stole the guard's knife as he fell and stabbed the guard, leaving him to choke on his own blood and the other immobilized. He ran ahead, he didn't need to finish the other one off as a scene would be created whether he liked it or not, the King would not go down easily. Minutes later he reached the door to the king's chamber. He stood at the start of a long hallway and spotted three royal guards at the end of the hallway. They were clad in golden armor with red accents and cloth, fairly standard attire to make them look grand and imposing, but it wouldn’t matter.
“Who’s there? declare your name and title.” Gideon did not listen. He searched for the otherworldly presence in his soul, a dark alien-like force that resided within him - once he found it - it appeared. An ebony black katana appeared in his hand, the hilt resembling small broken shards of black glass that had been frozen in time to resemble a hilt. The sageo of the blade hung from the blade with the same black glass design. Just looking at the blade it looked otherworldly and defied the forces of nature themselves. Its name was Zantetsuken, One of the ten Devil Relics left by an extinct race of this world or maybe another. Not everything was known about these artifacts but one thing was for certain, They could rule a kingdom themselves and trumped traditional magics even wielded by the most powerful of casters. Anyone who wielded one of the weapons was notably a person of power. Kings, princes, warmongers, but none would expect a hired assassin of the king to wield one.
“Did you not hear me!? State your name!” the royal guard shouted from across the hallway. His voice reverberated through his helmet and echoed down the long hallway.
Gideon held the sword in an Iaijutsu stance, as he did this the whole hallway shook from the amount of demonic energy being drawn into the sword. Unlike magic where the energy is drawn from the environment, demonic energy is drawn from the user - almost like their stamina - which Gideon needed to be wary of not expending too quickly. Strong red wisps of energy rushed into his sword, giving the sword a magenta glow to it. The shaking begins to increase and the guards start to lose their balance in the hallway. The stone in the hallway begins to crumble, small pieces falling to the ground. Just as the energy in Gideon’s sword reaches its peak, the rumbling stops and Gideon shouts out the words…
“BLINDING STEEL!” Gideon drew his blade and a bright plane of horizontal energy slashes through his direction reaching all the way to the guards, causing the hallway to shake once again. The guards are cleaved in half and the doorway to the King's chamber shatters. The plane of energy lingers for a few seconds as Gideon holds the stance, the shockwave forced out by the energy begins to blow at the walls, further destabilizing the hallway. Anything that walked into that plane would be erased from reality itself. As the light faded Gideon stood again, returning his sword to a resting position. He could see a silhouette walk out from the chamber and step over the severed guards.
“A marvelous display…but not quite enough,” said man said as he clapped with his sword in his hand. It was the king. The man was in full armor but he could not be mistaken, wearing a full set of gleaming silver armor resembling a knight cavalry with a gold trim and a short golden capelet to cover one shoulder.
How is he alive, Zantetsuken is capable of slicing time and space! Could he…it must have been…The Sword of Night and Flame. The king wielded the sword in his hand. A silver geometrical one-handed sword with gold finishes, furthermore the sword was incrusted with what looked like gemstones. It was a weapon fit for a king, yet it was a devil relic. Little was known about the weapon due to the kingdoms not having quarrels in decades but one could gather from the name it could conjure fire, the rest of the weapon was an enigma however
Still, that wouldn't be able to stop Blinding Steel. Gideon thought to himself
“Did you really believe you could end my life just like that, assassin? Seems like you are inexperienced with your devil relic, you don’t hide it well in your soul, while any normal person couldn’t detect you, a fellow devil user can which has let me prepare for your arrival” the king explained to Gideon.
“A man should be made aware he is being assassinated, I did not conceal it for that reason...So you knew I would come then?” Gideon asked
“Indeed, but I was not expecting an assassin who was given a devil relic, has the king grown weary in his old age young man? It is unlike him to recruit someone for a job like this”
“I need not answer your questions, I am just to follow orders”
Since the day he came to this land and claimed Vholera, the king has been in a league of his own, partly due to his own devil relic but mostly because of his swordsmanship. None could wrest the crown from his head. So why now is he entrusting an assassin to kill me? Not only that but entrust him with a devil relic? If anything the king always wanted to fight someone stronger than him, his strongest desire was to find someone of worthy strength. Is this his way of mocking me!? Still, He may be young but I should be wary. The king is no fool to send a devil relic away like this. King Helel subsided his thoughts.
“Very well, Fufil your mission then, assassin.” The King held his sword in a stance inside and to the right of his shoulder. Gideon held his sword back in a iaijutsu stance. The two were silent for a moment.
Here it comes Gideon thought to himself.
“INCERATION WAVE! ”The King's sword began to ignite with flame. He struck by sweeping his sword down then back up in swift arc motion which sent a wave of furious flames through the stone hallway that started at the floor and toward Gideon. It looked as if giant alchemist burners came from the ground. Gideon returned back with a quick sheathe and resheathed so fast it looked like he didn't even draw the blade. This creates a small vortex of slices in front of him, enough to fan the flames around him. Shortly after the slashes dissipate. Leaving slits on the stone floor. Through the flames came Helel who moved as if he wasn't wearing the armor. He struck down at Gideon who stepped back. The two clashed swords, despite Zantetsuken having the title of being able to sever anything, a devil relic could not be severed since it contained a devil's soul which was the one thing it could not cut. Gideon peered into the King's eyes through the slits armor. The man was in his late thirties by now but he was still in his prime and with that sword he was even deadlier. It was a suicide mission for any regular man to challenge the king, but Gideon could do it. Gideon tried to retreat back to ready another attack but Helel was still holding his pressure on him. His sword was still ignited with flame. The flames put further pressure on Gideon as well as the heat beginning to burn him. Suddenly - before Gideon could anticipate - Helel delivers a front kick to Gidoen's chest which sends him flying back and knocks him on his back.
Fuck! Gideon swore as he recovered still on the ground. Just as he looked up, the hallway lit up with a warm light. Helel held his sword skyward which began to create a large ball of fire above the tip.
“I understand you have no quarrel with me personally assassin, but you are an extension of Vholera and thus I will treat you as so if it means to protect my people!” As the last of the embers gathered into the inferno, the king uttered the word
“HELLFIRE!” The king lowered his sword with a swift swipe towards Gideon which hurls the fireball towards him. The roaring fireball raced towards him loudly. Gideon quickly gets to his feet and breathes in slowly, closes his eyes, holds his sword in one hand close to his shoulder, and pulls back. Just as the fireball reaches him he delivers a thrust through the inferno which erases a hole in it with embers being thrown out around the blade. The wind is thrown out by the impact of the thrust. The fireball explodes around him creating a smoke cloud and only burning him slightly. Gideon holds his sword back in an iaijutsu stance and once again draws red energy into his blade, Using the smoke from the fireball to cover him. The king notices the magenta glow through the smoke.
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He’s trying something. He’s using the smoke as cover, this is not ideal. One strike from that sword and I’ll meet my end…I’ll need to hold my ground in case he sends something powerful my way. If I strike prematurely he might counterattack. Helel ready’s back into an inside right stance. Through the smoke, he can see the magenta glow get brighter and brighter but holds his stance firm and furrows his brow.
“THE LORD'S MEASURE!” Gideon shouts the phrase and does a quick double slash, left to right. The slashes send a labyrinth of magenta lines formed of wisps that resembled the construction line of architectural sketches - they were both vertical and horizontal - No matter where Helel moved he would be caught in the line of one of these wisps and soon they would ignite, severing whatever was caught in them. Helel only had seconds to react.
So that's your plan? Trap me in this birdcage? Helel stated in his head, irritated as he jumps and evades through the severing lines. Just as he jumps through the smoke and over a line of energy, Gideon appears in front of him anticipating his movement to leave him open in mid-air.
“Got you!” He delivers a midair roundhouse kick to Helel that has been enhanced by the demonic energy which sends him flying against the cobblestone wall, Smashing through it and sending him towards the endless sea where the King's chambers overlook. The rubble quickly settles and Gideon swiftly follows suit to confirm the kill. Gideon steps out of the hole to see a vast ocean. The ocean which the castle was built in front of, Gideon only thought it was an extension of the upper-classes ego. As he hopped out he stuck his sword into the wall to use it as a footstool. The pale moonlight reflected against the black ocean.
“Did he really die from that?” Gideon searched for his body amidst the ocean but found nothing.
“You assault my kingdom and expect me to fall from that?” Gideon's head snapped above to where he heard the booming voice. Helel stood in the black of the sky, his shining armor even when tarnished by the suite of his flames still gleamed. He looked to be standing on what looked like small planes of nebula that resembled the night sky but were more teal in colour than the black of the sky.
“Use whichever tricks you wish, you will fall tonight” Gideon explained into the moonlight.
“I can respect a man who simply follows orders. I shall give you mercy in this instance boy, lay your blade and renounce your loyalty to Vholera and I shall spare you.” the king states respectfully.
“I cannot do that, for my own reasons I must stay loyal to the king of Vholera.” Gideon states with unwavering resolve. Helel turns his head.
“Then I’m sorry, none of this is personal my friend.” Upon those words, the king slams his sword down into the same horizontal plane his feet stood, creating the same teal nebula, as if he was cracking the sky itself.
“METORS OF THE MELCHIZEDEK!” Shouted the King from the bottom of his diaphragm. Then above him, It was as if the sky shattered into a beautiful teal nebula. Gideon would have taken the time to admire it however, inside the nebula hole began to fall boulders of debris, comprised of stone and earth. They each had to be about the size of a house.
I get it now, the Night part of the sword refers to space itself. That sword allows him to manipulate space itself to store objects or suspend himself in the air. That must have been how he blocked blinding steel. Zantetsuken should be able to cut space - which is why he hasn't relied on that ability - It is because the nebulas are strong enough to block Zantetsukens strikes but only a limited amount, each nebula is only enough to block one of my strikes. He’s trying not to show his hand…but I've got you figured out. The debris begins to plummet towards Gideon at a rapid pace. Gideon hops off his blade and grabs ahold - Hanging down from the blade - hundreds of meters above the ocean. He kicks off the towering stone wall of the castle towards the debris while pulling his sword from the stone and slices through the first piece with an upward vertical slash. The sword gave him no resistance so long as he fed enough demonic energy into the sword. The next piece arrives and he delivers a horizontal slash, leaving the inside perfectly clean cut. Gideon lands on the flat of the piece of debris he slashed, the debris still being large enough to act as a platform. Several pieces of debris were still hurtling towards Gideon and he would need to act fast to avoid being crushed.
“THE LORD’S MEASURE!” Once again the demonic energy gathered in his blade as red wisps until the blade grew magenta, After delivering two slashes in front of himself, the length of where the debris hurled towards Gideon became a maze of straight vertical and horizontal wisps of red light that reached all the way up to Helel. The wisps began to detonate a few seconds later, Severing whatever crossed through them, starting closest to Gideon and then ending where Helel hovered. Gideon quickly lept from Debri to Debri, slashing whatever got in his way as he made his way up to the king. The demonic energy allowed him to enhance his body to allow him the agility to perform such a feat.
“I won't fall for this same trick again boy!” said the King with agitation in his voice, he dodged back and instead held his ground, high in the night sky. Gideon wasn’t affected by his severs so he could jump through them with no consequence. He closed in to strike Helel but the King was ready. The King held back his sword as if preparing a spear thrust as teal darkness began to cover his blade.
“PRIMITIVE STAR”! Shouted the King as he thrust forward his sword downward to where Gideon was advancing. A teal nebula the size of a boulder shot out of the sword, it seemed to vibrate violently against space itself as it shot toward Gideon at a rapid pace. It flew as quick as an arrow. Gideon quickly dodged to the side which left him wide open. Helel followed suit by dashing towards him, using his sword's night power to have the upper hand in aerial movement and delivering a downward slash. Gideon tried to block with his sword but could not hold the recoil and was sent hurtling down to the top of the castle slamming down into cold cobblestone. He rolled into the walls of the battlements and slammed against them. Gideon groaned in pain as he made his way back to his feet, scraped with tears in his clothes. Blood fell from his face as he felt a large gash above his left eye. He struggled through the pain as his hood fell, Revealing his ash-white shoulder-length hair.
“I warned you of this young man, you have no one to blame but yourself,” said the king as he slowly lowered from the sky down to the top of the battlement. Gideon remained silent as got to his feet.
“Do understand, assassin. This is not the path you should have taken in life, but I do not act out of spite. I do this to protect my people. The next ruler is not yet ready so I do not intend to fall tonight.” The king readied his sword in an inner right stance again. As Gideon slowly stumbled to his feet -dripping blood - he recalled the memories he had made with his child, the time he spent seeing her grow, and the love he held for his wife. How he longed for that life again without any fear of providing or threat of being told to murder once again. It didn't matter if he did not deserve that life anymore due to the countless lives he had ruined working as an assassin. None of it mattered. He would be with his family again. A concentrated, determined expression showed on Gideon's face.
“Devil…Ignition” Gideon uttered under his breath as his left arm lifted up over his face with his right hand holding Zantetsuken in a position that looked as if he was drawing the sword from his arm, starting at his wrist. A small black vortex began to form at his feet, the sound of a gusting wind audible even from this high up. The vortex began to envelop Gideon with tinges of crimson red inter-spliced with the black vortex until he was no longer visible. The aura emanating from Gideon made the King step back. Never had he felt such a strong demonic presence, it was something on a different level from himself. He struggled to think of what his next move should be - for now - he decided to hold his ground, using the same inside right stance previously, ready for the assassin's incoming attack. The vortex soon began to clear - as if time had been reversed - and returned to the ground. Gideon stood completely transformed into what resembled a humanoid demon. Gideon now stands at about six and a half feet. His face turned black and removing his lip to expose garish yet refined and intimidating teeth. His head resembled a mix of a hammerhead shark and a horned captain's helmet with sharp red eyes peering through. His jacket now becoming scaly with the collar extending up to his mouth and the tails extending down to his calves that could unfurl and act as wings. His previous exposed vest under his cloak now looked like exposed ribs mixed with black otherworldy flesh. In fact, anything that was skin before was now black flesh. Zantetsuken had now completely fused to his arm, held inside a scabbard that was fused to his matching scaly arm. His wounds completely healed as exhaled through his sharp teeth.
“My desire to live tonight is far greater than yours,” Gideon spoke calmly. His voice sounded like it was overlapping between his regular voice and a far deeper one. A fear that he had never felt before ran through Helel.
What is this ability? Devil Ignition? Was it something exclusive to his blade? How have his wounds healed? Demonic energy can only enhance the body not regenerate it. No…I can’t let my resolve waver, even if I'm unsure of what I'm facing…I must…PROTECT MY PEOPLE!!! The king held his sword in a position looking to do a spear thrust. He began to course demonic energy through his blade, covering it in a nebula that began to rise from the blade. He was charging so much into the blade he could barely hold it but he continued. Gideon remained still, unfazed by the fact that Helel was charging the remaining demonic energy into his blade for a desperation attack. Then - at last - the King yelled.
“FALL DEMON…RAGING COMET!” The King thrust his sword forward. A small beam of nebula expanded into a far larger beam of nebula. It shot out from his sword like a canon, Spraying nebula from the tip of the blade like an explosion. The beam could be seen from the residential district from how large it was, several citizens looking up in awe at the spectacle being made. The beam screamed of what sounded like a high-pitched star falling from the sky. Helel held the beam for a few seconds before releasing it, his body unable to handle the power for any longer. As the beam dissipated, Gideon was nowhere to be seen, the stone on the battalion completely erased by the spacial power. Helel began to keel over but held his ground as he removed his helmet. It clanked to the ground and rolled away, sweat beading from his face as he gasped for air. He clearly went overboard in this attack due to the fear of what he was facing, but the day was won, Atlus remained glor…
“Who knew I could make the King himself panic.” Gideon's demonic voice echoed behind Helel, and then feeling a twinge of pain. He looked down to find Zantetsuken lodged through his heart, he coughed up blood before Gideon dislodged his blade and let Helel fall to the cold stone. Blood began to spill all around him.
“That debris technique really was your last card, that last technique was sloppy, you panicked the moment you saw this form,” Gideon told Helel
“H…How did you avoid such a large scale attack…point blank…what is this technique…just what are you!” Helel said coughing through his words.
“I have no words for you, my mission is finished,” he stated as he stepped over Helel.
“Rest in peace” He left the Sword of Night and Flame, his hand would only burn at the touch, and the current demonic presence caused by Zantetsuken would conflict with the demonic soul residing in Helels blade, outright rejecting being held. Gideon quickly ran and lept off the battalion, using his remaining demonic energy to hold alien form to fly over the city, before anyone could find him. His wings unfurl starting from the collar and his cloak became a set of wings. This was the first time he had used this technique so his remaining demonic energy was low. He used his wings to glide safely out of the capital, soaring hundreds of meters in the sky.
“My son…I’m so sorry you must bear this burden…please bear this burden…and raise this kingdom to the heights it deserves.” with his last words, Helel passed away atop his castle, soon to be found by his men, and leaving the kingdom in his only son’s hands. Gideon's mission was complete, high on success, but his heart lower with a soon-to-be title on his head.