Arc 6. A seemingly endless loss
Road to a Hero:
Three Chances in Another World
Chapter 70. The Death of A Hero
Everyone is incapacitated. Rosemary, as well as Soku, are bound by chains, Gray is consumed within a stone coffin, and Edward is lying half-dead. All of Edwards's senses are shot, due to the shocking and severe pain of losing his right arm, right leg, and lastly, any bit of pride he had left.
Without making a move, Prometheus creates a throne made from the stone of the platform, releasing the stone around Gray as well. Gray attempts to rush forward, but the mana-dampening crystal hanging from his neck finally kicks in, absorbing all of the mana he attempts to use. His OD feels like it’s about to be consumed in flames, it burns so badly he would cut it out if he could, just to stop it. However, even if he was given the opportunity, one OD exists outside of the normal domain, only being used when summed out of the astral realm. Lazarus walks up beside Prometheus’s throne, while Julius waits for the new figure walking down the hall to walk onto the platform. Its footsteps creak throughout the castle, causing the already scared group to fear for their lives even more. However, once they enter the line of view, he’s not very remarkable. A very old man with snake-like skin, long fingernails, and a face hidden by white hair. The man looks over a hundred years old, struggling to stay upright, having to rely on a cane. But even with his decrepit appearance, he walks up to Prometheus, standing on the other side of his throne.
Prometheus: “Ah Severus, you finally made it.”
The man now revealed to be the insane Severus, still says nothing, with the only sound he’s making being his wheezing breath.
Prometheus: “You all have been a great threat to my people. We have spent our lives trying to free the people from the overwhelming power these governments hold. I know we’ve had our issues with bad judgment, being affiliated with Arthur being an example. But, we need the power. I’ve tried to take you into the fold, I’ve tried to take your friends into the fold. But yet you resist. You stole the soul of my late wife, and still, you feel no empathy. You call us monsters for our appearance, showing your negative and hurtful view of the world. All you’ve done is further the painful, tortuous life of many. We could get it set in stone, and help change the world back to what it was.”
While Rosemary and Soku say nothing, Prometheus’s senseless words, filled with lies, misinformation, and the lack of information, angers Gray, causing him to scream out.
Gray: “ALL YOU’VE DONE IT HURT PEOPLE! You’ve turned people into mindless monsters, destroyed history, destroyed the world everyone holds dear. Taking over Walgonia, giving it to a madman who only cares about destroying things, you’ve done nothing to help. And your wife? The woman you forced to follow you, who you transformed into a beast? I know of your origin, I know you used to be a great force, who cursed Godrick Walgonia. But you lost, and you’ll continue to lose for as long as you live.”
Prometheus scoffs at Gray’s words, feeling that Gray had entirely missed the point of his existence.
Prometheus: “My origin is lost to most, even my dear Azalea. So if you must know, I wasn’t born like this. I do not remember much of my past life, but I remember the day I awoke within this very castle in the center of Saga. Its power stretched across the content and protected everyone, but there was a man, a threat to everyone. In the two hundred years of lost history, the Prometheus family was the sole reason for this. By destroying every bit of knowledge the world held, along with banning writing anything down, learning, everyone was kept in a sense of happiness.”
Gray goes to argue with Prometheus once more, but this time Soku is the one to face her fears and shout her mind.
Soku: “THAT MAKES NO SENSE! I’ve lived in poverty, I know what it’s like to be in the dark about the world. I didn’t have money or time to waste reading or talking to anyone…I didn’t even know I may be the only elf in Saga…that my race was hunted after…I knew nothing until Walgonia gave me the opportunity to learn, to read my history. Why would you want to keep people from growing? Other than the fact they might get smart and stop you, stop your damn family.”
Prometheus: “Hush girl. I know nothing. With knowledge comes hate, it comes pride, sin itself. You learn how to be better than others, how to trick, hurt, steal, and kill. Only the Prometheus family could know, because they controlled everything. But Godrick fled to every edge of the world, found people who held great power and tried to make his own race. He tried to play god, to make a race that was unable to be fed from, or transformed. The Helsings are the pure race, but until they reach their final stage, with their white hair, they’ll be like Edward here. His body can resist my transformation, but not forever. Though, because of that damned Godrick, Edward will die.”
Both Gray, Soku, and the barely conscious Edward are all shocked by the revelation. They feared they’d die, but for once, all they had to think about was their mortality, especially Edward. He’s gotten close to death, seen death, but actually dying, that’s a completely different thought. This time, Rosemary’s the one who’s enraged. She stands up, staring at Prometheus, catching his attention. Lazarus steps forward, holding his scythe, about to scold her for standing, but with a wave of Prometheus' hand, Lazarus backs down.
Rosemary: “Then why are you destroying everything, killing so many people!? Did all of the Golden Knights have to die? Did Musashi, Kioshi, the thousands of civilians in Athens, and who knows how many others!? What was the point!? Use your abilities, your knowledge, and your wisdom to help grow the world!?”
Hearing Rosemary’s words causes Prometheus to laugh, killing any bit of confidence Rosemary had. She slumps back down, and the sight of her mental defeat causes Gray's already unrelenting fury to boil over.
Gray: “YEAH GO AND LAUGH YOU NASTY FUCK! NOBODY NEEDS YOU! IF YOU SENT ANY FOLLOW YOU HAD TO DIE! WHERE ARE THEY!? WHERE’S YOUR ARMY YOU HAD IN WALGONIA!? OH WAIT YOU LOST. ALL OF THIS TIME, ALL OF THIS POWER, AND NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT! OH, YOU KILLED MUSASHI!? HE LET HIMSELF DIE! OH, YOU KILLED KIOSHI!? YOU NEEDED A RANDOM ABILITY TO DO IT! AND IT WASN’T EVEN ONE AGAINST ONE! YOU NEEDED YOUR FAKE ASS BODIES TO DO IT! YOU’RE ALL JOKES!”
Instead of being angry, all Prometheus can do is continue to laugh at his anger.
Prometheus: “You boy, are nothing but a fool. All of you are. I want more than to free the world. When I cursed Godrick, all of his weapons of Alfheilm tried to resist. It repelled my spell and vanquished me here, along with my entire castle! But his soul reacted negatively…it actually was cursed, and since his soul was connected to the weapons of Alfheim, they were cursed from the inside. His soul was ripped apart and absorbed into what is now known as the cursed charms. While I live, he remains banished, never to be freed.”
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Soku: “If your soul was sent here, how have you been able to get around, how did you start all of this?”
Prometheus: “Finally, a good question.”
Prometheus moves his long baggy cloak off of his hand, letting it fall down his extremely skinny arm, looking like a thin veil of skin over bone, with no muscle at all. He unwraps the bandages on his hands, revealing a cursed charm, the ring of domains.
Prometheus: “This is the ring of domains. An item I managed to grab just before my soul was trapped. When I was sent here, I was overcome with a massive amount of corrupted mana, because for some unknown reason, it bypassed the astral realms' purification. Now the ring of domains was originally just a ring that absorbed mana, but when it was cursed it grew and mutated. It’s the only thing that could have ripped open a hole in reality, creating a rift in space to this domain.”
As he continued to go on, Gray tried his best to use any of the information being given to him to help. But nothing, this is death, an inescapable scenario.
Prometheus: “In the space my castle used to be, Lazarus, holding his scythe, used it to track down the greatest source of the same corrupted mana that flowed through it. When the Yagari castle vanished, everything traveled here, the ring included. But first it had to adapt to its new corruption, so for the time being, I was stuck. But Lazaras and the first of the sect freed me. But my body… looked normal…but after centuries of traveling, I grew. Any other race would have died, but Vampires like myself only need to feed on pure mana…the same mana that flowed through the air. But since it was corrupted, my body slowly did as well. So when I came out…I was what you see before you know, a monster.”
Gray: “So…I assume…you want to bring back your empire?”
Prometheus steps off of his throne and holds his hands toward the eternal eclipse that glistens in the sky like it was a god.
Prometheus: “YES! EXACTLY! BUT GODRICK! DAMNED GODRICK! MY CURSED BODY DOESN’T WORK THE WAY IT USED TO! INSTEAD OF TURNING PEOPLE INTO VAMPIRES, IT MUTATES PEOPLE’S MANA! Most of the time they die…every time. Until Yoru and Smolder. She was a normal girl, but every hundred years, somebody is born with a corrupted mana. Though it laid dormant until I found her. And Smolder seems to be a special case, just like his father.”
Yoru walk up, excited to be spoken of so highly.
Prometheus: “I used my mana, turning her into what you see before you. Then, she had a child, Ganga. Then Ganga had many children…all killed you, Gray Kyojin. You have reset me once again. But they can have more children, stronger children. I will awaken their dormant dark mana, granting them their cursed abilities. They may not be vampires…but I will make a new race. And claim my hold on the world again. Though, because of you, it will not be easy. Yoru’s control of her abilities has finally risen to be as useful as they are today…but her husband. A man who gave us some land to use was also killed by you. Chezera is a name you should know.
Chezera, the old man who ran a Demi-human slave trade. The same man had control over a small village called Al-po, which You used to create her small army of monsters. Gray had to assassinate this man to get off of Ruper’s radar, though since Rupert has been taken down, it doesn't seem that trying to get on his good side did anything. Gray had to go against his morals for no reason, and Yoru isn’t even angry.
Gray: “So…you’re no Anarchist…you’re a terrorist. A crazed ruler, a mad king. You are just like the power-hungry men you say you hate so much, you’re a devil.”
Prometheus: “If that’s how you see me…then let it be.”
Prometheus waves his hand again while he walks toward Rosemary. Gray begins screaming, trying his best to get over to Prometheus and stop whatever he’s going to do. Severus then walks forward, right toward Soku. Gray continues to panic, pulling and pulling to get the chains to rip out the walls. But his feet, wrists, and neck are all held, causing him to almost choke himself out with his struggle. But, he gets an idea. While Prometheus lets Rosemary out of her chains, and Severus lets Soku out of hers, Gray delves into his memories, remembering something he had only done a handful of times. The way the “mana surge” technique works is extremely simple. Gray is unable to speak about being from Earth as well as not being able to commit suicide, and when he does, his OD forces out a wave of pure mana that will always irritate his mind. But, if it’s the only thing he can do, he’ll do it.
While Rosemary and Soku resist being led by Severus and Prometheus, Gray attempts to bite down on his tongue. Though, before the mana surge can activate, his jaw is stopped by Lazarus, halting him. Gray struggles to bite down, being completely unable to. Then, Serverus holds Soku in front of Gray, putting his mouth over her neck.
She begins to panic, squirming around, trying to resist. But, with her mana disabled, and the overwhelming strength of Severus, it does absolutely nothing. Then, his fangs emerge, piercing Soku’s neck. While Gray pulls and pulls at his restaurants, screaming in agony, Sokus’ veins turn green, and her skin slowly turns to stone. Soku begins to sob, whimpering in fear as her body trapped within grayish rock, leaving her frozen and her face permanently screaming
Gray is stunned. He stops resisting, staring at Soku’s unconscious and stone form. All of his emotions subside as he can’t seem to do or think anything. His existence itself rejects the idea that Soku may be dead. But before he can regain any sense of himself, Prometheus holds Rosemary by the neck, forcing Gray to watch as the skin on her arms begins to slowly peel up.
Gray: “YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS! PLEASE! PLEASE! I’LL JOIN THE SECT, I’LL DO ANYTHING JUST DON’T HURT HER!”
His gut-wrenching screams could have reached the heavens, but here, he’s in Hell.
Prometheus: “I apologize, but this must be done. It’s the only way you’ll learn.”
Gray's eyes twitch, his muscles tighten, and his OD feels like it’s going to combust. He clenches his fist and his soul aches, but he’s still immobile. Prometheus seems a little disappointed, so to up the torture, he mortally wounds her. Gray watches in defiance, trying to turn his head away, but Lazarus forces him to watch. She smiles at him, accepting her fate, wishing she could have done more.
Rosemary: “______”
Gray's mind can’t register what she said like he’s rejecting it. Then, Prometheus’s hand pierces her body, holding out her beating heart for Gray to see. She’s incapacitated but doesn't seem to be dead. Prometheus forces her to choke on her own blood, feeling her skin peel, her bones turn to dust, and her blood boil. And to finish it off, he reforms her body over her heart, dropping her to the ground.
With Lazarus’ hand still in Gray’s mouth, all Gray can do is scream out in anger. As he cries, he continues to try and break the chains. He pulls so hard that the skin around his wrists breaks open, along with the skin on his neck and ankles. He ends up pulling his arms out of its socket, causing him to fall to the ground.
Gray: “I’ll kill you…I’LL KILL YOU, I’LL KILL YOU, I’LL KILL YOU, I’LL KILL YOU, I’LL KILL YOU, I’LL KILL YOU, I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU! DIE! DIE! DIE! WHY WON’T YOU DIE!? DIE! DAMMIT! DIE! DAMN YOU TO HELL! I’LL KILL YOU! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!”
He continues to scream out, losing all thought. He ends up dragging his head on the ground, pulling himself forward. He does this over and over, smashing his head onto the ground, pulling forward, again, and again, never stopping. Then, with one last slam, he flings his head into the air, letting the blood flow from a newly found wound going up the bridge of his nose, stopping at his brow line. His now raspy voice continues to scream out in this inferno of rage, as another inferno boils within his OD. As everyone begins to leave, Gray stays by himself to scream out to know one. However, when Lazarus moves, it gives Gray the opportunity to bite his tongue.
Then finally, something goes his way. The mana surge technique activates, flowing into the mana crystal, and breaking it. Now with his mana unleashed, he blindly releases it. Though, with his mind long gone, his eyes rolled back into his head, he’s moving solely on anger and adrenaline. This insurmountable rage finally awakens something brewing within him for so long. His burning OD, something he thought was just a wound from his battle with Arthur, is so much more.
Everyone turns around, watching as Gray becomes engulfed in black flames. Julius steps forward, staring at Gray as he finally breaks through the chains. Gray’s unconscious body uses all of its mana, forming a massive wave of dark flames, blasting it right toward them. Normally, Julius wouldn’t care, but Edward’s body was still in the way. Rosemary and Soku are as well, but he only cares about Edward.
Julius: “PLUMMET!”
Julius screams out, using his World Order to force Gray, along with his flames, down, causing them to vanish. Prometheus looks at this with a confused expression, though that changes to a smile. Gray smashes into the ground, and with no mana left to use, no strength left, and his mind drowned out, he passes out. Or at least he should have as his will still lived for these last few seconds. So Julius leaned down to him, whispering into his ear.
Julius: “You probably think that this is just some bad luck, that I betrayed you. The truth is, it was rigged from the start.”
Gray Kyojin, Hero of Walgonia, Knight in another world, a boy who once thought he could do anything, would do anything, all for and because of his friends. And those same friends are gone. Edward is mutilated, Soku is in a frozen state, Rosemary may be dead, and Gray’s forever changed.
With everything lost to a wave of despair, this was a complete and utter loss. However, Prometheus watches as a crack forms high in the sky, opening up to Midland.
Prometheus: “....WE’VE BEEN COMPROMISED!”
Everyone gets into position, though Julius reaches down into Edward's pocket, pulling out the egg-shaped cursed charm formerly belonging to Pandora. He then leans down, speaking into Edward’s ear, even though he’s unconscious.
Julius: “I’ll keep this safe.”
End of Chapter seventy