Raxyas arrives at Incola's fortress. It seemed to be completely abandoned. It was as if everyone had left in a hurry...
Raxyas: Anyone home?!
Not a peep. He was alone.
Raxyas: Good. Let's see then...
He makes his way to the vault. It was locked. He could use the entrance Tentoria made, but...
Raxyas: Enough sneaking around like rats...
With one strong punch, he leaves a dent on the door. A couple more punches and it is completely torn off. He looks inside, but can't find anything out of the ordinary. Just shelves of purple boxes... Then, his head hurts. Again.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚: fate can be such a terrible thing to taste...
Raxyas: You... I thought you were gone... Forever.
His head hurt even more.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : not yet. soon. the end of our journey draws near. okay?
Raxyas: Stop with the 'okays'... Make yourself useful, and help me look a shard. All I need is a single shard...
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : we will be together again. in the end. all of us.
Raxyas ignored the entity.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : okay?
Raxyas: Okay! Whatever! Are you going to help or not?!
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : one last command, before i leave. after you absorb the shard... destroy me
Raxyas could not believe what he had just heard.
Raxyas: You want me... To kill you?
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : i have done all i can. i can only hope that you will be able to fulfil my mission. i cannot return to where i came from. i am but a shadow of who i used to be, i have no more use for this pitiful existence. you will destroy me
Raxyas: ... Gladly! Now, eyes peeled.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : not here. hidden. left as a back up, in the throne room. ilka's throne. underneath his seat.
The entity disappears.
Raxyas: What...? How would you know that?
Raxyas heads for the throne room. He checks the seat of Ilka's throne. There seemed to be a hidden compartment underneath it. After busting it open, surely enough, a shard was hidden there.
Raxyas: Hey! How did you know it was here?!
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : ilkatorza i know from long ago. i did not know. yet if it would be anywhere... it would be here.
Raxyas prepares to absorb the final soul shard.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : now... one last dance.
Raxyas: Let's get it over with, shall we?
Raxyas casts the absorption circle, absorbing the shard. A new weapon was given to him... Different from all others. Unlike his sword and his gauntlet, this tool was not summonable. It was present at all times. It was a part of him. A set of armor, with a big, glowing golden circle hovering behind it. What this armor did, Raxyas did not know yet. But he felt undeniably more powerful. It was finally time to settle the score...
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : face me [https://img.wattpad.com/70d7ffddd52656825b6cd301e31cb2cbcc753868/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f54592d6d2d53614a31374b7263773d3d2d313237383037303539352e313732623762353563313931363436643731393932343136353135362e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : face me...
The entity flies around the fortress, heading straight into a room where countless souls were stored.
Raxyas: Guess you won't go down without a fight...
Raxyas quickly follows behind, but he was too late. The entity was already absorbing all the souls contained within. Its formless body slowly gaining a material shape.
Its formless body slowly gaining a material shape [https://img.wattpad.com/6fc10202e57658ae5a88ea18ac2a3b3eb404aecc/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f36516a59494342474b67593971773d3d2d313237383037303539352e313732623762393132616632346333323231383232333438383032312e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Raxyas prepared to fight.
Raxyas: Those souls don't belong to you, you know.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : they don't belong to you either. but you'll still be absorbing their power, regardless...
The entity lunges at Raxyas. He parries the attack with his gladius, and quickly strikes it against the ground, blinding the creature.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : fight... no tricks... realize your potential
Raxyas: Fine. It'll be your funeral.
Raxyas slashes the creature with all his might, but the blow deals no damage. Its body seemed to behave similarly to that of the monsters they had fought in the abandoned citadel.
Raxyas: I thought you said no tricks!
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : there are no tricks. this is the body i was given
It lunges again, this time striking simultaneously with two of its arms. Raxyas is able to parry one of the attacks but gets hit by the other... The creature managed to strike his armor.
Raxyas: AGHHH...
He feels a sharp pain. The blow the creature dealt wasn't nearly powerful enough to warrant so much suffering. Something else was afoot...
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : nothing is free. your new power amplifies not only strength, but also pain. its potential for destruction is higher, but also requires greater skill to use effectively...
Raxyas pulls himself together, and notices that something strange has happened. From the glowing, hovering circle behind him, faint ethereal lines were connecting it to the creature. Raxyas felt himself getting stronger and stronger with each passing second.
Raxyas: Nothing is free... I guess you're right. You're paying for the blow you dealt right now, aren't you...?
The creature prepares another strike. Raxyas doesn't flinch, doesn't attempt to parry, or dodge. He fully takes the blow. Immense pain. He falls to his knees, but the ethereal lines grow stronger. Soon, he's back up, feeling better than before.
Raxyas: Will you keep going?
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : is that... cockiness still?
Raxyas: No... This isn't about me. It's about you.
The creature was visibly weakened. Even though Raxyas was unable to damage it using physical attacks, he was continuously sapping its energy. The power of the monster was being drained completely. The outer, black shell was dissolving, revealing the bone structure beneath.
Raxyas: Being a cocky asshole with too much power... Maybe that's what started all of this, to begin with. If I wasn't so reckless, if I had accepted the help of others, listened to what they had to say... Maybe we wouldn't have to be here now. Look, I don't know where you came from, or what your goal really is. But there was something in me that made you stop, and chase. What was it? And was all we did worth it, in the end...?
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : well... was it...? you go first.
Raxyas: ... I don't know. I could still be a cocky asshole. In my current state, it wouldn't change a thing. Do I really need anyone now...? Do I need to listen to what they have to say? I mean, look at me. With enough power, you can be anything, you can do anything... Yet, it's just so much work to be a pain in someone else's ass. Whatever little satisfaction you gain from it at the moment, comes back to bite you eventually... Fitting for this armor, I suppose.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : so... you've changed...?
Raxyas: I guess you could say that... But it's not like the old me is gone. I could still be that person. I... Guess I just choose not to. It's not who I want to be anymore.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : now... you get it... that's change
Raxyas smiles.
Raxyas: Yeah. I guess it is.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : then fight. and win
With its protective shell gone, the creature keeps attacking Raxyas in order to keep him at bay. His heightened reflexes easily parried each of the creatures' blows, destroying the bones of the arms it used to strike Raxyas. He walked slowly towards it, deflecting the attacks easily.
Raxyas: So, tell me... Even though I have all this power... Why do I still feel like I've lost...?
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : ... because there are no real winners in this world of ours, Raxyas...
The creature catches him by surprise and sweeps at his feet. Raxyas falls to the ground. The ethereal lines glow brighter.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̥͈͓̫̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̟̜͖̀̌́͂̋̅i̸͇͇̠̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̙̤̿͂̽͒̚͠͝ͅi̸̡̧̧̼̼̞̩̯͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̨̨̨̤͎̠̗̯͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̨̹̭̰̟͙̾̅̓̚ : you asked me why i chose you...
The creature's body seemed to be disappearing slowly. Raxyas was sucking all that was left of its essence. In its stead, translucent a humanoid entity began appearing.
t̴̤̟̜̬̲̏͒͒͜r̶̥̫̗̯͔̀̌́͂̋̅i̸̐̾̉̔̇̔͒͝n̵̿͂̽͒̚͠͝i̸̡̧̼̼͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸̢̡̤͎̠͋̔̐̾́̌̕y̸̡̨̹̭̰̟̾̅̓̚ : because you were at the center of it all...
Raxyas was confused.
t̴̏͒͒r̶̥̫̗̯͔̀̌́͂̋̅i̸̐̾̉n̵̿͂͠i̸͐͑̈́́̀͊t̸y̸̾̅̚ : The souls of the Thirteen... They were captured and stored in soul spheres before they could go into the void, that much you could surmise by yourself...
The entity seemed more and more humanoid as its monstrous body faded into nothingness.
t̴̏r̶̀̌i̸n̵i̸͐͑t̸y̸̾: At every battle site, during every ritual. Someone was there to capture them. What you had no way of knowing was who exactly was behind it... I'll tell you now, it was one of my own. An old friend. His name is Pharisee. He made sure the Thirteen survived. It is thanks to him that you were labelled a traitor, and that the Thirteen managed to get this far...
The creature's body had fully dissipated by now. Only this ghost remained. It seemed almost... Angelic, in appearance.
Trinity: This world that we live in [https://img.wattpad.com/de673bedd7d31d3b81db5236c6a82f5199f411cb/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f707953695a587854694465335f513d3d2d313237383037303539352e313732623762633732633431646466663732313830363537343136362e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Trinity: This world that we live in... Not just Mortmundus, but the world of the living, too. Everything was shaped by gods who should have never gained the power to shape anything... As a consequence, we were born into a more unfair world than the one even random chance would leave for us. It is our goal to put an end to that unfairness. But Pharisee... He let greed take the best of him.
Raxyas: I don't understand. What organization are you a part of...? How do you know so much?
Trinity: You would not know of us. We are Eclipse. As to how I know so much... We have eyes everywhere. In the world of the living, in the world of the dead... I was sent here when our informants realized that Pharisee had betrayed us. It was my mission to stop him at all costs, before he marched on the world of the living with an army of undead... Although... That was only one part of my mission...
Raxyas: ... So? What was the other part?
The entity's projection was disappearing.
Raxyas: Wait! What was the other part?!
Trinity: I... Cannot tell you, Raxyas... You would not do your final part, otherwise. Just know that our actions... They bring balance. Much needed balance...
It was almost completely gone.
Trinity: One last thing... You must listen closely... You should seek the lost secrets of white magic in the Eluvian ocean... Deep, deep down... That is the only thing that can save you...
Raxyas: What...?
Trinity: Tell your friends... You must tell them...
Then, it disappeared. The chains wrapped around Raxyas' soul had gone with it. He was finally free of his oath, free of the curse... He sat on the cold, stony floor, and took a moment to process everything.
All this time, this curse had information that Raxyas could never even dream of. Every thing that it said, every opinion, every detail it shared... It did so with knowledge far greater than Raxyas himself could ever possess. How could anyone win against something like this...? And would they even want to? Should Raxyas not have made that oath, and instead died back in Slynvha? Would that have given the world a better fate, or would the entity just have found some other being to latch onto...? Could its will ever be stopped, or would the outcome always be the same...?
Raxyas: Hahah... It's always the same in the end, isn't it...?
He looked at his own hands.
Raxyas: No matter how much shit I go through, I'll never get all the answers... So why even bother.
He clenched into fists.
Raxyas: If uncertainty is also another curse I must bear... Then I welcome it to the pile. Though, I couldn't care less for it. I've more important matters to deal with, don't I? The things that I can do... That I must do... That which I can still discover and get to the bottom of... I will.
Raxyas stands up.
Raxyas: Xayn... Bazren... Tentoria... I'm coming. We're finishing what we've started!
Raxyas was ready, and on his way to Karghna.