Time: 4:00 PM
Location: King's Chamber, The Kingdom of Almighty ( To the west of Empire of Wisdom)
King Kreiger Loomis's POV:
So, what you are telling me, Eilonwy, that this sudden kingdom-wide earthquake is due to that old rusty sword that is almost in the ground in the castle's basement?
"Yes, your highness, the sword currently itself is not emitting any radiation or power but the chains bounding it, have become 'active', and are emitting strong energies. Luckily, one of my students was examining those chains and that's how I was able to find the origin of the earthquake." replied Eilonwy, my royal Scientist.
I don't understand, why your student was there.
"Yes, your royal highness, by your order, we had started studying those chains and that sword in the castle's basement and he was just recording the weekly report on the chains and sword's condition," said Eilonwy, keeping her head low and not looking me in the eye.
You are pretty docile, unlike your mother, who was quite a free spirit and brilliant too but she was too involved with the people, You and all the people of this kingdom serve me. Such a simple thing and your mother couldn't understand this, does it make any sense that she got herself executed in exchange for the lives of those rebels? Yet, after her death, I still had so much fun, executing them. But, it was still my loss, you know, as I lost a wonderful tool. I said just to see that angry expression in her eyes but it showed nothing!
"I am happy to serve you, your highness"
Tch, this bitch, she is still calm, I hate this kind of people those who won't beg in front of me, I am so high compared to them, my golden throne is so high, they are not even capable of licking my feet as I sit on my throne so high compared to them. I have seen so many great adventurers begging me, so many nobles coming here to curry favor from me, but she, her eyes say nothing, but still, I will not let her go like this.
So, you still have no idea how that rusty old sword could suddenly cause such damage, even one of the holy chains, of the Goddess of Creation, binding that old rusty sword was broken and you still have no idea how that rusty sword could do that? Are you an idiot or didn't learn anything from your mother?
"I apologize, my lord for my failure, we can confirm one thing, it was due to the sword's power that one of the chains broke, there was just one other radiation signature on the chains other than your highness's God: Goddess of Creation's holy attribute and most likely it came from that sword only, as my student, he says he saw no one entering or leaving the basement chamber my lord."
"Rogers, how long will you keep standing there saying nothing, are you my general just in name or are your old bones all rusty like that sword, I want a complete report by the end of today, with every detail from that stupid student of hers, and keep that student behind bars with no food, until this stupid bitch of a scientist can come up with something. Since my sleep was disturbed, I want you all to leave now and ask those consorts to come to my room." I said to the General Standing guard near the golden stairs that lead up to my throne.
"Yes, my king, I apologize for my uselessness, I will do as you say" replied my faithful dog, Rogers, General of my Holy Knights.
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Eilonwy's POV:
This king, I will kill you, I pledged on my mother's grave, I won't let you live.
"Yes, my king, I apologize for my uselessness, I will do as you say" I heard Rogers say.
He is the only rock on my path, I can't be careless around him. General Rogers, I don't know the reason why he is so loyal to that inhuman King, but if I ever want to have any chance of killing that "King", I need to first remove him before anything.
My student had done nothing wrong here but still just cause this king has to punish and vent his anger out on someone, just cause his sleep was disturbed, he is punishing my poor student. I need to do something. But this sword, this sword is the key, I can feel it, it can destroy the holy attributes, if only I can get my hands somehow on its power, then it just a reverse countdown for that king.
"Eilonwy, it's time we leave the chambers," said Rogers to me.
"Ya, I know too, " I left the chambers as I saw the King slowly raising himself through his powers and flying off to his room.
"I am truly sorry for what happened to your mother, Arelene, Eilonwy," said Rogers, as we came out of the chambers into the hallway.
"You don't need to pretend General Rogers, I saw how you fought for the king and destroyed all those rebels and captured my mother, I will never ever forgive you, you know that, so stop pretending," tears rolled out of eyes and the words floated out of my mouth, as I was now unable to contain my anger and grief as I remembered that horrific incident. Somehow, those king's words didn't torture me, but hearing the word Sorry from Rogers, cut me far deeper than the king could ever do.
"I am really sorry to you, but what she did against the king, I am not sorry for what I did, she also knew the consequences, I warned her before she met the rebels, " Rogers replied to me as he looked straight into my eye.
"hah! Even when you say sorry, you are not sorry, at least, have some guilt over what you did" I blurted all out.
"I promised to your mother, that I'll take care of you, and I did even when the king killed all of the rebels and their families, I saved you because of the promise I made to your mother, I did what I could, and I don't regret what happened with your mother but I do regret what I did to you and all those children who died after that war, for that, I am really sorry," said Rogers, I cannot state it, but he was a little less stoic than before.
"Hmm, ya whatever, I don't care, just keep your king safe while you can," I said, finally as I begin to leave.
"Turn around and face me Eilonwy, are you planning on doing anything against the King," I could hear him changing his stance as I turned to him and faced his sword.
"Ya, you were sorry a moment ago but look at you now, this, this is the real you I am accustomed to seeing, why did you try to act otherwise, this sword of yours, I can still see the stains of my father on this sword, you are getting dull, I think with age, it's not clear completely" I smirked as I said this to him, knowing full well how much he cares for his sword.
((Author's Side note --- Rogers, sword is absolutely fine and clean, it's how Eilonwy remembers, his sword all bloody with his father's blood))
"I am warning you Eilonwy, do not try anything like your mother, I don't want to hurt you too" replied Rogers
"Ya, whatever, I am not gonna do anything, I am busy with my research on that rusty sword, I don't have the time to think about your king( for now)" I said as I turned my back on him and began leaving.
"Hmm, I'll take your actions into account," I could hear him sheathing his sword as he turned in the opposite direction and began to leave.
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Rogers's POV:
"Hmm, I'll take your actions into account," this is not what a grandfather would say to his grandchild. I am still a pitiful man! I thought to myself as I came into my cabin and sat on my chair. I pulled out a photo from the patch on my uniform. A picture of a beautiful woman, elegant and courteous, along with a man wearing the uniform of the Captain of Holy Knights of the Kingdom of Almighty, who was strong and kind.
Your daughter is strong Captain Honitus as well as kind, I can see your reflection in her.
Your daughter has grown to be a fearless, intelligent, and capable woman like you, Arelene. As her grandfather, I can see, your reflection in her too.
I was never there for you, but I promised to you before your death, that I will be there for her and I will keep that promise till my grave, this is my act of apologizing to you. She has grown to become a courageous and beautiful woman like you, Arelene.
Ahh, sometimes, I think about whether the power granted to me by my Goddess( Goddess of Creation) was a blessing or a curse. She made me vow to follow the one who sits on the throne and I cannot deny her. I knew full well, what it meant to become a follower and a Champion but still, my thirst for power is what led me here. I wasn't there when my wife died and even after I returned I still chose the Goddess over my child and left you as an orphan, still, you never had any anger toward me, you weren't even angry when I killed your husband before your very eyes, you were just sad, you pitied me, who considered himself one of the strongest of the Champions and made me realize how weak I truly am. Over the years, I still cannot overcome your graze, the one that said how sorry she was to be born as my daughter, ah! I truly wonder, if there is an afterlife, will I be able to face you? and most importantly will I be able to keep my promise?
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Even now, when I know that your daughter is against the kingdom, rather than being by her side, I am hoping that, that day shall never come when I have to really pull out my sword against her, not as an act, but as a statement, will I truly be able to ever get your forgiveness then? Even now I am thinking of the Goddess and the throne, such is the price of becoming strong, granted to you by the so-called Gods. .....
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Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Inside the dungeon: Pilgrim of the Lost souls
Sir Paul's POV:
I have never ever seen a reaction as such to the emblem. Even if my god didn't like the person to whom I gave the emblem, he just retracted it and sent it back to me, it has never ever turned black and disintegrated. What was that and that sudden urge by my God to silence that human(he means to kill him) as he took control of my body from me, I just couldn't understand. Luckily, Jack switched bodies with his emblem holder and parried my sword before it could reach that young man, I have never ever seen an emblem being disintegrated and my God on his toes like that. My god isn't even responding to my calls now!
" We need to beat him up and get whatever information he has out from him," said Gus as he struck the table with his hand in anger and let out a strong aura.
"No, you don't" replied back Jack with an even more daunting and dark Aura.
"But we need information, something like that has never happened and I think, I should control his mind to see if there is anything important that we can get info about," said Madeline. She might look like the sanest in the group but unfortunately, she is a crazy human, in pursuit of knowledge and wisdom of any kind.
"No, if you do that he will never be the same again," I said as I remembered what she did to one of the people we captured back in our young days.
"Jack, I know you are very protective of the kid, you have raised him as a child, I know that, but I cannot deny my God too, the moment that my emblem touched him, it turned black and disintegrated into dust, and that feeling of silencing him that my god craved is still so fresh in my body, I can't just ignore it. you need to tell me what's going on with that person"
"Well, all I can tell you is that person, Kalkin, he is innocent, I don't know what the deal with your God is, and why that emblem turned black, confirm it with your God but I am telling you, he is not affiliated with anyone or anything, he is just a commoner trying to become a Champion and I will not let anyone harm him," replied Jack taking a defensive stand against all of us.
"You think you can take on all of us, your puny God of mischief does he have that sort of strength?" replied Gus as he started to crack his knuckles and whole body.
"We are not going to fight amongst ourselves Gus, calm down and sit silent" I ordered and commanded him.
"tch, only if you say so, Captain Paul" replied Gus, clearly unhappy with my tone and decision.
"Listen, Kalkin told me not to disclose it with anyone, but I am only doing this so that you all can rest easy and I think maybe that's the reason why your emblem turned black ok! Kalkin's wife Aadya has a stigma known as Healer's confederate and she is currently being researched at Saint's hospital. I know I am not allowed to discuss any further nor do I know anything more, you all know how safeguarded the research on stigmas is, but I believe maybe it's a sort of reaction from that stigma as he is in close association with her"
"hmm, the leader of secretive intelligence, the largest private intelligence group working in the empire doesn't know the information about secret research on stigmas, what a joke!" said Madeline in a taunting manner.
"Well, since you know about me being the leader of secret intelligence, clearly our organization is not as good as people think but I do wonder why your Goddess of Wisdom also doesn't have any information about this, or does she not trust you, one of her most powerful Champions after the current Apostle herself? Madeline, isn't that right" shot back Jack, always quick as ever.
"You son of a ....", I waived at Madeline to be silent.
"Jack, I know you are defensive about that boy, after all, you have raised him but I don't know how this is related to him and the emblem turning black", I asked jack a little more firmly.
"Why don't you ask your God that, the one who took control of you and targeted the boy in the first place, ask him specifically about healer's confederate and God of Knowledge's deception, maybe he'll give you an idea" Jack shot back at me.
"Ok, this is enough, until I get an answer from my God back, Kalkin will remain in handcuffs, they are specially made, given to me by God of Virtue to bind those who he deems bad and wrong and no one can use whatever power or holy attribute they have while this is on them, it won't be removed off him until I hear back from my God and he will accompany us in the dungeon, I cannot risk the thought of getting him out of my sight, is this alright, my old friend," I said to him, this time in a friendly but commanding tone.
"Hmm, ya, I was gonna take him with me anyways to get him to gain some strength and stamina and experience while fighting monsters, this just makes my task a little more difficult but never mind" replied Jack to me.
"Do you both have to say anything, Gus and Madeline?" I asked them
"Just this, you are pretty partial when it comes to Jack, Captain, this doesn't suit a Champion of Virtue but who am I, right, I have no objections, anyways I am off to a different route", Gus replied back.
"No objections from my side either" replied Madeline.
"So, its settled, Kalkin and Jack will follow my group as we leave tomorrow morning for the inner part of the dungeon, you all also get rest, we need your members to be in their prime state starting tomorrow, we will leave at 9 AM tomorrow don't be late."
"Jack, I hope you are not in the wrong by taking the side of that boy, I just hope, otherwise you know, I also have a duty to do" I reminded Jack that I am doing him a favor.
"Don't worry, I have never ever lost a bet not even against my God" Jack replied to me in his usual nonchalant manner.
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Kalkin's POV:
It's been 3 hrs since that incident and none of the Champions have returned since the meeting started. I thought my life was over as I saw that sword swinging towards me, I couldn't even do a thing, not even one finger, but luckily Sir Jack came to my rescue. Shit, how long do I have to be dependent on Sir Jack, it's high time. And the fuck, why do bad things happen to me only? why did that emblem turn black?
"Oye, Naveen, why am I the only one in these Handcuffs and inside this makeshift cell, why are you outside and guarding me?"
"Stupid, you were the one who turned that emblem black, Kalkin, I don't know whether you find problems or problems find you. Heck, I sometimes wonder if your luck, is bad or whether bad luck is your life story. Luckily, Sir Jack arrived in time, otherwise, I don't know what might have happened?"
"Bro, but why am I in handcuffs and you my partner in crime, the one guarding me?"
"Buddy, let me tell you like this: I think I have found the perfect analogy for your luck situation: the thing is Good luck is not against you or anything, it even extends its hand to you sometimes but I think bad luck just loves you, every time good luck extends his hands, bad luck comes and gives you a kiss on the lips. This perfectly summarises your situation. Good luck came to you when Sir Paul tried to give his emblem to you but then bad luck kissed you as that emblem turned black and disintegrated."
" Hey, don't dodge the question, and answer me !"
"I can't tell you, buddy, otherwise I may have to kill you"
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, NAVEEN?"
"There will be no such need" I heard a figure in the dark as he approached my cell and Naveen.
"Master, at your service" replied an always lazy Naveen in a completely different tone as if talking to a reverend, with his head bowed down and both his hands joined in a namaste pose.
"There is no such need Naveen, Kalkin already knows about my organization, Kalkin meet Naveen, code-name: X-01, he is also a Champion of God of Mischief and serves me"
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaat, the holy fuck, he is a Champion!!!!!!!!"
"But I won against him in every racing competition during our training days?"
"I told him never to use his powers in the academy and he was always supposed to guard you there" replied Sir Jack in a casual tone. I was about to say something but chose not to, cause I also has my suspicions as he always was there to help me at the right time and moment and he would always leave the explanation out.
"Now, Naveen, your task is still the same, from tomorrow you are to follow Madeline's group, you can leave" Naveen left as he once again bowed down and made a weak smile at me.
"Kalkin, why do you always have to be in trouble", said Sir Jack, as he opened the makeshift cell and asked me to come out
"First, can't you do anything about these handcuffs and the chains?"
"These remain, they can only be freed by Paul and nobody else!"
"What have I done, Sir Jack, it was Sir Paul who gave me that emblem, I didn't even ask for it and why am I in these chains?"
"I am sorry Kalkin, I don't know, even my God isn't able to reach God of Virtue and can't get a proper explanation for the same but according to Paul, the sensation to silence (kill) you was strong very strong so much so, that Paul's God took control of his body to try to kill you, this is something even I don't understand but I had to give him information about Aadya's Stigma situation so that they have some kind of logic and can remove focus away from you. But these will be removed when God of Virtue explains it to my God and Paul, everything will be alright Kalkin, I won't let anybody harm you," said Sir Jack apologizing to me.
"Also, you are to come with us to the monster hunt tomorrow, Paul says he cannot leave you here, since I was also going to bring you with me, I think this is the best opportunity for us to get you some well-needed dungeon experience. So get ready for tomorrow, don't worry much, everything will be alright."
" If you say so, Sir Jack, well at least I will have the first actual experience of my dungeon life tomorrow." I smiled and left to regroup with my friends.
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Sir Jack's POV:
Kalkin, tomorrow is the day, when we can finally talk about Kali, freely in the dungeon where nobody will spy on us and share with you the contents of the letter, she wrote to me. She mentioned something similar but I cannot disclose it here, nor can I allow Madeline to look at your past, she will discover everything then, but I cannot allow it to happen. Things are moving now, the standstill that was for years, is now shifting, I know I am a side character but I cannot let anything happen to my precious family:-Kalkin, Aadya, and even my students.
Well, starting tomorrow, the long journey begins.
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