Meius remained calm as best as he could... He touched his hand to his forehead... And took a few deep breaths, finding solace somehow and calming his nerves.
The man's stare was immutable, traveling from each one of the four to the other without delay or recoil. No one dared to shuffle around as he gazed upon them. No one dared to make a sound. Eventually, the man sighed as he dropped his head.
"I suppose none among you are going to greet me?" His head lifted back up with a slowness that seemed to be a sort of timer for the four of them.
"My apologies, Dyzin. How are you-" Phoen scratched the side of his head as a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead.
"Silence knave. I am no king or master. No one owes me anything, especially not a greeting. Only the guilty adhere to the demands of the justiciars whom they live in fear of." Dyzin's eyes squinted down onto Phoen, demanding silence and subservience. "I may not be a man of any King. But I am justice."
A long silence sifted between them all...
"Hiya, Dyzin. It's been a second. Have ya been doing okay?" Trezz waltzed forward to Dyzin and outstretched his hand while his lips curled into a soft smile.
"Trezz..." Dyzin used the same tone of voice he had previously addressed Phoen with, making Meius and Losuto both believe that he was about to lash out again... But to their surprise, Dyzin reached his own hand out and shook Trezz's. "I've been in the shadows for a brief moment. So, I have been relentlessly overcome by boredom for a while. Pray-tell you've been staying out of trouble?"
"Heh. Sure have." Trezz's smile stretched out wider as he stifled a laugh under his breath. "I met with Meius in the city, he can vouch for me."
"Can he now?" Dyzin released his handshake with Trezz and turned his attention to Meius. Meius kept his attention turned away from Dyzin, refusing to look him in the face as he kept a blank expression. "Meius, what say you?"
"Damn you, Trezz..." Meius closed his eyes. He took a deep breath through his mouth, and let go out his nose before opening his eyes back up. He turned himself to Dyzin with a small smile on his face. "Yeah, Trezz stayed out of trouble."
"Mm. What a pleasant surprise. Anyways, we'll have more time for chit-chat later. Let's head inside..." Dyzin inched his way up to the edge of the pond with everyone else moving off to the side as he took center stage...
There wasn't a true forest around them, but a few trees. However, if one were to look at the area topology, they would notice that there were four trees with one each positioned at the "corners" of the pond aside from the ones in the surrounding area. Dyzin clapped his hands together ahead of his chest with his fingers pointing up. At the notion of his will, the rules of logic bent with the shadows of those four trees beginning to twist and turn towards the center of the pond. Despite the fact that the sun stood in the same place as it had moments ago, the shadows of the tree now firmly sat crossed over the pond, intersected at the direct middle of the body of water.
"Innocence betrayed and trust murdered... We stand as victims of reckless injustice brought down by those who have sold their souls to greed and malice. We act as pursuers of true justice in defiance of the established demons who disguise themselves as the law and dictate themselves as the saviors. We are the great scourge, driven by karma and created by sin. We are Forsaken..." Dyzin's very words coincided with an aura deeper and darker than a starless night outstretching over his hands. With each sentence spoken, the intersection of shadows in the middle of the pond reacted. At first, the diamond-like shape that had formed gained visible outlines with dark lines rising a few inches above the surface. Then, those very same lines rose higher, seeming like they could reach the clouds in the sky while forming a veil around that shape. Finally, the veil appeared to curve outward in the sky, forming a small dome over the area. Bits of physical and third-dimensional shadow rained down like snowflakes in the area as the centerpiece lit up with a dark purple outline...
"What-... What the hell just happened?" Grula held her hand out as one of the midnight black snowflakes passed through her hand... Everything was darker inside of this dome, but light still managed to make its way through only slightly obfuscated. "That's Dyzin... And he just..."
"The link is open. It's time." Dyzin stepped forward without hesitation, passing through the center of the veil after walking over the surface of the pond. Much to Grula's surprise, she watched the rest of them follow in suit, one after the other. There was a reluctance deep within her, but she knew that this was vital to the mission. She had to follow, and so, she did…
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Passing through the diamond-shaped veil... At first, there was darkness... Then, there was dim light. A solid stone hallway laid before them. Intricate patterns of rough, jagged shapes were sprawled across every inch of the hall. The dim essence of light originated from these patterns as a sort of deep, dark blue. Moving along the hall, there were symmetrical doorways on each side with near identical looking rooms. There existed a bed, a desk, and a chair in each. Living quarters to be sure... But the main attraction was ahead.
The group entered into a large open area. This room was absolutely massive and shaped like a triangle. At each wall, there was a similar looking hallway to the one they had just passed through. To the sides, and even above the exits to these halls, there were rows of chairs overlooking the center of the room. At the center sat a triangular table with the three chairs on each side... The first thing Grula noticed was how oddly oriented the chairs were...
However, she had no time to dwell on it as things began to ramp up. Dyzin walked past the table in the room and up a set of stairs that led to a single throne. Sitting himself down in it, he gazed down at the rest of the room. Meius, Trezz, and Losuto all took seats on the same side while Phoen sat by himself. Then, immediately after, the room began to be filled up. Another seven figures entered the room from the other hallways and quietly took their seats without speaking a single word... In the last remaining empty seat, a faint, blue figure appeared upon it. All eyes were on Dyzin...
"Now then... Let us begin the roll-call..." Dyzin eyed the twelve of them all at once... "Kido, The Fury Magus..."
"Here." A man with a fair complexion raised his hand quickly before lowering it. His tone indicated no sort of joy or wonder, a simple answer to his call. Kido had messy, spiky silvery-blue hair and a pair of dark brown eyes. His eyebrows were thin and curved, and he possessed no facial hair whatsoever. He had a small nose and sharp chin, and his physique was somewhat muscular and lean. Kido wore a low collared purple robe which was wrapped around his waist by a darker purple belt. The collar of the robes were a deep green and matched the top parts of his robe that sat upon his shoulders which had ribbons that flowed past his waist. Underneath the robe, Kido wore a low-cut golden-brown top with long red sleeves that could be seen under the loose sleeves of the robe. For his bottoms, he wore a simple pair of black trousers and a pair of brown shoes.
"Kido the Fury Magus?... That's supposedly the guy who can use all eight elements despite not being the Magi... Supposedly he killed the seven people closest to him to gain that kind of power... He looks like he's constantly pissed. Makes sense..." Grula watched on as Kido darted his eyes across the room at the other eleven sitting with him. “I’m not totally sure if I could handle somebody like that in a fight…”
"Qiaju, The Body Snatcher."
"Me! Right here!" A scantily-clad girl threw both her hands in the air and waved them around. After, what seemed to be, a disapproving grunt with a nod from Dyzin, she settled back down into her seat with a wide grin that showed her teeth. Qiaju appeared to have long, light green hair separated into three parts with most of it being behind her head along with one ponytail on each side. She had bright blue eyes, thin and curved eyebrows, and soft facial features. The pins in her hair making the ponytails were two dark purple pieces with five jagged pieces that looked like wings closing into the center. As for her outfit, it was a black coat-like top with purple accentuation and a turtle-neck piece of cloth that almost reached the bottom of her jaw. Below that, it was a completely open and parted piece that exposed the rest of her body. The cloth covered most of her small breasts, only leaving a portion of cleavage visible. However, lower down, the rest of her upper body could be seen from her ribcage to her curved waist. For her bottoms, Qiaju wore a pair of low-cut pants with seemingly only the strings sitting on her waist's curves holding it up.
"I've never heard of this person before... But I imagine they'd be good at hiding in plain sight if their name is accurate. She looks so familiar..." Grula sat there staring at Qiaju for several moments before she had an anger-inducing realization. Grula clenched her fist until it turned white... "That's the body of one of my old students! Elzi! It took me a second to recognize that face, but it’s really her!..."
"Trezz, The Sinister Illusionist..."
"Right here, boss-man." Trezz gave a simple wave with a small grin on his face.
"If Illusions are his specialty, then he's impossible to fight without preparation and an ambush... That being said, the kid doesn't look like much otherwise. He'd probably fold with a single hit." Grula took her mind off of the fact that her former student was being used in such a way by refocusing on all the members here...
"Juua Telvel, The Phantom of the Fog..."
"Present." A soft, short and concise voice coincided with a figure raising their hand halfway up and swiftly putting it down. This figure sounded male, and wore a full head-covering cowl with a mask portion. The only part that would have been exposed were his eyes, but overtop were a pair of goggles with dark tinted lenses that made seeing any distinguishable feature of his impossible. The cowl was connected to a gray overcoat that spanned down to his black boots. On the coat was a multitude of pockets and buttons. Even their hands had a pair of dark gray gloves overtop.
"I've heard of him before... Juua is supposed to be a fake name or alias... But the title "Phantom of the Fog" comes from the harrowing mist that signals his presence. No one who enters it comes out alive..." Grula raised an eyebrow as the figure went near-motionless afterwards... "Without knowing his abilities, I don't think I could take him unless it was an ambush or I got lucky."
"Meius Valkir, The Immortal Reaper..."
"Here..." Meius raised his hand without any hesitation or visible emotion, sitting it back down...
"We'll have to see about you, Meius. I still don't trust you, and I'm not sure how you got this title, but I know for damn sure no one is truly immortal..." Grula scratched her chin... "If it came to a fight, Meius is tricky as he knows a lot of techniques and is the undisputed master of Healing Magic. That means his physicals are higher than most with Enchantment Magic... I think I could out-muscle him though regardless."
"Muradin Pomos, The Dreadspawner..."
"I'm here, I'm here..." A middle-aged man gave a thumbs up to Dyzin before crossing his arms and resting his head on them on the table. He had short and spiky dark brown hair. His eyes were a light yellow color and he had thick, bushy brows. His face was somewhat squarely shaped, and the next most notable thing about him was his handlebar mustache. For clothes, he wore a simple brown trench coat that flowed behind his legs down to his knees. Underneath the coat was a simple gray tunic, and he wore dirt-brown leather pants with black boots. Around his waist and overtop of the coat, he had a belt with many pouches and a singular book attached to it.
"That asshole, Muradin... He used to always try to put Zen down when we all were in a class together..." Grula rolled her eyes and huffed... "Supposedly, he's one of the best at Artifice Magic... But that's useless if I'm too fast for him. I think I could take him down if needed."
"Losuto, The Shadow Sentinel..."
"In the flesh..." Losuto waved two fingers up at Dyzin before leaning back in his chair.
"I've never heard of this guy before... But the geezer probably has a trick or two up his sleeve. I think I'd win no matter what..." Grula shook her head, not knowing what else to make of him. "No one lives that long without being formidable in some way."
"Uinta, The Echo of Antithesis..."
"Right here!" The man wasted no time in shooting his hand up and then bringing it back down... Uinta was a bald-headed man with hazel eyes. He wore a black jacket with golden trim that was left open, exposing his muscular physique. He wore a pair of brown striped pants with two red belts intertwined holding them up along with a pair of brown shoes.
"Yup, I've heard of him. One of the few Anti-Magic users out there who lived long enough to become a true menace. No one is exactly sure of his true capabilities, but he's taken out more than his fair share of high level Lancers." Grula furrowed her brow and shook her head. "He's probably not someone I could take on alone unless I knew what he could do. Even so, maybe bring someone along with me..."
"Kuroz Kolisti, The Chrono-Cloak..."
"Sitting right here..." The origin of the voice didn't even bother to raise his hand. It didn't sound like he cared much either. He had messy blonde hair with bangs that his deep green eyes peered through. His eyebrows were bushy and curved. His skin complexion was tanned, and he had a massive physique, barely even fitting in the chair he sat in. Kuroz wore a simple white gi overtop of a black compression shirt and had golden wraps around the palms of his hands with red wristbands. He had a matching pair of loose, white pants and then black shoes.
"One of the few prodigies that the Kolisti family produced in recent years. He's relentlessly brutal. It's well known that he murdered his wife and child in cold blood so many years ago." Grula gritted her teeth as she looked upon the man. Someone who committed like that didn't deserve to live... "But... There's no way I could beat him..."
"The General..."
"As present as I can be..." The faint, blue mirage raised its hand... Dyzin shook his head and sighed in response, simply opting to move on.
"Right now, he's occupying the Woe Cult if what Meius said was true. Still..." Grula stared at the image for a few moments... "His power is well-known. And it would be a mistake to think that he's weak because he just throws bodies at a problem. If it came down to it, I'd have to take him out somehow before he summons an army."
"Hiwa Felsta, The Sovereign Sword..."
"Here..." A woman raised her hand with the usual nobility that a Felsta is known for. She had deep blue eyes and pencil thin eyebrows. Her hair was a lighter blue than her eyes, and was tied into a high ponytail with her bangs sitting over her eyes in a couple bunches. Hiwa wore a long, blue dress-coat with a popped collar. There was trim on the inside with a lighter blue color within that sat overtop of her breasts perfectly. A strip of gold fabric connected both sides of the dress and sat overtop of her collarbone. The dress hugged her frame comfortably until it flowed off to the sides of her legs with a small split. Visible from the split were a pair of shiny, metallic greaves overtop of Hiwa's legs along with metal boots. Attached at her hips by a belt were two swords with oddly shaped hilts and guards.
"Hmm... I'm not sure which Felsta branch she's from... She has similar colored hair to that Iola girl, but a different name entirely... And their faces look different too..." Grula tilted her head to the side, unsure of what to think. "Still, a Felsta cannot be taken lightly. I should avoid her if I can."
"Lastly... Phoen, The Symphonic Demon..."
"Right here..." The raspy and hoarse voice of Phoen echoed throughout the chamber as the final roll-call.
"You bastard!..." Grula closed her eyes and darted her head away from the sight of the demon. "If I weren't on a mission, I'd fucking kill you for what you did to Brula!..."
"I see... General... What reason have you for not physically showing up?" Dyzin's eyes shifted over to the Mana image of his subordinate.
"Well... Dyzin, let's just say that I have a particular pest cornered with my superior tactics." The General's image held his arms out to the side with his palms facing upward.
"No. Explain further. I want to hear who this pest is... If this is to be believed."
"The foundation of the Woe Cult. The witch herself, Temptation..."
"Mm... Very well, General. I will accept this excuse of physical absence. However, I expect proof of the deed."
"Of course, Dyzin." The General's phantom stood up from its seat and bowed. "You'll have her head when I return."
"I'll hold you to that." Dyzin turned his attention away from the image as it sat back down. Instead, his glare shot over to Qiaju. "You..."
"Eh? Me? What about me?" Qiaju crossed her arms under her almost exposed chest and put on a frumpy expression as she sank down in her seat.
"You were supposed to show up with your actual body. I thought I made that clear."
"Okay, but... I can do anything I normally do inside this body too... Plus, look how cute I am! Don't I look great?" Qiaju hopped up from her seat and held her arms out wide, showing off her form and outfit as she did a small twirl around.
"You look like a whore." Kida shook his head slowly as he crossed his arms. His expression stayed the same, but he began to tap his foot as his demeanor got more impatient. "The cheap kind too."
"Hey now! Rude!" Qiaju locked her arms to her side as she yelled over the table at Kido. "Be nicer about my new favorite proxy!"
"What did you do to this poor sap?" Phoen was sat up straight as he tapped his finger against Qiaju's cheek, arm, and then tummy.
"Pf. Well..." Qiaju slapped Phoen's hand away as she plopped back down into her seat with her arms crossed. "She got on my nerves pretty quick. So, I put her in some frog's body and crushed her to death! Ha-ha! By her own hands!..."
"Euch..." Losuto narrowed his eyes as he turned his gaze away and shook his head.
"You disgust me so much." Kido began to feel the heat rise up in his own body as his head overflowed with imaginations of him performing violent acts upon the girl.
"Enough!" Dyzin's overwhelming and all-encompassing demand echoed throughout the chambers, freely reverberating among a silence that gave him the respect he demanded. After a few more moments devoid of any noise, Dyzin cleared his throat and continued. "If you are able to perform what I ask of you in that form, then so be it for now. However, regarding any future summons, show up in your real body or I will simply shred apart whatever "proxy" you bring."
"Fineeee..." Qiaju threw herself down into her seat, crossing her arms and darting her gaze to the side as she put the frumpiest expression possible on her face.
"Muradin. What's the progress of your beasts?"
"Eh? Oh... I'd say they're coming along..." Muradin's head shot up from his crossed arms as his weary eyes set upon his master. He gave a short yawn after his response and stretched his arms out. It had only been a minute or two... But he seemed as if he just woke up from a several hour nap. "Let's see... Honestly, the only thing left to do is to create a couple more so I can perfect a brood mother. Once that's done, those creatures will be ready. Of course, they still need a real test..."
"I see. Test them however you like and report the findings to me..." Dyzin watched his subordinate give a simple thumbs up in return and place their head face down into their arms once more. With that, he turned his head to the old timer... "Losuto. Tell me, are you still with Tobias's kid and their project? How is that coming along?"
"Well... Tobias being killed was a major setback at the time. But his kid has pulled through. He's a real genius. At this point, it's just a matter of finding the location..." Losuto peeked his eyes over to Meius. Meius had his hands held together on the table as he gazed upon the center of it and nothing more.
"Mm. Is that so? If it could be found and the ritual done before the major festival... That would be a great bonus. However, it is not our duty or main concern as The Forsaken to ensure such a ritual succeeds. Most of our inner thirteen use some form of Flow, or think that such a thing could upset all balance. I find that a world without Flow may be a better one, but it is not directly inline with what I think will fix our world. I have said this before, but I repeat it before you all again to address the biggest issue among us all... Firstly, I will hear what the center of the problem at hand has to say..." Dyzin's eyes shifted over to Meius who dared not flinch or look around during his explanation. Meius felt the heavy weight of Dyzin's will press unto him alongside the eyes of all others... "Meius Valkir, you stand at the absolute center of the issue alongside Losuto as opposite ends of the spectrum. However, where his position is quite clear, yours is not. Your allegiance may lie with me, but you still remain a part of the Academy... There is an expectation of you from us all that you will remove Xilvas Numidis from this world. But, in that regard along with loyalty, you are relatively unproven. Speak on this matter and let your intent be known."
"The truth is... I would love nothing more than to merely prevent Auriel's Ultimatum from being called, to keep the current status quo in some area of this grand game of tug of war... But as time encroaches and I near deadlines... I find the pressure increasingly being brought down from all sides. Xilvas wants me to remain in the Academy for the foreseeable future so he can retire, Korkolo wants a clear path to Ozix's revival, and Dyzin wants me to spill Xilvas's blood and destroy the system of Lancers and cultists alike... Each side wants my full commitment when my current goals lie somewhere in the middle among these ultimatums..." Meius closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the clenching of his hands together made his knuckles nearly turn white. As he opened his eyes to the site of his self-bound hands once more, he tempered his thoughts and gathered his options... "However, unlike when I'm at the Academy, I can think and dwell freely on my next moves. I'm at a crossroads. Attempt to maintain the status quo among the increasing pressure?... Or appease all three sides simultaneously in a high risk move?... I have two avenues... Normally, I'm the farthest thing from a risk-taker. But the more I dwell on it... The more I see myself being able to play the right hand to give me a straight-shot to the dream I have..."
"Ahem. Meius... Have you no conviction to pick your alliances?"
"Sorry. I had to formulate my position on the matter." Meius stood up from his seat and placed his hand over his heart. Gripping that area of his chest while taking bated breaths, Meius began to speak. "I understand your intent on clarifying my position, Dyzin. So allow me to show my own intentions. I agree with the notion that the Lancer world at large has grown too vain and greedy for its own good. Unlike most of the bloodthirsty mongrels here, I align myself with your ideals and am not here to simply kill for the sake of killing."
Taking a brief pause after stating such, Meius swung his head around to gaze upon the other eleven sitting with him. Losuto's expression hadn't taken a certain shape or form. He just stared at Meius, awaiting more. Muradin had lifted his head up to listen in full to what Meius had to say. And Muradin, alongside Trezz and The General, seemed rather amused by what Meius had to say regarding the other members. Juua's expression was unable to be seen, nor was he one to express his own opinions as he preferred to remain like a ghost. Kido had his arms crossed, nodding with Meius in agreement to that idea. Both Hiwa and Kuroz stayed unmoved at this description. However, Phoen, Qiaju, and Uinta held their own respective glares and faces of repulsion at the idea of Meius being the one to declare them as monsters.
"With that said, I make this promise to you. On the night of the festival's start in five weeks time, I will slay Xilvas Numidis... However, I understand that a period of time like that may be too long for your liking considering the hesitation I have displayed before at this request. So, please, allow me to make an appeal to you for my reasoning..." Meius leaned over, bowing to Dyzin as he awaited confirmation...
"You've delayed this request for quite a while, Meius. Though these other eleven may not understand it, I do. Xilvas Numidis is one of the many pillars of power in this world. There are few who can truly understand his strength. Not even I think I could best him without serious sacrifices..." Dyzin tapped his fingers over the arms of his throne as if he were playing a set of cascading piano notes. "However, you claim you can do it easily, yet you hesitate. If I am to assume you have an ulterior motive for that and this appeal is to explain it, let me hear it..."
"Thank you, Dyzin." Meius stood straight once more... "I will kill Xilvas regardless of your choice, but... I would prefer you to hold off on calling Auriel's Ultimatum, or any sort of culling targeting Lancers..."
"Hm?... Go on. Explain why."
"Ultimately, I believe the system can be changed and rectified without bloodshed. There are definitely "old-guard" Lancers who are stuck in a loop of pure avarice... But there remain plenty of young Lancers, in and outside of the Academy, whom I know can be led away from such vices and formed into people who strive to save others instead of being controlled by materialism. As a matter of fact, I already have two such students under my wing, and I'm aiming for a third... The young ones should not have to pay for the sins of the older ones. And with Xilvas gone, I will be the one they look to. I only ask that you give this idea a chance..."
"Whoa!" Uinta thrust up from his seat and slammed his hands on the table. "Everything you just said goes against what we stand for! We were forsaken by the world! Wrathful vengeance is our right!"
"I wouldn't say that so casually, degenerate." Kido scrunched his lips into a scowl as he lifted himself to his feet. "You don't get to claim and repeat what "we" stand for when you're just a maggot who craves despair from the weak."
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"He may not represent that value, but I agree with the statement." Hiwa rose up next with her hands behind her back. "The world as we know it is rooted in corruption and pushed us into a corner. There are no true bonds, only falsities that deserve to be shattered."
"Don't talk as if there ain't any innocence left in the world. What a stupid worldview..." Losuto shot up from his chair and pointed his finger across the table at Hiwa.
"I just want to kill people..." Kuroz rolled his eyes, kicking his feet onto the table as he let the rest of them argue.
"I can agree with that as long as it's fun." The General nodded his head over to Kuroz.
"Silence! Did I give any of you permission to speak out of line?" Dyzin rose out of his chair and lifted his right hand above his head. Holding it flat and straight in the air, everyone else besides Meius immediately got back into their seats and sat up straight... The moment everyone calmed down, Dyzin lowered his right arm back down to his side and slowly sat back down in his throne. "Meius. Personally, I see your idea as a silver lining to a world that desperately needs grand redemption. However, before I confirm or deny, I must remind you that I aim to keep a balance among all of our inner thirteen. With that in mind, let me ask you in return... What will you do with the knowledge of Ozix's death site?"
A thick air of patience and temperamental feelings of annoyance and anger clouded the room. Meius understood the implications of the question and what his answer was going to entail regarding his choice. He turned his head over to Losuto who stared him down with narrowed eyes and a firm resolve. He already knew his response...
"I plan on keeping it to myself. The success of the ritual and Losuto's part in it holds no weight over me, nor does the possible rage of the others if I were to align myself with that change in the balance." Meius continued to hold his hand over his heart as he spoke. There was a varying mix among The Forsaken regarding this declaration of intent. Most looked rather pleased, but not exactly thrilled. Losuto closed his eyes and bowed his head, respecting Meius's statement but not agreeing with it.
"Very well then. Meius, I agree with this idea... As I see it, there are more than just Lancers who need to pay for their crimes. There still remains the Cult of Ozix themselves along with the Woe Cult. They are not innocent by any means... So, for those of you beasts who wish to simply maim and kill... You will have your will for violence satiated..." Dyzin bowed his head with his eyes closed. Many of the inner thirteen groaned or sighed, not that he cared. But, Dyzin lifted his head back up to Meius once more. "However, I will not grant this unless I get a show of good faith and some give in this plan. It's simple. You shall undergo the same trial that the initiates are to take soon. And, you will allow and help us kill older Lancers..."
"I humbly accept that stipulation..."
"Mm... Now then... Muradin! Summon the initiates!"
"Huh?... Right..." Muradin's head shot up from his arms once more. Stumbling up to his feet, he took a solid stance in defiance of his earlier actions. Holding his left hand flat in front of his face, a ghastly aura of brown Mana formed around his hand with his magical power oozing off of his palm. Taking his right hand and flattening it with a more refined and sharpened Mana forming at his fingertips, Muradin slashed at the aura on his left hand with several instant strokes. The brown Aura began to hum and shimmer as it was ready...
With a solid downward press onto the table of the aura with etchings, Muradin called upon the rare powers of Runic Magic... And with little time in between, the rows of seats sitting on the outskirts of the room began to be piled in by unfamiliar faces all around. Grula, somehow maintaining her composure throughout all the treasonous talk from Meius, was witness to numerous figures seemingly popping into existence within this room. By the time it was over, there had to have been over forty people within this chamber...
And with all of them sitting within these seats, the arrangement of chairs and Dyzin's position made sense to Grula. Or at least, she saw a pattern. The shadows that extended out in rings from Dyzin... Every single row of chairs was oriented to be in alignment with these shadows. What did it mean to Grula?... She had no idea, but this was clearly some sort of setup done intentionally...
"Now then!... With the initiates and inner thirteen assembled, let us commence the true meeting of The Forsaken!..."
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Grula had thought that the "true meeting" would involve some other grand scheme plan outside of what she already knew and heard... But it was far from the case. Rather, nothing discussed between the thirteen was even mentioned around the initiates. The true meeting was a delegation of sorts where they had welcomed the new initiates. Beyond that, it was mentioned that each few initiates had a member of the thirteen to report to if they succeeded their test... Which brought current events to where they were now.
It was an open session... Or rather, the meeting was over and members of the Forsaken sought to chat each other up before leaving. In some ways, it sort of resembled a group of Lancers or even the teachers just sitting around and being themselves. However, Grula still had a job to do. She continued to tail Meius... He gathered his own little circle for discussion, involving only Trezz, Losuto, and Muradin and bringing them out of earshot of everyone else within the structure.
Grula was confused as to why Losuto would accept after being slighted by Meius like he was... But she soon got her answer...
"Trezz... I'm calling in our favor." Meius wrapped his arm around Trezz's shoulder and pulled him in close.
"So soon? Ay, c'mon man..." Trezz sighed and bowed his head. "What is it?"
"For the next month... You're gonna act as a bodyguard for Muradin." Meius pointed his other hand to the handlebar mustache sitting on Muradin's face.
"H-huh? Pomos don't need a guard... Does he?" Trezz reeled his head back as he squinted at Meius.
"Well..." Muradin slid his hand behind his head, shifting his gaze away from the two of them.
"Don't you see it, Trezz? Muradin is one of the most important catalysts in Dyzin's plan. Despite how strong everyone is, even the best of us can succumb to overwhelming numbers of Lancers... He can even our odds with his project. And Muradin by himself isn't a very good fighter..." Meius began to shift his head back and forth with his tone, trying to mitigate his insult to the man he asked to come along.
"Pf. Jeez. You make it sound like I'm unable to fight off a rot beast with no teeth..." Muradin rolled his eyes and slapped his forehead.
"Oh I get what you're sayin', Meius. But I ain't a good up-front fighter either." Trezz pushed the man off of his shoulders and stepped back.
"Right. But, the two of you would compliment each other well alongside you both having some underling initiates to do the heavy lifting." Meius walked in-between the two of them and placed a hand on the shoulder of each of them. "Not to mention, all things considered... Someone might try to assassinate Muradin. He's not exactly unknown..."
"... I'm no stranger to that." Muradin closed his eyes and sighed, lowering his head in defeat.
"Yeah... I guess you got a point." Trezz shrugged.
"Great. So, you two sort out how it works then... I need to talk to Losuto alone." Meius grinned ear to ear as he gave a shove to the two of them. Without any more words, the two of them stepped forward and off to the side with an unspoken agreement. Meius knew that it might be a waste of a favor from someone like Trezz, but it had its purpose...
"It pisses me off, Meius..." Losuto watched the two of them walk away, his stewing anger starting to boil up as he watched the book attached to Muradin's hip bounce around.
"I know that it must hurt badly to see that... Trust me, there isn't a single day that goes by where I don't think about it. I feel an overwhelming amount of guilt each time it crosses my mind... That if I had just pushed harder and sooner, Avuran wouldn't have been in Belva when it all happened..." Meius grimaced, lowering his head and shifting to the side of Losuto.
"But knowing those cultists, they probably attacked because they were after Avuran, dammit... He may not have been a Variental anymore, but Avuran was my responsibility!... And now some cocky, drug-addicted sunnava bitch has his book, and I can't do a damn thing about it..." Losuto grasped for the handle of his sword, his old veins filling up with a fury similar to his younger days... "To think I gave 'em hell over that book... And it was the last thing he left behind... It ain't fair, Meius."
"You and I are both old enough to know life is far too cruel to give care about what is fair and what isn't." Meius kept his gaze to the floor as his hand crept up and sat upon Losuto's shoulders.
Losuto was still blankly staring ahead. His eyes twitched and narrowed, his tear ducts having dried up long ago could only force his eyes to muster an expression of pain that signaled several lifetimes worth of regret.
"The only remaining piece of his legacy... I joined The Forsaken to purge the Ozix Cult and put myself at peace with my errors. But seeing Muradin with that book makes me want to kill him. But that'd piss off Dyzin, and I don't wanna do that cause the man's been good to me." Losuto let his hand fall limp off of his sword's handle, letting out his rage in the form of a drawn out sigh. "I already lost Tobias too..."
"Hm. Interesting you say that though, Losuto. After all, I know of something else that Avuran left behind." Meius strode away from Losuto, pulling his hand off of his shoulder and bringing his hands together behind his back.
"This is why you wanted to talk to me, isn't it? Ya wanted to make a deal."
"Indeed. I have a few things to offer if you're interested in hearing it."
"Meius, I know ya tend to be shrewd and cunning. A silver-tongued man who doesn't outright lie, but doesn't tell the whole truth. You're not as stealthy as you might think... Or rather, you like it that way."
"You know me so well, geezer. But truthfully, I prefer to call myself an opportunistic coward." Meius spun around, hands still behind his back as he shot Losuto a soft smile. "So, what are you getting at?"
"I don't have anything to offer you." Losuto tilted his head to the side, glaring off to the wall of the hallway as he shrugged. "As much as I'd like to know and have whatever this is you claim Avuran left behind... There's nothin' I can give ya."
"Wrong. There is something you can give me. Time, insurance, and guarantees."
"I suppose I could... But those aren't givens."
"Not unless we make a pact."
"You want to make a pact? A pact with Meius Valkir?" Losuto refocused on Meius with a confused expression mixed with an amused grin.
"I know, I know. It's not something I normally do. But that's just how serious I am. I have too much to lose here..." Meius shook his head and sighed. However, he raised his head back up with a slyness that was characteristic for the man. "Which is why I'm going to hit you with the best thing I have to offer before a piece of Avuran's legacy."
"Something better to me than Avuran's legacy?... There's no way ya-" Losuto's eyes shot open wider than they had been as he froze. His pupils shifted to Meius's face. The same smug expression sat on the man's face. "You don't mean-?... How?"
"That... Is a secret. I have my methods. And using that same method, I will impart that information to you if we can come to an agreement." Meius marched over to Losuto's side facing the opposite direction. "It might be a little intrusive, so I hope you don't mind. I can only see bad things resulting from me spelling out Ozix's death site out loud."
"But I thought Xilvas had to be killed for that information." Losuto's arms tensed up. "You're full of it."
"Am I? How about this?" Meius turned himself fully towards Losuto and raised his left hand up while placing his right hand over his chest. Losuto turned to face him as well, his surprise never ceasing. "I, Meius Valkir, do solemnly swear-"
A soft, shimmering red aura appeared behind Meius as he spoke. With each word that left his lips, the aura grew in size and took shape. It's mass thinned and stretched out, forming intricate patterns and lines.
"-Upon my own life, my own existence and eternal soul-"
The lines lost their ghastly consistency, turning more solid and rigid in their form. It wasn't before long that the overall object appeared as a crimson circular sigil that encompassed Meius's very being. Its glimmering lights turned more to a soft glow that reached out onto the man's figure.
"-That when I speak and lay claim to the knowledge of Flow King Ozix's death in regards to where his corpse resides...-"
"A self-imposed Pact of Death?..." Losuto held still, utterly in shock at what he was witnessing.
"-I tell no lies. Only the absolute truth. And should I be lying, I allow this Pact to tear away my very essence as forfeit. So be it." Meius continued to hold this pose, the deep red of the sigil behind him coursing its way around his body like a coiling snake. Yet, as it crept its way around his neck... It slowly began to unravel and sparkle away. The light of the sigil's power faded out completely, and Meius remained...
"... Unbelievable. What is it you want? Name it."
"It's simple. If I give you the location, I want two things. One, the most important part, the ritual must be done at a certain time. Specifically, the night of the Festival." Meius lifted up a single finger.
"Ya gotta be mad." Losuto closed his eyes and huffed. "Over a month from now to finally fulfill Tobias's dream?"
"You've waited this long already. Not to mention, I plan on having as many of the staff moved away from the Academy as possible at the time. It's two-fold." Meius put his hands up and out to the side, lifting each as he spoke. "The ritual being completed at that time will help me kill Xilvas. The staff being moved away means that if one of them were to learn it was being done, the response would be too slow... Also, I need them gone in order to carry out the murder in the first place. It helps both of us."
"I suppose I could stall them out and reveal the information at the right time... What's your second condition?"
"Two... You must not mention or allude to my slaying of Xilvas Numidis before, during, or after it is done..." Meius put his second finger up.
"Done. I never cared much about the old bastard anyways." Losuto shrugged, crossing his arms as well.
"Keep to both of those, and I will show you the last remaining piece of Avuran left in this world besides the book." Meius outstretched his right hand to Losuto. A deep, red aura overtook his hand while the man grinned at him. "This will be our pact. I'll pass on the knowledge to you from here as well, so prepare for a headache."
"You know what I get outta this... What exactly is it that you get?" Losuto reached his hand out... But, pulled back in a moment of hesitation.
"Peace of mind." Meius sighed, scratching the back of his head with his free hand. "I'm unbearably stressed out by all of this to be honest with you."
"Huh. Opportunistic coward indeed..." Losuto took a deep breath and grasped hands with Meius. The power of the red aura stretched out from Meius's skin and wrapped itself around Losuto's own hand. It took the shape of a rope, tying both of their hands together in a metaphysical knot before giving way and fizzling out...
At that moment, Losuto's mind went wild. Something Meius had done began to take root in his brain. Things were changing, sifting... As if certain periods of his brain were being perused like a folder full of papers... Then, it seemed as if something had been added... Losuto's mind slowed back down as his vision became somewhat hazy...
"I saw it... This wasn't some ruse or ploy... I can see it. Has-Has it always been that close?" Losuto rubbed his hand over the left side of his head as his eyes trembled at the ground.
"It has. Quite surprising, isn't it? Now you see why I need that timing, huh?" Meius pulled his hand away and up to his face. Inside the palm of his hand resided the type of sigil signifying a Pact... "The first part of my end has been held up, I do hope you follow up on yours."
"I'm not ready to die yet." Losuto shook his head with a firm resolve as he lifted his gaze to Meius once more.
"Glad to hear it. There's still a lot of work to be done. So, I'm going to-"
"Yoo-hoo!... Meius!..." Qiaju ducked around the hallway with her arms outstretched behind her as she rushed closer to the two of them.
"Pf. Ech. I'm gonna get going. Later, Meius." Losuto gave a simple, last nod to Meius before walking off in the opposite direction that Qiaju had been approaching from.
"Goddammit. If I had known this bitch was coming, I would have made tagging along for five more minutes part of the pact..." Meius stared down at Losuto who seemed to be more thrilled with being able to get away from Qiaju than with the actual deal itself. Resentment, jealousy...
"Meius! Are you ready to do your part?" Qiaju hopped out in front of Meius, balancing on one leg while keeping her arms out behind her. Her face shone with an incredible brightness that disrupted the balance of this dark corridor. However, it wasn't in the way or fashion that any normal person would find helpful. It was annoying.
"Yes. I'm well aware of what I have to do. Now leave me alone." Meius rolled his eyes and attempted to suavely shift around Qiaju, but she kicked her hovering leg out in front of him. Still holding her absurd pose, she let out a few malevolent laughs.
"Ha-ha... Meius, you didn't hear?" Qiaju puckered her lips and took several quick breaths as she hopped backwards off her single foot over and over again. She stopped as soon as she was able to turn her face up towards Meius's once more. "I have to keep an eye on you, just like all the other initiates."
"Huh?! Where does Dyzin get off in trusting in you more than me?" Meius recoiled, his eyebrows raising in pure disgust as he understood the implications of what she just said.
"Well, goofy. I produce results. You've been a decent enough information broker. We may both be a part of the inner thirteen..." Qiaju circled her arms backwards as she planted both feet firmly on the ground and stood up straight. She turned her head sideways to Meius and grinned ear to ear with a playful expression. "But we are not equals."
"Is that so?..."
"If there's a pecking order, you're squarely at the bottom... If not just above Hiwa, but she's newer so it doesn't count for much." Qiaju crossed one foot over the other and held her arms behind her back. "On the flip side, you have me and Kido at the top. But for some reason he really hates me..."
"I can't imagine why..." Meius tilted his head off to the side and crossed his arms. "Get on with it."
"Jeez. No need to be so grumpy." Qiaju reset herself to her normal upright position, only putting her hands on her waist as she pouted. However, her down-turned demeanor did a total flip with her smiling once more. "Here's how it's gonna work. I'm going to sit in your body and watch. You complete the test, and I leave... That is, if I were to let it be that simple."
"Of course you wouldn't let it be simple."
"I'm curious about what you can do, and if it would be fun to take you out for a joy ride. So, if you wanna pass the test with a good word to Dyzin from me, you'll listen to whatever I say... 'Kay?" Qiaju tilted her head to the side, reaching out a singular finger and planting it on the tip of Meius's nose.
"We'll see about any of that." Meius brushed her finger away, rolling his eyes. "Just go ahead and put yourself in so I can get going..."
----------------------------------------
"Huh... This just isn't making any sense..." A man stood in the middle of a valley, basking in the direct sunlight as he meandered near a flowing river. He had long, brown hair that went down to his shoulders and deep gray eyes. He looked rather young and spry, being quite fit and having a small glimmer within his gaze. He wore a simple fit. A common, gray leather coat and black pants to match alongside boots.
As he walked down the side of a river, he found himself occasionally stopping to investigate small banks. He bent over at each and every single one, taking time to pinch at pieces of dirt and examine what he had nabbed in his fingers. All of it was runoff, or other specks that could have washed up from the river or slipped into it... Yet, he seemed displeased after examining all the bits. After doing this, he stood right back up and continued his way down the river each time.
To an outsider, it looked inane and ridiculous. However, the man was on a mission. Having received a job from an unknown source several days ago, it was imparted to him that a nearby village's drinking water was tainted with a deadly poison. Specifically, their only source of drinking water was this river. For some, the glorious jobs were about slaying foul beasts and evil men alike. But there was an importance to missions like these that some would never understand.
The man straddled the edge of the river, searching for more banks to check. He knew that the most likely way for this water source to be tainted was by something sitting on the surface that occasionally dripped out toxic deposits. However, so far, he'd been down the entire length of the river on each side once. He felt as if he was going mad.
"Dang... This is supposed to be my forte too..." The man scratched the back of his head, having finally completed a full second search. Despite his expertise in these sorts of investigations, he wound up having nothing. No further leads, no evidence, no poison...
"Is there something the matter?"
"Ah, no. Just-Hang on a second..." The man flipped himself around, his eyes going wide on the sight that had been behind him. "Meius! It's been so long!"
"It has, Hector." Meius walked up to the bank of the river past his acquaintance. Taking in the vast view of mountains that rose above the teeming trees past the river, Meius gazed on in solace... "Quite the view... What brings you out here?"
"I could ask you the same!" Hector rushed up to the side of Meius, turning towards him with a bright smile on his face. "The last time I saw you was when you tutored me at the Academy..."
"I was around the area from a recent job I had to do. It was all cramped and stuffy where I was, so I needed somewhere nice and open to relax." Meius brought his hands behind his back as he seemed to rock back and forth while he stood in place. "What exactly are you doing here?"
"Ah. Well... You see... I took a job specifically asking for a Lancer like me. Someone with expertise in Healing Magic who has good sensory abilities." Hector bent at his knees, grabbing up another handful of dirt and bringing it close to his face. "Apparently, someone poisoned the river water... Or that's what's claimed."
"Huh. Interesting. Is it actually poisoned?" Meius continued to gaze up at the mountain tops in the distance.
"The reports say so. But it doesn't appear so. I took samples from every major section, but I didn't identify anything. So, I think if there is tampering, it was done in such a way where it would be incorporated into the runoff. Otherwise, it would be unintentional in nature. Either way, I've had no luck whatsoever..." Hector turned his hand over, allowing the moist clump of dirt to fall back onto the ground next to the flowing water.
"That is quite odd. Tell me, Hector. Was this job a contract or a request? Were there papers?"
"It's a contract all right..."
"Any name attached to it?" Meius turned his attention back towards his past student.
"Not as far as I could tell. It was a group request, not uncommon for small villages. I met with them before and they gave me some pointers... They were all odd..." Hector placed his hands on his knees and forced himself upright again with a hefty breath.
"Is that so?" Meius walked to the side of Hector, placing his hands on his own sides. "I think someone is playing you for a fool."
"What? You really think so?" Hector let out a sigh of disbelief as he furrowed his brow. A disappointed look crept its way onto his face.
"Maybe. Hector, you've always been a real good guy... It makes you too easy to take advantage of." Meius gave a half-hearted smile out of pity, patting his former student on the head and ruffling his hair.
"Yeah... I guess I got made out to be the butt end of a joke here. Still..." Hector let out a shameful chuckle, allowing a small grin to creep up onto his face. "I guess I'll at least do one more trip around to make sure there's nothing..."
"Good diligence. Here, I'll help put this to rest." Meius stepped up to Hector's side, taking his hand off the man's head.
"Thanks, professor..." Hector began to walk forward at a leisurely pace with Meius following in stride.
"Of course. I'm glad to help you. You were always one of my favorites..." Meius bumped Hector in the shoulder with a playful nudge.
"Heh... You were always so ni-" Hector stopped in his tracks entirely... Deep from his gullet, up through the length of his throat... A small stream of blood trickled from out of his slightly agape mouth. There was an unusual weight that had suddenly become noticeable. It hurts... It ached... Torturous agony had been brought forth, yet he couldn't seem to react to it at all. "Huh?..."
He managed to lurch his neck so he could gaze down... Through the left side of his chest... A straight, flattened hand protruded a foot through the front of his body, having instantly burrowed in from the back. The hand was soaked in a fresh coating of crimson with specks and bits of ruptured flesh, pieces of his now mutilated heart...
"Sorry, Hector. There was no poison. It's been put to rest, just like I said..." Meius yanked and ripped his arm upward, freeing his appendage from the hole he carved in Hector by tearing through his shoulder. Severing mounds of flesh, the man's left arm and shoulder now hung off to the side as a fountain of red erupted outwards. Like a sickly abnormal growth, his left arm and shoulder remained by dangling around slightly.
The force of ripping back caused Hector to stumble backwards, falling straight back. Meius slid to the side, allowing him to simply hit the ground. His eyes trembling as he lay there gazing upon the sky, Hector summoned up a few tears... He had hardly any time to process what Meius had said... But he understood his own teacher had killed him.
"Wh-...Why?..."
"Well, it won't do you any good to dwell on it right now. Ha." Meius bent over, his head blocking the direct sunlight from shining on Hector's head. "You were one of the few people who understood what I knew... But you were always too damn nice. I knew you were a waste of time so I never bothered trying to get you in on what I was doing. It was just your time to be used in this grand game."
Hector's last moments were nothing more than a daze. Having heard the words from Meius, his spirit gave out. With one last attempted breath, one last grasp on life... He gave out and fell limp...
"Whoa. That was cold-blooded, Meius. Seems I was wrong about you." The voice of Qiaju lingered and echoed throughout Meius's head.
"Pf. That wasn't anything." Meius knelt over at the newly deceased and placed his hand over the wound on his body... With a quick pump of Mana, an aura traced over his hand and leapt onto the wound, quickly sealing it up like it had never been there.
"Huh? What are you doing now?" Qiaju almost seemed disappointed watching Meius's mark of massacre fade away.
"Eliminating my traces..." Meius waved his hand over the body after the wound sealed... "No more of my Mana, no more bodily memories... And finally..."
Meius cracked his fingers, then held both of his hands above the body and out in front of him. With a bit of concentration... Meius formed his hands both into a square shape. Mana took hold over his hands once again, a shadowy black aura covering his hands. Then, he made a circle out of his hands. Following that, he touched both of his wrists together, curving the palms of his hands upward to form a "U" shape. And finally, he stacked his straightened hand on top of each other to form a line.
The aura that had been simmering around his hands combined into one on the top hand. This aura formed into a fine point that rippled downward like a waterfall. Taking this hand, he plunged it straight into the body's chest... However, it wasn't like before where he carved through his body. Instead, a white shimmering appeared around the edges of his hand.
With a quick heave upwards, Meius yanked his hand straight out, and now in the grasp of both of his hands resided a small, floating orb. The orb had a wavering tip, like a burning flame, that was white. Beneath that, there was a solid blue color that seemed like the biggest portion. And finally, at the center sat a bright, yellow sphere. It was calm, unmoving...
"Uh-oh... Meius. That's a no-no." Qiaju clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth in sound form as Meius held the strange object in his hands.
"It's not my problem you can't do this. It'd be a shame to let his accumulated Healing Magic knowledge go to waste along with a clean soul." Meius continued watching the ever-slow movements of the object.
"You know how Dyzin feels about that."
"Ironic, coming from you." Meius rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath as he spread his hands apart a few inches. Without any delay, he clapped both hands together in an instant with the object in the middle. The moment they collided, it was gone.
"Jeez. I can't believe you poached a soul right in front of me. How evil..."
"Again, ironic." Meius stood straight up. His work here was done. Seeing the lifeless body still at his feet, Meius audibly cringed... He nudged the body forward with his foot a few inches, before completely kicking it into the flowing water. "Good riddance."
"I thought you said he was your favorite student?"
"Was. However, he was too pure of heart. Reminded me of legends of the Saint. I hated that." Meius watched Hector's body float down the river without any sort of resistance...
"Hm. I see. Meius, you really are interesting..." Qiaju's voice echoed throughout his head. "I think I want to take you for a whirl."
"Ah, ah, ah... Don't try it. You'll regret it." Meius turned away from the river, closing his eyes and wagging his finger to himself.
"Pf. Yeah? What are you gonna do about it?"
"You simply won't be able to fully take control, nor would you be able to pry me away..." Meius stopped in his tracks and sighed. He crossed his arms and tilted his head, opening his eyes to the cloudy skies and sea of trees ahead. "And if that doesn't deter you enough... Iluthil, a remote village to the southwest of Kakodo with closer ties to the southern section of Palmenae. Located within a small, quant hut... A girl with two blue pigtails and a black dress. She-"
"Okay! Okay!... I get it!" Qiaju's voice grew to a fever-pitch as Meius reeled back with an incredibly wide smile on his face. "But how do you know that?!"
"Easy. You're currently mentally and spiritually a part of me. So, I can use one of my abilities on you without even having to physically touch you. Now that we're done trying to flex power and control over one another, can we call this mission a success and you leave? I killed a Lancer in action like Dyzin requested." Meius let his arms fall to the side as he walked over to a nearby tree and leaned against it.
"Aw. Trying to get rid of me so soon?"
"I have more errands to be done. It already took four days to track this guy down here... Honestly, I'd have a shorter travel time trying to pay you a visit instead of going where I need to go."
"Okay!... Well... I'll tell Dyzin you followed through so... Stay away!"
"Done deal..."
"Bye-bye!..." Meius began to relax as he felt the slow tinkle of Qiaju relinquishing her power on him. What had felt like a blimp of her presence living inside him evaporated away bit by bit until nothing was left. Doing a quick scan-over on his body confirmed that she was gone. And he was free...
"Thank fucking God." Meius slapped both sides of his face, pulling himself off the tree and turning himself north-east bound. "I was hoping to watch this whole thing go down... But at this rate I'm only gonna see the aftermath. I need to get moving... After all, everything I just set up heavily depends on what happens under Korkolo's watch..."