CHAPTER 2: TALENT

Lower Fire Month, 27th Day, 19.30

"[Crystal lance]" Keno unleashed her spell, precisely targeting one of the archangel flames surrounding her and her group.

A crystalline projectile departed from the enchantress's hand, hitting one of the approaching angels squarely in the face. On impact, a small explosion spread through the surroundings, while a roar ripped through the sky. Nothing was left of the victim except a pile of feathers that gently dropped to the ground.

Unfortunately, the number of enemies was still substantial, and showed no sign of decreasing.

Taken individually, they were no great danger to her, but the amount present was a nuisance. In addition, Sunlight Scripture spellcasters kept casting magic after magic, wearing her and her group down faster and faster. They hadn't suffered any losses yet, but if things continued at this rate, the situation would soon change.

Ok, let's try to reverse the situation. An idea took shape in her mind.

"Logem, maneuver number 7! I entrust the others to you!"

"Got it," replied the elf at her side.

After activating the martial art [Greater Ability Boost],Logem fired 3 arrows imbued with electric magic in quick succession, knocking down as many members of the opposing forces as possible.

Breaking the enemy circle allowed the elf and the others party members to start moving away from the battlefield, to hide in the forest a few meters from the area where the battle was taking place.

"Oh, so the brotherhood stories your group preaches are just that. Fantasies. They left you alone, little girl." Scoffed at her a man with an arrogant grin on his face.

An angel different from the others with a long cloak was holding a club at his side. He wore the same uniform as the other men, but while his companions wore masks that concealed their features, his face was uncovered. Not a smart choice, Keno thought, as it made it clear that he was a more important person than others.

"They just realized that to beat some lightweight like you I'm more than enough," Keno said, hoping the man would take the bait.

"Hehe, don't worry! As soon as we're done with you, me and my men will pay your friends a visit too. I'm sure they holed up in the same place where you hid that garbage." He then turned to his subordinates. "Let's finish this story quickly, I don't want to be late with filling out the report."

At his signal, the remaining angels rushed Keno, which began to hover in the air thanks to the magic [Fly]. She struggled to dodge the slashes and spells that were thrown at her as she made her way to her target.

The flaming sword of one of the archangel flames grazed her side, almost piercing her flesh. In a flash, a small fireball departed from one of the little enchantress' hands, destroying it.

Taking advantage of that brief moment when she lost her charge, some magic arrows hit her in the back, causing her to lose momentum.

"[Translocation Damage]," activating her magic, she managed to contain the damage and return to charge toward her target.

"You think you can get rid of me easily, right? Principality Observation, eliminate her!" The angel at the captain's side charged a mighty blow with his weapon.

"[Crystal Wall]." A crystal shield stood between the attack and the hooded sorcerer.

The enemy angel slammed hard against the defensive wall, reducing it to a thousand shining pieces, but the backlash of the impact caused him to lose his balance for a few seconds, making it possible for Keno to go around it and get closer to its target.

Here we go, let's hope it works!

Without losing a moment, the vampire activated one of her tricks up her sleeve "[Sand Field]".

Particles of sand scattered across the battlefield. All of her opponents were immediately immobilized and blinded, as the forces slowly began to abandon them.

Not only the spellcasters but also the archangel flame found themselves still in midair, unable to continue the fight.

"Damn, what have you done?" Shouted the captain of the Sunlight Scripture.

"Just a little magic of my invention." She said as a smile was forming behind her mask. "Don't worry, I don't have enough mana left to kill you all. I hope your soul will reach the afterlife in peace knowing it."

A crystal spear appeared in midair, piercing the body of the man. His corpse fell to the ground without life. Keno took advantage of the confusion among the remaining enemies to lift the man and retreat to the nearby forest, to reach her companions.

After a few minutes, the effects of the magic began to wear off. The agents of the Theocracy slowly recovered their sight and the only thing they saw was the bloodstain of their leader on the ground.

Upper Earth Month, 7th Day, 22.30

Cassius Severinus Rampogne was deeply annoyed. The situation was already so frustrating, and the woman did nothing to make things easier for him.

"So, Faine, don't you want to tell me how things went?"

"You have read the reports, I have nothing else to say," she responded, without even giving him a look.

That doesn't make it any easier for me.

"You know I'm trying to help you, right? Why don't you confide in me, in memory of what happened between us?"

These last words shook the woman, her gaze began to fall on him. "There has never been anything between us! Maybe in another life, but in this one we have never been anything more than companions."

Cassius looked into her deep black eyes; they were as beautiful as the day he had first seen them.

They had aged, both of them. It seemed a lifetime since he was an underling of hers in the Black Scripture. The young hero ready to do anything to defend humanity was by now a shriveled old man, and the woman he had fallen in love with had died many, many years ago.

"Your position has already been in the balance for quite some time. This time I will not be able to stop the other Cardinals from taking action."

"I will accept without discussing any decision the Council decides to take. I put my future back in the hands of the Gods." Faine paused for a moment. Cassius noticed that speaking seemed to be difficult for her, as each syllable was uttered with difficulty. "Now go! I wouldn't want you to be late for your meeting."

"I hope you don't regret your choice." Having nothing more to say, he left Faine alone and headed for the meeting room.

Maybe in another life, huh. He said to himself. Who knows, if things had gone differently maybe we could have been happy together. In a world without the Elven King, in a world without her.

Memories of when he and the rest of the Black Scriptures had rescued Faine began to appear quickly before his eyes. He had seen that woman perform, still very young, extraordinary feats: defeating an adult dragon lord, easily overpowering a squadron of trolls, and humiliating the men and women who had entered the realm of heroes.

Always ready to defend the weakest, compassionate like no other, more than once she had argued against the Cardinals of the time because she had left some demi-human children alive. In retrospect, she was a big hothead, had a cutting tongue like few others, insisted on drinking with her companions even if she could not handle alcohol at all, and was not capable of bluffing when we played cards. I miss her.

But everything had changed since she was rescued from the capital of the elves. The air of camaraderie that had been established in the Black Scriptures had disappeared; no more meetings outside the missions, no more discussions about hopes and fears among the members. Only the mission existed. And Faine had never been the same again.

He couldn't help but wonder if avoiding childbirth at the time could change that. Abortion was usually an indifferent practice in the eyes of the Theocracy administration, but things changed dramatically when an out-of-the-ordinary person like a hero was involved, let alone a Godkin.

The magic used to perform the operation belonged to the third tier and was safe enough for the first weeks of pregnancy, while the risk of losing both the woman and the baby rose the closer you got to the moment of birth.

The Cardinals of the time had forbidden the termination of pregnancy to safeguard her safety, but Cassius was very unconvinced that the use of magic could be a danger to the life of a person as strong as Faine. In truth, he was pretty sure that the decision had been dictated more by curiosity to see what kind of child would be born from the union of a descendant of the Gods and that monster.

It was not a choice that he felt he could condemn. The cards given to humanity compared to other races were few and it was not unusual to try to do everything to close the gap.

Judging by the strength of the child, it had been a correct choice. Cassius had seen her fight a few times and, from the training he had witnessed, she was already at the level of a member of the Black Scripture.

Although it was my duty to provide for her, I left most of her education in Nazaire's hands. How can I call myself a Cardinal?

The truth was, he didn't know how to behave with the little girl. Cassius was aware that it wasn't her fault that her mother was in that sorry state, but part of him couldn't see her without feeling some anger. She was a lively little girl, especially considering everything she was going through, but the Cardinal always felt uncomfortable talking to her.

It seemed silly to think about it, but she frightened him. It was not her superhuman strength or impressive skills the problem, but the intense way she looked at him, as if she were reading his soul.

And her smile. It wasn't the innocent smile he'd seen on countless children's faces. It was a devilish smile, resembling a lake of blood. Just like her father's.

A shiver froze behind his back, the memory of the Elves King deeply ingrained in his soul.

But now I have other duties to attend to.

He entered the room where the Pontifex Maximus and the other Cardinals were waiting for him.

"Well, now that Cassius has arrived, we can begin." Callisto Holden Elesio, Pontifex Maximus of the Theocracy, officially declared that the meeting had begun.

"I would like to start with the bad news," he started. His old voice was full of vitality, like that of a man in his prime. "Clement, would you mind informing others of what you told me in your report?" He concluded, addressing the younger man in the room.

Clement Bolvi Toga was the Cardinal of Light and former captain of the Sunlight Scripture. He had assumed his position at a young age, only forty-four, and Cassius was firmly convinced that he was the most eligible individual to become the next Pontifex.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

"As you know, the Sunlight Scriptures were sent near the forest of Tob where our spies warned us a large goblin community was growing. Unfortunately, during the mission, they came across a demihumans sympathizer group. There weren't many casualties but Captain Ceraste was captured and probably killed. The cleanup also failed. Some of the enemies managed to save most of the goblins before the fight began."

"Are we talking about the same group that has interfered with our operations in recent years?" asked Adriano Monsid Dorkas, Cardinal of the wind. Short black hair framed an emotionless and stern face.

"Everything suggests that. It seems that a masked sorcerer and an elf with a scar on his eye were present, as in the previous testimonies we have collected."

A tall and incredibly thin woman, Joan Lafel Storgesel, Cardinal of Darkness, spoke up. "I can't help but think that the Argland Council State is behind the actions of these adventurers. All the targets they saved have probably found asylum in that country."

"What Joan says may be true. That nation has presented itself on the international level as our clear antithesis. Their actual military power is still unclear to us, but it is not unthinkable that they are gathering capable individuals for a future conflict with us."

If the Slaine Theocracy preached the superiority of the human race above all else, the Argland Council State, on the other hand, was strongly convinced of the possibility of coexistence among all races.

Cassius initially thought it was a stupid dream, without foundation in reality. But now that he felt Surshana's touch approaching, he was beginning to feel that realizing their design for a world without conflict wouldn't be too bad.

"Nonetheless," the Pontifex Maximus resumed, "we absolutely cannot afford a conflict with a nation of unknown strength, especially now that our relations with the Kingdom of the Elves worsen day by day and the other human kingdoms still pay the losses suffered during the invasion of the Evil Gods. I remind you all that in less than forty years another "wave" could occur. We cannot be caught unprepared! I propose to try to keep relations with the Republic of Argland as cordial as possible."

"Let me take care of it." Leviticus Zachary Valente, Cardinal of Fire, replied. He was a short, plump man with shoulder-length gray hair. "I will personally take care of selecting the best delegates for this diplomatic mission. It will also be a good opportunity to study their military force."

"Excellent, if there are no objections, we'll leave the job to you."

All those present gave a nod of agreement.

"As for the Sunlight Scripture, why don't we promote the vice-captain and reinforce them with some of the most capable apprentices? As the next mission, we could send them to reinforce the Roble Holy Kingdom. We have received a request for help to patrol their borders from the most dangerous tribes of the Abelion Hills." Proposed Cassius.

"It seems like a good idea. If I'm not mistaken, we had already sent some of our paladins as reinforcements in the past. Strengthening the bonds we have with them will bring many benefits in the long run." Rohelio Dogen Gelasius, Cardinal of Water, agreed with him. No sign of dissent came from the others.

"Cassius, since you have taken the floor, I would say that the time has also come to address that question." Callisto urged him.

Well, I knew it had to happen.

"As you know, we sent the Black Scriptures to assassinate that warlord Centaur who was threatening the alliance of city-states." Started the Cardinal of Earth, trying to appear as aloof as possible.

"Did the mission fail? Were there any victims?" Leviticus asked in a worried voice.

"No, in fact, it was a complete success," Cassius reassured the man. "Years will pass until the different races of demihumans that inhabit the plains near the Karsanas City-State Alliance will be able to ally again."

"So, what is the problem?"

"Well, during the return mission, on the edge of the Baharut Empire, they accidentally came across a couple of elves. A mother and son who were probably trying to emigrate to safer areas."

"I don't see what's strange about it. Every day tens of elves try to leave that disastrous kingdom."

The Elf King ruled his kingdom with absolute power. In the past, it used to be said that in his nation revolutions were born in the morning to die in the evening but now its citizens had completely lost the desire to rebel. Many tried their luck by abandoning their homes and seeking their fortune elsewhere, but few were able to reach salvation in neighboring nations.

"In this case, the boy had heterochromia."

The other Cardinals immediately understood what it meant.

"And how did Faine take it?" Adriano asked.

"When the others managed to detach her from the boy there wasn't much left. The mother slit her throat in pain. As soon as Loster saw the scene, he puked his guts as well. Fortunately, the situation occurred in the evening, and there were no witnesses."

"Loster - the demihumans butcher - Ugolino vomited?" Joan asked in shock.

"Yeah, he seems to have been having trouble chewing on solid foods since he got back."

"It is not the first time that Faine has been carried away by her personal feelings. In the future, she could endanger the other members of her team." It was Leviticus who spoke, slightly shaken by the brutality of the story.

"She's a certain age now, isn't she? Don't you think it's time to have her retire and have another of the two Godkins take her place as Captain?" Clement asked, his mind already projected on the future.

"Yes, I think it's time for her to take a well-deserved break." The Pontiff Maximus agreed.

"And what do we want to do with her daughter? I don't think continuing to leave her in the mother's hands is a prudent choice. Now that I think about it, the other day I met that nurse of hers who begged me to make training less exhausting as the baby's safety was in peril. I thought she was exaggerating, but I see that her fears were well-founded."

"I agree with Rohelio. We cannot afford to lose what could prove to be a valuable future resource!"

Cassius knew there was only one thing to do. "We just have to forbid Faine access to her daughter. I think it's time for him to dedicate himself to her training. While we're at it, we might as well relocate her to a better area of the Cathedral. I don't know how much living amid underground tunnels can be good for growth."

"If there are no objections, I would proceed with Cassius's proposal."

No one dared to speak.

"I declare the session closed and may the Gods bless our actions!"

Middle Earth Month, 1st Day, 8.00

The morning light came timidly through the window of Antilene's room. The girl felt a sweet warmth touch her face as she slowly opened her eyes, ready to start a new day.

She looked around, still bewildered by the size of her new home. It had only been a few weeks since she had moved to that apartment located near the top of the Cathedral, and still had to get used to all the new comforts she had.

As soon as she got up, there was a slow knock on her door. Before she even had the time to reply, two young women hastily entered the room; one opened the window near her bed and began to sweep and clean the dust accumulated during the night, while the other inspected the large closet near the door and chose the clothes that she considered most suitable for the day. After having finished, one of them took Antilene to the bathroom adjacent to her room to wash and dress her.

The little girl still felt uncomfortable in her new situation. Before, she took care of the daily chores alone, or with Nazaire's help. Now, on the other hand, she had a whole select team of waitresses who tended every little detail of her life. At first, she felt thrilled to be surrounded by so many people, but that feeling soon vanished.

Every time she tried to talk to them, they just always answered with the same phrases repeated over and over again like: "Yes, my lady", "I'll see to it right away, my lady", "it would be inconvenient if I talked to you, my lady." She didn't care about being a great lady, she just wanted someone to talk to.

Fortunately, Nazaire was still with her; she found the plump lady, like every morning, in the kitchen preparing something to eat, helped by three other attendants.

"Oh, you woke up! Have a seat at the table, a long day awaits you!"

The table was already set, full of food and drink. There was an embarrassment of choice between sweets, fruit juices, jams, jars of honey, and great varieties of vegetables.

"I'm not very hungry. I think I'll skip breakfast."

"Nonsense, eat a slice of this blueberry pie I made this morning at least. Today is a special day! You need to feed yourself."

"Okay, okay Auntie! But why is today a special day?" She couldn't think of anything worth celebrating for.

"Hehe, while you were sleeping Cardinal Cassius passed by to give me splendid news. It seems that later you will finally meet your new combat master."

"New master? And mum?"

"Oh, she's very busy right now. Don't worry about her."

The half elf girl felt deeply guilty. She hadn't thought of her mother for days and now she would have abandoned her for another teacher.

After all the efforts she had made for her, after all the time she had spent trying to make her strong, was that how Antilene thanked her? Faine didn't deserve a daughter like her.

"Can we at least go see her? I wouldn't want her to feel alone."

"You think about giving your best today. I will try to organize a meeting for the next few days."

"Um, ok." She answered with a not-too-convincing smile.

As soon as she finished the slice of cake and drank orange juice, a guard entered the room and warned her that he would escort her to the place where the new teacher was waiting for her.

As they headed to their destination, she tried to eliminate the silence by using those ice-breaking phrases Nazaire had taught her.

"May I ask your name?"

"I'm Roland, my lady!"

"Oh, that's a good name! I'm Antilene! What do you do in your life, Roland?"

"I am part of the national body of defense, my lady!"

"Um sure, sure. And do you like your job?"

"I am proud to serve the Gods, my lady!"

It hadn't gone very well and she no longer knew what to ask for. Fortunately, the embarrassment only lasted a few more minutes. Roland took her to a large door, explaining that from that point on, only she was allowed to continue.

"Then I shall take my leave. Farewell." The man walked away, without giving her a second glance.

The half-elf timidly knocked on the door waiting for an answer. It opened wide and, after a few moments, a deep voice invited her inside.

"Do not be afraid. You are safe here, in the treasury of the Gods!"

It was truly a marvelous place; equipment of the highest quality was carefully arranged on ledges of worked marble. Her experience with weapons was limited to those she used in training, but she quickly realized that she was not in front of everyday objects.

A series of unusual things was scattered throughout the room: some were in the form of toys or objects of everyday life but whose quality was much higher than those she was used to; others were books the contents of which tickled the child's imagination, in the end there were some items of a strange shape, that she wasn't able to recognize.

In the center stood the figure who had let her in. He was wearing a long black tonic adorned with thin gold stripes. A hood was raised over his head and a scarlet mask from which only two white eyes could be seen was covering his face. A pair of gray gloves concealed his hands intent on carefully cleaning a big, black scythe.

Antilene walked over silently, looking for something clever to say. But nothing occurred to her.

"Don't be shy, I won't hurt you. Tell me your name!"

"Antilene Heran Fouche, my lord!" She exclaimed with all the courage she had in her little body.

"Oh, that's a really beautiful name. I am Rufus. Nice to meet you." The voice was gentle and caring, resembling that of Nazaire. "You know, this is the first time that I have dealt with a young lady like you. Usually the people who come in here have more… experience."

"I-I'm sorry. I promise you I won't cause any problems."

"Ahahahahah, you have nothing to apologize for. I was just reflecting on the fact that even after living for so many years, new experiences can always happen. Here," he said, handing her the scythe he was cleaning, "this was your mother's weapon. Why don't you try it?"

The girl hesitated for a moment before taking up the weapon. It was not very heavy, but its size made it uncomfortable to handle for a small person like her.

Suddenly a strange feeling hit her, a series of images appeared in her mind as if someone was showing them straight into her brain. A skeletal figure activated a strange magic against an unknown opponent, a giant golden clock appeared behind him, and after a few seconds, he stood alone in a lifeless wasteland.

"Certain death," she murmured in a low voice.

"Oh, I see you've noticed the eight tier [Death] magic contained within it, but it's not the only ability it has. We will have time to get to know them all."

"Nono, I think it was something different. I saw a skeleton fight some dark figure and a golden watch appeared behind him. And after a few seconds, poof, there was nothing left but the one who had cast the magic."

Rufus looked at her without saying anything, his eyes widening in amazement. [The Goal of All life is death]? How is that possible? He thought, still shocked by what he had heard.

"Tell me, how did you know about that ability?"

"I-I don't know. I touched the scythe and those images materialized in my mind. I don't know how I did it. I swear!"

Could it be a talent? But how does it work? Does it only allow you to see the trump cards of past owners or even use them? Does it apply to all skills of the weapon user or only to some? Are there any requirements to be met? And what are the limits? A lot of questions began to cross his mind, diverting his attention from the girl who began to observe him with a bit of fear.

"Is everything alright? I didn't do something wrong, did I?"

Rufus gently placed his hands on her shoulder, his voice assuming a fatherly tone.

"Wrong? My dear, if what I think is true you have been blessed. I've never seen someone with your potential."

His words filled Antilene with pride. Blessed? Her? She was special then; she wasn't a failure! She would become the best in all of the Theocracy. She would kill her father. Mother would be proud of her. She would finally hug her and say that she loved her. Yes, things would have turned out for the best!

Middle Earth Month, 1st Day, 20.30

Sitting at the kitchen table, Antilene could not shake her excitement. It had been one of the best days of her life: Rufus had explained a lot of interesting things to her about the 6 Great Gods and their abilities, as well as sharing a lot of interesting stories and anecdotes about them. How did he know them?

When she had asked him, he refused to answer her. Everything about that man was a mystery. He had also made her promises not to mention his existence with anyone. Antilene would have liked to share everything she had discovered today with Nazaire, but she absolutely did not intend to break the promise she had made with her new teacher.

"So, it looks like you had a wonderful day. If you don't stop moving in that chair you will fall to the ground like a little wingless wyvern." The caregiver warned her softly.

"Hehe, you don't have to worry because you have the future defender of humanity before you!"

"And where does so much arrogance come from? Did something good happen during training?"

"It's a secret. I can't reveal it. For the good of the nation!" Said the girl with heterochromia proudly.

"I would never allow myself to jeopardize the security of the country. Well then, I would say that my little heroine deserves the best dinner in the world." The gentle lady handed her the plate she was preparing, containing a juicy slice of pork and sweet potatoes.

Antilene was about to start eating when there was a knock on the door, a guard came in with a troubled face and took Nazaire aside. The child couldn't hear what they were saying, but noticed that her housekeeper's face took on a ghostly hue. After the man left, the older woman approached her.

"Antilene, dear, there is an important thing I have to tell you."

"What happened?"

"Antilene, dear, it's about your mother."

"Mom? What happened? Did they hurt her during a mission?"

"Antilene, your mother is dead!"