Evelyn watched as her sister walked out of the building.
Could the one before her even be called her sister?
The person before her did not look like her sister.
Her sister was never able to produce such flames. Her flames were weak, and as such she had never undergone combat training.
Or at least, so Evelyn was told by the Knights who raised her.
However, this was not the only thing which made Evelyn question the identity of the woman who walked off.
'She... sister was not as weak as this....'
Evelyn stood forward, her own heart torn to pieces after watching the woman who raised her be killed without mercy.
'Sister.... was the one who would always look the other way when people would mock her. She was.... far stronger than me. She took the punishment when people would call her weak, and never yielded even to people who held authority over her.'
Frozen tears once more formed in the eyes of Evelyn as she looked on, and this time they did not melt.
Dropping to the ground only to shatter, Evelyn clenched her fists as she looked to the place where Misticia had died.
Not a shard remained.
'She..... she was weaker than me in combat, but she was far stronger than I could have ever been.'
Holding her head in anguish, Evelyn dropped to her knees.
"Why.... why sister!? I thought.... that you were stronger than me..... I thought.... that you were able to brush such things off..... were you.... not as strong as I told myself you were?"
Evelyn was left with Melissa to mourn the loss of Misticia.
The two would go on to be promoted to their inherited positions as Captain and Vice Captain of the Knights of Iciclaris, however this was nothing more than a title.
Broken at the loss of Misticia and shattered at what had become of Envidia, the two could not bring themselves to devote their efforts to becoming honorable knights.
They graduated the academy and were unable to live up to their expectations.
They pushed their own duties off onto the other knights, doing as they pleased and letting everyone else deal with the problems.
Because they never again wanted to experience loss.
They didn't involve themselves with the matters of the knights, and distanced themselves from their own men.
However, on a certain night years later, Melissa was killed in the streets by a drug addict.
It was the third time which Evelyn had experienced the death of a loved one, and the fourth person who she lost.
And at this, Evelyn could not live with herself.
She came to the realization that she was unable to save the people before her- due to her own inadequacy.
It was her own lack of strength which allowed such situations to come into play.
Her own inability to recognize the suffering of her sister, and her own assumption that her sister was stronger than she actually was.
And so, Evelyn stood now, on this day, as the honorable and respected Captain of the Knights.
Atop the wall, she looked onto the army of flame and earth elementals before her- her sister among them as their leader.
'Perhaps.... this is how mother felt when father betrayed her after so many years.'
----
What exactly happened to Envidia on that day over a hundred years ago?
Walking out of her former home after slaying the woman who had promised her mother that she would care for the twins, Envidia smirked.
"Ah.... that woman always looked at you like you were some precious little doll, sister. She looked at you with love and gave you the same kindness as if she were your own mother. But for me? There was none. She fed me the same cold meat as you, not taking my own preferences into account. When I asked her to heat up my food, she looked at me..... like I was an abomination."
Envidia smirked.
"But I suppose that I can't be jealous of such a thing anymore. After all, the more you have.... the more painful it is to lose everything."
Envidia walked forth through the city, quickly noticing that many knights were gathering around her.
They had sneakily circled around her, and she was now completely surrounded.
"Halt right there, flame elemental!!!! How dare you invade our town like this!? For what reason have you come here!? Are you here under the orders of the Host of Greed!?"
One man stepped forward to question Envidia, who looked around at all the knights with a smile.
"Hahahahaha..... you all truly do believe that I am merely an invader..... how I envy your ignorance."
Envidia rushed forth, killing the man on the spot, boiling him to a crisp without blinking an eye.
"Does anyone else have any questions?"
"She.... she just killed a man!!! Prepare to attack!!"
Another shouted out, and Envidia turned to that man as well.
However, just before Envidia was about to take off to slay the man, a voice resounded in the ears of all present.
"My my my.... what a troublesome scenario indeed. War is certainly a profitable thing, if I do say so myself, however this is only under the condition that one's own nation remains neutral in such a war."
The voice was that of a high pitched British man.
Looking up, the knights and Envidia saw this man floating through the sky on his own.
He wore a tophat and a kingly robe, both made from quartz, and spoke with pretention.
"It would indeed be troublesome if the Host of Envy were to involve herself in another nation. After all, I have taken great lengths to search you out once I was informed that a new host had been selected.... it seems that Leroy has finally been replaced, and the 7 will come together once more as a full house."
The man who was made from molten rock lightly landed, brushing off his tassels as he looked towards Envidia.
"Who are you, old man?"
"Old man.... that is certainly a stab to my own heart. I doubt I am thaaat much older than you."
"I asked a question. If you don't wish to answer, I can just kill you."
"My my.... Envy is always troublesome to deal with. However, I suppose there is issue with each and every sin, is there not? Hahaha.... how many times have I been told that my own endeavors were too far reaching? I know not. Yet.... you are envious for a reason. Are you not? Tell me, girl. Do tell. Do you wish to sit about in this city, slaughtering any who you come across? Is that your goal? Is that the extent of your envy? Or perhaps..... you will come alongside me and lead a nation."
The man extended the slippery hand of a merchant towards Envidia, welcoming her into his own fold.
"You.... can make me a leader?"
"Of course. Is that your desire?"
Envidia looked over to the man with suspicion, however she recalled the words of the system as she was granted her own ability.
'Fate will change itself to balance my own jealousy and satisfy it, so long as it exists.'
How long had Envidia hated her sister and desired her position?
How long had she wished to be called a leader?
How long had she wished for people to look up to her with hopeful eyes, awaiting her orders?
"I'll.... come with you."
"Quite right. That is exactly your own demand, is it not?"
The man chuckled before waving to Envidia, and the two flew off into the air.
At this, the knights came out of their daze and one shouted out.
"Wait just a minute!!!! We aren't done with that woman!!!"
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Oh, you are done with her. After all, should you not be grateful to me? I just saved your own life. My my, how greedy you knights are. You wish for more and more, never ceasing in your own greed. Hahaha.... I suppose that reminds me of myself just a bit?"
The two then disappeared into the night.
Envidia was taken to the city of Volaciophus, where she was crowned as the Queen of Envy, and worked alongside Avarco as the two Hosts of Sin within the city of Volaciophus.
Envidia was at first unaccustomed to the way of life within the city of magma, but she soon came to like it.
She was a flame elemental who had finally been returned to the lava.
Years passed.
So many years passed, yet the jealousy which Envidia held towards her sister was never forgotten.
Over the years it dulled, and right now she was filled with a much greater jealousy towards the antiheroes than what she held towards her sister, yet even so, that jealousy was sparked once more when she met her again.
Standing in front of her army now, with Avarco acting as the commanding General, Envidia relaxed as she looked up to her sister.
"How worried you are, sister. I suppose you have good reason to be worried. After all.... my jealousy will not be satisfied until I have obtained the same amount of slaves which the antiheroes hold for themselves. There will never be anyone in this world who holds more than me.... for my jealousy will always rebalance everything."
----
Four beings rode leisurely through the grassy plains, traveling at a speed which would suggest that they were in no hurry at all.
An elven figure wearing a black suit and tie, with glasses that were so sharp at the angles that one might cut their finger if they slid it across them.
On one wrist was a bracelet which human toes and the fang of a snake were threaded into, and on the other was a watch which he checked.
"How wonderful.... to be able to check the time once more is certainly easing. However, I suppose I have to account now for the strange daylight patterns given the areas which we are traveling to."
The elven figure spoke with confidence as he lay on his back on what looked like a slab of flesh.
This slab of flesh had been shaped in such a way that it looked like a beach chair, and he was reclining without a care in the world- his own glasses tinted so that they were no longer regular glasses, but sunglasses.
This chair had four red meaty legs, and they were crawling forth without so much as lowering or raising the elevation of the seat connected to it, as if he were riding a conveyor belt.
Beside this elf, a crimson demon also wore a suit and tie. This suit was dark red in color, complimenting his own skin, which a maze of veins ran through.
Adorning his neck was a similar charm, this one with the eye of a snake threaded into it.
This demon too, and the other two beside him also wore sunglasses, bathing in the light as their fleshy beach chairs crawled along the landscape.
Lowering his sunglasses, he spoke in a grizzled tone.
"I'm glad you like it. I did my best to take your own preferences into account."
"It is highly acceptable. Perhaps I have allowed you three to understand me a bit too well."
"If it's made our lives easier, then that's a good thing, right?"
"I suppose so."
The two chatted leisurely, however the minds of the two were anything but peaceful.
While they appeared externally to be relaxing, inside the minds of both of these people were a number of issues which they were currently addressing.
Sitting next to the demon in another chair was a spiritual figure who had transparent skin.
Her eyes were so baggy that one might ask if soot was smeared below them, and her hair was such a mess flaring back and forth that it would be a tragedy for anyone to show up in public in such a state.
This girl bore beautiful yet horrible green eyes which were covered by the sunglasses she wore as she looked to the sky with apathy.
"You don't have to worry about all your planning, Theo. I already know.... nothing will go wrong. Heh.... keh.... heh...."
The girl spoke in a grizzled tone, displeasing to the ear, however the people around her did not so much as cringe at hearing her speak.
"It boggles my mind as to how you can be so certain, however..... I suppose the patterns have always shown that your [Always Right] skill has never failed.... yet our opponents are those who can influence the system. We cannot simply assume that the powers which the system has granted us are something which is invincible. Therefore.... I will run simulations. I will run a hundred.... a thousand.... a million.... a billion.... I will run as many as I can, until the moment of appearance. Gary, have you prepared the bugs?"
"They're on their way right now. Disguised and everything."
"Perfect. If I can acquire information on the current situation, combined with that which we learned from Lustia, then the chance of failure significantly decreases."
"Meh..... it'll be fine."
The spiritual girl stuck her finger into her mouth, stretching her lip around as she looked up without emotion.
"I envy your own ability to remain so calm and sure in yourself."
"Don't act like I've ever been able to be sure of myself before."
Nodding, the elf looked over to the girl.
"I suppose you're right. I apologize for that statement. I'm sure that in your previous life you were never sure of yourself in anything."
"Heh heh.... but that doesn't matter anymore."
The two smirked with arrogance.
"Because that was back when we were mere humans."
Pulling her own sunglasses down, a beautiful teal demon wearing a long sundress looked over to the others.
"What do you think about the people of the city of Ice? Gary, wanna make another bet on this one?"
"A bet eh?"
The demon tapped his clawed fingers on the fleshy seat beneath him, penetrating the flesh before it repaired itself.
"Hahaha.... that sounds interesting. So? What will we bet on?"
"Hmm..... I suppose we should bet on the actions of the leader, right? After all, there are so many insects to count. If we were to bet on each and every one of them, there would be no end. They would continue coming up through the cracks until we destroy them all."
"Fair enough. Then, which side you wanna take?"
"I'll go with a risk this time. I say that they submit without question."
"Then I'll say they're stubborn."
"Hahaha.... even I am unsure right now about the outcome. However, that will change as soon as the cameras arrive at the location of interest. Once I obtain information on the situation, my simulations will explode in accuracy.", the elf stated while rubbing his chin.
"Heh heh.... well, I guess we'll just have to take it easy until then, right?"
"Indeed."
The four beings slowly moved through the lands, making their way towards the city of ice from afar.
These four beings were the antiheroes.
They were the Dictators, destined to take over the world, enslaving people after people.
However, even destiny itself is not set in stone.
When two forces who can control destiny clash, who will come out on top?
Nobody can say for certain.
Without a shadow of a doubt, the result would be undetermined.
----
Speeding through the sands of the desert, the sound of a motor vehicle echoed across a world without modern technology.
The intense revving could be heard for miles, yet even so, none heard.
For the desert expanded on and on, for as long as the eye could see.
"This place is a real wasteland, isn't it? How am I supposed to find any women when there aren't even any people?"
Driving this sportscar was a man with blonde hair, sporting a playboy hairstyle.
Flipping his hair in the wind, the car had become a convertible, allowing him to drive in style.
"Hahaha!!! This is what I'm talking about!!!! Takes me back to earth! If only I had a beauty by my side, I'd be livin' the life! Guess I should've taken one from the last city. I didn't realize there wouldn't be anyone out here."
The man shouted out, however he could not even hear his own words over the loud noises of the vehicle.
The ground below the vehicle became asphalt for the moment of contact with the tires, only to return to it's sandy state after the car came out of contact with that section of the ground.
This man was the Indeterminant.
He was the hero of humans, destined to face off against the Determined- the Queen of Demons, in a battle which would determine the very course of fate from then on.
However, this man was not worried about such a thing in the least.
"WOOHOO!!! HAHAHAH!!!!!"
Raising his hands into the air as he took his hands off the wheel, driving freehanded, the man shouted with delight.
"YEAHHH!!!!!! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!!! HAHAHAH!!!!!"
It was then that the man saw something in the distance.
A city of sandstone.
"HAHA!! Looks like I finally found them! Homing in on the women!! Look out, girls of the Sultinate!! I'm coming for ya!!"
Oscar increased his speed to ridiculous levels, far beyond the speed limit of earth.
At this point he was likely going 150 miles per hour.
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"
However, as soon as he encroached on the town, he swerved.
He swerved hard, to the point where his car was about to flip over as it came to a stop.
Then, it did.
The car flipped over, tumbling into the city.
Oscar jumped out like the hero of a racing movie, landing without so much as a scratch on his perfect face.
Flipping his hair, he didn't even look as the car crashed into a building, exploding on the spot.
"AGH!!!!!"
"UGH!!!!!"
The screams of the people inside the building only lasted an instant before Oscar walked forth, his expression changed to one of sadness.
"NO!!! I.... I was too late!!!!"
Shouting out in an act, many people wearing turbans and robes gathered around the streets, staring at the spectacle as the car dissipated into nothingness.
"I..... I can't believe it.... I heard that a dangerous magical artifact was present within this home, but to think that it would explode before I arrived..... and I was only moments too late!"
Oscar put on a performance of grief as the people gathered around.
"My.... goodness...."
"That home.... just exploded...."
"What happened!?"
Rushing through the crowd was a youthful girl, 18 years of age.
She looked with horror on the destroyed house before her.
Ashes charred the ground around the area, and nobody had actually witnessed the explosion themselves, but rather gathered quickly at the loud sound.
Holding his head in sadness, Oscar looked up to the people around him, facing the girl.
'Oh? A real beauty right here. I wonder.... just how easy they are in this country?'
"It.... it was horrible! I knew of the existence of a dangerous magical item at this location and came here to disarm it..... but it was too late!! I arrived just a moment too late.... if only I had arrived a second sooner, so I would have been able to at least call out to the people inside...."
The girl looked at the home with horror, a tear coming to her eye.
"Avid.... Sameer.... they.... they're dead....."
"Are those the names of the people who lived here?"
"Y....yes....."
The girl began to shake, overwhelmed by the sudden death.
"I see.... forgive me.... I was unable to save them. I will remember their names forever. I will engrave them into my heart and recall them as the people who I failed to help."
Oscar stood up with a serious expression, gazing around at the crowd.
"Sir.... you knew of the danger here? Who are you? Why have you come? Who gave you such knowledge?"
The girl assaulted Oscar with questions, as if pinning the blame on Oscar.
"Forgive me..... I go by the Indeterminant. I am.... supposed to be the savior of humanity, and yet...."
Closing his eyes with bitter expression, Oscar pounded the ground in grief.
"I am not deserving of such a title."
It was then that the people around him began to gather, shocked at his proclamation.
"The.... Indeterminant!?"
"You... have come to this place?"
"It is true.... it is a time to mourn our lost comrades, however if you are here Indeterminant, then you are here to help our people, no?"
"Please, Indeterminant!!!"
"Assist us!! We are in great need!"
The people gathered around Oscar, pleading with their eyes.
Upon closer inspection, they were all excessively skinny.
"Please, Indeterminant!!!"
"Our people have been dying to famine one by one!!! Those two who died just now are not the only deaths this city has faced!!! We are down to our last provisions!!"
"Even if you were unable to save them, will you save us from this predicament!?"
The people began to swarm around Oscar who was on the ground, and he looked up to the people with a hopeful expression.
"Even after I was unable to save them.... you would still trust me to help you?"
"Of course, Indeterminant!!! You are the hero of humanity!! You cannot be expected to save everyone, but we will not lose faith in you for something like that."
"The very fact that you have come here is proof enough of your earnesty."
"And we have all seen how distressed you are over their deaths. It is true... they were good people. A father and his son, who lived alone in that home.... however, we cannot spend a moment morning their loss, for right now we are all in danger ourselves! Please!!! Will you save us from our plight!?"
"Will you not prevent further deaths among our people!?"
The people begged Oscar as he looked up with a changed expression.
"Thank you, everyone. I will not betray your great trust in me."
Oscar stood up, preparing to head to speak with the Sultan, however he took notice that one girl had not yet stood up, and was still staring at the explosion with sadness.
"Just like that.... they're gone...."
Oscar left the scene with the group of people, however the girl stayed in that spot, not moving.
Perhaps she was grieving their loss, or merely stunned from shock, but she did not care about who Oscar was.
As he walked through the town, Oscar hid a smirk.
'It looks like there might be at least one who isn't so easy.'
----