On a distant island far from New Lumingard, an armored man stood at the edge of a cliff. He had gray, short hair, and his face was wrinkled and rough, a product of the passage of time, and a sign of his advanced age. His protective attire was coated in gold, shining under the various lights from far above. Wielded by his right hand, and resting on his shoulder, was a humongous greatsword, nearly twice his size.
The edge of the gray blade was stained with blackened blood, and engraved along its surface were a variety of words, its meaning known only to its wielder. He looked down the heights with an impassive stare, his blue eyes fixed on the distance.
“Sir Gilliam.” A voice called from behind him, prompting him to turn around. “Did you feel it too?” Another armored man asked, his gaze one of concern. This one was far younger than Gilliam in appearance, his long, blonde hair matching with the golden armor that covered his body. The biggest difference was that he had long, pointy ears, a clear tell of his elven heritage.
“I felt it, yes.” Gilliam replied, frowning slightly and closing his eyes. “But I can scarcely believe it.” He added, letting out a long, conflicted sigh.
The younger man nodded as he raised his weapon—a long, silver sword with a dented blade in a wavy pattern, commonly known as a flamberge. In a split second, and with immaculate skill, he slashed the air, cleaning its blade off the same black blood that stained Gilliam’s sword. The liquid sizzled as it splashed on the ground, and the man looked at it briefly with disgust.
“What do you make of it, sir Aldorien?” Gilliam asked, causing the one known as Aldorien to raise a hand to his chin, pondering for a brief moment.
“I am honestly at a loss of words, sir Gilliam.” He started, his gaze set on the horizon. “For someone to make such a holy oath in this day and age—one so powerful it resonated with the world… I just don’t know…” Aldorien admitted, frowning in frustration.
“I understand your confusion.” Gilliam said as a smile spread across his lips. “I’ve been alive for almost four centuries, and this is the first time I’ve felt a vow like this—especially from such a long distance.” The man explained, earning a nod from Aldorien.
“I thought I had seen it all in my old age, and so close to retirement. It just goes to show that life is full of surprises!” Gilliam laughed heartily, while Aldorien smiled and bowed slightly.
“Sir Gilliam, please, you’re still far from retiring! Few of your race would live this long…” He began, trailing off as his green eyes inspected the chasm below the cliff. “And even fewer would have your energy…” The sight below made him chuckle, and Gilliam simply shook his head.
Far below, countless bodies littered the ground. Their grotesque appearances could be described as nothing but monstrosities; with huge wings, horned faces, sharp fangs and claws. The multitude of cadavers varied in form and size, some of them almost as large as the mountain itself.
From their lifeless forms emanated a dark, poisonous goo, seeping into the ground and corrupting everything it touched, as evidenced by the withering vegetation around it. It was almost unbelievable that only two knights had vanquished such a horde of abominations—even more so when sir Gilliam, old and weakened, had been the one to handle most of them.
“Oh sir Aldorien, I can’t keep outrunning death. Sooner or later, my blade will be a second too slow.” Gilliam mused as he looked at his humongous blade, his most trusty squire. “But dying on the battlefield would be an honor! Far more helpful to the world than simply retiring to rot away in a confined room.” The man raised the enormous sword effortlessly, smiling boldly.
In the next moment, he swung down. The sheer weight of the armament, combined with his precise strike, sent forth a wave of cutting wind toward the many bodies below. Suddenly, a screech echoed in the distance—one of the many ‘dead’ creatures had been simply feigning its death, but it was not good enough to fool the knight.
As the wind reached the ground, a huge explosion followed, with a most powerful shockwave spreading in all directions. The countless, hideous forms in the chasm were torn apart by the intense attack, its remains scattered across a newly-formed crater.
Aldorien watched in awe, mesmerized by the old knight's strength. As weakened by age as he was, Sir Gilliam still stood as one of the strongest blades of the Order, and it was an honor to witness him in action.
“Still…” Gilliam suddenly spoke. “We should find whoever made the oath—a being so sacred and pure belongs in the Order!” He exclaimed with excitement, causing Aldorien to open his eyes in surprise. It was the first time he had seen Sir Gilliam so enthusiastic about a potential recruit for the Order.
“I’ll contact sir Sieghart, then.” Aldorien replied, bowing slightly.
“Thank you, sir Aldorien. I’m certain every member of the Order felt it—that holy, pure bliss—so he’s likely thinking the same thing.” The knight looked down the chasm once more, his intense gaze ensuring no monster had survived his attack. After confirming there were no living presences, he smiled in relief.
“Ah, I’m so very intrigued…” Gilliam chuckled as he turned around, a spark of eagerness igniting in his blue eyes. Aldorien nodded in agreement, and stared at the distance, his eyes slowly drifting to the lights above.
There they remained, high in the sky—the Twelve Swords of Brilliance, their holy radiance keeping the darkness at bay and confined to the island. He wondered if they would soon be thirteen, a content smile spreading across his lips.
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Back in New Lumingard, the usual group had decided to split, urged by Selorien who had ‘something to discuss with Ascalon’. Reluctant at first, Lilithra relented and went ahead, while the other two stayed behind in the park.
Ascalon was really curious about what Selorien needed of him, and waited patiently as he sat on a bench. It was a rare occurrence for them to ‘hang out’ by themselves, as Lilithra was usually hovering around them—which wasn’t a bad thing! The elf had gone to buy some refreshments from a nearby vending machine, which only added to the knight’s impatience.
After a brief moment, Selorien returned and tossed a bottle of water at him. Ascalon caught it mid-air, unscrewed it, and took a few sips while Selorien finally spoke up.
“Hey. So… I want to give Lil a surprise.” The elf explained with a mischievous expression on his face, half-smiling with a smugly raised eyebrow. Ascalon perked up with interest, and nodded for him to continue.
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“I’m going to bring the chimera materials to a blacksmith, and order a weapon for her!” Selorien declared, his smile shifting to a more prideful one.
“Ooh!” Ascalon exclaimed in surprise, as he had completely forgotten about the remains from the beast. They had fought bravely against the monster, and Lilithra deserved a nice gift after all she had been through… however, Ascalon felt a bit concerned about a related matter.
“Hmm… I know you do not mind, and neither do I… but what about the rest?” Ascalon asked with a conflicted expression, his brows furrowed slightly. “Lyra and Escarlata deserve some of the credit, too…” He voiced his thoughts, and Selorien nodded in agreement—though he wanted to broach a certain detail first.
“No ‘lady’ for either of them, huh?” The elf asked with a smug tone, his mischievous smile causing Ascalon to fiddle with his thumbs.
“Is it too impudent of me…?” The knight questioned sheepishly. Selorien was surprised by the knight’s meek demeanor, and simply sighed.
“Nah, it’s fine. I know you’re used to a different… culture, I guess? But you don’t need to be so formal with your friends.” Selorien reassured Ascalon, who smiled gently at him.
“Anyway, back on track! I talked with Lyra beforehand, and she gave me the thumbs up!” Selorien revealed, causing Ascalon to nod in acknowledgment, impressed by the elf’s foresight. “And Escarlata didn’t give a damn.” The elf added, shrugging. As expected of the maid…?
“Lyra also said it wasn’t enough to repay us, but I feel Lil will disagree, heh.” Selorien took a few sips from his water, while Ascalon wondered about that. It was likely that Lilithra would tell Lyra that there was no need for compensation, but that might also put the cat girl in a tough position.
Either way, it wasn’t the time for that. With curiosity guiding his words, Ascalon spoke up. “What kind of weapon do you have in mind?” He questioned with an inquisitive gaze.
Selorien tilted his head and tapped his chin with the water bottle. “I’m not sure… I want to give the blacksmith as much freedom as I can—that’s how they come up with the best stuff!” Selorien explained as he kept tapping his chin. “But maybe like a…” He leaned in and whispered the armament’s name. “Would be like a direct upgrade for her banner, no?” He asked the knight, who likely had more experience regarding these matters.
“Hmm.” Ascalon pondered, closing his eye to imagine the weapon in Lilithra’s hands. “Yes, I think that would be fitting!” The knight declared, standing up from the bench with a bold smile.
Selorien beamed in return, clearly relieved about his choice of weapon, and then patted Ascalon on the shoulder. “Great! I’ll go deal with that, then!” The elf said as he prepared to leave, causing Ascalon to interject.
“Shall I accompany you?” He felt curious about the blacksmith, after all. But Selorien shook his head as he winked at him.
“I got this! You should go keep an eye on Lil.” Selorien began as he turned around. “She’s probably going crazy with nervousness for tomorrow’s test.” The elf waved as he left, and Ascalon sighed in understanding.
Left alone in the middle of the park, Ascalon wondered. “Hmm. Which way was it…?” As he mused aloud, a dreadful feeling creeped up his spine. With the lingering sensation, he set out for The Chalice.
Thankfully, the way back wasn’t as hard as Ascalon had initially thought. He was beginning to remember certain streets, and used specific shops and houses as landmarks, so at least he wouldn’t get lost anymore in that area of the city. The rest of the New Lumingard, however, was another matter altogether.
As he pushed open the door to the tavern, he was greeted by the familiar and pleasant smell of Raphael’s cooking—and also by a thunderous, childish voice brimming with frustration.
“Ascalon!” The tiny Goddess exclaimed from atop a stool, her brows furrowed in irritation, her hands clutching onto delicious pastries. “How could you?!” She added, causing Ascalon to sigh deeply. He kind of expected that reaction, to be honest.
While approaching the counter, he took a peek at Lilithra, who was sitting beside Athanya’el, looking slightly troubled. “My Goddess, I-” Ascalon began, but the child raised her hand, gesturing with a croissant for him to stop.
“I am greatly disappointed—Greatly!” She repeated, puffing out her cheeks, her halo flickering briefly into existence. “To think you would invoke the right of a sacred oath so recklessly!” Athanya’el chastised him, nibbling furiously on the croissant as she let out small whimpers of complaint.
“You know it binds both fates and souls! It demands unwavering commitment, discipline, and utmost dedication!” The Goddess rambled, her big eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Lilithra felt a tingle on her chest, realizing just how significant the oath had been.
“It is not fair! I was the one you vowed to!” She added, sniffling. Ascalon sighed and smiled gently, approaching her and kneeling in front of her tiny frame.
“My lady, this does not change my unbreakable oath to you.” He explained with a solemn voice, both the Goddess and Lilithra staring at him intently. “I shall never turn my back on you—I simply swore another vow, to the one I shall call ‘leader’ from now on.” He lifted his head, his soft expression calming the Goddess a bit.
“Ugh… I heard! She is creating a group of sorts! You should have been the leader, my knight!” Athanya’el reproached, nibbling on another pastry as she groaned. Lilithra smiled awkwardly, since she too agreed that Ascalon was likely a better option for a Guild leader.
“No, I am content with providing my services to her instead. You must have realized—Lilithra’s pure, radiant heart.” His words were cryptic for Lilithra, but the Goddess looked down, seemingly dejected.
“I-I… I know. I have witnessed it… it is very surprising, and vexing…!” Athanya’el commented, casting a glance toward Lilithra, who tilted her head in confusion. “Ah~ I shall allow it… but I demand compensation.” The tiny Goddess proclaimed, causing Ascalon to frown with intrigue.
“I want to be held!” Athanya’el ordered, taking both Lilithra and Ascalon by surprise. He blinked a few times, and then stood up. Extending his arms, he scooped up the tiny child, and held her gently.
“Hehe~!” The Goddess rejoiced, her expression one of pure bliss. Lilithra squealed, her heart melting at the sight.
“How can Thany be so adorable!?” She said as she clasped both hands to her cheek, in a gesture of delight. Ascalon raised an eyebrow, while Athanya’el looked at her with a suspicious frown.
“Thany?” Both the knight and his Goddess said in unison, causing Lilithra to blush slightly.
“Uhm, yes… At-Athanya’el is too long, and Thany rhymes with…” Tiny, she thought, but stopped herself from saying it aloud, fearing divine wrath. “Ehem, anyway! I want to call her Thany, if… if that’s alright with you.” Lilithra added, looking at the child with a pout. Even the Goddess felt swayed by Lilithra’s charm.
“Hmph! Call… call me how you see fit.” ’Thany’ replied, averting her gaze and burying her face on Ascalon’s torso. Ascalon felt a warm sensation filling his chest, witnessing Lilithra and Athanya’el getting along. It was an incredibly happy moment for him!
While Lilithra smiled with pure glee, another voice chimed in. “Hey, here’s some juice!” Raphael suddenly chimed in, appearing from the kitchen with a glass of orange juice.
He raised an eyebrow as he observed the scene, and simply shrugged as he placed a straw on the glass, finally putting it down on the counter.
“Ah! My refreshment!” Thany exclaimed, prying her face from Ascalon and wiggling her arms toward the juice. Ascalon chuckled and placed the Goddess on her stool. With no hesitation, she started sipping on her beverage, a content expression taking over her visage.
‘Awww’, everyone thought as they watched, relishing the moment.
After a few minutes, Ascalon took a seat next to his Goddess, and Lilithra leaned onto the counter as she brought up a question. “Where did Selly go?” She asked, tilting her head.
With Thany between them, Ascalon too leaned onto the counter to answer her. “He is… uh… busy!” He declared with a smile, proud of himself for not revealing Selorien’s plan. He wasn’t the best at deceiving his friends.
Lilithra eyed him with suspicion, but shrugged and simply watched the Goddess eat. The sight of the tiny Thany distracted her from her nervousness, at least! Lilithra needed to keep her wits about her, as the next day was surely going to be challenging.