Volume I Scions of Destiny - Chapter 3 Part IV: Darkness Interlude

The almost winter sun was still shining faintly, through the cloudy sky above the horizon. As its weak rays were still illuminating Velika’s streets.

Most of Velika’s streets were littered with wreckage and a few corpses of civilians lying around, evidently killed from putting up resistance against the invaders judging by their wounds.

Also, other surviving civilians and Allied Forces’ soldiers bustled through the streets as most of the invaders were already wiped out.

Some citizens were cleaning up the aftermath, moving chunks of rocks that used to be part of a building and more, while others were crying in front of the corpses of their loved ones.

On the other part, the Allied Forces’ soldiers were patrolling the perimeter within the streets, in precaution of any enemy soldier hiding around, while occasionally helping some civilians.

Meanwhile on the ‘Freedom Plaza’, corpses of both warring factions lied on the floor, some pierced by light blue lucent magic arrows as they slowly faded away.

Others were pierced by swords or evidencing deep, perturbing wounds as their blood spilled on Velika’s cobbles; thus, highlighting the war’s cruelty.

***                          ***                          ***                          ***

Practically all the FTC’s soldiers and Shrouded Rose Sentinels had already retreated off Velika’s ‘Freedom Plaza’ after Nethaniel’s direct order.

The only ones remaining there were the Elin’s forces, while a few of them stood up abruptly in shock upon seeing their Queen alive.

All of them attentively watched their Queen and Princess fighting each other for reasons unknown to them.

Though, their faces wrinkled occasionally from the blood-scented miasma lurking through Velika, impregnating their keen noses.

The Elins in those moments were puzzled as they watched from afar.

Their diverse and various animals ears lightly twitched intermittently, being able to feel the darkness emanating from Caut’s aura.

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The clashes of sword and scythes echoed through the plaza, while uncertainty grew in the hearts of Pora Elinu’s forces.

*SHIN!-SHIN!-SHIN!-SHIN!*

Up, right, down, left.

Queen Valentina nimbly and skillfully handled her cerulean sword and moved her torso, arms, wrists, hands and occasionally her legs in order to parry Caut’s razor sharp scythes.

While both kept fighting fervently; Nethaniel’s hands are still on his swords hilts, ready to draw his swords at the very moment Valentina loses.

He could see how Valentina held her ground firmly like a stake, parrying and fending off every Caut’s fierce scythes attacks.

“I trust you, Valentina,” Nethaniel mumbled to himself, although he knew that she would be able to hear him.

Valentina’s cougar ears twitched once, showing that his words reached her ears.

In those moments, Valentina wore a serious expression on her face, knowing that she wasn't fighting her daughter anymore.

Valentina couldn't say what she was exactly fighting, but she knew for sure that it wasn't Caut at all.

Caut’s movements were wild and animalistic, without any minimum hint of refined technique nor skill in her scythes swings.

Suddenly, Caut crouched and then jumped with all her strength, and tried to attack with both scythes from above.

But Valentina managed to cleanly block both scythes lifting her sword as their blades loudly thrummed upon collision, vibrating the air from the colliding impact.

Although her sword arm ached from the backlashing strain.

Caut kept pressuring down, trying to breach Valentina’s defense as burning sparks flew from the friction of their clashing blades.

*RAAHH!*

Caut brawled.

“Kill…Kill…I will kill you!” Caut gnarled briefly as they both kept tussling their blades.

“You still have so much to learn!” Valentina acclaimed sternly; as her soft, dark blue eyes shone and briefly emanated a visible blue aura, along with her sword.

Then Valentina slid her foot behind Caut’s, knocking her off balance, and then...

“Ahhh!” Valentina shouted as she rapidly rotated in a reverse backlash, her sword striking Caut’s armed hands, thus disarming Caut of her scythes from her hands and then quickly kicked her stomach, knocking her back.

Caut’s scythes fell, clanged upon contact with the cobbles and then Valentina quickly kicked Caut’s weapons away from her as the scythes slide across the cobble pavement.

“Grrr…” Caut growled showing no signs of relent and then prowled on the floor.

Upon noticing this, Valentina swiftly raised her cerulean sword up to her chest and briefly murmured as her eyes radiated a visible blue aura

“Sjel Rensing!”

And then, she slid her fingers down the flat blade of her sword from the hilt to the tip, as carved runes formed on the blade’s surface, blinking in white.

‘If this doesn't work…then I...’ Valentina briefly thought in her mind, but she was interrupted by Caut’s sudden wild attack, though it had too many openings.

“Not good enough!” Valentina chastised loudly while her eyes still radiated, as the others Elins were still observing the fight.

“Rense!” She shouted as her sword became ‘spiritual’, made of pure energy in the moment she swung it horizontally forward while Caut charged at her like a starving cougar.

Her attack will neither kill Caut nor cut her, but it will ‘shock’ her soul, enough to free her from whatever was controlling the Princess Caut.

But in the very moment, that Valentina’s sword was about to reach Caut’s torso...

*ZUN-ZUN!*

Caut dashed forward through the shadows, leaving a brief shadowy trail of eminence purple as she passed through Valentina.

“*Gasp*” Valentina could just felt how her breath ceased for a short time, as her body felt strangely weakened, confused about what just happened.

On the other part, Caut was now behind Valentina, picking up her vermillion scythes.

“Hmm... you are quite good, Harbinger of the Moon. Better than the rumors say...” Caut spoke carelessly, with a dark tone.

Valentina slowly turned, unable to reply; sweating and heavily breathing, yet still firmly standing on her feet.

“Who is she? That’s not Caut speaking…” Valentina mumbled.

Caut giggled shortly upon hearing her mumbled words and then spoke carelessly.

“Shame. I must be done with this.”

*ZUN-ZUN!*

Princess Caut dashed through the shadows again leaving a brief shadowy ‘stream’ of eminence purple.

Her speed this time was unnaturally faster than before, so fast that Valentina’s eyes could not track her movements.

Then…in Valentina’s eyes, she only saw Caut jumping in front of her as if she was teleporting with both of her scythes lifted, aiming at her.

Upon this, the Queen could hear a commotion echoing through the plaza, but she wasn't able to hear in detail due to her current situation.

‘Is this…my time?’ Valentina thought to herself, as she was unable to react that swiftly.

Valentina being a veteran fighter, knew immediately that it was going to be her end, as she could smell…

…Death, Valentina could smell her death for the first time...

…Or perhaps it was just the byproduct of her own fear.

***                          ***                          ***                          ***

Within the Elins and Poporis watching the scene, Mech was there along with them.

Mech was still slightly affected by Sinac’s death, although through the wars she participated, she already witnessed death thousands of times.

Yet, no matter how many times she witnessed them, she cannot adapt to the morbid feelings.

She always wanted to save those in need, this thought rooted in her mind in the very moment of her ‘birth’ and sole duty as Pora Elinu’s Priestess.

But Mech knew well that there wasn't time for herself now...

At this moment, the Queen and the Princess were tussling with their blades in close combat, as burning orange sparks fly out the colliding blades with each clash.

All this time, from the very beginning, Mech had been hesitating on what to do, unable to take any form of action and intervene.

‘The answers you seek lies within you now…my daughter.’ Mech remembered Sayune’s words as she kept observing.

‘I must do something. I am Elinu’s Priestess! But...What should I-’

But suddenly her thoughts were abruptly interrupted upon feeling ‘something’ touching her back.

Upon ‘its’ touch, an overwhelming bleak and ‘ice cold’ feeling engulfed her body as her breathing and heart stopped.

Yet...Mech felt no pain or despair for some reason and slowly turned to notice that all movements her surroundings came to a sudden halt as if frozen in time.

No...Mech could say that time wasn't stopped, instead...it was slowed down hundreds or even thousands of times, but she is not sure if it is the world or her own perception of time that slowed.

Suddenly, her ocher wolf ears perked up alongside her human ones.

Several familiar, but incomprehensible, fast-speaking female whispers echoed around her.

Although there were many voices, Mech’s sharp senses could determine that all originated from the same voice.

“A-...Ctc hroe-...d-...al be...”

“E-...ietent-...dot-...u-...mke hr-”

“What is happening?” Mech mumbled as a white, ethereal figure formed in front of her into a humanoid shape as if ‘it’ was waiting for her to speak.

This ‘figure’ looked familiar, too familiar, yet she does not recall any memories of her.

‘It’ was wearing a simple dress which went along her ghostly appearance detailing her feminine traits.

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Although her head was heavily distorted preventing any facial recognition, rendering Mech unable to see anything more than her ethereal body.

“Priestess.” The ghostly figure spoke softly.

“You...what are you exactly? Are you...like Sayune?” Mech asked puzzled of this sudden bizarre encounter.

“My name is Sayha 9. Our creator called us: ‘soul fragments’, but we are mostly known as Eidolons.” ‘It’ explained shortly with a soft voice.

“Who’s your creator?” Mech asked straightly as everything after Sayune’s apparition had gotten more mysterious.

“...”  Sayha didn't answer, as she stood in silence for a few seconds.

“That is not my mission. Priestess.” Sayha broke her silence.

“Mission? I…I don't understand this at all! I don't understand why all of this is happening to me! I want answers!” Mech exclaimed frantically.

“You have the power to save many lives, Priestess. My purpose for being here is to give you a little push a-”

*STAB*

Suddenly, Sayha was unexpectedly interrupted by a magic ethereal blade piercing her chest, killing her instantly as her body faded away briefly.

“NO!” Mech shouted upon seeing the murderer, revealing to be another ‘Sayha’ killed Sayha 9.

“What you have done?!” Mech shouted as the other Sayha spoke softly as if nothing would have happened.

“Her mission was obsolete and would change nothing,” Sayha exclaimed calmly as she walked towards Mech, as she was shocked from seeing an apparition killed by another.

Mech gave a few steps back with distrust and anxiety, unable to comprehend the sudden chain of events.

“Get away from me! You…!” Mech screamed but Sayha interrupted her. Exclaiming softly, lifting her hand forward Mech’s shoulders.

“I know you are frightened from my…recent extremity. But please listen to my words…in contrast to what my other self said, all you need to save the lives of others, Priestess…is faith in yourself and those you trust.”

“Stay away!” Mech repeated again in despair as she swung her hands at the apparition, but it was to no avail.

Mech’s hands couldn't even touch her, as they can only phase through Sayha’s ethereal body with every swing while Sahya’s hand drew closer and closer until it touched her shoulder.

The ‘ice cold’ feeling disappeared abruptly as the world resumed all movements.

“*Gasp* *Cough-Cough-Cough*” Mech suddenly ‘woke up’, seeing that she was in a kind of deep lucid ‘dream’.

She was still with many of her Elins ‘sisters’ and Poporis, including Bready,  around; all of them were watching the Queen’s fight.

Mech watched at them closely, and she could see on her pairs, on her sisters…

...Nervousness, hesitation, impatience…

Yet, none of them took action.

It was a tough decision, as their Queen and Princess dueled in high-level combat.

Choosing one Elin over the other was practically impossible for the Elins.

Often, the Pora Elinu Nation was praised for its unity and bonds among the citizens. It was its greatest strength, but it also was its greater weakness.

“We should do som-” Mech tried to speak to her peers but her words were interrupted.

“My Queen!”

“My Queen, watch out!”

Some Elins shouted in commotion upon seeing her Queen weakened by Caut’s shadow dashes, as then Caut now behind Valentina, was picking up her scythes.

Even so, none of the Elins took any action.

Caut then turned her focus back to Valentina, and moved in using two more shadow dashes and then jumped with both of her scythes raised, to heavily strike down Valentina.

“Nooo! Everyone get ready and defend the Queen! We must stop this right now!” Another Elin, with the air of an high-ranking officer, from the appearance of the highly-adorned heavy platinum armor, finally shouted while drawing her blade.

Upon seeing this, the others Elins immediately drew their weapons in response to her actions, as Nethaniel was about to stop the Elins from becoming casualties. 

He trusted Valentina’s abilities; he was sure that she wouldn't die that easily.

A second after, he heard Mech shouting out.  

“Kaia’s skjold!”

Mech was raising her right hand palm stretched open, channeling the mana within and around her.

The most magic-sensitive Elins could hear and see how numerous mana streams flowed to Mech, directly connecting with her, which was uncommon between the magicians.

Caut’s vermillion scythes heavily struck a translucent blue dome, comprised of narrow but durable hexagons, all made from condensed-magic.

The dome’s lattice was similar to a honeycomb, as it guarded Valentina against Caut’s sharp scythes.

*WHOOM*

A loud reverberation echoed throughout the plaza after Caut’s scythes struck the ‘magic shield’, blasting Caut back from the rebound of her own attack.

Caut’s arms turned stiff hanging in the air, numbed and strained, trembling from the vibrations of her scythes.

On the other part, Valentina blue eyes, slightly widened upon seeing this sudden magic dome shielding her, while she was still in the process of recovering herself.

“Graahh!” Caut roared upon this, and then quickly dashed towards her attacking again, trying to tear apart the shield after shaking the shocking strain out of her arms.

*SHIN! SHIN! SHIN!*

Burning sparks flew simultaneously from the continuous and tenacious clashes on the magic dome.

Yet, Mech’s magic dome continued withstanding Caut’s attacks effortlessly no matter how hard nor how many times Caut struck the magic dome with her scythes.

And then, several white arcane circles swiftly flew up, floating behind Valentina.

They were rapidly rotating on their own axis, and before Caut could react....

*Fwoom-Fwoom-Fwoom*

Several strident pressure projectiles were fired aiming at Princess Caut, landing directly on her as she was unable to avoid them, unexpecting more outside help from Valentina’s allies.

The pressure projectiles knocked her back, forcing her off balance and then knocked her down tumbling a few times across the ground with Caut’s armor heavily clanging with each roll.

After this, Mech swiftly ran to her Queen, without unsummoning her magic shield.

Then, when Mech stood close to Valentina; she casted a quick emergency healing spell on Valentina, as Valentina repaid her efforts with a proud, thankful smile.

Valentina was engulfed in a light-green aura, briefly swirling around her, regenerating her energies and damage and then faded away.

“My Queen, you should feel better now! I am sorry for not helping you earlier!” Mech exclaimed her apologies, slightly bowing.

Then Mech stretched her right hand to help Valentina on her two feet.

Her hand phased through the magic dome harmlessly while it kept pulsating a midst every annex of every hexagon.

Thus, showing the ‘magic’ to every naked eye, magic sensitive or not.

“You did well Mech. As always, your magic is a lifesaver.” Valentina softly praised Mech as she smiled.

Though both of their animal ears perked up, hearing something scuttling, and then immediately turned their heads to where Caut was lying.

***                          ***                          ***                          ***

Meanwhile...

“Princess! Princess!” Bready exclaimed while approached to Caut and then knelt next to her.

“Are you alright?! What is happening to you?!” Bready exclaimed, as his magic sensitivity was near to zero, unable to feel the dark ominous ‘magic’ emanating from Caut.

“Grr…” Caut’s eyes slowly opened, as her arms trembled with rage when she tried to lift her torso and then stood up.

“You! Get away from her!”

“Bready, don't go near her!”

Bready heard Valentina’s and Mech’s voices, yet he ignored them.

“Caut?! Stay seated! Y-You...you’re bleeding!” Bready exclaimed worriedly upon seeing Caut’s head bleeding profusely, while he stretched his hands to Caut.

But...his hands failed to reach her.

Caut spun once, and swung her leg into Bready’s upper torso with a reverse tornado kick before he can react.

*WHAM*

Bready could only feel heavy heel digging deep into his upper torso loudly cracking through his light armor; throwing him away till his back banged into a concrete wall at Caut’s right side.

“Agghh!” Bready cried in pain while he painfully slid down the wall, with almost all his strength knocked out of him and his vision blurred from the shock.

*Tap-Tap*

When his body finished sliding to the floor…  

...Bready could see two black low heels shoes a few meters away from him, but one of the two was dripping blood down from its heel.

Forthwith, he then realized a warm viscous liquid streaming down his torso, as he weakly clutched his aching upper torso with his trembling left hand, where he was hit.

Although his vision was growing blurrier, he could see the crimson color of what felt like liquid staining his left hand…realizing it was his own blood…in great amounts.

Then, Bready tried to look up...but he no longer had the strength to even lift his head.

“Caut......wh...w-hat are you...?” Bready mumbled before his consciousness faded to black.

***                          ***                          ***                          ***

‘KILL THEM...KILL THEM ALL! KILL KILL KILL KILL!’ Caut mind was completely controlled, as the same dark female voice kept echoing in her head, along with a heavy headache.

Caut, in these moments, was a mere spectator of her own actions, struggling for control while the voice kept whispering.

‘You’re the only one worthy of my powers, Angel of the Eventide.’

‘Who are you?! Why are you doing this?!’ Caut yelled to the voice in despair, as she could see how her body just heavily kicked Bready on his torso.

‘I need to see what you are capable of...hihihihihi…’ The voice answered.

‘You’re crazy! This is a madness! I-’ Caut kept yelling, but she was interrupted by a heavy headache as the dark female voice resumed.

‘KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!’

‘No...Stop…’ Caut mumbled weakly in her mind, as she saw herself approaching Bready, clutching her scythes’ handles prepared to kill.

‘KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!’ The voice kept repeating without end.

‘Stop...stop…’ Caut kept begging to no avail, while tears slowly sprouted from her beautiful blue eyes.

Her body lifted her left hand along with her scythe as from afar she could hear a familiar voice, Mech.

“Cautie! Don’t do it! You are better than this!” Mech shouted loudly as Caut could hear her steps coming closer.

‘KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!’

The voice kept echoing in her head as her scythe was going down, aiming for Bready’s head.

‘Stop...stop...STOP!’ Caut yelled in despair, as she focused all her concentration on her body, managing to stop her scythe just in time, struggling for control.

But then she was overwhelmed by the dark female’s mind-numbing voice, quickly repeating the same words, struggling with Caut in a mind game.

‘KILLKILLKILLLKILLLKILLKILLKILL’

‘Shut up! Shut up! Ahhh!’ Caut yelled.

***                          ***                          ***                          ***

Mech ran towards Caut, seeing Caut’s movements stopped abruptly, just in time before her scythe reached Bready’s head.

“Cautie!” Mech shouted while Caut’s body was slightly trembling, also noticing her silently crying.

After a few seconds; Mech was near Caut, observing her closely but when she was about to help her, Valentina intervened.

“Mech, help out that Popori, he doesn't look too well.” Valentina pointed out, as she was walking towards Caut, a few steps behind Mech.

Mech nodded and approached to Bready while the other Elins still spectated the scene unable to comprehend the situation they were in.

Nethaniel also just spectated, still wary of any unexpected dangers. Yet, he was really puzzled by the chaotic sequence of events.

On the other part, Mech knelt next to Bready, closed her eyes and then...

“Lyse av livet.”

Mech mumbled, starting to cast a heal on Bready, trying to stop the bleeding.

Upon her incantation, little white-ethereal wings formed on her back alongside a white circle around Bready, besides white-bright runes.

These elements swiftly faded away a second later, as the bleeding from Bready’s severe wound stopped, yet Bready consciousness did not come back.

Mech opened her eyes slowly and smiled slightly, as she felt Bready’s life pulsating through the magic flow.

His life was no longer in danger anymore.

Then she turned to see Valentina slowly approaching to Caut, with her right hand gripping the hilt of her cerulean sword.

Caut was still trembling, evidencing her inner struggle. Although Valentina, Mech and the others were unaware of this.

Valentina slowly drew her sword, raising her cerulean sword up to her chest and then...

“Sjel Rensing!” Valentina exclaimed while sliding her fingers down the flat blade of her sword from the hilt to the tip.

And once again, carved runes formed on the blade’s surface, blinking in white.

While at the same time Valentina’s eyes radiated a visible blue aura.

It was Mech’s first time seeing the ‘Harbinger of the Moon’ in action this close, as her keen eyes and wolf ears could see, hear, feel and even smell every detail of Valentina’s magic.

It was literally a delight for Mech’s tongue, as she can lightly taste the elegance and grace of Valentina’s magic.

But it wasn't just for her, as the others Elins also were amused by this, even after have seen it before multiple times.

Nethaniel just looked at Valentina, with a slight smile as he freed his sword hilt...

Valentina’s magic flow was without flaw...so intense and with a peerless style, that Mech cannot help but be filled with awe.

“Ohhh!” Mech exclaimed as her anil eyes gleamed seeing Valentina a few steps behind Caut.

Meanwhile, Valentina gave two steps forward and exclaimed briefly.

“Rense!” And with both hands holding the sword, she swung it down diagonally at Caut as it became ethereal blue.

*FUUM!*

The sword never harmed Caut, as the ethereal sword phased through Caut’s body.

Immediately, the ominous dark aura vanished within Caut, purged from her soul, as she collapsed on her knees and then on the floor, fainted.

Valentina inhaled deeply while her sword reverted to its normal state and then she exhaled, fluidly sheathing her sword back into its sheath at her hip.

After a few seconds, Mech stood up and walked to Caut, knelt next to her and placed Caut’s head gently on her lap.

Valentina just looked at them, as she sighed in relief that the nightmare ended, although she knew that there were more difficulties to come.

But that would be for later, as she just smiled and lifted her fist in sign of victory and joy.

The Elins looked to the Queen and then themselves, confused at the very beginning, but then they also lifted their arms and cried out in thundering cheer.

*EHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!*

----------------------------------------

The Pora Elinu Nation celebrated the end of their nightmare.

Up the top of Velika’s tallest building, on a flat white roof.

There were three persons standing there, ever since Valentina’s ‘death’, unnoticed by everyone as they were concealing their presences flawlessly.

Two of them were behind a man wearing a black top hat, a white mask with joyful eyes and a sinister smile, black frac suit, white gloves and black shoes.

“Master, despite the successive ‘ruptures’...it is just like variant 286. The Angel of the Eventide had awakened and that Popori survived as foreseen. Nothing had changed.” Iri, a complete hooded and covered by a brown tunic, spoke softly.

Her face was covered by a white mask with no more than a red diagonal line streaked across its surface.

“We should just get rid of Sayune already.” Qoo, wearing the same clothes and mask as Iri, spoke coldly, yet softly.

“Hehehehe...patience Qoo. We will kill her soon, I just love to see how all of these insignificant lives try so hard to survive when their future is so bleak. Hehehe…” Quote, the man of the black frac suit, exclaimed mockingly with both of his hands at his back.

“Master, we should take our leave. Our presence is needed in the other realm.” Iri informed softly as always.

“Hehehehe, alright then. See you later, useless Eventide.” Quote bid farewell mockingly and then snapped his fingers.

Immediately after, all three vanished without leaving a single trace behind, as if they were never there in the first place.

Credits to I4MD34TH