The Dance of Chaos [IC-Fantasy-OPEN]

[Remnants of Exilvania]

Night of the Bloody Moons
Merkbuger Fen
Unsterb Manor

"Can't your men kill with some more care? You know, it gets really annoying to have to sew different bodyparts together to combine bodies because both of them are completely useless due to smashed bones."

, Lisbeth complained, pouting as she checked the newest batch of corpses that had been delivered to her underground laboratory. She had been staring at one particular corpse who looked like he had been crushed under a building. Legs? Puree. Arms? Puree. Torso? Puree. Literally nothing other than the head was left for use. With a sigh she brought up a meat cleaver before bringing it down on the neck, chopping the head clean off. A tiny bit of blood squirted out of the wound and onto her face. Lisbeth didn't even bat an eye, licking it off her face as well as she could with her tongue. The damn fleshsack didn't even have a lot of blood left.

"Hey, you try to kill people without damaging them too much while they try to actively avoid getting killed! Be happy you don't have to go out there and look for your own bodies..."

, said Dietrich, who was also present down here. He had brought this newest batch of corpses personally from one of his recent ventures in...Velikiya he said, yes? It was nice that he came by once again but Lisbeth wasn't so stupid to believe that he did it because if any love for family or something. No, he wanted something from her. With a sigh she stared at the head before picking it up, one hand holding it up by it's hair while the other gripped the jaw and started moving it while she attempted to mimic Dietrich's voice:

"Weeeeeee, I can't kill with care despite my overwhelming superiority in numbers, weapons and training. Weeeeeee, people don't want to be killed. Weeeeeeee, I don't have to get you any bodies at all..."

She let go off the jaw and placed her hands on her hips, staring at Dietrich in anger.

"Don't annoy me here in my own realm you old cripple unless you have a deathwish."

Dietrich shivered a little and the two armoured guards he had brought with him placed their hands on the hilts of their swords, ready to draw them.

"That's a bit rude Lisbeth. Ignoring the injuries sustained by my frail mortal body, we are actually of the same age."

She demonstratively turned away from him, put the head back down onto the operation table and crossed her arms in front of her:

"I still look better than you do."

Dietrich facepalmed and uttered:

"Do I really deserve this?"

Before continuing louder and speaking to Lisbeth apologetically:

"Okay, you're really pissed off about the state the bodies are in but what the fuck am I supposed to do to preserve their physical integrity?!? Especcially this one, he died because something collapsed onto him! I didn't do anything to him over than actually put more work onto me getting that body out from whereever it was lying under before!"

She snapped back immediately:

"And you are of course totally innocent in causing the collapse? You left that location completely untouched and didn't do anything against structures in the area?"

"Eeeeehm..."

"Yes, exactly, you probably bombarded the area with catapults like you always do. This here isn't the only body that's been squashed under something. There are quite a few more of them in your batch! Literally useless corpses that do nothing other than waste space!"

Dietrich just seemed to shrink together more and more as the little vampire's tirade continued. Every now and then he threw in meek responses:

"Maybe you can recall their souls and create wraiths or ghosts?"

"Who do you think I am?!? Some master necromancer?!? I've been practicing this craft for barely two years!"

"Yes, more or less non-stop and with nearly limitless ressources and no pesky knights or adventurers coming to interrupt you and kill you on some quest for glory."

"At this point I think I'd welcome some knights or adventurers to come by and pester me. Then I could kill them personally and would not only have extremely fresh corpses but also ones that are in just the condition I want them to be."

"Oh, and how are you going to do that!?! Hu? How are you going to kill something like a Scripture Knight who is armoured and armed and by far outskills you in melee combat? Not to mention he might use some magic against you. How do you plan on defeating someone like that without going all out?!? Hu!? Hu!?!"

Lisbeth suddenly calmed down and started pressing her index fingers against each other while also scraping over the floor with one of her feet.

"Ah, hm, you see, I have worked on something to help me with this. I haven't really tested it yet due to a lack of living test subjects. But if successfull it should allow me to eliminate large groups of mortals, regardless of how well they're armed, armoured or fortified."

Dietrich stared at her wide-eyed.

"And you're telling me this now?"

Lisbeth got more hectic in pressing her index fingers against other and scraping over the floor as she answered:

"Hm, well, look, I don't know if it works and you also haven't really shown any interest in it or anything from me so..."

"ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS!?! THE REASON WHY WE ARE SUPPLYING AND PROTECTING YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE IS SO THAT YOU CAN REPAY US WITH THE STUFF YOU COME UP WITH! IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE HAVEN'T SHOWN INTEREST YET, ESPECCIALLY IF WE CAN'T BECAUSE YOU DON'T FUCKING SHARE YOUR NEWS WITH US!"

Now it was Lisbeth's turn to shrink under Dietrich's tirade. Indeed, what he said was all true, that had been the deal. Their alliance was to be one of mutual benefit and so far her half-siblings had had very little benefit from her, atleast compared to the mountain of benefits she received.

But Dietrich calmed down as well. While still looking furious, he had lowered the volume of his voice back to normal levels:

"You lack living test subjects, yes? You don't know if it works, yes? Well, you are in luck then because I came to ask, nay, order you to go out there and help me out a little."

You see, just recently I led the Black Band in an attack against Velikiya for a customer of mine. That's where the bodies come from by the way. Anyway, in order to ensure that our operations there continue unhindered, I'll need you to stage a distraction for me."

Lisbeth looked up at him in slight disbelief and asked:

"What do you imagine under a distraction?"

To which Dietrich simply said:

"You'll terrorize their coast and attack their coastal settlements."

"Do I get help?"

"None that you haven't gotten for yourself."

Lisbeth waited untill Dietrich left her again before sinking onto her knees. This could not be true. This couldn't be a serious demand. She had nothing, nothing!, that made her believe to be capable of attacking a settlement. But deep inside she knew it was serious and that she was expected to follow this order as soon as possible. She clenched her small fist and slammed it against the operating table, creating a small, fist sized dent on it.

Fuck.

She needed troops, anything. But She had sent two of her best servants away already and with the creatures she had running around in the fen she could not hope to take on Velikiyan troops dispatched against her. Her gaze wandered over the corpses lining the walls, hanging from meathooks. She could perhaps increase the size of her forces if she raised them. But no, they lacked weapons or armour to make them in any way feasible to fight trained Velikiyan forces. Again she vented her frustration on the table, deepening the dent. And then the decapitated head of that lump of flesh on the table fell into her lap.

She remembered Dietrich's words. 'Maybe you can recall their souls and create wraiths or ghosts?' , he had said. Hm...it was worth a try atleast. Besides, wasn't this the night of nights? The one night where almost anything the likes of her did would work out? Yes, she had to try it.

[Granis]

Somewhere

"Did your little transformation during the evening fry your brain? Or are you really just that stupid?", a slightly irritated Wrath replied. "I'm here with you because our glorious leader has decided that sending you alone anywhere is a bad idea no one knows what you're going to do here if you were to be unsupervised. And you really should realize that you have a huge problem if someone sends the Archbishop of Wrath to make sure that you behave.." and the ashen haired girl giggled. "And you certainly do seem to have some brain damage.. that if you even had a brain to begin with. I've told the other you countless times that I have no idea who this "Kat" is, and the obsession that both of your personalities seem to have with it is starting to become rather annoying.. you should stop before I decide to cut you off into little pieces and to give your butchered bits to the dogs as food", she told him with a smile on her face.. before she sighed. "And here she comes.."

Sure enough, everything around them was a mess, the chaotic and dark and corrupting and evil thoughts inducing influence of the crimson sky above them, the Authority of Wrath emanated by the gray eyed girl, the feelings of anger and hate and ire spreading through their veins like fire, and now.. sudden intensity of the presence of an extremely powerful mage, the feeling of an aura that Leide at least knew all too well.

The Loroi woman seemed to have just appeared on the battlefield, her imposing presence a little out of place here, on this field of death.. even if a few faint marks of the Sin that had once controlled her were still present deep inside of her very being. She was incredibly powerful, there was no way to mistake that, but she exuded a power that seemed different from the feeling of danger and brutal and tumultuous strength that the Archbishop of Ira had.. it was a colder, more withdrawn kind of power, but power nonetheless.. and even if she was obviously doing her best to hide it.. it was clear that the Night was causing her a lot of pain, stirring the conflict that had nearly broken her soul not so long ago..

"I reckon that the darker side of you is just trying to mess around with people, Leide.", the woman calmly replied. "That or Wrath is actually right - and the darker side of you is actually dumber than the regular you. You know all too well that not only does she lack the memories of her past self, but that having your soul bound to one of the Sins is much more about what you want and what you don't want. But while she has forgotten who she once was, I certainly do remember the girl who was known as Katia.. do you, Leide?"

A spear of burning was suddenly thrown at the woman, but she easily deflected it with a simple wave of her hand. "Hey, don't talk about me as if I wasn't here, you old hag.", Wrath commented, seemingly.. bored? The woman looked at her for a few moments, smiling, before she returned to her previous serious expression - looking once again at Leide. "I couldn't hear the entirety of your conversation, so do tell me Leide.. why are you here?"

“Oh, right, I nearly forgot about that in the five seconds since you last told me…” Leide grumbled as he looked back over his shoulder at the archbishop. “Basically, Kat was the old version of you, from before the cult got ya. No need to worry though. Like I said, she was way too boring for my tastes, always whining about ‘her brother’, and ‘her kingdom’, and ‘protecting people’… I much prefer this version of you to her. At least you aren’t so bloody selfless and stupid, and actually want something for yourself…”

And then he looked over to Teacher, a look that sat somewhere between a smirk and a glare on his face as he stood on his rock.

“Well, I’m here because it seemed like a nice place to sit and think. You know, really meditate on things! Like, oh, I don’t know, maybe the fact that you used to be the Archbishop of Sloth? Or the fact that you definitely knew about this side of me, and never brought it up! Or maybe all the other hundreds of things you must’ve kept from us! Because no matter how much we wanted to help you, how badly we would’ve thrown ourselves into the fire to take even a fraction of the burden you faced off your shoulders, there was no way you could actually trust us! After all, even if we had spent half our life seeing you as our closest friend, we were just a filthy cambion, right? A disgusting half demon waiting to betray you, right?!”

He jumped down from his rock, the air around him drying as he unconsciously drained every last bit of moisture from it into a series of spheres floating aimlessly around him.

“We trusted you with everything we had!” He shouted, the smirk now completely gone, replaced by rage and pain that rarely found a place on the boy’s face, alternate form or not. “You were our teacher! Our family! And you, in all your ‘wisdom’, never even told him that there was another personality imprisoned inside his body! You wouldn’t even tell us what the bloody hell we are!”

He pointed his staff directly at his old mentor, barrier blades forming all around him as he glared at her.

“I’m here because you’re here.” He said, hate clear in his voice. “Rather than believe in me, you lied to me. You abandoned me. And I won’t let you get away with it.”

And then he lunged forwards, spheres of pressurised water and powerful dark barrier blades flying along with him as he made a beeline for the woman, the barrier spear on his staff pointed directly at her chest.

[Tracian Empire]

How could he be so horribly selfish? So disgustingly thoughtless? To trap her like this, to force her to do something like that.. it was awful. Again and again, the people around her had completely ignored her wishes, acting as if she was just an emotionless doll ready to do whatever others wanted. Her father had treated her as if her only purpose in life was to grow and to marry some noble that would have provided a good match, behaving coldly towards her and not giving her any sort of love or appreciation.. and it was because of that horrible father of hers that those cultists had managed to fool her like that...and it was because of him that she was feeling so worthless right now. Remembering how that bastard acted towards her when he had tried to bring her back home.. it was like a punch in the gut, stirring up his anger. And then of course... those bastards..just thinking about them made his blood boil, the cultists who had hurt her so much, forcing her to do all those dreadful things, ignoring all her pleas for help, ignoring all those times when she had told them to stop.. he could still remember it so vividly, the painful memory that he had witnessed in that underground place. He had to be calm, a knight always had to be calm, wrath was the death of honor and a knight never spilled any blood unless he had no other choice.. but sometimes, he felt as if cutting and hacking those monsters into little pieces wouldn't have been enough...

And what was he doing now? He wasn't hurting her at least.. but if she wanted to live a normal life, or a life as close to normality as possible.. did she even have a choice? What else could she possibly do, to hide what had happened to her from this world that was just so cruel, to protect herself and her child from all of those horrible people that acted like rabid dogs? From those who would hurt her, with words or deeds, for something that she had couldn't have possibly stopped. This was the only way.. so in the end, he wasn't even giving her a choice. He was forcing her into it, pushing his own selfish desires forward as a way to protect her. It made him happy, yes, the thought of them getting married made him happy for some reason.. but it certainly wasn't the same for her. She had no choice but to live her life as her father had wanted, she had no choice but to fall victim to those cultists, and now, it was almost as if she had no choice but to marry him.. it was just so unfair and horrible that a part of him really wanted her to hate him. But it was the only thing that he could do.. the only chance that he had to truly protect her... and if it meant that she was going to hate him from now on.. he was ready.. he was ready to make that sacrifice.

"Alina.. Alina, it's alright.. it's not unfair, it's not unfair at all, I would have never asked you to marry me if I would have thought like that. I've told you so many times before, and I will tell you that again and again until you accept it as the truth that it is.. you are not a whore. No way. I know that.. that you hate yourself, that you don't want to and that you can't believe.. but it hurts to hear you say that.. and maybe.. maybe one that you'll understand..." And once again, the tears threatened to spill over. She was crying, shuddering, but he couldn't.. he couldn't cry. A man, a knight, couldn't cry, not here, not now, not when he was trying to comfort the girl that he had so many jumbled and confused feelings for, the girl that he cared so much about. The crybaby that he had once been, that weak and frail boy, who always fell prey to his feelings.. was gone. He had slowly been broken with each hit of his father's training wooden staff, and had completely disappeared during his first charge, during the war. His father had been right, he had always been right - letting your feelings control you was a sign of weakness, and there were some moments in life when that simply couldn't happen.. and this was one of them. So the green eyed boy took another deep breath.. and then he bit his lip, stopping right before blood would have rushed out, before she could realize.. and he smiled.

"Alina.. you can ask me that.. because I want it. I'm alright with it. I promised that I would protect you, no matter what... and this is the best way in which I can do it. And.. I'm not.. I'm not doing it just because of some dumb sense of a knight's duties. I don't.. I don't know, I don't understand it either.. I don't understand any of it, I have no idea what this mess of emotions that I'm feeling is, I don't know why I want to protect you this much, why I care about you this much.. but I know that I do. I know that I'm not forcing myself to do any of this, I'm not doing it because I feel that it's right., I'm not doing this because I pity you or just because I'm sorry...I'm doing it for you.. just as much as I'm doing it for myself and for what I'm feeling. I don't hate it, I don't feel that it's unfair, or that it's not right. Even if it would be difficult, for both of us.. the idea of marrying you.. actually.. it makes me.. in a way.. happy..", he tried to say, his last word nothing more than a whisper. "I don't care that you've already been with so many people, it wasn't your choice, it wasn't your fault, there is nothing that you could have done and it doesn't make you a whore.. it isn't your fault that the fate is so cruel as to give you a child..and it's not the child's fault either that it has to be born like this. If the world is simply just so horrible, then for you, and for the child, I will try to make it better. I will try to be there for you.. to help you get through all of this. I will be there for you if you'll be crying and if you'll be in pain..I can be the pillar that you can rest on. I can and I will take care of you, for the rest of my life if I have to, because I want to. There is nothing in this world that I want more than to take care of you. To protect you. To make you happy, to make you smile.. to make you forget, bit by bit, all those things.. and even if you'll never be able to completely forget them, I want to be the light that helps you keep those memories away..." And while he still seemed to be on the verge of crying.. the boy actually blushed a little, hearing himself saying all those embarrassing things... how foolish he was.

"And Alina.. I.. I can. My engagement... it doesn't.. it doesn't matter. It.. it never mattered. We never.. we never agreed to it.. we never had a choice.. our parents.. our parents wanted it. Our fathers were good friends and brothers in arms.. and this would have benefited both our families.. but we never wanted it. We were, and we are friends, me and her, best friends.. but.. we never saw each other that way. And now.. with all those who wanted that marriage to happen gone.. it won't happen. We won't do something like that to each other..", and Rafal sighed, feeling a twinge of pain in his heart. He wouldn't force his best friend to marry him if she didn't want it..but he was right now giving no choice to this girl he cared so much about. "I'm.. the head of my own house now, I can decide whom I will marry. But.. I.. I want you to be able to decide too. Too many times, people did whatever they wanted without you being able to stop them, without being able to do anything about it. I know that it isn't much of a choice, that you don't really have what to do, that you are cornered, and that there aren't many ways out and that you're stuck in such a horrible situation.. and I'm sorry that I'm so selfish. That I'm asking you to marry me when this would be the only way for you to escape so many bad things. That I'm so horrible as to try to force you to make a choice when there isn't much of a choice to make, that I'm leading you towards tying yourself to me.. even if I would be happy to tie myself to you. You can hate me if you want..but I won't take that away from you.. you can choose what will happen to you, it's your life, it's your choice. I want it...and I would do it, no matter what, no matter how.. but.. would you.. would you marry me?"

[Tracian Empire]

Somewhere
A village

One by one, the pastry products hit the poor black haired boy, obviously not doing any damage besides from dirtying him a little.. but they didn't have to. What hurt more, just so much more.. were her words. It was as if each of her screams were an arrow, piercing his flesh, as if each insult and word that she was throwing at him were little shards of glass pricking his heart... But she left before she was able to see what she had done. Just as she turned away, as the last pastry hit him.. tears started to roll down his cheeks, bursting forward like water from a broken dam, with nothing to hold them back anymore. Invidia simply smirked, obviously taking a lot of pleasure in the pain of both of them.. the pain, the guilt, the jealousy, the bitterness, the desire, so many different feelings combined, filling the air..it was delightful.

Celio opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say anything, but it was too late.. the blue eyed girl was gone. He tried to stand up, to run after her, not even thinking about the state he was in..but something held him back, and he tripped and fell face down on the ground. The purple eyed girl giggled, raising her hand - her hand that was tightly gripping a black, ethereal chain that was connected to the few metallic links that were still bound to his collar. "Oh, do you like her that much? That hurts me, you know? After everything I've done for you, after how much I've loved you.. you'd still run after her? Has she lied her way so deeply into your heart?" , the goddess asked, soundly genuinely hurt.. but as Celio tried to stand back up, blood dripping from his nose..she just smirked again. Standing up, but still not letting go of the chain, she knelt down in front of him, and whispered something into his ear.. before she gently kissed him on his forehead. And with a final smirk, the white haired Invidia disappeared, turning into smoke.

A few minutes later, right before she would have been able to leave the strangely empty village..Julie was able to hear someone's running footsteps behind her, and before she was able to react, someone grabbed her by the hand, pulling her back and forcing her to turn around.. only to see a disheveled and clearly distressed Celio. His irises weren't the only part of his eyes that were now red, his hair was messy, his clothes weren't only wrinkled - but his attire was also incomplete, because even if most of his clothes were there, he seemed to have forgotten to take on his shirt, and his half-closed robe showed some of the horrible scars on his chest. The boy seemed to want to say something, but he suddenly let go of her, looking at his hand, the one with which he had grabbed her, as if it was something repulsive, as if he had done something that was just disgusting. He looked at her for a moment, tears welling up in his eyes..and then Celio fell on his knees. In just a master of moments, the once proud Archbishop of Envy, her archenemy, was crying, chocking on his sobs, mumbling something through the hands that were covering his face now.. the same words, repeated again, and again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.."

But lost in his pain like that, the boy had no idea just what a feeling his cursed aura was spreading. He was a servant of Envy after all, whether he wanted it or not..

[Castle Crashers]

Somewhere
A village

One by one, the pastry products hit the poor black haired boy, obviously not doing any damage besides from dirtying him a little.. but they didn't have to. What hurt more, just so much more.. were her words. It was as if each of her screams were an arrow, piercing his flesh, as if each insult and word that she was throwing at him were little shards of glass pricking his heart... But she left before she was able to see what she had done. Just as she turned away, as the last pastry hit him.. tears started to roll down his cheeks, bursting forward like water from a broken dam, with nothing to hold them back anymore. Invidia simply smirked, obviously taking a lot of pleasure in the pain of both of them.. the pain, the guilt, the jealousy, the bitterness, the desire, so many different feelings combined, filling the air..it was delightful.

Celio opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say anything, but it was too late.. the blue eyed girl was gone. He tried to stand up, to run after her, not even thinking about the state he was in..but something held him back, and he tripped and fell face down on the ground. The purple eyed girl giggled, raising her hand - her hand that was tightly gripping a black, ethereal chain that was connected to the few metallic links that were still bound to his collar. "Oh, do you like her that much? That hurts me, you know? After everything I've done for you, after how much I've loved you.. you'd still run after her? Has she lied her way so deeply into your heart?" , the goddess asked, soundly genuinely hurt.. but as Celio tried to stand back up, blood dripping from his nose..she just smirked again. Standing up, but still not letting go of the chain, she knelt down in front of him, and whispered something into his ear.. before she gently kissed him on his forehead. And with a final smirk, the white haired Invidia disappeared, turning into smoke.

A few minutes later, right before she would have been able to leave the strangely empty village..Julie was able to hear someone's running footsteps behind her, and before she was able to react, someone grabbed her by the hand, pulling her back and forcing her to turn around.. only to see a disheveled and clearly distressed Celio. His irises weren't the only part of his eyes that were now red, his hair was messy, his clothes weren't only wrinkled - but his attire was also incomplete, because even if most of his clothes were there, he seemed to have forgotten to take on his shirt, and his half-closed robe showed some of the horrible scars on his chest. The boy seemed to want to say something, but he suddenly let go of her, looking at his hand, the one with which he had grabbed her, as if it was something repulsive, as if he had done something that was just disgusting. He looked at her for a moment, tears welling up in his eyes..and then Celio fell on his knees. In just a master of moments, the once proud Archbishop of Envy, her archenemy, was crying, chocking on his sobs, mumbling something through the hands that were covering his face now.. the same words, repeated again, and again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.."

But lost in his pain like that, the boy had no idea just what a feeling his cursed aura was spreading. He was a servant of Envy after all, whether he wanted it or not..

As Julie walked, she never let herself turn back. Something insider her screamed for her to, to run to him, to cry, to yell...she wanted to face him, to tell him how she really felt from this, more than just a curse and a few thrown pastries. Yet, she kept moving forward, knowing if she went back there, if she went back to him...she would regret it. She would regret yelling at him more. She would regret being angry, wouldn't she..? She continued to stumble away from the inn, away from the hurt...barely even focusing on her breathing as she kept her eyes ahead, her mind a turbulent storm of anxious and hurt feelings. She didn't even hear the footsteps approaching her as she kept walking, slowly, as if she were half-dead, even...

So, as she felt someone grab her hand, someone jerk her backwards, turning her around...she almost didn't even have to look to know who it was. Slightly shocked, though still seeming numb, angry, hurt, she turned her blue eyes to him...he was a mess, his eyes puffy and red from where he'd been crying, his clothes disheveled--hell, he was even missing his actual shirt. He had clearly been in a rush to get to her, only having time to throw on his robe, that of which did a terrible job of disclosing the garish, thick scars against his torso. It made her heart twinge with sympathy. She wished she could get it to stop.

He wasted no time releasing her hand, seeming disgusted with himself that he'd dared to touch her at all, as if he hadn't kissed her and held her in his arms mere hours before. She watched as he met her eyes, almost surprised that he would even let himself do so as tears welled in his eyes, and--in honest shock, she watched him fall to his knees before her, sobbing, covering his face with his hands, apologizing.

She was angry.

She grimaced, feeling her own eyes grow wet with tears. Part of her screamed for forgiveness, to fall to her own knees, to hug him and tell him she forgave him...and the other part was pain. The other part called to tell him, to tell him how she felt, to tell him how he had hurt her so deeply...she was weak. She was upset. The choice was easy. She could almost feel Benevolentia turn her cheek to her in disappointment. "Sorry..? Sorry for what..?" She asked quietly, angrily, staring down at him with an icy gaze that was only softened by her tears that threatened to escape. "Sorry for what, huh? Sorry for hurting me? Sorry for making me angry? Or are you sorry that you didn't finish with her in time to avoid being caught by me!?" She spoke, every word growing louder until it was a yell. "Or are you sorry for leading me to believe you could actually care for me!?"

She breathed heavily, angrily watching him cower and sob, only growing moreso as she watched him. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" She cried, pulling his hands away from his face, pulling his chin up so that he could see the terrible hurt and sorrow clear on her own face, the tears growing in her eyes. "Why would you do that..? Why would you make me believe you could like me..? Was your goddess not enough..? Did you really feel that you had to pull me into this as well!?" She cried, the hurt growing in her eyes. "Was that all that was for!? To hurt me? Was it all just a ploy so you could hurt your archenemy in the most vulnerable way possible..? Is it!?"

The tears finally escaped her eyes, the heartbreak clear in her expression as she held his face up to look at hers. "Did you...only do that because she told you to..? Was it all just a big plan to...hurt me..?" She furrowed her brow, finally releasing him, wheeling backwards as a wave of nausea hit her. Of course; his Authority of Envy...it had to come now, didn't it..? She immediately felt the terrible emotion she'd had in that room once more, the jealousy, the hurt, the rage...she turned from him for a moment, holding her mouth to keep from vomiting. Once more, she heard the whispers in her ear, the comparisons, the desperation...

"...is that what it's going to take..?" She asked softly, keeping her back to him, and if anyone could see the Envious turmoil beginning to envelop her...it was him. Gently, she turned her face slightly to him, yet her expression still seemed unreadable. "I saw you...I saw all of it...I saw you enjoying it, enjoying her..." She said, her voice thick with emotion and tears. "Is that what it's going to take..? Is that what it's going to take to get you to like me..? To get you to leave her..? To be happy..?" She whispered, turning her hurt eyes to him once more, the tears dripping off her face. She seemed desperate.

"...I...I can do that...I can...I can give that to you..." She responded softly, approaching him once more, wrapping her arms around him for a moment before she enveloped him in a sloppy kiss, the tears still escaping her eyes as she did. She only continued for a moment or two before she pulled away, taking his hands in hers, and placing them in the same places he'd touched Invidia in. She only seemed lightly embarrassed as she did, her normal lack of composure snuffed by a sense of desperation, of numbness, of...brokenness. It was hard to say she even wanted that. "If that's what it's going to take...if that's what I need to do for you...I will..." She told him, keeping her gaze lowered. She almost seemed...ashamed, not to mention her pale pallor due to her sickness... "Do it, do what you need to do...if it means I can save you, if it means you will like me...it will have been worth it..."

[Charlia]

She couldn't stop crying, even as he tried to reassure her. It wasn't fair, it wasn't--no matter what he said, she knew it wasn't and couldn't be. No one could really want someone like her. Eventually he'd realize that, realize how dirty she was and be disgusted by her the way he should be. She was a whore, and soon enough everyone would know that--unless she accepted his proposal.

And it wasn't even that she didn't want to. She did. It would protect her and the child both, would help her hide the truth of what she'd become, and Rafal was always so good and kind to her, he was the sort of person she'd hoped to find before... before everything had gone wrong.

But it just felt so wrong, like she was dragging him down with her, like he'd be permanently ruined just like she was. She couldn't do that to him. She couldn't.

But she didn't have any other choice.

And everything he was saying... sounded so nice...

"I would," she choked, clinging to him like she was afraid someone would pull her away, punish her for daring to be so selfish. "I would. I want that... I really do, but I... I'm so disgusting, I don't understand... how you could want me when I'm like this. I don't understand... how anyone could still want something like me..."

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Silvia de Velira, a city in the Kingdom of Duivene, a week and a half before the Night of the Bloody Moons

I ponder the city and the people of Duivene as I ride my horse down the street, having retrieved some materials I need and on my way to meet my contact. ‘The land of honorless bastards’ as my niece would refer to them but I am not too certain about their lack on honor, my nephew would speak well of the honor of the twin princesses of this land during the war. "Not like that matters much since they are enemies of father and therefore no matter what they are or what they claim to be they all must die for that crime." I mutter to myself and I reach a tavern where I hitch up my horse to a post but, instead of going in, I start walking in a different direction down a variety of streets, walking along the paths that I memorized in my father’s directions, before reaching a house and I knock on the door and an old man answers.

“Yes?” He asks. "Do you need something miss?"

“Excuse me are you Alfonso?"

"That I am." The man answers, clearly wondering why I am here.

"Pardon me for me disturbing you sir but I heard you were an expert on matters of dealing with pests in firefruit? My family runs a farm and I was hoping for some advice as there are a lot of pests this season.” I answer with a relatively innocent smile plastered on my face.

The old man raises an eyebrow. “Certainly young miss, perhaps we can discuss it over some tea? Not every day I get to talk about that and there is so much to talk about.” I nod and enter and as soon as he closes the door behind me he swings at me with a sword he had hidden behind it but I block it with two of my daggers. Ah I have missed this greeting.

“Not a bad attack Master Tacitus but I think your sword arm has gotten weak over the years.” I remark from my position to one of my old mentors from the Emperor’s Circles. “Not to mention you have a lot of gaps.”

He blinks in realization, pulls back his sword and leans it against the wall. “I’ve actually had very little use for it since I was assigned to this cursed land. How is the General, Silvia?”

“Father is doing well.” I answer. “He told me that you would have some information for me?”

“Yes, I am supposed to be helping you with your mission, or at least laying the groundwork.”

“And what do you have?”

He tilts his head and I follow him down the hall. “Shockingly it was easier than I imagined it would be, peace has made these barbarians lax. Well that wasn’t as much of a shock as being told my mission and that your father would send you here when it is close to the time. Why is your hair that color anyway? I seem to remember it being brown.” He asks after we enter into an office and he gestures to a chair for me to sit down. In response to the question I run my hair through my dyed blonde hair with a frown of dislike as I take a seat.

“I prefer to not have my actual hair color while I am on a mission. Mistress Euphema’s recipes has come in handy in that regard.”

“I can imagine they would be but I didn’t know that she also did hair dye on top of poison. Wouldn’t that make a mission requiring multiple disguises more difficult?”

“It’s washable too I can change it quickly provided I use a liquid she provided the recipe me for with it.” I inform him. “She left me a lot of recipes before the Ecclesiarchy burned her at the stake.”

“She really was a hell of a woman. Truly those of us in the Circles were the best of the Emperor’s servants.”

“Besides people like my father.” I correct him.

“Yes, besides heroes like him.” The old man answers. “Ah here it is.” He takes out a report and a painting and hands them both to me. “Will this girl do?”

I examine the girl in the painting carefully, her dress, skin tone, eyes, her black hair, and all her other features, even her more womanly features before finally nodding. “Yes she will do perfectly.” I then read the report “Elise Damas, middle daughter of the Baron Damas at the age of eighteen, currently on the road with her uncle and aunt heading northwards to check on some business with the family’s trading company. Guards paid for by the family number at about twelve thereabouts along with a few cart drivers.” As I read that my mind works on plans and counter plans, and I keep drawing blanks at this stage, I need more information though I do make note of the manifest for what is in their carts, as thorough work as ever for Master Tacitus. “What else do you know about her?”

“According to a servant of their household, after I hit her up with a few drinks, the girl is fairly naive and courteous, almost a stereotypical noble girl in a way, but she is very interested in the family business meaning she often accompanies them on business like this making her vulnerable. Honestly with all my years of research on this foreign nobility she is the best bet we have with the parameters the General gave me at this time.”

“I see. You have served my father well by finding such a subject.”

“Thank you. I am sure that you will be able to pin it on her easily since she will be on the road in the area.”

I raise an eyebrow, a plan coming to fruition in my mind, one with blood. “That will not be enough.”

“Excuse me Silvia?”

“The girl needs to disappear, she needs to die. Her and everybody with her.”

“You are much more… ruthless than you were a few years ago.”

“A few years ago my father had a country.” I tell him blankly and he nods.

“Good point. But is there a point to this murder? Remember the third rule of infiltration.”

“‘Do not kill unless it is essential to the mission.’” I cite. “And I am not saying kill her for no reason.” He raises an eyebrow and gestures for me to proceed and I explain my reasoning to him and he nods in approval.

“I see you haven’t been lax in your lessons. So how do you plan to do that?”

“Given the guards do you have any suggestions? I don’t have much beyond the essentials and those won’t fit with any plan I can immediately conceive of." I admit. "I can plan for after this step and indeed I already have one in mind but I am stuck on this step.”

“I have an idea but let me go run over a few of my contacts, my house is your’s while I am gone.” I nod and he departs. While waiting I start reading a book from his bookshelf and a couple hours pass before he returns and I look up at him. “Well?”

He smiles. “I have requested the help of some… opportunistic scoundrels to put it nicely.”

“Mercenaries.” I say bluntly.

“Not just any mercenaries but you will see if you want to go that route. I, at least, can’t think of anything else that may work and this lot wouldn’t have any scruples if the price is right.”

“I see, then yes I will meet with them.”

We depart his house and move through a variety of streets, doing our best to blend into the crowds, certainly unneeded seeing as we would have already been executed if there was even a hint of our origins but it is what we are supposed to do, we were assassins of Achisia after all. After several moves and reversals we enter a pub and pass by the manager with a nod before heading downstairs and Master Tacitus opens a door to a room with five men in it. And one of them, the leader I presume, frowns when he sees me.

"We don't take contracts from little girls. Now Alfonso," he says referring to Master Tacitus, "if you have something that isn't a joke we-" Before he can say anymore a dagger flies by him and barely misses his throat. A dagger I threw.

While he looks at me flabbergasted I stab another dagger into the table. “Unless you want me to adjust my aim I suggest you shut up about my age or sex.”

“Where did that knife come from?” A mercenary asks and I hear some muttering about how fast I moved, I guess I should be happy that lesson from Master Archibald is paying off.

“Trade secret and in my trade there are many more secrets.” I respond, keeping my face blank. “Now then gentlemen, care to listen to my job offer or will you leave and I find another?” They exchange glances before their leader returns his attention to me.

“Fine. What do you want girl?”

“Have you heard of a caravan sent by House Damas up north?” The mercenaries look to certain man among their number and I follow their eyes and he shrugs.

“Yeah I heard about it, some nobles bringing goods up to their business in northern Wyzkia, what of it?”

“I want you to kill the people in that caravan, every single last one of them as brutally as possible. I want the guards dead, the family dead, and especially this girl dead and her body destroyed.” I say putting her portrait on the table. “You can do whatever else you want with the others and take whatever you want.” I tell them, my voice empty of all emotions.

“Now why is that? You have a grudge against them or something?”

“Nothing so mundane. That and does the Black Band normally question the motives of people offering you a job?” I had realized what group they belonged to pretty much as soon as I came in, normally I would hate them for the double cross their group did, my niece certainly does, but my father said that is the nature of mercenaries so he can't begrudge them that. Tacitus was right in seeking them out though since their reputation precedes them.

“Not normally but a young girl coming in here and asking us to kill a bunch of nobles is a rare sight indeed.”

My expression doesn’t change but I can’t help but feel annoyed underneath that blank expression. “I have a job to do and they are in the way. That is all you need to know.”

“That is acceptable, now let us talk price. Killing nobles isn't something that is cheap after all.”

"I am fully aware and you will find you gain profit at the end of it."

After an hour of haggling we finally reach an agreement, and I am glad I brought that manifest along as that was a good tool to show the material gains besides money itself, and I politely answer no when one of them asks if I am looking for work. After that I emerge from the tavern into the night air with Tacitus. "Well that was handled, the General equipped you well with funding."

"Apologies for having to borrow money from you." I say to him.

He waves a hand in dismissal. "That money was explicitly given to myself and the others for these kind of things. They will do their job and they will do it well."

"I am still thankful." We fall silent as we walk down the street together before Tacitus finally speaks.

“So what now Silvia?”

“Now? I head northwards, there is much ground to be laid and I can only hope that my attempt works out. It will be a long job at the end of the day though.”

“Emperor protect you.”

“I will need it.” I respond but I don't honestly believe in such a thing as the Emperor's divinity for my father never did.

[Elysian Kentarchy]

The border between the Kingdom of Duivene and the Fallen Achisia
All while this "wretched" sister was trying to recover from the shock. She was just so focused on her chanting that she had failed to notice the appearance of the new enemies. Suddenly, a wall of fire had appeared between her and her long lost sister, breaking her concentration and her spell, and before she was even able to react properly, the wall turned into a circle of flames that surrounded her. Alexis looked around, trying to understand what was happening, before she suddenly heard someone whispering behind her - and she barely managed to parry the strike and to jump away in time, her reflexes, that had been honed during so many brutal battles, weakened by her current state. Piercing the ground with the other end of her lance and using it to keep herself standing, a very confused Alexis recognized the white haired man in front of her - yet another ghost from the past that she had never thought she would meet again. "S-Solomon.. de..Velira..", the blonde haired princess whispered, blood still trickling out of her mouth. Even with the diffuse crimson light that was covering everything, Alexis seemed to be even paler than him - almost as pale as a dead body. "Unfortunately.. this isn't just a.. squabble.. between.. siblings. I have to finish..what was started.. long ago..", the princess tried to say. " It's good.. to see you again.. I thought.. that you had.. died..but.. you haven't changed.. either.. always appearing.. at the worst.. possible.. moment.." And the purple eyed girl took a deep breath. "But don't you worry... we'll fight again.. like in the good times.. and like then.. you.. and your darkness.. will lose.."

Out of a sudden, the princess threw two purple colored stones on the ground between them, and they broke into little shards, throwing golden dust in the air, golden dust that quickly turned into two golden figures of light and magic - two knights, both armed with swords and shields. "I hope that you'll enjoy.. me trying to.. kill you again.. and after I'm done.. with.. you.. I will do what has to be done..and bring an end.. to.. to my traitorous...sister.." And tears started to roll down her cheeks, with the girl looked as if she was on on the verge of bursting into tears, but instead of that, she just started to cough blood. She looked directly into Solomon's eyes for a moment, purple meeting black, before the two magical servants rushed forward, trying to cut Solomon into little Achisian pieces, and Alexis' strained voice quickly murmured a chant - and two golden magical circles appeared in the sky above him - faltering for a moment before throwing two spheres of white fire directly at poor Solomon.

She looked as if she was on the verge of dying.. but Solomon was fighting one of the Seven Heroes, after all..

I click my tongue as the two constructs charge me. "You and your bag of tricks your majesty. But as I told you last time I survived an attempt by you to kill me: ‘remember this rule of thumb, when you think someone with healing magic is dead make sure they are dead. We have the tendency to survive a lot of things.’" Not that I don't have my scars from the last time we fought and the wounds I sustained in both battles, but I do not bear hard feelings for her for that. We both were fighting for what we believe in.

In that moment of hesitation before the fireballs come I quickly start my own chant. "Vela, votran, davere, eto. My Lady Cassia I place my faith in you." That last part is unnecessary but I add it for indeed I have faith in her, as I raise my hand to the sky and the barrier springs to life protecting myself from her fire. Well more to slow it down in the air but it is more manageable now as the white magic clashes in a bright light and I know with her weakened state that I am capable of doing this for longer than a few moments. As for those two constructs running at me... I shake my head. "Sloppy, so very sloppy." And I move to engage with my sword at the ready.

After what feels to be a couple minutes of blocking and parrying them, but I know it hasn’t been that long, I exploit a gap and kick one of them in the stomach to send it sprawling... right about where I was standing when this fight started while locking blades with the other one. "Perfect." With that I snap my fingers and the barrier holding the fireballs away breaks up and they come flying at where the construct is now... wait, they veer off and come flying towards me. "Clever girl." I remark calmly with a satisfied smile, I had forgotten when Illania did this exact same trick to me. "But clever enough?" As they get closer and closer I count the seconds before I need to move... "And now." I break off from the construct I am fighting and leap aside rolling on the ground and both of the fireballs clash into him in quick succession before they have a chance to move along with me. They are much weaker than they were when they started but both are powerful enough to wipe that construct out.

And I stand and turn to the other one who is charging at me while I maintain my distance from Alexis. "Vela, votran, davere." I chant and my magic forms as a kite shield attached to my arm and I go to intercept. My shield clashes against its sword and my sword against its shield. We disengage and I swing my shield arm at it but it seems to have had the same idea and our shields clash and bounce off of each other. I could probably finish this one pretty quickly if I took it completely seriously but I don't want to, if I do it means I would have to engage Alexis and the poor woman can barely stand. There is no honor in that and I respect her far too much for what she did once. “Vela, vortan, davere.” I chant and a shield forms around my leg and I use the extra force to kick the construct and send it flying backwards, just short of the fire walls.

While I wait for it to get up I turn my head to Alexis still doing her best to stand. "You won't be killing anyone with your state like that your majesty. And to be honest I would prefer to fight you when you are at full strength, I survived it once after all." I say with a wink, but turn serious and my voice actually has a tinge of concern. "There is no honor in fighting you as you are now but even without that concern I would heal you. Vyl vort ahren." I chant and my open hand glows with a pale blue light from my magic, it is a gentle soothing light that one wouldn't expect from someone on the side that most would call evil but my homeland has its honorable men and women still. "But I am doubtful you would accept my aid, even if it would allow you to accomplish those goals of yours, even if I do it out of honest respect of you and what happened once." I close that hand and the light disappears. "That and with one look at you I know you would immediately ruin any new health you get, seen it before and I would rather not see you do it to yourself again. To see yourself be pushed so far... if you survive this night you should learn that being a hero doesn't mean you need to do everything like I can see you are doing by your appearance alone." I shrug and block a blow from the construct with my shield, sparks flying off of it. "That and I would like you to keep living so I can keep getting in the way at the worst possible time. Just like in the good times as you said." I smile briefly at that joke but that disappears. "But I guess that isn't easy for you because of what happened to her and the others." I tilt my head, partially to dodge a blow aimed for it but also to gesture at the other sister now embroiled in her own fight, and bash the construct back with my shield. "When those you depend on most turn on you I can only imagine what it leads to. But that does not mean you should discard depending on others entirely. Hero or not you are as human as I am." I learned... The construct runs at me again interrupting that thought. "Once more eh?" I mutter and engage it again.

Felicity, the morning of the day the Night of the Bloody Moons happens, Monastery of the Silver Wings

'Freedom, truly flying like this is the most liberating thing of all.' I think to myself as I feel the wind go through my hair as I ride on my mount. The sky is open and without limit. And we Paladins are its guardians.

“Felicity.”

I hear a voice and look around, there is nobody flying up here with me. "What...?"

“Felicity!” The voice shouts and I jolt awake and look up from the chair I fell asleep in and see my Paladin looking down at me with a frown.

“Ah, Paladin Maria!” I quickly jump out of my chair to stand at attention. “I…”

“Fell asleep on watch?” She finishes my sentence.

“Yes.” I quietly respond and she sighs. “I’m sorry.”

“No you are still young so it is understandable, but maybe you should cut back on those late night training sessions you are doing.”

I shake my head. “I can’t, I…”

“Have so much to learn? I understand, and your hard work is commendable, but if you can’t do your basic duties then it is undermining your ability to be a Paladin.”

“Yes Paladin.” I respond bowing my head, showing acceptance but it is not something I can truly accept, and she looks out the window at the forests.

“The next shift should be coming in soon, at least stay awake until then, I’m giving you the rest of day off, use it as you see fit.”

“Why? Have I…”

“No Felicity nothing about you, just I will be busy today with the Paladins arriving for the meeting.” I glance outside and see a trio of Paladins landing on their griffons and the auxiliaries guiding them to the stables. Right, Paladin Maria called for an emergency gathering of all Paladins who live here so they can confer over the death of the Grand Duke. But I am still amazed at how quickly they came flying home from where they were stationed or patrolling.

“If I am to have the day off may I be dismissed Paladin?” I probably won’t be getting much rest until lights out, might hit up Hannah for some sparring practice or go to the library to study more but I don’t have time for resting.

“You are dismissed Squire Felicity. Get some rest if you find the time between those training bouts of your’s.” She tells me, her smile implying that she knows I probably won’t do that.

"Yes, Paladin." I bow and depart.

Lidia, that same morning

‘Soon. So very soon.’ I think to myself as I observe the monastery from a distance in the trees. “Soon their trial will come.” I gaze at the cloak in my hands, it belonged to the Paladin I killed this morning, that wasn’t part of the plan by any means, for he stumbled across us, but it has its uses. I will make use of it all and move on. I hear some rustling from behind me and I turn my head to see Maximilian, ever faithful as my mount even in death, approach, his beak and claws bloodied. “Enjoy your meal?” I ask and he bows his head in confirmation so I run a hand over the feathers on his neck, much like I used to years ago. “I will find a way to restore your form and therefore our true bond old friend but for now I guess your… eating habits are necessary. Eventually I will discover it all...” He doesn’t respond but I smile, how long has it been since I was looking forward to a battle? I have forgotten as I was caught up in the ideal that one should detest war, that it is evil and should be avoided for the hardships and evil it brings, then my eyes were opened to how it is a forge for human greatness and eventually perfection. "But I have only just returned home so there are many more to enjoy."

[Elysian Kentarchy]

[align=center]

Grandfather takes his blade and points it at the older knight. “I am Lord Augustine de Velira, Fourth Lord of the House de Velira. Son of Achisia and General of the Armies of His Majesty the Emperor of Achisia, member of the Council of Generals and the General who led the first invasion of the enemies of our Empire, and your foe on this day.” He issues his challenge as expected and changes his posture to hold his sword in both his hands, though I wonder if his opponent will respond with his name and titles in kind. I know him saying that is at least a point of pride for the old man anyway.

Eric de Villegagnon

Oh, the old fashioned ones...

Suddenly, he was separated from the Princess and once more the battle became a completely different thing. Inside the burning ring of fire, an old man - and not a random old man, an old General - shared the space with him, giving him an old fashioned challenge invitation. However, the name wasn't entirely strange to him... He threw the rapier to the ground and walked around, trying to remember the source of the memory related to the name... Until the old man said Achisia.

"You know, I actually met Duivenian soldiers who were deadly afraid of you. And honestly, I thought you were dead by now but, here I am, surprised by this land again. You are alive and fighting another war... Seems to me that we, old man, are stubborn old beasts that carry the shards of a past that will be soon forgotten, as your relative quickly demonstrated by her impatience and as the younger Duivenian showed by his shield rush."

Quickly, Eric unsheathed his sword, holding it by the blade and extending his right arm, before making a slight bow. If one wants to dance like the battlefield was an old ballroom, Eric could very well play along the rules of etiquette established by the old nobles.

"Lord Augustine de Velira, Fourth Lord of the House de Velira, Son of Achisia and General of the Armies of His Majesty the Emperor of Achisia, member of the Council of Generals and the General who led the first invasion of the enemies of your Empire, I am Eric Antoine Roch de Villegagnon, legit Duke de Bellegarde, former Scripture knight, and I accept you as my foe on this day. En garde!"

In a show of swordsmanship, Eric threw his sword on the air, grabbing it by the handle and spinning it, advancing towards the older general with a basic, yet safe attack towards the chest of the Achisian that presented himself as his foe.

I block the blow with my plated gauntlet. "A fine blow Sir Eric, Duke de Bellegarde, former scripture knight." I return it in kind, displaying my own skill and he parries it. "As for the young it is best to leave such shows of honor and such to us old men, with age comes purpose of action after all while the young burn with fire in their bellies." I attack again and he ducks under the blow and I step backwards to avoid a counter. "Though compared to an old fogy like me you are still a young man. And there will be those who are old of soul but young of body to carry our shards into the future... even if those shards get smaller and smaller." Our fight goes on with us exchanging blows and counters and admittedly this Duke is good, oh how I wish I could be younger so I could face him in my prime and in a better time, the challenge would be enjoyable and depart the match amicably but we both have something to fight for so that time has passed. As we fight I shout a criticism at Illania and soon after that giant Karaki I made note of earlier runs through our battlefield. "Ah the chaos of the battlefield, it is always more enjoyable than commanding armies if it not for the deadliness."

"Because for the sake of Achisia we have no choice. Our homeland must be redeemed from those who occupied and destroyed it." I whisper as I push back with my blade, try to attack, but lock swords again. "We were His people, His soldiers, and He was our beloved sovereign who we followed to the day He died and beyond."

My mind flits over to my brother who denounced our methods the day the Emperor died and did before that but I dismiss them and channel fire into my blade and he leaps back to avoid it with me pursuing but, dismissing the flames around that blade, I strike with my blade and he blocks it with his shield while I leap back as he goes to stab my stomach. "There is so little of our homeland left so if we must use methods that others view as evil then so be it. If we risk our souls for the reclaiming our glorious land then so be it. If we reclaim the glory of yesterday, rebuild our land to how it was before, and drive the invader out then it is worth it as all will be right with the world and the natural order will reassert itself. We have known no other life and so if I must give it all up for my family and homeland then I will happily damn myself."

I smile lightly though. "But I would disagree, even if war itself is questionable in its glory for honor is so rare, the acts of the individual in the moment of decision making is glorious to watch. I watched you all fight as we approached the battlefield and it was glorious in its own way, worthy of a tale of nobility and valor even if you do not see it that way I view it with respect... but in the end will it be part of your victory saga or be tales told by whoever is left around the fire as the world as we know it ceased to be? Perhaps our sentiment will be understood if it is the latter for that was the fall of our homeland to us." I laugh. "I don't even know why I am saying all of this to be honest, it is probably just because it is the night we have been waiting for so long to arrive that is making me more... excited." With that I lunge at him and move my blade to strike at his head.

As Illania finishes with her comments about how "honorable" this battle has been for the Duivenians, Peter's facial expression changes which would seem to let off that her comments have struck a nerve with Peter somewhat.

"Honorable? How honorable is it where a three headed dragon is roasting man and horse alive, and their charred remains being left to serve your people as slaves until they are struck down once more? Maybe the three years since the war's end have dulled your senses....war hasn't changed since we toppled your corrupted Emperor and cast down the traitorous Knights of Light. It is still every bit as terrible as it was back then, and if what you say comes to pass then it would seem only you and your two companions will be the only free-thinking uncorrupted humans left."

However speaking this long had distracted Peter from paying attention to the duel, as he barely reacted in time to dodge the battlemage's attack, which left a large cut from the corner of his mouth to nearly his ear. Peter drew back, pulling his hand to his face and feeling his warm blood streaming through the spaces between his fingers and onto the ground. Peter then closed the distance between the two opponents rather quickly, slashing diagonally downwards at the Achisian's torso.

I am surprised at his speed and move to parry but he manages to knock my sword out of my hand with the strength of his blow and I leap back to gain distance.

"Illania! How many times do I have to instruct you on how to grip your sword?!" My grandfather shouts from his own duel.

"I. Know." I tersely say but then smile, blowing some hair out of my eyes. "If you will excuse me for a moment Lord Peter." I lift my hand. "Vortan aver." I say and my staff flies to my hand, I'll recover my sword if I need it but my staff is a good enough substitute as it is enchanted to be strong enough to withstand sword blows without any visible damage, I definitely choose well with that favor back in the war. "But I see I hit a nerve but isn't that the fate of honor? To be an ideal we chase but see desecrated by people undeserving of it? To see all our dreams turn to dust as the forces of evil run through our cities and butcher everyone? Even the women and children who wanted no part in it? While the 'heroes' claim honor and valor while the innocent simply suffer in their path by their allies? And those who oppose such a thing are instead killed? Like the traitors as you call them were? Like those who were caught in the crossfire on both sides were?" I swing my staff at his head and he doesn't react quick enough to block the blow, probably because he expected me to use my magic now... but I won't because I still have honor, no matter how much of a mockery it is, and the blow staggers him. I quickly follow up with a sweep at his feet and it is only luck he manages to keep himself standing while I shout. "That you think your actions are justified because you are the 'honorable' side while we are evil? Deserving of no mercy nor respect, only seen as mere animals because you think you are pure?!" And with that I bring my temper back under control, I have been waiting far too long for the night of our revenge that it is clearly getting to me. "Like your kind did to our capital as they were massacred by those who consort with the 'honored' victors? Like they did to my..." I stop myself but my tone is cold, so cold that blue flames spring to life on the top of my staff but disappear, the memories and the voices are starting up again… I can’t afford to lose control now, not now, I can’t lose myself to them... "No matter who claims to have honor in the end evil will still entwine itself in the people around them and those who have honor will either stain their hands in blood and lose it or be crushed. That knight had honor for dying for what he believed in without harming the defenseless in his path. What the living do to the corpse afterwards is the sin of the mage." I bring my staff down in a hard blow to his side but it clangs off of his shield staggering us both. "Necromancy is an abomination but..."

My words die on my lips as I see the golden balls of fire that the damned bitch who dares to claim to be a 'hero' after what she did sends flying at my brother and the light of their clash against his barrier distracting me. "My Lady Cassia, please protect him from that for he is righteous amongst us sinners." I mutter aloud in half prayer and quickly try to dodge Peter's attempt to attack me in my distraction but he manages to cut through my robes at my chest with a slash and managing to get through the leather armor underneath to draw my blood. This would be so much easier if I used my magic as an actual weapon but I don't want to, not now, I am already using too much of that hateful thing to keep the bitch contained. "Ah. You got me Lord Peter." I stick my tongue out despite the pain, and try to strike his arm with my staff but it is blocked again, without my sword I can't win but I can wear him down until I recover it and I block his blade again with my staff, holding it in place as he went for my head and grin. "Perhaps a bit more anger behind your blows and you will put me in the ground... and perhaps you are right but if so we have nothing left, we have no future besides this... and I refuse to accept that fate for my people, I owe them that much even if it will not be enough..."

I would have said more but my words are cut off by some giant green... thing running through my firewalls, shouting at the top of his lungs and I actually have to disengage and jump back as he would have bowled over the two of us and Peter does the same. "Um... Lord Peter, pardon me for a moment but what the hell was that?" I ask bewildered but on guard. I need to keep myself distracted, that pain in my stomach hurts so much, maybe the cut was deeper than I thought. Perhaps that is what the child felt when... no I can't remember him, not now. I can remember later. To distract myself I start a small chant "Atra, navie, verol." And my torn robs burst into flames but the flames do not harm me and when they fade away I am just wearing my leather armor, it is an old set but still fits my form well for this day, plus it should give me more room to move.

[Zapatha]

Battle between Duivene and Achisia

As Illania sweeps at Peter's feet with her staff, Peter quickly dodges the attack by jumping but the ferocity in which she shouts at him catches him by surprise. As blue flame began to flicker around her staff, Peter prepared himself to die by some arcane fire and lifted his shield to protect himself, no matter how futile it would be. I come to see you again, father. Peter muttered under his breath, yet when the heat of the fire didn't reach him he looked confusingly at the Achisian battlemage. Illania truly seemed to have almost lost control of her temper and for a brief moment Peter knew that she was experiencing memories of things she must have tried to forget. For a moment, Peter considered lowering his shield and extending her his condolences but knew that Achisian mages were none to be trifled with.

"Listen lady Illania, I know that both sides in the war had their atrocities nor was my side 'pure' but what you and what's left of your people fight for is a long dead emperor's war for total-" but before Peter could finish Illania once more hit him with her staff, luckily Peter reacted in time and deflected the attack with his shield. However Illania's focus seemed to shift to Princess Alexis and the other Achisian's fight, and though Peter couldn't hear what Illania said her assumed it was some kind of curse and hurled himself at the battlemage. Slashing at her midsection, striking her as she attempted to dodge his attack. Somewhat confused by the Achisian's still somewhat playful attitude, Peter responds:

"As long as men and women who live free of the corruption of Achisia's emperor then you and your people will fight a never ending war my lady. To give what remains of your people over to blindly fight and die for a cause no one longer understands is pointless. End the fighting, go home and build for yourselves a better Achisia!" Peter exclaimed, with clear sincerity behind his words. However the duel is interrupted by the giant-Karaki thing rampaging through the fires "I believe that would be our savior from the dragon." Peter says smugly before turning back to Illania, now free of her battlemage's robe. Well shit, maybe if we weren't fighting I might have thought she had other ideas. Peter says to himself smiling before readying himself once more to duel.

"Disrobing in this cold weather isn't really the best idea my lady." Peter says to Illania before closing in and swinging his sword at her left shoulder.

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Lidia, Night of the Bloody Moons

As I approach I muse on the nature of the monastery, the place I called home my entire life remembering and taking stock of its features. Some might liken to a fortress, and indeed with the watch towers and stone walls and indeed the size of the monastery within one would be inclined to call it that. It is almost too large to be called a monastery but it is one and has always been called that. Past the gate there is the courtyard with stairs up to the main building and balconies all around it, partially for style and partially for defense. There were plenty of doors leading to different parts of the monastery as well allowing for quick movement, both a blessing and a curse but the place was always designed to be defended with a sufficient garrison. However, the monastery was never vast when it came to numbers of inhabitants, indeed there would frequently be many unused rooms and chambers that people did not enter besides to clean. I can only imagine how much more empty it has become with the losses the Order took in the war. And that is why I must judge them and see if they are worthy of living in the home that was mine. That I know as I land on Maximilian at some distance so they cannot see his nature and approach the gate on foot while he flies off to execute his part. A Paladin is standing watch by the door to one of the towers.

“Hail sister.” The Paladin addresses me as I approach with the hood drawn enough to keep my face hidden. “On behalf of Paladin Maria I welcome you home on this dangerous night. Though if your griffon is looking for a place to rest or food you did not need to send it away, it is far too dangerous for anyone to be out this late and there is much room...” I finally get close enough for her to see my face and she pales considerably in shock and goes to draw her sword. “Sound the alarm! The tr…”

The words die on her lips as her head falls on the ground, the shock at my appearance still etched on her face and my blade dripping with her blood. But her shout still got attention as the door to the other watch tower bursts open and two Paladins on the other side appear with weapons drawn. The oldest one’s eyes go wide when he sees me and, while pointing his sword at me, tells the younger one, “Go, raise the alarm and alert the others, tell them the traitor has returned. I’ll hold her off as long as I can.”

She runs away into the watch tower and I can hear a bell ring three times and then screams of ‘the traitor has returned’ at the top of her lungs from the top of the wall that grow ever distant, ah she must have climbed out the window after sounding the alarm, I told them that was a weakness but it had its uses. “I don’t remember that one, Leopold.” I comment casually, not at all concerned with the sword pointed at me. "Someone not of the monastery?"

“Shut. Up.”

“How eager. I hope the flaw in your stance was fixed since I last saw you.” He shouts and runs at me and next thing he knows he is falling to the ground cut completely in half. “Seems like you didn’t fix it.” He doesn’t respond and instead he is trying to grasp his sword that he dropped and attack me again. “Strong of will but the flesh is weak.” I say as I bring my sword down on his neck. As I gaze at my handiwork I hear the voice of someone speaking. Lidia, stop wh... “Shut up.” I snap and the voice fades away, I again swear one day I will find that person who infected my mind with their magic and kill them. I remember her from the Palace, I know her voice, and she will not escape me and if this makes her upset then I was only right to come here. I hear shouting from the courtyard and smile while casting away the cloak, I guess it is time to make an appearance.

With that I walk out into the night and into the courtyard of the monastery, a courtyard lit by torches and the light of the Bloody Moon with the surrounding balconies filled with Paladins, well as filled as can be, with the amount who live here. And, standing at the top of the stairs, is a black haired Paladin not much older than me, a Paladin I know and remember well, a woman with a severe frown that doesn’t suit her features as I remember them and a set of armor slightly more decorated than the norm to show her rank and carrying a silver lance. “Maria, it is truly a pleasure to see you again. I would have never thought you would have been promoted to master of this monastery. But you must have done well since we last met.” I say with a mock bow and the frown on her face only grows deeper as her eyes goes from my face, to my blade, stained with blood as it is, and then back to my face before she finally speaks with a tone of contempt.

“Why are you here traitor?”

“Quite simple, my old friend, I am here to judge you all, to see if the Order is truly strong or if it has given into weakness. I hope you will not disappoint me.”

There is a pause, the silence that always happens before the killing begins and the woman standing before me charges towards me and I deflect the lance before she swings the shaft at me which I duck. “You are no friend of mine.” She spats at me.

“You wound me with your words, and if that is the best you have you will never be able to wound my body.” I tell her as I strike at her and she responds in kind before our weapons clang off each other. I strike again and she blocks my sword with her lance, locking me in place for that moment. “I seem to remember the woman I took the oaths with being much stronger than this, or have I simply surpassed you so much?” I ask, leaning in with a smile while pressing down with my sword.

She snarls at me and shouts, “Nalia, Regina, now!” A pair of Paladins leap at me and swing downwards to try and take my head and I move back as their swords harmlessly hit against the ground. Following that Maria yells, “Now!” And two Paladins who were quietly chanting raise their hands towards me and barriers spring up around me to contain me.

I chuckle in amusement. “Ah I remember when you pulled that trick years ago.” I lean back against one of the barriers. “So what do you plan on doing to me?”

“What you deserve, we will execute you here and ensure that you do not come back this time.” Her glare would be painful if I was still weak but I just smile.

“Oh if only you had the strength to do so. You seem to have forgotten about my talents.” I start to chant and the ground starts to rumble around me and around those creating that barrier.

“No…” Practically the entire ground around us starts shaking. “Scatter!” Maria yells but it is too late as the ground starts to explode around me and underneath the Paladins creating the barrier causing it to quickly disappear, not content with that work so, with another chant, I cause several more eruptions randomly around the courtyard, some to kill and others just to cause chaos.

“Now where were we?” I ask with a smile as several Paladins shout and charge at me with their weapons at the ready, war cries of hatred for me and the fact I exist on their lips. Proclamations that they will wipe this stain on their honor away. How brave, but are they strong enough? I ponder that even as I run to engage them.



Felicity, in her room in the same monastery

I hear something ringing in the distance and it stirs me from my sleep. What…? The alarm…?”

My door is half broken down by my roommate Hanna, another squire two years older than me. “Felicity wake up! It’s an emergency!”

“What did you do now Hanna?” I ask still groggy, vaguely hearing shouting and the thunder of armor in the hallway behind her. I do not want to be drawn into one of her pranks at this hour.

“We don’t have time for you thinking that girl, the traitor has returned!” She shouts, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me lightly.

I stare at her blankly, my mind processing those words before my eyes go wide in horror. “...Gods have mercy on us.”

“Get your armor on and follow me, we are to evacuate the children now, Paladin Maria ordered it.” I nod and grab my armor and sword and after putting them over my bed clothes we take off.

"What have you heard?" I shout as we run.

"Just that the traitor has returned, Paladin Maria ordered everyone to the courtyard and told me to get the children out with you and Emil. The rest of the squires are helping the Paladins fight her."

"Why were you with her? And why is everything outside red?" I ask as we run by a window.

"Relax, I was with my Paladin who was with Paladin Maria at that time. And it is the Night of the Bloody Moons, that does all sorts of things with magic." I think back and vaguely remember the last one, but only vaguely.

We run past an entryway into the courtyard and I look out and see her there, laughing like a lunatic in the now ruined courtyard even as the Paladins, with Paladin Maria at their head, throw themselves at her to try and take her down. And how she dispatches them one after another with what I can’t help but call ‘perfection’. In fact I am rooted in place with how fluid, how natural her movements are, how refined her technique is, and how she seems to make her opponents out to be inexperienced children for, out of all the Paladins in the courtyard, it seems like only Paladin Maria and a select few veterans can keep pace with her. They were right to say she was an icon on the battlefield, an inspiration. When she would return here during the war she never fought, never sparred with anyone, saying she 'wanted at least the illusion of peace for some time', so I never got to see it. My mind revolts at the faint memory of me sitting on her lap when I was a small child and she would talk me to sleep with a smile on her face, she would come back to the monastery sometimes and spend time with us and the others would talk about how skilled she was but the stories did not do her justice… why… why did…?

“Felicity, move!” Hanna shouts which shocks me out of my trance and we keep running and reach the stables where Paladin Agatha, an elderly woman but still active in the Order is herding children while holding the reins of Ignatius, the griffin of my Paladin, and Dominic, the griffin of Hanna's Paladin. Agatha, probably the most beloved Paladin in the monastery as she acted like the mother to say many of us orphans for most of our lives, indeed, most Paladins who live here and grew up after she did view her as a mother of sorts.

"Squires Hanna and Felicity." We acknowledge her with a bow and she nods. "Do you two remember where we are to evacuate the children to in case we need to move them out of the monastery?"

"Yes Paladin Agatha." I answer.

"Where's Emil?" Hanna asks.

"He has already begun moving children out, now mount up and get flying, I don't know how much time we have if Maria and the others can't beat her." We both nod and go to mount up. "Now just fly them as when you were training." She advises us as she lifts the children up onto the griffins, while instructing them. "Children, hold on tightly to the person in front of you and don't look down if you can."

There are some quiet nods and we take off into the blood red sky. Despite what Agatha says the kids can't help but glance down and I do too to see the mass of people moving below, and the figure on the center fighting them all. And I am glad that we are so high in the sky that we do not see the carnage below clearly. We fly to a nearby glade and meet up with Squire Emil, older than the both of us he is soon to be a full Paladin himself with him already bonded to his griffin. We drop off the kids and I stay behind to watch them while Emil and Hanna return to get more of them. Then they return and Hanna does the same thing I did while I fly back with Emil, it is a quick journey and he doesn't say a word, but just glances emptily at the bloody moon. After that round trip I return to the monastery with Hanna and retrieve the last few of the children.

"There, that's the last of the children." Agatha tells us as she helps the last child onto the back of Dominic and, with those words, she draws her sword and goes to the door, "Make your way to the village with the children with all due haste. I'm joining the others for the fight. If we win someone will come and get you."

“Agatha wait!” Hanna shouts at her back and Agatha pauses to listen. "You know what going out there likely means."

“And you know why we are doing this Hanna, get the children out of here, we are Paladins and it is our duty to do so, it is our duty to try and stop this mistake.” With that she runs off towards the sound of battle, where the Paladins of this monastery is fighting a monster. A monster on this, the darkest of nights. And we fly away with the last of the children into the blood red night the sound of battle echoing around the courtyard but a glance down tells me there are far less people moving than there were earlier. Somewhere down there Paladin Agatha is with them... along with my Paladin.

“Why are they running to their deaths?” I ask Hanna as we fly to where the rest of the children are.

“To buy us time to get the children out, and if possible to kill the traitor.” She replies grimly as we fly. "That is their duty after all."

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Lidia

Even as I kill them I think their names and titles, each and every one of them the moment I kill them. Sir Leo Irontalon, Sir Antonius the Brave, Lady Agatha the Mother of Paladins, Lady Laura the Maiden of the Heavens, Sir Florentyn the Guardian of the Bridge, Ladies Janina and Eliza, the Twin Lances, and so many more. All of them heroes, all of them supposedly great warriors… all of them weak. “Weak… weak… WEAK!” I scream at them even as I slaughter them, my screams actually surprising them. “How did the Paladins grow so weak?! How are you such disgraces to those who came before you?! How could those who fought against so many great threats turn out to be so frail?” As I scream my frustration I hear a familiar twang and I move to dodge as several arrows fly by where I was standing. I turn and see several people notching arrows in their bows to fire at me again. They are not Paladins...

"You idiots, I told you to flee the Monastery!" Maria shouts at them and my mouth twists upward, now I remember, monks and auxiliaries, so few of them though, the mark of war. Many of their faces I now recognize, aged but still the same, still weak. Still incapable of even becoming Paladins.

"A valiant effort but do you think one as weak as you lot could even scratch me?" I ask, my tone mocking. Not allowing them to answer I chant and direct my telekinesis at them with a final word and rip them apart, a few of them though are so very strong willed so I have to focus more on them before the wet sound of flesh tearing fills my ears. Their bodies fall, being torn as if one is tearing cloth, guts and gore, blood and fragments of bones, all of it staining the ground where I once played as a child, dreaming dreams, knowing I was different from everyone here. And today that has been realized as never before With that distraction though the Paladins have rallied to the main staircase with Maria at their head, still holding her spear firmly in her hand.

“The path of evil has granted you strength traitor but it will be a temporary thing. For the Gods are on our side against all cursed servants of the Mage-Emperor.”

I shake my head at such words, how foolish to believe they cannot fight on their own strength but must rely on the strength of gods. “Then come, if the Gods are on your side let us see if you can’t overcome one higher on the path of perfection.” I answer back, taking up posture to face down the last of the Paladins, the ones who were considered the best when I was growing up, some, like Maria, being about the same age as me and others being the elders, a dozen pitiful humans. “I am Lidia, one who is higher than the greatest of the Paladins of Wyzkia and I will be your undoing!” I shout at them as we enter into the melee again.



Felicity

“Alright children stay together, we need to get moving to the nearby village to take shelter but don’t worry the three of us will keep you safe.” I kindly reassure the kids while holding a lit lantern and a couple other children hold torches while Emil and Hannah confer. "Once we get to the village everything will be okay. Hannah, Emil, you two ready?” I hear a gust and a beat of wings and turn around and see Hannah and Emil taking to the air. “Hannah, Emil, what are you doing?!” I shout at them from the ground.

“We're heading back to try and help delay her.” Emil shouts down to me.

“That’s suicide and you know it!”

“It is, so you better make it worth it.”

They fly off and I can only stare at their rapidly disappearing form. “Miss Felicity what now?” One of the children asks pulling me out of my shock at what just happened.

“What I just said, we need to get moving. I want the oldest children to start carrying the youngest to speed ourselves up. We should make it to village by late day tomorrow if we move quickly enough.” Normally it would be a quicker trip but we have too many young children and plus they will need to rest sometime, I can only hope the patrols managed to ensure all the bandits won’t be coming back for sometime but I will do all I can to protect these children. I am a Squire of the Order after all.

[Imperial--japan]

Kaslana Cerebus
The Prior Night

"Stay close. Don't allow the beasts to pick us off." A gruff voice commanded the party of four as they remained in formation. Each of them gripped their weapons and faced a different direction, watching the backs of each of their allies as the forest rumbled around them. Lances pointed in three directions while a woman held a greataxe in the last direction. The situation was palpable as the beasts emerged from the treeline, staring down the group of Knights with their gold eyes, they numbered at around six. They slowly inched closer, trying to see if the humans would flee so they could deal with the stragglers. They would not however.

"It's just a bunch of doggies! Can I keep one?" Kaslana asked her squad leader jokingly. Olbrech sighed at her antics amid a serious situation.

"I wouldn't suggest it. It's already tainted. Look closely at the treeline." The older Knight gestured to behind the wolves that emerged to a more towering figure. Its growl louder than the rest, it emanated a feeling of...wrongness.

"Our target right? How nice of him to come to us aye?" She grinned as she readied her stance with her Greataxe, winking at the wolves.

"Don't get cocky. Wolves are pack animals. They'll try to isolate you and wither you down." The other female in the group, Octavia, pointed out. Kaslana rolled her eyes, not feeling like being lectured by Octavia again and in the middle of a fight no less! Kaslana sighed in exhasperation.

"You're no fun Octavia...always so serious! There's no realistic way a bunch of dogs are a match for the Ecclesiarchy's best!" It was during this sentence that one of the wolves drew too close and was met with a lethal stab by Sir Olbrech's lance. Kaslana cheered for her squad leader.

"And first blood for Olbrech! Geeze I guess that's why you're the squad leader huh?" Kaslana teased. Two of the wolves ran in her direction as she seemed the most loud and boisterous. As they both leaped simultaneously, Kaslana summoned a Holy Barrier which the wolves smacked against, forcing them to the ground in front of the Holy Knight who then brought her axe to bear on one of the fallen. It was cleanly severed in two and the other had the sense to back away.

"Octavia, Lawrence, try to keep up yeah?" She teased her comrades who were very focused on the wolves who were staring them down. Unfortunately, the werewolf they had come to slay was no longer content with allowing the pack to attempt to pick the Knights off. It charged from the treeline and the rest of the back followed suit.

---

The Next Morning

"Uhhhhg I'm covered in this crap!" Kaslana complained as she continued to try and scrub the blood from her hair. Octavia grinned triumphantly, glad she had managed to avoid that hardship by letting Kaslana get the killing blow. Kaslana meanwhile was furiously dumping her head in the river nearby that the group had gathered at. A nearby bloody bag contained the werewolves head, and Olbrech and Lawrence were busy planning the route back to town to inform the townspeople that the monster had been taken care of.

"Good job squad. For a novice in the actual field, you did well Kaslana, even if I wanted to slap you upside the head to shut you up more than half the time." Olbrech casually mentioned. Kaslana elected to ignore the second part and instead basked in the compliment she was given, sticking her tongue out at Octavia who simply rolled her eyes.

"Well someones gotta keep the morale up. Besides, a bunch of pesky mutts weren't going to get the better of me!" She puffed her chest out proudly as red water trailed down her face. Truly, her beginnings in the Scripture of the Morning Star would be quite interesting from here on out.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Just don't get yourself into something you can't handle on your own. That's what the rest of the squad is here for." Olbrech informed her with a sudden seriousness. Kaslana was briefly taken aback but nodded.

"Now then, finish up. We ought to be getting back to the town. We can stay overnight in the Church lodgings for scriptures."

[Kingdom of Irhk]

Eric de Villegagnon

Oh, the old fashioned ones...

Suddenly, he was separated from the Princess and once more the battle became a completely different thing. Inside the burning ring of fire, an old man - and not a random old man, an old General - shared the space with him, giving him an old fashioned challenge invitation. However, the name wasn't entirely strange to him... He threw the rapier to the ground and walked around, trying to remember the source of the memory related to the name... Until the old man said Achisia.

"You know, I actually met Duivenian soldiers who were deadly afraid of you. And honestly, I thought you were dead by now but, here I am, surprised by this land again. You are alive and fighting another war... Seems to me that we, old man, are stubborn old beasts that carry the shards of a past that will be soon forgotten, as your relative quickly demonstrated by her impatience and as the younger Duivenian showed by his shield rush."

Quickly, Eric unsheathed his sword, holding it by the blade and extending his right arm, before making a slight bow. If one wants to dance like the battlefield was an old ballroom, Eric could very well play along the rules of etiquette established by the old nobles.

"Lord Augustine de Velira, Fourth Lord of the House de Velira, Son of Achisia and General of the Armies of His Majesty the Emperor of Achisia, member of the Council of Generals and the General who led the first invasion of the enemies of your Empire, I am Eric Antoine Roch de Villegagnon, legit Duke de Bellegarde, former Scripture knight, and I accept you as my foe on this day. En garde!"

In a show of swordsmanship, Eric threw his sword on the air, grabbing it by the handle and spinning it, advancing towards the older general with a basic, yet safe attack towards the chest of the Achisian that presented himself as his foe.

I block the blow with my plated gauntlet. "A fine blow Sir Eric, Duke de Bellegarde, former scripture knight." I return it in kind, displaying my own skill and he parries it. "As for the young it is best to leave such shows of honor and such to us old men, with age comes purpose of action after all while the young burn with fire in their bellies." I attack again and he ducks under the blow and I step backwards to avoid a counter. "Though compared to an old fogy like me you are still a young man. And there will be those who are old of soul but young of body to carry our shards into the future... even if those shards get smaller and smaller." Our fight goes on with us exchanging blows and counters and admittedly this Duke is good, oh how I wish I could be younger so I could face him in my prime and in a better time, the challenge would be enjoyable and depart the match amicably but we both have something to fight for so that time has passed. As we fight I shout a criticism at Illania and soon after that giant Karaki I made note of earlier runs through our battlefield. "Ah the chaos of the battlefield, it is always more enjoyable than commanding armies if it not for the deadliness."

Eric de Villegagnon

The sword fight between the two had a quality unusual to such battlefields. The moves had the refinement of the palaces with a fine patina of time that gave every clash a sound that the bards achieved to reproduce in the tales after the battles. As the soldiers around slashed and observed part of the fight, they wouldn't be able to see a botched strike, an unbalanced parry or a miscalculated dodge by any of the Nobles. It was an elegant dispute with hints of a refinement that came from the only forge that no men could escape of: Age.

None of them were young fools deluded by ideas of complete honor or a fair war. Reality struck both in brutal ways: One was a general of a fallen Empire, fighting for a banner that no longer existed, searching for a restoration to a state that possibly only existed in his mind. The other was a former scripture knight, exiled Noble, that developed a deep distrust for the institutions of his homeland, especially the Ecclesiarchy.

Their realities differed in the elements that formed their mindsets, but both were products of the failure of the institutions or occasions around them. Battles lost their golden appearances; Emperors lost their aura of being flawless and the Church lost sense to them.

"I'm not a young man anymore for at least a decade, General de Velira. The chaos of the battlefield shake their fire and their hearts, but we are used to the waves of life and death surrounding us, don't you agree with me? I honestly hope that no shard of mine is carried on to the future, for the sake of peace inside the palaces.

Now, I could say that you have a chance to kill me, but see... I have business to attend to in Duivene. More precisely, I have some serious questions to do to someone in a very high position, which means that I can't exactly die here."

Charging forward with a moderate pace, Eric kept going with quick hits around the General's body. He was definitely more tired than the Achisian, but that doesn't mean that he couldn't keep him occupied while the others fought. As long as the swords sang their song, the other icons around the battlefield would lack the tactical brilliance of the former General, which would be a decisive help for their side of the battle.

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Hannah , back at the monastery

I am panting with my sword drawn behind a pillar, my mind racing at the sights I have seen tonight. Emil is dead, some… thing attacked him and the griffon he was riding on and ripped them out of the sky, I could hear their screams even as I flew away. As for me I sent Reginald off to fly elsewhere, if the beast chases us while I am mounted on him. As I step from behind the corner into the courtyard that is the scene of a massacre, no not even massacre describes the sight before me, so many dead, so many simply ripped and torn apart, so much blood surrounding the traitor who has her back to me. There is no word for what I am seeing. But still I walk into the courtyard and the traitor turns to me, a wicked grin on her face when she sees me, a grin devoid of morality beyond the madness within her and the blood red moon only amplifying matters.

“So you have come before me young squire. How brave of you, most would rather run away than enter this courtyard.”

“Even if I could do such a thing I will not run away like a coward.” I inform her, trying to suppress every part of my mind screaming to run away, I am not a warrior in this situation, I am prey faced with a predator, I am simply unable to win but I still take up a stance it is a very orthodox stance and she will know but it is what I know. “Stand fast while others turn away-”

“‘Uphold your oaths as a Paladin.’” The traitor finishes my sentence. “The Oath of the Paladins, the statement of the foundations of our Order, such a limiting thing but if you think reciting it will make you strong I will not begrudge you that.” She points her sword at me, it dripping with the blood of so many… “Come young squire, I will let you strike the first blow.” I shout and run at her and, as she said, she allows me to get the first strike in. Not like that meant much because she deflects the blow and her response cuts a hole in my stomach and I fall to the ground. "A pity. I thought you would be able to do a bit more but you are weaker than all the others who were worth killing."

“Worth...? You killed us all, everyone who was here. How could I be the weakest?” I mutter, pressing my hand over my gut in the futile act of trying to keep my innards inside, my mind finally admitting I can’t believe the events of this night.

“That is a lie, not everybody died here, that girl and those children fled didn’t they? And you came back after. I’m guessing you came back to try to delay me along with all the others here.” And those cold words crush my hope of keeping them safe, of trying to keep her from looking for Felicity and the children. “Don’t worry, I have better things to do than chase them, wasn’t intending on doing so in the first place. Killing children before they have the chance to grow strong is a waste of a future challenge.” I can’t help but laugh when she tells me that, it isn’t a joyous laughter but it is laughter.

“Why are you laughing girl?”

“I came back here to slow you down to buy them time to gain distance, but it seems like all my actions were for nothing.”

“Indeed child it seems so.” And with those words her sword comes down towards my head and the last thing I see is the corpses of those who fell here, those who tried to erase this failure of our Order’s principles. Avenge us Felicity.

Lidia
I gaze down at the now deceased squire, such determination will only get you so far if your enemy is superior in every respect. “Poor child. If only she decided to run she might have become a greater challenge later, isn’t it a pity… Maria?” I turn to the paladin who is on her hands and knees before me but trying to force herself to her feet, sword still grasped in her hand after she lost her lance and bleeding from several wounds. At seeing her struggle I smile, “As stubborn as ever, I honestly expected you to accept your weakness and just die on the ground but I guess I forgot who I am dealing with.” I have a feeling the smile on my face is one of nostalgia to those days when we were together. “Perhaps you could join me? It would be just like the old days, us, a pair of orphans whose parents did not want us, versus everything that the world could throw at us. That and I… missed having you with me. We grew up together so we should stand together.”

If she can hear those words she doesn’t respond to them but instead lifts her head to glare at me with a face full of hatred but also with tears running down it as she leaps at me and locks swords with me. She finally breaks and screams into my face, screaming what I know to be something she has held within herself for years. “You were the brightest of us all! You should have led us into the light! It was your destiny! Yet you squandered it, and for what? Look at you! Look at what you have become! Listen to the words that leave your mouth! You were a hero once, a paladin who protected her people from the darkness... And now? Now, you are a monster of that darkness, Lidia.” She pulls back and swings wildly at me, still screaming how she feels. “I was told the stories of your fall, but I couldn't truly believe it, I hoped it was all a lie because they hated you, hated your potential and radiance, that they hated our people and culture and wanted to disgrace our Order as Wyzkia declines, that you actually died fighting the other traitors and they decided to throw you in with them... and yet, look at you! A twisted abomination, with powers inside of you that should never have been allowed to exist! Doing things you would have never ever done before! So I want you to hear my words my oldest friend: We will forever stand against the darkness, us who are loyal and good! And I so swear that I will end you, even if it costs me absolutely everything! You will be free from the Emperor’s taint! You will die as all Oathbreakers deserve to die!” She leaps back and starts chanting, entwining her chants with prayers to the gods and she comes flying at me with full speed, launching herself like a projectile. She swings her blade at me as she gets closer, putting it all into this blow of her’s and indeed, years ago, I know this blow could have had a good chance of working, but things are different, I am different. And with that and a couple movements her head is separated from her body and falls to the ground, followed by her body falling down, blood gushing out of her neck as her heart beats its last.

I shake my head at the spectacle, and then, placing my sword on the ground, gently pick up the head of the woman who used to be my best friend, the one who I took my oaths with all those years ago, the one who fought at my side and shared glory with during much of the war, and brush some blood off of her face, “If only you were strong enough. But I have long since surpassed you haven’t I? You said so yourself, the day they proclaimed me as one of the so called ‘Knights of Light’. And since you thought yourself weak you became weak. Had you thought that you were strong, that you could catch up to me even if I have gotten a bit ahead, you could have won. Or maybe you would have accepted my offer, understanding that unique existences like ours should stand together. That you would have laughed in joy upon hearing my offer and realized that those who were lesser than us were beneath our concerns, that they were meaningless to us. That you would have embraced me as a sister again, an embrace I missed when you stepped away from me.” I speak to her unseeing eyes. I lift my eyes from her head and gaze around the courtyard, full of the dead, Paladins and squires and others, and I let out a sigh. “I have a lot of work to do, don’t I Maria?” I ask her head and go to gather up the corpses to move them. It is wrong to leave them outside for the animals for their efforts.

“Then I welcome you to stop me.” I answer to the voice in my head who tries to object, to denounce what I am doing, willing her voice away, and muse on ways to draw that mage out. “Maybe… they remember who she was. But before that I have so much to do, unique opportunities like this does not come by often.” Maximilian lands close to me, his beak and talons bloodied and his cold eyes looking over the courtyard. “Ah Maximilian, perfect timing, keep an eye out for if someone comes here before our work is done here.” Maximillian gives me a look and I shrug. “I refuse to leave them out here, I respect them that much. Without something to hold to you will stray from the path of perfection and become simply a beast, deluded and imperfect even though you think you are not.”

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Battle between Duivene and Achisia

As Illania sweeps at Peter's feet with her staff, Peter quickly dodges the attack by jumping but the ferocity in which she shouts at him catches him by surprise. As blue flame began to flicker around her staff, Peter prepared himself to die by some arcane fire and lifted his shield to protect himself, no matter how futile it would be. I come to see you again, father. Peter muttered under his breath, yet when the heat of the fire didn't reach him he looked confusingly at the Achisian battlemage. Illania truly seemed to have almost lost control of her temper and for a brief moment Peter knew that she was experiencing memories of things she must have tried to forget. For a moment, Peter considered lowering his shield and extending her his condolences but knew that Achisian mages were none to be trifled with.

"Listen lady Illania, I know that both sides in the war had their atrocities nor was my side 'pure' but what you and what's left of your people fight for is a long dead emperor's war for total-" but before Peter could finish Illania once more hit him with her staff, luckily Peter reacted in time and deflected the attack with his shield. However Illania's focus seemed to shift to Princess Alexis and the other Achisian's fight, and though Peter couldn't hear what Illania said her assumed it was some kind of curse and hurled himself at the battlemage. Slashing at her midsection, striking her as she attempted to dodge his attack. Somewhat confused by the Achisian's still somewhat playful attitude, Peter responds:

"As long as men and women who live free of the corruption of Achisia's emperor then you and your people will fight a never ending war my lady. To give what remains of your people over to blindly fight and die for a cause no one longer understands is pointless. End the fighting, go home and build for yourselves a better Achisia!" Peter exclaimed, with clear sincerity behind his words. However the duel is interrupted by the giant-Karaki thing rampaging through the fires "I believe that would be our savior from the dragon." Peter says smugly before turning back to Illania, now free of her battlemage's robe. Well shit, maybe if we weren't fighting I might have thought she had other ideas. Peter says to himself smiling before readying himself once more to duel.

"Disrobing in this cold weather isn't really the best idea my lady." Peter says to Illania before closing in and swinging his sword at her left shoulder.

I block the blow by holding my staff above my head with both hands but I fail to cover up a wince. It hurts so much… But I must endure, I have endured worse during the war and I smile that teasing, mocking, smile of mine that I have developed over the years to cope. “Oh under normal circumstances I would agree Lord Peter but I find the robes can be uncomfortable at times when I am wearing them over my armor so I might as well put on a bit of a show. After all this is a remarkable day and this is a night that only happens every seven years so being a bit showy with magic is something I will not begrudge myself of."

Even as I say those words in my light tone something he said does not leave my mind. A cause no one longer understands... As those words echo through my head the mask I have put over my features snaps and even he notices the change that has come over me as I snarl at him, all the noise leaving my throat is something primal, something animalistic. "A cause no one longer understands?" My voice is low. "How dare you? How dare you." I growl at him. "How dare you insult us! We remember what we fought for then and we remember what we fight for now, vengeance. We will avenge the fallen, our Emperor, and our nation. We will kill and kill and kill! Until the last bastard son of our enemies lay dead in the arms of the last mother! All that we have done will be washed away by blood!" I realize what I am screaming and pale in realization. No… no! If I lose control I will remember, and I can’t do that now so I reattach my mask and calm myself, pushing him back with what strength I do have and moving to gain distance.

“I do apologize for my display.” I remark as if I was casually talking about the weather but my tone is sincere and I am holding my staff cautiously and smiling sadly. “My brother would agree with you though, that we must move on from the past, that we must build a new Achisia, free from the darkness of those days, the evils we descended into in the name of our Emperor and that of victory. But he is naive for it would not be Achisia, not truly, so it will not be redemption for our homeland but merely replacement. I have seen the path we must walk for the past is our future… fire and flames is the only way to reclaim our homeland along with staining our hands with blood as we have always done. And from that redemption will rise. Only by ending the war that for us never ended will that come about.” And I will do what I can to lead us to the future, that is my duty as a noble, to lead while the lower orders follow. “Besides if that is our fate then there are worse fates for our House, we have always been warriors, we have always been soldiers, and eternally fighting for what we love is not the worst thing to my ears, for I love Achisia and I loved the family I lost. And I refuse to let it end just like that.”

My smile is very weak and a glance tells me my hands have paled considerably during that discussion and probably the rest of me has done the same, a given with the amount of mana I have been using to keep her contained, the amount of fire I am using on this night is nothing to sneeze at but even now I can feel it flicker ever so slightly. But I still take up a stance, Solomon is still fighting and I would be a failure of an elder sister if I falter here, and I will not fail him too. “I am Illania de Velira, last daughter of the House de Velira, the witch of fire who stained her hands with the blood of both her people and that of invaders in the mad revelry of war… and I will bring Achisia her future. For the Emperor and Achisia, may I be forgiven for my failures.” I mutter that last sentence and go to charge him. Well the best charge I can do in my weakened state and I strike at him with my staff but it is easily blocked but I then move my hands to try to strike him at where I wounded him earlier.

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Felicity, very early morning the next day

"I had underestimated the children." I say to myself as I behold the village, even when some of them got tired they kept walking in this forced march of ours until we reached here. As we do a couple guards notice us and approach, one of them recognizing me.

"Squire Felicity yes?"

I nod, "That would be me."

"Squire why did you emerge from the forest with all these children? Where is the Paladin that should be accompanying you for this if you were to bring them out?"

She is likely dead. I don't say that out loud and instead say "I must speak with Elder Matthias, now." They nod, recognizing the seriousness of my tone and one of them runs off. "Also find somewhere for the children to sleep, we have been walking all night."

"What happened Squire?" The remaining guard asks.

I shake my head. "Something that I cannot believe, and that is why I must speak with Matthias. Please do what I have asked, last night was horrible for all of them."

"I'll ask the Matron of the inn if she has some spare rooms."

"I appreciate it." He walks off and I gesture for the children to accompany him and most of them do, albeit slowly, soon after the other guard comes back with an elderly man, Matthias, once upon a time a Paladin of the Order, now retired and serving as the elder of this village due to his advanced age removing him from combat duties.

"Felicity, what happened?" He asks, his voice grave.

"The traitor has returned." I say numbly. "She attacked the monastery..." I try to continue but the elder shakes his head.

"Get some rest Squire, you look more tired than those children."

"But I..."

He raises a hand, "Later, we will talk after you get some rest. You have told me enough for now."

A few hours later

I am sitting before the retired Paladin in his home with some tea in front of me, I had noticed on the way the village militia was out and patrolling. "Now tell me what happened. Why is every child in the monastery here? What all happened?"

"As I said the traitor has returned and attacked the monastery."

"Yes I know. I was asking for the full story."

"I went to bed and later was woken up by the alarm and my roommate Hannah burst in to tell me that the traitor had returned and Paladin Maria ordered us to evacuate the children to safety so we did."

"Where are the others?"

"I do not know, Squires Emil and Hannah, who helped me evacuate the children, returned to the monastery to help the others fight her, and that was the last I saw of them."

"I see. What did it look like last time you flew over the place?"

"It was a massacre. She was killing everyone, every last one of them." I say numbly.

He nods and thinks pensively. "Did you hear anything on if Paladin Jan returned to the monastery?" I shake my head. "Maria sent word asking if I had seen him since he normally stops by here when he is back from the Ecclesiarchy."

"And?"

"I say you should look for him, Jan was one of the traitor's mentors when it came to the sword and would be a good ally for when the rest of the Order comes to retake the monastery."

"The Order is on its way?" I ask with hope.

He shakes his head, "I'll fly to the nearest fortress and spread the word but it will take us some time to mobilize. Jan shouldn't be too far inside the Ecclesiarchy if he is there though so try and find him. Make it back okay though since the other Paladins will likely have some questions."

Being sent off to find some random person, is that all they think me good for? I nod and bow. "It shall be done, I will speak with Maximilian and take off for there if he accepts."

"I don't see why he would not but do so, I'll see to it that some supplies are made ready for you." I bow again and depart.

I then approach Maximilian who is eating. "Maximilian?" He stops eating and looks up at me and I bow to him. "I am being sent off to look for Paladin Jan and I was wondering if you would be willing to accompany me as a mount? I am not worthy to be the one bonded to you so I am not asking for that but I am requesting that you aid me in this, it is for the sake of Paladin Maria that we look for him and drag the traitor to judgement." The griffon looks at me, as if measuring me carefully before bowing his head slightly in acknowledgement, a bow I return. "I thank you for your trust, after you are finished eating I want us to get underway if you are so willing." A slight nod and he returns to eating and I grab some food myself from the inn before taking to the skies on Maximilian's back, the supplies promised by the elder with us and with his lance strapped to my back since I only had my sword. "I can only hope we have to spend too much time before finding him." I mutter quietly as we fly through the skies towards the Wyzkian-Ecclesiarchy border.

Lidia

Now that the tending of the dead has been handled I walk to the stables, still locked, and enter, I see the hatred of the griffons inside, their gazes are they recognize me and they try to get out to kill me. I raise my hand and chant and as the spell activates I say clearly. "Kneel." And my telekinesis forces them all to the ground. "Now, I believe it is time to work on what I came here for." I say, still smiling, as I drag one of them out.

[Imperial--japan]

Kaslana Cerebus

Amid the return to the Town, the group was greeted by cheers and shouts of praise by villagers who saw them carrying the bloody bag. It wasn't hard to interpret that the Scripture had accomplished its mission and the monstrosity plaguing the town was no more. This was a time for celebration, and the townsfolk did that by throwing quite the feast. Of course the squad did not stay for long, as they were to continue their mission with the utmost haste tomorrow. This was likely not the first town to be afflicted by a monstrosity like this, and it was unlikely to be the last. The more they traveled, the easier it would be to aid others in need.

"A bit of a shame we couldn't enjoy the festivities a bit more..." Kaslana whined. Her face formed a mock pout.

"Must we school you on the dangers of the sins of Gluttony and Lust? Celebrations such as these are one thing for average townsfolk, but we must be ever vigilant and ward ourselves against any and all temptation." Octavia lectured, as though reciting a book. Kaslana simply sighed at her lecture.

"Yeah yeah...I get it. Just kind of a shame...seems fun." Kaslana groaned as she laid back in her bed on the other side of the room from Octavia's.

"Well take solace in the fact that by abstaining from this, we have time to better ourselves and help others. It would do well to remember that." Octavia added before proceeding to remove her armor. Kaslana merely hummed in agreement and proceeded to do the same. Night was approaching as they had spent most of the day travelling back to the Town and other portions being adored by the townsfolk.

---

The Following Morning

"Ser Olbrech, I bring an urgent message for you!" Kaslana snorted herself awake upon hearing the yelling, and Octavia seemed to awaken from it as well if her grumbling was any indication. A single look at each other and a silent nod was enough to rouse them from bed and for them to proceed to assist each other in donning their armor. A longer process for Octavia since Kaslana wore less. The duo stepped outside to see an Inquisitor talking with Ser Olbrech.

"Tis true Ser. Word has it they've been spotted near the border close to here. All the scriptures personnel are tied up at the moment, and you're the closest responders. Some are being recalled but it may be days before they can arrive." The Inquisitor explained.

"You're sending us to our deaths boy". Ser Olbrech spat with a certain venom Kaslana never witnessed him use with anyone.

"You would forsake your oath and not risk your lives in the name of the faith? If the rumors are true, capturing or killing the traitor takes the utmost priority compared to the mission of your scripture." The inquisitor elaborated, placing his hands behind his back and standing upright in a regal fashion. Olbrech's visage took on a more solemn look...almost like acceptance?

"Then I would ask you return my newest recruit to the White City. They are inexperienced and reckless." Olbrech gestured towards Kaslana. She frowned, a bit upset with that explanation of her in front of the Inquisitor.

"Alas I cannot. What, would I have her twiddle her thumbs while you lot went off to do this job? I refuse. Now then, if there is nothing else I must be off to deliver this message to other Scriptures as well." The Inquisitor said plainly.

"So you would send us to die and not even have the gall to join us? Typical of your lot." Olbrech said with a resigned chuckle. The Inquisitor looked at him with a frown but said nothing further, instead opting to depart down the hallway. "Ladies." He said to Kaslana and Octavia before leaving the Chapel. Olbrech walked up to the two of them with a look of pity.

"I guess we have a new mission?" Kaslana asked, careful not to joke around when it looked like Olbrech was in a sour mood. Lawrence meanwhile was being rather quite. Perhaps he was also stunned by Olbrech's plain distaste for the Inquisitor? Olbrech sighed and nodded towards Kaslana.

"Yeah. We depart in five minutes. Grab your belongings." He ordered. So they did, and within twenty minutes they were on horseback towards the border. Many of the townsfolk had waved them off, sad to see their protectors go but grateful they had come at all.

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Felicity

As we are flying I again enjoy the feeling of freedom it gives me, the wind on my face, blowing my hair around as we soar in the heavens, and I smile for the first time in what seems to be forever even though it was only the other day I was flying for practice and smiling then too. As we are about to cross the border I glance downward and see activity near one of our outposts where we normally station patrols, it should be empty though and I run though the options of why it is not.

Soldiers of Wyzkia? Very unlikely, most of the border patrols were withdrawn inwards due to the death of the Grand Duke and from what I remember that outpost wasn't on the updated patrol map Paladin Maria showed me. Other Paladins? No. Every Paladin who was manning this part of the border was at the monastery. Bandits? Possible but there have been no reports of bandit activity in this area for some time. Something else then, travelers maybe? If so I need to warn them to avoid the monastery. "Take me down if you will Maximilian. I want to investigate it." There is a slight nod and we fly downwards landing close to a group of people, they came on horseback so definitely not Paladins, and they turn to greet me and I quickly recognize from where they are thanks to previously patrolling the border in the past. Scripture Knights, Morning Star by the looks of it. I greet them though. "Hail Scripture Knights of the Ecclesiarchy. I am Felicity of the Order of the Paladins of Wyzkia, need I ask what you are doing in Wyzkia and if I can render assistance? For certainly there must be a reason for you to be on our side of the border?" My tone is very formal, slightly curious, but is not an accusing one, I represent the Order here after all and there is no need to cause an incident by being aggressive.

[Tracian Empire]

The border between the Kingdom of Duivene and the Fallen Achisia

Step by step, the forces of Duivene were pushed back, their thin lines of armored knights and soldiers were beaten back, their white-azure flags like islands in a black sea of undead abominations, cut off from their leaders by walls of fire. But, out of a sudden, above the sounds of metal hitting metal, singing voices were heard somewhere in the distance, as a group of thousands of people approached the battlefield. Some of them were wearing armors, geared for war, while others seemed to be simply peasants, wearing improvised armors of leather, chainmail and whatever weapons they could find - but all of them were proudly waving the flag of Duivene, singing old war songs. News about the desperate situation of the princess and her troops had spread throughout the region. Alexis, their princess, was once again risking her life in order to defend them and their villages, after she had already done more than anyone could ask of her - after she had saved them all from the wicked Mage-Emperor, and after she had spent nearly all of her days after that helping them, and protecting them. It was their time to pay her back, it was their time to finally help her once - and they were not going to just stand idly by as traitors and demons and disgusting Achisians were attacking their princess on the border of their realm, no matter of what the Seneschal might be saying. And with the old war cries of Duivene on their lips, they charged. Their violent attack forced the undead horde back, and it gave the knights and soldiers the few precious minutes that they needed in order to regroup and to fight back. And for the countless time that night, the balance was tilted in favor of the forces of the light. But the fate of the battle was going to change again, as from the distances, a light could be seen. A long, golden pole, with an emblem fixed on its top, a snake, eating its own tale, with a bright, golden fire burning around the serpent. The Eternal Flame, or well, a part of it, and the Serpent. The battle standard of the Achisians. And all around it, men in black lamellar armors, with black, ovoid shields painted over with the same symbol, armed with spears, in straight lines, several ranks deep. Among and behind the spearmen were archers, in lighter but overall similar armors, and perhaps the most important of all were the mages. The well known and hated mages of the Achisians Circles, with their black robes and hoods, and those despised white masks. And in the formation’s center, the standard, held up high like in the empire’s golden days.

But as fear gripped the hearts of the Duivenians, some of them started to realize that indeed, those golden days were gone. This was not one of the dark and brutal battles of the War, when Achisia’s power seemed to be invincible. Yes, this was the Night of the Bloody Moons, when the darkness was suffocating the powers of light, yes, they were few and surrounded by the enemies, but they had crushed those enemies once, and they would crush them again..they had fought to the end so many times, and as long as their princess and hero was with them, they were going to fight to the end again..and the two forces clashed, amids screams and blood and death..

Princess Alexis

“It’s not like I wanted you dead! I didn’t want anyone to die, I didn’t want to kill anyone.. but we had to because of the war, and we had to because your Mage-Emperor had attacked us, using his armies and mages to spread just death and suffering.. we had no choice.. I had no choice..”, Alexis tried to say, almost screaming at the beginning until her voice slowly turned into a whisper. “You don’t understand, you won’t understand and you can’t understand...I have to defend them.. I have to defend them all.. they are my people.. and it is my duty.. it is my duty to protect them.. and to defend.. that’s what.. that’s what Auguste always said…. and I’m.. I’m the only one left.. the only one who can protect them, the only one who has to defend them..it is what I must do, no matter what..so what if I have to suffer? What if I have to endure pain, what if I have to face death? It can’t even be compared to the sacrifices that so many others have made to protect our people..” And the blonde haired princess tightened her grip on the shaft of her lance. “I can not accept.. any help from you.. and you know it. You know it all too well, that I can not accept such a thing from someone who has brought so much.. pain.. upon my people. You’ve.. you've always been the honorable one..but it doesn’t change that you’ve served under that cursed flag. We have been enemies, we... are enemies.. and we will continue to be enemies for as long.. as long as you remain who are. And don’t you.. don’t you dare.. mention them.. you don’t know anything.. you don’t know the pain.. the pain of being betrayed like that.. the pain of having your friends… of having the person you cared about the most in the world.. turn against you..and it was the fault.. the fault of that cursed Mage-Emperor that you are serving even now, beyond his death.”

And the amethyst eyed princess took a deep breath. “I am human.. and I am also a Hero.. even if I am not worthy of that title. But above all, I am a Princess of Duivene. My only reason to exist, my sole reason to be alive here, right now, in front of you.. is to the innocent. And for that.. for that I will gladly throw my life away.. especially when I am the only one standing between my people and your darkness. It’s my duty, it’s what my father told me to do.. and it’s what my goddess has ordered me to do. There is no darkness that can suffocate the light, there is no night that will never end..and the light will always prevail, no matter what. Whatever you are trying to do in this cursed night.. it won’t happen, even if it will cost me my blood.”

And as the construct charged at Solomon once again, Alexis looked at the ring of fire that was surrounding them. “Corrupt flames are no match for the fire of the Herald of the Dawn, of the Guardian of the Sun. In the name of Aurora, the flames of righteousness will burn brighter and brighter..” and the girl started to chant, whispering her spell with her weak voice, and the color of the flames around them started to change, as the swirling flames themselves seemed to slow down and to stop..their color changing to a pure white. Alexis raised her lance, and the ring of fire was thrown in the air above them, swirling and mixing into a column of fire in the sky. The disappearance of the confining flames meant that most people on the battlefield were now able to see their princess again, and she wasted no time - unfurling the banner of her lance, the white golden flag shining again as if defying the crimson of the sky. Not all of them were able to hear it, but all of the Duivenians certainly felt it when the princess shouted: “Fight with me! One last time!”

And like a roar, the screams of hundreds of men and men were heard over the chaos of the battlefield as all of them, from knights to peasants, pushed forward.

Alexis once again coughed blood, but she wasted no more time with the weakness of her body. With a motion of her lance, the column of flames in the sky was thrown directly down at Solomon, all while the construct was trying to hold him in place, locking its sword against his, while the amethyst eyed girl started running.. it didn’t matter what the Achisian wanted, or how honorable he thought himself to be.. he was going to have to fight, and he was going to have to fight her.. because if he survived the fire and managed to overcome the construct.. her holy lance was going to pierce his heart.

Another princess

Even after the dark mages had healed her, the other princess, the one who was just so similar in appearance to Alexis, simply remained where she was, standing, tightly gripping her sword's handle, seemingly unable to move, as if a great fight was going on inside of her.. but she was crying, in silence, with tears just rolling down her cheeks. Was it because the death of the dragon that she was controlling? Or was it because a ring of fire had just surrounded the princess that she called her sister, a ring of fire which was hiding what could perhaps be that girl's final fight? No one could say. And no one was ever going to be able to say that, because out of a sudden, a monster bursted through the nearest ring of flames, taking the evil princess by surprise, screaming and jumping towards her. She managed to just barely dodge - just in time - but the sheer force of his attack sent shockwaves through the ground when his fist collided with it, sending her basically flying into the air, with the blonde haired girl falling rather brutally on the ground a few good meters away from Yakr. The princess stood back up slowly, with blood trickling from her nose and with her armor visibly bent in at least once place. But as she looked at the beastly warrior with her sickly yellowish eyes.. Yakr might have realized just what of a mistake he had done.

"Get.. out.. of my way.. you filthy.. beast..", she slowly whispered, as the blade of her sword burst into dark flames. "You have nothing to do with this... absolutely.. nothing...you don't understand.. what is happening here.. what.. what is at stake here... so just go.. go back in your cave.. and hide.. hide before it's too late.."And a moment of silence followed, as the princess slowly stood up..with madness in her eyes. "I will be.. I will be the one to kill her.. to kill my sister.. I will kill her, and I will make her suffer and regret.. everything.. that she has done.. so do not dare stand in front of me, you abomination. Leave, leave, leave, leave.. run away..before I'll rip your soul from your body.. before I'll make it.. mine..."

And suddenly, the princess leaped forward, with a speed way above what normal humans could ever hope to achieve. One heartbeat later, she was right in front of Yakr, her sword swinging to cut his head..and at the same time, behind her back, the princess clenched her other fist, with a smirk on her face. Was this filthy beast going to die cut off by her blade, or with his chest crushed by her punch? This night.. this night..

was delightful.

---

Wyzkia

The castle appeared in the distance not long after they had left the forest. The ability of a gryphon to fly quickly, sometimes even faster than dragons or Pegasi, was after all one of the reasons for why the Paladins were as powerful as the legends portrayed them. They were the guardians of the realm, able to fly from one part of it to the other without ever stopping, and this allowed the order, even with the low numbers of actual paladins, to still maintain its strength in these troubling times. Even as the castle appeared on the horizon however, Rafal didn't say anything - nothing at all that would indicate that it was the place they were trying to reach, but the boy slowly relaxed, the tension that had been gripping him slowly dissipating. Even if this castle was just a pale shadow of what he remembered from when he was little, it was a safe place, it was his home.. and hopefully, it was going to become just as much of a home for the others around him.

The castle.. was actually less of a castle and more or a fortress, but it was obviously, very, very old. It was almost as if some deity had ripped apart pieces from several different castles from the past and just mixed them all together. The entire complex was surrounded by tall double walls of stone, made from two different types of rocks - a greyish granite and a weird, dark red stone, and the combination made the entire wall look like a huge puzzle, red and grey alternating with seemingly no sort of logic behind the pattern, and with moderately tall towers. The two walls actually forming the outer defence were divided by a wide moat, filled with water. And as they got closer to the castle, they were also able to see its insides. The huge grounds of the castle were filled with a confusing mess of buildings - some looked more like what you would find inside the summer palace of a rich noble, lavishly decorated with a fancy architecture, while other buildings were just as spartan as the walls - made from the same combination of materials. Vaguely visible from where they were up in the sky was also a green area, a garden of sorts - a part of it seemed to be taken care of, with the multitude of colors meaning that it was probably filled with flowers - but the rest of it seemed to be wild and untamed, like a forest inside of a prison of stone. And the castle itself, or the palace, the centre of this entire place - seemed to have been created by two completely different people. Half of it was luxurious, with white marble and what vaguely looked like statues, like a summer residence or a fairy's palace - while the other part of it was grey and fortified, centred around a very tall and imposing, spiralling tower - that was built in a way which made its edges look.. jagged, almost, though they were too far away to notice if it was intentional or just the result of the bite of time.

And in the end, they had no time to carefully observe the place anyway - as the griffin suddenly plunged down, seemingly having forgotten that it was carrying people who had never flown before - but it quickly calmed down, landing slowly and nicely right in front of the great gate. The great itself was opened, and a small group of people, having noticed the griffin from afar, was rushing outside to meet them.

The griffin lied down, so as to make it easier for his "passengers" to get down, and Rafal was surely enough the first to do so - jumping without any issues and then helping both Alina and Wulf to get down too. The boy then looked at the castle, and then back at Alina and Wulf, and smiled. "This is Kwietnik.. my castle. You will both be safe here.." But before he was able to say anything more, the group stopped right in front of them. Men and women. Some of them were clearly soldiers, guards - armoured and armed, while the rest seemed to be servants. And as soon as they saw Rafal, even if most of them were clearly older than him.. they all reacted in similar ways, regardless of their age. The soldiers immediately fell down on one knee, holding their swords up as if offering them to him, and the male servants bowed deeply, while the women all curtsied. And only one of them spoke - an older, female guard. "Welcome back, my Lord. I hope that your trip was successful. I must however apologise, we were not expecting you to bring guests.. in order for us to be able to provide everything that they would need, may I ask who the lady and the young gentleman are?"

And Rafal was about to answer.. before someone running was heard, and a short figure entered the group, pushing the others and stopping right in front of Rafal. It was a girl - a young one, not all that much older when compared to Wulf and certainly younger than Alina. At a first glance - she looked liked a noble's daughter or something. Her skin was pale - much paler than that of anyone around her, and she was wearing a fancy, light blue dress with a white apron over it. But the illusion was difficult to maintain. Her long, blond and wavy hair was somewhat messy - even if she had a nice, pink ribbon tied into it. She was barefoot, and her feet and parts of dress was dirty because of mud. She looked like a fairy of sorts - almost supernaturally beautiful - but she lacked the grace that such a fairy would have had, looking angrily with her reddish pink eyes at Rafal - and Rafal himself remained quiet, shocked and clearly surprised by just how much hostility and hate the girl was seeming to emanate, and one of the servants quickly tried to whisper something - "Lady Elzbieta, show the Baron the respect he deserves!", she tried to say - but the girl just slapped Rafal - barely just even reaching to do that. "I hate him..", she instead replied, taking a step back but still looking at Rafal with defiance.. all while the boy seemed to be too confused to even think about reacting...

---

Somewhere
A village

Why were such things always happening to him? Why was fate always crushing him when he tried to be happy? He wanted to hate Invidia, he really wanted to, for what she had done, for what she had been trying to do.. but he couldn't. Even if she was controlling him like this, even if she was the one holding the chains that were binding him.. he couldn't fully hate her. After all, she was the first one to help him after he had been thrown with no memories in this horrible world. She had been the first one who didn't hate him because of his powers, because of his clothes, because of what he thought was his past. And she was the first one to truly understand him, to understand the envy that was flowing through his veins and poisoning his soul..and it wasn't all from her. He hated to even think about it, but the envy had been there from as long as he could remember, from before he had even met her. He hated her, he certainly did, for turning him into the monster he was now, for keeping him bound like that, for keeping him alive in a world that just made up from pain and nightmares.. but at the same time, he understood her, and she understood him, perhaps better than anyone else, to the depths of his very being. And at the same time.. he wanted to hate Julie too. What right did she have, to act like this? She had no idea what true pain was, what it truly felt to be betrayed, to see someone who you cared about more than anything else betraying you.. or wait, had he? But it didn't matter, she certainly hadn't. What right did she have to act like a spoiled child, pretending to be all hurt, misunderstanding something like this, running away without even trying to understand? Why, why, why didn't she try to understand? Why did she assume that he had just abandoned her like that, why did she just believe what she had seen, why? Was her trust in him this shallow, this pointless? He wanted to hate her, he really wanted to.. but at the same time, he was afraid. As little as it had been, she had been the only one to show him kindness.. she had stood up for him, she seemed to have cared about him.. and he couldn't understand it, he couldn't understand it at all, his mess of feelings.. but he wanted her to like him, to care about him, about him and not about anyone else in the entire world. The idea of losing her, of her hating him, of her doubting him, or her despising him and being disgusted by him.. it hurt..and then he remembered how he felt when they had met that bastard Ekaitz..the way he was acting, the simple idea that she might like that arrogant hero more than him.. it didn't only hurt, like tiny shards of glass piercing his heart.. but it filled with his veins with envy and jealousy like nothing else. So maybe he could understand, just a little bit, how she had felt..

But in the end it all hurt. Last night, yesterday.. those few, fleeting hours, had been the happiest time of his life.. or at the very, of the broken life that he had now. It had been the first time.. when he had truly felt accepted..and when he had kissed her, and when she had kissed him.. he had felt more warmth than ever before. And during the night... it had been the first night that he could remember when no nightmares had tormented his sleep, and for a few, brief moments..he had really thought that she cared about him just as much as he cared about her. Why did that have to happen? What was with this pain in his chest, why did he feel so much as if he was about to lose her, forever? Why was this icy fear gripping his heart like that? Why couldn't he stop crying?

But then, she pulled his hands away from his face, and as the boy looked at her with his tear filled eyes.. he saw that tears were rolling down her cheeks too.. and that expression on her face, of pure heartbreak..he had never felt so guilty in his entire life..just as he couldn't forget how she had smiled last night. He tried to say something, to say anything, but before he was even able to open his mouth, just as he was trying to stifle the sobs that wouldn't stop..she started talking again.

And what she said horrified him.
It took him a few good moments to try to understand, even as she let go of his hands, making him unable to react as she hugged him, and as she kissed him..all while she was still crying.. he just remained like that, unable to react, as she took his cold hands into hers, putting them on a place he had never even thought about touching... and then she said it.. offering to do the same thing that she thought he had been doing with Invidia.

He did nothing. He couldn't do anything. He had no idea what he could do, as he just stood there.. he didn't even breathe for a few moments. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind. There were so many things that he wanted to say. That he would never ask something like that from her in such a way, that he would never force her to do anything, that he had never thought about her like that, that she was mistaken, that nothing had really happened with Invidia, that she had been just faking it, that she had just faked everything to made it look like they had such a thing, that she had faked everything just to make her feel bad, to make her envious, to make her jealous, that it had all been a lie, that it was all Invidia's fault, that it was jealousy pushing her to do something like this, to offer something like that to him, that he would never, ever take advantage of her like that.. but instead of that..

Instead of that, he just pulled back his hands, suddenly and perhaps a bit forcefully, an instinctive reaction, feeling as if his hands had been dirtied by the very act of touching someone pure such as her like that.. and he only managed to utter a few words. "No.. I can't.. never.. not with you.."

[Zapatha]

Battle between Duivene and Achisia

As Illania sweeps at Peter's feet with her staff, Peter quickly dodges the attack by jumping but the ferocity in which she shouts at him catches him by surprise. As blue flame began to flicker around her staff, Peter prepared himself to die by some arcane fire and lifted his shield to protect himself, no matter how futile it would be. I come to see you again, father. Peter muttered under his breath, yet when the heat of the fire didn't reach him he looked confusingly at the Achisian battlemage. Illania truly seemed to have almost lost control of her temper and for a brief moment Peter knew that she was experiencing memories of things she must have tried to forget. For a moment, Peter considered lowering his shield and extending her his condolences but knew that Achisian mages were none to be trifled with.

"Listen lady Illania, I know that both sides in the war had their atrocities nor was my side 'pure' but what you and what's left of your people fight for is a long dead emperor's war for total-" but before Peter could finish Illania once more hit him with her staff, luckily Peter reacted in time and deflected the attack with his shield. However Illania's focus seemed to shift to Princess Alexis and the other Achisian's fight, and though Peter couldn't hear what Illania said her assumed it was some kind of curse and hurled himself at the battlemage. Slashing at her midsection, striking her as she attempted to dodge his attack. Somewhat confused by the Achisian's still somewhat playful attitude, Peter responds:

"As long as men and women who live free of the corruption of Achisia's emperor then you and your people will fight a never ending war my lady. To give what remains of your people over to blindly fight and die for a cause no one longer understands is pointless. End the fighting, go home and build for yourselves a better Achisia!" Peter exclaimed, with clear sincerity behind his words. However the duel is interrupted by the giant-Karaki thing rampaging through the fires "I believe that would be our savior from the dragon." Peter says smugly before turning back to Illania, now free of her battlemage's robe. Well shit, maybe if we weren't fighting I might have thought she had other ideas. Peter says to himself smiling before readying himself once more to duel.

"Disrobing in this cold weather isn't really the best idea my lady." Peter says to Illania before closing in and swinging his sword at her left shoulder.

I block the blow by holding my staff above my head with both hands but I fail to cover up a wince. It hurts so much… But I must endure, I have endured worse during the war and I smile that teasing, mocking, smile of mine that I have developed over the years to cope. “Oh under normal circumstances I would agree Lord Peter but I find the robes can be uncomfortable at times when I am wearing them over my armor so I might as well put on a bit of a show. After all this is a remarkable day and this is a night that only happens every seven years so being a bit showy with magic is something I will not begrudge myself of."

Even as I say those words in my light tone something he said does not leave my mind. A cause no one longer understands... As those words echo through my head the mask I have put over my features snaps and even he notices the change that has come over me as I snarl at him, all the noise leaving my throat is something primal, something animalistic. "A cause no one longer understands?" My voice is low. "How dare you? How dare you." I growl at him. "How dare you insult us! We remember what we fought for then and we remember what we fight for now, vengeance. We will avenge the fallen, our Emperor, and our nation. We will kill and kill and kill! Until the last bastard son of our enemies lay dead in the arms of the last mother! All that we have done will be washed away by blood!" I realize what I am screaming and pale in realization. No… no! If I lose control I will remember, and I can’t do that now so I reattach my mask and calm myself, pushing him back with what strength I do have and moving to gain distance.

“I do apologize for my display.” I remark as if I was casually talking about the weather but my tone is sincere and I am holding my staff cautiously and smiling sadly. “My brother would agree with you though, that we must move on from the past, that we must build a new Achisia, free from the darkness of those days, the evils we descended into in the name of our Emperor and that of victory. But he is naive for it would not be Achisia, not truly, so it will not be redemption for our homeland but merely replacement. I have seen the path we must walk for the past is our future… fire and flames is the only way to reclaim our homeland along with staining our hands with blood as we have always done. And from that redemption will rise. Only by ending the war that for us never ended will that come about.” And I will do what I can to lead us to the future, that is my duty as a noble, to lead while the lower orders follow. “Besides if that is our fate then there are worse fates for our House, we have always been warriors, we have always been soldiers, and eternally fighting for what we love is not the worst thing to my ears, for I love Achisia and I loved the family I lost. And I refuse to let it end just like that.”

My smile is very weak and a glance tells me my hands have paled considerably during that discussion and probably the rest of me has done the same, a given with the amount of mana I have been using to keep her contained, the amount of fire I am using on this night is nothing to sneeze at but even now I can feel it flicker ever so slightly. But I still take up a stance, Solomon is still fighting and I would be a failure of an elder sister if I falter here, and I will not fail him too. “I am Illania de Velira, last daughter of the House de Velira, the witch of fire who stained her hands with the blood of both her people and that of invaders in the mad revelry of war… and I will bring Achisia her future. For the Emperor and Achisia, may I be forgiven for my failures.” I mutter that last sentence and go to charge him. Well the best charge I can do in my weakened state and I strike at him with my staff but it is easily blocked but I then move my hands to try to strike him at where I wounded him earlier.

As the lady de Velira charged, Peter quickly noticed the ring of fire surrounding them disappear and his view of the battlefield become much clearer. It filled with him with hope to see Alexis still standing, but he returned his focus to the duel and parried Illania's strike with his sword. Noticing her weakened state, Peter was about to counterattack when Illania once again tried to hit him near the wound on his cheek. Quickly, Peter dodged the clumsy and slow strike and brushed Illania off of him several feet using his shield.

As the battle seemed to shift in favor of the Duivenians once more, Peter said: "I'm sorry it has to end like this my lady, but darkness will not prevail today and if I have to kill you to ensure that I will." Peter then charged at Illania once more, yelling "For Duivene!" as he crashes into the weakened sorceress. The impact of the hit sends Illania to the ground, and Peter kicks away her staff to the side. As he raises his sword to finish her off, Peter pauses mid-swing and looks at the crimson red blood already stained on his weapon. No....this is wrong....why can't I do it!?!? Peter says to himself, clenching the hilt to his sword.....

[Elysian Kentarchy]

I block the blow by holding my staff above my head with both hands but I fail to cover up a wince. It hurts so much… But I must endure, I have endured worse during the war and I smile that teasing, mocking, smile of mine that I have developed over the years to cope. “Oh under normal circumstances I would agree Lord Peter but I find the robes can be uncomfortable at times when I am wearing them over my armor so I might as well put on a bit of a show. After all this is a remarkable day and this is a night that only happens every seven years so being a bit showy with magic is something I will not begrudge myself of."

Even as I say those words in my light tone something he said does not leave my mind. A cause no one longer understands... As those words echo through my head the mask I have put over my features snaps and even he notices the change that has come over me as I snarl at him, all the noise leaving my throat is something primal, something animalistic. "A cause no one longer understands?" My voice is low. "How dare you? How dare you." I growl at him. "How dare you insult us! We remember what we fought for then and we remember what we fight for now, vengeance. We will avenge the fallen, our Emperor, and our nation. We will kill and kill and kill! Until the last bastard son of our enemies lay dead in the arms of the last mother! All that we have done will be washed away by blood!" I realize what I am screaming and pale in realization. No… no! If I lose control I will remember, and I can’t do that now so I reattach my mask and calm myself, pushing him back with what strength I do have and moving to gain distance.

“I do apologize for my display.” I remark as if I was casually talking about the weather but my tone is sincere and I am holding my staff cautiously and smiling sadly. “My brother would agree with you though, that we must move on from the past, that we must build a new Achisia, free from the darkness of those days, the evils we descended into in the name of our Emperor and that of victory. But he is naive for it would not be Achisia, not truly, so it will not be redemption for our homeland but merely replacement. I have seen the path we must walk for the past is our future… fire and flames is the only way to reclaim our homeland along with staining our hands with blood as we have always done. And from that redemption will rise. Only by ending the war that for us never ended will that come about.” And I will do what I can to lead us to the future, that is my duty as a noble, to lead while the lower orders follow. “Besides if that is our fate then there are worse fates for our House, we have always been warriors, we have always been soldiers, and eternally fighting for what we love is not the worst thing to my ears, for I love Achisia and I loved the family I lost. And I refuse to let it end just like that.”

My smile is very weak and a glance tells me my hands have paled considerably during that discussion and probably the rest of me has done the same, a given with the amount of mana I have been using to keep her contained, the amount of fire I am using on this night is nothing to sneeze at but even now I can feel it flicker ever so slightly. But I still take up a stance, Solomon is still fighting and I would be a failure of an elder sister if I falter here, and I will not fail him too. “I am Illania de Velira, last daughter of the House de Velira, the witch of fire who stained her hands with the blood of both her people and that of invaders in the mad revelry of war… and I will bring Achisia her future. For the Emperor and Achisia, may I be forgiven for my failures.” I mutter that last sentence and go to charge him. Well the best charge I can do in my weakened state and I strike at him with my staff but it is easily blocked but I then move my hands to try to strike him at where I wounded him earlier.

As the lady de Velira charged, Peter quickly noticed the ring of fire surrounding them disappear and his view of the battlefield become much clearer. It filled with him with hope to see Alexis still standing, but he returned his focus to the duel and parried Illania's strike with his sword. Noticing her weakened state, Peter was about to counterattack when Illania once again tried to hit him near the wound on his cheek. Quickly, Peter dodged the clumsy and slow strike and brushed Illania off of him several feet using his shield.

As the battle seemed to shift in favor of the Duivenians once more, Peter said: "I'm sorry it has to end like this my lady, but darkness will not prevail today and if I have to kill you to ensure that I will." Peter then charged at Illania once more, yelling "For Duivene!" as he crashes into the weakened sorceress. The impact of the hit sends Illania to the ground, and Peter kicks away her staff to the side. As he raises his sword to finish her off, Peter pauses mid-swing and looks at the crimson red blood already stained on his weapon. No....this is wrong....why can't I do it!?!? Peter says to himself, clenching the hilt to his sword.....

I smile, it is not a smile of mockery or hatred but one of simple acceptance as I get on my hands and knees, not getting up but instead moving my head as if I am presenting my neck to his blade, no that is exactly what I am doing, that is what is proper. "You have defeated me so my head is yours. End it." Finally, finally... I can die for my people... finally it can all end. My war is now over and I can only hope Solomon can continue, free of his oath. I die as a daughter of Achisia.

[Castle Crashers]

Somewhere
A village

Why were such things always happening to him? Why was fate always crushing him when he tried to be happy? He wanted to hate Invidia, he really wanted to, for what she had done, for what she had been trying to do.. but he couldn't. Even if she was controlling him like this, even if she was the one holding the chains that were binding him.. he couldn't fully hate her. After all, she was the first one to help him after he had been thrown with no memories in this horrible world. She had been the first one who didn't hate him because of his powers, because of his clothes, because of what he thought was his past. And she was the first one to truly understand him, to understand the envy that was flowing through his veins and poisoning his soul..and it wasn't all from her. He hated to even think about it, but the envy had been there from as long as he could remember, from before he had even met her. He hated her, he certainly did, for turning him into the monster he was now, for keeping him bound like that, for keeping him alive in a world that just made up from pain and nightmares.. but at the same time, he understood her, and she understood him, perhaps better than anyone else, to the depths of his very being. And at the same time.. he wanted to hate Julie too. What right did she have, to act like this? She had no idea what true pain was, what it truly felt to be betrayed, to see someone who you cared about more than anything else betraying you.. or wait, had he? But it didn't matter, she certainly hadn't. What right did she have to act like a spoiled child, pretending to be all hurt, misunderstanding something like this, running away without even trying to understand? Why, why, why didn't she try to understand? Why did she assume that he had just abandoned her like that, why did she just believe what she had seen, why? Was her trust in him this shallow, this pointless? He wanted to hate her, he really wanted to.. but at the same time, he was afraid. As little as it had been, she had been the only one to show him kindness.. she had stood up for him, she seemed to have cared about him.. and he couldn't understand it, he couldn't understand it at all, his mess of feelings.. but he wanted her to like him, to care about him, about him and not about anyone else in the entire world. The idea of losing her, of her hating him, of her doubting him, or her despising him and being disgusted by him.. it hurt..and then he remembered how he felt when they had met that bastard Ekaitz..the way he was acting, the simple idea that she might like that arrogant hero more than him.. it didn't only hurt, like tiny shards of glass piercing his heart.. but it filled with his veins with envy and jealousy like nothing else. So maybe he could understand, just a little bit, how she had felt..

But in the end it all hurt. Last night, yesterday.. those few, fleeting hours, had been the happiest time of his life.. or at the very, of the broken life that he had now. It had been the first time.. when he had truly felt accepted..and when he had kissed her, and when she had kissed him.. he had felt more warmth than ever before. And during the night... it had been the first night that he could remember when no nightmares had tormented his sleep, and for a few, brief moments..he had really thought that she cared about him just as much as he cared about her. Why did that have to happen? What was with this pain in his chest, why did he feel so much as if he was about to lose her, forever? Why was this icy fear gripping his heart like that? Why couldn't he stop crying?

But then, she pulled his hands away from his face, and as the boy looked at her with his tear filled eyes.. he saw that tears were rolling down her cheeks too.. and that expression on her face, of pure heartbreak..he had never felt so guilty in his entire life..just as he couldn't forget how she had smiled last night. He tried to say something, to say anything, but before he was even able to open his mouth, just as he was trying to stifle the sobs that wouldn't stop..she started talking again.

And what she said horrified him.
It took him a few good moments to try to understand, even as she let go of his hands, making him unable to react as she hugged him, and as she kissed him..all while she was still crying.. he just remained like that, unable to react, as she took his cold hands into hers, putting them on a place he had never even thought about touching... and then she said it.. offering to do the same thing that she thought he had been doing with Invidia.

He did nothing. He couldn't do anything. He had no idea what he could do, as he just stood there.. he didn't even breathe for a few moments. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind. There were so many things that he wanted to say. That he would never ask something like that from her in such a way, that he would never force her to do anything, that he had never thought about her like that, that she was mistaken, that nothing had really happened with Invidia, that she had been just faking it, that she had just faked everything to made it look like they had such a thing, that she had faked everything just to make her feel bad, to make her envious, to make her jealous, that it had all been a lie, that it was all Invidia's fault, that it was jealousy pushing her to do something like this, to offer something like that to him, that he would never, ever take advantage of her like that.. but instead of that..

Instead of that, he just pulled back his hands, suddenly and perhaps a bit forcefully, an instinctive reaction, feeling as if his hands had been dirtied by the very act of touching someone pure such as her like that.. and he only managed to utter a few words. "No.. I can't.. never.. not with you.."

I can't...

Never...

Not with you...

The words echoed through her head, going still as they sunk into her skin like poison. Never...not with you... She stood cold, rigid, silent as if she was still trying to process what it was exactly that he'd said. Had those words really left his mouth? And then, then, he had ripped his hands away from her body as if it could've been the most vile thing he could've laid his hands on...as if she was the most vile thing he could've laid his hands on. Was she...really so revolting..? She could feel the disgust in his voice, the distaste that she could almost see on his tear-streaked face. She could feel the envy crawling on her shoulders, giggling, laughing at her pitiful show of desperation. She seemed to grow paler than she already was, her eyes seeming to sink as her shoulders sagged. Even her blue eyes seemed to dim. It was almost easy to see her heart shatter like a fragile piece of porcelain as her last resort failed.

Never...

What was she to do..?

Before she could stop herself, her expression broke as she threw herself at him, choking back her sobs as she did. "You liar! You liar! How could you!?" She yelled, angry, hurt, banging her fists against his chest, punching him, trying to hurt him...even if she wasn't. There were so many ways she could hurt him, injure him, kill him...but she didn't. Even if the envy whispered to fall for it, to fall to the wrath, she resisted. She...didn't know what she wanted. "How could you tell me you cared for me!? That I changed everything for you!? That I was...that I was different!?" She yelled, the tears streaming down her cheeks as she kept throwing her fists against him, trying...so hard...to make him feel even a fraction of the hurt that she did. "Why did you kiss me!? Why did you hug me!? Why did you hold my hand!? I just--I want to know!" She screamed, letting the sobs leak between her words.

Not with you...

She broke, holding her fists against him, sobbing as she stopped trying to fight. "I just...I just want to know..." She cried softly. How desperately she wanted him to wrap his arms around her, to tell her he was sorry, to tell her it was a lie, that this was a dream...something. She wanted to rest her head against his chest as he held her, for him to tell her that it would be alright in that soft, sweet voice she recalled so well from the night before, to let all of this heartbreak and sadness fall away like sand in the wind. But instead, her tears fell from her cheeks, her fists still tightly clenched against his chest as she sobbed, feeling her heart ache in her ribcage. "Did you...even care..? Was I...was I just a toy to play with to you..? Was I really...really...meaningless..?" She asked, her voice thick with tears.

She felt hurt.

She lifted her sad eyes--but they were not soft. She smacked him, hard, more tears escaping her eyes. "Was I!? Was all of it some stupid game!?" She asked, stepping back from him, angry, struggling to stop more tears from escaping her angry expression as her fists lay at her sides. "I wanted to give you everything I had, everything I will have, everything..!" She looked so hurt, so broken, it was hard to say she was even the same girl from an hour before. How could her demeanor have been shattered so quickly..? "I just...I don't...I don't get it...I don't understand...why did you have to do this..? Why did you let me do this..? Why..." Her expression shattered once more, the fat tears rolling down her cheeks as she struggled to rub them away. "Why couldn't I have been enough..?"

...never...

Julie struggled to recollect herself for a moment, holding back her sobs as she bit her lip, rubbing her tears away with her sleeves. The more she thought of him before, all of the times before...when she had met him, and saved him, nearly buried him alive, when he'd saved her from that monster, going back in time, the fight during the Bloody Moons, and the entire day after...the more she thought of him... "I just..." She choked back a sob, squeezing her eyes shut. The more she thought of him...the harder it was to stop from crying. Why had she tried so hard? What had she wanted? She had always known this would be the end result.

So why was she so upset..?

"I just...I just wanted you to love me..." She finally let the words spill from her mouth, giving him one last look in the eye, searching for some kind of reaction before, terrified that he would give a more disgusted reaction, she turned tail and ran. She ran, as fast and as far as her feet would let her, her breath hitching as more tears fell from her eyes, not stopping for a moment until she was sure he hadn't followed. She dodged to the backside of a village building on the very edge of the village, collapsing against the wall as she struggled to regain her breath.

Not with you...never...

Never...

She sank against the wall, pulling her knees up as she began to cry again, burying her face into her knees as she let herself go. She didn't hold back her tears this time. How...how could she have been so stupid..? How could she have let herself be so vulnerable..? "Oh, oh, what have I done..?" She cried, keeping her face buried. "Benevolentia...I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry...please...please forgive me...I--I was so stupid...I..." She stopped, her crying interrupting her prayer, her call to her goddess, her broken heart overtaking everything she knew and everything she felt. "Please...tell me what to do...I...I don't know what to do..." She pleaded, over and over, rocking as she cried behind that building in the shadows, hoping that somewhere, her goddess was listening to her.

Who else did she have, after all..?

[Imperial--japan]

Kaslana Cerebus

The trip to the Wyzkian border was made with the utmost haste, and Ser Olbrech was quite the slave driver when he wanted to be. There would be no breaks while they were in pursuit of one of the most notorious traitors to walk the face of their world. Olbrech had been hesitant to give them the full rundown of what had transpired between him and the Inquisitor, but as he explained the details of their mission in hunting down the traitor, a certain uneasiness fell upon the party. Whether it be their size or experience, Olbrech seemed to harbor a certainty that they were all riding to their deaths.

---

"Hail Scripture Knights of the Ecclesiarchy. I am Felicity of the Order of the Paladins of Wyzkia, need I ask what you are doing in Wyzkia and if I can render assistance? For certainly there must be a reason for you to be on our side of the border?" A new addition called out as the party was investigating one of the seemingly 'abandoned' outposts.

"Welp. Busted. I didn't think anyone would come by so quickly." Kaslana sighs, and Octavia and Olbrech give her a look that practically screamed 'now is not the time'. The old Knight Olbrech stepped forth and nodded towards the Paladin.

"Well met Paladin. As our orders dictate, we are to hunt one of the seven traitors that had been rumored to be in this area. I assume you know of their presence already." Olbrech explained. He made a gesture towards the interior of the outpost.

"The cause of Justice transcends the establishment of borders. When our mission is complete, we will depart as quickly as we came. We have no qualms with Wyzkia." Ser Olbrech explained as formally and aptly as he could. Meanwhile, Kaslana stood off to the side, evidently the most rookie if her demeanor was anything to go by and how she carelessly whistled to herself.

"Why don't we all just team up? At least a Paladin gives us some legitimacy to being here, even if it is for good reason." Kaslana suggested, giving a smile and wink to the cute Paladin.

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Kaslana Cerebus

The trip to the Wyzkian border was made with the utmost haste, and Ser Olbrech was quite the slave driver when he wanted to be. There would be no breaks while they were in pursuit of one of the most notorious traitors to walk the face of their world. Olbrech had been hesitant to give them the full rundown of what had transpired between him and the Inquisitor, but as he explained the details of their mission in hunting down the traitor, a certain uneasiness fell upon the party. Whether it be their size or experience, Olbrech seemed to harbor a certainty that they were all riding to their deaths.

---

"Hail Scripture Knights of the Ecclesiarchy. I am Felicity of the Order of the Paladins of Wyzkia, need I ask what you are doing in Wyzkia and if I can render assistance? For certainly there must be a reason for you to be on our side of the border?" A new addition called out as the party was investigating one of the seemingly 'abandoned' outposts.

"Welp. Busted. I didn't think anyone would come by so quickly." Kaslana sighs, and Octavia and Olbrech give her a look that practically screamed 'now is not the time'. The old Knight Olbrech stepped forth and nodded towards the Paladin.

"Well met Paladin. As our orders dictate, we are to hunt one of the seven traitors that had been rumored to be in this area. I assume you know of their presence already." Olbrech explained. He made a gesture towards the interior of the outpost.

"The cause of Justice transcends the establishment of borders. When our mission is complete, we will depart as quickly as we came. We have no qualms with Wyzkia." Ser Olbrech explained as formally and aptly as he could. Meanwhile, Kaslana stood off to the side, evidently the most rookie if her demeanor was anything to go by and how she carelessly whistled to herself.

"Why don't we all just team up? At least a Paladin gives us some legitimacy to being here, even if it is for good reason." Kaslana suggested, giving a smile and wink to the cute Paladin.

My mouth twitches upwards in a smile at the young woman... though she is older than me most likely, at least not all of them are strict, before my face turns serious again as I turn to the leader of the group, the offer made that one girl would delay my own mission but I can't just blatantly cross the border in front of them since I would have to explain we have Paladins in their country... plus I want to know what happened and it would probably be a good idea to not let Scripture Knights, no matter how noble their mission, run free in my homeland so it would be best not to mention how I am still a squire. I pat Maximilian's neck and he lowers himself to allow me to hop off.

"I am curious about how you know about that but yes the traitor Lidia has returned. Last I saw of her was her attacking the Monastery of the Silver Wings where she was raised at." I gesture to the outpost. "Hence why if you are wondering where the Paladins that should be here are they were pulled back to the monastery before her attack." I don't mention why they and most of the border guards were pulled back, less said about our internal situation the better. "Reinforcements have been sent for by what Paladins who were not present but it will take some time before they are mobilized. As for your offer Lady Knight... it might be for the best yes if the rest of your band is willing, it would allow you to get quicker to her I imagine... granted what I have seen of her talents last night makes me think you should have brought more knights." I smile bitterly, it is the only way I can cover up what I saw. "That woman is more demon than warrior now."