After coming home from a long day, you decided to continue the mysterious book your professor gave you, only to watch it ooze with a black, sludge-like substance leaking through the pages. When you open it, the sludge separates from the book. You watch it slowly form into hidden pages, written in a completely different ink, scattering across the floor.
Do you wish to continue?
/// pov: [Eradicated] ???????????? Kazfel ??????????
A woman with long flowing black hair is reading in her room while jotting down notes. The sound of something sizzling can be heard in the far distance of the room. Her eyes glaze over each sentence, and her hand writes all the details in a rhythmic-like motion, moving across her notebook. The only thing that could take her concentration away now is-
“[Eradicated]!!!! I’m so hungry and I can smell the Liliac Cakes you're making for breakfast! Can I have some? Please!!!!” A familiar voice shouted through the door.
The woman rolled her eyes and stopped her research, scrambling and shoving the books into the cushion of her couch so her visitor wouldn’t notice them. She then jumped up and rushed to the door, unlocking it, only for her visitor to let herself in, slamming her between the door and the wall.
“[Eradicated]? Where did you go?” her guest said, spinning in circles.
As the door closed, the woman let out a faint grumble; “Right here, Freya. You pinned me between the door and a hard place,” she responded.
Freya turned around and hugged her with a big smile.
“Yes, you can have some Lilac cakes, so you can stop being so cuddly with me; I know it's not in your nature.” The woman continued, revealing a smile.
Freya let go and chuckled before heading to the couch to sit down; “Yeah, you are right, there is no fooling you, huh?”
[Eradicated] walked away to the kitchen and started flipping the cakes in the pan, which were now on a low burn. After many flips, she took the last remaining cakes and placed them onto a plate beside an assortment of fruits, then drizzled butterfly honey over them all. She walked out with the two plates balancing in her hands, only to be shocked that Freya was waving her notebook in the air with an annoyed face. [Eradicated] silently put the plates on the coffee table and sat down in a sofa chair opposite to Freya, who placed the notebook beside the plates on the table.
“Freya, I can explain.” She said in a quiet tone, looking down at the floor.
Freya stared at her intensely; “I told you so many times that you can’t change my fate, but you persist and meddle. Don’t you realize that your plans here can get many people hurt or even worse?” She asked.
The air felt as if it could be sliced with a dull butter knife with all this tension. [Eradicated] clenched her fist that was placed on top of her lap.
“I’m so close to figuring out a way to stop all of this. I just need a little more time before your expedition.” The woman said, holding back emotions.
Freya sighed with remorse; “Hey, how are those rings doing for you lately? You said you aren’t craving as much anymore, right?” She asked, trying to steer the conversation somewhere else.
[Eradicated] glanced at the jagged rock rings on each of her fingers before responding, “Yes, slowly over time, now I've been craving less and less life-essence, even if I'm only given something once a month, it still doesn’t feel like it’s enough.”
Freya launched herself forward and landed back into place after grabbing one plate; the smell made her mouth water, and she bit into it. “Even though you crave life essence, you are one hell of a cook!” She said, muffling with her mouth full.
[Eradicated] eyes started glowing from the compliment, changing her mood completely; “I guess being locked up in your own prison for so long lets you explore different hobbies.” She smiled.
She watched as honey dripped down from the side of Freya's mouth and swiftly looked away.
“I will say that's the one thing I hated Cornelius for. He never gave you a chance to grow up and show your true self.” Freya said, looking at which fruit she should eat next.
[Eradicated] chuckled, “I understand it was hard raising a half-demon, and being the Royal Arcanist. I’m not mad at him, it's just-.”
Freya looked up with concern. “It’s just what?”
“When I ran away that night, I didn’t know what I was going to do. I lost control. I thought it would be the same as when we were kids. When I was running in that field, I didn’t want to stop, just like before.” She said somberly, looking out the window.
“I remember when you first disappeared, he told us that your mom took you away from Kazfel. I still remember what they called you when I arrived in that small village.” Freya looked away with a soft frown.
///: Pov Freya ??????????????? Small village ??????????????
Freya is running beside a civilian towards a small cabin, both racing against time.
“This way, Lady Freya; the dogs have chased the demon into this house.” A soldier called out.
Freya started sprinting away from the pack of soldiers and halted twenty steps away from the ominous cabin. She swiftly pulled out Akrelus and turned around to give orders.
“I want everyone to circle the perimeter of this cabin to make sure this demon won't run off.” She commanded, raising her sword in the air.
“Yes, Lady Freya!” All the soldiers responded in unison, dispersing to their posts as Freya slowly started approaching the cabin.
She saw the dog's tracks leading to the front door, and it seemed they had gnawed their way through the screen. However, they weren’t making any noise; it was too quiet to determine if the demon was still lurking inside. As she stepped onto the porch, the old wooden stairs creaked, and she was met with a familiar scent — the smell of blood. She immediately pointed Akrelus at the door before kicking it straight off its hinges. As she walked in, a dog?? lay in the middle of the floor. She rushed over to it, seeing their eyes were glassy, knowing he was already gone she walked past it.
Freya continued with her investigation, taking in the portraits of a happy family hanging on the walls, while toys were scattered around the living room, and the kitchen was pitch-black. She noticed a dining table in the far corner, with food waiting for the family to come home, still untouched. Before Freya could look any further, she heard a subtle thud coming from somewhere upstairs. Climbing up the stairs, she saw what looked like claw marks that slashed through the flower wallpaper, and, once she reached the top, she was met with a dimly lit hallway, with a trail of fallen dogs scattered around. They were leading to what appeared to be the master bedroom. As she approached the door, she pointed Akrelus forward before slamming the door wide open. There was a severed arm sitting at the foot of the bed as the demon was hunched over underneath the covers.
“Reveal yourself now!” Freya shouted as Akrelus began to ignite itself.
The room got hotter, and the creature under the sheets began to shift as if it were trying to look for an escape. Freya kept staring at them until she felt a sudden nudge at her leg. She glanced down to see a dog limping at her side. She pointed at the blanket, and the dog understood slowly, limping over and tugging the sheet right off, revealing the mysterious figure underneath. They had orange eyes and what looked like horns. Akrelus glowed brighter but cooled down, mimicking Freya's emotion.
Freya's eyes widened in fear as she opened her mouth; “Ma-”
(You felt a sharp pain in your eyes from reading ?part of the name.)
/// pov: [Eradicated] ???????????? Kazfel ??????????
[Eradicated] sat there with a faint smile before reaching for her plate. She slowly carved a piece of cake off with a fork and raised it to her mouth. Freya watched her lips quiver in hesitation before looking down at the fruit on her plate; “I'm sorry, everything must be difficult.” She whispered.
[Eradicated] scrunched her face before putting the cake back down. She smiled, and as she closed her eyes, “You don’t need to apologize to me, I will be fine. Besides, I have gotten used to eating my vegetables again; it's all in baby steps.” She said, opening her eyes again, shocked to see Freya now standing in front of her.
Freya ruffled in her cloak pocket and handed over a purple pouch; “I stole this from the kitchen.”
[Eradicated] accepted the pouch and opened it to see small meat cubes; the smell was strong with life-essence.
“This is Forest Tusk meat. Isn't this a delicacy!?” she asked, shocked at the amount.
Freya smiled and jumped up; “You aren’t the only one who has been researching ?odd people and diets. It's said that the four frost animals have the most life essence in all of Kazfel, and I read an old book that Norfoul demons used to hunt them before they went extinct. You only need to take one a day, and when you run out, I will get more.”
“Thank you, Freya,” [Eradicated] said, as she brought a cube up to her mouth.
Freya took the plate sitting on [Eradicated's] lap and the one she left on the table, stacked them on top of each other, and headed into the kitchen. She wrapped the leftovers in a cloth to take with her and turned on the sink to clean the dishes. Meanwhile, [Eradicated] put the cube in her mouth, and the second she tasted the blood, she felt her energy coming back to her. She closed the pouch and stood up to walk to the kitchen.
“I never thought the Head of the Royal Knights would steal for the flesh-eating half-demon.” She laughed.
Freya looked back and already saw that her eyes had returned to their warm hazel color; “Of course, you are my best friend, my only friend besides Nicolas.” She said, putting the dishes on a drying rack.
She turned back to face [Eradicated], who was all starry-eyed; “[Eradicated], I also came here today for one more thing; would you go to Mangeal with me on this next mission?” She asked with her head tilted to the side cheerfully.
“Freya, you know I'm under high supervision, and I can’t leave the castle domain.” She said before looking down at the floor.
Freya put her hand on her shoulder; “You want to know the best part about Mangeal? It's technically a part of the castle's domain, not to mention who is a better supervisor than I!” she said with a reassuring smile.
[Eradicated] looked up and smiled back.
“I think you deserve to see the blue sky, not just through a window.” She said before grabbing her hand and rushing out the door with [Eradicated], who tried to keep up.
///: Pov Freya ??????????????? Kazfels' courtroom of the Ancients
[Eradicated] stood at a podium, being shackled and blindfolded, unable to see or escape. Freya stood by her side, looking at the tapestry of the great dragon before the room rose for his majesty, who took the place of the Judge.
“You may be seated, everyone,” he commanded. The onlookers and witnesses followed directions, except Freya.
The king stared down at her, knowing this was serious from the look in her eyes; “I see that Lady Freya is not taking this lightly, so I will explain why I am your judge today. Because this is not only a serious crime for multiple years, but our law states that as the king and leader of the royal committee, when it involves someone among my peers, I must be present. I swear by the ancients that built our land, I will not choose sides in the hand of justice.” He recited from one of his papers that sat on top of the case files.
Freya stayed quiet, glaring up at her adoptive father before she heard [Eradicated] slightly shuffle, trying to get comfortable. She looked back and quickly noticed the shackles were irritating her wrist. Carefully, Freya lightly loosened them so her wrist could move. [Eradicated] calmed down, which put a smile of relief on her face.
“Now would Cornelius, the kingdom's Head Arcanist, take a stand.” The king demanded his voice bounce off the walls, echoing down the corridor.
The heavy doors opened, and two knights walked in front of Cornelius for his protection. When he walked by, Freya couldn’t help but give him a glare of disgust. He stood at the podium, closed his eyes, and then stared at the glass roof, which revealed the cosmos beyond their world.
“Cornelius, do you promise to the ancients who created our land of Kazfel that you will speak the truth in this room and nothing but the truth? If not, you will perish from the wrath of Infernia for eternity.” The King asked, looking down at him with a stern voice.
Cornelius nodded his head before bringing his head back down and staring directly at the chained girl.
The king picked up one paper and began reading the case, his gaze cold; “It is said that this halfling-demon girl is your daughter [Eradicated], and investigations from Head Knight Freya Guistza, you paid ex-soldiers to guard and keep her locked away in a cell in the dungeons that was made to look like a normal bedroom. There was a bed, entertainment, and even cleaning facilities, yet you hid her from the outside world for eighteen years. So the court asks why you illegally kept her imprisoned in the royal dungeon and paid soldiers who are no longer a part of the army.
Cornelius felt the temperature rise from a hotheaded Freya, who still couldn’t believe it. He looked at her with his response; “?[Eradicated] is not a normal girl, and I won't lie, I regret caging her, but Head Knight Freya and multiple villagers whiteness why. However, I will tell you the exact reason: it's because her mother is a full demon, an almost extinct species that lives off ?life essence by devouring their flesh, a Norfoul.”
Freya raised her hand; “May I, Your Majesty?”
The king nodded, allowing her to take the floor.
Freya walked into the center and turned to the onlookers before looking up to the stars and looking down at the crowd; “When I was younger, I had no friends, but my brother and [Eradicated]. We would play every day, and I never saw her genuinely scared until the night I caught her in that cabin. She was shaking in fear, not at me but at herself. Instead of telling the Royal Guards or Royal Committee at the time about [Eradicated] future, he illegally hid her from the world, at the age of six, in a room made like a prison. The worst part about this is he lied about her whereabouts to not only me and my brother but also our government, saying her mother was taking her up north to connect with her culture. This is not just about justifying this young woman and getting her the help and reconciliation she needs, but about punishing the Head Arcanist for keeping something dangerous about her away from the rest of our Kingdom.”
Freyas powerful voice chilled the king to the bone. He had never seen her this way, and neither had the crowd. [Eradicated] even started to tear up, feeling the raw emotion of finally getting justice coursing through her heart. A single tear slipped under her blindfolmakingade Freeven ya more upset with Cornelius.
“Thank you, Lady Freya. The court has heard your concern, but now we need to hear from the woman you are defending. Can the half-demon please come up to the podium? Cornelius, please take a seat on the bench.” The king ordered.
Cornelius bowed his head before heading towards the bench, passing by Freya, who bit her tongue to not lash out at him. She then watched him sit down on the safety bench before walking over to [Eradicated] and helping her shuffle to the podium. The sound of the rusted shackles echoed through the room. She huffed and mumbled under her breath, “You should be the one sitting on the bench and have the public behind your back, not him.”
[Eradicated] turned her head towards Freya and smiled; “Freya, it's okay, even if you are the only one who is defending me, it means more than hundreds of people in this kingdom,” she faintly whispered in her ear.
Freya smiled before helping her step up to the podium and turned her towards the onlookers. After making sure she was comfortable, she walked back down to sit with the onlookers.
The king looked down at the papers and read the crimes against her out loud for everyone to hear; “[Eradicated, you were caught and summoned here today on acts of murder through consumption, and terrorization. How do you plead to these allegations?” The King asked before looking down at [Eradicated], who was trembling quietly.
Nicholas slowly walked into the room undetected and stood beside Freya before whispering, “If she pleads guilty, this won't look good for you or the Flaming Calvary.”
Freya rolled her eyes at him; “Everyone knows she is guilty. There was proof from the half-eaten animals to a genuine person, but if you did what I asked you, then it will be Cornelius behind bars.” She turned her head to look at the bag he was holding. “Did you find it?” she asked.
Nicholas smiled, “Of course I did, I always wanted to know what he was hiding in that cabinet, not to mention I found the ex-soldiers and they are under our custody, and boy did they squeal like pigs when I pulled out my scythe,” he said proudly.
Freyas's frown turned into a slight smile before she looked at Cornelius, who was looking back at her; “Good,” she said, looking back at him. Her faint smile turned into a menacing grin as she stared at him before waving.
[Eradicated] finally opened her mouth and spoke up; “I am guilty, but before my verdict, may I please have a moment to say why those things happened, your majesty?” She asked faintly.
“I will allow it.” The king replied before getting a paper to read over that was given to him by a coordinator last minute.
“Before I was put underground, my fondest and last memory of being outside was being pushed on a swing by Freya that day, but the horror show started a week after. Freya scraped her arm when she and Nicholas were playing with wooden swords. I was reading a book on top of the arrow-shaped rock in the royal gardens, and I started drooling from the smell. It distracted me, and I couldn’t help but follow it. The scent even created a visible trail of gold leading to her that only I could see. Freya probably didn’t care about the wound, but I did, and before I could do something that would harm her, I stopped dead in my tracks and ran to my father in his study. I explained everything to him, and he immediately told me I couldn’t tell anyone.” [Eradicated] turned her head, trying to sense where Freya was.
“The next few days were painful; I couldn’t eat anything that I used to enjoy; it all tasted like vomit until Father came up to me with a mysterious plate of meat. He told me it was specially made for me, and when I bit into it, I felt like I was eating a Kazfelean grand meal. After a few days, it was all I could eat. He then told me that I was going somewhere, and I had to say goodbye to Freya. He lied to me, saying that I was going to see my mother, and that I would see Freya again in a couple of years. If only I knew he was going to lock me underground in a room identical to my own, just with an iron-steel door.”
The room went silent before an angry voice from the onlookers pierced through the silence: “So why did you kill my herd of cows and an innocent mother?” The man roared, causing [Eradicated] to flinch.
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“I couldn't help it; when they were bringing me my week of food, I was so hungry I fought my way out of the dungeon and ran through some sort of hidden passage leading into the Castle Town walls. Amidst all the adrenaline, I climbed over them undetected and chose a direction. I was around that town for a while, and I nibbled off of chickens, then I lost control and I ate the cows at least once a night, until I saw the same trail this time purple, a scent I couldn't ignore, I wasn’t in control of myself, and before I knew it I-” [Eradicated] flinched before she could finish her sentence she sobbing and wheezing, “I’m sorry I still dont know why I did that.”
The man who was so angry stood there, silent, before sitting back down, shocked at the sincerity in the so-called demon's voice. The King, who usually felt no sympathy towards those he judged, felt the weight of the casualty that was set upon her.
“Before we continue towards the final verdict, the court has gained two witnesses and some recent turns of evidence; please bring them in.” The King used an assertive tone before the doors to the courtroom opened again.
Two other soldiers from the Flaming Calvary were leading two men in handcuffs, who waited at the entryway as Freya watched [Eradicated] shuffle. Without hesitation, she walked up to the podium and held her hand, calming her again. The men were led to the center of the room and faced the King.
“You two are not on trial in this case, but with your cooperation, your verdict may be lessened if you answer my questions honestly, for your own trial.” The king said before picking up a paper to read from. “Please tell us if this is true. You were hired by Cornelius for an unknown job after being kicked out of the Royal Army, only to be told you were getting a guard job in the royal dungeon for the next eighteen years. Did you know later on exactly what you were guarding?” The king asked.
The slim and lanky man spoke up as his short friend looked up in fear, “No, your Majesty, we didn’t even know we were illegally hired, we were told this was a private matter of the Royal Committee, and we served the meals on trays through a slit on the opposite side of the wall and after a while it was given back. The Royal Commission even paid us, so it all looked legitimate,” he said as he played with a ring on his finger from the pressure.
The shorter and stubby man soon got the courage to speak; “He's right, your Majesty, we were kicked out because of our incompatibility with others on the field, and later that day were told we might be put in policing or guard duty, so we didn't think anything of it. We found out who she was during her prison break. She escaped when Cornelius came to see her for the first time in two years. She then bolted out past us, pushing us aside with force. Before we knew it, she was gone,” he said before looking at Cornelius, scared, who only glared back in betrayal.
Another man's voice pierced through the echoing hall: “They were falsely hired; that is another crime under the Royal Committee's name.”
The king struck a Gavel, “Order, I say, do we have any proof that you were paid under the Royal Commission?” he asked, looking at Nicholas as he raised his hand. “Nicholas Guistza, do you have any proof?”
Nicholas stood tall as he pulled out a checkbook from the bag and responded, “This checkbook is proof, but it's not under the Royal Commission; this checkbook is under Cornelius' name, and each past transaction he has made have been taking coins from the Royal Committee to pay these two and other expenses, like perhaps Silk Elk fur and bones.”
Cornelius stood up in defence; “Preposterous! I would never-”
The King silenced him with the sound of the gavel; “Give me the book, Nicholas,” he demanded, lending his hand out to receive it. Flipping through the slips, the King saw that what was said was true. Checks and receipts that were being stolen from the Royal Committee.
“This isn’t all, Your Majesty. Freya, a few moons ago, went to Cornelius' study and saw a strange spell that was sitting on his table. What was it, my sister?” Nicholas asked, rummaging through the bag as the court cast its attention to Freya.
“Revive the dead. I asked a local sorcerer what would be needed for such black magic, and they told me that any remains of the animal or person would be required. Cornelius has been reviving Silk Elks with antique furs and bones, and I believe that's what he has been feeding [Eradicated].” Freya responded as the crowd mumbled.
“I then asked the Elfen hunter on Boorish Avenue about the Silk Elk; he told me they were said to be one of the few creatures of the north that would be hunted for its meat, other than furs. The reason is that their meat has a lot of mana and, most importantly, life essence, something not common anymore in livestock. They were hunted to extinction over eighty years ago.” Freya finished only to look at Cornelius, who walked to the center of the room.
“Your Majesty, please let us remember why we are here! It's about that girl, that mon-monster!” Cornelius said, but looked like he regretted that choice of words when he heard [Eradicated] gasp.
Nicholas walked up to him and revealed a book with a moon on the cover surrounded by clouds; “How could you call her that when you made her this way? This book has her name written on almost every page, and you admitted to using the dark arts. You fed her zombie Silk Elk meat to sustain her primal hunger. Which was her downfall. Your Majesty, please look at page number 32 in this book.
Nicholas slipped by Cornelius and handed a book opened on a specific page to the King, who read it out loud: “After killing the reanimated Silk Elk, I must preserve the meat or else it will decay. I have tried everything except leaving it soaking in fresh blood; however, its own blood won't sustain the mana I need to help [Eradicated] maintain her magical abilities. I must use blood with large quantities of mana, and the only thing I could believe would work is other Sages. I will ask them all tomorrow for help.”
Underneath this paragraph are their names. Do we have contact with these sages?” He asked.
Nicholas responded with a nod; “Yes, and they are all dark art users.”
“Cornelius, you have now been found with several crimes in the court, so before we look at the verdict for your daughter, do you have anything to say?” the king asked with a bitter voice.
Cornelius stood still and quiet before looking at [Eradicated], who raised her hand.
“[Eradicated], do you have something to add or say?” The King said, looking down at her with pity.
“Yes, and Freya, could you pull down my blindfold? I want to look at him when I ask this?” [Eradicated]? requested, turning her head at Freya.
Freya complied, and the first thing [Eradicated] saw was Freya's light glow, which gave her more courage.
“Why would you break countless laws and hide me away instead of finding another solution? Why would you even treat me like your daughter for six years only to throw me away in a dungeon like a dragon?” [Eradicated] asked as her eyes glowed a soft orange hue with tears running down her cheek. “Why was I born?” She said, sobbing.
Cornelius tried walking up to her podium before Freya stood in front of him in the blink of an eye, trying to protect [Eradicated].
“Calm down, phoenix, I'm not going to hurt her. I will tell you the truth. Twenty-eight years ago, I gained a divination. I saw our world turn into ruins, and two figures dying in a room of gold in front of an orb. I believed that this was the next ascension that somehow failed, but then I saw a glimpse of the icy peaks of the north and a special ring. Belonging to a singular figure who had elk-like horns, knowing the species I identified it as a Norfoul, she whispered to me, “Come find me.” So I did.
After weeks of treading through the snow, I collapsed in front of the Peaks I saw in my divination. It was cold, but I could hear someone mumbling to me. That very person being [Eradicated] mother.” Cornelius looked at [Eradicated], trying to hold back.
///:Pov Cornelius ??????????????? Ice peaks of Kazfel.
Cornelius woke up to see himself bundled and multiple fur blankets, with a fire in front of him, boiling a pot of stew. The Arcanist sits up and turns his head to see a blizzard outside of what looks to be some sort of cave he’s in. He then turns to look behind him as he hears sounds of someone scratching the walls behind him. Blue eyes pierce through the darkness, watching him, and he stares back.
“Who are you? Reveal yourself!” he demanded of the ominous eyes.
A feminine voice responds, “Bringer of Divination, you too dreamed the same fate.” They whispered before revealing themselves.
They slowly walked into the firelight, and Cornelius stood in disbelief. A tall, pale woman with giant elk antlers stood in front of him; her clothes looked like they were made of black feathers, and she had a bone necklace wrapped around her neck. She walked past him to stock the fire with the logs beside it and checked on the soup, pouring it into a stone bowl. She then walked over to Cornelius with it, who kept quiet, handing him the bowl, which he was hesitant to accept.
The women got frustrated and frowned; “It's safe for mortals, it's made from winter radish and duck. You need to live to tell them about the Divination.”
Cornelius nodded and began to drink the soup. It was so smooth he didn't even need to chew. She smiled at him before looking outside.
“The north was once home to my kind, but now I only remain. I dreamt of a world in the future where the sky would open with horrors that Infernia could not compare to would be unleashed among us all. You dreamed of me, yes? You received a divine call.” The Norfoul said, looking back at Cornelius.
He put down the bowl and began answering her, knowing now that she had no intent of harming him; “Yes, however, I saw a ring and two people in front of a sphere.”
“Ring!” The Norfoul said, shockingly, “The symbol of my people, perhaps locked away by the last ascended. My mother told me when I was younger that heroes stole it from us and locked it away where no demon could enter. Yet you need a Norfoul to open the doors,” she muttered.
“What is your name?” Cornelius asked, staring at her eyes deepen into a softer blue.
“We are not friends, Arcanist, but I will tell you that it’s Haelft, it means star in your language,” she responded.
Cornelius smiled; “I am here as the Royal Arcanist, my name is Cornelius; however, this is a more personal matter. Haelft, do you know the location of the ring?” he asked her.
“Yes, now that I'm older, it must be the temple of Orion. We helped humanity to make it as a sanctuary from the beast of the north, only for them to turn against us.” She responded by walking over beside Cornelius, lying down.
“I'm tired, Arcanist Cornelius. May I sleep here with you?” She asked softly.
“Uh, sure, but what happened to the humans that betrayed the Norfoul?” he asked, concerned.
“They died. The winter claims all here,” she said before falling asleep.
///: Pov Freya ??????????????? Kazfels' courtroom of the Ancients
Freya glared at Cornelius before realizing he was telling the truth. She watched the old man take off one of his rings and stared down at it. He looked broken.
“[Eradicated, I’m sorry, I shouldn't have called you a monster. Your mother would have killed me if she were standing here. You aren't a monster; you are the legacy of a powerful demon clan. Before your mother told me to leave and take you with me, she warned me about your urges for life-essence and that it would harm others; that's the main reason she didn’t follow us. You were born to carry on her duty as the lonely survivor, and her divination told her the child of a star will make or break or universe over fire and ice. What my divination showed me was Lady Freya and another dying from corruption from an unknown threat. We were trying to prevent it from happening; when we found the temple we couldn't enter, and I knew why after reading a riddle on the door, “Blood of sin and Blood of holly must meet to enter the divine gates of sanctuary”. Only a Norfoul and Gold blood could open the gates. Your mother admitted to me later that day that she was on borrowed time. There was barely anything in the north to sustain her. She admitted that over time, she fell in love with me, and her dying wish was for her people to live on. I loved her too, so we had you. When you were six, I planned a trip to go back north to get her. We communicated by crow, but instead of a message of excitement and cheer, her crow gave me a message of hurt. It’s in the book, Your Majesty. It's labeled with a bookmark of a star. Can you read it for her?” Cornelius started to tear up, putting the ring in his palm and firmly clenching his hand in a fist.
The king turned to the page and read it out loud for everyone: “By the time she is seven, my time will be up, and the winter will have consumed me. Cornelius, my love, our daughter will not need the same amount of sustenance that I needed, so keep her away from others until she is an adult, until she calms down, feed her a specific diet, and maintain it. My mother left me these before she passed, and they helped me calm down my urges. These rings are made of the purest mana rock in our region and will help feed her. I wore three around you while you were here. When the time is right, give them to her. Goodbye, dear, I love you both. - Haelft”
Freya watched as [Eradicated] hunched over, having a panic attack. Without a second thought, she hugged her from behind. She felt her shaking with emotion in her arms.
Cornelius looked down; “Even if you were cast to death [Eradicated], I would have saved you. What I did today was a show of protection. I forgot that I'm not just the Royal Arcanist but your father.”
“A shitty one!” Freya unintentionally yelled out.
“I know of this Lady Freya, and because of that, I will take her and my punishment together no matter what comes first.”
Nicholas looked back to the King; “Your Majesty, if he is telling the truth about this divination, we must prepare. This court was brought here for justice, but its outcome has become a world-breaking warning if an ascension is due soon. Freya needs this ring at that temple to succeed. Which means [Eradicated] must live.”
The king looked at the courtroom and stood up, “This is my verdict. The Royal Arcanist will have his own trial, but as for [Eradicated] because of this information, she will not be executed, but under high supervision from the Flaming Calvary themselves. This seemed like it was an accident that we will make sure is prevented in the future. The people in this courtroom will have their minds erased about the information of the Ascension. The Royal Court will pay for the missing value of animals, and as for the family, even though I can not bring your loved one back, please understand this was a mistake; you will get aid from the Royal Commission for your next three generations. This case has been adjourned, goodnight, Kazfel.” The King said, bowing.
People lined up out the door as they were getting their memories rearranged before leaving. Nicholas grabbed Cornelius and walked him into a side room with the other ex-soldiers, and Freya unlocked [Eradicated], freeing her from her shackles. As they walked to a different side room door, she started digging her thumb into one of her fingers, now realizing she was on a time limit.
/// pov: [Eradicated] and Freya ???????????? Kazfel/ Village of Magneal ??????????
The two of them walked down the prestigious halls after getting the green light to travel to Magneal together. [Eradicated] was excited but was nervous at the same time. They walked out the main gate to the paddocks, and she held onto Freya's cape, hoping that it would protect her from anything that could happen.
“The paddocks aren't too far, and Nicholas is already at Magneal. You don't have to hold my cape; no one is going to bite you.” Freya teased.
[Eradicated] blushed in embarrassment and let go. The busy crowd circled them, and it made her feel uneasy. She immediately went to grab Freya's hand instead, feeling Freya's hand course with her heated blood. Freya didn’t mind, but she picked up her pace, trying to get out of the crowd.
By the time they arrived, it was mid-afternoon, and Sunny was already waiting for them, probably thanks to Nicholas. She made sure everything was proper before hoisting onto her stead. [Eradicated] looked up at her in a trance before Freya leaned down to help her up. Sunny was not amused by the extra person but stood proudly before Freya made him walk out of the paddocks to the castle's main entrance. A crowd of people looked at them. [Eradicated] looked down to see people staring, especially at her. She tried hiding her face, while Freya smiled and waved at a group of children who pointed at her.
Once saying goodbye to the crowd and exiting through the castle ?walls' main entrance, Freya showed a fist of challenge at the gatekeeper, who flashed one back with a chuckle.
“Don’t come back, ya hear, you oversized turkey!” the guard called out.
Freya laughed and shouted back, “I will make sure you keep your
0-70 losing streak!”
[Eradicated] shifted a bit, but Freya could tell she was uncomfortable with the joke; she looked back at her, “Sorry about that, we have a friendly competition every time I come back, so we might come home later than sooner, it just depends on how long he's willing to fight.” Freya said sincerely, but [Eradicated] was too busy looking up at the clouds.
“It’s warmer than I remember. It feels safe.” [Eradicated] said, closing her eyes as they walked through a sun ray.
“Why is that?” Freya asked, with a smile.
[Eradicated] choked on her words before making a proper response; “I don’t know, it just does (It reminds me of my sunlight).”
Freya laughed before making Sunny pick up the pace; “Oh, when we arrive, I have to pick up some orders at the local potion shop there, and see if my other half is there.”
[Eradicated] opened her eyes and watched Freya's hair flow behind her. “Your other half? You mean Equila? She is in Magneal?” She asked, surprised.
“I believe so, a few months ago we got a mysterious applicant for a mage, they exceeded every test by a mile; however, they never put down their important details in their application, like blood work, only their address, which is the potion shop. Nicholas went there earlier, but no one was home; he's now investigating other places. Ahead of us,” Freya said with a flat expression.
[Eradicated] didn’t respond, but she felt some resentment from whoever this Ascended of Equila was. As they entered Magneal, the townsfolk stared at them again, even more so than at the Castle city. Freya led Sunny to the Magneal paddocks for a worker to greet her.
The worker waved, “Lady Freya, an honor to see you and your legendary steed here today. How long will you be staying?” She asked, reaching for the reins to guide a sassy Sunny.
“Two days at least, and can you lead us to a mounting block, please, so my friend can get down. Freya asked, then whispered, “This is her first time riding a horse.”
“I heard that!” [Eradicated] said with a pout.
The worker laughed; “No worries, love, I still use the mounting block to get down sometimes, not to mention Sunny is an enormous horse.”
When they approached the mounting block, [Eradicated] fearfully stepped down and waddled away from Sunny, afraid of him, since he made grunting noises at her, while Freya slid off with ease, landing on her feet without the mounting block.
“(show off)” [Eradicated] thought, giving a glare.
Freya patted Sunny; “Alright, I will be back, Sunny, don't fight other horses, please.” She begged only for the moody horse to give an annoyed whiny back.
As both of the girls waved goodbye, Freya noticed a singular snowflake hit the tip of [Eradicated's] nose.
“(Why is it snowing? It’s mid-spring?)” Freya wondered while looking up.
[Eradicated] followed Freya closely, not saying a word, holding onto her cape again, as they weaved by the small adventurer town. When they arrived at the potion shop, [Eradicated] could sense something as if it were a primal instinct to flee. Even with that emotion, she entered, cowering behind Freya. A little chime alerted a small woman to their arrival.
“It's not every day that the Head Royal Knight herself comes here! How may I help you today?” The woman asked with a smile.
“I ordered an eighteen-pack of the Twinkle of Stardust potions and one of the Everbreeze potions,” Freya said with a warming smile.
“Ah, yes, I thought they were going to send guards for your order, so what really brings you here, my lady? Does it have to do with the Everbreeze?”
Freya responded, “It's about your daughter, who signed up for the royal admission. She gave me a gift and called it her signature potion. It really helped me, and I would like to talk to her about something important.”
The woman smiled; “I think I know what it is, and I told Lord Nicholas she was at the oak forest, and he's waiting for you there, just don't tell her I told you. She needs to face the truth about her destiny, just like the others.”
As the two left the shop, [Eradicated] started feeling queasy and reached out for Freya's hand.
“You alright there?” Freya asked, looking at her.
“Yeah, just feel like I'm in danger; I don't know why?” she responded, looking at the ground.
“It’s okay as long as the sun is around; you are safe, remember?” Freya teased and then winked at [Eradicated], who stopped herself from blushing by looking at a Carney who was scamming people with prizes.
When they reached the dirt trail to the forest, Nicholas was already there, sitting on a rock; “Freya, what took you so long?! [Eradicated]?!” he said, surprisingly, and went back to trying to look cool.
Freya rolled her eyes at him. “I got permission to bring her along. Is she in there?” she asked nervously.
Nicholas nodded, “Yeah, and I thought only you should talk to her about this. Since there is no one else better than you.” Nicholas said, unable to look his sister in the eyes.
“Right. [Eradicated, you will be fine here, okay, I have to talk to her alone.” Freya said, reassuring the half-demon.
[Eradicated] nodded and let go of her hand, then watched her ray of light vanish into the dark of the forest alone.
Your eyes sting, you feel sick, and the pages begin to melt in your hands. Before you black out from the fumes of the black sludge that once were the pages in your hands, you hear a faint but familiar whisper and another voice. You close your eyes and see two people in a field, one pointing a fiery sword at someone who is kneeling on the ground with horns on their head.
Voice 1: “Promise me here under the crimson moon, if I try to save you, that you will not rampage again?”
Voice 2: “Yes, under this crimson moon, I promise. Please, I don't want to hurt people anymore.”
Voice 1: Okay, it's nice to see you again [Eradicated]. I missed you.”
Voice 2: “I missed you too.”
You are now unconscious until the next day.
