《Grimoire》
Chapter 1: Hope
A clear blue sky shined over the city of Ashmore. Ashmore served as an important trade center for the nation of Albion''s eastern region. Its proximity to its neighbors made it an important military asset, as well as an important trade center. With this wealth, they could create rows and rows of beautifully decorated stone buildings. The tallest of all was a large cathedral. Decorated with asymmetrical spires that towered over the city, it was covered in colorful stained glass. Recently, the city gained a reputation as a city of miracles.
The Church of Ardna had gained notoriety because of the recent war. The head of the Church, Damien Blackwell became known throughout the city as a miracle worker.
¡°Thank you, Father Damien.¡± A woman said, bowing to the elder. ¡°My mother-in-law could finally see her granddaughter, thanks to you!¡±
Damien smiled kindly as he raised his hand. ¡°My dear, I merely did my job. Lord Ardna blesses those who seek his love. All his believers are rewarded with his love, after all!¡±
¡°Ardna bless you, Father!¡±
As Damien walked into his church, his soft smile turned into a smirk. ¡°Yes, Ardna blesses those who follow him.¡±
Walking to a stairwell, the sect master unlocked a metal door and descended into the stone catacombs. Walking through the stone corridor, the priest smiled as he placed a torch onto a fixture. Lining the walls were several metal barred doors that seemed to extend for eternity. Damien strutted as he looked at his helpless prisoners. A majority were women dressed in various rags and thin clothing. Some glared at the priest, others reached out of their cells with a sense of hope that he¡¯d set them free. Reaching his destination at the end of the tunnel, he clasped his hands together as he entered the room.
¡°You look disagreeable today,¡± Damien said mockingly.
A woman with mid-length dark blue hair sat in the corner. Her green eyes glared at the priest in disdain. If looks could kill, he''d been dead twice over. She was dressed in a bloodied white gown that reached her knees. Her hair was caked with dirt and dried blood. ¡°I hope my toxin didn¡¯t destroy your cognitive functions. Would be a waste of such a high-value woman.¡±
¡°If I had a sword, you would be dead.¡± She said, her tone making it clear that was a matter of fact. Aria was struggling to maintain her focus. It was either the poison or a fever from being trapped in the cell with minimal nutrition. Even in the dark cell, she could see the priest smiling at her suffering.
¡°Yes, I¡¯m well aware of your family''s reputation. Miss Corvo. The nation of Easenna is renowned for their swordsmanship, and your family was considered the strongest of them all.¡± Damien said. ¡°Human weapons, that''s what they called you, correct? Regardless, Lord Ardna protects those who follow his teachings. Including demons, such as yourself. You¡¯re welcome to repent your sins to him.¡±
¡°Repent to a god whose messenger tortures and assaults women?¡± She scowled.
Everything in her body told her to get up and escape. She knew he wasn''t stronger than the soldiers she¡¯d killed in the past. Yet her body wouldn¡¯t budge. Her dominant hand was currently recovering. They''d broken each of her fingers for her ¡®disobedience¡¯ towards the priest. She managed to bind it by ripping off a piece of her gown. Aria wasn¡¯t naive. She expected these hardships the moment she became a prisoner of war. She didn''t expect her captor to be this sadistic.
¡°Where¡¯s Mary?¡± She demanded.
¡°You really are in a foul mood today." Damien laughed cruelly. "She¡¯s alive, for now. I was actually about to visit her. She makes for good stress relief~¡±
To his surprise, she appeared right in front of him, almost instantly. A light blue aura covered her other hand and was aimed at his throat. Normally, his toxin was supposed to cause complete muscle paralysis.
She¡¯s surprisingly resilient. I¡¯m sure if she had the opportunity she¡¯d truly kill me. Damien thought to himself with an amused grin.
Fortunately for Damien, he bought her while she was still injured from whatever battles she¡¯d been in. He had slashed her legs along the tendons as insurance. He knew just moving caused intense pain for her. Yet she ignored it for the chance at killing him. Unfortunately, Damien was still stronger than her. His purple ring glowed as he effortlessly avoid her attack. The priest countered with a knee to the stomach. The force of his attack sent her across the cell and caused her to cough up blood. Sauntering over, her captor pulled her up by the hair.
¡°Perhaps you misunderstand your situation, my dear. You are my property now. You were sold to me and, as such, I own you. Completely.¡± He taunted. ¡°You should use this time to truly assess your situation.¡±
Dropping her back on the floor, Blackwell¡¯s eyes lingered on her frame for a moment. A small smile carved its way across his face. While she lacked some of the ''assets'' her handmaiden had, she¡¯d still work well. Plus, the strong-willed ones were more fun to break in. Shame the ritual requires her to be left untouched. But I can wait until after~ Damien thought.
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He half considered cutting each of her fingers off to prevent her from potentially turning against him. Maybe that would finally break her spirit. Living; knowing she''d never use a sword again. Part of him found the idea amusing just to see what kind of face she''d make. It doesn''t matter. Once the ritual is complete, she¡¯ll be subservient to me.
As Damien left. Aria gazed at the ceiling. How many days had she been here? She estimated it had been about a month since she was brought here. She¡¯d try calling out to Mary, but Blackwell purposefully kept them separated. Was this her future? It felt like a cruel curse cast upon her by God.
¡°This is hell.¡±
A crimson moon bathed Ashmore in a red hue. As the city slept, the church of Ardna was very much active. The cathedral''s chamber was barren except for Blackwell and some followers dressed in dark cloaks. He stood at the altar dressed in his regular white robe. At the center was a pentagram with an outer circle drawn in chalk with various symbols around its edges. The same pentagram matched the priest''s ring.
¡°The great Lord Ardna has gifted us some sinners to cleanse. They were followers of demonic forces but arrived here to follow the true god.¡±
Aria was chained to the side of the altar. Alongside her was a woman she didn¡¯t recognize. She had braided dark-brown hair. If she had to guess, the woman seemed to be in her early thirties. Her dress was slightly tattered, likely coming from the same cells Aria had been in. Aria¡¯s mouth was gagged with a cloth. Blackwell''s men brought the woman to the center of the circle.
¡°This first one was rumored to be conspiring with the dead. A sin that not only violates the laws of our great nation but the laws of nature!.¡±
Gesturing to one of his acolytes, a robbed man brought out a hot metal poker, its orange light glowed throughout the chamber. Looking at the poker, the woman''s eyes widened in horror.
¡°W-wait! I¡¯m not a sinner!¡± She pleaded. ¡°I was only praying for my child who passed away. Wanting salvation is a sin?!¡± she yelled, distraught. While Aria struggled to maintain attention, she truly wished the worst would come to these people.
¡°Who gave you permission to talk?¡± One of them said before striking her with the hilt of his sword, knocking her to the floor. The poor woman broke into a sob.
¡°If nothing else, I¡¯ll accept whatever punishment if it means that child over there goes free!¡±
Aria''s eyes widened. The stranger''s kindness surprised yet touched her. She could plead for her own life but chose to bargain for that of a strangers. Despite her sincerity, Aria knew the cruel reality of their situation. She wanted to tell her to save her breath. Damien would never be that merciful.
The priest walked over to the woman and offered her a kind smile. ¡°You¡¯d give anything, so that girl goes free? Even though she¡¯s from the nation that caused the death of your child?¡±
The woman looked at Aria before shaking her head. ¡°She¡¯s just a child! Even if she¡¯s from Easenna, she couldn¡¯t possibly be at fault for the Eldritch! Why does she need to suffer? Is your god not a kind one?¡±
Perhaps naive, the woman truly hoped Damien Blackwell could be reasoned with.
¡°I see.¡±
Damien had a bored expression. In a swift motion, a blade made of a dark aura sliced through her neck with ease. The sound was gross, inhuman, and eerily unforgettable. A column of blood flooded the altar as the woman''s expression was permanently saved to her face. Kicking her detached head away, Damien wiped the blood off of him with a rag before undoing Aria''s gag and moving her to the center of the circle. ¡°Using Ardna''s name in vain¡ Foolish.¡±
¡°You bastard!¡± Aria yelled.
As one of his acolytes went to hit her, Damien merely raised his hand to call him off.
¡°I had planned to sacrifice her regardless. Why are you upset? I thought you hated this country, Miss Corvo?¡± Opening a briefcase, a vial of murky purplish fluid and a syringe were placed on the altar table. The liquid looked unnatural, as if it still had a pulse. The fluid seemed to move on its own.
¡°The funny thing about Eldritch is that their effects on humans remain a mystery. It may destroy your sense of self, or it might make you completely subservient to me. Hell, it may very well boil you from the inside out! I''d hope not though, would be such a waste.¡±
Aria¡¯s body trembled. ¡°An Eldritch. No way¡ Are you mad?!¡±
¡°Who can say?¡± The priest filled the syringe with the liquid before looming the needle over her eye. ¡°Once you become this Eldritch¡¯s host, it won¡¯t matter. The ¡®you¡¯ that you know will be destroyed. I may have you visit that companion of yours after this is done. I¡¯m curious what kind of reaction she¡¯d have!¡± Damien laughed.
From fighting in a war, to the death and suffering she''d grown accustomed too, this was the first time in Aria''s eighteen years of life that she felt this terrified. She¡¯ll either be forced to serve this person completely or turn into something unrecognizable from herself. She didn¡¯t want to accept that. After her family''s death, to her best friend being tortured because of her, she didn¡¯t want to have her humanity stripped away on top of that. It was a fate worse than death. All she could do is close her eyes in fear.
I don¡¯t want this. I¡¯d rather die than this! Someone, anyone. Please!
BANG
As Damien went to inject Aria with the syringe, the glass shattered. Shards of glass splintered across the altar as the cracking of a gun echoed through the halls of the cathedral.
Reopening her eyes, Aria saw a glowing light-gray barrier surrounding her. A mixture of glass and fluid slowly poured onto the floor in front of her. Damien¡¯s eyes widened in shock.
¡°For a man of God, I¡¯d think torturing and killing people would be the most unforgivable sin.¡± Something said.
Looking towards the source of the voice, Damien saw something sitting in front of the stained glass fixture above them. Its silhouette was dark, however, in that darkness, he saw an ominous red. A pair of crimson eyes gazed down on him and his followers in judgment.
¡°So you¡¯re the one using a grimoire to play God.¡±
Chapter 2: A Man Called Espoir
Landing at the base of the altar, a teenager looked at the scene with an unreadable expression. He had messy black hair, his bangs were accented with red highlights. He wore a maroon shirt, black dress pants, boots, and a bright white long coat. The most striking thing about him were his eyes. They were dark red, almost like a blood moon.
¡°You''re Damien Blackwell right?" The intruder looked at the priest indifferently. His focus went to the decapitated head, he had a mixture of sympathy and disgust for her. "I wonder if I should kill you now and save myself some time."
¡°Back away from Master Blackwell!¡±
Two men rushed at the intruder. One with a long sword, the other using a branding rod. As they rushed him at the foot of the altar stairs, the boy glanced at them with disinterest. The first guard received a hit to the chest with his fist. Gasping for air, the guard dropped his poker. Ducking under the other acolytes sword swing, the intruder immediately followed with a kick to the throat. In a fluid motion, he knocked them into one-another before striking them both into the floor. The guards laid there unconscious. Meanwhile, the rest of Blackwell''s followers backed away out of fear.
¡°Playing God? It seems you¡¯re mistaken about my church''s teachings. I¡¯d be happy to answer any questions you may have.¡± Damien offered with a cordial smile. ¡°My duty is to cleanse the sinners of the world. That girl in particular served directly under that demon King of Easenna.¡±
Damien sized up the boy. He didn¡¯t look threatening, in fact he seemed quite young. He wouldn''t have come here without a plan. Not only can he use his Aura to create barriers from a distance, he also dispatched my two best guards with ease. Damien knew he''d make for a strong ally. All it would take is some enticing.
¡°You seem to be strong for a kid, you could serve Ardna well. If it¡¯s the girl you''re after, you''re welcome to take her for yourself." He said with an arrogant smile. "Although, You might have more fun with her friend. Unlike that one, she has a large pair of-"
BANG
Before Blackwell could finish his sentence, Espoir put a bullet in his head. Rather than dying, the priest placed his hand over his bloody face. His skin began regenerating at an inhuman speed, the otherwise fatal wound was completely gone. Damien Blackwell cautiously stepped back as Espoir walked towards the center.
"You would be wise to stay silent." Espoir said, disgusted by Blackwell''s ''offer.'' Glancing at the altar, he recognized the circle and symbols. It was the same kinds used to sacrifice people. Looking at the dead woman, Espoir assumed she was used as a sacrifice for the ritual. ¡°Firstly, I¡¯m not a kid, I''m eighteen. Secondly, what exactly is your plan here? Since she''s from a nation Albion was at war with, you¡¯re going to torture, rape, or sacrifice this girl for that grimoire of yours?¡±
Aria wasn''t sure if the stranger was here to help her or here for Blackwell. Regardless, he didn''t seem like an enemy. Yet.
¡°An egalitarian?¡± Damien let out a small laugh. "I¡¯m sure the military would love to find out that a traitor is aligning with our enemies.¡±
¡°I think they¡¯d be more interested in learning how some priest has been coning an entire region with fake miracles.¡± Espoir countered. Ignoring the priest for a moment, His eyes turned to the bubbling liquid on the floor. "So that''s whats going on."
¡°Watch out!¡± Aria yelled out.
Out of the corner of his eye, Espoir saw Blackwell had summoned his aura tendril once again and attempted to impale him. On reaction, Espoir sidestepped the attack and slashed Blackwell across his face with a dagger. Faltering back, Damien attempted to attack once again, his face dripping with blood. This time Espoir grabbed the appendage. Planting his foot on the priest''s chest to prop himself up, the darkened appendage wriggled in his grip. Using his other hand, Espoir made a finger gun with his middle and index fingers, he aimed the gun right at the priest''s face.
¡°You little shit!¡± He cried out as he tried to stab Espoir with another blade.
¡°Ignite.¡±
A small flame formed at the base of Espoir''s fingers before turning into a ball of yellow and orange. The attack exploded in Blackwell''s face. Knocking Espoir across the altar, he slid to the center beside Aria. Pulling out his small dagger again, the blade''s outline glowed with a light aura. In a clean motion he sliced her shackles off. The strange boy seemed to notice her ''dress''. It was more of a thin piece of cloth than an actual dress. Without thinking he threw his coat at her. He''s helping me? Aria didn''t understand him but he didn''t seem like an enemy.
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Noticing the girl was both confused and on edge by everything going on. Espoir could only offer a kind smile. ¡°I¡¯m Espoir, by the way.¡±
Damien emerged from the flames, his skin still crackling from the intense heat. Part of his skull was exposed as a result of the explosion. His body seemed to heal, unnaturally. The onyx ring he had on was glowing a bright purple color.
¡±To think a capable mage would come here.¡± Damien clutched his ring to draw more power but let out a cry of agony. ¡°What? What''s going on?!¡± His skin began to bubble like boiling water. Collapsing to his knees he cried out in pain.
What came next was truly disturbing. His skin began to split apart. The man''s shape twisted and transformed from human to what can only be described as a column of flesh with a color that was closer to a green-dark purplish hue. A smell of burnt and decaying flesh filled the hall as two heads began to form at the top of his mass, the sockets of its head were husk-like. Meanwhile multiple human arms and dark spines split out of its abdomen. The rows descended down like a centipede. Protruding from the upper half of its mass were a long pair of semi-solid appendages. The tendrils were the same as Damien Blackwell had used for combat. Their shape was constantly changing from a blade to a tentacle-like mass.
In an instant, the monster had formed a claw and tried to slash the duo. It managed to close the gap between them in an instant. Despite that, Espoir managed to react in time with a barrier. The creature''s slash effortlessly shattered his barrier. Pushing Aria back, his other arm was grazed by the creature causing it to bleed. Espoir''s eyes widened, the Eldritch was stronger than he expected. Not sparing a second, he kicked the creature in its center of mass, sending it smashing into the back wall.
¡°Ah!¡±
As the creature emerged from his kick, Espoir scooped up Aria into a bridal carry and jumped off the elevated platform. Quickly dashing across the chamber, he wanted to get some distance between them and the Eldritch. Luckily, it seemed to be distracted by consuming the unconscious acolytes at the foot of the altar.
¡°What are you?¡± Aria asked, embarrassed by her position. If not for her injuries she¡¯d have hit him for holding her like this.
Aria had known Albion to have incredibly strong magic users, it was what made them so powerful militarily. Yet this boy seemed completely different. He not only was proficient with aura, but he seemed to be able to use his magic like it was second nature. Only top soldiers were this skilled.
¡°Are you an inquisitor from the church? Or maybe you¡¯re with the Mage Corps¡¡± If it was the latter then he''d likely kill her once he learned who she was.
After putting a bit of distance from the altar, Espoir set her down gently. The Eldritch threw a nearby pew at them as it approached the duo. Espoir redirected it with a quick wind spell, smashing it through the roof. The moons glow acted like spotlight in the center of the church.
¡°Mage Corps? Inquisitor?¡± He cocked his head at the question before letting out a genuine laugh. Aria could only look at him confused. Does he take anything seriously?!
Stretching his bloodied arm, he looked at the creature trying to kill them. It was several meters away. Analyzing their situation, Espoir knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to delay any longer. Returning back to the girl''s question, he thought about it for a moment.
¡°I¡¯m neither! I¡¯m just a traveling magician who specializes in grimoires and Eldritch.¡± He beamed. ¡°The reason I came to this town was to investigate the rumors of a grimoire user in the region.¡±
Grimoires were said to grant abilities that, while powerful, require the user to forfeit their humanity to an Eldritch to use them. While she never encountered one until today, Aria knew that those practices were punishable by death in both Easenna and Albion.
¡°The reason this place believed Damien Blackwell was divine was because he used that Eldritch''s power to fake his miracles.¡± The girl realized. Her eyes narrowed at the mass approaching them. She knew Blackwell was a fraud, but to use something like that to trick the city. How could someone willingly forfeit themselves over to something like that? Just looking at it made her sick.
How many people did he sacrifice for that Eldritch? Was his ritual going to turn me into something like that as well? Seeing that ''thing'' made Aria wonder what would''ve happened had Espoir not shown up.
¡°Correct!¡± Espoir said excitedly. ¡°There''s been a rising number of both grimoire users and Eldritch across Albion. Of course, grimoires are a lot easier to deal with since they¡¯re still human, very powerful, but still human. Eldritch are difficult to handle if they fully form, even the military only uses their best mages to handle Eldritch. The average person would die against them, if they don''t go insane first.¡±
Aria shot him an incredulous look. He was her age and he was going to fight that thing? ¡±How could you possibly defeat an Eldritch?¡±
¡°While grimoires and Eldritch are dangerous for most people, I won''t lose.¡± Espoir answered her skepticism with a confident smile. ¡°After all, the best way to counter poison is with poison.¡±
As the creature twisted its shape for combat, the nights glow landed on Espoir. Faced against the thing that Damien called a god. Espoir walked forward and extended his hand outward. His confident smile remained on his face.
¡°Appear! My Grimoire between light and darkness!¡±
Chapter 3: The Silver Grimoire
There was a tale about two brothers.
In an age before civilization, monsters ruled over the world. These creatures, known as Eldritch, were beyond human understanding. Despite that, one thing was certain, humans could not compare to them. As humanity was driven towards extinction by the Eldritch, all hope seemed lost. Until one day, a pair of brothers stumbled upon a book.
This book, as if by fate, contained knowlege on both the Eldritch and the powers they had. Magic. Using their new found knowledge, the brothers split the book in two. One half was a book bright like the sun, the Golden Grimoire. Its counterpart, a book dark like the night, called the Silver Grimoire.
With the twin books of legend, the brothers were able to teach and share magic with the rest of humanity. The brothers, alongside their companions were able to fight back against the Eldritch and drive them away.
For a time peace existed. However, the Silver Grimoire would lead a rebellion against his brother for dominion over the world. Reviving the Eldritch, the Silver Grimoire would wage war on the world. This event was known as The Great Calamity, and nearly destroyed the world.
After the long and bloody war, both the Silver Grimoire and the Eldritch were defeated by the Gold Grimoire and the brothers'' original companions. Eventually, the story of the Gold and Silver Grimoire would become legends.
The Silver Grimoire was said to one day return and bring destruction to the world again.
There was something ironic about the Silver Grimoire appearing before Aria. Her homeland, Easenna, had been destroyed because the other nations believed they caused Eldritch to return ten years ago. Now that same book that destroyed the world long ago was here to save her.
The Silver Grimoire looked like the night sky had turned into a book. The grimoires front and back was solid black, with a texture like leather. The frame around the cover was decorated with ornate rows of silver going around its edges, while the center had a silver crescent moon that seemed to glow. The book had a latch on it with gold planting. The pages of the grimoire were a translucent indigo with various colors that shifted like an aurora. Across some of the pages were small stars that aligned in the shape of various constellations. The shapes were different then the ones you''d see at night.
The only word Aria could use to describe the book was beautiful.
A book like the night sky. Eyes the color of a blood moon¡
Aria recognized the same description from the story. She recalled the time her dad told her regarding the Silver Grimoire.
11 years ago¡
¡°Why¡¯d the Silver Grimoire wage war against his brother?¡± Aria asked her dad.
She was around seven years old when she first heard that story. All children in their nation had heard it by then as the story was integral to their history. Their nation''s founder, the sword saint Selene, was one of the original companions to the brothers and went on to found their nation of Easenna.
Nicolas Corvo smiled, amused by his daughter''s question. Like Aria, he had short blue hair, with a matching trimmed beard. His light-grey eyes looked at his daughter fondly. As the Patriarch of one of the nation''s oldest families, he had a responsibility to educate all of his children on their history. However, he was unprepared to answer her question.
¡°I¡¯m not sure!¡± He beamed before thinking about that complex question.
It was an age old question that stumped the smartest religious scholars. Some speculated he did it out of hubris, others believe he was doing it out of jealousy of his brother. Some cultists thought he was right and that the Eldritch were the rightful rulers to the planet. Of course he couldn''t explain that to a child...
Nicolas hummed in thought before affectionately rubbing her head. ¡°I¡¯d like to think he had a reason for why he did it. Even if he was flawed, nobody would turn against their family and bring that kind of destruction without a reason. Who knows, maybe deep down the Silver Grimoire thought he was doing the right thing.¡±
Ardna rushed at Espoir. It was uncanny watching it move so fast; with its of its human-like legs. The Eldritch used its twin appendages, now sharpened to a curved edge, to bisect the grimoire user. His book disappeared from his hands as he slid under the attack. Pulling out his gun, Espoir shot the Eldritch as he dodged towards the side of the pews.
"¡Oh.¡± Espoir realized his error as the bullets did nothing against the Eldritch. Watching them pathetically bounce to the floor, he knew he needed a new plan. Probably shouldn''t mess around that much, I''m not the only person in danger right now. He realized he should be a bit serious this time.
A series of sharp appendages and human-like teeth were descending on him from the ''body'' of Ardna. Throwing up a barrier, Espoir was knocked to the side of the room. The attack shattered his barrier and cut both his arms. I need to keep it away from the girl. After that, I should be able to seal it after.
Making a finger gun, he used his spell¡¸Ignite¡¹against the creature again. It naturally responded by coating itself in a dark-purple aura, the explosion did nothing against it. As the creature began to crawl towards Espoir, it raised a series of tendrils towards him. An onslaught of stabs and slashes rained upon the church''s wall. Despite Eldritch being inhuman in nature, it was apparent that the Eldritch saw the Silver Grimoire as a threat.
Dashing to the side, Espoir placed his palm onto the cathedral floors. A wall of stone rose up and blocked the initial attack.
¡°Accelerate!¡± Espoirs body glowed green as he increased his speed. Dashing to the nearby wall, he dodged most of the slashes and avoided being impaled.
I see. That''s how the toxin works... It inhibits the body and as well as my magic. Espoir was glad he had his grimoire active, otherwise dealing with the Eldritch would be a lot more dangerous.
Leaping off the wall, Espoir broke into a roll as he landed back at the center of the altar. The wall behind him had crumbled from the onslaught.
As planned, the Eldritch was ignoring Aria in favor of him. He needed to find the creature''s core, then he¡¯d be able to seal it. Rushing towards the grimoire user, an ungodly mass of spiked tendrils and spirals of ribbed teeth formed around the creatures ¡®mouths¡¯ as it prepared to end him.
¡°Flare.¡±
A red-orange triangle formed on the back of Espoir''s hand. Holding his palm out, a crescent blade made of fire was launched at the Eldritch. The flame-slash cut the Eldritch''s aura with ease before arching upwards and dissipating. The Eldritch was cut in half, both halves still moving. The creature let out a distorted, ear piercing screech. As it attempted to retaliate with dozens of spiked tendrils and saw blade like mouths, Espoir''s eyes narrowed at the creatures shape before widening.
I have an opening! Espoirs eyes widened. The Eldritch was still regenerating from his attack meaning its aura would be weakened. His body glowed green as he dodged to the side. Rematerializing his grimoire once again, the book''s pages began to flip as Espoir rushed over. As the Eldritch raised its tendrils to defend itself, Espoir plunged his grimoire into the creature''s center. An eye bleeding light filled the room. The creature cried out once more before being submerged by the column of light.
Aria averted her eyes as brightness filled the hall. A beam of white light shot directly into the night sky. As the intensity died down, Aria''s vision returned. While still hazy from the poison, she saw the Eldritch fading away into Espoirs book in a thin stream of stardust. Laying on the floor was Damien Blackwell alongside the two acolytes Ardna had eaten.
On a page in the Silver Grimoire, the Eldritch''s shape had been transformed into a series of stars. It resembled a two headed fusion between a person and a centipede. ¡°So that''s Ardna huh? Only a face a mother could love.¡± Espoir let out a sigh of relief. Espoir was happy he sealed it before the situation got out of hand.
Picking himself up, Espoir walked over to Aria. She was doing everything she could to keep herself from blacking out. Between the poisoning, malnutrition, and overall fatigue, it was a miracle she was still conscious. ¡°Hold still for a moment.¡± As the Silver Grimoire flipped through its pages, Aria¡¯s wounds glowed a white color. ¡°That oughtta help.¡±
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For the first time in weeks Aria could not only see clearly but even something like breathing was easier. Even though her legs still hurt to use, it was a tolerable level of pain compared to before. ¡°What did you do to me?¡± She asked.
"I removed any remnants of the Eldritch in you." Espoir lazily shrugged as his grimoire disappeared once again. ¡°Part of Ardna''s ability was creating a toxin that acted like mercury poisoning. I assumed Blackwell used that to keep you weakened, otherwise, you¡¯d probably have killed him with ease. Grimoire users, like him, manifest an Eldritch¡¯s power into themselves. Removing it is pretty easy since the Eldritch is already sealed in my grimoire.¡±
The girl looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and confusion. I don¡¯t understand him. What could he possibly gain by doing all this for someone he just met? Why would the Silver Grimoire want to help someone like me? Aria couldn''t under why such a powerful mage would travel around and fight other grimoire users? Wouldn''t the Silver Grimoire ally with them since he was the reason they exist? Aria couldn''t think of a reason he''d do all this for someone he just met, much less a soldier from another nation. If she was still under oath she''d be obligated to kill him for being a grimoire user. Maybe he is just naturally kind...
Looking towards the priest, Aria began to approach Damien Blackwell. She wanted to kill him. Wanted to make him feel what he did to her and Mary. Before she could do it, Aria¡¯s thoughts shifted. ¡°Mary!¡±
Her anger quickly changed to worry as she ran to the catacombs. Killing Blackwell could wait, she had to see her best friend. It had been weeks since she last saw her. The only way she knew she was alive was from Blackwell''s taunts and the occasional screams from what he was doing to her. He had kept them far enough away that they couldn''t communicate.
Please be alive! Aria thought to herself as she ran to the cells. She ignored the sharp pain in her legs as she repeatedly called Mary''s name. Eventually, she got a weak response from one of the farthest cells.
¡°Lady Aria?¡±
As Aria opened the cell, the sight before her chilled her to the core. A woman with dark hair laid in the corner. Her normally fair skin had various spots of purple, black, and green. Her clothes were torn and tattered. She was missing both her legs. It looked like they were savagely ripped off. Both of her brown eyes had deep slashes running across them. If not for her voice, Aria would''ve assumed she was dead.
¡°Mary¡¡± Her handmaid, someone who¡¯d been by her side all her life, practically a sister. The same girl who followed her into battle, into war, now laid before her. Broken. Mutilated. Destroyed. A visceral scream escaped Aria as she ran over to hug Mary.
¡°My Lady. I¡¯m¡ I¡¯m so sorry.¡±
Beneath tears, Aria clutched her head. ¡°N-no! You shouldn''t be the one apologizing..." It¡¯s all my fault. It''s my fault she ended up like this. She went to war because of me! She got captured because of me! Damien did this to her because of me!
She''s dying because of me
¡°I thought I''d never get to see you again.¡± She choked out. Mary tried to give Aria a reassuring smile. ¡°I-I wish you didn¡¯t have to see me like this.¡± Mary knew Aria was likely blaming herself for everything, she had done so during the war. Despite being blind, she knew her current state wasn''t pretty and would leave a scar on the poor girl.
¡°Nonsense! I¡I thought I wouldn¡¯t see you again at all.¡± Aria choked out through tears.
¡°How¡¯d you get here? What about that priest?¡± Mary asked, worry seeping into her voice. If Aria escaped then she needed leave as soon as possible. Even if Aria disagreed, she wanted her to leave this place if it meant leaving her behind.
Aria squeezed her hand slightly. ¡°I had help.¡± As Aria explained the bizarre circumstances that led them reuniting. Aria knew Mary wasn''t long for the world, she didn''t want to accept that.
¡°To think us ¡®demons¡¯ ended up saved by the Silver Grimoire.¡± If it didn¡¯t hurt to breathe, Mary might¡¯ve laughed at the cruel irony. ¡°I¡¯m¡ I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t have to suffer like I did¡¡±
¡°Mary...¡±
She forced herself to smile for her lady''s sake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Aria. If only I was stronger, or if you didn¡¯t feel the need to surrender yourself for all of us, none of this would¡¯ve happened.¡±
¡°It was my choice! I¡¯m sorry you had to follow me into hell because of it.¡± She said lowly. From the moment Mary had been captured alongside her, Aria felt immense guilt. She truly wished only she took the brunt of the suffering instead. Mary didn''t deserve to suffer for her choices.
Mary shook her head slightly, even without vision she could imagine Aria was blaming herself for everything. ¡°I swore to serve you and your family. But even outside of that, I do not regret my decision being with you all this time. I don''t want you to blame yourself for this. I''m glad I got to protect you all this time.¡±
Mary¡¯s breathing started getting shallow. ¡°I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m so happy I got to be by your side one last time.¡± Aria was frozen, unsure what to say. While she had comforted her soldiers in their final moment before, this time was different. How can she even approach that with her best friend? It felt so cruel. Unfair. All Aria could think was ''why did she have to die instead of her?''
¡°I- I¡¯m scared Ari... I don¡¯t want to die!¡± Red tears streamed down her face as Mary¡¯s voice broke. Sobbing, the girls body trembled in fear. Aria could tell she had been acting brave for her sake. Suffering alone for so long seemed to have finally taken a toll on her as Mary started crying. ¡°I want to wake up and be back in Easenna with you, Madam Corvo, all of your siblings! I want to see my parents again! To be with everyone like how it was before the war! I don''t want to die here!"
¡°I-I want that too!¡± Aria cried, clutching her. After all this time, Aria finally broke. Seeing her best friend like this, no pain could compare. "I''m so sorry Mary."
Standing outside, Espoir sighed as he leaned against the wall. He had released the other prisoners on his way here. Additionally, he binded Blackwell''s arm into the concrete in order to keep him in place. The odds of him getting away were low. Maybe the people whose lives were ruined by his church would get to him first. Espoir was tempted to go kill him right now after witnessing what he did.
Eldritch don''t affect a grimoire users personalty. If the Eldritch corrupted them, they''d simply turn into it. The pain and suffering Damien Blackwell caused was done by himself. Espoir thought to himself. Staring at the ceiling, the Silver Grimoire''s user shook his head. "Humans truly are twisted."
Aria stayed by Mary''s side until the end. Unknown to either of them, Espoir used his grimoire from outside the hall to relieve Mary''s pain. The Silver Grimoire left shortly after to give them privacy.
Mary died in Aria¡¯s arms. Despite everything that she went through, she was grateful to be with her best friend one last time. Mary passed away with a serene smile on her face.
The next few hours went by like a blur. Blackwell escaped them, he had ripped his arm off to escape. Aria buried Mary on a hill overlooking Ashmore, just outside of the city. She couldn''t return her to Easenna. Leaving Mary in that city was out of the question, so this was the best alternative. Espoir silently assisted in the burial, Aria could only assume he pitied them. Maybe had his own reasons for sticking around. She still had questions for him about the Silver Grimoire. In the end, Aria doesn¡¯t recall much after the burial, just that she passed out sometime that night.
¡°Damn it!¡±
Damien Blackwell growled as he scaled the staircase. Inside the cathedral mob of disgruntled citizens who were calling for his blood. His arm was bloody and mangled. The Silver Grimoire not only destroyed his grimoire but tried to bind him to the floor. Despite that, he had wrapped it to try and keep the blood from leaving a trail. Pressing onward, Blackwell couldn''t afford to stay in Ashmore any longer. His control over Ashmore had been broken the moment the Silver Grimoire user took Ardna from him. Any miracle he performed ended up voided. Additionally, he had released all his prisoners from the catacombs. The city wanted him dead and were closing in fast.
He hoped to hide and let the crowd believe he escaped. Once things died down he coule ssneak out of the city. He''d be able to flee the country.
Yes, I still have enough funds to start a life in somewhere else. Maybe I can live in the mountain side of Borea or along the beaches of Nadir. He thought to himself.
Damien knew he''d be able to start anew. Who knows, he might even be able to build up enough power to get revenge on the Silver Grimoire and that raven. Leaning against the bell towers wall, Blackwell let out a sigh. He might be able to hide here and escape.
¡°What a waste.¡± Looking to the source of the voice, a man covered by a black cloak sat under the bell. ¡°To think you¡¯d waste your grimoire on pointless desires. We had high hopes for you Damien Blackwell.¡±
¡°My plans were fine, it was the Silver Grimoire who ruined everything!¡± The figure took out a small pistol and shot Blackwell in the shoulder.
¡°Wait! I can still be useful to you!¡± He cried out, stumbling back in pain. He was a few centimeters away from falling hundreds of hundreds of meters onto the cobble below.
¡°It¡¯s over Blackwell. Your control over the city is gone. Honestly, between the sacrifices and abuse you gave their families, I''d be surprised if there''s anything left of you when they''re finished." The figure clicked his tongue mockingly. "Trying to use an entire city to fuel your grimoire. My, how greedy.¡±
¡°The plan was working fine! It wasn¡¯t until the Silver Grimoire showed up that things went wrong! I¡ I can still find you suitable hosts!¡±
The figure paused for a moment before tossing the gun at Damien''s feet. ¡°Perhaps you can pray to that ¡®god¡¯ of yours for salvation.¡± As the sound of a mob echoed throughout the stairwell, Damien knew his time was short. ¡°They know you''re here. Better think fast~¡±
Damien grabbed the gun to shoot his company only to find himself alone. As he heard the voices closing in, he understood there was no escaping his situation. The voices were closing in. Staring down at the gun, Blackwell understood he was running out of time. "Fuck."
On the morning of July 20th, the truth about the church of Ardna came to light. As the citizens of Ashmore went to get their revenge, what they found was a grueling sight at the gates of the cathedral. The miracle priest they had worshiped now laid on the cobble street, surrounding him was a in his own blood and body parts. He had thrown himself off the cathedral and denied them justice.
Chapter 4: After The Rain
¡°No. Absolutely not!¡± Mary yelled. Both her and Aria were gathered around a small table. On it was a map of the nearby area.
The Easennian troops were tired. What remained of them were currently being treated by their medics, along with volunteers from the town. Currently, they were occupying the small border town of Toulac. This town served as an important mining area on the western edge of Easenna. According to their intel; both forces supporting the current Easennian administration and a group of soldiers from Albion were coming to annex it.
Aria and the rest of the Loyalist faction were effectively trapped. Even with their forces of around 1500, the enemies outnumbered them by more than double. Best case scenario was for the remaining troops to escape, reintegrate into society, or flee towards Albion as refugees. The worst scenario was being turned into a prisoner of war, sent to a labor camp, or hung for treason. Assuming they weren''t killed in battle first.
Aria Corvo understood all these factors. However, unlike the rest of her troops, she had a target on her specifically. Due to her name, Aria knew the enemy troops would focus on her during the battle. This meant she could at least buy time for the rest of the troops to escape. A plan that Mary didn¡¯t approve of.
¡°I understand your concerns, Mary. But I can¡¯t just run away and let these people die! At the end of the day, they''re primarily here to hunt me.¡± She explained. ¡°If I¡¯m alone, I¡¯d rather you all escape than die in a pointless battle we cannot win.¡±
Aria was dressed in a waist-length blue military overcoat, dark leggings, and black knee-high boots. Her blue hair was braided along the sides, meeting in the back with a small knot. Strapped to her hip was a military saber with gold plating along the hilt and black wings carved into it. The Corvo family, otherwise known as the Ravens of Easenna were one of the oldest swordsmen families in Easenna. A title that solely belonged to her now.
Mary frowned. Aria was always reckless but to try to fight an army on her own is insane even by her standards.
¡°My Lady, I¡¯m sworn to protect you. My family has been loyal to yours for so long, even outside of that you''re like a sister to me. I''m begging you to reconsider. We¡¯d be better off surrendering the town and trying to escape. They will kill you!¡± Mary enunciated each of the words to try and get her point across.
Aria closed her eyes in frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t just abandon these people. The soldiers, the townspeople, even if Albion captures this territory as their own, they''ll always be Easennian. Abandoning the territory would be abandoning everything I stand for." Aria didn''t want to mention but she''d also be betraying her promise to her father.
Unlike the other battles, their group was losing places to run. It was only a matter of time before they were all dead or captured. Despite most of Easenna''s military being defeated, as well as Albion controlling their government, there were still areas of the country resisting the occupation. Aria figured the least she could do is buy her troops enough time to escape.
Mary sighed, a sad smile formed on her face. She knew there was no convincing her. Aria was often stubborn when she felt she was right. ¡°I know you can¡¯t abandon your people. Just the same, I can¡¯t abandon you either. I promised your parents I¡¯d protect you.¡±
Aria returned her smile as she wrapped her cloak around her shoulders. Draping her was a long, black and dark-blue colored hooded cloak. Its material resembled bird feathers and reached her legs. Her father gave it to her as a gift when she first got conscripted. ¡°I¡¯ll do everything in my power to protect everyone."
Even if it costs me my life.
The first thing Aria noticed when she opened her eyes was the sun. It had been a while since she last saw it. Her eyes had grown so used to being in the dark, she was surprised by the intensity. The second thing she noticed was that she was in a bed...
Jumping to her feet, she verified her clothes were still there. In fact, her gown looked not only repaired but now reached her ankles. Her legs and broken hand didn¡¯t hurt as badly, her hand was even wrapped with gauze. Around her was a bright white trench coat. The same one from last night.
So it wasn¡¯t a dream. She thought to herself. As Aria recalled everything that happened, she felt her body tremble as she covered her face with her hands. The memory of Mary still fresh in her mind. She felt her heart break as her final memory of Mary was in that cell. After everything that had happened, it finally set in that Aria was truly alone. Aria decided she needed to focus on figuring out what happened instead. She''d drive herself insane with grief if she didn''t do something. Looking at the nightstand, she noticed a small sheet of paper.
You had a fever. There''s a shower and some clothes on the dresser. I guessed your size so I may need to buy something better. I should be in the hall if you need me
Espoir
She almost laughed at his terrible handwriting. The words were crudely written in the center of the page, didn''t stay in the lines, and some of the letters were larger then others. It looked like a child wrote it. Looking at the clothes, Aria assumed they would fit. He also left some fresh bandages for her. For someone who tried to destroy the world, the Silver Grimoire was surprisingly kind.
This was probably the cleanest Aria had been in awhile. Between all the battles and her time as a prisoner, she had a newfound appreciation for something as simple as a shower. She was able to clean all of the dirt and dried blood off her. Her clothes were similar to what she¡¯d normally wear. It was simple white frilled blouse and a pair of grey pants.
Walking into the hall, Aria looked around to try and find Espoir. The inn''s hall was completely empty. As she sighed, the chair beside the door began to move on its own. Slightly startled, Aria jumped back. A boy with black-red hair slowly got up. He had been sleeping like a cat.
¡°Oh! You¡¯re awake.¡±
¡°D-do you always sleep like that?¡± She asked, amazed any human could find that comfortable.
It took Espoir a moment to register what she was talking about. Stretching for a moment, Espoir shrugged as he cracked his neck. ¡°It''s surprisingly comfortable, plus I figured you''d probably prefer not waking to a stranger in your room.¡±
Looking at the girl''s clothes, Espoir allowed himself a small smile. ¡°I had to guess your size. I hope they aren¡¯t uncomfortable on you.¡±
¡°No, they fit fine." Aria shook her head. "I¡¯m surprised you were able to buy them on short notice.¡±
¡°Buy?" Espoir raised an eyebrow. "I just transmuted some fabric I had around. I never made women''s clothes before so it was a little tricky to figure out. Still better than spending money though." Espoir explained, much to her bewildered reaction.
"Anyway, want some food?¡±
Espoir was amazed how much the soldier could eat! So far she¡¯d dragged him to over ten different food stalls. Much to his wallet''s displeasure¡ Then again he did say he would pay for it. Given she likely didn¡¯t eat much during her time as a prisoner, Espoir figured he could survive being slightly broke for a bit. If nothing else she seemed to be enjoying it.
Sitting on a nearby park bench, both of them had a crepe from a nearby vendor. Funny enough, the vendor had immigrated to Ashmore from Easenna. As Aria downed her crepe, Espoir could tell she had some things on her mind.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, by the way.¡± He said. His tone turned serious.
Aria turned to him, confused at the sudden apology. ¡°What for?¡±
¡°Well, Blackwell was found dead. Apparently he killed himself after he escaped." Espoir said solemnly. He shook his head before continuing. "I just assumed you''d been the one who wanted to do it. Besides that, I feel sorry for not arriving sooner. Maybe your friend wouldn¡¯t have died if I got there quicker..."
Aria leaned back on the bench. Of course she wanted to kill Blackwell. That man had assaulted, mutilated, and killed her best friend. She could still hear the sounds of Mary echoing through the hall. Blackwell had also personally tortured Aria, along with wanting to turn her into a grimoire user and do God knows what afterwards. To say she wanted him dead would be an understatement.
¡°I don¡¯t blame you. It was thanks to you that I¡¯m not in a cell right now." Or a grimoire user.
Aria still didn¡¯t know what to think of the Silver Grimoire. Despite everything he did for them, he still wished he did more? Turning her thoughts back to Blackwell, Aria felt slighted that he got away. ¡°Even in death he managed to avoid justice.¡± She mumbled.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Espoir looked back at the strange girl. ¡°Do you regret not killing him in the moment?¡±
Aria thought about it back then. It had been so tempting to kill him right there, instead she chose to find Mary. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was regret or simply dissatisfaction that he escaped her. Would she feel complete if she had killed him? ¡°Part of me wishes I did it when i had the chance, yeah.¡±
Espoir hummed in thought for a moment. ¡°This is my personal belief, but I don¡¯t know if revenge would have been worth it.¡± Aria looked at Espoir as he stared off at the horizon, he had a neutral expression as if he was thinking about something else. ¡°Looking back it''s easy to wish it played out perfectly, but I think giving that girl her final moments with someone she loved is something special. Some people go their entire lives regretting not being there for someone they cherish. Revenge on Blackwell might feel right and very much deserved. But if you chose revenge and she died... That''s the kind of thing you regret for the rest of your life. I guess what I''m saying is that I think you made the right call. If nothing else because you got more time with her right?"
Aria couldn¡¯t argue against that. If she had chosen to kill Blackwell and Mary died without a proper goodbye, she wouldn¡¯t forgive herself. Even now it felt surreal that someone she grew up with and was beside her all her life was now gone.
¡°So who are you exactly? I keep mentally referring to you as ¡®soldier¡¯ and ¡®blue haired girl I gave my coat to." Espoir chuckled.
Aria''s eyes widened. She had forgotten Espoir had no idea who she was outside being a solider for Easenna. After everything that had happened, Aria figured she could be honest with who she was. ¡°Aria of House Corvo.¡± She replied. She had said that exact phrase countless times now.
Espoir raised an eyebrow. ¡°Corvo? As in that Corvo.¡±
¡°Correct.¡± The blue-haired girl lowered her gaze. Being from a now infamous family, Aria understood that most people would react to her name either shock or scorn. Especially in the nation she fought against. Even before the war, she was used to people to having an interest in her for her family''s status and history. Unexpectedly, Espoirs eyes lit up excitedly at the news.
¡°No way! Now I feel a bit silly being so casual with a noble!¡± He laughed, either unaware of the implications or just not caring.
Is he mentally well?!
First he¡¯d done all of this for her, now he isn''t phased about who she is?! Most of this country would want to see her head on a pike! Even if he was the Silver Grimoire, why would he react to her with interest? If anything her obligation as a swordswoman would be to kill him since he''s a grimoire user! The Silver Grimoire. Among the many questions she had for him, one stuck out the most. ¡°Why did you help me? No. Why are you still helping me?!¡±
¡°Because you needed help?¡± Espoir said bluntly, like that was obvious.
Aria jumped to her feet. ¡°But why do all of this for a complete stranger?! You must have some reason!¡±
No rational person, Silver Grimoire or otherwise would do all this without some kind of reason. Maybe he wanted information. He might¡¯ve recognized her family this whole time and was playing dumb to trick her. It''s not like there are a a lot of soldiers from Easenna who have blue hair and green eyes! Hell, I¡¯d even accept it if he said he was after me for my body! Any reason would make sense!
Thinking for a moment, Espoir shrugged. "I got nothing."
Aria glared at him, unwilling to accept his answer. Raising his hands up defensively Espoir scooted away slightly. ¡°Honest! I got word of a grimoire user posing as a priest in the area. it just so happened that I showed up when he was with you.¡±
¡°I couldn¡¯t... No, I didn¡¯t ask for help though!¡± Aria hated to admit it but in the moment she had wished someone would save her. The fear she felt, the desperation. It felt convenient that something as mythical as the Silver Grimoire would just so happen to arrive in her time of need.
¡°You had a look in your eyes that screamed you needed help.¡± He finally admitted.
Aria looked at the grimoire user trying to get a read on him. She returned to bench as Espoir continued his explanation.
¡°I hate that I recognized it is all... That helpless feeling of being trapped, never knowing if you¡¯ll one day be free or if you just have to live in hell forever. Feeling as if dying right then and there would be mercy.¡± The grimoire user had a sad smile on his face, seemingly recalling something. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m talking about someone else! My life''s relatively simple compared to others. To tell you the truth, I do find it interesting that you¡¯re from such a revered family. But I''d have done the same for any person regardless of their nation or standing. Nobody deserves to live like that."
Seeing the sincerity on his face, Aria wondered just what kind of life the Silver Grimoire had lived.
¡°That grimoire of yours, is it really the one from the story?¡± She asked.
Espoir nodded as he rematerialized his grimoire. Its pages still looked the same as Aria remembered it last night. ¡°Yup.¡±
"You don''t look that old..."
"I''m eighteen!" Espoir snapped. Clearly annoyed by the comment. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s not all that impressive. I could get a child to use it with enough time.¡± Aria watched the book with interest before he dematerialized it.
¡°Then why hunt other grimoires? Aren¡¯t they like you?" Aria found it odd that someone her age had that book. More curiously, why did he hunt grimoire users when they''d likely ally with him just knowing he had the Silver Grimoire.
¡°That¡¯s a bit complicated.¡± He said. Noticing the expectant look in her eyes, Espoir realized she wanted him to elaborate. ¡°I¡¯m going to assume you know a bit about grimoires given your history.¡±
Aria nodded. ¡°They¡¯re created when someone turns their back on humanity and willingly accepts an Eldritch into them.¡± She recalled learning about them during her studies in the military. Swordsmen of Easenna are all taught about grimoires as a precaution and to use lethal force if they come across them. Eldritch were different, only the highest military personnel could be authorized to handle them. Outside of her father and some of the other great families, Aria didn''t know anyone else capable of handling them. Last night had been her first time encountering one.
¡°Throughout the continent, there''s been an increase in sightings of grimoires alongside more Eldritch attacks. It just so happens that most of them are located in Albion. Anyway, I travel to search and prevent them from hurting people. Ironically the ¡®book that destroyed the world¡¯ is the perfect counter to them.¡± Espoir laughed. "I had hoped to find out how Blackwell got his grimoire. He had no history of using magic so I think someone may have given it to him and wanted him to make more."
¡°You¡¯re a kind person.¡± Aria said without thinking. Unlike me.
¡°Huh?¡± Espoir''s eyes widened. He was caught off guard by the comment.
¡°You live your life saving all kinds of people.¡± Aria couldn''t help but envy it. A soldiers job was to defend and kill for their countries interests. Even if you''re fighting for your people, you''re expected to kill without fail. Unlike her, Espoir had no obligations and had freedom to help anyone wanted.
¡°I wouldn''t envy my life. I still experience my share of suffering." Espoir said. "What are you planning to do now?¡±
Aria sat in silence. If she tried to return to her country she¡¯d either be recaptured or executed for treason by their current government. She could flee to another country, but then what? She had no connections, no idea if any of her family was still alive, nothing. Albion was a large country but what would happen if someone in the military recognized her? Would they want her to stand trial? Kill her on sight? They may try to sell her off again.
¡°I have no idea what I should do.¡± She admitted. ¡°I can¡¯t return to my homeland. I have no information on where my family is, that¡¯s if they aren¡¯t dead.¡± Aria tensed up at the thought that she might be the only one left. Last she heard, her remaining family were fleeing to a neighboring country, but that was over a year ago. If they got caught they¡¯d have been executed by now.
¡°So this is how it feels.¡± The Silver Grimoire closed his eyes before letting out a soft laugh. ¡°Well. I can¡¯t just leave you out to dry.¡±
Aria looked at him in confusion as Espoir got up. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d be happy to pay for wherever you want to leave to. But if you have no idea what to do, you can always come with me.¡±
Aria¡¯s looked at the Silver Grimoire in disbelief. We¡¯ve barely known each other for less than a day and he¡¯s offering me to come with him?! "Are you insane?¡±
¡°Not clinically speaking.¡±
As she struggled to form a response, Espoir stretched his arms up. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee anything, of course. But there¡¯s a non-zero chance I¡¯ll stumble across something related to your family. I travel around a lot so it''s not impossible.¡± Glancing back at Aria, Espoir could tell she wasn¡¯t prepared for his offer. Naturally anybody would be caught off guard by someone they just met offering to travel with them.
¡°I understand not wanting to accept that kind of offer from a stranger though! We¡¯ve barely known each other for an afternoon. I get it if you don''t want that either.¡± He added quickly.
Aria thought back to when she first learned she was going to join the war. Her father naturally objected to the decision, however, of his five children she was one of the three to be skilled with a sword. along with being the only one of his daughters with any interest in swordsmanship. In the end, Aria''s father allowed her to join the military. That strange calling welled inside her with Espoirs offer.
Aria was naturally distrustful of him, of course. He was a grimoire user, the Silver Grimoire no less. She couldn''t trust him completely. ¡°I don¡¯t understand you. I have nothing I can offer you besides my sword.¡± Given both her dominant hand and her legs were currently damaged, Aria couldn¡¯t properly fight right either. Espoir must''ve noticed that since he applied first aid to her.
Espoir shook his head slightly before getting up. ¡°I told you, didn''t I? I don¡¯t really care about all that. Plus I feel somewhat responsible. You and your companion were unwillingly dragged into this mess with grimoires and Eldritch. I can''t just do nothing.¡±
Aria thought about Mary, her father, the rest of her family, and even her country. She wondered how they¡¯d feel hearing that she agreed to travel with the Silver Grimoire. Would they understand that decision? Would they feel betrayed? If any of her family was still out there, would the news even reach them?
Regardless of her uncertainty around Espoir, Aria knew her answer. Her nation was destroyed because they were blamed for the Eldritch. Aria knew that was untrue and there must have been another reason behind the war. Maybe following Espoir would lead her to that truth. It''s not like she had that many options.
¡°I¡¯ll do my best to assist you in your fight.¡± Aria swore. Espoir seemed surprised by her answer, almost like it never occurred to him she''d actually accept it. Despite being caught off guard, he had a small but content smile. ¡°I¡¯ll do everything in my power to help you find your family.¡±
Chapter 5: Hijack (1)
¡°Last call for Arkham.¡± A female voice said over the intercom.
Rushing through the station, a person in a white long coat was weaving through the crowd of people. Screeching to a halt, Espoir made it to the right terminal.
¡°We should have left earlier¡¡± Aria said, catching her breath. She was wearing a shoulder-length black hooded cloak accented with silver around the trim of the hood. Underneath she had on a white blouse with black suspenders and navy skirt with dark leggings. Espoir had misread the time they were supposed to leave Ashmore, so they had rushed across the city.
The booth operator eyed the duo before sighing. ¡°You¡¯re lucky the ship hasn¡¯t left yet. Please show up earlier next time.¡± Punching their tickets, She opened the gate for them. ¡°Enjoy your trip to Arkham.¡±
Walking to the boarding platform Espoir let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to sneak on again.¡±
¡°For a grimoire user, you don¡¯t do a good job hiding yourself.¡± Aria said bluntly.
¡°I don¡¯t hide.¡± He countered. ¡°Plus It¡¯s not my fault their fives look like eights¡¡± Espoir mumbled.
Their destination, Arkham, is the largest city in Albion. Espoir has a contact there that could point them in the direction of Aria''s family. Espoir also uses them for information regarding grimoire users and Eldritch sightings. His associate was the one who sent him to Ashmore in the first place.
Walking onto the platform, a large behemoth composed of metal and dark wood towered over them. The multi-story ship had large metal propellers strutting out of its side wings. A large black propeller was connected to the back of the ship.
Aria stared at the airship with fascination. Espoir looked over, seeing her reaction. In the short time he¡¯d known her, this was the first time he¡¯d seen her eyes that lively. He only recalled how dull and darkened they¡¯d been when they first met. Seeing them filled with that kind of wonder was a stark contrast.
Her country is also smaller than Albion. It makes sense this would be her first time seeing something like this. Easenna primarily used trains and ferries for travel, so air travel must be different for Aria.
Air travel was used in Albion due to the country''s size and being low cost. Albion also used ships and trains, but those were mostly for commercial transport.
¡°How come the propellers are disconnected?¡± Aria asked, as they walked towards the deck. ¡°They must have a fuel source of some kind, even Magic requires a cost. Yet, they seemed to turn on their own.¡±
¡°They run on their own." Espoir answered. ¡°Each set of propellers has a series of gears connecting them. A large center gear turns a series of smaller ones. The small gears then slowly cause the middle gear to move in a circle. It works like how the sun pulls the planets. Technically, these gears would go on forever, which is why they start and stop using chroma shards as a source.¡± Espoir only knew this information because his master made him learn about it as a kid.
As the ship prepared to take off, Espoir felt a pair of eyes watching him. Looking over his shoulder, he didn''t see anyone. He didn¡¯t sense any magic activating near him either. Weird.
Espoir hummed in thought. He figured it would take around two days to go from the eastern province back to Arkham. That meant he would be stuck on this ship for the time being. As the realization set in Espoir groaned in annoyance. "This is going to suck."
If there was one thing Espoir hated, it was being bored.
Espoir had no idea how he was going to occupy himself. Over the past few hours he¡¯d explored the entire ship, twice. He also almost fought the ships guards, twice. Although one of the times was because the guards asked if he was a lost child... Fortunately, Aria literally dragged him away before he got them into more trouble.
Standing on the main deck, he looked over the darkening landscape. The sun just over the horizon. Colors of pink and orange filled the sky. Espoir found it pleasant to watch from this high up. I''d try making a new Spell to pass the time but I''m afraid it''ll interfere with the ship.
¡°Stick to the plan.¡± Someone said. Hiding behind a nearby corner, Espoir decided to eavesdrop, considering he had nothing else to do.
¡°Once everyone gathers in the dining hall, we¡¯ll make our move. There should be enough rich people to make this worthwhile.¡± Someone else said.
¡°If nothing else, we¡¯ll leave the rest to Simon. Should be a good haul.¡± The other guy said. ¡°Killing them early might make the group obedient. But the boss says to avoid it, never know if there''s any military riding.¡±
¡°So my hunch wasn¡¯t wrong.¡± Espoir did feel someone eyeing him back at the station. Whatever they were planning, the group had at least three members, possibly more. Placing his palm on the wooden hull, the wood began to bend back before turning into a perfect sphere. Taking it, Espoir threw it into the air and smashed a nearby window.
¡°What the hell was that?!¡±
Espoir quickly ran off in their confusion. I don¡¯t need anyone getting hurt. He needed to make a plan. On the bright side, I have something to do now!
¡°So some people are going to try and rob the ship?¡± Aria asked, not phased by anything Espoir told her. They were sitting in a spacious dining hall. Alongside them was the of passengers eating their dinner. ¡°I don¡¯t see why you¡¯d want to involve yourself. The ship has guards.¡±
Espoir sighed as he tilted back in his chair. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to be involved, I just don¡¯t want people in danger if I can help it. I doubt the guards could handle a group of robbers on short notice. They obviously planned this out so they''d have accounted for them. Seeing as they mentioned not expecting the military, I imagine they researched most of the people on board before coming here.¡±
Aria gave him an incredulous look. ¡°I thought you said you only do stuff related to grimoires and Eldritch?¡±
¡°I said I ¡®specialized¡¯ in them. I do other stuff from time to time.¡± He clarified. ¡°Plus, I don¡¯t want anyone dying if these people decide they want to kill them for whatever they¡¯re robbing.¡±
¡°What can I do to help?¡± Aria asked. Espoir didn''t expect Aria to actually help him with this. Truthfully, he hadn¡¯t thought of a way to find the robbers. He only knew what they were doing. ¡°I guess we wait.¡±
Aria shot him an annoyed look. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what the guys you overheard look like? We could get them right now.¡± Aria assumed he saw something that might point them in the right direction.
¡°I didn¡¯t see them!¡± Espoir exclaimed. ¡°They said they would strike in the dining hall so we could just wait them out here. Not like we''ll miss them. I am open to suggestions.¡±
Aria thought for a moment. They had no descriptions, no information besides the fact that three or so people mentioned robbing the ship, and no way of finding them. ¡°All we can do is wait.¡± As soon as Aria said that, a loud crash filled the room.
¡°What was tha-¡± Suddenly, Espoir felt his hand slam into the table. Looking over it he saw the rest of the dining hall fall onto the floor, unable to move.
My body feels heavy. Like a huge weight is crushing me... The entire hall was rendered immobile as they fell to the floor. Panic and confusion set in for the rest of the passengers as they all started yelling.
¡°Espoir?¡±
¡°I¡¯m working on it.¡± He said through his teeth. He didn¡¯t want to activate his grimoire for this, it would only draw more attention to them. He''d need to find the source of whatever Spell that was doing this.
¡°Ladies and gentlemen, do not be alarmed!¡± A group of robbers stood at the center of the hall. One was a man with short messy blonde hair. He was wearing a simple white button up, suspenders, and black trousers. He had a short curved sword strapped to his back. To his side, a shorter man with circular glasses, neatly combed hair glanced at the room. Between them was a tall, brutish looking man wearing a beige cloak over a black tank top. He had a patchy brown beard with his shaved hair pulled back into a wolf-tail. His body was littered with scars, one of the most prominent was a slash along his check.
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¡°As long as you cooperate you won''t be harmed.¡± The middle-one said with a cocky smile.
Espoir used his aura on his arms to brute-force his way through the gravity. Reaching into his breast pocket, Espoir dropped a piece of chalk. The chalk fell normally, confirming his suspicions. So the ability is limited to people. This made some sense since if it affected the ship then they¡¯d all be dead soon. Closing his eyes, Espoir attempted to think up a solution.
Whoever''s doing this had made his partners unaffected by the ability. Espoir could visualize them walking around normally while the rest of the hall was immobile. He could feel something above them emitting a constant wave of aura. So the Spell needs to remain active as part of his condition! The conditions probably required him to be above us to activate. He could be burning through his aura to target the entire room. Espoir assumed it was the former. Wasting that much aura without a proper condition was suicide.
The fundamental law of magic is the rule of cost and conditions.
Whether its using aura to enhance your strength, your speed, or reducing damage. You have to pay a cost to use it. Typically this is done with a mages aura reserves, but the cost can be anything as long as its equal to the effect granted. Aura is just an extension of a person''s magic used to power the body. Aura can be used on your body, create barriers, or used on weapons like swords.
All effects granted through aura are equal to the cost. Using aura to increase a blades strength to cut through something will reduce your aura reserves by the amount of aura applied. If someone is unable to properly pay the cost with their aura reserves they will suffer a rebound and be forced to use themselves as the cost. This is why magic users don''t keep their aura active all the time and opt to use it in short bursts.
Spell Arts operate on the same principal. Spell Arts are the innate abilities a magic user has ingrained into their magic core. It is a fundamental part of a magic users self and those with a Spell Art can only have the one their born with. Not everyone who has magic gets a Spell Art. Spells are just a heightened ability they create from their Spell Arts ability. In general, the higher the cost of the Spell the stronger it is.
Magic users will create spells with harder conditons to offset the cost for a strong spell. A Spell that creates a fireball would either be very weak due to the simple condition or it would require a larger amount of aura to make it strong. A fireball that can only be used when an enemy is a meter from you will be have a lot more power with a lesser amount of aura required for it due to the strict conditions to activate it.
Even grimoires are bound by these laws. To an extent...
Glancing across the floor, he saw Aria struggling to move. Closing his eyes, Espoir placed a thin barrier over them. Feeling himself able to move normally, he knew he had to act fast before the intruders noticed. Thankfully Espoir and Aria were at the edge of the dining hall, so the robbers wouldn''t notice them right away.
¡°I¡¯m going to deal with the magic user above us.¡± Espoir said. Grabbing his chalk, he drew a small spell circle underneath the table. ¡°For the time being try to keep contact with the table, it¡¯ll keep the weight off you.¡±
¡°Wait? You¡¯re going by yourself?¡± Aria asked. She assumed it would be easier if they both went.
¡°You don¡¯t have a weapon.¡± He said, rather bluntly. ¡°Plus, I get the feeling they¡¯re not concerned with the passengers like that. I¡¯d rather you stay here in case things do go wrong.¡±
Aria wanted to argue against his plan. While Espoir seemed competent with fighting, considering he dispatched Blackwell and his men with relative ease, she didn¡¯t want to sit by and let him handle everything himself. ¡°I can¡¯t just do nothing!¡± Aria protested.
Espoir smiled reassuringly. ¡°You¡¯re not ''doing nothing!'' Once I dispatch the magic user, I imagine the other guys will be on guard and may try to attack the passengers. If that happens then I¡¯d rather you be here to protect them.¡±
Aria sighed in defeat, he was unfortunately right about her condition to fight. Begrudgingly, she would let him handle things above. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll keep an eye here.¡±
Espoir nodded before leaving. Aria glanced over to see the intruders addressing the rest of the passengers, she found herself alone.
¡°I hate being this useless.¡±
Espoir had used a cloaking spell allowed him blend in with his surroundings. It used a lot of aura, but he''d be fine as long as they didn''t sense it. Combined with using his aura to move with the increased gravity, his aura reserves were draining faster than he''d like.
Leaving the dining hall, Espoir deactivated the Spell and broke into a sprint towards the top floor. Rushing up the stairs, he eventually reached a cargo room. Standing in the middle, a man with dark brown hair parted by a pair long bangs glanced at Espoir nonchalantly. He was dressed in a black long coat, a black bodysuit, and dark pants with a gold chain.
Laying beside a crate, a bloody corpse of a guard was in a puddle of blood. Espoirs eyes widened. The guards head looked like it was caved in.
¡°Oh? I could¡¯ve sworn my ability would¡¯ve rendered everyone unable to move.¡± He said, his tone showed he was curious about his visitor. Noticing Espoir was looking towards the dead guard, the man rolled his eyes. ¡°Idiot tried to shoot me with his gun.¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t need to kill him. What the hell is your guy''s plan anyway? You want to rob an airship and then what? We¡¯re thousands of meters in the air, you can¡¯t get away.¡±
The guy let out a laugh. ¡°Escape? Who said we planned to go to Arkham? We¡¯re going to return to Ashmore. I already got someone else to take out the captain and redirect the ship.¡±
¡°Huh?¡± Espoir had expected him to want to go to Arkham. Considering most black market deals took place in the largest city in the nation. Cracking open the crate, the man threw a crystal at Espoir. It was a light-blue translucent crystal. Espoir felt it radiate in his hands. ¡°Chroma.¡±
Chroma was a special mineral found in the mountains of Albion and Easenna. It was a key source for the country''s infrastructure. Outside of its use as a power source, it was a powerful conductor for magic. Typically the powder made from it was used for weapons to give them elemental effects. Bullets, guns, and airships all used them, although it was reserved for the military.
¡°This ship has around a hundred crates of them. That alone is enough to set someone up for life if sold on the blackmarket.¡± The man explained. ¡°I am curious how you were able to leave the dining room so easily. My ability should¡¯ve render you immobile.¡± Simon was more surprised that anyone would move in that condition. Not only that, he knew his men would¡¯ve noticed someone leaving.
¡°I¡¯m very good at countering others'' magic.¡± Espoir shrugged, his eyes narrowed at the situation in front of him. ¡°Still, to kill a man just for some money is unnecessary.¡±
¡°He got in my way.¡± Simon replied coldly. He began to walk towards Espoir.
¡°Really? I¡¯d think killing someone cause you didn¡¯t want to get a job is a bit extreme.¡± Espoir smirked. Simon dashed at him, Espoir made a finger gun while jumping back. Shit, if I try to use any spell the whole ship might explode! Chroma is highly explosive. Espoir was going to have to stick with aura and transmutation for the moment.
Attempting to block Simon''s punch, Espoir coated his body with a light-grey aura before crossing his arms. To his shock, the man''s strike was absurdly powerful. Simon effortlessly shattered the aura and got a stomach punch with his other arm. It felt like a truck had slammed into Espoir.
Hitting him in the side of the head, Espoir was sent smashing through the wall, Simon¡¯s eyes widened as he was dragged along with Espoir. Noticing a wire around his arm, he realized Espoir must''ve attached it mid attack. Falling off the upper balcony. Espoir broke into a roll. They were now on the roof of the ship. The night sky surrounded them.
¡°I should probably avoid getting hit by him." Thankfully, the punch didn¡¯t break his arm because of his aura. He couldn''t take that many more hits from him though. ¡°Oh...¡±
To his surprise, Simon had jumped very high into the air. Being directly above him, the man came down fast.
CRASH
Diving to the side, Espoir narrowly avoided the stomp. Chunks of wood scattered into the wind. Running across the roof of the airship, Espoir realized he should make a plan. ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re going to kill me for calling you unemployed?! Working at a factory is a lot easier then making a hostage situation." He laughed despite fighting for his life.
¡°No. I¡¯m going to kill you for getting in my way.¡± He said matter-of-factly. Espoir placed his palm on a metal truss, creating a small wall between them. As the wall rose up, Espoir flipped himself over. Unsurprisingly, Simon punched through it with ease.
¡°You realize focusing on me only means you''re giving the people in the dining hall time to deal with the rest of your gang right?¡± Espoir struggled to put any more distance between them. He was at the end of the roof, there was a flat observation deck below him. "Hell, I forced you to deactivate that Spell of yours right? I assumed you needed to be above everyone to keep it active."
Simon paused for a moment before smiling. ¡°My boys are more then capable of dealing with some guards, you think a bunch of rich assholes are going to try and risk their lives for this ship? I am impressed that you realized that I had to be above the hall in order to adjust the conditions of my Spell.¡±
¡°Hah. I got a good set of eyes." Espoir was now trapped. He could jump but then he''d reduce his aura reserves even more and he would no longer be able to avoid Simon''s punches. He had no other choice but to fight him. I''m not using my grimoire on someone like this.
¡°Nowhere to run?¡± He taunted. Simon pulled his right arm back to wind up his punch. Before he attacked, the cool summer temperature began to drop absurdly fast. Both of them begun to see their breath. The night sky around them began to change. The usual dark blue turned into a distorted maroon-purple haze that filled the area surrounding them. With the misty fog surrounding them, they both felt something there. Like a predator stalking prey, Espoir felt a haunting pair of eyes in that abyss.
¡°What happened?¡± He heard Simon yell. Looking around them, Espoir understood their situation. This is bad. The ship was now trapped inside a rift with an Eldritch. An extremely dangerous one at that.
"Fuck."
Simon Blaire
Spell Art: Graviton
The user can both adjust the force of gravity surrounding themself. This allows them to increase the force of his attacks and change the gravitational pull of himself.
Spell: Gravity Surge
When the user is directly above an enclosed area, he can apply a force of up to 50kg on everyone below them. Both feet must be planted on the floor for this effect to activate. When [Gravity Surge] is active Simon cannot use his Spell Art on himself. Additionally, he can target specific people to be unaffected by the gravity. The Spell will deactivate when if he leaves the area above where the Spell is activated.
Chapter 6: Hijack (2)
Rifts.
A phenomenon that occurs when an Eldritch crosses over from the Abyss into the world. If both the Abyss and the world are two separate places, then a rift acts like a door between them. Rifts have a limit of around a week before the Eldritch is released. During that time the Eldritch cannot leave its rift as there''s a natural barrier around them that keeps the Eldritch trapped. Additionally, Rifts don''t operate on the same concepts of time and space that the regular world does. The world inside a rift can take practically any shape. A rift that forms in a desert can have the climate of a glacier, or anything imaginable. They are like an entire world within themself. Time inside a rift is also different. An hour in a rift can only be a few minutes in the regular world, in vice versa.
Ordinarily, an Eldritch is summoned into the world through a summoning ritual. These are usually done for the sole purpose of creating a grimoire. Additionally, the seal keeping the Eldritch in check can wear down over time and cause it to take over. Under these circumstances, an Eldritch can corrupt the grimoire user and use them to fully form. This happens due to the grimoire user overusing the Eldritch''s magic and being taken over. The other way is when they enter the world on their own. While all Eldritch comes from the Abyss, only some can create their own gateway into the world. The few that can are exceptionally dangerous.
Espoir wasn¡¯t nervous per se. He figured he could handle the Eldritch with relative ease. What he did not like was that he now had a time limit. Combined with the rogue mage that was trying to fight him, Espoir was not having a good day. But at least he wasn''t bored anymore. The worst part for him is that he couldn''t activate his grimoire without risking the Eldritch reacting to it and trying to attack the ship. While he could handle both individually, Espoir couldn''t fight an Eldritch and Simon at the same time.
"This might be a problem..."
Tossing a bloody guard to the side, a well-built man with scars smirked. His dark hair was pulled back into a rough ponytail. ¡°Seriously? I thought you guys would be a challenge!¡± The passengers were put to the side of the dining room as the intruders skimmed through their belongings. Aria begrudgingly went along with everything, rather than make a scene. Thankfully she didn¡¯t have anything of value so they ignored her. ¡°Tyler, you found anything?¡±
The man with glasses and a black bowl cut closed his eyes. Outside of jewelry and their wallets, the thieves seemed to be interested in the few items that were either made of chroma or had some kind of aura to them. Reopening his eyes, he pointed at a lady in the crowd with braided blonde hair. ¡°Her necklace.¡± Nodding, the brutish-looking man walked over to her. Aria could see her scared expression.
¡°No, please! It was a gift from my husband.¡± She pleaded. The man towered over her with an uncaring grin. The woman was on the verge of tears. ¡°He died in that war¡ This is the last thing he gave me before he left.¡±
¡°Good! Then he gave you your life today.¡± The man taunted as he pulled on the necklace. To the hall''s shock, the sound of a gun cocking silenced the thieves. A boy, no older than twelve, had a revolver aimed at the thief. He had short blonde hair and light brown eyes like his mom. ¡°Max, no!¡± His eyes had determination in them.
¡°Back away from my mom!¡± The thief only smirked as he slowly approached the boy, now centered in the hall. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re going to use that to save your mama?¡±
The boy''s hands trembled as he pointed it up at the man''s head. ¡°I promised my papa I¡¯d protect Mom no matter what. I-I won¡¯t let you hurt her!¡±
¡°Max, no it¡¯s fine. The necklace isn¡¯t worth it!¡± She said with a fake smile. Clearly afraid for her son.
"Oh?" The robber tossed the woman to the side before lighting a cigarette. He was amused by the child''s bravery. ¡°Max please!¡± The mother cried out. Aria clenched her fist in frustration, unsure on what to do. He wouldn¡¯t harm a child, right? Aria could only watch, she knew the moment she involved herself a fight would break out. Even with a few days of rest, she wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d be able to take down all three of them without knowing what they were capable of. She was also without a sword and couldn''t risk using her Spell Art with such a large crowd. For now all she could do is watch.
¡°Well go on then boy. If you¡¯re going to defend your mom, then you better not miss.¡± He taunted.
¡°Reeve, are you sure you want this? Killing a kid like this feels wrong.¡± The blonde one pointed out. The man named Reeve let out a small laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t think there''s much to be worried about. The little runt is practically pissing his pants!¡± Turning his attention back to the kid, he let out a puff of smoke. ¡°Well c''mon then! Did ya old man raise a coward?!¡±
BANG
As the revolver smoked on the floor, Max was left sitting from the recoil. To his surprise, the shot did nothing. A small hole was made in the left corner of the man''s cloak, the bullet should have gone through his heart, yet he stood there smiling. Throwing his clock off, a dark-metal mortar launcher was attached around his arm with a black brace. ¡°Not a bad kid. That almost killed me, shame you missed though. Next time, aim between the eyes.¡± He grinned.
The man calmly walked over. The boy frantically reached for the gun again only this time the man kicked it away. ¡°Now then, since your old man isn¡¯t here, let me give you a little lesson.¡± Reeve punched the kid in the stomach, sending him across the floor.
¡°Wait! He¡¯s just a boy!¡± His mom shouted, pleading for her sons life. As she got up to save him, the one with glasses who was near the large thief, aimed his rifle at her. ¡°We weren¡¯t going to be violent but your son did fire the first shot... Consider it self-defense.¡± He laughed.
¡°Oh God.¡± She cried. Reaching behind his back, Reeve pulled out a glowing red cannon ball. Chroma? Aria thought as she sensed the aura radiating off it. ¡°This is what a real man''s gun looks like, boy,¡± he said. As the kid''s eyes widened in shock, he found himself unable to move. ¡°Better hope I don¡¯t miss.¡±
¡°Someone please stop him!¡± The mom begged. The man closed one eye as he aimed his arm cannon at him. ¡°Maybe a trip to the afterlife will teach ya some manners.¡± Firing his arm cannon, the ball traveled soared the floor before creating a large explosion. The ship shook as smoke filled the room. Most of the onlookers averted their eyes, horrified by what they saw. Max¡¯s mom cried into her arms. Distraught. Reeve smirked as he walked towards her to collect his spoils. As he walked back, he came to a sudden stop. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted two figures on the other side of the hall.
¡°Huh?!¡± To the man''s surprise, the boy was alive. In front of him was a girl wearing a black cloak with silver accents. She looked at three men with disdain. Meanwhile, the child looked at Aria in wonder, amazed he was still alive.
Reeve''s eyes narrowed at the two of them. She must''ve grabbed him before the blast connected. He realized. ¡°Ha. So this is the best you guys have to offer? Women and children fighting for them while the men sit in the back cowering in fear!¡± Reeve laughed. To his surprise, the girl''s green eyes had an eerie calmness to them, like she had no fear of them. Reeve recalled Aria seemed unassuming when they first searched her for items. Thinking back; she complied and was unnaturally calm to being held at gunpoint. Reeve had a feeling this might be interesting.
¡°Go to your mother,¡± Aria ordered. The boy took a second to register the command before running towards the crowd. Noticing the rifle pointed towards them, Aria kicked a nearby chair up, blocking the chroma-enhanced bullet''s path. The plush dining chair exploded, scattering pieces of wood and plush across the hall. Max made it to his mother safely who pulled him into a tight hug.
I was lucky I made it in time. Aria analyzed the situation in front of her. Her green eyes narrowed at the trio. Despite outnumbering her, she didn''t feel too threatened by them. They aren¡¯t soldiers. A sword user, another one with a long-barrel rifle, seems he''s able to sense magic. Lastly, the large one with a mortar launcher...
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Aria figured she could dispatch the sword user with ease. The rifleman would only be a problem if she stayed still for too long or they all tried to fight her at once. The only one that was any danger was mortar launcher man, mostly due to the collateral damage he could cause with it. Aria thought about how she should handle them. She figured she could wound them so that they couldn''t harm any passengers. Aria didn''t like to kill people if she could help it. Would basic aura and combat be enough?
¡°Curtis, I¡¯ll let you handle the girl,¡± Reeve said, before taking a puff from his cigarette. He was impressed she managed to react to their shots. ¡°Tyler, keep an eye on the crowd. I don¡¯t want them getting any heroic ideas.¡± The glasses one nodded as he fired a warning shot into the ceiling. ¡°Man, why are you making me do your dirty work? I really hate to use my sword against a lady.¡± Curtis said with a confident smile on his face. "Try not to hold it over me too much, doll." Drawing his curved blade. A yellow aura surrounded its edge. As he rushed towards her, Aria gave him a quick glance. She had a good idea of the angle the sword would go.
As he slashed at her, Aria took a small step back, the blade barely grazed her sleeve. Aria sneaked in a kick to his chin as he missed. Recovering from the kick, the next thing he saw was Aria rushing towards him. Her non-bandaged hand glowing with a light-blue aura. Unable to dodge, Aria made an arc with her hand. From his collarbone to shoulder, she effortlessly cut through him like a sword. Blood shot out of him as his eyes widened. Her goal had been to disable his sword arm.
Pushing through the pain, Curtis tried to retaliate with another sword-swing, this time aimed at her body. However, Aria closed the distance between them and blocked his forearm with her own, making him unable to swing into her. Using her other hand, Aria pulled his arm forward, applying pressure to it. As Curtis tried to hit her off him, Aria kneed the back of his arm. Breaking it.
SNAP
A chilling noise echoed through the hall. It was followed immediately by a blood-curdling scream. The robber''s arm had been bent back to a sickening angle. Not sparing a second, Aria used her grounded foot to pivot back around and delivered a powerful kick to the chest. Sliding him across the floor, the swordsman''s eyes were whitened, and saliva spilled out of his mouth. He was left unconscious.
Glancing at the fallen sword, Aria decided to reach for it. I¡¯d prefer something I''m familiar with, like a saber or a rapier. Her eyes widened as the mortar launcher fired at the sword. The ship shook from the resulting explosion. Luckily, Aria quickly jumped to the side, avoiding the explosion. She covered her eyes using her sleeve as smoke filled the hall. As the smoke cleared, the curved sword was now a charred mess on the floor. Completely unusable to her.
¡°Shoulda brought your own.¡± The man clicked his tongue mockingly. "Breaking my man''s arm over some brat seems a bit much.¡±
¡°I''d say he''s lucky to only receive a broken arm." Aria countered. "Anyone who''d use those kinds of weapons against civilians is lucky to be left alive." The former soldier''s eyes focused on the two men in front of her. While the larger one physically might be strong, he wasn''t any different than the soldiers she defeated in the past. Unlike them, he didn''t seem formally trained and didn''t seem to have any magic either. Aria assumed he used his arm cannon to compensate.
"Oh? Do you think you could kill us? You didn''t even bring your own weapon!" He laughed at her. "How could a little girl like you kill me?"
"I do not require a weapon to defeat you,¡± Aria replied, her tone making it apparent she knew she would win. "A weapon is only a tool. It''s the person who gives it strength." Advice her father drilled into her. She could practically hear him lecturing her.
"Listen Aria, A blade is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Any fool can learn to hold a sword and even dumber people can use a gun! You take them away and they''re useless! In a real fight, you lose weapons, they break, and even magic can run out. A lesser fighter would be at a disadvantage. But with a little imagination, anything can become a weapon. Even a person can make themselves just as deadly as a weapon."
Picking up a splintered piece of the chair, it was sharpened to a point at the end, almost like a sword. A little imagination and this chair-leg could be like a sword... Taking a deep breath, Aria prepared for the next fight. Reeve went to load his mortar launcher with a yellow cannonball made of chroma, knowing he''d be the one to fight her. To his surprise, Aria had appeared right in front of him. She somehow closed the distance of half a ballroom in a few seconds.
She¡¯s fast!
Barely able to react to her, Reeve stepped back and tried to swat her with the back of his fist. Aria effortlessly sidestepped him and got a quick back-kick to his jaw. As Reeve aimed his launcher at her, Aria quickly placed her bandaged hand on the barrel to push it away from herself. Being just out of its line of fire, she attempted to slice him across the eyes using her makeshift blade. Reeve instinctively raised his free hand up to protect himself. Aria had left a deep cut across his palm, almost like she used a blade.
Aria used his chest to flip herself back, kicking Reeve in the chin mid-flip. As he staggered back, Reeve attempted to fire at her point-blank. A yellow-orange hue filled the insides of the launcher. In response, the makeshift blade Aria was wielding glowed around its edges with her aura. With a cocky smirk, Reeve pressed down on the trigger, ready for a showdown. Only nothing happened. What?!
Looking down, it registered to him that Aria had sliced the launcher in half without him seeing it. Not only was the mortar launcher cut in two, but she had sliced his fingers and half of his hand off in a fluid motion. With pieces of metal and fingers falling to the floor, he screamed out in pain. Now enraged, Reeve put all his force into his other hand as he went to punch her. Tossing the piece of wood up, Aria jumped up and pulled him back by his ponytail before slamming her fist into his nose, breaking it. Reeling from the blow, Aria then somersaulted off him, catching her blade on the way down. She applied her aura to it again before continuing to attack, Aria hit him with a long barrage of slashes to the torso. Crying out in pain, Reeve was unable to block as Aria used the chair-piece to slice into him. While not lethal, a series of cuts began lining his body, causing him to bleed. When she was finished, the piece of wood was reduced to nothing but wood chips. The man fell to the floor with a puddle of blood formed around him. Only one left.
¡°Reeve!¡± The one with glasses called out as he went to shoot Aria in the head. The barrel of the rifle was a meter away from her face. Pressing down on the trigger, the onlooking passengers covered their ears as a loud bang echoed through the hall. To Tyler''s shock, he somehow missed!
Aria had flipped herself up on the rifle barrel to avoid it. Doing a one-handed handstand, the rifleman only had enough time to register her position before she swiftly kicked his head onto the floor. As he was smashed onto his back, Aria used the back of the rifle to break her fall. Slamming it into his face, she landed over top of it, smashing the tiles below. Underneath a mixture of broken glasses, flooring, and shards of teeth. He was left broken and unmoving.
Tossing the gun to the side, Aria glanced at the three men. While she had managed to prevent any casualties. She, unfortunately, now had a crowd of people watching her. I failed at keeping a low profile... She thought to herself. Despite everything telling her to lay low, Aria couldn¡¯t let that child die. She didn''t regret her decision to fight them, but she didn''t want all the attention. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the large thief beginning to stir. ¡°You¡¯d be wise to stay down,¡± Aria warned. Her tone made it clear he would not receive mercy if he tried again. As Reeve got up, a vein popped up on the side of his head in anger. His wounds dripped on the floor below.
¡°Arrogant bitch. You think just because you learned some moves and use some aura you can look down on us?!¡± Aria was surprised he could close the distance between them while damaged. As she dodged his swings, Aria found herself slowly being cornered. As Reeve attempted to punch her in the stomach, Aria used her good hand to narrowly guide his arm away from herself. Gradually being pressed to a nearby wall, she winced as a sharp pain shot up her ankle.
I''ve overused my aura trying keep up with the pain... This could get dangerous if I get hit by him. I need to end it right now. ¡°Nowhere to run?¡± His next punch was aimed at her skull. As he collided with the wall, a small crater formed around his fist. Aria had ducked under and dodged to the side to avoid it. Her hood came down, revealing her blue hair. As Reeve aimed for her again, Aria closed her eyes momentarily, his fist centimeters away from her face.
I won¡¯t kill him. Even though he probably deserves it, this is not my homeland. I''ll let his countrymen decide what to do with him
The fight was over in an instant. Reeve''s arm had been sliced clean off. A freshly made X-shaped slash crossed his chest; while deep, it was just enough to avoid killing him. Aria had decided to leave him almost dead for trying to kill that boy. He fell face-first into the wall behind her. Aria saw he was still breathing, albeit barely.
Falling to one knee, Aria let out a sigh of relief. She had been using her aura to reinforce her legs all day. Between recovery and this fight, her aura reserves were starting to reach their limit. Looking over, the rest of the guards, along with the passengers started detaining the other thieves. She could overhear one of the guards mentioning another one in the control room. Off to the side of the dining hall, Aria saw the boy she saved hugging his mom. Both of them were crying in each other''s arms.
Aria felt happy. She saved someone''s life tonight. Aria silently wondered if this was typical of what Espoir does in his travels. This isn''t the worst feeling.
Chapte 7: Hijack (3)
This is the worst!
Espoir narrowly avoided another heavy blow from Simon. His fist shattered the wood paneling of the observation deck. As Espoir stepped back, he could sense the Eldritch lurking near the ship. "Listen! I genuinely do not care about whatever reason you have for wanting to rob the ship. We are in a rift. There is an Eldritch that doesn''t care whether we''re rich or poor. It will kill us."
"So?"
Espoir paused, as Simon went to punch him in the face. Rather then dodge like he had been, Espoir ran towards Simon Something''s off about this. Simon thought to himself. He felt his entire demeanor had changed. Espoir effortlessly parried the punch with his forearm and countered with his own strike to the face. Blood dripped down Simon''s face. "So I''ve been wasting my time. If you''re content damning everyone on the ship then it can''t be helped. I''ll stop using reason and wrap this up."
Had he not been taking me seriously? Simon thought to himself. Espoir''s speed increased. His body glowed green as he activated [Accelerate] on himself. Simon tried to counter his approach with a gravity-enhanced side strike, only to have his hand collide with Espoir''s palm. Unlike before, sparks appeared as Espoir covered his hand in aura. To his shock, Simon''s had recoiled back towards him.
What was that?!
During the recoil, Espoir kneed him in the chin. While rising, Espoir planted his hand on the man''s shirt. Appearing on the back his palm was a blue downward facing triangle ?? "Cerulean Edge." A circle of water formed around his hand in the shape of a spell circle, once the shape fully formed it cascaded the man in a small barrage of slashes. The attacks cut down to the floor of the deck in an indiscriminate path. As Simon tried to retaliate with a gravity-enhanced punch, Espoir punched him in the chest.
Snapping his fingers, the blood coming from Simon began to whirlpool around him. Espoirs hand-symbol turned from blue to red. "Ros¨¨ Edge." A spiral of blood formed around Simon. The vortex cut through everything before dissipating quickly. Espoir had a neutral look on his face as Simon was still standing. His clothes were torn and he had blood dripping from shallow slashes. "Hah. So you''re taking me seriously now?" Simon scoffed, trying to recover from the attack. On instinct, he used his own aura to protect his body from the barrage. What would''ve torn him completely only scratched him. He took off his coat revealing a black tank top and his muscular arms.
"You realize letting the Eldritch destroy everyone will also kill you and your friends right?" Espoir couldn''t understand him. He wanted a comfortable life, yet he seemed content to risk everyone''s lives for his own benefit. Was he stupid, arrogant, or truly that uncaring towards others? "With an ability like yours, why not join the military? You know they give State Mages a salary right?"
Simon scoffed. "You think I didn''t try that?! I got rejected and told my ability ''had no use'' to them."
"So you''re robbing this ship out of spite?" He cocked an eyebrow. Simon paused at Espoirs words. His gang came up with this plan to rob the ship and sell the shipments of chroma to the black market. After living in poverty for so long, they started committing crimes to make it by. The final straw was Simon being rejected by the military. It¡¯s not like they are overstaffed with members, mages with strong abilities were in high demand, yet they rejected Simon. Turning to a life of crime felt like the only option when trying to be honest failed.
Class.
That was the reason he was ignored by the military. He wasn¡¯t from a noble family. He didn¡¯t have military connections. They took one look at him, saw he was from the slums, and decided that was it. It didn¡¯t matter if he had a Spell Art. It didn¡¯t matter that he had taught himself how to use aura or amplify his ability. He even developed his own Spells, something that some state mages couldn''t do. None of that matters if my social standing is low.
As these thoughts went through Simon''s head, the Eldritch slammed into the side of the ship. Despite not having a good look at it, Espoir saw the Eldritch had a pair of massive wings and a ''body'' that extended almost infinitely into the void below. Its face that resembled a skull with moving tentacles draping its front. As the two went overboard, Espoir used his aura to amplify his strength and stabbed his dagger into the side of the ship to keep himself from falling. At the end of was a small metal wire that he kept hold of. As Espoir''s wire tightened, he bounced slightly from the inertia but stopped his decent. Looking down, Espoir saw Simon free falling into the void below. While he could''ve risked his life to save him, Espoir decided to save himself. Simon had tried to kill him and was fine letting everyone else on the ship die. Espoir wouldn''t risk his life for someone like that when the people on board needed help.
As Simon fell into the unknown, he had a horrified expression on his face before something that resembled contentment. Espoir didn¡¯t see him as a particularly evil person, rather a victim of circumstance. Espoir had felt some sympathy for him and his friends. Despite them fighting, Espoir felt nobody deserves to die like that. Maybe he''ll survive and become a better person. In truth, Espoir had no idea what would happen if you fell into a rift like that. All he could do was hope he''d survive and change for the better.
Pulling himself back onto the deck. Espoir glared at the Eldritch''s silhouette. Espoir extended his hand outward. ¡°Appear! my Grimoire between light and darkness!¡± The Silver Grimoire materialized in his hand. Espoir quickly flipped the book''s pages desperately trying to find a way to analyze and break the rift. He didn''t see any other option since the Eldritch was too far away to weaken. The best-case scenario would be to break the ship out of the rift and hope the Eldritch was stuck here for a time.
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¡°Espoir,¡± Aria called out as she ran to the deck. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Aria saw something in the fog. It looked like a pair of ominous purplish eyes was stalking them like prey.
¡°Oh hey Aria. Long story short we¡¯re now in a rift and that dragon-looking thing wants us dead.¡± Espoir said, almost a little too casually. "That won''t help..."
¡°Wait. What?¡±
Looking up, Espoir¡¯s eyes narrowed. He could see a black-purple ball of energy forming in the darkness. Espoir could sense the magic inside the ball. It was unsettling and unnatural and above anything else, VERY dangerous. ¡°That¡¯s really bad.¡±
¡°Can you please elaborate?¡± Aria asked, annoyed by his usual cryptic talk. Espoir hummed in thought, not sure how to describe it. ¡°So you know how everything is considered matter, right? Solid, liquid, gas, that sort of thing?¡±
¡°Yeah?¡± Aria wasn¡¯t sure where he was going with this. ¡°Well, ''that'' is the exact opposite.¡± Espoir said, as if that made sense. His grimoire disappeared as he quickly started drawing a circle in chalk. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s kinda impressive that an Eldritch, which typically are solid when they fully form, can somehow create antimatter. You''d think it would destroy itself doing that. Under normal circumstances, I''d love to deconstruct how it does that because that''s pretty interesting."
Aria glared at him before realizing what he had said. ¡°What do you mean antimatter? Is it going to try to hit us with¡whatever that is?!¡±
¡°Technically I don¡¯t think it can hit us since it can''t be soli-.¡± Judging by Aria''s face, Espoir realized this was not the time for jokes. ¡°If that connects we will cease to exist. The bright side is that it''ll be completely painless. I think.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you use your grimoire to seal it like you did Blackwell?¡± Aria assumed something as mythical as the Silver Grimoire could handle this. He was the Silver Grimoire, he must be able to do something! Espoir sighed in frustration. He wasn¡¯t able to break through the rift in time. ¡°I only seal Eldritch when they¡¯re weak enough that I can safely deconstruct them. Like humans, Eldritch have a magic core, which is how I seal them into my book." Seeing that they were running out of time, Espoir''s mind raced for a solution.
¡±I don¡¯t try to seal them in a perfect state because... well I¡¯m not really sure what would happen." Espoir¡¯s eyes widened. He might have a way to save everyone. Rematerializing the Silver Grimoire, a silver crescent moon ? formed on the back of Espoir''s hand. Unlike his other symbols, a series of bright stars decorated Espoirs fingers and hand as well. "For the record, if this doesn''t work, please don''t curse me in the afterlife. I''d feel bad knowing you just agreed to join me and died as soon as you started following me." Espoir said with a small smile.
"...No promises."
All magic had costs and conditions to them. The Silver Grimoire was no exception. The Spell Espoir used to seal Eldritch required aura to use it. With a higher cost, Espoir could make it stronger. If Espoir were to use all his remaining aura for this one attack and it collided with the Eldritch, it might seal the Eldritch the same way it does on a weakened one. The worst case was it didn''t and they were dead anyway.
As the Eldritch released the attack, a ball of pure darkness mixed with the hazy purple fog of the surrounding void casted a massive shadow over the airship. Holding his hand out, a silver spell circle formed around the base of his palm. At the center of the circle was a glowing crescent moon. As the unholy mass was about to reach the ship, Espoir closed his eyes before reopening them determined.
Ataraxia
Espoir fired a single shot of light into the darkness. As the beam of light went into the much larger ball of darkness, an explosion shook the rift. What came next is unknown. Just that brightness filled the void, fading everything into white.
...
Did it work? I''m not dead, right? Espoir wondered as he slowly opened his eyes. His question was answered as he felt the rebound of his Spell.
"AH!"
Coughing out blood, Espoir had blood pouring from his eyes and mouth. He fell to the deck as a burning sensation filled his chest. Shit! I overextended my aura reserves! He was fortunate he didn''t die from underpaying the cost. Mages sometimes killed themselves as a result of being unable to pay the cost of a Spell. They''re bodies would burn themselves out trying to fuel the Spell. Magic cannot be cheated.
Rolling onto his back, Espoir decided he didn''t want to move for the rest of the day, or year. Staring up, Espoir gazed at the beauty of the night sky. While his grimoire resembled it, Espoir found the genuine article better. Thinking about it, it had been a good while since he truly looked it like this. The more things change the more they stay the same huh? Espoir thought numbly before smiling. I couldn''t die here, not when there''s still so much to do...
Noticing that Aria was recovering from the light show, it started to sink in how lucky it was that the Eldritch had been destroyed. Espoir began laughing. ¡°BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA! I had no clue if that would work or not!¡± He laughed. The Easennian swordswoman watched him, slightly startled by the strange man. He¡¯s definitely insane. Calming himself down, a mixture of red and clear tears brimmed his eyes. Espoir slowly shifted to a sitting position, his body still hurt like hell. ¡°Ha. I hope you aren''t regretting your decision to follow me.¡±
Aria thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Even if you are... strange. I don''t regret it yet. But, a-are you alright?" Aria seemed concerned that he was bleeding from his eyes. Before Espoir could form a response. Some passengers came up to them. ¡°Miss!¡± Aria¡¯s eyes widened as a mother and a boy came up to her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I could ever repay you.¡± The mother said, lowering her head at the girl as she sincerely thanked Aria. Aria raised her hands defensively, caught off guard by the gesture. ¡°I-it¡¯s no big deal! I just did what I thought was right is all...¡±
The boy grinned at her. ¡°That was so cool the way you beat all three of those guys! I want to be strong like you when I get older!¡± As he praised her, Aria frowned slightly. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry your mom like that! How are you going honor your dads promise if you leave her. You¡¯d make her very sad if you got yourself killed, you know?¡± Aria scolded him before a small smile formed across her lips. ¡°Still, I¡¯m happy nobody got hurt.¡±
To Aria¡¯s shock, or maybe horror, a crowd of passengers from the dining hall had circled her. They were clapping and showering her with praise for how she fought off the thieves and how impressive she was. Naturally, Aria looked completely flustered by the sudden attention. Espoir watched this unfold with an amused smile.
Chapter 8: Arkham
¡°I forgot how annoying it is to travel in the city,¡± Espoir yawned as he walked through the busy streets of Arkham. Amid carriages and the occasional automobile, Aria did her best to keep up with Espoir through the bustling streets. Now that she was in the heart of her enemy''s homeland, she was naturally on guard by the droves of people. Despite this, her eyes wandered around the scenery. Arkham was much different than she had imagined.
Arkham was the largest city in the nation, serving as the main hub for manufacturing and trade. The city''s population naturally reflected this, with around ten to twelve million people living in the city. With a combination of countless stone buildings and factories, the city was a crux in the nation¡¯s infrastructure. To the north, a large landmass floated in the clouds. Despite being miles away, a towering structure seemed to touch the heavens as it overlooked the city of Arkham.
That must be the Citadel. Aria thought to herself. While Arkham was the population center, the Citadel served as the heart of Albion''s military. The area was said to be where most of the noble families and magic users for the country lived. Additionally, the citadel housed the continent''s most prestigious military academy for magic.
¡°My friend isn¡¯t very far." Espoir said, noticing that Aria was struggling with the crowded streets. "I also have an apartment nearby, depending on how long we need to stay in the city,¡± After walking a few blocks, Espoir suddenly stopped. In front of them was a dark wooden with red trim around the edges. The store front had a sign that read: Roxy¡¯s Books. Through the glass windows, the stores lights were on with a bright red OPEN sign on the door. ¡°Hopefully, she isn¡¯t too annoying today.¡±
As he opened the door, they were greeted by rows of dark wood bookshelves lining the two-story shop. A small walkway overlooked the first floor, with rows of shelves along the edge of the second floor. Dark oak covered the store''s floor, while a series of decorative light fixtures kept the store dimly lit. On the right side of the store, between two tall bookshelves, was a sitting area with a brick fireplace and a crimson carpet along with some chairs and an end table. At the back of the room was a green wooden counter with a door behind it.
"Welcome!¡± a woman with dark brown hair greeted them. Her sapphire blue eyes narrowed at the door. Her expression quickly turned sour as Espoir waved at her, entering the store with a grin.
¡°Hey Roxy!¡± Espoir called out.
SMASH!
A thick book slammed Espoir in the face, knocking him onto the floor. The title was World Atlas. As he landed on his rear, Espoir could see a very unhappy woman glaring at him from across the shop. Roxanne was a woman in her early twenties. She had hip-length brown hair tied in a long ponytail. Her side locks were a lighter shade of brown and draped down to her chin. She wore a black short-sleeve dress with a red colored corset that accented her figure. Alongside it were red-black lace gloves going up her arms. Around her neck was a red carnation pattern with see-through fabric going down the front. Her hair was tied back with a purple flower-shaped hair tie.
¡°I told you that I work during the day, so why the hell are you in my shop?! You could have phoned that you were dropping by, there are payphones all over Albion so why didn''t you try calling once to let me know you were coming? I assume you know how to use one,¡± she yelled. ¡°You know I don¡¯t sell information during the day. Are you trying to get the military at my front door?¡±
Rubbing his forehead, Espoir slowly recovered from her attack. ¡°Do you always greet your customers like this?¡± he asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose to verify it wasn''t broken.
¡°No, I greet annoying freeloaders like that.¡± She clarified.
¡°This coming from the woman who gets all the credit for my grimoire,¡± Espoir shot back before diving to avoid an even bigger book. He rolled into a crouching position as Roxy prepared another volley. ¡°I¡¯m here on business!¡± The next book collided with a light-grey barrier he quickly threw up. Espoir sighed as he ran his hands through his black-red hair. ¡°It¡¯s kind of urgent¡¡± Roxy glared at Espoir as he raised his hands in surrender, he subtly gestured towards the front door. Standing in the doorway, Aria watched the scene unfold with a confused expression.
Roxy finally noticed her and promptly yanked Espoir over the counter, just out of Aria¡¯s earshot. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of nerve, you know that? Dropping by unannounced just to show off to your girlfriend! Then again, you were always clueless with people, so it makes sense you wouldn¡¯t know basic etiquette.¡± Roxy slumped against the counter in disappointment. ¡°I refuse to accept that you¡¯ve started dating while I haven¡¯t had a boyfriend in over a month!¡±
¡°With your personality, I can see why.¡± Espoir said bluntly before wincing from the subsequent shin-kick.
¡°She¡¯s really pretty too...¡± Roxy sobbed into her arms. ¡°There''s no way this real. Did you use that grimoire of yours to trick her or something? It might be some kind of Spell that makes her believe you¡¯re someone else... No, that can¡¯t be right, you still have your terrible personality. I have the patience of a saint, and I barely tolerate you. Maybe this is one of your pranks and you got yourself a high-class escort or something¡¡±
Breaking his wrist away from her grip, Espoir took a small step back. ¡°Okay one: We aren¡¯t dating. Hell we barely know each other! We met only a few days ago while I was investigating the grimoire user in Ashmore. You know, the grimoire user in the area YOU told me about. Two: Do you think that lowly of me that I''d pay someone to be around me?¡±
¡°Ohhh.¡± Roxy had realized she had the wrong idea. Sucker-punching Espoir in the gut, Roxy swiftly returned to the blue-haired girl still standing by the door. ¡°Espoir probably didn¡¯t tell you but I own this little shop.¡± Roxy extended her hand with a warm smile. "I¡¯m Roxy, pleased to meet ya!"
¡°...Aria,¡± she said lamely.
¡°That¡¯s horrible." Roxy had a serious expression as they explained the circumstances that led them here, from her time in the war to being forced to be a prisoner of a grimoire user.
"I¡¯m sorry you went through all that.¡± Roxy said, feeling sympathy for the swordswoman. ¡°It¡¯s awful, but not uncommon for soldiers to go through what you did. Still, Nobody deserves to experience that, especially someone so young.¡±
Aria nodded before drinking from a teacup. Roxy had made Espoir prepare the tea for them. ¡°I assume you told her about what I do, right?¡± Espoir shrugged as he tilted back in his chair. ¡°I assumed you''d prefer to feed your ego.¡±
Roxy attempted to kick his chair over, but Espoir rolled over the back and landed before retaking his seat. ¡°Anyway, outside of running this little bookstore, I sell other goods. Mostly stuff the military doesn¡¯t want regular folks to get their hands on.¡± Walking behind her counter, Roxy pulled out a red leather briefcase. Opening it up, different powders of chroma were aligned in a color scale. ¡°Outside of arms and chroma powder, I also sell information. Which is what I assume you came for.¡±
Espoir nodded. ¡°Besides the usual grimoire user''s and Eldritch activity I get from you, I wanted to know if you could try and find anything about Aria¡¯s family.¡± While her bookstore appeared normal, Roxy had a reputation for being one of the best information brokers in the nation. Espoir figured if anyone could get them a lead, it was her.
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¡°Last I heard, my mother and sisters were fleeing east of Easenna. But that was well over a year ago,¡± Aria said. She hadn¡¯t heard anything since then. Aria had attempted to keep in contact while in the military, but the trail ran cold once the government was toppled. The last time she saw them was at her dad''s funeral. "They never mentioned which country they were fleeing towards in their letters, likely out of fear of them being intercepted." Roxy sighed as she put away her case.
¡°That might be a bit difficult then. While I can get information from anywhere, I can¡¯t guarantee it¡¯ll be fast. Plus, news travels. If people start hearing that a Corvo family member is active or searching for this information, they¡¯ll connect the dots. Someone as high profile as you would have the military looking for this info too. Worst yet, if they somehow find out about your family before you do...¡±
Aria had prepared for the possibility that they might not find anything quickly. It was still a demoralizing feeling. Glancing at the former-soldier, Roxy could see that she didn''t hide her emotions very well. ¡°But I¡¯ll do what I can! Who knows, there might be some kind of lead or trail that I can dig up. I''m amazing at keeping the military off my back!¡± Roxy said with a reassuring grin.
¡°How much is that going to cost, anyway?¡± Espoir asked. Whether it was labor or money, there had to be some kind of exchange. Information this classified would take a significant amount of effort and money for Roxy to fund. Especially if they''re doing it under the radar. The brown-haired woman hummed in thought before shrugging. ¡°No price. I¡¯m doing it for free.¡±
¡°I-I can¡¯t accept that!¡± Aria protested, slamming her hands onto the table. ¡°Doing something that might jeopardize your life. I should offer something in exchange.¡± Even if she was an associate of Espoir¡¯s, Aria couldn¡¯t expect a stranger to do all that for someone like her, especially if it put her life at risk.
Roxy laughed kindly at her, surprised she¡¯d object to not having to pay money. Most clients would kill to have that offered by her. ¡°I¡¯m doing it because I want to! With all due respect, I don''t think I can ask you to give me anything anyway given your situation."
Aria slumped back in her seat as Roxy drank from her cup. The bookkeeper looked up at the ceiling. "I guess some people here might be prejudiced against you because of the war, but I don''t really care about Albion enough to hate someone just because our government says we should. I do benefit from being in this country, but knowing they¡¯ve ruined both you and your people¡¯s lives forever is upsetting. I suppose using some of my time and resources to help someone like you isn¡¯t the worst thing, right?¡±
¡°You never offer me free info,¡± Espoir mumbled.
¡°Because, unlike you, Aria is actually pleasant to be around!¡± Roxy snapped.
¡°Hag.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you have school? You can barely write as it is. I¡¯ve seen your handwriting. Five-year-olds write better than you, Espoir! You know that¡¯s why I never let him work the front end, Aria? Customers can¡¯t understand the receipts he writes!¡±
Espoir rolled his eyes. ¡°I write perfectly fine! That old woman didn¡¯t bring her reading glasses. This is why you never have a man for longer than a month, right? They start using their brains instead of their eyes.¡± Roxy started trying to hit Espoir with a nearby book, only to find him swiftly dodging her strikes. Aria watched the two bicker; strangely, it reminded her of her own siblings. It was a nostalgic feeling she¡¯d forgotten over the years.
¡°Anyway, it¡¯ll take me a few days to get any new information for you, Espoir. I¡¯ve been a little busy.¡± Espoir cocked an eyebrow. Roxy was rarely preoccupied like that. ¡°Something happen?¡± he asked.
¡°Yeah, some creep has been killing night workers from the slums down by the ironworks,¡± she explained.
¡°How do you know it wasn¡¯t just three women being killed by coincidence?¡± Espoir asked. His usual playful demeanor turned serious. Espoir knew that a night worker dying wasn¡¯t uncommon for the area; women who worked the corners tended to disappear because of jealous clients, gangs, spouses, or just general misfortune. For Roxy to be spending time on that must mean something new happened since he left.
¡°Bastard started leaving their bodies cut up and mutilated for all to see. The police are calling him ¡®Jacque The Slasher.¡¯ I heard he named himself that in a letter, but who knows if that¡¯s true... I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t hear about it. You typically stick your nose into everything weird,¡± Roxy said as Espoir hummed in thought, ignoring the backhanded compliment. He started pacing back and forth. ¡°Are the police doing anything about it?¡±
Roxy raised an eyebrow at Espoir¡¯s supposed interest. ¡°For their PR, they say they¡¯ve started looking into it. In reality, they probably couldn¡¯t care less about what happens in these parts of the city. The only reason they acknowledge it at all is that the bodies keep ending up in the richer areas of Arkham. Rich people hate having reality on their doorstep.¡±
Pulling his coat over himself, Espoir slammed his hand on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll catch The Slasher, then.¡± Both girls looked at the Silver Grimoire in confusion.
¡°You? How could you possibly find him? You didn¡¯t even know he existed five minutes ago!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± He grinned. ¡°Actually, I think Aria might be perfect for this.¡±
¡°Me? What could I do?¡± The blue-haired girl looked at him, confused. Aria''s mood quickly darkened as she realized what he meant. ¡°If you¡¯re suggesting using me to lure him out¡¡± She said lowly. A light blue aura coated her hand.
¡°Huh?¡± Espoir blinked several times before realizing what Aria thought he meant. ¡°N-no, of course not! I meant that you¡¯d be better at getting information from the women in the area. They¡¯d probably be more open to talking with another woman about this, rather than if I tried. They¡¯re probably on edge with everything, so a strange man asking them questions would undoubtedly scare them. Did you think I was going to suggest using you as bait or something?¡±
An awkward silence filled the room as it dawned on Aria that she had completely misunderstood what he meant. She had assumed he wanted her to dress like one of the night workers to catch him...
...
Aria''s face turned red as she sank into her hood in embarrassment. The silence was soon filled with the sound of Roxy laughing hysterically. ¡°You really need to learn to talk to women better, Espoir,¡± Roxy teased, tears brimming her eyes.
"You''re not helping." He mumbled.
¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with,¡± Aria said quietly. She felt stupid.
Espoir had a board with red yarn spread across it. On it were photographs of five women over a map of the city. Aria had just returned to his apartment. ¡°So, five women in total have been killed, and their wounds match those claimed by the Slasher.¡± Over the past three months, they have been killed and turned up. It only recently got attention as the police brought the information to light.
¡°According to the women I talked to, the street always had problems,¡± Aria said, pulling out a notebook from her skirt pocket. ¡°They weren¡¯t exactly cooperative, but one of the girls, Elizabeth Floyd, apparently had an argument with her boyfriend beforehand. According to one of the other girls, he had some connections to a local gang.¡±
Espoir thought about it but shook his head. ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t think a gang would systematically kill these women on a routine. Most gang related stuff are heat of the moment or business related. Plus identifying themself to the police would be counter productive for an illegal group like that. There¡¯s a reason beyond that. Why five over three months¡ Why not more or why not less?¡± Espoir''s first assumption was that the killer wanted to space out the murders to avoid getting caught. But if that were the case, why make a public display? The timing felt like a pattern but also made no sense to him. Espoir looked at the newspaper reports Roxy had given them. He felt like there was a clue in them.
¡°The deaths all either took place during the first week of the month or the last. The dates vary: April 2nd, May 3rd, June 3rd. Even the later dates are never the same: March 25th, April 23rd, June 16th. So far, this month has been the only one without a death.¡±
Aria looked at the timeline Espoir had made. While the early-month deaths made sense, the latter ones seemed sporadic. Looking at the calendar again, Aria noticed that the dates resembled a lunar calendar. ¡°Why would a killer use the moon to time his murders?¡± Aria wondered. Espoir¡¯s eyes perked up at the observation. ¡°Hmm?¡±
¡°Oh, I noticed that the deaths matched a full and new moon schedule,¡± Aria said, showing him the lunar schedule on the calendar. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it means anything, though.¡±
Espoir shook his head and smiled. ¡°No, that¡¯s perfect! I think I¡¯ve been thinking about this all wrong. I¡¯ve been assuming the person doing this was a normal person¡¡± Espoir paced back and forth as he thought about this information. ¡°The killer is on a set schedule. What if he¡¯s required to kill according to the moon¡¯s phases? Like he has a spell condition or a grimoire that requires him to kill during specific lunar phases. The dates would make sense.¡±
Aria¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You think it¡¯s a condition?¡±
¡°It would make sense. I doubt he''s a werewolf, however, since he kills on both full and new moons. Speaking of that, when¡¯s the next full moon?¡± Espoir asked. If they could plan around it, they might be able to catch the killer in the act. There was also a decent reward from the police department, although that was unrelated to why Espoir wanted to do it.
¡°July 30th, so three days from now,¡± Aria answered.
Chapter 9: Jacque The Slasher
A thick haze covered the empty streets of Arkham, the full moon casted an eerie glow over the city. Perched silently on a nearby rooftop, Espoir sat bathed in the pale light of the full moon. In the distance, a black smog from the various factories lingered in the air while he waited for his prey. Jacque the Slasher. If Espoir¡¯s theory was correct, Jacque needed either a new moon or a full moon for some form of condition.
Espoir sighed, leaning against the wall behind him. He had scanned the alleys for the third time, growing increasingly frustrated. ¡°This is pointless,¡± he muttered under his breath, doubting the serial killer would even show. As he readied himself for another sweep, a scream echoed through the quiet night. ¡°Looks like I won¡¯t be leaving empty-handed,¡± Espoir said, more to himself than anyone else. He swiftly dropped into a nearby alley and began racing toward the source of the scream.
But there was one problem.
He had no idea where the scream had actually come from! This isn¡¯t good. Closing his eyes, he concentrated, trying to pinpoint the exact direction from which the sound had originated.
¡°Please no!¡±
That one came from a few blocks down. Sprinting over, Espoir slid into an alley. Pulling out his gun, he saw a tall figure dressed in a black trench coat. Covering his head was a large brimmed top hat. Pinned against a wall was a woman with red hair in a ¡rather revealing dress trying to fend off the man. Without hesitating, Espoir shot at the shadowy figure. To his surprise, he seemed to react by holding his jacket sleeve up. The bullet passed through him and hit a nearby crate. The man quickly ran down the alley and passed through the wall of a nearby building.
¡°You okay?¡± Espoir asked the clearly distressed woman. She looked like she was on the verge of hysterics as she grasped her throat.
¡°He¡he had a knife. He said he was going to kill me l-like the others¡¡± She sobbed. Espoir sighed as he walked her out of the alley.
¡°Get off the street,¡± Espoir ordered. Since the Slasher had gone through the right wall of the alley, Espoir ran in that direction. Closing his eyes, he tried to sense any aura nearby but found nothing. ¡°It¡¯s never easy¡¡± he muttered to himself again. Using a gust of wind on his feet, Espoir launched himself up the side of a building and climbed over the fire escape. Running across the rooftops, he got a visual of a man in a black cloak heading north toward the clock tower.
"Accelerate," Espoir activated his spell causing a faint green aura to envelop him. Using [Accelerate], Espoir was speed across the rooftops, keeping track of where Jacque was going. He was able to pass him from above. Espoir dropped onto the street in front of the Slasher, forcing him into a nearby alley. Drawing his dagger and pistol, Espoir cornered him to a dead-end. Seeing he was trapped, Espoir''s opponent drew his own weapon. It was a pure black blade with a silver skull on its grip. An ominous crimson aura permeated into the alley as they began to fight.
Deflecting a backhanded slash, Espoir got a quick kick to his torso, sending the slasher back. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one messing with my city,¡± Espoir said, trying to keep his mood light. Blocking a slice aimed for his throat, he quickly pulled out his gun and attempted to shoot him in the chest. He had a direct shot but only to realize he was out of bullets. You¡¯ve got to be kidding¡
The Slasher smiled creepily as he attempted to slice Espoir across the neck. Espoir tried to deflect the attack with his dagger, which was infused with a light-gray aura, but the blade slid right through it. Espoir quickly threw up a barrier, but it was effortlessly pierced as well. So that''s how it works! Before it could make contact with him, Espoir placed his free hand on the bottom of the knife. ¡°Gotcha!¡±
A surge of electricity connected with Jacque the Slasher, causing him to cry out in agony. As he fell to the ground, the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. ¡°I noticed you managed to phase through matter,¡± Espoir explained. ¡°You escaped the alley and just now dodged my knife. I assume that¡¯s your Spell Art or something similar. However, you either make your body intangible or your knife. It¡¯s never both.¡± If he had a little more time he¡¯d have been able to make the attack more lethal. At the moment he was able to temporarily stun him.
¡°You¡¯ve got a good set of eyes,¡± Jacque mumbled, his accent thick, like one you''d find in the countryside. ¡°So, what¡¯s your deal exactly?¡± Espoir asked, nonchalantly ¡°Couldn''t get any ladies back home, so you came to the big city and started assaulting them like some kind of freak? You could, I don¡¯t know, have gotten a better hairstyle or maybe not dressed like that? Maybe wear a bigger hat?¡±
The Slasher scoffed at Espoir''s words, he attempted to get up but found his body still unresponsive. ¡°Why does it matter?¡±
Espoir shrugged. ¡°Just curious. Besides, I figured a magic user would punch above his weight class a little¡¡± Espoir went to grab his knife while he had the upper-hand. As he reached out for it, An eerie smile crept across the serial killer''s face. ¡°You were wrong about something. I don¡¯t have any ability like that.¡± He let out a cruel laugh as aura surged from the knife into Espoir. Images of the Slasher mutilating his victims flashed in Espoir¡¯s mind. The scenes of each victim played out in his mind like memories. Everything from the blood, the sick way he got pleasure as he did it, enjoying every moment. Espoir could even hear their begging for their lives as he killed them¡
It was depraved, disgusting.
Inhuman.
Gaining the upper hand, Jacque the Slasher swiftly grabbed his knife off the ground and rushed at Espoir, who was momentarily stunned by the images he was seeing. Aiming to cut his jugular, Jacque''s knife glowed with a crimson aura as he went for the kill.
SLASH
A sharp cry echoed through the night as blood splattered across the alley way.
Unexpectedly, it was the Slasher who had been cut! His left eye and face were sliced down-ward, shattering his monocle in the process. A mixture of broken glass and blood dripped down his face as he clutched it in agony, the wound was very deep and cut through his check and lip. Aria had sliced him with her sword. Espoir, horrified by the memories forced on to him, threw up. Looking over at Aria, Espoir saw his plan had worked perfectly.
Four hours ago...
Both Espoir and Aria were sitting under the Grand Clock Tower of Arkham. The clock tower was made of dark-gray stone going high into the sky. Each side of the tower had a glowing yellow clock face infused with chroma. The faces of the clock glowed even in the daylight. It was both the tallest building in Arkham as well as the tallest in the nation. Outside of the Citadel which floated in the sky.
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The two of them were eating some ice cream Espoir had bought from a nearby vendor. The sun was beginning to set as they prepared to catch the Slasher. ¡°You want me to tail you?¡± Aria asked. Espoir nodded as he rolled up a brown map of the city, he had been tracing the exact route he expected Jacque the Slasher would take.
¡°I believe he has some kind of ability that requires him to kill in order to fuel it. Unfortunately, we need to catch him in the act to stop him properly,¡± Espoir explained. ¡°I can stall him until you catch up.¡±
¡°What if he tries to kill you? More importantly, why would you put that much trust in me?¡± she asked. Espoir must have known she was only following him because it was mutually beneficial for her. They had only known each other for just over a week, and yet he was willing to trust his life with her? Aria assumed he was crazy but that seemed insane even by his standards.
¡°Hmm?" Espoir cocked his head at her question. "That''s easy, I trust you since you obviously hate that he¡¯s killing innocent people too.¡± Espoir said plainly, much to Aria¡¯s bewilderment. Pulling his jacket over himself, Espoir stretched as he prepared to start. ¡°Regardless of how you may feel about me being the Silver Grimoire, I know you hate what he''s doing more than you distrust me. Or maybe I''m wrong, and I''ll die, who knows.¡± Espoir laughed, a small smile formed on his face. He knew that Aria would follow along from the moment he suggested finding the Slasher. Despite her cold demeanor, she wasn¡¯t the type to want to sit by and let people die if she could help it.
Aria stood in the alleyway with her blade aimed at The Slasher¡¯s throat. I suppose I owe her one. Espoir thought to himself as he recovered from what he saw. Truthfully, Espoir was grateful that Aria got here in time.
The Slasher coughed out as he clutched his wound. ¡°Damn it. I¡¯m running out of time¡¡± Seeing he was outnumbered, Jacque took a step back and threw his coat at them. Using it as a distraction, he ran out of the alley. Aria swiftly sliced the coat in half as she chased after him, and Espoir quickly followed.
¡°Kieran~¡± A woman with wavy black hair said. She was dressed in a red-black corset that hugged her chest and a frilly black skirt. Her purple eyes were locked on her boyfriend. ¡°Hmm, now that the play is over, we should head back to your place. You said you loved my new dress, so I figured you¡¯d want to see what¡¯s under~¡± A man with brown hair styled into twin parted bangs and neatly combed in the back had his arm around her. He wore a wine-colored dress shirt and dark dress pants.
¡°Perfect!¡±
Kieran''s gray eyes narrowed at the figure rushing out of the nearby alley. "Hey! Watch out!¡± Espoir yelled. Both he and Aria were chasing the killer, who was now running toward the couple on the sidewalk. The Slasher brought his dagger out, aiming to gut the woman. As she screamed in fear, Kieran hit Jacque in the side of the arm. As his arm recoiled back from the hit, Jacque''s eyes widened as his muscles acted on their own, causing him to drop the knife.
¡°How unsightly,¡± Kieran sighed.
Before Jacque could run, Kieran delivered a two-hit combo to his kidney and face, causing him to collapse on the ground in pain. ¡°Hey babe, step back for a moment.¡± Kieran¡¯s girlfriend nodded and stepped off the sidewalk toward Espoir and Aria. Meanwhile, Kieran unbuttoned the top of his shirt. He looked more annoyed than angry. Before he could deal with the man in front of him, his eyes narrowed at Espoir and Aria. ¡°What are you kids doing?¡±
¡°Kid?¡±
¡°Kid!?¡±
Kieran rubbed his temple. ¡°Alright, whatever.¡± His attention returned to the creep. ¡°Can I ask why you two are chasing a man in an alley at this hour? Also, what¡¯s this guy''s deal anyway?¡±
¡°He¡¯s the Slasher,¡± Espoir explained, stepping forward. "We were trying to catch him."
Kieran¡¯s eyes narrowed at the man in front of him, still recovering from his attack. ¡°The Slasher? Of course, this happens while I''m in town. How annoying, but I guess it can''t be helped. Unfortunate that I have to work even on my vacation." Kicking the knife back to The Slasher, Kieran glanced at him before rubbing his chin in thought. "I wonder if I should finish this quickly or try to show off. I try not to fight in front of the ladies if I can help it. Then again, you did try attacking me in front of my date, so I suppose this is unavoidable.¡± he taunted. As Jacque re-grabbed his knife, Espoir and Aria watched silently. They figured they¡¯d be better off watching in case Jacque tried to run away again. The strange man had an air of confidence to him.
Jacque regarded Kieran for a moment. It''''s unknown what he was thinking, he was likely weighing his options. He must''ve known that he had nowhere to run. As he sized up his opponent, Kieran kept a confident demeanor. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re only strong enough to pick on prostitutes.¡± Kieran smirked. "Didn''t get enough love from mom back home?"
Jacque The Slasher clutched his knife before charging at Kieran. As he feinted a punch with his other hand, his arm passed right through Kieran. Kieran''s eyes widened. Now behind him, Jacque tried to backstab Kieran, but Kieran seemed to react swiftly. Before the knife could make contact, Kieran''s body pivoted and grabbed the man''s wrist instantly. Using his free hand, Kieran struck Jacque in the center of his chest before moving slightly to the left, delivering a powerful punch. Jacque was launched back toward the alley, dropping his knife in the process. Falling to the ground, Jacque the Slasher found himself unable to breathe. Clutching his chest in pain, a tightness welled within him as he felt a pain through his body. The serial killer''s eyes were erratic as the pain intensified before everything went dark.
Clara ran over and pressed her lips against Kieran''s. "You never told me you knew how to fight. I wonder how I should repay my hero..." Noticing where her hands were moving, Kieran coughed and pointed toward Espoir and Aria, who were both awkwardly looking away from the couple. Clara seemed to have forgotten they were there and quickly stopped. Kieran sighed and placed his arm around her hip. ¡°So you two said you were chasing him, right?¡±
They nodded. Kieran sized them up for a moment before grabbing the now-dead man by the foot with his free hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to report this, or maybe I can get Raza to do his job for once. Anyway, since there''s a bounty on his head, do you two want it?¡±
"Huh?¡± Their eyes widened at the offer. The bounty for catching The Slasher was five hundred Cial, more than enough to buy a decent plot of land and even a house. Why would he not want that kind of money?
Kieran noticed their confusion and offered a kind smile. ¡°I get paid well for what I do. You two did all the work, so I''d hate to steal money,¡± he explained. ¡°Considering those dogs at the station hate to see someone like me do their job, I think that¡¯s a fair trade. Win-win for everyone, right?¡±
If he had no issues with it, then Espoir figured he¡¯d accept. If nothing else, the money would be good to fund his travels across Albion for the next couple of months. ¡°Sure. Can you send the reward to Roxy¡¯s Bookshop on the corner of the old town?¡±
Kieran raised an eyebrow before sighing. ¡°Sure thing, I¡¯ll have it sent there, kid.¡± Espoir knew he added that last part intentionally but decided not to correct him since he was doing him a favor. Kieran recommended Espoir and Aria get off the street and maybe find themselves a ''nice room'' since it was late. He even offered to pay for it but the duo declined. He gave a backhanded wave before dragging the corpse with him into the night.
As Kieran left, Espoir turned his attention to the knife. He could sense magic emanating from it. It pulsated with an aura; however, it wasn¡¯t a grimoire but something else¡ Carefully grabbing the knife again, Espoir confirmed his suspicions. The Slasher hadn''t been a grimoire user; rather, his knife somehow had an ability infused into it. While grimoires were made through an Eldritch, Espoir didn¡¯t sense anything like that. Who made this knife? Espoir understood Jacque didn¡¯t have any magic; rather, it was the knife''s ability that let him go intangible, along with making him see those memories. That raised one final question: Did he kill because he enjoyed it, or was it the knife that made him kill? The only one who could answer that was now dead.
Meanwhile, Aria¡¯s eyes narrowed at the stranger as he was leaving. The way he fights and uses magic... She felt herself stiffen as she realized who that man was. Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s one of them!? The way he effortlessly killed The Slasher, combined with the way he carried himself. Aria realized he was a member of Albion¡¯s Mage Corp. The same military branch responsible for destroying Easenna and killing her people.
Unknown to either of them, that night, Espoir and Aria had come face-to-face with one Albion''s strongest mages.
Chapter 10: Shale Cove Prologue
Monster.
That was the name her parents had called her that morning. Rachel went downstairs to greet her mom, just as she always did every morning. But everything felt different¡ She was a little taller than she remembered, though that wasn¡¯t uncommon; growth spurts happened. Rachel¡¯s first thought was that maybe being taller would finally convince her mom to let her help in the kitchen more.
As Rachel found her mom, she expected her to mark her height on the wall like always. However, when she called out to her, Rachel¡¯s expression turned to one of pure horror.
¡°Monster!¡±
¡®What did I do?¡¯ was all Rachel could think. Why did her mom call her a monster? Was it because she had stayed up too late? Because she didn¡¯t listen sometimes? Her dad had reacted the same way that morning. Rachel¡¯s mom took one look at her face and screamed. Tears streamed down her eyes as she reached for a kitchen knife to defend herself.
¡°I¡¯m your daughter¡ I¡¯m Rachel!¡± she yelled, something she rarely did as it was rude. She tried to walk over to her mom. She was scared and confused why her mom was so afraid of her. Tears began to fill in her multiple eyes as her mom couldn¡¯t bear to look at her. Rachel¡¯s mom even tried to stab her with a knife. Rachel remembered how her mom had always said knives were dangerous, that she was too young to use one properly¡
The same thing happened with her dad. He rushed over at the commotion, screaming and calling her a monster too¡ W-why? Why don¡¯t they see me as their daughter? Her dad tried to shoot her with the family rifle but ended up injuring himself as the bullet ricocheted into his arm. Something similar happened with her mom. She lunged to stab her, the blade bounced off Rachel¡¯s skin, cutting her mom¡¯s hand and sending her to the floor. Rachel tried to help her mom, but both parents cried out in fear, calling her a monster and saying she had killed their daughter. Rachel tried to reach out to them, hoping they¡¯d hug her and explain what was happening. No matter how much she cried, saying she was Rachel, her parents looked at her in terror. ¡°You killed our daughter and are possessing her!¡±
How could I be dead when I¡¯m right here?
Rachel wandered through the forest near her village. She didn¡¯t want her mom and dad to cry or hurt themselves anymore. ¡°What happened that made them afraid of me?¡± As Rachel wandered, she eventually found a stream. Thirsty and having eaten nothing all day, she took a much needed break. As she walked to the stream and saw some berries, Rachel thought about how her mom usually made her lunch right about now. She imagined walking through the door to see her behind the counter. Rachel shook her head she cupped the water in her hands, she wanted to remember the good times she had with mom and dad, instead of that morning. It was then that she saw herself for the first time all day.
Rachel screamed in terror. What looked back at her wasn¡¯t her. Her face was dark like leather, adorned with two additional, multi-colored eyes around her cheek. The eyes blinked independently and at different intervals, she had no control over them and that terrified the girl. Did something take over her?! The worst part was her mouth. It now had slits around her lips, as if her jaw could open like a hatch. Inside her mouth were ribbons of teeth cascading downward, and even her tongue no longer looked normal, residing in an endless abyss. Her skin appeared hollow and almost husk-like. She looked distorted. Like a walking corpse, or a living nightmare. Lingering in her mind was a single world: inhuman.
¡°W-w-w-what happened?¡±
Rachel looked at her hands, trembling. They were small and still looked like hers, yet the figure in the water looked nothing like her. The only thing they shared was the same blonde hair. Falling to her knees, tears flowed down her cheeks as she finally realized she would never see her parents¡¯ smiling faces again when she came home.
Dad would no longer laugh or suggest we do something together when he had spare time. I wouldn¡¯t have to stay up late to hang out with him when his job kept him out all day. I wouldn¡¯t have my mom scold me when I forgot to take out the trash. I would no longer be there to say good morning when my mom woke up and made breakfast. All the times I picked fights with my mom over stupid inconveniences, chores, or not doing my schoolwork flooded my mind. All the times I complained about my mom''s dinner, wishing for something else. My mom telling me to study more and to grab my laundry on time lingered in my thoughts. There was nothing I could say to them now. No way to apologize for the things I said in anger. I was unable to ask for help with dinner. Who would help me with my homework? Who was going to tuck me in? What if I had a nightmare? My final memories of them were their screams as they hurt themselves, them bleeding on the ground scared... Like a floodgate, Rachel sobbed as the cruel reality set in
I will never be able to see them again.
Rachel lay on the forest floor, her stomach rumbling. She imagined coming home to her favorite meal. Something like pancakes or grilled cheese with soup sounded perfect right now. Rachel wanted to cry, but her throat was already raspy having done that for days now. Shaking her head, she decided she didn¡¯t want to cry anymore. Instead, she would wander and hope to find some kind of fruit or something. Animals eat fruits, so she could too.
¡°WHAT THE FUCK!¡± A hunter ran away, his bullets bouncing off her effortlessly as he scrambled from her. He left all his gear and food behind. Rachel smiled as she finally had something to eat after a few days.
She found a cave to stay in as a heavy storm thundered behind her. Her clothes were damp and her hair was knotted. While the cave was damp and not as nice as her room, it was better than sleeping outside. The roar echoing from inside the cave scared the eight-year-old girl. She had nowhere to run anymore. Sensing an intruder, a large grizzly bear approached her. It''s body surveying her in a circle, as if to find a weak spot.
¡°I¡ can¡¯t go anywhere. Please let me stay, Mr. Bear,¡± Rachel pleaded, her multiple eyes looking down at the floor. As the bear lunged forward it raised its claws slashing at Rachel. As it collided, the bears claws shattered. A pool of blood spurted over her now darkened gown and the cave wall behind her. The bear screamed in agony as a trail of blood followed it.
Sensing danger the bear went on the offensive again and tried to bite her In the neck. Rachel ran over to hug the bear in an effort to keep it from hurting itself more. ¡°No, stop! PLEASE!¡±
CRUNCH.
The bear stopped moving. Despite being just an eight-year-old girl, Rachel snapped its spine like it was nothing. Standing over the lifeless corpse, Rachel''s hands and body began to shake uncontrollably as it gradually set in what had happened. The soft hum of the rain alongside the echoing of thunder resonated the now silent cave. As Rachel stared at the dead bear, tears flowed down her cheeks. Rachel was just as her parents had called her. She was a monster.
¡°Hello?¡±
Rachel was sleeping in her cave when the sound of a voice echoed. She sighed mentally, knowing it would be another person who would run away. Maybe they¡¯d have some food. Rachel didn¡¯t want to kill the animals she called her friends. Sitting off in the corner of the cave was a girl close to her age with a small sketchbook. She had short, chestnut brown hair and wide, tea-red eyes. Rachel sat silently as the girl began drawing the forest. By accident, Rachel moved, knocking over a rock and startling her unexpected guest.
¡°S-sorry!¡± Rachel said, startling the girl even more.
¡°Someone¡¯s there?¡± she asked, not running away yet.
Stepping into the cave, a small light from the sun gave the girl some light Rachel slowly approached her. Her blonde hair was matted with webs and dirt from her time in the wilderness. ¡°Umm, are you okay?¡± the girl asked, surprised to find someone living in a cave.
Rachel''s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to run away?¡± she asked, expecting the girl to fear her and call her a monster like everyone else. Usually her voice scared them more then her face.
The girl looked at her for a moment before smiling. ¡°Why would I? You talk and look normal enough¡¡± Rachel realized the girl couldn¡¯t see her well and could hear her voice was human. The girl smiled innocently. ¡°I¡¯m Sophie! I came here to draw; I didn¡¯t expect to run into someone else.¡± Sophie laughed, amazed that someone else would be this deep in the forest.
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¡°...Rachel,¡± she said softly. It had been so long since someone viewed her as anything but a monster. Even her own parents were scared of her. Part of Rachel was terrified this moment would end if Sophie saw her for what she really was.
¡°Let¡¯s be friends!¡± she beamed, and the girl smiled at Rachel, ignoring the monster across from her. Can something like me be allowed to have this? Rachel thought. As she calmed down, Sophie waved her goodbye. ¡°Will you come back?¡± Rachel asked softly, feeling that this happiness was too good to be true.
Sophie nodded. ¡°Yup! I¡¯ll even bring you food so you can stop surviving off berries!¡± Sophie beamed as she packed her things. She left a sketchbook for Rachel to play with while she was away. ¡°It¡¯s a promise.¡±
Over the next few weeks, Sophie began visiting Rachel every day. Since Rachel lived in the forest, Sophie snuck food from the orphanage to her. As Sophie drew the landscapes around the cave she called home, she¡¯d leave Rachel some art supplies so she wouldn¡¯t get bored. Rachel actually looked forward to waking up every day. She pushed aside her fear that Sophie would one day see her properly and never return. For now, she was happy, happy for the first time since she woke up like this.
One day, as they spent time in the cave Rachel called home, Sophie finally asked a question that had been on her mind. ¡°How come you live out here all alone?¡± she asked, looking up at the setting sun. ¡°You could come back with me to town. The orphanage is kind of cramped, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love to take you in if you don¡¯t have a family¡¡±
Rachel''s body stiffened at the mention of her family. The horrified images of her parents flashed through her mind regularly. She couldn¡¯t keep lying to Sophie; she didn¡¯t want her to get in trouble if someone found her here.
¡°I¡¯m¡ not normal. I don¡¯t have my family anymore... because of how I am¡¡± she finally admitted.
Sophie¡¯s eyes widened at the revelation. ¡°How come? You don¡¯t seem different. Apart from living in a cave I guess.¡±
Rachel flinched but steeled her resolve. Getting close to Sophie, she revealed her face in its entirety. Her eyes began to water as she knew this was the end, but it was better this way. Silently Sophie looked her in the eyes for a solid minute before she smiled.
¡°You have really pretty hair!¡±
¡
Rachels expression morphed as her cascading lips quivered, meanwhile Sophie beamed as she talked about how she should wash it more and that being in a cave must make it all matted and dirty. Like a dam breaking, Rachel began to cry. Her cry turned into a sob much to Sophie¡¯s worried look. ¡°Ah, Rachel, please don¡¯t cry!¡± Sophie panicked as Rachel let out everything she had carried. Even if she no longer looked it, deep in her heart, she was still the same girl she had been months ago. Somehow, Sophie must¡¯ve seen that when nobody else did¡
Sophie hugged the scared girl reassuringly, her hand rubbing the back of her long blonde hair as Rachel sobbed into her. Rachel didn¡¯t hug her back, fearing she¡¯d break her only friend.
¡°You¡¯re so strong!¡± Sophie beamed as she watched Rachel uproot a tree. Over the past month, Rachel had begun to understand her newfound abilities more. Her skin seemed indestructible, and she was incredibly strong; Sophie had so much fun with it. Rachel learned to control her strength so she wouldn¡¯t hurt her best friend.
Sophie showed Rachel her drawing, a crayon sketch of Rachel holding a tree. The girl giggled, knowing she could have drawn a better picture if she wanted. ¡°My hair looks like straw!¡± she laughed. The two enjoyed the silly drawing; for the first time since the beginning of this curse, Rachel felt truly happy.
¡°Why are you always going into that forest?¡± the head of the orphanage asked Sophie. She had noticed that the precocious girl ran to the forest every day. While not forbidden, it was strange, given the rumors of monsters lurking in the woods outside Shale Cove. Sophie had promised not to tell anyone about Rachel, fearing people might try to chase her away again. Between that and the rumors of her stealing food, the head of the orphanage found this behavior odd. Sophie was typically unproblematic, but now she had become strange over the past two months.
¡°I like to feed the animals!¡± She lied. ¡°It¡¯s also nice to draw in the woods¡¡±
The head of the orphanage had a feeling there was more to it but had no evidence. ¡°I see¡ Please don¡¯t use the dinner food for the animals, Sophia; we have a limited amount as it is,¡± she scolded.
¡°Kaaaaay,¡± Sophie relented, knowing she would sneak food to Rachel anyway. ¡°I¡¯m going to go draw now.¡±
Sophie walked off with her sketchbook, the head of the orphanage looking at her incredulously. ¡°Why would she bring a second sketchbook if she was just going to feed animals and draw by herself¡¡±
¡°Sorry I¡¯m late,¡± Sophie apologized as she arrived, dumping the contents of her backpack. She had brought Rachel some cooked eggs, toast, and fruit. ¡°The mother was asking me about sneaking food¡¡±
Rachel''s eyes narrowed at the food. ¡°Did you get in trouble?¡± She didn¡¯t want her best friend to get in trouble for her sake. ¡°My mom used to yell at me sometimes too¡ Usually, it was because I was doing something I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Rachel''s voice broke as she wished she could return to those days again.
¡°Hmm¡ When I get adopted, maybe the family that takes me will let me have you come with us too!¡± Sophie beamed, hoping to cheer her up. ¡°I¡¯m sure when they see you''re a normal girl like me, they¡¯ll want you too!¡±
Rachel cried into her hands, unsure if it was sadness or happiness at the thought that she might no longer live in this damp cave, part of her deep down still hoped that she might one day get to be normal again.
¡°Sophia?¡± a voice called. Sophie gasped as the head of the orphanage, who had questioned her, was now in the forest looking for her.
¡°Sophi¡ªAHHHHH!¡± The woman screamed at the sight of Sophie with her arms around something¡ distorted, inhuman. ¡°Sophia, back away now!¡± she panicked. Rachel felt a shiver run down her spine. She sat there, paralyzed as her worst fear consumed her.
¡°No! She is my friend!¡± Sophie said, stepping between them.
¡°Dear Lord in heaven¡ This poor child is already lost,¡± the head of the orphanage pleaded, tears in her eyes. She hugged her necklace, praying someone would save that girl. As Sophie stood between them, the woman rushed over to take Sophie away. Dodging the attempt to ¡®save¡¯ her, Sophie grabbed Rachel''s hand and began to flee into the forest
¡°It¡¯s true! The rumors of the monster are true!¡± The distraught head of the orphanage cried as the town guards and mayor listened. They listened to her tale, their mouths agape. The rumors of a monster outside Shale Cove had existed for months. Hunters had gone missing and been found dead, horrific expressions on their faces. Now, the respectable head of the orphanage confirmed it.
¡°Sir¡ we can¡¯t ignore it, especially since it¡¯s taken a child into its clutches,¡± the head guard said.
The mayor, an elderly man with a bushy mustache, sighed deeply. ¡°No, we don¡¯t know what we¡¯re dealing with¡ I will phone the military. I pray that the poor child escapes its clutches. Hopefully, they will arrive by nightfall.¡± The mayor knew the child was likely lost but hoped she¡¯d escape.
¡°Just a little longer, Rachel¡¡± Sophie said encouragingly. It was nightfall as they wandered through the forest. Sophie had explored much of the woods during her drawing outings, so she led the way.
¡°Why¡¡± Rachel asked softly, unable to believe that Sophie had chosen to protect her instead of siding with the orphanage.
¡°Hmm? Because we¡¯re friends!¡± Sophie laughed. ¡°Oh! We¡¯re here.¡±
In front of them stood an abandoned Chroma mine. Wooden boards and cart tracks lined the entrance, attempting to deter trespassers. ¡°We can hide out here, at least until the town gets bored and stops following us.¡±
Rachel was at a loss for words; maybe it was an unspoken flicker of hope. She wanted to believe it would work, that they might be allowed to return to normal. Sophie bringing her snacks, plays with her, laughing, and smiling.
That a monster like me could be allowed to be happy again¡
9:30 p.m
¡°Thank you for arriving on such short notice,¡± the mayor said, bowing slightly as a group of two men and a woman stood before him. They were dressed in black military uniforms, gold trim with matching epaulettes on their shoulders.
¡°Of course. A child being abducted by an Eldritch is¡ unheard of. But rest assured, we will slay it and bring the little girl back,¡± James Blackthorn smiled reassuringly. His muscular body was riddled with scars, and his blonde hair had wisps of black along the sides, his bangs draped his forehead. A black eyepatch covered his right eye. Hanging over his black uniform was a lime-green overcoat.
¡°Thank you¡ Yes, thank you so much,¡± the head of the orphanage said, tears forming in her eyes. As she clutched her necklace, James took the opportunity to eye the woman¡¯s body, a shallow smirk spreading across his face. Maybe I¡¯ll get another reward when this is over.
Charles was a younger man with spiky black-purple hair that jutted to the sides, he was wearing a white-blue respiratory mask that covered his bottom face. The younger soldier sighed at their leader for not-so-subtly ogling the nun-clad woman.
¡°He¡¯s the same as ever¡¡± Eliza rolled her eyes.
Eliza was a young woman in her early twenties with dark green hair tied into a bun and a military cap, wore a black double breasted dress-styled uniform with red leggings and stiletto boots. Strapped to her waist was a small pistol, along with a dark brown high-caliber rifle whose leather strap wrapped around her chest.
Watching their leader leer at the woman, Charles shrugged casually. ¡°Women love a man in uniform.¡±
Wrapping his coat around himself, James was ready to begin. The three soldiers faced the town gate, heading toward the forest; they were guided by a couple town guards. Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Rachel and Sophie began to walk through the mine shaft. James had a wicked grin on his face as his team set out. ¡°By the end of the night, we¡¯ll rid you of that monster!¡±
Chapter 11: Shale Cove Part 1
5:00 p.m.
Espoir sighed as he hopped off the ferry. "I never want to ride that again." Aria glanced at him tiredly. He had spent the entire trip complaining about the water. "The big, scary Silver Grimoire is afraid of a little water?" she teased, stepping off the boat. For her, boat rides were second nature, having grown up around them in her homeland.
"I''m not afraid of water." Espoir punctuated the word ''afraid'' with finger quotes before casting a dark look at the edge of the pier. "It¡¯s what lives in the water that bothers me¡" he mumbled, clearly wanting to end the conversation. Focusing on anything but his rationale fear, Espoir¡¯s attention shifted to a sign announcing their destination: Shale Cove.
"Do you truly think the rumors of a monster living in the forest are true?" Aria asked, unconvinced that this was worth traveling for. "People go missing all the time. I doubt a monster, or an Eldritch would stay in one place, let alone a single forest."
Espoir pulled out a crumpled newspaper, the title catching Aria¡¯s eye: Monster plagues Shale Cove. Espoir scanned over it for a second before crumpling it further and tossed it into a nearby bin, scanning the quaint seaside town with a frown. "It¡¯s not that I believe the rumors¡ it¡¯s that they don¡¯t make any sense." Aria looked at him, not following. "What do you mean?"
"If people were simply going missing or dying, they could blame it on a bear, a wolf, or anything else. But everyone calls it a monster," Espoir said, his eyes scanning the quiet sea side town. "While an Eldritch or an entity fits that description, something about this feels¡ off. They say it resides in the forest outside of the town and the rumors have existed for months..."
She was starting to see his point. "An Eldritch has no reason to stay hidden in a forest. So why is it secluded here?"
"Exactly!" Espoir said, snapping his fingers. ¡°I suppose we should see why the town calls it a monster.¡± They decided to split up, gathering information from locals.
Later, the two regrouped at a park bench, reviewing their findings. Despite their efforts, no one had seen the monster firsthand; it was always a story about someone who knew someone else. However, Aria found one interesting lead. "The head of the orphanage claims to have seen the monster today," she said, relaying what a guard had told her. "A girl named Sophie has been sneaking out to the forest for a while now. She¡¯s been acting strangely according to what he heard."
Espoir stood up, stretching his arms up. ¡°Hmm. That is interesting. Good work, I hope she¡¯ll talk to us."
As sunset came, the duo found the mother at the orphanage reading a book in a rocking. ¡°Mother Lynda, you have visitors,¡± one of the other caretakers said, guiding Espoir and Aria into the room. An armed town guard stood at the doorway holding a large halberd.
¡°Welcome. I apologize for the state I¡¯m in¡ To what do I owe the visit?¡± she said politely. She looked pale, and her hands were shaking slightly as she set her book down. Whatever she saw must¡¯ve really spooked her¡ Espoir thought sadly.
¡°Sister Lynda, I apologize for bringing up such¡ unpleasant memories, but I understand you went into the forest today?¡± Espoir crouched down to talk to the shaken woman.
¡°Oh¡¡± she said quietly. ¡°Indeed. I was looking for one of the children we take care of. She had been acting strange for a few weeks, and I wanted to see what was wrong. She¡¯s a good girl and hadn¡¯t had a track record. But lately, she had been stealing extra food, sneaking out, and coming back late. The other day, one of the other girls said she saw her stealing a pillow and blanket.¡±
Espoir and Aria listened attentively as the mother continued. ¡°Anyway, I decided to ask her, and she denied all of this¡ So I followed her and that¡¯s when I saw it.¡± Lynda''s features paled as the memory resurfaced. She began to shake. ¡°It looked and dressed like a girl, yet when I found Sophie¡ that thing had its arms around her! I tried to get Sophie, but the beast took her! Took her deep into the forest!¡±
Lynda cried into her arms, still reeling from her inability to save the girl. ¡°I alerted the guards, and they requested the military to come¡ Hopefully, they can save her too.¡± Lynda looked at Espoir and Aria. ¡°Why would such young people want to know about this?¡±
Espoir shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m¡ sort of like a detective. I heard about the monster in Shale Cove. After hearing your story, I understand a bit better.¡±
¡°A detective? You look barely older than some of the teens I raise here...¡± Espoir glared at the woman, only to be shin-kicked by Aria.
¡°You said you found Sophie with the monster, right? Where was that?¡± Aria asked. Lynda¡¯s eyes narrowed as she mentally retraced her steps. ¡°About fifteen minutes east of the gate. It¡¯s a bit off the normal road. I wish I could give you more information, but I was following Sophie¡ The beast was inside a cave.¡±
¡°Cave, fifteen minutes east. I got it,¡± Espoir said, committing the directions to memory.
¡°Thank you for your time.¡± Aria said courteously. Lynda smiled, nodding at the two. ¡°No, thank you. I do urge you two to be careful¡ I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have much to worry about if you do go looking for Sophie." Lynda smiled. "The military will be arriving soon, so everything will work out.¡±
Aria stiffened at the mention of the military coming to the town. As they left, Espoir mused over their findings. ¡°Is it possible that it¡¯s a sentient Eldritch?¡± Espoir thought out loud. He couldn¡¯t understand why an Eldritch would take a child with it.
9:00 P.M
¡°I hate this¡¡± Espoir grumbled. Both he and Aria were walking through the forest in the dark. In his palm was a ball of white fire, lighting the surrounding area as they searched for the supposed lair of the monster. Pulling out a shabby-looking map from his breast pocket, Espoir used it and a compass to verify they were heading in the right direction.
¡°I''d have expected the Silver Grimoire to know how to use a map,¡± Aria said bluntly. Dodging a tree branch, Espoir couldn''t tell if she was making fun of him or not.
¡°It would help if that sister gave good directions,¡± He replied, before getting hit in the face by some head-level leaves. ¡°I take it your home has haunted places or stories similar to this?¡± Espoir asked, ducking under a spiderweb. Since they were literally wandering in the dark, he decided to make small talk.
Aria thought about his question for moment. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s places like a lake near my hometown that, if you go near it at night, they say monsters will drag you under the water if you visit at one in the morning¡ Never to be seen again.¡±
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¡°Have you ever gone to see if that was true?¡± Espoir asked.
¡°I wanted to, but Mary was too scared,¡± Aria answered, a soft smile forming on her face as she recalled the simple memory. Aria had planned it out and everything, but Mary told her parents. She ended up grounded for trying to sneak out. ¡°Who knows, maybe my parents were protecting me from whatever was there.¡± Aria always figured there might be some truth to those stories after all.
¡°We were also told cultural tales as kids. Besides stuff like the sword saint and, well, you¡ There¡¯s the tale of the girl and the bell.¡± Aria¡¯s eyes lit up slightly, not hiding her interest in this conversation. That particular story had been one of her favorites as a child.
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a noble prince who rejected his family''s recommended choices for brides, opting to believe in true love. At the request of a mage for something to find his beloved, the mage granted him a magical bell. This enchanted bell could only be heard by his true love, for its chime was a sound of pure beauty. It was said that if anyone else listened to its sound, they would be struck deaf, forever cut off from the world around them.
One day, the prince set forth on a grand journey to discover his destined bride. His travels took him to a land that would one day be known as Easenna. As fate would have it, during his visit, he encountered a humble servant girl who had been sold into servitude by a cruel nobleman. This girl, kind-hearted and gentle, had endured much suffering under her master¡¯s harsh rule.
As the prince wandered through the nobleman''s estate, he accidentally bumped into the servant girl, who mistook him for an intruder. In her fright, she knocked the prince to the ground. As he fell, the soft chime of the bell rang out, echoing through the air. To the prince¡¯s astonishment, the girl heard the bell''s magical sound, a melody sweeter than any song.
In that moment, the prince realized that she was the one the bell had foretold, his true love. With a heart full of hope, he whisked her away from her life of misery, vowing to protect her from all harm. Overcome with joy, he asked for her hand in marriage, and she gladly accepted, her heart beating in harmony with his.
However, when the prince presented his proposal to the girl¡¯s cruel master, the nobleman was filled with disbelief and rage. He demanded to hear the bell for himself, believing that one of his daughters must be the true love destined for the prince. With arrogance, he rang the bell, expecting it to sing sweetly for his daughters. But alas! The sound only brought forth a deafening silence, leaving both the nobleman and his daughters completely deaf, unable to hear the world around them ever again.
And so, the prince and his beloved servant girl were free to marry and live happily ever after. Together, they ruled the princes homeland with kindness and compassion, ensuring that no one would ever suffer as she had. And every night, the prince would ring the magical bell, a sound only they could hear, a reminder of their love and the promise of a brighter future.
Espoir looked over and noticed that Aria seemed deep in thought about the tale. Didn¡¯t expect that. He was surprised that Aria¡¯s favorite story was a classic tale of love. For someone so cold and reserved, she could be a normal girl at times. Espoir thought to himself. As they walked silently, a thick fog began to fill the forest, shrouding their search for the cave.
Eventually, Espoir stopped in his tracks. ¡°I think we¡¯re close.¡± The pathway ahead appeared recently disturbed, as if someone had rushed through. It veered off the dirt road and into a thicket of bushes and trees. Espoir pressed on, eventually coming across a stream with a small cave nearby. The strangest sight was the trees lying on their sides, as if something had uprooted them.
¡°Guess that¡¯s the cave the orphanage head was talking about¡± Espoir said plainly as they approached. Inside the cave, various pieces of breakfast food were left discarded on the floor along with two notebooks. Going off the heads
¡°So, the girl swiped some breakfast before meeting the monster¡¡± Aria remarked, noticing what looked like eggs and fruit. As Espoir ventured deeper into the cave, what he discovered next made his heart race. Meanwhile, Aria looked at the notebooks. One was impressive landscape drawings while the other was more childish with simple lines and crayon coloring. Aria¡¯s mind began to wonder how they looked so different. ¡°Did they belong to two people?¡±
¡°Aria¡¡± Espoir called from inside the cave. As she approached him, her eyes widened at the sight on the cave wall. In front of them were drawings, all made with various crayons. In the corner of the cave lay a small blanket and pillow.
¡°They look like kids'' drawings¡¡± Aria said softly.
Espoir¡¯s blood turned cold as he examined the drawings on the cave wall. Near the inside of the cave was a mural depicting a family. It had two taller figures. one with dark hair in a dress and the other with blonde hair wearing a suit and hat. Between them were smaller drawings two girls: one with long blonde hair and the other had reddish hair tied into pigtails. Behind the family was a small box-shaped house.
¡°Aria. I don¡¯t think the monster is a monster,¡± Espoir said, his red eyes were wide with shock. ¡°No, I know the ¡®monster¡¯ isn¡¯t what they say. I don¡¯t know how or why, but it¡¯s too human to be an Eldritch.¡± Espoir''s hands began to tremble as panic crept into his voice. He had never seen something like this.
Aria understood what he was suggesting. A dark realization settled in: maybe this child had been transformed into something resembling an Eldritch. ¡°Is it possible?¡± she asked, her voice low. ¡°I know entities are creatures corrupted by Eldritch, but a human who retained her sense of self..."
¡°I think Sophie came here and found a girl who either got a grimoire or was partially turned into an Eldritch,¡± Espoir said. Aria looked at him, concern etched on her face. The Silver Grimoire, typically composed, seemed shaken.
¡°If she befriended the other girl and was sneaking her food, that would explain her ¡®strange¡¯ behavior the head of the orphanage mentioned.¡± Espoir¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°If the military finds either of them, they will kill them.¡±
Rushing to the sketchbooks, Espoir pulled out the map, desperate to find some clue about where they might have gone. He tossed one sketchbook to Aria, and they began flipping through the pages to locate a potential hiding place. ¡°This book must¡¯ve belonged to Sophie. It has more detail than the cave drawings and covers the forest overall,¡± he said, pulling the sketchbook closer to the map. They compared drawings of nearby landmarks, gradually piecing together Sophie¡¯s movements. Eventually, they stumbled upon a drawing of a mineshaft entrance.
¡°Here,¡± Espoir said, placing his finger on the sketch and aligning it with the map.
¡°You think they went there?¡± Aria asked, her brow furrowing.
Espoir nodded. ¡°She knows the forest well, and a mine would make a good hiding spot. Nobody would go there, and it¡¯s secluded enough.¡± He felt certain this girl was clever enough to want to avoid people; the path to the cave had been obscured with carefully placed leaves and bushes.
¡°Using the main road, it¡¯s about a thirty-minute walk from town, so about an hour from our current location. It¡¯s an old chroma mine¡¡± Aria began to rise. ¡°We need to hurry.¡±
Espoir agreed, silently rising, his gaze lingering on the cave drawing of the two girls. A fierce determination ignited within him. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving.¡±
10:00 P.M
¡°The plan is simple. You two go into the mine and locate where the monster and the girl are. If you find the girl, extract her, and I¡¯ll handle the rest,¡± James said to his group ¡°Boss, shouldn¡¯t you be the one leading?¡± Charles asked bluntly.
James Blackthorn grabbed Charles by the face, his fingers dangerously close to penetrating his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m guarding so it doesn¡¯t escape.¡± He wasn¡¯t about to mention that it was also hard for him to see in the dark with just one eye. ¡°I¡¯m still your commanding officer. Treat this as a test. You want to climb the ranks, right?¡± Charles didn¡¯t bother hiding his ambition to climb the ranks from them. ¡°Eliza, cover Charlie. I think you two can manage that much...¡±
The gun woman nodded, loading a bright red, chroma-enhanced bullet into her rifle. ¡°On it.¡± As the two soldiers departed, James took a drag from his cigarette. ¡°Naturally, if that girl resists, feel free to kill her. We don¡¯t negotiate with monsters¡¡±
Deep inside the Chroma mine, both Sophie and Rachel were exploring, searching for a suitable hiding spot. Unaware of the dangers lurking right outside their location.
Chapter Preview
In a race against time, Espoir and Aria confront the soldiers sent to dispose of the ''monster''. One of them being a Mage Corp member, the military branch responsible for the destruction of Easenna.
Next time:
Chapter 12: Shale Cove Part 2
Chapter 12: Shale Cove part 2
As Espoir and Aria rushed along the gravel path, a somber thought weighed on the swordswoman''s mind. ¡°You can save them, right?¡± she asked Espoir. ¡°What happens if we¡¯re too late?¡±
Espoir¡¯s eyes darkened as he considered her question. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. Like a grimoire, I think as long as the girl still retains her sense of self and it hasn¡¯t been too long, I should be able to separate them. But if the host loses control, or worse, tries to draw from the Eldritch, it could corrupt her. At that point, I won¡¯t be able to seal it.¡± An unspoken tension filled the air as Espoir finished speaking. They both knew that if they didn¡¯t hurry, the night could end in tragedy.
¡°We need to get there before the military,¡± Aria said quietly. Their job was to kill the monster, nothing more. People like them wouldn¡¯t even consider the possibility that the monster was still human inside. They would prioritize killing either the monster or Sophie if she got in the way. Espoir gave Aria a reassuring smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I know we¡¯ll reach them in time.¡±
Aria looked at Espoir and saw that, despite his earlier uncertainty, he was determined to save them. ¡°Understood,¡± she replied.
¡°It¡¯s so pretty!¡± Sophie exclaimed as she and Rachel entered a spacious cavern. All around them, a stunning array of multicolored chroma crystals jutted from the walls. Even without a light source, the natural glow of the crystals was enough to illuminate the area. Long stalactites hung from the ceiling as the two girls sat down. ¡°I wish I had my sketchbook to draw this place,¡± Sophie frowned. She had dropped it when they escaped from Mother Lynda.
¡°Sophie¡ do you think they¡¯ll come looking for you?¡± Rachel asked softly. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that they were in danger. Sophie thought for a moment, then grinned. ¡°I doubt it. But if they do, I know you''ll keep me safe.¡± Rachel¡¯s many eyes lowered at her comment. Sophie was right. Rachel wasn¡¯t going to let anything happen to her best friend.
As Espoir and Aria raced toward the mine, two guards standing on the road raised their hands to stop them. ¡°This area is off-limits. It¡¯s not safe for you.¡±
¡°We know you¡¯re after the monster. Step aside,¡± Espoir commanded. The guards looked at them for a moment before blocking the path with their weapons. ¡°If you know, then you¡¯ll understand that this is out of our hands.¡±
As Aria gripped the hilt of her sword, Espoir sighed in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± In a blur of motion, he charged at one of the guards. The guard lowered his halberd to defend himself while raising his shield defensively. A bronze-colored symbol ?? appeared on the back of Espoir¡¯s hand, and his fist resembled the same metal as the blade. Using the blade of the halberd, the guard swung at Espoir. As the two collided, the halberd shattered, much to the guard¡¯s shock.
¡°Spark.¡± In an instant, the earth symbol on Espoir''s hand changed to a yellow lightning bolt ?? on the back of his other hand. Placing his palm on his chest, a jolt of electricity surged into the guard, causing him to scream in pain before collapsing onto the dirt path.
As the second guard rushed to help his partner, Aria activated her aura, causing her sword to glow a bright cyan. The guard swung an overhead strike with his halberd, but Aria swiftly sliced through the weapon¡¯s pole with ease. Before he could react, she delivered a precise kick to the guard¡¯s exposed neck, knocking him off balance. Espoir followed up by placing his hand on the metal chest plate. Using his Spell once again, the remaining guard cried out in pain before collapsing.
Espoir crouched down, checking the guards¡¯ pulses to confirm they were still alive. ¡°We must be close if they¡¯re stationed here,¡±
As Espoir and Aria ascended the hillside path, they reached a landing where the mine entrance lay. It looked exactly as it had been drawn in the sketchbook. Standing outside the entrance, James Blackthorn smoked a cigarette, watching the two with interest. ¡°Bit late for a stroll¡¡± he joked, flicking his cigarette to the ground. He grinned, clearly aware they were responsible for the guards'' screams just moments ago. ¡°But I assume you¡¯re here for a different reason.¡±
¡°You¡¯re the ones dispatched to deal with the ¡®monster,¡¯¡± Espoir said, narrowing his eyes at the mine entrance. The military decals on James¡¯ uniform marked him as a ranked mage from Albion, a member of the Mage Corps.
¡°Aye, of course. There¡¯s a reward from the locals I hear, I assume that¡¯s why you two are here.¡± James eyed the duo, trying to get a read on them. The hooded girl was obviously a swordswoman, and the boy seemed to be the one leading. Feeling James¡¯ gaze on them, Espoir stepped forward, his eyes determined as he focused on entering the mine.
¡°What about the girl that¡¯s with the ¡®monster¡¯? How does the military plan to deal with her?¡± Espoir asked, his voice low. James hummed before smiling nonchalantly. ¡°If she¡¯s smart, she¡¯ll get out of the way. Our job is to hunt the monster; if there¡¯s some... collateral damage, so be it.¡±
¡°Collateral damage?!¡± Espoir¡¯s red eyes widened in anger, shocked that they could dismiss killing someone so easily. Before he could continue, Aria put her arm in front of him. ¡°There¡¯s no use trying to reason with someone like him. Go and save them. I¡¯ll deal with the mage.¡± Espoir¡¯s anger waned as he remembered their mission.
James ran a hand through his dyed-blonde hair. ¡°What a pain; I went from fighting the strongest to battling weaklings in the middle of nowhere.¡± He clapped his hands together, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to block their path.
Pulling out his pistol, Espoir aimed at the corner of the mine entrance. As the gunshot echoed through the area, a small spark from the bullet appeared beside James¡¯ head. Using the sound as a distraction, Espoir rushed toward the entrance just as James recovered. Noticing his plan, the soldier tried to intercept him. Before he could grab Espoir, Aria swung her sword at him, forcing him to dodge. Sliding to the side of the entrance, the moon¡¯s glow illuminated the two soldiers as Espoir made it past James.
Aria eyed the man as she readied her sword. ¡°I¡¯m only asking you this once,¡± she said, her tone deadly serious as she leveled her blade. ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re with the Mage Corps. Did you serve in the war?¡± Her hood and bangs obscured her features as she waited for his response, Aria''s voice edged with the sense that she already knew the answer and only sought confirmation.
James eyed the swordswoman, caught off guard by her question. A cruel smirk spread across his lips; he knew only one type of person would ask such a thing. ¡°Aye, I did... It was a LOT of fun too.¡± A small laugh escaped James as he began circling Aria.
¡°Fun...¡±
James laughed again, spreading his arms wide. ¡°Of course! The best part was the women.¡± He grinned. ¡°See, of all the ones I¡¯ve been with, Easennian women are the gold standard. Not just their looks. No... They fuck the best!¡± A cruel smile twisted on James'' face as Aria silently listened, aware his words would affect her. ¡°Especially the ones we had custody over. They do it like their lives depend on it... though I suppose they did.¡± He chuckled again slightly.
Aria pulled down her hood, closing her eyes as a shallow laugh escaped her. James Blackthorn watched her with a hint of curiosity. He assumed she was from Easenna, given her question.
¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m only laughing at myself,¡± Aria said simply. ¡°After all this time, I forgot.¡± I¡¯ve been shown so much kindness and generosity in these lands that I had somehow forgotten... ¡°Yes, I forgot how much I truly HATE you people.¡± Aria¡¯s green eyes burned with a bright glow, her rage radiating through her aura. There was an eerie calmness about her, as if the rage had always been simmering beneath the surface all this time.
¡°To treat my countrymen, living, breathing beings, as nothing more than game for you to hunt. Treating us as something to lay claim to, something to violate on a whim. The fact that your country can decide that another person¡¯s life is no longer deemed human, despite them bordering you, living like you. I hate all of it!¡± Aria raised her sword, her knuckles whitening around the hilt. ¡°You speak of the Easennian people you killed and pillaged as nothing more than prey for you and your ilk to hunt. Very well.
Tonight I will be the one hunting you.¡±
As Espoir ran through the mines, his eyes glowed with a faint light, allowing him to see in the darkness. I won¡¯t let a tragedy happen¡ Not now, not again. As he turned a corner, a woman with dark green hair spotted him. Drawing her sidearm, she fired without hesitation.
Shit! Espoir raised his hand, his earth spell activating in time causing the bullet to crush on impact. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± she ordered, holding him at gunpoint. ¡°James should¡¯ve stopped you. The fact that you¡¯re here means either you defeated him or you aren''t alone,¡± Eliza said, her eyes analyzing the intruder before her.
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¡°I¡¯m here to save both the girl and the one you call a monster,¡± Espoir replied, raising his hands in surrender. ¡°The ¡®monster¡¯ isn¡¯t a monster!¡±
Eliza¡¯s expression wavered in confusion. ¡°It took a child. How the hell could it be anything except that?¡±
¡°What Eldritch takes children?¡± Espoir asked, hoping she could be reasoned with. If she¡¯s a mage, then she knows this behavior doesn¡¯t match what we know of Eldritch. She must see it¡¯s a unique case!
Eliza¡¯s eyes flickered with uncertainty for a moment before she steadied her gun. ¡°Who can say it isn¡¯t? Eldritch aren¡¯t consistent. More importantly, who are you to barge into an active military zone and preach about things you can¡¯t possibly know?¡±
¡°I¡¯m a traveling mage who specializes in these sorts of things.¡± Eliza fired a shot near his head causing Espoir to take a step back. ¡°Enough. I don¡¯t know how you got in, but this doesn¡¯t concern you.¡±
Espoir began to realize he couldn¡¯t reason with the military. Even if she believed him, this woman would follow her orders. ¡°If the girl the Eldritch ¡®took¡¯ doesn¡¯t comply, are you really content with killing her?¡±
Eliza¡¯s eyes widened at his question. Stunned, she hesitated, giving Espoir the opening he needed. He swiftly disarmed her, crushing the gun in his hand. Eliza tried to stab him with a knife, but Espoir elbowed her in the wrist before grabbing it. Flipping her to the ground, he struck her quickly in the stomach with enough force to knock her out.
¡°To think someone¡¯s interfering with military business.¡± A man with spiky black-purple hair approached. His white-blue mask covered the lower half of his face as he carried a swirling ball of green gas in his hand. ¡°I guess Eliza was too weak to handle an intruder. How typical.¡±
Rather than waste time trying to talk, Espoir activated [Accelerate], glowing in a lime green aura. Drawing his dagger, he moved to disarm the man, but his blade passed right through him, leaving a trail of gas in its wake. His ability lets him turn into gas? Before Espoir could analyze further, he felt something grip his throat tightly. Desperate, he threw his knife, but it passed through the man again, bouncing uselessly along the mineshaft. The grip around his throat tightened.
I need to act quickly. Swiping his middle and index fingers upward, a green triangle symbol ?? appeared on his hand. In an instant, a small gust of wind knocked the man back, and the pressure around Espoir¡¯s neck vanished.
Coughing, Espoir narrowed his eyes at his opponent. My wind magic seems best suited for this. Just as he prepared to chase him, the man vanished completely. Espoir looked around but realized he was alone. He couldn¡¯t have gone far.
Before he could move, something constricted around his neck again, and this time, his arms were also pinned. Espoir felt sharp pressure breaking the skin around his throat. His eyes darted around the dimly lit mine until he spotted a figure near the unconscious woman. So he can dematerialize and rematerialize, as well as detach himself? Wait... gases. He¡¯s still likely affected by the fundamental principles of gas!
Espoir felt his neck starting to bleed as the man tried to tear it off. Acting quickly, he manifested a second symbol on his hand; a blue triangle ?? overlapped his wind symbol. ¡°Advanced Spell: Cyan Winter.¡± A twin spiral of water and wind launched at the man. This time, instead of vanishing, he took the full impact of the spell. The spirals collided, freezing part of his body where his missing arm had been, a patch of ice formed in the outline of an arm. Around Espoir¡¯s neck, the gas solidified into the outline of a hand. With a quick strike, Espoir smashed it with his fist, coughing again as the man across from him began to bleed from his now-injured hand.
¡°That¡¯s your ability¡¡± Espoir rubbed his throat, recovering slightly. ¡°You can turn your body into gas and send your body parts out. But you can¡¯t fully disappear and use that distance ability at the same time,¡± Espoir deduced, having figured out Charles¡¯ power.
¡°What of it?¡± Charles winced, trying to vanish again, but his eyes widened in shock when his ability didn¡¯t activate as quickly. ¡°What?!¡±
Espoir pressed his hand against Charles¡¯ still-solid chest, creating a patch of ice over it. His light-grey aura coated his fist before he punched Charles in the chest. The force made Charles cough up blood as the ice around him cracked.
¡°Gas slows down when it¡¯s cold. How do you have an ability and not know how it works?¡± Espoir questioned, stepping toward him. There was a flicker of worry on Charles¡¯ face as Espoir looked down at him and Eliza. Sensing the silent judgment, Espoir decided to reassure him.
¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you. My job is to save the ¡®monster¡¯ you¡¯re hunting. As long as you stay out of my way, I won¡¯t bother you or your friend.¡±
¡°Save?¡± Charles repeated, shocked by Espoir¡¯s words. ¡°How could you possibly be here to save a monster?¡±
Espoir gave a small smile as he walked away, adjusting his coat while heading toward the cavern. As he tried to think of a response, his thoughts were interrupted, his eyes widening in mild frustration. He now realized he¡¯d need to replace his dagger. ¡°Damn it¡ I liked that knife too.¡±
Upon reaching a spacious cavern, Espoir¡¯s eyes widened. Under normal circumstances, he would have paused to admire its beauty. Large chroma crystals illuminated the cave with a multi-colored glow. Various crystals jutted out from the ground, while stalactites hung from the ceiling above. The area had been used as an in-mountain quarry, with a main section dropping off into smaller strip mines.
¡°Stay back!¡± someone yelled. Espoir turned to see a girl with chestnut-brown hair and tea-red eyes glaring at him, wearing an orange hard hat and gripping a pickaxe tightly. ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt her!¡± She swung the pickaxe, but Espoir effortlessly dodged the blow.
¡°Calm down. By ¡®her,¡¯ do you mean the one they call a monster?¡±
The girl, Sophie, growled in anger. ¡°Rachel''s not a monster!¡±
¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± Espoir offered a gentle, reassuring smile and crouched down to meet Sophie at eye level. He could see the fear etched on her face. She must think I¡¯m here to hurt her friend. ¡°I¡¯m a traveling magician who specializes in helping people like her. Call me Espoir.¡± Sophie hesitated but seemed to relax as she studied his expression. Slowly, she pointed toward a tipped-over railway car.
¡°Rachel! This man says he¡¯s here to help!¡±
From behind the car, a girl with matted blonde hair crawled out. Her dress and skin were darkened from long exposure to the wilderness. The most striking feature, however, was her face. It was distorted, like a mixture of burnt flesh and aged leather. It was unnaturally white and constantly shifting between a human visage and something far more unnatural. Despite the unsettling appearance, Espoir remained unfazed. Whatever¡¯s inside her has likely been there too long. I need to seal it quickly, Espoir thought to himself.
¡°How can you help me? I¡¯m a monster!¡± Her voice trembled, and her body shook with fear. Despite her monstrous appearance, Espoir could see the sadness beneath it all, the weight of everything this poor girl had endured etched into her features.
¡°You''re not a monster. You¡¯ve just encountered something unfortunate¡ something beyond your control. You¡¯ve been wronged, and I intend to correct that.¡± Espoir stepped forward with calm determination. Steeling himself, he extended his hand outward. ¡°Appear! My Grimoire between light and darkness!¡± As he spoke, his black-covered grimoire materialized in his hand, its pages resembling a starry night sky. As he prepared to fix everything, Espoir realized he had made a crucial mistake.
Before he could use the Silver Grimoire to seal the Eldritch, Rachel lunged forward. Her glowing purple eyes gleamed with an otherworldly intensity, and a gaping maw formed in her face, an unfathomable abyss lined with a chaotic array of jagged, human and animal teeth, each one grotesquely elongated and stained with a darkness that seemed to writhe and pulse. As Rachel rushed at him, threatening to engulf him whole, Espoir''s eyes widened in shock.
Right. Eldritch react to my grimoire. It hadn¡¯t once occurred to me... the Silver Grimoire could accelerate the Eldritch¡¯s grip on her. WHY THE FUCK DIDN¡¯T I REMEMBER THAT!?
Espoir barely avoided dying to the Eldritch. In the process, he lost his left arm. Sophie¡¯s eyes widened in horror as blood splattered across the cavern. ¡°Stay back!¡± Espoir yelled, shoving Sophie away with his remaining arm. Still clutching the Silver Grimoire, his hand shook as the pain of his severed arm radiated through him. ¡°Damn it! Vermeil Spark!¡± His lightning symbol ?? reappeared as he aimed to shoot a low-powered volt at Rachel using the Silver Grimoire. Arcs of multicolored electricity shot from the grimoire before a single bolt of indigo struck Rachel. Smoke filled the area as the blast collided with her, but she simply brushed it off, her fury unabated as she lunged at him with claw-like hands.
Dematerializing his book, Espoir attempted to grab her arm. As her claws pierced his flesh, he maintained a firm grip. ¡°Rachel! The thing inside you still needs you to exist. I know you aren¡¯t gone yet. If you give me even the slightest opening, this will all be over!¡± He hoped to weaken the Eldritch¡¯s hold over her.
Just then, Rachel slammed her fist into his stomach, sending Espoir crashing into a nearby crystal. ¡°Fuck.¡± He felt a trickle of blood running down his forehead and lips. Rematerializing the Silver Grimoire, he focused on healing the area where his arm had been bitten off. As he looked at his newly formed palm, he quickly clenched it in determination. He was so close to saving her. I just need one opening.
Sophie watched the standoff between Espoir and Rachel, her heart pounding. Closing her eyes, she whispered, ¡°Rachel, please¡¡± She knew that the creature attacking them wasn¡¯t her friend. It may have looked like her, but Rachel would never try to hurt anyone.
As Espoir began to return to the center of the cavern, he focused on finding an opening. His eyes remained fixed on the Eldritch when he suddenly heard something in the distance. A bone-chilling command:
¡°Take the shot.¡±
Looking toward the entrance, he saw the two mages he had defeated crouched on the floor. In the hands of the green-haired woman was a high-powered rifle. Espoir''s eyes widened in horror as he realized that Rachel wasn¡¯t the target... ¡°Get down!¡± he shouted, rushing toward Sophie. Just as he reached her, the unmistakable crack of the rifle echoed through the mine, resonating off the cavern walls like thunder.
BANG!!!
Sophie¡¯s eyes widened in horror as the innocent-looking girl fell back to the cavern floor, blood splattering across the rocks. The crystals surrounding her were stained with crimson, a stark contrast to their vibrant hues, while the girl''s expression became etched into the cavern¡¯s memory.
Charles Dunwall
Albion Mage Rank: D
Spell Art: Sublimation State
This ability lets its user transform his limbs into a gaseous state. The user''s mass over his detached limbs is entirely based around his body as a whole. He must have a part of him completely solid to remotely interact with objects. If he¡¯s more gas then solid his limbs become intangible for a time. All damage he takes when his limbs are partially formed still connect and aura can be used to interact with his gaseous state.
Espoir
Advanced Spell: Cyan Winter
Using his wind and water spells, Espoir can create ice at a point of contact between the two spells met
Chapter 13: Shale Cove Finale
¡°Hunt me?¡± James laughed. His thoughts were cut short as Aria attempted to decapitate him in a single swing. Aria coated both herself and her blade in a cyan aura as she increased her speed momentarily. James'' attempt to dodge failed as Aria readjusted and got a clean slash across his stomach. Mid-cut, James attempted to counter attack but Aria swiftly stepped back sneaking a kick to his fresh stomach wound.
¡°Haha, there is some fight to you. How fun.¡± Aria¡¯s eyes narrowed as his body began to heal the otherwise fatal wound instantly. A healing ability? She analyzed to herself. As James went to punch her, Aria jumped back. His fist collided with the rocky ground shooting shards of earth into the air. The pieces of debris were immediately cut in half as Aria retaliated, her blade cut through his neck but it stopped before it could cut his head clean off. A faint dark yellow aura coated his neck and head protecting it from being cut off. James tried to punch her in the chest with an aura enhanced punch. Aria swiftly balanced herself up with the stationary hilt of her sword dodging his punch. As James used his other arm to hit her, Aria blocked with an X shape with her arms, surrounding them with her aura. Aria was knocked through the air as shockwave formed from the impact. Pulling Aria¡¯s blade from his throat, James laughed as he held it.
¡°Not so tough without your sword, eh?¡±
Why does everyone assume I¡¯m useless without a sword? Aria wondered silently. Rushing towards him again, he attempted to slash her with an enhanced swipe of his hand, only to be parried with the sheath of her sword. Abusing his blind spot, Aria snuck a kick aimed at his face.
"You think I hadn¡¯t considered I had one eye?" James was aiming to break the girls leg with a counter hit. At the last second, Aria adjusted the kick and enhanced it with her aura, striking him in the kidney. The impact echoing through his body as pain resonated through James'' body.
Momentarily stunned by the attack, Aria used the moment of weakness and spun around, kneeing him in the jaw. James staggered back into the wall of the mine entrance. Taking her sheath, Aria shoved it into James mouth and enhanced her leg with aura before slamming it into the back of it. The wall cracked as James face and head were smashed between the wall. Falling to the ground face first, blood dripped from his dismantled jaw while he lied unmoving for moment. As Aria grabbed her blade, her eyes widened as James began to move.
Suddenly, James Blackthorn burst into laughter, not dying from her otherwise lethal combo. Putting his hand on his jaw, James began to readjust it back into place. Both his jaw and throat began to heal as the muscles inside wriggled in a disgusting manner. ¡°Oh you are good! I would¡¯ve loved to run into you back in the war!¡±
¡°Had we met you¡¯d be six feet under.¡± Aria replied coldly, reading her sword.
¡°You are an interesting one¡ You''re not just an Easennian, you¡¯re a former soldier? You seem pretty young to have this much experience.¡± James analyzed. It¡¯s fine though. My ability is perfect for this! In an instant he effortlessly broke through Aria¡¯s aura with a powerful punch. Wincing from the blow, Aria slide back. Her arm shaking from the impact. It¡¯s not just healing? He gets stronger from his healing as well? Aria thought to herself. She could tell this would get dangerous the longer it dragged on. If Aria didn¡¯t find a way to kill him soon James would keep growing until he eventually defeated her.
¡°Seems you¡¯ve figured it out. In a one-on-one fight I¡¯m the perfect fighter.¡± James taunted, tearing off his falling apart shirt. Layers upon layers of scars littered his body.
¡°Perfect huh¡¡± Aria could gauge about how strong he was. His ability was fairly useful since healing abilities, especially one that grows your strength would be incredibly powerful. However, she knew he must have either a weakness or a vital that he can¡¯t heal from. His ability was still bound to the laws of magic, like anyone else. Returning to her assessment, Aria knew he was probably above average for the Mage Corp. But compared to some of the soldiers she fought during the war, he was still weaker. Aria had defeated a much stronger mage in the past. As long as I avoid unnecessary damage I should win. After this, I¡¯ll be able to help with whatever remaining soldiers are left.
¡°Better stay focused!¡± James shouted as he towered over Aria. Raising his palm, he slammed it into the ground trying to crush her. As Aria jumped to the side, James twisted himself. He predicted her dodge. James even coated his arms with his aura to make her blade not slice through it. I guess I have to use it here¡ As he swung into Aria. Aria¡¯s sword began to glow. James smirked, knowing he¡¯d win this trade. His yellow aura coated his fist as he went for the kill.
SMASH SLICE
Aria had cut his hands off instantly. James¡¯ eye widened from shock, he used enough aura to not only protect them but enhance his strike. Somehow she cut through him like it was nothing. As his blood spilt out, he looked and saw her eyes glowing. On the back of her glove was a glowing black music note ?. Before James could retreat, Aria stabbed him in the stomach and did a rising slash. Finishing him, she stabbed her sword into his chest. As added insurance, Aria stomped on the blade making it go directly through him. Falling back to the ground, Aria sighed as she wiped his blood off herself. Going to grab her sword, she jumped as she saw James begin to stir. James began to cackle as his muscles once again contorted, bringing him back from death. ¡°How frustrating¡¡± Aria mumbled. His healing ability was starting to annoy her.
¡°Seriously? Just how many times am I going to be brought to the brink of death?!¡± James laughed once more, as if he enjoyed the thrill. Aria assumed he¡¯d grow again and her sword was firmly stuck in his chest... Slamming his fist into her flat side of her sword, he broke it in half before tossing the splintered blade to the side. ¡°That¡¯s enough of tha-¡± Aria rushed and tried to kick him in the chin. As James stepped back, he felt his speed and power rise from the last near-death experience. Smirking, he knew she missed. Unexpectedly, however, his lip began to bleed. ¡°Huh?¡±
James was no longer laughing as he realized Aria was just as lethal without a sword. Aria used the heel of her boot to cut through him with her aura. "You aren''t laughing anymore? I thought you said you preferred Easennian women?¡± Aria asked, seeing him no longer smiling. ¡°Maybe it''s that you just prefer when they can¡¯t fight back.¡±
¡°Arrogant bitch, you''re still without a weapon.¡± He said, rubbing the blood out of his mouth. James rushed at Aria, as he swiped at her, from his last growth James was now able to break through her speed and got a slash her across the shoulders. As Aria began to bleed, she noted her position. James Blackthorn was beginning to trap her into a corner. Closing her eyes, for a second, Aria knew she had to use her ability. As James went to punch her, Aria leapt into the air. Having expected this, James Blackthorn aimed a second hit where she was jumping. Unexpectedly, Aria was able to leap again! Using her nails, she attempted to blind him but James pulled his head back so only the side of his face was cut. Overhead, Aria used James shoulder and leapt out of the corner.
Looking at the area she had leapt from, a circular platform made of cyan aura floated in front of him. ¡°What the¡¡± James looked over and saw Aria standing in front of the mine. Removing her glove, Aria rolled up the baggy sleeve of her blouse to her elbow. A deep blue tattoo began to glow on the back of her forearm. The tattoo was shaped like a winged sword with a deep blue crow shape at the end. A bright blue glow shined throughout the surrounding area as the tattoo took shape.
¡°A family crest?!¡± James watched her with shock and a bit of interest. Meanwhile, Aria¡¯s eyes narrowed at him, the light began to die down as deep blue tattoo formed along the back of her wrist. ¡°Using my family''s ability against someone like you is disgraceful. However, the sooner you die the sooner I can help save those girls.¡±
Sophie''s horrified expression was cemented on her face. As blood dripped onto her face, her copper colored eyes finally blinked. Looking up, Espoir panted as he stood in front of her. A light-grey barrier covered her as the bullet went straight through his abdomen but blocked the shot from reaching her. He had a pained expression.
"M...Mister!"
Espoir gave a strained smile as blood dripped down his mouth. "I-it''s fine." He said, as calmly as possible. The bullet tore through him, piercing multiple organs. Unlike his arm, which healing was relatively easy, internal damage required him to actively apply aura in order to heal himself with his grimoire. If he did that, he''d not have enough to defeat Rachel. "It''s fine..." Espoir repeated, he was unsure if he was reassuring Sophie or telling himself this. As his hand shook, Espoir used his blood and swiftly drew a small spell circle on Sophie''s palm.
"There... That should hide you." The Spell was a simply cloaking ability. It acted like a form of camouflage, although moving would disrupt the illusion. Espoir looked at the Eldritch in front of him. The situation was spiraling out of control and he was running out of time. "I came here to finding the monster of Shale Cove... Now I found it. The thing possessing an innocent girl." Espoir strutted over, his eyes were erratic from the mixture of blood loss and adrenaline. I came here to stop the monster and that''s what I intend to do. Making a finger gun, Espoir aimed it directly at the monster. "Ignite."
James'' mind began to connect the dots. The ability to create solid mass with aura and a crest on her arm. ¡°A raven?¡± James'' eye narrowed at her. ¡°HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! So I get the honor of taking a raven? I thought all of you were killed? I guess my visit to this bumfuck town was worth it after all!¡± Rather than dignify a response, Aria''s aura caused her tattoo to glow a cyan color. The usual glow that she used to protect her and enhance her attacks began to centralize at the palm of her hand. A blade made of cyan aura manifested as the aura became solid. Wrapping around the end of the sword guard was a pair of wings on each side, each feathered as it went towards the hilt. The mass of the blade was a thin transparent cyan color. Aria had made a replica of the sword she lost during the war.
"Go on little birdy, let''s se-¡± As James began to taunt, Aria closed the gap between them once more. Her aura blade was lighter and sharper than the now-broken sword that she used. As Aria slashed through him multiple times, James tried to power through the attacks with a knee to her abdomen, Aria used her free hand and punched him in the in the rib. The force of it was far stronger than it should¡¯ve been. James began to cough blood as Aria¡¯s punch collided with his side.
Aria¡¯s Spell Art, [Aura Sinfonia] allows her to artificially adjust the aura of herself and others through creating notes. This ability allows her to; after meeting specific conditions, increase her damage or decrease her opponents defense through adjusting their aura. By default the damage increased or decreased is 1-1 to the amount of aura she applies on each note. Rarely can an ability affect others without a steep Cost/Condition to it. However, for Aria this is as natural as breathing air. The second ability she uses, channeled through her family crest, is the Corvo signature ability: Aura Construction. All magic is fueled by one''s aura. The Corvo family being renowned for their unique talent of creating objects using their aura. The foundation of this ability almost defies the typical rules of magic, as aura functions within an individual to both perform magic and enhance their abilities.
While some advanced applications include being able to create barriers at a distance and using aura to warp the objects through Transmutation. Aura Construction is the apex of aura manipulation. Aura Construction isn¡¯t exclusive to their family, the Corvo family is unique in producing multiple generations capable of weaponizing their aura to such an extreme degree. This distinctive ability has fostered a deep understanding of aura and its applications through Corvo traditions. Nicolas Corvo, Aria¡¯s father, was renowned for his ability to construct an entire army to fight on his behalf using his Aura Construction. Aria¡¯s form of construction is unique. Though she is limited to creating objects like weapons and platforms, her constructs maintain their shape without requiring constant fueling. Additionally, Aria can channel spells through her constructs.
As Aria barraged James with a series of slashes and stabs, James Blackthorn began to falter. He felt useless, weak, it was a feeling he only felt one other time¡ As he began to fall to his knee, Aria sliced his eye patch off revealing a cascading scar around the eye. Tree-like lines went off across the side of his face. The eye itself was gray and hazy, unlike his other eye. Around his pupil was a star pattern. Before James could notice his eyepatch was gone, he saw Aria in front of him before she stabbed his other eye.
James Blackthorn recalled that day. The day he felt true fear.
Being considered a prodigy and the ¡°perfect soldier¡± by the members of his family, alongside some officials. It only felt natural he¡¯d assist in the war effort. His family, the Blackthorns, were powerful politically within the inner circles of Albion, known for history as donors the militaries efforts. Naturally, James was the pride of the Blackthorn family. His ability alone made him a powerful asset, landing him in the Mage Corp early into the war. Due to this status, he was granted certain privileges lesser soldiers couldn''t have. Power, money, anything so long as he maintained his use to Albion. It was during the later stage of the war that James felt fear...
James was enjoying some personal time with two beautiful women when he met him. Walking into his tent, the young man eyed James and the two women that were with him with complete disinterest. ¡°You two. Leave.¡± He ordered, his voice had a commanding tone. The women hastily covered themselves as they ran out the tent. The man looked at James for a moment with an unreadable expression. ¡°Outside. Now.¡±
As James quickly put some pants on, he was thrown to the ground in front of the rest of the Mage Corp members. Embarrassing for someone like him to be treated so lowly. ¡°What gives?!¡± James Blackthorn demanded, not knowing why he was interrupted or what this person wanted. To barge in and ruin his allocated free time was unheard of. It''s not like what he was doing was frowned upon by Mage Corp members.
¡°Are you a soldier for Albion?¡± The man asked James. His tone was low and full of silent judgement. James Blackthorn looked at the person before him like he was stupid. ¡°Is this some kind of joke? Of course I am! Do you not know my family?¡± He asked with his usual confident smile.
¡°You claim to be a soldier for our nation, yet you sleep with women from the land we¡¯re at war with¡ How can you serve this nation while laying with our enemies?¡± James recalled the cold, deep blue eyes that peered into his soul that day. The mans tone, despite being low and almost respectful, carried a murderous edge beneath the surface. James will never forget the uncertain feeling he felt. It felt as if one wrong move would get him killed.
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Naturally James found this conversation humorous at the time, he was on display for doing something natural. James burst into laughter at his interrogation. To him, this was likely just a jealous youth angry that James slept with someone he fell for. It wouldn''t be the first time something like this happened to James. ¡°What? Are you mad that I was getting a little action in between battles? If any of those girls were yours then you could just say so.¡±
The man threw a small pistol at James'' feet as he examined his own sword; it was a thin saber, the kind used in a cavalry. ¡°Use that gun and kill yourself."
James'' eyes narrowed at the gun, confused why he was being challenged to a fight. James knew this person was competent, to be this young and an active soldier would mean the military knew his strength. ¡°What are you so mad about? It¡¯s natural to have sex! It''s not even like I forced myself on them. If you wanted them for yourself by all means, I can find someone else.¡±
James recalled how strange that man acted. So cold and yet there was something else... James felt a strange anger, being told to kill himself by someone younger and less experienced then him. ¡°Like hell I''d shoot myself over that!¡± The man clicked his tongue as James crushed the gun beneath his foot. The broken metal and bullets splintering across the ground.
"How can you call yourself a man of this nation and lay with the enemy over a basic urge?" The man eyed James for a moment before letting out a small sigh. ¡°Natural huh? I suppose I made a mistake. You see, I assumed someone who called himself soldier for Albion was human and could be reasoned with. The only difference between us humans and the animals we surround ourselves with is that we are aware of our actions. A human weighs the pros and cons of a decision before we act. An animal lives and dies without that feeling of consideration, they simply act on their whims, doing what''s natural to them. Seeing as you rejected my offer to die as a human..."
¡°What the fuck are are you talking abou-¡± Before James could finish his sentence his jaw had been sliced from the bottom up. James didn''t even have time to register he drew his sword. Clutching at his face, James tried to scream from the pain but his tongue was cut in half. Blood began to flood his throat as he desperately clutched his throat.
¡°Words are for humans.¡±
That afternoon, James Blackthorn learned the curse of his ability. Spell Arts that can heal is one of the highest forms of magic. For this reason healers were highly coveted by Albion¡¯s military. James¡¯ Spell Art [Overdrive] gives him the ability to heal and regenerate himself as long as his vital organs aren¡¯t completely destroyed for an extended period of time, and his brain still functioned. Additionally, he grows in strength temporarily as a result of his healing. Under normal circumstances his ability coupled with aura reinforcement would make him unkillable for most mages. However, he still feels pain from both the damage dealt and the process of regrowing his limbs. As the man before him cut through him like it was nothing, James was helpless as he was sliced through over and over and over again.
Soon James lost track of time as he laid in the middle of the grounds with his arms open. His body was riddled with scars from being cut and brought to near death countless times. James'' mind was on the verge of collapse from the constant pain, the feeling of blood filling his lungs, the inability to move or use his limbs. His opponents'' attacks were perfectly aimed to not kill him. ¡°P-p-please. Please kill me¡¡± James pleaded, his voice was raspy.
Rather than comply, the man James was fighting simply stabbed the sword through his throat again. ¡°We already established you¡¯re not to use human words¡¡± He said bored. As if this were a chore to him. James'' mouth once again filled with blood. It felt as if he would drown from his own life essence. Slowly James'' tongue began to regrow once more.
¡°Please kill me.¡± He repeated, his usual black eyes were hollow and glassy. A result from being brought to the brink of death countless times that day.
¡°I''m going to ignore you using people words to ask this: Why would I kill you?¡± Hoping off his face, James¡¯ opponent crouched down to meet him at eye level. His legs and arms were currently cut along their tendons. He rendering him immobile as the muscles painfully tried to heal with what little aura he had left. As he asked him why he''d kill him, James felt afraid. Truly afraid.
He raised two fingers up as he began to speak to James in his usual calm tone. ¡°There are two reasons why a human would ever kill an animal. Both being it fulfills a purpose. One reason is if it has something of use. Be it for food or a material. The second reason we kill is if that animal poses a threat to them, their loved ones, or as an act of kindness to the animal¡ You fit neither of those categories so I won''t kill you." He looked James in the eye. Those same cold eyes were once again looking down on him in silent judgment. ¡°I¡¯m not killing you because there¡¯d be no purpose to it.¡± James would go on to understand why he left him alive that day. In the face of overwhelming strength, even someone like James Blackthorn was insignificant to him. Just as humans feel nothing for stepping on an ant, the person before James felt nothing after cutting him all this time. To him, killing James would be acknowledging his existence. He wasn¡¯t even worthy of that.
The man let out a dry laugh as he sheathed his saber. ¡°Sorry¡ I got carried away talking. For a minute I thought I was speaking to another human.¡± The man began to place his hand over James¡¯ left eye, ¡°It is interesting though. Your ability to heal and grow in strength is enough to boost you a whole letter grade. As long as your vitals aren¡¯t destroyed you should be able to heal from anything. Makes me curious¡¡±
Despite being nearly dead James Blackthorn began to feel truly helpless and completely terrified as he saw him cover his eye. He¡¯d have screamed if his voice allowed him too. "W-wait! Just kill me!"
Every generation of magic has at least one person whose strength stands out among the rest. For the generation before the Calamity, known in Albion as the Worst Generation; that person who defined their era was Nicolas Corvo. The generation following the Calamity are the ones that not only grew up during the return of the Eldritch but fought in the war in Easenna also. This generation became known as the Lost Generation. James Blackthorn being one of the many who fell into it.
As Aria pierced his eye, James Blackthorn retaliated immediately with a lethal punch. Aria swiftly made a wall in the air with her aura and kicked off it, sending her backwards. Pulling her blade out of his eye as she jumped back, James sclerae was dyed red as he yelled in anger. His fist smashed Aria''s platform as she rolled to a kneeling position. "This feeling... I haven''t been this angry since I lost my other eye." James'' eye reformed as he felt his power spike once again. "No... This is perfect. The anger I feel because of that man. The humiliation... I''m reminded of it all. I''ll enjoy tearing you limb from limb!"
"I... almost killed that girl." Eliza repeated, seeing her hands shake. Charles groaned as he sat by the entrance. Both the Silver Grimoire and the Monster were locked in a viscous battle. Every Spell he threw at it did nothing as it barely missed its counter attack. His body glowed green as he used his speed to keep himself out of its range. Creating a red sigyl, he sent a crescent blade of fire only to have the monster shatter it. As it tried to strike him, Espoir slide back as he kicked off its hand.
"It can''t be helped. She''s allied with those monsters." Charles mumbled, watching the fight. "We became soldiers for that reason no?"
"If that''s true... why would the Silver Grimoire willingly protect that girl?" Eliza asked out loud. She thought about witnessing him push the target down and willingly let himself be hurt. It made no sense that a monster she learnt about all her life would do something like that. "He said the monster was innocent... What if he''s right?"
Charles let out a dry laugh. "How could you think those two are innocent?" As Eliza watched them fight, she couldn''t help but notice both of them fought like they were desperate. "The way they fight is so... human." It''s almost like the Silver Grimoire is scared of losing...
As James used his increased speed to close the distance between them, Aria''s thoughts turned to how she can defeat him. He uses his aura to fuel his healing. However, it''s not automatic. I can either hit him with one strong attack and hope it destroys him, or force him to burnout his aura with consecutive attacks... Aria didn''t want to risk the former, since she needed to conserve her aura in case Espoir needs help against the other mages. If she used her Notes to amplify an attack, she might be able to break his healing. Aria felt her aura reserves were dwindling as this fight dragged on. If she ended it now, Aria knew she''d have enough to assist Espoir. Dodging his first attack, Aria snuck a quick hit into him as she sliced the ground with her sword. Covering his eye, a small cloud of dirt obscured James vision.
Once the dust cleared, James saw Aria''s crest began to glow. Lining her feet, Aria''s aura blade began to reshape. The wing-like guard coiled around reforming into a circular spiral around the hilt. Holding her blade to the sky, the previous long sword had been reshaped into a rapier. As Aria brought the blade back down, her eyes focused on the man before her. "Composition One. First Dance: Allegro."
"I got you now!" James put his full power into another punch, rather then dodge it, Aria used the sole of her boot to absorb the impact. Using her other leg, Aria enhanced it with aura as she kicked the back of it. Breaking it. Crying out in pain, Aria sliced him across the chest and she landed a barrage of stabs with the sword. After the third attack, a series of black music notes began to form across his body.
[Allegro] is a Spell Aria developed. While active, Aria cuts off access to her other spells in favor of heightening her speed. After landing three hits, Aria can create a music note that can adjust the damage he will receive once activated. The multiplied damage is based on the number of consecutive hits Aria lands within the activation of the spell. If she drops her combo for more then two seconds, the multiplied damage will be set until she activates the note with a non-spell attack using aura. Additionally, as per the condition of the ability, Aria cannot use aura on herself while using [Allegro].
As Aria pelted him with stabs, James''s mind began to race. Dodging a knee, Aria stabbed the blade into his chest and kicked upwards into the hilt. This feeling... James thought to himself, despite his strength being raised to that of an A class mage, Aria was effortlessly beating him. Dodging another heavy strike counter attack, Aria pulled the sword out of him before slicing him around his arms and ankles. Falling to his knee, Aria stabbed the sword into his back. As he turned to strike her with the back of his hand, Aria once again dodged and got a kick to his blind spot. "No... Someone like me dying like this?!" Ripping the sword out of his back, Aria sliced him twice across the chest. Feeling his power grow again, James tried to grab Aria. The swordswoman swiftly stabbed the sword into his head ending her combo.
Crying out, his grab whiffed as Aria leapt off his shoulder into the air. The notes Aria gained began to glow as a silent melody hung in the air. The moons glow fell onto Aria as she gracefully repositioned herself mid-air. As James saw her above him, his first thought was of the day he lost his eye. That same feeling of inferiority resonated through him.
No way... Is that? James could''ve sworn he saw that man in the air for a moment. Blinking, he soon realized that it was instead Aria Corvo. Aria had hit him while using [Allegro] a total of twenty times. This meant the damage multiplied would be increased by 100%. Slamming an aura enhanced stomp into the end of the rapier, a small shockwave was sent through the air as her aura blade went through James Blackthorn.
Looking at the fallen Mage Corp member, Aria saw he was slumped over. Blood dripping from his head as he didn''t get up. Letting out a sigh of relief, she released her Aura Constructs as her crest returned to normal. Rather then stick around, Aria began to race to the mines to rejoin Espoir. As she was leaving Aria tried to sheath her sword out of habit. She quickly realized it had been broken during the fight. "Roxy just gave me that..." Aria felt bad that her gift had been broken so quickly.
Espoir was struggling. While he maybe could defeat the monster in a fight, that was not his goal. His goal was to save girl that the Eldritch resided in. Dodging another bite, he was beginning to falter. Come on... "Rachel! I know your not a monster." Sidestepping a pair of elongated claws, Espoir threw up a barrier as they cut into the cavern ceiling. Stalagmites began to fall as Espoir winced. His aura reserves were beginning to reach their limit. between the two mages he fought, as well as this Eldritch he wasn''t sure how much longer he could keep fighting. As the Eldritch raised its appendage at him, Espoir extended his hand out. "Cyan Winter!" Both his water and air symbols ???? appeared on his hand as he prepared his Spell. Shooting a combination of water and air, the two streams collided freeze the arm of the Eldritch.
Rushing over, Espoir grabbed the other one as he looked directedly into the Erdrich''s face. "Even though you were rejected, you still found connections right? How could a monster do that?" Despite having a clear opening to hit him, the Eldritch didn''t act. Huh? Espoir felt as if what he said worked for a moment. As the Eldritch thrashed in his grip, Espoir used his free hand to remanifest the Silver Grimoire. Naturally it reacted to it and became more lethal. Hitting him away, Espoir had protected himself with his aura. Sliding back, the two ran towards each other. "You''re not a monster! You''re just a scared girl who wants to return to her family... Please work. Espoir could''ve sworn that in that never ending abyss that covered the monsters face, there was a glimmer of light.
"Rachel, please!"
Sophie had ran over and tackled her friend towards the Silver Grimoire. Espoir was going to yell at her to run but had no choice but to bet everything on this. The Silver Grimoires pages began to flip rapidly, Espoir started deconstructing the Eldritch hoping to find a way to reach her. His red eyes widened as he saw a path to sealing it. "Your parents, Sophie, you have people expecting you... Can''t keep them waiting right?" Espoir smiled softly. Using his Grimoire, he could tell that Rachel hadn''t been consumed.
"Ataraxia."
A burst of light filled the cavern as it traveled into Rachel before blinding everyone in the mine. In that light, there was a pair of amber eyes that began to blink. The darkness surround them were enveloped by the light of the Silver Grimoire.
...
As the light settled down, Espoir looked at the Silver Grimoire, the freshly made constellation looked like a mixture of a face and a wolf made of tentacles. Shuddering, Espoir closed the Silver Grimoire as he looked at the two children in front of him. Both Sophie and Rachel were lying on the cavern floor. The latter looked like a normal girl with bright blonde hair and a pair of amber colored eyes.
It worked... Espoir was relieved, although he was in no condition to fight. Feeling the adrenaline of his fight and bullet wound finally crash, he knew he was going to pass out soon. As he looked over, he saw the Mage Corp beginning to approach them. Even though I sealed the Eldritch, they may still try to kill these two anyway. Feeling his vision blur, Espoir knew he couldn''t fight them. He had used too much aura keeping the bleeding down as he focused on saving Rachel.
"-spoir." Looking to the sound of the voice, Espoir noticed Aria running over from the opposite direction of the Mage Corp. That''s funny... She almost looks worried for me Espoir began to fall to the ground. He almost wanted to laugh, surprised Aria was concerned for him. Despite that, he felt relieved that she was here, he knew Sophie and Rachel would be fine. "I was able to stop a tragedy this time." Espoir smiled as he passed out.
To Be Continued
Aria Corvo
Spell Art: Aura Sinfonia
Aria¡¯s ability allows her to artificially adjust her or other people''s aura. Using Aura Sinfonia, Aria can create a note that can affect herself or someone else¡¯s aura via contact using an aura infused weapon or herself. A flat note ? can allow Aria to remotely weaken someone''s aura output while a sharp ? increases her damage temporarily. This ability gives Aria the ability to create weak points in opponents that rely on aura for their combat. A caveat is that the amount of aura Aria affects must be supplied by herself with her ability alone. Ordinarily this type of magic; one that adjusts someone else''s ability to use aura or magic, is incredibly difficult and often comes with a steep cost/condition. However for Aria this is as natural as breathing.
Advance Spell Art: Composition
Aria¡¯s version of the Corvo signature ability Aura Construction. Aria transforms her aura into 3D mass. Unlike typical Aura Constructs, the ones Aria makes don¡¯t require her to actively fuel them. Instead, Aria''s family crest streamlines the ability and let''s her use it efficiently. She can use [Composition] without activating the crest but it is less refined and she cannot use her spells.
Spell:
First Dance: Allegro
After landing three or more hits with a constructed weapon, Aria can create a Note on her opponent. The amount of aura affected is equal to the number of hits she lands while [Allegro] is active multiplied by 5. During [Allegro], Aria cannot use aura to enhance her strength and the multiplier will stop if she fails to land a hit after two seconds.
James Blackthorn
Albion Mage Rank: B
Spell Art: Overdrive
As long as his vital organs haven''t been damage for an extended period of time, James can completely heal himself using his aura. Additionally, he grows in power in proportion to the aura used on himself. This ability can raise his strength an entire grade with enough time.
Chapter 14: Shale Cove Epilogue
¡°It hurts¡ When will it end?¡± A young boy let out a sad laugh as the other lay on the ground, the darkness obscuring their features except for the small puddle of blood around the other boy.
¡°Hmm, I suppose it can¡¯t be helped. This is the way of the world, right? We live, we fight, we deal with them. We¡¯ll eventually die someday.¡± The older boy sighed as he sat next to the other. ¡°I don¡¯t think Eldritch are that bad. I¡¯d rather deal with an Eldritch than a human. Eldritch, when they hurt you, are just following their nature¡"When other people do it, it is more personal since they actively choose to be evil.¡±
He laughed ruefully. The boy on the ground was wearing bloody clothes and crude bandages made from whatever they had around. The bandages on his torso and arms were stained maroon, but the older boy had managed to stop the bleeding. ¡°They say Eldritch come from a world opposite ours¡ The Abyss. It¡¯s interesting, isn¡¯t it, that such horrible creatures have a place they call home?¡±
The older one glanced at the boy, still reeling from his wounds. ¡°You¡¯re strong, you know.¡± His yellow eyes met the other¡¯s red ones with a reassuring grin. ¡°If I could overcome an Eldritch, so can you!¡±
¡°...I can¡¯t do it,¡± his brother said softly. He felt like he was going to die. The pain, the memories. it was too much. The older brother rubbed the younger ones black-red hair with a smile. He himself had short golden-blonde hair with red highlights along the sides of his bangs.
¡°Of course you can! Both the Silver Grimoire and the Gold Grimoire are halves of the original grimoire¡ That means you can be as strong as me. I can¡¯t accept my brother as anything less than my equal!¡±
Espoir¡¯s eyes fluttered open as he woke up in an unfamiliar room. His red eyes scanned his surroundings. It looked like a small cabin, furnished with a bed, a desk, and a wood stove. Looking to the side of his bed, Espoir¡¯s eyes widened when he saw Aria sleeping with her arms folded over the desk. A small glow of sunlight fell onto her as she slept. She looks serene¡
Looking down, he noticed his chest and sides wrapped in bandages. Realizing he was shirtless, Espoir initially felt flustered before shaking his head. He understood that she had stopped him from bleeding out. I suppose I owe her one, he thought softly. In a bed on the opposite side of the cabin, he saw Sofie and Rachel sleeping. The two girls were peacefully next to each other. Espoir felt a wave of relief wash through him. Aria had managed to get them out of the mines safely.
Reaching inside his coat hanging off the bed frame, Espoir pulled out a simple black shirt from the breast pocket. As he shifted himself up, he winced as pain shot through his body. I suppose I overdid it this time. Espoir hadn¡¯t expected the Eldritch in Rachel to be that strong. Meanwhile, Aria began to stir awake. Espoir awkwardly ran a hand through his hair as Aria blinked a few times, registering where she was. ¡°G-good morning...¡±
¡°Morning,¡± Espoir replied as he began to stand, despite Aria¡¯s protests. ¡°You might reopen your wounds.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine. If I¡¯m good enough to wake, then I can stand.¡± Espoir stood up and grabbed his coat, ignoring the obvious pain to avoid letting Aria win. ¡°So, I take it you defeated the Mage Corp members after I passed out?¡± he asked quietly.
Aria shook her head. ¡°No. As soon as I got there, one of them told me to leave with you and the girls¡ I don¡¯t really know why she let us go. They probably know about the soldier I fought by now.¡±
Espoir knew who she was talking about. He could only assume his words had somehow gotten through to that Mage Corp woman after all. ¡°Where are we, by the way?¡±
¡°The mine Sophie and Rachel were hiding in was an abandoned chroma mine. I figured there would be some kind of lodging. Turns out Sophie knew where one of the old job site cabins was,¡± Aria explained.
¡°I see,¡± he said plainly. ¡°Thanks for bandaging me up, by the way.¡± The Silver Grimoire passively healed him over time, faster than the average human body due to his aura. Aria stopping the bleeding had helped with the aura withdrawal and kept him from rebounding. The blue-haired girl looked at him curiously, surprised that he could move given he had been bleeding to death just hours ago.
¡°Mary was a medic during the war. She used to treat me after battles, so I learned some things from her.¡± Aria could practically hear Mary scolding her for constantly getting hurt and being reckless as she recounted it. The words reckless and stupid were ingrained in her, almost nostalgic now.
A little later that morning, Sophie and Rachel woke up. Naturally, they had some questions for the strange duo.
¡°Who are you?¡± Rachel asked. Her mind was fuzzy as she recalled Espoir telling her she wasn¡¯t a monster before waking up in the cave with Sophie, who was back to normal.
Smiling kindly, the Silver Grimoire¡¯s user kneeled as he addressed the two. ¡°I¡¯m Espoir. I¡¯m just a traveling magician who helps people like you.¡± Rachel looked at Aria curiously as she adjusted her cloak over her shoulders. Seeing the girl¡¯s confusion, Espoir smiled again. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s Aria. She¡¯s my gloomy assistant who helps me with cases for the time being.¡±
¡°Gloomy?!¡±
Espoir had a teasing smile as he got the reaction he wanted. ¡°Anyway, Miss Rachel, I believe you have a family, correct?¡± He recalled the cave painting and assumed Rachel had made it, as Sophie was an orphan. Rachel¡¯s face saddened as she remembered the terrified looks on her parents¡¯ faces when they last saw her. ¡°I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll want me back¡¡±
¡°Of course they will,¡± Sophie reassured her. ¡°They probably just didn¡¯t understand. I¡¯m sure your mom and dad miss you and are worried.¡±
Espoir nodded. ¡°Exactly, Miss Sophie. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be thrilled to have you back.¡± Rachel looked down, her eyes wavering before realizing something. ¡°What about Sophie?¡± The room fell silent as the realization struck everyone. Sophie still lived in the orphanage, so they would have to separate for Rachel to return home.
Espoir maintained a reassuring smile as he clapped his hands. ¡°You don¡¯t have a family, Sophie?¡± The red-haired girl shook her head sadly. ¡°N-no, I¡¯ve lived in the orphanage all my life.¡±
¡°Well, in that case, why not tag along with Rachel?¡± As Espoir suggested this, Aria yanked on the back of his coat, literally dragging him away. Espoir noticed that Aria was not pleased with his suggestion.
¡°Are you insane?! She has a home in the orphanage.¡± Aria whisper-yelled. This was irresponsible even by Espoir''s standards. Espoir shrugged casually at Aria''s concern. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll just tell the madam I found her family.¡± Aria glared at Espoir for being so careless.
¡°What if Rachel''s family doesn¡¯t accept Sophie?¡±
Espoir smiled reassuringly. ¡°Well, if Rachel''s family doesn¡¯t want Sophie or are no longer around, I suppose I¡¯ll either figure it out or return her. Maybe Roxy would take her.¡± He had a carefree smile as he dusted himself off. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±
Aria sighed as Espoir walked over to the two girls, ready to begin their journey.
After a couple of days of traveling, Espoir and Aria arrived in a small town in the interior of Albion. Shockingly, Espoir somehow convinced Mother Lynda to let them take Sophie with them, claiming they had found her a family. As they walked down a familiar road, Rachel excitedly told them about her hometown. The past few days had been fun for the duo as they bonded with the two kids. However, as they continued down the dirt road, Rachel¡¯s eyes fell as she saw her family home once again. It had been months since she had run away¡
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Sensing her doubt, Espoir smiled reassuringly. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m sure your mom and dad are worried sick right now. Seeing you will make it all better.¡±
¡°Exactly! Plus, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be curious about where you¡¯ve been!¡± Sophie grinned.
Strengthening her resolve, Rachel walked up to her front porch, each step adding to the drumbeat of her heart. Nervously, she knocked on the door, ready to confront her fears.
Opening the door, a disheveled woman with dark brown hair looked at the strange group in front of her. Her tired eyes widened as she began to shake. ¡°R-Rachel?¡± she whispered, almost as if it wasn¡¯t real.
¡°Mom,¡± Rachel said softly as tears filled her eyes. She was scared, terrified even, that her mom might reject her or try to stab her again. Rushing over, Rachel''s mom embraced her daughter in a crushing hug.
¡°Rachel! You¡¯re... you¡¯re¡¡± Her voice breaking, Rachel¡¯s mom couldn¡¯t believe her daughter was back. She choked back sobs as she ran her fingers through her daughter¡¯s hair. Hearing a commotion, Rachel''s dad walked downstairs as his eyes widened in shock. He dropped his teacup, shattering it as he ran over to his daughter. The three of them cried as they embraced. They thought they''d never be a family again.
¡
Espoir and Aria loosely explained the circumstances that led them to finding Rachel. Naturally, Espoir omitted his identity as the Silver Grimoire, as that would only complicate matters. Rachel''s parents thanked them both countless times, offering them money or some kind of gift. The two were adamant about not wanting anything, caught off guard by the gesture. As Rachel recounted what had happened, she specified how Sophie had been there for her, as well as the reason she stopped being a monster.
¡°She doesn¡¯t have a family,¡± Espoir said plainly. ¡°I brought her since I figured I couldn¡¯t bring myself to separate them.¡± He smiled as he watched the two friends being practically inseparable.
¡°Of course, we¡¯d love to have her join our family,¡± Rachel''s parents said with smiles. Eventually, Espoir and Aria decided it was time for them to go. Rachel and Sophie hugged them both, Espoir was surprised at how attached they had become to them. Affectionately, he tousled their hair as they began to leave. The girls made Aria and him promise to visit. Naturally, they agreed. How could they refuse?
As the pair left, Espoir noticed Aria smiling softly at the familial scene. "Reminds you of your past?¡± Espoir asked casually. Aria looked surprised by his question, not realizing she was showing her emotions. ¡°It was nice. I mean to be a part of helping save the two of them.¡± Aria was happy that they saved them in time, that she was able to reunite their broken family with him. Espoir hummed in agreement as they walked. Suddenly, Espoir stopped causing Aria to look at him curiously.
"By the way¡¡± A small gust of wind passed through the autumn forest, scattering some leaves. Espoir placed his hand overtop Aria¡¯s head, her green eyes wide at the sudden gesture.
"Thank you Aria Corvo.¡±
Aria blinked a few times as she processed the Silver Grimoire user''s words. The same look he had when he talked about his grimoire was on his face, an almost distant expression, it was coupled with a look of genuine happiness.
¡°W-what for?¡±
Espoir removed his hand as his carefree demeanor returned. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just really grateful for your help. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have been successful in helping them if not for you.¡±
¡°D-don¡¯t misunderstand our relationship¡ We¡¯re only partners because it¡¯s mutually beneficial to our goals.¡± she mumbled, caught off guard by Espoir suddenly being sentimental.
Espoir shrugged, a small but content smile still on his face. ¡°I know; you¡¯re only following me because I may lead you to something related to your family.¡± He waved his hand dismissively as he continued walking. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t be thankful. It¡¯s been fun having you around.¡±
Aria sighed as they continued walking. ¡°If that were true, you wouldn¡¯t call me gloomy to other people,¡± she mumbled, still bothered by the earlier comment. Espoir snickered as Aria kicked him in the shin. The Silver Grimoire''s user winced as Aria used some aura in it. ¡°Roxy¡¯s right about you being horrible at talking¡¡±
Espoir let out a heartfelt laugh as they continued walking. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just horrible with people I like.¡±
Albion South-East Field office
¡°Sir, the report from Shale Cove has come in.¡± Kieran Sharp set a stack of papers on the desk.
¡°Oh?¡±
¡°It appears the rumors of the Silver Grimoire being in Albion are credible. Both Charles Dunwall and Eliza Taylor¡¯s reports mention it appearing before them in Shale Cove. Additionally, the Silver Grimoire has allies, according to Sergeant Dunwall¡¯s report. He stated that a young swordswoman with dark blue hair was reported to be traveling with him. According to his report, the woman killed James Blackthorn. Between this and the Silver Grimoire being spotted around Ashmore just before Damien Blackwell died, it seems that the military will move forward with investigating the Silver Grimoire.¡±
Raza Desir took a puff of his cigar as he spun his chair around. He was a young adult with brown skin and silver hair that spiked in the back. His bangs were parted into two, draping just over his yellow eyes. He was wearing a black three-piece suit with a red-plaid scarf.
¡°Who the fuck is James Blackthorn?¡±
Kieran paused for a moment, shocked that his superior didn¡¯t know. ¡°You know, B-Rank Mage, fought in the war in Easenna." Raza blinked for a moment, still confused. "Who?"
"He was the heir of the Blackthorn family. He¡¯s been a part of the South-East division for years now.¡± Raza looked at Kieran, still trying to recall who he was talking about. Giving up, Kieran coughed into his hand.
¡°The Cyclops...¡±
Raza¡¯s eyes lit up as he now knew who Kieran was talking about. ¡°Oh right that guy! Damn, you know, I once asked him why he took that guy''s eye.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± Kieran''s grey eyes glanced at Raza with slight interest.
¡°Yeah, he went on some tangent about animals and people. Apparently, the dude was ¡®a fucking rapist¡¯ according to Arlen. Good for her,¡± Raza said casually, not bothered by James Blackthorn''s death in the slightest.
Kieran sighed, Raza''s disinterest in a ranked mage dying was typical. ¡°Anyway, according to the report, Charles Dunwall was the one who defeated the monster before the Silver Grimoire arrived.¡± Raza took a puff of his cigar as he pondered Kieran''s recap. ¡°Is the council doing anything?¡±
Kieran nodded. ¡°They are launching an internal investigation. I expect that Dunwall will rise up the ranks; however, Eliza Taylor will likely face consequences. Sergeant Taylor pulled a gun on Charles and let the Silver Grimoire escape with his ally and the two girls who were taken by the monster.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Raza said darkly. ¡°The council will likely hang her for treason soon. For good reason; the type of person who would draw a gun on a fellow member of the military has no business being here.¡± Raza snapped his fingers, a small glint of excitement filled his eyes. ¡°Death is too good a punishment for someone like that. Before the council intervenes, see that Miss Taylor is sent to one of the colonies in the Southern Isles. A traitor like her deserves a more fit punishment.¡±
Kieran smiled slightly. ¡°You think the council has gone soft?¡±
¡°Of course!¡± Raza grinned as he rested his head on his hand. ¡°Someone like that should live with the shame of treason for the rest of her life. Killing her would be a mercy compared to what happens in my homeland. No, Miss Taylor should suffer for her actions..."
¡°You sound excited.¡± Kieran said dryly, noting the hint of amusement in his voice.
¡°Hmm? How can I not be? The Silver Grimoire is confirmed to be active in our nation. It¡¯s interesting... Very interesting, my friend. You see; only once before in history have people like us had the chance to witness something like this.¡±
As the second-in-command began to gather Eliza Taylor''s files, Raza stood and looked out at the city below. A wide, sharp-toothed grin spread across his face.
¡°Yes, I suppose I am excited. I want to see why they call it the Grimoire of Death!"
Shale Cove¡
Walking through the mine, a man in a dark cloak sighed. As he reached the chroma cavern, he let out a small laugh. Removing his hood, he revealed a bone-white mask with red accents beneath the eyes; the bottom part had a small gap for his mouth. His glowing red eyes narrowed as he surveyed the residual magic of the battle.
¡°It seems the Silver Grimoire has been a bit busy, hasn¡¯t he?¡± Charlatan chuckled at the irony. ¡°First Ashmore, and now that little experiment. I wonder how many times he will interfere?¡± He laughed again, a sharp grin spreading across his visible face at the thought of the Silver Grimoire.
¡°No matter; I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll cross paths again when the time is right. It is strange, however,¡± he mused to himself. Charlatan recognized that the same girl James Blackthorn had selected ended up traveling with the Silver Grimoire''s user. He found it strange that someone like him would willingly want her.
¡°History has a way of repeating itself I suppose. How greedy of you to choose someone like her... I''m curious to see how this gamble pans out for you, Number 6."
Chapter 15: The Doctor and The Silver Grimoire
Espoir hummed in thought. He was on a train heading to a town in the eastern plains of Albion. Pulling out a photograph, he studied the image of a young adult who appeared to be in his early twenties. The man had two-toned blue hair, parted into twin bangs across his forehead, with pink spiky side locks draping his chin. In the photograph, he seemed like a normal doctor at first glance.
Garth West. Age: 20. Height: 200 cm. No history of magic, yet he has been making a name for himself as a healer of sorts in his small town. The only reason his name became more widely known was that he cured a nobleman¡¯s wife when none of the top healers at the Citadel could. His father was a volunteer medic in Albion¡¯s military and served in the war. He had one of the highest healing records for healing during his time. Interestingly, Garth had no magic and did not inherit his family¡¯s ability.
Espoir sighed as he leaned back in his seat. ¡°It¡¯s odd¡ Everything he does matches that of a grimoire user, yet his actions don¡¯t strike me as one. He doesn¡¯t charge people and has no interest in publicity. Hell, I¡¯d assume he became a grimoire user to be like his father, but he was a doctor even before these ¡®miracles¡¯ began.¡±
¡°Could it be that he¡¯s just a kind person?¡± Aria asked, her tone laced with sarcasm. Espoir had been rambling for days about how this guy might have a front like Damien Blackwell; something neither she nor Roxy agreed with.
¡°He does all this for free and has nothing to gain from healing just anyone. It¡¯s weird.¡±
Aria couldn¡¯t tell if Espoir was being daft on purpose or if he knew something she didn¡¯t. ¡°You help people purely because you feel like it¡ So how is it unreasonable for another grimoire user to be like you?¡±
Espoir paused for a moment, and Aria wondered if her words had gotten through to him. Instead, he chose to ignore her point and returned to his notes.
¡°I won¡¯t know until I see him in person, I suppose. Nobody becomes a grimoire user with good intentions,¡± Espoir said plainly. Aria sighed to herself as she watched the scenery pass by through the train window. The irony that Espoir, of all people, making that statement seemed lost on the Silver Grimoire.
After arriving in the town, Espoir silently seethed as the townsfolk had nothing but good things to say about Garth West.
¡°He saved my life.¡±
¡°He¡¯s one of the kindest people I know!¡±
¡°He¡¯s a miracle worker!¡±
¡°This is hopeless,¡± Espoir groaned. He ran a hand through his black-red hair in frustration as they walked toward the doctor¡¯s home. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just really good at hiding his nature.¡± Aria had given up arguing with Espoir hours ago. As they approached the small farmhouse that Garth used as his clinic, Espoir closed his eyes, trying to sense any magic nearby. There was nothing.
"Are you here to see Dr. West?" a pretty woman with red hair tied in a neatly braided bun asked. She wore a brown dress over a white blouse, and her eyes were closed as she smiled at Espoir and Aria.
"Are you his assistant?" Espoir asked, eyeing the woman incredulously.
"Yup! I''m Vivian. I''ve been assisting Garth for a while now." She smiled kindly. Stepping back for a moment, she gestured as the supposed grimoire user approached. His blue-pink hair was neatly combed, and he wore a gray vest over a navy dress shirt with a red ascot.
"How may I help you?" he asked, his kind smile unwavering as he walked up to the duo. Espoir studied him for a moment. "I''m curious. I heard about a doctor performing miracles in the countryside."
Garth looked down at Espoir before shrugging. "Hmm, you call it miracles, but to me, it¡¯s just my job. I¡¯m Garth." He smiled charmingly as he glanced at Aria. "Your friend¡¯s been hurt recently..."
"Huh?" Aria blinked as Garth gave her his complete attention, his eyes scanning her as he assessed her health.
"Your hand was broken relatively recently. I''d estimate around a couple months ago or so. While the fingers were bound, they were never completely set," he explained, glancing at her gloved hands. Aria was surprised; it had been months since her hand was broken during her captivity, yet she hadn¡¯t noticed that her fingers had never been set properly.
"Want to see my ability in action?" Garth smirked, aware that Espoir and Aria had traveled here to see his ability firsthand. He gently had Aria remove her glove before taking her palm in his.
"Appear! My Grimoire that restores the world." Garth''s hand glowed as the outline of a winged snake coiled along his palm and wrist. A calming blue light filled the room as his hand settled over Aria¡¯s knuckles.
As the light faded, Garth winked at her. "There, your bones and nerves are now properly set and should feel as good as new." Aria clenched and unclenched her hand, fining the motion smoother, her eyes widening in shock. ¡°My hand¡¯s healed¡¡±
She was amazed as she swiftly flourished her blade and didn¡¯t feel the strange tightness in the motion like before. Espoir rolled his eyes as he watched from the side. "Showoff..."
Garth smiled kindly at Aria. "Of course, it¡¯s healed, I¡¯d be a lousy doctor otherwise!¡± Espoir¡¯s eyes narrowed as he sighed. ¡°So you are a grimoire user..." Garth raised an eyebrow at Espoir''s statement.
Espoir stepped forward. "No history of magic. Suddenly, you gain the ability to heal without any cost or condition to your magic. My question for you is, did you choose to become a grimoire user, or were you turned into one?"
Garth raised his hands in a defensive gesture. "Hmm, I don¡¯t know much about my ability, to be honest. It felt like a gift from God, considering how it lets me follow in my family''s footsteps."
"Gift from God? Are you kidding? You¡¯re a grimoire user! We¡¯re the furthest things from¡ª" Espoir stopped himself, tightly clenching his fist. Aria excused herself before dragging Espoir outside by his coat collar. She tossed him slightly, making him stagger for a second. "What was that for?"
"Have you gone completely nuts?" Aria asked, crossing her arms.
"Not clinically..." Espoir muttered. Aria¡¯s judgmental glare remained on him as he sighed. "Healing magic doesn¡¯t just work with so little cost! ¡®Gift from God,¡¯ my ass. Even if he uses his grimoire to heal, that doesn¡¯t mean he isn¡¯t potentially evil!¡±
Aria glanced at Espoir, noticing his annoyance. "He said he woke up and found himself with an ability. Similarly, Rachel woke up and ended up as the host of an eldritch. What if Garth is innocent, like her?" Aria suggested, hoping Espoir would see reason.
Espoir thought about it for a moment. It hadn¡¯t crossed his mind that Garth could have simply unwillingly become a grimoire user, but that didn¡¯t explain how it happened. Not to mention Garth would have a justifiable reason to become a grimoire user on his own. Espoir sighed and sat on the porch steps.
"Grimoires have a set nature to them. It¡¯s like how your ability is ingrained in your Magic Core, something that¡¯s part of your very being." Aria remained silent as he explained further.
"Regardless of intent, his grimoire being so benevolent is unheard of. It''s still connected to the Eldritch inside of it. Alternatively, what are the odds he manifested the grimoire himself?" Aria thought back to the day they met, remembering how Damien Blackwell had used his grimoire to manipulate his city into thinking he was some sort of miracle worker. "So, what are you suggesting we do?"
"Stay here for a bit and try to learn more about that doctor?" Espoir pondered for a moment. "I don¡¯t want a repeat of Ashmore if I can help it. A day or two should be enough for me to determine his character and how to proceed. Ordinarily, I¡¯d simply seal the grimoire outright but I want to see how he uses it first."
The next day, Espoir and Aria tagged along with Garth as he made some house calls. Espoir did his best to be cordial. "So, he snuck into his dad¡¯s study and accidentally slashed his eyes with a leather cutter?" Espoir walked alongside Garth as they approached the farmhouse.
"Yup, I¡¯ll look him over and treat him before healing," Garth nodded. He was dressed in a small blazer and dress slacks as they neared the house.
"You don¡¯t just use your ability?" Aria asked curiously.
"It¡¯s better to treat it as much as I can before using it,¡± Garth answered. ¡°It¡¯s like doing surgery and not giving them something to manage the pain."
As they entered the home, Garth greeted the family warmly. His cheerful, uplifting personality seemed to annoy the Silver Grimoire. The parents eyed Espoir curiously, and Garth simply shrugged when they asked who he was. "Oh, this is Espoir and Aria. They¡¯re my assistants for the day."
"Shut up, I¡¯m not assisting you! I¡¯m observing for myself," Espoir snapped. Aria kicked him in the shin, silently urging him to be polite.
"Your friend is right about your personality..." Garth smiled good naturedly. Aria had warned Garth ahead of time that Espoir had a ¡®unique¡¯ personality, which made him difficult to deal with at times. Espoir ignored Aria¡¯s comment as he narrowed his eyes at the boy who stepped out. The child¡¯s eyes were a sickly pink, with pus inside. Espoir winced slightly, finding the sight unsettling. Aria remained stoic as she offered to help Garth however she could.
Garth maintained a composed demeanor as he knelt down, clearly used to these situations. "Infection and a severe corneal laceration. You¡¯re doing quite well," he reassured the boy. The boy let out a soft groan, his head aching from the residual pain.
Espoir took a deep breath before placing his hand near the child. Espoir¡¯s hand glowed as a faint grey aura surrounded the boy¡¯s body. "Here, that should help."
The child''s breathing mellowed as Espoir used the Silver Grimoire reduced his pain. Garth looked at Espoir impressed. Espoir shrugged as he leaned against the wall. "I numbed the pain for him. Do what you must." Espoir knew his magic would likely be more effective than whatever medicine Garth intended to use.
"Since when could you heal?" Aria asked, surprised. She had never seen him use his grimoire like that before.
"I don''t." Espoir replied, clearly bothered by something.
Garth nodded. After an hour of cleaning, disinfecting, and basic aid, Garth finally used his grimoire to heal the child¡¯s eyes. The boy¡¯s face lit up as he reopened his eyes and regained his sight.
"I-I can see!" The boy ran over and hugged his mother, excited to see her again. Garth let out a sigh of relief. "One down, four more to go."
Espoir was sitting on the porch that evening when Vivian, Garth¡¯s assistant, decided to check on him. ¡°Something on your mind?¡± she asked, tapping around with her cane as she made her way to the railing. ¡°You seem upset about something.¡±
¡°That''s... certainly a word,¡± Espoir mumbled. Vivian let out a small laugh. ¡°That girl you travel with mentioned you two were here to assess Garth¡¯s newfound ability.¡±
Espoir didn¡¯t respond right away, and Vivian continued. ¡°Curious, isn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t blame you for being skeptical. He¡¯s definitely a strange one.¡±
¡°Even out here in the countryside, you must know about grimoires,¡± Espoir said slowly, still unsure why everyone in town accepted Garth so easily, even if his family had a history with magic. Vivian hummed thoughtfully at Espoirs words.
¡°So what?¡± she asked, a small smile on her face.
¡°So what?¡± Espoir echoed, confused.
"So what if he¡¯s a grimoire user?" Vivian laughed. "I get that it¡¯s odd... Someone so kind and impossibly selfless, but that¡¯s just how Garth is. This town tries to pay him for everything he does, but he refuses. Honestly, I think he¡¯d rather be unknown than famous for healing. Want to hear a story?"
¡°Not if it¡¯s long,¡± Espoir said dryly. Vivian tapped her cane and settled down on the opposite side of the porch steps.
¡°It¡¯ll only take a minute,¡± she replied, finding Espoir¡¯s comment amusing. ¡°A long time ago, this home belonged to a respectable doctor. Someone who¡¯d never shy away from helping people. That man would travel to every house in the region, healing with his magic. We called him Doctor West.¡±
¡°Garth''s father?¡± Espoir asked.
Vivian nodded, continuing her story. "Despite being revered and kind, he lived alone. All that changed one evening. That night; he heard rustling in his rubbish bins, like a wild animal was knocking them over. But to his surprise, it wasn¡¯t a bear or raccoon¡ It was a little boy!"
When it rained, he would sleep in abandoned buildings, doorways; anywhere to escape the downpour. Sometimes, he''d encounter adults who tried to drag him somewhere. Was it to sell him? Or perhaps to an orphanage? Who could say?
I imagine it wasn¡¯t always like that; a baby wouldn¡¯t survive being left on the street. I suspect someone took care of him for a few years and then abandoned him in the countryside. It doesn¡¯t matter in the end. What¡¯s certain is that he lived on the streets until he was about six. That day, the child was shown his first true act of kindness¡
The boy watched as the man stepped out of the building. A weathered figure, wearing a suit and carrying an umbrella, looked down at the child scurrying in the trash.
"Hello, young one," the man said. He was old, at least in his seventies, not that the boy could tell. All the boy knew were the wrinkles on his skin and his slightly balding hair. His brown eyes crinkled with warmth, and smile lines softened his features as he smiled down at the boy.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
"What are you doing out here all alone?"
The boy didn''t answer. He was too busy trembling. The rain was coming down harder, soaking him to the bones. Noticing the boy shaking, the old man frowned in concern and held out a hand.
"Why don¡¯t you come inside with me?" he asked, his voice warm and inviting. "It¡¯s nice, warm, and dry, and I can even give you a proper meal."
The boy stared at the man¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t fully understand the words, but he understood the man¡¯s intentions. He wanted him to come with him, like all the others had.
¡But¡ something was different this time. The old man didn''t make him uneasy or afraid. He felt he could trust him.
The boy hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out and took the man¡¯s hand. The old man smiled softly. "That¡¯s a good boy," he said kindly. "I¡¯m Doctor West. Let¡¯s get you inside before you catch hypothermia."
It was some time before the boy realized Doctor West was a healer. He lived in a building near the church where he had found him, and took the boy inside, fed him, and made sure he was cared for. He didn¡¯t send him to the orphanage... Why? the boy couldn¡¯t say. Maybe Doctor West had thought he was still too weak to survive it. Or perhaps, deep down, both of them were seeking a family.
What I do know is that Doctor West saved his life. And for the next decade, the boy lived with the old man. But his life wasn¡¯t the only gift he gave him. He gave him a home and a name. That child was no longer alone.
Espoir¡¯s face was unreadable as Vivian shared her tale. Only the Silver Grimoire¡¯s user could truly understand what he was thinking. After a long silence, Espoir finally gathered his thoughts and turned his gaze to Vivian.
¡°I take it there¡¯s more?¡± he asked, his voice calm but curious.
Vivian nodded, her expression growing somber. ¡°His father was called to serve as a combat medic during the war. Despite his age and retirement, Dr. West chose to venture into the heart of Easenna to help, even though he worked for Albion officially. But he didn¡¯t just save the lives of those soldiers. In short, he helped everyone, regardless of allegiance.¡±
Espoir closed his eyes, piecing the story together in his mind. ¡°He died in the war?¡±
Vivian nodded again, and her mood became distant. ¡°He was hanged for treason. But even in the face of such darkness, Garth never lost his cheerful outlook. He carried on his father¡¯s legacy, dedicating his life to healing and helping others. And now, with his ability awakened, he can do everything his father could¡ and more.¡±
Espoir sighed, his eyes drifting toward the setting sun. ¡°Where do you fit into all of this?¡± he asked, curiosity laced with a touch of suspicion. Vivian let out a mirthless laugh, her eyes gleaming with a quiet resolve. ¡°That¡¯s easy. I help him because I want to see how the story of the nameless boy ends.¡± She smiled softly, a glint of warmth in her otherwise hollow gaze.
¡°I was born without eyesight,¡± Vivian began, her voice steady despite the heavy words. ¡°Honestly, for most of my life, I was looked down on, even though my family had some status. Cursed, useless¡ every insult imaginable.¡± She paused, her fingers lightly tracing her cane. ¡°Garth spent a lot of time as both a doctor and an apprentice to his father, visiting me. I think he liked the idea of helping me, even if I hated him for a while. I didn¡¯t want to be treated like some kind of experiment, you know?¡±
Espoir¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°But you stick by him? And you¡¯re still¡ visionless?¡± His tone was a bit softer, more curious than accusatory.
Vivian smiled, the corners of her lips curling in a gentle way that spoke volumes of affection for Garth. ¡°He did a lot for me, in ways I didn¡¯t realize back then. He made this cane for me, to help with my senses. Apparently, tapping it helps me understand space better, though honestly, I forget the specifics of how he explained it. After he awakened his powers he never once offered to ¡®fix¡¯ my eyes.¡± She shrugged lightly.
Espoir, still taken aback, couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How come?¡±
Vivian dusted herself off as Espoir helped her up. ¡°I asked the same thing after a while. His answer was simple: ¡®Your eyes aren¡¯t flawed." Vivian let out a small laugh, recalling how blunt and almost naive it sounded. However, that was when she came to love Garth. "He never saw me as something that needed fixing. Everything he¡¯s done for me has been because he genuinely wanted to make my life easier.¡±
Espoir stood there, his crimson eyes wide with quiet surprise. ¡°You¡¯re aware of why we¡¯re here, right?¡± he asked slowly, his voice betraying a touch of uncertainty.
Vivian nodded as she slowly made her way inside, tapping her cane with a soft rhythm. ¡°Your partner mentioned it. I¡¯ll leave it to you to decide what happens next¡¡± She turned back, her voice soft but firm. ¡°But I think, regardless of anything else, Garth is truly grateful for the time he¡¯s had with that grimoire of his. Thanks to it he''s been able to walk in his father¡¯s footsteps and healed countless people along the way.¡±
That evening, Espoir sat against the inn¡¯s wall, his gaze distant. He exhaled slowly, lost in thought. Aria, sitting beside him, turned to face him, her voice tinged with concern. ¡°What happens if you seal his grimoire?¡± she asked, her eyes sharp. ¡°Will it undo everything Garth and Vivian have done for this town?¡±
Espoir closed his eyes, letting the question linger. His mind wandered back to everything they had seen. ¡°When a grimoire is sealed into the Silver Grimoire¡ it overwrites everything it did. All of it. All the changes, the healing, the transformations¡ everything is reversed.¡±
Aria¡¯s eyes widened in shock, the gravity of the words hitting her hard. ¡°In other words, everyone in the town, everyone he¡¯s healed, They¡¯ll¡¡± she trailed off, the implications too heavy to fully articulate.
Espoir let out a sigh, feeling the weight of her words. He had come to a realization, one he didn¡¯t want to admit. ¡°I don¡¯t think Garth is evil¡ I thought maybe he made the contract with his grimoire to be like his father, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it anymore.¡± He opened his eyes, staring out into the dimming evening light. ¡°As for your question... Yes, sealing the grimoire will undo everything. All the healing, all the progress... it¡¯ll all disappear, just like it in Ashmore.¡±
Aria clenched her fists, the tension rising in her body. The consequences were far too severe to ignore. ¡°That can¡¯t be right,¡± she muttered, frustration building within her. ¡°Even if he¡¯s a grimoire user, objectively, he¡¯s helped this town. He¡¯s saved lives. We can¡¯t just undo all that.¡±
¡°Two beings cannot coexist in one body,¡± Espoir explained, his voice steady but tinged with an unreadable emotion. His gaze remained distant as if reflecting on something far away. Aria furrowed her brows, trying to wrap her mind around his words.
¡°A grimoire is still drawing on an eldritch of some kind to fuel the ability. Even if it''s benevolent, there will come a point where the grimoire corrupts the user and he becomes something else... Damien Blackwell had that happen too.¡±
Aria''s face hardened with disbelief. ¡°I can¡¯t accept that¡¡± She shook her head, her voice rising with frustration. ¡°Surely there is a way to seal the grimoire and not make the town suffer from it.¡±
Espoir sighed deeply as if burdened by more than just the words he spoke. He stood up, moving toward the door. ¡°I intend to seal the grimoire. Whether it¡¯s right or not, I can¡¯t let personal feelings interfere with it.¡± With that, he stepped out, leaving Aria alone in the room. The door clicked shut behind him, and she let out a long, frustrated sigh.
She sat down on the bed, her thoughts racing. She understood not every case they encountered would have a neat or happy ending. War had taught her that difficult decisions were part of life. Yet this situation felt like a betrayal of something she couldn¡¯t fully name.
¡°Countering poison with poison¡¡± she murmured under her breath, recalling their first encounter. The phrase echoed in her mind. Espoir, as always, was an enigma. She had noticed it more and more as they work together. The strange way he acted around grimoire users. It wasn¡¯t just his usual aloofness; there was something deeper there, something personal.
Aria had never fully understood Espoir¡¯s feelings toward grimoire users. It was as if he hated them despite being a grimoire user himself. There was a sharpness in his actions, a coldness, that she couldn¡¯t quite place. Maybe it wasn¡¯t hatred, but something more complicated. But now, more than ever, she found herself questioning whether Espoir had a deeper personal reason for his stance.
¡°Can you hand me a wrench?¡± Garth¡¯s voice broke through the quiet, his attention fixed on the black automobile he was working on. Espoir blinked, taken aback.
He handed over several wrenches not knowing which size he wanted. Espoir regarded the automobile curiously. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a horseless carriage. Arkham hardly has the and only military personnel drive them.¡± His voice carried a note of begrudging admiration. The technology was impressive, even if he wasn''t fully familiar with it.
¡°Cool, right?¡± Garth''s face lit up with excitement as he accepted the wrenches, wiping his brow. ¡°A noble gifted me this after I cured his wife¡¯s paralysis. I refused payment, so he gave me this instead. It''s mostly for Vivian when we go to town since I usually walk for most health visits.¡±
Espoir leaned against the garage wall, his posture relaxed but his thoughts swirling. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering about something,¡± he said after a moment of quiet. ¡°How exactly did you get your grimoire?¡±
Garth glanced up, his curiosity piqued. ¡°I woke up with it... I had a strange dream that night.¡±
Espoir¡¯s gaze narrowed, his mind piecing together the information. ¡°A dream?¡± he repeated. There was more to this than Garth was letting on. It wasn¡¯t just a simple occurrence.
Garth did his best to recall it. ¡°It was strange¡ like swimming in a memory, I suppose. Despite that, I remember this calling, if that makes sense. Like a gentle voice calling me to reach out. I remember not long after discovering I could use magic. Strange right?¡±
Espoir¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I see, so you were called to your grimoire¡± He closed his eyes for a moment before letting out a frustrated groan. ¡°Damn it¡¡± Espoir walked off, aware that the situation was more complex than anticipated.
That evening, Espoir gathered Vivian and Garth to finally seal his grimoire. Aria watched from the side, her features hidden beneath her hood. Espoir silently sensed Aria¡¯s disapproval of what was about to happen.
¡°I¡¯ll begin the sealing process. Anything you want to say or do before it¡¯s gone for good?¡± Espoir asked. Garth thought for a moment.
¡°Hey, Viv? Since this is the last time I can use my ability, do you want to have sight, if just for a moment?¡± Garth figured he might as well give her this chance. Vivian looked stunned, before letting out a soft laugh.
¡°You¡¯re stupid, you know¡¡± she said softly, holding his face. ¡°I¡¯ve gone my whole life without sight. Despite that, you never once treated me like I was helpless or cursed. I don¡¯t need vision to love you, and you never needed my eyes to love me for who I am.¡±
Garth¡¯s eyes watered as he held Vivian¡¯s head against his. ¡°I... You¡¯re right, of course¡¡± The two kissed before Garth finally regarded Espoir. ¡°Do what you must.¡±
Nodding, Espoir extended his hand. ¡°Appear. My Grimoire between light and darkness.¡± The Silver Grimoire manifested in his hand. The ethereal black pages, mixed with stars, flipped on their own as a bright light consumed the room. As the couple was enveloped by the light, Espoir closed his eyes. When the light finally died down, he glanced at the new constellation formed on the pages. It looked like a winged serpent stretching across the page. ¡°So that¡¯s what a benevolent eldritch looks like¡¡±
Garth extended his hand out only to find his grimoire was gone. ¡°So, it¡¯s over, huh?¡± Garth had a neutral look on his face as he processed that his ability was now gone. To everyone¡¯s surprise, the doctor let out a loud laugh. He held Vivian¡¯s hand and looked at Espoir and Aria.
¡°It was fun though!¡± he grinned. ¡°Being a healer and walking the path my dad did. I¡¯ll make sure to cherish this past year for the rest of my life!¡±
Espoir and Aria were leaving the town, the latter having been silent for most of the day. Espoir glanced over, noticing her brisk pace. ¡°I get the feeling you''re upset with me,¡± he said dryly.
¡°I¡¯m not upset,¡± she mumbled, sounding upset.
Espoir sighed, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets. "Look, I¡¯m not exactly happy about this either, but I have no regrets sealing a grimoire. Regardless of its users... kind and annoying demeanor.¡±
Aria glanced at him, the realization dawning on her. It wasn¡¯t only that Espoir hated grimoire users...
¡°Wait. Are you jealous of Garth?¡±
¡°J-jealous?¡± Espoir stopped walking, looking at her with confusion. ¡°Why would I be jealous of someone like him?" Aria stared at him for a moment, Espoir let out a frustrated groan.
¡°What do you want from me!? What would I be jealous of? He¡¯s taller than me, has a stable job, a house, and a beautiful wife?¡±
"Fianc¨¦e." Aria¡¯s knowing look lingered, and Espoir noticed the slight smile forming on her face. The Silver Grimoire rolled his eyes. ¡°Shut up¡ I don''t ''get ''jealous''.¡± he muttered, aware he wasn¡¯t exactly helping his case.
¡°You¡¯re really jealous of him,¡± Aria repeated, struggling not to laugh. The idea of the Silver Grimoire; something that had destroyed the world thousands of years ago, being jealous of someone was almost absurd.
¡°It¡¯s not that¡¡± Espoir admitted, his voice quieter. ¡°I just envy his ability.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡± Aria asked, raising an eyebrow. Espoir glared at her before clarifying. ¡°My grimoire can do a lot of things. But healing others goes against the Silver Grimoire¡¯s innate nature. Simply put it''s a weakspot for me.¡±
Espoir let out a loud sigh, ¡°I suppose you could say I envy that he can do something I can¡¯t if you must.¡± Espoir said quietly. Aria¡¯s eyes flickered in understanding, realizing that Espoir wasn¡¯t simply jealous of Garth, well, not completely. He just wished his own grimoire could heal others.
¡°It¡¯s a shame that everything he did with his grimoire is reversed now,¡± she said, her voice tinged with regret. She felt bad, knowing that although it was the right choice to remove the grimoire, the people affected by it would still suffer from the aftermath.
As they walked, Aria glanced over and saw the same boy who had accompanied Garth earlier. He was still able to see perfectly. Aria looked at Espoir, who shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
¡°I didn¡¯t remove his grimoire¡ well, not completely,¡± Espoir said, walking a little further ahead.
Aria blinked, stunned. ¡°I thought you said it would be dangerous to leave a grimoire unsealed.¡± She glanced at him, disbelief settling in. For someone who so clearly disliked grimoires, she hadn¡¯t expected him to leave one active.
Espoir¡¯s smile faded slightly, and he looked back at her with a more serious expression. ¡°It would be dangerous. I only sealed around 99% of it,¡± he explained. ¡°It¡¯s like pouring out a cup of water but leaving a tiny pool at the bottom. As long as the grimoire user isn¡¯t corrupted, I can control the amount I seal. Normally, I seal it completely as a precaution seeing as most grimoire users are dangerous.¡±
Aria walked silently, growing even more confused by Espoir¡¯s actions. ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous, though? What if Garth tries to use his grimoire again unknowingly?¡±
¡°He¡¯d be unable to call upon his grimoire since he didn¡¯t actively form a contract. I realized after talking to him that it¡¯s like Rachel, where he didn¡¯t actively seek to become a grimoire user. So, he won¡¯t know how to draw upon what little he has left. At best, he¡¯ll probably just be able to sense what¡¯s wrong with people and use his medical knowledge to heal them, like he did before becoming a grimoire user.¡± Espoir sighed as they left the town. ¡°I use whatever methods I deem fit and treat every grimoire on a case-by-case basis. It just so happens that grimoire users are bastards so it makes my job easier¡¡±
Aria walked behind Espoir, the weight of the conversation hanging heavily between them. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of confusion that had taken root ever since arriving here. Espoir¡¯s words kept replaying in her mind: grimoire users are bastards. It was hard to reconcile that harsh judgment with the person she had just spent months with, someone who had shown kindness, self-sacrifice, and the willingness to protect others, even when it didn¡¯t align with his personal beliefs.
¡°Does he even realize how much he contradicts himself?¡± Aria mumbled under her breath, though the words were more directed at herself than anyone else.
She glanced at Espoir as he continued walking ahead of her. His posture was as rigid as ever, but there was something softer about him lately, a small understanding forming even if she couldn¡¯t quite understand Espoir entirely. The Silver Grimoire¡¯s user had always been someone she couldn¡¯t quite figure out¡ªhis motives, his intentions, even his feelings. He didn¡¯t talk much about himself, and when he did, it was often just enough to make her think he wasn¡¯t telling the whole story. He felt like a walking contradiction at times. He hated grimoires, yet was one himself. He willingly risked his life for others, yet envied that he couldn¡¯t heal. How can someone selfless find themself a bastard? As they walked, she recalled her conversation with Vivian earlier¡
A few hours ago¡
¡°So,¡± Vivian said, walking over to Aria, who was examining the various documents Garth kept in his home.
¡°May I help you?¡± Aria asked, curious about what Vivian wanted.
¡°I¡¯m just curious about something,¡± Vivian began, sitting down on the couch near Aria. Aria glanced up, puzzled by what Vivian could want to know.
¡°You and that grimoire boy,¡± Vivian said with a smile. Aria eyed her incredulously, unsure of what she meant.
¡°I don¡¯t follow,¡± Aria said, her confusion clear.
Vivian chuckled softly. ¡°Well, you two travel together and seem close. I was just wondering if you were like Garth and I.¡±
Aria was taken aback by the question, having never been asked about her relationship with the Silver Grimoire. Partners? She hardly considered them close, despite having spent the past few months with him and Roxy.
¡°We¡¯re not partners in the way you think,¡± Aria replied bluntly.
¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Vivian murmured thoughtfully, watching through the window as Espoir argued with Garth. ¡°Those two are similar in a lot of ways. He treats grimoires, and Garth treats people medically. I¡¯d imagine he values you in his own way.¡±
Aria recalled Espoir thanking her once, saying he was grateful she was around. Despite that, she couldn¡¯t shake the nagging feeling in her mind. The Silver Grimoire¡¯s user was unreadable. Aria couldn''t understand Espoir. Why he acted the way he did, how he could switch from teasing to serious to carefree in the blink of an eye. Thinking back to Vivian¡¯s question, Aria finally had an answer.
¡°I don¡¯t really know what to make of him, however...¡±
Aria continued walking behind Espoir, her thoughts clearer now than before. Aria didn¡¯t know how Espoir valued people or if he thought of Roxy and her the same way, but for now, she was content walking this path. They were simply partners because their goals aligned at the moment. Thinking about her answer to Vivians question, Aria continued walking.
"I¡¯m content following him for now, since I believe it¡¯ll lead me to what I¡¯m searching for."
Chapter 16: A Hidden Truth Part 1
¡°Aria, would you come here for a moment? There¡¯s someone important for you to meet.¡± Sonia gestured to her daughter.
Hopping off her chair, the six-year-old hurried to join her in the foyer. Sonia Corvo had wavy black hair and bright green eyes¡ªjust like her daughter. She wore a navy frilly dress with a patterned bodice. As Aria reached her mother, she noticed an older woman standing beside her. The woman had dark brown hair tied in a braided bun and wore a simple maid¡¯s dress. ¡°This is Val¨¦rie. She was your wet nurse when you were a baby.¡± Sonia smiled as Aria studied the older woman curiously.
¡°Madame Corvo is correct, my lady. I have been with your family for many years.¡± Val¨¦rie gave a small curtsy. Aria looked at them with curiosity before noticing someone else hiding behind Val¨¦rie¡¯s leg.
¡°Her family has served ours for generations. Now, it¡¯s time for you to meet someone very special,¡± Sonia explained. Both Sonia and Val¨¦rie gestured toward the girl peeking out from behind the older maid. Slowly, a timid girl around Aria¡¯s age stepped forward. She wore a simple pink dress, and her deep brown hair matched her mother¡¯s. Mary gave a small curtsy, nervously regarding Aria.
¡°I¡¯m Mary. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Lady Aria.¡± She said shyly.
Aria regarded the strange girl for a moment before smiling. ¡°Nice to meet you too!¡± she beamed, unconcerned with formality; much to Mary¡¯s surprise. ¡°Mom, can I stop studying to play with Mary?¡±
Sonia sighed, well aware of her daughter¡¯s tendency to find any excuse to avoid her writing and language lessons. But since today was special, she decided to be lenient. ¡°For a few hours... then it¡¯s back to your studies, young lady.¡± She offered a soft smile as Aria ran off in excitement.
¡°Oh! I know the perfect place! There¡¯s a small river down the hill, I play there all the time!¡± Aria grabbed Mary¡¯s wrist and tugged her along. ¡°W-wait, Miss Aria!¡±
Mary panted, struggling to keep up as they reached the riverside. The water was shallow, and a vast expanse of trees surrounded the area, casting dappled shadows on the ground. ¡°This place is pretty, Lady Aria,¡± Mary said hesitantly. Aria skipped a rock across the water, grinning. ¡°Just Aria or Ari is fine. We¡¯re friends, after all, so ¡®Miss¡¯ feels weird.¡±
She smiled before adding, ¡°Mom said your family has been with ours for a long time. I¡¯d rather you call me Ari like everyone else; since we¡¯ll be friends for a long time too!¡±
¡°Mary¡¡± Aria woke up sore, her vision blurry from being in the darkness for so long. She had lost track of time, estimating it had been around four days since her natural sleep and food schedules were disrupted. The dungeon was unbearable. Vermin scurried across the cold stone floor, and the dim light outside her cell made rest nearly impossible.
¡°Morning, Miss Corvo.¡± Damien Blackwell entered the cell with a guard, a fake smile plastered on his face. ¡°Care to talk? I heard you¡¯ve been refusing food again. Starving yourself isn¡¯t wise, especially given Lord Ardna¡¯s hospitality.¡±
Aria¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°If you actually cared about anyone, you wouldn¡¯t keep people as slaves in your dungeon." She mumbled bitterly. "Where¡¯s Mary?¡± Her voice was hoarse, her features weathered from exhaustion. She had crudely bandaged her open wounds with torn strips of her gown in a desperate attempt to prevent infection.
¡°Oh right, your pet?¡± Damien smirked cruelly, trying to provoke her. ¡°Hmm, if you agree to serve me then I¡¯ll let you reunite with her. She misses you, you know? So much kindness in her, it''s kind of dull breaking her."
Aria didn¡¯t let him finish. With a surge of willpower, she used her Aura Construction to form a small blade. In an instant, she lunged, aiming to slice Damien from the neck down. But just before her blade could reach him, Blackwell¡¯s guard intercepted, striking from the side. The clash shattered Aria¡¯s aura blade on impact.
Aria¡¯s aura output was far weaker than usual; her construct had been shattered effortlessly by a simple steel sword. Is it because of that ring? Her thoughts were swiftly ended as a Blackwell guard drove a knee into her stomach. She coughed out before her arm wrenched behind her back and pinned in place.
¡°Damn bitch¡¡± Damien spat, clutching his shoulder as blood dripped onto the cell floor. She had grazed him¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t enough to kill him. Crimson stained his once-pristine robe.
He exhaled sharply before smirking. ¡°You should reevaluate your options. Is it that you still foolishly believe you can fight your way out of whatever situation you¡¯re in?¡± Aria struggled against the guard¡¯s grip, but the movement tore open the wounds on her legs. Fresh blood trickled onto the cold stone beneath her.
¡°I would rather die than serve someone like you,¡± she spat defiantly. Damien merely shrugged, signaling for the guard to lift her. As Aria thrashed, he grabbed her arm and wrenched it outward.
¡°I¡¯m aware. You and your lot are prideful to a fault.¡± Damien kept a small smile as he pried open Aria¡¯s hand. Her eyes widened in horror as he gripped her index finger. ¡°Your steadfast belief that you can swing a weapon and solve all your problems led you to accomplish many feats during the war, Aria Corvo. But it¡¯s time to wake up to reality, dear.¡± His grip tightened. Then, in an agonizingly slow motion, he began to press it back.
¡°I suppose that since you prefer to live in your ideals instead of reality, I¡¯ll have to bring you back down to earth.¡± His voice was mocking. ¡°After all, I can¡¯t have you swinging a weapon at me, can we?¡± Aria¡¯s eyes flickered erratically as she struggled to free her hand from his grip. A sickening crunch echoed through the dungeon.
¡°One down, nine more to go!¡± Damien Blackwell grinned, twisting her finger back with a sickening snap, the sound reverberating through the cell.
SNAP
Aria screamed as pain overwhelmed her. She jolted awake, drenched in sweat, gasping for air. The nightmare still clung to her mind, her body trembling from its lingering grasp. She took a shaky breath and looked around. The room was sparsely decorated. A black cloak with silver accents hung beside her dresser, and a plain metal sword leaned against it. As her surroundings came into focus, she realized she wasn¡¯t in a dungeon.
Right¡ I¡¯m at the bookstore.
Slowly, she clenched her hand into a fist, her fingers trembling from the residual fear. They weren¡¯t broken. The nightmare lingered, but she reminded herself that she was safe at Roxy¡¯s bookstore. Ever since the war, nightmares had haunted her, but lately, the memories of her torture had resurfaced more frequently. She closed her eyes, her breathing steadier now although still ragged. The memories that tortured her were just that. Memories.
When she reopened her eyes, her heartbeat had finally slowed. Steeling herself, she pushed off the bed and made her way to the bathroom. After splashing cold water on her face, she lifted her gaze to the mirror. Staring back at her was an 18-year-old girl with emerald green eyes. Her shoulder-length navy-blue hair was tied up in a messy ponytail. ¡°I look like a mess,¡± she muttered.
Aria had been plagued by nightmares ever since the war. They came at random, sometimes lasting an entire week. The longest she had ever known peace was a single month. Once. But one thing was always certain: the nightmares would return. As she glanced around her unfamiliar surroundings, a bitter melancholy settled over her. She was in a strange land, far from the life she once knew. Her parents, her siblings, even her best friend. None of them were here anymore.
Aria closed her eyes for a moment, steadying her thoughts before finally deciding to get up. Perhaps helping Roxy or Espoir would serve as a distraction from the relentless memories. All I can do is keep moving forward... as I always have.
¡°Hey, Aria. Roxy.¡± Espoir bounced into the bookstore, his usual energy on full display. Aria sat at the counter, reading a book, while Roxy sorted through inventory.
¡°Good both of you are here,¡± Roxy said, not-so-subtly dropping a box of old books off the balcony toward Espoir. ¡°I¡¯ve got news.¡± Espoir casually created a barrier around himself before catching the box. ¡°Really?¡±
¡°No, Espoir, I¡¯m lying.¡± Roxy rolled her eyes as she made her way down to the first floor. Aria looked up as Roxy descended the winding staircase. The bookstore owner briefly smiled.
¡°Anyway, I finally have an update on the investigation into Aria¡¯s family,¡± Roxy''s tone shifted slightly. ¡°Although there are some complications.¡± Roxy''s usual carefree energy vanished. She pulled out a small folder and sat at a nearby table, while Espoir silently flipped the sign to Closed.
Aria¡¯s closed her book as she walked to the sitting area, her expression unreadable. ¡°You¡¯ve finally learned something about my family?¡± she asked softly, her voice tinged with nervous hope.
Roxy sighed as she poured some tea. ¡°Being completely honest, whatever happened to them is beyond my reach.¡± A heavy silence settled over the room as she opened the folder. Inside were redacted military files detailing the war in Easennia, people of interest, and intelligence reports on Easennian noble families.
¡°Normally, I¡¯d be able to find something. There¡¯s always a paper trail or at least rumors for people as famous as you. Hell, I can track the royal family''s exact movements up until the minute of their execution,¡± Roxy said with a rueful laugh, spreading the documents across the table. ¡°But this case is weird, for the Corvo family there''s nothing. No records. No traces. They just vanished after the last time you saw them.¡±
Aria stiffened, the weight of those words pressing down on her. ¡°In other words; you think they were tampered with by Albion, or maybe someone else?¡±
Roxy nodded in agreement. ¡°More than likely." She leaned forward, her tone darkening. ¡°I have channels for these sort of things. People who gather intel for me and keep me up to date on any particular interests of mine. Some of them are in other nations, others are have ties to the military. But anyone I sent to investigate your family¡¯s movements after your father¡¯s death? They all wound up dead. Pretty gruesome deaths, too,¡± Aria¡¯s breath caught in her throat as Roxy continued.
¡°Whoever¡¯s behind this doesn¡¯t just want your family¡¯s history erased, they¡¯re making sure no one dares to uncover it.¡±
¡°Likely the military,¡± Espoir mused. ¡°They have both the means and the motive to suppress any information about an Easennian family like the Corvos gaining traction.¡±
It made sense that Albion wouldn¡¯t want any famed figures from Easennia¡¯s past to spark political movements in their name. While Easennia¡¯s current government remained submissive to the nation. ever since the war, that region was a powder keg with conflict. Aria, meanwhile, sat in complete silence. Her hood concealing her expression. The news weighed on her, pressing down like an unseen force.
Roxy gave the former soldier a sympathetic look. ¡°I might be able to dig a little deeper, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s worth the risk. Not if it means exposing ourselves or getting more people killed for what little we¡¯ve found.¡± Roxy''s voice trailed off as the gravity of the situation fully settled in. ¡°Sorry, Aria.¡±
A silence filled the room before Aria finally spoke, her voice quiet but steady. ¡°No, I understand. Thank you for all you''ve done, Roxy.¡± Without another word, she stood and walked out of the store. As the door clicked shut behind her, Espoir let out a small sigh, running a hand through his hair. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. Probably¡¡± It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than anyone else.
Roxy exhaled softly, watching the door swing closed. ¡°Poor girl¡¡± she murmured. Roxy truly felt for Aria, but what more could she do? Roxy¡¯s mind raced, searching for something, anything, that might help Aria.
Later, on a park bench, Aria stared blankly as the citizens of Arkham moved past, their lives continuing as if nothing had changed. Her mind churned with memories of her past, the uncertain future, and the crushing weight of everything she had lost. ¡°So this is how it ends,¡± she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the city. A silent sob wracked her body as the full weight of it all finally set in. She was truly alone.
Her family was gone. Either they were dead or so far beyond her reach that they might as well be. Her best friend violently butchered because of her. The comrades she had fought beside, the people she had come to trust vanished like ashes in the wind. Now, she lived in the heart of her enemy¡¯s homeland, a ghost among strangers, with no path forward.
As Aria returned to the shop, the sun was beginning to set. Roxy glanced at her, and a wide grin spread across her face. ¡°I think I found a solution.¡±
¡°About my family''s whereabouts?¡± Aria asked, stepping up to the counter.
¡°Yup!¡± Roxy replied enthusiastically, pulling out a map. It detailed the layout of Albion¡¯s military capital: The Citadel. ¡°My sources are scattered across the nation, but there¡¯s one place that might hold classified information related to you and your people. The Military Archives store most of the top military intelligence. Unfortunately, only state mages and above are allowed access¡¡± Aria¡¯s eyes widened slightly at what Roxy was suggesting.
¡°We were told the Citadel was impossible to break into,¡± she said, recalling what she knew about Albion¡¯s military capital. It was home to the nation¡¯s top magic users, nobles, and even the Council of Albion. The fact that it floated in the sky made it nearly impossible to invade. Easenna''s top military advisors had developed various plans for a potential siege.
¡°Simply put, the information I gathered may not be accurate but the archives may have what we¡¯ve been looking for.¡± Roxy pointed to the large library complex on the map. ¡°I hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to this since it¡¯s dangerous.¡±
Aria stared at the complex diagram as she digested this information. To go to the Citadel, and specifically the military archives, was dangerous, to say the least. It was the most fortified region in Albion and swarming with active soldiers. Aria steeled her resolve as she nodded. ¡°I¡¯m prepared to do whatever it takes to learn what happened to my family.¡± Her voice was thick with conviction.
Her features softened as she acknowledged Roxy¡¯s efforts, aware of how much she was doing for someone she barely knew. ¡°I¡ appreciate you thinking of me, Roxy, but this is something I must pursue on my own.¡± While Aria understood why Roxy wouldn¡¯t suggest they try sneaking into The Citadel, she also knew she would never find peace until she uncovered the truth. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
Roxy sighed and began rolling up the map for Aria. "I figured you''d say that," A small smile appeared on the information broker¡¯s face as she dug under the counter. "I went ahead and got you a staff uniform for the archives. With it, you should be able to slip in by posing as a member of the night crew. Albion usually assigns guard duty to first-year academy students or low-ranking military personnel, so they likely won''t pay much attention to you. But if they do, well¡ you can handle them." Roxy had a confident smile as Aria looked at the disguise. A mixture of emotions crossed Aria''s face as she thought of the words to say. She went to speak but couldn''t find the words.
¡°Don¡¯t mention it!¡± Roxy beamed, knowing Aria was surprised by all of her help, Roxy assumed it probably overwhelmed the girl in a way. ¡°You can thank me for being amazing when you get back. Now hurry!¡±
Thanks to Roxy¡¯s careful planning, Aria managed to sneak aboard a ship heading to the Citadel. The massive floating city towered in the clouds, with Arkham¡¯s tallest buildings situated below the city''s floating airships. Aria wore a white dress shirt beneath a black uniform jacket. Her navy hair was tied back in a bun and covered by a black-rimmed cap that obscured her features. She also had on black uniform slacks and matching dress shoes. As the airship landed, Aria quickly leaped onto the dock before being noticed.
The streets of the Citadel were brightly lit, showcasing breathtaking architecture, the city was a a testament to the immense wealth poured into the nation¡¯s military. As Aria walked through the bustling avenues, she observed families strolling leisurely, their laughter mingling with the city¡¯s lively atmosphere. Boutiques, restaurants, and various shops lined the streets, brimming with activity. The grand scale and decadence of it all reminded her of Easenna¡¯s capital.
As Aria followed her map, she soon arrived at the administrative district of The Citadel. Every step she took heightened her awareness; she was in the heart of enemy territory, surrounded by the very people who had sworn an oath to destroy her and her nation. Tension coiled in her chest, but she forced herself to remain composed as she passed groups of active soldiers mingling in the streets. Keep calm, Aria, no one knows who you are here.
Eventually, Aria reached the archives. A massive stone and marble library loomed before her, its grand architecture a testament to Albion¡¯s wealth and power. Seven towering pillars supported the outward roof, while a series of eight pediment sculptures lined the arch above the entrance. She paused, staring up at the structure. It was oddly familiar. After a moment, the realization dawned on her. It¡¯s just like Easenna¡¯s¡
Memories of Easenna¡¯s capital, Selenia, resurfaced in her mind. A similar building stood there. Unlike her homelands, however, this structure contained several intricate sculptures, each depicting a different founder of the great nations. At the center was a male figure with long hair, draped in a decorated robe so finely carved that even the texture of the fabric was etched into the stone. He held a book with a sun emblazoned on its cover and golden accents on the otherwise marble statue. It was a book Aria immediately recognized. The Golden Grimoire.
There¡¯s no carving of the Silver Grimoire. Aria thought to herself, she wasn¡¯t surprised given the myth behind the two books. To the Golden Grimoires side stood a woman clad in intricately armor, a metal headpiece adorning her head. In her hands was a great sword, someone Aria immediately knew at a glance. Easenna¡¯s founder and patron saint; Selene. Surrounding them were various figures, each representing the legendary founders of their respective nations.
A quiet sadness settled over her. Both Albion and Easenna revered their past, honoring those who had shaped their respective nations. Yet, they had become bitter enemies. Shaking off her thoughts, Aria took a deep breath. She had a mission to complete.
4 Years Ago¡
¡°Lady Aria.¡± Mary smiled as she approached, dressed in a medic gown overtop her military uniform. Aria returned the smile, her features were tired. "Hey Mary."
Mary¡¯s expression quickly shifted to one of concern. It was obvious Aria hadn¡¯t been sleeping again. ¡°You should rest more. It¡¯s unhealthy,¡± Mary scolded gently, crossing her arms. She knew Aria was overextending herself, juggling her training, management, as well as overseeing the soldiers. At just fourteen, she had already risen to the rank of sergeant, but the responsibility was taking its toll on her.
Aria chuckled softly. ¡°I wish you¡¯d call me Ari¡¡± Years had passed, yet Mary still insisted on formality. ¡°I-It¡¯s fine. I sleep when I can.¡± Aria laughed softly, though the exhaustion in her voice was evident. ¡°Honestly, I think most of the soldiers don¡¯t like taking orders from me¡¡± She knew people talked about her behind her back. She had grown used to it at the academy, but that didn¡¯t make it any less tiring.
¡°I think they¡¯ll come around,¡± Mary said with a reassuring smile as they walked. The aftermath of their recent victory over an Albion encampment was still unfolding¡ªsoldiers were busy sifting through documents, supplies, and the belongings of captured enemies. ¡°The war has been hard on everyone, so try not to take it personally.¡± Aria sighed. She knew Mary was right, but that didn¡¯t make it any easier.
As they walked, an older boy with blonde hair and glasses waved at them. ¡°Hey, Serge. Miss Silva,¡± Marco greeted them with a grin.
¡°Marco,¡± Aria acknowledged. ¡°Any news from the raid?¡±
Marco hummed in thought. ¡°Well, a lot of the intel is pretty useless you know? It¡¯ll be tough to map out Albion¡¯s exact movements. Victor is interrogating one of their commanders now.¡± Aria nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll go see what I can help with.¡±
Marco¡¯s eyes widened with concern. ¡°Ah wait! That¡¯s really not a good idea ma''am.¡± Aria raised an eyebrow as she walked toward Victor¡¯s tent. Marco closed his eyes in frustration and urged Mary not to follow.
¡°Now then, The supply lines, where are they moving to now?¡±
Victor was a well-built twenty-year-old man with bright orange hair styled in parted bangs and a small ponytail. He had forgotten his uniform and was wearing a fitted sleeveless shirt that highlighted his physique. Covering his hands were a pair of bloody leather gloves.
¡°P-please let me go¡ I don¡¯t know!¡± Aria¡¯s eyes widened in horror as she entered the tent. Blood covered the floor and tent lining. A man was strapped to a wooden chair, his face bloody and disfigured. A stream of blood ran down his lips as a pile of teeth formed on the floor. ¡°W-what is this?!¡± Aria shouted. Her body shook at the gruesome display as Victor wiped some blood off his face and turned to face his commanding officer.
¡°Ah if it isn¡¯t our fearless leader. I was in the middle of getting information so try to make it quick boss.¡± Victor met Aria¡¯s wide-eyed gaze with a calm, almost casual expression, wiping the blood from his hands onto a cloth. The scene before them was nightmarish. The enemy soldier looked unrecognizable; his face a mask of bruises and cuts, his lips torn and stained with blood. A pile of broken and brutally ripped out teeth lined the tent floor.
¡°This is what happens when people refuse to talk,¡± Victor said, his tone cold but matter-of-fact. ¡°We need information, Aria. We¡¯ve got a war to win.¡±
Aria¡¯s stomach churned. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her chest tightening. She knew what war did to people, but this¡ this was different. This wasn¡¯t just survival. It was brutality for the sake of brutality. ¡°Stop...¡± Aria said through gritted teeth, her voice shaking. ¡°Information? You¡¯re torturing him!¡±
¡°So?¡±
The casual tone hung heavily in the tent. Victor narrowed his eyes at his superior. He wiped his hands on his shirt, the bloody gloves discarded on the ground. ¡°You think we have time to play nice?¡± he snapped. ¡°You think Albion is going to spare you, or anyone else? People like him don¡¯t care about who we are. They only care about winning! If you want to survive, you play by their rules, Aria.¡±
¡°So torturing and killing him is going to save us?!¡± Aria¡¯s heart hammered in her chest, but she took a step forward, her hands trembling but determined. ¡°Not like this. There has to be another way.¡± Aria was taught to uphold a certain level of honor with combat. Her family ingrained the necessity of mercy in the face of an enemy. To Aria, what Victor was doing was no worse then what Albion does to their countrymen.
Kills should be swift and painless, those who don¡¯t maintain a level of chivalry will lose what makes them human.
¡°You think this bastard would blink twice if it was us who got captured?¡± Victor snapped as he turned back to his prisoner. ¡°Grow the fuck up, Aria! They don¡¯t care about us, so why should we have honor with these bastards? If becoming a monster is what it takes to save even one Easennian, I¡¯ll gladly get my hands dirty.¡± The Albion soldier groaned in pain. His face was disfigured and swollen, with streams of blood covering his broken mouth. His hands were unnaturally twisted, and an eerie purple and black hue coated his skin.
Aria walked over and took a look at him. ¡°He''s dying¡¡±
¡°So, the princess is going to use our medics and limited supplies to save someone like him? We both know he won¡¯t even survive at this rate.¡± Victor scoffed.
¡°You¡¯re right, he isn¡¯t going to survive¡¡± In a fluid and mechanical motion, Aria slit the man''s throat with her blade, the slice was swift and clean making sure it killed him in an instant. In a burst of anger, Victor grabbed Aria by the lapels of her coat as the other soldiers watched in shock.
¡°What the fuck did you do?!"
Aria¡¯s bangs covered her face as the older soldier tightened his grip on her coat. A crowd of soldiers began to enter the tent at the commotion. Despite being a soldier herself, Aria couldn¡¯t stand the idea of torturing someone like that. It disgusted her.
That day was the first time Aria had killed another human. The unknown Albion soldier''s face and pain were etched into her mind. Unknown to anyone else, at that moment Aria¡¯s eyes, hidden beneath her bangs, were wide and horrified. Later that evening, Aria threw up as the memory of her first kill was seared into her. Forever.
Aria had managed to enter the archives. As several military officers mingled and researched, she did her best to not draw attention to herself. ¡°Wait!¡±
One of the guards yelled. Aria froze as panic set in. A stout guard walked over and eyed her curiously. ¡°We didn¡¯t see your badge. State your name and identification.¡± Putting on a brave front, Aria reached into her pocket. ¡°Mary Silva,¡± she said, with as much confidence as she could muster.
¡°ID?¡± The man eyed Aria incredulously. Aria debated whether she should try to fight now or flee. Aria remained motionless as the guards eyed her suspiciously.
¡°She¡¯s with me.¡± An older man wearing a black three-piece suit under a beige long coat walked over. He had short, graying dark hair. The guard glanced at eachother before nodding and walking off.
¡°First day?¡± The man asked, offering a kind smile as he walked with his cane. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Aria replied, figuring she could convince him. The old man smiled as he walked beside her.
¡°I¡¯m Benjamin. I¡¯ve been at the Citadel for a long time. A bit overwhelming, ain''t it?¡± Aria reluctantly nodded. Benjamin kept a slight distance as the two walked through the massive hall. Countless shelves lined the various floors of the building. It would be easy to get lost in this place.
¡°So, what section were you most interested in, Miss Silva?¡±
¡°Interested?¡± Aria asked, fearing he saw through her intentions.
¡°Hmm, most young people don¡¯t venture into the archives unless they¡¯re assigned. Those who come this time of year typically do it out of love for knowledge. I can tell you''re here because you have a topic on your mind, right?¡± The older gentleman had a small smile, easily seeing through Aria¡¯s reasons.
Aria debated her next move. How would he respond if she revealed that she had come for information on Easenna? Would he accept that, or would he immediately alert the military? This place is massive, and I¡¯ll draw attention to myself if I reveal too much. Despite her reservations, Aria had to work quickly. ¡°I was actually interested in learning more about the war in Easenna¡¡±
Benjamin stopped walking for a moment. Aria clenched her fist, bracing herself for a fight. But to her shock, the old man let out a hearty laugh. ¡°Ha! It¡¯s been a while since a young mind expressed interest in that tragedy. Good on you for wanting to expand your horizons, especially at your age!¡±
Are all the mages in this land insane? Aria thought, unsure if he was toying with her or genuinely accepting her request.
Benjamin wiped away a tear with a handkerchief and sighed, calming himself. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get far with your current clearance.¡± He gave her a kind, knowing smile. ¡°You see, a high level of clearance is needed to access the private records. There¡¯s the truth of war, and then there¡¯s the hidden truth, known only to a select few.¡±
¡°Hidden?¡± Aria repeated, confusion and suspicion flickering across her face.
¡°Well,¡± Benjamin¡¯s voice lowered. ¡°A lot of information is kept secret. But if you¡¯re looking for something specific, the reason you won¡¯t find it in the regular archives is simple: it¡¯s locked away in the vault with the treasure.¡±
Aria halted in her tracks at the mention of treasure. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®treasure¡¯?¡±
Benjamin hummed thoughtfully, his eyes glinting. ¡°Like all conflicts, the victors claim the spoils. Many Easennians were displaced in the aftermath, and our nation... well, we got to keep some of those spoils. As to be expected.¡± Aria¡¯s expression darkened as she looked at the elderly man from beneath her cap. Her aura flared briefly, and she could feel the beat of her heart quicken.
¡°Explain,¡± she said, her voice low and dangerous. Benjamin kept a kind smile as he glanced at Aria.
¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing crazy. Inside is a bunch of gold, silver, and Chroma deposits. Moreover, many immigrants lost their personal information, which is why they tend to stay in their enclaves, in places like Arkham, and never leave. Nasty business.¡± The older man noted Aria¡¯s reaction, a small smirk crossing his face. ¡°Not to mention, many of those who came here had their jewelry, heirlooms, and even their tooth fillings were taken as spoils. Of course, there¡¯s also some private military intel we keep, but that¡¯s not very interesting.¡±
Aria¡¯s fist whitened as she gripped it tightly. A chilling rage bubbled beneath her. Benjamin glanced at Aria, then shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ll find it deeper in the archives. A word of advice: if you plan to use this information, consider grabbing a woman¡¯s uniform from the office to draw less attention to yourself.¡± He smiled knowingly before leaving. Aria was left on the archive floors motionless. Her mind reeling from this revelation. A nearby guard noticied that she was in a restricted area and began to approach.
¡°Hey! This area is restricted to sanctioned mages!¡±
Just as the nearby guard approached her, Aria slammed him face-first into the marble tile beneath them. As the floor tiles shattered, Aria¡¯s eyes began to glow faintly. Her aura flared for a brief moment. Aria felt a rage she hadn¡¯t experienced since the war. Her anger wasn¡¯t directed at a particular individual, but at the nation that had robbed her and her people of so much. An anger pulsed through her very being like a drum.
¡°The Easennian war vault,¡± Aria began, her voice low and downright murderous. She grabbed the fallen man by the roof of his mouth, her grip tightening as the man¡¯s eyes bulged in fear. It felt like she was going to rip his teeth out if he didn¡¯t answer. As if Aria would torture him for the information she needed.
¡°Where is it?¡±
Hard to believe she ended up at the Citadel of all places. Benjamin Watts let out a small laugh as he saw his chauffeur parked in front of the archives. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d get to see another Corvo swordsman in my lifetime. Much less Nicolos¡¯ daughter in a place like this. I do wonder if she¡¯ll be able to survive them... Well I suppose we¡¯ll find out if your little girl has the same light that you did, old friend.¡±