"P-pardon?"
"It is as what you heard," She just sighs, "It's perplexing on one's part as well as to why one have been called out like this. This never happened before. An anomaly has disturbed the order of things, now one is left with no choice. Let one show you the visions now."
She began to walk towards me.
And I stopped myself from moving away.
"Give one your hand." she says as she halted as she stood before me.
She reached out an open hand and waited for me to place my own hand on hers.
I lifted my hand. Hesitated.
Closing my hand into a fist.
I looked around and tentatively eyed the several purple orbs of fire hovering high from the ground.
'Dark element'
Is Aerra really... the fated fallen one?
I glance at her as she just watch me in silence.
If I don't believe her now,
and she happens to really be the one...
then the entire seven kingdoms would be after her someday to kill her...
Everyone would cheer in her death.
"..."
I shut my eyes close, clenching my fists on both my side.
I can't even try to imagine such scenario.
It's too much.
I lifted my hand once again.
Opened my eyes and looked at her,
"Okay, I'll help you but just to save my sister. I won't do any unnecessary killing nor destruction of anything!"
She nods.
I placed my hand on hers.
She looks down and was about to place her other hand over it when suddenly she gasped and I watch as her eyes widens momentarily, studying my hand.
"Interesting." she murmurs, turning to look at me. "Who sent you here?"
"What? —I was teleported here with Aerra by accident."
She shook her head, "No, who sent you to be in this dungeon?"
"It was by chance," I replied, "We were doing a Hunt Job for some village and for some reason, the bandits we were after went to scavenge some treasures here"
"It's too peculiar to happen by chance... for you of all people to be here at this moment. Are you sure you weren't sent here on purpose?"
I can see her staring deeply at my eyes.
I nodded vehemently, "Positive!" I replied.
"Then one hopes, this time— this lifetime would be the beginning of the end" she uttered, scooping my other hand instead and clasping it tight against her two hands.
Suddenly, several scenes flashed on my mind. It fleeted by so fast, too fast for ordinary eyes to catch.
Like taking a glimpse of a picture book with pages being turned so fast before you, making it hard to comprehend anything at all even before you could even try to understand the pictures you just saw. But the pictures were moving and the scenes were flashing pass my eyes. It was so overwhelming, I had to close my eyes shut to make it stop
but instead,
I caught one vision that made sense.
Finally, she releases my hand.
"There is one last thing one will give you as a parting gift. Don't misunderstand— this will help you awaken you own powers." She whispered,
"Have fun! ♪ "
And then a giggle lingered into fade.
I opened my eyes.
And saw Aerra about to collapse on the ground before me. I quickly caught her up just before she could fall down.
I watch the black of her hair slowly fades back to white.
"Aerra!" I shook her a bit but she didn't respond.
Her breathing seem normal though. It seems like she's fast asleep.
Aerra...
Slowly, the room fell to darkness.
The purple glowing orbs that hovered up in midair slowly gathered before us and began to join as one.
It flickered like a dying candle light
But just before it faded, it once again floated up high. This time, it solidified into one red orb.
One heavy grunt emits and sounds of chains echoed around the chamber.
Then...
—the red orb shined.
An otherworldly cry suddenly emitted in a tremendous roar that made the entire ground quake violently.
The echo of the roar was so loud it was almost deafening.
What the blazes?!
I summon a ball of lightning on my hand to provide light to the room.
To my horror, a fiend lurks few feet away from us that stood almost a hundred of feet tall.
Is...
IS THIS THE PARTING GIFT SHE MENTIONED?!
It was hideous as it was mortifying.
It was so otherworldly
It went on making another loud cry like a warning as I hurried to carry Aerra up to my back to ran and make the farthest distance I could to get away from the fiend
It went on making another loud cry like a warning as I hurried to carry Aerra up to my back to ran and make the farthest distance I could to get away from the fiend.
I need to keep her safe, I thought,
while I kept running across the room but suddenly the chains that bound around it went berserk and began barraging against the walls and ground like whips, breaking all the stone slabs. The torned walls' red inscriptions suddenly died down and fades away in smoke.
Without warning, one of the chains' end appears on our side. It smacks at the ground and the impact explodes on us even before I could have react.
The force sent us flying off in midair,
I could only reach an arm for my sister as she was separated from me
dust screen covered everything on sight.
I closed my eyes as I hit the ground, shoulders first. I grit my teeth at the pain but there was no time to dwell over it,
As soon as I was able, I pulled myself up
and hastily searched for Aerra.
I crawled to her and hurriedly took her to my back and carried her with me.
I pushed at my knees and stood back up on my feet.
Darn this! The entire room is round, there's no corner at all to leave Aerra for the meantime so I can fight that ghoulish monster, I thought to myself as I turned and watch the chains that kept going on and on, randomly hitting any area of the room with devastating force.
If only Eriol is here...
No—!
I shook my head.
I shouldn't keep counting on him!
I have my own powers.
I'll protect what's important to me,
I turned my head to look at Aerra's sleeping face as it lays peaceful over my shoulder,
"I won't let it touch you"
I promised Papa, I will protect you.
「Aeron, you will protect your sister for me, wouldn't you?」
「I will always protect Aerra!」
I will always protect Aerra!!!
I faced the beast like a challenge and began to call all my lightning out.
It doesn't have to come out of my hands, I thought, as I held on to Aerra tightly. I just have to make it come out on it's own.
—!!!
Lightning began to appear everywhere in the room, striking at the ground in a haphazard fashion.
I focused at the chains
As all the lightning began to unleash towards all the chains that the monster was controlling to mindlessly damage everything.
the bolt ran the length of the chains
and swiftly crawled up towards the monster and began to electrocute the entire thing on spot.
The monster's loud cry was overshadowed by the loud sound of electricity that enveloped it, filling the entire chamber for over a minute or so.
And then it stopped.
I found myself panting.
I released too much magi than necessary,
it worn me out to have done that one massive attack.
I fell down my knees in exhaustion.
"Is... is t-that over?" I gasped, breathless.
I shifted Aerra over my back, making sure I don't drop her.
I closed my eyes and was about to relax for a bit but unexpectedly the ground began to shake again.
I looked up and realized the monster was trying to get out from it's shell or whatever it is that bound it, by seeming to force it open.
I shuddered at the sight of it as its hands began to stretch free and across the room.
It made another deafening cry before turning its head towards us.
It's about to finally break free, I thought. Just a few more and it's entire body would be unrestrained.
That's it.
I've used up all my energy with the last attack.
I can't fight back anymore.
I can't even run, let alone stand.
I slowly took Aerra down from my back and carefully placed her flat against the ground.
Darn this!!!!
I clench my teeth in frustration.
I should have conserved some rather than taking it all out in one attack, I thought to myself as I opened my eyes.
I'm such an idiot!
Huh?
Where is that light coming from?—
I followed the source of light and realized they were coming from my hands.
But I'm all out of energy.
How is this possible?
Ah? Wait.
What is this?
A symbol appeared at the back of my left hand and glew in white light and another on my right but otherwise in black.
The white symbol began to spread out in me and faded all the bruises off my skin. Healing it. I began to feel energized.
I brought my hands together and for some reason, something in me just suddenly knew how and what I should do with it.
I stood up and faced the monster,
just at the exact same time it finally gotten out and began to crawl forward and towards us.
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and bright blue lights covered me
I flipped my eyes open.
The lights materialized into varying shapes of formless swords hovering around me, some are completely blue but some are completely black.
I stomp one foot behind me, planted my toes deep until my foot burrows at the ground and then
I charged
How odd.
My body feels like air.
There's this kind of rush that was welling deep inside me but at the same time I feel at peace. It's almost scary
I looked around me and everything is but a horizontal line. I was moving fast.
I look ahead and saw the monster in my focus.
I grabbed one of the swords
at the exact same time the distance closes
I thrust the sword deep in to the monster
then pulled it in a line as I dashed across
It's hand moved to swat at me and the collision created a dust explosion
But I already had moved away
Leaving that triumphant gash open by its torso
I bent down, crouching.
Waiting.
It's one eye moves towards me.
It's hand sways.
I jumped.
Landed on its hand
And began to ran the length of its arm
Towards its ugly head
I can see it's eyes— the red orb beckoning
Everything is moving fast.
It's other hand appears out of no where
Swats at the path I was taking
But I was already up in midair
Right at his face
But this time it was ready for me
Both it's hand moved
—a miscalculation in my part.
It clasped together
Closed.
it's mouth opens.
But not for a feast.
No, not to consume me.
It was crying in one loud roar
As all the hovering swords around me propelled around me and cut through his hands.
I landed on one knee on the ground.
A sway of my hand and the propelling swords moved away and flies off like a boomerang,
hitting right at monster's shoulder where I pointed at.
Its detached arms drops at the floor.
As it cried out, I filled my one hand with lightning, charging it. I can feel pent up high voltage at the tips of my fingers.
The monster turns it head towards me.
I crunch my fist close
pulled back
Leaped off high from the ground
—then jabbed a straight punch at it.
The force imploded.
Without a second to spare,
while the monster is off focus
I opened my hands and formless swords appears on both my side
One is blue
The other is black
I jumped up from its body
Up towards it's shoulder
And then its head.
It's eyes moved towards me
As I stood right in front of it.
I crossed my swords together
and slashed at it.
The orb cracked.
Slowly minute cracks also formed around it's entire body.
The monster was breaking like glass.
I gave it a one last kick,
somersaulted backwards and landed at the ground while the monster fell, crashing hard on the ground and breaking apart.
I sighed in relief as I watch the entire ghoulish finally turn to ash.
I raised my hands, watching both the symbols from the back of my hands fades off,
I quickly turned around to check on Aerra. And saw her where I left her, she was still fast asleep. I sighed in relief as I walked towards her and sat on the ground beside her
A smiled and a sigh escapes from my mouth as I bask at the realization that...
I was able to protect her this time.
—with my own two hands.
I closed my eyes and threw myself on the ground.
That's when the exhaustion began kick in.
My entire body feels like lead.
Out of nowhere, a tiny red orb appeared in front of me. I was about to sit up —when it suddenly drops like a raindrop at the floor
just beside us and a red circle appeared beneath us.
A teleportation circle?
Light enveloped everything on sight,
I shut my eyes close.
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
"Aeron!?Aerra!?" I can hear a gasp.
I opened my eyes and was left staring at the open sky with some of the trees lining the clearing.
The sky was bright but half of it was washed by pink and orange hue. And in between these transitions were the dark blue heavens where few stars can already be seen, countable by fingers.
It's still sunset.
Whew.
"Are you guys okay!?"
I sat up and saw Levi and Eriol scampering towards us.
"Yeah... Just really really exhausted. Aerra has fallen asleep though" I replied. "How long have we been away?"
Eriol pats my head as Levi just sighs in relief.
Levi hands me a canteen of fresh water which I gladly took and began to gulp some of it down.
Eriol bends down to lay his just folded overcoat under Aerra's head, making sure she's comfortable. "Just enough time that we had gathered Levi's one battalion to take the bandits away and some had already been dispatched inside the dungeons to search for you guys" Eriol answered.
"Call the search off, please. I don't want them poking that dungeon too much. I have so many questions I needed to ask Papa." I said, as Levi nods, nudging at some metal box and talking to it. "Done. My men will be coming out anytime soon." He says, "I'm glad you're both safe" he added, smiling ever so subtly at me.
"Thanks guys." I scratched my head, bashfully.
"So what happened?" Levi asks now
I took a quick glance at Eriol.
I can see him just looking at me with his usual carefree gaze.
"It was just another round chamber. I fought a monster while Aerra somehow lost consciousness when the candy she ate wore off its effect..." I answered, hoping he won't notice that I'm just prevaricating. "That's all"
Ah!
"No wait! That's not all"
I remembered about the several formless swords.
At my will, it all appears out, slowly revolving around me in a circle, hovering in a faint blue glow.
"I'm able to do this now" I pointed at it, looking at all of them swords. None of them was black though.
Odd.
So these swords are still different with the ones I had summoned when the symbols on my hand appeared out?
Hm.
If summoning these multiple hovering swords at will are my innate powers, then where did the symbols from my hands came from?
"EHHHH—?!"
"Hh—!!!"
I turned to look at the guys and saw them gawking at the swords, stunned.
"Your powers —awakened..?!?" Levi gasped in astonishment.
"Y-yeah." I scratch a ghost itch on my face.
"WHY ARE YOU A WIELDER?!" Eriol muttered, grabbing both my shoulder and shaking me vigorously, "Wwwhhyyyyy?!"
I repelled him off,
"What do you mean why? I don't know!"
"I thought we are buddies! I thought you'll become a Transmuter just like me!!! And then you will no longer be my Meister but as Gefahrten! A higher tier of partnership between two Transmuters! Well this sucks." He frowns.
Geez. Making so much fuss...
I slowly stood up, dusting myself as I looked at Aerra.
"I still need to go back to the Zenas Village for a bit to report and reassure them that they will no longer be bothered by the bandits." I said.
Levi scoops Aerra to his arms, "In that case, I'll go ahead and take her back to Greenrun castle. I already instructed some of my men to escort you to wherever you please. Just order them where to go and they will take you there." He points at an automobile parked in a distance.
I nodded. "Thanks, Levi"
"Well then, I'm off"
He began to walk away and towards another automobile. A butler opens the door for him, greeting him with a bow. Another butler rolls out a short red carpet for him.
"Take me to Greenrun"
"Right away, young master!"
The butler relayed the message to the driver who is already seated in front with few other soldiers on stand by.
I watch them drive off as several other automobile drove behind them.
Wow, Levi's men are really attentive to all Levi's needs and orders, huh?
Such a spoiled Lord—!
"So, when will you tell me what happened back there?" Eriol spoke.
I turned to him and saw him in his usual smile.
"Nope, it's my secret." I answered
"What—?!"
I walk pass him and ride the automobile as he followed after me. "To Zenas Village" I told the driver as he stabbed and stirred, and began to drive away.
"So you have secrets now?" Eriol sneers
"Of course, I have some!" I answered curtly, a bit proud saying it. "And I'll tell them all to you tomorrow"
"Why tomorrow?" He asks
"Because you said you'd tell me yours tomorrow when it appears and if I listened to it. Well I did." I explained.
Eriol smiles and lays an elbow over the window, "Everything is going to get interesting" he uttered, resting his chin over the back of his hand as his eyes gazes at the scenery outside.
I closed my eyes and winged my head back, laying it comfortably against the head rest of the upholstered seat.
Soon, I drifted off to sleep.
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
Eriol woke me up when we arrived.
We were greeted by the villagers with all their eyes that gave away their intention, and it was to hear a good news.
I nodded, "All the bandits are apprehended. They will no longer come back— ever."
I watch at the varying reaction they all had. Some cheered, some just sighed in relief and some even cried.
The village head steps forward and smiles at me, "I couldn't thank you enough, Raedon"
"It's Aeron, sir." I corrected. 💧
Who the heck is Raedon.
"Please, follow me. I must pay you the promised amount!"
"N-no! It's fine. We're not really after the price money. We just really wanted to do the Hunt Job" I scratched the back of my head. I still feel a bit anxious doing this sort of conversations with random people.
"Then how could we ever repay you, Eriol?"
"It's Aeron! And I'm quite disturbed how you manage to remember my friend's name instead..."
Eriol just chuckled, "Hey kiddo, how about asking them what you've been itching to do instead? Didn't you wanted to do something here?"
Huh?
"Anything we can offer!" the Village Head insisted.
What I've wanted to do here???
Ah.
Now that he mentioned it.
The moment I got here this morning I wanted to improve their ways of living so bad. It bugs me to see them so carefree when they can get sick with such clothes and shabby looking sandals. Plus their village' wall is too small to even protect them from anything.
Ah. But if I do that... I might offend them.
"Can I really ask anything instead?" I grumbled,
The village head nods with a smile, "Go ahead. Anything!"
I rubbed my nape, "I want to rebuild your village wall." I pointed at it. "And if you don't mind, I want to introduce different kinds of supplies. Like a much resilient sandals and other materials that may improve the roof of your houses here..."
The Village head looks at me with wide eyes,
At his response I got flustered and abruptly tried to explain myself, lest I offend them in any way.
"B-b-but it's fine if you don't want it! I mean!!! It's not like I find any of your materials here lacking and insufferable!!!"
I can see Eriol does a facepalm.
"I-it's just that I...your people... might get sick... or their safety and...I'm—!"
"HOHOHOHOHO!" The village head cackled.
I glance at Eriol as he just shrugged but sneered anyway in content. Patting my shoulder as if to say 'good job!'
"You pureblood nobles are really odd, but go ahead. Do as you wish!" the village head beams at me. "We are forever in your debt"
Eh?
"Y-you knew all along that we are—?"
"Pureblood noblemen? Yes. Well, are you not? Your eyes and hair are too distinct to miss it. Ho hoh hoh!"
This bald headed geezer knew we were nobles all along but he still went as far as to compare my hair to a sheep and Aerra's to a goat...
Argh! Seriously —this old man...!
"Thank you very much for helping us! You are always welcome to visit here whenever you wish!"
I nodded, "I'll make sure to send the supplies tomorrow! And I hope you won't mind if I send some men to rebuild those walls for your village!"
We soon went back to the automobile and got in. The village head escorted us until then.
"I'll visit soon with my friends! Bye old man!!!" I waved as the automobile began to drove off.
"Safe trip, Aeron. You too Eriol!"
I turned to Eriol.
"That old man actually knows my name! He's just messing with me!"
"Who knows!" Eriol shrugs in a chuckle.
"Hey, Eriol. Thanks for this day!"
"What are you thanking me for?"
"It was your idea to do this adventure. It was really something."
Eriol shrugs once again, "Like I said, it would be fun!" he sneers then turned his focus towards the windows.
I watch my hands turn into fists on my lap as I tried to recall all the events that happened today.
"It's indeed fun."
I turned to the window and saw the sunset reaching its peak over the lake, with the sky around it in a bright zesty hue while the rest of the heavens had changed into the evening sky.
Silhouettes of some flock of birds flew pass high over the sky, where the rays of the setting sun revealed their true colors but the shadows left behind made them all seem black.
I remembered the visions the black haired Aerra gave me. They were plenty and yet incomprehensible
'Seek for the priestess' huh?
I wonder when she will arrive?
I remember the final visions given to me, the last one that I was able to understand...
It was...
About a High King that created that damned prison for this one girl...
A deep dark prison underneath the lake to where no one would find her.
No one would know her existence perhaps
just like the dungeon itself.
I wasn't able to see the face of that High King but surely he's one of my great grandfathers.
After all, there was none other than my family line who sat on that throne for countless generations.
One of them created that prison.
And as for the 'her' in that vision, I'm not sure who she is nor have I understood why he imprisoned her in there.
If I do understand one thing, it's that everything from that vision, including the one that I was able to comprehend, is that they were all through several point of view.
As if I was looking through their eyes
Whoever they all are.
Or how they are connected to the legend
of the fallen one...
I suddenly remembered my dream
Or who that girl is in my dream with such weird clothing. That was the first time I saw the similar celestial symbol on my hand that later on appeared.
I closed my eyes shut and let my other senses take over.
The wind gently brushing pass my skin.
The sound of tires over terra.
The smell of raw nature whiffed from the air as the automobile drove straight over the road, passing fields and prairies.
We're finally going home.
But no time to rest, there's still that banquet for us tonight.
Somehow, with all these calm, it's hard to believe something crazy happened back there in that dungeon.
But everything else will never be the same
for me—
for my twin sister
and her destiny.
I will change it.
———end of Chapter 10———