From afar, Sieghart witnessed the giant magic arrow exploding into the sky in a clear, distant view.
"David...?"
Sieghart stood up as fast as he could, recognizing that the giant arrow was fired by David. Seeing David's arrow fire off into the sky would mean that they finally took an exit from the cave they all entered at one point. And if they did so especially in the area where enemy soldiers would see them, it would mean that Christa's group who got seperated with the others have finally got their hands on the Gates and have regrouped with everyone.
"I guess I should go and regroup with them, too."
He then shifted his gaze onto the crystal in the middle of his giant black sword.
"Your job is done for now, Beezelbub." Sieghart told the sword in his grasp.
"All right. But don't forget that you owe me a ton of souls after this. That brat sure took a lot out of me." Beezelbub responded, reminding Sieghart that he owes the sword souls of beasts to feast on later.
"Yes, yes."
Sieghart puts his sword on the scabbard in his back and started hustling towards the Kingdom of Kruule.
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.
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Meanwhile, in the center of the barracks in the northern sector of Kruule. Where the giant magic arrow suddenly came out of the ground and flies off into the vast darkness.
"What was that?"
"It looked like some kind of a giant arrow and it exploded into the sky."
"It came down from here."
The slaves who woke up from the explosion went to the hole where the giant arrow came out. While the others are curiously chattering after what happened, the others went and tried to take a look down through the dark hole.
"It's too dark down there."
"We can't see anything at all."
And then, a powerful surge of wind circles around and descends down to the dark hole. It's as though the wind is being sucked in by an unknown force
"Watch out!"
"R-run!"
"Get far away from that hole!"
The people quickly pulled back before they, too, get sucked in.
"That was close..."
"What's happening down there?"
"What's making the air to get sucked in?"
Before long, the answer to their questions revealed itself as Lira, together with the others goes up to the surface using the elven woman's Wind Walk ability.
"W-who are you lot?!" One of the slaves asked as he and the others armed themselves with their swords, spears and even knives.
Before any of the group could answer their question, one of the slaves recognized the faces of Susun and Rein and then immediately tells everyone lower their weapons.
"Those two... They are the henchmen of Princess Celestine."
"T-they really are! Hey, lower your weapons and bow down to them!"
"There's no need." Susun stopped the slaves before they could lower their heads onto her and Rein. "We're no longer the Princess's henchmen."
The slaves cannot find the words to answer what the former henchman of Celestine is saying. If they are no longer under the Princess's control, then it could only mean that they have rebelled to the Kingdom of Kruule.
"Are you saying... You're rebelling against the country? Against the King?"
One of the slaves questioned the girl with the silver hair.
"That's right."
The slaves were taken aback by her response. They can tell that she really meant all the words she had spoken to them. Until now, the people of Kruule were living under their fears. No one dared to say a thing or even think of fighting back against the King. But now, someone appeared out of nowhere who claim that they are rebelling against the King.
The thought of someone taking a stand against such a powerful enemy made their emotions swell up inside. For a moment, the slaves have forgotten the fear that chained their freedom for years. They all thought nothing but the same - To join the rebellion and reclaim their freedom.
But sure enough, the thought of going against the King is something they can't do unless the lightning collars aren't attached to their necks.
"T-the collars...!"
"They are activating!"
"We're all gonna die!"
The collars around their necks begin sparking with lightning. Once again, their fear began crawling back to them as the collars were about to burst and kill the slaves. The people panicked. Until...
Fwoosh!
Rein goes up front as she extends her staff forward to the people. The slaves closed their eyes as they feel their inevitable death coming. Or so they thought.
Moments later, one of the slaves peeked around him and then shifted his eyes onto himself. Then the others followed suit. Nothing has happened. The slaves remained alive. The collars they thought would end their lives did not breakout into a lightning surge. Instead, the thundering sound of lightning coming from Rein and her staff caught their attention.
Seeing the young girl and a former henchman keeping her composure as she seem to be overflowing with lightning all around her staff and her body, the slaves suspected that Rein drained the lightning inside the collars for them.
"You..."
"Did you just drained the lightning inside our collars?"
Just then, soldiers of Kruule arrived from behind.
"Hey, what is happening here!"
One of the soldiers went and observed the surroundings until he got his eyes locked onto David, Jinrah and Lira.
"Intruders! Are you the cause of that explosion?! Where did you come from?!"
The soldiers of Kruule take up their swords and tries to approach the three in order to bring them to their prison.
"Do not resist! We will bring you three to the--"
But in the blink of an eye, Susun knocked out all seven of the Kruule Knights as swiftly as the wind. The slaves were left in awe as the woman easily defeated the group of soldiers in a flash.
"Amazing...!"
"She's fast!"
Another mob of soldiers appeared before Susun.
"You're the henchman of Princess Celestine!"
"You traitor!"
Susun payed them no mind as she simply turns around and walks away from them. Then, a pack of three wolves goes in and assaulted the rest of the enemy soldiers in her stead.
"What are those... wolves?"
"That young lady summoned them!"
The slave pointed at Rein. And then, Susun took this chance to stand in front of the people and encourages them to follow her.
"My name is Susun Ednia. A former henchman of Celestine, and former slave of Castile. As a slave, I was forced to work without rest. I was forced to be seperated with my daughter. I was forced to take the lives of other innocent people, I was forced to fight in order to live. For years, I've lived a hellish life full of fear in the cruel King's hands, just like you. But after encountering a certain person, I managed to break free from the collars that shackled our freedom."
Slowly but surely, more and more slaves of Castile are listening to Susun's speech. Someone broke free from the collar they fear more than anything. It gave them a slight feeling of hope they can still be freed despite years of slavery by the King and Princess.
"I am no longer under the chains of the cruel King. I am no longer the slave who will obey whatever the Princess tells me to do. I am free. I am standing here standing before you to show you that everyone deserved the same freedom that was given to me."
Susun extends her open hand as she invites the people who are suffering in King Castile's hands to join the rebellion.
"I am free. And so are you. Don't let a King who sees you as nothing but his pawns take away your freedom! Let us end this life full of nightmares! Join me, as we reclaim the Kingdom of Kruule's freedom! Freedom that everyone deserved!"
For the first time in a very, very long time. The people of Kruule who were deprived of freedom, filled the land of Kruule of their screams. Their scream echoed throughout the entire Kingdom as they finally broke free from their fears. From this moment, the people of Kruule clenched their fists and raised their hands as they finally mustered the courage to stand against the cruel King. This is day where they will reclaim freedom they once had with their own hands.
"David, tell me where the others are."
David pointed his finger to the direction in the east.
"They're not far from here."
"Jinrah, come with me."
Jinrah who joined the crowd's war cry out of the blue turned his face towards Lira. He agreed to accompany her.
"Okay."
Lira once again used her Wind Walk magic which allows her and Jinrah to walk above air.
"We'll leave things here to you."
"All right."
Jinrah and Lira goes up in the air and started running past the buildings towards the direction David pointed. On the other hand, David approached Susun and Rein and tells them to find more slaves that they can save people with Rein's magic.
"Let us find more people we can help with your magic."
"Yes."
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In the east side near the barracks in the northern sector of Kruule, the enemy soldiers, as well as Kaien, Itsuo and Selene stopped from attacking each other as they were shocked by the explosion above the skies.
"What was that giant magic arrow?"
While everyone were in awe due to the spectacle overhead, one of the knights who's standing behind Kaien used the opportunity to sneak an attack against the Knight Commander while his guard is lowered. But Kaien's sharp senses simply caught wind of what the knight was trying to do.
Kaien took a single step to move his body sideways to avoid the sword that was about to split his head into two. Then, he throws a jump kick that quickly knocked the knight out of consciousness.
"Sneaky bas--"
The stinging feeling of pain from Kaien's abdomen caused him to fall on his knee. Kaien grits his teeth in attempt to endure the pain.
"Ah...!"
But even if he struggle to hold it in, the amount of blood he lost since then is making his head hazy as everything he sees becomes cloudy in his eyes.
"Not good... I'm about to lose consciousness..."
Another knight tried to assault Kaien while he is unguarded. But luckily, Itsuo was watching over the young man who is on his weakened state. Before the knight could strike, Itsuo jumped in and protected the Knight Commander.
"You... Kaien...?"
"Are you all right, Knight Commander?" Itsuo asked as he breathes sharply. Selene stood beside them as well. All three of them are extremely exhausted.
The enemies realized it and decided to attack them in a group.
"They're too tired to fight! This is our chance!"
"Kill them and retrieve the Gates!"
Itsuo grasps his sword tightly and Selene released the last of her mana as they await the enemies' approach. It all seemed that their defeat is inevitable at this point. But at that moment, two powerful reinforcements came from the sky and descend to the ground to aid them.
Lira and Jinrah landed in front of Kaien and the others. Just like that, Lira surround themselves with a sphere of wind. And with both her hands, she sent the sphere outward to their enemies. Hitting and pushing them away violently as though they ran and collided with a very stern barrier.
Itsuo shouted their reinforcements' names out of surprise and relief.
"The hero Lira and Jinrah, too!"
"W-were saved...!"
Selene exhaled a sigh of relief as she collapsed to the floor. Jinrah then immediately tend to her and Itsuo.
"Looks like you gave your all in the fight."
Both of them did not say a word to reply to the red-haired man as they were busy inhaling and exhaling sharply. Without a doubt, the two had fought really hard during this battle.
Moments later, the people that were freed by Rein scattered across the area to confront the loyal followers of Castile.
"Damn you traitors!"
"You will pay for betraying the King with your life!"
"Shut up! We're not gonna let you and the King take away our freedom anymore!"
"We will save our country with our own hands!"
Kaien uses the last of his strength to get up on his feet. There, he watched the people of Kruule fight for their freedom.
"Those are... The people of Kruule." Kaien pondered on how the people that was once slaves to Castile and Celestine were able to break free from the collars that shackled them.
Lira gave an answer to his curiosity, saying that the former henchman, Rein is the one responsible for breaking the collars out of their necks. After that she checks up on the Knight Commander.
"This wound... it's not something that can be healed with just a simple Rejuvenation Bead of mine." Lira stated as she casually leans down and observes the hole in Kaien's abdomen.
"Sorry, I no longer have enough mana to heal him." Selene told the elven woman in a regretful tone.
"If it's Princess Atalante, she can heal you in a flash." Lira added.
As a temporary aid, Lira gave Kaien a Rejuvenation Bead to boost his strength. Enough for him to be able to stand without pain.
"Thanks." Kaien thanked Lira.
Kaien ate the bead that was given to him and immediately felt its effects.
"You should go back to the Kingdom using one of the Gates you got."
Kaien wanted to go after Edle instead of going back to Reilaea. But if the wound he got isn't treated right away, he'll just end up being a burden to the Prince. He had no choice but count on Christa who is with Edle right now to help him get to the Queen and the other rulers.
"Yeah... I shall do that after I finish my mission."
Kaien draws back his sword onto its sheath. He then takes a deep breath as he pulled one of the Gates scrolls he got inside his shirt.
Kaien closed his eyes as he carefully picture the very place where Knight Commander Tedric and the other soldiers of Reilaea are waiting for the Gates to open.
After determining the place in his head, Kaien opens the scroll and throws it into the air. He then uttered:
"Gate!"
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The gigantic magic arrow explodes into a beautiful fireworks under the starry sky.
"King Castile...!"
A knight of Kruule entered the chamber where Queen Elena and the others are being held. An explosion in the sky alerted everyone about the presence of the enemy infiltrating the Kingdom.
"He's finally here."
The moment that something caught the attention of everyone in Kruule, Queen Elena knew that her son is taking part in a group that had infiltrated the country.
"Edle...!"
"He arrived a lot earlier than I expected." Castile walks away from Aura and approaches Elena. "I was expecting for your son to arrive when the the sun had risen. It looks like he had brought quite a reliable number of friends with him."
King Francis thought the same. Riding horses from Reilaea to the Kingdom of Kruule would take a lot of time, especially the dark road being more dangerous with monsters being more active at night.
King Athlante pondered, is there someone out there that can help Edle traverse that fast to get to Kruule? There is no way for them to know about it, unless they get freed from the chains that shackled them.
"It seems that things are starting to get interesting~" Celestine uttered. "I will be taking my exit from here."
Celestine pulls out a Gate Scroll and opens it into thin air.
"See you later, Kings and Queen. If you're all still alive that is."
The Kings and Queens of the three countries watched the princess entering the portal and then disappeared. Belfionne did the same with disappointment into his eyes.
"What a wasted beauty..." He uttered.
Without saying a word, King Castile take a step forward towards the door that the informant soldier opened in haste. Only after asking him where he is headed that he decided to stop from walking.
"You!" The King of Meleia called. "Where are you going?!"
Castile then turns around and answers his question.
"There are twelve Ancient Weapons created hundreds of years ago in the past. I'm sure that both you and Dina have either witnessed or maybe even participated into creating them."
"..."
"However, no matter how many times I ask of you about the Ancient Weapons' whereabouts, or how they are used, both of you won't let your tiny little mouth open. I, however, have found a way onto finding the Ancient Weapons more easily."
"What?!" Worry in Athlante and Dina's faces grew visible to everyone in the room.
"Apart from learning about their existence, there is one more thing that I've learned about them. And that is, between all twelve countries, twelve people will be chosen by their fate to wield each of the twelve Ancient Weapons."
"Twelve people will be chosen..."
"...To wield each of the Ancient Weapons?"
Both Elena and Francis are lost as to what the two Kings are talking about. Twelve Ancient Weapons, twelve chosen people.
Just what are the Ancient Weapons they are speaking of?!
"How did you-- Don't tell me..."
"That's right..."
Inside that same chamber, in far corner of the room that is obscured with darkness. The sound of footsteps approaching them and the chains clanging about on the floor caught the attention of Elena and the others.
"I-Impossible! You're...!"
Her long hair dyed in white that touches the floor, her pale looking skin. Her arms and legs that are covered with bandages and chains, her half exposed body covered with dried wounds. And her snow-white eyes that almost has no trace of life in it. The woman who stood before them was the Queen who they thought were dead a long time ago.
"Queen Tiyana...!"
"How is she... We were all there when we saw her in her final moments at the burial!"
"All of you must be wondering how you can see her standing before you." King Castile stated to everyone.
There, the King of Kruule revealed that Queen Tiyana, the Queen of Kruule, was already under his brainwashing even before the first Rulers Conference occurred. And that the burial was faked.
"The Queen of Kruule, Tiyana, was already under my control even before the first Rulers Conference happened. And that fake burial. It was nothing but a simple, cheap trick. But all of you foolishly believed that the body inside that coffin was the lifeless body of the Queen."
"What did you say?!"
To everyone who witnessed the burial during that time, the seemingly lifeless body of Tiyana inside the coffin was actually just in deep sleep, thanks to a powerful sleeping potion that King Castile forcefully made Tiyana to drink.
The poison also made it seem that the Queen's breathing is so shallow, it almost look like she isn't breathing in air at all.
"A lot of time has passed since the burial, I ordered my Soldiers to take the Queen out of her grave. I was enthralled by the sight of the Queen who was deprived of air, standing before me like a corpse that had returned to life."
After a long time of being trapped inside the coffin. The Queen's body turned into something similar to that of a real corpse. Her sunken eyes, her body that is so thin like a skeleton, her skin that turned pale because of air deprivation. Even though she's still clinging about to life, she's no different to the people that are now dead.
"I've waited a long time for her to just collapse and die. But for whatever reason, she's still clinging about to life. And so I tested her will to live."
After experiencing death, the King decided to put her in a torture chamber. There, Castile did everything to inflict pain onto the Queen.
Make it driving large nails on her arms and legs in a wall, drowning her in a hot, boiling water. Stabbing her body with swords, using a whip to inflict wounds all around her frail body. Making beasts to feed on her flesh and then healing her wounds back so that they could continue on their feast. King Castile even invited his loyal soldiers to use Tiyana as their plaything.
"I did all the things I could do to her every single day, but she's just too stubborn of Queen to keep on resisting. Then one day, we've created the first of our magic weapons and forced the slaves to wield one. The magic weapons were created to drain as much mana as possible to its user. And I was expecting that it'll kill almost all our slaves that get their hands on these magic weapon and pass it onto someone else who can wield the weapons. But surprisingly, not one of our slaves that had their mana sucked to their limit was killed or even lost consciousness. Then I realize, it was actually the work of Queen Tiyana."
To other countries, they believed that the cause of the war was due to the King of Kruule who wanted to conquer other countries by causing a massacre throughout the land of Alteria. On the other hand, the people of Kruule believed that the King of Kruule wanted to avenge the exaggerated death of the Queen of Kruule against the elven people who he found lying dead together with Tiyana's corpse.
However, the truth was that Castile only wanted to kill all the rulers of the twelve countries. And that Queen Tiyana was actually alive and was kept imprisoned in an underground prison.
The war that Castile created lasted for a decade, until Queen Tiyana found a way to break free of the prison and save the people of Kruule from pointless deaths. However, by the time she stopped the war, the people of Kruule had already succumb to King Castile's control.
The people were relieved to see the Queen standing before them as the war had finally ended. But their fear of not following Castile causes them to turn their backs against Tiyana.
The Queen who saw the people she loved turn their back against her, furiously confronted the cruel King she once loved. However, even the Queen of Kruule was powerless before the King. Unlike the people who are being controlled by Castile through the fear of death, Castile actually used brainwashing to make Queen Tiyana follow his commands.
Tiyana is a kind and caring Queen who loved her people even if they had turn their backs against her. She doesn't want to see her people lose their lives under the cruel King's control. And so, before she confronted Castile, Tiyana performed an incredible magic.
A blessing that gives her people strength. A strength that lets them withstand any magic weapons that would drain their mana to its fullest. A strength that lets them overcome adversaries.
"The people that should have died by the magic weapons stood there like it was nothing. Who would have thought that the Queen could cast such a powerful magic just for the sake of the people who turned back against her."
Just then, King Athlante finally realized the sole reason why Tiyana is still clinging about with life.
"For the sake of her people... Don't tell me... The magic is still in effect even now?!"
The King of Kruule let out a smirk. "That's right. The magic is still intact as we speak. As long as she's still alive, it will never be dispelled."
Everyone's mouth dropped open as they were stunned by this realization.
"That's impossible..."
"Can a human really survive using such a huge scale magic for years?"
That question got stuck onto their minds. Even King Castile find it too impossible for a human to perform that kind of magic.
"I've been asking myself that same question every single damn time, Queen Athilia." the King of Kruule uttered as he continue to speak. "It could be that her love for her people is what keeping her and her magic going all these years, although it sounds too unrealistic to be true. Whatever the case, I'm glad she had such an amazing magic. She thought she's protecting them by giving them strength. Instead, it'll only help me conquer Alteria and kill all the rulers, together with her beloved people."
The King cackled in pleasure before he approach the shackled Queen Elena as he summoned his sword with his dark flames.
"What are you...!"
Clang!
Everyone's eyes were glued onto Elena falling to the ground as King Castile sliced the chains apart with his sword.
"Sure enough, you've regained your strength to stand after all that."
"What are you up to now...?" Elena asked the King while trying to stand up.
"This is a great opportunity. The Queen that I loved and the Queen that I love. Which of the two is the strongest? Don't you think such a duel is what the people would want to see?"
The King gestured at the soldier standing beside the door to give the King a sword in his possession. The knight walked and then extends his hands to give the sword just like the King ordered.
"You know, ruling the world with just a single King is not something that can be done so easily. I will need a Queen who will stand beside me and help me rule the world where no person will be killed just because of one's inferiority."
Castile throws the sword to the ground in front of Elena. He then leans down and takes Elena's head up by her chin, forcing her to look at Castile in the eye.
"If you can kill Tiyana, I'll take you to be my true wife and rule the world of Alteria together as its one true King and Queen."
"...I'd rather die than following you and your tyranny!"
Infuriated by the King of Kruule, Elena grits her teeth hard as hard as she turn her head away from Castile's grasp.
"I see." The King mockingly smirked on Elena.
Castile stood up and walked away towards the door.
"Where are you going?! Fight me yourself!"
Elena picks up the sword and tries to follow Castile. However...
"Elena, look out!"
Elena diverted her gaze from the King of Kruule as she sensed harm coming from her left. When she turned her face to the left, her eyes meet Tiyana's pale fist that crashed onto her cheek. Elena was sent flying to the corner of the chamber.
"Elena!!" The rulers shouted in unison.