STAGE TWENTY: DESTINED TO RULE
Kirin gazed at the almost empty core chamber, the very thing that once held the entire power source of Celestia. Now, it's almost gone, as half of it is inside him, and the other half, inside Freyja. Kirin raised his hand, for quite some time, but nothing happened. He sighed. "She will come soon, I know it." Kirin whispered, as if talking to what remains of the Celestial core.
"Lord Leriouge! I have urgent news!" The guard from his entourage hysetrically called from outside the room, prompting Kirin to head out at once.
~ o 0 o ~
"Alyon… Hey Alyon!" Alyon has been sitting on the cold floor, locked in the dungeons of the Celestial capital's palace for days. He has never eaten nor drank a sip of what they served him, and the weakness is getting into him. When he heard Freyja's voice, he was sure he's just hallucinating. But he's not.
"HEY ALYON!" When the voice grew loud, and a pair of familiar palms slapped his face. That's when he realized it was very real. "Lenfiare!? What are you doing here!?" Alyon couldn't help but smile.
"Shh! Listen, I've gathered allies. They're the Famirth clan, with this crest on their robes. You should be able to tell." Freyja explained, showing Alyon the crest of the Famirth clan, that's also embroidered in her skirt.
"Listen Alyon, I need your help. We need you to gather the phreinians here in Celestia. Some of them are working for the Aethelmaer clan, but some are desperate to go back to Phrein. If you can get them to our side against Aethelmaer, we will help you get them back to Phrein after this is over. Is that okay with you?"
"You don't have to ask, I am a prince of Phrein, I will do it."
"That's a relief." Freyja sighed. "The Aethelmaer clan is a force to be reckoned with. We have the Famirth clan and their allies on our side, but the Aethelmaers are also well-connected and has a renowned reputation for their military prowess. We have to join forces and bring them down. Then, we can safely transport the phreinians back to Phrein."
Alyon nodded, listening to every word of her explanation, and their plan. "I will free Alaric and Lady Reyrah next. But If I do that, they will surely know what we're up to. So, we have to be quick." Freyja took a deep breath before continuing. "Then, we ambush Kirin and his troops."
Alyon tapped her shoulder, an awkward effort to comfort her. But he is trying, and Freyja greatly appreciated that. "Yes, you can count on me Lenfiare. Please stay safe as well." Alyon summoned his aura, which he wrapped around his body for a few minutes. Then, it dissipated, and formed an exact copy of him. The copy sat on the cold floor, all curled up. "With this, we should buy time before they notice I'm gone. Let's go."
With that, Freyja helped Alyon escape through a portal she and the Famirth sorcerers were able to sneak into the heavily-guarded prison.
Unlike Alyon, Alaric has been trying every way he could to escape, from the moment he was thrown into prison. While it was extremely difficult to make a move with all the celestials guarding him, he was able to find a weak spot in the ceiling. It reacted differently to his subtle ice spells. Since then, he has been watching for the perfect timing to blast it open. Just as Alaric was about to blow it with a fire spell, he heard Freyja's voice from somewhere.
"Alaric! Can you hear me?"
"F… FREYJA!?" He accidentally blurted out, making the guards watch him closer. "Shoot."
"Alaric, be quiet! I'm talking to you through this runestone you gave me!"
"Oh yeah." He whispered. "You must be pretty close then, if you can reach me."
"Yes I am. But we need to sneak you out as quiet as possible. We got Alyon out and we need to buy him time to gather reinforcements. Can you help me?"
"Sure. What do you need?"
"How many guards are watching you?"
"I can see five."
"Tsk." He heard Freyja click her tongue. "Damn, that's a lot."
"But I think I can crack the ceiling. I have only one try though. These guards will kill me if they see me do anything dangerous."
"That's fine. When you do it, I'll go down there and take care of them. Is that okay?"
Alaric smirked. "Yeah. Sounds perfect."
Alaric closed his eyes, felt his own aura, as well as the aura surrounding him. He started concentrating his aura into his left palm, leaving all his other body parts, including his vital organs, unprotected. He needs to blast the ceiling in one shot, and he needs to trust Freyja's word to back him up when he does. In a count of five, Alaric aimed his left palm into the ceiling, and summoned a beam of fire that shattered the tile open. As expected, the guards immediately flung their aura spears at him. But, they couldn't touch Alaric. A barrier appeared, instantly dissolving the aura spears and all other weapons they hurled at the runemaster. "Go! Alaric!" Freyja jumped down the cell, and summoned Amos' flames to drive the guards away. Alaric summoned a wind spell into his feet, propelling himself up to the ceiling, and so did Freyja when the guards were distracted. Finally out of the cell, Freyja and Alaric rushed out of the dungeons to rejoin the Famirth platoon assigned to guard Freyja.
"How about Alyon? Is he okay?" Alaric asked, running for his life.
"He's fine. We freed him first." Freyja assured. "He should be gathering phreinians in Celestia as we speak. He has Famirth guards with him too."
"Then what do we do now?"
"We free Lady Reyrah. She is a general and she has her own army influence. She should be able to help us get the royal guards on our side." Freyja said, though Alaric could tell she still looked uncertain.
"Will she, though?"
Freyja sighed. "We hope she will."
Freyja and Alaric finally regrouped with her platoon. They were getting ready to rescue Reyrah Fiega when all of a sudden, Saifer's elder sister came rushing to her, hysterial. "Lenfiare! Lenfiare you have to help Saifer!" She was stuttering, trembling. "Lenfiare, quick!"
"Wait, what happened to Saifer? His team should be distracting Leriouge as planned, right?"
"No!" The sister exclaimed. "Saifer engaged Leriouge on a duel!"
"WHAT!?" Freyja felt blood drain from her face. There is no doubt that Saifer is skilled. But going against Kirin as he is, is just insane. Freyja looked back, conflicted. Should they proceed rescuing Reyrah as planned? Or should she come to Saifer's aid?
"How about we split and try to rescue Reyrah Fiega?" Alaric suggested. But everyone knows splitting their already meager forces is dangerous. Their only advantage is the proper execution of their strategy. "No." Freyja decided. "We have to aid the first consort."
Hearing her command gave the sister a sigh of relief. Freyja ordered for them to regroup and head straight to where Kirin and Saifer are. She ordered a messenger to tell Alyon's team to join them as soon as he can. Because, Freyja felt that this will be the head-on engagement that will decide their fate.
For the last time, she looked over her shoulder, promising to return, and free Reyrah Fiega.
"Let's go!"
~ o 0 o ~
"Lord Leriouge! The prisoners escaped! We don't know how but…" Everyone was panicking as they reported the events to Kirin. The Aethelmaer troops started falling platoon by platoon, cornered a well-executed intrusion strategy by the enemy they suspected to be the Lenfiare and her allies. "She's here!"
Kirin's expression was unchanging. "I see." He said, calmly stepping out of the room, tailed by his entourage. "It's Freyja. She's definitely made her move." Certainty in his voice. Although, Kirin was amazed at how she was able to gather an army in such a short time, he wasn't too surprised. The Freyja he knew had always been very good at this. The moment he stepped out of the tower, he got his answer. A platoon of celestials bearing the seal of the Famirth clan stood in front of them, while the Aethelmaer soldiers guarding the gates of the tower are all on the ground. "I see. What a good choice." Kirin thought. They may be known as scholars and rarely engaged in warfare, but Freyja sure knows how to use their prowess. Kirin held back a giggle. It was impressive, but he knows her far too well. One look, and he could tell that the Famirth platoon in front of him is nothing but a distraction. Kirin will not fall for this.
Kirin was about to ignore the platoon when all of a sudden, the leader stepped forth. Black hair, and dark blue eyes. Had his eyes been golden, he would have been mistaken for a Leafen. The young lord Saifer Famirth stepped forth, worrying the soldiers behind him.
"You are Kirin, aren't you?" Saifer boldly asked, summoning a sword from his white aura. Kirin's attention is now completely his. This young Famirth lord just called him 'Kirin', and that is something he cannot ignore. "And who are you?" He asked, his voice ice-cold.
Saifer could feel Kirin's cold, intense gaze. Just looking at him made him tremble. But he isn't backing down. "Saifer Famirth, the first consort. On behalf of my wife, I am here to take you down." He declared, readying himself for battle.
"Your what?" Kirin summoned his dark aura sword and faced the young lord. He pulled his thick cape off and threw it away. Kirin glared at Saifer with piercing, emerald orbs. "I see… the first consort. So, Freyja did come to ask for your help, didn't she?" The dark aura around Kirin grew, flames emerged from the ground, and the winds around them violently swirled. Saifer has never faced such a daunting opponent before, but he was determined to hold his ground. At least, until Freyja frees the phreinian prince, the sorcerer, and Lady Reyrah.
Kirin didn't wait any more. He charged straight at Saifer with all of his power, planning to kill him in one blow. Saifer was violently flung away, but managed to summon a barrier strong enough to keep him alive. Kirin was surprised, the young lord actually lived through that. He attacked him another time, and another. Saifer could only block, and block, and dampen the force of his blows. Kirin was too fast and strong, he couldn't find an opening to counter his attacks.
Kirin's guards drew their weapons, and so did Saifer's. But Kirin warned them to not interfere. Otherwise, he won't hesitate to slice their heads off, regardless of which side they belong to. "I will kill this chimp myself." He declared, even his entourage kept their distance, in fear of the surging aura he's giving off. Saifer knew he couldn't fight against that head-on. But he knew he can win, if he had the correct strategy. He thought hard—all the things he read about the Aethelmaer clan, and how they got their distinct dark aura. He calmly recalled its weakness, its strengths, scrambling for a strategy to ward off the usurper, Leriouge Aethelmaer. Unfortunately, Kirin wouldn't let him think. He summoned hundreds of dark aura blades, raining from above. The platoon soldiers jumped back, some of them hit and fell dead instantly. Saifer summoned a barrier, blocking both the blades and Kirin's sudden attacks amid the rain of blades. A number of Kirin's attacks went through Saifer's barrier, cutting his arm, his torso, his legs, and even his cheek. Kirin smirked, prepared to deliver the final blow. Just as when he was about to impale Saifer Famirth, the same way he killed Alfiore Kinju, Saifer smirked. Much to Kirin's surprise, Saifer did not dodge, nor summon a stronger barrier. He looked straight at him, brimming with confidence. His round, dark blue eyes greatly reminded him of Freyja's. The moment Kirin's blade touched Saifer's skin, Saifer wrapped his aura around the blade, concentrated his mind and aura into Kirin's point of attack, and in a matter of seconds the dark aura sword shattered, dissipated into nothingness.
"How…" Kirin has never seen such an attack before! Saifer Famirth was able to de-compose his aura blades. Even the spectators didn't know the young lord was capable of such a technique. His surprise was the opening Saifer had been waiting for. He focused his aura into his fists, and punched Kirin straight into the torso, sending him flying against the hard, stone wall of the tower. Kirin could feel a few of his ribs snap upon contact, the wall behind him cracked, despite having an insanely strong barrier protecting it. Kirin felt blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, as his stomach started churning. That was when he realized that the he shouldn't underestimate the first consort.
"As the consort, and father of Celestia…" Saifer declared, struggling to stand upright. "…You will have to kill me first… before you can…." Saifer himself was feeling dizzy. This was his first duel ever, and he knows he can't hold out much longer. He can see Kirin get back up, and walk towards him. But he can't even move anymore. "Lenf—" Just before he blacked out, he felt a pair of arms catch him. And he heard Freyja Lenfiare's voice. "It's okay, Saifer, you did very well. Leave it to me."
"The troops?" He asked, struggling to maintain consciousness. "They're okay, don't worry." Freyja handed the heavily injured consort to his elder sister, who started tending to his injuries right away.
"Don't worry, Saifer. The only thing left for us to do, is to deal with this one." Freyja stood up and faced Kirin. Wearing the robes of the Leafen Clan, the mark of the heir, the wing crest, embroidered on the back. And the medallion with its five gems, the symbol of the monarch, radiating from her chest.
"Kirin, it's been a while." She greeted, her radiant golden eyes as piercing as it has always been. Kirin knew this look very well. He has seen it so many times before. But for the first time, those enchanting, yet intimidating golden eyes are looking straight at him. A strange feeling of warmth and irony, almost funny, came to him all of a sudden. "It's so you, Freyja." He said, a smile on his face, but his eyes were as determined as hers. "You came sooner than I expected."
"Your troops are done for. Alyon and Alaric, with the Famirth army, are finishing them up by now. If you want to surrender, now is the time." She offered, knowing exactly that he wouldn't do as she says.
"You know the answer to that, Freyja." Kirin said, summoning his dark rune-blade once again, and reinforcing his injured ribs and organs with his dark aura.
"Of course, I do." Freyja held out her right hand, and summoned the celestial rune blade, Astrid, in her hand.
~ o 0 o ~