Why must I answer this question, "who I am?" when I already know the answer that has been hiding in plain sight.
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Skyscrapers that reached high into the sky, beautiful floating plants that illuminated soft light, created a magical sensation. Even animals walked amongst the city ground without any fear of being harmed.
The streets were clean, and the blue flag of the sixteen elemental symbols led the way toward a large, round building. Floating in the center, a large crystal hovered in the building. It shifted colors and changed elements every minute, fueling energy toward the buildings around it. Groups of soldiers stood on top of the red carpeted stairs that led toward the entrance of the building. Each silently watching, immobile, as they faced each other on opposite ends of the path.
Behind the building were six giant stems with round bud like appendages at the end that reached up into the sky; a special area, heavily guarded by the Cherubim. It was an area where barely anyone could walk into as large plants thickly covered the border around it.
Already, Aurelius could feel the holy energy radiating from the sacred land. Everyone knew who resided in the holy place, where the King's essence slept.
Lucian, Dawn, and Aurelius followed closely behind the two guards that were walking in perfect sync. Aurelius didn't slow down his steps and kept up to the best of his abilities. They were unusually fast, and there wasn't enough time to look around because of their quick feet. This was his first time ever going to the council.
He had heard about the council's harsh verdicts. They were considered the sixteen most powerful Esequi Nuntis in the whole universe. Some said that their looks could kill with just a blink of an eye, but he didn't know if that was an exaggeration. Still, such a thought was quite horrifying.
"I hope this will end soon," said Aurelius. He was nervous and turning a bit pale. His hand was starting to get clammy the closer they got. Worried thoughts whispered in his mind, telling him to run the other way, but he couldn't. His body wouldn't listen.
"It'll be fine. The old geezers won't be able to do anything to you," reassured Dawn. Aurelius wondered where that confidence was coming from. Maybe she had to speak with them often for her to just casually call them old geezers. Nobody had the balls to nickname the council like Dawn.
"How do you know?" Lucians asked, not believing Dawn's words entirely. He scrutinized Dawn to be sure.
Dawn spoke as if it was the most obvious answer, "It's because Aurelius is a special case. You could say his power was abnormally fluctuating, and the magic circle was constructed incorrectly."
"So, you're saying that this is not my fault, and because of the incorrect magic circle, I could have died?" Aurelius asked.
"Yes."
Both Lucian and Aurelius thought over what Dawn had said. Aurelius' mind quelled down, allowing him to breathe. He quietly followed behind the soldiers.
The giant double doors engraved with gold magically opened as the small groups were welcomed inside. Magical candles that were designed from plants dangled down from the ceiling walls as they turned on one by one. Blue speckled dust drifted down from the ceiling to the ground, giving the hallway the appearance of glowing with stars. Even walking through them, the speckled sand danced and shimmered. A trail of starlight created a path wherever they walked by.
More guards stood erect, barely moving, as they quietly watched them go by. Long blue and red banners decorated and hung against the walls. They walked through the opened doors.
When Aurelius entered, he felt overwhelmed. The inside was gigantic as layers of chairs and balcony were present around most of the outer walls. Aurelius could imagine how many people it could fit inside the council room as it reminded him of a concert hall.
His feet echoed pitiably on the marble floor as they went straight to the center.
There were twelve council members in total, but one was not present; they sat perfectly divided down the middle. Six were Angelous, and the other six were Daemons, all wearing their representative colors that defined their factions.
Aurelius had heard that almost all the council members were born near the time of creation. Slowly, he scanned them one by one and noticed that only a few had taken on the form of an elderly being. The rest were unnaturally young and beautiful as they were all immortal beings. Most of them chose the form they were comfortable in as all the Angelous and Daemons usually preferred to look in their prime ages, where their body would stop growing as the magic inside of them would have matured. The youngest that he saw sitting on the raised council throne was one of the Angelous; a boy named Admah.
The three of them stopped in front of a dais that separated them from the twelve council members with one member's seat empty, which had been vacant for a very long time. The council members surrounded a raised dais where the King's empty chair stood, dividing the twelve chairs equally. It wasn't a considerable distance, but Aurelius couldn't help feeling small in comparison to the council members. They tower over him like giants; observing every inch of his body.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something peculiar—a faded small gate behind the King's throne. For a moment, Aurelius thought he was seeing things as it was almost unnoticeable if nobody was paying attention to it. The blatant exaggerated marble stone throne was taking up the most eye-catching spot, pulling one's gaze away.
One of the guards came forward and cleared his throat. He began calling out aloud the names of the council members: Takeen, Aqua, Crystal, Admah, Zenith, and one seat missing for the sixth member. Then the next six were Black, Void, Agnis, Electro, Sylph, and Force
"Aurelius, please step forward," spoke Takeen with a strong voice. His voice beat slowly like a drum that shook Aurelius' soul.
For a moment, his steps faltered. Their overpowering aura felt so dense that he couldn't help but avert his eyes away. The councilors looked at him as if his soul could be read with a simple glance.
Aurelius cleared his throat, and with the best voice, he could muster, without squeaking, spoke. "May I ask, why was I summoned here?"
Silenced followed, leaving behind a very uncomfortable feeling.
"There are three reasons why you are here. The first is the awakening ceremony. We wanted to apologize on our behalf for using the incorrect type of the summoning circle. If we had known sooner, we wouldn't have used such methods. We had all assumed you were an Outsider." Crystal gently spoke; she folded her hand in front of her and smiled. It put Aurelius at ease, but the word Outsider stung. He didn't quite like that word, honestly.
"Then, are you saying I'm not?" Aurelius asked.
"That is a matter of opinion," Takeen's voice boomed, jarring Aurelius' soul. "You are neither an outsider, nor an Angelous, nor even a Daemon."
Aurelius' eyes grew wide, confused at their statement. It was the first time that he had considered being neither, making him realize that he truly was something entirely different. "Then, what am I?"
"We are not sure yet." Takeen looked at Aurelius; taking a good look at him. His fingers drummed the table, putting Aurelius on edge.
"He's an abomination," said Black, stressing the last word coldly, with a harsh voice that coldly cut through in the air. Aurelius flinched when he saw how menacing Black was when he stared at him. "We should not have agreed to let the Lumion family take care of him. Look at where they ended up… dead because of him."
"Black!" shouted Admah in a stern tone, not liking how Black had just outright accused Aurelius.
"It's true. No two divine beings should mix; especially with an outsider. He defies the code between Outsiders, Daemons, and Angelous. It's a sacrilege to have diluted blood and power. We shouldn't taint light and dark elements as if life is some kind of painting," said Black. He slammed his fist onto the table with fury. "There should always be a clear line; especially since giving it to a mutt is disgraceful to our faction. Plus, the famous head family of the Lumion would have been alive to this day."
Black looked upon Aurelius with disgust. Aurelius slightly stepped back, uneasy with the intense gaze that Black was giving him.
"Enough!" replied Council member Takeen in anger. "There are no rules set in place that say this cannot happen. Have you no shame?"
"Shame?" Black huffed. "We have continued our tradition over millions of years, and our bloodlines have always been kept pure. The reason, always, has been because of the need for pureblood to fully harness the light energy or dark energy that our species possess. Our body can handle the full weight of the elemental power given to us. Do you not see that mixing between two or more would only be less effective than before?"
Aurelius shuddered, listening to their overbearing voices. His body curled inwards, hoping that he could just disappear there and then. He felt smaller as their words tore into his soul. But then he remembered the bullies that wore Black's insignia. The inside of his heart simmered, annoyed at Black, who had the audacity to say that he was worth nothing. His disgust toward Black grew, but he tried his best to not show it in front of the crowd.
"I am not the only one who disagrees with this thought. By keeping the bloodline pure, we have reached the highest potential of our species in keeping the elements in its purest form," said Black. "You all know that the clashing of different elements creates serious consequences in the universe. We are the first and the last to keep order in this universe."
"That is true, but the King gives all new species a chance to live. We are forbidden to take a life without a just cause," said Admah. He turned his head toward Aurelius and leaned forward with his hand crossed on the table. "This is the second reason why you have come here. Because you are a completely different species from any three, we need a reason for your existence to be worth protecting."
"Excuse me?" Aurelius was dumbfounded by Admah's words, "You need a reason to protect my existence? Didn't you just say I have the right to live? Isn't that enough?"
"That is a matter of opinion." Admah drummed his fingers on the table slowly, taking a moment to speak his next words. "Not all species come under our jurisdiction to protect, especially when the King personally gives us the order not to. For now, you will continue to go on with your daily life, but remember this, if you make a wrong choice down your life, it will resort to the loss of privilege to live in this world. You will be cast out of Infinitas Infinitio and be left to roam for all eternity by yourself. No one will welcome you nor acknowledge your existence, and by then, you will probably wish to end your existence," said Admah.
Aurelius shuddered at such a thought.
"That is not fair," Dawn cut in on the conversation. "If he is the first of his kind, then wouldn't it make more sense that he should be protected? He has already shown so much potential through the awakening. The overseers have all seen what had happened. It's a true miracle that he had survived such an ordeal."
"Maestro Regis, that is the problem," Black said with a snappy, cold tone. "His existence is considered a black stain; an unholy creation. There has never been a new species without a pair, but where is he? He is neither female nor male, but a male. For years, new life has come with a pair or a singular existence with both sexes. What kind of abnormal creation would his offspring create if he mingled with another species?"
Black asked, disgusted at such a thought. "Intermingling with different species that do not mix with his genetic code could bring serious consequences. Don't you see how strange this is? The chance of his kind possibly even carrying harmful disease if he was to live in the mortal realm. He wasn't born naturally. In this universe, he is a virus."
A deadly silence erupted around the council room as Black's words lingered in the air, stinking up the place as if they were a foul odor. Many were starting to lean in favor of what Black had said. Their thoughts lay in protecting the universe from an imbalance. Aurelius was one of the many erratic beings that could possibly bring trouble to this world. They understood what he meant. The question of Aurelius' existence was an answer they didn't know nor fully understood.
"A solo existence is a lonely existence, but that does not mean it's the end. If Aurelius was a virus, pray tell, how would he harm us?" asked Dawn. She came forward with her hands clenched into a ball. "You always argue every time there is a new species born. The answer has always been the same. Let them live. We have more pressing matters to attend too."
"Maestro Regis," Black said in a sharp tone of voice that could cut the air in half. He coldly looked at Dawn with annoyance that she was taking Aurelius' side. "Just because you are given the title of a Maestro, given special privilege, and loved by the King does not make you higher than us or the right to speak out of turn twice. You should know the rules of the council."
"I know it better than you think," Dawn mumbled under her breath so nobody could have caught it beside the person who was next to her, and instead, she gave them a bewitching smile. "I understand, Councilmember Black, but as you should know, my words also hold some value, do they not? You have spoken and stated that I am favored by our King, shouldn't that mean something?"
Council Member Black's eyes became small slits, and his cheeks twitched. He wasn't too pleased that Dawn was refuting his words every chance she got. "Yes, it does, but it does not apply to what we have to do here."
"Councilmember Black!" Dawn said with such a force that Black frowned even more. She tapped her fingers on the wooden dais as she walked around toward Black. She slid her fingers across and brought it up to her face and stopped in front of him. Blowing away the dust on her fingers, she looked up and smiled. "I only state the truth. If we were to continually argue about the sake of existence, then wouldn't we be considered out of place as well? If we are the guardians that watch and protect this universe, we should with utmost care watch over new and old creations with the same equal rights. Wouldn't it be just if we were to take favor in something as important as this? We have just found a unique existence. Shouldn't we rejoice?"
Dawn's words were like a sledgehammer, making everyone realize where she was going with this. They knew what she wanted, but primarily because it was within their code of conduct that they were slowly persuaded.
"Your words are wise and considerate as always, Maestro Regis," said Crystal. A hint of a glimmer sparkled in Crystal's eyes when she looked upon Dawn. A sense of connection could be seen between the two. "She is correct. This is not the time to dawdle over the existence that has been given as a gift by the King. We should put this aside for now. Our attention needs to be focused on planet Timor, especially since the great outbreak of war, our manpower needs to be steered toward that direction in the next couple of days."
Everyone slowly nodded their heads in agreement. The war had more precedent over their time.
"War has never been an easy task to look after, especially when evil always seems to be snapping at our heels every second." Dawn slammed her fist, catching everyone's attention. Others jolted out of their boredom, looking toward her with a bit more interest than before. "We need to move now, or we will lose the chance to turn the tide of war—or do you all think that planning for another thousand years would be the best choice?"
"No!" Crystal adamantly agreed with Dawn. "You're right. I'll send a message right this moment." She waved in a guard that was stationed near the door. The guard quickly came over and leaned in toward Crystal and nodded. Turning around quickly, the soldier left in an instant.
Admah said, "With that being said, the third reason you are here today is to give your kind a name."
"A name, sir? Why?" Aurelius asked, confused.
"A name," said Admah, folding his hand in front of him. "A name has power. It solidifies your existence in this world."
"Is that wise?" asked Black with a strained voice. He was still against the thought of giving anything to Aurelius; mostly a full name.
"Yes." Admah nodded his head. They locked eyes, telling each other that there was more. Black seemed to understand; he settled down in his chair and leaned back. "With that being said, from this day forth, your species will be known as Obscures Lux. Let the name of Aurelius Obscurus Lux be written in the book of life to be recorded for eternity as the first Obscurus Lux to be born."
An unusual wind blew in from the window and swirled around him. The loud chiming sound rang its warm welcome, and even the sunlight around the area glowed brighter, giving him comfort. Aurelius felt powerful magic from his name. Just as quickly as the wind came in it left as the world dimmed back to its original light.
Aurelius felt out of place and a loneliness that washed over him in seconds. It was a cold feeling; he had felt this feeling since he was young. An existence where he didn't know where he belonged or knew who he was. They were no others like him; nor a pair like the council spoke of. This was now his second gift and a curse; a life of Obscurus Lux that started with him and ended with him.
"Sir, what does Obscurus Lux stand for?" Aurelius asked. Unsure how to give his name life.
"It is up to you to find and give a meaning to the name. That is not something we can give when it is not our right."
"I see," Aurelius' voice slowly trailed off into a whisper. "So you just handed me two words and said, 'Hey figure out what it means?'" Aurelius mumbled under his breath.
"Did you say something?" Admah asked, raising one eyebrow.
"No. Not at all." Aurelius stood up straight, giving a false smile. He for sure wasn't going to show how upset he was with this whole ordeal; it tired him to even think about it.
Void sat up straight and stared directly into Aurelius' eyes. It was as if he was reading his soul. "Young man, would you like to hear a story?"
Aurelius slowly turned toward Councilmember Void and nodded, not quite sure what to expect. It was entirely out of place to be asked a story when he was being interrogated for a crime he didn't even commit.
Void folded his hands together, smoking on a pipe as he gazed down at Aurelius. He puffed out a smoke, creating an illusion of wolves that battled in front of him. "Since the beginning of life, two wolves were born in the hearts of all intelligent beings. They fought, they tore, and they bickered, and sought to kill one another. These two wolves fought for supremacy. The white wolf fights for justice, hope, kindness, love, and lives in harmony with the world. The black wolf fights for injustice, hatred, jealousy, chaos, and lives in disharmony with the world. They fight to the bitter end."
Aurelius was confused at the story that Void was saying. He unconsciously asked, "Who wins, sir?"
Void smirked. "The one you feed." A puff of smoke escaped Void's lips, coming toward Aurelius as it surrounded him. Aurelius could smell the smoky taste of woody texture that made him want to hold his breath. He felt his skin crawl from the sparks of electricity that the clouds were giving off. It shifted and changed into two wolves clashing amongst each other in rapid-fire, blazing in a thunderous roar. Until nothing was left.
"Sir, what does this story have to do with me?"
Void leaned forward and tapped his pipe onto the dish, placing it down. "My question comes down to you. Who would you feed?"
Aurelius stood silent, trying to figure out if this was a trick question. Eventually, he answered, "Wouldn't the right answer be the white wolf?"
Void gave out a hearty laugh. "Aurelius, if it was only so easy to feed the wolf that hungers for such meals… don't you think that the cunning wolf wouldn't try to whisper its sweet lies to con you?"
"That is true, but one does not need to listen to the lies of the dark wolf to feed it," Aurelius thoughtfully said back with conviction.
"Do you think that it would be so simple?" Admah asked, amused at Aurelius' answer.
"Yes."
Void once again laughed cheerfully. "If the silver tongue of the wolf was so easily ignored, our system wouldn't be in place. The choice of free will was given to us as a gift. It has affected and moved the universe, a hidden blessing, and a curse." He sat back and waved his hands. "Without it, we would be a mindless drone that follows the will of our King. In a way, we have all been blessed to think differently and create unique interactions with our King."
"Then, sir, how would I be able to win?"
Void drummed his fingers together deep in thought. "That is up to you to decide in the end. One cannot make the decision for you. You are dismissed, but Maestro Regis, please stay behind. We have matters to attend to." He motioned Aurelius away.
Aurelius respectfully bowed and left the raised stand. Dawn walked forward and gave him a hug, reassuring that everything was going to be okay.
"Let's go." Aurelius mouthed the words quietly to Lucian. Lucian nodded in understanding, and they both walked out of the room.
Today was the first time that Aurelius truly felt out of place. Almost jarring that it woke up his very mind, shattering his identity. The loneliness that was hidden deep in his soul resurfaced in his heart, reminding him that he was the only one such being in the universe.