Immediately everyone in the room knelt down, including Arthur.
The smirk never left my face as I saw them kneeling.
But it did transform to a scowl upon sensing 3 more mana signatures, the rest of the Lances, coming our way.
And the three Lances appear out of thin air and stand beside their respective masters.
They prepare spells to attack us when Varay interfered, "Stand down!"
"I don't understand, who are they!" Bairon barked.
"THEY are deities, you cannot address them so carelessly." She sternly replied.
"D-Deities?" Bairon stuttered as he took to a knee.
"You may rise." Sierra said coldly.
"Now, what is this about you trying to execute our champion?" Noctis asked, and even I shivered at the tone in his voice.
"My lord you must understand. This boy mutilated and murdered one of his schoolmates. He burned away one of the poor boys arms and proceeded to freeze the other one solid, before crushing it. He ripped the boys entrails out, and tore his lower jaw off. He crushed the childs pelvic region to dust, including his genitals. And from what witnesses say, he also did something to his soul, likely destroying it as well." Dawsid managed to get that out.
And before Noctis could reply, I interfered, "Yes, I did all that. And guess what? If I had the chance to go back in time, I'd do it again, a thousand times over!"
"Calm down Fayden," I feel a soft arm over my shoulder.
And looking at my hands, they have begun gathering nacht again.
Taking a few deep breaths in, I try my best to rein in my rage.
"I am well aware of the actions of my champion, and no matter how brutal he was," Noctis shot me a glance at that, "The boy, Lucas Wykes deserved it."
I could see Bairon barely holding it in as veins popped on his forehead.
He turns towards me, "Do you still want to help them? Even after this?"
I sigh, "As much as it pains me to say this, yes. Because I'm certain my family and friends wouldn't like me forsaking the entire continent for their sakes."
"Very well, then we shall proceed." He replied.
"Proceed with what?" I asked.
"You will see soon enough." He answered, before glaring at the Greysunders and the Glayders.
"I also know something else about the Greysunders and the Glayders. I know of the deal you have struck with Agrona." He growled.
My eyes widen at this, and even Arthurs does.
"However, seeing that the Glayders did it for 'good' reasons, we will be sparing you."
Blaine let out a breath of relief at this.
"The Greysunders however." He turned to glare at the dwarf King and Queen.
Instantly the two dwarf Lances stand in front of them, guarding them.
"P-Please my lord, have mercy!" Dawsid stuttered.
Noctis doesn't reply, instead he extends his arm, "Your artifact."
Dawsid fumbles with something around his neck, before handing it over.
Noctis takes the artifact and turns it around in his hand for a second, before tossing it to Sierra.
"Do it." He said.
Sierra nodded, and took out a device from seemingly out of nowhere.
It looked like a floppy disk, minus the disk.
She placed the circular artifact in the hole and pressed a button.
Both the dwarf Lances glowed a faint red.
"A shame they had such a poor master. Alas they are still useful in the upcoming war." Sierra said.
Wait so that device undid the bind?
"S-So will you spare us my lord?" Dawsid asked hopefully.
Noctis turned towards Sierra and nodded.
Dawsid looked giddy at the aspect of being spared.
But that look soon turned to dread as the two Marchosias' appear right in front of them.
Sierra raises an arm, her palm facing the dwarf queen, and spoke one word, "Wither."
And the queen went from middle aged to an old hag to a decayed corpse, which was blown away in the form of dust by a nonexistent breeze.
Dawsid looked horrified at where his wife used to be.
Before he could even turn around, Noctis spoke, "Disperse."
And in front of our eyes, Dawsid exploded.
Not in the traditional sense.
He literally exploded into his individual atoms, which spread far around the world.
Wait how do I even know that?
I didn't have time to ponder, as two more mana signatures, similar to Noctis'/Sierra's appear.
Noctis and Sierra teleport next to me as they too sense it.
And when the two beings come into the room, Noctis smiles grimly, "Hello Windsom, Aldir."
Arthurs face brightened at the name Windsom.
Seems like he knows this Windsom guy.
Wait didn't Sierra say that Arthur was chosen by the Asuras of Epheotus?
Huh, so there are the asuras?
One of the two had short platinum blond hair swept to one side, with black eyes dotted with white as if someone sprayed white paint over them. His eyes were also had glowing white vertical slits.
The other man had long white hair tied into a ponytail, an aged look and a third eye, the only one open.
His single eye was a deep purple in color.
"Marchosias." The one eyed man spoke, "What are you doing here?"
"I came here for my champion, which shouldn't be of interest to you asuras." Noctis replied simply.
"You are either very foolish, or very brave for coming here without backup." He warned.
Meanwhile Arthur conversed with the other man, likely the one called Windsom.
And judging from the saddened look on Arthurs face, it wasn't something pleasant.
Aldir and Noctis glare at each other for a good minute before Sierra interferes, "We are not here to sow conflict Asura, in fact we have decided to help Dicathen in this war."
Aldir turned towards her, "Really? And what makes you think I would believe that preposterous claim? You were the ones who betrayed us, why would you have any reason to aid us?"
"It doesn't matter if you believe us or not. Our champion has ties to this continent and wants to assist it in the war, and that is reason enough for us. Besides, we despise the Vritra more than the Asuras." Noctis answered.
A few more moments of tense silence passes before Aldir turns towards me.
"And you? What is your endgame? Why are you helping Dicathen?"
"Because this continent is home to the people I care about, and as long as they stay loyal to this continent, I will help them." I replied.
He gazed at me for a few seconds, as if searching for any semblance of deceit, "Very well. We will not be destroying you. But know this, one wrong move and the lives of all three of you are forfeit."
"I would like to see you try." Noctis challenged.
"But of course, I am not foolish enough to fight against you alone." Aldir returned.
"Alright, let's at least try to be civil here." Sierra interfered.
Aldir nodded, and turned to the others, "For those who are unaware of my identity, I am Aldir. Windsom and I have been sent here so that you lessers have a chance to survive through the war against the Vritra."
"I had been sent here to discard the corrupted, but it seems someone has done that already?" He turns to Noctis and Sierra, who stare back at him.
"Either way, my job now is to oversee and guide the rest of 'the Council' and prepare you for the war." He finished.
Upon hearing that both Blaine and Priscilla froze, and paled considerably.
"Y-Your majesty, if I may say something..." Blaine stuttered out, "We have seen what a deity can do, enough that I can believe deities are in a different realm than us. That makes me curious as to why you need us? Couldn't you simply go to the continent of Alacrya and slay Vritra?"
"While it would be easier to simply fight against the Vritra, however the Vritra and the three clans under them are all former asuras. And now, we cannot estimate just how strong they are. Furthermore such a battle would level the world, like it did all those centuries ago." Here he glances at the two Marchosias in the room.
Noctis growled lowly, as Sierra tried to calm him down.
Aldir ignored him, "We asuras and the Vritra had agreed upon a treaty where no higher being can directly attack one another or interfere in any matters of the lesser beings. Rather-" He was interrupted as Arthur spoke up.
"Hold on, doesn't the fact that the Greysunders were killed by a deity go against your treaty?"
"The Marchosias weren't a part of the treaty, and as such are fair game. However that does work against them since they do not have the protection of the treaty, and there are a few asuras that would like nothing better than kill a Marchosias." Aldir replied.
"What of the black horned demons that have been invading Dicathen for years? One even killed a Lance."
"Boy, I see Windsom was right when he said you were an interesting individual. These 'one horned demons' as you say aren't asuras. Those monsters were once lessers just as you, but they chose to go through an absurd number of experiments to increase their strength." Aldirs voice took on a hint of disgust.
"So there are beings that are not asuras capable of killing the strongest mages in our continent? Can we even win?" Merial spoke.
"Yes. They are Agronas trump cards, and small in number. And now that he knows of my presence, he will think twice before dispatching them." Aldir said, before turning towards Arthur and Windsom.
"Think of me as a general in the war. It is in the asuras best intent to defend this continent. Now, Windsom I believe you and the boy have something to do? You may leave, I will manage the rest here, there are a lot of preparations left."
"Something we have to do? Shouldn't we participate in the discussion?" Arthur asked.
"This is not your fight, Arthur. Aldir knows what to do, and will do his best to prepare you lessers for the war. And when the war begins, you need to be stronger to pose some value." Windsom replied.
You talk like he is an abject.
I narrow my eyes, yet I dont voice out my anger.
"Makes sense, so what are we doing now?"
"First, we need to visit your family, you need to bid your goodbyes to them."
"Goodbyes? What do you mean? Will I be going somewhere?" Arthur asked, confused even further.
"You and Lady Sylvie will be taken to Epheotus, the land of the Asuras for your training. Speaking of which, where is she?"
Both he and Aldir turn towards me, glaring.
"She is with Zeke, he has taken her to somewhere safe." I replied.
"Where?" Asked Windsom.
"I don't know, I didn't exactly specify a location. All I know is that they are with my family." I answered.
"I see then. We know where the Leywins are, there shouldn't be a problem getting her home." Aldir spoke.
And Windsom left with Arthur.
"That reminds me, when are we going?" I ask Noctis.
"As soon as possible." He replied.
"Huh...I guess I'll need to say my goodbyes as well." I mumble.
"That you will," Noctis nodded, "Sierra, head back and inform them about this, I will stay with Fayden."
She nods, before exploding into motes of light.
"I guess we should go then?" I spoke.
"Yeah,"
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