After he and the Dragon Emperor went their separate ways, Zaphiel already knew his next goal. He knew that his body alone was not enough, and that the events of the past might repeat themselves. To avoid any risk, he started searching for another tool, a weapon that even Luminia would be afraid of. While he was still young, the legend of the red sword Kaizer was told to him. No one knew who created Kaizer or where it came from, however, it was said to have a unique power. A power that is not supposed to exist in this realm. Prior to his banishment, he was looking for clues about the location of the sword, though it was more like a myth than real news. Nonetheless, he had marked a few places where he thought he might find it. As weeks went by, Zaphiel was still unsuccessful. Due to his body, he was able to use his powers, although they still hadn't fully recovered. After he ran out of assumptions, there was only one place left in his mind: If Kaizer was not from this realm, it would be somewhere on the edge of this world. In fact far to the south, there was an atmosphere that made even his kind of being struggle to breathe. This was a game with fire, a risk that this time could actually cost him his existence. Still, Zaphiel wasn't lying, he longed for things that might destroy him. Thus, he looked forward to his potential demise with pure curiosity and excitement. As he drew closer, the more he was robbed of his powers. A dense fog enveloped him through which he struggled with all his strength. It damaged his body a bit, which made him even more excited.
A while passed until the fog suddenly disappeared. A vast land of meadow stretched out before him. Its grass was not green but silver in color. He marched through the meadow without a plan till he finally stopped in front of a whirlwind. This vortex was also silver colored and Zaphiel sensed a powerful aura in the midst of it.
("Hahaha amazing. I wonder what kind of phenomenon is happening here. Such a beautiful brilliant color would captivate everyone. Will my body be able to withstand it? Am I about to die? What awaits me in the midst of this storm? Hehe, I can't wait, here we go.")
Before continuing, he summoned a black orb with his last bit of powers that surrounded him and served as a shield. With every step, the wind grew louder, the orb cracked and was barely able to withstand. In the last moment, the wind disappeared in front of Zaphiel and silence returned. Amid the storm was meadow again, this time golden in color. Right in the center of the field, a large red sword was embedded in the ground. With a smile on his face, he approached the weapon and pulled on the handle. Immediately, millions of foreign memories popped into his mind. He, one of the strongest beings collapsed backwards and was barely able to move. He knew that he was almost at the end of his strength. Rather than showing fear of death, he laughed and calmly moved near the weapon again but the ame thing happened. This was one of the reasons why others of his kind had considered him crazy. It was not death he feared, rather he awaited it to hunt and capture him. His magic was completely exhausted, leaving him at the mercy of this domain. Hence, he lay on the ground and looked up to the sky, laughing. He was surrounded by strong air currents, there was no way out for him. The only option was to pull out the sword and hope that the threats would disappear. Either way, he soon would meet death. Once again he grasped the hilt and once again those memories overtook him. He could not recognize them, they caused him only great pain. He knew that there was nothing left for him.
("Hahaha, what a joke, I'm just going to get killed here. It' s too bad I can't make this world miserable for them. Oh, I could have relieved it of its boredom. Well, it all just continues as dull and dreary as usual. Who would want to exist in such a world? Perhaps my student will be more fortunate, maybe he can discover something special with his own eyes to escape this boring world...at least for a while. Being as young as he is, at least he shouldn't have any problems. Heh, what am I saying? Am I suddenly getting emotional? Do I envy a mere little human being hahaha? Curse you Leo, you lucky son of a bitch....")
Whilst he was lost in these thoughts, his pain faded and the sword loosened.His strength didn't come back but at least now there was nothing to stop him from his plan. Using the last of his force, he managed to pull out the blade. The meadow and the vortex turned golden, the wind disappeared and golden grasses surrounded him. But Zaphiel felt no power in the sword, the memories disappeared and he was able to think clearly again. The blade retained its crimson-red color. There was a white shining rune building on the handle. As he looked at the weapon, he suddenly noticed a very familiar presence in front of him.
"So this is where you hang out. And this is where you will meet your end, Zaphiel."
"Oh, now don't say that. We're all family, don't you have any manners?"
"No one has been your family since your desertion! You brought endless misery upon this world, this kind of existence must be erased once and for all. You won't be able to run away this time."
"Hmm, I don't mean to do that, sis. Much more I accept our fight, I too am tired from being hunted. So come on, attack me, but please with everything you've got okay? Otherwise, I will be disappointed in the great Luminia."
Zaphiel knew the place they were in and the effect it was having on the two of them. However, Luminia still hadn't fully understood what was going on in the depths of the unknown.
"Still using provocations I see. By the looks of your condition, such means won't help you either. No more fooling around now Zaphiel!"
Luminia gathered her spear and charged directly at her brother. In her strike she realized the rules that applied here. Zapiel blocked her blow and inflicted a wound on her arm. This wound was not healing as usual.
"How can this be, why can't I sense any magic?"
"So you finally figured it out. I actually expected more from you Luminia."
"Shut your mouth. Such words are pointless."
Once again she launched an attack but this time he blocked and countered her. Only this time he wounded her on her other arm. Quite suddenly, she began to notice Zaphiel's fighting spirit increasing.
"What's wrong sis, are you finished already? We've only just begun. This is where you can put your true skills to the test. Are you able to fight ordinarily, or do you have to hide behind your powers?"
"You're going to find out!"
She closed her eyes, after a few seconds they began to shine brightly. Now she was able to use every bit of her fighting spirit and skill. In a flash she ran at him again and charged at him.
"Still so easily tempted..."
Zaphiel easily dodged and rammed his elbow into her stomach. Coughing, she backed away.
"Have you perhaps forgotten what happened in the past? You were unbeaten in duels, none of the other beings could match you. In every test and training session, you always dominated them all. Nevertheless, at home you were crushed by your little brother every single time without standing a chance. Never were you able to win against me, never was there a close fight, and never did you have such a competitive spirit as I had. Do you seriously think that you would have a chance against me like that? Even if I could only move one arm, you would still lose. The oh-so-powerful goddess of light lost to her little brother once again! This is the proof that magic is but a mere hiding spot for your kind."
Unexpectedly, Luminia allowed herself to be provoked further and further. The memories from the past took over her mind. However, none of her blows changed the outcome. Little by little, Zaphiel was tearing her apart. It was only Zaphiel's talent that made the difference. Very soon this blade began to confuse him.
("Is this really that legendary weapon? Why do I feel no strength, no trace of power? Is it all just a lie? It will be of little help to me like this; I need to find out its secret. Well, first of all, my sister is going to have to be taught a valuable lesson. Oh how helpless she is, indeed a beautiful sight to behold.")
"Let's just stop here. Every further attack brings you closer to death, understand that you don't have a choice. I have no interest in finishing you off here. Feel free to continue chasing me if you want, after all, it's not like I can hide..."
His sister acknowledged her lack of options. Thus she sat exhausted on the ground and looked at his brother with a nasty look. An emotionless Zaphiel stared back.
"Well, it was nice to meet you on your own again but here's the end of it. Best of luck in your venture, you're going to need it."
"Why did you do it? Why did you betray us...?"
"Haven't you asked me this question countless times?
"And you have never answered it seriously."
It was true, Zaphiel never gave her an honest answer. He himself didn't fully found it yet until he was finally banished. Right at this point he understood what response he would give the next time he was asked this question. "All of you call it a betrayal but to me it was a release. You see Luminia, your existence brought great honor and blessings to all. In the beginning I believed so too, however, time revealed what consequences your ascension was to have on itself. Your race worshipped you and was ready to serve you. But you don't know what happens to those who don't have such an experience, do you? I can only see it as a banishment using my own words.
I was exiled from my existence into a world in which I was nothing more than a spectator who knew how to look at and see everything without having to change a thing. But as so often there are opportunities for those who did play no role in this world. While you were too blind to see it, your pure intentions led to the downfall of other of those beings. I had enough time to observe the human beings for an eternity. During these times I grew to hate the humans. These things who blindly follow without understanding a thing and without creating their own values. If you wanted you could have used them as puppets for playing games. Amidst this monotonous grim existence, the opportunity presented itself. And it was because of your humans i realized what i had to do. Because suddenly, some of these puppets broke free from the cords of your existence and offered their own ideas and essence. This very release resulted in their demise, have you never noticed it yourself? Have you been really so ignorant and naive in your mind? You assumed responsibility, but you not only took it away from others, you never offered them a chance to choose. These "renegades" were hounded through your concepts, cursed by your glorious existence to die in one of two ways. While you acted as you always did, I used my turn to break away from you and the the others of your kind. Since you didn't care about your brother he was able to learn thing no one expected. It was me who created another magic, my own magic, my black magic. From the moment i could use it freely, I have been saving and sheltering the "worthless outcasts" of thy humans. Both these lower beings and my humble self could not stand you, you beings whose rules regarded us as monsters. If that was really true, then I became their own monster, the first monster in this world. Actually, you are all wrong, I never tampered with their minds. Instead, they showed me that I was right with their own thinking. Thus, I only gave them a push to fulfill their dreams of obsessed vengeance. Since this moment I have realized that I hate not only people, but you guys as well. Because I had the power to change things, I used it to destroy your code, your rules, your norm. I had to watch and endure long enough to know that it takes misery and anguish to change something in this deceptive paradise. At last, after all this time, I was able to re-exist by myself. And the longer I kept on bringing change, the more clear I became. By the time you finally stopped me and banished me, I had attained complete understanding. It was not you that I hated. It was this world you created that brought my hatred. The problem was that you all are a part of it. But let me repeat myself: I have no interest in your death nor in any other of yours. It is my goal to create something new in the world and eliminate this boredom. If that means that I will perish for it, then everything is going according to plan. Even if it destroys me, at least I will be released from this dull, dead and boring existence. Until then, I will do everything I can to enjoy my own presence as much as you do and really LIVE unlike all of you."
"Listen to yourself! The things you say will lead to the destruction of everything established. There won't be any justice like that. "
"Justice? Are you defining what justice is? Is banishing a blameless creature because of your falsehoods for centuries justice? Is hunting down other beings who don't think alike justice? No, what you have built is nothing more than an endless cycle in which terms like justice, fairness and freedom are dragged through the mud. Before it goes on like this, I will end it. And then you will be able to see the mistakes and the ignorance you have shown over the centuries with your own eyes. If I were you, I would hurry up and join forces, as it won't be long before Atmos makes the first move. See you around, sis, it's best if you practice your fighting skills a bit in the meantime.
Without another word, Zaphiel disappeared from that place and proceeded with his plans. His next path would lead him to the "outcasts", the very ones he saved during his first ascent. He would address words to them that would astonish even the ancient beings.