Kingdom of Zuland, The South Boarder, Present day.
The early day's sunlight must have been a sign of good fortune seeing as the day before Roy and Xeto had resolved their counteracting emotions.
Anaria reached the stable where the Lionslayer was locked away, it would be her fourth session with him. She hoped for the goddess' strength as she prayed that today would be the day, the day she could convince him to speak again. Not long after arriving at the small town the once believed-to-be demon was more like a statue, still and void of emotion every time she came to the stable.
Nell was stretched out on a hammock just outside the door.
"Kailarah's blessings, Nell," said Anaria as she waved at her.
Nell put an arm over her eyes, covering the arriving sunlight. "Ren says you're welcome here—doesn't mean your goddess is…don't spout oracle-licking words here."
Anaria gave a slight nod. "The All-Mother watches over all of her children, even the ones that shy away from her kindness."
Nell's lips curved into a smirk. "Looks like her kindness didn't quite reach that poor bastard in the barn, aye?"
Anaria opened the door slowly as she felt a tug at her chest. "Then I hope I can change that today. If he's a child of Kailarah then he deserves the respite."
Nell snickered. "Do as you like, creamrose."
As Anaria entered the dim stable she caught a new sight that warmed her spirit.
The Lionslayer was slowly patting one of the reined horses. The horse snorted happily as it drew closer.
"Moring's blessing," said Anaria.
The Lionslayer drew back suddenly, spooking the nearby mare.
"Wait, no it's ok. I—what…what is it you were doing?" She kept her voice low, as if speaking to an injured animal.
The knight looked at his hands curiously, it was the same as he had done for the last few days. The difference now being he had moved out of the dark corners of the stable. "L-love?" he stuttered in a deep voice.
Anaria smiled. "That's beautiful." She knelt down. "Its ok, I'm here to help you." Seeing such a beast of a thing nearly quiver at her voice was odd as she remembered what he had done at Hansel and in the Undergrove. She slowly neared him. "That man at the keep called you 'Lionslayer', the name of a weapon, but I think you're more than just a demon like everyone says. What about Aovku?"
"Aovku?" echoed the knight.
Anaria nearly jumped in place. "Yes, you like it?"
"I…like," he said as he drew closer.
"I'm so glad you like it. My name is Anaria, can you remember that? If you let me help, we can find your true name and who you were before this. Then maybe I can convince Xeto that you're not a monster." She sat on a small hay mound and beckoned Aovku to do the same.
His heavy armor clanked as he sat in front of her.
"Your mind is like a broken mirror, I believe the shards are still in there, we just have to piece it back together." Her heart beat faster by the second as she looked into the darkness of his visor. The last time she had been this close…he had his cold grip around her throat, aiming to kill her. She gulped hard as she shook away the ill thoughts. That wasn't you, Aovku, that was another's will that was forced on you. She exhaled as she put out her hands.
Aovku flinched but remained in place.
"Just try to relax, with my aura I can help you pick up the shards of your past." She held her open palms inches away from his helm. In seconds the stable was illuminated by her celestial aura. She felt the ropes of his mind, intertwined and knotted like a tumbleweed. She smiled as his shoulders unstiffened and his breathing slowed. "How do you feel?"
Aovku slowly slumped lower, as if drifting to sleep.
"Aovku?"
He sighed. "Tara," he mumbled.
"Tara?" echoed Anaria softly.
"Princess Sara…orders."
A pressure wrapped around Anaria's throat, slowly gripping tighter like an unseen python. "A-Aovku." She now saw a thin blue energy outlining her body. Despite her best efforts, she remained frozen in place as the inviable noose tightened."
The burly knight now began to shake his head. "Sara's orders…eliminate…eliminate Loradel commanders." He looked up and met with her frightened eyes. He pulled away quickly as he put up his hands. "I…I remorse."
Anaria took a large breath before a series of coughs. She rubbed at her neck. "It's ok, it's not your fault," she said in a raspy voice. "I felt something in your mind, like there was a second person guiding your thoughts."
The cobalt knight slowly got to his feet. "Eliminate Loradel commanders." His voice devoid of emotion. "No!" he suddenly yelled before slamming on his helmet. "El-elim…" His chest heaved rapidly. "I remorse! I remorse!" He clawed at his helmet. One second his voice carried pain then a second later it was as if he was back at Hansel.
Anaria's heart dropped as her mouth went dry. "Aovku, you're safe. Please calm down."
He gripped his helmet as if trying to remove it.
The horses neighed in fear as they slammed their hooves on the floor.
The doors behind her slammed open as Nell burst through the doors. "What in solitude in happening in here!" Her widened gaze fell on the panicking knight. "Get out of here, little girl," she commanded as she pulled a sword from her back.
"Wait! No! Don't hurt him!" she took hold of her forearm.
Nell was now sweating with anger. "You stupid little girl." She grimaced as shook off Anaria's grip.
Anaria yelped as Nell took hold of her and tossed her to ground. She wiped away straw that stuck to her face.
Aovku suddenly stopped as a blue flame ignited in his visor. His gaze locked on the armed warrior. "Protect…Anaria." He shot his palm forward.
Nell gagged aloud as his blue energy surrounded her. She was slowly lifted off the ground, dropping her sword onto a bed of hay.
Anaria quickly got to her feet dashed for the angered knight. She wrapped her arms around his cold armor. "Stop, Aovku! She didn't mean to hurt me! Please stop!"
A second later his energy vanished, dropping Nell to the stable floor unconscious.
It felt as if she had swallowed sand as she heard a collection of footsteps drawing closer.
"Nell!" yelled Ren as she sprinted into the stable. Xeto and Roy followed right behind him. Ren looked up her with shocked eyes. "What happened!"
"I—He was," stammered Anaria.
Xeto quickly trained his revolver on Aovku. "Anaria, get away from that thing."
"Aovku didn't mean to—he's just confused." She ran in front of him and spread out her arms. "Please understand."
Xeto lowered his revolver. "Anaria, that thing isn't—"
Aovku's sudden scream filled the stable as he clutched at his helm once more. He shook his head violently before dashing full sprint in the opposite direction. He slammed through the wooden wall as if it was straw, allowing new light to flood the stable.
"Wait!" yelled Anaria. Though her words fell on deaf ears as his thunderous footsteps faded into nothing.