??? POV [1/2]
Location: Mountain of Blades
"...*Pant*... *Pant*..."
Is this it? ...Has my life finally come to an end?
"You are the last one. All that's left is for you to join the rest of your friends..." said the dark-haired man.
Disgusting, every single one of them. Using my most loyal warrior--- my friend!
"To be completely honest with you, I'm very surprised. Many of us thought you wouldn't last for a few days... But, to survive an entire month? Haha, I expected no less from someone who killed her own brothers and sisters for the throne!" said the man mockingly.
Bastards! ...They can also retain their memories, too?!
"I have to commend you, Empress of Crimson Flames. ...No, Charlotte Vanguard...! For you were the first to have ever given us this much trouble! Heehee... HAHAHAHAHAHA!!" he laughed maniacally.
No! No, this can't be it...! I won't let it end like this!
I need to get out of here... But, how?
"*Grins*...!"
...Wait... I still have THAT...!
ππ³π’π€π¬ππ¦, π€π³π’π€π¬ππ¦!
"So, you still intend to fight us...? You are only delaying the inevitable... Why don't you just give up and--- ...What are you doing...?" he said with a concerned expression.
Fighting them all at once would be pointless; my mana would run out before doing any real damage to their numbers. If I'm going to die... I'm taking all of them with me!
ππ³π’π€π¬ππ¦, π€π³π’π€π¬ππ¦!
"What are you all doing...!? Kill her!!" he yelled.
ππ πππ...!
πππ’π΄π©!
Good, their movements are slow. And judging by their shabby movement; even though they are in control, that's all they can do.
Real warriors who've honed their skills for many years wouldn't leave this many openings. Especially when death can come from any direction.
On the other hand, these THINGS are only mimicking techniques they have never practiced before.
Khh...! The only reason they defeated us so easily is because we were caught completely off guard.
"O guardian of flame, protector of the Vanguard clan...!"
Many were forced to kill their friends and loved ones... Eventually, those demons began burning down villages and cities.
"...Let your wings shine bright like the sun, and sore the skies once more...!"
My people fought back, desperately trying to retake their homes. And yet...only the castle remained.
My people were slain, my warriors taken...
I have nothing else left to lose... And now, I want nothing more than to obliterate these wretched beings from existence!
"Set ablaze and incinerate all...!"
ππππππ!
...
Haha, serves you right...! Ahh, I can't see anything anymore. I guess Summoning the phoenix directly using my body did the trickβ¦
The emperors of the Vanguard family have always chosen one heir to inherit the phoenix's power. And when it was time for my father to choose an heir, well, I did what I had to.
My brothers and sisters were naive and selfish. They couldn't understand just how big of a responsibility inheriting an entire nation was.
I dreaded the thought of killing them. After all, they were family, my own flesh and blood. Or at least, they were at some point...
On my sixteenth birthday, my father gathered all of the major families in the empire to celebrate.
It was supposed to be a joyous occasion. A place where I can be myself and with my family. It was then where it happened... My elder brother, Ezekiel, approached me, saying there was an emergency.
Like a fool, I followed him... He led me to an isolated part of the castle where no one was present. And just like how I had planned to eliminate them, they were one step ahead of me...
Apparently, they saw my natural talent for the sword and magic as a threat to their progress. As a result, they planned to kill me and pass it off as an assassination.
However, that was their mistake... All of them in one place-- it was everything I could have asked for.
Using fire magic, I set one of the curtains on fire and blocked the exit... Even as I'm dying, I can still remember their screams vividly.
After I became empress, many rumors began to circulate. Some say that I killed them all to take the thrown, while others thought there was a secret faction with a grudge against the emperor.
Well, I knew the truth... And that truth has been stuck with me throughout my whole life. While being ruler, I did everything in my power to protect my people, even if it meant killing the few to save the many.
They may call me a tyrant, but I know that deep down, I did what was necessary to save their lives. But in the end...none of it mattered.
Why am I suddenly remembering it now, I wonder...?
They say a warrior experiences their whole lives moments before death. They also say that a warrior is supposed to leave this world with no regrets.
But right now...I feel nothing but regret.
Heh. As a matter of fact, I'm feeling rather pathetic.
My empire has fallen, nothing can change that. I only wish that I could have lived a more peaceful life. No responsibilities, no titles. Just...an ordinary one.
...
So, they called themselves 'Abyss Walkers,' huh...? I'll make sure to remember that. If I ever see them again, I'll be ready for them!
Is that... a light?
I heard many stories surrounding the mountain of blades as a child. Some believe it to be the final resting place for all warriors. And after death, the blades create a bride leading to the afterlife-- a utopia where they can finally be at peace.
Is that where I'll be going? ...No, that's impossible, even as a joke.
Wait a minute. That light...? Is it getting closer?
Am I... still alive? Did I survive somehow?
"...Wa...ke... Up..." said a mysterious voice.
Who said that? Is anybody there?
"It's time to wake up, lady Emma," said the voice.
Lady Emma...? Are they... talking to me?
"It's time for you to wake up, lady Emma. It's almost time for you to go to school," said a mysterious voice.
'Time to wake up,'? ...Does that mean I'm asleep right now!?