Arthur POV
I was going to visit Elenoir to visit gramps a visit and comfort them but as I was going through the portal I was brought somewhere else.
"At last, we finally have a bit of privacy to peacefully converse," a voice rang in my ear.
"Keep your guard up," Antares said
As soon as it spoke, the space around us began warping. Sylvie's trembling became so severe that I couldn't keep her perched on my head and had to hold her firmly in my arms.
Suddenly, in the midst of the chaos that was forming around us, we were in a blank white room.
I stared dumbly around my perimeter but couldn't find the words to express my confusion. Without being able to muster up even a voice to curse in surprise, I just idly waited.
In this white cube, it was only me, a quivering Sylvie, and the source of the all too familiar speckled pair of eyes.
By the time my eyes were able to adjust to the sudden brightness, I could make out the cat taking in a deep breath.
"Haa..."
Did it just sigh at me?
As I continued to kneel while clutching my bond, the cat I had seen at 'Windsom's Potions and Elixirs' started shaking its head at me after a little while.
It was the same cat I saw back then...
The peculiarly eye-catching cat was sitting in a poised manner, its tail swaying hypnotically as its eyes locked onto mine. As the cat's gaze bored deeper into me, I began feeling like some sort of raw material being appraised by a veteran merchant who was deciding whether to buy me out or not.
I snapped out of my daze and began looking for the old man to pop out. As I was about to say something aloud, the cat started glowing in a golden white light that spread over its entire body.
Interrupted, I just kept my mouth shut and waited for the surprises to end. For some reason, I felt like no matter what I did at this point, I couldn't stop whatever was about to happen. It was an instinctual reaction that for some reason I just couldn't ignore.
While the aura and demeanor of this cat were heavy and oppressive, I knew that it didn't want to hurt me; otherwise, I would've been dead already.
The golden-white light began to change its shape and enlarge, changing from the form of a cat to that of a human.
As if it was made of glass, the sparkling human-shaped glow shattered into fragments of light, revealing someone I couldn't recognize.
"Greetings. I go by..."
"Windsom" I cut him as his face turned to surprise
"How do you know me?" He asked
I just smiled at him, and say "Lady Sylvia sends her regards"
I looked up to see his expression, as I saw an expression of relief and happiness.
"Where is she," He asked
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that it was by her request that she wanted to wait" I replied
He didn't get mad at me so that's a good sign I thought.
"Should I get you out of here?" Antares asked
"No, it wouldn't be necessary for now" I replied
"Papa, what is he?" Sylvie asked
"He is like you, and your mother Sylvie" I replied
"It seems like this makes me easier to explain then," He said
"Arthur come with me to Epheotus you'll be trained there to fight in the war" He continued
Before I could continue Sylvia appeared from my shadow surprising Windsom, after a few seconds Windsom knelt on the ground. "Lady Sylvia it is good to see you are alive, and well," He said
"Please Windsom stand up I came here regarding the boy" She replied
"I would like to speak with my father about this" She continued
"Yes the lord would be happy to see you are alive, and well" He replied
"But let the boy say his goodbyes first Windsom." She said
"As you wish Lady Sylvia" He replied as he opened back the teleporter, and exited with us
"Suppress your mana, both of you," I told them
We walked to the Helstea mansion, I saw my family outside and walked towards them.
"Mom, dad we need to speak somewhere in private," I said
All five of us walked towards a room, where Windsom snapped his fingers, and created a sound barrier.
"Mom, dad this is Windsom, and Sylvia" I started
"Sylvia was the one who gave me her will" As soon as I said that their eye widened as they gave both of them a bow
"Arthur I will be waiting outside with Windsom you chat with your parents first ok," She said
(A/N: past life, and leaving talk)
I came out of the room my mood sour, as I heard sobs from inside my room, my mother didn't take the news too well. I walked towards Windsom and Sylvia.
"What about the council? I asked
"Aldir, a friend of mine will handle, and help them" He replied
Windsom then snapped his finger as a portal was created but another snap was heard destroying the portal
Windsom POV
As we were about to enter the portal I heard a finger snap and the portal I created instantly destroyed, as I looked around carefully I saw two figures walking towards us. I couldn't sense their mana at all even when I saw them walking in front of me. I ready myself for battle, but Lady Sylia said
"Ash, Jin-Woo what brings you both here," She said
"I'm just wondering where you're taking Arthur without bringing us," the man with grey eyes said
"Epheotus" She replied
"They seem to know each other well," I thought
"The land of the Asuras?" The man with purple eyes asked
"Yes" She replied
"All right just make sure to bring Arthur back in one peace," Jin-Woo said
"You're not coming?" Lady Sylvia asked
"I still need to do a lot of things both in Dicathen, and Alacrya" Jin-Woo replied
"Are you an ally for the Alacryans?" I asked
"No, I'm delaying their attacks since I know you guys are in a treaty, that you cannot fight each other asura against asura was not allowed, but Asuras can battle against lessers, but knowing your pride you'll just sit quiet and wait while you let the lessers do the dirty work" He replied
"He's not a lesser, I am sure of it," I thought
"How about you Ash?" Sylvia said
"If you don't mind I would like to see it for myself the land of the gods" He replied
"Yes I would love to show you around, maybe we can continue sparring there," She said
It surprised me to see Lady Sylvia had taken interest in another man ever since. I stopped my thoughts not wanting to continue.
"Lady Sylvia but how will the lord.." My words were cut off as the man named Ash entered Arthur's shadow
"There, it won't be too much of a problem than now," she said
I inspected the man named Jin-Woo once again, as my eyes locked with his I felt like I was being sucked into a dark abyss with no way out. I turned my gaze back to Lady Sylvia, and Arthur then I snapped my finger to create another portal which didn't break this time. All three of us entered the portal, leading to the Indrath clan's front gate. There Lady Syliva entered Arthur's shadow again.
"She said she wanted to surprise her father" Arthur told me
I just nodded and brought them towards the bridge, but as soon as we reached there I could see Arthur tremble.
"So he could feel them" I noted as I pat his shoulder
"Let's go," I said
We went through the bridge with no problem, as We reached the main entrance we entered deeper inside until we've arrived at the meeting hall that was guarded by two guards.
"Elder Windsom. I see you finally brought the human boy," the female guard grinned. The male guard stared at Sylvie and looked up at Arthur in a studying gaze. "Is it appropriate for a human child to be carrying the Princess?" he asked disapprovingly.
"Let it be, Signiz. They are bonded," I dismissed. "Now... are you guys going to let us in or not?"
Arthur POV
The two guards looked at each other briefly before giving Windsom a brief nod. As the two of them faced the door, the aura they emitted increased significantly, enough for it to be nearly palpable. Only a few seconds had pa.s.sed but beads of cold sweat rolled down my face as my breathing became shallow and jagged.
The two guards each held onto one of the door handles and pulled it open. I could only imagine how heavy it was since the two guards were struggling to pry it apart. Finally, with a loud clack, the towering door slid open, revealing what I a.s.sumed to be the Great Hall... and staring right at me, seated on a blazing white throne, was a man who looked to be no older than twenty.
Windsom immediately stepped past me into the room and kneeled.
"My Lord," the asura addressed, bowing his head. Lord Indrath wasn't what I had expected him to be like in the least. He had a cool, almost mellow feel to him, sporting a silvery cream-colored hair that was neither long nor short. He would be considered an attractive man by any means, but he wasn't exceptionally stunning either. I couldn't tell what his build was underneath his white robe but he didn't look particularly robust. His eyes reminded me too much of Sylvia for my comfort, but while Sylvia's eyes were still compa.s.sionate, his were hard. Lord Indrath's eyes were purple as well, but even from here, I could see the colors change shades.
Realizing that I had been staring for far too long, I followed and kneeled as well. While my head was down, though, I couldn't help but peek around the room. Standing to the side of the great hall were figures of all ages and sizes staring at me, some disdainful like the prior male guard, while others with simple curiosity.
"They are all strong" Antares commented
"But only the Indrath guy could compare to me, and master," He said
Each of the figures that were standing around Windsom and I emanated auras that would make even the most powerful mages in Dicathen faint and froth in the mouth, yet, the man seated on the throne that burned in a shimmering white fire emitted none. Even after trying to consciously sense him, I couldn't even feel his presence. Even with the fact that I was able to see him, I had trouble believing he actually existed if my eyes weren't directly focused on him.
"Stand." His voice was soft and silvery, yet sharp like a knife in a way that it was both gentle and imposing. Rising to our feet, we walked towards the throne, with Sylvie still in my arms. I could feel the eyes of everyone following me, judging my every movement. I was reminded of when I was still an orphan fetching groceries for our house at a nearby market. It felt much like how the adults looked at me then, the glares and blatant disgust as if I was some sort of disease that they needed to avoid.
"Sylvia, you going to show up now?" I asked
"I want to see what he's going to do to Sylvie then I'll make my judgment" She replied
Seconds slowly ticked by as we waited for the man on the throne to speak, yet he only stared wordlessly at me and Sylvie with an expression I couldn't interpret.
My eyes hadn't left Lord Indrath as he had been studying me but suddenly he vanished as I heard gasps from the others. I saw beside me Lord Indrath his wrist being held by Antares.
"Forgive my rudeness but I was given orders from my master to protect the boy, and girl from potential harm," Antares said in a cold tone
As I felt the pressure from the room increase I could feel my body crumbling because of the pressure, then Antares snapped his finger forming a barrier around me allowing me to stand again.
"Master?" Kezees asked
"Yes my master," Antares said as he released his grip
"Did you think you are the only deities in this world" He continued as he released his pressure causing most of the asura's in the room to have difficulties breathing all except kezees.
"Enough, we aren't here to stir trouble," I said
Antares nodded as he stopped releasing his pressure, and walked towards me entering my shadow again.
"Sylvia I need help now," I said
"Lord Indrath may we speak in private," I said with a bow
"Everyone leave," He said but there were no emotions in his words
As I waited for everyone to leave Kezees returned to his throne waiting for me to speak.
But his expression turned into surprise as Sylvia slowly came out from my shadow.
"Long time no see Father," She said with a smile.
Kezees POV
As I saw the boy enter the room he wasn't that special, he may be special amongst the lesser but he's average in the asura's eyes. My eyes then darted to my granddaughter he was holding, as I felt mixed emotions inside me relief, and sadness. The boy and Windsom stood in the center of the room greeting us while kneeling. After I told them to stand, I couldn't keep my eyes off my granddaughter so I wanted to take a closer look at her, I approached him but a handheld my wrist, I wasn't able to free myself as I saw a middle-aged man with long red hair, a neatly trimmed red beard, and glowing purple eyes. He also wore silver-red armor with a high collar and a reddish-brown tailcoat slowly coming out of the boy's shadow, his hold didn't budge no matter how hard I pulled.
"Forgive my rudeness but I was given orders from my master to protect the boy, and girl from potential harm," he said in a cold tone
As I felt the pressure from the room increase the others were releasing their pressure, then the man snapped his finger forming a barrier around the boy allowing him to stand again.
"Master?" I asked
"Yes my master," The man said as he released his grip
"Did you think you are the only deities in this world" He continued as he released his pressure causing most of the asura's in the room to have difficulties breathing all except me, and a few strong asuras, but even they were starting to feel it.
"Enough, we aren't here to stir trouble," The boy said
The man nodded as he stopped releasing his pressure, and walked towards the boy entering his shadow.
"What is he," I thought
Everyone was quiet for a few seconds until
"Lord Indrath may we speak in private" The boy said with a bow
"Everyone leave," I said
As we waited for everyone to leave, I returned to my throne waiting for the boy to speak.
But I was then surprised as Sylvia slowly came out from the boy's shadow.
"Long time no see Father," She said with a smile.
"Sylvia?" I said in disbelief
"Have you gone senile to forget about your own daughter" She replied still smiling
But as I was still happy to see my daughter another man showed up. he was around his middle age a muscular man with purple eyes, black-purple hair, and sharp facial features.
"Greetings Lord Indrath I've heard many things of you," He said as I turned my head to see Sylvia also surprised
"I wanted to ask you something before I return, will you treat the boy well?" He asked in a threatening tone. His pressure wasn't something to scoff at either he was a little weaker compared to the other man, but he would still be a bothersome opponent.
"I will treat the boy well" I answered
"Are you the master?" I asked
"I was. But I've inherited my powers to my successor as he is currently in Dicathen delaying the war without demolishing the lands of the people you call lessers." He replied
"So there are three entities I now know that could rival me" I noted
"Who are you people," I asked
"We are the rulers of darkness," He said his shadow expanded filling the whole room
"We are destruction" He continued as he released his pressure making the ground shook
"We are Monarchs," He said as he sunk slowly inside the boy's shadow his glowing purple eyes staring at me
The guards came inside the room ready to fight, but I shooed them away after they enter.
"Arthur Leywin, you will now be training under our direct guidance the Asura's you will grow strong, and you will continue to grow further. As for Sylvie, I will be training her with Sylvia" I said with an authoritative voice.
Sung Jin-Woo POV
"How is Arthur doing?" I asked Ash
"He will be treated well. I've made sure of it" He replied
"You didn't kill anyone did you?" I Asked
"Of course not what do you take me for?" He asked
"Former king of the dead?" I replied
"Whatever I'm going to strengthen my body now" He sighed
"Jin-Woo" Seris's voice rang
"Yeah?" I asked
"Agrona has successfully replicated something your continent made to cross the sea it seemed like a ship but it isn't powered by mana rather he said by materials," She said
"The steam engine blueprint," Ash said
"Who made it?" I asked
"An artificer named Gideon, but Arthur was the one who came up with it, and gave the blueprints" Ash replied
"So what if they enter the seas then I'll just have to send my armies to the seas" I smirked
"Listen up any soldiers that can fly, and swim. Soldiers below general rank go and protect the sea if you feel Vritra mana signature demolish them all" I said to my shadows
"Seris how many ships have been made?" I asked
"A few hundred" She replied
"Where are they sending them?" I asked
"Unfortunately I do not know because I am not in the same attack group like them" She replied
"All right report to me if you find Anything else," I said as I cut off the mental link
"We must prevent going in conflict," Ash said
"I know I also don't want this world ending up like mine when I fought Antares," I said
"Your fights tend to shake the world, leaving the world no longer habitable" Ash sighed
"We are the essence of chaos and destruction" I sighed
A year went by after Arthur's training started, as I kept on pushing the enemies back, it was then I received reports about attacks from Darv. When I got there my soldiers already handled most of the weak mages, but there were three retainers, and a Scythe amongst them so that's why they were in trouble. Anyway, how did they enter as I scanned the entirety of Darv to find teleportation gates underground?
"Traitors" I snarled
"Monarchs clean this mess up, I need to deal with the portals," I said
I heard Baran's and Legia's confirmation as I saw Igris, and Jima evacuating civilians. I went to the portals and destroyed them one by one. After I finished I was greeted by Olfred,
"It seems like you're one of the traitors," I said
He didn't say anything, but he tried to swallow me in magma. I merely just walked outside his magma as it didn't have too much effect on me. I went towards him choking him in the neck.
"Who are the people responsible for this," I asked
He kept quiet and my patience was running out, I killed him and revived him to ask these questions.
"Elder Rhadeas made a rebellion to overthrow the previous king, and queen which succeeded, and he allowed access to alacryan armies the ones here are merely decoys while the real army is headed towards Elshair forest," He said
"The monarchs should be able to defend Elshair but are you the only lance that betrayed us," I asked
"Yes I am" He replied
I told him to enter my shadow as I went to the floating fortress to report.
"General how are things going in Darv?" Rhadeas asked worriedly
I snapped my finger as Olfred appeared from my shadow
"How about you ask him Rhadeas," I said
"Arrest this traitor, and lock him up somewhere," I said
"What's going on?" Merial asked
"Rhadeas was the one who gave access to Alacrya," I said
The guards came in chaining Rhadeas and escorted him to the dungeon.
"How are the lances doing?" I asked as Olfred returned to my shadow
"They are doing well, while our armies are doing as you told us we managed to hold our ground against their armies," Blaine said
"Good now the second bad news, Darv's attack was a decoy the real army is headed to Elshair, but I doubt they'll succeed," I said
"But I'm going to go there after this meeting," I said
I could see Virion, Alduin, and Merial tense up while aldir a three-eyed Asura simply nodded
"Now I'm going to go now," I said as I teleported to Elshair next to Lance Alea, and Aya who was responsible for defending Elshair
"General Jin-Woo" Aya greeted
"Has any of them managed to get through?" I asked
"No there hasn't been any sightings of the Alacryan army" Alea replied
I sensed the whole area of Elshair looking at how things were going. It seems like things here are ok I thought.
"Ok I'm going to clean up and return," I said as they saluted me
I went towards the places where the big battles were and killed the remaining enemies, as well as a few Retainers.
"Arise," I said as the corpse of my enemies manifested into my soldiers, and sunk inside my shadow
Another year had passed as I was at the beast glades received reports of Arthur's return. It was strange that there were barely any attacks this year. I headed to the location where Arthur was teleported, inside the beast glades. I found him after a few hours of looking around and cleaning corrupted, and mutated monsters.
"You look stronger" I commented when I saw Arthur finish slaughtering mana beasts until mountains of corpses were seen
"You look like you barely had trouble here" He replied
"Let's go," I said as I patted his shoulder, and teleported both of us to the meeting room
"Arthur?" Virion said his face happy, but the same can't be said about Arthur as I know what he was thinking about.
"Virion call Merial, and Alduin they also need to hear this," I said
Virion took out a communication scroll and called for both of them. Both of them arrived a few hours later, they greeted each other, and when they finished I was ready to tell them the bad news.
"Two years ago a few months after Tessia's capture I've received a report," I said
The room tensed up as I continued my words
"When Arthur was in Epheotus Agrona appointed Tessa and Elijah as Scythes," I said
Their jaws dropped at the sudden news until Alduin spoke up
"Are you saying our daughter is on their side?" He asked
"Yes, and no," I said
"She could be controlled" I continued
"Or she did change sides," I said
The room was silent as all of their faces slowly turned grim, and sad.
"I've yet to receive how she became a scythe, but she goes with a different name now
Elijah Knight was called Scythe Nico, while Tessia Eralith was called Scythe Cecilia" I said
Arthur had the worst reaction as he dropped his cup "Nico? Cecilia? It can't be it must be a coincidence" He mumbled as his face was covering his face
"Arthur, what do you mean coincidence?" Alduin asked he raised his voice a little
I snapped my finger to create a barrier so no one outside could hear. As Arthur began to tell them who he truly was.
"A 38-year-old king reincarnated into this world" Virion mumbled, as Arthur had his face expressionless from the beginning he started to tell his story
"So are you saying there was a chance that Tessia was used as a vessel?" Merial asked tears coming out
"Yes it seems like that is the only possibility," I said
"Jin-Woo bring me to one of the portals," Arthur said in a cold tone
"Arthur don't do anything rash" Sylvie spoke up
It did receive a little shock from the others, but they slowly returned to their grieving state.
"Arthur I agree with Sylvie don't do anything rash," I said
"They have Tessia bounded, they have a bracelet that teleports her directly back to Agrona" I continued
"They leashed her?" Alduin said as he can no longer contain his anger
"Yes" I nodded