I knew I had to let Arthur go because most of his fate was unlocked when he was in the RelicTombs in Alacrya, but for now, I need him to at least be mentally stable. I threw him a retainers horn I think his name was Uto.
"Absorb the mana inside that and become stronger, I'll let you go after I deem you ready," I said as I left the room
I got started on my plans in Alacrya
"Seris is this a good time or should I wait?" I asked
"Wait" She replied
"Ok" I replied back
A few minutes passed by
"Ok you can come now," She said
I let my shadow swallow me as I appeared in her shadow, I scanned the room to sense nothing strange, so I came out from her shadow.
"You seem like you've been through hell" She commented
"I need two fake ID's," I said
"For?" She asked
"Me and Arthur" I replied
"I need Arthur to explore the RelicTombs," I thought
"It will be hard, but how do you plan to you know hide your face," She said
I turned my face to someone else after she said that.
"Ah ok shouldn't have asked," She said
"Ok I'll see what I can do then," She said as she took
I got out of her place using a face of an old friend, as I turned to see around the city I continued my walk until I found myself near an ascension gate, I walked back to Seris's place to ask her how things are going, and I've seen this place many times. As I was walking back I heard voices inside her room.
"Caera I wouldn't have a problem with you going on an ascent, but you need your blood's permission to do so, and I can't help you with that" Seris said
"But teacher I'm so bored" She replied
"Caera what would your mother think of you acting like that" Seris replied
"Please teacher home is literally like a prison" She pleaded
"Should I wait?" I asked mentally
"Just come in" She replied her voice frustrated
I went in the room earning a surprised yelp from her student as she gestured me to sit in front of her.
"So how's it going?" I asked
"It's going fine you don't have to worry about anything." She replied
"You sure are evil for using me to ignore your student," I said to her mentally
"Although I like her, and care for her there are times when she's too overwhelming" She replied
Caera POV
I was "talking" to my mentor or more like pleading for her to get my parent's permission to allow me on an ascent. But no results as I slumped down on the couch, The door then opened revealing a handsome and muscular young man with gray eyes, black hair, and sharp facial features.
"Who is he?" I thought as I turned my head to my mentor who surprisingly gestured the man to sit in the chair opposite to her
"So how's it going?" He asked
"It's going fine you don't have to worry about anything." My mentor replied
"What is IT?" I asked myself
"Seris who is he?" I asked in a polite tone
"A friend of mine we've been to a few ascents together" She replied
Wow, what a way to rub salt on the wound I thought, could've just said he was a friend.
"So are you two perhaps..." I said in a teasing tone
"No, we aren't he came here today for a favor" She replied cutting me off
"Let's see if I could finally tease her," I thought
"Come on you two seem to know well pretty close for him to come to a scythe's house so casually," I said
"The more you know about him you'll realize he has no value for doors" She replied with a sigh
"Hey it's not like I barge in whenever I want" He retorted
"Let's see how about you explain what happened a few years ago I still haven't heard your explanation," She said
"It was an accident" He replied
"You two look like a couple fighting" I commented
The man didn't give any reaction disappointing me, but I saw a slight blush from my dear mentor I gave her a wide smile. My mentor coughed as she stood up, and said she wanted to "brew some tea" and left the room. I turned my gaze to see the man looking out of the window. His gaze was empty, and lonely as his face was expressionless.
Seris POV
Whenever I was too close with him it kept reminding me of the way he uses his teleportation ability. His gentle but firm hold, and his scent. I slapped my cheeks to get those thoughts away from me as I brewed some tea. I returned back to the room, to see Caera bored again as Jin-Woo was staring at the night sky. I set down the tea at the table in front of Caera, and my table with Jin-Woo. We then proceeded to talk, and chat a little until Jin-Woo had to leave.
"Use the door," I said
"I will" He replied
Caera was still on the couch giving me a toothy grin.
"What else do you want to know" I sighed
"Who is he?" She asked
"I'm afraid that's a private question Caera" I replied
She pouted, and said "A name wouldn't hurt"
I sighed and started to drink my tea in calm, but that calmness was disturbed as my mind decided to replay my memory of when Jin-Woo's words whispered in my ear, his muscu...
"Snap out of it what is wrong with me today," I thought
"You seem awfully frustrated," Caera said with a grin
"It's nothing" I replied
Sung Jin-Woo POV
It's been a few months since Arthur started to absorb the horn with Sylvie.
"The horn has so much mana," Sylvie said
"Well it is a retainer's horn" I replied
"Sylvia any news from Kezees?" I asked
"Im afraid there is none, and I can't participate directly in the war" She replied
"Yeah I know the treaty, but how come Sylvie is allowed?" I asked
"I do not know either" She replied
I managed to defend Dicathen from Alacryan attacks, I've defended enough until Agrona had nearly stopped sending in armies, instead he sends in beasts. Suddenly one day, I received reports of an army of ten thousand marching towards Darv.
"Did they have a portal somewhere I wasn't aware of?" I asked myself
"Seris" I called her mentally
"Yes" she replied
"Any news on an army of ten thousand marching to Darv?" I asked
"No I didn't receive any news of that sort" She replied
"Wait the scythes has been called," She said
"How many?" I asked
"All of us" She replied
"It seems like an all-out battle" Ash commented
"Agrona wouldn't be that stupid he knows my capabilities" I replied
I used one of the skills that I once used a mass scan as I covered the planet in my shadows, I saw a few dozen boats heading towards Sapin, and Elshair, while I saw a flying contraption heading towards the beast glades
"I still don't know what he's planning," I said
"Whatever it is we should deal with the ones that have yet to arrive," Ash said
"He must've realized the shadows in the sky," I said
"So what it's not like he's going to open up a portal for his armies to retreat" Ash replied
"Ash get out, and go to the floating fortress," I said
"All right" He replied as he came out of my shadow, and headed towards the floating fortress
"Arthur, Sylvie get ready we may be going to battle," I said mentally
"Jin-Woo" Seris's voice rang inside my head
"All of the ships are filled with mutated mages, they are uncontrollable, and they are at least as strong as Scythes," She said
"Ok, I understand now what does he want with the scythes he gathered?" I asked
"He wants us to attack the fortress when you are busy" She replied
"Right he has only seen Antares" I remembered
"Ok Seris if you do go there try and avoid conflict, and find Arthur, make sure that brat is alive," I said
"Alright" She replied
I focused my mana from my heart as a pillar started to form around me.
"What are you doing," Ashborn asked
"I'm going to eliminate the enemies, " I said as I sent a pulse of my mana that pulsed outside the continent's borders, hitting all the ships that were headed towards Dicathen.
"I wish I could see his reaction right now" I smiled
I still need to find out how none of my shadows can connect to him or the other asuras. Well, that's for another time, I was drained after that attack. I'll let Arthur deal with the ones in Darv.
Nico POV
"Useless" Agrona shouted as he threw a cup towards the wall, cracking it
"Ten months of preparation destroyed before it could even touch Dicathen" He roared in fury
"Nico who is that man," He asked me
"I do no know, from my time as Elijah he's only seen using gravity magic, nothing else" I replied
"Is Cecilia ready?" He asked
"Almost, give her around one month" I replied
"Good" He smirked
"We need to get rid of him," He said in a cold tone
"What was that power, and mana. His shadow covered the world." He continued
"What do we do with the scythes you sent, should we tell them to come back?" I asked
"Yes call them to return for now" He replied
I went out of the room and checked on Cecilia to see how she was, I walked behind her, hugged her by the waist, and rested my chin on her shoulder.
"How are you doing?" I asked
"It still feels a little weird, but I'm getting the hang of it," She said as she caressed my cheek
"Good we need your help," I said as I kissed her neck
Arthur POV
Jin-Woo sent me to deal with the army marching to Darv, I arrived there a few hours ago now there were only a handful of mages left, barely alive. As I was cleaning Dawns Ballad that cracked because there was two retainers. I received a call from Jin-Woo.
"Arthur, how is the horn?" He asked
"Nearly finished" I replied
"How's Sylvie?" He asked
"Still absorbing it in her room" I replied
"All right Arthur I'm going to go for a while, Ash is with the council now please keep an eye on him," He said
I went back to the castle to check on Sylvie but all I found was a little girl who looks no older than eight or nine, with yellow eyes and long choppy hair that is the same pale wheat color.
"Sylvie?" I said
"Yes?" She replied
"You look different," I said
"What do you mean?" Her eye widened when she saw her hand
She looked down at her body, and said "I look human?"
"With horns" I pointed
We both laughed and spent a few hours trying to help Sylvie adapt to her humanoid body. As we were doing it a knock was heard from the door, I opened the door to see my father, and mother.
I've been avoiding them ever since I came back, I was afraid to hear their response, to be honest.
"You can go," Sylvie said mentally
"But.."
"Just sort things out with them before it's too late," Sylvie said cutting me off
I turned my gaze towards them again, I got out of the room, and waited for them to say something.
"Art would you like to speak in private?" My father asked
"Yeah I would like to," I said
I was nervous, scared, and worried at the moment that my thought process was a mess, to say the least.
"Art I know what I said to you that day was wrong, but I never meant that I would see you as a stranger," my mother said
"Yeah we've thought it over a few times, and we decided no matter who you were, you are still our flesh, and blood," my dad said with a warm smile
My emotions weren't handling this well as tears dropped into the floor, my tears.
"And I've never wanted anything more than a family I could love, and return to for that I am thankful for being you son" I managed to say before we burst into tears. We talked for a quiet while until Jin-Woo called me.
"Arthur I'm going to need you to absorb the horn faster," He said
"Why?" I asked
"You'll see later for now just finish the horn" He replied
So I spent the rest of the night, and the next day absorbing the horn. Until there was no mana left but when I looked at my core it barely made a difference.
"Jin-Woo I've finished the horn, but there isn't much of a difference in me," I said
"Don't worry, get to a training room, and call Antares to tell him that it is time to do it" He said
"It?" I asked But he never responded back
I did as I was told, now I was in the training room. Antares appeared behind me as he snapped his finger forming a barrier.
"Now I'm going to let out my pure mana not ambient mana but my own essence of what made me who I am, and you need to absorb it slowly. It will take some time but tell me immediately if you feel any pain, or you'll die" He said
"Now let's begin," He said as horrifying, and destructive mana particles came out of him
Sung Jin-Woo POV
It's already been a month since Arthur started to absorb Antares's mana. I came to where Agrona's castle was. As I sneaked in I saw a few guards nothing more, as I looked around I found Tessia, or more like I found Cecilia.
"Now what should I do," I thought to myself
"We should kill her to prevent fututre problems" Antares suggested
"No if I do that I'll have no hostage besides I'll also need to be in Alacrya for a while" I replied as I smirked
I inserted a few strong soldiers in her shadow for now like dozens of SS class mana beasts, and three dragons that were nearly as strong as Kamish, and left her room, as I navigated my way around Agrona's castle I found his lab and library. I did the most logical thing to do I blew them up using the demon king's sword longsword and left.
I now just need Arthur to explore the RelicTombs, but that would be impossible if Agrona keeps on attacking Dicathen. I needed a way to keep him busy so taking his legacy hostage might do the trick.
But as my mind was thinking of different ways, and back up plans I got a report that a portal appeared inside the floating fortress, I teleported there but the castle was already in ruins, I looked for the others, as I saw the lances fighting two scythes, and three retainers. I used Ruler's Authority to squash them, and I ran towards them
"What happened?" I asked
"Arthur he and Sylvie they were fighting two scythes but suddenly there was a mana blast in their fight, and I can't feel Arthur's mana anymore. They sacrificed themselves for the council members, we managed to evacuate most of the people until those guys came at us," Varay said
"For now all of you go together with them and evacuate," I said as I walked further inside the castle
"Ash where are you?" I asked
"I'm fighting a few people as strong as a scythe right now in the upper floor" He replied
I teleported to him and deflected the enemy's attack, and as they were surprised by my sudden appearance Ash managed to stab their hearts with a shadow spear.
"In my shadow now," I said
Ash didn't say anything back as he entered my shadow
"What's happening out there," Sylvia asked
"We got ambushed and I don't know how," I said
But I felt a powerful pressure grow as I found a portal. I activated my cloak and entered the portal. I was in Alacrya.
"But how?" I asked myself
"Could it be they used Cecilia I saw her she was drained was this the reason?" I asked myself
For now, I need to locate Arthur in the RelicTombs, I still feel he is alive, I teleported to Seris, and asked if she could come with me to an ascent. She said she can but after two days.
"Caera is going to go on an ascent two more days, and I need to help her train tomorrow, and escort her the next day per her blood's request." She replied
"Alright for now I'll be staying at your place if that's ok with you," I said
She didn't respond for a few seconds but then nodded as she led me to one of the guest rooms.
"I'll attach the monarchs to the lances now, and I'll place guards for Arthur's parents. I'll only bring Antares to my ascent" I thought
I ordered all of my soldiers in Dicathen to come to the lances in secret, I then found out that they were in a bunker built by the Djinn so that should be a safe place for now.
I started to slowly seal my emotions as I felt anger trying to leak out of me.
"Are you sure about this choice?" Ash asked
"I'm still deciding" I replied
"Jin-Woo you know that we Monarchs choose to not love isn't because we aren't able to, but because we sealed those emotions, it would be uncomfortable at first but the longer you use it the more you realize how better it is to live without emotions, and it will become addicting later on," Ash said
"I know but I have to or I'll become too weak, like how weak I was to protect my own family" I replied
"As you wish but if I sense you going to a wrong path I won't hesitate to punch you back," He said
I chuckled at his comment
"You should progress how things are going on between you and Sylvia," I said
"Huh?" He said confused
"Maybe you should be the one unsealing your love emotion," I said
"I have yet to need it" He simply replied
"By the way why do you need Seris?" He asked
"The last time I exited the portal it was easier to have a scythe around since you get some kind of special treatment, and Arthur will be teleported in a deserted city, while I don't want attention" I replied
(A/N: Now how the fuck am I supposed to make Ash blush)