Jin-Woo POV
After Me and Seris exited the Relictombs with my other face we were greeted once again by the officials, after that we returned to her place, as I prepared to teleport she hugged me from my back. I held her hands that were on my waist.
"I'll see you later" I said as I gave her a peck on the lips, and assigning dozens of my general ranked soldiers to protect her
That should be enough to kill an Asura I thought , but Seris pulled me towards her again, and kissed me. So she didn't want to settle with a simple peck, I chuckled mentally we kissed for a few minutes, our kisses deep, and long only breaking it when we needed air. She dragged me to a couch as she pushed me to sit, then she sat on top of me. My eyes widened from surprise as she connected our lips again.
Her kiss was aggressive, and controlling. As she kept kissing me my hands moved from her waist to her head, as I caressed her hair. We broke the kiss again to breathe as she stared at my eyes. Her black greyish eyes staring straight at me filled with inner desire, it made me chuckle remembering back then she would avoid my gaze, heck she would avoid me entirely in the past. It was good to see her get comfy with me, but I'm still afraid of .. My thoughts were disturbed when Seris started to undress. I held her hand stopping her, which she gave me a confused look. I pinched her nose.
"I thought we agreed we'll do it when the time was right, not as soon as we left the portal" I said
She blushed as if she just realize what she was doing, she quickly covered her exposed parts, and got off me.
"I'm sorry I don't know what got over me" She said her eyes closed
I pulled her to my embrace, and gave her a peck in the cheek.
I then said goodbye to her, and teleported to the sanctuary the lances had set up. I appeared somewhere in the shelter, as I navigated to where most of the people was. I went invisible, and went to where Virion was. I knocked on his door, I waited for a few minutes before knocking again.
"Do you not know that we are in a me.."
"Hello Virion" I said after he stopped his sentence
"Come in" he simply replied
Inside there were three lances, and all the council member except Rhadeas.
"Mind filling us in on what you were doing?" Blaine asked
"Since Agrona is currently using Tessia as a valuble weapon, I decided to take her as hostage" I said
"Do you have her?" Merial asked
"No like I said she has the bracelet, and I can't break it" I replied
"then what do you mean taking her hostage" Alduin asked
"I'll use her to threaten Agrona if he dares to attack anymore I'll make sure to destory her core." I replied
Alduin stiffened by my words. "Has he agreed?" He asked
"No I came here for your permission since I only assigned my summons, I have yet to threaten Agrona" I replied
"I'm not a savage if you don't approve then I'll use a different method, but do know that I can repair her core later on if it comes to that, the problem is how to remove the other soul" I continue
They all sat in silence, as they talked. I went towards the three lances who were in the room
"What did I miss" I asked
"We are focussing on evacuating people for now" Varay replied
"there are no more scythes in Dicathen, but a lot of crazy mages as strong as Scythes, and a bunch of retainers" Bairon continued
"Did my summons help?" I asked
"Yeah they've been a great help" Alea added
"Good cause I won't be able to guard Dicathen for 24/7 now. I need to finish preparations at Alacrya as well" I said
"Take these" I said handing them a box of elixirs I managed to copy from the one arthur got from the Asura
"One lance at a time if all five of you absorb it at the same time who would protect the others" I said
"They should be able to handle a Scythes if things go well" I thought
Alduin called me, and said
"I'll give you my permission to use her, but you have to prioritize her survival" He said
"Alright now it was nice seeing you again, but I need to return for now to Alacrya." I said
I said my goodbyes, and my shadow started to swallow me, and I was in front of Agrona's gates. The guards noticed me, as I crushed them I walked calmly into Agrona's castle. As I squashed the guards.
"Why are there no scythes?" I wondered
"Remember we have to buy time so we don't have to fight them now. I don't want the same thing happening in this world to" Ash said
"Agreed I also would like to avoid fighting people as strong as me for a long amount of time, because it could end with the end of the world. For now we must find a way to either seal their powers or kill them with a few moves or even one to be honest" I replied
I opened the door to his throne room.
"Mind if I barge in?" I announced my presence
Agrona was there on his throne, Cecilia, and Nico by his side, and a few scythes, and all five sovereigns hidden in the room
"Foolish of you to barge in my territory, and come here alone" He said with a smile
I laughed which made him confused
"What so funny" He asked still smiling
"It's just funny that you still don't know who blew up your library, and lab a while back" I said
His eye widened as I felt bloodlust leaking from him
"That was you?!" He shouted
"I'll make sure to use you as an experiment" He continued still angry
"Calm down now old man getting angry won't be good for your health" I said
"No matter I could always learn new things" he said as he turned towards Cecilia
"Now what do you want?" He asked
"Pull back you army now from Dicathen, and disable your portals leading to Dicathen" I said
"And why would I have to do that?" He asked with a confident smile
"I don't usually blackmail people but well my options are limited" I said which made him confused
"Because one snap from my finger is all I need to end your little legacy" I continued
He made a barrier, a strong one that even I acknowledge. "I'd like to see you try" He said with a proud smile.
I sighed as I shook my head, and snapped my finger but I made it clear to the shadows to just scratch her. Nico shouted in anger at me as Agrona turned towards them and saw a black shadowy spear that appeared from Cecilia's shadow the spear scratched her cheek, dropping blood from the wound. He got angry as he released his pressure, and the other sovereigns came in ready to fight me.
"Come out" I said
They all paled as Antares formed beside me soon followed by Ash.
"Last chance if you don't want to see your weapon crippled in front of you" I said
"Remember one snap is all I need to end her mana core" I continued
I could see him tremble, as he bit his lower lips, his eyes filled with hate, and anger.
"Fine" He said
"Good choice" I said
"But what about the things on her" He asked
"Agrona your in no position to negotiate. But I won't have to touch her if you follow my terms" I said to him with a smile, and teleported away.
Agrona POV
"Damn it" I shouted as I threw a chair to the ground
"Get a way to get rid of those things inside her shadow" I screamed
"Yes high sovereign" Kiros said
He walked out bringing Cecilia, while being escorted by Nico, and Cadell.
"The rest of you tell the our army to get out of Dicathen" I said to the rest of the sovereigns
"Yes High Sovereign" The all knelt then left
"I can manage if I lose Dicathen but if something happens to the legacy It would take years to find a new vessel" I thought
"Damn that man" I said
Nico POV
As I saw a spear appeared under Cecilia I felt my heart beat faster as I was slowly angry. I shouted at him, but he ignored me, and continued his talk with Agrona using Cecilia as hostage. In the end Agrona agreed to his terms. Later me, Cadell, and Sovereign Kiros were going to the lab to try, and get rid of the thing attached to her shadow.
"It's ok Cecilia you'll be okay" I said
"Nico what was that I didn't even feel it's mana, not even now" She said when she said that I also didn't feel any mana present on her shadow
We arrived at the lab, and waited as the researchers checked her, but we only got report that there was nothing inside her shadow, or anywhere in her. They couldn't sense any mana besides her own mana. Even they were confused when we described what mana we felt from her shadow. We all agreed after seeing that man's mana the only words that seemed right was death, and destruction.
We let the researchers run more tests on Cecilia even though I was still not happy about this but knowing that she can die at any given moment I'm not taking any chances. The whole castle was in chaos for the rest of the day as researchers getting killed by Agrona, people running around moving stuff to the temporary lab.
Caera POV
We've spent around a week inside the frozen wasteland as we've collected the portal piece from the four hands, invisible bears, and shadow claw by friendly means. The Shadow Clan still allowing us to stay at their place until we can go home, while they share knowledge and that was including grey's knowledge on aether as much as I wanted to join in my mental strength wasn't enough to receive or share my memories.
I kept on practicing my swordsmanship, as the day finally came where Grey promised to spar with me, only swords no mana. We were separated at a few feet. I began to take a stance, while grey manifested a vibrant purple dagger? from thin air. As we stared at each other for a while waiting for the other to make a move Grey simply walked towards me his guard down, his dagger not ready.
Annoyed I charged at him in full speed. When I thought my blade hit him, he used the side of his blade to redirect my blade so it was beside Grey. I pulled back my sword, but grey grabbed my wrist, and pulled me. His dagger gone but his hand was still positioned like it was holding a dagger. His hand touched my stomach.
"That's 1 to zero" He said
I pulled back, and ready my sword again as Grey's dagger manifested again. I did a vertical slash towards his torso, but Grey easily deflected my blade knocking it behind my head, I pulled it back quickly to slash him again, but his hand was back in the same position as before, his dagger also not there
"2 to zero" He smiled
I kicked him back, and took a stance. I held my sword with both my hand as I charged towards him aiming for his neck he saw where I was aiming, but before I swung down I redirected my blade to his shoulder. He didn't expect this as he kicked me back. Making me lose balance.
"Almost got me" He said
I got back up to see him in front of me his hand now in the location my heart was his dagger was gone.
"3 to zero" He said
I was frustrated, and angry at this he didn't even take me seriously. I ready myself again as I looked him from the tip of his head to his feet looking for openings. I charged and thrust my sword towards his liver, but I backed up as soon as I saw his hand move, then charged again towards his right shoulder while his hand was still above his head, his eye widened but he parried my blade with another dagger with his left hand as he redirect my sword beside him.
I looked up to see the dagger in front of me.
"That's 4 to zero should we rest for now?" He asked
Those words made me frustrated, and embarrassed at myself not being able to land a single solid hit at him. I stood up asking for one last one
I took a different stance as I held my sword in front of me with both of my arms, the sword pointing up, I waited, and dashed towards grey my sword beside me close to my waist as I came towards Grey he thrusted a dagger towards my head, I waited for the last second, and dove down with my sword, and quickly raised it back up. aiming at his stomach. As my tip almost hit him Grey stepped to the side dodging it, I dropped my sword, and used my momentum to turn, and clench my fist as I aim it at his gut. The hit connected and I managed to knock Grey back.
"Well played 4 to 1" He said
Even though I was losing I still felt proud being able to hit him even with him limiting himself I still feel some kind of accomplishment brewing inside me as I smiled, I approached him and offered my hand. Grey took it, and I helped him get up, unexpectedly my body condition was bad, as I tripped back when I pulled him my hand still holding him making him fall towards me as I fell down the ground with Grey landing on top of me, our bodies touch, Greys cheek touched mine as my head was buried on his neck. I yelped, as I felt my face heat up. Grey quickly got up from me his face also a little red.
I got up my heart beating fast, thank Vritra three steps came in
"I think she's looking for you" I said pointing at three steps
"Huh oh yeah your right I'll get going" He replied as he walked towards three steps
"Weird I don't feel my heart throb again like last time" I asked myself
I continued on training by myself, and occasionally some of the shadow claw joined in to spar with me, until I did it my first form of communication with them. I could finally talk to them, well more like share memories with them. I told Grey about this, and he said
"Make sure to focus on the memories you want them to see or they'll know everything about you. If you can't control it then expect them to read you like a book a book" He said
I tried to sleep for an hour without any success, until I turned my head towards the meditating Grey, I stood up and observed his figure as I could see him squinting his eyes, his breath suddenly become ragged, as his chest contracted at a faster pace than normal. His sweat dripping, I called Regis, and Grey hoping anyone of them would answer but no answer, I took a few steps back as I kept watch worried if anything happens
Arthur POV
After the spar I had with Caera and remembering her training I can't stop thinking how similar she was with me as Grey in my past life minus my cold and heartless personality. I used to love the way of the sword honing it for hours a day and the same could be said to Caera as I watched her train all day ever since we arrived at the village and only stopping whenever a blizzard or storm was coming. As I entered my and Caera's hut Caera came to me telling me she succeeded on her first conversation with the shadow claw.
"Make sure to focus on the memories you want them to see or they'll know everything about you" I said as he went to my bed and started to meditate.
As I was meditating my destruction mana suddenly rage washed me, the mana replayed every horrible memories I had in my previous life, as I tried to fight it this time was different it felt like it wanted to take control, no more like it needed to take control of me. As I kept channeling aether to balance it out, and suppressing my emotions it was nearly fruitless as it kept rampaging wild inside me.
"This is an opportunity Jin-Woo gave me I'm for sure not letting this slip, if I managed to control this power I could save a lot of people later." I thought
But the mana said other wise
"Are you still seeking power, Pathetic. Or have you forgotten the road you've passed once to obtain power. The friends you cut of, the friend you murder in cold blood, just to become a king in the outside while in the inside it left you empty" A deep evil voice talked
"Shut the hell up" I growled
"Let's see, ah here's a good one. Let's start with the headmaster, in the end you had to kill the girl your dear headmaster entrusted you with for revenge" The voice said
"Next Nico, I'm sure you also knew that something shady was going on with your mentor, even after hearing Nico's warning you completely ignored him. If you had helped him maybe he didn't have to get captured and tortured to be used as a leash to control Cecilia, maybe they both could've had a decent live if it weren't for you seeking revenge" The voice said while laughing
"Face it you are a part of me, we both are strong when we have a goal, to pursue something we have to do anything we had to do. We have to kill, sacrifice, betray, and destroy anything and anyone precious to us. Just let me take control, and your worries will be there no longer, I can grant you power, I can grant you your desires to destroy your enemies" The voice said
"Get away from my head" I shouted
"For now you will reject me because you have yet to need me, we'll meet again in different circumstances, and I'll assure you that you will change your mind, especially if your desperate I'll see you again, but the next time I'm hoping that I'll meet GREY, and not ARTHUR. For I will always be inside you, I'll wait Arthur, I'll wait to see you slowly turn back into Grey as you destroy yourself and the people around you once again, and I'll see you come to me begging for power. " It said as I start to feel the mana calming down
I opened my eyes gasping for air, while sweat was showering my whole body, I looked around the room seeing Caera holding her sword ready to fight.
"I'm fine" I managed to say as I slowly lost conscious