Arcani 25th, 1451. Sanctum Magistus.
The four of us kneeled before the Goddess as she greeted us. Ophelia even began a prayer as she prostrated herself before the deity. "Lady Mana, it is a pleasure to see you as always," I said.
"You as well my disciple. But you know you needn't kneel before me."
"You are my teacher, I at least owe you that respect."
"Fair enough..." The Goddess rose from her throne and approached us. As she took her first step it'd been like the world stopped for an instant as it only took her one step to reach us. Using magic so powerful and as carefree as she did was something I had to get used to. I tapped the twins on their shoulders, beckoning them to rise with me.
"These two are the Miura twins, Shigeru and Shizuka. They were the children of a very dear friend of my Father."
Although Geru was doing all of that boasting in the carriage he was frozen stiff. Many would be in the presence of a deity, which made me think about how they would feel when they knew.
"I-It's a pleasure to meet you... L-Lady Mana," Zuka said which shocked even me.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well," Lady Mana smiled, "My what beautiful red markings you have. Coupled with your short hair you have the makings of a warrior."
A tinge of blue began to seep through the visage of her light-purple skin. She hid her face in her hands and began to back away towards the door while muttering "T-T-Thank you..."
The Goddess turned to Geru who'd somehow stiffened up more when she did. "You both are fascinating... I'd never really seen twins of the Elven Tribe. Much less between a Solar and Lunar Elf. Though I have heard tales of Miura Goro and his boundless might. I'm glad to see a reflection of his younger days in his son."
That compliment may have caused the biggest smile I'd ever seen on Geru. The man practically looked as though he'd just fallen in love. He'd suddenly gotten on one knee and took her hand. "I don't know if it is possible... But I'd love your hand in marriage."
"Not if you want my attendants to flog you through every street of Rigel," she answered.
Looking to Ophelia who by this point finished her prayer, she'd gripped her mace fully prepared to possibly bludgeon Geru with it repeatedly. I'm sure if the Goddess wasn't present I'd have had to cast Arcane Chains on her too until she settled down.
"Lady Mana, I hope you could forgive our intrusion this late in the night," I said, "but considering that I'm eighteen now. I think it's best to begin our "secret project."
The Goddess's smile faded, taking her hand from Geru she turned around and prepared herself to speak. When she turned back to us she beckoned Ophelia to stand.
"Alright... Then it's best if we begin as soon as possible. When is the soonest you can return?"
"Dawn... I at least wish to retrieve my maidservant and say goodbye to Rory first."
"If you don't mind me asking Ragi," Geru cut in. "What are you both going on about?"
I looked to the Goddess first. As worried as she looked she'd given me the okay now. I then took my place by Lady Mana's side and removed my spectacles.
"There's something I need to tell you all. Something that I didn't even know until Lady Mana told me six years ago."
I was about to lay everything I knew bare for all of my friends to see. The very secret that I'd been trying to keep for years. One that if it'd gotten out sooner than now, could've endangered everyone I cared for.
That was until the ground beneath us began to shake.
"What was that!?" Ophelia said.
"I've no idea... There shouldn't be anything going on tonight," said Lady Mana. She then rushed to her throne and blue magical runes and lettering began to appear all around her. Then suddenly the entrance to the inner sanctum opened and Sister Olivia quickly ducked inside. The door shut back and a loud clang echoed through the room.
Sister Olivia leaned against the door, her sword in hand blood running down her head. She'd been holding her side and the armor that should've been there was cracked open exposing her abdomen.
"Sister Olivia! What's going on!?" I asked.
"Lady Mana... You must take the children to Lagrange!"
Lady Mana's eyes widened and something inside me screamed at me to be very afraid. "Guys! Quickly... To the Goddess!"
"But Ragi! Sister Olivia is hurt," Ophelia said.
Geru grabbed Ophelia and began pulling her back past me. "Ophelia I understand your concern but now isn't the time!"
"No! Wait... I can heal her!"
Ophelia tried to fight off Geru as he and Zuka quickly retreated to the Goddess until the door suddenly quaked. It's been struck from the other side with considerable force. Sister Olivia ended up being knocked to the ground. Helping her at least to her feet I drew Setesh.
"N-No child... You must retreat to the Goddess as well... This is a foe you cannot defeat."
A loud boom broke through the door, then the sounds of the attendants bellowing in rage before being silenced one after the other. Sister Oliva stood in between me and the door, her sword ready to strike whoever was behind it.
A second later, another sound bled through the door, followed by a harsh thump against the door. As the doors opened our assailant became apparent or so I thought.
Lord Auberon was now standing before us, sword in hand. Whomever the assailant was they were in trouble now. There's no one alive that could probably take him on in a fight. But the strangest part was the fact he was even here.
"Lord Auberon!? I don't know how you got here but thank the Gods"
I wanted to greet my Master as he arrive but as I went to take a step forward, Sister Olivia raised her hand to my chest.
"Sister what are you-"
"Ragi... He is our foe."
That couldn't be right. Lord Auberon was our friend, my teacher, and above all a hero. What in the world could he possibly gain from storming this place?
"Come now Auntie, this is nonsense. Our enemy may have some form of illusion magic-"
Before I could go on she pushed me back and raised her blade as Lord Auberon brought his down on top of her. The two swords produced a loud scrapping sound before the two fighters backed off from one another.
I couldn't fathom what was happening before my eyes. What form of madness was I or even everyone else succumb to?
I tried to find any difference between the real Auberon and this supposed fake just to see if I could make sense of what was going on, but I couldn't find a single thing. He wielded his gargantuan blade with a single hand signifying his terrifying might and his restraint. He was full of openings as well though that was a ploy to lure in his opponent.
Sister Olivia held her sword level with her chest but her injuries seemed to be affecting her as her hands seemed to be shaking. Meanwhile, Auberon looked as though he'd barely broken a sweat. The larger Daemon inhaled his shoulders rising as the air filled his lungs. Then he let out the most bored and exasperated sigh ud ever heard.
"Ugh... Gus... How could you leave me in a world with such weaklings..."
Those were the first words he'd spoken all night. The sadness he'd spoken of was unlike anything I'd ever heard. He then looked to Sister Olivia and raised his blade.
"Though I will commend some among them. Such bravery... Such loyalty... It's a shame to have to kill one that possesses so much... I'll at least kill you with my full strength to show respect."
He then gripped his sword in both hands, holding the blade above his head. There was a single instant of silence before the two charged each other. With Sister Olivia striking from below and Lord Auberon swinging with all his might. His ebon blade snapped Olivia's in twain and carved into her armor and flesh like cake. As the sister fell to her knees she seemed to utter something in her dying breath.
"Avenge... Us..."
As her body collapsed to the ground a puddle of red began to form around her lifeless body. There I stood, helpless to the killing that just took place.
Lord Auberon swung his blade again splattering Sister Olivia's blood on the ground. "What a waste..." He said.
I couldn't make any more excuses for the monster that stood before me now. He'd just slain Sister Olivia in front of us all. Now the only thing that stood between my friends, Lady Mana, and freedom was him.
"What... What would possess you to do this?"
Lord Auberon looked at me as he readied his blade once more. "My duty... I am the Demigod of Destruction. My only function in this life is to keep the forces of darkness at bay. Isn't that right... Ragnakhet..."
He knew, somehow he knew I was Ragnakhet. How in the world could he have known? I never told anyone and the only mortals who knew are all dead. Not even Mother knew who I was.
"It's a good thing I had you followed. I never expected one of the Gods to aid you. Well... Now that I've found you. I'll be cutting off each of your limbs. Then I'll take my time killing every one of your friends as you watch. It's nothing, personal lad... But those who know of my actions here will die tonight. Just like your Father had to."
Just like Father? What was he talking about? There was no way he could've... A memory flashed in my mind. My Father's death from sickness. My Father died from a sickness that's what was supposed to be the truth.
"Auberon... What did you do..."
The Daemon stopped. He then stabbed his sword into the ground and removed his helm. Looking right into my eyes his expression became a twisted fusion of glee mixed with a prideful smile. "That's the thing about me being a Demigod of Destruction. Any wound inflicted by me is fatal. It cannot feel... So a minor poison can be deadly."
Poison? When would Auberon have any time to give my Father poison? But I needn't ask, because that last sentence gave me every answer I've had until now.
"You knew... Even before Lady Mana did... You knew the moment you met me?
Auberon placed his helm back on his head and withdrew his sword from the ground. "Precisely... No Imp has golden eyes... Only Gods possess eyes as golden as yours... Now as much as I'd like to monologue my diabolical plot, the longer these witnesses behind you draw breath the more risk I take... So..."
Auberon began to slowly approach me as he readied his sword once more. But all I could focus on was Sister Olivia's lifeless body. The rage, the anguish, all of it was building up inside me. I needed power. I needed enough power to save my friends and bury Auberon if possible.
Drawing magic from the ring I began to enchant Setesh with all manner of spells. Strength, Vorpal, anything I could use n my fight against Auberon. No, what I had in the ring wouldn't be enough I needed more.
"Child... Draw upon it... Draw upon the source of your might..."
The voice... It made its unwelcome return. I tried looking for this source it talked and what I found was rather ghastly. A dark aura began to ooze from Sister Olivia's body now and I reached out toward it. But I was too late as Auberon had gotten close enough to strike. Grabbing my wrist he raised his sword and swung once more now cutting into my chest. The pain began to spew like molten lava all over my torso and in a reflexive instant I pointed the tip of my sword to the ground.
"Elemental Magic: Explosion!"
A small ball of flame spat out of the sword's tip and suddenly expanded in a violent flash of orange. The explosion threw us back in both directions. While I'd toppled over towards the throne, Auberon ended up being pushed through the door. A loud ringing buzzed through my ears as I tried to retain my consciousness. I managed to get on all fours when I noticed I'd been dripping a strange golden liquid.
"Ragi! Ragi!" I could hear the ringing begin to die down. "You have to get up! He's coming again and I don't know if we can hold him off!"
As I finally looked to see Ophelia shaking me awake she also had her hand on my chest. It glowed a bright green hue. She was trying to heal me. But for some reason, the pain remained and even started to get worse as she kept going.
When I turned in Lord Auberon's direction, I could see Geru standing in front of us now with golden magic circles floating all around him. As one flashed a golden weapon would shoot at Auberon. The warrior didn't seem impaired by the explosion as he swatted away the weapons breaking each one as he did.
"Lady Mana! You have to get us out of here!" Ophelia begged.
"I know just hold him off for a minute longer."
"Child... Hurry before your friends die. Use your power. You've drawn it."
Looking at my right hand I noticed that there were now black markings that began to grow on my arms. When I looked for my weapons I found Setesh on the floor beside me. Looking for Father's staff I couldn't find it until I noticed it lying in the middle of the floor broken in half.
Father's staff, his most treasured possession was now broken. It was broken by Auberon the same man who'd killed Sister Olivia. The same bastard that killed my Father. Even if I was nothing but ash I felt as though even that wouldn't stop me from at least trying to kill him.
I tried returning to my feet but Ophelia kept me down. "No! I haven't finished healing you yet. You've got to stay still."
"I can't Ophelia... I have to..." As I looked at Ophelia I noticed the same black markings were now spreading to her. It was amazing she hadn't noticed it. She pressed her hand against my chest applying more magic but all I felt was excruciating pain.
"Ophelia... Stop... Something's wrong!"
She'd taken her hand off my chest and then finally took notice of the markings. Her eyes widened as she looked at me. "Malefic Magic? B-But I'm not using it."
"She just isn't aware of it yet... You must get up child... Before you all are killed."
That's right, any moment now Geru can be overwhelmed and killed by Auberon. "Ophelia... Zuka help me up."
"No you're way too injured to fight," Ophelia protested.
Zuka came down to my side. "There's no time to argue just help him!"
As Zuka and Ophelia helped me to my feet the black markings began to make their way to Zuka as well. She groaned a bit almost losing her balance before pushing herself upward. "Magtsuhi... No!"
Geru turned back to see his sister slowly becoming infected with the black markings. "Dammit! Not again!"
"Where are you looking Elf." Auberon bellowed as he snatched one of Geru's spears from the air and threw it back at him.
Reaching out my hand I cast Arcane Barrier and the ethereal weapon crashed into the wall of magic.
"Zuka... I don't know how long I can hold him off. But I'll need you and Geru to create a Phalanx around you all and Lady Mana."
"What good will that do?" Ophelia asked.
"It will buy us time!"
Ophelia gritted her teeth and smacked me as hard as she could. "You idiot you'll die!"
I'd have been angry at her sudden outburst if that had hurt. Strangely enough, it felt good. There were a lot of questions I had that likely would be answered later but I suddenly felt rejuvenated. I'd been able to stand on my own now and from what I could see I'd become shrouded in purple light. The bleeding from my wound stopped and it began to close up somewhat. The ground beneath me cracked from some unknown force.
Ophelia and I could only stare at each other in bewilderment. "Whatever you did Ophy I thank you. Try and protect yourselves as best as you can. I'll hold off Auberon."
"Enhancement Magic: Perception Acceleration!"
The world began to slow all around me. Ophelia appeared to say something but it was a bit indiscernible by the way I perceived it.
"Alright voice... What next?"
"Focus the Malefic Magic you've captured into your core. Let it transform your body."
The black markings on my arm began to spread all over my body now, glowing a slight purple as they did. Two magic sigils taking the form of black wings took shape on both sides of me and my limbs began to transform into something near Draconic in nature. I even felt something in my lower back suddenly sprout out and as it grew bigger it swayed into my vision. A Dragon's tail, was not at all what I expected. If I could see myself now then I'd more than likely look like a Demi-God
"Alright... This won't last forever. You have enough strength to occupy him."
"In case we don't do that?"
"Then we use the failsafe... But prepare for the fight for your life."