Hexagon was the Black Company's notorious prison. The Black Company, known for their ruthless tactics and insatiable thirst for power, had constructed Hexagon around the corpse of an ancient Anima. This colossal structure encased its heart, the source of magicore that fueled the company's ambitions.
As the years passed, Hexagon grew in size and darkness. The prisoners held within its walls were forced into labor as miners, extracting the precious magicore with bare minimum tools and no existent safety.
Each day, they were exposed to danger ruthlessly, slowly losing their mind. Soon, they turned into monsters that attack everyone inside, an Anima that were hunted by The Company for their precious Magicore. This vicious cycle was known as The Blossoming, the concept that was created by Kiara Megistus the Inventor.
Such a cruel method...
"We're here," Bianca lead me into a deserted mine devoid of any light. There I could hear voices arguing behind the hidden door, masked with illusion magic.
"Lady Lumina, it's too dangerous."
As I walked into the chamber, I found two faces dimly lit with a candle. They were as pale as ghosts, believing that The Company minion had found them, but quickly one of them rushed to choke me. As ferocious as ever, Denova the Werebear looked at me with disdain mixed with fear.
His growl reverberated through the chamber, filled with the desperation of a wounded predator. "The Blood Witch...! Are you here to make us suffer more? I won't let you!" he snarled, his grip tightening.
Suddenly Bianca stood by me and scolded the bear. She scolded the ferocious bear. "Stop there, Denova. Release her!"
"B-Bian? B-but why?" Denova stammered, confusion and anger wrestling within him. "She's the one who ruined our plan. If only she didn't kill the dragon, the children should be safe in Pei Jin by now!"
"She kept her word, while we didn't. We selfishly sent those children believing our method was better," Bianca argued, gazing at Denova fiercely. "But after what happened, do you understand? She is trustworthy."
Tension filled the air as Denova's grip tightened around my throat. I struggled to breathe, gasping for the little breath I could. Through the suffocating grasp, I managed to utter fragmented words, my voice strained and choked.
"I... more... useful... alive..."
Reluctant, Denova finally released me. I fell to my knees, gasping for air as I clutched my bruised throat. As Kiara sealed my Divinity, now Death became a real threat to me. My hands trembled as I coughed, the harsh reality sinking in that after thousands of years, the thought of dying had never been this terrifying.
"What do you mean...? I told you, right, I told you to give the pills to everyone. You promise me!" I managed to rasp, my voice still strained and weak. Slowly, I mustered the strength to rise to my feet.
Denova's reply was cold, laced with skepticism and bitterness. "If you were in our position, would you truly believe a single word from a demon who could wield power over us like mere playthings?"
"Demons don't break promises like humans do," I replied.
His words stung, cutting deep into my already wounded soul. I felt a surge of frustration and anger welling up inside me, but Bianca's stern scolding stopped the brewing conflict.
"Denova," Bianca said, her eyes filled with disappointment.
Denova let out a long sigh, "It all seemed too good to be true," he admitted with a tinge of remorse. "That's why we only gave half of the children the pills, attempting to smuggle the rest underground, hoping to protect them."
Denova's regret was palpable, his voice filled with the agony of hindsight. "But it never crossed our minds that Pater was ten steps ahead of us. He knew our every move, and he ruthlessly ambushed us, leaving no survivors in his wake. The next day, he even attacked the Orphanage. Even though he was trapped and his power sealed, he defeated Bian with ease. We were foolish, believing we could save everyone, yet we were the ones who sent them to their doom!"
Oh, they still didn't realize that the one who beat Bianca was me?
"In the end, the only survivor is the one who took your pills," Denova continued reluctantly.
I listened in silence, my mind racing with a mix of guilt and anger. Guilt for not being able to convince them to trust me completely, and anger towards Pater and the Black Company for their ruthless actions. The lives of innocent children had been lost, their weight of life burdened my guilt.
How could I face my daughter if I couldn't save the innocent?
Bianca's voice, tinged with sadness, broke the heavy silence. "Our decisions indeed led to a grave outcome, but we must not lose hope. We still have a chance to save what we have left. These children need our help, and to save them, we need the Blood Witch's power."
Denova clenched his fists, "You're right, Bian," he admitted, his voice laced with remorse. "Sorry, I allowed my emotions to cloud my judgment."
Bianca gracefully leaped onto Denova's shoulder, perching there with a sense of comfort, "It also means you're an honest man, Denova. That's why, I married you."
Wait, what? M-Married? S-So Bianca was this huge bear's wife? B-But how was that supposed to work? A fairy and a bear? U-ugh, my head hurt thinking about it. Alright, I gave up. Acceptance was the only path forward.
Regaining my focus, I asked, "So, you need my power, which means you have a plan in mind?"
Suddenly, someone cleared her throat and approach us. She was a maid with unkept hair and obvious eye bags. Her sickly appearance made her look frail, especially with the bandage all over her body. I think she looked more like a zombie rather than a human. Despite her worn-out demeanor, there was a spark of determination in her eyes that caught my attention. But then, I noticed the flowery tattoo on her neck resembled mine. Was she a Greyhound? No, there was something amiss. Her tattoo... had a different color than mine.
"Hey, lovebirds, are you done?" she brazenly interrupted our conversation, her voice laced with a sense of urgency and impatience.
Bianca stumbled over her words, flustered by the abrupt interruption, "O-oh, yeah, Right. Um, Lady Lumina, the one in front of you is the famous Blood Witch," she replied.
Lumina, with an air of aloofness and a piercing gaze, examined me from head to toe. "I don't believe she's strong enough," she remarked, her voice filled with skepticism. "Look at those thin hands. I bet she's never lifted a weight in her life. Her dimwitted smile reveals a lack of grace and wisdom. And those eyes," she said, clearly mocking me, but then abruptly stopped.
"Huh, those eyes... they belong to a great sinner. The one who brought all hope to an ultimate end. A murderer of dreams. You are not from this world, are you?" Lumina's sharp observation caught me off guard as if she could see through the very depths of my soul.
Taking a deep breath, I made a decision. I revealed the markings on my eyes, and I admitted, "Yes, I am The Devil. One who everlastingly guard the Ideal White."
Yet Lumina was calm, "Ah, so the Cowardly Devil herself has descended to this world," she sighed as if my true identity was no surprise to her.
"C-Coward?" I stammered, taken aback by her blunt words. "Hey, I was guarding The Ideal White from the greed of humanity."
Lumina, unyielding in her stance, retorted with biting sarcasm, "And in doing so, you left the world to ruin. It reeks of cowardice to me."
"T-that's!"
I-I can't deny that. It's true. If killing the Heroes meant shattering their dream of salvation, then I had played a part in the destruction of this world. I was the greatest coward of all, afraid to face the possibility of change.
Seeing my internal struggle, Lumina sighed, her tone softening slightly. "At the very least, give us a name, not just a title. I don't want to work with a nobody."
Her words struck a chord within me. I clenched my fist. Back then, I was lying to everyone, hiding my identity in clouds of lies. And what had it gotten me? No one believed in me. I was betrayed and sent to Hexagon. I couldn't save all the children and led them to misery. That's why this time, I will tell them the truth.
"My name is... Celliana Diamanda Adonis Shionne Lyrica Melodina Tiulle Chyrsanthemis Arise Himeko Ull As Khamer Hadian Sylvana Ultimate Destiny—" I began, only to be interrupted by Lumina's bewildered reaction.
"Wait, wait, wait, is that a magic spell?" Lumina exclaimed, her surprise evident. Bianca and Denova shared the same wide-eyed expression.
Frustrated by the absurdity of my name, I scratched my head and tried to simplify it. "In short, just call me Cellia Vanadis."
Lumina's eyes widened, realization dawning upon her. "The Goddess of Eternity...?" she murmured, her voice tinged with intrigue. "If this were ten years ago, I would have laughed and called you crazy. But after my student betrayed me, there's little that can surprise me anymore," she confessed, a glimmer of nostalgia in her smile.
Her expression softened as she smiled and asked for my hand,
"My name is Lumina Stellaris Noctis, The Previous Divine Punisher."
My eyes widened, "What, you mean Arthur betrayed you?" I took her hand with a question.
Lumina nodded, "Your eyes telling me you are quite fond of this boy, am I right? But as you can see, this world has been corrupted with lies and deceits. For example," the girl gripped my hand tightly,
"Pater is not the true leader of the White Order. It should have been me."
...!
A chill ran down my spine as I released Lumina's hand, sensing a deep-rooted bloodlust behind her words. This was no ordinary grudge; it was a profound hatred. Just like me in the past, Lumina despised the gods with every fiber of her being. But how was that possible? There should be no gods left aside from me.
Then, Denova's earlier words echoed in my mind—Pater defeated Bianca, even with his powers sealed. It should have been me, sealed inside the Snak Marrow trap. Wait... That can't be? Pater was a god?
"Well, that's the past. Now, my objective is to save all of The Order from the Black Company's evil clutch. It's clear to me that you care deeply for the children and are driven to protect them. Our interests are aligned," Lumina said with determination in her eyes,
"Shall we discuss our plan, Cellia?"