The aqua-blue-haired girl, sprinted across the frozen tundra, her breath visible in the icy air. Her long coat billowed behind her, its fur-lined hood torn off, revealing her striking features. The biting wind whipped her hair into a frenzy as she fled, the strands dancing around her face like ethereal tendrils.
Behind her, some Glory Knights, pursued on horseback, their armor gleaming in the pale sunlight.
She darted between ice-encrusted boulders, her boots crunching on the frosty ground. She stumbled, her foot slipping on a hidden patch of ice. The knights gained ground, the horses metal hoves echoing through the desolate landscape. One of the Horsemen overtook and crossed her,his horse raising its forelegs causing her to step back.
As they surrounded her, Cassandra spun to face them, her eyes blazing with defiance. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the danger her gaze sweeping across the knights.
One of the knights got off his horse and moved toward her,his hand flashing out to slap her.Het head snapped to the side and she fell to the ground. The knight's gauntleted hand left a crimson mark on her pale skin.
"You're coming with us, Lady Cassandra," he growled.
Cassandra's gaze locked onto the knight's face.
"You're knights of the Order. Sworn to protect the the church as well as the people of Ezkanur. Why are you doing this?" Her voice trembled with indignation.
The knights chuckled, their laughter like a cold wind.
"We follow orders from a power higher than the Pope" said one man.
"We can do as we please." Said another.
One of them pushed her again then grabbed her cloak ripping it open , the sound of tearing fabric echoed through the silence.
"Orders were to kill you," The leader of the group said, his voice dripping with malice, "but we should at least have some... fun. Here your not under the protection of your Father."
As the knight descended upon her, Cassandra's eyes flashed with fear.She tried to struggle but she was being pinned down couldn't do anything. Suddenly, a sudden explosion of blood and gore erupted beside her. One of the knight's heads burst apart, splattering brains and bone fragments everywhere.
The remaining knights recoiled in alarm. Another knight fell, his body sliced open by an unseen force, his entrails spilling onto the snow. Soundlessly,his upper half fell of the rest of his body from the horse to the snow.
The knights pulled out their swords and spread out. They wondered if they were followed but on the snowy flatlands one could see everything in all directions with nothing blocking their vision. They looked around and saw nothing. Another man was sliced in half horizontal and a few seconds afterwards another man exploded.
Knights screamed as they died, their bodies torn apart by invisible hands. Cassandra watched in horror as the men surrounding her were slaughtered.
The leader of this band,the last man standing still clutched his sword with shaking hands. He looked down at Cassandra and dragged her to her feet. "Who's there?" he demanded, his eyes wild with fear.
Cassandra gathered arcana into her hand and raised her hand to his face releasing a flash of light , temporarily blinding him. She gutted his wrist with a swift motion, causing the blade to clatter to the ground. And pushed him away.
As stumbled back, clutching his face, his body began to swell. His armor creaked, his skin stretching to the point of bursting. A gruesome explosion followed, showering the surrounding area with blood and viscera.
Cassandra stood untouched amidst the carnage, her aqua-blue hair fluttering in the wind. She put her hands together and said a prayer for the deceased.She then picked up one of the knight's cloaks and, on second thought,a dagger. wrapping it around her shoulders. She climbed one of the horses and rode with determination toward the distant port of Ezkanur with the sum of getting a ship to Archadia.
A single golden feather fell into a pool of blood she left behind.
"So,Why am I part of your experiment?" Did asked as he lay strapped down to an operating bed.
" I need to test out a theory on the flow of Arcana in different species and your elven blood is the perfect sample. As they say , opportunity comes but once" Oslon said.
" Yeah but why me?" Did asked.
" Well you happen to be the closest elf around. Plus it's not common to see an elf just casually walking around. Ok except that one." He said remembering Lin.
" Which one?" Sid asked.
" Never mind." Oslon said bringing a tray with a variety of scales and scissors and placing them beside Sid.
Sid stared at them for a moment then broke free from his restraints and got off the bed.
" Where are you going?" Oslon asked disappointed.
" I came to hear about Faust but to be a guinea pig in your experiment. He said raising his hand. The sand rose up and began to spiral in front of him creating a portal.
"Alright. How about a few drops of blood for the story?" Olson pleaded.
"Okay." Sid said.
Oslon began is tale as he made a small cut on Side thumb and drew some blood. The then went to a set of test tubes and equipment and began to work while Sid sat on the bed with his legs folded.
"Faust Teufel," Oslon began as he worked.
" A brilliant scholar but a sickler, he'd always been driven by an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Growing up, he was inseparable from his childhood friend, Elizabeth. Their bond deepened as they explored the mysteries of the world together, sharing dreams of unlocking secrets hidden within ancient tomes.
As they grew older, Faust's feelings for Elizabeth evolved into romance. He mustered the courage to propose, but she rejected him, citing their friendship as too precious to risk. Though heartbroken, Faust accepted her decision, and they remained close. They however separated to follow different paths in life.
Years passed, with Faust delving deeper into the mysteries of the arcane.He met up with his friend once more after years. Turned out they both had returned and lived in their hometown with Faust returning only recently.
One fateful evening, she visited him, and they reminisced about their past. Faust shared his latest discovery – a secret ritual to summon an ancient demon. He took this opportunity to reprofess his love for her once more but was again rejected since she was now a married woman.Elizabeth's marriage to another man only fueled Faust's despair and he buried himself in books. He fell ill,his condition worsening by the day but he still refused to rest.
Elizabeth once again visited him after a while,concerned for her friends health.
Faust dismissed her concerns, convinced that his research would unlock the secrets of life and death.
In a moment of weakness, Faust's longing and desire for Elizabeth overwhelmed him. He tried to force himself upon her, and in the struggle, she struck her head against the wall and died.
Consumed by grief and guilt, Faust turned to the dark ritual. He spent weeks preparing the incantations, gathering rare materials, and studying the ancient texts. Finally, the night arrived to summon Mephisto, a powerful demon.
As the ritual began, the air thickened with anticipation. Faust called out to Mephisto, invoking the demon's true name, Asmodeus. The room trembled, and a dark presence coalesced before him.
Mephisto sneered, sensing Faust's desperation. "You seek to resurrect the dead, mortal? Very well, I shall grant your wish... at a price. Give your soul in exchange for hers and get life shall be granted back"
However, Faust's vast knowledge allowed him to see through the demon's plan to consume both their souls. He recognized the hidden clauses, the fine print that would damn his soul. Faust uttered Mephisto's true name , using his own body as a point of contact to bind him within a locket with a picture of his beloved."
Oslon finished his experiment and raised a small glass containing a green substance that sparkled in the dim light.
"Now, as an apostle,with vast knowledge and the power of a celestial being, Faust seeks to resurrect Elizabeth. Why else do you think he messes with corpses ,the dead and decaying ?"
" That's a truly tragic story. Kinda like the ones they play at the national theater back home." Sid said casually.
" But how do you know all this though?" He asked.
" Because I was there when it happened 86 years ago. I helped Faust silence Elizabeth's husband's family as well as preserve her body. You want to know why? Because it's fun"Oslon said with a maniacal laugh that sent chills down Sids spine.
Astelsea, who had listened in from the back of the door entered the room at that point. The atmosphere shifted and Oslon regained his composure.
" Oh hey there." Oslon said excitedly waving at her.
" Your brother was just helping me with a few things."he said with an innocent smile.
" Lets go Sid." Astelsea said without paying Oslon no heed. Even though she didn't show it,she loved her brother and couldn't barely die him to stay another minute in the same room as that psychopath. She took his hand and pulled him out of the room and into a teleportation circle. Oslon waved with a smiled as the vanished. He stopped waving and opened his eyes,a sinister look on his face.