Volume 1: prologue
Chapter 9: A failure
As Suzaku charged towards the giant cognivore, his voice echoed with a mix of sorrow and fury. "I'll protect this kingdom! No matter what!" he cried out, the discarded knight's sword gleaming in his hand.
Suko, Tachi, and Alicia, still reeling from the trauma, watched in both awe and fear. Suko whispered, "Can he really do this?" while Tachi, gripping his fists, muttered, "Make them pay."
Alicia, her eyes glistening with tears, shouted, "Suzaku, be careful!" Her voice carried a plea and a flicker of hope.
Meanwhile, Suzaku's father, who had led the children to safety, whispered words of reassurance to them. "Stay safe, my kids. Suzaku is strong, he'll make it through."
As Suzaku closed in on the colossal cognivore, he unleashed another defiant roar. "You took my mother, but you won't take this kingdom!" His words, a vow etched in steel, resonated through the desolation.
The giant cognivore, sensing the ferocity in Suzaku's spirit, turned to face its unexpected challenger. In the eerie stillness that followed, Suzaku's father spoke quietly to Suko, Tachi, and Alicia. "We must believe in him. Our kingdom's hope rests on his shoulders now."
Suko, clenching his fists with determination, added, "He's not alone. We'll fight together."
Tachi, wiping away his tears, nodded. "For Alzeria."
Alicia, gazing at the unfolding scene, whispered with unwavering faith, "Suzaku, you can do it."
The battlefield became a canvas of emotions anguish, determination, and the indomitable will to protect. In the face of unspeakable tragedy, Suzaku's defiant charge became a symbol of resistance, a beacon of hope flickering in the heart of darkness.
"Those who weep and delude themselves into thinking they can conquer all are nothing but resounding failures, mere echoes of their own misguided aspirations."
Suzaku, fueled by determination, prepared to strike down the colossal cognivore. However, before his blade could find its mark, the giant creature inexplicably exploded. Suzaku found himself drenched in its blood, disoriented and confused.
As the crimson liquid painted the ruins of Alzeria, a sinister circle, pulsating with a menacing aura, emerged from the remains of the giant cognivore. Suzaku, still clutching his sword, watched in bewilderment as the ominous circle darted towards a figure – the embodiment of malevolence, the Demon Lord.
In a swift and calculated motion, Suzaku raised his sword, aiming it at the sinister presence before him. Yet, an unseen force overcame him, forcing him to kneel. A surge of overwhelming fear gripped Suzaku, rendering him powerless.
The Demon Lord, now in possession of the mysterious circle, spoke with a voice that echoed through the desolation. "Those who merely shed tears while foolishly convincing themselves of invincibility are nothing but hollow echoes, destined to crumble beneath the weight of their misguided confidence."
In a cruel twist of fate, the Demon Lord halted time itself, casting an eerie stillness over the desolate kingdom. Suzaku, now frozen in his futile attempts to protect his loved ones, faced the malevolent presence that seemed to revel in his powerlessness.
The Demon Lord, with a sadistic grin, seized Suzaku's head and flung him near his motionless friends and father. His taunting words echoed through the silent void, "You said you can protect them." Suzaku, gripped by fear, summoned a momentary burst of bravery and stammered, "I-I'll defeat you, evil monsters!"
However, the Demon Lord, unaffected by Suzaku's feeble defiance, unleashed a devastating attack. A small circle shot through Suzaku's father, its explosive impact traumatizing Suzaku. The Demon Lord, reveling in Suzaku's despair, declared, "You failed to protect two people already."
With desperation in his voice, Suzaku pleaded, "P-please, s-stop." The Demon Lord, dismissive of Suzaku's pleas, coldly pronounced, "You are weak," as he prepared to unleash a deadly assault on Suzaku's defenseless friends.
Summoning an inexplicable power, Suzaku instinctively wielded wind magic, surprising even himself. The Demon Lord, momentarily halting his attack, discerned the source, "This ability... is from your father, right?" Suzaku, bewildered but determined, attempted to use his newfound powers against the Demon Lord, only to realize their ineffectiveness.
The malevolent force intensified its cruelty. The Demon Lord, breaking the time stop, toppled a towering structure over Suzaku's friends. With swift determination, Suzaku harnessed his wind magic to save them, but tragedy struck. A shard of the falling debris pierced Tachi's heart, leaving Suzaku shattered and realizing the irreparable loss.
As chaos unfolded, Alicia and Suko awoke, oblivious to the horrors transpiring around them. Desperation etched on his face, Suzaku, bearing the weight of his friends' lives, tried to flee. The Demon Lord, relentless, shot Suzaku's leg, forcing him to the ground. The onslaught continued as the Demon Lord attacked, claiming Suko and Alicia lives.
Traumatized but resolute, Suzaku tapped into the elemental abilities of his fallen friends – wind from his father, lightning from Alicia, fire from Tachi, and ice from Suko. The Demon Lord, amused by Suzaku's newfound power, revealed the horrifying truth: "You can absorb other people's abilities after they die. Isn't that magnificent?!"
As Suzaku, burdened by grief and determination, tapped into the elemental abilities of his fallen friends, the battlefield became a tumultuous symphony of wind, lightning, fire, and ice. The air crackled with an otherworldly energy as Suzaku, now a vessel of his friends' essences, faced the malevolent force of the Demon Lord.
The wind, swirling around Suzaku, carried the echoes of his father's guidance and the sorrow of their shared losses. The lightning, coursing through his veins, mirrored Alicia's fierce spirit and the electric charge of her untold stories. Fire danced at Suzaku's fingertips, fueled by the fiery essence of Tachi, a reminder of their shared dreams and the warmth of camaraderie. Ice, chilling the air, emanated from Suko's essence, an embodiment of his playful banter and the cool resilience that once defined their friendship.
The Demon Lord, amused by Suzaku's transformation, observed with a sinister glee. "You can absorb other people's abilities after they die. Isn't that magnificent?!" he taunted, reveling in the unfolding tragedy.
Undeterred by the malevolent presence, Suzaku channeled the amalgamation of elemental powers with newfound resolve. The wind whipped around him, creating a protective barrier against the Demon Lord's dark aura. Lightning crackled in retaliation, striking the malevolent force with a surge of raw energy.
The flames of Tachi's essence roared to life, engulfing Suzaku's blade as he swung it with unbridled determination. The fire surged towards the Demon Lord, a manifestation of Tachi's fiery spirit seeking retribution for the lives taken.
Suko's icy essence manifested as frosty tendrils, encasing Suzaku's surroundings. The ice formed intricate patterns, a tribute to Suko's playful nature, and sought to freeze the malevolent presence that loomed over them.
Yet, amidst the chaotic dance of elements, the Demon Lord remained unscathed. His sinister laughter echoed through the battlefield as he effortlessly countered each manifestation of Suzaku's friends' powers. The malevolent force, relishing in Suzaku's struggles, declared, "Your friends' abilities are nothing compared to the darkness within me."
Determined to defy the impending doom, Suzaku, now an embodiment of the elements, unleashed a torrential combination of wind, lightning, fire, and ice. The battlefield erupted into a dazzling display of elemental prowess, a last stand against the encroaching darkness.
As the clash reached its crescendo, Suzaku, fueled by grief and the collective strength of his fallen friends, delivered a resounding blow. The elemental onslaught struck the Demon Lord, momentarily shrouding him in a blinding radiance.
In that fleeting moment of brilliance, Suzaku felt a surge of connection with his friends, as if their spirits were guiding his actions. The winds whispered words of encouragement, lightning crackled with resilience, fire roared with unwavering determination, and ice glistened with the memories of camaraderie.
However, the blinding radiance subsided, revealing an unscathed Demon Lord. Suzaku, now drained and battered, stood alone against the malevolent force that seemed impervious to their combined elemental might.
The Demon Lord, with a sinister smile, mocked, "Your futile attempts only strengthen me. Your friends' abilities are nothing compared to mine. Do you still think you can protect anything, Suzaku?"
As despair threatened to consume him, Suzaku, battered but unbroken, whispered a solemn vow. "Even if I stand alone, I won't let your darkness take over this kingdom. I'll find a way to stop you."
End of chapter 9