The soft voice rang out again, this time with a sense of urgency. "Spectrum Shower!" As the words echoed through the air, two dazzling orbs of magic appeared above the Holy Kingdom troops, pulsing with vibrant and ever-changing colours. The orbs unleashed powerful laser beams in all directions, quickly obliterating the elite horde of monsters that threatened their kingdom. The light from the lasers illuminated the dark battlefield, casting shadows on the trees and revealing the sharp teeth and claws of their enemies. The soldiers cheered as they watched the magical display, feeling a surge of hope and determination wash over them. And as the last of the monsters fell to the ground, the glowing orbs dissipated, leaving only a faint shimmer in the air.
As the figure of a small man appeared, holding a wand and wearing a unique blindfold, Jake's face lit up with joy.
"Royal Sorcerer Narsillia!" he exclaimed, the relief in his voice palpable. The troops around him cheered loudly, grateful that their long-awaited ally had finally arrived.
But amidst all the excitement, Gariel remained calm and collected, his back to them as he gazed ahead. "I will not forgive you if any of the troops die, Prince Terramai," he said sternly.
Jake and his comrades gulped nervously at the royal wizard's words directed at their war leader. It was clear that something was wrong between them, and that Prince Terramai was in a particularly bad mood.
"I didn't ask for your help, Narsillia. I can handle this myself," Rupert replied sharply, drawing his sword and preparing to attack Loriel.
But before he could make a move, Gariel swung his wand at Rupert's body with great force. With a loud thud, Rupert fell hard to the ground, leaving the troops in shock and confusion. They looked to each other for answers, unsure of what had happened between their leaders.
Jake carefully helped Prince Rupert to his feet, concern written all over his face. Meanwhile, Gariel stood tall and calm, his wand at the ready as he addressed Loriel without turning.
"You couldn't even save them, Terramai. I didn't come here for you, this was a direct order from His Majesty King Arus," Gariel declared boldly, his gaze fixed on Loriel, who stood before him with an air of authority.
"Loriel, it's been a long time," Gariel greeted the water seal keeper with a respectful bow.
"Narsillia. Can't Prince Terramai fight without you? How disappointing. And here I thought he had grown stronger since his brother, Jack Renville The Guardian," Loriel replied coolly, causing both Gariel and Rupert to rise in shock.
"Ja-Jack ever met you?" Gariel stammered nervously, sweat forming on his brow as he waited for Loriel's answer.
Loriel stood expressionless as Gariel asked why she hadn't killed their enemy. The air hung heavy with tension as the two faced each other, their magical abilities crackling in the air between them.
Suddenly Gariel's eyes widened and he shouted a spell, summoning three majestic firebirds to attack Loriel. But just as they were about to strike, Loriel summoned a mighty waterfall of ice, dousing the flames and protecting herself.
In response, Gariel raised his wand and chanted "Reflections! A shimmering shield formed around him, reflecting back the ice magic Loriel had sent his way.
As the two continued their intense magical duel, Rupert and Jake watched in awe at the display of power between the two skilled wizards. Behind Gariel, the royal troops were equally amazed at the graceful way Loriel's ice magic countered and reflected Gariel's spells.
Not to be outdone, Gariel began to cast support magic for his troops. "Party protection! Party Blessing! Party Divine Strength! Party Speed! Faith, Foresight, Holy Speed!" he shouted, sending waves of protecting and empowering energy towards his soldiers.
As the light magic enveloped everyone present, including Rupert and Jake, they could feel their energy replenished and their determination growing. The vibrant hues of light swirled around them, a tangible manifestation of their new-found strength. Rupert looked at the pulsating magic around him and knew that without Gariel's help, he would stand no chance against Loriel. Determined to put aside any doubts or fears, Rupert focused on his mission to neutralise the Darklighter once again.
"Jake, lead our allies to clear the east, west and south. There are still many elite monsters lurking, but we must bring them to their senses. I will deal with Loriel," Gariel ordered, turning to Jake with steely determination in his eyes.
Summoning four large relics into their midst, Gariel cast powerful spells: "Heal Relic! Heal Relic! Binding Relic! Miracle Relic!" A blinding aura of light erupted from the relics and filled the entire Cross Lake area, radiating immense power and hope.
"Hurry and leave! I've summoned four holy relics to help you. They won't last long!" shouted Gariel and the troops split into three and went to their respective places.
Jake nodded his head and headed south with his group. Now only Rupert and Gariel were left, facing Loriel, who had opened up fast ice magic and was aiming at Gariel, who didn't have time to dodge.
"Gariel!" shouted Rupert, holding the Royal Wizard's body as it was thrown backwards.
"Does your blindfold bother you, Narsillia?" Loriel asked reproachfully, preparing to use her magic again.
"Darklight!" Gariel slammed his wand down and a dark circle of magic appeared, covering the trapped Loriel and stopping her magic.
"Now Rupert!" Gariel exclaimed, jolting Prince Rupert out of his reverie.
Without hesitation, Rupert leapt into action, sword in hand, and charged towards Loriel who was still ensnared by Gariel's dark magic.
"Loriel, Guardian of Water," Rupert called out with determination in his voice. "I'll break this spell and return you to consciousness so that you can once again protect Lake Cross and keep the Seal of Water intact."
With a quick move, Rupert raised his gleaming silver sword and cast a powerful light magic spell that even surprised Gariel. As the light enveloped him, Rupert started singing ancient songs of the Shiltz gods, their power flowing through his body and radiating out in a brilliant circle of light. "Requiem," he said, and the sound of his voice echoed through the air like a chorus of angels.
Loriel let out a scream as she was released from Gariel's grasp by Rupert's magic. But it wasn't just Loriel who felt the effects – Gariel too seemed to be in agony as he clutched his head in pain. Memories flooded back to him, memories that he had long forgotten or perhaps never knew existed. He groaned and collapsed onto the ground, while Rupert watched with surprise and concern on his face.
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.
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"Is that our child, Iris?" asked a man, his voice full of wonder.
"Yes, he's absolutely adorable," replied the woman, her eyes sparkling with pride as she held the baby in her arms.
"But I can no longer return to Shiltz and take on a human form. I only hope to see him grow big and strong," said the man sadly.
The woman just smiled and told him, "Don't worry, I'll take care of him until he's grown up."
*****
A few years passed and the child grew into a curious six-year-old boy. He looked up at his mother with bright eyes and asked, "Will father ever visit us?"
His mother gently stroked his hair and replied, "Father is always watching over us from above, my dear. He loves you very much."
The little boy looked up at the sky and asked, "Why can't we be with him? Why does dad always stay upstairs?"
"Because he exists beyond our reach, son. But one day, we will all be reunited," explained his mother.
******
"Tell me where is the child, Iris?" demanded a man as he grabbed a woman by the neck.
"You're foolish, Lenias. Elios and I never had children!" Iris, the woman in question, exclaimed as she struggled against the man's grip.
"Don't lie to me. You know that once I destroy the five seals supporting Shiltz, you will suffer the consequences," Lenias threatened. "Run away!" Iris cried as she watched her son stand up to their attacker.
Lenias was taken aback and released Iris before turning his attention to the young boy.
"Mother!" Narsillia yelled as he tried to flee from Lenias' grasp.
But it was too late. Lenias had already caught the boy and was lifting him by his collar.
"So this is your child, Iris? A son?" "I thought it was a daughter," sneered Lenias.
"Let him go! Full Throttle!" shouted Iris, using her magical powers to heal her wounds and summon a lightning bolt to strike at Lenias.
"You think you can defeat me, Iris?" laughed Lenias, his eyes filled with malice.
"No. But I can take you down with me. Adoramus!" shouted Iris as she sacrificed herself to defeat Lenias.
In an instant, the two were surrounded by the seven guardians of the Shiltz Elemental Seals: Hananiel the Light, Samael the Darkness, Loriel the Water, Sakiel the Iron, Zakiel the Fire, Lanael the Earth and Zikael the Wood. Together with Iris, they prepared to face Lenias.
"Lenias the Arch. Your actions have disrupted the order of life in Shiltz. "We're going to punish you and bring you back from the darkness that's consuming your heart," the guardians declared as they stood behind Iris.
"..."
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"Riel, Gariel!" Rupert yelled, shaking the Royal Sorcerer's body to snap him out of his daze.
Gariel woke up with a start and was surprised to find Rupert's face so close. Out of nowhere, they were attacked by ice, and Rupert reacted quickly, using his sword to defend them.
"Are you OK?" Rupert asked, helping Gariel up and bringing him back to reality.
There was a loud crack and Gariel looked down at Rupert's hand, which was holding his sword that had broken from the ice attack.
Rupert let out a sigh and reached up to examine the now broken sword. Gariel pulled away from Rupert and got ready to use magic.
"What's the problem, Narsillia?" "Do you remember what happened before?" Loriel asked with a sly smile.
Gariel looked at Loriel with a cold stare, then gripped his wand firmly with both hands.
"Sacrament," he muttered under his breath as bright lights appeared under Loriel's feet and enveloped her.
Loriel couldn't move and her body slowly returned to normal, the dark aura dissipating. She collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Gariel came over and helped her up.
"Thanks, Narsillia," said Loriel, regaining her composure with Gariel's help and standing up straight.
"I'm glad you're back to your usual self, Loriel," replied Narsillia with a hug for the water elemental guard.
Loriel gave him a hug back as Rupert joined them.
"The Prince of the Saint Kingdom!" exclaimed Loriel, breaking away from Gariel's embrace to greet the royal members of their kingdom.
"You still look as charming as ever, Loriel." "How did you get affected by such dark powers?" asked Rupert as he put his broken sword back into its sheath.
"I'm not sure. I was unconscious and then suddenly my form changed. A man in a red robe with black patterns took over my mind and opened the seal of water. "I'm hoping to fix it soon and reseal it," replied Loriel, gesturing towards the water element seal behind her.
"Loriel, could you tell me a bit more about what happened?" "Have you ever met Jack?" asked Gariel, prompting Rupert to tense up.
"Jack?" King Arus's first son? Loriel repeated, looking surprised.
Gariel nodded.
"I'm afraid I don't remember." At that time, I blacked out and a dark shadow took control of me. "I'm sorry, Narsillia," replied Loriel, placing a comforting hand on the Royal Sorcerer's shoulder.
Gariel looked a little disappointed, although he tried to hide it behind his eye patch. Rupert clenched his fists in frustration. Loriel noticed this and gave a little smile. Gariel turned around and started walking away from them.
"Prince Terramai, could you look after Narsillia for us, please?" I know it's a bit unusual, but right now you're the only one by his side. He may seem a little shy and unable to express himself, but he has a strong will. "Evil people might try to use his powers for their own gain because he has something special within him," said Loriel in a low voice.
Rupert didn't say anything when he heard the Guardian's words. Loriel went off to fix the Water Elemental Seal. He turned to face Gariel, who was lost in thought.
"Are you okay, Gariel?" Rupert asked, placing a hand on his shoulder, which caused Gariel to jump a bit before Rupert took his hand away.
"What about your sword, Prince?" What are you going to do about it? Gariel asked, looking at Rupert's sword sheath, which now held a broken sword.
"I'll go to Zaid and get it fixed," said Rupert.
An Artisan was a highly skilled profession, specialising in creating weapons and armour for other heroes. Their skills were above and beyond what you'd expect from a regular blacksmith. Rupert's broken sword had been crafted by a long-dead Royal Artisan, and he planned to visit their descendants who had inherited their father's talents.
The atmosphere around them changed, becoming tense and strange. Rupert could feel Gariel's gaze on him, even though he couldn't see through his blindfold.
"Prince," he said. Jake's words were cut off as he saw Gariel's expression. He stopped in his tracks and signalled for the troops who had just returned from their missions to halt as well.
Rupert and Gariel stood facing each other in silence, the tension between them palpable.
"Welcome back, Jake," Gariel finally said, breaking the silence.
Rupert was taken aback and turned to look behind Gariel, where a crowd of returning royal troops had gathered.
As they'd been told to do, Jake and the Captain of the troop leader bowed in greeting.
"I'll let King Arus know what I find out." "In the meantime, go to Zaid and have your sword repaired or forged anew," Gariel said with a slight smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Jake, could you take Prince Terramai to Zaid?" "I need all our troops to return to the Saint Kingdom," Gariel said, opening a large circular portal with intricate designs along the edges.
One by one, the soldiers went through the portal until only Rupert was left outside.
"Forgive me for asking, Your Majesty, but is there a problem between you and Royal Sorcerer Narsillia?" Jake asked politely once they were alone.
"I was wrong, Jake. "Very foolish," Rupert replied with a hint of regret as he watched the portal disappear from view.
But Jake didn't push the issue further, knowing there must be a big problem between two of the most influential men in the kingdom. As they made their way towards Zaid, he kept a close eye on Rupert, noticing a side of him he hadn't seen before.
Zaid, the town of blacksmiths, was located in the north of the Saint Kingdom. The town was always covered in a blanket of snow, thanks to its position at the tip of the Shiltz continent, where the snow never stopped falling. It was a busy hub for weapon and armour-making, catering not only to the royal family but also to brave adventurers looking to defeat monsters. It was home to some of the best blacksmiths in the land, who were known for their incredible skill in forging weapons. One of the most advanced professions in the city was Demolition, which valued sheer attack power. King Arus had recruited these Demolitions to guard the kingdom's borders. They were strong in battle, even if they couldn't match the power of Magicians or Sorcerers.
As Rupert and Jake arrived in Zaid under cover of nightfall, they dismounted from their horses and tied them up to a fence near a large house. This was where Rupert was going to meet with Fides, who was a descendant of an Artisan friend of King Arus who lived here in Zaid. Jake knocked on the wooden door, which had a rough grain running down it.
"Excuse me!" he called out before knocking again.
The door opened to reveal a young man with vibrant purple hair and a red headband on his forehead. He greeted them with a warm smile.
"Fides?" Rupert exclaimed as he appeared from behind Jake, surprising the Artisan with his unexpected visit.
"Is that Prince Terramai?" Fides replied in disbelief before opening the door wider and inviting them in.
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The cold air of the winter night made them feel like their bones were chilled as Fides welcomed Prince Rupert and Jake into his home. The smell of freshly brewed tea wafted through the air, offering a little comfort from the harsh weather outside.
"I've come to you for help with my broken sword," Prince Rupert said, placing the damaged weapon on the table. The blade, once so magnificent, was now twisted and disfigured, its sharp edge dulled beyond recognition.
Fides reached out to touch the sword, but quickly pulled his hand back, his face showing pain. "Magic?" he asked, getting a glove from a cupboard near the sword.
Rupert nodded solemnly and explained how Loriel had been possessed by darkness and used her powers to damage the sword. Fides took a closer look at the sword, noting that it lacked any kind of elemental protection.
"Is this the last sword my father made, Your Majesty?" Fides asked Rupert with a hint of awe in his voice.
"Yes, it's been my go-to for almost ten years," Rupert replied, undoing the sword scabbard and placing it next to the broken weapon.
Fides took off his gloves and told Rupert that unfortunately, there was no way to repair the damaged sword. "My father's soul is no longer in this blade," Fides explained sadly. "And without its magical properties, it's more vulnerable to attacks."
Jake finally spoke up, asking Fides about sorcerers and their magic wands. Fides then went on to explain how these powerful tools are created and how they are infused with the creator's soul. He even let on that Royal Sorcerer Narsillia's wand had Balie Raziel's soul in it.
Fides was so intrigued by this information that he excused himself briefly before returning with an ornate sword in hand. "This is the only sword blessed by the Elim, God Shiltz," he announced, handing it over to Rupert.
With great care, Rupert took the sword out of its sheath and held it up to the light. Fides told him that the sword had been imbued with the power of Elim Malkuth, the Creator, and with the element of light.
"This is a great fit for you, Your Highness," Fides said with a bow. "As a Crusader with divine magic, this sword will be perfect for you."
Rupert started to ask about payment for such a valuable gift, but Fides quickly said no, saying that Elim Malkuth himself had asked that the sword be given to Rupert to protect Royal Sorcerer Narsillia from those who wanted to kidnap her.
Rupert was confused and concerned, so he asked Fides for more information. The artisan was a bit reluctant to give them the full story, but he did urge them to trust Elim Malkuth and keep a close eye on Narsillia.
Intrigued and a little uneasy, Rupert and Jake left Fides' house with their new knowledge, wondering what challenges lay ahead for them as they carried out Elim Malkuth's request.
Rupert and Jake looked at each other, not really getting what the artisan was saying.