Freiheit is home to many legends. Like the other regions, it was home to a race of people that led their own beliefs, and in abundance would bask in the glory of their beliefs.
Freiheit was commonly referred to as the Land of the Humans, or in Primordial Tongue, the Drystian Kingdom. In terms of achievements, it is said that Freiheit had strived the furthest- seeding from a background of slavery that eventually bloomed into what it was today.
Throughout history, the Astraeums were regarded as God's sworn ally. Of them, there were many key individuals. The first King, Origin Astraeum- was said to be the most benevolent of them all. He was the original Hero who would pass on such a role to the important Ragnarok Clan. The Hero King was full of many wonders, and it was important to Freiheit's history that his story were to be passed down generation after generation. More than that, Origin himself, on top of being the Hero King who ruled over Freiheit first, had ascended into godhood and would become Origin, The God of Freedom. Such a title was crafted from the hard work and dedication that the people slaved away of the time to earn Freiheit's nature of today.
That being said, the Astraeum Royal line and Ragnarok clan line had always close ties to the heavens. Each generation, a new Ragnarok was born to be a hero, while each generation of Astraeums would heed a new Ruler.
King Polaris Astraeum was the longest standing King, which made him stand out from the rest. He never had children for he could never conceive one. But being blessed by Origin, he was eventually gifted Princess Sideralis and she was to be the future queen. He captured the hearts of the people and had always inspired them through word alone. On top of having such a strong position, he had many greater powers supporting him. The likes of the Celestial Dragon of the Realm of Huayuan, the Emperor of the Sanctum of Yaiba- and even the notoriously egotistical King of the Halidom of Somnia held a very important relationship with the Polaris. Within the same nation, the Pontifex of the Axis Church held great faith in the King and the Grandmaster of Freiheit was also a loyal servant to him.
Although many looked up to the King, the domineering race of the Demon Clan never sought favours but rather would seek power over such authoritative figures. When the Demon Clan waged war upon Freiheit, they took out the heart of Freiheit by simply removing both the Astraeums and the current Ragnarok placed as Hero. But the likes of the Grandmaster and Pontifex wouldn't let this Demon Lord take over so simply.
The Knights of Freiheit were a bunch in abundance, a powerful army who warranted great power- especially with their Platinum Holy Knights otherwise known as the Ordinal Order. They were a legion of 10 knights who worked under direct orders from the Grandmaster Varkha, who was in another league entirely himself. Legends say that the Grandmaster's faith is so unwavering that even if he were to face the Hero, he would remain victorious. Such a stretch of his strength was greatly exaggerated, that a common respect was forged between the Pontifex and himself.
As for the Pontifex, she handle religious matters more seriously, and each action she took were devoted directly towards the God Origin. Her order of knights was vastly different, consisting of only 10 members known as the Cardinal Knights. In comparison to the Ordinal Order, the Cardinal Testaments held divine power and the test of their faith towards the God of Freedom was their source of strength. Unlike the Ordinal Order who were more free with the choices they made, every decision made by the Cardinals were to serve the Pontifex directly. While the Ordinal Order were at war, the Cardinal Testaments were tasked with the protection of Freiheit and four very specific locations.
The Black Seafloor Cavern of the North, the Azure Tower of the East, the Vermillion Tree of the South, and the White Ruins of the West. Each domains were dedicated to four beasts that were created by the God Origin 500 years ago since an event labelled 'The Calamity', an era which isn't remembered much but the remnants of those times still lingered today. The four beasts were once ruthless beings that helped destroy the Calamity, but have since been in a deep slumber.
In the several hundred years passing until current time, Freiheit had been in an age without their God and deities that reigned protection over them. Now, with even the King and Hero gone, Humankind were at the brink of losing everything that made them one of the seven major races.
***
"Oh? What's that Cynthia?" The redhead creeped up behind her blonde companion, a beautiful knight with astonishing golden eyes, who donned a set of silver armour.
The woman was holding onto an amulet, one that showed a glimpse of a gentleman and herself in. "Oh- Elizabeth, I didn't see you there..."
"Hey, keeping secrets now?" The two were walking across a mountainous terrain. The heat was rising, but they were nowhere near the peak. The two looked forward to what could only be described as death. Flare and ashes lingered in the air, but their bodies that permeated a blue aura shielded them from any of the dangers that could harm them. Sizzling the aura, Cynthia and Elizabeth kept hold of their weapons.
"It's nothing, really."
"Nothing? Cynthia, ever since you met Altair, he's about the only thing you ever talk about. If you're gonna keep secrets from me, try a little harder is all I'm saying!" Elizabeth reached for Cynthia's face that was a flush red, booping the nose. Reflexively, she jumped back, but there was no bad blood between the two.
"Sigh... It's that obvious to you..?"
"In all fairness, you two kept everything under wraps very well. Just, don't forget that we're always together!"
"... Hey, what about that Heron fellow you're dating?" Elizabeth's eyes darted away, staring off into the mountain.
"Things are... A little complicated." She replied, but when her eyes returned, Elizabeth was smiling brightly. The light of youth never faded from the girl, and even the idea of a failing relationship didn't bother her.
***
'Cynthia...' Elizabeth's eyes were shut tight. Glimpses of her past invading her sleep, the fond memories... And even the dark ones.
***
"What...?" Cynthia's body laid on the ground, impaled by a spear that kept her grounded. Cracks and rubble were crumbling from the walls around her, and as she raised her eyes, the look of that man was engraved into her being.
The look of someone whose wrath consumed them, the look of someone whose hands were dirtied with blood. The scar that ran through his eye- and the deep black hair with a crimson streak, clad in black with a sword that ran an abyssal energy.
Opposing him was a relative of Cynthia, a knight who raised his sword despite how damaged he was. "Master... I'll end you here, and now." The man spoke. The man of darkness shook his head, turning back. It was then that Elizabeth saw, that face everyone knew- the one who was behind everything.
***
Grasping her face, her heart paced with enough adrenaline that she couldn't control the shaking in her body. Her breaths were out of control- but, she calmed herself down, remembering it was all a dream.
"Altair..." She muttered under her breath, the very name that gave her that experience. He killed Cynthia, her closest friend. He killed the person he loved, and was pushed back by the likes of the person who he trained since a young age- Cynthia's brother.
It was a tragic tale. A truly sad one. Altair to many eyes was just as kind as Lumiere, but that looks that crossed his eyes bothered even the likes of Elizabeth Ardent.
But, regardless of who or what she fears, they had a mission to accomplish. After entering the forest, the party ended up using the D-key a lot sooner than they had anticipated. But the very well needed rest would allow everyone to recollect themselves enough to prepare for the rest of the assignment.
Before long, they were already out and into the forest. The forest seemed a little different than before, likely due to the illusion magic waring off. With everyone back to their full energy, the four unconscious were bewildered by where they were. Considering they didn't know there was an illusion until waking up, they didn't expect to be this far in.
"This forest... It sure is pretty." Yuji commented, crouching down at a nearby bed of flowers. His eyes followed a trail of ants that were working through their way in the flower bed, while other insects like butterflies and bees were sitting atop the flowers, treading carefully amidst the petals.
"This isn't a trip where we can afford to be careless like this, Yuji. Stand up." Elizabeth commanded. Yuji stood up, keeping his hand on his hilt. Wishing to remain as vigilant as Elizabeth, he kept his back straight and legs ready in case he needed to draw his sword.
But, they could be at ease. Elizabeth soon pulled out a small ring from her pocket. Flipping it, the ring began to take form, expanding in size as magical energy coalesced towards a single spot at the ring's center. Suddenly, the magic that collect began to extend to a single hand, facing a certain direction. As Elizabeth turned her head, she took quick notice before tapping on her visual interface.
"Hm... The tablet was reported closer to the center. We need to head east, so we'll follow the trail." With a quick wave of her hand, her interface disappeared and the ring exerted all the energy in one go before she caught it and returned it into her pocket.
"Is everyone ready? It's not easy traversing a place so condense of shrubbery. We have to be cautious of our feet whilst remaining light." Theresa asked, looking at each head. More or less, she received the same reaction from everyone. Either a yes or a simple nod, but they knew what they were getting themselves into. They wouldn't be so lucky next time, but more to it than that- she looked over to Aster who seemed helpless when it came to combat.
Gathely's battle sense estimated Aster's experience as far more than him, but Theresa has yet to see any display of that- if anything, she only gathered that he may have had a lucky intuitive guess as to what was happening with those Spriggans.
Regardless, she kept a tight eye on him, one he couldn't entirely ignore. Whether he felt safer or more in danger was up to debate, but he moved forward regardless.
Elizabeth navigated the terrain, her blade that once seemed to stream magma within the blade itself, laid dormant in a rocky state. It was as though the eruptive magic was concealed, allowing the blade to hover at her side. Swinging her arms on occasion to destroy the shrubbery to lay out a path, Elizabeth led the way with Theresa at the far back.
Rina and Celine were being looked after by Seraphina and supervised by Yuji, whilst Aster and Isabella were being taken care of by Ayrandel. With slight rustling amongst the bushes, their alertness was on an all time high- yet Theresa would put an end to their worries.
"It's okay. I've casted a spell on everyone while we've been walking. [Silence], [Camouflage] and [Odour Erase]. They're low level rogue spells, but with my mastery over them, we should be borderline invisible to any monsters that could spot us. If there was anything that could notice us, it'd be monsters that are hypothetically sensitive to mana disruptions."
"What do each of those spells do?" Yuji asked, easing up after hearing Theresa's comforting words.
"I can teach you later. Silence doesn't stop our voices from being heard."
Theresa warned, immediately putting Yuji back on edge. His eyes darted around, but Celine's slight tug on his clothes caught his attention more. Holding onto him, the two walked together. Elizabeth who was at the helm kept her blade swinging up. It was the only thing that could alert any monsters with mana sensitivity, as it required a small amount of mana to wield.
But keeping her wits about her, they journeyed deeper and deeper- until eventually, the supposed stone tablet was founded. "This has to be it... Time magic, right?" Elizabeth asked, turning her head to Aster.
Suddenly, Aster's eyes had been locked onto that stone tablet. He didn't remove his sights from it, and instead, kept approaching it.
"Aster- be careful..!" Theresa reached out, but he was already making his way towards it. There was magical writing on it. He read it aloud, for the crew to hear.
"Awaken, my child of Time. May you rest until one is able to restore you the way you once were."
The magical writing was hard to decipher, and if what Gathely stated was true to him, then this tablet should hold the key to learning about the Seven Wonders and where they disappeared to. But Aster saw a different end to it. Reaching his hand out, he closed his eyes and focused his very being on his hands alone.
"... Origin, dominator of Time... Heed my prayer, and answer to my wishes..." He spoke, as a green aura slowly began to penetrate the stone that emitted from his hand. Soon, he opened his eyes, that were glowing green as well. "Aiolia."
***
'She was once a brilliant magician. She was intelligent, a type of intelligence that'd put any god to shame. She was innovative, creating spells through thorough studying of the Ley Lines. But what was more spectacle, was that she was a simple human.
I found myself fascinated by her, and watched her as she made a name for herself. However, time waits for no one. Time waits for none at all, and in the dreadful face of war and calamity, she was the first to make a stand. The darkness that plagued the world had returned to Freiheit. I was shaken, for I thought the Calamity was dealt with already.
Only 100 years had passed since that man reawoken to destroy the world- and I feared that he would return once more. But, this girl who caught my eye was almost as brilliant as the Hero who stopped that Calamity. She commanded hope and inspired many people. It reminded me of him. But, he has been dead for millenniums.
Out of curiosity, I decided to peak into her futures. That was when I discovered something tragic. This girl's fate always ended with her death at the hands of those who she inspired. Why? Why must a gentle soul like hers be so tormented and plagued by those she helped?
The heavens were too cruel for you, and I wished to see a future where you could live. One day, a certain man will come to break my spell that I'll cast on you. When you awaken, follow that man, and find a person named Ailixiya. She is a dear friend, and will help you with your goals. She is an elf who lives by her lonesome. But it was her that created this stone tablet that keeps you safe. Time will heal your future, and may you live in prosperity when you finally regain your consciousness...
Due to the strains of time magic, you may not remember who you are right away. But as you reclaim your power, will your memories slowly return. For now, your name is Kiara. And you, Aster... How strange fate is to bring you back, but you must awaken her. Freiheit's fate lays on your shoulder once again.'
***
For a moment, the green light had consumed Aster. In that moment, though it was a mere few seconds, everyone looked back to Aster who was kneeling before the stone monument, that radiant green glow nowhere to be seen.
The group huddled closer, slowly approaching him, until he suddenly stood up. He looked to them all, and didn't wait to break into words. "This tablet- it holds an incredible secret. It was speaking to me directly, but... It was a voice I didn't recognize."
Aster didn't smile this time. His face was far more serious than it ever was. The voice that spoke to him was aware of his existence. No, not just who he is, but who he was. Whoever this person was, they could see into the future and peer into the past. A person of great intelligence, factoring his Chain- he had initially thought he held great potential though his body was far from being used to said power.
On the other hand, everyone else was bewildered by the presence that emanated the area. The forest that once was noisy had begun to fall silent. Not a sound was uttered, and even their footsteps didn't reach their ears. In said strange set of circumstances, Rina attempted to communicate- "What's happening?" She asked, her voice cutting through clearly. Aster drew his sword as did everyone else. Their surroundings remained the same but the noise from the forest drowned in the echoing silence that only permitted their voices.
"Whatever it is, it isn't good." Celine spoke, still- even Elizabeth was put on edge. Such a bizarre event would lead to even her gripping her blade as tight as she could.
Suddenly, the silence was filled with a screeching sound of the earth tearing apart. The ground below them shook violently as the beds of plants began ripping apart, bits of earth flying about everywhere. Ayrandel swung her sword horizontally, suddenly glowing gold before she thrusted it straight into the ground. Suddenly, the golden glow permeated across the party who were now watching as the forest begun throwing bits of itself at the shield.
"Wait- something's coming from the ground!" Aster paused for a moment, he looked on as an entrance raised itself from the depths of the earth below. Whatever he did, whoever he communicated with- not only foresaw his arrival, but was also aware that he had just activated that tablet. Whatever the spell that binded this ancient shrine, the caster activated it because Aster specifically was there.
'Freiheit's fate lays on your shoulders once again' were the last words he heard in that memory the tablet held. Lost in thought, he placed his chin between his index and thumb before contemplating. 'I see...' he muttered to himself, his eyes fixated on the entrance that was almost completely above the ground. Despite coming from below the roots of the forest, it showed no signs of decay, no show of any sort of compost or soil that may have found it's way between the cracks and seams. Rather, it was weird that it was in such a great condition in the first place. The door held no cracks, and permeated a red aura between the seams of its design.
At the front was two sigils. A sword, and a shield. Cross referencing what they could mean to ancient Freiheit history, Aster drew a conclusion. "This must've been a shrine from ancient Freiheit. The sword, Origin, and the shield, Genesis." He pointed. The God of Freedom, Origin was notorious for his kingly history. However, Genesis was his sworn ally who fought for Freiheit's freedom alongside him. Genesis is often overshadowed by Origin's glory, but according to text Aster once read- Genesis was the one to help Origin escape his slavery in the first place and was the one to push him to become the eventual Hero-King and God of Freedom.
"Genesis, it's been a while since I've heard that name. I'm glad someone Drystians recognize his existence." Ayrandel spoke, her shield eventually dissipating after the rubble had stopped being flunged at them.
Seraphina sheathed her sword, as did with everyone else, and made a steady approach to the door. Her taking a few steps made it react in such a way that put everyone's hands on their hilts once more. Except, instead of the faint red glow it once showed- it was now glowing blue.
"This must be some sort of ancient dungeon. It's nothing compared to dungeons nowadays, but it appears just like normal dungeons do." Elizabeth concluded, reaching for Sera's shoulder before patting her and pushing her back slightly. She reached for the door, which with a loud clank! Had slowly opened itself before she could even push it.
"Now that we're this far in, I highly doubt it's related to the Seven Wonders. But, we never know until we try." Theresa pointed out, but it seemed that everyone had the same idea. Except Aster, who was still unsure.
"Wait...the spell required to activate this dungeon wasn't exclusive to time magic." Aster explained, but before he could say anymore- a black blur darted past him before heading straight for Elizabeth's head. But in that instance, red flames poured from where Elizabeth stood, before a blazing fiery hot steam erupted in everyone's vision. The area was smoky, but it was enough for them to turn their heads and realize that there was a fight going on behind them. Heavy waves of flames and deadly clashes of steel sparked from above where Elizabeth who was once grounded was now engaged in the air. Theresa followed up, waving her hand in the air before a weapon appeared before her. "Get back!" She yelled at the 6 who were standing around still processing what happened.
Although Ayrandel was quick to understand the situation, she was able to swing her blade quick enough to summon the same golden aura to push everyone inside including herself, whilst trapping Theresa and Elizabeth outside with the mysterious attacker.
Aster who was now on his ass on the ground, surprised to his sword before grasping it. Managing to reach it, he quickly got back to his feet- but Ayrandel refused passage. "What's going on out there?!" He yelled, but Theresa who just summoned her weapon turned back to the group before commanding them.
"Ayra! I'll trust you and Seri to keep them safe!" Theresa stated. Ayra gulped, and as chains formed around Theresa, a massive shield with an X at the center appeared before her. With the chains, she swung her shield which launched a series of them which originated from her body- a clear sign of her Chain's abilities.
A Chain is inherent magical abilities granted to humans, but the restrictions of Chains are usually bound by the will of the manifester. Those restrictions are unchained once a weapon is summoned, even more so if their weapon is awakened. Ayra's golden sword was her chain, as well as Elizabeth and Seri's flame swords. The assailer, soon landed, with Elizabeth who was slightly injured had landed next to Theresa.
"Who... Are you..?" Elizabeth asked, but the man who jumped them mentioned nothing. He was skilled, and his clothes emitted a black aura. It was as though they were alive with him, and to describe him would be like describing nothing. He was hooded, but everything about him screamed danger.
"Is that... The leader of the Wonders..?" Seri gulped, her body shaking unlike ever before. Ayra attempted to calm her down, but the situation had even her running a few trips with anxiety.
"... Kiara... Maybe..." Aster suddenly thought, before rushing forward towards the darkness. Isabella reached out to him- but he was already high on the sprinting.
"Where's he going?! We have to help Theresa and Elizabeth!" Yuji cried, but even he could do nothing. Their movements were far too quick for them to comprehend, and if anything- the group would only get in their way. That much was understood when Ayra had pushed them all back using her Chain.
"Don't let Aster go too far, we need to make sure he's safe!" Ayra took a step up after helping her sister up, issuing the group and order they must heed. But Rina was far too unequipped for the situation.
"... Ayra... We don't... We're not strong enough for these things, we're..."
"Rina, we have to go after Aster. We said this yesterday- that we'll go through this together as a group!" Celine attempted to reignite Rina's passion from the day before. Though Rina's fear was certainly justified- there was nothing that's justify Rina's actions if something bad were to happen to Aster.
More importantly, it'd be best to stay in a group as odds of survival were drastically increased.
But, in terms of the odds of Elizabeth and Theresa surviving the mysterious attacker's strikes, that was a different story. Their odds, for a lack of a better way to put it- was close to 0.