"Don't fail me now Horus!” came a scream from Reinhardt as he gathered spiritual energy and made it flow through his sword. In response, his Mirage who took the form of an incarnation of a Sky God, fed on the energy. It used its power to coat Rein’s sword in flames.

“Immortal God of the skies, Come forth!

Take flight to the heavens and burn all creation!

[Ultimate Skill! Blazing Sun Storm!]”

Reinhardt jumped into the air and used his skill to create an invisible foothold to go even higher. Horus soared to the opposite side of his master. One of the perks of being an incarnation of a God of the skies was being able to hover on a whim. There was no need for the Incarnation to materialize its giant wings. Most of the Mirages were able to float or glide.

“Hyaaaaaarrggghhh!” The two dove diagonally down, leaving an X mark from the afterimage of the flames. From where Reinhardt’s sword and Horus’ claw met, a small explosion happened. It created a huge hole on the body of the gigantic plant monster. The murky green liquid that was undeniably its blood oozed out of the opening.

Sensing that the fight had ended, Reinhardt and his Mirage loosened up. Exhaustion started to set in as he felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins finally run out. He lost his grip on the sword, and it fell and plunged into the ground. With his energy depleted, Rein dropped to his knees, coughing out blood. That was one of the signs that an Awakened had used up his spiritual mana reserves. It took an enormous toll on the body. In Reinhardt’s case, it was harder since his Mirage was unique.

~*~

"Once we finish the ritual, let's meet up alright?" Kristov said in a low tone, his face full of tension. He and Reinhardt had completed their trials. Fortunately, they both passed with flying colors. Now all that was left was to perform the summoning of their Mirages.

It was prohibited to divulge the contents of the trials. But based on their spent appearance, one would assume that it wasn’t a walk in the park. The tests created by Osiris gauged a person's resolve. It was very different from the exams held to check magical prowess. Theories about the Mirage test circulated throughout the years. The most popular among which mentioned that it's unique for each person.

“Don’t worry Kris! We’ve come this far together. We’ll see how it works out together.” Reinhardt chuckled as he tapped his friend’s back. He didn’t want to let Kris know that he worried more than he let on. Many thoughts crossed his mind. ‘What if the Mirage we call on, the manifestation of our soul, isn’t strong enough?’ as being the most prominent. One requirement to become a Templar Knight was to be able to summon your Mirage. But it wasn’t a simple rule that anyone who had the potential could easily meet. Your Mirage had to be a powerful one.

Mirage’s also had their classifications. There was a significant disparity in the strength of these spirit manifestations. It all depended on what category they belonged to. First in the list are the Divine Beasts. Sentient beings granted favor and blessings by the Gods and given a particular task. Some were even said to be the children of these powerful beings. The researchers theorized that Awakened that belonged in this category were unique. They were extraordinary since they were the reincarnations of these divine beasts.

Mythic beasts and humanoid Mirages are a step below the Divinities. Different powerful creatures belonged in this level. They ranged from dragons, to unicorns, treants, and chimeras. Beasts that are above par when compared to common animals found in the wild. Humanoid Mirages, on the other hand, had a lot of variety. It didn’t mean that humanoid ones only take the shape of humans. Some take the form of beastmen or nature folk. These types of spirit manifestations could have different classes. From warriors, mages to other support classes.

And below the first two were the Mirage. Not to be confused with the global name. The sentient beings manifested through an Awakened’s spirit is called the same. But the terms got adapted and passed on throughout the years. Nowadays, people refer to Mirages through their classifications. The people shortened the name for Divine Beast and replaced it with Divinities. Mythic Beasts was replaced by Mythics and finally, Mirage. This group contained the typical monsters you see everywhere. From slimes, dire wolves, lions, as long as they could typically be found in the wild.

The spiritual reserve of the Awakened was vital. The previous determined the length of time a Mirage could stay in physical form. If two Awakened with the same amount of spiritual power were pit against each other, the one with a Mirage belonging to a higher category would win.

The room inside the stone doors that Reinhardt got led into was circular in shape. The cobblestone floors had a runic circle which glowed to life as if it sensed the presence of a person about to undergo awakening. The priest who guided him here motioned for him to come closer and step inside the circle.

On each corner of the runic circle were different symbols in differing colors. The one on the northern part had a floating light blue orb with wings attached to it. The eastern symbol had a pearl with a sea green and aqua blue coloring that seemed to swish around. The symbol at the western end had an irregular shaped crystal with angry colors of red. Sparks of ember flew in every direction every few seconds. On the southern part was a brown triangular crystal with green plants surrounding it.

It was easy enough to know what they were. Any citizen of Infinitia would know which Gods those symbols represented. They belonged to the triumvirate Gods and Goddesses who governed the sky, earth, and sea. Not to forget the symbol of the renegade God who reigned over fire.

Situated in the center, right on top of where Reinhardt stood, was a golden cross that the God of Life used as a symbol. True, Osiris didn’t like his faithful to worship any other Gods. But he required the intervention of the four Gods of the elements in the summoning ritual. The balance of the four elements and the powers of creation breathes life into the Awakened’s Mirage.

“Close your eyes and concentrate. Let your spiritual energy flow through your whole body…” the old priest ordered him. “Visualize, imagine an enclosed room deep inside you. Use your spiritual energy and fashion a key to open it.”

Reinhardt followed the directions calmly. He closed his eyes and manipulated his energy. His body emitted a faint yellow glow as his energy reacted and grew denser. He envisioned a solid square room in a dark space. With his yellow spiritual energy enclosing it, causing the cube shaped object to glow. Droplets of sweat formed on his temples as he struggled to change the form of his energy. With great difficulty, he finally succeeded, and an actual golden key appeared out of thin air. Imagining a lock, Rein manipulated the key into the hole and turned it slowly.

The glowing cross on top of him emitted a blinding light. Subsiding after a few seconds, a faint drop of light drifted downwards. It connected with Rein and absorbed the spiritual energy he was emitting. Four lights from the other stones drifted towards the center. The orbs dashed in circles, rejoicing with the golden light before they combined in Reinhardt’s chest.

Reinhardt’s eyes flew open as warmth suddenly seared his chest. It was a weird feeling because even though he experienced intense heat, he did not feel any pain. After a while, the golden orb of light shot through the air, the glow it emitted stronger than before. The light whizzed around in the air, leaving a golden ring as an afterimage.

The priest looked at the Mirage about to take form in the air. This was what usually happened when performing the summoning ritual. Any moment now, the spirit would take its final shape.

Reinhardt could only look in awe as his Mirage flew at a speed that was almost impossible to follow. If it weren’t for the afterimage it left, he wouldn’t know where to look. As moments passed, the ring started to disappear, one end disengaging from the other. As the light refocused on the glowing orb, it began to take a different shape.

A sudden shriek startled Rein. Unaware that his mouth had opened in anticipation. The sound that echoed inside the room was melodic, a sound that was easy to the ears.

“A bird?” He whispered, wondering if it would be enough to get him a spot in the Templar Knights.

The glowing light gained shape, it grew and started to take form. Light separated into different directions as its head, wings and claws took form. But it didn’t stop from there; it grew bigger and bigger until it lost the bird shape.

‘Ahhh…a humanoid Mirage. So he possesses a Mythic…’ The priest thought.

A few feet from the ground, the light enveloping the Mirage burst into tiny specks. After the lights had dissipated, it revealed the Mirage's real form. It had a unique helm in the shape of a falcon, with its face hollow and comprised of darkness. The only way to know that there was a face in there somewhere was the glowing golden eyes. On the right side of its face, covering his right eye was a bright and rotating yellow and orange symbol of the sun. He wore a red and gold ensemble. The shoulder pads he wore protruded with a falcon shaped design. The chest area had a round jewel that emitted a radiant glow. His hands had golden retractable claws, formed from condensed light. While in the waist area, was a huge symbol of the sun. A fascinating fact must be the creature’s height which was almost two meters tall.

“Thy name is Horus, an avatar of the skies and a facet of the God Osiris. I have heard thine call!” he spoke thus, earning an audible gasp from the priest.

“Impossible! This is…this is impossible!” Reinhardt’s gaze snapped towards the priest as the old man kept uttering those words. Turning his gaze back to his Mirage, Rein reached his hand forward. The giant stood still for a moment, its golden eyes narrowing at his gesture. For what felt like years, Rein didn’t budge and kept eye contact. Hesitantly, while maintaining eye contact, the hulking figure reached out. Horus placed his hand on Rein’s outstretched palm.

Reinhardt was so focused at the moment that he never heard the priest scurrying out of the door.

“Oy Rein…are you al—holy shit! What the heck is that?!” Kristov dashed inside, hinting that he had finished his summoning ritual. He got worried when he saw a panicked priest who hurried out of the room. What Kristov didn’t expect to see was the creature standing before them. ‘Wow’ and he thought that he would surprise Rein with the form his Mirage took. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that it would be the other way around.

~*~

History got rewritten during that day. The God Osiris himself did not refute the Mirage’s claim to be one of his incarnations. That only meant one thing. There was a stronger classification on top of the Divinities, the Incarnations.

Reinhardt took a deep breath. He filled his chest with air while his eyes never left the monster. It let out a final garish roar before bursting in flames. With one last shriek, it disintegrated and became ash.

An asinine smile appeared on his lips. The people around him cheered at their success. The noise died down as soon as it began when the room shook. Hidden mechanisms embeddded in the thick walls got triggered once the floor boss died. No one was surprised anymore as it happened every time they cleared a floor of the tower.

Everyone looked on with anxiety at the door that appeared. Each of them had the same thought running through their minds. ‘Is it another staircase which leads to a new floor which has a much more fearsome creature?’ some thought. ‘Are we going to suffer more casualties than we've already had?’ some wondered in anxiety.

The head count before the skirmish was almost a hundred knights and adventurers. They bravely entered the perilous tower and fought valiantly. At the moment, only about forty remained standing. Everyone expected injuries to happen. Monsters were mindless creatures after all. They’re named as such for a particular reason. The creators of the beasts made them for a certain purpose. That is to either to defend or to slaughter. These creatures had the same way of executing the said order. That was to erase anyone who dared to oppose them.

It wasn’t a hard thing to comprehend. If you faced waves after waves of monsters, someone was bound to make a mistake. That error led to their demise. While most of the members felt exhausted from the long and endless battles, they still fought on. And they did it all for the sake of finding the elixir to cure the Oracle.

Reinhardt limped forward, his legs trembling and threatening to give out. But that didn’t stop him from moving towards the stairs that led to the final floor. If the old records and rumors were right, the tower had a hundred levels. Feeling a new surge of energy wash over him, he persisted, step by agonizing step. The rest of the group followed behind with their guards up. Each of them knew that there was no turning back now. They have come too far, and the deaths of their comrades will be in vain if they did not follow through.

Another set of stairs appeared before them upon opening the door. But unlike the others which curved upward, this one went straight up. The stairway was dark, long and narrow so very unlike the others they've encountered. At the end of the stairs, light shone through, illuminating the end of the path. Rein held his breath and walked the last few steps, only to suck in his breath at the view before them.

It was a garden! A garden unlike any they have ever seen before. And it was on top of the massive tower! Reinhardt's eyes surveyed the surroundings. His gaze moved through the beautiful flora and the rare fauna within this paradise. Some of which, he has never set his eyes on before.

One thing dwarfed the others with the presence it exuded. It caught everyone’s attention due to its grandeur. In the middle of the garden was a crystal clear lake, so pure that you could even see the bottom if it even had any. There was a small dirt walkway that created a path to the middle of the lake where a tree stood with pride.

Its trunk rose high and dwarfed the others. The thickness and vibrant color showed that it had grown sturdy over the years. What was puzzling was it had thick and lush leaves. Something felt off especially if you consider the height of the tower and the powerful winds. Yet, the leaves shifted around like it was nothing, as if it was dancing with its playmate. It seems all the foliage up in this garden had this kind of resiliency.

But that wasn’t all. Hidden among the branches and leaves were little golden orbs, sparkling and shining. Reinhardt crept towards the tree, and he saw a small stone podium. A stone tablet lay on top, engraved with words that he had been looking for. It was the same song that brought him here.

~*~

Click! Click! Click! Click!

By now, no one minded this kind of event that happened almost every day within the church hallways. No one was a stranger to the head researcher’s habit of running around. Erina’s heels were the culprit behind the clicking noise.

"I'm sorry, my Lord, I've been nothing but a burden to you ever since you arrived here in the capital." Lumina looked up at Reinhardt, the man she adored and studied his face. Under those warm dark eyes, were dark circles attributing to his lack of sleep. To Lumina, it did little to mar his handsome features. She always asked if something bothered him, but Rein always shrugged it off. He always told her not to worry about it. If she were to make a guess, it had something to do with her illness.

‘But how could I not worry? Something is clearly troubling him.’ Lumina thought. Her eyes roamed his face and searched for clues. Contrary to what people thought, she couldn’t heal whatever it was that was ailing him. It was not part of her powers as the Oracle. She did not have the affinity for healing magic nor did she even know how to harness it.

“Sometimes I wish I had a soothing voice. Bards could rejuvenate one’s soul. It could either cure someone’s illness or heal their wounds.” Lumina once said in one of her previous conversations with Reinhardt. She couldn’t tell him, that she wanted to have that ability so she could sing for him.

All Lumina could do was place her hands on Reinhardt’s jaw and look at him with her soul pouring out of her eyes. He stiffened for a bit, but after a while, she saw him relax and close his eyes, savoring the moment. It was the only thing that she could think of doing for him. Moments like these served as a constant reminder that we only find real peace with the people we love.

Click! Click! Click! Click! BANG!

Lumina suppressed the need to sigh at the sudden intrusion. The brief magical moment she and Reinhardt had. That short and temporary moment of peace was yet again disrupted. That contentment and peace she saw in Reinhardt's face were gone. It was once more filled with anxiety.

"Mistress Lumina! Sir Reinhardt! I have great news!" Erina yelled. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she ran towards the veranda connected to the Oracle’s room. "I finally found the cure! All this time it's been there all along!" Erina muttered making Lumina and Reinhardt exchange looks. Understanding dawned in both their eyes. Lumina’s expression said that she has already accepted her fate. Reinhardt wore a different expression, as fires of determination burned in his eyes.

"What do you mean Erina? What did you find out?" Reinhardt asked while his facial expression shifted. From relaxed, anxious and now forlorn. Though his eyes weren't affected and it brimmed with curiosity. An inkling of hope had sprung in his chest.

"Remember when Kristov returned from one of the Villages in Elet? He mentioned one of the elders talking about a passed down legend in their tribe. About an elixir of life that could cure any illness. Well, I couldn't get it out of my head. I had this feeling that I’ve I heard it somewhere before. So I started pouring over the books in the ancient library which I've already read before. But I couldn't find it!" the contrast between what she said and the emotion she conveyed only served to confuse the two more.

"So I decided to take a walk in town and clear my head. And that's where I chanced upon a bard singing the Hymn of Feria! It's in the hymn! The answer is all in the hymn!" And with that, Erina recited the hymn to them. She placed emphasis on the part in question.

"The light that provides warmth and joy…”

~*~

In the holy city of Phracea, a woman with light golden hair stood in one part of the city. She donned a white dress with blue linings. Her round eyes were full of warmth while her thin lips moved to the tune of the music produced by her harp. People flocked around her, enchanted by her sweet and alluring voice. The one she sang was an age-old song, one known by all the citizens of Feria. Her voice weaved through the tune and modulated. Her skillful fingers caressed the strings of her harp with softness.

“...the seeds of life the people enjoy

the sea that brings its blessing and bounty

the earth with gifts of plenty

when the light starts to fade

and decay sets in the glade

when things aren't right

let your hope take flight

go with me, come along

and listen to my holy song

Up in the sky, a tower will rise

faith and courage will suffice

you will find the gift of life

you will find the gift of life…”

Reinhardt and Lumina stiffened upon hearing the entirety of the hymn. They’ve known the song as long as they could remember. It never occurred to them that the song would hold such meaning. It was after it got brought to their attention that they understood. It was ingenious indeed. None of them thought it was possible. That the hymn in itself, a song of praise in the country of Feria, would serve as an answer to their dilemma.

"I've crossed referenced it with a lot of books, and it all points out to Goddess Jordr’s Forbidden Tower! Mistress Lumina...Mistress Lumina! I...I did my—my best! And I fin—finally found it! Mistress Lumina!" Overcome with emotion, Erina bawled like a child, almost unable to get her words out.

Lumina scrambled to her feet and went to the crying girl. It took a bit of an effort, but she did make it. Despite Erina's intelligence and post as the head researcher of the church, she was still a girl. A girl barely out of her teens thrust through these hardships. It was also why Lumina treated her like a little sister. After crossing the gap between them, Lumina took Erina’s small frame in her arms. She hugged the girl who cried even harder as a result.

"There, there. Don't cry anymore Erina...there's no more reason to be sad. Thank you…" her voice above a whisper as Lumina stroked the girl's hair. She was not ignorant of the effects of using her powers, how she deteriorated every time she took a peek into the future. But she couldn’t stop...wouldn’t stop. Otherwise, many people's lives would be at stake.

They were too focused on their emotions that they failed to notice another spectator. The person watched in silence from one of the rooms overlooking the Oracle’s veranda.

~*~

At first, Reinhardt didn’t want to believe it. He came here expecting to find a treasure box of some sort that contained an elixir. At least, that was what they all believed. So he did what most people do, he assumed. That wasn’t what went through with his head right then. He wasn’t sure how much of the apples he had to get for Lumina. ‘Do I only need one? Or should I get a lot of them?’ that was his current conundrum.

Reinhardt reached for an apple after a brief pause. It was better to take action than to keep procrastinating. Once he plucked one golden fruit, the winds grew fierce. It reached a point where they had to cover their eyes. Squinting at the tree, Reinhardt looked surprised as the apples in the tree vanished one by one. In a panic, Reinhardt tried to reach for another one. But the apples disappeared before his outstretched hands.

When the winds died, Reinhardt had one apple left in his hand. The people stared in amazement. It garnered more reactions when the writing on the tablet disappeared and got replaced by a proverb.

“Greed consumes all…”

Reinhardt shook his head. There was no use crying over spilled milk. Besides, the Goddess of the Earth wouldn’t have made this mechanism if one fruit wouldn’t be enough. He chose to put all his trust on this. Reinhardt turned and faced the Templar Knights and adventurers around him. He raised the arm holding the apple and cheers erupted. With this, Lumina will finally be okay. Not only will she live, but Feria will enjoy a lasting peace. Of course, he cared more for the former rather than the latter.

~*~

Silence filled the whole city of Phracea. In every house and structure, everyone bonded in grief. The clouds darkened and the skies flashed and rumbled, the sky united with the citizens of Feria.

In a gloomy room within the church, a soft thud disturbed the silence. Something round and golden rolled away on the floor. From where the thing fell, Reinhardt stood frozen. He stood at the foot of the bed in silence. At the sides, the maidservants of the Oracle cried aloud. Strong enough that people outside the room could hear them.

Kristov was one of those people who didn't enter the room. He wanted to give Rein some privacy. His fist shook, and he couldn't stop himself from punching the wall. The realization that they lost someone dear to them was too painful to bear.

Erina whimpered, while Miranda’s mouth opened then closed, just to open again. She wanted to say something to pacify the man in front of her. It was the first time she had seen Kristov in this state. They have known each other only for a short period. And yet, during this time she was able to take a glimpse of the muscled man’s character. He was the happy-go-lucky type. He always offered a smile, always shared a laugh with his friends and comrades. And yet this guy right here, this big man in front of her was biting his lip to keep himself from sobbing. All this time, a steady stream of tears flowed down his cheeks.

Miranda reached out to touch Kristov’s shoulder, intending to show him that she cared. She experienced the surprise of a lifetime when he whirled around. He pulled her outstretched arm and buried himself in her hair as he wept. Her body shook at the intensity of the man’s cries, and yet she didn’t mind. For now...she would allow this, this closeness, this warmth. Because for now, this was the only thing she could offer him.

Back inside the room, Reinhardt trudged forward, heading to Lumina's side. The girl lay still in her bed. “Mistress Lumina...fought to stay alive, Sir Reinhardt. To the end, all she thought of was you. She even did her best to write you a letter. Before she...before she—” the head maid couldn't finish and began sobbing harder.

"Please...leave us…" Reinhardt said in a hoarse, tear-choked voice. Once the maids left, Reinhardt reached over and took Lumina's hand in his. He cupped it with both hands and almost didn't want to let go. One of his hands reached up and touched her cheek, then felt her silky smooth skin and caressed her hair. He inched closer and with one swift move, cradled her head on his chest. He hummed a song that he used to sing to her when they were still kids, right after the assassination plot happened.

Reinhardt would sing to Lumina at night. He did it whenever she woke up screaming from her nightmares. The experience traumatized her, and it plagued her dreams almost every night. The only thing that could pacify her was Reinhardt’s song. As he hummed, droplets of water fell on Lumina's cheeks. And more fell as Reinhardt's emotion burst forth like a surging tide.

"No….no…noooooo…!” He kept muttering those words, trying to deny what had happened. His gaze fell on the letter that slid down from Lumina's lap when he grabbed her. While trying to breathe, he reached out and took the letter, opened it and started to read. As he read, he felt Lumina's sweet voice reverberate in his head.

My Lord,

If you are reading this, it only means one thing. I may not have been able to keep my promise after all. I’m sorry…those are the only words I can think of saying. I was unable to stay by your side forever. But don't cry, my Lord, for I leave on a warm sunny day. I am not alone, the birds are calling out to me, and they’re telling me that I will soar to new heights. And that I will experience new things. Don't be sad. This is only a temporary separation...just like last time. We will see each other again, and this time we won't get separated. Be happy for me, because now I can finally be true to my feelings. I love you, Reinhardt. I have always kept you in my heart, and I will always treasure the memories we have. Sorry if I kept this from you for a long time. My only regret is that I was unable to say this when I was still alive. Please forgive me. Do not blame yourself. Try to forget me and live a happy life. And please take care of yourself. Be wary of the people around you. Nothing is what it seems. Till our next meeting…

I love you…

Lumina

Lumina…I'm sorry...I'm sorry if I won't be able to stop. I can't...I don't want to…" Reinhardt's wide shoulders shook with agony. His labored breathing grew louder breathing in itself became too hard for him. Tears splattered all over the parchment. It only meant that Lumina cried as she wrote her final words to him. Only now fresh tears joined Lumina’s as his fell on the paper.

If pain he felt right now could kill, he would've died already. In fact, he wished he had died at that moment. Dying on a battlefield with fatal wounds would’ve been a better way to go compared to feeling this kind of agony. "Lumina! Luminaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" His outcry resounded throughout the whole church. A voice filled with anguish, a tone coming from someone who had their heart ripped out.

A few hours passed, and Reinhardt stayed where he was, sitting still as he hugged her body closer to his. The letter tucked safely in his breast pocket. "Why did you let this happen?" his steely voice pierced through the darkness. Within its confines emerged a robed figure.