Volume I Scions of Destiny - Chapter 6 Part I Those Without Fear (I)

Arun continent, Velika.

A clear, black sky rested over the entire continent, Velika included. The night was wintry and quiescent. There was nearly none in Velika’s streets more than some patrols walking around Velika ensuring civilians’ safety within the city.

From the vast black sky over Velika shone numerous stars, each dimly lighting the darkness looming every corner of the continent.

Meanwhile, at the Velika’s west gate, Princess Caut stood as a scheduled guard despite the negativity of her officers’ aura, since a member of the royalty standing guard during the night was almost inadmissible for them since the responsibility was for those of lower ranks.

Yet, Princess Caut was there standing guard along her people just like any other Elin. She never wanted to be different despite her royal heritage, she wanted to be with her people.

Beside Caut, Zalyn, a guard (and also a maid), gently spoke with respect and concern for Caut’s condition.

“Caut, it is already too late. I can shoulder your shift, so please rest my Princess.” Zalyn said as her squirrel ears perked up cheerfully and her squirrel tail moved back and forward once.

“Zalyn, you know that I enjoy activities like this. I won’t leave no matter what you say.” Caut replied back to Zalyn, making Zalyn sigh in defeat.

Both were wearing light, black and tight, complete armor, covering from the neck to the feet with light plated scale armor minus the most of the joints to protect them from the harsh cold winter winds.

The black armor had red lines around the breastplate and shoulder pads, along the Pora Elinu Nation badge on the right rerebrace, which was the symbol of every Royal Guard of the Pora Elinu Nation,

The wintry cold made itself evident through the visible breath of every FTC soldier, Pora Elinu Nation’s soldiers and Shrouded Rose Sentinels guarding the gate attentively, and also while Caut and Zalyn spoke.

“I will be here with you then. It's the least I can do as your most loyal follower…” Zalyn said with commitment.

“Hahaha. Thank you, Zalyn. The cold night is much better with you at my side.” Caut replied back with a smile, with her tail wagging side to side.

“I know right? This night is indeed colder than any other this year. Speaking of cold…I really miss the winter festival.” Zalyn said softly, remembering the Winter Festival from last year.

“Aight. Though I don’t miss that festival since in every festival I have to stay in a room in tight stressful clothes for hours…not of my liking. At all.” Caut exclaimed while her amber wolf ears drooped, remembering the awful days which happened annually.

*Fuuu*

Caut gently blew her hands while rubbing them together to keep them warm, as this was the coldest winter after decades and not even her extra clothing under her armor could keep her body warm.

“Hahahaha. That’s right. I still remember your face those days. Hahahahaha…” Zalyn laughed upon remembering Caut’s face during the last Winter Festival in Pora Elinu.

“*Fuuu* What’s so funn-?”

Suddenly, Caut’s amber wolf ears along Zalyn’s brown, angular canine ears perked up simultaneously, feeling a brief swift spike in the magic flow before dissipating shortly after.

‘Mech…’ Caut turned her head towards the Free Trader's Hall, with her eyes filled with concern but she was unable to help in any way.

“Those flow spikes have been occurring since this evening…What it could be?” Zalyn said thoughtfully, as her magic affinity wasn't high enough to distinguish the patterns.

“Caut? Do you know who is doing it?” Zalyn added after seeing Caut’s reaction.

“Eh? No no no. I don’t know, but we should not worry about it at all, my mother is already handling the situation.” Caut replied with a soft smile, concealing her concern behind it.

“Humm...if you say so...by the way-” Zalyn suddenly turned around upon feeling some soft, friendly footsteps behind her.

Even though it was midnight and there were only a few dim yellowish lights from magic-made torches illuminating the surroundings within Velika and its respective entrances, Zalyn was able to clearly see a small Popori with soft panda fur, black eyes and his leather cuirass covering his whole body almost entirely.

“Who is it? We are in curfew ordered by our very Queen Valentina of Pora Elinu Nation, identify yourself immediately.” Zalyn exclaimed right away with a serious, clear voice while on her left wrist a light-blue flash sparkled, preparing an unknown spell on stand-by, ready to use it upon the slightest sign of hostility.

Although Elins are not known to be unfriendly or hostile, they take direct orders of their Queen seriously, which somehow controls their behavior indirectly and also adding the precarious situations that have been happening, everyone was nervous and the Elins were not an exception.

“Err...excuse me… I am Bready, ” Bready said hesitating, with a weak yet funny voice while slightly lifting his hands up, trying to convey intentions of peace.

“Ohhh... you are the Popori who- akkk!” Zalyn was exclaiming with enthusiasm along with a sudden change of mood, but while she was at it, Caut struck her ribs hard enough to cease her words.

“*Cough* Hello Bready, I thought you would be in your bed still, even if you got healed by Mech, the ghost wound syndrome can appear if you over effort your body too much like you are doing,” Caut spoke a second after striking Zalyn’s ribs, keeping her tone straight although slightly quick due she was nervous, showing a different care for Bready in middle of the uncomfortable scene for her.

Upon noticing her own words, her cheeks softly blushed, but thanks to the dark night, that detail went by unnoticed by Bready.

“Uhhh...haha...I am fine Princess, that silly syndrome won't affect me, I am not doing any big effort.” Bready said confidently, while patting his own chest, trying to display his actual good health.

The Phantom Pain syndrome was a typical sickness during the long war periods that took place in Arborea with the first ones from the War of the Races, where the Elins upon seeing the heavily wounded Human soldiers, dispatched their best healers to aid their battered allies alongside a large garrison of troops.

After they were healed, the Elins instructed for a few days of rest, but the war demanded immediate actions, mobilizing the recently healed soldiers to the frontlines right away and forced them to fight despite their condition.

However, since the body was still completely unaware of the healing, the Human Soldiers along Amani and Barakas fell down to the floor unconscious or other started to yell loudly from ghost pain, thus, the races understood the importance of recuperation after being healed from a deadly wound.

“If you say so, but please keep an eye on yourself.” The Princess said sternly, trying to conceal her feelings, with great success.

“Understood my Princess.” Bready replied right away in a firm position, slightly tensed by the cold words of his ‘love’.

‘Yes…’ Caut thought to herself seeing her facade a success, though she felt slightly guilty leaving Bready in the dark.

“So then, why you came here?” Caut asked, trying to calm down her mind changing the subject.

“Your mother ordered you to interrogate a captured enemy Officer in one hour, and I was assigned as your bodyguard alongside Zalyn.” Bready explained as clear as he could while trying to hide the happiness behind such incredible opportunity to expend time with the one he deeply admires and love.

“*Pfff*” Zalyn held her laughter, shifting Caut’s attention to her with a brief face of hostility for half a second.

“Ha? I guess it is a priority if she wants it right now.” Caut said slightly annoyed while her tail wagging her tail stopped abruptly.

“I am sorry, Princess. I will do my best.” Bready exclaimed vigorously, trying to gain Caut’s respect but failed abruptly.

Caut just turned around and walked into the city.

“Zalyn, with me,” Caut commanded sternly. Zalyn’s face switched from passive to serious and immediately followed her in silence, leaving Bready behind. He then quickly reacted and followed after her, confused about her sudden change of mood.

‘Why should we interrogate an enemy? We should be preparing for war, not making silly interrogations.’ Caut thought for herself. The enemy almost killed her mother, there was no absolution more than death.

“My Princess, you must remain calm.” Zalyn softly advised.

“Silence. It is an order.” Caut stated with a clear and stern tone, as she was evidently upset.

“Yes, My Princess.” Zalyn replied right away. Her eyes dropped to the floor saddened by her Princess’s emotional outburst.

‘She still has so much to learn, yet…’ Zalyn said to herself while following Caut with Bready in silence.

*** *** *** ***

“Hahahahehehehe!” Ralu laughed softly, looking from a building roof afar how Caut, Zalyn and Bready were walking towards prisoner’s location. Behind her, there was a hooded individual similar in height.

“Kill them all. If she is indeed the Angel of the Eventide, then she must die for our plans’ ensured success.” The mysterious individual ordered with a soft female voice.

“I wouldn’t believe a ghost’s words, Master,” Ralu whined, pouting at her master.

“It matters not. My word is law. You may use our friend, and ‘have fun’ if you wish.” The mysterious individual exclaimed before turned around and left, disappearing into the shadows.

“Yaaay! Sure! It will be done, master!” Ralu exclaimed happily as she then fixed her gaze back onto Caut, as her teal eyes filled radiating madness.

“They are gonna die! They are gonna die!” Ralu ‘sung’ happily while doing stretching exercises on the roof of the building, getting ready for the confrontation.

Kaiator,

A city named in honor to Goddess of the War, Kaia, who aided the Amanis during the Argon War, but after she saw Amanis’ cruel treachery, betraying their very own allies and dishonoring the warrior path during the Reaper persecution, she left the realm in self-exile, never seen again from that point on.

Kaiator,

A city forged in the frozen plains of the Northern of Sharan, where the extreme cold could either desquamate one in seconds or freeze one in a minute for the unprepared. The city was forged by the very effort of the liberated Amanis centuries ago with the aid of the Castanics, their city surrounded by walls comprised of various strong metallic alloys capable of withstanding the relentless Argon Invasion numerous times. Thus, the city was the very banner of hope and tenacity during the long years of war against the Argon threat.

The city warmed itself via huge forges around the city, each one distributing heat by transported molten metals through multiple pipes across the city, concurrently supplying the city’s strong metallurgical industry. The industry was also where the best blacksmiths pour their sweat and blood to forge myriads of high quality elements, until the Iron Order took the control of the city.

After that the Iron Order’s coup, Kaitor was under the iron fist of Frateko’s martial law, submerging it in a dark dictatorship that stagnated Kaiator’s economy, although the populace were still strong and well-trained as every Amani and soldier under their training.

*** *** *** ***

Kaiator’s inner districts share many similarities with the outer districts, the difference there being a civilization within the fortress city.

A warm inexhaustible fire brightened the streets. The cobbles comprising of a brown metallic alloy to better conduct the heat through the city.

On the other side, a human woman wandered throughout the city’s deep suburbs, wrapping a certain object with her arms while the streets were nearly vacant. The reason for the lack of presence was due to the curfew in effect by the Iron Order, a law the woman was left unaware.

Ifrit was her name, her eyes closed during her stroll down the road. Her ears however, found something else during her stroll, eavesdropping sounds no average individual can hear. Said sounds being soft screams and echoes of beaten flesh.

With every step down her path, the morbid sounds escalated along the way. Despite taking in the dreadful noise, her mind wanders her memories, specifically the words of a certain Eidolon that appeared a few years ago repeating again and again in a loop.

Approaching a wall, her back rested on the flat dark-brown metal to better focus her mind. The morbid screams behind the said wall continues to test her patience, her sense of duty and justice, as what lie within said walls was a torture chamber, filled with victims currently suffering from inhuman abuse by unknown assailants.

‘No…Why? The Eidolon’s words were true? How could such a disaster take place...why?’ The memory continuously muddled her thoughts, her troubles growing unhindered by the outside world. However, not without the company in her arms.

*Meow*

The cat shifting in her arms, it cuddled affectionately into her chest, fond of its holder for sheltering it from the freezing winter air. It still purrs with innocence, oblivious of its holder’s inner world.

*Thud!* *Thud!*

The depravity reached Ifrit’s ears without fail, to the smallest detail, from how the cold wooden bar repeatedly slapping flesh again and again to the screams growing fainter and fainter til only deathly silence remained.

And as if to taint her ears further, the torment resumed wi the h sound of blood splattering the walls and floor and dripped from its owner’s wounds, painting the cobbles crimson, followed by bones cracking from each and every fierce blow…and then cruel echoing laughs from the tormentors. Revealing them to be the city’s duty-sworn protectors.

Ifrit can hear the wet sounds of tears trickling from the victim, the disgusting laughter of the tormentors, and even their mouth crooking into a vulgar smile emanating nothing but arrogance.

“Why are you doing this?! We haven’t done anything wrong!” A woman cried aloud.

“He? Shut up! Or you’ll die screaming like the others.” The Amani exclaimed.

The more she listens on, more her spite against the city’s military grew, increasing her awareness and disgust of thedeep rooted corruption within Kaiator, along with her views of the world.

Although unaware how this torture came to be, she can feel the dark injustice and malversation behind the sentence. No, everyone in their right mind knew it was wrong, but none would lift a finger against it.

There was nothing more dangerous than someone to show their supremacy, no matter the cost of it.

*Meow* *Prrr*

The black kitten folded in Ifrit arms purred softly while poking its head on the light, carbon black armor protecting her belly and body after hearing Ifrit’s pulse, fueled by courage and desire for change.

The kitten’s abysmal black eyes gazed upon its holder’s dark cerulean eyes still lost in the void, her arms folding it tightened lightly. Unaware, what the kitten felt was a sign of its holder’s internal struggle.

‘Do never abandon your own self, Ifrit. You are special amongst the Demons. Your unique difference is why I accepted you under my wing.’ Ifrit remembered the stern words of her friend and mentor, Yamato.

*Meow* *Prrr*

The kitten kept mewling and nuzzling against Ifrit’s belly softly with tender affection, slightly moving its paw on her belly, while hearing her rhythmic like one after another like a warm lullaby.

“Is this a curse? Death around me like a plague, no matter where I am…I refuse to partake that abjured cycle again.” Ifrit murmured to herself while looking down to the kitten as her long vermillion hair dropped down, though hair only tempted the kitten’s playful nature. It lifted its two small paws in its holy quest to play with its holder’s hair.

*Prrrr*

‘In our world, there are two choices: eat or be eaten. Thus, Zelel and Leliel wishes to remold it for our future. A future not for us however, but for the next generation after us. We’re already stained following this path, and you know that as much as we do. So in conclusion, we must be that spark of revolution, but sadly, even the largest desert started as a grain of sand. We must start somewhere small, as harsh as it may be, even if it means spilling oceans of blood.’

Yamato’s stern words repeated within her mind. Although she can sense his regret and some sadness behind the sternness, Yamato kept moving forward pointing for a better future.

A future not for him, but for others that no one will know and probably will never know him either.

Now, conflicting ideals clashed within her mind. Her vow to kill never again after the bloody sin filled incident, Death Ballade, conflicts with the constant truth that death is needed for order, to defend against the evils in this world and make a change. To not kill is to reject death, and to reject death is to reject one’s own life as well.

That’s how in the Nightmare Realm was and the Daydream Realm wasn't different at all for Ifrit’s mind.

From the cruel, cold experience of her long and challenging life, she learned that life will not wait for her choice, forcing her to clench her fists mildly to not frighten the kitten. The time was running out.

There was no more time to avoid her destined path. It was time to make a choice.

Her internal struggle took only three seconds while all those nightmares were taking place, as she then took a step forward and gently lowered the kitten to the cold floor, though not before stealthly tearing off a piece of her crimson red cloak used to conceal her wings and gently placed it on the kitten to shelter it from the freezing winter.

“I’ll be right back. If what happens later is too much, you can run away, alright?” Ifrit softly consoled as the kitten was seated on the cold gray, battered cobbles, while the piece of cloak, controlled by Ifrit, slowly wrapped around the kitten harmlessly, wearing around the kitten like a calm crimson flame.

At that moment, she remembered the last words before his mentor unexpectedly disappeared by unknown reasons the next day, leaving her training in hold.

‘You always have that light. Do not waste it, Ifrit.’

With those words in her mind, her gaze slightly shifted, now sharper and colder.

*Meow?*

The kitten cocked his head to the left, unable to understand her words while slowly wagging its tail. It watched Ifrit taking her cloak with her left hand and then she pulled it and threw it to the air, watching it then vanish after a puff of magenta sand smoke.

Ifrit then expanded her now revealed pair of long black-white Nephilim wings, overshadowing the dim lights of the dead end street within Kaiator.

At the height of her left rerebrace, Ifrit displayed a black rose insignia, as her wings quickly attracted a few of the military’s attention.

"Uh? An Angel?” One of the soldiers exclaimed confused of what his eyes were seeing, staring at the Ifrit’s gray eyes which were looking at the void for a few seconds before locking on her preys.

“Atone your sins with blood.” Ifrit exclaimed sternly and with a deep determination, she had taken a choice.

*Shin-shin*

The kitten by his side suddenly spotted a couple of silver sparks for a second before losing track of its holder, thus the kitten lifted his left paw and licked it softly.

*Ahhhhhhhhhh!*

*Thud* - *Thud* - *Thud*

Two seconds later, damp crimson squelches echoed one after another in the dead end street, as Ifrit’s nose smell the fresh blood viscously streaming from the stained rocky cobbles.

The kitten ears perked up right after hearing the screams and paused its licking right away, frightened of the event before it, but then the kitten relaxed upon seeing Ifrit once again, fixing its deep black eyes on her.

The flow of life was so smooth and peaceful around Ifrit, allowing the kitten to softly approach Ifrit without fear.

*Meow*

Ifrit turned around towards the sound, noticing the small bundle of cuteness while a drop of blood slid down her cheek.

“It has been months since I have not eaten…” Ifrit eyed the corpses, their bloody odor appealing to her appetite.

She contemplated whether or not to sate her hunger for a moment, but then chose to leave her food be, as cannibalism or consumption of raw, unprocessed flesh was common in the Nightmare Realm but in the Daydream Realm, it means the sign of demons lurking in the area.

Right after, she just responded with a short happy smile to the kitten and picked it up again although her gaze was lost and unfocused.

Then she calmly left the area with the kitten in her arms. She snapped her fingers before a crimson cloak formed over her back, concealing her large wings through illusion magic.

*BWOOM!*

However, without warning, Ifrit felt the world around her came to a sudden halt.

Now on guard, she examined her unmoving surroundings with her sensitive ears, detecting myriads of runes correlating with Time Magic, yet she cannot determine the origins of these runes and unfamiliar magic sequences. A voice resounded close behind her within the silence.

“Hehehehehehe...interesting. You have a good eye, Ifrit. Hehehehehe you got it?”

‘Kh!’ Ifrit vocalized, as she felt a presence as imposing as Zelel’s and turned around with her hands already on the handles of her weapons. The kitten by its side jumped down and went to hide.

No. The owner of the presence allowed itself to be detected.

“Who are you? Why do you know my name?” Ifrit asked ready to strike a white masked man with a black top-hat over his head, wearing a black frac suit with two hooded individuals behind him, whom were also wearing white masks.

“How wouldn’t I know the most famous Black Rose Order Commander who deserted the naive illusion of peace? Anyways, interesting mechanical armor you have there. Who made it? It has something really familiar to me.” Quote asked, completely ignoring her question.

Ifrit by her side stood in silence, as his question was too direct and concrete.

“Hehehehe…” Quote laughed as Ifrit continued staring at Quote with intense eyes, unable to understand his senseless chatter.

“Who are you?” Ifrit repeated with more intensity. Every of her senses were focused on the three individuals before her, ready to counter attack upon even the slightest sense of hostility.

“No need to be so hostile. We’re not here to kill you…For now. Hehehehe…we are here to inquire where and when you encountered that stupid Eidolon.” Quote asked condescendingly as Ifrit tensed all her muscles upon feeling a dangerous glint within the man’s presence.

She wasn’t wrong at all, as Quote’s light blue eyes glittered behind his strange white mask with a wicked hostility. Her mind raced with questions on how the man before her knew about her encounter, and contemplated her choices to react on the matter.

“A few years ago.” Ifrit answered, although she was confused by the whole situation.

“Hehehehe...I see…I see! This is wonderful! Hehehehe!” Quote turned around while he shouted in excitement along Iri and Qoo and walked towards a wall, but stopped upon hearing Ifrit’s voice laced with caution.

“Why do you know I spoke with an Eidolon?” Ifrit demanded, somewhat dumbfounded by Quote’s wicked personality.

“Ohohoho, you don’t need to know…”

“I sincerely disagree.” She pulled out her blades, pointing one at Quote with hostility.

“Ohohoho, touchy aren’t we?” Quote commented without a hint of tension in him. Ifrit tightened her grip on her weapons as she emanates hostility towards the man, but upon seeing the man slowly lifting his right arm towards her, she flinched as her instincts warned her to flee and leaped back a few feet maintaining distance from the dangerous man.

“Ohhh, not bad. The stories don’t lie, indeed.” Quote chuckled as he let his arm drop to his side.

“But let me warn you…don’t even try to point your weapons at me, or next time, you will see...how scary I can be hehehehehe…” Quote exclaimed while he just turned his head slightly back, as Ifrit was able to feel his sharp and mischievous intentions on her, filled with hostility.

“You will see how wrong you are if I do,” Ifrit answered back without any fear nor hesitation.

“Hehehehe...I like it I like it!” Quote exclaimed in excitement, entertained by her fearlessness.

“Then I bid you adieu! May we ‘meet’ again, blind demon!” Quote shouted as he along Iri and Qoo disappeared, leaving no trace of their presence. After their disappearance, the world around Ifrit slowly returned to normal, motion slowly being restored to its natural state.

Ifrit’s blank eyes left affixed at the wall, confused about the bizarre encounter and her ‘visitors’.

But there was no worth trying to explain understand it with her limited knowledge. However, the Eidolon promised her answers if she starts training the ‘Angel of the Eventide’, a legend as far she knew..

Ifrit then turned around and resumed her wandering throughout Kaitor, searching for any relevant clues as much as possible.

“I don't believe in luck,” Ifrit exclaimed before proceeding towards a new direction, thinking on her new route since as far she knew, the Eidolon she met held no lies in her.

Then that also meant that she was fleeing in fear from her greatest sin, the day she stained her hand with innocent blood all due to a premature impulsive whim of peace, with no promised reward in the end but blood on her hands...the Death Ballade.

Her mind then flooded with those scenes, which even after years, they still haunted her mind as clear as day.

Credits to I4MD347H for editing. Thanks a lot!