Chapter Nineteen: Onwards

Gods, I felt terrible.

The aching pain that had been merely a nuisance earlier had escalated to a head splitting agony that I could do nothing for but grit my teeth. Healing wouldn't work on this, magic had caused it, but with time it would eventually fade. It was a bitter reminder that all magic has a price.

Ultimate Aspect had looked good on paper but in reality it had almost killed me. The aspects of each element and their higher forms fighting for supremacy over my body. Even now it was still active, the only thing keeping me moving at this point being aspect of healing. I could see the girls out of the corner of my eye, sneaking glances at me whenever they heard the pop and sizzle of my liquid metal skin. They obviously wanted to ask what was wrong with me, but they seemed to understand that I wouldn't answer.

The girls and I were currently making our way through the ruined gates of Ellai, the twisted metal both familiar and foreign as I passed between them. Black Tusk stood several meters behind me, walking in unison and yet to take off their masks.

We had made a quick stop at the servants home,where they had stored their supplies and picked them up with haste, Ursula now shouldering the burden as she easily kept pace due to her strength as a wolf kind.

I continued forward, my senses trying desperately to function as we headed down the destroyed cobbled road that led into the surrounding forest, the tree's appearing almost menacing as the sun finally set over the Cold Shears that surrounded us.

It was eerily quiet, even Ada was silent, as we walked at a steady pace through the tree's. The only thing that seemed to interrupt my calming mind was the fucking sword, bound and broken, in my right hand.

I examined Xolumbrandir closely to see if it had sustained any damage in our duel, but it appeared to be fine. The black blade was no longer leaking it's sanguine aura which was a good sign, since I had commanded it not too. All it was doing was throwing the occasional hiss my way, distraught at once again being my weapon.

“Just shut the fuck up, sword. You lost, I won. Have some grace in defeat and stop acting like an idiot.” I said sharply to the blade, which just caused it to hiss louder. It had done this before. It was trying to annoy me.

The girl's were looking at my back with startled expressions on their faces.

“Em, Corus? Did you just tell your sword to shut up?” asked Leigh, her hand raised slightly as if she needed permission to ask a question.

I turned to the gentle girl and smiled, although she couldn't see it because of my mask. “Yes, Leigh, Xolumbrandir is being a little bitch right now because it lost the fight between us. I think it hurt it's pride, considering that it's probably been preparing to battle me for years. Ain't that right, you little fuck?”

The hissing was so loud now that even the girls heard it and their eyes widened in fear.

“Oh, don't worry, it's bound to me once again. Can't hurt anyone I don't tell it too. It's a hisser, that's all... By the way, you can take off your mask's if you want. The Knight Descendants won't be stupid enough to follow us.” I said with a wave of my hand before continuing down the road, increasing my pace as I thought back to the Descendants I had fought on the plateau.

I have to admit, seeing faces that held the same features of my Knight's was rather disconcerting for me. Especially one's that looked so superior. Or tried to in any case.

Kara, the great grand daughter of Heilvol.

She looked like him quite a bit. The seriousness in her expression was almost a perfect reflection of the one my Knight used to show so much. He softened up with time, but Heilvol always remained level headed, he was never one to let his emotions get the best of him.

She even used Furela, a sword I didn't think I would ever see again. It barely reacted to my presence, instead trying to contain it's excitement that I felt bubbling up inside it's aura. Even after he's been gone for so long it appears Furela has permanently retained some of Heilvol's traits, enough to recognise me. The girl didn't really notice, she was too preoccupied with trying to not lose her courage.

If she was paying attention, she would have noticed that I actually didn't stop the sword she swung at my head, rather, Furela stopped itself. It knew I wasn't a threat to it or it's new master and was still fond of me to an extent. The incredible magic of sentient weapons.

As I thought that, another hiss echoed inside my ears and I gritted my teeth, trying my hardest not bash my own sword against the ground for being an annoying fuck.

At the very least, it seemed Kara was the most rational of the bunch. But she too suffered from pride, a large amount of which was misplaced. I believe that she thinks she is above others simply because of her heritage. It was in the way she held herself, the way she stared at me and the members of Black Tusk, as if we were beneath her. A dangerous road if one travels down it. Only sadness and loneliness awaits at the end of that path. If Heilvol had seen her acting thus, he would have beaten her into the ground again and again until the point was proven. You are not special, you are not unique. You earn your honour, you are not born into it.

Perhaps after the lesson I had just given her, she would try harder to be her own woman and not live in the shadow of her ancestor.

I winced as the pain in my head grew, Now making it's way down my neck. Soon my whole body would be racked with pain. I'll need to deactivate Ultimate Aspect soon if I want to make a full recovery within the next week.

“Your Majesty, are you alright? You haven't taken off your mask and you seem to be very... hot.” I hadn't noticed Bell run ahead of her fellows and stand beside me. She had removed her mask, her pale face scrunched up in worry, perhaps frightened that I'll die before she can get me back to the Red Citadel.

“I'm fine Bell, truly. We just need to make it to the ridge and away from danger, then I will allow myself to rest.” I turned my silver covered face and concealed eyes to fix Bell with a stare.

A hint of red rose up into her cheeks before she slowed and allowed her comrades to catch up with her. I remained at the same pace, gaze now fixed ahead.

The road through the wood really is rather peaceful. There was no danger in this forest when Ellai was still whole and while that might have changed, I doubt it. This valley was so isolated that no predator would think of making this place their home. All the livestock had been controlled by the city government, making it hard pickings for even the toughest creatures in Vita.

As I continued onwards, my eyes lost in the canopy, my thoughts drifted to the other descendants.

Dran, the grandson of Drogna. Arrogant and angry, Dran shared Drogna's looks, but not his kind and noble nature. As soon as I looked at him I knew exactly what he was thinking, I knew that he was going to say something stupid, something to try to scare and intimidate me. But truthfully, that isn't his fault.

While I'm not up to date on dwarven culture from the last four hundred years. When I had lived, heroes in dwarven society were seen as being's who have done such great deed's in their lives that their descendants are considered living incarnations of them. In short, the dwarves believed that Dran is the reincarnation of Drogna, like his father before him.

While the dwarves, much like the elves, do not have any deities to call their own. The people who have managed to change the world, for good or ill, are seen as powerful beings with such great spiritual energy that they can live on after death. Drogna never believed it, but I think that Dran might.

I wouldn't be surprised. If you're told from a young age that you are the reincarnation of one of the greatest dwarven heroes in history, you might get a big head. Or perhaps I'm getting it wrong, perhaps he's trying to prove that he is not Drogna, that he is his own man. That would explain why he doesn't wear a beard and speaks the way he does. His grandfather was a very gentle dwarf, a creator rather than a destroyer like the rest of us. Although, he was handy with that hammer whenever the need arose.

Lor was another creature all together. He reminded me so much of Faral it was terrifying. The way he walked and talked, it was like I was looking at my old friend. I could tell that he was obsessed with the sword, just like his mother. His aura compared to his fellow Descendants looked rather weak, embarrassingly so. That's why I let him attack me, I wanted to test a theory and it was correct.

Faral had taught her son the Song of the Seven Swords.

It was a technique that Faral had created during one of our training sessions. She wondered why aura couldn't be sharpened, like a blade, and used to lash out at the enemy. She had used it on me and, I was so surprised, I almost lost the match. Almost.

In return for that victory, Faral taught the technique to me and I made it into my own monster. While the elven pirate could more than match me with her own version, hers focused on speed while mine focused on pure unadulterated strength. Song of the Seven Swords allowed her to slice into someone with six additional cuts, confusing and disorientating the enemy. The Hundred Blades let me rip them to shreds with one sword stroke by taking advantage of my unnaturally large aura.

Of course, I didn't want to kill the kid, just teach him a lesson. Better for him to lose now to someone who would let him live, than die when he inevitably faces someone he can't defeat by relying solely on his special attack.

As I finished that thought, we emerged from the tree line. The grass had long since grown over the road and, while some of it could still be seen, most of it was obscured beneath the encroaching emerald of nature.

From here I could see the slight rise in a hill that led up to a gap between two mountains. It was narrow and fraught with danger on the way down, but it was the only way in. A fact that had come in handy when church soldiers had attacked in the past.

“So, what now, Corus?” Ada asked as she stepped forward, her bow resting on her shoulder.

I turned to face the members of Black Tusk “Now, we head for Scarl Forest”

Immediately Bell gave me a massive smile, exposing her slightly larger than normal canines.

I raised a hand “But! I'm going to need you guys to go and make a cot first.”

The girls stared at me for a second.

I rolled my eyes “Please? I'll explain once it's made.”

Ursula gave me a death stare before dropping her packs as the other girls continued to look confused for a split second before sighing and beginning the task.

It was getting harder and harder to keep the pain out of my voice, aspect of healing could only do so much before it started to shut down and I had now been using Ultimate Aspect for about three hours. It wouldn't be much longer till I couldn't continue, I needed to end this now.

As the girls went about the task I had set them, I thought back on the last member of the Knight Descendants.

Mahalis. The son of the woman I had once loved.

It was strange, but I felt almost no emotion whilst looking at the boy. No anger, no resentment. I wasn't the type of person to blame someone for the mistakes of their parents. It was rather disconcerting that he looked so much like Marwenna, but I had put that to the back of my mind as soon as he started to speak. If I hadn't, I may have done something drastic. Thankfully, he was the easiest of all four of them to defeat.

The Angelis. It appeared that Marwen had given her sword to her son. Whilst she had probably done this to protect him, against me it does quite the opposite.

From his aura I could tell that Mahalis had yet to bind the sword. In order to use a sentient weapon to the fullest of it's ability one must bind it to their aura, for that to happen the weapon must accept you fully and allow you to create a tether between it's aura and your own.

Kara, it seemed, had also been unable to bind her weapon. Otherwise, Furela would have attacked me because she willed it.

It also makes one wonder how I managed to bind Xolumbrandir, considering that it needs to 'accept' the tether. It can be forced, but it shouldn't be attempted. Everything I've read of the subject states clearly that if the link is not accepted by both parties, then it can end in death for both the weapon and the wielder. The only reason I forcibly created a tether on Xolumbrandir was because the sword would never submit to anyone, it wanted to be the master, not the servant. It was incredibly difficult. To bind Xolumbrandir I had to break through it's aura and threaten to destroy it if it didn't agree, and I had to do all this while falling through the air. It was kind of like stitching a wound with a great-sword... while getting repeatedly stabbed.

That was my loophole. I put it into a position where it couldn't refuse, otherwise it would be destroyed. I knew that Xolumbrandir would concede. Above everything else, the blade wanted to live. It's survival instincts shouldn't be sniffed at.

“We're done, your fucking lordship.” The sarcastic voice belonged to Ursula, who was bowed low, her hands spread out as she presented the cot before me.

It was a simple thing, simply two sleep rolls tied between two lengths of wood. I nodded at the wolf and spoke to the group.

“Okay girls, I'm going to need your help for the next part.” I said, raising my hands to calm the inevitable sympathy that was coming. “I'm going to fall unconscious and I probably won't wake up before we reach Scarl Forest... probably...”

The girls suspicious glances immediately turned to concern, even the face of Ursula softened slightly.

“You're injured?! Why didn't you tell me, I can heal your wounds!” Leigh shouted and began to start forwards, before Ada grabbed her arm.

“Leigh, Corus can use healing magic. He can use all magic, I think. I don't believe that you can help here.” She turned to face me “Am I right?”

I gave her a nod “Correct, Ada. I've been burning through mana trying to keep moving, but it's coming to the point that I won't be able to continue.”

“But, why? How?” asked Bell, she looked more concerned than the others, she seemed to be thinking of Cin, which made me feel quite a bit happier.

“The fight with Xolumbrandir took a lot more out of me than I thought. I hate to ask this of you but... I need you all to protect me until I wake up.” I asked, hating myself for it. I keep having to lean on Black Tusk for support and very nearly got them killed because of it. But I had no choice.

The girls all looked at each other for a second and, surprisingly, it was Ursula who spoke.

“Fine, we'll get you to where you need to go... then we can discuss our fee.” She said, giving me a shark toothed grin.

The others grew wide-eyed and stared at Ursula and then at me, as if I would suddenly become offended.

I could only sigh. “So, how much is all this going to cost me?”

Ursula looked at Bell, who gave her a smirk before stepping forwards.

Don't worry about the details, your Majesty, I'll draft a writ with our hourly rate and we'll hammer out the amount owed when you wake up.”

“Hourly...” I said weakly, this time not because of my gradually deteriorating body.

“Holy shit! That's like... holy shit! We're going to be rich!” Ada cried exuberantly as the others chuckled. I just rolled my eyes.

“Fine, whatever you want, Bell. I'm sure Cinder will pick up the tab... hopefully.” I said, before putting Xolumbrandir into my belt and laying myself down on the cot, removing my mask and handing it to Ada for safe keeping.

“Gods, Corus... why is your face metal... and moving.” She said as she took the mask from my outstretched hands without hesitation.

I had forgotten for a second that my body was made of molten metal, and that my eyes were glowing with an inner fire. I must look like some kind of monster.

“Don't worry, it's just a spell I was using. It'll be gone in a second.” I placed a hand on Xolumbrandir “Sword, protect me and the girls while I sleep. Understand?”

I got a hiss of hatred in return, before a grudging acceptance drifted across the tether.

“See you all soon.” I said with a wink, before deactivating Ultimate Aspect.

I didn't feel any pain when I let go of the spell, only a sense of numbness that spread over my body. As if all the nerves were shut down, I found myself unable to move anything. I felt an acute exhaustion drift over me, pulling me deeper and deeper into the dark.

It was in this moment between the sleeping and waking worlds that I had an epiphany.

The Angelis wasn't linked to Mahalis. It never had been. In fact, it was still bound to Marwenna. When one spends a lot of time with a sentient weapon, they begin to develop and adopt traits from their users, as Furela did for Heilvol. The Angelis had been with Marwen for centuries so it's level of connectedness was on a much higher level. So much so that, even across great distances, The Angelis could accurately react emotionally to things as Marwen would herself.

When the sword had sensed me it had felt fear and hatred. Not relief, not joy, not guilt. It had been afraid, which could only mean one thing.

Vitriss hadn't told Marwenna the truth, the Goddess had lied. My suspicions were confirmed. The bitch couldn't be trusted, She was continuing to play her game as if we were all pawns.

When I awoke, I intended to change all that. Fuck Samedus Exovan, fuck Vitriss. It's time to play the game my way.