by SlyOkami
Kyllix paced about, speaking all the while as he did. “Thea, your Chosen accomplice. Now I must say I was impressed to see…anyone use Aureiatic energy in this world…Seeing as Faetera is so flooded with Spirit that it shouldn’t be possible. Emotionally, as you’ve determined yourself, she’s also quite stable. Her allegiance, quickly transferred from her people to you as well…But,” he paused, looking at Erik as if waiting for him to continue.
“Thea is too caring.” Erik said, knowing all too well.
Kyllix nodded with a smirk, “To care for others, in of itself, is never wrong. But Thea…She falters, she thinks too much. If she knew the reality behind Demons and Devils…I’d have to wonder if she would even fight them…In short? Her heart is too big, and…Thea is just not fit for war.” Kyllix said with a sigh.
“And what am I supposed to do about that?” Erik asked, grimacing in frustration. Simply thinking of her, already gave him a massive headache.
“Talk with her, this occurrence with Kayle is the perfect time to open her eyes. I’m sure you know which words to use, but I’m also sure you knew that already.” Kyllix sternly answered, “You’re just too stricken with guilt to try, aren’t you?”
Erik nodded, but his eyes wandered off. Unable to give a straight response.
The God sighed once again, “Must I punch you this time around? Stand taller, Erik. Your current emotions are being heightened by your human form, but within you are still a Dragon. You’ve also gone through war once before, you know that you shouldn’t listen to guilt. Not as long as your convictions stand strong and right.”
“But I have to wonder, are my convictions, even right?” Erik asked, disdain clear in his tone, let alone his dread filled eyes.
“Second guessing yourself, will get you killed.” Kyllix warned, “What is right is decided by the morals of the majority, yet the majority rarely matter in times of life and death. You know this, so steel yourself boy.”
“Yeah, you’re correct.” Erik said, raising his gaze to inspect the closest weapon. A strange mixture of coral shaped blue metal and emerald gemstones.
“Lastly, there’s your party’s weakest link.” Kyllix moved on, “Nerick.”
“I’d say he’s on equal footing with Thea, and stronger than Shizuka.” Erik mused.
“You’d think, but the reality is that each of them fights for something. Nerick…He fights only for someone.” Kyllix began to explain, “Makaela fights for you, and for her people. Thea fights for her beliefs of right and wrong, and for the innocent. Shizuka…she fights to survive, and to protect the one who took her in. Nerick…You’re a tad dense with these things so I’ll guess you haven’t noticed at all, but that doesn’t mean I’m telling you either.”
“What does that mean?” Erik asked with a raised brow, glancing at the smirking God. “Tell me what? Who he fights for?”
“That is not for me to say, but as things stand…Nerick will do the same mist-” Kyllix paused, “Never mind, that would be telling you too much.”
“Telling me too much? Does that have anything to do with why you’re being so damn vague at times?” Erik asked.
And Kyllix’s smirk widened, “Time knows no master. We Gods can peek into it, but we can never change it, not as we’d like. I’ve been very careful not to make too big an impact in this realm for that reason, in fear of changing the timeline to one I cannot perceive its future. The Avatar is of the same mind, they might be the creator but that doesn’t mean they have power of everything.”
“You call it the Avatar, but they are simply a creator…They make, not own nor control?” Erik repeated the Avatar’s words.
Kyllix nodded, “It’s a bit more complicated than that, but yeah that’s a good way to put it. In any case, I’m not sure what you could even do to help Nerick. Not any more than you already have. The power you gave him, a brilliant choice for that man, yes but…”
“I cannot understand nor agree with you here.” Erik said, “Nerick may have a lot of room for improvement, but he’s strong within. Unlike Makaela, he knows where his loyalties lie. Unlike Shizuka, he’s a soldier, a warrior whose heart was well tempered by combat. And unlike Thea…Nerick’s moral compass is unobstructed and clear.”
“That much is true, but I’ll leave it at that. The rest is for you to notice, for you to…put into place.” Kyllix shrugged, “As a wise man, from another realm, once said; To know the enemy, is not enough. But if you know oneself, and the enemy…Then you mustn’t fear the outcome of a thousand battles.”
“Fearing the outcome is what the footsoldiers do,” Erik added with amusement, “Commanders don’t fear the outcome, we calmly weight it alongside others.”
“Ah, remember those words you just spoke. Therein lies more truth than you know.” Kyllix chuckled, “But I’ve used up enough time, I really must be going.” He said, turning to face Erik. “This is farewell, Dragon.”
“Ah-Before you go, I have one last question.” Erik then asked, also turning to face the God.
“Sure, but depending on what it is, I might have to be vague or even not answer at all.” Kyllix warned.
“You said before that the power Thea was using, was something called Aurei…ic?” Erik tried to pronounce the word.
“Awe-re-ya-tic, Aureiatic,” Kyllix corrected, “Or simply put, Aura. I’m not surprised that you don’t know of it.”
“Why? And what is it? I’ve been perplexed trying to understand that energy, almost as much as Spirit has confused the lesser races.” Erik said, demeaning others as to not demean his own knowledge, as any good Dragon would when asking such a question.
Causing Kyllix to burst into laughter, the God’s rough voice filling the surrounding hall with a rumbling echo. “It perplexes me of how throughout thousands of realms, Dragons and Dwarves hate each other so much, when you’re so bloody similar. Or maybe, that similarity is why you do? Hmm, food for thought. Going off topic there, apologies, what is Aura huh? Let’s see…”
And for the next several minutes, Kyllix explained in detail what Aura was.
Causing Erik to understand, just why Nerick would fall asleep halfway through each of his own lectures…
Ch 49 - The Crowning
Erik stepped out of the shadows, as a new door appeared behind him. He stood within the common kitchen that he had created along with the four bedrooms and two bathrooms around it, now there being seven doors taking into the room in total.
He had created these rooms according to Shizuka’s advice, to at least make the rest of the party’s stay within his Lair somewhat hospitable.
Erik though still preferred sleeping in a dark rocky corner, human body or not.
(“Now…how to go about this?”) He thought, approaching one bedroom door where Thea and her sister Kayle lay behind. Kyllix had just taken his leave, and had left Erik with many things to think about. With so many thoughts on his mind though, he decided to deal with the most pressing ones first.
And that was Kayle, both her condition and the knowledge she had come with.
Erik stood before the door with his hand on the knob, pondering briefly. He had wanted to deal with this issue much later, but with Kayle here…he had no choice but to deal with it now.
He asked himself, if he had to choose, who would it be?
If there was to be a falling out, among his two most trusted, could he choose?
Between his Chosen, and the Queen of his children?
Erik did not know, nor did he want to think of it. But he did, he did think long about it, even after he stepped into the room he kept pondering on it. As he was met with the two sisters, some sort of calm having finally fallen on Kayle as she sat beside Thea, the two of their gaze’s rising to meet his entrance as if they had been speaking about something…
“S-Speak of the dragon…” Kayle chuckled awkwardly, giving him a weak smile as their eyes met. “I knew there was something strange about you…”
“I explained the situation to her…I hope you don
’t mind?” Thea explained after Erik gave her a questioning glance.
“No…at this point it is just appropriate.” Erik sighed, “Kayle I must apologise to you, I thought I had left enough to protect you but…I never imagined there’d be a succubus powerful enough to…make it through.”
“Princess…” Kayle muttered out, pausing briefly as her expression paled. “Princess Risera Isiroth…was her name. The succubus’s name…” She said, her hands clenching as she strained herself to remember.
“Kayle you don’t have to force yourself to remember, those memories aren’t your own…And it must be painful to even do so, you might hurt yourself.” Erik warned, knowing how dangerous the magic she was influenced by can be.
Kayle shook her head, “I have to remember…I have to tell you…To tell Thea of what I know.” She said, her tone full of resolve which her expression and eyes lacked.
Thea glanced in between them, seemingly confused. “What is she…talking about?”
Erik lightly sighed, “Succubae are naturally able to intoxicate other beings through their scent, giving them short-term control of that individual. That is what you know as a Charm, but the stronger of them are also capable to use a higher-level magic, called Soul Charm. This household magic…binds a soul to the caster’s, sharing memories, knowledge and senses. The master soul, that being the caster’s, also has complete control over the bound soul’s body for at most ten years. That, is what your sister was under.” He explained, gesturing to Kayle.
“So…” Thea turned to face her sister, “You shared memories with that…thing?”
Kayle shook her head, “More than just…memories. Sensations, thoughts, pain…everything but my consciousness of who I am…although even that became blurry after a whi-But t-that’s not important now!” she suddenly exclaimed, her eyes widening as she grabbed Thea by the shoulders, raising her gaze to meet her sister’s eyes.
“Thea I…I know…I know who killed our mother.” Kayle said, as Thea felt her trembling hands clench her shoulders.
Erik went silent as he heard those words, standing in the background and deciding to only listen for now. (“What else can I do?…”) He asked himself, feeling as if he shouldn’t even be here right now.
“Y-You…do?” Thea managed, surprise filling her expression as she stared at her sister. “Who?…”
Kayle’s eyes darkened, recalling the memory, as it floated within her head as clear as day. Feeling the unnaturalness of it, as it resurfaced. “You remember how…Father challenged the King’s running to decriminalize the Xilfir within Druvia, last year?”
“Yeah…I do, but what does that have anything to do with it?” Thea asked, growing more confused, as did Erik.
“Everything…It had everything to do with it.” Kayle said as she chuckled weakly, “Because father knew who…killed her, as well. He just never told us. He found out just how I did, through a survivor of the fall of Fort Balgor, who was present at the time of her…death.”
Thea grabbed her sister’s shaking hands, “Kayle…who? Who was it?”
“It was a Xilfir,” Kayle said, “Makaela Xilfir killed our mother.”
Thea froze, shaking her head as she heard that name. “No…it can’t be…she-”
“You know her…then?” Kayle asked, seeing the surprise in her sister’s eyes. “Sis please…don’t blame her…” she then said, causing both Thea and Erik to grow more bewildered. “She had no choice, the Devils plotted everything. Balgor fell because of a demoness! And Father’s rebellion? She wanted it to happen too!”
“Kayle slow down…I do-don’t understand.” Thea managed to mutter out through the shock.
“Azkel…plotted to kill our mother, to weaken father and get inside his head. She used Risera to force the Dreadblade’s commander to do it, to pin the entire blame on them and make the peace talks between the Xilfir and Druvia to fall apart.” Kayle explained further, “Mother’s assassination…destroyed the moral of the soldiers at Balgor as well…That witch planned it all!”
Kayle suddenly gasped, grabbing her own head as tears streamed out of her eyes. She wailed in pain, feeling as if her head was going to explode from the sudden pressure that filled it.
“K-Kayle! Erik what’s wrong with her?!” Thea asked in a panic, grabbing Kayle as she frantically rolled about in agony.
Erik was woken from his daze, and rushed to their side. Grabbing a hold of Kayle himself, the both of them holding her down as she struggled briefly, but slowly calmed down after a few moments.
“The implanted memories, they’re too much for her to handle right now. She needs rest, immediately.” Erik explained, raising his left palm over to Kayle’s forehead and quickly chanting beneath his breath. “Dark Arts; Psychic School; Drowse!”
A dim blue light flashed out of Erik’s palm, washing over Kayle’s face briefly before dissipating. Causing her an extreme sense of drowsiness.
“Thea…” She muttered, as sleep began to overtake her.
“I’m here Kayle…rest, w-we can talk after, okay? I’ll be here.” Thea assured her.
“M-Makaela…she was…forced…” Kayle whispered, seemingly fighting the weariness that overtook her. “Risera…c-charmed…her sister…” She managed to say, before being unable to fight off the magic any longer.
She fell asleep, a forced slumber through which she would have no dreams, nor nightmares. Something Erik knew she will be haunted by sooner or later, but for now, he gave her the solace she needed.
“Makaela…” Thea whispered the name, clenching her hands into fists as she gazed down at her sleeping younger sibling.
“I’m sorry,” Erik then suddenly said, as he pulled away from them. “I knew, but I didn’t tell you.” He admitted, but the weight on his chest only got heavier.
Silence befall them for several moments, “Why?” silence which Thea then broke with a simple word.
A question he had been dreading to answer.
“I have no excuse…I simply didn’t want you to know…not yet.” Erik answered truthfully.
“Hah…And I’m the gullible one?” Thea asked, as tears now ran down her face. “I thought…I thought I was over it. My mother’s death. But now? Everything I felt when…when I was told that she was gone…it’s all back, Erik…It’s all back.”
“I didn’t know the full story…either. I didn’t know Makaela did it for one of her sisters…” Erik said, (“This is still a mess though…”) he thought, although he couldn’t deny the relief that filled him at the time.
Thea collapsed onto the bed next to Kayle, closing her eyes as she clenched the sheets. “Why? Why did this have to happen?…” She asked, yet expected no answer. “I’m sorry Erik…I…I don’t know if I can…”
“Face Makaela?” Erik finished her words for her, “I know, and I can stall for some time before you have to…but at some point, you will have to Thea.”
“I…Right now, Erik, I hate her…” Thea said, but no hate was present in her tone, only pain.
Erik nodded, “Whatever you decide to do, Thea…I won’t stop you, but I won’t interfere either.” He said, his words meaning more to himself than they did to her.
Finding that, for the first time in his long life.
Erikathyr, could not choose.
Turning around, and deciding to give her space, Erik left the room.
“Is this wise, master?” Dejal asked, as their stone humanoid form appeared out of the kitchen’s ground before him. “The Chosen’s mind is very unstable now, would it not have been better to silence the sis-”
The Elemental’s form shuddered, as Erikathyr’s full draconic gaze befell it. “Have…the defences been fully activated?” Erik asked, calming himself from the sudden rage that had overtaken him. Remembering that, Elementals felt no such thing as emotion, nor had any morals to speak of. Which made them perfect guardians, as they felt no fear, nor faltered against the opposition.
“Yes master, the Grey Perimeter, the barriers, the curses a
nd every other defensive measure has been turned active.” Dejal reported, “But I still remain as the sole guardian awake.”
“Very well, I guess I should awaken them, even if it means less control over the spatial alteration circle…” Erik mused with a sigh.
“All rooms, but the four treasuries, have been connected through doorways and other means as you’ve instructed. Shall I connect the treasuries as well? You won’t be able to teleport into them anymore after more guardians have awoken, the Lair cannot handle it.” Dejal warned.
“I know, yes connect them as well…but put extra measures in place to keep intruders out. Also, where that…camp is located, keep all entrances to and from it locked unless I, my Chosen or another of my party wish to pass through.” Erik ordered.
“It shall be done.” Dejal said, and it faded back into the ground with its orders.
But Erik remained where he was, sighing out a long breath as he mentally chided himself for losing his patience there. Too many things were on his mind, too many conflicting thoughts and problems that needed resolving.
From Kyllix’s advice and warning.
Thea and Makaela’s issues to come.
The unknown that the Assassin’s Pact still was.
To Brazath’s appearance.
And even, what was sure to be occurring back at Druvia.
All that plagued Erik’s mind, alongside his guilt. Guilt that he couldn’t let go of, guilt of his past, his present, and what surely was to happen in the future.
(“Less like a proud Dragon…and more like a blind Human…”) Delirio’s words floated through his head, and just how true they rang with his current state. Erik took a deep breath, as he smiled with melancholy.
(“Pitiful, is this what has become of me?…”) He told himself, deciding that he won’t let any of it slow him down.
(“Things were simpler when I was King…Everyone was beneath me…Hah, what a fool was I then.”) He mused, stepping forth and beginning to make his way through the Lair, using the doorways Dejal had made.