960 A.D.*
In the heart of the Solmarian Empire, the halls of the main palace were boiling with uneasiness. The voices of the nobles clashing with each other formed an almost irresistible storm of rhetoric. Some snapped, some whispered full of intrigue, and the rest were drowned in silent anxiety.
The crystal lamp hung from the high ceiling, but it seemed unable to dispel the shadow of anxiety from the old faces.
Until one voice echoed, slicing through the air full of pressure.
"His Highness Emperor Aleric Valtor III has arrived!"
Metal steps echoed as the imperial guards entered the hall, followed by a stout man in a golden robe. His face was sharp and authoritative, his eyes sweeping the entire room like an eagle measuring its prey.
In an instant, the atmosphere of the hall changed. The nobles who had been arguing were now standing upright, their mouths locked as if locked by fear and respect.
Aleric didn't speak. He just walked towards the throne, slowly but firmly. Every move is like an emphasis on undeniable dominance. Behind him, the emperor's right hand, Arthur followed silently, his eyes darkened, full of unspeakable burden.
Meanwhile, among the nobles, a woman dressed in silvery blue mage armor—Liora, stared straight at Arthur Fear enveloped her face.
"is this going to go well," Liora whispered softly to Seraphis, the red-haired female knight by her side. "I can feel it... The abyssal is... It seems to be starting to show darkness again."
Seraphis did not answer. But his hands clenched tightly, as if holding back memories that should have been buried.
Emperor Aleric finally sat on his throne. He raised one hand, and the entire room fell into a terrible silence.
The atmosphere of the hall was still silent. But the tension was even more pronounced as Aleric stared at each noble one by one. No one dared to look away.
"Four days ago, the village in the eastern part was destroyed overnight," Aleric said firmly. "There is no sign of a siege. There are no living witnesses. Only... When the reconnaissance troops came all that looked like destruction".
"And we lost contact with the reconnaissance forces about 2 days ago," the prime minister continued
Some nobles began to whisper, their faces pale. But one loud voice broke the silence.
"This must have been the work of the rebels from the south. I'm sure, we don't need to associate this with the abyss!" exclaimed Lord Gerand, a large man with a bushy beard.
Arthur stepped forward. "If it was the work of the rebels, why did the surrounding land become dry and barren, and the air thick as poison?"
Silence struck again. Some faces lose color.
"Is that... the same signs as in the western mountainous villages?" murmured Liora.
Arthur nodded slowly.
Aleric took a deep breath. "This is why I am calling all of you. It's not just about politics. It's about the continuity of the world. If the Abyssal rises again, and we're not ready yet..."
He did not continue his sentence. But everyone present in the room knew for sure what the emperor meant by total destruction.
Elsewhere far from the Solmarian empire, among the ruins of an ancient fortress in the northern mountains, two figures stood. Wearing pitch-black robes, their faces were hidden behind expressionless masks.
"Our goal will soon be achieved," said one of them. His voice sounded heavy, like an echo from the bottom of the cave.
"And the descendants of Ashbourn, seem to be a great hindrance to our cause?" replied the other.
"That's right. but we must concentrate on our purpose, let Aleric and the Ashbourn descendants live."
"But not for a long time..."
They laughed softly, and the surrounding air suddenly appeared a thick fog. The ground became polluted, the sky darkened by dirty air. Even birds die when flying over them.
In the small village of eldera
That afternoon, the sun set too quickly. It seems as if he refuses to shine on the empty streets. There is only one bakery still open, with a warm scent mixed with a cold breeze.
Nyxar stood there, his hand carrying a basket of bread, his face down.
Behind his gentle smile, his mind was chaotic. Strange voices again haunt her sleep last night. And the ancient symbol burned in his palm since morning.
"I can't go on like this," she whispered. "If I come back, I must..."
Suddenly, a small child pulled his shirt off. "Sister, there is a blue light from the north... like a shooting star!"
Nyxar turned his head. In the northern sky, there was indeed a flash of light. Not like a meteor, but like... doors that open in the sky.
His heart was pounding. "Arthur...?"
Back to Solmaria's Charm
Night came. The meeting with the nobles was over, but Aleric remained on his throne. His hand grasped the hilt of the royal sword that he had never pulled out since his inauguration.
"Finally it will all begin"
Arthur rode a dark horse with his robe fluttering in his head. Behind him, Sigurd and Seraphis followed. They traced the eastern region, following the scouting forces who were watching there
"Are the scouts all right?," said the seraphis
Arthur stared at the seraphis beside him. "I hope so."
In the village of Eldera,
Nyxar woke up in the middle of the night. She headed to the living room of the house, the necklace she held in her hand shone beautifully, Nyxar stared at the necklace and then smiled as if remembering something.
And suddenly he heard the sound of footsteps on the roof.
Someone is there.
He immediately grabbed his robe and rushed out. But when she opened the door, Nyxar felt something unpleasant, sure enough, a blue light exploded in front of her house. A black figure with a mask emerged from that light.
"You... is ours."
They jumped to attack him, but before the attack touched Nyxar—
CLANG!
A sword slashed through the air. Someone with a great sword suddenly appeared among them.
"I won't let you take it...."
The fight broke out. The villains shot magic from his hand, yet the guy held him back with his shield without difficulty, and Nyxar just stood glued to the fight...
"Eric...." Nyxar shouted at the man who was carrying the great sword
"Are you alright...?" Eric fended off the attack
"Thanks to you, I'm fine.... Now focus on your enemies, give me 30 seconds"
"With pleasure"
Nyxar stood behind Eric and cast a binding spell.
"ERLIS VARNATHA ESENTIA!!"
The spell quickly binds the attacker, weakening the attacker and at the same time rendering every attack launched by the attacker useless
"Who are you....?" said Eric who put his sword to the attacker's neck
"We... We are the truth, the empire is dirt, everything must be recreated by the Great One."
"That doesn't answer my question!!" Eric patiently continued to interrogate under Nyxar's orders. But there doesn't seem to be an answer to the question
Nyxar takes over interrogation session
"Shadow of oath" is a word that instantly makes the attacker laugh, eyes wide and act like a madman.
The Shadow of oath, an underground organization known for worshipping the abyss, stood after the age of emergence and countless crimes they committed, robberies, mass murders, and even destroyed villages under the pretext of purge in the name of the abyss God.
The 5 Empires had repeatedly carried out operations to suppress the organization, but still, like a hydra whose head was cut off no matter how many times it was decapitated, it would inevitably grow another head.
Especially the Holy kingdom valderch who hated this cult organization, they routinely sent Paladins just to investigate and crush the seemingly immortal organization.
"So that's right," Nyxar who had expected this thing rushed back into the house." Eric.... You take care of the rest!?.
"Happily." Eric replied without looking up. His great sword was still pressing against the masked figure's neck.
Eric nodded. Just as Nyxar disappeared, Eric drew his sword.
ERLIS VARNATHA ESENTIA. The Nyxar spell that bound the attacker faded. Eric knew his job was to disappear without a trace, these were the dirty tasks they had done during his time in hiding in Eldera.
A short time later, Nyxar came out. She wears a thick black robe that is worn out and a veil that covers her face. In his left hand he held tightly a simple pendant—not a jewelry pendant, but a small container containing pure crystal fragments of his family's relics.
"What are you going to do now?" Eric pointed to the lying corpse
"Maybe just go back, and save time," replied Nyxar Sinngkat.
Again reaching for the fallen bread basket, with eyes that shattered the warmth of a bread-carrying girl, now sharp again, full of calculation and weariness.
"I don't know for sure what their purpose is yet, but I have to make sure of something" it meant that Nyxar knew something that was still a question mark.
Eric took their horses which were hidden in the village chief's stable, which was prepared for an emergency
"Where are we going?"
"Return to the Empire, and meet someone"
Finally they race against time, leaving the village of Aldera.
He only had time to say goodbye to the village head, did not have time to say goodbye to the villagers who he considered family.
"Why should Solmaria?" asked Eric in the middle of the trip.
"I need to see my sister"
"You have a brother.....?" with wide-eyed eyes, shocked and seemingly incredulous at Nyxar's answer
Not answering Eric's question, Nyxar just smiled at Eric with his sweet smile, making Eric a little upset.
"I hope he's okay," continued Nyxar who was staring at the star-studded sky. He held the pendant again, clutching it tightly with loving eyes.
---Nyxar's Inner Conflict; Buried resonance---
Nyxar accelerated the pace of his horse, the thought of his brother being the thing he thought about the most right now. Especially when it comes to Shadow Of Oath. It had been a long time since he had heard that name, the last thing he knew was the destruction of the organization by the Aether Guards and the Paladins 10 years ago.
He forced himself to think focused, not think about it for a moment.
While on the way he suddenly stopped his horse on the edge of the ravine. The mountain path they were now looking for had collapsed. A huge avalanche that left a dark abyss, filled with thick fog and a piercing abyssal stench.
"It doesn't appear to be a natural landslide." said Nyxar, he could feel the negative energy that was so concentrated in the air. He could feel the remnants of the abyss's footprints.
"It seems like we have to change the direction of our journey!" said Eric
Nyxar let out a long sigh, he could have easily removed the remnants of the accumulated soil, but because Nyxar and Eric didn't want to take the risks that awaited in front of them.
They had to detour and cross another jalal, spending two days traveling, and that meant the time it took to get to solmaria was longer.
In between their journeys Nyxar takes the time to meditate and gather more resonace cores, while Eric also trains hard, aiming to level up next. Eric is now at level 4 which is knight expert.
With Nyxar and Eric's horses now estimated to take only 2 more days, that means they have a week to travel, it could be 3 days faster if the main track doesn't landslide.
Their journey continued non-stop for the remaining two days, entering the Solmaria region, he saw a scene that had once felt so close, his feelings became turbulent, he spurred his horse faster.
"Come on Eric.... speed your horse faster," said Nyxar who was ahead of Eric's horse in front of him.
"Wait.... Nyx,,,You're too fast" Eric who was quite surprised by Nyxar's reaction which seemed to be as excited and excited as a child who returned home in the afternoon.
It didn't take long for them to reach the gates of the Solmaria empire, they were waiting for their turn to enter, many guards looked capable and disciplined, they arranged a queue of people who wanted to enter the empire. It took 2 hours until it was their turn to finally be checked,
"Good afternoon," said the guard who approached Nyxar and Eric.
"Please show your identity!" the guard pleaded
Nyxar is silent while Eric shows his badge and identity.
After checking Eric's identity, the guards consciously immediately let the two in,
"Welcome back captain Eric, sorry we didn't notice your presence in the first place" said the guard who welcomed Eric back, with only a badge shown to the guard, enough to make the guards recognize who Eric was.
"It's okay, you did a good job," Eric said who patted the guard on the shoulder. What's your name?' asked Eric.
"My name is Sen abmurt"
"Okay I'll remember that"
"Ready to thank you captain Eric, by the way, the lady who is with you, is she?". Before he had time to convey all his questions, Eric only smiled slightly, Sen who saw Eric's expression understood that.
They eventually entered the capital Solmaria.
The city, which usually looks lively and full of fun things, now feels full of tension, even though the activities of the residents are going on as usual, but they both know that something strange is happening.
Moreover, many imperial troops and Holy knight troops from the Holy Kingdom valderch were patrolling.
"I know you and I have a lot of questions about this situation, but it seems like we should head to the imperial palace now," Nyxar said
"Good"
---- The imperial palace of Solmaria
Emperor Aleric who was in his room looked at a letter with the Holy Imperial Seal of Valderch, a look on his face that seemed reluctant to open the still sealed letter, not knowing what the emperor was worried about so he hesitated to open it. Soon the sound of a knock on the door was heard." Your Majesty, this is my Gain" a voice from someone behind the door.
"Come in," said the emperor
"Greetings Your Majesty, I would like to report that those 2 men have returned to the empire, and maybe they will be heading here" said Gain, a small-bodied old man with a stern body like a retired knight.
"Are you sure it's them?" asked the emperor
"I'm pretty sure, it's them!" Gain replied convincingly, Aleric got up from his chair, he headed to the balcony in his room, staring at the city of Solmaria, he sighed long and turned his gaze to the bright blue sky.
"Gain?"
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
"As soon as they arrive, order them to face me"
"By Your Majesty's orders."
Gain stepped away from the Emperor who was still silent on the balcony of the palace, looked back at the city, saw the inhabitants he saw sadness, happiness, anger, all emotions could be seen in the emperor's eyes. He smiled warmly again.
"It seems that I am worried about the useless thing," said the emperor who immediately returned to his room.
---In the capital solmaria
Back to Nyxar which goes through each town, entering a narrow alley, an empty alley, lonely and suspicious. Unaccompanied by Eric who was going to collect information.
From the moment Nyxar entered the alley, he sensed the essence of the person who had been following him ever since, with the first move of Nyxar who was aware of it luring the stalker into the alley in an attempt to confuse him but Nyxar was instead in a dead end
"There's no point in you hiding!!" Nyxar shouted
Soon 4 people in Assassin's clothes suddenly appeared, Nyxar who saw him preparing to cast a spell to fight, before he saw the symbol of the silvershade in the hand of one of the assassins.
"Is this grandpa's order?" asked Nyxar who lowered his guard towards the 4 people, as if he knew who they were.
"I'm sorry for you, but this is indeed an order from your grandfather," replied one of the Assassins.
"So Grandpa already knows I'm coming home." Nyxar approached the assassins and told one of the assassins to look for Eric and told Eric to go straight to the palace.
Finally Nyxar walked towards the palace, accompanied by the assasi n who returned to their original position, he walked along the city which began to emit the afternoon light. Eric, who received a message from Nyxar, immediately followed Nyxar to the palace
Meanwhile in another place at the same time
Arthur, Sigurd and Seraphis have arrived at their destination. The three of them were shocked by the condition of the village which had been completely destroyed, the house was flat to the ground, the air around felt thick and heavy, it was impossible for someone to survive in this terrible condition
"This village is completely destroyed." Sigurd said
"Even the air for ordinary people will feel heavy to breathe." Continue the seraphis who observe all corners of the village that are deserted,
"For now, we prioritize finding survivors, it is possible that there will be survivors here, after that we will look for the reconnaissance forces." Said Arthur. The three of them are still riding horses while going around the neighborhood. No matter how hard they searched for survivors and all they found so far was a pile of corpses of the inhabitants who had fallen victim to the cruelty of the abyss creatures, a group of corpses of the abyss creatures were also found, a sign of resistance to the creature.
Arthut, Sigurd and Seraphis could only be stunned and speechless at all these sights they saw.
"I pray to the gods for the souls of their souls," said the seraphis who dismounted from his horse, clenched his fists and prayed for the souls of the people who had been sacrificed. Not far from where they were staying, Arthur saw something moving from the ruins.
Suddenly, Arthur froze. His gaze was fixed on the pile of debris, where faint movements were visible.
"Seraphis,-Sigurd be on the lookout!," Arthur warned, his hand moving to the hilt of the sword. "I see movement. There may be survivors."
They approached the remains of a building that had almost collapsed. In the narrow gap between the wooden blocks, there was a small child curled up, his body thin, dry, and as small as a twig. The silence of the past week made it a heart-wrenching sight
Seraphis knelt down, his face emitting a sincere smile. **"**Hi, Son. What's your name?". The child did not answer. He just stared at the three armor-robed aliens, then buried his face into the embrace of his knees, trembling.
"I have a sweet," Seraphis spoke softly, reaching for a piece of chocolate from his armor pocket. **"**It's chocolate. It tastes so sweet."
"You scared him," Sigurd sneered, grinning behind Seraphis.
Seraphis turned his head quickly, his sarcastic gaze piercing Sigurd. "It's you who look like a bear catching children! Shut your mouth!". Sigurd fell silent, the annoyed look on his face made a funny contrast.
Unexpectedly, a small voice broke the gripping silence—laughter. The boy chuckled, amused to see the quarrel between the two big warriors in front of him.
Arthur nodded his head in agreement.
"I'm Jun," he replied, his voice slow.
"Jun, how old are you?"
"Ten years."
"Do you know where your parents are?"
"I don't know," Jun replied, his tone innocent and without excessive emotion, as if he had long accepted that fact. "Auntie said Dad went to eradicate the monsters... But he never came back."
"What about your mother**?" ** Arthur asked very carefully.
Jun just shook his head. "Mom? I don't know." The short answer brought a deep sense of pain in the hearts of the knights.
Enough already**.** Arthur doesn't need any other words. He looked at Seraphis and Sigurd—they nodded in unison, without having to change their voices. The results are unanimous**.**
Arthur gently lifted Jun onto his horse's saddle. The boy will be with them during the return trip. Fully in agreement with Arthur, Seraphis and Sigurd knew their next plan: After arriving in the first city, Arthur would leave Jun at the City Church
agreeing with Arthur, After arriving in the city he can leave Jun at the city church.
Return to Solmaria Palace
Nyxar stepped into the palace accompanied by the silvershade troops, he stepped back into the room that was familiar to him, for a moment he stopped and looked at the hallway where he had run with relatives and friends when they were children. Nyxar stepped back into the palace, he was led to the room at the end of the imperial hallway.
Captain Silvershade stepped in, followed by Nyxar who was still wearing the slightly shabby black robe.
In that room, the Emperor was seen standing looking out the window. Nyxar felt the Emperor's Essential Aura—so cool and full of deep calm.
"Your Majesty, The Silvershade has escorted your guest," Mark said, kneeling down for a moment. "Good job, Mark... Now you can go back". "Well your majesty". Mark and his troops retreated, closing the door. The room was now left with only Nyxar and Emperor Aleric alone. Eric himself has not been seen following up to the palace.
Aleric turned around, a faint smile etched on his face. "Nyxar, how are you?" He sat down, motioning for Nyxar to sit down as well
. "I'm fine, Uncle." Nyxar replied to the familiar call. "Why am I summoned? I think my Essential Resonance concealment technique is pretty good."
"Haha. You think I don't know you? It's easy to find you". Aleric shook his head. "I already expected you to come back after the incident in Eldera."
Nyxar nodded, not surprised. "As expected, Uncle. The Shadow of Oath moves again, Uncle. This time they are blatantly targeting me."
Aleric sighed. "I expected it. I'm thankful you survived."
"Don't worry, uncle, I'm a member of the Aether Guard, I know how to defend." Nyxar cut, the word without bass abasi
"Where are you?" Nyxar asks about his brother's whereabouts
"In that case, He is in the Eastern Region. There are villages that have been destroyed by the traces of the Abyssal."
"What happened? Nyxar asked curiously.
"We sent a reconnaissance force 4 days ago... And"
"The reconnaissance squad that Uncle sent lost contact?" urged Nyxar, his tone turning serious
. "Exactly. He was sent there. But he is not alone, there are two people accompanying him."
Aleric looked at Nyxar, the little girl he once saved with his brother who had grown up.
"Uncle, I ask permission to go to the eastern region"Nyxar stood up from his seat, "If indeed the abyss is the cause, my strength will be useful there" Nyxar continued with a look full of conviction.
"No," Aleric emphasized. The Shadow of Oath is eyeing you, it would be a rash act if I send you there, after all the Warden king and Empress death sword are already accompanying him, so just trust them."
Listening to that Nyxar could only clench her fists, "But I feel something unusual, I have a bad feeling"
"Enough is enough," Aleric said. I can't take that risk, Than that, I have another task for you, first gather with the rest of the Aether Guard Force, Frostgrim will convey the details, about your brother, let's just trust them" said aleric
Nyxar's eyes stared straight into Emperor Aleric's eyes, A cold war broke out between them, but finally Nyxar took a long breath and stood up.
"Well uncle, I will carry out your orders, but with one condition."
"What is it?"
"Give me news about my brother and the eastern region periodically!!"
Hearing Nyxar's terms, Aleric just smiled warmly, a smile that he rarely shows in public." Of course my nephew. For now you should go and rest before gathering with the Aether Guard."
Nyxar bowed respectfully, turned around and left the emperor's room, as soon as the door closed, she returned to being the bread girl of the eldera, before she left, Nyxar searched the palace in search of Eric. it runs with a quick pace,
Not long after he found Eric in the corridor, Eric was seen talking to the old Knight.
"Eric" called Nyxar, Eric turned his head, looking at Nyxar's worry clearly drawn in his eyes.
"So you're done talking to the emperor?" Eric asked.
"Hmm... We have to meet Liora"
"Okay, but we should rest first," said Eric who advised them to take a break to recover their stamina, because since they had not rested since entering the empire.
The old knight who had been chatting with Eric noticed the two of them and waited for an opportunity to enter into their conversation.
"Hohoho....Isn't this Nyxar" said the old knight, which surprised Nyxar, Nyxar herself didn't recognize the figure of the old knight.
"Aaa... Duke Marcus Thalarion, I'm sorry I'm late to notice your existence!" Said Nyxar who bowed respectfully to him,
"Don't think about it, how are you Nyxar?" Duke Marcus who held Nyxar's shoulders while smiling warmly.
"I'm fine, what about my own uncle?" Ask Nyxar
"You know the Imperial Doctor told me that at my young age, I should enjoy the beautiful scenery in my Mansion, but I am still eager to do many things. HAHAHAHA" said the duke, the point is that he is still in good health even though he is not young anymore.
Duke Marcus himself is one of the most influential nobles in the empire, he rules on the border between the kingdom of tenebral and the solmaria empire, although he is still at the Transcendat level, but his essential resonance abilities are arguably equivalent to the absolute level. It is even said that he can easily enter among the Ten absolute beings if he wants to.
"What is Duke Marcus doing here? Did you come to the empire to discuss what was happening in the eastern region?" Nyxar asked.
"Haha. You're an adult, Nyxar," Marcus grinned as he stroked Nyxar's head
"I'm an adult duke, and please stop stroking my head!" Nyxar exclaimed. His face began to turn red. Eric suddenly held back his laughter, he saw Nyxar who was known as a shy and ignorant girl, so he collapsed in front of Duke Marcus,
"Ho ho ho... You're right, son. You are indeed an adult." He pulled his hand away from Nyxar's head, his fiery gaze turning into a seius." Many strange things happened after the incident in Veridia, and there were reports of movements from the abyss region."
Duke Marcus let out a deep sigh, showing the weight on his shoulders.
"Other countries, such as the holy kingdom Valderch, are already mobilizing troops on our borders. How could this old man just sit leisurely in the mansion when the foundations of civilization began to tremble?" Duke Marcus looked back at Nyxar, his tone softening.
"This crisis is our business as higher-ups, what you have to think about now is yourself, and brother, Nyxar."
Eastern Region-Veridia Village
Between Nyxar and Eric who were ordered by the Emperor to meet the other Aether Guards, Arthur, Sigurd, and Seraphis had spent almost a full day in the village.
The sun was setting, and the nights in the region felt colder, darker, and quieter. Silence that feels deadly. Jun fell asleep on the seraphic lap. They rested on the remains of the remaining buildings that were still intact, and all around them were the bodies of the villagers, and the corpses of abyssal creatures that had begun to decompose.
Arthur, he was on a hill not far from the village, he sat on a rock, observing the ruined village of Veridia.
"Sigurd" called Arthur. "Yes?" replied Sigurd who approached Arthur.
"You've examined the corpse of the creature"
"Already, they're only low-level creatures, and a few wraiths, those creatures shouldn't be able to destroy an entire village, let alone finish off all the scouting troops." Sigurd shuddered, "The strength required to do this is at least at the level of a Dread lord, and also I suspect that the Shadow Of Oath played a role in this event."
Arthur rubbed his chin, his gaze darkened, he thought of all the possible variables. He looked up at the night sky full of stars and the cold wind forced the two of them to return to the seraphis who were spending time together.
The next day, before Jun woke up, the three of them took the time to go around the village of Datu again before starting the search for the scouts.
"I found this," Sigurd said, he pulled out a piece of leather to write that was burnt down, fortunately there were still some parts that could still be read, and it was confirmed as a reconnaissance troop record.
"… The energy of the Abyss is too concentrated.. It felt far more intense than we had seen before, there were reports that the villagers who were not too far from the village of Velidria that he and the other residents found 2 masked strangers who were always muttering, some said they were chanting a spell, we suspected they were part of the Shadow Of Oath organization, and when we arrived at the village of veldria, Everything has been destroyed, flat to the ground, although there are still some houses that look intact. After that we tested a little into the forest, to investigate what happened, we found an ancient ruin, the energy of the abyss felt concentrated coming out of it, we and some troops entered the ruins, inside we saw a group of people in black robes with different masks, they were performing a ritual, we heard a voice, not a human, but the voice of the abyss itself. They are worshipping Mo'Vhazuun."
The writing just ended, ending with a stain of dried blood.
"Ritual?" Seraphis whispered." Mo'Vhazuun? "Didn't I read it wrong?" asked Sigurd. but this record gives a clear picture of the reliability of Shadow Of Oath," Sigurd continued
Arthur held the note, he stared at the forest, where the ruins referred to in the note were.
"We already know the next destination, we have to go to the ruins, that's the place we have to check, and it looks like something is going to happen there, so it's good that you be prepared for all the possibilities." Arthur said as he warned of the danger that awaited them
"Well, we understand" compact Sigurd and the seraphis
The three of them decided to go back to the resting place first, to the place where Jun was fast asleep. Jun, the boy, is now sitting in front of the fireplace, his face clean of dirt but his eyes still harboring the shadow of trauma." He's coming," Arthur said, without further ado, his voice breaking the silence in the resting place. It leaves no room for debate. Seraphis stepped forward, his hand reflexively touching Jun's shoulder, as if providing protection. "We can't take him, Arthur. The energy that came out of the ruins was dangerous, jun was just children. June has nothing to do with any of this."" Precisely because he has nothing to do with it, he is safe," Arthur replied. "The villages around Veridia are also 2 days away to the nearest village, we just gave him the same fate as the people of Veridia." Sigurd, realistically, looked at Arthur anxiously. "You suspect he's a bait, don't you? Or did he bring something that Shadow of Oath was looking for?" Arthur looked at Jun for a moment, the boy's face innocent and full of fear. "I don't know anything about Jun, and I don't care if he's the key bearer or not. All I know is that he is the only witness we found. And he will be under the protection of the Aether Guard until we solve the mystery in the ruins. That's my decision." Seraphis sighed, he stroked Jun's head once more before standing up straight. He knew Arthur wouldn't change his mind. "Alright. But if he is in danger I will protect him. He is my responsibility." Arthur nodded, a hint of appreciation visible in his eyes. "Good. Let's go."
The three of them, with Jun in Seraphis' arms, moved through the forest. The deeper they went, the heavier the abyss energy felt. The air became thick and cold, as if it was filled with a foul smell.
They arrived at the ruins, a stone temple stacked on top of each other, now they were standing in front of the entrance to the ruins. The entrance that was between the crevices of the rocks, cold pitched black energy seeping out—Pure abyss energy.
They entered the ruins, inside, smelling foul smells, dried blood marks, and unimaginable ritual remains.
Sigurd pointed to the dark corner. "There!"
A body was seen lying behind the stone altar, not a skeleton, but just an empty armor belonging to the Imperial Scout Force. The armor was badly cracked, and there was no body or skeleton inside except a little dust.
Arthur knelt down and picked up the remnants of the armor. "It looks like they're not safe."
Seraphis placed Jun slowly behind a pile of stones that he thought was safe, then approached Arthur. "Then how did the record get to Veridia, in a burnt condition?"
Arthur put the armor back down, he looked at the half-faded Imperial emblem "That's indeed a note from the scout troops, it seems to have been carried by one of the scouts who managed to get out"
"Most likely so, but we didn't see the bodies of the survivors in the fish?" asked Sigurd.
"The survivor of this team, he must have known he was dying. With his last determination, it seems that he grabbed hold and left the ruins by running towards the village—hoping that the empire would smell the stink and send other troops to search and hope that they would find this record before the enemy noticed," Arthur explained, his voice heavy. "However, it seems like the Shadow of Oath captured him before he was killed. They don't seem to be aware of the existence of the record."
"Something is strange!," whispered Seraphis.
Arthur nodded. "Exactly. The big question is, is Jun, is he the child who was rescued by the scouts or just a child who got lost."
As Arthur finishes his sentence, Jun, who is trapped in fear, accidentally moves his leg and drops a small jug and suddenly it triggers a trap in the ruins that makes a loud noise.
BOOM!
The wall that looked sturdy suddenly exploded and punched a hole in the wall. Jun screamed once, then lay unconscious. The explosion itself didn't hurt them, but the Abyssal energy flowed so fast like air coming in from the cracks in the window slit.
The ground they were standing on trembled, triggering a violent shock that caused the sky they were on to fall and the floor they were standing on instantly collapsed, the four of them falling to the bottom of the ground separating Jun, Arthur from Seraphis and Sigurd.
"Jun!" teriak Seraphis.
"Damn!" roared Sigurd, he punched the stone in front of him trying to slash through the huge rock that was in his way, but every fist and slash of the Essentia that Sigurd and the seraphis unleashed was bounced by the protective magic of the High Level Abyssal. "Arthur, don't move!" shouted the seraphis from behind the boulder, hoping Arthur would hear it.'
"Too late!" a mysterious voice echoed along the ruins
Arthur was now in the main room, with Jun on his lap, he was right in the middle of the ritual circle carved into the stone floor. Calmly, Arthur released his Dread resonance, a resonance that created spiritual pressure and light physical destruction around him.
Suddenly appearing from behind the shadows, two cloaked and masked figures appeared—two Grand Casters from the Shadow of Oath.
"Welcome, Arthur Ashbourn," said one of the Casters. "We knew you were coming. We're sure, the child will be useful", the words of one of the other grand casters, suddenly made Arthur look at Jun who was still unconscious in his lap.
"Introduce me as the lowly servant of the great abyss lord, Vexar and Velo"
From the four cardinal corners, four Level 4 Abyssal beings, Dread Lords, appeared. They weren't the strongest Dread Lords, but they had a terrifying function: a restraint.
"Now you can't go anywhere Arthur Ashbourn, and they'll make sure you don't move," said the second Caster.
Arthur only grinned, he was an Absolute Knight. The Four Level 4 Dread Lords and 2 Grand Casters were just toys in his eyes.
However, the Negative Essence in the room seemed to limit its Resonance. It was like fighting in the mud. He succeeded. The first step he took was to put Jun in a place where he thought it was safe, before launching the attack he didn't draw his sword, he destroyed the first Dread Lord with only a pure fist with his physical strength.
The other three Dread lords suffered the same fate, with just a few blows Arthur managed to subdue one of them one by one, impressing the Grand Casters who witnessed it, they then began to cast a spell.
The spell is not human language. It was similar to the language of the Abyssals, a hoarse and shaking sound that made the air vibrate. The ABYSSAL BIND ritual begins.
From the underground where Arthur was standing appeared a black shadow, a shadow holding Arthur's hands, and feet. The shadow that resembled a rope how many times it had been destroyed, would grow back quickly and wrap around Arthur more strongly, Arthur felt the power of his soul core being uprooted, his Essential core weakened, his body and mind felt an extremely intense pain.
Arthur shouted, the screams were so loud, the walls around him trembled and the light flickered violently, then lost its light.
]write under the feet of the absolute knight.
The spell reads:
"Zhan K'tharr! Aethos Arkon! Eternus K'tharr Vesh!
Ghul! Ghul! Ghul! Vesh! Mo'Vhazuun,. Aethos Khaz! Vesh Arkon,Ghul Zhan! Vesh Mo'Vhazuun Khaz!"
After the spell was finished, instantly making the bright blue sky suddenly darken and the Light of Light began to highlight one place, it was said that the Light could even be seen by the 5 empires.
And in a flash of sharp blue light—a flash that would be seen by so many people across the continent—Arthur Ashbourn's body slowly disappeared, Before he had completely disappeared Like dust swept away by the wind, blown into the silent void, with the last remnants of his Essenceal core, he said something, a speech he left for later, slowly the land now left of him was only empty armor on a stone altar, and cold silence.
The silence that followed after the clatter of the fallen armor was far more painful than any magic blast and sword slash
Inside the crumbling ruins, Seraphis no longer felt the cold of the stone floor or the lung-suffocating dust. He felt that his world had just stopped spinning.
He crawled, his trembling fingers touching towards the Empty armor. Completely empty. No body is usually standing there. There was no heartbeat he could hear as he leaned his head on the man's chest. Only the cold metal began to lose the last remaining warmth from Arthur's body.
"Arthur...?" he whispered. The voice was so small, as if he was afraid that if he spoke too loudly, the remnants of Arthur's existence that were still hanging in the air would be blown away by the wind.
He pulled the armor into his arms. He gripped the heavy chest guard as if it were a fragile human body. Seraphis immersed his face there, inhaling the scent of iron and Arthur's signature fragrance that was starting to fade. Her tears fell silently, drenching Solmaria's sun emblem that now felt like a mockery of her failure.
Then, a suffocating scream came out of his throat. It wasn't the cry of the death sword empress; Rather, it was the lament of a woman whose entire world had just been forcibly uprooted. He didn't scream. He was just gasping for air, his chest tightened by the air that felt like a thorn. Every exhale is a reminder that Arthur is no longer breathing with him.
"Why..." he groaned in the midst of broken tears. "Why did you leave me again... Why.. Arthurr?"
Behind him, Sigurd stood sculpting. The big man couldn't see Seraphis' face, but he could see the female knight's face with great tears. Sigurd himself felt something broken inside him, an emptiness that made his blood-soaked hands tremble incessantly.
When Seraphis slowly stood up, his movements looked like a puppet whose rope was about to break. He still held the armor in his left hand, holding it as if it were the most precious treasure in the entire universe. His eyes, which were usually sharp and authoritative, were now completely dead. There was no rage blazing, just a deep, endless darkness.
He turned his head towards the last Caster who was still dying. He didn't attack with a beautiful sword technique. He stepped forward by dragging the blade of his sword on the stone floor—the sound of metal friction that sounded like a cry of despair.
Every slash he gives to his enemies is not done to kill quickly. Seraphis let his white flames burn the witch's nerves, ensuring every millisecond of his seconds was an indescribable torment. He did so with an expressionless face, as if he was dead inside. For him, destroying this enemy was not satisfying; It was just a way to fill the void that was overflowing in his chest.
Even when the echo of Arthur's voice rang out in his mind—a final whisper asking him to guard Jun—Seraphis could only bite his lip until it bled. The order felt like a crushing burden. How could he take care of others when half of his soul had vanished?
****
The journey back to the capital city of Solmaria was terrifying for Seraphis, he refused to get into the horse-drawn carriage. He rode his horse and continued to hold Arthur's empty armor in his arms. Along the way he was silent and didn't say a word.
Finally they passed through the main gate of Solmaria, . They saw the Empress Death Sword , who was usually, now home with a shattered face, her messy hair clutching an empty armor
The news of Arthur's disappearance had not yet fully spread to all continents.
Inside the palace hall, Emperor Aleric was silent on his throne as the large door opened. Seraphis walked in. The female knight simply remained silent in front of the emperor. Walking with stiff steps, then kneeling in the middle of the majestic hall.
Clang.
He placed Arthur's armor on the floor of the hall, breaking the silence that had been falling ever since. Seraphis then turned his face to the floor, his hands clenched tightly, his tears came out uncontrollably, with a deep sadness he wept in a voice that no one could hear.
Nyxar, who happened to be in the palace, cried so when he saw his brother's armor lying down, he felt very lost. The people in the room could only sit silently frozen to see what was really happening, Sigurd was stunned, there were no other members of the aether guard, they were on another mission, but the loss made the hearts of the people there very broken, at least they understood what was happening, that one of the absolute beings, the crownless king Arthur was NOT late.
That night, rain rained down on the capital as if the sky was mourning the departure of Arthur, in his room, Seraphis. He sat on the floor, leaning against the bed, with a blank stare, swollen eyes, and a very chaotic appearance, he kept thinking about Arthur
He lit a small candle. In the light of that light, she now picked up a booklet in her desk drawer, a book where the seraphis told stories, a book of memories with the aether guards, their travels and memories with her beloved Arthur.
"Stupid!! You lied! .... in the end you left me" he muttered softly
He closed his eyes, trying to recall the good memories with him, but the nightmare of how he couldn't save Arthur could only make for another nightmare, his mind filled with guilt, his heart aching so much.
The pain is increasingly felt; stabbing towards his little heart. Seraphis felt as if he was drowning in the middle of the ocean floor, losing his world, the reason he lived and the person he loved.
In the corner of the room, he also continued to stare at the sword Arthur had given him, he felt that he was holding a sword for, when he could not protect a human life that was precious to him.
The next morning, the Solmarian empire announced the announcement of Arthur's death, leaving the inhabitants of the empire in deep grief, and the black flag was raised as a sign of respect for the absolute being
On the same day there were rumors that began to circulate among the imperial officials.
The loss of Arthur the crownless king was a devastating blow to the empire of solmaria, it had an impact on the existence of the absolute being, the other absolute beings were very sad and sad to lose one of their brothers, considering that Arthur was one of the Ten absolute beings, solmaria only had Arthur and now Arthur was gone,
In the imperial prison, under the cellar of the interrogation, Jun—the boy whom Arthur rescued—begins to regain consciousness. When he opened his eyes, he was like a confused and stared at the ceiling of the room. He didn't remember what happened, but inside his chest, he felt something strange, like a resonant energy that he had never felt inside him at all.
Seraphis stood behind the bars where Jun was locked up. He looked at the child with hatred in his eyes, but he also blamed the child for the tragedy, but he could not do anything about the child he had saved.
"You..." Seraphis hissed, his voice cold, "You don't seem to remember anything, but at least you don't die in vain, From today on I'll keep an eye on you!!"
Seraphis is now obsessed with something that feels dark. He was sure that Arthur would not die so easily, he convinced himself that one day he would find Arthur, and restore everything to the way it was.
The rain that continued to pour down on Solmaria had no intention of stopping, and continued to wet every corner of the imperial capital, inside the room Seraphis was still confined to himself, reluctant to move where he was, occasionally only able to mutter alone and alone.
"I'm sure you're still alive, I'm sure, but I can't prove it, .... so wait for me" muttered Seraphis, his voice camouflaged by the sound of heavy rain "I can't continue in this condition,... If you were here, you would definitely scold me, nag me for Hours, and I'm sure, I'll be the one to scold you later".
That night every time he closed his eyes, the shadow of the Abyssal Bind ritual continued to haunt him, he woke up and now had a great curiosity about the spell, now he decided to meet the nyxar and talk about the ritual.
The next day, Seraphis was now able to regain his normal manners, like the sword empress, and he was now heading back to the imperial prison to see the boy again.
And now he saw Jun trembling again in the cold corner of his cell, seeing the 10-year-old boy who had been dragged into such a great event, in his heart he felt sorry for the fate of this world.
"Get out," Seraphis said as he ordered Jun out of his cell with the emperor's permission, "Jun, now that you are under my and Sigurd's watch, whatever you do I will keep an eye on, and you better be prepared, I will train you to be able to defend yourself!! And don't get me wrong, I do all this for myself".
As someone with the nickname Empress Death Sword now he appointed Jun as his disciple, the disciple of one of the strongest aether guards, and the disciple of the warden king, the vice chairman of the aether guard, and Jun's story as a disciple of the 2 members of the aether guard will be famous throughout the land.
****
While Seraphis is with Jun, Solmaria's palace is being faced with conflict. Emperor Aleric sat on his throne, he mourned the loss of Arthur not only the loss of a commander-in-chief, but also the loss of a symbol of hope for the entire people.
"The Holy Empire of Valderch has started to move their envoys towards The court council," reported Duke Marcus Thalarion in a serious tone. "They used Arthur's death as an excuse for them to target the position of Ten absolute being"
Aleric clenched his fists on the handle of the throne. "Send a messenger to The court council, we can't let them act as they please, we have to act from now on.".
Seraphis stepped out of the dungeon, ignoring the guards. He went to the training field, he took the sword from where he was leaning, he picked up the sword, feeling its weight that now felt unfamiliar.
He began to swing his sword,
He launched a heavy, beautiful attack and as if suffering came from every swing of his sword.
He continued to practice until his hands bleeded, forcing himself to the threshold of himself screaming
"I promise to find you Arthur, even to the abyss abyss." he swore in the middle of his training. "And when I find you, I'll make sure that the world knows what it means to make a knight lose everything" and I'll make sure we can live life the way we used to be again."
In the distance, in his cell, Jun felt pain in his chest, he moaned in pain as if his heart wanted to explode at any moment, a pain that was very, very painful.
Now the night in the capital city of Solmaria does not feel the same as before, since the incident in the ruins of Veridia. The atmosphere of mourning still envelops all sectors
The rain that never subsides, soaking every house where the sound of water falling from every rain that falls like saying the sun dissolves in the sadness,
At the same time, the disappearance of one of the Ten Absolute Beings had created a huge rift on all continents.
Seraphis no longer care about the threat of war or the stability of the nation. With clenched fists, he vows not to stop until he finds a way to meet Arthur back from the void. If the world had to burn for its purpose, then he would not hesitate to be the lighter, starting a huge fire that even the continent would not be able to easily extinguish,