The door creaks as the chambermaid who assisted Freya and Tigreal opened it. The two proceeds to go inside the Solar. It was a little version of the Great Hall but it was meant for relaxation and leisure. Tigreal opens the curtains that revealed a grandiose view. A picturesque image of the Swan Lake was seen----far greater and breathtaking. The light from the sun was scattered once again, like how they saw it earlier the moment the dawn ends. Odette finally arrived in the Solar and she noticed the astonished look on their face, she did not want to break it especially that she's aware how Tigreal longs to be back in Moniyan Empire again. Even so, she walks towards them to start a conversation.
She felt sorry that she's going to ruin their mood right in the moment when they felt an immense relief.
"Tigreal, countless of soldiers were screened and trained but failed to replace your position in the empire since they assigned you for a more important task." The warrior quickly turned around when his name was uttered.
"I'm just wondering how my family is and how everyone recovered after the blood night"
"I can say that everything is on its normal state"
Tigreal nodded and straightened up. He bit his lips tightly, not wanting to make his desire obvious: to see and visit his family, as well as the empire. If that desire were to disrupt the ritual, then he'll gladly sacrifice and set aside his emotions until it's done.
But of course, Freya knows how much he misses his family. She's not ignorant of what he felt and the fact that she's guilty of being somehow selfish-----she stole two years of Tigreal's time because the empire felt responsible of what she lost.
If it weren't for her, Tigreal wouldn't need to leave the empire. He could do more as a loyal warrior. If it weren't for her sake, they are not going through an endless quest, with a foggy goal that they need to achieve.
And if it weren't for her,
Zilong's existence will remain in their memories.
"You're spacing out" Tigreal speaks to snap some senses to Freya. They noticed that she's not paying much attention to their conversation.
"Tigreal, if you worry too much you can go there"
"I'm planning to visit the place with Freya. We can also ask---" Odette became more serious and did not even let Tigreal finish his reasoning about their plan to head to the main kingdom of the empire.
"No, you are to back in there alone"
"What? You're saying that I should return home alone? How about Freya? I was assigned--"
"Are you saying we need to leave now after all you did to delay us?" The goddess of war speaks up. Her question was said in the manner that it requires an immediate answer.
"Don't think of it that way. It's just the Moniyan Empire has set their eyes on you recently and each one of us should be careful."
"WHAT? B-but they ordered me--"
"They did that so Freya can't go away somewhere far where it'll hard for them to find her. You must listen, I don't know how this news circulated. Neither do I perceive this." Tigreal sensed Odette's seriousness about the case. It is pretty rare for her to utter such amount of words.
"So that's explains why you forbid me to use my sword earlier. Does the same case apply to all of these?" Tigreal stated, pertaining to their clothing. "Is it because we'll be discovered here by the empire? I can't imagine that among all of people who were given strict orders by the Emperor.... I can't call this risky decision a betrayal princess. How come you are deciding on your own?"
"I need to be enlightened. I can't just follow orders with no further elaboration. I see no reason for the empire to oppress Freya"
"Well, if they aren't alerted by our presence then we're lucky enough" said Freya. "Or...."
Odette tilted her head to the left "Natalia..." said she which created a perplexed look on Freya and Tigreal's faces. "Do I also have authority to leak information?"
Natalia quits her stealth state and took off her hood. "Of course, Your Majesty. However, you can leave this discussion to me"
"What exactly is happening? I thought you're---"
"Pharsa's a good actress." Natalia said with sarcastic smile. "We managed to convince the Swan Princess in this case Tigreal. We're grateful to the heavens for letting you arrived here first."
"So everything was planned? Are you toying with us?"
"If saving Freya and her desires can be considered as "toying" then call it like that" She slowly draws the curtain. "The moment we heard of this news, we hurried to Nost Gal but Queen Aurora told us that you're not there anymore and that's how we received the news from the Order of Scarlet Shadow. We have no knowledge of the empire's purpose, but Pharsa and Verri are working on that. Ruby managed to spy on them and we are the one who sweats to delay their forces to act." Natalia explained.
"They said the key needs to be stopped before it cause casualties." said Odette. "Also, it might be a blessing that Lancelot was not here for now."
"A key? But I don't have--"
"Could it be the soul scroll princess?" Tigreal asked.
"It is not an object, it is you."
"I can't understand...." Then Freya remembers her journey before she got to the Swan Castle. All things they have uttered, things which said she might possess----you are not just a seeker, Freya.
She put her hand down and looked at Odette's direction; along with questions in her mind she briefly asked one thing.
"So am I a key and a seeker at the same time?"
"I don't know about you being a seeker. Not even why you're labeled as a key. But one thing I heard is that they claim that you are not the one who put an end to that blood night."
"I'm not really the one." Freya answered with no hesitation.
"I refuse to believe. I've seen it with my own eyes."
"Then everyone must be deceived"
Deceived?
"Why don't you ask her about that Zilong?" Tigreal joined the conversation, he also wants to be enlightened.
"Zilong?"
"There's the answer Tigreal, like you she doesn't know him. He's the one."
"The one who saved us?"
"And the one I'm trying to resurrect." Freya shows the soul scroll, with a faint blue and glow light. "This might be too much to ask for you."
"I'm not even planning to stop you right here and now. Escape if you must." Odette said and proceeds to change her tone "Please do not be offended but it is best that your power is gone or they might have sensed you before you even arrived here."
"How about Tigreal's power? Aren't they sensing his?"
"I bet they will start locating him any moment, we cannot perform more insane things than this to delay them" Natalia stated. "This point, your cooperation is needed, Tigreal" She gave the authority to Odette for their next move: dismissing the warrior on his duty.
"Tigreal, you need to go back to the empire right now. The story is she was lost and you returned to the empire to ask help from the other soldiers to help you find her"
"That's insane."
"Yes, it is. And you must now escape."
"Why are you letting us escape? I find it odd, why are you helping us? Aren't you afraid of desecrating the name of Regina Family?"
"We are in debt for your actions and I already stated that I see no reason for the empire to do this. I really want to be of help. Seeing you earlier feels like you can't go on anymore. Also, to warn about this case but----"
Tigreal and Freya felt responsible of the princess' action. She's the one of the last person to betray the Moniyan Empire. To think she's doing this for them is too much. However, Tigreal remembered Freya's journey that became his' also. The thing they are seeking for might be near. So he used up all his courage to ask the princess for one thing...
"How about a book of sages? Do you have one?"
"Book of Sages? What will you do with equipment that's involved with purification?" She said and raised her left eyebrow.
"Have you found him?" asked Natalia. "I was unable to ask Queen Aurora about your progress. Would you mind telling us?"
"If Freya stays here any longer we are increasing the risk of getting her caught on the snares of the empire." Tigreal argued. "She needs to leave. The book of sages that we need must be unused. Her quest will require that in order to attain its success. I never want to go everything to be wasted if she gets caught."
"So you do agree with the plan?" Natalia directly asked Tigreal expecting him to affirm her speculation that was formed from Tigreal's statement.
"I'll agree to everything that could help us." Tigreal felt that he has no choice but to trust them. He knows that Natalia and the others will do what is best. Also, Odette will never dive into a decision without untangling the strings of such enigma. "For now, let Freya leave this place as soon as possible."
"Well then I'll---" Freya halted Odette as she was about to ask for reinforcements. She decided to inform them about their progress, about Zilong, about the quest, and how she plans to get through with it.
"We have found Zilong. Probably lifeless, preserve inside an orb. Chiron, a centaur that came to help us was devoured into nothingness by Hanzo and for Hylos, his whereabouts still remains as a puzzle. The citizen of Iga saved us, along with Irithel. We've gone to Mahar Pura followed by our visitation to the Temple of the Moon for King Estes but his absence made them refuse."
"How long you've been travelling?" asked Odette.
"Roughly two months I guess." answered Tigreal. "Someone directed us to Magic Academy and we had received this from Professor Gord he says---"
"Sorry for intrusion. You actually had a chance to talk to him? When did he returned? Isn't it strange Natalia?"
"I have never heard he came back but I guess we just missed the news since we're too busy plotting schemes for what we believe to be a 'greater good' thing to do"
"He gave me this, princess. He said we need to fuse this with the book of sages as our final equipment to perform an incantation." Freya keeps the unused mystery codex in her clutch before she proceeds discussing. "We have a month to accomplish this. Anymore leisure will just delay us"
"Are you trying to bring back everyone's memory of him?"
"No, I haven't thought of that. Probably when we succeeded and that occurs, I'll take that as a bonus"
Natalia got confused. She thought that she guessed it right but suddenly, she sensed a weird sensation that shakes her senses. In order to prevent the formation of her queries, she can't help but ask "What incantation are you trying to perform exactly?"
"An incantation to claim the soul of a hero that fell from unnatural death"
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In a dark, rusty chamber near the northern west plateau, a man that wears a long dark colored cloak slithered slowly to the wall. His face remains unrecognized thus the only feature visible in his face is his mouth. It produces a smile, a kind that is conscious and sly. Despite of darkness, the chamber has traces of particles in volcanic hue. A river of magma was found inside, too narrow and deep at the same time and that is where he's dipping his weapon, somewhat striving to enhance it.
"You're late. Could you be toying around even with mundane things?" He uttered in a gravelly voice, and his pause is something that requires an urgent answer.
"What matters is that I managed to succeed. Even their allies are participating with this, isn't that enough to bring you glory?" the man said in a grating manner. His features was failed to be seen but that crystal shard on his chest was an exemption--- just like the color of a fire ablaze in the midst of the descended despair, one that can be likened to hell.
"Well, exactly how I need this to be done. Doomsday will come forth, and their era will not last for any longer." He slowly pulled his weapon out of the magma. He held its other end and used the remaining drops of magma into an ink to mark something in the wall.
"In a theatrical play, everyone gives their best to enact their roles and do their part at all costs. Same case applies with this foolishness, overflowing with grief and hatred, turning desires into death." A tiny bit of light illuminated a small part of the wall as it revealed a petite text stating Dark Abyss. "Tell the Abyssal force about the next set-up of scene. They will be making their appearances and they have one task to accomplish."
"What it may be Master?"
The smiles turned into a haunting sinister and contorted with a devilish triumph and his blood-curdling schemes demands execution with a remarkable neediness to kill.
And in his most vicious voice he replied. "To turn the pieces that became hollow and useless into nothingness"
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Swan Castle' Solar. Nearing noon time.
"That's how I need to succeed." Freya ended her sentence with those words; still bothered of how she'll obtain the missing piece right now that the empire is narrowing her world.
"You are to bring forth the resurrection of that man. Isn't it dangerous?"
"What do you mean?"
"You are about to open a vent from the connection of the heavens, the underworld, for someone who was stuck at what we believe to be purgatory. Delving deeper in the dark, a high preparation for the risks should be observed"
"I know that princess. Even so, my desires will not retire. It's not being immature for thinking of this and disrupting the balance with death and living but I wanted him to live with the glory embedded to his name, a thing he deserves all too well."
"We get it Freya" said Natalia who understands the goddess' desire just like the others. She also wants every mystery to unravel.
A truth to unfold and a sieve to separate the fallacy with it.
"If you trusts the process too much then count me in your quest." Odette exclaimed. "I'll go and ---"
"Your Highness!"
"Princess, you'll risk their location and your name and pride will be soiled once discovered" Tigreal stated to get in the way, thinking it is not necessary for her to help her to the extent of risking her throne.
Odette sighed and explains "I know. The desires will forbid you to have peace. It will bug you until its reached. I am involved now, as curious as others who have heard of this. And to my resolve, I want to contribute in solving the dilemma and finally bring forth to the extinction of the blood night's remnants." She paused for a while and look at Natalia, with heavy heart the lady looked down. She's not expecting that the last one to betray the empire tainted her loyalty to repay the goddess' sacrifices. "Natalia, I want your team to continue scouting the Land of Dawn and be more focused to the empire's movement. And Tigreal..."
"You don't have to. They wouldn't find out but Lancelot..."
"You are to tell him this. Might as well be our eye inside the empire and I am hoping that you'll do this without raising suspicion. Freya, I know that I am tainting my name and the my castle's glory, and we'll cause pollution any time soon too."
"Pollution?" asked Freya.
"Could it be him? I mean... Johnson?"
"He'll be here in few minutes. Lastly, have one request."
The three of them awaited her orders and refused to speak.
"To not experience guilt for it is my own choice that matters. Tigreal, you can go once Johnson has arrived. We'll go prepare for battle. Obtaining unused equipment is never an easy task."
"Where we will look for it?"
"We will go to the dangerous labyrinth in the Minoan Kingdom. Actually, that's the fastest way possible." Odette stated, concealing her terrified expression and suppressing her doubts.
"And the most perilous place."
"We're a perfect team. Physical, magical, and defense. I think we'll have high chance of escaping it more quickly."
Then, they saw Verri as he flies in the sky, carrying a blue strip of ribbon used to seal the letter given to Johnson a while ago. "Reinforcement are pretty fast." Natalia uttered.
"Impressive."
"He's here, there's no minute to lose." Odette looked at their eyes intently, and she closed it for a while, processing the thoughts into a solidified piece of reason to continue. She lets out a sigh and faces them. "For the greater glory. Let's do this."
The royal order has been made. They all nod at each other and shortly after, everyone proceeds to do what they planned. Natalia speeds up and enters her stealth state to get out of the castle with no disruptions. Meanwhile, Tigreal also finds a path to escape from the Solar's veranda and strive to make him unnoticed. Freya and Odette headed to the armory, with ignited fire of desires lives inside them.
"How about them? Aren't they going to sue me?" Freya whispered
"I doubt that. They don't even recognize you."
"Well, thankful to my scavenger look earlier." said Freya along with a smile.
As Freya gets ready as she start choosing her armor and sword, Odette accidentally shoot a glance to Lancelot's portrait displayed in the armory. Her eyes remained fixated on his portrait as she walks closer to it. Reaching a five feet distance between her and the portrait, she noticed the rectangular chest located on the table near the portrait. Seeing the sword that Lancelot gave as a gift to her, she can't help but smiled bitterly. She holds the sword and unsheathed it slowly, it is sharp and accented with sapphires, somewhat which depicts her elegance.
"Lance..."
"Princess Odette, Johnson has arrived." one of her servants informed her. Johnson entered the armory and before Odette walk to meet him and discuss all her plans, she carried the sword for some reason that involves the knight she loves dearly.
An energetic voice was heard before it even revealed the known owner of such vibes. "I was called, I was too rusty for three long years that I traveled and enjoyed road trips alone. How are you princess?"
The talk continues as Odette discussed things to Johnson. She told him everything he needs to know, he'll be their navigator after all. Freya watched the two as they converse with one another. Then, she realized how carefully Odette planned their journey in just a short while. Odette and Johnson, a deadly combination of magical burst and crowd control. She's assuring their safety and survival. A few minutes passed by quickly and to not waste it, they quickly hopped in Johnson's mustang form and hastened up to leave the Swan Castle as fast as possible.
Johnson remains careful despite of such exaggerated speed to reach the Western Desert in a short time. A little bump can be of help to seal away their freedom and be thrown in the dungeon.
Minoan Kingdom is said to have a labyrinth where hundreds of creeps dwell to protect the twilight orb from being stolen. Odette have them get ready in the battle suit so they can find their own way to escape, survive, and attain the items needed. She also made sure about the balance between the three of them. For she knows about the facts in the Maze of Minos, how dangerous the place that hundreds of people who have tried remained futile to know the secret of the orb, or to obtain what they desire.
The evening slowly approaches. Johnson commanded the two to step off out of the car so he can transform back to his normal state. They felt the danger that lurks within the Kingdom. It is dark, precarious outlook make it harder for them to proceed without caution.
"All things set. However, we have one problem left." Odette said as she observes the entrance to the labyrinth. She rivets her eyes on the man with a violet hood and a fired-up right arm that was believed to seize quite massive amount of enemies who tried to enter the labyrinth with filthy intentions. "HIM" she emphasized. Freya and Johnson looked at the direction of Odette's stares.
"Seems like he'll not let us pass, I heard that man has trust issues." Johnson said.
"Johnson take matters more seriously."
"Well, if isn't this a great tandem for Tigreal."
"Let's try engaging with him in a conversation, we cannot attack for we meant no harm and he may kill us." Johnson suggested.
Odette smiled for their ideas synchronized with one another. She then identified the pros and cons of infiltrating the Maze of Minos, any decision can't be undone.
And even a balanced team is not safe from death and danger that awaits them. In this case, in this place, no one will be safe. Be it the Lord of Light's allies or not, it will devour the weak and impure.
"Brilliant. And if he doesn't agree and the talk doesn't go as smoothly as planned, here's what we need to do."
Because if for tonight she reveled in the act of her purposeful betrayal, then she's going to be treacherous before the sun next day rises.
- E N D O F C H A P T E R S I X T E E N -