"Daisy Town lost over sixty percent of its citizens," Laerton muttered quietly. "The town itself has also been completely destroyed and reduced to rubble."
Gorgon shook her head and sighed. "All those poor people. Damn it, how could this happen again?"
Once more, the eight captains had gathered within the king's throne room. Exhaustion and despair were starting to become imprinted on their faces as they all tried to figure out the path they needed to follow to end this nightmare. All save for Grampa Green, that is; the elder man still looked like he was on the verge of death and wasn't making a sound.
"We did learn something a little useful," Father stated, attempting to destroy some of the gloom that was present in the room. "These people all have the strength around the level of a captain, but they're likely weaker than the Holy Saint. Our ultimate weapon can still win for us if it comes to it."
"Are you sure we should bust her out?" Dark Star frowned. "After all, at the last meeting you were opposed to that idea."
Father gave a hesitant nod. "Yes. I still would prefer to not bring out the Holy Saint right now if I can help it, but soon we will have a solution."
"Oh?" Dye stopped painting and raised his eyebrow, as even someone like him had to pay attention when the Holy Saint was brought up. "What do you mean?"
"One of our recruits is being made ready for the ritual of marriage," Father explained. "The one known as Bruno Moore will soon be the new vessel for the Holy Saint, and she will be free to take him over as much as she wants then."
Dark Star let out a laugh at his remark. "Ah, so that's the use you found for that commoner? I wondered why you allowed such a low-class wretch to remain in your guild, but it makes more sense now. You're planning to get rid of him just like one does in chess. Sacrifice the pawn for a queen."
"That doesn't seem very ethical." Myth frowned and gave Father a dirty look. "Have you even spoken to that boy yet? Is he even aware you're planning on using him in such a crooked way?"
"Not yet," Father admitted and had the decency to sound a little ashamed. "Rest assured, however, when the time comes, I will inform him."
"Does he need to be sacrificed at all?" Myth demanded.
"Do you want to win this war?" Father asked simply.
Myth was silent for several seconds as he processed the question. Finally, when he did speak, it was his attempt at an honest answer. "My guildmates are my family, my friends, the ones I love dearly; they are my very soul. I could never get rid of one just for something like that."
"Then you would lose," Father responded bluntly.
"Perhaps."
"It isn't up for debate." Father shook his head. "We require the aid of both me and the Holy Saint. Bruno shall become the holder of her will in one year's time."
Laerton cleared her throat and attempted to change the awkward subject. "We learned some other facts as well. Not only are the enemies all captain level, but they also have a being on their team who resembles the Lord of Threads. It is possible he is the real one or just a puppet created to serve as the long-dead monster. I believe it is through the Lord of Threads that they are able to destroy communications. The dungeon that appeared worked a little differently from normal dungeons. It seems like it messes with the senses on both an electrical level and a mana level, silently halting them while not outright destroying them, making it impossible for the King's Signal to detect it."
"Is it really the Lord of Threads? That will be a big pain if it is." Gorgon hummed.
"I have another question." Crow suddenly jumped into the conversation. He had remained mostly quiet, but now his gaze locked onto Laerton and Father. "You two, why did you not alert anyone else, and also why did you leave most of your guilds behind? From the reports, you only took three Knights that could fight and a group of Squires. Why? What the hell were you two thinking?"
Father let out a weak sigh. "Yes, you're right. What Laerton and I did was very foolish. The truth is, I got a bit cocky. I believed that there was nothing that could stop me and that this threat was small. It wasn't until I arrived on the battlefield that I realized this blunder. These people aren't simply weak Spell Swords or Martial Cultivators. They're dangerous monsters, and it is through sheer power that they can wipe out the cities. From now on, should one appear, I propose that several guilds pool their resources together and focus on taking one out."
Crow grunted and folded his arms. "Obviously. In the future, let Dark Star and me know. We'll handle it."
"I hope there isn't a next time," Dye muttered. "So much death… Why is something like this happening?"
Laerton let out a sigh. "I don't know-"
"Liar."
Silence filled the room, and heads slowly turned to the throne Grampa Green was slumped in. Unlike in most cases, his Vice Captain Paragon wasn't present. In fact, none of the vice captains were present. This was strictly a meeting between the captains, the king, and the king's right hand.
Stunned faces stared as Grampa Green's body snapped and twisted, the old man sitting back up. For the first time since the exam, his eyes filled with a clarity, and he began to slowly look around the room. He began to mutter quietly, and they all strained themselves so they could hear it. "One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Seven. Seven."
"What are you babbling about, old man?" Dark Star raised an eyebrow.
"First, she gave her blood, and it was through this act that she quenched her people's thirst. Second, she gave her flesh, and it was through this act that she prevented her people's starvation. Third, she gave her eyes, and it was through this act that she allowed her people to see the world the way that she did. Fourth, she gave her voice, and it was through this act that she allowed her people to speak. Fifth, she gave her Core, and it was through this act that she allowed her people to gain the holy rite of magic. Sixth, she gave her heart, and it was through this act that she allowed her people to feel what she felt and to truly come together under a single cause. Seventh, she gave her head. In her final moments as Haru Sini, they say that she walked with pride and allowed herself to be beheaded, and from her neck a holy light spilled out, and she became the one who stands at the top. She gave up her head, and it was through this act that she was able to share her thoughts with the world. And so, Haru the Light Forged was born."
"What are you talking about, old man?" Father shot the elderly man an odd look. "That's an old tale, right? I remember it used to be said a bunch, or at least that is what the Holy Saint told me, but it fell out of practice."
Grandpa Green weakly reached out with a frail hand. "Those seven things were what Haru did to become the one forged by Light. She reached Rome and became the godlike being that we know. With a body forged of unbreakable metal and a head clear of emotions, she gave up all that made her human so she could save us. She was nothing but a machine when it was all said and done. An unfeeling robot that worked and worked and worked and… These seven acts are being repeated. Right now. Seven… There are seven beings who are holding onto the pieces of another being who is attempting to copy Haru's will. One of these seven was in Daisy."
"Seven?" Father felt confused as he heard the ramblings of this madman. "You're saying that they did all of this for seven people? Wait, how do you even know this old man?"
Father slowly reached up and placed two fingers under his eyes. "Because," he said in a weak grunt. "I inherited his eyes and now see the world for what it is."
"Huh? Wait, what are you talking about? Who is he? What eyes? Tell us everything-"
The light in Grampa Green's eyes faded, and he slumped back down in his chair. His head fell to the side, and drool began to drip down his chin as whatever force had allowed him to speak his mind faded. Father scowled as he stared at the useless old man.
"Great. Talk about perfect timing. Someone get a memory mage. Perhaps we can search Green's thoughts and see what he was talking about. It seems he at least knows something important."
"Seven…" Laerton rubbed her chin and thought back to what had been reported. The puppets had seemingly shown up in Daisy from out of nowhere, and shockingly enough, they weren't after Davi but instead after a citizen of Daisy. Sadly, the only ones who knew the whole story were Davi, who was in a coma, and Alice Ward, who had rushed back to Oleander. "Father, all the people rescued from Daisy are at your base, correct?"
"Yes." Father nodded. "Along with most of your injured guildmates."
Laerton hummed. "I'd like to speak with one."
"Oh?"
"Yes. Susie Nyx. The one they were after."
"We tried talking to her, and she refused." Father pointed out.
"Well, let me try." Laerton shrugged. "I have a few things I'd like to say to her."
"If you're sure." Father also shrugged.
"So, is there anything else we need to discuss about this group?" Crow asked. "I know the report on what sort of spells they used was written up, but I thought I'd still ask in case there is something important."
Father hummed. "Actually, there is something. My king, I saw someone I think you would be interested in."
Away from the captain's table, the king's throne resided. It was covered in a layer of shadows, masking the figure that sat upon the throne. Standing next to the chair was Evelyn Lunar, the Dragonslayer, with a slight smirk upon her face.
[Oh?] Static filled the air, followed moments later by a distorted voice. [And what is it you think I'd be interested in, Father?]
A soft frown appeared on Father's lips, and he reached up, stroking his chin. "There was a man that Laerton and I both fought."
"I still find it hard to believe that someone could fight you and Laerton at the same time." Myth shivered slightly.
"Yeah." Gorgon nodded. "Laerton, I get it; she sucks, but you're one of our strongest Knights, yet you claim you also couldn't beat this foe by yourself?"
Father shook his head. "It isn't that I couldn't win. I think if the battle kept going, I would, but this foe was powerful and particularly good at surviving anything that was thrown at him. At first, I thought he was a monster, but he showed that he uses spells, meaning he must be some sort of mutant. However, after thinking about it some more, I now understand why he picked the name Adam. He isn't a mutant, and he isn't a monster." Father's gaze turned toward the throne surrounded by darkness. "He's like you, my King."
A silence filled the room as everyone processed what Father was saying. The silence was finally broken by the sound of metal moving against metal.
A thumping noise came from the darkness, and the figure upon the throne began to stand up. Slowly, they walked out and allowed the dim light of the room to fall upon them. Each step they took created another thumping sound, and Father had to force himself to keep his eyes upon the king.
Haru Sini had two kids. Adamaska Sini, who had become the being known as the Pilgrim, and Nier Sini, the oldest and current king of Esteria. How had the king survived for so long, though? After all, the only other being to live as long as King Sini was Grampa Green, who did so thanks to the elven blood in his veins, which kept his rotting corpse alive. Was the king's method the same?
No.
It was not.
The king had long, jet-black hair that went down his back, and his skin was tanned, with a thick, curved mustache formed on his lips. He wore a large, gem-encrusted crown, and his eyes were a deep golden color, as if two stars had taken root in his skull. His face was handsome, and he looked like someone who came from a royal line, but that all ended from the neck down.
Where King Nier's throat met his body, jagged metal fused into his flesh. His body was made out of solid black steel. It was still shaped like a person's body; he had arms, legs, a torso, and so on, but instead of flesh, muscles, bones, or organs, he had gears, which were winding and clicking through his form. The metal all swirled and connected to the flesh of his human-like head above, and from a distance, it might look as if he were simply wearing armor, when in reality, he was the armor.
Nier Sini, the firstborn son of Haru, and the one who stands above the Knights.
"When you say he is like me…" King Nier's voice was rich and handsome, the distorted filter now gone, since he no longer sat upon his throne. It was perfect, not being too loud and also not too quiet, and it spilled across the room in a pleasant way. "I assume you mean he had a body like mine?" He gestured to his form.
Father nodded. "He bled oil as well, and his name was Adam. Is it possible he could be your brother?" Father asked awkwardly.
King Nier shook his head. "No," he stated. "Such a thing is impossible. My dear brother, Adamaska, is dead. I buried him myself, and his head was taken from his body. The only people who have a form like mine are myself, my brother, and, of course, my mother, for it is she who made us in her image. This 'Adam' man must have been wearing a suit of some kind."
"He wasn't." Laerton shook her head. "I can promise you that, sir. His body was made out of metal, just like yours, and he survived even after being blasted to bits by Father's strongest spell."
King Nier frowned, and his metallic hands came up and stroked his chin. "That is troubling, because as I said, I am certain my brother is dead and not coming back. The only other explanation for how such a being like this Adam man could exist is if he found a way to connect himself to my brother's body by placing his head upon it, but my brother's remains haven't been disturbed."
"Are you sure about that, sir?" Crow questioned. "It could be possible that these guys broke in and took the late Adamaska's remains for their own sick uses."
"Not possible." Evelyn suddenly spoke up, casually floating over. "I have access to the remains, and I was with them earlier today. I checked on them after I saw the report. I also thought that this Adam fellow might have stolen Adamaska's remains and reforged them into a body, but sure enough, Adamaska's corpse is still in his tomb. Besides, let's not skirt around the elephant in the room. The king and Adamaska are unique beings personally created by Lady Haru. No human or monster can simply place their decapitated head upon their body and take it over."
"So then how do you explain Adam?" Laerton demanded.
"Easy." Evelyn let out a soft laugh. "You and Father were wrong."
"We were wrong?"
"He is using the name Adam, as well as the last name Hawker, yet he looks nothing like how a Hawker should, lacking the signature blonde hair and thunder-colored eyes. You said he also used shadow magic instead of lightning magic. It is technically possible for a Hawker to be born with a different kind of magic, but that's a one-in-a-million child, similar to the one known as Davi Hawker. Seeing both Adam and Davi in the same timeline is next to impossible due to how rare such a genetic mutation of the Hawker bloodline is. This leads me to believe that this Adam Hawker isn't actually named Adam or part of the Hawker clan at all and is just picking names. Adam makes sense, as it leads to the first man, but I am unsure why he would be interested in a nearly extinct clan. I had to search through dozens of old records to find any information on the Hawker clan, so perhaps he knows something we don't."
"Okay? What does him using a fake name have to do with anything?" Father questioned.
Evelyn let out a disappointed sigh. "You never, ever, ever trust a liar." She explained. "When someone lies about so much, it means that everything about them must be put into question. For example, in the report, Laerton, you claim he was covered in various illusion spells. Well, there you go. He didn't have a body like the king's. It is likely he was simply covered in an illusion that made you think that. The same could be true for the oil."
Laerton rubbed her neck, thinking back on the fight with Adam. "I mean, yeah, it is true I saw dozens of illusions masking who he is, but I don't think his body was one. I have this feeling in my gut that what I saw was real."
"Well," Crow began. "It doesn't really matter right now. There's nothing we can do about it. Maybe his mutation gave him a body similar to it, like he could be turning into a golem. We won't know unless we fight him again, and next time that bastard appears, we'll be ready to take him out."
"Yeah!" Dark Star announced. "I'll personally wipe him off the face of the Earth!"
"We shouldn't let any of our guards down." Myth stated. "I believe our guilds need to work a lot closer with each other going forward."
"We can discuss that more another time." King Nier turned around and began to walk back toward his throne slowly. "I'm afraid we must end this discussion here. It is time I return to the stars." He vanished into the darkness and became unseen as he took his spot upon the throne. [You are dismissed.] His voice came out, distorted and broken.
The captains all began to stand, getting ready to leave and head back to their bases. "Laerton," Father turned toward the blonde woman. "You're coming back to my base, correct?"
"Yes." Laerton nodded. "You still have Davi, and until he is safe to move, I won't be leaving."
Father let out a sigh, already dreading the repair costs when the Phoenix Flight's bad luck started back up. "Very well…"
The two of them were about to leave together but stopped when they sensed some mana that was following them. Laerton turned and glared at the smiling face of Evelyn. "Need something?" She asked bluntly.
Evelyn giggled once more. "Actually, yes. I'd like to go with you."
"Why is that?" Father demanded.
"Because you said Davi hasn't woken up yet. I'd like to check on him."
"You know Davi?" Laerton raised an eyebrow. "Damn, how many things is that dumbass connected to?"
Evelyn brought a hand up to her chest and placed it over her heart. "I don't just know him. Davi is my lover. Now, can you please take me to him? I'd love to talk to him once again."