The Advent of Caelesti the Unknown

"Offering the remnants of your soul just to trap me in this trance," I looked up, seeing Claudious stood still in front of me with a calm smile upon his face. He had always appeared so beautiful, he had that kind of face that would take anyone's interest. He had a cool and calculating aura around his calm light shade of dark eyes, docile expression, and he had always acted so righteous. "...did you really think you could bring me along your death?"

He leaned closer, his steps creating a thumping sound against the frozen-filled ground and as the white snow continued to pour like rain along with the sight of my own blood tainting it, he showed a smile. It was a genuine one, I knew then it was his own will. His mouth parted, sighing. "I have always did like you, even more than necessary. It was out of interest at first, curious as to how my own playful best friend managed to actually fall."

"How sure are you your emotions were real?"

He lifted his hand, his fingers tracing my temple. "I don't know. At this moment though, you're the most," he smiled bitterly. "...in my eyes." He stepped back, raising both of his arms beside him. "Even at that last battle, I have no control of myself. But I am already dead, even now, I am no more than a mere soul. I will fade soon and when I do, I truly hope you can escape, Ke'ala. This is my most powerful spell--"

"I can, and I will."

He chuckled, and I wonder why must his puppeteer hide such a rich expression. "I trust you will."

"Were you always like this? You aren't as emotionless as your controller make you seem to be."

"No, at least I believe I wasn't. Somehow, I have begun confusing my real identity although at this point, it no longer matters." He sat on the floor, ignoring the coldness. His feet had already faded, turning into dusts that slowly crept up his legs, they were slow but he felt no pain at the process of his banishment. "I deserve this. I have killed innocent people over the years I have worked for the Organization, I have betrayed the trust my companions have given me back at the Academy, and I have failed everyone's expectation of me to become a protectorate of students of Magnus. Being a President isn't so easy, after all."

"You were controlled, you had a will but you cannot use it."

"Are you comforting me?"

"I was simply stating a fact."

"...thank you. But you mustn't be kind, Ke'ala. The world will continue to despise you and you must not be kind, otherwise you will break."

"I am already broken, Claudious--shattered, where each piece of me kept on getting missing." I clenched my fist, watching the lower half of his body fading along the chilling wind. "We are truly birds of the same kind, but even at this moment, our feathers differ."

"You--too, will die, Ke'ala."

"I know." I replied, and my abruptness made his lips curve a little. "But I will not die until I end everything."

"That seems so like you." He raised his arm, almost as though caught up in the moment while dusts erased his fingers. "Don't tell Thane, nor anybody else ."

"He will know of your betrayal sooner or later, they will all know." I frowned. "They're going to blame me for your death and you know that, it's as though you're asking me to just accept it all."

"I cannot bear to fail them, Ke'ala." His tone was low, filled with so much sincerity. "Just wrapping my head around the fact that they had trusted a traitor...I can't bear it."

"You won't have to. You're going to die either way."

"You're cruel too." That didn't replace the smile on his face though. "But again, that's so like you."

"Why did a strong person like you fall into the hands of the Organization?"

"Perhaps because I wasn't that strong to begin with."

Nobody ever actually begins with being one, strength is only acquired through experiencing the process, no matter how ugly it may be. After all, learning is a painful process, and it had always been that way. But this man didn't have to know that, he knew this well enough that his calm gaze told me nothing but a plead. I closed my eyes with a sigh, thinking that even in the end, no matter how powerful the enemy may appear to be, they will always, somehow, all look the same way to me--all looking up from down below as though I have reached a height they could never be.

Contrary to people's prejudice against me, I do not particularly like being on the limelight, I had never did even back at the Academy. But I always manage to do just the exact opposite most of the time that in the end, I deem everything that's happening around me as necessary.

"Might as well blurt out all you know before you vanish entirely." I said that and although I did expect him to agree at his current situation, he seemed to have agreed more willingly.

"I have no time left, Ke'ala. I can only tell you three things." He sighed. "Daeva's just the first wave, the Endseekers' wrath has not yet ended. The Grimoire's the only thing that knows the secret of all the relics, you have to get to it before anybody does--especially the Organization."

"Why?"

"I know nothing of what is it, though I am certain everything will end badly once someone gets a hold of this power."

"And the last one?"

He smiled, the dusts already reaching up his chest. "You cannot defeat the leader of the World's Organization, even with all the relics combined."

"Who is it?" My voice was grim, and there was a burning feeling inside me as though I am being challenged, making my blood boil but it was not of excitement, it was something else and that made me feel inferior.

He opened his mouth but as his lips moved in accordance to his words, there was no voice behind as dusts erased the last bit of his existence. I watch with my own brows furrowing while his soul vanished right before my eyes, his words leaving in my mind like a memory I couldn't forget no matter how much I try to. It was something I wish I hadn't heard, something that threatened every fiber of my being and it was making my heart race in fear. And as the snow began to pile up, as halos of frosts levitated around, there was that distant howling of the cold, freezing wind that came along a vigorous, reverberating hiss.

I didn't need to turn around to know somebody was trailing behind me, the ground trembling slightly below with the raining snow scattering away in a mess, was enough to tell me so. The footsteps weren't loud, though they were heavy that their feet would surely sink down the white foams. If Claudious' energy was overwhelming enough that he could trap me in his trance, this one harbouring a sharp killing intent from my back toppled his spiritual energy tens of times.

There was something malicious about this energy I was feeling, it's familiarity reminded me of a demon's spiritual energy. But this energy has a cold air surrounding it, despite its overbearing nature, it was light as though the energy was fragile that it would break. I knew it wasn't the case when I turned around, my pale blue eyes glowing that it surged up an unknown desire of dominion I didn't know I had, inside me.

The demon was tall, it had a figure similar that of a human no matter how it's appearance told otherwise. It's body was seemingly covered in thin lines of fabric made of ice but the way its long cape fluttered behind made me realized it water, brought into such a form by condensing the ice around it like a protective layer of frost. Small waves of water flashed around the demon as it walked slowly towards me, they were dancing--eventually racking up altogether that gained a form of a snake which coiled around its neck, its slender tail pointing at my direction like an arrow.

The demon wore a mask, but I notice it was not a mask but an actual face that wrapped around its whole head. Its eyes were clear as though looking at a frozen mirror. The sword clang against its ice-made body, resounding like a ripple through the dominating silence I hadn't noticed, was forming.

The demon gradually halted its step, its sharp gazes directly intending to make my skin crawl not from fear, but a way to let me know of its presence. It didn't even have to, for my sight was already focused on it. The demon made a casual gesture of raising its hand, petting the snake beside. The snake made another hissing sound, showing its hostility in such a way.

"Two hundred eighty-fourth target. Now engaging the summoner's final desire." It spoke without any hint of emotion, and the voice was that of a woman's although it was low and wasn't noticeable at all. Unsheathing its sword, the demon raised it right in front of her, tracing the sharp edge with its frozen fingers. "In this colden barren, I shall lay your body burried."

"A demon who can merely appear through a person's summon, a demon who has no freedom and life of its own." I commented. "You must be quite bored."

The sword was made of water wrapped in a sheet of ice, my own reflection showing through it clearly as she closed her eyes. "Taunts and provocations are no use, it will not change anything. It will only bring you a quick death."

"Will it, now?"

"I believe so." She took another step, but I haven't even blinked when she was already in front of me, her face an inch away from mine, the edge of her blade over the skin of my neck. "Your death has already been decided the moment my summoner had drained all of his mana to trap you in my domain. Perhaps he was aware he could not defeat you with his own power."

"You should have just cut off my neck then." My eyes held indifference as our gazes bored right through each other. "That was a wasted opportunity."

"You did not flinch. You saw me coming. If I had severed your head, your sword would have had penetrated."

My lips arched upward. Both of my dual swords were floating behind her back, and she was right. If she had made an action, I would have had done the same. I pushed her blade away from my neck while still looking at her, stepping back as I raised both of my arms. My dual swords went past her shoulders then, finally clasped around my hands. It was hard to read her emotions, it was as though she didn't have one at all. Perhaps she just doesn't feel anything at all. I'm a bit insulted, do I seem that boring to be considered as an opponent enough that she doesn't anything?

"If it weren't for that summoning contract you had with your late summoner, I'm sure we could have had worked this out the other way."

"I am the proud demon, Valdesa of the Frozen Enclave. Unlike the demons in your care, I am not to be slave that follows a girl."

She must have had sensed Aeryn and Silverrium's energy scent in mine. But a girl, huh? Do I seem like a mere child in her presence? People has always been hostile against me, but a very few would actually consider me as a child. I am capable of instilling superiority and fear even without the need of social power. So this is rather new. She neither is hostile nor have a major to kill me. She was simply called forth, an oath whereas she must kill me in exchange of spiritual energy. Perhaps that was how she had been living for ages. It's a pity I would have to kill her to escape.

I, myself, have no sense of time in this trance. Hindi ko alam kung ilang oras na ako dito o kung ano na ang nangyayari sa labas. Pero nakakasigurado akong may laban nang nagaganap. Alagad si Claudious ng World's Organization at kontrolado din nila ito dahil sa relic na hawak nila. Alam na nila na nasa Magnus ako dahil tiyak na naalarma sila sa pagkamatay ng isa nilang tauhan. Kaya gustuhin ko mang makalaban siya, kailangan kong magmadali.

"I do not enslave my aides, proud demon Valdesa. They have their own will and options. One of those options is to serve me, to give me their trust that exceeds loyalty." I said, throwing my other sword above me.

"This land is my domain, anything about my target--that, I see. You control emotions, do you not? How are you so aware that the trust they give isn't something your power told them to have?"

The moment the hilt of my sword dropped back to my hand, my gaze had already averted hers. It was a topic I had always been avoiding, not because I think it's true but because it might be true. They have no reason to help me, to be my aides, no reason to give me their trust. Pero paano nangyaring isang araw bago ko pa man mapansin ay napapalibutan na ako ng mga katulad nila? Kailngan ko sila dahil imposibleng magagawa ko ang mga bagay na nagawa ko kung wala ang tulong nila. Hindi ko alam kung kailan nagsimulang magbago ang relasyon naming lahat.

They tend to look at me not with expectations but pure trust and comraderie, something I hadn't felt from Andrea and Iyana. But also unlike those two, my aides cannot give me the equality and peace I long desire. It's not that I wanted to compare them, but at the end of the day, everything would change and I could only wonder if they'd remain by my side even at my death.

"This chat is getting longer, why don't we just end it?"

"You run away at crucial times not because you fear the process or consequences but because you fear you do not know what to do nor do you have the answers."

"Do not speak as though you know me, demon."

"I may not know you, but I can tap deeply into your existence as long as you are here in my enclave."

"So you not only kill your targets through your blade but also through their own fears."

"I have plenty of ways to make you cower before your death, mortal."

"Interesting." I buried both of my swords through the snow, creating a line of cracks going towards her position. She didn't avoid and simply watch herself fall down the crater the cracks had resulted into. "But we shall see if those ways are effective. It would be a bore otherwise."

It confused me for a moment that she hadn't gone out from her downfall, I was about to go and see when I felt a feint movement behind me. I slashed both of my swords from the side as I turned around. The demon made me stagger backwards for it surprised me how my weapons just went past her body, as though she was made of water in an appearance of ice. I got a feeling this was going to be troublesome.

Valdesa used her snake that immediately grabbed my arm, coiling around as it opened its mouth, her icy cold fangs digging right into my shoulder which made me shiver. The demon then drew her sword forward, which I hastily dodged by ducking below. I put my hand on the ground as a leverage, twisting my body and attempted a kick which she easily avoided by jumping back. I stood up, the snake tightening around my right arm where its body was stuck. I flinched, feeling my blood turning cold.

"My sacred animal will not only prevent your mana from generating but will slowly kill you by cooling your blood."

I exhaled a deep one, my own breath visibly cold while my whole body continued to shiver. I grabbed the snake, forcibly taking it off me but as I did, a wave of pain crashed through my bones like I was just trying to cut my actual arm. I groaned, frowning as my own eyesight began to dim. I could feel not only my cooling blood but also the fact that something else was slowing in my veins, it was slimy, sticking through my organs, eating them away like tiny maggots in hunger.

"This isn't going well." I muttered.

"Why did you sound amused?"

"Because it is."

I raised my left sword, my gaze still fixated on her as I blocked out my ability to feel pain. Without anymore waste, I held my breath, closing my eyes as I cut down my whole right arm from my shoulder. The snake eventually turned into a puddle of water, sinking deep the snow. My right arm laid there, as though it was a painting of such an ugly sight above a beautiful white canvas. Blood reached my nose, mixing through the air and I particularly don't like the smell of it no matter how much I make myself get used.

Cutting it off didn't improve my condition though, the poison is still inside my body and I'm still losing so much blood. But I felt much lighter now that the snake was out of the way. I couldn't tap into my spiritual energy, the poison was preventing me to. This is probably what she had expected by her means of plenty of ways to make me cower before my death.

"A bold move that changes nothing." Her snake once again appear coiled around her neck, petting it beside her. "Death will come for you soon, why do you make it hard for yourself, mortal? Your struggles will fall into vain and I see no reason for you to continue trying knowing the outcome."

"Yet you're still here, trying to alleviate yourself from the fact that you cannot live normally unless a summoner has found you something to kill by trapping them in here. Demons fell into hiding in the past when your King has fallen. It seems to me this is your only way to retaliate against humanity which brought you in such seclusion. I understand enough to know that you were speaking from experience, Valdesa."

"How bold. Humans have always been one, but they are also cowards."

"You rely on these humans for their mana, sacrificing themselves to offer you their life in exchange of killing another. Both, either way, dies." I continued.

"That is why your kind are cowards. You do not have the power of your own reason why you rely on numbers to cover your individual lack of ability and such objects for power to dominate one another. Your kind destroys everything the world should be because of your constant wars. You are united only when facing an even powerful enemy but fall apart when your influence is being threatened. You run away when things go south. You, humans, discriminate other bloods because of fear. My hatred for your kind is too much that I wish for the cycle of rebuilt and destruction to hasten, erasing all lives on this world. When the rebuilt comes again, it is then the world will turn out better."

"I do believe in the cycle of rebuilt and destruction, for it defines this world. It's quite similar to the cycle of life which moves between birth and death. But it is my job to prevent this same cycle, no matter how, even I, wish for otherwise."

"Then why stop this world's nature?"

I touched my right shoulder, blood continued to gush out like an ever-flowing river. If I hadn't stopped my ability to feel pain, I would have had succumbed to death by now. After all, pain is one of the major reasons why most prefer dying over living. For in death, there is nothing. In death, one wouldn't even feel anything.

I closed my eyes, inhaling and exhaling the same coldness the air was giving. My hand was trembling and my legs were feeling weak that I would fall if it weren't for the sword I was using as a stand. I looked up, opening my eyes and seeing the crystal, frozen skies made me smile, though it was a bitter one.

Finally, I answered, "... it's my fate."

"You would die just to provide for a fate that wishes you nothing but death."

I chuckled. "If there is one thing I realize, it's the fact that since the beginning, twisted as it may be...my fate was never against me. It wishes me death, then so be it. I, too, desire it after all."

"And how do you suppose to stop a destruction that humans always ever constantly bring upon themselves?"

"You said it yourself, humans bring themselves destruction through constant wars against each other. But they are united when facing an enemy greater than they could ever be and thus, they rely on numbers, they rely on objects such as technologies and relics." I looked at her then. "All for the sake of defeating this common enemy, they will stand not amongst themselves but with one another."

"I see. It is a noble thing to do. A fallen hero, is what you are trying to point. However, from the way I understand you--you simply wish for death by providing such a fate."

"I see nothing wrong with it."

"There is nothing wrong nor right in decisions, mortal. Only bad and good consequences. Naturally, both differ in every perspective."

It was then my sights have turned dark, and I was no longer seeing anything. Panic flooded my whole nerves, clenching my fist that I could feel my nails digging through my own flesh, it was to calm myself from panicking and I hated making myself appear so powerless. It was pure black that it wouldn't even make sense whether I close nor open my eyes. It was as though something was poured to the scenery before me that I was suddenly thrown in an empty void where I could see not even a speck of dust.

I changed my weapon into a scythe knowing I couldn't produce any more for my meridians were blocked out by this poison. If I could somehow get back, it would be hard for me to actually cross through realms to get to Cretian Plains. A war would have had broken out by now on the outside and perhaps by now, mostly are aware that I am in Magnus. My disappearance for a year surely did not satisfy them, only my death could. Not that I wasn't willing to give them what they want, it's just that they aren't capable. But now, in my current state, it might actually get dangerous.

Nakaramdam ako ng galaw palapit sa mukha ko at hindi ko man alam kung ano ang tamang direksyon nito ay mabilis kong inilihis ang mukha ko sa gilid, kahit ganoon ay ramdam ko parin ang malamig nitong espada na tumama sa ilalim ng tainga ko. Tumalon ako palayo habang pinapaikot ang scythe sa likod ko. Nang ilapag ko ang mga paa sa ibaba ay agad ko namang itinaas ang weapon ko para sanggain ang paparating pa na atake.

Dinig na dinig ko ang tunog ng pagkabasag ng espada niyang gawa sa yelo, pero alam ko din ba kaya niyang gumawa ng bago at tama nga ako dahil napaatras ako nang matamaan ulit ang scythe nang isa pang mas malakas na pwersa, mas mahirap dumepensa gamit ang isang kamay. Isa pa, mukhang mas lumaki pa ang espada nito na walang kahirap-hirap na naputol ang sarili kong weapon. Ginamit ko na lamang ang oportunidad para lumayo ulit sa kaniya, pero bago pa man iyon mangyari ay May isang malamig na kamay ang nakapulot sa leeg ko.

"You have already lost the ability to see. Your struggles are useless, mortal. Concede defeat and I shall give you a swift death otherwise I shall see to it that you suffer a long and painful one. You're already dying, you have already lost too much blood, your arm has left your body and if not for your power, you would already be screaming in pain."

"Is...that--so?"" I was indeed, struggling to breathe. But rather than pitying myself in this situation, I was rather amused with how things are going. Can she kill me? Or will will I live to see another day remembering her death?

This poison is made of energy, which is a mistake for if it hadn't, it would have been her advantage. This energy-containing poison is blocking out my meridians from distributing my energy all over my body which keeps me alive. But if I could somehow force these meridians to give me energy, the poison would eventually drown in my immense energy force.

Though it has a disadvantageous effect, of course. Forcing something I shouldn't is the same as hastening the process of generating energy through life force which could literally make my meridians explode and I would no longer have any control of my ability then. But it's better than dying unnecessarily here.

"What are you thinking, mortal?" The demon's grip around my neck tightened as she lifted me up and I could feel my whole face losing its usual colour. "You cannot use your mana because of the poison in your body and your blood has already stopped circulating. It would be a matter of time before your heart rests. Let it be so, if you do not fear it--then let it be so."

I clenched my fist, feeling my meridians forcibly open as though bubbles threatening to burst just to overpower the poison in my body. Massive energy instantly surrounded my body which made her slide back meters away. Something was going on inside my body, a turmoil that finally reached a boiling point and it was then my veins turned swollen as though they would explode and my heart started to race faster and faster that I couldn't catch my breath.

I could not see, but I could feel the energy better than before. Energy that took up a form of a figure when everything was dark. Snake like figures basked in a unique form of spiritual energy took form around the demon, there were a dozen of them as they crawl towards my position. My energy then shot a wave of raw spiritual energy that immediately made the energies around me disappear.

Blood spurted out of my lips at the sudden action, it was as though my body was slowly disorienting inside and it wasn't painful only because I blocked out my ability to feel such but I could still make out that stinging sensation inside and it was nauseating. Another movement clattered behind me, but before the demon could even come in contact to my skin, she was already blown away by the energy wrapping around me.

I could feel my own arm growing from my right shoulder, tissues wrapping around the bones, blood filling the veins, and the slow built up of flesh taking advantage of the pain's absence. My head throbbed at the overwhelming force of spiritual energy slipping out of my body, and it was then colours began to fill my vision. Relief flushed in through me as my sight adjusted to the surroundings, seeing the demon stare at me from afar.

"You cannot kill me, Valdesa." I breathed out an air. "Because I am simply never meant to die here."

"You think everything is predetermined, that everything has a reason-how everything is merely going accordingly to fate's wishes."

"Is it not? As someone who believes in the cycle of rebuilt and destruction, you sounded like you do not believe in it."

She touched the snake coiling now around her waist, the frozen reptile hissed but it was in agreement as though that simple gesture his a meaning only it understands. The snake quickly deformed, melting slowly into water that buried itself into snow. Ignoring the slight tremble of the ground beneath me, I summoned my newly formed scythe on cue with her suddenly leaping up.

I thought for a moment she would go towards my direction, but before her feet could land on the ground, a huge crater appeared below her as well as something massive springing up which caused a rainfall of snow. Cold mist of white gasses surrounded everything along with that echoing shriek. Slashing my scythe against the air, the density of the mist slowly started to dissipate, showing a silhouette on a near distance almost blocking the view of the frozen skies above.

"Unlike you, I view fate as but a mere guidance of one's life. A very few people are aware of their fate and that is not necessarily a bad thing. It means they are given a chance to redeem their future, to try changing their own destiny. It means fate is letting them challenge it." Her figure stood steadily above the head of the massive snake, a sword of ice held on her right hand.

"Fate is inescapable, only an actual fool would try to change something that is already predetermined."

"Yet you are changing yours. You call yourself a fool."

"Perhaps because I am."

The snake strode itself forward, opening its huge mouth where fangs looking like glistening spikes calling over to engulf me. I was not in control of my energy that it automatically wrapped around me even more possessively, the blend of dark and pure energy merging and its overbearing scent made the snake avoid my figure before its fangs could chew me in half.

Hindi lamang malaki ang ang ahas, mahaba din ito at mabilis na hindi tumama ang hawak kong scythe sa gumagalaw nitong katawan. Tumalon ako paatras nang muli itong umatake mula sa ibabaw pero tamang-tama namang pagtapak ko sa lupa ay ang naghihintay na espada ni Valdesa. Hindi ito tumalab dahil sa tigas na nakabalot kong enerhiya kaya naputol ang sandata nito.

Bago pa man ako makagawa nang kung ano ay umalis na ito sa harapan ko sabay nang pag-ikot nang mga maliliit pang ahas sa paa ko. Ramdam ko ang mga matitigas nilang ngipin sa balay ko pero hindi ko muna sila ininda at sinangga ang isa pang paparating na atake ng demonyo. Nagpakawala ako ng enerhiya at kasabay nito ang pagkatunaw ng mga ahas.

Muli na namang nabasag ang espada ni Valdesa nang mahawakan ito ng enerhiya ko. Sinipa ko siya sa may tiyan para umatras, pero madali nitong nasalo ang paa ko at mabilis na hinampas ang katawan ko sa lupa. Sa lakas nito ay dinig na dinig ko ang pagkabali ng mga buto ko na agad din namang hinilom nitong enerhiya. Tinaas nito ang kanan niyang kamay at mula dito ay nabuo ang isang matulis na bagay. Iginilid ko ang sarili nang walang pagdadalawang-isip nitong dinirekta sa akin ang kamay.

Binuksan ko ang nakakuyom kong kamao para tawagin ang natilapon kong scythe at tamang-tama namang nasa akin na ito bumukas ang lupa kung saan ako mismo nakaluhod. Walang tigil parin ang paglalabas ng enerhiya ko pero hindi nito napigilan ang pagbukas ng bunganga ng ahas sa ilalim ko mismo.

Pinahaba ko ang scythe at bago pa man ako tuluyang mahulog sa loob mismo ng ahas ay nakapatong na ang magkabilang dulo ng sandata ko sa matatalim nitong pangil. Bago ko pa man maitaas ang sarili ko ay nakita ko ang nakapatong ng pigura ng demonyo sa ibabaw mismo ng weapon ko. Tinusok niya ang hawak na espada sa dalawa kong kamay at dahil hindi ko maramdaman ang sakit ay hindi parin ako bumitaw.

"It is truly a mystery how abundant your energy capacity is, mortal. You may be powerful, but how long can your energy last? The more you stay in this trance, the more likely your energy will be drained."

I closed my eyes, seeking control of my overflowing energy. If if this goes on, I might really end up draining even my energy reserves. Energy reserves are what keep people alive even when most of their energy has been exiled out. Energy capacity is like box where energy is being stored, the bigger and heavier that box is, the higher level the energy is compared to others.

While the reserve is like a small box inside that giant box, storing a smaller portion of that energy that may not or may be used depending on the user knowing it would damage the life force where energy is produced.

"I wonder about that too." It was as though my muscles have stopped working that the grip on my left unintentionally let go. I gritted my teeth as my energy directed itself to my hand to heal it.

"Why do you struggle against life so?"

But she never gave me the chance to answer, the scythe broke into two once again and as it disappeared, I watched Valdesa's figure looked down at me from the tip of the snake's fang. The mouth closed, last I saw was the demon's implying stares while an intense decreasing cold surrounded me yet again. I could feel my own body freezing, but I couldn't take my mind off her question.

That, too-I wonder why so. I have never really liked living, but it was part of my fate to experience it, to go through its process before meeting the end of the road-and that is death. Would people call me selfish? Suicidal? Depressed? I am never those things, I'm just tired.

Tired of every single one of them trying to skim me out, each having their own selfish reason. They claim they know much of my fate, then why do they make it look so surprising when I do not prefer living for so long? They just can't expect me to desire living when most are so against it.

Is exhaustion from simply breathing not enough as a reason to stop wanting life?

I blinked, an air of voice resounding from my throat. Laughter seemed to have filled the silence then, my body falling down seemingly for eternity now. I clasped my face, almost struggling to stop the sense of this ironic jest of sardonic laughter to escape my mouth. My eyes brightened in light pale blue, a grin making a way to my lips despite the darkness that enclaved still around me.

I spread my arms, forcing myself to suppress the energy as I formed them on my hands. Energy glowed into an illuminating blue lights tickling my palms, surging through my veins until they were released. I twisted my body, creating a momentum while I pushed my energy out of my body. Fragile sound of something shattering overfilled the silence, blending along the laughter that kept going out of my lips.

In a passing moment, I found myself perfectly standing still on the white ground, snow pouring from above as well as debris of crystalline ice falling down like droplets of rain behind me. The demon Valdesa stood almost in surprise meters away, her body now surrounded by coils of snakes. I drove myself ahead, immediately summoning my medieval sword in timing, slashing her with it.

She avoided it by her snakes blocking the way, them shattering the moment the metal of my blade hit their frozen skins. I kicked her back, turning myself over the air to repeat another. The demon stumbled away, but that was enough for me to trap her in the magic circle waiting just below her. The magic circle glowed in blue, but before it could do its services, Valdesa had already broken it's layers by overpowering it of her energy.

"Again, why do you struggle against life so, mortal?"

I ignored her question, summoning dozens of weapons above me and in one flick of a finger, their directions were set on the demon. A huge barrage of ice protruded from the ground, trapping all the weapons inside it. Summoning layers of magic circles around her, I clasped my hands, towers of ice growing from each circle as my energy roamed the skies in an attempt to break the trance forcibly. However, that was not enough. Valdesa raised her arms up, a sense of anger boiling inside her.

"Enough, you foolish human!" She yelled.

Her demonic energy, greater than the energy of my demon aides combined, immediately started wiping the traces of my own. And I suddenly found myself kneeling on the ground, my body trembling as though a massive force of gravity was trying to keep me from standing up. I clenched my fist, but against this thick layer of energy, I couldn't even feel mine. My meridians are already broken, there was no way to distribute my own energy flow now and because of this trance, my energy had already been long drained. If I use my reserves, perhaps I might stand a chance-

"Do not attempt to even stand against me, mortal. Your energy may be superior, but you do not know how to use it. I have fought thousands of battles, and you standing in front of me is merely one of them."

"You're saying you have more experience than I could ever have."

"You have the ability to manipulate emotions, why are you not doing such? You are bound by your personal rules of morales, but they do not see you as human in the first place. Why must you stop yourself from achieving that ultimate power?" She crouched in front of me, her cold hand tracing my pale face. "You could be anything else but strange enough, fate has made you taken a form a human."

"Humans die easily. Fate was simply doing me a favour."

"I will not kill you, mortal."

I frowned, scoffing. "I do not need your pity, Valdesa."

"You may not, but it will help you."

"Don't-" I was cut off short when her fingers laid stop my lips, sealing it.

"You are still but a young lady, Ke'ala Feyree. I wonder why the world expects so much of you." She blew an icy cold breath, making me close my eyes. "Live, survive, for I shall take my bounty when it is all over."

The world around me came into a sudden erasure, as though swallowed by a warp that the next second, different sensations thrilled my body. Nauseasnes spinned my insides, a wave of dizziness throbbing my mind. The earlier chill was replaced by warmth, the heat gradually increasing which produced a flow of sweat from my forehead. Fire spread like it was being chased, immediately engulfing anything it lays upon.

There was that bitter remorse striking down to the deepest of my soul, frustrations building up like a wave chemical reactions-like a volcano threatening to explode that made me clenched my fists so hard that they dug deep into my skin as I my gaze rounded the view around me. Pillars fell atop one another, it created that slight tremble on the floor, where every cracks reverberated through the sound of the fire swallowing everything up.

Amongst all those sights, was the body of Claudious Von Fabio laid still on the marbled floor, his eyes were wide-opened, as though he was trying so hard to fought the urge of his own energy leaving his body as a mere offering for a demon who let me go in the end due to pity. Despite the intense fire around us, his body was cold, colder than his ice could ever be, his body had already gone stiff. Dead. He was already long dead.

I gained my steps towards him, laying my palm atop his forehead. I felt nothing as I looked at his pitiful state but a sense of lost. Claudious was never a man of speech, he hates exerting effort in talking contrary to the way he would take an effort to protect something he desired. That was the Academy. If things had not gone different for him, perhaps he could've met a different ending.

Clamours of footsteps caught up to my sense of hearing, I couldn't anything but muffled noises against this mess of a sound. The density of the smoke had become unbearable, but I didn't want to face anyone at the moment knowing I barely have my energy reserves. Thus, sliding my hand down Claudious' face, his eyes finally went close, standing up as I let a pool of his blood washed his sins away. Perhaps he could have wanted that.

I followed the direction where smoke were thin, barely walking steadily through the empty halls of the Academy where fire raced after me from behind. Magnus Academy had become unrecognisable, I didn't know if it was because of fire breaking and burning everything down or because of the years that I found myself running away from this place. I never truly thought of these halls as a home.

The Academy was a way for me to attain my goal, that goal which I could hide my real identity and save-save...someone. Although in the end, I realize I had only been playing on the palm of Headmistress in an attempt to make me get the relics for her-because I was fated to meet these relics and she knew that from the start. But deep down, I couldn't find an actual reason to blame the Headmistress, a reason that strange enough, I didn't bother looking.

I remember walking through this place as my fingers traced the patterns against the crystalline black, stoned walls-where my appearance were anything but human, where I would receive scornful emotions of both jealousy and hatred that before I was even aware of it, I had already gained so much attention to myself. So much for wanting a peaceful life, I could never really have one for seemingly in everything I did, there was always that trouble that led me into a realization to another.

Still, I don't hate the Academy despite the fact that it was where everything had set itself to motion. Perhaps that was a reason enough not to. I found myself thinking such as I trekked my way through the dark woods, the trees arching as gray gasses engulfed the remaining oxygen around. The Blackveil Forest was where they used to set students into experience trainings, the first team challenge I had gone out of together with those two, without each of us actually trying to kill one another.

Footsteps were heard catching up to my direction fast, there were muffled noises of commands yelled in repetition. I tried to summon my weapon, or anything in particular, but what came out was a spurt of blood that escaped my lips. Energy swirled inside me in a lacking manner, screaming for me to get more energy but with how things were going, it was impossible to recuperate my energy naturally with my own meridians broken.

I was met with high-end walls arching meters above. It was a dead end, where I could not go anywhere else for the flame had already severed my escape paths. I clasped the wall, as though it was the only thing that could keep me steady as that feeling of nausea began to flip my insides in opposites. It felt like I was being strangled, where blood kept flowing from my mouth and when my sense of pain slowly returned, it was then I could finally feel my broken bones and cracked ribs.

My muscles had stopped working that my knees felt like they had enough, in the next second, I was already sitting on the grasses, my back against the granite wall. The scent of blood coming from the monsters dying through fire in this forest was making my head throb, their growls and shrieks resounded like echoes through the burning woods as well as the emotions of every people all over my range blending through my own, their confusions, anger, hatred, and that thirst for bloodshed.

I covered my ears, as though they could help alleviate that overwhelming wave of emotions filling up my body. Energy poured like ignition through my veins, my skin swelling, my bones cracking through the intense pressure-and that sound of every single sound invading my ears like they were having some kind of a race, where it ended up like buzzing sounds. I hated it.

My mind felt like it had drilled several holes through my skull, my blood rushing so fast, my heart beating so vigorously that it might even jump right out of my chest. Then there was the thumping of boots, the rustles of leaves, and the feel of bullets against my skin. I screamed, a moan of pain could no longer stop the agony my body was in torture of.

Red liquid clouded my left eye, realising that one bullet just went past my head, the flow of it obscuring my vision but still, my gaze was solely focus on the ground. I could feel myself changing, that surge of emotions overflowing inside as dozens of people advanced their way towards me. Chains of thoughts ran over my decisions that I hadn't seen a kick coming my way.

I had enough.

It came as another blur of motion, as though a page in a book where in a single turn, the sceneries would change. I was surrounded by dark beckoning clouds, forming into mist that trailed the ground with blood. I was never used to the sight and smell of it, looking at them had always reminded me of how twisted this life is. I couldn't understand why people would hate me for something my fate had merely given me. I did not have control of it, nor had I any control of what could happen.

"You're a monster, Ke'ala."

"You will die and that will be the end of everything."

"You don't deserve silence and peace, you were never meant to have them."

Unfamiliar voices echoed through my soul like a tape record that had long been out of order, as though I was hearing the world together with fate telling me something they caused themselves. I know those things, more than anybody else, but I also desire silence...more than anyone could ever. I do not pity myself, but sometimes I can't feel so. Like I was the lowest of the low despite the fact that I could be the most powerful being out there. How I could simply bring myself in range and destroy the world if I want to-but I couldn't, I wouldn't.

Because no matter how much unfair I think everything is, no matter how much I despise this world for making me feel so secluded yet not giving me the time to feel myself alone-I could never bring myself to harm it. I didn't want that. Perhaps because I respect fate too much to bring myself to face against it, although I do dislike fate. As though I am reading a book, where everything has already been predetermined and changing it is like erasing an already written-down scripture that could only end up messing everything up, dirtying it.

A silhouette was formed in front of me, its huge form overshadowing mine in an instant. I looked up, taking my hands off my ears, deciding to wrap my arms around my knees instead. This place was strangely quiet, only the sound of my steady heartbeat dominated the stillness-and it was that kind of silence I was comfortable with. I breathed out a lungful of air, letting out a tired smile as the monster gazed down at me from above.

Before I was even aware of it, my energy was already expanding, doubling-toppling than it ever was befote that my injuries were already healed, my meridians fixed-enough that even a monster had appearwd before me as though it answered to my own calling. It was a monster borne out of my overflowing desire, borne out of the emotion that long hid itself deep in my soul, a monster borne out of thousands of tragic thoughts that swirled my head like an endless domino.

The monster stood still, immobile, still out of life. I pulled myself up, the exhaustion eating my muscles apart that I almost fell again before I managed to clung into the monster's knee. The monster had a size of three men affiliated together. It was such a strange one that my energy was immediately attracted to it, begging for me to let it wander over the course of life.

A part of myself told me not to, but looking at its tall and slender figure wearing a thin suit of black armour, blank grayish-white muscled skin, almost persuaded me to relinquish my desire to him.

It had no face, the centre of its head had a hole in it, bald where a round black ring hovered above its head, strands of black strings coiled around some part interconnecting lines of it. The monster had a pair of black wings, smaller in comparison to his body, its feet werr hooves, and a double-edged sword where a dim red gem was trapped just above the hilt.

"Archnaél," I named as the the transfer of emotion began to brightened its core in a blinding red light. "The Seraph of Avengement." I grazed my fingers on the tip of its blade, blood flowing out until it touched the blazing core, and it was then blood gushed out.

"You have the ability to manipulate emotions, why are you not doing such? You are bound by your personal rules of morales, but they do not see you as human in the first place. Why must you stop yourself from achieving that ultimate power?" She crouched in front of me, her cold hand tracing my pale face. "You could be anything else but strange enough, fate has made you taken a form a human."

"I do not want to stop myself from acquiring that power, I was simply never made to acquire for it so. Fate made me become a human, so I could walk on this twisted road of a future I deem unchanging-because it knows that I would bind myself in morales, it knows I would not retaliate, fate knows it would make me fragile to become a human." I caressed its sword, my reflection against it becoming clearer.

"I am. No matter how much the world see me as nothing of the sort. I am. No matter how much I could not avenge myself for something that I was merely given of doing." I raised my hand, Archnaél kneeling in front of me as he took my hand gentler than anyone could ever hold me, and warmer than anyone could ever surround me so. "You shall have my emotion of desire to bring retribution, I am tired of having such knowing I could not make myself act to quench it. Bring me vengeance, Archnaél-die trying so."

When I opened my eyes, a thick layer of both pure and dark energy was engraved around me. The soldiers from earlier were already laid breathless on the ground, the last bit of their energy were already inside my body. Loud rambles of stones falling over loomed behind me, seeing Seraph of Avengement, Archnaél's grayish energy clearing my path. I smiled, walking past the the breached wall as the monster followed closely behind-towards the dark woods where a town of raging war awaited.

The dark skies were filled not by stars but the constant glow of the various magic circles dominating the air. But they were all blurred out as Archnaél strode its big body above and despite his huge figure, nobody could really see him but me, raising his double-edged sword which hilt extended, making it look like a lance. The core luminously illuminated the darkness, a massive magic circle of blood painting the skies above and as the monster twirled its weapon, creating enough momentum to clear the woods at my fore.

Trees were easily uprooted from the ground, eventually flying away. Rocks were reduced to pebbles, the grasses were taken bare, and no longer were there any woods that hindered my path as I walked towards the noisy town. I could hear the sound of bell ringing seemingly endless as I moved closer, orchestrating a music along the screams and battle cries of different men attacking another.

Walking through the street surrounded by the pressure of battle, some were laid forsaken on the ground, some were already experiencing their last breaths, some already had weapons penetrated into an enemy's chest, there were some casting intricate law formations that set their opponents off, and
some were fleeing as though they could get our of this uproar alive. Nobody could blame them for wanting to escape the heat of war, nothing could ever really cool it down once it begins unless an ending has been decided.

I sat atop the edge of a fountain, the statute on the center above was an image of an angel holding a gourd with both hands in which water kept flowing endlessly. The liquid was clear enough that I could see my own eyes lighting up in a pale shade of blue, as though it was all everybody would see in a scene of darkness. I watch as all of them fought against each other in a battle of dominance, where the looser would neither get out unscathed nor alive. Dead. A simple rule of war in which a survivor has no means of escaping.

Explosions scurried over the skies, airships in different flags arriving at the same time as well as the marching distant armies coming to join the meeting. It was a race. A simple game of whoever can annihilate the rest could get to me. It's funny how they're all looking for one person only to fail in realizing that I have been here watching them like a mere spectator all along.

The Black Clan, Legion Army, The Coven, the Zyrendel's Forces, Magnus' Knights, and the tremble underneath the surface of the soil told me the Fairy Queen Titania is already here. Then there came the sharp passing breeze which indicated the Dragonbornes reigning over the skies-fighting the airships-and there was an army of Beast People throwing every men they came across against another, running like boulders or rocks capable of crushing their enemies with ease.

They were all here, though it would have been more fun if the World's Organization had joined in the farce, though I guess that would take the finale off if they were to join in so suddenly. If Laire could share my consciousness, surely she'd know what kind of ending am I starting and judging by the time, my aides should already be on their positions. Watching everything unfold is simply like watching a game board of my own rules slowly build up, unveiling.

Strange enough, despite my cursed blood being stimulated, my blood was not rushing-and instead flowing finer and refined than it had ever been and I found myself drowned in the steady sound of my own heartbeat ringing across my ears, that despite this anticipation-I was not excited for a thrill of war but rather on how everything would encode itself into a nearing end.

A genuine smile arched itself on my lips, imprinting the afflictions and madness that strolled the atmosphere of this war. Along with those came forth the heaviness of the earth beneath their feets, their faces clouded in confusions and horror as the entire land of Magnus broke apart.

Somehow, somewhere in the distance of age, when my tale would spread wide over the ends of the world; where this night shall be marked--once upon never again in time, was the arrival of the Unknown they all claim Caelesti was.

And I could only wonder what would be of the world by then.

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Author's Note:

Update alert! Thank you for being patient with me this past week and for giving me the time off which let me finish reality stuffs that set me off in the recent updates.

I apologize for this one coming out late, it wasn't supposed to be that way but Wattpad had a little bit of trouble in which they sometimes don't save data of the story that when I returned back earlier to update, like two hours ago, the chapter was missing more than 3k+ words, and worse, there were no revisions in history! It was frustrating but instead of mulling over something that's already happened, I kind of just pushed myself to write something much better and lonher than the previous one as a revenge lols.

But anyways, I hope this chapter would be to your satisfactory. I will try my best in the next update. Do have a happy reading!