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Backstory───────────────────────────────────
Act I. The Question【
Nightfall's Requiem】
The cold and crisp air settles as a dark massive figure erupts through the stone floor of an abandoned coliseum, the debris and billowing smoke caused by the Necromancer's flaming Skeletal Dragon decorates the night sky. The ferocious beast lands in front of the exhausted mage girl, its bony tail curled on the floor. Claudius nonchalantly pats his hand on the unholy dragon, the beast ready to strike at any moment. A small smirk on his face, the cocky Necromancer removes his hand and shoves it into his pocket.
What do you think it means to be happy?
The dust clears and with a cough, the 12 year old girl turns and faces the magical staff which she gripped in her hand. "This isn't looking good, Salem!" She reached inside of her sleeve and pulled out a waffle, then proceeded to finish it in a few bites.
"You... still have that thing with you?" Salem inquired in a bemused manner.
"Sleeve Waffles are the future!" She proclaimed enthusiastically, then focused her attention to Claudius. "Man, this guy is super tough and way taller than the innkeeper said he was."
"I told you before, you shouldn't have confronted him, Pema." He declared. "This bounty was specifically requested for the Knight class, why did you sneak into the Headmasters' palace and head out yourself?! Do you know how reckless you're being? You're still just a Runemaster recruit, this isn't your job!"
Pema stepped back and quickly stopped short. Looking behind herself, she was getting close to the edge of the cliff. "Y-yeah, yeah, I know, but... it didn't feel right. I couldn't just let someone like this go! The Headmasters wanted to hold out for two weeks to deploy the Knights against Claudius. They wanted to perform something called... Re- Ranana... Reck- Reconnaissance first? But he was terrorizing so many villages and destroying our resources! Innocent people lost their lives! Every time me and the other recruits would go out to help supervise the eastern trade routes, I saw everything - the path of destruction and ashes that he left all throughout the town."
"I understand that," Salem replied, "But this isn't how you-"
Claudius the Necromancer approached them and points two fingers at Pema. "You are quite the evasive nuisance, you filthy peasant. Now it's about time I clip your wings. What say you?" His dragon snarled, bright flames flowing from his maw.
That's the thing... I don't think happiness has a shape... it's n-not... it's not something you can find or sculpt into something that can solve all of your problems.
The Skeletal Dragon conjures his fire breath, his visible rib cage blanketed by wild flames. Pema twirled her staff and readied herself. His growl made a grave hissing sound, which was a 'tell' that he would raise his belly and stand on its hind legs, building up the force to launch his inferno assault. "Now!" She exclaimed, and fired a frost spell at the Dragon's feet, spontaneously creating a sheet of ice beneath him. Pema darted forward with as much strength as tiny legs could muster and leaped on the slippery ice, her body sliding underneath the immensely huge creature. The foul beast's thorny spine stretched out and his head lunged forward, a dastardly blaze showering the cliffside. After successfully sliding below the archway of bones, Pema rolled to her feet and materialized a lightning spell, firing the powerful blast at the Dragon's torso. Upon impact, it caused him to flail in pain and fly back to his master.
"Look, Salem! I managed to perform a lightning spell this time." She planted a hand on her hips and pointed at the beast, "
Go back from when'inst you came!"
"Yeah, so you have," Salem exclaimed, "But now's not the time to get distracted, this battle is far from over."
Claudius grimaced at the nimble mage girl. "Damnit! Very well then... I'll handle this myself." He waved a hand in front of the creature, and it stepped a few paces back. The Necromancer removed a crick in his neck by pressing a fist against his jaw, then started to disrobe, revealing ancient tattoos that adorned his arms, chest and back. Kneeling down, he rested his palm on the ground and dug his calloused fingers inside the dirt beneath him. As he began to chant an incantation under his breath, Pema felt a chill run across her spine and she timidly readied her staff. The earth around them started to rumble.
Pema heard a crackling sound underneath her and as she peered down, a singular hand burrowed its way out of the ground and was grasping for the hem of her dress. “Aaaah!” She squeaked out, quickly backing away.
Salem also seemed rather shaken. “Wh-what is that thing?!”
Not a second later, an entire body crawled through the dirt, revealing itself to be a skeleton with an iron shield fastened to their arm and a claymore buried in its head. Chunks of flesh and tissue were stuck to the bones, shredded garbs of a past life clinging relentlessly to the accursed being that stands before them. Soon, more forsaken bodies began excavating their way onto the land of sinners and surrounded them - 10, 20, 30 souls - some with axes housed in the chest cavity where a heart once lived, some missing an arm or half a skull; the putrid smell that wafted through the air was sickening. Slowly, they marched forward.
Pema immediately covers her nose and mouth, leaving only petrified eyes to lay bare her emotions.
Claudius' laughter broke through her staggered apprehension and he rested his hand on the shoulders of one of the enchanted skeletons. "Nowhere to run now. You've lasted a bit longer than many other fools who dared to challenge me, but I'm afraid you're still an insignificant little pest. It is time to end this." He tapped a finger on the skeleton's shoulder, which caused a sudden pulse of dark mana to enter the undead army, a surge of energy flowing through them.
Then - without warning - the armed skeletons rushed forward at breakneck speed. Startled, Pema quickly raised her weapon to defend against the oncoming assault. Not only were they fast, but their strength increased tenfold as well. The blade's cold steel and the platinum crown at the top of the magical staff clashed violently, sparks dancing in the air as she desperately attempted to parry the swings.
"
Watch out behind you!" Salem shouted, which diverted her attention towards two skeletons that were drawing back their bows. They consecutively released their arrows; one of them whistling past the girl as she dodged, and the other piercing her dress. She casted a fire spell at one of them, but not a second later, footsteps drummed closer and she turned at the heel towards three skeletons that were thrusting their swords. It was extraordinarily difficult to counter their flurry of attacks at the same time, the tip of a longsword slashing her cheek, and a rusty scimitar clipping at her legs.
Pema cried out in pain, and in her confusion, she fired ice blasts erratically in random directions around the vicinity. A couple of the spells managed to freeze one in the crowd and knocked a sword out of another's hand. Blood seeped through her fabric and a searing heat shot signals to her brain. The staff slipped out of her hands and she tightened a grip around the wounds on her legs. Salem floated towards her, "Pema! Are you okay?!"
"My left leg... feels numb..." She exclaimed with a grimace. Even though Salem didn't have a body, it was more than evident from the way he impatiently hovered around her that he abhorred the fact he couldn't physically aid her. He spoke to her softly, "Keep applying pressure, okay? I'll look for an escape route, we can still make it-"
Claudius interjected their moment of reprieve with a snide remark. "Now, now, little one. I can't have you keeling over on me just yet." He snapped his fingers, and the remaining army of skeletons grabbed Pema's shoulders and retrained her against the dirt. She desperately struggled and tried to shake herself free, but to no avail.
"Get away from her!" Salem shouted.
Ignoring him, the towering Necromancer walked closer to her, and tears began welling up in young girl's eyes. Her lips quivered and her heart was beating like a frantic drum. "P-Please... you don't... you don't have to do this! Just let me go, I-I promise I won't tell anyone where you are! I'll leave right now! Please... Please!"
He said nothing, a repulsive smirk stretching across his face. A couple of the skeletons moved aside, and he coarsely grabbed her by the hair, tilting his head as he peered directly at her; drinking in the fear. Claudius then shoved her onto the ground and stomped his leather boot down onto her wound. "Nnghhh!" Pema screamed and reached for his leg, but he brashly pushed her arm aside. He pressed his foot down even harder, twisting it deep into the cut. "
Gh-argghhhhhh!!! S-STOP!! Please!!" Her face twisted in pain, flecks of spittle flying through her gritted teeth.
"LEAVE HER THE HELL ALONE!" Salem screamed as loud as he could.
His haunting smile grew dim, and he slowly turned his head to the floating magical staff. For a moment, he looked back and forth between Pema and Salem, then approached the sentient being. "I see you care much for this girl. That is a shame."
"If you lay another hand on her, I swear," Salem remarked, "I will make it my personal life's mission to hunt you down and kill you."
Claudius chuckled mockingly. "That is quite the declaration coming from a talking broom. And how do you plan on killing me, exactly, when you have no body? You are powerless without the girl." He reaches forward and snatches Salem from the air.
"Salem!" Pema yelled, still being restrained by the armored skeletons.
What is it you desire most? What is it that makes life... worth living?
"You know, she does seem to care an awful lot about you. Perhaps before I bury her, she can enjoy watching your life slip away. It has been quite a while since I've seen a soul merged to an object, and if memory serves, this runic gem..."
The deranged Necromancer squeezed the gem that was firmly stationed at the top of the staff, his hand glowing with a dark purple aura as he applied pressure. Small cracks started forming in the crystal. "This is where your consciousness resides, is it not?" Salem, of course, feels no pain or any kind of sensory beyond sight and sound. More cracks appeared and Claudius resumed speaking. "Every life comes with a death sentence. You, the blasphemer who defies mortality and continues to breathe anew, shall receive judgement."
"Heh... hahaha..." Salem let out a debilitated chuckle, tinged with melancholy. "I guess this is it for me, kiddo..."
"N-No... No, this isn't happening... this isn't real... this can't be real..." The young girl's trembling voice was barely audible, tears welling up in her wide blue eyes. Her mouth became parched and her chest tightened as she heard the sounds of cracking growing louder. "Stop... enough... please..." Her mind was in a trance, unable to process the reality that appeared before her. The horror unfolding was happening faster than her brain was able to allow, triggering a mental paralysis.
Although Salem did not have a face, Pema could somehow glean a haggard and sympathetic expression through the inflections in his voice. Calmly, he spoke. "Close your eyes, sweetie, don't look. Everything is going to be okay. I'm just taking... the long sleep I should've had years ago."
Pema's body began to convulse as her mind snapped back into focus. Fond memories came rushing back and tears now began streaming wildly from her eyes. "S-Salem... Salem, don't go... I can't leave y... Claudius, please stop... Stop this right now! I'm begging you with all of my life,
PLEASE don't kill him! Don't kill my Salem!!"
Claudius gazed down at the broken sight before him with a sneer, and his grip tightened even further, glimmers of green light shining brighter and brighter through the cracks of the runic gem where Salem's consciousness slumbered. His life force was depleting exponentially fast, the gem's sturdy material holding on by a thread.
With swollen bags under her eyes and her nose dripping relentlessly, the girl desperately tries to break free. "
Saleeeeeem!! Nnngh, get off of me!
Don't do this! STOP!"
The glowing within the cracks became brighter. Salem took one final look at her, facing his death with acceptance. "Goodbye."
"
I SAID STOP IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTT!!!!" Pema's bellow fractured the heavens, a massive pulse of blue mana erupting through every pore in her body, and knocking the skeletons away. She immediately stood up and sprinted towards Salem, ignoring the intense searing pain in her legs. With every inch she was separated from him, her heart was submerged in dread. With each heavy step, blood leaked out and permeated into large stains. With every breath, her resolve was narrowed into an absolution to save Salem, no matter the cost.
Claudius, caught off guard, looked at the girl who was bounding towards him at an incredible speed. "Wh-What?! How the hell did you--!"
Before he could finish, the young mage was already mere inches from him. Claudius reached for his dagger and swung at her. She side steps away from the blade, disarms the weapon by twisting his wrist backwards, and lunged her other hand forward to grab his left arm that is holding Salem.
Upon contact, a sudden burst of light shone brightly from within Pema's grip. Claudius' dark purple mana swirled around the two of them like a cyclone, and he found himself growing weaker, the strength in his muscles decreasing and his knees collapsing to the floor. With the Necromancer no longer in control, the skeletons disintegrated into dust and the Dragon crumbled apart. At times, it felt like Claudius was inside a vacuum, and he began gasping for air. He looked up at the girl, talking in short breaths to catch the oxygen. "What... is... this! Who are... you?!"
Pema's body absorbed the vast amount of mana, her grip wavering as she felt the energy pour inside her. Letting go of him, Claudius fell to the ground and started coughing and wheezing. Salem fell from his hand and tumbled to the side. Pema gazed at her trembling hands as she shook her head in disbelief. "N-No... No this can't be happening ag... I-I-I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to do this! This isn't...!"
In her momentary daze, she spotted her best friend laying on the floor. "...Salem? Oh my gosh, SALEM!" She frantically crawls through the mud and dirt to carry him in her arms. "Are you all right?! Are you still here? Please talk to me!"
"Pema..." Salem exclaimed through a weary sigh of relief, his mind nearly getting erased after that ordeal. "Yeah, I'm alright."
She hugged him tight. "Oh, thank goodness! But, ah...! Your gem thingy is all cracked and broken. Is it okay like this?"
Before he could respond, Claudius cut through their reunion with an exasperated yell, in the middle of catching his breath. "You little [sonic slicer]! I don't know what kind of trick that was, but you're not getting lucky twice!" He shot out his hand to cast a wave of fire, yet only a tiny spark fizzled from his palm. "What the..." Using both hands, he strained to cast spells, but to no avail. Claudius then searched his hands. "
What the hell is going on?! What is-"
His mouth begins to shift ever so slightly... into a smile. Kneeling his head down, Claudius combs his fingers through his hair, and a quiet chuckle that emitted from within soon erupted into enormous laughter. "It's you. Of all the people in the world who could've challenged me face to face... and it is you."
The young girl tilted her head, Salem nuzzled in her warmth. "What are you talking about?" She spoke firmly, but was still visibly shaken by his presence, despite his loss of magic.
"Don't play ignorant with me, girl. You know exactly the kind of power you're capable of." Claudius remarked with furrowed brows. "For over 10 years, I have been searching for someone - a person who was rumored to possess the transcendent ability to absorb mana from their victims. Men travel across the land and seas, information passes from ear to ear; over time, the source of knowledge perverts and atrophies. It can be nearly impossible to pinpoint from where it first started or how much of the narrative is actually the truth anymore. Such an extraordinary ability could be used with great purpose in my hands. And now the myth is delivered to me, in the flesh. To think I would be incapacitated by the subject of my search... the universe does have a twisted sense of humor indeed."
Pema stared at the ground and softly tugged on her sleeve. "I never asked for any of this. It was a mistake."
Salem spoke gently to her. "Come on, Pema. You don't need to listen to any of this. Just tie him up and let the local authorities take care of the rest."
A small glint flickered in Claudius' eye, and he regarded her with a cold gaze. "Now, there is one name that constantly appeared throughout all the stories, no matter how varied and skewed they got."
"No!" She stepped closer to him. "Please don't say it."
"The sheer contempt and hostility you instilled in these people is truly remarkable. The one who bears the accursed touch that spreads death wherever they go. The name is certainly fitting--"
"S-Stop." Pema latched her hands onto his shoulders. Tears welled up on a face that was already red and swollen from the torment he put her through. "I don't want to hear that name anymore!"
"
The Devil Child." He declared sardonically.
Her mind went blank - and with a pained shriek, she raised the staff over her head and summoned a large ice shard. Swinging her arm down, the razor sharp crystal was sent whistling through the air at enormous speed towards Claudius' face, however, it stopped just short in front of his nose. Her breathing was heavy and her hands were shaking.
He did not so much as flinch and a crude grin widened along his face. "How could you have the audacity to behave carefree and optimistic with the savagery you brought upon your home? You know, things are finally lining up. I think I may have the full story of what happened here. Fascinating..." He trailed off as he reached for a scroll that was fastened to his belt, and unfurled the parchment onto his lap. The crinkled material was clearly very old, the paper lightly torn in various places and yellow due to age.
Pema aimed her staff at him, in case he was up to something dangerous.
He didn't seem to pay her any attention, and he traced his fingers over the strange language that was scrawled on the parchment. "Truly fascinating. Now it's starting to make sense."
Salem grew tired of the man speaking in circles. "Listen, you better start explaining what the hell it is you're doing right now."
The Necromancer closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Then, with an exhale, he began. "Everything that the girl is now... began roughly 1,000 years ago. Back when the Guardians ruled over this world, which was forged by The Queen and her followers. This was an age of knowledge and worship, and to that end, there were loyal communities who offered the Gods various "gifts", food, undying faith, and magic. One day, one of the mortals spent over 4 years in secret developing a complex and powerful spell as a gracious offering. Perhaps this was mankind's hubris at work, flying too close to the sun in hopes of reaching a semblance of providence for themselves, but whatever the case may be, this was one of the darkest periods in Arcadian history. On humble knees, before the eyes of the Precursors and The Queen in the council room, the mortal took the hand of a pregnant woman who was going into labor and guided her through the birth of her child. From what I can gather from the inscriptions on this scroll, that woman was apparently a volunteer who agreed to become the subject of his experimental spell months prior to this demonstration. However, something went horribly wrong; upon the birth of her child, the little boy was lifeless... unmoving."
Pema's face went still as she mouthed something undecipherable under her breath, and almost stumbled over herself while backing away from Claudius, briefly clawing at the air with her right hand for balance.
"They tried tapping him on the back," He continued. "Shaking him, speaking to him, but nothing worked. Not so much as even a single heartbeat. He seemed to be... dead. Then, without warning, a few of the Precursors fell to the ground and writhed in agony. The Queen, the mortal, and the remaining Precursors rushed outside and bore witness to the terror that awaited them; hundreds of people collapsing on the ground, begging for help through stifled screams. Light emanated from their bodies, and they went limp - dead - as mana poured out of them and traveled inside the council room. Running back to the room only served to confuse them even more, as the baby boy, who was just seconds ago a lifeless shell, was now full of life and vigor in his mother's arms. Their mana gave him life."
Salem turned and faced his friend. "Pema, this is..."
"...Yeah." She said in a quiet voice.
Claudius rolled up the parchment and placed it back on his belt. Remembering the rest of the inscriptions, he divulged more of the information. "The man had created a name for this spell: Divine Incubation. 'Divine' because it was magic conceived during the period of Gods, and was developed as a gift for the Gods to use freely as they saw fit. As for the 'Incubation', this magic only works when you cast it on a woman in the early stages of pregnancy. It takes several weeks for the ability to manifest within the womb. And, well, you know the result that came of that. At any rate, after that incident, The Queen formally declared to those present during the presentation that the Divine Incubation would henceforth become a "forbidden spell" and labeled as dark magic of the highest order. Because of one mortal's fatal mistake, over 300 lives were lost that day. Anyone who attempted to cast it would be faced with grave punishment. Since the general populace was not privy to the demonstration, a "safe lie" was fabricated for the grieving citizens to divert attention from the truth, and of course, to prevent anyone from replicating that devastating spell. From that moment on, the existence of Divine Incubation was archived and locked deep inside the High Chambers of Pandora, lost to the sands of time."
Pema shook her head in denial and pounded her knuckles against it, her face twisted with fear and confusion. "N-No, this is crazy. You're just joking around, right? Why did my parents... how did they- No...! It hurts to think... I don't want to think about this anymore!"
Salem floated forward. "Now hold on one minute. If the archived history regarding the Div--" He glanced over at Pema, who was hunched over and nervously tugging on her hat's ear flaps. After the brief pause, he continued. "--if knowledge of 'the spell' was locked away 1,000 years ago, how the hell did you obtain access to it?"
Claudius laughed, then tapped a finger against his temple. "I am a researcher. A collector of lost culture and sacred relics. When the City of Pandora fell, various remnants of the past were spread across Arcadia. For example, pillars and statues may fall into an ocean, then several hundreds of years later, the water is dried up and artifacts of a past civilization is preserved inside the sand. I have excavated and searched tirelessly in various regions of the world for architecture, engravings, antiques, and tethers to a forgotten age. The scroll detailing the Divine Incubation, along with some of the customs of the First Empire are one of many tethers I have procured."
Act II. The Answer【
Euthyphro Dilemma】
Pema took a deep breath and mustered the courage to confront him once more. "But that still doesn't explain why I have it. How did I end up with such a dreadful ability? Everyone who knew about it would be gone now, because that was like, a super long time ago."
Claudius walked over to a stone pillar and leaned his back against it, then slid to the floor. "Well, that is precisely what stumped me for months when I heard of your existence. Simply reading the scroll on the forbidden spell was not enough, so I combed through various inscriptions and passages from Pandora, and was able to formulate a rather cohesive theory. You see, there was a Guardian over 1,000 years ago by the name of "Rei". The Guardians were created as hosts for the Gods, should they need to interact with the physical world. Rei had jotted down personal notes that detailed his life as a Guardian and the hardships he witnessed and endured, including the suffering that transpired due to the Omni-Gem; an extremely powerful object that weaves a balanced equilibrium to prevent the chaos from spiraling out of control. Although public history pretends that people have not lost their lives over the Omni-Gem, the private archives do not. Desperate men murdering civilians and clawing their way to obtain its power, corrupt government officials usurping authority and systemically reworking the capital's infrastructure to gain access to and experiment with ways to utilize the Gem's magical properties. The Queen forged the Omni-Gem to cure the world, but Rei saw it as a burgeoning sickness. Progressively, the seeds of doubt grew as he observed the greed and arrogance in humanity."
Pema idly started to pace around during his talking and closed her eyes, occasionally mumbling "okay" to herself while biting her finger nail. The hyperactive girl with a short attention span clearly had some issues retaining all of this information while standing still, including the few vocabulary words she has never heard of before. Trying her best to hammer in what she's being told, she continued to listen intently.
In a huddled position, he pressed his palms together and stared ambivalently at Pema. "In the sanctity of the council room, when mortals would offer the Gods gifts, services or demonstrate unique feats, The Queen would customarily select one Guardian to stand by her side, as an 'advisor' of sorts. On the day of the Divine Incubation showcase, Rei was chosen to serve at the behest of his master. The man who created that spell explained his step-by-step procedure and how he was able to achieve it. Shortly after the genocide, everyone inside the room was ordered to keep the truth a secret. Rei did as he was told... but then an idea burrowed its way into his mind. Divine Incubation granted the user with the ability to drain the mana out of any person, creature or object -- and that includes the Omni-Gem. This all-powerful crystal, which he viewed as a beacon for malicious men to exercise their vanity, could not be destroyed with brute force nor with offensive magic, however it could be depleted of its energy.
Using mana absorption, the Gem could be reduced to a pile of sand. Rei pondered about ways to use mana absorption to his advantage, however, the boy who wielded that ability was still just an infant, which meant that the only option left was to wait for him to grow up. But several months later, something happened that Rei could not have predicted; Mar had orchestrated a war that cost the lives of soldiers and citizens, as well as some of his fellow Guardians. Rei sunk into a furious rage when he learned that he murdered all those people, and the loss of the Guardians was the final straw. Furthermore, Mar used the Omni-Gem to protect himself while he summoned a massive Chaos Rift over Pandora."
"Who is this Mar person?" Pema tilted her head, visibly weary from where this story was heading.
"He was his mentor." Claudius replied. "Not only was Rei betrayed by his close friend, but it cemented his desire to see the Gem destroyed. After their battle, although Mar had been bested, he quickly manages to possess Rei's immortal body to safely enter the Heart of Chaos, and he merges with enough of it to become a demi-god in the process. Long story short: Reva, the elemental Goddess of darkness, defeats Mar and seals him within the Omni-Gem. That is the last of what was recorded before the City of Pandora fell... but it doesn't end there."
That's kind of the irony, isn't it? The state of happiness isn't immutable; it can vanish in the blink of an eye... but perhaps the most difficult part is overcoming our own hubris... framing ourselves into a materialistic view of what happiness should be... the best we can do as human beings is to live one day at a time... every day it gets a little easier... I just wish I realized it sooner...
The Necromancer shifted his body forward, and Pema backed away a couple steps. His mouth slowly curled into a wry grin, reminiscent to the expression he made when he was torturing the girl. "Although Mar had taken over Rei's body, his lingering consciousness still remained, rooted deep within himself. But most importantly, with Mar merging with the Heart of Chaos and becoming a demi-god, Rei also received those benefits. A vast amount of knowledge and power coursed through the fused being; Rei, too, had tapped into Godhood. It is my firm belief that due to his newfound divine enlightenment, Rei was able to ensure, with his remaining energy, that a reincarnation of himself would be born far into the future. Even though Rei's body is currently sealed inside the Omni-Gem, he would have a spiritual link to his descendant; his life force is no longer present in this world now that Mar has taken over, so it naturally cycled into his next life. Using this link, with his faint consciousness still rattling within his shell of a body, Rei convinced his descendant to secretly perform Divine Incubation on his pregnant wife."
Pema's body suddenly grew hot. She felt bile upheaving inside her esophagus and she shoved a hand over her mouth. Every time she tried to speak, hoarse cracks in her voice would reverberate and her throat tightened.
Salem, although nothing more than a sentient object, could still be defined quite clearly through his speech pattern and he faced Claudius. "Y-You're... not saying..."
Claudius' smile grew wider as he soaked in her dread. "You see, Pema, your father is the mortal reincarnation of Rei. He is the reason why you murdered all those poor, poor innocent people. Their mana flowed into you, so you could live. You only exist to serve as a weapon to destroy the Omni-Gem; to serve a foolish "God" in his self-righteous crusade to save man from their sins."
Every word uttered by the dark sorcerer tugged at the seams of Pema's mind, a flood of painful memories resurfacing. She dropped to her knees and coarsely buried her fingers in the dirt.
Salem couldn't stand to see his friend like this, so he desperately tried to ameliorate the situation. "You claim that this 'Rei' person started all this by reincarnating himself, but that seems like a far-fetched conclusion to me. Also, why would he wait 1,000 whole years for this goal of his?"
Claudius merely scoffed at the questions and crossed his arms. "It is common knowledge that Deities of Olde had numerous rebirths throughout history. Demi-gods are also capable of this, although they can only be reborn as mortals. Because Rei had only ascended to a demi-god for mere seconds before Mar took over completely, I surmise he was unable to accurately pinpoint the origin of his next life. In truth, he's nothing but a false savior; destroying the Gem would cause a large-scale cataclysm, chaos rifts would begin appearing randomly, and the world would fall out of balance. There is nothing to be gained from such an archaic plan."
Pema, still remaining silent, got up and ran over to the Necromancer. She snagged the scrolls that adorned his belt, tossed them on the ground and rapidly skimmed through the passages. Her eyes grew distant the more she read, realizing that he was correct. The context, the history of the Divine Incubation, Rei's increasingly rebellious mental state, the Omni-Gem being one of the sources of conflict in society, her father as the reincarnation... he was right. She could think of no other reason why she had this revolting ability, especially with the extremely limited amount of people who had knowledge of the spell.
Salem floated closer to her. "Pema... I'm so sorry..."
Claudius laughed heartily as he watched her downcast posture. "It's no use, Devil Child. Your life is forfeit. There is no happiness that awaits you."
The silence that followed was palpable. A cold breeze flowed and tree leaves in the distance rustled underneath the orange hue of the steadily encroaching sunrise. Soon enough, the birds could be heard chirping, their tunes echoing and being carried along the wind. The sweet fragrance of nectar wafted in the air from where flowers were able to grow in fertile soil, despite much of this land being remarkably dry. The young mage girl slowly leaned her head up towards the sky and allowed her light blue hair to dance in the wind, using one hand to wipe away stray tears from her rosy cheeks.
Pema rises from the floor, leaving the scattered parchments behind her and delicately brushes off the dirt from her dress. She adjusts the hat on her head and straightens out her bangs, then with calm eyes drawn towards the sorcerer, she delivers a voice smoother than silk. "I'm afraid that's the wrong answer, Mr. Claudius."
He winced at the girl's peaceful demeanor. How had she gotten so calm in spite of the horrors he laid out for her?
Pema wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm in the chilly air, and she began to speak while peering at the sunlight cascading along the landscape. "I don't regret a single day from my time in this world. Sometimes life can be really scary and you can doubt yourself, but there is happiness to be found in every corner. Growing up in my village, I was never well liked. Everyone hated me. The tragedy that I caused during my birth tore apart countless families, and I could barely stand to live with that. On many days, I curled up in bed underneath my covers and shut my eyes as hard as I could. For once, I didn't want to think about or process anything... It felt like there was a suffocating pain permanently embedded within myself. I wanted to stop existing... at least for a little while. At least until I could understand what meaning lay behind this pain. A quiet state of non-existence where I could finally stop hurting, and nothing more. It was like this for years... until I realized that a pearl of beauty lies beneath the surface of tragedy. I learned to look at the bare essence of the incident. The lives of hundreds of people stirred within me, and I refused to let them go to waste.
I got out there and volunteered, doing whatever I could to give back to my community, after I've already taken so much. Mommy suggested that I should become a Runemaster to help others even more, and I thought that was a wonderful idea! Exploring nature, harvesting crops, hunting down animals for food, going on escort assignments for, umm... 'diplomats' I think they're called? And sometimes we even fight beasts and a wide variety of other creatures, mostly for food and sometimes using their skin to create all sorts of pretty clothes. There isn't a single moment in this crazy, beautiful existence of ours that I don't reflect on the people who passed away all those years ago; because of them, with every step I take, I strive to live my life to the fullest. Making lots of new friends, socializing, traveling to the edges of the horizon, helping those in need, eating soooooo much delicious food! Without their sacrifice, I wouldn't have survived my birth. I share my life, my experiences, my world, with those who I owe everything to."
Claudius glared at the mage with contempt. The frightened little girl from minutes before was nowhere to be found. He began to prod more into her history. "You insolent pest, have you forgotten that your own father casted Divine Incubation to use you as a tool? Are you so naive to ignore the fact that Rei wanted the Omni-Gem destroyed out of misguided self-interest, at the cost of the world being devastated by chaos rifts?"
Pema lightly smiles and bends down to collect the scrolls. She walks over to Claudius and rests them by his feet. "I don't think Mr. Rei was a bad person. And he wasn't selfish either. When you first told us about his plan to use me for his own goals, I felt so horrible... but then I really started to think about it. From what you told me and Salem, he seemed to have a really strong sense of harmony. He got super mad and couldn't handle seeing all of his friends and innocent lives destroyed by that 'Mar' jerk. I don't know a whole lot about chaos rifts, but I do know that they can be closed. I truly believe that, deep down, Mr. Rei wanted everyone to work together as a community to stabilize the rifts. Instead of people doing dreadful things to steal the Omni-Gem's energy, he sought to bring together everyone under a common goal to keep their planet safe, and just maybe, the cycle of violence and greed could be broken if we collectively saw what was worth fighting for. This was the purpose of the Gem's destruction."
She mournfully rubbed her arm and thought more about what he tried to accomplish. "Two hundred and thirty-seven..." Her eyes were glossed over with clarity. "237 human lives were lost on the day of my birth. That was the price he had to pay for peace. For the greater good, he needed to sacrifice lives in order to achieve the future moral stability of humanity. I don't agree with his method; thinking about the families and friends who were traumatized that day sickens me to my core, and the ability I have disgusts me... but I can understand where he was coming from, after what happened to his own people. Well, understand to an itty bitty degree, at least.
I still remember when mommy cradled me in her arms, tears rolling down her cheeks, and told me the story about the day I was born. It was the exact parallel of what you described 1,000 years ago - but now that I recall, she mentioned that my dad cried a lot harder than even she did. Harder than he did in his whole life. Mr. Rei must've known that daddy wouldn't have gone through with performing the Divine Incubation if he told him about the sacrifices required, so he probably explained that mana absorption was some sort of "holy gift" used to destroy the source of evil. Of course I don't know exactly what he said, but whatever it was, it was enough to convince him, and mommy was definitely kept in the dark about all of this. I guess what I'm trying to say is: I forgive him. Even if he doesn't forgive himself. My parents were allowed to raise me for the first few years of my life, but ultimately, their punishment was exile... Daddy hugged me tight shortly before they left and apologized constantly for all the pain I had to endure. I wish I knew where they were right now. I miss them lots and have so many things I wanna tell them."
I see... a purpose made resolute.
Heat rose to the Necromancer's skull and he furrowed his brows. "Such a pathetic waste. You have no idea of the devastating potential that lies within you, do you?! Most of the mana you absorbed that day is locked away deep inside, but once you become an adult, you will have access to all of it. Your boundless magical power will rival
divinity itself! And now you want to assist Rei in his goal."
She shook her head. "I have no interest in all of that. Having that much power can go to your head, and I couldn't bear to hurt anyone by accident. And I don't know if it's the right thing to destroy the Omni-Gem since it keeps balance in this world... but I'm also unsure if I should maintain an object which tempts people to kill their way to obtain its power."
Salem sighed. "The Queen and Rei's conflicting ideals, huh? The will of the Gods. Build a community founded on newer precedents, or preserve the old ways... Who knows how either choice will shape the future?"
Pema nodded and smiled brightly. "Mm-hm! There may come a time where I have to make that decision, but until then, I'll continue to help out whoever I can in my adventures! This great big world is filled with such fascination and endless wonder, I'm really excited to see what happens next."
"A peasant helping other peasants," Claudius spat with discontent, his face contorted into a grotesque bitter expression. "Disgusting dog. You are unfit to wield this gift. I should've killed you when I had the chance."
Her gaze was filled with pity as she cast her sight onto the dark sorcerer. His emaciated face was caked with filthy grime, saliva at the corners of his mouth, dried blood spatters on his skin and beads of sweat on his forehead. Pema exhaled sorrowfully and knelt down in front of him. "There is so much ugly hatred and anger built up inside you, to the point where it weighs you down with nowhere to go... You murder and pillage because it's easier to despise than to allow yourself to be free. Human life is precious. I am here. And you are here. Aware of ourselves. To me, well, I just think that's beautiful. Mr. Claudius... I truly do feel sorry for you."
Claudius gritted his teeth and tightened his fists. "Sorry for what?"
The girl stood up from the ground. The sun from earlier had now risen even further, rays of light slicing through the thick white clouds. The cool wind blew once more and Pema's dress fluttered gracefully. Her soft skin had a tender radiance underneath the vibrant sky. With a gentle touch, she shifted a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry that you don't love yourself."
In that moment, Salem found himself irrevocably entranced. Pema's clear blue eyes were sincerely genuine, and her soothing voice was light as a feather. She had a nurturing maternal glow, and when her lips curled into a kind smile, it felt like you were being pulled into her warmth. In all of the years that Salem has known her, he has never seen her quite like this.
Although he attempted to hide it, Claudius was shaken gravely by Pema's words. The seething rage inside him boiled over and his facial nerves were twitching uncontrollably. "Y-You little... you...!" Suddenly, the ghastly man got up and lunged at her with full force.
The Runemaster swiftly dodged his attack, kicked the back of his knee which caused him to fall down, and she grabbed his arms from behind to press them together. "Freeze!" Pema casted an ice spell on Claudius' hands, and within an instant, his arms were tied behind his back with his hands encased in a massive block of ice. He fervently struggled to break free, but with his mana completely drained, there was no way to shatter it. She then began to drag the heavy Necromancer with all of her strength to one of the stone pillars. Scanning the environment for a few seconds, she spotted sturdy chains nearby - after all, this area used to be an old coliseum, they likely kept all manner of beastly creatures in chains. Pema took the chains and proceeded to tie them around the stone pillar and Claudius' body.
"Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?!" He crudely barked. "Get me out of these goddamn chains!!"
After fastening the restraints tightly around him, she stepped in front of him. "Salem and I will contact the local authorities about your capture. You've terrorized so many villages, hurt too many people, and your portrait is everywhere on those wanted posters... your path of destruction ends now."
Pema walked away from him and stretched out her exhausted arms above her. She tapped the tip of toes on the floor and placed her hands on her hips while rotating her torso. It has been a long, long day, and now it was time to depart.
Salem stared at the defeated Necromancer for a bit and then hovered over to him. "It would appear that your plan to tear down Pema backfired. You held fast to the notion that Rei's story was about arrogant narcissism, but it was a tale of unity. You impressed your belief of deep shame and regret onto Pema's history, however it was really one of prosperity and freedom. Her most valuable ability is not mana absorption, but the fact that she is able to deconstruct tragedy, and build purpose and meaning from the very foundation. Hell, she's only a little kid, and yet she is easily the strongest person I have ever met. There are plenty of grown men who would never be able to endure the trauma she suffered through in her past. They'd mentally collapse under the sheer guilt and fear.
You know, it's funny, earlier you questioned how she could be so optimistic despite the Divine Incubation incident, and you condemned her for it...
But she is not the problem; Pema is the answer."
Anyway, I guess that's just how I see it... sh-[parasitic bomb], my body's getting cold... I can't... feel my limbs... I-I suppose...
"
... I deserved this." A deathly pale Salem speaks in a brittle voice, lying on the floor near the altar and losing blood fast. The liquid crimson soaked through his clothes and pooled beneath him, his cold hand creating a ripple as it fell to his side.
The elderly Runemaster, who went by the name of Tälja, offered Salem his name in return for his words. After being severely wounded from fending off the cult, Tälja was not in much better shape than the man opposite of him.
Salem's green eyes felt heavy and could barely be kept open as the man explained to him about a way to continue living. He spoke about his wife, his home, his daughter, the things he held dear. Even though Salem was drifting in and out of consciousness, he was able to hang onto every word.
With a weak groan, Tälja raised his staff in the air and chanted a spell. A means to bind a soul. Salem's sight was affixed onto the levitating staff above him. And then─
A flash of light.
Act III. FinaleSalem floated away from Claudius, who simply wore a dejected expression. As he approached Pema, he thought to himself about how far she has come. They've been on countless adventures together and he still manages to find little things about her that surprises him. These moments, big or small, meant everything to him. "Heh, she really has matured a lot, hasn't she? She's growing up faster than I'd ever imagine."
Pema lifted up her sleeve and shook loose some crumbs from the "sleeve waffles" directly into her mouth.
Salem stared at her dumbfounded. "Okay, maybe I spoke too soon..." He muttered to himself, but chuckled happily.
Yep. Every moment.
She turns around and waves him over. "Hey! You ready to go?"
"Yeah, all set." Salem responded. "We should probably make haste though, who knows how long it will take until his mana is replenished."
Pema nodded. "Hmm, that's true. I did feel a very faint pulse of mana from him when I tied him up. I'd say there's several hours left until he's back at full strength, so we should definitely hurry. The thing is though..." She grabbed the hem of her dress and lifted it, revealing the cuts on her legs from where the skeletons slashed her. "They still burn kinda bad, I hope we can make it into town in time."
"Ah crap, that's no good. Those wounds could get infected if we don't treat them soon." Salem remarked. "How about this: you lay me down horizontally and perch yourself on top. That way, we can fly there and make it in record time."
Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together. "That's a wonderful idea! Yeah, let's do it. Oh, but what about your runic gem thingy? It's all cracked."
"Haha, don't worry about it." He reassured her. "It regenerates over time. Last time it was chipped, the form was renewed in a couple of days."
She smiled warmly. "Okay, that's good."
Pema looked fondly at her best friend, enjoying all of the time they spend together. She gently hugged him with all of her heart. "I love you, Salem."
"I love you too, Pema." He softly replied back.
It was a brand new day. A whole new adventure.
The young Runemaster flew away with her friend and made headway into town, ready for whatever lies ahead.