Chapter One-Hundred-One: The Eagle Yew’s Legacy – Part Two

    Seraphina Vredi was imposing. She stood with grace, and I felt just how powerful she was. Lord Springfield had told me stories—about how her ‘sister’ used recollected projections of the past as pseudo spirits to fight for her, although that was the tip of the iceberg of her magical might.

    She thinks Lord Springfield to be her genuine sister...

    She didn’t trust me. Who could blame her? Perhaps if she knew the truth of what had occurred, she’d have fonder feelings for me. Even though she thanked me, Seraphina probably had said it out of necessity. Or maybe a way to keep things ‘pleasant.’

    I sat and folded my hands on the table. Tris produced tea and cookies, yet she remained standing with Sekh after pouring us drinks.

    Might as well start with the obvious.

    “Are you really a chimera?”

    “I am.” Lord Springfield raised a hand and shifted it into a dozen different shapes. “Does that frighten you?”

    “It would if we hadn’t fought together. I... We share a common enemy, Lord Springfield.”

    “Does that replace the fear you should feel?”

    “Maybe? I can''t tell. I...”

    “Confused? Lost? I’m sure you have so many questions that you don’t know where to proceed from here,” said Tris. “Do not make the necessarily simple into the unnecessarily complex. Start from the beginning. Use a flowchart. Work your way down from what is simple to what may require a more detailed explanation.”

    “Then I’ll ask it without a filter. Sekh, are you really her?”

    “The Dark Lord of Tyranny? I am.” Her response was without delay. She wasn’t proud, though. Her voice was almost tinged with disgust.

    “How did you break free from your seal?”

    “I’m responsible,” said Lord Springfield. “Meruria did awful things to me. Once she had her fun, the void was my fate. It’s dark. It’s scary. It’s frightening and harsh. The winds strip you down to your barest elements like an ogre peeling the layers of an onion until you’re left with nothing. Yet I had my anger. It burned bright and kept me alive. It was my fuel—my fire—my never-ending desire to escape and bring death to my enemies. I don’t know how it happened, but the Essence of Wrath was given to me. The same phenomenon granted [Hermes Trismegistus]—Tris’s first incarnation—and carved chimerism into my soul. So, my birth differs from other chimeras.”

    “I detected those emotions,” continued Sekh. “My crystal seal deprived me of all senses, yet I felt wrath much more powerful than anything I’d ever experienced. It even eclipsed what the curse forced me to feel. If nothing else, I am a Dark Lord. I hold the power to create Soul Crystals.”

    “Sekh summoned my chimeric soul and crafted a body from the five Soul Warriors who sacrificed their lives to seal her. Susize, Beccy, Reina, Murag, and Yaekira. They make up what you see before you. Their mana flowed through me, I shattered the seal, Sekh forcefully reincarnated herself, and we left the dungeon.”

    “Your guns... They’re—”

    “Similar to your world?” I nodded. “The Parallel World Theory states there are infinite worlds where only the smallest difference exists. Therefore, there’s an infinite number of worlds that contain firearms similar, if not exactly the same, as the world you originated from. Meruria was my initial summoner. Sekh was my second, and she gave me a Soul Crystal. And yes.” She summoned a pistol and laid it on the table. “That’s my Soul Weapon. I pretend they have {Mana Link}, but they really have {Soul Link}. The two enchantments work off a similar concept, so even the most perceptible onlookers are caught in the ruse.”

    So, a person who was thrown into the void. And they use guns... Is it...

    I delayed in asking that crucial question and focused on another topic. “Curse?”

    “Lady Sekh is beholden to a curse that drives her mad with an intrinsic desire to burn the world. That fueled the events of 1,000 years ago, but it didn’t begin there. It’s estimated to be over 10,000 years old.”

    “Or longer. Death will not claim me. I’m guaranteed to reincarnate within two or three centuries. The curse will leave me alone for a few years until returning near my fifth birthday.”

    “Wait... You’re—”

    “Yes. I’m not affected by it now, but it dwells within my soul. It was tricked into thinking I died when I was sealed, so when Mila released me, I self-reincarnated. However... Have you heard about Ria?”

    I nodded. Was I the first person outside this group to hear this truth? I never expected it.

    “Bellerophon chased a chimera into the city after I killed Noelia. She was abusing Niva as a damage shield. The specifics aren’t important, but I assimilated her. Yet that was the initial catalyst, I believe, of Ria’s downfall. Gloria went mad and shut down the nearby dungeon. Bellerophon enclosed the city in a magical dome. I wasn’t strong enough to shatter it, so I used deception to lead those idiot goons to the chimera. But I was the fool. Overconfidence saw me trapped, and I had no choice but to rely on the Essence of Wrath...”

    Ah, now it makes sense.

    Sekh then told me how she fought the Essence of Wrath after it tricked Lord Springfield. She was pushed into a corner and was forced to rely on the curse. She had almost died, but Surtr kept her alive in stasis. Lord Springfield then stored Sekh’s coffin in her storage and worked to accumulate enough life force to remove the curse Sekh took into her body. Aetos’s Yggdrasil Drop was responsible for healing the physical wounds.

    [Conferment] was the ultimate goal. Lord Springfield desired an egregious amount of life force to etch a rule into the world that eliminated the curse from Sekh’s soul.

    There’s something I need to know... I can’t put off asking it any longer.

    “Lord Springfield, who... Who were you before you were thrown into the void?” My heart throbbed like a jackhammer. “Do you remember your name?”

    “I do.”

    So... Could it be... Is it even possible...?

    “Was...it Shuuta?” My heart stopped as I read her face.

    Surely, this can’t be him... Can it?

    Lord Springfield smiled. “Names aren’t precious to someone who can take a different shape every second. Who I used to be isn’t important. The past can glimmer an answer to the future, but this is not one such case.” She paused for a moment and continued. “However, I do not want to hide the truth from you. I’m sorry, Quella, but my original name was Michael.”

    Michael? So, a guy? And now they’re a woman?

    Did that even matter? Lord Springfield was Lord Springfield, and I was sure she wouldn’t appreciate me bringing up the contradictory paradox.

    If Lord Springfield was Shuuta, then I could’ve apologized. Selfishly, I might add. Yet since it wasn’t... I felt...

    Conflicted? Uneasy?

    “Before you ask, know this. Time in the void flows differently. A second can last an hour. Or it can be a decade. You could swear a thousand years have passed you by, but only two heartbeats have eclipsed. I do not know how many summoning ceremonies occurred after my time. No. I did not meet anyone else, although I heard a voice speak about something. The details are foggy, however. I doubt this voice belonged to this Shuuta. May I ask why you thought I was him? Was he also someone Meruria threw into the void?"

    “Yes,” I replied, reminiscing about that awful trial and his rape at Remy’s hands. Lord Springfield gripped her mug tighter before Sekh and Tris touched her shoulder. “Remy’s finished, right? She won’t pose a risk?” Lord Springfield nodded. “It isn’t much, but I hope Shuuta’s soul can rest a little easier.”

    “Everyone who felt the displeasure of knowing that putrid incarnation of sin and vileness can sleep much easier knowing she’s gone.” Tris grinned at Lord Springfield’s words. Her expression reminded me of a lion that had latched their fangs onto their prey. “Hmm? Are you curious about me?” asked Tris.

    “I’d be lying if I said no. Are...you from the void? Remy said you’re a personified skill.”

    “Affirmative.” Tris then summarized her history. First, she was part of [Hermes Trismegistus] as [Biological AI], the ‘brain’ of the skill, who then became [Tris, Fragment of Wisdom] and [Tris, Beacon of Wisdom]. Before that, [Hermes Trismegistus] had to be initialized by Tilde, the skill’s overseer. Or was she its Guardian? Protector? Tilde used to be an immortal fairy until she did this—that combined her life with Lord Springfield—and she became mortal after evolving. Lord Springfield had then used [Conferment] to register Tilde within the world.

    Only Lords can use it.

    I inquired about that. “My answer would’ve been different if you had asked yesterday. I seriously thought I was responsible for unlocking it.”

    “So, the Transcendent Dark Lord doesn’t exist?”

    “Honestly? I don’t know.” Lord Springfield shrugged her shoulders and sipped her tea. “Tilde called me that. Yet the specific title of [Transcendent Dark Lord] did not appear within Remy’s memories. It must exist. Tilde wouldn''t lie to me. I also received a title after the initialization. It’s unreadable, but that must be a hint or clue.”

    “Anything else?” asked Tris. “We are allies, are we not? Comrades unified for a common goal. I cannot claim to tell you the unadulterated truth of everything, but now is your chance to satiate your curiosity.”

    “I recall something about [Skyview] and [Deduction].” Tris snapped her fingers and showed me...a live stream of the camp? Then it switched to us? I looked up. My motions reflected whatever I did.

    “[Skyview] is what it says. It’s the ultimate ability in long-range reconnaissance. [Deduction] is a superior form of [Scan] that grants a detailed rundown about everything you wish to know about a target.”

    “That means—”

    “Yes. It’s as you suspect. To put it into terms you would be familiar with... I am akin to a quantum computer. I gather and process information more efficiently than any other entity. I will continue to grow. To answer your underlying question, you and your team have been under constant surveillance since we met.”

    “...”

    I couldn’t believe it...

    Did this really exist? The Dark Lord of Tyranny was one thing. An ancient Essence of Wrath and [Time Magic] was another.

    This?

    This right here?

    “It is as I said, Quella. Information is my specialty. Surprises are an ill-omen in my line of work. Remy’s soul was cloaked in the void and hidden from me, but that will not happen again, my lord. I’ve identified certain quirks within [Void Warp] amid my reverse engineering. These partitions unintentionally act as camouflage. [Skyview]’s passive scanning filters have been altered to first check for these void traces and pierce their veil if they are found. Generative knowledge is also being used to create possible algorithms other void abilities may use. While I cannot guarantee I have solved the problem for good, I can assure you that if we encounter another paradoxical tie to what we see and what appears on our map, I will make them visible. I do not take failure well."

    “I know you don’t. Thank you for everything, Tris.”

    “Hehe!” Tris bounced on her feet when Lord Springfield rubbed her head. I was still flabbergasted in silence.

    “Get angry. Feel upset your privacy’s been violated. I will not apologize, however. Let it be known that voyeurism is not something I am interested in,” added Lord Springfield.

    “No. It’s my fault. Look, I’m sorry. It’s been a long night for us, and I’m still on edge.” He sat and crossed his legs. “That’s not an excuse for losing my cool. I’m not the only one feeling this. It isn’t fair for you when we’re all hurting.”

    “We can rest easy because Seraphina is here.”

    “Does she know...about us?” asked Mary.

    “Yes. It’s hard to explain. We’re not trusted, but she’s aware we fought for the village. That earned us some brownie points, yet...”

    “Her suspicious gaze is still cast our way?” I nodded at Melusine. “As such. We cannot fault her for that.”

    “Lord Springfield vouched for us, so that helped. We can’t rest on our laurels. We... It’s a long road ahead of us—I’ll say it like that.”

    “Why don’t we get some rest? A nap is better than nothing. The morning''s almost here, so I don''t know how well we''ll sleep."

    Mary had a good point. Our tent was just that—a tent. I found a spot near the north side and used my Soul Weapon as a makeshift pillow.  Elly leaned against Keeth, Greggie held Ami, and Mary and Melusine held hands while lying down.

    I closed my eyes...

    ...and sleep didn’t come. How could it after hearing reality-shattering revelation after revelation? Besides, Tris was probably watching me. Hell, she’d always been watching. I doubt we had a moment of privacy since we stepped into the village, so...

    I should assume she’s heard every conversation.

    My mind had a thousand things to ponder. It worked tirelessly to organize and categorize for easier understanding.

    The world is unpredictable. Tris may be a quantum computer or something, but no one can accurately call the future with impeccable accuracy.

    I couldn’t tell my team the truth, but that wasn''t to say that couldn''t change in the future. Lord Springfield had good reasons to be cautious since I agreed with her about her abilities. It would be best for the number of people aware of her --Tris''s powers-- to be as small as possible.

    We have an avenue to fight Meruria... We aren’t powerless. The Dark Lord of Tyranny, the Essence of Wrath, a void skill personified... Hell, Remy’s body... If we add Lord Springfield and Seraphina... Is that enough to bridge the gap? I wonder if we can get Shiku. Maybe the twins? They’re always down for a challenge, so if they could test their mettle against Tokko, Mia, and Meruria... They’d take it. Right?

    More allies would help. Yet that meant revealing Lord Springfield’s void abilities, which was risky. It was almost paradoxical. We needed more allies. Who better than those with resentment against Meruria? Yet...to get them, the truth must be revealed. [Status Cloak] had to remain an ultimate secret. It was the only reason Lord Springfield could move without suspicion since it blocked her chimerism from being detected.

    If that got out...and the world knew about a method to stop chimeras from being detected...

    Chaos.

    Panic.

    Widespread delirium.

    It’d be like the witch hunts in the late 1600s. People would accuse their enemies of being chimeras. Who cared if the result returned negative when that could be hidden? Bellerophon wouldn’t. They’d take the chance to improve their grip on the world and prove why they were needed more than ever.

    That would be the best thing for them, wouldn’t it? I hadn’t involved myself with the organization, but it stunk of corruption.

    I sighed and rolled over, curling into a ball.

    Just rest your mind, Quella. Things are looking up for the first time since...forever. It won’t always be like that, but... You can feel fine knowing your revenge has started...

    Revenge...

    Revenge...

    Revenge...

    That was what it all boiled down to... That was what Shuuta felt when...

    Those flaming feelings...warmed my heart. I almost felt giddy thinking how Remy suffered in her final moments.

    I’m so fucked up, but I don’t care. Not anymore.

    Gradually, slumber came for me. The emptiness of my dreams was more comforting than ever.

    *****

    *****

    I stood from the chair after Quella left and sighed. “I wish it didn’t—”

    “Hey, that’s enough apologizing, Mila.” Sekh took my hands in hers and rubbed them. That armor didn’t matter—I still felt her warmth. “This doesn’t trouble me. It won’t be for long until I can shed it.”

    “I know. I do. I...”

    “Then please stop apologizing.”

    “And now I’m being scolded...”

    “Mm... Not so much a scolding as a gentle reminder.”

    “Shall we return to the medical tent?” asked Tris. “Our patients aren’t awake, but your heart desires their close proximity.”

    “That’s a good idea.” Sekh extended a hand for Tris, who happily took it. Hand-in-hand, we left the tent and traveled through an eerie quietness. Sera was still busy with Aetos, and Tris was analyzing their conversation for later use.

    If needed, of course.

    “Prim?” I whispered after gently pushing aside the flap.

    The spirit sat by the wooden bed and rubbed Niva’s head, her face slightly contorted in pain. Lei sat on Tilde’s stomach.

    “Lord Springfield, welcome back. I’m sorry, but there hasn’t been any improvement. Are you finished with your talks?”

    “Almost. Sera’s with Aetos.”

    “The plan?”

    “We’ll discuss it tomorrow, although I’m certain of our chosen path.”

    Really, there’s only one viable choice for someone in our position.

    “Don’t worry. They’ll wake up,” I said, sitting beside the bed. Sekh took Tilde’s left and cradled it between hers while Tris used a damp cloth to wipe away a few beads of sweat.

    “Their biological data reports nothing to worry about. Give it time, Primrose. Your worried heart must rest since too much anxiousness can be detrimental.”

    “I know that, Tris. I... Lord Springfield?”

    “Yes?” Primrose shivered. She probably felt weak, useless, and helpless, but she wasn’t.

    She really wasn’t.

    “I...”

    “It’s okay. You don’t have to say it. I hugged Primrose and let her cry in my arms. The tears were half and half between sadness and happiness, with perhaps a bit of relief thrown in. The past few hours had been traumatic for all of us, but maybe Primrose was the most affected by it.

    She’s about to arrive, my lord.

    “Hello? Mila? Are you in there?” A voice echoed right on time.

    “You can come in, Sera.” I looked at the entrance as Sera slowly entered, her steps small and cautious. “Did you talk with him?”

    Sera nodded. “Yes.”

    “Say everything you wanted?”

    “I did. No—we did. We saw it from each other perspectives and made up. Lord Aetos is comforting a child who has woken from a nightmare. So, I thought I’d visit you. Are these...”

    “They are. That’s Niva, she’s Tilde, and you have Lord Aetos’s daughter, Primrose.”

    Primrose made her introduction with a nervous breath. Sera did the same and sat beside her. She wanted to know more about Niva and Tilde, so I did just that—speaking endlessly about them until morning arrived.