Chapter 339: Third Boon
“I accept!” rose Elliot with a firm face, “-the privilege to guard master’s daughter is the greatest honor I could have.” Knightfall with the intent to oppose was silenced by her master. The latter had covered her mouth followed by a glare. It was the first ti he ever stood up, stood up for what he wanted, and stood up for what he believed. Lessening her tantrum, she relaxed into deep breaths.
“If my owner wants to protect her highness so bad,” licking her lips at Rile, “-I suppose I can’t refuse.” Catching her intent, Rile rolled his eyes and smirked.
‘Not you,’ her face changed as if slling sothing unpleasant, her eye wasn’t on the wolf-man, rather, she had taken a liking to Seiran. Heart-broken, the ears lowered with Seiran giving comforting pats on the back.
“Then it’s decided,” speaking abruptly, Courtney tripped and bit her tongue. Innocent and warm, her face flushed in pain, “-Elliot will also be guarding the mansion.” Footsteps with sobs walked to the dining hall.
“Perfect,” stood, “-Rosetta,” few inches away from her, “-here’s Elliot, a talented Marksman who’ll work as a guard. Maintaining this big a mansion and caring for Lizzie will be daunting,” babe held in a cradle, her sobs stopped with him swaying back and forth, “-everyone, make thyself acquainted to one another.”
*Dring,* phone rang, “-Brother, I have to go.”
“Thanks for coming,” he said with a smile.
.....
“Now that’s a face I didn’t expect to see,” watching the father and daughter had the heart skip a beat. “My niece is very much cute,” reached to give a quick peck on the forehead, her lipstick stood against the pale skin. “I hope this arrangent is for a few months,” whispered in his ear, “-Lizzie needs a mother. We know how painful it is to be brought up without one. My other self, I feel for her the sa as you do. That’s why do what is needed to have Arda returned. Major players are moving all around the globe – tis a warning, I can but protect thy if the ti cos,” stepped away with good intent, “-Elliot, let’s go, thy job starts tomorrow.”
A flicker of light followed by the air being slashed, the chopper took-off. Darkness overwheld the continent, back against five new servants, Lizzie in hand, a familiar warmth rose from inside. One of comfort, one of a passing mont of peace. In that instant, the mind beca clear, doubt about Xula, the kingdom, and everything, turned to naught. It was as if soone had patted his back and another held its arms around his shoulder. Faint, what the other saw were mists with white-eyes of which scread death. All the previous Wielders of Death Elent were there, gathered around the heir.
‘What’s happening?’ turned, the mansion disappeared, many o’ black spirits rged into one. “Who are you?” asked, the words echoed in every direction. The figure continued to walk without care, “-WHO ARE YOU?!” asked once more, it stood at arm’s length.
“One of the sa,” said the disfigured humanoid body. It burnt with the Void fla. “We’re your predecessors,” the sheer power in those words held imnse pressure. Similar to standing underneath a waterfall – it wasn’t water, but sheer strength, one that pierced straight to the bones. Behind it, a familiar face sat with a cup in hand.
‘Lord Death?’
“Listen,” voiced the figure, “-the ti has co to awake as a god. We’ve judged, we’ve plunged thy into the pits of hell. Every ti, you stood up to face the whole world alone. The power granted to you was true, yet, thou choose to fight with normal-tier magic. The use of the vampiric blood and wit opposed to showing thy true self. Hell, even if you wanted to unleash it all, the right to the power is locked by us, we’re the guardians,” split into five beings that circled;
“Saving a child nad Eira,” said one.
“Saving the Silver Guardians,” added another.
“Losing thy ho town, thy best friend, and the only thing with connection to your past.”
“Sacrificing thyself in the battle-against Gallienne.”
“Spending more than a decade imprisoned by a spell.”
“Released by the will of Tharis and her apostle for they viewed thee as worthy.”
“Returning to a war-torn province to aid in the rebuilding efforts.”
“Sending away comrades due to conflict rivaling nations.”
“Swapping sides to Arda so that Dorchester could be left alone.”
“Fighting to protect, always losing more things valuable for the better of the others.”
“Ashad for having placed a comrade in peril, thou did all to save her life.”
“The arrival of monsters had the capital in chaos.”
“A massacre of the people, thou had to craft scrolls in hopes of saving them.”
“Marrying the Queen.”
“Forming an adventuring team to help in fighting monsters.”
“Rescuing Auic, a plaything and turning her into a strong-willed woman.”
“Carrying the burden of thy companions.”
“Willingly give up thy humanity, to be able to act with it mattered.”
“Taking on the responsibility of raising Lizzie. The girl found solace.”
“Helping protect the people of another continent. Guarding she who was the reason for people to smile.”
“Happiness swapped with despair when Lizzie died.”
“Saving the kingdom from the shadow, helping an enemy.”
“To now,” one by one, vague snippets of his life were spoken in random order. “You love killing but even more helping another. Willingly becoming the harbinger of hate. Thou know full well that hate and a common enemy can unite people as if nothing. God of Death, you’ve saved people and killed even more. Not out of spite, nor out of a sense of duty,” monotonous to warm, one reminiscent, “-you even challenged the god’s curse and broke the one of starting over. Staxius Haggard,” unrecognizable to a man in uniform, “-my son,” he smiled which then turned into an embrace. “I’ve seen you grow from the eyes of Lord Death. What I couldn’t do, you’ve done admirably. I was strong but never strong enough to protect those who mattered to . Not you, my son, not you, even if you lost, you crawled up again to take what was yours.”
“That is why,” sat on a hovering stool, Lord Death approached, “-that is why the predecessors ca. Thou have been evaluated, my heir. Action speaks louder than words, and that is the reason you’re worthy. Staxius Haggard,” from five, they split further, “-co and take what is yours, the god of death, thy ascension to divinity is complete.” A staircase erected from out of nothingness, golden railings with white-tiles going upwards to a clear blue sky.
“Divinity,” stopped to stare,”-will I be able to return to my plane?”
“What is this?” turned Lord Death, “-what do you an to return?”
“I assu that climbing those stairs is a one-way ticket.”
“No,” turned with a chuckle,” -my heir, my prodigy, you needn’t worry. Said stairway is only a ans to an end. Each step you climb, and the more power you’ll harness. As Creation crafted Nevermore, us, Death Reapers, have a limiter only given when proven to be worthy.” *Snap,* another pathway materialized, one ascending and one descending. “Each step gives more power, and more power ans more strain – the immortality will forever be active, you’ll never die. Going beyond thy limit and breaking the Death Elent will result in a long slumber, one that could last centuries.”
“How far till my elent breaks?”
“Right to the point,” he smiled, “-the furthest reached was 50 steps upwards and 20 steps downwards,” stood in the middle of the diverging paths, “-let warn you, you’re now a God. And with that cos responsibilities of which I shall take care of. The first duty assigned to you is the protection of thy dinsion. About the stairs, before attempting to climb up or down; the limitation on Nevermore must be removed. Without the Death Gate open, climbing the stairs will not be permitted.”
“I understand,”
“Go,” harmonious, “-all will be clear soon. God of Death, welco to the realm of divine beings,” trailing on the last sentence, the consciousness teleported to an empty room. One with two paths – up and down.
‘I awakened as a god. They found worthy, the divination process is complete.’
[Divinity – Third Boon: Mortus.] The last boon given to the God of Death. First was the body, second the mind and third, the unlimited powers of the divine. Complete at last, Staxius reached the third level, the three pillars of Death were acquired.
Eyes opened to a chilly room; the right hand burned. The pentagram changed to a triangle with a scythe in the middle. Sat upright, the clock showed 8:00, ‘-my body feels so much lighter,’ walked over to a mirror, ‘-nothing’s changed. I’m the sa, wait...’ conscious, “-I don’t have to hold back my powers, there’s normally a copious amount of Mana that escapes daily. I feel great for a change, the triangle is containing the Death Elent. Even Blood-Arts feels more powerful.”
*Knock, knock,* “-majesty,” the door opened, “-tis I, Seiran, I’ve co to wake you.”
“Seiran, do you know what happened yesterday?”
“You fell unconscious after handing over her highness to Rosetta.”
“Is that so, and what of Elliot, has he co?”
“Yes, the boy is at the gate.”
“Alright, I suppose it’s ti for breakfast, do give a mont, I shall have a shower.”
“As you wish, I’ll have Rile co to assist thee,” she bowed out of the room. Staxius felt as if he was reborn.
‘I’ve been going back and forth around the mansion for the past few days,’ stood with a sword on the hip, a massive backpack and the outfit worn by Kniq, a lady arrived at the gates. Sun rose over yonder cast a shadow of the other buildings onto where she stood. *Beep,* a press of the button had a man jump onto the walls, “-who’s there?” he asked with face hidden by the sun’s ray.
“Achilles, mber of Kniq, I’ve co to see Guild Master Staxius.”
“mber of Kniq,” paused, “-I’ll relay the information, do give a mont.” The ssage reached his ears at lightning speed; in the process of being undressed, hearing the na Achilles, Staxius sprawled out with shorts and no shirt.
“Master,” waited for Laura at the foot of the stairs, “-is sothing the matter?” leaped at the firth step, he sprinted out the mansion.
“WHAT HAPPENED?” sensing a gust of wind, Laurence rushed, “-are you safe?”
“It’s master, he ran out of the mansion,” overhearing Laura, Seiran was quick to sprout wings and follow suit. dium-sized signified a very powerful nightwalker immune to the sun-light.
“Master,” next to him, “-Is sothing the matter?” she asked in mid-air.
“Achilles has returned,” dashing down the hill, the gates opened per Elliot’s command.
Panting, the parting of the entrance slowly revealed who stood on the other side. Matured with longer hair, Achilles showed pain unlike any other.
“Achilles,” returning a comforting smile, “-welco ho,” the arms spread.
“I’m back,” breathing a sigh, she dashed into his arms, “-it’s good to see you again, master.”
“Yes, I’m glad your back,” ending the embrace, “-what of Deadeyes, is he not with you?”
“...” no response, a faint glimpse of anguish, “-he’s d-dead.”
“D-deadeyes is dead?” the warm expression changed to blank, “-I suppose the prediction in the letter stands true,” faced away, Seiran waited to be explained of what happened.
“Do you hate now?”
“No,” refuted Achilles, “-we were outclassed from the start. If only Kniq was there as a whole, we could have defeated that fiend,” filled with hate directed at herself, the wind blew sharply.
“I see, let’s go inside. We need to pay our respect to the man who has saved us countless tis on the battlefield.”
“Let’s honor his death as a hero, Deadeyes, the man that always cared for his ally.”
“The man who had a heart as big as the world.” Returned ho, Achilles and Staxius would join forces once more. To honor the death of their comrade of which the tower of Aris took away, a grave with his guild-tag was built in the flowery garden.
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