Ch 35: Remnant of the Forgotten Past

Serius comes to Alexander's aid just in time. Everyone else manages to escape, but Alexander and Serius take a wrong turn, coming across the secret behind their phantasmal foe.

            Suddenly Reaper was pierced by the blade of a sword, a blade which seemed to grow longer and longer, carrying Reaper through the air until it found itself pinned against the glass cylinder hanging in the middle of the room. Looking over to where the blade had come from, Alexander saw Serius holding an incredibly long sword, and with a grin he said, “It’s been awhile since I’ve seen that sword…” Serius channeled EDE into the sword and a sonic shockwave exploded from the tip of the blade, tearing Reaper in two as Serius cried out, “Scream of Heaven!” Then the blade began to retract as the halves of Reaper’s body fell down into the chasm. The sword’s blade about four feet long now, there was a curve in the blade near the tip, and the hilt was black and white with a yellow gem in the bottom of the handle. The guard looked like a pair of spreading wings, and something of an otherworldly glow seemed to radiate from the blade. Cutting Alexander loose, Serius said, “Indeed. I have not drawn Aer Dominus since that day. Holding it reminds me of him, and the great responsibility he left us with.” With a solemn look, Alexander said, “Forgive me Serius. If it weren’t for my brother and I, Amanus would still be…” Turning to leave, Serius said, “Fool. His death is not your burden to bear. Grey has begun to let go of his past, you should as well. I’ve sent them ahead, let’s hurry and catch up.” Rising to follow him, Alexander thought, “Not my burden to bear? You once said the same thing. Amelia, how I miss you…”

            Rushing through the dungeon corridors, Serius and Alexander struggled to catch up to Grey and the others. Yet as they made their way through the dark hallways, they quickly found themselves lost. Suddenly spying a staircase down one of the hallways they passed, Serius said, “This way!” Rushing down the hall towards the staircase, they barely made it through just as the walls came alive and blocked off the passageway behind them. A mad cackling filled the air, signifying Reaper’s return. They reached the top of the stairs and found themselves to be in what appeared to be a large dining hall. As Serius and Alexander started to take in their surroundings, an eerie voice called out, “Who disturbs the sanctity of my citadel?” At the far end of the dining hall, upon a raised seating area no doubt reserved for royals or officials, sat a lone figure whose face was shrouded in darkness. Walking slowly towards the reserved seating area, Alexander called out, “Your citadel? Excuse me sir, but just who are you? This citadel and the city itself have long been little more than forgotten ruins. No one has ruled over this place in six hundred years…” The man laughed and said, “Alcedonia is very much alive with the lingering spirits of the forgotten…” Raising an eyebrow, Alexander said, “Lingering spirits?” Stepping forward, Serius asked, “Do you mean the anomaly known as Reaper?” Shaking his head, the shadowy figure said, “He is the jailer of the damned souls that remain bound to this place. Many years ago, he refused to pass on, and used the power discovered within the Great Seal to reanimate his body and trap the souls of the dead here with him. Now he feeds upon their strength to restore his own.” Reviewing these words in his head, Alexander felt as though he’d been given the missing pieces of a puzzle, and he said, “The power discovered within the Great Seal… We transported all the major human cities here using Origin’s power, and I’m quite certain that room with the reactor in it must have been built afterwards. Yet since there should have been no sources of EDE on Teramis to power them, it seemed strange that there would be such ancient technology powered by an EDE reactor beneath these ruins, unless…” Finishing his sentence, Serius said, “Unless they had discovered one of the seals and began draining EDE from it.” Nodding, Alexander continued, “If the seal became damaged by whatever process they used to move it here, then all of them would have followed suit, and over the course of several hundred years, the damage reached the point that the Cataclysm of Noctivagus occurred. Then Alastor broke free shortly after… All because of humanity’s reckless pursuit of power…”

            With a quiet laugh, the shadowy figure said, “We thought we were prepared to pay any price, so long as it meant we could destroy our enemies and end the war. Now it is clear just how high that price could be. We turned our citadels into weapons of destruction using the newfound power gained from the seals. When our ally, Domus, launched an attack upon Voluntaso, one of our enemy’s strongest fortresses, they underestimated the power harnessed within the Citadel of Domus. The Anima Cannon was so powerful that it leveled much of the northern area of the continent. The blast filled the planet’s skies with dust and smoke, casting this world into an era of darkness. Without the sun, everything turned cold, and crops would not grow. Death and disease soon followed. Before my citadel of Alcedonia ever saw action, the war was over as we had desired, and we paid our price. Everything.” Bothered by a certain detail, Alexander stared closely at the shadowy figure, and found he looked more than just shadowy. He appeared to be made of shadow. Slowly, Alexander asked, “Sir, just who are you? The way you speak of these things, I would assume you were one of the lingering spirits of this place. It makes me wonder, why can we not see the others as we can see you?” With a quiet laugh, the man said, “You have seen them since the moment you arrived, you wondered at them as you made your way to my citadel. They surround you even now, calling out for release from within the very walls of my citadel itself. You shall join them soon enough…” Alexander felt his words almost confirmed his suspicions, and he asked again, “Who are you?” Then out of the ground beside the figure of shadow rose Reaper, and the shadowy figure said, “My living corpse and I go by many names. Sigmund Regalis Alcedon, Lord of Alcedonia, Jailer of Damned Souls, and now… Reaper…”

            Shooting a glance at Serius, Alexander said, “Now that we have found the true form of our opponent, let us put an end to this.” With a nod, Serius formed his full Basilisk Armor. Alexander began to chant, “Veni Gelidus Spiritus Glacies Septem…” Serius struck the blade of Aer Dominus upon the ground, and the otherworldly blade resonated as Reaper’s anomaly rose into the air and flew at them. With a swing of the resonating sword, Serius unleashed a sonic shockwave at Reaper’s anomaly as he shouted, “Scream of Heaven!” The floor rose into the shockwave’s path quickly and defended the monster, and as Reaper’s anomaly melded with the risen floor and disappeared, Reaper himself said, “With my newfound abilities, I’ve trapped the spirits of the dead within these very walls, using them to bolster my powers and spiritual presence. For countless years, I’ve awaited someone strong enough to give me the power to transcend my demise, yet time and again it’s some weak fool who stumbles into my realm. When that group of soldiers unwittingly entered my domain years ago I saw my chance. I let them escape, and waited for them to bring their strongest warriors to me. At last my wait is over! With your strength, I will be resurrected at last!” Alexander continued chanting, “…Ego Voco Ad Vos In Gladio Meo Gelo Mea Hostem…” Moving away as the area of ground beneath him rose up and crashed into the ceiling, Serius quickly raised Aer Dominus and blocked the bladed arms of Reaper’s anomaly as it jumped out of the side of the newly formed pillar at him. Channeling EDE into his blade, Serius said, “There is no return from the dead no matter how much essence or EDE you gather… I will put you to rest with my Aer Dominus! SCREAM OF HEAVEN!” The resonating blade’s vibrations roared forth again, and a sonic blast shattered the anomaly’s bladed arms and sent it flying. Reaper himself simply said, “Useless. No weapon or magic can harm me within my citadel. Whenever my body is damaged, I repair the damage with organic matter taken from the plants that have grown throughout my domain.” Raising his sword in the air, Alexander finished chanting, “… Congregare, Ut Hiberno!” A chilling wind swirled around Alexander’s sword, and seven glowing blue runes appeared upon its enormous blade. Leveling his sword at Reaper, Alexander said, “However much those who live fear its unknown reaches, death is the final chapter of life that none can escape. Your sins have caught up to you Reaper, and now I will send you to whatever hell awaits you on the other side!”

            Rising from his chair, Reaper said, “I am the Lord of Alcedonia! My rule shall never end!” Floating through the air, Reaper merged with his anomaly and an aura of power erupted around him. Then as lumps of Deus Calx broke off from the walls and floated over to coat them like a layer of liquid, Reaper’s bladed arms reformed themselves. Shaking off the Deus Calx that had repaired his arms, as he held up his bladed arms in front of him so the tips of the blades touched, Reaper channeled EDE into the point where the tip met and fired a powerful beam of dark energy at Alexander. Jumping into the path of the beam, Serius blocked it with the ethereal blade of Aer Dominus, holding it back as Reaper continued to channel it. Then Alexander held his sword horizontally and activated one of its ice empowered spells, chanting, “Grandine!” From each of the glowing runes a blue wisp came forth and circled around him and Serius a moment before they flew at Reaper. Spreading out in the air around Reaper, the wisps circled around the anomaly and began emitting streams of freezing mist. Rising from the floor, slabs of Deus Calx rose into the air and began to shield Reaper from the wisps as he gloated, “Within my citadel I have the ultimate advantage!” Laughing quietly as his wisps faded away at his command, their task accomplished, Alexander said, “I think not.” Serius tapped Aer Dominus on the floor, and raising the resonating blade, he extended its length and swung it down at Reaper. The shields of Deus Calx all moved together to block it, but the sword’s blade cleaved through the ice covered material, and Reaper let out a cry of pain as his left arm was severed. In disbelief, Reaper shouted, “How?! First that bothersome youth and now you?! This stone was one of humanity’s greatest achievements, developed to be stronger than even the crystallized EDE energists use to make Anima Weapons, the unbreakable Deus Calx!” Adjusting his shades smugly, Alexander said, “Nothing is unbreakable. Like any other material, Deus Calx can be weakened by extreme temperature. While it would not be enough for a normal blade to cut, Aer Dominus and its ethereal sonic blade is another matter.” With a cry of rage, Reaper yelled, “Enough! I’ll destroy you with the endless power within these walls!” Feeling the room beginning to quiver, Alexander held his sword upside down in his hand, and lowering it so the tip of the blade touched the ground he chanted, “Altum Gelo.” The runes on his sword shined, and ice spread from the tip of his sword throughout the room. Quickly the ice covered the floor, moving onto the wall and at last the ceiling.

            For a moment Reaper seemed to be struggling with something, and at last he roared, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?” Diving at the wall, Reaper seemed to attempt to meld with it, yet it became apparent he could not, as upon contact he impacted against it and bounced off. Laughing, Alexander said, “I’d been thinking of a way to counter an ability to manipulate inanimate objects infused with EDE. Then I remembered the principles of EDE interference. I’ve frozen this entire room all the way through, saturating the microscopic gaps in the structure of the Deus Calx with ice created using a large amount of EDE, causing interference with the EDE within it. You won’t be able to use it any more. Now then Serius, if you would be so kind…” Serius raised Aer Dominus, and the yellow gem on the hilt glowed. The sword suddenly shined with the same yellow light, and as he swung the sword a line of energy formed in the air and quickly condensed into eight light orbs which sailed up high and began firing thin yellow beams of light energy at Reaper. Dodging and weaving in the air, Reaper formed his remaining arm into a humanoid arm and channeled EDE into his hand to form a sphere of dark energy as he shouted, “This is not OVER!” As his dark sphere floated in the air in front of him and began spraying thin beams of dark energy in all directions, Reaper continued to evade the beams from Serius’ light orbs, and throughout the room chairs, silverware, anything not bolted down suddenly rose up to throw themselves at Alexander and Serius. With his Basilisk Armor, Serius had little problems with this, but Alexander found himself dodging and ducking as objects and energy beams sailed at him. Laughing eerily, Reaper taunted, “Let’s see who can evade the other’s attacks longest!” 

Running evasion, Alexander thought, “Just like with the vine, he can control all inanimate objects saturated with EDE. With that large gathering of EDE trapped deep within this place, it’s seeped into all the objects around here.” Holding his sword up, a shell of ice formed around Alexander as he chanted, “Glacies Murum!” Wading through the sea of dark beams and objects, Serius leaped up and began to hop from object to object, slowly making his way towards Reaper. Turning to Serius as he leaped at him with a slash from Aer Dominus, Reaper reformed his remaining arm into a blade and knocked him away with a parry. Landing upon a floating chair, Serius quickly tapped his blade against the chair, sending vibrations through the ethereal blade. He was about to leap at Reaper again, this time with another Scream of Heaven, when suddenly cracks began running through his Basilisk Armor. Quickly Serius turned his attention to reinforcing his armor as he thought, “How could I make such an error?” Dismissing his ice shell as he noticed something was wrong with Serius, Alexander saw a large piece of debris fly at his friend, and realizing Serius was distracted, he called out, “Behind you!” Serius reacted too late, and was knocked off his chair. Reaper fired a powerful beam of dark energy at Serius as he fell, and striking its mark the beam exploded and sent Serius crashing into the frozen wall. With a triumphant laugh, Reaper dived at Alexander as he shouted, “Now to finish you!” Raising his sword, Alexander blocked Reaper’s bladed arm and chanted, “Catenas Glacies!” Alexander’s sword runes glowed blue and icy chains sprung from them and coiled around Reaper. Stabbing his sword into the frozen floor with Reaper now tethered to it, Alexander jumped back as the light orbs Serius had summoned from Aer Dominus unleashed their barrage of beams upon the villain. Energy beams pierced Reaper’s body again and again as the anomaly wailed in pain. Then gathering EDE, Alexander thought, “It’s even more difficult to use my affinity in this state than it is usually, but I must finish this once and for all!” As Alexander channeled EDE into his hands, his hands became shrouded in red and blue flames as he said, “This is for all the lives you’ve enslaved here! Sun and Moon unite!” Alexander raised his hands before him and fired a wave of frostfire at Reaper, and as the anomaly was engulfed by the freezing inferno, his agonized screams echoed through the room. The frostfire at last dispersed, and Reaper’s charred, frost covered body sat there motionless beside Alexander’s sword.

            Reaper’s essence appeared beside his body, and watching in horror as it began to disintegrate, he shouted, “NO! I must absorb my body back into the citadel to repair it, or my body will disintegrate completely, and I’ll…” Walking up to claim his sword, Alexander said, “You’ll no longer be able to remain in the world of the living. It will be your second and final death. For what you’ve done, I doubt what awaits you will be pleasant.” Glaring at Alexander, Reaper said, “Who are you to judge me?! I am the Lord of Alcedonia! These forgotten spirits are merely serving me in death as they did in life, as they should!” Then with a mad look in his ghostly eyes, he raised his hands in the air, laughed, and shouted, “Yes of course! I’ve done nothing wrong! Surely the Gods will welcome me into my new home beyond the gates of Mautau!” As Reaper continued laughing like a madman, Alexander shook his head and said, “In the end, you’re nothing more than a delusional fool…” Glaring at Alexander again, as he began to fade, Reaper said, “How dare one of your status speak to me like-” Clutching a wound in his side, as the now armorless Serius approached them, he called out, “You wish to speak of status, Lord Alcedon? Then let me introduce myself before you pass on to oblivion. I am Serius the Unbound. Serius Decus Matuia, the Lord of Mautau.” As Serius removed his hand from his wound and held it up to show the signet ring on his finger, which bore the crest of Mautau, Reaper looked at him in horror as he vanished, disappearing as the last of his body disintegrated.

Reviews

[Ryan Henderson]

Just a few spelling errors:

“It’s been awhile since I’ve seen that sword…”

It should be;

"It's been a while since I've used that sword..."

"All because of humanity’s reckless pursuit of power…”

It should be;

"All because of humanity's reckless pursuit for power."

Great chapter, my friend! Its been too long since I read last! This chapter was pretty good and making Serius and Alexander become separated from the group was a nice touch. The fight scenes were well described and exhilarating. I really like the whole Rune Swordsmanship thing you have going on here. Very cool! It makes for some interesting battles. I like the backstory you gave the Reaper. I think that Jailer of Damned Souls has quite a nice ring to it. Don't you?

I can't wait for the next chapter! Mythra should be up from her poison pretty soon! Can't wait for that! I miss Mythra's wise cracks and arrogant and cocky nature. I find that the story is a little bit... odd without Mythra. Since she was introduced, she was just so likable for me, and now that she is down with Douglas's poison, it makes it odd not having her in the story. I MISS MYTRHA *ugly crying*

Awesome work yet again, my friend. Really looking forward to the next chapter! Keep writing!

~Ryan

[KeithKVH]

Ty for the review! ^^ I do like the ring it has, and I'm glad Reaper became what he did. He was very different in concept, but I scrapped basically everything but the name and his anomaly's appearance.

I feel you on missing Mythra. I try to make all my characters awesome in some way though, even if not at first, and with the large number of characters in this story sometimes they will not always be together or as in this case will be out of commission. I would say this is a series about a group of heroes who bring the world together, protect it, and change it forever.

For the spelling errors, I've yet to definitively look it up but I see "awhile" used often as an actual word and have used it since it's phonetically sound and wouldn't be an odd addition to a dictionary, though I do see your point and have wondered at times myself recently whether it's actually accepted as such. On the second correction, I have to disagree. "Pursuit of power" is a commonly used phrase, and "pursuit for power" is a wording I've never really seen and rolls off the tongue poorly.

[Ryan Henderson]

Alright, I suppose that the spelling errors could be taken either way haha XD