Chapter 249 - Father

In a time that was set a little earlier...

--

"This is definitely an attack from Zweite!" The king of Verteidigerin exclaimed. His grey hair much similar to that of Adalia Feuerlon, and his left eye closed with a large scar on it. 

"Don't be hasty." Said a man with a hair that was light purple, and skin that was tan. "Eissturm was attacked as well, but we didn't blame the second continent for it."

"Everyone was attacked, King of Eissturm." The Queen of Gronland said. "We did weigh possibilities, and yes, even what the warfreak king of Verteidigerin had said was considered."

"Our!" The queen of Elizabethian Kingdom, "Kingdoms!" said the queen of Antonettian Kingdom, and "Was!" said the queen of Victorian Kingdom.

"Attacked!!!" The three said in chorus.

"I can't believe it…" The king of Feuersturm exclaimed.

Every royals of the country have discussed about the ambush of the warlock generals. Everyone was discussing about what to do.

"If each of our countries are attacked…" The king of Feuersturm murmured.

"Then none of us can send reinforcements." It was the king of Eissturm that said this.

This was a dire moment to all of them—communicating via a magical hologram that projects their appearances with the use of light spell.

"Ready the Opus users." The king of Feuersturm exclaimed. "We will have to have all of them combine forces to extinguish all of the warlock generals."

"No," it was the king of Eissturm who spoke. "We can't, not right now. The Opus users needs to protect their countries first. They can't go around together with one aim, leaving their home countries defenseless!"

Others seem to agree.

"But the prophecy…" It was the queen of Gronland who had mumbled. 

"We don't have the time to think about some oracle when our countrymen are dying!" The king of Verteidigerin said. "And I won't let my youngest daughter fight this battle… even if she's the user of the Opus."

"Have you no shame?" The queen of Victorian Kingdom remarked. 

"What did you say, you witch!?"

"Stop it!"

Noah thinned his lips and clenched his fist. Does he have to call the first king to take care of these matters?

He lifted his gaze.

No.

He have to handle this.

"Many years ago, our ancestors have combined forces to defeat the warlocks who have attacked the land. The Great War lasted for 300 years." He said.

"300 years, even if they combined forces." The king exclaimed as they all fell silent. "Can all of you imagine how many years it would take us to defeat them—if we would even defeat them—if we are all divided?"

The king of Verteidigerin scoffed.

"I don't know about all of you, but that won't change my mind. KID, do you know how many warlocks existed that time? Hundreds, no, thousands—screw that. MILLIONS. There were millions of Warlocks versus mages, soldiers, and Opus users. But right now, there are only seven, or eight, if the forsaken is counted."

The king of Feuersturm gave each of them a look. Majority were agreeing, while a few were neutral.

"Then," the queen of Gronland narrowed her eyes. "I suppose all of us needs to be on our own, then."

**

Faustina coughed as she stumbled upon a fallen debris right into the exit. The smoke was depleting all the air from Faustina's lungs. She had to escape. Fast!

She tightened her grip around her staff.

"Aqua!"

Faustina's eyes widened.

Water—water couldn't form here!

The place was shrouded with thick gust of heat and smoke. There is no 'water' in this air. Faustina couldn't gather the particles—that is what she learned in the rules of magic. Matter doesn't come out of nowhere. It doesn't appear spontaneously. She had to have the right resource.

The right resource…

Then—"Terra!"

The ground then lifted away the fallen debris. And this made an aperture that was enough for Faustina to slip past through. And as she exited the burning room, she coughed and inhaled all the air her lungs was depleted from. But then again, even the hallway was burning.

She got to get outside—fast!

Faustina ran to the hallway, covering her mouth and nose. Window… window! She need to exit through the nearest window!

Faustina's eyes gleamed as she sees an arched window opened.

She then proceeded to go towards the window but then, in that window—

"F O U N D Y O U~"

L.u.s.t, who was holding a knife, then went towards Faustina, and then swiftly she then sliced her way towards her. Faustina evaded the attack by putting a barrier. 

"A barrier!" L.u.s.t, with Lilianne's voice, exclaimed. "How inconvenient. This body doesn't know how to use magic."

"Well then," she went backwards to the building, to the window itself. Faustina's eyes widened. They were on higher ground—without magic—she'll fall!

"Let's just use this body against you."

L.u.s.t then fell down, and Faustina disabled the barrier to run and save her—"Lilianne!"

Faustina then grabbed her arm. 

"G O T Y O U!"

L.u.s.t then, with her other hand, stabbed Faustina's hand that held her. Faustina winced in pain but she only tightened her grip around l.u.s.t. 

"Huh? Why aren't you letting go?" L.u.s.t stabbed her arm again.

And again.

"Isn't this enough? Oh, you're whining now. That means it must have hurt." 

"…anne."

"Lil…Lilianne…" Faustina murmured. "Give back Lilianne's body…!"

L.u.s.t, with the face of Lilianne, scoffed with a taunting smile.

"This girl? You want to save her when she wanted to get rid of you?" L.u.s.t raised her brow. "Where did you get that attribute—ah! I know. It's from Father's replica—"

"What are you doing?"

That voice.

"Explain yourself, L.u.s.t."

L.u.s.t then licked the blood on the corner of her lips—the blood that came from Faustina.

"Ah, she does taste the same as you… a direct descendant. Our little sister."

Faustina blinked as L.u.s.t then yanked her arm away from Faustina, however; instead of falling down, L.u.s.t floated and drifted back to the hallway.

Faustina still couldn't move.

L.u.s.t could use magic, even in Lilianne's body…

Then… that means…

"You were toying with her."

Faustina held her breath as her heartbeat sped up upon hearing that voice. 

Memories of that night came back to her.

'Eula, oh, Eula! I shall bring you back to life!'

'Eula, Eula, Eula!'

Faustina's hands trembled as she tightened her grip around her staff. Blood dripped down to the floor, but she could ignore all the pain.

Because her surging anger, fear, hate, are now mixing onto one.

"Leave us." He said.

"Yes, Father."

Silence.

"Faustina."

That voice.

Faustina slowly turned around, 

Black hair.

Red eyes.

"Jonathan… Unsterblich," she spat his name like it was poison.

"Faustina." He whispered her name as if it was something precious. He slowly sauntered towards her—

"DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" Faustina thumped her staff to the floor, forming a barrier that enclosed her strongly. 

Jonathan froze, looking at Faustina with scarlet eyes, the deep shade of ruby.

"I…" He said. "Okay."

Faustina had to kill him. Once he's gone, everything will be over. He's now here, standing in front of her.

Kill him!

She had to use a strong spell, now!

"There's… something I need to tell you." Jonathan said.

Faustina stared at the forsaken, whose face was painted with an emotion that she couldn't believe he could make.

No. She has to kill him! She has to move, now! Now! 

But—why?

Faustina gritted her teeth as she stared at the forsaken with eyes ridden with una.d.u.l.terated fear.

Why can't she bring herself to do it!?

There was something different about him.

"I'm—I'm not the person you think I am." He said as he took a step. And then another.

"I'm not the forsaken."

"QUIT SPEAKING NONSENSE!" Faustina yelled, making him flinch in response. "You took everything away from me! Give Eula back… give everything back to me!!!"

Jonathan then ambled his way towards Faustina, easily passing through her barrier, breaking it to smithereens without even doing a single thing but walking towards her.

And in the blink of an eye,

His arms found Faustina, and tightly, he embraced her.

Tenderly, he held her to his arms.

Faustina's hair then begun to shine a black, l.u.s.trous sheen, and eyes that were the color of chocolate, then transitioned to a deep, ruby red. Even though Faustina couldn't see herself…

Her memories…

Those that Eula sealed…

Were getting back to her.

She fell to his knees, and he held her tight as both of them knelt down.

Tears began to flow upon Faustina's eyes as the seal in her body begun to break. Mana flowed continually, and light surrounded her, surrounded the two of them.

"Get away from her."

Faustina's tears-ridden eyes slowly turned to the familiar voice.

The king was walking to the hallway with sword on hand. 

"Let go of her." He said. 

Faustina's heart clenched painfully as she stared at the king. Together, she and Jonathan stood up.

She stared at the king.

Her mana was surrounding the hall, resupplying the empty spaces in him.

Memories of the truth begun to flow to Faustina's mind.

The truth.

"Faustina," it was Jonathan who spoke.

"Let go of her!" The king thundered as he moved forward.

"No!" Faustina refused as she sobbed.

Her red eyes met that of the king.

And as he sees her crying face, she turned to Jonathan.

Black hair.

Red eyes.

The striking resemblance of a man who murdered the king's family…

And the girl he loves.

No. This can't be!

The king then charged, ready to strike the Forsaken and rescue Faustina. And as he was about to swing his sword down, Faustina created a barrier, protecting Jonathan.

Her crying face met his eyes.

And in a very small voice. "Don't hurt him…" Faustina murmured in between her sobs. 

She narrowed her ruby-colored eyes and cried.

"Don't hurt… my father."