Chapter 260 - Lizzie Haggard

"I'll see you later, father," a voice echoed, "-thanks for the lessons," the memories flooded the psyche. "I'll get good grades this term, I promise," the always joyful face, reduced to nothing but a lifeless corpse. 

"She's dead," wailing and cries snapped the confused mind, Auic held his collar, she cried wholeheartedly. Kniq, with faces of which showed complete despair, gathered around him. The surroundings faded in color, it turned grey, the people moved but he stood still and watched.

'Lizzie's dead,' the news settled in, '-the relic scroll isn't ready… I don't have enough power to cast a resurrection spell. Necromancy isn't going to do much,' the hands trembled, the mind and body could barely stay. 'W-why…" he stood powerless once again, "The curse of misfortune will never leave thy side. The only way to stop others from hurting, distance thyself," words that came from Creation. 

"My heir," a voice spoke inside the mind. 

"Blood-king," another called.

"What was it that you said?" the manly voice questioned, "-how would thee react upon the death of a precious one."

"I'd celebrate it," he mumbled with eyes closed, everything around was void.

"Blood-King, what is thy choice. Crumble over the death of someone precious or wake?" a female voice told what was needed to be heard. "Tis thy fate," she said without remorse, "-bound to eternal life, more and more death will come. Faltering over this will but ruin the bigger picture."

"She's at the hall-of-rebirth; being cared by Jessica. Her soul shall leave for heaven soon, the girl had a tough life. The few months spent on thy company told her what it is to be alive. Don't be ashamed of her death, be proud for she died without regrets." 

'Here I am again,' the eyes opened, '-faced with woe and grief. First my father, then my friends, the people I met along the way, my best friend, and now, Lizzie, a girl who I swore to protect. She died because I was bored; it's as Creation said,' a deep inhale later, "-I don't have the right to protect anything," those who had gathered around him heard it, all stared baffled. "I had one job, protect and raise Lizzie as my own. After her exams, I had planned to take her to Arda, then officially adopt her. That regret will always haunt me, the fear of starting over blinded what I already possessed. It's as Creation, Lord Death, and the First progenitor said, I'm a destroyer, one who dwells in the pits of darkness. I exist to spread chaos and carnage, not to love and be loved. It's all clear now," the emotionless expression, one that many grew accustomed to, changed. The peaceful expression, one that grew to settle over time, disappeared. Instead, a face unreadable, stoic, and blank, surfaced. The eyes, ruby-colored which had grown to glee, turned dull.

"Master?" asked Auic.

"Brother?" called Undrar.

"Are you alright?" asked Emma and Emmy in tandem.

Not a word said, he brushed aside those who tried to comfort and find a sliver of peace. 'Lizzie, my daughter,' stood next to the coffin with her head stitched onto her neck, he touched her face for one last time. "You're not the only one who died today," the voice, deep and powerful, echoed around the room, "-I've failed thee as a father and guardian. An apology isn't going to do much," he faced Kniq, "-it was a pleasure knowing you all," a smile with warm eyes, Tharis unholstered, *Bang.*

"MASTER," the twins dashed for he shot himself. Healed within a few seconds, the first stare he gave sent shivers down the girl's spine, "-a-are you?" Emma tried to speak, though what befell was a gaze. One that felt unforgiving, merciless, ready to kill given the chance.

"I'll see you someday, Lizzie Haggard, I loved you dearly," from the collar, he ripped out a tag. The adventuring tag of Silver, Gold, and Platinum, engraved on the backside was his name, "-may you find peace and eternal happiness," placed atop her chest, what he said prior, held true. Staxius shot himself, he died, the Staxius who'd been warm to the people around, the one who grew weak by the mind – that persona died that day. The heart, one that grew to be warmer, froze over ten-fold. 

Everyone who had a remote connection to Haggard saw the rebirth. It sent chills, the aura grew cold and ominous. Carried away to be cremated, Staxius helped in supporting the coffin. Nothing felt heavier than carrying one's child atop a parent's shoulder to be burnt. 

Set ablaze near the cemetery under blossoming flowers, prayers were given; her body turned to ash. Ones safeguarded into an Urn. 

"Hey, are you ok?" from the hall, Undrar came to the garden.

Stood in the middle, a place where the girl enjoyed sitting and reading, Staxius said naught but nod. "Are you sure?" she followed the path to the chair.

"Yes," he stared up; "-Lizzie is dead. There's nothing I can do about it. I'm responsible for leaving, I should have been more careful," the hand held a note, "-I'm sorry Undrar," he stood, "-Staxius Haggard, the man who sought out to find an inkling of bliss, has died. He died on the day his daughter was cremated. It's my way of atoning for what I've done; Lizzie Haggard will always be in my heart; her place will never change."

"Where are you going?" she turned and asked.

"To watch Eira's tournament," a cold response as he walked off with hands in pockets.

"Staxius," a familiar voice called, "-I-I'm sorry," green hair flowed.

"Majesty," he bowed, "-I do apologize for having to witness such atrocities earlier. Shooting one's self must have caused harm," to which, he knelt.

"W-what are you doing?" she asked and held his shoulders, "-why are you calling me majesty. Aren't I thy wife?" tears fell at his feet.

"Yes, my lady," he looked up, "-I'm thy husband and thou art mine wife. Nevertheless, thou art the ruler of a kingdom, a lady who deserves the utmost respect. I'm bound to serve thy both as husband and King," the mouth monotonously moved as the words rolled off the tongue without any particular feeling. 

"Staxius," she knelt and gave a warm embrace, "-it must hurt. Losing a child, a daughter I hadn't met," she cried, "-still, I'll be there, waiting for your return."

"Waiting for my return," he spoke with no inclination to embrace her back, "-could you wait an eternity?" he stood, "-I'm Staxius Haggard, once a father, once someone who loved, but now, I've awakened again. I'm the heir to the god of death, a being that stays in the shadows without expecting much. There isn't a need to care for me. Thanks for everything, lady Islegust, I think I should leave. I carry the curse of misfortune, all closest to me shall suffer and die without prejudice. The place I hail from isn't for the likes of an angel, thou art to spread light and joy. I'm but a shell of what I was, nothing will change said fact. The man you loved, died on the same day his daughter was burnt." 

Knelt on the ground, she reached out to no avail, "-I'll wait for eternity," she yelled. 

'I'm sorry Xula, this is the path I've chosen. To protect those I love, tis time to let go. I live for one purpose now,' the note had Cake's writing. It detailed the people responsible, the organization, and the country that backed them. 'Even if the people who killed Lizzie are now dead, their families, loved ones, are very much alive. I'll turn that kingdom to shred,' the note burst into ash, "-Adete, we're going to annihilate a whole nation, what do you say?" 

"That's it," she licked her lips, "-let's turn that kingdom upside down. The place where Snow hails from, the place where the ruler backed the organization to terrorize Iqeavea and Hidros."

"Majesty," Undrar and Achilles ran to hold her hands. 

"What happened to him?" she asked unable to read his mind.

"I'm afraid," the voice lesser confident, "-that his true self has awakened."

"What do you mean by the true self?" Xula asked, her tone felt desperate.

"You might not have noticed it, but each time he saw blood, the face would often turn blank."

"Yes, but isn't that because he's more focused?" Achilles argued.

"It could be farther from the truth," she shook her head, "-that's who he is deep down. A boy brought up to kill, awakened to kill, and lives to kill. Lizzie, Eira, Emma, Emmy Queen Shanna, and the rest of Kniq, played a big part in his life. We broke through the hard-shell bit by bit. The process began 17 years ago, on the day we met Eira as a small babe. Sadly," she watched as Void turned on, "-this is who he truly is," the car sped off.

"I've got bad news," Avon rushed over.

"What is it?"

"It's master," his voice trembled, "-I've o-overheard what he's p-planning," the face remained in shock.

"Go on then," they urged.

"He plans on annihilating the country from where the murderers came from." Stuck without much to say, what he overheard was true; after the tournament – he planned on heading to the main-continent.

"He's joking right?" voiced Xula, all she got was their unresponsive gazes, "-someone stop him, HE'S GOING TO TURN INTO A DEMON."

"He's already a demon," a semi-transparent spirit materialized. "-Get back, majesty," Prophecy shot out with a long-sword. *CLANG,* a single parry by a sword on which had a Sickle ended in Prophecy getting stabbed. Rendered unable to move, Xula watched, "-I'd strongly advice to not get in the way, any of you," it spoke without much regard to life.

"Who are you?" asked Avon who stood on guard.

"Daemonum Gladio, a weapon, protector and loyal servant of Staxius Haggard. Master has awakened, I won't let any insects get in the way. If he wishes for the world to end, I'll make it so," an image of a planet hovered above her hand, "-we're destroyers. He has had plenty of living with family and being loved, "-it clenched, breaking the planet. On the other hand, a book appeared, "Tis a story of the Wielders of Death Magic. Have a thorough read, you'll understand more about our kin; we care not for lowly beings. The balance must always stand. As long as creatures with lives are born, death will follow close behind. Heed my warning, Queen of Arda, thy King hath died. Try to get in his way and I swear I'll kill thy, Angel, without remorse," it took a few steps back, "What would you protect, the life of a single man or the life of a nation?" 

"The lives of a nation," she stood.

"Good answer," it smirked, "-now be a good girl and support Eira. The lady will grow to be powerful," on that, the spirit turned to mist. 

"Undrar," Emma reached out, "-I'm scared."

"Will master be ok?" Emmy asked.

"Time will tell, I've no idea. I can't stand to imagine the pain he lives with daily. The Death Magic-user will always be bound to misfortune. It's something I know personally; I'm his sister after all. The awakening of Daemonum Gladio means that the symbol of power accepted his being. The man died a vampire and returned a god," she stared the clouds, "-that confirms it," she sighed.

"Confirms what?" asked Xula.

"He had an encounter with Creation. The latter must have given a test; it explains why he vanished suddenly. The return mean one thing, he has returned a God." 

The death of Lizzie marked a day that many wouldn't forget. The awakening of the Heir, bestowed with the right to be worshiped and called a God, Staxius took a massive stride into the future. Life as a human ended on the day he turned into a nightwalker. The life of a nightwalker ended when his daughter died. Ascended into a higher plain, a new star came to life, the heir had taken his place.