Celestial Saga: Exiled To Earth III 29 Stage Twenty-Nine: The Phantom Lord

STAGE TWENTY-NINE: THE PHANTOM LORD

"Where is the prisoner?" Galun asked. The phreinian guards shook their heads, making the prince sigh in frustration. "I see, let's wait for him to calm down then. As soon as he falls asleep, prepare the mages and priests for the extraction."

"Yes, Galun."

Half of Celestia's core is sealed inside Leriouge Aethelmaer, and the phreinians have long known about this. At first, they thought that the incarnation of the legendary Aethelmaer was Ahrin, but seeing Kirin first hand, they could tell otherwise. It was exactly as written in their history records, the usurper of Celestial throne, who worked with Phrein to remove the Leafen clan from rule, is exactly the same as this very man they now call 'Kirin.'

After failed attempts to extract the celestial core from the Lenfiare, they see hope in Kirin's. Unlike Freyja whose core infusion is thorough and complete because of her lineage, the infused celestial core in Kirin is incomplete, rough, which makes it easier to pull out of his body.

But the only problem is that they needed the dormant core inside Kirin to activate, even for a bit, so that they can separate it from him. And in the process, they need to awaken the memories of Leriouge. From what they observed, Kirin only has fragments of Leriouge's memories, but what will happen if he regains his old self? They knew how dangerous the man can be.

But Galun was determined to take the risk. They placed multiple layers of barriers, guards, aura chains, to hold him down in case he awakens and struggles. They secured him with the best aura tools and spells they can think of.

And then, it started.

The phreinian priests forcefully injected samples of Leafen aura into Kirin's system. Just like when Freyja tried to heal Kirin with her aura, the violent reaction made him suffer excruciating pain that even his trained body could not handle. "ARGH!" Kirin groaned, feeling the aura creep inside every fiber of his body. He struggled, all memories started flooding his mind, one after another. It was confusing, he couldn't make sense of them at all. It showed pictures after pictures, sounds, sensations, all of them together. His mind and body were overwhelmed.

Like a madman, Kirin groaned, shouted, cried out in pain, confusion and all other feelings he could not comprehend. Kirin's dark aura started leaking out of his body uncontrollably. The phreinian mages and priests struggled keeping him in place.

Then suddenly, one image in his mind stood out. A little girl, with long jet-black hair and golden eyes smiling at him. Kirin's seizures stopped, and his dark aura started flowing out smoothly, much to the relief of the phreinians.

In his mind, Kirin followed the little girl. She was running, smiling, as if he's leading him somewhere. When he finally reached her, and touched her, the girl stopped and faced him with his face covered in dark red blood. He pulled away, only to see his hands gus.h.i.+ng with blood and dirt. And on his feet, is a corpse of a young man with raven black hair, clad in bloodied white robes. "STOP!!!!" Kirin shouted, tears gushed out of his eyes, banging his head onto the iron table he was strapped onto. "STOP!!!!"

"KIRIN!" And another image came into his mind. It was the Freyja he knew. The Freyja from six years ago. He calmed down for a bit. He called her name.

In his mind, the Freyja from six years ago was tugging his arm, smiling. "Kirin! Hurry! Let's go home!"

"Freyja, let's go ho—" But even before he could take her hand, the little girl grew to the Freyja he knows now. She glared at him, vengefully. Exactly how she glared at the phreinian in the s.h.i.+p whom she brutally killed. "My Father, my home … I will avenge them."

The physical and mental torture shattered Kirin's wits and soul. It was too much. He gave up.

He finally gave up and succ.u.mbed into the comforting darkness. He didn't want to hear or see anything anymore. He just wanted to disappear. And so, he did. Everything turned black, the memories faded, along with the sensations of his body, and he fell into a deep, deep sleep.

"We have to stop the Lenfiare. Why should we let the Leafen clan do as they please? Leriouge is more than capable to cage the core. He might not be born with a mark, but in terms of skill, power and wits, he surpa.s.ses Alfiore Kinju!"

I couldn't anymore recall how long I lived. All I knew was that I lived for a long, long time. Two thousand years maybe? I never counted. It didn't matter anyway. All I did was follow my family's orders, like a good son, so I may keep the one and only place I believed, I could belong: the Aethelmaer clan, cousin to the royal Leafen clan and governing western Celestia.

My earliest memory was my very own mother despising the color of my eyes and my hair. Despite being born cousin to the royal Leafen clan, I never got their proud night-black hair nor golden eyes. It was their disappointment that their middle child was born with eyes the color of gra.s.s and hair like the snow. It was a commoner's color, vulgar, unwanted.

Fortunately for me, I was born with a special gift. Even as a child, I could already learn faster than anyone my age. I could cast stronger spells and fight better than my peers. It was a talent that earned the ire of the Leafen clan.

Lifenya Lenfiare Leafen, ordered the Aethelmaer clan to keep me away from the capital. And they said, it was because she feared my talents.

But the Aethelmaer clan wanted this. They hid me away, and had me go through harsh training, pushed my limits. There have been days when I wished I would just die and get it over with. They locked me in the mansion's dungeon, where I had to endure torture and pain just to obtain a body strong enough to cage the celestial core and defeat the Leafen clan. They had me study, drill every single spell, every single piece of valuable information in my mind. They wanted to use me as a sword, a sword that will cut through the Leafen clan's hold to the throne, and put the Aethelmaer clan on top of Celestia.

When Kinju Alfiore was born, for the first time in many hundreds of years, I was finally set free from the dungeons. For the first time in a while, I've seen the white sky, felt fresh outside air, and most importantly, became a man who's far stronger than the Alfiore himself— in the eyes of the people at least. But despite the praises I received, I never felt anything about it.

I was just breathing, moving, but for what reason?

Until, the cursed Lenfiare, was born— the child bound to bring the destruction of the invincible Celestia. It was an opportunity the Aethelmaer clan could pa.s.s.

The infant princess was bound to be executed upon birth. But she was spared because of the wing crest that appeared on her chest. That mark was the proof that she was chosen by the heavens to cage the life of Celestia. A paradox. Nevertheless, it protected her. Instead, Alfiore Kinju swore an oath that the day she poses a threat to Celestia, he is to behead his own daughter with his hands.

But it wasn't enough to placate the celestials.

To save Celestia, according to my family, we had to overthrow the Leafen clan, who is no longer doing their sworn duty to the land.

And I— I was ordered to a.s.sa.s.sinate the cursed Lenfiare, KInju Alfiore, and take their place as the new ruler. It had to be me, they said. It can only be me.

But what does it have to do with me anyway? I'll kill the Lenfiare, I'll cage the power of Celestia, I'll lead a new era. And then what? I used to think that maybe, if I do as they say, I will fill the emptiness in me. Maybe, I'll find a better place I can belong. Maybe.

If there is one thing I wanted back then, it would be drowning in the comfort of silence. But one day, while I was quietly resting by the river, near the palace gardens in the capital, I heard the giggle of a child. That child, long jet-black hair and golden eyes. Her white robes, and the circlet around her head… she is, without a doubt, the Lenfiare.

Without realizing it, my eyes were glued on her, watching her closely as she waved her tiny hands and summoned her tiny wings to fly up. However, her wings disappeared and she came cras.h.i.+ng down in less than a minute. For a child, her summoning spells were undoubtedly abnormal. I could clearly tell that this little girl, is just as gifted as I was… or even better. That time, I understood why they feared her, just like how they feared me.

The four-year-old saw me. She ran to me, and hid behind me. "Hide me! They're after me!" She sank her face on my robes. And soon, a group of winged soldiers, the Alfiore's personal regalia, flew towards us. Out of whim, I hid the girl under my long, velvet cape.

"Pardon us, Lord Leriouge but have you seen the Lenfiare? She ran away from her lessons again." They sounded annoyed.

I shook my head, and they left. I couldn't believe it, this rumored prodigy is nothing but a child, runs away from lessons, and loves to play outside. Just like how I was.

But there is one thing I noticed about her that's completely different from anyone else. The little girl reached out for my face, held my cheeks with her warm, tiny hands, and gazed upon my eyes with a bright smile on her face. "Your eyes are so pretty!" She shouted, delight in her voice.

I felt tears form at the corner of my eyes. I was completely taken aback. Never in my wildest imagination, have I thought that there is someone crazy enough to find my despicable eyes… beautiful.

And then, the little girl began pulling my long hair, happily calling them threads of light. "What's your name? I like your hair! Are you from the palace too?" She asked, tugging my hair.

"Lenfiare, please let go." I said, but she refused.

"NO! I want to hold it more!" She never let go of my hair.

I couldn't do anything. She saw her reflection in my eyes and I too, did in hers. I saw myself, how I looked like… and for once, I began to wonder who was that person is supposed to be? Who am I, actually? For once, I wanted to know who I really am and what is it that I must do with my life.

"What is your name?" She asked me again, and I stayed silent. I too, was wondering… who am I supposed to be anyway? "My name is Freyja!" She introduced herself, still not letting ho of my hair.

I see, so that's her name. This child who did nothing but be born under a prophecy. Does she really have to suffer the consequences for a sin she didn't even commit? And why can this girl, unlike me, smile so heartily despite the fate that awaits her? Surely, she isn't that unaware. I was both envious, happy, feeling sorry for her, I didn't really know. "My name is…Leriouge." I finally had the courage to blurt my name out.

"Leri! I'll call you Leri." She chanted my name over and over. "I really like you. You saved me! You're on my side!" She laughed. "Don't let them find me, okay?"

"Yes, Lenfiare." I replied, without even bowing at her. What I did was disrespectful, yet, she didn't mind. "Call me Freyja. Just like how Alfiore calls me. Okay?"

What an insane request. Even the Lady Reyrah could never call her by that name in public. The only one who is allowed to call her such is her father, the Alfiore. Even so, I unwittingly complied to her request… just because… I wanted to. "Freyja." I called her. And she sighed in relief, hearing it. "Thanks."

The little girl came to the same place the next day. And then the next, and the next. She gave me flowers that she picked, she gave me stones, anything that she found beautiful.

"Leri!" She called out to me. "Are you lonely?"

I looked down, and said "yes."

"Do you have a father? Doesn't he play with you?" This little girl asked, "Alfiore plays with me sometimes, but he's too busy. How about you go play with us sometime?" She was very happy, oblivious to her own father's oath to kill her someday. Even so, her sincerity was radiating. "Ah! I know, you can go live with us from now on!" She innocently proposed and I, in turn, felt this surging hot feeling flow through my veins. "You mean, you want to marry me?" I just had to know. Despite being a mere child, the words of the Lenfiare is still the words of a deity and must never be belittled.

"Marry?" She asked, still thinking about the word's meaning. 'AH! Yes! I want to! I want to marry Alfiore and Leirouge!"

"But you are supposed to marry Lord Saifer Famirth first, aren't you?"

"But I like Leri more." She pouted.

"Me too." I touched her forehead with mine. "I like Freyja." And even before I realized it, I was smiling ear to ear.

At times, she would come to me and I would teach her how to use the sword, and how to cast basic spells. She was quite the fast learner, no, even more. She was frighteningly talented that it made people wary of her. At that age, she could already summon her wings and fly short distances. She could cast small fireb.a.l.l.s and barriers and even a short aura sword which is supposed to be taught in one's 20th year or so. She was very enthusiastic. She said she wants me to come with her to the castle and I should replace her teachers. She said she wants me to stay in her room and sleep on my lap, just like what I let her do after she tires herself out from playing.

And one day, I waited for her, but she didn't come. I went to the palace, just out of curiosity, and there I witnessed a gruesome, hateful sight.

"ALFIORE!!! SAVE ME ALFIORE!!!" From far away, I could see the little girl chained inside a gigantic orb, sweating heavily, twitching, screaming in pain while the council and the Alfiore watch. She was struggling, but like a helpless little bird about to get slaughtered, she can't do anything but endure it. "Please endure it a bit longer Lenfiare, it is for your own good."

"That's right Freyja, come on, endure it. You can do it." Her father, the Alfiore, consoled her.

What they were doing, was forcefully circulating a portion of the celestial aura into her body. So that someday, she will be able to cage that power flawlessly. While they consoled her, thinking it is something that's for her own good, I was thinking otherwise.

"Alfiore!!!" She shouted, again and again, ramming the walls of the transparent orb with her tiny hands. "Alfiore!!!!" She cried.

"… Leri! Help me!"

Something shocked my very being, hearing her call my name. The moment I heard my name from her lips! I didn't care anymore. I will save her, no matter what. I almost dashed towards her, prepared to throw my position, my life, just to get her out of that torture. But even before I could move, she fainted and they stopped.

The next day, she came to me, with her usual smile. On the other hand, I wasn't able to hold my tears back. It was probably the first time I shed tears for other than bodily torture. And it's a pity that they had to fall on her face. I took her in my arms, I squeezed her little body tight. She stayed still, while rubbing my back, comforting me. It was embarra.s.sing, it was treason, even, to do such disrespect to the next ruler of Celestia. But I didn't care. I just did what I wanted, and it felt like shackles are breaking off my limbs.

"Hey, Leri!" She called me, with her usual energy. "I want to see the world outside Celestia. It must be fun out there!" She said, looking up at the white sky. "Aren't you wondering what's beyond that barrier?" She asked.

It was normal for Celestial to traverse dimensions. But me, I've never been outside Celestia. I was never allowed by the Aethelmaer clan to go out of Celestia. "Yeah, it must be…" I started sharing the same wonder.

"Then!" She said, standing up and cheerfully grabbing my hands. "Someday, let's go to another world and have lots of fun!"

I took a deep breath. And I smiled, feeling excitement envelop my entire body. "Yeah! Let's do that!"

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