Celestial Saga: Exiled To Earth III 5 Stage Five: The Untold Legend

STAGE FIVE: THE UNTOLD LEGEND

"Alaric… where could he be?" Freyja repeatedly asked herself as she walked around the city, early in the morning, wearing a plain red hooded robe to blend in. Borrowing Avice' wings, She snuck out of the castle to find Alaric and learn more about Haia, while Kirin remain in the castle to do his own search.

The city, which is supposed to be the kingdom's capital, is filled with eerie silence. The houses are empty, if not tightly shut. Aside from occasionally pa.s.sing through one or two residents clad in the same red robes, you cannot feel any life at all. Freyja covertly followed a couple walking hurriedly towards a certain place, as she likewise felt a strong surge of energy coming from that direction. Around thirty minutes of walking, and there she saw a crowd of red-robed people gathering in what appears to be an open plaza. Discreetly joining the crowd, she saw an old mage being forcefully thrown into the middle of the city's plaza, with several other sorcerers with their limbs chained together. Like sacrificial lambs, they were carried into a nearby tower, which emits a very strong and sinister aura. It reminded Freyja of Kirin's dark aura, but it's different. Quickly, Freyja covertly followed the procession, and found herself sneaking into the tower. She was able to infiltrate by flying to a window high above the tower, and breaking the rune-infused gla.s.s panes as quietly as she could. What Freyja saw inside the temple rendered her speechless. In the middle of the tower, a gigantic crystal is floating in the air. The crystal is engulfed in a dense sheet of aura that emits the same heavy and gloomy air around the city. Freyja tried to get closer, but the force surrounding the crystal was too powerful, she couldn't get close without summoning her guardians and blowing her cover. Freyja quietly descended, and heard groans, moans, and cries of pain. What she saw next horrified her. Right before Freyja's eyes, people are killed, their necks slit one by one before offering their blood and bodies to the crystal. Freyja was trembling, watching the children cry in pain, the elderly beg to spare the lives of the young, but no one listened. They kept on killing sacrifices to strengthen the power of the crystal.

Freyja had enough.

Just as when she was about to summon her rune blade and reveal her ident.i.ty, Kirin appeared from behind her and he forcefully dragged Freyja away from that place. Freyja cried and cried, unable to bear the murder she just witnessed. "Why did you stop me!?" She shouted, hitting Kirin's chest with her fists.

"You saw that crystal, even if we both attack, we don't stand a chance fighting in there!" Kirin tightened his grip on her trembling wrist. "We cannot go against an entire nation just like that. If they make all the citizens attack us to death like what you see, we'd be forced to kill them ourselves or watch them kill themselves with exhaustion. Do you want that?" Freyja begrudgingly wiped her tears and sighed. "Now, let's go back to the castle, it will be bad if they start suspecting us."

As soon as Kirin brought her back to the room in the castle, he calmed her down with his warm embrace. "Listen, if you reveal yourself, all our efforts will be in vain! If you really want to help this country, then endure it, and do what you must do!" Freyja sighed heavily. "From the looks of it, he still hasn't figured out who you are. Be careful revealing your aura."

As soon as they're back to their rooms, Kirin insisted that Freyja must rest. Although she's much stronger than before, Kirin could tell that the way she's been using her aura the past few days is draining her at an alarming rate.

"Alaric… where is Alaric?" After seeing what happened, Freyja became even more paranoid. "We have to find him! They might sacrifice Alaric too!"

"Alaric is not that weak. He is more than capable of defending himself. And the prince hasn't shown himself either. The king didn't summon us. Freyja, use this time to rest, you've been using your aura ever since we left the Runemaster's tower. I will look for Alaric in your place, so rest."

"Kirin…" She was persistent. But this time, Kirin raised his voice, admonis.h.i.+ng her.

"Once I leave this room, you are going to sneak out again, am I correct? I know you're feeling guilty, and even if I say that you shouldn't, you won't listen to me! You always think that everything's your fault!" He shouted, rendering the girl speechless. Kirin frequently scolded her before, but this is the first time she saw him angry and emotional at the same time. "Of course, I know how much you care about Alaric, about those people, but what about me!? You said you love me!" Kirin's words silenced Freyja. "You love the people, you love your friends but what about me? If you care for me, then sit still and take care of yourself! Do you know how hard it is whenever you disappear!? Do you even realize how scary it is to find your room empty!?" Kirin shook her shoulders hard before he stood up and turned his back to her. "…But you are you. So, if you still want to be reckless and go straight to h.e.l.l, go ahead. I will follow you."

Freyja jumped out of bed and embraced Kirin's back tight. "I'm sorry Kirin…" She apologized, sinking her face on his wide back. "Sorry…. I'm so selfish. Sorry."

Kirin sighed, feeling sincerity in her words. Then, he hugged the girl back, running his fingers through her jet-black hair. "It's alright now, just leave everything to me for the night, okay? And rest well. Conserve your energy, we'll be fighting hard soon and you know that." He kissed her forehead before tucking the girl to bed. "Good night Freyja."

"Good night. Please be careful." This time, Kirin kissed her lips. "You too." Then, he went out of the room, leaving the girl by herself.

"Astrid…" Freyja called, and Astrid replied from inside the medallion. "Yes, Lenfiare?" Freyja began talking about what she witnessed and how it disturbed her, and how Alaric is missing. She needed someone to talk to at this fragile moment. Astrid listened very carefully, missing no word or heartbeat from his master.

"Do you still remember the legend of Ludien, Lenfiare?" Astrid politely asked.

Freyja nodded. "Yeah. The Legend of the creation of Celestia…."

Once, we all lived together in one world.

Celestials, phreinians humans and other creatures… But one day, the phreinians began preying on the defenseless humans. But there is one powerful celestial by the name of Ludien, who fought for the humans and defeated the phreinians. He loved all creatures equally and he protected them with all of his heart and his power.

Astrid shook his head, before continuing Freyja's unfinished story, in the language of Celestia.

But after hundreds of years, humans sought for greater power and they began to fear and envy their protector, Ludien.

Together, the humans schemed and tried to take Ludien's life, so that they can use his celestial core for themselves.

But they failed.

Devastated by this betrayal, his dream of a perfect, peaceful world was greatly challenged. Instead of giving up, he became obsessed with making a 'perfect world'. Ludien's convictions began to consume his being and he, himself wreaked havoc, destroying everything he felt was keeping him from achieving the 'greater good'. He destroyed everything that did not fall under the world he dreamed of.

Ludien was unstoppable. He almost wiped out the entire human race, leaving nothing but the animals, plants, insects and all the creatures that Ludien believed to have acknowledged their place.

But in the end, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't get the perfect world he desperately wanted. The celestials, his brothers and sisters, were finally able to lock him up for what he did. Finally realizing what he has done in the name of an ideal, he begged for forgiveness.

Heaven has granted him forgiveness. With all the aura, power, that he has ama.s.sed in his years, he turned his left hand into the strongest blade ever known, which he used to slice the dimensions apart and forever seal humans, phreinians and celestials to countless separate worlds.

And his right hand, what remained of that power, became the eternal cage which he sealed himself with— the celestial core that powers Celestia.

But before he pa.s.sed away into this new form, he called upon his youngest sister, Leafen, giving her the key to his life and this power: A spiral wing mark appeared on Leafen's chest.

Leafen, the first Lenfiare, was called upon by the heavens to unite Ludien's divine aura and use it as the very core of the home of the celestials—the Celestial Core. The celestials, from then on, are bound with duty to keep the peace and balance of the dimensions in exchange for the overwhelming power and energy they received.

My creator, Lenfiare Leafen became the very first ruler of Celestia. And only those of the chosen royal blood can control Celestia's core and become the sovereign.

It is said that all Alfiores and Lenfiares, after their lives, join the celestial core with Leafen, to keep the great power burning strong, just like Ludien.

"The ruler of Celestia is the one who can hold the power inside, right? And Ludien was the one who sacrificed his life to hold that power. I think that the true first Alfiore is Ludien. Well, that aside, this is the first time I've heard that story. I mean, Alfiore and the people only told me about Ludien being the champion of the light. I never knew there's a continuation to that story." Freyja uttered. "Hey, how come you remember something that I don't?"

"It's a special memory that do not disappear at the death of our masters. At the very least, I know that I am Lenfiare Leafen's creation. I don't remember a single thing about being her guardian though."

"I see." Freyja nodded. "But why didn't anyone tell me about Ludien? Don't tell me that prophecy thing led them to think I might be Ludien's incarnation? If that is so then I feel sorry for Ludien, who is left misunderstood all these years."

Astrid grew quiet. Freyja could sense uneasiness in him. "Are you not mad? The people of Celestia feared you even before you were born."

"I don't know. What I feel about them is the least I should care about at this moment. I don't even know if I'll live long enough to see them again." She laughed. "But thank you for trusting me with that Astrid. Don't worry, I am me. I am Freyja. Freyja Lenfiare Leafen, and not somebody else." Freyja a.s.sured her guardian with her usual cheerful smile. "Yes… Freyja. Now please go to sleep, you need all the time you can to rest."

Freyja closed her eyes. "Yeah. Thanks for listening."

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