Ifrailian Tales

Fate | Irreversible

Strange... there was no one awaiting Hisyld at the entrance. No resistance of any kind. Just an endless staircase sprawling upwards, and she ran as fast as her legs would carry her. Climbing the spiral staircase, ascending and never halting till she reached the Spire’s apex, the observatory. Inside the tip of the tower, the observatory was a large, mostly empty space. With a dome made out of multicolored glass nestled on top. Altering the rays of light that leaked into the room, red, orange, even blue. Depending on where you stood inside, the color light reflecting against you would be different.

Again not a soul awaited, no one waited to spring a trap, if there were Hisyld would have detected them. False, she did detect a single life form, hell she saw him with her own two eyes, Xynith. Adorned in a bulky suit of armor, words of enchantment had been etched into the metal sleeves of both arms. The bits of metal protecting the shoulders were carved into sharp arches that protruded backwards. His blonde, spiked hair complimented his rather slender face nicely. But there was little left to imagination when it came to the s**t eating grin, plastered on his lips.

“Hisyld Mynris,” his mellow voice bounced off the walls, “So, you survived.”

Hisyld came to a stop, leaving a significant distance between the two Seraphs. Xynith stood atop the only object built into the observatory, a pedestal with a slot at its midpoint. Still on edge, she did not quip back at her enemy opting instead to scan for any trace of stragglers.

Xynith chuckled, “It’s just us Mynris.”

“I know you high council types, you’ll always have a fallback.”

“Oh I do, but unlike my fellow council member I am no coward,” Xynith reached under his chestplate, plucking out a sword emblem attached to a necklace. “After all, you are speaking to an envoy for the divine.”

Underneath the surface, Hisyld was casting minor augmentation spells. For without a doubt, she’d have to get rid of the council member. Magic resistance, Strength boast, mental shield, all necessary if she was to survive combat with him.

“So quick to violence, are we Mynris??”

Hisyld twitched, “I beg your pardon, you and the council have made multiple attempts on my life within the last three hours.”

“An appropriate response given the magnitude of this crime,” the general pushed his arms out to each side of him. “This tower is affront to all we stand for.”

“We? There is no unity, only the high council and far below them is the rest of Seraph civilization.”

The general laughed, “You forget yourself Mynris, you hold a seat in the very same council.” He was right, in technical terms at least. Mynris, while unimportant in the grand scheme of things was insignificant. The bloodline’s accumulated power over the centuries gifted them a seat on the lower council. An assembly of powerful families, who in theory would help dictate the course of Seraph history. But it was nothing but an elaborate farce. Only the gods and high council had any real authority. Effectively making the lower council nothing more than a formality.

“Yes, a member of the very same group that allows outside entities to interfere with our affairs.”

“These ‘outsiders’ you speak of, created us.”

A sharp pain shocked Hisyld’s system. She stumbled back, gripping the sides of her head. It felt as if thousands of pin needles had penetrated her brain. Hisyld’s mental shield, was far to weak. “And they do not take kindly to heretics.”

Xynith’s voice was literally stabbing into her head. Every letter out of his mouth pushed the metaphorical needles in deeper. He casually approached, all while berating her. Out from a compartment built into the armor’s chest came a curved sword’s hilt. The general activated his weapon, extending a purple blade out from the handle. Hisyld couldn’t react, the pain was simply too much. She screamed, as loud as she could, attempting to push through the pain. But her eyes fell blank, expressionless and Hisyld dropped to her knees.

Was this it… was she to meet her end here, at the end of Xynith’s blade. Laying waste to decades of meticulous planning. An end to the dream of the Mynris, and all those who put their faith into them. Everything was going to be wiped clean, all of it…

“You are a snake, crawling your way into the minds of the pure. And I will correct this anomaly.” The general lifted the sword above his head. It’s purple glow covering the two Seraphs. It was at this moment, Hisyld’s right fist was engulfed in blue flames. There was no time for the man to react, she rammed her fist into Xynith’s chestplate. Igniting a small blast, which sent the council member flying through the air.

“Ngh..” The general picked himself up off the ground, his weapon nowhere in sight. “How did- the mental constriction should have kept you immobile!”

“Do you know why we Mynris live alone, separate from our peers.” Hisyld’s voice carried no inflections of any kind. She rose to her feet and much like her voice, her face held a blank expression. “Loneliness, separation, the feeling of absolute nothingness. They are the components that drive our blood magic forward. For a Mynris, only one thing is guaranteed and that is isolation.”

Xynith snarled, for now it all came together. Hisyld hadn’t broken his mental binding, she’d simply cut herself off from the frontal lobe of her brain. Removing the sense of pain while her body suffered in silence. However in doing so she has doomed herself. With no resistance from the victim, mental constriction will run unchecked, not resting until the brain ceases activity.

“You would give up your life for some wishful ideology!” Hisyld let her actions speak for herself. She launched forward, Xynith barely had enough time to materialize a wall of mana to block her assault. Ultimately it was useless, as only a single strike was needed to shatter the shield. Like glass the fragments scattered, slowly fizzling out of existence. The young seraph was able to land a single hit to the man’s protected chest before he retaliated. A violent gust of wind, pushed his opponent back.

“How was I able to hide this spire from the gods.” HIsyld stated in monotone. The general didn’t respond, averting his gaze. “They claim us their greatest achievement. Yet allowed those monstrosities to run rampant, kill millions of our kind! Face it Xynith, we’re nothing to them.”

“...Let’s say hypothetically your accusations held any weight behind them. They are still immortal and immensely powerful. Any form of revolt would not end in our favor. So in order to secure a future for our species, we remain under their domain.”

“We will not reach our full potential under their gaze. As such, I will sever their ties to our world.”

Xynith sighed, almost feeling pity for Hisyld. “No, you will not.”

He tossed two black cubes, each with curved edges at the corners onto the floor. In a flash of mellow orange, two massive, beast-like golems appeared. Constructed from polished stone, these automata stood seven feet tall with a bulky build. Their head was an oval shaped stone with eight, glowing eyes spread across it. Lifeless, they stood there awaiting instruction. Xynith barked out an order so simple a toddler couldn’t misinterpret it, “Kill her.”

They lumbered towards Hisyld, but she did not flinch. In the face of two giants, she did not falter. The Seraph general watched, unsurprised by her reaction or lack thereof. “These familiars and I share the same blessing, You will not harm direct envoys of the divine themselves.”

“I see,” the familiars were closing in. Hisyld reached into her pocket, taking hold of the small box Grot had given her moments before. Images of him and Todri flashed inside her mind, She desperately hoped for their safety but more than anything, she wanted to make them proud. “Then I’ll have to answer you in full.”

She swiftly moved her arm out to the side, clasping the featureless cube tightly. Xynith furrowed his brow, the rocky monstrosities grew closer, and Hisyld tightened her hold around the hexahedron till it popped. It cracked like glass, at the exact moment the cube was crunched a portal tore it’s way through reality itself, opening up to Hisyld. The beasts paused for a moment, tilting their heads, unable to determine an appropriate reaction. She plunged her right hand into the portal, taking hold of a cold, metal handle.

“A warp gate-” the general gasped, “Kill her, NOW!”

In unison the golems ran at the female Seraph. And in a fraction of a second, they were gone. Both sliced diagonally from their midsection in one fluid movement. Without the magic binding the stones together any longer, they crumbled, falling to the floor as basic, every day pebbles. The tool used to cut them down, an ancient weapon by the looks of it. Thirty inches of scarlet material made up the blade, hilt too was painted red. Streams of pure black ran down the blade, creating thousands of loose lines, which created the illusion of a fractured blade.

“Wha...What is the meaning of this,” Xynith flinched, his jaw was agape in pure disbelief. “Nothing, absolutely nothing created by mortal hands should be able to harm those with a blessing. What sort of horror have you birthed...”

Hisyld strode towards the frightened man, “What have I birthed? That’s simple, the bane of the Divine.” A radiant ball of lighting was flung her way, and with one flick of the wrist the spell was defused. Once the blade sliced through the electricity, the black lines seemed to take on a dim glow and the magic spell imploded. The general took another step back, firing off another spell, this time with the affinity of flame. It was split in half with the bane of the divine just like the first.

“You are an anomaly, an error in the gods planning!”

Xynith shouted, casting spell after spell, each one more powerful than the last. A futile attempt to impede Hisyld’s progress, as each attack gifted her crimson sword more power. By the time the orange haired woman came to a stop, the black lines had taken on a horrible gleam. An indescribably dark haze seemed to generate from the seams.

“Tell me something Xynith, General of the Seraph inquisitors, and envoy for the three divine lifeforms.” Her voice carried with it the warmth of a corpse. “If our lords are all knowing, all powerful, then why have they not stopped me themselves?”

“Tsk, why you impudent-”

“Moreover, if you discovered the spire's purpose why did you not inform them? Surely the gods deserve such information.”

“...For the same reason I must stop you. To prevent our race's extinction!”

Hisyld, for the first time since cutting herself off from sensation, smiled. “So you admit the gods would bring about damnation? They sound more like typical demons if you ask me.”

“ENOUGH,” Xynith was fuming. “I will no longer entertain the ramblings of a failed bloodline. You will meet your end here, along with those who sided with you!” His catalyst, which had been tossed aside previously traveled through the air as if being pulled by an unseen thread.

Thump, the powerless handle settled into it’s master’s hand. Who in turn fed it the mana it was seeking, the violet imitation of steel returned shining brighter than before. He squeezed his hilt with both hands, holding the weapon above his head.

“I pray to you, Meyong, god of honor. Give me strength so that I may-”

“Divine disruption,” in an instant, the many sporadic lines of darkness pooled into a single, concentrated solid line. All the energy stored inside the blade, was emptied in a single blow. A beam of pure black shot out from the sword’s tip, blasting a perfect circle though the man’s chest. Powerless once more, the sword shut off while it’s wielder fell back, his essence ebbing away. No more, no more obstacles in her path. Hisyld moved toward the pedestal, stepping over the general’s corpse to reach it.

“...You're a fool,” the man clung to the last of his life, truly impressive. “Removing yourself from sensation, did not stop my constriction. Your spell Can not last forever and when your senses return. It will all come at once, you will not see the end of your selfish dream.”

“Your right… This is selfish, the desire of one girl overshadowing that of the majority. The gods will not be separated immediately, it is a slow burn, This will give them time to dish out punishment before their connection is severed forever. Seraphs may cease to exist due to my actions here today. But even so, I know my plan will finally free us of our creators. Maybe not for me, or even my people, but those who come after. They shall be unrestrained, able to proceed with life as they see fit.”

Hisyld Mynris, one out of the millions of Seraphs that still populate this planet. Made her choice, with no semblance of hesitation or regret, she plunged the bane of the divine into the pedestal. She twisted the handle, locking the final piece of their plan in place. The entire spire began to tremble, twin latches opened up underneath the concrete pedestal.

It descended, falling into the dark below until it was no longer visible. A reverse waterfall of bright, neon colors burst through the space on the floor. Flying upward into the sky, destroying the glass dome and soaring into space. Hisyld could not see its culmination, that occurred in the atmosphere. The casting off a net, one that would gradually eat away at the supreme being’s connection to our world.

“And that is truly beautiful.”

Xynith coughed out a blob of scarlet liquid, “You have secured our damnation.” And with that, the esteemed envoy passed away.

Hisyld was tired, wielding the legendary sword required an immense amount of mana. Alongside needing the numbing effect of her blood magic, it was magic energy she didn’t have. However, the head of the Mynris family did not suffer the repercussions of abusing her body. Just like Xynith suggested, once she returned to sensation, the accumulated pain was too much for her to handle, she died.

In her last moments, Hisyld swore she could make out the boxed in field of green from her dream. Yet it was different, all around her the walls turned to dust. All of it falling to the surface, kicking up a thick cloud of dust. But to her delight, once settled, nothing no longer obscured the sun, and it’s rays reached all. Flowers opened up all around, not just the expected roses but sunflowers, lilies, orchids, so many different variations of shapes and colors. But most importantly, the warmth of the sun did not shy away from basking her in its embrace. Hisyld Mynris, the sinful Seraph who forced her will upon the world… was truly happy in the end...