Tales of Revenants

Chapter 62 – Darkness Within

The black agate that Alisa was holding gradually deteriorated into a pile of sand driven by the unyielding wind.

There were no words uttered and Alisa turned towards Luciella with the delighted grin she can offer.

Alisa ushered Luciella to trail her inside the fleeting dream of her. She was engrossed in the endless white landscape that whenever they take a step, the world is being colored through her fragments of memories.

Both of them rested near the lone tree in the Mist Forest. Luciella would never forget the place where she met Laken under the influence of an event known as fated encounter.

The calm wind breezes a fine and warm blow, together with Alisa instigating their intimate conversation.

"I'm sorry again for my selfishness. I actually lied about the purification thing." Alisa confessed the truth behind her unsaid reason.

It wasn't much quite of a guess for Luciella and she remained subdued, "The moment I came here, I know you lied."

"Ho-How did you knew?" Alisa stuttered.

"Well... I never felt any malice when I encroached your consciousness, and the black agate on your palms represent the last darkness you have in your heart." Luciella was reserved and honest to her.

Alisa never expected her to be so keen and figurative. She imagined how much Luciella grew the moment she met Laken on that fated night.

"You're right. I cast away the fear of losing Laken again and if ever his path changes again, just like you, I'll be by his side no matter what happens." Alisa's resolute resonated with the fragment of memories to an extent Luciella was able to feel her warmth.

"There must be something you needed to talk about, I will gladly lend my ears." Luciella grinned at her showing care and admiration.

A light of radiance illuminating her recollection, Alisa was no longer surprised by her ability to discern what's in the mind of one's person.

"I only wanted to have a private conversation with you. Glad you understand." Alisa moved closer to her.

Luciella nodded in understanding. She prepared herself for what could Alisa wanted to say to her in private.

"The moment you met Laken in this forest, your adventures, probably everything up until now, I was there observing your endeavors as the ghost of darkness." Alisa surely wanted Luciella to learn the truth.

"Why didn't you interfered then?" Luciella interjected.

"I'll answer that question together with everyone. But there is something much important than I only wanted you to hear." Alisa became serious all of a sudden.

Luciella kept her inquiries to herself and listened to what she has to say, "I'm sure you understand now that the Revenants are fallen heroes who succumbed to the eternal darkness."

"Yes, but what could cause such a tragedy...?" Luciella tried not to be presumptuous.

"That was the curse of our wishes. Laken had the Curse of Domination, that whenever he kills someone, his victim won't shed any blood. But do you know why they no longer have a life to spill?" Alisa brought another enigma through Luciella's head.

"Why is it...?" Luciella simply asked.

"The blood of his enemy solely becomes the fuel of his azure flames. The flames of sin that will never be quelled nor be extinguished." Alisa replied, which made Luciella cover her mouth in shock from what she learned.

"Does that mean Xenon and Eirisse had too?" Luciella questions.

"Yes. Eirisse was stricken by the Curse of Gratification. As long as she lived, her desire to drink blood will never be quenched, which causes her alter ego to take over." Alisa explained.

It made more sense to Luciella now why Eirisse's normal form is reserved and modest while her alter ego is brutal and cruel.

"What about Xenon?" Luciella was curious about him after the event in Alfeiyn. She was glad it didn't end with a conclusion that doesn't leave the lifestyle of the celestials into a precarious position.

"It was rather enigmatic how an artificial life could be subjected to the darkness, but I will tell you nevertheless." Alisa plucked an iris near the riverbank and came back to Luciella.

The bluish-lavender petals were truly lovely. Alisa chanted necrotic magic that rendered the flower decayed into nothingness.

It made Luciella downcast. At the same time, it was simply an analogy for her to understand Xenon's cursed condition.

"No matter how much you love a flower, if you chose to pluck it because of its beauty, then your love is just a false sentiment that will never, ever become true," Alisa stated a value in which Luciella would surely hold onto.

She couldn't react nor interject considering she used to be that way in the past. On the other hand, Luciella learned the weak of her past will one day be the strength of her tomorrow.

"Xenon had the Curse of Entropy. The more he seeks life, the more those around his presence return to dust during his Metamorphosis." Alisa certainly knows the curse of her comrades.

Amongst the things Alisa revealed to her, there is still one thing Luciella wanted to learn, "What is your curse then?"

"It was... the Curse of Forgotten. I will explain to you together with everyone." Alisa held Luciella's hand and pulled the abyss of mind to get out of her fragment of memory together with her.

Before they escaped the endless white canvas, Alisa said something to Luciella that she'll remember, "Thank you Luciella... for reminding Laken how to smile again." Deep in her heart, Luciella knew she just wanted to show her sincerest gratitude.

Both of them successfully exited the landscape of unconsciousness and nothing serious happened to them during the purification.

"Is your head not feeling dizzy or what?" Eirisse worriedly asked right after they woke up.

Xenon employed his technomagic device scanner to examined their bodily structure and health condition, "Health is perfectly fine though the hunger level is above sixty-four percent."

Instead of worrying about the next objectives, Alisa beckoned everyone to tell them the truth about what she learned during her servitude towards the cult that gradually plaques nations.

"Let me now tell you about everything I know when the Midnight Pentagram used me as their temporary Demon Lord," Alisa spoke something that made Xenon perplexed.

"Wait, Demon Lord you said? I thought you were their queen?" Xenon interjected.

"I'm pretty sure you know those who have the mark of an eye on their arm are being used by the Midnight Pentagram," Alisa reciprocated his sudden question.

"Does that mean you can't remember what happened during your subjection to them?" Laken asks an unavoidable doubt.

Alisa sat beside Luciella near the corner of the bed and said, "That should be the case. However, I am a necromancer so it doesn't apply to me."

"What are you implying?" Laken gritted his teeth.

"You guys have any idea what is the true purpose of the Revenants? And what are the Shards of Creation?" Alisa asked them questions that only she can answer.

"No. Then tell us," Laken also wanted to admit what has become of him and to accept the ideology fate has furnished.

"The sole reason why we are under the servitude of darkness... is for us to be the Demon Lords." Everyone was quite startled to what Alisa has uttered. They never dared to ask for more and continued to hear the truth.

"The ideology that the light represents good, and the darkness signifies evil. Those who believe it to be true are those who rejected the concept of harmony." Alisa assiduously showed her point of view pertaining to the philosophy of life.

"Does that mean that we almost..." Xenon gulped his words before another could escape.

"You're right. The true Metamorphosis where the cursed ones leave its material form was the advent of the Demon Lord and should spell the world into destruction." Alisa surely never mince her words and directly cut to the point.

Laken was under contemplation when Alisa showed them the Shards of Creation she got from Luciella's pocket.

"These Shards of Creation have the sole purpose that corrects the flaws of the world, but it isn't always the case." Alisa was downright and also meticulous.

"The shards contain infinite power. Miraculously perhaps, only Luciella could wield its never-ending potential." Xenon pointed out the obvious.

Alisa went to the table near the window and closed the curtains, "You may be right. The Revenants are susceptible to darkness and can become Demon Lord in the flip of a coin. That's what the shards' purpose; to save the world."

"Then why do the Nightbeasts started appearing the day?" Eirisse might as well question the greatest mystery all the nations and kingdoms are having right at that moment. They wanted to fathom what ensues to the world.

"The law of the Gods is quite a tricky one. Revenants should become the darkness and the Magus should conquer them. Still, what would happen if their advent was prevented?" Alisa replied with another mystery.

They had seconds of silence to think logically. Xenon inevitably takes a guess, "The correction of chaos and the alternatives of countermeasures!" He exclaimed when he realized something.

"What Xenon said always doesn't make sense. But you all now get the gist of it; the darkness has continued to creep the world since the Revenants didn't accept the advent." Alisa elucidated, which made them grasp the unknown.

"And the darkness you speak off is tremendous to the point the Nightbeasts has acquired the ability to defy the judgment of the sun?" Xenon asked and Alisa simply nodded.

The Nightbeasts are monsters of the night that started to appear after the Dark Wars. Some say they are already present during the war but there is one thing they are certain; these creatures seek to end all life on the surface of the world.

They are stronger than normal monsters and could surely spell the extinction of all life. Laken thought to himself that if he alone accepted the darkness within him, then the world won't suffer.

Luciella also contemplates if only she was stronger and courageous, she will carry the burden of saving the world.

Everyone was doubting within their heart and the Loveless Revenant could read the emotions of those beside her. It was also Alisa's duty to not let them carry the weight of sin at the top of the mountain of mistakes.

"Remember; never falter and never doubt. The world doesn't give us reason to live. However, those beside us is what truly makes us move forward, so I shall never repeat my mistake!" Alisa declared and surely got the habit of Laken's resolute.

She placed both her hands on her neck and rotated her head ninety degrees by force out of the blue.

At first, they can't understand what just occurred. She certainly lost consciousness on the bed that disturbed everyone.

"Hey...? Are you joking? Alisa!" Laken shakes her shoulders many times to wake her up but to no avail.

The rest of the party were all agitated and have no idea what to do in the situation. Xenon clanked his chest as he changes his attribute.

Laken struggled to do all he can and would resort to resuscitation if needed just so she could wake up again.