Tales of Revenants

Chapter 55 – Wish of the Magus

The unavoidable event that almost brought the Astral Kingdom's peace into ruination has ended.

Alice made amends using her magic to fix everything up since she felt responsible for the things that happened.

Meanwhile, she let Laken's party and Sheria in her mansion so they can rest for the day. There's nothing left to do at the time. The dawn arrives faster than they would know.

Laken wakes up with Luciella beside him keeping hold of his hand. He observes the damage caused by the azure flames in his arm is gone which means she healed her at some point during their slumber.

The door opened in a slam, Alice pointed her wand and with the cast of magic and made both Laken and Luciella levitate in the air as some Esper could do.

“Good thing you two are already awake. There's a lot of things we need to discuss so don't enjoy the bed too much.” Alice grumpily pouted.

She forced them to be seated on one of the wooden chairs where the rest are waiting.

It seems to be a dining room since there is a long table in the middle of the seats.

“Before anything, let us have breakfast first.” Alice snaps her finger and the maids popped out of nowhere carrying a plate with strawberry cake and glass of milk on the other hand. Each of them was given service before the maid disappeared like bubbles.

Laken guesses they were using some teleportation or spatial magic. But that doesn't matter anymore because when he saw their breakfast is cake and a strawberry flavor at that, he totally lost his appetite.

“Now let us pray for the stars and wish for a healthy day.” Alice clasps her hands and closed her eyes.

Laken respected her tradition and did it as well. It must be orthodox for the celestial to pray over the stars.

The rest just looked at each other before partaking the breakfast they were given.

Laken had no choice and he was hungry. It's a blessing to have something to eat rather than nothing.

They were surprised when Sheria devoured the plate as a whole together with the cake and she stands up, went in front of Luciella, and bowed down with the utmost respect.

“The umbral light you showed freed me from the shackles of darkness. I must say thanks and ask forgiveness...” Sheria is back to her usual monotonic tone, but her sincerity says it all.

“No. I merely did what I should do, so there's no need for formality.” Luciella bashfully tousled her hair. Sheria returned to her seat in consideration.

Eirisse and Xenon think they needed to apologize too but Alice halted them when they stand up as well.

“No one here needed apology. It was an unprecedented event after all. What we need is answers or else we'll fail the raid this evening.” Alice asserted to them. The two seated again gloomily since what she said is the truth.

“Now tell us what you know Sheria. What you did is treason towards the Astral Kingdom. And if the king knew what you did, the celestials will wage war against the Zargon Republic.” Alice finished eating the first plate and the maids gave her second serving.

Sheria is aware of what she did and she also understands what would be the consequences of her actions.

“Good thing I'm the protector of the second barrier, I can report another story to the higher-ups and they'd believe me. Now since you know what you did, you must tell us everything, or else I will show no mercy.” Alice was being serious.

Laken had in mind it must be hard for her because Alice can't even blame the one who killed thousands of her kind since Sheria was under the influence of some brainwashing.

“I will tell you everything. First of all, there was an underground dungeon on the outskirts of the Astral Kingdom.” Sheria started spilling the beans.

“Then tell us about how the mark of an eye in your arm appeared before.” Laken inquired about the root of all problems.

He reckoned the mark was a curse in which they will follow the Midnight Pentagram to do their bidding.

“I didn't know also... when a celestial herald ushered me to meet Alice, that was the only thing I remember, and after everything was like a fleeting dream.” Sheria's perplexity is evident even for an emotionless mechanoid.

“It's okay. You still remember where the dungeon is located right?” Alice was munching her fourth plate.

“I remember it, and Zoroaster was being held captive in a chamber. Though I don't know where exactly.” Sheria showed them a cube filled in mana.

“The Alpha Core, I wonder how you defeated him.” Xenon remarked gazing upon the core Sheria was holding that belonged to Zoroaster.

“I did not defeat him, someone assisted me, but I can't seem to recognize...” Sheria was trying her best to remember.

“Are you sure the one who helped you was not Barbaros?” Alice asked reflecting.

Sheria shook her head suggesting the one who assisted her was another missing piece of the board.

“Now for the real deal, is what Luciella did was the real Magus Incarnation?” Alice gulped the entire glass of milk and asked one of her maids to refill it.

“What's a Magus Incarnation in the first place?” Eirisse fixes her eyeglasses.

“Not all here seems to know what is it. Let me tell you this.” They were all watching just how fast Alice can eat cakes in the morning without getting a stomachache.

“It was supposed to be a tale from a long, long time ago. It was written in one of the oldest ancient texts in our archives, stating that those who desire or wish to transcend above all, have to pray to the twelve stars.” Alice sips from the glass of milk.

“And the twelve stars is pertaining to the twelve shards isn't it?” Laken interjected.

Alice didn't respond and rather she continued what she was saying.

“The light of the stars shall answer the prayer of the lost, though only one will be able to change the breath of creation when the scourge of nothingness corrupts the world is the Magus.” Alice finished her sentence.

“And that one is you Luciella.” Alice pointed the tip of her wand to her.

“Have you ever wondered what is the purpose of the shards? Is the corruption of the world the tale speaks is the atrocious Nightbeast appearing not only through the night but the day as well?” Alice showered them the exact same question they are having after she opened the window to have fresh air.

They couldn't answer because there's none, “The Magus Incarnation is the manifestation of the wish of the wielder. But it was the choice of the shard as well, meaning you can only use it if the shard desired so.” Alice lets the maid refill the glass with milk.

They didn't bother how much of a sweet-tooth she was. Alice came back to her seat after gazing by the window.

Luciella was under deep contemplation after eating the cake, “Don't think too much about it Luciella. The Revenants are one thing that adds up to the mystery. But I guess you three forgot how you were cursed isn't it?” Alice guess was on the right spot.

“We know that we are Revenants, but we can't seem to comprehend what could be the cause...” Xenon said himself.

Luciella guesses that the cause of their curse was when the moment they drank a chalice that contains a dark-red substance which she saw in the fragment of memories when she encroaches Eirisse and Xenon's mind.

“Pondering over the past will only be an impediment. We must focus on the raid later.” Laken implies and they all agreed.

“Speaking of the raid, Sheria will stay here in the mansion after giving us the coordinates of the dungeon. We don't want you to be manipulated again.” Alice asked for her cooperation and only considered her safety. Sheria nodded without saying anything.

“There's no need to think deeper for stratagem; our priority is to secure Luciella will be safe and to rescue Zoroaster, and we shall nuke their hideout with everything we have.” Alice decided the plan they should undertake as simple as it could be.

“Are you sane?” Laken remarked her rash ideas.

“Wh-What? Do you have a better plan then?” Alice argues. Laken doesn't want to ride her foolishness.

“Nah, it's actually good. We will add another plan where Xenon will scan the dungeon's entirety.” Laken added to their plan that doesn't make sense but he still follows it.

“That will require five mana potions and a lot of mana spring.” Xenon told the cost.

“It's fine, my mana spring will keep you charged.” Eirisse agreed.

“Now that everything is set up, we'll go back to the cakeshop!” Alice felt ecstatic and spins her wand around planning to teleport them again in the cakeshop.

Laken doesn't want to go back to that wretched place, “No more cakes!” He exclaimed but it's too late.

He guesses he will die of too much sugar before he can even face the Midnight Pentagram.

Nevertheless, when Luciella chuckled seeing his expression, it made him comfortable for some reason.

The true quest that will decide the peace of the Astral Kingdom will be decided on that day.

Laken shall shatter the heavens if needed to just so he could have answers to the mystery behind the shadow cast by the light of truth.