Tales of Revenants

Chapter 21 – Promise

There's no telling what the day would bring. Laken's party is following a path where there's no return. Only choices are what constitutes the mystery about the Nightbeasts and Shards of Creation.

The party was arguing again in the first room they booked about who gets to sleep with whom.

They needed to spend frugally so they only have two rooms to spare for the night.

Xenon frantically insisted that he wanted to stay in the room where Luciella is going because he's afraid of Eirisse.

For them to not fight anymore, Laken dragged Xenon outside of the room to discuss trivial matters. They left the two ladies behind the door since Laken doesn't want his conversation with Xenon to be overheard.

“Listen here Xenon, do you actually want to leave a pureblood vampire whose favorite craving is an elf, with a young healthy half-elf in a room?” Laken rationally questions.

It took seconds before Xenon frowned, “I understand. Just bury me near the Zargon Republic's outskirts.” Xenon still worried about Eirisse's violent tendencies during her Metamorphosis.

“I'll be with Luciella in the second room. You have nothing to be afraid of since she wouldn't dare to bite a clump of metal.” Laken ironically stated.

“She's still scary! Welp, you're right, there's nothing we could do about it,” Xenon slightly regretted his decision.

They went back to the room, Luciella and Eirisse awkwardly sit beside each other. They are glad she didn't assault Luciella. She must be restraining herself much as it can be seen whenever she bites her lips.

“I'll be taking a walk. And I'm not going to hunt any villagers so rest assured,” Eirisse confirmed.

The others nodded in response. She left the room just like that. Luciella tried following her since she certainly wants to talk to her about the things that happened but Laken held her arm.

“Let her be alone. It's hard for her to restrain herself when the scent of the blood is near. She's being considerate trying her best to constrain her desires,” Laken told. Ushering her to their room while he holds her.

“I trust Eirisse, but I'll just scope her from a distance just to make sure.” Xenon confirmed.

He went after Eirisse to observe what's she doing. He closed the door of their room. Luciella and Laken went into the second room to rest early.

Luciella sprawled on the bed curling herself up onto the bedsheet until she rolls over the corner, “What are we going to do after we collect all the shards...?” Luciella began to feed her curiosity. She's been bothered by the subject when she learned Laken's nature.

There are still things that don't add up to Luciella's perception of the world. She wanted to learn the truth and everything. Laken beckoned Luciella to come and sit beside him.

He grabbed the pouch containing the shards on her waist and revealed the six majestic Shards of Creation.

“Look how tiny they were. The night is young, let me tell you the tale of the shards,” Laken gently pats her head.

The exhilarated Luciella's emerald eyes reflection rounded the moonlight.  She nods in enthusiasm as she carefully listened to what Laken is talking about.

“These tiny shards are special. No being in this world could fathom where they came from nor could understand the true nature of the shards. The Heavenly Heroes sought help across the two continents on extracting its power but it leads to naught.”  Laken told the introduction to the peak of an iceberg.

“There is a total of twelve together with the twelve Heavenly Heroes that are protecting the shards. We managed to get half of it thanks to Xenon endeavor,” He took a shard that emits an emerald light, just the same as Luciella's eyes.

“This is the Shard of Nature, we got it from Morgan. The Heavenly Hero representing the Arcanos Kingdom. When you first used its power when you tried to protect me, your magic spell was incredibly enhanced.” Laken stated. He gave the Shard of Nature back on Luciella's palms.

“If I did use it... maybe because I accidentally did it. I have no idea why,” Luciella is perplexed.

“That's okay, you're still learning how. Nevertheless, it's a shard connected to nature. Elven commune to nature that's why it responded to your call,” Laken is not sure of himself.

“Does that mean the rest of the shards represent something?” Luciella was curious.

Laken picked a shard that glows like lavender. A light of purple that emits malefic energy, “Yes.” He answered.

“This one is the Shard of Void. You remembered the Heavenly Hero who commands the other four when we were attacked?” Laken questioned.

“The lady who invoked Eternal Prison? I remembered her.” Luciella answered tilting her head in wonder.

“She's Helenia Aracana Endellion the Heavenly Hero who protects this shard because of her special void magic. The void refers to nothingness, a type of magic that cast destruction,” Laken gave her the Shard of Void.

“What about this shard that emits smog-like aura?” Luciella was in a daze.

“This one is the Shard of Shadow. The vampire that tried to assassinate me during our escape, Dimitri Thanatos Allesandro, is the Heavenly Hero who is assigned to protect this shard.” Laken explains.

Luciella sedulously listened to the things she doesn't know about the Heavenly Heroes. She picked a shard glowing a pure light of illuminance, “It's pretty.” Luciella told while looking it up closer on her palms.

“That's the Shard of Sky. The asrial who protects that shard is Sherkylle. The Heavenly Hero hailing from the Sky Domain. A land that is up in the sky. I'd think you understand why he was assigned to defend that shard,” Laken suggests.

Luciella nodded. This time she held a shard that glimmer like the deep blue sea, “So intense... It's like absorbing me in just gazing upon it.” Luciella couldn't control herself but to stare upon its appeal.

“The one you hold is the Shard of Aqua. When you gaze to the abyss, the abyss gazes back,” Laken reminding her not to stare too much.

“The merfolk lady, Vicious Dandelania protects that shard. She's the Heavenly Hero hailing from the Millennium Shore. A kingdom deep under the sea of Arcadion and Exian continent,” Laken took the shard placing it back in the pouch.

“The last shard that looks as if it has thousands of stars inside is none other than the Shard of Cosmos,” Both of them can't avert their eyes to its brilliance.

“I guess the Shard of Cosmos is owned by the little girl?” Luciella assumes.

“You're right, that little girl is Alice Brigita Charlotte. She's the Heavenly Hero of the glorious Astral Kingdom,” Laken placed all the shards back in the pouch and gave it to Luciella's waist belt.

“But that doesn't answer my question,” Luciella points out.

Laken grinned secretly. He opened the window of their room. He beckoned Luciella to come near him.

“All the shards are called the Shards of Creation. They contain power beyond the heavens.” Laken pointed out to the two moons shining so brightly.

“The name of the blue moon is Lunara, while the red behind it is Solara,” He breathed trails of vapor from the cold.

“It's an old tale about a couple who wanted to catch a star, yet they were cursed because of stealing something that could overthrow the balance of the world.” He expounds but Luciella doesn't have a single clue on what he is talking about.

“I still don't understand Laken...” He pats her head once more. For the first time when she looked upon him, Luciella saw the genuine smile of Laken. A smile in which he had long forgotten.

“Now you learn. That's the way the world should be. You don't need to blind your eyes on something that isn't there; the majestic life is around us. There's no need to understand all things because that's the way of living.” Laken sparked what's little in her heart.

Luciella unbeknownst to her presence. Her tears calmly drift on her cheeks. Laken wiped her face with his palm and said, “I also don't know what would happen after collecting the shards. Is it wrong to believe that collecting them will result in something?” He asked and Luciella couldn't answer.

“All we Revenants have is the voice of someone in our head. A voice to gather all shards... We don't know, we also don't understand... it's our only hope of preventing the prophecy of the Dark War on happening again.” The sorrow on his voice stays.

“I don't know Luciella... I don't know what I should do!” Just as he's about to snap; Luciella embraced him under the blanket of moonlight. The brilliance of light and the warmth Laken longed for. He remembered it once again when he embraced her in return.

“Prophecy or whatsoever... then s***h your way through like you always do!” Luciella held in confidence.

“Never let anything stand in your way! I don't know much about you... but I know you're only helping the world to become a better place, so smite down anything the way you used to be!” She voiced what's in her heart.

Luciella's not letting his embrace go, “And when your azure flames take over your heart... remember that I will be by your side to heal your sadness, I promise you, Laken. Just like how you promised to protect me,” Luciella's decision resonated on his soul.

The wavering heart of Laken who forgot the concept of emotion finally remembered it once Luciella breaks the embrace. Facing her head-on with her teary countenance.

“Luciella...” Laken called out her name.

He silently weeps in the corner while Luciella went back to the bed. She's too flustered to the fact he hugged Laken as she cries her soul out.

With the newfound reason, Laken grasped his goals firmly. The Revenant who seeks hope aimlessly obtained the reason to fight the tides known as fate.

When Laken declared he will collect all the Shards of Creation, he will no matter what. His promise to protect Luciella along the way weighs a thousand diamond dust that he will never let go.