亚洲综合中美

“If my owner wants to protect her highness so bad,” licking her lips at Rile, “-I suppose I can’t refuse.” Catching her intent, Rile rolled his eyes and smirked.

‘Not you,’ her face changed as if smelling something unpleasant, her eye wasn’t on the wolf-man, rather, she had taken a liking to Seiran. Heart-broken, the ears lowered with Seiran giving comforting pats on the back.

“Then it’s decided,” speaking abruptly, Courtney tripped and bit her tongue. Innocent and warm, her face flushed in pain, “-Elliot will also be guarding the mansion.” Footsteps with sobs walked to the dining hall.

“Perfect,” stood, “-Rosetta,” few inches away from her, “-here’s Elliot, a talented Marksman who’ll work as a guard. Maintaining this big a mansion and caring for Lizzie will be daunting,” babe held in a cradle, her sobs stopped with him swaying back and forth, “-everyone, make thyself acquainted to one another.”

*Dring,* phone rang, “-Brother, I have to go.”

“Thanks for coming,” he said with a smile.

.....

“Now that’s a face I didn’t expect to see,” watching the father and daughter had the heart skip a beat. “My niece is very much cute,” reached to give a quick peck on the forehead, her lipstick stood against the pale skin. “I hope this arrangement is for a few months,” whispered in his ear, “-Lizzie needs a mother. We know how painful it is to be brought up without one. My other self, I feel for her the same as you do. That’s why do what is needed to have Arda returned. Major players are moving all around the globe – tis a warning, I can but protect thy if the time comes,” stepped away with good intent, “-Elliot, let’s go, thy job starts tomorrow.”

A flicker of light followed by the air being slashed, the chopper took-off. Darkness overwhelmed the continent, back against five new servants, Lizzie in hand, a familiar warmth rose from inside. One of comfort, one of a passing moment of peace. In that instant, the mind became clear, doubt about Xula, the kingdom, and everything, turned to naught. It was as if someone had patted his back and another held its arms around his shoulder. Faint, what the other saw were mists with white-eyes of which screamed death. All the previous Wielders of Death Element were there, gathered around the heir.

‘What’s happening?’ turned, the mansion disappeared, many o’ black spirits merged into one. “Who are you?” asked, the words echoed in every direction. The figure continued to walk without care, “-WHO ARE YOU?!” asked once more, it stood at arm’s length.

“One of the same,” said the disfigured humanoid body. It burnt with the Void flame. “We’re your predecessors,” the sheer power in those words held immense pressure. Similar to standing underneath a waterfall – it wasn’t water, but sheer strength, one that pierced straight to the bones. Behind it, a familiar face sat with a cup in hand.

‘Lord Death?’

“Listen,” voiced the figure, “-the time has come to awake as a god. We’ve judged, we’ve plunged thy into the pits of hell. Every time, you stood up to face the whole world alone. The power granted to you was true, yet, thou choose to fight with normal-tier magic. The use of the vampiric blood and wit opposed to showing thy true self. Hell, even if you wanted to unleash it all, the right to the power is locked by us, we’re the guardians,” split into five beings that circled;

“Saving a child named Eira,” said one.

“Saving the Silver Guardians,” added another.

“Losing thy home town, thy best friend, and the only thing with connection to your past.”

“Sacrificing thyself in the battle-against Gallienne.”

“Spending more than a decade imprisoned by a spell.”

“Released by the will of Tharis and her apostle for they viewed thee as worthy.”

“Returning to a war-torn province to aid in the rebuilding efforts.”

“Sending away comrades due to conflict rivaling nations.”

“Swapping sides to Arda so that Dorchester could be left alone.”

“Fighting to protect, always losing more things valuable for the better of the others.”

“Ashamed for having placed a comrade in peril, thou did all to save her life.”

“The arrival of monsters had the capital in chaos.”

“A massacre of the people, thou had to craft scrolls in hopes of saving them.”

“Marrying the Queen.”

“Forming an adventuring team to help in fighting monsters.”

“Rescuing Auic, a plaything and turning her into a strong-willed woman.”

“Carrying the burden of thy companions.”

“Willingly give up thy humanity, to be able to act with it mattered.”

“Taking on the responsibility of raising Lizzie. The girl found solace.”

“Helping protect the people of another continent. Guarding she who was the reason for people to smile.”

“Happiness swapped with despair when Lizzie died.”

“Saving the kingdom from the shadow, helping an enemy.”

“To now,” one by one, vague snippets of his life were spoken in random order. “You love killing but even more helping another. Willingly becoming the harbinger of hate. Thou know full well that hate and a common enemy can unite people as if nothing. God of Death, you’ve saved people and killed even more. Not out of spite, nor out of a sense of duty,” monotonous to warm, one reminiscent, “-you even challenged the god’s curse and broke the one of starting over. Staxius Haggard,” unrecognizable to a man in uniform, “-my son,” he smiled which then turned into an embrace. “I’ve seen you grow from the eyes of Lord Death. What I couldn’t do, you’ve done admirably. I was strong but never strong enough to protect those who mattered to me. Not you, my son, not you, even if you lost, you crawled up again to take what was yours.”

“That is why,” sat on a hovering stool, Lord Death approached, “-that is why the predecessors came. Thou have been evaluated, my heir. Action speaks louder than words, and that is the reason you’re worthy. Staxius Haggard,” from five, they split further, “-come and take what is yours, the god of death, thy ascension to divinity is complete.” A staircase erected from out of nothingness, golden railings with white-tiles going upwards to a clear blue sky.

“Divinity,” stopped to stare,”-will I be able to return to my plane?”

“What is this?” turned Lord Death, “-what do you mean to return?”

“I assume that climbing those stairs is a one-way ticket.”

“No,” turned with a chuckle,” -my heir, my prodigy, you needn’t worry. Said stairway is only a means to an end. Each step you climb, and the more power you’ll harness. As Creation crafted Nevermore, us, Death Reapers, have a limiter only given when proven to be worthy.” *Snap,* another pathway materialized, one ascending and one descending. “Each step gives more power, and more power means more strain – the immortality will forever be active, you’ll never die. Going beyond thy limit and breaking the Death Element will result in a long slumber, one that could last centuries.”

“How far till my element breaks?”

“Right to the point,” he smiled, “-the furthest reached was 50 steps upwards and 20 steps downwards,” stood in the middle of the diverging paths, “-let me warn you, you’re now a God. And with that comes responsibilities of which I shall take care of. The first duty assigned to you is the protection of thy dimension. About the stairs, before attempting to climb up or down; the limitation on Nevermore must be removed. Without the Death Gate open, climbing the stairs will not be permitted.”

“I understand,”

“Go,” harmonious, “-all will be clear soon. God of Death, welcome to the realm of divine beings,” trailing on the last sentence, the consciousness teleported to an empty room. One with two paths – up and down.

‘I awakened as a god. They found me worthy, the divination process is complete.’

[Divinity – Third Boon: Mortus.] The last boon given to the God of Death. First was the body, second the mind and third, the unlimited powers of the divine. Complete at last, Staxius reached the third level, the three pillars of Death were acquired.

Eyes opened to a chilly room; the right hand burned. The pentagram changed to a triangle with a scythe in the middle. Sat upright, the clock showed 8:00, ‘-my body feels so much lighter,’ walked over to a mirror, ‘-nothing’s changed. I’m the same, wait...’ conscious, “-I don’t have to hold back my powers, there’s normally a copious amount of Mana that escapes daily. I feel great for a change, the triangle is containing the Death Element. Even Blood-Arts feels more powerful.”

*Knock, knock,* “-majesty,” the door opened, “-tis I, Seiran, I’ve come to wake you.”

“Seiran, do you know what happened yesterday?”

“You fell unconscious after handing over her highness to Rosetta.”

“Is that so, and what of Elliot, has he come?”

“Yes, the boy is at the gate.”

“Alright, I suppose it’s time for breakfast, do give me a moment, I shall have a shower.”

“As you wish, I’ll have Rile come to assist thee,” she bowed out of the room. Staxius felt as if he was reborn.

‘I’ve been going back and forth around the mansion for the past few days,’ stood with a sword on the hip, a massive backpack and the outfit worn by Kniq, a lady arrived at the gates. Sun rose over yonder cast a shadow of the other buildings onto where she stood. *Beep,* a press of the button had a man jump onto the walls, “-who’s there?” he asked with face hidden by the sun’s ray.

“Achilles, member of Kniq, I’ve come to see Guild Master Staxius.”

“Member of Kniq,” paused, “-I’ll relay the information, do give me a moment.” The message reached his ears at lightning speed; in the process of being undressed, hearing the name Achilles, Staxius sprawled out with shorts and no shirt.

“Master,” waited for Laura at the foot of the stairs, “-is something the matter?” leaped at the firth step, he sprinted out the mansion.

“WHAT HAPPENED?” sensing a gust of wind, Laurence rushed, “-are you safe?”

“It’s master, he ran out of the mansion,” overhearing Laura, Seiran was quick to sprout wings and follow suit. Medium-sized signified a very powerful nightwalker immune to the sun-light.

“Master,” next to him, “-Is something the matter?” she asked in mid-air.

“Achilles has returned,” dashing down the hill, the gates opened per Elliot’s command.

Panting, the parting of the entrance slowly revealed who stood on the other side. Matured with longer hair, Achilles showed pain unlike any other.

“Achilles,” returning a comforting smile, “-welcome home,” the arms spread.

“I’m back,” breathing a sigh, she dashed into his arms, “-it’s good to see you again, master.”

“Yes, I’m glad your back,” ending the embrace, “-what of Deadeyes, is he not with you?”

“...” no response, a faint glimpse of anguish, “-he’s d-dead.”

“D-deadeyes is dead?” the warm expression changed to blank, “-I suppose the prediction in the letter stands true,” faced away, Seiran waited to be explained of what happened.

“Do you hate me now?”

“No,” refuted Achilles, “-we were outclassed from the start. If only Kniq was there as a whole, we could have defeated that fiend,” filled with hate directed at herself, the wind blew sharply.

“I see, let’s go inside. We need to pay our respect to the man who has saved us countless times on the battlefield.”

“Let’s honor his death as a hero, Deadeyes, the man that always cared for his ally.”

“The man who had a heart as big as the world.” Returned home, Achilles and Staxius would join forces once more. To honor the death of their comrade of which the tower of Aris took away, a grave with his guild-tag was built in the flowery garden.