TBATE | A Traitor

CHATPER 11: Three Sides of a Coin

Eleanor Leywin

It has been 3 long months since me and my mother have been kept in this room. It wasn't unbearable per say, we had a comfy bed and a large couch. There were books to read and the mana conductivity was good enough to train in. Food teleported it's way in 3 times a day. Again it was fine...nothing like my mothers cooking but better then any prison I could think of.

The books were mostly about Alacryan politics and social norms. I hated reading them but to pass the time I caved in.

I also practiced mana manipulation. Every day I dedicated 8 hours to either meditation or mana control. This helped me to break through to the initial silver core stage. I could now conjure a bow of pure mana; but it couldn't handle the strain of shooting an arrow. But I was proud nonetheless.

One morning, for the first time since being put into this room, I heard a knock on the door. Without giving me the chance to answer a man with sleek brown hair and dark green eyes entered through the door.

My mother who has been as silent as a ghost ever since we got here perked her head up, like a puppy who's name has been called.

"Greetings Leywin family. My name is Merylat and I have been instructed to finally tell you what...or more accurately who put you into this prison."

Immediately all the gears in my head started to race. A million reasons and rationalities soared through my head. The most important question was, why did they wait so long to tell us? It was almost as if they they wanted us to feel left alone, betrayed. As if they wanted us to hurt.

Looking over my right shoulder I could see my mother show a thin grin on her face. It was clear this environment had a huge toll on her mental health. I always had to keep her calm and collect so maybe that is why my mind remained civil.

"Yes tell me which fucker put me and my precious daughter into this mess." She ended with a cackle that sounded similar to Rinia's when she said a joke. Although it didn't seem like my mother was joking. No, I knew she had completely lost it.

"Well...it was your precious son" he said elegantly. As if he was a butler reading of a script.

"What...that two faced bitch is still alive? I though fate finally caught up to him" She snarled.

"What...mom don't say that about Arth-"

"Shut it girl, you know nothing about what that geezer put us through. And now this?!"

"Yes" the man said, clearly amused.

"He orchestrated everything. He planned for both of you to suffer while giving you enough luxury to think you are lucky. He wanted to break you so you can never live normally again.

He betrayed you and Dication."

"No he wouldn't!" I exclaimed.

"I don't have time to convince you." He answered looking at his watch.

"Have fun in he-" He got cut off as a blue light zipped him out of the room.

Immediately the walls became lava that drifted away from us. The floor became rocky and the light flickering in the lightbulb, fighting for its life, died out.

"That creature...how dare he put me through such pain. I will make sure to strangle him with my very hands. That man doesn't deserve the name I gave him." Said the woman I called "mother".

Arthur just who are you?

Agrona Vritra

Walking down the black slate steps I could hear the screaming from the elven princess. The aether I placed into her core slowly locked away Tessia'a personality restraining her thoughts and movements. I couldn't exactly kill her as then the body would no longer be a shell but a rag doll.

Walking through a heavily guarded door I pondered of the legacy's potential.

If asuras are beings of mana then the legacy could be classified as an incarnation of mana itself.

Turning left and walking a bit more I was now standing in front of the princess. I looked at her with empty eyes. Feeling neither regret nor empathy. Soon the the noise stopped.

Now to draw the runes.

"Wait" shouted a voice I wished I could hear less often.

"What do you want, Nico" I asked as pleasantly as I could.

I prided myself on being a pretty good actor, rivaled by only my wife. Especially with how well she manipulated Grey.

"Can you guarantee her safety" he said as if he had any authority to stop me.

"Yes, of course" I lied.

This idiot...does he really think reincarnating somebody is risk free.

"Then hurry up, I want to see Cecila."

This kid, I snarled in my mind.

Calming myself down I started to draw the runes on the legacy's arms and back. I had to draw them flawlessly, otherwise this would all be for not.

Next I imbued mana into each of the runes. And slowly mixed in some aether. The aether ate away at the mana inside growing stronger and more vibrant. The runes glowed a mighty violet until they suddenly turned a light shade of teal.

Paying close attention to the legacy's body I noticed her heavy breathing stopped. Slowly her fingers began to twitch, as if she was holding something the moment she died. After, she picked up her head.

"Where am I?" whispered the legacy

"It's okay Cecil, your safe" Nico said.

That has to be the first reasonable thing that boy said since his reincarnation I thought with a smile.

Sylvie Indrath ~before timeskip~

"You are a dragon, correct?" Said the relictombs.

"Y-yes"

"And you have Vritra blood as well?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"You are a dragon born with the blood of a basilisk."

The women had a very soothing voice, like a mother talking to a new born. I couldn't help but feel...familiar towards it.

"I'm sorry I don't know" I responded.

"I see..."

"You are also bonded to a human, Arthur Leywin?"

"Yes" I said again. I wanted to talk back to ask questions of my own. But I couldn't push them out. It was like the woman was forcing the words to stay put.

"In case you were wondering that was how I was able to get you into this realm. Because a sliver of your core turned lesser. Of course I had to break a few rules but...a small price to pay."

Now that the relictombs mentioned it I finally got the chance to look around. The room was black, darker then my obsidian scales. There was nothing in this space except for me and the woman. So then why did it fill so full? As if all the power was at my fingertips but I still couldn't reach it.

And to think I was part lesser...

"Why did you bring me here?" I finally asked.

"A war is coming, the Indrath and the Vritra have broken the contract. If they fight to the scale I fear...not even a speck of dusk will remain." The relictombs said solemnly.

"So you and the boy will have to intervene."

"My maker will train the boy and I will train you. You do not have a choice in this matter...I apologize."

Knowing Arthur he would except almost immediately. I cannot let him break ahead of me.
I thought with a laugh.

"I understand, master."

"You are just like your mother." The women said with an approving nod.

"You knew my mother?" I asked. The words practically jumped out of my mouth.

"I know your mother" She corrected.