Leo
Shingu frustratedly buried his face in his hands while sitting on the chair and everyone else was quiet. If one were to drop a coin, it would be heard due to the silence inside that reigned. But it couldn't be helped.
No healers could heal Kevin even if they were the kingdom's finest. He's current 'sickness' as they had called it was unheard off. If he were to have been really induced with demon energy, they knew no one who could help them.
"Muriel... Sh-she completely cleansed me when I nearly turned into a demon..." Prince Janus who has just arrived earlier with Prince Narsus, stated somberly but everyone just kept their heads down, the imperial king shaking his head.
"Ahhh. So have I heard. Unusual as it is for someone who has such an ability, I can surely say that an equivalent exchange take it's toll." King Decameron spoke thoughtfully, glancing at the resting twelfth ranker.
"Sire, are you perhaps stating that she didn't simply banish the demonic energy?" Rex immediately quipped and the king nodded back which made most of the ones in the room uncomfortable including me. If what the king says is true... What did Muriel receive in exchange of saving the first prince of Idris?
"As of now sire, you also have to search for the imperial prince's treatment. Tis' not safe if words go out." Lord Asrael took his entrance and took graceful strides to enter the room, his clothes from the party changed into armor and his sword in his hands.
"Ahhhh yes,reminds me of such insolence." King Decameron stated with an edge on his voice and we tensed but Shingu payed no attention and just stayed silent as if lost in thought while Alfreed glared at Lord Asrael for bringing up such topic in an untimely date.
"Let us put that aside for later. As I was saying, the girl has to take caution in actions she take or something might happen." King Decameron sighed and we gave silent sighs of reliefs. Rex was about to speak again when we heard shouts from outside and one of the royal knights came rushing in the door and we all stood up in alarm. What happened now?
"Lord Vishta. What is the commotion all about?" The king asked to the panting royal Knight who forced himself to stand up straight again, taking off his helmet to be able to deliver the message quickly.
"We caught sight of the first ranker's famed familiar. The Lord Leirum has arrived." He informed and it took less than a second before we rushed outside of the chamber, directly headed off to the ground. Shingu stayed behind which we figured as much along with a few royal knights.
True to the knight's words, we caught sight of Arceus the sky's guardian beast flying closer, it's majestic wings spread out as it soared lower in the sky for this palace.
Rushing down, we waited for them in relief as they descended from the sky. For Leirum to summon forth his familiar is a rarity, summoning the sky's guardian beast strains him too much but it may have been one of the attributes as to why he has arrived with Muriel finally.
As soon as they arrived, we rushed forward when Leirum wobbled unsteadily and Muriel supported him to the ground.
Muriel was clean of any wound but the same thing couldn't be said to the first ranker. He may have healed Muriel's wounds but he couldn't heal himself, heck, It's even a wonder as to how he had managed himself for so long with all the energy he's spent already given with all the wounds he had obtained.
"Muriel! Are you alright?" Violet and Antoinette hurriedly rushed up to her and both hugged the girl who slightly chuckled but nonetheless nodded and we greeted them for their return, asking of their conditions and being mindful not to asked for what happened to them since it wasn't a necessary question to be asked from them... Not at the moment...
Lord Asrael proceeded to check on her condition just the same along with the stability of her aura and the girl just let him. If in normal circumstances, I'd be saying that she would ask tons of questions from him if she were not in such state and probably get annoyed with him sooner or later.
Rex immediately went to work and although Leirum scolded him not to tire himself too much, he ignored our leader and started healing Leirum who huffed in annoyance but stayed still while Arceus settled by him and let his owner lean against his soft fur.
"Are you fine my dear?" King Decameron gently asked Muriel and the fourth ranker curtly nodded her head with a smile while bowing her head a little as a sign of respect and we sighed in relief, feeling some burden being lifted off our shoulders.
"Yes your Highness. It's all thanks to Arceus and this idi---ehem, Lord Leirum." Muriel stated with an awkward smile while the first ranker glared at him and we were sort of amused. This never changes does it?
I am sure that if it were not for the king's presence, Muriel would have been quarreling with Leirum right now.
"Where is the twelft ranker and the imperial prince? Why do I not see him here?" Leirum queried with his eyes closed and for once, I cursed the fact that he had to be such an observant person. Muriel on the other hand looked around and her forehead creased at the words, obviously questioning why her little brother hadn't rushed up to her already when he was the first she would be expecting to welcome her back. Both looked awfully tired, if anything, they both looked like they were already on the brink of passing out. I couldn't quite imagine what had happened to the both of them.
"I sense demonical energy dear king. What has befallen to thee?" Arceus added and Leirum's eyes snapped open, us looking down and having no courage to speak of the grave situation while King Decameron sighed.
"I'm afraid to tell you that he's ill right now. However, my command is that you two rest." King Decameron stated firmly, standing up once again while both looked up at him.
"My king. Shouldn't be the girl isolated as of now? I hear that she was possed by the demon queen herself. What if the filth still resides in her?" Our attention was all drawn to the owner of the voice and my eyes narrowed when I saw who it is, Muriel's own eyebrows raising up.
"Lord Archion..." Leirum calmly stated, the mentioned person sending him a look but the disdain he has for our first ranker didn't go unnoticed.
Well, if I weren't in the presence of King Decameron, I wouldn't have wasted faking respect to this guy who's nothing but trouble.
Unfortunately, he's a guy who sent Leirum to trial and created an uproar in the kingdom some years before due to some faults he has pushed on the first ranker. He had spread word that Leirum was a demon and blamed the royal prince's who befriended him as traitors of their own kingdoms.
He was sent into trial, even tortured for no reason at all and all of Azeroth knew of his trial in the highest court as he was the current head of the court at the time. If it were not for Lord Azrael, he would've been executed then.
"I suggest you leave Lord Archion. You are not a part of the council anymore to declare such." Prince Narsus hissed while his older brother protectively stood beside Leirum as us.
There were rumours before that Lord Archion had tortured him and attempted to even kill him before. It was one of the things that Leirum never discussed with us before but right now, I am in wonder how one can be so calm in the presence of one of the people who had inflicted him ill.
"Ah, prince of Idris. I may not be a part of the council to order it around but I can't have the kingdom offering shelter to siblings that are both a threat." Lord Archion stated smugly and King Decameron's eyes furrowed but we were all taken aback when Arceus roared mightily, shaking the ground quite literally.
"Thy girl and my master need to rest. The demon queen has been banished for all of eternity." Arceus clear message rang in the air, Lord Asrael shaking his head in amusement.
"And how would we be sure that you speak truth?" Lord Archion countered, unperturbed of what had happened and I swear that I somehow saw the guardian beast grin,some how amused by the Lord's bravery!
"Other than her, the twelfth ranker needs to be isolated just the same. I believe that Lord Rex had only delayed the dark energy from spreading and we can not have that happening in the imperial palace." Lord Archion stated and Rex clenched his fists, opening his mouth and likely planning to tell the Lord a thing or two when someone beat him to it.
"I tell all of you, try to take my friend away or try anything funny and your head on a platter shall be the payment." We looked up from where the sound originated from and we saw Shingu floating above, his eyes igniting into blazing anger.
Lord Archion on the other hand looked so offended that I almost laughed but found it improper to do so while we stared at the imperial prince.
"Such insolent words coming from a royalty! Perhaps staying on Earth had caused-----"
"Believe me, he has talked that way ever since he learned to talk." King Decameron stated with a shake of his head and Lord Asrael chuckled lightly.
"Lord Archion. The vilest person who had ever become highest minister of the highest court... I banish you from ever stepping into this palace ever again." Shingu firmly stated without a hint of doubt nor hesitance in his voice that everyone who heard it practically froze with their eyes widened and jaws hanging open, Lord Decameron not being an exemption himself.
"Hiding at the sight of a demon in the ball to protect yourself and only appearing back to blame something on the circle of twelve. Such cowardice in you yet such daring you have to speak of such. Do you not know shame?" Shingu asked in mockery and Lord Archion tried to talk but ended up not being able to retort.
"What happens to a member of our circle is none of you outsider's business. It is ours to solve." Shingu added firmly, Alfreed grinning widely at the words. The twins, Cassiel and Gabriel were yet the craziest as they sat by a balcony up the palace, drinking tea while watching the view for their own amusement. Those two...
"Y-you're using your title as the imperial prince to give out such act?" Lord Archion finally asked but Shingu merely shook his head.
"I do not use my title as an imperial prince nor as a famed member of the twelve. I am my own person and believe me, I do not forgive inferior beings such as you from trying to bring harm to my friends. I am Shingu, no more no less. Do not try my patience or I will burn you down." Shingu returned, he was seething with rage and I guess those were the result of his pent up emotions.
Lord Archion glanced at King Decameron in disbelief but the King only shrugged. "Us kings have not approved of the decisions you laid out years ago against the first ranker. Blaming the prince's of Idris for treachery, that alone deserved your death for not letting us know. Thank the first ranker who let you get off."
"Lord Archion Jutenhoust, I banish you from the royal grounds of Zamonia. I strip you from your title as an elder for a snake's words are to be disregarded. From this day forth. You are nothing but a mere noble."
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"Oh Kevin." Muriel cried in tears, running up to her little brother's bed and holding his hand, burying her face and hiding it from our view. Leirum could only watch silently as Cyan guided him to one of the beds for he was drained too much of his energy he couldn't even walk steadily. However, it is a relief that all his wounds had healed.
"H-How? What happened to him?" Muriel stuttered, holding back her sobs while Alfreed gently rubbed her back.
"We don't know. One moment we thought he was dead, the next second he was throwing a fit and demonic energy came from him." Shingu stated weakly as he stood by her side just the same.
Suddenly, Muriel let her hands hover over her little brother's body, a dull white light emitting from her palms and we figured as much that she was trying to purify him just as how he'd purified Prince Janus before. The king's words came back to us and we gritted our teeth but said nothing.
Even if we tried to stop her. She would surely persist. They were siblings after all and we respect that.
But the minutes stretched on and nothing changed for we can still sense the demonic energy coming from Kevin.
"W-why isn't it working?!" Muriel cried in both anger and defiance but we couldn't find the right words to say. We haven't got any idea how it works or as to why it didn't work either.
"I don't see anything wrong with his physical body asides from his streaks of black that manifested itself." Rex quietly stated while Muriel hopelessly let her hands drop, her tear-stained face bowed down.
"Demonical energy... I think you may have missed out something. The next time he wakes, pin him down but let him speak." Leirum declared and we all looked at him. Even though tired, he can still spare some energy huh?
"What may have we missed?" Alfreed asked with her eyebrows meeting but the first ranker merely shrugged------
"Ahhhhhhhhh!" A pained shout surprised us all and our eyes darted to Kevin who had thrown the sheets away while he curled up in a ball, his eyes squeezed shut and his whole body visibly trembling.
"Kevin!" We all rushed to his side and I had heard Leirum ordering Cyan to help him go over themselves as he had to see the situation himself.
If earlier, we had to restrain him from struggling, it was unnecessary to do such this time around. He was merely curled up and shaking badly with his hair sticking to his forehead due to his sweat.
He was in pain and it was obvious for all to know but what we liked to know was why?
"Kevin! Oh god! Are you alright?!" Muriel worriedly asked, holding on to her brother's hand that was gripping her's tightly as if in a death grip.
"My head hurts..." Kevin cried out, his other hand clutching a fistful of his own hair, giving the impression as if he wanted to rip his head off. To make us more alarmed, tears fell from his eyes and Muriel sobbed harder while we tried to figure out what was the right thing to do.
"E-everything's coming back to me..." Kevin continued on and writhed in pain while confusion spread itself within each of us. What was he talking about?
"What's coming back to you?" Shingu worriedly but gently urged on while the twelfth ranker gritted his teeth.
"My past l-life... No... My life... M-Muriel's. Leirum's!" That alone was about enough to widen all of our eyes as our curiosity grew bigger at his words, the first and fourth ranker exchanging glances.
"My back... It hurts terribly... I-it feels as if it is burning." Kevin gasped out, his eyes opening up and his eyes went wide before he clutched his head in between his hands for he had managed to pull his hand from Muriel's hold.
"Y-your back?" Cyan stutters and we immediately got a hint of what was on his mind.
"No..." Rex stated just as much. Muriel got up and took hold of the hem of his little brother's shirt, shutting her eyes for a brief moment before she opened them again and pulled Kevin's shirt up his back and all of us gaped in horror at what he saw while Cyan shook his head in disbelief.
For there at Kevin's back, something appeared as if slowly carving itself on his flesh... The symbol of a fallen angel... The sign of an angel who had his wings ripped out just like Cyan's.
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Hi guys. Sorry for the wait. I was kinda busy so I hope you understand. Anyway, I hope you like it.
-thebadgirl05 at your service!
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