Chapter 15: In Memorandum

I walked out of Edel Cathedral, there we saw people lining up with an edelweiss flower in their hand. At the center of the street, there was a large open casket, Uriel was standing beside the casket. As I approached closer, Uriel noticed us, her face was mournful. I already had a guess who the funeral must be for.

“The carriage to carry his body will be here in a few hours, I thought the people of Albus would like to pay their respects,” Uriel said calmly.

“I never asked, but you both seemed to know each other for a long time,” I looked into the casket, the archbishop looked peaceful. None of the scary appearances I saw when he was possessed. He had worn the archbishop robe he always wears, many edelweiss laid all around the coffin out of respect for the old priest.

“I knew him since he was a clergyman, just a low priest in Harmony village. It was located in the north of this realm, before it was wiped out by the fiend raid.”

Uriel looked sad, recalling old memories she had buried long ago. She told me Arthur only rose to archbishop in the last half decade. His home village was attacked by the fiends, his fiancé perished in the attack. It ate at him all his life, cursing himself he wasn’t able to save her and his hometown. I understand somewhat, I almost lost someone important to me. To let that memory haunt him for decades, it must’ve been so painful. Uriel didn’t share much about herself, only that she was stationed in this realm. She had met his fiancé only once, mentioned her name was Elise. They would often drink together, sharing their life, but it was only recently Arthur had grown desperate for recognition.

“Why Arthur, what got you so obsessed with power, you stupid old fool,” Uriel cried, tears slowly flowing down her cheeks. I clasped my hand together for a prayer, hoping that he had reached Eris’s side safely.

“Look, it’s her,” a man’s voice said.

“So she is the one who did it.”

“An Armiger is so young.”

“She dealt the finishing blow to the archbishop when he was possessed.”

“Blessed her, she saved Archbishop Arthur from demonization.”

“What did he call her? Haine the Scornful? What a terrible name to call such a young girl.”

Whispers exchanged among the crowds, Uriel signaled me to leave her. The longer I stand here to pray, the more likely I would be surrounded by curious eyes.

I ran back into the cathedral, there I found Marty and Lilia talking to each other.

“They are having a funeral for the deceased archbishop, it’s getting crowded so I left,” I said as I walked over.

“Should I pay my respect, milady?” Lilia asked.

“Maybe we can pray together once his body gets transported back to Aether Citadel.”

I noticed Yato and Luke were conjuring a spell, it got me curious so I ran over.

“What are you all doing?”

Yato noticed my presence and showed me the details of their work.

“It’s a return spell, we’re putting it here as insurance,” Yato said cynically.

“Insurance?”

I tilted my head in confusion. Not sure why we need such a thing. My assumption was we would return to Albus at some point so maybe it could be handy. Marty walked over, I held her hand.

“Are you coming with us Marty?” I asked innocently.

“Probably not, the hero is tasked with something, so I’ll remain here in Albus,” Marty explained as she looked at the returning spell. Then she knelt down and put hand on mine and Lilia's shoulder.

“I look forward to when you come back with none of those blue stones on you two,” Marty smiled then gently hugged us both. I felt sad that we had only reunited for only a moment now we had to part again. But this time, I had faith that I’ll come back to Albus.

We walked to the entrance, there was a carriage waiting for us. Mister Bee had everything loaded for the half a day journey to Aether Citadel. I turned back to Marty, she waved at me before saying something to Luke.

“Keep her safe, or you have me to answer to,” she demanded.

“Yes ma’am,” Luke responded promptly. I wondered if they knew each other. Something about them says this wasn’t the first time they came across each other.

“We’re leaving you all,” Yato called over from the carriage.

“I’ll be back, Miss Marty,” I smiled, giving one last look of reassurance.

“I’ll be here to welcome you home,” she replied. We hugged one more time before I departed with Lilia in hand waving back at her.

We rode the carriage along the mountains with the heroes, Lilia was in the front sitting by Bee’s side. While I conversed with Luke and Yato in the carriage. It felt lively, unlike traveling with the angels, the heroes had lots of adventure stories to share.

“Who are we meeting once we get there?”

I directed the question at Yato, he was deep in his small notebook pondering about something. Luke on the other hand was cleaning his ruby blade.

“We’re meeting with a certain record keeper, they’re in the Atheneum located in the black light district.”

The hero closed his note, then faced me directly.

“She’s an Armiger, just like you,” Yato added.

I noticed now how deep blue his eyes were, it was as if they held a secret in a big ocean. Now I understand why people called him the otherworldly hero, he felt unnatural and out of place in this realm.

“I have a question, when we faced off against the corrupted archbishop, how were you able to wield Durandal, Hero Yato?”

It was an honest question, up until now I was the only brand wielder, and only those who are its bearer may hold the blade with no rejection. But to the hero, not only he was able to wield it but use its specialized power I wasn’t even aware of.

“You said Ars Arcanum back then, what was that?”

The hero looked at me blankly, almost I had asked him the craziest question.

“The church really didn’t teach you anything, did they,” the hero laughed.

“Expecting the angels to teach her anything but the brand itself, sounds the bunch I used to know,” Luke snickered.

I felt my face going red, I really had no idea why they didn't teach me more about Durandal. I just took lessons in magic and ceremony etiquette.

“They probably didn’t want her to be a soldier, unlike you two meatheads, she would die the moment they sent her to the frontline regardless of any training,” Bee commented from the front. The carriage immediately went quiet, both heroes understood what Bee was getting at. Uriel and Gabriel had said the same thing. I was a chick that had just hatched. Going to take my first flight would mean getting shot by an arrow out of the sky. I thought of Arthur losing his beloved, my death would mean Lilia’s so I understand that feeling.

“I don’t know how to describe it, when I held it, my intention was to slay the demon, then the brand responded by telling me its power into my mind. The words just came out without any thinking,” Yato explained loosely. That still didn’t explain my main question.

“I think the little lady is having the same question I had for you a year ago,” Luke hinted by tapping on his ruby blade.

“Oh, it’s a long story,” Yato paused, shifting through his notebook and presenting it to me. A familiar drawing that Uriel had drawn in a mirage vision.

“Oh is it story time? Let me hear too!” Lilia suddenly came from the front and sat next to me, she really doesn’t have a regard for the atmosphere.

“You already know how there are only seven Armigers and thirteen brands,” the hero asked me. I nodded at his question.

“I was one,” he added. I gave him a perplexed look, focusing on the past tense, what did he mean by was.

Yato cleared his throat, unbuttoning his shirt, revealing a scar that stretched from his left shoulder to where his heart would be. He was winding up something I never thought he would say.

“I’m a lost Armiger, I died two years ago,” Yato revealed. My eyes widened then my face went blue. I instantly held Lilia, she returned the hug as we were both shaking. I realized I was talking to a certain entity like in the horror novel I secretly read with Lilia.

The hero is an undead!

I summoned Durandal to my hand and shakingly pointed the blade at the hero.

“S-stay back! I-I’ll send you to the beyond when we get to the sanctuary!”

I cried, horrified as I was talking to a dead man walking.

Luke’s face went flat, before bursting into a fit of laughter. Bee who was driving the horse in the front was also laughing, their voices echoed in the mountains all around us.

Yato shook his head in astonishment, given how he just uttered that sentence, of course the girls would take it the wrong way.

“It’s a bit complicated, but don’t worry, I’m very much alive as Lilia is, nothing undead about me.”

Yato laughed warily. He conjured a mirage vision, showing events in his memories that looked to be long ago. He wore a somber expression, he felt distant as the memories started to come into view.

It showed him in a castle, standing tall facing a dragon. He looked young in the vision, had an air of bravery to him, fearless and unrelenting. In his hand was a dark raven looking sword, it had a strange craftsmanship to it. One side of the blade was extremely sharp, while the other side had a blunt flat edge. What I was witnessing was the same as the fairytale I loved. Yato charged his blade in a drawing stance, the dragon lunged at him, within a single instant. The dragon fell to the ground, with its head severed cleanly. It happened so fast, from Yato point of view, he was on the other side of the dragon as it lay motionless.

“Beautifully done, as expected of a warrior summoned from another world.”

A man yelled in the air, Yato walked over to his companion, they all praised him for the dragon slaying. His escorts include a bunch of interesting characters, a burly man, a short old man, and a young woman. The woman walked over to him, she had crimson long hair, had an air to her that was somehow mysterious. She held his hand, showing a look of concern.

“Always so reckless, you will cut yourself one of these days with that.”

Her red eyes were captivating, they have a certain allure to them. Even though this was a vision, I felt myself drawn to her. The vision faded, then moved to the next scene. They were now in a big hall, right before them sitting on a throne was an older man with a crown on his head.

“Your deeds are well done, Hero Armiger, the dragon you slayed had brought boon to this realm, I beseech you to assist us with the next request.”

The king motioned to his servant, a figure cladded in heavy robe handed Yato a scroll. The content was to instruct him to travel to the frontline of Arias to fight back the fiends, and slay the commanding demon lords.

“It will be done, Your Majesty.”

Yato held the scroll to his chest, his companion followed suit and all bowed before the king. Near them, the red haired woman standing next to the king showed a conflicted expression. Moments later, she called the hero to have a private talk with him.

“You don’t have to do this, you’ll die if you go, your deeds have done more than enough to retire from all this hero business.”

She held his hand, her red eyes staring into Yato, her features were incredibly beautiful. Any man would be head over heels for her from just a glance.

“Nia, I have to go, if we let the fiend do as they pleased, this realm will be overrun.”

The hero reassured her, he put his hand on top of hers, he showed bravado but the girl's face was still filled with sorrow.

“Yato! We’re having a meeting. Are you coming?”

The burly man called for the hero. Yato apologized to the beautiful girl before leaving her alone in the hall and rushed over to his companions.

Yato's expression behind the vision filled with anguish, he looked in pain.

The vision faded once more away, now it showed him on the battlefield. Right before him was the girl he had feelings for. In her left hand was Yato’s raven brand. Then in her right was a black sapphire sword.

“That brand!” I gasped.

“I warned you, Yato, you had the chance to get away from all this.”

The woman in red hair said solemnly, her red eyes glowed golden, her red hair had a vermillion bloom to them. I recognized her in that state, it was the same as Lady Charlotte's, although my predecessor's vision had only caught her hair as she died.

“Nia…! Why!”

Yato groveled all over the ground, he mustered his strength into his legs. The woman summoned a circular magic matrix behind her back, revealing five other swords in her collection. They all have a dark look to them, it looked as if they had been charred beyond recognition from their original form.

The hero checked his six, all of his companions were slayed, their lifeless bodies scattered over the blood stained soil. He was surrounded, the fiends were raring to throw themselves at the lone hero. However, they all stopped at the sight of the woman, almost as if they were being commanded by her.

“You mean to tell me, all this time you were one of them, you’re a demon lord?!”

Yato yelled, then caught his breath coughing. He knew right then there was no getting out of this, he was going to die right where he was. His comrades that had been with him had died, the girl he loved was standing before him with the sword he had carried since he came into this world. Nia’s expressions were cold, emotionless as she raised the raven brand.

“I am Satania Testarossa, a Demon Armiger.”

In one motion, the hero's left shoulder split from his neck down to his heart. No human could survive such a fatal slash.The red haired demon withdrew her army, the fiend began to scatter and marched towards the castle that had sent the hero party.

Nia said something under her breath, Yato couldn’t make out what she said as he laid on the cold dirt bleeding out. The light disappeared from his eye as he accepted his fate. Then the vision faded, returning me to the hero sitting right across from everyone.

“It was all a blank after that, when I came to, I was in a camp,” Yato said as he turned to Luke.

“The castle in Arias was completely destroyed, the royal family that tasked us was annihilated by Nia– by the Demon Lord.”

“It was I who found him on that day, after I was banished from Selestia and sent to fight the frontline. It was a miracle there was life in that body. I channeled all my mana and brought him back to life.”

Luke added after Yato shared his story. I stayed silent, unable to find words to ease his pain.

“Since then I traveled the realms with Luke, researching ways to reverse demonization, I had belief in my heart I could return to how she used to be.”

Yato gazed out the carriage window, his sorrowful look faded and he had somewhat hope in his eyes.

I raised my hand, knowing I was going to reveal something that might crush his faith.

“What is it, Hainé?”

Luke asked me, I hesitated for a second. If I reveal to him what I know, he would be devastated but something in my heart tells me I should, even if he takes it the wrong way. I took a deep breath, recalling the dream I had, juggling the words in my stomach before I explained the nightmare I had before the Accession Ceremony.

After some time, only the creaking of the carriage could be heard. What broke through the silence was a noise coming from Yato.

“Hahaha…”

Yato cackled as he slumped back, blood drained from his face.

“It was all meaningless, she was always a demon lord. Even before I met her.”

“That would explain why you gasped in the middle of that vision, I had a feeling you knew something, but not this,” Luke covered his eyes, letting out a big sigh at my revelation.

“I’m so sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have said anything,” I cowered, then Lilia held my head.

“Lady Hainé, you worry too much, the hero was simply blinded by love!”

As usual, Lilia was thinking outside the box, though the way she said that might’ve driven a dagger deeper into the hero’s sorrow. I thought to myself for a moment, then I stood up and held the hero’s hand.

“It wasn’t meaningless, your research saved me and Lilia, I don’t know how much I could have repaid you for that!”

Even if we hadn’t met for long, I was already eternally grateful to him. There was no telling what would happen to me if he didn’t show up yesterday. Maybe I would have wandered the realm in that form, and killed everyone precious to me. The idea of Marty dying by hand scares me.

Yato was deep in his thoughts, his eyes resting on my hand. They were so much smaller compared to his.

“Yeah, but it was incomplete, maybe if I had more brands I would…”

The hero's voice trailed off. He realized something from what he said.

“That’s it! I just need more brands!” Yato yelled in the carriage.

The hero's face was inches from mine, my heart skipped a beat and blushed at how close he was. Then he walked over to Luke explaining his concept theory.

“I see, you did draft the magic with only two brands originally, with mine and Bee’s. It may have worked with Hainé’s silver brand. But where in the world would we get more, they’re scattered, remember?”

Luke’s word rang true, especially now we learn the Demon Lord Testarossa had seven brands in her possession, there was no telling how we would find the remaining brand across the realm.

“We have one more, it’s where we are heading as a matter of fact,” Bee said from the front of the carriage.

“Getting her to agree is going to be an interesting time though.”

Luke shrugged his shoulders, Yato seemed to understand his pain immediately. I was confused as to who they were referring to. Suddenly Lilia tugged on my robe, I turned to face her then I saw something unexpected that I let out an audible scream.

The little serpent that had entrusted to the angels for research was now perching on Lilia’s head. Its body glowed for a moment, the gem also glowed on Lilia’s chest briefly under her clothes then faded at the same time.

“Kweh.”

The Leviathan let out a chirp, I turned to Luke and Yato for guidance. They both covered their heads in unison. I read from their faces this only meant troubles.