Minerva Cosmina Wyllt-Miryūshi
Avalon Academy's Graduation Jubilee, Coastal Federation of Avalon; 26 Sylphsara 160R7X
Tonight is my last night as a student at Avalon Academy and we're supposed to kick off the celebration with the academy's Graduation Jubilee. I had the privilege to attend Francesca's celebration when she was still a student as a special guest, and from what I remembered, the entire campus shuts down for this exclusive party.
Every decade has a theme for their Jubilee, and our theme is a masquerade, and thankfully I had Tohka with me to ensure that I looked spectacular. "Your Highness," Tohka began, "I have just the gown for you to wear; in fact, I'd been getting it ready for you for the past decade or so. I knew that you would need to make a lasting impression on the city after graduating, and I do believe this would be perfect for you."
She placed a garment bag on my bed and proceeded to unzip it, revealing a gorgeous onyx and gold ball gown with a diamond-dust embroidered lace along the edges; further inside the bag was a matching black and gold lioness mask. The trim of the gown and mask looked like it told and intricate story; from what I gathered, it looked like it was telling the genesis of the realm as a whole. As esoteric as the dress seemed, it didn't change the fact that this was more than just some clothing, this was a masterpiece.
"Tohka, I don't know what to say," I reached in and gave a tight hug, "how did you even have time to make this?"
She placed the gown on the bed and simply stated, "I'd been working on finalizing your measurements, designing, and tailoring it since you first left for the academy. And the mask; well, the mask was Ewa Bao's idea. She said you reminded her of a fierce Shadow Lioness, so, I had her help me make it." The sentiment of the gift was beyond immeasurable, and it made me realize how much I truly valued the ones that are closest to me.
The two of us got dressed for the event, and I was amazed by how well the dress fit me. The corset was made from a flexible and breathable material that made it really easy to move around in. And the mask had a layer of padding along the inside, so that I could keep it on throughout the night. However, I wasn't the only one that would be turning heads, because Tohka looked absolutely stunning in her verdigris and lavender kimono and matching tanuki mask.
"Woah, woah, woah!!!" I exclaimed, "my, Tohka, dare I say, you might be the most beautiful woman in the entire clan!"
She blushed, "oh, Your Highness, stop; are you ready to depart?" Giving me a slight bow, Tohka opened the door to my bedroom and we met the rest of my class in the manor's foray.
We originally were only meant to stay in the Leywin Manor for our first decade at the academy, but considering everyone who lived in the manor kept their roles, whether that be in the Student Council or in the Disciplinary Committee, couldn't bear to part ways from this place. The past eighty years in this institution, I wouldn't trade it for the world; there were good times and bad times, but I'd go through it all again, a second time.
On the way to the foray, we'd bumped into Ayo, Nata, and the rest of the female residents. "Your Highness!" Ayo exclaimed, bowing before me, "Your beauty transcends the imagination!"
I gave her a gentle smile, "Ayo, you're such a dork; wow, everyone looks amazing! Hard to believe we're actually graduating!" With tears in our eyes, all my friends and I joined in a group hug. It wasn't like we wouldn't be able to see each other again, but this chapter in our lives is coming to an end, and it feels a bit uncanny.
"Yo, Big Sis!" I heard Monspeed yell out from the bottom of the staircase, "Wow! You look drop-dead gorgeous—oh yeah, have you seen Myrlin? Mel and I got you two a graduation gift!" My younger brother's smile lit up the entire foray as Tohka and I descended the stairs.
Speed led me over to a table that was packed to capacity with presents for our graduation, and sitting in the middle were two large eggs. The two were the only gifts that looked out of place among the others, and I could only assume they came from Speed and Mel.
"Speed and I went on an expedition and came across these," Meliodas stated as he approached us from behind. "The size of the eggs suggests that these two will hatch into Emperor Class Lesser Dragons," he'd further explain that there can only be four Emperor-Class of any given animal or familiar.
"These were the only two left in the nest we encountered," Monspeed added, "and there were a bunch of King Class Lesser Dragon eggs, so Mel and I made a profit off of them!"
I chuckled and shook my head, "always thinking about money—."
"—YO, MINI! MEL! SPEED!" Myrlin shouted from the top of the staircase, "Y'all ready to get crunk?!" He was accompanied by Ogy, Ogunkoya, Iniko, and the rest of the male residents. The men all wore kimonos, with the exception of Ogy, whom I forced to wear a tuxedo that matched my gown.
It had been years, decades rather, since I'd seen Myrlin or any of my brothers wear a kimono; and it was clear that they were excited to put them on. Monspeed wore an white and yellow kimono that had a flame pattern woven in on his sleeves, while Meliodas had on a gray and teal checked kimono.
Iniko's kimono was stark white with scarlet stitching, and Myrlin sported a royal-blue based kimono that was accented with a shimmering gold. Usually, he would pull his hair back in a wild ponytail; however, he'd decided to let his hair breathe and was taking on the natural look.
"Oh shit! Are those Lesser Dragon eggs?!" Racing to the gift table, Myrlin's eyes exploded with stars as he examined the two eggs, "I'm calling dibs on the blue and gold one!"
I rolled my eyes and folded my arms, "and how do you know that I didn't want that egg?"
My brother slowly twisted his head, sporting a crooked smile, "clearly the black and purple egg would be the perfect gift for a princess that, coincidentally, rules a nation with similar colors, is it not?"
The was a pause in the room before all the manor's residents burst into laughter as we made our exits. I was fully prepared to have the best night with my loved ones, and I just knew that tonight will be one to remember forever.
Rodinia
That Same Night; Cu's House; Lupinia Village, Bestahlagro, Besteria
KNOCK—! KNOCK—! KNOCK—!
I went to answer the door, and it was the rest of the summoned group, "good, you made it back okay, did you have a chance to survey the realm?" Four hooded people entered the home and removed their hoods.
"Yeah, we stayed mostly undetected, thanks to that make-up magic you gave us," one of our guests spoke. His name was Achilles, the son of a king and a goddess, "what I don't get is how this place is absent of any chaos. No wars, political disputes, succession struggles; one could say this place is built on the complete concept of peace!" He was right, as long as I've been here, I hadn't seen any sort of conflict plague this world, and it genuinely pissed me off.
"Eh, who the fuck cares," the largest of the group interjected, his name was Heracles, the Pride of King Zeus; "since being here, I've seen nothing but lambs, ready to be slaughtered!!" He was our biggest and strongest warrior The Order had to offer, and if no one keeps an eye on him, he'll let his blood-lust consume him.
"Easy now," Cu joined the rest of the group from the kitchen, "these tree-huggers are not to be trifled with. I dodged a bullet after having two Disciplinary Committee officers here; thankfully, I had that gullible priestess from The Steadfast. The stupid bitch kept yapping to her opponent, giving me an opportunity to flee, but I did get to see the fight; calling it a fight is an understatement. She was dispatched in a matter of seconds."
The room grew silent with unease, Ayosaki managed to take out Akinyori? That would explain her absence and lack of communication with Adetulo, I couldn't fathom this outcome, even if I tried.
"Hey, Bilgames, is that supposed to be important or something," the question came from one of the remaining two in the group. His name was Enkidu, and he and Gilgamesh were the last two of our party; however, if I had it my way, I'd leave these two failures behind.
"Silence, you cur!" Achilles scolded, "the only reason the two of you are here, is because for some reason, you two have an unexplained connection to this place. Don't think just because you're here it means you've been accepted into The Order; you two are merely peons!"
His words were harsh, but the rest of us in the room all felt the same way. Gilgamesh, The Disgraced Tyrant; born to the Sumerian Goddess, Ninsun; he through a cataclysmic tantrum after realizing that he didn't have an affinity for any Blessing The Order had to offer. So, to deal with him, he was placed under surveillance and held on the tightest of leashes; and that leash was Enkidu.
Enkidu was something of an anomaly; he kind of just appeared one day, and was presented to Gilgamesh to sooth the tyrant's rage, via the Sumerian Gods. Very little is known about him, just that he was crafted from a "clay-like" substance, and because of that fact, he, like Gilgamesh, isn't compatible with any Blessing.
"No need to give them a verbal lashing," Cu chimed in with a quaint smile, "The Help, is more likely to assist us when you treat them with kindness." His expression darkened, and he grew a malicious smile, "a clear reminder that they are beneath us; isn't that right, Trident?" The rest of the group erupted into laughter, much to the two's dismay.
It wasn't easy deceiving the Third Prince of Garyudōra, the cockroach kept a tight leash on me, even more so when I joined his little "adventuring party." I had to take extra measures to ensure he wasn't around whenever I made contact with Adetulo, and even then, I almost got caught a few times.
"So, are we supposed to have some forces to help with this invasion?" Achilles questioned.
"And, how are we getting to the main stage?" Heracles inquired, "from my understanding, we're all the way on a different continent."
I leaned back before rising to my feet, "Adetulo gave me a charm to use whenever me and the rest of my group made it to the city; I was instructed to wipe the stone in the middle and it would alert him and The Steadfast to begin their attack. As for getting there, Cuchulain has already taken care of our means of transportation; Cu, if you will." I motioned over to our sorcerer, who was in the midst of crafting a summoning circle.
"This circle will spit us out smack dab in the middle of the ball," Cu finished drawing the sigil and motioned us to join hands and to match our breathing. "This type of transportation summoning isn't as risky as the one we used to get here, so there's no need to gather close, just hold hands so that we all end up in the same place." The six of us stood around the circle and held hands as we were told, and after a few moments of awkward silence, I noticed a faint humming sound.
"Once you hear a hum," Cu continued, "try to visualize the name of the location that you want to be summoned to; in our case, we are aiming for Avalon Academy."
Collectively, we took a deep inhale and as if we were all the same person, we whispered, "Avalon Academy…" The room began to rumble and shake as the walls of the house started to constrict and expand until there was a blinding blue light that engulfed us. When I finally came to my senses and scanned my surroundings, I'd realized that the summoning was a success; we ended up landing on a cliff neighboring the academy.
"Looks like everyone made it in one piece," Cu acknowledged handing each of us an iron Celtic knot, "when the time is right, this talisman will glow, and when that does, place it on the top of your forehead. The magic in these will warp you back to this spot and then back to our hideout, where we'll finally be able to leave this dreaded place." The knot was attached to a cord for it to be worn as a necklace, to which we held it as such: "Gilgamesh and Enkidu, you two will stay here and act as our beacon; under no circumstances are you to leave this spot."
I looked to my comrades, and it was clear that the thrill of battle was consuming them. "Adetulo has an ability that can interfere with the active barrier. Once he's ready, he'll disrupt the magic, and we'll be free to slaughter. Well, boys," I looked at the skyline of the bustling city, "let's give these weaklings a taste of real Hell!!"
Boudicca Falala Wyllt-Garyūshi
That Same Night; Guitane Grand Ballroom; Avalon Academy, Coastal Federation of Avalon
"Bo! You made it!" Monspeed hugged me, "They got you on patrol tonight?" I wasn't really fond of the fact that I had to work while the rest of my family got to party, but just the sight of their joy is enough for me.
"Yeah, yeah," I scoffed, "The ABI is in charge of security for the event tonight, although I don't really see the point."
Speed furrowed his brow, "What you mean, suh?"
I looked out to the festive streets, filled with graduates and their loved ones, "the world we live in only knows peace. I mean, there are a few one-off incidents that require intervention, but it's so far in-between that I don't really see the point of having Royal Guards and the Disciplinary Committee."
He stared at me for a few seconds before making his focus towards the Jubilee's attendees, "I used to think the same thing, Bo," Monspeed began. "I used to think it was pointless to have those same lines of defense when the realm as a whole has a clear understanding of world peace. But then, one day, while I was in chapel, I had an epiphany; they're a contingency plan."
It was odd hearing Monspeed speak so profoundly, he usually has an aloof attitude about him, which is why, out of all my siblings, he's the one that I take the least serious. But in this moment, he actually resembled a proper elder brother, "what do you mean?"
He continued his gaze towards the attendees, "Mel and I did some digging into the conception of the realm, and from our understanding, there was a world before our great-grandparents established the empire."
I was completely taken aback, "wait, what do you mean? I thought Great-Grandmother and Great-Grandfather formed the land we call ShanGriLa and later established the Ryudō?" I had to be candid; I didn't really pay attention in any of my theology classes, if I did, this information probably wouldn't have come as a surprise to me.
"Keep this on the low," he continued, "but, apparently right before they founded the nation, the realm was ruled by an evil Umbrazin, and together, Lord Astaroth and Lady Beelzebub, along with the remaining five Demon Lords were able to seal it within the seams of the True Void."
The patrons continued to enjoy the festivities as I processed the details of our realm's inception, "That's deep stuff. But why still have troops when the Umbrazin was sealed so long ago?" Monspeed shrugged his shoulders and gave an awkward smile; if I had to guess, he probably didn't have an answer to my question, I thought.
—BOOM! —CRASH!
At that moment, my brother and I redirected our attention to our left to see what the source of that crash was. The once festive streets soon morphed into an artery of chaos, "Speed, can you see anything up ahead? I can't get passed all these bystanders!"
He wasn't too far away from me, but the civilians' panicking was making it hard to maneuver. "Yeah, it looks like someone is causing a commotion a few meters ahead!"
After pushing my way through the confused denizens, I met with Monspeed and the sight before us left both of us stunned. There was a large, muscular man wreaking havoc in the streets, along with members of The Steadfast, mercilessly slaughtering the ongoers.
"Speed, are we seeing the same thing?" I asked while adjusting my gloves.
He slowly nodded his head and crouched down in a battle-ready position, pulling out two daggers, "Yeah, I see'em, Bo." The hulking man was flinging innocent civilians around as if they were toys, while the cultists were scooping up any kills they could get from the mess the brute was making.
"Oy! You two," the man yelled out, "in the wench in the uniform, and the man in a dress! You two look eager to die by my hands!"
This man is begging to die, I fumed; I wasn't going to sit by and let this meat-head insult me, or my brother. "You gotta death-wish, or something?" I interrogated, approaching him calmly.
The man erupted into laughter, "Death-wish?" he slowly met us in the center of the street, "I already know that you lot aren't capable of killing, not with those "non-lethal" spells you use!"
I could deduce that the information this man was given was faulty at best, "you hear that, Speed? The spells we use aren't able to take another's life."
My brother erupted in a fit of laughter, "that so? Do you think he'd mind if we tested that theory on him?"
The man was only partially correct; in any tournament or fight taken place in this realm has a barrier erected to prevent the loss of life. However, individuals who find themselves in employed as a knight, disciplinary committee officer, or even a monarch are granted special privileges, and can bypass that same barrier.
"Hahaha! This might be more fun than I thought," the man exclaimed, "my name is Heracles; tell me wench, what do you call yourself?"
I had a vein pulsating on my forehead, "my name is Boudicca, not wench, and his name is Monspeed. I'd advise you keep your conjectures to yourself; otherwise, you'll end up with a hole in your chest."
Heracles drew his sword and licked its blade, "don't threaten me with a good time!" He charged at the two of us with full force, making me his target.
"Flame Dance Signature: Honoo o Sagasu!" Monspeed used one of his daggers and etched his name in air, creating sparks of fire that shaped itself into a javelin. Leaping into the air, Speed pulled off a round-house kick, which sent the flaming javelin hurdling towards our foe, "dammit, he dodged it!"
Using a civilian as a shield, every attack Speed sent his way, Heracles continued his advance, "oh, you two have some bite to you, I knew I was going to have fun with you!"
"Speed, be careful, he's playing with our people's lives," I directed, "worry about clearing the area, I don't want anyone that isn't in The Steadfast or with this psychopath to get caught in the scuffle." Speed gave me a reassuring nod and did as he was told.
"I'm going to be honest with you, Heracles," I cleared my throat as I tightened the straps of my boxing gloves, "you caught me at a really bad time. All my siblings are supposed to be having a great time tonight partying and enjoying their last night as students. But, instead of a lively event, the city is in shambles and is in a state of mass panic."
He leaned back and gave a full belly laugh, "looks like The Princess has it rough!" My opponent rapidly lunged at me with his sword, and it was genuinely laughable how slow he was moving; that was until the tip scraped my cheek, drawing blood.
"Pitiful," I scoffed, evading the brute's attacks; he swung his weapon toward my midsection, which left him wide. Using the blood from the wound I sustained earlier, I scribed my name across the hills of my knuckles, "Blood Signature: Piercing Fists!" The mana infused with my blood, and coated my gloves and formed thick spikes as if they were brass knuckles. Once my spell fully manifested, I landed a devastating right hook on his left side.
"Oh, I'm gonna like you, wench!" Heracles exclaimed with a blood-lusted expression on his face. My opponent is incredibly formidable, and I was feeling less than confident about the fight after that statement.
"I hope you can hang," I jumped back, gaining some distance, "if you can, I'll show you why they call me Princess Boudicca, The Bloodied Fist."
Francesca Winters
"Hey Fran-Bo!" Channing called out, alongside Cain, Tempest, and our parents. The commotion caused by the cultists caused everyone to fly into a frenzy.
"Channing!" I shouted, pushing my way through the fray, "I got separated from Auto. Have you seen her?"
The four of them wore faces of relief upon seeing me, but that was short-lived. Simultaneously and abruptly, orbs of water engulfed the heads of my family; each of them struggling to catch the much-needed gasp of air to relieve them of the pain of suffocation. I was barely within arm's reach of them before it happened, and by the time I made it to them, they were all without a pulse. I looked up to see if there was anyone who looked suspicious enough to have pulled something so treacherous off, and that's when I saw someone who seemed oddly familiar; the only problem was that I had no idea who he could be.
"You know, ever since your last Chevalier, I'd been itching to see what you were made of." The man's voice was cocky, almost as if he knew he had an advantage over me, "and trust me, being close to the Second and Third Princes made my job of infiltrating this realm way easier."
The street was beginning to clear, which I was banking on; I didn't want to have any unnecessary casualties. "Who are you? Am I to assume you're the mastermind behind this attack?"
The man chuckled and stuck his arm out toward me, "Virtue of Order: Ocean Blessing: Abrasion Jets." Five tiny orbs of water formed over his shoulders and blasted pressurized water at me. Thankfully, I was able to instinctively dodge the attack, but my opponent was ready for every maneuver I'd come up with.
"So, am I right?" I continued my interrogation, "Are you the one behind this invasion? Who are you, and who sent you?"
The man gave me a cocky smile before saying, "My codename is Goldkoi."
My eyes widened in disbelief; the same Goldkoi Prince Meliodas and Monspeed said went missing a few months ago? So, it would seem the information Ayosaki and Ariyuki obtained was accurate indeed.
"And as for the mastermind behind this, well, I don't think you want to know that." Goldkoi shot another round of water jets in my direction; however, this time, I was more than prepared to handle whatever attack he sent my way, considering I had the clear advantage.
"Snow Signature: Frigid Winds!" I pulled out one of my iced stilettos and scribed my name in the air, causing the mana to freeze Goldkoi's attack in mid-air. "You'll have to do better than that to take me out." I'd just lost my family, and without knowing where Auto is, I was all alone; I pray to our Dear Mother that you are safe, Auto.
Ayani-Miryūshi Tohka
Tonight was supposed to be a night for all of us to remember fondly, the keyword being "supposed." Everything happened so fast that I barely had time to catch my breath. "Tohka, are you okay? Dear, you must stay close, there are cultists on the attack!" Koya directed.
We were blessed to be accompanied by Her Highness, The Young Master, Ogunosuke, Lady Ayosaki, and Her Highness' elder brother; if anyone could keep the two of us safe, it was definitely the three of them. "Myrlin, something feels off," Her Highness spoke with a damp and low tone.
"Yeah, Mini, I feel it too," Her Highness' brother methodically drew his katana. "SHOW YOURSELF!"
And just as he commanded, someone from a distance removed whatever artifact was obscuring their presence, but the person we saw left us with more questions than answers; it was Master Iniko—.
—PLUGH-COUGH!!
What? What's happening? I suddenly feel so sleepy. Why is that? My vision was getting hazy, but when I regained my focus, I could see my beloved cradling me.
"Don't worry, my Love," I smiled, caressing his cheek, "I just need to rest my eyes for a spell. I won't be long, I promise—…"
It was the last bit of strength I could muster; I just wish I could've watched BaoBao grow to become a beautiful young woman.
Minerva Cosmina Wyllt-Miryūshi
—PLUGH-COUGH!!
"TOHKAAAAAA!" both Ogunkoya and I screamed as the spear that had stabbed my kinfolk slowly started to appear. There was a man holding the weapon; he had soft curly hair and an almost cherub-like face. Although innocent appearance aside, the man wore an iniquitous smile on his face as he kicked Tohka's body to the side.
It happened faster than any of us could process; one moment, we were all moving as a unit, and after Iniko revealed himself, a blade pierced Tohka through the chest. And the blatantly disrespectful act that man displayed made my insides boil with an untamable rage.
Ogunkoya ran to his wife's body to cradle her in her moment of need. The sight was ghastly and unbearable to watch; Tohka shouldn't have been here; she should have been back home in Mirini! Why—why? Why did I put her in such a compromising situation? My thoughts were running rampant, and that man's smile made every fiber in my being ignite with the wrath of a million suns.
"Why the long faces?" The man mockingly frowned. Even with that baby face, the sight of this man was nothing short of foul. I looked to Ayosaki, who was brimming with anger, which would only make sense. Ayo and Tohka practically grew up in the palace with each other; a part of the reason I took a liking to her was only because of Ayo.
"Ayo—!" I directed; however, I looked over and she was already drawing her blade.
"Your Highness," Ayo began, "allow me, your faithful Shadow, to rid this filth from your presence!" I nodded my head, and an LGIN window appeared asking me if I'd like to monitor Ayo's status throughout her battle. Upon accepting, a health bar manifested above her head, along with other stats such as Cache Levels and stamina. Using all of her might, Ayo pounced at the man, and their fight ensued.
I looked to Koya, holding on to Tohka's body. She caressed his cheek and used that last bit of strength she had left to give her husband a precious smile. I couldn't read any of my subject's minds or anything like that; however, I knew, deep down, that Tohka would rather her loved ones see her last moments doing something she was most known for, smiling, from ear-to-ear.
"NIKO!" Myrlin sneered, "What the Hell is going on here?" The look in my brother's eyes was like nothing I'd ever seen.
Iniko ever so calmly walked toward the two of us, "There once lived a princess; she was the youngest child of the Emperor, and because of that, she was showered with spoils." His tone was soft, yet despite that, the volume was immensely overwhelming. "All was going well for the princess until one day, she grew very ill. So ill, in fact, that just being around her would put one's life at risk."
The story seemed familiar, and for some reason, it kept reminding me of that attack on the manor from when I was a child. That night, that woman attacked our home and left me not only mentally scarred, but also subconsciously hindered my growth.
"The Emperor devised a plan," Iniko continued, "an expedition to the Land of Demons, Jigoku, and it was there where she'd meet the one who would guide her down her chosen path—."
"Niko, this is nonsense," Myrlin interjected. "What does this story have to do with what the hell you're doing here? Havoc in the streets we call home, have you no shame? Have you no humility?"
Iniko grimaced at Myrlin's words, "You may henceforth address me as Adetulo, The Chaos King." He bowed and several pillars of chaotic flames shot into the air. "Now, back to this important tale; the princess met a gargoyle from Gargoria, who bestowed her with knowledge on how to properly manage her infliction. However, her condition only grew worse as time passed. So much so that the chaos within her consumed her and she went on a wild rampage."
There was no mistaking it, he was talking about the attack on the manor from when Myrlin and I were kids. "Myrlin, he's talking about that day," I whispered.
"So, the proceeding Emperor and his brother decided that it was within their best interests to murder the princess in cold blood," Iniko snarled; everything was starting to add up, the snide remarks, the ever growing tension between he and Myrlin, it was all because of that day. His face twisted with disgust, "and to make things even more messed up, the bastard went and adopted her son! Had him living amongst his family, as if I were a part of it, but it was a farce, a fallacy!"