Chapter 7: Chapter-6: Arcane of Death

Celine looked out of the window. Her skin crawled, like thousands of insects were walking, slithering. A black swirl gathered on the first gate, clearly visible even in darkness of the night. There was so much Mana gathering on. One after the other bizarre things were happening today. This feeling she felt was evoked by only a certain type of Arts. The Sacrificial Ritual. Black Flames Rose on the First gate, this too was only invoked by sacrificial ritual or death magic. Flames so dark it was visible in the darkness of night. How? She asked herself. She looked toward Alenor. The fragile girl looked anything but right; her face was white, and she was shaking. Celine walked toward her, slowly put her hand on her back. Celine’s aura was naturally warm, it should help her somewhat. Alenor had likely never felt this type of Arcane before. Celine found that relieving. A normal human should never feel it. 

After a few moments, Alenor stopped shaking. Her breathing is uneven. Celine withdrew her hand, and walked outside, to the balcony. For a clearer view without any glass filtering it. Alenor followed her, a few steps behind. 

Celine watched as Flames ate mana and grew massive and massive, like it was an ever all consuming flames of abyss. ‘No…no…’Alenor whispered.

“ Are you all right, Alenor?”

 “I should have known, I should have guessed his intention, he planned all this from the beginning. Why did I not?”

Alenor stared at her with her eyes wide, shaking in horror. She whispered feebly.
“ Who?”

“Gwyene, He planned everything. I should have known what he was planning.”

 “Do you know what that is? I can only say that a Death ritual is being performed."

“A self sacrifice explosion. It is performed with White Cryl”

Alenor touched her earrings, white Cryl with silver to contain it. Celine gripped the ceramic parapet, the fact that Alenor had such a dangerous Arcane on her. And Celine never heard of such a thing. White was said to be dimensionless and Dead. she never knew it had its own arcane. Yet, that matter was far from concerning, What was Gwyene planning? 

“You seem to know what he is doing. How did he even do it in midst of protecting the Gate.”
“He swallowed White Cryl. They summon Flames. Then, we use our Agony and hatred to fuel the flames, use heart as container for it and veins as channel. Greater the pain and suffering, the bigger the Flames will be. After summoning, the caster burns in flame and suffers until the end of ritual. When he broke his already broken hand, I should have known what he was doing. Yet, I left, and now I stand here and watch as he burns and suffers.”

Celine looked at her in utter horror, wondering why she knew something so horrifying or why a mercenary could perform something that was not even known to her. 

“Why do you know such a thing? I have studied Arcane for many years yet I have yet to come across books which said anything related to white Cryl other than it’s dead”
“First condition of the text goes as ‘heart untainted off Malice, or a soul kinder than the first sage and a mother of Sage shall never read or hear of White Cryl’s truth’. Not knowing means you fulfill one of these conditions or maybe all. How lucky am I? To meet someone like you.” Alenor said with a hollow laugh, which was like a mock to Celine’s ears.

Celine felt light headed, why was she knowing so much new information. Now she can hear it, does that mean her heart was tainted by malice? She did not wish to pursue it. It was of little importance to her now. Yet, the conditions felt hollow, if conditions were so explicit why did Alenor know, she entered strayer’s guide, she did not possess malice herself.

“There’s no point in me knowing now. Let us discuss the matter if we make it out alive. So, why were you saying you should have known?”

Celine watched as flames grew smaller and denser like a black nothingness eating away the darkness of Night. Ironic, people said darkness of night was all consuming and yet here it was, a black nothingness eating away darkness, clearly visible from so far away. Making darkness look pale in comparison.

“Before he gave me the charge, he was smashing his broken hand. I should have pieced it together then. What was his goal? Making me go away, claiming one of us would make it out alive. He planned this after talking to the Warlord.”

“But why me? He did not know me, he saw my earrings, he should have known I would do the same. I could have summoned a bigger flame, and he could have used the locket. It could have been… better.”

Black flames vanished, completely. Celine's gathered ritual had ended. She could feel tense mana. Even more frantic was Alenor, Celine felt pity for her. 

“ It's not your fault Alenor ? No one can predict it, death makes humans do many things.”

“No.. I must–”

KWAAAAA—

Before Alenor could say something. The air vibrated, followed by the sound of an explosion. The night turned white. Celine’s ears rang, and she watched in fascination, the blinding aftershock of mana bomb. The First Gate was still there, the explosion came from beyond it. It was not big, just mana’s reaction was dreadful. Arcane of death had that effect. Celine doubted that had destroyed anything beyond the Path. All this just for that. Wasteful and bleak. But her authority had been broken. Now, the first gate was truly just a mass of forgotten woods. But the chasm should stop the advancement for a while. And disarray from shock too. She could see Gwyene’s full strategy, yet it was just a futile attempt of a dead man at best.

“ I hope now you rest peacefully. For an eternity”

“ Alenor..?”

Alenor looked at her. Celine watched as everything went back to normal. Now they can fly over the Gates, even without destroying it. But after that they would have to continue by foot from the second gate to the sanctuary, which by Elder’s covered the Way as well. Though in all seriousness it was futile. If only Alenor agreed to hide.

“ Try to sleep for a while. The sanctuary stands, there’s nothing for you to do. Once it expires you will have an army to fight.”

“No. I… what if.. You said there is a secret chamber. You should hide there. At this point sleeping would only make me slow. I’m already numb to most necessities. Eating or sleeping will only have an unfavorable effect. Once this is over, I too will rest… For an eternity.”

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“ The Chamber is part of territorial authority. If I hide or try to run away, it would be useless. Alenor, Gwyene wanted you to live. At least for him, please.”

“His wishes are of no consequence. We are talking in circles, Miss Celine. Can you tell me what that bridge does? If I break it, what will be the consequences ?” 

Celine sighed, she could feel irritation in her mouth. Sometimes, she wished she could just force her will on others. A trait her blood was proud of but her sanity despised. She walked back inside, outside reminded her of her sins, of the sacrifices she had made, yet here she was presenting herself as a kind hearted human.   

“This bridge, Way, is the core of my authority. If you break it, they will be unbound from all restrictions, monsters will be flying, armies using ranged attacks, and every other thing. The way gives a path into the main chamber and imposes restrictions on using magic other than melee, flying over the chasm, and entering this chamber without crossing the bridge. And not more than 83 beings can be on the bridge at the same time.”

Celine told her of the restriction Alenor needed to know. It was a taboo to ever disclose Territorial authorities to anyone other than their heir.

"Same as the first gate, then they will be free of all restrictions once they cross the bridge." 

“Yes, of all restrictions that were imposed those were the only ones that would be helpful in battle.”

“So we cannot destroy the bridge, at least they have to cross it. If I stop them there, I will have an advantage.” Alenor sighed and stopped walking behind her. "If it were a battle between armies, that kind of restriction would result in a one-sided slaughter," Alenor said, laughing hollowly and wishfully. If only she had an army.

It truly was a slaughter, Celine remembered. Her great uncle had authority when the last siege happened. Celine was also here and watched as enemy armies tried to enter only to be met with a barrage of magic and arrows, only a dozen crossed the bridge and they were overwhelmed quickly. It was a sad sight, she understood why the first gate had not once been broken in the last millennia. It was impossible to break it. Now,  It would be broken in a matter of minutes. 

“You cannot stop them on the bridge, Alenor. I do mean to be hurtful but you’re too weak to stop them for any period of time. You’re just throwing your life if head on clash is your plan. A foolish and stubborn death.”

Her words came out more vitriolic than Celine had expected, not that it phased Alenor in anyway. Her face still wore the same tired expression. 

“ Do not worry, Miss Celine. I won’t do something that irrational, I have a plan.”

“I hope you do, Alenor. And that it’s not a sacrificial magic”

“No, Sacrificial magic is all consuming if I performed it here, it would take you with the army.” 

‘Is your pain that great…?’ Celine stopped herself from asking.

“Is there an armory here? Since the request said we had to guard from a distance, I brought my staff only.”

“ It is in the basement. But, most of them would be useless. No one had cared for them in last decade”

“Okay…….”

There was a loud boom, Celine and Alenor looked outside. The first gate had fallen. An explosion, powerful enough that the gate was blown apart. With this, a millennium-old saying came to an end. Yet, in reality it was never of importance. Only this mansion and the thing bound to it was. 

“I will make do with anything having a form, rest can be handled by magic. Will Miss Celine point me to the exit?” She said with a bow. 

Celine pointed toward the exit and walked back to the sofa. Her legs were feeling numb from standing the whole day and night, now she did not need to see the first gate. There was nothing left.

“ Thank you, Miss Celine. I can enter the armory without you?”

“Yes, go down the stairs, then go outside from the main door, then to the back. You’ll see the entrance to the armory.”

“Thank you and goodbye, Miss Celine. Coming back here would be a waste of energy, I will stay at the bridge.”
Celine could stop her from stepping outside this room. Nothing was allowed to leave or enter this chamber without her permission. Door would never present itself to her if she did not want it to. It would not be helpful in any way. 

Celine watched Alenor leave, her mind raised thousands of excuses to stop her but she did not say anything. That distress sound of an innocent voice, her constant calling, a voice that Alenor did not hear. How scared the voice was, it pained Celine to hear it but she could not bring herself to do anything. Alenor left, leaving behind a trail of blood. Tears fell from Celine’s eyes, she held herself in front of her but now she was alone. She did not need to appear strong. Why was the fate never kind to her?

 

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