The lingering warmth of Tiabishi's kiss still pulsed on Achlys' lips as he wandered in silence, dazed and caught in the whirlwind of his own thoughts. His fingers hovered over his mouth, as though trying to grasp the sensation physically, the meaning behind it.
"Why did she kiss me? Why me? I don't deserve this. I ran... I abandoned her at her lowest. I should've stayed. I should've fought." His voice quaked, lost in his guilt. "I like her too... but I can't accept this. Not like this."
Behind him, not far away, Tiabishi stood with quiet sorrow shadowing her smile. Though distant, she had heard every word. Her voice carried softly on the breeze.
"I know, Achlys. I never expected you to accept it now... I just needed you to know. What you do with it... That's your choice." Her smile trembled as a tear traced the curve of her cheek. "Just... think about it."
Before he could dive deeper into despair, a sharp smack landed on the back of his head.
"Yo, meathead! Long time no see!"
He stumbled forward, face meeting the dirt. "Saria..." he groaned, half-laughing, half-wincing. "Yeah, long time no see."
Saria beamed mischievously, slapping his head a few more times for good measure. "Glad to see you're still alive! Come on, let's spar a little. I wanna see what you've got!"
Before she could lunge again, a boot connected with her side, sending her crashing into a boulder.
"Not now, Saria. He just got here. Let him breathe," Nox said calmly, dusting off his axe.
Saria bounced back to her feet, eyes gleaming. "I'll decide that myself, Nox!"
Nox sighed and raised his axe, dull edge forward. "You're as energetic as ever. Maybe a good smack will help you focus."
She charged.
The clash was quick. Nox deflected her swing and tapped her head with the flat of his axe. "Wide open. As always."
Saria fell in a heap beside Achlys, who chuckled. "She's always like this?"
Nox shrugged. "You get used to it."
Achlys smiled faintly, rising to his feet. "Hey, that boy from the counter came by my place."
At that, Nox burst into laughter.
Saria raised an eyebrow. "The boy from the counter?"
"His name is Diople!" Nox howled. "Diople! Bwahaha!"
Achlys scowled. "Oi, old man. You keep laughing like that, and I'll shave a couple of feet off your height."
"You what?" Nox barked. "You wanna go, punk?! I'll use your skull for my axe practice!"
They butted heads, spitting insults.
"Punk!"
"Balding fossil!"
"Ugly ogre!"
"Single, lonely idiot!"
Saria roared with laughter.
They moved beyond the city walls, only to find a crowd gathered around a body sprawled on the ground.
"What's going on?" Achlys asked, pushing through.
His heart stopped. "Wait... Akatsuki?!"
He fell to his knees beside the unconscious man as the murmurs began.
"Akatsuki? Isn't that the king who abandoned us 18 years ago?"
"I thought we had no king."
"Why return now?"
"Better off dead."
The voices gnawed at Achlys. His fists clenched, nails biting into his palms.
"SILENCE!" he roared. The earth split beneath his feet. The mark on his cheek ignited in crimson light. Mist Sword trembled at his side.
"You speak of sacrifice as though you understand it! He gave everything to save this empire from its doom!"
The whispers persisted.
"Without him, we could've won."
"We didn't need him."
His blade flew from its sheath.
"Who dares to touch me?!" He spun, blade flashing toward the neck of the one behind him.
A hand remained firm on his shoulder.
"Let go, or I'll— Saria...?"
Her eyes met his, calm and steady.
"It's okay. They're under mind control. They don't mean it."
His grip wavered. Slowly, he lowered the sword.
"Still... they can't speak like that about the man who saved me."
Nox and Saria exchanged a silent nod.
"Sorry, Achlys," she whispered.
Then darkness, he had fainted.
A warm voice, ancient and gentle, echoed in the silence.
"Sleep well... my child."
Akatsuki's eyes had opened. The murmuring crowd fell silent.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Nox offered a hand. "Your Majesty."
"Thank you, Nox," Akatsuki said, rising with dignity. "Saria. Nox. It's been a while."
They knelt, heads bowed.
Then suddenly, as if possessed, the crowd spoke in eerie unison, all the eyes glowing red.
"Find me... I, the one named Firesworn, await. Saria, Nox, Achlys, Tiabishi... I am in this city. Find me."
And they collapsed.
Tiabishi caught Achlys' head gently, cradling him in her arms. "We will protect you," she whispered. "The king is safe. And Firesworn... we will bring you to your knees."
She stood, her determination burning through her eyes.
None of them had their minds on defeat. "Let's go, everyone. We have a hunt."
............................................................................
Far away, on the throne of a long-abandoned palace, a woman sat.
"They'll be busy now, won't they, servant?"
"Yes, my queen," the cloaked figure rasped.
He produced a ring, shifting in color like fire on oil.
"A gift, my queen. The Ring of Synaisthima. The Ring of Ambition."
Her eyes gleamed. "With this... I can save them. All of them."
The ring pulsed gold and red as she slid it onto her middle finger.
| What is your ambition? |
"To end poverty. To break chains. To restart this broken world, no matter the cost."
The ring drank her essence like a leech.
| Very well. I shall grant you the power of free will. The power... of the Phoenix. |
A tower of fire exploded into the sky.
............................................................................
She closed her eyes. The fire faded.
| Good luck, Persephone. |
She opened them with a smile as a star of flame appeared.
W̵̞̳̅h̸̨̝̊̀ȯ̷̤̫ ̸̣͐d̷͇̺̓a̴͎͕̔r̶͖̈́e̸̡̽̚s̷͉̪͆ ̸̝͘t̷̞̂ȏ̸̟͎̊ ̵̟̑w̸̼̙͑̎ȧ̵͜k̶͕̤̎ȇ̶̫͊ ̶̰̩́m̶̳͛̽e̶̱̽ͅ ̷͉̄F̷̥̚r̴̬̔͛ͅo̵͔̓ͅm̸̳͔̎͌ ̶̫͓́m̶̮̈̐y̵̠͌͝ ̶͍̍͝ͅs̸̖̍l̸̼̓ë̸̛́ͅe̴͙͖͑p̴͖̒͘
"I summon you, Lord Phoenix... from the Ring of Synaisthima," Persephone said, bowing.
The star burned bright, morphing into a great flaming bird.
She opened them with a smile as a star of flame appeared.
W̵̱̾h̶̩͛a̷̛̞̚t̷̜͙̂͑ ̵̲͘ĭ̶͔s̸̳̕̚ ̸̲̄̍y̷͔̓o̸̤̽ú̸̗̰r̵̠͊ ̷͙̼̊w̶̦̎͊ï̴̹̬̿s̸̨̝̏h̴̹̟̾.̶̜̾̂.̸̜͊.̸̻̥͒ it asked curiously.
"To free all from the tyranny of royalty."
The phoenix shrank, perched on her shoulder. "Are you certain?"
"I am," she replied firmly.
"Then I, Adonis, Phoenix of Flame, shall be your weapon."
A tattoo was scorched onto her skin. Pain lanced through her arm.
"What are you doing?!" She screamed, trying her best to endure the intense pain caused by those flames.
"Forging our bond. Survive it, and I am yours."
The tattoo flared and settled.
"With this power," she gasped, "I can save my people."
The cloaked servant smiled darkly beneath his hood, blade hidden in hand.
............................................................................
Then the throne room door exploded.
"Not if we stop you!" Akatsuki entered, wounded but alive. Saria, Tiabishi, and Nox stood beside him.
"Persephone," he rasped. "You won't win."
"You were supposed to be dead!" she shrieked.
Her servant stepped forward. "Majesty... I was always meant to kill you."
"What?!"
His knives gleamed.
But Akatsuki moved faster.
His sword pierced the traitor's chest.
"Light, save me!" the man cried, fading into motes.
Akatsuki turned to Persephone, whose neck was bleeding.
"What did you do…Persephone?"
She smiled. "Just a little paralyzing herb. From yesterday. In case you woke up."
............................................................................
In the distant mountains, a demon princess watched the flame pillar with narrowed eyes.
"There you are..."
With a sigh, she dashed toward the city.
Towards the throne.
Towards blood.
She crashed through the window into the chaos, eyes wild.
"Well, well, well..." she grinned. "What do we have here?"
Weapons were drawn.
"You...," Tiabishi whispered.
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<| Artifact Book |>
Artifact: Ring of Synaisthima (Ambition)
Rarity: Low Godly
Strength: Grants power based on the wearer's ambition. Nearly unbreakable. Power persists even if removed (weaker).
Weakness: Saps 50% of the user's power (including skills and magic).
Origin: Forged 400 years ago from a planetary core. Hidden and heavily guarded due to its corruptive nature.
Spellbook: Twisted Magic (Chaos Magic)
Creator: Awonawilona, Deity of Creation
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