After my encounter with the Lady of the Raven, time flew by like the migration of black wyverns, swift and unpredictably. three months had passed since that night, and with it, my first semester of freshmen year in Bright Star Academy.
Of course, the nightly adventures of my alter ego, Cheshire did not grind to a halt. although my busy schedule had rendered me utterly occupied and unable to attend certain leisurely functions, I didn't see it as much of an issue. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed the call of the night . From training with Lucy to helping Mr. wilfred, there was never really free time to investigate what happened to the original owner of this body, the real August.
So far, all I knew was what killed him. i discovered a black mark on my neck in the shower a couple of months ago. I had never really pay attention to it until i read a journal on magic influenced ailments and diseases. the evidence i found, was gut wrenching to say the least.
The mark I discovered was a heart-shaped mark with a dark mole-like hue. in the chronicle, I found only one disease with said descriptive signs on the body.
[ THE BLACK HEART CURSE ]: The Curse Type communicable disease that spread in the age of The Heavenly Kings of Grandiose. The curse first began among the kingdom knights who started dying of strange sleep related diseases. at first it was named The sleeping sickness. But later on as the marks were noticed as the pattern for the infected, it gained the name, The Black Heart Curse. they say the pandemic began inexplicably and ended just as inexplicably. To this current age, there is still no cure for the black heart curse.
To be honest, I was in disbelief and decided to take a closer look. As to how, I crafted a make-shift camera with mirror magic. I realize that such technologies have not been invented yet in this world, as such, I keep them confidential. If indeed the true August Grimmseley was infected with the black heart curse, then there is something no one was addressing. Whoever ordered August's assassination knew of father's alter ego as the head of the Night Cloak society. If im not wrong, his death once confirmed would have disrupted the resistance's operations.
I'd have to make better inference on this lead, but perhaps another time.
As I suspected about the hero's hand written accounts in this world five hundred years ago, there was obviously something fishy. he wrote this book in japanese, which to me ,meant he wanted to send a warning to any unsuspecting other-worlder that ended up in his situation. all in all, this book was no mere diary, it was a message; a hidden message.
[THE SILVER ERA]- 500 YEARS AGO... ...
[ DAY 760]: "Its been an entire two years in this world and I finally decided to write an account of my adventures, should I return back to Japan. About half my classmates are dead we, the surviving members have been at war constantly with the demon armies. Fighting, pushing against their numbers in an attempt to silence the dark forces. At first, it was about finishing our end of the bargain and returning to our world safely. but, as time flew by, days turning into weeks and weeks into months, got to know the true meaning of existence, the people and what was at stake for them. you could say I, evolved my mindset.
yesterday the Royal Knights and I went up against one of the Demon Lord Val's Grand Generals, Sylvia Bloodthorn. She was a Draconic human, one of the most powerful beast men races in existence. She, even among her kin was called the Walking Disaster, which would give anyone a fair idea of her prowess and combat power. together with her legion of dragonutes, they were near disastrous.
lives were lost, landscape edged with the ink of battle as swords clashed with dragon scales. We were only able to to turn the tide when my classmates and party members showed up with their divine class magic. their aid created an opening for me to isolate Sylvia and finish her off with my Requiem Class Magic. although the lives lost were astronomically great, thier sacrifices were sure to carve the path to peace... ..."
[Page One (1)- The Detailed accounts of the Human-Demon wars ]
[ DAY 1054 ]: It would seem the lonely existence of a powerful entity might not apply to me after all. I have seen a beauty far too exuberant to belong to such an era of war. Her beauty leaves me in stunned silence and awe. She seems to devote herself to the one type of magic she can use, Healing Magic.
Unlike other saint level healers, she's less boisterous, more delicate, more calm.
If anything, I'd like to someday profess my feelings to her... ...
[ Page Two Hundred and Ninety- Four (294)- The Detailed accounts of the Human-Demon wars ]
[ DAY 3030 ]: Years had gone by and after the loss of several loved one and cherished comrades, we made it... ... THE DEMONIC CONTINENT OF THORNHAVEN...
The blood of several races had been spilt to reach this point in the war. Looking back at their smiles, the only thing i can see now is blood; copious and unending streams of crimson red. thier memories, although dear to me have still been marred by this accursed war and for that, I will always bare fangs at those blasted demons.
that day felt like yesterday, nostalgic and filled with tears and fear. my seven man party charged into the main hall filled with portraits of past rulers of Thornhaven. The Hall of Grand Devils, they called it.
the hall was dark and narrow and at the end, was the door that led to Demon Lord Val's Throne Room.
The old acacia wood door with skull carvings gave the sense of, " opening up the path of no return". As it creaked open, a grimm site awaited us. Seated on a throne carved from the skull of a dragon and surrounded by obsidian laced silk drapes, the dark lord himself sat amidst the dim glow of Sulphur lamps. His posture was calm at the time, sickeningly so ... ...
He was study, a composed air that screamed quiet rage. As his fury continued to rise, he could no longer suppress his magic. With my enhanced magic perception, his dark aura looked like the aggressive flickering of a flame. It moved in unintentional unison with the Sulphur lamps around him. Even after years of warring against his grand generals, I saw at that moment why they named him the Dark Lord. His magic Density was a cut above the rest.
I knew that should it have been my old self standing before Val, he wouldn't even need to stand from his throne to end me. but now, I was stronger, we were stronger.
He lifted his head, a dark expression all over his face as he glared at us with evident contempt.
The Final Face-Off: the battle was intense, most of our parties gear being destroyed with lack-luster swings of his blade. He felt, bored in my eyes, seeing the battle as more of a chore than something he wanted to do. but, I shuved that notion aside, in my opinion, how could a person who claims to want balance spill this much innocent blood?
Once our morale was torn to shreds, we were next. from party member to party member, he struck without a single ounce of mercy. My comrades in this long war were now all dead, leaving me as the last stand for this decisive outcome of humanity.
i knew that death was not avoidable, infact he was the literal personification of the term death. but, for some reason, i felt that undying urge to clasp my blade and avenge my fallen comrades. Also,I knew that a death here would mean leaving my new family alone.
With an exasperated look on his face, he rose his left index finger at me. My body still quivered from the barrage of assaults he had released at the start of our battle.
As he finally decided to break the silence of death in the air, his words were not a pleasant contrast. They were a sharp blade to my chest.
" Are you sure the fight you fight is indeed for the sake of peaceful coexistence, hero?".
his words felt like advice more than a threat, but his actions before had left no room for understanding in my head. My blade only closed the difference between my hand and his neck as he spoke.
true to his name, The Lord of Darkness, he slipped into shadow avoiding the attack with relative ease. The fight seemed to drag on, which was against me. i had run out of almost all my mana and his destruction magic nullified the enchantments on my artifacts. I had to finish it. I unleashed a final trick up my sleeve, a requiem class final spell;
[ Grand Apostle!!!!!!!]
As the holy light enveloped my blade, I conjured a torrent of photon javelins to end the fight. as each javelin pierced Val's chest, I felt satisfied that vengeance was now mine. however, the feeling lasted mere minutes, an unexpected outcome as Val spoke his final words, sure and undeniably certain they would come to pass, even in his upcoming death.
" You think they won't throw you away when they are done with you too?!"