"What are you doing here George?" A regal voice resounded behind the headmaster.
As he turned around, his knees were kicked in and he was forced to his knees. As his palms hit the floor, they were crystallised in place.
"Kill him, Markus." She said coldly
"What!?" Markus and George said in unison
"Here-" she threw a crystal sword in his hands.
"Kill him." She commanded
"But—" Markus began to say
"He was about to kill you. Isn't this your chance at revenge?" She asked him
"Sister— have you gone completely mad—" George protested
"Prove to me I can trust you. Prove to me that you have the conviction to kill to survive. Now, swing that sword at his head." She said
Markus' hands shook as he looked at George.
"Do it or else I will slaughter every last one of your friends. Starting from your little Agent Dagger to Amanda Rilan to Helen Aquabourne!" She threatened
Markus' hands grew still. Deadly still.
"How dare you." He said with his back turned to her
"What did you say?" She asked, thinking she misheard him
In that instant, Markus turned around and his eyes had a primordial light flowing through them.
The light enveloped Elizabeth and after a singular blink, she found herself at the southern coastal temple. She was in the clutches of a tall man. She had met him once before. And now, she knew his secret.
He was Taeru Stonebourne.
"Is this an illusion?" She asked him
The world around them was frozen in time. But in the next moment, it was no longer.
In that moment, the strongest master in the continent, felt the might of an elemental lord.
Crystals formed around her skin creating a valkyrie armour.
In the next moment, blue energy wrapped around her and disintegrated the crystals. In that moment, Taeru's hand around her throat clenched and four spikes rose from the ground, impaling her.
She wrapped her hands around Taeru's hand and crystallised his arm. Then she slammed her hands down on it and broke through the crystal and freed herself from his choke. She was still impaled four ways however.
In response, a large golden clear crystal formed around her, encasing her. The stone spikes broke down and vanished. Her body was now protected by a magnificent complex valkyrie armour which reflected light around her. Her regal appearance only became more majestic.
Taeru meanwhile remained frozen but soon he resumed and shot forth spinning spikes right at the crystal.
They clashed against the crystal and drilled against it but despite initial cracks, the crystal withstood.
"You are clearly not as helpless as I thought you to be." Elizabeth said raggedly
"Me? A Lord? Helpless?" Taeru spoke
"Cut it out Markus. I know this is all your doing." She said sternly
"Here is your chance for revenge." Markus' voice resounded within the world monotonely
A wicked chuckle resounded as a tall man manifested out of nothing in front of the crystal.
Celestial energy swirled once more around the crystal and greedily consumed everything the queen had made.
She came undone and appeared as a mundane human before Anax, the Seventh Emperor of Destruction.
"The Herald of Death has come for me himself? I'm honoured." She said
Anax approached and with a wicked smile, he punched her with a right hook.
She fell back but quickly recovered and took a defensive stance.
'My essence is suppressed entirely?! How… ah— he's seen essence suppressing metals. And the ground changed now… it's black like the metal. Wait there's something around my arm… must be another item to suppress me. He's doing well.' She thought
Anax was already on her with a flying knee which she dodged and responded to with a left jab right to his face.
When she pulled her arm back, Anax went to snatch it and shoulder threw her in one swift motion. Then he got on top of her and pummeled her, laughing maniacally with every punch.
"H-urry up ANAX!" Markus' strained voice resounded in the world
"You could always give me a weapon—" Anax retorted between punches
Then in his hand, a sharp blade of pure celestial essence took shape.
"That's better—" Anax said before turning the blade downward and plunged it
Elizabeth reached forward to try to stop the blade with her bare hands.
As the blade came down, she braced for death.
But death did not come. Instead, she fell backwards looking at Markus' tired expression.
"Sh*t—" Markus said before he flew upward with a tide of crystals that completely immobilised him.
Then another shot of crystals went straight to his head, wrapping around his eyes.
"What just happened…" George said
He was looking at his sister. Trembling.
Elizabeth caught her breath up. She soon calmed herself and got up.
"I'll deal with you later." She said, enclosing George in a crystal and throwing him underground through a crystal tunnel which opened up suddenly.
She approached Markus and stood atop the crystals.
"It seems you've unlocked quite a few abilities. You've been holding back on me, Markus." She said
"Spare me the lecture and just kill me." Markus said between ragged breaths
"Kill you?" She said reaching for his face and tilting it upward
"If this is just a fragment of your power, I want to see the whole piece. Especially when I figured you out, at long last. You will kill of your own volition under two conditions. One is if you get tormented enough by the target. The other, a much more noble cause, is when those you cherish are in mortal danger." She said, satisfied with herself
"So you're not going to kill them? That's a relief…" Markus sighed
"I would be more worried about you right now." She replied
"But you just said it yourself… you won't kill me." Markus replied, almost smirking
"That doesn't mean I won't punish you." She said, screaming a crystal needle
Without warning, she plunged it right into his chest and next to his heart. Then she pulled her blade back.
"I just left a crystal construct inside you. The way it works is if I die, it will expand and kill you from the inside." She explained
"What if I'm not the one to kill you?" Markus asked
"Tough luck." She replied
The crystals on and below Markus crumbled.
"Now, tell me about your powers." She told him
With a sigh, Markus explained the mental plain and his newfound ability to recreate scenarios.
"Honestly I didn't know I could do it. I only thought that I need someone stronger and he came to mind. Unfortunately, I can't replicate the true power of a Lord even in the imaginary realm." Markus said
"Is there a limit to how many people you can bring in?" She asked
"I need to make eye contact with the person so it's one at a time." Markus explained
"I didn't look into your eyes as much as I was looking at their glow." Elizabeth replied
"Huh… I needed to make eye contact with Master Jessica to pull her in." Markus said
Then his eyes widened.
"Oh? Jessica knows about this does she? So it was not just your secret. Good to know." She said
"I want to test out a few things with your mental plain. How long does your celestial essence take to replenish?" She asked
"A few days… maybe more." Markus said adamantly
"Alright. Inform Enrique when the time comes." She said
Then she walked away, leaving Markus dazed
'Did I just escape attempted regicide with a slap on the wrist?' He thought in a daze
Markus looked around and walked away. Retiring to his chambers, he closed the door and jumped into bed.
"What the hell is going on?" He asked aloud
"Do you really want to know?" A voice rang within his head
"… what are you going to tell me this time?" Markus asked Anax
"She is proud. You nearly killed a master, having no more than a fragment of your true power. Although history told her about the powers of an emperor, one would always be skeptical. Until they see it for themselves, that is. And with your little stunt, she just received proof that her plan will work. That you will be her weapon against the dukes." Anax explained
"Is that so…" Markus said, processing what Anax had told him
Anax's voice then faded, leaving Markus alone.
Markus' eyelids grew heavy. His blinks were longer. And by the next time he blinked, he saw the sun's light shine through his window.
'Morning already?' Markus wondered
'Did I just blink the night away?' Markus thought as he got up
He went to look outside and saw something unfathomable…
The night sky was being pushed back by a blinding sunlight originating from one point. The south western region of the continent. In the capital, all lights flickered on and off, as if the flames were growing unstable and chaotic. As if something had happened to the concept of flames itself.
Markus' heart raced as he looked at the light. It was bright. It was warm. It was fierce.
"Anax… if this is coming from the Crimson region… and the flames are growing unstable… a-and the world is adapting to this change…" Markus said
"I have seen it before. The day the Lord of Crimson was born. But you suspected it already didn't you?" Anax said
"What is the spirit of flame again?" Markus asked
"It alternates forms. But look at the greater pattern in the flame." Anax said
Markus looked at the flames in the sky…
"A bird..?" Markus asked
"A phoenix. That must be the current form of the Greater Spirit of Flame. Meaning…" Anax said
"There's a new Phoenixlord…" Markus muttered incredulously
He sat in silence, watching the flames light up the night sky. It was beautiful but also dreadful. The crown and by association, he had gained a new opponent.
He sat for hours until the flames extinguished and the night was restored to normal. Like nothing had ever happened.
But something had happened. Some lights were still flickering hours after it had all started.
'Is there a period of vulnerability for a Lord after ascending?' Markus wondered
"Yes. They need time to adjust to their new connection and power. Emperors are the same in that regard. I slept for two weeks once I became emperor. It's called the Imperial Slumber." Anax said
"Wait what—" Markus asked aloud
But Anax was gone once more.
"I swear he does this to torment me." Markus groaned
He went back to bed and fell asleep before long.