Rupture: Rise of the Demon King (37 page)

Serkima went flying from the rock, which drove the arrow deeper into her chest. Bianca sent another chuck of column at her, but this time she stopped it and sent it back toward her. Bianca ducked and the rock flew by, and then sent a surge of rock back at the demon.

By now, the others had risen and had teleported to Bianca. Together, they unleashed a swirling elemental beam right into the demon, slamming her into the wall.

Seeko teleported to Serkima, his blade drawn and afire. Blood oozed from the defeated demon’s chest wound. Serkima looked up to him with sadness in her eyes. Seeko returned a cold, almost lifeless stare, then beheaded the demon with his short-sword. He retrieved the onyx necklace from the corpse as her head rolled to the ground.

Seeko squeezed the last necklace, knowing he had actually stopped the demon invasion.
Now I only have one demon left to stop.

Light flooded into the room from above. Bianca had shifted the ground above them back open, revealing countless guards above them. “Stop where you are!” one yelled. “Your attack against Lady Peria is punishable by death.”

Some of the guards drew bows and others readied their magic.

“This wasn’t really part of the plan,” Bianca noted.

“Just get out of the castle and make a run for it,” Seeko said. “I’ll distract them.”

“Wait,” Mori said, but Seeko had already teleported away.

He appeared behind the guards. “Hey, you haven’t caught me yet!” He summoned dark hands beneath all the guards and flung them into the room below.

As he did this, Bianca lifted the three still trapped inside on pillars of stone. They jumped off their pillars onto the solid ground before them.

“That wasn’t so hard,” Seeko said, looking down at the scrambling guards.

They ran out of the castle and were soon away from the red- and gray-bricked buildings that made up Vornal. They crossed the river before stopping to rest. Both Mori and Seeko keeled over, gasping for breath. Keith looked back at the town and Bianca laughed.

“Was that exciting or what?” she asked, happier than the rest.

“It’s not a laughing matter, Bianca,” Keith said. “We could have been killed.”

“But we weren’t,” she retorted. “That demon didn’t stand a chance.”

Seeko knelt on the ground to help balance his tired body. Mori managed to catch her breath and said, “We could barely find her! She certainly had more than a chance!”

Bianca held up her bow. “My arrow didn’t have a hard time finding her.”

“One lucky hit isn’t enough to go about underestimating the opponent,” Keith said.

Seeko rose and took a deep breath. “She hit the demon good, twice. I would gloat too, especially since she’s new to this.” He pointed at her. “She did better than any of us.”

“Yeah, because I’m the best,” Bianca said.

Keith grabbed his face and rubbed his temples. “Okay, but now that we know where to go and we closed all the portals, we really don’t need your assistance.”

“It’s okay, I’ll head with you guys anyways,” she said, trying not to look offended.

“What about whatever’s left of Greg’s rebellion?” Mori asked. “Doesn’t he need your help?”

Bianca shrugged. “He won’t take me back after I left him for you.”

“But we are going back to Asilis to see Emperor Physis,” Mori said.

“Keith isn’t Irenic and he’s going,” Bianca said. “The Halcyon have already lost.”

Seeko pulled out all five necklaces and held the different colored gems in his hand. The war
was
over. He had stopped the demons.

“So it looks like you could use my help anyway,” Bianca said. “If you’re going back, you have to go through the Renthdra Gorge again.”

Both Keith and Mori sighed in defeat and began walking along the path toward Rhemos.

/ / / / /

Cool autumn days passed and the road split from the river. The grass became drier and turned back into yellow brush. Keith led the pack while Seeko stayed behind with Mori. Bianca was last.

“Hey, Seeko,” Bianca called to him.

He slouched his shoulders and fell back to walk alongside her.

“I don’t think you should give the necklaces to the Irenic,” she said.

“I have to,” Seeko answered.

Bianca looked to the horizon. “Couldn’t you just destroy them or bury them or something?”

“No,” Seeko said. “Emperor Physis knows what to do with them.”

“I don’t think it’s that simple. Physis isn’t one to play fair. He’ll probably just turn around and use the portals against what remains of the Halcyon.”

“If he tries to use the portals, I’ll stop him too.” Besides, Seeko had to find out if Physis was his father.

Bianca walked past him. “How did you manage to fight for the stupid Irenic?”

/ / / / /

The sound of clashing metal greeted them as they neared Rhemos. An army fought its way into the town as the other defended it with barricades and fortified buildings.

“Is that General Todd’s army?” Mori asked.

Seeko ran forward but Keith held him back. “I don’t think he wants our help,” Keith said, “and you don’t enter a fight exhausted.”

Seeko dropped his arms and fell back behind Keith. They camped and watched as the Halcyon eventually retreated to the north.

Later, they arrived to find the remains of the battle. Bodies littered the ground, and the outer clay buildings were just as broken. Seeko stepped over a dead Halcyon soldier and found General Todd standing before his army in his full suit of armor.

Some of the soldiers stepped away in fear as Seeko caught their attention. Todd noticed the intrusion and faced him and his friends.

“So the fated hero has turned against the Irenic Empire?” Todd said, pointing at their dark clothing. “You’re too late to help the Halcyon here,
hero
.”

Seeko didn’t really want to deal with Todd’s aggression. “No, we just had to blend in,” he replied.

As he spoke, a man in ridiculous-looking white and blue robes walked out alongside General Todd. “Emperor Physis!” Mori said. She bowed before him and Seeko followed suit. The other two did not follow Mori’s example.

The emperor allowed them to rise. Seeko fumbled through his pockets and pulled out the necklaces. “I closed all the portals,” he said, holding them out ahead of him.

“Very good,” Physis responded. “But this war isn’t over. I need you to go to Gemini.”

Seeko lowered the necklaces. Had he not done enough? Had he not pleased the emperor? He thought he’d be somewhat proud of him, this boy turned hero. “Why? Now that we stopped more demons from arriving, shouldn’t you be able to stop the Halcyon without my help?”

“We need to take out their leader, Emperor Cerris,” Physis said. “Then the remaining towns will surrender without further damage.”

Seeko looked through Physis. “And you want me to kill their emperor.”

“Yes. He brought demons into this world. He needs to be punished for all the lives he’s taken.”

“But the Irenic Empire started the war,” Bianca interrupted. “You ended more lives than he ever did!”

Todd took a step toward her. “Watch your tongue.”

“I may have started this, but I never fought dirty,” Physis answered.

Bianca scowled and walked away.

“If you could get to Emperor Cerris and end his reign,” Physis said, “countless lives will be spared.” He cleared his throat. “The army will be several hours behind you. We will capture Gemini right as the emperor falls, if all goes according to plan.”

Seeko looked around at all the dead bodies scattered along the ground, thinking of the death brought on by Emperor Cerris.

“Thanks to Yoshino, Kazuma and Lorissa are both dead,”
Kerodesis mentioned.

Mori curiously looked into Seeko’s eyes and reminded him of all the demons that attacked them.

“Okay, fine,” Seeko said. “I’ll kill Emperor Cerris.”

Mori was taken aback. “Don’t you want to at least
think
about this before you do this?”

Seeko ignored her.

Physis spoke again. “Tomorrow should be a fine day for you to start toward Gemini.”

Seeko agreed and they walked away to join Bianca.

“You’re fine with killing an emperor, Seeko?” Mori asked.

Seeko faced her with his cold red eyes. “He asked this of himself. No one would have died if he had just left it all alone. Kazuma, Lorissa, Hannet … None would be dead right now if he hadn’t used demons! Yoshino wouldn’t be here!” Seeko smiled. Or was it Kerodesis? “And after I kill the Halcyon emperor, I will kill Yoshino.”

Mori frowned. “But you shouldn’t build up your anger. Remember the last time?” She placed a hand on his shoulder, but he shook it off.

They approached Bianca, who was leaning up against one of the crumbling buildings. She joined the group as they walked into an open spot to camp, and then they began to unpack.

“I can’t believe Emperor Physis doesn’t think he fights dirty,” Bianca said. “Burning down towns, kidnapping, and even using you to assassinating the emperor isn’t fighting dirty? If he was on the losing side, he would have used demons twice as quickly.”

“I’m sure once the war is over, this world will be a better place for everyone,” Seeko said. “You don’t have to come with us if you don’t want to.”

“I’ve lost all hope in either side. I’ve placed all my bets on you now, Seeko.”

He really didn’t know what to say to that, so he just lay down to sleep, dreaming of fathers and murder. 

33: Assassination

6 Nyss, 112 AV: Day 225

Gemini was a town of duality. The Halcyon capital was separated in two parts: the flawlessly circular, walled inner city, and the surrounding outer city. The newer outer city was impressive, if only for the sheer amount of people crammed into one place. Tall, wooden shanties rose several stories, and people were all over the crooked streets, trying to get into the inner city.

Seeko and company got in line with the refugees trying to get into the walls and entered after some wait. The gates closed behind them, for the city had been forewarned of the coming invasion.

The inner city was even more impressive. Built with perfect symmetry, the city had a large road that bisected the capital cleanly in two. The Gemini citadel sat at the exact center of the inner city, the hub of many roads that met in the center like spokes on a wheel. The bisecting road was in pristine condition and was paved with black stone. In fact, the inner city as a whole was made out of dark stone, with slanted, golden roofs.

The company took all of this in with awe as they entered the crowded inner city. Gemini reminded Seeko of a small New York. The giant city was more populated than anywhere else in Endetia.

“Truly a marvel of Halcyon engineering,” Bianca stated as she gazed around the town.

“I have to admit, it is pretty impressive,” Mori said after a moment.

Citizens and refugees crowded the streets, trying to find places to escape the coming battle. Opposite the gate, Seeko and company could hear the fear of the people in the outer city, their cries and pleas to get behind the walls. Seeko did his best to ignore the pleas and led the company away from the walls, pushing through the crowds to get to the citadel.

“Emperor Cerris is in there,” Mori said as they made their way deeper into town. “The war is about to end.”

Bianca frowned. “And the wrong side is losing.”

“Why do you say that?” Mori asked.

“The Halcyon were here first. The Irenic Empire was at first nothing more than a rebellion. Now it’s going to win, for all the wrong reasons.”

Keith exhaled. “She’s right.”

“We have to do this,” Seeko said. “We have to stop this war, once and for all.”

“I know,” Bianca said. “It’s just weird to kill your own emperor.” She closed her eyes and placed a hand to her forehead. “But now I’m over it,” she added, cracking a smile.

The crowd thinned as they neared the citadel. Two Halcyon guards, garbed in black and gold, stood at the gateway to the fortress. They stopped a few hundred feet from the guards.

“This is the end, Seeko.” Mori smiled and grabbed his hand. “Whatever happens, I’ll be here with you.”

He held her hand tightly. “I know. I wouldn’t want you anywhere else.” They drew close to each other, about to kiss.

Keith cleared his throat. “Lovely.”

The couple stepped away from each other, blushing.

“If you two are done …” Keith pointed to the citadel. “… we have an emperor to assassinate.” He looked to Bianca. “You have a plan to get into this castle as well?”

“Yes, I do,” Bianca said. She pointed at the guards. “See that door they’re protecting? We’ll go through there.”

“Funny,” Seeko said.

Bianca didn’t answer back.

“You’re serious?” he said, but she was already gone. Seeko glanced toward the guards, and cringed, for they were both already knocked out. Keith and Bianca were standing at the large doorway. Keith lunged his sword between the double doors, using his wind magic to force it open.

“You coming, or are we going to have to do everything ourselves?” Bianca shouted to Seeko and Mori as Keith rushed inside.

Seeko exchanged glances with Mori. “Mori, I lo—” His heart flew into his throat.

Mori kissed him lightly on the lips. “Seeko, don’t say anything. It makes everything seem so final.” She kissed him again, more firm this time. “But I feel the same way. We’ll say it after all of this is over.” Then she rushed after Keith and Bianca.

I love you,
he thought. He ran after her.

The strange thing was he thought he heard another voice echo him.

/ / / / /

Soon Seeko stood in the entrance hall of the citadel with the others. Several guards stood before them, guarding another large doorway on the opposite side of what Seeko assumed was the throne room. Keith and Bianca were already in the process of dispatching the guards, but it seemed like for every one they took out, another took his place.

“Seeko, Bianca, Mori! Get to the throne room!” Keith shouted over the fighting. “I’ll cover you!” He sent a wave of air that knocked down a few guards. “Go!”

Seeko and Mori obeyed, but Bianca continued to fight.

“No! I won’t leave you!” Bianca said. “I’ll fight with you!”

“I don’t need your help! They’re easy!” Keith said as he knocked another man to the ground. “Just go! I’ll catch up!” A pike cut across his leg and another across his arm. “Go!” he yelled through grated teeth.

Mori and Seeko reached the doorway to the throne room. They tried to push the great doors open but they didn’t budge.

“I’ll burn them down!” Seeko said.

But at that moment, a slanted pillar of earth slammed into the doors, forcing them open.

“Let’s go! Keith is buying us time!” Bianca said as she looked back to him. Then she rushed forward, and Mori followed.

Seeko looked back at Keith as well. “Don’t die! I won’t lose another friend!”

Keith nodded, then roared and knocked another man to his knees. Seeko rushed after his friends.

Once inside the throne room, Bianca summoned a large stone wall to block the doorway behind them. “That should slow them down, at least for a moment.”

The throne room was dark; Seeko and company couldn’t see the far side of the room. Seeko solved the problem by sending a couple of fireballs along the candlestick rows.

The large room had elegant pillars and Halcyon banners on the walls. A larger Halcyon banner hung behind the throne itself. The most important thing, however, was what was on the throne.

Or, rather, what wasn’t on the throne.

“Where is he?” Seeko said.

“He’s hiding,”
Kerodesis said.
“He knows all the pain he’s put us through, and doesn’t want to face your wrath. He knows that his executioner is here to end him.”

Seeko shook his head to dispel Kerodesis, knowing he was right.

Two doors sat on the opposite end of the room. “The emperor’s chamber must be behind one of those doors,” Mori said. “But which one?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Bianca said. “They both lead to the same place.”

“How do you know?” Seeko asked.

“A perfectly symmetrical place ruled by one emperor would have him right at the center.”

They went into the left doorway. Bianca’s prediction proved right, as the doorway led to a staircase, which reconnected with the other at the top and also led into a hallway above the throne room. Guards poured out of the rooms parallel to the hallway, readying for the invasion. They stopped, however, when they found three intruders in their castle.

Bianca wasted no time. She fired an arrow at the closest guard, striking him in the neck. At the same time, she sent a surge along the ground and the floor buckled around the men, sending them sprawling. The company moved into the hallway, one step closer to the emperor.

However, more guards moved between them and their destination. Bianca used pillars of stone to slam them into the nearby walls. They made it to the end, which was another staircase that climbed higher into the castle. More guards flooded in behind them. Bianca faced them.

“We’ll need to get out of here. I’ll protect the way out,” she said calmly as her bow took another life. “If I take all of these guys out, I’ll find Keith and meet up with you guys on the roof.”

“Why the roof?” Seeko asked.

“Easy to get to,” she said. “Just keep climbing.”

“We’ll be trapped once we get there!”

“No!” Bianca said. “I’ll do what Hannet did in the canyon and catch us after we jump. Don’t worry about it.” She fired her bow again, sent another wave of stone forward. “Seeko! You have to stop him. Not any of us—you! It is your destiny!” She fired another arrow.

The stone under Seeko’s feet shifted him forward, up to the staircase.

“Move!” Bianca shouted.

“Don’t die … even though we don’t like you!” Seeko said, then took Mori’s hand and they climbed higher into the citadel.

“I don’t care if she dies,” Mori said as they left her behind.

“If she did, who would make the rest of us look good?” Seeko flashed a smile at her but she didn’t return it.
Guess I should get serious. I have an emperor to kill, after all.

“He has to die for his crimes. He is the cause of all suffering on this continent. Kill him and his dream ends,”
Kerodesis said.

Seeko ignored him, and they climbed to the top of the staircase, which once more ended at a hallway. This one stretched forward again, running parallel to the road that bisected the town. It ended at a single doorway, but that junction also split left and right, presumably to go to more rooms.

Four guards stood at that doorway, surprised to see Seeko and Mori at the opposite end of the hallway. They charged at them, but were easily beaten by Seeko and Mori’s superior magic.

Mori looked to a downed guard. “Seeko, I think these sashes they were wearing means that they’re royal guards. Remember how Physis always had four guards with him? It must be the same tradition here.”

“So that door they were guarding? That must be—”

“—where he’s hiding!” Mori finished.

Eager to end it, they ran to the opposite door.

Once there, Mori said, “I’m going to stand guard. If anyone approaches, I’ll knock.”

“You’re not going in with me?”

“Seeko, you need to do this alone. Besides, Bianca is right: we need a way out once we’re finished.” She kissed him on the cheek and jogged around the halls for more guards.

But Seeko stood at the doorway, hesitant.
What if I’m not strong enough to?

“You are!”
Kerodesis goaded Seeko on.
“Look at the pain he’s brought you! Without Emperor Cerris, Kazuma wouldn’t have died. Lorissa wouldn’t have died. Hannet wouldn’t have died. He unleashed a hell that cannot—will not—justify his actions. On this day, Seeko, you must kill him! You must end his life!”

Every word Kerodesis spoke was painful, but true. Seeko gritted his teeth and furrowed his brow. With a roar, he drew his blade and kicked open the door.

The room was small and modest for an emperor. It had a small desk in the center of the room, with maps sprawled all over the desktop. A small fireplace sat behind the desk, with the Halcyon emblem above it. Two doors stood opposite the fireplace, likely leading to a bedroom.

A single man sat in the room, idly poking at the fireplace before him. He was garbed in an elaborate black robe trimmed with gold, and a golden crown rested upon his head.

“Emperor Cerris!” Seeko shouted.

The man turned around slowly and stood. A thin mask covered his face, gray and perpetually frowning. Age was apparent in the man, for he moved slowly, as if in pain. He seemed happy, however.

“You’re younger than you should be.” He laughed from behind his mask. “I’ve been waiting for you, Seeko. You’ve fixed my mistakes.”

Seeko pointed his blade at the old man. “Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t cut you down right now,” he said.

“Seeko, hear me out before you kill me.”

Seeko lowered his blade a half an inch. “Your actions have brought so much pain. Three of my friends are gone because of you! What could you possibly say?”

Cerris flinched as if struck. “I know what I have done.” He touched his mask. “My mask hides my scars, but the deepest scars aren’t visible. It hides my shame. After a lifetime of mistakes, of anger, of death, one begins to question his morality. I have brought too much suffering to forgive myself. And I know that Physis will never forgive me …”

“So you’re a coward, too?” Seeko yelled. “Can’t live with your mistakes?”

“No, I can live with them, regret them. But I don’t have to forgive them. Seeko, do you forgive yourself after every mistake?”

Seeko thought back to the time when he killed Greg’s bandits. He remembered the deaths of his friends and his failure to protect them. But thinking of Kazuma, Lorissa, and Hannet only angered Seeko more.

“No,” he said, “I don’t, but your mistakes are what killed so many!”

“Every day, I am reminded of that, Seeko! I would do it all differently if I could. But I cannot travel through time. I wish I could bring back the lives I have taken, even your friends.” A surge of courage flowed through the old man. “Strike me down. End the war. This is your destiny.” The man spread his arms wide, trembling. Then he took a deep breath and steadied himself. “Avenge your father!”

Seeko stopped. “What? How dare you mention my father? Physis is a good man!”