A Prophecy of Tainted Silver Ch. 05

Mels paused, sighed, and pressed his forehead against hers. I will, he thought back, filled with determination.

Mels finally released Crystal, as she smiled up at him and leaned in to kiss his lips. Mels turned around and found that, behind them, Rickard seemed to be in an argument with Ezzi and Vai as Corbas stood to the side awkwardly.

"... don't you dare say it's 'complicated!''' Vai shouted at him. "I was literally getting fucked in the ass by a demon, you better un-complicate it right fucking now! Who are you?!"

Rickard, glowing sword still in hand, looked up at Mels, their eyes meeting. Mels felt more curious than angry, but his look demanded answers as well, and the Argentsori sighed as he sheathed his sword.

"40 years ago Aveline Mylisant was born in this home to the Mylisant family," he began to explain. "2 years later, so was I."

Ezzi gasped at the realization, while everyone else remained in stunned silence, allowing him to continue. "When I was younger, I felt... distant. Separated from everyone else as if I knew the whole world and what it could offer me. I was being groomed to inherit the Mylisant title, and I reveled in it. It was around that time when I met Innozen."

Here he paused, looking around as if anticipating a question. No one spoke as he continued. "I had not seen a demon before and when she spoke to me, her voice was filled with sorrow. She was looking for a safe place. And I offered that she could stay with me, confident in my ignorance. When she possessed me, I was humbled, and learned that she was hurt, and fleeing from the one that hurt her. The next few years she was my shadow, and we learned from one another. She never harmed me, and my sympathy for her grew. We trusted each other."

Mels felt Crystal take his hand in hers. He looked to see she was enraptured by the story.

"Years later, however, the one who hurt her found her, as well as my sister. I don't know what he said to Aveline, but he persuaded her to be possessed as well in an attempt to get closer to Innozen, and take a new name. On one fateful night, the two met, and clashed, and fought, and screamed. As a result, the estate was destroyed, my mother and father annihilated, and the Mylisant title utterly destroyed, leaving naught but me and my sister. This is the first time in nearly two decades I have stepped anywhere near this estate, but Mother Madelyne insisted that I must."

"For the Eye of Xoan?," Mels asked sincerely. Rickard nodded.

Silence hung in the air once again, until Corbas stepped up to him and took one of Rickard's hands in his.

"I'm sorry you were hurt," he said softly.

Rickard smiled. "It's ok, you couldn't have known." He turned to the rest of the party. "And I'm sorry to have kept you in the dark. But now that you know the truth, I must truly insist that-"

"Nope!" Everyone looked at Ezzi as she interrupted him. "We're not going anywhere. You're stuck with us now, you big ol' hunk!"

"And why is that?" Vai asked, "Why do the three of us need to keep helping out here?"

Ezzi turned and held both of Vai's claws. "Because it's the right thing to do! Being here is clearly tough for poor Rickard, so if the Eye really is that important..." she paused and turned to Rickard. "It is important, right?"

"The fate of the world rests on finding one," he answered.

"Exactly!" Ezzi said, "So we have to help if we can!"

Vai turned to Corbas, who, when their gazes met, realized he was still holding Rickard's hand, and let it go, his face blushing. He then nodded in agreement with Ezzi.

"Fine," Vai said with a sigh.

Ezzi squealed and responded by peppering Vai's face with kisses. "You know, you may act all tough on the outside," Ezzi said, "but deep down I know you're a softie. It's why I love you!"

"Whatever," Vai responded with a tiny smile

"We're obviously staying too," Crystal spoke up, once again summoning her staff into her free hand. "We've been given a quest, and we're gonna finish it, whether you like it or not you big meanie!" Despite the ditzy voice, Mels glanced at her with pride.

Rickard breathed in as smoke seemed to encompass his body. It settled over him and in moments, Innozen had returned, wearing a kind smile.

"Thank you all," she said. "After what just happened, I don't deserve your forgiveness."

"Uh-huh," Vai said, stepping back, "Just warn us whenever you're going to show up ok?"

Innozen let out a chuckle. "Actually," she began, "the reason Rickard summoned me in the first place was to help find more information on the Eye."

"Really?" Mels asked. "Why does he need your help?"

"I don't know much about the Eye, admittedly," she responded, "But I do know it's an object of great power, touched by Corruption. Any knowledge of it would be hidden from those who don't know of its true nature."

"Like knowing a demon's name?" Crystal asked.

"Exactly."

"And you know of its true nature?" Mels asked.

"To some extent. Enough that if I concentrate, as Innozen, I mean, I can hone in on it and find it in this library."

Mels went to speak again, but was interrupted when there was banging on the library doors. The voices returned, though they were faint, and everyone knew more revenants had returned.

"Well, can you do that quickly so we can get the fuck out of here?!" Vai said as she took out her dagger. Ezzi did the same.

"Of course," Innozen responded, then turned to Mels. "It pains me to ask you-"

"Didn't you hear Crystal?" Mels said, his sword igniting once more. "We're not leaving."

Innozen smiled, took a step back, and sat down with her legs crossed, entering a meditative trance. As she did, the rest of the group ran back to the main hall and watched the doors as the revenants continued to bang away.

"Wait!" Crystal blurted out. "Ezzi, Vai, Corbas! Come here, I'll bless you!"

"Pardon?" Corbas asked as they skidded to a stop.

"So you can harm demons like me and Melsie, duh!" she said as she held out her staff. The polycule collectively shrugged and stepped close to Crystal. She raised her staff as the orb grew iridescent. Beneath them on the floor, the sigil of the House - a curvaceous woman with a wings and a raised sword - formed and glowed. Crystal then planted the staff, causing the sigil to disappear. The ritual was finished, and Mels felt as new auras of holy magic were formed.

"Holy shit!" Ezzi blurted out, groping at her huge breasts. "I feel both super powerful and also really horny at the same time. Do you two always feel like this?!"

Mels and Crystal glanced at each other, and then back to her. "Kind of," they said simultaneously.

"Well, whatever the fuck it is," Vai said, "I know the perfect compliment. How about you, Ezzi?"

"What?" Ezzi said before realization hit her a moment later. "Oh right. The thingy!"

Vai rolled her eyes as they grabbed onto each other's arms. As they did, Mels noticed a small tattoo on their back he hadn't noticed before - as it was partially covered by their top - began to glow. From their claws blood poured, or at least he thought it was blood as it was the same maroon color of their scales. The reddish liquid, instead of falling to the ground, flowed around their arms as the kobolds got closer. It continued to coalesce and absorb them both, as the bloody form grew bigger and bigger, until it stood a few inches taller than Mels. The form it took appeared like that of a large kobold, complete with an hourglass figure and four arms. Eventually it hardened until the creature that was once Ezzi and Vai solidified. It wielded both daggers, simultaneously, though they seemed to have grown as the blades were now red. Even their clothing survived, though what remained was a skimpy two-piece made up of strained, stitched leather. When it looked back down at Mels, he saw that it had four eyes of two colors, both of which he recognized as Ezzi and Vai's.

"Oooh, sexy!" Crystal said in awe.

Mels was startled. "How did you-"

"Wyrm blood golem" the creature said, though it spoke with the voices of the two kobolds. "When you've finished with the quest, get the House to study wyrm blood. Y'all could learn a thing or two from it."

Mels could only chuckle and ready himself as the revenants began to break through the door. He looked over to Corbas, worried, and realized that during Ezzi and Vai's transformation, he was looking through his grimoire. He closed it as he began to chant to himself. Mels recognized a centaur's fable magic as Corbas transformed, his fur and skin turning gray and spotted. Fur grew around his neck and antennas sprung from his head. Giant, insect wings formed on his equine back, and the pupils of his eyes shrunk until his golden iris filled them. By the end of the transformation, he looked as though crossed with a centaur and a moth, reminding him of an owlith in some way.

"Ready baby?" the golem said to Corbas, and he looked up at her.

"Ready," he said, filled with confidence, as a wave of revenants finally broke into the library.

As they approached, Mels felt Crystal behind him grabbinghis shoulders. With one revenant approaching, he felt golden fire within him exploding into an inferno. He felt numb with power - and arousal -- as he slashed his sword at the revenant in front of him. His flaming sword cut through its armor effortlessly, and the revenant was reduced to ash. Mels steeled his will in order to protect Crystal.

"Stay behind me," He said as more revenants approached..

"Of course, Melsie," She responded. Behind him, she readied her staff, which glowed brightly. As she did, Mels, the golem, and Corbas rushed forward to meet the revenants. When he approached one, he saw tendrils rise from the floor, wrapping around and trapping it. It roared as Mels took advantage and swung his sword into it. Other revenants around the room were similarly trapped, allowing the golem to glide between them and slash into them.

"COME ON MELS!" it shouted in its dance of blades. "SHOW OFF A LITTLE!"

Mels allowed a little smile as he turned back to swing at more revenants. He turned to see one rush past him towards Crystal. He moved to intercept, when he noticed a moth floating in front of her.

When the revenant swung at her, the moth grew in instant, and in its place, Corbas reformed, blocking the swing with its wings. When the demon stumbled back, Corbas stepped forward and grabbed at its head, and slammed it into the ground, allowing Mels to stab it.

Mels looked up, smiling at Corbas. He smiled back, but then shrank into a moth again, flying to cover Mels' back, blocking another revenant. Mels turned, stepping around him and cutting into the opened demon. From there they wordlessly worked together, blocking, parrying, and slashing into the demonic onslaught.

But it was an onslaught, and they kept on coming. They never seemed to stop coming. He lost footing, falling back, and even with Corbas protecting him, he felt the need to retreat. He looked to see the golem retreating slightly as well.

That's when Crystal spoke up.

"Stand back!" she shouted. All three fighters fell back, and prepared as a horde of revenants formed in front of them. Before the revenants could get close, a ball of golden fire formed before them. In seconds, it grew into a raging wall of flame. The few revenants that ran through it were reduced to ash instantly.

All three looked back at the ditzy blonde in awe, who winked in response. Mels felt himself swell with pride as she raised her staff. They turned to see the fire waver for a moment before crashing down like a wave. It flowed like water, filling the room and exiting through the doorway. All revenants that remained were no match for the purging magic, and soon the group was left alone in the empty room.

"Now that's showing off," the golem said, pointing at Crystal in pride.

"Aww!" Crystal responded, as she stepped forward to hug it. "Thank you bestie! I totally forgive you for being mean to Melsie!"

The golem responded by patting her awkwardly on the back. "Oookay," it responded.

Mels, still stunned by the display magic, caught his breath as she sheathed his sword. He watched as Corbas did the same, slowly transforming back into his original, lithe form. When he did, Mels patted his human back.

"Thanks for having my back," he said, beaming at the holstaur.

"Oh," Corbas responded, shrinking back into his shy demeanor. "Of course. Y-you too."

"Ooooh," Mels heard Ezzi say. He turned back to see the bubbly kobold stepping from a web of blood, having returned to her normal self. Vai had returned as well, crossing her arms. "You know, I think Corbas has a crush on you, Mels."

Mels, found himself almost relieved to see her and Vai safe. Turning back to Corbas, the holstaur squeaked and stepped back, unable to respond. Mels could only chuckle.

He then felt as Crystal hugged him from behind. Though, tackle was a more apt description, as she nearly knocked him off his feet. He felt as she nuzzled her head against his neck and as she rubbed her heaving bust against his back. Despite her forwardness, Mels felt no embarrassment as he covered one of her hands with his own.

"Thank you, Crystal," he said softly back to her. She squealed in excitement as a response.

"Right!" Vai said with a clap, "Shall we check back with Rickard?"

"Need me?" Rickard seemingly appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the group, startling everyone.

"Gods!" Vai blurted, "Don't ever do that again!"

"Apologies," Rickard said, "I wanted to return and help with the fight as soon as I found what I needed."

"And you did?" Mels asked as Crystal remained by his side.

Rickard answered by holding up his hand, and in it a swirl of shadows formed. From it, a book formed in his hands. Mels didn't know what to expect, but he was a bit surprised. It just seemed like a normal book, like all the others in the library.

"So?" Ezzi said, who was slowly inching closer to Rickard. "What does it say?"

"It's strange," Rickard began, "It's not a direct account. It's more of a myth. Describing the fall of the dragons."

"Dragons..." Mels said to himself. He was sure the House would know something about them, but they were rarely spoken of. All that he knew was that they were ancient beings that created the kobolds as slaves, before the kobolds themselves rebelled against them. And it was a story every other race of Asisai knew, as it was the pride of many kobolds.

He looked down at Ezzi and Vai, who seemed to be paying very close attention to the Argentsori as he continued. "This story described a kobold meeting with a demon, and they played a game where, with every round, if the kobold won, the demon would reveal a secret about the dragons. With every secret, the kobold is more and more devastated, revealing that in fact, the dragons were destroyed by their own hubris, making a deal with a demon in their desperation to survive. The final secret revealed is the location of an artifact that will reveal to the kobold the truth. He found it, in a maze of mirrors, facing his own manifested doubt. He saw the past, and was devastated, deciding to remain in the maze for fear of revealing the truth to the rest of the world."

With that, he closed the book in his hand, at which point it turned to black dust, disappearing into air. Everyone remained silent after Rickard finished, not in reverence or fear, but in deep ponderance.

Crystal was the one to break the silence. "So, where are we going then?"

Vai spoke up. "The mirror maze, from the story," she said, "In actuality I believe it's called Xor Ci'pelho. It's a ziggurat, which were the... domains of the dragons when they ruled, from what I remember reading."

"And that's where we will find an Eye of Xoan?" Mels asked.

"It is our best option," Rickard said solemnly.

"Great! It means we're going home, Vai!" Ezzi said ecstatically. "Oh I can't wait for you to see Yvasvi, Corbas, it's beautiful!"

Mels looked back and forth between Crystal and Rickard. "Even with the sigils, it would be weeks before we reach Yvasvi. I suppose we can report back to the House then."

Rickard smirked, and for some reason Mels felt uneasy. "Actually, I must confess, there was another reason I was sent here." Vai sighed in exasperation, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Aveline was a prolific collector, as you could see. Among the many tomes and demonic artifacts she'd gathered, Mother Madelyne and I suspect she kept something else here. Something called a world-tearer. With it, we can be anywhere in the world in seconds."

"M-meaning, we're not leaving yet?" Corbas stuttered.

Now Mels smirked. "What do YOU have to fear?"

Corbas smiled at that, but as they were about to take their leave, they heard more approaching footsteps. More revenants.

"I assume you can help us find it then?" Vai asked as she grabbed onto Ezzi, prepared to transform again. Mels unsheathed his sword, prepared to fight again, but Rickard held up his hand to stop him as he walked forward, wielding his own sword. More revenants entered the room, yet the Argentsori approached them calmly. He raised his sword in front of him, which was cackling with energy. A thunderclap sounded through the room, stunning everyone, including the demons. He gathered the lightning charged energy from the sword in one hand, and flung it forward. Lightning arced through every one of the dozen revenants in the room, and instantly they were turned to ash.

Rickard lowered his sword and turned to the astonished group behind him. "It'll be my pleasure."

Traversing through the rest of the manor was a breeze with Rickard's help. Despite now regular attacks from the revenants, and more traps, the group was able to easily pass through the halls. Rickard led them, going deeper and deeper into the manor. They climbed down, deeper beneath the estate. Destroyed regal halls gave way to winding stone passages, laden with cobwebs and dust. Here, the rusted armor was more ancient than above ground, but they remained inanimate. Rickard guided the way, illuminating the dark halls with a golden ball of light.

"How much further?" Mels asked as they hurried through the halls.

"Just up ahead," Rickard answered, taking more twisting turns as the halls got narrower. Eventually the party stood before a large, circular metal door. A house sigil was inscribed on it, taking the form of an ax-wielding man, carrying a large sheaf of sage leaves over his shoulder.

"The family vault," Rickard said, stepping forward and placing a hand on it. "As I've suspected, she enhanced its security. It'll take a moment for me to get past it, so stand guard."

"Aye aye, Rick," Vai snarked, as they turned to face the hallway. Rickard began to work with the door as they stood vigilant. The hall was empty, but Mels still heard the voices in his mind, and remained ready. Beside him, he saw Crystal looking similarly determined, a look in her purple eyes he had not seen before.

It reminded him of Christi.

He took her hand in his, causing her to smile at him. He still held out hope he would hear Christi's voice, but he was content to be with Crystal, as she connected with him in her own way.

"Guys?!" Ezzi said, causing the lovers to look up. At the end of the hall, obscured in shadow, stood a figure in armor.

Another revenant Mels thought.

"Almost through," Rickard announced.

"Don't worry, it's just one!" Mels responded as he raised his sword. "We can handle it!"

The demon at the end of the hall didn't move as the party readied their weapons. It tilted its head in curiosity, as it stepped closer.

Mels brimmed with confidence as his sword was lit with flame, but among the voices in his head, one grew louder, and to his utter astonishment, he recognized it.

Mels blinked, and when he opened his eyes, the demon stood right in front of him, out of its armor. It looked like a young man, brimming with youth despite its demonic skin and glowing purple eyes. He smiled kindly at Mels as he, and the rest of the party, were unable to move.