It's nighttime, and the team is taking a rest on the outskirt of the woods, already rendezvous with Amy and Mari.
[Amy]
Wow seriously!?
Richard did that!?
[Mari]
I heard of Azrael but i didn't know he was that dangerous.......
[Sieghart]
Yeah, to managed to forge a contract with a powerful being such as Azrael is unheard off, not to mention to keep it under control...........
[Elesis]
Where is Richard anyway?
[Ley]
He's with Dio, discussing the very matter that we're speaking.
-----------------------------
[Dio]
So, you formed a contract with Azrael huh?
[Richard]
What about it?
[Dio]
You do know that Azrael was the one who lead everyone during the Kournat genocide campaign.
[Richard]
Stop beating around the bushes and get to the point Dio.
[Dio]
Why you formed a contract to the very being that I sealed?
What is your motive Richard?
Are you an ally or foe or both!?
[Richard]
.............
You can doubt me all you want Dio, I don't care if every single being in this world hates me.
[Dio]
Even if it means Elesis hates and resent you for it?
[Richard]
Yes.
All my life I have been feared, hated, resented and more.
A simple hatred from a naive girl like Elesis is nothing to me.
[Dio]
Fine, I don't care if you hated, resented or even feared, but, you still haven't answer my question, what is your motive?
[Richard]
I've forged a contract with Azrael because-
-----------------------------
[Arme]
Damn what's taking them so long?
[Ronan]
What is it Arme?
[Ryan]
What?
You got the hots for Richard now since he pulled that crazy stunt earlier?
[Ronan]
Dude that's not even funny! D:
[Arme]
Well kinda.....
[Ronan]
O.o
[Lire]
Uhhhh Arme........
You do know that was a joke right?
[Arme]
Yeah I know that~
I mean, the way he distribute the magic flow evenly and consistently when he did the earth spike with such precision earlier......
No mage can do that perfectly, even if the man is contract with a mighty being~
[Ronan]
I think my hope of winning back Arme is fading............
[Ryan]
Dude keep it together!!!!
[Sieghart]
Oh look, they're back.
[Ley]
Well?
What did he tell you Dio?
Dio whisper to her ear
[Dio]
I tell you all about it after Elesis is asleep.
[Ley]
Is it a serious matter that she can't hear about this?
Dio just gave her a simple nod as a reply.
[Richard]
Ok guys, I'm sorry for what i am about to do.
[Sieghart]
Do wha-
Sieghart fell onto the ground.
[Ryan]
What th-
Followed by Ryan and everyone else.
[Dio]
Damn you Richard.......
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?
[Richard]
What I told you earlier was nothing but lies, but.
If really you want to know, find me at the Kournat Ruins, I'll be waiting.
Oh, and tell Elesis that the one who threw her father on the Dimensional rip, was me.
Richard starts walk away.
[Dio]
Damn you...................Ric.........chard.........
-----------------------------
Richard told Dio the truth behind Elscud disappearance.
Soon after that, he put everyone to sleep, and told Dio to go to Kournat Ruins, the start of everything.
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
It's been three days since Richard's sudden betrayal.
However, none know the truth except for Dio and Dio alone.
The group have already reached Wyrms Maw and rendezvous with Lass and Zero when they pass at Valstrath.
[Zero]
Weird, I thought Richard is meeting us here.
[Lass]
Yeah, even though he went ahead of us I thought he wait us here since most of the monsters here are taken off.
[Ryan]
And how can you possibly know that?
[Lass]
You seriously didn't noticed the mana signature and not to mention the physical evidence?
[Ryan]
You mean the huge Earth Spike?
I thought that was Zero's doing.....
[Zero]
No, mine can't be that strong and moreover, that huge, besides, the accuracy of the spike was ridiculous.
Each and one of them were targeting the heart and the one who did that was pretty far from the blast zone.
[Arme]
Yeah and the mana signature was definitely was Richard's.
Although, the malice and blood lust was stronger than before....
[Amy]
Ok guys, enough chit chatting~
We're almost there!
The group reached the designated place, where Starklin, The second God of Xenia resides.
They discuss and negotiate on the current predicament smoothly, until.
[Starklin]
Oh yes, before I forget, there's a man goes by the named Richard that pass through here, does any of you know him?
[Dio]
Yes we do, did he leave a message for us in any kind?
[Starklin]
No, but he did talk to two men that look alike him, does the name kournat Ruin ring any bells?
[Mari]
!?
Kournat.......Ruin?
[Elesis]
What's wrong Mari?
[Mari]
I just remembered.......
Kournat was my country.......
[Ley]
Do you remember anything else?
[Mari]
No.....
except that.....
Ughhhh
Mari holds her head in pain and scream until she passed out.
[Elesis]
MARI!!
[Sieghart]
What the hell happened!?
[Dio]
Probably just a mental shock, don't fret, anyway, did Richard mentioned anything else?
[Starklin]
No, after that they just disappeared.
[Dio]
Ok then, we'll be on our way, and thank you for your cooperation Starklin.
The team continued their journey.
[Elesis]
Dammit why I have to carry Mari!?
[Ronan]
'Cause you're the strongest among us?
[Ryan]
What about Sieghart then?
[Sieghart]
Lazy.
[Elesis]
Of course....
[Jin]
Anyway, why Richard is heading towards Kournat anyway?
[Elesis]
Oh yeah, does anyone know why he's going there?
[Sieghart]
..............
[Dio]
He's probably doing some solo research regarding Mari's past.
[Elesis]
Why is that?
[Dio]
Well uhhh.....
[Sieghart]
Well since he participated on stopping the Kournat Genocide campaign, he probably got some leads.
[Ronan]
Wait what?
[Ryan]
Wait are you seriously telling me that Richard, participated the Genoicde war that happened 5000 years ago???
[Sieghart]
Wait you guys didn't know this?
Everyone shouted " No " in unison.
[Sieghart]
Well sorry, but if you read the history books, you can find that he's the one who became legends of legends.
He was using his title rather than his name, The Holy Darkness.
[Arme]
Holy Darkness?
Wait you mean the one who became the rear guard that stopped the invasion single handedly?
THE Holy Darkness??
[Sieghart]
That's the one, I helped on the evacuation while Dio and Ley here helped on sealing the demon gate from the inside.
But man seriously, all his technique was either pure destruction, or just simple Overkill.
[Arme]
Wow...
[Ronan]
Dammit this guys is getting more badass and more mysterious at the same time......
[Ryan]
True to that!
[Elesis]
................
There's something suspicious going on between those two......
What happened during that night?
Might as well ask them after dark.
The team continue, while Dio and Sieghart are not far behind.
[Dio]
Nice safe there, but, how did you know?
[Sieghart]
I'm not that easy to go down, besides, the magic that he used was practically weak against me, that means he intended for us to hear what he had to say.
[Dio]
So you mean there's a plan behind his betrayal?
[Sieghart]
Yeah, he told us a little white lie, so in order to find out the truth behind this, I have to avoid the truth and told them a comforting white lie.
[Dio]
Better than a mistaken truth huh?
[Sieghart]
Exactly, even though I was there during the Genocide war, i didn't really know what happened during the time he fought tirelessly, but i can say this, after the war ended, Richard changed.
[Dio]
Changed as in how?
[Sieghart]
I don't know, that's the problem.
[Dio]
I don't get it, anyway, what should we do from now on?
[Sieghart]
Same thing as we did, if they ask, we avoid the truth, we lie.
-----------------------------
They have gained Starklin's orb, but news regarding Richard and Mari's lost past was revealed.
With this, Elesis grew more suspicious with Dio and Sieghart.
What will happen next?
Stay tuned.
-----------------------------