Chapter 14: Mother and Daughter

The empress' ship is now intruded by a large black ship hovering from above.

On the ground, Leah is seen standing across Raine, with Alecia standing behind her.

Alecia looks down at her arm, only for her hand to move off of the bloody wound. The pain, she can feel it moving through her whole arm. She looks ahead to see Raine looking over her shoulder, staring back at her.

"That coward had it coming to him."

Raine said, slightly frowning as her eye-pupils start to ignite with a blue glow.

"Just like you."

Alecia widens her eyes while slowly stepping back as she keeps her gaze on Raine's cold eyes. The sense of dread rushed over her as chills rushed throughout her skin.

"Enough with her." Leah said with a stern tone in her voice, which urges Raine to look at her.

"You're trespassing, you have already broken several laws, do you honestly think you can get away for what you caused here?"

"I have nothing to lose or gain." Raine said, bringing her hand to her chest, only to slightly unzip her top.

"Whatever happens, it won't make any difference to me."

"I see." Leah said, with a calm gaze, she flicks her eyes to Alecia.

"I think it's best that you get out of here."

Alecia turns her gaze to Raine for a moment, and steps back from her. She's not a coward to just run, but her sister, she fears for her safety.

She runs away while Raine watches with a calm expression on her face.

"Forget about her." Leah said, stepping towards her, only for her to take out a small device, which folds out into a sword, with the blade having a matte-red color to it.

"Your focus should be on me."

Raine's eyes flicks her way, only to turn her head to face her.

Her gaze moves on the weapon, and looks at her once more.

"Planning to kill me with that blade, soldier?" She said with a calm look on her face.

Leah grips the pendant around her neck, with an amethyst stone embedded within the middle of it.

"If it comes to it." Leah said, with a calm collected tone.

"As for me." Raine said, stepping aside with her weapon ready.

"I already know what I'm going to do to you." her eyes narrows.

Leah frowns. Her hair starts to slowly flow from a gentle breeze, her eye pupils start to glow the same color as the transparent blue flames emitting from her body, only for it to surge and flow around her as a ring of dust circle her.

"Never expected to see another like you." Raine said, eyes narrowing only for her eye pupils to ignite into a dark blue, glow. Only for her to raise her weapon and holds it out vertically with one hand.

Transparent saphire flames start emitting from her body, only for it to surge out, dust fleeing from her presence.

The flames themselves start to gather behind her back, and forms itself into short flaming wings.

"I am not one to use weapons." She waves the blade down to her side, and the flames around her start to calm.

She points the blade to Leah.

"There must always be honor in battle."

The echo of gunfires in the distance slowly begin to silence, until the gentle breeze takes over.

Leah runs towards her with her weapon ready. She leaps into the air with her weapon held high. She slashes downwards, only for her to miss as Raine leaps back in a graceful fashion, with a grin on her face.

Leah moves in and swings an attack that misses and moves over her head.

Raine counters with a barrage of attacks, which Leah manages to block all of them, only to step back as the blue flames around her fade.

"You can hold your own." Raine said, her voice tone sounding cold.

"That blade of yours, is definitely well earned." She slowly sidesteps around her.

Leah glares at her for a moment, and moves her gaze up, only to see the energy field that is now reactivated.

"Thanks to my brother." Leah said, moving into a stance while holding her weapon with both hands, keeping the blade pointing towards the enemy before her.

An unrecognisable twitching sound is heard ahead. Raine turns her attention to the source, only to see a drone slowly hovering towards them both.

The drone stops and starts scanning Raine, herself.

Beads of light gets attached to it.

"Ident-" only for it to explode into peices, with a cloud of smoke fading outward.

Raine lowers her hand to her side. Now with an irritated look on her face. She looks at Leah once more and her face calms.

"Are you ready for another round." She said, aiming the blade at her.

Leah tightens her grip on the handle, only to run after her and swings a few more strikes that only gets guarded by Raine.

Raine kicks her, which forces Leah to step back as she almost loses her footing.

Raine shoots a few more beads, only for it to hit Leah's blade and explodes after, shattering the weapon and forces her flying to the ground on her back.

Raine begins to levitate off the floor and slowly ascends as she stares down at Leah.

"You have fought well." Raine said with a slow calm tone.

Glowing blue symbols start to carve out along the blade until it reaches the edge of it.

Leah slowly brings herself up from the floor, only to look at the shards of her weapon spread across the floor before her.

"I'll make sure to give you an honorable death." Raine continued.

Leah looks up at her, and gasps as she looks on her own shoulder to see one of the shards pierced in. She rips it out, and stands herself up, only to slowly edge herself into a stance, followed by her body surging with blue flames once more. Raine slightly tilts her head back with a frownful look.

She arches her weapon back with the blade aiming at Leah.

She charges forward in a fast motion towards her. Only for Leah to quickly form a sphere of energy and launches towards Raine. The sphere collides with her, followed by a small explosion, only for Raine to be forced flying, which has her slamming against the energy field, and with a loud scream, she gets electrocuted as the energy flows all around her body which emits bright flashes of light with the darkness of the evening, knowing its place.

The light subsides, and Raine, now limb, falls to the floor, followed by a cloud of dust flowing out from the impact.

Leah stares at Raine, who is now facing down on the floor.

She slowly walks towards her, as she keeps her eyes locked on her.

She stands over her for a moment, and kneels down. She moves her hand along Raine's neck. Raine is seen breathing, ever so slightly.

Leah sighs, and stands herself up. She looks up at the ship that is still hovering above the energy field. She presses the device in her ear.

"Aven." She said with a calm tone in her voice.

"It's all clear in this area, I repeat, all clear." She lowers her hand to her side, and stares down at the unconscious Raine.

Meanwhile...

Alecia is seen walking through the palace halls. Short and out of breath, from each hasteful step she takes.

She calls out for Ruth, her sister while looking through each room she passes. All that answers is the echoe of her voice and footsteps in the empty halls.

Stopping near the staircase, she blankly stares for a moment while her eyes slightly flicker in thought.

--

Ruth, and her daughter, Lumina is seen standing outside the palace and within a large open area. The floors are made of marble, gray in color. High above them, a large energy field is seen.

At the end from where they are, a large statue of Goddess Angelica stands high. Her wings spread out in a slight arch.

"Mother?" Lumina said, turning her gaze to Ruth.

Ruth looks down at her with a gentle look in her eyes. Her hand slowly moves to her daughter's holds it gently.

They both start walking slowly towards the shrine of Angelica.

"Mother, what's happening?" Lumina said, looking at Ruth with a nervous gaze.

"Don't worry yourself, Lumina." Ruth said, staring ahead with a calm look on her face.

"I need to teach you something important."

Lumina stares at her with a worrisome look in her eyes, only to look ahead of herself once more as she nears the statue.

"Lumina?" Ruth said, as they both stop at the statue.

"Yes, mother?" She said, turning to her with a curious look on her face.

"What do you see?" Ruth said, staring up at the statue.

Lumina turns her gaze to the white marble statue before her.

"A statue."

"Yes, you are correct." Ruth said.

"But what is it of?"

"Angelica, a goddess, a mother, and bearer of life and of light." Lumina said with a calm tone in her voice.

"Very good." Ruth said, looking at her daughter with a pleasant smile.

"She has been our symbol, our only hope. Long ago she helped us all, and for that we honor and respect her."

"You told me this a few times." Lumina said.

"So you worship her?" She looks at her mother.

"You can say that." Ruth said.

"Though I look at her as someone to be like, to be a leader. To lead those that need it."

"So what happened to her?" Lumina said looking up at the statue once more.

"There was comfict, another who apposed her, a rival in power." Ruth said.

"Fortunately the conflict was won and from that point, Angelica became a hero. But then she disappeared, no one knows what happened to her or where she went."

"Do you think she's still around, watching us?" Lumina said, looking at her mother with a puzzled expression.

"I don't know." Ruth said.

"There are a lot of those who follow her, some are fanatics, some are worshipers, and some just look at her as a hero, but at the same time a legend or a myth."

Lumina sighs.

"So what's your point mother?" She said.

Ruth sighs as well with her eyes closed.

"Alright..." she said, opening her eyes.

"One day, I will no longer be here with you." She looks at her daughter with a saddened gaze.

"When I'm gone, you'll be the one to take my place, to be empress. I'm saying this now because we might be in danger and I don't want to lose you-."

They're interrupted by footsteps moving closer towards them. Ruth turns around with Lumina and sees a man in gray armor walking towards her, with the torso having wings carved out towards his shoulders.

"Aven." Ruth said, with a calm tone in her voice

"Empress." Aven said, and stops. His gaze turned to Lumina and gives a slight smile.

"What's happening outside?" Ruth said, with a worrisome look.

"I heard gunfire earlier."

"There was an alien ship." He reported.

"Due to the nature of their arrival, deadly force was needed. There was a report from my sister, we don't need to worry about them any longer."

"That's good." Ruth said, with a smile of relief.

"Is there anything else I should know?"

"She managed to apprehend one of them, a woman."

"Oh?" Ruth said, with her eyes slightly widening.

"What about my sister?"

"Alecia?" he said, showing emotion on his face.

"I'm sure she's fine, she can handle herself."

"Wait, mother." Lumina said, with a confused look.

"Sister?"

Ruth looks down at her daughter for a moment, only to turn her gaze. ahead.

"Speaking of her." She said.

Aven looks over his shoulder as he turns around, to see Alecia standing at the doorway of the palace entrance.