Chapter 7 - The Beginning Of The End
Gray, the little monster, stationed at my living room like a lion cub, blabling at me with excitement. — And then what happened?
Raising my hand, I looked at him. — He was in the air…
...
In the academy's courtyard, Arthur was using his inner Qi to reduce his density and float. He saw Alander with a whole in his stomach, students and teachers, fighting, others injured, dead, his veins reacted instantly to that horror.
He turned to Jin's direction with clenched fists and jaw, and saw Hera II covered in blood, with swollen face, being dragged by Jin by her hair. His eyes widened, his veins intensified, they were about to pop out as he released a slight grunt. — Jin! I tried to ignore you, but now you've gone too far!
In Arthur's conscience, Alfred, the nanotechnology advised. "Boss, if this amount of inner Qi usage continues the Qi pool will dry out and damage the core."
His blue eyes shone dark purple as he released his dark aura and activated his domain. Dark clouds covered the sky, distant thunder was heard, the bloodlust coming from the herald of Darkness in the sky could be felt in everyone's skin, an icy cold sensation, and his deadly aura drained everyone's forces.
At this point in time, he was already herald of the Endless of Dim, only sixteen-years of age, but already being swallowed by the Darkness's pleasures.
In high-speed, breaking the speed of sound, Arthur created a shockwave that put out the fire in the courtyard. He went to the ground, — Enough! Stop! — his shout echoed like thunder.
— Huh...? — Hercules saw the inner Qi of his men being sucked by Arthur like drops of water, merging with Arthur's body.
Looking at Arthur, Jin laughed. — I Knew you were a monster! Disgusting... I can't believe that she wanted you over me... — he laughed as Arthur descended
As Arthur's feet touched the ground the assassins, Hercules and Jin, felt their inner Qi draining out. Arthur was becoming stronger with each passing minute, and them, weaker...
At that moment the table turned, and the assassins lost their composure. The students and teachers could fight them in equal foot now...
With his Qi fading, fear consumed Hercules. His body trembled while he looked around trying to understand the situation. "Who is this kid? Father didn't tell me about this monster…" I mused, putting his head to work.
In Arthur's mind. "Alert! Alert! The heartbeats are reaching deadly levels!" The power of Darkness was killing him, turning him into a living dead.
Yet, students and teachers managed to eliminate and repel the attack as much as possible…
Hercules, the gigantic prince of Olympus, looked at his black horses with trembling eyes. He felt the defeat cold in his skin, his fists clenched as he pondered. "Damn! Damn it! Damn it! I cannot run away! I am a god!"
Jin released Hera II's hair dropping her in the ground without care. He chuckled as he noticed Arthur's jaw clench tight.
Jin closed the distance between them in an instant, and tried place a punch on Arthur's face with his right hand.
Arthur grabbed Jin's arm and ripped it off, a storm of blood in the air.
The scene went silent, everyone was silent.
— AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!.... — Jin's voice was like the one that his mother, Persephone, made when Dracula abducted her, pierced the heavens.
Hades's cub was bleeding nonstop without his arm. He held the injury tight, trying to ease the pain.
Temujin, Tristan, the students, and assassins in combat, where some that stopped to witness the act, a mixture of horror and pity in their eyes.
Feeling tremendous pain, Jin tried another punch with his left hand. He put every drop of hate on that punch, his fist was like a meteor headed to Arthur's face. — You trash! That hurts!
Overflowing with rage, Arthur crushed Jin's left hand. Bones and hope breaking with the, — Crack!!! — coming from Jin's bones.
— You don't even know what true pain is…! — Arthur whispered, as he looked down to Jin.
Jin released a scream that teared the sky. Bleeding, he knelt. A "god" knelt before a mortal.
Panting heavily, blood dripping from his shoulder, his breath had a subtle hiss behind, revealing the icy pain of the air in his injury.
— You nothing! Son of a useless servant, you will pay! My father will hear about this! — Jin shouted with his hand directed to the ground.
Everyone knew Arthur's temper, Olympus knew him, they had observed him since his first "heresy". Hercules, taking advantage of the distraction, he ran away in a horse like a coward, abandoning his own.
His body covered in veins, his brow furrowed, his hair flowing like fire, and his eyes like twin dark purple suns fixed on Jin on the ground. Arthur stood on his right leg and, — Crack!!! — crushed it.
— Sob... Sob...You'll regret this...! — Jin whispered with tears marking his cheeks, and snot dripping from his nostrils, he was terrified. He didn't even have the courage to look to Arthur anymore.
Draining Qi, he evolved into the Unrestrained Realm, and his aura intensified like a strong burning ember, and he crushed his left leg. — Do you still think you're a god!?! — his whisper accompanied by a strong thunder.
All survivors watching, they witnessed a celestial blue dust envelope Arthur.
On the ground, his eyes losing their life, his spirit fading away. A divine cub with no legs and no arms. — You may kill me, but you will never be one of us, mortal!
Looking at Jin on the ground, Arthur reached out his hand to grab Jin's face and carry him like a trouphy while he sucked his life force. — A mere human that dreamed of being God… — whispered, throwing the body away.
— Thud! — on the ground, his eyes became blank, — Damn it…! — and his life reached its end.
Queen Andromeda, witnessing the apocalypse, saw the academy in ruins, Arthur executing Jin, and in tears, protected her daughter, Allana, from the sight of horror.
Everyone feared what they had seen, all eyes turned to Arthur, the executor of justice or the herald of death?
The academy turned into a grim reminder, nothing but ruins and tears. The queen commanded her guards to help the injured, while Arthur, carrying Hera II, handed her unconscious body to the nurses.
But then, like an army of angels, a battalion of soldiers in white and gold uniforms arrived, the belated saviors.
The headmistress awakened and joined the rescue effort while the majestic soldiers descended from their horses to witness the devastation, lighting a flame of revolt in the hearts of those who suffered...
A student, helping a wounded teacher, looked at the six main soldiers with a furrowed brow and blood in his uniform. — You are from the Council of Kings... — he muttered, looking carefully. — Why are you here?! Just to watch?!
One of the six noble soldiers, wearing a white and gold military uniform with several gold insignias, blonde hair down, fair skin and a gentle face with fierce eyes. She attracted everyone's attention with her words. — Correct! We are the six war princes of the Union of Kings. — she announced, placing her hand on her chest with a calm gaze directed to Arthur. — I am Mara, one of the princes, this is Alucard... — she said, pointing her arm to Alucard, on her side.
War prince, Alucard Olympus, wearing his military uniform, saw Jin's body, his brother, on the ground without arms and legs. His eyes widened, veins bulged on his face, he was shocked. — J... Jin... What hapen…. — his voice shaky, with a subtle sorrow.
Alucard's hands stopped, his quivering lips closed, he looked to the boy in front of his brother's body. — Who did this? — he growled, full of veins on his face.
Captain Mara looked at Arthur with a cold expression as she read a warrant. — Arthur Henry Treadway, you're under arrest! For the murder of Prince Jin Olympus, Brunhilde, Apolyte, and the death of several students from the Future Academy! — she stated, rolling the papyrus in her hand, she came close to Arthur.
Arthur looked at the woman from top to bottom with an indifferent posture. "She must be at least at the Mystic Realm, the six of them in fact. I'm no match for them... but I didn't kill Apolyte, and how do they know about Brunhilde?! About Jin? If they weren't here when it happened, what does she mean by several students?! Someone framed me…" he mused, holding out his hands to be handcuffed.
One of the six, handcuffing Arthur, placed chains on Arthur's hands and neck, and sealed his core. — Don't move! Your core is sealed, any attempt to escape will be fatal! — the prince stated, looking deep within Arthur's icy eyes.
Tristan's eyes widened as he saw Arthur being handcuffed. "How do they know about Brunhilde? And they just arrived, they already know that Arthur killed Jin? How? They could only have orchestrated everything…"
Temujin, with a rigid posture and veins on his forehead, he ran towards Arthur. — This is unfair! If it weren't for him, we would've died! All of us!!
Some students, looking at Mara with furrowed brows and rage boiling on their eyes. — Yes! Temujin is right! Let him go! He did your job, where were you?! You should have protected us!
Alucard, with a cold rage, unleashed his colossal burning aura and looked at Temujin.
Alucard's gaze was unwavering, it transmitted a clear message to Temujin, that being overwhelmed by his aura, was filled with fear and retreated.
Alucard holds his sword tight, and with the corner of his eyes he glared at Arthur. — Treadway, you're going to die!!!
With chains around his neck, hands and core sealed, Arthur looked at Alucard. — Is that so? — whispered with a sadistic grin playing on his lips.
- Captain Mara (holding Arthur's arm, looks at Alucard): Control yourself, Alucard! He's going to get the sentence he deserves!
- One of the six (looks at the director, reads a warrant): Odyssey Aesir, you are under arrest! For being an accomplice in the death and disappearance of several students over the years, for subjecting minors to labor, for inciting violence, and several other crimes, national and international! (handcuffs the headmistress, her arms, her neck and seals her core)
- Director Odyssey Aesir (handcuffed, smiles): Oh oh, you have to be joking, the academy is destroyed, students and teachers scared, dead and injured. We suffered an attack, we tried to defend ourselves, and you arrive late just to arrest us for crimes that we haven't committed? (laughing): Mara, Alucard, Alden, Roland, Drika and Laden, you don't even look like you were my students, did the titles of princes change your judgment? You know what? Great, I'm already old, I don't have many more years to live...
- Queen Andromeda (runs towards Arthur, drops the crown)
- Royal guards (they try to hold the queen back but fail and run after): Your Majesty! Queen, it's dangerous…!
- Temujin Yesugei (looks at the queen, blushes): S-She is so beautiful...
- Some students (looking at the queen, blush): Who is she? Is she a princess? She's so hot...
- Arthur Treadway (looking at his mother with contempt) "Of course, this woman!"
- Queen Andromeda (looks at Mara, with tears in her eyes): Can I speak to my son for a moment?
- Captain Mara (shakes her head in approval)
- War prince Laden (glaring the queen, blushes) "I've never seen this woman, I think I'm in love..."
- War prince Drika (looking at Laden, sighs): Control yourself prince Laden!
- Princess Allana Treadway (looking at Arthur, with tears): Why are you taking my brother? Leave him alone… (hugs her mother)
- Arthur Treadway (squats down, puts his hand on his sister's head, smiling): It's okay All, don't worry, I'm okay... (chained, hugs Allana)
- Queen Andromeda (puts her hand on Arthur's head, with tears in her eyes): Honey, I thought about paying you a visit, since you didn't come back... (face full of tears): Forgive me, forgive me for everything, I know you don't want to see me, but I had to come, and I'm glad I did, this will probably be the last time we see each other...
- Arthur Treadway (chained, takes the queen's hand off his head, annoyed): Don't touch me! Disgusting liar!...
- Everyone (surprised, looking at them): !!!
- Captain Mara (looking at Arthur, sighs) "This kid, she's your mother..."
- Queen Andromeda (crying bitterly, tries to touch Arthur): Son... (Arthur dodges)
- Captain Mara (looks at Arthur): Let's go! (takes Arthur to one of the carriages)
And so, the hero was imprisoned, while Zeus, in his palace, waited with a wicked smile, revealing to Artemis that Jin's death at Arthur's hands was just a piece in his cruel game. However, Hera's absence unleashed his wrath, and an imminent war against the amazons was declared.
A week later, the academy in ruins, the surviving students carried deep scars, and the island of the amazons became the focus of the world. Arthur, now a captive in the headquarters of The Union of Kings, awaited a trial that seemed more like a farce. The Ashura family, despite being devastated by the loss of their mansion and secrets, allied themselves with the amazons, preparing for the imminent war. Hera, still in a coma, fought for her life, while the queen and her advisors planned the defense of her people.
Jin's father, indifferent to his son's death, contrasted with the inconsolable pain of Ciria, his mother, who cried over her son's tragic fate. Alucard and his mother, driven by a desire for revenge, ignored the god of the underworld's orders, while in Camelot, the Ashura yearned for reconstruction.
Arthur, escorted by the war princes, who secretly doubted his guilt. Was taken deep into the council headquarters. There, he was confronted with the hypocrisy and corruption of those who were supposed to be his judges.
Hera awoke, and with newfound strength, began to organize the refugees, as the countdown to war echoed like a dark drum. The island became a refuge for the desperate, and the Ashura, revealing themselves as imperial guardians, joined the fight, bringing with them secrets that could change the course of the war.
- Grey (drunk of curiosity): Arthur hadn't arrived at the prison yet?
- Mr. A (Joyful, smiles): He arrived, and Zeus was notified, and ordered to bring him to the council meeting room, and...
Minutes later, Arthur arrived in the room, the kings began to debate among themselves...
- Queen of Alfmosis (in white linen royal robes and a golden crown, sitting at the table, seeing Arthur standing in chains, enchanted) "He is hot… And he seems to be my age, I think I have already found my husband…" (ogling him with a red face)
- Queen of Jinhan (looks at her, smiles) "This girl, she's devouring him with her eyes..." (looks at Arthur) "He is handsome..."
- King Aca (in blue royal robes and a bronze crown, sitting at the table, looking at Arthur, smiles) "That's your place, on the floor!"
- King of Vanain (in white royal robes and an adratium crown, sitting at the table and looking at Arthur, surprised): He's a kid after all? I thought he was a 30-year-old antisocial, well, a criminal is a criminal…
- King of the Forge Kingdom/King of the Dwarves (in brown royal robes, sitting at the table, looking at Arthur from top to bottom): You deserve to die! Your killing destroyed the families of those you killed, how do you think their parents are now? That woman's daughter, what's her name? (looks at Zeus): Ahh yes, Brunhilde. Did you know that her daughter is an orphan now? And you had the courage to kill the daughter of the god king!?! The girl Apolyte, so young and sweet, how cruel!!!
- King Zeus (daydreaming, smiles) "I'm glad I didn't talk about the Apollo issue, they can't know that this kid killed a god. They cannot know that mortals can kill gods, it will destroy the cosmic balance…"
- Arthur Treadway (in silence, looking at the twelve, annoyed) "What exactly did they call me for?"
- Emperor of Murim/King Liu Ming (sitting in royal robes, looking at Arthur): Young man, what do you have to say in your defense?
- Queen of Hiyunnis (in royal robes, sitting, looking at Arthur): Come on! Speak!
- Arthur Treadway (looking at the twelve, sighs): With all due respect and honesty, why did you call me here? To judge me according to my actions, or to judge imaginary acts? What I see here is simply a group of people with gold in their heads looking at their interests only, you don't understand the context in which these deaths happened! You didn't bring me here to judge me, you already condemned me...
- Captain Mara (standing by the door, wearing a white military uniform and loose hair, rubs her hand over her face) "This kid is courting death…"
- King Aca (enraged, looks at the kings): How insolent! How dare you talk to the Union like that?! For me, you die!
- Queen of Alfmosis (smiling, admires Arthur) "In addition to being handsome, he is bold, he is trying to make the kings fear condemning him, and being seen as unjust…"
- King Zeus (looking at Arthur, smiles): Is that all you have to say in your defense?
- King of Verias (sitting, looking at Arthur): If we don't know in what context you killed, enlighten us! In what context did you kill?
- King Liu Ming (looking at Arthur) "I don't think that this kid is guilty, but if he doesn't talk, I can't help him."
- Arthur Treadway (remains silent) "I shut my mouth up, I know that these cells won't be able to contain me for long!"
- King Zeus (smiles, exchanges glances with the kings, everyone shakes their heads in approval, some hesitant, but agree, happily tries to hide it): Right, right... So, if you have nothing else to declare. I, president of the Council of Kings, the god king, I declare you guilty, and sentence you to life imprisonment, he can be taken now…
Minutes later…
Corridor of the Union Headquarters…
- Captain Mara (going towards the cells, holding Arthur's arm, looks at him): You're an idiot, why didn't you say exactly what happened? And what exactly happened?
- Arthur (chained, walking) "These war princes must all be Supreme Grand Masters…": Do you honestly think they want to know what happened? Your council is corrupt, these students who they say I killed were assassins sent at the behest of king Aca to capture me, or I, or they would die. And about Apolyte, I haven't heard from her since I was nine, or ten years old. Brunhilde killed my grandmother, and I killed her, simple…
- Alden/ one of the princes (behind Arthur, walking): So, you're only guilty of killing one person, like I said, you're not a murderer...
- Drika/one of the princes (next to Arthur, walking): Murderer, or not, you have been condemned, we do as we are told just that...
He was taken to the floor minus two, in the underground cells…
- Arthur Treadway (Mara takes off the handcuffs, removes the core seal, and he enters the cell, looks at the 3)
- Captain Mara (closes the cell and locks it, looks at Arthur): We know that the Union is just a facade, but we still do our work, we are army commanders, not kings. Each of us represents a kingdom, I am the leader of the princes, the other six died in a battle, you civilians don't know what really happens in the world... (walking away)
- Drika (walking away, alongside Mara and Alden): Captain, I heard that we are going to war against an island of only women, which island is that?
- Arthur (listening in surprise): Wait, what do you mean by island?!
- Captain Mara (leaving, looks at Drika): It's true, but I don't really know either. Do you think our superiors tell me something? They only kill… (closes the door)
- Director Odyssey Aesir (looking at Arthur, in the cell ahead, smiles): What's up, my disciple...?
And Arthur, now confined to an underground cell, was left to contemplate the beginning of the end, while headmistress Odyssey, also imprisoned, faced the consequences of her own dark dealings...