✨Run Away✨ Play Song: Punk tactics (if you want) . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ "Yes, Ghislaine Merdwick. They were revered, these women, because they primarily love to heal the ill. She herself was made the saintess for that very reason. But in doing so, she had caught the eye of the emperor, who wanted her to be his wife. She refused, in all greatness of her power, and her constant refusal angered the emperor. He was a cruel man, who had many women. But for him women were like objects to be conquered." The woman walked over to Hemat, before heading for the cabinet. "Ghislaine then waged a war against the emperor, because he defamed the poor witches and had them b2rned without a trial. She was angry. Really angry. So she k111ed him. And then with the help of God, she found the sacred seeds of the fruit called pomegranate, and had them planted in the church garden. From there she raised lovely plants of Merdwick, from which came children with magical abilities. Be it a boy or a girl. But this fault of hers', letting the descendants of the emperor survive had become her greatest mistake. The children grown in the garden went out to live their lives, with some being married into the royal family itself. And while the century passed the old apostle Ghislaine became berserk, unjust, and crazy. And with that, born in the royal family was Harvis. Harvis Telloegraye, the sixth prince of the kingdom." "The man who went on to become the second apostle of god." Chite finished, picking up the book on the table, before opening it. His guess was write. The first book written by Harvis The Great, as his title suggests, was known as the Book of Shadows. It was a record to write down all the spells he could. And it varied far much than that of Book of Mirrors written by Ghislaine the Mother Nature. He finally looked at the woman who stood in front of him, holding out a jar of cookies. "No thank you, Miss...?" "Lillian. Lillian Merdwick, at your disposal, young apostle." Hemat blinked. What the he11 was going on here? "Merdwick-" "Shh, it's an honour to meet you myself. My name is Chite Mala, although I doubt you know my real name already?" "Of course I do, I am no fool." Chite smirked. "That is a nice way of wording it. You are not a fool. But I suppose, you could give the cookies to Hemat. He has some gluttony for a kid." "The children of the new generation are odd aren't they?" "I agree. Very odd." He closed the book walking over to the record player, pulling the disc of music away. The woman who had already walked over to Hemat and was handing him the cookie had disappeared all of a sudden. And then there in front of his eyes, the whole house had changed. Th house was in tatters, the wallpaper eaten up by all kinds of bugs, with the frail building's build visible. There was nothing there, only dust on the floor and cracked walls. Cement here and there, and the sofa was completely moth eaten. The table had collapsed leaving behind a broken record player in it's place, covered in spider webs. There on the side, where the cabinet was, covered with dust lay the jar of cookies on which mold was growing. "My cookies-" "Thank me later, Hemat. I'll explain later. We are short on time." Chite quickly kept the music disc within the file in a magic restraining bag, before closing the file and taking hold of Hemat's hand and quickly heading out of the hallways. As they passed, there Hemat could see. The lamp lights that once glowed brightly were buzzed out, covered in dust and moth. The floorboard beneath their feet was creaking in a very horrifying man, making him afraid of what would happen next. They had almost reached the door, as Chite put his shoes on and opened the door, pushing Hemat out, and walking out. They were back outside, where Turine was struggling to keep on creating that reverse effect, paled out, with sweat dropping down her forhead. To the point her eyes had turned almost black entirely with her magic. There on the other side, Prehni who was holding on to the barrier that she had created, had her hands turning white completely. "That's enough!" Turine snapped out of it, as she staggered back. Her glorious wand shrunk back to the size of a branch the magic veins disappearing, and Hemat rushed to Turine's side, holding her in place, looking up at Chite in a worried way. Prehni had it better. Not her entire magic was drowned, although even her staff had returned to its previous state as a branch, and thin glimmering veins of white could be seen. This meant that her veins had reduced considerably. "Gather around, kids." "Are you seriously-" "Let's summarise." Prehni walked over, leaning on the wall for support, staring at Chite in interest. "The case was pretty simple. A little bit of story time for you. The woman we saw inside, dear Hemat, was the last lady of the Merdwick bl00dline.
Continued: Last of the bl00dline of hundred children who were born in the church. And we saw her all because of the music disc. What does this tell us?" "That he trapped her in the disc but why?" "Not why but when." Turine mumbled, wheezing for air. "As in, Turine?" "What she means is that he loved her didn't he? His lover?" Hemat mumbled, now that the clogs of his brain had finally started working from that simple hint that Turine had given. "Correct. Unlike the apostle, the hundred children born in the garden of the church were immortal, and there was no way of stopping them, or even k111ng them, because they were born from the god's fruit. Now when Otielo, who had gone berserk and had lost all sense of his emotions, who had also been her l0ver, found out that she was a Merdwick, he began fearing her. Which means this all. He took it so far out of fear, because what better than a Merdwick to take the title of the Apostle of god back from the minute people playing roles of a bl00dline they do not belong to?" Chite mumbled, staring back at the house, which still emitted the Lanterion power of Otielo, with nothing to guard within. "He trapped her in this. Simply because he was afraid of her power. Had he not, perhaps he would have been defeated long before. And she would've been the twelfth apostle. Hah. So what did we learn today?" "That apostles are capable of betraying others?" He blinked. Who said that? The three stared at him, gulping. Turine who had barely any strength left had already fainted in Hemat's hands who was no longer looking at him, but at the ground with a guilty expression. Prehni who was leaning on the wall, pushed herself off, standing straight and bowing to whoever was standing behind him, who had been currently facing the house. Chite turned and blinked in surprise. Countless of mages, guards almost standing behind two people. A woman whom he knew very well, and a man who was smiling cruelly at him. "Ian? V-" "Catch him." He blinked in confusion as Ian uttered those words, before he felt to the ground, magic chains binding him to the place. These weren't the regular magical chains, otherwise Chite would have had quite the good chance of breaking them apart. It had a familiar scent to it. The scent of honey. And the pressure of nausea surrounding him increased. The world was again split into three separate colours. And he was feeling dizzy. Ian walked up to him, kneeling beside him, close enough to whisper in his ear. "I'm truly sorry, Icarus Sphinx. Truly sorry, my lovely Icarus. But the reign of Apostles must end. And thank you for finding the book of Shadows for us. The ministry will take good care of it just like the Book of Mirrors." Icarus looked up at Ian with widened eyes, as Ian leaned to k1ss his cheek. "What is all of this?" He heard Ian laugh. No, he heard Stuart Huntings laugh at his question. Scoff at his question. "What do you think? The people with whom you made the ministry have decided to get rid of the last apostle. To make you the last apostle. Long will the days of being controlled by a single being be gone. Long will the days of our ages being based on the reign of an apostle be gone. By sealing you in your gr2ve, we will be free. Everyone, including Veronica, and your lovely employees. We all decided its for the best. Don't hold a grudge against us." "Even you? S- SO this was your plan wasn't it? Have me get the book of Shadows? So that you could overthrow me?" "...Yes." Stuart laughed, holding Icarus's chin up, matching his gaze with Icarus's. "It was my plan. All. Of. It. Had you not been an apostle, my dear, then I would've confessed that I l0vd you. But what can I say...I have always hated apostles. And my hatred is stronger than my l0ve for you...forgive me, my dear friend. I'll do you a favour. Write your name in history as better than the other apostles. Misguided." He whispered, as Icarus, whose body could no longer hold onto its consciousness, went limp. Stuart got up, letting Icarus's head h1t the ground, before wiping his hands with a handkerchief. "Well played, kids."