1 Music of Your Departure

Spring Kingdom, Canyon of Entrance, Abelonia City of the North, 508

HOWL of the wind they heard; it brought more tension but it was like an unsaid rule that all of them had shortly disregarded the forming fear. It was a calm night: from the ivory moon whom was half-blanketed by her clouds partially illuminating the canyon, rustling tree leaves joined by the little nightingale's aria voice; an art like prelude of a mellow song but contrast to the chaos inside of their minds. To the faintest sound of nocturnal animals– the night... it was at full tranquillity.

Amidst it were cold sweats, thumping hearts, shaking legs– afraid of the next moments– scared. To the newly designated knights, it was even rather horror. What else could they do? Cowards got no place in their world and running away would mark them coward 'til lungs give out. Dying in the battlefield brings dignity, it's your glory as a knight. A connotation that every knight knew and lived but a stigma that needs to be relinquished for a young knight. What's so great about it? I don't get the sense of their motto. My father died and I was forced to take his place. Damn riches! Cowards aren't us, it's them! He carefully analyzed how his peers were handling the situation. One seemed like having palpitation, on his left side, the boy with a mushroom hair would cry any minute and the tall guy in front of him has been like sucked out of blood ever since they've guarded the post.

"How in the fucking world could a shit like them kill a demon?" he mumbled low. Knights were getting younger and younger as months passed by, the olds have died and the newer were left sons that must replace their fathers'. The race of humanity from his view seemed to be easily eradicated judging through the density of the raging entities. "You'll die first, trust me. Demons are nearing us." It almost escape his mouth, he thought, but it really did escape, he realized when the three knights suspensefully tilted their heads and eyed him as they stilled at his retort.

"The hell you look at?" The tall guy fainted, hair-designed-like-mushroom boy cried with no noise and the heart of the palpitating lad, stopped. Oh boy, not my fault.

"A-are you a-able to s-see the future?" in between his sobs, he scarcely withdrawn the words in his head and clasped the hands of the confused young knight. "Please, let me know my future! I'm Na'yd Jazovich, will I die or will I really die?" the young knight was still confused. Him able to see the future? That would be awesome.

"Call me Apoy and I don't have that ability simply because I can't and I don't have the blood of a Marvan. Though my eyes are better than the normals. Look at them."

"Huh? But you foresaw that one of us would die. Please tell me my future so I could bid my farewell properly." Apoy, after a minute have comprehended what Na'yd have meant. Oh, I see. He took it the other way. That man... he was having trouble with his heart anyway, it's not that it's my fault at all. He'll die afrerwards.

"Listen pal, we all gonna come back"—Apoy stopped as Nay'd's eyes widened in glee, he smirked and mentally prayed for the boy whose clasping his hands. —"we'll come back, believe me... but that as corpses!"

"So I'm really dying tonight, " he drew in a long breath and contemplated the confident Apoy Fierro. He couldn't move any more.

"Demons have infiltrated! They're coming! First line of defense, prepare!" the bulky hairy man exclaimed to the extent of his volume doubling the fear of Na'yd. All have not expected that the arrival of foes would be so soon. They sharpen their eyes and saw how demons camouflaged the darkness, scampered meters long; the young knight thought he wouldn't feel the fear again back when he witnessed how the demon ate his father's torso. Will I run or fight? We're at the front. It's like we're shields but that's really our roles here. Just a shield. It was like all hopes were put to swords and arrows; wielding them tightly while breathing was counted. The man in the post above blew the sheep's horn making each hands grip their weapons tighter and readied incantations.When clouds have moved and finally hid the moon, it appeared to his eyes the demons were gone. The song of nature was no longer heard in the air, quiescence intensified as winds blew the thick body of clouds by a tardy manner. The song played again but the tempo shifted fast– rapid and heavy like an earthquake on a rage. Moonlight shone back just to light the heinous creatures and when these creatures entered the mouth of the canyon, the sky rained hundreds of enchanted arrows. When hit, one would froze in an instant until it made a blockade. Second rain of arrows each created magic circle in the middle of the terrain and sprouted earth walls that could barely pierce the demons' iron clad skin but it made a division and had them separated into two. It stopped half from entering further. Third rain of arrows sparkled the sky, a series of electrifrying arrows nullified the flying type 'til they smoke black.

"Stop crying and focus!"

"I don't want to die so young!" he clung to the young knight and buried his face on the latter's back. I'm still young like you, wait– he's much younger than I. Apoy had the opportunity to scan Na'yd's face and confirmed through the softness of his face; Na'yd actually looked like a girl.

"Hey, we'll just have to guard the Flower and send her to the spot. You see that ice and earth barricades? The spot is somewhere there, that's what the messenger told me and after that, we're safe." He pat twice on the back of the weeping boy. Just who is this damn Flower? We're risking our lives here. Somehow, Na'yd felt a bit of relief from his change of tone, like an older brother or an older friend. Meanwhile, at the brigade's rare was a man looking strong and enigmatic but nearby, the tired eyelids and slight darkness under his eyes would tell he's been strained. Nearly a month he wasn't able to get enough rest and sleep that he forgot to shave his three week-old beard.

"The strategy was working, an attack lessening the horde's density through halving them and a siege, magnificent My King!" Tired to respond even giving a nod to his chancellor, he just hushed. "It doesn't only work for defense but on the offense as well. Siege and Pincer maneuver. You're a great strategist." The strategist, who was standing at the brigade's rare, took advantage of the one-way canyon pass. His stance could easily explain of great sovereignty. From the ebony of his tousled hair, that protruding crystalline blue eyes and afore the details of his lower apparel– anyone could tell he's a royalty. A fiery and dignified man but his eyebrows furrowed, he gulped and pulled a sigh— he calmed down. He was waiting for someone to arrive at the scene, someone pivotal to the brigade's success. He needed to extend the time until the one he's anticipating would show up. I hope you're safe. Where are you? The temporary barrier won't last long. It looks like I need to unleash this seal. The first line of demons had reached the two hundred meter mark. He signaled the two members of the 8 Pillars who were at the front raid to do their part.

"Let's go kill them! Conjoining magic: Wind and Water!" The two by chorus have said and a huge blue magic circle that has details akin to the ocean bodies appeared above and soon, a large storm formed drawing the demons inside its eye only to be shredded like papers.

"We must delay the time, the goal is to wait until the Flower arrives but their numbers are just crazy not to say if there is a high-level demon."

"If the king would tell me to bomb them, this place is already gone." Cuamara found herself chuckling at the guy with a bothersome hair, her partner, Deton. It's a little bit of exaggeration when Deton proudly stated he could but in reality, he could only do mediocre fire-related magic at best due to the nature of Abelonia which weakens fire-related magic. "I'm not trying to crack a joke here, Cuamara." his breath turned fire, perhaps it pissed him to use water when it's not his dominant attribute.

"I know it, I know it already geez. I know you're strong but you have your limits too. It's still praiseworthy though 'cause you can still create fire in this cold weather."

"Ha! Even if those clouds would rained out snow, I could still bomb those monsters."

"She's here."

"Huh?"

All have stopped and all hopes breathed to life when the Flower they were anticipating have arrived together with a burst of fragrance.

"The Flower is here!" Everyone shouted in different ways as she disembarked from the skyline felinely. Her peculiar aroma scattered fast that calmed each knight the moment sniffed. She was the definition of a gorgeous inside of a chaos; Deity were everyone's impression. From the edge of her sight was the strategist relieved after seeing her. "Apologies"

"No, you came just right." They need not have to talk for their connection with each other was too strong. The strategist then promptly commanded archers to shoot another array of arrows that gave light for vision. The fire in his eyes had ablaze and the exhaustion seemed to dissipate. "Operation North Fort Luna, commence!"

Defensive magicians emerged at the back of the front line who have advanced forming a phalanx to deflect the demons. Their feet making a synchronized metallic sound as they advance and their shield, though coated with defensive magic technique was still penetrated. Claws so strong that every time it pierced their shield would pushed them back a step; claws so sharp that every time demons attack would cause friction-fire, still, they kept their pace. Both flanks followed to attack the opponent's rare that had split up into two because of the earth wall. Everyone's clamor broke the serenity lingering in the darknes, charging towards the threat of humanity– demons. Screaming was their way to throw the fear in their hearts as the distance was closing. Fifty meter mark, thirty, ten, until the gap was closed– they clashed.

"Don't let them pass the North Fort Abelon!"

"Th-there are exploding demons!"

As soon as Cuamara heard and saw that there were really exploding demons, she made a wind magic that flew the knights back meters away.

"Fall back immediately! Deton!Nullify them by water!"

"I'm busy here!"

"Do it quickly!"

"Ugh! Water again! Water magic: Extreme precipitation!" It rained with so much force. The continuous explosion from the exploding demons and the gushing rain made by Deton have produced a dense mist that covered the entire battlefield. Screams of terror echoed that crept laggardly into every knight's skin. The sounds of lacerating flesh and bones ceased everyone from moving, the mist was restraining them in particular of their vision. All began to be cautious about their surroundings, one weak noise made them cynical, very weak have them stiffened in place. Startled– an earsplitting vociferation cracked up. The light from arrows dimmed in an instant and finally gone by the fiendish energy and that made their naked eyes began scouring. A danger, it was an instinct that had they not forced their legs to move, they're dead. Fleeing to their fullest, had no time to look back however caught by the sound wave. The extreme vibration in the air neither had their heads or bodies popped, the mist was sprayed by red in a specific direction. Right before the moment when the brigade seemed to have been wiped out, Cuamara countered the extreme vibration through casting a powerful wind blow saving half of the brigade. Deton saw an opening but hesitated for a while but his mind was telling his responsibility to save people, he drew in a long breathe. "Limits my ass. My explosion against yours! Ex...plode!" The arrogance in his face turned serious. He knew the effects would be painful but in return for the same, he killed half of the demons before passing out. His explosion magic greatly damaged the number of demons so as the terrain. The mist gradually disappeared and a diabolical figure was seen midair. It looked satisfied by the view below– butchered carcasses. The king couldn't accept the thought of the failure. He wasn't able to feel the presence of the demon when he specialized the sensing technique, his default ability that everyone praised since childhood. Was it his condition? No, he firmly believe he's lacking. If he was able to feel it's presence, he could have told Cuamara and Deton about it beforehand. The middle part brigade which was the phalanx was lucky because of the two pillars were near them but both flanks almost didn't make it alive. The view was so inhumane that the chancellor beside him vomited but not for him. The one's so gross was the demon he's glaring; its veiny eyes were focused to the phalanx, it seemed to assault them.

"I will not permit you, demon," vehemently uttered. He, afar from the figure, teleported to the phalanx and detracted its dark attack with one hand.

"Advance!"

"Y-yes, Your Majesty! Keep on strengthening your shield, magicians! Advance!" Apoy was surprised by the sight of a royal– it was actually the king who have saved them. The blood began to smell unpleasant it's affecting his system and put his stomach to twisting. While advancing to the mark, he could hear the thunderous collisions of powerful magic. He managed to make a glance, the pillar named Cuamara was battling– he believed it was a high-level demon. He searched the king; exploding demons brought him back to focus, they were small creatures that could detonate once they're wounded or could detonate at their own will. He's wondering why it seemed that they were not being affected by the explosion and when demons ahead them were nearly cleared, he saw the person he was looking. What rage the king had in his face that it sent shivers to him. The king was wiping the demons so easily but Apoy felt he was restricting his self. The phalanx that was supported by the magicians had successfully reached the earth and ice barricade. The formation dissasembled and then a woman rose from the core. Her eyes, green as the deep forest, white as snow was her hair touching the ground— how unworldly beauty the Flower has. Apoy ordered his team.

"Keep on protecting the Flower! She needs to find the exact spot!"

"Moonlight, please show it to me." A fraction of moonlight guided her to the spot she was searching and then immediately spoke of an incantation when found and a metallic blue light glowed. The young knight, Apoy, remembered her name. Like the strange captivating flower called zeymer, her name was Flora, Flora Zeymer, the Flower.

"One winter twilight, the moon seemed to be lonely. Gazing below, her ancestry cried.

'Oh, shine those silvers we need!

Help us made a wall, strengthen this barricade!'

Moon magic: Fort of Luna, complete!" An invisible force have felt by everyone and then a beam of light fell down right in front of her. The light from the moon materialized a barrier of energy connecting the three beam of light from the East, West, and the South of the Spring Kingdom. Demons inside the barrier were pulled out and repelled yards away. Flying demons tried to enter the high end but failed to penetrate, it was so powerful due to the moon. Everyone was mesmerized by the process of the moon magic.

"This barrier's summit is reaching the moon and fortified by it. They are temporarily prohibited to enter this place, " sternly she stated. All kneeled in relief as the mission was accomplished, the last Fort of Luna was established.

"We...we did it!" Shouts that could not been described but it was coming from their hearts. In the middle of the deafening outcry; "Flora"– a voice with such tenderness, it was low, was heard. Yearning could be traced in his sound that made the Flower her turned to her king.

"Claudio, we did it, " she smiled and gestured for a hug but the young man stilled, therefore she initiated to do it instead. "Your tactics and strategies worked expertly. I was late but the three beams in the West, South and East has been"– his warm tears trickled down her neck that hushed her. Flora knew immediately that the king was feeling guilty.

"If only I could do more than that, no one would have died."

"You're a great king, that's what I know."

"I really want to end this but I'm losing it."

"Claudio, death was already ahead of us. It was all thanks to our ancestors who have sacrificed their lives for the kingdom, just like what your parents did. If it were not for them, the history of humanity didn't continue." Flora cupped his face and stared at his fiery, however soft blue eyes, "be strong, don't lose hope. I'm here to help you." Claudio held her small hands enveloping it and smiled, it was warm.

"Flora, this barrier, why can I feel that it's demonic?" he said looking straight in her eyes.

"Claudio, what are you saying? This is purely a deity's spell."

"No, it's not that I'm... It's not that I'm doubting you Flora, but I can sense a demon– that! Can you feel that?" Apoy didn't mean to listen to their conversation and doesn't want to join but he thought the need to interrupt.

"Pardon me Your Highness, she's telling the truth, I actually could feel it too but it's not strong like you could, I guess, but my eyes could see far more distance than the normal range." The two looked at him waiting to clear what he meant. "I don't know if that's a high-level demon but it was there for a long time now since the forming of the phalanx." Apoy pointed his finger above the foundation of the moon barrier and was horrified when he and the demon met each other's eye, it was staring at them three. "It is gawking at us, " he instinctively covered his body with his shield and held his double-edge sword. Claudio looked apprehensive after he listened to him and asked to describe it quick. Apoy, even feeling afraid to look at the demon again, nonetheless have done it without second thoughts.

"That's a curse carrying demon!" Flora, statued by the fear momentarily when Apoy defined it as bird-like having a human mouth. "Everyone have heard its cry earlier and that was already its curse! Claudio, I believe your being affected by the curse."

"There are two high-level demon?" he remembered the demon Cuamara was battling. "Flora, what is its curse?"

"It carries a disease that causes disorder to the senses and it also carries a curse that turned the dead into its own kind." Appalled were the two men beside her who saw the deads' bodies reformed but as demons. Claudio could no longer cope with the things he has witnessed, fear was again gone and slowly the rage in his heart amp up.

"How can I kill my own people? Release the seal right now." he looked serious, the extremity of his utterance vac​il​lat​ed Flora Zeymer. "Do I have to repeat myself?"

Flora levelled off his gaze notwithstanding the coercion it gives, "and what? Never happening again Claudio."

Upon the first snowfall that indicates that the winter months has begun, the air started up to double its thickness. The furious king somehow mellowed out of his anger.

"The curse-carrying demon is inside the barrier. Let's execute a plot to kill it without damaging the deads. They must at least return back to humans and have their burials done in a proper way. It's the least we can do for their families."

"You mean to do it alone, right?"

"It'll be dangerous if it's the brigade and it'll be more dangerous if it would be you, Claude."

"Its mouth opened!" seconds after Apoy shouted, a scream that could vibrate the ground, cracked up. Flora knew the characteristics of the demon the reason why she confidently walked towards it without any ounces of fear.

"The first cry is your curse, the aftermath of it is the destruction that slew our knights. You need to be exterminated, you piece of flesh runs by pure evil." The demon screeched as though it resented the woman for a long time; she's approaching with her eyes glowing green. The extreme vibration in the air attacked Flora but it was nullified before it even touched her. The deads moved like marionettes racing to slaughter her but vines sprung up from the freezing soil to constrain them.

"Thirteen sorrows of thirteen years,

She waited yearning for a face.

Thirteen years so long she forgot;

An affection whirled her world.

'Twas her dream to see him again but a blade with tears ended it so as her thirteen agonies.

Flora Magic: Violet sabre, devour!" A gigantic plant grew below the curse-carrying demon and its thirteen long poisonous teeth punctured its body before devouring. Flora secured that the demon really died and when she couldn't trace the negative life force, she let go of the exhausting magic. Claudio teleported to Flora to support her back and rapidly evaded the deads through casting a firewall but Flora reminded him that the bodies might be burned out making him undo the spell.

"Hold me tight, I can't teleport anymore so we'll go through them."

"So we're both drained and on our limits. Claude, they have to be coated with any sealing techniques before the sunrise."

"I know, I already commanded your brigade to do it as you have said, we're on our limits already so let them do it. Here we go, brace yourself."

"Don't hurt them, remember." Claude guaranteed her with a nod. They passed the beaucoup of dead effortlessly and the sealing brigade came just right.

"Seal them quick, please."

"Affirmative, Captain Zeymer!" Each from the sealing brigade skillfully sealed the deads one by one with a sealing technique that the sunlight could not pass through.

"Do you really need to go?" Claudio said, still carrying Flora. She broke her gaze first and nodded at his question.

"Fort of Luna isn't complete yet according to the scroll it will fade"— she paused when Claudio hugged her but at that time, it was tighter than earlier— "Claude, I really have to or else there would be more of bloodshed." But hearing her calling him Claude and not Claudio made it difficult for him to let her leave.

"Stay! I can protect you!"

"How selfish is that?"

"Flora, please, " his hands took hers pressing and holding, he planned to not let them go.

"What about the people? Claude, now is the time to act like a king. We are not kids anymore." she waited for his answer and the king wavered a second.

"I will protect you and everyone just unleash this seal and I can kill all of them. You're not leaving, please"— Flora's glare halted him. It was Claudio's first time seeing the sweet and warm person he always knew with an angry stare.

"Me over thousands of people? All those who have sacrificed their lives for this plan would be meaningless because of your selfishness. I will never, ever forgive you." making him feel bad was never her intention in all of her life but she needed to this time, "protect the kingdom, I'll come back soon."

"How long would be that soon? I think I couldn't wait." Instead of replying him back, she showed him a smile and a graceful bow.

"Your majesty, I'll be leaving for my mission right now but before that, let me seal your power again."

"Flora, when this is over, I'll make you my wife. So please, come back."...you're all I have, so please.

"Then, we must do our very best. Time for us to depart again."

With her hair bouncing as she run with no noise of footsteps, the sound of the surroundings began to enter Claudio's ears. How sad it was to watch another important person leave again for the king, for him. He heard the glory of his men but more like the coda of a suspense song when Flora could not be seen anymore– the music turned mellow and it died. The young king just whispered her name to the wind, "Flora."

Beside him was Apoy looking at them, he remembered how he begged for his father to stay just like what the king did. I hope we don't have the same fate. I may be hating you, but I'm not thoroughly evil. I certainly know how it feels to be left with.

"Ah, another sunrise for you Na'yd, haha!"