Chapter 74: Archangel's third prompt

"Answer your prompts? How would that work?" Lumière questioned, raising his eyebrow. Orion too, seemed confused, yet intrigued.

"It's simple. I will start the prompt of the story game. Then, it will be Mr. Croft's turn to follow it up. Then, I will continue it afterwards. Then, it will be Mr. Callister's turn. You see, in this way, it always comes back to me before going to the other person. Shouldn't this be interesting?" Selaphiel smiled.

'Basically, he's saying he wants a turn to probe us for information. He has discovered the true meaning of our little game.' Orion mused, entertained. 'Then, try your hardest.'

At the same time, Lumière chided in his mind. 'Oh Archangel, does your strength not accompany intelligence? How will you be able to pry information out of us when we've become guarded? I hope to find out.'

"Very well." The two tacitly agreed to the change in the game, and after a moment of thought, Selaphiel began to speak.

"Long ago, etched into the stars in an ancient, forgotten language, was a prophecy. It foretold of the world's convergence with calamity, bringing about the end of humanity. A mortal scholar and an immortal emissary witness this prophecy, and learn of the two trials that one must undergo to prevent calamity. However, this information can also be sold to a high bidder, and those involved can begin to live a very lucrative lifestyle. Consider yourself the mortal scholar, Mr. Croft. Mr. Callister, please be the immortal emissary."

'He's assigning us characters? What an interesting fellow.' Orion mused. However, Lumière did not feel the same.

'What could this Archangel be planning now?'

Selaphiel continued. "She, the mortal scholar, wishes to sell the information and gain wealth. He, the immortal emissary, wishes to undergo the trials and save humanity with his own hands. However, given enough curiosity, the mortal scholar manages to decipher part of the prophecy and locate the first trial."

"Of course, she keeps the information to herself." Lumière had decided to stick with the theme of the character. Of course, it was the antithesis of what he would choose to do. He thought that this would be able to mask the truth of his character, but he also knew that Selaphiel would assume that much. Of course, there was also the chance that Selaphiel had used the personality of that character to set a trap for him in advance. Still, he wasn't going to adhere solely to the theme of Selaphiel's story. "However, she offers the emissary a deal. If he can pay her the necessary amount of money, she will give him, and only him, the location to the next trial."

Selaphiel's eyes widened. 'Witty, aren't you?'

"Then-" Selaphiel began to speak, but he was quickly interrupted. 

"The immortal emissary accepts the offer." Orion grinned. "Of course, after such a long life, the emissary would have accrued such a grand wealth. Such a price is easily affordable."

Before Selaphiel could continue, Lumière interjected. "For an even larger sum, the scholar mentions that she wouldn't mind joining the clearing of the trials alongside the emissary."

"The emissary accepts." Orion spoke without hesitation. Through their gazes, Lumière and Orion had tacitly agreed to cooperate in order to deny Selaphiel his plot. Of course, it was a laughable endeavour, even though the meaning behind it threatened their very lives.

Selaphiel loudly cleared his throat.

"Then, the scholar and emissary have decided to join forces in order to clear the trials. Of course, the first trial is nothing to scoff at. In a tower that pierces through the deepest, darkest abyss, a warden guards the pool of shadow that threatens to break free and destroy the world. Only when the warden opens up the heavens, and casts light onto the shadows, would the world be saved."

"We make our way into the tower." Lumière scoffed. "After a perilous climb, the warden is confronted."

"He speaks. He says 'Your timing is quite comedic. I've been waiting for several eternities for someone to come convince me to vanquish these shadows. How hilarious that you choose to do so only when it benefits you the most.'."

"The emissary replies. 'Why must we convince you to destroy such a danger?'." 

"The warden scoffs at the question, as if it were obvious enough. 'These shadows are my children. What father would willingly kill his children?'."

"But he wishes for someone to convince him to kill his own children. Why would he simultaneously have apprehension to do so?" Lumière questioned.

Selaphiel shrugged. "Perhaps he loves them, yet still accepts they're a threat."

"Such a foolish person cannot be reasoned with. The emissary attempts to kill the shadows, running up towards the rooftops of the tower, where light seeks to pierce through." Orion immediately realised he should have spoke more definitively.

"The warden disagrees with his poor choice, growing angered, grasping the emissary in his hand. Holding him up, the emissary hangs over the edge of the abyss. To any mortal, falling in would certainly spell death. For an immortal who cannot die, falling in spells eternal tragedy. Until by some strange method in which the abyss collapses, an infinite number of infinities in the future, the emissary would be forever trapped in the darkness, suffering from loneliness and despair. However, the warden offers the scholar a choice. She can take his place and die in the abyss."

'Is there any reason for Black to take this offer? What could this possibly serve to do?' Orion pondered. 'I should have spoken as if it was an inevitable success to backstab the warden, but I was too lax in my language. What were all those proper language classes I took as a child for if I make simple mistakes like this?'

Lumière had already grasped the meaning behind the Archangel's plot.

'He's saying I can save the emissary. He's offering me an out. If I die, the game is over for me. He's saying that right now, I can avoid his attempts to get information from me, and leave White to face it himself. However, in doing so, I will certainly reveal that I fear his attempts, and have definitively realised that he's doing so.' Lumière's thoughts raced. 'What a cunning bastard…'

"The scholar calls out to the warden. 'Two beings are calling for the death of the shadows, in comparison to you, a singular being. Does this not outweigh your choice?'."

"The Warden replies. 'Are you equating me to you, a mortal?'."

"'When existence dies out, and everything turns into nothingness, will we still be inequivalent? Won't then, we all be equal as all things are nothing? If it is an inevitability, then where is the inequality? For even those that transcend mortality, all things are doomed to die.'."

"The Warden laughs. 'Perhaps you've made a good point. Then, since your wills outmatch mine, I, a father, will kill his children. Watch as I do, and feel my sadness.'. The Warden stood up from where he had been sitting, reaching his giant hand forward to set the emissary down, before grasping upwards at the giant seal above, shattering it. Light spills into the tower, casting the shadows away. Endless, agonising shrieks echo, and calamity dissipates. The first trial had been cleared."

'It's interesting, how Lumière Croft tries to twist the situation, no matter what he's up against. Even I heard the stories of what he did when facing that traitor, Asmodeus. To challenge such a powerful monster to a game of cards… he knows his weaknesses, and is still ready to compensate for them through cunning means. Let's see if we can't uncover what makes him lose his calm…'

"After leaving the tower, the scholar attempts to decode the location of the second trial, and succeeds in doing so. What will she do?"

"It was quite fun, and she has already made a considerable fortune. She decides not to share the information with the emissary." Lumière had decided to end the game short. By his own means, it wouldn't be seen as running away. If he had taken the Archangel's way out, it would have definitely revealed something about himself.

"Come on, that's no fun. If we don't save the world, so many will suffer." Orion chided.

'What? Why is White trying to continue? Does he want to continue to be probed by Selaphiel? No… that can't be it. That trial was considered a loss for him. He acted too brazenly. Has he abandoned his caution in order to appease his lust for victory? I didn't think even he would go that far. It seems I misjudged him. However, because this 'game' is supposed to be friendly, I can't act like I'm satisfied with ruining their fun…'

"Then, the scholar chooses to share the information."

Selaphiel smiled, plotting. "The trial is a dungeon of memories. In going forward, the participant will experience their darkest past, and the horrors that haunt them."

"The emissary and the scholar make their way into the dungeon." Orion continued the story generally.

"They meet a woman in the darkness. She is clearly a monster, but at the same time, she resembles a human. With each instance, they can see two of her, but only one of her. It is as if she is a falsity, but also truth. She is there, and she is not. The monster is grey and flesh-like, covered in a thick viscous liquid that drenches the floor in a putrid stench. But the woman she pretends to be is elderly, infirm, incapable of moving. She resembles the scholar's mother."

Hearing this, Lumière's heart dropped. 'So, this is why you gave me an out, and I was a fool not to take it. I'm a good liar, but can I even lie correctly in this scenario? He's trying to prod me by using an image of my mother to fool me. Killing the monster in the story with a clear head would surely be seen as a lie, as if I don't even hesitate to think about my own mother in real life. He's testing me now. I either lie, or confirm my weakness. What a bastard.'

"Is the monster attacking us?" Lumière gritted his teeth.

"Will you kill your mother? Elderly, infirm?" Selaphiel grinned, prodding Lumière.

He had already hesitated too long. Orion had noticed his apprehensiveness, and coupled with his prodding in their first meeting, he immediately came to a conclusion. Lumière's weakness was definitely his mother.

"The emissary kills the monster without hesitation. It's just a mimic, a falsehood." Orion laughed.

'Oh? Suddenly the nobleman is quite responsive. Was he excited by that last dalliance? So it's true. They really have been trying to confirm each other's weaknesses, his being his brother, and Lumière's being his mother. I had my suspicions about their supposed 'friendship', but this definitely proves it false. They are truly enemies. But why does Lumière Croft have enemies? Is it related to the danger that follows him?' Selaphiel considered the motives of the nobleman, and the strangeness that surrounded the magician. 'Even now, why would his enemy suddenly appear? Did he plan to kill Lumière Croft? But why would he have done it himself, and with what methods? One thing is certain, he has an ego that leads him to move forward with his own plans, and he gains immense pleasure from victory using his wits. He's a thrill-seeker. I'll have to watch out for this man in the future. He may be hiding some power that threatens the church, or might be plotting something that uses his vast wealth and command of noble soldiers.'

While Lumière didn't show it, he felt an anger in his chest that he couldn't seem to quench. 'That bastard. Of course, I know the two of them have done research on my background, but still… this is the one thing I can't seem to resolve within myself. It truly is a weakness. Fuck.' He had to curse, because he had no other way to calm himself.

Lumière's mother was his heart's burden.