12 The Long Lost Love

The walk down the building was the most awkward one Guinevere had with Gusion.

She didn't know whether to be angry at him for hiding the fact that he was a Paxley and for yelling inside, or be confused by the fact that he was so worked up just because she left at night.

"Your brother went home. He thought you'd gone home." Gusion broke the silence. Just like her, the walk, the awkwardness between them and the ambarrassment of having displayed such a rude behavior seemed to have mellowed down his anger.

"I would never." She seethed, keeping her gaze straight ahead.

"I thought so, too. That's why I headed straight here. Lady Odette also made me bring your clean clothes."

"You didn't have to."

He came in front of her to block her way, making her halt and glare at him.

"Look, I understand you were upset. But that doesn't give you a pass for being stupid and running away like a child." His brows were furrowed as he looked at her, his jaws fixed.

"Do not compare my emotions with a child."

"Why are you so upset with this, anyway?" Gusion vented, frustration in his voice. "I mean, yes, we're friends. And hiding something from a friend seems like a betrayal. But to put yourself in danger just because of that? Don't you think you're going too overboard with that anger?" Gusion caught her gaze as his eyes lit up, a thought popping in his mind.

He frowned in doubt as he spoke it out loud. "It's not like you thought I was gonna sneak my way into your favor to seal the arrangement, is it?"

Guinevere looked away immediately.

"Of course not!" She denied.

It didn't really cross her mind, but hearing it being spoken out loud by Gusion, a small part of her seemed to be agreeing with him.

She was afraid he could make her change her mind about the engagement.

But there was no way she was admitting that, even to herself.

"Good." Gusion replied. "Because I chose to hide it because I was casted away by them. I would not consider myself a member of that Family until I get their acknowledgement."

"Yes," she said firmly as she stepped closer to him, looking up so she could plant her piercing gaze at his eyes. "because you are a selfish, egotistical moron who thinks of no one's feelings but his own!" She passed by him, deliberately bumping against his shoulder in the process.

She marched along the corridors, planning to go back to the Library.

"Lady Guinevere, if you could just consider the pain I got through from my family's disowning me." Gusion called after her.

She ignored him, her thoughts spiraling through her brain nonstop.

Maybe she should just go back to Castle Gorge, obey her Father's orders and surrender her life to marriage. And she could just imprison herself in the Castle and be away from the outside world's complicated problems. Maybe her husband would give her the freedom to study more about magic and be the best of it.

Or she could go back now and ask Lancelot's help. Maybe her father would agree to cancel the betrothal when he hears about Lancelot's relationship to another imperial family.

She could still rely on her brother, couldn't she? Despite the fact that he had fallen completely head-over-heels in love with the Lady Odette.

Maybe that was why Diggie had such a knowing smile when he told her where he was. Because he had already seen Lancelot with Odette. Because she saw how stupid she looked going all through that just to find him when he was enjoying his time in the Swan Castle.

She remembered promising the kid of funding his researches when she finds Lancelot. Maybe that promise would have to wait...

"Diggie." She muttered, halting in her tracks as she realized something.

"Diggie? Why are you talking about him now?" Gusion asked as he caught up with her.

But her thoughts were wildly zooming in and out of her mind. The obsession of clocks, the symbol...

"It's Diggie's invention!" She ran up the staircases and through the halls with Gusion following behind, totally confused.

She stormed into the Library and seemed to have interrupted Alucard, Granger and Rafaela's serious conversation.

"It's Diggie's invention!" She announced, panting as she headed to the table where the handclock laid. "I saw it. I saw one of these in his lab. He is currently working on it!"

"Are you saying Diggie's the traitor?" Granger asked, his brows furrowed with doubt.

"No. No. That's not certain. Someone might've stole it." She rambled on, her brain working hard in realizing the situation. "It wasn't done that time. He was looking for something to take its energy from...like a crystal...or a magic stone.."

"Mr. Flash." Gusion butted in, making the four of them turn to him.

Granger slammed his hand against the table, his eyes wide. "Mr. Flash knew about Diggie's invention! He has a stone that could supply the energy needed by such invention." Granger was now standing, hyped up by the discovery.

"Then we should go catch Mr. Flash and find out if he's doing this alone or not." Alucard immediately took his sword and hoisted its sheath on his back.

"Let's go." Rafaela said.

Both Granger and Alucard halted and looked at Rafaela who joined them in heading out.

"What are you talking about?" Granger asked, frowning.

"You're staying." Alucard added.

"Alucard. Granger, I should come this time."

"We're just capturing Mr. Flash."

"The fact that he's working with the Abyss shows that he's not someone you could take lightly. Let me just help."

"Rafaela, the fact that he's working with the Abyss is why we're not letting you go." Alucard countered. He seemed to be meaning something more because Granger looked at him.

"I can handle it." Rafaela insisted. "You know I'm useful to all of you."

"Maybe we should give her a chance." Granger told Alucard.

Guinevere and Gusion were just watching the argument silently, barely knowing the story.

Alucard sighed in surrender. "But you stay behind the group."

Rafaela smiled widely. They headed out of the building and took a carriage.

While traveling, Guinevere couldn't stop smirking at Granger who was sitting across her and sitting right next to Rafaela. Alucard volunteered to take the reins at the Butler's seat.

Granger was frowning as he was avoiding Guinevere's knowing stares.

"Should've known this would happen." He muttered under his breath.

"What?" Rafaela asked, looking at Granger.

"Nothing." He said too quickly and finally met Guinevere's eyes. "Will you stop that?"

She arched her brows in feigned innocence. "Stop what?"

"That" Granger hovered his palm up and down his face and pointed her. "weird expression you got in your face."

"Are you saying my face is weird?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Guinevere turned to Rafaela. "This gentleman just said my face is weird."

"Granger. It is rude to refer to a lady's face as weird."

"I didn't." Granger insisted.

Rafaela just stared at him piercingly, and Granger sighed and cowered in his seat.

Guinevere bit her lips to suppress her smile.

"Have you settled your issue now?" Rafaela asked, looking from Gusion to Guinevere who both exchanged looks.

"There's nothing to settle." She answered.

It was Granger's turn to smirk. "You guys are amusing."

Guinevere glared at him. But Granger held up his palms. "Just look at this," he stared at Guinevere. "one from a family of swordsman but wanting to pursue magic." Then he turned his gaze to Gusion. "The other coming from a line of mage, but definitely has the calling of the blades."

"Rafaela" Guinevere started, turning her gaze at the angel. "last night I saw-OW!"

"Oh. Sorry. Didn't know your toes were there." Granger said in a mock apologetic voice.

Guinevere glared daggers at him.

"What were you saying, Lady Guinevere?" Rafaela asked.

"I was saying I saw you at the balcony last night."

"Oh." Rafaela's eyes turned weak, as if they lost their shine even though she tried to smile. "The moon was beautiful, wasn't it?"

"Right. It was." Guinevere answered, regretting having mention that she saw her.

She must have been so lost in sadness and longing for the one he loved that she didn't even notice; the sky was moonless last night.

Guinevere decided to stop teasing Granger and just looked out the carriage window. It must have hurt Granger too because she saw how the creases between his brows formed, his eyes stone cold, and his jaws clenched as he faced the window, hiding his expression from the angel next to him.

And the carriage fell into silence.

While they were still on the road, the carriage rattled that they had to press themselves against the carriage walls to keep themselves from being knocked off their seats.

Then the small rolling peekhole at the Butler's side opened.

"Hold tight. The city's on fire. We have to get there fast!" Alucard yelled from upfront and made the horse gallop faster.

The four of them looked out of the window at Rafaela and Gusion's side.

Up ahead was black smoke building up in the sky, the towering Antoinerei observatory totally covered by it.

The gates were wide open the moment they arrived in Eruditio, guards were running all around, fighting human-size demons who were slashing their pointed tails around while others were trying to put out the fire.

Alucard led the horses through the gates and into the middle grounds of the burning Eruditio, where all five of them hopped out.

Scholars were running around with their precious inventions, others being chased by demons.

Lolita was fighting of a bunch, swinging her hammer around like it weighed nothing, stunning the enemies and then finishing them with a smash.

Far ahead, she saw a glimpse of Bruno kicking off a ball glowing blue and bounced from one demon to another, knocking them off by the impact.

Everything Guinevere looked at were orange hues caused the blazing fire all around them, the air hot and almost suffocating.

Granger and Alucard immediately hopped on to business; helping the townspeople and killing the rampant demons.

Guinevere threw a wave towards the nearest demon who was attacking a guard. Gusion blinked towards a larger demon, threw a blade which spread out into ten more blades towards the demon's hard flesh, jumped to another place before it could smash him, and tossed the blades again.

Granger came staggering next to her as a demon hit him by the chest with its tail. Guinevere leaped to it, knocking it up the ground where she blasted it with her Energy Wave.

"You got moves." Granger said, looking astonished.

There were long terrified howls that distracted them before she could reply.

They looked at where the sound was loudest and saw a confusing scene.

The smaller demons had glowing light orb floating over their heads as they ran away, screaming in terror from where Rafaela and Alucard were.

"Ooh. She still has it." Granger said, grinning.

"Who? What's happening?"

"The Holy Baptism, holy light of the heavens. Rafaela's Ultimate. Very effective to drive away demons. Or weaker ones, at least." Granger explained before blinking towards the bigger demon Alucard was now facing.

She blasted a few demons who came close to her and yelled, "I'll go find Flash. And Diggie!"

"Go!" Alucard answered. "And be careful!"

Guinevere leaped and blinked towards the burning building. She slashed one demon before it could bite an inventor by the arm and blasted it away with her energy wave.

Then she saw a familiar form behind the fire and she hastily leaped towards it.

There, at the back of the burning building, five demons were escorting the man they were looking for; Mr. Flash, his laboratory coats bulging near his fat belly bigger than it should be.

Without Guinevere's knowledge, Gusion was just following behind. He was sending his swords towards every demon who attacked him as he ran.

He had just came behind the burning building when Guinevere jumped towards the circle of demons following Mr. Flash.

Gusion only realized then why Guinevere was so fond of gowns with voluminous skirts with a slit running in the front. It was because she could do her spells very well with it and run around without stepping over them.

She landed in the middle of the five demons, her magic strengthening the wind made by her dress as they flopped down, sending enemies up in the air.

Before they could hit the ground, she summoned another spell.

Orbs of magic energy came spiraling her levitated form, sending the demons up in the air every time they were hit by the orbs, dealing damage in their hard scaly flesh.

He dashed to Mr. Flash who attempted to escape. Guinevere flitted to them right after she knocked the demons dead.

He siezed Mr. Flash by the collar when the man suddenly screamed loud.

Guinevere punched him on the face, annoyed by the sound he was making. The man immediately lost consciousness making Gusion look at her in surprise.

"I hate traitors!" she scorned.

A second later, there was a loud, monstrous bellow from outside the City's fence.

"Oh no." Gusion muttered, the sound becoming closer.

And with a loud blow from the other side, the wall crumbled down, sending dust and small hard particles to their direction.

A demon twice as big as the first one they fought in the woodlands came stomping inside, roaring at their face.

It gave them a better look at its sharp, yellow canines that still got some bits of flesh of whatever it had last eaten stuck in between some of its teeth.

"Come on!' Gusion dragged the unconscious Flash away while Guinevere stood still in front of them, summoning as much energy in her hands as she could.

"Guinevere, come on!" Gusion yelled.

But Guinevere stood in a stance instead, waiting for the demon to come close to her.

As soon as it did, she screamed in all her might as she sent the big ball of energy wave towards the demon.

It did blasted him backwards and created a burnt hole at its round hard belly, but it continued approaching her.

Gusion had to drop Flash down the ground and blinked towards Guinevere.

The demon twice their height looked angry. It was swinging its large taloned hands to wherever Guinevere jumped to. But the girl continued jumping and blinking around him, hitting it with her magic balls every time that he started seeing hanging scales at its exposed flesh.

"Guinevere, either we run or we kill it fast!" He yelled, jumping off the ground before he gets smashed by a large fist that made a dent on the ground.

Guinevere was swung back by its arm, but she landed on both feet about ten feet away, her shoes sliding through the sand and gravel before she skidded to a stop.

"Then you're gonna need your sword." She yelled from where she was. She had this tough look in her eyes as she spoke that he immediately knew she was planning to end it. "On my signal...!"

She run towards the demon, gaining speed, and then lunged herself off the ground at the last 6 feet. Gusion already recognized it as her go-to move.

It was a form of attack skill that only failed with bad timing, and Guinevere seemed to have used it enough times for her to never miss again.

The moment she landed on the monster's feet, it bounced off the ground, turning immobile. "NOW!"

Gusion lunged himself up, gripping the hilt of his blade as he made a 360 turn midair to gain momentum, and slashed through the monster's neck.

He heard one clean sound of a sword swipe then landed on his feet.

He lifted his head up just in time to see the giant head of the demon rolling off its neck and into the ground.

Guinevere had no time admiring their work as she ran towards Flash, who regained consciousness while they were distracted and was now running away.

There was another bellow from outside the ruined walls, and a second later, a large boulder of the fallen fence came flying across the air and into Guinevere's direction.

"Guinevere, look out!" He yelled, but the girl was too distracted trying to capture the traitor that she moved too late.

The boulder hit her full on the chest and knocked her unconscious even before she could land on the ground five feet from where she was standing.

Another demon, bigger and angrier than the one they had just faced came flailing its arms all around, sending boulders around and knocking others with a club he seemed to have picked up on the way.

"Get the lady out of here!" Lolita yelled as she came running past Gusion and towards the demon.

That was when the demon hit the nearest building whose lower foundations were already weakened by the fire.

The foundations below gave up and the upper floors started caving in over them.

Gusion scrambled to his feet and flitted to Guinevere, who was about to be burried by the building's ruins. He kicked the boulder that knocked her off her stomach and curled his arms under her to carry her away.

He only had time to get her a few steps away before the building totally crumbled down. He lunged both of their weight with a kick, landing them both into the ground a few feet away with him over her.

All he could do was cover her with his body as it rained dust and boulders and floors over them, losing consciousness in the process.

"They're under it!" Granger yelled to Alucard who glanced at the fallen building before slicing off a smaller demon.

"I'll go get them!" Rafaela, who was assisting Granger, hurried to where Gusion and Guinevere disappeared.

But before she could start digging at the ruins, a boulder came flying to her direction.

She flees aside and managed to avoid it. She turned to the direction of where it came from just in time to see the largest demon around becoming successful of hitting Lolita with a boulder.

The small elven grunted and was sent off her feet, her hammer clattering a few feet away.

"Lolita!" She yelled, getting confused whether to dig up Gusion and Guinevere first or prioritize Lolita.

She decided to go to the Elven's aid, quickly healing her by her holy light.

"Thank you." Lolita said as soon as she got back to her feet.

"You're welcome. Be careful." She was just about to get back to Gusion and Guinevere when she saw someone that made her freeze.

Her heart had seemed to stop beating, the world stopped turning. Everything seemed to be at a distant, the scream all around her indistinct.

Because there, behind the large demon, was someone she hadn't seen for a long time.

He had his full armor on that she couldn't get a glimpse of his face, his wings which used to look marvelous and majestic were now dark and monstrous in form.

And his laughter...his evil laughter was hurting Rafaela's heart the most, the sight of him wielding his red gleaming sword around and slashing innocent people making the pain worse.

"Argus..." She called, but her voice faltered, merely a whisper. Her chest felt like it was being squeezed like lemons, her eyes stung, partly because of the heat all around her, mostly because of the lump in her throat that was rising into her eyes and nose.

He was laughing as he slashed his sword around that he did not even notice her.

"Rafaela, you gotta get Gusion and Guinevere and get out of here!" Granger yelled.

She came out of her trance. Granger was shaking her by the shoulders, his face urgent and his teeth clenched.

"You have to go get them!" He yelled so loud she would've thought he was angry.

But it was what snapped her into focus. She had to act fast or the two might end up dead.

So she tore her gaze away from the love she lost and started digging.

Her tears fell down her cheeks, but she didn't stop searching for the two.

Until she found them; Gusion protectively covering Guinevere's body under him.