The Spirit

Recently, Cecil had found himself thinking of Cleo's new maid quite often. There was something off about Anastasia. Something strange that he just could not place. For instance, she wielded the same exact blade Cecil did. Heaven's Light was supposed to be a unique existence in the entire world, so how had this girl who had come out of nowhere managed to get her hands on a weapon so similar to his own.

But then, if Cecil really thought about it, his sword was not really his. At least it was not supposed to be. In reality, October was supposed to have received the legendary blade. Why it had refused to acknowledge him was anyone's guess.

The sword known as "Heaven's Light" was the very weapon the legendary hero Lucien had wielded during his lifetime, when he defeated all his enemies and founded the great Imperium Solis.

Before he was corrupted.

His sword was rumored to possess god-like powers, leading each of his descendants to dream of being accepted by the mighty weapon.

One day, when Cecil had been quite young, his father had dragged him along with October to the shrine of Lucien, where Heaven's Light had sealed itself away. No one had ever awakened the sword after its original master had died. With Lucien gone, Heaven's Light began to grow weak, as it waited for someone else to bring back its power once more.

"There is only one such sword in existence, and it is up to you, October, to awaken its lost magic," the emperor, Cecil's father, had said to the two boys. "After all, the calamity is approaching, and I failed to do so already."

Cecil remembered watching his brother place his hands on the sword's hilt, and...pull? At least that was what it looked like. But Heaven's Light did not budge one bit. October tried again and again, to no avail. With a sigh, the emperor was about to give up, when he felt a small distortion in the room. Cecil perked up. He felt that something interesting was about to happen.

"You have returned at last, my master," a voice said, as a bright glow began to envelope the sword. "I've missed you, Lucien."

***

And now that sword was his.

So how had Anastasia...how could she have Heaven's Light when it was still in his possession? Cecil still remembered the small details about the Nova girl's form. Small habits resulting from long years of practice. The thing that bothered Cecil the most was how deadly the girl's movements were. Each and every one of her movements were perfectly calculated to deal the maximum damage to her opponent. It was rare enough to encounter a young girl who wielded the sword as well as he did, but it was even rarer to meet someone with such a violent stance. Cecil knew that Anastasia could have learned everything through experience, which would be a bit scary, since it is certainly not normal for a young girl to join the battlefield, but nonetheless, he trusted that someone like Anastasia would never be able to fail Cleo.

But he was wrong. Eios knew. She really wanted to tell him, tell Cecil about everything she had seen in her eternal journey through the past, present, and future. And yet, Eios chose not to. She knew, especially watching her precious master suffer so much, that if she stepped in, the timeline would never forgive her. Her master would not forgive her. Still, every time she returned to this point in time, these doubts would go through her head. But in the end, one thought would always outweigh all the rest.

"Promise me, Eios, that you will protect him no matter what happens. Even if it means protecting him from himself."

"Yes, master. I promise."

Eios remembered that day so clearly. She and her master had been traveling through a time stream when he had suddenly brought up this strange topic. When he had mentioned the promise, Eios did not think twice before agreeing. And now, she was not able to break that promise. After all, it was for his own good.

"I'm sorry, master." Eios sighed. "I promised him. I promised you. I will protect you no matter the cost."

The sword spirit crumpled into herself, cupping her face with her hands. She had been floating around the blade's magic space for thousands, if not millions of years. At some point, she had fallen for the innocent boy with bright, lively blue eyes. She stayed with him until he became the monster she knew so well, now cold and unfeeling, drained by the essence of time. He had fallen, without a doubt, past the point of no return.

Eios wanted to save him. But she could not. Her heart, that had once beat for him, wished for him, desired him, could no longer follow him. Now she worked for a greater cause. But it was this cause, this person, that Eios knew would finally give her master his final ending.

So the lonely unrequited lover called out into the night, blasting her magic in all directions. Hoping that someone would hear her desperate call.

"Girl of the Earth...beware...who he claims to be..."