“Ksk, why did I carve in those markings if all you do is shout our names to the public?!” Gieldan seemed mad.
“Oh, how I've not missed your face,” Ansia moaned.
“I'm sorry,” Olivia followed up promptly.
“Don't worry,” added Emily and began to ask them if they had found out anything relevant to their situation, but both of them were shaking their heads.
“Me neither, though I guess I'm partly to blame for that, hehe,” Emily laughed with an awkward smile.
“Quiet! It seems like something is about to begin,” Gieldan commanded them and redirected their attention to the throne.
All conversations around them came to a halt, and the whispering inside the crowd was silenced. With loud steps, they heard someone coming down from the massive steps that were built on both sides next to the throne. Though it was seemingly made from pure gold, the design was more unobtrusive compared to the rest of the palace. Like the city gates, and the doors to the palace, there were eagles engraved into the armrests and stairs to the side, with their heads looking down on the crowd beneath them. They were modeled as if they were about to hunt their prey with their deadly claws ready to charge at them.
“Are you alright?” Balthasar compassionately took Emily's hand as she was seemingly lost in her own mind.
She nodded while the menacing footsteps were getting closer. Eventually, the three humans and the aspects could see who was so ominous coming down the steps.
An unbelievable presence was coming from this individual. It seems like he was a man, who despite the festive ball, arrived in heavy plated golden armor that was close-fitted around his muscular body. Tall stature, yet elegant and delicate. His armor didn't leave much to the imagination when it came to his well-defined muscles that had were carefully accentuated by the plating. Emily was instantly reminded of Gieldan who didn’t appreciate the comparison as he turned his head away when she matched the two.
The blond hair of the entity looked like gold itself, which blew back and forth as he gracefully walked downstairs. His hair began to glisten as if it had bathed in the sun itself. His prominent chin and cheekbones were complimented by his glowing blue eyes that everyone was admiring as he reached the last steps to his throne. In his company were two big men in blue coats with their faces covered.
“So, this is Pride?” asked Olivia dully.
“Impressive, even though that's a bit too much for my taste,” Emily said.
“Pah, too much smoke about nothing,” Gieldan added.
“So they really do worship him like some sort of god. Interesting,” Balthasar was having a conversation with himself as he added his opinion into the fray. The four of them continued to whisper to each other, whereas Ansia snuck past them to get an overview of the place.
The Lord himself took his seat and rested his head on his index finger as he examined the crowd.
With an unmistakable clang, the atmosphere was abruptly split up as a porcelain mask fell to the ground and split into tiny pieces. All the guests tried to get a glimpse of what had happened and were looking into the direction of the sound. Emily barely saw a man rushing through the masses, without getting a good look at him. Yet, what she could see was a second figure standing where the mask had fallen down. It was a familiar face with the green eyes of a sinister looking snake that winked at her from a distance.
“This can't be,” she burst forth.
A man followed the two characters as he ripped his mask from his head.
“Is that really how it's going to be?!” he shouted to himself, trying to follow him through the massive amount of Personas.
Emily gasped as she saw a man with black locks rushing after the first. Though it had already been too late for him, as Gwyn was already standing before Pride with his aspect by his side.
“Pride! URGH-” Gwyn tried to talk but was shut down instantly by an aura that was engulfing the whole room, bringing every guest and Gwyn himself to their knees.
“Who dares to speak to me like that?!” Pride didn't waste any energy to move anything besides his lips. Like an insect that was groveling at his feet, he ignored Gwyn, even though everyone else was looking at him.
“Who's that, Emily? Do you know him?” asked Olivia, barely able to speak under the strain of what Pride had unleashed unto them.
“We met only once. That time when we were at the crypt,” said Emily trying to get closer to Olivia. “Though, I have to admit he might not be too bad after all,” she whispered to herself upon seeing his courageous act.
Gwyn raised his voice once more but was shut down again, as his head hit the ground from the pressure of Pride.
“ARE YOU SERIOUS?! THAT WAS YOUR PLAN?” Leandro yelled from the back, with Destare trying to support him.
“The likes of you are tolerated in my kingdom, human. Yet I don't remember allowing anyone to speak to me,” Pride said dignified.
“You have questions or desires – who cares? You have to solve your problems yourself, though if that is too hard for you, I'll gladly be your god and judge you,” the Lord answered coldly while he poked his ears with his fingertips.
“No...” Gwyn gasped, trying to move his body.
“This world is not so forgiving. If you want to reign, you have to take it for yourself,” Gwyn tried to answer, but it was hopeless.
“Do not lecture me, human, or it will be the last time you ever did anything.”
“My, my, don't be such a hothead, my darling,” rattling and chinking followed by two chains that shot out of Delirias’ sleeves, which were helping Gwyn back on his feet. This made it look like his limbs were crushed by iron that was wrapping itself around him.
Pride put on an arrogant smile. “I knew this could only be the work of an aspect, that's how it always goes these days. Without them, they have no spine at all. How the times have changed. Nowadays there is nothing but trouble.”
He turned his head to the right side. “Bailiff, we should consider changing our guidelines as well. Remind me of that later.”
The men in the coat nodded. “And now to you, peasant,” he turned onto Gwyn who had been freed of the aura and chains.
“Are you really acting on your own accord or is it that aspect that forces you to play this hand? How do you even know whether you can trust him? I hope you have thought about the possibilities,” the Lord laughed, seemingly enjoying the whole situation. With a look towards Delirias, who was smirking behind him like his own shadow, waiting, he thought about his next words.
“All of that doesn't matter to me. I'm just human garbage, following my own desires. I'm here for one reason only, and that is myself.”
“Ho?!” Even Pride didn't seem to expect such an answer and raised one of his blond-gold eyebrows.
“I may just be a marionette in a grand play, but without my aspect, I wouldn't have made it this far to begin with.”
This sentence reverted Pride to his usual bored self. “Is that so? But what does it matter if you die in the end? Just like all the others.”
“Ah, come on Pridy. Wouldn't you love to have such a good friend such as myself by your side?!” Delirias spoke to the Lord and stepped next to Gwyn's side, slowly removing his hood.
“Huahahaha,” Pride began to laugh hysterically as he saw Delirias’ face, placing his hand in front of his face to hide his laughter. “Who would've thought that such a thing is even possible without manifestation?! What a wonderful turn of events you bring to my exceptional masked ball. Maybe I have underestimated you.”
Just then, out of nowhere, an enormous explosion disrupted their conversation, resounded above their heads. With a great detonation, the glass dome broke into million little pieces, raining down on the guests below.
“GWYN!” Delirias shouted to his human partner and grabbed him by his waist to escape between the chaos. Uproar and panic were spreading throughout the hall as the Personas tried to evade the falling glass shards. All of their grace and subdued manners were swept awa
y, and none of them hesitated to trample over the other to escape.
Black flames were engulfing the hall, gathering at the destroyed dome and then roaring through the whole room, raising a wall of flames before the fleeing guests. Everyone who didn't stop in time was burned alive on the spot, leaving only their screams to remember them by.
“What the fuck is going on now?!” yelled Leandro who was hiding under Destare's armor.
“We are leaving, Leandro!” his aspect responded.
“What? Why? He-” Before he could protest any longer, the aspect had already disposed of his masquerade and took his partner in the direction of the flames.
“Have no fear, for I will always be your shield,” he said in a calm voice and protected Leandro with his whole body as he rushed through the flames to freedom.
The other guests became slaves to their tears and hopelessness, getting on their knees out on their own accord in the face of the roaring black flames before them. Meanwhile, the Magnagares revealed themselves, who had been hiding in the crowd, but even they were powerless in the presence of such might.
The flames were starting to gather in the middle of the hall, directly in front of Pride’s throne and the guards were taking up their battle stances.
With a gust of wind, the flames were put out, and a man stepped out of them, bowing before Pride.
He was dressed in a long, black coat that almost covered his whole body. Slowly, but surely Emily and the others could get a look at him. It was a young, handsome man with pale skin and white hair. His bangs were falling into his face, covering his purple colored eyes which were staring at Pride. A polished metal chin became visible, and as the last flames were extinguished, they revealed his weapon. It was a black scythe, with a hilt looking like it was made out of bones, leading up all the way to the pitch-black blade where a skull rested. The blade itself reached long enough to completely coil around the stature of the unknown intruder. It left the impression as if they were one single entity.
“It is an honor, Lord Pride,” he proclaimed in a soft voice.
Pride was still sitting on his throne, not moving. “What do you want?” he eventually asked out of boredom.
“Don't you see it?” The intruder looked around manically, seeing the disturbed faces that were watching him from behind their masks. Including the destroyed dome and the little flames that were left on the ground, still flaring up.
“What I see is a failure, who disgraced himself in the land of the heavenly virtues, relying on the pathetic tricks of an old fool,” Pride taunted from above.
The man in the black coat twitched a little as if he was hit by a jolt in his neck, rubbing over his white hair with his pale hands.
“Not exactly. No, not really,” he raised his index finger. “You see, all this time I had the wrong idea about one thing. What I should've been doing was creating a strong, and centrally located war camp.” He spread his fingers. “I know, I know. Hindsight IS everything. But I will make up for that right now, my great Lord.”
He swung his scythe and let the dull side hit the ground to let an earsplitting clang echo through the hall.
To the surprise of everyone, many armed soldiers entered the room as if they had received some kind of signal. Ready to attack with their steel and leather armors they surrounded the Magnagares and the remaining guests.
“Don't frown at me like that, Pride,” he brought forth with a rudely, as he slowly walked over to the guests. “You see, Pride, you're not the only reason I'm here,” he clicked his tongue. “I heard some special humans have gathered here as well. They managed to kill my lovely child, Malice. Can you believe that? It's crazy, right?!”
The sinister looking man grabbed one of the women from the crowd and dragged her violently over the floor by her hair. Almost frozen by fear, the Magnagares and guests watched what happened before them. Only one of the blue masks dared to step in front of the dark figure, but before he could do anything, his body was cut in half, each half falling to the ground on a different side. His pool of blood covered the noble tiles, driving the frightening Personas closer to the edge of the room. Tightly pressed against each other they shivered in fear of losing their lives, whereas the blue-coated guards were standing between them and the armed attackers.
“Now that I think about it,” the terrifying man with the white hair lifted the woman into the air by her hair, letting her body crack in pain. “You haven't even called me by my name since I've arrived, oh valued Lord Pride.”
Again no words followed.
“He gave me a name as well, didn't he? Even my generals received one. I'm sure someone of your high status has already heard of that. So, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it totally rude to refuse to greet their guests by their name?”
His upper lip was morphing into a malicious grin above the metal plate that rested on his chin. Still, no response followed. The only thing everyone noticed was that Pride seemed annoyed. Almost as if he was angry at the fact that he was forced to make a move himself.
The intruder impatiently walked back and forth in front of the throne, all while still dragging the woman with him.
“You know what? I never liked that arrogant attitude of yours. Proudly and peculiar you sit on your throne, thinking the world owes you it's existence,” his fingers grabbed his scythe, and he raised it to ram it into the ground next to him.
“But that will change now, once and for all.”
He lifted the woman up by her throat, who was hunching up at his feet, crying and whimpering. Simultaneously he started to rip open her corset, piece by piece. “A kingdom is so fragile these days, so unstable.” He pulled out another string from her clothing without effort. The dress was about to slip from her body, whereas her fingers clawed into his hands while she was gasping for air.
“Shh, it will all be over soon. I will free you. Free all of you,” his pupils were twitching widely from left to right. “The sweet embrace of death will give peace to your existence. The one you longed after for so long. The inescapable stress that life has burdened you with will finally be broken. Your fears and screams are just cowardly methods of a senseless ideology that wants to fool you. A Lord that is no king or god, but merely a man.”
A moment of silence returned and merely a last sobbing off the woman remained. Nobody seemed to know whether they should act or not. Many, especially the Magnagares, were fixated on Pride, concentrating only on his movements. Gieldan also had huge trouble holding Emily back as she was raging with anger.
And just like that, the moment arrived. Out of nowhere something with tremendous speed flew past the head of the attacker, missing him only by a hair's width. It was thrown with such high intensity and power that it would've not only torn his body apart, but the woman in his hands as well. It was like he had evaded a projectile that was mimicking the shot of a ballista.
Past his initial target, the giant gate of the throne room was smashed into bits and pieces by the projectile, and the falling gates whirled massive amounts of wind through the room. The man with the purple eyes let go of the woman and swept through his hair which was blowing into his face thanks to the wind. Cautiously he looked behind him at the wrought destruction.
“Phew,” he whistled and turned back to Pride. “Now that was a close call! You could've seriously hurt someone, oh mighty Lord.”
The man in the golden armor stood up and walked down the stairs to his throne with precise steps. Intuitively he stretched out his right arm, and out of thin air, something manifested itself in his palm with gold sparks flying about, that seemed to be coming from the destroyed gate .
“Kyhuhu, I always wondered what it looked like in person.”
A white-gold lance appeared in Pride's palm and was tightly gripped by him, with glowing red glyphs on them, while the tip almost looked like a trident.
“It is true that I wasn't planning on involving myself, and it brings great shame to my reign that I have to raise myself once more for scum like you. Yet
, it seems necessary to exterminate your wretched breed,” he paused for a moment and pointed his lance at the mysterious figure.
“Which is why I, Pride, will personally dismember you into pieces and toss you into the abyss of oblivion. The light of this world is reserved only for those that are worthy.”
His gaze was determined, and for a split second, it felt like the attacker was taking a step back. Meanwhile, the traumatized woman made it back to the other guests and fled into the masses.
“Big fuss about nothing. I could talk in big speeches like that, too. How much the death of Malice has affected me, and so on. But it merely made me ready to accept the truth. The fact that humans are allowed here is unacceptable, whereas they only bring chaos to our world.” He exchanged looks with Pride.
With a kick of his shoes to the base of the scythe, he catapulted it into the air and expertly caught it with a single hand, placing the long blade around his body like his armor.
“There is no place anymore for the old Lords. You will be the first one that gets replaced, and the others will follow. Our revolution begins tonight!” He flung his scythe into the air, and suddenly all soldiers were bolting towards the Magnagares with their war cries. Pride gave a signal to the two guards behind him, who subsequently rushed out of the room.
“Kyuhukyhu, so you think you can take me on by yourself,” the intruder snickered. “Come on, show me why you are one of the great Seven.” He went into his stance and waved arrogantly at Pride with his other hand.
Whereas Pride bent his knees and charged forward to strike. An immense clash and shockwave followed throughout the hall as both of them plunged at each other.
Emily and the others were still trapped inside all of that chaos. Screams and blood were passing them, while Gieldan and Ansia tried their best to avoid being dragged into the fight.
It was a massacre.
The explosion-like hits of the two roared in the background while everyone else was butchering themselves. Every guest that tried to flee during the commotion was either struck down by random strike or used as a living shield. Nobody knew who was going to come out on top. The Magnagares were clearly the more experienced fighters, but protecting the guests and being outnumbered were working to their disadvantages.
Death's Gambling Page 35
