【Legend of Lineage】Episode 25: Echoes of Dawn, Pride of the Entrusted Future (Chapter 8)
Chapter 8: The Ostentatious Holy Monarch and the Final Settlement of Fate
Episode 25: Echoes of Dawn, Pride of the Entrusted Future
【Summary of Previous Episodes】
Piloting the legendary airship, Artorius and his party infiltrated the royal capital of Exaltia. They were greeted by a false welcome from his uncle Will and the cheers of the enthusiastic populace.
However, behind the scenes of the lavish banquet, the castle itself had begun to transform into a "cocoon" for an evil god. In the throne room, while speaking of his affection for his beloved nephew, Will was swallowed by the inner evil god, Luminalis Shadow, and underwent a transformation into a grotesque form. With the help of his fated rival, Silva, Artorius finally stepped into the darkness deep underground to settle his fate with his uncle.
【Character and Terminology Guide】
For those who are new or wish to review the overview, please see the [Introduction] below.
【BGM Playback】
※ Please press the play button to enter the world of the story with sound. (You can also enjoy it without BGM)
1. Fierce Battle with the King of Vanity
The air in the underground altar was crushed by such high-density magical power that it was now difficult even to breathe.
Will, standing in the center, was losing his original human form. And the black tentacles overflowing from his entire body were eroding the surrounding space.
“...It is useless. Helios, your sword will never reach the depths of this darkness.”
As Will raised his hand, an invisible magical pressure assaulted Artorius and his party. It was not just physical destruction; fragments of horrific memories pierced directly into Artorius's mind.
The voices of the people engulfed in flames in Ashbury. The desperate feelings of his uncle when he helped him escape. And his own helplessness in being unable to save his uncle, who was transforming into a monster right before his eyes.
“Look, my heart is already painted over with hatred for you and self-loathing. If you save me, the world will perish. If you strike me down, your heart will break. ...Whichever you choose, despair awaits you.”
The evil god Luminalis Shadow launched a mental attack through Will's form. And it was a relentless one that targeted the weakest part of Artorius's soul. Artorius's sword trembled with hesitation. Should he strike down his uncle? Or should he try to save the "heart" that must still remain somewhere? Swallowed by a vortex of hesitation, Artorius fell to his knees. From behind him, a piercing roar echoed.
2. Trinity, the Fetal Movement of the Evil God
“Hey, you! What are you making such a pathetic face for! What are you doing hesitating!”
Elise cut in from the side. Responding to the magical power she released, Artorius's "Shield of Light" deflected the jet-black magic unleashed by Will head-on.
"You're the one who has seen his true feelings up close more than anyone else, aren't you!? How can you not understand that hesitating like this is the greatest humiliation for him!"
Those words vividly cleared Artorius's clouded vision. That's right, his uncle was a man of greater pride than anyone. He was a man who would have sacrificed himself to protect the kingdom, and to protect him. Understanding that will was the only duty currently imposed upon him.
"...Ah. I understand, Elise. ...Zeke, I'm counting on you!"
"Heh, I've been waiting for this. Leave the shadows to me!"
Zeke readied his dagger and activated "Shadow Cloak," a secret art of the clan of watchers. Chains of deep purple shadows extending from the ground momentarily sealed Will's movements.
"Now, Artorius!"
The "Shield of Light" increased its holy radiance with Elise's words and flowing magical power, while Zeke's "Shadow Chains" bound the darkness. Into that, Artorius's "Sword of Light," having cut through his hesitation, struck like a flash of lightning without a single cloud of doubt.
The moment the trinity attack hit, Will's body reached its limit. With a scream, his body burst open, and from within, the evil god "Luminalis Shadow," possessing a sinister mass unimaginable in this world, revealed its true form.
3. For the sake of pride, the final words
The Luminalis Shadow that appeared had the same shape and form as the light spirit Luminalis. However, its color was dyed pitch black, and its sinister nature was incomparable. The large scythe in its hand distorted the surrounding space, and a roar that seemed to embody heavy despair shook the altar.
The sword of light and the darkness of the evil god. The two opposing forces clashed, and the underground altar shook so violently it seemed on the verge of collapse. However, there was no longer any hesitation in Artorius's sword. Believing in his companions and believing in his uncle's final wish, Artorius struck with all his might.
The silvery radiance pierced the pitch-black darkness. At that moment.
The giant body of the Luminalis Shadow dissipated into the vortex of darkness it had created itself. At the same time, Will's body, which had served as the vessel for the evil god, was also about to be swallowed by the chain reaction of collapse.
Holding that fading half-body, Artorius rushed to his uncle.
"Uncle...! Uncle!"
In his final moments, the pitch-black stagnation had vanished from Will's eyes. The gentle light of his former tutor, who had taught him the sword when he was young and watched over him sometimes strictly and sometimes warmly, had returned.
"...Elios.... Well done. ...Drive that sword into the altar... your sword.... I leave... the rest... to you...."
Will's voice was raspy and on the verge of fading, but his words held a deep sense of relief. He gazed at the face of his blood-related nephew, and with his last drop of strength, he smiled.
"...You are my pride.... Become... the greatest... king...."
With those final words, Will's body dissolved into particles of light within the darkness and vanished completely.
Artorius wiped away his overflowing tears with strength and, with trembling hands, drove the holy sword he held into the center of the altar.
The holy sword unleashed a dazzling flash, and the power of purification that had been sleeping deep underground erupted. It was a radiance that drove the evil god into an eternal slumber and tore apart from within the darkness of night that had long hung over the land of Exaltia.
Eventually, as the blinding light converged, the surroundings were enveloped in an unbelievable silence. The holy sword lost its divine glow, and as if it had returned to being just an old, worn-out blade, it lay limply on the altar with a metallic clatter.
4. The Silence of Dawn, the Beginning of a New Day
When they emerged from the underground, an incredibly clear blue sky stretched out before them.
The pitch-black clouds that had been writhing ominously had vanished without a trace, and the area had regained a true tranquility that had not been felt for months. The demonic presence that had been eroding the royal capital was gone, and Exaltia Castle, which had been transformed into a sinister sight, had returned to its original, beautiful silver form.
Outside the gates, the people, sensing what had happened, were quietly looking up at the sky.
However, no matter where they looked in that beautiful scenery, there was no sign of King Will, who had thought of his country and family until the very end and continued to fight in the darkness.
"It's... really over, isn't it?"
Elise looked up at the sky and whispered quietly. Zeke said nothing, simply patting his partner's shoulder lightly.
Artorius stared toward the castle where his uncle had vanished and picked up the sword lying there. The sadness would not fade. However, the weight he carried was no longer despair. It was a precious pride, a 'future' entrusted to him by those who had passed on.
The night in Exaltia was now dawning, quietly and with a certain light.
▶Read Episode 26: "Knight of the Azure Sky, a Wake Leading to Tomorrow"
▶Click here for the prologue
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