TBATE | The Brightest Light and The Darkest Night [Discontinued]

An Old Friend

||Arthur Leywin||

I woke up from the sudden humming of the black ring. I sprang up from my bed and sat on a lotus position. But just as I did my core began to ache for a while. I dismissed the pain and proceeded to answer the call, I closed my eyes and focused only on one thing.

Seris? I asked mentally, and it echoed in my mind.

Arthur, you're awake. I should've told you this earlier but something urgent happened. She responded as soon as she heard me.

What is it? I asked her anxiously.

Wait here. She replied.

I felt her take of the ring, it was now me and myself. But after a while I sensed the ring was worn only this time by a different person.

Art? I hear a familiar voice, I opened my eyes in surprise. A small tear ran down from my face.

Cecilia? I asked out to her.

So you still remember my voice. I could feel her smile despite not being able to see her.

Art, don't think of the past, please. She begged me as I begin to remember "that". 

I'm sorry. 

No, don't be. Her voice sympathetic and forgiving.

I breathed in and out to calm myself.

All good now? She asked me

Yeah, all good. I said reassuringly to her.

If you're here, where's Tess? I asked her my mind running in turmoil again.

I'm here Arthur. A voice responded

You're alive... tears were flowing down as I couldn't hold it anymore.

We're both alive. They said in unison.

Technically Cecilia still controls my body, but since its my body I could get to see what she sees, observe, feel and see her thoughts. I guess you would say I am spectating her. Tessia informed me.

I see, but I'm glad you're both alive. I responded with a sigh.

Explaining this to gramps would be hard however, I only told him that Tess was in an unstable state and not told him Cecilia was forced to reincarnate in her body.

Anyways, we need to go now Art. The body needs to rest, despite both of us being well I don't think the body is still in an optimal condition.

Sure, stay safe you guys.

And with that my communication with them ended.

"You almost blurted out I love you to both of them." I hear Regis while he was holding his laugh.

"Whatever." I replied.

"Your core has.."

"Yeah, cracks on it." I continued him.

"Good morning what did I miss?" I see Sylvie rise from the bed she shared with Ellie. She stared at us and tried to read my thoughts but then a smile crept on her face and her eyes were filled with energy.

"Anyways, let's get started with the day." I rise up prepared to do my morning chores before heading out.

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I was meditating on a lotus position, my location was a section of the underground city far away from anyone, reserved for confidential reasons that only I and Virion knew. It helped me clear out my thoughts after a grueling workout. There was six days to prepare and be with my family and friends before I go back again. I'm not even sure if I'm gonna be idle all this time for a week.

My mana core was now cyan in color, I thought I would hit integrate phase but this was something else, it might be a hidden path that I've discovered. Who knows? After this I might as well visit my friends, rather who's alive.

My aether core was more even more potent and pure because I had got rid of the remnants of my mana core. I had vastly more control over the two magic types, but then I recalled the exchange I had with the ominous high retainer.

My beast will is not Sylvia's? My pondering mind thought out.

Maybe it was a distraction, maybe it was a bluff. But it would seem logical, me repairing my core wouldn't guarantee my beast will was back.

But how would he know? My furry partner asked me.

You're right Regis, how would he know? Sylvie added.

There was only one way to know. I activated Realmheart, I saw my hair change in color and runes warmly glowed all over my body. I unlocked a simple yet neat trick, I was still able to see and utilize mana in a much more powerful scale but my vision wasn't monochrome anymore. I sensed nothing wrong, until I looked into my arms.

They weren't the same runes I had when I activate Realmheart. I constructed a small mirror made of water, the runes inscribed were different too and much more intricate, my pupils retained their golden color but my sclera was now pitch black. This wasn't Realmheart, no far from it.

I was flabbergasted, he was right. The water mirror was quickly dispelled and it evaporated.

"Art! I sensed distress so I came here." I hear Sylvie on my right as she darted on the corner of my eye.

"Yeah, the retainer was right." I answered back.

But what about my third phase? I closed my eyes and focused, there was only darkness until I saw a faint glimmer of purple light. I sensed aether and mana harmonically roam around my entire body forming an equilibrium. 

"Your face now has dragon scale on them. More than your previous transformation!" Regis cried out pointing his finger on my cheeks.

He was also right, I felt dragon scales on my cheekbones, curiously I chipped one off but I felt it regrow, the scale was the same color of my skin. 

I created another water mirror. Everything ,except my pupils which were now golden, resembled that of a night sky with faint glimmers of small stars.

Combine them...

I heard a voice in the back of my head that wasn't Sylv's nor Regis'.

I placed my left hand down on my stomach my palm pointing upwards while my right hand was placed on the middle of my chest pointing at my left palm. I poured aether out on my right and mana on my left.

At first they only wandered about but then the runes on my arms began to morph into another form and now it radiated pitch black. Then all of the aether and mana I emitted began to combine and revolve around each other.

I concentrated more and more until there was a small mass of glowing energy between my hands. It's light pulsed and produced a charging sound, it spun violently as tendrils of white light flickered around it. I stopped feeding it at that moment, it began reacting violently and lashed out streaks of lightning making everything it touched evaporate.

Soon everything and everyone in the room levitated. I felt my eyes glow brightly in color and I felt my body's temperature rise up as if I had a fever.

"The ancient power I seek to awaken, the touch of eternal omnipotence kindles my soul. The secrets of the cosmos, the undying light, a mysterious force that holds no limit. Le'iveta crisandum trai'dratra urk hadrim. I seek for the omega, and it seeks for me. Arcanum!" My mouth instinctively invonked.

I hear a sharp shrill coming from the energy orb I formed. It sent a pulse of blinding light, and then something amazing happened.

The eyes of us three widen in shock at our surroundings. It was mystical for a lack of a better word. We were all in awe while still floating above the air.

"Looks like we've become pioneers of two things now." I said impressed at the revolutionary discovery.

(A/N: I'm trying cliffhangers. I'll be uploading after a while since I'm finishing up something I want you all to see. Anyways I hope you all enjoy this fanfic and thank you for your continued support which has helped me to try new things and improve)