The Dragon Children

12 | Cursed

CHAPTER 12 - CURSED

Ruthven was running through the forest, escaping the soldiers that Faolan had sent out to kill the Holy Stone. She could have easily killed them, but her "curse", or whatever it is, had weakened her greatly. She was sprinting as fast as she could, but to no avail. She was much slower than an average human. She threw smoke bombs to hide herself, as she hid behind a tree. There were coughs of soldiers and knights, shouting at each other. "WHERE THE HELL IS SHE?!" Ruthven was hiding behind a tree, covering her mouth with her hand. She started whispering to herself. "Dad.. dad.. please.." Tears form in her eyes. This was very rare for Ruth. "I never wanted this.. this life.. I just wanted to live like a human.." Her head started to overflow with emotions she'd never felt before and memories she'd forgotten.

Ruthven was just a little girl. Barely 13. It was the age of 1201. She was hiding under her covers, trying to block out the noise of her mother and father arguing in the room next door. It was silent for a while before her mother walked in. "Damn.. monster.. why must I be related to a stupid Holy Stone like you.." Ruthven heard a loud whipping noise. "If you didn't exist.. I wouldn't be an outcast.. I wouldn't lose my job.." Her mother pulled the covers off her. "WHY DO YOU EXIST?!" Her mother started hitting her with a belt. This was frequent. Ruthven had an abusive mother, due to her being a Holy Stone. Her father would be supportive of Ruth. He'd always be there for her. He would stand up against his wife, who often threatened both their lives, putting her father down. One day, her mother had enough. Ruthven got home from doing the shopping and dropped it at the front door. She walked to her room and saw her parent's bedroom door slightly open. She got curious and looked through the crack of the door. She fell onto her back, breathing heavily.

"Thanilia.. my love.. please, listen to me!" Her father begged. "No.. no more listening. I can't stand being related to a Holy Stone. Or being near anyone related to one." Thanilia raised her arms, knife in hand. Ruth's father, Pholto, was backed against the wall. "I have had ENOUGH!" Thanilia screamed as she dug her knife through Pholto's chest. She raised it again and dug it deeper. She reached inside the hole she made, and ripped Pholto's heart out of his chest. "I need to make sure you don't survive." She stabbed through the heart. Blood poured out everywhere. Even through the crack onto Ruthven's face. She screamed. Thanilia looked toward her door and started walking toward Ruth. "You. It's your fault." She opened the door. Ruthven started crawling backward. "Your father.. would still be here if it wasn't for you." Thanilia had lost all of her sanity. She knelt down and placed her hand on Ruthven's cheek.

"Shh.. shshsh.." She shushed Ruthven. "It'll all be over soon.. my daughter.." She tried to stab Ruthven, but Ruth screamed. "NO!" She glowed and threw her mother back. "I'm.." Ruthven had activated her powers. "I'm.. not the monster. You are." She picked up the knife and threw it at her mother. Thanilia had bled out on the floor.

Due to being a Holy Stone and a murderer, she escaped her village. She hid for decades, until 1285. She had arrived at Kraghon. Here, she felt like she had found a home. She had to change her identity and name entirely, deciding on Gandalhi. She had found new people to be friends with, including Faolan, a very young Naphtali, and Cecilia. Ruthven had spent most of her time with Cecilia. She felt a strange feeling for her. She would get butterflies whenever she was around her. She found out she was in love.

At present time, the soldiers had found Ruthven. She started running again, crying to herself. She kept running until she tripped over a stick that was laying on the ground. The soldiers surrounded her, spears in hand. She tried to get up, but got kicked back down by the Kraghon soldiers. They all laughed in her face. "Is this all a Holy Stone has?! What a joke!" Ruthven was accepting her fate. Until, her pupils turned dark. She got covered in dark, black energy. ".. No.."

Akuji was running around Kraghon, killing any civilians she saw. She threw her knives at everyone and pulled them back toward her. She had her shield and spear in hand, which came in handy at killing. She was looking for Euryale. She saw a pregnant lady trying to escape. Akuji showed up behind her. "I'm sorry.. I can't let anyone live." The lady turned back around. "No.. please!!" She begged. "I have a.. baby coming soon.. please!" Akuji teared up. "I'm sorry. I really am" She stabbed the lady through her chest with her spear. She put her hands together. "May you.. and your baby, rest in peace." She got flung away with a large hammer of sorts. She groaned as she got up, to see Euryale standing in front of her. "Even pregnant ladies?.." Euryale mocked her. "My, my.. I guess you're not the savior I thought you were." She started getting smart with Akuji. "Do you not realize you're causing more harm than good?" ".. I'm doing as ordered. I am saving the world this way." Euryale laughed. "Saving the world?!" "I'll kill everyone that stands in my way. Every. Single. Person. I will destroy all there is in this god-forsaken kingdom." Euryale smirked. Akuji threw her shield at Euryale, but Euryale dodged. She looked up to see Akuji above her, dropping down with her spear in hand. Euryale activated her ability. A glass border appeared above her. "I don't think you understand fully, why I left your dumb little group." "They're not dumb." She charged at Euryale again. Euryale put up a glass border, which Akuji tried to stab through. The spear got sucked in and disappeared. Akuji jumped back, having only a shield now. She had just realized she'd never seen Euryale's ability before. "2 million civilians. Rem. Viola. Longinus, Eros.." Euryale raised her arms. "Why do so many people die? For a silly little game like this?!" Euryale laughed maniacally. "You're so, so weak.. you dont understand." She trapped Akuji in a glass box. Akuji tried to break out of it with her shield, but the shield got sucked in, just like the spear did. 

"DAMN IT!" Akuji shouted and hit the glass, her hand started getting sucked in. "What?! No!" Akuji started shouting out for help. Euryale giggled to herself. "Oh.. look.. a Holy Stone.. so weak and helpless!" Akuji pulled away her arm just to see her fist gone. Akuji fell to the ground, bleeding. "I am sorry. I really am, you know?" Euryale walked over to Akuji. "I never wanted to kill you. Well, maybe I did. But that's in the past! You can forgive me, right, Akuji? We're like.. sisters!" Euryale smiled. So did Akuji. "I'll never forgive someone like you." Akuji looked at Euryale with an angry face. Euryale sighed. "Shame.." She quickly stabbed Akuji with a dagger, covered in the same dark energy that Ruthven got stabbed with. Akuji screamed. "What is that?!.." 

Euryale laughed. She laughed until a ray of light appeared behind her. She turned around and saw her doom. The ray of light went through her, and she fell to the ground. She reached out with her hand.. "My lord.. why?! I was with you for.. so long.. I worshipped yo-" Another ray hit her. Euryale started bleeding out. She died. "Shut your mouth.. fool." Ahriman started floating down from the skies. Akuji shook until she saw Lilith. "Co- Commander!! I am.. so happy you're here to help!" Lilith was standing in front of Ahriman. "H-Huh? .."