Disciple of the Gods: Dark Rose

Prologue

"GRAAAAAAAH!"

"L-LLOYD!" Lloyd was faced with a blade pierced straight through his chest, just inches away from his heart. His body was knocked back into the icy walls of the cave and blood spewed out of his mouth. His eyes bled, his nose was split in two. Falling rocks fell onto his legs and broke his bones.

He was unconscious, a girl ran to his aid, his cousin who travelled with him in a party of four.

"EDITH! HE'S BADLY INJURED!" Panicked and eyes overflowing with tears, she yelled, "DO SOMETHING!"

"..." Edith glanced over to them. In his mind, he knew exactly what had to be done. Three men, all aged sixteen and Elites, stood opposite to him with their bloodied swords and spears drawn. Edith's grip on his sword grew even stronger as his eyes changed from green and blue to blood red. He infused his sight with mana, which showed him their weak points.

He dashed ahead and skilfully disappeared-utilising his teleportation magic to appear just behind one of them and sink his weapon into his neck then slicing the Elite's head off of his shoulders. It fell to the ground as the body was splattered onto the ice cold flooring. Then the two others jumped back, their faces twisting up with rage and shock.

"FIRE ARROW!"

"HELLFIRE SWARM!"

"G-GAAAAAAAAHH!" The spells changed were fire based, which meant the cave was in danger of collapsing. The room was then engulfed in flames as fire burst through, burning everyone in its way. It was suicidal, but a good move, he thought.

However, magic was completely ineffective against Edith, as they had forgotten. He sprinted through and decapitated the second disciple and then the third, who attempted to fight back, but their difference in abilities was too great. After they were killed, he quickly chanted an ice-based spell.

"SPIRIT OF ICE, TURN THIS FIERY PIT INTO AN ICY OBLIVION."

At that moment, the entire room grew to unbearably cold temperatures. A glowing silvery-white light surrounded the boy then a figure formed in front of him. It was a woman who appeared to be around his age with long glowing white hair and a pure white form. She nodded to him, then all the fire dispersed and the ice regained its solidity. Then afterwards, she dissipated.

Edith looked at his three half dead and crisped comrades.

"BLESSING OF THE DIVINE: AREA HEAL." He said. A glowing green encircled them all and their wounds were almost instantly regenerated. It was as if they didn't suffer in the first place.

The guy who was previously stabbed didn't regain consciousness though. He took too much of a shock to even move on his own. But his cousin was relieved. She heaved a long sigh, holding back tears and sent a faint smile Edith's way.

"I thought...I thought this time for sure we were going to die. Thank you, Edith!"

"Yeah, were those also Elites? They seemed stronger than the previous ones we fought."

"Yes." Edith nodded to the second female who was just a bit to his right. She was fourteen years of age and was allied with the Creation Faction. She was ranked 2, three ranks below him-who was an Elite from the Marionette Faction.

"Elite Disciple Larx, Elite Disciple Fletcher, Elite Disciple Joan. All from the Death Faction. Someone must've tipped them off about our whereabouts. There is no other way they could've found us here." He went up to one of their corpses then touched it.

"Ashe, scan their memories. See if you can find out who told them about us."

"Yes, Edith." His sword suddenly emitted a shadowy aura and completely vanished into thin air, then a girl appeared beside him. Her long flowing hair was black and tied into a bun. She had flawless white skin with a slight blush on both of her little cheeks and tiny mouth. Her eyes glowed green and red- just like her masters. Her attire was your everyday black knee length sleeveless dress and dark stockings. Underneath that, she wore a layer of protective steel armour, which covered all her vital organs. She reached up to Edith's shoulders in height and was mostly soft spoken, only speaking when necessary or when she was in a good mood. She wasn't a mortal, but an artificial being crafted into existence by blacksmiths known as 'Godsmiths,' people who were responsible for making some of the strongest weapons in existence.

She was a sword spirit. Edith found her about ten years ago while adventuring in the Badlands far, far north of the world.

"I see...a man from the Beastmen Nation sold us out. It was the royal Highness, the King. I suggest we eliminate him as soon as possible."

"The King?" Two out of five (excluding Edith and the Sword Spirit) jumped up in shock at the news.

"Why?! Didn't we save his daughter from the Theocracy?! Why would he do something like this to us?!" Aster, the fourteen year old, shouted in denial, "After we helped him so much...this is how he repays us...?"

Following, Lucy, twelve, allied with the Sorcerer Faction, hung her head low, still holding back sobs,

"We're going to kill him...right, Edith? Ashe?"

"..." Edith stood to his feet, Ashe along with him. He stared stoically at the two while she glanced at them sympathetically.

"No." He said, "This is farewell. Goodbye, everyone."

"Huh?" The two girls shot a startled look at him,

"W-what do you mean?" Aster cried.

"It's because of me that the Death Disciples continuously attack us. It's also because of me the Beast King sold us out. It's too dangerous for me to be around." Then he turned the opposite direction, "The exit shouldn't be far. You are all Disciples of the Elder Gods, and you're 'A' ranked adventurers. You are more than capable of making it out alive."

"N-no!" Lucy ran to grab hold of him, but Edith stuck out his hand, and immediately, a wall of ice shot out of the ground and joined with the ceiling, separating him from the others (excluding Ashe).

"EDITH! EDITH!!!" Lucy banged on the glass, tears streaking down her face and Aster joined her.

"PLEASE, COME BACK! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE BEING HUNTED BY THE GODDESS OF DEATH! JUST COME BACK TO US! I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU!"

"Y-Yeah! Don't go, EDITH! ASHE!!!" Aster banged on the ice until her hand started bleeding. Lucy too, despite the intense pain welling up in her arms.

But he didn't care. The party he'd been with for four years, since he was twelve, was completely cut off from the boy and he couldn't feel a thing. His emotions were being suppressed by his magic.

In his mind, this decision was necessary-to guard them from the Death Faction's clutches, to prevent their deaths. He knew they wouldn't last long with him by their side.

"EEDDDIIITTHHH!!!" Lucy banged even harder, her face crumbling with tears. Aster tried casting fire magic to melt the ice, but nothing happened. Yet she didn't give up on breaking it. Ashe just stared at them as they did.

"You are certain this is the best choice, Edith?" She questioned him.

"Yes." He answered, "It's the only way to keep them safe from Achlys and her Disciples. As much as I loved them, I have to make this choice."

"I understand..." She solemnly answered, "...Still, it is a bummer. They were like family to you. You even said Lucy reminded you of your comatose sister."

"...I know." His fists clenched together, "Come, we're going."

"Yes." Ashe turned around and went to her user's side. They both ignored their now disbanded party's cries as they left.

"EEEEEEEDDDDDIIIIITTTTTHHHHH! AAAAASSSSSHHHHEEEEEEE!" Then they heard Lucy completely break down for them. Their cries soon grew faint until nothing more was heard.