Tales of Astora: Legacy

Chapter 23: Path of Chaos

Chapter 23: Path of Chaos

"Alice already died ten years ago. That thing is not Alice!!!"

What an outrageous thing! Maria's words echoed through the silent hall. Both Alastor and Scarlet couldn't hide their surprise hearing those words. And yet, each didn't raise any remark, as if a part of them already expected something, just not this.

Finally the person in question spoke.

"Hum...brother, I think your guests are a bit rude don't you think? Coming to our house and saying such things. But what made me sad most is you brother. You don't even defend me against those groundless accusations. Am I not your sister, Alastor?" said Alice. Strangely the usual cry baby didn't even faze.

"Yes you are my sister Alice. Always have been and always will be." Alastor responded, making his sister give out a gentle smile. She walked toward him and gave him a big welcome home hug.

"Alastor, stay away! That's not...." But Maria didn't even need to finish.

"Just tell me one thing Alice..." said Alastor while being embraced.

"Yes of course dear brother. Anything!" so did Alice.

"Why haven't you aged a bit for the last ten years?"

At that moment Alice pushed the boy and took a few steps back. Suddenly she started crying hysterically.

"He knows *hic * he knows! What do I do?" Alice sobbed as tears poured out of her eyes. All of the sudden her voice changed drastically to a mature womanly voice.

"It's alright! Don't cry!"

"But you told me that if I let him know, he will leave me *hic hic *"

"It's not your fault my dear. How about letting me take over from here? I will sort it out for you!"

"..Okay!" After finishing talking to herself, Alice turned toward Alastor "Please don't hate me!"

Then she collapsed before standing up again. This time however she was completely different, behaving like an adult.

"Sorry about that! Now that Alice is sleeping, we can continue our nice conversation, won't you agree brother?

And nice to meet you again, Maria! Did you like my present to you?" Alice made a joyful expression.

"You evil! You are the one who made me into this... this monstrosity." Raged Maria.

"What is she talking about lady Maria?" asked Scarlet. Even though Scarlet was one of the closest friend of Maria, she has never actually told Scarlet or anyone about the origin of her cursed body. They assumed that it was probably an effect of the demon blood infused in Maria.

"I remember that day clearly as if it was yesterday. Ten years ago when we were still in that facility, Scarlet. The day of the ritual!"

"You can't possibly mean!!!" Scarlet shouted out.

"Alastor, ten years ago we were just like those children you saw, subjects to their inhuman experiments with demon blood. And the man in charge of the facility we were in was Terrick.

Despite being a clergyman of the Church of Light, Terrick belonged in an extremist group. Just like the brighter the candle, the bigger the shadow it cast, the Church has different factions inside itself. One in particular who called themselves Sanctus. Terrick believed that the power of the demon comes from their blood and that blood is sacred unlike their vessel which the Church considered unholy. With his experiments, he theorized that the demon blood could be used as a conduit to trace back to God. Which means that if a body created by God, a member of the Prime race, were to be compatible and possess the sacred blood inside them, it can be used as a vessel for God himself.