The waves of magical thread took to the skies, reducing all they touched within their whimsical cat's cradle of destruction to debris. Freedom from the resort came, but indeed, at what cost? The injuries that Bo sustained physically were mortal wounds, sure, though the wounds to his soul ran far deeper. Dazuma had always taken the peacefulness of his realm for granted. There was little to fret over when your every whim was met. He spent hours staring out his window, dreaming of the world beyond. The days with his nose buried in novels whose plot was nearly always some wayward adventurer braving the odds and discovering the vast beauty of the world around them. He thought that was what he was doing here. To find buried treasure beneath the dunes of a city whose history and legend paled compared to its true grandeur. His wanton display of violent indignation had vandalized the architecture he was so enamored with. As his body lay riddled with agonizing burns, his eyes strained to stay open, immobilized by the severe damage the backlash of the cursed flame magic caused. He stared into the gaping maw the spell created with sorrow.
*Inside Dazuma Soul Realm*
The clutches of the Giant shadow had him all but consumed. In the depths of his anguish, Dazuma found nothing but more self-loathing. The memories his mother had sealed away returned to him the mortifying trauma of his childhood and unveiled horrific accusations about his people's true nature. Since childhood, he lamented not having the might of his brothers, the power to change the world around them. Now, he sees that power comes with a price.
"Pitiful boy, A shadow of your elder brother. A true King. The power to see his kingdom protected. He is a man of little words whose actions do not lack the power too force his convictions as law. He will no doubt prove to be the perfect vessel. Once you are gone, the last scion of Ains, the Beryl Sun will finally set as flame reduce the Denkou to ashes from its fallen dust, and a new dynasty shall emerge. One that only the strong will reside. "
The darkness slowly continued to encroach upon Dazuma from all angles. His face befuddled with
loss and regret. It cradled him, welcoming him into its finite embrace. For nearly a year now, he has run from his brother. There were even times Dauma wanted to give up his search after experiencing the freedom to travel unabated by the prospect of a king's duties or princes. Outside the kingdom was a nobody who dreamed of seeing the nooks and crannies of the planet his ancestors once walked on. To go on his own pilgrimage and find what could liberate his people and bring the smiles back to their disparaged faces. But now?
"Your convictions are so easily swayed. What kind of pillar could you truly have been? A powerless pylon is nothing more than fettered wood. If you blame anyone, blame that wretched mother of yours, Onohall. She inherited Ain's true legacy as the light bearer. And because of her weakness, which she passed down to you, you will die a moth. Scorched by the flame that will soon raze the Denkou kingdom and Madeira to the ground!"
"Mother...forgive me. I...I doubted you. I've just been so alone. So angry...that I couldn't protect you... Father I"
The darkness encroaching upon him had slowly been sinking him into its essence. Every trace of light, every bit of ambition, joy, pain, love, all of it was being consumed. All that he was, all he had been, all that he could have become devoured by the infinitesimal hatred of the interloper within,
drowning in loss as a deafening silence was all that remained of the Denkou's last hope of salvation. A legacy dead. Until...
"Azar you Insufferable flea. Both your greed and hubris are truly boundless. To think you would try to claim only not one of my sons but two?"
Just as Dazuma was swallowed up, a voice echoed with a familiar tone. One that once spoke for the entire nation of Denkou. Teacher and Guardian. Guide and father. His word spoke life into the hearts of those around him. Unbridled tenacity to protect the ones he loved safeguarded that life. The silver lining, piercing hope. Azar's eyes would flare with anger, losing their grip on the boy for just a moment as fear ran through their souls.
" And despite my warning, you've uttered my Queen's name yet again. Know that you have sinned against me now for the final time.
Dazuma's eyes shot open, and as they did, he saw a hand of light reaching out to him. He scarcely wanted to believe it or give himself the vague notion that this was happening. Another trick of the evil sports wrath. Why did he insist on making him suffer so? He had won! Dazuma no longer had the will to live. He wished it let him fade into the darkness and from the memories of those who knew him.
"Well, son, are you just gonna stay down there and leave your old man hanging?"
No, there was no mistaking this. This feeling only one person in his entire life he met with such a warm, inviting, but overwhelmingly transcendent presence. Like a sun beaming over a horizon after a storm. He reached out towards it and felt a strong grip
grab hold of his hand. The moment their hands touched, Dazuma would feel an
electrifying surge of power and emotions flood through his soul. This sensation was followed by a
vivid bolt of iridescent lightning barreling from above piercing the darkness with a light so resplendently brilliant the gloomy shadows that had infested his son's heart could not help but give way to its existence. With thunder that roared like an ancient dragon woken from a thousand-year slumber. Dazuma would now be standing in front of him, which was a sight he hadn't seen since he was a child.
I am the Emerald sea. Spark behind the artist's eyes. Laugh, that lightens pain.
Those words, Dazuma's heart pained with a strange blend of happiness and grief. There was no mistaking the person before him. Skin the shade of sun-kissed bronze. The flowing white hair coursed like wool but was light like clouds that cascaded behind him. A jeweled crown of gold with an etching of emerald lining through its runes shimmering with magical power.
A man of such decorum, one could mistake him for nothing else than a king.
"I am the Union. My dream connects, not divides. Words that flare, Inspire. The courage to resist desire. I am summer rain. Cloudburst onto the barren The Bud, The Seed, The Hope I...!!!"
The dreamscape of Dazuma's soul realm quakes dramatically, responding to the brimming power of the Emerald Soul awakening in him.
I am the Third Emerald King: Dracovis Czar Denkou! And you, jaded fiend, will have made the most terrible blunder of causing my child to cry. If you expect a trace of mercy, perish the thought. Your petty notion of vengeance is but a fleeting wind in the storm that is my indignation!
A dazzling aura engulfed the soul realm, filling it with a burning blaze of emerald light. Dazuma could feel the weakness in his body leaving; the carnation of his legacy standing next to him gave him a sense of pride that he could not even express with words, like the first drink of water after trekking the searing winds of desert sands. Hearing the words he once witnessed brought the entire kingdom to tears yet ignited their soul with pride. A declaration of security. A promise of safety
Father? Father...I can't believe this; how is this?"
Dracovis would look over his shoulder, his stern gaze softening for a moment as he gave his son a gentle smile before turning his attention back on Azar, who now had a form far less vast than before. His presence in Dazuma's soul realm was belittled by the belligerent benevolence of the Emerald Soul's presence. The very power that felled him once back.
"You, Azar, are nothing more than a passing ember, a sullen cinder bitterly chasing its past glory. My child is nothing like you! Within his chest beats a heart as strong as a dragon, yet it is filled to the brim with loving compassion, invigorating all who meet him. He is a guiding star on a bleak night. Destined to become a king that surpasses even I. The Emerald Basin, that which holds all his people's hopes, dreams, fears, and doubts will pave the road to a brighter tomorrow!"
Dazuma's heart swelled with an almost knee-weakening sense of pride and love, and the majesty of his father's aura filled his soul with rejuvenating light that all but erased the crippling doubt that had submerged him. How could he let himself sink so low? He was never one to give way to his doubt. Dazuma, despite having limited magical power, trained and studied fiercely his sense of duty bound by a vow to protect and heal the woes of the ailing. His healing magic, in its almost incredulous potency, was a testament to this. His unique magic power, Concentration, is only as powerful as his determination and belief in his intentions. His mind and will must be stalwart.
Since the first manifestation of his birth that caused his mother's magic to fail, returning part of his memory to him concerning his brother's hand in his father's death and the loss of his birthright, Dazuma had become more unsure of himself than ever before. When faced with the gruesome fate of the massacre, the great pain he recounted when his full memories returned, the brother he lost. Well, one could not blame him for wavering. But here and now, with the carnation of all that he aspires to be and surpass, standing before him in the face of a once overwhelming darkness standing up on his behalf. How could he stand here before his greatest role model and cower in the dark? His father was right...he journeyed here for the truth, and now that he had it, albeit not the full truth nor the one he wished to know, he could not let himself falter. If he did all of this, the many lives lost, the risk of his life, this entire adventure would have all been for naught.
No, he needed to stand tall, to raise his head before the shadows did not crumble beneath them. If he was ever going to call himself the Emerald King, he needed to be brazen and believe he could achieve whatever he wanted. Brute power was not the only determining factor of what made a great ruler. Though it most certainly helped. To be a king...
"Is to be an impeccable listener. Father, thank you. You've given me the courage I needed to see beyond the dusk. To see the light on the horizon of a brighter day ahead."
Dazuma gripped his fist and walked to his father's death, who dwarfed him in stature. He could feel the Emerald essence causing through him, invigorating every fiber of his being. Dravocis stared ahead to the shadowy carnation of Azar, whose face was remarkably stoic despite his predicament. He was even smirking.
"Ah, the derelict king returns. A phantom flickering from the echos of the Lightbearers mag-"
With a befuddling speed that Dazuma could barely comprehend, his father shot off in a coruscating trail of fury, sending
his crackling fist into the shade, sending it spiraling across the realm far off into the distance.
"I thought I said not to speak on her again."
Dazuma looked at his father. To see him move with such purpose and focus and deliver a blow like that as if it was mere child's play. Knowing he could possess that diction gave him hope for an otherwise bleak future.
"I don't understand. How are you here right now?"
Dracovis turned to him, his scowl only loosening slightly.
I know you have many questions, and if I had the hands of time, I would give anything to answer them all. But we have only precious seconds. Your body has suffered horrific damage from Azar's magic. Your only chance for survival is to awaken the power of your mother's bloodline as an Ascendant right here and now.
Dazuma was in disbelief. From what he understood, the ascendant gene was a lesser version of the emerald gene that holds the inheritance of the Emerald Soul.
"I know what you're thinking, and based on the common knowledge that the upper echelon of Denkou fabricated, you would be correct. In truth, though, there are two types of Emerald Kings. Those like me who do not inherit the Ascendant gene but still have the Emerald Soul are tasked with protecting the kingdom and keeping Azar sealed within themselves. We do not even appear often, hence the need for other houses. The other kind of king is even more of an oddity. They possess the great might of Fulgora Djynn of Lightning, and inheriting the gene is only specific to the next evolution of the Denkou bloodline. Those capable of still accessing the ancient power of our former past lives. As the Denkou-Shi, the power of shinobi. It is called being an "Alpha." When a vessel bearing both genes is born, their magical ability and potential are often astronomical. Only two of these paragons of unbridled magical power have ever existed. They are known as the Beryl Suns. Our founder Ain's and now you."
The term he had heard before when he first arrived here. A menacing howl from Azar erupted from way off in the dark distance but seemed to be getting louder and closer rapidly. Dracois turned to Dazuma and placed his hand on his shoulder. He tried to hold his scowl, but starting into his son's pure green eyes, his bravado melted. With a strong pull, he pulled Dazuma close to him, trading now the embrace of darkness earlier for one of cradling love and light.
Dammit, son, you truly are a gentle soul. Had I been stronger, I would have kept that heart of yours gentle and kind forever. But I have only been able to hold back the curse you inherited because of your mother's magic. What we are about to do will purge Azar from you and save your life, but he will seek refuge in Myos, who has already been primed as his vessel. There is no turning back from here. Understand? It is an unfair thing we have done, choosing to shelter you instead of trusting in what we, as your parents and the people in our kingdom, knew the moment we saw the glimmers of divinity flicker in your eyes at birth.
Dazuma hugged his father back, never again wanting to let him go. He was tired of this, losing the people closest to him. This would happen twice, and now he would have to say goodbye to his father. It was an unbearable pain, but knowing that his father believed in him and was willing to stake the rest of what life and spirit he had left to bring out his full potential to save his life emblazed his resolve. Doing this would mean no matter what, he would have to complete the Path of Kings and face his brother. Once Azar gains complete control over him, there is no telling how deeply he will make the Denkou suffer in his petty-fuelled gripe against his ancestors. Dracovis pulled Dazuma back, whose eyes were filled with a fierce determination that made him proud.
"To protect you, your mother sealed away the memory of your true name along with the powers of the ascendant and the trauma associated with the loss of your brother. Remember this day well when you lift this seal and your true self returns to you. Azar may be many things, but he has told no lies here. We were once a merciless embodiment of fear and death with the ability to consume the souls of those we killed. That blood and the rage that comes with it will ignite within your veins again. But I have complete faith that Just like Ain's once did, you will conquer the fury within you and usher in an unprecedented peace. Now, speak it. You whose true name is."
Dazuma held his hand before him, remembering everything that had happened since he set out on this journey. All the places, people, and things that have left lingering impressions on his heart for better or worse. This remembrance steeled his nerves as the rumbling of his domain became ever more vigorous from Azar's accosting wrath. He looked at his father and gave him a nod, signaling his readiness before closing his eyes. The magic in his spirit began to grow in tandem with the overwhelming emotions flowing through him. So much had happened, and yet still, so much was yet to be done. He was still unsure about many things, but one thing was certain. He refused to allow himself to die here, knowing that his mother and all the rest of his family were in peril. The thought caused the well of his power to overflow. His father would send him his name telepathically, and just as the monstrous shadow was about to consume him once more, he spoke it.
Dalazar Ain's Denkou 4th Emerald King; Second Beryl Sun!!
With that utterance, the soul realm changed in nature after a blistering
bolt of lightning magic sundered the domain. Purging the hateful essence of Azsar's malefic spirit from his soul. A soul once blanketed by black now shimmered with clarifying light, revealing a domain of serenity. Speaking his true name released the veils of magic that once held his truth back from him. He could only hold his face as tears streamed down his face. The aura that his father emerged with now emanated from him instead. The now-fading phantom of his father stood before him.
"So-Dalazar, you've done well. Take this second wind, and do not allow yourself to falter again. From here on out, you must learn how to wield the birthright and the lust for power connected to it. Make way to the Rite Of Kings, speak your vow, and save your people...save your mother."
Dracovis would hug him before he could rebuttal, squeezing him before bursting into light particles. Dalazar would be there, standing on the breezy island of his soul realm, still in shock.
"Remember my son...you chose love"
*Back to reality*
As the battle within his soul ended, his body began to emit a pervasive beryl light. It wrapped him, healing the worst of his wounds and saving him from certain death, leaving
distinctive scars. He remained unconscious as such an intense physical and spiritual war left his body needing rest. By the time he would awake, he would have been changed in ways that he wouldn't yet understand.