Chapter 14.4: Reapers of the Night Part 1

A/N: Yes, I know that this is not Jack's Side Story, but I wanted to write the first part of this side story, just to take a short break from the events of the main story. There will not be any new chapter of the continuation of the main story for a while, except for probably some short side chapters, in addition to Sin of Revenge's side story. Well, I do hope you enjoy it and please do tell me what you thought honestly. Like I stated before, this will be a short extra chapter. This side story will also answer a few mysteries from the main story itself. Enjoy.

Sixty Years in the past, In the Spirit Realm…

Happiness and excitement.

These were the only emotions that Elia could express as she eagerly dressed into a yellow, collared dress and red skirt while being assisted by a young, high-ranked, female Spirit who peacefully attempted to comb Elia's silver-orange locks. Yet, this was all to be vain as Elia's unconquerable excitement disrupted the female Spirit's current task of brushing her hair.

The female Spirit's facial appearance resembled Margret. Long light blue and red hair roamed her crown, concealing most of her back. Her body was voluptuous, possessing two earlike, pure white wings on her head, two large white wings behind her back, and three transparent emerald-colored halos around her right arm and waist. The final piece of her appearance was her choice of outfit. A set of figure-hugging robes covered her body, wielding the symbols of a sun and of the Spirit Clan.

She sighed in complete hindrance.

"Elia, wouldn't you mind remaining still while I brush your hair," the young female stated, deeply frustrated with Elia's constant, joyful movements. Instantly, Elia nods and says in a remorseful manner,

"Sorry, Rota," Elia declares contritely, revealing the status and name of the young Spirit who humbly brushed her hair. It was one of The Seven Great Spirits', Lady Rota.

"I understand your excitement for the training lessons the creator will teach you in this special mission," Rota specifies which causes a smile to reform upon Elia's face. "Yet, it's not very princess-like to act in such frenzied character." Elia nods in acceptance of Rota's advice while she stares towards her room's main, large, doorlike window, observing the great might of night itself as the reddish moon shined brightly across her room.

Elia's chamber was massive in size and length, similar to her father's room. Silver-colored walls covered the room. Mirror-like floors echoed Elia and Rota's reflection, and the addition of her personal library of books, queen-sized bed, and bundles toys enclosed the chamber of great magnitude.

As Rota was nearly done brushing Elia's hair, the door of her room opened, exposing a vastly familiar silver-haired, cerulean-colored eyed, smiling, young man, who carried a large, ornamental scythe over his right shoulder. His attire consisted of a long-sleeved, green shirt, topped with a yellow vest, which lacked sleeves. It was the Seven Deadly Sins, Wolf's Sin of Hate, Tristan.

"I'd guess, you're practically ready, Elia," Tristan happily says as he began to walk towards his daughter, while Rota softly lowered her in reverence of her creator. Elia smirks while she rapidly stood to her feet from her chair, dashing towards her closet, before turning her gaze back to Rota,

"Thanks for combing my hair, Rota," Elia states as she opened the doors of her closet and seized an ornamental yet shorter scythe, placing the deadly weapon over her shoulder.

"My pleasure Lady Elia, enjoy your little soul hunt on that Monster of Indura," Rota replies as she calmly glides towards the exiting door of Elia's room, just before respectfully bows before Tristan and leaves without another word. The instant Rota had ventured off, Elia swiftly walked right next to her father, who unexpectedly elevated his daughter and placed her over his shoulders, causing Elia to instantly grip Tristan's neck while still holding her scythe.

"Father, you know I can walk myself, right?" Elia says as Tristan commenced to slowly move towards the door of the large room.

"Yeah, I know, but this will be our first hunt we've had in over three years, Elia, so I want to make this father-daughter hunt more special than the ones before," Tristan happily replies as he closes the door of Elia's room behind him, entering a long, slender hall decorated with many luxuries, tapestries, a mirror-like, shimmering floor, and numerous, unique rooms, which various Orange and Neutral Yellow Spirits, whose appearances resembled a light, yellow-painted, pig-like design like Hawk yet were decorated with a few symbols of the Spirit Clan all around their bodies. The last piece of their appearance was the round, circular shield that they held as each Spirit guarded a different chamber in each of the royal halls of the mighty citadel. As they calmly traveled through many diverse corridors, while many kinds of the high-ranked Spirits lowered their heads in honor and respect towards Tristan and Elia, a soft smirk formed on Elia's lips.

"Father, will Big Sister, Artana, join us in this hunt as well?" Elia innocently asked. Tristan nods in a content manner.

"Yup," Tristan says, causing the young hybrid girl to smile happily, while Tristan wanders through the long corridors of the royal castle. Artana was Tristan's first daughter, who was the eldest between her and Elia. Tristan treated his two daughters equally, loving them unconditionally, though the God of Creativity and Death did possess a special spot for Artana, always worrying for her safety and acted a bit overprotective. Artana would at many times complain, but she fully understood her father's overprotective character towards her.

A few minutes of complete silence had gone by as Tristan and Elia continued through many different halls, approximately reaching the massive, dark green, main doors of the Spirit King's Castle. Feeling a bit bored by the long minutes of total quiet, Elia decided to ask her father something.

"Father," Elia states in a curious manner.

"Yes," Tristan curiously asks, while he continued their short journey towards their destination.

"Wouldn't you mind telling me the old-time story of Britannia, again?" the Spirit princess requests. "That story? But you know the whole thing inside and out," the Spirit King states in a calm, reluctant tone.

"Please," Elia softly begs, causing the Sin of Hate to sigh in a rough, unenthusiastic demeanor.

"Alright," Tristan answers as a small cheer of victory emerges from Elia, "Now where to begin? Oh yes, eighteen years ago, your great grandmother and grandfather, the Supreme Deity and the Demon King, anticipated the arrival of another Holy War, which as you know from your history lessons, became the Second Holy War or the DemoGodda War, if you wish to call it that as well," Tristan began to say, as he continued to speak while Elia listened considerately.

"The Demon King and the Supreme Deity, knowing that such a war would occur soon, manipulated time itself in Britannia to where instead of twelve months making one year, now it takes twenty-eight years to make one full, original year," Tristan calmly explains while Elia gasps in awe. She had heard this story many times before, but it always filled that unsatisfied craving for knowledge, and unending desire to get stronger. Though at times, Elia would constantly tell herself that she was now beginning to become like her Aunt Relena, Merlin, and Aunt Bella, much to her slight distaste.

"But why did they choose to do such a thing," Elia intrigues.

"At that time, Elia, both the Goddess and Demon Clans was at an all-time low and desperately needed a whole, new generation of fresh warriors," Tristan answers as he finally opens the main gate, exposing a large, abundant garden, adorning roses of many unique colors and massive trees, which their leaves were painted silver. As the father and daughter entered the stunning garden, both of Tristan and Elia's senses were exposed to the mixed temperature and strange appearance of the Spirit Realm.

Pitch, dark night constantly covered the sky of the massive Spirit World. The heavy, mixed, cold-warm breeze soared freely, causing the silver-leaved trees and the golden-petaled roses to bend with the flow of the breeze. The moon was red, decorated with Tristan's Demon mark in the center. Near the red moon stood the shallow, shining sun. Its color was painted pale green. Its shape was that of a crescent moon, and instead of emitting heat, it released cold. Stars roamed the night sky, while grayish, storm clouds hid the bodies of even the highest of mountains and surface from the complete view as the massive castle of the Spirit King stood above even the heavens. A satisfied smirk emerged on Tristan's face as he viewed the Spirit Realm, while he continued to carry Elia over his shoulders.

"Wow, Purgatory has not been in a better shape like this for a while," Tristan happily comments.

"Hey, father, you never did actually explain how you got your hands-on Purgatory in the first place," Elia says in a curious manner, desiring to know the truth behind her question.

"Another story for another day," Tristan replies, while a small frown formed on Elia's face, but instantly dissolves the moment her father begins to speak once again.

"Now, let's go get your sister, Artana," the Spirit King states with a joyful nature present in his tone.

"Alright," Elia happily says as she and her father began their search for the last missing, member of the family, Artana.

Meanwhile on the other side of the garden…

"I'm going on a little soul hunt with Father, so perhaps I'll be gone for a while," a young, beautiful girl stated as she knelt before a statue of a man, whose name was covered by the very darkness emitting from the Spirit Realm. He possessed messy hair with a few small hairs present on his chin and wore a set of full-plated armor and cape while resting both of his hands upon the hilt of his long, ornamental, stone sword.

Her appearance was that of a young sixteen-year-old girl with long, amber hair and violet-painted eyes. Her attire consisted of a long, orange battle dress that extended to her knees and covered her chest with full-plated armor which adorned the insignia of a cross in the center and a pair of heeled shoes. Near her stood a long, razor-sharp, ornate scythe struck the ground. It was the Second Princess of the Spirit Clan, Artana.

As she continued to look at the statue of the mysterious man, a saddened frown formed upon Artana's face.

"I miss you, though I never met you, much to my displeasure," she says in a sorrowful tone.

"Though he would never admit it, Father, The Spirit King, Tristan, your former pupil, still has not got over your death," Artana sadly explains as a tear fell from her eye, "Nor will I." Suddenly, Artana began to wipe her face, changing her current sad expression into complete content.

"Still, I'm happy with my life with Father and Elia, and I love them both very dearly, though we may not be blood," Artana declares as she begins to lift herself up from the ground, seizing her scythe and placing it over her shoulder, the instant the Spirit Princess overhears her father and sister call out her name. Artana smiles.

"Don't worry, I promise, I'll be careful," Artana states as she turns around and begins to walk away, just before uttering the words, "Father", and sallies off without another word.

Promptly, the freezing light that spread from the pale green, crescent sun arrived upon the mysterious statue, slowly driving away the darkness and revealing the identity of the man, who held the mysterious, legendary, stone sword with his name imprinted upon the footing of the statue.

ARTHUR.

What is this? The newly, revealed, eldest Princess of the Spirit Clan turns out to be the daughter of the Legendary, Last King of Camelot? With her identity finally revealed, she ventures towards her Father and Sister, ready for their great Soul Hunt to commence…

To Be Continued in Part 2…