Lian's Peculiar Journey: Starlight Paladins

ARC IV

THE TEMPLE OF THE KING ARC

The Shadowman Cometh

The Paladins had been freed from the parasite of JOCELYN FLOWERS and were slowly recuperating on the steps of an abandoned cabin in the wide frontier.

Few words were being exchanged.

However, there was one member absent from the group.
Sarah.

She was confining herself under the shade of a small tree next to another small pond.

The heavens were shining in their full glory yet they seemed so dark to her.

"If only you were here, my love." She sighed and looked at the twinkling stars. It seemed that time was slowing down and the world around her was slowing down to a crawl.

"Sarah."

The woman turned to see Yamina standing next to the tree behind her with her arms crossed.
"Yes, Yamina?"

"You are sad."

Sarah gave a soft chuckle.
"Why would you say that?"

Yamina gracefully took her ease in the soft grass to Sarah's left.
"You are looking to the heavens in hopes of something to come down from it."

"Aren't you supposed to be scolded by Zhin?" Sarah bit back rather aggressively.

Yamina was taken back for a moment but recognized it was a mere defensive cope.
"I did not mean to be insulting by that." She put her hand to her chest, "I'm just… I don't want you to feel like Zhin, Lex, Lian, and that cute rabbit girl felt. I would never wish that upon anyone. Even just thinking it was your fault is not good."

Sarah noticed her intentions and viewed her soul through the Pyre.
"Yamina, there's something about you. I feel like you could have been a younger me at one time."

"You don't look too old."

"Heh." Sarah laughed, "You'd be surprised how old I am. But regardless. You could say I'm less than happy." She sighed.

Yamina saw the woman's droopy eyes and distant expression.
"It's going to be ok." She smiled and put her hands on the woman's lap.

A surge of relief suddenly overcame Sarah.
She felt… at peace. The heavens above her gained more color. The sound of crickets intensified into a lovely chorus with the sound of the breeze through the grass.

"Are you alright?" Lex interrupted the scene, "Yamina. I'm sorry for the way Zhin acted." He put his hand to his chest, "You must understand he's not the best person in expressing criticism."

"No. He's right." Yamina responded and stood up, "I should not have left my father's caravan to follow him. It was foolish and reckless. I understand why he would be upset."

"I don't think you fully understand, sister." Lian stepped in with arms crossed, "Zhin is leaving out more than he leads on, if you know what I mean."

Yamina blankly looked at her.

"UGH!" Lian groaned, "Zhin lov-"

Zhin stood MENACINGLY behind Lian, a dark aura emanating from his very being.

"Are you trying to threaten me, sword boy?" Lian's face was covered by the shadow of her tiara.

"Do I have a reason too?" Zhin responded, his bangs creating the same effect for his face.

"What a pain…"

Power Khan came out.
Then Thousand Hands.

Menacingly they stared at each other.

"The ball's in your court, princess."

"Might want to take off that armor first, commoner."

"Alright that's enough." Lex spoke up, quite unamused by these shenanigans.

"RAH! RAH! RAH! RAH! RAH! RAH!"
"ZZZZYYYYYAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Thousand Hands blocked every single punch from Power Khan with agility.

"ENOUGH!"

"DWAK!"
"AYYY!" Zhin and Lian were smashed together by an angered Sarah.

"My oh my." Sha Lin rubbed the back of his head, "if this is how your crew is, I probably should regret my choice to come back."

"Those two never learn…" Lex shook his head and helped Lian up.

"Are you ok?" Yamina did the same with Zhin, "Why must you act like this?"

"I'm not the one who ran away from their father-"

"Zhin!" Sarah grabbed him by the ear, "For a so-called street hardened man you sure act like a big baby! Apologize to Yamina right now!"

"Yeah, Zhin." Lian scoffed and smirked, "Tell your girlfriend how sorry y- HEY!"

Sarah tugged on her ear too.
"I don't want to hear another word out of you, young lady!" she yelled at her, "Don't think I didn't hear what you were saying."

"Sarah, you're overreacting." Lex sighed, "Th- AGH!"

Furious Flame came out and snatched him by the ear too.

"I want all of you to listen to me!" Sarah told them, "We are mere hours away from Seris and to have all of you whining about like big babies is not only shameful, but it will get us killed! Now I want all of you to put on your big boy and girl pants and stop playing around!"

Sha Lin stared at the sight and took a look down at Moji.
"So… uh… These are The Paladins, right?" he asked her.

"Yeah." Moji responded, "The Starlight Paladins."

"Starlight?"

"I added it, thought it would be cute." Moji giggled, "But why is everyone being so mean?"

"Eh… It's adult stuff, puppy pie." Sha Lin shrugged his shoulders.

00000000

"I'm sorry for the trouble I caused." Yamina told Zhin as the two rode down the trail to Seris together, "I… just wanted to join in your adventure. I also couldn't leave you so abruptly like that."

"I told you our adventure was going to be dangerous." The swordsman responded, "This is no place for a lady like you."

"But Sarah and Lian are with you, and so is that bunny rabbit." Yamina pointed at Moji, who was sleeping softly inside Zhin's saddlebag.

"Excuse me." Zhin turned to her, "Her name is Moji. You will refer to her as such. And while yes, Lian is in this venture, she is in no way a normal lady."

"I heard that!"
Lian's voice came from in front of them.

"I can say it louder if you want!"

"Do I have to pull your ears again!?" Sarah stepped in.

Zhin rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Yamina.
"Listen, Yamina. You broke a promise not only to me, but to your father. I don't care what you think about me, but you must absolutely love your father. Imagine how he is feeling right now. And your mother too."

Yamina looked up to the sky.
"You're right. I was selfish." She sighed, "But…"

"No buts, Yamina." Zhin shook his head, "You shouldn't have come here." He shuddered at the thought of seeing Yamina under the effects of JOCELYN FLOWERS, how powerless and blind she was to that wicked stand and how vulnerable she would be to Seris' unknown power.

Yamina could only keep quiet as the man delved into his thoughts.

The Paladins plus Sha Lin and Yamina made their way to the faint lights of Seris, knowing that this was now the end of their journey. By the daybreak, it will all be over, and whatever heinous plot was being committed to end The Realm would be put to a close.

However, deep inside they all had their doubts.

Sarah worried for the safety of the strangers that have sacrificed so much to help her, even to the point of death.
She worried for how she would react when faced with her sister, a person she once cared for more than the gods, as an enemy willing to kill her.

Lian was unsure as to how much more will they face with the bad bitch that threatened her friends and her kingdom.
Would she die? Would the motherly Sarah die? Would the assface Zhin die? Would the innocent Moji and Yamina die? Would Sha Lin die?
Would Lex die?

Zhin was worried for the safety of his friends as well, hoping that his friend Lex would keep his stoic wits about him and perform his best to keep his guard up. Despite her sass and her hardass attitude, he also hoped Lian would be safe. And Moji, she was just a child, he was absolutely not going to let her suffer as much as he had during his childhood. Then Sha Lin. His former friend. He only hoped than in this life part of life he would face they could once again rekindle that camaraderie they lost.
Of course, there was Yamina. But that was always present now that she was here. She had no part in this. She was too pure in this world to suffer.
He would never forgive himself if the sunshine inside her was drowned out by the darkness of Seris.

Lex, being the emotionally absent statue that he was, was the least affected by the nervousness of the mission ahead.
He knew what had to be done, bring the wicked Seris to justice under the fullest extent of The Law. Her punishment would be swift and her case would be DEATH. There was nothing outside of that. His hardened experience with criminals made him realize that she could never be redeemed and that, under the eyes of The Law, she was nothing more than a filthy reprobate.
But he would not allow himself to fail his comrades. Zhin. Sarah. Moji. Even Sha Lin and Yamina.
And Lian.

Sha Lin was worried about the payment he would receive once he defeated Seris. Would the Paladins want to split it up amongst themselves and give him the runt's share of the spoils? He just barely joined their clique and was in no way to bargain for a higher wage, especially with the fact that just a few days ago he was their enemy.
But seriously, he was also worried about the lives of this motley crue of misfits and what danger Seris posed to all of them. He already felt the aura of her power firsthand, and if the mere aura of that power could shake his soul, imagine the full reveal!

However, despite these doubts and worries, the Paladins trailed on to save the Realm.

0000000

A weakened horse and its rider made their way down the road to an old abandoned manor at the outskirts of a small city.

This Manor was three floors tall and was near a large and seemingly impenetrable wall that was around 5 miles away from it. It had a beautiful outdoor property that was walled in with iron gates at the entrance. The property had the appearance of a beautiful luxurious garden but the plants had long since overgrown and the marble sculptures and columns had become cracked and worn down, some even fully collapsed.

The rider made their way to the front of the manor where they dismounted their ride and shuffled towards the large dark oak doors that separated the inside from the outside world.

Another quick glance of the manor showed that all the windows were covered with stone behind their glass and curtains, and the few lights that shone were all on the exterior of the building. Not one single ray of light came in or out of the manor.

The figure took of their cloak, revealing Serica underneath. She was exhausted, and with little strength she knocked on the doors.

It took a few moments, but the doors opened, revealing an armored guard who quickly let her in.

00

There Serica knelt in front of another large set of oak doors. She was at the end of a staircase that had no lights to guide anyone who dared climb them.
However, there was a small trickle of light that came from the gap beneath the doors, revealing a steady stream of purple smoke trailing across the ground.

A sound came.
Footsteps.

A shadowy figure.

"Father…." Serica murmured as the figure went towards her up the staircase.

It was a man, shrouded in darkness for just a moment before he too was illuminated by the light coming from the door.

He wore a dark purple trench coat that lay open at his front, exposing the metallic shine of a metal breastplate to the light from the door. On this breastplate was a giant bright emerald that seemed to give off its own light. He wore dark purple pants that were covered by black boots protected by metal armor.

Serica looked up at him, and then back down.
"Is Mother here?"

"Yes." The man's deep voice echoed in the darkness and he stepped up to the doors.
He knelt in front of it.

"My beloved." He spoked again, few rays of light striking his face making it shrouded in shadows.
"I must make you aware of a terrible fate that has come to our household… Your traitorous sister Sarah and her hounds of war have struck down our children and are headed this way."

Despite such a seemingly tragic report, the man's voice did not change from its deep and unfeeling expression.
"But, I must report that our daughter Serica has returned alive and is here at your doorstep."

"Serica…" a haunting voice came from the other side of the door, "My Serica… What shall she do for me now?"

Serica kept her face to the ground.

"Come in, my beloved. Come in, Serica."

The shadowy man stood back and reached for the door, revealing his hands covered by gauntlets of iron bound by black leather straps.
"If I may, my beloved." He spoke and gently pushed the doors apart.

A surge of light shot out, but enough to fully engulf the dark passageway they had come from. This light found its source from a small crystal powered lantern sitting on an oak nightstand.

But this light revealed grander things.

Resting on an oak Victorian bed on soft purple sheets of linen was her.
Seris.
Then darkness.

She had shut off the light, but there was still some faint, very faint light that revealed just the miniscule amount of detail the man and Serica needed to make out the woman on the bed.

She was reading a large leather-bound book and drinking a red liquid inside a golden chalice studded with rubies. Seris appeared none disturbed by the entry of the man and Serica and continued her previous actions as if it was only a small puff of wind had blown through.

"My sister truly believes that she could reach me." Seris spoke and took a sip of her drink, "She and her little playthings that she rounded up from the corners of the street. They truly believe that they can save this Realm from the danger I supposedly pose to it. Even that money-grubbing craven youth… what was his name again?"

"Sha Lin." The man responded.

"Yes… him…" Seris continued, "And they even have a poor little woodland creature and a simple desert girl following them, both of them willing to die to stop me, as if I were to destroy them utterly with my mere existence. That foolish and paranoid thinking is not unlike one of an injured beast, lashing out at whatever may come near it."
She set her chalice down.
"I must thank fate, however, that I've had helpers and allies who would die for me and the Grand Scheme. People like our own family, your brother and sister… our son and our daughter… Though they were not able to defeat our enemies, their true victory has already been achieved. They have finally found the truth; they understand why they have won."

Serica took in a deep breath.

"My beloved." Seris spoke and reached for her blonde hair, then sat up and pulled it back. This revealed her bare back to them and all the hideous scars that ran across it.
"You have seen these wounds… and despite that you have fallen in love. You have seen this weakened body and embraced it in passion. Serica. You have seen these wounds too… You have seen them when you nursed on my being. You know how much these scars wound me, how deep into my body they tear. Yet I believe that these scars that my sister has cast upon me, these seemingly permanent scars, will heal if I just had one more fill of living blood."

Serica gulped and looked at her father.

"Mother… If I can heal just for tonight, I swear to you I will bring you the blood you need! I will bring you the blood of whoever you desire! Even the blood of Sarah!"

Seris stood quiet and kept reading her book.

"Mother! Please! I must regain my strengths…" her daughter panted, "My stand would kill me if I used it too much in this state... I swear to you! I will also avenge Seres and Sereno! Father, please… if you wish to join me that would be more than great! We can all finally finish this!"

The room fell silent once the echoes of her voice died down.

The man knelt on one knee and grabbed a nearby copper urn and placed it in front of him.

Serica saw this and was perplexed.

"I swore to be by you in sickness and health. In life and in death." The man spoke, "I swore that I would do anything in my power to make you happy."

Serica's eyes widened in shock as a figure started to form behind her father.
His stand.
"F-F-father… what are you doing?" she stammered.

The stand was a legless being made of metal with a dark purple cowl around it shoulders that were covered by iron pauldrons. On its chest was a glowing green emerald just like its owner and it also had golden rivets across its chest. Its head was the most intriguing part, as it appeared to be a metallic skull with giant black horns shaped like scythes protruding out of it like antlers. Its armed looked organic and had glowing green veins across its silvery skin that ended at its metallic clawed hands.

The man placed his hands to his chest and looked down at the urn.
"My beloved, this is my promise fulfilled." He spoke.

His stand raised its left hand and with a powerful chop removed its owner's head clean off, causing a stream of blood to trickle out into the urn and the surrounding floor.

"FATHER!" Serica screamed in horror and was about to run to his side but was stopped when she heard the shuffling of sheets.
She turned to the bed, only to find no one there. In fact, the sheets were nicely tucked in and stretched out, so it appeared there had been no one there at all.

Then a faint sound.

"Serica… My Serica…."

Serica's heart skipped a beat.

From the shadows a figure leaned over her shoulder.
Seris.

"Do you not see how willing your father was to give up his own life for my Grand Scheme?" she spoke into her ear, the shadows still covering her face but the pale skin of her neck was visible, as well as her blonde hair.

"Mother…."

"Do you not see how willing your brother and sister were? Do you know what happened to them?" Seris asked her daughter, "Do you know how my baby boy was torn apart by the very thing he was gifted by Fate? Do you know how my baby girl was lit like a tinder by the villain that is your aunt?"

Serica started to cry, but the tears just bubbled up in her eyes.

"Why is it then that despite all these great and loving examples of the people closest to you that you could not do the same?"

"Mother! I tried to fight to the end! They wouldn't let me!" Serica cried out, "I didn't want to run away! I swear! I'm willing to fight again! Please! I can't let Sereno and Seres die in vain."

"They haven't. But you have."

A pale fist suddenly erupted from Serica's chest and was doused in blood.

"….. M-m-m-mother…." Serica softly whimpered when she looked down to see the arm protruding from her body.
Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares appeared from within the young woman.

Seris saw this and raised her free hand, then drove her metal tipped fingers deep into Serica's neck.

Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares vanished when the sound of a loud snap was heard, and Serica's body went limp in her mother's arms.

It took a few moments for the blood that went out of the young woman's chest to stop flowing, and a few moments more for her skin to dry up. Then Seris removed her arms from her body and stepped back, letting fall to the ground.

"I have received my dose of blood." Seris spoke as she walked over to the father of her children.
"But not from you, my beloved." She looked at the urn of his offering, "Your blood is too precious, for it gave life to a precious man who loved me to death. And from Death I will bring you back."

Seris raised her right arm over the man's neck and with her left arm made a huge cut across it, making her blood spew out.
Unlike normal blood, this blood was a deep purple color, and it collectedly trickled down to its target.

"With your love for me and my Grand Scheme, I have no doubt it will be you that will guide your beloved to that blessed tomorrow."

The man's head, upon receiving this abyssal blood, started to draw itself nearer to his body and finally joined together. At that moment, the man's eyes shot open, and he took a deep breath.
He sat up and rubbed his wound, which was quickly disappearing, and turned to the mother of his children.
"My Beloved Seris."

"The glory of defeating our enemies I leave unto you, my beloved Androxus." Seris walked over to the nightstand and turned on the light.

This revealed the man in his full glory.
A man of great stature and strength dotted in metal armor and dark purple clothes.
But his face, his face was covered by an iron mask with green glass over the eyes.
Only a few strands of dark born hair popping out from the top of the mask revealed any nature of his head to the world.

Seris returned to her bed and opened her book once again.

"I will do anything for you, my Queen."

Androxus' stand revealed itself once again and lunged at its master, then in a hint of darkness he was gone.

A long with Serica's body and any hint of light in the room.

"At least share passion with me before you leave…" Seris grumbled to herself as she rubbed her legs together.
"After all, there is nothing in this world that fascinates me more than the empty nature of your stand."