The days had passed way too fast for Ledah's taste. Yet he couldn't deny that he felt relieved that in 2 hours, the ceremony would finally take place... After that, he'd take at least 2 months of vacation! First visiting Ifrit and his family on Midgard, then a bit of time in Asgard at his grandfather's house and maybe one or two weeks at Iska's home, the house of the Zerin-Vampires, getting attended all day long... Yeah, he really deserved that after the past few months...
He had enough of being the playball for the Kings of Utgard, or the Senate-members of Asgard... As soon as this was over someone else could take over his duties for a while!
Clinging on that thought, he moved his fingers over his back slowly. It still hurt him, more than ever even, but as soon as he'd get a good handful of rest, his wings would turn back to normal for sure!
It was weird... Lying on his bed in Menel's center, the Tower of Eternity, and staring up the high roof, watching the veils slowly moving in the breeze that blew through the high building... From outside he could hear the noise coming from the plaza, where angels, valkyries, gods, but also demons from Utgard had started celebrating their peace.
"Led, you there?" A familiar voice rang through the thick wooden door that led out of the blonde's bed-room.
"!!" Jumping up, recognizing the owner of the voice right away, Ledah hurried to the door, unlocking it and staring at a giant god with grey hair and beard that grinned proudly down on him. "Gramps!" Giving him a welcoming-hug, he led the elder inside the room. "What are you doing here?!"
"I closed the smithy for today. You didn't expect me to miss your big day, did you?" Chuckling, he looked around the room as if looking for something... Finally he decided to place his giant hammer that hang from his back on the side, sitting down on a chair on the window, looking out. "You can be really proud of yourself!"
"I will be as soon as this mess is over..." Ledah sighed frustrated, moving his fingers through his hair before taking place next to the elder. "You know, Bel'Zath,... As soon as this is over I will take a looong break from all this..." He smiled, looking up at the bright blue sky. "Can I stay at the smithy for a while then? Just working next to you like in the good old days..."
"You know you are always welcome. I can use a helping hand..." Ruffling through his grand-son's hair, Bel'Zath stood up and looked at the amulet hanging around Ledah's neck. "Don't you have to bring that to Origin for the ceremony?" He pointed at the cross-pendant surprised.
"U-huh..." The blonde just kept staring out of the window, his mind at the small hood in the forests on the outer region of Asgard... He always enjoyed the time at his grandfather's smithy... Deep between the trees, hidden inside the woods and far away from all the hectic...
"Hehehe, I could smuggle you right out of here, away from the pestering servants and leeches here... Just have to hide you under my coat and no one will ever notice!" He smiled, placing a hand on Ledah's back. Twitching for a second at the pain, the boy turned swiftly, hoping his grandfather hadn't noticed it.
"Y-yeah, great idea!" He forced a laugh, avoiding eyecontact. "I better go bring the cross to Origin now..." He jumped up and hurried outside, leaving the elder behind.
"Something really isn't right with him today..." Bel'Zath wondered, watching him running towards the stair-way before heading for his hammer on the wall.
Origin, head of the High Senate of Menel... Ledah felt deep respect for the 4-winged goddess. She had been the first one to ever encourage him in his goal of bringing peace between the two worlds... and without her support he'd probably not be here today...
"You may come in." A soft voice rang through the marble-doors as they swung open, leading into a light-flooded room.
Ledah had to narrow his eyes as he stepped in. The wall, the floor, even the furniture seemed to have a certain gleam to it... Light was the essence of most gods' might here in Asgard, but for his taste it was way too bright. "Origin?"
"I'm right over here." A beautiful, green haired woman with two pairs of golden wings stepped closer toward Ledah, and now that his eyes got used to the light, he could finally see sharply again.
"I'm here to bring you the cross." He smiled friendly, handing her over the pendant.
"Thank you, Ledarus." She tilted her head, a few strains of hair falling over her shoulder. "Thank you for taking care of it up until now..." She turned and went deeper into the hall, signalizing him to follow.
"..." The enwa frowned, but followed her. "It's not as if it's a big deal to carry a pendant..."
"Oh, not a regular pendant, Ledah..." Origin smiled, looking at the blonde with curious eyes. "This pendant is called the 'Cross of Ameran' and was kept as a relic of the demons ever since the time the Eternal War ended. Can you feel it? The immense energy pulsing through it? It is as if it lives on its own, leaving a trace of energy wherever it goes..." She smiled, giving the enwa a sympathizing glance. "It has been kept by the demons for very long, a treasure greater than any gold we could weight up. The fact that they allow someone born in Asgard to carry it means more than you can imagine. You might be as much a demon as you are a god, but you were born in Asgard, and let's face it, we both know you feel more comfortable with light than darkness."
Gritting his teth shamed, Ledah knew that she was right... He tried to use his powers balanced, but in most of the cases he cast light-spells... So maybe there really was more to it than he had believed.
"Don't forget to pick up the cross later again, Ledarus." Origin smiled, using the formal way of his name again... Ledah didn't like being called Ledarus, but by now he got used to it... With a nod he left the room, joining the festivities on the plaza.
"Oh and I want candy floss! And-and those chocolate-hearts! Can we have a ride on the carousel later? Pretty please..."
Yuna sighed frustrated... She would have expected this kind of behavior from her youngest son Dane, but right now it was her husband acting like a little kid in candy-land...
"Mom, can I go somewhere ELSE please?" Issney complained, carrying his little brother on his shoulders, looking embarrassed towards his hyperactive father.
"Only if you take Dane with you!" The half-demoness smiled, taking Ifrit's hand in the meanwhile.
"But I wanna go to the merry-go-round with Daddy..." Dane smiled while licking on a lollipop.
"Let's just have some fun, boys... You won't see it every day that two worlds celebrate such a long period of peace!" Yuna chuckled, suddenly spotting a familiar-looking pair of red wings in the crowd. "Hey, isn't that..."
"Ledaaaah!" Ifrit already ran towards the red winged person, ripping him from his feet with a takle-glomp.
"Wah!" An angel looked at the god confused, unsure if he should scream, yell or show the god sitting on him his respect. "L-Lord Ifrit.. w-why..."
"Huh, you are not Ledah..." The smile on Ifrit's face disappeared, but suddenly it brightened again. "Are you an enwa too?! Wow! Ledah will be so glad to meet another enwa!! He has never ever seen one! ...Beside himself that is of course..." The god grinned sheepishly, suddenly hugging the angel as if he was a treasure.
"M-Milord! this is only paint! I'm no enwa!!" The angel gasped, trying to get away. "I-I only wanted to look like the leader of the Heroes of Mana, that's all!!"
"..." The god let go, disappointed. "Aw, man, that sucks..." Sighing he stood up, returning towards his family, determined.
"Pfff..." Almost unable to hold back her laughter, Yuna hugged her husband, giving him a kiss on the cheek to cheer him up.
"So embarrassing..." Issney snorted, looking up at his brother.
"Ahahaha, that was so funny!" Dane chuckled, still staring after the still shocked angel. "Are red wings rare? Only princes have them, right?"
"Are you stupid?" Issney rolled his eyes, receiving a smack on the arm from his mother. "Ouch..."
"If you are so much smarter than him, how about you explain him?!" Yuna lolled her tongue out, taking Ifrit's hand and leading him off towards a candy-store to brighten his spirits again.
"What did Mommy mean, Issney?" Dane asked confused, leaning on his brother's head.
"Wings of such an unusual color as Ledah's are a sign of mixed blood, Dane. A god with dark red wings is not only a god, but half-demonic as well!" Issney sighed, taking down his brother from his shoulders and sitting down on a bench with him. "Demon- and God-blood has to be mixed in the very same amount, no Mana of neither side must be stronger than the other, or it will erase each other. Only if darkness and light are put together in the very same consistence, the build the Essence of Time!" He smiled warmly. The Essence of Time and the Essence of Space... Issney had always loved it when his parents or his uncle had told him about the stories of old, how they had fought to free the Great Spirits and how Mana was way more complicated than most people thought... "And as such, enwas are very rare!"
"But then why aren't we enwas, Iss?" Dane tilted his head confused. "Mommy is a half-demoness too, so..."
"Oh Dane..." Issney grinned and ruffled his hair. "Mom's dark Mana got fully erased by Dad's light Mana... so basically we are one third human, two third gods. That's why you got these." He grinned and pulled Dane's small wings up, flapping with them playfully. "See?"
"Ahahaha, I understand!!" Dane smiled and hugged his big brother in glee.
"..." Quickly looking around that no one saw them, he returned the gesture, patting the boy's back. "Wanna have some candy-floss, lil bro?"
"Yes!!" The blonde rushed after his older brother, happily as they reached a candy-shop finally. "I want a candy floss and... I want that chocolate-wolfy for uncle Led!!"
"No need to waste your pocket-money on me, boys. Though I appreciate it." Ledah suddenly stood behind them, his crimson wings spread to full glory while paying for the sweets they had just ordered. "Where are your parents?"
"Out having fun... They can be so embarrassing at times!" Issney stuck his tongue out, preferring the presence of his uncle rather than Yuna's or Ifrit's...
"You know, you should be thankful you have them!" The blonde smiled, taking Dane up un his shoulders. "The ceremony starts at any possible second! How about it? Wanna come along?"
"Sure, but shouldn't you be with the Kings of Galdor?" Issney grinned, taking some of Dane's candy floss, eating it happily.
"I'm no king..." Ledah rolled his eyes. "Besides I'd feel old standing amongst all those millennia old demons... I will watch from the side-line!"
Nodding, the dark-haired youth followed along toward the crowd on the giant plaza in front of the Tower of Eternity.
Between the masses of angels and demons, Ledah could spot his grandfather from afar already, as the giant god outstood the crowd by over 2 head-sizes...
"Grangranpa!!" Dane waved the elder, almost sending his candy floss flying through the air.
"Well, if that's not my two favorite grandgrandsons..." Bel'Zath chuckled, greeting the two boys. "Ledah, aren't you supposed to be with--"
"No, I'm not!" The enwa grunted, setting Dane back to the ground and leading them towards the way the members of the Council of Utgard and the High Senate of Asgard would take for the ceremony. They waited a little, staring at the entrance of the Tower of Eternity.
Out of the giant tower a stairway led down on a way, covered with rose-leaves, leading to a pedestal in the center of the plaza where Origin would place the Cross of Ameran during the ceremony.
The sound of silver trumpets filled the air and a soft breeze escaped from the tower as the gates finally opened. The members of the High Senate and the Council of Utgard slowly walked down the stair-way, passing Ledah, Bel'Zath, Issney and Dane.
The enwa knew any single one of them, greeting whoever nodded or waved toward him. A few faces were more familiar to him than others though... Especially two very certain ones.
A brownhaired god with freckles and cyan-blue eyes passed them, smiling and waving towrads Issney and Dane.
"Hello grandpa!!" Dane waved wildly towards Clarion, Ifrit's father, as he walked on towrads the center of the plaza. Followed by Clarion came Ariia, a small darkhaired goddess that used to be Ledah's teacher back when he was still a kid. She was too busy keeping her pace with the others though to notice her former apprentice in the crowd.
As the gods and demons finally all stood in a giant circle around the pedestal, anyone looked up at the gate for Origin to come and bring the cross. But almost a minute passed and she still didn't appear...
Carefully placing Dane on the ground, Ledah looked to Bel'Zath. "I will go look for her..." He spread his wings, flying up the stairs and into the tower. For some reason it was unnaturally cold in here... A small chill ran down his spine as he slowly walked toward Origin's room. Stepping into the bright room, Ledah had to get used to the light first again, slowly walking forward. With every step he took he got the feeling it grew colder around...
"Origin!? Origin, where are you!?" He grit his teeth, unleashing a wave of dark Mana through the room, dimming the light. Suddenly, the pain in his wings grew, making it hard to breath for a second. He fell forward on a knee, gasping for air. After a few moments though, the pain lingered and he looked up, ahead... almost stopping to breathe again. "ORIGIN!!" He jumped up, running towards a giant ice-pillar in the center of the hall. The ice was unnaturally clear, giving sight on the frozen goddess within the center of the pillar.
Placing his hands on the ice, Ledah called for his flame-magic, slowly melting the goddess out of her frost-prison. From behind, Ledah could hear steps and the sound of armors. A few angel-guards came running into the room, shocked at the image ahead of them.
"Don't stare like idiots! Help me!" The enwa barked, almost done freeing the goddess by now.
"L-Ledah... the cross..." Origin gasped, she sank forward into his arms. "...they stole... the cross..."
"!!" The blonde's eyes widened. He nodded toward the guards, leaving Origin in their company, running towards the back-exit of the hall. He tried to remember Origin's words... a trace of energy... he had to find that trace!
And to his own surprise... there was certain stream of Mana flowing through the air! Ledah spread his crimson wings, following the weirdly familiar aura.
As the wind rushed through Ledah's hair and he almost reached an Otherworld-Gate leading to Midgard, he finally spotted the thief he was chasing! Speeding up as fast as he could, the enwa saw the dark figure walking through the gate, disappearing in white mist. Gritting his teeth, the blonde closed his eyes, flying right toward the weird substance that filled the gate, feeling the cold almost liquid-like stream transporting him to the mortal world within seconds.
Arriving on the other side, the man opened his eyes, floating in midair... staring tight down at the thief.
A caped girl with weirdly deformed legs and hands, almost rabbit-like, staring up at him with shocked brown eyes.
"N-no... get back... Don't follow..." She stepped back, frightened, crawling her paws aroound the cross.
"Give it back!! Now!" Ledah formed a fireball in his hands, ready to shoot it at her if she did not obey his command...
"!!" Her body trembling in fear, she suddenly swung the cross around her neck, running on all 4 paws as fast as she could toward the surrounding forest.
"Wait!!" The enwa fired the fireball, missing her only by a few inches, but his vision started blurring suddenly. Shaking his head and catching himself before sinking toward the ground, Ledah spread his wings, chasing after the thief.
The girl was incredibly fast! And all the branches that made it hard for Ledah to follow, gave her a clear advantage. Slowly but sure she got away further and further from him. This mustn't happen!!
"Stop! Or I will crush the very essence of time around you!!" The enwa yelled, concentrating his energy and forming a ball of pure light-Mana in the one hand and a ball of darkness-Mana in the other. "You last chance or I will--"
"Or you will what!?" A cold male voice above him warned Ledah just in time to turn his head before some tackled right into him, crushing him into a nearby tree.
Gasping for air and feeling an unbearable pain running through his whole body as his attack faded through his hands, unleashing an implosion right next to him. He could barely open his eyes, not to mention moving. From the corner of his eyes he could see one of his wings standing in an unnatural angle and moving it just a little, he could see parts of the bone sticking through the crimson feathers that now glittered softly in the sun-light, drowning in his own blood.
Someone was standing in front of him... and much to his anger it was the thief... Pulling her cape down, he could finally see her. She had dark green hair with two white rabbit-ears hanging down her head... and she still seemed to tremble in fear. The worry and sadness in her eyes made Ledah feel even worse. Was he so badly wounded that even a thief like her pitied him?!
Suddenly a second figure landed right next to her, staring down at the enwa with a cold smile. He was a birdman... but no ordinary one. His ice-blue-feathers and the unnatural cold aura around him made him different from any kind of birdman Ledah had ever seen in his 500 years of age. Without doubt, this man was the one freezing Origin and tackling him in mid-air...
"Well, well, well... Seems as if this isn't half a bad day for me. I traveled through unknown worlds, froze a goddess and get to kill a... whatever you are..." The chilling tune made Ledah shiver. He wanted to stand up, wanted to defend himself! Fight the cross back at any cost! But it was no use. His body didn't react to any of his commands. "I will send you right to whatever might you believe in, in this pathetic world!" Chuckling evilly he came closer reaching for Ledah, but a sound coming from the bushes close the them made him stop. "Ugh, you are here already?!"
"Watch your tone, half-human!" A soldier stepped out of the shadows, behind him a whole troop of warriors. They were armored with fine steel-plates, wearing an emblem Ledah hadn't ever seen before. But what he could see clearly even with his blurred vision, was that this human was an experienced fighter. No matter what kingdom he served, but he had to be one of the leading guards. Ledah could tell by the way he moved alone... Arrogant, yet disciplined and ready to take any victim necessary to achieve his goals... "You take those beasts back to Nayshir! I will take care of this matter myself!" He ordered a few solders around him who grabbed the rabbit-girl and the birdman by their arms, leading them away.
"P-please don't hurt him! T-they can't follow us to Nayshir anyway! Please don't!" The girl turned, wanting to run back, but being stopped by the soldiers.
"If you hadn't let him discover you, worthless scum, he would not have to die. And now leave before you are the next one to fall to my blade!" Barking in annoyance, the soldier turned, taking out his longsword, pointing it toward the young thief.
With a last glance of sympathy and a whispered apology, she obeyed the commander's order and left with the small unit.
Burning in rage, Ledah tried to get up, pressing his hand against the ground, but he barely managed to lift his head to look straight into the eyes of the one who was going to kill him...
"Hmpf!" The human knelt down, grabbing Ledah by the neck and pulling him up before pushing him against the tree behind him. "I have killed many gods, and probably just as many demons... but to kill an enwa... that's indeed my first time... and I will enjoy it to the end!" He smirked evilly, loosening his grip on the blonde, making him sink on his knees. "But... you know what's funny? I don't even have to kill you. I will just sit here and watch how you die off on your own..."
"..."Ledah narrowed his eyes, unable to understand what this human was talking about. Noticing his questioning glare, the warrior smiled mischievously and knelt down to be on the same height as his prey.
"Can't you feel it? Your body is already falling apart. Your energies are so out of balance they started eliminating each other." The mocking tone in the man's voice gave Ledah the chills. Much to his shock, now that he had pointed it out so bluntly towards the enwa, he could actually feel it... Within him, his energy was running out of control. Like a whirl that ripped all his Mana into shreds, eliminating it within him. How could he miss this?! "It is so out of control, you won't last ten more minutes even... Now I leave it up to you little enwa... How do you prefer to die? By my sword? Or your own ignorance?" He did not wait for an answer... The commander stood up, placing his blade on Ledah's neck.
The blonde didn't even notice anymore... His mind was so puzzled... How could he have missed this? How was it possible he hadn't noticed this mess within him?! ... Smiling at his own naivety, he knew that his time had come. He thought about his brother, his friends,... but most of all, he thought about the two companions he had lost almost 500 years ago... He was going to join them now... Finally seeing them again... 'Seems as if I'm going to join you earlier than expected...' A weak smile lit his face at the irony of this thought.
"Prepare to die, enwa!" The commander brought his blade up, ready to slash it down. Ledah's eyes closed. Not because he feared what was going to happen now, but because he didn't want to see the triumph in his enemy's face. He didn't want the last thing he saw to be the victorious grin of a coward that brought him down at the edge of dying anyway.
Ledah waited... waited for the thrust...
Suddenly, the earth started shaking beneath him, the sound of breaking bones and flesh ripping through the air. Opening his eyes slowly, he saw but a pair of white wings, closing around him, and the familiar scent of ashes and metal he knew from only one person... Bel'Zath!
"Dare touching him and I will bring you down just as this scum!" The giant god swung his hammer over his head, making the soldiers backing off away from them.
Ledah slowly sank forward to the ground, a smashed red mass in front of him where just moments ago the commander had been standing. Ary's amulet lay in the mud before his eyes, gleaming weakly as if trying to keep him awake.
Ledah tried balling a fist... He had to fight... Giving up was not an option, he had to try at least!
"Great... Spirits..." He started muttering weakly under his breath, his eyes focusing the amulet. "...dark... powers... light..." He pressed his eyes shut, trying to collect the remaining strength within him to finish the summon. "...Seek your... aid... summon you..."
A missive aura of might lay around the enwa like a blanket, as the Great Spirits of Light and Darkness appeared in the small clearing in the forest.
Ledah however didn't notice any longer... He lay there, motionless in pain, his life passing by like a last uproar of memories before everything broke down around him. Was it dream? Was it reality? He couldn't tell, but he was losing anything in this moment, the world fading into a dark sphere that locked him into slumber.
