Chapter 33- seal of the guardian

  Standing in the field of death, our young demon Leo stood behind the back of Drake, the Crimson Knight — a mysterious entity who guarded him in his fragmented memories. Ryan and Melody stood together with him, and the mad Scorn stood against them.

  Melody, seeing Drake, spoke:“Who are you?”

  Drake replied,“You have grown, brat.”

  Then suddenly Melody too remembered — the figure she saw all those years ago when the building collapsed. A crimson shadow saved her and her father.

  Melody spoke,“You are the Crimson Knight… the one who protected the old Demon King.”

  Ryan now understood one thing. He spoke in excitement:“So the crazy demon is actually a crazy demon knight. Well, I guess we don’t die today then.”He laughed in relief.

  Scorn spoke out, mana enlarging around him, turning dense, the air heavy.“So you survived, you damn relic of the past.”

  Drake replied,“I am only 27, fool.”

  The dreadful mana condensed into clouds of dark green souls, vengeance oozing out of their existence.

  The souls were launched at the Crimson Knight.

  Now Drake raised his sword. A magic circle appeared in the air. The whole world slowed down — the wizard Scorn, Ryan, Melody, the air, the mana — time itself slowed down, all movements arrested except for Drake and Leo.

  Leo was surprised. He knew magic was great, but to stop time? He couldn’t fathom the power of the one in front of him. He had a million questions in his mind.

  As he was deep in thought, Drake spoke,“Leo, what do you see in front of you?”

  Leo snapped back to reality. He saw the dark souls rushing towards him to devour him.He replied,“Mr. Drake, I…” After a moment of thought, he continued,“I see vengeful spirits lunging towards us to devour our very souls, armed by the command of the vile Scorn.”

  Hearing this, Drake’s lips smiled.“Is that so? Now, that’s what any other demon would say. But not you. You are not any other demon. You are the son of the great Demon King, a royal lineage. You are the child of mana.”

  Drake moved close to Leo. Amidst the frozen battlefield, he stood next to him and spoke,“Brother, always remember — the world your eyes see, the words your ears hear, and the flavour your tongue savours are all but lies. Only truth is that which you fully investigate and understand.

  Now, close your eyes. Feel the world. Don’t try to contain it, don’t try to quantify it. Feel it. Let it free, for freedom is the root of your nature. A true demon is one who is free. So remove the shackles you are wearing. Release your mana. Let it flow. Be one with nature.”

  As Drake’s words reached his ears, Leo stopped looking. He stopped hearing. He stopped trying to control his mana. For the first time in his life — he let go.

  Drake continued,“Forget your pain, regrets, your obsession.”

  Leo let go of his hatred of the tyrant. He let go of his regrets. He let go of his pain. He removed his shackles.

  Drake continued,“Now let go of everything. Remember why your heart beats, what makes your soul burn. Remember what gives your life meaning. Remember your duty, prince.”

  Hearing this, Leo remembered his sister Lyra’s words. He spoke them out loud,“To protect his people is the highest duty of the king.”

  Drake continued,“And to protect his family is mine.”

  Before, Leo was only able to feel the mana in him, to master it. But now, as he let go, he could feel the world, the mana. His eyes were shut, but he could see the world more clearly than he ever could. He felt everything — Ryan, Melody, Scorn, the souls. He could not only see their appearance, but see beyond them: a warm golden Ryan, the blue loyal Melody, the grey evil Scorn, and the unrestrained crimson of the Guardian.

  Drake continued,“Now, what do you see, brother?”

  Leo slowly opened his eyes. His eyes were now crimson red. He saw a new world. He spoke,“I see chains. I hear cries. I see my people in pain. The staff of Scorn binding the souls.”

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  Drake spoke,“Exactly. Now you truly see. Your people are suffering. Do your duty, my king.”

  He slowly lowered his sword, bleeding from his eyes, mouth, and ears. His hands trembled, his body gave up, and he started to fall. Leo quickly grabbed him.

  Drake, regaining his foothold, spoke,“I overused my mana a bit. Time magic is very draining. Don’t worry about me. Now, have this.”

  Drake handed Leo his sword. The crimson armour covering Drake’s body vanished and attached itself to Leo.

  Before Leo could speak, Drake said,“Go now.”

  As Drake said that, the stagnant time started to flow again. The souls continued in their path. The bracket in Leo’s arms glowed, the flames of the ancient tower flew towards him. They wrapped his sword. The crimson sword now exuded flame. He swung his sword — the chains holding the souls were severed. The wand slowly lost its glow. Wrinkles appeared on Scorn’s face. Scorn shouted,“Nooooo…!”

  As Leo continued to swing his sword, the souls slowly returned to their original bodies. The vengeful souls shackled for decades by the evil mage finally found peace. They thanked Leo and vanished, mixing with nature’s mana.

  Ryan rejoiced,“Way to go, Leo!”

  Melody too spoke,“Show him, Leo. Show him who is the real bug!”

  Leo advanced towards Scorn.

  Scorn, slowly burning himself up, his mana weakening, his spells losing their former glory — now Leo stood before him. He swung his sword and broke the evil Tower Master’s wand.

  As his sword shattered the wand, all the souls were finally freed. Colour returned to the drained bodies of the demons in the stadium. But the dead Grand Mages’ souls appeared, and then vanished into thin air, thanking Leo in their final moments. Leo too bowed his head to show his respects.

  Now a broken Scorn stood in the arena. Losing all his previous majestic looks, with tattered clothes and a burned-out soul, he sat.

  Melody and Ryan helped Drake, and the three moved next to Leo, the citizens all still unconscious.

  Melody spoke,“Scorn, now you meet the results of your evil.”

  Ryan mocked,“Not so scary now, are you? Hahahhahaaaa!”

  Leo spoke,“Scorn, now you pay for all the lives you took, for all the souls you tortured.”

  Scorn, angry and frustrated, spoke,“Well done. To think I would fall at the hands of a child.”

  He suddenly took out a scroll from his robe. He screamed,“Forgive me, Demon King, I have failed. But I am not going down alone!”

  As he opened the scroll, a demonic soul-snake-like entity tore the air, flying towards Leo. Before he could do anything, chains formed from the ground, holding down Leo and the others.

  The chained Drake screamed. He burned his life energy. His weak legs regained strength, mana filled him. The dark stadium was illuminated by a crimson light — the brightest light given by a candle before it burns out. The shackles holding him broke under the weight of his will. He moved in front of Leo in a fraction of a second.

  The snake-like entity collided with Drake. The moment it touched him, his skin turned green, started to wither. His veins popped out. He bled dark black blood from all his orifices. Just at that moment, he grabbed the sword from Leo, turned around, and sliced off Scorn’s head. As the severed head flew in the air, the evil mage turned into ash, dissolving into nothingness.

  Now the chains holding the trio vanished. Drake smiled at Leo. He raised his sword, the mana in the air gathered golden lines formed in air forming an emblem a seal formed in the air as if the world itself acknowledged the demon honoring him with a seal of the guardian knight glowing in the skies. The brilliant crimson from earlier shone even brighter, warming the air, purifying everything . The people slowly woke up and saw the brilliant crimson. Soon, the light faded. Melody put up a barrier around them.

  Leo was broken. He felt helpless. Countless thoughts haunted him. He blamed himself:“I should have struck him earlier… If only I was faster… If only I was stronger… he wouldn’t have laughed at my attack…”

  As these thoughts haunted Leo, the now poisoned and withered Crimson Knight fell to the ground.

  Leo ran and caught him, laid him on his lap, tears flowing down his face, hands trembling, throat dry. Leo spoke,“I am sorry, brother. If only I had—”

  Drake interrupted,“Hahahhaaaa… brother, huh? That has a great ring to it. You did a good job, my brother. It’s fine. I have lived long enough to see you grow into a fine young demon. Always remember — I am proud of you, brother.”

  Saying this, the Crimson Knight closed his eyes. A brave soul departed from the world.

  The seal faded along smile on the crimson knight's face .

  Leo cried out loud screamed his hearts out.

  Melody and Ryan went near him and hugged Leo, he stopped crying.

  Slowly recovered and spoke,“I won’t shame his honor with my tears.”

  Ryan didn’t speak. He just held onto Leo.

  Melody spoke,“We should prepare a grand burial for the hero who saved the kingdom.”

  “No.” A familiar old voice spoke.

  The trio turned around. It was Melody’s father. Melody ran and hugged him.

  The old Tower Master spoke,“Leo, if the news of Drake came out, the Demon King would be alerted.”

  Leo replied,“I understand.”

  Then Leo and the others gathered Drake’s corpse and moved it. Leo clad the Crimson Armour. The old Tower Master removed the barrier. The demons of the kingdom were confused.

  The Master spoke,“The evil wizard Scorn wanted to kill all of us and harvest our souls. But a brave young demon — the one who saved the Western Kingdom — has now also saved us: the Crimson Knight.”

  The crowd erupted in cheer. The name Crimson Knight echoed throughout the whole kingdom.

  In the marketplace, devoid of any life, inside an old tent, a crystal ball shined. The old witch placed her hands on it and spoke:“The old Crimson Star died, but the flame it lit lives on. The new Crimson Star of liberation is born.”

  Stay tuned for the season finale next episode.

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