Epic of Moraz and Karcia— 1

Abbreviation: EMK

Title: Innocence

"Khuaak!" He coughed blood. His face twisted in pain while his mouth gargling with sweet blood as he gazed at the white-haired woman with a face that didn't hold beauty within the etched scars but undying determination. Her emerald eyes emanating cold fury and her grasp around his shoulder loosening by the second. He couldn't speak, so he smiled. She needed this. He was the last of supporters and she needed to see that he didn't feel a single shred of regret following her. She didn't deserve the guilt. 'I wish... I could truly confess my undying loyalty... you are just so... pure—' His thoughts cut by the dying breath as he lay lifelessly in the arms of the 'Hero.' Credits to the First Devil Ancestor, the continent of Devilia has never touched the light of day as blue twilight of the sapphire moon fell on the fallen partner of the 'Hero.'

"Rest," She whispered, her silver locks covering her face as she stood up slowly, not even caring how the lifeless body tumbled down on the cold grey floor with more blood spurting out of the fist-sized hole in between his torso, right below the cleavage of his chest. "How cold," a soft and charming voice echoed, igniting the hateful passion within the silver-haired hero whose emerald eyes blazed with golden brilliance in the manner she has been trained from a young age. "You!" emphasizing, "don't get to call me that." With a soft whisper, the woman clad in holy armor forged from the remaining essence of holy flames and mithril ore, turned. The sapphire light swirling around her body, her hair dancing with the formless winds as the woman picked her cleaver once again.

Opposite to her stood the enigmatic Devil Prince of Devilia. His skin purple, his features disgustingly handsome and his grey eyes boring into the Silver-haired Hero. "O' great hero of Arcania, Holy Maiden— Sanctus Bellator Marzia. Let me ask you this," His trimmed jet black hair ruffling akin cheerful grass as a calm aura of divine whispered around him. His dark-purple lips curved in the most enchanting smile. "Did I hurt anyone? I, Immortalem Karc, have never hurt a single existence intently. I do not require nourishment for sustenance. How do you find me guilty? What are my sins?" He inquired. The throne room, as any vain ruler, was a long room with a lavish throne crafted from precious stones etched behind him. With two sources of light, the throne room looked adequate enough to see the scene of carnage behind the Hero.

"You have ruled the devil race for 30 years now. In your rule, wars only grew. You are at fault for being a bad ruler. The blood of your kind is on your hands. The blood of my kind, too." Marzia spoke without a hint of sadness in her eyes. Supporters are disposable. They need to be used to their maximum efficiency even if the result brings death. "I see," The devil's eyelids trembled as he smiled sadly. "I am no ruler. My father was. These are facts just like I don't control the free will of devils for I am not capable, and you can't kill me. You've tried using that 'pawn' as a sacrifice and yet, here I stand without a blemish to my body," Karc looked at his naked body.

"If it helps, I apologize—"

*Shwwing*

A plain cleaver chopped at Karc's neck, the blade of the weapon trembling in delight as Karc's head fell off, tumbling down the stairs as his body fell to its knees with the Hero standing behind his body, her gaze without a hint of remorse. "If you shan't die," Marzia's body lit up in a pure white brilliance, her murmur echoing through the empty hall, "Then let us seal. I believe that the world is not to be ruled. Let the kingdom of humanity and devil fall together. I, Sanctus Bellator Marzia, offer my very being to encase Immortalem Karc."

Seeing the beautiful magical chart unfurling behind her, a little dazzled, the devil smiled with unhinged compassion. "Let me return the favor, Queen of Humanity. I, Immortalem Karc sacrifice the coward's immortality—" as his entire existence glowed pure white in reaction to the supreme magic which Marzia erupted with, his voice grew weaker but his words finally brought a surprise to Marzia's expression. The first emotion she had shown on her face after taking the title of Sanctus Bellator. "— for both of us..."

---

"And that is how the rulers fell," the bearded bard sang, his voice full of coarse emotions, "And that is how the peace of lands returned. One sacrifice is all it took, But the hidden pain never quelled." The crackling bonfire lit the bard's ordinary face while the twilight of the sapphire moon gave his grey hair a soft blue glow. The group of students was enchanted, their coats covering their bodies but not their hearts and emotions as they sniffed and sniveled. The epic of Marzia and Karc has been the most exciting tale for the youngsters but never did they feel so 'raw'. It was as if they had been witnessed the two legends in actions. A prince who could never die abdicated from the rule, devolving into debauchery unheard even by the devilians while the Queen brought peace not only to the world but to the Prince's heart, too.

"Is it true? Would they return and save us from the foreign beasts?" A girl in witch's cap whispered. Her large round eyes full of hope and her nose still twitching with emotions as she hugged her coat tightly, fighting away the chill of might despite the bonfire. "It is my wish," The scarred bard nodded with a warm expression while he swilled the jar of piss beer. "This tale has been sung by the greatest," the thought for a moment, "And the flames of hope have far surpassed that of the holy ones. I believe, they will rise again."

The girl nodded as the group was soon alerted by the crackles of twigs. The surrounding trees felt eerier as the bonfire snuff away on its own. Seeing this, the bard panicked but before he could even express his emotion with a shout, a sword's edge against his nose silenced the shout to a short squeak while the dark-haired youth took off his coat, revealing a set of bronze armor. His face unfazed by the changes, his other hand extended to his index and drawing a blue pattern in the air before he whispered, "Orbis Luminus."

A blue ball of pure light squeezed into existence as the man then looked at his comrades, "Get ready. I smell the mithril." The other students nodded, even the girl with a huge witch's cape stood into action as she began chanting, a mysterious stream of energy flowing out of her body while her hands erupted in grey brilliance. With a grey pentagram forging into existence beneath her, the ground beneath the group shook once again. This time, from the marked area, skeletal hands erupted. "Snipe!" Another girl chimed, her arrow shooting past the thicket and striking a giant fleshy creature right in its eyes and piercing further. With a war cry, the battle began as the witch's magic rose the dead, easily slaying the beasts.

---

"Kah!" Among the giant corpses, a thick arm broke through the ground with a large, bulky figure erupting. Disheveled silver hair reaching the man's hips, his left cheek and chin scarred alongside dim emerald eyes glittering his astonishing and rugged features. Coughing out mud, the man looked around in confusion and then at his make self. Gulping, the man hurriedly called for the system provided by the angels only to find nothing. Gritting his teeth, the man pulled himself up, his chest heaving in agitation before he roared savagely.

"KARC!!"

"Huh?" A beautiful and voluptuous woman sat up, her expression lazy and her grey pupils revealing innocent confusion, "Did someone just call me?" She muttered while looking at her room. "Nah... wait... did she finally wake up? Wow, she likes to sleep more than me and they called me the devil..." the woman with purple skin muttered, "Late by one entire year. Almost grew bored!" She complained before slumping back, "Gah... I hate my life." She whispered before pulling a pillow above her head and tilting her body sideways, sleeping away.