Traitor's Legacy: The Claughter Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Unwelcome Guests

            Jaden and party ran into the forest and began to crouch behind the plants while slowing down their movement, attempting to observe the invaders from stealth and attack them at the most opportune time. They approached the siren village, where the fleet was seen descending over. Once near, Jaden heard chatter within the village rather than shooting. She ordered the others not to attack the invaders unless they were engaged as she wished to listen for potential information.

            At the village perimeter, Jaden moved to a nearby bush while her party tailed. She peeked at the village and saw a group of armed men and women standing at the heart of the village. They were all dressed in the typical black and red cultist leather armor, except for one man in particular, who stood in front of them as if he was leading them.

            The tanned man was dressed in a large robe with a similar color scheme, along with a headwear that she had never seen before. Unlike most headwear, it was tall and decorated, almost as if it was designed to make the wearer appear important and divine, like a crown. Just like the robe, it was colored with the cultists color scheme. Held on the man’s right hand was a golden staff, designed with a cross at the tip. The staff was used like a walking stick, seemingly assisting the aged man in standing.

            “Whoa, who is that guy? Is he like the pope of the Cult of Iblisan of something?” Reed commented.

            “I never saw a guy like him before. All cultists I know were soldiers.” Jaden pointed out. “What are they doing?”

            “I am known amongst my loyal followers for my patience but even that has its limits. So, may I ask thee once again: Where is the Goddess of Life and Death, Asura?” the man asked a nearby siren, who was sitting on a chair and paying no attention to him.

            “Don’t bother. Sirens lack freewill. These fools are not worth our time and deserve to be treated like dirt, just like the goddess they worship.” one of the cultist said after nudging the man with his rifle.

            “Now child, do not be so quick to judge these sirens. Remember, Asura was created by the God of Creation himself. If we do not guide them to follow the path that we tread upon, what are we to them?” the man said, placing a hand on the cultist and looking at him with his weathered eyes. The cultist backed away while nodding, deferring to the man.

            “Very well. Now, if the sirens refuse to cooperate, we may have to find this goddess ourselves.” the man said as he turned back to the siren.

            “Am I the only one who thinks that the pope is far kinder than his company lets on?” Reed said.

            “I don’t know. He seems too…polite…to be working for Iblisan.” Kida answered.

            “Me too. I don’t trust him or his men.” Jaina added.

            “Then we all agree on one thing: They’re going down.” Jaden said.

            Jaden jumped out of the bushes, landing on the ground and rolling forward. She stopped on her knee and stood up to a fighting stance while her party followed her. The cultists recoiled with surprise and aimed their guns at them while the leader stared with awe.

            “Who are you and what are you doing here?” one of the cultists asked.

            “I was about to ask the same thing. What are you all doing on the siren home planet?” Jaden retaliated.

            “You are Jaden Highland, are you not? A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, despite the countless sins you have committed.” the cultist leader said. He approached Jaden, causing her to back away out of fear of a surprise attack.

            “Hey! What are you doing? That’s Jaden Highland! She’ll kill you!” one of the cultists shouted at their leader.

            “Patience. Jaden may have killed a lot of our followers but that does not give us the right to kill her in return. Let us all not shed bleed needlessly.” the leader replied. As he turned back to Jaden, he bowed down and introduced himself. “I am Father Heyman. I lead the Cult of Iblisan and serves Iblisan as a lieutenant.”

            “You’re pretty polite, considering the fact that you’re in the presence of your enemies.” Reed pointed out.

            “True enough but we are not here to do anymore harm.” Heyman answered.

            “Oh yeah? Then what’s with those guys, walking around with guns?” Kida said while pointing at the cultists.

            “Bodyguards. Do I look like a brute to you?” Heyman said.

            “What do you want with Asura?” Jaden requested.

            Heyman turned to Jaden and smiled. He replied, “We merely wish to ask for her cooperation in this war. It is us against the rest of the world and it would ease us knowing that another god is siding with us.”

            “Well too bad. She’s on our side now.” Jaden reacted.

            “Oh? Well that’s unfortunate. It seems that she’s turned her backs on who she is. May the God of Creation have mercy on her.”

            “What are you exactly? You don’t look like you belong in this war.” Jaden asked, finding it unusual that Iblisan would employ an aged, polite priest to lead the cult.

            “You haven’t heard of Bastion my child? Seems like Salvagers of the old did not talk much of us.” Heyman replied.

            “Bastion? That old religious mumbo-jumbo group? You guys are still around?” Reed asked.

            “Yes we are. We converted. We are now the Cult of Iblisan.” Heyman said with his arms wide open, proud of himself.

            “Are you even serious? It is already bad enough that you walk into everyone’s house, preaching and asking us to convert even while the Grand Betrayal was going on. Now, you bowed down to that fallen angel and talk as if nothing bad has happened? You fools never changed.” Reed complained.

            “I’m sorry, what is Bastion?” Jaden asked.

            “Seems like your friend knows about us. It would take me a while to explain it all so perhaps you ought to ask him later.” Heyman answered.

            “Regardless, you guys are far too dangerous to let walk around. Not once but twice you idiots turned against the Salvagers! I say, we kill you right where you stand.” Reed said, moving closer Heyman with his rifle aimed at him. The threatening sight caused Heyman to retract while his bodyguards aimed their guns at Reed. Jaden then raised her arm, obstructing Reed.

            “Reed, wait.” Jaden said.

            “What for? Don’t be fooled by his geezer look. He’s a killer I tell you. A killer! Isn’t that why he’s Iblisan’s lieutenant?”

            “Reed, just wait. He hasn’t done anything thus far so let him go.”

            “But Jaden…”

            “Reed…”

            Not willing to get on Jaden’s bad side, he nodded in agreement, albeit half-heartedly. He glared at Heyman before backing away.

            “Asura is on our side so there is nothing for you here. I suggest you leave.” Jaden told Heyman.

            “Very well Jaden.” Heyman answered with a nod. He turned and walked away while his bodyguards followed him. Before he reached the forest, he halted and told Jaden, “I did what I was ordered to as a diplomat and a priest. Now, I will do what I was ordered to as a lieutenant of Iblisan.”

            “What?” Reed asked.

            Heyman turned to the party and held his staff with both his hands. He lifted it up high above his head, his eyes glowing and the hands radiating a red glow before thrusting it hard onto the ground. The impact caused the ground to split open, the force moving towards Jaden and her party, almost resembling a Dark Shockwave. The attack caught them by surprise but they all dodged it in time to avoid the brunt of the force.

            “I knew that bastard was going to try something!” Reed said. “Jaden, I told you so!” he exclaimed while pointing at Jaden.

            “Too late for throwing blame! We got a fight on our hands!” Kida shouted while blocking bullets fired at her with a magical shield.

            “Iblisan demanded their lives and we shall provide. Once we’re done with them, we turn to Asura. Iblisan wants her. She will be enlightened with the wisdom of the gods.” Heyman muttered out.

            “Shut up and die!” Reed shouted while spraying a wave of lead at Heyman, though he blocked it all with a magical shield.

            Jaden stood up and dashed at Heyman, attempting to slash him but he back flipped, dodging her attack. While in the air, he conjured a fiery projectile from his staff and threw at Jaden. She looked up in time to see it and slashed the fireball, dissipating it. Some of the cultists then turned their attention to her and opened fire on her. She deflected their bullets with her katana and rolled behind a nearby tree for cover. Reed and Jaina also seek cover from nearby trees, returning fire when the cultists were reloading while Kida supported them by throwing shadowy bolts.

            While Reed was reloading, he saw the sirens nearby, barely reacting to the battle taking place. He shouted, “Hey! Help us out here!”

            “We can’t. We need approval from our goddess before we do anything.” one of the sirens replied.

            “Bloody idiots!” Reed cursed before returning fire at one of the cultists, who was spooked by the shot that he jumped to a nearby hut for cover. As he continued shooting, Reed saw one of the cultist ships in the sky, hovering and aiming its guns at him. As the ship charged up its gun, Reed ran out of cover, knowing what was coming. The ship fired its cannons, barely missing him but the impact almost threw him off balance. He hid behind a nearby hut while keeping an eye on the ship.

            “Jaden! Those ships need to go down!” Reed shouted.

            “I know. I’m telling Vader to assist us using the Crimson Spinner.” Jaden replied.

            True to her words, a pair of cannon slugs crashed into the ship, damaging it severely, while the Crimson Spinner flew past it. The ship exploded and the debris scattered around the area.

            “The gods demand judgment for all the deaths you have caused Jaden Highland. We shall rejoice the day your sinful soul was strapped onto a cross and crucified, cleansed by the sun of all your sins.” Heyman taunted before throwing a fireball at the tree that Jaden was leaning on.

            In retaliation, Jaden jumped out of cover and sprinted at Heyman. She cut through a fireball thrown at her and attempted to slash him again but he dodged it with seeming ease. He swung his staff at her, hitting her hard on her shoulder and staggering her while she screamed in pain. He then raised his free hand, gripping her with an unseen Kinetic Energy. Lifting her through her torso, he suspended her in the air while she struggled to free herself.

            “Behold the power of the gods.” Heyman chanted.

            “Behold this!” Jaden retorted. Ceasing her struggling, Jaden began to charge her katana with Light Energy, causing it to glow blue with an increasing intensity. The glow blinded Heyman for a while. Pulling back her sword, Jaden roared with ferocity, her voice echoing into the forest, before throwing her katana at one of the cultists. The sword spun like a rotor as it flew and slashed through the distracted cultist, killing him. The blade continued to fly through the air, cutting through other cultists, barely slowing down with each impact. Jaden’s hand was held out, controlling the movement of the sword.

            “Magic Throw. Impressive young Energy Bladesman.” Heyman commented.

            She then directed the katana towards Heyman once all the cultists were hit but Heyman blocked it with his staff. The impact broke Jaden’s control over the sword and it fell onto the ground, no longer glowing blue as its magical control diminished.

            “Does your willingness to shed blood know no end?” he asked before charging his fingers with electrical Dark Energies. He then threw red Dark Lightning upon Jaden, who was still suspended in midair by his Kinetic Energies, electrocuting her while she was helpless. Her screams caught Reed, Kida and Jaina’s attention. Now that the rest of the cultists were dead, they directed their fire upon the lone Heyman. However, he conjured another magical shield which blocked all bullets and absorbed Kida’s shadowy bolts. The party watched as Jaden was tortured by his stream of Dark Lightning.

            Annoyed by his magical shield, Kida clasped her hands together while a dark purple aura formed on the ground around her. A dark portal opened over her and her loyal minion, the demon A’trus Hathgrave, exited the portal, landing right in front of her. Pointing at Heyman, she ordered the demon to charge in and destroy the shield. With a quick nod, Hathgrave rushed in and brought his mighty axe down upon the shield, shattering it.

            Startled, Heyman ceased his Dark Lightning channeling to see what destroyed his shield. He watched with horror as the towering demon stood before him with its massive axe in hand.

            “Demon!” he shouted.

            He tossed a limp Jaden away with his Kinetic Energies while his attention was still fixed upon the demon. Jaden crashed onto the floor and laid there motionless while Reed, worried about her, ran in to check on her.

            “Your kind is a plague upon the world! And you, warlock! You are a traitor to our kind!” Heyman exclaimed.

            “Iblisan is the one who accepted warlocks into his army fool!” Kida retaliated.

            “He baptized them, wiped them off the sins and evil of the demons! The demons that they summoned were loyal, not the disorderly monsters you’re unleashing upon this world!”

            “You’re not even talking sense!”

            “I don’t care! Just kill him!” Jaina retorted.

            Hathgrave brought up his axe and tried to cut him but Heyman parried with his staff. He then used Kinetic Energies to push Kida and Jaina back, knocking them down before they could act. He then pushed Hathgrave back with the Kinetic Energies but it simply staggered him back. After recovering, Hathgrave ran in and attacked but all his slashes were dodged by Heyman. He then teleported away, marginally dodging one of Hathgrave’s slashes, and reappeared behind the demon.

            He then casts Dark Lightning upon the demon, damaging him and forcing him to his knees, while chanting out, “Die baptized in the fury of the gods!” Suddenly, he felt an Energy presence behind him. He dodged away in time to avoid a shadow bolt thrown at him by Kida, who just recovered.

            “You’ve just made an enemy out of me.” Kida said.

            “So be it.” Heyman replied.

            “Jaden! Wake up! Wake up girl!” Reed said while shaking her in an attempt to wake her up.

            “Reed…is Heyman…”

            “That’s bastard is still alive but he’ll die pretty soon. Come on. Get up.”

            “No need. You mortals have done enough.” a familiar female voice said.

            Reed looked up to see Asura, standing before him and Jaden. The goddess looked down upon Jaden with a smirk, telling her, “You’re a pretty durable one, aren’t you? You just stay down there while I deal with this little trash.”

            Asura then turned her attention to the fight going on between Heyman and the rest of Jaden’s party. She approached them while Jaden struggled to sit up, wondering what Asura had in mind.

            “All of you fools, stop all this fighting!” Asura shouted, her voice magically amplified. Kida and Jaina ceased their attacks while Heyman turned to Asura. Hathgrave, who was still kneeling down in pain, merely looked up to the goddess who stood before him.

            “Asura…” Hathgrave muttered out.

            She turned to the demon and smiled as he lowered his head with respect.

            “Ah, a demon. Yet another race that worshipped me. I appreciate all the needless attention but your people don’t need me to watch over you.” Asura said.

            “Nonetheless, I am not worthy of laying my eyes upon your wondrous form.”

            “Indeed, my form is pretty wondrous, isn’t it?”

            “Asura. You’ve turned your back on the gods.” Heyman told her.

            “Haven’t I always?”Asura asked.

            “Iblisan is disappointed at your willingness to assist the Liberator Alliance. He expected better from you.”

            “The feeling is mutual priest.”

            “Now, he demands your capture. He has something planned for you.”

            “I know. My sirens have been listening and they told me everything you said. They’re still nearby if you haven’t noticed.”

            “I’ve come to fulfill my Lord’s request. Surrender, Goddess of Life and Death!” Heyman requested.

            Rather than listen to him, Asura crossed her arms while swinging her hips. She looked at him with her brow raised and her smile still shown.

            “Than you force me to restrain you!” Heyman shouted. He summoned forth Dark Tentacles and grabbed her wrists, pulling her up and suspending her into the air. He then used the tentacles to wrap her ankles and wrists together. Regardless, Asura barely flinched in fear or desperation. She continued to stare at him while smirking.

            “Do you fear the fate that comes to you?” Heyman asked.

            Asura chuckled before answering, “I am a goddess. What exactly am I supposed to be afraid of?”

            “So smug. Well, time to take you to Iblisan.” he replied while carrying the restrained goddess away.

            “I have a question human.” Asura demanded, halting Heyman in his tracks. “Do you fear death?”

            “No! Death is a gift upon those who lived their lives, worshipping their creators and doing what our creators demand us! I do not fear death for I have done enough in my life to secure my place in the afterlife.”

            “Really?” Asura asked.

            Suddenly, Heyman felt a stinging pain coming from inside him, close to his heart. The excruciating pain forced him down to his knees and his sight began to blur as unconsciousness, or death, came upon him. He was then incapable of breathing and he gasped uncontrollably for air. Losing concentration, he broke the channeling of the Dark Tentacle spell, releasing Asura, who landed on her feet. Asura strutted towards him while he looked up to the goddess.

            “Ah Heyman. You religious sorts are all talk. But, in your hearts, you harbored shadows darker than even the common men and women.” Asura said while kneeling down next to him. “Now, I’ll give you two choices. One, you leave this planet and return to your false Lord with whatever ship you had left without me. Or two, you just stay there twitching while I slowly suck your spirit forcefully from your body.”

            Not willing to suffer, Heyman teleported himself out of the area. He returned to one of the ships not destroyed by the Crimson Spinner and ordered the fleet to retreat. Asura adjusted her hat  as she watched as the ships flew into space and out of Sarnyr.

            “Goodbye! I hope you enjoyed your stay!” Asura shouted while waving with a beaming smile on her face.

            Jaden, who regained enough of her strength to stand, approached Asura and said, “Thanks. You really helped us there.”

            “No, thank you. Risking your lives to keep those bastards away is no small feat. I thought I owed you so I decided to step in.” Asura retorted.

           

            “That asshole is still alive though. It’d probably be better if you killed him Asura.” Kida told her.

            “Perhaps. But that misguided fool can now tell everyone how dangerous I can be. That would probably strike some fear into their hearts.” Asura replied.

*     *     *

            “So the Cult of Iblisan was truly just Bastion using a different name? Why am I not surprised? This isn’t the first time they transitioned to the Cult of Iblisan. Those zealots worship gods and angels so much that they are so willing to turn against their people if it means pleasing those same gods and angels. It is already bad enough that they fought against Ariel so many times during the First World War.” Asura said upon hearing Reed’s explanation over who Father Heyman was.

            “My mother never told me anything about a group called Bastion fighting against Ariel in her stories.” Jaden retorted.

            “I doubt Bastion’s actions during the First World War was something any human would be proud of. Your mother probably did not wish to discuss it.” Asura suggested.

            “What exactly is Bastion, if I may ask?” Jaden questioned.

            “A religious group founded by Prophet Mortimer. The wise, or mad, man was contacted directly by the God of Creation to form a cult that would worship him and do his bidding should the god demands so. Without any demands, the cult would do several traditional practices, such as six prayers per day, animal sacrifices and the likes. This cult would then call itself Bastion.” Asura explained.

            “During the First World War, Iblisan waged a war to extinction against the humans. Due to Iblisan’s connection with the God of Creation, Bastion felt that their duty to their Lord requires them to follow Iblisan, so they turned into the Cult of Iblisan. They became the bulk of Iblisan’s army and despite their religious hatred for demons, Iblisan allowed warlocks within the cult. When Iblisan was eventually defeated, the cult reformed back into Bastion and is welcomed back by the Salvagers.”

            “Why welcome them back when they quickly turned against their fellows?” Jaden asked Asura.

            “The leaders back then were fools. That’s why.” Reed retorted.

            “The thing is that Bastion comprised of about half of the Salvager population and they are responsible for much of the Salvager’s advancement in technology and development.” Asura answered. “Despite their highly superstitious mind, Bastion had some of the wisest humans known, although unstable and potentially mad. Executing them would only weaken the Salvagers. In a sense, the Salvagers, or humans in general, can’t have advanced this far without Bastion.”

            “And now Bastion is the reason why the Salvagers are destroyed and the humans now in brink of extinction.” Kida added.

            “True. Even if Iblisan is going to spare the ex-Bastion-now-cultist humans, they’re nothing but blind followers. Humans, thought still existent, will be culturally extinct if Iblisan win this war. That, to me, is far worse than a simple genocidal extinction. Bastion aims to reshape humanity as a hold and to serve the God of Creation.” Asura replied.

            “No offense Asura but Bastion doesn’t sound different from the way the sirens worship and listen to you.” Jaden pointed out. “Like Bastion, they blindly listen to your every bidding without a second thought and you control their every decision.”

            “You may be correct Jaden but I care for the safety and well-being of the sirens.” Asura answered, still maintaining her smirk despite her seeming anger. “Nothing I ask them to do is beyond survival and since they lack freewill, my control over them is a necessity. The God of Creation cares not for the safety of his followers. Did he ask them to support their brethren during the First World War? No. They did it themselves. Did he care if millions die in the process? No. I don’t know why he formed the religion, though I doubt it benefits him in any way. Much of what Bastion did is by their own freewill.”

            “You made it seem like freewill is a bad thing.” Jaden retorted.

            “I never said that.” Asura told her. “All I am saying is that you humans are abusing your freewill. Look at all the atrocities your ancestors have committed. All of it was done willingly. And apparently, Bastion does not appreciate freewill. They rejected freewill and blindly followed their God of Creation, even if it costs them their sanity, their lives, their friend’s lives and the lives of innocents. Indoctrination is powerful. Of all the mortal races that have freewill, you humans have taken your freewill for granted. It is abused and not appreciated. You humans are more fortunate than the sirens.”

            “I…see. Sorry if I offended.” Jaden said.

            “Don’t apologize. You have an innocence about you that is lacking within the humans. Ignorance is bliss.” Asura said, observing Jaden from bottom to top.

            “Thanks Asura…I think.” Jaden replied with reluctance, thinking that Asura was hiding an insult in her nicely chosen words.

            “So, now that we are allies, I guess I’ll see to it that my sirens are prepared for war. You kids can run along now. I’m sure you have your own preparations to attend to.” Asura said while waving the party away.

            “Alright. Will you be joining us in battle when we liberate Dissidia?” Jaden asked.

            “As much as I want to kick Iblisan’s ass, no. I still have my duty as a Goddess of Life and Death to attend to, especially since a lot of people are going to die. I’m going to have my hands full. I’ll put my sirens under your control so, lead them well. Who knows? I might end up sending your pretty form to Spiritus if you die in this war.”

            “Uh…alright. You don’t sound loyal to the God of Creation, yet you perform your duties?”

            “Who else would do it then, if it wasn’t me? As much of an asshole that god is, the wandering dead need someone to guide them to the afterlife.”

            “That’s noble Asura.”

            “I do my best.”

            “Alright. Wish us luck in the war.” Jaden said before waving farewell to the goddess. As she and her party left the cave, Asura shouted, “Wait! Jaden! I have one more question.” halting Jaden in her tracks.

            “Do you have any siren ancestry?” Asura asked.

            Caught off guard by her odd question, Jaden remained silent for a while before answering, “Actually, yes. My mother was a half-siren and her mother was an actual siren.”

            “Ah yes. Glacier Highland. Deceased not too long ago. A pity.”

            “Why did you ask Asura?”

            “As I neared you when we met, I sensed some form of kinship within you, as if you are one of the sirens that live on this planet.” Asura answered as she strutted closer to Jaden. “Due to the bond I share with the sirens, I can sense a siren at close proximity, though I can’t do it as easily for half-sirens. I was able to sense your mother, Glacier Highland, despite being a half-siren. You? You’re harder to sense.”

            “Wait a minute. Are you implying that…”

            “Yes. You’re a half-siren.”

            “Well that wasn’t much of a shock. She is hot, busty and sexy after all.” Reed retorted. “Any women with siren ancestry are born good looking. I suspected Jaden has siren blood the moment I met her.”

            “Very wise and mature Reed.” Jaina remarked sarcastically.

            “I do my best.” Reed replied.

            “You’re startled by this revelation Jaden?” Asura asked.

            “Well, since my mother was half-siren and I’m female, I kind of suspected but I never felt anything like a siren.”

            “Whatever siren abilities you inherited will normally begin to ‘activate’ once you’re a full-grown teenager or an adult. Since you haven’t felt anything yet, it may not have ‘activated’ yet.”

            “I see. That’s good to know.”

            “Remember Jaden. The sirens represent half of what you are and the humans represent the other half. I trust you can guarantee their safety.” Asura said, placing a hand on Jaden’s chest.

            Jaden gripped Asura’s hand and told her, “Your trust is well placed Asura. You can count on me.”

            “Good. If I see hundreds of sirens crossing over to Spiritus, I’ll send your pretty face to the Core instead.”

            “I’ll hold you to that. Now, it’s time we go. It’s been nice talking to you Asura.”

            “You too Jaden.”