[Apotheosis] A Lion's Farewell

[ellielove15 547]

A Lion’s Farewell

 

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“Wounded Knight” by Spsimpson on Deviantart

 

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Elena of Joma has been a loyal servant within both life and unlife for many years. She sacrificed much in the name of Order and Guardianship. She threw her marriage away, upended her whole family, and even gave her life for the protection of others. Despite all of this sacrifice already being given, she saw it as a blessing to be rewarded with an eternity of endless battle and service to her Sunlit Lord within the Heavens. Now, that blessing has become the ultimate curse. As she witnessed her Sunlit Lord be torn asunder by the Tyrant Azdromoth, Elena felt a fear that she had never felt before. A creeping existential dread as she felt such a divine connection be ripped  from her soul, the connection that kept her very being stable. With such a primal feeling from the OBLIVION that now awaited her as her soul started to slowly burn away, she knew that her time was now limited. There was nothing left for her after this death, and that terrified the elven Centurion. She left not long after the death of Xan, silently journeying across the lands that she once defended to say her final goodbyes. 

 

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The Annunciation, 1897 by James Tissot

 

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In the middle of the night, Leoni stirred in her sleep. Endless nightmares of demons, dragons and hellfire would be held over the She-Devil’s mind before a faint golden light would emanate from her tower’s window. The auric light drew closer until finally it made its way into the room in the shape of an armored woman. It called out to the young Deviless. 

 

“L e o n i . . .”

 

The Hellwarden quickly awoke, her silver-grey eyes eventually widening upon seeing who the figure was. “Mom?!” She exclaimed, jumping out of bed. She wipes her eyes several times, as if to confirm she was truly seeing her mother before her. 

 

“I’m here, Leoni. I’ve heard so much about you, and how many people you’ve helped in such a short time. You really are my daughter, hm?” Elena gave a bright but pained smile. Her form would flicker, almost as if her body were a candle in the wind.

 

The younger Chevalier would quickly come to embrace the faded apparition. “I thought I lost you! The others said that you were gone!” Leoni wailed, her eyes already welled with tears. 

 

“Not yet, my dear. Not yet.” The former Arknight replied in a soft tone, embracing her daughter as best she could in her form. She was physically there, but her body was already starting to become more transparent over time. “You’ve no doubt heard of my Lord’s death… I cannot live much longer without his Light. His realm, his powers… they’re all lost. I will soon burn up along with them.” The Centurion explained. “I’m grateful that I’m given some time before I go, at least.”

 

Leoni released herself from the hug, though she held both hands upon Elena’s shoulders quite tightly, never wanting to let go. “No… there has to be another way! We’ve got to save you! You don’t deserve this!” She squeezed even more tightly upon her mother’s figure out of desperation and dread. 

 

“What has been done cannot be undone, oem’ii. My soul was bound to the Golden Lion, and now without him I can no longer exist as I am. There isn’t anything you can do, my dear.” Elena’s golden eyes carried an intense fear as she spoke.

 

“No… NO! I won’t accept that! That bastard Xan might have taken Uncle Nathaniel and Miss Aurae… but I won’t let him take you down too! You deserve peace, not this!” Leoni’s face continued to stream with tears, twisting sharply as she pleaded.

 

The auric Centurion frowned slightly as she looked up at her daughter, putting a soft hand upon the Devil’s cheek. “It’s alright, my dear. I will be at peace… I will exist no more. I have served well, and so I will rest. It’s not what I initially wanted, but It’s better than some other fates one has in store for them.” 

 

“Well… I guess we’ll both be burned away after we go. I’m going to the High Hells because of this damn curse… who knows what’ll happen to me after that?” Leoni replied, looking down for a moment.

 

“So I’ve heard. I’m so sorry, my love. My miracle child, damned by the High Hells. If I could, I’d venture down there and slaughter them all myself for what they did to you.” The Centurion looked deadly serious. 

 

“You’d have to get in line, haelun.” The Devil-Knight smirked alongside a light chuckle.

 

“Then I will let you do so, my dear-” The Centurion suddenly doubled over, her body flickering even more than before.

 

“Mom!” Leoni called out, supporting her undead mother as best she could.

 

“I’m sorry, dear… It’s time. I’ve loitered in my old stomping grounds for too long.” Elena muttered. She goes to sit down, laying her head against the wall behind her. The right hand that was once composed of vibrant golden mists was entirely dispersed now, leaving a stump in its wake. Her golden eyes were considerably more dull than before.

 

“Please… don’t go.” Leoni whimpered, keeping a tight grip on one of Elena’s pauldrons. 

 

“I love you. I’m proud of the woman that you’ve become.” The Centurion gave a big smile towards her daughter, auric tears draining from her gaze. After Elena spoke her final words, the flickering candle that was her body would finally be snuffed out. Her spectral form would go limp for a moment, her eyes still open as all the light left within would fade from her pupils. The Xannic warrior would quickly dissolve into mists of golden-sapphire. All that would remain was the Centurion’s armor, now forever hollow of the seasoned spirit that once fought within it.

[The Black Lubba 563]

RIP Elena