"This place didn't exist until a thousand years ago when the stage and the monument fell from the sky. They said that these are created by God Arcania, to spread his power and fame." Alice soared to the stage and looked at Aster.
"This small place is the safest place from the monster attack as this is protected by God. Unfortunately, it does not protects people from their fellow people." Alice smiled slowly then she looked at Aster with malevolent eyes.
All of a sudden, he was knocked down by the two masked people with black armor. They are the same guards who escorted the old man before.
"What's the meaning of this Alice!" Aster shouted as he tried to break free. But regardless of his effort, he can't budge the two masked guards who seem to have a far higher level than him.
"Well, it's nothing. I'm just doing my job as an Arcane Knight." Alice walks down the stage and lifts the head of Aster. She was staring at his eyes like she was staring at something precious.
"As an Arcane Knight? Is beating people is their job now? I thought you are my friend." Aster shouted in anger. He felt heavy inside of his chest. He can't believe the person he treated as a close friend would take him down like a fish on the chopping board.
"I'm your friend until I discovered your inability to use your magic. Now, you are just an object to me. An object that will make good use to me and nothing more." Alice swiped her ring and a transparent crystal ball appeared. Inside of it was a tiny gold marble and a letter 'S' written at the center.
"You see, your magic seed is an amazing S-tier magic seed just like your late father. Unfortunately for you, you can't use them like you wanted to because of your crippled energy path. Look how you failed to materialize the power of your magic seed? Such trash like you should not exist." Alice said with a usual smile on her face. But her green eyes display no emotion at all after betraying her childhood friend.
"S-tier magic seed like my father?" Aster gritted his lips in frustration.
"I have an S-tier magic seed and yet I can't even use it. And now, I'm being betrayed by my only friend. How cruel my life could be!" Aster was filled with rage and resentment towards his life.
All he wanted it to become an Arcane Knight and become powerful enough to protect everyone he loves. And yet the reality showed him that they are all just an impossible dream.
"Since you can't use it, I will just take it and make good use of your magic seed, your power for the greater good." Alice laughed sweetly. But this only made Aster see Alice in a new perspective.
"If I can use my magic, will you still kill me?" Aster said in low voice. Taking a magic seed was equivalent to killing a person since it was connected not only in the body but also to the soul who owns it.
"Yes," Alice replied with a smile.
Then the bodyguards lifted Aster and dragged him towards the stage.
Aster tried to escape but he was not strong enough to release himself from the bodyguards.
When Aster reached the stage, he felt a magical pressure on his body and soul. This pressure was so intense that his soul was almost breaking apart from his body.
"This the secret art of the Arcane Knights. We take the magic seeds of others to use them as a one-time magic item and also to evolve our own magic seed. So don't be angry at me. This is what Arcane Knight really was." Alice explained. Then she drew out her crimson dagger and pointed on his chest.
"You are all a devil in disguise!" Aster roared on his final struggle before falling unconscious because of heavy magical pressure.
"Good night Aster!" Alice said her farewell then she stabbed her knife decisively on his chest.
When it was about to hit Aster, she has thrown away by a water beam together with her bodyguards. Then a woman with purple hair appeared and carried Aster to escape. This is the same person who attacked the mansion awhile ago
Aster gained his consciousness right after he got out of the stage. When he looked to the person who saved him, he was entranced with her beauty.
"Stop staring at me Aster. We should escape first!." the woman said and she dragged Aster out the Grand Sanctum.
"Who are you? How did you know my name?" Aster asked while trying to keep up with her.
"You idiot. I'll tell you later. Right now, we should escape in this damned place. Wear this spatial ring and find a small stone that has the same magical aura as you." the woman gave the golden ring to Aster. This ring was the ring she took from Leonard after she burned him into ash.
Aster took the ring and activated it to open. Inside, there are few gold, silver, and copper coins, some potions, few sparring swords, and a small box.
Aster took the small box and opened it. Then a red stone that has an aura almost similar to him materialized in front of him
"I got it. What should I do now?" Aster asked in curiosity.
"Just eat it!" the woman said directly and ignored him afterward.
Aster twitched his brows.
Why would I eat a stone? It does not look edible though. I just got my life back and now you wanted to eat a stone?
Aster decided not to eat it first. He can't be too trusting to anyone especially what Alice did to him.
When they got out of the tower, the purple-flame phoenix screeched loudly towards Aster with hostility.
When they got near to it, the woman caressed the phoenix to calm it down before jumping up to its back.
Aster froze for a moment after seeing the monster phoenix but he has no other choice but to harden his heart. He climbed on top of the large and ferocious-looking phoenix with his heart beating fast.
When they are ready to set off, the woman looked at Aster with irritation.
"I said eat the stone! Or else you will die right after we got out in this city." the woman took the stone from Aster and shoved it on his mouth.
Aster furrowed his brows but he didn't resist nor voiced out his dissatisfaction. After all, he owes his life to her.
After Aster ate the stone, an unknown power released inside of him and made him feel lighter. Then some dark magic lines appeared on his body and slowly floated from Aster before disappearing.
"Good, the soul binding curse has finally broken. We could go out of the city without worrying about your death." The woman sighed in relief and stomped the purple-flame phoenix signaling it to fly.
The phoenix understands her thought and it suddenly shot up to the sky as fast as it could. The woman was standing still like there's no wind resistance affecting her. But to Aster who is only a level 1, unpledged Knight, he exerted all his might to hold on the brilliant feathers of the purple-flame phoenix or else he would fall from the sky.
When they reached the height of two thousand meters, the phoenix stopped ascending and just glided over the wind.
The sky was clear and the moon was hanging high in this month. It was the first time for Aster to leave the Capital and it made him feel nervous. But after all those things that just happened to him, he slowly becomes more mature and outlook of the world is slowly changing.
"Just who are you? And how did you know me?" Aster asked the woman with his sharp red eyes.
"Why wouldn't I know you? I'm your older sister, Ember Lionheart." Embed explained as she gave a photo to Aster.
It was the photo when he was just a newborn baby. His father and mother were in there but there was also a purple-haired female kid who was poking the cheeks of the newborn baby.
In that instant, Aster knew that Ember was not lying to him. But it was still hard for him to believe that he has an older sister without knowing any hint nor detail about it. Even his Aunt Serina kept her mouth shut about this to him.
"Then why did you only showed up this time? Why you didn't live with me at our house?" Aster spoke with bitterness.
"Because I need to level up fast to save you from them?" Ember gritted in anger and rage.
"Them, you mean Arcane knights? That's because of my S-tier magic seed right?" Aster asked in confusion.
Alice said that she wanted his magic seed regardless of whether he can use magic or not. So it is possible that she didn't know the tier of my magic seed. Then it only means that they have another reason in setting him up.
"Magic seed is just a bonus for them. They are after our bloodline and the secret of our father." Ember frowned in worry.
She knew that she barely saved his brother from them But they are not completely safe yet. Arcane knights will not stop hunting them as their bloodline is quite unique in the empire.
"Those Arcane Knights are just greedy devils in disguise. Their God Arcania bestowed them mysterious powers to take unique bloodlines from others for them to gain more power and abilities. And just recently, I discovered that they can now take someone's magic seed." Ember explained in a serious tone.
"Our bloodline enables us to use multiple kinds of magic. In my case, I can use fire and water at the same time and combine them to create my unique form of magic." Ember flicked her fingers then a fireball and a water ring floated on her hand.
Aster was greatly amazed by her demonstration. But he also felt sour inside of him.
"I got an S-tier magic seed and now I got a powerful bloodline. But the crux is, he can't use his magic. So what's the point of having them." Aster felt pain on his chest. His eyes can't hide his deep sorrow and his hopelessness in his life.
Ember saw his reddened eyes but instead of comforting him, she smacked him hard on his back.
Aster dropped down on his chest. Then his uncontrolled rage flared up inside of him.
"You damn old witch! Are you really my sister? Can't you see that I'm depressed right now? You don't know what I'm going through right now. If you are in my shoes, you could have wished that you are dead." Aster shouted at Ember in a crazy manner. He completely vented his rage towards her without holding himself back.
"Your talking about your inability to use your magic right? You are quite stupid you know." Ember flickers her fingers toward the forehead of Aster.
"Father locked your energy path and your bloodline when you are born to protect you. If not, you would have been dead a long time ago. Father is a very intelligent person. He already planned out the things even before we were born." Ember explained irritatingly. She can't believe that she has a stupid brother.
Aster reddened in embarrassment. Then he remembered the gift he received from his Aunt Serina.
He took the stone and the map from his pocket and showed them to Ember.
"Good. This stone is key for you to gain your magic ability and your bloodline. For the map, it should be the location of the hidden God's Sanctum. There are many God's Sanctums in our empire and some of them are not yet discovered. But they are could be very powerful and rare in our empire." Ember showed a little bit of excitement in her eyes. She was interested to see what kind of Sanctum is hidden in the Devil's Abyss.
"By the way Ember, what are your current level and the type of knight you became?" Aster asked in curiosity.
"I'm level 40, Grand Stellar Knight. We use the constellation-like magic formation to boost our magic power and harmonize the domain around us." Ember raised her chin up and showed how proud she was in her strength.
But before Aster could praise her up, ripples of magic power appeared behind them.
There are few Arcane knights flying with their shields and swords. They are chasing them while casting multiple magic spells to strike them out from the purple-flame phoenix.
Ember, who looked high and mighty awhile ago, showed a solemn expression and stomped the phoenix to fly faster while evading the attacks.
"Hey, I thought you are strong. You could just take them out right now." Aster said while exerting all of his strength just to keep him from falling from the phoenix.
"I can't. I'm currently in a weakened state. I just fought Leonard a while ago. We should escape for now or we're gonna surrounded by them." Ember said with a forced smile.
"Damn it," Aster swears out in anger.