Level Up Legacy

“I did and still do,” said Suyin, shaking her head. “Yet, I had to let go because it consumed me inside out. It does for you too, and I know you know it, but the sin within you prevents you from it.”

“You want me to let go of this wrath?” asked Arthur before turning toward the chained creature. “Look at it, and tell me you want to let go. This wrath contains all the hatred and rage this world has felt, a testimony of injustice.”

“Then become a testimony of justice and work to unbridle it,” said Suyin while walking toward him. “There is no use in sitting here and letting it consume you.”

“I always wondered why rage was the only emotion I could feel more than the rest,” said Arthur as he clenched his fist. “This power that I obtained and this fate robbed me of being human, but this is the sole thing that makes me resemble a human.”

“This wrath is not going to make you human.”

“What would, then? Being an emotionless puppet devoted to saving this world? I think not,” said Arthur with a mocking laugh. “Leave, now.”

“I refuse to leave unless you come with me,” said Suyin. “Those who care about you are gathered around us, waiting for their Guild Master to come back.”

“Everyone wants something,” said Arthur with a smile as the creature howled again. It was stronger this time, sending Suyin flying and slamming into a boulder. The monster grabbed Arthur and pierced through his chest.

“Arthur!” shouted Suyin, knowing what this meant. The sin was overtaking Arthur, filling his soul with its wrath. The black crack started lining his skin, originating from his chest.  “Get away from it!”

“You both have it wrong,” said Arthur, addressing Suyin and Eragon with a smile. “I am not the one to be controlled, but the opposite. Your wrath, Eragon, I will not forget or forgive. I will use it against my enemies until nothing is left of them.”

“Kill… them all…” replied a voice from within the humanoid creature, as the pair of blood eyes stared from above. Suyin watched the sky start raining blood, looking like blood tears coming from the eyes.

“I know your enemies, and I will take revenge,” said Arthur while raising his head toward the sky. “However, if you want to live in this body, you must obey me. I am not your vessel, but I will be your friend.”

“Friend…?” asked the voice piercing the clouds, and Suyin could sense the pain within it. It was not the first time that someone offered to be its friend, it seems. However, the calamity had no choice.

“I always repay my debts,” said Arthur with a smile. “Ask the giant living in this land for a while. Ask him if I have failed him before,” said Arthur while raising his arm.

A gale wind struck the wasteland, pushing the distant clouds away. It revealed a faraway land where the wasteland turned into a desert filled with oases. In its center stood a chained giant, golden and threatening. The pair of eyes turned to stare at him with recognition.

“I am the Master of this Mind Palace, Eragon,” said Arthur, compelling the eyes to look back at him. His golden eyes radiated unwavering confidence and fearlessness. “Your wrath will live within me, and I will learn to control it. However, it will never control me again.”

“Who… are… you?” asked the calamity, and Suyin could empathize with his confusion. It was the first time seeing someone command a calamity, not to mention the most ferocious sin.

“I am this world’s most beloved, and its residents’ most hated, human. I am the one who will decide its fate, and you will be my strength. In return, I will grant you comfort.”

“I want to kill, destroy, and take revenge!” roared the calamity, refusing as expected. Arthur Silvera stared at him blankly before raising his hand toward the sky.

“Those who refuse to obey me shall die.”

As his expression crumbled, countless chains sprung out from existence. They pierced the black lightning and made it howl. The pair of eyes snapped open as the black lightning raged.

“You….”

“I used to ponder what made me the outsider and creator,” Arthur said as his chains surrounded the wrath. “However, it doesn’t matter why it had to be me. Someone had to be, so why not me?”

“I will destroy you before I obey!” howled Eragon, sending bolts of lightning to the ground. It struck the mountain, causing it to fall apart.

“I could ponder longer about what to do about the guardians, the sins, and the people, but there is a better option. If everyone is so damn eager to fight, I will beat them into submission.”

Arthur clenched his fist, and the chains dashed toward the sky and the wrathful creature. They tied it down and tied him to the ground, even while it struggled to break free.

“I will kill you too, Arthur Silvera!”

“You can join the goddamn line,” said Arthur as he raised his other hand and held the arm piercing his chest. “Until you come around and accept submitting to me, this wasteland will be your prison. Otherwise, enjoy being here until the day I die.”

Eragon said no more words and kept howling instead. The wasteland was crumbling beneath Suyin, and she could feel her very soul cracking under the wrathful howls of the calamity. Finally, Arthur pulled out the arm from his chest and used even more chains to restrain it.

As the world shook, so did Suyin’s consciousness. She realized it wouldn’t be long before she died or was thrown out of this place. But before she does, she needs to take Arthur back. Thus, she jumped up and ran toward Arthur.

“Arthur,” said Suyin as she grabbed his arm and stared into his eyes. “Please come back.”

Arthur stared into her arms and smiled before the black lightning struck the two. Everything was gone, and Suyin could no longer see a thing. A force slammed into her and jolted her mind back into reality, making her snap her eyes open.

GASP!

Two faces were in front of her, Princess Tiara and Lin Xue. The two seemed worried, and her gasp frightened them. Suyin grabbed her chest as her heart kept beating powerfully, wanting to jump out of her body.

“You are awake,” said Tiara as she held her hand and sent waves of mana throughout her body. “And you are unharmed. You have been gone for an hour. Do you remember what happened?”

“I… I… do,” said Suyin as she tried to stand, pushing the healer away. “However, Arthur is… He was…” she wanted to put it into words but failed. The scene she witnessed was not the one she expected.

“Calm down, Suyin. Arthur is still here, and he is still unconscious. What happened after you touched the black flame? Are you hurt anywhere?” asked Lin Xue with concern.

“I’m fine,” said Suyin as she pulled on the footboard to rise and watch Arthur. As her sister said, he was still unconscious, making her wonder if everything was just a dream. Her eyes focused on his body, looking for a change, making the rest do the same.

“Is there something wrong, miss?” asked Yuran with a frown. However, Suyin was absent-minded and failed to register his words. The ground was silent as they waited, watching Arthur as well.

After waiting a few minutes, something started coming out of Arthur’s body. It began as a small protrusion that rose from his body, and then a small ring came out, followed by several. Then, finally, chains left his body and floated toward the black flame.

The crowd stared with shock at the scene and watched the chains pierce through the flame before it started burning fiercely. Lin Xue picked Suyin and retreated, fearing for her sister.

Oren was the only one who advanced, just in case the flames harmed Arthur. However, the chains restrained them, pulling the fire back into Arthur’s body.

Then, the black flames disappeared into his body, surrounded by chains. The crowd watched as the aura of destruction disappeared and light returned to the room.

“What… happened?” asked Yuran with a frown.

“Arthur managed to restrain the rage,” said Suyin with shock. “I did nothing, but he managed to conquer the sin even when it sought to destroy him. He was like….”

Suyin wanted to say a god, but she knew Arthur disliked them. However, she had no other words to describe his commanding aura as he threatened the calamity into submission

As she stared at his face, Arthur opened his eyes. Her surprise compelled the rest to look at Arthur before all of them jumped to his side.

“Brother!” said Oren as he fell on his knees beside the table. His passive-aggressive aura disappeared, replaced with joy that made his face bloom. “Art! Can you hear me?” shouted Oren with emotions.

“Even if I had no ears,” said Arthur with a smile as he turned toward his brother. “I’m back.”