The Gambit of the Faceless God — Epic Fantasy

As Emon lay unconscious on the ground, the brown-haired man who had just slain him slowly turned towards Phineas with a closed smile, allowing for the moonlight ray to bath itself in his beautiful, androgynous face; a slim structure, with eyes of shining golden hue. His skin was that of oliver which complimented his long swaying hair. Phineas, seemingly unperturbed by Emon’s state of being, turned towards the masked man standing at his left corner, and asked,

“Do we just… leave him here?”

“The Misty Sword,” the masked man began, scrutinizing the ethereal sword the brown-haired man held in his right hand. “Merge one’s Grimoire with the Zealot of Mist by using the Arcane Fusion Potion, and you have temporarily created your very own mind manipulator.”

The brown-haired man then stepped to the side as the masked man walked towards an unconscious Emon, placing his right, black glove-covered palm on his scalp, responding to Phineas’ question.

“I have altered the duration of the effect. He shouldn’t be able to memorize anything that has happened ever since coming here.”

The brown-haired man then spoke, his harmonious voice entrancing the atmosphere. “You have done it once more, my Lord. It has been exactly ten minutes since the encounter. His memories of the past ten minutes should be erased by now.”

“He will awaken in just a few moments,” the masked man said, standing back up. “Let us make sure to leave this place before that happens.”

“Of course, my Lord,” Phineas bowed, nervously closing his eyes. “But, can I ask… why did you decide to erase his memories? Was he not supposed to know about your plan?”

The masked man gazed at the sky as he responded, “I simply wanted to make sure he was the right one giving birth to The Father. I needed to look into his eyes so that I would be able to recognize his future child with no issues, because, in reality…

…The truth to everything will not be revealed to him.”

***

-Emon-

I found myself in a black, endless hallway with nothing but darkness around me.

I slowly brought myself to my feet, grunting, as if my entire body had been mutilated—yet still able to move. I then looked around, my eyes nothing but obscurity until I could hear the faint sound of a baby crying.

“…”

With no sense of direction, I began to follow the source of the sound. After what felt like an eternity, I saw a vague silhouette of a baby dressed in a loose white robe crying out red tears that tainted their unnaturally pale skin. The contrast felt as strong as the difference between day and night. So much so that I felt disturbed, causing me to take measured steps forward until I realized that it was an actual child crying right in front of me. The least I could do was carry them and try to calm them down by whatever means possible. As I got closer, I reached out to this child, and right then…

…Another figure emerged from the darkness on the other side.

He was dressed in a black robe that contrasted sharply with his exceptional pale skin and white hair. He had the same coloured eyes as me, light green, which shined dimly in the shrouding darkness. A white raven with red eyes was perched on his left shoulder. I felt like asking him if that was his baby, but the fact that he did not even bother looking me in the eyes, except for the white raven deeply staring into my soul as the man knelt down to pick up the baby, I could only watch in fright, as a third figure appeared from behind him.

It was a woman… riding a black goat. She too had white hair that fell entirely over her face as if she was some horrific creature from the depths of the abyss. She was dressed in a loose black robe, halting the black goat which had demonic crimson red eyes right next to the man.

At that point, I started to stumble backwards, falling onto the ground, which spiked my fright and despair even further. Their presence alone was something that could only be described as the epitome of wickedness. The creatures whose faces should never be shown to mere Humans, for their demonic nature would surpass the Human sense of dread and fear, leaving the mortal a hollow shell of someone they used to be.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I wanted to run.

Yet, I could not.

My eyes were drawn to their figures. The man, after picking up the red-coloured baby, alongside the raven, silently looked me in the eyes for several seconds before turning to the other side, prompting the woman riding the black goat to follow alongside him. The cries faded away in echoes, and the both of them marched back, deep into the darkness where they came from.

I started to hyperventilate. My heart felt as if it had sunk far into my body. I firmly clutched my chest, folding my fingers into a fist as it pulled the fabrics of the black leather coat I wore. Right then, a wooden door gradually faded into being right behind me. Thinking this must have been a sign from Him, with a trembling hand, I pulled the golden lever and pushed my weakened body against it to open.

I did not have a chance to discern what was at the other end of the door, since, right when the door opened, I fell unconscious. All I could feel was the sensation of descending onto the earth from the skies as if I jumped out of a Flying Ship with no flying aid. Right when I was about to hit the surface…

…I gasped, popping my eyes open, just to find myself lying on a bed in a small, cornered wooden-walled bedroom, with faint, distant chatters of numerous people coming from below.

Where… am I?!

A faint lamp was put next to the bed on a wooden counter, allowing me to discern what the room consisted of. The first thing I noticed was the strong and warm smell of deeply marinated meats and foods, followed by a portrait that stood on the counter, depicting a family of three, a mother and a father, alongside what seemed to be their only daughter.

Right when I was about to stand up, the adjacent door opened. My eyes widened in shock as I instinctively reached for my handgun behind my back only to find out nothing was there. Not even my Grimoire was anywhere to be found. I lowered my head, gazing at my trembling palms as I realised I was stripped off my clothes, leaving me with a white blouse and black pants.

A lady dressed in a brown robe entered the room, holding an iron plate that carried a glass of water alongside a few freshly baked breads.

“Oh, hello? Are you doing well?” the lady asked, tilting her head to the side.

I remained seated, raising my head to meet her eyes.

“Where am I?”

“Here, calm down a little,” she responded, placing the plate on the counter. “You gave us an entire spectacle just minutes ago already.”

“A spectacle? What do you mean?” I pondered, realizing I was entirely drenched in cold sweat which caused my blouse to cling onto my back. Yet, the lady seemed to be worried about my current state. She took the glass and handed it to me.

“Take a sip, dear. You seem to be a little dazed. I also have your glasses right here,” she continued, handing my glasses to me from her pockets. “I should have placed it right here, but I was a little busy dealing with customers.”

“Pardon me, but there seems to be something wrong,” I retorted, taking a few sips from the glass. “I am in no need of help.”

“Are you sure?” she began. “You were screaming your lungs out and convulsing on the bed, shaking your head, kicking your feet in the air and swinging your arms as if you got possessed. My husband prayed for you for the entire duration of your episode until you calmed down…”

“What…?”

Convulsed? What is she talking about?

Wait, that dream…

…What was it about again?

All I remember was… seeing that wooden door in front of me.

How could a door cause me to scream in my sleep?

But, how did I get here? All I remember was arriving here and readying up to pass through the streets…

“Again,” the lady said, breaking my contemplative state. “Take some of the water. We took you in after my husband found you alongside two others lying unconscious right behind our store, on the mid-high cliff. He was worried you may have been inebriated, so he took you all inside from the back doors.”

I shook my head. “Where is my coat?”

“Coat?”

As she pondered my query, the distant voice of a man echoed from the hallway behind the closed door.

“Emilia? Are you doing okay?”

He then opened the door, revealing his tall and muscular figure. His eyes were alight with joy as he saw me looking back at him, sitting on the side of the bed.

“Oh, you’re awake! How are you feelin’, man?”

“…Thank you for taking care of me,” I said with a solemn tone. I then stood up, looking at him with a serious expression.

“But I need to know where my belongings are.”

“Belongings? As in what?” he asked, placing his right hand on his hip.

“My black trench coat, and… a gun.”

“A gun?” the lady said next to me.

The muscular man then held his left hand in the air as he explained,

“All me saw was you being dressed just as you are right now. You’ve probably been robbed, pal’.”

“But, a gun?” the lady said, clearly worried. “What if a group of children stole it?”

“It is what it is,” the man shrugged. “Nun’ new happening aroun’ here. I think the other two victims were robbed as well.”

I then frowned, realizing the lady earlier said that I was alongside two other people.

“Two victims?”

“Yep,” the man confirmed. “We found two youn’ ladies laying right next to ya.”

“Wait…” I said, placing my right palm on my forehead. “How were they dressed?”

The lady then chimed in, her words causing me to widen my eyes in complete disbelief.

“…They were members of Urdall’s church, I believe. Judging by their clothing.”

I turned towards her, my sweat beginning to ascend from within my skin once more.

“Please, tell me, where are they now?”

“The next room,” the man said. “Me already assumed you were associated with ‘em. Are you sure you can walk, though?”

I lowered my head, gazing upon my opened right palm, sensing the presence of my Grimoire still within me which placated my worries. I then took a deep breath before I answered.

“Yes, I am fine.”

“Great,” he said, opening the door. “Follow me, then.”

The man brought me to the neighbouring room. Upon swinging the door open and stepping to the side to allow me in, two figures clad in ancient layered dark purple robes slowly materialized before me as our eyes met. One was a young lady with short blond hair and blue eyes, whilst the other strangely piqued my interest upon realizing the gravity of her beauty. She had clear, porcelain and pale skin, with long black infused with grey streaks of hair cascading over her shoulder. Her slender and almost unnaturally carved face was complemented by her light green eyes, which made me take a second before stepping into the room fully.

Due to the haziness I was still experiencing, I failed to truly have a grasp of the current situation. We were working for so long to find any possible clue as to where these two members could have been, and they were here, right in front of me, right within my reach. However, despite knowing little about what they actually went through, I felt relieved to see them both seemingly at bay.

I sat on one knee in front of them as I looked at the black-haired lady, speaking with a firm but consoling time.

“Are you both okay?”

“Ehm, yes,” the blond-haired lady responded with a gentle tone. “We’re fine…”

The black-haired lady then spoke as she stared into my eyes.

“Where are we?”

“We found you layin’ on the cliff behind the buildin’,” the robust man chimed in from behind. “We decided to keep you all inside until things would get better.”

As I looked back at the ladies, the blond-haired donned an expression mixed with surprise and befuddlement. She looked at me, frowning her eyebrows as she said,

“Wait… are you, Emon Moreau?”

And right then, realization dawned on my face as I responded,

“…You must be Clara, right? Elizabeth’s sister?”

Elizabeth was one of my students who often remained behind everyone else whenever the classes would end. Perhaps it may have been because of the black-haired lady’s enchanting appearance, but I walked into this room without realizing the possibility that a student from Ventoria University could have been one of the victims. I stood firm in my facade, trying to remain as calm as I possibly could in order to protect my true identity.

“Yes, I… I am!” she exclaimed. “But, how did you get here?”

“It appears you have lost your memories regarding the situation…” I muttered.

“What situation?”

I closed my eyes after a deep sigh, as the black-haired lady silently listened along.

"You and several other Urdall's church members were abducted together. Government force has tried to narrow down your locations for quite some time but to no avail…”

The black-haired lady’s eyes widened, as she muttered, “I… I remember,” which caused everyone, including the two caretakers to turn their heads towards her. I followed up, fully turned towards her, asking what she remembered. However, her voice started to diminish, sounding a lot more sedated as she spoke,

“I vaguely remember…”

And without warning, she collapsed, as if succumbing to gravity’s relentless pull. I was quick enough to catch her before she made contact with the ground as the others instinctively reached out their hands and voiced out in shock. I then stood up, carrying the beautiful lady in my arms. At that moment, the entrancing feeling I felt upon looking at her fortified as the vanilla perfume-esque scent of her body became a lot more noticeable. Her eyes were closed in a daze, and I spoke to myself in a hushed tone,

“…It seems that the Zealot of Mist still has an effect on her…”

Clara then stood up, looking at me with a worried expression. “I… really can’t remember anything, Mister Moreau…”

“Don’t worry,” I responded calmly before looking back at the unconscious lady. “I don’t recognize this face. Is she a Ventorian?”

“No, she’s not,” Clara responded, also looking at her. “Her name is Avani, and she has been living under the Custody Agency for a little over three months now.”

Urgh…

What is this feeling?

Who is this woman?

She… she is so… beautiful…

…I need… to take her home…

Her lips… they look so… soft…

So…

…Stop!

You idiot!

I cleared my throat, throwing myself back to reality.

“Do you live far from here, Clara? I can summon my creature and let it bring you home safely if you’d like.”

“Wait,” the brown-haired lady chimed in, walking towards us. “It hasn’t even been ten minutes before the three of you awakened. Are you really not in need of any food, or drinks?”

“I am fine,” Clara responded, gazing at her right opened palm. “I just feel a little hazy.”

“It is getting late, as well,” I frowned. “You both don’t need to worry about reporting to the church. I will go there myself next morning.”

“So, will your creature bring me back home? What about Avani?”

“…She can stay at my place. I will bring her to the CA whenever she feels ready.”

“Okay, understood.”

I did not understand myself.

Why was I insisting on bringing a lady I never seen before to my house? Why was Clara so cooperative, and didn’t offer to bring someone she obviously knew better than I did to her own house, and instead let the teacher of her sister take her in? Despite my respected and well-loved reputation within Ventoria University, I wouldn’t prefer a teacher to take my friend to his place. Not only that, but, a ‘man’ who the one in question never met before taking her in. At the very least, what would Avani herself think about it?

Nothing made sense to me… and yet, I continued.

It felt as if my mind started to become clear but greatly obscured by something… Something I could not put into fair words. All I wanted was for this lady to rest in my house. She was like a magnet that made my body shiver upon each glance I threw at her. Additionally, I never felt this way towards anyone. It felt spontaneous, unnatural, yet, I did not want it to stop.

“If the both of you are feeling well enough to leave, at least come by some other day so that our worries will be placated,” the robust man said with a closed smile. I turned towards him, the long tresses of the lady in my arms swaying alongside the motion.

“Of course. Once again, thank you so much for your help…”

“No problem. Have a safe journey!”

“Thank you,” I responded, turning towards Clara. “Let us go.”

“Got it.”

The man and the lady then stepped aside to let us out before he gave us the directions to exit the building. This occurrence did not weigh as much as the stress and anticipation not only I, but members of both Luria and the church felt over the past few weeks. It felt too simple, too obscure, too mysterious. Despite this, I never questioned how they got here, or further questioned how I got here. Hell, I did not even worry much about the victims because my mind was so filled with the lady I carried in my arms. Despite how strange something like this was, I did not even question myself.

***

As Clara closed the door behind her, making her way out of the tavern alongside Emon and Avani, Zack, the man who guided Emon to the room, alongside Emilia, the lady who first approached Emon, stood silently like sentry statues for a number of seconds, as if they waited for some sort of reassurance that Clara and Emon had gotten far enough for them to finally speak. At one point, the illumination in their eyes faded away, leaving their faces canvases of nothingness as they then turned towards each other, and clutched their right hands with each other.

Right as this happened, a strange, malevolent energy enveloped them as their bodies blurred and merged with each other like colours on a palette. In an instant, the boundaries between them dissolved, their features melding seamlessly into a singular entity that depicted a young man dressed in a pitch black suit that contrasted sharply with his short, curly grey hair and golden-yellow eyes. He had a slicing scar on the left side of his squinted in joy face as he gradually raised it, speaking to himself in a solemn, but harmonious voice.

“It went just as you planned, my Lord…”

“You abducted a total of twenty church members over the course of just a few days, and freed them from your clutches entirely clueless about their situation by using the Zealot of Mist despite suffering from its side-effects. You knew Emon would take notice, and work alongside Urdall’s church to try and narrow down your locations, but none of that worked since you consistently switched locations every hour, every single day, with no trace to be found.”

The entity then smiled, his eyes slowly widening, as if insanity started to seep into his mind.

“After that, you made me send the letters to Zaccheus, and ordered me to strike him with the Zealot Blade so that he would not remember who gave him the letter, which forced Emon to come here and be struck by the same weapon after you perfectly told him a small sum of the truth. You made sure to only make him lose memories of your encounter with him by altering the standard one-hour effect to just seven minutes.”

He then aggressively lowered his voice, his dishevelled hair falling over his face as he planted his right palm against it, his widened eyes filled with insanity peeking through the apertures of his fingers, his voice starting to break in an explosion of joy.

“Afterwards… you placed the two last victims next to him which prompted me to masque myself with two separate identities, and take a glass of water infused with the Fifth version of the Amor Essence, the second-final strongest variant of the well-known Love Potion considered to be the greatest lust encourager.”

“By making him drink from this glass…” he continued, cackling like a maniac. “…He shall bring forth the birth of The Father of the Pale Child…!”

He then fell on his knees, raising his arms in the air in praise.

“The Shepherd who raises the White Raven and Black Goat…

…The Ruler of the Everlasting Night Sky!”

“May The Perished One finally be born! Praise He who understands All! Praise the source of all sins!”

He took a few moments to recollect his composure, breathing profusely before emotionally muttering to himself.

“Oh, Mother…

…the time of your deliverance is approaching.”

“I shall await the Second Coming of Darkness in patience…”