Lumia Wakes

Episode 37

“Brrr I’m still freezing from those awful mountains and now this?!” Lunya wrapped her arms around herself, moving her hands up and down in an attempt to warm herself up. The group had successfully rescued Lumia from her captor in the mountains. The group had only just left the mountain paths when they were confronted by another foe, the flame wizard, Mars. 

The group managed to defeat him, in no small part to the sudden resurgence of the power of the mysterious stone Lunya had given to Millium. It seemed to react to the usage of the strange type of spellcraft that Mercurius and Mars employed. Since then, their journey back to the Light Palace had been met with little difficulty,

but a few moments ago the sky had turned dark and a light rain began to litter the ground. “I just want to go home and take a hot bath already!” Lunya groaned, to the annoyance of the other members of the party. “I’d like that too...a bath I mean.” Charlotte spoke so softly it was barely above a whisper. She cast a sympathetic look over to the wolf girl.

“And then there was that shiny masked weirdo in armor! What the heck was his deal, huh? He totally got in our way!” Lunya continued. “He helped us defeat Mars.” Millium countered. “You didn’t even help us with that fight.” “I told you, I was tired!” Though he had contested what she had said, 

Millium was curious about the strange knight that had identified himself as Glorius as well. He seemed to appear from nowhere in a flash, and disappeared as soon as the fight was over. During the battle they were merely glad for the help, but Millium had hoped that there would have been a chance to inquire about the knight’s reason for helping them.

“It was, a kind of familiar sensation.” Charlotte said suddenly. Snapping Millium back to reality. “Hm? What do you mean?” “That knight, Glorius, he seemed familiar.” “Familiar? Like he could be from your world?” Millium asked. Charlotte paused for a moment, considering something, before answering. “I’m not sure. I was born very weak, I never had the strength to leave my room.

During that time, my sister would often take care of me while my brother managed the kingdom. Even after my brother disappeared, and my sister took over she’d still come visit me whenever she could. There were times when we couldn’t see each other for a while, but she always promised that she’d come back soon.”

“She sounds like the kind of person you can really rely on.” Millium added. “Yes, both of them were. I’m nothing like them. My brother and sister were like story-book heroes. You could always count on them.” Charlotte cast her gaze down at the ground, her shoes sloshing through the thin layer of mud forming on the path. “Well I, er, hope you can meet them again soon!” 

Millium tried to lighten the mood. “...Yes. I hope so too...” Charlotte’s reply signaled no change in the depressing atmosphere of the conversation. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rain had turned to a harsh downpour, but thankful the group had made it beyond the gates of the Light Palace’s castle town and were quickly escorted to the castle proper. Though Lumia had been freed from the frozen casket that held her, she was still very weak and was laid to rest in her room. 

Zero and the others had hoped to have her purify the regalia that Charlotte and Kaguya had taken from their conflict with Lapis, but for the moment they would have to wait for Lumia to wake. With little to do the group congregated in a sitting room on the second floor of the castle. “Alright, we should make the most of our time and plan our next move while Lady Lumia is recovering.”

“We should all take a bath!...or not” Lunya had jumped up at the prospect, but after catching a scolding look from Zero, sat back down. As Zero turned her gaze back to the others, Lunya made a rude face at the woman. “What I mean...” Zero began again. “Is that we still don’t know enough about those people who captured Lady Lumia. 

They clearly had a reason for doing so, but we don’t know what it is. We also don’t know the number of our enemies, I doubt it was just those two.” “It does seem strange that they’d have her captured right when we’d need her to purify the Earth” Charlotte commented.

“Exactly. Fiethsing is usually best at connecting the dots in these kinds of situations, but we’ll have to make do on our own for the time being. Charlotte, let’s start with you. Did you encounter anything like them back in your world?” “That...might be the case. Lapis’ final attack seemed to be something similar to the strange magic those two used, but I’m not sure. 

I woke up only a short while before...having to leave my world. I don’t really have the right context, sorry.” Charlotte eyes shot to her feet, dejectedly. “Alice still hasn’t woken up yet, and Fieth and Kaguya are still away so it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to get any more information on whether Lapis is using the same sort of power. Thank you, Charlotte. Every bit helps. 

The other point of concern is that power that comes that strange magic stone when Millium touches it. We’ve all felt it, and there’s no mistaking its similar to the magic that Mars and Mercurius used.” At the mention of his stone, Millium shot to attention. “But we still don’t know for sure, and I can’t seem to control when the stone actually does anything.” Millium said.

“That’s correct, but think back a bit. Lady Lumia found the stone, and entrusted it to Lunya before being captured. She was trying to keep that stone away from the people who were after her.” “Mercurius and Mars.” Millium finished the thought. “Exactly. So then it begs the question, what is that sto-” Zero was cut off by a voice from the doorway.

“It’s an ancient magic stone.” Lumia stood, a soft smile on her face. She still looked somewhat weakened, the color had not fully returned to her face, but she was standing with no issue. “Lady Lumia!” Zero exclaimed. “Are you feeling better, Auntie?” Millium asked. “Yes, well, more or less anyway. Thank you all for rescuing me.”

“What did you mean by ‘ancient magic stone’ ” Zero was quick to return to the situation at hand. “It’s a relic from a long bygone civilization. At least that’s what it seems to be from what I can piece together. I’m sure you can imagine that information of this kind is not exactly easy to come by.” Lumia smiled. 

“I don’t know why, but this stone, and others like it, that have gone unnoticed for generations are suddenly popping up all over. When I tried looking into it more, that ice witch showed up.” Zero sighed before responding. “So in the end we still don’t really know much about the stone.” “Though it’s clear that the enemy wants it too.” Millium added, to which Zero gave an approving nod.

“In any case, it’d be best for now if we waited until Fieth and Kaguya get back. In the meantime, Charlotte, I believe you have something for Lady Lumia, yes?” “Ah, yes!” Charlotte reached in a satchel at her side and produced the regalia. “This is...” “Back on my world, we took this from an enemy named Lapis. Alice and Kaguya said this used to be a world, I think it was Alice’s home a long time ago.” 

Charlotte held out the globe. Beyond its glassy surface one could make out a world of chaos and ruin contained within. “Alice seemed to think that purifying it could be to our advantage and to do that-” “You’d need my power, yes? I see. It seems there’s been a lot going on all recently. This can’t be a coincidence, more and more of the players are revealing themselves. I suspect we’ll be moving towards the climax soon. 

We’re going to need all the help we can get, so let’s get down to it, shall we?” Lumia took the chaotic object from Charlotte. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. After a brief moment, a brilliant radiance burst from her hands and from the Earth, and the others shielded their eyes from the sight of it.

When the light dimmed, The Earth remained a regalia, but the darkness that swirled within it was gone, replaced by one of serene blue beauty. “Incredible...” Charlotte uttered the word without even thinking. What a wonderful power, she thought, to be able to make right from such evil. Lunya too, seemed transfixed by the regalia. 

The power of the moon within resonated with her, and the crimson aura of her alter ego radiated forth as it had when she looked upon Kaguya’s illusory moon. “Hehehe, it’s been awhile, little princess.” Nyarlathotep addressed Lumia calmly. “Red girl! It seems like you finally recovered your memories.” Lumia reached for a rapier at her waist cautiously.

“It comes and goes, I’m still figuring it out myself, actually.” Nyarlathotep admitted. “It seems I can only manifest my true power when the moon is near. Don’t worry, this time I’m an ally. I was the one who rescued you after all. Hehehe, it’s no lie.” “I had hoped, when I rescued you, that you’d never remember your old life. But if you’re really on our side, I suppose it’s fine for now. 

There’s a lot you and I will need to talk about afterwards, though.” “I look forward to it, little princess.” Nyarlathotep smiled wryly and Lumia removed her hand from the hilt of her rapier. “So, then.” Lumia spoke more relaxed. “What’s next?” “Hehehe, isn’t it obvious?” At Nyarlathotep’s comment, everyone leaned in curious to hear the answer to her own rhetorical question.“A bath.”

-Lore written by Rajadeem the Seer, last of his order