Lloyd sought out King Zarius to report on Cyra's progress, feeling a sense of pride in his sister's improvement. "Father, I've been training Cyra, and she's shown some promise," Lloyd began.
King Zarius raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? How much progress has she made?"
Lloyd hesitated, knowing that Cyra's advancements might not be as significant as he thought. "Well, the first time we sparred, she lasted about 57 seconds. The second time, a minute and 20 seconds. And just now, she managed to hold out for 3 minutes."
King Zarius shook his head, his expression neutral. "I expected more. I thought she'd last longer than that."
Lloyd defended his sister's progress, "But, Father, she's improving! That's what matters. She's getting better with each session."
King Zarius remained silent, his thoughts hidden behind a stoic mask. After a moment, he spoke, "Very well. Continue training her, Lloyd. You may also enlist Draco's help. I'll test her myself after a while."
Lloyd nodded, bowing his head in respect. "Yes, Father." With that, he turned and left the hall, determined to help his sister reach her full potential.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
After that supposed failure, Cyra had trained a lot more by herself and with Lloyd. And by each training session, she had improved more and more to her trainers' delight... especially King Zarius. To him, after each session with Cyra, he was getting a step closer to Heaven's destruction. Just as King Zarius had instructed, Lloyd along with Cyra followed him to the training hall to test Cyra's ability.
As they walked through the dark corridors, Cyra asked Lloyd, "Am I really going to spar with father?"
Lloyd, obviously frustrated by his little sister, replied, "Cyra, yes! For the thousandth time, yes! Now, get ready. Father isn't the kind to go easy on his opponents."
Cyra corrected him, "It's technically the eighth time. And I don't think father is going to be too hard on me-"
Lloyd cut her off, "He is going to be hard, Cyra."
Cyra scoffed, "How do you know?"
Lloyd raised an eyebrow, "I've trained with him for five years, and that's your question?"
Cyra didn't reply. Lloyd started to say something, but she cut him off.
"Fine, I'll ready myself more!" she exclaimed.
Lloyd facepalmed, "Just remember all your training and take this seriously, because with father... you know how he is."
They both entered the hall, and Cyra teleported to the battle grounds, where King Zarius was waiting. He stood with his back to her, gazing out at the dark, ominous landscape of Hell, his eyes gleaming with an intense, malevolent energy. He cracked his knuckles in anticipation, a sly smile spreading across his face as he sensed Cyra's arrival.
"Ah, Cyra," he said, his voice dripping with excitement. "I see you're ready to begin. Let's see how much you've improved, shall we?"
Cyra nodded, looking calm but felt a hint of fear. She got into a fighting stance, her hands clenched into fists and her eyes fixed intently on King Zarius. She was nervous, as this was her first time fighting anyone other than Lloyd or Draco.
King Zarius chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Let's begin, then," he said, and with a swift motion, he launched himself at Cyra.
Cyra dodged and weaved, her agility and quick reflexes allowing her to avoid King Zarius's powerful blows. She countered with a series of swift punches and kicks, but King Zarius was too strong, too experienced. He blocked each attack with ease, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
Cyra's movements became faster, more frantic, as she tried to find an opening in King Zarius's defenses. But he was a master of combat, and he parried each attack with precision.
Despite her best efforts, Cyra couldn't land a single hit. King Zarius's attacks, on the other hand, came close to striking her again and again. Cyra's breathing grew ragged, her muscles burning with exhaustion.
Finally, King Zarius halted, his chest heaving with exertion. Cyra stood before him, panting, her eyes downcast in disappointment.
"Well, well, well," King Zarius said, a hint of surprise in his voice. "You're quicker than I thought, Cyra. But still... you have a long way to go."
Cyra looked up, her eyes flashing with determination. "I'll get better," she said, her voice firm. "I'll surpass you, Father."
King Zarius laughed, the sound echoing through the hall. "I look forward to it," he said, his eyes glinting with anticipation. Then, he left the hall, leaving Cyra to ponder in her thoughts.
Lloyd watched his sister's training session with their father, a mix of emotions swirling inside him. He was proud of Cyra for holding her own against King Zarius, even if she hadn't managed to land a single hit. He knew their father had held back, not using even half of his full strength. After all, King Zarius was the most powerful Devil in Hell, and if he had unleashed his true power, Cyra would have been defeated in an instant.
As Lloyd pondered Cyra's progress, he realized that her Devil side was developing rapidly. She would likely reach his level in less than 5 years, a remarkable feat. However, Lloyd's thoughts were tinged with concern - what about Cyra's Angel side? Their mother, the only one who could have taught Cyra about her Angel heritage, was gone.
Lloyd knew that no other Angel would dare to teach Cyra, and even if they would, it was impossible to bring someone outside the palace without risking exposure. Cyra's existence was a secret, known only to those within the palace walls.
After a few moments of contemplation, Lloyd walked to the throne room, passing through the large black double doors that swung open with a soft creak. Inside, he found his King Zarius seated on his throne, engaged in conversation with Alpert, one of his father's most trusted servants. Alpert, a tall, lean figure with piercing red eyes, wore the traditional attire of a Devil servant: a black suit with crimson trim, adorned with intricate silver embroidery that seemed to shimmer in the dim light of the throne room. His dark hair was slicked back, revealing a prominent widow's peak, and his sharp jawline was accentuated by a well-groomed beard.
As the doors opened, both King Zarius and Alpert turned their heads towards Lloyd. Alpert greeted him with a slight bow, his eyes gleaming with a hint of curiosity. Lloyd nodded in return, his expression serious.
"Is everything alright, young master?" Alpert asked, his voice low and smooth.
Lloyd shook his head, his gaze fixed on King Zarius. "I need to speak with my father," he said, his tone firm.
King Zarius nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Very well, Lloyd. We were finished speaking anyway." He turned to Alpert. "You may leave us, Alpert."
Alpert bowed deeply, his eyes flicking towards Lloyd before returning to King Zarius. "Yes, Your Majesty," he said, his voice dripping with deference. With a final glance at Lloyd, he turned and exited the throne room, leaving Lloyd alone with his father.
"Father," Lloyd said, his voice measured. "I need to speak with you about Cyra's training."
King Zarius looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What about it, Lloyd?"
Lloyd hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Her Devil side is progressing rapidly, but... what about her Angel side? Who will teach her about that?"
King Zarius replied in an "as a matter of fact" tone, "I've been thinking about it, Lloyd. Have you ever heard of Zelthur?"
Lloyd shook his head, confused. "Who's that? Can they help Cyra?"
King Zarius said, "He's an Angel... or at least, he was. An exiled Angel, to be precise."
Lloyd's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why was he exiled?"
King Zarius gave a rare grin. "For interacting with us Devils. He was caught crossing the Bridge of the Afterlife by one of the Gates of Heaven's guards."
Lloyd's expression turned thoughtful. "That's not exactly a complete reason to exile him... I mean, I thought Angels were more just than that."
King Zarius leaned forward, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Lloyd. You see, Zelthur was exiled by Queen Zoya herself, for attempting to manipulate and deceive her own sister, the Archangel of Mercy. It seems Zelthur had a hidden agenda, one that didn't align with the values of Heaven."
Lloyd's eyes widened in shock. "That's... that's a betrayal of everything Angels stand for. If he's willing to deceive his own kind, what does that say about his true nature?"
King Zarius nodded, his expression serious. "Exactly, Lloyd. Zelthur's actions go against the very morals of Heaven. But despite that, he may still be able to help Cyra master her Angel side."
Lloyd nodded, taking in the information. "I'll tell Cyra, Father. And... may I watch Zelthur's session with her? I want to see how Angels train in person."
King Zarius shrugged. "If you want to. You can remind Cyra of some moves if she forgets after the lesson. You're always so observant, Lloyd."
Lloyd bowed, grateful for the answers. "Thank you, Father. Goodbye."
King Zarius hummed in response, watching as Lloyd left the throne room, likely heading to his own quarters.
»»—————- ♔ —————-««
King Zarius: "Lloyd, Cyra might surpass you one day."
Lloyd, sarcastically: "Great, just what I need. A rival."
King Zarius: "Cyra's a Nephalem, Lloyd. She's not going to be your rival, she's going to leave you in the dust. You might want to start practicing your 'yes, sis' face."
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[A/N]: Thanks for reading! ^^
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