Armageddon

Chapter 6: The Dragon and the Rose

At first, Selena feared Revelation would be another treasure hunt like it was for Ragnarok but was grateful to see the answer lay before her. Her eyes coveted the weapon, and without thinking, she touched it. When Silver offered to let her hold it, she felt its heartbeat thump within her palm. The handle, icy to the touch, vibrated as if alive. To think that Revelation was hiding as a pocket watch the entire time.

Silver first pulled out the timepiece while traveling to Alfheim, and Selena now understood why he never opened it to check the time; she went as far as to assume he wanted to show her without telling. "Are you able to talk about this now?"

Silver held up his hand, and his mouth twisted around for a moment while he issued his test. As Selena figured the curse was still upon him, his mouth opened wide, and he pulled out a handkerchief to catch his series of coughs. Recovering and breathing deep, his words tumbled out, "Yes—after his banishment and losing the ability to wield his weapon, Azrael asked me to protect this for him." He stretched out his arms and popped his back. "It feels so good to say it now."

She propped Revelation up against its diamond pommel, and a small streak of lightning struck against the glass floor but caused no damage. "Would Azrael have any issues with me using it?"

Silver only shrugged as his eyes wandered skyward. "I dunno. Only a god can use Revelation, so Azrael never feared it falling into mortal hands." He drew his hands to his hips. "However, he still wanted its location kept secret, but he never did say why. But you are of Divine birth—I believe you don't count as a mortal, but I wouldn't use Revelation for anything else."

Selena couldn't argue with Silver's logic; using Revelation was their first real plan at fighting back. As for if she could use it, she held on to her doubts and remained unsure if a Divinity Dragon counted as a god, let alone use a god's weapon. Yet, Selena remembered Ragnarok and how she was able to wield it. Perhaps Silver was correct in his assumption. "If you believe Revelation is the best way, I do too. I couldn't even fathom using it for anything else."

"I'm so glad that blasted curse is gone. I still don't appreciate how my old apprentice kept mocking you for never being able to find it. Why I ought to—"

Selena almost dropped Revelation out of shock but tightened her grip when she felt the metal beginning to slip from her fingers. "The Lich was your apprentice?"

Silver bit his cheeks, realizing another slip of the tongue, as was his habit. "I suppose now is a good time for you to learn how it all began to end his reign of terror. But first," he nodded to the scythe. After taking a few extra moments to admire the magnificent weapon, Silver took it back and whispered the exact phrase again; blue Aether imbued the reaper scythe, and Revelation regained its hidden nature as a pocket watch before handing it back. "I can't emphasize the importance of keeping this safe until the time comes when you need it. To summon Revelation, all you have to do is say, 'Vor'noctes.' It means, 'remember you will die,' in the Elven Language."

The phrase rang through her ears like the Pyre's chimes as she wrapped her fingers around the timepiece, the golden glow gleaming in her eyes before slipping into her pocket. "It will be safe with me until Venexus meets his end."

"We will all look forward to that moment, though I wished a better fate for my old apprentice. Now, where did I put that book?" Humming, he rushed to the nearest bookcase, and Selena was intrigued, but she raised a brow when Silver pulled tomes from the shelves and tossed them on the floor behind him. "Where is it? Where is it? Ah, there you are." He dusted off a journal bound in leather and spun around to hand it to her.

Selena reached up and took it with care. "What is this?"

"You'll get a chance to read it soon, but we're going to visit the past for now. Stand close to me." Silver pulled out a second timepiece from another pocket, a beautiful onyx trinket attached to a delicate jeweled chain. He popped open its cover and began winding down the dials, and much to Selena's surprise, the arrows on the watch's face slowly spun counter-clockwise.