The Prince of Castrum Kremnos, the Undying Warrior, Mydeimos.
He is the Chrysos Heir who once denied the Coreflame of Strife offered by Cerydra. He held mixed sentiments towards the infamous Imperator.
For once, she was responsible for Castrum Kremnos' fall—as well as his father's death. He was destined to die under the hands of the maddened Strife Titan, only for Cerydra to kill him ahead of time.
To that, Mydei resolved to fight the Imperator one day. He had never expected, however, for the Black Tide to hinder his wishes.
Now that he is fighting alongside the very ruler who killed his father, Mydei set his personal grudges aside.
'All will be reclaimed under an honorable battle!'
"In this regard, your measured recklessness is admirable."
"Who—?!"
The battlefield fell silent.
Tap.
Tap.
The sound of footsteps grew stronger until a purple-haired man walked out of the frenzied army. They and the Black Tide creatures aside were frozen in this world. Only Mydei and Shi Tian retained their colors.
Mydei instinctively charged towards him. His right hand, enclosed in metallic armor, emitted crackling crimson flames as it went towards Shi Tian's face.
A playful smile appeared on the latter's face.
On Mydei's sight, he watched as Shi Tian unceremoniously formed a fist with his right hand.
Bam-!
One collision sent Mydei flying. The expected physical pain never appeared, however.
Such magical means left him bewildered.
"It has been a long time since someone challenged me like that."
Shi Tian has been fighting with entities above his current realm. He had no chance to showcase his other strengths—his physical body, for example.
It has always been the World Rendering Sword and Nine Lives Burning Samsara Art over and over again.
"Are you satisfied?"
"Enough…"
Just then, Mydei was struck with a question.
"Why didn't you use the artifact I gave you?"
"???"
Shi Tian turned speechless.
"The brief instruction manual I gave you. You didn't read it?"
"What manual?" Mydei seemingly realized something. "You are Merlin?"
"It's a surprise you know my name… but yes, I am Merlin."
Mydei ignored the first half filled with offensive remarks.
"It is said you can summon heroes of the past to fight on your will. Could I see the King of Knights?"
"..."
The surrounding city-states during Cerydra's rule as Okhema's ruler weren't idle. They investigated her source of power. One was Dux Gladiorum, capable of lulling armies with her siren song. The other is the King of Knights who took action against an entire city-state all by herself.
When Aglaea gave him the gift, she also told him of Merlin. Hence why Mydei remembered his name the most.
As for the instruction manual?
What instruction manual?
Seeing their conversation was about to derail, Shi Tian put it back together.
"I can't do so now."
"Then, later it is. Would that be fine?"
"Yes." Shi Tian cleared his throat before continuing, "If the instruction manual was with you, you could have used that artifact's power to its full extent."
Mydei's metallic armguard is based on the variant of the Lion KingRhongomyniad. Her knight, Bedivere, possessed a metallic arm that carried Excalibur. Shi Tian then pitched in another artifact, the Longinus, to form a metallic arm that can transform into a Holy Spear at times.
Hearing of such functions, Mydei was left speechless.
Shi Tian wore an expression of "know you know" while giving off a shrug.
"I came here not for these trivial matters. Amphoreus cannot be saved for now."
"..."
Mydei could not speak for a while.
"I will be leaving the explanations to Anaxa… and the Imperator." He paused before he added, "Your role is to be one of the anchors of Amphoreus… of this forgotten cycle. You will feel the sensation of dying millions of times, all to save Amphoreus. Are you willing?"
Despite the confusion, Mydei's reply was immediate.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"...I regret doubting you. Sorry for the offense."
Shi Tian's current form was extremely powerful, but saving Amphoreus requires the 'cooperation' of others. Erasing every single trace of the 15,015,021st cycle would consume almost every bit of power he currently has. It is a grand undertaking that leaves no room for mistakes.
Thus, Shi Tian is willing to take every single help he could. Terravox and Anaxa are assigned to watch over the next 15 million cycles. Meanwhile, Mydei's deaths in those 15 million cycles will be programmed to 'connect' this forgotten cycle to Amphoreus—an anchor of sorts.
That way, the power needed to maintain this forgotten cycle will be reduced drastically.
Shi Tian's 'cutting' of costs ultimately succeeded with Mydei's confirmation.
'First, it was Phainon. Now, it is Mydeimos. These two buddies…'
He never dared to undermine these Chrysos Heirs' will to save Amphoreus ever again.
*****
Hyacinthia, a descendant of the Sky Fortress' survivors. She had proven herself to be worthy of her lineage, becoming the head of the Twilight Courtyard that specialized in treating diseases and illnesses.
Her bright and optimistic personality was so apparent even in the other cycles. Despite inheriting Seliose's hatred and doubt as well as the Black Tide's influence, her mind was never clouded by it.
She held onto the belief that a healer should never have their mind clouded by the illness. Hyacine saw through the Flame Reaver's gradually dissipating humanity as he continued to fight for others' wishes—and not one for himself. She retained her dignity as a healer and attempted to talk the Flame Reaver Phainon into not doing it. This ensued for countless cycles.
Only now, at this forgotten cycle, was Hyacine left helpless. She faced the combined might of Seliose's darkness, the Black Tide's corruption, and most importantly, the Black Sun's meaninglessness.
This left Hyacine broken. She could not find the strength to move an inch forward. It felt like her body was filled with lead, unable to respond to her broken fighting spirit.
'I… am not a qualified healer. It is…'
The spiral-like light in her irises became more intense. They reflected her current mental state, one that could not be mended by anyone else except for one.
"Is this how you want to see it end, Miss Hyacine?"
Hyacine's frantically spinning spiral irises turned to look at the newcomer: a man wearing a set of pure white robes belonging to a court mage.
"You are..?"
"Shi Tian. But others in this world know me as Merlin."
"Merlin…"
The court mage met the glance of the second woman afflicted by Nihility's treacherous grasp.