Hitman with a Badass System

Michael remembered vividly his confrontations with the Celestial Cannon. The first time he faced it, the weapon's immense power and deadly radiance overwhelmed him. He recalled the harrowing moment when Rowena sacrificed herself by jumping in front of the beam to save him. Although Michael had doubts about the finality of Rowena's fate, he couldn't deny the cannon's destructive capabilities.

The second time, when the Skyhall wielded the cannon again, it was Mugashuku who intervened. The ancient hydra rose from his slumber, turning the cannon against its creators in a dramatic twist. The cannon was then teleported back to Skyhall headquarters, leaving Michael certain he hadn't seen the last of it.

"Fuck," Michael muttered under his breath, his curse echoing faintly in the tense air.

"I… I created the Celestial Cannon?" Elidyr's voice broke through his shock, a clear tone of disbelief marking his words.

"Hmm," Wulfric simply nodded, allowing a moment for Elidyr to digest the heavy revelation. As Elidyr grappled with his past deeds, the battle outside between Skyhall's angels and Nithroel reached a critical peak. Just moments before Elidyr had summoned Michael, he was on the verge of a showdown with Azurith. Unexpectedly, the ancient dragon and his army retreated, a move that baffled Michael. Initially, he had thought the dragon's retreat was the day's most shocking event, but that paled in comparison to the revelations about Elidyr.

"Itonys, being brothers, creator of the Celestial Cannon... What a crazy day," Michael smirked, his tone mixing amusement with the weight of the day's revelations.

"What happened next?" Elidyr pressed Wulfric for more.

Due to his anticipation for Wulfric's next words, Michael temporarily forgot about the battle raging outside. He was confident that the Skyhall angels were no match for Nithroel, the Goddess of Hunt, allowing him to focus entirely on Wulfric's story.

"What you created to destroy the Skyhall, along with several blacksmiths, ended up being the most powerful weapon in the Skyhall's arsenal... The Skyhall, always resorting to any means necessary to achieve their goals, used someone you held dear..."

"Edwina…" Elidyr cut in, finishing Wulfric's sentence. The mention of the name shifted gears in Michael's mind. Edwina Wraith was not only a founder of the Order of Death but also the first Wraith of the bloodline that would eventually become the Ashtons—the royal bloodline of Nagaland. In other words, she was Gaya's ancestor and Elidyr's lover.

"They captured her…used her as a hostage in exchange for the Celestial Cannon. You had already lost your parents and blamed yourself. So you couldn't stand to watch Edwina die too. That's why you handed over the cannon," Wulfric explained, his voice tinged with regret and pain. Michael could tell that even after all these years, these events were still raw in Wulfric's heart. He also understood why Elidyr would have given up the cannon; his love for Edwina was evident.

Every time Elidyr looked at Gaya, Edwina's descendant, it was clear. He regarded Gaya almost as if she were his own daughter. Despite Elidyr's stoicism and the walls he built around his heart, Michael could still see the fatherly love he held for Gaya simply because she was the descendant of his beloved Edwina.

But something told Michael that their love story did not end with them walking into the sunset to enjoy a happily ever after.

"After handing over the cannon… what happened?" Michael pressed Wulfric for more.

"Skyhall... they're not known for leniency. They saw your rebellion as treason, a chance to show what happens when someone betrays them… So they used the Celestial Cannon on you," Wulfric explained, his voice tinged with both anger and sadness. Meanwhile, Michael felt something was amiss and pondered where Wulfric fit into this story, but for now, he was content to listen before probing further.

"But I'm still here…which means that damned snake," Elidyr hissed, a tear rolling down his cheek. He didn't need Wulfric to continue; he already knew what happened next: Edwina had sacrificed herself, likely throwing herself in front of the cannon to save him. She had always been the protector, and his belief that she had died a natural death was now painfully shattered.

"But the Skyhall's cruelty didn't end there. They released you, not out of mercy but to let you break from within. They wielded the celestial cannon against anyone they suspected of rebellion or any affiliation with the Order of Death. They dubbed it a holy war, their slaughters a cleansing," Wulfric continued with a heavy sigh.

As Wulfric's story unfolded, a heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone present, from the graduates to the seasoned professors, began to grapple with the unsettling realization that their understanding of good versus evil might not be as black and white as they had been taught. The Skyhall, an institution they had served and believed in as a bastion of light and goodness, was being painted in shades of dark cruelty that rivaled any tale of villainy attributed to the Dark Lord.

The weight of these revelations hung thick in the air, challenging each person's allegiance and forcing them to confront uncomfortable truths about the cause they had championed. It was a mindfuck of epic proportions—had they been fighting on the wrong side all along?

Looking at their expressions, which showed him that they were questioning their entire life decisions and loyalty to Skyhall, Michael couldn't help but chuckle internally. These self-righteous idiots were so naive to believe that Skyhall was a beacon of light. But he didn't entirely blame them. After all, it was Wulfric who had been keeping these secrets from them.

"The deaths of our parents, Edwina, and all those who died by the Celestial Cannon ate you from within… Your anger mixed with the helplessness you felt against Skyhall soon turned into regret and self-blame. And that's what made you hate yourself to the point of wanting to die, to punish yourself…" Wulfric's words hung heavy in the air as he trailed off.

"Before we continue all this, I have a question," Michael finally spoke up, drawing everyone's gaze to him except for Elidyr, who was still trying to make sense of everything he had just heard.

"Where were you in all this? You were, and are, his brother… Where were you when everything was happening?" Michael asked calmly.

"That is indeed a good question… Enlighten us, headmaster," Lane chimed in, turning to Wulfric.

"I regret to this day that I was occupied during that time… somewhere far, far away from the mortal realm," Wulfric admitted, his voice tinged with genuine regret and sadness.

"Convenient, isn't it, Headmaster? You might be the luckiest or unluckiest person to have stayed away from the mess your brother and Skyhall made," Lane remarked with his trademark disdain. This time, however, his scorn was directed at the headmaster himself, not the students. Lane, who never shied away from speaking his mind and letting blind loyalty cloud his judgment, placed partial blame on Wulfric. As a brother and a son, Wulfric should have protected his family—at least that's what Lane thought.

"Don't blame him…" Elidyr interjected, startling everyone, including Michael.

Honestly, Michael had expected Elidyr to lose his cool and lunge at Wulfric again. Yet he did the opposite, even stopping Lane from showering Wulfric with disdainful remarks. At that moment, Michael sensed something had changed within Elidyr—perhaps an overwhelming mix of regret, sadness, or a burning desire to set things right.

"It's not his fault… Wulfric, tell me, what more did I do?" Elidyr asked.

"Are you sure about this, Elidyr? I don't think you should hear any more. It's going to fuck you up in the head if it hasn't already," Michael tried to persuade Elidyr to reconsider, but the latter was as stubborn as Michael had expected.

"No, I want to hear everything. It's time to stop running and face the consequences," Elidyr said firmly, nodding at Wulfric to continue.

"When I returned to the mortal realm, I didn't find the brother I left behind. Instead, I saw a man shattered by his own guilt and despair, teetering on the brink of self-destruction. Despite our weakness against the Skyhall, I wanted to help you. I intended to leave Skyhall, but you wouldn't have it. You were too afraid that they might turn their wrath on me as well. You couldn't bear the thought of losing another person you cared about, yet you couldn't live with the memories either. One day, I found you attempting to end your own life," Wulfric recounted, pausing to collect himself before continuing.

"You were utterly broken, haunted by relentless nightmares. Even in that desperate moment, you couldn't follow through with ending your life, so you asked me for another way out. You asked me to lock away your memories and deliver you to Skyhall. It was your method of self-punishment, a way to preserve some semblance of sanity. You believed that retaining those memories would eventually drive you to suicide. So, you chose to have them sealed away, to spare yourself and perhaps delay a fate you felt was inevitable,"

After Wulfric's words echoed through the hall, a profound silence settled over everyone. Even the graduates, who had been eager to confront Elidyr moments earlier, now felt a pang of empathy towards him. They began to see that perhaps the Dark Lord and his followers weren't the true embodiments of evil. Elidyr, digesting his past anew, knew too well what followed in his life—centuries pinned to a tree, plotting vengeance against Skyhall, blind to the blood that stained his own hands.

"Unlock those memories," Elidyr demanded, stepping forward.

"Whoa, that's not a good idea, Elidyr. Isn't hearing about it enough?" Michael tried to interject, but Elidyr was resolute.

"I need to face my past. Those memories are part of who I am... It's time I stopped running, stopped blaming others, and faced the music," Elidyr declared firmly, cutting off any possibility of debate. He then turned to Wulfric, his voice softening, almost to the point of pleading, "Unlock those memories. Be my brother one more time."

Despite the plea, Elidyr's tone carried the iron of his resolve, leaving Wulfric with no room to argue. Wulfric could only hope that Elidyr was truly prepared to confront his past.

"Very well. I will do as you wish," Wulfric conceded, recognizing the determination in his brother's eyes.

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