*Date: 33,480 Second Quarter - Chalice Theocracy*
Aris took his place again at the class. Today was different. Most guards weren't present at their posts. The newly formed classes didn't have any desks, only benches at the edge to watch. Two days later, individual duels and ranking were gonna start. He still hadn't set his mind on using the witness stone to get a few wins to enter the top thirty or not.
Rathvoss entered the class with a local staff, both carrying training swords and shields.
"Today our country has special guests. So most of our guards are at the palace. Take a break from fighting one another. As Templars, we are required to have proficiency with shields and weapons. Pick one and I will show you how you can use them in fighting. Of course, you can use these in duels."
"Today is the day," Aris thought. "The Eleven Kings who closed all of us here are coming, and I don't have any power to ask even why."
Rathvoss picked a shield and a training club. "Aris, come here. Pick a shield and a sword."
Aris picked up a wooden shield and sword. He gulped. He didn't want to spar with Rathvoss. Especially now that he'd cut ties with human students when Rathvoss was the one who introduced them.
"You can reflect your shield spell on the shield. Forming a better defense and it requires less concentration. Like this." He covered his wooden shield with a shield spell.
He gestured Aris to attack. Aris raised his sword. He'd never used one before. When he tried to attack Rathvoss, with one swift shield bash, Rathvoss slammed his shield into Aris and knocked him out.
Aris was groaning on the floor.
"Well, none of you can break my shield with an attack, but there are ways to increase our defense and attack. Now Aris, get up and imbue your shield."
Aris got up with aches all over. He had prepared all his spells before bed, so he hoped and prayed to everything he believed in to make sure his shield spell would imbue the training shield.
Aris remembered the Blood Initiate title and pulled from his life force to his manifesting of the shield. When he imbued the wooden shield, the shield was radiating with gold light.
Rathvoss mumbled an incantation on the club. The club head turned into a hammer radiating light. And he slammed Aris's shield with it. Aris took the blow and stood still. But all that aftershock shook his bones. "So this is an actual blow from a high-level player," Aris thought.
"Good job, Aris. I was aiming to break the shield. But you stood still. Your shielding actually covered your gear." But Aris, with all that load plus the Blood Initiate sacrifice, fell to the ground.
Orric rushed to help Aris and used his faint glowing healing touch. Aris immediately felt better.
Rathvoss laughed. "I take it back. You all are weak. You all can imbue your shield. Study on that all day. Imbuing a weapon is a complex and hard process. Requires concentrating on two spells at the same time. But you can learn till the third dungeon. We will start tomorrow on that. Today, practice shielding."
Aris thanked Orric, and both took a corner place to spar.
"I don't think this class is right for me. I don't want to be a magical knight," Aris said.
"Then why did you choose Templar?" Orric asked.
"I think I will try to be an Inquisitor."
"Like I said, you don't have half the stomach for that."
After classes, Orric asked to continue their sparring with spells, but Aris said, "I am a little hurt for that. I will just try to brew potions."
"Sure, go ahead. Maybe I will come for those sweet potions."
Aris went down the stairs still aching from Rathvoss's attack and shield slam.
Fox took his side. "How were the classes?"
"Rathvoss made a fool out of me."
"So usual."
"Yeah."
When they entered the alchemy room, Aris looked at yesterday's strength potion and saw that it had cooled to perfection. But since now he was dividing three ways to increase his success chance, it only filled two bottles.
Later, Aris prepared ingredients for swiftness potions. He lit three cauldrons and divided the ingredients three ways and started brewing. But all three turned a muddy color almost at the same time.
"What is wrong?" Fox asked.
When he checked the ingredients, some batches of swiftgrass had mold on them.
"These had mold on them."
He removed the moldy ones, cleaned the cauldrons, and started anew. This time it was going good.
Suddenly the door opened and Lyra entered with her wolfkin form.
"If you didn't come to show today's show, I would have come to your room," Fox said.
"What show?" Aris asked.
"Didn't you hear? Kings and Queens are here and we have video of that room."
"That show." Lyra tapped her head. "I am here, so shut up."
Lyra produced her device and set up the feed.
The feed was showing the security room, but everyone in the security room was dead silent, watching the summit. Lyra made the screen focus on that.
After a couple minutes later, kings and queens were entering the salon of the palace. High Priestess Aeloria wore her fakest smile, welcoming everyone and seating them at the giant table.
"Ahh, High Emperor of the Elves, Therain Vaelorian, you honor us with your presence."
She continued, greeting each one and seating them. "Queen Serenya Valefort of the Humans, how wonderful to see you. Please, take your seat here."
"Iron Prince Thargrim Stonevein, welcome. Yer journey was long, I trust?"
"Warchief Grakthul Ironfang, the strength of the Orcs graces us today."
"Queen Mira of the Crescent Bark, your presence brings life to our halls."
"King Zoryth Flameborn, the shadows honor us with your attendance."
"Queen Aria Dewsinger, the Fae's grace lights our gathering."
"King Brokkar the Tall, we are delighted you could join us." Fox snorted. "How is that halfling named Tall?"
"Shhh," Lyra hissed.
"Could be tallest of the halflings," Aris whispered.
"Queen Nerithis Tideborn, the seas send their finest."
"King Veythos the Hollow, your eternal wisdom is most welcome."
"Emperor Solenar the Radiant, your light shines upon us."
"So these are the ones who caged us here," Aris thought.
The old elven emperor took the hosting from the High Priestess and welcomed everyone. Kings and queens were all seated at the table, but the High Priestess was seated behind alone, giving the message: you are not our level.
The Emperor Therain Vaelorian spoke, his voice carrying ancient weight. "These passing four years weren't without incidents and mistakes, but all in all we are living and thriving without creators pulling our strings. And now everything is settling into steadiness. I asked for this meeting because of my retirement."
Some voices murmured. And especially the High Priestess's face took on a horrified expression.
"But your highness, without your guidance, this relatively new formed..." Aeloria started.
The Emperor's hand raised to cut the murmur.
"Why is she talking? Isn't she just an observer?" Queen Mira asked.
"The real question be why she be here. Heck, why are we here? Our countries be secure enough," Iron Prince Thargrim said.
"There is already a Human representative. Her observation and contribution is not necessary," Queen Serenya said.
Emperor Therain Vaelorian spoke calmly. "Friends, please, we should not divide on each subject. She contributed much to me, and I hope my successor listens to her brilliant ideas. But now that we have inside Covenant business, Aeloria, my dear, will you leave the room?"
Aeloria faked a smile again and left the room. She clearly wasn't pleased with the idea of the emperor retiring.
When Aeloria left the room, she immediately entered the security room. Guards immediately stood up and gave their seat to her, but she was too agitated and angry to sit. She locked onto the screen. Behind her, a Crusader Aris recognized, Kurgodan, entered.
"Your highness..." Kurgodan started.
"Shut up. I don't want to miss this," Aeloria snapped.
Emperor Therain Vaelorian continued. "Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, I am too old to carry on this responsibility. After we elect a new leader, I will give up my crown at Kingdom aswell. I know I did not inform you on the matter..."
"Sorry, yer highness, before we enter the important matters, I be thinkin' there are some races and their leaders who should enter the Covenant as their numbers increase and their influence grew. We dunnae want them challengin' us," Iron Prince Thargrim interrupted.
"Ye mean goblins, who be keepin' ye in that seat?" King Brokkar said.
The Iron Prince objected to that.
"Everyone be knows if the Stat Freeze didnae happen, they wouldnt even let ye finish your term. And now you use goblins to seize the throne, postpone elections," Queen Nerithis said.
"Those be lies. And goblins got smarter, better in every way," the Iron Prince protested.
"BOOOOOOOOOOM!"
The surveillance feed shook violently as the entire palace trembled. Through Lyra's device, they watched the camera in the security room tumble through the air, spinning wildly before clattering to the ground. The image tilted at a crazy angle, showing boots and the underside of tables.
Shouts erupted. Guards scrambled. Aeloria's voice shrieked orders that were lost in the chaos.
Then a heavy boot stepped into frame—Kurgodan. He bent down, and the camera jerked upward as he grabbed it, steadying the view. Now the feed showed what he was seeing: the meeting room through the security monitors.
The opposite wall of the summit chamber had simply ceased to exist. Where ornate tapestries and ancient stonework once stood, there was only a gaping wound of shattered masonry and swirling dust. Smoke billowed inward like a living thing.
And through that breach, backlit by the setting sun, stood a figure.
Not charging. Not rushing. Just... standing.
A graying old man in pristine black leather armor, untouched by the destruction around him. In his hand, something glowed with impossible light—a tesseract, its edges sharp enough to cut reality itself.
The old man didn't speak. Didn't move. Just stood there, patient as death itself.
The feed flickered as Kurgodan steadied the camera without his intention, his breathing harsh through the audio.
"By the gods..." someone whispered in the security room.