Kings and Queens Chapter 3: Defense against Offense, City in Legend
A/N: S/O to V0ltage from forums for helping me with the block that came with this chapter.
"Your highness, I apologize for the intrusion, but-"
Elliot was promptly cut off by the current king of Velder, who stood up and descended from his throne when his friend and advisor barged in, panting and desperately attempting to catch his breath. "Calm down, Elliot. Slow down, then you can explain what happened."
The emerald-haired man instantly stopped his panicking, and spent a few moments taking in deep breaths before he was calm enough to speak once more. "You see, Renard... The military's project is complete. They plan to use the power of the Nature El to fuel the barrier device around Velder. Artea disagrees and is currently arguing with the leaders. I don't know what your standing on this is, your Majesty, but they seem about ready to fight one another on the spot/.."
Renard stopped cold. Even his deep crimson hair seemed to freeze on the spot. He had no suitable reaction. "Elliot... You're joking, right? They can't possibly be using the treasure of the kingdom to do this..."
"Sir, as much as I wish it was merely a dream, it is not." Elliot sighed, loosening the tie on his ponytail to redo it in a more acceptable manner. "This is not something I can control... The messengers also report that Hamel's mysterious secret project known as the 'Anastasis Aiseiri' is almost complete. I searched through nearly all the ancient texts I could, but I found nothing of the sort. Anastasis Aiseiri is from an extremely ancient language, the likes of which even the royal historians are not familiar with. However, I know enough to translate the name to a degree."
The king placed a hand against his forehead. "This language... I believe one of my teachers in the past went over it. Argh, why didn't I pay attention to those lessons?" He grumbled while clenching his fist, before calming himself to speak again. "It's a very rare and ancient language of which most no longer recognize."
"I am aware, your Highness." Elliot responded again, his deep forest cloak rustling as he moved. "I believe 'ana' means turn, and 'sta' means 'back', or less commonly, 'past'. The character of 'sis' however, is an extremely odd one. It mostly means 'return' when combined with 'ana', but when linked with a word that I am not familiar with, it will mean 'rise'. 'Ai', in this same language means 'come', but combined with the characters of 'se' and 'iri', it most definitely means something else."
Renard shook his head slightly. "So it means something among the lines of.. 'Turn back or past, come... Come what? Come some horrible thing that will burn the entirety of Velder into the ground? Knowing the inhumanity that Hamel's best generals are known for possessing, I wouldn't be too surprised. Velder was already burned down once in the past, by that one tactician in the war with Hamel a while back..."
"You mean Venatio." Elliot answered in his stead. "History was never your forte, Renard. But yes. He was the one who developed Hamel's air force, and was also the one who led the siege that burned the former castle to ashes. The ending of the war however, revealed that he was doing it for one reason only, and that reason was revenge. He wanted vengeance on Velder for ending the period of peace at the time, which indirectly lead to his brother to become drafted into the army..."
"Ugh..." Renard shuddered. "That's honestly a bit scary to think about. Such a tiny thing leading to Velder's defeat... It truly is a terrifying thing. The history books all record him as some kind of inhuman beast.."
"But he truly was a brilliant tactician. He believed that the best way to victory was the absolute way, seeing every battle as a puzzle with an optimal solution." The king's advisor added on. "He was a fantastic strategist, but he was no philosopher. He didn't believe that another way could be correct other than the absolute. And he was usually right."
The ruler of Velder crossed his arms and stood in a more confident position, straightening his gold-gilded attire of deep navy and carmine, with parts of it being a pale vanilla and turquoise in color. "Moving on. We will have to go settle this issue about the Nature El. Personally, I believe this may be a necessary evil we will have to commit in order to save ourselves from Hamel.. And this war."
"My father... He has always said that even the angels above and demons below look upon all this and pity the world. Angels may be horrible, demons may be terrible, but humanity... is always the true monster."
"See to it that the shields are up. Hamel may invade at any moment."
"Yes, your Highness."
-Hamel, Hall of Magic-
The head researcher strode through the halls, his pristine white coat flaring outward as he moved. Vials of various liquids were stashed in the pockets, labeled clearly and set in neat rows, alphabetized as per Lex's compulsive need. He stopped before a gateway, inserting several passwords before the doors slid open.
"I find it quite amusing that you're still calling me here daily for your tests." was the prompt answer from the one standing inside. The members of Hamel's military sect would have easily recognized the standing figure as Sol, the newest commander. The distinctive, heavy plate armor that glinted even at night, and the ornate blade sheathed at the belt made him easily recognizable compared to the other officers' dark navy or bright white uniforms.
"Data is extremely important for research." Lex said dully. "And remember who you are, Sol Nivaldien. The Anastasis Aiseiri is nearing full completion, and I want no unexpected circumstances hindering its completion."
"Yeah, that little project of yours that's been going." Sol rolled his eyes at the head researcher. "Aren't you ever worried about running out of funding? Or is Hamel so pretentiously rich that doesn't matter? Or is that excavation team you sent out meant to find the Castle of Glory, which is nothing more than a popular fairy tale?"
Lex froze, his eyes slowly narrowing as he regained his composure. "I wouldn't recommend talking like that. Remember to whom your allegiance is."
"My allegiance is to nobody but myself," Sol chuckled. "Not to Hamel, not to Velder, not to Altera, not to any of these kingdoms. My loyalty belongs to none. I'm only participating in this mess because I have to. Did you actually think I came willingly? Why should I forfeit paradise just to be in this stupid mess?"
"Shut up," The head researcher snapped, his tone turning cold. "I hope you remember your place. I was the one who brought you back into reality, and I can easily put you back."
"Actually I would prefer that rather than being in this huge and unnecessary war." Sol chirped. "Reality is a horrible place."
The head of the magical sect stared. "You are completely hopeless." He sighed. "Do whatever or say whatever you want as long as you follow what you're instructed to do. After Velder is nothing but ash once more, you can go back to your little wonderland. I find it hard to believe that you're actually the one of legend."
The blade sheathed at the other's side was drawn with no hesitation. "Anyway, get this garbage done so I can leave." He drawled, the mythic runes glowing with power as the silver steel was raised slightly above the ground. "Get your magical sync measuring whatever thing out so we can move on."
Lex's eyebrow twitched as he called forth his staff. He honestly wasn't sure how much longer he could put up with Sol, despite the incredible value he held for the war. "Fine, fine..."
A huge crystal was conjured, a series of three golden zeroes hovering above it. "This is the typical scale used to test power, you're familiar with it." The researcher stepped aside, not wanting to be anywhere close when it was struck. "Your results on a scale from one to the maximum of nine hundred and ninety-nine have been improving in a steady pattern. Your last result was five hundred and thirty. Surpass that."
Wordlessly, the blade in Sol's hand was lifted. Energy begun to seep around it like a flickering flame, an ominous power igniting within despite the fact that it drew on the power of ice. The eerily realistic dragon wrapped around the hilt and a portion of the blade almost seemed to roar as if it was living.
The blade was tossed into the air, and a glowing blue and white aura completely enveloped it once the action was taken. Only a second later, it was caught and thrown with tremendous force. Three smaller, spear-like blade followed, shimmering with the same energy as they followed by, their movements being so quick all that was visible was a streak of light. The aura blade burst with incredible but inaudible strength as it collided with the crystal, the sword shattering as if it were glass but leaving the actual blade within intact. The three smaller projectiles swirled about before also colliding with sharpness and power that could have easily killed a normal human.
Glimmering numbers swirled before blinking to show numbers. Six hundred and eighty-seven.
Lex's notepad seemed to materialize from nothing as he quickly scribbled something down with a ballpoint pen that he also seemed to have retrieved from nowhere. "Improvement. At this rate..." A hidden smile was on his features as he wrote. He purposely trailed off as he watched Sol sheathe his sword.
"If that is all, I will be leaving." The warrior said dully as he left, falling back into his typical detached monotone. "And Lex, I would watch it. Pride goes before a fall, has that not always been true? You may get the rug pulled out from underneath you if you're not going to be more careful about this."
"And stop dwelling in myths and dreams. Your pursuit of ideals has left you without reality in sight. The Castle of Glory, said to be the former home of a king who had reached the truth... is nothing more than just a fairy tale."
The head watched as the commander left, having put his notes away.
Do you not know that we do not make the rules, for we are just the universe's tools?
In reality, all of us, even me and you, are no more than marionettes on strings.
Gods, as powerful as they are, have never been free.
We cannot be unbound from all this, you know that.
We do not make the rules, for humans are merely fools.
The words remained unheard by none but the wind. Lex stared outside the window, at the shimmering, open sea that was in plain sight from the location of the laboratory. The waves and tides were calm. But soon enough, they would brew into a horrifying storm that would devour everything.
-Somewhere else in Hamel-
Gathered around a young woman were many children, each no older than ten. Many of them were incredibly young, the oldest of them only being eight. The woman smiled with a benevolent gaze as she held a storybook in her hands. But there was no title, only a white binding and a simple rim of gold around the edges. A ribbon hung from the cover, indicating that it had been read before.
It was traditional for this one storybook to be published in such a way, with no cover, only a golden rim. Included in the opening page, however, were several illustrations.
A brave young warrior brandishing a blade while standing alongside another young man. A simple staff in the second one's hands as they dashed along a mountain path. The two fighting on the front lines of a ferocious battle, amidst the flames of war. Another mysterious sight of the magician standing in a cavern, in front of a grand statue, staff clutched tightly in his hands as he stared at an unknown danger.
Should one turn the page, one would have seen the same man, standing atop a castle's main balcony, clad in brilliant robes of pure white that seemed to flow in an invisible breeze. A golden crown of intertwined crosses adorned his head as he raised a royal scepter high in the air, calling out to the people of the kingdom. Petals of spring blossoms flew through the air, seemingly filling the very room with the scent of various roses, daffodils, daisies, lavender, and other countless flowers. The voice of the king could almost be heard, despite this figure having long since passed.
Standing besides him was the same warrior, with that same youthful smile he had from the other illustrations. His worn but sturdy armor looked the same, for he had no need for decorative items. His sword was sheathed as he stood besides the crowned king, his mantle blazing in the breeze as they looked out upon the land.
There were no more illustrations.
The woman turned the page and began reading. Silencing themselves, the children in the room gathered to listen. "Once upon a time, in this very land... were two very unique individuals. A young man who had always been content with the life he lived, and another magician in training who has always dreamed of more."
"The world was fragmented into many small, warring kingdoms who always quarreled with one another, resulting in countless and meaningless deaths," she continued, turning the page. "Those two aspiring youths, who have been friends from their childhood, ventured on a journey. They were different, but always looked passed their differences and never saw them as flaws. In this journey, they began to unite those various feuding kingdoms."
One of the children tentatively raised a hand. "Um.. What were their names?"
The woman stopped to answer. "It never says. Their names were never recorded. But their deeds were. Nobody knows what they may have been to this very day."
"Eventually, the magician came upon a cavern. Inside, he found the long-lost relic of a goddess. This relic is known as the Mirror of Incanta, said to grant any wish to the one who finds it. And from then on, he began to seek the truth of the world." The caretaker read, turning the page. "With this new knowledge, he and his friend united the world... crowning the magician as emperor, and his beloved friend as his second-in command..."
Another illustration in the middle of the book. The magician king stood in front of a huge crowd, cheered on by the masses. "It seemed as if nothing could ever go wrong for those two, who had achieved every dream they could, and had seen them come to fruition."
"They achieved wonders thought impossible, gave rise to a time that was known as the longest era of peace in history. This era is known as the Pax Eterna, named after the kingdom they founded."
She turned to another page. "However, soon... their golden era came to an end. The king, who had been granted an ageless body and the power to call forth miracles as if he were a promised savior, was unable to save the one thing that he valued more than anything else. His friend was not immune to the ravages of time as he was. His body weakened, and soon he was unable to lift even the sword that had taken him so far, and had been with him for so long."
"Soon enough, his dearest friend succumbed to disease, leaving him alone as the lone sovereign. His friend refused any royal title, preferring only to be known as a humble knight meeting his end. His last words are known to be this. 'I regret nothing, for I meet my end with a smile. My life is complete, there is no more I can ever ask for in this entire world.'"
"The king was unable to withstand the loss. Without the rule of a strong leader, the grand kingdom known as the Eterna, in all its splendor and glory, fell. This castle however, the home of this legendary king, is said to still stand. However, nobody knows where it is."
She was suddenly cut off by one of the younger children. "B-But why?" She looked teary as she glanced upward. "Why did he have to go just like that? Didn't he know that his friend needed him?"
The woman pat her gently on the head. "I am sure he did. But none of us, not me or you, can escape the end that is coming. And even this powerful king, in all his glory, could not suppress his humanity. He buried his friend, and the tears he shed that day are said to have formed the spring at the Fountain of Purification."
Sitting back down, the child glanced downwards, fiddling with her braid.
"It is alright. Perhaps one day, you will understand." She smiled once more, turning the page of the book. "The king sealed himself away in his castle, and concealed it from the world. It disappeared into thin air, along with all the riches contained within inside it. And to the world, this kingdom vanished."
She did not show the last illustration in the storybook.
The king, who stood so confidently and powerfully just pages ago, clad in his pristine, shining white robes, was standing by the deathbed of his greatest friend and companion. The now much older man, however, still had the same daredevil smile and blue eyes. He was the same person, even though his body was no more than a hallow degraded shell. The ruler looked absolutely crushed to see his friend in such a state while he looked the same as ever, with his clear, flawless skin and strong, ageless form. His white robes did not shine with the same light, his golden, bejeweled crown did not glimmer or sparkle, reflecting his state of mind.
He was powerful beyond what any could ever dream of, but he still did not have the power to save what he needed to save the most. This was a man who had everything the world could have to offer, but did not have what he truly needed as a person.
She abruptly closed the book, sliding it back into the slot in the shelf where it belonged. "Anyways children, be on your merry ways. Storytime is over, and you should all have lunch, no?" She smiled again, that same brightness in her features as always.
Perking up, the children who had been silent leaped to their feet, rushing off to another room.
One child remained. It was a young boy, one who she knew had lost his parents at a young age. "Yes, dear?" She acknowledged. "Why aren't you with the others?"
"Is this story real?" He asked with genuine curiosity in his voice. "I... I've always dreamed of being someone like that myself. I've just never thought it would ever be possible. I'm just a random kid in Hamel.."
She knelt down to be at eye level with the child. "Nobody knows if it was real. If it was, historical records certainly don't attest to it. But you shouldn't lose hope. They started out as mere commoners too, did they not? They went from a peasant to an emperor. Nothing says you can't do the same. Now be off."
He nodded eagerly. "Alright." With that, he scampered off to join the other children.
Even this grand, beautiful kingdom, glowing with splendor, was not safe from reality.
Death comes for all, whether they are civilian or noble.
If such perfection in a utopia on earth could fall, then who is to say the kingdoms of this age cannot?