《The Wolf's Progeny》


 Prologue: You And I

    Beyond the reaches of time and space, and perhaps even further, lay the Elder.


    The Elder as a whole were both horrifying and enigmatic entities that could wield an incomprehensible amount of power while predating every known thing in existence. Their presence alone was enough to tear apart and upend multiple realities.


    These beings occupied a place they referred to as The Endless, an infinite expanse that encapsulated countless microcosms. Entire universes that, for as large as they would seem, were nothing to the Elder. Most of these nigh-omnipotent beings sought very little and many of them sealed themselves within a perpetual sleep, seeking nothing else.


    It was the Sleepless Elder that caused an incalculable amount of destruction without sparing a single thought and why would they? With a single blink they could snuff out worlds and create more. The Sleepless Elder all shared one goal and that was standing above all other Elder. It was an impossible feat for even them to accomplish. Whether they were driven by the desire to find an unending distraction from the solitude of their own existence, the actual belief they could obtain an even stronger state of continuance, or something else, they pursued that single goal wholeheartedly.


    So, the Sleepless Elder waged a war on each other that they knew would never see an end or a conclusion.


    ¡­


    ¡°Yes, it was to be an endless war¡­¡± A beautiful violet-eyed woman with long white hair spoke very slowly as she surveyed her barren surroundings.


    It was a dying world and as such, there were no notable landmarks. The ground beneath her feet groaned and split apart, creating chasms in the blink of an eye. Magma bubbled up from the surface as if the planet was heaving out one last pained breath.


    ¡°Until you came...¡± She turned her attention to the only other living being.


    A handsome young man with long jet black hair and glowing eyes that held a golden yellow color. He wore a simple pair of black robes that wrapped around his body, but a closer look would reveal that they seemed to emanate a faint black mist.


    ¡°Ir¡¯rah,¡± The woman whispered his name with an air of affection. It did nothing to soften the hostility coming from him or the narrowed focus of his gaze that remained on her.Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Ira,¡± He said, correcting her.


    She ignored him and continued on, ¡°After all of our battles, you¡¯ve still failed to realize our importance, Ir¡¯rah. Can¡¯t you see that you and I could be the end and beginning of everything?¡±


    ¡°You know what I can see, Khaos?¡± Ira asked, turning his eyes to the collapsing horizon for the first time. ¡°I see a world fading before my eyes¡­ The Elder destroy everything they touch and I want no part of it.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And how exactly did you get here, Ir¡¯rah? Did you become the inheritor of the void through happenstance?¡± Khaos asked, her voice laced with contempt. ¡°How many lives did you take in order to stand where you are. Why is it only now that you suddenly choose to value the lives of those insignificant things?¡±


    ¡°... None of you would understand my reasons.¡±


    ¡°Then make me understand, Ir¡¯rah!¡± Khaos shouted as her face warped into a venomous scowl.


    In an instant, mountains of upturned earth rose up as far as the eye could see, but Ira remained unflinching.


    His countenance, which seemed battle-ready only moments before, suddenly relaxed as a soft grin spread over his face.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t born as an Elder and you weren¡¯t born as a mortal. We will never see eye to eye, Khaos.¡±


    ¡°... Is it your kin? Is that the reason you ignore all that you could become? Is that why you wear a shell of fragile flesh and restrict yourself to such a pitiful state? Why do you care so much for them when creating life is a menial task for us?!¡± Khaos'' voice rose higher.


    She waved her hand and clumps of dirt gathered together before taking shape. Within a single second, hundreds of identical humans stood next to her.


    ¡°Those things you just made mean absolutely nothing to you... Maybe that¡¯s the reason you could never understand me.¡±


    Ira¡¯s grin grew even wider while Khaos clenched her fist. Her simple action turned the humans she created back into dust as if they hadn''t existed in first place.


    ¡°Fine!¡± She flicked her hand and a torrent of violent energy ripped past Ira, taking off one his arms. Ira didn¡¯t even show the slightest reaction as a new limb immediately grew in the place of the one he lost.


    ¡°I accept that I may never be able to understand you, Ir¡¯rah¡­ but I will make you understand me.¡± A primordial growl rang out, shaking the entire world.


    Khaos erupted into a burst of light before disappearing, leaving Ira behind with only those words. Ira didn¡¯t carelessly disregard what seemed to be a threat from an Elder Being but didn¡¯t linger on the words of Khaos for too long. He gave one last look at the planet that crumbled around him before he too departed, leaving the lifeless rock to its own fate.

 Chapter 1: Liliara, The Cruel Sovereign (1)

    ¡°This is a competition between all of you. The exact nature of this competition will remain unknown to you until it nears its end. As for rules? With the exception of Liliara, Erel, and Elora, there aren¡¯t any restrictions or guidelines you need to follow. You do not have to be allied with one another if you suspect someone may have a lead over you. Though, I need you all to remember that you should never attempt to fatally wound your siblings. If you do, you¡¯ll be removed from the competition and punished... Now, I wish you all luck and hope to see something very interesting.¡±


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Ira, moments before sending his children to different parts of the world.</li>


    </ul>


    ¡­


    The hollowed remains of a town smoldered, its soldiers lay on the ground in a similar state to their town. The charred corpses grasping weapons in their hands spoke of a futile and pointless resistance against an unknown aggressor.


    ¡°I find it fascinating¡­¡±


    A woman¡¯s voice, light yet also commanding, rang out through the flittering smoke that drifted through what was left of the town.


    ¡°...These foolhardy attempts to eke out an existence while under the assumption you can exercise control over things greater than you... It is truly an amazing thing to witness.¡±


    Whoever the woman was, she held an obvious contempt for a certain type of people, that much was clear to the inhabitants of the town who were locked in cages. Their captors were an army of unknown beings whose faces were covered with helmets. The visors of the helmets were far too narrow for an ordinary human to see through which made one suspicious of their origins.


    Each of the mysterious soldiers wore a set of dark reddish armor that held the same blemishless luster as their helmets. Even their weapons were odd as most held strange polearms, a mix between sword and spear, in one hand and large shields that appeared to almost be unwieldy.


    ¡°I offered you all a choice, an open hand or a clenched fist and you can witness the result firsthand for yourself.¡± Along with the voice, a young woman emerged from the smoke.


    She was beautiful yet the cold aura around her was purely frightening. Her features were sharp as a blade but her soft lips were curled into a slight smile. Her skin was slightly pale, but not to the point where it seemed she lacked blood. And her eyes, they were a murky red, almost dark enough to seem black if seen from afar. Her hair fell like a curtain of midnight over her shoulders.


    There was no doubt about her beauty, but no one had time to think of it. She approached the carts of humans, mostly women, and children. The braver men were all unfortunate casualties who were strewn about while the more cowardly ones were apart of those captured.


    As she approached, the soldiers in red armor all knelt simultaneously, quietly making way for her arrival. It was clear she held authority over the small army occupying the town.


    One would think that her beauty meant she shied away from bloodshed, but that simply wasn¡¯t the case. She wore a black suit of armor adorned with silver engravings. One hand effortlessly held a silver bident that towered over her. Upon closer inspection, a few specks of blood were just barely visible on the sharp points of the bident indicating she had personally participated in slaughtering the defending soldiers.


    ¡°Monster!¡± A woman cried out from beyond the cage as she held her daughter. Her face smeared by ash and tears, but her eyes still maintained a near-tangible sense of grief.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± One of the soldiers stood up and brandished his weapon but was stopped by a simple wave of the woman who commanded him.


    ¡°What she thinks of me is of no concern.¡± The young woman said as she planted her bident into the soil. ¡°It will be corrected very soon.¡±


    ¡°As you say, Sovereign.¡± The soldier bowed his head deeply and apologetically.


    All of a sudden, a pile of rubble shifted and a girl in a tattered dress rushed out with a knife. She let out a loud cry as she attempted to assassinate the young woman referred to as a ruler.


    ¡°Give me back my sister!¡± She screamed hatefully as she rushed forward with her knife.


    Her admirable display of courage was cut short as a soldier swept his spear underneath her legs and knocked her onto the ground before pinning her with no effort.


    ¡°Oh?¡± The young woman raised an eyebrow in interest as the young girl who was only sixteen or seventeen, stared up at her with pure rage.


    ¡°Release her."


    ¡°But, Sovereign Liliara¡­¡±


    The name of the ruler was revealed by one of the soldiers who seemed very hesitant to let the would-be assassin go.


    ¡°Do as I say,¡± Liliara repeated with a slither of annoyance. The slight change in her tone demanded immediate action and anything less would only draw her ire.


    ¡°As you say.¡±


    The soldier released the girl at once but made sure to pry the knife away from her hands.


    ¡°Step forward and tell me your name,¡± Liliara said to the girl, lightly beckoning her. ¡°If you value the life of your sister you¡¯ll do as I say,¡± she added.


    ¡°...Margo.¡± The young girl spat out as she approached Liliara, standing within arm''s length of the young monarch.


    ¡°Ah, Margo,¡± Liliara repeated with a smile as she reached out to grab Margo¡¯s face.


    She held Margo¡¯s chin delicately and evaluated her as one would do livestock. Even going so far as to lightly squeeze her jaw, forcing Margo¡¯s mouth open in order to examine her teeth.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°You hold a certain quality about you that I like. I too have siblings, seven of them that I love dearly, so I can understand the bond you share with your sister.¡±


    Liliara released her grip on Margo¡¯s face and turned to look at the cages that held people within.


    ¡°What is your sister¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°...Mara.¡±


    ¡°You.¡± Liliara briefly glanced toward a soldier. ¡°Find the girl named Mara.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sovereign.¡± The soldier bowed before he began going through the cages full of people one by one.


    Meanwhile, Liliara turned to address the young girl.


    ¡°I have an offer for you, Margo. One that will guarantee the safety of you and your sister.¡±


    Margo immediately showed surprise but also wariness. The phrase ¡°too good to be true,¡± rang in her head.


    Eventually, a young girl, no older than five or six was pulled from the carts and made to stand in front of Liliara and Margo.


    ¡°Mara!¡± Margo grabbed her clearly dazed and frightened sister and embraced her, holding her tightly.


    Although the soldiers around her seemed displeased with her behavior in front of their Sovereign, they wisely held their tongues.


    ¡°Now, will you listen to my offer?¡± Liliara¡¯s voice interrupted the reunion between the sisters.


    ¡°...Yes,¡± Margo replied politely, but unsure of how to address the person standing in front of her.


    ¡°All you have to do is become one of my knights... As long as you agree, you and your sister will want for nothing and no harm will come to her.¡±


    ¡°Margo, don¡¯t!¡± Mara shouted, trembling as she peered at Liliara. ¡°She¡¯s bad!¡±


    Margo¡¯s expression reflected her inner struggle. It was unknown what being Liliara¡¯s knight would entail but it was the price for her sister¡¯s safety. She quickly made her decision when she considered the fate of townspeople was likely to be much worse.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Margo agreed.


    ¡°... Sovereign,¡± she tacked on in an awkward manner.


    The gentle smile on Liliara¡¯s face showed she was pleased in spite of the lack of proper etiquette.


    ¡°You, Margo! You''re the daughter of a whore and a miserable drunkard who died in the mud! ... I¡¯m not surprised you¡¯re betraying this town because you were born without the concept of loyalty you wretch! I took you and your little brat of a sister in and this is how you repay me?! This town was your home, you ungrateful bitch!¡± An old man raised a fuss within the cage. He seemed to be accustomed to a life of luxury if his clothes were to be taken into account.


    Margo remained silent in the face of his provocation though her shoulders trembled under the intense feeling of guilt and shame. There was no hesitation in grabbing onto the rope that would save both her and her sister while the townspeople were set to face certain doom.


    ¡°Bring him to me,¡± Liliara¡¯s voice turned cold and her gentle smile faded.


    Without delay, two soldiers snatched the old man out of the cage and threw him onto the ground. His face was pressed into the dirt while the rest of his body was forced into a prostrating position.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also need a dagger.¡± Liliara held her hand out and a soldier quickly moved to place a small dagger in her palm.


    The sharp dagger was then placed in Margo¡¯s hand as Liliara began speaking, ¡°I am a firm believer that words mean very little if not followed by action. I need to see the strength of your conviction, Margo. So would you kill him for me?¡±


    The words coming from Liliara¡¯s mouth flowed as an enchanting whisper, both soft and comforting in contrast to the content found within them.


    Margo gripped the dagger, feeling that its weight seemed to increase tenfold in that moment. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she became light-headed, feeling overwhelming anxiety take hold in her abdomen. The very thought of taking a life caused her body to shiver. She hadn''t even thought about killing Liliara. She only wanted to take the Sovereign hostage and force the soldiers to give back her sister.


    The former nobleman uttered a multitude of curses as he was dragged toward Margo. His anger and disgust mixed with the spittle pouring from his lips. He struggled as hard as he could but the red soldiers held him with a firm grasp.


    ¡°Go on.¡± Liliara slipped behind Margo with fairy-like steps before grabbing the young girl¡¯s hands and guiding the dagger to the throat of the town lord. ¡°Are you afraid of hurting this pitiful creature? Look at him closely, Margo. He is nothing more a sniveling coward who¡¯d hide behind others. He is a leech who can do as he pleases because he happens to have more gold and silver than all of you. Without his small pittance of wealth, he is nothing, less than nothing, and he deserves a quick death.¡±


    Liliara spoke sweetly, letting her voice draw out something buried deep inside of Margo who shook like a leaf in the wind. The dagger was pressed against the throat of the town lord under Liliara¡¯s touch, but it was still Margo who held it.


    ¡°Do not disappoint me, Margo.¡± Liliara released her hand as the beads of blood began to emerge from the noble¡¯s neck.


    Liliara stepped away, leaving Margo to stand by herself with a blade pressed against the neck of a man who had much more power than her. She even worked for him, forced to clean his manor and attend to him, all while enduring his lustful gaze and constant harassment. She slept in terrible living quarters and curled up with her sister every night, fearing that one day he would do away with pretense and attack her. Her only solace was her sister, the only relative she had and the only thing left for her to protect. For the sake of her sister, she withstood everything. But what lay in front of her now was a chance. She felt that if she took the life of the noble, all of her efforts so far wouldn¡¯t be for naught.


    When she thought that far, her trembling stopped and her previously cloudy eyes became clear.


    ¡°Close your eyes, Mara,¡± Margo spoke decisively.


    Her sister, as innocent as she was, knew something horrible was going to happen.


    ¡°Come now, you should do as your sister says,¡± Liliara spoke from Mara¡¯s side before gently covering the child¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You ignorant girl! How dare you raise a weapon toward me!¡± The noble screamed as if he could control the situation.


    As soon she confirmed Mara wouldn¡¯t witness what was going to happen, a cold dagger drifted across the throat of the noble. A warm flood of red liquid came gushing out as he let out hoarse and garbled cries like a dying animal. He thrashed around wildly as if putting up one last stand but nothing could reverse the flow of time. The pouring blood slowed into a trickle within a few seconds as all life left the noble.


    Silence followed the execution of the noble.


    For a moment, Margo felt as if everything became silent. As the red soldiers released the town lord¡¯s corpse, the impact of his cooling body seemed to echo in her head relentlessly.


    That was until a warm voice filled her ears.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Liliara said as she stepped toward the body. She aimed her palm toward it and it immediately caught flame, burning to ashes in an instant.


    Margo had no time to admire the strange feat as the shock from her previous actions finally hit her. She could only stare at the burning corpse in a trance until something dawned upon her. She wasn¡¯t shocked that she took a life but by the fact that there was no guilt or sadness. The noble whom she hated with every fiber of her being was erased from the world and she played a part in it. There was a feeling of control that came with her understanding of what had taken place.


    ¡°Now, let us depart.¡± Liliara placed her hands on Margo¡¯s shoulders, interrupting the girl¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Y-Yes¡­ Sovereign.¡± Margo belatedly dropped the dagger onto the ground, but it was quickly retrieved by a soldier.


    Soon, a large black carriage pulled by four white horses stopped in front of Liliara. She climbed into it before gesturing for the two sisters to do the same. They immediately followed her as they feared to anger her in even the slightest.


    As the carriage pulled away, a small army of soldiers departed along with their captives.


    Flag bearers proudly raised a red banner that depicted the black silhouette of a wolf¡¯s head as they set off. The only thing left behind was the remains of what used to be a town.

 Chapter 2: Valeryn, The Wanderer (1)

    ¡°A sword held in your hands is no sword at all, Valeryn. It is your will and with it, there is nothing you cannot cut.¡±


    -Avery Thynne, wife of Ir''rah.


    ¡­


    Among calm waters, a large ship sailed without a sign of trouble in sight while its crew patrolled the deck in a dutiful manner.


    Heading the mast of the ship was a flag depicting the image of a stag, the mark of some kingdom or another. It was likely that the destination of the ship was related to said flag.


    Further inside the ship, a single soldier headed toward the captain¡¯s quarters and gave a short knock.


    ¡°Enter,¡± A voice replied from inside.


    ¡°Sir Gerhardt! We have dealt with the stowaway claiming to have accidentally fallen aboard.¡± A naval guard saluted as he entered the quarters.


    The captain, a stout man with a serious look about him, scratched at the stubble on his face as his brow pinched together. Eventually, he dipped a pen into an inkwell and began adding words to a piece of parchment in front of him.


    ¡°What of his possessions, Bertrand?¡± Gerhardt asked without raising his eyes.


    ¡°Ah, well, other than a few silver coins and an old saber, he had a belt with broken sword hilts affixed to it,¡± The young naval guard, Bertrand, replied.


    ¡°Hmm? Did he say what they were for?¡± Gerhardt inquired further.


    ¡°Yes, he did¡­ Once I asked he gave me a strange look and claimed they were trophies.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s collecting broken swords as trophies? Is it possible that he is some sort of sellsword or assassin?¡± Gerhardt inquired, clearly hesitant to keep a possible danger aboard his ship.


    ¡°If we were to go by his own words, he¡¯s something of a wandering sellsword.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Does this sellsword have a name?¡±


    ¡°Valeryn,¡± Bertrand replied.


    ¡°Has he no family name or any formal titles?¡±


    ¡°He did call himself Valeryn of Ir¡¯rah... I think it may have been his attempt to be funny, Sir.¡± The youthful knight replied.


    ¡°Hm, a drifting swordsman who hails from a mythical city? Ha, it seems we¡¯re quite lucky ones to have such a person aboard.¡± Gerhardt spoke sarcastically before chuckling to himself. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll talk once we reach land. The torturers can be quite persuasive from what I¡¯ve heard. Before then, try to see if he¡¯ll talk anymore.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Bertrand saluted before stepping outside once more.


    The warm sea air tickled his nose while the clear sky seemed to bear good omens, so his steps became lighter as he descended the creaking wooden stairs of the lower decks.


    Unlike the upper decks, the air below was stagnant with a sour odor floating around. Groups of men covered in their own filth were tightly bound in chains and huddled together. Whether they were bandits, criminals, or some deposed nobles who ran afoul of fate, they were all packed together like animals. The only exception one was a young man who happened to be graced with his own personal cell. Compared to everyone else, his condition was much better. In spite of the frayed sleeves of his shirt, dark trousers in a similar state, and worn boots, he seemed to hail from some noble bloodline. His jet-black hair, which wasn¡¯t a very common color in most kingdoms, hung evenly over his shoulders. Even stranger were the yellow irises that were just barely visible beneath his half-closed eyes.


    All the while, he produced an aloof grin as if all the troubles in the world weren¡¯t his concern. He paid no heed to the shackles on his wrist and ankles, maintaining his tranquil expression as if he wasn¡¯t a prisoner at all.


    ¡°Swordsman,¡± Bertrand spoke up as he arrived at the cell, scanning over Valeryn once more.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back to talk to him?¡± The jailor asked, scowling at the jovial captive, finding his peaceful mood to be an eyesore.


    ¡°Yes, has he said anything since I left?¡±


    ¡°Somethin¡¯ bout feeling some swords in the distance... I really don¡¯t know, all of it seems like hogwash to me.¡±


    Bertrand nodded as he moved closer to the iron bars.


    ¡°Hey!¡± He shouted. ¡°Valeryn, was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Valeryn blinked a few times as if he was waking from a dream before his eyes finally focused on the naval guard.


    ¡°What¡¯s with this talk about swords?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Valeryn lightly yawned before he started speaking, ¡°You can¡¯t smell the steel?... Well, I guess you wouldn¡¯t be able to, not that it matters. You¡¯ll find out for yourself soon enough.¡±


    ¡°... Are you threatening me?¡± Bertrand asked with a grim expression.


    ¡°No, but if you want me to offer my assistance I¡¯ll need three gold pieces. That steel is getting quite close, so you should hurry and make your choice while you still have the time.¡±


    The young naval guard fell into confusion while the jailor spoke.


    ¡°See, all he sputters is hogwash,¡± The Jailor spat.


    ¡°I advise you to think of everything you want to say because when we finally reach land the torturer will make you spit out everything you know,¡± said an annoyed Bertrand.


    Valeryn began speaking as Bertrand turned away, ¡°Ah, I guess it''s a good thing that this ship won¡¯t ever reach land then.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying-¡± Bertrand was about to continue his response but the entire ship shook violently causing everyone to struggle for balance.


    Panicked shouts began to spread out above deck and Bertrand climbed the stairs as soon as he recovered himself.


    ¡°Keep an eye on the prisoners!¡± He shouted to the jailor who was still climbing to his feet.


    ¡°At least bring me my saber, I can only do so much without it,¡± Valeryn spoke to the back of the departing Bertrand.


    After getting no response, he leaned against the wall of the cell and closed his eyes.


    Above deck, the previously clear horizon seemed to vanish in an instant as a flotilla of warships sat in the distance. Their black flags bore the insignia of a blue horse with a demonic appearance which drove terror into the men aboard.


    ¡°Calm yourselves!¡± Gerhardt ordered his men to quiet down but looked just as worried.


    ¡°Captain!¡± Bertrand shouted as he emerged from the lower decks to see the ominous warships in the distance.


    ¡°Warships of the Khalthur Empire¡­ I¡¯m willing to bet that they even have enough spellcasters to send us to oblivion.¡±


    ¡°What are they doing so close to the waters of the Stagatheon Kingdom?! Our ships should have at least staged a response by now?¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°If it¡¯s the Khalthurians then I can only assume the worst. They have a history of breaking kingdoms from the inside. I fear that we may have a powerful traitor within our kingdom. There is no way a small noble would have enough pull to leave our waters open like this.¡± Gerhardt¡¯s voice was laced with anger as he headed toward his quarters.


    Bertrand followed him in a daze, frequently looking back to the approaching warships.


    Once Gerhardt entered his quarters, he fumbled for a dry piece of parchment and a fresh inkwell before scribbling a hurried warning. After hastily finishing it, he rolled the parchment up and then turned to a birdcage that remained covered with a cloth. Without a moment of delay, he attached his message to the bird and set it free, hoping it would at least reach its destination. It appeared the bird may have felt the danger as it didn¡¯t need much encouragement to flee, taking flight without a single moment wasted.


    After it was gone, Gerhardt began writing another note, tucking it into a glass bottle and sealing it with a cork before handing it to the young knight.


    ¡°Bertrand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir?¡± Feeling the weight of responsibility slowly creeping upon him, Bertrand put on a brave face.


    ¡°You are to ensure this message reaches his majesty, King Lucian, no matter what! Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°...Sir?¡± Bertrand accepted the bottle with a surprised look. ¡°Are we not going to surrender? Surely that has to be the best choice?¡±


    ¡°The Khalthurians haven¡¯t signed any war accords so they rarely take prisoners and if they do, they¡¯ll inflict horrors upon you that no torturer could ever hope to accomplish. I¡¯ll be honest with you¡­ most of the men on this ship are going die, myself included. I am not foolish enough to believe otherwise. You are a young man with great prospects, you still have a long life to live. That is why I want you to be the one to deliver this message.¡± Captain Gerhardt took pause as he stared at Bertrand. ¡°We will divert our course immediately and avoid getting in range of their spellcasters for as long as possible. There are a few small islands that pirates frequently use to hide from navy patrols. Once we arrive, you and a few other naval guards will take the lifeboats and some provisions and sail for one of those while we lead the Khalthurians away. A patrol will pass through within a week if all goes well so you¡¯ll need to hold on until then.¡±


    ¡°I-I understand, Captain!¡± Bertrand replied, hiding his true feeling under the guise of composure.


    ¡°Good lad.¡± Gerhardt grasped his shoulders. ¡°I have never said it, but even if we do not share the same blood, I¡¯ve always seen you as my son, Bertrand¡­ Now, go and ready yourself, it¡¯s very likely the fate of our Kingdom will depend on you.¡±


    Bertrand struggled to keep up his mask of calmness as emotions filled his chest, but in the end, he gave a silent salute and headed out.


    Captain Gerhardt quickly headed toward the navigator who stood at the helm, steering the ship away from the approaching threat. He relayed his intentions and the ship was made to sail southward causing a chase to ensue.


    As the calm winds became more active, the Khalthurian fleet of warships quickly gained speed, showing the superiority of their naval capabilities. The crew of the prison transport ship grew quiet. Clearly, they were anxious and fearful of the confrontation that was destined to occur as their pursuers gained speed.


    As a few hours past, the afternoon transitioned toward the evening. Not too far in the distance a small island became outlined by the setting sun. As it did, a small group of naval guards climbed onto a small boat hanging off the side of the ship.


    Among the group of five, the most notable face was Bertrand who held a darkened expression, feeling too ashamed to even look at his comrades who were to remain aboard.


    ¡°Get ready to release the ropes!¡± Gerhardt¡¯s voice echoed from above, giving Bertrand a start.


    Bertrand looked toward the ship¡¯s helm where the Captain stood proudly, paying no heed to the enemy at their back as he already resigned himself to his fate. He soon noticed Bertrand¡¯s gaze upon him and sent a single toward the young naval guard before he spoke once more, ¡°Release them!¡±


    ¡°Releasing the ropes!¡± A ship hand yelled in response as he operated a rope pulley.


    The lifeboat descended toward the water with a splash. Bertrand and the other young naval guards in the boat began rowing toward the island with as much force as they could muster.


    ¡­


    Below deck, the prisoners had already begun shouting obscenities at the jailor who, with a bottle of wine in his hand, laughed at them.


    ¡°Shut your fuckin¡¯ mouths and I might just save you all a swig!¡± He taunted them with a throaty cackle.


    The only one prisoner who remained silent through the entire ordeal was Valeryn. Even as danger approached, he maintained his calm. The fact he wasn¡¯t bothered seemed to transcend bravery and enter the realm of blissful ignorance at a glance. It definitely seemed as if he wasn¡¯t aware of impending doom, but that couldn¡¯t be true as he warned Bertrand before the enemy warships even arrived.


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s no hope of getting free,¡± Valeryn said, letting out a low sigh as he tugged at the shackles holding him. He began to exert a small amount of effort and the nails pinning the shackles to the wall groaned before flying out of place. There was no reaction to his brief display of downright inhuman strength because no one took notice.


    No longer bound to a wall, Valeryn stood up and stretched his body while the jailor remained unaware. Though that didn¡¯t last for long as the prisoners grew quiet, finally seeing that one of their own freed themselves. They began staring in his direction which immediately drew the attention of the jailor.


    ¡°Oi!¡± The jailor turned around to see Valeryn escaping his restraints. ¡°Your shackles must¡¯ve been a bit rusty, but if you hadn¡¯t noticed, those iron bars are much harder to break through.¡±


    Valeryn ignored the jailor as he began prying off his shackles. They silently dropped to the floor with a metallic clink as he rubbed his wrists.


    ¡°Do you know what a weapon is?¡± Valeryn asked, clenching his hands as if he held a sword within them.


    ¡°What? What bullshit are you on about now?¡± The Jailor took a swig of the wine before continuing, ¡°Just stay put so that we can all die together.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned that a weapon is an extension of yourself to some extent... In my case, I¡¯ve always felt that swords suited me best. It is only once you understand that what you wield is not just a weapon, not just a tool, but an embodiment of all that you are, that you will reach a level of understanding that very few possess.¡±


    The aloof grin on Valeryn¡¯s face disappeared as if it was a mask and his eyes became much sharper. He extended his hand out in front of him and made a wide, horizontal, chopping motion that cut through the air.


    ¡°What the fuck was that supposed to be?¡± The jailor asked.


    His answer came in the form of an iron rod that suddenly fell at his feet. With the proper words caught in his throat, the jailor could only watch as another bar fell before the rest followed with a short symphony of metallic ringing. After cutting the iron bars apart, Valeryn was completely freed.


    ¡°... Shit!¡± The jailor loosened his grip on the bottle as it crashed to the ground before he hurriedly fled toward the upper deck.


    Valeryn walked forward at a leisurely pace while examining his hand which became slightly reddened. His destination was the chest of belongings stripped from the prisoners before they boarded the ship. He fished out a dark grey cloak, a worn out leather belt with sword hilts attached to it. His eyes brightened as he pulled out an old one-handed saber full of nicks and scratches along its flat. He sheathed it and made for the upper decks but was stopped as a prisoner called out to him.


    ¡°Hey! Why don¡¯t ya¡¯ let the rest of us out?¡± A prisoner pleaded.


    ¡°I suppose it would be fair,¡± Valeryn remarked, grabbing the keys which dangled on a hook before tossing them into the cage full of prisoners. ¡°Good luck.¡±


    Once he climbed to the top of the deck where he drew a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air of the sea and his newfound freedom.


    ¡°There he is, Captain!¡± An accusatory shout interrupted his enjoyment as a group of armed men began surrounding him.


    ¡°Kill him and be done with it!¡± The Captain ordered, unwilling to waste another moment on the prisoner when the real threat was already closing in on them.


    ¡°Careful, Captain, he¡¯s dangerous-¡± Right as the jailor finished speaking, a bright glimmer flashed a single time and then the several men surrounding Valeryn fell to the ground.


    ¡°If you brought me up sooner, I could¡¯ve helped you all live,¡± Valeryn mumbled aloud, one hand held the saber upright while his freehand sat resting behind his back. He swung his blade clean, sending a splash of blood to the floor.


    ¡°... Just who are you?! Are you perhaps a swordmaster?!¡± Captain Bertrand asked, feeling a small amount of hope. Based on Valeryn¡¯s words, it seemed that he wasn¡¯t exactly an enemy which meant there was a chance of soliciting his help. Unfortunately, before an answer could come from Valeryn¡¯s mouth, a horde of prisoners came pouring out.


    Their screams filled the air as they rushed the top deck and the rest of the naval guard were forced to contend with the sudden tide of criminals. Since most were malnourished pickpockets, escaped servants, or former low-ranking nobles, not many posed an actual threat. It was those who were previously bandits, deserters, or sellswords, that caused the most trouble as they knew their way around a weapon. Chaos descended upon the ship as the prisoners and naval guards began fighting. The wiser prisoners opted to head for the last few lifeboats that hung off the side of the ship.


    ¡°Sorry, but that one is mine.¡± Valeryn stopped a pair of men who were busy untangling a rope in the hopes of escaping unnoticed.


    ¡°Piss off, there are a few more around!¡± One of them replied before seeing a metal glint out of the corner of his eyes. A second later, he felt a warmth underneath his chin. He mindlessly touched it only to stumble backward in horror as he discovered blood. Without being able to utter a word, he fell to the ground lifelessly, just barely realizing his throat had been slit open.


    ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯ll find another!¡± His companion ran off without offering a single bit of resistance. Valeryn climbed onto the lifeboat and slashed the ropes, plummeting into the waters below.


    It was a timely escape as a bombardment of blue lights began to rain down on the ship driving them into disarray. It seemed that the warships had finally closed enough distance to began their attack. Explosions ripped across the deck sending wooden splinters and body parts into the air.


    Valeryn didn¡¯t pay the commotion any mind as he rowed toward the small island in the distance. An aloof grin crept onto his face once more as the warm sea air brushed past him.

 Chapter 3: Casimir, The Runt Of The Litter (1)

    ¡°Casimir thinks he¡¯s the weakest among his siblings, but he¡¯s wrong. I can say that among all of my children, none of them are weaker than the others. While they are at different levels of in terms of ability and experience, they all still hold an immense amount of potential. Now if we were to speak about the strongest, then I would say that is, without a doubt, the twins, Erel and Elora.¡±


    -Ira when speaking to one of his envoys about his children.


    ...


    Among deserted roads and small mountains, a single carriage was pulled along. It was the perfect spot for an ambush, but it was definitely the quickest route to one of the most populous cities in the country. Any lord or noble of a small town that wanted to establish trade contracts with merchants would need to take such a journey.


    That¡¯s exactly what was occurring now, Lady Gwendolyn Francesca Ravenport decided to travel on one such road with her Uncle, Horace Ravenport acting as her guardian and carriage driver. The overall distressed state of carriage summarized the current financial situation of the Ravenport family. It was likely because they reached such dire straits that they chose to use such a road. The Ravenport territory was likely in dire need of financial assistance if the nobles who governed it couldn¡¯t afford to repair their own carriages.


    ¡°Uncle Horace, are we close?¡± Gwendolyn asked from inside the carriage.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be much longer, milady.¡± Horace smiled warmly as he steered the horses. He wore a rather well-maintained suit of armor, finances withstanding. ¡°This should be your first time in the city of Argos, Gwendolyn.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, Uncle. You have been before, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I have indeed. Though, that was a little over a decade ago when our territory wasn¡¯t in complete shambles¡­ I wonder how the city has changed over the years.¡±


    ¡°What was it like then?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it was a very lively place. Famous personages from all over the country could be found passing through every once in a while. Shops could be found on nearly every street, meaning you could find whatever it was you were searching for if you just gave it enough time. And the food, milady, the food was delicious!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle, once we form a trade contract with a merchant, I¡¯m sure we will have wonderful food in our own territory.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m well aware...- Hold!¡± Horace suddenly shouted as he pulled the horses to a complete stop.


    Barely twenty steps away, a single individual stood in the middle of the road, blocking the way ahead. He held a halberd with a monstrous jagged blade in his arm, letting it rest on his shoulder. His armor consisted of a heavily scratched leather chest plate, cloth hand wraps and a pair of leather sandals and greaves. A grey fur pelt that was tied around his waist hung over his black trousers. In contrast, his facial features were far too refined to be that of a simple bandit. Although his black hair was wild and untamed, he definitely had the handsome looks of a noble rather than a mountain-dwelling criminal. Even his eyes were a never before seen golden yellow color.


    ¡°Uncle?¡± Gwendolyn whispered from inside of the carriage.


    ¡°Stay quiet, Gwendolyn,¡± Horace quietly responded before speaking to the young man in front of him. He appeared to be at least sixteen or seventeen in age so Horace began to wonder if he was perhaps a young noble training himself. It wouldn¡¯t exactly be unheard of if it was the case.


    ¡°Money.¡± Of course, once the boy spoke, any illusion of nobility became shattered that instant.


    Before speaking, Horace scanned the treeline on each side of the road to see if perhaps there were others lurking but found that the boy in front of him was completely alone.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°We only have a few silvers,¡± Horace finally replied. ¡°I am Horace Ravenport and if you¡¯ve heard of me you¡¯d know my family is in terrible condition right now. We don¡¯t have much of anything left so robbing us wouldn''t even be worth it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, old man,¡± The young man responded. ¡°Hand it over.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± A voice cried out from inside the carriage.


    ¡°Gwendolyn! I said to stay quiet!¡± Horace attempted to quiet his niece down but it was too late as she began climbing out of the carriage. A young lady of a similar age to the body emerged. She had a very delicate appearance and a pale complexion and a head of long blonde hair.


    The young man didn¡¯t seem too surprised as she emerged, almost as if he knew she was there already. Though, he did slightly grin when he saw she held a stick in her hand.


    ¡°Now, what are you gonna do with that?¡± The young man asked sarcastically, but his expression changed almost instantly.


    It became clear that Gwendolyn hadn¡¯t brought out the stick to brandish as a weapon when she began tapping the ground with it.


    ¡°You¡­-¡± The would-be bandit narrowed his eyes and studied her face, seeing that her pale blue eyes were cloudy and unfocused.


    ¡°Gwendolyn!¡± Horace practically jumped down from the carriage and drew his sword, moving to step in front of his niece.


    ¡°Put your weapon away old man, I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± The boy shook his head though Horace was still poised to strike at any time. ¡°Now, hurry up and go before I change it again.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Gwendolyn,¡± Horace grabbed his niece by the arm and attempted to pull her back but she shook him off.


    ¡°Wait,¡± She spoke firmly. ¡°Please¡­ If you alone can give my Uncle worry it stands to reason that you¡¯re fairly capable. You also don¡¯t sound very old so-¡±


    ¡°Get to the point.¡± The young man¡¯s patience seemed to be fading fairly quickly.


    ¡°You should not waste away in the mountains, preying on the weak. If you¡¯re willing, you can come work for my family instead.¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn,¡± Horace spoke up to dissuade her, but she continued.


    ¡°Why would I work for you? Your uncle said it himself, your family is in shambles.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on our way to the city of Argos, surely you¡¯ve heard of it? Once we arrive, I plan to negotiate a trading contract with a merchant my family has had previous ties with. If all goes well, then money should not be a worry.¡±


    ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t go well?¡± The young man asked.


    ¡°Well, then you¡¯ll be in the city of Argos. If you''re talented at fighting you¡¯re sure to find someone willing to pay for your services.¡± Gwendolyn smiled confidently.


    Neither the young bandit nor Horace could tell if she was bluffing or genuinely confident. Though, judging by the wry smile coming from the latter, it would appear she was not putting on an act.


    ¡°Alright¡­ Gwendolyn, was it? I¡¯ll follow you until we get to Argos. If your merchant friend doesn¡¯t pull through then you¡¯re on your own from there.¡±


    ¡°Good! Very good!¡± Gwendolyn let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Ah, I haven¡¯t formally introduced myself. I am Gwendolyn Francesca Ravenport, current lord of the Ravenport house and territory."


    ¡°Casimir.¡±


    ¡°Casimir,¡± Gwendolyn repeated as if committing it to memory.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a very good idea, Gwendolyn,¡± Horace whispered.


    ¡°Please, Uncle, we are short on dependable people as is and the ones we have are no more loyal to you and I then this young man would be.¡±


    ¡°I can hear you,¡± Casimir frowned. ¡°We¡¯ve already reached an agreement, old man. You don¡¯t have to worry about me going back on my word.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And why would I trust a bandit?¡± Horace raised an eyebrow.


    Casimir removed a pouch from his waist and shook it causing the coins inside to clink together. He even opened it to show Horace that he even possessed two gold pieces.


    ¡°What? If you had so much coin in your possession then why would you stop to rob us?¡±


    ¡°Dunno, it doesn''t ever hurt to have more money, right?¡± Casimir shrugged nonchalantly as he lowered his halberd and approached the carriage.


    Gwendolyn laughed after hearing him speak, thinking that he was oddly honest in some ways while Horace simply gave up on attempting to understand the young man in front of him. He didn''t trust him at all, but the current state of the Ravenport Territory didn''t allow them to place high importance on trusting an individual.


    Casimir stowed his halberd atop the carriage before attempting to climb into it.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Horace asked. ¡°You¡¯ll sit with me, I don¡¯t trust my niece with-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Uncle. There is more than enough space and I am sure that Casimir is not someone who¡¯d harm me after giving his word.¡±


    Horace grumbled while Casimir helped Gwendolyn into the carriage. They soon set off with an entirely new passenger in tow.

 Chapter 4: Liliara, The Cruel Sovereign (2)

    ¡°The answer is no, Nephele. Liliara isn¡¯t evil nor is she cold-hearted as you seem to suspect, so please don¡¯t call her that, not even as a joke. Liliara is¡­ well, compared to the rest of you, her instincts are stronger. Think of it as a voice inside of her that drives her to either fight, kill, or conquer anything in her sight. That stems from my bloodline so that means even if you haven¡¯t realized yet, that same feeling may take hold of you one day.¡±


    -Ira when asked about Liliara¡¯s morality by his daughter, Nephele.


    ¡­


    When Margo finally arrived at Liliara¡¯s territory, she immediately became confused. The dreary and small city served as the seat of Liliara¡¯s Imperium, but it didn¡¯t quite reflect the image Liliara portrayed. It was neither dignified nor intimidating, but rather depressing instead. Its people were mostly beggars who begun to mob the carriages as they were pulled along the central road. A crowd of dirty and gaunt faces began to fill up either side.


    ¡°Stand back!¡± One of the soldiers shouted while brandishing his spear in a threatening manner. ¡°You¡¯ll get your share!¡± He added, causing relief to spread over the expressions of the peasants.


    A few sacks of grain, bread, and dried meat were brought forth and distributed in equal amounts to the populace. The carriages holding the prisoners from the town which provided those rations were pulled along to some other area, but it didn''t seem their lives were in any danger.


    Meanwhile, Liliara watched the entire ordeal from the window of carriage with a face of complete indifference.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand, Sovereign.¡± Margo began speaking. Her sister, Mara, hugged her arm tightly, clearly becoming timid toward the new area.


    ¡°What is it you don¡¯t understand?¡± Liliara glanced at Margo while resting her chin against her palm. ¡°This is the very center of my Imperium and all the land I own at the moment. It is a small, barren, territory without a single fertile plot of land to be found, hence its current state of poverty. My people currently amount to nothing. Almost all of them are starving or sickly peasants who chalk their suffering up to the will of whatever Gods they worship. When you keep that in mind, everything is quite clear from my perspective.¡±


    ¡°... I see.¡± Margo lowered her head which caused Liliara to adjust her posture, becoming more serious in an instant.


    ¡°There is a weakness festering inside this land and it irritates me to my very core.¡± Liliara clenched her fist as the inner depths of her red eyes stirred violently. ¡°What am I to do with pitiful serfs, Margo? How do you suppose I should feed the poor souls that line my streets?¡±


    ¡°I-I-I don¡¯t know, Sovereign,¡± said an intimidated Margo. As someone with very little education, she hadn¡¯t the slightest clue as to how to reverse the situation of Liliara¡¯s city.


    ¡°Then let me ask you this, Margo...¡± Liliara turned to face the young girl with a calm smile. ¡°Do you think me to be a cruel person because I burned your town to ashes? I would be an even viler woman if I willingly let hundreds of my own people starve without doing a single thing, no?¡±


    Margo¡¯s face darkened as the answer arrived on the tip of her tongue. She recalled her own town that was sacked and burned under Liliara¡¯s orders.


    ¡°It does not matter what you think.¡± Liliara suddenly gripped Margo¡¯s chin and forced the girl to stare into her dark red eyes.


    Mara trembled at her side, showing an increasing amount of fear toward Liliara.


    ¡°I will turn these people into conquerors¡­ This barren land is of no concern to me, Margo. If we ever need anything, it will be wrested from the grip of our enemies.¡±


    ¡°... And who are your enemies, Sovereign?¡± Margo inquired as painful memories caused tears to form in her eyes. As expected, the wound of her town being reduced to ruins was still too fresh.


    ¡°Oh, Margo,¡± Liliara whispered sweetly as she brushed away one of Margo¡¯s tears. ¡°Can you not see it yet? Anyone who isn¡¯t under the banner of my Imperium is an enemy to me. Whether it be some small town or the entire world.¡±


    A grin spread across Liliara¡¯s beautiful face as she observed Margo¡¯s surprised reaction. It was at that moment that the carriage came to a halt outside of a large manor. A group of servants was hard at work, scrubbing away at scorch marks and old bloodstains that pratically littered the manor grounds. It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out exactly how Liliara gained ownership of the land based on the traces of battle left behind.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°You are dismissed for today, Margo. I¡¯ll have someone escort you and your sister to your quarters. If you need anything, call for a servant. We will speak again during supper,¡± Liliara spoke as she exited the carriage.


    ¡°Wait, Sovereign, I...-¡± Margo reached her arm out as if to stop Liliara, but a pair of red soldiers moved to stand in front of her.


    ¡°Follow us.¡± One spoke emotionlessly.


    Margo attempted to look into his eyes but found she could not discern any features through the thin opening of his helmet¡¯s visor.


    Without much of a choice, Margo grasped her sister¡¯s hand and followed the lead of the two soldiers.


    ¡­


    A few hours later and after removing her armor, Liliara sat in her study. Even while having her own privacy she still dressed like a ruler, albeit a militaristic one which was quite fitting. Her outfit consisted of a black military-style jacket, a red waist sash, cream-colored trousers, and a pair of leather black boots that extended toward her knees. Even her long black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail which increased the air of seriousness about her.


    To an outside eye, it would seem she was ready to lead an army to war. Though, given her nonchalance toward the practice of raiding towns, that wouldn¡¯t be an inaccurate guess.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡± Liliara let out a sigh as she flipped through aged documents and records. She personally felt that the current state of the territory was far too unstable to let someone else manage it, which meant she was left to sort through tons of papers by herself.


    Suddenly, Liliara¡¯s brows slightly twitched as she looked toward an empty corner of the room. She stared at nothing for a few moments before finally speaking, ¡°I know you¡¯re here, Envoy.¡±


    At first, there was no reaction, but a few seconds later, the air distorted and a shadowy figure began to form. Liliara went back to reading her documents as a veiled woman quite literally appeared from nowhere.


    ¡°Is there something you need, child of Ir¡¯rah?¡± The mysterious woman¡¯s voice was a whisper that seemed to echo around the room.


    ¡°Since you''re here, yes, could you tell me how my father is? You¡¯re one of his envoys after all.¡± Liliara asked with a tinge of warmth that she failed to hide.


    ¡°The Keeper is very busy, but he wishes to see you¡­ to see all of you,¡± The envoy replied.


    ¡°And what of my mother and my siblings?¡±


    ¡°Your mother has been assisting the Keeper with matters I am not permitted to speak about. As for your siblings, I cannot give you any information that may grant you an advantage in this competition, child of Ir¡¯rah.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I asked you. I only inquired about their condition.¡± Liliara narrowed her eyes, but the veiled woman remained unaffected by the cold gaze resting on her.


    ¡°They are well,¡± A very curt answer was given in response.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Liliara went back to inspecting the pile of records. Before long, her hand stopped at a line of trade records.


    Imports from Argos:


    -2x Barrels of grain.


    -4x War Horses, healthy.


    -An unknown quantity of silk garments.


    -An unknown quantity of exotic fruit.


    -1x Sapphire.


    -1x Antique Sword.


    Liliara¡¯s brows furrowed as she read over the small transaction summary made by some treasurer who probably tore his hair out while writing it. The steady decline of the territory wouldn¡¯t have been surprising news for the previous owner but instead of attempting to salvage it, they instead chose to indulge themselves. Of course, all of that came to a violent and abrupt end when Liliara appeared and took the land for herself, but that also meant she was the sole inheritor of the financial woes plaguing the city.


    Since her immediate solution to deal with the current crisis was simply raiding other towns and cities, the city of Argos seemed to be a very lucrative target based on the financial records.


    ¡°Remind me of the rules my father has given me, Envoy,¡± Liliara said aloud.


    ¡°You were allowed to bring one thousand of your own soldiers from the City of Ir¡¯rah. In exchange, you are not allowed to leave your own territory unless your soldiers are marching with you. To elaborate even further, unless you are participating in a battle, conquering new territory, or meeting another leader under diplomatic terms, you cannot leave the bounds of your current territory,¡± The Envoy intoned in a quiet voice.


    ¡°I see¡­ It seems I¡¯ll have to send a few of my people to Argos in my place then,¡± Liliara mused to herself with a smile. She decided they would go under the pretense of purchasing supplies, but truthfully they were advanced scouts of sorts. If the trade records were any indication, the city would prove to be a fruitful prize.


    ¡°... If that is all, I will be going now, child of Ir¡¯rah.¡± The Envoy bowed before her body began to sink into her shadow. Soon there was no trace of her left to be found within the room.


    Meanwhile, Liliara went back to examining the past history of her territory in order to find any more possible targets.

 Chapter 5: Liliara, The Cruel Sovereign (3)

    ¡°The Dark Exodus is what we called our journey to this new world. The Keeper ripped his city from its foundations and carried us through the Void. It was a difficult time and many lives were lost in the process, but it has only made us better. We are no longer bound by the forces of our old world, but that does not make us weaker. Any strength we gain here is truly our own.¡±


    -An excerpt from a religious text of Ir¡¯rah.


    ...


    As evening rolled around, Liliara gathered the two sisters for supper. Much to their surprise, their meal included roasted boar meat which seemed like a luxury, considering the current state of the city.


    Mara was visibly anxious but clearly hungry. Inwardly, the young girl suspected Liliara of poisoning the enticing meal laid out in front of her.


    ¡°... Eat up, Mara,¡± Margo whispered before glancing at Liliara who sat at the head of the table.


    ¡°Are you perhaps curious as to how I procured the ingredients for this meal?¡± Liliara asked as she began eating.


    ¡°Yes¡­ a little, Sovereign.¡±


    ¡°You should know where most of the vegetables came from, after all, your town provided them. The boar is something I hunted myself, I found a little burrow on the edge of my territory and killed one,¡± Liliara explained.


    Margo simply accepted it with a nod and they continued eating in silence. Mara¡¯s hesitation was wiped away with the first mouthful of food she had and she began eating without reserve.


    ¡°Do you want to know why I burned your town and captured its people?¡± Liliara started as she finished her meal. She pushed her empty plate off to the side and a servant who was previously standing in the corner quickly came to clear it.


    The sudden question caused both Margo and Mara to slightly tremble.


    ¡°...N-No, Sovereign,¡± Margo replied shakily.


    ¡°I assure you I did not do so without purpose. While we could¡¯ve simply stolen your supplies and retreated, there¡¯d still be the problem of those who witnessed our deeds. A retaliatory attack wouldn¡¯t come immediately but eventually, some ignoble lord would send forces out in an attempt to deal with me. I haven¡¯t completely consolidated my territory yet, so I cannot afford to face anyone in a direct battle at the moment. By burning your town and capturing its people, I¡¯ve temporarily eliminated the possibility of that situation occurring. Though, I can¡¯t say for sure if one of your people managed to escape.¡± Liliara raised a glass of red wine and took a sip.


    ¡°Ah, there is also the matter of the lack of manpower we have avaliable. You see, I¡¯ve found there is one thing that redeems this barren land and that is an old silver mine. A few decades ago it caved in and hasn¡¯t been operational ever since. The people I¡¯ve captured from your town will assist in excavating it. Once that¡¯s done, I can take steps to completely revitalize this place. Hmm, I suppose you didn''t know about that before? I previously sent an offer of cooperation to your town''s lord. In exchange for food, I would''ve offered a small share of silver when the mine is restored. He, of course, refused, quite rudely I should add.¡±


    ¡°... I see.¡± Margo lowered her head in contemplation. While she could understand the general outline of Liliara¡¯s plan, she was even more curious as to why she of all people was the one being told. Maybe she was granted a certain level of trust or maybe it wasn''t sensitive information that needed to be kept hidden.


    ¡°I hope you two enjoy your meal.¡± Liliara stood up as she prepared to leave. ¡°Oh, there is one more thing, Margo, your training will start tomorrow so you should prepare yourself and rest well as it will not be a very pleasant ordeal. While you¡¯re busy, your sister will be in the hands of a tutor.¡±


    ¡°My¡­ training?¡± Margo chirped back with confusion.


    ¡°Yes, how do you expect to be my knight without any training? You should learn how to defend yourself at the very least,¡± Liliara replied before letting out a gentle laugh. She soon disappeared into the inner corridors of the manor, leaving the two sisters to finish eating in peace.


    ¡°... That woman scares me, Margo,¡± The small Mara said.


    ¡°Ah!¡± She exclaimed as she received an angry glare from one of the servants standing in the corner.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°You should watch how you speak of the Sovereign, child.¡± The brown-haired woman practically hissed.


    ¡°Apologies! She¡¯s only a child so she doesn¡¯t know things like that. Right, Mara?¡± Margo hurriedly defended her sister.


    ¡°Yes... I¡¯m very sorry.¡± Mara bowed her head fearfully.


    The female servant¡¯s face softened before she spoke with a much calmer tone, ¡°Whatever you think of our Sovereign, it is not true. She is someone who cares for her people much more than the previous lord ever did. Before she arrived, the lives of servants meant nothing to the nobles of this city... we were nothing more than a source of entertainment.¡± A pained look appeared on the servant¡¯s face.


    ¡°There are a lot of us who owe our lives to her so you should be more careful with what you say, especially around the Sovereign¡¯s Army. They are not so kind as to let comments go unpunished,¡± She warned.


    ¡°We will keep that in mind from now on, thank you.¡± Margo bowed.


    ¡°Please, do not bow to me! You are one of the Sovereign''s knights so it''s beneath you to do so. You¡¯ll put me in a tough spot if someone sees you so please raise your head.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry, um¡­ I don¡¯t know your name.¡±


    ¡°I am Beatrice, one of the head servants of this Manor... If you ever need anything, call for me and I¡¯ll assist you as best I can.¡±


    Since Margo was once in a servile position she found Beatrice easier to speak to and they conversed for quite a while until the meal came to an end. After that, Margo and Mara were escorted to their room where the former would wait for her training to begin.


    ¡­


    Much to her surprise, Margo''s training began at the very crack of dawn, as the reddish-orange haze of morning barely began to cover the sky. Margo was taken off guard when a soldier suddenly appeared in her room, threw a set of coarse leather training armor at her, and then ordered her to get dressed and head to the courtyard before leaving just as quickly as he arrived.


    She did as instructed and left behind a sleeping Mara. The typical day of a commoner started very early, so she wasn¡¯t too tired as she stepped into the courtyard. Her body had long since adjusted to rigorous schedules after serving her former lord.


    ¡°Ah?!¡± A strange shout emerged as she laid eyes on the figures within.


    Incredibly beautiful humanoids with pointy ears and pale greyish skin were busy sparring with each other. There were also those who seemed to be a cross between man and beast as well as those who seemed to be humans. Although in the case of those with the most human-like appearance, both the men and women had a very tall stature, a body full of well-defined muscles, and prominent canine teeth.


    ¡°Surprised?¡± Liliara¡¯s voice emerged from the side, giving Margo a scare.


    Everyone in the courtyard immediately knelt but quickly stared daggers at Margo when they noticed she didn¡¯t do the same.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, she is a newcomer so you cannot expect her to adopt our practices so easily. Don¡¯t mind her and return to your training,¡± Liliara said as much, but the soldiers familiar with her knew that was her way of telling them not to bother Margo too much.


    ¡°What¡­ Who¡­- Just what are they, Sovereign?¡± Margo asked.


    ¡°Dark Elves, Beastkin, and Lycanthropes. These are races native to the City of Ir¡¯rah¡­ There are also a few Dragonkin among my soldiers, but they¡¯ve been sent on a mission for now.¡±


    ¡°The City of Ir¡¯rah? Wasn¡¯t that place just a myth floating around?¡± Margo asked, completely astonished by the appearance of creatures she had never seen before.


    A few of the soldiers in the courtyard laughed while others seemed to be insulted by Margo¡¯s comment.


    ¡°It is indeed a real place, Margo.¡± Liliara smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be learning more about it later, but for now you should focus on your training.¡±


    A female lycanthrope, a tall and imposing woman dressed as a gladiator, stepped forward. Even though she appeared to be in her early twenties, her braided hair was a dark grey color.


    ¡°This will be your teacher, Reva of Clan Greymoon, one of the rising factions within the City of Ir¡¯rah.¡±


    ¡°I will be in your care,¡± Margo said, but just as she was about to bow, Reva spoke.


    ¡°Do not bow to me, girl,¡± She growled.


    It was only then that Margo remembered Beatrice¡¯s instructions not to bow. Apparently, it was seen as an insult to bow to anyone other than Liliara.


    ¡°Now, now, Reva.¡± Liliara waved her hand with a slight smile. "At least try to be nice."


    ¡°Apologies, Sovereign.¡± Reva bowed, but her intense gaze never left Margo.


    ¡°Yes, well, I will leave you to it then, Reva.¡±


    The soldiers bowed once more as Liliara departed before going back to their own training. Loud and violent shouts began to ring out as they sparred without reserve. Their fighting was downright brutal as they punched, kicked, grappled, and slammed each other without holding back. Wooden staves and swords jabbed into their opponent''s sides repeatedly. Those who didn''t fight were either lifting large logs or stones over their head as a form of weight training.


    ¡°I¡¯m told that you raised a weapon at the Sovereign. Is it true?¡± Reva asked coldly.


    Margo unconsciously gulped as the answer became stuck in her throat.


    ¡°That must be a yes.¡± Reva¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply as she walked over to an empty space in the courtyard. ¡°Come, we¡¯ll start your training immediately. You have much to learn about discipline.¡±


    An ominous feeling began creeping into Margo as Reva cracked a wolfish smile. At the same time, the other soldiers in the yard began grinning with anticipation.

 Chapter 6: Valeryn, The Wanderer (2)

    ¡°Have you noticed Valeryn seems more easy-going than when he was younger? He reminds me of¡­ well, me. Except, I can tell that grin he wears isn¡¯t quite real all of the time. It seems like he¡¯s hidden his truer self beneath a layer of falsehoods. Though I doubt there¡¯s anything treacherous about it, I just think he¡¯s attempting to reach a breakthrough with his understanding of swords.


    -Ira when speaking to his wife, Avery, about Valeryn¡¯s strange behavior.


    ...


    Under the cover of darkness, Valeryn rowed the small boat ashore before looking back. The prison ship had already been split into two halves and several warships flanked the surrounding waters, searching for any survivors. Judging from the occasional screams echoing in the distance, the purpose of the Khalthurian warships wasn¡¯t to rescue anyone.


    It was likely they would send a patrol over to the small island but since the distance between the destroyed ship and the island wasn¡¯t one that could be crossed so easily for those forced to swim, it was safe to say they wouldn¡¯t exactly expect someone to make it ashore. Even if they did, they would be far too exhausted to continue on which meant they were easy prey.


    As Valeryn pulled the boat further onto the island, he immediately noticed some tracks that were hidden with great effort. He quickly drew his sword and cut the now useless rowboat into pieces before discarding the wood in order to make it seem as if it was debris that washed ashore. After making sure any trace of his arrival was completely wiped away, he closed his eyes and immediately fell into a state of concentration.


    ¡®A sword must be steady and sharp, even when held within a sheath. I will be the same.¡¯


    As Valeryn briefly pondered, his presence began to grow fainter. He opened his eyes and sent his focused gaze into the thick vegetation of the small island.


    With near-silent steps, Valeryn entered the brush like a quiet specter.


    ¡­


    Further within the jungle, several naval guards were huddled in the mud. Of course, the leader of the rather inexperienced group was Bertrand who was following, what probably was, Captain Gerhardt''s final orders.


    ¡°What are we to do if those Khalthurians come here?¡± Someone asked in a hushed whisper.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be the least of our worries if we get caught. Do you know what they do to prisoners?¡±


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯ve heard. The spell casters try all sorts of things out on you while you¡¯re still alive. Heard they raided a fortress on the border and drilled a hole in the heads of everyone they captured. When the Kingdom''s reinforcements arrived it was far too late. Everyone there had been changed¡­ like they weren¡¯t alive and weren¡¯t quite dead.¡±


    ¡°Then we fight until we die! I won¡¯t let something so cruel happen to me!¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Bertrand ordered.


    The young men immediately became silent which allowed him to contemplate for a few moments. He unconsciously touched the message tucked into his leather satchel as he tried to think of a plan.


    ¡°We have to get back to the Kingdom and inform King Lucian of what¡¯s happened¡­ That means no matter what, at least one of us has to survive so we¡¯ll have avoid fighting if isn''t necessary... If I¡¯m the first one to die, then you must take this satchel straight to the King, got it?¡±


    The youthful naval guards nodded grimly while Bertrand¡¯s expression loosened in contrast, feeling that they finally understood the severity of the situation.


    ¡°You check over there!¡± A stranger¡¯s voice reached the group.


    ¡°Quick, hide!¡± said Bertrand as he smeared mud over his body before attempting to sink deeper into the brush. His companions hastily did the same as enemy soldiers carried torches made their way over.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing here.¡± A Khalthurian soldier grumbled.


    ¡°Ah, if only those spell casters would help,¡± Another soldier mused, examining the ground for any tracks.


    Although their complaints made them sound reluctant, they carried out their duties to the letter, examining the ground for even the slightest of traces. As a very aggressive empire, Khalthurians were regularly trained in tracking. In fact, it was one of their most notable skills, only coming second to their ability to enact unthinkable cruelty onto other living beings.


    ¡°Do you two see anything?!¡± A shout came from afar.


    ¡°Not yet!¡± One of the soldiers shouted back.


    ¡°Then keep looking! I¡¯d hate to go back to Fleet Master Quinn without something to show!¡±


    ¡°You and I both, brother! They don¡¯t call him Quinn the Man-Eater for nothing!¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The two groups of soldiers lightly chuckled before resuming their search. As they grew closer to Bertrand and the naval guards, the former thought his heart would explode out of his chest. He lay face up in the mud, covered with light foliage to help him blend in, but his nerves began to falter under the pressure and he felt it difficult to conceal his breath.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± One of the soldiers whispered within earshot of Bertrand.


    While Bertrand couldn¡¯t see, he practically could feel one of the soldiers kneeling down.


    ¡°There¡¯s something¡­ something was here¡­¡± the Khalthurian soldier said coldly, a far cry from his previously jovial self.


    ¡°Come out and I''ll let you die easy!¡± The second soldier barked while drawing his sword.


    Bertrand''s heart stopped at that moment as his eyes slowly opened. He wanted to know who it was who had been caught.


    ¡°Oh, please be serious, you¡¯re lucky that trick worked before. No one would fall for it, besides, it''s probably just the tracks of a wild animal.¡±


    ¡°Ha, I bet I would''ve fooled those Stagatheon dogs,¡± The soldier said with a laugh. He began walking forward but just as he went to sheath his sword, he stepped on an uneven patch of dirt and heard a muffled grunt in response.


    In fact, everyone in the immediate radius had heard it and at that moment, time seem to slow to a silent crawl, their brains hard working to process the significance of that brief noise. Bertrand¡¯s eyes opened widely as he prepared to jump the soldiers as quickly as possible, but he noticed the glint of steel in the treetops above.


    The moonlight above seemed to shine perfectly as it illuminated two golden yellow eyes that were narrowed in the dark.


    ¡°Enemy-¡± One soldier began to cry out, but it was cut short with a brief flash of light.


    ¡°Huh?!¡± The second soldier reacted with confusion, watching his friend¡¯s head fall to the ground with a delayed reaction.


    Without missing a beat, Valeryn thrust his saber into the throat of the confused soldier.


    ¡°Ahk?!¡± The Khalthurian soldier weakly grabbed at the blade lodged in his throat before going completely limp and falling to the ground.


    Valeryn flicked his sword out of pure habit before picking up one of the torches and completely snuffing out the other.


    ¡°Get up,¡± Valeryn whispered. ¡°There are four of you in total, right? One of you put on that uniform and let¡¯s move.¡±


    Valeryn began to remove his clothes before equipping the least bloody uniform. Khalthurian naval armor consisted of mostly leather since it was the preferred material when the possibility of falling into the sea remained ever-present.


    ¡°What...? You¡¯re the swordsman from earlier¡­- How did you escape?!¡± Bertrand sat up, clearly taken off guard by the sudden turn of events.


    ¡°Save your questions and put on the armor. If you draw their attention, I¡¯ll have to kill you too.¡± Valeryn said so while examining the Khalthurian naval cutlass. He seemed to be satisfied as he stabbed his old saber into the dirt and attached the cutlass to his belt.


    ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? If you wish to escape with your life, you should follow along and quickly.¡± Valeryn suddenly urged Bertrand to hurry.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll trust you, for the moment, swordsman,¡± Bertrand replied, but he knew he didn¡¯t have much of a choice.


    He quickly put on the Khalthurian uniform even though the thought of even pretending to be one of their soldiers made him sick.


    ¡°What about us?¡± One of the naval guards asked in a panic.


    ¡°Stay here until we come back with more uniforms,¡± Valeryn replied before nodding to Bertrand.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do as he says¡­ for now,¡± Bertrand chimed.


    Although they were hesitant, the naval guards went along with his words and lowered themselves back into the mud.


    ¡°Follow me and stay close,¡± Valeryn raised the torch up so that it would make it block his face at a certain angle.


    He noticed the soldiers seemed familiar with each other so he couldn¡¯t risk being discovered too early. As for Bertrand¡­


    ¡°Pretend to be injured,¡± Valeryn spoke quietly as they approached three soldierswho were preoccupied with their own search.


    ¡°What?¡± Bertrand furrowed his brow at the strange request.


    Valeryn showed a brief look of frustration before he violently drove his fist into the pit of Bertrand¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Haak!¡± Bertrand felt all the air leave his lungs and would¡¯ve collapsed right there if Valeryn didn¡¯t support him.


    ¡°Ah, that''s actually very good.¡± Valeryn showed a look of amazement.


    ¡°Huek?!¡± Strange sounds continuously emerged from Bertrand''s mouth as they grew closer to the other Khalthurians.


    ¡°Hey! He¡¯s hurt! I think it was a poisonous plant!¡± Valeryn suddenly began shouting, his voice was distorted with overlapping tones of panic, worry, and grief. It was just enough so that no one would notice that it was stranger speaking, given one of their own was injured.


    ¡°Quick! Put him down!¡± One of the soldiers ordered.


    ¡°Huah?!¡± Bertrand exclaimed as he was abruptly dropped onto the ground.


    ¡°Is he bleeding? What¡¯s with all the blood around his shoulders?¡± The soldiers made a circle around Bertrand, examining his body.


    Meanwhile, Bertrand could only watch in horror as gradual looks of realization began to creep onto their faces. The leather helmets both he and Valeryn were wearing didn¡¯t do much to hide their appearance.


    Before any of the soldiers could put the pieces together, Valeryn struck. One step closed the distance between him and the soldiers. The second step happened while he drew his sword with incredible speed. His cutlass glided through the air with little resistance just as he finished his third step.


    Bertrand watched it all happen with complete astonishment. He felt as if he almost grasped some grand enlightenment for a brief moment, but it all came to a close as Valeryn sheathed his cutlass. Three lifeless bodies fell onto the ground simultaneously, emitting soft thuds as they did so.


    Valeryn offered his hand to Bertrand who stared at him, wide-eyed.


    ¡°Get up and help me strip them of their uniforms¡­ We¡¯ll dress your friends and then sneak onto the boat.¡± Valeryn quickly glanced around but looked down with befuddlement as Bertrand remained stationary.


    ¡°Did I strike you too hard?¡± Valeryn cocked his head to the side.


    ¡°N-No¡­ I...- We¡¯ll go with your plan.¡± Bertrand accepted Valeryn¡¯s help and the two began removing the uniforms from the warm corpses.


    Escape from the small island was in sight and Bertrand could see himself one step closer to delivering the promised message.

 Chapter 7: Valeryn, The Wanderer (3)

    ¡°Someone¡¯s killing sword masters¡­ I don¡¯t know who or why, but three of ¡®em were killed in fights. The hilts of their swords were broken off and stolen too. While most of those sword masters are mercenaries, they were still valuable nonetheless. Whether they were guards for trading caravans, bounty hunters, or hired soldiers, they were useful. And now three of the best swordsmen in this city are dead¡­ It¡¯s a damn shame.¡±


    -A conversation overheard in Argos.


    ...


    Valeryn led the group back to the ship without saying much. Since he was the most composed, his lack of words drove an uneasy silence between the group of naval guards wearing enemy colors. Even as they sent meaningful glances toward him, so that he might understand their inner turmoil, he didn¡¯t seem to notice or care. Valeryn simply rowed the boat back to the Khalthurian warships without saying a word.


    ¡°... How did you do that back there?¡± Bertrand spat out the question that had been on his mind for a while.


    ¡°You will need to be a little more specific,¡± Valeryn replied, narrowing his eyes as he gazed toward the closest warship. Getting aboard would be the hardest task as one wrong guess would draw suspicion.


    ¡°The way you moved so quickly¡­ there are aura masters who can¡¯t even do that.¡± Bertrand showed genuine awe at Valeryn¡¯s skills that only seemed to be the tip of the iceberg.


    ¡°It¡¯s called a stride technique and it¡¯s very common where I come from.¡±


    Valeryn¡¯s eyes widened with a bit of relief as he made his choice. He could essentially feel the presence of swords, but couldn¡¯t draw out an exact number. He only needed a little concentration to find the one with the faintest presence when compared to the others.


    ¡°A stride technique? If it¡¯s common then¡­ is it hard to learn?¡± Bertrand asked hopefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s one of the first things that children are taught during training so I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s particularly difficult.¡± As Valeryn answered, he turned his attention back to Bertrand and the others.


    ¡°So even children can learn it?¡± Bertrand mumbled. He decided to ask Valeryn more about it at another time when he had the chance. Since they had finally arrived at the Khalthurian warship, he couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted. A single mistake could expose them and there would be no worse place than for an enemy to be caught than a Khalthurian warship.


    ¡°Take the ropes!¡± A Khalthurian soldier shouted from above.


    ¡°Got it!¡± Valeryn replied with extreme composure as he began fastening the pulley ropes to the rowboat.


    As the group was pulled to the top, they came face to face with a deck full of Khalthurians. Thankfully, none of them were focused on the returning patrol. They were busy conversing with their own close companions.


    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± A Khalthurian naval officer suddenly appeared, approaching them without hesitation.


    ¡°Uh¡­-¡± Bertrand stammered a bit, but Valeryn stepped forward and spoke over him.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ I guess all of those Stagatheon dogs ended up drowning, Sir.¡±


    ¡°Ah, good.¡± The officer nodded with approval. ¡°I know Fleet Master Quinn will be¡­ upset, for the lack of a better word, but it is better to have dealt with all of them. We couldn¡¯t risk any of them escaping with word of arrival.¡±


    ¡°So there were no survivors?¡± Bertrand asked, distraught by the confirmation. His companions showed clear distressed faces too, seeming to forget where they were. Stolen story; please report.


    The officer was no fool, clearly seeing the mood darken before his eyes.


    ¡°Is there something wrong with that, soldier?¡± He inquired. It was clear a slight suspicion was beginning to form, but Valeryn interfered in a timely matter.


    ¡°To be frank, Sir¡­ we kind of hoped to see one of the Spellcasters execute someone.¡± Valeryn showed a disappointed frown.


    ¡°Ah, I see. That is a shame, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have plenty of chances once we reach land. Now, I will send my report to the Fleet Master, you five are free to fraternize as you wish.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Valeryn hummed back with wide-eyes as if he was honored by the Khalthurian officer.


    Valeryn¡¯s acting was so perfect that Bertrand and the others found themselves wondering if the mysterious swordsman was previously a deserter. There was virtually no difference between a normal soldier and the black-haired young man before them.


    As the officer retreated into his quarters, Valeryn¡¯s face immediately took on an expression of indifference.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± One of the young men asked.


    Valeryn raised a brow before leaning in close and speaking in a low voice to the Stagatheon naval guards.


    ¡°To elaborate on something my father once said to his people, those who show no effort in their struggles but expect help from someone stronger aren''t worth helping in the first place. I warned you of the warships before they arrived. I saved your lives when those soldiers discovered you. If that wasn''t enough, I gave you passage back to your kingdom. And what have you all done except nearly expose yourselves in front of that officer? If you have nothing worthwhile to offer me, this is where we part. Do not draw attention to yourselves and you should be able to remain undiscovered until we reach land.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Bertrand hurriedly spoke, grasping Valeryn¡¯s shoulder as he did. ¡°We can help you¡­ just tell me what it is that you want and I give you my word that I¡¯ll do everything within my power to help you get it.¡±


    Valeryn looked skeptical as he began speaking, ¡°And all of you agree with that?¡±


    The other three naval guards nodded, causing a faint grin to emerge on his face.


    ¡°Well, you can bring me a map, that would be a good place to start.¡±


    ¡­


    A few hours later, Bertrand and his friends met with Valeryn below deck with a map in hand and presented it to Valeryn with hopeful expressions. As much as they hated to admit it, they needed to depend on him in order to survive.


    Valeryn wordlessly accepted the map and began scanning over it. Several important things became immediately clear as he did so.


    The world, Parahgaren, likely the name of some godly figure worshipped by the natives, hosted three continents that were in relatively close proximity to each other. The smallest sat southward and was named Parahgaren¡¯s Rest while the two that were similar in size were called Parahgaren¡¯s Reach and Parahgaren¡¯s Step.


    Ignoring the clusters of small islands that acted as naval bases or pirate fortresses, there was no doubt in Valeryn¡¯s mind that he was heading toward Parahgaren¡¯s Reach. Both the Stagatheon Kingdom and the Khalthur Empire were housed within the Reach.


    ¡°Strange.¡± Valeryn briefly wondered where his siblings would be.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Bertrand questioned.


    ¡°The City of Argos is in Parahgen¡¯s Step, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I believe so¡­ We occasionally get traders from the Step. Most of them have been from Argos, but not so much in the past few years. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°I was in Argos before I eventually ended up on your ship, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°That is quite the journey,¡± Bertrand said with astonishment.


    ¡°It was indeed, now if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m getting some rest. We¡¯ll figure out our next move tomorrow.¡±


    Valeryn folded up the map and put it away, that was a signal for Bertrand and the other naval guards to go about their business. Three of the guards did just that, but Bertrand remained behind.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask¡­¡± Bertrand trailed off.


    ¡°I assume you¡¯re curious about the stride technique?¡±


    ¡°Ah! Yes, if outsiders aren¡¯t allowed to learn then just pretend I didn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you what I know, but learning it is up to you.¡± Valeryn turned over as he said that.


    ¡°Thank you! I-¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± A half-sleep Khalthurian shouted with frustration.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Bertrand whispered toward Valeryn¡¯s who already seemed to be asleep.


    Truthfully, Valeryn and his siblings could go a very long time without sleep. It was more accurate to say he chose to enter a state of meditation to reflect on his own abilities. The limits of his current abilities were very apparent to him, but he hoped to overcome them and grow with the experience he would gain in the near future.


    With those thoughts in mind, Valeryn formed an aloof grin and continued his meditations.

 Chapter 8: Casimir, The Runt Of The Litter (2)

    ¡°You worry me more than everyone else, Casimir. From the moment they were born, your siblings have always had some understanding of what they were capable of. You are different and that truly scares me. I fear that you may suddenly awaken to an incomprehensible amount of power and fail to control it. It¡¯s very well possible that you awaken without issue, but even I can¡¯t say for sure. But there is one thing I am certain of¡­ The moment you do awaken, I will be there right beside you.¡±


    -Ira¡¯s last conversation with Casimir before sending him out.


    ¡­


    A day worth of traveling with the Ravenport¡¯s didn¡¯t earn Gwendolyn or Horace much rapport with Casimir. Unlike they would¡¯ve thought, he remained silent unless he was directly spoken to.


    Even as they finished setting up a temporary camp, Casimir didn¡¯t go out of his way to say a single word.


    ¡°So, if I may ask...¡± Gwendolyn could no longer take it and began speaking while looking in Casimir¡¯s general direction.


    Casimir removed the pelt tied around his waist and shook it one good time before laying it onto the ground. He then began to remove his breastplate and his greaves.


    ¡°Ask away,¡± he finally spoke.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t detect any annoyance in his voice, so she immediately began to throw out the questions that had been plaguing her since she met Casimir. Horace watched from the side while stirring a pot of stew. He unconsciously sent many uneasy glances toward Casimir, still finding him to be too much of an unknown to get comfortable around.


    ¡°If you already have so much coin on your person, why remain as a brigand? I¡¯m quite sure you had the minimum amount needed to sustain a rather comfortable life for at least a few months,¡± Gwendolyn said, her voice tinged with curiosity and excitement.


    ¡°I need enough money to purchase aura techniques and cultivation methods,¡± Casimir replied honestly before placing his halberd at the side of his makeshift bed.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Horace¡¯s eyes reflected understanding as he nodded. ¡°I must say, that is a rather expensive pursuit... Not only that, but it is quite hard to find a complete aura technique. Most of those techniques have been hoarded away by the very prominent martial families. Even when they do appear it''s usually an incomplete fragment of an ancient technique rather than a complete version. I haven¡¯t been to the City of Argos in nearly a decade, but the auctions were very frequent. If you¡¯re lucky enough, you may be able to find one, but given the rarity of aura techniques, the coin you have on you won¡¯t be enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, old man.¡± Casimir lazily shrugged, ¡°If I can¡¯t buy it, I¡¯ll just steal it.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Gwendolyn gasped. ¡°The number of sword masters in Argos is nothing to scoff at. Right, uncle?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right and while they hold no real allegiance to anyone but they¡¯ll band together if it means keeping order within the city.¡±


    ¡°That was ten years ago though, right?¡± Casimir asked skeptically.


    ¡°W-well¡­ that is true, but the fact remains that-¡±


    ¡°A lot can change in a decade. You of all people should know that since you¡¯re so old and all.¡± Casimir chuckled to himself.


    Even Gwendolyn had to stifle a brief laugh but failed to do so as a look of betrayal crept onto her uncle¡¯s face, though she had no way of seeing it.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Horace huffed, before quickly continuing, ¡°I¡¯m not as old as you two may think. Especially, Gwendolyn, I don¡¯t even wish to know of how you¡¯re imaging your dear uncle in that head of yours.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I believe that my uncle is a very elderly man with a very strong spirit, even if he no longer has the body to quite match it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty much right,¡± Casimir said with a wide grin.


    ¡°Hey?!¡± Horace drew back in shock. ¡°I guarantee that I¡¯m younger than you would believe. It¡¯s just that the decline of our family and territory has driven this miserable old man, that you dare to make fun of, into rapid aging. I''ll have you know that stress is very much a factor.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say.¡± Casimir laughed quietly before sniffing the air. ¡°Since the food is done, why don¡¯t you hand me a bowl?¡±


    ¡°Oh? And why should I, young man? Do you not fear that this old man may have accidentally slipped in a poisonous ingredient?¡±


    ¡°Uncle.¡± Gwendolyn showed a look of slight disapproval that tore right into Horace¡¯s core.


    Even though it was meant to be a joke, both Gwendolyn and Horace seemed to have some bad memory attached to the mention of poison.


    ¡°It''s the least you can do since I¡¯m acting as your guard on this trip,¡± Casimir interjected.


    ¡°Now, didn¡¯t you have more questions to ask me?¡± He added.


    Horace sent a thankful nod toward Casimir as he made his way over with a wooden bowl filled with stew.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Casimir accepted it before drinking it down without hesitation.


    ¡°Easy, young man. You¡¯d think you haven¡¯t had a meal in days.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s been a week and a half since I¡¯ve had something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Well, you don¡¯t seem any weaker for it.¡± Horace replied while bringing a bowl over to Gwendolyn.


    ¡°I have a strong body.¡± Casimir spoke in between gulps of the stew, ¡°I¡¯ve been told that I¡¯m just like my father when he was younger.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Gwendolyn exclaimed as she finally figured out her next question. ¡°Family! Do you have any family, Casimir?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m the youngest of eight children.¡±


    ¡°Eight? Goodness, that is quite a lot,¡± Horace commented as he ate his stew. ¡°Gwendolyn is an only child and she was a handful when she was younger.¡± He laughed in reminiscence.


    ¡°Are your siblings¡­ um¡­¡± Gwendolyn hesitated.


    ¡°They¡¯re all alive if that¡¯s what you wanted to know.¡± Casimir finished his food and returned the bowl to Horace before laying on the fur pelt.


    ¡°Well, do you know where any of them are?¡± Horace inquired.


    ¡°No, but I¡¯ll be able to tell once they¡¯re nearby.¡±


    ¡°How does that work exactly?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just how it''s always been... If we¡¯re close to each other, we¡¯ll definitely know.¡± Casimir put his hand over his chest and closed his eyes.


    ¡®Who will I see first?¡¯ He wondered. ¡®How will we greet each other? Father did say that this is a competition after all.¡¯


    ¡°If you¡¯re done for the night, I would hate to continue to bother you,¡± Horace said aloud so that Gwendolyn was aware Casimir seemed to have wanted to sleep.


    ¡°Ah, I thank you for indulging my curiosity, Sir Casimir-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just Casimir.¡±


    ¡°Right, thank you, Casimir.¡± Gwendolyn smiled.


    Horace escorted her into the carriage before heading into his own tent nearby. The City of Argos was only a half day away and that time could be cut down even shorter if they departed around first light.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    After a few hours, Horace awoke with a deep yawn.


    In truth, he hadn¡¯t slept much as he was too worried about Casimir suddenly changing his mind. As he stuck his head outside of the tent, it appeared his worries were all for naught and could only be a little regretful. After all, he would be driving the carriage for the next few hours and wanted to remain alert.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Horace noticed that Casimir was nowhere to be found and quickly threw his armor on.


    The first thing he did was check the carriage, feeling relieved to see that Gwendolyn was still sleeping soundly.


    He discovered the horses were already fed and assumed Casimir to be the culprit. He finally relaxed, choosing to prepare for departure while waiting for Casimir¡¯s return.


    By the time the campsite was cleared, Casimir emerged from the woods.


    ¡°Did you sleep at all, young man?¡± Horace asked as he tightened the reins.


    ¡°As much as I needed to,¡± Casimir replied before stabbing the butt of his Halberd into the soil.


    ¡°Where were you off to so early?¡±


    ¡°Training.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Horace nodded.


    ¡°Are you both ready to leave?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I just need to check on-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready, Uncle.¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s drowsy voice emerged from the carriage.


    ¡°Ah, then we¡¯re all ready.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Casimir stored his halberd atop the carriage before climbing in while Horace took the reins. They soon set off toward the city of Argos without delaying a moment longer. Since there were a few hours to be spared, Gwendolyn decided to try her luck with discovering more about Casimir.


    ¡°Do you mind if I ask where are you from, Casimir?¡± Gwendolyn spoke softly, worried about perhaps crossing some line by carelessly questioning him.


    ¡°The City of Ir¡¯rah,¡± Casimir answered.


    ¡°Bah, if you don¡¯t wish to tell her then you should just say as much. No need to give sarcastic answers,¡± Horace grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Casimir said in response, clearly indifferent to whether or not he was believed.


    ¡°The City of Ir¡¯rah? I know of the myth.¡± Gwendolyn giggled softly before humoring him, ¡°So, Casimir of Ir¡¯rah, could you perhaps tell me of how your city is compared to any you¡¯ve been to so far?¡±


    ¡°... It¡¯s far darker, but a red moon hangs in the sky. The people would probably frighten you at first glance, but they¡¯re very dedicated. Ah, they are also very religious.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but what religion do they follow? Or rather, what figure do they worship?¡± Horace questioned.


    ¡°The being who they named the city after, Ir¡¯rah,¡± Casimir replied with a warm gaze. Since neither Horace nor Gwendolyn could see it, it went unnoticed.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I wasn¡¯t aware there was a god involved with the myth. You may want to keep that to yourself, young man. Although the Church of Three has very little presence in and around Argos, they¡¯re very prominent everywhere else.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the Church of Three?¡± Casimir asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know about the Church of Three, Casimir? The three paragons of the sky, the earth, and the sea?¡±


    ¡°Never heard of ¡®em.¡± Casimir shrugged.


    ¡°Ah, well, while it isn¡¯t mandatory you worship them, their presence is very big in Parahgaren¡¯s Step. The church has been known to persecute followers of other religions quite extremely. I¡¯d hate for you to find yourself at the end of a Saint¡¯s blade.¡±


    ¡°You worried about my safety, old man?¡± Casimir laughed.


    ¡°Try not to disregard my warning, young man.¡± Horace insisted.


    Casimir still couldn¡¯t help but flash a smile. He wondered how the Church of Three would react if they discovered that there was an entity greater than any of their so-called gods that had settled on their world.


    ¡°You¡¯ve asked me questions, now let me ask you one.¡± Casimir leaned forward, having his interest suddenly raised. ¡°What are some of the myths about the City of Ir¡¯rah?¡±


    ¡°Myths? Well¡­ It is said that one can only reach Ir¡¯rah through a fever dream or perhaps a terrible nightmare. Apparently, there was once a very small village of people who all shared the same exact dream. Catching glimpses of the mysterious city as well as having its name imprinted into their minds.¡± Gwendolyn responded before continuing on in a quiet murmur. ¡°Indeed it is quite a strange myth.¡±


    The journey continued smoothly, with Gwendolyn asking Casimir various non-invasive questions. Of all the things she asked, she found the strangest reply came from when she inquired about his favorite meal.


    ¡°You said they were called mooncakes?¡± She was full of curiosity toward the strange pastry Casimir described.


    ¡°Yeah and there¡¯s nothing quite like them.¡± Casimir closed his eyes and smiled as he recalled the pastry treated as a delicacy among the citizens of Ir¡¯rah. Though, in Casimir¡¯s mind, the biggest consumer of the sweet pastry had to be his father.


    ¡°We¡¯re coming up on the city of Argos, milady.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful! We should prepare the entrance fee, Uncle,¡± Gwendolyn spoke excitedly.


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ If I remember correctly, it was five silver if you¡¯re in a group with less than five individuals. There¡¯s also the stable fee which shouldn¡¯t be more than a silver or two.¡± Horace mumbled to himself as he fished out a coin purse.


    They slowly arrived at the front gates where the guards stood, waiting for the fee to enter the city.


    ¡°Ten silver,¡± One guard spoke as soon as the carriage approached.


    ¡°Ten silver?!¡± Horace nearly fell over as he responded.


    ¡°You hard of hearing, old man? Cough up the coin or get lost there are others waiting!¡±


    ¡°Ah...Um¡­¡± Horace turned toward the carriage. ¡°Young man, could I perhaps trouble you for a few coins?¡±


    ¡°You serious?¡± Casimir raised an eyebrow. ¡°I told you things can change in a decade.¡±


    ¡°Please, could you think of it as a temporary loan. As soon as we establish our trade contract we¡¯ll have more than enough to pay you back,¡± Gwendolyn pleaded.


    ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Casimir groaned before he stepped out of the carriage.


    Upon seeing him, one of the guards eyes briefly widened before he regained his composure, acting as if nothing happened. Of course, Casimir took notice of the guard¡¯s reaction but said nothing.


    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not being cheated.¡± He spoke threateningly.


    Although the guards dealt with many trouble makers, Casimir¡¯s icy glare gave them cause to take his words seriously. Especially the guard who seemed to recognize him.


    ¡°We don¡¯t dictate the price of entry into the city. That would be the trade coalition who adjusts it based on the population size as well as the state of the city¡¯s economy.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Casimir took their words as truth before handing over the ten silver.


    The trio entered the city without further issue, but Horace¡¯s expression crumpled as he observed the state of Argos. It was no longer the warm city full of freedom and life he had seen ten years ago. It still seemed bright, but there was a grim air hanging over it. Shifty-eyed pickpockets, robbers, and criminal types seemed to be more present. There were also the general looks of unhappiness on the faces of the residents.


    ¡°How is it, Uncle?¡± Gwendolyn asked expectantly.


    Casimir shook his head after hearing her speak, finding her to be a bit naive in some ways.


    ¡°It¡¯s just as a beautiful as I remember, Gwendolyn,¡± Horace answered with a wry smile. He thought to at least try and protect his niece from the truth. After all, he felt that the current state of their family was depressing enough as is.


    Whether Casimir knew Horace¡¯s reasoning or not, he said nothing, simply closing his eyes and waiting for the carriage to arrive at the stables.


    ...


    Outside the city gates, as soon as the guards rotated shifts, the one who reacted strangely to Casimir immediately ran into the city.


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?!¡±


    ¡°Hey?!¡±


    People complained as he rushed past them, but he had no time for manners, apparently. After cutting through several back alleys, he arrived at a tall building. A large man without a single strand of hair on his head stood watch.


    ¡°Is Morrison in?!¡± The guard asked while breathing heavily.


    ¡°Yeah, he is.¡± The bald man replied, stepping aside so that the guard could enter.


    The guard headed up the stairs and moved past other intimidating figures before arriving at a luxurious study with many jeweled and golden statues.


    Morrison, a middle-aged man with short brown hair and an overall refined look about him peered up at the winded guard before returning his attention to a book.


    ¡°Speak.¡± The words rolled out of Morrison¡¯s mouth smoothly.


    ¡°I found him!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll need you to elaborate, I am looking for several men at the moment.¡±


    ¡°The black-haired sword master!¡± The guard spat out.


    Morrison closed his book immediately and sat up straighter. His eyes narrowed and he resembled a hawk in that moment.


    ¡°When?¡± He seemed to growl.


    ¡°Not too long ago! A young man with black hair and yellow eyes came into the city with two others. An old man and a noble girl of some sorts I think.¡±


    Morrison went into his desk and withdrew a paper with the image of a handsome young man with an aloof grin on his face. He showed it to the guard as he spoke.


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure that this is what he looked like?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­- Well, maybe his face was a little different, but he had black hair and yellow eyes that¡¯s for sure!¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­ You¡¯ll be paid very well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± The guard bowed.


    ¡°Oh and I¡¯ll send word along to the city guards captain, but I should warn you ahead of time. Make sure to stay away from the central marketplace this evening. I¡¯ll be sending several sword masters to deal with this fellow.¡±


    Morrison sank back into the chair as the guard left his room, but he couldn¡¯t help but to glare.


    ¡°How arrogant of you to stroll back into this city after killing three sword masters, Valeryn.¡± Morrison clenched his fist tightly.


    It seemed that Casimir was a victim of mistaken identity, but since he looked awfully similar to all of his brothers there¡¯d be no correcting it.

 Chapter 9: Casimir, The Runt Of The Litter (3)

    ¡°You are my brother and I love you, Casimir. There are no words that could ever describe the extent of my affection towards all of you. However, if you ever call yourself weak in front of me again, I will hurt you.¡±


    -Liliara when speaking to Casimir


    ¡­


    The streets of Argos were crowded and constantly moving. Gwendolyn¡¯s lack of sight seemed to be a bad combination with such a place, but thanks to Horace¡¯s guidance and Casimir¡¯s intimidating gaze, no one took issue. Or rather, if they did have an issue, they wisely kept it to themselves. After all, the near-unwieldable halberd resting on Casimir¡¯s shoulder seemed to more than enough to settle any possible dispute.


    ¡°So, where¡¯s your merchant friend?¡± Casimir asked with a yawn.


    His eyes scanned over each market stall and shopfront located in the central marketplace but there didn¡¯t seem to be anyone selling techniques he could use to grow. Since that was the case, his interest became non-existent. There was likely nothing around that could hold a candle to the City of Ir¡¯rah.


    "We''re on our way to meet with him. I presume it is necessary to go through the central marketplace to do so, Uncle?"


    ¡°Yes, yes, it is all but mandatory to pass through here first as this is the main road through the city. It''s just that clusters of shops and stalls fill this area by design as they are meant to attract the wandering eyes of anyone visiting Argos... Hmm, I wonder if there would be any medicine for your eyes, milady?¡±


    Horace was far more careful in his examination of the items they passed. As far as he knew, any one of them could hold a temporary cure for Gwendolyn¡¯s blindness.


    ¡°I would not hold any hope toward that being so, Uncle.¡± Gwendolyn smiled, seemingly unbothered by her condition.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Casimir began speaking with an unreadable expression. ¡°My mother...- She can¡¯t¡­-¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Gwendolyn waited for him to continue.


    ¡°My mother, she can¡¯t speak. She lost her voice long before I or my siblings were born.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry to hear that,¡± Gwendolyn replied gently.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s...- My father has always been able to understand her even without her being able to speak. The same for the rest of us, but he can read her mind with a single glance.¡±


    ¡°Your father sounds like a wonderful man,¡± Horace said.


    Without even knowing Casimir''s father, he felt similar to him in when comparing the way that they treated the ones they cared about. After all, it would be no easy feat to decode someone''s thoughts from their expression alone. That is, if you assumed that the person attempting it was more or less a normal human being.


    ¡°He is,¡± Casimir agreed. ¡°If there comes a time where you¡­¡±


    Casimir trailed off as he noticed something odd. He turned his head in a certain direction and spotted a cloaked individual standing on a rooftop above the marketplace, staring down at him. Even stranger, there was a scent he was highly familiar with.


    ¡°...Dragonkin,¡± He whispered to himself. ¡°Then that means, Liliara should be nearby.¡±


    They gazed at each other, quickly realizing who the other was. At that moment, Casimir found his father¡¯s words resurfacing in his mind. They were allowed to harm each other in the competition and they didn¡¯t have to ally with one another. Out of all his siblings, the few he didn¡¯t want to run into immediately were, Raveria, Valeryn, and Liliara. Those three, in particular, had a strong desire to fight and had the talent and strength to match it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Horace questioned.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Casimir shook his head as the figure on the rooftop departed.


    His hands were tied after they discovered one another and it was pointless fleeing as the Dragonkin would¡¯ve already caught his scent just as he caught their own.


    Just as Casimir was about to relax, he found that a few figures in the distance were trailing him after glancing over his shoulder. Fortunately, they weren¡¯t Dragonkin, but humans. A few rough-looking kids began scurrying around the marketplace, whispering to the seemingly important and wealthy figures.


    Casimir frowned, focusing his hearing to listen in on their conversations.


    ¡°Morrison¡¯s making his move, stay clear of the central marketplace.¡±


    ¡°They found the one who killed those swordmasters, avoid the marketplace.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have long, close your stall today. Morrison¡¯s sending out his swordmasters.¡±


    Confusion filled Casimir¡¯s mind, caught completely unaware of the developing situation.


    ¡®We¡¯re they trailing someone else?¡¯ Casimir thought, but as the trio continued to move, the group shadowing them grew into a party of six.


    ¡°Is something wrong, young man?¡± Horace inquired as he noticed Casimir¡¯s strange expression.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m going to get a room at an inn, I¡¯ll meet with you two after you talk to your merchant.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, okay,¡± Gwendolyn said with a trace of disappointment. It wasn¡¯t often she was able to speak with someone in her own age range, but she understood that Casimir¡¯s continued presence would come at a price.


    Casimir paid Gwendolyn no mind as he split off from the Uncle and Niece. He came to the halt in the center of the road. The crowd continued to move like an everlasting tide, but the only ones who stood still in that river of people were Casimir and the group who were clearly following him. He exchanged glances with the group, finding their expressions to be extremely hostile. The way they met his gaze showed they welcomed a confrontation at any time.


    ¡°I don''t remember robbing you all on the road,¡± Casimir said to himself, softly laughing as he entered a nearby inn.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Not too far away, the small group of six swordmasters began speaking.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem bothered by us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, why would he? He managed to kill three in a single day.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, let¡¯s just kill him and be done with it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, is it just me or does he look a little different?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never seen¡­ uh, what¡¯s his name again?¡±


    ¡°Valeryn.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I haven¡¯t seen Valeryn before.¡±


    ¡°Well, I managed to catch a glimpse and that pretty much looks like him.¡±


    ¡°Careful with him, at a first glance he may seem lazy, but he cut down a swordmaster in a single stroke. Don¡¯t let him catch you off guard.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    The six swordmasters strolled into the inn, resting their hands on the pommels of their swords as they did. They expected an instant attack but found their target sat at a table filled with food. Now that they took a good look at him, he did seem different from the description of Valeryn who was said to wear a tattered grey cloak and a completely black outfit. Casimir¡¯s current outfit consisted of a leather cuirass and greaves, black trousers, cloth hand wraps, a grey fur pelt around his waist, and a pair of leather sandals. There was also the huge halberd which rested on the floor at his feet. He seemed less like the wanderer previously described and more like a mountain bandit.


    The only quality that fit the description of Valeryn other than general appearance was the confidence in his actions. Even after noticing that he was being followed, he still ordered enough food to fill a table and ate it without hesitation.


    ¡­


    ¡°Bastard.¡±


    Casimir didn''t even blink as one of the six swordmasters cursed at him. The customers inside of the inn immediately fled, apparently recognizing the six new entrants.


    ¡°Please, I beg that you all take your conflict outside-¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± A female swordmaster flung a chair toward the owner of the inn who ducked out of the way. He could only stifle his feelings toward the destruction of his property. After all, the swordmasters standing in his doorway had a status he could never hope to reach.


    ¡°You just gonna keep eating?¡± Another swordmaster spoke as he watched Casimir drink a bowl of soup without sparing them a glance.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± Casimir replied, wiping his mouth with his arm before moving on to a different dish.


    ¡°You¡¯re just as arrogant as they said, Valeryn,¡± A young swordmaster spat onto the ground as he said so.


    ¡°Valeryn?¡± Casimir immediately paused, tossing his food aside without care. ¡°Did you just say Valeryn?¡±


    ¡°Is that not your name?¡± The female swordmaster asked.


    Casimir suddenly began laughing in response before he fished a gold coin out of the pouch on his waist. He tossed it to the old man peeking from behind the large counter who carefully caught it before checking if it was real.


    ¡°That¡¯s for the damages, old man,¡± Casimir spoke as he stretched his arms.


    ¡°T-This is too much for a single chair.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± Casimir replied with a grin.


    The swordmasters wouldn''t be called that if they couldn''t tell where the situation was heading. They instantly drew their swords and became cautious. To even become a swordmaster one would need instincts honed for battle and at that moment, their instincts rang in alarm. With light movement, Casimir kicked the halberd into the air and then pressed his foot forward. The ground underneath him immediately splintered as he launched himself forward, overturning everything in his way as he did.


    Chairs, tables, and unfinished plates of food flew into the air, temporarily obscuring Casimir¡¯s body which was his exact intention. The swordmasters didn¡¯t stand idly by and quickly moved to avoid the path of the incoming objects. One of the swordmasters chose to cut away one of the tables flying toward him instead of dodging.


    That proved to be a terrible decision as he sliced the table in half but could only look on in shock as a halberd flew toward next.


    ¡°Shit!¡± He managed to curse as the heavy blade cleaved into his shoulder and knocked him back, pinning him to a wall.


    Casimir ignored the pinned swordmaster and soared through the air before delivering a powerful kick into the chest of the youngest swordmaster, sending him flying through the inn¡¯s window and outside.


    In a bid to separate Casimir¡¯s head from his shoulders, the female swordmaster attempted a horizontal strike, but her target ducked under it with inhuman agility. Casimir then performed a sweeping kick, knocking her onto the ground but grabbed her by the ankle as he stood up before prying the longsword out of her hands.


    ¡°Get off of-¡± She couldn¡¯t her finish as he threw her toward one of the other three remaining swordmasters. While he moved to catch her, his two companions rushed Casimir on either side. He held the stolen sword in an underhanded gripped and waved his hands and he blocked the two different strikes. The power behind them was nothing to scoff at, but all it managed to do was push him back rather than injure him.


    Casimir grunted as if angered by the attacks and sent a devastating punch before the unlucky swordmaster could react. The shattering of bones seemed to echo as Casimir¡¯s fist collided with the swordmaster¡¯s face before sending him crashing into a wall. Needless to say, he had died from a single strike.


    ¡°You!¡± The second swordmaster wasn¡¯t able to react as Casimir¡¯s shoulder was driven deep into his abdomen, knocking him through the inn¡¯s doorway and sending him tumbling.


    ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± The female swordmaster cursed after she climbed to her feet, seeing that everyone had lost in their exchange with Casimir.


    Casimir ignored her as he pulled his halberd from the shoulder of the first swordmaster to suffer. He examined the long sword in his hand before dropping it onto the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need this,¡± He said as he kicked the sword toward her feet.


    ¡°Just who are you?!¡± The swordmaster who was previously pinned to the wall by the halberd asked with an expression full of fear.


    ¡°I¡¯m not Valeryn,¡± Casimir said grimly. ¡°I¡¯m Casimir... his younger brother.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he lifted the halberd and split the swordmaster¡¯s skull open, causing a thin line of blood to splatter across his face. He gazed at the other two, while the female swordmaster had only been knocked to the floor, the man who caught her hadn¡¯t even joined the fight. Judging by their expressions, it seemed that they weren¡¯t likely to try again.


    ¡°You should know where my brother went, right?¡± Casimir asked as he pointed his halberd toward them.


    ¡°Go!¡± The female swordmaster shouted as they two kicked off the ground and began to flee.


    ¡°You¡¯re just making it harder on yourselves!¡± Casimir shouted after them before stepping outside at a leisurely pace.


    The two swordmasters who were sent outside were busy crawling to their feet. The young swordmaster who suffered a kick to the chest could barely move as he coughed up blood while the other was nearly recovered.


    ¡°You bastard!¡± He brandished his sword.


    With a light swing, Casimir¡¯s halberd crashed down on him. Even as he raised his arms to block, the shock from the blow reverberated through his internal organs. Even as though he managed to block the first attack, Casimir didn¡¯t let up. Instead, he began slamming his halberd down on the poor swordsman in a brutish manner. Like a hammer to a nail, the swordmaster was beaten until every ounce of strength left his body.


    He could only scream hoarsely as Casimir¡¯s final strike fell on him, completely chopping his skull in two.


    ¡°...Ugh,¡± The young swordmaster who was busy vomiting blood looked on in horror as Casimir sauntered toward him.


    His lips parted as if to plead for Casimir to stay his hand but it would never be transmitted. Casimir¡¯s fist smashed into his face, sending him to the ground, never to rise again.


    Casimir inhaled deeply as he surveyed the relatively empty marketplace. A few onlookers watched from what seemed to be a safe distance but flinched as they made eye contact with Casimir. The owner of the destroyed inn was among those who could only watch the fight happen.


    Without another word, Casimir lifted his halberd over his shoulder and began walking after the two swordmasters who fled. His nose twitched as he sifted through the many scents in the air before picking up on two distinct smells. While the two weren¡¯t aware, there was no possibility of escape after Casimir began tracking them.

 Chapter 10: Casimir, The Runt Of The Litter (4)

    ¡°Do you all want to know a secret?! Ira put me in charge of an army! Not the one you see walking around in the city, but a very, very, secret army! Ira¡¯s been gathering members from all sorts of different worlds in his spare time. Ah, he also sent me to train in this really secret place. Should I tell you about it? I shouldn''t tell you about it... I¡¯m going to tell you about it, but don¡¯t tell him I told you! The envoys call that place the Broken Well. I had to train so hard I wanted to cry my eyes out, but your aunt is way tougher than she looks. I managed to triumphantly push through. Oh, there¡¯s also this¡­- I really shouldn¡¯t say it but I¡¯m going to anyway! There¡¯s this boy in charge of the Broken Well and he¡¯s really, really, strong! I couldn¡¯t beat him no matter how hard I tried. You would never guess why he¡¯s so strong so I¡¯ll just tell you...- Hey! Get off of me! Hold on! Wait, wait! I¡¯m sorry! Just don¡¯t send me back to the Broken Well!¡±


    -Harper spilling various secrets to Ira¡¯s children right before she was abruptly snatched away by his envoys.


    ¡­


    It didn¡¯t take long for Casimir to catch up with the two swordmasters. He discovered they had stopped at some well-hidden manor with a few guards at the entrance. They appeared tense and for good reason, sending out six swordmasters only to have two return wasn¡¯t a good omen.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Casimir mumbled as he approached the guards.


    ¡°Is that him?!¡± One of them shouted before he drew his sword, causing a chain reaction of blades being unsheathed.


    ¡°Your one chance to leave starts now.¡± Casimir lifted his halberd and pointed it threateningly.


    Though apprehensive, the men stood their ground; clearly, they feared their employer more than him.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t say you weren¡¯t given the opportunity,¡± Casimir shrugged before stepping forward.


    ¡°They won¡¯t be needing it.¡± A middle-aged man suddenly appeared as the group of guards parted to open up a path. He held a spear in his hand which was a sharp contrast to his noble-like clothes.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Casimir asked with a raise of his eyebrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m Morrison and apparently your brother has killed several of my-¡± Morrison tried to finish speaking, but Casimir leaped forward and swung his halberd violently. Surprisingly, a blue aura surrounded Morrison¡¯s arms and legs as he jumped to the side, avoiding the blow.


    ¡°How impudent!¡± Morrison grew angry. He rotated the spear in his hands before returning the favor and rushing toward Casimir.


    The aura covering his arms seemed to empower him as he sent out nearly a dozen quick thrusts with his spear.


    Casimir was forced to dodge but was inwardly surprised by Morrison¡¯s sudden manifestation of aura. He never thought his confrontation would lead him toward the very thing he was searching for. Unfortunately, his lapse in attention let Morrison seize the opportunity to send a kick to his side. Casimir was unprepared for the amount of strength delivered through a single strike and was thrown a few meters to the side.


    While Casimir was temporarily stunned by the attack, Morrison spoke, ¡°I may have mistaken you for your brother, but that isn¡¯t a concern anymore. I¡¯ll settle for killing either one of you.¡±


    Morrison lunged toward Casimir as he finished speaking, poised to land a fatal blow until the latter caught the spear in his hand.


    ¡°You almost landed a good one,¡± Casimir spat mockingly. Veins began to appear on his forearm as he stopped the spear from going any further and, unsurprisingly, the shaft of the spear snapped under his grip.


    ¡°What?!¡± Morrison cried out.


    It wasn¡¯t as if there weren¡¯t people with incredible strength roaming all over the continent, but very few if any could overpower even the most basic of aura users.


    With the sudden realization of Casimir¡¯s strength also came the hefty blade of a halberd that crashed into him. Even though Morrison raised an arm to block it, the sheer force behind the swing sent him flying much further than Casimir went from his kick. It was almost ironic that he ended up flying back into the manor he stepped out of.


    After the initial impact of Morrison''s body breaking through the wall the destruction seemed to continue with clouds of dust spilling out from the brand new entrance that was created by Morrison. From inside, the creaking of a now unsteady foundation filled the air which was otherwise silent.


    ¡°H-He did that¡­ to Morrison?¡± A hired thug asked out of pure disbelief.


    To a relatively normal person like him, it was no surprise he would see an aura user as the summit of all things when far bigger fish roamed the waters.


    ¡°Indeed I did,¡± Casimir replied indifferently. He was much too busy collecting himself, the muscles on his arms swelled while grotesque veins covered them entirely like a spider¡¯s web.


    Although he had a relatively deep reservoir of pure strength, it came at a cost. He found it to be more physically taxing and it even hampered his rate of regeneration. It was one of the reasons he felt far weaker than his siblings who could sustain their natural abilities for far longer.


    With a long exhale, Casimir¡¯s arms returned to normal and he approached the dumbstruck crowd of hired guards. By the time they finally realized they should move, Casimir had already swung his halberd, cleaving two in half with little effort while the others split off, fleeing in all directions.


    Finding it too troublesome to chase, Casimir entered the building which was now in shambles. He found the two swordmasters from earlier now cowering near Morrison¡¯s broken body. Miraculously, Morrison still managed to draw breath, though based on Casimir¡¯s cold expression, it didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d continue to do so for much longer.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for an aura technique,¡± Casimir said.


    With leisurely steps, he walked over to the trio. He ignored the two swordmasters, finding that they weren¡¯t a threat and instead stood over the bleeding Morrison who gasped for air.


    ¡°W-What?¡± Morrison clenched his teeth through the pain. As far as he could see, Casimir¡¯s ability exceeded what the lower levels of aura manifestation could offer.


    ¡°You should have one, right?¡± Casimir asked, but his tone made it obvious that any insufficient answer wouldn¡¯t end well.


    ¡°T-The chest¡­ upstairs¡­ behind the painting of¡­ the flower field¡­¡± Morrison let out sharp breaths as a stinging pain filled his abdomen.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Casimir smiled.


    It seemed everything was going well until he lifted his halberd and slammed it into the floor. Morrison and the two swordmasters next to him flinched, but the weapon only struck the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave this here,¡± Casimir spoke tauntingly before chuckling to himself.


    The swordmasters trembled in humiliation while Morrison ground his teeth in agony. They became aware of just how much they feared Casimir when they failed to utter a single word, fearing he would react violently.


    Paying no mind to them, Casimir strode up the stairs and entered Morrison¡¯s quarters. Once he spotted the large painting on the wall, he briefly examined it.


    ¡°Mhm¡­ It just looks like flowers to me.¡± He shrugged before tearing the picture down which exposed a false compartment.


    Without much of a struggle, Casimir lifted the compartment open and found a fairly sizable wooden chest. There was a lock, but he simply tore it off and tossed it to the side before peering into the contents. There were ten gold coins, a few hundred silver, amulets, bracelets, gems, and other trinkets that were likely to hold immense value. However, the thing that drew Casimir¡¯s interest was the scroll encased in an intricate bronze casing. As he unfurled it, several diagrams of figures were drawn with specific anatomy points highlighted as well as a corresponding piece of writing.


    His eyes widened in excitement, but he controlled himself and carefully returned it to its casing. He slammed the chest shut and heaved it over his shoulder before returning downstairs only to find the two swordmasters attempting to carry Morrison out of the building.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Casimir¡¯s low exclamation made them immediately come to a halt.


    A few heavy seconds of silence passed before he cracked a grin and shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a great mood so you can go, but tell me where my brother headed.¡± He waved them away and grabbed his halberd with the intention of leaving.


    ¡°All we know is that he left Argos and headed west,¡± A swordmaster hurriedly replied.


    Casimir nodded and strode past them, making it clear he didn¡¯t plan on killing them.


    ¡°Just wait¡­ I will make sure I find you and your brother,¡± Morrison whispered venomously. He was so wrapped up in his own rage that he didn¡¯t notice Casimir had paused mid-step, turning around to face them once more. His golden yellow eyes turned cold as he set his gaze on them.


    ¡°Morrison!¡± The female swordmaster¡¯s face turned into one of helplessness.


    ¡°Put him down.¡± Casimir gently placed the chest on the ground and walked directly toward them. He rotated his halberd like an eager executioner while his gaze seemed to pierce through Morrison.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°What?! Didn¡¯t you take everything?! Are you going back on your word?!¡± Morrison felt there was no way Casimir could hear him but found his sudden change in demeanor too coincidental to be anything else.


    ¡°Put him down,¡± Casimir repeated.


    The two swordmasters hesitantly placed Morrison onto the ground as he began to thrash and shout.


    ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t just let him kill me! I-I saved both of you, have you forgotten?!¡± He pleaded.


    Casimir silently made a few practice swings as he stood over Morrison, lining the blade of his halberd up with the base of the latter¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Hold on! I have connections in this city!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t need ¡®em,¡± Casimir replied.


    ¡°Stop-¡±


    Morrison could no longer barter for his life as Casimir¡¯s halberd cleaved his head away cleanly. The two swordmasters flinched before staring listlessly at the headless body.


    ¡°You two want to add anything?¡± Casimir he asked, poking the closest swordmaster with the butt of his halberd.


    ¡°No?¡± He cocked his head to the side inquisitively before continuing, ¡°Never hurts to be sure.¡±


    Since there didn¡¯t seem to be anything left for him to do, Casimir quickly grabbed the wooden chest and left the area. His conflict was sure to draw the attention of many. To his advantage, Morrison had made sure that most guards would keep away, but they were bound to grow suspicious as the deaths of the various swordmasters as well as Morrison himself began to spread.


    ¡­


    A few hours passed in Argos as disorder interrupted the usual flow of the day. It wasn¡¯t too odd to hear that someone had been killed or assassinated, but the amount of death happened too rapidly for some to process. Especially when Morrison, an aura master, and a prolific figure in Argos¡¯ underworld, was among those who died.


    The only people who weren¡¯t too interested in the shocking development would be those new to the city. That, of course, included Horace and Gwendolyn Ravenport who both were moping inside of a cheap inn.


    The two quietly sat at the table without sharing a single word. Horace frowned with guilt before digging through his coin purse, finding his silver to be in short supply. The Uncle and Niece both let out sighs at the same time.


    ¡°Gwendolyn¡­ I-¡±


    ¡°No, Uncle, I assumed that our previous ties were strong enough to establish a new trade contract. I would never have guessed that there were outside parties wishing for our territory to fall past the point of no return so they can pick us apart.¡± Gwendolyn spoke with resignation, feeling like the conclusion of the Ravenport family lay ahead.


    ¡°Gwendolyn,¡± Horace spoke, wanting to at least provide words of comfort but could only manage to utter her name.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Uncle. We should depart at first light and at least put the last of our silver into sustaining the territory for as long as we can manage.¡± Gwendolyn put on a brave face, though there was an obvious sadness in her cloudy eyes.


    ¡°I take it things didn¡¯t go too well with your merchant friend?¡± Casimir¡¯s said as he approached the table.


    ¡°Ah, Sir...- Casimir,¡± Gwendolyn showed a flash of hope before recalling his condition. ¡°... It appears that our partnership won¡¯t come to fruition. We failed to establish a trade contract and so our territory will go unfunded.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good.¡± Casimir placed the halberd and wooden chest at his feet before joining them at the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but is there a reason for that filthy cloak?¡± Horace frowned as he examined the tattered piece of cloth that could barely be called a cloak.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m feeling a bit cold,¡± Casimir replied.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Horace¡¯s face showed pure disbelief. Casimir had worn nothing but a leather cuirass when they first met and slept through the night with nothing but a pelt underneath him. To say he was cold at the moment was completely unbelievable.


    ¡°Sure I am.¡± Casimir didn¡¯t even blink as he lied which drove Horace into even more of a frustration.


    Before the incensed uncle could argue further, Casimir spoke first, ¡°So what exactly happened with your trade contract?¡±


    ¡°It sounded very generous at first,¡± Gwendolyn started. ¡°In exchange for lowering our tax on imports, we would be granted a steady trade route. There was even an advanced loan to help fund the local shops within my family territory.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you accept then?¡± Casimir questioned, figuring there had to be a catch or else the two wouldn¡¯t have been sulking.


    ¡°The stipulation that drove us away was when we were asked to leverage the deed to several key pieces of land we own. It¡¯s quite obvious the merchant involved expected us to desperately accept those conditions, but the scheme was quite clear. Since the flood of goods was to be solely controlled by an outside party, they could forgo shipments while saying they were robbed.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I get it now.¡± Casimir¡¯s eyes flashed with realization. ¡°The merchants could stall until they were sure you wouldn¡¯t be able to gather the full amount needed to pay back the loan. They¡¯d be able to easily take control of a majority of your territory and could easily get the rest from there on.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sharper than you appear, young man.¡± Horace gave backhanded praise.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know, but there is a large focus on study within the City of Ir¡¯rah.¡±


    ¡°Oh, here we go again with Ir¡¯rah.¡± Horace rolled his eyes.


    ¡°The City of Ir¡¯rah,¡± Casimir corrected him, continuing on in a scholarly manner. ¡°It is important to make the distinction clear when you say it like that. Ir¡¯rah is the deity but the city shares the same name.¡±


    Gwendolyn softly laughed while Horace gave up on replying.


    ¡°You are very strange, Casimir.¡± Gwendolyn managed to smile.


    ¡°I could say the same about both of you.¡± Casimir retorted, leaning back into his chair.


    He contemplated his next step after getting his hands on an aura technique. Staying in Argos wasn¡¯t a viable option after killing Morrison. His appearance didn¡¯t lend to keeping a low profile, so leaving was his only option.


    The only remaining question was where he would go next? It went without saying that a relatively calm place to learn the aura cultivation technique would be the most ideal. That¡¯s where Gwendolyn and Horace came in.


    ¡°... If I may ask, what will you do now, Casimir?¡± Gwendolyn asked.


    ¡°You know, I think I want to go and see the Ravenport Territory.¡± Casimir grinned.


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be able to pay you properly, young man,¡± Horace chimed.


    ¡°Not only that, but the Ravenport Territory won¡¯t be ours for much longer given the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Lucky for you, I have a solution for that.¡± Casimir¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°Do you?!¡± Horace immediately grabbed onto the hope Casimir offered.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Casimir suddenly stopped smiling and turned his eyes toward a corner of the room where a cloaked man sat, nursing a mug.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come over?¡± Casimir called out to him.


    The man immediately stood up and approached the table before bowing to Casimir respectfully.


    ¡°I offer my deepest greetings, Son of Ir¡¯rah,¡± The reverence shown by the cloaked man didn¡¯t go unnoticed to either Gwendolyn or Horace.


    ¡°I assume someone already went to tell Liliara of my whereabouts, right? Why don¡¯t you just take me to her?¡± Casimir got directly to the point.


    ¡°Of course, I expect the Sovereign will be pleased to see you, Son of Ir¡¯rah.¡±


    ¡°Uh, Casimir, just who is-¡± Horace immediately held his tongue when a pair of reptilian eyes bore into him from under the cloak. The hood obscured the man¡¯s facial features, but his eyes were clear to see. The amber colored irises were contracted into an icy glare as they gazed into the very depths of Horace¡¯s being.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Horace groaned under the immense pressure transferred through a simple gaze.


    ¡°Let him be,¡± Casimir reprimanded the cloaked Dragonkin.


    ¡°Forgive me, Son of Ir¡¯rah.¡± The Dragonkin immediately bowed toward Casimir without a care for the eyes of others.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, just please stop bowing and take me to my sister.¡±


    ¡°Your sister?¡± Gwendolyn repeated, unaware of the brief intimidation applied to her Uncle.


    ¡°I will immediately take you to the Sovereign.¡± The Dragonkin emphasized the last part as to drive it into the ears of Horace and Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Please, just hurry up.¡± Casimir sighed.


    ¡°Right away, Son of Ir¡¯rah.¡± The Dragonkin bowed again.


    ¡°Come on.¡± Casimir stood up, gesturing for Horace to follow.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll guide you, Lady Gwendolyn.¡± Horace helped his niece to her feet and followed Casimir.


    ¡­


    Nearly a half day later, Horace and Gwendolyn were back in their carriage and traveling the roads again. The only difference now, other than the addition of Casimir, was the several cloaked figures flanking both sides of the carriage. Horace found it strange that they managed to keep up with the carriage while walking without showing the slightest amount of exhaustion. Though, after his first encounter with a Dragonkin, he didn¡¯t wish to ask about it.


    ¡°What does the term ¡®Son of Ir¡¯rah¡¯ even mean? I can at least tell it is something respectable with the way you were addressed.¡± Gwendolyn asked when she could no longer take the gnawing sense of interest.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ hard to explain.¡± Casimir smiled wryly. ¡°It carries a lot of weight, at the very least.¡±


    ¡°Is it like a title granted by a noble?¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s words drew the attention of the Dragonkin walking with them as they all looked in her direction, their eyes oozing with hostility.


    Although she couldn¡¯t see, they were restraining themselves as much as they could. The urge to punish her for comparing Casimir to a lowly noble burned within them, but it died out as Casimir simply waved them off.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad way to look at it, but it¡¯s a bit more important. At least, to those familiar with the city.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean to say you are equivalent to a prince?¡± Horace asked cautiously only to receive another volley of threatening stares.


    ¡°You could say that...¡± Casimir trailed off.


    ¡°Amazing, I never knew you were such a person.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well-¡± Casimir suddenly stopped speaking, finding he had arrived.


    Liliara¡¯s Imperium sat right in front of the carriage. Hundreds of people, chained at the ankles, were in the process of building a stone wall around the main entrance of the small city.


    ¡°Do not stray.¡± A Dragonkin said to Horace before they entered.


    Horace nodded with a grim expression, finding the condition of the people here to be terrible, far worse than the Ravenport Territory. Oddly enough, there were more peasant-like citizens inside, but they weren¡¯t chained at all and seemed free to go wherever they pleased.


    ¡°Hold.¡± A Dragonkin halted the carriage as a row of carts passed.


    Rocks that were clearly mined out from a different location were being brought to the wall to serve as material. Horace could plainly observe the faces of those pushing the carts along, finding them to be the same as the people working on the wall at the entrance.


    ¡°Are these people slaves?¡± Horace quietly asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Casimir replied before continuing with a serious look on his face, ¡°Listen to me very carefully, this is my sister¡¯s territory. Do not bring in any values or expectations you¡¯ve become accustomed to because they mean nothing to her. If you anger her, the consequences are beyond my control.¡±


    ¡°We will make sure be courteous and respectful right, Uncle?¡± Gwendolyn spoke in reply.


    ¡°...Y-Yes, milady,¡± Horace responded belatedly.


    After the carriage was led into the grounds of Liliara¡¯s Manor, Casimir stepped out first, feeling every drop of blood in his body resonate as his sister¡¯s presence became extremely clear. He looked up toward the Manor¡¯s balcony and saw her standing there.


    Like a battle-hardened general, she with immense composure, but as she peered toward Casimir, her face softened as a beautiful smile appeared on her face. Her red eyes, a feature none of her siblings shared, curved into two joyful crescents.


    ¡°Liliara,¡± Casimir whispered as a smile began to creep on his face.


    ¡°Casimir,¡± Her words were laced with happiness as they reached his ears.


    And just like that, the first reunion between siblings was shared by Casimir and Liliara.

 Chapter 11: Liliara, The Cruel Sovereign (4)

    ¡°Don¡¯t let the ring of fire distract you, Neph. Liliara¡¯s true power is a bit more complicated than that... My only hope is that she controls it properly.¡±


    -Ira when asked about Liliara¡¯s power by Nephele.


    ...


    Liliara was clearly very happy to see Casimir seeing as she went to greet him herself as soon as he entered the manor.


    ¡°Brother,¡± Liliara spoke warmly.


    However, every single trace of joy vanished when she laid eyes on Horace and Gwendolyn. The Dragonkin she sent to scout the city of Argos informed her of his presence as soon as they discovered him. There was also a report about the two individuals in his company, but she didn¡¯t have a solid information network available to discern the origins of the Ravenport''s.


    Sensing her coldness toward them, Casimir began to speak, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Liliara¡­ I half-expected you to attack me.¡±


    Liliara softly laughed as she turned her attention back to Casimir, ¡°Raveria, Zephyr, and Valeryn fought in the pre-exodus war so they definitely deserve that amount of precaution. So remember, if you encounter either one of them, it¡¯s better to attack first.¡±


    There was a brief pause as Gwendolyn and Horace struggled to understand what she meant by ¡®pre-exodus¡¯ war. From their knowledge, there was no such conflict, or at least, none that were given the same name.


    ¡°In any case, I presume you being here has something to do with these two, no?¡± Liliara asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason, yes,¡± Casimir answered with a nod.


    ¡°I see.¡± Liliara¡¯s red eyes flickered over to Gwendolyn before moving to Horace who found himself shivering.


    Even if the young woman in front of him stood at a level of completely unprecedented beauty, he didn¡¯t have enough courage to admire it, let alone meet her eyes. Liliara¡¯s presence alone was more than enough to drive fear into Horace and Gwendolyn. In the case of the latter, her lack of sight didn¡¯t prevent the spine-chilling sensation that came with Liliara¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Liliara finally spoke before turning on her heels and gesturing for them to follow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone carry your belongings in,¡± Liliara said, nodding to one of her nearby servants. ¡°In the meantime, why don¡¯t you begin to explain what you need of me?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Casimir tried to figure out where to start. ¡°You see, I was wondering if¡­-¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, I am Lady Gwendolyn Francesca Ravenport and I was hoping to establish a trade contract with you. Your brother has been very kind but I do not intend on relying on goodwill alone. I am more than ready to discuss terms with you.¡± Gwendolyn spoke up.


    Casimir flinched, the Dragonkin grimaced viciously, and Liliara stopped walking.


    ¡°Lady Gwendolyn Francesca Ravenport, was it?¡± Liliara asked slowly.


    ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Gwendolyn answered shakily, suddenly feeling as if the same confidence she used to convince Casimir had suddenly fled.


    Before anyone could react, Liliara had stood in front of Gwendolyn, gripped her neck, and lifted her into the air.


    ¡°Gwendolyn!¡± Horace cried out but was immediately pounced upon by the Dragonkin who restrained him.


    ¡°Liliara,¡± Casimir said with a frown. It was more than enough to transmit his thoughts.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn could only gasp for breath while held by Liliara.


    ¡°Who are you to interrupt us when we are speaking? You are not on equal footing with me, human,¡± Liliara spoke in a chilling tone as her eyes narrowed in disgust.


    Her rage made the entire room turn cold and it seemed as if she would execute Gwendolyn on the spot.


    ¡°Liliara,¡± Casimir said again as he placed his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°If not for Casimir, I would have snapped your feeble neck and beheaded your uncle without a second thought, Lady Gwendolyn.¡± Liliara¡¯s expression loosened into a smile as she gently released Gwendolyn.


    The Dragonkin let go of Horace and he immediately went to help Gwendolyn who was busy coughing. Casimir, on the other hand, let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Well, you do have a certain quality about you that I find pleasing Lady Gwendolyn. At least, enough for me to allow you to remain in my younger brother¡¯s company.¡± Liliara softly laughed as if she hadn¡¯t tried to kill Gwendolyn only a few seconds beforehand.


    ¡°Liliara... Gwendolyn¡¯s territory is in a bind and she needs financial help. The merchants at Argos wanted to drive her out of her territory so I thought that you would be the best option.¡± Casimir rushed the point of his visit along so no other life-threatening events would occur.


    ¡°Hm? I suppose you¡¯re right¡­ This land of mine is barren, without a single fertile pile of soil to be found. If you have something to remedy my starving people, I will offer you silver ore in return.¡±


    ¡°W-We have a surplus of grain from this year¡¯s harvest¡­ We also can provide enough fish to feed several dozen households, though it would need to be salted and dried so we can transport it without it spoiling.¡± Gwendolyn rubbed her aching neck as she spoke.


    To her credit, it did take a certain type of person to ignore their near-death experience and continue on without missing a beat. It drew some slight approval out of Liliara, but not very much.


    ¡°Very good,¡± Liliara replied.


    Even as her people were on the verge of starving, she didn¡¯t seem to show an ounce of desperation or concern.


    ¡°Now, Casimir, there is something I want from you in exchange.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want you to be there with me when I take Argos.¡±


    Horace and Gwendolyn quietly gasped, but Liliara ignored them.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to siege that city?¡± Even Casimir seemed a little surprised.


    ¡°Indeed, I am¡­ The information the Dragonkin provided shows that Argos is now a corrupted husk of its former self. The truly skilled opponents who once stood guard are nowhere to be found. The ones who you were entangled with are much smaller on the food chain.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Casimir asked, astounded. He underestimated the humans of this world greatly if there were individuals who held more strength than the few opponents he faced.


    ¡°Do you think I would lie to you?¡±


    ¡°I suppose not.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking into the recent history of this continent and there are some very notable figures about, but they tend to keep away from the more mundane circles of society.¡±


    ¡°Ah, speaking of, did you know that Valeryn was in Argos long before me?¡±


    ¡°I had no idea. I wasn¡¯t able to send my people to Argos until recently since my Imperium isn''t stable at the moment.¡± Liliara became a little more serious at the mention of her older brother.


    ¡°Well, all I know is that he killed three swordmasters before heading west.¡±


    ¡°Did he? If I know Valeryn, he¡¯s looking for sword-wielding opponents to gain enlightenment of some kind.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I should still be wary if I run across him?¡±


    ¡°Of course you should. Valeryn will test you the moment he lays his eyes on you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to keep that in mind. Oh, there was another thing I wanted to ask you about.¡±


    ¡°Then ask.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve managed to obtain an aura manifestation technique.¡±


    ¡°Ah, lucky you.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Yeah, you could say that. Anyway, I was wondering if there was somewhere quiet where I could try to practice it.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the focus technique my mother taught us?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Well, I set aside a room that I can use to hone my focus. There won¡¯t be an issue if you use it for the time being. I¡¯ll have my head servant, Beatrice, show you there.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°This much is nothing, Casimir. However, there is something I¡¯d like to request of you at the moment. Since we haven¡¯t seen each other for quite a while, I¡¯d like to have a friendly match with you."


    ¡°I expected that much.¡± Casimir smiled wryly.


    Liliara¡¯s smile brightened at his response and waved to her head servant, an older brown-haired woman.


    ¡°Guide my brother¡¯s guests to their rooms. They are allowed to go anywhere except for my quarters and my study.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sovereign.¡± Beatrice bowed before gently grasping Gwendolyn¡¯s arm as to guide her. It was done so naturally that her actions almost escaped Horace¡¯s notice.


    He wanted to speak up about Liliara¡¯s attitude, but he wisely chose to remain silent. It was clear that she only cared about Casimir.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you both later,¡± Casimir said to them as they disappeared down a hallway.


    ¡°Now, shall we?¡± Liliara asked with an excited grin.


    ...


    It didn¡¯t take long for them to arrive at the courtyard where a group of Liliara¡¯s soldiers was busy training. Casimir immediately noticed an almost fragile looking girl among them who was covered in a few bruises. Margo, the only ordinary human among the bunch was being trained by Reva Greymoon. It was an experience that Margo hadn¡¯t enjoyed since the start, but she knew she had to persevere.


    ¡°Again!¡± Reva called out to Margo. The lycanthrope left herself wide open for an attack as if taunting Margo.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Margo shouted wildly as she rushed toward Reva. She threw a punch with all of her might, but it was easily intercepted by Reva¡¯s palm.


    ¡°Quiet down,¡± Reva growled. ¡°Your shout only served to reveal your intention. If you are weaker than your opponent you do not have the luxury of being so frivolous with your actions. Remain composed at all times.¡±


    As she spoke, her grip around Margo¡¯s hand tightened until the poor girl was forced to kneel.


    ¡°You kneel for no one but your Sovereign.¡± She lifted Margo into the air before tossing her back onto the ground.


    ¡°Ah, I presume training is going well, Reva?¡± Liliara¡¯s voice was met with an instantaneous kneeling by all of her knights.


    ¡°As well as to be expected, Sovereign. Without undergoing the blood rite or the bone inscription, there is a limit to what she can learn."


    "She''ll undergo it when she''s ready. Now, you all are dismissed, I wish to spar with my brother.¡±


    The soldiers immediately stopped whatever they were doing and left without question. Even if they were dying to spectate, they wouldn¡¯t dare ask it. As they passed Liliara and Casimir they made sure to bow to the latter. The children of Ir''rah were met with as much reverence as Ir''rah himself.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing well, Margo.¡± Liliara smiled as her newest knight went by.


    ¡°Thank you, Sovereign,¡± Margo repeated with a shy grin, briefly glancing at Casimir before giving a polite but awkward bow.


    ¡°So... Where¡¯d you find her?¡± Casimir asked curiously now that the courtyard had been emptied.


    ¡°In the territory of some lord. I burned the town to ashes and she tried to kill me for it.¡±


    Casimir¡¯s eyebrows raised in surprise as he never knew his sister to show mercy. Even back in The City of Ir¡¯rah, she went out of her way to execute those who had forgotten their place and became overly-ambitious. In her own words, it was a necessary course of action since Ira hadn¡¯t shown himself to his people for quite some time.


    ¡°You¡¯re surprised I didn¡¯t kill her?¡± Liliara inquired as she removed her black coat and placed it on a nearby bench.


    ¡°A little, yeah,¡± Casimir spoke honestly.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the city of Ir¡¯rah, brother,¡± Liliara replied as she rolled up her sleeves.


    ¡°Are we using weapons?¡± Casimir asked while rotating his shoulders.


    ¡°This is only a light spar so, no, we are not,¡± Liliara answered before looking off into nowhere.


    ¡°Envoy,¡± She called out.


    A black shadow formed out of thin air before it took the form of a veiled woman wearing long black robes.


    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t know we were allowed to speak to the Envoys,¡± Casimir said with a hint of realization.


    ¡°This is a sparring session between my brother and I. Therefore the outcome shouldn¡¯t have a negative effect on our positions in the competition, correct?¡±


    ¡°That is correct, Daughter of Ir¡¯rah. As long as both of you recognize it as such, the outcome of your fight will not harm your standings.¡± The Envoy spoke softly.


    ¡°Good.¡± Liliara moved to stand opposite of Casimir some distance away.


    ¡°Take a moment to gather your focus,¡± Liliara said as she raised her arms slowly before bringing them to complete her stance. As she finished preparing, a strong gust of wind swept past her causing her ponytail to sway. Seeing as they were both in an enclosed courtyard, it wasn¡¯t an act of nature, but rather Liliara bringing out a portion of her own power.


    Her expression which was relaxed only a few moments ago became still while her eyes became extremely sharp.


    Casimir inhaled deeply before performing a similar action. He raised his arms in front of him and took a stance causing a soft breeze to blow right past him, causing a few strands of his hair to sway. His expression also became similar to his sister as they both entered a state of unparalleled focus.


    However, unlike Liliara, veins appeared on Casimir¡¯s arms as they swelled indicating he was planning on using the fullest extent of his strength, or at least, somewhere near it.


    The Envoy seemed to take their actions as her signal to leave and slowly faded into nothingness. The moment she disappeared, they moved, causing a loud shockwave to echo through the manor.


    In the span of a few seconds, they already had begun trading blows. Casimir¡¯s swings were heavy and wild, but there were obvious hints of practiced discipline within them to a discerning eye. Liliara, on the other hand, was direct, foregoing feints and evasion, choosing to block whatever came toward her instead and counter with attacks of her own.


    As Casimir swung his fist, Liliara blocked it with her forearm before accurately striking his chest with her palm. It sent him tumbling backward, but he used the momentum to disperse the power behind the tack and rolled back to his feet only to be greeted by a kick aiming directly for his head.


    Casimir clenched his teeth and blocked, but the strength behind Liliara¡¯s kick was nothing to ignore. Another shockwave spread throughout the courtyard as a plume of dust rose up around both of them.


    Liliara took the opportunity to leap backward and give Casimir a few moments to catch his breath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Liliara,¡± Casimir spoke angrily, incensed by her actions. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t retreat for any of the others so don¡¯t do it for me.¡±


    Sensing turbulent emotions stirring within in Casimir, Liliara slightly frowned before nodding her head.


    ¡°Forgive me, Casimir, I truly didn¡¯t mean to upset you... I can use a larger portion of my power if you wish for it.¡± Liliara said in a soft voice.


    ¡°Do it then,¡± Casimir replied while bracing himself. In his memory, there was only one time he had witnessed Liliara¡¯s power before and that was when he called himself weak which caused her to attack without warning.


    Without knowing his thoughts, Liliara closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, a ring of red flames rose up around them, but they burned nothing. The scarlet colored fire gracefully danced around them without burning a single thing.


    ¡°Make sure you¡¯re prepared,¡± Liliara spoke grimly.


    Casimir was silent in response, choosing to rush directly toward her but as soon as she took a step forward, an unassailable force pressed down on him, stopping him in his tracks. It was as if gravity itself conspired against him, but that wasn¡¯t all. He felt as if his strength was slowly being drained away from him and quickly began to exert more force.


    Part of Liliara¡¯s ability revealed itself and very true to her nature, it demonstrated she could suppress anyone within the ring of red fire. It was unknown how her other siblings might have reacted, but Casimir was unable to resist. He felt his entire skeleton creak as he put every ounce of strength he could muster into fighting Liliara¡¯s suppression. He growled deeply as more veins appeared on his arms and neck. As he began to stand, Liliara took another step forward and he was pressed back down.


    Liliara kept quiet as she observed her brother. She felt anticipation toward his struggle, hoping that he would possibly awaken to his power or at least, gain another level of strength.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this feel familiar to you, Casimir?¡± Liliara¡¯s voice seemed to be accompanied by a sonorous hum while within her suppressive fire. ¡°There was a time where you could only withstand a single step.¡±


    After saying so, she took her third step forward which increased the pressure on Casimir. A sound resembling a hammer striking an anvil reverberated loudly.


    ¡°You called yourself weak that time,¡± said Liliara as she took her fourth step.


    Although she moved lightly, her fourth step pushed Casimir to the ground, but he propped himself up with a single arm.


    ¡°At this moment, I see no sign of weakness. You have grown so much, Casimir and I wish for you to grow even more. I want to see you go far beyond your current strength and become something much more. I wish to see that more than anything, brother.¡±


    As if spurred on by Liliara¡¯s words, Casimir let out a bestial howl and rose to his feet before shakily approaching his sister.


    To Casimir, it felt as everything in the world was acting to restrain him, but he forced himself to move. With great effort, he raised his hand and reached toward Liliara, only a step away from her. It was such a short distance and yet, he couldn¡¯t move anymore. So, Liliara closed the distance for him, taking her fifth step.


    A thunderclap rang out while the ground around Casimir was cracked apart. With Liliara¡¯s fifth and final step, Casimir could only faint before falling into her arms. The flames quickly dissipated and any damage done to the courtyard with the radius of the suppression ring disappeared with it like an illusion. It seemed Liliara¡¯s ability had some effect on reality, but Casimir wasn¡¯t awake to take notice.


    ¡°You¡¯ve truly grown, brother.¡± Liliara took Casimir¡¯s unconscious body into her embrace, supporting him so he didn¡¯t fall onto the ground. She looked at her younger brother with pure affection as she brushed his hair aside.


    ¡°You¡¯ve earned your rest,¡± She carefully carried him out of the courtyard.


    When she entered the manor, anyone who saw her approaching quickly stepped out her path before kneeling. No one offered assistance as she would order them to help if she needed it, so they also remained silent as she passed.


    ¡°Retrieve the Sovereigns¡¯ coat,¡± Reva nudged Margo who belatedly nodded before rushing into the courtyard.


    She made sure to handle the black coat with care as she went off to find Liliara. After a few minutes, she arrived at one of Liliara¡¯s private rooms.


    She softly knocked before a voice replied to her, ¡°Enter.¡±


    Margo walked in and discovered Liliara sitting at Casimir¡¯s bedside. She seemed to disregard all notion of maintaining the standing of a ruler when it came to her brother.


    Seeing her Liliara¡¯s gentle expression as she looked over her brother, Margo couldn¡¯t help but be stunned.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve brought your coat, Sovereign,¡± Margo managed to finally speak.


    ¡°...Put it down and leave us.¡± Liliara replied without turning her eyes away from Casimir.


    ¡°Yes, Sovereign.¡± Margo bowed, sending one final glance to the two siblings before leaving.

 Chapter 12: Liliara, The Cruel Sovereign (5)

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect most of the humans of this world to measure up to any of you, however, not all of them will fall so easily. This is a competition, after all, it¡¯s only fitting I ensure that you¡¯re tested to your limits.¡±


    - Ira


    ¡­


    The war effort within Liliara¡¯s Imperium had been set in motion without restraint. With her younger brother at her side, she and her army would take Argos. Well, to be specific, she would take resources and people from Argos and burn everything else. Rather than splitting her power to maintain two separate territories, she would exercise the right of the victor. As far as she was concerned, Argos was already a pile of ashes and its people just needed to be transported to her Imperium.


    Liliara called her closest subordinates to the war room in order to iron out her plan. The tentative leaders of each faction gathered around a table wherein a map was spread out. At the head of the table, Liliara stood, slightly leaning over it as her eyes drifted over each corner. At her side, of course, was Casimir who recovered without issue, previously suffering from fatigue due to sparring with Liliara. Also. close by, a naive Margo was nestled between Reva and the leaders of the Dark Elf, Beastkin, and Dragonkin factions.


    ¡°Reva will lead the Lycans into the city under the cover of darkness and spread panic.¡±


    Normally, one would abide by the rules of war, but as Liliara saw it, only the strong could dictate the terms of engagement. And while a flood of papers announcing an attack would cause panic and confusion, she felt it was more than merciful on her part.


    ¡°Unless the merchant circle of Argos is full of idiots, they will at least raise some sort of defense. This will also serve to draw out the guard captains and commanders, at which point the Lycans will remove the chain of command, targeting the highest ranking officers and officials first. Next, we¡¯ll have a perimeter set at all exits, save the waterways and aqueducts. Anyone willing to crawl through filth is, at the very least, deserving of their freedom. A majority of my army will restrain those who attempt to flee. My city is in desperate need of manpower so do not falter in your efforts and kill any who cause a stir to prevent larger disturbances. The last thing I want is a few rebellious souls sparking some sort of resistance within my territory¡­ Additionally, Casimir and I will enter the city with the dragonkin and deal with the main brunt of their defenses. As for everything else, there are key areas on the map such as the treasury, grain storage, and various warehouses that must be secured, this will also fall on the Lycans so take care not to make any mistakes, Reva.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Sovereign. We will not fail you.¡± Reva bowed her head respectfully. She had complete faith that she and her fellow kinsmen would complete the tasks without issue. There was also another motivating factor behind her and that was the subtle struggle for influence within each faction present in the city of Ir¡¯rah.


    As of now, the Dark Elves stood and the top and it would likely be that way forever as Ira heavily favored them. That was even more apparent when realizing that Princess Suvi Meldara, the next in line to be the Queen of the Dark Elves, was suspected to be romantically involved with Valeryn. But that was neither here nor there, the spot for the second most influential group fell between the Lycans and the Dragonkin though that didn¡¯t make the Beastkin or Vampires in the city of Ir¡¯rah any less active. This, ¡°power struggle,¡± wasn¡¯t too disruptive and as long as outright malicious schemes weren¡¯t hatched, it received silent approval from the Valkyries who acted as enforcers of Ira¡¯s will.


    ¡°If you all are clear on what shall be done, take your leave and prepare for battle. Anyone who¡¯s impedes the speed of our march will be dutifully punished. Understood?¡± Liliara asked, surveying the room with a frigid gaze.


    ¡°Yes, Sovereign!¡±


    ¡°By your will, Sovereign!¡±


    ¡°It will be done, Sovereign!¡±


    Declarations of understanding were made in reply before the room began to empty. Margo and Casimir were the only two who remained and the former seemed to be full of hesitation.


    ¡°Um¡­ Sovereign?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mince words and speak freely, Margo,¡± Liliara replied, the intensity of her gaze lessened.


    ¡°Yes, Sovereign. It¡¯s just that¨C I fear that I may not be of much use. I¡¯ve trained as hard as I could but I am not foolish enough to think that I¡¯m any stronger than before.¡±


    ¡°Is that what worries you, Margo? I thought perhaps you had some moral qualm or nervousness toward the approaching battle and yet, you fear that you aren¡¯t strong enough to be useful?¡± Liliara¡¯s soft laughter filled the room as soon as she finished speaking.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Casimir, who stood with his arms crossed only moments ago, relaxed as a well-humored grin appeared on his face.


    Margo, on the other hand, began to turn red with embarrassment. Simply put, even though the sound of Liliara laughing was pleasant, she assumed herself to be the subject of ridicule and felt like a fool as a result.


    ¡°I approve of your enthusiasm, but you are known as an unblooded, Margo. Once you go through certain rituals, you will have more than enough strength to be of use, but for now, you are to observe and learn from my soldiers. Now go, you should at least inform your sister of your imminent departure.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Margo¡¯s eyes lit up, her spirit becoming roused from Liliara¡¯s assurances, ¡°Right away, Sovereign.¡±


    She bowed before quickly vacating the room, leaving the brother and sister duo alone. Casimir was the first to speak the moment he had the room.


    ¡°I may need your assistance,¡± He spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already agreed to cooperate with Lady Ravenport, but if there is something else you require I¡¯ll do my best to assist you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve misspoken, I only meant that I need a little advice.¡±


    ¡°Then feel free to speak.¡±


    ¡°By now you should have heard of the process in which warriors cultivate an aura in order to grow stronger, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that isn¡¯t exactly surprising news. I suppose you attempted to use one and came up short?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, how¡¯d you¨C¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re attempting to use human techniques but you aren¡¯t human at all.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean? I know our bloodlines are far from them, but I thought that it would work regardless.¡±


    ¡°Oh, brother. You and I, as well as our brother and sisters, are very much near-perfect beings. I only say ¡®near-perfect¡¯ because none of us can even begin to match father if you ignore the twins. We also don''t have as many organs as humans as our bodies are far more efficient. The organs we do have resemble large gemstones rather than following the structure of humans.¡±


    Casimir entered a contemplative silence as he unraveled Liliara¡¯s words. It was hardly new information to him, but he hadn¡¯t put too much thought into the nature of his own being.


    ¡°It''s simple, if you wish to use aura techniques, do not go about it as a human would. Hmm, do you have the technique in your possession at the moment?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, I do,¡± Casimir said as he produced a small bronze case that held a scroll within. He handed it over to Liliara who examined it, slightly raising an eyebrow before smiling as if amused.


    ¡°Have you ever tried controlling the flow of your blood in conjunction with your breathing, Casimir?¡±


    ¡°Not really, no, I don¡¯t think I have.¡±


    ¡°From what I can gather, most aura cultivation techniques probably start by gathering strength at certain parts of the body, specifically, your joints and tendons before moving on to complicated steps like strengthening your internal structure. Apparently, it requires controlled and rhythmic breathing in order to increase blood flow before rapidly slowing it down. That part is rather unnecessary for you.¡± As Liliara finished, she moved toward an inkwell and began to write on the scroll.


    Most martial experts, be they swordsmen, spearmen, or otherwise, would cry at the sight of an invaluable cultivation scroll being carelessly vandalized. However, if they knew the being responsible was essentially a demigod, they¡¯d respond quite differently. Especially if they understood she was creating a personalized technique for Casimir.


    ¡°I understand the nature of our physiology more than anyone else, with the exception of father and the twins. So you were right to ask for my advice¡­¡± Liliara trailed off as she made several ¡®corrections¡¯ to the scroll.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m all finished. I expect that you will find more success if this is indeed the technique you wish to pursue. Although¨C" Liliara seemed uncertain as she dried the scroll before handing it back.


    ¡°What?¡± Casimir inquired, reaching for the scroll but finding that Liliara¡¯s grip around it remained tight.


    ¡°I fear you may harm yourself if you aren¡¯t adequately prepared.¡± Liliara released the scroll as she spoke of her worries.


    ¡°What will I explode?¡± Casimir asked, chuckling as he did, quickly stopping upon seeing Liliara¡¯s serious face. ¡°No, wait, will I really?¡±


    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll be careful with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful, Liliara. I promise.¡± Casimir nodded solemnly, sensing his sister¡¯s concern. He couldn¡¯t imagine how terrible she¡¯d feel if he gravely injured himself while using something she created. For the sake of her mental state, he resolved to take a cautious approach so that he wouldn¡¯t end up hurt. If things went out of his control, then he¡¯d make sure she never found out.


    ¡°And thank you, Lili,¡± Casimir muttered, turning his face away by the time he got Liliara¡¯s nickname out.


    Not wishing to put him on the spot, Liliara simply smiled, finding his reaction to her satisfaction.


    ¡°Now, if there is nothing else, you should prepare for tomorrow¡¯s battle.¡±


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll meet you out there tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, go tend to your guests. I''d be surprised if they weren¡¯t frightened out of their wits by our people.¡±


    With that, Casimir headed out while Liliara stared at the map once more. She lifted a small knife and stabbed it into the point which represented Argos.


    ¡°Argos will fall,¡± She whispered to no one, her dark red eyes stirred violently as they drifted to several other cities and towns. ¡°The rest will come soon after.¡±

 Intermission: Argos Will Fall

    ¡°You may be wondering what¡¯s the difference between a sword master and someone skilled with a sword? Well, sword masters typically aren¡¯t as powerful as aura masters, but they are able to stand in a class of their own. One sword master is roughly equivalent of twenty men in battle. They boast of greater physical strength and reflexes than your typical swordsman, but there are a few legends among them. There was once a sword master who could cut down fifty men with every swing. Oh, and there was one who was said to split the flow of a river! Ah, and who could forget the legendary Tharris of Voskonia, who is said to still be fighting his lifelong rival Herrod atop the highest mountain peak in the world.¡±


    -A sword master¡¯s conversation with his first disciple


    ...


    ¡°Something strange has been happening recently, Yorrick.¡± My mentor, Pretlyn, spoke as any elderly aura master would, with a tone that makes him seem wise and observant when, in reality, it¡¯s mostly paranoia and an overactive sense of danger. I suppose to live as long as he had, you¡¯d need very sensitive instincts when it came to stuff like this.


    ¡°What isn¡¯t strange these days?¡± I replied, yawning before continuing on, ¡°Especially with sword masters being cut down by the dozens.¡±


    I was exaggerating on the numbers, yes, but it may as well have been true.


    Without counting wars and large scale battles, Argos has lost more sword masters in the span of a few days than anyone else.


    The moon was shining brightly above the city as we ¡°patrolled.¡±


    Whoever trounced those sword masters was quite inconsiderate. As per the unwritten agreement with the merchant¡¯s circle of Argos, we were expected to help shore up security. Which, when things were peaceful, was hardly a bother. Now, it was quite a troublesome task given that not many people could slaughter a handful of sword masters. There were even less who would be willing to do so while the city was on high alert, making the whole act of patrolling quite useless.


    ¡°You smell that?¡± Pretlyn went on.


    I sniffed the air and found no peculiar scents polluting the wind.


    ¡°No,¡± I answered.


    Then, just as I thought there was nothing, I caught a whiff of blood, odorous and pungent.


    ¡°Wait¨C¡±


    Before I could finish, Pretlyn drew his sword and turned serious.


    Along with the sound of steel leaving a scabbard, screams cut into the night as a massive commotion erupted.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Pretlyn lead the way into the direction of a fleeing crowd.


    They ignored us and continued on without offering an explanation. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Pretyln grabbed one man by the arm as he brushed past.


    ¡°Let me go! There are monsters!¡±


    ¡°Monsters?¡± I repeated with confusion written on my face.


    ¡°Demons!¡± The man spoke incoherently as Pretlyn released him.


    We watched the crowd disappear into the night as smoke began to rise in several places around the city.


    ¡°Come, Yorrick, let us see these so-called demons for ourselves,¡± Pretlyn moved quicker as we headed toward the source of trouble.


    We turned a corner and what lay ahead was a sight to behold.


    A pack of wolfish creatures that were twice the size of any normal man. And in the center, the apparent leader of the creatures who bore a grey coat of fur and a much larger and much more imposing physique.


    In their hands were dismembered body parts of what I assumed were previously attached to the city guards. They turned their heads to look at us who were much smaller in comparison.


    ¡°Reva,¡± One of them released a heavy growl as it hunkered forward.


    ¡°No, I want these two,¡± The grey one spoke, its beastly maw seemed to curl into a grin.


    The other beasts jumped away with incredible power given the muscle-bound physiques they were equipped with. I would''ve expected them to be slower and stronger instead of showcasing frightening levels of agility.


    I looked over to my mentor and could see Pretlyn was presumably just as stunned as me by the beasts speaking our language with ease.


    ¡°What are you?¡± Pretlyn asked while raising his sword, sending a brief glance to me.


    It was only then did I fumble around for my sword, drawing it awkwardly. I was not ashamed that I had been thoroughly shaken by the appearance of the nightmarish creature before me. It seemed as if man and beast had become one. Except, it wore pieces of leather armor over its body.


    ¡°There is a saying in the city of Ir¡¯rah. ¡®The weak can only ask questions while the strong will receive answers.¡¯ Do not question me, human. If you want answers, you have to take them,¡± The beast replied with pure arrogance and contempt.


    ¡°City of Ir¡¯rah?¡± I muttered unconsciously, recalling the myth shared by the occasional traveler.


    It was used as a tale to scare children mostly, but seeing the beast in front of me. I wonder if¨C


    ¡°Yorrick!¡± Pretlyn¡¯s shout woke me up as I suddenly found my body tumbling away.


    ¡°What¨C¡± I was stunned by the sight of my mentor standing in front of me without an arm.


    ¡°Do you think I am so worthless that you can fall into idle thought, human?¡± The beast held Pretlyn¡¯s arm in its claws.


    ¡°Wise up, Yorrick,¡± Pretlyn kept his composure, rousing me from my surprise.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°As long as my sword arm remains, I won¡¯t die so easy¨C¡±


    With a blur of grey, I suddenly saw Pretlyn¡¯s head fall in front of me. His unfocused eyes twitched slightly before falling still. His mouth was ajar as if he was lingering on a word that he couldn¡¯t get out.


    I don¡¯t know what happened. One moment he was there, the next, he had simply lost his head. I felt my body trembling uncontrollably as I looked at the beast.


    ¡°I tried to face you with the respect shown to warriors, but my warnings fell on deaf ears,¡± It snickered with a harsh tone, ¡°I am Reva of clan Greymoon, remember me.¡±


    It lunged toward me, turning into a grayish blotch that evaded my sight before I felt numbness overtake me. My vision darkened as my thoughts muddled.


    ¡®Have I died?¡¯ It was a question I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever get to ask.

 Chapter 13: Liliara, The Cruel Sovereign (6)

    Outside the city of Argos, an army stood underneath the moon¡¯s illumination. There was no official declaration of war or notice, there was simply an army that had appeared. Even the guards atop the wall were briefly stunned into stillness.


    Liliara eyed the city wall meant to serve as protection and turned to Casimir with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°Doing a little damage to the city¡¯s wall won¡¯t be the end of the world, no?¡± Liliara, equipped with her ominous black armor, asked in a casual manner.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Casimir replied while knowing that his sister would hardly stop at only a little damage.


    Liliara seemed to take his affirmation as a signal, raising her bident before throwing it at the stone wall like a furious god. The moment the bident made contact with the wall, it collapsed like a brittle clump of mud.


    Liliara smirked at the sight before her body moved forward, starting the assault on Argos. Casimir followed behind her and the dragonkin didn¡¯t hesitate in moving forward either. As befitting those with inhuman strength, a few powerful leaps put them inside of the city and that was the moment Liliara had begun her massacre of the surprised guards, sword masters, and aura masters. The fleeing citizens were the only people given quarter as she didn¡¯t even look in their direction.


    Liliara swung her bident toward an aura master who managed to defend against the powerful blow with some effort. His stifled grunt and late recovery made it clear something inside of him had been damaged.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Liliara immediately showed interest and used her power of control.


    A red circle spread out around her and the aura surrounding the man shattered like glass. Seeing him fail to withstand her power, she pierced him through with her bident before flinging his body away like trash.


    ¡°Come with me, Casimir. The rest of you should be well aware of your objectives.¡±


    With that, the two of them distanced themselves from the area with incredible speed.


    ¡°You heard the Sovereign,¡± One of the dragonkin spoke as he lifted his swordspear. ¡°We cannot disappoint her!¡±


    The rest of the dragonkin exclaimed loudly as they set off to find any influential figures or strong warriors lurking about.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, the lycans had begun making short work of Argos¡¯ guards. There was no sense of technique or finesse to their attacks, just an animalistic assault that involved lots of blood. Reva headed the charge. Truth be told, there was no better calvary than a pack of werewolves and she demonstrated that as she and a few others tore through guards like nothing.


    Reva stood over one of the guards and lifted him into the air, her claws sunk into his metal chest plate and crumpled it.


    ¡°Ah! Aaaah! Shit!¡± The guard writhed in pain until Reva¡¯s jaws ripped open his neck, allowing only a horrid choking sound to emerge.


    As if to show she was done, she tore the guard in half with ease, throwing each half toward the remaining guards who had pressed themselves against the wall. Their morale was non-existent at that point and the only thing stopping them from retreating further was the fact they had reached a dead end.


    Suddenly, Reva jumped out of the way just before someone came crashing down, kicking up dust and stone as they did.


    ¡°Sir Locke!¡± A man cried, one of the guards who now seemed to be full of relief.


    ¡°Stay calm,¡± Locke muttered as he rose from the cloud of dust. ¡°If they bleed like us then they can die like us.¡±


    The newest entrant did have the look of a hero about him, a handsome face and bright eyes, and for his apparent age, he appeared to have a great deal of talent.


    Locke flicked his sword, drawing a line of blood on the ground. His eyes fell on Reva who growled, ignoring the fresh wound over her face. She was quite surprised that a human managed to land an attack but she was in no way scared. In fact, she subconsciously let out a bloodthirsty growl as the instinctive urge to attack him filled her mind.


    ¡°I would be disappointed if no one managed to put up a fight.¡± She muttered in a bestial tone.


    ¡°Oh? They can talk?¡± Locke showed a look of surprise but remained completely calm.


    At the very least, he was no ordinary aura master. After he finished speaking, he immediately began his attack. A blue crescent traveled forward with his swing and nearly struck Reva who twisted her large body to avoid it.


    Right after, Locke had dashed forward in the blink of an eye and swung his sword downward but only made contact with Reva¡¯s claws. The blue aura covering his longsword greatly enhanced the strength of his blow as the ground underneath Reva was filled with web-like cracks. With a deafening roar, she forced Locke upward in a show of brute strength. He recovered himself while in the air, positioning himself to land on his feet.


    His thoughts raced as he kept his eyes on Reva and the rest of the lycans who lurked in the distance, watching the fight with eagerness.


    ¡®It seems as if she controls them,¡¯ He noted, finding that none of them moved to help her.


    The hierarchy of the lycans was based on strength and if she lost the fight, it would be as good as tarnishing the reputation of her clan.


    Bearing that in mind, Reva not only wanted to deal with Locke herself, but she had to. If she didn¡¯t prove herself at every opportunity her entire family would lose influence among the lycans. Reva snarled, lowering her body as if she was about to perform a powerful lunge but she stopped moving and even took a step back before finally kneeling. The lycans at her side did the same without an obvious reason.


    ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Locke was, of course, confused by the sudden development but didn¡¯t want the opportunity to land a fatal blow go to waste. Once his feet touched the ground, he reinforced his body with aura and shot forward. Reva didn¡¯t even flinch as he bore down on her with the intention of killing her in one swift and decisive strike.


    Just as his sword arrived at her neck, it was stopped. Or, more accurately, it was blocked. A figure in black armor had gripped the sword with her bare hands and halted all momentum behind what would be a life-ending blow against most people. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°You are surprisingly strong for a human.¡± Liliara¡¯s cold voice assaulted Locke¡¯s senses. A powerful bloodlust seemed to be interlaced with each word she spoke.


    Before he knew it, his body began to scream under the sense of impending doom.


    ¡®Run!¡¯ His senses seemed to say to him. His eyes searched the thin visor of Liliara¡¯s black helm for some sign of humanity in order to find some sense of humanity beyond it. The way she referred to him as human, made it clear she definitely was not one.


    Liliara¡¯s hand tightened around the aura-enforced blade that Locke¡¯s wielded, immediately breaking it into pieces. Then, that same fist of hers struck Locke¡¯s cheek, sending him sailing backward without a sense of direction. He drew out as much as his aura as he could muster before he smashed through a wall, and then another, and then one more, ultimately ending up in an entirely different part of the Argos.


    Screaming filled the air around him as he searched his surroundings in a daze. The men and women fighting for Argos began to spontaneously combust into flames. At first, Locke felt as if he was in a nightmare, but the vivid smell of burnt flesh was too real. He quickly came to his senses and saw the same figure in black armor standing over one of the plaza¡¯s, clearly, she was the one who had set those guards ablaze without much effort.


    And then, he felt as her eyes turned toward him which caused Locke to flee before his mind could even register anything else.


    ¡®I have to go now!¡¯ Ignoring the pain of a fractured jaw, he ran forward as fast as he could without looking back.


    From above, Liliara stared down, observing the sight of a fleeing aura master as she spoke to Casimir.


    ¡°Would you deal with him, Casimir? I very much detest the sight of scurrying rodents,¡± Liliara spoke softly.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Casimir sighed before leaping away.


    Casimir overtook Locke and ended up waiting for the aura master in the distance. As soon as he heard Locke approaching, he lowered his shoulder and charged forward.


    The young aura master was caught by surprise as he turned a corner only to slam into Casimir. The two seemed to bounce off of each other with Casimir taking a few steps back while Locke crashed into another wall.


    Casimir shook off the shock of the impact and moved forward with his halberd. At the same time, Locke freed himself from the wall after being embedded in it and immediately began evading a series of deadly swings from a halberd.


    Each time Casimir¡¯s halberd touched something, it was smashed into pieces, speaking volumes of the deadly weight and force behind each strike. One could only imagine what would happen if the massive weapon made contact with their flesh. Locke proved to be skillful as he made use of his surroundings. Jumping onto anything he could during his attempt to flee.


    Unfortunately, Locke couldn¡¯t keep his streak of success and slipped up. His mistake allowed Casimir to bury his knee into the pit of Locke¡¯s stomach. With the urge to survive at its highest, Locke pushed his aura to cover the point of contact and his vital organs. As a result of his quick thinking, Casimir¡¯s strike which was only meant to slow his target down served to propel him in the opposite direction.


    Casimir was taken by surprise as he watched Locke travel through the air after absorbing the impact and using it to bolster his momentum.


    ¡°So an aura can be used like that too?¡± Casimir nodded, seemingly understanding what Locke¡¯s intentions were. He prepared to throw his halberd and kill Locke while he was in the air, but he noticed where Locke was landing and instead began to laugh to himself.


    ¡°What a lucky man,¡± He muttered as Locke fell into one of the waterways with a splash.


    Casimir rested his halberd on his shoulder and headed back to Liliara. In his eyes, if someone was that desperate to escape, then they deserved at least a chance. That and, being someone with a powerful sense of smell made him hesitant to jump into the filthy water just to kill one man.


    Casimir arrived in plaza only to spot Liliara¡¯s bident impaling a rotund man to the wall. He let out a shriek as he suddenly caught fire and began to burn on the spot.


    ¡°Did you manage to catch him?¡± Liliara asked, her hands wrapped around the throat of some poor swordsman. A fire erupted from her palm and incinerate the man¡¯s body in a split second.


    ¡°No, he actually managed to make it into the waterways,¡± Casimir replied while rubbing his nose sheepishly.


    ¡°I can only imagine he¡¯ll escape to some other city and inform them of what occurred,¡± Liliara mused as she retrieved her bident from the chest of the charred corpse.


    ¡°Should we pursue him, Sovereign?¡± Reva, now in her human form, bowed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, Reva. Is it not the perfect time for the rest of this continent to learn about the existence of my Imperium? There is no better announcement than the razing of one of their most prolific cities.¡±


    With caution to the wind, Liliara revealed unshakeable confidence. She wasn¡¯t ignorant to the possibility of a retaliatory attack, but it would come much later if at all. She didn¡¯t think there¡¯d be anyone foolish enough to rush toward her territory without acquiring information beforehand. Of course, she¡¯d increase lycanthrope patrols around her borders to prevent any scouts from getting anything useful.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Reva lowered her head more before returning to the fray.


    Far off in the distance, the dragonkin dealt with the remaining sword masters who were the only thing keeping the groups of guards from breaking. Liliara and Casimir simply watched as the city was razed, with only a few key areas surviving.


    By the time the sun had risen, the fires had died out and bodies littered the streets. The people of Argos were driven from their homes and shackled together in lines that included dozens of people. Stores of jewelry, gold, silver, priceless weapons, aura cultivation methods, spellbooks, antique armors, and most importantly, food, were looted in droves. Caravans of wagons were formed to transport the spoils of battle back to Liliara¡¯s growing Imperium.


    As the entire ordeal slowly came to close, Reva returned, intoning a report as she stopped in front of Liliara.


    ¡°No casualties among your soldiers, Sovereign. There were some wounded in the fight, but they¡¯ll recover within the hour given their regenerative capabilities. Additionally, some of the stronger aura masters managed to escape with their lives.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Liliara replied, pleased with how everything turned out.


    Honestly speaking, there was almost no chance for victory on the enemy side when the Lycanthropes removed the chain of command. The various sword masters and aura masters were skillful combatants, but they weren¡¯t very good leaders, especially considering that the very normal city guards wouldn¡¯t be of much help against stronger opponents. Fear and surprised also played a part in their victory seeing as Lycanthropes were never seen until that night.


    Casimir stared at the city which carried no trace of its previous image. The chaotic and bustling mercantile hub was reduced to a smoldering shadow. Even if it had been in a steep decline from its former glory days, it was still a massive source of trade. The absence would have a heavy impact on the rest of the kingdoms and cities present on the continent. This was also a part of Liliara¡¯s considerations as she had plundered nearly all of Argos. If she could move quickly enough and become an alternative to the former trade city, she would gain a massive amount of influence as many merchants would be forced to do business with her.


    ¡®As expected of her, Liliara is as keen as always,¡¯ Casimir thought, glancing toward his sister who only seemed a bit satisfied. ¡®Knowing her, this is just the beginning.¡¯


    ¡°Casimir,¡± Liliara interrupted her brother¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You should head back ahead of us. If you wish to reach the Ravenport Territory within the next few days you¡¯ll need an early start.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I guess I should.¡± Casimir nodded. ¡°Thank you for everything, Liliara.¡±


    ¡°Please, I hardly did anything.¡± Liliara embraced her brother without hesitation, a warm smile on her face all the while. Casimir returned the gesture while feeling nothing but appreciation for his sister.


    When she distanced herself from him, her face suddenly turned serious, ¡°I do hope that when we next greet each other, it will be with weapons rather than smiles.¡±


    ¡°Our feelings are mutual then,¡± Casimir said with a refreshing grin.


    It was a sentence that would sound crazy when said by anyone else, but both Liliara and Casimir hoped they would be able to fight each other with little to no restraint.


    ¡°Take care, Lili.¡± Casimir gave a final wave before departing.


    Now alone, Liliara surveyed her first major military accomplishment but could only feel less satisfied than before.