My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days--a time of peace, when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But all that changed when the Earth Kingdom attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop the ruthless earthbenders. But when the world needed her most, she vanished.
Eighteen years have passed, and each nation has had trouble within its borders. The Earth Kingdom has taken advantage of the turmoil and continues its conquest. Among the chaos, the spirits still residing in our world have turned to attack people, and the entire world is now unbalanced. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn and that the cycle is broken. Others believe that the Avatar has gone into hiding due to being born in the Earth Kingdom that's hunting them down.
But I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow the Avatar will return to save the world. We just have to find them first.
The coup that placed King Wei as the Earth Monarch bode ill for the world at large. While many were concerned, few would speak out as the previous King Xiong was an ineffective leader who was more interested in riches than helping his people. But it was out of the pole caps and into the volcano as King Wei proved to be a threat not just to the Earth Kingdom, but to the rest of the world. It began with high taxes and an unfound arrogance against those who were not native to the Earth Kingdom, and over the years said arrogance turned to tyranny. What was once a continent of peace and harmony turned into war and strife as people were forced out of their homes. Benders who refused allegiance were arrested and vanished from the public eye, with rumors surrounded forced manual labor circling heavily.
In an attempt to subdue any that would challenge them, the Earth Kingdom cut food trades with the other nations. As a result, a famine has spread throughout the Fire Nation, and while the Air Nomads have tried to compensate, it is not enough. With the Fire Nation weakened, the Earth kingdom made their first attempt to conquer. Their only saving grace was the interference of the Water Tribes, who sent their own people forward to stop the Earth Kingdom ships from ever touching Fire Nation soil. Even so, things cannot remain this way as the citizens are starving to death, long separated from those that once resided in the Earth Kingdom. The Water Tribes struggle to communicate with one another as the Earth Kingdom has interfered with any attempts at every turn, and the Air Nomads have chosen to protest peacefully, much to the ire of the other nations.
Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could hope to defeat King Wei. With the hopes of all nations on her shoulders, Avatar Korra sought to negotiate with the King. The latter refused, and according to rumors, a fight broke out between the two before the Avatar was forced out of the palace. Before the Avatar could take proper judgment, however, she passed. After twenty years, however, a new Avatar has yet to emerge. What is known is that the Avatar was born in the Earth Kingdom, but many feared they had already fallen into the Earth Kingdom's hands. As the years passed and no new Avatar emerged, the masses began to lose hope. Three days ago, however, several beams of light emerged from the temples around the world, signaling that the new Avatar had awakened. That was when The Rebellion was formed and sprung into action. While their numbers were scarce, they gathered who they could and sent them to the Earth Kingdom. Now, it is a race between the Rebellion and the Earth Kingdom to find the Avatar. Will the Rebellion find the Avatar in time, or will the Earth Kingdom gain the upper hand?
Spanning most of a continent as well as several subsidiary islands, the Earth Kingdom is the largest and most populated sovereignty in the world and encompasses much of the eastern hemisphere. The kingdom operates as a monarchy under the rule of a single Earth Monarch. It is home to most earthbenders and the people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong; they once adhered to a philosophy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the other nations of the world before King Wei's reign changed that to a philosophy of spreading their greatness to the rest of the world. Due to their manipulation of earth, earthbenders are virtually immovable, as reflected in the personality of many Earth Kingdom citizens. In general, Earth Kingdom culture is concerned with maintaining face: a person's good reputation and standing in the eyes of others. Respect for the family and one's ancestors is also a very common aspect of Earth Kingdom culture.
Earth Kingdom architecture varies by province. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, green. The majority of the buildings are made of stone, wood, and plaster; these may be used in conjunction with one another or separately, depending on the available resources. Most buildings have sloping roofs covered with dark gray or green tiles; yellow tiles denote wealth and are used by aristocrats in Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom insignia is often put on important buildings and fortresses as a symbol of the government. Roads vary considerably – in the country, they are usually made of well-worn dirt, while cities have well-made flagstone streets. Much of the Earth Kingdom's population traditionally live in small villages, and tiny settlements of ten or so inhabitants dot the landscape; larger towns, such as Chin Village and Jiaoling, are found more infrequently. Despite this ruralization, a significant portion of the Earth Kingdom's citizens actually live in its largest cities such as Omashu, Taku, Gaoling, and Ba Sing Se.
Even though many parts of the Earth Kingdom have been traditionally mistrustful of outsiders, the Earth Kingdom has a long history of migration. Many live mobile lives as nomads and outlaws, while mass migration of those seeking work or fleeing poverty and unrest has been a common occurrence. In addition, the Earth Kingdom has traditionally harbored populations of Fire Nation and Water Tribe descent. Such foreign migrants usually arrived as traders, workers, and colonists; until last year, they integrated peacefully into the native society. A majority of their villages have been ransacked and conquered as the years have passed, and many benders that lived in them disappeared. Families have trouble contacting their home lands and many are fearful for the fate of their loved ones. Nowadays, there is a fierce prejudice against any benders that aren't earthbenders, and Earth Kingdom soldiers are all too happy to arrest any benders they come across, leading many to go into hiding.
The Earth Kingdom's change in its view of the world has resulted in an unbalanced world. They recognize that despite being a smaller nation, the Fire Nation's military is not to be trifled with, and thus targeted them first in their war of conquest. It started off by slowly lessening how much food was traded while raising prices, and by the time anyone noticed it was far too late. Last year, the Earth Kingdom outright stopped trade and launched their first attack, sending a fleet of soldiers via ships. Recognizing the threat, the Fire Nation called on the other nations to help. The Water Tribes were successfully able to fend off the Earth Kingdom with their superior navy, but as retaliation, the Earth Kingdom has gone out of their way to interfere with any communications between the two sister tribes.
The Fire Nation is an absolute monarchy led by the Fire Lord and home to most firebenders. Geographically, the nation is located along the planet's equator in the western hemisphere and is composed of several islands simply called the Fire Islands. The Fire Nation is the second-largest nation in terms of area, following the Earth Kingdom, while its economy is the most powerful in the world; its strong industrial sector enabled the Fire Nation to create an extremely powerful military.
The dress code and symbols of the Fire Nation are modeled after fire, naturally. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, red. The majority of the structures are made of stone. They also have red pagoda-style roofs favored by the country. Fire Nation symbols are often put on important or nice buildings for decoration and inside it was common for a picture of the Fire Lord to be kept in a prominent, visible place. The Fire Nation's worldview upholds that only unity, centralism and strict order can ensure stability and prosperity. This does not include restricting freedom and creativity, as these aspects of personal expression are critical to societal development and harmony; however, children do not gain this freedom until they have been taught how to improve the Fire Nation with their actions, and the honor it brings them. These ideas are instilled from an early age.
Fire Nation society places a great emphasis on respect and honor, especially toward the nobility and elders; the concept of the famed Agni Kai stems from these beliefs. Should one be honored enough to be in the presence of a member of the Royal Family, that person needs to prostrate themselves in respect or risk being challenged to an Agni Kai to avenge the disrespected Royal's honor. Upon coming into contact with an elder or superior, it is polite to bow down. Unlike in other parts of the world, this bow consists in placing a hand in a straight fashion with the other being fisted placed underneath it vertically. This represents the superior standing with one below him, bowing. Also when receiving an order in the Fire Nation by a superior it is common to not bow, but make the hand symbol. Bowing is required upon greeting to one, when something nice has happened, after business, and leaving.
The Fire Nation's response to the Earth Kingdom's attacks have been righteous fury; they remain grateful to the Water Tribes for defending them last year and have maintained strong ties to them. However, the same cannot be said for the Air Nomads; while the latter has made a valiant effort into keeping the Fire Nation fed, they refused the Fire Nation's petition for additional soldiers. This has greatly soured the relationship between the two nations as the Air Nomads' peaceful protests have accomplished little while the people of the Fire Nation continue to suffer in light of constantly needing to defend themselves while the Earth Kingdom has cut them off from the many Fire Nation citizens who lived in the Earth Kingdom.
Air Nomads is the collective term for the monastic order of men and women who practice the discipline of airbending and the pacifistic ethics of their theocratic society. They are wanderers by definition, but have four air temples, one located at each corner of the globe, found atop mountain ranges and under cliffs, in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands, all of which are hard for outsiders to reach. Unlike the other nations, those born to the Air Nomads are, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people. They are a peaceful race who live in large temples and travel the world on flying bison. They are the most spiritual of all the cultures and lived in harmony with nature. Their culture values both altruism and detachment from wealth and worldly affairs, and their relationship with the other nations varies. They are also fun-loving and have a strong sense of humor.
The Air Nomads have the smallest population of the four nations in the world. They have a small economy, based entirely on limited agriculture, and the smallest population of all the nations. Due to the peaceful teachings of their leaders, the nature of the people is calm and tranquil, famously known as peaceful, egalitarian people who embrace a life of simplicity and environmental preservation. They traditionally live according to montastic customs, and the Northern and Southern Air Temples act as homes for Air Monks, while the Eastern and Western Air Temples act as homes for Air Nuns. However, this gender separation is not universally enforced and it is common for many to intermingle. All airbenders grow up to become monks and nuns unless they chose to leave the Air Nomad life behind or are exiled. When monks and nuns stop at villages across the world along their journeys from temple to temple, most peasants gladly provide them hospitality in exchange for help with chores, news, and entertaining stories from other parts of the world, or a promise to relay messages to distant relatives. Air Nomads are raised communally, and often have a main guardian who they are not related to, though they are aware of their blood relatives and often have close relationships with them. Masters of airbending are one of the most visually distinct as they are tattooed with blue arrows.
The Air Nomads have taken no strong stance against the Earth Kingdom's actions, resulting in a tense relationship between them and the Fire Nation in particular. While they have provided as much food and resources as they are able, it is unfortunately not enough. As the only nation without a formal military, they cannot offer soldiers, though fighting goes against their ways; an oath of nonaggression is often declared whenever a new airbender reaches the age of adulthood, swearing to adopt to the pacifistic ways and having direct combat be used solely as a last resort. This has been ill received by both the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes; the former is in disbelief that the Air Nomads would rather protest peacefully than take action, while the Water Tribes have repeatedly urged the Air Nomads to join them. Alas, their pleas have been ignored, though rumor has it that many monks and nuns are starting to doubt their inaction.
The people of the Water Tribe are generally peaceful, and strive to live in harmony with nature and the other nations of the world. Living in the harsh conditions of the poles and the swamp has made the people of the Water Tribes resilient to hardship and respectful of the world around them. There are two primary divisions of the Water Tribe, the Northern Tribe and the Southern Tribe, though both are at least de jure governed by the Northern chief. The Water Tribe is less powerful than both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, due to its geographical location and the small size of its population and economy. The economy is dependent on the ocean, given the country's location and lack of arable land, apparent manufacturing capacity or minable resources.
The appearance of the Water Tribe is based on its corresponding element, water. Each of the nations has its own elemental color, which in the case of the Water Tribes is blue. The Foggy Swamp Tribe is an exception, as they tend to wear green due to their affinity with plants. The Water Tribe is divided into three distinct groups, primarily based on their geography and affinity for waterbending. The Southern Tribe occupies the South Pole, the Northern Tribe occupies the North Pole, and the Foggy Swamp Tribe occupies a swamp in the Earth Kingdom. Family is hugely important to Water Tribe culture. All members of the Tribe recognized each other as kin to an extent, and it was traditional to name a child after a family member. The Northern and Southern Tribes have a positive relation to one another and it is not uncommon for families to travel to and fro, even if the journey is a long one. Generosity is also highly valued among the people of the Water Tribe, to the extent that the generosity of their traders was considered legendary in the other nations.
When the Fire Nation pleaded for help against the Earth Kingdom, they immediately sent forth their waterbenders and ships, successfully pushing away the Earth Kingdom navy. While the two tribes wish to join the defense of the Fire Nation in a more united fashion, continued interference with their communications has resulted in sabotaged operations. That said, both need no cooperation to rise to defend their shared neighbor. They have asked the Air Nomads to act as messengers, but even these take precious time and require a willing Nomad, something that is, tragically, rare these days. The Water Tribe thus has put all their energy into keeping the Earth Kingdom at bay by sea, resulting in many waterbenders constantly fighting in war.
Fire Lord Zhun Li is the current leader of the Fire Nation. He governs alongside the Fire Sages and noble clans. A man of few words, his rule has been challenged by the Earth Kingdom’s actions. While the famine has done much damage, he has ensured that the Fire Nation endures. He has taken great offense to the Earth Kingdom attacking but is grateful for what it has revealed when it came to the relationships between the nations. Finding an unlikely ally in the Water Tribe was a pleasant surprise while the Air Nomads have disappointed him. He is said to have great respect for both Chief Dentak and Kato.
Chief Dentak is the current leader of the Water Tribe, housed currently in the Northern Water Tribe. A boastful and courageous man, he is ignorant to most politics and often leaves politics to his council. While most feel he could do with a little more diplomacy, he has made it clear that actions, not words, are what solve problems. His earnest ways have easily won over his countrymen and it is why they follow his orders without question.
The Southern Water Tribe is currently being led by Kato after communications with their sister tribe have been sabotaged. Kato is much more cautious than Dentak but is just as brave, ensuring that the Water Tribe performs their duties of keeping the Earth Kingdom from taking to the seas. He is a passive man for the most part, but still acts when necessary. He is largely motivated by his wife, Kaea, who assists him in most things. Many state it is Kaea who really runs things but leaves the bigger decisions to her husband so as not to upset their sister tribe.
The Air Nomads have the Council of Elders to lead them. Each air temple has its own council of head abbots, head monks, or head nuns as the political and religious authority. The councils of each temple are composed in accordance with the primary gender residing in each respective temple. It is Head Sister Sangye of the Western Air Temple that has been sending as much food as possible to the Fire Nation, though her pleas for additional help from the other temples were met with silence. As a result, the Council has had many conflicting opinions; some say that Sangye should not have acted without consulting the other temples while others point out that the Air Nomads don’t have much to offer in the first place.
This roleplay is firmly in AU territory. The Hundred Year War was successfully mitigated by Avatar Roku and an era of peace followed through Avatar Aang's time. His successor, Avatar Korra, passed twenty years ago, but her successor has yet to be located. In the meantime, the Earth Kingdom has been left unchecked, upsetting the balance between nations. While some things have stayed the same, others have changed. We're looking for active, driven players to make a small ragtag bunch of misfits--or if you're interested in other roles, there's no harm in asking! Players have the option to play whatever bender (or non-bender!) they please. If there are any questions or interest, feel free to ask :)
My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days--a time of peace, when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But all that changed when the Earth Kingdom attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop the ruthless earthbenders. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.
Eighteen years have passed, and each nation has had trouble within its borders. The Earth Kingdom has taken advantage of the turmoil and continues its conquest. Among the chaos, the spirits still residing in our world have turned to attack people, and the entire world is now unbalanced. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn and that the cycle is broken. Others believe that the Avatar has gone into hiding due to being born in the Earth Kingdom that's hunting them down.
But I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow the Avatar will return to save the world. We just have to find them first.
The coup that placed King Wei as the Earth Monarch bode ill for the world at large. While many were concerned, few would speak out as the previous King Xiong was an ineffective leader who was more interested in riches than helping his people. But it was out of the pole caps and into the volcano as King Wei proved to be a threat not just to the Earth Kingdom, but to the rest of the world. It began with high taxes and an unfound arrogance against those who were not native to the Earth Kingdom, and over the years said arrogance turned to tyranny. What was once a continent of peace and harmony turned into war and strife as people were forced out of their homes. Benders who refused allegiance were arrested and vanished from the public eye, with rumors surrounded forced manual labor circling heavily.
In an attempt to subdue any that would challenge them, the Earth Kingdom cut food trades with the other nations. As a result, a famine has spread throughout the Fire Nation, and while the Air Nomads have tried to compensate, it is not enough. With the Fire Nation weakened, the Earth kingdom made their first attempt to conquer. Their only saving grace was the interference of the Water Tribes, who sent their own people forward to stop the Earth Kingdom ships from ever touching Fire Nation soil. Even so, things cannot remain this way as the citizens are starving to death, long separated from those that once resided in the Earth Kingdom. The Water Tribes struggle to communicate with one another as the Earth Kingdom has interfered with any attempts at every turn, and the Air Nomads have chosen to protest peacefully, much to the ire of the other nations.
Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could hope to defeat King Wei. With the hopes of all nations on his shoulders, Avatar Korra sought to negotiate with the King. The latter refused, and according to rumors, a fight broke out between the two before the Avatar was forced out of the palace. Before the Avatar could take proper judgment, however, she passed. After twenty years, however, a new Avatar has yet to emerge. What is known is that the Avatar was born in the Earth Kingdom, but many feared they had already fallen into the Earth Kingdom's hands. As the years passed and no new Avatar emerged, the masses began to lose hope. Three days ago, however, several beams of light emerged from the temples around the world, signaling that the new Avatar had awakened. That was when The Rebellion was formed and sprung into action. While their numbers were scarce, they gathered who they could and sent them to the Earth Kingdom. Now, it is a race between the Rebellion and the Earth Kingdom to find the Avatar. Will the Rebellion find the Avatar in time, or will the Earth Kingdom gain the upper hand?
Spanning most of a continent as well as several subsidiary islands, the Earth Kingdom is the largest and most populated sovereignty in the world and encompasses much of the eastern hemisphere. The kingdom operates as a monarchy under the rule of a single Earth Monarch. It is home to most earthbenders and the people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong; they once adhered to a philosophy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the other nations of the world before King Wei's reign changed that to a philosophy of spreading their greatness to the rest of the world. Due to their manipulation of earth, earthbenders are virtually immovable, as reflected in the personality of many Earth Kingdom citizens. In general, Earth Kingdom culture is concerned with maintaining face: a person's good reputation and standing in the eyes of others. Respect for the family and one's ancestors is also a very common aspect of Earth Kingdom culture.
Earth Kingdom architecture varies by province. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, green. The majority of the buildings are made of stone, wood, and plaster; these may be used in conjunction with one another or separately, depending on the available resources. Most buildings have sloping roofs covered with dark gray or green tiles; yellow tiles denote wealth and are used by aristocrats in Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom insignia is often put on important buildings and fortresses as a symbol of the government. Roads vary considerably – in the country, they are usually made of well-worn dirt, while cities have well-made flagstone streets. Much of the Earth Kingdom's population traditionally live in small villages, and tiny settlements of ten or so inhabitants dot the landscape; larger towns, such as Chin Village and Jiaoling, are found more infrequently. Despite this ruralization, a significant portion of the Earth Kingdom's citizens actually live in its largest cities such as Omashu, Taku, Gaoling, and Ba Sing Se.
Even though many parts of the Earth Kingdom have been traditionally mistrustful of outsiders, the Earth Kingdom has a long history of migration. Many live mobile lives as nomads and outlaws, while mass migration of those seeking work or fleeing poverty and unrest has been a common occurrence. In addition, the Earth Kingdom has traditionally harbored populations of Fire Nation and Water Tribe descent. Such foreign migrants usually arrived as traders, workers, and colonists; until last year, they integrated peacefully into the native society. A majority of their villages have been ransacked and conquered as the years have passed, and many benders that lived in them disappeared. Families have trouble contacting their home lands and many are fearful for the fate of their loved ones. Nowadays, there is a fierce prejudice against any benders that aren't earthbenders, and Earth Kingdom soldiers are all too happy to arrest any benders they come across, leading many to go into hiding.
The Earth Kingdom's change in its view of the world has resulted in an unbalanced world. They recognize that despite being a smaller nation, the Fire Nation's military is not to be trifled with, and thus targeted them first in their war of conquest. It started off by slowly lessening how much food was traded while raising prices, and by the time anyone noticed it was far too late. Last year, the Earth Kingdom outright stopped trade and launched their first attack, sending a fleet of soldiers via ships. Recognizing the threat, the Fire Nation called on the other nations to help. The Water Tribes were successfully able to fend off the Earth Kingdom with their superior navy, but as retaliation, the Earth Kingdom has gone out of their way to interfere with any communications between the two sister tribes.
The Fire Nation is an absolute monarchy led by the Fire Lord and home to most firebenders. Geographically, the nation is located along the planet's equator in the western hemisphere and is composed of several islands simply called the Fire Islands. The Fire Nation is the second-largest nation in terms of area, following the Earth Kingdom, while its economy is the most powerful in the world; its strong industrial sector enabled the Fire Nation to create an extremely powerful military.
The dress code and symbols of the Fire Nation are modeled after fire, naturally. Like the other nations, it is based on its elemental color, in this case, red. The majority of the structures are made of stone. They also have red pagoda-style roofs favored by the country. Fire Nation symbols are often put on important or nice buildings for decoration and inside it was common for a picture of the Fire Lord to be kept in a prominent, visible place. The Fire Nation's worldview upholds that only unity, centralism and strict order can ensure stability and prosperity. This does not include restricting freedom and creativity, as these aspects of personal expression are critical to societal development and harmony; however, children do not gain this freedom until they have been taught how to improve the Fire Nation with their actions, and the honor it brings them. These ideas are instilled from an early age.
Fire Nation society places a great emphasis on respect and honor, especially toward the nobility and elders; the concept of the famed Agni Kai stems from these beliefs. Should one be honored enough to be in the presence of a member of the Royal Family, that person needs to prostrate themselves in respect or risk being challenged to an Agni Kai to avenge the disrespected Royal's honor. Upon coming into contact with an elder or superior, it is polite to bow down. Unlike in other parts of the world, this bow consists in placing a hand in a straight fashion with the other being fisted placed underneath it vertically. This represents the superior standing with one below him, bowing. Also when receiving an order in the Fire Nation by a superior it is common to not bow, but make the hand symbol. Bowing is required upon greeting to one, when something nice has happened, after business, and leaving.
The Fire Nation's response to the Earth Kingdom's attacks have been righteous fury; they remain grateful to the Water Tribes for defending them last year and have maintained strong ties to them. However, the same cannot be said for the Air Nomads; while the latter has made a valiant effort into keeping the Fire Nation fed, they refused the Fire Nation's petition for additional soldiers. This has greatly soured the relationship between the two nations as the Air Nomads' peaceful protests have accomplished little while the people of the Fire Nation continue to suffer in light of constantly needing to defend themselves while the Earth Kingdom has cut them off from the many Fire Nation citizens who lived in the Earth Kingdom.
Air Nomads is the collective term for the monastic order of men and women who practice the discipline of airbending and the pacifistic ethics of their theocratic society. They are wanderers by definition, but have four air temples, one located at each corner of the globe, found atop mountain ranges and under cliffs, in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands, all of which are hard for outsiders to reach. Unlike the other nations, those born to the Air Nomads are, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people. They are a peaceful race who live in large temples and travel the world on flying bison. They are the most spiritual of all the cultures and lived in harmony with nature. Their culture values both altruism and detachment from wealth and worldly affairs, and their relationship with the other nations varies. They are also fun-loving and have a strong sense of humor.
The Air Nomads have the smallest population of the four nations in the world. They have a small economy, based entirely on limited agriculture, and the smallest population of all the nations. Due to the peaceful teachings of their leaders, the nature of the people is calm and tranquil, famously known as peaceful, egalitarian people who embrace a life of simplicity and environmental preservation. They traditionally live according to montastic customs, and the Northern and Southern Air Temples act as homes for Air Monks, while the Eastern and Western Air Temples act as homes for Air Nuns. However, this gender separation is not universally enforced and it is common for many to intermingle. All airbenders grow up to become monks and nuns unless they chose to leave the Air Nomad life behind or are exiled. When monks and nuns stop at villages across the world along their journeys from temple to temple, most peasants gladly provide them hospitality in exchange for help with chores, news, and entertaining stories from other parts of the world, or a promise to relay messages to distant relatives. Air Nomads are raised communally, and often have a main guardian who they are not related to, though they are aware of their blood relatives and often have close relationships with them. Masters of airbending are one of the most visually distinct as they are tattooed with blue arrows.
The Air Nomads have taken no strong stance against the Earth Kingdom's actions, resulting in a tense relationship between them and the Fire Nation in particular. While they have provided as much food and resources as they are able, it is unfortunately not enough. As the only nation without a formal military, they cannot offer soldiers, though fighting goes against their ways; an oath of nonaggression is often declared whenever a new airbender reaches the age of adulthood, swearing to adopt to the pacifistic ways and having direct combat be used solely as a last resort. This has been ill received by both the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes; the former is in disbelief that the Air Nomads would rather protest peacefully than take action, while the Water Tribes have repeatedly urged the Air Nomads to join them. Alas, their pleas have been ignored, though rumor has it that many monks and nuns are starting to doubt their inaction.
The people of the Water Tribe are generally peaceful, and strive to live in harmony with nature and the other nations of the world. Living in the harsh conditions of the poles and the swamp has made the people of the Water Tribes resilient to hardship and respectful of the world around them. There are two primary divisions of the Water Tribe, the Northern Tribe and the Southern Tribe, though both are at least de jure governed by the Northern chief. The Water Tribe is less powerful than both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, due to its geographical location and the small size of its population and economy. The economy is dependent on the ocean, given the country's location and lack of arable land, apparent manufacturing capacity or minable resources.
The appearance of the Water Tribe is based on its corresponding element, water. Each of the nations has its own elemental color, which in the case of the Water Tribes is blue. The Foggy Swamp Tribe is an exception, as they tend to wear green due to their affinity with plants. The Water Tribe is divided into three distinct groups, primarily based on their geography and affinity for waterbending. The Southern Tribe occupies the South Pole, the Northern Tribe occupies the North Pole, and the Foggy Swamp Tribe occupies a swamp in the Earth Kingdom. Family is hugely important to Water Tribe culture. All members of the Tribe recognized each other as kin to an extent, and it was traditional to name a child after a family member. The Northern and Southern Tribes have a positive relation to one another and it is not uncommon for families to travel to and fro, even if the journey is a long one. Generosity is also highly valued among the people of the Water Tribe, to the extent that the generosity of their traders was considered legendary in the other nations.
When the Fire Nation pleaded for help against the Earth Kingdom, they immediately sent forth their waterbenders and ships, successfully pushing away the Earth Kingdom navy. While the two tribes wish to join the defense of the Fire Nation in a more united fashion, continued interference with their communications has resulted in sabotaged operations. That said, both need no cooperation to rise to defend their shared neighbor. They have asked the Air Nomads to act as messengers, but even these take precious time and require a willing Nomad, something that is, tragically, rare these days. The Water Tribe thus has put all their energy into keeping the Earth Kingdom at bay by sea, resulting in many waterbenders constantly fighting in war.
Fire Lord Zhun Li is the current leader of the Fire Nation. He governs alongside the Fire Sages and noble clans. A man of few words, his rule has been challenged by the Earth Kingdom’s actions. While the famine has done much damage, he has ensured that the Fire Nation endures. He has taken great offense to the Earth Kingdom attacking but is grateful for what it has revealed when it came to the relationships between the nations. Finding an unlikely ally in the Water Tribe was a pleasant surprise while the Air Nomads have disappointed him. He is said to have great respect for both Chief Dentak and Kato.
Chief Dentak is the current leader of the Water Tribe, housed currently in the Northern Water Tribe. A boastful and courageous man, he is ignorant to most politics and often leaves politics to his council. While most feel he could do with a little more diplomacy, he has made it clear that actions, not words, are what solve problems. His earnest ways have easily won over his countrymen and it is why they follow his orders without question.
The Southern Water Tribe is currently being led by Kato after communications with their sister tribe have been sabotaged. Kato is much more cautious than Dentak but is just as brave, ensuring that the Water Tribe performs their duties of keeping the Earth Kingdom from taking to the seas. He is a passive man for the most part, but still acts when necessary. He is largely motivated by his wife, Kaea, who assists him in most things. Many state it is Kaea who really runs things but leaves the bigger decisions to her husband so as not to upset their sister tribe.
The Air Nomads have the Council of Elders to lead them. Each air temple has its own council of head abbots, head monks, or head nuns as the political and religious authority. The councils of each temple are composed in accordance with the primary gender residing in each respective temple. It is Head Sister Sangye of the Western Air Temple that has been sending as much food as possible to the Fire Nation, though her pleas for additional help from the other temples were met with silence. As a result, the Council has had many conflicting opinions; some say that Sangye should not have acted without consulting the other temples while others point out that the Air Nomads don’t have much to offer in the first place.
This roleplay is firmly in AU territory. The Hundred Year War was successfully mitigated by Avatar Roku and an era of peace followed through Avatar Aang's time. His successor, Avatar Korra, passed twenty years ago, but her successor has yet to be located. In the meantime, the Earth Kingdom has been left unchecked, upsetting the balance between nations. While some things have stayed the same, others have changed. We're looking for active, driven players to make a ragtag bunch of misfits--or if you're interested in other roles, there's no harm in asking! Players have the option to play whatever bender (or non-bender!) they please. If there are any questions, feel free to ask :)
Good, no protests--or at least nothing important enough to warrant protesting out loud. Sara's zeal was admirable, and he credited her to the rest following along. Or at least, it was refreshing to hear some positivity out of all this, and Holly and Daniela seemed to follow the Templar's lead. He wouldn't comment on the misjudgment part, if only because making some goodwill was better than getting offended. That and at minimum it was earned; his reputation was shit and it was stupid to pretend otherwise. Weber's comment was what he had hoped would be true, but even then, at least Prince Aaron was a teen. He doubted a six-year-old could accomplish much on her own. And as much as he wanted to ignore Renault, he wasn't completely wrong.
In regards to Renault, however, he needed to be corrected. "And dedicating ourselves anew is what we will do. But scattering is exactly what we're going to do next," He stated first and foremost as he stood straight. He still felt weak, but he wasn't going to keel over yet. Though he hoped he was lucky enough that if he did collapse, he'd bash his head hard enough to knock himself out. He approached the windows and tapped the jambs, watching as the windows closed themselves and swiftly painted the panes a much darker color. The lights dimmed a touch as the windows formed a single panel, which then lit up into the image of a map of Gaia.
"Going to war with Kaudus is off the table for now, but we need to know more about the enemy. Investigating the Cult is going to be our primary objective," He stated as he walked over to where Doumerc was, tapping the city of Racine. "I have it on good authority that Dr. Rhaveus is at l'École d'Enchantement de la Lune--this is important because he was tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding Theodore's disappearance. This, of course, isn't public knowledge, but my gut says he's figured out something big."
He took a few steps backwards and tapped the border between the Lorenzia Republic and Veradis. "I also have it on good authority that the Church is going to ask a few of us to take care of a nest of monsters near Riva del Garda. Templar Everett petitioned the Church for additional assistance and despite the High Cardinal's grumbling, it's getting to be too much for just them to handle. It'll also restore some goodwill among the populace to take care of this--more importantly, we want the Church believing we're falling in line with them, so it's a win-win," He explained. "If I remember right, the monster nests around there are typically harpy ones--airborne monsters. You'd think guns would be enough, but they must be overwhelmed due to sheer numbers. That, or there's more to it that we don't know yet."
Lucas then tapped a location on the border of Estora and Doumerc, his expression souring a touch. "I can't be in two places at once and I'm prioritizing visiting Dr. Rhaevus in person since I have a reason to go to the academy. That said, I did get a request I can't ignore that I'm hoping some of you will go in my place," He tapped the map. "Croia's governor has mentioned that there has been signs of some spirits acting up. They're harmless, but seeing a Scion of the Goddess is enough to get them to listen and go away. I haven't heard other details, but it can't be ignored, either, otherwise people are going to question why I'm in Doumerc instead of going there."
The prince turned to the rest of the room, raising an eyebrow. "We'll take care of these problems in groups--this way if there is any unwarranted action, we won't be caught off guard. The public appearance will also work twofold as we'll show that we aren't hiding in fear and that we're making a united stand. Or something like that, anyway," He shrugged, crossing his arms.
Sonia had remained silent until then, but she didn't seem to happy. She did, however, wait until Lucas was speaking to ask, "Any particular reason we aren't involving the Church in all this? Isn't it foolish not to use every resource we have available?"
"I'm willing to bet High Cardinal Margaret won't be pleased with us looking into the Cult," Lucas stated, noting her dissatisfaction but giving the room at large his attention. "Now, then, who's going where? No need to be shy, raise your hands like good boys and girls and speak up so we can hear you."
Rosemary pushed her plate away, satisfied, her eyes wandering over to the tuning fork sticking out of Lucas' jacket. As she reached for it, however, Lucas pressed his phone into her hands instead. The distraction was a success as her eyes widened, her tiny hands latching onto it immediately and paying no attention as Lucas stood, gently placing her down in his seat. He promised Henry he would try, and while it was easy to half-ass it and call it a day, Lucas knew he wouldn't be able to face his former mentor if he didn't give it his full effort. Even if the group in front of him gave him zero inspiration or any hope, he'd drag them all along if he had to.
He walked behind the chair and rested his free hand on it, waiting until he had everyone's attention. The various curiosity and disinterest from some did nothing to add to his confidence, but he wouldn't leave them wondering for any longer. "Before I begin, I'll make it clear that whatever is discussed today stays between the people in this room. Should I find that this information has somehow gotten out to anyone else, I'll know who it was, and that'll be the end of your time as Scion or Templar. I'll make sure of it," He decided to get that much out of the way as he pulled out the tuning fork, facing the group at large. "This was too important to be entrusted to any communication that wasn't in-person. And while my visions have been less than helpful, Scion Anani has ensured that I'm not left completely blind in this trying time."
He looked down at the instrument in his hand, taking in a deep breath. Despite his nerves clawing at him, he was determined to make it work. "With all of you here as witnesses, I will dive into the sin of Invoking a prophecy--to willingly call on a vision instead of waiting for Incepta to grant me one," He announced, knowing full well that few would understand the implication but it needed to be said. "Instead of looking to the future, however, we look back to the Prophecy of Anani."
No doubt there would be questions, but they would have to wait. Lucas squeezed his eyes shut before his nerves got the best of him, tightening his grip and banging the fork against the chair in front of him. A single A note rang, mana rippling through the air as it glowed, golden mana streaking around the room. The holy sigil appeared on his forehead once again, but the difference between this and any other vision was that when Lucas opened his eyes, what were once green were now a golden hue as he recited:
She of gold is Incepta Her teachings illuminate the righteous way Her temple guides humanity to prosperity
Her blood thrives through her chosen ones They shall be called Scions and revered They will be living proof of Her power
This power will flow through their veins Once they pass their power will return to Gaia The inheritor shall find themselves with Her symbol
For one thousand years will Her Scions shape Gaia With their might they will bring countries to their knees But beware: Power will always corrupt those that lust for it
This much was recognizable to anyone who had opened a book in the church as it was known to the public as the Primordial Prophecy, which was the very first prophecy that Scion Anani had received from the Goddess. Its words were recorded a thousand years ago and it was the very same prophecy that brought her under Incepta’s light when she had doubted the goddess. It was famous, it was well known, and to everyone present, this was all there was to it. However, they would find that Lucas had more to say:
Nine hundred ninety four years will pass The Light of Incepta will rise on Gaian soil Her birth will be accompanied by tears of a night sky
Born of William’s lineage with eyes of golden earth Her heart will charm all who meet her She will lead a fruitful life blessed with love
When Gaia cries for help she will come forth She shall wield her Blessing as a blade of might Her enemies will fall to their knees
She will guide her people to prosperity Gaia will recognize her as their savior And prosperity will follow anew
At this, Sonia outright stood up, shocked. She didn't get the chance to say anything just yet, however.
On golden shores Incepta waits Her light shines through her love for her children Her shadow is red of blood
An unknown daughter of darkness desires the fall On the night of the red moon it begins The mana of Gaia twists
Under the Estoran star will Incepta’s chosen connect United Her blessing grows ever stronger Together they drive the shadow away from Her golden shores
Beware Termina Beware the red of blood
The golden mana fully dissipated, disappearing without a trace. The holy sigil similarly dimmed from Lucas' forehead and he closed his eyes, leaning heavily onto the chair. After a few seconds, however, he dropped down to one knee, clutching his chest as he gasped for air. The tuning fork also fell to the ground without making a single sound, his free hand clumsily grabbing it and stuffing it in his jacket. It had taken more out of him than he had expected. Still, he refused to stay down for long, pulling himself up and standing, even if he looked like a stiff breeze would knock him out.
"Right now, we're aimless," His voice was sharp despite looking like he was about to pass out at any moment. "While each one of us has differing opinions on what our next step should be, it's crucial to be fully informed first. And though it is ultimately up to the individual on their next course of action, we need to make a unified stand. It doesn't have to be text chains and friendship bracelets, but at least if we give off that impression, the enemy will think twice before their next attack."
He glanced over at Sonia for a moment before he continued. "And...the Light of Incepta is..." He paused, glancing down at Rosemary, who was fully engrossed in reading a book on his phone and gave no attention to the conversation at hand, letting out a giggle. The confirmation was enough to drop Sonia down to her seat, the woman in complete disbelief. Lucas understood her shock, at least. "I--We have to do this. For her."
Belle matched Sonia's disbelief. "But she's just a child," She couldn't help but remark.
Now that that much was out there, Lucas supposed he may as well tell it all. "Yeah...the enemy pressed 'fast-forward' on Incepta's timeline. Ro--The Light is supposed to challenge Termina in around ten years. But for whatever reason, the enemy is moving now. Any other questions?" He looked around the room.
A unified front from the Time Duo gave Lucas a little more confidence. Everyone had their own opinion and it was interesting to see the divide. Lucas wouldn't necessarily call anyone wrong--if he had proper proof that it was Kaudus that murdered Theodore, for example, he would've likely lead the charge himself--but the differing perspectives reminded him that the group was a lot more varied than he considered. There was some bias in this; the mind of royals was a stark contrast from those of humbler beginnings and it wasn't strange to see their priorities in different places. Except he wasn't sure what Daniela was trying to say. She was probably trying to relate to her blacksmith job or something.
But wow. Here Lucas thought Belle was the dumbest Scion, but apparently Justice decided to wrench the crown from her head and parade it around. It genuinely astonished him; never mind the fact that despite him initially ignoring Belle's words it was good to see where people stood, but to call this political theater was comical. Who, exactly, were they performing for? As far as he remembered, everyone chose to enter the conversation and it wasn't why he called everyone here. Not that he minded as, again, it was good to see where everyone's thoughts were. A few opinions surprised him and some decent points were shared. He was also relieved that most seemed to seek reason, even if he did feel Belle had a point.
Lucas rolled his eyes at Justice. "You're right, I should've researched you sooner; at least that way I would've known you were a complete moron and not waste my time in any future conversations," Lucas sighed. "Incepta forbid I decide to let a conversation play out to see the opinions of my fellow Scions. I should've researched and made educated guesses to what their opinions should have been instead of hearing it directly from them. Never mind the fact that if I asked you what my five policies were or which duchies I ruled, you'd be clueless. Just stop talking, you're robbing the flowers of valuable oxygen wasted on you."
That said, he didn't miss Reynold's little slip of the tongue, his own eyes narrowing at the other man. This is why Lucas never bothered being nice. He was well aware of the man's crime and knew that he'd get an icy welcome, at best, and foolishly thought if he gave him a proper introduction, it'd smooth things over a bit. He felt doing the polite thing would help and would give him a good idea on what to look for, and as always, he was proven that he should have stayed an asshole. Maybe Henry was onto something when he called him an idiot.
Once Sara placed the plate down in front of him, Rosemary perked up, thanking Sara as she walked away. Lucas was about to ask if she was hungry for actual food but was interrupted by Belle slamming her hand down so hard everything there shook in place. Rosemary shrunk back onto Lucas in fright, the man glaring at the princess in turn, but now she was the one paying no mind to him. If looks could kill, Belle's ire would have killed Edmund where he stood. "Need I remind you who it is you're speaking with?" She asked him darkly. "I've taken tongues for lesser insults and I'll have yours if you do not show the proper respect. You know not of what power truly is if that is your narrow definition."
The prince held back a sigh and held Rosemary with one hand while the other adjusted a fork and knife for the kid. Sonia scratched the back of her head, clearly wanting to be anywhere but here. "Let's not forget that royal titles go over Scion ones. Like Dame Sara said, we're all on the same side here," She said at the room at large, though she definitely gave Renault a look before she continued. "An immediate solution would work best, but we're currently wandering around in the dark, aimless. They have more information on us than we on them and it'll take some time to gain a leg."
Lucas took two and a half cookies from Rosemary and adjusted her so she was close enough to eat, the girl devouring the slice she was served. Did Sonia not feed her or something? "Chew slower or you'll choke," He told her, pulling a cup of water closer in anticipation. She giggled at him, but carried on slower, keeping her manners about her despite still sitting on his lap instead of a chair.
"I've already sent out my own network to gather intel based on what Dame Irina's report detailed. I expect results sooner than later," Belle stated, straightening up. "Do you truly believe it best to sit around twiddling our thumbs until they decide to attack again? Because to the eyes of all, it is we who have been deemed cowards for returning to our estates and quivering in fear, reducing our public appearances and jumping at unfamiliarity. As the Goddess' chosen, is not our duty to act on her behalf to those wicked enough to dare attack her children?"
Rosemary finished chewing and dabbed at her lips with a cloth before looking at Hollyhock with wide eyes. "This is delicious!" She declared, ignorant to the conversation and snatched the glass of water Lucas got her.
Belle looked less than pleased to find opposition to her words. It was clear she had expected more support; she had nodded fervently along with Maya's words, but she was immensely disappointed with the general response to their argument. She didn't miss how nonchalant Lucas had been about the majority being in his favor for once.
She straightened up at Renault's introduction, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "A pleasure to see you again, Your Holiness. I believe I didn't have the pleasure of introducing myself as your ceremony was cut short: I am Princess Isabella Rosaria, Scion of Water and heiress to the Rosarian throne," Her quick response came, but she didn't let it dwell before immediately jumping back to the topic at hand. "Then do you truly believe inaction will get us anywhere? Because our lack of appearances has already spread doubt like wildfire on dry leaves--soon all will think of us as cowards unwilling to defend ourselves, content with cowering behind our knights and protection and unwilling to act. Why wait until they strike again and take another of us out? And even with a new Scion of Lightning, we are still one fewer after the loss of our Scion of Shadow. Surely the enemy must be aware of this!"
Sonia let out a long sigh, a product of her previous neutrality. She rose from her seat as well, giving Renault a bow. "Templar of Light Sonia, Your Holiness," Her mannerisms were much more formal than her tone, but she couldn't hold herself back any more as she took her seat again. "I find myself agreeing with my fellow Templars. The sly eagle doesn't kill at whim."
"The eagle won't have a perch if we roll over and do nothing," She shot back immediately.
Sonia visibly bristled, but it was more because she was finding Belle irritating as opposed to actually getting mad. She took a glance aat the silent Abram who found the sandwiches much more deserving of his attention. She scoffed. "You accuse people of cowardice but you're letting your emotions run you," She stated. "Then what happens? You get yourself into a huff and march right into their trap. I'd bet my good eye that that is exactly what they're counting on."
Meanwhile, Princess Rosemary had all but ignored the conversation at hand, her attention on something much more important: the return of Ionna's cookies. Her ponytail and dress looked comical as they bounced from the mad dash the little girl made to them. She took a second to read the message before her tiny hand grabbed a pair. "Sonia is the best in the world. Sonia has the coolest eye in the world," She stated quietly to no one in particular, already reaching for a third. "Sonia is super strong and punched a hole in the wall once and Daddy wasn't happy but he said it was okay. It was cool so I'm taking two cookies for that one." She swiftly returned to Lucas' side, nudging her way under his arm. Rather than let her struggle, he turned his chair and let her sit on his lap. The girl immediately got comfortable and proceeded to devour the sugar cookies.
Leaving Rosemary behind had been more difficult than Sonia had anticipated, but the girl eventually let her go free after Sonia promised she would be back as soon as possible. The Templar made sure to move with purpose when she left, continuing to coordinate the castle’s security. Commander Schneider’s vacation couldn’t have come at a worse time, but she would rather cut her good arm off than leave things to devolve into chaos. She barked orders where they were needed and reunited with the archbishop, and to her relief, he agreed to stay at Veradis Castle overnight. Why the archbishop tried to insist on returning to Cathedra Incepta now of all times, who knew, but it was one less thing to worry about.
But her work was not done. Instead of returning to her princess’ side, Sonia’s path led her to the Commander’s office. As the man was away, it was offered to Dame Irina, who waited for her. The woman scratched under her eyepatch as she entered without so much as a knock or verbal warning. She closed the door behind her and casually strolled in, throwing herself onto a chair and letting out a loud yawn as she put her feet up on the arm of the second chair next to her.
Once she was comfortable, she finally gave Irina her attention. “You look like shit,” She told her after giving her a glance.
Irina only glanced up as Sonia barged in, scrolling through something on her tablet as the Templar of Light made herself comfortable. The office was illuminated now only by the lamp on the desk and a low fire smoldering in the hearth, casting long shadows over Dame Irina’s face. She was as prim as ever, rod-straight in her chair, but she had faltered a little, leaning her cheek on her hand as she tapped away at whatever she was working on.
Dark circles were beginning to form under her eyes, but her gaze was as sharp as ever when she looked up once more at Sonia, fixing the other woman with a long stare before quirking an eyebrow. “Said the pot to the kettle,” she droned.
Sonia scowled at the remark, but her expression dropped to something resembling concern. Her eye studied Irina’s face for a moment before she spoke again. “I thought you’d be as thrilled as I was that we got to stretch our sword arms outside the arena,” She admitted.
Irina rolled her eyes, fixing Sonia with a look. “I was,” she reasoned, “It’s doing it inside Duke Giles’ ballroom that’s the problem.”
She leaned back in her chair, picking the tablet up off the desk and flipping through something on it. “Battle’s a lot more fun without all the shit that comes after,” she continued, sounding exasperated. “A bunch of heathens launch an all-out offensive on all the Scions at once and now I’ve got investigations to conduct, a search to organize, prisoners to deal with--”
“Prisoners?!” Sonia sat up so quickly that the second chair got kicked a good distance, her eye sparkling at the idea. “I can help with that!”
Irina scoffed, a ghost of a smirk sneaking onto her face. “You have your hands full,” she countered, a laugh almost escaping her. “You’re on babysitting duty.”
Sonia outright rolled her eye. “Mine actually listens to me when I tell her to stay put, unlike your raggle of kids running around and tripping over themselves,” She pointed out. “Apparently, you made waves. The church squire said your lashing was so bad you made one of them cry.”
“I bet it was Chaudoir,” Irina shot back, shaking her head. “That little thing shudders every time I walk by.”
She threw up her arms defeatedly, huffing. “Honestly, they’re like a bunch of squires themselves,” she complained, “Half of them treat their Scions like their boss, half treat them like children, and the other half leave them for dead. Am I losing my touch?”
“Yeah, you got three halves. I thought you were better at math than me.”
“Shut up,” Irina glared.
“Speaking of squires,” she added, leaning over to fetch something from a messenger bag at her feet. She produced a shimmering white stone - Sonia’s armour crystal - and tossed it irreverently across the desk. “Thanks, by the way. You’re all clear.”
Sonia ignored her crystal for a moment, raising her eyebrows at Irina. “This was a good, real test of danger that I’m sure a majority of them haven’t ever experienced,” She noted first. “It’s a shame it came at the expense of Ulysse, but that’s why you’re here; now that they’ve experienced the worst-case scenario, they’ll come to understand your training and its importance.”
Before she would get her crystal back, Sonia rummaged around in her pockets and pulled out what looked like a bulky charger of some sort. It was almost the size of her hand and colored black and gray with a notable plug sticking out of it.
“As for my crystal, I’ll trade you,” She placed the device carefully on the desk with her right hand while her left snatched up her crystal. “This was one of the devices plugged into the wall. It isn’t bugged and didn’t seem to do much but light up when I plugged it in earlier, but this was the source of that…uh…the fuck is it even called when a Scion loses their power?”
She paused for all of two seconds before dismissing it and continuing, “This thing lit up with about a dozen of them–and those were the ones I could see–and shortly after was when Rosemary told me she was in pain and she couldn’t use her magic.”
“You call it a big fucking problem,” Irina answered gravely, turning her attention to the device Sonia produced. She examined it for a long moment, turning it over in her hands, before tucking it away in her bag.
“I’ll get the nerds on it,” she concluded. She returned to the tablet again, tapping a few times and turning it so Sonia could see. The screen showed a blueprint of the ballroom with markings written all over it: notations for locations and direction of travel, as well as a few notes.
“They came in by helicopter,” Irina murmured, voice low and disbelieving. “They mobilized dozens with their own weapons, armour, gear, they set up those devices in the room, and all right under our noses.” She sounded as shocked as she was ashamed.
She fixed Sonia with a deadly serious look. “This had to have been a huge operation. One with coordination, funding, one that took time to plan and a lot of moving parts to execute.” She shook her head, rubbing a hand down her face. “We’re not dealing with street preachers and rowboat pirates anymore.”
Sonia rested her elbows on her knees as she looked down at Irina’s tablet, eyebrows furrowed as she looked and listened. Her tongue rolled over her teeth as Irina concluded what she had to say, and she gave Irina her full attention.
“Hard to believe the group of crazies suddenly had the resources and manpower to accomplish all that,” She frowned. “What bothers me is how seamlessly they managed to pull it off. No alerts, nothing suspicious leading up to the moment, no signs of an attack…They came in like leaves on the wind.”
It bothered her a lot more than she wanted to admit. “The amount of coordination to pull something off like that is terrifying–they got through everyone. Estora, Veradis, Rosaria, Doumerc–I had to lock people up because nearly every noble Prince Rowan sheltered wanted to know how something like this could happen.”
Irina nodded. “Join the club,” she commented wearily, putting the tablet to sleep. She sat silently for a moment, as if debating something, before she spoke again.
“There’s more,” she said in a low voice, shifting in her seat. Her expression grew serious. “Ulysse’s crystal was missing from his body. All we found was a gaping hole.”
Sonia’s jaw outright dropped. “A hole,” She repeated in disbelief. “I knew Ulysse was a cocky bastard, but to think someone could do that to him…”
As she trailed off, she seemed to remember something. “You don’t think that same group is behind those robberies, do you?” She asked, tapping her chin absentmindedly. “The ones that mugged that group of church knights and took their armor? Like…what, two months ago or something?”
“A Church Knight’s armour is a whole different beast from a Templar’s. Removing Ulysse’s crystal was no easy task, and that’s without asking how they even knew how to do it.” Irina commented, tapping her fingers on her knee as she thought about it. “If it’s the same group, then they must already have been present inside the Federation. Which I suppose makes sense; no helicopter is making a round trip from Kaudus to Veradis without stopping to refuel.”
Irina tilted her head back and forth, deep in thought. “And I don’t imagine your everyday brigand could have managed to separate a Knight from his armour, either.”
Sonia let out a huff of disbelief, trying to wrap her head around the situation. “The amount of planning is what gets me nervous. Every detail on their end was perfect,” She couldn’t help but state the obvious, but having it all laid out turned an already bad situation worse. “They had something that canceled the Scions’ magic, grabbed Ulysse’s crystal and his Scion…even with the amount of people they lost, they were highly successful.”
She scratched her chin, frowning. “This is bad.”
Irina’s frown matched Sonia’s, her eyes narrowed at the lamp on the desk as she mulled over all the grave details of the evening. “I fear it might be worse than it seems,” she murmured, turning her gaze to her friend. “I had Sirs Edmund and Tyler in here earlier. Sir Edmund had some ideas about the identity of the attackers, but Sir Tyler concerned me much more with his testimony.”
Her fingers stopped tapping. “He seems to think they have the power to control time.”
The laugh that came out of Sonia was a strained one, something that came out unwillingly as the woman hung her head in disbelief. She knew Irina wasn’t the type to lie, but she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Not just that, it went against the entire Scion system that Incepta had established. After a few seconds of taking the information in, she raised her head.
“The Goddess’ chosen is supposed to be the only one capable of such a thing. In our case, the only person who should be able to do such a thing is Prince Lucas,” Her words were low and quiet. She wrung her hands as she sat up, completely at a loss.
Irina took a deep breath. “Sir Tyler seems to think these are the same people who took Scion Theodore. He thinks they somehow stole his power - and that they want to do the same to Scion Nadine.”
She shook her head, as if trying to dispel the very thought. “Of course it sounds ridiculous. I’d much sooner believe Scion Lucas had a poor handle on his power than that anyone could somehow extract the Goddess’ blessing from a Scion, let alone preserve such a thing after his mantle passed on.”
A ghost of worry swept over Irina’s face, but vanished as soon as it came, like a shadow passing over the moon. “But I don’t have any better explanations,” she added, tapping something new into her tablet. “Disrupting Scion Lucas is one thing - he was inexperienced and frankly, probably drunk - but getting a force of that magnitude inside our perimeter without raising any alarm, and planting those devices after our sweep… That is quite another.”
As much as Sonia wanted to disagree, it made too much sense. It actually explained a lot, the more she thought about it. Theoretically, if someone who could manipulate time went in and maneuvered around everyone and everything, how would they be able to catch them? There was only one solace she had.
“I don’t think the prince could have accomplished much considering he’s had Incepta’s gift for, what, a week?” Sonia mused out loud. “They must have known that and taken advantage. Even without the time stuff, they’re calculative. Every hole in their plan was covered and every weakness of ours was exploited.”
She paused for a second. “But it must be limited, unlike Scion Theodore’s power. A saving grace, otherwise I think if they wanted to steal the other Scions without contest, they would have,” She said slowly. “Then, I wonder what they wanted with Ulysse’s crystal. If you can replicate the Goddess’ power, why bother with a Templar’s armor?”
“I don’t know,” Irina sighed, sounding almost breathless. The headache she’d been working on ever since the adrenaline wore off was getting to her, as was the increasingly convoluted situation. “What I do know is that we need answers. Carefully, but quickly. I know at least one person to call.”
Sitting back in her chair, she heaved a long breath, looking suddenly very fatigued. “No amount of puzzling tonight will get us anywhere without more information. Go to bed. You’ll need your strength going forward.”
Despite the heaviness of the conversation, Sonia outright pouted. “If you’re going to stay up, I’ll accompany you. I don’t think I can get any semblance of sleep until I know for sure my princess is safe here,” She huffed, crossing her arms.
“She isn’t safe here,” Irina stated bluntly, fixing Sonia with a hard stare. “She isn’t safe anywhere. I think we were fools to think she ever was - that any of them ever were.”
Irina closed her eyes for a moment, as if a wave of pain ran through her. After a second, it seemed to pass, and she opened them again. “That’s why she needs you with her, and not here losing sleep with me.”
Sonia stared at Irina. “That doesn’t mean I should just leave you here to deal with this alone,” She reminded her.
Irina’s facade cracked a little, the faintest hint of fondness seeping into her expression as she smirked. “Go to bed, you sorry old wolf,” she chuckled wearily, “Out with your sentimental nonsense, before you break a hip.”
Truthfully, it wasn’t a terrible idea; there was a lot that happened and she’d think better with some sleep. The other woman threw her hands up in defeat, knowing that Irina couldn’t be reasoned with. “Fine, fine, fine, I can see when I’m not wanted, you frigid dog,” Sonia retorted as she stood. “As acting Commander of the Veradis Royal Guard, I hereby dub you ‘the head bitch in charge’ so I can nap.”
Irina laughed under her breath as she stood in turn, seeing her friend out of the office with somewhat less than the expected formality. Just as Sonia was about to close the door, however, some of the darkness she’d briefly forgotten came over her again, and she stopped her friend with one last message.
“Keep your princess close,” she charged her solemnly. “These are strange times.”
Sonia waved her words off lazily, albeit her own expression was serious. Irina wasn’t wrong, the talk of stolen powers and an enemy deliberately targeting Scions was something straight out of her nightmares. And as tempted as she was to go ahead with interrogating some of the prisoners, she knew her heart wouldn’t be completely in it. Instead, she eventually made her way back through the halls to the Princess’ room.
Said room was something Sonia always thought was plucked straight out of a fairy tale. Elegant and colored gold and pink, It was clear that a majority of the decorating budget went into ensuring the little princess was surrounded only by the finest furniture. Her bed was colossal and the one thing Sonia always thought was a little overboard, but instead of finding her princess drowning in plush pillows, she was instead playing with some of the flowers left on her bedroom table. The white lily’s petals swayed as Rosemary waved it around, strong enough not to let go of its petals no matter what she did. Sonia had no real preference for flowers, but the lilies of the castle always calmed her in some strange way.
At her entrance, Rosemary perked up significantly, immediately running up to her. “You’re back!” She exclaimed happily.
“And you’re not asleep,” Sonia replied as she knelt down, scooping the princess up into her arms. “You promised you would try.”
“I did try!” Rosemary insisted as Sonia placed her down on her bed. Sonia held her hand out for the girl to hand her the flower, but Rosemary surprised her by clutching the lily to her chest. “I wanna stay with it. Grandpa Aaron said this one was his favorite.”
“Yeah, but you don’t want it to get smushed while you sleep, right?” Sonia asked.
The question had Rosemary thinking, and eventually, she reluctantly handed it over. Instead of placing it back in the bouquet, Sonia respectfully placed it on the closest bedside table. “Can you sleep here?” She asked timidly.
“That’s a good idea. We haven’t had a sleepover in a while, right?” Sonia asked. “I’m just going to take a shower, then we can sleep. Okay?”
Rosemary nodded, all too happy to hear Sonia agree. “Yeah!” She shuffled over, moving around her pillows to make room for Sonia. “On waves of gold, She waits for me…The sands of time, shift to the sea…” She sang to herself.
Sonia was taking off her templar jacket when she heard Rosemary’s song. “Where’d you hear that?” She asked, not recognizing it.
“The lady from my dream sang it to me.”
“Lady?”
“The one I told you that was crying. But she was happy this time and she taught me the song!”
Sonia didn’t know what to make of that. It could have been the night’s events muddling her judgment, but something about that felt off. “Who was the lady?”
“I don’t know.”
“She didn’t give you a name?”
“No. I told her my name and did my curtsy and she said I was a-door-ah-bule. And she had beautiful hair that was like sunlight and her dress was so pretty! And she was so nice to me–we played on the beach and sang songs and then she let me brush her hair.”
Well, that sounded harmless enough. And if it was a dream, maybe Rosemary was dreaming of someone that looked like her mother. The deceased Princess Penelope did have blonde hair, and considering she passed shortly after giving birth, it would make sense that Rosemary wouldn’t recognize her.
Or it could be some spirit beckoning to her in her dreams. “She didn’t ask you for anything, right?” Sonia asked.
“Nope!”
Alright, good. One less thing to worry about. Sonia let Rosemary sing to herself as she showered and changed, and by the time she was dressed, the idea of sleep was too tempting to pass up. She said she’d take a nap, but she was likely to try to get a solid six hours if she could get away with it.
So she threw herself onto the bed, watching as Rosemary bounced in the air with a squeal. Once the princess was tucked in, Sonia watched as Rosemary finally drifted to sleep. To think anyone would want to harm a little girl like her was beyond infuriating, but she had to bat away the question of why it had to be Rosemary that was targeted. Her life was already challenging, she didn’t need any crazy heretics wanting her power. But any animosity melted away as Rosemary cuddled up to her, so Sonia let herself rest. Tomorrow, she’d handle everything that came her way.
A young woman named Delilah stifled a yawn as she slipped off her apron, finally happy that she was done with the business rush of the morning. Running a bakery was no easy task, but she was always an early bird that liked her work to be done early. Her husband and her sister worked well with her, the clientele preferred to be in and out as quickly as possible, and for the most part, she had little troubles. It helped that Juniperus was the very heart of Veradis and that there was always help around the corner if she looked for it.
Before she could leave for lunch and continue on that book she was reading, however, her sister waved her over. “Delilah…she’s there again,” She warned her.
Delilah let out a sigh. Of course, there was really only one consistent problem she had to deal with; and after Officer Jannick was promoted and Officer Ulrich changed his route, the rest took their sweet time responding to her calls about that woman who liked to terrorize her clientele on a daily basis.
“What is she doing now? Asking people why they color their hair? Or did she decide to resume her fight on spectacles again?” Delilah asked wearily.
“She’s been listening intently to the radio and blocking some people from leaving,” Her sister frowned. “Maybe on your way out you can get her to leave? Or at least move closer so she’s not blocking the door.”
As harmless as it sounded, anytime that woman focused on any one thing, it ended in one of her infamous rants. Why she decided to continue to visit Delilah’s bakery out of all the other businesses, she would never know. That said, it was prudent to get ahead of the explosion. Most days she could be coaxed with a loaf of bread or a sweet or two–if she was being honest, she understood that the woman likely struggled and did what she did without any true malice–so it was better to lose out on a little something than have her drive away paying customers.
And so Delilah stepped out of the kitchen with a small basket hanging from her arm, spotting the woman among the bustle standing next to the small radio on the coffee table near the entrance. Most people squeezed their way past her as she remained rooted in the same place. She didn’t care that her ponytail was batted away nor paid any attention to the judgmental looks as people noticed the old fashioned hand-me-downs she wore that Delilah had gifted her some time ago. Her eyes were hyper focused on the radio, deaf to everything but the broadcast.
As Delilah approached, she heard the host finish speaking about Scion Nadine, who had passed. Once they finished speaking, it was as if the spell cast over the woman was finished. She turned to Delilah, looking concerned.
“That must be why the symphony doesn’t sound so clear anymore,” She sighed. “I thought my ears had dulled, but there is something more malicious at work here.”
“You’re listening to music?” Delilah asked, bewildered.
“Not music. The symphony of the world,” She sighed, exasperated. “I think it is time for drastic measures. I need to go to Estora, I think.”
Delilah was surprised. “Estora? That’s awful far. Do you have family there? Someone that can help you with the…symphony?”
There wasn’t a response for a moment, but Delilah could tell it was being considered. After a moment, however, the blonde nodded. Delilah followed as she looked outside the bakery, frowning. “That is a good idea. I think remaining here and simply watching would be a poor decision,” She murmured, turning to Delilah. “What is the fastest way to Estora? I must speak with Anani’s progeny urgently.”
“By train, probably, but…” Delilah hesitated. “Are you sure you’ll make it there alright?”
“Of course. It is the will of the Mother.”
Delilah sighed, motioning for the woman to wait a moment. She entered her bakery again, ignoring her sister’s questioning as she placed more bread onto the basket and took a blank card before swiping it on the register. At this point her husband was getting inquisitive but she ignored him, too, and returned to the woman once again.
“You can find your way there by train easily. If you’re ever lost, just ask any of the workers there,” Delilah told her. “There’s some money on the card and plenty of bread to tide you over.”
The blonde took the basket, inspecting it for a moment before looking at Delilah again. “May you walk in the light of the Goddess,” She bid her farewell, turning on her heel and marching out the door.
Delilah watched her for a moment and sighed. She wasn’t sure if that poor thing would make it, but at least she was out of her hair for now. Officer Webber would’ve had a field day if he knew. Maybe she could ask one of the knights to pass a message along?
“I tell you, what a rollercoaster of a month it’s been, Julie!”
“I agree, Ryan. Two new Scions and a High King, I don’t think we’ve ever had such an eventful start of the year before! Who knows what the rest of it will bring?”
“Can’t be anything good–tensions with Kaudus are rising and Rodion’s preparing for another war!”
“You know why, right?”
“Due to a combination of consistent negative relations between the two countries as one is constantly forced to defend its ally that is continually getting attacked?”
“Well–yes, that’s true. But as they say, bad luck happens in threes: the infamous Prince Lucas is granted Scionhood by our Beloved Mother, and what happens? Two high profile deaths–those of High King Nathaniel Estora and Scion Kaspar Mirandola–while Scion Nadine Lucienne remains missing. Coincidence? I don’t think so!”
“A terribly ill omen for the prince, here’s hoping things start to look up soon!”
Lucas turned the television off and sunk further into the couch. He couldn’t believe how sick he was of hearing and reading his own name everywhere. Never in a million years did he possibly think that his name would get smeared any worse than it already was, either, but apparently his grandfather’s death was on him, his own grief be damned. Hiding out for the month had been absolutely miserable, but the worst part was that all this was just the cherry on top of everything.
Fortunately, the servant came and informed him that Henry was ready to see him. He instructed Tyler to wait at the door for him, not bothering with hearing any protest. This was too important to mess around with, and once the door closed behind him, he placed his hand on the wall. "Nemo audiat."
He then walked up to the desk, looking down at Henry. “I rang it,” He stated. “And you were right–it was meant for Theodore.”
Henry didn’t really look ready to receive Lucas, but he was about as ready as he ever was - reclining in a high-backed chair with a pristine newspaper spread open before him, and three more on the desk waiting for their turn. He was a guest in Lucas’ home, but at the moment it looked rather like the other way around.
When Lucas spoke, the newspaper came down with a noisy crunch, revealing a Henry who looked as sharp as ever, his alert demeanour defying the dark circles under his eyes. “You had the balls for it after all?” He commended Lucas, beckoning him to take a seat. “You surprise me every day.”
“So, what did it show you?” He asked eagerly, invigorated like a teenager. His eyes twinkled with a dangerous glint; it was a shine of cunning curiosity that had often, in the past, preceded great and risky undertakings.
Lucas surprised himself by actually going through and ringing the damn thing. Granted, if he had a hint of what it would show him, he would have rather lived in ignorance. Instead, here he was, once again at the mercy of the world that so desperately wished he was someone else. As melodramatic as that was, however, the truth supported it.
He took his seat and took a deep breath. “Scion Anani appeared to me and gave me the Primordial Prophecy–the same one that she received upon being granted Incepta’s gift and the very same that converted her,” He explained, albeit he grew increasingly frustrated. “Except none of the history books mentioned that what was public wasn’t just the notion of Scions, but it included the mention of Rosemary and some shadow thing that apparently lurks somewhere.”
Lucas wasn’t done, however. “Oh, and of course, the lovely meeting was capped off with her wishing Theodore luck,” He placed emphasis on his cousin’s name. “You’re telling me that a thousand-year-old prophecy somehow correctly pinpointed Rosemary’s birth but didn’t anticipate Theodore not being the recipient?”
“Yes, well, it would seem your cousin’s fuck-up was beyond even the great Anani’s apprehension,” Henry replied dismissively, occupying himself with folding his newspaper, which was now helplessly creased.
He didn’t miss the dark look Lucas gave him, and softened a touch. “I mourn your cousin with you, but we cannot dwell on his death forever. There are strange things in motion; we don’t have the luxury of grief.”
“These are strange times indeed,” Henry continued, returning to his regular candor. “We are experiencing something few have witnessed; a new timeline.”
Lucas watched Henry, not quite understanding. “I thought that there was nothing set in stone,” He said, shaking his head. “I know Theodore passing wasn’t the Goddess’ intention, but what you said makes it seem like everything is already determined.”
“Well, these things are relative,” Henry explained. “You should know that better than most, seeing as you share in a pale reflection of Her power. It is true that nothing is set in stone for us, but our Mother is not bound by the same restrictions as we are. What remains to be seen for us is already known to Her. And keep in mind as well, that the fate of a Scion of Time is understandably a bit more significant than most.”
He shrugged, raising his hands in surrender. “Now, I'm no priest - I left that to my grandson - but it's clear that the Goddess had one plan, and in our mortal stupidity we have gone gravely off course. Fortunately, She can account for that - but not without some noticeable… corrections.”
To think Her entire plan was thrown off was scary enough. But Lucas wasn’t sure why he was surprised; he had witnessed it first hand after living out a scene he had witnessed Theodore live out. Maybe getting confirmation of his assumptions was what really frightened him as it was one thing to make a guess and another to be correct.
He gripped the armchair, nervous. “And my assignment as the Scion of Time is one of these corrections?” He asked, a little suspicious. “But there’s more, isn’t there?”
“Well for one, your father was never meant to be king,” Henry revealed plainly, giving the news none of the awe that information from another timeline really warranted. “And much more troubling, this is all happening much faster than it should be.”
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, as if he'd discovered he'd been sitting on a rock. “Did Scion Anani happen to tell you why she left you a thousand-year-old message?”
Lucas wasn’t able to contain his groan. That was the last thing he wanted to hear as something he knew was wrong deep down in his soul was actually justified, and hearing it not be part of the Goddess’ plan should have given him satisfaction. Instead, it only brought him dread. As much as he wanted to know otherwise, he ignored it for the moment and focused on Henry’s question.
He sat up, trying to remember Anani’s words. “She said…’I leave this for my descendent in hopes that it will bring him both comfort and guidance; that the task before you is laid out. Incepta’s Light will require your steady hand, that she may rid us all of the Shadow.’ And said she would pray for Theodore’s success,” He explained, frowning. “This ‘shadow’ was mentioned a lot in the prophecy, too, and seemed to be Anani’s motivation to leave her prophecy behind.”
What was it that she said? “Her shadow is red of blood, and then…Beware Termina, beware the red of blood. Scion Anani wants her chosen to band together to help Rosemary drive Termina away. But there’s never been a mention of Termina in any religious texts that I’ve read, there’s never been any mention of the Goddess having a shadow of sorts.”
“Ah, Termina,” Henry breathed, sitting back in his chair. “Did you know ancient peoples once worshipped the moon, and personified its light side as a beautiful maiden who loved the world, and its dark side as her cunning, malevolent twin?” Henry settled further into his chair, like a grandfather about to tell his grandchildren a story. It would be a familiar sight to Rosemary, if the topic weren't so dark. “The sisters were locked in a constant struggle for supremacy. When the good sister had the upper hand, there were the waxing phases and the full moon; when the dark sister had the advantage, she blotted out her twin’s light with the new moon. And for centuries, the people made great sacrifices during the dark phases of the moon, fearing that without their help, their benevolent Mother would be snuffed out in darkness forever.”
Henry seemed to lose himself a little in the story, but snapped back to the present, straightening his back. “All nonsense, of course,” he reminded Lucas, shrugging. “Not every light has an equally great shadow. But with power, adoration, and worship, anything is bound to attract jealousy and hate. That is Termina. If the Goddess Incepta is the beginning of all things, Termina wants to be the end. If she cannot have Incepta’s world full of adoring children, she would rule over its ashes.”
What Henry said made sense. What was that silly expression he heard once? Every light casts a shadow? He never thought it would apply to the Goddess of all things, but then again, he was facing a lot of hard truths at the moment, and somehow that one is the tamest. However, once Henry finished speaking, something bothered Lucas about it all.
“I suppose that makes sense, but you would’ve thought there would be archives, or some mention of Termina in the past. Instead, only the first part of the Primordial Prophecy is public while the rest lies in secret,” He frowned. “...better yet, how you you know about this?”
“Smart question. You're learning,” Henry teased. “I don't pretend to know the Church’s reasons, but I can guess based on what I do know. Termina is not a force of her own to be reckoned with. She is not a god,” he pointed at Lucas. “She has no power of her own to bring to bear against our Mother. Everything she has, she gets from adoration, obsession, sacrifice.”
Henry opened his hand, like a puff of smoke. “Knowledge is not always power. It breeds curiosity, and curiosity feeds her. And it would seem that she's amassed a critical number of devotees of late, which has transformed her from a moderate inconvenience into a serious problem.”
He shook his head. “As for me, I know about this because it is my business to know,” Henry stated simply. He quirked a brow. “Don't you think Anani told William something when she entrusted the Prophecy to his care?”
Lucas shifted in his seat, uncertain. It was supposed to be a compliment, but he felt he did better when he kept his head low and didn’t ask as much. However, everything else Henry said worried him–though he couldn’t resist an eye roll since of course it’s his business to know about all this, Henry always said that–and there was an element to all this that confused him.
“I assume she mentioned that his descendant would be the one to conquer Termina,” He shrugged. “And that’s why he kept the prophecy safe. But Rosemary…it’s just, she’s so young. She’s already had to handle being a Scion as an actual child, and now she’s responsible for beating up something that thinks it’s strong enough to stand up to the Goddess?”
“Indeed. My little girl, the saviour of the world,” Henry outright gushed, his fondness for his granddaughter seeping into his otherwise severe demeanour. He chuckled. “Honestly, I thought it would be Erica, but it's probably best for us all that it wasn't.”
His laugh petered out into a long sigh, a slight sadness washing over him. “The Goddess has asked a lot of little Rosie, but it is not our place to argue,” he reasoned firmly. “I wish she could have grown a little more, but it was not to be. She will have to navigate her fate one way or another, and you,” he caught Lucas’ eye, his gaze as sharp and invading as ever, “will have to help her.”
Lucas decided only to chuckle along at the mention of Erica but chose not to comment–she was likely still pissed at him after their conversation–but he was too used to the sudden change of demeanor anytime he decided to talk about Rosemary. The man was infamous for both being a complete hardass and also how much of an absolute marshmallow he turned into once that little kid ran up to him. What he did not understand, however, was what Henry expected Lucas to do about all this.
“I feel like a six-year-old will need all the help she can get,” He couldn’t help but point out. “But exactly how am I supposed to do that, anyway? Teach her in magic? That’s sort of the only thing I could plausibly help with.”
“I don’t know,” Henry admitted, looking rather displeased at the prospect. “I’ll do everything in my power to help you, but you heard Anani: that is your duty. Incepta’s Light will require your steady hand.” He gave the prince a smug look. “Those aren’t just pretty words.”
He did not like the idea that he was somehow responsible for guiding the chosen one. Now that he mentioned the prophecy, however, there was something else Theodore was responsible for. Lucas squinted at Henry. “...but it also says the Scions need to be united,” He murmured. “Are you telling me I have to get everyone to cooperate, too?”
Henry chuckled, sitting back triumphantly. “Time to put those excellent royal networking skills to use,” he teased, looking thoroughly amused. “I told you all those lessons would come in handy one day.”
Lucas stared at Henry, silent. After a few minutes, however, he took a deep breath. “You’re aware of my…less than stellar reputation,” He muttered, a little ashamed. “My fellow Scions don’t exactly hold me in high esteem, either.”
“Maybe you should have thought of that before you decided to make ‘degenerate piece of shit’ your public persona,” Henry replied, eyeing his former protege critically. He waved a hand dismissively. “You’ve made your bed, now you have to lie in it. It’ll be an excellent opportunity for growth as a prince and a Scion.” He smirked. “Not to mention an excellent show for me.”
Lucas opened and closed his mouth several times, speechless. He was fine living his life burning bridges because he knew he would never need them. After his failures, he knew he wouldn’t amount to anything, so he was fine wasting his days away. At least, that was what he told himself. But now he was expected to just take on all of Theodore’s responsibilities?
“I can’t,” The words were barely above a whisper, the only thought he could properly voice. “I can’t. I can’t make Rosemary into some super mage and I can’t bring the Scions together–it was never supposed to be me. Why–How am I suddenly supposed to do all this?” He gained volume as he spoke, the panic in his voice strained.
Henry’s eyes narrowed, and he smacked the desk with his hand like a judge’s gavel. “What makes you think you have a choice?” He asked, raising his voice. He was suddenly very serious. “This isn’t a matter of can or can’t; this is about must.”
He stood, bracing his hands on the desk. “This prophecy has been a thousand years in the making. A great evil is rising and the Goddess Herself has called you to put an end to it. I don’t care if you have to crawl to your destiny on your hands and knees - you will do it.”
Henry was breathing heavy, and he fell back into his chair, as if the outburst took the good out of him. It was a strange sight; not much got the better of Henry Bachmeier. His voice softened somewhat. “Remember, Lucas, you are not alone. You have more friends than you realize, but most importantly, you have the Goddess. Let Her shoulder some of your burdens; She hears the prayers of all Her children, but Her champions most of all.”
Whatever protest Lucas would have had died as Henry firmly put them out. It wouldn’t do him any good to say what he was dying to say out loud and it would just result in alienating one of the few people on his side. There wasn’t any room for arguing, and it didn’t matter if Lucas was ill-suited for it: it had to be done. Theodore wasn’t here, someone had to do it, and that someone–for better or for worse–was him.
Defeat was painted across his expression, but after the silence had stretched itself out, he dropped his gaze. “I understand,” He conceded, scratching the back of his neck.
“Don't look so sorry for yourself,” Henry chided. “Certainly the first Scions felt as helpless as you - and they saw the Goddess face to face. Her mantle is heavy, but if they could do it, so can you. They watch you with great interest, as do I.” He offered an encouraging smile. “And remember, help is available, if you only ask.”
Why was it so easy for Henry and Erica to get to him? It was both nerve-wracking and infuriating, and while Henry was much more kind about it, he hated hearing those words again. Once he lifted his head and saw Henry’s smile, however, the reassurance didn’t feel nearly as condescending as it should. It almost gave him a little hope that they weren’t all completely doomed.
“If I must, then I will,” He finally conceded with a sigh. “Just…don’t blame me if things go wrong.”
It may not have been the exact thing Henry wanted to hear, but the man nodded at him all the same. There was more he wanted to say, but he figured it was better to just agree. He had a few ideas on how to rally the Scions, so it wasn’t a complete loss right away. He didn’t doubt there would be a few that would be reluctant, but he’d have to worry about that when the time came. Right, no need to overthink, he just needed to handle things as they came. Even if the revelation made his stomach sick, he had to press on. For Rosemary.
The new barrier was complete, the vetting of the staff was finished, and his transportation had been thoroughly investigated. It had been a productive but long few weeks, and for once, Lucas could say he was satisfied. It was shameful to admit that it had been a long time since he could say he was genuinely busy and not just in bed recovering from yet another of those strange mana attacks. The days melted into one another and the product of his labor bore fruit. He was admittedly very proud of this barrier and it was the first time he was thankful for his magic. There really was no comparison to the power a Scion had; what should have taken a dozen mages to erect a barrier around his castle was done by himself. Granted, runic barriers were a little easier to pull off, but this ensured he would know right away if anyone tried to break in and he could sleep at night in peace.
And after a long day he was ready to wrap up his last task and sleep. The walk through the halls of his castle was lonely as it was void of memories, but it was necessary; Veradis Castle held far too many sentimental memories while Estora Castle held too much of his bitterness and resentment. It was easier to avoid thinking about it too much while he was busy, but as always, he found himself paused in front of an old painting gifted to him after the passing of Prince Aaron. The piece was painted by a Rosarian artist who never quite reached fame, but the meticulous attention to detail made for a timeless piece. Prince Aaron stood at the heart of the composition, exuding a sense of responsibility and protection for his family with a gentle smile. His wife, the previous Scion of Water Lilie Fiorella, stood close with him, sporting an elegant white braid as she held Aaron’s arm. He never had the chance to meet her, but he was always told of her kind heart despite her humble origins. A considerably younger Henry stood proud next to them, a copy of his father in nearly every feature except for the fullness of his cheeks that he inherited from his mother. His two younger sisters–Elizabeth and Olivia, if he remembered right–had bright smiles as they held hands.
Why Prince Aaron had gifted an old family portrait to him, Lucas had no idea. But he was touched to have been mentioned in the will in any capacity, so he took it. Both the Prince and Henry were exceedingly young here, he remembered how as a kid he couldn’t comprehend that it was the same adults he met at the castle in the picture. What fascinated him about it was that it was the only family portrait that he had seen where the family was depicted smiling–he remembered being so confused about it. In hindsight, the Prince might’ve mistaken his confusion for interest. What really interested Lucas was how sure of himself Prince Aaron looked. Henry’s words popped into his head at that moment, and while he referred to the First Scions, surely he had also meant his own father. The wrinkled old man who patted his head when he was a small child was the same one who had to ascend the throne at fourteen years of age and struck down a Scion that had strayed from Incepta’s light. What had been going through his head? Did he ever panic like Lucas did? Was he ever worried about how he would accomplish the things asked of him? There wasn’t any way to tell, but he lived through it all, so it must have meant something. But Lucas was aware he wasn't nearly half the prince Aaron was. Doubt clawed its way into his mind, digging deeper the more he thought about things. The only thing that really had him shake it off and keep going was knowing it was all for Rosemary's sake. If he was being honest, however, that same thought frightened him.
“Your Highness?”
Lucas nearly jumped out of his skin at the greeting. Duchess Patricia frowned at him, a quizzical gaze following his to the painting. She inspected it for a moment before looking back at him. “My apologies, I was in thought,” He said, unexpectedly turning back to the painting.
“About the painting?” She asked. “If I remember correctly, it was commissioned by His Highness for his wife’s birthday. I believe Henry has another from the same artist but from a later year.”
He wanted to say it wasn’t the painting itself that had him thinking, but he guessed that admitting what he was actually thinking about was too embarrassing to admit out loud, especially since he had no real relation to the man in question. He was getting lost in thought a lot these days, he realized. “I see,” was all he could say to that, tearing himself away from the portrait.
Patricia followed him dutifully. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” His response was quick, but he wasn’t exactly expecting the question from her. “Why?”
“Is it strange to ask? I’d think it was more strange to have so many doctors visiting a healthy, young man like yourself.”
She wasn’t wrong. Unfortunately, the thing that happened to him with his mana at Duke Giles’ manor decided that it would move into a more haphazard schedule. It was frustrating that no doctor could properly figure out why it was happening, though the last attack was so bad he ended up having to sit out his father’s coronation. Not that he would complain; he hadn’t planned on attending that charade, the only difference was that he had a legitimate reason. But no change in diet or exercise gave him any relief and it seemed that they were here to stay. The only solace was that he was getting better at anticipating when it was going to happen and avoided including Tyler in the pain train for the most part.
“I’m not as healthy as I look,” He would only give that much of a response before the pair entered his office.
Either she had no further comment or realized that he wasn't going to speak more on the topic. “Sir Morris informed me he would return soon. The new security detail is now to his liking,” Patricia said once Lucas sat down at his desk. “I’ve finished vetting the staff as well and have your letters for the day here.”
Right, he had forgotten about those. He typically left them to one of the servants of the castle to take care of since he couldn’t be bothered–anyone that actually mattered to him communicated through email or text–but if he was going to start taking his own duties seriously, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to see what people actually wanted so he could wrangle them under his thumb. A lot of his vassals were older and were more likely to communicate via letters, so he made sure to start checking them. That said, it still slipped his mind so he was getting to them later than usual. If Patricia hadn’t brought it up, he would’ve forgotten. Actually, the duchess had been a big help getting this all done so quickly. Henry had recommended her help after his visit and the past few weeks went effortlessly through no small part of her own. Not that his staff hadn’t been inefficient before, but his insistence on hiring people that weren’t from Estora Castle as was customary had come back to haunt him as Patricia poked holes in their schedules, the responsibilities being scattered around, and brought to attention his insistence on hiring as few people as possible meant the workload was much too heavy, even if he was the only one being served. She reassigned duties, got rid of any incompetence, hired sharp, dutiful workers, and had the castle running much more smoothly. Granted, the woman had experience running Veradis Castle, so this must’ve been much easier in comparison. But with her children grown and out of her own estate, he wondered if she was left wanting for work.
“Duchess, would you consider staying here if I asked?” He suddenly asked her as he accepted the letters. “Running things, I mean. Though I imagine it might get dull compared to Veradis.”
“I would be honored, Your Highness,” She replied. “On the contrary, running something of this size would be more manageable for someone my age.”
At that, he couldn’t help but scoff. The woman was, what, in her sixties? And she was still sharper than most people he met. “I didn’t know you were one to sway towards something easier,” He couldn’t help but reply as he opened up and scanned the first letter from some count complaining about a dam. “But if you want it, the position is yours.”
“I’ll have my belongings moved here, then. Shall I inform the staff?”
“They can find out tomorrow,” He tossed the letter aside before looking through the envelopes, hoping one would get his interest. Unfortunately, he got exactly what he was looking for as a letter from De la Lune–a mage academy he had applied to some months back, before he became a Scion–got his attention. Suddenly getting confronted with this made him much more aware that the Duchess was watching him, so he ripped open the envelope without hesitation, a foreign anxiety mixing something uncomfortable in his stomach.
To The Esteemed Prince Lucas:
We are delighted to welcome you to l'École d'Enchantement de la Lune–
His first instinct was to immediately crumple up the letter, disbelief gripping him. Of course he would get it now. A dream of his was right in his hands, taunting him, mocking him for ever believing that any path he wanted to take for himself in his life was his to choose if he only applied himself. He was less convinced that he had the Goddess to rely on, because why would she spare him just a sliver of compassion when she could just continue to dunk on him for kicks? Taking in a deep breath to calm himself, he simply tossed the letter aside before looking at the rest. Well, he could use the invitation as an excuse to visit Dr. Rhaveus without raising suspicion, so he would begrudgingly thank the Goddess and move on.
Speaking of which, a letter from Father Bachmeier was waiting for him next. He’d accept this as an apology from the universe if it went the way he wanted. Ignoring the writing, he muttered something under his breath and waited until a golden script appeared in the header. To his delight, it had exactly what he was looking for: Dr. Rhaveus had come up with a theory on mana negation and it was the hot topic of the academies. Negation sounded a lot like what had happened, but he needed confirmation instead of depending on the rumormill.
“Send a letter out to my fellow Scions. It’s time we met outside of public eyes,” He stated as he got up from his chair. “Set a meeting for the twelfth and make it clear that it’s important so they don’t skip out.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” She looked at his desk. “Shall I see to the rest of the letters as well, Your Highness?”
“Yeah, just give me the important things from them tomorrow. If Sir Morris shows up here, tell him I’m going to bed.”
“And the letter from De la Lune?”
Lucas didn’t let it break his stride. “Just toss it. The Goddess has decreed that I’ll be learning through a trial by fire,” He replied bitterly.
March 12th, 1000
The Duchy of Lucania was much more modern than anything surrounding it. The bustling city looked and worked very much like a beehive, with a vast majority of people walking this way and that in what looked like chaos at first. However, a closer look would show that people knew exactly where to go despite the sheer amount of people there. At the center of its capital, Novarum, sat a majestic castle, a striking departure from the modern buildings surrounding it. While the city pulsed with life, the castle stood as a constant in all its grandeur. Visitors flocked to the castle, drawn in by its history and architecture. There were many guided tours that lead people through halls filled with suits of armor and tapestries depicting the history of Estora. From the upper floors of the castle's towers, it was easy to see the entire city waiting underneath them.
Of course, those in the know were aware that the Novarum Castle was for show. It had been many years since any royal lived there as it was much too central. It did, however, provide a connection to the Scions and Templars' destination: the Lucania Castle located a good distance away from the city. Within Novarum's Castle was a bullet train not unlike the one they took from Stern Hill, albeit both train and tunnel looked much newer. They wouldn't stop directly at Lucas' home, either; they would make a stop at one of the towers of the wall that protected the manor. Only after they passed security were they granted access within. The sheen that covered the entirety of the manor like a dome was the tell-tale sign of a protection barrier, but it did not bar them as they were able to walk through it with ease. The actual castle was humble but still extravagant, the gardens enjoying the temperate climate that protected them. Said gardens were perfectly manicured and hosted an impressive variety of flowers and trees, the pool sporting many petals and flower lilies that floated peacefully.
Once inside, they were greeted with the familiar face of Duchess Patricia Bachmeier. Unlike her previous greens, she now wore a gorgeous red dress, albeit her eyes were as sharp as always. She greeted each pair personally and lead them to a meeting room. It looked grand, with an entire wall of floor length windows giving them a gorgeous view of the gardens. The halls were devoid of servants despite the spread of food and drink at the table, and Patricia did not follow them into the room. However, on entry, each Scion and Templar could feel themselves pass another barrier, and they would notice that the room was isolated; not a sound escaped nor would they hear anything from the outside.
Lucas sat at the head of the table, dressed in a jacket and tie, though he was focused more on the tuning fork in his hand than the people coming in. He only tore his attention away from it once Princess Belle lost her patience and slammed her hand on the table, irritated.
"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" She snapped at him.
"Nope," He replied, sitting up a touch. "What do you want now?"
She looked at Sonia seated across from her, hoping for some support. The woman offered a half-hearted shrug--she would have had to admit she wasn't really listening to the princess, either. In her defense, however, Rosemary was going on a tangent on how the water lilies in the pool were some of the most beautiful things she had ever seen and they just had to get one just like it in Veradis and how she couldn't go another day without her own pool and would her father be okay with it?
"It is disingenuous to not listen to a guest," Sonia offered something resembling support.
Rosemary stopped her rant and pulled on the sleeve of Sonia's templar uniform. "What's--what's--this-en-jen-us?" She asked.
Princess Belle replied before Sonia could. "It means that yet again the second Prince of Estora has inexplicitly decided that he is too good for anyone despite being an arrogant--" She managed to stop herself as Sonia caught her eye with a dark look. "--jerk." She ended, somewhat annoyed that she had to hold herself back.
Rosemary ran over to Lucas, giggling. "She said you're a jerk," She informed him as if it was the funniest thing she had ever heard.
"Better a jerk than an annoying pain in the butt," He shrugged, watching Belle fume. "I'm not supporting your inane idea to go to war without proper proof that Kaudus was behind everything."
"Is it so inane to defend ourselves against a force looking to harm us?!" She asked angrily.
"Provoking a war without a proper casus belli will have our neighbors interfere in Kaudus' defense. Lanvaldear was already concerned about our bloody history with them, you of all people should know that," He informed her cooly.
"Lanvaldear--"
"Kisses your butt and throws themselves at your feet due to being the living symbol of peace. You've made that clear to every single person you've met," He cut her off. "Norðri and Janub have also voiced their concerns, and as powerful as we are, a potential war against four countries won't end without a decent amount of bloodshed."
Rosemary burst into laughter, clinging to Lucas' chair as she doubled over. "They kiss your butt! That's so weird!" She howled as Belle and Lucas glared at one another.
What should have been a peaceful sleep was interrupted, much to Lucas’ dismay, by the butler entering the bedroom. With heavy limbs he managed to turn and fold his pillow over his face, almost ignoring the butler calmly informing him that Princess Erica was waiting for him in the living room. The mention of Erica was the only thing that forced him up, mumbling something to Tyler about staying in bed.
He groped around with half-closed eyes, grabbing one of the robes and tying the sash around his waist in a half-assed attempt at being modest. One hand ran through his hair, barely taming his wild locks, and he peered at the princess sitting prettily on the couch. He wasn’t even remotely surprised to find her with her hair pinned away from her face and wearing a dress embroidered with Estora’s stars. An assortment of sandwiches sat on the coffee table, enticing him to throw himself onto one of the armchairs.
Erica stopped nibbling on her sandwich and placed it down in front of her, watching Lucas curiously. “I don’t suppose you’ve heard from your father or brother, have you?” She said more than asked.
“Thankfully not,” He grumbled, throwing his head back against the back of the armchair. “Please tell me what you want in fifty words or less, I feel like crap.”
The blonde let out a sigh. “Nathaniel has passed. Last night, the council came together to decide on the future king and chose your father due to gaining the endorsement of the Scion of Time. I suspected you weren’t aware and came to inform you,” She told him. “Only thirty-nine, but I can include this for fifty, I suppose.
The news hit him like someone had splashed cold water onto his face, jerking Lucas into an upright position with his eyes wide. He had always known Erica wasn’t the type to hold back, but he wasn’t expecting this at all. His grandfather died last night and he was only just learning about it. His father said he endorsed him?! Who would believe that?
“That can’t be…” What should have been a more indignant response came out somewhat pathetically as his gaze dropped. “Grandfather passed and no one thought to tell me…? And–who the fuck is stupid enough to believe that I would ever support his bullshit claim?!”
“Your brother decided to keep us both in the dark. Unfortunately, I had a rough night and slept through his departure,” She replied somewhat coldly. “I admit I share your surprise; I never thought Ezekiel would be so bold to lie.”
Lucas raised his head to give Erica an incredulous look. “He just lied and everyone believed him?” He asked in disbelief.
She shrugged. “It’s what I was told. I doubt I’ll get the truth out of Arthur,” She seemed a little apologetic as she spoke. “I thought not to let you stay in the dark, at least. Nathaniel wanted to avoid a situation like this, but I suppose your Scionhood was all the justification needed for a power grab. That it worked is disappointing, I don’t think I have ever seen my grandfather so annoyed.”
Disappointing was one way to put it. Then again, Azrael’s position weakened after the death of his initial heir while Ezekial had two sons and a grandson on the way. Lucas briefly wondered if things would have turned out the same if Theo had still been Scion. He leaned back against the armchair, awake but a little more relaxed.
“You should be pleased. One step closer to being queen,” He replied.
The very mention of the word brought that all-too familiar glint in the princess’ eye: it was a deep, insatiable hunger. Henry called her ambitious, but Lucas knew it was greed. The accompanying smile reminded him of a cat watching a helpless bird flapping around the ground.
“An avenue opened, yes,” She ended up admitting as she rested her hands on her bump.
Lucas couldn’t stop himself from scoffing, earning him a glare. “Never change, at least you’re consistent.”
Erica rolled her eyes at him. “I’m more interested to see if you’ll stay the same. Scion royalty runs this Federation–Princess Isabella has run Rosaria since she came of age despite her mother still wearing the monarch’s crown. Even your father will have to think twice before crossing you,” She pointed out.
“If you really think that, you’re stupider than I thought you were,” He couldn’t help but snap. If he was being honest, however, his growing irritation was due to them having the same conversation again. “This was his way of telling me that even as a Scion I don’t have any power.”
“You have no power because you choose not to wield it,” Erica remained firm. “You helped Theodore out all the time, I don't see why you don’t put time and effort into doing some good instead of whoring yourself around and drinking so much you sweat alcohol.”
“Everything I did I got away with because Theodore helped, not the other way around,” He reminded her, his eyes flickering to the bedroom. “I don’t want to talk about this.”
Erica’s lips formed a tight line–she was pissed at him but aware that yelling at him wouldn’t accomplish anything. Instead of responding right away, she took a few seconds to compose herself again. “Grandfather went out of his way to shape you into a fine young man, and you’ve squandered it all away,” She evidently decided she was in the mood to fight.
“My father took a sledgehammer to his work,” Lucas’ reply came quickly. “But seeing Henry again…after everything that’s happened, I know I can’t keep going the way I have. And it starts with finding Theo’s murderer.”
The blonde was surprised by his response, but she still frowned at him. “I understand you have that motivation now, but even before that, you didn’t seem to amount to anything. Just because Croia was absorbed into the Duchy of Avalon doesn’t mean you couldn’t try again.”
Lucas bristled at the mention of Croia, giving Erica a dark look. “I don’t want to talk about this,” He repeated.
The princess outright rolled her eyes at him. “You’re such a coward.”
“Honestly, fuck you. It’s so easy for you to be so judgemental.”
“Because I know you!”
“And?”
“And I can’t understand what Ezekiel did to make you like this.”
“No, you can’t.”
Erica let out a frustrated groan as she clapped her hands together, bringing them to her chin. “I want to hit you so badly,” She told him.
Lucas turned his right cheek towards her, tapping it. “This one’s unbruised. Go for it.”
The princess let out a long exhale. “I am outright envious of whoever gets to,” She muttered darkly. “I can’t believe I was supposed to marry you at one point.”
“Yeah, you robbed me of the only family I wanted.”
“Oh, please, you’re so dramatic. You would’ve been bored of me within a month.”
“I would’ve made sure every single day was entertaining.”
“No, it would’ve ended with me choking you in your sleep.”
“See that would’ve made everyone envious of you.”
Erica pinched the bridge of her nose. “I understand the fallout might’ve been discouraging, but you had options. You could’ve come to me or Grandfather, we would have supported you,” She said, abruptly steering the conversation back to where she wanted.
He couldn’t believe she wouldn’t drop it. Letting out a heavy sigh, he let his body fall limp against the armchair again, eyes unfocused and gazing at something he wasn’t really looking at. “It wasn’t just Croia,” He finally admitted. “Grisandole, Auctor, Glendale…every single one I tried to help was sabotaged.”
“And you thought that was a good enough reason to give up? Just because things didn’t go your way?”
“Yes,” Lucas replied bluntly.
Erica frowned at Lucas, clearly wanting to say more but hesitating for whatever reason. Eventually, she let out a small sigh. “I am sorry for your loss. And I’m sorry that you feel you can’t come to us for help. But if there’s anything you need, we’re here for you.”
Lucas stared at Erica for a while without saying anything. That was something so easy for her to say as someone who had her home country behind her and the church itself ready to defend her simply due to having the Bachmeier last name. She was essentially untouchable. She wouldn’t get it.
It wasn’t until the princess looked uncomfortable that he got up from the couch and decided he was done with the conversation, stretching his arms above his head. “Uh huh. I’m going back to bed.”
Erica got up and grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. “I mean it. Stop pushing me away,” She insisted.
Lucas didn’t reply and just pulled himself out of her grip. She could walk all over everyone and insist on her way, but she wasn’t about to pull that bullshit off with him. He returned to the bedroom and made sure the door was closed before dropping himself back onto the bed, running his hands over his face. He couldn’t believe the audacity of his old man. Sure, it was obvious he would’ve used Lucas’ newfound Scionhood to his advantage, but to just outright lie was a lot, even for him.
???
The single candle swayed as Margaret walked through the halls of the Cathedra Incepta, its small light doing its best to illuminate the path. The moonlight did a better job and she could have used a flashlight, but the flame was a necessity. Its purpose came once she placed it down onto a pedestal, the flame crawling off of the candle and seeping wax onto the surface. The symbol shined brightly and a door revealed itself. She stepped through and the Cathedra Incepta was left behind for a much more ordinary looking place, despite the mysticism needed to enter. The room had no windows and the stone looked old, the floorboard creaking under her feet as she walked to the small, round table in the center of the room. Shadows hid the corners of the room and despite a light shining down on the table, there was no lamp.
Both Fyodor and Elijah waited for Margaret, the pair looking at her as she sat down. “Shall we begin?” Fyodor asked.
“Your impatience never fails to amaze me,” Margaret commented, folding her hands together in front of her.
“Our enemies have taken another Scion from us. You don’t think that requires some urgency?”
“Of course it does. But hastiness is cause for error,” She replied. “Once this gets out, there will be a panic that will grip all of the Federation. We mustn’t let ourselves get caught up in it–remaining strong against the tides of uncertainty will be our greatest challenge.”
“The Scions and Templars have been shaken by the night’s events,” Elijah sighed.
“They cannot falter now. If the people see the Scions fear, they will follow suit,” Margaret warned.
Elijah wasn’t happy to hear that. “They are only human, Margaret. Anyone in their position would be fearful. This enemy is specifically targeting them.”
“They are Incepta’s chosen,” She stated firmly. “They are the pillars of the Church.”
“And those same pillars are crumbling,” Fyodor chuckled, ignoring Margaret’s glare. “This generation of Scions is certainly a collection.”
“It is your Templars that must ensure they do not crumble,” She reminded him. “I suggest you remind them of their duties.”
“Irina has already taken care of it.”
“How convenient for you. If I didn’t know any better, I would say you were willingly shouldering your responsibilities onto her.”
“I wouldn’t give them to her if I didn’t have absolute confidence in her capabilities. If she cannot handle this, she doesn’t deserve the title of Commander,” Fyodor replied, eyes narrowed at Margaret. “And I would ask you to show her your respect. Irina will soon be your equal.”
Elijah’s eyebrows shot up. “But you said there would still be time before your retirement,” He said, worried. “If you retire now…the timing would just make everyone uneasy.”
“Anyone worth their salt knows Irina is more than capable of being Commander,” Fyodor dismissed Elijah’s concern.
“I only hope your judgment stands,” Margaret said dryly.
Fyodor turned his sharp glare to Margaret. “It has yet to fail me. And yet here we are, because you dismissed this cult’s preaching when Elijah brought it up months ago,” He snapped, standing up. “And now we have Scion Nadine doomed to meet Scion Theodore’s fate as a result.”
“You would blame me for the actions of madmen and heretics?” Margaret asked in disbelief as she stood from her seat as well.
“The blood of both Scion Theodore and Scion Nadine paint your hands,” He scoffed. “When will you stop waiting for something to happen before acting? How many Scions will you choose to lose?”
“Remember your place, Fyodor,” She warned him.
“Enough,” Elijah interjected. “What has passed cannot be changed. What is important is that we do whatever it takes to protect the Scions that remain.”
Both Margaret and Fyodor continued to glare at one another, but both sat down once again. Elijah let out a sigh, rubbing his temples.
“We should tell the Scions to shelter in Veradis,” Margaret suggested. “It will be easier to keep an eye on them, then.”
“Several of them are prolific members of high society. I can’t imagine they’d do so willingly,” Elijah frowned.
Margaret gave Elijah an incredulous look. “Princesses Rosemary and Isabella I understand, but you truly expect me to believe the escape artists of Wind and Earth would be doing anything better with their time? Our newest Scion is also royalty, but if you give the rumors any credence, anything he puts his hands on turns to dust. Estora would be glad to see him in one place instead of galivanting with whores and miscreants.”
“You give rumors too much credit,” Fyodor scoffed. “Even if that was the case, Sir Morris will handle him.”
“Speaking of Sir Morris, thank you for informing us that he would resume his position,” Margaret scoffed. “What in Incepta’s name could you have possibly been thinking to give that Templar another Scion to lose? And of course, not just any Scion, but an Estoran Prince! It would be a grave consequence if this one were to go missing as well!”
“Weren’t you just disparaging him?”
“Sir Morris had no fault in what happened with Scion Theodore,” Elijah told her. “I’m more disturbed by your lack of faith in our Scions and Templars.”
“And who could blame me?” Margaret stood once again, gesturing to something in the air. A virtual screen appeared with the faces and names of every Scion and Templar. “The Scions Wind and Earth show no signs of taking their duties seriously, the Scion of Gravity is too busy being distracted by her own reflection, the Scion of Fire hasn’t received the message that he is a soldier no longer, and neither the Scion of Metal nor Shadow haven’t shown an ounce of initiative.”
Elijah frowned. “I understand your frustration, but–”
“And yet you ask why I lack confidence in their abilities,” She snapped, pacing around. “Combine this with the gaggle of Templars Fyodor assigned who aren’t performing their duties, it is obvious that there is great cause for concern! Tonight’s report paints a sorry picture of the people entrusted to their holy gifts. It is both horrifying and shameful, and neither of you seems to realize this!”
“Well, it could be that–”
“And I haven’t touched on their willingness to use the Goddess’ gift at their whims. It is as if they have decided that the rules we have do not apply to them,” She stopped pacing, her hands behind her back. “Need I remind you two what happens when a Scion decides that they may do as they please? Or do you require a history lesson on Scion Yusef Zente? Because unlike then, we have no Scion Aaron Bachmeier to do the righteous thing this time.”
Elijah and Fyodor looked at one another. The former sighed, giving Margaret a serious look. “To err is to be human. I implore you to exemplify compassion and understanding rather than instill judgment from on high, unless you wish your fall from your high horse to be cruel and unforgiving,” He warned her.
Margaret leaned forward and slammed her hands on the table. “Mark my words: your unwillingness to uphold the sacred laws will be your undoing,” She warned him in turn.
“Is that a threat?” Fyodor asked darkly.
The pair glared at one another, but Margaret stood straight again. “It is a word of caution.”
Elijah sighed. “I don’t believe we are getting anywhere productive tonight. Let us reconvene when we all arrive at the Cathedra Incepta tomorrow. And we should bring clear minds and open hearts,” He pointedly told Margaret.
She shook her head in disappointment, but evidently decided she had enough of the pair. She exited through her door, and said door faded into the wall.
Fyodor outright sighed, giving Elijah a tired look. “And then you wonder why I want to be done with all this,” He waved towards Margaret’s previous spot. “She is impossible.”
“She is concerned,” Elijah frowned. “I don’t completely disagree, I just feel she is letting her fears and concerns dominate her. However…”
“However?”
Elijah narrowed his eyes. “I have to admit, I agree with her point about Sir Morris. I thought we came to an agreement about him.”
“We did.”
“And if he decides to forsake his duties to seek revenge?”
“Then he is in the perfect place for it. Prince Lucas and Scion Theodore were close as wards of Henry Bachmeier,” Fyodor told him. “Pairing Sir Morris and the prince together gives them a common goal. And that goal will inflame Sir Morris and will pacify Prince Lucas–it’s the ideal pairing to find the truth behind Scion Theodore’s disappearance.”
Elijah looked uneasy as Fyodor spoke. “I don’t like it when you scheme like this,” He admitted.
“Forgive me, but there are things that must be done,” He groaned as he stood, his hand massaging his right hip.
“I know, but…such things shake trust,” He frowned. “I would rather not have you follow Margaret’s path.”
“If I could pull strings the same way she could, I wouldn’t have been a soldier,” He outright laughed. “In her little rant, she failed to mention how Princess Isabella has been running the Rosarian Kingdom in her mother’s stead. Such boldness has to come from somewhere, don’t you think?”
Elijah’s eyes widened. “I…hadn’t considered that,” He paused. “But you think investing in Prince Lucas will combat that?”
“The thing about politics is I don’t care enough to get involved,” He chuckled. “However, I have it on good authority that Prince Lucas is the perfect person to go up against Princess Isabella.”
Elijah looked unsure, but he eventually nodded. “Alright, I will put my trust in you, then,” He conceded.
Meanwhile...
Elsewhere, the armored man sat on a hospital bed. His incomplete hand rested on his broken thigh, the hum of a song from his helmet echoing a touch as he looked at the golden crystal in his hand. The blood couldn’t hide its glow, the light bent within the crystal strangely. Of course, he knew it was no ordinary thing and likely had its own set of rules; retracting the light in its own way was the least of its mysteries.
The door slid open and in walked the doctor. His white hair blended in with his white coat, his gloved hand pulled a computer chair with him before he sat in front of the armored man. He took out a thin pair of glasses from his pocket, perching them on his nose and staring at the metallic hand and leg for a moment.
“You’ve gotten yourself quite damaged, Adam,” He chuckled.
“Tyler Morris hasn’t let his skills rust in his time without his Scion,” He replied, lifting his broken hand to admire it. “The rumors that he used his magic as a crutch were false, Dr. Devol.”
“His grief hasn’t weighed him down as we hoped,” The doctor took the metallic hand in both of his and inspected it. “I’m assuming a mana saber did this…likely a model 50 enhanced with his own mana–no, an uncapped 100, the church wouldn’t give him any standard thing. I can save the skeleton but it melted the exterior, it’s a miracle he didn’t slice through your hand.”
“I used it to block his sword at one point. If he meant to sever it, he likely would have,” Adam replied, gesturing to his thigh.
The doctor clicked his tongue in disappointment. “A rambunctious boy. Our information was incomplete. Salome needs to do a better job of gathering intelligence,” He decided to focus on the hand first, clicking around the wrist.
Adam pulled back his hand and offered the crystal. “The good news is your technology worked twofold. Overriding Lucas Estora’s magic was effortless,” He said as the doctor eagerly took the crystal in his hand. “What’s more, his mana is unstable. I detected an anomaly from him, but he moved shortly afterwards as he was nowhere to be found when I looked in the ballroom. By the time I took the Lightning Scion and disposed of her Templar, Salome had moved forward.”
“His mana won’t remain unstable. Incepta’s design is making every attempt at channeling the mana where She has deemed it belongs,” He said as he turned away from Adam and rolled to the desk next to him. He placed the crystal above a circular platform and clicked on a few things, the crystal slowly floating as several red lines appeared before enveloping it entirely. “That he was able to manipulate time at all must be an unintended side effect. He has more control than I expected.”
“I didn’t anticipate it,” Adam admitted. “But a Scion’s control over their element is inconsistent enough that I assumed he was simply fortunate. Incepta must smile on him.”
“More like She wishes for vengeance over her fallen child,” He muttered, more focused on the screen. “Regardless, if we don’t get the Time Scion before he regains control, we’ll lose out on the blessing.”
“Is it still a blessing if it’s forcibly taken?”
“It’s a blessing because it is based on the same principle,” He frowned at the screen. “I don’t recognize the materials that compose this crystal. The Church certainly hides their secrets well.”
“The sword damaged the armor, but I don’t know to what extent.”
“Scion Alderman ensured the armor wouldn’t be brought down by any conventional method,” The doctor chuckled to himself.
Adam stood up and walked over, curious. “I assume this will go to whoever receives the lightning blessing,” He said.
“I’d rather you have it, but you may be right if the crystal is bound to lightning mana,” The doctor scratched his chin. “Hmm…it’s complexity is beautiful, but it’ll take some time. We should lie low for a while and see about repairing your limbs in the meantime. I’ll be occupied with the new lightning blessing as well…it’s going to be a busy new year.”
Adam looked back at the crystal. “How long until the new blessing? It took months for the last one, no?”
“If I had succeeded on my first attempt at putting theory to practice, I would have gone out and bought a lottery ticket,” The doctor laughed. “This time, it will be much shorter. A young, healthy man is a more durable test subject than an older, frail woman–I’ll get results in a matter of days this time. Sooner if her heart gives out.”
A red beeping caught both of their attention. “Very well, then. I will relay the information,” Adam stated.
The doctor gave him no response so he took his leave. There were many things running through his mind, but he acknowledged that it would take some time before their next attempt. He made his way through the halls until he entered a room with stone walls and floors. The chill was enough to give him pause, his boot crunching on dead leaves. The greenhouse was once home to a multitude of exotic plants, but now only one thing remained. The moonlight illuminated the room void of life, and at its center sat a magnificent willow tree. Its branches hung low, protecting its trunk, but they swung back as Adam walked through.
At the base of the tree sat what looked like a woman asleep on a makeshift bed of pillows at first glance; her silhouette could’ve been mistaken for human had it not been for a large pair of horns protruding from her head. Her skin was an ashen black, a great contrast to the shimmering white hair that swept the ground around her. The color shimmered gold with every movement, matching the jewel set on her forehead. Her clothes looked elegant, but ended in smoke, moving as if there was a wind billowing around her.
She opened her golden eyes, her jewelry clinking together as she lifted her head. “I can feel it. Her Lightning…will you give it to me?” Her voice was soft and sultry, eyes quietly hungering. “You denied me Her Time.”
Adam knelt to the ground and bowed his head. “As before, we will not give you the Scion. However, this time we will ensure you have plenty of blessed ones to feed on,” He said apologetically. “I ask for your understanding, Termina.”
She gave no response at first, eyes focused on Adam. He listened intently, knowing he may need to withdraw if she decided to feast on him. The shuffling told him that she was getting up and he did the same. She didn’t walk over to him as he expected, however, instead walking over to the tree.
“Two lights dimmed…and a third on the way,” Termina said, her nails raking the bark. A golden light trailed her scratches, but disappeared as she turned to Adam. “Her intended path has been completely thrown aside. She will act soon. Incepta will come for me.”
He stiffened as she shifted, her entire form swallowed by smoke and dust only for her to appear directly in front of him. Her hair billowed out behind her, eyes wide and hungry as they darkened to a bloody red. There was a strange beauty about her face that made her look uncanny, a face that should have been something to admire instead of appearing so inhuman.
“To increase my strength, I need to be fed,” Her eerily calm voice told him. “Won’t you have the good doctor bring me another to feed on?”
“Your will be done,” He replied as calmly as he could. He didn’t dare turn away or show any fear; he witnessed firsthand what happened when anyone showed any signs of weakness.
Sure enough, after a moment, Termina calmed down somewhat, albeit her eyes remained red. She gave him what was likely supposed to be an assuring smile, but she remained in place instead of retreating. A pair of robed men dragged in an unconscious man, throwing him to Adam’s side. They got down on their knees, bowing their heads. “Greatest Termina, we give to you this offering,” One spoke.
She walked to the unconscious man, poking his shoulder with her foot. The holy sigil glowed briefly at her touch, giving her glee, and she then walked over to the men. Despite their honeyed words, they visibly trembled, earning a ‘tut’ out of her. “I don’t believe I can be satisfied with just the one,” She said, looking at Adam.
He understood. “Take as you please.”
Unlike before, the smile she gave him was bright and warm. Smoke surrounded the robed men and solidified into tendrils, grabbing them by their necks. He paid no mind to their struggles or choked shouts for help, knowing very well that Termina was not to be denied her meal. She was generous as well; this time she would eat three, and not an entire room as she did before. Indulging her would both keep her happy and keep him on her good side. He took his leave without a second glance, more concerned about repairing what he needed.