“And yet, he got away,” King Aeros said as he walked towards Evangeline and stopped in front of her. “You threw everything you had at your enemy, enough to level a god damn mountainside and he still got away. Maybe you aren’t as powerful as I heard you were. Disgraceful.” Then he walked away again. “Who will take responsibility for this catastrophe?”
Aderon held his grip tightly as he prepared himself. He was already prepared to take all of the blame to spare everyone else. He hated it, but he had to. They were dealing with something even greater than Evangeline. They needed her now more than ever. For now, it was the right thing to do.
“I know,” King Aeros suddenly followed up. “Guards, give me the Grand Sage’s head.” Evangeline only looked at King Aeros. The guards pointed their spears as they all surrounded the Orderian that had just saved their lives.
“Your Grace, with all things to consider—”
“Then tell me, who should be responsible for this?” King Aeros shouted and cut Tamiron off. “Well, answer me this question then: what was the intention of this tomb raider that you had to wipe an entire mountain? Make me realize that this is indeed a genuine act of defense — an act of good faith in behalf of the kingdoms and not an act of war towards the High Kingdom. Make me believe that this tomb raider is really not here with us in this room,”
“He took a coffin,” Aderon answered as he blocked Evangeline from his father’s view. His father’s grin however, disappeared.
“Did you see this coffin up close then?” King Aeros asked.
“No, but I saw a big circular rock he pulled out of the tomb. It had the emblem of a black eagle,” he explained to which he saw his father went pale. His demeanor suddenly changed. “Do you know anything about that father? Why the enemy took it?”
“It doesn’t matter now. The tomb is gone. For good,” King Aeros tried to avert the question as he suddenly grew restless.
“Why does it not matter that that freak raided it in the first place?” he shouted to his father, much to the surprise of everyone. His father only looked at him and sighed.
“The tomb is of the Black Eagle King. You know the very family who our ancestors overthrew in the Old War. They weren’t treating every eagle-kind the same treatment. Easterlings were treated like second-class citizens,” the king said as he stood up.
“Easterlings?” much to his confusion.
“It was us,” King Aeros said then he drank a cup of wine. “They were the westerlings, or known as the Black Wings. The Black Eagles. Ruled by the Schwarzen family. Of course, our forefathers made sure they killed every single one of that family when the civil war started. And as the final battle erupted here at Taloria, we took it by force. Spared no one.”
“Father I, why was this kept a secret,” he said as his fist tightened.
“Because we made sure that none of the westerlings survived as well. We killed them, and had their lands given to those loyal to our family. We took their home and rebuilt it in our image, Taloria.”
He gulped at the thought, but still his father did not answer his question. “Again why was this kept from my knowledge? I am the prince!”
“You are too naïve and we need to erase every single knowledge of their existence!” he cut his son off. “You are too naïve. Just like your mother. Your kindness reminds me of her and I hate every second of it knowing that you took her from me!” he vented.
He was unable to match his father’s cruel words. “I am sorry for being born then, Father.”
King Aeros sighed and took a deep breath. “Red Prince, you have no proof that you had an enemy there in the tomb. We can’t even burn our own dead for god’s sake because of her actions,” King Aeros said as he tried to ignore his son.
“Your Highness, she saved a village from being buried under a hundred-foot snow,” Sevidon reasoned out with King Aeros.
“She caused that avalanche in the first place!” King Aeros snarled. “It is only right that she stopped it. She had to leave a crater on my mountain, on the Aternor Mountain range of all places,” he exclaimed.
“My King, with all due respect. Evangeline never meant for it to reach to that point. The being came in and out like the wind. Only she knew about this. She tried to stop it on her own to the point that it already bred mistrust within the united forces. For now, she is our only chance of stopping this enemy that lurked in the shadows. Maybe not now, not tomorrow, but Evangeline will find a way.”
“This is not the Trasidar Empire, Red Prince. You may have gotten out of your own crimes when you wreaked havoc in your own kingdom a year ago and made your sister the Queen Empress. But we do things differently here in the High Kingdom. She will have to answer for the crime she had committed, whether she did this on purpose or by accident. Even if it is willingly or unwillingly, a crime committed is still a crime and he or she who does such act will be punished accordingly,” King Aeros said firmly. “Guards, the Orderian’s head.”
The guards began to move in closer until Aderon jumped in to protect her.
“Stop this, father!” he said as he covered Evangeline, shielding her from the guards. “The enemy is more powerful than we thought. The most powerful being in the continent who is now in this very room threw everything at him but to no avail. We kill her now to answer for a petty crime she had committed and the world will be in more danger than it will ever be.”
“Ha, the Trasidar Empire has always been the wall of the remaining seven kingdoms. They took it into their own hands to make sure none of those Xerxecian scums even cross an inch of their territory. Look at how they have gloriously failed on that part. Now they want us to work together to put a stop to them once and for all! I say they are the danger after that is done,” King Aeros said as he walked back to his throne and sat once again.
Aderon only looked at his father as the rest tried to cover Evangeline who was still speechless and stood in silence.
“Tell me, because I’m still curious, before the cutting of head and everything, explain to me how all four of you came at exactly the right time as the raider? You were supposed to be in the other continent which would’ve taken you a several months to come here?” King Aeros said. “Please explain to me, Grand Sage. I would love to hear your voice before we take your pretty little head from your body.”
“We teleported,” Evangeline stuttered.
“Come again? I could not hear you from the faintness of your lovely voice,” King Aeros said as he leaned a bit forward.
“We teleported, your Grace. I used my orb to take us anywhere in the world. As long as I know where I’m going,” Evangeline stuttered as she explained.
“Oh,” astonished, King Aeros dug deeper. “Then how did you come to know about the tomb?”
“I felt him. His powers are the same as mine somehow,” Evangeline said.
“Oh, then he is one of yours, I suppose?” King Aeros asked.
“No, all of my magisters are accounted for. They are with the Orderian army,” Evangeline explained.
King Aeros chuckled, “Funny you mention that, I’m still unsure why you are given such freedom within the united forces. Isn’t it supposed to be Tamiron who will command the entire forces?” he tried to clarify but this time, she did not answer. “Figures. The all-knowing Grand Sage, unable to answer.”
King Aeros then took a deep breath and sighed heavily. “Stand down,” he ordered the guards.
“Thank you, your Highness,” Sevidon said.
“No need for false flatteries, Halfling,” King Aeros told him. “I will spare her life, under one condition. With all the things that had happened, it is clear that the United Forces is not united after all. The High Kingdom will withdraw from the Unibeltrasian forces.”
They were shocked by what his father said, especially Tamiron. “But your Highness, we are about to complete our goal. We need the High Army now more than ever,” Tamiron pleaded.
“Actions breed consequences, Red Prince. The original consequence was alread
y avoided because I have changed my mind. Count your blessings. But this will be my only request — no, my demand. I will let you all go, including my son. But the High Army will return here with Aderon,” King Aeros explained then he looked at Evangeline, “Your head will be staying with your body a little while longer, Grand Sage.”
He was angry at that point, there’s no changing his father’s decision now and he knew it, the way Sevidon looked at him knew it as well. Tamiron was stunned, unable to react properly. Evangeline only took a deep breath and said nothing.
“Then it is what it is, your Grace,” Tamiron said. “Once we go back, the High Army will be withdrawing from the united forces,”
“Tamiron, we can’t allow this,” Sevidon said but Tamiron only shook his head and looked straight at the king.
With a grin on his face, King Aeros then stood up, “Okay then. We have an agreement.” Then he looked to Aderon, “I will be expecting you back soon.”
He had no choice but to bow his head to him, to his father.
“Prince Tamiron,” King Aeros called. “After the war in the east is over. Expect that the High Kingdom will not let what your pets had done go unpunished. Retribution will wait. I’m giving you now the courtesy of knowing your consequences,”
Tamiron held his ground and replied, “I am sorry that it had to come to this.”
“I am sorry for you. But you know this will be coming in such a long time. Even your father knew that. I was just waiting for the right fire to light it up,” King Aeros explained. “Now, let the witch take you back. Begone.” King Aeros waved them off, and Evangeline took that as the signal. A huge pink sheet appeared and enveloped all of them in an orb, with the High Palace slowly being blocked from view. With the sound of air rushing out, the orb eventually began to disappear.
End of chapter XX
XXI: A Promise of Victory
They were back at the Termosad Camp and the soldiers were stunned by the sudden appearance of Tamiron, Sevidon, and Aderon. Tamiron quickly looked for Evangeline but she was nowhere in sight. He then looked at Aderon with tight fists on both arms, still unmoved. He took a deep breath and approached him with caution.
“What will you do?” he asked as he patted him on the shoulder.
“What else? We will pull out first thing tomorrow. For now, I will let my troops rest amongst the Unibeltrasian forces,” Aderon said to him.
He did not react. Sevidon did not know what to say as well so he kept his distance. He saw the others coming from the command tent and Aderon walked away to prepare to leave the united forces.
“Where have you guys been? What happened? You’ve been gone for an entire day!” Kaira shouted. She looked at them as she waited for an answer, but they had none for her.
“You disappeared on me again? Do you know how hard it is to keep the remaining forces of the elven army from killing each other?” Glaivel berated Sevidon, but he too was still stunned, unable to react.
Kaira saw Sevidon’s face. “What’s wrong?” she asked as Sevidon left promptly. All three of them only looked at him as he walked away. “Tamiron, what happened?”
“Let’s go to the command tent, I’ll explain there,” he said as he led the way.
He looked at the army and he could see their tired expressions. He took a deep breath as he needed to make a decision: move now and have the reinforcements follow, or wait all of them and then move. He was distracted as he treaded the muddy ground when a horn suddenly echoed through the wind.
“Are we under attack?” he asked as the soldiers began to scramble.
“No Sire. The Kra’ens have arrived!” one of the soldiers said.
Glaivel and Kaira smiled to the arrival of their reinforcements, while Tamiron still processed what was going on. Both of them went on to the other side of the camp to welcome Graveloth.
He quickly followed and from afar he could see the arrival of the Kra’en army. He then saw Kaira hug someone from the arriving allies. He got closer and a smile quickly drew in his face.
His eyes and Graveloth’s then met, and he walked towards him. Graveloth quickly flashed a smile towards him then saluted, “Your Grace, Lord Paramount Graveloth Demio reporting with the Iron Kra’en Army along with the supplies the Commander has requested,” he said as some of the Kra’en soldiers fell in line in front of them as Graveloth made way, and presented him with weapons and armors made of kra’enite. “As you have requested, your Grace, kra’enite weapons and armors, built for seven hundred fifty thousand men. For, the Elves, the Falcons, the Tigris, ourselves, of course, the Orderian army, and finally the High Army.”
Another horn echoed further away from the camp – a sound that Glaivel was familiar with. He walked towards the front to get a better view and slowly, from the dark horizon the banner of the Viris and Venis Elves rose.
“Good, the elven reinforcements are here,” Glaivel said and everyone sighed in relief.
“Now we can move. Now the United Unibeltrasian Forces can move,” Graveloth said but Tamiron’s smile was wiped from his face.
“What’s wrong?” Kaira worriedly asked as Graveloth waived his men to go.
“Order your men to begin distributing the weapons and armors to the forces,” he ordered Graveloth and he walked away, “and follow me.”
They entered the command tent and he asked everyone inside to leave.
“Aren’t we going to call or wait for the others?” Kaira asked as the soldiers took their leave.
“What happened?” Glaivel asked again.
“You all are aware of the reports of an enemy in the Arumar continent, who wreaked havoc in some tombs and temples, correct?” he said. All of them answered yes but before he could continue however, Sevidon arrived.
“Oh good, you made it. Tamiron was about to tell us something about the attacker of the tombs and temples,” Glaivel said as he made way for Sevidon. He too was crestfallen.
“We were at the High Kingdom yesterday. We tried to stop it from raiding the tomb there,” he said suddenly, everyone was jolted, except Sevidon who was still quiet behind them. “We failed, horribly.”
“What? How can that be?” Graveloth asked. Sevidon then walked forward.
“Are you really going to tell them?” Sevidon asked him. “Let me tell them. You will just make it look like what she did was good.”
He could not blame Sevidon for what he felt. He gave Evangeline too much freedom. He knew Sevidon was not happy with the decision from the very start. But he did not know what was to come, only she did. It was only her, and he knew this.
“It was Evangeline, who I thought was the raider.” Sevidon suddenly said. The three inside was shocked by the sudden accusation.
“What in god’s name are you talking about? She’s been leading the Orderian army in the south,” Kaira came to her defense.
“Sevidon, you are only making things worse with that joke — I can’t even think that it can be considered as a joke. Take this seriously,” Glaivel said to him as he crossed his arms.
“Now that I think about it, it could’ve been her who attacked us back in the Iron Kingdom,” Graveloth suddenly said and the other two turned on him.
“Oh come on, you too?” Glaivel said with disappointment.
“The attacker wielded magic in front of my own eyes. It destroyed the temple and used magic to freeze my own men. If I’ve realized it sooner I would’ve told everyone about it,” Graveloth explained as he looked at Kaira, “And you, weren’t the report submitted to you about the attacker on the tomb in your kingdom used magic? Powerful magic at best.”
“We have no proof that it was indeed magic. No one can destroy a fortified underground tomb like that,” Kaira countered him.
“She obliterated Oraz’Kram with her magic. Magic even we haven’t seen her use before,” Ravaen said as they the room fell silent. “Now you’re quiet? So you do read all the reports. That was the first time I became afraid of her.”
“Wait, you said thought, why
did you say that?” he asked Sevidon.
His eyes and Sevidon’s met. “Because she defended me, Tamiron, and Aderon from the real one,” Sevidon said everyone breathed heavily.
“Another magic user,” Glaivel uttered while the other two were speechless.
“And he is as powerful as Evangeline is — maybe even powerful than she is,” Sevidon explained. Then a familiar sound began to echo from behind them, suddenly an orb of pink light appeared and it began to disappear as soon as it appeared and it revealed Evangeline as she wore a makeshift coat on top of her normal battle gown.
Sevidon and the others were clearly shocked by her sudden appearance, but he paid her no mind, he grew used to it.
“That is the reason why I requested for Tamiron to give me the freedom that I need in order to solve this problem that I have felt long before we crossed into Xerxecian territory,” Evangeline said as she explained her actions.
“I already told her to let us help her, but she refused. She was afraid that this might not sit well, that a possible Orderian rogue is to blame for this. She did not want trouble,” he further explained.
Ravaen was clearly angry at that point by now and he slowly leaned on the table and looked him in the eyes.
“Because of both your secrecy, lives were lost. Not just my own people, but everyone that that thing killed. No more of this, you hear?” Ravaen calmly demanded as his expression became intense. He nodded and he looked at Evangeline, who wasn’t even able to look Ravaen straight in the eyes. “I’m done here. It seems that only real people who are making decisions here are you three. I’ll facilitate my army’s fitting of armors and weapons,” Ravaen added as he walked out of the tent.
Kaira at that time only took a deep breath and asked, “So do you even know who this person is?”
Evangeline only nodded no, and Kaira again took a deep breath. She then turned to Tamiron, “I thought we already trust each other enough, to tell these kinds of problems,” Kaira then stood up. “The United Forces isn’t so united after all.” She crossed her arms and went on the far side of the tent, far from everyone.
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