Chapter 787: Let’s Do It & The Red Faith
The small gathering was organized at the last minute. Yet nothing was missing: the live music, fancy dishes, large, decorated Sanctum hall with temperature-controlling runic devices.
The elves were not everyday guests, with the support Eldoris had given to Sanctuary, both Ilvanya and Vidalia were treated like top celebrities. The nobles were just one part of the gathered individuals; the runesmiths, merchants, and over 70% of the Sanctum officials were commoners. They had only heard about these legendary elves in stories, and now, for the first time, they had seen them with their own eyes.
Evrin, Grace, and Souldealer made sure, however, that no one annoyed them too much with useless business talk or unending flattery. Damian and Sam, on the other hand, just focused on eating and drinking together with some knights, nobles, and Sanctum officials they had become familiar with.
With constant dungeon diving, many talented knights had reached a level cap for enlightened rank, and skill leveling was their main focus now. Sam and Einar had planned an extensive practice routine for the standby army; they provided sufficient room for all talented soldiers to grow stronger. Sam introduced Damian to some of the most gifted individuals.
The small event had no big highlight, other than the awkwardness Damian felt whenever Lucian and Vidalia were around him together. The surprise was indeed not very well received by Lucian. Vidalia, on the other hand, had not even realized she was having such an effect on others as she chatted as usual.
At last, back in his private place, after the small event ended, Damian finally had a chance to explain it to Lucian.
"Long ago, I promised her that we would work together in researching and creating new spells. It was before you know.."
"I know you two are close, and I respect that," Lucian said with a slow exhale. "I only wish you would give me some prior hints before pursuing her."
Huh? Something seemed off here. What was she talking about?
Lucian could see her confused expressions, which in turn made her confused as well.
"Why did you invite her?" Lucian asked hesitatingly.
"As a research partner representing Eldoris in our joint spellcrafting research," Damian answered.
"Maybe I misunderstood some things," Lucian admitted, turning around, not facing him.
Damian smiled, figuring out what had happened. He took two steps forward, going once again face-to-face with her. Lucian did not meet his eyes, yet Damian gently held her chin and gave a gentle push for her to look up. Their eyes met once again, the fearful warrior showing fear of her own overwhelming feelings.
"You have every right to ask." Damian said, "As long as you are with me, there will never be anyone else. I love you. You are mine, and I am yours. If you wish for a marriage, we can do it right now."
Tears rolled down Lucian’s face, but her face held the most genuine smile Damian had ever seen. In a second, she buried herself in his arms. Only after a few moments of shared warmth did he hear her whisper,
"Your words are enough, Lord Keeper. Grand gestures never suited us."
Damian smiled, recalling the engagement ceremony they had partaken in so many years ago. Neither of them cared to follow big, fancy traditions. Nor did they have any faith in religions.
***
[Veyrmar village, Eastern Empire - Eldoris border, A teenage village boy named Kora’s POV.]
Kora ran as fast as he could. Wind rustled his long hair and simple clothes, dirt flying behind his feet with every step that pushed him forward.
He was fast. But,
’I can still go faster. This is not the limit!’
He was trained by his father in the ways of the ’Stone Shattering School of martial arts. With his father gone, now he was one of the last practitioners of this ancient pugilist technique. And he was determined to make the name of this family martial art famous throughout the empire.
Before long, Kora had already crossed the village gate and had reached kilometers away from it. Being so close to the Kyishin River, the eastern empire was unlike the rest of the old empire. Here, they had plenty of greenery and life teeming in every part of it.
The forest path was clear, his speed not reducing at all. But it didn’t get faster either. For a while, he was stuck at this level. No matter how much he trained, he had hit a bottleneck.
The forest path had started to become thinner and thinner, and at last, when a bunny jumped from the bushes, Kora had to slow down and stop for the day.
With a sigh, Kora exhaled deeply. This much was nothing to him, but reaching the limit did put a little strain on his breathing, another thing he had found no solution for. He was the practitioner of the Stone Shattering technique, but his father and uncle were gone now, and he was left with unfinished knowledge.
Suddenly, amidst the birds chirping, Kora heard another unfamiliar sound, a horse. No, it was more than one horse coming towards the village. Kora quickly ran to the tallest tree he had passed some minutes ago, and in moments, he had climbed to the highest point.
He could see them.
Knights. Red clothes, a group of two dozen. Kora felt goosebumps.
He recognized them very well. The red knights of Sun Temple. He had only heard rumors, but even those were enough to scare everyone to death.
Kora immediately climbed down and ran at full speed back to his village. What possibly could the red knights want from their simple village? He had to inform everyone.
Kora shouted whenever he crossed a house. And only paused in the village square, where some men were already gathered around the large, old banyan tree. People gathered one after another, and he repeated what he had seen again and again to whoever asked. They barely had 2 second-rankers in the village; no one even thought about facing the knights. There was nothing they could do if the red knights wanted something or someone from their little village.
"How many did you see?" Asked a woman.
Kora turned back and immediately felt his cheeks redden. It was the person he was infatuated with recently. A stranger who had decided to settle in their village. She often had a robe over her head, but her beastman features were not completely hidden. Everyone understood her need to cover herself.
Beastmen in the empire nowadays were rarely seen. In the cities, they lived in good numbers, but in the villages, beastmen were not seen that often.
Not to mention, a beastman woman that was incredibly beautiful. Kora knew he was a bit too young for her, but his heart just started racing whenever he saw her in the village. Only when she repeated the question did Kora remember he was talking to her up close, and wasn’t looking at her from afar.
"I.. I think some nine horse riders." Kora replied.
The woman nodded and turned around, finding a place to stand at the very back of the crowd. When she turned, Kora got a little peek at the shiny metal bracer. That looked costly. Was the woman rich or something? Besides, it was part of the armor. Could she be a.. Warrior?
Kora found his feelings for her increasing after learning this unexpected thing about her.
The villagers chattered all around him, discussing what to do and guessing what business the red knights might have in their small village. It didn’t take long for the riders to reach the village square.
Seeing the shiny steel armor and majestic horses, the villagers answered everything the knights asked about truthfully. Kora felt like the villagers were acting like weaklings. They may not be able to face all the knights, but with all the pathfinders they had in the village, they could at least put up a good fight.
Kora would very much help to protect any villager who was wrongfully harassed by the sun followers.
But when the last question of the knights came, Kora froze on the spot.
"Where does the beastman woman who came here recently live?"
The whole crowd looked back, and the woman in the hooded robe was still standing at the very back.
The knights understood the unsaid answer and slowly guided their horses to move forward, surrounding the beasman woman from all around.
"Remove the hood."
One of the knights said in not-so-nice a tone.
Kora gritted his teeth and was about to step forward to protect the woman, but the village chief immediately held him by his shoulder. All men present met his eyes and shook their heads.
Why do they give up so easily?
Kora tried to push through, but the pathfinders held him back.
Before the knight could notice these small movements, suddenly a giant flash of light appeared in Kora’s vision. Followed by a loud, land-shaking explosion.
All eyes turned towards the encirclement. The explosion had killed five knights in seconds. Blood splattered everywhere, dirt settling down slowly. Constant sound of small explosions followed behind.
When Kora finally got a good look, he noticed the beastman woman holding two large metal pillars that spewed bright, light nonstop. Each attack bored holes in the knight’s armor and flesh alike.