Princess Elery has finally reached the Kouzlo Duchy. Even though she used a teleportation spell, it still took her some time to reach there. Now she stood before the grand gate of Arcane Lyceum.
A crowd of aspiring students had already gathered, their eyes filled with hope and ambition. But not all would make it. Only a select few would pass the Lyceum's Ordeal of the Chosen.
She turned to Lunara and said, "I can't bring you inside so I want you to gather information about the shard and any information about Arcane Lyceum."
Lunara bowed. "As you wish, Your Highness," she said before vanishing into the crowd.
She adjusted her hood, concealing her identity and lined up to take the Ordeal of the Chosen.
Deep beneath the main halls somewhere within the Aracne Lyceum, a woman with her head and face covered in veil stood in a dimly lit cellar. Before her was a shard suspended in the air glowing softly, about the size of a small orb. Its pulses of light grew stronger, reacting to something unseen.
"What's happening above?" she asked not turning, her voice low and calm.
"The Ordeal of the Chosen is on-going above so it's a bit noisy," the usher behind her replied.
"Check the students. Someone is carrying a shard among them." she ordered.
The usher gave a quick bow and departed. Moments later, she was at the academy gates, reviewing the list of students who had passed the initial selection. She looked at the line outside the gate of the academy and asked all applicants to remove anything that would hinder in identifying them.
The princess was reluctant at first but she had no choice. When she removed her hood, people nearby was surprised and started to whisper. Having silver-white hair is a trait unique to the royal family of the Dostani Kingdom.
The usher's eyes widened, and she quickly sent word to the headmaster.
Soon, Elery stood before the exam proctor for her Ordeal. This test would determine not just her eligibility, but her standing within the Lyceum. Each candidate had to demonstrate their mastery by casting magic in its highest form. Most people can wield one type of magic but Elery used 4 types of elemental magic. Fire, water, wind, and earth answered her call, swirling in perfect harmony around her. Gasps erupted again, this time from the evaluators.
"Advance!" shouted the testkeeper as he raised a green flag.
Successful candidates were ranked into three tiers: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. There was no doubt where Elery belonged.
The headmaster watched Elery's Ordeal from the window.
"What should we do headmaster? Do you think she came here because of Princess Liora?" the usher asked worried.
"I have expected this much. Any news outside?" the headmaster asked.
"The emperor of Vestur Empire has passed away. It was said to be the doings of his illigetimate son to take the throne." the usher answered.
"So the snakes are in the palace. He has chosen his pawns well. Returning to Dostani Kingdom won't be safe for the princess," the headmaster said as she thought deeply.
She turned away from the window, her mind made up. "I'll be personally in charge of her studies just like with Princess Liora."
With one last glance toward the courtyard, she disappeared into the shadows of the tower.
Rue and Sir Conrad arrived at the manor to see it burnt and destroyed. The manor had been reduced to blackened ruins, its walls charred and collapsed. Smoke still curled from the wreckage.
"No...no!" Sir Conrad ran forward, his voice laced with dread.
"Mother! Mira!"
There was no reply. The knights behind them immediately began removing the debris.
As Sir Conrad pulled away a heavy beam, he noticed a jewel from a burned body. He froze. A familiar pair of sapphire earrings, the one he had given to his mother on her last birthday.
"Aah! Mother!" he cried out in anguish, collapsing beside her remains.
Rue felt Sir Conrad's agony. His fists clenched. His rage toward the people who did these horrible things.
The knights continued their grim task, searching the rubble for any sign of Mira.
Then a faint voice called from behind. "My lord? Sir Conrad?"
They turned quickly. Several of the manor's surviving servants stood behind them, their clothes stained with ash and smoke.
Sir Conrad rushed to them and asked about Mira, his sister. The servants led them to a hidden shed outside town. Sir Conrad threw open the door.
"Mira!"
A young girl rushed into his arms, tears streaming down her soot-streaked cheeks. "Brother!" she sobbed. "Mother… mother was…!"
She tried to speak but her tears won't let her. Sir Conrad felt pained for she must've witnessed their mother's death. Rue left the two of them to speak and asked one of the maids.
"What happened?" he asked.
"We were all sleeping last night when we woke up from the sound of scream outside. When we went out of the room, the hallway was already on fire. It was too late to put out the fire so some of the servants ran outside. As soon as they left the door, they were killed. We don't know who they are or where they came from, only that they use dark magic. We informed her ladyship and she asked us to head towards the secret passage in her room with Lady Mira. Her ladyship helped out the other servants trapped in their rooms and by the time it's her turn to leave, a debris fell over her." The maid cried as she recalled the recent events.
"Is it the same group as the one we encountered in the forest? But the only one who's after us would be the empress. Does that mean she's working with dark mages now?" Rue thought.
The door opened from behind them and Sir Conrad came out. "My Lord, my sister would like to talk to you."
The girl stepped forward. "My Lord, there's something I'd like to give you. My mother left it to me before we entered the secret passage last night. It was given to her by father and to be given to you in case something happened to him," she said as she went to a drawer to get a red box inside.
When he opened the box, he was surprised to see the emperor's seal inside.
"Why is the emperor's seal with Sir Garran?" he asked as he looked at Sir Conrad.
"I do not know my Lord. My father never told me about it." Sir Conrad replied.
As he took out the seal from the box, a small folded note fell to the floor. When he unfolded it, the words "Find Tessia" was written on it. These were the only words written and it was written by the Emperor.
"Who's Tessia?" he asked but none of the siblings know it.
One of the knights entered the room and informed them that there were a lot of the empire's soldiers scouring the area in town and it's not safe for them to stay there longer.
"Is it true that you killed the emperor, my Lord?" Mira asked hesitantly.
"Mira!" Sir Conrad interjected firmly. "His Lordship did not kill the emperor. He was with me the entire time." He put his hand on his sister's shoulder trying to correct her.
"But I heard the whispers from the servants....saying that father colluded with His Lordship and that is why this happened to us," she said tearfully.
"No, no, no. None of those are true. I tell you." Sir Conrad said as he hugged his sister.
"Believe your brother," Rue said gently. "Your family has only been loyal to the Emperor. It might be hard to understand now as it is my words against the Empress but trust your brother."
Sir Conrad turned to him. "What shall we do now, my Lord?"
"We cannot stay in the empire. We have to go to Kouzlo."
"Why not go to Dostani, my Lord? It may have been a short time that we spent time with the princess but I'm sure she'll help us." Sir Conrad suggested.
"That might be the case but the Queen of Dostani doesn't like nobles from the empire especially the royals, it was a miracle that she sent the princess to the empire. And with the on-going conflict in the border, it would be impossible to go there without going through the Avaris Duchy," Rue explained.
"The borders will be heavily guarded but guarding the Labyrinthine forest would be difficult for them because of the danger that lurks deep in the forest. That is our only way to Kouzlo."
With their fate sealed and hearts heavy with loss, they headed to Kouzlo despite the danger to get away from the empress.
At the council chamber, twelve out of the thirteen members sat at the round table. The air was heavy with tension, the weight of the emperor's death pressing down on them all.
The Empress opened the meeting. "Today's agenda is to talk about the future of the empire going forward and the traitors, Marquess Rue Mallory and Sir Garran."
A hand rose. Earl Osric, an older noble with sharp eyes, cleared his throat. "Your Imperial Majesty, by tradition, the Crown Prince should lead the council in times such as this. Yet, we have not seen him for days."
"The Crown Prince is still in shock of the news of his brother's betrayal and with Lady Cecilia in coma," the Empress replied calmly. "He is not fit to rule at the moment. Therefore, as his mother and the empress, I shall preside over the council until he recovers."
No one objected aloud, but murmurs passed between the members.
"Now, Duke Vane will deliver his investigation on Sir Garran."
The Duke stood, holding a thick stack of documents, which he passed to the members. His voice was firm.
"After several interrogations, Sir Garran finally confessed to conspiring with Marquess Rue Mallory to commit treason."
The chamber fell into a tense silence as papers were flipped through. Eyes narrowed. Skepticism stirred.
"This investigation is only done by Duke Vane." Marquess Viremont said, one of the council members. "By law, we need at least three witnesses to this claim to prove its authenticity."
The Duke and the Empress exchanged a brief glance.
"Then I invite two members of this council to accompany me to the dungeon after this meeting to confirm the validity of my report," Duke Vane replied coolly.
"I'll go with you," said Marquess Viremond. "And I," Earl Osric added.
"Good. Now that the matter is settled," the Empress said, "you mentioned something regarding the future of the Empire, Duke Vane?"
Duke Vane smiled and placed a small, ornate box on the table. Opening it revealed a green shard.
The council leaned in.
"An emerald?" one of them asked.
"This," Duke Vane began, "is not a gemstone. It is a shard, fragmented from a greater orb. I found it while traveling the continent. Even a sliver of it can grant immense power. With it, a magicless man can cast spells. And for a mage, it amplifies their power tenfold. It's how I subdued the Knight-Commander."
His voice carried conviction, but disbelief flickered across some faces.
"So what are you proposing Duke Vane?" one of the member asked cautiously.
The Duke faced the Empress with eyes gleaming with ambition.
"Your Imperial Majesty, thousand of years ago, there was only ruler in the continent and that is the emperor of Vestur Empire but after hundreds of years, the empire got smaller, lands taken, a kingdom established, and a duchy gaining independence. The once Great Empire no longer exist."
He held the shard in his hand raising it. "However with this new discovered power... we will be able to revive and take back what was taken from us."
Marquess Viremont stood, appalled. "Are you inciting a war?!" He cannot believe what the Duke is proposing.
A murmur of disapproval spread through the room. Some council members exchanged grim looks.
The Duke leaned in closer to the Empress, his voice dropping to a whisper only she and the nearest nobles could hear.
"Your Imperial Majesty, the House of Avaris are descendants of the first emperor until it was taken from them by a rebellion. Do you not want to reclaim what was taken from you?" The Duke said with his enticing words. "I'm sure your father would be proud of you. You'll be able to show him your capabilities," he added.
"Duke Vane, this is madness!" Marquess Viremont's voice rang through the chamber. "Your Imperial Majesty, you can't be possibly entertain this idea. Please think this through. War is not to be taken lightly!" Marquess Viremont pleaded.
The council erupted into argument, voices clashing like blades. The Empress remained silent, her eyes on the shard, her thoughts unreadable.
Then the doors creaked open.
All heads turned as the final seat's occupant entered.
The Empress's eyes widened. "F-Father?"
An elderly man entered, the head of House Avaris, known for rarely attending council sessions.
The room fell deathly quiet.