EPISODE 59: PLAYING CHESS 2
— Edryan Queendom, Year 7281. Season: Final Ending.
“Five thousand years ago and some change… The Great War Began… ”
I read the words carefully. My small body and large head drooped from sleepiness, and the warm blankets and comfy bed didn’t help as it lulled me to sleep. I could rest my eyes for just five minutes. Just five minutes…
‘Five thousand years ago and some change… The Great War Began… ?’
The words flashed through my mind before the final vestiges of sleep could take me. My eyes snapped open, and I looked at the large tome laying atop me.
“Five thousand years ago and some change… The Great War Began… ”
“Two thousand years passed since the Jagged Crush or Pilfered Aeons , Goddess Madris, one of the first New Deities of the Elrunian Realm grew… dissatisfied with the status quo…,” I read the words carefully, absorbing all the information.
A long day was behind me, and an even longer one was ahead of me. Refining the Golem Battery was not a simple task, but Celcus and Margret could use my guidance, even if I couldn’t fully understand all the magical jargon they spoke. My detailed knowledge of how processes and functions work could help point them to the right idea for a breakthrough. Both of them were genius mages and with a push in the right direction, their knowledge would change Edryan! I was sure of it.
The words of the tattered old book really brought me to full alertness. Since the age of one, I’d spent my time going through the history of this new world I found myself in. Studying first its modern history and understanding what recently occurred. From there, I began to look into past events, but not deeply, not until I found two large gaps in history that were… vaguely described. That did not make sense. The Edryanis were dedicated to recording the proper history of their Goddess and themselves. So why were the years from 2000 to 2500 just brushed over? It was the same for the years 4800-5300. The history books only stated a great catastrophe struct the continent of Elrunian… nothing more.
I recalled the very first words written on the first page of the book.
“If this information is ever shown to the public, I Kubrat – Truth Seeker, would immediately be executed. If you are reading this, then either I am already dead or the next and final cycle has begun. ( Grand Illusion ) is only set to disappear during what I have calculated to be the next cycle. The stars tell me all!
I HAVE SEEKED THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH HAS REVEALED ITSELF TO ME! THE FINAL CYCLE WILL PUT AN END TO THIS ALL. ELRUNIAN HAS FALLEN AND HIS CREATURES ROAM THE VOID SEA ! A PANTHEON MUST BE ESTABLISHED FOR THAT WILL SET THIS REALM FREE !”
The words seemed to turn craze in the latter half of the page, but that only made me more intrigued. It was earlier this cold winter morning that I found myself in the Library of Carina. Inside, were thousands of books on laws and the detailed history of the Edryan State. I quickly distracted my servants before I snatched the book and added it to the bottom of my pile. Removing books from the various palace libraries was a norm for me, but I had found that some books and things would be… removed before I could get my hands on them.
What was in my hands was a large tome that had seen better years. It was a book that was faded into obscurity and shoved into a corner. That was most likely the reason it ended up in my hands, and… all the more reason I became interested in it.
I continued reading, “…dissatisfied with the status quo, Goddess Madris proposed a game. The New Deities, the first of their races to reach such levels, refused to join her in establishing a pantheon. For what purpose? To what End? El – The Adventurer, Helcantruim – The Automaton, Unera – The Actor, Laura – Red Goblin, Radix – The Scourge, He Who Hides in the Shadow Places, and more were against her. Against her leadership of the Gods in establishing a pantheon. For a Pantheon would change the world, change what was once Elrunian.
El opposed her the fiercest. For the True Elf was not one to forget the memory of Creation, and he did not want that memory tarnished. For he saw it as a direct act of disrespect and blasphemy. Helcantruim was indifferent, his people resided in the Underneath and not nearly close enough to the chaos that is the Mortal Realm. Unera was willing, but held conditions Madris could not accept. Laura and Radix held an enmity with their fellow god and refused to be under the heel of her lead. He Who Hides in the Shadow Places could not understand the complexities of the humanoid mind. It was not his way. Others of the New Deities were with her, but a majority were against her.
The Goddess of War was not one to accept no for an answer, yet she did not wish to slay her way into an agreement. The power of the Pantheon needed to be of a sufficient level. To what end? To what purpose? So she proposed a game… a game with their faithful, their races as the pieces upon the board.
Conquer the Realm and win the game.
Twice such attempts have taken place. The Goddess of War assigned a Chosen amongst her flock to lead. Twice they have failed. There cannot be a third failure or-”
The pages went blank there… and no matter how many I flipped through, nothing but blank pages remained.
“(Mana Sense),” I whispered the spell. I would rather not draw the attention of the waiting maids or guards outside my chambers.
A bright spell construct showed itself to me. This was ( Grand Illusion ). Ten different nodes far beyond the complexity I could understand revealed themselves. It seemed the spell was still in place, or perhaps after hundreds or thousands of years, the spell was no longer maintained the way it used to be. ( Grand Illusion ) was a tier-ten spell that would be far from anything I could understand. Why can I see it?
Maybe I could get Margret’s help? No, anything I tell her is immediately told to my mother. I need to establish my own force. Loyal to me and me alone!
Shit, this secret… this may be what Madris wants from me. Perhaps a favor will finally be called upon.
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— Edryan Queendom, Year 7291. Season: Central.
Madria's gaze on me grew complicated. I could tell her thoughts were jumbled. It didn’t matter, as that was a lot of information to go over. It took me years of thorough self-research to confirm the validity of Kubrat – Truth Seeker’s claims. A process that was significantly expedited by the arrival of Minerva. The perk could literally absorb knowledge from the books faster than I could read. With a quick search through her, I was able to summon and read through multiple accounts that helped bring me to the startling conclusion.
I was the third Chosen of Madris. I did not know whether my predecessors were like me or natural-born Edryanis. Regardless, if I failed to conquer the realm…
“I don’t know,” Madria suddenly spoke.
“You don’t know…?”
“I don’t know what to believe.”
“That is ok,” I said gently. I stood from the cart and walked over to Madria’s side. She looked up at me and then down to my extended hand… hesitating slightly before taking it.
“You do not need to believe what I said, but you do have to help me. I cannot complete this task alone; I need companions I can trust and heroes I can rely upon.
“(Party),” I activated the core skill for the first time ever. It’d been upgraded with a second function since my class up, but I never found the opportunity to use it until now.
(Party)
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Description:
In the Edryan State, none is revered more than its Goddess, underneath that position are [ Heroes ]. Elevate the worthy to join this position and become a guardian to Edryan.
Function:
Class-Up!
Upon activation, offer the chosen party the chance to become a [Hero]. Once offered, cannot be rescinded. Once accepted, cannot be rescinded.
Function:
Heroic Shift
Relocate to a party member’s side at the expense of mana.
In the same moment of activation, I pulled her up from the cart to stand before me. I held her hand, our bodies close as I gazed deeply into her eyes. I did my best to show my sincerity through these actions.
“Will you help me? Help me conquer the world?”
“I-I-I,” she began, blushing.
“Oh? Proposing to my daughter without getting my permission first,” the voice of Marna Gamal said with a hint of excitement.
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[Grand Magi] Thraag Volkensha is a man who’d seen many years. He’d seen the rise and fall of two Edryani rulers… it seems adding a third would complete that list.
That was the belief of his people, was it not? A trinity. A union between three completes a marriage. Three classes to complete a soul. Three Edryani to fall within Thraag’s lifetime.
The [Grand Magi] was old, but with age came Wisdom. With age came wariness. With age faded, connections and bonds once strong, now dwindled.
“[Grand Magi] the Queen has sent [Mad Dogg]. It seems she has forgotten the might of the Convocation and the favors we’ve done this country.”
“Foolish, if not for our Convocation, what country would there be to speak of? If not us, who held the trade routes open and breathe in fresh gold and revenue, then where would Edryan be today.”
“Dead. Decayed and Forgotten!”
The Council of Elders sneered as they discussed. These men and women were the power behind the Convocation. They were the ones who kept this country afloat. Allowing their mages to expand the space of carriages and move goods in and out of Edryan. A majority of trade was done with the help of their [Spatial Mages]. Mages who constantly renewed (Dimension Alteration) on carriages to allow the space to hold more than what its physical dimensions would allow.
Although, [Inscribers] could make use of runes to expand a space. They were far inferior to what the convocation provided… and everyone knew it. An [Inscriber] would need years of studying space related runes to match a [Spatial Mage] and at that point… they might as well have become a [Spatial Mage] in the first place.
“A disgrace this new generation has been. A [High Queen] with a barely controlled hold on her people. Ruling through the use of force and fear. A disgrace, I say,” a voice hawked.
“The Magi have lost their way under the leadership of the Edryani, the useless lot. The Queen should have done the country a favor and offed herself as she did her house,” another sneered.
Ridicule and disgrace were thrown as the Council discussed, yet through all this, Thraag stayed silent. The [Grand Magi] was standing, overlooking a massive valley that radiated the endless majesty of the night sky. Tiny lights hovered throughout the entire valley like mini stars lighting the endless void. A void that Thraag knew was far from endless. A realm that barely held on to the majesty it once wielded.
Starglow Valley was ancient, established after the last receding Great War. The members of the Volkensha and their fellow [Space Mages] banned together and through this union, the Convocation was born.
Since, they’ve led as the Council of Elders, joining under one unified banner. No longer were they clans, or houses. Now, they were Convocation.
The [Grand Magi] eyes landed on the busying students and preparing army. Their uninvited guests would be arriving, and Thraag – Dimension Shaper was not one to disappoint.
“Cow the Convocation? To bring us before a barely divine brat just released from his mother’s teat? HAA,” an Elder jeered.
This set off another spark of taunts and jeers directed at the rulers of the Edryan ‘Queendom.’
“The Syndicate are a bunch of cowards, abiding by a new law and order. So-called, Rules and Regulations . The rats can only hide in the shadows.”
“Rats, did you mention the Scholar’s Abode? How much of the Edryani dic-”
“Enough,” Thraag finally spoke.
Thraag is tall , he stood at 210 cm with slicked-back grey hair. A large bushy mustache covered his face while his cheeks remained bare. Clean-shaven jaw so sharp, it appeared to be shaped by space itself. His body was handsomely built even for his age, approaching three hundred and nearing the end of his lifespan.
Thraag is a leader , silence reigned the moment he spoke. Of all the members present, Thraag was by far the most accomplished in the domain of space. With just a breath, the space of the large chamber was under his control. Facing the might of a [Spatial Mage] with at least thirty levels above his peers was not a contest. At their level, a clash could be decided in two to three moves.
Thraag is old , as a youth, he’d seen the rise then fall of Princess Carina. The death of her father and the succession of the [Bad King]. The stumbling of a nation under his rule and the fighting his daughter did to keep a unified nation together. He’d fought too, he’d fought for his loved ones, his best friend who once promised to reach the heights of the Convocation together, his father, and his family.
He'd see the upstart men the queen once called brothers bowing and making concessions for him to join them. He’d seen Houses destroyed without his services.
Thraag is tall, he is a leader, he’s old , but he lasted through all of that. He’d last through another slightly above-middling prince, trying to establish himself far too early in the game called life.
“What are our troop numbers,” Thraag asked.
To his left, Councilor Laia spoke up. The woman was young by Convocation standards, fresh blood that the Council of Elders desperately needed. She’d been in the Convocation most of her life, she’d seen the rise and fall of the Edryani House. Now, after Thraag’s careful nurturing, she’d see the Power of the Convocation and why they bowed to no one. Her level ranged in the early 200s.
“[Grand Magi] there are 15,000 [Lesser Brown Dwarves – ★★ ] and 1,000 [Greater Brown Dwarves – ★★★ ]. We have 10,000 acolytes ready to defend and assist. 1,000 of them are in the level range of 100-150 and for the rest, they are still below 100. We have called an immediate halt to all trade caravans, with Convocation mages at the forefront. Around 75% of the countries' goods have halted in place as a sign of protest. Our allies and connections in the trade field run deep.”
“What is the word of the [Merchant Association]?”
To his right, Councilor Jahman spoke. Jahman was a fat, balding mage that tended to indulge a bit too much in his status in Thraag's opinion. The man’s powerful manipulation of space and his backing in the council and association saw that he remained a powerful… hindrance to Thraag’s complete domination of Starglow Valley and the Convocation that controlled it. Jahman’s level in Thraag’s estimation was in the early mid-200s.
Level 180 served as a natural barrier to higher power, breaking past it cemented you as one of the strongest in the queendom. Level 220-240 was a second barrier, breaking past it could cement you as one of the strongest in the world itself. Thraag had long broken past that barrier, yet… the reach for demigod-hood was still far from his reach.
“[Trade Master] Logan has taken a neutral stance. He has pledged no support apart from an audience with the Queen. My old friend Gerald Liaon has said his hands are tied. He cannot risk his position as the Minister of Finance.”
“The various orders? The mage towers? Syndicate? What say them?”
Laia spoke this time. Slightly pushing up her spectacles as she read off a report. “Radiant Tower has dimmed their lights, they have close communication with the outside for the last six years and have continued to ignore our hails. Several minor schools have pledged their support and a Coalition of 5,000 will be arriving within the week. The Arcane Council…,” Laia hesitated and for the first time since the meeting began, Thraag turned.
His face was scarred, and his eyes radiated with starlight. Where his gaze passed, others lowered. Not even Jahman chose to face against him today.
“Hmph, cowards the lot of them. What magnificent Orders and Towers they used to be. Organizations that are supposed to represent this country's greatest. Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” Thraag’s voice echoed throughout the large chamber.
The Council of Elders remained silent, all thirty members kept their mouths shut. “Do we not all worship the same Goddess? Do we not all hold similar values? Since when were the mighty Mage Towers of Edryan… the ones who taught [Mages] to cast, who taught [Mages] to read, who taught [Mages] to hunger for knowledge… SINCE WHEN HAVE THEY FALLEN SO LOW?”
Thraag’s voice shook the council chambers. His eyes spewed starlight and the space they were in expanded . From one-hundred meters in length to two, then three, four, five, Six, SEVEN.
The room continued to expand until the windows were out of sight and out of mind. All that was left was the oval council table, its members, and the light of the stars that filled the room.
“Since when was Thraag – Dimension Shaper one to lose his temper," a sweet and sultry voice said. Sitting on the table before Thraag was a young magi who appeared to be no older than twenty. She smelled of lilacs and lilies. A smell, Thraag quickly circulated his mana to expel. A large black wide-brim witch hat sat drooping atop her head, covering her facial features. Thraag could recognize the [Witch] in front of him, no matter the centuries that passed.
“…the Arcane Council has sent [Grand Magi] Kubrat – Truth Seeker as reinforcements,” Lily finished.