EPISODE 188: WYVERN’S ROOST 3
— GREAT EDRYAN, YEAR 7292. SEASON: NEW BEGINNING.
Prince Lawruthian Imperius Koltius Edryani stood before the Imperius Army. It was a brand-new day, and the quickly constructed military base moved like a busy beehive, ready to begin its operations.
The spring sun shined in the sky; the weather was a bit cloudy as rain clouds gathered. Soldiers of the Queen moved with purpose as the routes of her three armies were set. The fourth, the Imperius Army, would be traveling alongside the Central Gate Army with Queen Titiana, Liana Drumian, and Margret Musa as the three [Path Walkers] to accompany them. While Ade Oni and Marna Gamal accompany the South Gate Army. Finally, Camille Romus and Vivian Consus traveled with the North Gate Army.
Each army would take a different route through the forest where Wyvern’s Roost. The forest grew to the Mythical Tier as one drew deeper, and the strength of the opponents here would be vastly different from Zephyron and his wives, who resided in a lower magical area—the one in their region taken by the stronger calamity.
The deeper they pulled into the forest, the higher the concentration of creatures at the four-star limit—its inner workings were classified as a Forbidden Area for a reason. All armies were scheduled to re-converge on the fourth day as they prepared to lure out Rasheed. However, their ultimate goal was to lure one of the three calamities that resided in the forest to them beforehand.
Prince Lawruthian studied his men. Change—that was not a word he could properly use to describe their state. There was an aura of excellence that the prince found hard to describe.
…
[ Stormforged ].
…
That’s what General Ameri stated they were. Forged in the depth of a dungeon—blood spilled and potentials lost to its vicious maw. He had known General Alexandria since he was a child, but… it was only now that he understood the strength of her ambition.
…
To walk beside the [Chosen of Madris].
…
Such an impossible task, such an impossible feat, was not easy. This was no fairy tale where everyone won in the end. Sacrifices must be made for one to walk the Path—to reach for a station that goes beyond their limits. Lawruthian stepped forward, ready to address his soldiers before they began their new delve. This time they would follow him…
…
This time they would die for the sake of his ambitions.
…
His voice was soft, but it was heard in the ears of all present. Behind him were recognizable champions—members of the Little Greats who traveled among them. “Imperius Army…,” he said.
His next words weren’t immediate. This time, he struggled to find them. He struggled… as who knows how many of them would return alive—drowned in the strength of his ambition.
“You have fought to gain my recognition… you have it—always. Today, today begins our first true adventure together—no illusion, no dungeon, nothing but the strength of our blades will define ourselves to not just Great Edryan… but the world,” his voice spoke softly, but General Alexandria ensured it traveled to every soldier present. “The world is unsure of whom the Imperius Army is— now , we define it . The world knows of the name Imperius— now , they shall worship it . The world is our stage—Wyvern’s Roost is only an act in our grand performance.”
Prince Lawruthian continued his speech, uncaring how effective his words were. He could see a shift in the Imperius Army, but for once, he wasn’t certain of what type.
“Hawk— tuah , of course, he’s the type to give useless speeches. The only word necessary for my magi was one— Kill ,” Carno spat.
“Show me the results of your training. Show me that you are Imperius.”
Words are words—Lawruthian recalled the statement of his predecessor. Their time had come and gone—now… it was the time of action which is why he kept his speech short.
Queen Titiana nodded and signaled her armies to move. Their journey to slay the sole dragon of the continent had begun.
Silver-white snow covered the sole mountain—centered in the forest where Wyvern’s Roost. Deep in the mountain, pillars rose to a ceiling, holding the weight from above. Many halls, corridors, and rooms were in this hollowed mountain, but at its bottom level was a sole gate that led to a room of creation and destruction. A room that had given birth to beasts and monsters in hopes of returning a sense of normalcy from a remnant of a previous age.
Within this room was a man— dragon —carefully weaving magic. His voice commanded the elements as they intertwined through his body before condensing on five grey stone eggs. These eggs stood on a stone dais raised before an ocean-blue marbled statue—strangely, there was room for six, but only five were present. Underneath the statue and before the eggs were words written in the language magic understood.
‘ Uterra — Grand Heart, fallen wife of Rasheed — Benevolent Leader of the Oceans Above and Matriarch of the Blue Reach. ’
Ten streams of magic followed through the air, and… within each was a scene of the past—memories that felt like a dream long left. A dream that he wanted back.
“ Ur’ishats Lev-isha Un-grun’dta Vita ra un Mortem ,” a guttural voice chanted—its voice lawyered as if multiple beings spoke together. “ Let my heart serve as the Foundation when in Life there is Death. ”
Days. Weeks. Months—passed since this chanting began—an infusion of… Everything. Everything the Aspect of Knowledge once was, could have been, and even those possibilities that should not Be… came to be.
Enigma.
Untruths.
Impossibilities—made possible through chance—the chance birth from Potential unknown to Genesis prior.
A sole owl watched, silent in her musings. She blinked slowly, one eye at a time, to avoid missing any detail below her perch. The magic swirled through the room, so thick in presence that it became visible—an impossibility made possible. It moved through the air like liquid and through Aspect Rasheed before entering the eggs. With each stream that passed through the Aspect… something seemed to be taken from him. Minerva wasn’t certain what, but her eyes recorded all. She continued her observations, taking notes on the process. Should one wrong thing occur, then the entire mountain could blow from the concentrated energy.
Thousands of books were scattered in languages foreign to the realm.
English.
Spanish.
Chinese.
Yoruba.
…and more.
Minerva jerked visibly as a connection, once dimmed, now strengthened. The Aspect below, even with all his concentration put on his sole task, still noticed.
He grunted dismissively. “Oh, so you’ve finally returned. Good, very good. But you are too quick—ten days. You’ll have to wait ten days at least. Children, defend the forest .”
The language of Genesis—Kair’unian, runic in its structure, silently bled into the hearts of the creatures of the forest. Three ancient existences who’d slept peacefully, children created by the dragon—imitations that failed their ultimate goal and purpose—opened their eyes. Deep within the mountain, a golem of flames sighed—one of earth kept still, its sole duty to ensure the library contents remained within. One of life smiled, interested in the mortals outside. Spring returned, and death withdrew, its nutrients consumed by life.
The forest moved in response to that runic language—the magic moved in response.
Hours passed, and the armies split in their march deeper within. Many creatures immediately ran deeper within as they sensed the strength and size of the approaching forces. They traveled at a moderate pace, more concerned with clearing a path through the forest—chopping trees and paving a path as they went. The forest was quiet, the sounds they made the alert that life was present.
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Their actions were based on a decision to open up this area to man. To take it away from nature with their Rules and Regulations.
…
Nature did not like that.
…
The attacks came swiftly, silently, and barely allowed the men and woman a moment of reprieve.
…
Wyverns.
…
Not just them, but strange creatures with reptilian scales. The once-quiet forest was soon filled with the sounds of battle.
Prince Lawruthian ducked low, the swipe of a clawed reptilian beast missed his helmed head by centimeters. His blade flashed, and the beast was split in two. Its strength was only that of a sole star—a creature no longer in his eyes. He wasn’t overly worried about its strikes, but he wouldn’t underestimate them either.
The Imperius Army moved around him, its actions chaotic at first but was quickly organized under the guidance of its leaders.
“How many is it this time, Generals,” Lawruthian asked, flicking his blade clean while calling to his closely following golem. “Adam, Execute, Defend.”
“It should only be a small skirmish, nothing much that we can’t handle,” Alexandria called. “Should it get too serious, then the Central Gate Army will step in.” She would not let it get to such a point.
The soldiers who rode Draconian mounts carefully watched from a distance as the Imperius Army fought against a small beast horde. Three figures floated above them, casually chatting as they watched the battle.
“Oh, no injuries, and their mana usage is low. They’re working together spectacularly,” Liana Drumian observed, her voice carrying to her close friends.
Queen Titiana watched the ongoing battle coolly. “It’s good Lawruthian allowed Alexandria to do what she knows best. His trust in her was long overdue.”
They watched as the Imperius Army defended themselves from a wave of diverse magical beasts. From wingless [Drakes] to [Chimeras] with multi-limbs and deformed parts, the creatures that attacked them were indiscriminate and chaotic. They ranged in strength, but nothing over four stars appeared.
Lawruthian fought alongside the Imperius Soldiers. He nearly didn’t recognize the force they were. The darkly armored soldiers moved like machines, with the individual squads composed of ten as cogs in a larger machine. General Alexandria was the driver, and her reaction to every obstacle in her path was immediate.
“ Disperse them, such weak things cannot compare to the bloodshed we experienced in the dungeon ,” General Alexandria ordered.
Her voice was heard in the ears of the eight thousand troops; each held a different reaction as her skill took hold of them. Those in the front, the [Imperius Heavy-Soldiers], pushed against the wingless drakes, long spears carving deep gouges through their flesh. Behind them, other components of the army fought against different beasts. [Imperius Archers] shot magically imbued arrows full of earth-attributed mana, mindful of the surrounding forest. They weren’t out to destroy the forest, only the creatures within who impeded their prince’s path. General Alexandria held her [Imperius Mages] back, their firepower unnecessary for the current engagements.
Moona Gamal’s way of doing things was… weird in the traditional sense of battle. Her [Paladins] and [Priestess] were spread intermittently through the army. They were mainly concentrated near the front, where most of the battle took place. Their auras were interlocked, spread through their Intent, and provided a constant buff to those in range. Although those who were under the Goddess held a passive healing skill, Moona Gamal’s healers seemed to have found a way to actively combine and enforce this skill.
Imperius Healing Aura (Passive/Active)
Function:
Gradually restores 15 Health Points every five minutes and improves Life Point Regeneration for those within the aura’s range by 25%. When activated, these effects are doubled.
Cost/Upkeep:
50 MP activation cost. 10 MP per five minutes when maintained, provided two or more allies with this skill are conjoined.
It wasn’t much, in fact, it couldn’t save the life of a soldier if there was an immediate need. However… when one… two… or a thousand people held this aura and its effects combined, it became something more.
Prince Lawruthian watched this, impressed at the general level of skill displayed. The way the Imperius Army fought was far stronger than whom they once were. It didn’t change his plans for creating super soldiers—he had to find a better name to call his new project in mind.
He fought with them, forging their identity as one who is Imperius. A word that held no definition, at least he wasn’t certain if there was one. He hadn’t asked his mother the origins of his name. Instead, Lawruthian Imperius Koltius Edryani chose to carve his own identity through the might of his actions. He allowed people to attach their meaning and purpose to the word.
“Good work today,” Lawruthian warmed his hands by the fire as night settled over the forest. “The army… Our army is impressive.”
Lawruthian spoke genuinely, ultimately happy with his decision to allow his Generals to forge the Imperius Army in their unique methods.
Alexandria Indrian stood next to him, the armies settling down for the night to rest. They didn’t need it, not at their level, as they could go a few days without the need for sleep. This would continue to get stronger the higher level they were. They rested because Wyvern’s Roost was a battlefield that could evolve into anything at any moment. It was better to be refreshed and have de-buff counters reset before they could spring up.
Carno Edryani was off to the side, at most he could move ten meters away from Lawruthian. He sneered as the conversation began—his head shook in disappointment. He did not like, nor understand, the weakness of this Madris Chosen. Lawruthian was a disappointment, and nothing of his actions would change Carno’s mind.
“Thank you for trusting us,” she eventually responded.
“Hmph, should have allowed us to forge his army since day one,” Ameri commented from his other side. “We could have had them at this quality months ago, had you trusted us.”
The three stood around a blazing fire as quick construction was underway on simple loggings for those that required it. Lawruthian was find with sleeping in a tent, but those underneath him could not stand for it. Although Kathrine, his personal maid, wasn’t present, her detailed instructions somehow made their way to those around him. He could see her touch in the things prepared for him.
“…it is not easy for me to… let go,” Lawruthian eventually responded. He didn’t say trust, although it was part of the issue, it wasn’t the direct response to his actions. “Control… is a vital skill for a ruler to have. And, for my task—for the dreams and goals I have… letting factors go outside my control… is ultimately a task I will always find difficult.”
He paused for a moment, a soldier approaching to deliver a message. His generals received it before issuing their orders and returning their attention to Lawruthian. “I trust the both of you, but that is not enough for the task of Unification.”
He shared a notification he’d stared at many times since his sixteenth birthday to both ladies. They silently read it, although it was not the first time.
“This is my…,” he paused, searching for the right term—at least one fitting for the situation. “ …muse —a core reason for my actions since that faithful day,” Lawruthian looked to the sky. The stars and the waxing gibbous moons were covered by a thick cloud layer—a storm was brewing. “This is what drives me to accomplish greatness—to strive far past the acceptable norm.”
“Your goal, the Goddess’s Quest will be accomplished,” Ameri stated with confidence, thumping an armored fist to her chest.
No one, not even Lawruthian, was out of their armor. The night was quiet, and they made good distance, but their progress was slowed by the constant waves of attacking creatures.
“That is not my goal. It is only the duty assigned to me,” Lawruthian sighed—his words paused as another message interrupted them.
General Alexandria sharply noticed his word choice, but she turned to bark out orders before responding. “What is your goal then? What drives the [Chosen of Madris] outside his divine quest to our Goddess,” she curiously questioned.
General Alexandria could safely say she knew Lawruthian—she could not say it was to the greatest extent one could have outside of relationships—familial, spouses, and such—but she held a confident grasp of his personality. He was charismatic, but brash at times. The prince was youthful, but possessed ideas and knowledge beyond his years. She chalked it up to being of the divine and still did. There was more, but Alexandria gave her attention to the prince as he began to speak.
“My goal…,” Lawruthian kept his eyes on the sky. “Right now, it's to return Minerva to my shoulder.”
“That's something small and short termed,” Ameri folded her arms as she spoke. “What of the long term?”
“I’d like to explore this realm, uncover her old history and all her magnificent secrets,” Lawruthian eyes seemed to see that vision as he spoke. “I’d like to go undercover and delve her dungeons searching for treasure and to see sights rarely shown.”
“ ENEMY ATTACK! ”
“Then,” Lawruthian lowered his head from the sky, grabbing his helmet and returning it to his head. “I’d like to explore what's outside this realm.”