1872 AC

Deep Space

The 'Andromeda' was a magnificent Starship.

One of the largest ships in the Imperial Fleet, and definitely the most luxurious.

Caleb was one of the many humble navigators aboard this colossal monstrosity. A cog in the gigantic machinery, that was the Imperial Military.

And even though the rote discipline of military life had left him numb to most things, Caleb was really excited today.

About a week ago, the 'Andromeda' had been commandeered by the Imperial Guard.

And now travelling with them, was the Crown Prince of 'The Galactic Empire'

His Highness was travelling to the Imperial Capital 'Solaris' , to claim his birthright, the 'Adamantine Throne'. Which, with the death of the Old Emperor Julius V, would pass to him as Heir.

And to think, Caleb had been fortunate enough to witness their future Monarch in the flesh.

No one back home could have ever imagined such a thing, and neither could he, truly.

The 'Andromeda' had seen its fair share of noble guests - Knights and Lords of the Realm.

But never one of royal blood, much less the future ruler of the Empire.

He let out a startled yelp as he tripped over something, falling to the floor.

Caleb had drunk heavily that evening. With the Prince announcing a week of feasting, the quartermaster had been free with both food and wine.

And so he'd gorged himself on the venison and strongwine, having a truly merry time of it.

As Caleb drunkenly got up, he caught a glimpse of what he'd tripped over.

A man dressed in the white and gold livery of the Prince's Staff was slumped over, on the floor. His blood like red wine dying the slate grey floor a vivid crimson.

The corpse was missing it's head. Where his head used to be, was now a gory mess of blood and bone. Whoever had done this, hadnt been gentle.

A sudden nauseating sensation overtook Caleb, and he threw up his dinner, retching till his throat started to hurt.

It took him sometime to gather himself, but as he got back to his feet he realised.

Whoever was responsible for this murder could be lurking nearby, he had to tread carefully.

There were only three Cards in his Soul Library, all of them support focused. He couldn't afford a confrontation.

He needed to get away from here. He would inform the soldiers.They would know what to do, Caleb assured himself.

He activated all three of his Cards - Guiding Light, Sixth Sense, and Haste.

And as Caleb barreled down the corridor, many more gruesome sights came to his eyes.

It had been a slaughter. Soldiers in grey, Imperial Guards in crimson, and the Prince's Staff in white. No matter who they'd been, they had all been massacred.

And as Caleb followed the bloody trail of dead bodies down the hallways of the Starship, he came upon a scene of devastation.

The scent of brimstone lingered in the air, and an oppressive heat pressed down on him. The metal walls of the ship had been warped and melted by the heat. And the ground cratered, with deep gashes scored all along the length of the corridor.

And amidst all of that devastation stood three figures.

The first was a man armored in the renowned bright gold armor of one of the Knights of the Round. His helm had been shattered revealing the old, weathered face underneath. It was the Knight of Six, Ser Tristan.

A spiked black lance had been driven through his midsection, dyeing the fine gold plate a bright crimson.

"Run!" He gasped out at him, before collapsing.

The figure standing over the downed Knight turned to regard him. Armored in night black armor with a helm shaped like a snarling dragon's head, it was as if a figure come straight from his nightmares.

Caleb turned and ran, overcharging his Haste Card in his hurry to get away.

The massive beast that had stood silently by the black armored man, all this while gave him chase.

It was a humongous monstrosity, with the head and forearms of a lion and the hindquarters of a goat, with a scaled dragon's tail.

As Caleb ran in blind panic, a ferocious roar reverberated through the corridor behind him.

He took a peek at the monster over his shoulder,and the Akashic System pinged.

[ Card Name : Chimera of the Blood Sea ]

[ Type : Summon ]

[ Rank : Legendary ]

[ Level : 7 ]

[ Description : The Destroyer of Lycia. One of the Four Beasts of Tartarus and the eldest child of the Mother of Monsters, Echidna. ]

[ Threat Level : Extremely Dangerous ]

Caleb paled upon reading the System prompts. He knew in all probability he would die here. His highest rank Card was only an Uncommon, there was no way he could survive a Legendary Summon.

But he wasn't about to give up and die quietly. Nona, the love of his life, was waiting for him back home. They had planned a future together. There was no way he was going to throw it all away, by dying here.

Thankfully Caleb's Haste allowed him to outpace the lumbering giant Chimera.

He got out of the corridor and rushed to the elevator shaft. He didn't have time to wait for the elevator, he'd have to jump down the shaft.

The 'Andromeda' had a total ten floors, they were on the fourth floor. If he jumped he'd fall four floors. He would break many bones from such a jump, but the Chimera was too big to enter the elevator shaft. He would survive, and that was all he could hope for now.

So Caleb jumped down the elevator shaft without any hesitation.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

For a moment he was flying weightless, and then he hit the ground.

The agony of the fall nearly made him faint, as he felt his both his ankles and kneecaps instantly shatter. It was the excruciating pain that kept him sane, as he bawled and screamed.

But it had worked, the Chimera couldn't get in the shaft. It hammered relentlessly at the heavy metal plating and although they shook and groaned under it's weight, they held.

These shafts sturdy he knew. They wouldn't break so easily.

The monster turned its massive lion's head towards him and opened its giant maw. Caleb could clearly see rows of razor sharp teeth, each as big as a knife.

And as the monster looked at him with its poisonous green eyes full of hate, it let out a stream of pitch black flames at him.

Of course, the Chimera could breathe fire. Caleb thought resignedly, as he felt the column of flame envelop him, like the hand of death.

So he was going to leave Nona behind after all, he thought. They were going to get married a month from now.

He wanted to cry. But any tears that he could manage, the heat evaporated them before they were even formed.

As the flames burned him, Caleb felt truly excruciating pain. His skin crackled and started to split, the fat underneath it sizzling in the intense heat. Even his eyes had turned glassy, as the flames overtook him.

Still Caleb's last thoughts were of home. He thought of his mother, who although she knew less of the outside world, was always there for her children. Raising them with love and care. He thought of his kid brother, who would sit on his knee and ask for stories, whenever he returned home from a tour. Lastly he thought of Nona, his love. He remembered her sweet kisses and her beautiful smile. He remembered the way she looked at him, with eyes full of love, as if he alone mattered.

And so it was with thoughts of things lost, never to be gained again, the flames consumed him.

-------------------

Marquis Augustus Verona wasn't accustomed to waiting for things.

The Minister of War was a busy man and thus maintained strict discipline in all his dealings. But today he was kept waiting.

The Crown Prince wasn't a man known for his punctuality. And even though he'd called the meeting among his counselors he was yet to appear.

Augustus could clearly see ten other figures displayed by the holographic projector. This were some of the most important men and women in the Empire.

There was the Prime Minister the aged Evangeline Lancaster. In her prime she'd been considered a great beauty. And even now with the passing of the years, although her beauty had faded, her mind remained as sharp as ever.

Augustus also spotted Grand Admiral Leopold D'Silva, the man who commanded the Imperial Fleet. And Cecilia Reed, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau.

He also saw the Earl Carolinus Snow, the Commander of the Imperial Guard. And The Knight of Two, Ser Lancelot, representing the Knights of the Round.

Their soon to be Emperor kept them all waiting for another twenty minutes, before deigning to appear himself.

"A good morning to all my Councillors", the golden haired Prince said, in a lazy drawl, "Or should I say, my father's Councillors?" He said, smirking.

"We serve the Crown faithfully, Your Highness." Carolinus said, "And now that your father has passed, may God bless his soul. It is you we'll serve with complete loyalty and devotion."

All the Councillors gave enthusiastic nods, mirroring Carolinus' words.

"Very well then, if you really are as loyal as you say you are. Tell me of the preparations for my coronation." The Prince demanded.

"It is underway, Your Highness. The very best of our Cardsmiths are hard at work, forging your Astral Crown. We have sent out invitations, to all the Lords of the Realm and also to the Branch Families of the Imperial House of the Star. They will all be in attendance, during your coronation. Everything will be prepared within a month." Evangeline said.

"A month, that's too long. Can't you make it happen faster?" The Prince asked.

"I'm afraid not, Prince Louis." Lord Leopold interjected, "The Astral Crown requires a delicate weaving of powerful magics, it cannot be rushed."

"Can't we do the coronation first, and deal with the Crown later ?" He asked.

"I would advice against it my Prince. The Crown is a symbol of your Sovereignty. Every Emperor from Artorius I to your father Julius V has worn one. It accompanies the Emperor from the moment they ascend the Adamantine Throne, till the day they die. In fact, the Astral Crown is buried alongside the Emperors in their tombs. If you were to go without it, there would be many who would take offense." Augustus said.

"Very well, I guess I'll have to wait." Prince Louis said, "Either way, prepare for my arrival on Solaris. At our current pace I shall be there within a week, I think."

"As you wish, My Prince." They all chorused.

"Where is Gallahad anyways, I don't see him anywhere." The Prince asked, suddenly.

Lancelot, who'd been quiet all this while, stirred himself, "I'm sorry Your Highness, but due to some unforseen circumstances Gallahad couldn't attend this meeting. He sent me instead, to represent the Knights."

"He is your Commander, isn't he?" The Prince demanded, "So why isn't he here? What could be more important than attending to his Monarch."

Lancelot stuttered while answering, "He's looking into the arrangements for your father's funeral, Your Highness."

"You mean to tell me he ignored my summons, to attend to my dead father." He said, fuming.

"He was close friends with the old Emperor, Your Highness. And he might have let those sentiments sway him. It will not happen again, I'll show him the error of his ways." Lancelot said.

Before the Prince could answer, another figure stepped into the frame. A voluptuous woman with bright red hair and sea green eyes, she was the Prince's wife, the Lady Isabelle. Isabelle enveloped the Prince in a hug, resting her head on his shoulder.

"He defied your direct order, my love. There's only one thing you can do. Strip him of all his titles." She said, in a sultry voice.

The Lady Isabelle, was well known as a Siren at court. The daughter of a mere Viscount, she'd reached far above her station by seducing the Prince. For years she'd been the Prince's paramour, before he'd defied his father, to take her as his wife.

"Yes, let's do that." The Prince said. "For defying my orders, I hereby strip Ser Gallahad of all ranks and titles. No longer will he be one of the Knights of the Round."

As they all watched horrified, Lancelot interjected.

"I'm sorry, but you don't have that authority, Your Highness." He said, "Only the Galactic Emperor can unname a Knight of the Round. Your not the Emperor yet, only the Crown Prince."

The Prince gnashed his teeth, in fury.

"So be it then, I may not unname him yet. But today you've shown me where your loyalties lie. On the day of my coronation I will strip you both of your titles, that I swear." He declared.

The Prince wasn't done with his tirade. And as they all waited with bated breath, for lightning to strike, suddenly all the holograms blinked out. The connection had been severed, somehow.

Baffled, Augustus immediately buzzed his personal assistant, Hector.

Within a few minutes, a smartly dressed young man in a silk three-piece suit entered his office.

"You called for me, My Lord." He said.

"I was in a meeting just now, when the connection suddenly got cut. Look into it for me, would you." He said.

"Right away, sir." Hector replied, leaving the room.

Hector worked swiftly, and within minutes he was back online again.

"What was all that about?", he asked the others.

"I don't know, suddenly all the screens went black." Evangeline said.

"Prince Louis hasn't come back online, yet." Lancelot pointed out.

"With how the meeting went south, I can't fault the Prince for not joining again." Carolinus said.

"Yes, what were you thinking Lancelot, talking to the Crown Prince like that." Leopold demanded.

"I wasn't thinking, he was going to strip my Master of all his titles. I guess, I got a little bit emotional." He answered.

"What you did, sealed your fate. We'll of course try to convince him otherwise, but ultimately the decision rests with him. And honestly, Prince Louis is known for many things, but being forgiving isn't one of them." Evangeline said.

"He will take it as an insult. He won't budge." Carolinus interjected.

"He can do whatever he wants. Lancelot said, " Expelling us from the Knights wouldn't make either Gallahad or me, any less of a warrior."

"Quiet down all of you." Cecilia who'd been quiet all through this while, suddenly interjected.

And as they all stopped speaking, she continued.

"Here, I have a report from the Secretary of Communications. He informs us that all the communication systems on the Starship 'Andromeda ' are down. I also just recieved another report from Eastern Command, their spatial imaging programs have detected a massive heat signature in the area around the Etruvian Asteroid Belt." Cecilia said.

"Wasn't Prince Louis travelling through the Etruvian Belt?" Carolinus said, asking the question on everyone's mind right then.

"What does that mean? Did something happen to the Prince?" Leopold said, panicking.

"I don't know yet", Cecilia said, "But I've commanded Eastern Command to send out a team to investigate."

And so Augustus and the others remained in the meeting, waiting for updates on the situation.

About two hours later they got their answers, as the Sergeant leading the investigative team was patched through to them.

"Sergeant, report your findings." Leopold said, addressing the middle-aged soldier gravely.

"I'm sorry My Lords, the 'Andromeda' crashed into a cluster of asteroids, causing its neutron generators to overheat, and explode. There's no way anyone could have survived such an explosion. Even the ship itself, was turned into a pile of charred debris and molten scrap metal." He said.

As soon as the man had finished his report, there was total mayhem as everyone tried to shout over one another in their panic.

Within days of the Old Emperor's death, his son and Heir the Crown Prince Louis, had died in a fiery explosion in Deep Space.

He'd died even before he'd been crowned. And that it seemed, had driven everyone to shock.

But while the most powerful men and women of the Galactic Empire panicked, Augustus was busy deliberating.

Now with Prince Louis dead, the Throne would pass to his son, a mere ten year old boy.

It would be years till, before the boy ruled. Till then a Regent would need to be elected, to rule in his stead, till he came of age.

The Conclave would meet soon, to decide. Augustus needed to be prepared, for it.

For while he hadn't planned for it, crises like these always led to excellent opportunities.

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