We were standing in a new room that looked like a reception hall with a wide space. There were some tables and chairs lining near the walls and the room was devoid of any ornaments. This room looked similar like the summoning chamber with pillars supporting the ceiling of this room.
There were several contingents of guards surrounding us and the dragon-scaled female Inheritor, Thurieol as she was standing in front of the portal in front us.
All twenty four of us were given a uniform of a grey ceremonial robe feathered by colourful plumage from the guards beforehand and we were asked to wear it immediately.
Now why we here?
It was because there will be a welcoming parade for the summoned.
Since the summon only occurs at every eighty years, It was a very auspicious and once in a lifetime sort of occurrence for most of inhabitants here.
The summoned was also a symbol of rejuvenation and of good blessing from the Planet-Spirit.
“This is quite nerve-wracking huh.”
August beside me was slightly trembling as he said that.
“I’m actually excited. I thought we weren’t allowed to set out for years. I’m curious what lies beyond this palace of Tchekaz.”
“Me too. Seeing all these strange flora and fauna, the likes I never seen before, then what of the people that inhabited this world? The palace could only give me a vague impression at best.”
Both Akujin and I agreed that being brought out from isolation was a good thing.
“I highly doubt we would be let out freely though. Most probably we’re only allowed out during weekends and with supervision.”
Kiefy grounded the fact that was probably true. There would be no way that they give us that luxury.
“It’s still alright. I don’t think they would put too many restrictions on us. I wonder what sort of reading materials they have outside. The library in the palace was fascinating but I am also intrigued by what lies outside.”
Erganisu, whose smile right now was as though a feral beast that had its prey would be misled by the fact he was brimming with anticipation of a different kind of prey.
While our group chatted away, I quietly focused on what was around me.
Our group were positioned in the middle of the elves group and the red and green haired group. In front of all three of the groups were the Heirs.
It was given since the fact that they were blessed with the Golden Pills. They were a bit special than the rest of us.
Even the clothes that they were given was different. It had the same design as our but with a slightly more decorations and embroideries and unlike our grey coloured robes, they were golden in nature. Naturally.
It seems that the colour gold is the highest regarded colour in this world.
Aeriasus looks like some Chinese empress while Kristalisha was the very image of a sheltered medieval princess. Kimiko on the other hand was wearing her robe like some noble lady from the Heian Era.
Stryklos wore his robe looking like an inner cassock of a Christian priest while Herkaloi wore his in a peculiar fashion that reminded me of the Japanese Hakama.
The ubersmench was like a young wise king clothed in the radiant gold and the air around him was solemn like it was humbled by his regal presence.
The rest of us look quite ordinary using a robe how it was supposed to be worn. Some of them had unique way of wearing them. For the beast-like creatures like the manticore and the basilisk, they only draped it on top of their bodies.
Krolve only wrapped the robe around his tree-like body while Ghrukka looked like a lumbering, mysterious fortune teller.
“Alright, it’s time to proceed. Go march out there with your head held high, fellow summoned!”
Thurieol with jolly tone had given us the signal that it was started.
I drew my breath and took a step.
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It was as though the world had opened up and raucous cheers had serenaded us as soon as we were out of the portal.
Around us, Fhagecs of various sizes lined of both sides like decorated and planned trees and what separate the stony pavement that we were walking was two small canals on both sides. On each of the canal, it was filled with boats and on those boats, people in clothes like the Mesoamerican period, were waving and cheering at us with smiles on their face.
The canals reminded me of the village in the Netherland where they use the small canals rather than roads or the fame canals of Venice.
Further from the scene around us, I can see mountains far away and tropical jungles stretching everywhere my sight could see.
“…This place is…good.”
That was the only thing Akujin could say upon looking around.
“I never have seen so many greens in my entire life. The smiles on their face must indicate that life here is fulfilling and satisfying.”
Erganisu stated his opinion. I could understand where they are coming from. Both of them were from harsh worlds, so they were overwhelmed by this paradise-like environment.
“Those Fhagecs, I guess they all are different unlike ours. I wonder if they have any other building’s?”
While waving his right hand at the cheering crowd, August looked admirably at the architectures of each Fhagec. Although at rough glance, they all looked the same, there was a minor differences like one was leaning a little to the right or some roof had brown coloured leafs or the branches was jutting out.
“This place is beautiful. Everything looks vibrant and welcoming. The people! There are so many different types of people!”
Vefal was looking at the crowd with her face slightly lit although she maintained a stern expression.
It was true. Now that I focus my sight, there were Elves, Dragonoid, Slithery-looking beast, Dwarves and a whole lot more. There were humanoids but there were unlike any humans that I have seen before. Some had blue-skin and some had purple-pupil eyes.
It was quite a parade as everywhere, sparks of colours were in air resulted from half-worked Eomancy that has no effect but it was good substitute for fireworks.
After what could have been half an hour, the crowd grew even louder with their cheers… wait, I don’t think cheers consist of ‘aaaah!!” or ‘Augghh!!’.
As I thought of that, the guards surrounding us enclosed us in a tight formation.
Lady Thurieol’s face changed from festive mood to a serious one.
Something is happening.
All of the sudden, I saw someone had emerged from the left side of canal as though he had crossed from that side by swimming through the canal.
From what I can see, that figure looked like a guard and as he got up from there, he instantly ran towards Thurieol.
“Lady Thurieol, I have a report!”
“Speak.”
Her calm and sharp voice prompt the guard to straighten himself.
“The outlying guards were ambushed and taken out. I managed to defend myself, so I ran here to warn but they are coming here!”
“Who are they?!!”
As Thurieol and the guard exchanged back and forth, we heard an explosion on our left side and then on the right side. People were blown away and amidst the crowd, there were people cloaked in particular purple clothing and conspicious masks.
They were chanting Eomancy of all offensive types towards us.
“Guards! Defend the summoned!”
Thurieol sensing the flow of Eomancy, roared an order to the guards and all of them raised their shield and some of the guards invoked Eomancy barriers of defensive types.
Projectiles of lance and balls of various colours were shooting at us from each side but the shields and the eomancy barriers invoked by the guards were holding out.
The crowd all panicked into chaos and ran while the boats at the sides were getting away from the scene of the battle. Unfortunately some boats were caught in the crossfire.
After the barrages of Eomancy had ended from the sides, some guards had dragged out their comrades that were injured.
I understand the reason why the guards aren’t shooting back their Eomancies was because amongs the citizens, there were those that were made hostages by the assailants and they conveniently placed the hostages in front of the attackers after the barrages ended.
I’m not surprised. No society is perfect. When people are dissatisfied with their living condition or their ideology are not accepted by the masses, they gathered likeminded individuals and formed their own club or in more negative term, terrorist organization.
These terrorist are now trying to eliminate us for a reason and I think it has something to do with the privileges we have.
In front, Thurieol were analysing on how to deal with this situation when someone also wearing a purple cloak and a mask had suddenly appeared in a distance just in front of her.
“This are the words of our predecessor which had been passed down to us, we bow to no upstarts because the thrones of Tchekaz belong to those who were the first summoned! We are the descendants of preeminent First and thus we come here to take what is rightfully ours. We will take back what is ours from the usurpers! We are the First Childs and we will fulfil all of these!”
That someone had a rough and harsh voice proclaimed as such and as he did that, he took out something from his cloak. It was a bottle of a sort and then he threw it near Thurieol.
Thurieol seeing this, backed down with wary eyes.
The bottle breaks and a burst of black smoke exploded. It was distinctly black and I could recognize it as something of Eomancy in nature.
What emerged from the smoke was something monstrous, more monstrous than the other beastlike summoned.
It looked like a grey horned bullfrog that towered over us at least 5 metres in length and the size was gigantic. The skin was slimy yet it looked like hard tortoise shell.
The ominous and yellowed bug-like eyes were glaring at Thurieol.
“A high-class Mal’eur of the Dark Recess? The nerve of you lot to stoop so low as to not only taking in hostages but bringing something like this into Athryshiayl? A punishment is in need.”
Thurieol snarled low and I could felt her terrifying anger.
And then from behind us, something also had come out from a black smoke of the same explosion.
We were attacked from all sides. This is a troubling situation.