Chapter 20: Two Worlds Collide PT2
Karla paced around her tent in nervousness. Nervousness at being in the unexplored Endless Mountains in which the only time an expedition was sent out by her royal family it never returned. She was especially nervous at meeting this man titled Young Lord by his people.
“No matter what happens today. I will always protect you little way finder.”
The words help to calm her, and she looked at General Irvon. Taking comfort in his support.
The moment she arrived a few days ago at the count’s territory. Gloria was already prepping her from things to say and do the moment she met Aegis Kan. The general arrived shortly after. The entire thing was planned out although Karla did input a word or two. She was a tactical genius when it came to the battlefield, but the Young Lord was… well young as Gloria stated and she hope Karla’s beauty would influence him. She had zero tact when it came to love. Could she even seduce someone from a different species?
So, it came as a surprise as she waited for the five minutes to pass after their guest were seated that the one to take charge was not the black- and red-haired large youth who stood several heads taller than her, but the golden eyed giantess besides him. The only non-giant figure in the room was the blond-haired lady that stood behind a white and golden hair and eyed woman. Karla tried not to flinch as she met the eyes of the Young Lord. He had no pupils just an inky blackness with golden and blue spots within. Truly it was as unnerving as Gloria stated it would be. Golden eyes were fine but when it came to that inky blackness that held no pupil Karla would try her best to avoid them if possible. It felt as if her body was laid bare before him. The feelings from the small words of comfort the grandfather like figure of Irvon gave her before they entered all but gone.
“General, Young Lord, Princess Moriah I would like to introduce you to General Irvon and the Warrior Princess Karla Artis.”
As she entered and approached Gloria’s voice rang out and Karla instantly was on alert knowing this to be some sort of warning. Karla’s eyes flicked to the red-haired giantess Amaya Kan the first to be called by Gloria. She would be the one in charge of any negotiations. Then her eyes flicked to the Young Lords and lastly Princess Moriah. She regarded the woman warily sensing a bit of hostility, but her face remains passive, and she smiled as Amaya rose and spoke.
“Greetings Princess Karla and General Irvon. I am the Crimson General Amaya Kan; this is my cousin Young Lord Aegis Kan and Princess Moriah Angelo,” Amaya said.
Karla noticed her General Irvon’s eyes lasered in on Amaya after hearing of her title. The entire time however Karla could feel the eyes Princess Moriah drilling their way into her body. Studying her… judging her and Karla did not like it. She didn’t need the tactician in her to tell the young woman was going to be a problem.
“It is my pleasure to be able to host esteemed ones such as yourselves,” Karla said while bowing. She made sure it was low enough to show respect but no more than that as she acknowledged their stations.
Karla sat with General Irvon to her right and Gloria to her left and the Crimson General and her party sat as well. Karla couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the entire party was. Even Aegis with his inhuman eyes would be found attractive. Gloria clapped her hands and the various servants brought forward the dishes from around the room. The atmosphere grew pleasant, and Karla did as Gloria instructed her beginning small talk with the Amaya and Aegis Kan. The eyes of Princess Moriah never left her face. She was not the only one to notice this as General Irvon and Gloria eyes kept flicking to Princess Moriah’s their hands tightening around their silverware. Even with Gloria being the strongest person in the room Karla could tell the Kans and Princess weren’t worried. Especially Aegis as he was completely laid back and relaxed, his posture obvious for all to see. While Amaya sat straighter her eyes on Karla but in a much gentler fashion. Princess Moriah abruptly interrupted their small talk and Karla knew whatever she had done to accost the girl would come out now.
“Why do they call you the Warrior Princess,” she finally asked and for a moment Karla sat quietly confused at the question. This was it? The reason she stared at her so intensely? Karla thought she affronted the young woman in some fashion, yet it was simply her title that brought her scrutiny.
Karla caught the quick glance that Gloria flashed her and watched as she tapped the table several times.
‘Don’t exaggerate.’
Karla eyes flicked away from the message. Gloria wanted her to be humble and not expand on why she was called the Warrior Princess. So, Karla would give her one of the basic reasons why her people called her the Warrior Princess but before she could a laugh rang out and a voice spoke up.
“I assume, Princess Moriah, it is the same reason they call me the Young Lord.”
Gloria tapped several times and Karla followed her advice and remained quiet. Karla watched as Amaya’s head swiveled to look at her cousin and for the first time since her arrival Princess Moriah’s eyes left her. Karla watched Aegis closely noticing how the spots in his eyes moved and followed their direction. Only to spot the silent normal sized servant behind Moriah before they returned to gaze upon the Princess. Karla saw how, realization at whatever they silently discussed appeared in Moriah’s eyes and she gave a brief nod to Aegis. Whatever they communicated had gone well and Aegis continued to speak.
“They call her the Warrior Princess because they acknowledge her as so. Just as my men call me the Young Lord as I have undergone trials and tribulations to be acknowledge as such.”
He looked towards me, and I followed along with his play.
“It is as you said Young Lord Aegis Kan. I am called the Warrior Princess as a testament to my strength on the battlefield fighting against the dark hordes of the Nox.”
“An answer that is… satisfactory,” the irritating princess said. Eye’s once again on me before turning to the Crimson General’s.
“Yet I still wish to test the claims of this title of course after negotiations are done.”
Karla instantly recognized her to be looking for permission or acceptance of her actions as Amaya was their leader in any negotiations.
General Irvon who, once thought as a massive bear of a man, now spoke up his eyes also looking for Amaya’s in a brief respite of the previous interactions.
“You say that you are not from this world and yet I do not doubt that as even in our oldest records we have never had any mention of an eight-foot-tall human. How is it that you came to find yourself on our world?”
“We came from the stars by a heart-shaped ship. Landing a few months ago and only showing our presence now,” Amaya stated.
“Now… after I assumed you’ve made sufficient preparations to attack us.”
Karla hoped the general would drop the issue after Amaya’s response but unfortunately that did not happen. She watched as the red-haired girl locked eyes with General Irvon.
“Are we not here to negotiate the Last Kingdom coming underneath the wing of our dukedom?”
“So, you are the fallen meteor my people and the counts set out to find.”
Gloria spoke up deterring the general from following along that conversational route but before she could continue or get a response Aegis once again spoke.
“I think we’ve long since passed that point as my cousin stated. Now is the time to negotiate why we shouldn’t join the Nox in waging war upon this ‘Last Kingdom’.”
Karla’s eyes met his and her shoulders straighten just a bit more and she sat just a bit straighter as she held her head high, not to say that her posture wasn’t already impeccable. It was her turn to speak, and Karla would not let her people down.
“Because the Nox pose a danger to any free-thinking lifeform on this planet and my God Arlo has pointed that the only hope for my people to have a chance of survival was located within the Endless Mountains.”
“These Nox keep getting mentioned yet you talk about them as if you expect us to know who they are. Tell us of them Warrior Princess.”
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Karla heard the mock in the young woman’s tone as she spoke the last part and before she could respond the figure that had remained silent throughout this entire interaction spoke.
“Princess Moriah, I will say this once and once only. Though you may have paid a fair price my aunt and uncle deem worthy to be allowed onto our expedition. That’s all it was. The price to be allowed to join us.”
Karla was stunned at how the girl address the princess confused at the level of their stations as Amaya spoke as an equal and beyond to Princess Moriah. The very air seemed to change around the red-haired woman and Karla sensed something about her had changed.
“Tell us of these Nox,” and Karla complied.
First describing how they were formally known as the Artis Empire and not the Last Kingdom.
“The Nox are a parasite. At least from what our mages have inferred. It is very hard to capture one alive and restrain them in any manner as they aren’t only a parasite to the body but the very soul. They first came to the continent in a time of strife when a civil war was erupting between our race, the daemons, and the various beast tribes.”
“Both used to be… subservient to the Artis Empire before its fall but after the Nox struck a terrible blow the Empire broke apart and the Last Kingdom was formed. The three nations would constantly war against one another and the Nox. The Nox who were rebuilding their strength after their forces suffered a great blow. Now a few centuries later they’re strong enough to finish the job they started.”
“They struck a crippling blow against my father who even now has yet to wake. They took my brothers and I know not of their fates all while their High Queen uses my mother’s body as a home.”
It was here that Gloria waved for the Century Wine to be served as it would be a great way to soften the minds of Kan’s party as negotiations were to come.
“What striking red eyes you have.”
Karla paused in the recounting of their history at the mention of red eyes. The girl Aegis was speaking to clearly had brown eyes as most of the citizens of the Last Kingdom did. Karla not wanting the girl to be implicated spoke up.
“The people of the Last Kingdom only have blue or brown eyes. I’ve only seen red eyes on the battlefields against the Nox and that girl has brown eyes.”
The entire room stilled, and Karla watched in confusion as Aegis stared at the girl then the senses that she worked tirelessly to train SCREAMED.
Everyone reacted at once as the girl’s body exploded in a spray of blood, guts, bone, and brain matter. A creature came out clawing directly for Aegis’s throat. If not for Karla tier eight cultivation she might have missed exactly what happened as various servants and even a few of the guards brought burst and lunged at the nearest person to them. Red veins glowing along their black carapace like body.
Karla would show why she was called the Warrior Princess as her very demeanor changed. She struck the nearest creature as Aegis struck their fist meeting carapace. Brilliant red armor now surrounded Aegis and ax red like blood appeared shearing the Nox in half. Another brilliant armored figured appeared in the spot Amaya had been and then a third as Princess Moriah also donned her own armor.
Karla didn’t have time to marvel how prepared these nobles of another realm were as screams erupted from outside the tent.
“I call to you fireflies who’ve lost their spark come from [Beyond].”
Ashes began to descend in the chaos and a spell fired off blasting the tent head apart revealing sunlight and the battle raging on.
Karla didn’t have time to marvel at any of the spell work done by Aegis and Amaya as Gloria tossed her a weapon from a fallen guard before swiftly executing several Nox around her. A guttural scream rang out and calls came as the ground burst open all around them revealing red eyes and the insect like creatures covered in pulsing red veins.
Karla caught the sword and in one swift moment spinning and beheaded a Nox that came flying at her. Its viscus like liquid ruining her blue, white dress yet Karla did not hesitate and stab another of the creatures through the chest. The Nox were humanoid in size, but their appearance was like that of a monster. The lesser cast had no lips just sharp needle like teeth. They had no eyelids at least to Karla’s knowledge just bright red burning holes of hatred as they strive to either subdue you or consume you in their madness. At least the ones with the red veins.
Another guttural cry came, and Karla grew fearful as this one was different. This one was a cry for their commanders to attack. Each Nox commander was at a minimum of six tier and always fought in the body of their host until it became to exhausted or torn. Several soldiers that had surrounded Karla and her highest commanders turned and stabbed their commands and Karla truly felt disappear. Around half of her forced turned out to be Nox in disguise and Karla truly wondered if all hope was lost not for herself but her kingdom if the infiltration was this deep.
“I am the Fortress, and the Fortress shall move, gritting itself through all damage it may take.”
Aegis voice wrang out as he smashed through the bodies of her turned men grabbing the Karla by the arm then tossing her in the direction of his men who surrounded a casting Amaya. As she flown in the air, she passed over a laughing Moriah who was carving her way into her turned men. As the host Karla had brought enough men to provide protection against any would be intruders or so she thought. They could also be used to attack/defend from there would be invaders if things did not go to plan.
Karla was caught by two knights who gently set her on her feet before encircling her not allowing her to see the other side as one towered just as high as Aegis and the test of his friends. The other however was closer to Karla’s height but what did it matter as the Kan men moved her back and closer towards the casting Amaya. Yet Karla barely reacted her eyes searching for Gloria and General Irvon.
*
I bashed my way into the encirclement that had rushed to guard Karla as several of her own members all with red eyes turned upon those without. I finally figured it out before we arrived I had long since cast an ability that had not seen some use in quite some time. The stars in my eyes had been lit this entire time causing any illusions to be negated before me. The ability cost of my essence and mana was almost negated by my recovery rate, which is why I had taken to activating it daily. Hoping to breakthrough to the next tier of the ability. Therefore, only I had noticed the numerous red eyes surrounding us. I paid it no mind originally as I thought it was just a feature of the humans here. However, the servant girl who appeared before me really did have nice striking red eyes, which caused me to make an offhand compliment about it. Now I would have to clean up this mess of a meeting. I made sure to secure the princess as it would be easier to rally her people with her in my hands.
These Nox were around the strength of tier three with a few being four. Individually they weren’t tough I was faster, stronger and could do a whole lot more. It was only when multiple surrounded me, I would have to worry even then unless I was completely cut off from help, I had faith in my armor and equipment. It wasn’t until I smashed my way through Karla’s troops that I realized I was surrounded by tier six beings their red eyes staring hatefully at me. How did this princess get surrounded by so many of her enemies?
“The foolish princess has lost her way. It would be wise to surrender her to us.”
I didn’t bother a response only gripping my ax tightly and taking pleasure in the fact that my armor would hold as long as I would. The sun shone down brightly as the midday heat was just beginning to emerge.
“Today is a good day to die… but not for me.”
Crimson Twilight, Rage of the Dragons.
Item Rank:
10.
Item Type:
Masterwork, Weapon, Set
Description:
This is a set item. Equipping this item will bestow you with the armor Crimson Twilight, Rage of the Dragons. Either can be stored in the small spatial space equipped to the items. This item was forged by Master Arlong Faraan and inscribed by his wife Master Ruinia Faraan and has been bounded to Aegis Kan. This ax has slayed countless beast by its user side and the previously exposed core is now inserted into its outer shell. Because of the actions taken by its user the ax shall continue to grow using the blood of those slayed by it. Keala Kan has inscribed the spell |Cosmic Quake|. Vasu Kan has inscribed the spell |Volcanic Explosion|.
Effect:
Crimson Twilight is a masterwork item and thus cannot be affected by the erosion of the basic elements. As a bound item Crimson Twilight can store its user’s mana and use it to reinforce the armor against physical or magical attacks. Rage of the Dragons is a masterwork item and thus cannot be affected by the erosion of the basic elements. As a bound item Rage of the Dragons can store the kinetic energy from attacks whether it is from spells or physical hits. Once this kinetic energy reaches max it will be released in a magical explosion around the user. This explosion can be triggered early.
An explosion emerged from my ax bypassing me and tearing through the red eye figures surrounding me. The Nox caught off guard had their husk used to protect the creatures inside shredded in the explosion and a red mist surrounded us mixing with the ashes that constantly generated creating a dark cloud on the ground.
“Foolish human, you are on the wrong side of this war.”
The figures that appeared before me were slightly more refined than the ones with the red veins on their carapace like bodies. These ones still had a black carapace but in the way they held themselves and the weapons in their hands almost made them look human. In fact, if not for the burning red eyes of hatred directed my way, I could say they appeared like individual people with humanoid faces. Then they spoke all together their voice mixing like a choir.
“Join,” they said.
“Together with us.”
“Live.”
“Forever through us.”
“Be.”
“Together with us.”
The mountains and the very ground shook after they finished while the smell of honey grew intense. The moment was broken as Moriah flashed forward sword cleaving through one of seven of my opponents as she forced her way into the circle.
“Look like you need some help.”
The laugh that erupted from me rang louder than the clashing weapons as I blocked a sword blow with my ax surprised as the creature pushed me back. From seven to six three for me and three for her. My inattention cost me as a powerful kick sent me shooting off, yet my body remained undamaged, but I felt the mana reserves of my armor drastically decrease. That blow would have killed anyone else and even with Adventurers Grit reinforcing my body I felt shaken from the inertia of the blow. My body finally skidded to a stop slightly outside of the meeting sight and three black and golden figures streaked towards me. A fire tornado rose in the air, and I knew Amaya had made her move.
Left right and center. That type of blow would not happen again and I prepared myself for the confrontation to come.