Chapter 5: Family, Plans and Implications

In the ten floors of Castle Noxus and its four wings, the Throne-Room was located on the fifth floor and took up almost two whole wings. As such, the fifth floor was always the busiest. Squires, maids, servants, and guardsmen ran about here and there in the corridors and hallways.

But the fifth floor could become even busier at the end of every two months, for that was when The Noxus Court would be held. There was, however, still a week left until the court would be held.

So why the summons? Zane wondered to himself.

Today was the Twenty-Third, Fifth Month of Year 1735, Impius Divisux. And Zane’s nameday had already passed by three months ago.

There wasn’t any reason for the king to summon Zane. His coming-of-age wasn’t even anywhere near close by. There were still two years left; Zane was only fourteen years old.

Thus, there could only be one reason why Father had summoned him. He knew of his secrets. But why would Father choose to confront Zane two years later?

Zane sighed softly, shaking his head free from all those useless thoughts. He could only answer the summons from King Gladius Balan Noxus.

Father always liked his cold formalities, so Zane had taken the time to change into court clothes. Showing up in court wearing a dirty brown tunic after the practical exam with Tutor Beldin would undoubtedly be tantamount to suicide. It would be as if Zane willingly jumped down from a precarious cliff. Suicide, indeed.

Zane adjusted his black circlet made of SoulSteel, then rubbed at the red SoulStone that was encrusted in the middle of the circlet. It was the circlet reserved for the Crown Princes of Noxus Kingdom.

In the royal book, A History on the Noxus Family, the black circlet was said to be forged in the blood of twenty Magus, and the red SoulStone from the souls of a two dozen lives. But strangely enough, Zane could not feel any power or magic from the black circlet.

Still, the circlet felt uncomfortable to Zane. The damn thing always confined his silvery white hair to the sides and tightened around his forehead.

As for his clothes, Zane was wearing a black tabard with a white outline of the Noxus insignia over a white tunic. Clasped around his shoulders, there was also a black wolf-skin cloak. The outfit was then completed with black silk trousers. Almost the entirety of Zane’s outfit was fully black. It was as if Zane was in mourning for his nonexistent wife.  

Zane could only think that the very first Noxus king had bad taste. Who in the right mind would go  parading around in black clothing with an insignia of a skull with a dagger pierced through the front lobe? What was done was done, however. It would be a hassle to change centuries and centuries of tradition and history.

It was no wonder that their Noxus Kingdom was called the Desolate Lands by their neighbors.  

Taking a turn at the end of the corridor, Zane arrived at the main hallway with Lina following alongside him. Two guards on each side blocked the entrance to the main hallway. Their full plate armors were, not surprisingly, black with the colours of the Noxus royalty. In their gauntleted hands, they held a greatsword which was set point to the floor.

“Prince Gladius Zane Noxus,” Lina announced to the guards.

“Welcome, Prince Gladius Zane Noxus,” one of the guards spoke, his voice a respectfully cold formality. “King Gladius Balan Noxus is awaiting in the Throne-Room at your earliest convenience.”  

Zane recognized his grizzled face as the Second Captain of the Royal Guards. He also did not miss the warning note in the last four words—at your earliest convenience.

Walking past the four guards, Zane continued treading the long hallway, noting the paintings of all the past Noxus royalties. There were also paintings of the various Houses of the Noxus Kingdom, cousins and such. A few of them were incestuous bastards, but Zane held no quarrel with that.

Arriving at the heavy double doors made of ancient oak, the two Royal Magus Guards exerted some strength as they pushed the heavy oak open. The herald standing nearby inside announced Zane’s arrival as soon as he entered through the double doors.

The Court of the Noxus kings.

“Crown Prince Gladius Zane Noxus,” the herald announced, his voice echoing the empty Throne-Room.

There was no mention of his lich servant, Zane recognized. But that was just how things worked in the courts. Servants were simply nameless figures, even if it was the servant of the Noxus Crown Prince.

The Throne-Room was an extravagant room. Perhaps about five hundred feet on each of its side and with a thirty-foot ceiling, it could even make a giant feel dwarfed. A black skull patterned carpet that stretched all the way from the entrance to the throne. Five hundred feet of pure expensive carpet leading to the King’s dais, a raised platform of onyx. If that wasn’t extravagance, Zane didn’t know what was.

At the corners of the rooms, there were galleries for the musicians. On the walls, there hung the banners of the Noxus royalty in all their darkish splendor along with ancient swords, shields, and staffs.  

Zane crossed the five hundred feet of carpet, taking a knee to the high-backed throne made of black SoulSteel. On the throne, his Father stood in all of his finery. A black crown made entirely of SoulSteel and set with red SoulStones, rubies, and green jades on the sides trapped his grey hair to the sides. But most of all, the crown only further made prominent of the king’s cold face that held not one trace of emotion.

Beside him, the consort chair, smaller in stature compared to the throne, was sat on by the new queen. Queen Edea of House Obscus, one of the four great Houses. She was a familiar sight to Zane. Father had married the twenty-year old woman a year ago. And Zane could now see the swelling of her stomach that could not be hid by her green gown.

Zane had to give his Father some praise. Even though Father was already forty-nine years old. He worked fast. Too quickly, judging from the swell of her belly.

There was something even more surprising than her pregnancy though. To the sides of the dais, there were five hooded black-robed figures. They wore their hoods so low that Zane couldn’t even make out their faces.

Seeing that Lina still had not went down on her knee, Zane whispered to her, “Kneel.” His command instantly forced her into a kneeling position.

Then Zane turned toward his Father, King Gladius Balan Noxus on his high-backed throne. “I have come to answer your summons, Father.”

“You have kept me waiting, Zane,” Father said. “Your earliest convenience is undoubtedly inconvenient.”

Zane did not stood to protest. He simply stood kneeling on the carpet with one knee. He knew that excuses were unacceptable for a Noxus. Neither were promises to do better in the future. There was only the present.

“No matter,” King Balan said with a small wave of his hand. “You may stand up now. We have things to discuss.” His cold scarlet eyes stared at Lina. “Make sure your servant does not breathe a word of what goes on in here.” He narrowed his eyes. “Breathe, write, gesture, and speak.”

Zane stood up, facing Lina who was still kneeling. “Do not breathe, write, gesture, or speak a word of anything that happens in here. Do not spread the story or communicate it to anyone else outside of the Throne-Room.” The commands had to be specific to allow the littlest freedom.

“I see the new queen is soon to be due, Father,” Zane said without a trace of emotion in his voice. Cold and calmly. Like Father, like son, he thought to himself.

“Nothing but a spare heir in case you die, Zane,” Father said, twisting that curl of a smile with his mouth. His words did not rouse Queen Edea Obscus the least bit.

Or at least…it shouldn’t have. But Zane had seen that quick twist of a frown on her snow-white face framed by the black curls. Her displeasure mattered little to Zane though. He would only take away this little fact and store it inside his library of knowledge.

Omnus, especially Qunitus could have some use for this new insight into the Queen some day in the future. Yes, Zane would remember her little displeasure at those words. Everything begins with a small nudge.

And one could easily cause a landslide if one toppled the right stone. And it wasn’t too far-stretched to extend that apothegm to a kingdom.

“So what is it that you called me to the grand Throne-Room of our family for? Was it because you simply wanted to see me out of filial love?” Zane smiled politely, his eyes staring calmly at the space between the throne and the consort chair.

“I am impressed that you actually guessed the reason, my son. Say, do you know of the Noxus axiom?”

“There are many of them, Father,” Zane replied. “A few of these axioms even involve the dungeons and of course, a good ol’ killing. Pray tell which one do you mean?”

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“A blacksmith doth loves his weapons like a son,” King Balan said.

Zane instantly recognized the barbed meaning behind the words. His Father was calling him a weapon to be forged by him. An object of his making.

“There is the blood of a blacksmith running through our Noxus veins?” Zane asked, knowing the words would be a slap on the Noxus face.

Father laughed. “There were blacksmiths before there were even any kings. What king wouldn’t be proud to have the blood of an ancient blacksmith running through his veins? He can forge weapons all the more better.”

Zane made to open his mouth, but a wave from Father silenced him. “Enough about that,” King Balan said. “There are more important matters to discuss, matters about the future of my kingdom.”

Zane didn’t miss the word my. And knew that his Father had purposely said it. Just that one little word was full of hidden statements and warnings.

“You see, Zane. It is time to break the stalemate that has been presiding between the Ascal Kingdom, the Favron Kingdom, and the Noxus Kingdom.” Father arched a tepid brow. “I presume I need not lecture you on geography?”

“That depends, Father. I do not know the names of every little city or village in those two Kingdoms. Or our kingdom, for that matter. I have, however, memorized the southern half of HavenFall,” Zane said coolly.

“That is well. It will make our little discussion much faster.” He spun a look at the five black-robed figures standing beside the dais, then beckoned a hand.

Shuffling alongside each other, the five figures made to stand in front of the dais, just right before Zane. The black-robed figures were only a few steps away. So close to him, Zane could now smell something coming from the five black-robed figures. Something dead.

“Do you know the reason why I only keep one lich, Zane?” King Balan asked with that curl of a twisted smile.

Father truly needed to practice smiling, Zane thought to himself. And Tertius could teach the old dog a few tricks. “Because the lich is your younger sister? And because she is my aunt?”

“Ah yes. It is quite a shame about your aunt. She died so young at the age of twenty-five. The Surge Fever is quite a brutal disease. Almost incurable, and only afflicting a rare few. But that is not the reason for having only one lich.”

“What is it then?” Zane asked, though he already had a strange feeling of what Father was about to say.  

“Reveal yourselves,” King Balan commanded.

At his command, the five hooded figures all unveiled their hoods. As soon as the hoods were off, the smell of death inched closer toward Zane.

Zane could not suppress the small gasp that came over him. There were five liches. King Gladius Balan Noxus had six liches under his command! How could he withstand so many souls bound to him?

Then Zane could only let out a bigger gasp as he recognized some of the faces from A History of the Noxus.

“Happy nameday, my son. And although it is three months late, your Grandfather, Grandmother, Great Grandfather, Great Grandmother, and Great Aunt is here to celebrate it.”

In his surprise, Zane Mind Accelerated and found himself in the Magus Domain, splitting into three Zanes. Quartus and Secondus were already standing in the white circles. Omnus had gathered.

“Well, fuck me in the Netherals if I do say so, Omnus,” Quintus said as soon as he had split from the merged Zane. “Never would I have suspected that surprise gathering. I suspected Father was hiding a few liches deep in the catacombs. But…to think he was hiding this?”

Quartus growled. “Do you think our sister and brother are preserved?”

“No. That should be impossible,” Quintus answered. “The soul of the dying will leave the moment death is complete. There is only a small second or two to capture the soul. However, it looks like the liches were somehow preserved by some means and passed down to Father from the previous kings.”

“Quartus and I will be watching,” Secondus said. “The three of you should go back.”

“Very well. Omnus.”

“Greetings, Great Grandparents, Grandparents, and Great Aunt,” Zane said smoothly. In his Magus Domain, he had recovered his composure.

The five liches nodded at Zane.

“So this is my great nephew,” said a lich with silvery white hair, the traits of a Noxus Magus. Her flesh was well-preserved, but there was a paleness to the whiteness of her skin. A paleness that could only belong to the dead. To the long dead. Great Aunt must have not seen the sunlight for many, many years.

Great Aunt moved closer to Zane, her robe billowing and her similarly great chest heaving. There was a cold seductiveness in her that Zane found somewhat alarming. It sent a small thrill into him. Some sort of charm spell? Or perhaps it was simply because Great Aunt had died too young. She looked less than thirty years old.

A frosted hand stretched out from the long sleeves of her black robe. Great Aunt had offered her hand to Zane.

Not hesitating even for half a second, Zane took the hand. Cool and light, the hand felt to Zane. Also soft. Taking that hand, Zane kissed it and his lips were instantly chilled.

“A pleasure to meet you Great Aunt Sheera.” Zane remembered her name from A History of the Noxus.

“I am immensely pleased, Prince Zane.” A silken smile and she moved closer.

Suddenly, Zane found himself being embraced and her softness pressed into his chest. But there was always that coldness. And the smell of death and decay on her, mixed with what smelled strangely like lavender.

When she stepped back, Great Aunt Sheera went back to the dais, leaving a lingering seductive glance.

Zane smiled back in what he hoped was a seductive smile. Even his Perfect Gentleman personality was having some troubles with his Great Aunt Sheera.

“As for my final present, Zane,” Father’s voice rang out unhurriedly, a cold ease that slithered around the Throne-Room. “In two years, for your coming of age, you will lead the vanguard armies and shed blood on the borders, and in their forts. The blood that will be shed will not be the blood from the infrequent skirmishes of the stalemate that has been going on nigh for more than a century, but from an extensive war, an invasion. A means to an end. A means to a new beginning.”

From his throne, Father looked down at Zane and their eyes met. “I have no doubts that you will succeed.” A pause. “Especially with your five Surges, my son.” King Gladius Balan Noxus gestured a dismissal with a wave of his hand. “Do make sure to attend court next week with Tutor Beldin, your uncle and my adopted little brother.”

A twisted curl of his smile. “There will be a surprise for everyone there. And you might even learn a lesson in planning a war. A plan that has been a long time in the makings.”

The five liches smiled at that.

“Indeed, King Balan. It has been a long, long time in the makings. More than a century and a half of planning. And we are ready,” Great Grandfather said, scratching at the eyepatch over his left eye with a bone-thin finger.”

At that, Zane left the Throne-Room along with lich Lina who had been freed from his previous commands. When Zane finally exited the great double doors of the Throne-Room, he felt a little dazed at the secrets that had been imparted.

There were no doubts in Zane now at the implications. The reason for Zane’s Omnus had been due to his Father. He was a tool in his Father’s hands, and his Father the blacksmith, forging him. Forging him into a weapon of war.

But in the end, his Father would regret it. He had made a mistake today in the Throne-Room. His Father did not know that Zane still had two of his Omnus locked up in that orbicular room. He only knew that Zane had five Surges.

Yes. It proved that King Gladius Balan Noxus was not infallible.

And with slight nudging influences, a sprinkle of cunning here and there, and a show of force, Zane could eventually topple his Father, and HavenFall itself.  

Zane smiled, and a chuckle escaped from his mouth as he moved through the hallways of the fifth floor. With a gentle movement, he fixed the black circlet around his forehead. At that moment, for some reason, the black circlet felt lighter, easing its tight grip on him.

“What is so funny,” Lina asked, a tinge of anger in her voice. She seemed annoyed at being made to kneel so long.

“Nothing. Nothing much.” Zane’s smile grew wider. “Say, Lina. Do you know of Omnus?”

Lina shook her head. “What are you even talking about. I have never heard such a word. Is it in another language?”

“You could say that, Lina.” Zane laughed. “It is just a simple random word I made up. It is meaningless to others. And perhaps even meaningless to me…”