Ace POV
I have become a creature of shadow. Call me what you want: A shade, a ghost, a ninja, in your walls - take a pick. I am all of these things and more. It’s only been a day since I’ve started practising my umbral magic and already I’m leaping from shadow to shadow within the castle walls. Any area of darkness has become a little pocket dimension I can dive into. I can’t see anything while I’m melded with the darkness, but I can still hear for some reason. In fact, my sense of hearing becomes so acute that I develop some form of echolocation whenever I do my little shadow dive. As far as I can tell, I don’t need to breathe either.
Upon discovering my new powers of subterfuge, I immediately use them to leave my assigned quarters and snoop about. Since I’m perceived as someone who is ‘forsworn,’ I was told I could waltz about the place in my free time and that I should study up on this world’s culture, history and geography. Regrettably, forced education will follow me ‘til the day I die. At least I got off easy; I’m all done with book study and martial training for today. Everyone else has magic lessons. I thought harnessing your magic was something that came naturally to everyone, but I guess I’m just built differently.
Now that I have these hacks, I thought of invading the princess’s privacy and eavesdropping on her council. So that’s exactly what I did. Before the entrance to the absurdly large throne room was a room that was sized for actual humans. Now that I think about it, I should start using the term ‘materians’ while in this world. When in Rome, and all that. Humans weren’t the only intelligent species in this world; five prominent ones existed (and by prominent, I mean they ruled their own countries), and materian was the umbrella term for all the civilised humanoids in this world. Humans, elves and dwarves are the obvious ones I already know about. The two others are the faunids and thyllisia. As far as I could be bothered to learn, faunids are just humans on the furry spectrum but are more human than animal, and the thyllisia are basically big women.
I slip under the materian-sized door like the sneaky shadow that I am and become the figurative fly-on-the-wall in the counsel room. Princess Amaryllis sat at the end of a long rectangular wooden table, her head down as she steadily and restlessly penned something with a quill. Marshal Gloria stood nearby, delivering a report as the only other person in the room. Gloria was the one in charge of our martial weapon training. She was a gruff old lady who couldn’t be younger than sixty, and it showed. It didn't just show through her white hair and crow’s feet. It was clear just by looking at her that age and battle had taken a toll on her. Her light skin was covered in many scars - the most noticeable of which ran straight down her left eye, which she covered with an eyepatch. She had prosthetic limbs from just below her right knee and right elbow, which were made of wood, mithril, and magic. All things considered, she aged with grace.
“Based solely on first impressions, I find it unlikely that Max Kaiser is the prophecised hero the Duchy of Solstand divined. He seems to fit the description: blonde hair, blue eyes, aptitude for radiant magic and talent with a greatsword, but he is currently too self-absorbed. He has the potential but not the attitude. The saint Layla Valentine displays a penchant and talent for the flanged mace that’s greater than her innate talent as the saint. I’ve no doubt she’ll be a powerful ally. As for the rest, only three have caught my eye thus far-”
The door to the room was thrown open with a loud bang. Gloria and Amaryllis’ heads snap towards the entrance. A young man burst in, panting. “Sorry to interrupt, but I bring urgent news,” the man spoke fearfully.
“What do you need?” Amaryllis asked authoritatively, setting down her quill and leaving her seat.
The young man straightened his posture and spoke in a slight panic. “A large group of Juvenknights have rebelled. They’ve stormed and taken the national library and set fire to the streets surrounding it. They say they have a magical bio-weapon that will raze the city and kill thousands and that they want to talk with you peacefully.”
Amaryllis took a deep breath, held it, and let it out. I couldn’t see her, but just by hearing that breath, I could tell that her face was contorted into a grim scowl. “You’re dismissed,” she told the messenger.” She gave orders as she strode out of the room, Gloria close behind her. I hijack a shadow and slip out with them. “Gloria, bring a squad of your best knights, healers and whoever of the outsiders you think will benefit from experience. I’ll ride there first.”
“Right away, Your Highness.”
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Amaryllis POV
I sit atop my white horse, Twinkle, surveying the situation at the national library as I grow increasingly weary and irritated. The cobbled streets were littered with flaming pyres. Barricades of wooden furniture and bookshelves were positioned poorly some hundreds of meters down the roads leading to the library. The roadblocks were placed at the extreme end of the effective range of the crossbows they undoubtedly have. The haze from the fires they had set would only hinder their aim. The smoke partly obscured the library sitting at the brow of a hill, but its size and overall shape were still visible: The massive three-story block of the main building was layered with balconies and a flat roof encased in parapets. Two square stone towers topped with crooked spires attached to either side of it, standing nearly twice as high as the main building.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
This library was the largest in the world. Its vast collection of knowledge throughout the ages and across different cultures made it the preeminent intellectual centre to date. It’s not an exaggeration to say that scholars all across Mother Gaia make pilgrimages here to study, record and share research as they walk the path of erudition.
But now rebels have made a mockery of it all. They occupied the library that housed centuries of military treatises, and still, look at them: weak tactics. Weaker propaganda. I can’t understand how so many could easily fall to the lies of the evil gods and betray the realms. Stories of horror and war throughout the realms spread freely from the mouths of unfortunate refugees, and still, traitors creep out from the darkness. This group was only the latest.
I shouldn’t need to get involved in this.
But it is now clear that a strong response is necessary.
These turncoats threaten death while speaking of peace. There was no chance I would make deals with them in any capacity. But I will not hide from them. They will feel my ire.
Twinkle strolls along the road without a care in the world, strutting past the roadblocks as she takes me closer to the library for a more focused scan. I widen my eyes as far as I can and direct magic into them, enhancing my vision. Everything I see magnifies and brightens as I strain my eyes. The irritating pounding in my head worsens, but it is nothing that someone of my position and reputation should be complaining about. I spot an insurgent every time I pass my gaze along the library. They skulked behind the walls next to balconies and windows and behind the parapets on the roof. All the obvious places.
I close my eyes. My headache makes itself more prominent. I don’t have the energy nor drive to force myself to focus my sight any further. I shake my head and bring Twinkle to a halt. If the rebels had any archers worthy of the title, they could feasibly hit me from here. Having seen what I have, I know I’m perfectly safe here. Hearing people approach from behind, I turn to see Gloria atop her horse, a dozen soldiers from the Order of the Blue Rose and half a dozen outsiders walking behind her. And… the captain of the city guard?
“Gloria,” I say as she nears. The soldiers stood to attention and saluted me, fists over their hearts. “I’ve seen enough. This needs to end.”
“You won’t speak to them, Your Highness?” asked Gloria.
“No.”
“How many did you count?” asked Gloria. She dismounted her steed and handed me the reins.
“Ninety-three. There will be more. You will have no trouble. Just look at their disposition. As always, the demon gods appeal to the weak. Only the weak threaten the lives of their family and fellow citizens to secure peaceful negotiations.” I look back upon the library and sigh inwardly. “It disappoints me that the citizens dare display such a showing, regardless of their age and whether they are opposed to us or not. When this is dealt with, gather all the Juvenknight leaders.”
“They will all be screened thoroughly, Your Highness,” said Gloria.
“For treason, sure,” I say. “But I want all of them either re-educated or replaced. This uprising is a travesty. The Juvenight curriculum needs a complete overhaul. More drill, less history. The Juvenknights are our country's last line of defence and the first place we go to for new recruits. How can they hope to stop so much as a stampede with… this?”
“Your Highness,” Gloria said.
I run my hand through Twinkle’s mane, trying to calm myself and clear my mind. “Gloria,” I continue to add. “When you lead the assault, do not kill them. Most will only be the legal age, maybe younger. I want all of them alive. We will make examples out of the leaders and the adults, as well as all the other unhappy ingrates who are willing to listen to the whispers of the evil gods and their sycophants. But spare the youth. They will be spared and given the chance for redemption. If the lies of demons and fiends sound more appealing than life in the empire and we are seen to be cruel, we will only encourage more to flock to the enemy. Locate the weapon. Purge the leaders.”
“As you command, Your Highness,” Gloria confirmed. “I met up with Captain Erila Biennie of the city guard. She insists they can handle this threat without help and insists on speaking with you.”
I can’t help but shoot an irritated scowl at Biennie, standing at the back. I return my attention back to Gloria. “Seriously?”
“I’m afraid so, Your Highness.”
I find myself grumbling. “She’s supposed to be overseeing the other incident sites and tracking down the masterminds of this. This is a protest movement on the surface - rot most assuredly lurks beneath.” I take a deep breath in. I breathe out. “Very well. Biennie will regret wanting an audience. Send her to me.”