The Bramblevale Keep was a monumental construction. It was as wide as a stadium and as tall as a skyscraper. It had six sides and a hexagonal design. The steps leading up its elevated foundation had twenty-foot tall greenery going down each of the edges of the hexagon. The grounds around the keep were spacious, with manicured grass and stone pavement combined in checkered patterns.
Now that Zarian was looking up at the keep from the bottom, he didn’t think three thousand men were enough to barricade the massive structure. However, three thousand men were enough to cover the one major door leading inside.
That door was already barred with magic. Zarian examined the walls, using the telescope and highlighting features of his Sophisticated Monocle.
The windows were narrow slits. They had enough space for airflow, and that was it.
He felt an immense amount of aura channeling through the Bramblevale Keep’s walls. The entire structure was enchanted to impede forceful invasions.
It had so much power running through its runic veins that even Zarian felt uncertain he could break through. At least during the day time.
Maybe if he had waited until night time then he wouldn’t be uncertain.
“Yes, I know. This is quite a mighty statement of power, defense, and extravagant tax spending, taking from the meager earnings of serfs and poor vendors to protect those who are already well-protected.” Arnold chuckled while stooped over slightly, his hands behind his back, looking like an old and frail man.
Zarian knew that age played a factor even if a person was in the Level 70s or 80s. They could only evade the dwindling of their life energy if they ascend to the higher worlds.
Thus, the old man in white had a small amount of life energy left. Zarian could kill him by just using Bloody Lifesteal to drain that amount, if he could draw blood.
“My boy! The look in your eyes makes these frail bones of mine shiver with fright.” Arnold shook while under Zarian’s darkened gaze.
Zarian adjusted his monocle, the gesture lending him more time to think. “I can’t help it. I’m wondering what’s the best way to kill you. Just in case.”
“Zarian, stop that!” Bianca shook her head before turning to the elderly man in white. “Please forgive him. He can be so bleak sometimes. But other times he’s fun and chipper. It might be the suns. Do you want me to help shade you?”
Bianca turned to Zarian expectantly.
I feel like she’s mothering me now. And Naomi was giving him and Bianca weird looks.
“No, thanks. Let me endure the tyranny of the suns.” Zarian sighed before setting his glare on Arnold. “I won’t harm you if you don’t give me any reasons for it. I’m just curious about how I can beat you.”
“Oh, I know! I’m only jesting while I work up the nerves to face my own people. I was never good at handling so many in a crowd. Besides, the young lady who shares your characteristics has the same challenging look in her eyes as well. My, I think she’s even more ambitious than you!”
Arnold laughed it off like it was all good fun.
Zarian didn’t even bother looking back at Naomi. Arnold hadn’t spoken a lie, at least for now.
Zarian chuckled. “Well, I don’t blame Naomi. I have advantages. She’s working from the bottom up. Now, let’s proceed with the demonstration. Show us what the White Rose of Serveserf could do.”
“Oh, my, I feel a tad bit pressured now. I hope I don’t bring embarrassment to my family and to my sworn god. Ah, well, I guess this old man will do his best. Wait here, children, and let me open the door.”
Zarian did as he was told. Well, somewhat. He had a spectral spider waiting on the White Rose’s shoulder. He had other spectral spiders milling in the area.
They couldn’t break into the keep, unfortunately. The monumental structure had solid defenses that even kept out ghostly crawlers that specialized in stealth and spy work.
Clearly, the Bramblevale Lord hadn’t spared any expense for his own protection.
“Ladies, you both have a spectral spider on your shoulder. They’ll transmit all conversations around the White Rose for us to hear,” Zarian whispered.
Naomi and Bianca nodded. The trio waited outside of the square, staying in the slim shadow of an expensive-looking bank.
There were a few random townsfolk nearby who were looking out from nearby windows of public buildings. Zarian kept track of all the scouts spying on him and the ladies as well.
A few of the scouts looked eager to strike. The ones who made a move that looked too aggressive suffered a sudden blunt shadow pole to their heads, knocking them out.
Through the Spectral Spider Network and his telescopic vision, Zarian watched Arnold of Ambrose walk briskly toward the steps. The longer he walked, the faster he moved, until his pace became as fast as a sprint while he still looked like he was walking.
It was a weird thing to see from a distance. Zarian figured that style of walk resulted from having many points in Agility.
Arnold made the act of walking look like gliding.
He was smooth for an old man, too.
Reaching the steps, he stopped in front of the barricade. Three thousand men stood in his way. They formed up with three hundred men a row for ten rows.
They condensed most of their numbers in front of the large double doors leading into the Bramblevale Keep. Taking the center were a hundred men that Zarian couldn’t Identify.
Because of the distance, he couldn’t quite get a feel of them. Not directly. Through his spectral spiders, he could feel that the one hundred strongest guards weren’t easy pushovers.
He was sure each of them was in the Level 50s. If the White Rose failed, Zarian would have to rely on some cunning to break through like he originally planned.
What can an old man serving as the representative of Serveserf really do? Zarian wondered.
Well, Arnold had called himself the seventh and weakest of the White Roses. That had elicited little confidence in Zarian.
I’ll get mentally prepared for when he fails.
“Hello my dear countrymen, I’m Arnold of Ambrose, White Rose of Serveserf, Seventh Guardian of the Eternal Garden Kingdom,” Arnold greeted. “I was in the region when I caught wind of this fiasco we’ve found ourselves in. As the closest White Rose, I figured it is best I weigh in on what’s happening here and bring us toward a peaceful solution as best as I can.”
The leader of the barricade was a well-dressed thug, in Zarian’s opinion. He was young, and possibly talented, while exuding more power than the next strongest men beside him, which could mean he was in the high Level 50s or Low 60s.
The thuggish guard flashed a cocky grin down at the older White Rose and spoke aloud arrogantly:
“The weakest White Rose in our humble town? Well, it’s a pleasure to have you, sir!” said the arrogant guard. “But I do believe your status here is questionable. We’ve received scout reports that you’ve failed your duties to not only eliminate the unlawful adventurers, but you’ve also agreed to escort them here.”
“Failed? Never. Escort? Yes, certainly. I’ve come to the conclusion that we’re in the presence of heroes! They should be welcomed! And their adventurer status should be waived! That is within the laws of the Eternal Garden Kingdom.”
The White Rose sounded certain of that, so there had to be truth to the claim. Certain laws could be waived, which would give Zarian and his party the legality to do what they needed with less harassment.
Arnold carried on: “The acting lord in charge, especially a High Rose, may waive the illegality of their adventurer status via Writ of Acceptable Adventurism and include them as Important Foreign Nobility with a few signatures. So there is no further problem to be had. All we must do is have a conversation that will illuminate how we’ve been mistaken.”
Arnold let out a cheerful laugh.
The arrogant guard reached to the side and took a man’s javelin. With a quick and powerful flick, he launched it like a bolt out of a crossbow.
It would’ve hit Arnold straight in the chest if the White Rose didn’t raise his hand and smack aside the javelin. His gloves glimmered on impact before returning to normal. The javelin sunk deep into a grassy spot behind him.
The arrogant guard roared: “We’re not letting you or those villains in! Per the orders of the Bramblevale Lord, we’ll guard this keep with our lives! Now run off you weak White Rose, or you’ll suffer the consequence of facing the best fighting men in all the Eternal Garden Kingdom!”
“Are you sure about this young man?” Arnold removed his white gloves and stuffed them into his breast pocket.
His hands were old, wrinkly, and rough with callouses.
He had a lot of scars.
Arnold gripped the handle of his silver sword with loose fingers. “You must understand that I’m serving under forces mightier than even the Bramblevale Lord. In fact, I find the High Rose leading this town region to be lacking. The way you are acting is a consequence of Lord Cassian’s failures as a proper leader, regardless of his familial ties to the royal family, and thus what may happen next will reflect even more poorly on him.”
Arnold sighed as he straightened his back. “Are you sure about taking this stance?”
“Prepare your arms and magic, my men!” roared the cocky guard. “We have the numbers! The White Rose of Serveserf is weak! We’ll crush him and make ourselves greater than the Seventh White Rose!”
Zarian sighed as he flexed his hands. He glanced over at his girls. “Let’s go help that old fool.”
“I’m ready, sir.” Naomi nodded.
Bianca did nothing but smile. “Have faith.”
Zarian frowned at Bianca before looking back with his direct telescopic vision. The scene looked terrible for Arnold while thousands of men prepared to put him down regardless of his status as a White Rose.
Clearly, there was internal strife in the kingdom, and Arnold wasn’t on the side of what was popular with these men in power. The arrogant guard seemed confident that he could strike at a Guardian of the Eternal Garden Kingdom and not face any consequences.
That stopped being the case when the arrogant guard lost his head.
Literally.
Zarian’s eyes widened as the head tumbled from between the guard’s shoulders. No blood spilled. Not even a little squirt.
In fact, the arrogant guard was still trying to talk trash even without a voice box. He hadn’t realized his head had fallen until he hit the steps and rolled down with a metallic tink.
Arnold had his sword out.
It was unlike any sword Zarian had ever seen.
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The blade was shifting liquid, white silver in color, and shiny under the beaming light of the twin suns. It flowed with its own miniature current along the curved edge and the shifty spine.
By the time the lead guard’s head stopped rolling, Zarian saw hardened silver had covered the neck as the body toppled over. Hell, there looked to be growths forming from the silver metal.
They almost looked like … flowers.
“Well, that’s quite a shame. I suppose I’ll have to exercise my right as a White Rose to put down such an unruly insurrection.” Arnold frowned, seeming to pity the death of the thuggish and cocky guard. “A mutiny such as this by our own fighting men saddens me, so I will strike you all down with a heavy heart and a quick hand, if I must. Unless, of course, you lay down your arms and magic here and now.”
Arnold sounded hopeful the remaining men would give up.
His sword remained in hand nonetheless.
“Attack!” roared another guard in the Level 50s.
The entire blockade lit up with magic abilities accompanied by a thousand raining projectiles. Green bolts filled with razor sharp leaves. Conjured thorns. Torrents of splinters. Lunging vines. A few rays of light that were like Bianca’s abilities. And more. Which was all followed by enchanted bolts, arrows, javelins, and even heavy metal balls tossed by their strongest men.
Zarian watched, fascinated, as Arnold dealt with the bombardment by using the simplest and most overlooked tactic. He moved forward and slipped past a gap through the barrage.
Behind Arnold was a trail of liquid silver with metallic flowers growing in his wake, most getting destroyed under the barrage. That was a fine price to pay while Arnold waltzed through the Level 50s and slashed them apart with his liquid metal sword.
Every cut swung out sweeping arcs and flying crescents of silver that hacked through half a dozen to a dozen men at once. They tried to fight him. But they were so packed up against each other, the Level 50s got in their way while someone much greater and better than them hacked them apart.
It was like watching an adult defeat a bunch of toddlers who couldn’t coordinate together or impact the fight individually. All while Arnold looked like he was smoothly walking with a ballroom style grace, one arm behind his back, the other swinging his sword with powerful, blindingly fast cuts that remained both unpredictable and perfectly placed where he could logically do the most damage and avoid taking damage to himself.
It was like watching a maestro at work. Someone who truly perfected his craft despite whatever limitations he’d faced. Truly, this was a White Rose.
It’s sad he and the others might be weaker than the gnoll elders. Zarian shook away the downer thought and focused on the wondrous display as it came to a quick and violent end.
Arnold finished killing a hundred men regardless of their magic abilities and reached the heavy doors. He knocked on it and the doors lost their powerful defensive enchantments and swung open. Then Arnold turned toward the bloodless massacre he’d created.
He’d only killed the Level 50s, the ones in charge. Their bodies flopped in separate parts down the steps. Silver flowers bloomed from where the magic metal sword had cut.
After a minute of stunned silence, where the remaining men gawked in disbelief, a mesmerizing field of metallic flowers grew from the deaths of the Level 50s. It looked like Arnold had laid out a wide trail of silver flowers down the steps for Zarian and the ladies to walk up to reach the front entrance.
Zarian led the girls forward across the wide open courtyard space. He reached the steps where silver flowers waited. They covered the corpses, heads, and limbs so thoroughly the remains of the dead Level 50s were nothing but lumps left on the steps of silver flowers.
Zarian climbed up among the silver flowers while the ladies followed. Nobody remaining in the barricade attempted to stop them. They just watched in horror and shock, wordless, after seeing the violent yet beautiful mastery of the Seventh Guardian of the Eternal Garden Kingdom.
“Damn, old man,” Zarian said after reaching the front entrance. “You had me going there. I thought I would have to intervene on your behalf.”
Zarian looked back at the beautiful massacre. “Are you sure that was a good idea? That could’ve weakened the defense of the town.”
“They believed themselves above the authority of a White Rose,” Arnold said. Then he quietly added, “And they believed themselves untouchable, among other things.”
Naomi looked Arnold up and down, arms crossed. “Okay, you’re hip. I might start liking you if you can teach me some stuff.”
“I think I’m the only one disappointed now.” Bianca pouted. “I really thought we’ll get through with no deaths among the guards and soldiers.”
Zarian couldn’t help but snicker.
Arnold bowed in front of Bianca. “Forgive me, milady. But the nature of your heroic status and your level of goodness requires the surest of measures. I can’t let my countrymen continue their dishonorable acts before you and your party without retribution. It is better if I be the hand who must strike in your favor when dealing with matters of our kingdom, if you may.”
It’s also a clever way to shift this situation from ‘hostile invasion of illegal adventurers’ to an event where a ‘White Rose puts down mutiny and corruption,’ Zarian thought.
Arnold of Ambrose was a shrewd old man.
Zarian was starting to like him. Even his evil alignment was impressed by Arnold. Although the evil alignment felt even more wary about the cunning of the old man. Zarian figured it was smart to be wary.
“Yeah, okay, this is definitely a surefire way to leave an impression on this frontier town who’ve gotten too big-headed to think they can deny the authority of their superior.” Naomi nodded, looking very satisfied. “Granted, it’s in our favor. So I’m very pleased. Operation Domination hasn’t gotten dropped off a cliff just yet.”
“Yeah, well, Arnold, I appreciate this.” Zarian leaned close to the White Rose. “I would really like it if you teach some of your moves to my companions even if you don’t want to teach me.”
Arnold shivered before he straightened himself, fixed his tie, fixed his sword belt – the sword back in its scabbard – and assumed a stooped stance with his hands behind his back. “You are high in evil, aren’t you?”
Zarian smiled coldly, not answering.
“Well, come along now. The young guards and soldiers can sort themselves out. I imagine there’ll be a lot of new promotions coming along. Hopefully, we’ll have more open-minded men among the new leadership.”
Arnold led Zarian’s party through a massive lobby area with a verdant garden design and many water fountains. Ethereal magic lights shone from sconces on the walls. More lights shone from the ceiling.
He led them past an enormous staircase filled with switchbacks rising all the way up. Zarian, Naomi, and Bianca craned their heads back to stare into the shining void of the hollowed out middle of the keep. They could see the topmost ceiling from down on the bottom floor.
All the rooms were against the heavy walls with at least a hundred levels of walkways flowing around the inner walls of the keep. Not everything was uniformed based on how some walkways were shaped differently than others or had more space pushed toward the center compared to other floors with thinner walkways.
“For security reasons, they turn off the magic lift. During emergencies, a White Rose can override the turn off switch.” Arnold placed his hand against a section of the wall covered in leafy vines and plants.
The wall peeled aside and revealed a huge circular platform.
Zarian felt the magic at work with his Basic Aura Manipulation. The enchanters and engineers of this place had done a decent job. He really needed to take Hannah here for a tour so she could just scan everything.
Then again, from what Hannah had told him in preparations of heading into the Bramblevale Main Library, the library was supposedly even more impressive than the Bramblevale Keep. Many nobles, especially the biggest noble family, had poured resources into the library for reasons that even the Lovewar Acolyte’s information network couldn’t figure out.
Zarian did all he could to watch and map out things with his aura manipulation. He had spiders back at the mansion jot things down using arcane webbing for Hannah to examine.
Arnold used a runic podium with a magic hologram display at the center to activate the elevator platform. It hummed with gravity magic, which Zarian could recognize because of his studies of the gravity spell in his black magic grimoire. He frantically traced over as many foreign runes as he could and tried to memorize them with his Fractured Mind.
The elevator moved at a good speed, but there was plenty of time for Zarian to pull out his Grimoire of Black Magic 102. He flipped through some gravity pages he’d gone over and went a few pages ahead to match up what he was seeing live. Before the elevator trip ended, he felt like he made a big breakthrough and could get past a section he’d gotten stuck on.
He’d reached 25% completion of the gravity spell. He still had a long way to go. But he had more momentum now than when he’d started.
“Learned something?” Arnold asked.
“Yeah, I did! This elevator ride was great,” Zarian said, thrilled.
“Oh, my. He’s actually adorable when he’s not brooding murder. Reminds me of my dear great grandson when he was young. Ho, ho, ho.” Arnold laughed.
“Yes, yes, I agree! He’s adorable and handsome,” Bianca laughed as well.
“He’s cool.” Naomi kept a neutral expression.
Zarian felt a little embarrassed by his prior outburst and their reactions. They had no idea how hard it was to be a wizard while having a Fractured Mind that wanted to play with many ideas.
Thankfully, Para wouldn’t laugh at him. Instead, she patted his head with one of her flesh arms that ended with five long, veiny, and red fingers. She even formed a mouth tendril with a voice box and emitted a long celebratory wail.
“That’s Para saying congrats,” Zarian translated.
“Para, can you try to say Bianca for me!” The Light Bringer Child asked.
Para tried. She still couldn’t get it. It sounded like the bellow of a dying animal getting assimilated with a hungry parasite.
“I get it. English is hard. Zarian and the others keep putting off our promised Spanish lessons. Let’s try, Para. Hola, me llama Para.”
Para tried. It sounded like a walrus and an elephant making love with a dumpster truck while stuck in a giant grinder.
Bianca remained undeterred and kept trying to teach Para Spanish. The platform slowed to a stop. The doors to their destined floor swooshed open.
Arnold watched the eldritch Spanish interaction for a few seconds with a funny look on his face before turning away. He led them down a hallway filled with expensive and luxurious items. The hall was wide, too. They were on the top floor, so it probably had the most spacious sections.
That was proven true when they turned a corner and entered a reception area as big as an atrium and led to some large meeting rooms and the office of the Bramblevale Lord. There were also some bestial stone golems that looked like overgrown chia pets lying in wait.
Zarian couldn’t Identify them. He prepared to fight, but Arnold waved his hand. The chia pet golems turned away and went to lounge around elsewhere.
“We have a good escort for once,” Zarian said.
“Yeah,” Naomi agreed.
“Yay for semi-diplomacy with a hint of genocide!” Bianca’s enthusiasm was unstoppable.
Para wailed in agreement.
Arnold continued forward. He pressed his hands on a set of double doors. The protection runes turned off at his touch. He shoved the doors out of his way and raised a hand to block a magic bolt thrown at his face.
Bramblevale Lord Cassian of Paxan, cousin of the king, was yelling from behind a massive wooden desk in a room filled with green plants and indoor water displays. Zarian’s focus was less on the lord’s words and more on Arnold’s fascinating actions.
Arnold walked in with brisk steps. He moved around the wooden desk and slapped Cassian with the back of his hand, sending the man tumbling down.
Arnold picked up Cassian and threw the man into the desk, keeping him pinned chest down.
Arnold spoke over the other man’s disagreeable words. “Now, milord. You’re going to act reasonable and give these young people your ear. Then you’re going to follow through with their requests and compensate them for their troubles. In fact, what you have to offer is barely enough for their service, but what you will give will be earnest and reputable.”
Arnold released the Bramblevale Lord and waited for his response. Cassian looked red in the face and ready to argue until he turned blue.
The Bramblevale Lord, a High Rose and cousin to the king, earned himself another backhand to the face. Before he fell back, Arnold grabbed him by the tie, pulled him close, and gave him a third backhand that resounded loudly across the room.
Then Arnold tossed Cassian back onto his desk, leaving the man dazed, and not willing to argue anymore. After Cassian regained some semblance of focus, he slowly slid back and sat on the edge of his chair.
“Nay.” Arnold kicked the chair out from under the Bramblevale Lord and had the man fall. “You will stand. They shall sit if they choose to. For you do not represent yourself fittingly as a good aligned lord of High Rose status. And you are in the presence of Heroes of the Eternal Garden Kingdom with one among them a good +3, which you should’ve known by now.”
“It can’t be true,” Cassian muttered.
“Bianca, do the thing.” Zarian hadn’t stopped grinned since the moment Arnold took charge like a white-suited pimp.
The Light Bringer Child sent a pulse of goodness +3 outward. She bent it around Zarian and Naomi, leaving them unaffected.
Arnold stumbled a little. Cassian tumbled backward as if a heavenly shockwave struck him. The man squirmed against the wall, looking sweaty, desperate, uneasy, and very much in pain.
“What’s wrong with him?” Naomi asked.
“That’s the consequence of betraying your good alignment,” Arnold said. “There are different ways to be good. Just like there are different ways to use evil. But good must stay within a more narrow and consistent path, for that is the way of good. It’s clear that our dear Bramblevale Lord has knowingly committed too many acts that strayed from what is the most basic and orderly of good.”
Arnold waved down at the gasping man. “Now in the presence of good +3, he’s having quite a backlash. This is unique to the good alignment, but it requires a level of goodness like Lady Bianca’s to trigger such. The last person with good +3 died to the gnolls long ago, and there hasn’t been one until you all arrived.”
Arnold shook his head before settling his gaze on Zarian. “I don’t think evil has such an issue, but evil doesn’t truly have a dynamic increase in power compared to good. Only more cunning and fear mongering, I suppose.”
“If I meet someone with higher evil than me, I’ll deal with that somehow. Here and now, I want to watch this thing.” Zarian’s excitement rose. “From up close.”
“I won’t stop you. But I must admit. You are very disturbing for a well-behaved fellow.” Arnold chuckled.
Zarian shrugged before he hurried around the desk. He crouched down next to the gasping and squirming Bramblevale Lord.
The guy looked like he was paying for whatever sins he’d committed in the dark, such as the ones that allowed the Bramblevale Bandits to exist. Oh, yeah, he was suffering a lot.
Zarian’s smile couldn’t get any wider. Thankfully, Naomi was a freak like him. Zarian looked back and saw a big creepy smile on her face. She shared in his weird fixation as they watched Cassian suffer for his sins.
“You guys are being weird,” Bianca whined.
“Shush, do-gooder,” Naomi said, chuckling. “We’re having fun over here.”
“Yes,” Zarian and Para hissed in unison.
Arnold watched the entire interaction with a gleam in his eye. Then he murmured, “My, it’s always quite a story when there is a party of talented adventurers around. But these children might be the grandest and strangest I’ve ever seen.”