Quest 2, Part 14: [The stage is ready...]
Without a word the two of us walk into a resting room and after closing the door shut I cast an aura barrier around the walls. It’s true that most such rooms are warded against listening in or magic interferation but my personal touch is more like a failsafe to warn me if anything happens to them. Those toys were made by a hundreds of mages worth of mana, me trying to add to its strength now is pointless.
I can feel that her aura around her is strange and dry, something must have happened that made her look so. I feel like these new… sensations I’ve got are becoming natural. It almost feels like I was born with a 360 degree perfect percepcion. Although I know that this is something that should frighten me, instead it has a calming effect. Similar to when you had a bad day, you are tired and fall asleep to wake up refreshed. You feel like you are a different person. You can think faster, react faster and you feel much better. It’s as if last day the previous you was only a small, limited part of the true you.
I guess this makes no sense, as I’m currently a super me. I prefer myself this way, sadly.
The two of us sit down in front of each other and I ready myself for the sudden shout that might come at me. I wouldn’t be surprised if all this is just a prank. To my dismay, it turns out that it isn’t.
“So. Two things. One half good, one bad. Which do you want to hear first?” Knowing that when someone starts a conversation like this means bad, I impatiently make her spit it out.
“Stop with your wordplays. Just say it.” I bluntly say, making her sigh.
“Heol Tailon and Rotko Pletze have fallen on the battlefield.”
Cold. The whole room went cold around me. I guess even someone like me who considers herself heartless, a person without emotion, can feel occasionally. Strange, this feeling. I feel like that little thing broke in me, again. How come, I care about someone I’ve only seen a few times? I thought after giving such a hard punishment to Rotko without him actually being at fault I didn’t care about them. But it’s clearly not like that.
I let out a small creepy laugh, but my eyes state otherwise. Of course, I have forgotten. They are all my old characters, fragments of my personalities. I know exactly when and what and how they feel, because they were created by the depths of my mind. I remember all the fun and hard times they lived in their entire lives, because I was the one who actually lived them. All of them are a clone of my own self and emotions.
And those fake emotions are still there.
That idiot made a mistake and released my dragon because I made him idiot. I punished him because that was the best way to ease the fear and anger the population felt. Taking advantage of his mistake I gained much more than I originally could have. Knowing how sad he felt. How disappointed he was not in me but in himself. In the end, I forgotten about him and never visited him. I never consoled him. Did he die in the field trying to prove that he was still useful? He was idot enough for that. Yeah, I’m sure.
However. How cloud Taelon die? He is… was among the oldest and strongest individuals. He could single handedly kill a thousand of those weakling soldiers that attacking us. Why? How?
“Ho-, [...] -how did they.. die?” Only at this point is when I realise how much my voice is shaking from the anger I feel. Or is it sadness? I don’t know the difference.
“Tailon had the order to destroy a special weapon unit that tried to outflank one of the forward groups secretly -well, it’s a given move considering how few we are- and got the short end of the stick. Similar to the weapon you have found at the rebel’ hideout but it had slightly greater range and power. He died instantly. His unit was destroyed, of course not before they destroyed all our prototype weapons. The self destroy function provided to be useful. They made sure to not let them get even a single one.
After that, they striked at the forward unit from the side which Rotko lead. He had his men fall back and stalled for time, all alone, disobeying the orders given to him.”
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The two of us sit in silence for while as I slowly take the information in. It is certainly hard to digest, with all these strange emotions stirred in the pot.
“What about the other thing you mentioned?” She smiles weakly at me at the sudden question. I guess it’s not easy for her either. If these two things can be mentioned in the same page then…
“We received a letter. An offer of opening peace talks with 9 countries surrounding us. It’s strange, since only 3 countries border us, isn’t it? They even “permit” it to be held in our very own city. I guess most of your plans were wasted.”
To this I almost slightly chuckle, but because my still lingering anger it sounds like growling.
“It’s a shame. It’s like a rabid wolf attacking a dragon. I guess they messed up my plans, but only sped up the process. Oh, wait. That projector magical device is still not finished, I guess we will have to use an even older plan.
Invite them and provide them a supper that will make the world tremble. We start plan Starfall. Order the crystals to be set up by the time those arrogant idiots arrive. I’ll write it down in a minute what should the invitation contain.”
I summon a quill, a bottle of ink and paper from my inventory. To note, I have simple pens, but I’m the type of person who always goes all out. I’m The Princess, after all.
‘Invitation to the 7th Aging Time ball,
At the time this letter is written, 406 year of the Second Founding, 4th moon, second night, I hereby invite all those who are officially these documents are given, [9 names listed] and as per by the constitution I permit enter to all husbands/wives of the invited, 3 other adult companion (including those of chaperon status) and 5 chosen children (not older than 16 year 1 moon) to represent the next generation.
For the sake of cultivating the next generation’s talent and letting them experience opportunities all countries expected to bring at least 2 of them, stated by the rules of the first Aging Time ball.
Held in the city of Aurora, Grand Palace, Second Wing, Mirror Hall at the 406 year of the Second Founding, 4th moon, tenth night.
May life be never ending, but let the suffering and pain die before us.
Princess Aurora Rose Juliet, founder of the nation. ‘
I’m giving them only so little time. One day for the birds to get there, 6 to rush with all they have and the last to let them proudly walk in while swearing quietly. As for why can I predict they will do as I plan? Because I invited them to something they only heard of in legends. Passed down by their grandfathers, that only the few most powerful could even hear of it, that this event happen only 6 times in the past 600 year of history, and lastly all of these events marked the beginning of new era induced by a great change that affected the world.
Even if they know little about dignity, none of them is stupid enough to not witness and try to profit from such opportunity. Besides, this is a perfect excuse for them to see the price they are trying to steal with their very eyes for the first time. Never was anyone from outside permitted to enter officially. Greed and curiosity, the two force that shaped the world most. Some argued about a third, love, but I prefer not talking about uselessly stupid statements. That is simply a byproduct and is nowhere near of the main two.
The strange legends left behind shocked me when I read about them in the library. In reality, these balls were held after every large patch that came out. Only the highest ranking, best and trusted could come so that we could exchange information with each other in a realistic way. This way the best secrets did not leak to the forums while we could safely trade information with each other and all could gain benefits.
New dungeons, raids, monsters, secret lore missions. But behind the scenes was I, listening to everything. Not a single whisper could be hidden from me as I was able to hear everything thanks to the record and replay function of the Mirror Hall. Evil, isn’t it? I, who gave the chance to everyone to be equal and fair, stole every single thing so that we could stay at the top. Oh, such great times. The only one who knows about this information is me. Not even the guild members knew. My belief is that two can only keep a secret if one of them is dead. Also, they would oppose the idea, of course, for whatever reason.
In the eyes of those kings, queens, ministers and whatever else they are, I suffer one of the greatest shame for the sake of the survival of my people. If they win the war most people will be turned into slaves and the riches will be plundered. Since most countries hate other races, complete massacre is a possible outcome.
I admit, knowing how they see me feels sickening. But I play this card, because this way they will do exactly as I say. I invite those who have to most power in their country and a few other so that the they can send their own chosen representatives too. They can only follow my will or suffer from the shame and disgust they receive from the other invited.
The need of the participation of the children is actually a lie, but a convenient one. Most countries do so to let them learn and show off in front of each other. Of course they are excluded from the boring adult talk, at least the two age groups are separated by the unspoken etiquette. The youth are always at the east side, representing the new day, as the future generation. How troublesome these noble customs are. I had to actually read a few books and learn it.
I levitate the paper with the irreversible future on it to my closest "friend" while looking in the very depths of her eyes.
Yes, even you are a part of me and I won’t hesitate to look into your head anymore. I know how you think, I know what you think, Neth. I’m not afraid anymore.