Chris glared forward, his face was an unchanging mask of stone. His piercing gaze shot forward but it was met with an equally unchanging face that looked back at him in some contest of personalities trying to establish their dominance over the other.

"Will you two stop it already!" Ursa snapped at him from the side.

"Only if he stands down." Chris responded as he kept his eyes focused upon the older Vortiguard standing before him.

"I am afraid that I can't do that my prince. Not while you refuse your birthright," the Vortiguard responded with a gruff voice that mixed with his massive elvish frame made look like a stone wall brought to life.

"You can't be serious, my birthright is to be a prince, yes, but it does not instantly allow me to jump rank when there are higher ranked Knights and Asikari standing here." he responded as he looked at every other Knight and Asikari who stood around them.

These elder warriors did not dare meet his gaze and other than the Vortiguard, they all found something interesting on the ground and the eternal nights sky of this realm of the shade.

"You could spend less time arguing and just do accept it. You only need to act as our representative when speaking to these Mizihimo." the surprising voice of Pyrrha Ulster cut through the sea of tension taking Chris aback, he had almost forgotten that she was here to be honest.

"Besides, the troops need some kind of symbol to rally behind," she continued with a plea laced in her voice.

The young prince looked around in exasperation from his friends to the ten high ranking military men and women who stood before him, but none of them came to his defense.

It had been four hours since he had awoken upon this place and he had just spent the last one and a half hours trying not to get voted into the leadership of this crew of no more than seven hundred remaining troops.

The discussion had been taken away from the gathering of troops who were a hundred metres away from them, being tended to by the lesser Mizihimo.

He had tried to bring up Avalonian military protocol which was clear that as a third class Aris rank Knight, he was in no way eligible to order around a bunch of Aris first classes and Arumus who ranked above him. But none of them were having any of it and Chris felt that pit which had been growing in his stomach get even wider.

Truth be told he was secretly afraid of the position being thrust in his hands. He was still nineteen years old, he was not some veteran who would easily manage to lead seven hundred soldiers in this situation, he could barely lead his own team.

But that mixture of pride and fear stopped him from just spilling his true thoughts to the others around him. His sense despair grew as he looked at Ursa and she seemed to have joined those who could not meet his face.

Hamanymu and Thor actually met his gaze and they both beamed with pride and sent four thumbs up his way. He felt sick as he thought about how his friends probably thought that this something that was good for him, when he thought the total opposite.

He returned to facing the Vortiguard, the man who should have been leading them, but the white and gold Knight was adamant that it had to be Chris to lead them.

Finally like a bunker under constant bombardment, he sighed and he spoke, "Fine, I will accept this."

A deep breath of relief passed amongst the others and the Vortiguard beamed with pride at his actions, all the while the young prince wished to take a shot at his face.

"We have come to a decision Mano-Nzelu, I will speak on behalf of my people." he spoke to the thin air,but he knew that the spirit had heard him.

The world around them began to shift and wash away like sand being blown away by a great gust of wind. This casual altering of reality was so unnerving to observe that Chris subconsciously moved his hand to the hilt of Lucius-Aurora.

They found themselves not in the beautiful fields, but in a great building with a ceiling that stretched close to eighty meters into the air. The rest of the room was a massive library that seemed to stretch out about as far as the eye could see.

Thousands of bookshelves were stuffed with all sorts of books and scrolls within. The smell of ancient paper was so overpowering that it's sudden rush into his nose made Chris feel a bit light headed.

All around this great library he saw many Mizihimo similar to Mano-Nzelu walking about. Some took out books while others ordered the shelves, some read their books in solitude whilst others discussed amongst themselves and some more were inking away at open books with handwritings so extravagant he could not help but feel a stab of jealousy.

The shelves before them begun to move around as if pulled aside by invisible ropes. The moved shelves had cleared a pathway to the purple Mizihimo who sat in a pile of books with his four hands holding some more books that he appeared to be reading at the same time.

"One hell of a power move," Chris nervously thought as he realised what was happening.

Mano-Nzelu could have warped them right to him, but he needed to make a display of his power in this place. He wanted them to know who had the power in this interaction.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

With a sigh, Chris took his steps forward with others in tow. As soon as they were within a few meters of the Mizihimo, Mano-Nzelu spoke first, though he didn't seem to take his attention off the books.

"So, you are a child of the line of Ddraig?"

"Yes, I am Christian Ddraig."

Mano-Nzelu sighed but he still did not move his head from the four books in his face. "This is going to be a serious problem."

"Why would that be a problem?" Pyrrha asked and Chris almost jumped out his skin in suprise . He didn't know why, but he had kept forgetting about her.

"You people," Mano-Nzelu muttered in disappointment. "You can live to five hundred years, and yet you seem to have forgotten the war fought in this very realm by his grandparents... Infact it was fought by all your ancestors almost three thousand years ago."

""You mean the War of Magics?" Ursa asked and Chris didn't doubt that she had read about already.

"Is that what you mortals call it?" Mano-Nzelu asked them in suprise. "I do suppose that it is better than what we call it. The years of punishment is far more silly name than the War of Magics."

Every Avalonian knew of this war, the first true war Avalon faced since it's founding. The war that had only come to be from Mizihimo agrassion because they hated that the New Magic which his grandparents had introduced was overtaking theirs amongst the people. The very same magic that after three millennia of upgrades granted them their enhanced lives and strength.

"I don't have any intention on digging up old wounds," Chris said as a chuckle escaped Mano-Nzelu's mask.

"Your very presence does that. Many lost their clans and families in the war.... it was quite a horrible time," the purple Mizihimo spoke with a cold gravitas to his voice.

"We made peace in the end and besides, didn't many of your current leaders rise up to help us?" he asked the spirit entity.

"They mostly did that to userp the previous leaders. Besides, the peace treaty banned you Avalonians from entering the deep Shade...." Mano-Nzelu responded, though he muttered something at the end of his sentence which Chris could not understand.

"We didn't have much of a choice in that. Our enemies trickery brought us here and we would be more than happy to depart as soon as possible," Chris grumbled back.

"It matters little, you must find yourselves a high lord who will grant you protection before some of my brethren realise that you are truly here. Avalonians are hated here, but the grandchild of the man and woman who not only broke our power but marched their armies through here, now that would a grand prize for many," the spirit continued on with a predatory lust in his voice.

Chris fought off the urge to bring Lucius-Aurora from its scabbard, he suspected this was some kind of test and it wasn't worth it to antagonise the master of this subrealm.

"Aren't you a high lord?" Chris asked as calmly as he could. He had seen multiple lesser Mizihimo and he knew that Mano-Nzelu was a higher authority than any other Mizihimo that he saw here.

Mano-Nzelu burst out laughing, "I am no lord, I am a simple chief of this library. My lord Kuziba-Nzelu is the true Lord of forbidden knowledge."

Chris felt a piece of hope beginning to grow in his heart as he heard the name of Mano-Nzelu's Lord.

"May we meet your Lor..." Chris never fully finished his words as something hard collided into his back.

He was launched off his feet and sent flying through multiple bookshelves. He only stopped this impromptu flight when he collided with the nearest wall. He slumped to the ground with a tunning fork ringing madly in his skull.

Chris staggered back to his feet and he looked where he had once stood. Standing in his place were a group of Mizihimo unlike any that he had seen before, these creature were demons of black smoke and fire.

Many bore great spears and their voices were like the sound of wood being consumed by fire. Standing at their head was a Mizihimo greater than any, for this beast stood at six metres with great wings of smoke that chocked all around it.

In its hands it bore a great red sword and shield that it used to battle not just the Avalonians but also the Mizihimo of the library who let loose bolts of green energy upon this entity.

Though many of its brethren engaged the others with a raging fury, allowing it to lumber through any defender who was not occupied by its minions.

It's three eyes held a piercing gaze of pure hatred as they rested upon him and the giant began lumbering towards him, each step that it took leaving molten rock in its wake.

"Why can't I catch a damn break, " he thought as he drew Lucius-Aurora from its scabbard and he prepared to meet this monster.

It roared in a language that he did not recognize but he returned a roar in defience. The demon roared once more and the beast charged him with its blade raised overhead and he followed in suit.

Lucius-Aurora and the great red sword clashed ear piercing bang. The force that reverberated through the blades almost knocked Chris down to both knees. He had not expected the strength which this beast packed and had he not planted himself firmly with each exchange, he would have been knocked aside.

The demon spat some unknown words which Chris suspected was an insult or some kind of taunt or an insult. Whatever it was, he could not let it go unanswered.

"Up yours as well buddy!" Chris shouted as he side stepped another swing from the great red sword and narrowly avoiding the object that burned the very air from its intensity.

He raised his hand and shot out a wave of ice that encased the lower half of the demons body in a hope to smother its flames. And though the ice was near instantly melted into a puddle, the demon roared in clear pain from the touch of frost.

The world around him became hotter as if to reflect this beasts rage. It began advancing with its sword being swung wildly forcing him to continuously backstep. It's sword came close and Chris instinctively raised Lucius-Aurora to parry the blow.

But he had not planted his feet firmly into the earth and so when the force was imparted into his body, it launched him into the roof and onto the ground with a sickening thud.

Even though his entire body burned with an intense pain, Chris managed to scramble onto his feet. He could see the blade coming down, but it did not reach him as another demon of fire had taken the blow.

This second creature was a giant elf. It's hair was living fire, while it's teeth were shark like fangs, it's fingers had black claws that could easily rend flesh open and most surprising of all, this creature was Pyrrha Ulster.

Chris could not believe the physical transformation that the elf had undergone. This possible Alpha-Spell had granted her the size and strength to match the demon in a contest of strength.

"Step aside girl!" the demon roared in anger, finally speaking a tongue that he understood. It tried it's best to push her aside, but Pyrrha held her ground with a viscous smile on her face.

"Make me monster, you won't hurt my friend," she responded with gravely voice.

"Enough!" a new voice shouted through the room and Chris felt a strange power reverberate through the very air, as if reality itself was being forced to obey.

Pyrrha and the fire demon both became stiff and as if someone had taken control of their bodies and made them simple puppets, they disengaged and walked away from eachother.

"Mulalo, son of Zuba, what exactly are you doing here. Your lord Kazuba will most displeased to hear of this act of naked agrassion in a realm not your own." a new green Mizihimo stated as it flew through the air.

"And so would your lord, Gradvan," the fire demon spat out as it tried to wrestle back control of its body. "Now unleash me and let our long overdue vengeance be fulfilled. The blood of that bastard, Ddraig is here."

"Mulalo son of Zuba, my lord and Mano-Nzelu's lord are of accord that if you do not piss off from here, I have the right to rip you into so many pieces that you won't be able to reconstitute yourself for the next ten millennia." this new Mizihimo responded with a dangerous sharpness to their voice.

"How dare you!" the fire demon now identified as Mulalo shouted. " You and your clans have always been cowards and traitors. Snakes in the grass who would rather bow to these mortals than..."

"Okay, that is enough," the green Mizihimo muttered with a annoyed tone. "Mano-Nzelu, if you would be so kind."

"It is my pleasure," the four armed Mizihimo still had a layer of anger in his voice.

He then began making multiple gestures with each hand, Chris could see the green threads of magic forming into a tapestry of a complex spell. Every single fire Mizihimo in the room began roaring in indignation as their flames were smothered by an invisible force and the smoke that remained was blown out of the library.

"Do not worry young lady Ursa, he did not kill them" the green Mizihimo's words took him aback and Chris quickly turned to face Ursa who looked as shocked as he felt.

"You... you are Gradvan, Williams Animus," she whispered in awe.

"Don't be silly young lady. William is my human, not the other way around."

"Who are you, why did you help us?" Chris asked, drawing Gradvans attention to him.

"I am Gradvan, herald of Avaroth the Mizihimo of the winds and my lord remembers his friends in Avalon. But we should not dally here, your presence has been felt and it is only a matter of time before some more fools come for head." Gradvan turned around a door materialised upon the wall which he was facing. "You should come along".

"Come along to where?" he cautiously asked.

"Why, to the place where your parents are being held by your enemies... the Nexus of Narratives."