The Spinxan military base stood at the eastern edge of the city of Anabia. Its great blue walls rose up to ninety meters into the air and its entrance was built to appear like the head of an eagle and one would need to enter its open beak.
So as someone entered the base, it almost looked they were being swallowed by a great beast. Chris could not fight off the feeling of being dwarfed by this massive structure.
Hamanymu whistled, impressed by the hulking walls, " Now those are some ridiculous walls, no one is breaking through those things without some major fire power."
" That's kind of the point." Chris didn't even need to bring in the magical wards that existed in walls like these. "This thing is meant to protect this area from any attack. Not even our our collective strength could so much as scratch these walls."
Chris would have drunk in even more parts of the outside of this base before he had even seen the base within, but his frustration had grown as it took them nearly a hour to get through all of the six checkpoints.
By the time they exited the other side, his joy and excitement was gone. The base within was a small city around a great fortress at the center, he could see great water bodies and even a large forest.
The number of knights and Ashikage moving around would probably number close to a million. Chris felt at home as he watched them all, moving about like an ant hive. He had rarely spent time in the capital's royal military base, his mother had arranged matters so that he would meet as few knights from the base as possible, while carrying out his duties.
That warm feeling ended though as he felt the eyes of every person within a hundred meter radius fall upon them. Their piercing gazes were not friendly in the slightest and as they moved closer and closer to the base's main building, the much harsher they became.
"Why are they looking at us like that?" Ursa asked, her annoyance from having to be here, rather than at the Runith Institute being replaced by a nervous uneasiness.
"Hell if I know, just ignore them," Hamanymu responded, though his jittery body language showed that even he didn't believe what he was saying.
They were close to the main building when someone stepped in between them and the stairs that led to the entrance.
This fellow was a fae with short curly black hair. He was dressed in a light blue and grey armor which if Chris was being perfectly honest, looked rather antiquated in style. He carried a great iron axe in hand with an air around him that made it feel like he was hoping to use it.
The fae wore a large grin on his face and was looking directly at them. But Chris could not help but feel a scathing mockery behind the Fae's charcoal black teeth.
"Excuse us friend," he said as he tried to go around the fae, but with some fluttering of his wings, the fae flew to his front and blocked them once more.
"We don't want any trouble," Ursa said to him.
She tried to say it playfully but her nervousness burst through her attempt at a disarming chuckle which sounded more like the gurgling of a dying man.
"Of course, why would prince Christian Ddraig, son of Natalia Ddraig, want any trouble." The fae responded, his smile morphing into a halfway sneer.
"Good, then may we pass?" Ursa asked hopefully.
"Sure you can, wouldn't want to keep our dear prince waiting here. I mean you have come from your golden cradle to finally see the rest of us peasants, wouldn't want to see your soft skin get bruised, now would we," The fae said as he took a few steps forward.
Though his attempt at intimidation was a little lacking. Few fae ever reached past the five foot nine inches range in height and this fae was no exception to that. So rather than meeting Chris eye to eye, he had to look upwards.
"I don't remember having caused you any trouble, so let's not do something that is unbecoming of our rank." Chris had lost any pretenses of humility in his voice, though in response the fae started laughing.
"Our rank? I remember earning my rank as knight. In fact i am a second class Aris knight, what of you Ddraig, still third class. Can't imagine patrolling the most protected part of Avalon really helps you earn it, unless beating up common thugs has gotten much harder than I imagined, my plump princeling."
At this point a crowd of onlookers had began gathering around them to see what was happening. The nervousness from so many people focused on him, had been replaced with a cold fury.
" If you think i am a plump princeling, why don't you step forward and find out for your self?" Chris said as he brought his right hand to rest upon the hilt of his sword.
"Oh, you have some balls at least, let's see if all that pampering in the capital readied you for a real fight."
"Chris, don't do this. It is irrational and pointless," Ursa said to him as she grabbed a hold of his hand to stop him from drawing his sword, Lucius-Aurora.
"Let me go Ursa!" Chris snapped as he tried to free himself from her grip.
"Hurry up princeling. Are you not a prince, then why are you letting your servants stop you?" the fae mockingly snapped at him and Chris fought even harder to escape Ursa's grip.
"Look buddy..." Hamanymu tried to speak but the fae brought his fingers to Hamanymu's mouth to silence him.
That was a mistake, something appeared to snap in the eyes of his friend and Chris tried to reach out and stop Hamanymu, but it was too late as his fist was already in mid swing.
The fae saw it coming and though he tried to pull his head back in order to protect himself, but it was already too late as the right hook collided with the side of his face and it sent the fae stumbling back.
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" You son of a..." the fae roared in outrage, his lip cut and scarlet life blood tickling out of the cut.
He raised his axe and he tried to swing it at Hamanymu who drew out his own basket hilted broadsword. Both weapons collided and the sound of their clash reverberated across the area as the earth beneath them cracked from the force of their blows.
"That's enough, the both of you!" a strong voice roared, bringing an end to what was about to erupt into a bloody fight.
From the stairs descended a old man, though he carried himself with the air of a much younger man. His brown skin contrasted his vibrant yellow and green robe. He had a flowing mane of grey hair which almost seemed to dance about in the strong winds.
"Aris Troezen, what in Leza's name do you think you are doing, boy!?" the man demanded before he angrily snapped his head to Hamanymu "And you, this is Spinxan, you shall show it some damn respect. If your hands are in need of excises, then you and Aris Troezen shall find that accommodated through polishing this garrison's armor!"
" But..." Hamanymu tried to argue but he was silenced by the cold glare of the man.
Seeing his friend's attempted argument die in his lips, Chris decided to step up and introduce himself.
"Imparetor Monze, I..."
"I am aware of who you are my prince, and as your teams leader, I feel the need to admonish you for your teammate's behavior, have better control of him next time," the Imparetor cut him off before walking towards the entrance to the building while saying " Aris Troezen, please take your new garrison mate to the armory to polish everything there until the sun goes down, and Aris Ddraig, i will speak to you in my office, alone!"
Chris didn't even have to turn to face Ursa as he knew that the comment on meeting the Imparetor alone had sent her scampering off to the Runith Institute.
The confirmation that he needed came as he heard her voice growing ever distant shouting "I am going to Runith, I will be back soon."
He sighed as he turned to Hamanymu who shared a look of annoyance with him before walking off with Troezen who he kept sharing glares with.
With the last of his teammates leaving, the young prince turned and walked towards the entrance of the main building to meet the Imparetor who was in charge of it all.
XXXXXX
The office was located at the top highest level of the central tower of the fortress. Chris would be lying if he said following the Imparetor in cold silence up ten floor of stairs was in anyway a fun experience.
He breathed a sigh of relief as they finally reached the last floor which had only one door awaiting them.
"Welcome to my humble abode," Imparetor Monze declared as he opened the door and they both walked into the room.
The office was a large room, almost big enough to serve as small house. It had two large windows that allowed a constant fresh stream of air, massive bookshelves on both sides holding multiple weathered books. Its walls had multiple beautiful paintings that showed legendary scenes from the Spinxan's history, its greatest warriors in their moments of brilliance as well as all of it's past Imperators.
Imparetor Monze walked to his desk and sat upon his chair. The desk was cleanly and methodically arranged with books and ledgers, though as soon as Chris sat down two white cups with the unmistakable brownish substance known as tea materialised from thin air upon the desk.
"Impressive trick, " he thought as he waited for the Imparetor to take up a cup before he followed suit.
" Imparetor, please forgive me and my team's behavior today," he said.
The Imparetor scoffed as he took a sip of the tea before saying, "Not that much to forgive, I came just in time to see Troezen make a fool of himself. I swear with that boy, he is an ass to just about everyone who has the misfortune of meeting him. The boy is in need of a good beating, but that beating is not up to you or your friend, in broad daylight at least."
Chris was taken aback at the Imparetor's implication and he cautiously asked, " Are you saying that it would be okay for us to beat up Troezen, when no one is looking?"
After seeping some more of his tea, the old warrior responded with a smile saying, "I would prefer not to definitively answer that question."
Out of the open window the flapping of wings could be heard as a large bird the size of a hound flew into the room. Its feathers were a brilliant gold gold and vibrant blue which shimmered under the sun's touch.
Chris recognized the bird instantly, it was an Annzûh, a storm bird that could very easily electrify you and if gathered in large numbers would create truly terrifying storms.
The Annzûh dropped the thing folded in its mighty talons, on to the table. It was a a thick piece of paper and the Annzûh flew out once more out of the window.
" Quite a beautiful beast," Chris said as he looked at it departing.
"Kilila, he is a magnificent bird, a pity he won't stop trying to mate with every female Annzûh in a twenty kilometer radius," the Imparetor responded as he undid the folded paper.
"Ah, the Daily Messenger," Imparetor Monze said with all the contempt of someone who had just met their worst enemy.
Chris didn't need to think of why as he saw the headlines- War Intensifies, Is King Roland Too Afraid To Act?. And under the headline was a drawing of super deformed version of his father pissing his pants in fear.
"Bloody journalists, they are more blood thirsty for this war than even the most extreme amongst us," Chris snapped.
"Them and some people in the public, acting as if we didn't all die from reality collapsing two years ago. How the hell anyone would want to enter the meat grinder of the Lunar empire and the Ocean Lords spat out there is beyond me," Imparetor Monze replied.
"Well if the war truly does start, remind me to campaign to have them drafted to front lines since they want it so badly, " he said drawing a chuckle from the Spinxan Imparetor.
"I very much intend to," Monze responded as he fought to stop himself from bursting out into a hysterical laugh "Now, enough kicking of the media. We must discuss why you are here."
" Provincial Minister Abeth wanted a full royal intervention within Anabia. She believes that the Night Terror activity in this region has gotten out of hand," Chris said as he reached into the pouch upon his belt and he pulled out a rolled up paper with the royal seal upon it.
The Imparetor placed his cup down and he received it. The seal was broken and he soon read the contents of the paper.
Imparetor Monze sneered and he looked ready to spit upon the ground in contempt. " That damn politician, she did not inform me of this. Her constant political squabbling with the cities mayor has led her to this overreach, just to send a message?! "
" The Provincial Minister is in competition with the mayor?" the young prince asked in surprise.
"Of course, mayor Tanut is furiously against many of Abeth's developmental programs, and a few of her lackeys in the city council have been removed. I think her wanting a royal military presence here is to send a message to the mayor that she has strong ties with the capital."
Chris felt a heaviness upon his shoulder, he didn't like dealing with politics and the play ground level shenanigans that took part within it. But when you are a prince, you always found yourself dealing with them, regardless of how exhausting it would be.
" And this is why I am happy to be the second born, " he thought.
"The court sent me here to observe the situation. If the provincial ministers fears are without warrant, then I shall return to the capital and the court shall be more cautious of taking the provincial minister's security fears over the Imparetors," he said hoping to smooth over his relationship with Monze.
"So be it, I assume that you will want a high command?" Imparetor Monze asked him.
" I am an Aris Knight fourth class, I am afraid that it is I who should be under command. Simply put me and my team under a few expeditions for a week and that will be enough."
" That would work fine. I have a expedition to guard some anthropologists deep into Athdargan in three days. "
Christian Ddraig had not felt much approaching pure elation in a long time and he was almost tempted to begin dancing from the euphoric sensation within his heart. What a fool the young prince had been.