Originally uploaded May 23, 2023

Seris Pov

I sat in a overly exuberant throne, dressed in a formal black battle dress, which seemed to make my pearly white hair glow. My Retainer, Cylrit was standing right behind me. Almost akin to a vigilant guardian. Dressed in a simple armor that matched my dress, his handsome face rigid like stone.

The other Retainers in the room stood the same, just behind their respective Scythe who were each seating in the same throne around a large table made of marble.

The only one missing was Uto. I should be pleasantly happy, his thin and spindly appearance wasn't the most comforting. Purposefully choosing a nightmarish appearance was rare among our ranks. But his efficiency made him hard to ignore.

The white marble was polished to a shine, with stylized golden cracks running up and around the whole slab.

All the Scythes seemed annoyed to be present, it was indeed rare for all of them, including their Retainers to be present. The growing war effort did not making it any easier. I wasn't certain but it is given that each person here has their own operations they were busy with.

The only one that wasn't sitting was Cadell. He stood tall, his arms behind his back. As if he was tasked with watching over us. His own Retainer was standing by his side. But it was hard to notice her with Cadell oppressive aura.

He was always different from the other Scythes. Hailing directly from Central Dominion. He was already under Agrona's wing when I rose to the position of Scythe. He come in his current position as a Scythe until recently, but even before that his strength, both physically and politically was undeniable.

Him being Agrona's closest confidant and right hand was well known among the every Alacryan citizen. There were even whispers that Cadell was made aware of secrets even most of the other sovereigns didn't know.

Perhaps he deems Cadell the perfect tool. Strong enough to get the job done but still weak enough for him to be not seen as a threat.

Obviously this did not stop certain Scythe's futile attempts for the High Sovereign's favor. Seeing this war as a chance to prove themselves to him. The utter fools.

I have seen them myself. The things Agrona's inner circle will do to achieve their goals. He only came to Alacrya with a singular goal in mind. Even actions most would deem altruistic he only did to further his long-term plans. Seizing the asuran throne.

"So why did you call me here?" Dragoth spoke first in an annoyed tone, reclined back in his throne with his eyes closed. Making it sound as if he was the only one who had better things to do. He was the most carefree of the Scythes, not caring much for pleasantries or social norms.

"We all have important things to do Dragoth, don't speak as if you are the only one worth a damn." Viessa hissed, her void black eyes narrowing into little slits. Resembling a viper that was about to strike if further provoked.

The change of mana levels in the room was palpable. And Dragoth exerted his own power to match Viessa's

Before they could start bickering again Cadell's low voice cut through the room.

"The High Sovereign called for you all." He said, only moving his mouth, still standing at attention like a stone statue.

"Oh? And for what reason has his exalted majesty called for all of us to gather here?" Dragoth asked with clear snark in his voice with his eyebrows raised.

While there wasn't a clear ranking among the Scythes, there was a unspoken hierarchy. With Cadell acting as Agrona's voice. For any normal citizen speaking in such a matter would be an instant death sentence. The legal system seeing it as an affront to not only a Scythe but the Sovereigns themselves.

Not the most fair law system, but this is what happens when beings seen as gods are in charge.

"This." Cadell spoke, and his Retainer moved. In her hands appeared a small brown satchel. Seemingly made of a heavy-duty fabric. She placed it in the middle of the table with a thud.

"What is this?" Dragoth growled, clearing growing impatient.

"See for yourself." Lyra snapped sharply. Her fire-like red hair seemingly moving like actual live flames for just a split-second. Before they died down as Dragoth cast a cold gaze towards her.

She might be Cadell's Retainer, but she was a Retainer nonetheless.

Dragoth reached out with his large arms. And proceeded to open the satchel, revealing the contents to himself.

His face grew grim, then turned to anger as he faced Cadell. Standing up to his full height as the two Scythes stared eye-to-eye.

"What is the meaning of this?" He growled, dark mist of void type mana swirling around his fingertips.

"Can't you tell what this is?" Cadell said with a tired sigh. He then walked up to the table and faced all of us. Completely ignoring his infuriated comrade.

"Several weeks ago one of our supply depos in Dicathen was destroyed. It was one of our major bases of operations on that continent. Guarded by high-ranking soldiers and notable bloods." Cadell began, and nobody dared to interrupt him. Dragoth was still standing but it didn't seem like there would be a murder today.

"There were no survivors. But among the wreckage salvage teams discovered this with a note."

Cadell dumped the contents of the bag. A round object fell, hitting the table multiple times before coming to rest.

It was a severed head. The skin was pale, no doubt due to the lack of blood. The face was frozen forever in a expression of fear and shock. The once ruby-like red eyes was glazed over and dull. Two sad stumps jutted out of the top where the horns should have been.

It was disfigured but it was clear who is was. Retainer Uto.

The room went silent. Many of the members simply staring at the head in surprise.

"It seems we have underestimated Dicathen." Viessa was the one who finally spoke after a prolonged silence.

Yes, it would seem so. We had spies planted nearly everywhere in Dicathen. Even my own apprentice was chosen to go undercover. We had a firm grasp of their magic system and military prowess. And Uto wasn't a moron. He would have been smart with his movements and actions.

But here he was. Well, to be exact one part of him. This would mean that Dicathen had something or someone capable of dealing with a Retainer.

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'The Lances? No, if they had killed a Retainer they would have used it for propaganda and we would have heard about it by now. Not to mention that we have charted their strength and Uto would have had no problem with one or even two of them at once. No, they were purposefully hiding something.'

"The note would seem that this was a personal endeavor by only a few individuals." Lyra spoke in Cadell's stead.

"And the note said?" Dragoth asked coldly, his anger nowhere to be seem.

"It simply read 'You're next'." Lyra answered curtly.

Dragoth scoffed. "Seems like we have someone who wants to play hero?"

Cadell just stood silently and watched. It wouldn't surprise me if he knew more than he was showing. Perhaps he even knows who or what killed Uto.

The simple wording of the note made it seem as if it was personal. As if the person or group of people knew and held a grudge against the Scythes.

If it was a weapon of some sort I need to get my hands on it before Agrona or any of the other Scythes did. A weapons of that strength couldn't just be ignored. If it was a person or multiple people, it would suggest that Dicathen has more hidden cards to play then we originally presumed.

Seems like even Scythes are no longer safe. This would no doubt raise tensions among our peers. If Dicathen has the abilities to threaten our Retainers, or even us Scythes... One wrong move, one misplaced piece, it could spell the end of any one of us.

Many of the other Sovereigns will see this as a opportunity to seek favor with Agrona, or simple overpower competing dominions who are weakened without their Retainer and Scythe.

Agrona won't stop any of it. He only cares about his own personal goals. As long as they aren't compromised he will leave us lessers to suffer our fate.

Perhaps this mystery factor from Dicathen could be of some use to me.

Varay Pov

The narrow corridors of the castle were exploding with activity. Behind me, multiple deployments of soldiers marched in lockstep as I made my way to the cell.

A large explosion emanating from the cell block had kicked the entire flying fortress into a frenzy. Civilians and nobles were screaming and desperately trying to flee. While the guards and soldiers were trying to maintain some order.

Before I even fully made my way to the cell I felt the cold whips of outside air. Turning the corner I saw the damage.

The entire wall of the prison block was blasted off. Leaving a gaping hold in the side of the castle. I could clearly see the light blue sky with clouds floating just above.

And I saw him, the man from the attack on Xyrus. Who has evaded our agents. There were rumors of a very similar man with the same mask, going by the name of Grey who had ties to the adventurers guild. Despite this, after we poured over all of the guild's files and documents there wasn't a single page on him. We only knew of his supposed name, which wasn't within our records. It was as if he didn't exist at all. Appearing out of thin air.

But he was right in front of us. Donning a simple brown cloak, his white mask that covered his face, with only his liquid gold eyes peering through.

He stood there. Seemingly standing on the very air. He wasn't flying, or at least how the other Lances flew. He did not exert any force on the surrounding mana. In fact, he emitted little to no mana signature. It was as if even the mana was afraid to touch him.

I took a step back, trying to find my bearings. There was a giant wyvern right next to him, each flap of its massive wings creating a gale of wind. And upon its back was a woman. Her simply grey robes, the same as the one we issued to prisoners. I didn't even need to see her face.

Who else would they go through such efforts to recover.

And a bright purple portal appeared behind them. It gaping maw, like that of a starved creature. I then noticed a figure upon the winged creature's back.

Cynthia Goodsky, she was a special case. Originally a spy turned traitor. It wasn't the most optimal situation for her. One wrong move and both sides would want her head. Which did raise the question. If this Grey person was of Alacryan origin why wouldn't they just simply assassinate her?

Wouldn't that be a much cleaner solution and tied up all the loose ends? Why would they stage a direct attack to our flying fortress to recover a defected spy?

I pushed all those thoughts from my mind. As I faced down Grey.

With one wave of his hands, purple particles appeared. Seemingly heeding his command as the air behind them ripped open. And appeared a purple portal. Appearing more like the gaping maw of some animal then portal gates we used.

With a single strong flap of his wings the wyvern entered the portal. Swallowed by it.

I knew I could have stopped them, stop him. Grey. Many eyewitness reports stated him being the savior on that day.

Appearing out of nowhere and killing every single Alacryan and traitor mage. A feat I hardly believed.

If he was a Dicathen then why wouldn't he be well-known for his strength? With that kind of power he could have very easily lived a comfy life as an adventurer or mage for hire. Not to mention him facing off against all of the Lances at once.

A feat only an asura was capable of. The only plausible scenario we believe was that he was some Alacryan agent. Sent to muddle and confuse us. While there was no real good justification for this it would explain his feat of strength. Being some kind of Vritra mix-blood.

I urged my limbs to move. To rush towards him and to stop him. But my body refused. As if some primal instinct had taken over my body and was telling me to flee. If felt as if a greater predator was bearing down at me.

His golden eyes was locked with mine. And they almost seemed to have a hypnotizing effect, as I was drawn deeper into his gaze. The gaze of a hardened soul, someone who has seen unimaginable things and lived multiple lifetimes. A higher being.

My thoughts were interrupted as the air around us cracked, caused by the sudden change in air pressure. Grey was knocked backwards with incredible force even I could feel the aftershock.

And a figure floated down into view. His black battle robes fluttering in the wind with his long white hair tied neatly back. With his arms behind his back he exuded authority and power.

"Lord Aldir." I spoke, sounding more weak than I had hoped. Only now noticing that I was holding my breathe.

He extend one arm, signalling me to stay back. And with his reassurance a wave of relieve washed over me.

All of the Lances have had an opportunity to spare with Lord Aldir. We didn't even stand the slightest chance, even when he held back. It was akin to a father training his young child. Giving us pointers and telling us where we could improve.

Grey and Aldir stared at each other. Both of them emitting a unbearable pressure that seemed to deafen their surroundings.

Grey was the first to move, blinking out of existence and appearing right behind Aldir in a flash of violet lightning.

In his hand materialized a purple blade. In return Aldir drew his silver rapier in nearly unobservable speed. And in movements even I had problems following they traded blows.

Each slash was parried, each faint was expected. Every single clash of their blades sent shock-waves that shook the entire castle.

Grey was keeping up with Lord Aldir. His moves even seemed similar to the asuras own movements. They way he minimized his own movements to save energy and hasten his attacks. Moving at such speed that it seemed as if they both had multiple sets of limbs.

Aldir's rapier seemed to grow and shorten at will, as if it had a mind of its own. Changing sizes to accommodate its master's needs. While Grey's weapon seemed to be pulsing with an alien energy. Aldir exerted a sickening amount of mana. Both from his body and his weapon. It bore down on us all like a large weight. But Grey's was completely different.

Aldir seemed surprised at first. Perhaps this was a rare moment where he could enjoy the fight. I had some inkling to how respected Lord Aldir was even among the asuras based on how Lord Windsom referred to him. But as Aldir raised his own speed and power Grey matched them perfectly, blinking in and out of existence. Appearing and disappearing at will.

He wasn't on the defensive, he was actually trading blows with an asura. A being heralded as a god. Capable of destroying this entire fortress if he wanted. Capable of leveling cities and mountains. And here was this person nobody had ever heard of matching him.

This was a fight between gods.

Aldir rapier extended itself, taking on the form of a silver whip. It wrapped itself around on of Grey's arms, like a living snake. Aldir pulled at his weapon and with it came off Grey's arm.

But that wasn't even the most surprising part. I could already see his flesh and bones mending itself. Regrowing itself, and in just a few second his arm was entirely regrown. Revealing his pale spotless skin.

Even Lord Aldir seemed surprised by this. As all three of his eyes flew open.

"You command aether." His voice rang clear. A mix of surprise and accusation.

Grey only stared at Aldir silently, before he disappeared in a flash of purple light. He never spoke a word, he didn't need to. His very presence made me feel small and insignificant. The asuras were one thing, there were always legends of gods who descended upon our land to bestow us with mana arts. Even the Lance artifacts we were given were from them.

But this new entity didn't seem to abide by our understanding of mana. Perhaps this is what the higher echelons of asuras looked like.

The linger doubt in my mind only grew larger as days pasted. Will we be enough? Our purpose as Lances under the command of the council was to protect Dicathen and its citizens. But when our foes are beings like him did we truly stand a chance?