As Mike clashed with the Templar below, the Duke seized the moment to deliver his counterargument with an air of regal authority. "Do you dare to speak of the future while turning a blind eye to the past? The Valicar of old plundered our city's most prized treasures and unleashed devastation upon the lesser islands with the accursed blade, Blue Dawn. And now, you return, accompanied by his kin, who once again has brought calamity upon our realm," the Duke declaimed.
Sophia, perceiving the audience being swayed against them by the Duke's eloquent words, promptly amplified her magical prowess to counteract the growing doubt infiltrating the assembly. She needed to regain control of the minds present, to mitigate the harm the Duke's rhetoric inflicted.
As the Duke continued his passionate oration, he seized an opportunity to cast shadows on Altheack and her mission. His words grew even more regal and disdainful. "And what of this alliance?" he exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger toward Altheack. "Whispers circulate, rumors of necromancy clinging to her heels. Do you believe we should follow one whose path is shadowed by these unholy arts?"
A noble, emboldened by the Duke's rhetoric regardless of Sophia’s urges, couldn't resist the urge to shout out, "A twig uniting humanity? A halfling beloved of the sky?! Foolishness!" The noble laughed heartily, and a few others joined in, underestimating the power of a prophecy they couldn't comprehend.
Indeed, the Duke had displayed a level of political cunning that threatened to outmaneuver Sophia's influence. Despite her best efforts, the noble assembly remained divided, and she could sense the struggle for control in the minds of the S ranks.
Altheack's response, fiery and unwavering, sought to address the challenge head-on while also acknowledging her friend Valicar's use of necromancy. She had grappled with self-acceptance due to her mixed heritage, but her determination to unite the people of Minerva was clear. Her voice rang out with conviction.
"My lineage may be a half-elf, and I bear the legacy of my mother, Chieftain Quenaria. But I bear something else too: a vision of unity. I am not here to deny the past; we must carry its lessons. I stand before you as a symbol of hope, of reconciliation between humankind and elfkind, between the past and the future. I may be a half-elf, but I am fully committed to the betterment of Minerva and all the people of the world. We must stand together with the Alliance or fall alone, one by one, beneath the might of the human empire."
Her words echoed in the grand hall, a call for unity and resistance against the impending darkness.
The grand hall buzzed with whispers. "Beloved of the sky," people murmured, their voices a mix of reverence and skepticism. Sophia's subtle manipulation had taken root in their minds, and for the first time, they openly discussed the myth, much like the bards' songs that had gained popularity over the past weeks, akin to Valicar's notorious actions in the capital. Doubts, which had clouded their thoughts even in the floating islands of debauchery, far removed from the struggles of common folk, could no longer be dismissed. The situation had become so dire that even the elite had to take notice. They couldn't deny the chosen one of the sky, the figure destined to unite humanity. Even the most bigoted among them harbored doubts, and Sophia seized on this.
With a final, powerful surge of magic through their thoughts and souls, she reiterated the words, not fully grasping their true significance, "Altheack, the Beloved of the Sky. The Queen." The impact of those words reverberated through the room, stirring the hearts and minds of those in attendance.
As Mike continued to batter down the vault door, he couldn't ignore the reverberations of Sophia's magic echoing from the assembly above. Even he, often quite unfeeling, sensed the palpable reverence directed toward Altheack, something more profound than his usual feelings for the woman. The fact that she was around the same age as he had been when he met his untimely death in their previous life struck him as peculiar. Had they truly spent over 17 years in this new world? It felt like a substantial chunk of his existence, though a few years shorter than their previous life, making him contemplate the relentless march of time.
Inside the vault, Mike discovered an array of controls, unfamiliar symbols on the walls that confounded him, and a podium with a text he could read. Over the years, with Valicar's long hours of reading at HelmHold and Sophia's affinity for being a nerd, he had amassed enough knowledge to get by with basic reading. As he delved into the text, he uncovered a revelation that shook him to the core. The floating islands weren't just extravagant displays of power and wealth but formidable floating fortresses. Only someone known as the "Beloved of the Sky" possessed the authority to command these floating leviathans, enabling them to move and deploy their ancient weapons at will.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
As Mike considered the potential of these fortresses, he couldn't help but acknowledge their might. "These fortresses could challenge the capital's defenses... or perhaps even take on a dragon....or maybe not," he mused to himself.
In a far corner of the room, another vault door stood, protected by powerful magical wards. Mike, undaunted by the enchantments, made quick work of the door to reveal a pair of bracers. They were a striking combination of black and gold, adorned with intricate designs in blue and red, harmonizing with the style of their armor. These bracers were clearly of great significance, likely serving as a crucial missing piece of the chest piece. It seemed they were the key they had been seeking, designed to fulfill a similar purpose in absorbing mana.
Mike secured the bracers, stashing them away for later use, before making his way back to the surface. His path took him over the remains of the hapless Templar, whose final moments had been inglorious and gruesome without a ribcage to support his breathing. In Mike's typical disdainful manner, he muttered "Spineless bitch," as he stomped on the unfortunate soul. This insult was a reflection of how he viewed his sister at times, although he loved her, she lacked resolve.
As Mike ascended from the depths of the vault, he could sense a significant shift in the atmosphere of the audience above through his link with Sophia. Their ranks were swelling in support of Altheack's cause. Many among the nobility had chosen to side with her, and it seemed that the Duke was running out of options to counteract the momentum they had built.
In a moment of desperation, the Duke's voice broke through the chaos, his words carrying a tone of urgency and distress, "She is here! She has bewitched..." He intended to warn the people about the mind control, but he never got the chance. His mind was suddenly invaded by an external force, like a vice gripping his very will.
"You're done, you fucking bastard! You made me do this!" a woman's voice shouted in his mind. The Duke's struggle was futile. He fought to maintain control, but it was as if he was losing himself, slowly fading away. In mere moments, he was rendered mindless, his consciousness wiped clean, leaving him in a vegetative state. To the onlookers, it appeared as if a stroke had overtaken him.
Altheack's claim to power was now secure. The Templar had been dispatched by Mike, and the Duke, once their most formidable adversary, had been incapacitated, his mind obliterated. The situation had taken a drastic and unexpected turn in their favor.
After the tumultuous events of the evening, the extravagant ball came to an abrupt and early end, leaving many nobles bewildered by the sudden shift in power and the perceived stroke that had seized their former Duke. During this crucial moment, with the nobles still present, Altheack ensured that they swore oaths of fealty to her. She couldn't escape the twinge of guilt that came with manipulating her people, even if these were among the most corrupt and oppressive of her kin. Nonetheless, she recognized it as a necessary step. Her uncle's fall from power was met with little sympathy, and Altheack was soon installed in his accommodations.
With the Duke dealt with and their plans taking shape, Altheack appointed her trusted friend Zorven as the head of the city and the Royal Guard. Under their leadership, the process of purging the unloyal soldiers began. Those who weren't loyal to the new regime were either relieved of their duties or removed from the islands, ensuring that only those who pledged their allegiance remained.
Valicar or Sophia, now free from the looming threat of pursuit, met with Mike to receive the mysterious bracers they had discovered in the vault, taking back his soul and body in the process. Although the exact purpose of these artifacts remained unknown, it was evident that they were a key in their quest. With the city's political situation stabilizing and their objective to unite humanity against the impending darkness in progress, Valicar had other matters to attend to.
She used the city's magical letter array to check for messages and received one from Easton. He was on his way in pursuit of the Pillar of the South and arranged to meet them in a city off the coast of Elvish lands. Altheack, however, had to remain behind to consolidate power on the islands.
"I'll miss you, my friends," Altheack said, her eyes reflecting the complexity of her emotions as Valicar prepared to leave. She knew that their paths diverged for a time, and parting wasn't easy.
"We'll see you soon," Mike assured her, a tinge of reluctance in his voice.
"You've been the greatest friend we could've asked for, and we'll be waiting for that reunion." Sophia smiled, echoing the sentiment, as Valicar flew away on her magical sandals, destined for a new adventure.