1- BEGIN CONVERSION, exclaims the system message

CRASH

Revi smashes through his former chair, the pieces in splinters around him. He tentatively touches his tender right eye socket which is quickly puffing up. He has no doubt it will bruise to black by the morning. King Domini or Wraith as he commands his subjects to call him has forbidden the use of healing potions or concoctions for anything less than a life threatening condition unless the kingdom is at war. This newest punch is what he considers communication and this form of speech seems to be normally only reserved for him. Revi has been Wraith’s scribe since he rose to power all those years ago.

In those years they were both young and strong. Revi thought over his previous appearance. Black and enviable hair that ended at his shoulders. Lean muscular six foot six figure and strong chin. Now still thin but rather than rippling muscles he looks sickly. A hunch replaced a straight back. Balding stringy hair mocked him in the mirror, matching his droopy eyes and bifocals.

As he wiped dripping blood from his lips he looked with restrained hatred at his former friend/rival and now King. His ascent had been where the road parted for them. Wraith overthrew the last king, this rarely happens due to Kings obtaining Sovereign abilities upon taking the crown. Coupled with the danger of S and SS soldiers meant nearly all coups were nipped in their infancy.

Lucky for Wraith someone incited a war with a neighboring kingdom that required all hands. He and Revi used hidden tunnels under the palace and greased the palms of some soldiers that owed them their lives before slitting the former king's throat in his sleep. Those same guards mixed a paralytic into his food at dinner. Topping it off with an artifact ranked sleeping potion for desert. Having no heirs, nor being married meant Wraith was able to claim the crown with little resistance. It helped that the former king was so paranoid that he alienated his inner circle and so oppressive that the general populace hated him.

After ascending Wraith immediately ended the war he started thereby reinforcing his borders. At this time they both discovered that kings when they ascend immediately obtain A rank. He and Revi went from being B rank together to having a wide gap in potential ability. From that day he worked tirelessly until he became the only current S rank king with Battle Savant as his path. Since then he has never lost a war let alone a battle or skirmish. His abilities, on top of the physical ones, allow him to play out multiple battlefield scenarios in split seconds while combat is ongoing. Unbeknownst to anyone other than Revi he is also able to determine the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents.

The perfect warrior king, in the safest kingdom out of the twelve.

Ravi’s reward for his service? Wraith “honored” him with an easier life for all of his service. His rank was removed and replaced with the title of King's Scribe. Revi had zero experience with that role and had a warrior build. At the command of the crown he endured the painful process of resetting his build. A specialist costing a king's ransom decreased his rank from B to D. This was explained as the only way to get him on the scribe path. His war build ran deep. The sixteen months of rehabilitation and healing is what led to Revi’s current condition. To this day he has not fully recovered either his level or rank as B rank in Scribe build has massively different requirements that the warrior.

Revi wonders again as he picks himself off the floor sneaking brief glances at the seven S ranked captains that comprise the war council. If Wraith was trying to help or cripple him.

This is the price of being competition to the King.

What do you mean you’ve never heard of the accords? Are you not the scribe and record keeper for the kingdom? I have trusted you above all others with our kingdom secrets and this is my repayment? Wraith snarled.

Defiant Revi replied through clenched teeth, Although I do not have the Scribe Perfect Recall ability, I do have the Catalog ability. I have also been through all of the kingdom records which covers a hundred years prior to you taking the throne and there is NOTHING covering any accords with a being powerful enough to overpower a SS rank with just an aura ability.

Grizzled and seasoned warriors, people who would not blink when facing a calamity beast averted their eyes from Wraith. No one had answers and that was disturbing in itself. This group had never failed to overcome an enemy. Where war caused some kingdoms to shrink and panic, Argog instead has been molded for battle in the decades Wraith has been king. Each of the sixteen heirs to the crown has a battle build and their mothers were or are warriors between A to S rank. This is the battle kingdom as others call it. Revi for all his issues with Wraith calls this home. His home shall not fall! He thought.

Standing, he makes his way through the room. Ignoring the gazes of the war council and pushing past Wraith. Normally a C rank shove could do nothing to budge an S rank but either because of abdominal will or the king’s assistance Wraith slightly shivered sideways as they made contact

I’ll be in my records room. Revi said, I will return with the answer.

BEGIN REBUILDING, WAR IMMINENT

Verion Kingdom - Throne Room - Queen Eylise

Although the queen is known for her legendary temper, if the empty throne room could speak today’s tantrum would be ranked number one out of the hundreds of previous outbursts.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

NOT. EVEN. ONE!!! She bellowed

Her Sovereign Rage ability, which allows her extra strength as well as the ability to wield an invisible force that repels anything in her vicinity, has reigned havoc on all the furniture and walls in this room.

Swain Garner hidden behind one of the columns in rafters behind the Queen does her best to avoid the projectiles. The speed and power is intensified with every scream. She wonders to herself if she should sneak back out before Queen Eylise’s attention turns to her. Even though not even the guards check up here, Swain has seen the Queen detect things unseen before.

As a street kid Swain would never have gotten the chance to see the throne room. Her dusty woolen pants and gray, but formally white, shirt and ripped gray coat gives her an appearance that likely would not be welcome here. Her literally dirty blonde waist length hair has been more of a hindrance for her 13 year old frame. Grasping her bruised and injured arm, she wonders if it’s fractured this time. This new gift was as the result of refusing a job given by Trival, the local underboss. He is a C ranked beast whisperer who uses the local rats or other vermin to spot marks for the young pickpockets he oversees. The five foot black and white white striped tiger beast that is always by his side is all he needs to keep the street crew in line. Trival has never been filthy or messy like those he employs, his large frame usually in fine wear with rings on each finger.

Swain thought she had kept off of his radar until a few days ago. Trival normally only takes in desperate kids and teens that are unable to fend for themselves. She found out how wrong she was when she was cornered a week ago by his crew. Six of the older youth pinned her to the wall facing the end of the alley as he rounded the corner. His nearly seven foot frame towered over her as he gave her an eerie stare, his beady black eyes a contrast to his pale skin. He had clean blonde hair, almost white and it seemed to glisten in the moonlight.

Is this the one? Trival glanced behind him as a boy she previously thought to be a friend entered the alley. She met Arn, a fifteen year old still awaiting connection with the system, a few months ago in this same alleyway. He was bloody and beaten and possibly close to death. On her way from doing a “job” for the healer, who had previously been robbed of her potions by a different underboss, Swain was feeling helpful. This was not normally something she would do but on that day she cashed in her favor with the healer who used two of his newly recovered healing potions to restore Arn close to his previous condition.

From that day on She and Arn became fast friends. They did a few jobs together, and since she refused to steal from the innocent her jobs were normally recovery services. They talked about their plans for the future. Arn was hopeful he would be connected to the system before his sixteenth birthday and then leave the capital. He wanted to unlock a healing class and she secured him a spot on a caravan led by the healer's assistant who was off to start her own healing business. Now Swain understood why he never said goodbye, At thirteen she had two more years to make the system connection before being considered formless. Although rare there are a few formless individuals in every kingdom, more rare than that are those who connect to the system after their sixteenth year from what is known. Enchanted items could be used to simulate system abilities but since the formless had no way to replenish those items without using a specialist this was only an option for the wealthy. If Arn was formless he would likely starve or be used by Trival until he is considered useless. The other children would outpace him upon connecting.

Speak up boy! I said is this the one? Trival barked

Ye.. Yes sir, Arn stuttered.

The best thief you’ve ever seen eh, even better than you. Little girl the stories I’ve been told about the mystery thief. My employees can’t stop bragging about you. Trival lurched back in a snake like movement and let out a raucous laugh. Ha, ha, ha.. I almost didn’t believe it until I heard you were relieving my competition of their goods. Somehow the product always found its way back to the original owners. I wouldn’t have believed it was a twelve year old girl either

Th.. Thirteen, Arn stammered.

Quicker than Swain could see, Trival backhanded Arn who jerked to the side, having to slide his foot to keep from falling over. As I said, Trival continued, I would never have believed a “thirteen”, he emphasized, year old girl would have been able to sneak into those secure facilities, under the nose of all those guards and make out like a bandit. He leans down and whispers Swain’s ear, you have to tell me how you did it. Seeing nothing but defiance he sways back again in a snakelike smooth motion. Ah oh well, I guess an artist has to have SOME secrets.

I would have been content to leave you to your devices as my competitors' loss is ultimately my gain. So in essence you were working for me without my having to compensate you. You can’t imagine the overhead cost to run my business in the capital. I was content until I ran into little Arn over here. The large tiger growls in Arn’s direction, stalking him. This guy is my best at procuring misappropriated objects. Imagine my surprise when his fellow employee told me he was joining a caravan straight outta town. Who do you think gave him that idea?

Trival taps Swain on the left cheek twice before turning to calm his beast who is now on top of Arn, pinning his arms down with its front paws and drooling on his face as it snarls. As Trival turns someone hits Swain in the gut. She would have doubled over if not for being held three more hits to the gut, a punch to the face and kick to the leg were dolled out in what she could only assume was meant to soften her up.

Without turning and now crouching and scratching the ears of his beast Trival says; the real problem here is that I can’t really kill Arn here, for now he’s my best guy. You are also useful at the moment so I am reluctant to kill you. I can’t really bring you into the fold, what would my peers think? I am in a sensitive situation with the big boss at this point in time so I can’t be connected to what you’ve been doing. On the other hand you now owe me. Blows continue to rain down upon Swain until Trival lifts his hand to stop it.

This is what we are going to do, you will continue your side work without my interference. Unless of course you stick your nose in my business. Another punch to the gut doubles her over as she is finally released. On top of that you will run a few of the more.. let’s say complicated operations my staff shouldn’t be near. You will be an independent contractor, at no pay of course since you still owe me. Spitting blood towards Trivals feet she forcefully says, I will NEVER work for you!!

All at once she feels another kick to the cut and a splitting pain in her left arm. It feels broken is the only thought that comes to mind. I know you don’t think so girl but let’s see how long you hold out once my competition finds out where the product they painstakingly procured went back to. If that doesn’t work I’ll just kill Arn, he said offhandedly, as if it was nothing. Not many friends in our work, losing one shouldn’t hurt …much. Did you know that he didn’t want to give you up? It took a whole night of convincing to get the entire story. After ALL. This slap to Arn echoes throughout the alley. I. Slap. Have. Slap. Invested. Slap. In YOU?!! He screams

From her pool of blood on the ground Swain is barely able to lift her head up enough to see Arn be dragged away. As everything begins to fade to black she barely heard Trival as he says

“I’ll be in touch”