Not long after the so-called trial was held by Count Forret, at his personal manor within the central city district, both Forret and several members of the nobility he was aligned with were in a dimly lit room.
CRASH
A table broke as Count Forret was slammed into it. A number of servants and nobles watched with regretful looks and were wincing as they watched Count Forret be beaten like a training dummy.
A man in a brown cloak stood over Count Forret, having just slammed him into the table. He was wearing a white sash with a golden man embroidered on it. A large, fanged, primate stood off to the side, looming over the maid that was watching from that portion of the room.
“Ooof!”
Count Forret grunted in pain as the wind was knocked out of him when he hit the ground. He was given a moment to catch his breath as his attacker stopped for a moment.
“Have you caught your breath?” The man asked.
“No-”
Forret was cut off as a foot stepped on his throat. The man in brown pinned Forret with his foot for several seconds, leaving it there as Forret began to desperately tap the man’s leg. His face was turning blue from lack of air.
Finally, as Forret’s movements were starting to slow down, the man removed his foot from Forret’s neck. He stepped over the downed man towards the glass cabinet within the room.
GASP
Forret immediately started taking in as much air as he could, panting with exhaustion as he gulped down air as fast as possible.
“You have no idea what the results of your stupidity today actually are, do you?”
Forret didn’t say anything, not believing the man in front of him actually wanted to hear an answer from him.
“Your actions have quite literally led to the Church of Ten preparing for war.”
Forret gulped nervously as the nobles around the room shifted uncomfortably. They stopped moving when the sharply grinning primate snorted and glared at them.
“Lord Meryn’s orders were simple. Do not directly interfere with any of our actions here in Harkem, and do not directly act against any families that include Void Mages. That way, you could be considered as nothing more than a highly opinionated noble with a distaste for Void Mages.”
The man in the brown cloak opened the cabinet in front of him and pulled out a bottle of wine. Reaching for a glass that was also in the cabinet, he filled the glass up till the brim before taking several long sips from the glass.
The nobles in the room looked on regretfully as they saw such expensive wine wasted on someone who didn’t even know how to drink it properly.
“We needed you to put a few laws into place. Restrict a few things when it came to public services. Look the other way when complaints were raised, or if incidents began to happen.”
He took another drink from the glass, this time finishing it off in one go before throwing the glass at the ground next to Forret’s head.
“NOT ATTEMPT TO DIRECTLY CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR THE MOST PROMINENT VOID MAGE TO BE BORN IN CENTURIES!”
Everybody winced as the man’s voice rattled the windows. He paused to take several breaths to calm himself down.
“As it is. You have a week to bond with a Spirit. We will be bringing you into Erenon Forrest directly. No more taking it safe. You will be going to Mount Hurst. We need you to bond with one of the Flame Spirits that call the volcano home, and you will be leaving in an hour. You will be accompanied by several of our agents, and you will bond with a Spirit, or you will not return at all. Understood?”
Forret’s jaw fell open as he heard the man’s instructions. He’d been trying for years to bond with a Spirit but had had no luck. Yet now he was being told he had to bond with a Spirit in a week.
“I... understand. But I don’t know how that can be guaranteed. It is not a human that decides to bond with a Spirit after all.”
Forret looked up at the man with a face filled with confusion and apprehension.
The man just looked down before giving a large rictus grin as he pulled out an orb from a Void Pouch hanging from his side.
The orb didn’t make sense when Forret looked at it. Even in the dimly lit room, the orb clearly shone brightly, but it was strange.
No matter what angle he looked at it from, it appeared to be a golden crystal surrounded by several inches of red liquid.
“What if that?”
The man just chuckled.
“This is the greatest Gift the Radiant Lord has ever given us. This is the key to ensuring that even the Spirits see and accept the Light as the greatest power of all. Once you attune yourself to it, any Spirit, you give it to will become bonded to you, as the light of Radiance shows it the truth.”
Forret couldn’t help but look at the man in fear.
He knew full well that members of the Cult of Light tended to brainwash most of their members. Mainly those they expected to take on roles of importance at some point in time.
Other times, the light of Radiance was simply too much for a person to bear, and so their minds began to collapse as they were bleached of all thoughts not pertaining to their faith in the Radiant Lord.
Forret had managed to avoid most of the more serious effects up to this point, as he was able to use his own Flames to brighten his soul with his own light, rather than the Radiant Lord’s, but it looked like he was going to have to take on a bit more than he was comfortable with.
The man in the brown cloak started to frown as he noticed Forret not taking the orb from him.
“Is there something wrong, Forret?”
Snapping out of his daze at the question, Forret quickly reached for the orb. Taking it from the man, he placed it in his own Void Pouch, but didn’t take any steps to attune to it.
Seeing the man’s questioning look, Forret was quick to explain himself.
“I still wish to try to find a Spirit by my own merit. I will use this if I cannot find a Spirit of my own within three days of arriving at the volcano.”
The man did not look happy but wasn’t going to argue the point right now.
“Fine.” The man said. “Just remember, even if you don’t bask in the Radiant Lord’s light right now, it won’t matter how fast you get your Spirit to the peak of Tier three, even Tier four, because you’ll still need us to push your fourth Chakra open. Unless you believe that a newly Bonded Spirit will be able to find your fourth Chakra within a couple days of bonding with you?”
“Of course not, sir. I am thankful for everything the Followers of Radiance have done for me. I greatly look forward to continuing to serve the Radiant Lord’s will.”
The man didn’t say anything as he listened to Forret speak. He was surprised to hear no lies in Forret’s statement, he really shouldn’t have been.
He knew full well that Count Forret had already seen the Truth, and because of that he was already loyal to the Radiant Lord, and their Church of Light.
The struggles Forret made to keep his pride as a noble were annoying, as the man in the cloak didn’t believe they were worth anything. Only one’s loyalty to the Light was worth anything.
“Whatever. Just get ready. The team that will be taking you to the volcano will be here soon, and you need to get going as soon as they get here.”
Forret looked shocked for a moment. He had thought the man would be coming with him.
“Are you not coming, sir?”
“No. Lord Meryn has already set out for the Ruins. If things go well, that boy will die quickly once the Titans arrive, and Lord Meryn will be able to take out Gerome with ease after his bond with his Spirit is severed. My task, and the task of no less than several dozen additional Followers of Radiance, will be to stop Naeri from getting to Duke Harper to call him back to the city.”
Forret’s eyes bulged open. His brother returning was the last thing he needed right now.
All around the room, the nobles that had allied with Forret were looking on in fear as their minds raced with the thoughts of what Duke Harper would do to them if he returned and Forret wasn’t there to contest his claim over the City.
“Good. You see how precarious our position is. Since that is the case. Go, get ready, bind a Spirit, return here by the time a week has passed, and stake your claim over this City properly. We will be holding back for the week, as preparations are made to begin enforcing our rule when you return.”
Turning away from Forret, the man strode out of the room, his Spirit following after him.
For several minutes, Forret said nothing as he continued to lie on the floor. Finally, as those who were still in the room began to fidget, Forret spoke up.
“Get out!”
The room immediately cleared out as nobles and servants alike left the room as fast as they could without running or using their mana. The last servant to leave closed the door behind them.
Forret didn’t move until several seconds after the room was emptied.
“ANCIENTS BE DAMNED!!!”
Fwoosh
A large Flame engulfed the room as Forret released his mana, turning the furniture and various items in the room to ash as the walls became barren. The paint peeling and drying out as it turned to ash.
The walls were the only thing standing as the reinforced Cavern Mana imbued stone was only a little bit charred from Forret’s outburst.
Forret himself was fine. The Flames were made and directed by his own mana, so he ensured that they didn’t burn him as he released his anger.
“You continue to haunt me, don’t you, brother.” Forret stared at the ceiling as he spoke. “Will there ever be a day, when I am not standing in your shadow, or taking care of the messes that you think are not worth your time?”
Sitting up, Forret reached into his Void Pouch, pulling out the orb he had been given by the Church of Light envoy that he was beholden to.
He truly didn’t want to use it. He knew that he was loyal to the Radiant Lord, but he also knew that the blind zealotry he’d seen in those who basked in the Light without restraint was a very self-destructive thing.
Yet he could no longer hold to his pride. He had already sold out his service, his home, his titles, his authority, and his city, all to overcome his brother.
Would giving up his soul to the one who’d shown him the light, and had kept all his promises so far, really the worst thing that could happen to him?
As he thought about it, he recalled his brother’s temperament. His unyielding sense of duty, and his unrelenting desire to fight against the Cruor, and all that would harm the Empire that had given their family so much.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Knowing that his brother was very much the kind of man that would kill him for his transgressions, defying his brother’s personal laws being the lesser of most of his crimes, Count Forret Harkem knew what he needed to do if he wanted not just to rule, but to survive the upcoming trials.
Entering into a meditative trance, he reached out with his soul to touch the orb held in his hand.
His vision was immediately assaulted with a blinding golden light as his fears and regrets were washed away. A smile kept up his face as he saw what he could only imagine was the appearance of the Ancient Radiance.
Exiting his trance, feeling himself now connected to the orb in his hand. Forret opened his eyes.
One red. One Gold.
----------------------------------------
Within a darkened room there were six featureless figures illuminated by different colored lights.
A seventh light also shone, but no figure was within it.
“Word has been received from Meryn. He has arrived at the Ruins and is awaiting the arrival of the Reaching Spires and Stormy Clouds. The necessary pure mana crystals for opening the Void Lock are also there.”
The five of the figures nodded their heads in approval. The gray colored figure merely looked on.
“I still feel like this is a waste of resources.”
All the figures turned to the gray one.
“So, you would allow a Chaos bringer to continue living?!” The red figure exclaimed.
“No, I would not, but we are talking about the deaths of two Tier four figures. One of which is Hunter. We do not have the manpower to fill in the gaps should either of them fall, let alone both. Harkem City is a border city after all. The fact that the Duke is near is the only reason they haven’t suffered more losses. The natural barriers can only do so much. Especially if the Deep Cruors decide to attack.”
“That won’t happen.” The red figure said.
“I didn’t know you were a Broodlord.” The gray figure said back.
“YOU DARE!”
“Enough.”
The red and gray figures fell silent as the gold figure spoke up.
“Typhos, we have talked about this. The Void Mage child must die. His prominence is nothing more than a threat. One that we cannot allow to grow stronger. If he is allowed to progress until he eventually joins the Cruor, he will certainly be the one who undoes the locks on the Broods.”
The gray figure said nothing as the gold figure continued to speak.
“I know you think the loss of Tier four Mages is too much of a cost, but with the protections that this Void Mage has, it would be too difficult to get rid of him within the city. Not without significant losses on our end, especially when we are so close to claiming our first city in the name of the Radiant Lord.”
“Praise!”
The figures all spoke in unison as they praised the lord that had shown them the Light.
“Will we even be able to keep it? You know that Forret is incredibly weak willed. I have no doubt that he will lose his reason the moment he attunes himself to the Orb of Revelation. The feedback from the forced bonding of a Tier three Spirit will also damage his soul. I don’t think it will take more than a year before his soul joins the Lord in full. At which point, he won’t be able to serve our interests anymore.”
The other figures looked at each other. Not a single one of them was disloyal to the Radiant Lord, else they wouldn’t be here, but they had to admit that Typhos had a point.
“The strain caused by such a forced bonding is not something a man like Forret can endure, especially after the blessing that will raise him to Tier four. When Harper inevitably finds out what happened, he will no doubt hunt us down like rabid beasts.”
Typhos’ voice was raised as he looked at his fellow Followers of Radiance.
“That’s a Tier five Hunter that will be searching for us.”
Typhos let his peers think about what he’d said. Eventually, the gold figure spoke up again.
“That’s only if he manages to reach Tier five. There is no guarantee, and even if he does. He will only have a year before he is directed to the Empire’s sanctuary ground, where he will remain as a protector and deterrent against any massive incursions.”
“The fact that you believe he’ll follow those directions shows a great deal of blind faith in people who are not loyal to our cause.”
“Regardless, it doesn’t matter. Forret has attuned to the orb.”
There was a pause.
“I thought he was going to wait. That’s what Knight Clarks said in his last transmission, wasn’t it?”
The gold figure nodded.
“Indeed, but apparently Clarks’ parting words had an effect on Count Forret. He will likely bond with the first Tier three Flame Spirit he can find. Meaning we can be more careful during the blessing.”
“What color are his eyes?”
The gold figure fell silent at Typhos’ question. His gray colored robes concealing the look of contempt on his face but hiding none of what was projected through his voice.
The gold figure said nothing. Knowing that it would simply confirm Typhos’ concerns.
Typhos just sighed in frustration.
“If Meryn survives, we will need to send him back up. A newly risen tier four will likely be needed to help keep Forret in check, else he will go off into the Desolate Lands on his own and not come back.”
Typhos' figure appeared to rub its forehead before he continued.
“Although, perhaps he’ll start a massacre in broad daylight instead, as he goes to immediately fulfill the Radiant Lord’s desires to see all Void Mages purged.”
“What do you mean, ‘If Meryn survives”?
Typhos was surprised at hearing the figure in green speak up. He hadn’t thought that anyone would care about that part of his tirade over the others.
“I won’t deny your concerns, as I believe they are legitimate. But Meryn is one of the Tier four leaders of our Church. Yet you are assuming he will die. Why is that?”
The rest of the figures looked at Typhos once again.
“If the child doesn’t die quickly, Meryn will certainly lose in a one on one fight with Gerome.”
“And before you say anything, the Reaching Spires made enemies of the Roaring Ruins during the last expedition. They will certainly look for an opportunity to fight, if given the chance.”
“... It’s too late to back out now. So, we will just need to have faith in the Light of Radiance.”
“Praise!”
“For now. The situation in Harkem is at the point of no return. How are the other projects doing?”
The blue figure spoke up first.
“We have managed to set up our own settlement in the far north but spreading our Light has been difficult. The Spirits there are Tier two at the lowest, and at Tier four they are worshiped like Ancients.”
“Blasphemy!” The red figure yelled.
“Indeed, but they are primitive people who have long regressed since the Age of Despair. As it is, our plans are on track, and no assistance is needed at this time.”
The figures all nodded in acknowledgement.
“The capital is being difficult. They refuse to permit the open worship of any Church except the Church of Ten. While quiet worship isn’t prevented, preaching is, and given the number of Nobles with long histories, it has been difficult to baptize any of the lost children with any influence. Worse yet, given the number of Tier fours that call the capital home, the few times any children saw the light, it was doused before it could take root.”
The figure in violet stated.
“As it is, we haven’t succeeded in gaining a foothold, but we can’t afford to risk anymore people coming to the city, else we get caught, and removed in full.”
The figures then turned to the gray colored Typhos.
“The Alliance has continued production of airships. Our holdings still control thirty percent of the companies that make them. Anymore, and we will come under suspicion.”
“Regardless, we are gaining traction with the Merchant Kings, and will have at least one family under our banner within the next few years. As intended.”
All the figures nodded at the gray figure. He might’ve been the most frustrating and least faithful of them all, but he had always done his duty, and no one could fault his results.
“Moving on. How are the excursions going to the south doing?”
The conversations continued for some hours as several plans were laid bare. The problems going on in Harkem had faded from the forefront of their minds.
All but Typhos’, who couldn’t help but go over in his head, the various Cavern Hunters they had that were ready to join this council of the Radiant Lord.
----------------------------------------
Three days had passed since Count Forret and the group of Tier three Hunters from the Cult of Light had arrived at Mount Hurst.
“Hurry! We need to get to the inner regions of the volcano if we wish to find any of the truly worthy Spirits!” Forret called out as he waved his hands to gesture to the Hunters to move forward.
Many of them were sweating in the extreme heat as lava flowed freely. Tier two Spirits stayed far away from them, instinctively knowing that nothing good would chrome from getting closer.
At the same time, rarely any Tier three Spirits had appeared. Many had run from the group as soon as they became aware of the Hunters stalking them.
Usually, they just jumped into a lava flow and escaped that way, but some had gone so far as to dig straight into the ground, or fly away as fast as possible to get away.
Now, however, it would be difficult for any Tier three Spirits to run. The Cavern Hunters and their Spirits were hardening the ground so that they wouldn’t be dug through as easily, and the few flying Spirits were up and alert as they scoured the skies.
“The next Tier three Spirit we see, we go for!” Forret’s face widened into a rictus grin as he looked over the Followers of Radiance that were following him. “The Radiant Lord is with us. His light will shine brightly on us to ensure we receive our just rewards.”
A sense of power flowed through him as he looked down from an elevated position at the Hunters supporting him. His mind had begun to fade, and he was now as zealous as Markus and Aldor when it came to his faith in the so-called Radiant Lord.
CRACK!
Suddenly, the ground in front of the group opened up. A large figure rose from the ground. A red winged reptilian creature rose from the ground.
Molten rock flowed down its back, not even beginning to cool as the heat from its body was so hot it remained a liquid even in the open air.
The Spirit was quite large, and it glared at the humans in front of it in fury.
For days now it had watched with an uneasy feeling as its fellow Spirits ran from this group of Hunters. Finally, it could no longer hold back its anger towards those that had trespassed in its territory.
It was only at the peak of Tier three, but it knew that it outclassed many of the Spirits in front of it. It was one of the few territory holders of Mount Hurst after all.
Glaring at Forret, who had begun laughing in rapturous joy, the Spirit reared back, intent on killing the one it felt danger from as soon as possible.
Throwing caution to the wind, Forret ran forward, ignoring the cries of objection behind him. Pulling out the orb he was gifted from his Void Pouch, he channeled his mana as quickly as he could.
The orb began to glow as flames from the draconic Spirit engulfed his body, but no burns seemed to appear. Instead, he made his way to the Spirit without injury, and placed the orb upon its body, wherein it sank into the side of the Spirit, still shining with a golden red light.
Roaring in pain, the Spirit was slowly covered in bands of golden light that surrounded its body like intricate tattoos spanning from head to toe and highlighting the red scales that covered it.
Finally, after what couldn’t have been more than a few minutes, but felt like hours to the various Hunters in the group, the roars died down.
The Spirit opened its eyes. One red, one gold.
“AHAHAHAHAHAH!!!” Forret cackled as he felt the bond forming in his mind. The light within growing ever brighter.
“Lucius. I’m happy to share the Light with you.”
Nothing more was said as the party quietly returned to the city. Another step of their plan was now complete.
----------------------------------------
A few days after Naeri left the outpost and separated from the Guilds she was traveling with.
Trees parted and waved their branches as their roots dug up from the ground as Naeri channeled her mana to manipulate the forest around her.
Numerous Spirits and mundane animals fled in fear as the landscape was torn asunder. Umbral Beasts were ripped apart as a group of half a dozen Tier three Hunters chased Naeri through the forest of Erenon as they attacked her with the intent to kill.
Several of their number had already been killed from being pierced by branches and roots.
Clarks, who had found himself covered in cuts and half healed scars, was regretting everything right now. There had originally been a dozen of them, but they had failed to take into account that Naeri might’ve reached the peak of Tier four by this point.
It was rare that a Scholar desired to continue improving when it was impossible for them to reach a higher Tier. The fact that they were all ninth Step Tier three Hunters at least meant that they should’ve had an advantage, as Naeri would need to expend more mana to defend against a greater number of attacks than they would, so long as they weren’t clumped together.
“STRIKERS!!!” Clark called out as they reached an area with slightly less foliage.
Naeri lowered her body closer to the ground, slowing down slightly as she waved her hands, causing what trees were near to grow and bend as lightning rained down from the sky.
The bolts were partially diverted to the trees that Naeri had bent to cover her body as she continued to run as fast as she could.
Two of the Hunters following Clark nearly fell to the ground after expending so much mana. But Clark felt that it was worth it, as he knew that Naeri was having to expend a large amount of mana to keep herself safe.
“Fire!”
Three Hunters then grouped together, two Flame Hunters and a Tempest Hunter. They and their Spirits focused their mana into a typhoon of fire that wrapped around the area.
Naeri, who was forced to slow down from the lightning raining down on her, was forced to stop as the forest in front of her was set ablaze.
Panting in exertion, Naeri turned towards her pursuers. By now the lightning had stopped falling down, and the two Hunters that had called it forth were leaning heavily on their Spirits.
“So, this is it then. A wretched cult to a false figure kills me, to prevent their plans from coming to fruition.” Naeri said as she shifted into a combative stance. She refused to die without a fight.
“The Radiant Lord is not a false figure! He is the one who will lead us to the destruction of the Cruor, once and for all.” Clark exclaimed.
His voice was steady, however, and a stark contrast to the zealous Markus and Aldor.
“What is the destruction of the Cruor worth, if humanity dies along with it?” Naeri asked. “I know full well that you have no intention of allowing humans that do not follow your faith to live once you cultists come into power.”
“Once the Chaos bringers are dead, and their taint is removed from this world, there will be no need to have any faith beyond that of the Radiant Lord. Harkem will prove it once we get control.”
Naeri’s stance relaxed as she lowered her arms.
“I see. I wonder if this is enough?”
“So long as Void Mages are permitted to exist, our actions will never be enough.” Clark stated.
“She’s not talking to you.”
SLASH
“AAAAAARRRGG!!!” Clark screamed in pain.
Blood flew through the air as Clarks arms were removed from his body by a sword that seemed to appear from thin air.
A sudden gust of wind blew out the fires that surrounded the Hunters from the Cult of Light. The air rippled for a moment as a screen of light shattered.
Several Hunters and their Spirits appeared from where they were previously concealed by the Radiant Hunter standing in the middle with a crystal tipped staff raised into the air.
“YOU-!!”
CRACK
A gray goat with silver horns standing several feet tall at the shoulder brought down its head onto Clark and his Spirit, knocking them both out.
The rest of the Cult’s Hunters tried to defend themselves or run away, but they were quickly subdued due to the difference in remaining mana.
“Are you alright, Grand Scholar Naeri?” Duke Harper asked as he ignored what was happening around him.
“I am indeed. I thank you for your timely support, your message was a relief when I received it this morning. I have several papers for you regarding the going ons in your city.”
“Hmm. Knowing that you would be ambushed is the only reason we were able to provide aid, so thank your friend, Grand Scholar Harolt, when you return. For now, please come with us. We will discuss things when we get to the outpost.”
“Very well. But please, take these first, so that I know they are safe.”
Naeri handed over a Void Pouch, removing her connection to it as she did, and allowing Duke Harper to attune to it instead.
“My thanks.” He said before turning to his personnel. “Are the prisoners properly bound?”
“Yes, Duke Harper!”
“Then let us be off.”
The various Spirits grew in size as they were mounted by their bonded Mages. The cultists and their Spirits were bound in various ways to be efficiently carried to the outpost.
Naeri climbed onto Duke Harper’s Spirit, settling down for the trip. Nothing more was said as the Empire’s Hunters set off at top speed.