Victoria finally lowered her sword but kept it in her grip. She looked shy again, and Amelia realized that Victoria had already sussed it all out. Smart little Resident. “You cannot tell me where you are from. It is against the rules of world travel.” Victoria reminded.
“Like Vienne, we will break rules. Kill who we must. Destroy what we must.” Amelia said, scrambling to remember Vienne’s threat. She couldn’t remember half of it but it must have been enough because Victoria finally relaxed.
“Very well. We will speak. I must see to something first.” Victoria walked passed Amelia, who stared after her in confusion. After a moment Amelia realized that King Johanis had finally emerged from the castle doors, looking very old and out of sorts. No one bowed or paid him much mind, and his presence seemed somehow diminished and small.
“Father,” Victoria said gently, she reached out slowly and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “How tired you must be.”
“Yes, very tired.” He agreed. He was staring out, confusion on his face. It was clear to everyone that he didn’t know what scene he was witnessing. He had been expecting devastation and instead his kingdom was laid out before him, healthy and sound.
“I will send out the remaining loyal guards of Adalia, that they might fetch her,” Victoria said softly. “Then you must retire with her and do one last great work as King of Half.”
“What work?” Johanis replied eagerly. His face lit up and looked powerful for the first time. He either completely missed the part where it was his last act as king or dismissed it at the thought of seeing Adalia.
“You must save Adalia. We will send her to the meadow house. You must speak with her and convince her of our victory. When you have succeeded, the two of you must remain vigilant with the guard I shall place with you and help those I send in the future. There will be others. If my sister might fall prey to Void’s madness, there must be others, because her heart is great. I will send them, and you must, in your great wisdom, heal their minds. Will you do this thing I ask of you, father?” Victoria laid down her sword next to her and wrapped her arms around him. She was small, but the old man seemed dwarfed by her presence. Slowly he hugged her to him, whispering something that Amelia guessed was his promise.
Shaking, he removed the crown from his head and handed it to her as he stepped away. Slowly he turned to the silent eyes of thousands, and in a strong voice, he proclaimed.
“All hail. Queen Victoria. Long may she reign.”
"For a thousand years or more..." Amelia quietly muttered under her breath.
“Long may she reign!” Came the thunderous and shocking reply in waves. There were many who were far away and the story was being told by word of mouth outward as far as the eye could see.
With utter certainty, Victoria placed the crown on her head, and as she did so it shimmered changing from ornate fancy form to a simple silver band. A pulse of force radiated from her shaking everyone with silent reverberation. The simple crown flashed once before settling into her hair where it shone a normal silver gleam.
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Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Global Announcement
Notoriety lost: 10,000
Shadow Fall declared Guest of Half
Hero Queen Victoria declares a state of emergency
Void, hated enemy of life, approaches and sends agents to the world. Queen Victoria sends out mighty summons of support from the Far North Continent, renamed Elysium by right of old blood decree. She commands loyal Half fisherman to convert their ships to long sea voyage and sends special envoys with them to negotiate and explain the plight of the North to the three heroic races of the south.
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Local Announcement - Grendel Hunt Level 1
Queen Victoria announces that the Halves will prepare for war. She has declared a Grendel hunt for the first time in over a hundred years. Heroic Halves and Transients will be allowed to journey deep into the forbidden parts of the forest where the Grendel, immortal and terrifying predators, hunt and skulk in darkness. There the allied forces will join in battle and sharpen their skills and hearts against the coming mighty foe.
Condition: 1,000 Grendel slain.
Reward: Chain Quest, The Wolves of Elysium.
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Global Announcement - Halves will be added to the Transient starter character list at the end of the Void, Evil God Comes, Super Hidden Level 1 Quest.
Condition: Absolute Victory
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“Well,” Hunter said dryly. “It’s been a busy day already. Didn't manage to get rid of all that notoriety though."
“Yeah. It was still worth it to see Raven get trounced.” Forsythe nodded. Raven just made a face at him, and then wondered aloud if he wanted to try sparring with Victoria at some point. He shook his head as if that was a terrible idea and he didn’t know why she had suggested it.
Amelia was about to approach Victoria when everyone stopped in surprise. They had assumed that the flood of announcements had ended.
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Global Announcement - Ominous Dread Crawls the Land
Morale -25%
Void stirs in the darkness, his leisurely journey between worlds quickens to terrifying speed. He has sensed enemies that grow in strength by the day and hastens to send out his forces that he might weaken them before his arrival. His arrival hastens, stretching time and space from months to less than a month. Already his forces begin to arrive in the south, hoping to dismay potential reinforcements who have no knowledge of his approach.
Hero King Marden, King of Brack declares a state of emergency
Queen of the Silf Hermania declares a state of emergency
King Oresdin, King of the Dwarves declares a state of emergency
A pitched battle begins to take place as vortexes appear above the major cities of the southern kingdoms. They hold back the relentless onslaught of mind burned that are sent before them, beginning to wonder why they were attacked. Information is gathered at an alarming rate and old alliances reform.
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Raven whistled in awe.
Halves turned toward her, not understanding why she had whistled. Residents didn’t see global announcements, nor could they have understood them so her behavior to them was very bizarre. They were more than happy to get out of her way, though, when she bent and picked up her sword. She was trying to balance her sword against her thigh and at the same time dust off her pants as she stood, keeping a really paranoid eye toward Victoria who was paying her no more mind.
“Now we must have speech.” Victoria had at last returned her attention to Amelia after giving orders to have her father escorted away, and for a search party to be sent out for Adalia.