Prologue: Seveiah

Over the years with her attentive application of tinctures, creams, and cosmetic products, she enhanced what was given by nature to perfection.

Bards tried to capture her beauty in the songs they sing in the streets, but in her opinion, none have managed yet.

As for she was perfection.

Seveiah focuses on her mirror image, looking into her own blue eyes, tracing her sharp features she honed like her craft over the years.

Knowingly, her eyes travel to her newest addition to her collection of self-care products. A special cream made from the rarest of products. It was gifted to her on her eighteenth birthday by her father. He told her that one of the ingredients of the skin cream was the lifeblood of a mandrake.

She opens the cabinet and grabs the sealed box gently. She turns off the guarding runes that are laid into it and removes the lid showing the glass canister sculpted by a master glassblower.

She takes time taking it in, looking over the flowers that are patterned on the glass. Seveiah lifts the lid, puts the tiniest amount of the cream on her finger and massages her face with it gently.

A deep breath of joy escapes her as she feels the almost liberating effects of the magic spread on her face. Skin is pulled tighter. The tiniest imperfections are removed and she feels the magic seep through her skin, caressing more than just her body.

Having finished her routine, she stands up and walks onto the balcony that adjourns her room. The princess leans over the railing, staring at the city below. As always, the peasants are there, labouring throughout the day, flowing through the streets like tiny lines of ants; always busy doing one thing or another.

She glances over the infrequent farms that thinly separate the densely packed cities in the inner walls. And finally, her eyes land on the army that stands in the main square in front of the castle.

From up here, they look like a smattering of golden drops, the armour each soldier wears reflecting the light in various directions.

Her father assembled the army at record speed, likely having predicted the event ahead of time. But to everyone else? A total surprise.

Seveiah can imagine how the adventurers reacted, their focus immediately shifting from the Depths to the Luxian forest. With the addition of the event store, a land that didn’t hold much value with the exception of the few rare natural treasures and the abundance of monsters, suddenly became valuable.

And not only to the adventurers. From one of her spies, she even heard that all the crafting halls were in upheaval when the lists of materials that can be bought with the event points became known.

Everyone, be it the farmer, the knight, or even the tailor, now desires something from that forest.

She looks down at the army again that soon will be sent out to the forest. They will live, they fight, and they will die.

Seveiah rolls her eyes in anyoannce. She is a princess, and yet, here she is on the second-highest floor of the palace, trapped in an invisible cage.

The princess reaches into her bag of holding she always wears on her hips. Her hand comes back with a golden bell that she rings.

The tone the tool produces is clear like the water that pours from the Crystalline sky, strong enough that it even makes the magic in the air shiver.

Immediately a servant steps out of one of the many hidden passages that weave through the castle. She doesn’t look at her, still keeping her eyes on the landscape in front of her, “Fetch me the telescope, servant. I wish to marvel at the outer wall.”

The servant doesn’t reply as she scurries off to fulfil the given order.

Seveiah lets out another sigh as she looks at the army below, “At least they are living their life.”

Exactly 21 seconds later the servant returns, handing her the telescope. With a flick of her hand, she dismisses her and focuses on the magical contraption in her hands.

She raises it to her eye, closes the other one and adjusts the runes until the outer wall grows clear. Since the castle is taller than the walls, she actually has to look down at them.

Seveiah nods at herself, adjusting a few of the smaller runes until the picture isn’t just clear but sharp. Sharp enough that she can see the freckles on the guard’s face as he strolls over the walls, his focus on the Wildlands beyond the wall.

Details, more than a thousand kilometres away can somehow still be seen so perfectly. But as interesting as the walls, the army or the guards might be, it isn’t where her focus lies now. Seveiah looks beyond the walls, at the grassy plain beyond.

On several occasions, she has been out there in the greater world. Though, always under supervision and not for long.

She smiles, seeing the wind play on the grassy hills.

Ordinarily, plenty of eyes are on her, watching her, guiding her. But now, with this event on the horizon; with a forest to pillage and dryads to burn, there is enough room for her to slip away between the bars of her cage.

She hands the telescope to the servant that stands pressed up against the wall, trying to blend into the background. Without further ado, she steps into the hallways of the castle. They are more empty than usual, most of the commanders in her father’s Court, or on the square before the castle attending to the army.

The only person she encounters in the hallways towards her father’s chamber is Elikez, her personal tutor.

The swordsman greets her, “Greetings princess, have you been training?” In her opinion, the man is as subtle as a boulder falling from the sky launched by a war mage.

She doesn’t show it on her face, keeping up decorum, “Yes, Teacher Elikez. I have sharpened my arts and have gained yet another level in my Sword Arts.”

He smiles at her, satisfied with her work, “Quite a feat. When you evolve to (D) grade…truly you will become a princess of the blade.”

She nods and finished the pleasantries as they are forced to part.

At the end of the long hallways, she meets the large Redpine doors that her father loves. The sentries on both sides don’t comment on her barging into the meeting, having learned from their past mistakes.

Even with her strength the doors are difficult to open, meant to only let (D) grades and beyond pass. Luckily, Seveiah has enough points in Constitution for her to pass.

With a slow, drawn-out groan the doors swing open, announcing her presence.

The Council stops conversing and turns to her. She is rewarded with a mix of emotions ranging from faint bemusement to clear annoyance at her barging in…again.

Her father, the King, waves his hands, somehow managing to not roll his eyes at her. “Continue,” Theodis says, “My daughter will hold a position in this room soon. She is allowed to listen in.”

The King turns to the mage he has recently taken a liking to, “So tell me, Mage Atellan. How long would it take for us to send the forces through the teleportation circles?”

Atellan, the head mage, a short man that seems to be perpetually drowning in his blue robes, twitches his fingers as he calculates the time while he explains it to the rest of the Court, “It depends on many things my King. Taking into account the average levels of our soldiers, the magical density around the Luxian forest and the amount…” he trails of muttering to himself. After several moments Atellen nods, “Between three and five days after the teleportation circles has been set up.”

Theodis nods, “Excellent. That will do. A team with the needed supplies for the teleportation circles has already been sent towards the forest. We should expect resistance when they arrive, but they won’t be able to put up with the generals that are already there for long.”

The discussion continues shifting from topics like holding back the Believer army and only unleashing the adventurers when a new equilibrium has been reached during the event.

As interesting as it all might be, Seveiah finds her mind tiring of the conversations, instead thirsting for action.

Her eyes flick to the door. She could leave early, only having dropped in for half an hour, but that would be too impolite.

Instead of listening to the beginnings of Zulis’ grand scheme to take down the forest and claim more land for itself, she turns inwards, scheming on her own.

While she could try to use the teleportation hub that is situated close to the castle, she has no doubt that even with the recent ongoings, she would be noticed.

So she has to take the difficult route.

On her path to the Wildlands, she has only three obstacles. Firstly, she has to free herself from the cloying grasp of the castle and her retinue of guards that follow her.

Secondly, she has to pass through one of the gates of the inner wall. And last but not least, she somehow has to breach the outer wall and flee into the Wildlands.

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Inwards, she grins, already tasting the fresh air of Wildlands; feeling the blades of grass between her fingers.

She returns to the conversation that is still rambling on. While conjuring up that plan didn’t take long, the pace of the King’s Court is high.

From the meagre beginnings of a plan, they now already have a rough outline and are already working on sub-plans for uncertain variables that will definitely enter the event.

A few minutes later the meeting concludes, her father having decided that it is best for them all to let the plan marinate for a day or two.

She stays behind as the other members leave the throne room.

“Father,” she says drawing his attention.

“What is it my daughter?” he replies as he receives a scroll from Atellan. His eyes flick over the page in a second and he hands it back to him, exchanging it for the next rapport.

“The discussion of the event has me excited. I wish to roam the less populated areas of the Tamed lands,” Seveiah says referring to the land that lies between the inner and outer wall.

She continues, “But I know that we can’t spare any man or woman. All need to prepare for the war we are about to wage. So, I request to hunt alone.”

The King stops reading and looks at her, his grey eyes finding her blue ones, “I understand and I approve of your commitment. However, you know that you aren’t allowed out of the castle without two guards and cannot leave beyond the inner wall without five guards.”

Sensing her plan slowly falling apart her voice raises an octave in panic, “But father I’m almost a (D) grade. Just ten more levels! There isn’t anything that can kill me in the Tamed lands!”

The King frowns at her, narrowing his eyes, “It isn’t monsters I’m afraid of. For a princess, there are always other threats.”

She folds her arms over each other and opens her mouth.

Before she can refute the argument Atellan speaks to the King, “If I may advise?”

Theodis turns towards him with an unamused look on his face. “Go ahead,” he says his tone telling the mage that he is in deep waters.

“What Princess Seveiah says holds a kernel of truth. However, there are (D) grade monsters in the Tamed lands. And the risk of assassins and other nefarious schemes is also present. Perhaps you can reach a compromise, allowing the princess to venture out to the Tamed lands with two guards instead of the needed five?”

Perhaps it is Atellan’s element but as he treads the deep waters, he manages to find a compromise for both without angering any of them.

Theodis lets out a defeated sigh and turns back towards Seveiah, “Very well. Daughter, when you return, show me one of the heads of the monsters you have slain.”

Seveiah smiles at her father. While she won’t hunt in the Tamed lands, when she will return after the event, she will still show her father the head of the grandest or most valuable monster she has slain. Perhaps the mandrake would be fitting. The monster managed to escape an army but it wouldn’t escape her.

With the flourish of a pen, a command is sent out to two soldiers high ranking guards that will accompany her on her trip.

She briefly stops at her quarters, filling her bag of holding with essentials and the needed tools for her plan.

When she enters the courtyard of the castle, ignoring the bushes trimmed to perfection, and the monsters that have been sculpted by leaves and branches, she meets up with the two soldiers that have been waiting for her.

Seveiah doesn’t know all of the soldiers that the King directly employs, but she does know these two.

“Karilla, Merizal,” she says and acknowledges them with a stiff nod.

They bow to her and give their own curt replies before falling in line behind her as she makes her way to the inner wall.

Seveiah stares at them from the corner of her eye. It seems like her father took the logical approach; two strong warriors she can hide behind if anything tough shows up.

Karilla, the spear-wielding woman famous for killing any opponent that gets too close while Merizal is renowned for his adaptive approaches, having mastered several combat arts.

Sadly, for them and her father, neither will have the speed to catch her as she makes her great escape.

She makes some small talk with them along the way, passing through the crowded streets of the densely populated areas around the walls.

Now that she has her guards with her, she can make use of the teleportation circles, instead of having to travel a good hundred kilometres towards the inner wall, only to travel several hundreds more to find a ‘hunting spot’ close to the outer wall.

Seveiah barges past the line. She is a princess, it won’t be befitting for her to wait behind the common folk. But even for her, she has to wait for the current teleportation to finish up.

With her arms folded over each other and her feet tapping against the smooth limestone as she waits, she takes in the room around her to occupy her mind.

Seveiah has to agree that it is relatively nice. The room with the teleportation circle, while not relatively lavish or garnished with decoration, takes pride in its boldness with the lack of furniture.

However, the teleportation circle, consisting of hundreds of runes, some of them being waypoints for other locations, others being the charging array, create a picturesque sight.

The simple, white, marble columns that hold up the ceiling, transfiguration orbs built into them, show the vastness of the room.

And finally, there are the walls. These are also white as if the entire world exists only out of marble. For her, it would grow dull over time, the colour not painting any significant contract or having any particular beauty. But that is where the runes for the defensive formation that have been laid into every part of the building show its colours.

Like a clear warning sign, it is there for everyone to see; the golden runes glittering dimly on the walls.

Her feet continues to tap against the smooth marble and her face grows annoyed. “We should have taken a teleporter at the main hub close to the castle instead of this branching path. It would have been far faster,” she comments to her guards.

Karilla shifts uncomfortably, “My princess, you know that those are only meant for destinations outside of the walls.”

Seveiah waits for a further explanation why she can’t make use of them, but as the platform activates with a pulse of light and the people vanish on the platform, only to be replaced with a few people who teleported to this platform from the other, she banishes the thought out of her head.

Without further ado, she steps onto the platform with her two guards. The common folk don’t join her, even if they have the same destination as her. Per King’s rules, none are allowed to use the platform at the same time as her, with her guards as exceptions, in fear of assassinations or teleportation hijacking.

She feels the runes beneath her feet power up, and soon enough she vanishes into the bright light and appears on another platform. This one is far smaller, only allowing ten or so people to stand on it at once instead of the several hundreds that could fit on the previous platform.

“Where do you want to hunt, princess,” Merizial asks while scouting the surrounding area with his perception skill.

Seveiah taps her lips as if she is thinking of a plan, “I don’t know. Can I scout the surroundings while you two set up camp? I won’t be far.” She turns towards the walls, only a good dozen kilometres away instead of the previous thousand.

The guards hesitate but under her glare, they wilt and succumb.

Alone, she wades through the short grass, looking at the few buildings that occupy the land.

When she is a good hundred metres away, she begins to stretch her body. Even with her being a high (E) grade, stretching before combat always remains essential, though not for the body anymore but for the mind.

With her stretches done, she reaches into her bag of holding, feeling the eyes of her two guards on her back.

She pulls out something no one expected. In her mind, she beings to count. Both of her guards lack Agility, however, they still are high (D) grades, able to close the gap of a few hundred metres in a dozen seconds.

With a flick of her finger, she turns the switch on and the hoverboat she received from her eleventh birthday powers on. It floats in the air, thirty centimetres above the ground.

Already hearing the yells behind her close in, she jumps into the seat, cranks the dial to the max and watches the world around her blur.

Her father never meant to make the thing reach these immense speeds, but when you are a bored princess with near-infinite resources at your disposal, it is easy to remove some safety limits someone put on one of your toys.

Seveiah’s hands grasp around one of the cables that carries the mana current and pushes her own magic into it, giving the machine even more energy.

She cranks the handle, making the wooden craft, shaped like a boat, rises higher above the ground as her velocity hits record speeds.

But this isn’t enough to lose her guards and reach the walls.

With some additions, she added two extra gears, making the craft dangerous.

Laughter escapes her as he switches to her own gears, hearing the mechanical parts of the machine roar to life with the same drive she has to finally escape her cage.

She steers over the grasslands, past the farms, only catching glimpses of the befuddled faces of farmhands she passes.

Seveiah turns around for a split second, only wanting to see if her guards are keeping up.

To her joy, Karilla has given up, instead content to contact the gateway she is speeding towards. Merizial is stubborn, still on her trail but as the gap widens she can see the defeat on his face grow.

She takes pride in it, that she is finally free from her cage. The key is in the lock, all that remains is to turn it and she can fly free.

The hoverboat swerves to her lack of control and almost launches her into the ground.

She shakes the excitement away, fully focusing on steering the dangerous hoverboat. Even so, a tiny spark of her attention remains on the outer wall; the final barrier she needs to overcome.

The guards already know that she’s coming.

They will try to stop her.

Within minutes she crossed the gap and is speeding on the road that leads straight to the gateway.

Already, there are several lines of guards in front of the closed gate, pikes and spears raised her way.

But she doesn’t stop.

No.

As she grabs the cables and pushes more magic into them, she speeds up.

Faster than ever she closes in on them, dust billowing up behind her in large plumes.

Seveiah counts down the distance in her mind, a hundred metres flashing past in a second.

“HALT!” the guard captain yells, his hand stretched out to her to cast a skill.

She swerves off the road, over the terrain towards the wall that looms over her like a giant of old.

From the castle, it seemed so small with her telescope.

But here?

Seeing the wall more than a kilometre high cast a shadow over the land that stretches on and on.

It doesn’t scare her.

The guards yell in the background, screaming that she will crash into the wall and that she should stop.

Seveiah turns towards the gravity panel and changes the settings from ‘hover on the surface’ to ‘attach to the surface’. Her finger reaches for the slider and sets it to the lowest setting.

Her craft rises with an invisible wave, lurching upwards several metres above the ground.

In front of her, the wall closes in for a possibly deadly hug.

She braces, her nails digging into the steering wheel.

The walls grow in her vision until it is all she can see. First, she can only make out the large bricks it is made of. Then as she approaches, the thin lines of mortar become visible. And finally, only twenty metres away, she sees the soft glow of the largest runes.

Seveiah takes in as much air as she can. She strains her mind and yells out her strongest skill, “REDIRECTION!”

The skill, originally made for combat; deflecting blows and sword slashes, echoes throughout the world, calling the System’s attention.

Two metres before impact the world around her shifts as her hoverboat flips in the air.

Before she knows it, she is riding up the wall, staring at the bright blue sky.

Wood groans under her and machine parts sputter in protest. She raises the slider, bringing her hovercraft close to the walls.

Full throttle, she races along the wall’s surface, slowly losing speed as she ascends.

Seveiah, princess of Zulis, keeps her eyes on the sky, on what lies beyond her cage, even as her stomach twists and her hair blows around her in the violent wind.

Bit by bit the distance is lessened but so is her speed.

For the last time, she grabs the cables, pushing her remaining magic into the hovercraft.

Sweat stains her forehead as everything she has is pushed into the cables, powering the craft that will bring her to her dreams.

Speed is gained and lost, but finally, the wall ends before her. She sees the guards standing on the wall staring in shock as she flies higher into the air, slowly losing all her speed. She sets the panel from ‘attach’ to ‘reverse’ to soften her landing.

Seveiah looks beyond the wall and in front of her, the entire world opens up.

High in the sky, she can see everything. From Siruna’s mountains to the Luxian forest. From the rivers that streak through the tame grasslands like veins of the world.

For a moment there is peace.

Then she uses her skill once more, changing the direction of the hovercraft.

She flies past the walls, past the guards, and past her city.

With her eyes locked on the horizon, she flies away to war.