CHAPTER 60 -A SOLE AND DISTINCT EMOTION-

The news that the demon brought me was still in my mind. Alter was alive but what about the others? A motion of questions related to it and not entirely at all bunched up in my mind. Perhaps even other emotions did the same but I couldn’t express them at all, if I did the dragons around the chamber might notice.

Where are they?

When are they coming back?

Are they okay?

Are they eating healthy?

Have they slept?

These and even more questions continuously rammed into my thoughts that thinking straightly wasn’t an option, not now at least. My curiosity grew and grew, I was excited. Relieved as well, my children are okay, Chuzeoth might as well be.

“Gosh, I don’t even know what to think or feel anymore.” I whispered to myself, rubbing between my eyes.

The urge to leave the unintended papers in the desk so that I could run and tell everyone that they are safe, or at least I thought so. However, that wasn’t a path that I could take without expecting any consequences. Most of the nobles and important people who take their opinions on excruciating matters.

I should just probably do the more important ones. Then, I started to look for the most important ones. Yet they were all at the same level of importance, letters of the nobles who’d have opinions over a treaty, a ceasefire until we have evacuated the injured and civilians. Another mentions a direct offensive matter on the Elemental army that is closest to us, by then taking them out and later the rest till’ the main army is destroyed too.

Many others said the same but in different words. Reckless, I thought. The nobles that were alive now don’t know what war is, most are new generacional children who don’t know the basics of a sword stance.

They were all greedy for power and money, thinking that with money and titles they would be able to raise their ranks without getting their hands dirty or losing something of importance.

“But…” I remembered who they pissed themselves when Alter’s aura scrambled and devoured all the dimensions from where he was with fear and true power. “Even Alter–who is barely a tenth of age or even less of a dragon's age gap–had that much power and didn’t brag about it.”

Truth to be told, I was proud. Proud that Alter is responsible for the great power he holds, whether he does or not turn into what he was before. I know that everyone who holds him dear will direct him to the right path.

At that moment, I picked up a sealed envelope that seemed to contain the seal crest of what seemed to be “The High-Table”. An organization that does the same thing as the Angels when it comes to monitoring the Demons and what not, but in the difference that instead of observing one race they see all twelve races, or should I say eleven? They are also people who were chosen by the gods, authorized the rank of Sentinel.

Each six hundred years, a sort of banquet that they personally establish to see each one of the race’s accomplishments or new heirs that have succeeded into the throne. A sort of tradition if you so willingly want to call it, but to me it’s a living hell. Reuniting eleven races into one room, the top of tops in that one race, just so that they attend the so-called invite of the gods.

“Serenitas Convivium.”

The real name of the banquet left my lips, hysterically thinking of the good will the other races have when in reality they want to brag about their achievements and power. Their alleged ‘Salvation’ to those who don’t understand their great means for power.

A load of crap, I thought to myself. Words that are spilled to innocents, corrupting their righteous means into oblivious actions. Commiting tons of crimes which they don’t admit. Kids who strive to be heroes tend to seek advice or knowledge to later then end up like the villain they swore to destroy.

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Irony. It entered my mind as it pleased. Seeming to stay in it like a comfortable couch.

Serenitas meaning: calm or peaceful. Convivium: Banquet.

Peaceful Banquet.

But seeing as how the name doesn’t really suit it, now I know why they called it like that in a different language. One that I still don’t know how to speak fluently or read.

So many mysteries, so many locked environments. If only I didn’t strive to be the queen of this nation but it was the only role that I wasn’t scared of, I was confident that I could become the queen of Ezar.

Yet, none of the mysteries that exist outside of this dimension seem to interest me in any way. It’s more about those who are close to me; Alter’s race being the Ancient Walkers. Luna and Juliette being able to develop mana cores while still being human. The sudden change in the Elemental’s decision to start a war against us. Demgaze’s identity and motive.

All of this feels like we are entering something new, like a new place or time where everything that we-I knew will be treated as old things. A new Era. A new Epoch.

One that I won’t be able to see for myself…

“Your majesty, it is I.” Said a voice on the other side of the two golden doors that led into the chamber. Soon another three knocks came through, letting me know that I wasn’t day dreaming or imagining it myself.

When the two doors opened upon my command, a woman with yellow hair and blue eyes entered the chambers with a distinct expression on her face. Her azure eyes instantly turned to me when she entered, perhaps millions of questions and thoughts ran through her mind as she made eye contact.

Breaking the eye contact, she closed her eyes and began to feel for something. Meditation, at this moment? I thought curiously eyeballing her every single moment.

Up and down. Side to side, left from right. Everything seemed to bend, small frictions of her body began to twist and overlap the reality of the chamber we were standing on.

Reality Chain.

Hannah’s power, a barrier that overlapped reality and made it impossible for any race or strong people to notice or even break it. Once she’s activated the ability, only she can stop it. Wrapping itself around those who the user’s want or who it desires, having a will of its own and one that does not oppose the user.

The highlight of transparency was around the dragon witch—mage—I reminded myself, spread to wide and deep. Bringing me in and so as well as Hannah into a dome like barrier. No word, no mana or aura can leave this space vacuum.

Perhaps even Divine mana can’t influence this ability or realm once activated, I said in my mind. And with interest, activating the sense of mana manipulation I had left before Hannah had veiled us under the barrier.

A small, little intense burst of force from the spell reacted and died due to the lack of mana in the veil.

The future seer had a confused face as she saw me do that for a couple more times, testing any hypothesis I had to make before letting this go.

Closing both of her azure eyes, a sigh that brought me back to my senses was let out. I cleared my throat before putting on a serious face, “So Hannah, what brings you here?” I questioned, sending every bit of emotional energy to the back of my mind. “If you were so stubborn as to summon your spell, it means that something possible to destroy the dimension could happen.”

“I had a vision, Lady Sytairirth.”

“And what is that vision’s theory?” I asked, since her visions are not only glimpses to the future but also theories that could be avoided and changed. However, if the visions don’t give her enough information, then that too could backfire and lead back to the ‘original course’ of this future.

Her head changed course of vision, landing swiftly on the envelope of invitation from the Devotees. “You must attend the Serenitas Convivium. In there you must find a young angel prince, and tell him that he must not hold on to the words of the Halo’d Crown.”

The words that left her mouth had a hint of worry and stress, at any moment she would lose heart and scream. Once more Hannah’s mouth opened, but it was futile. No words were muttered but instead she closed it when she noticed it was opened. She swallowed hard, her teeth gritted with anger.

It wasn’t directed towards me, it was to herself. Then I picked up a sole and distincted emotion that made me feel the same way. There shouldn’t be any sort of emotion swelling around the Reality Chain, and if there were, it would've disintegrated a long time ago.

My eyes widened when I realized it, these emotions didn’t miraculously survive the barrier’s extinction. No, these feelings are from…

I trailed off seeing clearly how the blonde haired dragon expressed hatred towards herself. The clenching noise of her teeth pushing against each other waiting for one to break whilst the others bleed. Wrinkles between her eyebrows extended, it felt like she was going to have them there even after lifting her brows.

This was the first time in a long time since she has expressed such emotion towards herself, since Onyx left and she learned about his death. Locking herself in the confinement room where not only I wasn’t able to get her out but even Pearl and Eugene couldn't either.

Extending my arm to her, seeing how she suffered a lot since then I wanted to help her even if it was a little. I still wanted to be there and carry her burden. When my hand was a few inches away from her, a barrier–that was solid enough to cause me trouble even with my phase–appeared between me and her. Like a huge wall that was impenetrable, stood in front of me. It was isolating Hannah all by herself, she was hurting.

Her blue eyes noticed me and my intentions before she jolted her body away from my sight. “I-I am truly sorry, Lady Sytairirth. With this curse, with this scythe on my neck, I won’t be able to tell you more about the vision.” Hesitation fell on her, though I was not able to see her face I knew she was crying. She worried for me and was trying to be strong more than ever. “If I do…death will first arrive before the vision.”

As she finished, her spell was killed. The blurry outside soon turned clear like water, the emotions that radiated around me earlier came back as well. Even Hannah’s emotions steamed into the room.

Then the room erupted into silence, no emotions or mana rested around but instead strove to the main doors of the chamber. Juliette’s mana trace appeared in my range of thoughts. The very truth that Alter is still alive but not being able to tell his disciples about it brings a bitter taste to my mouth. I thought, looking at the envelope where The High-Table’s invitation was.

There was only one thing to do…