Recap: Elijah and eight others awake in a strange place and informed of their current circumstances. Divided, Elijah ventures into the new world alone.
Chapter 1: Winter's Breath
Elijah appeared on the hilltop out of thin air.
Changes occurred that the elemental could not have predicted. A mysterious force saw the existence of the nine as a singularity and changed each of them as they appeared on the planet. Elijah's katana had turned into a jian, Chinese double-edged straight sword, with a pommel in the shape of a dragon's skull. Elijah gained access to his third element: fire. However, he could not control the new element if he used it nor could he identify the origin of its variant, evolved form of green fire. All Elijah did know was that the variant green fire would spiral out of control and would even attempt to burn him.
Elijah appeared on the hilltop with steel armor and a black cloak with a gray bear fur collar and hood. Fake memories were created for Elijah and the other eight Earthlings. It was not them who gained the memories, but the people who would become their 'real' family. It was as if another version of them was killed and replaced by Elijah and the other eight from Earth. It was by the intervention of the mysterious force that the order of the world was not changed.
Elijah stared at the giant castle before him as small memories entered his mind. Before him was Star Fall, the castle and home of one of the ten major dukedoms of the empire. He was to replace the second son of a great duke, the son who went missing during a barbarian raid a few months ago. In Elijah's spatial ring, were five items granted by the mysterious power. One was a magical book that created a storage space in Elijah's own body. No one could detect it and the space would grow as his cultivation increased.
The second and third item were spell books. The spells Elijah learned were Fireball and Rock Blade. As Elijah was the son of a great duke, he had to know at least two spells to avoid suspicion of the fake memories of his new family. For those aspiring to tread the Mage Immortal path, affinities only meant they could master the element faster. Still, he was a different kind of immortal as he had more than one elemental affinity while being a Rank 1 Acolyte. People with the same advantage as Elijah and the other eight Earthlings were those from a long line of immortals or whose talent or potential were beyond monstrous.
The fourth item was a stone crest with several lined engravings that formed a gray grizzly bear in gold armor. The stone crests were called stamps and held vast importance. They could only be made by powerful immortals and used to augment their elemental powers. No stamp looked the same as an immortal usually put his signature on it. Having them given away meant the immortal was dying or lost hope in advancement. Elijah became a Rank 1 Acolyte before his elder brother and was given the crest to contain his 'cursed' green flames. The gray bear was the sigil of House Ragar. The crest would have served as proof that he was Elijah Ragar. However, he had a medallion bearing the same sigil which was given to every child of House Ragar.
The first three items could be said to have been given by the elemental as Elijah was supposed to receive similar gifts. The fourth and fifth item were solely due to the intervention of the mysterious power. The fourth authenticated Elijah's new identity and the fifth item would be the weapon once used by the 'Elijah' of born of House Argent: a grey talisman. This talisman could be repaired by spirit energy and created a sword around it by a grey spirit energy. It was a flying sword talisman, not as valuable and useful as an authentic flying sword, but its attack capacity is the same.
"Elijah Ragar, is that who I am now?" Elijah murmured as he took out the stamp from his ring. He placed it on his chest and felt it enter his body. Something shivered inside him before the feeling vanished just as it had arrived. On his back, a black rune tattoo of the sigil appeared without notice. His hair turned black as a result, making his blue eyes stand out even more.
"It is now. Believe me, I did not foresee this scenario nor the two gifts," a familiar voice commented. Elijah recognized that inhuman voice and saw the elemental. The elemental's body was made of rock, sand, water, ice, and fire in perfect harmony. Occasionally, Elijah could green flames around the elemental.
"You look different," Elijah noted.
"I look like the elements you control. Well, most of the elements. You just can't control the variant form of fire as you were given a third element before you were ready. Fire was not calculated for you. Certainly not a variant, evolved version. It has even become the element you have affinity with the most," the elemental shrugged, rocks forming eyes and a mouth on the elemental's face. "It appears you and the other eight contain a flaw: hazardous use of your third element. Perhaps it is a balancing system of sorts. You are Elijah Ragar now, a son of one of the ten dukes whose power is second only to the emperor. This empire spans an entire continent, but is divided. You'll have much fun here. Immortals are powerful but not uncommon. Best be careful."
"What am I to do now?" Elijah asked.
"Live your life. Things are already in motion. You just focus on being stronger and your duty as a son of House Ragar. The demons will come. It won't be long until the true war starts," the elemental said and gestured to the castle. "Head to Star Fall. Have fun. This is a new start for you. Enjoy it."
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Elijah stared at the elemental as it made a mock bow and broke apart. Elijah turned towards the castle and took a long walk down the road to the castle gates. He didn't know that he had broke through to Rank 2 Acolyte because of the stamp concentrating all his spirit energy in his body. Usually, black liquid impurities would seep out but the concentrated spirit energy destroyed it all. As he passed by the people waiting to be admitted into the castle, he noticed several people cry out in alarm and bow.
"The Second Young Lord is alive," a woman muttered as he walked passed her. "Didn't he die during the barbarian assault?"
"Hush now. He only went missing. Look at him! He is clearly more powerful than before. Rumor has it he's an immortal," a man hissed.
"As if. If he were an immortal, he would be in one of those powerful sects or academies. Why mingle among mortals like us?" another chuckled.
"Halt! State your name and purp---" a knight in steel armor began and gasped as he saw Elijah's face. "Lord Ragar, you've returned! Quick, open the gates and inform the duke his second son has returned.
"How do you know its him?" another knight asked.
"You idiot! Don't you see the medallion around his neck. Its enchanted so that only people of the main bloodline can wear it. Even mortal children of House Ragar can wear it," the other knight growled and saluted Elijah. "Welcome back Lord Ragar. Please hurry inside."
Elijah nodded his head in thanks and walked through the gate. After a few minutes, he entered the castle and followed a knight to the throne room. As he entered, he could see people sitting on chairs along the red and gold carpet leading to the steps of the platform of the throne. Men and women were dressed in full armor, save their helmets, and had weapons by their sides. Usually, no one save the king and a select few knights and family were allowed to carry weapons in the throne room.
"The audacity! Audacity! To see two dukes break off the kingdom and declare themselves kings. I hear even House Tang, wielding the mysterious power of black powder, are also in the midst of founding their own kingdom," an elderly man in a simple brown robe roared, slamming his fist on the armchair. "Have they no honor to keep their oaths?"
"Well, the undead have started invading from the south. The two traitor dukedoms, along with all the marquis and barons below them, are in grave danger to the south west. They are the furthest to the capital. Should the southern most dukedom fall, their dukedoms would have the aid of the Imperial Army in time. We're still recovering from the war in the northern dukedoms," an armored women with a gold braid said.
Elijah's new memories recalled this woman as Anna Ragar, his father's younger sister. She was a Rank 3 Acolyte, but no immortal. She could not break the barrier to official Magus or Warrior. You didn't need to be immortal to become a fighter, but you did to cast spells and become a mage. Only immortals could cultivate without external resources. House Ragar spent many resources solely on Anna's great fighting talents.
"My duke, the emperor wishes to know our thoughts in the matter," a man in dark red armor asked the muscular man with a trimmed beard sitting on the black throne. The man was Lord Victor Ragar, a Rank 3 Warrior and one of four dukes who was truly an immortal. Patriarchs of many small sects were Rank 2 Warriors or Magi most. The more powerful sects were even stronger, but sects had too many enemies. It was because of the might of the empire that the sects dare not break the ultimatum of the empire. The academies, while raising weaker immortals, were held in higher esteem because the academies were backed by their nations. Sects were secular, powerful, but alone with many enemies.
"Imperial Envoy," Victor nodded to the red knight. "My House Ragar and dukedom have always been loyal to the emperor. It is through the emperor that my house prospered and gained the resources to have my children become immortals. We will do as the emperor decrees."
"Very good. I'll inform the emperor of the good news. When we kill the traitors to the last of their bloodline, you will awarded for your loyalty," the red knight bowed and left. As he passed Elijah, all eyes noticed the duke's second son had returned.
"Elijah?" Victor asked, stunned. The duke could sense that the magical radiation around his son had increased. His second son was a Rank 2 Acolyte.
"Hello father. It seems much has occurred in my absence. I'm sorry," Elijah bowed, memories of the other 'Elijah' affecting his emotions and personality. Many of the people in the room would have celebrated his return if not for the fact of the undead. If the undead were rising and moving, it was a sign that the other servants of the demons would rise.
"It is a relief the young lord has returned, but what do we do?" one of the duke's generals asked.
"We prepare. I want more soldiers in my armies. Also, I need smugglers to make transactions with House Tang. We need their weaponry. Redouble efforts to train soldiers to become immortals. The empire can handle its traitors. House Ragar is loyal to the emperor, not the empire. My people need to be able to fight, or escape with their lives," Victor ordered.
"Yes, Lord Duke," all save Elijah cried, bowing on one knee before leaving the throne room.
"You assimilated the stamp and returned home. You even broke through to Rank 2 Acolyte. Good. Very good. I'm glad you're safe," Victor smiled as it was only just him and his son in the throne room. "I won't ask what happened, but you need to train. The undead walk and we must be strong."