Part 21 - Zero Hour

  The gala at the cathedral was an ostentatious affair.

  Historically, on Earth, certain dyes were rare and expensive to make, and Pallos had some similar problems. The Cathedral was decorated in massive drapes of expensive taste that even Liz could only marvel at. Rich purples and matching floral arrangements were placed around the marble building, the most expensive material one could imagine in a place renowned for sandstone from the desert. Import costs must’ve been unbelievable for such a huge amount of marble.

  The entry was planned with timed arrivals for each dignitary party, all with a variety of private and public meetings before the event began.

  However, this gala began just outside the front entrance of the cathedral, where the massive black stone pillar rose before the steps, engraved with shining letters. At the very top, Liz had confirmation of something Faythe had mentioned to her in the past.

  [First Tenet - Equivalent Exchange: Give as you receive.]

  [Second Tenet - Structure and Stability: Order comes from Civilization. Laws. Justice.]

  [Third Tenet - Natural Order: Life to Death to Rebirth. The natural Samsara of mortal life.]

  [Fourth Tenet - Faith and Certainty: ]

  The oddity that was the stone monument had only two glowing lines among the first [Tenets] that she’d heard of. The list numbered in the dozens, and yet only a handful were illuminated. The Fourth caught Liz’s eye, however. It was lit, but the description had been gouged out until it no longer was legible. Someone didn’t want others to know what the faction truly stood for. Liz had a short list for the people who could be responsible for such a thing.

  Right at the top was the shining script of Liz’s own skill. The simplest of the entire list, but the shining engraved letters meant something different to Liz.

  You are chosen. Do not fail.

  She joined the gathering crowd for the initial party in the shaded pavilion, watching as the rays of sunset gave way to a gathering dusk. Even as the natural light faded, braziers were lit that painted every face with the flickering light of the flames.

  She took her time to scout out the faces gathered around her for various people on her list, and simultaneously made pleasantries with some of the other guests. Names were announced, groups arrived, and security and servants began to line up in front of the cathedral in orderly rows, all dressed in high class—for Pallos—servant attire.

  Finally, a grand trumpeting resounded as four figures emerged from the front doors of the cathedral.

  “Pleased to greet you all as your hosts this fine evening are Grand Judge Magistrates Lorrigan, Sayella, Andulf and Arlyen!”

  All of the color drained from Liz’s face as she stared in shock at the two humans and two gnolls who emerged, and the final figure staring directly at her.

  ~ ~ ~

  As the guests followed the hosts into the cathedral, Liz wanted nothing more than to run away. She couldn’t maintain her cover if one of the hosts was her own mentor.

  Then again, Liz supposed that wasn’t true. She didn’t need to hide her identity anymore if the only person who’d know her was working for the Vajra. And that was when it all made sense. The reason she’d been abandoned by Arlyen at the attack on Heron Lake. She’d been one of the rebel leaders in the first place.

  A small bundle of fury began to build within her stomach as she came to the realization slowly. It all finally made sense. In exchange for helping with the attack, she’d been elevated to the position of Grand Judge Magistrate, as if the Justiciary still existed and mattered somehow.

  Furthermore, after all her pleading with Sylvestre, she’d abandoned him and he’d died. Of course Liz wouldn’t trust a word from her anymore.

  The interior of the grand hall was just as richly decorated as the exterior had been, and the food arrangements were all impressive in their own ways, not that Liz would be trying any of them. The floors were polished to a mirror sheen with murals across the ceiling similar to Notre Dame Cathedral back on Earth.

  Liz began studiously avoiding Arlyen and making her rounds, introducing herself as a member of the Exterreri Envoy, then also offering the ‘divine blessing’ of universal translation for many conversations going around. The power of the present the goddess had gifted her served as a wonderful diversion from her true blessing, at least.

  Eventually, she ran into him.

  Erick Eladria.

  “Well heeeello there, cupcake.” Liz had to work her acting abilities double-time to keep from vomiting from the first words out of his mouth.

  Diplomatic smile on her face, Liz gave a customary—recently learned—Exterreri greeting. But then she studied him with her mana sight and [Earth Shattering Arts] and had to work her acting skills triple-time to keep from pulling a face.

  [Warrior - Pyronox (Lvl 414), Mirage (Lvl 401)]

  The issue wasn’t just the mana and classes. Erick was, according to his file, a privileged snot who was only eighteen, and had never needed to hold a combat role in his life. The second issue was his eyes. Rather than the dark flames of a Pyronox user, his eyes showed the starry appearance of Celestial.

  The third issue was the weapons. Erick was covered in hidden needles, and not the sort for sewing. They were long and made from some metal Liz couldn’t identify. If it were simple steel or similar, then they wouldn’t be glowing in her mana sight with the appearance of what she assumed was a type of Magic Metal.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m no cupcake, mister…?”

  “Lord, actually. I am Lord Erick Eladria of the Aureus Kingdom to the West. I suppose that must be the East for you, since you’re from Exterreri. Interesting things I’ve heard about the new Exterreri Empire.”

  “New? The Empire was founded hundreds of years ago.”

  “Ah, but it is only a fledgling ‘Empire’ born from just this era. Our glorious Aureus kingdom has a history going back to before the past two immortal wars. One day, Exterreri will become as esteemed as our great Kingdom, I’m certain. What did you say your name was?”

  “I didn’t. But you may call me Anallaya.” Liz was beginning to reach the end of her nerves with the creep. She’d thought Hollywood stars had a penchant for being self-absorbed, but this guy might just beat them all, and he was incredibly armed and dangerous.

  “So what’s your real name, then?” He leaned forward conspiratorially, and Liz nearly drowned before he cracked a laugh and tried to pat her on the shoulder, which she thankfully dodged. “I’m just joking, since you only said I could call you that. Anallaya, eh? I’ll be sure to look you up if I’m ever over in Exterreri, if it matters by then.”

  The bizarre man waved as he wandered away, snagging a wine glass from a passing servant’s platter.

  Elizabeth felt like her lifespan had shrunk by several years in the interaction. She also felt like she was slipping back into detective mode again as she continued to make subtle inroads with various people of status within the crowds gathered.

  Erick Eladria was not only hiding his element, but also had a full arsenal of weapons on his person, and had come when the Eladria family had refused Jayce’s help with recovering Jax. She supposed they’d sent someone to protect the boy after they recovered him, since that was the most likely.

  Unless the Eladria family were the ones plotting to murder a large number of foreign dignitaries at the event.

  Liz carried on her way, rubbing elbows with various dignitaries and occasionally getting immersed back into the Exterreri team for some quick updates. Even so, after hours, she’d heard nothing about Jax, nor had she picked up on any coded language about the child with her ability. She wasn’t getting desperate, but she’d begun considering other options.

  “Nothing reported from Iota. They’ve searched the areas around the cathedral without any luck. That narrows it down to the private chambers of the cathedral for each dignitary group. Rangers reporting no signs of poisoned food or drink yet.” Sentinel Magic conveyed a report to her from somewhere, wherever he happened to be keeping watch on the situation.

  She wanted to curse under her breath, but she couldn’t risk anything with the number of possible high Vitalities nearby that might hear her.

  Every group attending the event had their own separate room near to the main hall that could be used for private discussions or even to simply rest their legs.

  It had been nearly two hours since the event began, and Liz had made nearly two full rounds of the various people at the event before a number of people entered the back of the hall and filed into seats to one side, and the amount of Sound mana filling the air rose considerably as the band began to play music, and the center of the hall parted like the Red Sea for the first groups of dancers.

  It was exactly what Liz had prepared for, and she, being a beautiful young woman, was immediately requested and escorted to the floor for the first song alongside many other dance partners gathered. Her first companion was an older dwarf, and she found it slightly hilarious that she had no trouble with his height after learning to dance from Faythe, the immortal child-vampire.

  The dance went well, no toes were stepped on, and she got through it without making a fool of herself or her cover story companions.

  She moved on to leading a human woman next, and then a Dullahan, not that she could tell gender, but the other person was the lead for that dance.

  Then as she left the dance floor, she was met with a familiar greying gnoll’s face who bowed slightly.

  “Lady Anallaya, I presume? I truly must have some of your time.” Arlyen offered her hand and a diplomatically cornered Liz had no choice but to follow her to the dance floor.

  “What do you want, Master?” Liz spoke in a sneering tone that she didn’t allow to show on her face. “Or is it Grand Judge Magistrate now?”

  The dance pace faltered as Liz took over the lead from the gnoll who seemed slightly tripped up by her words, or her tone.

  “I… we should catch up when there’s more time. But for now, why are you here? I thought you died in that blast.” Arlyen seemed to struggle with a language that could be spoken in hushed tones.

  “You never looked for me, so why should it matter to you? You’re what? The figurehead for the Vajra now? What did it cost for you to sell out your country, or get your supposed lover killed?” Liz struggled, and likely failed, to keep her fury off her face at that point.

  “You’re right. When the skill hit the temple, I fled the village and headed towards the capital, assuming you’d died. Defenseless during a class-up, right? So why are you here? And why in Exterreri colors?”

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  “I don’t owe you any explanation.” The song ended then, and Liz turned on her heel, thankful that it had been the shortest song so far.

  She headed for the Exterreri reserved resting room and took slow, deep breaths to quell her own anger.

  She heard from one of the other nearby resting chambers the last words she wanted to hear.

  “Well heeeello there, cupcake.”

  Liz looked around and briefly glanced outside the heavy drapes, not seeing the annoying noble. He’d actually been using the same line on every girl he met?

  She poured some mana into the privacy inscription at the entrance before leaning her head against the wall in exhaustion.

  “Now that we’re alone and won’t be overheard, allow me to congratulate you on reaching level one hundred. You get a good skill?” Arlyen was impossibly sitting on the sofa opposite her as she spun around.

  She sighed and shook her head. “Not sharing. Why are you here?”

  “Always cautious. You have good sense. If you’d showed up a little sooner and gotten a lot higher level, I could’ve made you the queen of the reformed Justiciary. Now, tell me about your little adventure.” Arlyen unsubtly pulled her Stygium whip from the hook at her waist.

  The threat was shockingly overt, and Liz couldn’t help but gulp. Of the people attending the event, the only person she thought might be able to assist her with someone as dangerous as a level four hundred divine [Paladin] was Sentinel Magic, and the Sentinel would only go wherever Senator Ignatius went.

  With a deep breath—more like a sigh—she relented.

  “The mercenaries who sacked the town gathered up every person under level 128. Split up the kids and me into groups and sent them to different slave markets. Only I never made it far. An ambush slaughtered the mercenaries, and the kids and I went with the ambushers. The ambushers had ties to Exterreri, and apparently there was a camp of vampires nearby. I tagged along with the envoy to look for the sibling of some of the orphans I was caged up with.”

  Arlyen had been her mentor and knew Liz the longest. She was somewhat aware of her ability to lie and play roles well enough to not be caught lying easily. That was why Liz shared a mostly truthful story. Showing fear would be a mistake, as she’d stopped showing fear to Arlyen in their first week of training together anyway.

  She briefly wondered why she was keeping Faythe's secret safe, but in the end, she was infinitely more afraid of the high level vampire and her entire race of vampires behind her when compared to someone like Arlyen.

  “I see.” The older gnoll closed her eyes briefly. “I’m sorry you had to go through any of that.”

  “Why’d you really leave me there?”

  “I saw Sylvestre die. I was one of the planners for the attacks. Only, when I took my detour to Heron Lake, they moved up the plans. I tried to get Sylvestre to leave and bring you along, but it just didn’t happen.”

  It didn’t make Elizabeth feel any better.

  She turned to the doorway to leave.

  “Any luck finding the sibling you’re looking for?”

  “No, not yet. I’ll keep looking, though.”

  With that, she left the private room.

  Returning to the main hall, she continued with her work, dancing with foreign diplomats and sharing information she heard with Sentinel Magic who seemed to be running communication for all sixteen members of their two teams.

  [*ding* [Dancing] may be changed to [Ballroom Dancing]. Would you like to side-grade this skill? Y/N]

  [*ding* [Ballroom Dancing] has leveled up! 38 -> 60]

  It was only another half an hour before the screaming began.

  “Murder! Someone was murdered here!”

  The clamor came from the private rooms, and there were already guards and onlookers converging on the scene.

  Liz drifted over alongside the other guests, pouring into the adjacent hallway where the guards had begun restricting access to the scene and body.

  Liz felt a flood of true despair reach her as she realized which room the guards were keeping the onlookers out of.

  The Exterreri Envoy resting room.

  “Seal all the exits. Question every member of the Exterreri Envoy. We have a murdered child here.”

  When Liz turned around, there was a swarm of guards in the Vajra colors coming straight for her and the other Exterreri members.

  The guards of the Exterreri Envoy included both the Rangers and Team Iota undercover. It was soon to be a massive problem, and when the Vajra drew their weapons and began to approach anyone wearing red and black, commotion and chaos broke out.

  The Rangers in the hall all converged on their [Senator] and took up ready stances with their weapons drawn, while the rest of the hall tried to split away from the armed people before they could be caught up in anything.

  A hand seized Liz by the arm in the commotion and tugged at her, pushing her towards a guard violently, having an unusual Strength to move her by force despite her heavy body..

  She saw the Rangers take up defensive positions as their charge frowned and gave the order to withdraw from the cathedral. Liz didn’t blame him, as they’d suspected the event to devolve into a justification for the slaughter of foreign diplomats.

  Then Liz felt the blood drain from her face as the body was carried out of the private room. The hair color matched, as did the age.

  It was Jax. The body was the young child she’d been looking for.

  And in her mana sight, as if in slow motion as she stumbled forward, she saw the faint traces of mana around the body, where the wounds had been burned with purifying flames, and the puncture wounds made by needles were obvious to the sense of her [Earth Shattering Arts]. It all clicked instantly.

  Erick had been sent to kill his own system-locked cousin. She could only guess it was preferable to the boy being used in a political scheme against them.

  Everything was happening in slow motion.

  One of the Rangers lashed out with a projectile of conjured metal while another began to draw a conjured bow made of twisting vines and nocked an arrow tipped with shining Brilliance. Another still began to gather Wind around them in a defensive skill.

  The entire team huddled around as Sentinel Magic—the real one, possibly—landed in the center of their formation.

  Liz collided with a guard who pulled her to the ground and tried to stab her with a sword, cutting into the beautiful dress and skating off the skin-tone Runeweave she wore beneath.

  She recovered, then tried to stand up, only to find the Vajra member had his knee on her back and was using a Skill to restrain her by pinning her down. She fought the Skill with her own [Arts] and managed to crack the marble beneath her as the localized quake staggered the man pinning her.

  She activated the defensive effects of the Runeweave armor and stood in time for a club or mace to connect with her shoulder and bounce off the barrier rune and strike her head, rattling her as the barrier extended to protect the rest of her body.

  She stumbled and looked up at her assailant in time to see more skills flying around the room. Stone and metal was slung around as sonic attacks met barriers and swords met shields.

  One Vajra Elite was clubbing the foreign dignitaries en masse, seeming to simply enjoy the killing.

  She failed to stand upright as a massive shuddering of the ground beneath the cathedral bucked and heaved. Even the air seemed to twist and warp as Liz caught a glimpse of Sentinel Magic weaving his spell. A Spatial portal shimmered into existence, warping at the edges as a purple energy radiated through her mana sight and through the entire area around them all.

  In a flash, the entire cathedral's occupancy fell to their hands and feet as the Exterreri Rangers, Senator and Sentinel all vanished through the portal.

  Even after they disappeared, the purple energy continued to writhe and warp the area, the shuddering of the earth continuing to toss people around like they were in a ball pit.

  Then, the marble spiderwebbed into splits and cracks as a horrible sound of screams reached her ears. A whole town of voices rose as the gravity left her.

  No, it wasn’t gravity that had left her, it was that they, and the whole building, began to fall.

  She lost track of which direction was up as the cathedral crumbled from the cliff it was built upon as the spatial tremor destabilized the whole city.

  That was when the notifications began.

  [*ding* Your party has slain a [Baron - [Poison] Lvl 238], [Slave Owner - [Wood] Lvl 157]!]

  [*ding* Your party has slain a [Mountain Delver - [Mountain] Lvl 326], [Metal Shaper - [Metal] Lvl 274]!]

  [*ding* Your party has slain a [Stable Hand - [Verdant] Lvl 222], [Snuggle All the Fuzzies - [Light] Lvl 63]!]

  [*ding* Your party has slain a [Margrave of the Hawks - [Gale] Lvl 495], [Canny Commander - [Sound] Lvl 389]!]

  [*ding* Your party has slain a [Trademaster - [Light] Lvl 213], [Dealmaker - [Water] Lvl 128]!]

  [*ding* Your party has slain a [Apprentice Chef - [Fire] Lvl 128], [Aspirant Baker - [Fire] Lvl 128]!]

  [*ding* Your party has slain a [Duke of Aureus - [Radiance] Lvl 760], [Champion of the People - [Brilliance] Lvl 724], [Future King - [Light] Lvl 128]!]

  [*ding* Your party has slain a [Artillery Mage - [Earth] Lvl 256], [Magic Instructor - [Wind] Lvl 256]!]

  She watched in horror as rubble split from columns and archways, battering people around as they slung spells and weapons at one another. It was horrific, and Liz was nearly killed by a buckshot of debris, which only was stopped from reaching her due to her Runeweave defenses.

  She finally stopped all notifications when she saw the first one that read true horror to her.

  [*ding* Your party has slain a [Child]!]

  The worst part of all—so far—was the other set of notifications.

  [*ding* [Merciless] has leveled up! 10 -> 11]

  And on and on the skill went, making her want to gag. Before she and the rest of the cathedral fell into the ocean below, her soul had suffered innumerable damages.

  [*ding* [Merciless] has leveled up! 11 -> 84]

  She nearly blacked out as she fell into the ocean below.

  The cathedral had broken up into huge chunks, but the masses sank slowly compared to her. She sank like she had a ball and chain weighing her down, which all of her stone body parts were effectively serving as.

  The ocean floor welcomed her quickly and she tried to move clear of all the incoming marble as survivors tried to swim away.

  She felt cold as fear overtook her suddenly. In the water, she could see a shape moving amongst the currents, and there was a distinctive massive maw full of teeth like swords.

  Liz forced her body to move, pulling the neck of her Runeweave up over her mouth as she activated the breathing runes there, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

  Even still the fear tried to claim her.

  Flashes of her mother making her watch shark movies as a small child surfacing unbidden to her mind. The cold sensation creeping through her body came with sudden agonizing pain in her mind and body as the first of the marble building thudded into the ocean floor behind her.

  Her feet failed her as she curled up amongst the sand and seaweed around her.

  [*Error* [Acrobatic Templar of Seira] has been penalized one level.]

  [Reminder: You must not stray from your sworn convictions.]

  [Templar’s Conviction: No fear. No hesitation. A Templar faces their enemies with unwavering conviction. When a Templar’s mind does not bend, neither will their body. Massive increase to Vitality Defense per level.]

  Her [Conviction] skill had triggered a penalty, but it didn’t matter to her.

  She’d managed to get credit for a collateral kill on a whole city as it fell into the ocean as a result of Sentinel Magic’s [Gate] causing a massive spatial tremor to dump the city into the sea. She’d imagined herself becoming a protector of children in this new life, but with the number of innocent people in her kill notifications, she just wanted to curl up and wither away.

  She laid there, hugging her knees as the pain of the penalty ran through her.

  She had no idea when the breathing skill of her Runeweave would wear off, but a part of her didn’t even want to try to find a way to survive.

  The pain bled into unconsciousness as the penalty wore off and she recovered her senses enough to succumb to the mental and emotional exhaustion she felt.

  [*ding* Congratulations! Your class [Acrobatic Templar of Seira] has leveled up from level 103 to level 128!]

  [*ding* You have gained the following stats per level! +30 Free Stats, +60 Dexterity, +50 Vitality, +60 Speed, +30 Mana, +80 Mana Regeneration, +50 Magic Power, +50 Magic Control from your class! +4 Free Stats for being Partially Human, +2 Vitality for being Partially Stone Golem! +1 Vitality from your element!]

  [*ding* Congratulations! Your class [Fate’s Shackles] has leveled up from level 91 to level 128!]

  [*ding* You have gained the following stats per level! +4 Free Stats, +6 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +10 Vitality, +2 Speed, +5 Mana, +5 Mana Regeneration, +4 Magic Power, +4 Magic Control from your class! +4 Free Stats for being Partially Human, +2 Vitality for being Partially Stone Golem! +1 Magic Power from your element!]

  [*ding* [Seira’s Tenet of Equivalent Exchange], [Earth Authority], [Earth Manipulation], [Tenacity of Stone], [Rigid Body], [Earth Shattering Arts], [Mental Partitioning], [Learning] and [Imaginative] have remained capped! 103 -> 128]

  [*ding* [Templar’s Conviction] has leveled down. 53 -> 52]

  [*ding* [Chain Proficiency], [Elegant Chains], [Chain Reinforcement], [Chainmail] and [Fate’s Bonds] have remained capped! 91 -> 128]

  [Name: Elizabeth Fereday]

  [Race: Stone Golem/Human Hybrid]

  [Age: 21]

  [Mana: 42,286/44,780]

  [Mana Regeneration: 43,123 (161,873)]

  Stats

  [Free Stats: 3,491]

  [Strength: 360]

  [Dexterity: 7,251 (16,532)]

  [Vitality: 7,299 (16,641)]

  [Speed: 7,213 (16,445)]

  [Mana: 4,478]

  [Mana Regeneration: 9,278 (21,153)]

  [Magic Power: 5,530]

  [Magic Control: 5,395]

  Classes:

  [Acrobatic Templar of Seira] - Earth - Lvl 128

  [Seira’s Tenet of Equivalent Exchange: 128]

  [Earth Authority: 128]

  [Earth Conjuration: 66]

  [Earth Manipulation: 128]

  [Tenacity of Stone: 128]

  [Rigid Body: 128]

  [Earth Shattering Arts: 128]

  [Templar’s Conviction: 52]

  [Fate’s Shackles] - Metal - Lvl 128

  [Chain Proficiency: 128]

  [Elegant Chains: 128]

  [Chain Reinforcement: 128]

  [Chainmail: 128]

  [Fate’s Bonds: 128]

  [Fate-Linked Magic Power: 21]

  [Fate-Linked Mana: 1]

  [Fate-Linked Magic Control: 21]

  [Class 3] - Locked

  General Skills

  [Mental Partitioning: 128]

  [Ballroom Dancing: 60]

  [An Eye for Detail: 128]

  [Merciless: 84]

  [Tireless: 8]

  [Learning: 128]

  [Stunning: 59]

  [Imaginative: 128]