It had skulls piled beside it with relics of the weapons his ancestors used to chop off the heads of the kings of enemy kingdoms, who dared not to bow before their might.

  It had been a long time since all the leaders of the Nexxus stood in the Obsidian Cradle…

  Every kingdom was cooperating for their shared goal.

  Meanwhile, in the Livingrings Kingdom, there were many infightings.

  To make things worse and divide Livingrings further, the Nexxus had assigned people to gather in different locations, spreading bad gossip about the kingdom’s leaders and wizards.

  It was all for their noble cause, of course.

  Faliamber - Capital City of Livingrings Kingdom

  “General Vaelros!

  There is a disturbance again at the western side of the city.

  It’s much worse than the previous incidents in the past months,” Lieutenant General Gol Furbuw stormed into the General’s office.

  “Are those outsiders spreading lies about our kingdom again?” General Vaelros Dreadstelth said with a furrowed brow while holding his waist.

  Why must outsiders always meddle with their kingdom like this?

  Was it because of what they have here?

  Livingrings was a kingdom filled with lush nature and various animals which were not seen in other lands. They roamed here freely.

  The animals were peaceful as if knowing they should not destroy houses or step on people. They only eat plants.

  What they have in Livingrings were only seen in picture books studied by the privileged in other kingdoms; who were not able to see their magnificence in person, since these were said to have gone extinct long ago, or only created in the fantasies of their ancestors’ imagination.

  There were clean water fountains where everyone drank from.

  Many fruits hang from trees all around the pathways and cities; all free for the people to eat, except those intended for selling. These had circular magical marks.

  The sun always shone brightly too, and further illuminated the timeless beauty of the kingdom due to its castles and buildings towering in pure white marble.

  But, as if not wanting this place to live in peace, there were many disturbances that had risen recently.

  The cases had greatly increased these past three years.

  Like this time, when the children of the king were away on vacation and an upcoming festival was approaching to celebrate another year of keeping the seal pure.

  Occasions like these usually had more incidents, but the cases this time had become more often.

  General Vaelros sighed deeply. They must be more vigilant than ever.

  “Yes, Sir! But, they’re stronger than before and our foot soldiers can’t fight them on their own. About fifty of our soldiers are down. There are 10 magical apprentices trying to aid, and one told me something is amiss.”

  Gol Furbuw reported loudly, earnestly waiting for the general to respond immediately.

  “It was that bad?!” Vaelros frowned, doubting that the apprentice wizards were unable to handle those weak insurgents.

  After all, the wizards were so powerful.

  The wizards of Livingrings were not human. They originated from the Floating Orb — a mysterious place floating right above the skies of Livingrings. It was invisible to all, except for the wizards who dwell and were born there.

  Aside from the highest-ranking wizards, people of Livingrings call all other wizards as apprentices no matter how different their ranks were.

  “Yes, Sir. We need more hands. We must head there at once since…,” Lieutenant General Gol Furbuw added the rest in a much lower voice. “The prince and princess are also there.”

  “What?! Are you sure?!” Vaelros was alarmed.

  “Yes, I am sure. I saw them myself,” Furbuw confirmed.

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  “Then, we will head there immediately,” Vaelros rose from his seat and quickly gave orders to his men.

  “Gather the Silver Legion and prepare for departure. We will support the apprentices…”

  The general gathered some of his troops, the Silver Legion in particular, since they could act more quickly with their flying mounts called Celestial Drakes.

  Vaelros also summoned his Celestial Drake – Leviathan.

  These Celestial Drakes were large, wise, and graceful draconic beasts who were said to be anointed pets of the gods. They usually come from the ‘source’ before the wizards gave these to the humans.

  They were only used by high-ranking officers and important citizens of Livingrings.

  Celestial Drakes were usually silver-scaled in color with vast, ethereal wings that sparkle like starlight, allowing them to soar effortlessly through the skies. Celestial Drakes could make huge magical barriers to protect their riders during battles.

  They could also disappear when they were no longer used by the riders. The Celestial Drake and the rider had magical links built over time with trust. These made the drakes know if they should disappear.

  The humans here in Livingrings knew it was the innate ability of the Celestial Drakes given by the gods.

  Leviathan was gifted to Vaelros by one of the Divine Archmages named Beledon, one of the highest-ranking wizards in Livingrings. Leviathan is a radiant white-colored drake, strong in physique and could create his own armor with magic.

  High-born Celestial Drakes like Leviathan were white in color, and usually blessed by the wizards that gifted them with different abilities.

  These could be harnessed only if they got stronger and if their riders were able to withstand their powers.

  Leviathan could sometimes communicate telepathically to General Vaelros when necessary, or allowed by the wizards in extreme situations.

  The communication gradually lasts longer as they grow stronger with the battles they fought or the magical powers they faced.

  Leviathan had been Vaelros’ strong and reliable partner for years now.

  Receiving the Summons, members of the Silver Legion arrived quickly one after another.

  Some came from the training grounds, some from their assigned patrol areas nearby, and some from the palace.

  With enough members of the Silver Legion gathered, they were ready to depart.

  “As we don our armor, let us remember the sacred oath we took to protect this kingdom and uphold justice.

  In honor of those who sacrificed their lives for our cause, let us raise our swords for Livingrings!”

  Vaelros Dreadstelth proudly lifted his gigantic sword — shimmering with a white and bluish hue that seemed to capture the very essence of the sky.

  Its blade, forged from an enchanted blue steel, was as wide and as long as his arm. The general was tall, more than seven feet and packed with muscles from rigorous training.

  Intricate runes and sigils etched along the blade's surface, glowed faintly.

  It hinted at the ancient magic imbued within the metal, and the value it wanted to communicate to all who saw the one bearing it.

  The hilt was wrapped in black leather, providing a firm grip for the general's powerful hands, and was adorned with a sapphire pommel.

  “To Livingrings!”

  The Silver Legion shouted in unison while lifting their weapons. They prepared to take off with their Celestial Drakes.

  With Vaelros’ leading, they took off and headed to the west side of the city.

  People from all places they passed by watched and cheered as the Silver Legion flew in the sky, their blue capes regally moving with the winds.

  After all, they were their symbol of hope, strength, and divine favor.

  The citizens and any young talents looked up to them and had already begun their training.

  There were even people waging gold to see who could be brigadier, major, or lieutenant generals first among the promising talents.

  General Vaelros’ sons, Calek and Donvar, watched proudly at a distance, smiling and waving to their father.

  Calek and Donvar were among the talents highly regarded by the citizens due to their father’s reputation.

  If Calek and Donvar ever want to follow in Vaelros’ footsteps, he would be able to train them well and share what he learned while he was in the position.

  Calek, 14 years old, was under body endurance training, while Donvar, 9 years old was still starting to grasp magic.

  Vaelros waved back at his children and continued heading for the location Lieutenant Furbuw had informed him.

  Upon approaching the west side of the city, they focused on their mission.

  Vaelros frowned when they arrived at the location and from above, spotted the kings’ children.

  Princess Nymeria and Prince Orion were amidst the incident itself even though they were supposed to be on vacation at Mistwalker Palace.

  “What happened to them!” Vaelros inquired.

  The children were trapped in a cube formed by a greenish moving water-like cage that had tentacles wiggling and circling around it consistently.

  It looked like some kind of living organism with some dangerous binding abilities.

  “Those are like shields and prison bars at the same time, General. The apprentice wizards are unable to break them,” Gol Furbuw replied, his eyes darted anxiously, his lips getting tight after seeing the situation had gotten worse.

  *Vaelros Dreadstelth - General of the Divine Army of Livingrings

  * Gol Furbuw - Lieutenant General in the Divine Army

  *Floating Orb - birthplace of the wizards in Livingrings and dwelling of the highest-ranking wizards

  *Celestial Drakes - draconic mounts of the Divine Army

  *Leviathan - Vaelros’ Celestial Drake

  *Beledon - a Divine Archmage who gifted Leviathan to Vaelros

  *Calek and Donvar - Vaelros’ children

  *Nymeria and Orion - young prince and princess of Livingrings

  *Mistwalker Palace - a vacation place of the royal family outside the city