Chapter 117 - The Queen and the General

  Queen Agnes:

  I was in the pace, having tea in a cozy room. Ryan stood by the window, watg as some of the knights traihe young Asalons to fly. Asalons are creatures that o get used to carrying a person while flying to improve their aerodynamid withstand the weight of the rider.

  "And the prince’s gift?" he asked me, still looking outside.

  "It should have reached him by now, and soon Dun will take care of that 'cub'," I replied.

  "Cub?" he ughed. "That thing’s way too big to be called a cub."

  "It’s just a small gift for him. Soon, my son will be heading to the Academy in Apsalon, and we want to show our power to others. That’s an animal worthy of a king."

  Ryan paced around the room a bit before sitting at the table.

  "What did you think of the High Elf’s opinion?" I asked, curious.

  "About his magic? Hard to say. That woman is from a strange and reclusive race."

  "She told me it’s rare for someoo awaken three elements. I asked if there was anyone his age more talented in magic than my son, and Adrihna... just shrugged."

  Rya out a ugh.

  "Only a High Elf could shrug off a question from the queen," he said, chug.

  This time, I couldn’t help but ugh. He had a point.

  “I asked her to examine his gem with her eyes. I wao see if there was even a glimmer of hope that he might possess the Special Eyes… but it amouo nothing,” I said, letting out a sigh.

  My brother lowered his shoulders, resigned.

  “He’s already too old. If the cultivation process hasn’t begun by now, there’s no ce left,” Ryan stated firmly.

  “That would be asking for too much,” I murmured. “This family has already been blessed enough in this geion.”

  He regarded me, thoughtful.

  “Do you think the High Elf knows the true secret of the Special Eyes?”

  “I doubt it,” I replied, a trace of hesitation in my voice. “Only the Founding Emperor khe truth, and the secret has bee within our branch of the family. Luckily, she only has one special eye, and her case is unique, being a twin. But even so, only we know the true power of that eye. It’s unfortunate… I might leave this world without ever witnessing one in its full potential… or g it for our family.”

  Ryan’s gaze sharpened as he studied me.

  “You didn’t bring that elf here just for that,” he said, suspi edging his voice.

  I offered a sly smile, her firming nor denying his accusation.

  "I just wao send a subtle message to the elven kingdom."

  "A subtle message?"

  I took a sip of tea, sav the moment.

  "I’m a woman who pys the long game... I have a dream, and I think my son realize it for me. The message I sent is just to let them know how talented he is. He might be the only one oire ti with the three natural elements. I want to make a move..."

  "What move, sister?"

  "Power is power... My son is the most talented mage on this ti. I want to uhe elven kingdom with ours and quer the rest of this ti under one banner."

  Ryan choked on his tea, shocked.

  "Sometimes you scare me. Even the emperor didn’t dare take the other half of the ti."

  "That’s why I want to finish what he couldn’t. We are desdants of the emperor; it’s in our blood to rule these nds. I want to reuhis divided family and marry my son to the elven king’s daughter."

  He sighed, ed.

  "Agnes... you know the elven kingdom doesn’t work like ours. The arranged marriage culture is different; the final decision always rests with the couple. And I doubt that family would agree to unify with us."

  I smiled fidently.

  "The elven king’s daughter will also be studying at that Academy, and that will give us more access to her parents without the need for a diplomatic meeting, which would make everyone nervous. In Apsalon, we’re oral ground. We are a powerhouse in magical tools and military strength, and my son is the most talented mage of this geion... I feel he’s destio finish what the Founding Emperor started. For that, we hem the superiority of the royal family even more. Our motto is 'Superiority and Power'. There be no one more powerful than us in our nds; we are territorial. If we uh the elven kingdom, we’ll crush any fool."

  Ryan scratched his head and sighed again.

  "Don’t say shit like that in front of the Dukes, or you’ll make my job harder, haha."

  "Why would I o expin the obvious to them? My pn is simple: all the small tries that call themselves kingdoms on this ti... they will all carry our bahey will all be subdued."

  "I imagine you’re thinking long term..." Ryan said, evaluating the situation.

  "That’s my py, and it will all depend oionships we fe. For decades, royal families have had no direct tact, only unig through representatives or meeting with an army of diplomats surrounding us. I ’t execute my pn based on a superficial retionship. That’s why I need a powerful marriage to take this ti and recreate the Founding Empire."

  Ryan paused to analyze what I said.

  "This is very bold."

  "Boldness is the attribute of winners. I’m ung an even bigger pn that will involve all the duchies."

  "n?" he asked, curious.

  I just gave a simple smile.

  "If we want to subdue the other kingdoms, we must start with those beh us and close to us. I want everything from the duchies."

  "I don’t uand... what are you talking about?" he asked, fused.

  "Our pn needs guarantees, and we need more power. I want all the best ons, the fi soldiers, every ented relic, all the powerful domesticated beasts. I want from them everything that be useful. It’s simple to uand. I’m taking a dangerous step, and I ’t afford to take risks. I want every form of power I seize."

  Ryan looked at me, a bit perplexed.

  "Yoing tones. I doubt anyone will willingly hand over these things."

  "Who are the king and queen of this kingdom? Do I heir permission for anything? I’ll be a good diplomat and reward those who cooperate, but... I’ll be prepared to deal with anyone bold enough to give me a ‘no.’"

  "That’s dangerous, it’s not something simple to pull off."

  "That’s why I want a partnership with the elven kingdom. If we have them as allies, no one will stand in our way."

  The door burst open with force.

  "MOTHER!" My son ran toward me.

  "You’re sweaty, champion. Were you training with the sword?" Ryan asked.

  "I was, but I o know... is that mihat magical creature?"

  I smiled.

  "That’s a rare Asalon Manticore, born once every 100 years in a litter. There’s only o a time, and it’s always destined for the king. We’ve trai i, but now I want you to build a bond with it."

  My son rushed to hug me, and evey, I accepted him.

  "How big does it get? It looks different from the other Asalons."

  "Of course it’s different," Ryan said. "The Asalon Manticore grow to reach 5 meters. It’s the rgest flying mountable creature that has ever existed."

  Dun’s eyes widened.

  "It get that big?" he asked, surprised.

  "It’s the rgest ever. No other flying creature surpass that size. It was with this animal that the Founding Emperor led armies. It’s a beast worthy of a king," I expined.

  "But I’ll be going to the Academy... I won’t be able to train it."

  Ryan approached him.

  "It’s precisely for you to use at the Academy. You are a king, and you must start showing your power. Everyoudying there with you, from all the kingdoms, will see our strength. We are the only ones in the world who possess dominiohe skies," I said.

  My son is destined freatness. A prodigy in magid now with the bond of a powerful, intelligent creature. Through him, we will aplish what the Founding Emperor failed... eion will revive the Empire and rule with absolute power.

  "So, my magical creature is strohahers?" he asked, his eyes gleaming.

  "The Asalon Manticore is the definition of superiority. It’s fast and has brute power. When you go to the Academy, you’ll show everyohat you are a king above all others," I said, reinf the importance of his position.

  My son smiled even wider.

  "This Asalon is also more intelligent, capable of uanding ands in a way no ical creature ," added Ryan.

  "I’ll truly be the King of the Skies," Dun said, happy.

  "No..." I corrected him. "You will be the Emperor of the Skies!"

  Nathan Evenhart:

  I y o Cyl, feeling a deep happiness at finally being able to hear her voice. After thinking I had lost her that night, being able to be by my phoenix friend’s side again brought me peace.

  "Wait! All those times I pined about you givihose crushing hugs... what were you saying to me?" I asked, curious.

  She turned her face, trying to hide.

  "Secret..." she murmured.

  "s! And when you were lig my fad my hair?"

  "Another secret..." said the phoenix, hiding behind her wings.

  I sighed.

  "I’m probably better off not knowing, it seems."

  "I-I agree..." she said, shyly.

  "Good thing you’re not that big right now..." I teased, remembering the times she almost squashed me.

  "That form was the assimition of my progenitors’ traits. I was beginning to ehe incubation stage, and now their three traits are merging inside me to create my beast form."

  " you tell me more about the beast form?" I asked, intrigued.

  Cyl seemed to reflect for a moment.

  "My other version, Sisika, told you a bit. The phoenix is our hatg form. Actually, I belong to a race that received the powers of three great beings that helped us long ago. The traits of my beast form e from a giant quadruped that towered over mountains, a bird se it darkehe sky, and a sea serpent that created tsunamis when it moved."

  I listened closely, trying to imagine each of these colossal creatures.

  "You ied parts of them?"

  odded.

  "I ied traits from the three World Destroyers."

  World Destroyers... Could it be reted to that creature sleeping in my eyes?

  "What happeo these World Destroyers?"

  "They died while helping my species, thousands of years ago."

  So, it ’t be the creature inside me... I think.