3 Orders

Raiko and Chrono materialized in an instant, in what would have been a near imperceptible manner if not for the bright flash of light that accompanied them. The tent they now found themselves in was almost identical to the one they had left in Corinth, however as this location was only constructed to receive, lacking the necessary capacity to transport a living being, the elaborate array was missing from the floor.

The soldiers on standby outside the tent bowed respectfully, showing no hint of surprise at the sudden appearance of these two men. They were clearly expected.

After dusting himself off and removing the summons from within his coat, Raiko stepped forward, knowing that Chrono was still recovering from the Elder's message and was in no state to deal with others at present.

"Well that was quite the entrance wasn't it?" He said, chuckling to himself as he recalled the first time he had been forced to activate an array with his own power. "On a more serious note, as we are unfamiliar with the layout of the Estate we will require an escort to his Majesty."

After a short pause a young man from beyond the first line of soldiers walked toward them. He was dressed in a finely tailored black and red suit, embellished with gold buttons and a half cape draped over his left shoulder, immediately identifying him as a noble.

He had walked forward confidently, sporting an air of importance, enforced by how, despite his age, the others seemed to defer to him.

"I, Prince Gerard Oberon, humbly greet General Chrono and First Lieutenant Raiko of the Night Regalia. If you would kindly follow me, I will guide you to my Father. He requires your presence at once."

The young Prince seemed well rehearsed, without a shred of nervousness or anxiety in his words or mannerisms, however Raiko found himself somewhat disappointed in the boy he saw standing before him. As the First Prince, Gerard was supposed to be a pillar of the Royal Family, meant to inherit the throne from his Father and lead the Kingdom to prosperity in his stead, but all that Raiko could see now was weakness, a child who would never escape the shadow of his Father.

As if he sensed the thoughts brewing within his Lieutenant's mind, Chrono put a hand on his shoulder, pulling Raiko back while placing himself in front once more.

"At once your Highness. Please lead the way." He said quickly, bowing as he did, finally seeming to have regained his composure.

The three departed with haste, wasting no time on their way to the King's audience chamber, quickly passing through the immense perimeter wall that guarded the Estate and up the large steps that bore its entrance.

Though the Eralith Estate was rather small, for a property owned by royalty, what it lacked in size was made up for in the grandeur of its architecture.

Two massive columns stood on either side of the steps, supporting a large arch above that blended seamlessly into the triangular roof. The entrance itself was made up of a large pair of double doors, ornamented with the Sword and Cross crest of the Holy Kingdom, that bisected the face of the Estate and separated the intricately carved reliefs on either side.

The inside was more muted in its extravagance, with a simple red carpet covering the dark hardwood floors of the grand entryway and leading up the central staircase to the second floor. The high ceilings provided a sense of immense space where there was little, while the sparse furnishings, mainly bookcases and cabinetry, and hanging light fixtures ensured that the space was not defined by emptiness. Decorations were minimal, with the only painting being a large family portrait of the Royal Family hung above the fireplace in the living space beyond the staircase.

Prince Gerard led the group through a door off to the right of the fireplace and into the courtyard beyond, stopping in front of a plain looking door on its far side. "Beyond this door is the meeting place my Father has arranged."

These words must have been a predetermined signal as it seemed to beckon the light drum of conversation beyond the door to come to an abrupt halt. Moments later, a man within the room opened the door and permitted them entry.

There were three people already present, the King, the Regent of Nobles, and the General of the First Army. A quick scan of the charts and maps scattered across the small drafting table they were sitting at made it obvious that much had already been discussed, which meant that Chrono and Raiko had only been summoned to listen. It was a clear display of disrespect aimed to devalue the influence and power held by the Night Regalia.

Despite knowing that his titles were nothing more than meaningless ornamentations, offering him no real authority within the court and amongst the many nobles, Chrono seethed with anger as he stepped through the doorway and fell to one knee before the King. Raiko followed suit, his knuckles bone white as his fist connected with the floor.

"I, Chrono Aurus, General of the Second Army of Kalif present myself and my First Lieutenant before his Majesty Doman Oberon in response to the Royal Summons."

"Please rise my General." Doman said softly, with a tinge of sadness hidden in his voice. "Now that you are finally here, we can bring this discussion to a close. The contents of today's summons will mark the end of this war, and finally bring an end to all the senseless slaughter that has marked our beloved Kingdom for far too long."

With a small gesture of his hand the King directed their attention to the table before him, which the Regent promptly rearranged to present a map of the Castle of the Usurper and the lands which surround it.

"We have expended our full military might to end this war, and in the process we have won many battles, however we are no closer to its end than since the day it began." The General of the First said as he pointed to another map; this one displaying areas of past battles and varies strategic locations throughout the Kingdom. "As of now the Usurper has avoided direct conflict with our main armies, utilizing guerrilla tactics to destroy our supply lines and slowly pick away at our numbers. In the end he has displayed that he is nothing more than a coward, and now it is time to draw him out of his shell."

Chrono could sense Raiko shifting uncomfortably by his side, his fists still clenched behind his back. His feelings were not unfounded, but now was not the time to express them. This meeting needed to come to a close before anger consumed them both.

"Darius's armies would never be able to rival our own in direct combat. They lack the numbers and many of his soldiers were originally nothing more normal civilians, without any combat experience or training. They have been fighting a losing battle since the day this war began. As such, though small in our eyes, his achievements thus far deserve our respect, and if you cannot muster that, then at the very least they deserve our recognition."

The person who spoke had entered the room silently, walking in under the cover of the discussion through a hidden doorway just behind where the King sat. Aside from the Royal Family and a small group of select individuals, the only other person who would have access to the secrets of the Eralith Estate was the Prime Minister.

She was a woman of small stature and yet her very presence commanded attention and respect, and she was one of the few people within the Court of the King that Chrono thought of as an ally. Her presence here was a blessing.

"It's kind of you to join us Adeline." Doman said as he prompted her to take the seat beside him. "Now then, since all of the players of gathered, I believe it is finally time to explain why I issued the summons tonight. It is time to bring this war to a close, and to do so we will be confronting the Usurper head on. The Night Regalia will lead the vanguard in this fight. You will have the Third Army to support you from afar, while the First Army will be responsible for leading the second charge. Our aim is to leave the Castle in disarray during the initial siege, allowing a select few soldiers to lead an assault on Darius himself. With his death, the Providence War will be over."