2 Summons

The long walk to the Palace provided Chrono with the first semblance of peace he had experienced since the Providence War had began and ended. Whether or not it was welcome was a completely different story. The idle state that it provided his mind brought forth memories that only sought to remind him of his pain, his sorrow, and his anger.

As he walked beneath the portcullis and crossed through the threshold into the first tier, his mind wandered back to the day that his faith in himself had been shattered.

...

Three days before the Beheading of the Usurper

"General, his Majesty has requested your immediate presence at the Eralith Estate." A soldier said nervously, his eyes darting from the floor to the man in front of him, not resting on either for too long.

Chrono only looked up from his report for a moment to acknowledge the soldier before him, smiling to himself at the clear discomfort the man found simply by being within his presence. The interruption would have been welcome had the content been anything else, unfortunately a royal summons almost always spelled bad news, especially when he was involved.

"What is your name soldier?" He asked nonchalantly, attempting to delay the inevitable.

"Um, sir, I fail to see how that matters." The soldier gulped cautiously. "You have been issued a Royal Summons. Refusal to obey immediately will be seen as an act of treason and you will be detained until the date of your trial."

Which was fair, and within the soldiers rights to say, however it was annoying nonetheless. Using all of his remaining mental fortitude to calm himself and to resist the odd urge he felt to laugh at the man, Chrono turned serious. "Show me the Summons and get out of my tent before I have you executed for threatening a superior."

With shaking hands, the soldier slowly retrieved the scroll from within his bag, set it on the table, and left the tent, this time never once raising his eyes from the floor.

Chrono sat in the silence left by the soldier for a time, staring forward blankly as his worries seemed to pile ever higher. Fortunately, he was not left alone for long, as the soldier was quickly replaced by a friendlier face, albeit one sporting a rather arrogant grin.

"It's interesting how they treat us isn't it? Like a spoiled child might his servant after he realizes his authority." The man said casually as he entered the tent. "Though maybe he was just terrified of the Demonic General and his ever so ghastly reputation."

"Raiko, it's rude to judge those beneath you so harshly. If we were to do so then we would only be stooping to the same level as them." Chrono chuckled, finally standing up from his desk. "That aside, what business does my First Lieutenant have with me so late in the evening?"

"It's about the summons, I received one as well. With a little less humility from my messenger if I might add."

With those words the cheery atmosphere dissipated as Chrono glanced down at the scroll that had been left for him. It did indeed hold the royal seal, which meant that it had come from the King's own hand.

For the two of them to be summoned together, either there was a major development in the war efforts or a new strategy was about to be put into motion. Both options would ultimately spell trouble for the Night Regalia.

As the two left the tent they were greeted with the stench of death and countless wails of agony, things that had grown all too common for them during their years spent on the battlefield.

After winning a small skirmish in the outskirts of Corinth, Chrono had ordered his army to set up an abrupt encampment to sort the dead, treat the wounded, process prisoners, and await further orders. With the developments of the war thus far, he had assumed that the King was planning to bring an end to the war soon, and his current actions only reinforced these worries. Though he could not be certain until after he attended the summons.

Unfortunately they were being called to the Eralith Estate this time. It was a relatively small plot of land owned by the Royal Family within the borders of the Holy Queendom, Rosein, which was used in times of war to safeguard the Queen and any Prince or Princess too young to fight.

In normal times it would take them half a month to travel there on foot from the Capital, however times of war offered certain shortcuts to those in positions of power.

"It looks like we're going to have to use the array this time." Chrono sighed. "What a waste of resources."

"If this is an urgent matter, then it will be worth it. Besides, the Arcane Towers supply us with the array at no extra cost to ourselves. All of our expenses are sent to those stuck up nobles in their posh castles." Raiko said in an attempt to cheer up his General, knowing that Chrono appreciated the casual way in which he spoke.

The array is a means of teleportation, one that can be used to move a single step or across entire nations in an instant. Of course the distance is determined by the amount of energy circulated through the array upon activation. The further the distance, the greater the energy required and the more complex the array.

Kalif is the largest Kingdom on the Alprine continent, maintaining its position through alliance and power, the latter being the more important of the two. A large portion of this power stemmed from the development of magic and magic based technologies, with a third of the state's expenses being targeted toward funding research within the Arcane Towers. Hence the existence of teleportation arrays within the army.

As the two approached the outskirts of the encampment they found themselves standing in front of a large tent, the largest present, marked by the crest of the Arcane Towers, an intricate symbol of an Owl with its two eyes drawn to depict incomplete arrays.

The young boy standing vigil outside the tent nodded his greeting and pulled the flaps to the tent open, allowing them entry without a word.

It appeared that their arrival was expected.

"Ah Chrono, my old friend. Welcome, welcome, please come in."

The man who spoke wore a cheerful expression on his face as he welcomed the two with open arms. He was dressed in a white robe that bore the same crest as the tent on the back, as well as seven golden stars on the right side of the chest, indicating that he was an Elder of the Tower. However his kind smiling did not reach his eyes, and his warm welcome seemed forced, signs that he knew all too well the nature of their visit.

"Good evening, Elder Stein." Chrono said with a bow. "Forgive us for the intrusion, but it is imperative that we are granted use of the array tonight."

"I am aware of the reasoning for your unfortunate visit this evening." The Elder sighed heavily, the wrinkles of his weary faced tightening as he furrowed his brow anxiously. "The array is already prepared for your travel, all you must do is activate it. I only came to greet you so that I may offer a few words of advice to you and your companion."

He paused for a moment before unfurling a small scroll from within his robe. Looking up for a moment, he waited until he was sure he had their undivided attention before he began reading aloud.

"The path forward will be long and hard, for tragedy follows close behind. This fate cannot be ignored and is unavoidable regardless of action. Hold steadfast to your beliefs, to those you cherish, and to yourself, for that is the only was through. Danger is fast approaching, steel your resolve and prepare for the fight that is sure to come."

The words hung heavy between the group, offering a dreary silence until Chrono finally spoke.

"That was a message from her was it not?"

The Elder nodded his head, refusing to meet his gaze. "I was instructed to deliver these words to you upon the issuance of a summons. It seems she is already aware of what is to come. You must be prepared, this Kingdom's future may very well depend on it."

Chrono clenched his jaw and stared forward, a habit of his that tended to come out when he was annoyed or angry. Understanding the situation, Raiko propelled him forward from behind, pushing him past the Elder and into a separate section of the tent.

"Forgive us for our abrupt exit Elder Stein, however if we delay any further we will most certainly have to face the wrath of his Majesty. As I would rather not go through that, again, I will bid you farewell for both of us."

Without pause, Raiko deposited Chrono within the large pattern that had been etched into the floor of the tent and placed his palm within a small triangle that marked its center. At first nothing happened but slowly the markings began to glow brighter, creating a blinding light that wrapped itself through the small space of the tent until it completely engulfed the two men.

As quickly as the light had appeared, it was gone, leaving behind only a small scar within the dirt, and a hand print at the center of the array.