46 Diplomatic mission
The capital of the kingdom of Seles, Aurora is ready to welcome the small military force sent by the neighboring kingdom of Olmaria. Queen Fefel Sisinol stands in front of the city surrounded by a battalion of magicians.
The queen of the elves is a pretty elven in her twenties, young by human standards and very young for the elven ones. The life expectancy of the elves is about one hundred and fifty years, so you can see centenarian elves normally in the most prestigious offices. The situation of this pretty elf is a little peculiar. The parents died murdered making her the new queen by right. Behind her, the maternal grandmother helps to hold the reigns of the kingdom of Seles.
No elf would ever think of having to ask for help from a neighboring kingdom. The kingdom of Seles is small but fearsome, the number of wizards, druids and healers is hundreds of times higher than in other kingdoms. Military power is comparable to that of one of the central kingdoms.
A few months ago, however, a giant half-blood tribe settled in their territory. Army intervention was useless. Many of these invaders have inherited the unique ability of giants to nullify magic-related skills, 'antimagic'.
The first military intervention was resolved with a catastrophic defeat. Many elves have lost their lives unnecessarily. However, the few elves able to fight with weapons are too weak to face the titanic strength of these creatures.
The first idea proposed by the elders council to face this tribe was to hire mercenaries. Unfortunately, in the famous battle of the black demon, many mercenary groups lost their lives or suffered great damage. The only ones available were mercenaries from the central lands whose price was clearly unmanageable for the small kingdom.
A few weeks ago, however, a messenger from Olmaria, apologizing for the problem generated by the war fought in his territories, offered the help of the army in exchange for some commercial permits.
Fefel exercised his right of decision for the first time during her reign. The queen has imposed her choice on everyone. The pride of the elves will be affected, but at least the kingdom will have a chance of getting out less damaged than expected.
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Simon rides to the right of Prince Colt while Desmond follows him a few steps away. The battalion of the Force of Fate follows along with the battalion of the royal army.
A few hours' walk from the capital of the elven kingdom, one can already glimpse the shape of the city of Aurora. High spiral-shaped towers defy themselves in height, wrapped in climbing plants and surrounded by huge trees. The blue color of the buildings is mixed with the green of the sheets. The whole city is completely enveloped in a huge luminous dome, very similar to the northern Lights. Theodore told Simon that the dome is an unsurpassed shield generated by the power of some artifacts and hundreds of wizards.
Just outside the dome, a delegation of about a hundred elves in a tunic accompanies a delicate girl.
Alongside Simon, Colt is anxious to meet the queen of the elves. Throughout the trip he did nothing but praise the beauty and nobility of this girl. The two met years ago during her coronation party. At the time the prince had no way to talk to her since the young woman was in a period of mourning.
Simon watches the prince pull out one of his best smiles once approached on foot to the queen.
Colt, followed by Simon and Desmond, approached the delegation, leaving the soldiers fifty meters behind.
An elf with long white hair standing between them and the queen, intimate to stop "I am Cacam Peperinel, a member of the elders council. The queen is here to receive you, come forward."
The Queen comments, "Come on Prince Colton V, it is an honor to reconnect you. I am happy to see that you are not afraid to approach us without an escort."
The prince smiling replies "It is an honor for me too, Queen Fefel." Then after a small bow with the head continues "Without fear but not naive, I assure you that the people who accompany me are the two best men of my army, I present you to Baron Simon Forb and his knight Desmond."
Among the wizards some whispers can be heard "So is he the black demon? That barbarian thirsty for blood?"
The Queen, humiliated by whispers, reports the order with a wave of her hand "I ask you to excuse them but to hear the name of the person who gave life to the legend of the black demon has shaken them."
Simon gestures with his hand to diminish the situation "Majesty, it does not matter."
The old man advances by asking "I would not offend the guests who came to give us a hand but I would like to understand what force can deploy a small kingdom like that of Olmaria"
The prince serenely answers "Do you want to test all my men or is a representative just enough?"
The queen, red-faced, answers "For the gods! Such a thing is not necessary."
Cacam instead continues "Since we have with us the much vaunted Black Demon I would like him to lend himself to this test."
Simon shrugs and replies, "It's fine with me, as long as we hurry up so the tired soldiers can prepare the camp and rest."
Four elves wizards placing themselves at the top of a square generate a small dome similar to that of the city, then the old man says "There we will not have problems inside. The proof is simple, if you are to challenge that tribe you must prove to us that you possess their own strength and keep up with us magicians. I'll be your opponent."
Prince Colt adds "Well we do not have the ability to nullify the magic so I see it hard, especially against an elder."
Simon instead says "We accepted, I would say retiring now can only throw mud on the reputation of my lord. I'm ready."
The young baron with the enchanted uniform and enters disarmed in the dome followed by the old Cacam.
"Ready? Begin!"
"Pronti? Iniziate!"
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The anxious Queen observes the duel, regretting not intervening in time to stop Cacam. The council has clearly devised this plan to avoid the help of the kingdom of Olmaria. Her inexperience made her fall straight into the trap.
Looking around, Fefel can see some of the members of the council be pleased, the wizards enjoyed watching the duel and the Prince of Olmaria laughing quietly with his knight.
… laughing quietly?
No soldier can defeat a magician in a duel, much less an elder of the council, one of the strongest magicians in the kingdom.
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Cacam raises his hand by generating an additional shield around the body then with the other hand prepares to cast an attack spell against the opponent.
Simon never faced a wizard in a duel but during the battle with Luberistan he saw some wizards fight.
The spell leaves towards him, a small burning ball.
Simon has recently discovered he has all of his characteristics increased by a further 50% thanks to the addition of three hundred royal soldiers to his army. So he quietly observes the burning sphere approach slowly, so slowly that thanks to his attributes he is now able to perform more actions in a few seconds.
The ball approaches his chest, he moves to the left then with two quick steps of the skill 'quick step' approaches the magician. He pulls the halberd out of his magic bag. Charge the blow behind the head with both hands and strikes the shield with full force.
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The queen is open-mouthed, nobody has seen well what happened. Cacam fired a fireball against the opponent. Then the spell crashed into the dome as the old wizard found himself hurled in the opposite direction. The shield around his body crumbled and the blow left him on the ground without breath and with some bruises.
In the middle of the dome the black Demon holds the halberd in his right hand, observing the old man's reaction.
Fefel scared thinks "What did he do? That's the black Demon! We have offended a warrior blessed by the gods. We are ruined!"
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Simon asks "Have we finished? Or did the council foresee other tests? I would like the soldiers to camp."
Prince Colt, seeing the stupefied gaze of everyone, replies "Yes Simon, we have finished, the noble Cacam certainly does not want to use all his strength in a symbolic duel. It was just an elven custom to honor friends. Desmond and Drew will prepare the camp for the soldiers, while we can enter the city, right?"
The queen recovered from the shock thanks the prince with a smile "Of course! Friends come with us, you will be guests in my castle."
The prince takes the opportunity to add "I would like to take advantage of your hospitality, while my men will take care of your problem, to discuss the future of this remote area of the main continent. My father and I have ambitious plans for our kingdoms. We want to become an alliance strong enough to make our voices heard also in the central kingdoms."
