Meeting of the Council

[Jaron's POV]

I've been in heavy contemplation since Arthur and Elijah have returned. To the point that I've been unconsciously avoiding them, so that I could watch and study them from afar. Arthur seems to have already noticed, but I push that to side as that's not really that important. He can get on without me for a little bit. The cause of my contemplation is the strange aura that previously I had only ever seen inside Arthur that I now see in Elijah as well.

The energies seem to reach out for each other when they are too far away, but I can see Elijah's lash out when they get too close as well. I'm almost positive that this energy or aura is the from their past lives. The only problem is, is whether Elijah will be an enemy or not. I can't remember the whole thing, but I know his origins go farther than just being a dwarf orphan.

I just don't know if what happens can be prevented or if it is inevitable. Haa, it's a thought for another time because even so I don't know if I could kill someone just because of what they are fated to do. My attention drifts from them and over to the letter I received from King Blaine himself.

"To Jaron

You are asked to attend the announcement ceremony for the Lances as the Rez. However if you accept our offer it won't be as just a spectator, but rather earning a title for yourself.

The public knows the name Rez far and wide now throughout the kingdom of Sapin, as well as whisperings in the elf and dwarf kingdoms due to your showing at the tournament. It was obvious to myself, Alduin and Dawsid that you were a step above even the ones that are now considered the Lances.

That's why I offer you a sort of figurehead position, not as a Lance proper. As I know you still want to attend Xyrus, though I have no clue why someone of your pedigree would want or need to attend an academy. Well I suppose I have at least one idea haha.

By the power of the Council of Dicathen backing these words, I would like to offer you, Rez, the title of the Shield and serve as the protector of both Lance and citizen. Shielding the citizens from the horrors of war, and providing support to your peers, the Lances, when they so need the help.

I await your response, and don't take too long as the announcement is in 1 week.

Signed, Blaine Glayder of the Council of Dicathen"

Laying the letter down on my desk I lean my head back in my chair to look up at the ceiling. It's a smart move honestly, Rez is known to have come from orphan origins and rose to become the strongest adventurers in recent times. My feats as Rez has circulated through the public almost on the same levels of legends. Though that's mostly due to the stories getting exaggerated.

The way he worded the letter also seemed to imply that I would be allowed to continue attending Xyrus as well, though that's going to start to get a bit finicky. The more observant people and especially Kathyln might start to notice how often I have to disappear. Maybe I should at least tell Kathyln about me being the Rez, it would definitely be preferable to her finding out some other way.

1 week, huh? The amulets I was going to make for Kathyln, mom, dad, Lilia and the Leywins are almost finished, and when I do finish them it would be hard to replicate a slightly different version. After all the amulets I'm making for them have a distress signal that will pop up a video from my bracelet of their view from the amulet, that they can activate with just a press of the button as well as voice, and it can detect emotional distress.

The amulets were also made with my Phoenix powers fused into them as well. Meaning if they are targeted by a lethal or even a severely wounding attack, both magical or physical, a protective barrier will form around them. If that somehow fails, as a last ditch effort of a feature it will teleport them as close to me as possible. And if they suffered any injuries, my healing flames will erupt from the amulet to heal all the wounds.

Sadly if it comes to that point the amulet will shatter, but as long as they don't need any healing the amulet will just recharge with the ambient mana and can have the pace quickened by channeling mana to it. With those as the basis I can make a simpler version for the 6 Lances in just a week.

Theirs will only have the video feature, and the tracking feature along with the distress feature, button, voice or emotionally distressed activated.

I penned my response of acceptance to King Glayder and immediately began working in the amulets for the Lances. I could finish the amulets for my everyone else when I returned. I made sure to make them minimalistic, but also fairly fashionable so that they would go with the uniforms and not look out of place.

Like this about 6 days passed when I finished the final one and packed them all safely into boxes. I had told my family a couple days ago about what would be happening, but asked them not to tell the Leywins so that it could be a fun surprise. They wanted to throw a party for me right then and there, but I managed to convince them to hold and wait for my actual birthday in May.

When I reached the foyer I was met by Arthur just coming down the stairs, I knew that Elijah was already outside training with Reynolds since it was early morning.

"Where are you off to, so early in the morning?" Arthur asked as he reached the bottom of the stairs and I turned to him with my signature cheeky smile.

"Official business as the Rez. Now I must be off, don't miss me too much." Before he could respond I was already out the, with Elijah and Reynolds in the back I could fly off without fear of Elijah seeing me. I don't suppose it would really matter as I'm sure they'll tell him during the announcement that I'm the Rez, I might as well surprise one more person while I'm at it.

I pulled on my Rez attire while mid flight and then landed in the gate area, where I saw a familiar face. Martin Dreyl, the guy that guided me on my first visit here and also the cousin of my… friend? Eh, maybe more of an acquaintance, but sure we'll say friend, Krenshaw.

"Martin, it's good to see you again." He smiled briefly before giving a nod.

"It's a pleasure to see you again as well Rez. Please follow me, they want to get a rehearsal run through for you and all the Lances." I just nod and follow him through the portal, and the surroundings change from streets of Xyrus to the enclosed gate room inside the Royal castle.

"So whatever happened to that maid, that I talked to before leaving last time?" He only faltered briefly, but recomposed himself and kept moving.

"Miss Marceau had well… she had a bit of a breakdown after you left." My eyes widened under my mask at that, but he quickly continued.

"She kept raving on and on about someone stealing her necklace, and about how expensive it was and you get the idea. Well eventually it turned from that to her beginning to accuse everyone and well when you accuse the Princess of taking it, you tend to not stay long in the castle. Of course no one has found the necklace she claims to have lost, nor would she tell us what it looked like anyways in fear we would steal it for ourselves."

Truthfully I wanted to laugh so badly, at the comical turn of events. The Marceau family deserves every last misfortune that befalls them.

"I see, and she seemed so polite too." I responded and Martin only gave me a brief side eye before turning back. I guess he could sense my slightly sarcastic tone leaking through. Eventually we arrived in the throne room where everyone was already seated around a round table. The cliche 'we are all trying to be equals' was not lost on me, but I guess you gotta start somewhere.

"Rez, please join us beside Virion over there." Blaine gestures to the sole remaining seat that was set between Virion and the Elven Lances. I nodded my head and made my way to the seat.

"Excuse me." Was all I said as I pulled my chair out, took my seat and scooted it to the table. All eyes were on me as even though I've grown to a fairly tall for my age 5'5, it was obvious who I resembled here and Virion was the one to ask it.

"Are you a dwarf, Rez?" he asked while stroking his beard, and Mica was next to speak up.

"He can't be a Dwarf! He's too skinny! Mica thinks he's an elf." She sat back in her chair after having rose to point at me while she shouted.

"Hmmm, maybe that's why he was sat with us. Maybe he's a half elf half dwarf." Virion eyed me closer once again and I just sighed.

"I am a human, not an elf nor a dwarf. Now could we begin the meeting." I saw some shivers go down a couple spines from the disturbing voice that came through the mask.

"Very well. All the humans seem to be rather uptight." Virion muttered, but Blaine spoke up next.

"We will actually be going over the items you will all be receiving. They are artifacts that have been passed down through the generations and only recently have we figured out what they do. They allow a Silver core stage mage to immediately breakthrough to the white stage." Gasps were heard all around from the Lances, but each of the Kings and queens had minimal reactions.

(AN: I know they actually get them from the Asuras, but I figured they might be trying to keep them hidden from even the Lances still)

The boxes were brought out and placed upon the table, there were only 6.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but there seems to be only 6 while we have 7 people who need them." This time it was Olfred who spoke up.

"You're not wrong about the amount of rings, Olfred, but rather about how many people need to wear them." Dawsid spoke while staring straight at me and everyone's eyes trailed to me, even Virion showed some surprise.

"What King Dawsid says is true, Rez is a white stage mage already." Blaine confirmed what everyone was thinking and various different reactions occurred around the table. Virion tried to observe me closely but flinched back in pain.

"Sorry, Elder Virion, but not even you can see my core if I don't want you too." He was holding a hand to his head as he looked at me incredulously. An elven guard bared a spear at me , but Virion quickly raised a hand to stop him.

"Stand down! Rez is quite right, it's my own fault for trying to look." The guard retracted his stance, but I could see his grip was tight on his spear. The next was Bairon who stood up.

I refuse to believe he is a white core mage, I have poured years upon years into breaking through silver, with the help of hundreds of beast cores and I haven't been able to break through." Some nods from the other Lances, showed their support and I could only sigh.

"He didn't even finish out the tournament like the rest of us did." Aya was the one to point out next

"Yes, but then a worthy mage would not be here as I would not have lost to Bairon in the 3rd round match. Though an elimination match between him and Varay would have been quite interesting." Bairon's face contorted slightly at that and I could sense him willing some mana into his body.

"Would you like to test that theory?" He asked with a growl in his voice and I just chuckled. I stared at him for a few seconds and everyone watched us, but before I could speak, Varay surprisingly spoke up.

"I also do not like how you're insinuating that I would not be a match for you either. Do you think that lowly of us?" A slight chill could be felt in the air and I was smirking under my mask.

"No, I actually think pretty highly of you all based on strength. However, I also don't see myself losing to any of you." My words caused a buzz to fill the air as each of the Lances seemed to take the words as a challenge, and I suppose to to extent they were. They aren't strong enough at the moment to actually help me and eventually Arthur.

If I knew of a way to get them to breakthrough to white stage without the artifacts, that would be the ideal but even Yvette's memories didn't have anything similar.

"You better watch your words adventurer." Bairon spoke in anger as he glared at me, and I could feel several smaller glares from the other Lances and could only sigh. If only Blaine hadn't blabbed his mouth about me being a white core mage, I guess it's my fault too, but it was the only way I could turn down the artifact.

"Haaaa, King Dawsid you and King Blaine have caused quite the annoying situation. I suppose this won't be resolved without a quick spar." I stand up I gaze around the table at the Lances, each looking at me intently.

"Well, which of you feel I need to prove myself or that you think you can defeat me?" Bairon was already standing, but soon all the Lances except for Alea the elf Lance that had been sitting beside me this whole time. They looked to her questioningly and she just shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"I'm sure Elder Virion has noticed since he is sitting on the other side, but Rez has a comfortable yet strong aura around him. Also, sorry to give away a secret Rez, but his mask is not what's changing his voice. He's doing it himself with sound magic, but you can't detect his mana flow for it. Had I not know the little about artificing I do, I wouldn't have noticed either. His control over mana is so precise that I don't think we would notice if he even formed a spell right in front of us."

Everyone looked at her in surprise before looking to Virion.

"Is it true, father?" Alduin leans around Merial to ask Virion, who grins wryly before nodding his head.

"What Alea says is true. I hadn't even noticed the mask wasn't eliciting any mana until she said something. Seems Rez is quite the mage." He finished while looking at me out of the corner of his eye, but I just stayed standing.

"That still doesn't prove that he's stronger than us." Bairon stubbornly refutes, and I could only chuckle.

"Heh, don't worry Bairon I wouldn't forget about our spar. Seems everyone here still wants to test me too, so why don't we test the teamwork of the Lances? See if they can break the Shield." I finished with a grin under my mask.

(AN: Cringe alert!)

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Author's Note

Alright I didn't expect to still be only at this point when I began writing this chapter. I had actually expected to already be finished with the announcement by the time I ended this chapter. But when I started writing this just felt like an interaction that would happen.

You have all these strong mages that fought in the tournament to be here, while Rez technically fought he also dropped out before Bairon and Varay. Obviously King Blaine never told them why Rez dropped out, just that he did. So they probably feel he was trying to avoid losing face by dropping out.

Their personalities are also kind of weird to try and get right, as we really don't interact with them much in the books. Bairon gave me the impression of cool on the outside but quick to anger. Olfred gave me the sort of wise older figure, but he's also a dwarf so he's prideful in his strength. Varay is cold and calculating, but also has a bit of pride in her strength.

Mica is mica. Then there's Aya and Alea, but I don't really know much about their personalities. So hopefully they don't feel too OOC if I am doing them wrong.

So next chapter will be a "little" spar between Jaron and the Lances. Hope you look forward to it, and I hope I can do the scene justice.

Should only take about half the chapter if that long, and then I'll try to finish up the picking of the shield and the announcement. Don't worry I'll skip all the dialogue that I ripped from the novel in the previous chapter. I'll just describe Jaron's thoughts as he receives the shield and his thoughts while giving the speech.

Hint: this chapter's title was previously "Zeltan's Shield" when I thought I would make it to the announcement ceremony. Some of you might understand this hint if you remember the stuff about the Phoenixes, and why this is kind of a cool thing coming up.

Thanks for reading.

-SocioPhobia