32. An Uneasy Welcome

As they pass through the gate portal, they emerge on the other side and find themselves surrounded by a row of spears.

"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in our kingdom?"

Gizel and Gwennith put their hands up immediately while Victor remains on one knee.

"My name is Victor Bloodgrave, son of Riventer and Rebekah Bloodgrave. It was my father's final instruction for me to find this place. These two are my party members, Gizel Freewing and Gwennith Fryden."

Murmurs break out among the soldiers as they consider what to do after hearing him speak. Gizel whispers to Victor;

"What should we do now?"

"Nothing. Divine Mages don't take kindly to outsiders who don't follow their rules."

Both girls look at him with big eyes and speak at the same time.

"Did.... you just say.... Divine Mages?"

"I did."

Before they can utter another word, a deep woman's voice is heard booming over the area.

"Fellow soldiers of Regnum, lower your weapons. There is one among them who has the blood of our people. They are to be treated as indifferent until we decide otherwise."

The soldiers lower their spears, and the commander approaches the group.

"You heard what our great empress said. You will be restrained and taken to a holding cell. If you resist, we will kill you."

Victor smirks as he puts his hands together for them to be bound. The two girls follow his actions, and the group get taken through a path that constantly changes as they walk further.

"I'm surprised you never let your emotions take over back there."

"Really, Shadow? You decide to bring it up now. Make no mistake, my emotions are high, but I want to keep them for the gods so they know the consequences of their actions."

"You're getting scarier by the day, boy. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of your emotions."

"Keep talking, and you'll experience it first hand."

"Hehe, now that was a pure, cold-hearted response. Very well, I shall return and not bother you until next time."

"That damn primordial. He can really be irritating when he wants to."

"Is everything alright, Victor?"

"Oh. Yes. My mind wandered a bit. Sorry."

Victor sees a bright light at the end of the path, which emerges to reveal lush green fields, crystal clear flowing rivers, and all manor of cultured animals. In the distance, a giant mountain shadows the fields. When they get closer, Victor notices openings, carvings, and pillars.

"That must be their capital."

"Be quite intruder. You have not been given permission to speak."

The escort turns to punch Victor, but he sees it and just dodges. The escort punches one of his own, and then a fight breaks out. While the soldiers fight each other, Victor finds a bench, sits down, and just watches the scene unfold. Gizel and Gwennith start panicking, not knowing what to do. A figure suddenly appears behind the soldiers, picks the two up, and smashes them together before dropping them on the ground. The figure moves into the light, revealing a tall, muscular female with short red hair, blue eyes, tanned skin, and a generous figure.

"You call yourselves soldiers of Regnum, yet you act like total barbarians in front of strangers? I will personally see to your discipline later."

Another figure appears behind the woman, and it is a short, well-built man with defined features and soft brown eyes. He pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head.

"How many times have we spoken about this, Tristia? You can't treat your inferiors like animals. How do you ever expect them to perform at their best?"

"Cork it, Bladyen. I am in charge of the soldiers, so I'll do things my way. Since I've been appointed as leader of the army, it has become a force of incredible discipline and might. Nothing like your group of useless mages that do nothing all day except read books and cast magic spells."

"It is truly difficult for a muscle head to understand the complex makeup of magic. So I can understand if it's too much for you to see beyond it just being magic."

They stare daggers at each other, ready to fight. They are stopped by a royal guard running up to them almost out of breath.

"Sir Bladyen, lady Tristia. The empress grows impatient, waiting to meet the foreigners. The two of you will escort them to the royal chamber. This is by order of the empress."

They look at Victor, and sparks begin to fly between the three. Gizel and Gwennith stand there feeling it best not to disturb them. Tristia walks up to Victor and places her face a finger width away from his.

"Hmm. You look like you can handle a sword. It would entertain me to fight you, but we could probably do that later."

"I wouldn't get too confident around him, Tristia. His magical energy is one that I can not measure. He probably casts magic to assist with his sword strikes."

"That doesn't bother me. I still want to fight him."

"Very well, but only after we've taken them to the empress, and she decides what to do with them."

The two escort Victor and his members to the royal palace, where they enter a spacious room filled with well-dressed nobles, and a giant throne sits against a huge wall depicting scenes of a great battle. When they approach the throne, Tristia and Bladyen fall on one knee, and Victor tells the other's to do the same. Sitting on the throne is a woman in her late years, silver hair so long it touches the floor, pale skin that glows an angelic color, beautiful silver eyes but flat chest.

"Welcome, visitors of the human world. I am the empress of Regnum, Freyja Gilderan. What business do you have in our kingdom?"

She looks at Victor, and her eyes narrow. Before he can speak, she silences him, then rises from her throne and walks towards Victor.

"Raise your head for me, boy."

Victor raises his head and looks at her. Her eyes widen as she starts to notice his clothing and the emblems placed on it.

"Tell me your name, boy."

Victor firms up his posture before speaking.

"My name is Victor Bloodgrave, empress Freyja. Son of Riventer and Rebekah Bloodgrave."

Freyja is speechless as she steps back, taking in what has just been said.

"It... can't be. You are her child?"

"Indeed I am. Who was she to you?"

Freyja runs up to Victor and embraces him in a hug, much to his surprise and everyone else. The nobles begin talking among each other.

"Um... empress Freyja. Why are you embracing me?"

Tears form in her eyes, and she starts crying.

"I thought she was dead and that nothing of hers remained. But to see her son right before my eyes is a blessing only capable for the gods."

Victor gets a dark look on his face.

"Don't ever mention anything about the gods in my presence, or I will lose it. Now, what relation are you to my mother?"

"Oh, umm, sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. She's my sister."

Everyone in the room gasps after hearing the empress speak. Even Gizel and Gwennith don't know what to say. Victor stays there, words escaping his mouth as she looks down at him with happiness.