Chapter 10 - Of rumours, lies, pain and revenge

"I'm afraid not much has changed from what we heard years ago. As the story is currently told, it is said that 5 years ago the leading candidate for the great honour of becoming the Gloria of EON, Armand Dai Mikaeli, indulged in depravity and lust when he laid eyes on the youngest daughter of one of the Grand Dukes of the Lutzomya oligarchy, Miss Lilina Tan Carolus while she was at the Temple to fulfil some vows in front of the Vicar. Armand tried unsuccessfully to woo her, but she was apparently already betrothed to the heir of Lutzomya's largest duchy, the Serakim clan. Finally, in the face of her repeated refusals, he lost his temper and, entering the young woman's chambers, raped and abducted her. The Vicar, who was suspicious of Armand's strange behaviour, found him during his escape and tried to convince him to stop and repent. Taking advantage of the Vicar's good faith, Armand stabbed him in the back and fled, taking Lilina with him. He escaped for several months until a Seneschal and a group of Temple knights caught up with him on the high seas and managed to corner him in the northern range of Ansem. When Armand found himself with no possible escape, in desperation, he killed Lilina, then took his own life," Elijah said in a quiet voice.

"NONSENSE!!"

Maikal shouted angrily, red-eyed and losing his composure. The chair he was leaning on suddenly exploded into splinters and dust at Maikal's sudden loss of control.

"Hahahahahahahaha..." Maikal began to laugh with disdain, anger and pain as he covered his face with one hand and threw his head back.

"That tale is perhaps believed by the rabble, but I wonder if they truly believe that the world's mightiest warriors and sorcerers are gullible and idiots. Others may not understand what it means to be the Gloria of EON because it is a title that has not been bestowed for at least 5 generations. The Gloria of EON is the most prestigious title a person can receive on the continent. He is the de facto leader of the Seneschals, not so much because of his enormous power that is above all others, but because of his vast potential, as well as his great values and moral virtues.

Moreover, anyone who met Armand even once would know that the rubbish he is accused of is false beyond any doubt. Armand was heroic, brave and proud, he would never grovel before anyone or anything in this world, let alone kidnap a woman to rape her and satisfy carnal desires, and certainly not attack someone from behind like a coward. And even if all that pack of lies were true, to think that a single Seneschal, accompanied by a bunch of Qi Emperors and Mana Pillars could corner and drive into despair Armand, the acknowledged greatest martial talent ever seen in the last 500 years is beyond ridiculous."

Maikal snapped, having lost control of his emotions and an uncontrollable wind raged in the room, a product of Maikal's power.

"Calm down Father. I know that eldest brother Armand would be incapable of committing all that he is accused of. There must be a conspiracy in between.

The problem is that over the last year, it seems, at least 2 or 3 of the Seneschals have supported this story. It seems that the Temple is still furious about the death of the previous Vicar, while they are still engaged in infighting trying to choose a new one. To make a show of power, they are pressuring the kingdom of Ansem to pay reparations. The kingdom's enemies are, of course, more than willing to add fuel to the fire and force Ansem to give up territory, property and resources to weaken it. Were it not for the immense power and prestige of His Majesty, as well as the great power of the generals Falma and Rafal who have been defending the borders and intimidating the kingdom's enemies, the situation would be much worse. Ansem is at the most dangerous moment in its history of the last millennia. Unfortunately, Ansem alone cannot stand up to the rest of the world."

Elijah said as he shared his findings with soldiers, merchants and travellers on the Rhodnius border. The general population was worried about the possibility of war and many feared for their lives. The name Armand Dai Mikaeli, once a symbol of pride for the entire kingdom of Ansem, had now become anathema.

Maikal was silent as he did everything in his power to calm his emotions. He knew that his old injuries threatened to resurface at the loss of control of his power, which could leave even worse effects on his already badly injured body.

He was finally able to calm down, though not completely. "As the saying goes, behind every rumour there is some glimmer of truth. We are not completely at a loss to find out what happened. For starters, we can infer at least 2 to 3 clues in this whole plot. For one thing, at least one of the Seneschals is involved in this, the one who chased Armand into the Ansem range. On the day Armand died, a power greater than level 90 was felt on the periphery of the realm, and if I was able to sense it, I'm sure the more powerful beings in the capital did too. Although I don't know who it is yet, it's more than likely that someone in the capital does. The only thing is that he still won't show his face, but this secret is not impossible to discover.

Second, the Serakim clan. They had the most to lose if Armand married Lilina. The Carolus and Serakim clans are among the oldest on the continent, with a history spanning millennia, and I am sure that this marriage had more political connotations than true love. It is very likely, then, that the Serakim clan was one of the most supportive of Armand's persecution and death. The current seneschal of Lutzomya is in fact from this clan. I don't know if he was the one who persecuted Armand or not, but it is worth investigating.

Third, although less likely, it cannot be ruled out that the very Carolus clan is also involved. The problem with the ancient clans is that many of their members are extremely xenophobic, racist and pedantic, as well as believing that their lineages are the most prestigious in the world, and above all others. Even if Armand were the most talented man on the continent, I'm sure some of the clan elders would see him as just an upstart with no pedigree, and certainly unworthy of being with their beloved heiress. I wouldn't be surprised if the more radical among them would rather see her dead than married to Armand, especially when such a union would ruin their plans to associate with the Serakim clan."

Maikal said. Ultimately, it was clear to him that everything he was saying was nothing more than speculation. But having a target to start with gave him hope of finding those who plotted against Armand's life. The only thing he could not understand was why. While jealousy of Armand and Lilina's union seemed to be a clear trigger, it was not enough to risk so much, especially with the death of a Vicar involved. It was possible that Armand was nothing more than a scapegoat for the real murderer and there was a darker and hidden plot behind, and Armand just found himself in the middle of it all.

Maikal finally lowered his gaze. A tear was welling up in one of his eyes. This man had rarely cried in his life. Even when he had lost everything in the past, the fault of an insidious intrigue that had practically destroyed his entire family, he did not cry at that moment, nor did he curse his fate. Elijah, seeing his father so affected, approached him, trying to comfort him.

"You know my secrets, Elijah. You know my past. Forgive me. You've barely turned 14 and I've placed a pretty heavy burden on your shoulders. The truth is, I've never expected you guys to help me with my revenge, or to rebuild my name or my family. When all this happened to me, I took it as a consequence of my many youthful mistakes, my pride, and my lack of intelligence and tact. I had no real friends, and I didn't look for them because I thought that my power would always help me to get everything I wanted... How wrong I was.

When I was wandering the streets, having lost everything, I thought that EON had cursed me and that my destiny was to disappear from history, without a single memory of me remaining. It was at that moment when I was about to give myself up to death, that your eldest brother came into my life. Many would think that I saved him and taught him everything I knew, but the truth is that your brother was the one who saved me. When I found him on the northern border, near the barbarian villages, I saw a boy who had been through something similar to mine. His family lived on the border and were little more than farmers. They had been ravaged by the Barbarian Raiders when he was still a babe in arms, malnourished, and begging for food in the streets. But his eyes had not dimmed or lost hope; they were the clearest, most limpid eyes I had ever seen in my life. He rescued me from the ignominy that was my life then, and gave me a new purpose."

Maikal was smiling while recollecting.

"And Armand did not take my efforts for granted. His martial talent was unquestionable, the highest I had ever seen. He kindled in me the flame of hope that I would more than regain all that I had lost. In truth, I only wished the best for him, not that he would restore my name. He became more than a son to me, and he treated me like a father. My first disciple overcame all barriers and reached the top of Ansem on his own. Stories of his exploits in the wars against the barbarians and Rhodnius were sung in the villages and his name alone was synonymous with terror for his enemies. Other than Falma, no one had ever seen such a talented man in the whole world, becoming a Qi Saint at the age of just 22. The King himself offered him the hand of his daughter, the most beautiful woman in all of Ansem, and Armand turned her down due to his relentless pursuit of the pinnacle of the martial world.

Armand Dai Mikaeli. The name Mikaeli did not exist before him. He decided on the name himself when he became known. When I found out I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. That he took my name and made it his surname. I know he did it to let me know that he would put my name at the top of the world. But all that disappeared with his death. And the worst. A death so full of mud and disgrace."

Maikal, his red eyes full of anger again, was on the verge of losing control.

"That's the one thing I can't tolerate. I WON'T TOLERATE IT. That's what I hate. This powerlessness of not being able to avenge my son. The loss of my family and name doesn't matter to me, but to have my son's memory soiled by these filthy lies is what I can't forgive. Maybe I should just leave it at that. Maybe it would be better for you, Maya and your younger siblings if I stopped pursuing this. I know I'm putting you all in danger. Those who killed Armand were not afraid to kill even a Vicar, let alone poor orphans... But I cannot let the memory of my son sink into the mire of history. That's why I sink deeper and deeper into alcohol. What was nothing but a ruse to fool others, has become my reality. To try to forget the pain of his loss".

"Father, please calm down. You still have us. I will not abandon you and I am confident that I will go as far as eldest brother, and I will help you unravel the truth. Besides, think that at least the memory and lineage of big brother Armand are still alive. Every time I see Nerun's smile, it's as if big brother is with us again". Elijah commented.

"Nerun... When we found a baby in the middle of a forest surrounded by a magic circle, plus the big explosion of light, and the announcement of Armand's death a few days later, I was able to tie it all together easily. Besides, he looks more and more like his father, although his features are, if possible, even more delicate, almost feminine. I guess he got it from his mother. Nerun is the hope of Armand and his wife. It is the last trace that they existed and that they loved each other. It is likely that they only wished for him to live a quiet life. Many parents wish only that for their children. I am still undecided whether it is appropriate to tell him the truth one day. If Nerun has a talent, even half of what Armand had, I'll consider telling him everything. Let him be the one to decide what to do with his future. On the other hand, if he fails to become even a Qi Monarch before he turns 20, he's better off living his life as a regular person," Maikal said crestfallen.

Maikal and Elijah talked for a couple more hours about other issues and plans for the near future. Eventually, they both went to rest. Soon, a nee day would start.