Lineage I

|Alistair|

"The gate won't transport you directly into the kingdom, but it will drop you off near one of the entrances," the guard apologized with a hint of regret in his tone.

"Alright, thank you for your assistance," I replied with a nod of understanding.

The portal hummed and the ancient runes glowed as it opened up before us. I took a step forward, feeling the familiar pull of the portal drawing me in. As I glanced back, I saw the guard bowing deeply.

However, as I entered the portal, something strange happened. The guard's face twisted and contorted, aging rapidly until he was replaced by an elderly man who gave us a sly grin.

"Safe travels, young lads," he said with a wink, before disappearing from sight.

Suddenly, a voice whispered in my ear, "Finally, some privacy to talk." The space around us began to warp and twist, and we found ourselves in a blank, white room.

Confused, I looked around, trying to figure out where we were. Something obscured my vision, causing me to feel uneasy.

Arthur and I stood there in silence, waiting for something to happen. As we waited, I noticed a cat-like creature breathing through the light, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

The cat that had piqued our curiosity earlier now sat with an air of superiority, its tail swishing hypnotically as it locked its eyes onto mine. I searched for the old man, but suddenly, the feline began to glow in a brilliant, golden-white light that enveloped its entire body.

Stunned, I stood in silence as the light grew and shifted, transforming the cat into a man I didn't recognize. The energy surrounding him was heavy and imposing, but I didn't feel threatened. Instead, I felt a deep instinct telling me to wait and watch as the light shattered into sparkling fragments, revealing a regal-looking figure.

"Greetings. I am Windsom," the man spoke with an elegance that matched his appearance. His platinum blonde hair was slicked to the side, and his deep-set eyes, which had not changed from when he was a cat, seemed to pierce my soul. His gaze exuded nobility and a warrior's strength, with broad shoulders emphasized by the military uniform he had conjured.

Although I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, I knew that this being meant us no harm; otherwise, we would have been attacked already. However, the fact that my vision was still obscured made me uneasy.

The man's thin lips tightened in disapproval as he let out another sigh through his sharp nose. Peering down at the three of us, he spoke again, his voice commanding and authoritative.

"I felt this form would be more appropriate for our conversation," the man announced, his tone matter-of-fact.

I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat. Who was this man? Why was his presence so imposing and powerful, even more so than Gary's?

Arthur carefully set Sylvie down and stood up, his eyes fixed on Windsom. With a deep breath, he dusted off his clothes and spoke in a firm tone, "Before we continue, I need to confirm a few things."

Windsom tilted his head, a hint of surprise flashing across his features. It was clear that he wasn't used to being questioned so directly.

"Since you lured us here for a reason and used Tessia as bait, can we assume that she is safe?" Arthur asked, his gaze unwavering as he awaited the answer. Meanwhile, I retrieved a marble from my dimensional ring and began to twirl it around my fingers, trying to keep my nerves at bay.

Windsom hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly. "Yes, your elf princess is unharmed. I took measures to ensure her safety before bringing you here. She is currently recuperating with her grandfather in the elf kingdom."

Relief washed over me at the news, and I let out a small sigh.

"That, on the other hand," Windsom pointed his finger at the marble in my hand, then gestured towards Arthur, "is for you to keep."

We exchanged a surprised glance, unsure of what to make of the unexpected gift.

"For me?" Arthur asked, clearly taken aback.

Windsom nodded curtly. "Yes. The elixir was too potent for Tessia, which is why I had to use another precious elixir to prevent her body from...well, exploding." He spoke with the haughtiness of a noble addressing a commoner.

"Exploding?!" I exclaimed, incredulous.

Ignoring my outburst, Windsom took a few steps towards us and continued, "Don't give it away. Take the time to absorb the elixir pearl with your bond. It will significantly aid your training."

Sylvie tilted her head in confusion, eyeing the marble in my hand. Her shivering had stopped, and she seemed to have regained some composure after Windsom had eased the pressure on us.

I frowned at Windsom's response. "Common courtesy would dictate that you explain what's going on instead of talking in riddles. Who or what are you? Why did you bring us here?"

Windsom let out a small chuckle. "Patience is not one of your virtues, I see. Very well, let me try to explain it in a way that you can understand. I hail from the land of asuras and am what you might refer to as a 'deity.'"

His gaze remained steady as he spoke, and I could feel the weight of his words. It was clear that he was not just some ordinary being.

"However," he continued, "what I'm about to tell you dates back centuries, and any records or accounts have either been destroyed or have never been written down. It is in our best interest to keep it that way."

He straightened his back and continued his narration, as if he were a professor lecturing to a classroom. "Long ago, deities bestowed the three races with a set of artifacts that eventually allowed future generations to learn what you now call 'magic.' However, that was only the outcome of something that occurred earlier, something that no one on this land knows about."

I remained attentive, listening to Windsom's every word.

"As you have come to learn, there is another continent in this world that has always existed alongside the two bodies of land that you are familiar with. As asuras, it has been our duty to watch over and protect both of these continents since the beginning of our existence. Our society is governed by a strict doctrine that compels us not to interfere with the lesser races inhabiting the land below, intervening only when the balance of the continents is in peril."

Windsom turned his back to us with a heavy sigh. "However, we have recently learned that this sacred rule has been broken."

I couldn't help but furrow my brows in confusion, and Windsom must have noticed because he quickly added, "I understand that you have many questions, but for now, I can only give you the information that you need to know. We have limited time, and divulging too much information now will only distract you from the task at hand."

Limited time? Distract me from the task at hand?

These statements only served to fuel my curiosity, but I took a deep breath and gestured for him to continue. Sylvie, meanwhile, was looking back and forth between us, clearly struggling to keep up with the conversation.

Windsom nodded and resumed his story.

"While you may refer to us as deities, we are not gods. In fact, we are much closer to you than you may think. The economies of both Dicathen and Alacrya were originally based on systems that were employed in my land, Epheotus. Despite being much smaller than either of the surface continents, the mechanics of our society are quite comparable."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Epheotus was once divided into three factions, each made up of multiple clans. The ruling clan of each faction held their own ideals, which attracted other clans to join them. Despite their differing beliefs, every asura clan adhered to the paramount creed that we were not to harm the lesser races. However, after Agrona, the successor of the Vritra Clan, came into power, everything changed."

"What was this Agrona like and what happened to the Vritra Clan?" Arthur leaned forward in anticipation.

I could tell Windsom had to pause for a bit to gather his thoughts. "The Vritra Clan had always been an anomaly. It's simplest to imagine them as scientists of sorts. While their innate magic is unique and versatile, it was never as powerful as the other clans' mana arts. However, coupled with their genius minds and insatiable curiosity, they were always one of the central clans."

"If they'd always been one of the stronger clans, how come things became so different once the Vritra Clan came into power?" I queried.

"A clan being strong and a clan becoming a leader of a faction are two different things. Again, think of the Vritra Clan as scientists, as researchers. The clan had very little interest in anything other than gaining knowledge and insight on utilising mana. Like ivory tower residents, they were secluded knowledge seekers that only pursued what they could not yet comprehend; the previous head of the clan was even more so fervent in his quest to overcome the impossible. However, Agrona... he was different. While charismatic and intelligent, he was arrogant and power-hungry. He believed that the asuras were never meant to watch over the lesser races but rather rule over them as their gods," he clarified.

Windsom's face tensed as continued speaking. "After Agrona began leading the Vritra Clan, however, their strength abruptly increased unnaturally. No one could figure out how Agrona could advance the Vritra Clan's mana power in such a short time. Eventually, through their rise in power, they were able to rally up more clans to share his ideals and the Vritra Clan soon led a faction on par with either of the other two existing factions.

"It was only later that we found out that Agrona and a few other of the Vritra Clan had secretly been making trips to the Continent of Alacrya. While it wasn't forbidden for us to go down to Dicathen or Alacrya as long as we concealed ourselves, their movements and behaviours were eerily suspicious. After the other two factions found out about this, they sent out scouts to figure out what they were up to." I could see Windsom's knuckles whiten by how hard he was clenching his fists.

"Agrona and the Vritra Clan had been inhumanely torturing the lesser races by experimenting on their bodies to find different ways to enhance their own abilities..."

"I must admit, this information is enlightening, but what is the relevance to us?" I asked Windsom, trying to understand why he would reveal such important information to us, instead of someone more powerful or experienced. "Surely there are greater geniuses out there who are better suited to deal with whatever issue you are facing."

Windsom's gaze bore into me as he questioned, "Your mother didn't tell you anything?" I shook my head in response, and he let out a sigh before continuing, "Very well, I will explain."

"For years, we have been searching for Lady Sylvia, but to no avail. Recently, we found traces of her mana, which led us to a little boy with her exact mana signature. To our surprise, this boy held a deity in his hands. Arthur, you are bonded with the child of my master's only daughter, and the granddaughter of the highest level of power in the leading faction of Epheotus."

Windsom turned to me, and I could see the shock in his eyes as he continued, "We have also been searching for Lady Saphira for years. However, we stumbled upon you. You, Alistair, are the son of the most powerful asura to ever exist and the successor to a sub-clan of Indrath, the Claxter clan."