Clans of Mana

The specter continued its story. "The Xaxiaz stood alone against the mightiest armada ever seen, and they held their ground for months. Yet help never came!"

"Their sacrifice allowed our race to survive!" The figure took several steps forward while Simul couldn't help but take a few steps back.

"To think one of the mighty defenders had survived, is it sheer luck? Or destiny?" The figure started laughing, but Simul could also see almost invisible tears at the same time from those ghostly eyes.

"I just hope the clans won't make the same mistake another time and repeat history! Go warn the one you are bound too! With the backing of Chronos and family perhaps it's not too late!"

Simul shook her head, "Too late for what?" But to no avail as the figure slowly started ascending towards the top of the cavern ceiling.

Indeed Simul realized she had been young, she was only nineteen when she had been killed, living a quiet life as a lady of the Chronos bloodline. She didn't remember much, but she remembered the stories.

Or rather, the stories all came flowing back as the figure had been speaking. "Xaxiaz and Chronos... The founders, what was their relationship?"

So many questions plagued Simul, but she decided to take them all back to Alsian and inform him of what had happened.

The night passed and morning came, Samuel woke up from the knocking on his door. The knocking persisted until he answered, "Yeah yeah. I am coming!"

Quickly getting up and opening the door he saw Vazmarx waiting patiently outside. "Yo whatsup!" Was the first thing the foxkin said.

Samuel just looked at him with visible confusion, "You are the one waking me up by knocking at my door and you ask me what is up?"

"What is wrong with you dude?" Samuel sighed.

Vazmarx quickly laughed before walking into Samuels room and patting him on the shoulder, "Now now... Don't be stingy! Alsian wanted me to tell you to get ready to depart within the hour!"

He stopped while getting halfway into the room, "Oh, you got bigger!" His words reached Samuels ears while he was closing the door, and before Samuel even fully closed it he heard a loud thud.

When he turned around he saw Vazmarx laying unconscious on the floor slowly spazzing, traces of black lightning sparked off his body.

Samuel looked and saw Shakkai in her humanoid form and nodded his head while quickly entering the bathroom. "Well he had it coming!" Samuel paused before peeking out the door, "He will be alright though? Right?"

Silence ensued while Shakkai covered herself before turning back into a dragon. "Right....?" Samuel repeated after a while.

"I mean yeah! But it's not like hes got a lot of braincells to lose anyway!" Shakkai replied with a huff. Samuel shrugged and got himself ready real quickly.

A clean shower, a fresh change of clothes. Considering that they would probably be heading to the assembly of bloodlines - he decided to wear something a little more presentable rather than common clothes.

It was quite efficient to carry an entire wardrobe with him inside the shadow storage.

Some slightly fancier clothes, but on the outside a large black cloak that covered most of his body. It even had a hood one could put up, it was a very good travel cloak, that had perfect coverage.

All the time he just let Vazmarx lay there and accept the consequences of his actions, until it was time to leave. Then he woke him up with some magical empowered slaps.

"What happened?" Vazmarx instantly sat up and asked.

"You got what you asked for." Samuel replied and helped him up. "Let's go!" He dusted Vazmarx shoulders off.

"How long was I out?" Vazmarx scratched his head, "Just a few minutes!" Samuel replied and turned to address the dragon in the room. But before he could even say anything, Shakkai snorted and jumped into the shadows of the room that all seemed to merge into Samuels shadow.

"Can't lie, that looks very cool!"

Samuel turned to Vazmarx, "You really need to learn to how shut your mouth sometimes, you're making me believe that you and Zalbas share one single brain sometimes with your stupidity!"

"I will take that as a compliment!" Vazmarx replied with a stupid smile plastered all over his face. Shakkai was making imaginary puke noises inside Samuels head.

He shook his head thinking that she wasn't making a much better case for herself, that made her shut up in an instant.

After leaving the room Vazmarx quickly guided him to the lobby. It was filled with more people on the move now, the entire hotel was in fact on the move.

They found Alsian waiting in the lobby, he was also quite well dressed and he gave Samuel one impressed nod when he saw his attire. "There will be food and other things at the meeting, so you don't haveto worry about any of that right now... All I need to know is if you have decided?"

Samuel nodded in an instant. "I will fill the seat that has been empty for a long time... Sorry that I won't be with you!" He seemed almost ashamed about it to Alsians eyes.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, even if you decide to represent Xaxiaz, you will always be a Chronos as well!" Alsian seemed a bit distant as if he had a lot on his mind but there was honesty to his words.

"Will you serve as his retainer then? Fox?" Alsian quickly turned to Vazmarx that was caught off guard before standing tall and shapeshifting into his humanoid fox.

He placed one hand upon his chest and replied, "I will be Samuels first and most trusted retainer, always!" The sudden loyalty made both Alsian and Samuel surprised.

Samuel never knew that Vazmarx held him in such a high regard. He had only thought of the Foxkin as a friend and ally in his faction, but he had never looked further into it.

Had he really made such a big impression on him. In Vazmarx's face there was no hesitation or second thoughts. He seemed genuinely happy about his decree of loyalty.

"After all! I always wanted to follow an idiot willing to run into fire for others." Vazmarx spoke with no ill meaning behind his words, only admiration. "Just like the one that saved me and my family long ago!"

Samuel understood, he wasn't the only one aspiring to be a hero that would save others without hesitation. It seemed like he had attracted people of the same mind in his faction.

"Good!" Alsian said one word and turned around, motioning for the two youths to follow him. He guided them towards the center, and now all of them could see the city being much more alive than the previous day.

Shops were set up, people were walking around like they were on their biggest holiday ever, buying all kinds of things. Enjoying all kinds of food together.

Some were trading spells and techniques, others were enjoying the architecture. Many were talking and having all kinds of open conversation about their bloodlines and history.

It was quite the amazing sight.

But the most amazing thing was when they arrived at the place of their destination, where all kinds of security was set up, but there was still a large amount of people entering.

The many fences and openings into the circular council building made Samuel wonder just how large it could be on the inside.

Apart from all the outside stands of people trying to sell things, the inside looked very much like endless halls of people trying to sell weird trinkets and baubles.

Many things which he had once again never before seen. They looked very advanced, one could imagine them to be magical items but he couldn't help but ponder the question about how many of them were made with this science magic that existed.

Everything was a wonderous thing to admire if only he had time. As Alsian was ignoring most of it and heading inwards. Hall after hall, they passed many checkpoints with a few guards.

Every guard wore the emblem that symbolized which clan they came from, and Samuel recognized the crests from the studying he had been able to do. Every ten years the event was held the clans tooks turns to organize security from their own ranks.

This year it seemed to be Clan Birixa, Zabel, Alapheon & Qeruth.

Clan Birixa was known for its innovative nature, always striving to finding new things, Clan Zabel was more into spreading out over large chunks of land and making money on all kinds of economy.

Clan Alapheon were said to be honorable and trustworthy, keeping to themselves most of the time but always called in as judges or lawkeepers among children of mana when needed.

Clan Qeruth was the most questionable, often seeking greater and greater ambition no matter the cost. Always striving to go higher, perhaps too high.

If it followed a rotation which Samuel assumed it did, then the next four clans would be, Chronos, Caxtaphor, Gullivan & Trivon. But that wasn't for another ten years.