Rising Tide

"Are you sure you memorized everything?" Blood asked.

"Oh my goodness, yes!" Emile snapped back.

"Repeat it to me." Blood demanded.

"Again?" Emile begged.

"Again." Blood confirmed.

Emile slouched over and let out an exasperated sigh. In a low, monotone voice he recounted everything Blood has told him over the month long journey to Rising Tide:

"Of the three kingdoms, Rising Tide is by far the strongest."

"And why is that?" Blood coached.

"Because unlike Fallen Sky and Black Gates, who operate under a constitutional monarchy, Rising Tide has an absolute monarchy."

"Good-" Blood paused, "and what does that mean?"

"Fallen Sky and Black Gates have Kings who share their power with an appointed group of Elders who are in place to prevent a tyrant. Rising Tide, on the other hand, has an absolute monarch which means their King is the sole person responsible for the kingdom's affairs."

"Okay and how has that made Rising Tide the strongest?" Blood continued to ask questions.

"Rising Tide's current King, King Victor, requires all of his citizens to join the military for six years and even after six years they're held in reserve, able to be called to war at any moment. Because of that, every citizen in Rising Tide is at least Enlightened, most are Perfected, and they have more Royals than Fallen Sky and Black Gates combined."

"What about the kingdom itself?" Blood asked.

"Rising Tide exists in an underground cavern beneath a giant glacial formation. There are only three ways in and out of the kingdom: two of them are the main gates and the last one only gives King Victor access. The two main gates are located at polar ends of the glacial formation inside of the cavern entrance itself.

This means that the gates are entirely encased in ice and therefore cannot be scaled or flown over; the only way to get through the gates is to open the gates. As for the last option, it's a sealed hole in the ceiling of Rising Tide. The massive hole was handmade so that if both main gates were smoked out, the King could open the hatch and release any toxic fumes that may be invading the cavern."

"What's past the main gates?" Blood asked.

"Immediately upon entering either of the main gates stands a barracks with fifteen Perfected soldiers at all times. Past the barracks, at the entrance to the main cavern and kingdom, two guard towers directly watch over the tunnels of ice that lead to the gates. Between the two towers, at each end, are ten more Perfected soldiers and one Royal."

"And what's the last thing?" Blood asked for the final time.

"When you pass the main gates the guards will conduct an entire body search and once you reach the towers the Royal present will use a relic that peers into your soul and sees all the details of your relics."

"Well it sounds like you got it down!" Blood encouraged.

"I had it down two weeks ago!" Emile argued.

"This is important stuff, Spright. Never ignore the details!" Blood smiled and tossed out a thumbs up, Emile was pretty sure he was being condescending though.

Emile turned his head away from Blood and instead looked down the icy hill they were standing on at the gargantuan line of people shivering in the distance. The line was of course the displaced people of Black Gates, but not all of them.

When the Collector decided it was finally time to leave the Hollow Mountains she came upstairs to grab Blood and Emile. During their descent down the mountain, the Collector informed them that once they reached the bottom they'd split up.

According to her, the King of Black Gates, King Ulmor, decided to split his people in two and send half of them to Fallen Sky while the other half accompanied him to Rising Tide.

The banquet being held at Rising Tide was called specifically to discuss where to send Black Gates' displaced people, among other things like the beast's recent movements.

Emile and Blood traveled with this group, along with King Ulmor, but Emile and Blood stayed close to the back so as to not attract any unwanted attention. Just an hour or so ago, King Ulmor was the first to be allowed into Rising Tide and now the rest of them were waiting in line to be checked.

The reason Emile and Blood were now standing so far away from the group was because Blood himself could not enter Rising Tide, nor did he even want to get close enough to be spotted.

Ever since the Graves assassinated King Victor's wife a few years ago their pictures have been hung endlessly throughout the city, each with a very lucrative reward written beneath their faces.

"Do you think I'll need money?" Emile asked, preparing to rejoin the line to enter Rising Tide.

"Were you planning on going to the banquet dressed in that?" Blood asked sarcastically.

"Well I don't have any money, Blood!"

Blood rolled his eyes as he summoned the Beaky Box. He reached down into the small box, putting way more of his arm in there than should have been possible, then pulled out a golden gemstone.

The gemstone was large, about the size of a golf ball, and was expertly cut into the classic diamond shape. Tossing the gemstone over to Emile, Blood dismissed his Beaky Box.

"Where did you get this?!" Emile asked, shocked at the size of the gem.

"Just out and about, I don't know." Blood dismissed it, "But if you sell it, you should be able to buy something nice to wear."

"Actually, about that—" Blood continued, "how are you planning on getting into the banquet?"

"I was just planning on being a waiter." Emile said.

"A waiter?" A look of confusion rapidly spread across Blood's face, "You know the King's don't actually discuss anything at the banquet itself, right? They make a short appearance and then disappear somewhere private to discuss the real stuff."

"What?" Emile responded out of reflex, but he heard Blood crystal clear and once his brain understood the information, Emile's stomach dropped.

"What do you mean they go somewhere private?!" Emile exploded, "How am I supposed to attend a private gathering between the Kings?!"

Panic instantly spread through Emile. His palms grew sweaty, his mouth dried, and a puncturing tingling feeling spread over his head.

"It's not just the Kings—" Blood emphasized, "Fallen Sky and Black Gates get to bring all their Elders as well, remember?"

"Okay?!" Emile stretched his voice, "I don't know if you know this, but I'm not an Elder!"

"I know! Relax!" Blood fired, "Even though the Black Gates is technically a constitutional monarchy, all of their positions are still earned by combat. Strength rules the Black Gates—that's how you get in."

"What?!" Emile didn't understand.

"If you challenge one of Black Gates' Elder's to a duel and win you get their position and if you become an Elder you'll be allowed in the meeting! Gods are you dense?!" Blood yelled.

"Am I dense?!" Emile repeated, strongly emphasizing the I, "Are you insane?! I can't beat an Elder in combat!"

"Well—" Blood looked towards the line of people, "you're gonna have to."