Legacy Of Altherion

Nathan strolled along a narrow path leading through a dense forest of giant trees. Half a day passed since he started his investigation, traveling on foot to locations where incidents were reported.

After determining that he had obtained sufficient information from witness statements and the terrain, he continued towards his destination, avoiding well travelled roads and popular towns.

Upon exiting the forest, he noticed a small agricultural community in the distance. He expanded his awareness towards the surrounding area, fortunately, nothing strange filtered through his perception, thus he continued across the open field towards the nearest food establishment.

On arrival he received polite greetings and nervous stares from the populace, he did his best to ease their tension by being as friendly as possible. He politely asked a middle aged woman for directions to the food establishment, she pointed her quivering hand to her left, Nathan lowered his head and thanked her. Her face lit up significantly by his gesture, so too did the faces of the surrounding farmers and merchants.

Nathan entered a large brown building with the hope of enjoying a peaceful and uninterrupted meal. He walked down a long corridor towards a hostess, standing in front of a large silky fabric draped over the doorway.

Nathan found the expensive looking material to be out of place for such an establishment, he stared at the hostess questioningly, to which she averted her gaze. He determined that he was being rude, he apologised, however, she waved it off vigorously, stating that there was nothing to apologise for.

He asked if they had a table available for him at that moment, to his surprise, she informed him that all the tables were reserved.

Nathan raised his brow, then straightened his posture. The hostess fiddled nervously not knowing where to look.

"Am I intruding on a celebration?" he said.

She shook her head. "I do not know sir, I apologise. I have been instructed to refuse entry to everyone, unless they have been invited." she said.

"Are you expecting many uninvited guests?"

She shook her head again. "I do not know sir, I have merely been instructed to refuse entry to uninvited guests."

Nathan smiled at her.

He gently grasped her trembling hand, placed three coins on her palm then closed it. He thanked her and headed towards the exit. Her eyes widened and she gasped when she opened her hand.

She stopped him as soon as she realised that he was at the door, she insisted that she would find a seat for him if he just waited for a few minutes.

Nathan sighed, he did not want to impose, he could tell that there were very important people behind the fabric, however, he also could not suppress his hunger for much longer. He agreed to wait on the condition that she bring him a hooded robe to mask his identity. She agreed and rushed inside without much delay.

After a few minutes she arrived with the robe, she used a separate entrance as not to draw attention. Nathan smiled and slipped the blue robe over his head.

"Thank you, Miss?" he said.

"Swandon, Griella Swandon.”

"I thank you for your kindness, Miss Swandon.”

She shook her head. "Not at all sir, I am merely returning your kindness. You are different than those nobles inside."

"Let me tell you a secret.” He closed the distance between them.

Her eyes widened.

"Nobility is a falsehood. Do not allow anyone to make you feel less than your worth.” he said and winked at her.

Her cheeks flushed, she became too flustered to respond.

Nathan grinned. "Please direct me to where I have been seated, you do not need to usher me inside."

Nathan moved swiftly through the crowd of people seated inside the establishment. With fluid movement, he reached his seat undetected and sat at the far end of the bar, with the hood firmly placed over his head.

He ordered his meal, sat in silence, and listened to the conversations around the room. He was somewhat surprised that no one questioned a hooded figure suddenly appearing at the end of the bar, he soon realised the reason for their inattentiveness.

"There are so many skilled Lumus here, I wonder which one of us will be the victor.” a gentleman said, seated two tables behind Nathan.

"This contest is mine for the taking, these misguided aspirants do not have a chance in the slightest." another gentleman said seated five tables to Nathan's right.

The rest of the tables were all the same, everyone discussed a contest in which they would participate. Nathan found the entire situation very peculiar, not only were all the contestants of Lumus nobility, they also suggested that the contest would take place in the area around the agricultural community.

He wondered what spectacular prize they would be competing for, a troubling thought lingered as he continued listening in on the various conversations. It happened just as his feelings of trepidation subsided, he heard one of the men say it.

"I still cannot believe that by the end of this day, once I am announced the victor, I will immediately become betrothed to the Princess."

Nathan nearly spilled his drink at the sudden revelation. He looked at the bar keep and beckoned her towards him, she smiled and approached.

"Would you like another, kind sir?" she said.

Nathan shook his head then paused, he gulped the remainder of his drink and nodded.

"Before you go, are these men here to compete for the Princess's hand?" he said.

"I believe so sir, they arrived a few hours before you did. They marched through the town, headed directly into my humble establishment, and told us to reserve all the tables for the noblemen who will be competing.” she said. “Believe me, I am as surprised as you are, I thought it a Jest at first, but more continued arriving by the minute."

Nathan nodded.

"Do you know if the Princess will make an appearance?"

Her eyes widened. "The Princess...come here?" she said then laughed heartily.

"No I do not believe that she will sir." she said after composing herself.

Nathan sighed.

"I too am disappointed, it would have been a marvellous sight." she said.

Nathan shook his head. "No that is not…None the less, it is highly strange that the contest is taking place here.”

She nodded. "I overheard one of them say that there are strange creatures a few Qat north of here, supposedly, the victor will be declared by whom ever had slain the most."

"That is a rather crude method with which to win the Princess' hand. Besides, they…" he said, then stopped himself.

"Thank you kindly for indulging my curiosity, my throat has become parched from our conversation."

"Yes of course sir, I will be back shortly."

Nathan returned his attention to the competing suitors. He now understood that they were hunting the same prey, unfortunately for him, he would not be rewarded with a marriage to the Princess.

He felt a strange sensation near the entrance of the room, he increased his perception and detected a void in that area, a section of space that he could not perceive clearly.

He intently observed the distorted space around the void, which allowed him to follow its movement fairly accurately. The void moved seamlessly around the tables, it headed for the far corner of the room, to the only empty table in the establishment.

The void moved along the bar and stopped a few meters away from Nathan, he turned his head away from it and noticed a chair that would impede it's way. He determined that it stopped to look for the best route, he reached to his right and removed the chair without making a sound. The void started moving again, it lingered next to him for a few moments then continued on its way. As it passed by him, he heard a woman's voice whisper “thank you”, he nodded slowly and smiled sheepishly at the confirmation that they had noticed his assistance.

He continued monitoring the void for a few more moments, but soon realised that whoever concealed their presence, did not intend to reveal themselves anytime soon.

He decided that he had his fill and that it would be a good time to leave before the festivities began. He was about to get off his seat when one of the nobleman stood on his table and made a declaration.

"I, Tyher Hosil, decree that I shall be the victor and that I shall wed the princess by the end of the harvest. The rest of you may take your leave immediately, you do not qualify to stand in my presence." he said.

Many of the nobles laughed heartily.

"You would not survive five minutes against those beasts, not with your pathetic Eleon control." another nobleman said.

"I do not require five minutes to roast an Elkbec!" he said.

"An Elkbec? I heard that it was a Gespie."

"No it is a Breywok, I have seen the reports myself." a few nobles argued over the type of beast they were to slay.

"Regardless, I will slay what ever it is. You best stay out of my way, all of you." the first gentleman said.

Nathan snickered as he walked by his table.

"Did you just laugh at Sir Hosil you filthy peasant?" a noble yelled and attempted to grasp his robe. Nathan avoided his hand effortlessly and stopped a few meters away from the table.

The entire room fell silent.

Nathan shrugged and attempted to leave, unfortunately five men moved in front of the exit.

He narrowed his eyes.

"You are not going anywhere filthy peasant, tell us what you found hilarious about Sir Hosil's declaration!" the young noble said.

"He is delusional, all of you are. Do you truly believe that a contest for the Princess' hand would be as simple as killing a few Elkbec or Breywok?" he said.

All the nobles scowled at him.

"What would you know peasant?" a noble yelled from the back of the room, it was followed by a few yeses and other mumbling around the room.

"I know that whomever has any doubt about competing this day should forfeit right this moment. If not…" he said.

"What then?" they said arrogantly.

"You will be killed. It will most certainly be a horrendous death, for you will be facing a creature that is not known in Altherion." he said.

The room fell silent again.

"Rubbish, this peasant is spewing rubbish. Someone remove this scum from this establishment!" the noble known as Tyher Hosil demanded.

Everyone stood up from their seats, ready to pounce.

"I would not do that If I were you. If you value your lives that is." a female voice said. Her voice resounded around the room.

Nathan recognised the woman’s voice, it sounded identical to the one he heard coming from the void.

Everyone looked around the room in an attempt to find the source of the voice. Nathan immediately turned to the table in the far corner and froze, the nobles followed his gaze and froze too.

Two guardswomen stood beside a crimson haired woman who sat facing away from them. All present immediately understood who they were looking at, the two women were personal royal guards, the finest in the Soato Region.

The crimson haired woman turned her head towards the royal guard on her left, it appeared as though she whispered something to her. The guardswoman nodded and smiled briefly, then corrected her expression.

"In addition, that is no way to address your future King." she said. Everyone turned to the hooded peasant in utter confusion.

"Reveal yourself, Tier four-Alum-Magna of the Malenta." she said.

Gasps echoed around the room.

Nathan removed his hood, a few whispers of recognition ensued. A chair shuffled, in that moment the entire room dropped onto their knees, all accept for Nathan.

The crimson haired woman walked towards him elegantly, her royal guards beside her applied gravitational pressure to keep everyone stuck to the ground unable to lift their heads.

"I heard that you were back in Altherion, although I did not expect for us to meet like this." she said in an alluring voice.

Nathan remained silent, but swallowed the lump that suddenly appeared in his throat.

"I had hoped that our reunion would be more…private. None the less, it is wonderful to see you Nyelekai, it has been too long." she said, placing her hand on his cheek, then kissed him. She inserted her tongue into his mouth and continued to kiss him some more.

"Princess." one guard whispered. The crimson haired Princess removed her tongue and bit his lower lip before separating from him.

The other guard glanced at Nathan with a pressing look. Nathan understood.

"It is good to see you too, Princess Canavhri." he said and bowed down. The Princess smiled.

She lifted his chin. "You need not lower your head to your betrothed, my love." she said

All who heard her attempted to lift their heads, however, they were forced to yield by the added gravitational pressure.

Nathan straightened his posture. The Princess stepped closer, firmly pushing her bosom against his chest, she leaned into his ear.

"If you wish to engage in our submissive pastime once more, I may set aside some time before the contest begins." she whispered.

"Perhaps at a later time.

"Do you swear it?"

Nathan nodded slowly.

"I will hold you to it.” she said then gently bit the lobe of his ear.

"Vhri...Princess." he whispered.

"Yes?" she said, breathing into his ear.

Nathan glanced at the guards who had amused expressions on their faces, they turned away immediately once they noticed his stare.

"Your hand." he said.

"Yes, what about it?"

"Would you mind?"

She smiled mischievously and stared into his eyes.

"What ever for, you seem to be enjoying it.”

"You are well aware of how unnaturally warm your hands are…that is not the point. We are in the eyes of the public.”

"Is it not exciting?"

"Perhaps we should continue our reunion in a more private setting."

"Calm yourself Nyelekai, I am not that type of Princess.”

She grinned then backed away from him.

Nathan took a deep breath to compose himself.

"Princess, I shall now take my leave.”

"One moment Nyelekai, I shall accompany you. But, before we leave." she said and gestured towards her royal guards.

They released the pressure around the room, those who attempted to resist the gravitational pressure fell forward onto their faces. Those who had finally caught a glimpse of the Princess stared in awe at her unparalleled and overwhelming beauty, their jaws naturally loosened the more they stared at her.

"Now that Nyelekai is present, I shall make an announcement.” the Princess said.

"This incredibly handsome gentleman before you, is Nyelekai Gremzor. As you have heard he is a Malenta, the Tier four-Alum-Magna, and he is my betrothed." she said. Immediately, the entire room became unsettled, the nobles raised a commotion but soon settled down after a light pulse of gravitational pressure.

"As such, he will be participating in this competition as my representative, and I shall be accompanying him. I will not allow any objections.” she continued as though she had not been interrupted.

"Now then darling, shall we?" she said with a breathtaking smile.

Following those words, the entire room glared viciously at Nathan.

He sighed heavily. ‘Within a matter of minutes, you filled every single one of these idiots with the burning desire to violently kill me.’

"Just like old times."