In IronPeak, the setting sun's last rays of sunshine pierced through the detailed art of the large glass in the magnificent and grand Castle of IronPeak, surrounded by a lush garden and knights who'd just arrived back in the city today with a big parade for their Viscount's victory with the head of another viscount on a pike above the castle gates for all to see.
Behind the beautiful glass was a large meeting hall with an iron table at the centre. IronPeak's most powerful were all there waiting for one person to enter.
In the hall, an old man with a long white beard and a simple blue cloak sat on one of the seats with a wooden stick headed by a blue crystal ball leaning on the table. Behind him, a short young man wearing a similar coat stood straight with his wand in his right hand. The two were the principal of the magic tower and his disciple.
Opposite them sat the same old man who was in Obidos's adventurer guild headquarters, sitting quietly in his well-tailored black suit. He looked like a normal old noble, but everyone in the hall knew what strength this experienced adventurer was hiding.
Next were two very anxious men. Each of them was wearing the armour of two different houses. They were knights sent by the last two baron houses left in the Viscount's land, outside the houses Ali had already taken. Their mission was to make sure the Viscount understood the severity of Ali's threat to their houses and securing protection. The best thing for them would be war right away and Ali's death.
Then came the group of administrators who supervised parts of the city's economy. Each of them was a merchant who took this role through connections and the downfall of their competition mysteriously. Their eyes were stern on one man who stood by the large throne set at the head of the table.
That man was as fat as a pig, his body simply round; you could barely see his limbs, and he was constantly wiping his sweat with a silk cloth that would cost enough coin to feed a family for months, if not a year. He had a bowl cut, blond hair, and black eyes, but he was frustrated as he was the advisor and had to wait standing until his lord arrived, and just standing was killing him.
"His Lordship, Viscount Motter!", a guard announced as he opened the door for a serious-looking man in great white armour flanked by two even larger men in black armour.
The six-foot man with black hair and black eyes was Viscount Albert Motter. He was in his mid-forties but looked barely in his early thirties, the effect of having such a strong aura that his body's lifespan increased and his vitality skyrocketed.
Behind him, the two fully armoured knights each had a small red pickaxe on their chests as the symbol of House Motter, but they also had a one-letter symbol under it that was different between the two as they represented one of the two knights' houses in the city that were serving the viscount and producing his knights.
"Let's start, and do not waste my time. I am tired from my travels", the viscount's harsh tone left no one daring to reply. It was a wonder how these merchants were so daring with their actions with a viscount so domineering, but that also showed how cunning they were to secure so much of the city's core and essential parts in secret.
"My lord", the advisor started, breathing heavily, not from fear or nervousness but simply because standing left him exhausted.
"We called this meeting to discuss the situation to the south", the advisor started.
"The South?", the viscount frowned and looked at the confused faces hearing him say that. Then all eyes went to the fat advisor.
"You didn't tell him!", one of the knights representing the two barons said loudly with shock and anger.
"Tell me what?", the viscount asked his advisor with sharp eyes.
"Well, my lord…you see…", the advisor stuttered, whipping his sweat faster.
"A Dragon Rider has attacked the barons to the south, my lord, and defeated them. He now proclaims himself lord of the lands that were under Houses Cinder, Stork, and Nolan", the old adventurer spoke calmly.
SLAM
The iron table shook as the viscount slammed his fist onto it with his eyes burning with rage at the fat advisor who stepped back, scared, and raised his hands.
"My lord, mere barons fighting in villages was not worth taking your attention away from the war, but then matters worsened suddenly, and now here we are…", the advisor tried to save himself, even though he knew nothing would happen to him. He was the viscount's brother-in-law after all. His sister was the daughter of a very wealthy merchant from the capital, and she had her brother become advisor after she married the viscount.
"Tell me everything", the viscount ordered the old adventurer, who nodded and calmly recited everything he knew so far.
Minutes later….
"This…Ali is his name, a foreign name…So you're saying he had not one but two dragons and a powerful advisor at his side. Just how strong are we talking?", the viscount asked.
"Her name is Seraphina—", the adventurer was interrupted when the door to the hall suddenly opened, and a six-foot-four knight in white armour walked in out of nowhere with a large, great sword covered in white-coloured iron on their back. The armour had a slight hint of silver fire that appeared every second step the knight took.
Behind the knight, a group of men in white and black robes walked in…
"Paladin Katarin from the Holy True Flame cathedral!", the guard shouted, announcing the knight who took their helmet off.
Everyone in the hall watched as short, golden hair flowed from under the helmet. Golden eyes shone bright, and a magical burn scar could barely be seen around her neck glowed with an ethereal white, her gift from the true flame just like Ignus.
Everyone in the room suddenly stood up, seeing the gold hair and eyes, and immediately knelt as low as they could, including the viscount, who slowly looked up at the paladin woman.
"Your Royal Highness, second Princess Katarin", the viscount said out loud, and the paladin shook her head with an expressionless face, seeing the kneeling people. She was more than used to this, which is why she preferred to keep the helmet on.
"Viscount Motter, please stand. As you all know, I forgo my birth status when I pledged my life to serve the True Flame. Stand, all of you", she said.
The ones in the room slowly raised their heads but didn't dare show a hint of low manners as before them was a true royal, the gold eyes and gold hair a unique characteristic of the royal family.
"Your highness, what brings you to my humble lands?", the viscount asked.
"Viscount, the cathedral has received information that the lands to the south, especially a town called Obidos, harbour evil, strong signs of demonic activity. There, you must send for your baron of Obidos to give me the highest authority in the town to properly investigate and banish this evil from the continent", she said with pride. Flames slithered over her for a second, and all of them felt the heat rise in the hall for a second.
"Well, your highness, I cannot fulfil your request at the moment", the viscount said, and Katarin frowned.
"Are you standing against the extermination of the demonic forces in the kingdom?", she asked with a hint of a threat. Nobody down south would dare say that to a level five knight, but from where Katarin was, he was a common sight in her daily life.
"No, your highness, you misunderstand. You see, while I was away fighting for the true heir to the dukedom, a Dragon Rider has killed my baron to the south and stolen my land. We were discussing how to deal with him just now", the viscount said.
"A Dragon Rider here? Is he from the Empire?", she asked, curious.
"We have little information, but until I reclaim my land and people, I cannot help you in your investigation, your highness. Of course, I would welcome a paladin in the fight against such evil. This man could be working with the demons after all", the viscount said cautiously. Those behind him were hopeful for her to agree. A paladin and the clergy of the True Flame would guarantee victory.
"As you know, viscount, the cathedral has agreed to never involve itself in the wars of lords, no matter what. We can only heal, not fight. So until this situation is resolved, I will wait, or…", she turned around, saying that and putting her helmet back on.
"Perhaps I could pay a visit to this Dragon Rider and ask him to help me in my investigation. After all, his fight is with you and not the cathedral", she said and left the hall.
"Sigh, no matter…ready the knights. Have them rest for five days before we march south", he told his two knights, who hurried out.
"The magic tower will join us?", the viscount asked the old mage who had settled in this city a long time ago but never allowed his mages to get involved in any conflict, not even the one for the dukedom.
"Yes", the mage said one word, and the viscount nodded. He didn't know that the merchants had promised the mages a hefty sum of magic crystals if they joined in and especially voted for the merchants to administer Obidos after the war.
"Our knights are with you, my lord", the knights representing the barons announced, and Albert nodded at them as he sat back down in his seat.
"Lord the guild has summoned a Platinum ranked group to aid in the fight, we have a grievance to pay back against this Ali", the old man added and the viscount thanked him. Them the viscount stayed with his merchants to discuss the city's status during his leave.
"That fat bastard cost us a fortune with his greed", one of the merchants whispered, walking out of the hall an hour later.
"I can't believe he asked for one million gold just to send the knight houses for a quick campaign. If not for his fucking stupidity, we would have Obidos and the mines to ourselves, and he would fucking profit too….FUCK!", another said with deep anger.
"It's good that fat pig will now have to face the Viscount's anger, but only so little can be done to him due to his connection to the Viscount's wife and his father's deep pockets in the capital.", another added as they left the castle.
OPEN
The doors to the hall opened with an older woman in her forties walking in wearing a luxurious black dress, but no pretty dress could hide her face that even her mother wouldn't kiss. It soured the Viscount's mood even more to see his wife and lady of House Motter as he remembered why he married someone that looked like her in the first place.
"Wife…", he said with a sigh as he nodded for her brother to get out.
"Dear, I missed you—-", she said with a cold tone that had no affection whatsoever.
"FATHER", a loud shout came from behind her as a young man aged twenty ran into the hall. He had more of his mother's genetics with his face but his father's genetics in his height.
"Father, you have to buy me something from the slave auction tomorrow. I heard there could even be an elf. Father, you have to!!!!", the young man acted more like a spoiled child as he tugged the Viscount's arm.
Deep inside, Albert looked at his son with disgust. He couldn't believe that this was his heir…
'Should I have him killed?', Albert thought that about his own son as he felt utter disgust for him and his mother, who he'd slept with once and never touched her again.
'Especially since I have him…', he ignored his heir and looked out through the glass.
Outside the castle, in the largest tavern in the city, knights filled the tables with laughter and ale thrown everywhere. But at the centre between the strongest knights, a young man with a muscular physique jumped up on the table and downed a whole ale in one go, producing cheers from all the knights who favoured this young man greatly.
And if one looked closer, they would see the resemblance between him and the Viscount, as he was the Viscount's bastard son and the child who survived many assassination attempts from the First Lady by hiding in the barracks of Aura knights and sleeping among them.
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