LOST
1804 Words
Lucius and Andrey are bathing in a lake while taking care not to injure themselves further. Their bodies are full of bruises and red marks from blows.
- He's not taking it easy... - Lucius says, leaning against the edge of the lake.
- True... But to be honest, he said he'd go harder on both of us to improve our endurance.
- He's a very skilled swordsman, I wonder if he really was a great warrior in the past. Those were the moves of someone who had fought many battles.
- That story, about the War of the Worst. Was it true?
- Yes... That's when the world really understood how powerful Gaius is. A battle of two against thirty thousand, anyone would call that crazy.
- How many men does the emperor have in his army?
- Something like two million...
- What? Is this serious?
- Yes... Obviously they're spread all over Gaius' territory. Apart from the 4 Pillars of Darkness, Gaius has very powerful commanders under his command. Each Pillar has 5 Commanders below them in the chain of command. That leaves 20 Commanders on standby for any mission Gaius orders. Each commander is at the level of an Archmage or above. Have you never seen the armor of the Knights of Gaius?
- No. Never. Why?
- They're armor as black as night. That's why they call Gaius' army the Army of Shadows. The captains have white capes to distinguish them from the others, and the commanders have black capes with the symbol of Gaius on the back.
- The symbol of Gaius?
- Yes. It's a symbol that represents a five-headed hydra, with the head in the center being the largest of all, and inside this hydra there are three crystals. Some say it indicates Gaius, the largest head, and the 4 Pillars, which are the smallest heads. And the 3 crystals inside represent the 3 National Treasures of Gaius.
- National Treasures?
- Yes, Gaius' wives, he has 3: Elisandra, Amanda and Elarion. Elisandra has hair as black as night and purple eyes; Amanda is similar, but her eyes are as blue as the depths of the ocean; and Elarion is an elf with long white hair and scarlet eyes. They say the most beautiful is Elisandra, his first wife.
- It seems that Gaius has a great love for them. - Andrey says laughing.
- He really does. They're known as untouchables. There's a story my mother used to tell me when I was little before she passed away. That Gaius sent Amanda to walk the streets of an enemy kingdom, with Spirox obviously following close behind. The story goes that Amanda's beauty made the men of that kingdom collapse in their marriages. Then Gaius sent Tempus, the Herald of Disorder, to deceive the Lords and make them create conflicts between themselves and against the King.
- Amanda, is she that beautiful?
- A beauty capable of bringing down an entire kingdom? Yes. When the King of this forgotten kingdom invited Amanda, she introduced herself as Gaius' wife, but it was too late. The King wanted to lie with Amanda more than anything. And that was reason enough for Gaius to go and personally destroy that kingdom.
- I've never heard of that kingdom...
- Of course not. All that remained was a gigantic crater. They say that Gaius spared the inhabitants, but that's just hearsay. In any case, Gaius wiped that kingdom off the map with a divine-level spell. "Meteor", the most powerful magic of the fire element.
- Insane... Then it's best not to mess with them.
- That would be the wise thing to do. - Lucius says laughing.
Lucius stops laughing and concentrates on the waters of the lake and he finally says:
- Andrey...
- Hm?
- I will walk a path of revenge, revenge for my father. If you want to go another way, know that we'll be friends until death and beyond.
- What are you talking about? I lived in that town too! - Andrey says, rising naked from the water. - Me and you! We're going to kick the asses of the 4 Pillars of Gaius! And we're going to write our name in history! After that, Elisa and I will go up to Ceres Aurum!
- Ah... Thanks, Andrey. - Lucius says, smiling happily at the answer. - You're right... I wonder how Elisa is.
- Perhaps the news from the City has already reached Rivenwood.
At the moment, in Rivenwood, Elisa is adapting to the new magic academy.
The Academy's uniform consists of a dark blue shirt with a coat of arms on the right chest of a shield with the symbols of the Dukes of Yasus and above the shield is the symbol of Yasus, a golden lion. Below the neck is a blue ribbon for first-year students, a green ribbon for second-year students and a red ribbon for third-year students. However, for those in the last year of their five-year studies, they don't wear a bow around their necks, but a sword at their waist in a leather sheath.
The women's uniform has a long knee-length skirt, but in a way that is comfortable for the girls. And they all wear white boots that go halfway up their shins.
The boys' uniform has dark blue pants and black low boots, and their shirt has long sleeves while the collar is a different color from the rest of the shirt, being the same color as the ties on the girls' uniform. This way the boys can differentiate themselves in their respective school years at the Academy.
Elisa is with some girls in her classroom, when a man enters the room calling out to her:
- Elisa. - He says in a firm voice. - Dmitri's daughter. Are you there?
- Yes. - Elisa exclaims, getting up from her chair.
- Come to my office, we need to talk.
- Yes, sir!
Elisa goes to the man and she follows him through the corridors, keeping silent.
- Why is the director looking for me? Has something happened? - Elisa thinks nervously as she watches the principal's back.
When they reach the room, the man opens the door for Elisa and she goes in straight away. She is surprised by the presence of two teachers.
- Professor Elena? - Elisa asks in surprise.
- Elisa... - The woman murmurs with a sad face.
- Professor Charles?
- Hello, little one... - He replies sadly.
The principal closes the door and walks to his desk. The principal's office is spacious with a few bookcases, a table with medals and honors, two leather sofas facing each other with a square glass table separating them in the middle. And to the left of the room is a lit fireplace, which illuminates the room.
- Director Oliver, has something happened? - Elisa asks nervously.
Oliver sits down in his chair and takes a deep breath before answering the girl's question.
- Elisa... The City of Larion... Has been destroyed.
The sudden news takes Elisa by surprise and she opens her eyes wide in astonishment.
- As you know, each duke has a crystal in the King's chamber. If that Duke dies, the crystal corresponding to him will stop glowing and will break... I'm sorry, Elisa... But Duke Dmitri, your father... is dead.
Elisa stands there in complete silence as she tries to absorb the information the Director has given her.
- Elisa... - Elena says, getting up and going over to the girl. - Come here. - She says, hugging the girl.
Suddenly, Elisa bursts into tears in her teacher's arms. Everything she loved, her father, her best friend, her classmates, the residents of Larion and even the beautiful landscape... Have been wiped off the map.
- If it's any consolation... - The principal says sadly, but with a firm tone. - Your father's crystal cracked minutes before it shattered. That means he fought to the end, that's what King Yasus said. Your father was a nobleman worthy of the title of Duke, he didn't abandon his people and he fought for them to the end. Be proud of him.
- Did anyone... did anyone survive? - Elisa asks sobbing.
- The one who attacked Larion was Maximus, the Herald of Destruction. Only one knight delivered this information to Rivenwood. That indicates... That no one was spared.
- How can you be so sure? - Elisa asks, wiping away her tears.
- Emperor Gaius sends his Pillars in an organized fashion. Spirox for negotiations. Gravion for peace agreements. Tempus for direct warnings and summonses. And Maximus... For total destruction. I doubt very much that Maximus would leave anyone alive. He would do it purely and solely on a whim.
- Maximus... Did he kill my father?
- I doubt very much that any other man could do that. Your father was a duke, that alone shows his power. The crystal stayed red for a long time before breaking, which indicates that Duke Dmitri was wounded and killed by some disease or curse. Most likely the Curse of Rot.
- Curse of Rot... - Elisa mutters with a look of astonishment.
- Again, I'm sorry for your loss... You-
Suddenly, the entire Academy is rocked by a crushing pressure that makes even some of the walls crack.
- What's that?! - Charles shouts in a nervous, cold sweat.
- Charles! Elena! - Oliver shouts, getting up from his chair. - Warn the other teachers! The protection of our students is the top priority!!!
- Right!
Elena and Charles run out of the room and a scream can be heard throughout the building.
Elisa runs outside to the window in front of the principal's office and is surprised to see the entrance.
- Who... Who is he? - Elisa says, shivering at the sight of that being.
A being in unusual armor that seems to be his own body and his helmet completely covers his face, leaving no opening even for his eyes. He's wearing a black overcoat and in his right hand is a combat mace.
- That's... - Oliver says, terrified at the sight of that powerless figure at the Academy gate. - Tempus!
- Principal... - Elisa mutters, her eyes showing pure fear.
A huge army is approaching on the horizon from the direction of Rivenwood. An army that looks like a great shadowy mass walking across the plains.
- The Army of Shadows... But didn't they attack Larion? Which is to the north? Why are they coming from the West? Unless...
- What is it? Director! What happened? - Elisa exclaims nervously.
- Gaius isn't planning to destroy just one city... He plans to destroy all of Yasus!
- Writer
