2. The Heart of the Empire

"No matter, as long as there is goodness in human hearts, the Omega will prevail."

Gera - Queen of the Forest

Somewhere in the city of Dostov, 8 years later, in the depths of the city, an elven servant had been summoned by the Bucullatus, a group of mages who had arrived a couple of years ago in the kingdom, claiming they would help them overcome the crisis they were facing since the fall of their capital.

When he entered the room, he was horrified; the entire place was filled with bodies, entrails, and blood everywhere. In the center of the room were the Bucullatus, murmuring something. He stepped back slowly, trying to escape, but accidentally kicked a vial on the floor, catching the attention of the Bucullatus.

- You... come closer, little elf, and tell me your name - said one of the Bucullatus, who seemed to be the leader, as the others bowed their heads as if in reverence.

- I'm Tok, an elven servant - he replied trembling - It wasn't my intention to interrupt; I'll leave now.

- I told you to come closer! - shouted the hooded figure, losing patience. He obeyed and approached slightly - you know, there's a legend about elves that they told me when I was a little girl; they said they were beings so mystical and powerful that they possessed magic even in their blood, regardless of their color, size, whether they were mages or mortals, all had magic. I'm curious to know if it's true; after all, legends are often based on real events.

- Yes, it's a c-common assumption since our ancestors originated from sacred lands, but I don't know if it will be t-true. After all, centuries have passed since we left those lands, and I think it only speaks of pure-blood elves - he could barely articulate words.

"Crack" was heard in the background of the room. The elf looked to where the sound came from and saw a gigantic creature that could barely be seen; it held one of the bodies and seemed to be eating it - qe liabolo? - he said in elven. The elf recoiled in terror, without thinking twice, he ran towards the door as fast as he could, but before he could reach it, the hooded figure recited.

- "Redemptio Vinculu" - from the right hand of the hooded figure emerged a kind of shining lasso that reached the elven and tied him up. The lasso began to drag the elf toward the woman, who removed her hood, revealing a beautiful young face. Her hair was long and black, seemingly a beauty in almost every aspect, but her eyes were completely white, as if she had no soul.

- What did you do?! You sacrificed your soul! - said the elf, increasingly frightened - Why?

- How naive; I did it for the good of this nation, and you will have the privilege of witnessing it in person. You will witness what will make us the masters of this world, an unlimited power - she chuckled macabrely and raised her left hand towards the beast - you, get up and come here! - the beast obeyed and approached the witch; the elven finally managed to see the monster clearly.

- En dimanas - "a demon" in elvish - what do you plan to do?

- A demonstration - a grim smile appeared on the woman's face. She moved the lasso holding the elf and brought him closer to the demon; it looked at him curiously, as if it wanted to play with him. It was reaching out its hand towards the elf in a friendly manner until the woman spoke - kill him! - the demon's eyes turned completely red; it formed a fist and with a single motion struck the elf on the side of his body. He hit him with such force that the elf's body split in half; the upper part of the elf flew across the room, falling to the ground with his entrails spilling out. The witch let go of the other half of the elf, letting it rot on the floor.

The elf, using his last strength, lifted his head and addressed the witch - you have meddled with forces you don't understand; you will end up becoming the downfall itself and condemn your soul in the process... - the elf took a pause to say his last words - esai catar maenos! - as he uttered this curse, his eyes turned completely white, and he fell to the ground dead.

- "The downfall itself", eh - she said mockingly - I like it better than doomed to failure, don't you think, master? - the door at the back opened, and an elderly Bucullatus entered with a fairly bushy and unkempt beard. He shifted his gaze to the elf's body and crushed his head.

- Damned servant, don't get too cocky - he turned his gaze back to his apprentice - quite impressive; I see that your control over that thing has improved a lot, although not as much as I would like - he said in a dull tone; this last comment irritated the witch quite a bit.

- What do you mean by that? It's ready; we must take the city of Gramorg and kill Draco right now, or...

- It's not ready! - the old man shouted, interrupting the witch - do you think I haven't noticed that your gond is weakened? You still need time to get used to controlling its power.

- But if we don't take the city, "he" will...

- Don't worry about... "he" - said the old man, disturbed, mentioning it discomforted him - we still have time. The deadline he gave us is five years, of which only two have passed.

Both fell silent. The woman ordered the demon to sit at the back of the room and plunged it into a deep sleep that would last until she decided to wake it up; once the demon fell asleep, the witch's eyes returned to their original state, with a bright green iris. All the Bucullatus left the room; the old man cast a spell on the door so that no one could enter and they left the place quickly.

Lodtrack felt an overwhelming chill, even in his ceremonial armor (which, beneath the metal, clad his body in leather) and his cape. The winter cold pierced his skin; he felt like he would freeze if he stood there for another second.

He was at the entrance to the imperial castle, waiting for Leonor to arrive with his carriage so they could enter. They had been summoned by the king for Leonor and the princess to meet. It was a tradition for princes, upon turning 15, to invite all the noble children for a few days to get to know the future Lords. But, as usual, Leonor was running quite late. Lodtrack was supposed to arrive first, and shortly after, Leonor would come with his Guard. However, he had been waiting for two hours. Fortunately, an elderly woman kindly gave him a cup of hot chocolate, although Lodtrack insisted on giving her a few coins as thanks.

Fortunately, Leonor finally arrived, presenting himself proudly in his ceremonial attire, fine silk garments with gold reliefs, wearing a cloak made of elven silk. His golden hair moved briskly in the winter breeze, and his pale blue eyes stood out in the cold; in these eight years, he had gone from being a pampered child to a haughty and arrogant teenager. On the other hand, Lodtrack had become taller than Leonor. Although he was always overshadowed by the noble's attractiveness, the red color of his eyes had become more intense, and his hair, light brown when he was a child, had darkened almost to black. A slight scar on his face; a small reminder of his training.

Lodtrack approached Leonor with a firm stride – Finally, you arrive; I almost turned into an ice sculpture waiting for you - said Lodtrack, visibly annoyed by Leonor's delay – You're lucky that there are still a couple of hours before you have your meal with the princess. We need to settle in and...

- Calm down, as you said, we still have a couple of hours. We should take the time to explore the place; after all, we seldom get to be in the beautiful imperial palace - said Leonor quite confidently – besides, the servants will take care of our luggage - he added, watching as their bags were taken down from the carriage.

Leonor passed by Lodtrack and headed directly to the entrance of the palace. "Someday he will make me kill him", Lodtrack thought, quite irritated. He told the servants to bring the carriage through the main entrance and ask Mery, the head of the servants, where they should leave all the equipment. He ran behind Leonor to catch up.

When they crossed the main door, Lodtrack was impressed with all the servants working in the palace courtyards. Some were receiving packages and listing them, and mages were creating Camelio potions. From what he had seen of magic, some potions were dedicated to celebrations, such as one with a special powder that projected giant specters simulating whatever the mage desired.

- What is all this? - Lodtrack asked, curious.

- This? These are preparations for the Hen chemon, or the winter day - said Leonor, quite proud of his knowledge.

- The Hen chemon? But this looks nothing like what we do in Gramorg and the New Cycle festival. Also, isn't it celebrated at the end of winter?"

- That's because we Gramorguians come from the wild tribes of the north, while all the culture of the empire comes from the west, at least that of the heart of the empire - explained Leonor. It seemed he could talk all day – Throughout the empire, Hen chemon is celebrated, but the northern cultures celebrate it differently and on a different date than the rest of it. We celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of a new year, while the rest celebrate the prosperity of the people in winter and the expansion of the entire empire.

- Incredible - Lodtrack was impressed with Leonor's knowledge. He had never been outside Gramorg due to his continuous training and his job of protecting Leonor, besides, of course, the time he spent wandering the streets. He always had to be near the noble to protect him. For him, being there was like stepping out of a cave and traveling to a completely new world – I see that Mrs. Muffin's constant scolding has worked to fill your empty head - he said sarcastically.

- Shut up! I'm still your lord, and your impertinence is annoying. I could order your death!

- As if you could find someone who could protect and tolerate you besides me - Lodtrack laughed – I think you're stuck with me. - Leonor was annoyed by Lodtrack's impertinence, although he had partially gotten used to it because Lodtrack showed little respect for Leonor or any other noble. Then the guard saw a circle of wizards around a sprout of fir – What are they doing?

Leonor looked at them for a moment, but seemed very confused – To be honest, I don't know. I've never heard of that. I suppose it will be mentioned somewhere in the trad mud, although I would have noticed it, so it might be a new activity they'll implement this year, but it's too stran... - Before he finished speaking, he noticed that Sir Versert was at the entrance of the palace. Leonor hurried to reach where Versert was, and both bowed. Lodtrack arrived later and just greeted Versert with a friendly wave. Court customs were not his strength, so he avoided bows and only made formalities when strictly necessary.

- I see you haven't changed at all, Lodtrack. You're still as improper - Versert mocked. They had known him for a couple of years when he visited Leonor's father. Versert was a man of average height, middle-aged, with visible gray hair. He was the king's advisor and one of the most important men in the empire – Don't even think about speaking so familiarly to the imperial family, or we'll have to hang you.

- Don't remind me, they tell me all the time - Lodtrack said, trying to sound confident – although I would worry more about Leonor not doing anything strange with the princess...

- Don't speak too much!! - Leonor shouted, quite annoyed. This surprised Lodtrack., "So, if you take this seriously, eh", Lodtrack thought – Good morning, Sir Versert. We apologize for the delay, but there were several problems in the city with some troublemakers because Lodtrack had left earlier to prepare for the arrival. - Leonor was surprised to hear that, as none of the soldiers mentioned it despite being a very important issue. "Maybe he's lying," Lodtrack thought, "or maybe he told the soldiers not to tell me, but why would he?"

- Not a problem. Let's enter the palace so we can give you a tour while the princess finishes getting ready - Versert turned around and went through the doors; Leonor and Lodtrack followed closely.

When they entered, they were amazed at the interior decoration. The palace was quite beautiful on the outside, but on the inside, it was completely spectacular. There were marble tiles on the floor; the walls were made of white stone from the dwarf mines in the south. The doors and furniture were made of orc jungle oak, with reliefs bathed in vulskank gold.

- This is better than I could have ever imagined. Everything here is incredible - said Lodtrack, looking around amazed by the palace's luxuries.

- It's impressive. We should do a renovation like this someday in our castle, don't you think? - said Leonor, trying not to seem impressed.

- It will take several decades before we can do something like this, sir - Lodtrack said with a mocking tone that did not please Leonor.

They continued on their journey, passing through multiple areas of the palace until, in the heart of it, Lodtrack stopped to observe a glass dome protruding from the ground. This allowed a view of a huge coliseum in the depths of the palace, where the imperial knights trained. There he recognized Jill, his companion and another Draco apprentice, who had been training for a couple of months in the capital. She was a tall and slender girl, with brown hair tied in a ponytail. Lodtrack had always found her very attractive, although now she looked radiant and was about to duel an imperial soldier.

- Would you like to see the face-off? - Versert asked, noticing how Lodtrack looked through the dome – We can take a break; anyway, I have to talk to the Empress for a moment.

- We should cont... - Lodtrack pulled Leonor's clothes to attract him – What the hell?

- Do a favor for a friend and watch the fight with me. I want to see how an imperial soldier fights with my own eyes - Lodtrack asked him. He let go of Leonor, who then looked at Versert.

- I think it's a great idea. If there's no problem, we'll watch the fight while you talk to the empress - said Leonor, a little uncomfortable for giving in so easily, but he owes Lodtrack more than he would like, with all the times he helped him when they were kids. Still, he approached him and whispered in his ear – Are you sure you want to see the soldier?

Leonor leaned on the dome next to Lodtrack as laughed and watched Jill. When Leonor noticed, the formalities were over; they ended with a bow as a show of respect towards the opponent, and they drew their weapons. Jill used a two-handed iron spear without a shield (she said the shield hindered her mobility). On the other hand, the soldier had a long two-handed sword of dwarven make. They remained still for a moment. Lodtrack noticed how they simultaneously analyzed their stances; both were cautious warriors.

"Now," Lodtrack murmured to himself. Jill then ran towards the soldier and thrust at high speed. The soldier narrowly dodged it and swung a slash, but Jill avoided it with ample distance. With the back of her spear, she struck the soldier's abdomen, causing him to lose balance. Stepping back, she turned the spear on its axis, driving it into the soldier's foot. He let out a cry of pain and tried to hit her with the hilt, but using the support of the spear, she propelled herself to kick him. She pulled the spear out of the soldier's foot, and before he could get up, she placed the spear's tip on his neck; then the soldier surrendered. Jill helped him up and looked at her comrades who were cheering. Then she noticed the presence of Lodtrack and Leonor. She greeted them with a wave; Lodtrack returned the greeting, and Leonor would swear he blushed for a moment, but he couldn't prove it.

Jill's superior entered the battlefield and scolded her for going too far by thrusting the spear into one of his men's feet. She lowered her head and apologized, although Leonor and Lodtrack thought it wasn't the first time something like that had happened with her.

- That girl is a real marvel - said a feminine voice from behind the guys – it's a shame she has to return to Gramorg soon - Both turned quickly; Lodtrack, by instinct, put his hand on his sword. He regretted it when he noticed that it was the Empress.

- Your Majesty - Leonor said startled. Lodtrack choked back a scream and made a rather nervous bow, hoping she hadn't noticed how close he was to drawing his sword.

- Good morning, Leonor. Versert told me you had a... mishap - said the empress with a soft and calm voice. She was a tall woman with perfect posture, symmetrical features, and striking beauty. Her lips were painted in crimson red, and she wore a high Victorian hairstyle. Lodtrack wondered if she used magic, but it didn't seem like the best time to ask.

- Good morning, Your Majesty Sylvia. It's a pleasure to finally meet you - said Lodtrack, firm and disguising his nervousness - I hope our visit is to your liking.

- Ah, you're Lodtrack, right? - she asked, and he nodded. - Well, Jill told me a lot about you. She says you're a remarkable warrior. - Lodtrack felt relieved; it seemed she hadn't noticed his lapse. - Although you should be more careful before assuming an attacking stance.

Lodtrack swallowed hard and said - I'm very sorry; it was a reflex. I didn't mean to threaten you - Leonor looked worriedly at the empress; he knew well enough that any mistake could lead to the gallows for anyone.

- Don't worry. That just shows your instincts as a warrior; in fact, it's quite interesting - said the empress with a curious smile. - Maybe you should duel with my eldest son; he's also very skilled with a sword.

- Fight your son? The prince? - Lodtrack was bewildered by the empress's suggestion. - Are you serious? - The last question annoyed the empress as she sensed a disrespectful tone in his speech. Leonor challenged him with a stern look, and Lodtrack realized his insolence. Before he could say anything, Versert entered the room with the emperor.

- I can assure you that my wife is serious; she trusts a lot in our firstborn - said the emperor. He was a short, elderly man. It was unusual to see such an age difference between an emperor and empress. - What do you think, Leonor?

- When I met him a few years ago, he was still very young, and I don't remember much about the prince - he replied, somewhat uncomfortable, remembering his encounter with the heir when he was only 13.

- Although I'd also like to know if you could beat Jill, our little champion - the empress gave Lodtrack a playful look.

- I'm sure Lodtrack will be delighted to demonstrate his skills, but you still need to freshen up - said Versert, looking rushed to take Lodtrack and Leonor away.

- Of course, we'll have time to talk later. See you soon. - The emperors left the room, and Versert led the duo to their room. Their luggage was already there, and Versert asked them to wait for a moment.

When he called them, they headed down to the dining room. Leonor entered, but Lodtrack was ordered to wait at the door while Leonor and the princess ate. This irritated Lodtrack. He waited for almost ten minutes until he finally saw a guard coming with the princess. Lodtrack saw her for a few seconds, a young woman who left him stunned with her beauty: brown hair, violet eyes, and fair skin. The princess averted her gaze and saw Lodtrack; he felt a shiver as their eyes met. The princess entered the room, leaving Lodtrack and the other guard alone. Lodtrack tried to start a conversation, but the other soldier simply ignored him. When Leonor came out of the room, he seemed quite cheerful. Lodtrack asked him the reason.

- I'll tell you later - said Leonor. They headed to the room and lay down on the fine beds. Before falling asleep, Lodtrack caught the noble's attention.

- How did it go with the princess? - he asked, quite curious, sitting on his covers.

- Quite well. We talked about the relationship between Gramorg and the capital and how it will benefit us in the coming years as an advisor to her brother, in exchange for some political and military support from our side to her person. You know, it's comforting to talk to someone who understands what the hell I'm talking about and is a very good negotiator - he said happily, watching as Lodtrack struggled to fully understand what he meant. - Anyway... Did you see how beautiful she is? She truly is a princess.

- You think so? - Lodtrack replied, chuckling, although his expression hardened, and he decided to ask what had been bothering him for a while. - What happened before they arrived? - Leonor looked at him with a grimace of annoyance.

- Nothing... just some ridiculous bandits. They saw the shiny carriage and didn't hesitate to attack, not even when they saw a knight armed to the teeth come out the door. Idiots - Leonor played down the importance, although Lodtrack felt that he wasn't entirely sincere. They had been friends for long enough to know when he was lying.

- Why didn't you tell me as soon as you arrived? - asked the guard, trying to corner him.

- I don't know; it didn't seem important, to be honest - he replied, trying to dodge the interrogation. - Well, if you have nothing else to say, go to sleep.

- But...

- Enough of the subject! - he exclaimed irritably and wrapped himself in the idea of not listening to his roommate. Lodtrack gritted his teeth, annoyed, and also lay down. Both slept until the next day.