Delegation

The sound of boots echoed over the white flagstones as the cult's delegation entered through Eldranor's ancient gate. Ethan, Aeris, and Sylfie waited for them at the foot of the main staircase, from where the entire inner courtyard could be seen.

Ethan had sensed them approaching and had opened a passage through the barrier before they arrived.

It was an elite group: four high-ranking priests, three knights in light armor, and a bishop leading them all, a man with graying hair and a calm expression. They all wore the robes of Aurelia's church. They had been chosen for their strength, but they had crossed the entire ravine without encountering a single monster, which left some of them clearly puzzled since it was well known that this place used to be dangerous.

Ethan had disabled monster generation and, with the help of Aeris and Sylfie, had defeated those that were still alive. While he was here, he wouldn't need their protection, and if he did, he could activate it again. Besides, it wasn't as if any intruder could cross the barrier without his permission.

The bishop was the first to speak.

"Herald…" He gave a brief bow, as did everyone behind him. "It is an honor to see you in person."

Ethan responded with a simple nod. "Thank you for coming. I imagine the journey wasn't easy, even without monsters."

"We were surprised, indeed. But… we came because we answered your call," replied the bishop, his voice calm but full of curiosity. "Eldranor… just being here, we feel something different."

Aeris, standing beside Ethan, kept an impeccable posture, as befitted a priestess. Sylfie stood a few steps behind, watching everything closely.

Ethan looked around, feeling the cold breeze sweeping through the ruins. "I wanted you to see it with your own eyes. Eldranor wasn't part of the cult before, but now it will be our new pillar."

The priests exchanged glances, surprised, but there were no questions. They were too faithful to the Herald's will to doubt. Even without knowing him personally, he was the embodiment of their Goddess's will.

One of the knights, looking at the motionless golems around them, whispered, "They look like statues…"

"They're golems," Ethan explained. "They obey only me and the Guardian."

The bishop nodded, looking at Ethan with devotion, something that reminded him of Aeris. "So you truly acquired an entire kingdom for the cult."

"Yes," Ethan confirmed, without giving details. "And I want the cult to see this as a chance to start anew. A place of our own, far from external disputes."

The priests showed a contained but clear enthusiasm: for them, the fact that the Herald had conquered something like this was a source of pride. All wanted to know more, but held back, respecting Ethan's pace.

"Come," Ethan said, starting to walk across the courtyard. "I want to show you the main hall."

They climbed the light stone steps up to a large door adorned with ancient runes. Upon entering, the group paused for a moment, astonished: white columns supported a tall ceiling, and in the center stood the Guardian.

She turned to face the delegation. "Welcome to Eldranor," she said, her voice neutral, almost too calm.

The bishop seemed fascinated. "She speaks…"

Ethan didn't explain much, just gestured for them to come closer. "She is the Guardian, you could say she's an advisor for the kingdom."

The group walked more slowly, looking around, lightly touching the runic walls and sensing the flow of energy. There was no fear, only respect and the clear sense that before them stood something far greater than mere ruins.

In the bishop's eyes, Ethan saw something like pride: not only because this kingdom now belonged to them, but because it was the Herald, a figure they had awaited for generations, who was leading all of this.

The group advanced through Eldranor's main corridors. The walls, marked by ancient runes, radiated a subtle warmth. Ethan walked ahead, speaking little, but closely observing each of their reactions.

"These inscriptions…" one of the priests remarked, lightly touching a rune. "I've never seen anything like this."

"And you won't outside this place," Ethan replied. "It's a technology and magic long lost."

When they reached the side hall, Ethan turned to the bishop. "I want you to understand this place isn't just mine. It's a home for all of us, for the cult. But it will only stand if we know how to use it properly."

The bishop listened intently, unable to hide his respect. "We understand. Do you want the cult to send more people?"

"Yes," Ethan answered. "First, we'll bring scholars, blacksmiths, artisans… Eldranor shouldn't just be a sanctuary, but a kingdom. We won't just be a church anymore, we'll be a nation."

The proposal impressed the priests, but there were no questions: it was clear they were ready to follow whatever he decided.

As they walked, they passed through smaller rooms filled with empty stands that once held weapons, books, and artifacts. Aeris walked beside him, silent but proud. Sylfie, further back, kept her bow in hand, alert, not out of distrust of Ethan, but purely by a hunter's instinct.

Ethan stopped in front of a stone door. "Here," he said. "This used to be the Elders' hall of Eldranor."

The bishop seemed to hesitate. "May we… enter?"

Ethan nodded. He pushed the door open, revealing an oval hall where rows of marble chairs circled a small central platform. On the floor, circular markings still seemed alive, radiating an almost invisible energy.

"They gathered the leaders here," Ethan explained. "But now there's no one left."

The priests stepped closer, carefully touching the chairs and the markings on the floor. Silence hung for a few seconds, broken only by the sound of footsteps echoing on the stone.

One of the knights spoke, almost whispering, "I thought this place would be nothing but ruins, but it's practically intact."

"And beautiful," added another.

Ethan kept a serious expression. "Eldranor is a kingdom sustained by divine energy, protected and tended by golems. I just had the luck of having the right body to enter here."

The bishop's eyes met his. "It was because of the divine energy you carry?"

"In part," Ethan admitted. "But not only that. Members of the cult and other heralds also have divine energy, but my body is essentially different from yours."

The words lingered in the air, as if everyone was trying to process them. To them, it felt strange to think something so ancient could accept someone new so quickly. But no one dared doubt, Ethan's very presence was proof enough.

Leaving the hall, Ethan led everyone back to the central courtyard. He stopped before the Guardian, who watched silently.

"I need to ask something," Ethan said.

She looked at him, her marble eyes glowing softly with mana. "Speak, heir."

"Open a portal to the entrance of the ravine," he said. "I want them to be able to return safely."

The Guardian made a gentle gesture, and the runes on the nearby columns began to glow, forming an arch of shimmering energy.

The bishop looked at Ethan, grateful. "So we should return already?"

"For now," Ethan replied. "I want you to bring everything you've seen here to the cult's council. And tell them I'll be here, tending to the kingdom until they're ready to send permanent members."

The group nodded, understanding the order not merely as a suggestion, but as something coming from the Herald.

When the portal closed behind the group, Eldranor seemed even quieter. Ethan stood still for a moment, staring at the white columns and the emptiness left after their departure.

Aeris broke the silence, stepping closer.

"They were impressed," she said in a calm tone. "And I think it was the first time they've seen anything like this place."

Ethan only nodded, still thinking about what would come next. Eldranor couldn't stay isolated forever; sooner or later, it would be necessary to explain to the world what this place was and why the Herald of Aurelia commanded it.

On the other side of the courtyard, Sylfie watched quietly, her bow resting on her shoulder. "Are you really going to open Eldranor to more people?" she asked, without looking away.

"For now, only to cult members and our most trusted allies," Ethan replied. "Like you."

Sylfie seemed satisfied, though she didn't say anything. She wasn't the type to insist, she trusted that Ethan had a plan, even if he didn't share everything.

Shortly after, Ethan walked alone to the old treasure hall, where part of the floor was still covered in worn runes. Nexus, which until then had been in its glove form, began to glow slowly, as if reacting to the place.

Ethan raised his hand, studying the golden light appearing between his fingers. He had asked Aeris about Nexus: no one knew exactly where it had come from, Aurelia had sent them to an ancient ruin where it had been sealed months before Ethan was summoned to this world.

He took a deep breath, focusing the mana running through his arm. Nexus responded, pulsing with an intense light that spread across his skin. In an instant, the glove lost its rigid form and merged into his arm, vanishing from sight but still present, as part of his body.

The warmth ran through his bones and muscles, strange, but not painful. Ethan opened and closed his hand, testing the sensation. It was as if Nexus was alive, waiting for his command.

"Not just an object, but part of you… huh." Ethan murmured, recalling Sinnon's words.

Aeris and Sylfie, who had followed him there, fell silent upon seeing it. Even they hadn't known Nexus could react in that way.

"It seems… more connected to you than before," Aeris remarked.

"It's different," Ethan said, looking at his hand. "As if it finally accepted me."

Deep down, he knew this wasn't a coincidence. Eldranor had once been home to the descendants of gods, and Nexus reacted to divine energy. And it had been a goddess who had gifted him that artifact.

The sensation was strange; it still felt like his own hand, yet he could also sense Nexus resting within it. But Ethan didn't pull back. He had always known Nexus wasn't an ordinary item, given how he had received it.

He turned to face the two of them.

"We'll continue our training here until the next group of people arrives, but we'll leave right after they settle in."

Sylfie gave a small smile, lifting her bow. "So you're going to put us to work?"

"I am," Ethan replied, with his usual calm smile. "So you'd better train with everything you've got."

Aeris nodded in agreement, her gaze steady. Even after everything, she still stood by his side, as someone who believed in what he represented.