Chương 54: Preparations

"You are going to teach me how to create my own spells, right?" Yllana's bright red eyes were a stark contrast to the snowy environment. The storm has passed, and they are already out in the fields keeping themselves busy. "So, what are you going to teach me today?"

"The basics," his short reply made her think.

"Basics?"

"How you create your own spells," Lucien summoned his blood staff and sat down on a spot with some grass. He patted down on the space next to him as his eyes locked on her red ones.

Yllana followed suit and sat down next to him. "Spells made by mages are special. Unlike those of the knights that are blessed by the heavens or the saints, mages have a direct connection with nature. Before you can create one, you need to give something back to nature. Usually, a soul stone is sufficient. It is weaker than the blood drop stones because it only contains a piece of one's soul. As for the enchantment words, you might want to use simple words to conjure up simple spells first. Once you reached the rank of a Holy, you need to learn how to make spells according to the nature of your magic." As Lucien spoke, he took out a small bag of ordinary-looking stones from his space ring.

He handed one to Yllana and took one to his open palm. With his staff, on the other hand, he closed his eyes and lifted both of his arms slightly into the air. Midel was watching them from afar and often glances at his back. Something behind them made him cautious all of a sudden. There was something in the dark that even his talent could not see.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

South Kingdom's Palace

The newly assigned elders and councilors lined up in the hallway as the ten-year-old emperor walked in the middle. Their eyes were twitching. Their mouths spread in a thin line. It was more than obvious that they were just forced to do the emperor's bidding.

"Call the general, I want all of you in the meeting hall now." His little voice echoed through the hall as his footsteps gave out a steady beat. He did not stop. He did not even look at them. "Ants," he spat as he entered the room where he would meet them.

The room was beautifully adorned with statues of soldiers on the sides. On the farthest side of the room, there is one throne lined with a golden dragon at the armrest. There was a huge stone table in the center with chairs on the sides.

One by one, the elders and council members entered the room. Most of them are entering the room for the first time. Numerous eyes widened in awe and surprise, but they all kept their mouths shut.

"General Rua has arrived Your Highness," a male servant announced at the door. All eyes fell on the towering figure entering the room.

Donned in shining silver armor with a flying dragon on his right chest, the general walked hastily in front of the emperor. His built was heavy and burly. With a scar running across his face and exposed skin on his arms, one will not be mistaken that he is the War God of the South Kingdom.

Based on his physique, he had gone to war more than once and he was not someone to be trifled with. Even his broad sword hanging by his waist still has some dark brown spots that someone failed to clean. He just has this one habit that makes Darion wince every time he sees this man.

General Rua opened his arms and hurriedly walked up to the throne and bear-hugged the small emperor.

Darion's face was squished in the general's arms turning red. His face contorted and he kept yelling to the general to put him down. But the general did not let up. "Let me down this instant! Ugh! I am not a kid anymore! Put me down general!"

The general heard the emperor and he scrunched up the little boy's hair and pinched his cheek. "Is that any way to greet your uncle?!"

All the other people inside the room lowered their heads. It was not a secret to the kingdom that the fierce general is the emperor's uncle. General Rua is the previous empress's brother. Although many see the general as a burly man with a frightening face, those who also live inside the palace walls know that this general is a softie when it comes to his nephew.

"Since my sister and brother-in-law failed to shower you some love, uncle here will be the one to provide that parental love you have missed. So, just let your uncle do this, ok? Now, tell me who bullied my nephew when I was out guarding the borders?" His face changed instantly once he put down the emperor back to his seat. General Rua's eyes turned fierce as he scanned the room.

"Ahhh…I'll find them myself," Darion gasped after being fiercely hugged by the general. Who would have thought that this general would be like this to the kingdom's emperor? He looked away feeling the amazed gazes of the council before him. "Ah-hem,"

The general turned to see his nephew. "You? I believe you can, but what good does my being your general if I cannot do something as simple as this." He huffed and placed his hands on his hips.

"Tss…" Darion sighed helplessly. In times like this, he cannot do anything to his uncle's decisions. He was stubborn as a bull although it is also one of the ways he can show his love for the emperor. Now that he has come home, Darion could feel a headache about to come. "I also have some request for you uncle. How about the army that I was asking for you to build?"

General Rua's eyes turned grim. He frowned and looked at the sky outside the window. "It will take time to train the warriors, especially that the ones left on our kingdom have below normal talents. Have you found out yet where those old foggies hid the talented ones?"

"No one is saying anything yet," the emperor turned to the group of people behind the general. "Did any of you found anything yet?"

"None, Your Highness," they all answered in unison. Behind one of the temples, a black figure observed all the things that the emperor was doing. Two keen eyes saw this shadow and gave hints to each other.

The general looked at one of the guards in the corner. The guard saw his slight movement and walked into the shadows quietly. When the guard came back, he just shook his head. "Escaped, huh." He whispered.

"The demons along the borders are restless. We must prepare for any war that will emerge," He was calm and composed when he uttered the words like it was not war but just breakfast that he was deciding on.

"Your Highness, but the ones causing trouble are our people and the bandits from the mountains. Shouldn't we try to settle this first by talking to the demons?" an elder in green robes stood up and spoke bravely in front. There was sternness in his gaze. And although he was not as aged as the previous elders, there was a shadow of ancient wisdom inside his eyes.

"And who will talk with these demons? You?" he cocked an eyebrow and looked directly at the elder. "For years, I have tried to cross their borders and ask them to stop attacking our traveling merchants who were just passing by, but they refuse."

"There was never a report about Your Highness talking democratically with the demons,"

"Where is your evidence?"

"There is no evidence since you always secretly bring merchants. How are we supposed to gather evidence from your people if you will not even let us know who these merchants were? Are we even sure that those are merchants?"

"Are you questioning my own method of investigation regarding this matter?"

"I only ask for you to open up this case with the council if you wish to end this…whatever this is before it escalates into a war."

"So, you do not trust my own judgment?"

The general's face was getting darker and darker as he listened to the elder and the emperor's heated debate.

"A war is unavoidable this time around. Whether we stay out of it or not," he interrupted.

"Elder Evin," one of the elders near the man with green robe called out to him. He touched Elder Evin's sleeve and shook his head.

It made Elder Evin more furious seeing that the others wanted him to back down from the verbal war. "We are talking about war here. We must tell the emperor our thoughts about this. What is the use that we are placed as elders if we will not be heard? Is this really just a farce to tell the people that the emperor is not the sole decision-maker in this kingdom?"

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