章節 64: The Saint of the White Dragons
{This man… He's inviting me himself. What is his aim?}
Erika stared at him. Eyes wide and strained. She couldn't read him even a little.
"Is there something wrong, Edict Noya?" Yami asked. His voice sounded soft, and low.
Erika snapped out of her stupor. She didn't even realize that she had frozen that long for it to be so awkward. She bowed. "Forgive me Saint Bahndai. I seem to have a lot going through my mind at the moment. I mean you no offense,"
"None taken," He still had that same smirk.
"YAMI BAHNDAI! CUT THE CRAP! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT!?" Grand Council Sozuki Barnes shouted.
Yami didn't show fear in the least. "What do I want? This young lady has expressed a desire to watch over Rebble as an Edict. We've not had an edict Guardian in four hundred years. How fitting is it the title Dark Queen matches my namesake. Maybe it's fate,"
"Tchh… Fate. I'm to believe a devilish whelp like you believes in fate," Sozuki said.
"Believe what you will. Every territory but ours has Edicts to watch over it. I can't help but feel as if our faction is lacking legitimacy. Yet we finally get an Edict willing to come and you deny her. I say, are we being treated fairly?"
Erika saw his head crease from anger.
"Could you blame us for being wary, Yami? The council said. "Every time we get forced into your position, you and the White Dragons always rise in status. This can't be a coincidence. Pray tell, would the girl be free to come and go as she pleases?"
Erika's eyes shifted towards Yami's. {Was that it? Was he trying to turn her into a hostage?}
Would this man even dare to go up against the Edicts like that? She had to admit, he had nerve, but now that she knew his game, he seemed a lot less fearing. As long as she knew what someone wanted, Erika was cunning enough to get away with anything. She wouldn't be on the losing end if she took him up on his offer.
Plus, it would be a good idea to find out what sort of leverage this man had over the Edicts.
"The Grand Edicts shan't worry about my placement amongst the White Dragons. I trust Saint Bahndai will ensure my protection," She smiled.
He knelt and kissed her hand. "Naturally,"
Saints were indeed powerful. Most were at the level to hardly tell the difference between a Saint, and a fully developed Shining Spirit.
"Edict Erika. May I ask, what is it in Rebble that you wish to seek so bad, that you would dishonor yourself by joining those rogues," A grand council asked.
"If you must know, I wish to see the shining spirit of the White Dragons. Ryuma Irgo,"
This earned plenty of shocked gasped. The Grand Edicts looked amongst each other with worry in their eyes. Even Yami Bahndai who stood right next to her, gave her a look of shock.
"Are you mad child!?"
"Here I thought Gen Ichizo was the only Edict with a loose screw. You seek audience with our sworn enemy Aeragis?"
Yami stood back up with a devilish smirk. "As my Edict commands it,"
Erika ignored him and walked even closer towards the council. "I do not wish to seek an audience with Aeragis. I wish to seek it with Ryuma Irgo. He may be the vessel of your enemy, but ultimately the decision lies upon him. If we can convince him to our side, what does it matter what the shining spirit seeks?"
"We don't know the amount of influence that Dragon has over the boy. It might already be too late to convince him of anything. Even if he does agree, he'll be an uncertainty living amongst us. It's safer to kill him,"
"And do what after that? Deal with him four hundred more years later? Maybe he'll try earlier than that. Even if the beast isn't capable of rationale, then maybe the human is. Not everything is set in stone. After all, it was Toga Dawnheart who asked me to do this,"
"Ughh…"
They were at a loss for words. Of all their fears, it never occurred to them to just ask the holder of Aeragis to not descend his blade upon them.
"If there are no objections, I'll be on my way then. There's somebody I'd like to see before leaving," Erika turned around and began walking out of the hall. She stopped one last time, turning herself around towards them. "One more thing. I'm sure one or two of you are looking for retirement. I'll expect a seat open upon my success,"
Who could argue that? If she recruits Ryuma Irgo, in the eyes of the Edicts, that would have averted the greatest disaster of this century. Not only that, but to bring the White Dragons to heel. Erika would have made the quickest ascension to the Grand Council unseen in history.
It would consolidate her power. The quicker the better. The task should be easy enough since him and Toga are on friendly terms.
{I'll protect Straissand in my own way.}
"My business here is done, Saint Bahndai. I assume you had prior business with the council. I'll kindly excuse myself,"
"You are too kind, Edict Noya,"
Erika left it at that and exited the hall. Her bond guard hot on her heels. "I don't like that man," Her bond guard said just as soon as they were far out of earshot.
"The Saint, right?" Erika asked.
"There's something that's never been right with the White Dragons. Their color scheme doesn't even match their spirit they've been so off. I don't think it's safe being next to him my Edict,"
"That's ok. I have faith that you'll protect me," Erika said.
Her bond guard looked downwards. "With all due respect my Edict… I wouldn't stand a chance. That man. He's just too dangerous,"
"Are you asking that I backout of a decision I've made," Erika looked at her.
"That's not it my Edict," She looked at the bottom corner of her eye. "I only ask that you heed my instincts,"
"And what keen instincts they are. A strong Edict, does what they want, but a smart one, heeds the warnings of their guards," It was a male's voice.
Erika knew that voice. It was the most annoying voice amongst the Edicts. A voice she didn't like. Gen Ichizo came around a corner she was about to cross. He must've caught the tail end of her conversation. He came smiling as he always did. Followed by his bond guard Eroll Tolanto… and a woman wearing glasses with shoulder length brunette hair.
Erika looked at her closer. Every Edict are only allowed another Bond Guard after the first one dies, and she clearly didn't have one of her own despite being of age. She was neither a Bond Guard, nor an Edict. Who was she and what was she doing here? Better yet, what business did she have with him of all people?
"Edict Ichizo…" She let the name just hang there.
"It's nice to see you, little Noya. Oh wait, it should be Edict Noya now that you've your own Bond Guard," Gen said.
"You have some nerve lecturing me about what it is I need to heed," She said. She didn't even bother to hide the venom in her voice.
The woman next to him shifted uncomfortably. An easy sign that she didn't belong here.
Gen put his finger on his chin. "Did I do something wrong," He looked innocent enough, but Erika knew better. His naivete was all an act.
"Cut the crap Gen. Any Edict with a brain can see that your actions will destroy the Skylands. Is that what you want?" Erika said.
Gen smiled nervously and waved his hands back and forth. "Oh heaven's no. I'd never aim to do that. I kinda like it up here,"
"I'm supposed to believe that. You let Ryuma Irgo slip right through your fingers. Now I got to clean up after you. How else am I supposed to take that as you wanting the Skylands to end?" Erika said.
"Cut me some slack. I had no clue he was a shining spirit when I met him. Besides… my goals are much more important than that," Gen said giving off the devilish smile.
{Here's another one like that.}
Whenever he smiled like that was when he was at his most dangerous. It was better not to provoke it. Though she was the Dark Queen, even she couldn't hold a candle getting into the head of the Black Sheep.
His thinking was just too unorthodox.
"So you're heading towards Rebble, right? Good luck convincing the kid… not that I think it'll do you any good," Gen said.
Erika looked at him with a shocked expression. {Just by knowing where she was going, he already figured out her plan.}
She gritted her teeth. "Luck… I don't need luck. All I need is leverage. If I find the boy's mother, I'm sure I can convince him it's better to collaborate with us than against.
As dismissive as Gen usually was, that's when he turned towards her with this blank stare. "I hope you weren't planning on that being your only bargaining chip,"
"Because nobody has seen hide nor hair of her ever since Aeragis descended,"
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