The Sword of Lights Bane

Prologue.

The land was a paradise.  That was as best an answer as Chancellor Arcturus can come up with, for there was no crime, no poverty, no starvation, and no premature death in this age. Though there was death, it was of natural ageing, to about 120 years of life to be exact. The valley that Vevalince resided was a beautiful sight, as well as a natural defense on three sides of the city, though there has been no war in Vevalince in two thousand years. Vevalince’s prosperity and utopian way of life, as well as the wonders that her sciences supplied, was all thanks to their power source, the Kydarian Crystals. But Chancellor Arcturus knew this was not to last. That is, if the reports are true. Several days ago, reports started to flood in about a new energy source deep in the valleys end, opposite the City. Immediately, research teams were dispatched to the site, but instead of a new energy source, strange creatures were discovered, and they attacked the research team on sight. Everyone escaped due to the relative slowness of the creatures and the quick relaxes of the researchers, but not with out injuries, some even near fatal. Sure, there was a new source of energy at the site, but it was later discovered that it was not usable, or safe for that matter. Chancellor Arcturus knew if the people were to find out about this incident, chaos and panic could consume his people of Vevalince. He as a wise man and he knew that would only make matters worse. But the reports could be exaggerated and the injuries could have been caused by an accident, caused by the energy source, but the chancellor knew that was unlikely. He personally hand-picked the team members, and knew they were the most careful and experienced researchers alive today in Vevalince. So that had to mean that the reports were true about the creatures. But what were these creatures that the report stated. It didn’t give many details, but according to the report, they ranged from a humanoid, quite large, and were relatively intelligent, to a large snake-like creature with arm-like razorblades that were primarily instinctive and primitive. Maybe it was possible to communicate with the humanoids creatures. But the way they treated the research team on sight, that wasn’t going to happen. So what to do with this “discovery” is the question. Chancellor Arcturus, in his palace room with its elegant and delicate design, ponders on this quandary for several hours until he- regretfully - comes to his inevitable conclusion. He must inform the rest of The Council of the Nine Ravens that a threat has emerged and that a small army must be created in order to protect ourselves. The new question that Chancellor Arcturus asks now is how to approach the other Chancellors about this topic.

************

Emptiness. It felt good. And was a great way for one to lose oneself after a long day of signing bills and ruleing a prosperous city. Alexei, rapped in the emptiness that surrounds his mind in the emotionless ness that is the Center, he can think, see, hear, and smell more clearly than without it. But maintaining it is harder as you hold on, thought Alexei. Sitting there on his bed, he faced his window, waiting for the sun to rise over the mountain valley. Seeing it was beautiful sight on its own, but with the heightened senses the Center provided, it was breath taking. And thanks to the enhanced senses that the Center provides, he is able to hear his best friend Samuel enter the room as silently as he can. When Samuel thinks he’s in the clear to scare Alexei out of his mind, he turned the tables on Samuel, frightening the living daylights out of him.
“WHOA!! Don’t do that again Alex!!” yells Samuel after his trick didn’t work. With his raven black hair in disarray from his failed prank, and dark, cavernous brown eyes in shock, the look was satisfyingly great for Alexei.
“Why, so you can do it to me instead?” Alexei asks with a grin.
“Man… just don’t do that again.”
“Fine.” Alexei said drearily. “So what’s been going on with the Council?”
All though Samuel and Alexei were trained together as Templar, the law-keepers of Vevalince, as well as the personal guard of Alexei, and were the most powerful Essence-wielders Vevalince had, Samuel went to politics after his training was complete, and later became a Chancellor. Sense there time training together, they’ve been the closest friends.
“Not good. We’ve received reports that an attack by some strange creatures in the far end of the valley. We have to verify the reports, and ideas as to what to do about this development have yet to surface.”
“No one has thought up anything?”
“Well, one Alex. But it’s pretty crazy. You sure you want to hear it?”
“Yes Sam, I want to hear it” Alexei said drably.
“Well, it requires that a small army be raised to defend against the creatures.” Samuel said reluctantly.
“…Interesting. Who proclaimed this idea?” Alexei asked with great curiosity, sense no army has ever been raised sense the Trinity War.
“That idea was proclaimed by Chancellor Arcturus.” Samuel said reluctantly.
“Interesting. Does Arcturus really think these creatures are such a threat that the Templar can’t handle?” Proficient with both The Essence-the power of all living creatures-and blades of many styles, the Templar are considered the greatest warriors of the entire world.  “Does he really doubt there power?”
“I don’t think he does, but he wants to be safe than sorry.”
“Well…I’ll give it some thought. However, we don’t know if these reports are in fact, true, so I want you and Arcturus to lead a sizeable force of Templar-maybe 3 squadrons- and two research groups, one of which the original group from the last time, to investigate this ‘development’.” Alexei said, then afterwards, going to his dresser, and pulling out his grey practice robes, plus a spare for Samuel. “Care to spar with me for an hour or two?”

************

After the sparing match, Alexei, said good-by  to Samuel and headed for his room to change, only to arrive there to see his other childhood friend, Star, in his room, looking at his latest gifts from the nations and cities of the world. Her real name was Samantha Straline, but she’s hated that name sense her childhood. But other than her problem with her real name, she’s a down to earth, hyperactive woman even now that she was 19 years old. With a twirl of her dark blond hair, she looked at Alexei with her blue-green eyes, and the way she did it, Alexei knew he was in some sort of trouble.
“Why don’t you ever take a day off and hang out with us like you used to Alex?” she asked with a very slight glare in her eyes.
“Because I’m being swamped with tons of work now that I’m ruler of Vevalince.” he replied with a sigh. “It’s hard to have any time to do anything else. But I would love to hang out with you and Samuel again, Samantha.”  Alexei was the only person to say her real name without her trying to kill someone for the mere mentioning it, as well as Samuel. “Now I have the possibility that we might have a new problem to tackle, and that’s already going to suck up even more time than I have. I wish I could be in more than one place.” he said the last with a big sigh, wondering why he has so much work and not enough helpers to do it with.
“Well, have someone go in as you representative and then you’re free all day. Come on, how does that sound?”
With a small drop to his bed, Alexei replied “It’s not that simple Samantha. They can’t do anything with out my consensus, and they won’t take the word of a representative as my own. This is why I can’t do that, though I really wish I could.”
Sitting right next to him on his bed, she said “Come on! Can’t you use your brain for anything other than sword practice and Templar studies?” Another of Alexei’s closest friends from Templar training, Star was one of the greatest, next to Alexei in skill with both using the Essence and a master of many weapons, as well as stealth, her true weapon of choice.
“Well, I think there is one way I could do this, but I most likely won’t work…”
While Alexei was pausing to think about this idea,
“Well? I’m waiting.” Star said with a curious look in her eyes.
“Well, it starts with the entrance to the practice room…”



To be continued…
Ch 1: The Royalties night out.