亚洲综合中美

10th of March, the treaty between Hidros and Alphia is signed at a conference hosted in Hidros, the Alphian delegation; Emperor and Empress. The long-awaited return of the Ice-princess was celebrated by the whole of Oxshield, Eira grew into a loveable and charismatic character. After the signing and inclusion of Easel Run Gard and Arda – the capital cheered collectively. The Gaien council was stumped in a sudden change of hierarchy, not that it mattered. For the masses, a very lavish celebration filled the street. Concerts in Lei, the media center boomed by tourists.

Outside looking in, Hidros’s culture and history were very extensive. Mages to monsters, the place was a different world within the same world. Happiness wrote across the populous faces, the kingdom showed signs of prosperity.

The current date, 12th of March, Igna sat at the desk inside the castle. Opposed to a big room, one of the bedrooms was remodeled to suit his needs. A mass of paperwork spilled from the table and onto the couch in the middle, he sat with a cigar in his mouth. Partial sunlight snuffed through the blinders, the view wasn’t much to desire for it gave onto a mess of reeds and uneven mud. ‘-Been weeks,’ he puffed, ‘-an aftermath of the great escape,’ a report titled ‘Death of Lessie,’ hung off the table, the folder was part of a bigger file, and sadly included Nadhi, ‘-world star athlete dies from a heart attack,’ read the first line. ‘-So much to the start of a new friendship,’ he held a glass, ‘-her death affected me, I don’t know why,’ he puffed, ‘-she was found dead at the resort, I had only seen her a few hours ago, and there, news of her death... if only it had been a murder,’ he leaned in the chair, ‘-she killed herself. I thought we were friends, I thought she’d have spoken her mind. Painfully obvious that I’m not almighty nor am I such a good friend. Looking out for someone else,’ he shook the glass, ‘-doesn’t matter.’

éclair, meanwhile, returned from a tedious meeting with the representatives of the guilds. “-Prime minister,” said Alta in ambush, “-negotiations with the Blood-King’s faction took an effort. Here are what they need,” she handed a file.

“Why me?” they climbed stairs into the erratic castle, “-master’s here, no? have him check the details.”

“That’s the thing,” she slowed her step, “-he’s not been himself ever since the return from Elendor. He’s changed. The suicide seems to have nudged him over the edge. He won’t answer calls nor will he open the door.”

.....

“Has he made any requests?”

“None. He didn’t even have the courtesy to show at a good faith party between Alphia and Hidros. Vengeance had to play copycat. Lady Eira’s quite furious...”

“She’s right to be angry,” he exhaled, “-listen, I have things to attend,” an agent of Phantom waved in the distance with a briefcase to his side.

“The team’s worked hard on these items,” he handed the case, “-may it help our king,” the joyous deliveryman nodded and left. Countless heads of hair moved to and fro, taking a step back showed greatly how the castle had evolved.

Alta observed, “-éclair?” she called the sudden moment of silence.

“Right,” he handed her the case, “-take this to master. I don’t blame him for taking time to himself. I’ll handle things best I can,” said a nervous smile, “-my job is to take care of what my master doesn’t want to handle. Isn’t it the reason why we assembled Asmodeus and the others?”

‘No,’ she watched the prime minister be absorbed by the shadows of other ministers, ‘-it’s not. We took the assignment to help, not to do the work. Master Igna,’ she gripped the handle and made for the office. Closer she got, the lesser grew walking and noise – past the gorgeous outside, she continued to the lesser ‘nice’ part of the castle – an area where a beast was slain a few years back. The goo it hurled damaged the very soil. Fear of the monster curse subconsciously had the maids and wanders not approach the area.

*Tap, tap,* “-Majesty, open the door, I know you’re in there,” Alta waited before an unsightly door hidden in the bowels of an uncleaned hallway, “-Master,” she knocked again, no answer came.

“Ready or not,” *crash,* she broke the door in, “-here I come,” she stood with one foot in the air, “-master?” she looked left and right, finally ending behind the desk where smoke rose, “-there you are,” diligently avoiding the paper and mess, “-here’s a case,” the hefty weight dropped onto the table.

“Alta?” the nap cut short, “-why are you?” he twirled and checked the entrance, “-there was no use in breaking in, was there?”

“A necessity actually,” she watched with a repulsed expression.

“What’s with the dejected look,” the chair straightened, “-suppose I do look miserable.”

“No, that’s not it,” she turned around the desk and pulled the blinders, “-the room reeks of smoke, sweat, and booze. Frankly, it’s unbecoming of the man who’s supposed to be at the head of the nation.”

“Right, I’m king, aren’t I,” he lit another cigar, “-did éclair send you?”

“No, I’m here on my own accord. Master, I’m worried.”

“I know you are,” he puffed, “-and I apologize. There are things I can’t explain, and things you wouldn’t understand. éclair’s got a handle on the situation, I mean, there is a whole underground society of my closest contacts working for the betterment of the kingdom.”

“Are you serious?” she glared, “-is that enough, is wallowing in whatever self-pity party the answer you’d conclude...”

“Staying in Elendor brought perspective on how good Hidros’s got it. We’re free to think, free to act on our wishes and desires. Not Elendor, not Iqeavea. You’re not a common miscreate, the blood of the nightwalker flows through thy veins, and with said privilege comes the knowledge of gods. I’m sure you know – gods and angels have walked the planet, created what they wished, and took what they desired.”

“Igna,” silvery hair froze the entrance solid, “-my foolish little brother. I’m mad,” Empress Eira arrived with thigh-high boots and a comfy-looking coat, her hair tied and accompanied with jewelry of resemblance to icicles, “-quite the mess,” she froze the air she exhaled, “-perhaps I could be enlightened?”

“Sister,” he stood, “-here, take a seat.”

“No, no,” she glared, “-not until I know what’s been bothering you.”

“I’m afraid to speak,” he blinked,”-believe me, sister, my situation isn’t dire. The paperwork are policies that needed checking, I’ve been working, not slacking,” he side-glanced Alta then scoffed, a raise of the hand cleared the couch from the mess, another gesture sorted and organized the papers in an orderly fashion, metal cabinets opened and closed automatically. “-Cleaning the mess is much simpler than causing a mess,” he moved to lean against the desk, “-take a seat, big sister. You too, Alta.”

“Right,” she settled, “-tell me, little brother, what’s been bothering you?”

“I should start with this – back in Elendor, I encountered my long-lost enemy, the bane of my whole life, or lives I should say, during a ceremony, Lucifer crashed the party.”

“Lucifer?” interjected Eira, “-as in the prince of hell?”

“One of the princes of hell.”

“Lucifer’s the church revered deity,” narrowed Alta, “-he can’t be a demon, surely.”

“Let’s not get into the details,” shrugged Igna, “-long story short, we fought and during said fight, I went beyond my limit, I felt something inside me crack. When I came too, I knew I wasn’t the same person, something changed, and I don’t know what. Since then, there are instances where I say some things and it takes effect in reality. I jokingly mentioned a virgin, a young noble without much experience towards the opposite sex, to be a charmer, bit of a sarcastic remark, I know, keep those judgmental eyes from me, Alta. The next day, I awoke to a room filled with women – I’m talking ladies-in-waiting and models, I couldn’t believe it. Since then, women look at him without needing to talk, he constantly pesters me about getting laid every day.”

“So, the powerful king of Hidros is jealous of not getting laid?” wondered Alta.

Igna silently blinked at Alta, she rose a hand in surrender, “-the next circumstance happened when I thought of lady luck not being in my favor. I nearly died and was rescued last second. Since then, I’ve tried to keep my thoughts and words silent. Lastly,” he leaned backward, grabbed a file titled, ‘-the death of Lessie,’ and flung it on the table, “-after we landed, I had an image of her hanging herself. I’m not sure if it was precognition or my thoughts affecting reality. As goddess yourself, sister, tis commonsense to hide from the world not knowing what happened. I couldn’t risk endangering everything on accounts of being brazen. I spent the weeks in meditation, trying to find answers, looking deep into Mantia for anything relatable... nothing. The knowledge inherited from Origin’s served no purpose either, I’ve tried flipping the perspective on myself – nothing, it’s a dead end.”

“Least I know you weren’t drowning in booze,” said a relieved Eira

“There’s that too, how else am I going to meditate without a little help. The constant stream of voices is quite vexing.”

“It’s in your head,” narrowed Alta, “-master, please, éclair needs help before burning himself out. The alliance is a lot of work, I doubt he’ll survive.”

‘Sit down,’ her body dropped onto the couch, *Projection Nexsolium, Library of the Gods,* chains summoned from a gate, “-shatter and restore.”

*Gasp,* “-what happened?” shuddered Alta, divine lights from Eira overflowed the room’s natural flow, gates to Nexsolium slammed shut, the chains binding Alta vanished.

“Brother,” glared Eira, “-that wasn’t nice, was it?”

“I did say, my words and my thoughts have the power to affect the very fabric of reality. Not to brag, those abilities were at my disposition long, I needed to only expand my realm... no, it doesn’t matter.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” she rose from her couch, “-Igna, by battle, you don’t mean cutting off Lucifer’s wings and assimilating his powers, do you?”

“What else could I do... the entity is strong, I had to buy time before our inevitable clash, though it is a few centuries from now.”

Eira facepalmed, “-idiot. Cutting off the wing of Lucifer wasn’t the wisest of choice. Those wings symbolize light, and where there is light, there’s creation... understand, those wings are too much for anyone to handle, anyone save...”

“Is that it?” he blinked, “-if the wings are the trouble,” bright golden features sprawled, “-what the-” he reached for the tips, “-they’re not black anymore, not the wings of a fallen angel...”

“Right, the wings of a god, believers of the church put their faith in those symbols – Igna, fool,” she couldn’t help laughing, “-by taking his powers, the spot of god’s fallen in thy lap. By praying to Lucifer, they hail his name, but the faith in the cross is linked to those golden jewels on thy back. Congratulations?”

“Hence the change... I’m truly an idiot. If it’s a matter of belief, should be simple to control.”

Eira suddenly fell on her knees and held her stomach, “-Igna,” she sniffled, “-it’s here.”

The heart sank, “-ALTA, GO GET THE EMPEROR!”

“Why?”

“The baby,” whispered Eira, “-I think she’s coming.”

“Crap,” the confused Elvira summoned her wings and flew inside.

“Had to have it here, didn’t you,” chucked Igna, “-let’s go, sister,” he grabbed the case and hurried to the entrance where Markus waited.