CHAPTER 117: A REPORT

A few moments after, a giant aquarium-like box was rolled into the courtroom by twenty strong ’dragonkin.’ It was filled to the brim with water and had rune-like inscriptions overlaid on the exterior to strengthen the specially made glass even further.

The families of the traitors began to cry out in fear and panic, begging anyone who would even lend an ear. But no one did.

The previously riled up room of nobles vying for favor by acting more offended than they actually were by the traitors’ sins, was now deadly silent. This wasn’t just a normal death. It was like damning them to eternal unrest... according to their customs.

One could guess what happened next. The bound family heads and elders were made to watch and hear the cries and struggle of every family member turn to stillness as they sank to the bottom of the tank.

It chilled the heart to watch.

The bound family heads and elders were the last to be killed in the same manner, but not before they gave their last declarations and promises of certain doom and demise upon every member seated.

The courtroom was pin drop silent after the whole ordeal. No one could muster any words at all. Not even the ruler—Drakath. Even the youth had a solemn look on his face. Although the last man’s words were filled with venom so thick it shook the bones of every listener, he spoke of things that the ruler had tried to make secret... at least for the time being. He spoke of a convergence trial, he spoke of a stripping... of everyone in their world being doomed to the fate of never being able to use magic any longer...

Eventually, after a long silence, someone else rose slowly to speak. A large dragonkin whose body was littered with scars that showed he had seen many battles. "My liege. Was what he spoke of true?" He stared at the ruler firmly.

Drakath, their ruler, clenched his fist before standing to address the court of nobles.

"Unfortunately... it is."

A light chatter droned immediately.

"But worry not. We have a plan of action in place already." He assured them, trying to silence their agitation.

"My liege, with all due respect, why was I, your general, not made aware of this?" The battlescarred man bowed on a knee, but clenched his fist to show his displeasure.

Drakath nodded. "Your displeasure is justified. But so are my reasons."

He looked towards the youth, and an unspoken message passed between them. The youth stood up, walking towards Drakath.

"The reason lies with him." He pointed towards the youth. "You all know the order from the Seer. We are to accept him as one of us, treat him equally and without any prejudice..." he stared at each of the nobles below. "Even though we do not know why... but besides this general order you all know. There was one specifically for me, your ruler... our chances of our survival depends on him to a great extent."

A lot of the nobles frowned. Some even scoffed.

BOOM

A fire spell that materialized from thin air suddenly cut through the air, crashing on the wall beyond.

BOOM

Another followed after.

The youth leaped from the high steps, landing with a roll on the floor below, right where the nobles and ministers sat.

He launched into a performance of spell superiority, shocking them with his speed of casting, and most importantly... his manner of casting. No markings on his body glowed and neither were there any sign of weakening due to burning up blood for magic.

What was this creature?! A lot of them were off their seats in shock.

The youth finished his display with a flourish, before walking back up the stairs and to the side of Drakath, who walked down the steps instead.

"There is a world with a noble family of people like him," he started, delving into the information that he had gotten from the traitors before they were killed, shocking the nobles and even the youth further.

For the nobles, this was all news to them. And for the youth... while he had been told of his importance, as spoken of by the Seer,

he also never knew about the reason as to why. Even Drakath had only found out and painted the full picture clearly based on the Seer’s words and the new information.

"How long do we have?" The general asked Drakath hastily.

"Three years... but I say we should prepare like we have even less time than that." Drakath said.

The general stared up at the youth with an unreadable look on his face. "And what are your plans for...him."

"As you have seen, he is by far stronger than any dragonkin of his age. He will be trained even further. And he will serve as the cornerstone for our future if we’re able to scale through this... Convergence trial..." he said with a calculative look on his face. "As for the others. Gather every talented dragonkin of young age. We will thoroughly prepare them in the ways of battle. This short time we have will be used to the fullest." He ordered, and the court immediately burst into action. Ministers and nobles stood up to coordinate a quick actualization of the orders among the various departments they held. They were now in war mode.

Drakath on the other hand turned his attention back to the youth, walking up to him with his massive figure. "Zeke. What do you think of my daughters so far. Any one of them caught your eye?" He said with a light but knowing smile.

Zeke, the youth, also understanding Drakath’s intentions, smiled lightly. "Dana and I seem to have a deep connection..."

.

.

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Conflux. Back on planet Apraxis.

"Same thing?" A person in a dark room that was sealed from all angles and seemed to be underground, asked.

"No luck. They have also shut their gate down," the other person who was operating a runic contraption shook his head.

"Tsk..." the first speaker, a woman, hissed angrily, thinking of how the great Exalted were going to react.

She left the underground room, climbing up to the building above. As she walked out, the praying voices of a vast multitude of pious droned loudly. She walked through specially made corridors, crossing the entire length of the cathedral that held thousands of pious just a wall away from her. The corridor eventually began to slope down, leading her lower and lower until even the loud voices of the pious couldn’t be heard any longer. She walked for a long time before the corridor sloped up yet again and she made her way out into an abandoned alley, dropping a few coins into the bowl of an alms beggar while whispering a few words into his ears and going her way.

Immediately she left, the beggar also moved, and within a few moments, another had taken his place...

After about five minutes, inside the humongous, grand castle that could be seen from every corner of the city, a terrible might descended on everyone within the vicinity of the extravagant dining room where the Exalted all ate. It brought everyone in its radius to their knees, killing some on the spot right there and then. Even the other Exalted and Half-Exalted seated at the dining table were straining visibly to keep seated.

"Repeat that one more time," the Exalted One said with a dangerously low voice. "What do you mean we have no warp gates on Kryllos any longer—"

"You mean to tell me that all three dynasties have found out about our spies?" He patted his lips gently with a towel, turning his attention to the young emissary who was giving him an urgent report.

"The— It seems to be so. Oh— Oh Exalted One." The young emissary could only stutter out a response. For some reason, he was specifically spared of the pressure that he could see every Exalted in the room visibly straining against like they were struggling for their lives.

A chilling realization instantly dawned on him. This was why he had been sent by the Head Emissary to deliver this report! He had been gleeful at the opportunity when the Head Emissary had called him and handed him the letter. He was going to speak directly to an Exalted... and not just any Exalted. The Exalted One himself!

But as he opened the sealed letter to read the message now, his expression began to sour and a deep fear gripped him wholly.

This wasn’t getting an opportunity at all! He was sent here for the Exalted One to vent! He was sent here to die!!

In the last instant when he saw the Exalted One’s lips tilt down in distaste and he felt the beginning of a body crushing spell squeeze and compress his body like a piece of paper, a final thought fleeted through his mind.

Why was he the one chosen...

Why was he the sacrificial lamb

Ah?

Was this because of that night with the Head Emissary’s daughter?!

But she was the one who called him into her bedr—