Chương 45: Audience with the Herzog

As we were in flight, I became lost in my own thoughts. I did not realize how much time had passed until we had already reached the region of Aegyptus. The area was filled with turquoise-green grass and bushy trees as far as the eye could see. A huge river flowed across the land from the Mare Nostrum toward somewhere my eyes could not follow. In the distance rose the upcoming city the capital, Aegus.

All of it was built in white Tura limestone infused with mortar and granite, giving the structures a warm bronze color that gleamed under the sun. We landed on a massive flyzone. After getting pushed downward, I saw many wyrms with riders. Weapons like spears lay around while cadets trained hard. Both Galer and I were stunned into silence. Never had I seen such majestic creatures so perfectly tamed and working alongside humans.

These enormous Wyrms moved with calm discipline, their massive wings folded neatly as riders mounted and dismounted them with practiced ease. Some cadets were feeding their mounts, others were practicing aerial maneuvers in tight formations, and a few were sparring on the ground while their Wyrms watched patiently nearby like loyal guardians. The scene felt almost surreal. These beasts, which I had only known as wild and dangerous, looked… happy. Content.

Working in harmony with the cadets instead of fighting against them. The air was filled with the sound of flapping wings, sharp commands, and occasional cheerful roars from the Wyrms themselves. The princess told us to go with her, and so we did. From the landing zone we walked toward a palace like none I had seen before. Bronze of the highest quality shone so brightly that you could feel its value right on the steps we walked on.

We were already at a high point on the plateau, yet the palace itself stood even higher, looming over us like a proud sentinel carved by the hands of true crafted artisans. Massive columns rose toward the heavens, adorned with intricate carvings of snakes, wyrms, and ancient symbols I couldn't understand. The structure radiated power, wealth, and authority all at once. A knot of anxiety tightened in my chest. This wasn't just a palace, it was a statement. A declaration of dominance.

We were no longer in some backwater village or war-torn outpost. This was the heart of a Herzog Nation We walked up the huge wide stairs, following the princess. The guards carried the caged insect. Its fangs bit at the bars, trying to break free in vain. After a good two minutes of what felt like climbing rather than walking, Galer whispered to me.

"From now on, only speak when spoken to. A Herzog is a very mighty position, and the nation he carries within is powerful. We do not want to stand out too much, but we also do not want to be too subtle. Just be respectful and keep your opinion to yourself. You got it?" I nodded in agreement. Now expecting a mighty man, the princess raised her hand and commanded the strong and very powerful guardians that stood watch. Two colossal figures in ornate bronze armor stepped forward without a word.

At her order, they pushed open the door. It was no ordinary door, it was a massive gate forged entirely of bronze-colored metal, towering over us like the entrance to a divine fortress. No wood, no simple hinges just pure, gleaming metal etched with ancient serpentine motifs that seemed to writhe under the light. The gate groaned deeply as it swung open, the sound echoing through the hall like thunder rolling across the Hall. The weight of what lay beyond pressed down on me. My anxiety spiked sharply.

Whoever we were about to meet was no ordinary ruler. This was the domain of a Herzog, a being of immense power with great authority around him and every fiber of my being screamed that stepping through this gate would change everything about my life being allowed to remain as it is. The princess took the caged insect and walked toward the huge hall. The moment we stepped inside, the sheer scale of it stole my breath. The hall was enormous a vast chamber that could easily fit thousands.

Towering pillars of polished white Tura limestone rose like ancient trees, their surfaces inlaid with intricate golden and bronze serpentine patterns that gleamed under shafts of sunlight pouring in from high windows. The floor was made of smooth, dark marble veined with gold, reflecting the light like a mirror. At the far end, a raised dais held two magnificent thrones, but what truly dominated the space was the overwhelming atmosphere of power and reverence.

A small army stood around us, about 60 soldiers on the left and 60 on the right. They stood in perfect, disciplined formation, their bronze armor polished to a mirror shine. Their scimitars were sheathed but held high in their hands, blades pointing upward in a silent display of royalty and absolute loyalty to their hegemony. Not a single soldier moved or even blinked as we passed. Their presence alone made the air feel heavier, more oppressive.

The Venomwing flapped its wings wildly inside the cage, buzzing angrily and slamming against the bars, as if it too sensed the suffocating authority of this place. Every footstep echoed loudly through the grand hall. My heart pounded harder with each step we took deeper into the Herzog´s hall. Everything was silent until a scholar on our right called out from beside a pillar and ran toward the princess.

"My cute nephew! You really made it. You brought us a rare specimen like the Venomwing." He looked at the insect while hugging her tightly. The scholar was a tall, slender man in his late forties with sharp, intelligent features. His skin was a warm olive tone, and his face was framed by a neatly trimmed black beard streaked with silver. He wore flowing scholarly robes of deep crimson and gold, embroidered with intricate geometric patterns and subtle hieroglyphic-like symbols along the sleeves.

A fine golden chain rested around his neck, holding a small bronze serpentine amulet. His eyes were dark and piercing, full of curiosity and excitement, and a faint scent of ink and rare spices clung to him. She replied, "Yeah, thanks to these outsiders I caught it!"

"Ohhh," the scholar said, turning his sharp gaze toward us. His eyes widened the moment they landed on Galer. He froze for a brief second, studying the pale-skinned, one-eyed man with the black eyepatch."Ohhhhh!" he exclaimed, his voice rising with genuine excitement and realization.

"That is the champion who beat Jabare Magkosi on Run to Glory II!" He stepped closer, eyes sparkling with scholarly fascination as he looked Galer up and down.

"I was so shocked to read it in the newspaper. The reports said a mysterious one-eyed warrior from the west had defeated the undefeated Jabare in such a close call cool fashion. I wished I was there to watch it with my own eyes!"

"Well, there is definitely a next time. Then I will be watching, champion." He shook Galer's hand while completely ignoring me. The princess's indication was enough for the pleasantries, and we continued toward the end of the hall where the father and mother sat on their thrones. The deeper we walked into the grand chamber, the more imposing it became. At the far end of the hall stood a raised dais made of pure white marble veined with gold.

Two magnificent thrones dominated the space massive seats carved from dark mercury and gilded with intricate bronze and gold filigree. The backrests rose high like the wings of a serpent, adorned with glowing turquoise stones and coiling snake motifs that seemed almost alive under the flickering light of braziers. Behind the thrones, a colossal mural covered the entire wall: a majestic depiction of a great wyrm coiled around the sun and the river, symbolizing power, wisdom, and dominion over the land.

Heavy golden curtains framed the scene, and the air grew thicker with the scent of burning incense and polished metal. The father let his pressure constantly leak out instinctively, making the room feel heavy to breathe in. As we got closer he finally let it loose once he saw his daughter. The princess and we all went on our knees even before that, as it was custom to greet the king and queen in the throne room. The moment he saw his daughter return, he jumped out from his seat with uncontainable joy.

The man was 1. 78 meters tall, with a strong, athletic build, fair skin with a light tan. He wore a magnificent bronze helmet crowned with a coiled serpent whose head rose proudly above his brow, adorned with long, flowing red and cream feathers. His face was sharp and commanding a well-groomed dark beard framed his jaw, and his eyes burned with both fatherly warmth and royal authority. He was clad in ornate bronze armor over rich red and gold royal robes that flowed dramatically as he moved.

Every piece of his attire screamed power and opulence. He practically leaped down the steps of the dais and rushed toward his daughter, wrapping her in a big, enthusiastic hug while laughing heartily.

"My precious Alecoprta! You really did it!" he boomed, his voice full of pride.

"Look at this magnificent specimen! A near full-grown Venomwing! The people of Aegus will sing your name for weeks!" The princess grinned proudly.

"Of course, Daddy. I told you I would bring you something worthy." He pulled back slightly, still holding her shoulders, eyes sparkling.

"This will greatly help calm the fears from those recent murders. Well done, my daughter. I am truly proud of you." Then his gaze shifted toward us. His expression changed from joyful to curious, studying both Galer and me carefully.

"And who are these two outsiders who helped my daughter on her hunt?" he asked, his tone still warm but carrying the unmistakable weight of a Herzog and then turning around back to his daughter. The daughter told the king's guard to take the cage from her. The mother stood still and silent on the throne, not reacting, as if she did not care at all. Her name was Ieria, a strikingly beautiful woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties.

She had long, flowing light brown hair that cascaded down her back like silk, adorned with delicate golden ornaments and small turquoise beads. Her features were elegant and refined, with high cheekbones, sharp eyes, and pale skin that contrasted beautifully with her deep crimson and gold royal attire. Yet her expression was cold. She looked at her daughter with clear disdain, almost bordering on contempt, as if Alecoprta's success brought her no joy whatsoever.

The tension between them was palpable, even from a distance. In my head I thought it best not to pry further. The happy king ordered for a banquet. We were taken toward the kitchen area while the king and his daughter stood on a grand balcony with guards holding the cage. With a very loud voice that could reach all 2 million inhabitants of the capital, the king announced the accomplishment of his daughter.

"My daughter today came back after not even needing a week and brought the rare Venomwing to show the people! Hope is still here in this capital. We should not let hope down for the impossible. I know our capital for six years is being hunted by a murderer we cannot find the culprit of yet. I will keep my word, as my daughter did, not only to me but to the kingdom of this nation. We will find that murderer and bring justice to the dead. I, Isopetalom, solemnly swear it again!"

After his words finished, an astral projection via staff spread toward the whole city from the balcony, with the caged Venomwing visible to all. A loud eruption of new hope burst across the capital cheers, cries of joy, and relieved laughter echoing far and wide. The father thanked his daughter sincerely again for making the impossible possible.

"You have done well, my child. This was exactly what our people needed." This was good, as it gave the people new hope, but it did not change the fact that they still had to catch the culprit this year. After the short speech, the family returned to the hall. We all sat in silence with the guards and soldiers positioned rigidly behind us like living statues of bronze and loyalty. The feast that followed was nothing short of legendary.

Servants brought forth dish after dish of the highest quality I had ever seen or tasted in my life. Rich, fragrant stews simmered with exotic spices and tender chunks of meat, savory meat-pies bursting with sweet dates and nuts, roasted vegetables glistening with herb-infused oils, fresh flatbreads still warm from the oven, and countless other delicacies arranged like works of art on golden platters.

Every bite felt like a celebration for my tongue with layers of flavor exploding in my mouth, warmth spreading through my body, and a deep satisfaction that made my stomach expand to its absolute brim. Tears of pure joy welled up in my eyes as I devoured everything in front of me. For those few moments, all the danger, anxiety, and uncertainty disappeared. There was only the food. Galer and the others ate with refined restraint, taking measured portions like proper noble guests.

They stared at me in disbelief, as if I were a wild animal that had somehow wandered into a royal banquet. The princess burst into laughter at my complete lack of etiquette, and soon the rest of the table including the king himself joined in. I could not care less. The food was that good. My face was the picture of pure bliss, tears streaming down my cheeks. In my excitement I lost balance and fell right off my chair with a loud thud and quickly returned to position with a fully expanded belly.

The king laughed heartily and said, "This jester is pretty funny, daughter. You really found them there in the forest? I mean that boy named Galer. I get you can feel nobility from him. But that Sikelian kid is a true out of place character," the king said with a chuckle.

"Anyways, you are beloved guests that helped my daughter. You got a room to stay for a couple of days." He clapped his hands. The soldiers immediately escorted us both to the most decadent room you could imagine. The guest house was spotless and clearly reserved for respected individuals. Luxurious silks, soft beds, and ornate bronze decorations filled the space. We took refuge there and slept like logs. Galer meditated deeply while I rested like the dead. The new morning came.

I already stood up at 4 in the morning. I went to train my sword-axe in a quiet park outside the palace near the town center because I did not want to wake anyone and get Galer and me into trouble. I respected his warning. I was swinging my sword-axe with high intensity, my body drenched in sweat as I pushed myself hard under the early morning sky. Each strike cut through the air with power and precision. My breathing was heavy, muscles burning, when suddenly... I heard a scream. It wasn't far from here.

I immediately stopped my training and ran toward the sound. There, just beyond the park's edge, I saw two bandit guys brutally beating a baker and his daughter for a shakedown. I jumped in and punched one bandit down hard. The other proved more challenging, so I drew my unsheathed sword-axe and fought him. I performed well, but he dodged my attacks with surprising ease. The fight dragged on until soldiers finally arrived. The bandits tried to flee.

The thin-stretched soldiers could only catch the one I had beaten down. They did not know who I was and thought I was a bandit as well, so they wanted to catch us both. I ran after the escaping bandit outside the city. He tried to shake me off by leaping through tree branches, but I stayed right on him. The soldiers tried to keep up but got ambushed by other bandits and were forced into combat.

The bandit I was chasing landed on a beautiful patch of turquoise-green grass surrounded by thick branches and laughed arrogantly.

"This is our territory and the lamb followed the woldrian. Time to get bitten, boy." My response was simple.

"Try it, woldrian. You are not even one and you think that would scare me? On the contrary, I want to fight a woldrian again... solo this time." My Heart Flame ignited with dim lights flowing only along my arms. I could feel reinforcements hiding in the bushes, and I was proven right. The moment I unleashed a slash on the man in front of me, he dodged, though not as easily this time. The graze made him whistle in pain. They jumped out and stabbed into nothing.

It was a brilliantly planned move to crush my mobility and pierce my legs. But I had already jumped onto their weapons, using them as leverage to backflip backward. My Heart Flame pumped power into my legs as I increased the tension and cut the three attackers down in a whirlwind of strikes. I asked who they were. The scared man answered that they were bandits who saw the opportunity given by the ongoing murders to strike the citizens and shake them down for coin.

I forced them to bring me to their leader so I could ask him some questions. We moved toward an underground door hidden under the patchy green grass and entered a midsized underground cave. The sight immediately pissed me off, memories of Wutta flashed through my mind. I was ready to fight for the past weakling me. The leader sat casually on a stool, smoking a cigar. He had tanned, sun-kissed skin and a completely bald head. He looked up and asked, "Who is this kid?" I walked straight toward him without hesitation.

"You… yes, you will answer me some questions." The man put the cigar down, blew a thick cloud of smoke directly into my face, and smirked.

"Yeah? You think so, boy?" The moment he laughed, I struck. With a burst of Heart Flame, the tip of my sword-axe slammed into the back of his neck, shoving him forward from his stool into the table. The man got pissed. He cracked his neck and stood up slowly.

"Ohh, I see you've got some strength, little one. I'll show you how we in the Darkness Veil Group deal with runts who think they have the heat to target us." He gestured with his head.

"Follow me to the trial room. I don't want to mess up my own quarters." I followed him. The bandits amassed behind us, screaming their leader's name.

"Leader Hewäl!" they chanted, raising mugs of ale in celebration. As we reached the trial room, the smell of blood hit me immediately thick, metallic, and overpowering. The chamber was massive, nearly 120 meters long, resembling an underground arena carved deep into the earth. Dim, flickering torches lined the walls, casting long, dancing shadows across the bloody field. The floor was stained dark with layer upon layer of blood, some old and dried into black crusts, others fresh and still glistening wet.

This was clearly a place where bandit initiations and inductions took place. The evidence was everywhere: dried handprints on the stone walls, broken weapons scattered in the corners, and dark pools that had yet to be cleaned. The air was heavy, suffocating, and reeked of violence and death. This was a real arena of blood and sweat. As we took positions... I said firmly, "Let us go all out. I want to see what you can do. If I fully go… my Heart Flame is ready."

He saw the glowing lights pulsing across my veins and the sheer speed of my attacks. His eyes narrowed with dark amusement. This time the man, still casually biting down on his cigar, blocked my strike head-on with his hardened body. The impact rang out like steel against hardened stone.

"I am a dark attribute fighter," he growled, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

"I control the inner Dark Veil." The air around him grew colder. His bandit-like clothing began to shift and transform. The ragged fabric melted away into dark brown knightly armor, heavy and menacing, shrouded in swirling layers of shadowy energy. Black veins of darkness crawled across the plates like living smoke. His longsword, once plain, became coated in a menacing, pulsating dark aura that seemed to devour the light itself.

"This is Dark Veil Essence," he declared, his voice echoing with power.

"Let me show you my Vestuto." A wave of oppressive darkness exploded outward from his body. The shadowy energy wrapped around him like a cloak of pure night, his eyes glowing with an eerie violet hue beneath the brim of shadow. The cigar between his teeth burned brighter for a moment as he laughed.

"Hahahaha!" The entire trial room trembled as his full Vestuto awakened. The temperature dropped sharply, and the flickering torchlight struggled against the spreading veil of darkness. Our fight turned into a fast, violent clash of pure power. He closed the distance aggressively, but I was not fully loading my Heart Flame yet. I still had the ultimate card of overloading my brain, but I had sworn not to use it unless absolutely necessary. In that moment, I realized something important...

I had learned to pump my Heart Flame everywhere and master it, but what if I could also control the amount i pump? I overloaded my legs. The veins grew wider, the dim light turning into a strong, blazing fire. My Animo exploded outward. His coated darkness was now equal to mine in strength and speed. From here on, experience would decide the winner. The clash made the ground shake more and more. The partying bandits quickly changed their tune and fled the cave, knowing it wouldn't hold for long.

And they were right. As the combat intensified, Leader Hewäl used his coated darkness like living latches. Black tendrils shot out from his armor, latching onto my arms and torso. With a savage roar, he yanked hard, trying to violently pull me in for a critical strike with his sword. I overloaded the latched areas with a burst of Heart Flame, burning the shadowy tendrils away in bright orange explosions. I broke free, but the ground above us had taken too much punishment.

With a deafening crack, the cave floor collapsed entirely. We continued our deadly dance on the surface. Hewäl recovered faster. He pressed the attack relentlessly, his dark-coated longsword swinging in wide, brutal arcs. I parried and countered, our blades clashing with sparks of fire and shadow. Every collision sent shockwaves through my arms. He was strong with those stronger than I expected him to be. He feinted low and suddenly spun, slashing at my side.

I barely twisted away, but his blade still carved a shallow cut across my ribs. I retaliated with a powerful overhead strike, forcing him to block. The impact made him slide back several meters, his boots digging into the turquoise grass.

"You're not bad, kid!" he laughed, cigar still clenched between his teeth.

"But you're too green!" He charged again, darkness flaring around him. This time he mixed in fast thrusts and sweeping kicks, trying to disrupt my footing. I answered with raw power overloading my legs for explosive speed, closing the distance, and unleashing a barrage of heavy strikes. My sword-axe whistled through the air as I pushed him back. For a moment, it looked like I had the upper hand. Then he got me good.

With a sudden burst of dark energy, he slipped inside my guard and drove his blade deep into my left shoulder. Blood sprayed violently. Pain exploded through my body. But I used that exact moment to act an attack on him. Gritting my teeth, I loaded my wounded shoulder with Heart Flame, locking his sword in place so he couldn't pull it out with ease. With a primal roar, I shoulder-rushed him with everything I had, driving him backward. At the same time, I overloaded both arms in a blazing surge of power.

In one devastating, flame-wreathed swing, I cut Leader Hewäl clean in half. I finally won against a strong enemy with high Animo on him, without blacking out or needing help from anybody. I released a huge, booming roar of victory from deep in my chest, that was lying there waiting for a long time to be released. Right after, the surrounding soldiers of Aegus pointed their swords at me as they captured the remaining bandits. But then a General stepped forward.

He recognized me from yesterday, the kid who arrived with the princess.

"Let him go, soldiers. He is with the princess." The soldiers lowered their weapons. I explained what had happened. Afterwards, they gave me a nice ale to cool down and a doctor applied a good green-looking herb to my fresh cuts and shoulder wound to close it and heal it faster. Later, Galer joined me. He was not happy about what had happened. Because now the Herzog wanted an audience with me.