Endora's mobilization

During the following days past Seth’s return to Endora, Maya mobilized Asteria and the knight order, the kingdom’s strength slowly leaving the capital, splitting in three different directions.

The largest group was heading for Oath, led by Aleena and Tiana, totaling over 2000 ascended of different tiers and affinities. Their mission involved creating a path leading to the Oath Capital from Endora’s Capital, cleansing the Oath of bandits and other criminals while also bettering the lives of the people in Oath’s cities and capital.

“Haha, Tiana, we finally get some action.” Said Aleena with a large smile, looking at the equally excited ascended filling the road behind her while riding along Tiana.

“Can’t wait for Seth to come back and reward us.” Said Tiana with a red face, looking no less excited than Aleena.

“Oh, you only think about sex. Come on; even the mission will be fun. We’ll see many new places, fight bandits, and save damsels in distress. This is the adventure I was looking for.” Said Aleena while turning towards Tiana.

Tiana shook her head, touching the collar around her neck, hidden beneath the neckline of her robe. “I don’t care about that.”

Aleena snorted and turned towards the young ascended following behind them. “Spread the word back. We’re all rushing as fast as possible. We need to reach the border in a month.”

As the ascended started spreading her words back down the line, Aleena turned back towards the front, hitting her horse with the sole of her feet to make it run faster, and said: “The first one to reach the border will have first take at Seth.”

Tiana’s eyes seemed to brighten, and she rushed after Aleena, leaving the ascended behind with no choice but to increase their speed.

———

On a less traveled path, further south from the one Tiana and Aleena took, Leora and Alexa led a group of around 200 ascended.

“Leora, are you sure you don’t need any troops?” asked Alexa as she rode beside Leora.

Leora shook her head. “No need. It seems Seth wants me to do this alone. There must be a reason behind it.”

“Suit yourself. Once I’m done in Noth, we’ll ride north to help you up.”

“No, you need to stabilize Noth. If Seth said I can do it, I can.” Leora shook her head again, causing Alexa to sigh and nod in resignation.

“But if you need help, come to look for me. I’m sure taking Noth will be a walk in the park.”

Leora nodded and remained silent, not planning on relying on Alexa at all. Seeing she had fallen silent, Alexa lowered her head and asked: “Has he come for you?”

Leora turned towards her with a confused expression, but after seeing Alexa’s cheeks blushing, she understood and nodded. “He did, but I turned him down.”

“You did what?” exclaimed Alexa before covering her mouth with her hand, her face turning even redder than before.

“I couldn’t do it.” Said Leora with a frown before rushing ahead, not wishing to continue the subject.

Alexa looked at her back with a lost look before muttering: “Am I the only one he didn’t come for?”

———

Between the troops heading for Oath, Noth, and Curse, there was also a small party of two, comprised of Ava and Dan, ridding straight towards Sorrow Kingdom.

“Sister, shouldn’t we hurry? Master said we need to take over Sorrow.” Asked Dan.

“Shut up, you tool. We need to give the people time to turn against their king. Once Lorin is desperate, we can easily convince him to surrender. Just do as I tell you and shut up.”

After Dan fell silent, Ava sighed and touched the mark on her belly.

“I wish I got the chance to know him better…”

———

Towards the North, Rebecca and Katy, followed by Sal, most of his family, and an army of knights, were travailing towards Wrath at a slow pace.

“Did that king really touch you?” asked Rebecca on the way, making Katy not with her head lowered.

“And Seth allowed it?” asked Rebecca, even more amazed.

“We were not… yet.” Said Katy with a red face.

“Still. No matter, I’ll make sure to hand that bastard to you.” Said Rebecca, bringing her horse closer and patting Katy’s back.

Katy shook her head and said: “I don’t care. I just want him dead and then return to Seth.”

Rebecca’s eyes dimmed as she lowered her head. “Sigh… me too. It feels that ever since we left Oath, he’s always been on the run.”

“Your highnesses, we should take a break to let the horses rest.” Yelled Sam from the back, making both Katy and Rebecca turn toward him.

They both pulled on the reins of their horses before looking at each other and giggling.

“Alright. Let’s take a break.”

———

High above Wrath, Hollie was lying on her back, reading through a thick book while flying toward Loss.

“So the will fuses with the soul, slowly corrupting an ascended’s soul from the inside….”

“A parasite of the soul, so to say… quite troublesome, but Seth’s perception and lust sources might be able to remove this parasite. The only problem is ensuring the energy won’t scatter after losing that will….”

Closing her book and turning around, she increased her speed traveling towards Loss.

“I need to get this over with fast and figure out a way to control energy without a will….”

———

On the balcony of the royal palace, Endora’s capital, Maya was sitting on a chair, an unconscious Iris lying on a small bench to the side.

“Iris, why won’t you open your eyes to see it? At least use your source to hear it. The world Seth is struggling to make.”

“The innocent laughter of children, the bustling sounds of people haggling in the marketplace, the happy smiles plastered on everyone’s faces.”

“Wasn’t this the same dream you told me about?” she said, her voice cracking as she used her energy to absorb the tears leaving her eyes back inside her skin.

“You told me once that is the Oath you remember. The Oath you used to know and wanted to recreate. Seth is the same. He has suffered probably more than any of us could even imagine.”

“You know? I felt his pain. We all did. We’re all connected now by something far above simple love, and we all felt his pain for a brief moment. It brought us all to our knees.”

“I don’t think it was even a fraction of the pain he’s been carrying with him, but he didn’t let it drag him down. He pushed on. For him, for us, for the world.”

Bending forward and caressing her friend’s white face and ashen hair, Maya sniffled once and said: “Come join us. I convinced him to give you a spot. Please take it. You are free now, of your demons, of that horrible fate of death, of your cursed Oath. Join me, join Seth, join us. Let’s make this world the paradise we all wanted to live in.”

“Wake up, dear friend. Let’s laugh again, let’s bicker again, let’s walk together forward again….” Said Maya, gently kissing Iris’s forehead.

———

Far into the East of the continent, in a bustling kingdom called the Kingdom of Sun, a pink-haired girl was using the cover of night to climb a tall wall.

Platforms kept extending from the wall, supporting her graceful steps as she continued walking upwards. When she reached the top of the wall, a knife flew out of her hand, piercing the neck of a bored-looking soldier standing guard.

She then walked to the opposite edge of the wall and looked down. A small hut was placed in the middle of a simple courtyard with a dim light shining through its windows.

The girl brought a book out of her bag and opened it at a specific marked page, and started muttering the last line on the page.

‘The only human to rise and fight along the Council, known as the Sun of the human race, had declined the Council’s offer to leave the continent. He had decided to stay amongst his people, and a kingdom was built by his companions, named the Kingdom of Sun in his honor.’

‘When asked to sit on the kingdom’s throne, he declined and said that his entire purpose was not to lead but to follow and protect. His official rank became the Knight of the Sun, and he had built himself a small hut in a withdrawn part of the kingdom, swearing to leave his home if the continent was in peril again.’

‘The times changed, and so did kings. The memories of his deeds were long forgotten, and the admiration he had enjoyed was replaced by fear, skepticism, and betrayal.’

‘His home turned into his prison, as the kings feared his eternal youth. They built walls around his home, placing guards to protect those walls, not from outsiders, but to prevent him from ever leaving.’

‘That was the fate of the first Knight of the continent. A hero betrayed by the people he had fought to protect.’

Two teardrops fell on the white page of the book as the girl placed it back inside her bag and started walking towards the house, platforms extending under her feet once more.

Once in front of the door, she took a breath and pushed it open. Inside was a simple bed, a table, and a chair. On that chair, a man’s lean and lonely back could be seen, polishing a heavy-looking shield on the table.

Hearing the door open, the man slowly turned his head around, looking at his new guest.

Seeing it was a petite girl, his stern face slowly moved in an attempt to smile, and he parted his dehydrated lips to speak, but no words left his parched throat.

The girl at the door shook and slowly walked forward, approaching the man without fear, her eyes only containing pity and anger.

“Are you sir Sun?”