Chapter 10

The frozen wastelands of the Northern Regions presented a hostility unmatched by any other; yet, it was heavily contested. Conflicts arose on a near-daily basis. Its value stemmed not from its ability to house life, but the vast richness of resources and ancient treasures that awaited exploitation. For decades, two opposing factions fought endlessly to claim these lands. The Cult of the Eternal Sun sought the black gold that could be extracted from deep below the frozen ground’s surface. Using facilities built during the forgotten era, they refined this black liquid into the usable fuel that powered all their technology. Without it, they could conquer, thus they could live. The Cult held immense power, blessed by their deity, Solis, they molded the destructive nature of fire to their will. They had swept from their homeland of the Eastern Ruins into the barren tundra of the Northern Regions, trampling everything in their path. To the Cultists, only two types of inhabitants roamed this earth: those who would die for their God, and those who will die. Years upon years, their expansion remained unopposed. However, it was not until their fateful meeting with the Order of the Bladed Shield did they find a nemesis worth fighting.

***

Within the massive sheltered confines of concrete, steel, and glass, tens of thousands of individuals were seated neatly in rows, all wearing white uniforms decorated with diagonal stripes of sky blue. Floodlights built into the ceiling illuminated the compound. The sheer logistics of such a feat made one ponder on the wealth and power of such an organization. On the center stage, stationed a woman clad in metallic combat armor. Heavy rectangular plates forged from carbon steel protected every inch of her body. She stood still and silent with her wrists crossed in a professional manner behind her back. Beside her, an elderly man adorned with an extravagant white robe presented his speech to the audience.

“Brothers and sisters of the Order. Today, we gather both in celebration and in mourning.” Although he spoke weakly, his amplified voice echoed throughout the stadium.

“We mourn for those who perished in the name of our noble cause.”

“We celebrate our victory over the conflict that had plagued us for decades.”

“And today, we witness the birth of a new Paladin!”

Oooorah!

The crowd cheered in unison before quickly settling down.

“Ten years ago, she laid fatally wounded within the ruins of the Dark Lands. Without memory or purpose, she remembered nothing but her gratefulness to her saviors.”

“Ten years ago, Ensign Emma entered into our ranks, and now, she has become one of the noblest advocates of our duty.” The elderly man turned toward Emma. Having rehearsed the routine, Emma kneeled with one fist held behind her back and one fixed on her heart.

“Knight Emma, do you swear by the Blood Oath to serve in the name of our noble endeavor? Through pain and suffering, you will not yield to the temptations of abandonment, for your obligations to the Order will only cease in death’s wake.”

Complete silence followed as all gazes focused on the kneeling woman who slowly lowered her head.

“In times of life, I shall show no reluctance.”

“In times of war, I shall feel no remorse.”

“In times of death, I shall have no regret.”

“In my name and honor, I swear the Blood Oath.”

Upon hearing her pledge, the elderly man gently placed his hand on Emma’s shoulder.

“The Ancients have accepted your vows. You may stand, Paladin.”

***

Within a brightly lit room, a woman laid in her undergarments on top of her queen-sized bed. Beside her, stacks of documents that required her oversight remained unsigned. Her desk was jumbled with various components of dissembled weaponry. The floor was completely covered in worn clothing and the plates of her pristine combat armor. Her previously neat ponytail was now undone.

“DAMNIT! That lying bastard told me that becoming a paladin would make my life easier!” The woman held her head and screamed as she rolled across her mattress. She then glanced at the mountain of paperwork that sat on her bed, which caused her to frown. “I want to retire…”

Knock-Knock

“Who is it?” Emma was in a bad mood, but she was able to disguise her annoyance.

“It’s Henrik. I have to speak to you, Paladin.”

“Esquire? Come in-” She suddenly realized her improper attire, however, it was too late to retract the invitation. With haste, Emma draped herself with the bedsheets, knocking the piles of paperwork over.

The door opened and the young man from the previous operation entered.

“Congratu-” Henrik’s gaze met Emma. The woman he admired and adored sat on the bed, loosely covered by thin bed sheets. Her bare shoulders and one of her legs peeked through, exposing her flawlessly smooth skin. He could not help but blush and turn away.

“I-Is this a bad time, Paladin?”

“It’s fine Esqui… Ah, that’s right. You’re now a knight, are you not?”

“It is only due to your great guidance, Paladin. I must apologize for the sudden intrusion.” Henrik still could not face Emma as he attempted to quell his pounding heart.

“You flatter me, Knight.” Emma followed the young man’s gaze and traced it to the mess that contaminated her room. In an act to save face, she formulated an excuse. “I must apologize for this intolerable mess, for I’ve been quite busy.”

Henrik sighted the paperwork that littered across the surface of the mattress. The tired expression worn on the woman’s face, coupled with her perceived dedication to her work, only grew his fondness.

“Please rest when you are tired, it is important to consider your well-being.”

Emma glared at the plethora of reports that she had not yet even begun to read.

“I’ll take that into consideration. Thank you. Now, is that all?” She wished for the knight’s leave so that she could further indulge herself in procrastination.

“The Elder requested your presence, Paladin. He will be waiting in his office.”

“May I inquire which Elder?”

“I believe it was Elder Gabriel.”

Emma allowed a gentle smile to surface, but within her, ravaged a raging storm. Gabriel was the one that had convinced her to slave towards becoming a paladin in the hopes of lowering her workload and easing all pressures from her life. If not for that, she would not have volunteered for the countless unreasonable operations that she had participated in.

“Thank you for your notice, Knight. If you’ll excuse me, I have to prepare myself.”

Henrik remained. Informing Emma of her summoning was not his only reason to see her. Originally, he had planned to confess his feelings towards her when he gained equal footing as a knight. However, before he could, she had already become a paladin, becoming further and further out of his reach. He understood that soon, other, more prominent suitors would likely attempt to court her. The man gathered his resolve, for it was either now or never.

“Woul-” Henrik paused, seeing the confused expression on the paladin’s face. He figured that a confession will be too sudden and out of place. The Knight believed that it is necessary to subtly progress to the subject.

“Is there anything else you would like to discuss?” The man who stood before her had overstayed his welcome. Emma did her best to mask her discomfort with his presence.

“I-I…” Henrik’s heart throbbed rapidly, he was running out of time. In a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, he decided a compliment was the best course of action.

“I believe you would make a great mother.”

“…”

“What?” Bewilderment struck Emma. She wasn’t sure what to make of the comment.

“I-I apologize for I-I must take my leave.” Henrik rushed out of the room. He held his head low as he could have sworn, just for a split second, hints of disgust surfaced on the woman’s face. The young man knew he had made a severe mistake.

Back in the room, Emma sat motionlessly on her bed. Eyes wide open, she was still stunned by the knight’s remark.

“Was…was that a pick-up line?”

 ***

Knock-Knock

“This is Paladin Emma, you’ve requested for my presence?”

“Come in,” A man’s stern voice commanded.

Emma gracefully entered the room, gently closing the door behind her. Her hair was now tied back in its usual manner. Although she owned formal officer uniforms, she opted for a civilian outfit.

“You are late, Paladin.” The man said with a relaxed expression.

The elder sat behind his desk with his hands together on the table. He seemed to be in his late forties or early fifties. Strands of white could be found within his slicked-back gray hair. The man maintained a well-managed short beard that emphasized his masculinity.

“I apologize for my delay as I was burdened with paperwork.” Emma bowed slightly.

“Oh, and you wore civilian clothing? How modest of you, Paladin.”

“You flatter me, Elder.”

“…” The two remained silent for a short while before the Elder spoke.

“You can drop the façade. I prefer speaking with you more casually.”

“What do you mean, esteemed Elder?”

“The walls are soundproof. There’s no need to burden yourself with such substandard acting.”

“SUBSTANDARD?!” Emma’s tone changed, no longer gentle and kind but hostile and aggressive. “Before that. You lying bastard! You told me becoming a Paladin was supposed to make my life easier! The hell was all that paperwork!? And not just that, the way everyone acts towards me now. IT’S SUFFOCATING!”

“Glad to see you’re doing well.” The man gave a devious smile. “Most people would consider filling out reports to be an improvement over constant mandatory drills.”

The elder paused briefly.

“Do you know why I called you here today?”

Emma jumped to the couch that was positioned in front of Elder Gabriel’s desk, landing the side of her face onto the soft cushions.

“No, I don’t.” She couldn’t help but show some annoyance toward his question.

“Then I can assume you haven’t started reading the documents.”

The woman’s scowl was enough to reaffirm Gabriel’s assumption. The elder gave a sigh.

“I need you to depart for Luminus.”

“What?” Emma groaned, “After I just got back?! Why?!”

"Because it's an order." Witnessing Emma’s behavior prompted Gabriel to question sarcastically, “How old are you, Emma?”

The woman grew bored and her face and voice showed it.

“Is that really something you ask a lady?”

“Well, if you see one then please introduce me.”

Emma furrowed her brow.

The elder gave a brief chuckle before he noticed that the woman's face had soured.

"But I digress. I need you to establish a presence within Luminus.”

“A presence?” Emma sat up and crossed her legs. “What do you mean by ‘presence’?’”

“Staci.” The man called out, “Please give me the information you have compiled.”

“Strategic and Tactical Artificial Computational Intelligence at your service.” The voice originated from a small rectangular display embedded into the walls. “Please identify yourself.”

“I am Paladin Emma.”

“Confirmed, Captain, Paladin Emma. Hello.”

Emma was always annoyed by the way the machine referred to her.

“Why does the machine always add titles to my name?”

“It’s the way the Ancients made her, we cannot tamper with it.”

The machine began speaking once again.

“First Name: Paladin. Last name: Emma. Ranking: Captain. Is this not correct?”

“It’s fine.” Emma knew they couldn’t alter the machine’s naming habits, so she felt it was pointless to try again now.

S.T.A.C.I., as the machine calls itself, strictly followed the ranking and naming structure of the Ancients. However, it happily accepted custom names and addresses for other factions. This aspect of the machine had always bothered Emma.

“Staci, brief Paladin Emma on what you’ve discovered.”

“Yes, General, Elder Gabriel.”

“One month ago, scouts had reported Cultist Oracles active within the Dark Lands Operational Area. Two weeks ago, one of our teams went silent. Their last transmission referred to information regarding possible Cultist outposts established within the area.”

“According to Cultist doctrine,” Gabriel interrupted, “they should be conquering and absorbing the surrounding population. However, nothing of the sort has been reported. We suspect they may have concocted some sort of plan. Emma, I need you to convince the populace that we will be a valuable ally, starting with Luminus.”

“Why Luminus?” She questioned.

The machine answered Emma.

“Luminus contains the strongest industry and economy within the Dark Lands Operational Area. Obtaining their support will contribute greatly to our war effort.”

“Hmmm?” Emma reflected on the situation. “Shouldn’t you send a trained diplomat for something like this?”

“Sometimes, Emma,” The elder leaned forward, “actions are more convincing than words.”