It sure took a while, but I'm done.

Well, technically speaking, I'm not.

This chapter was previously meant to be much bigger and go directly into the next 'minor' Arc, but since there were many people suffering from withdrawal symptoms, I decided to cut the chap in half and post this part first since it can exist as a standalone without any issues.

As I said before, I was managing some issues with my life and taking a break, so after this chapter, we'll be in a small hiatus as I set everything in line in this life of mine.

That's about it, peace.

.

.

.

--------------

/Step… Step…/

'Within the silent halls of the Palace, Philip walked quietly as he inspected his surroundings.'

"This place has a unique... Flowery smell."

The design of the Main Palace isn't that different from the Fortress… Well, it's a Palace now.

Many decorations everywhere, each holding a slight meaning… A Painting of the 5ft generation King with his favored horse… The Sword of an Old Noble encased in preserving Crystals…

A photo of the union between two people, husband and wife.

A thousand years of history around me.

It's very elegant, I like the atmosphere… But this isn't a museum.

Due to the smell, it makes me think I'm on my grandma's house...

But these are the brewing grounds of conflict and change where those at the top rule and live.

Hum… Not exactly that last part.

I heard the Royalty lives elsewhere, but if we were to compare it with a large house, then the guests live on the first floor while the rest live on the second floor.

Separated but connected.

This entire Palace is so overwhelmingly large that it makes sense how someone can live their entire lives here without really stepping out.

Dozens of gardens, libraries, special rooms for training… And the personnel to accompany you.

There were tales of Princes and Princesses that lived within Noble houses all their lives, it always made sense to me but seeing and believing are different things.

The reason why such a thing may be inconceivable for a Modern person is that our entire lives are built around entertainment and consumption.

The idea of staying put in one place when one already knows so much about the world, when they are exposed to all of that... It gives rise to desire.

The classic frog at the bottom of a well, content with the little pond encased with walls, he may look up to see the sun, but his world is that little hole he lives in.

Enough for him to be content with.

As for the people back on Earth, they work so you may have the power to consume and thus give meaning to your life through entertainment… Until the day it ends…

To go on trips, buy things, read books, play games…

A happy ending for a life full of accomplishments and colors!

Me included.

But obviously, Capitalism does not account for… "Fun".

Unless it makes money.

It is a shitty system, but way better than anything else we currently have for ideas.

It doesn't matter if you are at the bottom or at the top, whichever system you are proposed to will end the same way.

With one side being abused and the other dominating.

It is the same, even here.

How many of these Nobles can live the life they were destined for?

Outside of being sold of for the sake of political agendas…

"I'm straying off topic…" He mumbled to himself with a small smile as he shook his head

'He looked around, taking a step within a crossroads.'

Let's see… I should be at…

/Flap flap…/

'When Philip started to think of his path to Dae's room, he heard the faint sound of wings flapping in the wind.'

"Hm?"

'He turned around, immediately getting face to face with a gorgeous bird with emerald feathers sitting atop the shoulder of the statue of a man holding a sword.'

'Philip immediately recognized it, there was no way he wouldn't, such a striking bird was difficult to forget.'

'It was the very same one that had paid him a visit during his exams just a few hours before, he had only seen it once due to his focus on the tests, but the bird was absolutely amazing.'

'It was pretty imposing too, being a bit larger then his two palms one atop the other.'

"Well, you are one Hell of a bird…" He mumbled out loud as he looked at the bird

His feathers are a bit prismatic, they reflect light in quite the hypnotizing way...

"?"

'The bird also looked at him, turning his head sideways to have a better look at him, it seemed as interested in him as he was in it.'

"Hum… I can't quite say what you are… A Pheasant? You look like one but that would be too simple…"

(Image for a Pheasant since I'm not in the mood to try and make the Bird)

'Frowning, Philip ended up exhaling as he took out a bag of nuts from his inventory Orb.'

"Do you eat nuts? You're quite large so I don't think you'll choke on it."

"If you don't I have some other..."

/SNATCH!/

'In the blink of an eye, the bird snatched the nut from Philip's hands with its beak, making the latter freeze in shock.'

"That was… Enthusiastic to say the least."

This bird… I only saw an afterimage, that's the only thing in my head.

I already thought it was a unique bird since it was flying within the Palace, but it's likely more special then that.

Is it a pet? It doesn't have any sort of identification on it...

"Well... Here, you can have all of them, I brought them from the City of Freedom, ever heard of it?" He asked as he gave the bird another small peanut

'Philip's insistence with speaking to the bird wasn't abnormal, he already knew some animals and creatures were intelligent enough to recognize and understand speech, and even if this bird wasn't at that level, his eagerness and honesty would certainly be recognized by it.'

'He hoped it would be in a good way...'

/Caw…/

'The bird did a low cawing noise as it grasped one of the nuts, jumping slightly and into his arm following by a series of small jumps as it moved up to his shoulder before it stopped.'

"Ouch… Your talons are sharp… You actually tore my clothes…" He said as a bead of sweat fell from his forehead

I'll have to apologize to the tailor if I ever see him…

"... I don't think you have any intention of leaving your spot, so come along, the day is still rather long."

Also...  What a fatty.

This bird weighs a few Kg at the very least!

/Fwoosh.../

'When the bird nested on his shoulder, someone else made an appearance'

'Phasing through the wall Carnatita reappeared after having vanished not long after he left Viera's room.'

'It wasn't unusual for her to suddenly disappear as if she saw anything that caught her attention, she would momentarily stop to take a look at it.'

'He was happy that she always returned to him, it made things rather simple.'

"?"

"?"

'Like a cartoon, the bird and the apparition stared at each other, frowning.'

'As she moved in the air, the bird's head followed, making Philip all the more interested in this strange and unusual creature.'

So this bird can see her too...

Carnatita seems afraid of it, hum... I think it's more of confused.

/Poke.../

/Caw!/

/Slap!/

'Like a child, Carnatita tried to pet the bird but ended up poking its chest, greatly annoying the bird as it opened its wings fiercely... Slapping Philip in the face.'

'And surprisingly, it hurt, leaving his face slightly red.'

"Pfft..."

'Seeing this, Carnatita landed on the ground, walking forward as she chuckled.'

'Meanwhile, the bird turned to Philip.'

"..."

'He didn't know if the bird was feigning ignorance, but its eyes were rather evasive...'

...

'Like that, Philip continued on his way down the hall, sometimes feeding some exotic nuts to the strange green bird…'

'He passed through many Maids and other workers who were all rather puzzled by the bird on his shoulder, but sticking to their jobs, they paid him no heed as they proceeded to their tasks.'

'Even if what he was doing wasn't allowed, it was not their job to prevent him from doing so.'

'As such, Philip's short journey was smooth and fast with little to no interruptions.'

…

/Whispers…/

"... Is… Is that so?... I never thought that…"

/Knock knock…/

""Hm?""

'After half an hour walking around the corridors and getting annoyed at the scope of the place, especially since Carnatita loved to stop along the way, Philip finally arrived at Dae's room where a serious meeting was currently undergoing between he, Tredis, and Petter who wasn't smart enough to add anything to their conversation.'

'Philip knocked on the door lightly, interrupting their talks.'

"Philip?" Petter asked as he yawned

"Who else?"

/Creak…/

'Unceremoniously, he opened the door.'

"Well, you weren't the first one to knock." Petter said with a smirk as he looked at him

"Take a seat, we were waiting for you." Dae added as he pointed at a chair

'He immediately noticed the bird on his shoulder, and his expression went through several transformations before it returned to its cynical calm one.'

'Philip noticed it but did not point it out, like many other things, he would wait a little for the chance to ask what this little critter was.'

"Oh? Who else stoped by?" He asked as he closed the door behind him, approaching the table

"Let's see… First, a maid stopped by to hand us a stack of papers, and I think Roy passed by before I arrived." Petter said as he recounted what he knew

"Maids? Roy?" Philip asked as he took a seat on the table

I saw him at the party, his performance in the exam grounds wasn't anything impressive either.

Though I wasn't expecting a Diviner to exert martial prowess compared to a Regressor or anything of the like.

"It's nothing special." Dae said as he cut into their conversation

"Roy wanted to ask me something, and I gave him the answer he was looking for."

"That easily?"

"I owed him an explanation of some sorts… It isn't anything related to us or what we'll be discussing here today so it can be forgotten."

"As for the Maids, what do you think? They came here to check on us and do their job such as changing bedsheets and cleaning the room while also handing us information on the Raid that we'll be participating soon."

"Together with all of the proposals from Nobles and the usual…" Dae added as he exhaled, tired as well

'There were several envelopes on the table, some open, some closed, Philip recognized all kinds of seals and emblems on the letters.'

'Noble Families of all ranks and sizes, including even some of the Dukes.'

'Dae was obviously a very prominent Hero, anyone would give it a shot for this Handsome Korean man.'

/Grab.../

'Carnatita also stopped to grab one of the letters, giving a slight fright to poor Tredis who was a tad too focused on their conversation...'

"Oh!"

'As she read the letter, her eyes opened open with surprise as she chuckled before grabbing a new one...'

"Cough!... Heh, some of these are downright bad Philip, look!" Petter said as he pulled up one of the envelopes on the table, its seal open

"This one bastard is straight out selling his three daughters to Dae! He has no mercy!"

"Look, there's even some images here... Aren't they quite pretty?" He whispered as he spread out the images on the table

'Indeed, the three girls all had different looks but their appearance would be top notch even by Earth standards, although beauty varied from person to person at the end of the day.'

'And recently, saying something like "The beauty of a model" has close to no meaning in the modern world as fashion has taken quite the thorny path...'

'At least for Philip.'

"I actually think it's rather regrettable… Well, I can see the good things in this, the father could be trying to provide a good life for his daughters even if it means selling them off to someone else... But we do know that's not the goal here." Petter added as he placed the letter down

"Petter… There's no need to fuss over this, it's just how things are." Dae replied as he shook his head, giving him a rare pat in the shoulder

"... Did you consider? You get three for the price of one!" Petter added with a smirk as all signs of guilt vanished from his gaze

"Never."

"Damn! I feel sorry for the girls." Petter remarked as he dropped his head before recovering immediately, grabbing another envelope, ready to open

"Oi, who gave you permission to open those, put it down." Dae said with a frown

This rude brat...

"Huh? Are you going to read these?"

"Yes I will, it would be disrespectful not to…"

"But isn't refusing the same? Either way, no one will known."

"... Do as you wish…" Dae said as he sighed

"..."

/Shake.../

'Tredis shook his head, while Philip… Didn't really think much of it.'

'While Carnatita... Was doing the exact same as Petter.'

'Meanwhile, the bird was preoccupied devouring its food, it seemed unphased by what was happening around it.'

'Seeing Petter's expression, Philip thought silently:'

"..."

Looks like they've been having fun…

"Oh! Speaking of that, did you receive anything?" Petter asked as he turned to Philip

"Now that you speak of it… No." He replied after he put in some thought

After the Exam, we went together from one Palace to the other before we all separated.

I followed the Maids to my room and changed clothes to another set before I went after Viera, stopping by a bathroom where I discussed the future with the old wizard and Mimic.

Never in the process did a Maid approach me to hand in some sort of proposal like that, nor anything really, which is rather odd.

It's almost as if... I've been isolated.

"That's normal, after your display, apart from the most influential Families, no one will dare to approach you."

"In a sense, doing so could even be taken as an insult if done by a Family of low renown."

"That's… Weird." Philip added as he raised an eyebrow

"Guess they would be too embarrassed to lose to a small Family when there are literal Royalty hitting up on, heh, what a time to be alive." Petter added with a smirk as he ripped open another seal

"But so? Interested in giving it a try?"

"No." Philip replied immediately

I have no intentions of dying alone... But I'm not desperate for a partner either.

It may be arrogant, but I have the qualifications to wait, since in the end, I'm not really getting older...

"That's not good." Dae interjected as he heard his answer

"Ah?! I thought you would be on his side."

"It's not that I'm not, what I'm against is the way he answered it." Dae replied to Petter as he rested his back on his chair

"Look, you can refuse them all you want, just don't give them a straight No… Things may get…Ugly."

If we are to fish in these turbulent waters, we'll have to lead them on else we may risk losing the line.

"So I can't just refuse the Crown if they wish to marry one of their Princesses to me?"

"Being blatant… Yes, and it's the same to me so you're not alone."

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

I'm not entirely against being put in a marriage proposal agreement.

As in the end, that is time I'm buying to eventually being able to thwart anything that displeases me.

They can push me around now, but later? Give me a few years... Then what?

I'll be able to chose if I wish to proceed with marriage or not, or whatever rituals the people of this world favor to go through during the union of two individuals...

I should've research a bit more on this subject.

Meanwhile, if I refuse now, they could force me to make drastic choices.

Going with the flow, even if the end may be a waterfall could prove to be beneficial if it gives me enough momentum to jump out of the waters.

I always read about many Main characters that would prefer to be arrogant and rude instead of understanding and shrewd to escape such situations.

Why face your enemies head on and give them a reason to strike at you when you can have them groom you into power?

Unless there's some sort of magical contract they enforce onto me early on... Then things change.

'As Philip went through a barrage of thoughts, Dae continued:'

"Philip… You may not understand, but you have Royal blood now."

"Your blood may have no history behind it, but it has one left to be told."

"As for their Bloodline, it's an old one that has gone through a lot… Perhaps, even devoid of meaning."

"1000 Years since this Empire was founded, what degree of connection do they have with the First Emperor? The color of their hair? Some sort of lingering ability that influences a few things here and there?"

"The Titles they're born with?..."

"Obviously, whatever makes them qualified, only they themselves know, as the moment someone else learns of it, wouldn't that put them in danger?"

"The Heritage contained within you, that is what they're after."

"You're the key to a change, everything they could ever desire."

"Do you know how an Empire is built?" Dae asked as he turned to Philip

"Isn't it when many Kingdoms join together?" Petter replied as he looked at the ceiling

"In a technical sense, you're correct, but I'm not solely talking about that."

"There aren't that many Empires in the Continent, in fact, I could even dare say only one truly matters…"

"The Elven Dynasty."

"They, different from the Human Royalty, are officially recognized as an Imperial family while ours isn't."

"And the reason for that lies in their bloodline, and other factors as well, after all, if we take the current Elven ruler, he is only the Grandchild of the Emperor 1000 years ago."

"Their lifespans greatly help with the matter of veracity."

"Regardless, for the current Royal Family that lacks that very factor, there isn't anything more appealing to them then you."

"Because when two or more Royal lines join together, a Dynasty is born."

"The Crown won't let you go so easily because for them… You mean everything."

"If you wish to, you could even rise to be the very King, it wouldn't be hard at all."

"It's not about strength, it's not about looks, much fewer about the achievements… Any of those would've already rewarded you with the chance to marry into the Royal line, they would've given you such a chance."

"But now that you have proven that your blood is Golden, the situation changes from a possibility into a damn necessity."

"If you refuse them… I… I don't think they would hesitate into locking you up until you accept doing something immoral… Let's leave it at that." Dae said as his expression grew a bit dark

""...""

'Petter, Philip, and Tredis all shared similar expressions as well.'

'Carnatita seemed lost in thoughts, while the bird had stopped eating to pay attention to Dae's words.'

"Cough… Enough of this, we shouldn't have to worry about such things for now anyway."

"And everything that I've said is only in the worst case scenario, after all, if you actually end up liking one of the Princesses… All of this turns void."

Although… The matter of the children are still left to be resolved…

"Before you arrived, I was answering all of Mr. Tredis answers, so he's already somewhat aware our situation."

'Tredis nodded, albeit his expression was deep.'

"Sorry for being too silent, this talk about politics and what not isn't my forte, on the contrary, it upsets me quite a bit."

"I wasn't intending on being a decoration on the table, but I truly had little to say on the matter."

'They shook their heads, no one was bothered by it.'

"So… After hearing what your friend had to say... Many of my doubts were cleared."

"I had always thought that… Our meeting wasn't a coincidence."

"From the day my wife got kidnaped to my forge being sabotaged from within… You solved it all."

"Of course, I'm not saying you have anything to do with those! I know it's not like that…"

"You were there when I had given up, you gave me something I hadn't thought possible... To the point I still believe this to be a dream."

"I'm still severely confused about this situation, but I know that Heroes aren't supposed to be taken lightly."

"I grew up reading stories of their abilities and accomplishments… And now I'm part of one in the making."

"Ever since you told me you were one such Hero I questioned myself what would become of me, if what I did would be recorded in the books."

"Would I be remembered due to my accomplishments… Or due to yours?" He said as his eyes grew serene

"But… I know that is meaningless."

"You gave me much more than I could ever desire, and I can't quite capture or even envision a future where you haven't rescued me from the pits of despair."

"It might've been luck, or even fate itself brought us together, it may all be the will of the Gods to push us into a meeting… Whatever your abilities may be…"

"But I'll stick with you until the end, just tell me where to hammer and I'll be your Dwarf, there's no need to make it any more complicated then that."

"I finished one dream, but that doesn't mean I'll stop dreaming… Wishing to achieve even more…"

"To be a better father too."

"That was all I wanted to say… And don't worry, I haven't forgotten what you've told me." Tredis added as he got up from his seat, looking at Dae

"We'll discuss the details of this project of yours tomorrow… Together."

"Specially since all of my tools are with someone else."

'He smiled, looking at Philip.'

"You're leaving?" He asked with a frown

I only arrived.

"I already said everything I wanted… And I already heard all that I needed."

"I still have many questions, albeit more than before, but it wouldn't be that good to this old head of mine to fill it up with anything more, else we risk it blowing up, haha..."

"And uh… I think I have some research to do, and prayers to perform."

"Now that I'm the High Mechanist… I have a standard to abide by, though I have yet to set that up!"

"Research to perform, things to learn… If I wish to stay true to this task I was given, then that is the minimum effort I must employ."

"For now, I'll rest, a tired body will do me no good... Perhaps listen to the words of that brat, I'm certain she has many complaints left to puke out, things she was unable to tell you…"

"It's a bit hard to say but I've grown quite fond of her, never tell her that though else she won't take me seriously anymore." He said with a smile as he walked past Philip

"I'll meet you all tomorrow, we can continue this with a warm plate of food and luckily, a mug of ale!"

"Hoho! I wonder if the Royals would serve what I desire? And if they do, its taste!"

"Just thinking about it..."

'Laughing loudly like the Dwarf he was, Tredis left the room with a large smile, leaving the trio alone with their thoughts.'

'Philip knew there was a lot of pressure built up inside his small frame, but today, he let go of some of that steam.'

'If he was feeling like this, he could only imagine how Viera was faring.'

"... So you didn't tell him 'that'." Philip said without turning to Dae

"... My 'return' isn't something that can be shared so easily… And for any circumstances or purposes, I possess Divining powers, this is something I should've made clear to you before as well."

"Tredis believe you were sent after him for a task that is beyond my awareness… And in a sense, your finding of the Scripture of Lavinda has given me quite the solid excuse for that."

"He believes it was his destiny to become the High Mechanist and is now quite pressured by it, we'll have to help him with this burden later on."

"For him, this was now the will of the Gods so we can take this matter as resolved, because, in the end, it doesn't matter if it is true or not."

"Since in a sense, he could be right, the extent of the wisdom of a God isn't something that can be easily grasped, and although I find it difficult for her to have predicted your arrival, it is not completely unexpected if she felt something was coming or predicted a change within Fate itself."

"Or created plans based on present events."

"Albeit it would be impossible to predict 'you' due to your unique circumstances, the consequences of your actions will leave behind splashes in the waters of the River of Fate."

"You should resolve yourself for beings that can navigate its waters and even stir it…"

"And alas... We'll have to pay attention to him, as eventually, we'll lead this fight above."

"For someone of faith, the worst thing we can force them through is to have them challenge their patron for whatever of circumstances."

"Take this to heart whenever you meet someone new."

""...""

"Regardless, I think we pushed this enough already, let's talk about what we'll do from here on."

"There's much to be discussed."

…

/Later.../

'In the following hours… Days… The Heroes worked diligently as they prepared for the incoming Raid.'

'Some studied, others made connections, sharpened their weapons, strengthened their Skills, brewed potions, researched magic… And much, much more.'

'The time for their first real fight was coming, and it wasn't certain if all of them would return together…'

'Those whose Roles weren't suitable for combat were the most worried, as even they would be thrown into the battlefield.'

'After all, Heroes grew through adversity, no matter if they were an Alchemist or a Swordsman.'

'None would be spared of the blood and gore of War.'

…

/Clang!/

/Clang!/

'Somewhere in the Palace, a Dwarf hammered away at an ancient plate of metal, working overtime to complete a task give to him by a man he understood very little…'

'The very air around him shook with the heat of a blazing heart, rumbling in wait for its awakening...'

/Flip… Flip…/

'Inside an isolated room, three Humans sat together as a massive tome stood in the middle of a large circular table.'

'They continuously discussed about something, their expressions varied.'

'Sometimes, one of them, a man with sharp eye features drew magical lines in the air, invoking strange arcane effects into the air.'

'Together, they dug through the contents of a Golden Orb, producing all kinds of strange items and brews in quick succession.'

'What they prepared for was a mystery...'

/Caw!/

"You're cute." Carnatita said as she teased the bird, already knowing full well it could do nothing to her

"CAW ##!!"

'Together with a beautiful bird and mysterious ghost only one of them could see, they continued with their studies...'

"Yawn… I'm hungry..."

'Inside a gorgeously decorated room, a purple haired girl read a complex book, whirling around faint magical whisps with her fingers as she whistled gently.'

'The book replied to her actions, the very words within sprung to life, moving around the pages as they formed multi-dimensional constructs, causing the girl's head to hurt as she tried to understand it'

'On her table, a strange dark object stood, it seemed to whisper in a faint voice, giving her instructions, telling her what to do… Guiding her into a path, hopefully of glory.'

/Tremble…/

'Behind her, a sharp hat seemingly moved, and a large eye opened, looking at the girl before it vanished, as if it was never there to begin with.'

'It was protecting her from the shadows, a monster few could notice.'

"I'll... Eat later."

At least I'll finish this chapter!

'With a goal to attain, she reinforced her focus.'

/Punch!/

/FWOOSH!/

'Inside a dark stony room, a young man punched the air silently as he controlled his breathing, faint lightning gathered in his fists with each strike…'

'He envisioned powerful enemies and a wall to cross, one step at a time, he would attain it.'

/Thunder!... Thunder.../

'His heart resounded like thunder in a rainstorm, eager to be completed.'

/Flip… Ding!/

'Laying atop his bed, a blond haired man flipped a golden coin with a relaxed grin, watching it twirl as it flickered in the dim light.'

/Flip… Flip… Grab/

'His eyes elsewhere, the boy suddenly grabbed the golden coin, and then… It vanished.'

"What to do... Or what not to do?..."

Can I change a future that does not exist?

Or change one just enough so it vanishes into nothingness?

'Thinking deeply, Roy's eyes sharpened, the figure of a wheel momentarily manifested in his right eye as he looked at the night sky.'

Right... That can work.

/CRUNK!/

"ARG!"

'Inside the Palace, far from prying eyes, a group of boys and girls grunted as they lifted heavy weights, training continuously.'

/Slash!/

'Within the forests surrounding the Palace, many hunted as they sharpened their Skills in preparation for the battlefield they would soon be thrown into.'

...

/Step step, jump!/

"Huh?!"

'Somewhere in the Palace, a certain necromancer who had nothing to do played Basketball with her summons, not grasping the severity of the situation she's within...'

'But some may say ignorance is bliss.'

/DUNK!/

'Without her knowing, one of her Skeletons dunked the ball, and she fell to the ground, utterly defeated.'

'She wished to cry but couldn't, she wouldn't forget this embarrassment'

...

'The Heroes may be tired from many months of constant training, but those that aimed to leave their mark in the world were only starting.'

...

"HA!"

/FWOOSH!/

'Far away North, beneath a gorgeous city encased in walls, a girl with long black hair swung her blade against an underground monster that a few months before left her cowering in fear.'

'As warm blood splattered on her hands, she realized there was still much to be achieved, and a lot to forget.'

'Meanwhile, above the surface, a girl with sharp ears sat on the ground, her eyes serene.'

'The strange symbol on her forehead shone in faint light…'

'Next to her, a very old man sat on a wooden chair, observing her with his worn out eyes.'

'He turned to the window, gazing far away beyond the horizon…'

"The burden… Is getting lighter." He whispered as he closed his eyes

"Grandpa, did you say something?"

"It wasn't anything important, now, how about we rest?"

"... Let me try again." She replied with a resolute expression as her eyes started to shine once more

"... So be it."

'His eyes turned to her fingers, especially towards one of them on her left hand.'

'It was now bare, lacking an object of severe importance…'

'He laughed lightly, looking far away once more, he wondered what the future had in hold for them.'

/Fwoosh.../

'Wind brushed against his face, pushing his long hair aside, revealing his equally long ears.'

…

'Be it inside a Palace, an Academy, or a Forest, time waited for no one.'

'And in the blink of an eye, five days passed, and the day of the Purge arrived!'

/BADUM! BADUM!/

'War drums echoed in the yellow plains behind a wall whose height covered the horizon, it was the arrival of an army, ready to quench their blade in the viscera of their enemies.'

'Beyond the wall, a field of utter red waited, iron blooded soldiers stood in lines like statues in a museum, waiting for orders.'

'Machines oiled by the essence of life...'

'Next to them, breaking this oppressive stance stood a large crowd of people not nearly as organized, holding all kinds of weapons and items.'

'Compared to the soldiers, their presence was as faint as that of a kitten next to an angry Elephant, but in their eyes, resolution was reflected.'

/Shine.../

'As the red sun rose in the horizon, the day of the Purge arrived.'

/Fwoosh!/

'Cold wind blew into everyone's faces, chilling them down to their bones...'

'It was a taste of what they were about to face down there, outside of the protection of their stony fortress...'

"This place smells like ass." Petter whispered to Philip as the wind blew over the battlefield into their faces

"..."

Goddamnit Petter...

...

.

.

.

Notes

I wanted to add more small mentions of characters at the end, but I got bored, apologies.

There are simply way too many characters I have introduced, and if I were to explore each of them even if just a bit, you know how things would end.

I would either end up making this feel more filler then it already is or completely ruin the story by just going here and there.

Of course, this is no excuse for what I've been doing, since in the end, all of this could be resolved if I had the Skill to do so.

It's just a Skill issue situation at the end of the day.

But alas, I am me and I have no plans of changing, I hope this didn't come out as rude or anything.

As said before, I'm on a break, I'll be returning someday but I'll not go beyond next month that I can promise.

If everything goes well, I can even return with images!

On that note, do you guys have any images you would like to see?

Since this Question will stay here for a while, might as well leave your opinion on things while you're at it.

Questions and suggestions, I'm all ears.

Peace, have a nice week, stay strong, drink milk, and most importantly, never give up!