I gazed at Superintendent Thanatos, my brow furrowed as a sense of dread washed over me. His words hung in the air like a lingering specter. Swallowing hard, I steadied my voice before speaking. "What matter requires my attention, sir?"
Thanatos' steely eyes met mine, his expression inscrutable. With a subtle wave of his hand, shadows coalesced in the air before us, slowly taking shape into a thick parchment scroll sealed with an all too familiar wax insignia belonging to House Lightbringer.
My heart instantly skipped a beat seeing the seal. This was no ordinary document; it carried the weight of imperial decree. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as Thanatos broke the seal, unfurling the scroll to reveal an ornate marriage contract.
"This, Kepler, is an edict from His Imperial Majesty himself," Thanatos stated, his tone brooking no argument. "A binding agreement between yourself and Princess Elvira of the Mistwood Kingdom. Through this union, House Shadowflame will solidify its allegiance to the throne while forging a powerful alliance with the elves."
I could scarcely believe what I was hearing. A marriage contract? With a foreign princess, no less? My mind raced, struggling to process this unexpected development. The audacity of the Emperor to dictate such an intimate life decision without so much as consulting me left me reeling.
"With all due respect, Superintendent, I must object to this... arrangement," I managed through gritted teeth.
Thanatos fixed me with a glare that could have intimidated a wyrmling. "Your objections have been noted, and summarily dismissed, Kepler. This is not a request; it is an imperial command, handed down from the Emperor himself. To defy it would be tantamount to treason."
His words hung in the air like an executioner's axe, the implicit threat behind the words sending a chill down my spine. I opened my mouth to protest further, but Thanatos silenced me with an upraised hand.
"Need I remind you of your family's proud legacy of service? I know the Shadowflames have been the unseen stalwarts of the Empire for generations uncounted, their loyalty never once wavering. To turn your back on this solemn duty now would not only dishonor your kin but spit upon the very ground your ancestors trod."
His words struck me like a physical blow, the weight of my family's oath to the Emperor crashing down upon me. No matter how I raged against the injustice of it all, I could not escape the truth of Thanatos' words. As a Shadowflame, I was honor-bound to obey, no matter how unpalatable the command.
Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to reign in my turbulent emotions, inclining my head in a semblance of acquiescence. "I... understand, sir. But might I at least be permitted to review the terms?"
Thanatos's expression softened ever so slightly, though his eyes remained hard. "A wise request. Study the contract closely, Kepler, that you may fully comprehend the magnitude of what is being asked of you."
With those words, he stepped back, gesturing for me to take the scroll. My hands trembled faintly as I reached out, unrolling the parchment to reveal the finely inked calligraphy that would dictate the course of my life henceforth.
The particulars of the marriage pact were laid out in painstaking detail, each clause and stipulation designed to extract maximum benefit for the Empire. The union was to be consummated within four years' time, ensuring the continuation of my family's bloodline through the production of legitimate heirs.
In exchange for this profound sacrifice, House Shadowflame would ascend to new heights of power and prominence. I would take on the role of family head and be bestowed with the hereditary title of Duke. My family's lands will also be expanded to include one of Mistwood's islands by the name of the 'Wild Isle'. From what I remember the Wild Isle is a forbidden island even to the elves of Mistwood, filled with many dangers and uninhabited.
Yet as enticing as those rewards seemed, they paled in comparison to the true prize that Emperor Solarus had cunningly woven into the pact's fabric: a military alliance with the reclusive Mistwood Kingdom through this union. The Emperor looks to be trying to break our 91-year-long conflict with the Magisterium.
The magisterium is a desert nation east of the Mountain range that makes up most of our eastern border. We have been in an ongoing conflict with them for the past 91 years. Publicly, the Magisterium claims the war was to reclaim ancestral lands. However, the truth is that their invasion is to seize our farmlands and increase their population which keeps dying off due to a rumored mystery plague that keeps popping up in their nation.
There is also a ploy in the contract, one that reeked of the Emperor's signature ambition and thirst for power. By using me as a sacrifice to Mistwood, a promising Bloomchild, a talent Mistwood would likely value due to their culture of gathering knowledge and talented magic users. The Emperor would not only appease Mistwood and their historically insular tendencies by giving them access to a Bloomchild but also plant the seeds for potential domination should the Empire ever need to assert its authority over Mistwood.
As if that weren't burdensome enough, a singular clause glared up at me from the parchment, its words piercing my heart like an arrow: Should the Mistwood Kingdom call upon me to honor this agreement, I would be bound by the contract to take up arms in their defense.
This is a protection measure and trick by Mistwood. They are hoping should I ever learn to control my gift i would be powerful enough to defend them even against the Emperor and the Lumina Federation.
The notion of being thrust into a conflict against my own brethren sickened me. But I knew, with a gut-wrenching certainty, that I could not refuse this contract. The cost of defiance would be too staggering, the consequences irreversible.
Swallowing hard, I raised my gaze to meet Thanatos' expectant stare, all of my tumultuous emotions roiling just beneath the surface. "I cannot pretend this pact does not represent a heavy burden, Superintendent. It is a grim decision, one I fear I have little choice, but to accept."
A smile played across Thanatos' face. "A pragmatic outlook befitting one of your station, Kepler. But know this: even the most arduous of duties can pave the path to greatness for those with the fortitude to withstand them. Persevere, and history itself will bear witness to your name."
With those words lingering in the air, Thanatos retrieved a glistening quill, its enchanted tip shimmering with light like that of moonlight. "The time has come to affix your signature to the contract, Kepler."
My hand trembled as I accepted the enchanted quill, the gravity of this moment nearly overwhelming me. This was it, the crossroads of my life where I would either uphold the proud legacy that defined my family and me or bring great shame to my heritage.
Words my grandfather spoke to me many times in my life repeated in my mind, the family's ancient motto: "Bound by honor to kin and sovereign, cast shadows in reverence to the Emperor's Flame. Glory to the Emperor and Honor to the Shadowflame."
My mind settles down some hearing the motto echo in my mind. My grandfather's words comforted me.
Drawing a steady breath, I dipped the quill's tip into the inkwell, sensing its enchantment thrumming through me. With a moment's hesitation, I brought the tip of the quill to the parchment, the first flourish of my name searing the parchment like a brand.
Each subsequent stroke was more assured than the last as I scribed my signature in the script of the dragons, the finality of the act settling upon me like a mantle of duty. When at last I etched the final, looping character, it was as if those words of obligation had become woven into the very fabric of my being.
No sooner had the ink dried than the words on the contract started to light up. The words bathed the office in blinding light as the contract's magic awakened, sealing the pact. The very air seemed to shudder, reality itself acknowledging the profundity of the vow I had just undertaken.
And then, just as suddenly as the words had flared up, the blinding illumination winked out. The office returned to normal as a deep silence remained. In that silence, I became very aware of the frantic pounding of my own heart, its frantic pace hammering like a drum beat.
