Chapter 10

    Cassandra 1.2

    Mounting Sunsun, Cassandra made her way through the black forest. Deep in thought of her father's words, working, figuring out a way to best handle her situation. She knows that her father is just looking out for her. He wants her to not be alone after he's gone, now that poison is already attacking his main blood vessels, all surrounding his heart. He didn't have long to live. With the Verg Heart he could survive longer, suppressing the poison inside but for how long?

    And after his death who among her brothers would go to war against her for the throne? In the eyes of the people she's the best candidate as she's a daughter of heavens. Capable of stepping into the skies at a young age and love by the people. But for the rightful heir of the throne next in line, it will be her eldest brother. Gilbert Kylong, he has never made his stand on the matter clear but as the next in line for the throne he wouldn't be volunteering to step down from power, would he?

    By her side the tall Clayton was marching in his heavy armor. The golden cloak weave up and down with the cold breeze of the northern winds. "Should I married, Clay?" To her surprise the man under the helm stare at her from the slit that made the helm eyes. He nodded his stiff head and continue walking with steady but heavy steps. Cassandra stared with wide eyes and open her mouth as she was about to ask why he thinks she should but Cassandra didn't follow with her question as she knows he wouldn't answer her.

    They already stepped out of the black forest and stood on top of the cliff overlooking the whole valley. Valleyfall is an ancient city dating back to thousands of years when the Kings of Winter came to this land and built a castle in the center of the valley. Surrounded by cliffs with that same valley in the middle of a beast infected forest. The bravery of the kings of Winter knew no bounds. They surrounded themselves with beasts for their pleasure of fighting and the valor of guarding the north.

    Valleyfall was circular in shape with a big, tall, black castle in the middle. Cassandra stare at the architecture of the past and marvel at the stone gargoyle that number in the thousands on top of the castle and on top the towers around it, looking alive and old. Their shape were of mixture of creatures not seen in the wild, some say that they existed in those times and, other say that it was the imagination of the stone masons creating these grotesque sculptures. Now legends and tales are sung to the kids about some of these creatures to scare them from entering the Black Forest at night. People from Valleyfall also say that those sculptures can ward off beasts from afar; scaring them, preventing them from invading the valley. Inside the tall ash colored walls there was a city made of wooden frame stone buildings, with angle rooftops, different from the oily black stone that makes the body of the castle.

    Outside of the walls there was a small town with a square on the main road that leads to the gatehouse of the walls. Outside of it there's the Martial Field filled with stone dolls, wooden stone sticks, millstone for lifting and throwing and with a stage to practice mock battles. The slope that made the only point of entry was right in front of the Martial training field. 

    Looking at the other side of the valley she stares at the barely visible shadows that went from west to east with darken skies. Cassandra has always wanted to go to the icy plains above the north but first she has to climb the broken mountains standing in between the forested north and the icy northern side of the continent.

    She stares at the line of people entering the valley through its long slope that had ragged rocks protruding from the cliff wall at the side and broken boulders spreading across the road that leads down, making their already slow moving wheelhouse more slower. Cassandra decided to jump down from the cliff edge with Clayton. *Bang* two heavy sounds grab the attention of Brethan and the others that were waiting for the army arrival from the sloped path.

    Looking at their side they found a tall beast, no bigger than Robert Eastling Griffin and a tall man adorned in full heavy armor. Mounting the beast was a beautiful woman with golden locks on her head. Her eyes were like pools of wildfire, brighten in a green glow that show power and confidence. Her long coat hide the crimson armor underneath and the sword at her back brought a gilded glamour.

    Cassandra stepped down from Sunsun and made her way to Bethran and the rest. The men of the north were really made for war, she thought. She look at the hundreds of warriors practicing without stopping even in the face of royalty. If weren't for their dark hair and their Cultivation of the Force, she would have confused them with Barbarians. The difference was that Barbarians have red hair and no Force Circulating inside their bodies as such no matter how much their characteristics look a like, they were two different races.

    "Your Majesty princess Cassandra, is an honor to have you visit my humble land." Bethran step out and bow to her with a smile. Cassandra laugh and said, "don't need to be so formal with me, am not my father so there's no need for the Warden Of The North to bow for a mere princess." Bethran shook his head with lips curl up, "this is not a bow for your royal status my princess but one for a stronger warrior." Cassandra curl eyebrows rose up. He could see through my realm or is this Force Instincts?

    Are the men of the north so talented in terms of fighting that they can develop Force Instincts before reaching the appropriate realm for it? Or is this the case for Bethran The Smasher. The general that single handedly siege Storm's End with three hundred warriors for three months in the war.

    She didn't speak about her recent breakthrough and look at Robert Eastling standing at the back. Robert felt her gaze and walk forward and said, "your highness, how have you been doing." She answered, "good, been on the road for more than a month, am looking forward to a hot bath. And you, Lord Commander Eastling, how come you are here up north. Did something happen on the south?" The first thought that came to her was that the Demons unleashed another horde with dragons in their mix but Robert Eastling shook his head and answer, "nothing major has happened. I just needed to have a personal audience with his majesty."

    Cassandra let a breath of fresh air and thought that the threat in the south needs to be addressed as soon as possible. The demons haven't even made an appearance yet and they have caused too much damage to the Six Forts. 

    As they talk the two rows of scaled bulls finally enter the valley, follow up with rows of warriors in crimson armor and white cape in square formations. They all rode Horses breed with wild beasts blood, these horses were stronger, angrier, slightly bigger than normal ones and faster. This breed of steed were made for warriors to mount, normal humans would get kick as they were too weak to mount their majesty bodies. 

    The wheelhouse stop in front of them and the army of knights and guards spread out behind the wheelhouse. The curtains that leads inside the wheelhouse open up, revealing a big body in soft red leather armor with a royal cloak hanging from his shoulder. When he stepped down everyone, from the common folks waiting in the town gate or the warriors practicing in the field took a knee to the ground.

    The whole space was quite as everyone stares at the figure who usurped the kingdoms of the mad family. The legendary warrior who fought against the Monsters that the mad family was breeding on the humans land. The king walks to the front of Bethran and stare at everyone that was kneeling. After a breath of silence he uses his finger to bring everyone to their feet. The Martial Force spread across all the warriors and common folks who took the knee, taking almost a thousand people up to their feet. 

    The Force was gentle and didn't show the overbearing might of a king but one of a friend who help you to your feet. Cassandra stare at her royal father control of the Force in thought. She may have jumped to the next realm but her implementation of the use of the Force is still league apart from his. And his, is colorless and thin as a cicada wings. The degree of control is something that she couldn't do.

    Bethran and King Albert stare at each other and Albert said, "you are growing older my friend." Bethran looks at him up and down and said, "and you are looking fatter." They both laugh heartily as they each gave the other a bear hug. From the side Cassandra look at the two huge men hugging each other and thought that the two really look like bears hugging.

    Albert release Bethran and look at Robert Eastling, "Rob! How come you are here?" He asked him but he still went for the big hug. Robert hug him back and said, "I needed to have a special audience with his majesty, of course I would come here after knowing you left the capital." After hearing him Albert grab him by the shoulders and look at him in the eye, "did the demons appear?" Robert shook his head and Albert let his shoulder go. He turned to look at Bethran and said, "where is your lady wife and your children? I don't see them here."

    Bethran said to him, "my wife is supervising the welcoming banquet we are about to have and the kids must be helping her or waiting for your arrival inside the castle." Albert nodded and look back at the group of Knights and Guards. He shouted for general Beévarn, adorn in crimson armor with silver embroidered on the metal plate as he walks out and waited for his majesty command. "Go and organize the knights and guards, be sure to check the caravan that would soon enter the valley and meet me up inside the castle after letting everything in order." General Beévarn nodded without a word.

    Bethran also call for Master Luwis, Cassandra brows crease while looking at this man. Another strong warrior, she thought. The more time she spent here the greater they seem in her eyes. If she could make this Martial valley bend the knee for her then she would have an extremely powerful source at her back. "Accommodate the animals in the free space and make sure the guards and knights feel comfortable in the town. Also help general Beévarn in the checking of the caravans coming at the back and be careful of not letting any shady character through. Their purpose for coming is for business and nothing else, alright. People who have no materials to sell or trade aren't permitted entry." Master Luwis nodded and went to do the work.

    Everyone else including Clayton follow his majesty and Bethran into the town gate. Walking through the road of the town that were made of hard frozen mud with gravel for footing she found the farmers at far side plowing the soil with special weapons, these farmers may look old but their bodies radiated with strong Martial Force. The barns were filled with Blooded Pigs, fat pigs with too much flesh and blood to eat while the Cotton Sheeps were kept in hurdles. These sheep had big fluffy fur perfect for coats in the winter lands.

    Sleeping Cows were on the ground while munching on grass as women had buckets at the side for milking. The square was right in front of the gatehouse that was open for them to pass. The square by now was filled with stalls, with merchants selling homemade food for the morning hours. Others were women showing their talent in tailoring as they sat behind their boot and make custom made coats or sew cloaks for warriors who have come out of the black forest with broken clothes.

    After passing through the square they finally enter the city of a thousand year. The castle was like a sleeping behemoth with it's oily black stone walls and towers that spread around to every direction. The spires about every buildings brought the ancient touch that the castle of tis age don't have. The wooden framed stone buildings were accommodated in rows around the castle, making it's front part to fan out like a stone labyrinth. The streets were not made of frozen stone like mud but of stone and bricks, giving carriages easier and faster movement around the city.

    After following the main road to the castle, they step on the stone stairs to walk up to the Castle Keep. They enter through the hardwood doors and the first hall appear in front of Cassandra. The hall was spacious enough to host a thousand guess and long to boot with two more doors at the far end of the hall. Chandelier line the ceiling and the burning candles spread a cherry odor that permanent throughout the hall. With the blue carpet below their feet bringing the warmth the outside needs, anyone who enter would feel comfortable.

    In front of them stood a woman in her middle age years, with a young lady by her side. The pair were clearly Bethran wife and daughter. They both took a knee and her father pushed them to their feet again, his smile spread across his bearded face and he said, "Lia! It's been years. How have the years in the winter lands treat you?" Brethan wife, Liana smile at the king and took a step forward to lead them to the dinner hall. "They have been peaceful. Nothing more I could wish for, seeing my children growing up in these peaceful times has me satisfied with life in the north." Her father look at the lady that stood beside Liana and said, "This must be little Belia right? The last time I saw her was when she was one year old, eighteen years ago, wow. The years do fly by, now she's a grown woman fitting for being a women of the north, powerful and beautiful."

    Cassandra also stare at the lady that was greeted by her father and she furrowed her brows. She couldn't see through her, she couldn't gauge her power. She hasn't stepped into the Aura of Reality but she couldn't pinpoint how much progress her Force has gone through. This is a first for her, is not like she couldn't read her Aura but is that she didn't know to what extent has her Force develop.

    They enter the dinner hall and it was filled with a dozen tables filled with food. Ranging from loaf of bread, eggs to meat, rice, fruit and vegetables. There was one big table filled with Beasts Meat, meat full of vigorous Life Force, meaning that these creatures were freshly kill and serve for Warriors.

    They all step on the stage holding the longest table in the hall with a fireplace perfectly lit with calm flames behind. Beside the fireplace there was a big black Dire Wolf, it open one eye and stare at everyone, especially at who just enter and at her father and at Clayton. It let a small growl and close his eyes to continue sleeping. Bethran laugh at his partner threatening gesture and help her father the king to sit down on the table. "Where are your sons? They are not here yet." Brethan look at his wife Liana and she said with an awkward smile, "they went to spar with Cyrus last night and the boy went a little too heavy handed with them. They came back this morning with broken lips and panda eyes." 

    Cyrus? She quickly look at Liana and she wasn't the only one, her father quickly stare at her as well. "Marilee made them a medicine herbs bath. They have been bathing for more than an hour now. They must be coming down soon. By now their bruises most be somewhat heal as they were only superficial damage." Cassandra went into thought. Is he violent? Last night he was harmless as a fly. Moreover, she didn't feel anything from his body so she didn't know how strong he was…

    But if what the letter that Bethran wrote her father is true than his power must be close to hers or equal. If by the age of seven he could already kill a Grade-Six Evolutionary Beasts and those of a Variant Class no less, then his power must truly be off the charge. Moreover last night her Force Instincts couldn't pick up any Force from inside his body, that's why she thought of him as a cripple boy last night. Because only cripples who don't have an ounce of talent to cultivate the Force could have a Forceless body. If not that then only Walkers could appear without Force inside their bodies but these are walking corpses that are mainly controlled by Witches.

    Cyrus is neither of the two, then is he at a higher level of Force than her or does he have a better control over the Force than her?