Unbound

Chapter Seven Hundred And Thirty Seven – 737

Due To Binding The Crown Of Elysium

You Have Received New Quests!

More? Felix blinked at the notification, more than a little dazed. Alright. Show me.

New Quest!

Assemble The Empyrean Regalia!

The Crown of Elysium is but the first of three artifacts known as the Empyrean Regalia. Once claimed by the sovereigns of the Golden Empire, the Regalia is designed to reinforce the Aspects of their bearer. It is said the Herald bore all three, and with them was able to contest the very gods themselves.

Crown of Elysium - 1/1

Wellspring Chalice - 0/1

Exalted Bell - 0/1

Nym.

Felix frowned. What about them?

Herald’s Artifacts.

Oh. Oh. You mean check Nymean ruins.

Check. Eat. Grow Stronger.

I’m not opposed to that, Felix said.

I Need More. I Am...Incomplete.

"What do you mean?" Felix asked. "Incomplete how?"

Hunger rumbled, but gave no further answer.

"You just need to eat more? How much more?" Felix asked.

I…Need. I Hunger. Her words faded to a rumble as a weight shifted lower in his chest. The bulk of her presence settled back into the dark void in his core space.

Felix frowned. He certainly didn't have a problem with clearing out monsters from Nymean ruins, especially when he could benefit so much from it anyway. If it helped his Hunger too…well, she had proven herself a stalwart ally. Even if she had eaten the majority of the Pathless’ power he’d consumed.

"Hunger," Felix said. "What happens when you're complete?"

Faintly, as if spoken from across a cavernous house, words spread up from within.

I Do Not Know.

“I suppose we can find out together then,” he said. “Meanwhile, it looks like the notifications aren’t done with us.”

New Quest!

Restore The Seals!

The true Seals of the Continent were not invented, but discovered by the ancient magi. In the present Age, they have been Lost, and those that remain have been placed under false rule. Find them once more and use the Crown of Elysium to restore them to full potency, connecting the Corporeal Realm to the Grand Harmony once more and fortifying the world against the Ruin.

Rewards:

+Increased Protection Against Ruin

+Varies

“God, one bomb after another.” Felix tapped his chin. “The true Seals are the ones that the Hierophant overwrote with her Subordinate Seals, then. And they’ll fortify the world against the Ruin?”

That was huge news, and the first bit of encouraging information he’d received about the pending disaster that was the Ruin. The crown would be of some help in restoring the Seals, and that meant he wouldn’t have to use Unite the Lost as much. That’d save him on spending significance. He still had plenty built up after his recent battles, but Felix was reaching a stage where that resource was becoming increasingly important to retain. He needed it for his Tapestry Stage, which would allow him to finalize his Core Manifestation.

A knot in Felix’s chest loosened. Just a little. The advent of the Ruin and the schemes of the gods occupied a great portion of his Mind, a bundle of worries that he hadn’t yet solved—having some sort of actionable goal, no matter how difficult, was better than nothing.

New Quest!

Empire Of The Fiend!

You have passed the first mile marker on the path of empire, yet your climb is far from over. Claim the Seat and Seal of at least seven Territories to establish your realm.

Rewards:

+Increased Defensive And Offensive Capabilities In Claimed Territories

+Increased Resources In Claimed Territories

+Title

+XP

+Varies

“Empire of the Fiend,” he mouthed. “Jeez, that sounds like something the Claw would come up with.”

Name aside, Felix couldn’t argue against the benefits claiming more Territory would grant him and his people.

If I can fs in other Territories, that means I can claim them at the same time. The Quests work in tandem. That’ll save me a ton of time. Claiming other Territories would increase his Authority and defend against the Ruin, not to mention be a huge benefit to ousting the Hierophant and her corrupt followers. Yeah. This could work.

He wanted to pace, but the damaged roof didn’t allow for much movement, so he tapped his foot rapidly instead. He cast his Mind over the information he had just received and what he already knew.

There were seven remaining Subordinate Seals, now that Pax’Vrell was free. Recalling the map that Karys had shown him, he scratched off each name as he went. Andiva, Levantier, Tavan, Ghreldan Hills, Calumb, Sao’Thun, and Bos’Vaan. Potentially Neer and Sept as well, if the rumors were true and the Hierocracy had forcefully taken them over. Felix wasn’t sure what was involved in putting the Subordinate Seal together, but he didn’t doubt that if the Hierophant conquered a Territory she would establish her power immediately.

The Triumvirate weren’t under the Hierocracy’s heel, located as they were on the eastern side of the Rimefang Mountains. Composed of three Territories—Onar, Wyvarr, and Marif—they were only a loose confederation. According to Vess, if it weren’t for the Rimefangs then they would have fallen to the Hierophant long ago.

The Territories of Sunara and Jaast were similar to the Triumvirate. Located to the southeast, they were protected by an unending storm and a vast, impenetrable jungle. All Felix knew about them was that they were dangerous to enter and had far stronger monsters. Beyond them was what people called the Interior of the Continent. Other nations and empires existed there, potent Authorities that no one Felix encountered knew much about. The barriers of storms and monstrous jungles kept them separated, much like the horrible chill of the Hoarfrost had kept it free from mortal interference.

Felix shook his head. The Continent was too big to control all of it, and if the Ruin was coming soon, then he had little time. He’d have to focus on the Territories around him first and foremost.

That meant a lot more traveling. He had to find the remaining Unbound, fix the Seals, claim the Territories, and foil the Hierophant’s plot…whatever it entailed. He’d already learned that she had summoned the Ruin somehow, apparently without the Pathless’ knowledge. The Hierei Mivun called it a cleansing of the world, and that had to be stopped.

The question was: could he do it?

I can, he decided as pieces of a plan began to assemble. I will.

First though, he needed help from the Chanters.

Felix took to the sky, calling upon his Sonata of Dominance to command the air. It wasn't quite flying. Unlike Storm Shaping he wasn’t so much manipulating the winds as he was commanding them to obey his Will. The night breezes obeyed without resistance, owing perhaps to the sheer amount of air all around him as much as his Skill level. With little Essence and effort, he sped across the thin air and landed on a sequence of elaborate balconies attached to the primary citadel, more than three hundred feet away.

Man, that’ll never stop being cool.

There were a number of such landings, all of them extremely wide and built with posts made of coral-colored stone spiking from their ends, as if they were perches for giant creatures. Dragons, Felix knew. They were clearly made to allow Dragoons to climb aboard their ancient allies and fly off.

Vess had said that Scalebreaker Citadel and its thirteen towers were designed to look like spears surrounding a fallen Dragon. It certainly had that appearance, but Felix had another thought: that it was instead a sleeping Dragon, protected by a ring of defenders. Knowing the truth of their origin as he did, that made a lot more sense.

The lights within the citadel were still lit despite the advanced hour. As Felix crept closer, he heard Vess and her father, along with several others in a heated discussion. He recognized the Dragoon Marshal as well as a number of voices that he assumed were his captains. They weren’t shouting, but they weren’t far off.

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Huh. Should I interrupt?

He could have jumped down to another balcony and entered the Citadel in some other way; as king, it was technically his after all. Still, he wanted to talk to Vess and her father, and wasn’t keen on waiting.

Felix reached up to take off his crown. King or not, it felt weird to wear it in front of people. Yet when he touched his brow, it was gone. He was seized by a brief flash of panic, but before it could settle in the crown reappeared as if it had never left.

What the hell?

He took it off and stared at the circlet for a time before tentatively placing it back on his head. He found his reflection in a nearby balcony door, and he watched himself settle it atop his brow, and then, moments later, as it sank into his skull until it vanished entirely.

Well, that's freaky.Useful, I guess. Still freaky.

Felix lingered on the balcony as the raised voices continued. He shrouded himself in Abyssal Skein, just for good measure, fading from the fabric of the world as the voices grew louder.

"I will say it again," she said. "The Dragons are not our enemies. Yintarion is as close an ally to me as the King himself."

A gruff voice spoke up. "I will admit that your…Companion has saved us. His immense power was a great boon to us on the battlefield, but we cannot part with tradition at the whim of the enemy, not unless you can offer us substantial proof. I have already told you I cannot, but I know that we cannot back your assertions, nor welcome you or your Dragon into our Order."

"He is a Drake, technically," Felix said, stepping through the balcony doors and dropping his Skill.

"My Lord!" The Dragoons present dropped to a knee. Vess and her father did too.

"Please, stand," Felix said. "And know that I back Lady Dayne's claims. The Dragons are our allies, and right now we need all that we can get."

Murmurs of surprise and reverberations of fear echoed throughout the assembled Dragoons.

"Ah, I thought you were preoccupied, my Lord," the Marshal said. "We heard the thunder of your passage in the sky."

"I was training," Felix said simply, "but someone is going to have to repair the top of your tower. It was, um, damaged."

Vess winced, and her father waved his hands. "That is no matter, my Lord. We will see it done."

Felix inclined his head. The others in the room exchanged significant looks. He could feel their anxiety heighten, like a thin fog rising to cloud their heads. They were nervous to have him there, and his clear presence above had meant he was away from this conversation. Preoccupied meant out of their hair. Felix may have claimed the Seat and Seal of the Territory. He may have won them over with his performance on the battlefield, but he wasn't their leader. Not really. Still, he was a Master now, and that meant his words had weight no matter where he stood.

"My Lord, you spoke of the Dragons as allies, setting aside the fact that we have no more than a single Drake, as you said. What would you need them for?"

"For the war ahead.”

"War? Do you intend to fight the Hierophant directly now?" the Marshal asked. "We just finished fighting for our Territory. We fought a god! What else could stop us?"

"I've already told you what is coming.”

"Ruin. That's harder to swallow than the Dragons' goodwill. Even if it were true, how could we fight it? Spears and spells cannot stop a force that erodes history itself."

"By standing together," Vess said.

Felix pointed at her. "Exactly. I have plans in motion, Marshal. I’m not here to tell you about a terrible threat with zero solutions. For now, you will remain as you always have, protecting your people. The towns around the countryside are hurting, and while there aren't any more Hierocratic soldiers about, people are without shelter and food. We need to focus on providing them with relief."

"And you will be with us, my Lord?" the Marshal asked.

"No. I have too many tasks to take on before things get worse, but I'll have someone working in my absence." Felix turned, finally, to Vess' father. "Roland Dayne."

The man bowed his head. "Yes, my Lord.”

“As Duke, you've overseen this Territory for most of your life. I would like to take advantage of your experience, if you don't mind. What do you say about being the Chancellor of Pax’Vrell?”

A Position Has Been Offered!

Chancellor Of Pax’Vrell!

Do You Accept?

Y/N

"I wish to accept, but I must know the conditions of such a position. I trust my daughter's faith in you, my king, but I cannot condone a rule that is bad for my people."

"I'm not planning on ruling, not directly anyway. I've got too much to do. That's why I want you to be Chancellor. You already know the job, and you'll likely get some new capabilities. Scalebreaker Citadel is a..." Felix checked his screens. "A Rank 1 Citadel. Meaning it's got lots of features that I'm not sure you knew about."

"Like those constructs," Roland said.

"Exactly. The Janus Hydras were always here, but no one could activate them because their authority was based on a lie."

"A lie?" the Marshal asked. "Forgive my interruption, but what lie?"

"The lie that the Hierophant has fed all of her territories. The Seat and Seal you sat on, that the Duke sat on until recently, was a false one. Subordinate to the Hierophant's own, reducing your authority and enhancing hers. I've torn that seal apart and reactivated the original Seat and Seal of Pax'Vrell. The same one your ancestors used in Ages past."

Without any further hesitation, Roland knelt before Felix. "Then it would be my honor to serve. My king."

There was a blaring of bright horns to announce the appointment, audible only to Felix and Chancellor Dayne, and a brief halo of golden-bronze energy outlined the man's head before fading. That, at least, everyone could see.

"Excellent," Felix said, rubbing his hands together. "It’s late, but in the morning we should talk more about, well, a lot of things."

"As you wish. I will need some time to familiarize myself with the new authority screen. There are quite a few new options, as you said."

"Oh yeah, that thing's getting complicated. Take your time."

"My king," the marshal said, "you spoke of the Hydras. Could they be used to defend the Territory? It would greatly bolster our troops."

Felix flicked open his authority screen again and checked. "The fifty here are bound to the city, but they can roam quite freely from what I see. But I imagine you'll find more use out of the Dragoon fortresses.”

“Such as this Fenwald Fortress.”

“Yep. Vess tells me you used to have a lot of them."

"Once, yes," the marshal said. "But they were either destroyed or abandoned. Most reside outside our Territory."

"Maybe outside the land the Hierocracy gave you," Felix said. "The Seat and Seal I uncovered re-established the true boundary lines of your Territory."

Felix brought up his map of the area, and after toggling some details, shared it with everyone present. Gasps filled the air. "The blue dots are all Dragoon fortresses. Most are fairly operational, if low on power. Fenwald even had a Hydra of its own."

The Marshal and his officers stared at the map with a mixture of awe and naked greed. One of his captains piped up excitedly. “Sir! I count at least thirty structures on our western borders alone!”

Vess stepped forward. "Excellent places to re-establish our ranks, Marshal. If the others are in any condition like Fenwald, then we may find weapons and armor caches…and who knows what other resources."

The Marshal was certainly keen to hear that. "I believe you and I have more to talk about, Chancellor Dayne."

"We do," Roland said. "In the morning?"

"Just so. Let us plan for tenth glass."

The Dragoons soon left the chamber, their attitude decidedly different than when Felix arrived. They were energized, and conversation soon broke out among the officers a dozen steps down the hall. Felix smiled. “That went well.”

Vess sighed. “As well as could be hoped for, really. The fortresses will keep their attention for quite a while.”

“Long enough to find evidence they’ll accept?”

“I hope. At Fenwald, we found more than enough to prove to me that the Dragoons once had a great partnership with the Dragons. If the other fortresses are investigated, there is a great chance we shall find the proof needed to convince the Marshal and the rest."

Her father nodded. "I can organize them to begin the search. Starting in the morning. Recovering those fortresses will bolster our defenses, especially along the western border with Amaranth."

"Right. We're really close to her, aren't we?" Felix said. "The Hierophant.”

“One of the many reasons our existence here was so fraught,” his Chancellor replied. “What is your plan regarding her, my king?"

"Convoluted. I can't say any more yet, not until I've confirmed some details."

"I see.”

“Papa, please give us a moment."

The Chancellor gave a lingering look between Felix and Vess. “Very well. If I may be excused, my King. I have a great deal to arrange.”

“Have a good night.”

He bowed deeply before exiting the room on long, sure footsteps.

"Do you trust the Marshal?" Felix asked as the doors closed behind her father.

"I trust him to protect Pax'Vrell. I do not, however, trust him to uncover the truth of the Dragons. He has too much pride in our history. As I once did.”

“Your father will ensure those records are found. He seems like a good guy."

"He is one of the greatest,” she said with a small smile. “You scare him, you know."

Felix winced. "Was it the teeth or the scales?"

Vess laughed. "Neither. He saw you battle the Pathless. Many did. I think that impressed him more than anything else." Her hands found his scaled palm and held it up. "He knows we're courting."

Felix swallowed. "Oh, damn. I figured we had more time to ease him into that idea."

"No need. He has accepted it. But he worries for me, for what we may be required to do to stave off the Hierophant and the Ruin.”

“I am, too. There's a lot up against us, but we'll make it. Like I said, I've got a plan."

Felix focused, and the crown reappeared on his head once more. Vess gasped.

"Is that the Crown of Elysium? You completed it?”

“I did. Took some doing…remind me to tell you about that later.” The specter of Ruin rose in his memory and bashed against his Mind…but the golden barrier held with barely a ripple. “Huh. Cool.”

“What?”

Felix waved his dark hand. “Nothing important. Just a benefit of the crown. Anyway, there's more where this comes from too. Give me the night to figure some things out, and I'll brief you and your dad at breakfast."

"You'll be busy all night? A shame."

"Yeah, I've got to talk to Pit and the Chanters about—" Felix blinked. "Oh, uh, I mean—I could make time—”

Vess smiled, flashing her dimple at him. "No no. If you’re busy with urgent work I would not pry you from it. However, the gardens here are quite spectacular in the moonlight. Perhaps we could enjoy a stroll.”

Felix cleared his throat. "How about tomorrow night?"

"If I am free. I too have duties that will not wait.” Vess adjusted her gown, and Felix belatedly realized that she wasn't wearing her armor. It was layered and embroidered, but the garment hugged her in ways armor certainly couldn't accomplish and his mouth went curiously dry.

“Uh, I mean, I could always shift those things to someone else. I am the king, after all."

"Indeed," her smile sharpened as she ran a finger across his jawline. "I suppose we shall see." She turned and walked toward the double doors. "Good night, your Highness."

Felix said nothing as she sauntered out. He couldn’t think of anything worthwhile, anyway.

You're dumb. I can feel how dumb you are from here.

Shush, Pit. Are you still in the library?

Yeah, none of these librarians seem to sleep.

Good, I'm coming down. There's work to be done.

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