Chapter 282: A Gift From The Elders
Ressis nodded, agreeing with Obel’s statement. The other Council Members, a rotund gray haired man called Uren and a slender young woman named Xin La, agreed too.
"We doubted you," Ressis said. "We questioned your motives and treated you as criminals when you were, in fact, heroes. On behalf of the Kingdom Council, I offer my deepest apologies."
The other Council Members murmured their agreement. One by one, they expressed their regret; for the Gracebreakers, for the accusations, for the lack of trust.
Even the Sovereigns joined in, their voices filling the room with words of contrition.
Obel turned to Verdrak. "Council Member Verdrak. You have been the most vocal in your opposition. I believe you owe these individuals a particular apology."
Verdrak’s face tightened. His pointed beard twitched. For a moment, it looked like he might refuse. But the weight of the Sovereigns’ gazes bore down on him, and he bowed his head.
"I... apologize," he said, the words coming out like broken teeth. "I was overzealous."
Spectra smiled sweetly. "How gracious."
Obel raised his hand over his tome. "Then it is decided. All charges against Lancet Leogardt, Astensia Valengard, Thor Stormchild, Spectra Hexerra, Espel Fyrebloom, and Kestrel Highcastle are hereby cleared. You are free to go, with the gratitude of the Kingdom Council and the Sovereigns of the world."
Relief washed over the group. Espel sighed, happy to be finally free of this. Kestrel gave the Council Members approving glances. Thor grinned and Astensia inclined her head in thanks.
But as everyone prepared to end the meeting, Verdrak seemingly was not done.
"Wait," he said, interrupting the moment of relief. "Don’t you think we’re forgetting one singular thing?"
The room stilled. Obel frowned. "Verdrak—"
"He didn’t know the half-citadel was still being conquered when he entered." Verdrak’s eyes fixed on Lancet with an expression that said ’I got you now!’
"He didn’t know the truce was broken. So he still actually committed a crime. They all did." He paused, letting the words sink in. "Unless—" His gaze sharpened. "—he’s saying that he somehow knew that the half-citadel was still being claimed before even going in."
Suddenly, silence took over the war room. All of what Verdrak just said made complete sense.
Heads turned. Eyes fixed on Lancet. Even from his own heroines.
Obel looked at Lancet deeply then leaned forward to ask. "Well, what is it, Lancet Leogardt? Did you know?"
Lancet took his seat and turned it so that he was facing them fully. The five Sovereigns on their wall-sized screens loomed like watchful gods. The Council Members sat motionless, waiting for response.
"Yes," he answered confidently. "I knew before entering. That’s why I entered."
Eyes narrowed. Suspicion and more questions appeared on the faces of the Council.
Verdrak’s chair scraped against the black stone as he shot to his feet. "What a stupid lie!" His pointed white beard quivered with righteous fury. "You stand before the Council and the Sovereigns of the world and you continue to lie! Of course you couldn’t have known! You found out after committing the crime. This is..." He sputtered, searching for a word damning enough. "Treason!"
"Sit down, Verdrak," Obel said, his deep-set eyes never leaving Lancet. "Let him speak."
"But he lies!"
"He will explain himself. Sit. Down."
Verdrak sat, still glaring at Lancet as if he was his sworn enemy.
Ressis spoke next. Though she was curious, she used a calm tone. "You claim you knew the truce was broken before you entered Deathrock. How? No Oracles sensed it. No scouts reported it. The Kingdom Rangers Board, for all its resources, had no intelligence suggesting the half-citadel was still active. How did you know?"
Lancet drew a breath. He had prepared for this. He had known, from the moment he decided to enter Deathrock, that this question would come. And he had his answer ready.
"I had been training with Kestrel on the highest peak of the Castle Spires," he began. "Castle Spires is really close to the town so after we were done training, I looked toward Deathrock. And I felt something."
He paused, letting the word hang in the air.
"Something pulling me. I don’t know how to explain it but I knew there was something wrong there. There was this presence that had no business existing in a supposedly dormant half-citadel."
Kestrel listened from her seat. She remembered that moment on the mountain peak when Lancet had stared toward the distant town. Could that be the moment he was talking about?
She remembered that right after he looked at the town he told her that it was time to summon the rest of Heroines. It made sense to her that one would make that decision after supposedly feeling something dangerous emanating from there.
"I knew," Lancet continued. "I didn’t suspect, or guess, I just knew the truce was a lie especially after the Post Commander explained it to me.
"I knew that Deathrock was being taken. That the Demons were preparing something terrible. And that if we waited for official channels to verify what I already understood, it would be too late."
Spectra listened with a serious smile. She knew it!
From the very moment Lancet had told them his plan, she had known. Spectra liked to think she had come to know Lancet intimately.
He would not do something so rash that could bring the hammer of the world’s government on him unless he had a plan. Unless he knew something the rest of them did not.
She liked being right.
A small part of Astensia wondered why Lancet had not shared this with them before. But she pushed the thought aside. She did not want to feel entitled to Lancet’s secrets. Besides, she had her own.
The Council Members spoke amongst themselves, their voices low and urgent. The Sovereigns on their screens exchanged glances, their expressions ranging from contemplative to skeptical.
"This is extraordinary," Avanke of Ebonia said. "You are suggesting, Lancet Leogardt, that you can sense things within a Demon Break. Things that our best intelligence cannot detect. Things that even Lvl 100 Oracles cannot foresee."
Odesto of Antarticon inclined his head. "That is a remarkable claim. I think it demands better explanation or some sort of proof."
"Indeed. He should explain it," Verdrak demanded. "How did you know? What is the source of this... ability?"
Lancet looked up at the central screen, at King Romsgard Goldstone. The King of Aethelgard was watching him with an expression that was difficult to read.
"I can’t explain it," Lancet said. "It was just like with Hebthej. I sensed the second Demon Head. I knew it was coming and exactly where."
Romsgard’s expression shifted. He remembered rewarding Lancet alongside the other Awakeners for the successful raid. And he remembered he and the administrators of the Academy questioning Lancet afterward.
The young Summoner had said the same thing. He could sense details about Demon Breaks but could not explain how. It was not a Skill. It was not a Class ability. It was something else.
A hidden mythic talent, Romsgard thought. A true talent that has nothing to do with his actual power.
He looked at Lancet.
This boy... is he truly the key to defeating the Second World? Are we truly going to do it in this generation? Under my reign?
The thought filled him with something he had not felt in years. Hope.
’It could be possible,’ Romsgard thought to himself. ’With him.’
Another Council Member, Uren, leaned forward. "But surely there must be some explanation—"
Romsgard raised his hand. "Enough!"
Uren fell silent. The other Members, who had been preparing their own questions, closed their mouths. Even Verdrak, who looked like he wanted to explode, held his tongue.
"I will not stand and have humanity’s greatest asset be questioned any further," Romsgard said, his voice ringing across the chamber. "Because indeed, that is what you are, Lancet Leogardt."
Lancet’s eyes glistened as he listened to the King’s words of admiration.
"Imagine the possibilities," Romsgard continued, his voice gaining strength. "With him by our side, uplifted for what he truly is. He could sense things in Demon Breaks. Give us information to clear them down easily, even to reclaim Demon Citadels.
"He could sense where Demon Breaks are certain to occur, even better than some of our Oracles. Because this isn’t a Skill for him. It’s an innate talent. A gift from the Elders."
He paused, still stunned about the opportunity that has been presented to the world. The other Sovereigns and Council Members started to see it too.
"And let us not forget his actual power. Summoning legends from the past." He gestured to the five women seated before him. He stood from his throne, visible on the screen, his golden beard catching the light.
"We should be proud. In fact, we should be indebted to him. This meeting has come to an end." He looked down at Lancet, and his summer-sky eyes held a promise. "Lancet Leogardt, I will be in Awakener Supreme before the end of the month. Expect me. We shall have a long talk."
He inclined his head to the Council, to his fellow Sovereigns. "Council Members. Fellow Sovereigns. Until the Golden Barracks."
And with that, the central screen went black, and King Romsgard Goldstone was gone.
Verdrak was fuming. His face had gone from red to purple, his pointed beard trembling with barely suppressed rage. But he said nothing. At least he had enough shame to know when to be quiet.
One by one, the other Sovereigns spoke their farewells.
Ronald of Falcon Standing laughed. "You’ve got guts, boy! I like guts! Come visit Falcon Standing sometime, we’ll hunt something dangerous and talk about freedom!"
Odesto of Antarticon smiled for the first time. "You have done the world a great service, Lancet Leogardt. As the saying goes, Antarticon remembers its debts. Till next time, Legend Summoner."
Avanke of Ebonia spoke next. "Ebonia has your back in the future. Near or far. Our libraries contain knowledge that may interest a Summoner of your... unique talents. Do not hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Farewell."
Queen Liu Xiu traced her eyes all over him, then when he caught her gaze, she smiled at him. It made Lancet suddenly very aware of his posture.
"Lancet Leogardt." She said his name slowly, as if tasting each syllable. "A Kingdom Servant will come to see you in a few weeks with a special convoy invitation to the Kingdom of Asiris. I hope you will accept it."
She tilted her head in what almost seemed playful. "We have many things to talk about."
Lancet blinked. Was she... was the Queen of Asiris checking him out?