The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage

WM [7] A Real Future To Fight For

Ever since Tyr found out that both of his little sisters had survived the raid, he seemed to have had a massive weight lifted off his shoulders. He had a spark in his eye that had been missing since the attack. He didn’t have long with his sisters before the First Princess took the group to a meeting room. Despite the room’s spaciousness, it felt cramped with so many of the country’s most influential people gathered. They all sat at a large table, the Prince and his people on one side and the Princess and hers on the other.

Bjorn could feel Tanisha’s anger rise as soon as she entered the room and saw First Prince Arnar, Ingrid, and Loki. There were also two other Royal Hands, a man and a woman, whom Bjorn assumed were Arnar’s Hands. Tanisha struggled to keep her expression neutral as she clenched her jaw and followed the rules of decorum. After the Hands introduced the Royalty, they sat down, and everyone else was allowed to sit down. There were others in the room, generals and nobles by their looks.

Identify
Name: Arnar Al Kossiheim Qar 
Species: Wendigo 
Level: ?? 
Vocation: Sorcerer of Dominion  

Identify
Name: Sigrun Al Velidein Qar 
Species: Wendigo 
Level: ?? 
Vocation: Sorceress of Dominion  

Identify
Name: Svartr Loti 
Species: Wendigo 
Level: ?? 
Vocation: Royal Electrokinesis War Mage  

Identify
Name: Vigdis Bularu 
Species: Wendigo 
Level: ?? 
Vocation: Völva  

“Thank you all for coming today and being a part of this inaugural event,” Sigrun stated with a wide smile. “As we speak, Vidar Tujewli is announcing this domain as a part of the Tujewli Domain. This means that the state of emergency caused by the defection of the Nazem has formally concluded.”

The First Prince glared at his sister as she spoke, looking as if he wanted to execute her right then and there. The look only made her smile all the brighter. She knew she had won, and there was nothing he could do that wouldn’t make him look weak. The other dignitaries in the room did not share the Princess’ delight in prodding the most powerful man in the country aside from the King. Some scooted slightly away from him in case this turned into an all-out fight.

The First Prince, a massive wendigo man with broad shoulders, bore the same gray skin as his sister, and his antlers were adorned in gold. Magic, or rather sorcery, pulsed from his chest in the same manner as his sister’s but with notably more intensity. It was to the point that lines of power suffused into the air, popping like static electricity as it discharged.

“I would like to thank my brother for his quick response in securing my city from that traitor,” Sigrun continued, emphasizing 'my.' “However, I fear in his haste to cleanse the city, he may have overstepped.” The Princess’ expression turned somber. “The Isi, a family who were staunch defenders, teachers, and citizens of the Kingdom, were unjustly persecuted, hunted, jailed, and even killed in a bloody raid with no evidence to support collusion with the enemies of our nation.

“Even with his surprise attack and with the aid of Ingrid’s forces, he failed to eliminate the Isi and only proved their resourcefulness, power, and the necessity of the Isi and their teachings. Material Users have always had a bad reputation in the Kingdom because chakra is the weapon of humans. Some think it is inferior to magic. I don’t, and this debacle proved that to me. When an Isi Disciple fought a wizard, they were not on the back foot; no, they pushed through.”

Arnar looked like he was going to explode at any moment. A vein on his forehead bulged out as he turned red. He slammed his fist on the table, which cracked from the impact. A magic circle flashed on the surface of the table, instantly sucking all of the ambient mana out of the room and repairing itself. The table was again pristine when it was done as if nothing had happened.

“Do you have something to say, dear brother?” Sigrun’s eyes were sharp now.

Arnar stood up, his chair clattered to the ground behind him. 

“This is utterly meaningless, sister,” Arnar hissed through clenched teeth. “Entrusting my faith to this pitiful excuse for a Salstar was a grievous error, one I shall not repeat. You will not secure the throne with a mere fragment of a domain and a fractured Material User lineage.” His eyes swept across the room, finally resting on Tyr, who glared back with a murderous intensity. “Rest assured, I shall encounter the Isi once more after I ascend to the throne and purge the remaining foreign magic filth from the wendigo.” 

“Are you done?” Sigrun asked dismissively. “Sit down or leave; I don’t care which.”

Arnar held out his palm, and the male Royal Hand Bjorn, identified as Svartr Loti, handed him a small coin purse. He tossed the bag across the table, and it spilled its contents in front of Tyr. Platinum coins rolled out, some into his lap and others spinning on the table. Bjorn remembered that one of those coins was worth a hundred gold. One gold is the equivalent of three months’ wage for most people.

“Five platinum per head, Hrolf, Drifa, Freyríðr, and fifteen for the old Patriarch Kolbein.” The First Prince stated coldly.

One of the delegates gasped at the sheer fortune on the table. Tyr balled his fist, his chakra surging from him like a cold wind. He stared daggers at the First Prince and looked like he would get up and charge the man at any moment. 

Tyr stood and pointed a finger at the man, “you think that this-“

“S̸̮̈̓͝ͅͅȉ̸̹̺̒͂͘l̵͇̭̰̅̐e̵̦̽ṇ̸͊̆́̚c̴̜̃̍̓̔e̷̫̫̳̽̆.” Sigrun said a single word, and Tyr’s mouth shut with a loud click. “Ṡ̷̛̤̊i̷̢̯̜͉̿̀͐̚t̴̺̺̑̍.”

Tyr sat down against his will. Bjorn could taste the presence of new magic, no sorcery. The power of the Royal family was Dominion. Judging by what happened, they can control people with a single word. When Bjorn heard mages and wizards chant their spell, it sounded unintelligible, like several people talking over each other and saying different things but from one mouth. That wasn’t the case with sorcery. While it was difficult to understand, it was two intelligible words: silence and sit.

“As tactful as ever, Arnar.” Sigrun turned her attention back to the First Prince. “I assume this means you are leaving. Be sure to take your entourage with you.” She gestured to his side of the room.

Arnar looked at the silent Ingrid. “That thing is your problem. Do with her what you will. If the boy wants blood, take it from her.” 

Arnar left the room, and half of the people in it left with him; only Ingrid and Loki remained from the prince’s side. The room was silent for a few moments before Sigrun sighed. She waved her hand, and the sorcery on Tyr dispersed. He looked even angrier once he realized what she had done to him.

“I know you are upset, Patriarch Isi, but do understand that I did that to save your life,” Sigrun stated before Tyr could speak. “I simply made you sit. My brother would have commanded that you die if you’d finished your statement.” She watched Tyr deflate a little to her words. “Everyone, I want to introduce our guests, Tyr, the Isi patriarch, Joha and Sif, demon merchants and Bjorn the chimera.

“I want to start by saying that despite what Arnar said, no blood will be taken from Ingrid. Her disgrace has left her in my care, and I say what better place to regain your honor than the frontlines? The druids have grown brazen. I think a Salstar stationed out there will be a boon to us. For now, and until the Holy Land has been secured once again, you shall remain there, Sword of the Salstars. If the Holy Land falls, you fall with it.”

Ingrid nodded silently and accepted whatever fate Sigrun planned for her.

Ingrid’s voice was soft and defeated. “May I ask a question, Your Highness?” Sigrun approved, so Ingrid turned to Tanisha. “Demon, what happened to the owner of that familiar?”

“Dead.” Tanisha bit off the word.

“I see,” Ingrid said with an unreadable expression. “May she rest with the Forest Father.”

“That is all you have to say?” Tanisha questioned. “Weren’t you her mother?”

Ingrid raised an eyebrow at that. “A failure, a wizard, a waste of time, energy, and space. That is what Freja was.” She looked Tanisha dead in the eyes. “Yet she summoned that thing, killed a darkness construct, multiple even, became an arcanist, and even in her death, she haunts me with my failures.” She let out a chuckle in disbelief and realization. “Now, I guess she and I are the same. We are both failures to the name Salstar.” She turned back to Sigrun and bowed her head. “I have my orders, your Majesty; I will depart immediately.”

“See that you do. I expect to hear good things, Sword of Salstar.” Sigrun responded neutrally, but Bjorn swore there was a mocking undertone. “And don’t forget that you are my sword from now on. You answer to me, not to my brothers or sisters or Ulfar.”

Ingrid bowed again and left the room with Loki following behind her. As soon as the door was shut, the other members of the Princess’ faction were mumbling. Many of them were pleased that they now had Ingrid on their side. Ingrid is one of the greatest anti-magic mages in the kingdom. Having her fight on the frontlines for the First Princess’ faction will add to the political power of the faction. She raised her hand to halt all their talks when she turned to Tyr.

“Isi patriarch, I know you think this was unfair for you. My success came from the deaths of your family, and the ones that did it just walked free.” Sigrun said with a neutral tone. “And you are right to feel that way. Our system is broken, our politics a joke. Arnar and Ingrid are strong; therefore, they are given special treatment, and even I must play by these rules for now.” The Princess looked Tyr directly in the eyes with a steely gaze. “I want you to join me. I want the Isi, their teachings, and their disciples to be officially part of my faction. You have seen the faults in our way of life and have felt their effects harder than most. We are like animals warring over table scraps while a thief steals from our pantry. I want to see the fire neither Arnar nor Ingrid could stomp out.”

Tyr’s mouth hung agape. “Yo-Your majesty I…”

“This is not something you have to answer right now,” Sigrun said. “Go, collect your people, and mourn your losses. Once you have healed, I will hear your answer. As for you two, Joha and Sif, as demons, I cannot offer you the same as the Patriarch, but your actions have secured my influence over this domain and have save the lives and livelihoods of thousands. I will grant you any reasonable request that is within my power.”