Transcendence, page 7
part #6 of The Beginning After The End Series
“That is my job,” he said, holding up his cup in a solitary toast.
“Well, can you tell me what my job is right now? Because I’m not a Lance, which means I’m not a general.”
“Patience. You just have to wait five seconds,” he said, pouring himself another cup from the pot.
The cheers had died down by now as Virion began speaking. “Many of you have traveled far to be here, and that fills me with pride. As I’m sure you have noticed, standing beside me are your leaders, the very people who have protected this continent and the ones who will protect us in the future.”
Another wave of cheers erupted as Rahdeas, the Glayder family, and the Eralith family waved once more.
“However, while these are the heroes you see in the light, there are heroes in the shadows who constantly risk their lives to fight for this continent. I’d like you all to help me welcome the Lances of Dicathen!”
Varay, Aya, and Bairon marched out to the edge of the balcony with their heads held high and shoulders square. Virion and the royal families turned to greet them.
An even louder ovation exploded as the three Lances came into view. The chaotic array of shouts and cheers soon became a collective chant that grew louder and louder: “Lance-ES, Lance-ES, Lance-ES.”
After several moments of chanting, Virion raised a hand, silencing the hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of people immediately.
“Everyone! We are in a time of war,” Virion spoke sternly after a moment of silence. “I know that half of the Lances are absent, and that is not by mistake. Some are in the middle of a mission and were not able to come.”
I exchanged glances with Aldir at Virion’s lie, but I made no remark. I knew what the revelation that one of the Lances had already been killed would do to the crowd.
Virion continued. “The Lances have constantly shed blood and tears to keep Dicathen safe, but in these uncertain times we can no longer rely only on the strong. We must fight together in order to keep our homes safe.
“At the inauguration of the Lances almost four years ago, we made a promise that the title of Lance would not be limited by birth or status, but could only be earned through hard work, talent, and strength. Today is the dawning of a new era, and with that new era come new heroes. One such hero has been discovered and is here with us today. Please, welcome with me, our newest Lance: Arthur Leywin!”
Chapter 8
Speech and Statement
Virion, Rahdeas, the Lances, and both royal families all turned to me as I walked toward the balcony edge. The applause rose to a deafening crescendo at my appearance. Virion waited for me at the very end.
Bairon’s and Varay’s expressions were callous as they let me pass, but Aya’s lips curled into a coy smile and she nodded approvingly.
Tess gave me a sharp look—I assumed she was still upset from yesterday’s argument—while Kathyln’s eyes creased in a rare smile. Her brother, Curtis, waved while his parents and the rest of the central figures on the balcony joined the crowd’s applause.
I stepped out into the open. The morning sun shone brightly overhead, covering the world below in a blanket of light. As my eyes adjusted, I marveled at the sight.
The people gathered there—humans, elves, and dwarves alike—stretched as far as I could see, as if they were touching the horizon. They clustered tightly, hoping to get even an inch closer to their continent’s leaders. The excitement, respect, and jubilance in the air could be felt all the way up here.
“What?” Virion said, smiling warmly. “Never had a crowd of over a million people cheer for you?”
I simply shook my head and smiled, remembering how many times I had experienced just that in my past life. “Was this your idea?”
“Why? Are you angry?” Virion turned to the crowd, nudging me forward so the people below could get a better view of me.
“If it was anyone other than you behind this, I would be.”
“Good. Now keep smiling and wave at them. They can see you on a wide-scale projection behind us.”
Taking a quick glance at the enormous screen behind me, I thought of Emily Watsken, who had disclosed to me in class one day that she was the one who had designed this artifact. I raised an arm and waved to the masses, Sylvie following suit atop my shoulder.
The thundering cheers slowly softened to a buzz of excitement as everyone stepped back from the balcony railing except Virion and me. “Now,” he said after removing the voice-amplifying artifact clipped to his collar. “You wouldn’t happen to have a speech ready about the upcoming war, would you?”
“You’re kidding me, right?” I struggled to maintain a calm smile.
“I want you to be the one who presents the announcement,” Virion said, his voice unwavering as he handed the artifact to me.
“Virion. I can’t.” My voice faltered as I looked at the people below, waiting excitedly for someone to speak. “I wasn’t even prepared to be offered a position as a Lance, let alone give a speech as one.”
“I didn’t want you to prepare. These are your people, Arthur. You grew up among them and they’ll listen to you with much more openness and empathy than if some spoonfed noble spoke.”
“That’s only if I deliver a well-thought-out speech,” I argued. I turned to shake Virion’s hand, an attempt to delay the inevitable.
“I trust you. Just speak from your heart.” Virion stepped back as the trickle of cheers turned into an anxious silence.
Even the closest people in the crowd were no larger than the nail of my thumb from where I was standing, but I was still able to spot my parents among them, and my sister, who was riding atop Boo’s large shoulder.
I was completely unprepared, but my apprehension dwindled as I locked eyes with my mother. Even with my augmented vision, I was barely able to make out the gentle smile on her face, but that was enough.
I knew what to say.
Letting out a deep breath, I stood at the edge of the castle balcony and turned on the voice-amplifying artifact.
A loud buzz sounded, telling me the artifact was now on. I took another step forward so I was leaning on the balcony rail, and waited patiently for the fresh round of cheers to subside.
“Despite my age,” I began, “I’ve read countless books on this continent’s history and economy. Yet, none of those books explain what makes a citizen love their country. Some historians have speculated that it’s simply because they were born there that they have a natural inclination toward their homeland. One author by the name of Jespik Lempter argues that there is an intricate trickledown effect that starts with the leaders being able to provide for their people, and continues down to parents being able to feed their children. As long as that flow of security in livelihood is maintained, he states, natural loyalty to the providing country is sustained.
“I tell you this because I disagree with both claims. I choose to believe that loyalty isn’t a calculated decision by the citizens, nor should it be diminished by the assumption that loyalty is framed purely by the accident of our births. Loyalty to one’s country is born of mutual respect between a country’s leadership and its people; from the support of friends, neighbors, and strangers; from the promise to protect one another and progress together. Perhaps it is presumptuous to even try defining the term, as we each carry in our heart our own definition, just as we each show loyalty to our country in our own way.
“But one thing is certain: Loyalty is always easier when times are easy. It’s easy to cheer for your king when your children are well-fed and your land is prosperous. It’s easy to rally behind an army when you know it’s going to win. But it is unlikely that this war will be easy. Your loyalty to this country—to this entire continent—will be tested. There will be times when you’ll be faced with a choice between dying with your people or hoping to live with your enemies.” The atmosphere among the crowd darkened as my voice fell into a whisper, but I continued.
“The fact that I’m up here right now speaks for the choice I’m going to make when that time comes for me—and it isn’t because of my title as a Lance. My loyalty wasn’t bought, but neither was it freely given. My loyalty to this continent, and to everyone on it, was nurtured during my childhood in the countryside, then as an adventurer, a student, and then a teacher. Now, it’ll be proven as a Lance.
“Sure, Dicathen and its leaders have their flaws, but what no one can say is that they haven’t tried. The joining of the three kingdoms to form the Council would’ve been unheard of only a few generations ago, yet the leaders of the three races put aside their pride and differences to unite, to share their resources with one another, in order to better the lives of all who live here. While discrimination may still exist, this land we live in belongs to all of us.
“Just beyond this city is an army—over a hundred ships approaching our shores. We’ve been given the option to either give up the lives of all the royal families who have served this continent in exchange for our enemy taking our land without a fight, or to proceed with this war on a greater, much more devastating scale.
“Commander Virion was ready to give up his own life to protect this continent—to protect you—but I said it wasn’t his call. This doesn’t only affect his and his family’s lives, but the lives of everyone here.”
I turned around and motioned for Virion and everyone else to come forward. “I would rather fight and risk dying for the life I’ve come to love here than betray my brethren in hopes of a promise that our enemies—enemies who have already separated families—may or may not keep.
“But I dare not speak for everyone on this continent. The only thing I can say with full confidence is that, if given the chance, every one of us up here will fight to our last breath to protect Dicathen from the likes of those who dare invade us.”
It was utter quiet for what seemed like hours until a single voice broke the silence.
“Long live Dicathen!”
That single proclamation set off an eruption. As if the crowd had choreographed their cheer, a thundering chant began, shaking the ground and the very castle we stood in.
“Long live Dicathen. Long live Dicathen. Long live Dicathen!”
I turned off the voice-amplifying artifact and gave a deep breath of relief. Sylvie hopped off my shoulder, and as the cheer grew to its climax, my bond transformed from her pearly fox form into that of an almighty dragon.
When she spread her wings, I realized once again how much she had grown over the years. Her wingspan surpassed the width of the balcony, and gales blasted down on the crowd with each beat of her black wings.
While I was startled that she would reveal herself now, and without giving me any notice, I played along. I unsheathed the giant sword on my back and held it high in the air, just as my bond faced the sky and let loose a thunderous roar that drowned out all other noise, resounding from the stones around us and out over the gathered crowd, instilling fear and awe in all who heard.
Sylvie’s theatrics immediately intensified the crowd’s chanting, and an even louder cheer erupted at our powerful display.
I turned back around to see wide eyes staring at me after this turn of events.
“I thought you didn’t have anything prepared,” Virion said with a raised brow.
I shrugged in response as Sylvie shrank back to her pup form and hopped onto my shoulder. “I improvised.”
‘I did good, right?’ Sylvie chirped in my mind.
You got the message across, show-off, I replied, tousling the fur on my bond’s little head.
Curtis came up to me, beaming in excitement. “That last bit was terrific. I mean, I heard that Sylvie was a dragon from the students who were at school when we were attacked but…”
The prince gazed wistfully between Sylvie and me, then he stepped forward to wave at the captivated mass roaring our names.
After several minutes of receiving the crowd’s cheers, we headed back into the castle. As I slowly retreated, I saw Tess striding off, heading for the teleportation gate we had come from, without a word to any of us.
“I take it that Tessia is still mad at me?” I asked Virion, who was walking alongside me.
“Mad, frustrated, annoyed, offended—I’m not sure which, but I do know that whatever she’s feeling towards you, it isn’t good,” he said, holding back a chuckle. “Now, I’m sure you have some things to take care of with your family, but I need you back at the castle as soon as you’re done.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I send my parents off, but I’m still not sure whether it’d be best to keep my sister here or have her go with my parents,” I said.
“There are quite a few mothers and children who are going to be in the castle. Some of them are even teachers at magic academies, so it might be beneficial for her to stay, but only if she’s okay with being separated from you and your parents,” he noted.
“Yeah, you have a point. I’ll try to convince her.”
Virion nodded as he dug into the inside pocket of his robe. “There’s one last thing you need to think about.”
He pulled his hand out and opened it in front of me to reveal a black coin the size of his palm. The coin glimmered at the slightest movement, drawing my attention to the complex engravings etched all over it. “This is one of the artifacts that were handed down to me. I had given them both to my son when I resigned from the throne, but after Alea’s death, he gave this one back to me, saying I should choose the next Lance.”
I stood there silently for a moment, mesmerized by the oval coin that seemed to pulse in Virion’s hand. “So this is the artifact Alea had?”
“Yes. Bonding it with your blood and mine will trigger it, giving you the boost that allowed all the other Lances to break into the white stage. I know you’re not an elf, but I’d be honored if you’d serve as a Lance under me.”
My hands twitched, tempted to accept this gift that would give me a better chance to fight the Four Scythes and their retainers.
But I shook my head with a resigned shrug. “I’ll fight for you even without this bond, but I can’t accept it. I may regret this, but it doesn’t feel right for me to cheat my way into the white stage. I’ll get there on my own.”
“Good choice,” the familiar, hoarse voice of a certain asura chimed in from behind me.
I looked back over my shoulder to see the purple-eyed asura walk over, his arms behind his back.
“Lord Aldir.” Virion bowed curtly, his palm still open for the asura to see.
Aldir lifted the coin from his hand and studied it. “While this artifact may give you a tremendous boost in strength, it also greatly inhibits the potential to grow further.”
The asura tossed the coin back to Virion as he continued speaking. “Normally, I’d recommend that any lessers take the opportunity to use it, especially in these dangerous times—but Arthur, you’re a different case. Your talent aside, Lady Sylvie’s dragon blood courses through your veins and the powerful will of her mother inside your mana core. It may be a disadvantage during the war, but I’d suggest you don’t take it.”
“Thank you for the heads-up,” I replied. Taking a look around, I saw that while Blaine and Priscilla Glayder remained here, Curtis and Kathyln were gone, along with Tess and her parents.
“Are you heading back to the castle right now as well?” I asked Virion.
Virion nodded solemnly. “There’s much to prepare for. Blaine and Priscilla, with the help of their Lances, will prepare the city in the meantime. We won’t know where exactly they’ll land or how spread out they’re going to be, but it’s vital that we protect this city. Fortunately, the ships are still a few days away.”
“I understand. I’ll meet you as soon as I’ve taken care of everything here.”
Virion and Aldir prepared to go through the teleportation gate, but then the white-haired asura turned back, meeting my gaze with his single purple eye. “Arthur, are you ready for this war?”
“No,” I replied honestly, “but I don’t plan on losing to those damn Vritra.”
Aldir smiled. “Good. That’s what I like to hear.”
Chapter 9
Role
Virion and Aldir headed back to the castle, while I stayed behind to see my mother and father off. They were insistent about rejoining the Twin Horns and helping out in the war. As we said our goodbyes, I tried to dissuade them from going near the western shore where the fighting would be the heaviest, but they were adamant.
As frustrated as I was, I couldn’t blame them for it. For me, there may have been a certain amount of detachment despite growing up here, since I remembered my previous life. I considered Dicathen my home because this was where my family was, which was a large factor as to why I decided to fight against the Vritra. But for them, this land was truly their home. Protecting it was only natural.
After they’d gone, I removed the last of my armor, then sank down into my seat and let out a deep breath. “Damn it,” I cursed, rubbing my temples.
“Getting into an argument with them wasn’t the best way to part,” Sylvie spoke as she lay down, resting her head on her paws on top of the polished tea table.
“Thank you for enlightening me.” I rolled my eyes. “I just don’t understand why they wouldn’t listen to my advice. I didn’t say anything wrong.”
“You basically told them to go off into some remote area and stay hidden,” she replied.
“Those were not the words I used,” I retorted, kicking off my boots.
“But that’s what you meant.”
“I just want them to stay safe,” I murmured, conceding her point.
Sylvie hopped off the tea table and onto the armrest of my chair. “If your parents were concerned about their own safety, they wouldn’t have joined the war.”
“Well, I’m more concerned about my family’s safety than this war. I’m thankful that they’re at least leaving Ellie behind, but that doesn’t mean they should just go out risking their lives.”
