Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

"Or maybe they hid it?" he said slyly.

At that moment, Arturo joined their conversation. Mikael smiled at the knight and continued.

"Yes, I believe the Church tried to hide his hair color, erasing it from every book."

"Why was it so important for the Church to hide that detail?" Rhyssa asked, not understanding.

Mikael flashed a triumphant grin.

"Because the Enochian Empire's royal family had a different hair color, a dominant trait, just like other royal families: Alan's descendants have black hair; Zhu Ar Zur's descendants have green hair and green eyes; and Duvan Renasi's descendants always have blue hair and blue eyes."

Mikael stared at Rhyssa.

"You knew all along?" Arturo exclaimed as he tightened his grip around his sword.

Mikael held up his hand. "Not that I care, but I could not help but notice."

"Stop being so tense Arturo. I trust him."

"Thank you for your confidence, my lady," the scholar said, bowing his head a little and smiling at the same time. He remained calm even though Arturo stood so close to him.

"Continue your story."

He nodded. "If the Church was hiding something then why would they hide that one feature? Because that trait was a mark of royalty and it meant that Levitia was a survivor of the Sunken Empire. That is why he is referred to as the Child of the Fallen Land in the prophecy. If his ancestors were royalty, you could understand why that would be dangerous for the Church."

"How so?" Rhyssa asked, still confused.

Mikael smiled a knowing smile.

"Leliana was an Artagnan, the heir to the Kingdom of the Living Isle, a descendant of the Thirteen Kings, and the princess of the Thirteen Great Tribes. If Levitia and Leliana had gotten married, their union would have unified two of the greatest empires."

"Kingdom of the Living Isle?" she interrupted.

"Another Kingdom that sunk during the Calamity," Arturo piped in.

Rhyssa looked at the knight in shock.

"Why do you look so surprised?" Arturo continued. "I'm not such a brute as you make me out to be Prin… I mean mistress," he quickly corrected.

Mikael laughed. "Still putting up a charade? But you must have access to the royal library if you've read about the Kingdom of the Living Isle?"

"How do you know that?" asked a shocked Arturo.

"I'm a scholar and my trade is to know things."

"So, what does that mean? If they were to unite that is?" Rhyssa asked, going back to the story.

"That means that their wedding would have united everyone. The Thirteen Tribes would have had a new heir to claim their kingdoms, a common king that would have embodied the nobility of all the Thirteen Tribes. The Church at the time did not want that because the Thirteen Tribes were pagan and believed in their Great Pantheon. The Church supported Alexander because he was a follower of their religion. Levitia, however, was not, but was tolerated by the same Church. And like the Church tolerated on him, he tolerated the Church. That is why so many scholars believe that the Church had a hand in Levitia's demise."

Arturo nodded in agreement while Rhyssa contemplated the matter.

There was a church in Renasia, but there were not that many believers. Most people in Renasia believed in the Sun Emperor.

Seeing that she understood, Mikael continued.

"And since the blame was shifted to his cousin, Levitia's bloodline came to an end. His cousin was his last blood relative."

Rhyssa nodded. Mikael's theory made sense. It was almost like it had been planned.

"After Levitia's death, the Great Hero was canonized by the Church. Yet, Levitia himself was a pitiful man, leaving no descendants with his family exterminated."

The night wind blew slowly and everyone pondered about all that had been said.

"It is thought-provoking," Arturo said.

"What do you believe?" Rhyssa asked Mikael, curious to see what his answer would be.

He was staring at the stars in the night sky. Finally, he replied…

✽✽✽

"Princess, don't get distracted!" the knight yelled, snapping Rhyssa out of her daydream.

"Oh, you startled me Arturo!"

"Sorry."

A landscape of grass and hills lay before their eyes.

They had finally reached the Dukedom after traveling a long distance from the Far East.

They came across a vast and cratered field scattered with fallen armor and swords; blood marked the spot where a great battle had taken place.

The forest showed signs of fire and some trees had been felled, most probably for the construction of a temporary fortification.

Two massive armies clashed here, Rhyssa mused. Is there a war being waged in the Dukedom? Arturo approached her.

"Princess, it seems that an epic battle occurred in the region."

"Yes, I can see that. Do you think I'm blind?"

"I did not mean to offend you."

"But you did. I'm no longer a child."

"Considering that you ran away from the palace because you wanted to test your martial arts skills, well, that seems pretty childish to me."

Rhyssa glared at Arturo.

"Of course, you're the princess," he said and then fell silent.

Rhyssa gazed at the open fields and breathed in the summer breeze.

The air in the Dukedom was different from that of Renasia, more calming and soothing.

She thought of what Arturo had just said and agreed with him.

It was pretty childish of her to run away from home, but she desired to explore the world, to travel just like her martial arts teacher and to meet new people.

She was the Princess and the heir to the Kingdom of Renasia.

No one would ever let her forget that.

She knew what her official duties were and had been groomed for the role from a very young age.

She had been taught literature, arithmetic, strategy, etiquette, and all other matters associated with a royal upbringing.

But, deep down in her soul, what she wanted the most was to soar over this vast world that she inhabited, and she had actually felt that feeling of ultimate freedom during her martial arts battles.

"Arturo what do you know about the Dukedom? Are there any martial arts experts?" she asked.

"From what I gather, there are no famous practitioners of martial art in the Dukedom. Most people only know a little about martial arts. If there are any experts, you will probably find them in Vangua, Vern and Cori."

Rhyssa nodded. She wondered if it was best to leave this nation and head to Vern instead. Finally, she decided that she would stay in the hopes of finding a worthy opponent to fight.

"Are there any large cities in the Dukedom?" she asked.

"Yes, Princess. Acro."

"Acro? I have heard of that city."

"Yes, Princess. Acro City is a major trade center owned by the Vermont family. Since the founding of their House, they have built a port and a harbor and have opened up trade with other major cities. The Vermont's are known as one of the wealthiest families in all the continent and they rule a Duchy here in the Dukedom. The city has been described as beautiful and its citizens are quite rich. Most of them are traders and merchants selling their goods everywhere on the continent."

"All right then, we will set our stage there."

Arturo nodded and sprung forward with his horse to lead the way. The Princess and her knight rode in the direction of Acro City.

What adventure will I encounter there? Rhyssa mused with an expectant heart.

✽✽✽

ACRO

Rhyssa and Arturo were greeted by a dragon banner waving high above the city walls. Guards were on patrol on top of the observation tower, looking down and watching everything.

People rushing in and out of the city gate, loading items and unloading it on the city

The surrounding areas hinted that this city was a glorious one. The sound of laughter and smiles could be seen all over the city gate.

Some people look at the city wall and marvel at its height and the banner of the dragon

The Princess and her knight approached a beautiful bridge, built with skill and precision. Each brick had been perfectly placed to form symmetrical arches.

Along the edges on each side stood a balustrade of dome-topped pillars carved from stone and decorated with inscriptions and tapestries.

Rhyssa marveled at the ingenuity of the bridge and the beauty of the sculpted works. Such talent, she thought.

Once they reached Acro, they saw caravans enter and exit the city and merchants carry their wares on oxcarts.

Inside, the city was full of life.

Stalls and shops were loaded with goods from foreign lands: Asteros, Ariundus and Vorthy, the land of Eternal Winter.

Even the alleyways were full of traders with unique products.

They passed by a grocer with stands full of apples and oranges and a butcher displaying cow and goat meat as well as plucked chickens.

Rhyssa looked around and saw only joyful and happy faces.

She noticed all the tall buildings and houses and was impressed at how polished and clean they were.

Arturo is right. There are no poor people here, she thought.

'Acro' she muttered unconsciously

The duo was also struck by the university and the many schools being built in Acro.

Education seems to be something the Vermont family pay attention to which is different from many other noble families

Workers bustled about moving bricks and wood to the sites while carpenters and builders worked side by side in the construction of what was surely to become a hub for trade and knowledge in the region.

Rhyssa did not know the Vermont's, but she could clearly see how ambitious they were. Erecting such a metropolis meant that they sought power.

She had traveled to many cities during her journey, but none surpassed Acro which felt almost like a capital with its wide roads and busy streets.

The city is always moving, people, oxcart, carriage, caravans. All these people making, becoming a part of the city, the very part that makes this city lives and structure its prosperity.

The Princess was also in awe of the rich culture that surrounded her: teahouses, taverns, restaurants offering exotic dishes, theaters and even parks from what she was able to hear through overlapping conversations.

However, the jewel of the city was a great chapel constructed by the Vermont's and decorated with beautiful artworks from talented painters and sculptors.

That evening, the Princess and her knight rented a room in a nearby inn.

The city was quieter, but lanterns and candles lit up the streets and performers entertained the people on outdoor stages, in the marketplace or in surrounding restaurants that remained open overnight.

The innkeeper did tell us that this city never sleeps, Rhyssa mused.

It was night and Arturo had gone out to buy equipment and hire people for the construction of the stage where the battles were to occur the following day.

Rhyssa had taken the opportunity to go watch a play, a performance of "The Last Dinner", depicting the moment when the Great Hero Levitia announced during a dinner with his sworn brothers that someone he knew would betray him, someone at that table would betray him, as foretold by the prophecy.

That moment also called The Lamentation.

When she arrived at the outdoor theater, the crowd had already paid their tickets and gathered near the stage.

It was not long until the actor emerged from behind the curtains and began his performance. Rhyssa could see that he enjoyed delivering his lines.

A street performer, but a good one, she thought.

His words were clear and fluid; they danced around his tongue and into the ears of the audience, making everyone feel the very same emotion that Levitia had felt when he had realized that there was no turning back from his fate.

He was the greatest hero that ever lived, yet he was destined to die a tragic death.

He did not get to live a happily ever after with the love of his life, but instead was betrayed and killed by his own blood.

Though after listening to that scholar story, she had a different interpretation of this story

By the end of the act, Rhyssa felt tears running down her cheeks and wiped them with her hand.

Every line had been perfectly delivered.

The actor had flawlessly captured the emotion of one of the last chapters of the "Saga of Levitia."

The performance was good.

It filled me with emotion and made me tear up, Rhyssa mused.

She threw another penny in the box and walked back to the inn.

Arturo had returned and was waiting for her.

She decided that she would wander around the city before staging the battle the next day. Before going to bed, she prayed the Sun King to illuminate her days to come.

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