New World - A New Beginning

I adjusted the silk gown that had been given to me by the maids. The dress itself fit perfectly, the pristine whiteness of the outfit matching with the color of my hair. I looked into the mirror one final time, the ruby-red eyes that glared at me from the reflection swirling with determination.

I slotted the golden space bracelet onto my wrist, finalizing my appearance just as a soft voice echoed from the other side of the intricately decorated wooden door.

"His Majesty is ready for you, Princess."

These silk gowns weren't really my thing, but if it was the expected attire for a formal audience with the King, then I wouldn't complain. It wasn't that I disliked these kinds of dresses, but they seemed out of place during these times of war. Then again, the people of Feyfey appeared to be completely separated from the brutal war that was ongoing around them.

I exited the room, making eye contact with Amelia. She smiled as soon as she saw me.

"Looking good," she whispered as we followed the maids down the endless hallways. "I'm sure Jay would love to see you in that."

"I can't afford to think about that. I need to prioritize my objective," I responded neutrally, but Amelia remained unfazed by my indifference. The thought had obviously crossed my mind, but dwelling on pointless things like that at such a crucial moment would only hinder my concentration. No matter what my feelings were, I had to put my position before my desires.

"That's what they always say," she muttered, ending her quick series of jokes and refocusing on the golden doors that lay ahead.

"Where's Jean?" I asked. The most powerful S-rank was nowhere to be seen.

"Don't worry," said Amelia, feeling the slight hint of worry in my voice, "she'll join us soon. For now, let's go in. They're waiting for us."

"Right."

I took a step forward.

The movement triggered a reaction from the doors as they swung open, revealing the giant throne room that awaited us on the other side. The chamber was unlike anything I had ever seen, a massive sapling growing from the ceiling and spreading its bark across the walls. It felt like we were located in the middle of the forest, completely isolated from civilization.

The cool marble floor was dyed green, but upon closer inspection, I noticed that the stones were actually imbued with wind bind. Green energy floated within the ground, taking various shapes and forms as it shifted endlessly.

A single individual eyed me from above, comfortably sitting on his throne as if he were looking down on vermin. A hierarchy of race, that's what the Fei believed in. If they were sitting at the top... then the Dragonkin were at the very bottom.

It was an ideology that was now considered archaic by some, but the royal lineage still firmly held onto it. The Fei kingdom had always dominated Auroria no matter the era. Even if now it was sharing the position of power with other nations, their mindset never changed.

"It's an honor to finally meet you, King Valven," I said. My speech remained polite, but my body remained sturdy and straight. I would not bow to someone who viewed me as inferior.

"Princess Darck. What brings you here?" he asked, his voice amplified by the wind currents that crept through the room.

"I've come to negotiate a joint defensive against an oncoming threat that will wipe out Auroria."

"And what threat would that be?"

"The threat of the first SS-rank adventurer: Jay Cadmium."

Simply mentioning the rank of SS, a level that was considered unachievable, created a sudden tension within the room. The Feis around me couldn't tell if I was joking or not, but I showed no signs of weakness or hesitation in my words. All I was doing was stating facts.

"I hope this isn't some joke, Princess," growled King Valven, his brows furrowed in a mix of confusion and frustration. "That wouldn't be very honorable now, would it?"

I understood that what I was saying seemed impossible, but the King's words immediately made me close my fists in anger. Did he think I came here to joke around?

"Do... you really think I'm joking, Your Highness?"

"!!"

The air in the room vanished momentarily as I was unable to contain my emotions. A small grunt arose beside me, my eyes glancing to notice Amelia's body wince at the aura. My powers alone weren't enough to bring an S-rank to their knees, but for some reason, they seemed to be affecting those around me more drastically.

Was the Elder Wyvern's aura escaping the link?

The thought brought me back to reality. I took a deep breath, recalling all the negative emotions and glaring at the King. His hands gripped the sides of his throne as if his life depended on it, his eyes trembling uncontrollably. 

"You... have you come to threaten me?" he asked. The Vye twins stepped forth at the words of their King, already prepared to neutralize the potential threat.

"I've come to negotiate," I repeated calmly. Valven stared into my eyes, attempting to judge the validity of my words. Losing control had been a massive mishap, and it seemed like the only way to prove myself would be the way Auroria loved most.

In a world where the strong ruled, one had to prove themselves through combat.

That being said, it would all come down to nothing if the King didn't believe in the threat. What could I do to convince him? How could I prove that the threat was real?

"Even if we were to assume this threat to be real, why would we help you? You Dragons can do nothing but stall and buy time. Your power lies in your cowardice, that is why you have survived for so long," said Valven. The Fei King was now revealing his true thought about the Dragonkin, his disliking for them reinforced by the momentary terror he had just experienced.

"You cannot beat him on your own," I assured.

"We are the nation that has stood on Auroria the longest. This so-called SS-ranked adventurer will not change that."

Ah, that's right. If an SS-ranked adventurer had never existed, then there was no way of understanding the true power they possessed. Speculation was the only way one could estimate the strength of an SS-rank, and in the eyes of the Fei King, a Dragon could never amount to such a level of power.

"Your Highness," said Amelia, walking forward and placing herself right beside me, "I would like to object to your reasoning. Tell me, if every individual in this room were to fight one on one, who would win?"

"You would, Amelia Lala. You have earned your position as second-ranked fairly," responded Valven, his attitude completely different now that he was talking to a human.

"I see. I would like to reveal something, then. That boy that you look down on, Jay Cadmium, defeated Jean Lymine in a duel. I trust you understand what this means?"

Valven's eyes widened at the news. The words of the most powerful lightning binder on Auroria were legitimate, and if she was acknowledging Jay as the new king of strength, then there was no denying his abilities.

"Jean Lymine was defeated...?" muttered Rena. Every S-rank had fought the Battle Goddess at least once in their lifetime, and the memories were all unpleasant.

"I understand your worries, Miss. Lala. If that is the case, then I suggest we enter a period of ceasefire to deal with this threat," offered the King, extending his hand as if he were requesting assistance.

"I'm not doing anything without her," stated Amelia, gesturing towards me with her thumb. Valven's eyes darkened, the thought of working alongside a Dragonkin utterly revolting to him.

"She will only hold us back."

"If you are so confident, then there should be no problem in letting her prove herself, no? If Princess Darck is as weak as you make her out to be, then one of your S-ranks should be able to deal with her within a minute easily."

Valven glanced at the stronger of his two subordinates, wondering what they thought of the situation. Rena glared at me in an attempt to analyze my power. She looked up at her king, gesturing with an open palm.

"I understand that Princess Darck isn't a helpless little girl. How does five minutes sound? Rena Vye will easily be able to dispose of someone such as her within that time," he said, fighting back against the urge to grin.

"Very well," responded Amelia, gently tapping my shoulder before turning around, "let us begin immediately then. We don't have much time."