Rise of Tyrus

Sir Geroth drummed his fingers along his outer thigh, glancing around. He couldn't decide which was more nerve-wracking: witnessing the birth of his son as he held his wife's hand or the outcome of tonight's assembly.

Emperor Johan pace around expansive throne room, his hands clasped behind his back as he surveyed the assembled group. Sir Geroth stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his colleagues, with Heade to his right, Captain Kalavan in the middle, and Othelia on the other end.

Moonlight seeped through the tall, arched windows, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the silent air alongside the glowing sconces amongst the pillars. A stillness fell over the court, broken only by the faint tapping of feet amongst stone.

"Now seems like a good time to start the assembly," Emperor Johan announced.

Captain Kalavan raised an eyebrow at the emperor's unusual positioning. "Your Majesty, I believe you'd more comfortable on your throne. This discussion may take some time."

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Emperor Johan's lips. "I simply feel like standing today, Captain. Sometimes a different perspective helps clarify matters. Ah, and before we proceed with other matters, we must address Nessa's condition. As you all know, she has yet to regain consciousness. Nessa remains in what can only be described as a stasis. She shows no response to external stimuli. No reaction to sound, touch, or even mana."

Sir Geroth watched Heade's face contort into a scowl. "It is a tragedy what happened to Nessa. She might be an annoying and lacking in the height department, but I do find her disappearence obvious."

"For now, all we can do is wait and monitor her condition closely," Emperor Johan said. "Cecilia believes whatever affected her may simply need time to wear off naturally."

The silence that followed felt suffocating. Sir Geroth had seen many injuries in his years of service, but this mysterious condition unsettled him more than any sword wound ever could.

Captain Kalavan clapped his hands, cutting through the quiet. "Since we're discussing that incident, perhaps you should brief us on what transpired during your encounter with Scourge, Othelia."

Sir Geroth turned his attention to Othelia, noting her characteristic stoic expression as she straightened to deliver her report.

"As I reported initially, I arrived just as the enemy was preparing to deliver a killing blow to Nessa. I managed to intervene, but not before she sustained significant injury."

"And the assailants?" Captain Kalavan prompted.

"Two sorcerers," Othelia replied curtly. "One wielded blood-based attacks and fought with reckless abandon. The other possessed a primary affinity for dark. During the battle, the dark sorcerer created a pool of shadows and escaped through it, carrying what appeared to be an unconscious figure."

Blood drained from Sir Geroth's face. A dark sorcerer capable of shadow travel; the description was hitting uncomfortably close to home, though he tried to push those thoughts aside for now.

Heade tilted his head. "An unconscious figure?"

"Most likely the naraga," Othelia confirmed. "The shapeshifting creature that can assume the appearance and memories of its victims. I had believed such beings to be extinct, so I must apologize for my failure to prevent their escape."

Captain Kalavan grimaced, waving off her apology. "The very existence of naragas is significant; we'll need a full court to address it. But what's puzzling is why the dark sorceress abandoned her ally. If she could transport one person through shadows, surely she could have taken them both."

The question gnawed at Sir Geroth as well. He'd been turning it over in his mind since first hearing Othelia's report, and none of the explanations he could think of were particularly comforting.

"Perhaps there are limitations we're unaware of," he suggested, though even as he said it, doubt crept into his voice. "Or maybe the blood sorcerer was considered expendable."

"Or," Heade added, "she was buying time to escape with something more valuable than her companion's life."

"Whatever the reason, I dealt with the blood sorcerer permanently," Othelia continued. "Afterward, the young explorers Tyrus and Fiona provided immediate treatment to Nessa before I could transport her for proper healing."

Sir Geroth noticed Captain Kalavan's expression darken immediately. "It troubles me that those same children keep encountering Scourge operatives. They're fortunate to be alive."

A look of self-reproach crossed the captain's face as he paused, a look Sir Geroth recognized immediately. "I should have intervened when Nessa insisted on investigating alone. I know how headstrong she can be, yet I allowed her to proceed without backup."

Without hesitation, Sir Geroth placed a reassuring hand on Captain Kalavan's shoulder. The man carried enough burdens without adding unnecessary guilt to them. "Don't blame yourself, Kalavan. Everything worked out in the end, and Nessa is still with us."

Heade stepped forward. "If I may, Your Majesty, I'd like to report on my recent mission."

"Proceed," said Emperor Johan.

"As instructed, I made confidential contact with several branch leaders of the Explorer Guild across the empire. They've all agreed to cooperate in monitoring their respective areas for suspicious activities." Heade's expression grew grave, and Sir Geroth braced himself for bad news. "Unfortunately, there's been a marked increase in disappearances along our borders. Citizens vanishing without trace, often entire families."

Sir Geroth felt his jaw tighten. The scope of Scourge's operations was becoming clearer, and it painted a disturbing picture.

"How does this connect to what we already know?" Captain Kalavan asked.

"The lighthouse incident," Heade answered. "The makeshift prison in the Whispering Forest where we rescued those captured citizens. A pattern suggests Scourge is expanding their operations."

Sir Geroth watched as Heade reached into his uniform and withdrew a small device. As the royal knight activated it, a translucent screen of light materialized in the air before them.

"These are Nessa's findings from inside the lighthouse, transmitted the night of the infiltration."

Sir Geroth's stomach churned as the floating display revealed images that would haunt his dreams. Tables covered in chalk runes surrounded by dissection instruments, their surfaces stained with evidence of unspeakable experiments. Rows of glass jars lined the walls, some containing chunks of charred flesh, others preserving whole organs suspended in cloudy solutions.

He grimaced at the crude diagrams covering the walls—human silhouettes overlaid with frantic notes and magical symbols. Red lines traced across hearts and skulls, while entire limbs were circled and labeled as "infusion sites." Half-unfurled scrolls, blueprints, and handwritten notes detailing procedures that violated every principle of ethical research he'd ever learned were present as well. The clinical nature of the documentation somehow made it even more horrifying.

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He watched Emperor Johan's stroke his chin as the ruler studied the evidence. "Scourge is indeed kidnapping people for experimentation. They deliberately choose locations far from the capital to avoid detection."

"The focus seems to be on mana cores, corrupted mana, and the soul," Captain Kalavan followed, his voice tight with disgust that Sir Geroth shared completely.

"Which brings us to our next course of action," Emperor Johan continued. "We need to coordinate a comprehensive response to counter their operations."

"Your Majesty, perhaps it's time to involve the Great Lineages directly. The Crohn, Lockhart, and Aduna families have resources and influence that could prove invaluable in tracking down Scourge operatives."

Emperor Johan considered this for a moment before shaking his head. "That would require a full court session to approve the collaboration. The Family Heads are quite the uncooperative bunch when situations that do not threaten or concern them are involved. Let's focus on what we can accomplish with our current resources."

"Then we need to understand what Scourge hopes to achieve," Sir Geroth added. "Why are mana cores and corrupted mana so central to their experiments? What's their ultimate goal?"

He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing. "Actually, Your Majesty, I may have some relevant information. I recently spoke with the Elder Treant about any unusual occurrences at the sanctuary."

Sir Geroth felt all eyes turn to him, but pressed on. "The Elder Treant mentioned a lesser fire drake that threatened Wildwood recently. While the situation was resolved, what struck me as significant was that the drake bore shackles around its neck and showed signs of previous injury."

He watched Heade scratch his bird nest of a head. "There shouldn't be any drakes in the western regions of Dharmere. Draconic species typically inhabit the northern and eastern territories."

"Precisely," Sir Geroth agreed, pleased that Heade had immediately grasped the implications. "Which suggests this creature was transported there deliberately."

Captain Kalavan crossed his arms and scowled. "If it bore shackles, then someone captured it. But who has the capability to subdue a draconic species? Not many possess such power. It could be an illegal beast trade gone wrong, though that seems unlikely given the proximity to the capital."

Othelia, who had remained silent during this exchange, suddenly spoke up. "What if it was planted there intentionally? An illegal trade operation would be incredibly difficult to conduct so close to the capital, given our constant patrols. But if someone wanted to test the sanctuary's defenses or create a distraction..."

"There's another factor to consider," Sir Geroth said. "This sanctuary incident, combined with the one that was destroyed in the Wasteful Wetlands because of corrupted mana cannot be a coincidence."

"You think Scourge is deliberately targeting Mevena's sanctuaries?" Captain Kalavan asked, and Sir Geroth could hear the concern in his voice.

"Two sanctuaries attacked within months of each other, and now we know Scourge is experimenting with mana cores," Sir Geroth replied, his conviction growing stronger as he spoke. "A lesser fire drake possesses a mana core that catches the eyes of many. The connection may be tenuous, but it's worth keeping in mind. Also, there is another matter I must bring up."

Sir Geroth took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he knew would be the most difficult part of this conversation. The suspicion that had been gnawing at him since Othelia's and Tyrus's report could no longer be ignored. His colleagues' reactions would tell him much about whether his suspicions were as far-fetched as he hoped they were.

"The dark sorcerer that escaped Othelia," he drawled. "Based on the description provided, this individual was a woman with dark hair and eyes as black as the shadows she manipulated. She demonstrated the ability to travel through shadows with remarkable skill. I know of only one that comes to mind."

Heade was the first to voice what he was thinking. "Sir Geroth, are you suggesting this 'Wanderer' person might be Talia?"

The name crashed into the room, hushing everyone. Captain Kalavan's eyes shot up while Heade simply continued scratching his head. Othelia and Emperor Johan merely stood there quietly, waiting for Sir Geroth to continue.

"Othelia," Sir Geroth said. "You encountered this sorcerer directly. What are your thoughts?"

The lady knight glanced sideways. "I couldn't observe her face clearly, as her back was turned during most of our encounter. However, according to Tyrus's description, she had black hair and a scar on her cheek. Her eyes appeared black rather than the ash-colored ones I remember Talia having."

Aside from eye color, everything else matched the description between Wanderer and Talia. Traveling through the shadows was incredibly difficult without having a great affinity for the dark element. This method of travel mirrored that of those with opposing affinities; they could transform into light, enabling rapid movement. Since one was physically altering their body, prowess needed to accomplish that required significant time and effort. While the world is vast, the amount of people able to shift their bodies into something else entirely can be counted on two hands, and for shadows, only one came to mind.

And that person was Talia.

Heade scrunched his nose as he spoke. "We haven't heard from Talia since she was sent on that mission to the Beastfolk Kingdom. Her communication device went silent, and despite our inquiries, no one has seen or heard from her since. We assumed she died in the line of duty. For her of all people to be aligned with Scourge-"

"Never in a million years would Talia align herself with scum like Scourge," Othelia said with a snort of derision. "The very suggestion is insulting to her memory."

"I disagree. I believe Talia is alive and working with Scourge, and I can prove it," Sir Geroth said.

"That's a serious accusation," Captain Kalavan said, his voice dangerously low and carrying a warning that Sir Geroth chose to ignore. He had come too far to back down now.

"Consider this," Sir Geroth continued. "Young Tyrus bears a striking resemblance to Talia. His aptitude for dark magic is unusually high, quite rare. Furthermore, he's plagued by auditory hallucinations: an androgynous voice commanding him relentlessly. I believe... Tyrus is a union between Talia and a black tiger."

Another pause so profound it felt physical stunned mostly everyone in the room; the air itself seemed to hold its breath. Heade stood rigid with mouth was left agape while Othelia's eyes were raised, albeit slightly. Captain Kalavan just sighed and buried a hand against his face.

"You're suggesting that Talia not only survived her mission, but also..." Captain Kalavan couldn't finish the sentence, his voice trailing off.

"Had a child with a member of the Beastfolk Kingdom," Sir Geroth finished. "It would explain Tyrus's unique characteristics and abilities."

Sir Geroth felt the weight of all their gazes as they processed this information, but he was particularly interested in Emperor Johan's reaction. The ruler had remained conspicuously silent throughout this entire exchange, and that silence was beginning to feel odd. Even his characteristically relaxed smile was gone.

Despite being a ruler, Emperor Johan was a silly man from time to time. His decisions were sometimes impulsive, and his actions could be childish, betraying a surprising lack of gravity for someone in his position of power. This often led to frustrating few members of the court unable to understand the emperor's thoughts. One example of this was rather recent, centering on the trial held against Tyrus.

However, when necessary, Emperor Johan displayed remarkable intelligence and wisdom, exceeding what one would expect from someone of his age. His pronouncements, while occasionally whimsical, often proved surprisingly insightful, leaving his court both bewildered and impressed by his unpredictable nature. However, right now, the one before him was no longer the lighthearted Emperor Johan.

Heade was the first to speak. "Now that I think about it, Your Majesty, you never told us exactly what kind of mission you sent Talia on. I always found it odd that you dispatched only her, though I never questioned your reasoning. I assumed you chose her for her strength and reconnaissance abilities."

Sir Geroth watched intently as all their collective attention focused on Emperor Johan, waiting for an answer that he suspected would not be forthcoming. Yet the emperor's response was an enigmatic smile; Sir Geroth felt his blood run cold as the emperor began walking slowly toward his throne.

"With war approaching, the difficulty of defeating a kingdom or empire through conventional means proves a challenge. It requires vast resources, armies, and years of planning. But toppling a king or emperor? That's remarkably simple. Rebellion, succession disputes, assassination, political maneuvering—there are countless methods. However, conventional methods against the Beastfolk Kingdom will not work."

Captain Kalavan frowned. "Your Majesty, where are you going with this?"

Emperor Johan settled into his throne, leaning back slightly, one arm resting on the armrest. "The Beastfolk Kingdom's succession differs greatly from our empire's. An ancient tradition, as archaic as the wilds themselves. They elect their king much like beasts in the wild—through a contest of strength. Only members of the Tiger Tribe may compete for the crown, through the Skaura."

"If the kingdom declares war, as I suspect will soon if King Murus is truly being controlled," Emperor Johan continued in the same almost casual tone, "then what must be done is to ensure a certain someone is properly prepared for the next Skaura. A weapon forged within the Lethos Empire, with Beastfolk roots, will be the Beastfolk Kingdom's downfall. And I, the Fifth Emperor of Lethos, will be the one to initiate it."