Shameless One

As one of the most enigmatic and powerful organisations in Lordrixis, the gathering of all the Belkarn Clan members was an event of rare significance. The sheer number of people present filled the largest court within the Belkarn Clan castle, yet it was still cramped, a testament to the scale of the gathering. What shocked the senior members the most, however, was the suddenness with which the meeting was called. Even the members of the information and relations sectors, who typically operated with a sense of autonomy, were ordered to return immediately, with no exceptions.

Such an abrupt summons had never occurred in the Clan's history. Never had a meeting been so urgent that all ongoing operations were suspended without question. The atmosphere was thick with tension.

Within a day, the construction sector had worked tirelessly to erect a small yet impressive stage. The Clan's leader, Glynn Belkarn, stood at its centre, waiting for the hustle below to subside. Behind him were the heads of the other five sectors, as well as Kylainn Esmira, a figure whose presence only added to the unease. The weariness and apprehension on their faces spread to the rest of the gathered Clan members, and the room grew heavy with uncertainty. Only Kylainn remained outwardly composed, his cold expression tinged with something deeper. 

Rin Dreamer scanned across the crowd, searching for Ruby. The members were scattered across the different sectors, and with such a meeting, it was nearly impossible to find time to catch up with each other. The atmosphere, however, was thick with unease, the murmur of conversation among the Clan members betraying their growing fear. Despite the fact that they were warriors trained to face danger without flinching, they still couldn't escape the weight of the situation.

At last, Glynn raised his hand, signalling one of his subordinates to step forward. The man handed him a small speaker, which Glynn raised to his mouth, his voice carrying through the hall.

"Can you hear me?" Glynn's question, though simple, carried the weight of something far more serious than it seemed.

As the echo of his voice returned, Glynn took a deep breath and spoke with his usual lazy drawl, though today, there was an unusual gravity to his words. "I don't want to rush through this. As the friendly and approachable leader of the Belkarn Clan, I'd much rather greet each of you individually and ask about your lunch. But..." He paused for effect, his tone shifting. "We don't have that luxury. Every second counts. So I'll get straight to the point."

Rin's eyes flicked to the other members, her lips curling into a resigned smile. Glynn had never been one for brevity, and she knew this would be no different.

"As you all know," Glynn continued, his voice growing more serious, "the shadows of our Clan hold the elite of the elite. With the help of the information sector, we're able to gather intelligence from across all of Lordrixis." He gestured behind him to Kylainn, who offered a barely perceptible nod in acknowledgment. "Thanks to Mister Esmira here," Glynn continued, "we have insight into matters that most would only dream of."

Rin felt a flicker of recognition. Kylainn Esmira had always been an enigma to her. The first time she had encountered him had been during a tense conversation between Glynn, Shun, and Albert. Since then, he had been a ghost—his cold face never far from her thoughts. She knew only that Kylainn was the leader of the Clan's shadows and that his powers eclipsed those of the other sector heads.

"I won't waste time explaining what Mister Esmira is capable of," Glynn said, dismissing the topic with a wave. "But to put it simply, there's going to be a war. Lordrixis is on the brink of destruction. And… We are all probably going to die."

His voice was so casual, it almost seemed like a joke. But the grim expression on his face told a different story. The murmurs from the crowd grew louder, tremulous with fear, but the Belkarn Clan members quickly steadied themselves. No matter the odds, they were the Belkarn Clan—nothing could defeat them.

"Now, a fun question," Glynn continued, unfazed by the rising murmurs. "Do any of you know someone named Antonio Valdis?"

Rin raised an eyebrow. The name was unfamiliar to most, but she had heard it once before—Vito Fool had left the graduates to seek him out. She hadn't thought much of it, but now the mention of the name piqued her curiosity.

Glynn didn't wait for a response. "Antonio Valdis," he continued, his tone dripping with disdain, "is a grumpy, arrogant, and deceitful man. After the Great War, he took control of Tyrant Kolgwyn's remnants and settled in The Bog. And now, he's returned—stronger than anyone could have imagined."

The room shifted again with uncertainty and unease. Glynn, however, pressed on, his voice carrying an almost mocking tone as he spoke of the man's powers.

Glynn declared, his voice laced with mockery. "Unlike every citizen of Lordrixis, he does not possess an ethereal arm. How he acquired his power is a mystery—one I am well aware of but unfortunately have to keep a secret. What matters is its ability: Replication."

A murmur rippled through the crowd, but Glynn pressed on, his commanding tone silencing dissent before it could rise. "At first glance, Replication might seem straightforward—he can copy inanimate objects. A relief, perhaps? Some of you might think: Sure, it's dangerous, but how does this threaten the entire kingdom? Allow me to enlighten you."

He scanned the faces before him, relishing the curiosity mingled with unease. With the ethereal ability to read minds, Glynn was an expert at pulling an audience into his web. A slight grin crept onto his face as he continued. "You all know the story of ethereal arms, don't you? The great gift from the heavens bestowed upon our realm, brought into mortal hands by none other than Nathaniel HEAVEN." Glynn stressed the Crusader King's surname with theatrical flair, earning a few nervous chuckles. "But here's the catch—one that isn't in the tales told to children."

He paused, letting the tension build. "How many ethereal arms exist? Infinite, right? Enough for every soul in the kingdom, past, present, and future. But here's the truth: at the beginning, there were only two."

The revelation sparked an uproar of hushed whispers and startled glances. Glynn let it play out for a moment before gesturing for silence, his expression composed but his eyes alight with the weight of his words.

"The first two ethereal arms were known as the Harvester and the Distributor. These primordial weapons weren't just tools; they were forces. The Harvester could claim another's ethereal arm, and the Distributor, well, it could grant abilities to others—though never to its own wielder. Both acknowledged as 'the 0th complete ethereal arm,' they were the twin sovereigns of the ethereal realm, all other ethereal arms possess an instinctual fear towards them."

Glynn's tone grew colder, sharper. "Every ethereal arm you know today, save for a rare few exceptions, isn't a relic from the past but a construct born at the moment of its wielder's awakening. This fact has been obscured by the kingdom's rulers—deliberately so. Our dear King Alfred Eldran has worked hard to propagate a lie, however, it had a reasonable reason. At least in my perspective, I think he did the right thing."

A scoff escaped Glynn's lips as he added, "The Harvester once belonged to the Crusader King himself, granting him dominion over all ethereal arms in the kingdom. The Distributor was wielded by none other than Supreme Commander Sirius Xshasi. After their deaths, these legendary weapons vanished, their power fading into myth."

The crowd concentrated, hung on his every word. Glynn smirked. "And now, Antonio Valdis—a man with neither ethereal arm nor royal blood—has somehow replicated both of these legendary arms. Not just simple weapons, mind you, but their full, terrifying power. The result? A force that rivals the Crusader King at his peak and a threat poised to obliterate everything we hold dear."

Glynn paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. Then, in a voice stripped of its usual mockery, he announced, "There's nothing left to hide. The ultimate goal of the Belkarn Clan has always been to replicate the 0th complete ethereal arms. It doesn't matter if you are only an apprentice or an affiliate, this secret is hereby shared with all of you."

Rin froze. This was a secret that Glynn had once dismissed as a mere distraction, a hoax to mislead their enemies. Knowing Glynn Belkarn's true nature, she couldn't tell whether he was telling the truth. 

"And now," Glynn declared, his voice rising with power and confidence, "we have succeeded."

The crowd stirred, a wave of excitement sweeping through the room. Glynn's voice rang out, filled with conviction. "We have replicated the 0th complete ethereal arms! And with them, we will overcome anything that stands in our way. We will buy enough time to crush his forces while the wielder challenges Antonio Valdis himself, and Lordrixis will not fall! We will stand strong, as we always have! The Belkarn Clan will never kneel before its enemies! Just like my father and all the previous generations before us, we will save the kingdom from crisis once more. Our names will be embedded deeply into history books, as heroes, as warriors, and as proud members of the Belkarn Clan!"

The Clan members erupted into cheers, their fear replaced by determination. They raised their fists, shouting the name of their Clan with renewed vigour. Despite their lingering doubts, the power of Glynn's words had ignited their spirits.

Behind him, Kylainn Esmira whispered, a wry smile on his face, "So much for being the friendly and approachable leader."

Glynn turned, laughing lightly. "What are you talking about, Mister Esmira? Always the pessimist."

Kylainn's smile was cold, more mocking than genuine. "You're nothing like your father, Glynn. You have what it takes to make up fake stories, as well as the ability to make people believe them without a doubt. I'm impressed. If your father had been like you, maybe things would have turned out differently seventy years ago."

Glynn's smile slightly faltered, his gaze darkening. "Don't forget, I'm adopted."