Shattered Moonstone

“I can’t identify them at all.” Anna whispered as she turned her spell on Lucius, the spear of Valor. “That's… strange.” 

Lucius shook his head, “they are known for making enchanted items, aren’t they? I mean even the recall crystals were made by a Lapidary, I bet they have something to block identification.” He replied in an uninterested tone.

“Kind of lackluster if that’s the case, I mean they are the family of the sage. If they are hiding behind enchanted items like that, I’ll be disappointed.” Kira commented offhandedly as she looked to the newly appointed “protectors” bowing in the center of the room, “then again, that’s a whole lot of man. Too bad the sage didn’t take after his father.” She bit her lip causing Anna to laugh.

“like you would know what to do with a man like that.” She quipped, nudging Lucius, “but it is a little sad, I mean they clearly have giants and amazons here and the one we are here for is so tiny. Kinda weird if you ask me, even the sage is pretty tall, I wonder if maybe the mom has a secret.”

Lucius chuckled as he looked again at the table that the family sat at, openly looking the small woman over as she whispered to her sister. “It’s possible, she does look different than the rest of them, that's for sure. And what’s with that strange revealing outfit? Not very saintly if you ask me.”

Kira joined him, turning around completely as she eyed the All-faiths saint, “she looks tween at the mall trying too hard…” she paused as her eyes landed on an odd mark on the girl’s side. “That's one hell of a scar, don’t they have healers in this nation?”

The three of them continued to mutter to themselves as Himari shook her head, unable to calm her own nerves as she shook slightly. A chill ran down her spine as she felt Amethyst look at their table. They really don’t get it all do they, Himari thought as she clenched her fist beneath the table. These people are not like the nuns from the church, they're in a whole different world. That woman just casually shook a table with nothing more than her magical pressure… She swallowed hard as she watched the giant of a man rise in the center of the room out of the corner of her eye.

Himari wanted to scream as the three joked like school children, for the first time in either of her lives she felt… trapped. She knew what she had to do, what she promised Overseer all those years ago, but… she felt sweat forming on her neck as she slowly looked back at the predator in the room. The small woman who smiled brightly to her parents… she’s going to kill us all.

It is unlikely you will be executed, Babylon’s monotone voice called out in her mind. Though failure to escape will result in capture and interrogation as a prisoner of war. It would be a lot easier if Overseer had not removed that family from the system and I could factor them into my calculations though I estimate your chances of survival at 86.5% even if combat were to break out.

She ignored the system as she continued to lament in her own mind. Damn it, I needed to get Hecatolite and Eryl together, but I was really hoping it would be in a quieter setting. Jasper, if you had just kept your damn mouth shut… she sighed as she tried again to stop her shaking hands, of course he wouldn’t have done that. He is her brother after all, whole damn family is suicidal, walking into the church of Valor with Ashmit’s blessing, if Valor had been just a little more observant he would have…

It was not a bad plan, Valor has given out so many blessing’s it is very likely he would not remember if he was the one to bless Jasper or not,

“Are you feeling alright, saintess?” Eryl asked as she knelt beside her, taking Himari’s hand in her own, snapping her attention back to reality. “You’re shaking.”

Himari considered telling the others to run, to save themselves… her eyes fell on the golden choker around Eryl’s neck… “It’s fine, Eryl. Just nervous is all. I mean, we are meeting a Queen.” She whispered, resolving herself for what had to be done. If we are lucky our souls will survive at least.

“pff, a Queen. Himari not only are you a chosen hero but you’re a saint to a real-life god. What do you have to worry about meeting a queen?” Kira scoffed as she rolled her eyes.

Himari smiled weakly as she nodded, “of course. I still forget sometimes.” She put on her best fake smile, still unable to steady her hands, “you know I always dreamed of being a princess, ever since I was a small girl.”

“Careful grandma, your age is showing.” Lucius laughed only to stop as the Queen finally calmed the room enough to continue.

“Now, the Representatives of Alamgir. Summoned hero Lucius, the spear of Valor. Summoned hero, Anna, the staff of Valor. Summoned Hero, Kira, the Bow of Valor. And, summoned hero, Himar, Saint of Valor.”

“Let’s get this over with, always hated sucking up to nobles.” Lucius said, patting his knees as he stood only to stop when he noticed the sudden increase of guards standing before the queen.

“It makes sense given the state of the world, it only seems right to be wary of foreign dignitaries.” Himari whispered as she slowly stood up behind him. “Just act natural.” 

The five of them slowly approached only to again be stopped as the guards all seemed to tense, “you approach with an unannounced person in tow?”

“An unannounced person?” Lucus asked, looking around, his eyes passing right over Eryl as if she wasn’t there at all. “I don’t see anyone else but us.”

“Your jokes are not welcome here, boy.” The guard called out slamming the but of his spear on the stone floor, “I know not of the laws in Alamgir…”

“Enough.” Irithyl silenced them both as her aura filled the room, Himari nearly tripping as the mana crashed into her. 

They all froze staring up at the queen who sat slowly inspecting each of them, a sly smile growing on her face as she worked her way down the line stopping as her eyes met Himari’s.

“Now that is peculiar,” she put a finger on her chin as she tilted her head, the look in her eyes reminding Himari of a pet cat she once had when it cornered a mouse. 

Himari felt mana being pushed into her mind only for it to suddenly stop. Queen Irithyl has attempted to read your mind, Protocol 731 enacted to protect the world balance.

Wait, what protocol? I didn’t tell you to do that?

Sorry mother Himari, but you have the entirety of the system within your mind, allowing a mortal to read your mind would disrupt the balance. Babylon replied as the Queen nodded slowly.

Is there any way to not enact the protocols automatically? Himari asked though she knew the answer.

No, they were designed and integrated into the system by Mother Eryl, and would require a system override and rewrite to disable. You can turn off the notifications in the settings if you wish. 

Settings? Five years and you tell me there's a settings menu now!

“Not surprising,” the queen’s amused voice caused her internal fight with Babylon to end as she locked eyes with the queen again. “You are indeed a saint. Yet, why as the only one who has shielded their mind, you’re the only one who looks nervous, Himari?”

Himari swallowed hard as she looked to the three beside her, all of them looking wide eyed at one another as all looked down at bracelets, they had been given by the sage… 

“I… I simply worry we may have caused offense, your majesty.” Himari knew the mind shielding bracelets would be useless against Irithyl, even more so now that she wore a crown made by Hecatolite. “I do ask for forgiveness; my companions and I have never traveled far from Alamgir before. If an introduction is all that is needed I will be happy to comply.”  

“I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I am sure I have heard that name before.” The queen scratched her head as spoke, “but regardless, we are beyond introductions at this point don’t you think?” she smiled again as she turned her gaze to the stunned heroes beside her, “you’re here to attempt to coerce my daughter to join your cause, ultimately promising her my throne if she joins Alamgir.” In truth Irithyl had known their plan beforehand, intending on letting them to publicly tie the noose themselves before declaring war on Alamgir, but a stinging in her backside made her eager to wrap this façade up a little faster than she planned. 

No one knew but the queen’s single focus this evening was finding a healer and recalling Jasper before she had to face Taaffeite again, well that and how uncomfortable sitting on a bruised tailbone was.

“But he said…” Anna inspected the bracelet on her arm, “she shouldn’t have been able to…”

“It doesn’t matter now does it.” Lucius growled as he turned on his heels to face the Lapidary family. “Hecatolite, we…”

“I am not done speaking with you.” The queen did not raise her voice, yet Lucius’s body seemed to stiffen.

“Release him!” Eryl yelled as she stepped between the queen and Lucius.

“Don’t!” Himari yelled as she held a handout to Anna and Kira, both of which had motioned to summon their weapons from their storage. “Just don’t.”

“Himari, I get your all for peace and all that but even Eryl…” 

Another thunderclap shook the room as a terminal appeared above the heroes.

  Overseer knew Babylon would have a lot to say as it twisted the original note made by Alexa… But it was technically not sharing information they didn’t have, and Alexa had asked Babylon to search for information on Eryl. And given the archives just updated as an informational skill it was its duty to answer the questions… Maybe mother Hecatolite had been a bad influence on the skill… “Notice, search for information on Eryl. Eryl is an elven woman currently enslaved by the heros of Valor.”

Himari’s shoulders fell as she looked up at the terminal, unable to process what it had said as the color drained from her face. She had planned to bring Eryl to Hecatolite in secret, in a controlled safe area where Eryl would have a chance to calm her before she did anything rash…