The heavy thud of footsteps echoed through the cold stone halls as Alex and Tucker made their way to the teleportation platform. They were deep in the Order’s keep, where each division kept to themselves, and the true location of their headquarters remained a mystery. Soon, a light broke the dark ambiance at the end of the hallway, guiding them to their destination.

  Moonlight shined down upon the device centered in the middle of the courtyard. Drizzles fell gently from the sky, and soon, the first hints of dawn would rise from beyond the horizon. The scene felt almost surreal after everything they endured, but as the two watchmen gathered beneath the old oak tree. Tucker’s eyes widened with wonder. Their fatigue had recovered, and it seemed like the being welcomed them with an abundance of spirit essence. Its shimmering leaves caused the rookie to stand there in awe as the waves of essence drifted upwards.

  “It’s a gift from the noble race,” Alex said, staring at the ageless being that had witnessed countless seasons. “Some say it’s a fragment of the world tree, but after so long, no one really knows what it is anymore.”

  “Even you don’t know what it is?” Tucker jokingly asked.

  Alex rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I may be old, but I’m not that old. This tree predates even my time. Maybe the old administrators knew the finer details, but if I had to guess, it’s tied to the spirit realm.” He unhooked the medallion from his waist, and as it drew closer to the tree, a soft hum filled the air. “Stay close to the platform, and try not to make any sudden movements.”

  “Wow… do you think the world tree in Elarindor is something like this?” Tucker’s eyes followed the branches reaching for the heavens. Each leaf emitted a faint, translucent glow that drifted upward before fading. Unlike the teleportation device they had used, there was something completely different about this one.

  “It’s probably even more fascinating than this.”

  “Do you think we’ll ever go there?” Tucker looked at the old man, who seemed to smile at his question.

  “For me? It’s probably too late for that.” Alex grinned and raised the medallion towards the circular groove in the ancient tree. Perfectly filling the space. “But for you, I think it’s more than possible.”

  “Don’t say it like that!” Tucker gave Alex’s shoulder a light tap with his fist. “Once I sort out my thoughts a bit more, I’ll make sure to drag you with me.”

  “It’ll be a dark day if you have to drag me anywhere,” Alex lightheartedly added.

  Alex channeled his spirit essence into the tree. The carved grooves in the bark glowed a warm, fiery light. The roots shifted and the earth beneath them trembled, revealing a magic circle etched into an old iron plate. Light from the tree flowed into the engravings, filling the surroundings with an abundance of colors as the two stood in the center.

  Alex stretched his arms, easing the stiffness in his joints, and sighed before glancing at Tucker. The runes beneath them beamed with energy. “Alright, you ready?”

  The rookie squared his shoulders and nodded. “Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s do—”

  Before he could finish his sentence, Alex took his medallion from the groove. The magic circle beneath their feet instantly flared, and a blinding white light consumed their vision. Tucker felt his feet float for a moment before being pulled back down to the ground. His body wavered as a sense of dizziness filled his mind, but a steady hand grabbed onto his shoulder.

  “Still not used to it, I see.” Alex held him in place as the rookie shook their hand off and took a deep breath. “Don’t puke now. The custodians will kick your teeth in if you do.”

  Tucker leaned over, nearly vomiting on the silver platform beneath their feet before holding back the contents of his stomach. He glanced down at the intricate design on the floor. Its runes faintly glowing on the ground. “I know, I know. I’m just… admiring the engravings.” He pushed Alex’s hand away and stood up. “Besides, we’re the only ones here at the keep. Everyone else is probably still out on their missions, so there’s no need to be so uptight.”

  Alex scanned the stone arches forming a circular tower around the platform. Then, to the reinforced black stone that lined the area with a smirk. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” he muttered, casting a glance at the faint shadows before the pillars.

  “Really? I don’t see anyone, though?” Tucker followed Alex’s gaze, darting from arch to arch. He squinted at the shadows, causing Alex to let out a pitiful sigh. “Are they hiding somewhere?”

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “Nope! Just right behind you!”

  Tucker felt his ears ring as someone screamed into it from the side. He stumbled backwards and crashed into a solid mass that remained unfazed. With widened eyes, he turned around, finding himself staring up at a giant of a man. Eyes like crimson embers set in tanned skin. The man gave a brief and stoic nod before extending a massive hand holding a small vial of red liquid. His name was Mark, one of the watchmen he met on the night they were saved. His eyes then fell onto the other one, whose loud voice nearly made his ears bleed. Her short brown hair was just above her shoulders and even though she shared the same features as her brother. She was tiny in comparison.

  “You. Injured. Before.” The giant’s deep voice resonated as he gently placed the vial into Tucker’s hand. “Heal Good. Hurt. Bad.”

  “Ah… thanks.” Tucker nodded to Mark and tucked the vial into his pouch. He then watched as the giant did the same to Alex, who accepted it without question. “Wait, why are you guys back so soon? Weren’t you supposed to be patrolling the southern border with the other guys?”

  “It’s cause of you.” May teased while moving to the other side of Tucker’s ear.

  Tucker felt shivers down his spine as she blew cold air into his ear. He felt her hair brush against his cheek and quickly leaned away. “What the hell are you doing?” He glared at her and shook her off while hiding behind Alex. The veteran raised a brow at the scene, then stared at Mark, who was indifferent.

  “Could you not tease my rookie?” Alex tiredly said, glancing at Tucker, who seemed to hiss at May. “If Owl heard of this. He’d be heartbroken.”

  “Ugh, that old man always gives me a hard time when it comes to other men.” May pouted once she heard her father’s nickname. “If I’m not married, it’ll be because of him.”

  Alex smirked. “Well, if he met Tucker, then he would definitely disapprove of your taste. He’s not exactly what I would call husband material.”

  “Guys, I’m right here, you know?” Tucker peeked out from behind Alex. “Also, I would make a great lover, and I don’t appreciate you two tarnishing my good name.”

  “Now, now, Tucker, there’s no need to be delusional here.” Alex nudged Tucker behind him and quietly chuckled before returning to his hardened demeanor. “I see the three of you have gotten quite close while I was recovering. Did I miss anything important?”

  “I mean, besides May’s personality disorder between missions, I wouldn’t say so—”

  Before Tucker could finish his sentence, a small rock flew from May’s hand and struck him right in the stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs. He fell to his knees and fought back the urge to puke as May’s smile faded.

  “You missed a lot, Salamander.” May ignored the crumbling rookie; her tone was stern, and her playful expression faded. Alex could feel the tension in the air as the nearby watchmen carefully tuned in to their conversation. “The entire order is in chaos because of what you two discovered. For better or worse, that is.”

  Alex raised a brow and thought for a moment. “Are you saying we caused this?”

  Her gaze met his, and soon May nodded. “The Administrators are in an uproar and so far, everyone was ordered to return to the keep.”

  “Everyone?” Alex repeated the word, realizing the severity of the term. He glanced around the pillars, staring at the many ranks of watchmen in the area. She was right. Nearly everyone who had been stationed in other countries has returned.

  “Well, almost everyone,” May clarified. “Only those guys on tier-eight missions and above were excluded.”

  “But how does that even make sense?” Tucker plopped down on a nearby bench with his arms draped over the backrest. “I mean, we brought back new intel, but the Order would still need to verify it with other sources. Excluding today and the day we returned, that’s only two days to check.”

  “Correct, but if ours was the last piece of evidence they needed. Then it would warrant the current situation,” Alex replied in a stern tone.

  “Salamander’s right. From what we know, the Empire is on the move again, and with what you two discovered, we have enough evidence to push the King to make a decision.” May glanced over at the other watchmen, who carefully listened to their conversation and then sighed. “The Administrators ordered to see you, Salamander. You’re to head to the gathering hall and make a report of what you found.”

  “Wait, but I already made the report. Why would they want another one?” Tucker asked.

  May shrugged her shoulders. “It’s not my place to say.”

  “I guess it’s fine for us to go—” Tucker reached out to grab Alex by his shoulder but nearly fell over as he swiped the air. Before Tucker could say another word, Alex was already walking away. He quickly stood up and shot an apologetic glance over his shoulders. “Sorry, we’ve got to go. You know how that old bat is. He never waits when things get serious.”

  “That’s fine! It’s just like Salamander to move from one point to another once something happens.” May smiled at Tucker and quickly nudged Mark, causing him to give a subtle nod in response. Once the two were out of sight, May dropped her cheerful demeanor and sighed. “To see Salamander like that…it may already be too late.”

  Her voice resonated through the chamber, sinking into the mana-infused walls and into the ears of every watchman. The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating even. It had been years since an order like this appeared. Reaching nearly every tier within their ranks and possibly one of the greatest assemblies known in the history of their organization.

  The light from the silver platform waned as the custodian defused the mechanisms, keeping the steady hum. Soon, the spirit essence within the runes faded into the cold air, and the watchmen shifted back into the shadows. Their hands fell to the hilt of their weapons. Waiting in silence as they guarded the platform. The tension in the air was heavy, and they all knew the reason the administrators had ordered them to keep watch.

  It was war.

  Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read my story, and I am happy to say I have made it onto the main list of "Rising Stars" with your support.

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