[Scene Loading, ]
[Location: Senate Chamber - Capital City]
[Date: August 5, y. 485 of the Fourth Age]
The Senate chamber emptied quickly after the vote, senators and spectators streaming out through the massive bronze doors. Zeke followed his father and brother in silence, still processing what he'd just committed to. The echoing footsteps and muffled conversations felt distant, as though he were hearing them through water.
None of them spoke until they reached the street. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows between the towering buildings of the Capital, and Zeke had to squint against the light. Agrian set off eastward without explanation, his stride purposeful. Artax followed, leaning slightly on his cane, and Zeke fell in beside him.
"Did I just make a terrible mistake?" Zeke whispered, too quietly for their father to hear.
Artax's expression remained neutral, but he gave a slight shake of his head. "You made the only move available. Whether it proves terrible depends on what you do next."
They turned onto a tree-lined avenue where elegant townhouses stood shoulder to shoulder, each trying to outdo its neighbors in grandeur. Ornate balconies overflowed with cascading plants and flowers, while polished brass fixtures gleamed in the sunlight. Family crests adorned each doorway, visual reminders of the power concentrated in this district.
Agrian stopped before a four-story townhouse with the Godfrey crest, a silver sword against swirling storm clouds, emblazoned above the door. Unlike its neighbors, this building showed subtle signs of neglect: slightly faded paint, untrimmed ivy, and empty flower boxes.
"Our residence in the Capital," Agrian announced, producing a key. "We can speak freely inside."
The heavy door swung open to reveal a dust-covered entryway. Portraits of stern-faced Godfrey ancestors lined the walls, their eyes seeming to follow Zeke as he entered. Cobwebs adorned the corners of elaborate ceiling moldings, and a thin layer of dust covered every surface.
Agrian scowled, running a finger along a side table and examining the gray smudge it left. "This place should have been prepared for our arrival. I'll find out what happened to our staff."
He stalked off toward what Zeke presumed was the servants' quarters, leaving the brothers alone in the foyer.
"Come on," Artax said, gesturing toward a doorway. "The sitting room should be more comfortable."
The sitting room was marginally better maintained, with leather chairs that showed less dust than the rest of the house. Bookshelves lined one wall, though several volumes were conspicuously missing, leaving gaps like missing teeth in an otherwise orderly row.
Artax lowered himself carefully into a chair, wincing slightly. Zeke took the seat opposite him, leaning forward with elbows on knees.
"So," Artax said, breaking the silence. "Do you have any idea what you just signed up for?"
"Not really," Zeke admitted, then quickly added, "But I'll figure it out. Whatever these trials involve, I'll find a way through them."
"You'll get killed," Artax replied bluntly.
Zeke blinked, taken aback by his brother's directness.
"You might not get killed," Artax amended, "but the 34 trials are punishing under normal circumstances. With the entire Senate watching and waiting for you to fail?" He shook his head. "They'll make it as difficult as possible."
Zeke considered this. The easy path would be to despair, to regret his impulsive declaration. Instead, he felt a strange, unfamiliar determination taking root.
"Then I'll just have to be better than they expect," he said, surprised by the conviction in his own voice. "Tell me about these trials. I need to know what I'm facing."
A hint of pride flickered across Artax's face. "The 34 Trials were established by the first Lord Godfrey to test his sons' readiness for knighthood. Initially, there were only fifteen, but they expanded over the centuries."
"What kind of tests are they?"
"They begin simply enough, endurance marches, basic combat assessments, aura control exercises. But they grow progressively more demanding." Artax leaned back, his expression distant as if recalling his own experiences. "By the final trials, you're hunting monsters, breaking sieges, and facing opponents who could kill you with a moment's inattention."
Rather than discouraging him, each detail Artax shared only heightened Zeke's curiosity. These trials sounded like the adventures he'd read about in books as a child, the same stories he'd eventually dismissed as unrealistic fantasies meant for people like his brother, not him.
"And these are all at Leoncrest?" he asked.
"Yes. Originally, House Godfrey administered the trials ourselves, but eventually, they were moved to Leoncrest Academy for, political reasons."
"You mean because other houses complained?"
Artax smiled. "Exactly. They claimed we were making the trials too easy for our own family members. In reality, they were just tired of Godfrey knights outshining their own."
"So they made the trials harder?"
"They certainly tried." Artax's smile turned savage. "But all they accomplished was forging Godfrey knights who were even stronger."
Something crashed in the hallway, followed by Agrian's thunderous voice. The door swung open moments later, and their father entered, his expression dark.
"The staff is gone," he announced, dropping into a chair so hard that a small cloud of dust rose around him. "Every last servant poached by rival houses, if the neighbors are to be believed. There's a pile of unopened correspondence sitting in the kitchen. No wonder none of my messages received replies."
"Typical," Artax muttered. "They'll stoop to anything to undermine us."
"What did we ever do to earn such enmity?" Agrian wondered, though the question seemed directed more at the universe than at his sons.
"Succeed," Artax answered anyway. "Walk through the Hall of Heroes or open any historical account of the last five centuries. Godfrey knights led every major victory, slew every significant threat. History remembers individual heroes more readily than the lords who commanded them."
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Agrian grunted acknowledgment, then turned his attention to Zeke. His piercing gaze made Zeke straighten instinctively.
"You did well today," Agrian said, the unexpected praise causing Zeke to blink in surprise. "Without your declaration, we would have left that chamber as commoners."
"I just, " Zeke paused, organizing his thoughts. "I couldn't let them win like that. Not without a fight."
"Good. That's the Godfrey spirit." Agrian leaned forward. "But what comes next will test that spirit beyond anything you've experienced. The 34 Trials have broken strong men, men who spent their entire lives preparing."
"So I've heard," Zeke replied, nodding toward Artax. "He was just telling me about Leoncrest."
Agrian's eyebrows rose. "You don't know about Leoncrest Academy?"
"Not much," Zeke admitted. "I know it's where knights train, and that Artax went there, but the details were never really, relevant to me before."
A flash of regret crossed Agrian's features, there and gone so quickly Zeke almost missed it.
"That's my failure," his father said quietly. "We should have prepared you better."
The admission stunned Zeke more than any praise could have. He'd never heard his father acknowledge a mistake before.
"Leoncrest is the premier academy in Athia," Agrian continued, his voice taking on a lecturing tone that felt more familiar. "There are half a dozen such institutions across the kingdom, but Leoncrest stands above them all. Every Godfrey knight for the past five centuries has trained there."
"Where is it located?" Zeke asked, genuinely curious now.
"A day's ride north of the Capital," Artax answered. "The main campus centers around an ancient fortress, but the academy grounds span hundreds of square miles, encompassing forests, lakes, mountains, every terrain you might encounter in actual combat."
"The perfect training ground," Zeke mused.
"And the perfect proving ground," Artax added. "Most noble houses send their children there, not just for training, but to forge alliances, settle rivalries, and establish their place in the hierarchy."
For the next hour, Artax and Agrian took turns explaining Leoncrest's history, traditions, and daily routines. They described the different faculties, combat, tactics, history, magical theory, and the complex social structure among the students. Zeke tried to absorb it all, though he suspected much of it would only make sense once he experienced it firsthand.
As evening approached, a sharp knock at the front door interrupted their conversation. Agrian rose and went to answer it, leaving the brothers alone once more.
"There's something important I need to show you," Artax said suddenly, rising from his chair with the aid of his cane. "Come with me."
Curious, Zeke followed his brother through the dusty house and up a winding staircase. They climbed past two floors of bedrooms and studies, finally emerging onto a rooftop garden. Years of neglect had transformed what must have once been an elegant space into a wild, overgrown retreat. Flowering vines spilled from cracked planters, and a small fountain stood dry, its basin filled with leaves.
Zeke stepped carefully along the stone path, enchanted despite the disrepair. The garden offered a panoramic view of the Capital, with its domes, spires, and towers catching the last golden rays of sunset. In the distance, torches and lanterns were beginning to illuminate the streets as darkness fell.
"This was my favorite spot when we stayed here," Artax said, making his way to a stone bench overlooking the eastern skyline. "I'd come up here to think, to plan, sometimes just to escape the politics."
Zeke joined him on the bench, gazing out at the cityscape. Other townhouses on their street were beginning to light up as noble families returned from the day's Senate sessions.
"See that?" Artax pointed to a massive domed structure in the distance, its gilded roof catching the last sunlight. "The Imperial Palace. I've been inside a few times."
"Have you met the Emperor?" Zeke asked, unable to hide his excitement.
"Once, during a formal reception." Artax nodded. "Many senators dismiss him as a figurehead, but I found him surprisingly perceptive. He spends most of his time strengthening Athia's foreign alliances, work the Senate is too fractious to handle effectively."
"He makes the best of limited authority," Zeke observed.
"Exactly." Artax gave him a sidelong glance. "Sometimes the most important work happens outside the spotlight."
Zeke caught his brother's meaning and smiled. "Are you saying I've been secretly important all this time?"
"I'm saying you're about to become important in ways nobody expected, especially those who dismissed you." Artax's expression grew serious. "Which brings me to why I brought you up here."
The sudden shift in tone made Zeke straighten. "What is it?"
"When you go to Leoncrest, you'll be in danger, and not just from the Trials themselves." Artax lowered his voice, though they were alone on the rooftop. "What happened to me wasn't an accident."
"The dragon attack?"
"The circumstances that led to it." Artax gazed out over the city, his eyes distant. "We received an urgent report about dire wolves threatening a Cilian village across the mountains. The information was detailed, credible, except it led us directly into Socrax's territory."
"You think someone arranged it?"
"I know they did." Artax's jaw tightened. "While climbing the pass, I spotted someone watching us, a cloaked figure who kept out of sight, observing from a distance."
"They were leading you into the trap?"
"No, they were ensuring we sprang it ourselves." Artax turned to face Zeke directly. "Dragons aren't tools that can be controlled, but opportunities that can be exploited. Someone discovered Socrax was in the area and engineered a situation where I would encounter him."
Zeke digested this information, its implications chilling. "Do you know who?"
"I have suspicions but no proof." Artax shook his head. "I've tried reconstructing who might have had the necessary information, magical ability, and motive, but the list remains too long."
"And you think they'll target me at Leoncrest?"
"I think the same forces that wanted me removed will try to ensure you fail." Artax placed a hand on Zeke's shoulder. "Not necessarily the same individuals, but the same interests. The Trials are dangerous enough without enemies actively working against you."
Rather than frightening him, the warning strengthened Zeke's resolve. If these unknown enemies expected him to be an easy target, the pampered, frivolous second son, they were in for a surprise.
"I'll be on guard," he promised. "And I'll prove them wrong."
"Good." Artax squeezed his shoulder. "The most important advice I can give you is this: Find allies you can trust. Not everyone at Leoncrest will oppose you, some will see supporting a Godfrey as advantageous, especially if you show promise."
"How do I know who to trust?"
"Trust your instincts, but verify with actions," Artax advised. "Watch how people behave when they think no one's looking. And remember, even rivals can become allies against a common enemy."
They sat in companionable silence as the last light faded from the sky and stars began to appear. The Capital transformed below them, windows glowing with lamplight, streets illuminated by torch-bearing patrols.
"I wish you could come with me," Zeke admitted. "At least to help me get started."
Artax shook his head. "You need to arrive alone. If I accompany you, it signals to everyone that you need protection, that you're not strong enough to stand on your own."
"I understand," Zeke said, though the prospect of facing Leoncrest alone remained daunting.
"However," Artax continued, "there is one thing I can give you to help." He extended his hand. "Take it."
Curious, Zeke grasped his brother's hand. Almost immediately, a warm sensation flowed up his arm and spread throughout his body. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it felt, substantial, as though something tangible had been transferred.
[You have received an Emblem!]
[New Emblem: Heart of the Warrior]
[Details: +100% Courage, +100% Strength, +100% Speed]
"My first Emblem," Artax explained, something like nostalgia in his voice. "I earned it during my first Trial. It's yours now."
Zeke stared at his hand, not seeing any visible change but feeling somehow different, lighter yet stronger.
"This is incredible," he whispered. "But should you give it up? Don't you need it?"
"My aura can no longer sustain Emblems," Artax said with a rueful smile. "Better it serves you than sits dormant within me."
Impulsively, Zeke embraced his brother. After a startled moment, Artax returned the hug, his grip surprisingly strong despite his injuries.
"Thank you," Zeke said, his throat tight with emotion. "I won't waste this."
"I know you won't." Artax released him and stood. "Now, we should return downstairs. Father will wonder where we've gone, and you need rest. Your journey to Leoncrest begins tomorrow."
As they made their way back down the stairs, Zeke found himself walking taller, his steps more confident. He couldn't tell if it was the Emblem's effect or simply knowing his brother believed in him enough to entrust him with something so valuable.
Either way, for the first time since making his declaration in the Senate, Zeke felt ready to face what came next.
The Trials awaited, and with them, the chance to prove that there was more to Zeke de'Godfrey than anyone, perhaps even himself, had ever suspected.
[Scene Close]
[Earned Emblems:]
Heart of the Warrior
[Active Quests:]
[Training Montage: Train to begin 34 Trials]
[Lonely Journey: Travel to Leoncrest Academy]
