Chapter 25 – The Two Faces of Alliances
Atlantis – Crystal Palace, X545, December 3rd
In the throne room of Atlantis, the orichalcum columns reflected bluish gleams, rippling as though the ocean itself were breathing. King Agnor, seated upon his throne engraved with marine runes, tapped the armrest absentmindedly. His voice, low and heavy, finally broke the silence.
— Edwards, step forward.
The knight clad in marine-scale armor knelt.
— Your Majesty.
— Tell me, that coward Degel… is he still in the kingdom?
Edwards hesitated a moment, then lowered his eyes.
— No, my king. He has… left.
Agnor's smile twisted, tinged with scorn.
— Left? In the middle of a war alert? Hah… What a shining proof of cowardice. Even the greatest cowards know how to hide… but he flees his own home. Pathetic.
Edwards kept silent, knowing that the slightest defense of Degel would only invite royal wrath.
Agnor straightened, his eyes glinting with a cold flame.
— So be it. If some desert, others must bear the burden. Listen closely. In two days, I want to meet King Arthur of Britania. Tell his men that I accept their request for an alliance, and that he must come in person.
Edwards' eyes widened.
— Your Majesty… in person? After all these years in which Atlantis refused to move for other kings?
— Precisely, Agnor sneered. That will surprise them. And a king surprises his foes before striking them down. Go. Prepare the communication.
Edwards bowed deeply.
— As you command.
---
The Next Day – The Communication
In a circular chamber of Atlantis, a vast basin filled with pure water served as a magical relay. Edwards placed his hands upon the surface, chanting an incantation. Runes lit up, and the water rose, forming a translucent portal.
On the other side appeared two imposing silhouettes: Glann and Gosh, twin brothers and Arthur's elite guards. Their resemblance was striking—same sharp eyes, same silver hair—but where Glann wore a mocking smile, Gosh's face was cold, severe.
— Knight of Atlantis, Glann spoke. Why contact us so suddenly?
Edwards gave a slight bow.
— Message from King Agnor. Atlantis accepts the alliance with Britania and invites your king… in two days, here in Atlantis.
A tense silence stretched. Gosh frowned.
— Our king? To Atlantis? That is… sudden.
Glann exchanged a glance with his brother, then nodded.
— We will relay the message.
The portal rippled, and the vision shifted…
Britania – The Throne Room
The throne of Britania stood at the center of a vast hall draped in red and white banners. Arthur, young and regal, sat upon it, his sword planted at his side. At his right, still as a living statue, stood Merlin, cloaked in shadow.
The twins gave their report. Arthur, surprised, furrowed his brows slightly.
— A meeting in person… Unexpected, indeed.
Merlin sighed, a bitter smile tugging his lips.
— Audacious, more like. I remember… When you asked to meet the five kings, not one deigned to move. They sent hunters and S-rank mages instead, as though you weren't worth their time.
Arthur clenched his fist but kept calm.
— Yes. But this time is different. Atlantis is vast, stronger than us. Their alliance is a chance Britania cannot ignore. We are… the weakest of the kingdoms, Merlin. If war breaks out, alone, we will vanish. Don't you think it wiser to set pride aside?
Merlin grew pensive, silent for a moment. At last, he nodded slowly.
— You are right. But beware, Arthur. If Agnor invites you, it is not out of kindness. It is because he desires something from you.
Arthur smiled faintly.
— Then let us find out what it is.
He turned to the twins.
— Glann, Gosh. You will remain in Britania. Guard the realm in my absence.
— As you command, Gosh replied firmly.
Merlin stepped forward.
— And I will accompany you. For five hundred years I have protected the Kings of Britania, and I will not stop today.
Arthur laid a hand on his shoulder.
— I expected no less. Prepare yourself, Merlin. We leave tomorrow.
The twins bowed, waiting for Gosh to conjure his transfer magic when the time came to send them to Atlantis.
---
Back at the Academy
Meanwhile, in Etheria, life returned to its rhythm of classes and training.
After an exam, Seth glanced at his points board and grimaced.
— … 25 points? That's pathetic.
He ran into Damian in the corridor and called out.
— Tell me, Damian. What happens if someone has too few points?
Damian raised an eyebrow.
— If you don't have enough points, you're expelled. Straight up. At the end of the semester, you have to be at least in the top 150 of your class, otherwise… you're out.
Cold sweat trickled down Seth's back.
— Expelled…
— Exactly. And on top of that, Damian added, folding his arms, if you want to even attempt the year-end exams—the ones where you can aim for Class S—you need at least… 15,000 points.
— WHAT?! 15,000?! Seth nearly choked.
Damian burst out laughing at his face.
— Yeah, 15,000 just to apply. Not to pass, mind you.
Seth was left speechless. His thoughts drifted instantly.
"… Suo."
He remembered that enigmatic hunter, the warrior who had once traveled with him.
— I know a Class S, he whispered softly. Just one. His name was Suo.
Damian nearly gagged.
— SUO?! The demon hunter?! The most feared man on the continent?! How the hell did you ever meet him?! WHERE?!
Seth lowered his gaze, voice trembling.
— He helped me. Protected me… I owe him much. But he left. And I hadn't realized… how much I had grown attached to him in so short a time.
Damian grew serious, resting a hand on his shoulder.
— Then listen to me. If we reach the 15,000 points required… we can take the Class S exam. And if we succeed, you… can see this Suo again. And I… I'll finally achieve my dream.
Seth's eyes widened.
— 15,000 points… That means defeating what, fifty professors?! That's impossible!
Damian smirked.
— Not if we aim higher. There are the special missions.
— Special missions?
— Yeah. S-rank missions. The kind even Class S warriors have failed to complete. There are… many across the world. If we manage to succeed at one of them, it's a jackpot: guaranteed entry to the exam.
A heavy silence followed. Seth clenched his fists.
— … An S-rank mission? You mean… risk our lives?
— Exactly, Damian replied without hesitation. But if you want to see Suo again… there is no other way.
Seth froze, heart pounding wildly.
The image of Suo—his calm, unshakable gaze—flashed in his mind.
Finally, he whispered:
— … Then fine. Let's go find that mission.
To be continued...