The Gates of Aethelgard

Our small, eclectic group had been traveling for two days through the oppressive gloom of the Gloomwood Forest before we finally saw our destination. I am Haru ‘Arc’ Shinozaki, the Emotionless Sniper. With me were Nolan ‘Bard’ Vance, our boisterous and unfailingly loquacious demolitions specialist; his sister, the cheerful but deeply feeling musketeer, Brielle Vance; the enigmatic and somewhat delinquent Elf Ranger, Elara Brightwood; and our anchor, the tough, brotherly Team Leader, Captain Marcus ‘Cutter’ Thorne, whose real name I had only just learned.

We arrived at Aethelgard, the capital of the Kingdom of Valoria. Brielle explained that it was one of the newer cities in the kingdom, established only a decade or so ago. It was named for a duchy that had vanished during the Aethel Continental War. When I asked about it, a dejected look shadowed her face as she dismissed it as an "old story." I’m not one to pry, so I let it drop, but it was clearly a wound from her past.

We reached the main entrance, a formidable gate set into towering stone walls bristling with ballistae and cannons—the expected fortifications of any legitimate medieval capital. A contingent of guards stood watch, their armor identical to that of the knights I’d met at the inn, distinguished only by the dark blue capes on their backs, which bore Elara’s family insignia. They barred our way as we approached.

"Identify yourselves!" one of them commanded, his voice sharp.

Elara and Brielle stepped forward, producing what appeared to be identification cards. "Captain Brielle Vance of the Order of the Knights of the Azure Cross," Brielle announced, her voice suddenly imbued with a power that commanded respect. "And Inspector Elara Brightwood of the Criminal Intelligence Division. What is the meaning of this? Why are you preventing citizens from entering the city?"

I was taken aback. The sweet-natured girl now projected an aura of authority I had only ever seen from Cutter or Colonel Kenji Tanaka.

The guard bowed stiffly. "Our apologies, Captain. We have direct orders from Knight Commander Cortez and Her Majesty, Princess Aurelia. The Commander has received intelligence that narcotics smuggling has increased dramatically. We are to inspect everyone—"

He was cut off by a shout from a fellow guard. "Hey, hold on! This one has opium!"

We all turned. A guard was in hot pursuit of a fleeing man. The chase was short-lived; a second guard tackled the suspect, driving him to the cobblestones with a painful grunt. "On your front! Hands behind your back!" the guard yelled, pinning him.

We turned back to the first guard, who gestured toward the scene. "See what I mean?" He then eyed Cutter, Bard, and me. "And what of these... dubious individuals? Can they provide identification?"

I tensed. The only identification we carried were our military dog tags, which we couldn't possibly reveal.

Brielle’s gaze was firm. "They are with me," she stated, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I will vouch for them. They are here on important business with the Princess and will be under my charge."

The guard nodded, though his eyes remained wary. "I understand, ma'am. However, standard protocol requires me to record their identities and inspect their baggage. My apologies, but it must be done."

Cutter gave a single, assenting nod. "Okay," he said, handing over his assault pack. "Go ahead."

The guards began to search our belongings. I watched as one of them took a particular interest in the strange 'book' in my pack—my laptop, which also served as my diary. Another guard examined Bard's M72 LAW with a puzzled expression.

"Is this some kind of staff?" he inquired.

"Yup," Bard replied, the lie rolling off his tongue with flawless ease. It was far better they remain ignorant of its true purpose.

One of the guards handed us a ledger and a quill. "Your names?"

"Kaito Ishikawa," I said, the falsehood feeling foreign on my tongue. Our drill sergeant had been clear: revealing our true identities would compromise the entire operation.

After I'd written my fictitious name, the guard moved to Bard. "And you?"

"Kirk Saxon."

I shot Bard a surprised look as he nonchalantly retrieved his bag. With a final, cursory glance, the guards simply nodded and waved us through.

Having passed the 'security check'—which, bizarrely, allowed us to keep our weapons—we stepped through the gate. The city unfolded before us, a kaleidoscope of vibrant structures in a myriad of architectural styles, crisscrossed by canals, stone roadways, bridges, and lush gardens. The streets teemed with races far stranger than the Darrow I had encountered. Through the window of an inn, I saw several tiger-headed humanoids in deep conversation with Elves and humans. It was a surreal tableau.

Cutter surveyed our surroundings before turning to Brielle. "Are all the towns and cities here like this?"

Brielle shook her head. "Sadly, no. Only the cities and towns within Valoria are so accepting of all peoples. King Valerius, our founder, despises bigotry. He says our nation was built by exiles of many races, which is why so many still seek refuge here."

My mind drifted to a King Richard from my own world’s history.

Bard, gazing down into the clear water of a canal, remarked, "Sounds like your king is a very good man."

Brielle nodded, a proud smile gracing her lips. "He is. One of the most benevolent monarchs in this world. He abolished the caste system and enacted a constitution that guaranteed free speech. The noble families were, of course, incensed. To settle the matter and avert a civil war, he called for a public referendum on the constitution. He was a legendary general during the war, feared by his enemies and revered by his allies, yet he detested conflict, calling it the science of destruction. He would do anything to end a battle before too many lives were lost."

It was a relief to hear they already had concepts like free speech. It meant the OSA wouldn't have to come sweeping in to impose its particular brand of 'freedom and democracy.'

"But unfortunately," Brielle added, her expression darkening, "he is now paralyzed by a strange illness. His daughter, Princess Aurelia, has been named acting ruler of the nation."

"I see," I murmured.

We continued down the street, with Brielle and Elara leading the way. The three of us peppered them with questions about the Princess, but Brielle simply insisted we had to see for ourselves. At last, we stood before the main gate of a massive palace in the city's heart. The guards recognized Brielle immediately, unlocking the doors to grant us entry.

The moment we stepped inside, we were struck by the sheer opulence of the interior. Bard let out a low whistle. "Whoa, this place is incredible! It’s huge!"

It was, in all honesty, like stepping into a paradise. Everything, from the plush carpets to the intricately decorated walls and ceilings, was breathtakingly ornate. The decorations alone would make the Queen of England envious.

Finally, we arrived at a set of enormous double doors that led to the throne room. Brielle pushed them open, revealing a vast, gilded chamber. We walked a few paces inside and stopped. There, on the throne, sat a young woman who looked to be about my age.

"Welcome," she said, her smile gentle and warm.

Her hair was long and white, woven into an elegant braid, and her eyes were a piercing blue. She wore a simple white princess gown and, of course, a crown. Compared to battle-hardened warriors like Brielle and Elara, the Princess looked small, almost fragile.

The girls knelt before her. The rest of my squad and I simply stood at attention.

The Princess rose from her throne and glided toward us. "So," she murmured, her voice soft as silk, "you are the men from the prophecy." She met our eyes, one by one. "For that, I thank you, Knights in Green."

We exchanged startled, bewildered glances. We had only been in this world for three days. Scarcely anyone knew why we were here. How in the hell did this girl know?