Prince of Seria

Imperial Year 1188, one week later:
Dayan watched the eyes of the great host stare down at him as he sat knelt in front of the Throne of Regina. Words formed in his mouth, but he could not speak them. Even on campaign, Regina's majesty was almost too much to bear looking at. Niria sat closely behind him, her eyes also glued to the floor. The Sword of Hresvelgr sat in front of them, Niria's actions barely having saved the blade from capture.

"My lady." Dayan tried to speak, but that was all he could say. "My lady."

"You failed me, General Dayan." Dayan looked up at Regina, finally meeting her eye to eye. A disappointed, almost disgusted look appeared on her face. "But more important than that. Who gave you permission to unseal a Nightmare of Calamity, General?"

"My lady. I made a calculated move." Dayan said, a bead of sweat rolling down his face. "You told me at all costs, and so I decided, to attack the Serian forces with all costs-"

"And what have we achieved for all that sacrifice?" Regina asked, coldly. "There is a fine line between sacrifice and butchery, Dayan. But never mind that for now. You wrought calamity. You brought out the terror and monstrosity of the old night, the things I had sought to erase during the War of Light and Dark." Regina stood up from the throne. Dayan looked back down.

"I...I..." He bit his lip. "I was merely following your orders! I was given a blank cheque by you! If you would damn me, at least know that all I did was in your service!"

"I trusted that you would act within reasonable boundaries, not threatening to create an atrocity that would threaten both Empyrea and Seria. You failed, general. Your methods threatened the very foundations of our empire. Your actions were not only wasteful, inept, and reckless, but criminal." Regina slammed her fist onto the side of the chair as she sat back down. "It was criminal."

"Lady Regina!" Dayan stood up and stepped forward, almost screaming as Niria turned her eyes towards Dayan. "I could not have known. The boy. It was the doing of that boy. I would not have been forced to summon the daemons if not for that boy, and I would not have failed! You are a fool for not understanding-"

An ethereal blast of energy shot out from Regina's palm, which fired like a gunshot into Dayan's chest. The strike was painfully violent. Flesh and bone unraveled. His screams were cut short as his body decomposed before his own eyes. Regina lowered her palm, and arose from her throne.

"I have no use for loose cannons, General Dayan. You betrayed my trust. Thanks to you, our campaign ends here. We withdraw back to friendly territory tomorrow, and work on consolidating our gains." Regina gazed around at the faces of the generals, their simultaneously fearful and disappointed faces upon her announcement. There were groans of disappointment - though nothing substantial. Not after Regina's display of power. "Perhaps, it is for the better. A new Celestial hero, is it? I was wondering when that other shoe would drop." Regina's expression turned towards Niria, who was quivering in her boots. Regina knelt down and offered her a warm smile.

"My lady?" Niria looked away from Regina until her overwhelming presence demanded eye contact. Niria looked at Regina, eyes full of fear.

"Niria, dear. Could you tell me a bit more about this Celestial?"

~~*~~

"Iwen. What will you do when we meet our father?" Eliza asked. The grand doors had yet to open, and the four of them stood in front of the grand hallway. A great gothic door sat in front of the four.

"Iwen." Hanna carefully eyed Asta. "Are you really going to tell everyone that you're a Celestial?"

"Maybe."

"I don't know if I'd advise it. It might paint a target on your back." Eliza said. "Being the prince alone is enough of a target."

"It's an opportunity. I understand what Iwen's trying to do, but..." Jason looked over at Asta. "You're going to be careful, alright? No just declaring that you are a celestial and the son of the emperor at the same time without a solid plan, promise me?"

"Can't make any promises." Asta said, jokingly. Jason laughed at the joke, but Asta was quiet. "I won't make any promises." Asta muttered a second time, underneath his breath.

Finally the door opened. A large crowd of ministers, nobles, and other officials stood, silently watching the four from their seats. In the center of it all was a great throne, upon which a sickly looking but handsome man, somewhere in his early thirties, sat. It was his father, Emperor Elysius au Atrean. A woman sat in a chair just in front of him, and stood up. Jason and Hanna bowed before the king, and though it took a while, Eliza did too. Finally, after sensing the uncomfortable stares of the others, Asta too, knelt down. The woman gave a small frown. From the pews, he noticed Aeneas's unnerved gaze as well.

"Your majesty." Jason was the first to start. "We are honored to be in your presence."

Elysius looked over to the woman, and whispered something in her ear that Asta could not quite hear.
"His majesty is honored all the same, young knight." The woman approached the four. "I am Claudia au Atrean, lord regent of the Serian Empire. I hope you do not mind me, rather than, the emperor himself congratulating you all."

"Of course not, your grace." Jason said. "We are honored all the same." Jason finally looked up to her, and speaking loud enough so that everyone could hear, he gave a firm and bold declaration. "I am Jason Thame, heir to the County of Bernice." Jason lowered his head before Lady Claudia. 

"Thank you, Jason." Claudia graciously turned to Hanna, her eyes on the next person now. She was nothing like the cold tyrant Asta had heard about, though he had no doubt this was just her facade.

"Your grace." Hanna looked down, still speaking in her monotonous tone. "I am Hanna Thame, sister of Jason. I've fought for the Serian Empire, as my duty pertains. That is all." Hanna duitfully lowered her head before Claudia, who waited for something a little more. After it became clear that Hanna had finished, she stood in front of the girl for a short while, then looked at Elysius, then at Aeneas, who was in the crowd.

"Very well Hanna." Claudia said. She nodded. Though curt, she had seemed to accept Hanna. She turned to Eliza, who swallowed. After a moment of silence, Claudia shifted her head. "Our third hero, if you may...?"

"I...I am Eliza. I've fought for the Serian Empire. I'm the sister of Iwen." Claudia noticed Eliza's unusually nervous demeanor, and looked down at the girl.

"Just...Eliza?" 

"Y-yes." Eliza looked away, as Claudia gave her a puzzled expression. She looked back at Elysius, her eyes narrowed, then back at Eliza. 

"So...nothing more?" Claudia asked, as she inspected her face further. Asta stood up. He looked over at Aeneas, who had stiffened up, and looked over at Claudia, who looked at him with a bewildered look. Asta took one look around the court. The only one who knew what was about to come next was likely Aeneas. He turned away from him, and back to Claudia.

"Au Atrean. Eliza Au Atrean." There were a few gasps from the crowd. Nobles whispered to one another, ministers scribbled notes, some gasped, others leaned forwards. Only the clergy stood by, irreverently. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Aeneas covering his face as Claudia's shocked eyes wandered over to Aeneas. There were eyes of adoration, hate, and even murder coming from the crowd, so to make things quick, Asta continued. "Eliza, second in line to the throne, and of the Imperial Family." Claudia fumed.

"Wonderful." Claudia said. Asta didn't need his eye of shadows to tell that Claudia wanted to tear out his throat right here and right now. "And who may you be, precisely?" She faked a smile. After all, it was equally obvious that Claudia already knew. Asta stood up, holding out the stigmata on his hand for everyone to see. There was a collective gasp. As the nobles and ministers outright began to shout at one another, Asta saw the clergy exchanging looks of shock.

"I am Iwen au Atrean, prince of Seria, son of Elysius au Atrean, emperor of Seria!" From behind, he could see Elysius dragging himself out of the chair as he feebly arose fueled by his own excitement as Asta - or perhaps he was Iwen? - rolled down the sleeve of his right arm, unveiling his stigmata for all the court to see. "And I am the 13th Celestial Hero of Eseltrea, bestowed to you all by the auspice of Lady Lysandra!"

For a moment, there was silence. And then the hall erupted into chaos.