Eric of course has no idea what's going on. He acknowledged that he gained Alia's and the Grand Master's trust already but he didn't expect to be called a King all of a sudden.
For whatever reason they would suddenly call him a King might be, Eric sure doesn't feel like one. Apart from trying to figure this day out, he also felt a lot of guilt throughout it.
If it wasn't for Mogranius and the Lava Controllers, Chan and his group of 30 Elite Archers would have massacred bundles. "I'm not sure what's going on, but I am no King. I could barely protect you."
Standing on her feet, with both aims to support the King and explain what's going on as well, she elated. "No, my King. This isn't about who you can or can not protect right now. We don't expect a child to guard hundreds of us."
Noticing that Eric felt a bit less guilty, but still wildly perplexed. She decided to get to the point. "It's about your… let's say newly discovered ability."
At such a short explanation, he had a strong theory about what she meant but required self confirmation. "You mean?"
As if she was reading his mind, she confirmed. "Yes Eric. Hundreds of my men reported that you swam in Lava, but you are standing in front of me alive."
Noticing Mogranius look at Eric with a bit of fear but mostly a lot of shock, was entertaining. But further explanation was required since all of this doesn't make sense even for Eric who personally swam in Lava.
"Eric, the Lava you see in the bottom of the Volcano is not ordinary, It is incomparably hot. No other Volcano can reach its heat." This just made everything more puzzling, how is this Lava hotter than any other and how does it link to anything right now?
Aiming to clear out this situation and not hear answers he didn't ask for instead, he went straight to the point. "Well the Lava did not burn me. How come?"
Explaining would take too long, so Commander Alia decided to tackle two tasks at once. "Reach out your arm and be a tough boy now."
At this point, she was practically teasing the young Electus, but she noticed a few times before that he won't run his mouth no matter what she says.
With the tip of her sharp Dagger, Alia scratches the surface of Eric's arm, somewhere around the middle, on the front part hairy side where there are fewer veins.
The scratch was enough to cause blood to surface but without of course causing any fatalities. It didn't seem like a painful long task either as the Dagger was so sharp that the skin was cut like water.
When Blood broke out, there wasn't anything unexpected. Apart from the obvious burning agitative pain caused by the Dagger, there's only blood.
He wanted to hold his arm to stop the blood from dripping but he wouldn't want to hear the end of it.
So he just complained a little bit instead while Alia was still holding his arm. "Didn't I receive enough cuts today?"
"Patience Child." Teased the joyful lady, wanting to grab his face cheeks and squeeze them too.
The darkish red blood became accompanied by a gold like blood. It wasn't too visible and there's mostly red blood to see. But the Gold like blood's there. Shining, reflecting, developing at its own pace.
"I don't see anything but an unnecessary wound." Expressed Eric while trying his best not to move and admit that it's burning like crazy.
Noticing what he meant, she started planting seeds of the whole concept. "Golden Blood flows in your body, eventually it will be more visible and replace all of your red blood."
Noticing that Eric is still quite confused and slightly scared, she decided to explain this blood's benefits. "This isn't normal, It isn't one in one thousand and not even one in one million. Your blood is much like your abilities, one in the world."
"Wow. Did every Electus before me have this kind of power? What other power does this blood give?" Frankly he is just glad that he kind of knows what's going on now, his patience grew stronger by a hunch.
"No, I don't recall hearing that an Electus had Golden Blood. Maybe some did but didn't realize it? The last Known Golden Blood who died Three Thousand years ago and was actually an illustratio." Explained Alia in as much detail as she could.
But of course she got interrupted by the young King as soon as he heard the name, illustratio. He is not a fan. "A Golden Blood was an illustratio? Are you sure? Those people aren't worth nothing."
Commander Alia didn't like a Golden Blood having his name slandered, so of course she has to butcher. "The illustratio are generally close minded, that's true. But you will encounter the few who want to fight for justice, there are strong hearted people."
"I suppose..." Eric tried to reply, but was interrupted by her who wanted to point out one more thing, got rather intense about it.
Carefully, slow. She elaborated, "As a Golden Blood, your main power is Lava heat resistance. It doesn't give you fire resistance so be sure to have that in mind my King."
Unwilling to listen to the King's every thought since hundreds of people are waiting behind her, Alia planted another topic before he could say anything. "You must take an oath, an oath sealed with trust and carried with honour."
After it, as if she has mood switching problems, her tone became heavy and intense. "If you break the oath, you are no longer welcome here."
Finishing what she wanted to be paid attention of, her mood switched to happy and enthusiastic again, orienting Eric instead of yelling. "Now bend the knee, and repeat after me."
A - With my heart and with my blood I swear loyalty.
E - With my heart and with my blood I swear loyalty.
A - My Brothers and Sisters I shall always protect and guide.
E - My Brothers and Sisters I shall always protect and Guide.
A - With the will of a King and God like power, I shall sacrifice the weak by my side to help my people prosper and feed the heavens.
"No." Refused Eric without a single regret, interrupting the oath.
"Child, what do you mean no? Do you want to die?" Hollered Alia, furious as the rest of the Calidum Lutum were heard whispering and mumbling behind her.
Firm with his beliefs, the boy who almost became a King, brayed. "Enemies I get, but why the weak? I was weak a few days ago! Do I deserve to be sacrificed?"
Commander Alia was about to reply, as a part of this whole Ceremony she is obliged to refuse his points of view right now.
She was left shocked when a soft boy like Eric asked her to stop talking, raising his forefinger too.
"Don't interrupt me. What did I want to say? Oh... A God has the power to shape worlds from nothingness. I can't even shape a clay pot." Definitely losing the point he wanted to cite, but yes I think he made it clear. "I ain't sacrificing the weak!"
"If you think otherwise..." Forming a Sphere like Fireball on his right hand, raising it above his head and stretching it all the way down to his left hand, shaping it a lot like a rope.
He continued, still willing to reason with the people who fed him and his friends. "I will walk out of here with my friends, and we will part ways without casualties."
Shortly after he heard his father who was not too far from Commander Alia start clapping.
Stefan joined, Kazer who understood half of what Eric said also joined.
Noticing Kazer, the rest of the Grand Masters joined the applause and the rest of the crowd broke out in chants.
Commander Alia approached a step closer, gave him a tight hug and expressed. "You made it kid, you passed the test. Congratulations!"
Staggered, he expressed his distress with a holler. "Test? What the hell are you talking about?"
Separating from the hug, Alia interjected. "A King's worth is proven by the love of what's good and right, not the love of power and selfishness. I am the most honoured to call you My King."