All over the Kingdom Meras from ages young to old once they were able to move their hands carried spears, daggers, and swords wherever they went. It's been like that ever since the ceremony for the fallen. Rue wondered how long it would last.
The tension from the vigilant Meras got her mind to go back to Ezra as she had forgotten about him. It's been a week since the ceremony and he never once came to look for her in the forests again. Even worse, she could no longer venture outside the walls after noon especially not with her guards on her tail.
As she pranced over the limestone path with lush bright green crowns that cast blotches of shade above her head she glimpsed over her left shoulder to side-eye them. As usual, they were like three walking statues. They never smiled nor talked and their eyes were always half-opened lacking that lively glow of life behind their masks.
All the Meras in dark red uniforms walked up the gentle slope in bundles with a low hum everywhere from chatter. However, her guards were like a barrier that discouraged any interaction and there was an obvious space between her and the crowd. Not even Jethro and her admirers bothered her anymore with them around. Their swords and spears were intimidating and there was that feeling of being intensely watched whenever one got too close to her.
Everyone in the Zunbera-xefi headed to the high temple up the mountain past the flatlands, massive trees, and up a long winding path. It was grand and the only one capable of holding everyone inside. It was used for special occasions such as this, the hearing for an assassination Quest.
As the peacemakers of the Frontera system, it was their duty to eradicate any forces that dared threaten the Peace. It required Meras of skill and determination to cross however many borders it may take in a life-testing journey and have always lead to deaths from both sides to achieve it. The last assassination Quest was twenty years ago before Rue was born.
Her father did not possess his ability by then but Dayrue did. They two were the only survivors from that last Quest.
He would sometimes tell her morsels from his adventure as a way to get her to bed. He refrained from the terrifying monsters and ravaging landscapes to tell her about the lakes filled with dazzling constellations, fairies, and friendly creatures. Perhaps it was his intention for her to sleep more soundly, but the practice of divulging forbidden information and great details from those Quest was condemned.
Rue was excited and it further cemented her decision that the Zunbera-xefi was for her. After all, it was the order that would get first-hand knowledge about matters such as this. Her excitement vanished however at the thought that she would not be able to share the exciting news with Callum, not with her stone-faced guards.
It wasn't long inside the grand temple before the marble floors became hidden as busybodies began to crowd and sit with folded legs. Like a wave starting from the center of the grand room did heads began to dip to the ground as they sat. The green from trees glowed from the outside through the folded-back doors around the temple.
The low ceiling created a dimness but lamps on walls near the opened doors cast a gentle light. In the center of the room was a low stage with steps around its circular edge. However, the guards that had to stand stood out like a sore thumb in the mass of seated Meras.
There were three sets of guards, one for Rue, one for her father, and then there was Dayrue who due to her telekinesis was also royalty. Rue didn't feel so bad and thought the guards were lucky to hear as well.
Dayrue was one of those Meras many stayed far from. Apart from being excellent in combat and always being seen wielding a dagger, she had an uncaring tone and an unpleasant attitude towards everything. Some say she wasn't always like that and that those great Quests had the power to change a Mera sometimes for the worse.
Her father's eyes quickly caught her since she stood out due to her guards. He was in the crowd on the ground like the others but with several guards standing around him. Usually, she would hide away and sneak up trying to frighten him but didn't even try it this time. She stayed far away from him intentionally as she felt it was unfair that only she be punished.
In the center on the low stage stood the orator. He unrolled a long scroll that had the important details of the Quest. Since the written languages of other Domains were too many and could not be interpreted by the Axil, it was the custom to have to interpret precisely drawn illustrations that were not limited to maps. The order in which they were displayed was like that of a story.
Only the burbles of nearby streams and the occasional chirp of birds could break through the silence as the orator began to speak.
The soon-to-be-revealed threat stemmed from seven Domains away in the Kingdom ruled by the Blood elves. They were one of the few species linked to the extinct Humans. They excelled in magic and the enchantment of objects.
It all started when the prince along with seven huntsmen hunted down a rogue that could control mice with a flute for terrorizing the kingdom. The hunt ventured into the deep woods on top of four-legged equines until they came upon an old royal burial ruin.
Upon examining it in search for the rogue they came upon a sleeping maiden in a coffin. Blood from an injured huntsman came in contact with the corpse and it caused her to awaken from her deep slumber.
Unlike the tan and brown skins of the Blood Elves, she had a snow-white complexion. Instead of pointy-tipped ears, hers were lobbed. Her eyes were a deep red and sparkled.
They brought her back to the Kingdom and made her known to the Queen. The prince began to fall for her but the Queen was not fond of her as unlike every other elf in the Kingdom, she did not show a reflection in her magic mirror.
Apart from her looks and no reflection in the mirror she had other questionable attributes about her. She was unaware of the current events as if she came from another time and birds came near whenever she sang. Not long after her arrival did strange things begin to happen in the Kingdom.
Animals began to go missing especially the bird species and all the ones in the royal garden. Now apart from the endless snowy bliss that had stretched to the entire Domain blocking out any patch of sunlight, there was a trend of vampiric cannibalistic mutants that fed on the living. One bite spread the virus to any creature large or small and it had already begun to spread into neighboring Domains.
Species that escaped were fleeing for other lands, but also were the mindless carnivorous beasts in search of fresh blood causing fear and chaos-- breaking the laws of the borders and threatening the peace of the Frontera system as they did.
With the maiden's mysterious control over the mutants and the Blood elves' Kingdom now under lockdown rumors of war coming have already begun to stir fear. Stamped by high lords of three Domains and approved by twelve others, it ended with a plea to the Meras to put an end to the tyranny of the now-called White Queen.
At the end of interpreting the scroll did mumbles stir up again.
Rue realized that this Quest was related to the mutated Pyraus-dragona and the ones that aided the Werewolves in the last attack. Even worse, there was a virus capable of spreading to even there. That species was a neighbor to the Kingdom of subject and so they were flying from six Domains away. It was only a matter of time before it spread to them. It got her to start worrying.
"Didn't the Vampire species die out from diseases from unsanitary blood practices?"
"I heard that only those with the purest bloodline could survive. Those also didn't burn to a crisp when they went into sunlight--"
"That's only under a certain condition, but it's a secret and no one knows what that is."
"Their species was on the brink of extinction. Some went into deep slumber locked away across lands in hope that the diseases would die out."
However, the slight mention of Werewolves among the low chatter got Rue's ears to twitch in alertness.
"The Vampires are allergic to silver just like the Werewolves. But unlike them, it caused fiery exploding blisters when it went in contact with their skin. At least we know how to protect ourselves."
The more mature Meras went on to mumble about traps and weapons best suited for Vampires, while some of the younger ones were more interested in the magical aspects like the mirror.
"A magical mirror? Is that the mirror that some say can show the future?" whispered one.
"I thought it allowed you to speak to the dead as if they were alive. I know the Blood elves do high degrees of magic."
Though Rue's guards inhibited her from joining the low conversations it didn't stop her ears from eavesdropping and thinking about it.
"A mirror that allowed you to speak to the dead as if they were alive?" she thought to herself.
She could speak to her mother and see her move unlike those monochrome lifeless portraits of her. And even if not, who wouldn't like to see their future? Would she be with Callum or some other Mera?
The thoughts got her excited. She blocked out the noise and began to think to herself. The sudden silence grabbed her attention as the orator began to describe the route to the White Queen's Kingdom.
It was a long and dangerous journey that involved passing over six Domains until you reached the destination in the seventh one. However, the loud uproar got him to pause once he mentioned passing through the Werewolf Domain. Even Rue looked around to wonder if she had heard right.
"Beg your pardon but did you just say past through the We-Werewolves?"
"There's got to be another way, why of all…"
The orator's voice broke through the commotion to say, "If there was another way we would have taken it. The territories on either side of the Werewolves are so deadly they've remained uninhabited for centuries. Not even the most skilled of Meras would make it past them alive.
"Our only hope is by passing through the rocky mountain chain within the Werewolf Domain. Yes, it's harsh and rains rocks there, however, it's far from the mainland that's crawling with those bloody beasties. We'll be able to pass through before they scent or track that we were even there."
"And what about the way back, they'll…"
Before any further discussions were allowed, he informed that the Quest would be briefed to the public the next day. In the evening they would hold a special meeting to accept volunteers and as always, only the fellow members of the Zunbera-xefi were allowed.
"Think long and hard, for come tomorrow we look forward to making known the heroes who will represent us and eliminate the evil," were his last words.
Like everyone there, she wandered about who would go on that dangerous Quest. Her father the head of the Zunbera-xefi would have to go, but he'd been on one before and she had no doubts that he wouldn't make it back from this one as well.
Then a terrifying thought got her to freeze from getting to her feet when it hit her. With her being old enough and her father the Chief away on that long dangerous journey, they would no doubt set her up with Sir Lucius to practice leading the Kingdom.
"Dammit! Crap! Nooooooo!"