Silently, I trailed after my grandfather and tried to familiarize myself with the strange energy as much as I could. While I felt a connection with the energy brimming from both him and my father. If I felt it within myself as well, and it was fart too potent to not notice.
After leading my parents and I back into the nursery wing, he handed me a set of neatly folded clothes much like my father's. "Change into these." He grunted, gesturing to the restroom.
I took the clothes without a word and trotted off towards the door, trying as best as I could to study the material without ruffing them up on the way. Once behind the shelter of the closed door, I gently placed the gear on the counter so that I could more closely inspect the pieces one-by-one.
Poised upside down on top of the stack of clothes was a pair of black suede loafers. A timeless, simple, and elegant design. Yet when placed alongside the bottom of my soles, they seemed entirely too big. Placing them gently on the floor, I then grabbed what I initially assumed was a large silky towel with golden stitches embroidered along the border and in the center with what I assumed was our family crest. A chevroned banner with the image of a golden sunrise occluded by what appeared to be the waving branches of a black willow tree.
I set aside my questions for later and quickly unfolded the next item of clothing. A pair of simple black slacks that also seemed a few sizes too large for me. The last items were the pea coat style jacket and a simple white undershirt made of the same silky material as what I now assumed was a cape of some sort. Surprisingly enough, the latter was the only piece of clothing that visually looked like it'd fit.
Naturally, I pulled the shirt over my head first and was pleasantly surprised at the comforting embrace it afforded. Silky and smooth like one would guess from looking at it, but also warm and fluffy like that of fleece.
After wallowing in the feeling for perhaps a bit too long, I reached for the pants and began stepping inside the wide mouth that was the waistline. My frustration turned to confusion as my foot reached the end of what I now realized were basically two long socks connected to a set of trousers, then into stupefied awe as the fabric started to contract on itself and become tailored to my waistline. Looking down to my feet, I could see they were indeed wrapped up to my ankles in what looked and felt like socks, yet there was enough slack above them to allow the pant portion to fall over the top of my foot, giving the piece the appearance of regular slacks.
Smiling in amazement, I reached for the jacket and quickly pulled each of my arms through the sleeves. Once rested on my shoulders, the fabric retracted around my limbs like the pants did until my arms breached the stitched tunnels and tightened around my wrists to a snug fit while the buttons did much the same- pulling themselves taut to automatically fasten along the right side of my chest.
Like the undershirt, the jacket and pants were both absurdly comfortable and pleasantly warm. Though no so much as to feel as if I'd overheat; even inside the estate. Though I had doubts about its durability, I felt safe in assuming that each piece was enchanted in more ways than what I'd just witnessed.
Lastly came the shoes, which brought less of a surprise to see them reshape to my size than it did to feel them mold to the shape of my soles; giving my foot all the support it needed and making it feel as if I had just stepped onto a cloud.
As great as it was, however, that didn't mean it was without issues. Namely the last article of clothing. After fiddling with it for a few moments, it seemingly animated and wrestled itself free from my grasp to fasten itself above my collarbones. Allowing a half cape to hang from my left shoulder and cover the entirety of my arm.
'Whatever." I shrugged my frustrations aside. 'I'm sure I'll find some sort of compromise. And I'm sure they're waiting for me in there anyway."
Surely enough, Grandpa Lich broke out into a prideful monologue the moment he made eye contact with me after I returned.
"What you are wearing is the formal dress of the Cole family." He vehemently began. "Though you lack the surname, you are still a Cole. And as a Cole, you must be aware of your heritage."
He paused until I was standing before him and giving him my undivided attention before continuing. "Nearly three centuries ago, I and my closest friend; the Emperor of our sister nation, Jamettus Deapou, cultivated these lands. With my Necro Army and his great magic, we culled the land of all hostilities and built the lands you see around us. We created this Empire; the Deapou Empire, together. As such, he and I are of the same standing. Though we have differing titles- He is the Emperor, and I am the High King. King, of Kings."
He paused for another moment to give me time to absorb the information, I suppose. I quickly nodded after the third or fourth second to probe him into continuing. Luckily he did just that after giving me a prideful grin.
"We are one Empire in name. Two in actuality- Deapou, and Odissi. And just below the Emperor and I." Grandpa said, gesturing towards my parents. "Is your father and mother. The Archduke and Archduchess- Emeric Cole, and Eved; the high-dark elf."
They gave me prideful glances while lovingly holding each other in an embrace. A sight I could barely contemplate, as my grandfather continued his ramblings.
"Below them, is the one other King in our Empire, Auberon Uplos. And below him, is you, Amun," He proudly declared. "As the Grand Duke, you are on par with the Emperor's heir, the Grand Princess, Roheisa Deapou. She's around your age. So expect to meet her eventually. And never let her, or anyone else bully you." He pointed a warnful finger. "Not even the Emperor himself."
"I understand." I quickly nodded. I have a strict no-tolerance policy for bullying or being bullied by anyone. And it seemed my Grandfather was all too pleased to hear it. As he grinned wide and nodded while seemingly scratching his wrist.
And out of nowhere, he reeled his arm back to reveal a black belt dangling from his fist. Like his and my father's, it had a large golden buckle fashioned in the same crest as the one on my cape. Though mine was smaller than my father's; and his smaller than Grandpa Lich's.
"This belt is the final, most important piece of your wear, Amun. All who lay eyes on it will know that you." He gently punched his beefy fist into my chest. Forcing me back a step." Are the Grand Duke of Deapou, Amun of Odissi." He took a knee before offering the belt to me with both hands. "Wear it with pride."
As I reached for it and began wrapping it around my waist, it wrestled free from my grasp like the cape and quickly bound itself around my waist. I tried to hide my awe from seeing the slack disappearing into thin air before me, yet failed as I looked into my grandfather's abyssal eyes with as much excitement on my face as conviction.
"I understand." I nodded.
He grunted admirably to himself before erecting his posture and stepping backward. At that moment, I looked away for a second to put on a more contemplative face before returning my gaze back up to him. "But Grandpa Lich, if the Emperor is so old, why does he have a daughter my age?"
Despite the embarrassing looks from my father, I managed to get a couple of boisterous chuckles out of my grandfather and a few quiet giggles from my mother from my seemingly innocent question.
"His Imperial Majesty has reigned for centuries, Amun," Grandpa explained, still chuckling. "That is far longer than any leader should reign. And unlike me, his time in this world is limited. So, he did as all Emperors do. Sired an heir."
"I find it… strange, that we're the same age." I wondered aloud after a short pause.
"You and I both," Grandpa grumbled. Then waved the matter away entirely. "Regardless, that's all you need to know about your status as a Royal. You'll learn the specifics later. What's most important to you is your heritage.
"In a world full of Mystics and Wizards and Witches." Grandpa continued after a short pause. "We of the Cole family are Sorcerers, beloved by the darkest forces within the known realms. Since time immemorial, our ancestors were born with some form of dark magic. Darkness and Death to name a few." He gestured to my father. Then himself. "While the origin of our power has long since been lost to us, we are fortunate to have the arts survive through our bloodline."
"How was the origin lost?" I slowly asked.
"War." My grandfather wickedly grinned. "A war so great it nearly sterilized the planet. Humanity survived." He leaned back with a sigh. "Our knowledge didn't. And then, the Gates opened a few centuries later.
"Anyway, enough questions." He quickly snapped. "The clothes we wear aren't just for show. Wearing it brings us closer to the shadows. The first stage of our Sorcery."
He paused while I took a second to look myself over. I couldn't deny it was stylish; if a little high on the vanity scale. Each of the gilded buttons along my coat boasted our family crest and an embroidered version sat above a breast pocket just above my heart.
"How do you like it, Amun?" Grandpa eventually asked. "Each article of clothing you wear has been enchanted by the finest artificers in the Empire. Not only will it give protection from magical or physical attacks, but it will also keep your body warm or cool in any environment. And has a slew of other features as well."
"I like it. But." I couldn't help but glance at the cape disapprovingly before looking up to his towering figure. "Do I have to wear this cape?"
"It is not a cape." Grandpa shook his head, smiling. "As I said, each article of clothing has been enchanted with spells that only those with our affinities can use. These enchantments can tap into your shadow mana and bring forth your powers subconsciously. That piece around your shoulder is known as a Shadow Veil; an item that protects you from the sun and disguises yourself in a cloud of darkness. The cloak can take the form of whatever article of clothing you choose. Be it a cape." He gestured to himself, then to father. "A scarf, or whatever else you can imagine. Simply pour some mana into it and think it into existence. And it will change accordingly."
Following his directions, I turned to the silky fabric wrapped around my shoulders and imagined the first thing I could. Embarrassingly, I let out a small shocked gasp as the fabric relaxed around my shoulders before reforming it around my neck into a tie. Causing more than interested gazes from each of my forefathers and a curious chuckle to arise from my mother.
I guess ties didn't exist in this world, until now.
"Is that better, Grandson?" Grandpa Lich smiled warmly after seeing my childish wonder.
I only grinned back at him before nodding excitedly. Though I was having a bit of fun in trying to play the part of the child I was, I couldn't deny that, at least from what they showed me, my family loved and cared about me.
As did my first family, certainly. But my second family could at least stuff a gilded spoon into my mouth right after I was born. Though that in itself is a small quip when opposed to the state of the world I was born into. Earth was a shit hole. So then, how does this world compare?
"That's not all they can do, Son," My father said as he approached, pulling my thoughts back to the present. I turned to see him reaching into his jacket for an inner pocket, only to pull out a lumpy sack that he then offered to me.
From the look, sound, and weight I felt when I placed it in my hand, I knew it could only be coins of some sort. Through my peripherals, I could see my father waiting in anticipation while I carefully placed the sack at my feet and squatted to open it. It was fist-size for him but as big as my head after all.
I unraveled the string holding the bag together and recoiled in surprise as the opening widened up. Revealing a heft pile of polished gold coins. All perfectly minted the same size.
'Jesus fucking Christ!.' I recoiled in surprise. 'I know I'm royalty but, damn! There has to be at least a few hundred in here.'
"Happy birthday, Amun." Father grinned over my shocked gasp. "Now, do as I do."
He held up a single coin in his finger and slowly placed it inside his sleeve, then retracted his empty finger a moment later and gave me an expectant look.
Slowly as to contain my excitement, I reached into the bag to pull out a coin and mimic his actions. When my fingers went inside my sleeve, I felt a strange cold envelop my skin. Letting the coin go, I felt it fall away far from my hands; not to come to rest inside my sleeve, but as if it went to a separate dimension entirely.
"Our shadow affinity gives us the innate ability to delve into the shadows." My father explained, distracting me from my magical wallet adding a single gold coin to my wealth. "Specifically, to a place that my father called, The Shadow Realm. Though I never liked that name." He chuckled. "I- we." He gestured to the rest of my family after interrupting himself. "Call it the Shadowfell. Whatever its name, this dimension exists as an echo of reality. A mirror world of darkness, fear, and madness that we alone are privy to. So much so that we have our own separate world within that dimension that can be used to store items in.
"Normally that would require you to consciously manipulate your own shadow mana. But the enchantments in our coats make it effortless. For example, try placing your allowance into your shadow below you."
'My allowance.' I snorted wryly. Following his directions, I picked up the bag and slowly began lowering it over my shadow. Just before it touched the floor, my shadow suddenly darkened and thickened until it resembled a soupy, almost smoky material that billowed from the floor and let my bag fall through without resistance and disappear entirely.
[+1,000 Gold.]
Due to my awe, I barely noticed my mother suddenly walking off with a hint of frustration in her eyes. Before I could even turn to her, my father took hold of my shoulder and knelt by my side. "Now," he said with a reassuring smile. "I'll show you what our shoes can do."
With that, our combined shadows began to thicken and condense beneath us and before long, the same cold sensation as before began to spread around my ankles and legs.
And then the room suddenly rocketed upward out of view.