12 hrs before the invasion
Imperial palace of Azeas.
If one looked from a high vantage point, they will see that the imperial palace was '+' with five different sections. The central section which was the smallest was still covered a very large area. While the other four sections with different structures were had optimal design.
The central palace was for the imperial family which was further divided into many sections for different members. There were large mansions with many workers doing various things. All of these mansions had beautiful gardens with the flowers being tended by workers.
There however was a mansion, with a garden barren of any flowers.
In one of many rooms of the mansion; stood a boy in front of a mirror caressing a badge with a simple sun symbol carved in it. The boy was looking at his reflected image with frown seemingly thinking about something then he brought his hands to the corners of his mouth and pulled them apart trying and failing to mimic a smile-the cause were his cold purple eyes and the frown, but the boy didn't give up and eventually managed to form a proper smile, appearing like a completely different person.
"Hello, I'm Damien!"
"Oh!! You already knew about me?"
"No, no, no! It's my sister Annalise. She's the crown princess not my bother Ronan."
The boy continued to talk like this until he heard soft knock on the door.
Then he moved towards the door, opened the door for someone who was wearing a black suit with a bow tie; standing in front of the door with utmost respect.
"Albert? Why are you here? If you're here to inquire about breakfast then you don't have to bother about it. I've already had something with my friends." Said the boy with raised brows.
"I'm sorry if I have disturbed you, your highness. And, I'm not here about that matter. His imperial highness has summoned your highness for reason that I'm not privy to." The butler said while bowing with slight tremor in his voice then continued after standing straight.
"Oh, it's about that? Then I must not make his majesty wait for me further. lead the way the Arthur." The prince said to Arthur, who had a uncomfortable smile in his face.
"Yes! Your highness!" Arthur replied while boy the started to walk forward hesitantly.
"Haha, don't always be so stiff Arthur. Didn't I give you permission to address me casually when we're alone? You can just call me Damien." Damien said while patting Arthur in the back lightly.
'Damien...? Does that mean that he's back? Let's test him then.' The butler thought to himself with slight happiness.
"No your highness, I can't possibly commit such atrocities. " The butler said with narrowed eyes, waiting for the prince's response.
"So you don't want to listen to my request, huh..." the prince said in a slightly depressed tone, to which the butler replied with slight panic in his panic.
"No your highness! It's not like that, it's just that I have to follow certain rules in front of your highness."
'Shit! It's still that bastard with control.' Arthur thought in dismay.
The prince then chuckled and lightly patted Arthur's shoulder. "Heh, you're no fun Arthur. I was just pulling your leg; you can address me however you like, it doesn't matter."
'What...? He's joking? No way...' the butler thought with slight hope.
The butler shivered slightly after the prince patted him on his back, and replied with a tremor in his voice."Thank you, your highness.
Then he added cautiously, preparing for the worst; "And it's good to see you again, young master..."
"Huh? What strange things are you uttering? Didn't you saw me off to Dmitri's house yesterday?" Damien looked strangely at Arthur.
"Haha, It's nothing, your highness. Treat it as an old man's rambling." Arthur said while chuckling.
"Well, whatever floats your boat then." Damien muttered under his breath.
Both of them then walked the halls of the mansion in silence. The various maids and workers along the way greeted the prince with respect, with the butler walking awkwardly beside the prince until they reached the front gate of the mansion.
There were two people at the sides of gates wearing a light grey armor with various purplish runes carved in it, with the insignia of the imperial family carved in the chest plate - a purple dragon biting its own tail.
The guards saluted in greeting to their prince by going on their knees.
"At ease" said the prince with a slight smile on his face to which the guard gave an uneasy look at the prince behind their visored helmet. However, it seemed that the prince could peer behind the darkness of the visor and chuckled.
"Why are all you so nervous today? And why do I feel that you guys are seeing me for the first time?" The prince said with a smile still lingering on his face and strode past the guards without saying any other thing and Arthur quietly followed the prince after giving a slight smile to the guards, and he formed a particular sign with his fingers. Which made the guards gaps, and they even hugged each other, without the prince noticing anything.
The tall gate of the mansion opened automatically after the prince got near it. Then outside was a vehicle hovering above the ground. It had the same insignia of the imperial family. The sleek ebony vehicle which was around two meter tall and around five meters long was currently without any driver but both the prince and Arthur alighted it after the hover car came down automatically, and starting to levitate higher and higher and zoom past with the with quite a bit of speed.
The people riding mundane vehicles were staring with awe at the hovercar.
"It's quite a nice stuff we found, isn't it? And where were the ruins for this tech anyway?" the prince asked while getting comfortable in the seat while watching the scenery outside which was just a blur to even his eyes.
Arthur also sat in one of the many seats in the vehicle. "Yes, young master. The method to make this vehicle was found on one of the forbidden zones by accident." In an even tone.
"Oh. Accidentally? How did that happen?"
'There he is getting all curious about this...when he wouldn't usually care about anything.' Arthur thought internally and sated his master's curiosity:
Well, one of the hunters had been separated from his group and came across a dying monster which had probably been like that due to an attack from another abomination. And according to him, I repeat what he said, 'It was a bloody fight I say! Never seen something like that in my life I tell you.' Is what the hunter had apparently told to the investigators. Anyway, the titan was later slayed a group of awakened and mages from our order, and they later discovered a research site underground after a curious awakened decided to scan the ground. Then, well various useful data were found there and one of them led to the manufacturing of this hovering vehicle. Which is also called hovercraft."
"Ah...the hunter was quite a lucky fellow then huh...? But why am I just learning about this though...? Why didn't you tell me before? This matter seems quite fun, you know? A lone hunter accidentally finding a buried research site that contain such valuable data? I'd believe you."
''I did, but you didn't give a crap before", the butler thought.
"You didn't ask before, young master..." The butler said with a deadpan face. He was finally getting used the change in personality.
"Really? I apologize then Arthur." the prince said while sheepishly scratching the back of his head.
Then the hovercraft, which was zooming past the various structures stopped automatically.
They had arrived at the main area where the emperor and empress lived, and it was also an area where some important meetings were held.
The main area was a bit different from other places as it sill had an ancient feel to it with the lack of modern structures with defensive measures, but it was still the safest place in the whole continent - in theory, since reality could be very different.
The palace was the epitome of luxury with the mixture or modern and traditional theme. The palace looked beautiful, and evoked feelings of awe and grandeur. The marbled floors of the palace were inscribed with various murals and arts depicting stories known to those who were interested enough. The ivory wall of the palace were lined with purple decoration with many fractals inscribed on them, which gave off the feeling of mystery. However, they were not only for decoration as the seemingly beautiful fractals contained mystical powers.'
Arthur knew that even with the absence of any walls or fortification any kind there were many ways the palace could be protected from any sorts of invasion. It was due to something only someone attuned with mana could see; a barrier made through the combination of runes and fractals.
A figure materialized from a burst of mana when both Arthur and Damien were staring the grandeur of the palace. The figure was donned in black robes with some enchanted armor beneath and both Damien and Arthur felt the intangible pressure from the person. While Arthur was about to faint the person addressed Damien.
"Artoria greets the prince Damien." The figure said with a clear feminine voice with a curt nod without the usual reverent and awe in her dark eyes and added.
"I'm here on the orders of the emperor to escort your highness. Please don't resist the spell I'm about to cast." Then without waiting for any reply she started to chant an incantation which made huge amount of mana gather around her palm, and Damien and Arthur didn't disturb her, nor they could as both of them were under immense spiritual pressure that was unconsciously emitted by Artoria.
The lingering mana faded from Artoria's hand, and she pointed it towards the ground and both Artoria's and Damien's figure vanished under the gaze of frozen and terrified Arthur.