With a population of over a million, the city of Zephyrus was the largest in the entire northwestern plains of Abrild and the capital of the Duchy of Zephyrus. It was ruled by the Zephyr family, guardians of the northwest for over a thousand years.
Its walls rose more than 20 meters high and were protected by thousands of runic formations that emitted a faint magical light that had gloriously kept it an impregnable fortress for thousands of years.
Its wide cobbled streets, guarded by thousands of soldiers in blue armor, vibrated with prosperity, and at its great and mighty gates, a seemingly endless line of merchants and travelers stretched to the horizon, eager to enter the city.
And at the center of it all was the palace of the Zephyr family, which combined white and blue in a colossal marble structure that would make even the tallest man feel like an ant.
In the center of the palace's courtyard, in the place reserved for the family's training, stood a man and a woman.
"Be careful, little sister!" A handsome man with short black hair, blue eyes, and an imposing body spoke as he dropped his sword on a slender girl wielding double daggers.
The girl acted calmly and stomped her feet on the ground, throwing herself backward as the man's sword fell to the hard concrete floor in an explosion that opened a crater and sent dust and debris flying.
The man was Gale Zephyr, son of Duke Bryn Zephyr and current heir to the family, a third-level warrior and one of the most talented young men of his generation.
As for the woman, she was Safira Zephyr, one of Bryn's few daughters and sons to survive the initiation ritual, who had recently returned to her hometown and made her advancement to the second stage.
Fighting such a powerful opponent, Safira had to give her all while her adversary seemed to be casually playing with a child.
"Let's see if you can dodge this!" Gale shouted before taking a step forward. The ground beneath his feet cracked and the air around him became aggressive as he advanced in a casual burst of speed.
It took a split second for Safira to realize that she couldn't defend herself, and another split second for Gale to appear in front of her.
She raised her arms and closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impact that never came.
"Go easy on your sister, Gale. A powerful third-stage warrior wouldn't need to use mana to deal with someone who's just reached the second stage." A deep, powerful male voice fell over them both, and when Safira opened her eyes again, she saw Gale floating awkwardly in front of her, as if he had been grabbed by the collar of his shirt by a superior force.
Turning to the side, Safira saw two men approaching.
One was Bryn Zephyr, a tall, middle-aged man with a goatee, who shared the same blue eyes and black hair as the two brothers, and who emanated a powerful bluish aura.
The other man was a golden figure Safira knew well, his long blond hair falling over his shoulders and a gentle smile on his face.
"Father... Your Holiness Merinor," Safira regained her composure and quickly saluted the two with a long bow, but was pulled out of her position by a bear hug from her father. "Skip the formalities, honey! How are you, my youngest genius? You and Gale, two S-ratings in the same generation! You don't know how proud I am!" Bryn laughed sincerely. Safira had taken her advancement test only a few hours ago, and it was only now that he congratulated her.
Meanwhile, the force holding Gale down disappeared and he collapsed to the ground.
"Thanks, Dad... I'm fine..." Safira said, struggling to breathe as she was crushed by her father's hug.
Smiling even brighter, Bryn grabbed Safira's shoulders and pulled her away as his eyes fell on the double daggers in her hands. Their blades were as black as the purest obsidian, their frames as strong as the strongest steel, and their edges seemed capable of cutting through anything.
It radiated a powerful and voracious aura that made it clear to Bryn that this was a legendary weapon and the reward she had received for her ascension.
"I'm fine too, Dad, thanks for asking." Gale stood up, stretching on his back.
"Bishop Merinor," Gale bowed his head to Merinor. "Is there something you need?"
"Do I need a reason to visit the dear friends of one of my former apprentices?" Merinor smiled, not interested in saying much.
Bryn released her daughter's shoulders before walking over to Gale and whispering in his ear. "Order the palace to be locked down, no one is to enter or leave without further orders."
"Why?" Gale asked awkwardly.
"Just do it." Bryn's voice hardened and he let out a fraction of his aura, just enough for his son to understand perfectly what had to be done.
Gale didn't question it and just turned and left, not even looking back.
When Gale finally disappeared, the eyes of the two remaining men fell on Safira, who shivered.
Bryn stayed by his daughter's side, and although he was reserved and had a completely peaceful interaction with Merinor, he already knew Merinor's reason for being there and would make sure that Merinor could not harm a single strand of the young talent that would one day be the backbone of his family.
Perhaps it was a bit hypocritical of him to be so overprotective of Safira when he had already sent hundreds of children to their deaths in his more than 200 years of life in a ritual he was sure only a fraction of them would survive.
Traditions are important, but they are also cruel," Bryn shook his head, trying to justify his actions.
It was cruel, but it was the rule in his world, a rule established over 1400 years ago by one of Albrid's most powerful emperors.
Merinor watched Safira for a few seconds before removing a necklace from his space ring and handing it to the girl. "This is an artifact of truth. He'll know if you're lying."
"Hm" Safira looked at the necklace with a little doubt on her face before putting it around her neck.
Merinor's gaze became rigid and his voice cold as he finally stated his business, "Gabriel is dead, and I know very well that he used his life-saving treasure on you. I want you to tell me everything."