"Why do I have to become a medjay, mother? I don't know how to protect nobody," Jody complained from his heart in his most juvenile voice.
He was merely a boy for crying out loud.
How early did police academies recruit these days? She should at least give him a few more years so he could escape the Wimpy Man stage. How can he protect the weak as a wimp?
"Josiah, if I hear you speaking improperly one more time, I will freeze your little butt! This is currently as much for your own protection as it is for protecting your people. In fact, for now, it will protect you far more than it protects anyone else," Lady Isis said sternly.
She gently rubbed her son's neck and used her psychic powers to braid his little dreadlocks back. Jody shivered at her threat and looked up into her eyes.
Seeing the shape and depth of her own sapphire eyes staring back at her, Isis' gaze and voice both softened unconsciously as she continued, "That is why once you do possess the strength, you must always protect the innocent. It will forever be your duty as a Medjay of Anubis, the True Pharaoh of Death and ruler of the Underworld. All 3,333 hells bow beneath the majesty of Anubis. It is no dishonor to worship such a deity in exchange for protection and additional strength. As a holy messenger, even the pharaoh himself can be considered a medjay of Anubis."
"So the pharaoh is also a medjay? Does that mean I could become a holy messenger too?" Jody asked out of curiosity.
If he also became a holy messenger of Anubis, wouldn't that make him a Pharaoh no matter where he went? He would be able to lord over the numerous hells. How cool was that? He didn't realize there was a promotion system like this. Maybe being a cop wouldn't be so bad.
"This…"
Lady Isis was slightly taken aback, as was Omotolani. This boy really dared to dream, didn't he?
Only Kamila found it perfectly reasonable.
"Little brother will definitely become a holy messenger! Milly will be a princess," Kamila huffed confidently.
"Sigh… silly child, am I not your mother? Did you not get a coronation? You are a princess already," Omotolani chided her daughter, who stuck her tongue out in response.
"Yes, as a medjay, it is always possible to receive the recognition of Anubis, but it is also improbable," Lady Isis knew it was pointless to lie to her child, so she answered honestly.
He could pick apart a story better than any detective she knew. In fact, Isis' eyes suddenly brightened as if enlightened. With her son's talent, perhaps Anubis would really notice him. Then again, to be noticed by a god was not always a good thing.
🐉🐉🐉
The imperial palace had towering walls covered in shining hieroglyphics and dozens of death god statues with menacing eyes that shined in crimson sagelight. Jody felt as if merely looking at these statues could kill him, and his mother actually covered his eyes as they approached, and Omotolani did the same with Kamila.
After passing through the palace walls, Lady Isis and Princess Omotolani received a very gracious welcome as stewards arrived to pamper them and see to their every need or desire. They took the group to a wonderful pavilion, prettier than Jody had ever experienced before.
Jody took full advantage of this and had the stewards bring all sorts of items he could analyze with God's Appeal.
[Analyzing...completed. Faded Origin Tea. This tea was created from lower-grade spiritual herbs, but based on the standards of the current star, these herbs should be counted as middle-class.]
[Analyzing...completed. Chocolate Mamba Fruit. Contains lower grade nutrients that can be considered high-class based on current star's standards.]
God's Appeal allowed Jody to finally interface with the Twilight proxy directly. He thought this technique the twilight had forced onto him was rather useful, as everything he analyzed, he grew to understand in depth. To his surprise, his mother did nothing to stop his antics and even supported him from the sidelines.
Several hours later, the stewards led Jody, Kamila, his mother, and his third mother to the grand hall with a host of imperial guards, spirit wolves, and demon jackals as an escort. They had all changed into elegant attire, making Jody feel as if he was a handsome young prince on the way to visit the royal court. His clothes were made of a special material, and he could feel the mana in the surroundings swelling towards him at all times.
His mind felt clear, and his thoughts were the most unhindered they had ever been. He even felt as if he could start doing backflips. The destiny star behind him shined in a bright white light, blinding all who tried to observe Jody with their perception.
"Mother must get me several sets of these clothes…" Jody muttered to himself as he sauntered in front of his mother, oblivious to the white light and convinced that he looked so dazzling and handsome that people had to avoid looking at him directly.
Hearing his mumbling, Isis made a mental note to update her son's wardrobe. These palace stylists would not outdo her in her son's heart.
Jody looked unmoved and confident in his steps, sending his mother into a bit of a daze. Just who taught this brat how to act like this? Could her influence truly be so great? And who was going to finance for him several sets of custom-made B-grade cloth armor combat gear? Did he have to have such expensive tastes?
She suddenly found another reason to be annoyed by this entire ordeal.
As their entourage approached the ceremonial halls, Omotolani ran into several imperial princesses, causing the procession to pause repeatedly.
Jody watched as his sister greeted the princesses with a confident smile and a polite bow. He was amazed at her ease around royalty, and wondered if he could ever be as unflappable as she was. He was still analyzing the different items brought out for their enjoyment when he was abruptly pulled from his thoughts by his mother's touch on his shoulder.
"Jody, stay put, okay? Do not wonder off," commanded his mother, while walking off with an old friend.
Jody noticed that the imperial princesses were all adorned in the finest silk robes, their hair styled in intricate braids and their faces painted with elaborate patterns. He couldn't help but stare in awe at their beauty, but his attention was quickly drawn to a little girl walking beside one of the princesses.
The girl had striking sapphire eyes and a mysterious aura shrouded her at all times. Jody felt a strange pull towards her, as if he knew her from somewhere. When their eyes met, the girl smiled ever so slightly, and Jody could feel his heart skip a beat.
"Who is she?" he thought to himself. But he somehow forgot her in the next instant.
Jody watched as his sister giggled with excitement, and Lady Isis and the other princesses exchanged pleasantries. But suddenly, Jody noticed a figure standing in the corner, watching them intently. It was a little girl, no more than five or six years old, with stunning sapphire eyes that shone like jewels.
Jody couldn't take his eyes off of her. There was something about her that was both mysterious and alluring. He felt drawn to her, but he couldn't explain why. As Lady Isis and Omotolani continued their conversation with the other princesses, Jody slowly made his way over to the little girl.
"Hi there," Jody said softly, trying not to startle her. "What's your name?"
The little girl didn't reply at first, but then she slowly turned to face him. Jody was struck by how her eyes seemed to pierce right through him.
"My name is Topaz Novi," the little girl said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jody felt a jolt of recognition when he heard her name. He had heard it before, but he couldn't remember where.
"Topaz...that's a really pretty name," Jody said, trying to make conversation.
Topaz didn't respond, but instead held out her hand. Jody didn't know what to do at first, but then he realized she was offering him something. It was a small object, wrapped in a scrap of cloth.
"What is it?" Jody asked, taking the object from her hand. It looked like a tiny golden falcon.
Topaz looked into Jody's eyes and said calmly, "You must always keep it with you. In a decade or so, you will need it to find your brother."
"I'm sorry, what?" Jody asked, appalled by the implications.
"He is safe..." Topaz stepped closer to Jody, close enough for their lips to nearly touch. "You know...you're really cute. And interesting. And your destiny is...terrifying. Do you know who you are?"
Jody was dumbstruck, unable to keep up with this girl's pace for some reason.
"Who I...am?" Jody mused in confusion.
Who was he? In fact, who was she? Who was he just talking too?
"Announcing the Frozen Night Master and her son, third young lord of House Trillwolf, Josiah Trillwolf!"
"Announcing Imperial Princess Omotolani Congo and her daughter, the second young miss of House Trillwolf, and niece of his imperial majesty, Princess Kamila Trillwolf."
Seated in the hall were hundreds of people with terrifying auras. In the middle of the hall stood an altar before the grand throne. Seated on the grand throne was a hunky and awe-inspiring hero with broad shoulders, long black dreadlocks, and a black, jeweled crown. He wore black and gold armor. The black armor was darker than obsidian, and the gold cloth was silky and beautiful, silently emitting an eerie glow. The armor had broad shoulder plates, but the man's muscular chest was fully displayed.
A bevy of beauties played and giggled in a canopy behind the throne. Under the throne sat ten intimidating warriors in smaller thrones. Each warrior had powerful weapons and shields equipped.
Too luxurious.
Too impressive.
Jody was completely in awe. Such a scene was befitting a monarch. This man possessed a presence larger than a mountain. His beard was regal and checkered with white, and he held an enormous staff erect next to the throne. The top of the staff looked like jackal god heads roaring out black fireballs.
This man was none other than the pharaoh of the West Ward and the holy messenger of Anubis, Saint Congo! The people knew him by his official title, Pharaoh Saint Anubis.
Jody's eyes shined upon seeing this majestic man. He seemed to recognize this man from somewhere. In fact, it was not only the pharaoh that he recognized. On the row of seats beneath the throne were thirteen seats, with only three missing someone seated in them. These men all wore hoods and masked their faces, but their aura was not being hidden.
They wore different styles of cloth armor, all looking majestic and imposing. Seated closest to the pharaoh on his left was none other than Osiris Trillwolf. Jody immediately recognized his father's hazel eyes and style of dress.
Osiris rarely covered his chest, and three unique tribal tattoos helped Jody confirm his conjecture.
Meanwhile, Isis was stunned at her husband's arranged seat, as this meant that Osiris had been promoted to Left-Hand of the Divine during his ceremony earlier. Such a rank was leagues above the other medjay. The Left Hand of the Divine was the holy messenger's chief enforcer. This promotion was likely the initial reason for today's gathering.
After all, the lord single-handedly decimated House Shu.
Anyone opposing House Trillwolf would have to think twice and then think again if Osiris was the empire's chief enforcer. Isis looked around a noticed there were actually quite a few enemy factions in attendance today. Merely, they were as meek as kittens and didn't even throw any distasteful glances her way. No one dared to make a fuss in the presence of the pharaoh and his ten medjay. Especially when considering Omotolani was the holy messenger's younger sister.
"It is with great honor that I gather all the noble houses of the imperial city here today," the moment Saint Anubis spoke, everyone lowered their heads in deference. The lower-level nobility present immediately dropped to their knees and kowtowed.
Saint Anubis didn't acknowledge such actions in the slightest.
The great ruler's voice remained steady and powerful, completely unaffected by the atmosphere. "I, Anubis, can have only thirteen medjay serving under me. To date, I already have twelve. Every medjay position was given to a child of extreme potential, who we wasted no effort in nurturing. My Left and Right Hands were once young medjay serving by my side. I watched the previous pharaohs bring them into the holy fold. The final position will be the same. In my 900 years of service, I have never encountered anyone more worthy of my medjay's badge than this future Sage."
There were involuntary gasps all throughout the hall, as this was no small level of praise, and from the holy messenger pharaoh at that!
"Young Josiah, please step forward to the altar," requested the chief steward.
"Come, Jody," said Isis as she ascended the altar.
Jody was immediately at her heels, his face grave and serious. He had never ascended an altar such as this, and he suddenly felt the pressure. The destiny star turned grim and black as it bobbed in his wake.
The chief steward moved to stop her, but one icy glance from Isis stopped him cold in his tracks. What scared the man so badly was that he felt as if his heart might stop on its own when she looked at him. In the majesty of the pharaoh, the crowd didn't dare to murmur, although the majority looked disapproving.
Yet, with their heads bowed, who would notice?
Once at the top of the altar, Jody walked to the middle of a blood formation, marveling at the glowing runes and hieroglyphs surrounding him. He stared excitedly at the pharaoh, causing many of the surrounding diplomats to frown and whisper among themselves. It was considered blasphemy to stare directly at the holy messenger, but Jody was utterly unaware of this custom.
"Josiah, immediately lower your gaze," Isis whispered impatiently.
"Eh?" Jody was genuinely perplexed, unable to register the problem immediately, "But, Mom…"
"Lower it!"
Sensing the atmosphere and matching the boy's gaze that wouldn't lower no matter what, as if it were intuition, the pharaoh raised his hand, and silence descended. Even Isis quieted down immediately, inwardly blaming herself for her child's complete lack of decorum.
"You seem to recognize this messenger, child?" Saint Anubis asked Jody in a calm and even tone.
However, his voice was powerful and loud by nature, leaving Jody in awe.
"Hm? Oh, yeah, I remember you!" The memory of the day Jody was born suddenly flashed through his mind. Everything was rather bright that day, but he could remember this man's huge face invading his space rather well. "You're my Uncle Saint!"
Silence.
No one dared to even breathe after hearing this child call their holy messenger by his given name. Even Isis was stunned as she palmed her forehead. Perhaps she should have considered that this might happen if she didn't drill the brat with etiquette lessons before coming here. The boy was simply far too unrestrained in his behavior and speech. She had definitely spoiled him.
Unfortunately, her mind had been preoccupied with different things today, and she couldn't shake those thoughts. After all, this was the toughest time of every year for her. She stepped forward, ready to apologize, but it proved futile.
Contrary to everyone's expectations, the pharaoh exploded in boisterous laughter while slapping his thigh.
He looked Jody in the eyes and smiled warmly, "Impressive, boy. I do not believe I have seen you since the day you were born. Yet, you remember to call this great one Uncle Saint. Aie, it seems I have neglected you a bit. No matter. You are truly worthy of the nine heavens' acknowledgment."
There were dozens of sharp intakes of air at the pharaoh's words.
"All nine skies acknowledged this child? It's said that the number of heavens that resonate with an Origin Body will determine their limits in energy arts. If he managed to gain the acknowledgment of all nine skies, wouldn't that make him a Sky Fall Legend?"
Hearing this, many more exclaimed in shock and awe.
"What's a Sky Fall Legend?"
"You don't know? This is one of the oldest tales in Pangaea. There was once a sacred pharaoh named the Mighty Sky Pharaoh. He conquered and unified all of Pangaea 900,000 years ago, before the True Dragon Wars."
"When the Mighty Sky Pharaoh surpassed the great Sage level and became a sacred pharaoh, he ripped open the sky and baptized the world in the power of the domain of gods. However, the legion of pharaoh, in their fury, sent legions of true dragons to suppress and govern our kind.
"When we rebelled, it started the True Dragon Wars, which led to the dark ages we only know as the Great Sky Fall. Legend has it that those who can gain the acknowledgment of all nine skies are true heaven-sent talents like the Mighty Sky Pharaoh, who are destined to tear open the sky with their might in the future, allowing this world to be baptized in the energy of the next."
"Wah… so prestigious. No wonder he qualifies for this ceremony."
"I remember hearing nine thunderclaps a few years back! To think I was hearing the Sky Fall Legend at that time. Wow, that's amazing!"
"They say that in the era before the True Dragon Wars, technology was lightyears ahead of our own science and magic. Their way of living was drastically different."
"Either way, this brat is the future of our Saint Anubis Dynasty."