THE KNIGHT ORDER OF THE CROSS
I returned to the Knight Templar Academy at the invitation of Dean Masker. My friends stayed behind in Tarah city to prepare for our defense in case the demon army or our enemies from the other families would invade us.
Only Ratatouille came with me because I came to receive a treasure.
"Prince Oriese, I am glad that you returned to our academy to receive your conferment as a ranked Prince", Dean Masker said to me.
"I am curious. I didn't fight a battle in the ranking competition or did any missions, why did I get promoted so quickly?" I asked him.
"Lord Hieron, the Knight of the Grand Cross, gave us the recommendation for your conferment. You after all defeated Prince Spiros in a magic arena which promoted you to the first rank of the Knight Templar Academy ranking", Eugenia explained to me.
"What happened to Spiros?" I asked them.
"Lord Hieron brought Prince Spiros back to the academy. He is recuperating in private in the meantime", she replied to me.
"I thought you will be remaking the Knight ranking after the Noble House's disappearance", I asked them.
"Yes, we will be restructuring the knight ranking with an annual competition. No influence peddling will be entertained in the future rankings", Dean Masker told me.
"So, must I fight again in the competition?" I asked them.
"No, that will not be necessary. You will no longer be on the ranking by then", Eugenia told me.
"Huh, you are kicking me off the ranking so soon?" I asked them.
"There is another reason we ask you to come to the Knight Templar Court besides your promotion in the ranking – you will soon be inducted into the Knight Order of the Cross. You will no longer be eligible to compete in the academy ranking once you become a Lord of the Knight Order of the Cross", Eugenia told me.
The Knight Order of the Cross was the equivalent of Master Conjurers in the Conjurer Court of Drachia and is the most prestigious title in the kingdom for a knight.
Even the patriarchs and rulers of the noble families were usually not from the Order. The Lords of the Orders primarily focuses on the development of their magic and would not be bothered by the daily management of the families.
"Wow, there are so many promotions for me. I am rather surprised", I told them.
"You have been highly recommended by Lord Hieron", Dean Masker said to me.
"Are there any rewards for the promotions besides the title?" I asked them shamelessly.
"Yes, of course. Once you become a Knight Order of the Cross, you will be entitled to enter the Tomb of the Order, inside Mount Templar. The tomb is the resting place of the most powerful knights in the kingdom, and they often leave behind rare treasures for the fortunate ones who finds them", Eugenia told me.
"Really, will there be any danger?" I asked them.
"There will be, but it will not be a serious problem for you if you manage to defeat Prince Bion and Spiros", Dean Masker told me.
"What kind of danger?" I asked them.
"The Tomb of Order is a magical space that the old knights created to seal off a magic corridor into one of the Dark realms. The tomb protects our world from incursion from the Dark realms and also serves as the resting place of the old knights", Eugenia explained to me.
"The old knights of the Order are protecting us even in death. That is so noble", I said to them.
"Occasionally, dark minions escape from the Dark realms into the Tomb of Order, so the Knight of the Order must from time to time clear the tomb of these menaces before they gain a significant presence there", Dean Masker said to me.
"So, this is a mission, not a reward for joining the Knight Order of the Cross", I asked them.
"You must be careful of and steer clear of the Lords from the other families. They are not happy about how you expropriated the properties of the three major families in Tarah city", Eugenia told me.
"They will not return to Mount Templar if they try something funny with me inside the Tomb", I replied to them.
"Here, take this. Although every knight who passes in the academy already knows about the Tomb of Order, this book will help you learn about the conditions inside the tomb", Dean Masker said to me as he passed me a large volume.
"Thanks", I replied to the dean and stored the book in my Faberge ring and secretly in mind I told him arrogantly, "Don't worry about it. There is no danger in the Ten-Kingdoms that I've not faced before. I don't need to prepare for this".
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After ascending a lengthy, narrow stairwell, we arrived at a vast chamber steeped in antiquity. Mystical runes adorned its walls, weaving intricate patterns that exuded an otherworldly magic. At the heart of the chamber lay a sprawling arrangement of ancient stones, where a radiant glow emanated.
This was the entrance to the Tomb of Order.
Stepping through the illuminated stone arraye, we found ourselves thrust into a realm of stark contrast.
Here, amidst a vast expanse, the sky roiled with ominous and dark clouds crackling with lightning and resounding with thunder. The flashes of lightning provided the sole illumination in this eerie domain.
At the center of the tumultuous sky hung a peculiar oval formation. Within its confines, countless sinewy arms strained against the barrier, seeking to breach the divide between realms.
Occasionally, a few of these appendages succeeded, bursting forth into our world as formidable minions of darkness, each exuding a palpable aura of malevolence and power.
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"This is a battlefield, not a treasure hunt", Ratatouille complained to me as he appeared as a book that rests on my shoulder.
"The treasure is in the ruins", I replied to him, and he quickly swooped into the ground transformed into a rat to go looking for treasures.
Suddenly, something was approaching me quickly.
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