SETTLING THE SCORE BETWEEN THE FAMILIES
"There will be war between our families", Elder Likourgoss said to the others.
"It is all your son-in-law's fault", an elder reprimanded Prince Geoffraie.
"I apologize for my son, he is brash and unruly, but I will discipline him", Orol pleaded with the elders to forgive his son.
"This is not the time to apologize. What happened already happened", Prince Geoffraie told Orol.
"What will happen now?" Orol asked.
"War", Prince Geoffraie replied to him.
"Everyone in the Mithridocus family gather. A fight is coming to us all, a fight that will determine the fate of the families in Drachia forever", Elder Argyriss told the family members.
The family quickly left the viewing pavilions to gather. There will be an epic battle soon.
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The Mithridocus family soon rallied and gathered behind me, as the enemy assembled before us. Although the clan probably disapproved of my killing of the knights from the three families, I was after all representing the clan.
My actions were vicarious to the Mithridocus family whether they liked it or not. They must be prepared to fight against the three families.
The Hermaios, Gamanos and Diabolese family were also gathered, and they were united by their hatred against me and vicariously the Mithridocus family.
"We will kill you, Mithridocus. This is war between us", the elders of the three families of Hermaios, Gamanos and Diabolese shouted to us.
The duel between the families was meant to settle disputes big and small between the families. This time though, it escalated into an all-out war between the families.
The Appolokis and Demetriodes families stayed neutral and wouldn't join in the fight, prudently siding on neither side.
"Oriese, you have brought big trouble for our family", Elder Likourgoss reprimanded me.
"On the contrary, old man. I saved all of you. The Mithridocus family in Maher city will live because of me", I replied to him to his surprise and puzzlement.
"Son, stop your nonsense now. This is a serious matter", Orol scolded me.
"This cannot be stopped", I replied to him.
The three families started the clan war with us by firing their magic toward us. Fortunately for us, most of the missiles were misdirected by my chaos magic.
"Chaos Field"
Those stray projectiles that went through were blocked by the magic shields put up by the elders.
"What happened? How did the enemies' magic get diverted?" Elder Argyriss asked.
"It's my Lantern of Chaos", I replied to him.
"Son, don't treat me as a fool. That bloody lantern couldn't do shyte like this", the elder replied to me.
"Now, you understand why I say you are safe because of me", I replied to the elder of the family.
The enemies' projectile magic was diverted by chaos magic but that doesn't save us entirely from harm. We were outnumbered by the enemy who ganged up against us.
"What should we do now, Oriese?" Prince Geoffraie asked me.
"We stay defensive for the moment. We need to be patient", I replied to him.
"How can we be patient in times like this?" Elder Likourgoss asked me.
"We wait for the enemy to run out of patience", I replied to them to their surprise.
"Our enemy doesn't seem to be any patient at all", another elder of the family said to us.
"The three families are not the real enemy in this conflict", I replied to them to their puzzlement and surprise.
"Who is our real enemy?" Orol asked me.
"We are waiting for them to appear", I replied to him.
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The competitive grounds in Maher city now became the battleground between the families. More precisely it was the three families, Hermaios, Gamanon and Diabolese against the Mithridocus family.
However, the conflict between the three families and the Mithridocus clan reached a stalemate, neither side gaining a decisive advantage in battle.
The three families found their efforts to overcome the Mithridocus thwarted by the chaos magic wielded by the Bully of Starri.
A chilling turn of events unfolded when a crimson pool materialized amidst the fallen bodies of three great knights, Vlassis, Nasos and Theoni.
As the pool spread, it ensnared members of the three families. Horror struck these victims as their bodies erupted, drenching the ground in blood, victims of a mysterious curse.
Gamanos, Hermaios, and Diabolese families bore the brunt of the curse, but even those from the Appolokis and Demetriodes camps were not spared. Knights and conjurers alike fell victim, their bodies torn asunder by the malevolent force within them.
Only the Mithridocus family members remained unscathed by the sinister affliction.
From the depths of the blood-soaked ground emerged a monstrous entity, its form swelling and strengthening with each drop of spilled blood, casting a shadow over Maher city's once tranquil competition grounds.
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[Before the appearance of the Blood Pool]
"Who are we fighting with then if not the three families?" Elder Argyriss asked me.
"Who is our real enemy?" Prince Geofraie asked too.
"We are fighting against the Demon army", I replied to them to their shock and surprise.
"Are you joking son?" Orol questioned me.
"You must tell us what is happening here?" Elder Likourgoss asked me.
"Let me explain to you fools. There was a special medicine that has been circulating around the kingdom in recent months, especially in Maher city. This medicine can increase the power and magic of templars by one or two whole tiers", Sara explained to them on my behalf.
"Why don't our family know about this medicine?" one elder asked as the others looked at each other confused and dumbfounded.
"You are part of a scam. Of course you won't find out about it", Sara told them.
"It is because of me. The enemy probably doesn't want me to find out about the magic enhancing potion or medicine, so they didn't make them available to the Mithridocus family, but I found out about it anyway", I replied to them.
"No wonder the contestants from the other families experienced spectacular advancement in magic", someone said.
"Is that the reason, the three knights of the three families can summon the magic from their divine artifacts by themselves?" Elder Likourgoss asked.