[XASTOL CITY, DRAGONSBREATH TOWER, TOP FLOOR]
Hisagi walked down the long corridor. Dragonsbreath Tower was an ancient building twenty floors tall with sentries positioned on every other floor. At the top, after clearing an exhausting amount of stairs, he strode past two guards who stood before a large double door with the Xastol crest inscribed in its center. A thin, black, and gold door handle rested near the mouth of the dragon; It was in the shape of a wide, miniature hammer. Hisagi knocked hard and waited to hear, "Come in," before he pushed them open.
The room was massively large — more of a conference room than a regular meeting room. Sitting on five short tables, obsidian tables — two on the left and right, with the final one standing above an elevated platform near the back — were small golden kettles that rested upon a scalding hot black stone reading "Дөл". Hisagi recognized it to mean "heat".
Green cups and calligraphy paper were at the sides of each table, coupled with a thin brown brush and jet-black ink. Underneath the tables sat small cushions for seating.
Dragon-illustrated banners hung in the air next to the two open balconies on both sides of the room. This was where the Murong Clan's greatest array of politicians — the three dwarven councilmen — would convene to meet and deal with any issues that arose in the city of Xastol.
Hisagi approached the two closest men. One was chubbier than the other and was reviewing documents for designs. He shook his head to a few, deeming them too silly or dangerous, and crossed them out with ink. The ones he found satisfactory, he rolled up and tossed into a nearby pile where the other — a thinner man with glasses — stamped them with a seal of approval.
Though the greys in their beads demonstrated their age and wisdom, both smelled like nuts and pine leaves; something Hisagi didn't like very much. His eyes, instead, traveled to the small silver obsidian jewels attached to their necklaces. Those were a sign of the rank and responsibility a chieftain possessed; Something he strived to achieve as a Sanctum-Smith.
"Good afternoon, counselors." he greeted, moving on to the head table. "Ah, Hisagi," one responded. "It's good to see you, dear boy." the other finished.
At the last table on the platform, the setup was starkly different. A miniature golden dragon statue sat in the middle of the desk alongside a thin black book. Parchment paper and contract forms were reviewed and flipped page to page by the man who sat behind the desk. He, like Hisagi and the other two men, was dressed in a brown hanfu robe designed with an open bird cage on his arm. The bird in the image, though able to leave, looked too scared to exit the birdcage, and resigned itself to staring at the clouds drifting around it.
The dwarf stirred once he noticed Hisagi arrive. He brushed aside the two bangs hanging from the top of his head down to his chiseled cheekbones and put away the reports. His arms were massive; like he could crush a watermelon between them without any effort. But his piercing gaze was heavy; almost exhausted. He wasn't the sort for violence. No… everything about him looked tired.
"Speaker Banderd…" Hisagi said. He respectfully bowed, but his tone was impatient.
"Hisagi…" the man said, welcoming him. His voice was strikingly deep. "I told you it's fine to call me uncle. Anyways, why are you here?"
"The menark — Hidemi — he's showed up at the gates again!"
Banderd averted his gaze and ran his finger along the black book on his desk. "I see…" he muttered. "I'll have it taken care of."
Hisagi drew in a sharp breath. The embarrassment he suffered needed to be repaid in kind. "I'm afraid that isn't good enough!" he insisted. He raised his voice, demanding, "He must never be allowed to set foot near here! I won't stand for it!" and then caught himself. "He's–He's even showed up with humans!"
The other two councilmen dropped their files and spun around in disbelief. "Humans?! How could that be? The Church has forbidden any human from setting foot near Xastol!"
Banderd blinked slowly. "Hisagi, are you sure of this?"
"I witnessed it, uncle."
His uncle got to his feet and exchanged worried looks with his brothers. "Did they say what they wanted? Who they were?"
"Two boys," Hisagi replied, "I don't know their names, but they seemed to have just been passing by. They took him with them."
Banderd thought to himself for a moment and then exhaled. "I see," he said, rubbing his eyes, "Thank you Hisagi. You may go."
"But—"
"—That is enough!" Banderd repeated sternly. He scanned Hisagi's face and sympathized with his frustration. But he had his own reasons for not letting me become involved.
"The Dwanivit is in a month. You must be ready and sharpen your skills. Do not distract yourself with matters beneath you."
He looked away from him and put his hand back on the black book. "Things have… changed in these past few months. But we must never change. It is our duty to uphold the values entrusted to us by our seniors and ancestors. Even if they're not here anymore."
A scene struck Banderd: a body lying limp and bloody in the snow with a knife sunken next to it. Banderd snapped himself out of it before Hisagi could notice and grabbed his shaking arm so as to not attract attention. "Go," he ordered stiffly. "I will handle it."
Hisagi winced. He felt disregarded, but he didn't dare argue. The laws of Xastol were absolute to him. The words of the council were not something he could challenge simply because he felt angry.
So, he turned and briskly started for the doors.
"And Hisagi," Banderd sighed while he rubbed his eyes.
The boy didn't turn around but listened closely. "Yes, Speaker Banderd?"
"...Your father would be very proud of you. Remember that."
Hisagi's chin trembled, and with a nod, he stepped out of the room. "Excuse me."
Banderd hid his doubt behind a cough and cleared his throat. "Gido, I would like you to handle the rest of the reports for the day," he said, referring to the man with glasses. "As for you, Huin, I need you to relay a message to the Wall Sentries."
Gido dusted off his dark brown star-embroidered hanfu and nodded. "Right away, elder brother."
Huin tucked in his nebula-covered, caramel hanfu and approached Banderd. His glasses sat messily over his slick, long hair. "What message do you need to be delivered?"
"An envoy. I need a message sent to the Lord of the Weeping Forest. He is most likely a part of this somehow. We must not allow our relationship with him to sour."
Huin nodded and made for the door. Banderd sighed, picked up his black book, and walked towards the balcony. On the railing sat a small cage holding back a large grey owl. Its silver and red eyes held much frustration for Banderd as it released high-pitched chirps. The councilman had found the animal with a broken wing just weeks before and nursed it back to health. However, now, after so much time alone with the night bird, he couldn't bring himself to release it back into the wild. No matter how much it wanted to be free, he feared it would only hurt itself again; this time without him there to help.
Banderd brushed his hair back and placed his shaking hand on top of the cage. The owl screeched angrily and nipped at his fingers until it drew blood. Despite that, Banderd refused to remove his hand. He felt he deserved it.
Below, Hisagi's small figure exited the tower with hasty bows from the guards standing before its doors. Even from that distance, Banderd could feel the boy's irritation. Oh Hisagi, he thought to himself, I can only hope that you can be everything I couldn't. I owe it to Ruo to make that a reality.
He felt something wet slide down his cheek. A tear.
My sins…
He wept silently and collapsed to his knees, the owl ceasing its trills at the sight of him.
My sins cannot be forgiven…..
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
[THE WEEPING FOREST, FOREST CORE — MOMENTS LATER]
Nahasch let Aryeh, the red lion, lead Jacender, Hidemi, and Aleximus even deeper into the forest. They stopped before a row of thick trees that seemingly went nowhere. "What—" Aleximus started. The strange lord walked past them and went straight into the trees, vanishing immediately. Aryeh and her cubs followed suit and left the boys behind. Is it some sort of illusion? Aleximus asked himself.
Jacender and Hidemi followed mimicked the lord and stepped past the trees with assurity they wouldn't hurt themselves. They quickly vanished from Aleximus's sightline. "Damn it," he worried. Though he was not yet ready to trust Nahasch and his strange creatures, he couldn't allow his brother to leave his sight for even a moment. Without a second thought, he, too, continued ahead and braced himself for the sensation of tree bark. But no such sensation came. Instead, a soft chill like the spring wind ruffled his clothes as he opened his eyes.
Inside, he found his brother and Hidemi, their eyes bulging with surprise and struck in place. He didn't blame them. Even Aleximus couldn't help but admire the incredible view before him. An expansive plot of land centered around a striking wooden throne ran through their feet and several meters around them. Several animals, ranging from pandas, tigers, monkeys, and even large elephants grazed the area, either feeding their young or sleeping peacefully in their territories.
A large riverbed flowed behind the throne which most animals steered clear of. Aryeh brought her two cubs closer so they would drink and then snorted at Aleximus. The girl followed her mother's example and ignored the dark-haired boy, but the bright-eyed boy nudged Jace's leg tenderly with its tail.
Jace leaned down to pet its nape but received a sharp side-eye from the cub's mother. "I think you should go with Aryeh…" he said jokingly. If he could avoid it, he would rather not fight with a Sanctum Beast like her.
Nahasch took a seat on the throne in the center. Now that he was closer, Aleximus noticed that the royal chair was outlined with dark purple gemstones and an apple carved into its top rail. "AH!" Hidemi jumped, noticing a large white anaconda slither from behind the forest and next to Nahasch's feet. The snake seemed pleased that he'd returned and rested against the leg of the chair, its eyes alert and active.
"This is Tannin," the lord explained, "She has been with me for a long time. She's harmless."
Jace wasn't so convinced. You said that about Aryeh, he thought.
Aleximus stepped forward. This was no time to be caught up with spectacle. He needed answers and the key to Sanctum Energy as soon as possible.
"Nahasch. You still haven't told us why Hidemi needs to get back into the city. Isn't he a dwarf?"
The lord of the forest lazily adjusted his crown and began to explain:
"Xastol City is a very strict place. As you may have already guessed, its ruling family — the Murong clan — enforces the laws and traditional values formed by their dwarven ancestor, Arsaes, eons ago. The main political faction overseeing this is the Murong Council: currently a trio of brothers composed of the last surviving sons of Dwygrand Murong. He was the former Speaker before Ivan took over."
Jace imagined three strikingly important figures with shadows covering their faces slamming down hammers.
"Arsaes built the very walls Xastol stands behind today," Nahasch continued. "Their history and power are revered by every dwarf as a status of his wisdom and his protection, despite the full array of the walls' power being unknown. To the dwarves, Arsaes is little like an ancestor and more of a sacred figure. Because of that, they follow his three core laws without fail."
"What were they?" Aleximus asked with his arms crossed.
Nahasch raised his finger. "The first: A dwarf must not kill. It is forbidden to do so, and considered taboo. Should this happen, the dwarf found guilty of this crime will be exiled and stripped of his rank and title as a Sanctum-Smith."
Jace noticed Hidemi's chin sink at the mention of killing, but before he could say anything, Nahasch raised his second finger.
"Second: Dwarven forging methods are to be kept as a closely guarded secret. The principles of Sanctum-Smithing are too sacred to share. If such powers were to fall into the wrong hands, there is no telling what catastrophe would ensue."
"Third," he finished, lifting his final finger. "No dwarf is to have contact with humans. To do so is to bring calamity and ruin to the people of Xastol. The Murong clan, and by extension the dwarven population of Xastol consider humans to be pioneers of violence and senseless brutality. Because of this, most have never even laid eyes on one before."
"When was the last time?" Aleximus asked.
"Since Arsaes himself died."
"This Arsaes guy sure was harsh," Jace muttered under his breath. He's worse than Uncle Matsuda.
Behind Nahasch, Aryeh's male cub toppled over, full from drinking water, and slept comfortably in the grass. His sister sneered and ran under her mother's belly to rest.
"As for why Hidemi cannot go back to Xastol, it involved the third law," Nahasch revealed. "The boy's father — Ivan — broke the law and had relations with a human woman by the name of Gwentyn Sora. She was a good friend of your mother, Kazumi."
"So Hidemi's half-human?" Aleximus marveled. He studied Hidemi more curiously than before. "Then where's his dad? If he knew our uncle and met humans, why didn't they throw him out either? And how do you know all this?"
Nahasch smiled. "There isn't a single thing in this realm that I am not privy to. My powers have diminished due to time, but they are still well above the prodigies that your race has managed to produce. As for the boy… that is a story for another time. I can tell you once you've both unlocked your Sanctum Chambers. Hearing it now will only make you restless."
The twins nodded and stepped forward, eager to begin. Hidemi remained behind them. He was still unsure of what his role would be and didn't know if he could pull it off. Then, the lord shed some light on his worries.
"In one month's time, there will be a bi-yearly coming-of-age exam for young dwarfs like Hidemi. It's known as the Dwanivit."
Nahasch raised his finger and tapped the armrest of his throne. A small pillar of earth rose from the ground before the three boys. Its sides crumbled and shaved down until it had assumed the shape of a bulky smithing hammer. Running through its handle and cheek was the insignia of the Murong clan: a golden dragon.
"Boys age twelve and up will be tested for their aptitude in Sanctum-Smithing and beneficiation. The top three participants will be awarded the title of Stieli — first-class Sanctum-Smith."
Aleximus could tell what he was alluding to. "So you want Hidemi to enter this competition? This Dwanivit?"
"Correct," Nahasch waved, allowing the hammer to fragment into pieces. "Should the boy be allowed to enter, it will be the quickest and simplest way to prove his skills and worth to the Murong council and Xastol's people."
Jacender scratched his head. "I'm still confused. What's our job?"
Nahasch quickly hid an irritated look. They kept asking questions as he was in the process of explaining them. With another tap on the throne, the broken pieces of the fallen hammer climbed closer together until they'd formed two crossing swords.
"Protectors." the lord announced. "Though you may not be able to go toe-to-toe with Xastol's sentries, by the time you are done training here, you should have enough experience to fend them off for a time should they decide to attack Hidemi. At least until Ivan is freed."
"I thought you said they don't fight." Aleximus chimed in.
"Attacks are not necessarily physical. You should be aware of that. You and your brother will serve as his physical confidence — his friends."
Aleximus sucked his teeth and muttered, "I'm only helping because this helps us. Don't try to make us friends."
Hidemi grabbed Jace's arm before he could give his brother an earful and shook his head. He couldn't convince Aleximus with words.
"Regardless," Nahasch began again, "That will be your role."
"So when do we start learning about Sanctum Energy?" Aleximus asked.
"To learn it, you must first understand it. Your case is a bit special anyway."
The ground swords disintegrated and transformed again — this time in the shape of a heart with valves. Nahasch had taken the time to give this one color and veins. It felt alive with every thump.
"This is the Sanctum Core, otherwise known as your heart. In the natural world — though you can't feel it — the air, water, fire, and earth are all made of and infinitely formed by a substance dubbed Sanctum Essence. It flows through all creatures and things, inorganic or otherwise."
Aleximus touched the heart in front of him carefully with one hand and used his other to feel his chest. The heartbeat from Nahasch's stone core pulsated at a slightly different frequency than his.
"The body uses the core as a conduit for Sanctum Essence. It's absorbed through the heart and processed through the bloodstream to become Sanctum Energy. Once the essence is filtered through your heart's valves, it becomes your Sanctum Chamber. Ordinarily, around the age of twelve, as a result of puberty, children automatically open their chambers to accommodate this change. However,"
Their eyes turned to Hidemi who lifted his palm and created a flash of golden energy. "It is common practice here in this continent to unlock children's chambers earlier by acclimating them to Sanctum Energy through jolts. The stronger the energy endured becomes, the higher the threshold and potential prowess for Sanctum Energy usage grows."
The stone heart gleaned red and gold as if illustrating Nahasch's point. "It's a method that can help birth powerful warriors, but may have very adverse side effects if the adolescent cannot handle extraordinarily high energy levels."
The heart's pulsing quickened until it was loud enough to hear and exploded in front of the three boys with a krang!
"So is that what you're going to do to us?" Jace asked. He and Hidemi had both flinched at the debris and stood a few feet behind Aleximus so they wouldn't get caught up in it again. His brother, however, was unnerved.
Nahasch pointed at the scattered rocks on the floor. Though it had come apart, most of the pieces were still glowing bright red and beating dramatically. "Not quite," he answered. "Like I said before, your cases seem special. You were disrupted in the middle of your emergence process, correct? Tell me — during your time in the Axis, was Sanctum Energy ever used on your hearts? Even if for an instant?"
Aleximus's eyes shifted from confusion to amazement as he remembered Anna. Before she disappeared and became ash, she had placed her hand over her chest to assure him that everything would be alright. Aleximus's hand instinctively rose to the same area and concentrated hard. He could still feel his sister's faint Sanctum Energy flutter around in there.
Jacender, on the other hand, recalled the Codex flying into his chest once he had accepted its power and call to action. He could still feel the stinging heat of the energy in his chest.
"Judging from your expressions, I'd say it's safe to assume so," Nahasch observed. "When you are exposed to two different energies at the same time, it can hinder the emergence process. You're twelve now, aren't you? When you tried to stand up to me earlier, you both unknowingly summoned forth Sanctum Energy without having a solid grasp of its principles. Ordinarily, you'd be capable of using your powers by now, but whoever you fought within the Axis suppressed you without realizing it."
Aleximus felt his stomach drop. "So are you saying it's impossible?!"
Nahasch held up his hand, annoyed again that he had jumped to conclusions. Tannin hissed angrily on his behalf and slithered up his robe until she had reached his lap. Nahasch took the chance to speak again. "Not necessarily," he said, "In fact there is a silver lining unique to your particular situation. If you recall, I mentioned that the higher the level of Sanctum Energy you are exposed to, the more your potential and threshold for it grows as well."
Hidemi and Jace gasped in unison. "So if we're able to take it," Jace shuddered. "Then we could be as strong as… Hatagi?"
The lord petted Tannin and nodded.
"But we could die," Jace said without thinking. Hidemi's shoulders slouched wearily. Were the twins having second thoughts? Maybe they wouldn't help him after all.
"I can understand if this scares you," Nahasch smiled. "If you would like to back out now—"
"Are you kidding me?!" Aleximus grinned. He punched into his open palm with an excited buzz in his pupils. Jacender was of a similar mind. Though a bead of sweat rolled down his temple, he stepped closer to his brother and thrust his fist forward. "Let's do it!"
Tannin slid off of Nahasch's lap as he arose. These two are nothing short of interesting, aren't they? He mused to himself.
"I must warn you both: Once we begin, you will fall unconscious. Your mind may conjure images or memories that will shatter your concentration amid the torrent of Sanctum Energy. You'd do well to resist them."
Hidemi took a step back to give them space. Though he could tell that the snake-like lord wasn't close to using even a sliver of his true power, he couldn't help but feel his skin become dry and flaky. His eyes singed as if he'd just inhaled cold smoke and fought back a teary-eyed cough. Nahasch's energy was immense; almost otherworldly.
Nahasch extended his skinny arms out of his sleeve and looked at Jace. "As for you Jacender," he added, "Your test will be much more perilous. Once you arrive, they will greet you."
"W-What?" Jacender started. But it was too late; Nahasch's energy blanketed the area and blasted them in the chest. The world around them went dark as their consciousness faded, sending them both sprawling forward atop each other. Jacender fell face-first on the floor before Aleximus landed on his back, saved by his brother's body.
"Auah!" Hidemi signed, rushing to roll them both over.
"You must not touch them, Murong boy," Nahasch warned. "This is their test. Any interference could cause unforeseen complications. We must wait."
Hidemi stepped back. Concern? Perhaps even anxiousness? Whatever it was that was pressed upon his face, Nahasch could sense that it wasn't about the boys. At least, not entirely.
"Tell me," Nahasch asked while he sank back into his seat. "That stone hammer I summoned before… You're familiar with its design, yes?"
"Ah," Hidemi said.
"It once belonged to your ancestor, Arsaes. He foretold that one day a dwarf worthy of him would find it at the top of the lost tower of Babylon. I believe you know the legend: He whose hammer rings in perfect harmony with Sanctum Energy and Essence, will echo the Song of Arsaes for all dwarves to hear and recreate the world anew."
Hidemi's eyes shone brightly at the mention of Arsaes's hammer. "I sense within you an energy unlike any I've ever seen before," Nahasch said, his eyes also shining. "It's exceedingly pure. Perhaps it is your lineage as a Murong at work, or maybe the result of your half-human makeup, but you are special. More than you know."
The boy's legs nearly buckled at the words. Though Nahasch hadn't told him that to inspire him, Hidemi felt fortunate that he could be of use; that he meant something.
"You, Hidemi Murong, must be the change." Nahasch finished. Hidemi wiped his teary eyes and collected himself as best he could. "AHN!" he boomed with a resolute nod.
Nahasch smirked, pleased with his resolve, and closed his eyes. Now, all he had to do was wait. Now then… let us see what destiny has in store for its children.
[THE COUNCIL]