Chapter 63 – Kend's Celebration and New Mission
**[KEND – RUINS OF THE GOVERNOR'S PALACE ]**
**Julia**, **San**, **Jessica** — standing in the center of the still-smoking ruins of the Governor's Palace, debris scattered in a twenty-meter radius, charred stones glowing with residual heat, thick ash covering the ground turning white to black-gray, the smell of burning saturating the air, heavy silence broken only by wind blowing through collapsed structures.
**Julia** — looking around at the devastation, face showing deep **guilt**, voice coming out **low** and self-reproaching:
"I didn't make it in **time**…" Trembling tone. "If I had been **faster**… if I had defeated Garrett **earlier**… maybe the palace would still be standing… maybe those three people wouldn't have…"
She stopped — throat **tightening**, remembering burning bodies.
---
**San** — beside her, hand **gently** touching her shoulder:
"Don't do this to yourself, Julia." Firm, comforting voice. "We gave our **absolute best** under impossible circumstances. And we managed to **save** far more lives than would have been lost if the dragon had burned the entire city."
Pause — gesturing at the city around them intact beyond the palace:
"Three hundred **lives** saved against three lost. That isn't failure. It's **victory** under terrible circumstances."
---
**Jessica** — on the other side, voice coming out **excited** trying to lift morale:
"That's **exactly** right!" Encouraging tone. "And besides, in this whole mission you were a truly **competent CEO**! Perfect tactical leadership! Excellent team coordination! Heroic sacrifice! Everything a good leader does!"
Genuine smile:
"I used to call you CEO ironically… now I recognize you truly **deserve** that title."
---
**Julia** — processing both their words, expression gradually **softening**, small but sincere **smile** curving her lips:
"Thank you…" Sincere voice. "Thank you for being with me. For trusting my decisions even when they seemed crazy. For not abandoning me."
---
**Voice** — male, elderly, coming from **behind** ten meters away:
"What they say is **true**, young knight."
---
**Julia** — body **turning** quickly, hand instinctively moving toward sword hilt, relaxing upon recognizing the figure.
---
**Governor Heldfin** — sixty-eight years old, disheveled gray hair (unusual for his usual elegance), dark-blue tunic stained with ash and dirt, face showing deep **exhaustion** but also relief, walking through the debris accompanied by **two** guards (dented armor, soot-covered faces): older guard (fifty years, vertical scar crossing blind left eye), younger guard (twenty-five years, the same one **pushed** by Cassandra days earlier).
Voice **continuing** in paternal tone:
"You should feel deep **pride** for the success of this impossible mission. You saved my city. You saved my people. You saved **everything** I love."
---
**Julia** — eyes **widening** in genuine surprise:
"**Governor**?!" Shocked tone. "You're **alive**?! I thought… when I saw the palace destroyed… I thought that…"
---
**Heldfin** — shaking his head, tired **smile**:
"No, young one. I wasn't in the palace when the dragon attacked." He gestured northeast. "After the city felt that **enormous** magical shockwave coming from the western forest hours ago…" (the crystal explosion from Chapter 58) "…I realized something catastrophic was happening."
Pause:
"So I ordered immediate evacuation and opened our **secret emergency shelter** on the eastern mountain where we mine silver. A magically reinforced underground structure built fifty years ago specifically for situations like this."
He looked at the ruins:
"A palace can be **rebuilt**. Stones can be **replaced**. But human lives? Those are **irreplaceable** and precious. Thanks to you, we lost only three instead of three hundred."
---
**Young guard** (the one pushed by Cassandra) — stepped forward, body **bowing** deeply ninety degrees in formal reverence, voice coming out **trembling** with emotion:
"I deeply **apologize**!" Genuine regretful tone. "For stupidly saying before that all you Nellis knights were **arrogant**, incompetent, and conceited!"
Pause — voice slightly breaking:
"And I **thank** you from the bottom of my heart for saving this beautiful city! My **family** lives here! My wife! My two young children! All **alive** because of you!"
---
**Julia** — genuine smile **widening**, hand **gesturing** to dismiss the need for apologies:
"It was **nothing** worthy of so much gratitude." Humble tone. "I was simply doing my **duty** as a knight of Nellis. And also…" She looked around the city through the debris, seeing intact buildings, preserved streets, people gradually returning. "…I sincerely **loved** this city from the moment I arrived. It would have been a truly **irreparable** tragedy if the entire place had been completely destroyed."
---
Expression **turning** serious:
"Governor Heldfin, there is something **important** you need to know urgently." Grave tone. "From what the three of us **investigated** during this dangerous mission… all of this was **deliberately** planned."
Heavy pause:
"King **Kelvis IV** orchestrated everything meticulously to **punish** Kend specifically for secretly negotiating an alliance with the Kingdom of **Zordis**. He wanted to make this city a **blazing example** so other provinces wouldn't dare defy him politically."
---
**Heldfin** — face **hardening**, not surprise but confirmation:
"I deeply **suspected** as much…" Bitter tone. "Kelvis has always been paranoid about provincial loyalty. And with the recent rise of a competent new ruler in Zordis…" (Kuto, though Heldfin doesn't know the name yet) "…his paranoia has only **intensified** dangerously."
Decisive pause:
"I will have to **report** this extremely grave situation immediately to the Kingdom of Zordis through established diplomatic channels. They need to know that Kelvis is willing to commit **genocide** to prevent our alliance."
---
**Julia** — nodding:
"It would be **best** to do so as **soon** as possible, Governor. Time is critical now."
She turned — gesturing to San and Jessica:
"And the three of us will have to depart back to **Ellis** as quickly as possible to report these critical pieces of information to the Church as well. A conspiracy of this magnitude involving a corrupt king, ancient dragons, and sacrificial cults requires maximum attention."
---
**Heldfin** — raising hand **interrupting**:
"I **absolutely** cannot allow you to leave without my city first holding a **proper celebration** worthy of its heroes!" Firm, non-negotiable tone. "It would be an unforgivable insult to Kend's hospitality to let its saviors depart without proper celebration!"
---
**Julia** — hesitated, opening her mouth to **politely refuse** (urgent mission, no time for festivities).
Looked **to her left** — saw Jessica.
---
**Jessica** — eyes **shining** with star-like intensity, expression **absolutely childlike excitement**, hands **clasped** in front of her chest in silent pleading, body **leaning** slightly forward in anticipation, clearly **begging** mentally for Julia to accept the party.
---
**Julia** — seeing that, resistance **melting**, small **smile** curving her lips:
"We will **gratefully** accept if it is not too much trouble for a city still recovering." Gentle tone.
---
**Heldfin** — smile **widening**:
"It is **no** trouble at all! It will be an honor and a pleasure!"
---
**Jessica** — **exploded** with uncontainable enthusiasm:
"**PARTY**!" She shouted, jumping once, fists **raised** to the sky. "PARTY IN KEND! HERO CELEBRATION!"
---
**San** and **Julia** — **laughed** genuinely at her reaction.
---
**[KEND – GRAND CENTRAL AVENUE – NIGHT]**
**City** — completely transformed: main streets **decorated** with blue-gold flags hanging between buildings, magical lanterns (soft white-gold glow floating without support) lined along sidewalks creating a corridor of light, flowers **scattered** on the ground (red, yellow, white petals), music **playing** from multiple points (wind instruments, percussion, strings creating lively festive melody).
**Population** — three thousand people lined along the main avenue (two kilometers long), **smiling** excited faces, children **sitting** on parents' shoulders to see better, everyone wearing their **best** clothes (not everyday but special ones reserved for important occasions).
---
**Parade** — mobile structure quickly built in six hours: wooden platform four meters wide, ten meters long, decorated with flowers and colorful fabrics, **pulled** by eight white horses adorned with golden harnesses, slow speed (five kilometers per hour) allowing the crowd to see clearly.
---
**Julia**, **San**, **Jessica** — standing in the **center** of the platform, visible to all, waving to the crowd; Julia wearing a clean new sky-blue tunic (replacing destroyed uniform), San in black tunic, Jessica in elegant purple dress.
---
**Crowd** — **shouting** as the platform passed:
"**LONG LIVE** THE KNIGHTS OF NELLIS!" Collective voice echoing.
"THANK YOU FOR SAVING OUR CITY!"
"TRUE HEROES!"
---
**Flowers** — being **thrown** from both sides of the avenue, raining onto the platform: red roses, white lilies, yellow daisies, petals **covering** the wooden floor at the trio's feet, some landing in hair (Julia picked a red rose from her own hair, **smelling** it while smiling).
---
**Jessica** — **waving** enthusiastically to the crowd, enormous uncontainable **smile**, clearly **loving** every second of attention.
---
**Group** of young men — five boys seventeen to twenty years old, running **alongside** the platform keeping pace, one of them **shouting** to Jessica:
"**HEY** ORGANIZED LADY!" Jovial voice. "WHAT'S YOUR **NAME**?!"
---
**Jessica** — turning to them, voice **shouting** back proudly:
"**JESSICA**!" Dramatic pause. "The **CEO**!"
---
**Young men** — processing, looking at each other, smiling.
And **began** shouting in rhythmic unison:
"**LONG LIVE** JESSICA CEO! LONG LIVE JESSICA CEO! LONG LIVE JESSICA CEO!"
---
**Shout** — **spreading** through the crowd like a wave, other people **joining**:
"LONG LIVE JESSICA CEO! LONG LIVE JESSICA CEO!"
Hundreds of voices, then five hundred shouting her name.
---
**Jessica** — eyes **filling** with tears (not sadness but pure emotion), hand **covering** mouth stifling happy sob, body **trembling** slightly, never having experienced public recognition of this magnitude.
---
**San** — beside Julia, leaning head close whispering:
"Or **maybe** not…" Mocking playful tone. "Now we're going to hear her **bragging** to us nonstop during the entire long trip back to Ellis… 'I'm a CEO! An entire city shouted my name! I'm famous!'"
---
**Julia** — smile **softening**, whispering back:
"**Let** her, San." Gentle tone. "She truly **deserves** this moment. We **all** deserve it. After everything we've been through… dragon, Garrett, near-death multiple times… we deserve simple celebration."
---
**San** — looked at Julia, expression **turning** serious:
"**Especially** you, Julia." Sincere voice. "You were the one who led. Who made impossible decisions. Who sacrificed repeatedly. Who **saved** all of us. This recognition is **yours** more than anyone's."
---
**Julia** — shaking head **no**:
"That's **not** true at all." Humble tone. "If it weren't for you **both** by my side… if San hadn't stolen the egg with perfect timing… if Jessica hadn't levitated everyone in perfect coordination… we wouldn't have had **any** success in this mission."
Pause — looking at both:
"It was true **teamwork**. Not individual heroism."
---
**San** — processing, small **smile** appearing:
"If you say it so **convincingly**… I'll just **shut** up and humbly accept." Playful tone.
---
**Julia** — smile widening:
"Let's just **enjoy** this moment while it lasts." Gestured at the surrounding crowd shouting, flowers raining, music playing. "Tomorrow we return to the harsh reality of dangerous missions. But today… today we celebrate **victory**."
---
**Parade** — continued through the main avenue, turning into secondary decorated streets, passing the central square (crystal-clear fountain illuminated by submerged magical lanterns creating rainbow effect), reaching residential district (families **waving** from windows and balconies), three **full hours** of continuous celebration under starry night sky.
---
**[NEXT MORNING – SMALL TELEPORT ISLAND]**
**Julia**, **San**, **Jessica** — standing in front of circular stone platform (three meters diameter) engraved with complex glowing pale-blue runes, transparent crystal (half meter tall) **embedded** in center emanating soft light.
**Governor Heldfin** — five meters away accompanied by **advisor** (sixty-year-old man, green tunic, round glasses) and the same young guard from yesterday.
---
**Heldfin** — voice coming out **sincere** and emotional:
"**Never** forget that you will **always** be welcome in Kend with maximum hospitality!" Warm tone. "This city will be eternally **grateful** for your heroism! My doors will be open to you for the rest of my life!"
---
**Julia** — bowing thirty degrees in respectful reverence:
"We deeply **thank** you for your generous hospitality, Governor." Sincere voice. "And we promise we **will return** to this beautiful city one day when circumstances allow."
Pause — looking around the city lit by morning sun:
"Kend has been a very **special** place for us. Not just a mission but an **experience** we will carry in our hearts."
---
**San** and **Jessica** — nodding in agreement, waving final goodbye.
---
**Trio** — turned, walking onto the engraved platform, stepping on rune-covered stone (runes **glowing** brighter in response to their presence), all three **touching** central crystal simultaneously (surface cold and smooth).
---
**Julia** — voice **reciting** teleport incantation she had learned:
"**Crystallo Portae… Transfero Destinum… Ellis Sanctum**!"
---
**Crystal** — **shone** blinding white-gold intensity, light **expanding** completely enveloping their bodies, sensation of weight disappearing (levitation), vision **whitening** entirely.
---
**Disappeared** — bodies **dissolving** into particles of light, dispersing, platform left **empty**.
They **left** — the Kingdom of Kelvis, the city of Kend, returning to Ellis.
---
**[ELLIS – CARDINALS' CHAMBER – THREE DAYS LATER]**
**Julia**, **San**, **Jessica** — kneeling in triangular formation (Julia in front, San/Jessica behind to the sides), heads **bowed** in reverence, rigid formal posture, absolute silence except controlled breathing.
---
**Cardinals** — **five** present seated in high chairs forming a semicircle: Cardinal **Mordren** (leader, sixty-five years, long white beard, dark-red tunic embroidered in gold, severe but just expression), Cardinal **Elara** (only woman, fifty years, gray hair in bun, red tunic, piercing analytical eyes), other three cardinals (serious faces observing).
---
**Julia** — voice coming out **clear** and formal reporting:
"Venerable Cardinals of Nellis, we report **complete success** of the investigation mission in Kend with critical information discovered." Professional tone.
Pause breathing:
"During the dangerous mission, we discovered that a certain **conspiracy** is operating in this central continent that has been conducting **macabre rituals** offering live human sacrifices. They are also **collecting** fears and terrors from victims before sacrificing them through a specific group called **Fear Mages**."
Continued:
"It was this group that placed a **giant** magical energy storage crystal near Kend, causing forced mutations in local creatures. And we also discovered that King **Kelvis IV** has long been using the former knights Marcus, Cassandra, and Garrett as his **infiltrated agents** for corrupt political interests."
Final pause:
"Kelvis's final plan was to use an ancient dragon manipulated through a stolen egg to **completely destroy** Kend as punishment for the city secretly negotiating an alliance with the Kingdom of **Zordis**. We managed to prevent the destruction but the palace was partially burned with three fatal victims."
---
**Cardinal Mordren** — fingers **interlaced** in front of his face, eyes **focusing** on Julia:
"A detailed and grave report." Deep voice. "Do you have any **concrete proof** of these serious accusations against King Kelvis and the former knights?"
---
**Julia** — hand **moving** to small pouch at belt, retrieving magical **contact lens** (transparent disk faintly glowing pale blue), **raising** it to show the cardinals:
"**Yes**, Venerable Cardinal." Firm tone. "This Magical Image Capture Lens recorded **all** events since our arrival in Kend: conversations with Garrett admitting twenty years of slavery under Kelvis, destruction plans, combats, everything visually and audibly recorded."
---
**Cardinal Elara** — gesturing, nearby guard **approaching** taking the lens from Julia, bringing it to the cardinals for examination.
---
**Cardinals** — **touching** the lens, activating magical replay (images **projecting** in air showing recorded scenes: Garrett's confession, Cassandra with the egg, dragon attack, all in rapid five-minute condensed sequence).
---
**Cardinal Mordren** — after watching, expression **hardening** with gravity:
"**Irrefutable** and devastating evidence." Grave voice. "This will be taken immediately to the High Priest for political decisions on how to deal with the corrupt King Kelvis."
Pause — looking at the kneeling trio:
"For your **exceptional efficiency** in this extremely dangerous mission that under normal conditions would be classified for **Ascended** Knight rank at minimum…" Tone gaining approval. "…the three of you now **officially advance** to the third rank of the seven ranks of the Sacred Knights of Goddess Nellis."
Voice **proclaiming** formally:
"The rank of **Consecrated Knight**!"
---
**Interface** — appeared simultaneously for all three:
```
╔════════════════════════════════╗
║ RANK PROMOTION ║
║ ║
║ PREVIOUS: Initiate Knight ║
║ NEW: Consecrated Knight ║
║ ║
║ BENEFITS: ║
║ • Access to B-A Rank Missions ║
║ • Salary: 500 → 1200 gold/month║
║ • Private Quarters ║
║ • Level 3 Library Access ║
║ • Advanced Training ║
╚════════════════════════════════╝
```
---
**Julia**, **San**, **Jessica** — in unison, voices **firm**:
"It will be an **honor** to serve in this rank! We promise to **honor** our promotion with absolute dedication and loyalty to Goddess Nellis!"
---
**Youngest cardinal** (forty years, angular face) — voice coming out:
"**Rest** properly today and tomorrow to recover your strength." Commanding tone. "Because in **two** moons — (four days) — you will depart for a new mission in the Kingdom of **Maldrath**, specifically in its capital of the same name."
Pause:
"There are **serious indications** of living being trafficking: humans, demi-humans, intelligent monsters, all being illegally traded. Also multiple other crimes involving slavery, murders, deep governmental corruption."
Voice **hardening**:
"— In two moons you will depart for there with the mission of discreetly investigating exactly what is happening in that corrupt kingdom and reporting your findings to the Church so that necessary actions can be taken."
**Julia** — head still bowed, voice responding formally:
"We accept the solemn mission, Venerable Cardinals! We will investigate Maldrath with maximum diligence and report the complete truth!"
**San** and **Jessica** — echoing:
"We accept!"
**Cardinal Mordren** — gesturing to dismiss them:
"You may withdraw now. Rest well."
The trio — rose, bowing their bodies ninety degrees in final reverence, turning and walking toward the massive dark wooden door, exiting the chamber.
The door — closed behind them with a heavy THOOM.
**[CARDINALS' CHAMBER – CARDINALS ONLY]**
**Cardinal Elara** — after ten seconds of silence, voice coming out concerned:
"This is already the second consecutive time we have heard reports about this Death Cult operating in the shadows." Grave tone. "The first report came from the mission in the great Forest of the central continent through Silvano days ago. Now Julia confirms their presence in Kend as well."
Pause:
"And worse still… they are directly associated with the Church's main ideological enemies at the moment: the Fear Mages who deliberately spread terror across the central continent."
**Oldest cardinal** (seventy years old, bald, worn red tunic) — hoarse voice:
"A pattern is clearly emerging." Analytical tone. "The Death Cult provides bodies through sacrifices. The Fear Mages provide concentrated fear as energy. The combination creates a powerful ritual for… something we still don't fully understand."
**Cardinal Mordren** — fingers drumming thoughtfully on the arm of his chair:
"We will simply wait patiently for Silvano to return with information about those four mysterious adventurers—" (Steve, Dagon, Keara, Jelim) "—who are somehow connected to recent events."
Pause:
"When we have all the pieces of the puzzle… we will know the next appropriate strategic step to eliminate this growing cult threat before it becomes uncontrollable."
The cardinals — nodded in silent agreement, rising and exiting the chamber through side doors, leaving the room empty except for the flickering candlelight.
And **Cardinal Mordren** remained, face serious, hand resting against his cheek as he began to ask himself:
"These sudden events happening in different places at this moment… they bear a strong resemblance to the events of four years ago in the Kingdom of AZumi involving the Phantom… but could it be him?"
"Only time will tell…"
**[NORTHERN ICE MOUNTAINS – STEVE'S GROUP – SIMULTANEOUSLY]**
**Steve, Dagon, Keara, Jelim** — climbing a steep plateau with a sixty-degree incline, estimated altitude three thousand meters, temperature negative fifteen degrees Celsius, wind gusting at fifty kilometers per hour carrying razor-sharp microscopic snowflakes, visibility reduced to twenty meters due to intense blizzard (complete whiteout all around).
**Steve** — behind Dagon, shouting to be heard over the wind:
"**DAGON**!" Voice muffled by scarf covering his mouth. "Is this **REALLY** the exact location that village chief gave you three days ago?!"
**Dagon** — ahead breaking trail, axe cutting through accumulated snow, not responding verbally, just continuing to climb.
**Steve** — growing frustration:
"There's **NOTHING** here except this dangerous cliff and a storm that's getting progressively **STRONGER**!" He shouted. "We need to find shelter **NOW** before we freeze!"
**Dagon** — stopped abruptly, turning his head to look at Steve:
"You're right." Deep, calm voice. "Let's turn back and descend. There's nothing here."
The group — turned in the opposite direction, beginning to descend carefully.
**Dagon** — right foot stepped on something beneath the snow.
**Mechanical click** — muffled metallic sound.
**Magic circle** — materialized under the snow around the group: thirty meters in diameter, ancient runes in an unknown language (not Common but prehistoric tongue), electric blue-white glowing, lines connecting to form complex geometric patterns (hexagons, pentagrams, spirals), pulsing with massive energy.
The ground — opened beneath their feet.
Not a crack but an instantaneous opening: snow vanishing, stone dissolving, twenty-meter-diameter circular hole revealing absolute black void below.
**Gravity** — inverted; not natural falling but active pulling.
Force — not wind but magical suction similar to a black hole, impossible to resist, bodies dragged downward with rapidly accelerating speed.
**Steve** — screamed trying to grab something but there was nothing, body spinning uncontrollably in the air:
"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!"
**Keara** and **Jelim** — also falling, voices screaming mixing with the roar of magical suction.
**Dagon** — falling silently, expression calm despite the situation, as if he had expected this.
Ten seconds — falling through absolute darkness.
Fifteen seconds.
Twenty.
And they disappeared — completely swallowed by the hole.
The hole — closed instantly: stone reforming, snow returning to cover the faded magic circle, surface returning to normal appearance as if nothing had ever happened.
The storm — continued with falling snow and blowing wind, erasing any evidence that four people had been there seconds earlier.
**[JULIA: CONSECRATED KNIGHT RANK]**
**[NEXT MISSION: MALDRATH (4 DAYS)]**
**[STEVE'S GROUP: FALLEN INTO MAGICAL TRAP]**
**[DEATH CULT: INVESTIGATION CONTINUES]**
**[NEXT: MYSTERY OF THE MOUNTAINS AND PREPARATIONS FOR MALDRATH]**