CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Gathering of Elites
Imperial Palace
Marble pillars rose like spears around the warlord's throne, each etched with victories past. The air carried the faint tang of oil and steel .. the scent before a campaign.
Kairon Velth stood at the dais's base, one hand resting on his curved blade. His father...High Warlord Velth, conqueror of the Red Plains .. leaned forward, eyes like burnished iron.
"You will attend this… academy exercise," the warlord said. "They call it training. I call it reconnaissance. You will bring me back more than medals."
Kairon's lips curved. "You want intelligence."
"I want leverage," his father corrected. "The board hides something in Mirth. Find it. Claim it. If you cannot bring it home, make certain no one else does. I hear the Snow family has their claws in this as well .. if the boy appears, watch him. And gut him only when it matters most."
The prince bowed .. perfectly measured, perfectly shallow. "And if I find a rival worth keeping an eye on?"
"Make them believe you are an ally. Until you are not."
A distant bell tolled from the city walls, its sound carrying through the marble like a low warning.
---
Martial Sect – Dean's Office
The office smelled of parchment and candle wax. Mira Thane leaned against a desk, arms crossed, while her elder sister ...in neat secretary's robes ..adjusted her glasses with a sigh.
"You never listen," her sister said. "You charge in, swing, and expect that to solve everything."
Mira smirked. "It usually does.
"This isn't a pit fight, Mira. This is Mirth." Her sister leaned closer, lowering her voice. "The dean wants you to keep your eyes open. There are whispers of something… ancient. And there will be others looking ,a prince with a snake's smile, a girl who freezes the air she breathes… they're not to be taken lightly. If you see it, mark it. Tell me. Don't try to grab it yourself."
"Careful, measured steps," Mira said mockingly. "That's not my style."
Her sister's gaze softened, but only slightly. "Then at least come back alive. You're all I've got left."
For a heartbeat, Mira's grin faltered. "I'll try," she said quietly. "No promises."
Somewhere beyond the sect's walls, the same deep bell rang .. faint, but clear
---
Elemental Sect – Grand Elder's Courtyard
Sunlight filtered through crystal panes into the garden. Syris sat cross-legged on the grass, a cup of tea steaming between her hands. Across from her, her grandfather's white beard stirred as he chuckled.
"You're shivering," he said, watching frost gather around her knees.
"I'm not nervous," Syris murmured, cheeks pink ..though the ice climbing the teacup betrayed her.
"You've been invited as the Elemental Sect's youngest envoy in a century," he said gently. "That is not small. The board's task is simple .. observe. Do not be drawn into politics. Your moods… can be dangerous."
The frost melted instantly, steam clouding the space between them. "I can control it," she said quickly.
He raised a brow. "Then control it in Mirth. And if the one they call Zero walks in front of you .. turn around, and walk away. The Snow heir and a warlord's son may be there too. If you see either, keep them outside your storm."
Her fingers tightened on the cup. "What if he talks to me?"
The old man's eyes darkened. "Pray he doesn't.
The faint toll of the bell reached them even here, threading through the warm air like a crack of winter.
---
Merchant Guild – Snow Estate
The Snow estate's dining hall overflowed with gold filigree and heavy perfume. A youth lounged at the table, tossing a jeweled apple that caught the light like blood. His grandfather, draped in silks, studied a ledger.
"I still don't see why I have to go," Ethan said.
"Because," his grandfather replied without looking up, "this Mirth venture will open vaults the kingdoms have locked for centuries. I want a piece. If you can't win it, buy it. If you can't buy it, make sure no one else can afford it."
Ethan smirked. "So I just… spend?"
"you spend cleverly. And if all else fails, remind them you carry the Snow name. That's worth more than any sword."
"And if someone doesn't agree?"
His grandfather finally looked up, smile thin as a razor. "Then perhaps we buy their family instead. Or let a prince believe you're his friend until he's sold himself to you."
Outside the window, the bell rang again, distant but heavy, as if marking the first move on an unseen board
---
The four of them, scattered across the continent, prepared in their own ways — each carrying instructions wrapped in the colors of their allegiances, yet all pointing toward the same shadowed ruin.
They would walk into Mirth from different roads, but the bell had already called them. Soon, they would stand in the same hall, smiling through sharpened teeth.