"How did we get out of that place" Felix took his time to relax
"I don't know, the scenery began to twist and suddenly, I was being pulled out by some kind of force." It was all to surreal for Kelvin
"That realm had no intention of letting us go in the first place." Novem relaxes, "Well, we're out now and that's all that matters"
"We're going to need to prepare in advance should we come across something like that again". Grace stands up
"Where are you going, Senior? " Novem asked Grace who was now walking away
"I had better get going" Grace said, "It seems the other agents aren't even here yet-"
"We are..." A grey haired man said as he walked out from the shadows, with two others following behind him.
Damien, gray hair. Leader Of the Agents
"Sir Damien!" Grace was a bit surprised
The man blinked, "Novem". He showed his respects first.
"After all this time you're just coming? "Mathias criticized
There Mathias was again, picking fights
"We've been here for nearly two hours and unlike your party, we don't do things recklessly. We make sure to analyze our situation first before taking necessary actions". Damien said lazily
"Exactly, we're reckless. But big word coming from a party that has over five times our number and still refuse to do something productive" Mathias retorted
"Hmph. You don't know what we're facing in the city" Damien was clearly annoyed
"Bravo! So do you know what we're facing outside the city?" Mathias asked sarcastically, "But yes you do, Damien? Yet we still have to come here to save you agents butt-"
"Mathias". Novem who was still lying on the ground called out his name
"Lord Novem, if the princess couldn't fight for herself, we all know she would be dead by now" Mathias assumed
*Them using Lord again only because the King was present
"This is something we rarely have to deal with so we didn't know the proper course of action to take.The situation was just out of hand". Damien frowned, "It truly is my mistake this time" . He put his arm over his chest and bowed slightly
[They only be respectful when the King and Queen are watching]
Novem simply took his coat out from his portal as Kelvin helped him get up.
"Even if you're the strongest, you still can't save everybody". Novem said calmly, "One must learn to accept losses, and then plan for a better future".
"Let's go". He told his Vassals
"We're finally going home!" Nathaniel sighed in relief
"If you're done with whatever you're doing, I have some documents I would like you to take a look at". Damien said
"It's probably another complaint". Novem laughed
"You're being too carefree about this". Damien sighs, "We also are getting chewed out by Lord Marl if you don't know"
"Don't worry". Novem waves as he passes by Damien. "My business is with the Royals and stupid nobles". He snickered, "Those idiots are easy to trick"
"And it's because of those idiots you're getting called out during meetings in HQ."
"Yeah, I'm looking for how to strip them of their rights to file a report against me". Novem thought seriously
"Oh and Damien, don't let Grace go on a solo mission. She may be strong but no one knows what might happen. Also I'm not speaking for just her, any of the agents too" Novem said
Damien turned his head to look at Novem. "It's not my fault if she keeps running off on her own." He went to Grace and pulled her cheeks
"Ow." Grace winced, "I apowogice" she said wobbly
"You don't have to patrol today. Go rest" He told her
"Alright, I'm a bit exhausted". She slowly made her way out of the castle. "Good night, Lord Novem". She turns to the king, "Your majesty". Grace bows slightly before leaving
Mei-ying: "Dad, that agent"
"Who?". The king sniffles
"Agent Grace, she looks a lot like me." Mei-ying notices, "And she's really competent! Tell her to come work for us"
"Ah, I see what you mean there". The King wiped the remnants of tears on his face "From what I know, Lady Grace is from this kingdom, but not of this generation "
"What? ". Mei-ying was genuinely surprised. "Not from this generation!? That means she's from the…. Previous emperors' generation right!". She thought to herself,
"Emperors, Vassals and Agents of the previous generation are already retired, so why would she risk her life for a new generation she has no attachment to?" such reasoning left her baffled. "There's definitely a reason why she's here"
...
"When is your next invasion" Damien asks Novem as they walk to another part of the city (still inside the Oren Kingdom)
"Ah, probably in a few days' time", Novem replied, "Why? "
"There's going to be a trial, a Royal and commoner on the run. Although they're still being hunted down". Damien explained casually like he had been used to it for a very long time
"I'm tired of this" Novem gave a long sigh, "What is their crime?"
"There are six convicts this time. Several offenses, but mostly related to impersonation and treason. The agents of the kingdom asked me to relay this information to you"
"Which is it" Novem asked
"Kingdom of Zeleny. It's very close, just after Xanthos"
"Zeleny?" Novem asked again seemingly in thought
"Ah, right" Damien looked ahead and said out loud, "Come to think of it, that's your family's kingdom. Nathan"
The Kingdom of Zeleny are known for their Royal families' striking red hair and light green eyes.
Nathan slowly turned back his green eyes almost glowing, in his peripheral field of vision, he could have sworn he saw a girl with red hair tied into two long low ponytails swiftly jumping off the roof of a building. He couldn't see her face though, but when he whipped his head to check she was already gone.
Without hesitation, he tore his gaze away. "I wasn't exactly from the Royal family though."
"Yeah, sure kid". Novem patted his head and walks past him
"I'm not a child" He frowned
"Nathan, Royals are known for their varying hair and eye color. It's hard to say you're not one when you've got a whole lot of 'obvious' on you" Damien also pats his head and leaves
Nathan was left staring at the others backs. "I'm originally a divided part of the Zeleny Kingdom in the third Empire" he said
"It doesn't matter Nathan, whichever you go to, you'll still be accepted". Novem said
At the front of the group, Damien asks Novem, "Ah. Isla is just up ahead, do you want to see her?"
"Did I say I want to see her!?" Novem slapped the air
"Calm down bro" Damien nearly laughed, "Just asking"
"Anyways, what do you guys want to do?". Novem faced his Vassals. "I still have some business to attend to in the city"
"Ah, then I'm going home" Nathan picked his ear
"Restaurant! "Kelvin laughed
"Well, do what you want to do, just don't die". Novem stated. "Reo, can I count on you to stay with Kelvin?"
"No problem " Reo nodded
"Sebastian, you stay with Nathan"
"Understood". Sebastian replied with a stern face as usual.
"I'm not a child" Nathan commented
"Don't stay out too late". Novem concluded before leaving with Damien
...
"Back in HQ there was one thing Lord Mark always warned us about if not Specters" Damien paused,
"Instance" Novem said,
"Instance" Damien confirmed, "We never got to see nor experience it so I didn't pay too much attention to what he said. I remember reporting back that we had four cases of it in the last months"
"I bet you no one took it to heart.". Novem frowned, "And even the Invasion, like Lord Marl had warned, not just fears are materializing, random fairytales and fantasies are too"
"Yeah". Damien hummed in response, his work wasn't at the front lines so he couldn't relate. "About that document I talked about before" He laughs, "Turns out, a handful of your people are starting to hate you"
"Ah." Novem sighs, "What did I do this time "
"Someone from the Rosé kingdom started a petition for the people to write down their troubles and complaints"
"It was a Royal that started it? "Novem asked
"It was a Royal that started it" Damien confirmed his suspicions
"Haa". November rubbed his forehead in annoyance
"You know what will happen if Lord Marl sees it" Damien scratched his head
"I know I have a beef with that stupid Royal family but they didn't have to take it this far"Novem groaned
"Ha! "Damien laughed out loud. "A beef? You literally promised to end their bloodline!" He laughs again
"Ugh, just how many people have petitioned their complaints? "
"Ah, around 200 in the Rosé kingdom. Oh, and I don't know how other kingdoms found out about it, but they've also started theirs". Damien gestures, "When it's concluded, I'll gather them all and submit it to Lord Marl"
"When is that to be?"
"Ending of this month" Damien stifled his snicker, "You have no time left"
"Can you postpone it? "Novem pleaded
"As much as I don't want to". Damien shrugs, "Out of the eleven kingdoms, only five agreed to it. I don't know what you did to offend them but you better find time to visit the kings"
"Yeah, I'll do that." Novem released his hold on his hair. He suddenly realizes, "Wait, if there's a problem in a kingdom it's the king that should be accountable for it!! "Novem nearly shouted
"You just realized that". Damien raised an eyebrow, "The problems are partly related to you."
"You know what, just submit it. I'll see what I can do-". Novem paused
"Alright, without delay" Damien responded. This grey haired had no pity
"What is this?" Novem cut him off. He went to pull out a missing persons' poster.
"What is?" Damien came over to look
On the poster was the picture of a male child with wine colored hair and eyes slightly frowning. Below the picture were a group of words. {Please help me find my missing brother}
Novem looked down and saw... {Reward: My father's house}
He squints his eyes, is it a child that wrote this!? If your father is still alive don't let him catch you!
"How is this happening?" He shoves the paper into Damien's hand. "A missing child?"
"That's not possible-?" Damien looked closely at the photo, and then the reward below. He widened his eyes. "This again?" He sighs
"Again? How long has he been missing?" Novem asked
"No, no, no one's missing" Damien rubbed between his eyes, he was clearly annoyed
"So, are you going to explain?"
"Okay look, there's this kid who goes around posting flyers of his brother missing". He explained
"... What about it"
"His brother is not missing! Ugh!". Damien squeezes and throws the paper into the air and cusses. "If he doesn't find his brother for a day, he reports him missing "
Novem rubbed his chin. "That's sick? Why would he do that"
"I think it's better if you check it out for yourself. Their family issue is no joke" Damien made it sound like a joke, but he wasn't kidding
"Is it a Royal family?"
"Yes, and no" Damien replied
"Then why aren't they in their respective kingdoms?"
"It's also a bit of an issue"
"Do the parents have brightly colored hair?" Novem asked
"Yes"
"Do they have abilities?"
"Yes, I think"
"Then they're a Royal, what's the problem?"
"Have you ever seen a Royal with a wine hair color?" Damien asks
".... I think I have" even Novem was surprised. He hadn't even paid attention to the hair of the child on the poster. "Perhaps I should pay them a visit?"
"Yup, you do that, the second child is a problem, no the first child is- no the second, actually never mind-"
"Oiiiiii-!! " A beautiful female voice called on them from above
They both looked up to find a lovely bubbly female with long purple hair waving at them with a cheerful smile.
"Mimi!". Novem exclaimed, could be have been more obvious
"Yo, Isla. How's the patrol going? "Damien smiled at her
"It's going well! ". The lady jumped down from the roof and landed perfectly on her feet. She had on a full silver metal armor covering every inch of her body except her face and a thigh length purple skirt over her waist. She walks up to November.
"Novem..!" she smiled at him
"Mimi..!"
"Novem.."
"Mimi.."
Damien smirks as he leaves some space for them.
"You've got something on your face" The cheerful and silly girl touched Novem's cheek.
"Hm? What is it? "Novem asked
She took her hand back and gestured, "Handsome!"
Novem held his cheek for a second. "Hehe". He laughed foolishly
Isla also began laughing. Both of them laughing like idiots.
"Fools". Damien still kept that smile."Are you heading somewhere, Novem?"
"Hm? Oh yeah, the Xanthos kingdom". Novem replied
"Why?"
"Do you remember the prince you once reported to me about? Where an Agent of that kingdom had requested I meet him"
"Oh, the one with no ability?"
"Yeah. He's requesting a position in HQ, it's my last chance to talk him out of it before I make my decision". Novem lowered his gaze in thought.
"He wants to work like us? Is he stupid?"
"Yeah, I think he is" He turns. "Well, I'll be off then" Novem waves at Damien and Isla before leaving
"Bye~" Isla waves back
"Later" Damien nodded.
...
It was getting really dark and Novem was jumping off buildings to get to his destination. After getting his stamina drained, he was much slower so no one had to tell him twice before he took the train.
Once upon a time, during the 21st century, mankind experienced what they wouldn't have thought in their wildest dreams. Anything, anything at all that brings fear to your heart, materializes and hunts you. The moment the first Specter materialized, the rest followed like a rushing tide.
Just in a single day, all seven billion people on earth had each of their one or more fears take on a materialistic form and harm them physically or mentally. The world was plunged into chaos in a single day.
Perhaps years after the unavoidable and unprecedented calamity, when many had been killed, and the living had no hope nor will to fight, did beings called Royals descend to help them. However, they were but humans themselves... Humans with abilities.
Seven Royals were sent down... From where? Nobody knows. Each Royal was very unique in their hair and eye color, one varied very differently from the other.
The seven Royals that descended each had vibrant colors of Red, White, Black, Yellow(Blond), Green, Blue, and Purple.
But peculiar Royals in this generation have many more varying hair colors as a result of mixed marriage between Royals. Now there are Royals who have hair color Orange, Mint (light green), Silver, Wine, Pink and so on. Some of these groups have no place in society as they don't classify as a Royal, nor as a commoner so they end up building a kingdom of theirs. There, they will start a new family.
When a Royal child is born (Assuming it's a girl named Mary), her mother from the kingdom of Rosé(pink hair) and her father from the kingdom of Azraq(blue hair) but she has the pink hair color, then her full name will be Rosé Azraq Mary. And whatever other middle name her parents wish for her.
Furthermore, if a Royal father with green hair marries a lady Royal with Pink hair, giving birth to a boy with green hair and a girl with pink hair, the boy will remain in his father's kingdom of Green haired Royals while the girl with pink hair is sent to the kingdom of pink haired Royals where she officially becomes the child of the King and Queen. Only the Queen is allowed to stay with the family of the King despite her hair color. Several disputes have been made on this issue
The Royals after descending began to annihilate the Specters.
Unfortunately, during the first few days of the catastrophe, mankinds' population had decreased drastically and hard work of many centuries was nothing but scraps worth no value.
The Royals immediately assumed authority and gathered the remaining few population into a region and divided it into seven parts each ruled by a single Royal. They built for themselves castles, took from among the commoners noble advisors and gathered information from them about the world which are then stored in books kept in HQ, in exchange for protecting them.
The Royals were Emperors of their chosen region and together with the people, built a long standing building they called Headquarters (HQ) where they watch out for the world. In other words, a defense corps.
Many years later, a falling out ensued between all sides, and only a single Royal remained behind. He vowed to protect his people and those of the other Royals no matter what. So he took from the Royals their children and trained them for tens of years before giving the best seven amongst them the title of Emperor and their very own Empire where they rule and protect their people. Taken from the second most closest of skills to the Emperors are the Vassals who serve their Emperors closely, protecting the citizens from the terrors at the front lines. While the Agents protect the people from the manifestations in the city.
There was a reason why they all could live for almost a hundred years without getting old. 'The serum's was all it was called, and only the Supreme Emperor is allowed to know how to make it. The Supreme Emperor is just one of the seven Emperors who is the strongest in their generation and when their generation is coming to an end, prepares the next generation for their role in protecting the people from the Invasion.
That was centuries ago, and this
is the 30th century, or 9th generation for the Emperors. Despite being in the 30th century where technology should be thriving, it surprisingly is not, or is it?. Is a question that baffles the new generation Emperors themselves.
In an Empire which is ruled by a single Emperor, there are up to fifteen kingdoms in it, each kingdom containing a few states.
An Emperor and his Vassals fight the people's fears that come in hundreds at the frontlines which are on the outskirts of the Empire, while the Agents deal with the ones inside the Empire. Up to thirty Agents are assigned to a specific Kingdom in which they dedicate their life to protecting.
About those manifestations; They are those physical entities that manifest from human fears, and hunt/haunt those who fear them. They are called Specters, and a group of Specters is called Shadowfall.
The period where hundreds of Specters make their way to the front lines is called Shadowfall Invasion.
The Specters that hunt are those from physical fears like a scary character from urban legends, or a murderer you fear while the Specters that haunt are those born from the mind. Those Specters are usually made from Phobias and they are tiny Specters that hang around you and feed you illusions
After specters are formed, they deal with their creators in at most a few days' time. While others, stay and watch for years, striking when you least expect it. After killing their creators, they start to attack other people too.
"Novem, are you listening?" The previous first emperor had asked. "No sleeping in class!" he yelled, hitting a cane on the desl
Novem snapped out of his long thought in a daze. He blinked twice, "Did I seriously have a dream about HQ?". He sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose
He had on a nose mask so they wouldn't recognize him but the people on board the late night train still sent him curious gazes. Good thing he took the time to take off his coat.
Exhaustion has almost killed him, so he slumps his back on the chair.
The Kingdom of Xanthos was right beside that of Oren so the distance was something he could cover in an entire night, if he took no break that is.
Upon getting down the train, he looks up at the silvery moon, takes a step forward and sighed again while taking off his nose mask. "Here we are,"
"The kingdom of Xanthos, home to Royals with blonde hair, and a lot of potential idiots I presume as to what I've learnt from Sebastian." Novem took long strides towards the direction of a window located at the side of the castle.
"Or is that extended to the Azraq kingdom too?"
He couldn't be too sure..