Lord of Ascension: The Birth of Chaos-Chapter 49 The Calling (1)

Scarlet stood with his hands clenched behind his back. His bruises were hidden beneath fresh robes, and his face hardened with resolve. Across from him, Gabriel studied him with the kind of quiet weight that made Scarlet’s spine straighten.

"You’re certain?" Gabriel asked, voice low.

"I am," Scarlet replied without hesitation.

"And if I say no?"

Scarlet looked down, unsure of what to say. "Then I’ll come here every day and beg you until you agree."

"And if I still say no?"

"Then... I’ll sleep outside your door every night until you say yes. I doubt you would allow a young child like me to bear such suffering."

"I could easily send you back home."

"And I can always return."

A smile curved on Gabriel’s lips before he gave a curt nod. "I can see the stubbornness runs in the family." he sighed, straightening his posture. "Then from today, you will train with my men."

Scarlet’s eyes widened... he was speechless. The feeling of being able to amount to something brought a strange sense of relief to him. ’Even if I’m not a mage... I’ll finally become something.’

"Yes, teacher." he smiled at him before he turned to Kaelith.

Kaelith sat at the far end of the chair, picking his finger as if that was the most interesting thing in the room, but his gaze met Scarlet’s for the briefest second when he sensed he was being watched.

He returned to his nails. He had come to discuss with Gabriel about his domain, who knew the annoying little brother of his would come to waste his time. His eyes lingered outside the window. It was already time for them to head back to the palace, otherwise... they would be punished for being outside so late.

As expected, Scarlet’s drama had cost him time. A part of him was glad that he got beaten up. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

"Father... am I free now?" Emelia asked, shifting her weight to one of her knees.

"No. You will remain there until nightfall. And afterward, you will be placed on house arrest for not only hitting a prince but also for trying to escape."

"But Father..."

"Apologize to the prince," Gabriel ordered.

Emelia looked at her father as if he had just betrayed her. But she knew better not to disobey him.

"I apologize for hitting you," she muttered under her breath.

"I can’t hear you," Scarlet said with a smug smile on his face.

"I said I apologize for beating you up," she shouted, her chest heaving.

"You... you..."

Before Scarlet could say any more words, Kaelith pushed his head towards the door.

"We will take our leave now Sir Gabriel," Kaelith said on his way out.

Emelia stuck her tongue out at Scarlet who was about to explode from anger pent up inside him; her eyes moved to Kaelith’s retreating figure, and she couldn’t help but stare at him in awe.

She turned to Gabriel. "Father... am I free now? They are gone." she winked at her father.

"No. Remain there," he said coldly, before rising from his seat. He walked to the window, watching as the two princes boarded their carriages.

"One mundane, the other one has a rare magic attribute. What a weird combo," he muttered to himself. "But both are useful when it comes to the vorrak."

...

Far away from the warmth of the manor, beyond the reach of any known road, the ground trembled.

Cracks split across the dry soil, as mist covered the dead grass and broken roots. The air itself seemed to hold its breath. The place was dark even though it was daytime.

Suddenly a bony hand bursts upward, its long black fingers clawing at the air. Slowly, the creature dragged itself from the earth.

Its skull head was covered with black slime, and its grey eyes were like smoke over glass. Its mandibles opened wider than its head, a long tongue in the shape of a V rolled out, and its teeth were sharp and irregular. A loud screech echoed through the misty air.

...

Back in the palace, the moonlight bathed Kaelith’s chamber in a soft silver hue. He sat on the edge of his bed, dressed in his night robe. His eyes remained fixed on the floor. A candle flickered beside him, casting long shadows across the walls.

His brows furrowed slightly, as he had not been able to access his domain. "Do I need to sleep?"

"That must be it... Let me try and sleep."

Kaelith lay down slowly, his arms behind his head. He closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep.

"Kaelith..."

A whisper brushed against his ears as if someone was right there in the room, whispering in his ears.

His eyes snapped open, and then he sat up straight. His eyes scanned the room but there was no one.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance, and then he rose to his feet. ’Why now of all times?’ his eyes furrowed in annoyance.

The voice came again. This time it was faint and distant. "If I lay my hands on whoever is playing this trick... I’ll rip their head off." his gaze darkened.

"Fine... I’ll just find out whatever it is. Who knows it might be the Emperor’s little trick." He stepped out of his room, after wearing his boots. The halls were quiet, and the servants stationed in front of his door were all asleep including the guards. Only the dim lanterns burned low on the walls.

"Kaelith..."

He followed the whisper through the silent corridors. Deeper into the palace. He passed familiar chambers into the part he had not seen before. The stone walls grew darker and older. And the air suddenly turned colder.

’This aura...’ his thoughts trailed off when he arrived in front of a staircase descending into the earth. He didn’t hesitate for even a second before going down.

The torches on the walls here did not burn with fire, they glowed with an unnatural, bluish light. Each step echoed, but it sounded distant as if the sound were swallowed by the walls themselves.

And then, he reached a wide underground corridor, lit only by those bluish flames. At the far end of the corridor stood a massive iron door, old and covered in engraved runes.

Four figures stood before it, cloaked in deep red robes. ’High Mages.’ he quickly pressed himself against the wall. ’What could they be guarding against that requires four high mages?’

Kaelith’s eyes narrowed. Although they hadn’t noticed him yet, they stood with their backs turned to him. They seemed to be playing some magic game.

From behind it, the voice whispered again, almost right beside his ear.

"Kaelith..."

Kaelith closed his eyes... unsure of how to bypass four high mages. But he needed to know what was calling him. And he was sure that whatever it was... it was locked behind those doors.

From where he hid, he peeked at the four High Mages standing in front of the huge door. A soft glow surrounded them, a barrier of magic that was far more dangerous than any wall.

’Why would they have protection around them all the time? What exactly are they locking away?... could it be something that can help me break my seal?... Now, this is getting interesting... I need to see whatever they are locking away.’

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