TBATE| The Demon of Elshire

Chapter 22 - God of Flame

Firae Wykes Pov

I awoke a tad disgruntled as a team of mages rushed into my room and undressed me as a few maids wheeled in a set of armor.

'What's going on? Why am I being dressed up for the announcement?' I wondered, mustering up as much mental activity as I could in my half-awake state.

'And why does that armor look so magnificently useless?'

I had heard that I would be attending the announcement as a high-ranking member of the Dicathan army—no doubt by the will of the asura at the true helm of our forces—but I didn't realize I'd actually be up on the stage or anything.

'Weren't the lances going to be the main attraction of this thing?'

After nearly 5 painstaking minutes of being dressed up by a pair of maids, making sure to go through all the stops to make me more presentable, I was finally done and hobbled over to the mirror.

"Why do I even have a sword?" I complained to the maid on my left, "I don't use weapons...also I have an armor set of my own."

"Because it makes you look more impressive sir," she replied proudly, ignoring the bit about my own armor.

I walked off, directed by a guard, grumbling a slew of curses as I descended the stairway that led to where I was supposed to be.

When I reached the bottom, I saw my half-brother whom I still hadn't talked to yet, along with Varay, Arthur, and Aya. I locked eyes with my former guardian first and she gave me a warm smile. We didn't say anything, but she gave me a nod of approval before shuffling over to me.

Only then did I notice that the Commander was in the room as well, adorned in a lavish elven-style tunic. Adjacent to Virion were Alduin, Merial, Blain, Priscilla, and Rhadeas, who I recognized as Elijah's parental figure.

I didn't so much as lock eyes with Rhadeas however. Icarus had informed me that due to Elijah's origins, there was a high possibility that he was a spy or something along the lines of it. 

Arthur had been talking to the dwarf, and then Elijah came walking out from the other entrance and walked over to him as well.

Varay had apparently made note of my arrival and she stuck out her hand, striking up a simple conversation. "I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you."

I returned with a firm—but not overly so—handshake. While I wasn't exactly worried about injuring the lance or anything, I had made a habit of controlling my raw physical strength granted to me by the assimilation with Icarus's will.

"I've heard many stories of your strength from Aya," she said, her expression just as cold as I suspected her magic to be.

"I'm sure she's exaggerated," I replied with an amicable laugh.

Just then, the 3 lances were signaled ahead.

"It's our turn," Aya said as she leaned over to me. She had this air about her now...something she didn't normally carry with her when it was just the two of us. I figured it must have been something she did in public, although I was unsure as to why.

As they walked through the portal, the guards waited a few minutes before motioning for me, Elijah, and Arthur to walk through the teleportation gate. When it was our turn and we went through, the noise level completely changed, startling me and Elijah, but Arthur seemed unaffected.

"Please, generals, be ready to go on commander Virion's signal," said a thin maid as she tidied Aya's hair.

"What does she mean generals?" Elijah stammered.