An Off Book Guide to Building an Empire

Chapter 2

Inside Arjuna's room she faced Karrina and gave her a worried look. She is aware of her selfishness and the implications of her actions today. Her, planning to leave the Silver City to live alongside Outworlders without informing Karrina is her disrespecting Karrina's position and honor. She is her d'Quar and she had been with her ever since she was still a baby. It was foolish of her to gamble her future on something outrageous, something that she had read on a book and that it might affect Karrina's future. But she is determined about pursuing her plans.

Karrina being her personal d'Quar can be stripped off of her title. Being a d'Quar is a great honor for Fae'dans for them it means that they are the guardian of the realm the one closest the the children of the gods. Only Fae'dans who had proven their strength and character can get the title of a d'Quar. Being a d'Quar they had to give up having a family and be bound by an Oath of Loyalty.

Arjuna looked at her d'Quar tears starts to form on her sad light purple eyes. She muster up her courage and said.
"Karrina, I am sorry... forgive me..." she started to cry.
Karrina moved closer to her "My Lady." She tried to hug her but Arjuna stopped her.

Arjuna took a deep breath and began to speak
"I am not going to ask you to come to the Outworld with me. I don't want you to say you're coming with me just because you're my d'Quar and bounded by an Oath. I want you to make your own decisions and I am willing to release you from your Oath. All I ask is for you to forgive my selfishness." Arjuna bowed at Karrina.

Karrina surprised, she hurriedly said, "Please raise your head My Lady!"

"My Lady there is nothing to forgive. I will come with you to the Outworld. Not because I'm your d'Quar but because I consider you as a friend and a sister and I hope that you consider me the same."

Karrina smiled at her "My Lady, where you go I'll go!"

"Karrina!" Arjuna hugged her d'Quar tight. Tears fell off of her face. She didn't shed tears when her Father hit her. But now it seems like she can't stop crying.

Karrina hugged her back and patted her head. "It's okay My Lady. You still owe me a box of lemon tart you know." She smirked at her and Arjuna started laughing. Cheeks still burning.

"I guess we have to start recruiting people." Arjuna said.

"My Lady can we make this recruiting confidential? If your Father hears about this." Karrina shudders. "I'm sure you are aware that I don't want to die."

Weeks had passed and the news about Lady Arjuna's recruitment of people to go to the Outworld spread in the entire Silver City like wildfire.

—•—•—

[Neutral City]

Hastor, a Fae'dan too short for his age. At the age of 17 he is only 152cm tall with a child-like appearance. He was found abandoned at a burned down shack at the outskirts of the city. No one knew what happened to him and his family. No relatives claimed him. He was adopted by a kind and loving unmarried Fae'dan woman named Haldis. She named him Hastor and raised him with love and treated him like her own child. He was proficient in his elemental art that he was deemed a prodigy by his instructors. But due to his child-like appearance he was bullied and it caused him to doubt himself and he developed a social anxiety that made him shy being around other people. When he reached the age of 16 he took the Forre Mirilis Trial. The Officials that held the trial was uncertain if they should let him take the trial due to him looking like a child. The trial officials conceded after one of his instructors vouched for him.
After passing the trial he refused to join any Noble House faction due to his social anxiety and his doubt that his skills were not good enough. Just like his mother he decided to stay at the Neutral City and apply for a job at the City Library. Spending most of his time reading books and studying. He was happy living a simple life cooped up in the four walls of his safe haven.