The Golden Edge: The Alloynian Predicament

1 - A Disagreement Dressed In Bronze

As the sun shone brightly over the country of Metalloic, its residents seemed to be as happy as ever. The country's borders had been open for a while now, with tourists and traders coming from all around the planet in great numbers. Many of them were even staying in the towns, which helped boost the economy greatly. It was a beautiful time that seemed to never end, yet there was one thing missing from all of this happiness...

The Golden Edge sat within her palace, The Staff of Crimson tightly gripped in her hand. She'd sigh, watching the several Metallo Knights standing guard outside of her castle. They were ready to defend their beloved priestess at any cost. She cared for each and every one of them deeply; they were the ones who made it possible for her to stand up against the enemies that threatened her people. In return, she would protect them with everything she could muster.

As she tapped her foot out of pure boredom, she looked over at a mirror hanging on the wall in front of her. As the image reflected back to her, the sight of a younger woman filled her eyes. Her face was primed and poised, but she still appeared so wise and vibrant on the outside. She continued to watch her reflection a little while longer until suddenly the double doors, that were nearby, opened.

In marched Head Knight Ren, his armour as shiny as ever. With his sword in his holster, he made his way to his leader and best friend. He bowed down before her, lowering himself into a deep kneel.

"I return from the centre of Metalloic, Ma'am..." He spoke with a low tone, his voice solemn and serious.

She nodded at him, slowly shuffling in place.

"How did it go?" She wondered, tilting her head.

"The Statue of Adriana has been protected, no tourists have been allowed on site!" He said proudly, taking a moment to breathe. "The statue is safe."

"Good work, Ren." The Priestess muttered, nodding her head towards him. "You may rise."

He stood up straight again, before going to leave. But as he did, he paused in place, looking back to The Golden Edge.

"Priestess Ivy..." He spoke. "Any luck on unionising The Alloynian Tribe with the rest of the country?"

Ivy blinked, turning to look at her knight.

"What do you mean, Ren?" She asked puzzled.

"The knights are worried about it, Priestess," He explained. "They don't know how long you and the other leaders' plan will take or if it'll even happen at all. The Alloynians are known to be savages. They're not exactly the most trusting bunch. I'm just wondering if you've had any progress on the matter?"

Ivy frowned at him.

"With help from The Silver Lining and The Platinum Shard, we've already had one meeting with The Bronze Age... But that didn't go too well... So I don't know, to be honest..."

-

DECEMBER 2022

Ivy made her way to the centre of Metalloic, looking up at the statue before her, its stone body gleaming in the sunlight. She approached the entrance, where guards stood waiting for her arrival. They saluted her as she entered, making their way to the centre of the area.

There were four separate entrances, one for each tribe's territory. You could see the variety of guards that protected the entrances by just turning around, making this a very unique place in the whole of Metalloic. The statue itself rose high above, with its stone body towering over the heads of everyone present. There was a rumour among the residents of Metalloic, that the statue held mystical properties. That it was somehow alive.