Allegiance

Chapter 2

The council room fell silent, with the elven and dwarven royal families growing surprised at Blaine's announcement. Alduin shared a confused glance with Virion and Merial. They knew a relic was required to ascend an individual to white core, and only one person could be bound to a relic at a time. And, with Blaine already having two Lances, he couldn't have used a relic again.

Dawsid narrowed his eyes on Blaine both in curiosity and irritation. He leaned forward in his chair and gestured toward Blaine, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Blaine shrugged nonchalantly with a wide smile, "I mean what I said. I've promoted a third individual as my Lance."

Alduin gave a sigh that was thick with annoyance, "Seriously." He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "You called a council meeting for this."

Virion looked at Blaine suspiciously, getting the vibe that there was more to this third Lance than Blaine was sharing. "This Lance. Why did you give him such a title."

Alduin lowered his hand from his nose and looked at Virion curiously because of his question before looking at Blaine. Merial, Dawsid, and Glaudera also looked at Blaine with interest, thinking there had to be more.

Blaine chuckled arrogantly and sat up straight in his chair, "I gave him the title of Lance because the title is fit for a white core."

Glaudera, Dawsid, Merial, Alduin, and Virion all went wide-eyed with surprise and perplexed by Blaine's statement. Priscilla sat silently beside her husband, subtly shaking her head, seeing Blaine basking in this attention.

"You're saying he's a white core?" Glaudera asked, doubting Blaine's claim.

Blaine nodded in excitement, "I am indeed."

"That's impossible," Alduin scoffed. He gestured to Bairon and Varay, who were standing behind Blaine. "You already have two Lances who are bound to both of your artifacts. You can't have a third."

Blaine nodded simply, "That's true. I already have two Lances." He chuckled arrogantly, "And now I have a third."

Merial rolled her eyes, losing her patience with Blaine, "We get it. You have a third Lance, who apparently is a white core." She narrowed her eyes on Blaine accusingly, "But we all know that's impossible. You don't have an artifact to spare, and you need an artifact for one to be a white core."

Alduin and Virion shared a look, knowing Merial's statement wasn't entirely accurate.

"Ah," Blaine said with an excited smile, raising his right index finger in the air. "Well, that's the amazing part." Blaine lowered his hand, rested his arms on the table in front of him, and leaned forward, meeting every council member's eye individually. "He managed to reach white core through his own power."

Dawsid coughed, nearly choking on his own saliva. He abruptly shot up from his chair, knocking it to the ground, with it crashing to the floor with a loud thud. "That's impossible! Now I know you're lying!"

While Dawsid and Glaudera glared at Blaine in disbelief, the elven royal family shared concerned looks, wondering if it was possible.

Blaine looked at Dawsid and chuckled, "Whether you believe me or not matters not to me. But, there is even more to him." Blaine's gaze flicked to the Eraliths, and his smile widened conceitedly. "My third Lance is a quadra elemental."

"What?" Virion breathed out in disbelief and with some intrigue.

Blaine's eyes flicked to Virion, and he chortled, "That's right, Elder. A quadra elemental." Blaine sat back in his chair and crossed his arms proudly. "Your dear granddaughter doesn't seem so special now, does she?"