Ascending Pride

The bodies

Devlin led the way back to Winston's body, three men had been standing guard and to ensure no one disturbed the bodies. Lucian, Jaxon, and Leonard followed the mage disciples around the clearing. They were going around taking detailed recordings from which way the grass was bent, to cataloging each drop of blood.

Stacie, Devlin's third disciple oversaw the others. Her brown hair, brown eyes, small mousy stature belied her powers as a fourth-tier mages. She wore her enchanted classes, temporarily able to work in the clearing due to Devlin preparing a dozen node isolators from the cerulean tree sap, though Devlin hadn't informed them of that fact.

"Master, these bodies were missing limps prior to... their deaths... I don't think actual body parts were used in the summoning, just the heart's blood. If you look here," Stacie gestured to a male body, "There is a single stab wound, I thought at first it was made with a blade, but... I think all twelve had their hearts pierced at the same time."

Devlin walked over with a grimace, even with the nodes, flight magic was draining. Even with him stepping forward, they were all three inches off the ground to not disturb anything before a full analysis and recording was complete. "I agree, there are no burn marks though... so not fire or lightning. Perhaps blood from Winston to connect them all. In a moment, we will use his body to isolate his blood from the rest."

Lucian and Jaxon stayed back, Leonard was directing Amin to assist in the investigations as he was a well versed scholar. "Were you aware Winston was a mage of the fourth tier?" Lucian asked glancing over the clearing, he hadn't been paying attention to the sacrificed earlier, a few were missing arms or legs, and one was missing an eye. Of the twelve, only four will fully intact... that he could see.

Jaxon watched the mages taking notes and start to slowly remove Winston's cloak to take more detailed records of his state. The cloak was sticking around the burn wound, the shirt underneath looked melted to his chest, and even partially inside the hole.

"Jax?" Lucian promoted as Jaxon continued to stare at Winston's body, as Stacie used levitation magic to sit Winston up, the hole had light shine through... and the edge of the heart was visible... shriveled and grey as it was.

"No, like many of the bloodline, my understanding was he was only capably of body enhancing magic and basic fire spells. Though... I am not even capable of that." Jaxon added half self-mocking, half resentful. Jaxon hadn't been surprised to heart that even facing Lucian, surrounded by dead bodies, Winston called him an abomination. The former duke, his own father, and even older cousins all called him and Monroe as such.

Jaxon took a deep breath, at least his younger brother Monroe had not been forced to endure the initiation with the church when he turned six. Lucian had stopped the barbaric ceremony shortly after Serafin's birth, a blessing Jaxon could never return.

Lucian gave a short nod, "But you can harden your skin and bones even more than I can Jax, don't listen to them. They didn't like anything that was different..." Lucian added straightening his shoulders. The former emperor had called them all cowards for trying to stop their warring state, since the old ways were slowly killing their people... best to change, but never forget.

Jaxon took a deep breath, "I'm more concerned with how he was still alive your majesty, I was there the day he was beheaded. I watched our guards drop the head in the basket with a dozen others, and I stayed to watch as their bodies were burned, and ashes scattered." Jaxon was not proud to admit it, but he'd been too scared to take chances with even one of his elders surviving. So long as they were alive... the duchy wasn't safe.

"Bring Monroe to the capital, it's best to keep him close until we can confirm... We will order the heads dug up and tested. If any of the others are alive... We will know." Lucian promised gripping Jaxon's shoulder. For the same reason none of his half siblings, or any of the former imperial family were allowed to liv. The enchantments and wards were bound by blood... that was why death was the only consequence for crimes of the imperial family.