The Storm Tower | Vol.4, The Eldenarian Artifacts ✓

29.

House Brynjir's portal gate had been built in the exact center of Hodvekt. Each of the ten known portals in their world was uniquely decorated and designed in the style of the house that owned them. Unlike House Oseda's, but similarly to the one at the Eldenarian Palace, the Brynjir's portal gate sported an open floor plan. Multiple stone pillars of varying sizes formed a circle around the archway standing proudly in the center like the pit of a cherry. Bright green runes pulsed against the grey rock. The Nordic-styled buildings and lush pine trees served as a backdrop for the scene.

Sebastian, Imogen, and Dorian pushed through the cluster of battlemages and Arkangels as they searched for Catherine and Jocasta. Bodies spilled through the gaps between the pillars and emptied into the street bordering the gate. There must've been about a few hundred people present. He couldn't remember the last time he saw a force this large.

Chieftain Naidini's army in Vashara was close, but not quite. The Osedan's population had been diminished greatly since the battle in their capital city. The entire magician population had been on a steady decrease ever since his father began his quest for the Eldenarian Artifacts.

House Lumai fell to the Order first. Only three light mages existed now. House Brynjir and House Aegeon suffered similar levels of casualties. House Oseda was the latest victim of the Order's vicious war for power and control of their world.

Only two houses had managed to escape the Order of the Black Lotus's wrath—and one did it by hiding for a decade. But Makaela found them. And she was on their side now. It wasn't a stretch to think they'd soon have the Vayans join them in the fight against the Order.

House Tenebris couldn't be redeemed. Sebastian knew that already. Most—if not all—his housemates had likely become Shades now. That just left the magicians of House Doragon, the dragon riders and firewielders from Asia. They allied with his father shortly after the purge of House Lumai. As far as he knew, their alliance still stood. The issue of their allegiance would have to be addressed later. For now, they needed to get everyone to the Eldenarian Palace.

Sebastian, Imogen, and Dorian found Jocasta and Catherine standing in front of the portal with a few of their trusted advisors surrounding them. Everyone turned to look at the trio as they arrived.

"We're all ready to go," Catherine told Sebastian. She gestured at the stone archway, which boasted the magical rift in space and time that was the portal. A faint green light radiated from the opening.

Just as they prepared to step through, shouts rose from somewhere in the crowd. Magicians and ordinaires gathered around to witness the commotion. Sebastian and Imogen shared a worried glance before darting into the irritated mob to find the source of the issue. To no one's surprise, a group of men was arguing about nothing.

Battlemages and Arkangels were jostling each other around, their faces red with rage. One of the latter stepped forward. Their hand lingered dangerously close to the knife strapped to their pants leg.

Imogen grabbed the arm of a magician next to her. "What happened?" They, along with everyone else in the area, were egging on the fight. It was like watching people merrily pour gasoline on a raging fire. Sebastian needed an extinguisher pronto.

"Dunno who started it, but Karl just said the Arkangels fight like 'little sissy children'," the magician answered with a snicker.

Sebastian slid a hand down his face. He couldn't believe an argument had broken out, especially over what seemed like nothing. The insult said by whoever Karl was wasn't even a particularly scathing one. Then again, these were battlemages and Arkangels. Both groups weren't exactly full of people he'd consider to be mature, calm, or rational. Still, he couldn't let this escalate any further. He thought the feast was a step in the right direction. If this fight progressed into something worse, they'd be taking two huge steps backward.