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

19.

Sebastian was forced to enter the Arkangel's war room alone. Imogen and Dorian were forced to wait outside the heavy, metal doors, kept company by a few armed guards with rather nasty expressions on their faces. He figured they weren't too happy to have the child of a deserter and a werewolf in their midst.

"Yell if you need us," Imogen told Sebastian before he was ushered inside.

He gave her a curt nod before entering the room.

Curved walls with a flat ceiling surrounded the Arkangel's central meeting place. A long, metal table sat in the center. An equal number of chairs bordered each side, except for the front, which housed a single seat—a seat that belonged to Jocasta. She was standing, her eyes glued to one of the many blue screens built into the wall behind her.

All eyes were on her. Every hand was clasped, every uniform ironed to perfect. Not a single Arkangel was out of place.

Sebastian was used to such uniformity. Even the Order of the Black Lotus wasn't this disciplined. While they served his father dutifully, it was almost always out of fear—fear of his power and the consequences insubordinate behavior spawned. These Arkangels didn't look afraid of Jocasta. Their eyes were full of respect, and admiration. Their faces shone bright with pride and gusto.

Every person in that room would've died for her at a moment's notice.

They reminded him of the battlemages of House Brynjir. While the two groups might've been archnemeses, they were more alike than they might've thought.

"Nice of you to join us," Jocasta said to Sebastian, her eyes still focused on her screens. "How's your arm?"

He rubbed his bandaged limb. "It's been better." He lifted a brow at her. "What's going on here?"

"Mission planning," one of her lieutenant's answered.

Jocasta nodded. "If what you say about this...Order of the Black Lotus is true, then we need to mobilize immediately. But before we can do that, you need to fill us in on everything. Weaknesses, locations, key figures involved, etcetera. We need to know it all."

Sebastian exhaled. He hadn't been planning on giving Ordinaires an entire synopsis on his journey so far, but there was a first time for everything. Jocasta gestured for him to take the floor. Stuffing his hands into his jeans, he awkwardly shuffled his way to the front of the room.

Now all eyes were on him.

Exhaling, he started at the beginning of his story.

From that fateful dream in the east courtyard in Castle Braexus to him rescuing Makaela at the battle in Hodvekt. From the siege that nearly decimated Thania to the all-out carnage that swallowed Vashara. He explained the Prophecy of Eight and the discovered players, himself and Imogen included. His words flowed like a waterfall, pure and uninterrupted.

Once he finished, he took another deep breath. His hands trembled at his side. He glared down at them before stuffing them back into his pockets.

"Where can we find them?" someone asked.

Sebastian ventured over to one of the screens on the wall. The largest one, positioned smack dab in the middle of the massive setup, displayed a comprehensive map of the world. He found Romania on the atlas and pointed at it.

"You're telling me there's a castle in the middle of Transylvania?" someone else asked. Snickers lit up the room. "Who're we fighting? Dracula?"

"No," Sebastian answered, his expression deadpan. "We're fighting someone much worse." He resisted the urge to smirk upon seeing the hunter's bravado crumble away like an eroding cliffside.

Jocasta turned to him, her features still and stoic. She knew full well this wasn't anything to take lightly.

"Do you have a plan to stop them?" she asked him.

All eyes were on him again. He would've thought he'd be used to having all the attention by now, but it still sent jitters down his spine. Straightening his back, he nodded and explained what he had in mind.

He had a working plan, but it was still a little rough around the edges. Well, a bit more than "a little". After what happened in Vashara, he knew he needed to be a lot more careful when preparing for battle. The idea to head to House Oseda's headquarters had been his. As a result, people were killed. His father obtained Chieftain Naidini's artifact. Dozens of magicians who were killed in battle were reanimated, forced to fight for his father.

He couldn't let anyone else fall victim to his forbidden magic. With the Arkangels joining them, even more lives were at stake. He might've hated them, but even they didn't deserve to become zombies for eternity.

Sebastian knew he couldn't make the same mistakes. Jorgen entrusted him to lead the magicians before he died. Not Ajax. Not Olivier. Not Makaela. Him. His dreams, Mauvorin's tampering... The prophecy told him he was the king.

That had to mean something.

"We need to gather as many allies as possible before returning to the Eldenarian Palace," Sebastian explained. "The Order not only has hundreds of extremely skilled Shades, but they also have the Redfangs and an army of undead soldiers on their side. Not to mention the whatever Solairs and monsters he managed to join his side. Our friends from House Aegeon and House Brynjir are still recuperating from previous battles. We need all the help we can get if we even want to stand a chance against them."

"I'm going to be honest," another hunter began, "half of what you just said sounds like absolute nonsense."

"Did you say they have a zombie army? What're we meant to do about that? How is that even possible."

"Zombies?!"

"How is that even possible?"

"Necromancy. The Order specializes in dark magic." Sebastian resisted the urge to facepalm. "It's forbidden amongst our people, but they don't care about rules. Especially not right now."

Jocasta urged her people to settle down. "Sebastian, we understand we need numbers, but that is not a plan."

"Relax. I was getting there." He let out a breath. "I'm sure you know about Hodvekt already, so I'll skip the history lesson. Anyways, that's where House Brynjir is stationed. If we can recruit even just a few battlemages, we'll be able to put up a fight."

Jocasta bristled. "I'm very familiar with them." A few of the other soldiers shifted uncomfortably.

"We have to get to Hodvekt," Sebastian continued. "And not just for the reinforcements. They have the only portal on the continent that can take us all to the Eldenarian Palace in one trip. Without them, it'll take us weeks to get there."

Jocasta pondered his proposal for a moment. Sebastian watched her intently. Finally, the woman placed a hand on the table, her icy stare fixed on her fellow Arkangels. She shifted her attention to the man sitting to her left. "Jameson, get a convoy ready. We head west in the morning."

"Yes, ma'am!" Jameson saluted his commander before bolting out of the room to complete her request.

Jocasta glanced at Sebastian. "I'm trusting you, magician. For your sake, I hope you've been telling us the truth."

"Believe me," he began, "I wouldn't have come here if I didn't have to."

She nodded. The two of them held each other's gaze captive for a few tense seconds, silently calculating and challenging each other while everyone in the room watch the pair as if they were a lit oil canister seconds away from exploding. Finally, Jocasta smiled, a small one full of intrigue and smugness.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at her in reply.

The Arkangels were still his enemy, and he wasn't entirely sure if he could trust them yet. Still, they had offered to help fight the Order—and they were the more dangerous foe at the moment. If they didn't stop them, any petty feud with the Ordinaires was meaningless. His father would wipe them both off the face of the earth without a second thought.

As much as he hated it, their union was very much necessary.

For now, he would have to trust Jocasta and her Arkangels. After all, the enemy of his enemy was his friend.