It took time for Leon to realize that what was happening was real—an eternity to him, though perhaps only a few seconds to the dozen or so others witnessing the moment. If he’d known that his mother was watching his duel with Bennu, he would’ve fought differently, opening with all that he had and holding nothing back. As it was, with her arms around him, he couldn’t complain.
She looked much the same as she had in the memory slate, though her fairly simple clothes were gone in favor of elaborate, if largely monochrome, robes. Her twelfth-tier aura was a surprise, too; he’d imagined that when he found her, she would be stronger than him without doubt. House arrest or not, he couldn’t imagine that she slacked in her training or went without the best training materials in the universe.
They were the same ti—he was a tier stronger than her, as he had to remind himself. He’d been preparing to experiment a bit with his new power after heading into Miuna’s private box, but his wives and Miuna herself had taken up much of his time going over his duel and all the powers he revealed. Miuna’s friends, who had been so arrogant and catty to him mere days ago, endured the post-duel discussion silently, not drawing attention to themselves at all.
This only lasted a few minutes, however, before word was brought in that Serana herself had arrived, accompanied by Jennifyr. The box went silent after Miuna ordered her to be shown in, and Leon had stared at the door like it was a portal to some mysterious dimension unknown to humankind.
When his mother entered the box, her golden eyes shining and locking onto his immediately, all else fell away. To see her, to have her arms around him after so long… He’d long dreamed of the moment, but once it arrived, he had no idea what to do. He hugged her back, doubting every sense he had that what was happening was reality.
Soon—or perhaps after so long that the universe was filled to the brim by the Origin Spark, he could hardly tell—they parted. Serana didn’t completely release him; however, he could read in her eyes the very same doubt he could feel.
“You…” she whispered, her voice breathy and quivering, “… are too damned tall…”
He smiled and pulled her into another hug, which she happily accepted. Time was easier to track this time, and they parted again moments later.
“I, uh…” he sputtered, not knowing exactly what to say. He realized at this point that he was smiling so widely that his face was starting to hurt, and when no words managed to force their way past his drawn-taut lips, Elise took his arm, her light touch coming with a gentle, if silent question.
He glanced at her and nodded, accepting her offer of aid.
“Mother,” Leon said, the simple word sounding foreign on his tongue, “this is Elise.” He waved to his other ladies, and Cassandra happily bounded forward to take his other arm, while Maia and Valeria stood beside Elise and Cassandra, respectively. “And these are Naiad, Valeria, and Cassandra. These four are my wives.”
Serana’s expression froze, and her head almost creaked as it turned to each of Leon’s ladies in turn. Only when Jennifyr came to her side did she finally find her tongue.
“My, my,” she whispered. “I should have known my son would find himself surrounded by beautiful women.” She glanced at Miuna and her friends. “And them?”
The leader of that group quickly rose from where she kneeled, her deep blue kimono seeming to straighten itself by her magic. “I am Miuna, Thirty-third Princess of the Ocean King. Princess Serana, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Her amber eyes flickered between Serana and Leon; joy and nervousness reflected within in equal measure.
Serana frowned, her eyes turning imperious and critical. She scanned Miuna, then each of Leon’s wives again, before turning upon Miuna’s friends and servants. She spared the latter two groups barely any time, however, with her appraising gaze reserved for these five women.
“Four wives, and one hopeful,” she stated, and Leon almost curled into himself in embarrassment.
“My everdark sister,” Jennifyr whispered, “let’s not spoil this meeting. We cannot be absent forever…”
Serana audibly scoffed. “With my son here, I will be absent for as long as I please! You, my daughters-in-law! Impress me.” Like a haughty Empress, Serana glared at Leon’s wives first, then at Miuna. Elise and Miuna were the two Leon assumed would’ve been the first to respond, followed closely by Cassandra. Showing a surprising amount of assertiveness, it was Valeria who beat them all to the punch.
“We have been chosen by Leon of House Raime,” the silver-haired woman stated, her tone flat but carrying an undercurrent of cold iron. “We have no need to impress anyone else.” Her sapphire eyes glared daggers into Serana, daring her to express disapproval.
Leon almost thought she would, until Serana smiled and said, “There’s one.”
“Leon is our husband!” Elise jumped in. “We’ve been with him for centuries! We are his Queens, now and forever!”
“And we don’t need your approval!” Cassandra cried. “We didn’t need it when we got married, and we don’t need it now!”
A seconds-long silence followed, during which Serana stared both of them down. When neither blinked, she nodded, her approval apparent. Her expectant eyes then turned to Maia. “Your turn. Impress me.”
Maia’s face could’ve been carved from stone, but the ghost of a sneer played across her lips. [No,] she succinctly growled.
Again, Leon’s mother stared her down, but Maia made a show of looking away, not giving Serana any attention if this was how she was going to be.
And again, Serana nodded minutely. When she turned to Miuna, the Ocean Princess shared a shy look with Leon.
“Don’t mind me,” she said bashfully. “I’m just a friend. For now.”
Serana silently snorted in amusement before finally turning back to Leon just in time for him to ask, “What about me? Not going to ask me to impress you?”
“I just saw your fight,” she said, her tone softening. “Even if I hadn’t, you are my boy. My miracle. You will never need to impress me.” She reached over and brushed her hand against his face, smiling so radiantly that Belicenion’s sun seemed to flicker in shame. “I’ll admit,” she whispered, “I hadn’t expected you. When I first saw you fight, I had thought you to be your… father…” Her expression faltered, turning momentarily fearful before she mastered herself. “Where… Where is he?”
Leon’s face fell, as did those of his wives. Acting immediately, Miuna ordered everyone else, “All of you, out! Let’s give our friends some time alone!” She nodded to Leon before following her friends and attendants out, leaving Leon and his wives alone with Serana and Jennifyr.
‘I’ll have to find some way to thank her later,’ he thought. ‘But for this… what could be appropriate?’ He let the thought percolate only a moment before banishing it and facing the challenge that he was only now realizing that he wasn’t nearly prepared for.
“Father…” he whispered, his throat suddenly closing, his tongue revolting against his words. His eyes began to sting, but he rapidly blinked and forced himself to give voice to the truth. “He… died. Fell defending me and our home.” He kept his attention on Serana, but in the corner of his eye, he could see Valeria struggle to maintain her own composure, even moreso than the rest of his wives.
Serana, however, immediately curled in on herself and began to sob. Jennifyr wrapped her arms around her, and together, the reunited family, ecstatic mere seconds before, mourned.
---
Silence, thick as syrup, filled the room. There were only three people present, but none of them as yet attempted to cut through it. Everything they had seen during that duel had left them all speechless, as the consequences of the duel were too grave to speak on without proper consideration.
The opening ceremony was due to continue soon, but Anushirawan was busy making sure that Bennu was receiving all the care that could be provided. The Phoenix’s regeneration abilities were incredible, but wounds caused by Doomfire had the unfortunate tendency to linger, as all three in the room were more than aware of.
After long minutes, the door opened, and Anushirawan himself strode in, the reluctance in his expression laid bare without a single hint that he was trying to conceal it.
“Akeron,” he said first to the strongest and most prestigious of the three. “Triton,” he said to the closer Basileus, and the man nodded politely back. “Antipatra,” he finished, acknowledging the orange-haired Basilissa. “The opening ceremony must continue. Why have you called me here? Do you think me a dog in need of discipline?” As he spoke, his tremendous aura spilled forth, his pride and conviction giving his aura a particularly heavy quality that had the two Basileis nearly forced to their knees.
Akeron, however, was also a fifteenth-tier mage, and he well withstood the Sun King’s displeasure. “There was no desire to insult you, my friend. Merely… after that showing between young Leon and Bennu… we felt it prudent to discuss matters sooner rather than later.” A particularly ugly look crossed Akeron’s face when he mentioned Leon’s name, but Anushirawan wasn’t able to immediately question it as Antipatra forced herself to stand straight and question him.
“The Phoenix,” she said, her voice straining only slightly amidst the pressure of the Sun King’s aura. “How does he fare?”
“He’ll live,” Anushirawan curtly replied. “He rests with his people. Their magic will see him fully recovered in days.”
“Such a speedy recovery…” Triton whispered. “How lucky must one be to be born a Phoenix?”
“No matter how powerful,” Antipatra growled, “tainted blood is tainted blood.” Her tone turned rebuking as she addressed Anushirawan, “You should’ve killed him yourself if the mongrels refuse to kill themselves.”
Wrath, while not a particularly common emotion in his heart, was neither that alien to Anushirawan. He made this familiarity known as he pressed against Antipatra, his aura nearly crushing her against the wall. Her accusing glare, however, didn’t falter.
“No blood will be spilled on Belicenion,” he spat. “I don’t care who or how tainted their blood; this is a place of peace, and a place of peace it will remain!”
“K-Khosrow—” Antipatra
“IS NOT HERE!” Anushirawan roared, his voice loud enough that the silencing enchantments in the walls were nearly shaken apart. The Sun King didn’t care, but Akeron quickly waved his hand and conjured an ancient rune to reinforce them. Anushirawan continued, “I have given my word, guaranteeing safety to all who participate in my Games! Afterward, when Lords have left my territory, is no longer my purview. If you wish to send the Phoenix to the arms of his Ancestor, then do so yourself.”
Only once he’d said his piece did Anushirawan release the Basilissa, and conversation could continue. She suppressed a snarl and straightened her clothes, allowing Triton to speak next.
“What about Leon? The Thunderbird Clan especially can not be allowed to return. Not after all that Kamran did to ensure their fall.”
“Was whispering one truth into Jason Keraunos’s ear that great a task?” Akeron sarcastically asked.
“Many shoots required trimming after the tree was felled,” Triton said. “The roots of such a mighty Clan dug deep. I had thought the stump dead, but now…”
“And it’s not just that Clan,” Antipatra pointed out. “Those powers he displayed… A dual bloodline?! And with the Great Black Dragon Clan! And that thing he did when he turned into a bird! A man like this cannot be allowed to grow! We must uproot this sapling now, before he grows too large for us to handle!”
“Where is Kamran?” Akeron asked. “Dealing with the Thunderbird Clan was left to him, and until recently, it was thought to be a job long done. How aware is he that he yet has work to do?”
“Halbast continues to be a thorn in his side,” Antipatra complained. “Until that pathetic bastard has been dealt with, no brow shall bear the crown of the Storm Lands.”
“Are you being poetic or has Aeschylus finally cracked open that vault?” Triton asked.
Antipatra scoffed. “Aeschylus would’ve sung his own praises so loudly all the universe would’ve heard him if he managed to break into that confounding structure. No, I was speaking metaphorically.”
Triton chuckled softly. “We’ll have to deal with Leon anyway. But… what he showed today has been concerning.”
“More than you know…” Akeron whispered. “It was thought that Leon could be a champion of humanity. Now… I will have some bad news to deliver. For now…” He stood straighter and addressed the two Basileis. “Leon must not reach the fourteenth-tier. For now, I will charge you two with ensuring that.” He paused and afforded Anushirawan an understanding look. “We can wait until after the Games. But then… you’ll make your move.”
Antipatra ran her hand through her orange hair. “I’ve been keeping the Storm Lords busy in the Great Strand of Rhea. Leon will want his accursed Clan’s territories back; I can contest his conquests. Once he’s lured out, I’ll deal the finishing blow.”
“I’ll join you,” Triton said. “If not in Rhea, then at least in the Nexus. I can divert the Ocean King and his foolish spawn’s attention for a while, and while this last scion of the Thunderbird is dealing with you, I’ll finish what Despot Terris could not, and wipe his Kingdom from the face of the Storm Lands.”
Anushirawan frowned, not liking what he was hearing, but he said nothing. This was what was required for the betterment of humanity. That truth had been shared with him long ago.
“That sounds all well and good,” Akeron said. “Be cautious, however. Men like Leon, who rise from nothing, tend to be tenacious and hard to put down for good.”
“You could deal with him yourself,” Triton pointed out, and Akeron returned his accusation with a smile.
“I have other business. Important business. If you require an Anax to handle a single newly-ascended Basileus, then it speaks much about your talent, and how misplaced Kamran was to place his trust in you.”
“What will you be doing?” Antipatra demanded.
“You don’t need to know that,” Akeron stated. “You have your task. See to it. For mankind.”
“For mankind,” Antipatra and Triton said in unison.
Anushirawan himself only repeated it when the other three turned their expectant eyes upon him. They were finished then, and he was happy to leave. For perhaps the first time since he started hosting the Belicenian Games to foster peace, he couldn’t wait for them to be over. He loved the Games, but dealing with so many clashing Lords was a trying task at the best of times. With all that he knew now… He just wanted these conflicts out of his territory and out of his sight…
---
It took a good amount of time, but Serana eventually held back her tears. Though they’d only just met, Leon could tell that it was only for his and the others’ sake that she did, and that once alone, she was likely to break down again. Seeing her so devastated nearly brought tears out of him, too, but for her sake, he managed to hold back. His father’s death was a wound that never truly healed, though, and he could tell that he was going to be submerged in regrets for a while.
‘He should’ve been here. It should be him here, fighting for Mother’s honor, putting the enemies of our Clan to the sword. He’d have been much better than me at it…’
With a sigh, he turned his attention back to his mother. He’d told her how Artorias had died, but he didn’t touch certain details. He and Valeria would be honest with Serana eventually, but for the moment, it was best to keep certain things unsaid. There would be a time and a place for that, but not soon and not here.
As Serana regained control over herself, she clung to Leon tightly, seemingly afraid that if she released him, then he’d disappear. Nothing could be further from the truth, though, as Leon was already set to obliterate anything that disturbed this reunion.
“Leon…” Serana whispered, her voice shaking with grief, “tell me more. Tell me about you. Tell me everything.”
A distraction, perhaps, but it was one Leon was happy to indulge in. He began the tale of his life, such as it was, with the Forest of Black and White, as he had no memories older than that. Living with and learning from Artorias. A simple time, a time he missed greatly.
As he spoke, he wondered how he might approach everything else. He was a King now, and with so much to tell—he hadn’t even told her about Anzu yet—it might take days at least just to get a good summary of the journey that brought him to where he found himself.
Pausing his story, he asked, “How about we continue this on Storm Herald? I think we’ve trespassed upon Miuna’s hospitality long enough.”
“Yes,” Serana immediately agreed, rising to her feet as she brushed a few unshed tears from her eyes. “Let’s go now.”
“Sister,” Jennifyr said, drawing everyone’s attention. “I’ll return to the Clans. There will be… much to discuss among them. I’ll meet up with you… tomorrow?”
Serana nodded, and Jennifyr led the way out of the box. As Leon, his mother, and his wives followed her out, Miuna asked them where they were going. Leon told her, and invited her to Storm Herald at her convenience. Miuna decided that that very moment was most convenient, and so she and her guards and attendants followed Leon back to Storm Herald.
While Leon wanted time alone with his family, he was happy to have her support, as well as that of Gwarim and Archelaus, who joined the rest of his entourage in leaving the stadium. The opening ceremony would last all day, and neither were particularly keen on staying after witnessing Leon’s duel.
Whatever would come in the wake of the duel, Leon would have his friends and family there to help him deal with it. He just hoped that would be enough.
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