Chapter 120: Chapter 119: Concerning Developments

Early the next morning as the sun was just beginning to rise, Zara met Ramses for coffee and with a hushed but concerned voice asked, “Have you heard from Erinel?”

Ramses shook his head as he took a sip of his coffee, “Nothing. I even tried calling him. My call went straight to voicemail.”

Zara shook her head, “Same with my calls. What happened last night?”

Ramses put his coffee down on the table, “We may not be able to find out the entire story, but we should report the information we do have to Master Sage at once. She may be able to take the lead with her counsel from there.”

Zara nodded her head, “I quite agree. Let’s go now. We can have coffee later.”

Ramses hesitated only for a moment as he was rather enjoying his drink; however, he sat his coffee on the table and walked with Zara to the Master’s Hall on Erika’s royal campus.

As they approached the hall several soldiers stopped them for questioning before allowing them to pass, “King Ramses and Queen Zara, good morning. While you are welcomed guests, we do not see you on today’s docket for Master Sage’s schedule.”

Zara smiled and answered the soldier, “We are not on the docket, no. We are here to relay suspicious information from our informant within the BloodStar Empire. Information that we believe Master Sage would prefer to hear sooner rather than later.”

The soldier nodded, “I figured you wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important. Go on in. Master Sage should have a thirty-minute meeting with her council right now anyways.”

Ramses and Zara both thanked the soldiers as they passed through and into the Master’s Hall. They walked down a long aisle before arriving at the base of a raised panel with Erika and two high-council members sitting on either side of her. The first councilman had an expertise in war and politics. The second councilman had an expertise on social and science studies.

Erika greeted them, “I see you must have both sweet talked my soldiers. I remember telling them not to let anyone in.”

Zara bowed, “Forgive us Master Sage. We bring news from our informant from the BloodStar Empire.”

Erika leaned forward, “I was afraid you may say that. I hope for good news, but nothing good ever comes out of the BloodStar Empire. No offense.”

Ramses bowed, “None taken.” He then began, “Our informant, Blood Priest Erinel, told us last night that he and all of the other Blood Priests had been summoned for a very important meeting. That alone wouldn’t be unusual; however, Erinel confirmed that all six Blood Wraiths were present as well.”

Erika frowned, “Why would Victoria call upon all six Blood Wraiths and all twenty Blood Priests?”

Zara nodded her head, “We were hoping to find out ourselves. However, since last talking to Erinel, we haven’t heard a single word from him, and his cell phone is offline.”

Erika maintained her frown, “Is that it? Nothing more? That is unusual, but I’m afraid that doesn’t quite meet my expectations for urgent news that can’t wait.”

Ramses bowed his head in shame, “We were hoping you may have the resources to get to the bottom of this. I can understand it doesn’t seem like much; however, the gathering of all six Blood Wraiths is extremely concerning. Something big happened last night. Whatever happened will likely have far-reaching repercussions for our world whether it be today or years from now. It would be prudent to be prepared for what is to come.”

Erika nodded but ultimately had nothing to add. She was ready to send them off after noting their information; however, one of her council members spoke first. He was an old man with a long grey beard. He wore robes and looked like a wizard from old tales.

“My team has been aiding Lady Starfallen in telescopic research, and I too noticed an anomaly over the BloodStar sky last night.”

Erika turned to her science councilman and asked him, “Why wasn’t I informed?”

He responded, “As you say, it is interesting news but hardly actionable. Though now that I think about it, I do have some recollection of reading about an ancient BloodStar ceremony from the Heraklinos Empire archives many decades ago in my youth.”

Zara gasped, “The Heraklinos Empire has such archives? It is imperative that we know what ceremony took place. Ancient ceremonies are largely lost knowledge even to the BloodStar Empire, but myths state that they unleash horrific power to be wielded in various forms.”

The councilman stroked his beard, “What I saw was a very bright column of white light that reached into the sky. It reached into space likely. It was enormous. It was immensely powerful. I have read about many ancient ceremonies and their effects and desired outcomes; however, this I remember being a particularly specific and important ceremony to the BloodStar culture in ancient times.” He gave a soft chuckle and said, “But for the life of me, I can’t remember what the details are.”

Erika looked to her advisor, “Make a request, immediately, to review the BloodStar Empire archives. Until you find what we are looking for, that is your priority because I too have felt something.”

Ramses and Zara looked to her with a high-degree of concern for they knew that curse masters could feel various kinds of unnatural and undetectable energies in the world related to curses.

She gulped and said, “I didn’t believe it. I don’t want to believe it. But. This morning I felt a weight lifted off the shoulders of the world. One specific weight.”

Everyone present looked to Erika with an anxious look. She then continued, “This morning, I confirmed the presence of my ancestor’s curses. They are active. They are wild with spare energy at the moment. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

Ramses furrowed his brow, “And why would a curse’s energy do that, Master Sage?”

Erika breathed a deep sigh, “Lots of reasons. But in this case… there can be only few reasons. But I don’t believe any of them.”

She took a moment and said, “Either Empress Victoria BloodStar is dead. Or. She is alive, and her bloodline powers have vanished.”

Everyone took a moment to process this information, and after a few moments Zara shook her head, “This makes no sense. Why would Victoria call the foundation of her power, the strongest warriors she has… and either kill herself or end her bloodline power?”

Erika said, “You were right to come here this morning after all. I didn’t want to face these feelings because I can’t make sense of them. I think it may be best if I call Master Heraklinos at once.”

She wasted no time as she picked up her phone and dialed Jarek’s number. The phone rang, rang, and rang until finally… Jarek picked up, “Erika, how are you doing this morning?”

She wasted no time, “Jarek, I am calling you to update you on some recent developments. However, before I share that with you, I have a request. May I send my councilman to review the BloodStar Empire files in your archive? Including the confidential files under high security?”

Jarek frowned and paused before responding, “Erika, I thought you knew. When Constance Khan broke into the top security archival department, she stole every last BloodStar Empire file under my control. It was deemed too dangerous to retrieve them seeing as it would mean a direct confrontation with Empress Victoria in her own empire.”

He paused and listened to the silence on Erika’s end of the phone. He then asked, “Erika. What has happened?”

She wore a grim expression, “If that is the case then we have even more to discuss than I anticipated.”

____________________

Across the sea in the BloodStar Empire, Empress Victoria awoke to a body brimming with pain and exhaustion from the ceremony the evening prior. She instinctively made the motion to summon a portal; however, nothing happened.

She laughed to herself, “Old habits die hard I suppose. But I am glad to know it worked at the very least.”

It was unlike Victoria to wake up with any pain at all as her body healed almost any injury overnight; however, the extraction of the majority of her life force had left her reeling even if she was nearly back to normal already.

She picked up her phone and dialed a number. The person she called picked up the phone almost immediately, “Yes, Empress Victoria. How may I be of service to you?”

Victoria smiled, “Nero, it goes without saying that I trust you more than any fighter in my empire. Indeed, it is the reason I have assigned you to protect my daughter at all costs. However, it is this same trust that is the reason I must ask you to return to the BloodStar Empire at once with urgency. I have a task meant just for you that supersedes all others. Bring Constance with you as well.”

Nero couldn’t fathom what may be more important than protecting Xenia; however, he didn’t even think of questioning his Empress, “Yes Empress, I will return with haste at once, and I will inform Constance Khan of your orders as well. I will be there by tomorrow morning.”

She responded, “Very good Nero. I will see you then.”

She hung up the phone and walked over to a large chest secured with all kinds of security locks including mechanical, biometric, and ki mechanisms. She opened each lock one by one until finally, the chest opened before her.

She gazed down upon the contents. A crimson red orb with swirls of black that had the texture of marble laying upon crimson red silks. The orb measured one foot in diameter and weighed 100 pounds. She ran her hand over it in admiration and whispered to herself, “The peak achievement of my life that will thrust the world into a new order. An order ruled by the BloodStar Empire.”