CHAPTER 24: NOBLES OF THE WEST

I sat comfortably in the garden in the back of my mansion gazing at the night stars. I could feel how my body was strengthened by my first aspect. Something coming from within and from the magic in the air binding itself to me under the night sky and strengthening me. Tonight, I would reach the seventh tier in my quest to become a Land God. It was a clear night to digest all my gains from the battle that had taken place less than a week ago. It was a night where I would analyze myself and the abilities displayed by my enemies.

My eyes closed as I basked in the feeling of essence and mana being drawn into me. Because of the slow process of this world at generating magic, it would take me all night if not longer to breakthrough. The first topic on my mind was the bracelet that I had so carelessly worn for all this time. I probably looked like a fool to the members of my family. As the next head, I fell into such an easy trap that held sway over my emotions. Or perhaps my family had enough confidence within me to know I’d overcome that small trial.

Regardless of the fact, my mental defenses had been compromised for years now and that led me into acting and doing certain things someone of my station should rarely be acting by. What need did I have to hide my power and the system away now? Now that I had been acknowledged as the Young Lord the next ruler of a fifth of the Empire. The magic in the air seemed to like the feeling of confidence I projected, and I felt myself a step closer to the next tier. The stars above me seemed to twinkle and my connection to them grew stronger. Did they grow brighter in my momentary lapse of attention?

I put the issue away knowing I had passed the danger and could do nothing about the events that already took place. The only thing I could do now is changing my course of future actions. Men of the Kan did not hide. My family and father had always done their best to instill that discipline within me. From my teacher Rue, who taught me not only geography and history of the Empire and Nia, to her life lessons. Her brother Roan, helped train my men and instilled discipline into themselves and a bit into me. My mother, always express for me to be proud of who I am and would shower me and my siblings in endless love. My actions would change. I swore this to myself, and the magic seemed to agree. Binding taking place upon my core as even the magic acknowledges what I said.

What I would focus on next are the only enemies that truly mattered. We won the battle I would say my people had an advantage in everything except numbers and higher tiers of strength. I could not do much about either as it was one’s personal growth that dictated how fast you could move up through the tiers. That and your method of cultivation and bloodline were all things considered as well. What I could do however was push my men to the brink of physical and mental exhaustion. The same experience I had several times over my descent into the Catacombs.

I could feel that the Nox had more to them than what I experienced and their attack on the soul was frightening. Once they pushed you to exhaustion, they could use their ability on you to attack your soul itself. Fortunately for me, my soul was already claimed under the power of the system.

‘Was that you?’

The question was stated into my mind knowing I wasn’t alone in my head and that another could pick up on my thoughts. No response came and I sat stargazing for several minutes.

You are not ready for what is to come. Become a Land God as they call it in this realm. Then go farther. Become a Sky God. Then go farther. Only then will you be ready only then can you gain a deeper insight and understanding into the power you wield. Convert more people and bring a change to this world and Nia. Only then can you hope to defeat a creature like Nox. Only hope.

Her voice rang throughout my head suddenly and I gave a subtle nod returning my attention to the stars.

The stars that seemed so far away seemed to grow closer to me and no longer was I in the garden belonging to my mansion but the vast void of space itself.

“Hello, Aegis, one who wields the power of my blood but has neglected it.”

The voice came from nowhere and everywhere at once and my guard was instantly up. The power in the air the feeling I got was the same as but deeper when Ryna channeled the power of her goddess. The power of divinity.

*

Bella and the rest of the ten prepared to say their goodbyes to the Young Lord. Their analysis of the battle footage is complete. These people of this world were nothing the trained magi human troops they each brought would not be able to handle. Each had decided a piece of land they would carve out in The Last Kingdom.

News of a strange woman returning with the Kans had been delivered to her, but nothing had come of the information as the soldiers of the Kan were tight lip and no one was stupid enough to try and bribe a Watcher even if they were only a junior. That would not stop what Bella had set in motion, however.

Bella took a deep breath knowing the actions they were proceeding to do with be shown as disrespect. Aegis was the next Lord of the Wall and as the acknowledged heir to the west dukedom, this meant Aegis was the next in charge of all the western nobility. Something that the heirs of each of the ten great families had yet to acknowledge. Partially because Aegis had yet to stress his station and partially because of the stubbornness of the ten great families in general.

These families were the descendants of the original ten men and women to come under Apollo’s banner. Attracted to the man, the hero, and more for numerous reasons. Yet when Eradication ended Apollo Kan as well as the founding members of the western dukedom of the empire had too much power and sway. The same for the east, south, and north. These families had as much sway as the Imperial Angelo Family at least the ones in charge of the dukedoms. Sway that kept these families in charge for centuries, sway that their descendants wished to utilize on their terms.

Bella had seen the opportunity, so she orchestrated the ten houses using Judd as a steppingstone to the others. Finding small reasons as their noble brothers and sisters were cast away from the growing force of the Young Lord. Now Bella would make her move. The Nobles of the West set out under the cover of darkness. She smirked at the disabled guards as the gate was opened and from Koama to Ryon, each family filed out. Each would be setting off with their troops. Once past the mountains, each would be setting off towards a city they claim. The runic cuffs and oath stones secured in the spatial pouches of each scion and if the city they claimed didn’t bend using these methods. The Empire had many methods in which it subjugated the local population.

*

I looked around warily. I’ve only had a few interactions with the gods, and I remained wary of them ever since I was first born into this world. The word that the gods would be my enemy was still fresh in my head and I gently began to prepare the technique gifted to me by the strange spaceship of the SEE GOD, SLAY GOD SECT. Knowing I was not powerful enough to unleash enough a tenth of its supposed strength but what I had comprehended of the technique should give me an edge.

The stars around me grew brighter and turned from blues and golds to red the moment my mind began to construct the spell.

“You would lash out at one of your bloodline? The Hukku has not taught you well. Keala is spoiling you. Hiding you away from your other half.”

At the mention of my mother, the construct quickly collapsed. Even if I did get a sense of familiarity from these stars surrounding me, I did not hesitate to prepare a killing weapon. Although my mind was on edge from the prospect of breaking through and all my interactions with divinity had been weird in the least that did not give me the excuse to do something as terrible as Divinity Collapse.

“Who are you? What are you?”

This was the first thing I decided to ask. Still wary but not enough to prepare a killing blow.

The agitated stars around me returned to the blues and golds of before.

“Better. As to who and what I am…”

A star floated before me brighter than the rest glowing a bluish golden color and gently stopping in front of me.

“…grasp the star to understand.”

I hesitated for only a moment then I reach out and tightly closed my fist around the star.

Blinking. I found myself in the vastness of space in front of a palace fit for gods. It seemed to be made from the fabric of space itself and blended well into the darkness. If not for the strong sense of divinity I could feel radiating from the palace as well as the numerous stars and constellations some I even recognized from Nia itself, I would not have noticed the palace. Yet its radiance would have drawn my attention regardless of the fact. Such a contradiction yet it seems to make sense with this palace. Grand doors on top of stairs as tall as me opened and the bluish golden light poured out inviting me in.

“Wow.”

“Wow Indeed Aegis Kan, Welcome to My Home. Enter and Stand Before Me.”

My body began to move on its own almost as if my blood was responding to the voice before my mind could. I arrived before the first of the mighty steps which truly stood taller than me and my magi human blood had me at 254cm. My slim yet tightly compact body reminiscent of track stars build began to climb. Each step seemed to glow brighter than the last and whatever superhuman abilities I wielded did not respond here. My strength that could have me lifting tons nor my mind where I could build constructs to do the impossible. Here I was fully mortal.

By the third step, I was winded and the fifth saw me stopping taking a break while thousands more stood before me starlight glowing brightly outlining each step in the inky blackness.

When I reached the 636th step, I was no longer a young man on the cusp of growing into a leader of millions but a man in his prime. His fingers were calloused and well adapted to gripping and lifting. My body had changed as well. I was no longer as slim, but the muscle definition had increased, and my face was covered in a well-grown beard.

By the 1000th step, I was an old man, his youth fading but those grand doors kept him going kept him striving for the secrets that lay within. The original purpose of getting to those doors was long forgotten knowing that sweet relief would become available the moment I stepped past its threshold.

When I reached the 1233rd step I was well past my prime. I had been stuck on this step for my strength was no longer enough to pull me higher.

“Impressive. You Walked One Thousand and Thirty-Three Godly Steps of the Five Thousand Available. Of All of My Descendants, Your Potential Is in The Top Ten. With You Landing at Tenth.”

With those words being said the illusion was broken and I found myself the young man once again. My body and powers returned. I felt purified as if I had been dipped into a hot bath yet the heat from the bath did not disperse and I could feel my body at the very edge of my breakthrough. A blinking notification appeared to the side of my vision, but I ignored it as the moment my body and mind returned to normal, I was there before them.

“Star God.”

“Yes. You May Enter.”

Each time they talked their voice reverberated throughout the realm and the stars seemed to pause holding onto their breaths to not miss a word or sound coming from the god before me.

They were massive the realm growing bigger until I was like an ant to a human in front of them. “Welcome my wayward descendant. One of the few who turned their eyes from my path.”

The figure’s voice seemed to normalize, and they bent forwards and studied me curiously as I looked up and did the same. I could not tell their gender for all features that might indicate one was blank. An old memory of an anime I once watched came to mind as I gazed upon them reminding me of a certain villain that went by the name of Anti Spiral. Except they had blue and golden dots covering them from head to toe.

“Star God,” I said once again. Something in my mind was being sheared. This was beyond my understanding. What did it mean to be a god?

“True God,” The words just came from my mouth and the blinking notifications grew brighter and more rapid.

“You should not know of that. Not unless someone from your realm generates the energy to break out of the boundary. Interesting. 1233 steps… hmmm very interesting. Your mother placed higher.”

The spell given to me to be used as a weapon against the gods jerked against me. The construct wanted to be formed like it had a will of its own.

Star God flashed red for a moment.

“What you have in your hands is very dangerous if left unattended. Allow me to help ease your mental burden.”

A finger the size of a world gently tapped my forehead and the pain I was in lifted.

“Nobles of the West. This bounded realm only grows more and more interesting as time passes. I’m glad my stake has been well harvested before it erupts in chaos.”

“I have called you here for I have a quest for you. Arlo’s followers have lost their direction as he was only still a demigod and not strong enough to ride the waves expelled by [Knowledge]. Thus, although minor I see no reason for me to not accept twenty million new followers. Save the people of the Last Kingdom in my name and a boon shall be granted to you but if you fail…”

The rest was left unsaid, but the greatness of Star God already becoming written within my mind-

“YOU WILL NOT CONTROL ME.”

My body, soul, and consciousness all screamed out at once as I felt whatever soul compulsion being passively generated by Star God pass through me.

They may have not done it on purpose but just by me being in the presence of the God my might felt compelled to obey and serve and blood screamed for it yet my soul… my soul fought with all of its glory the armored figure of the System flashing in my mind for the briefest of moments. I collapsed to the ground exhausted as it took everything in me to fight against the Star God. Who even I could tell was just ordering me without using any powers. Here was my first glimpse of how the gods view mortals. It would not be my last.

“Oh, how wonderful. Your soul must be pristine. Regardless, you will complete the quest is given or Keala will deal with you upon your return.”

With a wave of their hand, I was once again sitting on the ground in the garden behind my mansion. All thoughts of my breakthrough gone but exhausted my new tier of power greedily sucked in all mana and essences converting it through my magi core and generating power for my body. Instinctively I knew I would no longer have to eat food if there was enough essence and mana around. I felt my heart crystalize even more soon to be fully replaced by the magic core at its center. All thoughts on modifying the way I fought with my aspects were nearly forgotten as I processed.

What just happened?