Early Morning - Mid Summer : Valtivar | Siratha

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- Leif Vilulf ~

The corridors of the estate resounded with the urgent patter of footsteps that morning, each one a note in a symphony of orchestrated chaos. Even outside, commoners and officials alike scurried about with excited but baited breaths.

Our Lord was coming.

It had been nearly a decade since his presence faded since the moon bore its scar, but now that it was back, it was denser, thicker, and more oppressive than ever. -It feels a bit different than it used to as well, but somehow...- "Ah~!" My legs buckled the moment I tried to focus on it.

Although I wasn't sure why back then, after his return, whenever I tried to focus on his divine presence, an oppressive sensation as if I were being gazed upon by an almighty being would flood my body.

The first time it happened, I felt fear, and the second time, I felt anxiety.

To me, it felt like a test of faith, and while I didn't want to admit it, I had most certainly failed.

But after trying again and again, that feeling had slowly morphed into ecstasy. "Hooh..." -But I cannot let the Lord see me in such a shameful state...- Slowly standing back up with shaky legs, I supported myself on the wooden window seal.

*Twack* "Leif! Are you okay?!" Bursting into the room, Liv darted to my side with an expression washed with concern.

But I quickly waved her off. "I am fine... Our Lord has simply gotten so strong that it will take some time for me to adjust..." Finally catching my breath, I moved my gaze back out the window, overlooking the massive dragons coming to and from the estate while carrying all kinds of cargo and important figures from the outskirts of Valtivar. "I just hope we can live up to his expectations, considering the platter he served us before he left..." I mumbled beneath my breath before turning back to Liv with a less flustered expression. "In any case, how are preparations coming along."

"Generally, everything is in order," Liv replied, retreating from the sunlight streaming through the window. "Prayers have already begun commencing by the tree, with all nearly distinguished figures in attendance, and as you requested, the apostle candidates have been gathered."

-Excellent...- My thoughts quickly drifted to Alva, the only apostle other than me to survive the Lord's cleansing. Her recent changes were more than welcome. "When Alva arrives, bring her to my office." -I hope she can make it before the Lord arrives...-

"As you wish." Quickly bowing, Liv's long, lush hair parted to reveal beautiful bronze scales on the back of her neck. "She should be with her apostle candidate; should they come here with her?"

-She's come a long way...- A smile crept onto my face as I looked down at her. "Send them to the base of the tree. I expect the Lord to haze them when he arrives."

She instantly tensed up before slowly looking up at me. "Uh.. Miss Vilulf... I'm not going to get hazed with them, right?" She spoke anxiously, her young age quickly becoming apparent.

"Haha, I don't know." Glancing toward the horizon over my shoulder, I felt a chill pass down my back. "He may haze the whole city, so you might as well prepare for it." I spoke jokingly, my voice thick with sarcasm.

And it helped lighten Liv's mood, if only slightly. "O..okay! Then I will go finish my preparations."

Watching her leave, a sense of paternal pride filled me, though I had no children of my own. "Hah..." -Our Lord's foresight is truly limitless.- *Click*

With a warm smile fresh on my face, I finally gathered myself and stepped out onto the balcony, looking up the warm ray of morning light shining through the windows of my office and staring into the sky.

It felt warm, as if I was suddenly wrapped in a blanket on a cold evening, but the warmth penetrated far deeper than the skin. *inhale* "Haah..." Letting out a heavy breath, the warmth eased every sense of tension out of my body.

It was time for our Lord's return, but somehow, rather than feeling tense, I felt rather eager and proud, like a child wanting to show their father something they made while he was away.

Over the last eight years, a lot happened, from the skyrocketing population and deepening of faith to so much technological development that we seemed like a totally different nation from just a few years prior, but rather than feeling nervous about how the Lord would react, I felt nothing but excitement for our Lord's judgment.

And that was solely because of the platter he served us before he left.

The alliance with the draconic race.

In the eyes of the public, it was generally viewed as an alliance that had countless veiled details beneath, but unbeknownst to them, rather than the details being in favor of dragons, I pulled the strings like a puppet master.

In a matter of weeks, our society was injected with the knowledge of a race far beyond our own, and we found ourselves living amongst beings whose scales alone could let us evolve and ascend with almost no downsides to our society. -And it's all thanks to the Lord.-

Of course, in reality, the alliance wasn't completely one-sided in my favor, but in the end, it still felt as if I was stealing from them. -Because of our system of faith, unworthy dragons will almost never be able to rise into a seat of power, and even though they now have access to our land, labor, and resources, should they fail to abide by the rules we set, they won't just get into trouble with us...-

It truly felt like a win-win for us, but it was nothing I could complain about.

However, the time to have such reflections eventually disappeared.

After falling into thought for so long, the Lord's continually approaching presence began to near, and it was finally time to begin the prayer I had prepared my entire life for. "Hooh..." -It's finally time...- "My mind, body, and soul, belonging to the lords above, kneel before the arrival of their master, Lord Nott." My voice resonated across the courtyard as my form bowed in reverence.

The crowd around the estate instantly looked up, startled, but before they could grasp the situation, an ethereal voice filled the forest.

"Citizens of Siratha, please find a place to lie down." The voice was simply ethereal, deep yet smooth, calm yet commanding.

But mere seconds after the voice echoed through our minds, the world seemed to shudder. *vwwWWWOOOOMMM* It felt as if the sky was falling onto us, but after a moment of the air getting heavier and heavier, a huge figure appeared before me.

Our Lord, our god. Gracing our bodies with his presence and our eyes with his towering form, unlike anything that was ever written in legends.

Gazing upon him, my mind emptied, struck by his majesty before a voice, both familiar and unfamiliar, met my ears. "Good to see you, Lief."

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- Vasilias Ragnarok ~

*FWOOSH* *FWOOSH* The rhythmic thrum of my wings cut through the morning air as I descended toward Leif's estate. The lush canopy below me swayed gently before parting for my descent and revealing a colossal estate. "Good to see you, Lief." -She's grown a lot stronger...-

*Fwoosh* *Fwoosh-tap* Finally touching the ground, an eerie silence fell across the forest, only interrupted by the breeze rustling the leaves in the canopy. But rather than the silence stemming from everyone being unconscious, I found countless gazes aimed at me, the reverence in their minds keeping them awake while keeping their voices hushed.

Leif, snapping out of her daze, bolted to the ground before groveling instantaneously. "Lord Nott, your presence alone graces us with unparalleled honor."

A smile crept its way onto my face almost instantly. "It seems you have been managing things quite well." My gaze swept over the estate and its surroundings, taking note of the countless signs of growth and change no matter where I looked. -This place has really been transformed...- But my attention quickly shifted. "Shall we head inside?"

Lief sprang to her feet, her demeanor flipping from awestruck to almost buoyant like a switch. "Y-Yes, right this way!"

Quickly following her into the estate, I reverted to my humanoid form, maintaining the cloak of light magic over Krystallo and Ilios as they followed after us before hastily remaking my clothes and repositioning my sword sheath.

It wasn't until that moment that I even thought about it, but my humanoid form had changed drastically.

Mimicking my fenririan form, my humanoid form's horns and tail had grown much longer, and my body had matured significantly, looking closer to someone in their late 20s than anything. But the most significant change was the two large, spanning, furred wings sprouting from my back. They weren't exactly functional when it came to flying, but they were undoubtedly a handy tool I could make use of.

However, that was for another time.

Quickly folding my wings and following after Leif, we entered the estate, the interior reflecting Siratha's transformation outside, melding tradition with newfound prosperity to create a unique air and beauty.

But just like outside, the most surprising thing was the people, dragons, elves, and demihumans alike.

Each and every hall we passed through was lined with people pressing their heads to the floor, their reverence manifesting in the silent, respectful atmosphere being a stark contrast to the reactions my presence usually elicited. It was an acknowledgment of not just my power but also their faith and devotion in me.

In a way, it felt welcoming, as if they truly enjoyed my presence, unlike the dragons in Bahamut, bringing ease to my somewhat burdened mind.

Of course, not everyone could remain conscious, but the majority took me by surprise to the point that when we finally arrived at our destination, I could dedicate my mind to what we were to speak about.

*Click* Opening the door to a massive room with spanning bookshelves, walls of glass, statues, and colossal artifacts everywhere, I was slightly taken aback, but especially after noticing the dozens of mana accumulation runes lining the ground like simple carvings, I had no complaints. *flash*

"Lord Nott, this is the Grand Abode, a space only those you grant permission may enter." She bowed deeply in front of the open doors as I transformed just inside. "Please do what you wish with it."

Finishing transforming back to my fenririan form, I uncloaked Krystallo and Ilios and used my aura to motion her inside. "Then please come in. We have a lot to talk about."

Her eyes widened as she looked toward Ilios and Krystallo, cheerfully exploring the massive space, unsure how to react.

"Don't worry. She is my sister in this life, so please try to treat her well." *VWOOM* Quickly creating a place for me to lay down and a large, cushioned couch for her to sit, I made a small table to speak over before getting comfortable.

But Leif had yet to even move from just inside the door.

"If you wish to call a maid, you may. Otherwise, come and have a seat. There is much to discuss."

But she didn't budge.

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