Back in Corvanus, Princess Caecila walked through the halls of the Imperial Palace, with Fulcinia and Typheras walking behind her. She came to a small door, guarded by two Imperial Knights. The knights saluted to her. She took a deep breath, and then opened the door.

Inside she found Emperor Lucius and Consul Hiberius, both seated on opposite sides of a small table. Magister Exploratores per Corvanus Appius stood off to the side, along with the Emperor and Consul’s retainers. Princess Caecila lowered her head.

“I, Princess Caecila Galvisia Electus, greet Emperor Lucius of the North and Consul Hiberius of the Northern Court.”

Emperor Lucius nodded towards her, while Consul Hiberius narrowed his eyes. Emperor Lucius turned to face the Consul, who simply observed Princess Caecila. She tried her best to hold a polite smile, sweat dripping down the back of her neck as she waited for him to speak.

“So, you have returned from Turannia. I am curious what business the Imperial Family had with my daughter, that they would visit her when I could not for all this time.”

It took all of Princess Caecila’s will not to gulp.

“But we have also received your report that you made contact with the Queen of the Dobhar while there, and under the circumstances we must prioritize that situation. We shall discuss the original purpose of your visit at a later time. Now, please update us with the full details, if you will.”

Princess Caecila glanced at Emperor Lucius, who frowned but nodded. She took a deep breath, and then reported her conversation with NSLICE-00P. Everyone in the room frowned and rubbed their chins for a while. Consul Hiberius turned to face Magister Appius.

“NSLICE-00P’s story appears to line up with yours, Magister, though I suppose that should be expected seeing as you were present with her that night.”

Magister Appius shrugged.

“You still disagree?”

Consul Hiberius scoffed.

“Our investigations have thus far failed to produce evidence of my late counterpart’s troubling affiliations, unconvincing testimonies from Utrad rebels who claim our good Emperor as the culprit, all of which you failed to provide forewarning of by the way. So forgive me if I choose not to make assumptions based solely on your testimony.”

Magister Appius smirked.

“Oh? You didn't seem to mind when you sent in your knights? And it seems your daughter may not share that approach.”

Consul Hiberius shook his head.

“Small exchanges between our troops in the night are one thing. A blatant assault on a Consul's home is another. And my daughter has little choice. Her fate now lies with the Queen of the Dobhar, regardless.”

Emperor Lucius heaved a sigh.

“As does ours. If NSLICE-00P begins her war on this cult before we can prove her claims, I’m afraid we will not be able to convince the others. The Court will demand a response.”

Magister Appius frowned.

“With what? She already defeated Caelinus, the best commander in the North leading its most experienced legions. You know exactly what will happen if Verrucosis takes the field against her. Remaining a figurehead will be the last of your worries, in that case.”

Emperor Lucius leaned forward and held his head with his hands.

“…I know, but what am I supposed to do at this point?”

He heaved a sigh, and then sat back up, looking to Consul Hiberius.

He lowered his head.

“Consul Hiberius…what do you propose? And…what would you have me do in response?”

The Consul rubbed his chin, and hummed. Then he narrowed his eyes.

“…when the Elteni Senate cut a deal with the Empire of the Sun, Velus abandoned it.”

Both the Emperor and Princess’s eyes went wide.

“NSLICE-00P is about to force your hand. If we cannot prove her allegations are justified before she resumes her assault, then we cannot prevent the Court from moving against her. To let a foreigner, even an Amiciti Populi Elteni, kill as they please is to admit that the Northern Court is incapable of defending itself and maintaining its own rule.”

He rose to his feet and turned around, walking about the room. He came to a stop, with his back still turned.

“That means you have but two choices. You reinstate the Northern Court’s rule, at any cost. Or…you admit its failure, and side with NSLICE-00P, hoping that she can be convinced to do it on your behalf. In either case, you will need to convince the other Courts to side with your decision, as neither you nor the North has the power to decide your own fate.”The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Consul Hiberius turned around, and looked both the Emperor and the Princess in the eye.

“The Throne and Blood of Velus no longer have any meaning to me, or the Hiberius family. I cared only for the authority it represented, an authority it no longer appears to possess. If the Northern Court is headed towards a fight it cannot win, then I see no point in my family engaging with it any longer.”

He began to walk towards the door.

“I intend to prepare my family for what is to come, and to determine how the other Courts will likely respond. I suggest you do the same.”

Consul Hiberius then left the room, leaving the Imperial Family with their thoughts.

Some time later, Consul Hiberius was in his family’s house in Corvanus, preparing to leave the city and return to his own lands. He gave orders to his subordinates, who left the room to continue packing. He then folded his hands behind his back and turned to a dark corner of the room.

“You may come out now, Magister.”

Magister Appius chuckled as he emerged from the shadows.

“New sensory skills, or am I losing my touch?”

Consul Hiberius scoffed.

“Neither. My daughter practically declared that Turannia is about to revolt. The Northern Court may soon fight with the woman who already defeated its best army and I, the last Consul, am all but abandoning it. As all these things were declared, you remained entirely too calm. Given the situation, you must know something that the rest of us do not, something that you would not say either in front of me or in front of the Emperor.”

Magister Appius smirked.

“That’s the head of the Hiberius family for you. Terrifying as always, it seems.”

Consul Hiberius sighed.

“Out with it then.”

Magister Appius nodded and his smile dropped. He looked Consul Hiberius in the eye.

“Let’s be honest. If a fight breaks out, you fully intend to throw in with your daughter and with NSLICE-00P, don’t you? Even if the Emperor sides with the Court and the East and the South move to support him?”

Consul Hiberius met his gaze.

“Do you intend to eliminate me then, Magister? I’d be a bit disappointed if that’s all this is.”

Magister Appius shrugged.

“Would you humor me if I said yes? Besides, if you were expecting me I imagine you would have planned for that contingency.”

They held each other’s gaze for a moment longer.

“Fine. I fully intend to do everything in my power to protect my family.”

Magister Appius nodded.

“…and I mine, this time, at least. But it would be nice if I could still protect the Empire at the same time…and maybe the world too.”

Consul Hiberius raised an eyebrow, so Magister Appius continued.

“If you are committed to NSLICE-00P’s side, then there is something you should know about one of her companions. And the reason I know the Heralds of the New Dawn are involved, and why we must oppose them, whatever the cost…”

In the sea between the Northern and Southern Empires there lay a large island. The island was filled with towering spires of white marble and polished gold that glittered in the light of the sun. Airships flew in the skies around it, carrying not soldiers or authorities but merchants, goods, and passengers from every corner of the Empire. The seas were filled with countless ships both above and beneath the waves, while the island itself was stacked to the brim with structures built in between towering trees.

This was the Island Nation of Mirima, the Kingdom of the Half-Elven. Previously the most stalwart ally of the Empire since the days of Velus, and now leader of the Council of the Southern Realms, also known as the Southern Court of the Empire.

Within this island was the Tower of Wisdom, home to perhaps the largest collection of lore in all of the Empire. In this place, scholars, mages, and envoys from all across the Empire and beyond gather to exchange ideas and record their knowledge, building upon a foundation laid by the friendship of Velus and High King Arofinas Leolar.

And in this tower, an old man rubbed his long beard of gray hairs as he read the book in front of him. He heaved a sigh, and then shut the book closed with both hands.

“So that’s it. All the accumulated ‘wisdom’ of human, dwarf, and Sun Elf, and still I have found nothing.”

He rose to his feet, and took the book back to its place upon the countless shelves. He then paced between them, rubbing his beard.

“I suppose the Celestial Palace might have something I haven’t checked, but I find it unlikely those isolationists would have any interest in this topic. It seems this NSLICE-00P truly isn’t from anywhere known to the people of Aelea.”

The Herald of the New Dawn heaved a sigh. He had suspected as much, but he hoped to have been proven wrong. So he had taken his time, scoured the records of the Elteno Empire, the Empire of the Sun, and every tribe and people he had access to.

But not one of them possessed even a single piece of information that might be relevant to this wandering hero who appeared from nowhere.

And that meant, he had but one choice remaining to investigate her.

A method that was guaranteed to work. But a method that was guaranteed to draw the attention of the Aesdes. Should he resort to this, he could hide from them no longer.

He crossed his hands behind his back and continued to pace.

He had two choices before him. First, he could play the long game. He could abandon centuries of effort and planning, and go completely underground. NSLICE-00P was supposedly human, so he could sacrifice the Heralds of the New Dawn to her, wait for her mortal lifespan to come to an end, and then start over from scratch.

But that would mean sacrificing everything he had worked for, all this time, as well as everyone who served his cause. It meant starting over a plan that had taken centuries. Even his patience was not endless.

And if any of the Heralds survived, they would eventually know they had been abandoned. They would turn against him, and would have to be dealt with if he was ever to find purchase in that audience in the future. The Empire and the Aesdes were likewise alerted to their capabilities, and would be on guard for quite some time to come. His progress would slow to a crawl, even compared to the centuries leading up to today. And...that's assuming the Aesdes did not catch on to him based on what they knew of the Heralds at this point.

Not to mention…there was no guarantee NSLICE-00P had a mortal lifespan. Stranger things than a human surviving longer than they should have had happened before, and NSLICE-00P had already defied all expectations based on her supposed status. It was a risk to assume anything about her, just like it was a risk to assume he could even hide from her over the long term.

The other choice…was to make his play. To set into motion the plan he designed for if he was ever discovered. To put it all on the line and step out into the light, and risk everything on one ultimate attempt, with every asset and power he possessed at this very moment.

He rubbed his beard again as he took stock of all that he had available, and tried to decide which route had the greatest chance of success. If he should give up his plans for as long as NSLICE-00P would live…or if he should gamble his very life on achieving his ultimate victory at this exact stage, sacrificing all future attempts to maximize his chance of success right now.

He continued to pace long through the night. He had much to consider before he made his next move, and much to do no matter which choice he made…