I slowly open my eyes on a fine midweek morning as a golden eyed maid stands above me. She has a bright and innocent smile upon her face.
“Good morning Master Osiris!”
She has always been likes this since she first came to our family. That smile is quite contagious, and even with dark thoughts circling my head about today, I can’t help but be infected. With a beaming smile, I sit upright as I call out to her.
“Good morning Charlotte!”
I jump up, and my bedsheets flutter to the floor. Charlotte gives me a look… Maybe I got too excited there, but that's alright, I will forgive myself. I pick it up and Charlotte with a smug look on her face walks towards the closet. She opens it up, a wide array of clothes reveals themselves. Father and mother always said that the mark of nobility is their dignity. Dress neat, eat neat, tidy up neat, neat this neat that blah blah blah… I trudge over and stand before Charlotte.
“Today is the big day. You are off to attend the Solar Servant’s oath.” She begins talking as she selects a few suits, coats, pants and undershirts for my look of the day. “Are you excited?”
“Not particularly…” As I begin speaking she adjusts a new shirt and puts a coat overtop. “I really wanted to get into the combat division, but even though I am the son of a noble I lack in all aspe— Hrrrk” Charlotte pulls really tight upon a tie that she has just begun putting around my neck.
“Oooopsss” She says with a cheeky look. “You know you mustn’t get too worked up about things like that…” Pausing for a second she looks into my eyes with a smile. “I personally think that this is a great arrangement. A logistics officer for the Solar Army! Just think about, you will be in the rear echelons of battle, and you won’t risk dying!”
She genuinely seems happy that I got a worthless job. Well, I suppose it's just the way she is. She is only a couple of years older than me, but she is much more mature. She cares for me and my well-being, so I cannot really complain. Looking back up at her, I can’t help but be at ease.
“Well… that’s true– I wouldn’t be able to do much with my mana capacity anyway.”
“It’s not about the magic capacity itself, but about how you use it Master Osiris.”
Ah– there is the age-old wisdom of the highly esteemed Charlotte. The tie incident a second ago gave her a point, time for payback it seems. It’s a silly one-sided game I have been playing since she has come to our household. As Charlotte is finishing up my clothes, I focus on my mana. Wrapping my body first, then gradually moving onto my clothes, I calculate the magical spell that would make me teleport 30 centimetres backwards. Now that it's been calculated, I must wait for the perfect moment. As Charlotte is grabbing the Solar Empire lapel pin and goes to put it in my clothes with the stopper, I ‘disappear’... Well, it’s more like moving back, not even a full pace.
A click sound rings out as the pin is connected to the stopper in midair, and it drops to the floor as Charlotte already let go of it. At least that's how it should have been. Charlotte catches the free-falling pin as if she was expecting and with a very light gust of wind she appears before me yet again in the blink of an eye.
“That was a good try.” She puts the pin in place. “But not good enough” With a triumphant smile she grabs the mirror and rolls it in front of me. “What do you think?”
The first thing I notice is the displeased look on my face. I thought I might be able to get one over her, but as always she is two steps ahead. It’s a silly game in the first place. The clothes themselves look quite nice. The whole theme of it screaming the ‘element of the sun’. A plain silver white vest and white dress pants. A coat of white reaching to my knees, rimmed with golden embroidery and golden chains connecting near the neck. The centrepiece of it all is the lapel pin with the Solar Servant’s seal upon it in pure gold. This is one variation of the outfit for those taking the Solar oath. It's quite dignified, I like it. I turn around to make sure all part are good-looking.
“You look quite dashing in that Osiris”
“Thank you, Charlotte… Hey– do you mind if I ask you something”
“Anything”
“That thing we talked about the other day… did you really mean all of it?”
With a face that starts off confused and then forms into a knowing smile, she responds. “Of course I did, no matter where you go I will follow you no matter what. Be it the frontline, frontier, or rear echelons. I owe you too much not to do that”
A relieved sigh escapes me…
“Haaa~ that really puts me at ease, thanks, Charlotte.”
“Anytime– now let me fix your hair and let's get you some food”
“Alright”
* * *
Charlotte follows behind Osiris as they are walking towards the dining room of this massive mansion. She finds her master walking all dignified in his neat outfit to be quite cute. She cannot help but let a single laugh escape her.
“Heh”
She quickly shuts her mouth as Osiris gives her a questioning look. Maintaining her composed face, Osiris just shrugs. He sits down and begins eating his extravagant meal. The Arkenia household is one of the most respected households at the very heart of the Empire. They have jurisdiction over a large portion of the capital city of Lux, and they hold stakes in many industries both civilian and military. Naturally almost all the children are exceptional talents like the mother and father, but one of them has yet to find his calling. Two older brothers, Damien, a magical combat prodigy, and Viktor a scholar so deeply respect that people would pay thousands upon thousands of coins just to have the chance to talk to them. Then there are the two younger sisters who make an excellent duo. One with enormous magical potential, and one with incredibly strong ki potential. They even managed to get into the combat academy of Lux at the age of 14. They have set the record for youngest students in the entire school.
Then there is the middle child, Osiris Arkenia age 16. To Charlotte, who has been with that Arkenia family, he is the one with the most potential. She had been near death in her teenage years, and when all hope seemed lost, the unthinkable happened. A young boy of the noble household Arkenia extended their hand. He saved her from a situation that seemed impossible to get out of, but the boy at the age of 10 managed to do it through sheer will power. Ever since then she has watched over him for 6 years. The golden eyed maid can say without a doubt that the boy Osiris is the one that works the hardest in the entire house. He spends day and night training in magic and magical formulas, and he even tries to dabble in magical engineering. Unfortunately, none of those efforts have borne fruit, but Charlotte wholeheartedly believes that he will be able to accomplish whatever he desires given enough time.
That’s why, after the first year of serving the Arkenia family, Charlotte went to the head of the household and requested that she be made Osiris’s exclusive maid. Little Osiris was reluctant at first, but he surely has warmed up to her in the end. It seems that the score is two to zero today in favour of Charlotte. She understands how Osiris thinks and even knows of his silly ‘points’ game. Though she would die before she lets him know these facts.
Behind her smiling face, an unshakeable resolve was hidden. She promised herself that when the time came to give everything she has for the sake of Osiris she would do it. It might sound absurd to an outsider, but she owes him that much. Charlotte’s father always told her to repay a debt a thousandfold. She is not sure if she should listen to her father who took out loan after loan and eventually drove their family into poverty, but she decided not to dwell on it… Although she probably should.
The young master Osiris finishes his meal, and naturally Charlotte pulls out the chair then tucks it back in. Charlotte checks her watch, and it's right around 10 am. They will have to be in the cathedral by noon so they head to the car she prepared for them beforehand. As they step out from the household, they are greeted by the heads of the household, Osiris’s father and mother. Osiris runs up to them and stands before them. Everyone is all smiles, but everyone here knows how Osiris feels about his assignment. His father, standing at 6 feet and 5 inches tall, gets on the level of Osiris and makes eye contact with him.
“Listen Osiris, I know this is not your ideal place to be, but know that as an Arkenia you have limitless potential. Never forget that and forge onwards towards your goals with determination and everything will be alright.”
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He smiles at him, and next up was his mother. She, being 6 feet and 8 inches tall, gets down to her husband’s and son’s level and with a beaming smile upon her face she says.
“Oh my god you look so dashing my adorable little Osiris” She ruffles his hair and as soon as she lets go, Charlotte summons a hair comb out of nowhere fixes it back into place. “I know you will accomplish great things, so just keep your head held high and focus on the path that you chose.”
Osiris, with a half-genuine smile, opens his mouth.
“Thank you father, thank you mother” He embraces both of them. “I know it’s not exactly what I wanted, but I will make sure to live up to your expectations!”
Osiris lets go of his parents and then heads towards the car. His parents stand up straight and Charlotte does a curtsy to them, then follows her Master. They leave the mansion grounds and head through the big gates standing imposingly over the car.
* * *
Standing at the Cathedral entrance, I am surrounded by numerous people. They all wear the same colour scheme, but the style of clothes all differ. There are some wearing northern-style dresses trimmed with fur and lace, alongside others in lighter, more revealing garments typical of the Empire’s eastern borders. Naturally, the majority of clothes being worn are the luxurious garments embroidered with golden lines and symbols of the sun reserved for the nobles of the Empire. Some commoners and peasants are present as well, due to new labour laws introduced in the previous year to exploit the Empire’s population as workforce.
I recognize quite a few people here, but my status as an Arkenia noble frightens them to a degree. Most stay away, but there are oddballs wherever you go.
“Heeeeey brother!” A boy with black hair and blue eyes comes over and puts their arm around my shoulder. “Long time no see! Sorry I meant to come visit your estate, but I have been locked in my room just tinkering with magical equipment for a month without break. My maids have to drag me from my room, even for today… I completely forgot about the event today, teehee~” He says while sticking out his tongue.
The boy is none other than Max of the household of Freya. He tries to act like a klutz, but this boy in front of me is an unparalleled genius in the field of magical engineering. He has created many tools and gadgets that by now millions of people use, and there have even been rumours that he has been working on something truly groundbreaking.
“Long time no see Max. I see you tendencies haven’t changed.” I say with a genuine smile on my face.
To me, he will always be my best friend, Max. We have known each other since we were babies as our families are good friends as well. We have been through many adventures and hardships together, but through adversity our friendship blossomed. I look behind Max. There stands a girl just a bit shorter than Max, with similar black hair but contrasting red eyes. She got her eyes from their father while Max got his blue eyes from their mother. She is Max’s older sister. It seems that they both have come to take the oath upon this day.
“Hello to you as well, Lady Ruby.” I bow lightly to pay my respects, but I know how she is.
“Come now Osiris, no need to be so formal! She chuckles and gets closer to me. “Is that any way to treat your fiancée?” She also wraps her arm around my shoulders.
That’s right, this young lady who is almost one year older than me is my betrothed. House Freya and House Arkenia have decided to unite at long last. They have had a partnership dating back multiple generations but there has not been an opportunity such as Ruby and me. This engagement is only two months old so it has been slightly awkward between Ruby and me, but during the past month we have gone on a couple of dates. Gradually we are becoming closer, and I do feel romantic feeling towards her, but I am way too inexperienced in stuff like this.
“You are right haha–” I say with a chuckle, and look at her uniform then into her ruby red eyes. “You look beautiful in your dress, I really like the frills, they really suit you”
A cute smile spreading across her face, she lets go of me and does a spin. Her dress flutters in the slow breeze.
“Right?! I spent hours deciding what to wear. It’s good to know it looks good hehe~” She looks away shyly. I guess she is not used to this whole thing either.
Max, Ruby and I talk for a couple more minutes until the announcers voice enters our ears.
[ ALL PARTICIPANTS, PLEASE HEAD INTO THE CATHEDRAL IN A SINGLE FILE LINE ]
As the announcement finishes, the grand doors standing nearly 20 meters tall open with a loud rumbling sound. The booming echo from within the grand cathedral rings out beautifully. The interior of the cathedral is even more gorgeous. Pillars lining the walkway, gargantuan mosaic panes of glass coloured gold, white, grey and yellow shine brilliantly upon the floor. The people outside the cathedral line up perfectly. They have all entered adulthood, and this grand event is only held twice a year for a select few elites, so this much is light work. I behind Max and Ruby, and looks back to the sea of people past the participants to wave a final time to Charlotte. I manage to make eye contact and wave at her. With beaming face she jumps up and down as she waves at me, and I enter the cathedral feeling refreshed.
Every participant has a pre-filled job that they will swear an oath to. The oath is not only an oath to oneself, but also an oath to Veritas, the Goddess of Truth. She belongs to the Pantheon of Virtue and has been a great partner to the Solar Pantheon, leading the Empire. She never directly interferes herself, but her apostles across the land aid the will of the Solar Pantheon. In this case, the altar at the centre of the cathedral has been crafted by craftsman who know how to wield her divinity into divine artifacts. An oath taken at this altar will bind the oath-taker with a divine pact. If for whatever reason, the pact is broken, severe consequences follow. There have been multiple cases such as this, but they all end the same way. A taskforce of the Department of Truth is dispatched to hunt down and capture for a thorough investigation. Everyone here knows this fact, and despite that, they bravely line up to swear themselves to the Solar Pantheon through Veritas.
Naturally, this altar is very heavily guarded. Looking around, I see many men and women in cloth, as well as soldiers with armour and lance rifles in their hands, as well as a few magicians and martial artists here and there. Security has to be that tight for this event. In previous years rebel forces have tried to breach the premises, but they have been put down. They never made it past the wall, but regardless these youths are the future of the Empire so they must be guarded. After walking for a bit, the line comes to an abrupt halt. The cathedral is quite big if it took this long with so many people ahead of me, but everyone here has practiced their lines so it should be fast all around.
In the entire area, the only sound that can be heard is that of the oath-taker. This building was designed in a way that makes the voice of the speaker at the altar resound within its halls.
“I, Karma Eleria, hereby solemnly swear my body, mind, and soul to the Solar Pantheon. I will give my blood, sweat, and tears to ensure the Empire’s prosperity. May the heavens bless me with their power.”
Everyone must swear themselves into the service of the Solar Pantheon. All the youths here are entering position of high power where corruption must be weeded out. The Solar Army, the Government, and the New Frontier are the biggest three out of all of them.
The line is progressing quite quickly, there must have been at least 100 people in front of me, but now there is only 10. A little more time passes and then Max walks up to the altar and kneels.
“I, Maximus Freya, hereby solemnly swear my body, mind, and soul to the Solar Pantheon. I will give my blood, sweat, and tears to ensure the Empire’s prosperity. May the heavens bless me with their power.”
A faint gold light shimmers around him, and he stands up looking refreshed. He leaves the stage. For some reason, shivers run down my spine and my hairs stand on end. I’ve only ever experienced this a once in my life. The first time I met Charlotte. That fateful day I nearly lost my life, is there such a danger nearby? No, that cannot be. The safety of the Cathedral is absolute, there can be no danger here.
Ruby walks up to the altar and kneels.
“I, Rubinus Freya, hereby solemnly swear my body, mind, and soul to the Solar Pantheon. I will give my blood, sweat, and tears to ensure the Empire’s prosperity. May the heavens bless me with their power.”
A faint gold light shimmers around her as well, and she walks away, giving me a quick glance. That bad feeling will not go away.
I take a step closer to the altar.
If anything, the bad feeling is only grooving in intensity.
I take another step.
I look around once more, alarmed, but there is no change in the scenery.
I kneel down to take my oath and then— THUD—
I fall onto the floor. I try to keep my eyes open, but all they see is darkness. Moments of my life flash before my eyes. Memories assault me without end, the pain scrambles my brain with a pain that makes it feel like it is about to explode. In the darkness, I tried to grab a hold of anything, but to no avail. I don’t understand anything, but I am dying.
As I am having such thoughts, a delicate hand touches my cheek.
The pain and the memories all fade away. Slightly opening my eyes, I see the ceiling of the cathedral, and figure of shadow standing above me, touching my cheek. Within a moment, I hear unfathomable words and the clothes covering my chest is ripped open. A searing pain assaults me as a writhe in agony. As if someone was stabbing me with a knife in the chest, my lungs are feeling like they are being filled with blood. I choke and retch but nothing comes out. Suddenly, a feeling enters my thoughts.
I shall follow the will of Tenebris.
A repeat that over and over again in my mind as if it's a compulsion. IT feels like it is seeping into my body, mind and soul.
Who the hell is Tenebris?
As I am thinking this, the shadow figure grabs a blue orb out of nowhere, and presses it upon my bleeding chest. My eyes are barely able to make this out, but I can clearly see and feel the orb becoming one with my whole being.
Before I even have the chance to comprehend that, a ball of shadow suddenly starts floating by the figure. The figure extends its hand and plunges its ‘hand’ into my left eye. The pain becomes unbearable, I am reaching my limit.
As I try to open my eyes yet again, I am hit with the discordant view of seeing out of both of my eyes, one looking up at the shadow, and one looking down at my own body.
Everything goes black.
