The family woke up the next day and did the same things as they did yesterday, except for the berry incident, till breakfast. Today, they were going to do their chores as well. But a messenger from the Cerfisian capital, Cerfa, came to meet Marnis. A meeting of all village chiefs and ministers was convened. Marnis, being the actual heir, was called as well.
Marnis read the invitation letter and folded it. "Fine, you go back. I will be coming." Marnis said to the messenger.
The messenger nodded and left.
"Father, what is it?" Felmer asked as Marnis closed the door.
"Nothing special, just a meeting of the chiefs and ministers," Marnis replied.
"Can I go with you?" Felmer asked.
Marnis looked at him, thought about something, and replied. "Fine…Get ready."
"Won't it be dangerous? The Falvarian are looking for us all the time." Emilia asked.
"Don't worry, we will be safe. We have more security units than before." Marnis replied.
"If this were the case, we wouldn't be running all the time," Emilia murmured as she washed the dishes.
Marnis heard what she said. She wasn't wrong, but he couldn't do anything. They couldn't stop their normal lives from getting ruined by this. They had to move on, bear the massacre, run away, or fight, if they accidentally got the courage.
Later, Marnis and Felmer got ready, and they went outside the house. Marnis had his sword, and Felmer had a medium-sized sword as well. An actual sword, not a wooden one. They moved towards the east and met with a group of Cerfisian soldiers who were their personal security unit.
"I need any three of your men. We are going to the capital." Marnis said to the unit leader.
"Ok, sir." The leader replied, and he signalled three soldiers to go with them.
The three came on their horses, and this party of five began their journey towards the capital.
They first moved north towards the shore to avoid the Felvarian spies and soldiers as much as possible. Before noon, they reached the northern shore and then headed towards the mountain, beginning to climb it. They crossed the bridge over the gap created by the legendary battle between Emayla and Larnet. After covering some distance, they reached the capital.
Their horses rode to the chief's building. Marnis and Felmer went inside, and their soldiers went to the stable. The other village chiefs and the ministers were entering the main building. The outside was packed with their personal guards and other low-level officials. The supreme general of the Cerfisian army was present as well.
"Oh, Marnis, nice to see you after a long time." Captain Irnik said to Marnis. "The young master is here as well." He said as he stroked Felmer's hair.
"Yes, I decided to attend this meeting. Felmer wanted to go with me, so I let him." Marnis replied. "Well, he is in your hands. We will meet after the meeting."
"Okay." Irnik nodded. "C'mon, Felmer, we will wait somewhere else."
"Okay," Felmer responded.
[IN THE MEETING HALL]
The chiefs and the ministers sat on their chairs, and then Raftin entered the hall and sat on his chair. Marnis sat beside him.
"We have convened this meeting to discuss an important development regarding Falvarian oppression against us." The second-in-command of Raftin, Erna, began to speak. "Our old allies, Termon, have allied with the kingdoms of Hermis and Tarmil against Falvaria. They have established a committee of kingdoms to discuss world issues. In that, they have spoken in our favour and demanded that Falvaria stop oppressing us."
"They spoke very early. They should have taken some more time." The chief of the border village commented.
"Should we believe in them when they left us alone in the Great War?" The chief strategist asked.
"Their new leader is a favourite of the poor and the masses around the world. He is kind and is taking measures against injustice. So he wants to make ties with us again." Raftin replied.
"It's useless." The supreme commander of the army spoke. "This time, Falvaria won't give us any passage. And Termon doesn't have enough army to fight Falvaria. Moreover, in the past ten years, Tarmil and Hermis have fought a lot with Falvaria. They have only wasted men and resources. Falvaria has the particles; they are too powerful now."
Everyone in the council murmured and agreed with the supreme commander's words.
"You won't say anything, Master Marnis?" The Minister of Internal Affairs asked Marnis.
"I don't have anything special to say." Marnis paused. "The commander is right. They are too powerful. And Larnet is still alive. The world can overpower his army, but not him. So, it's all a diplomatic advantage. Just in words, not in action."
"You brought the young master as well, right?" Raftin asked, and Marnis nodded. "According to Lord Emayla's brother, Emairis, he may be the Lord's direct descendant."
"Yes, he has an extraordinarily high amount of blood, and almost the same face as Lord Emayla. But he is just thirteen. It is too early to put any hope in him. First, we have to make sure he lives long enough." The supreme commander added.
"Currently, the best we can do is wait and fight with them. We must make sure he and the family remain safe. We all have pledged for it, we won't back now." Raftin spoke.
They all looked at each other and nodded. Then they talked about some internal affairs, and the meeting ended.
[OUTSIDE THE MEETING HALL]
Irnik and Felmer walked to the back of the hall and stood on the balcony of the building. The peak of the mountain was visible from there.
"How's your training going, young master?" Irnik asked.
"Please, don't call me young master. It feels weird." Felmer responded. "The training is going well. I am still unable to control my magic properly. My handling of the sword is going well as well."
"What about your brothers?"
"They…are going fine."
"I hope you remember what I told you about the sword." Irnik looked at Felmer. "You have to be as calm and focused as possible."
"Yes, I remember some of it. My father is teaching me all the time, so I try to improve." Felmer responded.
They talked about some more things, and then they heard a wheelchair. It was Emayla's younger brother, Emairis. He was, of course, very weak. His face was pale and weak. The old age was visible in him. He wouldn't have lived much longer, but the environmental change due to the magic made him live a bit longer.
"Ah, Felmer, you are here." He spoke slowly. Upon hearing him, Felmer walked towards Emairis. "You have grown."
"Yes, sir. How are you?" Felmer smiled and asked.
"At this age, our health is always the same. You are young people. I have forgotten how merry those days were." Emairis replied.
They talked a bit longer, and then they saw the ministers and chiefs leaving the hall. Then Irnik and Felmer left and went back.
"How did the meeting go?" Felmer asked as he reached his father, Marnis.
"It went well," Marnis replied.
"What was it about?"
"Termonian leader has allied with many world powers to stop the Falvarian oppression against us."
"Lies. It is never going to happen. He just wants the support of the people." Irnik responded.
"This is the opinion of everyone. They want to wait for Falvaria's response." Marnis said.
"We all know what it will be," Irnik added.
Marnis responded, and Felmer continued to look at both of them.
They went to their horses and got them out of the stable.
"You go on. My squad will join you later. We have been sent there to join your guard." Irnik said as Marnis and Felmer rode the horse. "Be careful, our spies noticed some movement near the border."
"We will be," Marnis responded.
Then Marnis and the three soldiers rode towards the village. It was evening. They were fast. His instincts were telling him that something was wrong. So he had to move fast. He hadn't seen anything, but he was feeling something in his heart.
As they rode swiftly, an arrow came from the left and took out one of the soldiers. Marnis spotted the archer, but he didn't stop.
"Don't stop!" Marnis shouted. But one of them stopped, and a wave of magic sliced him in half. "Damn it!" Marnis shouted as he saw the soldier die.
The remaining one understood and began to ride side by side with Marnis. Felmer had gripped the horse tightly. He was scared.
"Felmer, don't worry. We will be safe." Marnis assured the young kid. He was worried about him.
The soldier took out his sword and then waved it vertically. A magical wave emerged and broke the incoming arrows. He untied his robe, and it went flying. Soon enough, five soldiers emerged from the forest and surrounded the two horses. The soldier immediately cut the legs of a horse running beside him on his left. The enemy fell. That soldier wasn't weak. He was experienced and talented.
Marnis drew his dragger and threw it at the enemy's neck on his right. The enemy died, reducing the number to three. Then an enemy slashed the legs of the soldier's horse. The soldier fell, but he was still alive. He focused his magic on his body and dashed towards the enemy behind Marnis. He ran, jumped, and slashed the enemy, taking his horse. He then manifested his sword with magic and made a long-range attack on the enemy on his left. The last one moved near Marnis and attacked him. Marnis blocked, and then Felmer stabbed the enemy in the abdomen.
They soon reached the village. It was sunset. The village was on fire. His instincts were right.
"Mother! Flexin!" Felmer shouted as he got off the horse.
"Felmer, be careful! Don't run!" Marnis shouted as he saw a horse running towards Felmer. Felmer saw, but before he could do anything, a magical arrow pierced through the enemy's neck. The horse turned and barely avoided Felmer. That arrow was shot by Emilia.
"Felmer! Are you alright, my son?" Emilia ran and hugged him.
"What about you guys?" Marnis asked.
"We are fine. The Falvarians came out of nowhere. There were a lot, but the security guards from the west came and are now battling with them."
"Okay, get the children to safety. I will help them." Marnis replied. Then he and the soldier ran towards the enemy to help their forces. Marnis gathered magic in his sword and slashed three enemies. The Falvarians were powerful, but the blue magical aurora of Marnis was overwhelming them.
The Cerfisians began to push them back, but suddenly a group of horsemen came from behind and dashed at them. But then it went silent. The sounds began to fade. Then a red line travelled through the two groups. And in the next moment, the heads of all the enemies were not on their bodies.
It was the attack of Irnik. He and his squad had reached. The security group from the east had arrived as well.
"They used invisibility and stealth magic. So, we failed to notice them. Some of our guards in the south were killed, and some were corrupt." The leader of the eastern guards informed Marnis.
"Well, forget that. Tend to the wounded and find any civilians stuck in the fire." Marnis ordered.
Marnis said and walked towards his family.
"Are you all fine?" He asked.
"Yes, we are fine. I will help the ladies." Emilia said and handed Anna to Flexin.
Many villagers were killed. More than half of the village was reduced to ashes. This saddened Felmer and his brothers.
Felmer looked at the blood on his hands. He looked at the hands with which he killed a human. He felt gross. He felt like a killer.
"Father," Felmer spoke. And Marnis began to look at the sunset. "Why…Why do they do this?" Felmer was clenching his fists. He was angry, he was sad.
"Felmer…A man kills for food, shelter, and clothes." Marnis paused, "When he has all three of them…" He looked at Felmer. "He kills for fun."