Kalila, Lodan, and Jiji trailed the paladin leader in hushed reverence as the looming silhouette of a massive castle rose to meet them. They moved like ghosts through the long shadows cast by soaring spires and jagged battlements that seemed to pierce the very clouds.
Under the weight of the fortress's immense stone walls, the trio kept their silence, their eyes fixed on the leader's steady back as he led them toward the heart of the towering stronghold.
The paladin leader told them to wait for awhile,
Upon a few minutes, the request to meet the king and queen were permitted.
The kingdom's king and queen who were sitting on the throne rose up, greeting the ones before them.
Kalila and the others were shocked by their action,
"O-oh, no need to bow to us"
Kalila rubs her head confused by their unexpected personality.
The king bowed low, eyes fixed on the ground, hands extended in silent plea, presenting himself not as a ruler but as one in urgent need of aid.
In a rare display of vulnerability, the noble figure lowered himself, the weight of his crown almost seeming to bow with him. His gaze, often commanding and distant, softened into a humble appeal, reflecting the gravity of his need.
The grandeur of his robes and the opulent hall faded behind the simplicity of his gesture.
"Draken filled me in, so I'll get to the point. Please, lend us your aid, unknown travelers."
The king pleaded for individuals he did not know, showing the grave situation he and his kingdom is in, he did not hesitate to hold back his pride.
"I, King Edmund will grant any wish you all desire within my power, whether it's power, fame, or money."
"Leave it to us! A king shouldn't bow to anyone so easily."
Kalila helps the king stand up and gazed at Lodan and Jiji who was behind her.
"Please wait, let me explain the current situation of our kingdom first."
The queen stood up, her presence radiates timeless grace — silver threads woven into her dark hair like strands of moonlight, eyes deep with the wisdom of countless seasons.
Draped in rich velvet and adorned with jewels that seem to bow to her beauty, she carries herself with a quiet strength that commands respect.
"Ohh! You are really pretty miss!"
Kalila politely compliments the queen's mature demeanor, the queen nods, gestures her way of thanking Kalila's compliment.
"Refer to the queen as your majesty."
Lodan annoyingly held Kalila's collar with a firm grip, ensuring she stayed secure.
"But I'm a dragon so does that even apply to me? I'm not even a commoner but of a mighty race."
Kalila responded, Lodan was dumbfounded and could just sigh in disbelief.
The king and queen stood frozen, eyes wide and jaws slack, as the full splendor of Kalila's true identity unfolded before them.
"D-dragon?"
The king said who was horrified by the fact he's in the presence of an actual dragon.
The grand hall, usually alive with the hum of courtly chatter, fell into a heavy silence. The king's hand trembled over his scepter, and his crown, usually steady atop his head, seemed to weigh heavier in disbelief.
Beside him, the queen's eyes shimmered with a mix of fear and awe, her jewels catching the flickering torchlight as if mocking the enormity of their surprise.
"If I may ask, what bussiness does a dragon have in such a war free country."
The queen who regained her composur, politely asked to relieve her simple curiosity.
"Ah, please don't mind her, she just like to pretend to be a dragon."
Lodan who was concerned quickly covered Kalila's mouth.
"No, please don't play with me, I atleast know how much mana threshold she has, even if im just a newbie when it comes to magic, I could tell atleast that much, I thought the three of you were just strong travelers but everything is clear now, you three are obviously dragons."
"E-eh how come the two of us got mixed in as a dragon like Kalila!"
Lodan was confused by her claim.
"Is that so? Mind explaining why all of you have more than 10 mana thresholds, especially the silver haired girl over there, she has twice of thresholds of you both posses.
"Hold on! Am I the only one who doesn't get what thresholds are?"
Kalila who was confused rubbed her head gently.
The king who just managed to calm himself from the shocking revelation walked forward and faced the Kalila.
"Thresholds are absolute domain in our body that allows us to store mana inside us, it's common knowledge that a person can only manifest up to six thresholds, however, a gifted prodigy long ago studied how mana circulates our body to manifest a threshold, thus discovering a way to create a new threshold in the body by creating a new training method called Threshold Meditation."
"I don't get it, but I guess it's like my dragon core?"
Kalila asked waiting for the king's confirmation.
"It's similar but, in contrast to a dragon's core, thresholds pales incomparison, since the dragon core can store unlimited amount of mana, the thresholds are naturally being created in the dragon's whole body without even noticing."
Kalila rubs her chest, feeling uncomfortable.
"I get how I have alot of mana reserves called thresholds or whatever, but what about these two! Lodan has similar amount of thresholds to me you say? As for Jiji, she has more than twice our amount combined? Making no sense at all."
Jiji with teary eyes looks at Kalila who is doubtful of her.
The king sweats trying to lessen the walking calamity's frustration.
"I don't know myself, I can hardly call them human from the amount of mana they possess, there's probably few in the world who's capable of accumulating that much mana threshold."
"Well who cares about thresholds, it probably doesn't mean anything, plus I feel like this conversation might last days before I get what thresholds means."
Kalila relaxed on the floor sitting.
"So? What do you need our help for? Terrorist? Rebels? Or somethin-"
Without completing her sentence she was shut by Lodan with his hand.
"Well, I guess we can ask for anything in return for helping? Is that right?
Lodan said, interrupting Kalila who couldn't finish her sentence.
"If it's within my authority I'll grant any wish."
The king responded with polite tone before continuing,
"The task will be child's play for you and your companions, eradicate the Myriad of the neighboring country, taking lives to save ours is foolish and meaningless, but it has to be done."
As the King and Queen went and remained seated upon their cold, stone thrones—unmoved by the rising shadows—a frustrated Kalila turned her back on the grand hall. Flanked by Jiji and Lodan, she led the departure from the silent hall, their heavy boots echoing against the marble as they joined the steps of the Paladins waiting at the gates to face the coming war.
Kalila pondered, could she have thought before that... That at some point she would had to take someone's life? She knew the grave weight of having absolute power comes with absolute responsibilities.
The three went to the battlefield where the start of the conflict rose.
Only dead bodies were to be seen on sight, was this war for the sake of saving their lives? Or just to lose it over someone's rule and order?
Kalila traced the line of the deceased man's sword, no longer seeing steel, but a mirror reflecting a stranger. The silence of the eve of the finished battle didn't stop with bravery; it ended pathetically under the phantom weight of tens of thousand bodies she witnessed the gruesome scene that represented greed in a form of a hypocritic ruler that led the army to their death without achieving anything.
Ah yes, His majesty did mention the true being of humans, fighting, wars, unnecessary hatred. It was clear to me now, there's no such thing as kindness.
Kalila was pissed, so pissed she can't even make expressions.
Something she lost long ago came back, only for a while, a stupid reason.
"What's going through your mind? Why are you dazing?"
Lodan who was spectating Kalila's movements on the side snapped Kalila out of her gazed state.
Ah right, kindness was just a facade to seem good in the eyes of others, while that's true, there's still some representation of true kindness, like Lodan, a fool, sure. He understands what's right or wrong, that alone sets him differently from others, and that alone... Interests me to stay with him even if he's lying about his regression storytelling.
"... You'reseriously creeping me out right now, can you stop?"
With Kalila finally fixated her thoughts, tears came falling from her cheeks.
She looked small, her usual spark entirely eroded by whatever grief had finally broken through.
Lodan rounded the corner, a joke already halfway to his lips, but the words died instantly. He froze, his eyes widening in genuine shock; he had seen Kalila face down charging beasts and freezing storms without a blink, but he had never seen her break.
"Kalila?" he stammered, his voice uncharacteristically soft.
"Can you shut up? I'm experiencing something I never felt before alright!?"
Kalila who's demeanor came back to normal due to interruption, smacks Lodan to the rocky ground.