Cataclysm War | Chapter 102: What Lies Beyond (First Draft)

Tuesday, August 16, 4 S.E.

Leonidas stood on his balcony with his arms folded, observing the setting sun while laughter spilled from his rooms. His sister’s cackles of glee reached his ears, and he smiled faintly at the sound, his hands resting on the guardrail of the balcony. The wind faintly whipped at his hair and shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, but he paid it no mind.

The meeting had progressed to a feast with much larger attendance, and Ceruviel had covertly informed him that Count Cartellis had been handled, much to his relief. When Xarina had confessed her ties to the Count and his plans, his Mentor had been his first port of call—and as promised, she’d handled the matter quietly.

From there, they’d formalized the Capitulation, and Leonidas had spent the entire next day receiving Oaths of Fealty from the surrendered Svartfenn, fifty at a time, while Ceruviel watched on like a hawk. After he'd gone to sleep, he'd been determined to enjoy a day off, and that was exactly what he'd done; catching up with friends, visiting the guild, spending time with his Mentor, and now, finally, enjoying the evening with his family—though Ceruviel had declined to attend, citing an engagement with Uriel.

His eyes drifted toward the City and the new expansions that were being created, forming slowly from a storm of mana as the [Aetherium] they’d invested from the Starhold Capitulation worked through the System’s esoteric means. Greatly expanded walls, a much-increased Residential Quarter, and new facilities for the massively expanded military.

A shocking number of people had expressed interest in becoming full-time members of the Kingdom’s armed forces following the attack on Dawnhaven, and Leonidas had spoken to the two Legion-Masters and their staff about the matter. In the end, it was agreed that new facilities and garrisons would be needed, and so they had been initiated.

Two new immense fortresses would be built via the System in Dawnhaven’s expanded limits; one near the Prosperity Gate, and one within the Residential Quarter, while the Sunstone and Moonstone Keeps would be doubled in size in kind to house the increased numbers expected of the Aegis of Avalon. The new recruits would begin in the Royal Army, which Leonidas had impulsively renamed to the Legions of Avalon, overriding Aylar’s objections.

Thankfully, the Legion-Masters had been in favor of it.

He’d reorganized the structure from the ground up with their consent, creating a more sensible—to him—allotment of tens. Ten Legionaries to a Decury, led by a Penturion as second and a Decurion at its head. Ten Decuries to a Century, led by a Centurion. Ten Centuries to a Cohort, led by a Tribune, and ten Cohorts to a Legion, led by a Legate. Aylar had nearly boxed his ears when she’d found out, but the Haelfenn had been enthused, and he’d escaped his wife’s ire with kisses and a vigorous distraction of her attention.

With the new numbers for the Legions at ten thousand per, four were already organized, with the Alteran veterans and former US Armed Forces members scattered to provide leadership. He’d appointed Marquis Colquen his Marshal, and Viscount Endymion as Vice-Marshal, solidifying the leadership of his new offensive forces completely—much to the Nobility’s collective approval.

Unintended, but it certainly helped.

The Aegis of Avalon, meanwhile, had initiated an aggressive training program, opening its doors to any citizen wishing to join, with minimum requirements of Adept rank to fully enlist, and Initiate to begin training. Several Terrans and Nyrfenn had already qualified, which gave him hope for the future.

The Svartfenn remained a hot topic of discussion among the Court and the citizenry, and he still needed to figure out how they would factor into the House of Lords and the House of Commons—but that was a matter for another day. He’d dispatched two of the new Legions with Vice-Marshal Endymion to aid the Svartfenn in escorting their population from the Starhold to Dawnhaven, recognizing that garrisoning the Starhold now would only weaken the Kingdom needlessly.

They needed to integrate the Svartfenn before they properly reclaimed their destroyed home. The Starhold was itself almost as large as Dawnhaven, and the manpower required to properly staff it on a skeleton crew alone would have left both cities vulnerable.

His gaze drifted toward the new flags that had arisen across the city thereafter, and Leonidas smiled wryly.

The Coat of Arms he’d chosen had been simple enough: a black dragon rampant on a field of red, wreathed in a golden laurel—its eyes a cold, steely blue. Aylar had sighed at him when he’d shown her his design, but she’d relented to it, agreeing that it would appeal to the citizens of all races within their Kingdom.

His eyes lowered to the Prosperity Quarter, noting the thousands of people bustling through it, and his thoughts were finally interrupted when Aylar and Synthra joined him, the former settling against his side, and the latter leaning back against the balcony with a sigh.

“Your sister’s trying to get drunk,” Aylar said mildly, her voice amused as she leaned against him. “It’s not going well, but she’s trying her damnedest.”

“Poor Parnym looks like he’s going to have a heart attack,” Synthra added, glancing over with an amused smile. “The man’s so nervous about their relationship, he looks like he’ll jump out of his skin each time your parents glance at him.”

“He’ll relax in time,” Leonidas replied, sliding his arm around Aylar and allowing her to cuddle into him more comfortably. “They all will. We passed a massive hurdle. Things are finally on-track.”

Both women nodded, and Synthra snapped her fingers.

“Speaking of, I heard there was a new Dungeon discovered in the mountains. The Guild’s sending an exploratory team this week. It could be worth looking into.”

Leonidas snorted quietly.

“Yeah, maybe once I finish developing my Core,” he said with a glance at Synthra. “I still need to reach Reinforcement before I think about gaining experience. I don’t know what the cost of trying to Temper without hitting it is, but I don’t want to find out.”

“Wise,” Aylar said in approval, and sighed against his side contentedly.

“Surprisingly so,” the Sorceress agreed, and grinned at Leonidas. “Have you given any thought to the Starhold’s conditions?”

“I’ve tried not to,” he answered honestly and shook his head. “Two wives are enough to wrap my head around. I’m surprised the two of you are taking it so well.”

Aylar snorted, and Synthra cleared her throat.

“Synthra lit a couch on fire,” Aylar said with a soft laugh, “but I can’t blame her. The Matriarch ambushed you doing what she did, Leonidas. I took advantage of the opportunity, but I’m no happier than you—and I’ve got a feeling Xarina is the one who hates this the most.”

Synthra grunted in response to being exposed.

“That’s a point in her favor, at least. That scheming old Svartfar really pulled the rug out from under us with her conditions.”

“Yeah,” Leonidas agreed, “but I agree with what Aylar did. We should at least try, and hey, who knows—maybe she won’t turn out to be so bad.”

Synthra gave him a withering look, and Leonidas laughed.

“I said maybe.”

The quarter-dragon sniffed in disdain and tilted her head back, enjoying the breeze with a sigh.

“The coming months are going to be horrible,” she said after a moment. “You still need to enforce your reparations with your grandfather; there are rumors of a new psychotic Terran faction up North, and someone mentioned visitors from across the ocean in the Guild, yesterday. From the [Empire of the Lion].”

Leonidas eyed her when she dropped the name, and he felt Aylar shake her head and groan.

“Of course. That’s just what we need. A lead on that Mythic Quest.”

Synthra laughed, and Leonidas grinned.

“It’ll be some time before I pursue that,” he assured them. “The next Integration cycle is approaching, anyway. We need to be sure the Kingdom is ready for whatever horrible surprises it brings.”

“Year Five,” Synthra murmured, turning around to lean on the balcony. “Ascendant rank manabeasts will start appearing with regularity.”

“At the rate we’re gaining levels, that’ll be good for us,” Leonidas mused. “Though I really need Uriel and Ceruviel to hit Paragon before I even think about tackling my Elite Tribulation.”

“Very true,” Aylar agreed and kissed his neck in approval. “Very wise.”

“Careful, Aylar,” Synthra murmured, “you’ll let it go to his big head.”

Leonidas snorted and reached over, pinching the Sorceress on the bottom.

Synthra yelped in response and rubbed her offended cheek, glaring at him with a blush.

“That was decidedly unchivalrous, husband,” Aylar said with a laugh.

“I have no regrets,” Leonidas declared firmly, and drew another laugh from his wife.

“Have you two settled on a date for the wedding, yet?” the Queen asked.

“Well, that depends,” Leonidas said as he peered down at her. “You got confirmation this morning, my heart. How long until you deliver?”

Aylar blushed and smiled up at him shyly. “Six months.”

“That soon?” Leonidas asked in surprise.

“That is the usual time for pregnancy on Altera,” Synthra confirmed, resting her chin on her palms. “Which gives us a window, at least.”

“Don’t sound so excited,” Leonidas teased, glancing over at her.

“Oh, trust me, my love, she’s playing it subtle,” Aylar said mischievously, “you should see her diary.”

Synthra snapped her head around with another deep blush.

“Aylar! That was shared in private!”

The Swordmaiden grinned and made a lip-zipping motion before turning back to the view.

“So what happens now?” she asked finally, searching the horizon as she did.

“Now?” Leonidas asked with amusement. “Now we go tell my parents they’re going to be grandparents, my sister she’s going to be an aunt, and let them smother you in affection—after that? Well, we take it as it comes.”

Aylar and Synthra were quiet after that, until finally the Sorceress spoke.

“Aren’t you scared, Achilles?” she asked softly. “About what comes next?”

Leonidas glanced at her, and then looked out to the horizon, running his eyes over the City he ruled, and the people he had come to call his—from the Arena he’d first forged his legend within, to the fields he’d defended Dawnhaven upon, and the Guild where he’d first met Synthra. He looked to where he could distantly see Ceruviel’s mansion, the path he’d walked to first meet Aylar, and the myriad places he’d strode in his adventures through Dawnhaven.

Finally, he smiled quietly as he looked to the distant hilltop he’d first arrived upon.

“Nah,” he said finally, his heart calm within his chest. “I’m not scared. Whatever comes, we’ll face it together. Monsters, enemies, quests, whatever it is—we’ll do what we’ve always done, we’ll face them down, we’ll grow stronger, and we’ll survive.”

His wife and wife-to-be looked at him, and then glanced back out at the City.

“How can you be so sure?” Aylar asked curiously.

“Because,” Leonidas said assuredly, “I’m the Cataclysm, and God help whoever threatens what I love.”

“Dude, that’s so corny,” Kairi said as she joined them, laughing at his words. “You’re such a nerd.”

Aylar and Synthra laughed with her, and Leonidas shook his head wryly, peering out into the setting sun.

Nerd or not, I meant what I said, he reflected as he watched the sun sink toward the horizon. I don’t care what you are: man, monster, or otherwise. If you threaten what I love, I swear on the System, I will be your worst fucking nightmare.

He smiled to himself at his own thoughts and let out a breath of contentment.

What would come would come. It didn’t matter what it was. He’d face it as he always had: both feet planted, sword in hand, and fury on his lips.

Not the Hero, not a Myth, not a Legend.

A Husband, an Archon, a King.

A Cataclysm. The Cataclysm.

That was all he needed to be.

THE END OF CATACLYSM WAR

BOOK 2 OF SYSTEM INCURSION