The Lovely Lady Evelyn; a History

[Akito]

This is an old story of the unimaginably distant past.
This is a story that has no meaning but to one person.
This is the story she held secret in her heart for all this time.
He’s in it, too, that man who she has never forgotten.
Maybe she’ll see him again one day?
Maybe then, this meaningless story of hers will have an ending…

She remembers the colours. The shimmering colours that danced across the sky; untold wisdom laid in their making, knowledge privy only to her family. Her family was always famous for the beauty and power of their spells; such that they were revered as living gods. She couldn’t have been more proud. She studied diligently day after day, restlessly, voraciously for every extra bit of knowledge, every deeper understand of magic. After all, she had a heavy name to live up to.

She didn’t believe her family to be reachable until one unhappy happenstance his army stood on their doorstep; the army of a merciless King whom was called by many names; the Immortal, the Chosen and the Tyrant. The King that had taken a thousand lands from a thousand worlds, a truly despicable man whose endless greed became him. Even their kingdom was already gone but their House was not so weak; they stood their ground against endless tides of enemies. Their magic tore through the enemy ranks, murdered enemy generals and made a mockery of the military might rallied before them. However, they were at a disadvantage; their numbers were incomparably and it would only be a matter of time. Nevertheless, her family remained dauntless; their proud heads unbowed, they stood defiant.

Finally, with much loss on the enemy’s side, he himself stood before them. However, he approached the entire House Chevalier alone. He spouted nonsense about a more peaceful resolution, that he had had enough. He offered a compromise. She would never forget that day as his crimson eyes glowed in the lightless dusk. She did not realize it then, but those eyes were clearer than anyone else’s. He told them he would engage in any kind of duel they desire with the stakes on victory or defeat. Should they win, they would be granted eternal immunity from his conquest and he would even forfeit tributes to them as compensation. However, should they lose, they would submit to serving the ‘King’ for all eternity.

Her family accepted without hesitation. It was a favourable chance, an opportunity given by this fool King. They proposed the Spell Craft Amnesty, an ancient duel passed down their line to decide the greatest sorcerers. With but a mutual seal, the pact was complete and the Spell Craft Amnesty begun. She had read about this ancient pact between sorcerers, it was a magic competition where each side is given a year to prepare their most powerful spell, whatever it may be, and meeting again on the appointed date a year later the two sides would clash to decide the victor in but a single exchange of spells. It was the King against her entire Household. The odds were favourable.

So he left, taking his army with him, promising to return the appointed date. Her family toiled for a year, even she helped in the preparations for the ultimate magic. A magic that transcended element, transcended attribute and transcended even the mortal coil. They were tireless, for though confident in their victory, they were never careless. The magic had to be perfect. Many sleepless nights followed, many hours in ritual, chanting, writing runes and making the necessary elixirs; all to feed their most perfect of magic. At the year’s end, at last, their ultimate spell was complete. As promised, the King did return, though he had not his army with him. Nor, was it apparent, did he carry any ritual or show any signs of preparation for that matter. As opposed to they who had complex scrolls and inscribed magic circles on every corner. It was an affront and they would crush him where he stood.

Her family unleashed their year-long magic; by uttering its secret name they summoned the Palace of Endless Beginnings; an absolutely impenetrable fortress which transcended the concept of space and time. They trapped the King within. Within it, empty white space was endless and time flowed differently; for every one second, a millennia passes within that Palace. In the first second, they were wary. In the second, they grew bold. In the third, they were laughing and in the fourth…the world turned dark. A shining palace shook, its walls cracked and in array unprecedented, the King broke through in torrent of brilliant blue light. Sheer destruction, he tore through the walls of Endless Beginnings with magic that could destroy even space and time.

“I expected more,” Those words of his broke House Chevalier’s pride. No more blood needed to be shed, for that day, the King destroyed something far more than their bodies; he destroyed their pride as mages. From that day forth, House Chevalier served the King.

Her family was never the same again. They had lost their passionate pride she had loved so much. Every day, their heads hung low and their bright eyes faded. They had been cowed. They no longer had their dignity; they just went through the motions of service to the King, at his beck and call. She was the only one who refused, but she was alone, she was too young to understand how thoroughly their fire had been extinguished. Soon, her family lost even the prestige of its name, becoming an unknown foot soldier with the King’s realm. They say pride came before a fall, they say the greater you are the harder you fall. For none was it more true than tragic House Chevalier.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Her plan was going well. Armored knights dragged a girl, kicking and screaming, into the hall. She was resisting and she was abusive about it. The two knights, clad in tight, lithe armor, held her by her arms and ‘escorted’ her into the presence of Royalty; normally, they would’ve just executed such a trouble maker on the spot, but today was special. It was the Magi Class Examination; where sorcerers from all across the spans of worlds came to apply for a License into higher learning. The King had long placed a prohibition on higher levels of magic in his Kingdom, a person could only learn so much with the resources freely available. Ancient magical text and globes were requisitioned and confiscated, made unattainable by ordinary means. If one sought deeper insight into the realm of sorcery, they needed to apply for a License and become a Court Magician; but that meant becoming a mage under the King’s thumb. The privilege of advanced knowledge had to be weighed against the freedom to use such knowledge. Regardless, many mages from all walks of life applied to broaden their horizons.

The Magi Class Examination was simple. Impress the King with one’s own magic; that was it. But the mere fact that the King himself was the judge unnerved many. Of course, since there was only one of him and the examinations took place only so many times a year the waiting list was massive; even the wealthy and influential would have to wait decades. However, this girl that the knights had captured had quite casually skipped the line and tried to barge into the Castle where the examinations were held (One of many castles, of course). She had taken down several of the knights on duty before she had been stopped. The King, having been informed of such an intruder, ordered her into his presence than her beheaded. It was according to her plan, of course, a reckless and foolhardy one though it was.

If she were the careful type, she’d have noticed that during her little adventure, none of the knights she defeated or even the ones that escorted her had spoken a word; they didn’t even groan when she struck them. Just silence that made one wonder if there was really a man within that armour.

So it was, she was taken to the hall where the King waited. The Castle was a marvel in itself, where most other worlds and their edifices were simple structures of wood and macabre stone; the castles of the King were always made of strange metals. The girl had heard stories of the King’s fortresses, so different from the civilian townships. They had flying machines and all manner of wonders unheard of; and instead of spreading such technology and magic, the King greedily kept it to himself. She even got here by a mere horse drawn cart. She knew the only way to get close to such power was to attain a License as a Court Magician.

They arrived and immediately, she felt a heavy presence weigh down on her. Magic users could in a way feel each other’s presence and what she felt when she entered the room almost made her forget to breathe. If she looked around, she would find many find a pompous looking Court Magician; already passed and initiated, they now looked with condescendence at the new candidates. As expected, these men and women, some not even remotely resembling human, who had proven their capability all had the look of accomplishment. The examination did not distinguish between race, only ability.

On the far side of the hall, a veil behind which the King sat. Because it was apparently a formal affair, a herald stood in front of the King’s veil and made proclamations for him.

“You have been charged with the offence of treason. You plead guilty,” Without even asking her side of the story, her sentence seems decided already, “However, in his benevolence, the King has granted you a chance at absolution; if and only if, you pass the Magi Class Examination. Fail and you will be sentenced to immediate execution,”

“Long live the King! Long live the King!” A chant rang out from the Court Magicians; a zealously loud call considering they numbered amongst a hundred at least. These weren’t all of them, of course, only those with the spare time to be present and had the duty of regulating the day’s menial tasks. They played no part in the final decision, for that was reserved for the King alone. They would only watch.

Behind the veil, the King’s shadow raised a hand and clicked his fingers. In an instant, the scenery changed; no longer in a Castle Hall, they now…stood in the middle of a galaxy? Only she and her King were present now, the Court Magicians and even the knights had all vanished. But that was irrelevant, for she was standing in the middle of the sea of stars. Details like how they could breathe, how she was simply floating in mid space yet felt like her feet were firmly planted were irrelevant. She had a test to pass, no, ace with flying colours; a magic that would impress even the King.

“Begin,” It was the first time she had heard his voice since the name Chevalier had disappeared from history. In order to restore her family’s prestige, she had to succeed.