***Hyperion Empire***

***Soltain City***

It was safe to say that Sophia Soltain was a sadist. When her husband Jacob was asked about that part of her personality by his male friends, he would wisely avoid the question and steer the topic towards a different direction. If you asked members of the Satele House, they would visibly pale and refuse to comment.

During the Second War, before she met her future husband and was still head of her family, she was mage feared by almost all on the battlefield. Those that survived the war between the alliance of the Sudites and Aarus versus Hyperion all had stories to tell when her name was mentioned. Some called her the Mistress of Madness, others the Snake Queen, and there were plenty more monicker's given to her for actions during the war.

Standing on top of a colossal basilisk that looked to be the representation of Death Incarnate, her appearance on the battlefield often struck fear into friends and enemies alike. Towering over the soldiers like a god would an ant, her partner would crush hundreds of warriors and mages in an instant. She was a true predator, and these simple soldiers couldn't even be considered prey. When her gigantic partner Xeros wasn't killing all in his path, she would activate her eyes to strike terror in the minds of hundred and thousands in her visual range. She would flood their minds with their families deaths, friends betrayals, and pure unadulterated lunacy. Those caught by her mind manipulation and didn’t have extremely high magic and mental resistances, didn’t last long. All her allies could do was stare as thousands of enemies began to maniacally scream and attack each other, some even committing suicide to escape the tortures haunting their minds.

Yes, she was a predator, and sometimes enjoyed to play with prey she considers beneath her. Her eyes abilities were considered the most powerful of House Satele. There were no subtle mind tricks, or emotional identifiers, no, there was just untamable madness.

Torturing the poor sod who threatened her son's life, Sophia found herself quite enjoying the experience of inflicting so much pain on another person. It brought up memories for her of a time long passed and she was feeling rather nostalgic. She currently had the man's limbs nailed in on a wooden cross in the castle’s dungeon. There was a healer behind her on standby for every time she went to far and the prisoner would bleed towards death, but that constant pain and healing wasn’t the real torture.

The prisoner’s mind was either on the breaking point or was already broken. In his view, standing in Sophia’s place and torturing him to death, was his own mother. As she continued to pull off his nails or slice up his body, she would remind him of all his failures as a son and how she reveled in finally being able to hurt him. This torture went on until the prisoners screaming and sobbing finally stopped, and he slumped unconscious for the eighth time.

She could just force more of her concoctions down his throat to wake him up, but it wasn't nearly as fun torturing a man who had no form of awareness anymore. There was also blood all over her clothes and the stench was starting to irk her. She thrusted a mana coated palm threw his chest and crushed his heart in her hand. How dull.

“Get someone to burn this body and clean the room please.” Sophia said to the healer.

“Right away milady.”

She went to go clean herself up. Thinking over the possible lengths she needed to overcome to get revenge on whoever wanted her son dead. The Assassin’s Guild was very reputable, and usually had a very high success rate. But she knew they weren’t the best, no, there were others far superior in the art of unseen killing. Other’s she could use to have her revenge, whoever thought they could use the guild to get to her baby boy were sure to experience pain.

After washing herself, she heard the bells signaling the return of her husband and her son. Sophia was shocked that they returned so soon, and hoped Jacob had the information they needed to identify the contract giver.

Meeting them in the courtyard, her toddler son ran up to her leg and yelled, “Mama!”

She lifted him into her embrace and looked at Jacob, “Did you find the location of the handler?”

“Luckily he’s in a town in the Satele Province close to the border with Imir. We should be able to subdue him with little difficulty.”

“Good. When do we head out?”

“Well dad should be returning soon but I’d rather not wait. I say we gather some Sky Knights and just capture him with your family. Fast and hard. Shouldn’t be to difficult.”

She nodded, that sounded good to her. “I am ready to go. Is my sister going to meet us there?”

“That’s the plan. I am sure they are already on their way.”

All three of them boarded Jacob’s griffin and headed towards the knight garrison.

---Three Days Later---

~~~Maximus Soltain I POV~~~

“Where is everyone?” I asked Mary as my partner and I landed in the courtyard. After disembarking, he ascended back into the air towards the mountains.

“The lord, lady, and young master have departed to the Satele Province to pursue a lead on the recent infiltrators.”

“Did they find who was behind it?”

“It appears they located the handler of the assassins targeting the children, and are attempting capture. That’s all the information I’ve been made privy too.”

“Huh. I guess I’m going to bo take a nap then. How much longer until dinner?”

“We can bring food to your chambers wherever you’d like. As your the only Soltain here, there’s no point in overdoing it.”

“Just have a servant bring it whenever it’s convenient.” I started walking to the double doors leading inside when the alarm bells started ringing. Looking towards the skies, I spotted five griffins with my son leading them. As they got closer I noticed my grandson was sitting in Jacob’s lap and was clearly enjoying himself. Maybe we can get him a partner sooner than the girl if I can start training him.

They eventually landed and I noticed the rather tense mood between Jacob and Sophia. Max seemed to have not noticed at all and seeing me, attempted to get down from the griffin on his own.

I recognized the potential disaster and rushed to catch him. He gave me a good hug and then I put him down on the ground.

“Did you find out who gave the contract?”

Jacob’s faced scrunched up, “Nytos. The king specifically.”

The elves?

It made sense, the elves themselves or at least the Royal Family, hated bloodlines. Elves were a race that lived as long as those with bloodlines and had just about the same mana. The difference was they always had powerful affinities with the five basic nature elements and believed all other magic to be evil power. They worshipped the five God’s and Goddesses of the basic elements and taught their young that those with bloodlines were a curse needed to be cleansed from the world. The interesting thing about that is there are also elves born with bloodlines, beings that with their race and blood live far longer than us and usually have more mana. But with the Nytos Royal Family actively persecuting bloodlines, they were all forced to abandon their homeland and go into hiding.

Breaking out of my stupor, I asked, “Well what do you plan to do now?”

“We’re going to kill the contract giver.” Sophia responded as if the most obvious option.

My eyes widened at the implication. “You're going to charge to the Nytos Kingdom and kill the king!? Have you gone mad!?”

She covered her mouth to hide a giggle, “No of course not. We’ll just have him assassinated like he tried to do to the kids.”

I suppose that could work, but I doubted the Assassins Guild would take a new contract with a current contract giver as the target. That would just be counterintuitive.

I thought over how they were going to get this goal of there’s completed and Sophia, knowing what I was thinking, answered for me, “We’re going to ask for Kumio assistance.”

I lost control of my bloodlust almost instinctively on hearing the name. Little Max was stricken with fear and fell down. I immediately reigned it in and steadied my breathing. House Kumio and I were certainly not on good terms but I needed to control my temper.

Sophia picked up the toddler and started cooing in his ear to make him settle down. I apologized but I had to ask, “Why them?”

“There the best option, it’s either have this done off the books or we bring it to the Emperor and he initiates another war. I believe this way will save far more lives.” Jacob responded.

Just thinking about that accursed House got my blood boiling. I couldn’t be anywhere near this, I’m sure they’ll be fine on their own. They seemed to already recognize that fact and we're still going through with it.

“We’ll I just got back so I’m going to go rest for a bit.”

They nodded and I turned to head to my chambers. Thinking about Kumio was bringing up some rather unpleasant memories for me.

***Kumio Province***

---Two Days Later---

~~~Third Person POV~~~

Jacob, Sophia, and little Max, alongside a squad of twelve Sky Knights, landed outside the walls of Kumio town. It was still the beginning of winter, so it was cold and the entire group were wearing cloaks around their respective clothes and armors.

Kumio town was not like Soltain City. It was much smaller and the citizens of Kumio made their living off the the mining towns just south of the Elotl Mountains. The province was self-sufficient, but just barely. The Head of the House still led the affairs of the province, although he, like the rest of his clan, was still very secretive. Everyone knew that they had trusted subordinates as the ones appearing and announcing laws to the province, but the foxes of Kumio almost never showed their faces.

Some crime organizations and criminals may think the area a perfect place to set up operations, however they couldn't be more wrong. The crime rate in Kumio was almost always at zero year round. People that committed acts heinous enough to get noticed by the rulers simply disappeared, no body or anything. Criminals would just vanish in thin air.

Receiving an envoy from Soltain prior, the guards on the wall of the town opened the gates immediately after spotting the griffins.

Little Max, walking hand and hand with his mother, struggled to keep up the pace. Nevertheless he was stubborn, and moved his little legs as fast as he could while observing his surroundings. Slipping for the second time, Sophia elected to just carry him the rest of the way. He didn’t make a fuss over it, and just kept looking back at all the people lining the streets and staring at his group.

There were mumblings about the young Soltain, though Jacob and company seemed to just ignore it.

The group eventually arrived in front of the largest building in the town, the Kumio manor. The entire grounds easily took up the land of about a quarter of the town, and had a cobblestone path the led directly to the manor in between two forests. Though with the current season, the trees were all but bare and there were dead leaves covering the area.

Ten of the knights and the thirteen griffins chose to remain waiting outside while the rest approached the manor. Servants immediately came to attend to them and they were directed to the manors meeting room. The two knights who followed them into the manner remained outside the meeting room alongside some of the guards.

Inside the room, the Soltain’s were met with a man as tall as Jacob and with crimson hair and eyes. He had rather distinct cheekbones and well sculpted features, all in all, he was very handsome. He was the Head of his respective House, Kazuki Kumio. Sitting on the meeting table top beside him was a cute toddler girl who everyone assumed was his daughter. She had crimson hair just like him but with bright and shiny golden eyes. There was also the fact that both the man and the child in front of them had bushy red tails and foxlike ears popping out of their hair.

Little Max, a boy well known for his fondness of shiny objects, immediately attempted to climb the table too see the girls eyes closer up. Sophia pushed him from his bottom and assisted her son in his goal. He eventually climbed up and both children started chasing each other. The girl smiling and running in circles and little Max, literally right after her tail. They eventually got off the table and started playing at the other side of the room.

The adults in the room exchanged pleasantries and all sat down. Jacob and Sophia on one side of the table and Kazuki on the other.

“I must say Sophia you have only grown more beautiful since our last meeting, it feel’s like it’s been ages.” Kazuki said.

Sophia smiled and Jacob just kept his politics face on. He was well aware of Sophia’s previously relationship with Kazuki but that was before they ever even met. It was agreed upon that if possible Sophia could use their former relationship as a means to get a better deal in the negotiations about to take place, but it was doubtful. The man was married now and had a wife of his own. They knew that the chances of such a strategy were slim and best be avoided unless an agreement couldn’t be met.

Kazuki continued, “Speaking of beauty, I would like to introduce you two to my daughter Kana, she will no doubt grow as mesmerizing as her mother and she has only brought us happiness.” Everyone looked back at the two children to see they were both now on the floor sitting and Max was petting her fluffy looking tail.

“Ah yes and allow me to introduce our first son Max, he’s a little energetic and has kept us quite busy.” Jacob replied.

The conversation derailed to talking about their kids until Kazuki decided to get to business.

“So how can I help the Lord and Lady of House Soltain?”

Jacob and Sophia looked to each other and then back at the man across from them.

Sophia spoke, “We want someone dead.”

“Oh and how could I possibly assist you? Kumio has no standing armies like that of most the other Houses.”

“You know what I mean Kazuki. This man is a threat to all our children and I want him to suffer.”

Kazuki raised an eyebrow. He was well aware of the Assassins Guilds intentions to kill the new heirs but they knew better than to attack Kumio. It wasn’t really his problem, so he didn’t send anyone to investigate the issue.

“And who might be the poor fool to incur the wrath of the House Soltain?”

“The reigning Elven King. We want him dead.”

Kazuki contemplated her words. Although there were rather obvious reasons why the elves may put a hit on the new generation it seemed a little too convenient. Information from his sources would lead him to believe the Nytos King would be too busy with skirmishes against the Beast Empire to be targeting children of Hyperion. Although this was an opportunity for his House to benefit greatly from the resources of Soltain, he needed more information.

"Are you sure it's the Elven King? We leaders of the empire have made plenty of enemies. I find it hard to believe the Nytos King would bother with us just yet." Kazuki argued.

Sophia shrugged. "Perhaps not, yet I do not care. The Elven King is just as prevalent an enemy as anyone else. An inevitable conflict that will soon approach if not in our lives then in the lives of our children. All reports of the Kingdoms state are scare, yet all say he has been far more tyrannical and aggressive than his predecessors. So I am just nipping a problem in the bud for my son and daughter. Besides, a message must be sent to the true contract giver, no one is out of reach."

Jacob let out a long sigh. "Both my wife and I are well aware Kumio can handle this problem in the most efficient manner, none will be the wiser. We just ask for what your House requires in return."

Kazuki nodded and began negotiations. “Despite our towns quaint appearance, our province is doing rather well for ourselves and are not in need of money. Mining has been very lucrative over the past couple years.”

“Then what do you want?” Jacob asked.

There. Now he had his chance to secure the future of his House for years to come. He glanced back at his daughter and then to the Soltains across from him.

“My House has always been one of secrets. Although we are doing well financially, because of ancient traditions we are also limited in other areas. For example, we have no standing army or alliance with another House to ensure provincial safety, our people live stagnantly because all taxes the province collects goes to the clan first and then back to the province. Also, our clan’s traditions are very old fashioned and very sacred to how we operate, there is no changing them even as clan head. There would be to many people who would cause grief for me should I even suggest that. So I must take a different approach to ensure my House’s prosperity.”

He took a breath and continued, “Houses Satele and Soltain have been an alliance ever since your marriage, with Satele to the south of us and Soltain to the north, the effects of said alliance have easily been seen by my people. Although I resent its establishment, my people have a tradition that their will always be a male as Head of the House that has been around far longer than myself.” Kazuki stared at his daughter as his speech progressed. “Because of that, there is no way Kana could be head even if she desired to, so I would like her to help the clan through other means. If we could come to a mutual marriage arrangement between Kana and your son Max then I would be willing to have the Elven King killed.”

Sophia immediately stood up and prepared to yell but Kazuki wasn’t finished.

“The marriage arrangement would be just that, an arrangement. If both Max and Kana desired to not be married to each other when they reach the age then we can nullify the agreement. But, if I were to accept this contract to kill the Nytos King then I want the effects of an alliance between Kumio and Soltain to show after you leave this room. With a tri-alliance between Satele, Kumio, and Soltain we would have a much more productive and secure western Hyperion Empire. There are numerous parties that can benefit from this deal and I can think of no one on the losing end.”

The room was silent. The two previously playing kids both sleeping on the floor. The Soltain couple had a lot to think about.