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Chapter 24: Side B, The Memory (1)

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The Memories of Gabriel Etrama De Raizel. For the young adventurers, it was like watching a movie in [email protected] quality.

Seeing everything takes place that way, but instead of being seated, they are actually following young Gabriel around the market like an invisible chaperon. He wasn't like the old geezer in the Magus Archive. In this memory, he was a lively young man who was curious about everything.

And it was at that moment that they heard a voice of a narrator, the voice the young man.

[If I should start the explanation of my discovery, I'd like to first say that it all began the moment I step foot in the holy land of Mariejane. This is the city where the Emperor Clemente Celestine announced that Tiara's people had the right to be ruled by a great, noble man.

At that time, I was still an innocent young boy, an apprentice Mage to a seemingly unsightly old fart with a tendency to be clumsy four to five times every five minutes...

"Where are you boy? Why are you slacking around?"

"Master Merlin, the reason I am keeping my distance from you is because —whoaaaaaaa! Fire! You're on fire!"

"Ahahaha... you silly boy, you really know how to praise m... —whoaaaaaaa! Fire! I'm on fire!"

"You stupid old man! How can you set fire on yourself while trying to light a cigarette?!"

"You stupid apprentice! Someday you will become old like me!"

"I will never be a clumsy old fart like you! Never!"

—yeah. He was stupid that way. The great Wizard to whom all Wizards and Mages look up on, the one who conquered the dragon castle of Manitoba using only a mere force of 400 people; Freed the town of Calgary from the oppression of the Goblin King Goblet; and many more feats that made the use of magic in the art of combat a very useful feat. Because of him, many more Mages tried to help the 'Defenders of the Wall' with their own magic. Because of him, the people of Tiara began to have hope and fight back against the oppression of the Dragonkin.

What we're doing in this city is because of a certain man who sent us a message. His name is Arthur. I don't know him nor his fame but when Master Merlin saw the letter, even though we were still in the middle of a very important mission, we abandoned that mission and went straight here.

I was happy, of course, because Mariejane is the holy land of the Defenders, central capital of the Eastern region of Tiara, and home of the Knights of Camelot.

The Knights of Camelot had a standing legend, they're the ones who protect the borders of the Eastern Spire.

Four Spires divides the Continent of Tiara and on each Spire, a treasure and a secret, 'The Secret', lies hidden since the time of The Founding. And that's almost 3 to 4 cycles ago.

In the west, the Spire was still being fought upon by the Kingdoms of Alberta and Ontario, and the Independent Government of Edmonton. On the North, no one can touch the Spire because of its guardian Fire Dragon, and on the south, it is presently secured in the lands of the Empire of Huron.

For many ages, Huron and Camelot had been in war with each other and for this reason alone, I was in the impression that this Arthur guy is some important guy in the ranks of the KoC.

But I still can't put a finger on it, at this time, because I was but a boy.

And when I actually met that Arthur, I was in utter shock to learn that he was the actually a king and that he wasn't even dressed like one when we met him in the dirty streets of the market place.]

Following Gabriel and Merlin, a Wizard from the Maven Race but with silver hair and a few waves of dark chestnut colors, they arrived in a pub to where the two entered.

Of course they also went there and took their own seats as the pub itself seemed to have been bought for the entire purpose of this meeting.

In one corner, there were four people in ragged clothes and crude weapons. The one on the further most saw the new arrivals and the rest of the people turned around and stood up upon seeing them.

One of the swordsmen unhood himself and revealed his calm and smiling face.

The expression and the handsome, refined manner made The Mage sigh and the pink haired Archer making a giggling fit of someone who received a smile from a celebrity.

He was handsome that way.

["Merlin, it's really an honor for you to heed my call."

"Please, King Arthur, it is my honor to serve you."

"Alright. Please, take a seat. We don't have much time to waste let me introduce these fine gentlemen to you. On your left is Duke Isadora Duncan of the East Huron Empire and on your right is Duke Grant Duncan of the West Huron Empire."

Seeing Merlin's nod and the nods of the two, the great Wizard said the words I found puzzling. As it seems, he already knew their reason for being here before they actually met.

"I assume you've come to realize Huron's greed?"

The two Dukes nodded. Arthur continued.

"Well, the one on my side is named Gothel."]

Upon the introduction, the last hooded person took of the hood and revealed herself.

A seductive woman with black primed hair from root to tips, curved eyelashes, and indifferent arrogant gaze came to greet Merlin with a microscopic nod.

That's all her greetings were.

In fact, as it seems, even Arthur had the inkling that she was the type to actually hate men. That's why she had not even the slightest tried to get close to them even just a few inches.

Her gestures of nod and the haughty expression is also a clear sign that she doesn't trust them.

[At this point, I never knew that this meeting held an important meaning in my life. I was but a boy back then but these people, especially the woman with the name Gothel, became a turning point in my apprentice days and threw me into the world I... never wanted to see.]

With swirling lights and the feeling of being vacuumed like before, the scenery changed from the pub into a burning land with an on-going war.

In that war was Merlin, young Gabriel, Arthur and his knights, the hooded Duncans, and Gothel who still had that haughty air.

She just looked down on the burning city and then went to see the face of Arthur.

["Beyond the gates of this city is the fifth Spire. There lay a witch which powers can cause havoc and peace at the same time. I have the ability to stop that havoc from happening but I can't let Huron's forces get to her first."

"Alright. From here on out, we will intervene and defend Walled City of Alexandria from Huron's forces. All troops, prepare for battle!"]

Behind Arthur was Merlin and with a light from Merlin's staff, thousands of soldiers in their monster rides and horses, in their own respective battle gears and magical artifacts, roared with a powerful cry, rattling the air, and shaking the ground itself.

The thundering footfalls of thousands of soldiers ran down the hill where they gathered and the surprised army bearing the flag of Huron's Black Lions looked at Arthur's forces with fright.

Cries of despair echoed as they were flanked from one side by a thundering army of the invincible KoC.

The Knights of Camelot, an army of a hundreds that can slay an elemental dragon, their fame far surpassed that of their lands and their influence even extends to the furthest lands in the south.

At the sight of the waving flag of the White Lion, the Black Lion forces' marled shattered for a moment.

But with just a signal flare from their command post in the opposing hill, the shattered morale of the Black Lion troops was regained and their battle formation was restored.

But at this moment, it was too late.

An independent force of six people riding warhorses in golden plates and armors, were already on their way to the gates of Alexandria.

The youth group couldn't run that fast so they used their hover boards to follow them.

At the gates of the city, Arthur presented the royal seal of his authority and shouted that he came here to help with the defense of the wall.

The gate opened the six entered, seeing a disarrayed army of dwindling numbers, with plenty of volunteer medical men and women in poor medical skills.

This sight made Arthur's face twitch with agony as he was a King whose heart ache with the cries of his people.

His group went straight to the command post and talked to the officer in charge of the defense.

[This is where I met the noble man named Flynn. He was a commoner who rose in the ranks of military as he swore to defend the priestess of Alexandria.

Arthur, Merlin, and Gothel's conversation with Flynn was also recorded in my memories.

I heard them talk about 'her', the priestess, and I also saw the expression on Gothel's face when Flynn said that he will do everything in his power to protect her.

She looked really uneasy. Like someone who's time is running out because of an important event. She tried to force her way to see the priestess but Flynn was stolid on his vow to not let anyone, even the saviors of Alexandria, to see nor meet her. This made Gothel snap and angry, shouting at Flynn, introducing herself as the guardian of the said priestess.

On her spit of rage, she disclosed how she was kidnapped from her tower by Huron's men and that it was her duty to bring her back and seal her powers for good to avoid catastrophe.

I couldn't help but wonder though, is this the only reason why she was with this group?

She could have at least try to persuade Huron about the tendencies of the priestess' powers, whatever it is, and don't have to use Arthur's influence to defend this city.

Alexandria was supposed to be Huron Empire's northern most developed city. In fact, it was a premier city whose prosperity relied on their export of lightstones and water stones.

During this time, lightstones weren't as in demand as it is in the present time.

They can only light up houses during the night and its secret properties to absorb the light bursts of the LAGRAM Alliance's armaments haven't been discovered. That's because the War of the Braves is yet to come in thousands of years.

Flynn's reaction was of course, surprised, but he still did not budge and instead, he actually shouted at her as he stamped a hand on his table.

His anger and his rage was far more higher than that of the seemingly selfish fit of the seductive guardian.

Huron's forces was defeated that time and their few survivors were taken as POW. The one who handled the talk to them was the two Duncans and Arthur left them to their devices as he went to see my master.

OF course, as always, I am an invisible ornamental man between them but it doesn't mean Arthur paid me no heed.

He listens to my opinions when asked about the status of the war and of course, he became more serious about me when I told about my opinion of the entire ordeal.

"I don't think Gothel is telling the truth."

Is what I told them. After that, I was given a special task.

Sneak inside the secret tower.]

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