King Grigory held up his hands to dimiss the large audience. As he turned to leave his podium, he paused, mid-stride. "I am also pleased to announce that the Festival of the Stars will begin a day early this year, immediately following our commemoration." Glaed gasped, shocked that he'd forgotten one of his favorite Aélian holidays.

"As you all know, tomorrow marks the six-hundredth anniversary of the creation of this kingdom, and my birthday." He grinned and pointed in the direction of the castle courtyard. "So, please enjoy the merriment our many artisans have to offer. Then, later this evening, when the stars are at their brightest, we will honor those that came before us with a spectacular lantern, light show." The arena erupted with the sound of clapping hands as the king stepped down to approach the congregated group of freshly knighted squires. They were reveling in the attention of the many honored guests making their way back to their lodgings to get ready for the festivities. Glaed was excited to see what fun he and the knights could get into. He looked around for Antha, who was examining Behr's giant armor.

"Heya, Lady Agrior, would you like to join me at the festival?" Glaed asked, as he trotted over, trying to stay respectful in the presence of the king.

Antha spun, opening her mouth to speak. "That's a great idea. Let's-"

"Unfortunately, Sir Balaston, we shall not be taking part in today's events," Mythanor interjected. "You all have a special assignment to take care of first."

"That is correct, Myth," Behr spoke boisterously. "The king will be escorting us down into the depths of the castle for a very important mission."

The young knights were visibly excited and began chattering nervously. "It has to be the armor selection," Antha whispered to Glaed, "I hope that-" She stopped mid-sentence when she noticed Denarveld scurrying through the crowd. He appeared to be talking to himself and seemed paranoid. He's acting suspicious again, she thought, I wonder what he's up to.

Glaed's eyes followed the creepy man that ran by and looked back at Antha, who seemed concerned. "What happened? Who was that guy?"

"Oh, uh, that's..." Antha said, startled. "My sister's fiancé..." Her words trailed off as she began to chase after him.

"Wait, where-" Glaed began to follow, but stopped when he heard squealing coming from behind him. Twilley sprinted and jumped onto her big brother's back and screamed again at the top of her lungs. "Piggyback ride!"

"Twilley, get off of your brother." Kelphine and Brayder approached, followed closely by Elmyra, who looked to have been crying. Twilley slumped to the floor and jumped up again. She ran at Brayder, but before she could scream, her mother caught her and scolded her for acting rambunctious. "You two have been way too excitable today. We might have to head home early without any fun at the festival." The younger Balaston children groaned.

"We'll be good, mama!" They screamed in unison. Kelphine smiled and nodded her head approvingly.

Glaed glanced in the direction Antha headed, but could no longer see her or the dark-haired man. Whatever you're up to, don't take too long. His thought was interrupted again by Kelphine. "Are you about to leave, Glaed?"

"Oh, yeah." Glaed remembered. "Apparently, we have an important mission in the castle later on."

"Alright, then. Do you know how long that will take?"

It was Behr's turn to interject. "Regrettably, it will take the rest of the night and much of the next few days, ma'am."

Kelphine eyed the giant man, skeptically. "I understand. Please be sure no harm comes to my son, Behr." She said, sternly.

"You have my word."

"Thank you. Come now kids, time for some festival games." Kelphine turned to leave, but Glaed grabbed her arm.

"Light a lantern for papa, for me." He smiled at her and she nodded.

"You know I will." She kissed his cheek and continued walking with the rest of her children.

He sighed and turned to Behr, who seemed to be searching for someone. "Antha went chasing after some man earlier." His arm pointed in the direction they ran. "She went that way."

Behr looked concerned as King Grigory joined them. "My daughter has this crazy notion that my future son-in-law, Denarveld Helekas, is some kind of spy." The king placed his hand on Glaed's shoulder. "He's served my court for years and is even working with the Aquafell knights these days." He sighed. "I shall send a gaurd to fetch her before she gets into trouble." King Grigory smiled at him. "Also, I must thank you for being her friend, Sir Balaston."

Glaed felt a rush of honor sweep over him as he bowed his head. "Of course, your majesty. It is my pleasure."

The king motioned to one of his guards and whispered in his ear. "She went that way." The guard saluted and marched away to find the princess.

"Now then, let us make our way to the laboratory." King Grigory gathered each of the knights and began making their way towards the castle's main hall.

To get to the lab entrance, the knights crossed through the castle courtyard, which only served as a reminder of the festival they were missing out on. Glaed spied a large metal ferris-wheel and carousel. Those had always been his favorite rides as a kid. Nowadays, he was more interested in the prize winning games, like the blaster-gun and photon-ring toss.

Glaed was lost in thought about memories of his last year with his father at the Festival of the Stars. They played so many games and rode the biggest ride, called the atomic gyroscope. He had a blast that day and they even lit a lantern for his granddad, Glanwyn, who passed away earlier that year. His grandfather retired from the Firebrand Knights six years before his death, after his wife contracted a mysterious illness and succumbed a few months later. That had been a very rough year for them and a day of fun was much needed. Glaed's mother was pregnant with Elmyra at the time, so she stayed behind to rest from the day of travel, leaving Glaed and Brayder with Glanduil for most of day. That was a memory he would never forget.

After passing the final festival tent, full of hundreds of stuffed toy prizes, they proceeded by the large, ornate fountain in the middle of the castle courtyard. It was built one-hundred years before and the gold plating shimmered in the sunlight. The fountain, commissioned by King Grigory's father, Rerick Agrior, was a symbol of the promise made to the people of Aélia that, starting with him, every monarch seated upon the throne would protect the citizens by upholding peace and prosperity above all else.

Just pass the courtyard before arriving at the main hall entrance, stood a small outdoor garden. The largest ambearl tree, a breed of large flowering tree native to this region, in all of Aélia, was nestled at its center. This was where, Vicar Agrior, became the first ruler of the kingdom. He planted the tree to commemorate the sacrifice made by so many to allow such a nation to be born. Glaed could barely fathom that was almost six-hundred years ago, back before Aélians lived such long lives.

Back when he was in school, Glaed learned that King Vicar was considered one of the oldest people to ever live before the discovery of aélium. He died at one-hundred and ten years old and he claimed his long life was due to his good fortune. However, since then, Aélian scientists had made several discoveries about the regenerative properties of aélium and began experimenting with genetic-life enhancements. Aélians tended to have natural longevity due in part to the regenerative capabilities of their own cells, but thanks to advances in aélium genetics testing, their lives could essentially be doubled. With this technology, they rarely ever became sick due to known illnesses and whenever they did, their bodies could fight off the illness relatively quickly.

Glaed remembered learning that the food sources available on Aélia also played a key factor in their long lifespan as well, before aélium. Plants on Aél were incredibly high in vitamins and minerals and were scattered abundantly across the planet, allowing both the sentients and fauna of the world to prosper. This also allowed the rare few individuals that consumed animal meat to flourish when these nutrients were subsequently absorbed by the animals.

Nowadays, with the advent of genetically enhanced crops, Aélians rarely ever went hungry. Back when King Grigory first took the throne, after King Rerick passed into the stars at the age of one-hundred and twenty-three, he offered part of their abundant food source to Sangréal as a show of peace. It was soon returned via trebuchet over the wall of Hulluven, followed closely by a squad of their signature kamikaze soldiers.

After passing through the lush foliage, the knights emerged to the sight of the colossal tower that housed the most important chambers in Aélia Castle. They followed their king through a set of extravagant double doors, into the main hall. This enormous space served as the reception area to the throne room and dining hall which was also housed within this elaborate edifice. Glaed stared at the vaulted ceiling in amazement. The entire history of Aélia had been painted in pristine colors across the entire plafond.

He had never seen something so beautiful in his life. Only a select few were ever allowed to enter this building, and it was a honor to finally see what his father had seen nearly fifty years prior.

"My great-grandfather had this mural commissioned over two-hundred years ago." King Grigory stated proudly. "I consider this one of the many wonders of Aélia. It's such a shame only a handful of people have ever seen it." He lowered his head, "We are sticklers for tradition, unfortunately. Maybe one day I will open this hall up for the world to see." He shrugged and continued to an elevator on the far right wall. "I think we have a bit of time, let's wait for my daughter to join us. In the meantime, you may rest here in the lobby." He motioned to a set of velvet couches set in a circle at the center of the room, in front of a large reception desk. Grigory and Behr stood together conversing, as the knights walked over to sit and take a breather from their long trek.

Antha stood silently up against a wall just out of sight of the weasel known as Denarveld. She had followed him all the way to the training gymnasium where he assumed he would not be bothered. A small device in his hand buzzed to life and after a loud crackle that set the slimy man on edge, a grating voice sounded through it.

"Has that useless ceremony completed yet, you branded buffoon?" The deep, male voice was unfamiliar to Antha. She inched closer to get a better vantage point.

"Yes, my lord," Denarveld started, "They are heading to the 'not-so-secret' laboratory, as we speak." He snickered creepily at his joke.

"Excellent. With Grigory down in his lab and the Firebrand Knights out of commission for a few days, phase one of my scheme can finally come to fruition."

Branded? Scheme? Antha's thoughts were racing. Who is this man? What is he talking about?

"And sire, about that thing I requested-"

"Silence, maggot!" The man hissed. "I'm contemplating."

The air was cold and still while the man on the other line was silent. He mumbled to himself a few times and Denarveld looked around, nervously.

"I'm sending the requisition unit as we speak." The man spoke to someone and was silent again for a long moment. "The armies will strike the wall as a distraction, while the..." Quiet once again.

Antha scooted closer, trying to hear the man's mumbling, when her foot skidded across the floor and hit the wall with an audible thud. Denarveld spun around and shouted. "Who's there!?" The intercom clicked off and he began stepping towards the sound. "I know you're there, show yourself!" He twisted the black nodule on the left side of his head and inched closer.

Antha's heart was racing as she tried to silently slide away from her hiding spot. She felt like she would most certainly be caught eavesdropping and punished by the evil man. She knew he was up to no good, so he would have no choice but to kill her.

Just as Denarveld rounded the corner where she had been hidden only seconds before, the doors to the arena flung open and two guards rushed in. "Hello? Is anyone in here?" Denarveld turned, startled, and sprinted towards the opposite end of the gymnasium and out another set of doors. Antha waited for his footsteps to fade and when she was sure he was gone, revealed herself from behind a low hanging banner on the same wall and ran to the two men. "He was... Going..." She was out of breath and panicking. "Kill me..."

The two guards looked around, bewildered, and the first one said, "Who, your highness? There's no one here."

"Denarveld..." She gasped, as she caught her breath. "He ran that way."

"Okay, your highness. We shall investigate." The first, whom Antha had met several times previously, motioned the other to the door Denerveld fled through. "For now, my orders are to bring you to the king in the main hall for your mission. Please, come with me."

Antha nodded her head and obliged. "Thank you, Tiago."

Glaed lounged on one of the lobby chairs, while the group of knights waited for Antha to return. The other knights talked amongst themselves, loudly. But, he listened to Behr and King Grigory as they stood opposite each other outside the elevator that would take them down to the nano-tech lab, compiling a to-do list of what needed to be done once they reached their destination. It was already well into the evening, and the king seemed anxious about the time it was taking to locate his daughter. He instinctually glanced down at his digital implant for any alerts he might have missed. Behr noticed his liege's nervous twitching and offered some solace. "I'm sure she's on her way as we speak, your majesty."

The Firebrand captain's reassuring words appeared to snap him from his troubled thoughts. "Yes, you're right, Sir Wulfgard," Grigory began, obviously still preoccupied with his worries, "It's just, these rumors about spies and usurpers has been weighing heavily on my mind, and the last thing I want is to have my Antha-lyn caught in the cross-fire."

"I understand, sire." Behr said, respectfully. "But Lady Antha is a great fighter and she can take care of herself." He glanced at Glaed and smiled to himself, as if coming to a firm realization. "We have to let them fend for themselves, because they may just surprise us." Grigory smiled back and nodded slightly.

Suddenly, the doors to the main hall swung open and Antha marched in, followed closely by the two guards.

Glaed and the rest of the knights stood up as the king swept her up in his arms. "At last, my daughter! Where have you been?"

"There's no time for that, father." She pushed away and began to recount the encounter in the gymnasium. "Denerveld... He's up to something."

The king's relieved demeanor changed drastically to impatience. "Antha, we have talked about this. Denerveld is-"

"I know, I know. A loyal member of this court." She waved her hand around, annoyed. "But he was speaking to someone over a radio communicator." She pantomimed a small, square box. "The man on the other end mentioned something about attacking a wall, distracting the king, and he said something about Denerveld being branded, whatever that means."

A slight look of recognition appeared on the king's face, but he hid it well. "I will hear no more of this foolishness!" King Grigory raised his voice, making everyone in the room jump.

"Father, please! At least have him questioned." Antha begged. "I'm trying to protect this kingdom!"

The king mulled this over for a moment, eyes furrowed. Finally, he sighed and spoke again. "As you wish, my daughter. I will speak to him myself about this communication device."

"Thank you, father." She bowed her head and sulked over to Glaed, remaining quiet. Grigory sighed again and walked over to the elevator.

"Finally, we can begin out descent into the laboratory." He pressed the bright call button and turned to wait. The light above the lift blinked and dinged twelve times before finally stopping at their floor.

How many floors do they have down there? Was Glaed's thought as the metal doors slid open, revealing a small, cramped space, barely big enough for five people, let alone a large man such as Behr.

"It looks like we'll have to make two trips," Behr joked, "I'm too big to fit with all of you."

They each laughed as they split into two teams. Mythanor, Indago, Lark, and Faust rode down first with King Agrior. As the doors closed before them, Glaed turned to Antha and asked candidly. "What happened?"

She turned to him and smiled softly. "Nothing... I'll tell you later."

Behr glanced back at them. "Best not to mention it while your father is around, but I don't trust that sneaky fella either."

They were shocked. The captain actually agreed with them. They chuckled and said, "Yes, sir," in unison.

Glaed glanced around at the two others that would be accompanying them. The shorter one with the dark eyes whispered to the other and his piercing gaze turned towards Glaed. He quietly walked over and spoke softly. "I'm... Quezyl." He stuck his arm out as a greeting. "You're Glanduil Balaston's son, right?"

"Hello, Quezyl. Yeah, I'm Glaed Balaston." He said with a grin, clasping the other's wrist. "It's nice to meet you."

After a few moments, the elevator started to ding its way back up to their floor as Eolas made his way over to the three of them and bowed to Antha. "Your highness, it is an honor to make your acquaintance." He lifted his head and met her gaze. "I am Eolas Verfina. Please excuse my friend here. It was extremely rude not to introduce himself to you first."

"Oh, hello Eolas. It's quite alright." She shook her head.

Glaed chimed in, proudly. "We're all knights here."

"Indeed." Eolas muttered, shaking Glaed's hand.

Glaed saw Behr smile as his knights introduced each other. He was listening closely to their conversation as the elevator closed in.

"It seems like the two of you know each other quite well." Antha stated.

"Yes, we are both from Berboham." Eolas answered. Quezyl nodded his head in agreement. The elevator door slowed to a stop and opened. They each stepped over the threshold, into the confined space that challenged Behr's sheer size. "We actually have some information about that man you were following."

Antha stared, waiting for an explanation. "Well, not me. Quezyl has the information." Eolas corrected himself.

"I do. But now isn't the best time." Quezyl turned back to the door as it slid open once again, revealing a woman wearing a white lab coat. She stared incredulously at the strange sight. The large man that leaned awkwardly against the wall of the lift waved and began to speak.

"Sorry, we're at capacity." Behr said with a grin.

The lab technician nodded, shyly. "I-I'll get the next one. Thank you."

Before the door shut again, Glaed caught a glimpse of a large, blue portal floating at the center of the large room. The door shut tight and Glaed turned his head towards Behr, who looked extremely uncomfortable. "Was that a teleporter?"

Behr glanced down at him and bellowed a loud laugh. "Nothing escapes your observation, does it, my boy?" Behr knew that was a very tight-lipped secret, but the falynx was out of the bag now. "Yes, that was a prototype teleportation device."

The fledgling knights in the elevator gaped in awe. "Teleportation is possible?" Was the resounding sound that came from each of them.

"It seems, my knights, that with aélium, anything is possible." The large man shifted uncomfortably as the elevator stopped at their destination. "I'm still quite dumbfounded by it myself."

As the elevator door opened, King Grigory asked, "Dumbfounded by what, Sir Wulfgard?"

Behr jumped, startled by the king who was waiting right by the elevator. "Oh, they happened to see the project on floor B-seven." He said, wide-eyed. "One of the technicians was leaving for the night."

"Oh yes, well you are all Firebrand, so I suppose that doesn't hurt." The king laughed. "We are experimenting with teleportation technology, powered by our favorite little blue element."

The rest of the knights were stunned as well. Glaed still couldn't believe it. "Technology is so amazing." He spoke first. "I would give anything to be anyplace in an instant."

"Wouldn't we all, dude." Lark was leaning up against the wall, waiting for the excitement to begin. He had his hands in the sewn pockets of his pants and he looked around with an annoyingly arrogant smile. "By the way, I'm Lark, for those of you that don't know." He flicked his hand in their direction as a greeting.

Glaed rolled his eyes and laughed. "I'm Glaed, since we're introducing ourselves." He looked around, expecting questions about his father. Instead, he heard a disapproving 'tch' coming from a blond boy in the back. "And you are?"

"Faust." He spoke sharply and walked ahead. Glaed didn't know what made the guy angry all of the sudden. He glanced down the hall and saw him sulking out of earshot.

"What's wrong with him?" He asked, confused.

"That's Faust Neffiet." Behr answered promptly. "You could say he's a bit jealous of the hero's son."

Jealous? He thought. "Why would he be jealous of me?"

"That's a story for another time, Sir Balaston." The king walked towards them after speaking with a passing technician. "We will be starting soon."

The king led them through the dimly lit hallway to a large chamber at the end. When they emerged into the bright, hospital-like room, they were greeted by a large cylindrical tube holding what looked to be solid black ooze at the room's center. It spun around the enclosure fluidly and followed the movement of the walking knights.

Is this stuff... Alive? Glaed wondered as they passed. He was strangely entranced by the liquid in the large pipe, which seemed to be watching him. He stepped closer and it seemed to mimic his movement.

"Pst... Glaed." Quezyl was standing next to him, whispering. "Look at the walls."

Glaed spun around and noticed what the silent knight was pointing at. The wall of the laboratory was covered with several, smaller vials of the same black goo, along with many silver, surgery-like utensils. Each container, which were labeled with each of their names, seemed to examine the knights with the same curiosity as a caged animal. "What in the world-"

Glaed's attention was piqued again when Antha tapped his shoulder and motioned to the ten surgery tables fastened to the floor by giant steel screws on opposite ends of the room. The structures each had four giant black straps, presumably for holding down a person's limbs, and there were overhead monitors hanging above them. Behind the tables, there were long tubes that wrapped around and were socketed into much smaller containers, similar to the one holding the large mass of black goo.

"What is this place?" Antha and Eolas spoke at the same time, echoing exactly what Glaed was thinking.

A new voice Glaed never heard before spoke from behind. "My fellow knights, this is the nano-tech research laboratory." A strange man in an electric wheelchair rolled around the operating tables and spun back around, facing them. "These wonderful creatures floating in front of you are called nanites." He waved his hand towards the black goo-like substance.

"Nanites?" Eolas queried, obviously fascinated by the surrounding technology. "You mean, like, tiny robots?"

"Very astute, young Eolas." The intelligent man rolled over to shake his hand. "I read you're something of a scientist yourself."

"Yes, sir. I've been known to experiment from time to time."

Glaed was watching the scene, overwhelmed by the amount a technology he had never seen before. "If I may ask, who are you?" He asked, suddenly. "And what is all this?"

"Ah, Glaed Balaston, I am science officer Chronus Tyrune." The handi-capable man rolled to him now. "And all that you see here is the future technology of Aélia."

So this is Sir Tyrune. Chronus held his hand out to shake Glaed's. "Your father and I often disagreed, but I do miss that thick-skulled man." He spun around and flicked his wrist towards a large holo-screen. "Captain Glanduil helped me with my research quite often. He left you a message for here, actually." A giant projection of Glanduil Balaston appeared before them, helmet in hand.

Glaed gasped and felt tears well in his eyes as he stared at his father's visage. He was closer to him than he had been in a long time. Glanduil's hair fell over his eye and he swept it up with his left hand. "Is this thing on?" Glanduil's voice hit Glaed hard as a single thought crossed his mind. It's only a recording.

Chronus paused the video and started. "Glaed, this recording is here for you whenever you are ready to see it." The wheelchair bound man removed the holo of Glanduil and continued. "Now then, I have been doing research on the nanites you see here for many years and I have finally perfected-" The king stepped in and held up his hand.

"Before we get to that, Sir Tyrune, we need to let them know why they are here." King Grigory interjected, turning to the crowd of young knights as Chronus shrugged. "You all have been chosen to be the first to participate in a new experimental process that will create a unique kind of warrior."

The king paused to measure the knights' reactions. He motioned around the room and continued. "This entire experiment has been dubbed project nano-knight." The holo-viewer came to life and an open suit of armor similar to Behr's appeared.

"For too long, our knights have been at risk of losing their armor to the enemy or even because of severe damage." The holo-viewer flashed with a simulated warning message and the armor sealed. Unauthorized entry. Access denied.

Behr stepped forward and continued. "Because of this, the Aélian science division has developed a procedure that will allow a knight to take their armor with them wherever they go, allowing them to activate it anywhere, at anytime." Behr spoke softly. "However, I must warn each of you that this will not be easy. It involves an arduous surgery to implant these tiny robots into your bloodstream and into your spinal cord."

"Isn't the armor too big? Won't it be too conspicuous?" He looked around at the faces of each of his fellow knights and could tell they were as lost as he was.

"I understand that you have questions. So instead of telling you, let me show you what Behr actually means." Chronus held up both of his arms and clasped both hands into fists. Suddenly, a black mass began spreading over the skin of the man, then leveled out to become one solid, sleek set of armor. "As you can see, the nanites that are housed within my body have solidified on the surface of my skin, forming armor that is ten times stronger than any metals that we use today."

The group gasped and looked on in disbelief. In front of them sat a man completely coated in gun-metal gray armor that was form-fitted, allowing Chronus to continue sitting in his wheelchair, and was covered in what looked to be plated steel. Its front visor glowed with a faint neon-blue light and the helmet, which was large, but not too bulky, was slightly elongated in the back.

"The nanites can also be manipulated in anyway that my mind can imagine." Abruptly, the dark armor transitioned to the brilliant orange and white colors of the Firebrand Knights. He then held out an open hand, palm up, and a small ball of energy began to form. "Also, as you can see, my nanites have also given me special abilities, based on what they read of my pysche."

"They will also increase your strength and speed ten-fold, isn't that right, Chronus?" Behr let out of hearty laugh. "That part's pretty cool, if you ask me."

Chronus glowered at the large man and growled. "I was getting to that part. But, yes, even unarmored, your physical limitations are increased exponentially." The wheelchair bound man lifted his chin and acknowledged someone behind Glaed. "Yes, your highness?"

Glaed glanced back at Antha, who had her hand raised, seemingly lost in thought. "Will this be a permanent surgery?" Antha asked, obviously excited and concerned at the same time. "And just how dangerous is it?"

The king began again, looking at his daughter. "I'm not going to lie to you, it is a very risky undertaking, but I would not make this offer if I thought you could not handle it."

"His majesty is correct," Chronus held his hands on the rails of the wheelchair and began to lift himself up, "But the rewards weigh out the risks, as you can see." He stood at his full height, about six-two, if Glaed's guess was correct, and slowly stepped towards the crowd. "Five years ago, the day before we lost Glanduil, I was injured in ion cannon fire."

The knights listened intently as Chronus told of the empire's sneak attack that destroyed their encampment and scarred him for life. "I was asleep in my cot just before dawn when I heard the loudest sound I've ever experienced. Suddenly, everything went white and I woke up in a hospital bed, miles away from the action." Chronus hung his head, obviously emotional behind his helmet visor. "I was the only survivor asleep in my tent."

The room went silent, save for the gentle clatter of metal utensils hanging from the walls. A few interns scurried by, ready to leave for the night. They waved at Chronus who solemnly waved back. "Ever since, I've been stuck in that damn chair. So I dedicated my life to my research and ways I can better serve our country."

The silence in the room was palpable as the fledgling knights processed this new information. The scientist inhaled sharply and turned back to his chair. He stumbled for just a moment before Behr caught him and his armor slowly began receding from his body.

"Unfortunately, because of my age, I am ninety-seven years old, after all, my cells just can't handle being armored for long periods of time. Also, I've only been fused with the nanites for a few months, so it's still a work-in-progress."

He chuckled as he wheeled himself back around to the computer terminal, where he began typing. The computer screen mounted to the ceiling sparked to life and an educational video began to play. It seemed very old and outdated, but the information was useful. It explained the cellular growth and decay of the body as it aged, along with extensive advice on how to slow the natural process.

After the video ended, Lark slow clapped sarcasticly while Indago yawned. It was obvious he had not slept well the night before.

"The good news is that, because you all are so young, your bodies should have no difficulty accepting the nanites, or using them for extended periods, for that matter."

Eolas nodded his head approvingly and adjusted his glasses, "It is obvious that this has gone way passed the theoretical stage of testing, so let me be the first to ask, where do I sign-up?"

Just like that? Glaed thought, trying to keep up. He also considered himself technologically savvy, but this was all a bit too much for him to process. Quezyl stepped around him and spoke again.

"I may not understand fully, but I trust Eolas, so I'm in too." Quezyl said, much to Glaed's surprise. "When it comes to stuff like this, he's an expert."

"Excellent!" The king spoke loudly. He noticed the apprehension on the faces of the rest of the knights and spoke softly. "For those of you that are still unsure, let me tell you that this is voluntary. However, if you don't wish to participate, then it will disqualify you from being a knight. There's just not enough raw aélium left in the kingdom to create armor such as Sir Wulfgard and Sir Evindol's."

After hearing the king's warning, Faust pushed passed everyone. "I came here to be a Firebrand Knight, so I'm not gonna back down." The blond knight spoke, harshly. "I'm no coward." He balled his fist and hit the tiled wall.

"Me too, I'm in." Lark's cocky voice said, next to Faust, accompanied by a chuckle. "I'm not gonna let this guy show me up." He pointed at Faust with his thumb.

Glaed thought long about his response. He didn't want to dishonor his father's memory by backing out, but he was also worried about what would happen.

"Where would these nanites be stored whenever we're not using them?" Glaed was confused and didn't know what to think. "And how would we even control them?"

"Well, Sir Balaston, the nanites actually float harmlessly within your bloodstream, waiting for you to call upon them." Chronus chimed in, waving his hands flamboyantly. "Also, they respond to your thoughts after you learn to activate them using special signals to your cerebellum, the part of your brain that controls your reflexes and motor skills."

Glaed felt satisfied, knowing that whatever happened, Glanduil was watching over him from the stars. "Oh, okay then." He hadn't understood anything Chronus said, but he was excited to see the nanites in action. "I guess I'll do it too."

The room stayed quiet for a moment when a loud snore came from behind Behr. They all turned to see Indago, who had fallen asleep beside one of the operating tables and was laying on the cold, metal floor. The captain stepped over and shook him awake by his shoulder.

He jumped up, startled. "What happened?" Indago was drowsy and out of it. Every eye was on him as he realized he had missed the last few minutes of the conversation. "Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night." He said with a nervous laugh. "But, I got the gist of it. I'm in too."

Their laughs broke the silence and Antha spoke softly to the king. "Father, I've wanted to be a Firebrand Knight since I was seven years old." King Grigory turned to face her. "But now, I am unsure." Glaed knew she hated doubting herself, but underneath that tough shell, there was a girl just as scared as the rest of them.

"My dear daughter, you are the strongest Agrior I know. I have all the faith in the world that you can do this." He smiled at the princess and kissed her the side of her head. "Besides, I wouldn't allow this if I knew any harm would befall you."

She smiled back at him and whispered, "Thank you, daddy." She seemed reassured and excited, but still a bit apprehensive.

She turned back to the rest of the knights, her smile wide and let out a long breath. "Let's do it."

Chronus cackled wildly and grinned, "Now that that's taken care of, the fun can truly begin!" He wheeled himself over to a large control board and flipped up a switch. What looked like a sports helmet type thing dropped from the ceiling, followed by a slew of wires, connected to a monitor.

He gleamed at the knights in his grandiose parlor and spoke mischievously. "Let us begin!"