As the knight in charge of announcing the nobles who were appearing signaled us to approach Cassandra looked around in wonder before mother reminded her that she needed to remember the etiquette she and father and been drilling into our heads. Cassandra had to stand with her hands clasped in front of her, her back straight and talk like she was above all the other noble children as long as they weren’t from the houses of other dukes. While I had to walk with my right hand at my side and since I had a sword my left palm was supposed to be on the pommel whenever I wasn’t talking to someone. As I am the heir to the house of Arbor the king and father made it my duty to escort the princess around the dance floor and make sure none of the nobles try anything untoward with her. Since I was escorting the princess alpha was allowed to follow me and carry a weapon in his hands. The rest of my guards had to wait around the ballroom unless called upon. In line with the etiquette Mother had taught us I’d also learned the hierarchy of the kingdom. From the lowest to highest it went:

Non-humans

Slaves

commoners

middle class

Lower end Merchant(all merchants are treated as the same level regardless of gender)

Knight

Baronet

Baron

Viscount

Earl

High end merchant

Count

Marquis

Prince/princess

Duke

Crown prince

Grand duke

King/queen

I didn’t quite like it as it was very biased against both the lower class and especially women but I knew I wasn’t strong enough to even think of trying anything. While I’d been learning all this my mother was normally very gentle had turned into a demon while teaching us. Even father was scared of her and didn’t dare interrupt our lessons. As etiquette requires our guards entered first with the servants in a bracket[ formation to the sides and behind us. My guards must have looked far more imposing then I expected because it took many of the nobles some time to realise that we had entered. For the nobles who were in charge of the military they had identified the gear my soldiers were wearing as incredibly high class. I was very proud that so many realised my greatness and puffed my chest out but as if he could read my mind (which he might be able to) father chopped me on the top of my head. It hurt a lot and I turned around holding my head with tears in my bright blue eyes as mother scolded him quite fiercely. After giving mom a sheepish smile he looked at me and gave me a death stare as he whispered, “no matter how proud you get of your accomplishments do not allow your ego to grow to that point again! You will also be showing me to wherever you sneak off to when you go into the woods. I want to meet whoever or whatever I’d giving you such powerful troops.”

I was still clutching my head and could only nod through the tears. I was very embarrassed now. I was even beginning to doubt my own strength. I knew I was weaker than all of my protectors and even some guardsmen could beat me in a ki and melee only fight. I’d even thought I was very powerful compared to adults but I saw many nobles and especially guards who looked like they could kill me instantly. Many were A and B rank with only 3-4 S ranks being present in the hall, however I have realised how weak I am and I know there could be many S ranks that are hiding they’re skill level. I had also heard from father that our country had several S ranks and we were still only considered a medium sized country with a military that wasn’t good but wasn’t bad. I was starting to get worried. If there are other countries on this continent that are even stronger it’s gonna take me a while to have enough strength to try and take them over. I was gonna have to put invasion plans on hold for now and try to find an ally in another country. I figured after this was all over I’d take the elves I’d rescued back to their country and see if I could start building up a relationship, and then use the dwarves I’d rescued to visit their country and get their royalty interested in our technology. Dwarves are notoriously curious so I think if I promise them tech beyond their wildest dreams they will have no qualms supporting me and forming an alliance. After we all walked through father took us to stand next to the throne. We stood one step below it as no retainer of the king was allowed to be on an equal level with the king. Unless of course you were the grand duke. Our country hadn’t had a grand duke in a very long time based on what father had told me but he said he thinks he’s very close to being named as such. Father has always had a close relationship with the king and they even fought together on multiple battlefields. My reminiscing was interrupted as mother pulled me to my knees and forced me to bow my head. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that father was still standing but everyone else in the hall had knelt. It was improper to even move my head to try and sneak a peak so I just stood there with moms hand on my head. Making sure I didn’t act my age or gender and try something stupid. After the footsteps stopped a deep voice rebounded throughout the hall, “Raise your heads”

We all did as he asked and saw a Middle Aged man sitting on the throne, that is Ramposa centurion the III Next to him a women sat on a smligntly smaller throne she was his newest queen consort and Elizabeth’s mother. How ever I have no idea what her name is. Standing in the right side of the queen was Elizabeth she had on a white dress with mesh wiring on the inside that made the skirt look like a big circle.(authors note I believe these are called Victorian dresses but I have no clue) She looked... cute? I’ve never actually attended a royal ball in either of my lives I normally was at war with in empire or the other and could never make time to come to these political battlefields. So I have never actually seen Elizebeth in a dress before I my sense of beauty is a little skewed towards combat. Nothing is hotter then a warrior drenched in the blood of her enemies. Plus we gods can change our looks and genders at will so they have never mattered to me.

After the king introduced his family I was called to the front to escort Elizabeth around the room and “keep her safe”. Not that I could actually do anything of one of the more powerful nobles tried anything but father had assigned my butler Sebastian and alpha to walk with me and make sure no one tried anything. When I got to the top of the throne me and my guards bowed to Elizabeth and in then she curtsied till she was lower then us. As she was no longer the crown princess of the kingdom I actually outranked her. Which felt pretty good because she’s been lording her rank over me since we’d found each other two years ago. After the formalities were out of the way I offered her my arm and she threaded her left arm through my right to hold on to my elbow. After that was out of the way I escorted her to an area that had been set aside for the noble children of all ages. There we had to sit through hours of the younger children trying(and failing) to act like they’re parents, while the older noble children tried to get me to release Elizabeth to them through flattery, attempted bribery and in the case of one especially perverted fat kid an offer to allow me to see her naked. I didn’t like that neither did Sebastian and alpha apparently because they both hit the kid with so much killing intent I thought he might actually die. I mean the air was literally vibrating around him. Only much later in my life would I find out that they’d been trying to protect me from any perverted thoughts. After everyone finally saw I wasn’t going to release Elizabeth they started cozying up to us hoping to get in our good graces and through us our parents. Of course the other sons of the dukes were incredibly jealous that I was allowed to escort the princess and I could see them all talking together and shooting glances at me out of the corner of their eyes. I knew nothing good could come of this so with my free hand I flashed a signal to alpha behind my back telling him to stay on guard and to make sure the rest of the protectors were ready to move at any time. Just as the other dukes sons seemed to be done talking the doors to the ballroom flew open and a lady in a beat up dress walked in. Despite the stairs of disdain from the nobles she went straight to a table with a whole turkey on it and ripped a leg of before devouring it in one go. This lady had absolutely no aura at all and I at first though she might be a concubine of the king but he seemed a little afraid of her so maybe she is a court magician. Nobody else I could think off would be able to enter the ball late and not get scolded by the king. I tried to probe her mental strength but the response overwhelmed me and if I hadn’t been somewhat prepared I might have fallen over. I had been prepared for some kind of retaliation but she’d swept my mental defenses aside like they were nothing.

Suddenly a voice echoed in my head,“Hello there little brother!”

I panicked, in that voice was pure power the likes of which I had no chance of winning against. I couldn’t even move at this point she had already pinned down nearly the entirety of my mind.

“Who are you? My only sibling is my sister Cassandra unless your an illegitimate child?”

The voice laughed and said,”no I’m not a member of your actual family but your one of 20 champions same as me and your the youngest of us all at the moment. The king wants you to bring Elizabeth back anyway the feast is going to start soon. As soon as you’ve dropped her off come talk to me.”

Shortly after the meal began I excused my self and headed towards the bathroom before I heard I voice in my ear.

“Boo”

Drawing my sword I swung and at the same time jumped back, making sure I didn’t stumble so I could block or attack as needed. Even though I felt my sword connect it didn’t budge and I was thrown off balance before an arm came around and caught me.

“Is that anyway to treat your big sis?”

“It is if you surprise me like that, I thought you might be an assassin.”

“You talk way to well for a five year old.”

Shiiiiiiit this lady is way to observant if I’m not carful she might find out that I’m a 16 year old god in the body of a five year old human. Think! Think Leonidas!

“ Um my intelligence and wisdom are really high so that might be why?”

“That sounded more like a question.”

This lady seemed to be having the time of her life teasing me and I could feel my emotions going out of control again. Tears started forming in my eyes and I clenched my fists as my upper lip shivered. She seemed flustered after that,

“Oh no don’t cry come on I’m sorry please don’t cry I was just teasing you! Calm down please don’t cry my reputation with kids is bad enough as it is!”

After five minutes her trying (and failing) to calm me down I managed to get my emotions back under control.

Wiping my eyes I muttered, “who are you and what do you want!”

After she also managed to calm down after being flustered by my crying self she took a deep breath and started chattering away. I completely zoned out after the first five minutes but the gist of what I heard was that she was one of 20 champions. At any given time there would always be 20 of them and if one died a new champion would be picked from among those born at the same time. I was a champion and so was she. Champions are also sometimes called descended gods or living gods due to their half immortal status. As long as our soul isn’t destroyed we can recover even from having our physical bodies completely annihilated. As champions we also are able to pick what we’re the champion of. For example Isabell was the champion of mana. Champions can become so powerful that a nations status is decided by how many have sworn to protect it. It doesn’t matter if an empire spans a whole continent if they don’t have any champions protecting them they’re classified as a small kingdom. Medium kingdoms have one or two and empires have three or four. Isabell was the only champion of our nation until I was born. The elven nation next to us has two confirmed champions and it is suspected their queen might be one. Since I’m a new champion I do not have a spirit inhabiting my body yet. In order for that to happen I have to go to an area that has a lot of mana and find an element or concept that resonates with me. Until then Isabell said she’d keep me a secret from the king and train me when she has time. The rest of what she said was utter gibberish about not telling anyone else that she had scared me and made me cry. She seems to have a soft spot for kids but unfortunately for her I’m still made she made me cry like a little baby so I’m definitely getting her back. After our talk I headed back and sat down next to father and grabbed his arm, waiting for Isabell to enter I pulled on his shirt to get his attention before pointing at Isabell and as her eyes widened in shock I loudly told my father, “that lady is a meanie!”

The entire table went dead silent as everyone looked at Isabell who also looked like she was about to cry.

“Leonidas! You promised you wouldn’t say anything!”

I only humphed at her and looked away as the king put his hand on his forehead and said to Isabell, “I told you to stop scaring kids Lady Isabell they’re to young to handle your pressure please don’t scar any of them like you did to Elizabeth!”

Isabell could only look down and mumble apologies as she glared at me. The entire table was laughing at her misfortune and even father had nearly choked on the wine he was drinking! Unfortunately that moment came to an end with a loud bang as the doors to the ballroom were blown open and one of the guards who had been outside fell through with a arrow buried in his neck. Before anyone else could react I’d already jumped towards the royal family and augmenting my body with all the ki I could muster on such short notice I pushed them all to the ground right as an arrow flew through the air and landed right were Elizabeth’s arm had been moments before. Now it was were my shoulder was and even with the nanobots frantically working to form armor I knew they wouldn’t be fast enough. I may have become a champion but I didn’t have a spirit inhabiting my body yet so I wasn’t even semi immortal if I got hit by a lethal shot I would die for real. I closed my eyes waiting to die for a second time in only five years but the pain I was expecting never came as in front of me one of my protectors had thrown himself on the way of the arrow. Turning around his arms wrapped around me and he curled into a ball protecting me from the impact of hitting the ground. As soon as I was able to move after getting the wind knocks out of me I raised a earthen rampart in front of all the nobles as I hurriedly tried to roll the one who had saved me over.

“Alpha!” I roared “get over here! Protectors man the battlements! Weapons free focus fire on the strong ones! Who ever is the Communications officer for this squad contact the base and order reinforcements ASAP.”

After alpha came over I rolled the protector over and managed to get his helmet off. I paused in shock after taking the helmet off because this wasn’t once of my created protectors, this was a slave I’d bought using the hominculi I had sent as adventurers. In return for working for me I’d given him his freedom and his dignity as a living being back, and despite not even having sworn an oath like all the other protectors I’d brought he had been the first to come to my defense. With tears streaming down my face I started casting every healing spell I knew to try and save him.He’d risked his life protecting me and I wouldn’t hesitate to do the same to save him. But he stopped me he wouldn’t let me heal him.

“Young master.” He started before pausing and coughing up a mouthful of blood

“I’m finished I know full well that arrow was poisoned don’t waste your energy on a foot soldier like me! I Just ask one thing before I go. Did I do good? Did I prove my loyalty? You saved me and many others from a fate worse than death all we want is for you to trust us and guide us to victory. Our lives are yours to do with as you wish. Just survive, live in and become who we all know you want to be.” Taking the dog tags off his neck he pressed them into my hands, they were covered in blood but I didn’t care I refused to take them! Taking them meant I knew he would die!

Turning to alpha he said,“ protect the young (more coughing) master no matter what it costs he lives on and make sure he realises his dreams! Promise me this alpha so I may go in peace!”

Alpha looked at him and knelt down in front of him on both knees before lowering his head till it touched the ground, “my comrade no you have proven your loyalty, Brother I swear on my honour, my life, my blood and my soul as long as we draw breath the master will come to no harm and with him as our leader we will have eternal glory. Your name will be recorded on the wall of fallen hero’s as the one who risked his life to save our master. Ave imperium brother and I wish you happiness and victory in the next life!”

The voices of all my protectors echoed through out the hall at alphas final statement and even I echoed the call. It was a final right on the battlefield in my past life when a soldier died shielding the innocent it was a prayer so his soul could find piece as it entered the cycle of reincarnation. “TO OUR FALLEN BROTHER AVE IMPERIUM AND MAY THE PRIMORDIALS GRANT HIM SAFE PASSAGE TO THE NEXT LIFE! ALL GLORY TO THE GODS!”

The man who died for me Charlie was his name. I took out my sword and carved his name into my flesh. Even with my healing factor it was imbedded into my very bones.

Charlie looked at me and as his hand started to fall away and the light started leaving his eyes I caught his hand and looked him in his eyes, “I will live on, I will fight alongside our battle brothers until long after my dreams have been realised. You did well, no you saved my life for that I thank you! may you find eternal peace and happiness in your next life. Goodbye my brother in arms sleep well.” With a smile on his face Charlie slowly drifted off to sleep that this body would never wake up from. Anger flowed through my entire body as tears and snot flowed freely down my face. I was no longer embarrassed by this show of emotions I only hugged the body of a comrade who had made the ultimate sacrifice. Feelings of shame shook my entire body as I realized how distrustful id been of my own soldiers. They had only wanted me to trust them all they asked for was trust and they would gladly sacrifice themselves for me. At that moment I made a vow not just a mental vow I swore an oath that everyone one of my soldiers wether they were created by me or rescued felt resonate in their very bones. I swore eternal vengeance on whoever had dared to steal such a loyal soldier away from me. I swore I would trample over their armies burn their cities and execute their royalty and nobles in the cruelest ways I could think of. Standing up I started moving up the rampart and took my position alongside my soldiers. Pulling out a bolted from a special storage ring I took aim at the door way in in less then a second I had emptied the entire clip into a shadow that had started moving out of the dust. It’s body was blown in half within the first four shots but I was just releasing my anger into it and turned it into an unrecognisable blood splatter. The thought of even trying to hide a fraction of my power had long since left my body. Now I had gone back to how I was in my past life when I led an army I killed and shouted orders, rinse and repeat.

“Who’s the communication officers!”

“That was Charlie my lord!”

“Alpha 1-2 switch with alpha! Get on the long distance communication system get us those damn reinforcements! I want them here yesterday!”

“Yes lord!”

“Yes lord!”

Turning around I saw that most of the soldiers were clustered around their masters shielding them from nothing at the moment and with every wave the enemy sent they were able to get closer and closer to the wall. Right now it was only Me, alpha and the four remaining protectors manning the walls and fighting to defend everyone else dad was in the back trying to push his way through the crowd because the formations were blocking his mana and interfering with teleportation. Deciding to take drastic measures I turned around and pointed my bolted at the king, gasps of shock came from the crowd but most shut up as I glared at them.

“Your majesty I really don’t want to do this but you cowards leave me no choice! Soldiers man the walls or the king dies!”

Seeming to realise what I was trying to do the king actually played along with it and ordered the royal guards and noble soldiers to man the battlements and help us repel the attackers. I gave him a nod of thanks and then father was next to me.

“So your a champion Leonidas?”

“Yes father at least that’s what lady Isabell tells me”

“Well I guess that does explain a lot. Now where do you need me?”

“Take the left flank you’ve got the highest authority so the soldiers should listen to you.” Even with all that’s going on father seemed to be trying to teach me how to lead and if I hadn’t see one of my soldiers die in front of me I might have even laughed. But I was far to depressed to even think about laughing at the moment. All I could think of was eviscerating the ones who had killed Charlie and then torturing them till they told us why they were here and what their goal was. Realising I’d been distracted I put the bolted back on the battlements and started firing at anything that moved. Checking my fire I realised I was down to my last four clips. I needed to see how much more ammo the soldiers had to.

“Round count!”

“Down to my last clip!”

“Two clips!”

“Last clip!”

“Three left!”

“I’ve got four!”

Shït we are all extremely low on ammo alpha had the most left but most of us were down to our last clip.

“Alpha 1-3 were are those reinforcements”

“They need another minute young lord!”

“ Ankther minute!? We don’t have another second! Send all who are ready through the portals and tell them we need more ammo!”

“Lord there’s a formation around the capital they can’t get through! They’ll need another five minutes to break through!”

“Damn it, conserve your ammo!” I roared, “one shot one kill! For every one of these bastards you kill in one shot is a round of drinks on my dad!”

“Yes lord!” They echoed

Another attacker ran out from the cloud of dust and I fired one round at his head. He seemed to sense it coming and barely managed to dodge it. Unfortunately for him it knocked his hood off and as he hurriedly tried to pull it back up alpha dropped down in front of him, grabbed him and jumped back up before depositing the bastard in front of me. Sebastian was hiding in my shadow ready to protect me at a moments notice and the second Alpha dropped the damn tree f***er in front of me he tried to attack me. Sebastian jumped in front of me grabbed the elves over extended arm kicked backwards breaking his right knee cap and throwing him over his shoulder. The wind was locked out of the elf and alpha already placed his massive foot on his chest and looked at me for orders.

“Alpha lift him up let’s show these tree huggers what happens when you mess with the house of arbor.”

As Alpha lifted the elf up with one giant hand around his neck and the other resting on his arm I amplified my voice using mana and started speaking,”attention you undergrown tree sex workers you killed one of my comrades in arms and for that I will condemn you to eternal damnation but first we’ve captured one of your little buddies! Now he’s gonna die a horrible death and if you don’t want this to happen to you you will all dispel your mana and ki barriers, drop your weapons and surrender. If you don’t want to do so then I’ll just torture you all until I become your entire species worst nightmare! Mom please cover cassies eyes and close your own I don’t want you to hate me after this. Alpha begin!”

As the rest of the elves watched alpha slowly ripped the mans arm off before burning the wound closed. After that he moved to his legs and then his other arm before he finally broke the mans spine and ended his suffering. Then at that moment space distorted behind me and Isabell was in front of me and blocking some kind of invisible blow.

“Ah Isabell so good to see you again”

“Can’t say the same to you queen of the elves!”

Locking swords in with Isabell right in front of me was a stunning elven lady with a crown atop her head. The power she was realising was on another level had Isabell not stepped in I would have been dead.

Grunting Isabell said,”Leonidas fall back create another line of defense 50 meters behind us and try to support me if you can! Feeling powerless I had no choice but to obey. As the soldiers retreated a battle between beings capable of levelling a city was about to take place and I could only watch and pray that Isabell would be victorious.