The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway as two young boys were running through the old hall. The servants who were going about doing their daily business smiled and greeted them and lowered their heads. The young boys who were barely a few years apart looked similar to one another with black hair and grey eyes. They paid them no heed as they kept running disappearing into the corridor. The servants only sighed at the sight of it and went about their way.

"Caius! Give it back!" Said the younger one. "Then try and catch me!" Said Caius as he kept taunting his brother with the wooden toy he held in his hand. Every time Dalius caught up to his older brother and tried to take his toy back he was quickly overpowered and thrown to the ground.

Caius had a smirk on his face seeing how easy it was to bully the naive Dalius. He then took the wooden toy soldier into both of his hands and with a glee said. "Want me to break it?"

"No!" Dalius screamed with tears in his big eyes and quickly got up, throwing himself at his brother and biting his hand. Seeing what Dalius has done Caius grunted in pain and punched his younger brother in the face. "What's going on!?" An old voice sounded out followed by the rattling of glass and tools. From behind the corner emerged an old man with hair and a beard as grey as his long and dusty robe. "Caius what did you do?!" Yelled Janus the old record keeper and came running to the crying Dalius trying to comfort him.

Seeing what he has done and that his fun was now over distaste filled him and he threw the toy at Dalius before he ran away. "Caius wait!" Janus yelled at him but to no avail as the boy quickly disappeared behind the corner. Janus frowned but decided to deal with it later first he had to see how bad Dalius' eye was. He crouched carefully so as to not damage the things he carried in his old bag and inspected Dalius's eye who kept crying and sobbing. The eye was swollen and had a bruise forming around it.

"Don't cry it's not that bad." He tried to console Dalius as he quickly rummaged through his bag and took out a bandage and a vial of green liquid. He applied it onto the bandage and blew a blue mist onto it making the liquid glow. "There it should get better soon! Heh! Now you look like a real pirate!" He smiled and laughed at the eyepatch on Dalius's face which seemed to have calmed him down a little. "Say how about we go and see old Halda? I think I saw her making a blueberry pie and some fruit tarts."

At the mere mention of the said sweets, Dalius's mood seemed to have done an entire turnaround as he was now beaming with joy and anticipation. "You little rascal." Janus laughed as he picked him up and carried him away. The keep was old as was quite evident by the moss and cracked walls. Yet it still stood strong housing more than 100 people in it to this day. Not only that but it was also well kept despite its age thanks to the servants no doubt.

Along the way, they met serval servants all curious as to what happened. Keeping it short he said that it was just friendly banter between brothers albeit everybody already knew what most likely happened. Most of them already knew about Caius and his recent antics.

"Oh by Venisia! What happened?!" Halda gasped as she came running out of the kitchen with her dirty apron and flour-covered hands holding Dalius and inspecting him. "It was Caius! He hit me and he wanted to break my toy!" Said Dalius holding onto the wooden soldier trying to look as cute and innocent as he could while looking at her with a big sobbing eye. "Oh no! What happened!" Another two women came running out of the kitchen flour falling off of them. "Come here sweetie we made something just for you!" Without being able to even protest the three big ladies took Dalius out of Janus's arms and carried him into the kitchen.

Seeing the now happy look on his face Janus could only smirk and laugh internally at the young ones acting. While Dalius was quite timid and shy most of the time. But when food and sweets were introduced he would become focused and committed. At least this way he was easier to deal with, unlike his other siblings. The only real concern he had was that one day he would become a glutton unable to sate his hunger. But that was a problem for another time. For now, he was barely 5 years old and he had a lot of growing up to do.

Sniffing the air Janus could smell the delicious things the three cooks made and he could mumble to himself while holding his stomach." Well, I guess a quick morning snack wouldn't hurt." He was about head inside but the sudden footsteps and clanking and dangling of iron made him stop. "Master Recorder keeper! I found you!" From behind the corner, one of the guards came running bearly able to catch his breath. "What happened?" Janus asked as a bad feeling suddenly overtook him. The guard took a big breath and went closer whispering something into Janus's ear.

He already expected bad news as the guards would never look for him so quickly unless something bad but when he heard what the guard said he could not help but be shocked and exclaim loudly. "Uncle Janus, did something happen?" Dalius curious as to what was happening came outside of the kitchen followed by the Halda and the other cooks all curious as to what happened.

"It's Lucius! Your brother! He finally woke up!"

Meanwhile, in a place far away from Lucius' home, two men were walking down a long and giant hall. The height of the pillars and the width of the hall made one question just how enormous the building was. Marble and silver statues of great and heroic men and women stood under each pillar. The red carpet under their feet stretched from one end of the hall to another while the morning light shined through the colorful glass making the place look lively despite being deserted.

As the two men were slowly walking talking in a hushed tone as if afraid that somebody would hear them in this great empty place. One was dressed in a fine long robe of red and black holding onto a staff while the other was dressed in expensive velvet clothes.

"What do you think of the incident that took place last night?" Asked the man dressed in silver and velvet clothes. His face was old and yet there was a sharp look in his eyes. "You mean the murder?" Asked the other one his face hidden under a hood.

"Of course, I mean the murder! What else would I be talking about?! Or do you have some other things to surprise me with?!" He said his voice getting sharper and louder by the end of it. "Of course not! What would I ever hide from you, my friend?" Replied the man in robes with a laugh. The old man in velvet clothes ignored the sarcastic comments and continued. "So?"

"Hmm, what do you want me to say?" Replied the robed man nonchalantly.

"What do I want you to say? Two senators got murdered last night Robar!" Said the man in velvet clothes his anger rising, barely able to control the tone of his voice. Upon hearing the angry voice the robed man stayed silent only speaking after a while. "The 8 towers have no place or voice in the Senate. Our opinion is irrelevant on this matter."

Their walk came to an end as they reached the balcony and looked upon the grand sight before them. A sprawling metropolis with grand houses and buildings as far as the eye could see. Walls large enough that one would have to look straight up to see its end encircled this massive city was built next to a gigantic lake called the Inner sea. Ships came and went bringing goods while caravans lined up outside its massive gates guarded by beasts and men alike. All of them trying to support this massive monster of the city.

The man in velvet clothes leaned over the balcony looking at the city. Taking out a pipe to calm his rising nerves, his friend helping him light it up with just a snap of his fingers. Both of them silently stared at the busy city and its people going about their daily ways.

"Mad times. Mad times we live in."

"Why would you say so, my friend." Asked Robar.

"Senators are dying like flies these days. Pirates are pillaging across the seas as they please. The barbarian attacks are rising in numbers. The cities of Riverlakes are in a silent war against each other while the east is already in open rebellion. Rumors of a new plague spreading from that accursed jungle. And all of this is happening as the royal blood is thinning out. Soon there might be no one left to seeth the hunger of that bloody throne. Mad times I say." He said taking a long smoke from the pipe easing his nerves.

"I don't know how many more hits the Imperium can take Robar. If this continues, I fear for the future." Robar stared silently at his friend and after a long pause, he said. "Then what about your grandchild?"

The old man's look turned serious as he silently stared at Robar before he took a long puff of smoke staring back at the city. "I plan on sending him to the 8 towers. I hope I can count on your support." Robar silently nodded making the old man finally grow at ease.

Suddenly a ring on one of the old man's fingers started shining and flickering giving off blue light that soon died down. "Another meeting is in progress."

"Then you should go my friend what will the senate do without one of its consuls?" Robar said jokingly extending his hand.

"Farwell my friend I hope we can see each other again in the future." The old man smiled and shook his hand before both of them went their separate ways.