The Empire of Prusha is the largest empire on the continent of Ghed. The continent is named after the four dominating races inhabiting the land: The Giants, The Humans, The Elves and The Dwarves. Of course, the Giant race had been wiped out but the name remained to this day. The Empire was home to grand cities, many dungeons and three magic towers. All three were home to many magicians and those seeking knowledge.

The magic tower situated in the south west of the empire was also a magic institute offering education to aspiring magicians and was the most developed of the three towers. The Tower owed its reputation to the current headmaster and the figure residing as the head of the Alliance, Cornelius Un Navis Tiem.

He made Prusha into the powerhouse that it is today by controlling and scheming behind the scenes. The Empire didn't have an emperor or an empress, but a council of the elders ever since the Empire's founding two thousand four hundred years ago. Over the years, the council elders changed but the one constant remained was Cornelius. Once the permanent Alliance was formed, he abandoned his elder position and took on a role as the head of The Alliance. Still, his word carried more weight than that of other elders and Cornelius' silver tongue convinced others to implement a rather controversial way to strengthen the empire. By allowing the dungeons to break, he used the hordes of monsters to level up the soldiers and adventurers of the empire, making an average level and capability of the system users much higher than that of any other kingdom or empire. A strengthening system he tried to pass onto others in the Alliance with little success.

Cornelius was a relic of the past. A Rune Elf born over three thousand years ago and one of the handful of High Elves still alive to this day. He was also one of the four members of the party that subdued and made Skeleton King retreat two thousand years ago. Three out of four, were hailed as heroes and the fourth one that didn't, was his twin brother and Vampire Lord, Gawain. A reclusive Lord that followed a completely different path and cut all ties with Cornelius a long time ago. Finally, after the battle with the Skeleton King, he withdrew himself to a small and remote corner of the world.

Gobrick Blackmail was a frontliner in that battle and hailed as the strongest ascendant, but disappeared not long ago, leaving all his worldly affairs with his son, Dhoral, who didn't deem attending the meeting worth his time. The last member of the party and the most difficult one, was a self-called emissary of the God of Light and the one bickering with everyone in the meeting, Isobel of Divine Order.

Cornelius sat at the head of the round table with his hands clasped together in front of him and fingertips touching each other. He was surrounded by figures of great influence, the kind that could impact the world. Some of them attended the meeting out of duty, some out of fear and some, apparently, to stir trouble.

He sat still, listening and contemplating while his guest was late to attend the meeting. The current speaker had taken control of the meeting, pushing her objective and intentions, trying to influence others to join her cause. While seemingly a just cause, it was anything but.

She was always like that. If she didn't have such a twisted nature, I would gladly have her by my side alas…I better stop her before she gets out of hand.

"Isobel, we have heard enough! Stop trying to project your agenda onto others!" Cornelius coldly reprimanded. The bickering stopped and all eyes turned to him. The woman he addressed had long platinum-blonde sleek hair and a pale complexion, eyes that burned with the radiance of the sun and wore an overly decorated dress in white and gold that didn't leave much to the imagination. Isobel slowly turned to Cornelius, giving him the same cold treatment she was giving to everyone else.

"Who…do You think you're talking to?" She exclaimed, offended and in disbelief. "While you all have been living your lives safely behind the high walls of cities and away from the danger that is threatening our lives, all of our lives - Me and my Order have been fighting every day, without rest with risk to our lives to purge the world of the undead filth!" Isobel spoke justly, looking at each figure at the table.

"And you Cornelius, what have you been doing all this time? Praised as the strongest hero now with Gobrick gone…all that power for nothing! You could've done something, join my cause! Instead, you've created this", Isobel gestured around herself, referring to both the magic tower and the empire, - "A safe place for you to hide in while the rest of the world is suffering!"

"That would be enough Isobel!" Cornelius slowly stood up and walked over, stopping in front of the seated Isobel. "What do you know about me, what I've been doing and what needs to be done? You speak of purging the world of the undead? You? From what I know, your little Order has been purging a lot more than just the Undead. In fact…", he leaned closer before he continued, "your Order seemed to be more of a threat to our lives than the undead! Just because I can't get rid of you, doesn't mean I can't wipe out your so-called Divine Order. In fact, I would do everyone here a favor if I did!"

Isobel pushed herself off the table and stood up, arms crossed and looking eye to eye with Cornelius. She tilted her head to the side and with a cocky attitude replied to his provocation.

"Try it! Cunt!"

Cornelius' eye twitched and his jaw clenched. He closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled. Patience. Have patience! He repeated in his head.

"I'm not one of your lap dogs you can order around!" She spat out.

"No? Then stop acting like a bitch." Cornelius snapped, losing patience.

"Enough of you two." A figure rose from his seat and interrupted. "You summoned us here for a reason. Get on with it or we're leaving."

Isobel snorted and sat down while Cornelius addressed the new speaker. "Of course, Wezar. You and Domino were summoned so we could resolve the small issue of Domino killing an ascendant Hefastos, the king of Aphiton Kingdom." Cornelius quickly switched from irritated to his most polite.

"I take it there was an issue between yours and The Aphiton Kingdom? A little scuffle over the mines if I'm not mistaken?" Cornelius asked, looking down at the two ascendants in their seats across the table. Wezar looked at him incredulously.

"Are you for real? Nefastos, with the help of this imbecile, waged war with My kingdom." Wezar accusatory pointed at the figure of Kidllams sitting a few seats away from Cornelius. Kidllams raised his arms in defense, offended by the accusations and went on to explain that he was in Nefastos employment and only did what his contract entailed. And that was to stop the other ascendants from interfering directly with the war and the prince, specifically, without killing him. He then summoned a contract in his hands and handed it for Cornelius to read.

While Cornelius skimmed through the contract, Wezar focused his attention on Kidllams.

"I don't care what deal you made. You attacked my men and by attacking them, you attacked me!"

Kidllams narrowed his eyes, then slightly smirked before saying: "Instead of pointing fingers and blaming others, you should go home and help your son, Tristan. Last time I saw him he looked like he needed a hand…"

Wezar leaned back in his chair and gave him a smile that wasn't exactly a smile, while Domino subtly dove down into his shadow and reappeared behind Kidllams.

"From what I heard, the last time you engaged my son, it looked like you were the one needing a hand. I knew you were weak but damn…" Wezar slowly shook his head and looked at Kidllams with a pity evident in his eyes. The condescending look he was given wiped the smirk of Kidllams face and just as he was about to respond, the door to the meeting hall opened and the figure running late entered.

*grunts*

"Apologies for arriving late to the meeting." Tusk entered, providing no further explanation and surveying the hall, taking note of all the participants. He then started walking in Kidllams’ direction. Behind him the door closed as another figure stealthily entered and followed from behind. While Wezar was fuming, seeing the newcomer, Kidllams turned to Cornelius. "I take it the contract is valid and the system binding?"

Cornelius nodded and confirmed aloud that the contract was indeed written and signed in the language of the system, runes. The binding contract wasn't unbreakable, but had dire consequences for anyone daring to break it. Death being the most frequent one and Kidllams sitting in the meeting, unscathed, proved that the contract wasn't breached.

"Then, I'll take my leave first." Kidllams stood up and turned to leave without giving Wezar or Domino a single glance. When he was passing Tusk by, the corner of his lips slightly curved into a smirk. Wezar watched him leave and the not-so-subtle action didn't escape his notice.

"What's this now? This isn't a place a frog like you can just waltz in."

"Now, now." Cornelius drew the attention. "I invited Mr. Tusk to join us in the meeting, because like it or not, his business empire is making strides, influencing our everyday lives." He then addressed The Siren. "Mrs. Nerissa, you are more than welcome to join us at the table. And…if you changed your mind about joining the Alliance-"

"I'm fine with where I am." She briskly interjected.

Domino returned to his seat next to Wezar while Tusk sat in Kidllams place with Nerissa standing right behind him, giving a loud and clear message to everyone present.

Cornelius frowned at the turn of events. He didn't pay much attention to the war but the outcome was undesirable. "The Aphiton Kingdom is without the king and in disarray. It is necessary to take immediate action to prevent any further-"

"That won't be necessary." Wezar said, not taking eyes off Tusk. Cornelius was interrupted again, his frown deepened. "Explain."

Wezar finally broke eye contact after a few seconds and turned his attention to Cornelius who looked the least bit pleased by the lack of decorum in the meeting.

"As you have said, the Aphiton Kingdom is in need of a king and as the one responsible, it is only right that I also take the responsibility governing as the new king."

Just as I thought. "Very ambitious Wezar. By expanding the borders of your kingdom, do you plan to become a major kingdom?" Cornelius questioned. There would be a slight shift in the balance he wouldn’t appreciate if the Wezar Kingdom expanded.

"No. I plan to leave the borders of our two kingdoms as they are for now and have Tristan take the throne of the Aphiton Kingdom."

Whispers and discussion could be heard going around the table. Cornelius couldn't refute Wezar and while he didn't like giving the man more power, it would actually solve many issues they would bring up during the meeting. None of the other participants voiced a complaint either. The only one that seemed to have anything to say was the orc, sitting across.

"I don't think having a figure as young and inexperienced as Tristan would be an optimal choice for the king. With you being absent most of the time, it would leave both kingdoms in a vulnerable position if something were to happen."

"If something were to happen? You mean like an unexpected terrorist attack in the middle of the city during the festival?" Wezar didn't really ask, but made a statement. He slowly rose from his seat and glared. "And who would you have taken the place of the new king? You?"

"Sure, why not? At least I have the experience. If not me then the kingdom could be managed by the Alliance." The orc replied, slowly adjusting the gauntlets beneath the sleeves of his suit.

"I see and with Kidllams by your side, you would protect the kingdom's interest against the invading neighboring kingdom."

Tusk paused, not replying immediately. A few different outcomes ran through his head depending on how he would reply. I guess I'm testing the gauntlets.

"Sure, though we would have to discuss first the matter of fortress at the border and the territ-"

*slam* *whoosh*

Tusk barely managed to blink in the moment of time Wezar pushed himself off the table, jumped over and grabbed him by the collar of his suit, then hurled him against the wall to the side. Tusk crashed into the wall with the impact that broke a couple of ribs. Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth as he grinned, only infuriating Wezar more. Both glanced at the ground as multiple runes flared to existence. The two shared a look and sprung into action before the spell restricted their movements. Domino engaged Nerissa while Cornelius channeled the restricting spell. The onlookers backed away from the table and mostly watched everything play out with great interest.