Blessed are the Imperious: Chapter 2 – The Blinding Light of Truth

Chapter 2 – The Blinding Light of Truth

With tea in hand and various desserts and sandwiches on the table, I sit with Evander in his personal library. He joyfully eats the sweets on the table, and if I didn’t know who he was, I’d think he was just a light-hearted and simple boy who always enjoys the present moment.

“Go ahead and eat what you want, Sarah. Don’t mind taking the sweets either,” Evander says.

“You can have them. I know how much you enjoy your sweets,” I say.

“I guess my tastebuds haven’t aged just like my face, voice, and some of my mannerisms haven’t. Tell me, what kind of books do you like reading?”

“Fiction and theory crafting. There’s a book called Fantasy and Reality’s Fine Line that I’m currently reading that reflects on how civilizations of old used to talk about orcs, elves, and beastmen as beings of fiction and legend and wonders if the legends are just facts that have been obscured by time, forgetfulness, and the loss of records.”

“I like that one a lot too. I even got to meet the author and talk with him here just like how we’re talking now. To be honest, I can’t blame the people of the past for thinking that fantastical stories are nothing more than fiction. Even the history we know to be true seems made up such as the ships that sailed the stars and a war that extinguished suns. We would’ve labeled them all as fiction if we didn’t have the remnants of that final war still in the oceans, littering the lands, and occupying our museums and libraries.”

“Speaking of libraries, yours is impressive. I like the modeled ships of the past that hang from the ceiling and the number of books that look like they could take centuries to read.”

“I have been alive for centuries so I was able to read them all. You’ve only been alive long enough to see the rise of the ratmen, right?”

“Correct, so I’m still fairly young. I think I was only ten years old when I first heard about them infesting most cities in the world.”

“What did your family do during that time?”

“We protected ourselves and got involved when we could, especially after everyone in the Holy Land turned into elves as we were endowed by God with new powers. I have family in the military that were involved in the war against them.”

“So I’ve heard. What do you think of the orc’s requests?”

“They’re justified in a sense, but too eager to see things done in what they consider the right way.”

“It was a smart move giving them a competition to work out their frustrations in. I just hope that they keep their want for fighting contained for a year.”

“Thank you and I hope so too. Also, I wasn’t lying when I said I would compete in the competition myself. My family in the military has trained me to fight like them so I’m able to use light magic more effectively than most lords.”

“We’ll see when the selection process happens. You’ll have to prove yourself in sparing first before you’re selected.”

“Of course.”

“On the other hand, what do you think of Draco’s demands?”

“They’re more reasonable than the orcs, but they’re just the other side of the same coin. I admired them when they took advantage of current events to become the most powerful kingdom in the world, spread their influence, and reach every corner of it. It was a grand display of legal manipulation if there was ever a case of it but is the work of amateurs compared to your leadership and decisions.”

Evander smirks.

“I would like to think so.”

“It’s true. They threw away their lead once they got too ambitious for their own good by taking land and getting rid of or turning their enemies into allies too quickly to appear natural and legal.”

“Indeed. Part of me doesn’t blame them for their impatience since the places that they controlled became more orderly and I forget that normal men hardly live past the age of fifty while we’ve lived for centuries. In terms of other foreign powers, what do you think of the United Kingdoms of the Americas?”

“Fractured as they are now because of the bandit kingdoms, they are no competitor to us, but they are a useful ally because of their unique resources on their side of the world, their beastmen, and their magic users. We should keep them as close as possible. Is that why you kept one of their members as one of your personal bodyguards?”

“Not really. Priscilla is a unique individual who has a conviction to do what’s right that I don’t see in most individuals.”

“I’m still surprised that you let Draco have her as an assurance of our alliance.”

“She is allowed to come back every now and then. Draco’s Odollam spies haven’t been able to do much to her that she hasn’t been able to handle, especially since we don’t have much of anything to hide besides our private affairs. Priscilla should be around here today since she’s been given an extended leave because of what’s going on in Draco and they see no use in keeping her around at the moment.”

One of Evander’s personal servants comes into the library and whispers something to him. He looks at me, nods, and whispers something back.

“Speaking about private affairs, you must excuse me since there is something that requires my immediate attention.”

“You don’t need to justify yourself. I’ll wait here.”

Evander smiles and nods before heading off. Our entire conversation was the interview for my higher position on the council. He was testing me with everything he said, well, everything but the eating the sweets, I assume. This must be another test and part of the interview. Perhaps he’s testing my patience or wants me to do something, but what could it be? The last thing he mentioned was Priscilla, so maybe I should go looking for her since he said she should be around here. I’ve been dying to question her ever since she came to this side of the world with a dark elf child in tow.

The dark elf was rumored to be able to manipulate the minds of people and is said to have been cursed by occult magic. As for Priscilla, there’s nothing special about her that I can see on the surface. She seems to be a normal human except for her exceptionally long lifespan. Everyone knows that Evander must’ve done something to her to allow her to live so long, but what was it, and why her? Now I really want to go searching for her. Getting up from the chair, I move as quietly and quickly as possible out of the library and begin my search.

Evander’s house is like that of a church and a mansion combined with many statues, paintings, and stained glass windows that have God, Mary, saints, angels, and scenes from scripture or history on them. These halls are emptier than they were when I first arrived, and yet, they appear to have just been cleaned. Perhaps the servants are done for the day and are resting. It is almost midafternoon after all. Still, it feels like I’m being watched or judged by an unseen force, and every time I turn around, the feeling disappears.

After a while of searching, I see a person robed in white walk through the halls. I follow them and see them push a stone in that reveals a hidden staircase that goes down. Firstly, I wait for the person to head down the stairs so they don’t notice me following them down and then head down myself. Once in the hidden basement, I’m surprised to see that the robed person has completely vanished. I don’t think I was that far behind them or it could be possible that they knew I was following them. There doesn’t seem to be much in this completely empty basement other than webs and dust. That is until a flash of light forces me to shut my eyes and reopen them to find that the place is now filled with golden light and people who appear to be angels.

No, these are just people. They’re high elves who ascended to a higher state of being through their faith and practice of light magic. I’ve heard of these people and read about them, but never thought I’d see them in person because they’re said to guard the Church’s most valuable treasures and only be deployed as soldiers when Evander commanders, which is incredibly rare. Their golden body parts, skirts, and wings are disconnected from one another, especially their heads which have no facial features and look like the crest on a knight’s helmet. They don’t seem to mind that I’m here even as I walk passed them and they look directly at me and simply keep floating back and forth with their hands in constant prayer.

Further into the room of light, a white robe is thrown at me as I am attacked by a masked assailant who wears brown leather armor, wields a sword and shield, and wears the mask of a snake. Immediately, I burn the robe into ashes, conjure two daggers with my light magic, and meet my attacker's blades with my own. This is not the time to be asking this person any questions so I attack with a flurry from my blades and make beams of hot light shoot out from them to create more distance, breathing room, and to keep my enemy on their toes.

My beams of light manage to hit my enemy, though the beams only push them back rather than incinerate them into ash. This person is good and prepared whoever they are. If anything, I hope it’s another test from Evander and not an actual assassin. Still, the enemy comes at me with the intent to kill at lightning-fast speeds, forcing me to keep on the attack and not stop for a second. I haven’t fought this hard since I trained with my siblings, and yet, this person seems tougher than them in how they counter many of my attacks and are hardly phased after being stabbed and cut by my blades and burned by my magic. Eventually, I’m able to cut their mask off, revealing my enemy to be…Priscilla? I recognize her black and red hair, golden eyes, and beige skin anywhere.

My surprise causes me to hesitate during the fight, allowing Priscilla to stab me in my side, but I’m able to recover by slashing back at her and pushing her back with a barrage of light beams that hit her and force her to fall to the ground. I then put my conjured knife of light to her throat and cut at her arm that was holding her sword, forcing her to drop it. Victory is finally mine.

“What is the meaning of this?” I ask with sweat flowing down my face and in an out-of-breath voice. “Why did you attack me? What are you and Evander hiding down here?”

“You passed the test. Congratulations,” Priscilla says with a smile.

The sound of clapping makes me turn my head to see Evander approaching us with a smile on his face.

“I was wondering if you were going to fail because of how long it took you to find Priscilla and the secret passageway down here. Most give up and go home or simply stay in the library until I return and tell them that aren’t getting the position on the council,” Evander says.

“What about those who face Priscilla and lose?” I ask.

“They simply leave with their damaged pride and told that they failed and to keep quiet about what they found unless they want to lose their position and be denied publicly of what’s down here and what they went through. A leader is not worthy of his position unless he can fight and defend himself and you proved that you are a true leader. I might even put you in that competition against the orcs without making you go through the selection process.”

“What is down here?”

“A secret that I’ve been working on for centuries that only my most trusted allies can see, and since you passed my test, I’ll allow you to see it. It will change the world for the better and bring about true peace.”

With no other choice, I follow Evander and Priscilla deeper into the basement and find a singular ratmen who is dressed like and has the body and makeup of a woman. This man is walking around and praising God while having a bright light shine on him.

“What is this degenerate doing here? Is he your secret?” I ask.

“He’s part of it. He used to be one of the many human trafficker madams who kidnapped women, ran brothels underground, distributed drugs, and forced innocent women to give birth to ratmen. It sickens me to no end to think of the people who watch women give birth to ratmen only for the mothers to be eaten alive by her children,” Evander says. “This is why we captured men like this and put them through our rehabilitation process.”

“This process involves the light around him?”

“It’s in the light around us and is the result of research done by elves from all over the Holy Land and men from all over the world. It puts the subjects in a situation they think is reality but is a tailored dream reality that pushes them to repent of their sins and love God.”

“Amazing. Why are you hiding this miraculous magic?”

“It involves forcing the subjects to comply and isn’t perfected yet to the degree I need it to be, but once it is, the whole world will be made better by it.”

For an instant, I not only see the ratman in front of me but also hundreds of thousands of people who are under the light’s influence. The sight is enough to leave me speechless and lose my train of thought.

“Why do you get up every day, Sarah? What is your reason for existing and the motive behind every action and thought?” Evander asks me.

“To serve God and my kingdom,” I answer already knowing it from rehearsal.

“A typical answer, but a good and right one, nevertheless. In my countless years of living, I wondered why God chose me to become the first elf and live the longest out of every other human being, and with this power I’ve discovered, I see why. With it, we can convert even the worst of sinners to repent and believe and make the world a peaceful place.”

“I agree. You are truly blessed and I’m sure this magic will do much good for humanity,” I say while not knowing what to say at all.

“Thank you for seeing that and also thank you for leaving me the sweets in the library. For that, you get the bonus of having my personal carriage driver take you home and your higher position on the council starting tomorrow rather than next week like the usual candidates who take this test and pass. Congratulations on your new job. I’m sure your family will be happy for you but don’t tell them about what you saw here, or else what you’ve been through will be for nothing. Nevertheless, cheer up and walk with your head high. We’ll accomplish great things together and bring a wave of peace to this world that it’s never known.”

“Thank you for everything, my king. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

Evander and I bow to one another before I say my goodbye and leave. While in the carriage, I feel completely drained of life after having gone through so much. What am I even going to do with all I’ve learned?