Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 526: White hart (2)

'If my lord wanted a base, there is no better place. Rebellions are all over the Three Kingdoms. Months before we enter there is a great battle in Dorsea, one the region of Iathus. In Luxermbough many rebellions are starting. If my lord flies the banner of rebellion like the other, with my lord strength and prowess in battle, people would flock to my lord.'

Ragar has one acquaintance in the Three Kingdoms who serves some high ranking noble in Balhae. 

Considering that the person he knows is unsatisfied with his master, Ragar promises that he will gain his freedom when he arrives if he supplied him with information, maps, general situation in the three kingdoms and many more.

Lo and behold. 

After sending a yellow bird to send the message, the man began sending him information what is happening on the Three Kingdoms.

Arial also knows of this and approve of Ragar decision. He needed a way in if he wanted to rule all of the Shadowlands.

The reason why Arial and Ragar always have this midnight discussion is because Arial also could learn many things about Novus Gaia from Ragar.

And Amara send him a message that Ragar could be trusted and because of that Arial could feel ease around him

'Ragar, can I ask you a question?' Ragar was sitting drinking some water from a leather pouch as he is sitting in a comfortable pose now that Arial has begun to talk.

'Ask away'

'Why does the three kingdoms have Caelum sounding name for their Kingdoms. I always found this weird.'

'OH that?'

Ragar forget that Arial does not know much about the Three Kingdoms other than their names and their position so Ragar began explaining.

'Hmm. One of the reason why this is so is because many outlaws, prisoners, criminals were sent here during the Montblanc dynasty. At the time, the Leviathan tribe has certain deals with the outside people. Not only they made deals with the Montblanc but also they made deals with the Huangdi of Ming and the Maha Shah of Ariundus and the League Lords of Asterosi. Leviathan, Conqueror of the Sea, their tribe has the abilities to call upon the Gods and calms the wind. The Gifted amongst them could talk to Sea Beast and could transport a person underwater with the aid of these beasts.'

Arial eyes shines and was very entranced listing to this Gifted ability.

'Is there still many Gifted amongst the Tribe?' Arial asked as he believes he needs to know the abilities of these Gifted if he were to mount an attack someday and he would like to not be caught in surprise.

Ragar shakes his head.

'Not many are Gifted. Sometimes they aren't one in a generation. Anyway, the deal was for the Leviathan to send these criminals far away from the lands of these Outsiders. So, they were sent to the Shadowlands to die but who would have thought they created their own community in the Shadowlands.' Ragar remarked.

The other great empires on the world wanted to turn the New World into a colony of prisons for people they want to see gone.

His great grandfather once told the stories to him that he once travels beyond the Godstree and met an Eastian man living in a cave, fighting the miasma of Darkness every day and survived.

He then continues his explanation

'When the Three Great Tribes forms a settlement in the Shadowlands, they intermarriage with the descendants of the criminals and outlaws. Most of them retain their cultures and many of the nobles in the Three Kingdoms follow some sort of fusion of cultures from Caelum race, Eastian race and Asterosian.'

'Interesting' Arial remarked as he rubs his chin and could not help but smirk. 

The Three Great Tribes clearly hated Outsiders yet they could tolerate the descendants of these Outsiders.

Maybe because they found some similarity between them, sharing the same battle or objectives. 

Or that the first settlers of the Three Great Tribes require the help of the people who already successfully settled inside the Shadowlands.

'Why did the Thirteen Tribe not follow the same cultures as the Shadowlands?' Arial asked curious of the difference in culture between those outside and inside the settlements.

Ragar snorted and said with pride.

'The Thirteen Tribes is the Thirteen Tribes' he answers simply. 

'Could you elaborate?' Arial said rolling his eyes.

'We do not have nobles. We do not determine right and wrong by how eloquent we speak or our status. We speak and judge with our strength. Nothing more. This was the way of our ancestors and as such the way of our priest. There were many occasions where the Three Great Tribe tried to introduce the nobility system among the Thirteen Tribes living outside the Shadowlands and each time the Godsmeet would convene and declare the system to be eroding the fate of the Gods.'

'Why?' Arial asked clearly he could not understand the Thirteen Tribes logic and reasoning. Ragar, puffing out his chest answer proudly 

'For if there is a King for the Thirteen Tribes and a man who stands above us, then that would be our Savior, the Great Asrana Mahava. We will not bow to some skin changing Lucians. We will not bow to some noble Enceladus prick. We will not bow to lustful Veranians. Because even though they decorate themselves as nobles or Kings, they were sinners and they will pay the same. Fancy them a King! Hmph! What a disgrace'

This statements usually are only thought of but not spoken. 

In the lands of Novus Gaia, the ten tribes depend on the Three Great Tribes from the protection of the Darkness beyond the Godstree. 

But now, that the Darkness is unleashed, every tribe for itself. 

Every man for itself. 

The sacrifice of blood must be offered before the Ancient Gate is opened and the altar of repentance is the Shadowlands.

Unify the Shadowlands and the Ancient gate would be opened. This is the words of the wise Priest when they reminded the tribes when the moon and the sun meet each other.

Such things happen only few times. Outsiders called it an eclipse. 

The Priest called it a sign reminding the Tribes of the story of the Moon and Sun that will both accompany the Savior into battle. 

The Moon symbolizes sorrow that will shape the Savior bloody path. The Sun symbolizes the rebirth of the Savior to become the Savior the world needed.

Arial nodded as he began to understand the complex relationship between these thirteen tribes.

They were not like the Xenosian Desert tribes or the Orchish Tribes in Anvali. They were bounded by religion and story of Old Gods and heritage.

But there is another question that Arial wanted to ask

'This sin you keep talking about? What sin are you referring to?' 

'Did none of your adviser tell you about the story?' This time it was Ragar turn to roll his eyes

'I never had the opportunity to ask.' 

'Fine. Bear with me. The story is long'

'Just the way I like it' Arial said before he began to lied down on his recliner with one hand under his chin.

'Begin'

And Ragar began telling the story.

'It is said that the Thirteen Tribes were saved by the Great Prophet Nasrana when he plants the Godstree in the border between the Shadowlands and the Ever Realms. 

'Everrealms?' Arial asked looking at Ragar not familiar with the term. 

'Before the Sky People called this land Novus Gaia, our ancestors called this land the Everrealms where the boundaries between dimensions are the weakest.' 

Arial nodded and Ragar continues

'When the tree was planted and its magic protected the Tribes, the land beyond the Tree was called the Shadowlands. The Tribes were full of gratitude towards the Great Prophet. The Great Prophet at that time coincidentally falls in love with one of the maidens of the Tribes when he stays here. Their marriage was blessed by the Creator if the lore is to be believed. The Red Haired Maiden Gwenevere also falls in love with the Prophet who saves her tribes.'

'Gwenevere?' Arial asked, clearly he never read or heard about the name of the Red Haired Maiden. 

In some obscure religious text it does mention a Red Haired maiden who was beloved by the apostles of Nasrana and Nasrana himself but this matter of love and marriage of the Great Prophet was never mentioned.

'Continue' Arial said Ragar then resume his story from his memory.

'When Nasrana was informed by the Angels that his union was blessed, he sought to bring Gwenevere with him on his journey of spreading the truth. Gwenevere was a bright young woman soaking up the Holy Words with clarity. Rulius one of the Prophet Apostles remark that since the Prophet found Gwenevere he rarely spends time with the other disciples.'

'Julian another disciple of Nasrana then remonstrate Rulius telling him that the union between the Prophet and Gwenevere was blessed by the Creator of All. This answer seems to be accepted by Nasrana disciple but not by Brutus'

Arial nodded. He did read about Brutus in one of the banned books that Mikael managed to salvage from the Dark Church.