The King Trials 2: Beyond.

~Dynasties Aren't Built; They're Taken~

After reciting what had Vince told me. Kelan's response is resigned to a bestial grunt.

"A breaking point," he quotes acidly. "Those attacks were not just about upsetting the balance in Urium, but it degraded the credibility of the Crown to rule its own realm. Chaos spreading into other dominions, not enough to provoke military action, not because of hostile rebels. But enough to leave none wanting to broker an alliance with a volatile realm."

"They were planning to isolate Urium," I say over his shoulder. Sighing, I rest my forehead against his back. "They wanted to make sure that no foreign power would intervene in our affairs in fear of inheriting our strife."

"Not only that." He offers a quick glance behind him. "It was not about weakening Urium in foreign eyes, but weakening the Crown. They did not want a complete severance but the ability to blame the current reign for being the source of Urium's instability. Urium is a stronghold, the epicentre of life, all know of its importance. But its unrest has warded off many."

I lift my head. "That is why when the Ethane rise to take power, the tides of turmoil will still. Foreign powers will find fault with Urus's rule and seek to support the takeover to put someone more fit to rule in his place."

Zooming amidst the streets of the Tent-City. A sign I have even seen many times in Armathis protrudes from one of the stores that are tightly packed together. A sign of a hand holding a lotus flower. Typically owned by sages or medeises who occupy a store filled with herbs, elixirs, and concoctions, varying in purpose, all with magical properties.

"I know that your...squadron has been...tainted. But surely you can call on the First Legion when we arrive at the Pantheon. I doubt their treachery has spread to an army of thousands upon thousands."

"Yes," he says thoughtfully.

He steadies the horse to a halt. We dismount, then he ties the reins to a lamppost.

He opens one of the saddlebags and takes out a jingling, leather pouch. "Due to the havoc spurred by the terror factions and uprisings that has flared all across Urium. It has forced both the Vanguard and Avangard to relocate sporadically, throughout the realm to respond to the surge. I know of only the Fourth Legion that occupies the west border. A lot of terror activity has drawn forces to kingdoms on the fringes...."

"Reins—mentioned that the King Trials was a distraction to amass troops and position them. And that would require a significant amount of time to trickle in forces without rousing alarm. What if all the terror activity was meant to also draw them away so that if the Pantheon was ever invaded..." I trail off to allow him to fill in the blanks.

"The High King would be left vulnerable. The City of Old is well-defended and the castle heavily fortified, but in the event of an invasion....one coming from all sides would demand immediate reinforcements that they would now lack with our forces scattered both within and without the realm."

He curses before he storms in the store's direction, bursting through the door with me in tow. Kelan marches down, the wooden floorboards creak and groan with pain. The store is dimly-lit; the flanks are lined with cases teeming with glowing objects, shelves brimming with irregular shaped bottles filled with glittering contents.

A medeis behind the counter erects at our brusque advent. Her dark amber skin patterned with tactile markings, her bright orange eyes stark with panic. Two bronzed horns lengthen from the tip of her forehead in a spiral shape.

"We need to send a portal message."

She gawks at Kelan with poorly hidden fright. I glance at him, glimpsing the dotted, dried blood freckled on his face, appearing as if he just stepped out of war zone.