One Crest to Rule them All

"Ahhh I think a bit of both if I'm being honest"he said holding his hands up "Legends tell of your skill and cunning....yet.."he said as his eyes focused in on her "The king is dead.....so just how true can those legends be hm?"he questioned before quickly drawing his own blade as he rushed forward crashing it against hers "So I would like to test my blade to see exactly what kind of power managed to kill the king if it could defeat you."he said with a growing strength behind his words, and body as he seemed to be increasing his strength in an effort to drive her back

"You're going to make me learn stuff too huh?"Zuri sighed as he scratched his head "People take me for a lazy kid, but I'm pretty observant of the world around me."he told her "And you still haven't told me your name yet ya know?"he said as he stood behind her "I'm Zuri. Nice to meet you"he smiled holding his hand out

Solaris’s gaze narrowed at him before she turned to to take her place across the training circle. As he walked away, the Mark of Chaos could be seen peaking out just around her shoulders before being hidden by her clothing. But it was in such a a way that it promised that it expanded much, much farther. She turned back to him and took a ready stance. “Then come and find out first hand.”

SHe wold glance back at him a raised brow, though she didn't seem much interested and would sigh. "you do not have to learn if you do not wish to, I'm just adding it as a sugestion if you plan on living here. It make things easier, specally if Lady evara or the high priest wants anything to do with you in one of their offices. Plus theres also the location of the baths, training grounds, archines..." she began to list off vairous different areas that knowing where they were would be an ideal world. "your to be a student here despite....what Lady Evara wishes of you." she said simply but when he asked her name again she glanced at him again. "Lilitha....." she said looking away, "Lady Evara tends to call me Lily....ill allow you to call me such only because I look up to her."

"Hmmmm"Zuri said as he put his hand to his chin as he looked her up and down before circling her "Alright then, Lily it is"he said with a smile "Thank you for all that information. I'm a bit nervous to get started if I'm being honest"he said before pausing "Wait, what exactly does Lady Evara wish of me?"he questioned raising his eyebrow "Hey wait, you're the mage that's joining me correct? Lady Evara gave me a brief description of what you looked like last night I had almost forgotten."

The Knight smirked before striding forward and swinging his sword in a wide arc in an attempt to knock her back "Allow me the honor of testing my mettle against you"he said swinging rapidly. It was obvvious that for a human, he was highly skilled in the art of combat as he parried and danced with her blow for blow

“Not bad my friend. Well versed in the art of combat.” She said as she managed to block and evade with ease. It was said that those that bore the Mark of Chaos were gifted inhuman strength and speed and agility, two of which she showed, she had yet to use her strength against him.

The girl would stop some as she sighed heavily, before turning to look at him again "I suppose I am, but I have not agree'd to it you've proven no real skill that I have seen. Other than your name sake your just like the other crest holders who've tried to come here to get a powerful mage to bostler their claim" she then turned back around. "as for what the Lady wish of you...its the same thing she always wanted....someone other than her or her family to rule and bring peace to the land...You are her star in that"

"I've had to strike down a man or two in my time"the man replied to Solaris before he suddenly swung his sword and struck it into the the ground as an eruption caused the earth to shatter around them "So the real question, is when are you going to start taking this fight seriously?"he asked as the look in his eye now showed a more serious look underneath them as he too was an Artist, which is where the powers of the Black Knight came from

"Proven no real skill? You've just met me, I"m full of different skills"Zuri boasted proudly "I'm a good cook, I know how to sew armor and smith weapons, I can use multiple weapons and at least some basic magic spells but Solaris won't let me actually practice magic. She used to tell me the King's bloodline held powerful ancient magic....and now that I realize I'm descended from the King, that magic must be in my blood too..."he said before kneeling on the ground before her "Will you teach me magic!?"he asked looking up at her "I don't want to bring power beneath me to rule, I want to understand those I work beside if I am to become a King. I want to protect my Kingdom, not rely on others strength. I think that's part of the problem that split our country in the first place. People began viewing the King as weak...all the power was in the Council and not the King himself. So when the demons attacked and countless soldiers were sent off to war while the King stayed docile in his castle because the Council was handling affairs, content grew for the King amongst the people....until the King was gone and what replaced him was worse....at least that's what I've gathered from the old drunk men telling stories at the taverns we've been across in our travels. If I am to be Lady Evara's new King then I want to be a King that protects the kingdom fearlessly"

“Funny...I was about to ask you the same.” She said as the ground around her feet suddenly compressed as if under the stress of an invisible weight, breaking open and reaching out to join the black knights work.

Lilitha watched him as he would kneel before her, she seemed unphased by his actions but she would close her eyes and speak "stand up...its unbecoming of a king to kneel before someone that will be his subordinate" she said simply as she would remain where she was, trying to think of a way out of this though she shook her head at him. "Fine if you are wishing to learn that much, I'll have you attend the same classes as I. They are advanced but a future king should have no issue keeping up, if you cannot keep up then you are to train on your own till you pass my qualifications. You are to be a king, one must act as such...." she would then soon get annoyed he was still kneeling as she reached down grabbing his shirt and pulling him. "will you stop kneeling!...its embarrassing!" she said quickly, "kings don't kneel...."

As the two of them now clashed, the ground around the ripped and sundered as they exchanged powerful and heavy blows between each other before the knight jumped back panting slightly, breaking a slight sweat "I can see you're very fast, this armor is definitely a handicap when facing someone as skillful as you."he commented "It's nice to see you haven't lost your touch....Solaris"he said in a familiar tone as he if knew her before rushing forward again

"Well I'm not a King!"Zuri said "Not yet. And kneeling actually got you to finally look me in my eyes."he pointed out as he looked up at her while she still grabbed his shirt "If I'm going to earn your trust as my most trusted adviser and mage then I'm going to do it the right way"he said with his eyes full of fiery determination

Her gaze widened, “how do you know me?” She said and shoved him back so hard that he slid back. “Answer me!”

Lilitha's eye twitched some in irritation with him as she glared before letting go of his shirt, she would soon cross her arms grabbing her elbows as she sighed heavily. "You are unique....Lady Evara stated that much to me..." she shook her head, before stepping around him. "come along then....I have a busy schedule and I don't plan on being late now because of a tag along"

The Knight skidded to a stop before he looked up at her smirking "I know you've been gone a dozen or so years but I didn't think you'd forget faces so easily, even if they have grown up in your absence"he said "Allow me to introduce myself. I am known as the Black Knight Darius"he stated as the name instantly struck a chord with her. Back when she was in charge of the palace guards, one of the young trainees assigned to her was a young, clumsy boy with bright, determined eyes that constantly followed her around, watching her every move and training in secret to become just like her "Little Darius is all grown up now."

"Tag along? Is that any way to speak to your future King?"Zuri teased back as he followed along beside her "So can I ask how old you are? And how long you've been studying magic?"he questioned as he laced his fingers behind his head as they walked. She could tell he was a pure spirit, one with a firm sense of justice and not easily swayed from his desires

“Darius?” She looked him up and down, “so this is what became of you.....I thought you died some time ago.” She said as her voice and demeanor cooled back to its stoic manor.

She sighed some as he followed after her, then again this is what she told him to do and she then glanced back at him "I'm the same age as you my 'king" she said in a mocking tone if he was going to start calling himself that. "As for studing magic, I started when I was 4...I was an orphan and Lady Eluna found me and could tell I had magical potential....so she brought me here" she said simply holding her books, "shes...shes truly an amazing woman, shes used everything she could to make this place peaceful...that those that follow the true king can live happily..without fear or worry...."

"Yeah well in that attack on the castle we lost a lot of people. I don't know if I should have been one of the few to survive...but I did...and I decided to grow stronger because of it. I refused to just crumple and die"Darius commented as he shook his head "I also thought that you had died as well, not that you had fled with the Prince. Everyone presumed he was dead."

"Really? Lady Evara did all of that?"Zuri said in slight surprise "Wow...she really is a great woman---did you say 4!? You've been studying magic since you were old enough to talk basically! Holy crap! You must be some sort of prodigy or something! Show me some of your magic!"he said as his eyes lit up "I always thought magic was sooo cool but Solaris only wanted me to train in the way of the sword"he commented

“That was the point pf my mission. To make the mass believe he was dead till he was ready to claim the thrown.” She said, “as for the king.....as you asked before, yes, he was killed under my watch. A blemish and dishonor I will carry always. But that was only because he sent me to save the boy. I used my speed to try and make it back to him, but it was too late. He had already sustained injuries. In his last breath he ordered me to keep his son safe till he could become king.”

She looked back at him with a sigh shaking her head a she raised her hand pressing the bridge of her nose, "you are more annoying than a new born puppy" she said quickly as she shook her head some, "as for magic I'll show you once you learn the basics" she soon turned to another door, pushing it open as they would soon enter into a large library. "I hope your reading skills are up to par, you have a lot of reading to do to figure out the basics, I'll give you tutoring lessons and you are going ot keep up and pass every test I give you as well as what the professors give you" she said looking back towards him.

"Well that definitely worked. The entire kingdom has declared the both of you dead. And it seems over the last decade you've done a good job at not running into any familiar faces until you got back here. So now what are you going to do with the young Prince. Do you really mean to train him up just to send him into war?" Darius challenged as he pointed his sword towards her "What's your next move, Captain?"

Zuri nodded his head "Alright I can do that" he said with a smile "I'm a very good reader and writer. Solaris said I learn things pretty quickly, just need time to refine it to perfection. Whatever you want me to learn, I'll do it!" He saod excitedly "To think I finally get to learn about magic....I've always wanted to do this. Thank you so much for tutoring me" he said flashing her a smile "I cant wait to learn from you, Master"

“I will do what I must to accomplish my late Kong’s last wish. Mind you, Zuri has his own mind and thoughts and wishes. If he should choose to leave the throne alone, that is his right. But I will go to war and end the lives of those that killed my king.” She said and held her sword out infront of me. “What if you Darius.......what brings you to this place? What drives you into battle?”

Lilitha would take the book she had been holding and the moment he said master, she hit him hard with it "NEVER call me that" she said firmly as she took a deep breath calming herself down, "First off I am not your master of any sort, second I'll teach you only because Lady Evera believes you are to help restore this world back to some sort of balance and Third, besides I promised I would..now if your going to learn magic then the basics is what your starting with" she began to walk down a few ailes within the library and as she grabbed hold of a book, she held it back to him moving about and as he followed soon he had a pile of books in his arms nearly blocking his view. "those should hold you for a day or so if your as fast a learner as you claim. Finish those then I'll give you an evaluation to test your skills and see if you should move on, till you ace the basics your not allowed to move on..."

"Lady Evara"Darius told her unwavering in his gaze "After the former kingdom fell and this new one was created, it was Lady Evara who decided to spare the lives of all the former knights of the kingdom regardless of if we swore loyalty to the new King or not....then when he died and the sisters split the empire and drove us to war, I decided to stay and protect Lady Evara as her Dark Knight. I do the dirty work of the Kingdom, something I've learned how to do from you in my youth."

Zuri's eyes lit up brightly as she piled on more and more books onto his arms as he excitedly nodded his head "You got it!"he said before speeding off back to the private room that Evara had set up for he and Solaris. When Lilitha would pass by to check on him, she could see the young man had his head buried in the books, frantically writing down something before holding out his hands attempting to cast spells as they would flash and glow faintly with each attempt, a promising sign for someone to show flashes of magic within mere hours of beginning to study it *I can do this*he thought to himself *I can use magic...I just have to visualize what it is I want to happen*he thought to himself

“Seems I taught you something at least.” She said. “I am....relieved, to see you are alive. Far too young to have perished in that battle.” She said and then eyes the old church behind him. “Of the two sisters....she seems....tolerable. But as one knight to another, I’m sure you know that if she even gives me the notion she will betray Zuri, I will not hesitate in seeking retribution. Till then, as my Prince Commands I will honor their alliance and my sword will serve in her purposes.”

“My queen. There has been word from Lord Marmont. Possibly about your sister.” Said the Queens Advisor. Sania turned to look at him from her documents, “lord Marmonts words are anything less then self serving. But what is it?”
“a few of his men had been chasing a young woman fitting the description of your sister. They followed her to a road where they were attacked by two travelers. A boy and a woman. Both with incredible skill.”
“And? This serves me how?”
“One of them said the woman called the boy Zuri.”

A small laugh could be heard from not far as a familiar voice would chim in "Darius I never knew you'd thought so highly of me" Evara stated as she smiled standing there, her eyes seemed to shine with a knowing look as she looked between the two. "Watching you both spare was quiet interesting, its been some time since I've seen you worked up so much as well Darius..you were so cute as a little boy" she said teasing him a bit as she grinned. "Solarius your skills are as renowned as you are....its an honor to see them, Zuri is quiet the boy to have you as his guard. Though I do have a small request" she said smiling, "I know he is your charge...but perhaps allowing darius to train him as well, he'll need to learn all sorts of things in order to rule one day already the mage I selected for him has him studying away magic isn't it grand?"

"That is most interesting indeed"said a hooded and masked figure standing in the shadows next to the Queen "Other commoner children have been named Zuri in the past, but for this to reach the ear of a Nobleman....it might hold some value. It is perhaps worth sending one or two men to investigate it m'lady"he said "Perhaps it turns out to be nothing...but perhaps not"

Darius bowed his head slightly "Your words honor me m'lady."he said before listening to the rest of her words "Y-you don't mean that do you? Being able to train the son of the Legendary King....that would be an honor beyond honor."he said then turned to Solaris "Please, allow me to offer my tutelage in addition to yours to our future hope of the Kingdom."he said