Ever since the Human world connected to the Spirit Realm, everything that happens in the Human world is influenced by the Spirit Realm, many decisions either personal or the one that concern the Human world is influenced by the Spirit Realm, ever since Human could enter the Spirit Realm, their lives have been bound by it. Whatever achievement they make in the Spirit Realm, translate to what they could have or gain in their world, and gaining more territories is one of the things that is being fought for in the Spirit Realm, little battle happens in the Human world now as most of the battle are now focused in the Spirit Realm.
Having breakthrough in the Spirit Realm can equally mean being open to many opportunities in the Human world and because of this, the battle over territories is more fierce.
There are many ways of gaining territories, by fighting other nations in the Spirit Realm and taking their territories as war spoil or by conquering an Uncharted zone.
The major reason for seeking more territories was to gain more resources and become more stronger than others, and with the Light and Darkness faction at the core and other factions in the midst of it all, the battle for territories has evolved to another level. The level of the Uncharted zone invariably determines what will be gained after it is finally conquered.
Kingdoms and various organizations and alliances rarely conquer zones because of the uncertainty of Uncharted zone and usually leave the conquering to the Adventurer Association and once the association successfully captured the zone, empires and nation trade for it with other resources if needed.
Uncharted zone are of different levels ranging from S level to D level; with S-level being the highest while the D-level seats at the base of the zone hierarchies. There's another type of Uncharted zone in the Spirit Realm that only the diehard venture into, the rankless Uncharted zone.
This zone is a special one in the sense that no one know its level of difficulty until it is ventured into, it can be a level higher than S which will lead to great danger and resources if conquered or a level lower than D that does not give enough returns for the effort. Whichever one is ventured into depends on luck and whether one will be able to come out safely also depends on luck.
Layla alongside everyone in the banquet hall was surprised, giving something of that standard to someone of 16 years of age is something out of the blue. Conquering an Uncharted zone, even if it's the lowest level is not something to be taken lightly.
Everyone turned to Layla alongside the Kandake waiting for her response, this decision will change her life entirely on all fronts, if she accepts the challenge and venture into the uncharted zone and conquer it, she will be praised and her name will remain forever glorious in the history book of Human but if she loses, she will be the talented girl whose life was short-lived because she bite more than she can chew and if she decides not to take up the challenge, she will be regard as a paper tiger, that doesn't dare to take dangerous risks, human thoughts are really complax, making a matter become a complicated thing with just a thought process.
"I accept the challenge Your Majesty" Layla replied confidently while bowing her head to the Kandake.
"Very good, I didn't think of you wrongly" she said, "The uncharted zone is a D level one, you will need a team of twenty to be able to enter the zone. I will be giving you a free reign on who to choose on your team and my condition is you must conquered the zone if not, you can forget about being the royal blood of the Cyrene Empire." The Kandake said, causing everyone in the banquet hall to gasp, the condition is a tough one.
Usually there shouldn't be any difference in the conditions of this uncharted zone because ordinarily, no one gets to leave an unconquered uncharted zone, failure means death, but it seem this uncharted zone is a special one for the Kandake to mention that Princess Layla will be cutoff from the royal bloodline if she fails.
Layla tighten her fist in determination and her eyes burning with passion to fight, she has never being a girl who always try to find the easy way out and she does not like the taste of failure – not even the sound of it, if it ever have one.
Even when just trying, she give her all, not even tiredness can stop her if she does not want to, behind her back, she has various names her friends give to her but even if she knows, she does not care.
"I won't fail you Your Majesty" she replied.
"Good, three month human time from now, you will present yourself in Zion fortress for the trial to gain the entrance to the uncharted zone and the right to own it after it has been conquered. Prepare yourself. Know that you will be going alone to take the trial if not, you won't be able to own the uncharted zone even after you conquer it as a territory, it will end up being a fortress or stronghold if you team up in the trial so I want you to take the trial alone." The Kandake said. "Okay Your Majesty, I will make my preparation and be ready before then and won't disappoint you." Layla replied her and become more determined.
"Continue with you fun." The Kandake said with a smile after her announcement, "the night is still young, enjoy the banquet everyone and merry" she said as she leave the banquet hall along with her husband and their guard, leaving one of her official in her place to oversee the event.
The moment the Kandake left the banquet hall, everyone try to get close to her, presenting themselves or their children to her so she can choose them to join her team that will ventured into the uncharted zone.
The lure of being able to venture into an uncharted zone should not be taken lightly, the riches in it is something that many nation fight for in secret, though they rarely fight to conquer uncharted zone, but they have adventurers who venture into high level uncharted zone, not to conquer it but to gain collect resources. The levels that has restriction on conquering it are the S level, D level and the unique kind of uncharted zones.
With the help of her friends and her guards, Layla was able to untangled herself from the crowd around her and move to a safe place. But before she left, she made sure to soothe the people so as to represent the royal family well, "I have just being told about this assignment by the Kandake and I won't be assembly any team very soon, but I will make sure to get the news out when I do." She said.
"Thank you, Princess Layla." Some of the people in the crowd said after they've been placated.
"I told you Princess Layla is a kind person and won't act arrogantly and look down on us." Some other said.
"Yes, Princess Layla is kind and would give everyone a fair chance."
After leaving the banquet hall alongside her friends with the help of her guard, they entered a private room that is within the banquet hall but enclosed and the noise in from the banquet hall won't be able to get in.
Everyone was quiet after they entered the room for a while and no one tried to break the silence for a while until Gabriella did.
"What do you plan to do now, I'm sure you already have some plans running through your head already." She said.
Edited by CiCi
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