Rebecca led the three of them into the manor and through its pristine halls.
After passing several maids, they enter a large room with dark stone walls. At its centre were two guards adorned in simple armour standing in front of a single stone archway.
***
Spatial Gates are archways engraved with advanced and intricate runes to act as a portal between two points. However, a spatial gate needs to be connected to another spatial gate for a creature to move through it safely.
If something was to enter a spatial gate that was not connected to another gate, the damage would be irreparable.
Larger gates could be found in some cities, allowing entire caravans to travel through it and enter another city without having to risk travelling across Etherios.
The main downside of spatial gates is nauseating effects on its users and the vast number of resources required to operate them.
***
As Rebecca approached the two guards, the one to her right quickly placed his palm on the archway, imbuing it with his animus.
Simultaneously, the archway lit up with bright, humming white runes and a white light filled the archway.
Turning back to Xaryus and Zadius, Rebecca gestured for them to enter the gate.
Glancing at each other, they reluctantly stepped through. As they entered, the white light filled their eyes, and all sound left their ears.
Their senses were disoriented for a few moments before they regained their vision and sound returned.
The two had found themselves in a dark room, similar in size and shape to the room within the Lionheart manor. The only difference was that there were no guards.
The portal behind them shifted and hummed once again before Velmo stepped through the white light filling the archway.
Obviously accustomed to moving through spatial gates, Velmo shook off his dizziness and moved toward the large double doors that sat in front of the portal.
Pushing them open, he began to guide Xaryus and Zadius through stone hallways, lined with a single velvet carpet.
"This is the Hold, a once ruined castle repurposed as the Red Lions main base of operations." Velmo said, giving a short nod of respect to two individuals walking past them.
They walked past and through various hallways, living quarters and even dining halls before they finally arrived at another large double door, however, this one was made of metal.
"This is it." Velmo spoke once again, his words sounded as if he was trying to encourage Xaryus and Zadius before entering the room; but he was only trying to encourage himself.
He placed his hands on the door and pushed it open, revealing a large circular room void of any light except those from the large blue crystalline sphere floating at the room's centre.
Behind the sphere stood a woman, her back facing the door as she spoke to another man sitting behind a podium-like station.
Moving around the sphere, the woman came into view.
She was tall with fair skin, curly brown hair and amber, green eyes. One could easily notice her hardened and dense body, even through her loose and comfortable clothing.
"Good day, Velmo." The woman spoke as she turned towards Velmo with a soft, calm smile. "I see you brought the boys you spoke of."
"Yes, General." Velmo replied, his voice filled with respect.
"I stopped being your general years ago." She answered with a smile before tapping Velmo on his shoulders, "Lighten up. Let's see if what you've said about these boys is true, I can sense animus from them but -"
As the woman spoke, her eyes began to glow with a soft green light and then her attention shifted towards the brothers.
From the moment Xaryus and Zadius had entered the room, they did not pay any mind to Velmo's conversation. Their attention had been held by the massive crystalline sphere and its beauty.
Xaryus in particular was curious about the purpose of the room they were in, unlike the rest of the Hold its walls were not made of stone but of a smooth metal painted dark blue.
Their attention was then forcefully pulled elsewhere as if a dangerous beast had revealed its presence. Shivers ran up their spine and almost in sync, they gathered their animus and enhanced themselves; both their gazes locked onto the imminent threat.
The glowing eyed woman.
Flashing a smile, her eyes dimmed and she spoke once again, "I see I finally have your attention, kids your age shouldn't even know how to perceive killing intent yet you're both very sensitive to it… Smiling Blade must have put you through hell." She finished, paying close attention to the darkness that had long filled the brother's eyes.
"Their minds are damaged, but that might just make things easier." She pondered before speaking again.
"Why did you bring us here?" Zadius questioned.
"I'm glad you asked, this is an observation chamber, it is used to contain Gaia. A runic system used to store, share and process large amounts of information across continents." she continued as she pointed towards the sphere.
"Today we're going to ascertain the current state of your core. So please place your hands on the sphere."
Reluctantly, Xaryus and Zadius placed their hands on the sphere and waited patiently.
"On your mark, Overseer." The woman's voice sounded once more.
Now, the man sitting at the metallic podium-like station placed his hand on one of the three orbs embedded into the stand.
The sphere at the room's centre began to grow brighter and the Overseer's eyes were flooded with a milky white mist. Once they were filled, he began to speak, his voice still and precise.
[Multiple Cores detected] [Connection with Law, stable] [Core's information extracted safely] [ Information analyzed] [Information translated] [Connection with Law, severed]
"Good, please display it." The general instructed once more as she turned towards the flat metallic wall that sat behind the Overseer.
"Yes ma'am." The overseer nodded as he slid his hands across the orb furthest to his right before a large holographic screen appeared on the wall; from it were two different sets of text.
"The first belongs to the grey-haired boy." The overseer added.
***
Core Rank- Inept
Core Stage- 7
Core Dilation- Positive (3)
Spite- [Prince of Shadows]
Stigma- ■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■
Race- Human => Elven Lineage (15%)
Bloodline- Grey
Bond- N/a
Bond Stage- N/a
***
"The second belongs to the black-haired boy." The overseer added.
***
Core Rank- Inept
Core Stage- 6
Core Dilation- Positive (3)
Spite- [Emissary of Light]
Stigma- ■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■
Race- Human => Elven Lineage (20%)
Bloodline- Grey
Bond- ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■
Bond Stage- 0
***
Moments after the appraising text appeared, silence permeated the air as everyone read the information closely.
"They're almost ready to break through inept rank, and they both had third stage positive core dilation!" The overseer erupted, his milky eyes wide.
"Velmo?" The general called out, turning towards Velmo, only to see he was just as surprised as them.
Looking back towards Xaryus and Zadius, the woman thought intently, "Not only does the names of their spite possess powerful monikers which often indicates high levels of power, Gaia was not able to retrieve all the information regarding their stigma. It's almost as if Law does not want us to see it."
Turning her attention away from the brothers, the woman shifted her amber, green gaze back towards the screen.
"And the most troubling of all… They're from clan Grey."