Nox

My nephew seemed to be an unending source of headaches. How on earth did he find something so problematic? Thankfully, it was a baby and not fully grown. Those things were known for being incredibly territorial once they got older. Where did it even come from? I mean, they can use <Warp> over incredibly long distances. Or use <Light Step> to move incredibly fast and cover large distances on foot in the blink of an eye. I better tell one of his parents. Unfortunately for me, Senna was the one that would be less of a headache to reach at the moment. Azzeck was in meetings all day today involving new policies and what to do with that obnoxious human king.

I let out a deep sigh and used <Shadow Step> to reach Senna in an instant. She was currently reviewing documents for the tax code to help simplify it for farmers and merchants. Man, talk about boring. Hopefully she will take the interruption kindly. I knocked on the door before unveiling myself. Senna immediately used <Magic Sense> to see who it was. Her nose twitched and her face grimaced for a second.

“What is it Nox?” she asked in an annoyed tone. I revealed myself, and she did not bother to look up from the documents in front of her.

“I came for two things. First, I am sorry for startling Crown Prince Nil as badly as I did. Second, I figured you should know about his new playmate.” I replied.

“New playmate? What do you mean?” she asked. Her amber eyes were boring holes into my head.

“Somehow, a baby <Sentinel Lord> found its way into the castle. It and Nil were apparently playing.” I explained.

All the color drained from her face. Not the best thing to hear. Your child playing with a baby <Spirit Beast>. Let alone as one as dangerous as a <Sentinel Lord>. If that thing’s mother was anywhere nearby and mistook us as being hostile, the damage would be severe if it was in a good mood.

“AND YOU LEFT IT WITH HIM?!” Senna exclaimed.

“Well it was curled up sleeping with him, so I figured best not to disturb its rest. From what Helga said, the two were playing for a bit before they crashed.” I replied. Senna looked like she was about to explode like a volcano.

Before she had a chance, we felt an immense surge of <Mana>. That would be mama <Sentinel Lord>. The <Mana> just kept increasing. Lords of Tenebrae, how strong was the mother? I grabbed Senna and immediately used <Shadow Step> to reach where it was. Unfortunately, it was in Crown Prince Nil’s room.

All the <Barriers>, <Anti-magic Fields>, and <Protection Spheres> crumpled like paper to the mother. It easily bypassed them into the castle. That is probably not a good sign. In less than a second, we were in the Crown Prince’s room, where Helga all but passed out from the sheer <Presence> of the <Sentinel Lord>. It was next to the crib, glaring in. There is no way I can cut between her and the crib.

It turned to face us once we entered the room. Currently, the mother was a bit larger than the crib. It was definitely hiding it’s full appearance, but there were easily ten tails, <Runes> all down its front arms, and were three <Halos> visibly floating behind its shoulders. That is not a <Sentinel Lord> we want to fight in this room. I should have moved the child earlier. I definitely should have moved the child away from Nil. Then again, touching the child might have made it cry for its mother, which I was trying to avoid.

“My child.” it growled, pointing at its kid. Senna was clearly trying to maintain her composure. If that thing got mad, there was nothing we could do to stop it from killing Nil.

“We noticed it playing with my nephew and let it be as we did not want to harm it.” I replied calmly. At least <Sentinel Lords> are one of the few <Spirit Beast> smart enough to talk and understand what you are saying.

It glared intensely at me. I am telling the truth, so we should be fine. The mother gently picked up its child, which woke up. It immediately jumped down and woke up Nil, tails wagging. That baby is going to get Nil killed. The mother let out a growl, which the baby ignored, rousing Nil from his slumber. The mother let out a deeper growl, which the baby looked up, then pointed at Nil.

“What did your child do to mine?!” the mother roared. Her hair was standing up, the <Runes> were glowing, the <Halos> were spinning, and she was showing her teeth. She was gearing up to fight.

“He is a baby. He doesn’t know how to do anything. They played together, that is all.” I replied, keeping my composure.

Senna looked like she was about to lose it. I am sure the <Sentinel Lord> is aware if that child dies, she and her child will be in immense danger. That was not a helpful thought, as Senna was clearly trying not to panic. I could feel my palms were getting a bit sweaty. As if at the worst possible moment, Nil used his <Arcane Eye>. It was probably out of pure reflex at seeing such a terrifying <Spirit Beast>. The mother shot her gaze to Nil. There was a sun in each of the mother’s diamond eyes, which quickly dissipated.

“Ah.” the mother replied. She immediately curled up and plopped down on the floor. What? What did Nil just do?

“What just happened?” Senna asked, her voice barely remaining calm and even.

“I have no idea.” I replied.

“<Kron’s Blessing>.” the mother replied like it clarified everything. What did the Lord of Fate have to do with anything?

Wait a second, Nil had an <Arcane Eye>. I could feel a few things click in my head. You mean to tell me, he has a <Lord’s Eye>? A title held by all <Sentinel Lords> is the Guardians of Fate. That, or Nil had a <Blessing> from the Lord of Fate. Perhaps both. It would also explain why a <Sentinel Beast> would randomly appear. It sensed him.

At this point, Azzeck appeared, saw the <Sentinel Lord> and went pale. He looked at Senna and I to try and get some idea of what was going on. Currently, the mother was calm. We needed to figure out what to do and fast. Azzeck quickly used <Magic> to seal the floor off from anyone else entering.

“I am sorry for being late. Dearest <Sentinel Lord>, why have you come to grace us with your presence?” Azzeck asked, keeping his gaze fixed on the <Sentinel Lord>.

“My child. Your child. <Kron’s Blessing>.” the <Sentinel Lord> replied. Her child and Nil were currently having a staring contest.

“Our children were playing dear, and she came here to reclaim her child, but Nil has <Kron’s Blessing> so she is remaining.” Senna clarified.

“I am sure we can come to an arrangement where we would both be happy.” Azzeck offered to the <Sentinel Lord>.

My brother was probably capable of cutting between her and his son. He might be an idiot at times, but there was a reason he was Emperor and I was not. The same look was on his face that Nil had this morning; he was plotting something.

“My child stay with your child.” the <Sentinel Lord> retorted. We all looked between ourselves. What was the <Sentinel Lord> after? Why did that appeal to her so much?

“Do you mean become his <Familiar>?” Azzeck asked, trying to clarify what she meant.

The mother glared at him. <Sentinel Lords> were fiercely independent. Not a lot of information was known about them, so it was a definite gamble to ask that. Certain <Spirit Beast> did not take kindly to the idea of being <Familiars>. We had no way of knowing how she was going to react.

“Yes.” the mother replied. Her voice was tense, and her gaze made it clear this was not for debate. What was her goal? Why does she want that so bad?

On one side, we had no reason to refuse. A <Sentinel Lord> as a <Familiar>, even though it was a baby, was almost impossible to resist. On the other, we were all super uneasy. <Spirit Beast> rarely willingly became <Familiars>, especially intelligent ones. There was an angle at play we were not seeing.

What do we say? I have no idea what she is after, but a <Familiar> with such potential for Nil is hard to refuse. Azzeck spoke to us using <Telepathy>.

This entire situation could have been avoided if you moved the child earlier Nox. Senna snapped.

And risked pissing off the mother? I figured it was safer this way. Azzeck, I have no idea what she is after. She calmed down immensely after Nil used his <Arcane Eye>. Something about that she likes. I replied.

Senna, I think the move is to agree to her terms. What do you think? Azzeck asked.

I am wary of what she gets out of this. This deal appears to be too good. Senna replied.

“What do you gain out of this?” Azzeck asked the mother.

“My brood repay Kron.” the mother said calmly with a smile. Kron again. Something about that Lord holds meaning to her.

There is a legend that certain <Spirit Beast> were either made by or served under the Lords or Tenebrae depending on the interpretation. Which was which has long since been lost to history, but it is possible <Sentinel Lords> served Kron. I hypothesized to my brother.

I hate to agree with Nox, but he might be right. Nil did use a <Tear of Fate> for his <Base> and does possess a <Lord’s Eye> which might easily be the one associated with Kron. I think that is what the mother is after. The honor of one her children being the one to protect the one with <Kron’s Blessing>, thereby repaying the Lord of Tenebrae. Senna replied.

“We accept those terms.” Azzeck replied.

The mother lifted her child by the scruff of his neck and set him on the ground. She made a large, intricate <Magic Circle> on the ground. Senna carefully walked over and picked up Nil. We all gazed at the <Magic Circle>. An equal parts contract. Either of them dies, so does the other. It created an unbreakable link between the two. Senna and Azzeck looked at each other.

Not a surprising catch. I told both of them.

Senna set Nil down, and the mother mimicked the action. Nil and the child touched, and an immense surge of <Mana> came from the circle. It branded itself onto the back of Nil’s hand, and the child glowed. Wait, how is Nil going to name it? <Familiars> have to be named. That realization hit Senna and Azzeck as well, as the two of them visibly looked nervous.

“Lux.” Nil proclaimed. An oddly fitting name. How did a baby think of it?

Wait, Lux was also <Light> in the <Ancient Language of Magic>. Did the contract simply convert him thinking of the word light to the name? I mean, that was not exactly impossible, given how intricate the <Magic Circle> was.

“Lux!” Nil repeated, and Lux jumped happily. It was nowhere near as clean or crisp as before. Nil repeated it a few more times, none anywhere close to the first. We all let out a collective sigh of relief as the mother licked Lux one last time before vanishing.