2025-12-28 17:18:56The questions came rapid-fire now, overlapping, the hall descending into chaos. Clan leaders were on their feet, some shouting questions, others arguing with their neighbors, voices rising to fill the vaulted ceiling with noise that echoed and multiplied until it was almost impossible to distinguish individual words.
Elder Morvain raised his staff high and brought it down against the floor three times.
CRACK, CRACK, CRACK,each impact sending out a pulse of energy that rippled through the air like a physical force. The assembled leaders felt it wash over them, a reminder of the power the old man still commanded despite his age, and gradually the shouting died down to murmurs, then to silence.
"Thank you."
Morvain said dryly, his clouded eyes scanning the assembly with clear disapproval at the outburst.
"If you will permit me to explain, rather than descending into unseemly speculation?"
Sheepish looks passed between several of the clan leaders, and they slowly retook their seats, though the tension remained palpable, crackling in the air like lightning waiting to strike.
Morvain waited until everyone was settled before continuing.
"As we all know."
He began, his tone measured and formal.
"Asta Xavier was designated as the heir to the Xavier clan from the moment of his birth. He is the only legitimate son of Lord Ignatius Xavier and Lady Mira Xavier, both of blessed memory. By all rights of blood and tradition, the clan leadership should indeed pass to him."
He paused, and the silence was absolute, every person hanging on his next words.
"However."
Morvain continued, and that single word seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.
“As many of you are aware, Asta Xavier failed to awaken any flame during his testing at the Crimson Academy. He possesses no fire, no spark, no ember. He is, in the terminology some of you favor, flameless."
Uncomfortable shifting from several seats. No one interrupted,they all wanted to hear where this was going.
"The Xavier clan."
Morvain said, his voice growing stronger.
“Is not just a family name. It is a legacy of flame. For three hundred years, every Xavier clan leader has been a master of fire, a wielder of power that could shake battlefields and burn through stone.”
“They have led not through birthright alone, but through the combination of blood and power. How can a man who possesses no flame lead a clan built entirely on the mastery of fire? How can he command the respect of flame wielders when he cannot demonstrate even the most basic ability that defines us all?"
The words hung in the air like a pronouncement, and several clan leaders nodded slowly, reluctantly acknowledging the logic even if they didn't like the implications.
"Therefore."
Morvain said, gesturing to the young man standing beside him.
"We present to you Cassian Xavier. Son of Lord Ignatius Xavier and..."
He paused, just fractionally.
"...Lady Sera of the Eastern Provinces. Yes, he is half-blood. Yes, his mother was not of a major clan. But he has awakened a flame,the Crimson Flame of the Xavier bloodline, burning bright and strong. He has trained extensively in flame combat. He understands the traditions, has studied the history, and has spent the last two years managing much of the clan's affairs while the succession remained in question."
Cassian Xavier stepped forward slightly, drawing all eyes to him. When he spoke, his voice was smooth, cultured, carrying easily through the hall with the practiced ease of someone used to being heard.
"Esteemed clan leaders."
He began, inclining his head in a respectful bow.
"I understand your concerns. I understand that my presence here, in this position, might seem... irregular. Untraditional, even."
His smile was self-deprecating, almost charming.
"I am not blind to the circumstances of my birth, nor to the... complications they present."
He straightened, his gray eyes sweeping across the assembled leaders, meeting each gaze directly, unafraid.
"But allow me to speak plainly about the Xavier legacy. About what it means to lead this clan, and why I stand before you today."
Cassian took a breath, and when he continued, his voice took on a storytelling quality, rich with history and pride.
"Three hundred years ago, my ancestor,Draven Xavier, stood on a battlefield in the Northern Wastes. The empire faced complete annihilation. The Flame Beasts had broken through every defense, overwhelmed every army, burned through every fortification. Ten thousand flame wielders had already fallen. The capital itself was three days from being overrun."
Several of the older clan leaders nodded,they knew this story, it was taught to every flame-wielding child in the empire.
"Draven Xavier."
Cassian continued, his voice growing more passionate.
"Stood alone at the Crimson Pass. Just one man against a horde that stretched to the horizon. And do you know what he did?”
Cassian's hands came up, gesturing as he painted the picture with words.
"He didn't retreat. He didn't call for reinforcements. He didn't wait for the Council to debate strategy or for the other clans to argue over who should fight where.”
“He simply said, 'Not one step further.' And then he unleashed the full power of the Xavier flame,that legendary crimson fire that burned hotter than any flame before or since and he held that pass for three days and three nights without rest, without food, without relief. He burned so bright that soldiers fifty miles away said the sky itself turned red.”
“And when the dust settled, when the smoke finally cleared, the Flame Beast horde was nothing but ash spread across ten miles of scorched earth, and Draven Xavier still stood, his flame still burning."
The hall was silent, captivated despite themselves by the familiar but always powerful tale.
"That."
Cassian said, his voice dropping lower but losing none of its intensity,
"Is the Xavier legacy. Not just power, but the will to use it. Not just flame, but the courage to stand when others flee. Not just strength, but the d
etermination to protect what must be protected, no matter the cost."
He began pacing slowly, his movements deliberate, commanding attention.
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Chapter 45
Flora reached out and squeezed Asta's shoulder, then did the same to Jabber. "...whoever gets called first, remember we've got your back. You're not alone out there. You're representing Ember Watch, and we believe in you.""Hell yeah." Mira added with a fierce grin. "Go out there and kick ass."With that, they split up. Flora and Mira heading down one corridor, Asta and Jabber heading down another. The walk back to their room was quiet, both of them lost in their own thoughts, the earlier excitement giving way to a more contemplative mood.When they reached their door, Asta pushed it open and stepped inside. The room looked exactly as they'd left it this morning,unmade bunks, his practice sword leaning against the wall, the small window letting in weak afternoon light. Nothing special, nothing fancy, but it was theirs.He'd barely had time to sit down on the edge of Jabber's lower bunk when there was a sharp knock at the door."Come in." Asta called.The door opened and a higher o
Chapter 44
Old Man Kael stood on the platform, his weathered hands still resting on his walking stick, waiting for the excited chatter to die down enough that he could continue. The crowd was buzzing with energy, a tournament meant action, meant proving themselves, meant finally having something concrete to strive for instead of endless days of repetitive labor and training.When the noise level dropped to something manageable, Kael spoke again, his voice cutting through the remaining murmurs with that authoritative calm that demanded attention."Now, let me explain how this tournament will work." He said, his cloudy eyes sweeping across the assembled laborers. "You all will have the chance to see how strong your squad members truly are. How well you work together when pressure is applied. How you adapt when plans fall apart. And perhaps most importantly, you'll see how strong your opponents are,what strategies they use, what flames they wield, what weaknesses they possess."He paused, letting
Chapter 43
The gathering quarters continued to fill. More and more laborers streaming in, the noise level rising as hundreds of conversations overlapped. Asta recognized some faces from training sessions or work details. Others were complete strangers,the labor section was large enough that you couldn't possibly know everyone.Finally, when the space was packed nearly to capacity, Old Man Kael raised one hand. The gesture was small, but somehow it cut through the noise like a blade. Conversations died down in ripples, starting near the front and spreading backward until the entire room had fallen into expectant silence.Kael let the silence hold for a moment longer, his cloudy eyes seeming to see through and past the assembled laborers to something beyond. Then he spoke, his voice carrying clearly despite not being particularly loud. There was something about his tone,the weight of experience, the authority of someone who'd earned respect rather than demanded it,that made people want to listen
Chapter 42
Flora asked once the laughter had died down a bit. "You said you got letters from your butler? That's nice that they wrote.""Yeah." Asta said, touching the pocket where he'd stored the letters, feeling their slight weight against his chest. "Gregor was my family's butler for decades," he wrote about what's happening at the mansion. My half-brother Cassian officially became clan leader a few nights ago. There was this whole ceremony with all the major clans."He tried to keep his voice neutral, but some bitterness must have leaked through because Flora's expression softened with sympathy."They also wrote about how they're doing." Asta continued quickly, not wanting to dwell on Cassian. "They got dismissed from the mansion after I was sent here,Cassian didn't want anyone loyal to me staying around, I guess. So now they're working as day laborers. Gregor , Helena, and Marcus,they're all doing hard physical work despite being older, despite having given decades of service to my fam
Chapter 41
“P.P.S. Marcus, I'm holding you to that promise about the sword techniques. Start preparing your best teaching voice.”“P.P.P.S. Gregor , please tell me honestly how bad your back is. If you need money for a healer, I'll find a way to send some. The labor section pays a pittance, but I've been saving every copper.”He read through what he'd written one more time, checking for anything he'd forgotten or wanted to add. Then he carefully folded the letter, sealed it with the basic wax provided at the portal station, and addressed it with their names and the return address they'd included in their letters.Asta placed his reply into the outgoing section of his portal,a separate small compartment meant for letters to be sent out,then locked everything back up. His hands were steadier now, the act of writing having helped him process some of the overwhelming emotions.He gathered Gregor 's, Helena's, and Marcus's letters carefully, tucking them into the inner pocket of his tunic where they
Chapter 40
“Also, I'm enclosing a recipe in case you ever get access to cooking facilities. It's your favorite,the honey cakes I used to make for your birthday. The ingredients are simple enough that you might be able to acquire them, and the process isn't too complicated. Something sweet to remind you of better days.”Asta looked at the bottom of the letter where Helena had indeed written out the recipe in careful detail, each step numbered and explained as if she were standing beside him in a kitchen, guiding his hands. His vision blurred again.“Write back to us, dear boy. Even a short note would mean the world.”“With love,Helena”“P.S Marcus says to tell you he's been practicing some new knife techniques and when you visit “notice I said 'when,' not 'if',I'm an optimist”, he'll teach them to you. They're quite impressive, if I do say so myself.”The third letter was from Marcus, and it was much shorter.Marcus had never been much for writing, preferring to express himself through his cookin
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