The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

The flames in the furnaces roared and howled. Oscar stuck in the tongs and retrieved a glowing ingot of processed ores, thin layers lining the sides. After a quick quenching, the bright and hot metal shrieked out in bouts of steam and flame before it turned to the natural color of its metal. Cool to the touch. He stacked it together with the pile of other ingots of grade-three ores, a fine array of glittering and shimmering sheens of metal. Retreating from the flames, Oscar removed his fabricator helmet and gasped, the dry heat in the air warming his lungs.

The sounds of a hammer clanging on metal resounded. It came from his master, Draven, who was crafting something, a surprise he called it. Oscar wanted to peek, but a slight turn of his master's head, an unknown glare underneath the horned helmet, forced him to give up. He could only guess what his master was creating, but since he said it was for him, he had no doubt it would be stupendous. His master masterfully swung his hammer, sparks spewing out around his figure, and his back covered the so-called surprise.

Oscar sighed and decided to work on another batch of processed and pure ingots, wearing his helmet and watching as the flames flickered and swayed around the craggy ores. It had been six months since the Summer Gala and the encounter with Sirsi. His face darkened underneath his helmet as his hands clenched. A yearning burned in him to join the fray once more, but he needed to wait until the hundred could be gathered for his newly promoted Black Aegis Order. Because of Sirsi's unexpected infiltration and ambush, selecting the potential candidates became harsher and drawn out.

The Pavilion Master had sworn never to make the same mistake and subjected the candidates to all manners of interrogation. Oscar mindlessly hammered the raw, unprocessed ore, picking up speed and power, his drive increasing. Tomorrow, the Pavilion Master promised to deliver the rest of the Black Aegis Order and, from their formation, the chance to rejoin the war.

"Don't be so eager. You'll die." His master warned from behind as if he heard his thoughts. Draven set his hammer down and wiped his soot-ridden hands on a towel, gesturing for Oscar to come and look at his creation. Oscar similarly set his hammer down and wiped his hands, approaching the anvil, a mess of black soot and ash piling high on its surface. His master chuckled uncontrollably, a burst of unnerving laughter to most but not Oscar. He seemed to be in a good mood. "Stick your hand in and take out what's yours."

Oscar hesitated for a moment but thought better of it. His master had no reason to harm him. However, a joke or prank was not beyond expectations. Warily, he reached in through the soft, sandy ash and soot and gripped his fingers around a hard object deep in the pile. The lack of Ein clearly revealed it wasn't an armament, and he began to wonder what his master had been working on for several hours. Pulled out of the pile of impurities, it lacked any shine or coherent shape, still covered in soot. From a wave of Ein, the object's true shape became known, and Oscar held his breath, staring deeply, feeling a choking emotion trying to force its way through his eyes, which trembled.

A helmet. A black helmet with three prongs, like an animal's horns. Oscar removed his fabricator helmet, holding the gift closer, an inch away from his face. It was a replica of his master's helmet, darkness obscuring everything beyond the visors. He placed the helmet down on his head. It perfectly fitted on his head, crafted specially by his master for him, all for him. That thought poured tears down his cheeks, and he was glad the helmet hid away the overflowing emotions. Turning to his master, he bowed deeply, unable to say a word, fearing they would come out choked by emotions.

"Both of us will be heading out soon. This helmet is for you to remember your master and to strike fear into the enemy. Let them know what the master and disciple can do." Draven said, patting Oscar's shoulder. "Now leave. The old bastard has summoned you."

"Yes. Farewell to you, Master." Oscar tried his best to compose his voice, but faint echoes of his emotions spilled out, quaking his clear words. He bowed again and flew out of the forge room, swerved through the supposedly cursed, dreary halls of black stone, and surged through the depths, bursting out of the waters. A few minutes later, he arrived at Triton Hold and was led by an elder to the Pavilion Master's office.

Remulus put down the scroll in his hand, peering upward, presumably to his new helmet. Next to him was Erden, who elected to stay in the comfortable office rather than the burning furnace. Oscar scoffed at his mythical friend and greeted the Pavilion Master, "You wished to see me, Grandmaster?"

"Yes. I have some news." Remulus rummaged through the disorderly mess of documents and held out a scroll. The table was cleared of every other scrap of paper, leaving only the scroll, which unfurled to a map, the geography and region names indicating the western borders, focused on the southern parts. "As you know, our southern borders to the west are under attack by the Thousand Storm Palace and the Emerald Hydra Empire. Right now, our defensive lines have been…broken." He sounded depressed and frustrated with a raspy voice, contrary to before.

"Broken? They broke through?!" Oscar pounded the table.

"Our initial defense line focused on the Arkenen City here, but the enemy has swept through it in tremendous force. Luckily, I sent Maggie and Robert in time to secure a new defensive line stretching from Delvar Fort." Remulus drew two lines on the map, circling the Delvar Fort he mentioned. "But we can't allow them to push further in, or else they could start invading further east and pincer our bases with the Undying Flame Sect."

The situation seemed critical. From Delvar Fort, Oscar traced his finger to the other southern bases eastward. If this threat continued unchecked, they could lose the entire southern border to the coalition. He understood why the Pavilion Master called him here. As usual, the daunting tasks fell to him, and he chuckled helplessly. How different it might have been if Oscar had never learned Reis. Looking back, he would have died several times and never met Avril. He saluted the Pavilion Master, willing to face the disaster.

"Draven will be heading directly south to prevent the Undying Flame Sect from fielding any reinforcements west. You will lead your Black Aegis Order to Delvar Fort and place yourself under Maggie's command." Remulus ordered.

"Are my troops ready?" Oscar asked, nodding in affirmation.

"I just settled them today. Ideally, I wished for you to gather tomorrow, but you must leave immediately. Aside from you, Gavir Rudinberg is leading a portion of the Drakiri. They're already en route south. Reinforcements from our reserves are also gathered there." Remulus scribbled on a blank sheet and stamped it with his seal, creating a decree of authority and his assignment. Oscar accepted the decree and followed the Pavilion Master outside.

Mounting Erden in the air, Oscar flew to a large courtyard near the port, spotting an orderly assembly of Exalts, garbed in blue uniforms of the Pavilion and black cloaks, held around the neck by a badge of a black shield with a golden trident, the emblem he created for the Black Aegis Order. In the rows, he noticed his friends standing at the forefront. Counting, a hundred people stood tall, their backs straightened like a sword, and gazes focused on him. Oscar descended, Erden's hooves banging on the stone floor, hearing the held breaths of his new troops.

At times like this, he relived the time in the Burning Valley, the times he spoke to his armies and people racing through his mind. Breathing in, he raised his Ein, surging it to an overwhelming degree to showcase his power. "I don't know most of you. Some I regard as family I've known for years, others I've just begun to understand, but the rest, I don't know you. But you all know me, and that's why you're here. You placed your life in my hands and heavied my burdens. It would be rude of me to disappoint you all."

Everyone continued their silence, waiting for him to finish.

"I can't ask you to trust me. I can't say I will keep you all alive. My only promise is if you follow me, we will fight in the harshest battles and tread through the worst, wartorn landscapes. We may starve for months and lay on the ground for weeks, eating naught but the dirt. Knowing that…will you all follow me?!" Oscar raised his voice, and rousing shouts responded, everyone raising their arms high, rallying to his call. Fred gave him a small thumbs-up and joined in the battle cry. The cheers brought a smile to his face, and Oscar banged his shield for attention. "Our first battle is here. We will go southwest to Delvar Fort and crush the invaders from these lands!"

The hundred raised their voices in rhythmic beats, shouting short and loud repeatedly like a war chant. The Black Aegis Order was now ready.

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