Meera stopped walking when she realized that the God King was an Ascendant. It was so obvious now why the populace would revere him as a God because, technically, he wasn't human. He gave off a divine aura. She was sure she would've given the same aura if not for the Misidentify skill.

The guard escorting her gave a puzzled look. "My Lady?"

"Yes," she said, walking again. "Sorry, I was in awe of your King and this hall."

This hall was something else entirely. No TV show or book had ever prepared her for this. This was the most elegant yet luxurious room Meera had ever seen. The entire room was made of white marble, designed with intricate patterns of vines inlaid with gold leaves. The way it glittered, Meera would be surprised if it was real gold.

The king's ministers, or so she thought, were seated in their seats on both sides. Their seats were nothing less than thrones themselves. She figured in lesser kingdoms, they would have been thrones. Then, there were viewing seats above where other less important nobles sat and viewed the court's processions.

But all this paled in comparison to what was front and center of the room—the God King's throne. Many steps led to a dais where the throne sat. The steps held the same patterns of vines as the pillars in the room. The fifteen or so steps rose to a landing that held the most prosperous and beautiful throne she had ever seen. It was so massive that the man seated on it almost seemed like a child. It was studded with all sorts of gems—rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds. If Meera had the time, she would've stared at it all day long and found something new to marvel at each time.

There were two smaller raised daises on each side of the God King's throne. They each had steps leading up to it, but they were significantly lower than the throne. They held three opulent chairs, but only one was occupied. A prince, or so Meera figured, as he resembled the God King.

The God King was in his sixties with a grey beard that matched his silver robes. He wore so many necklaces and jewels that, if sold, he could've fed an army for a month. The man literally glowed. She didn't know if it was his robes or some skill, but he was the most kingly man she had ever seen. This is what kings were supposed to look like. The last king she had seen didn't even come close. Even if he didn't have the Ascendant aura, his look would've been enough to make people bow down to him.

[Golden Sword Saint – Level 546]

Wait, I'm not supposed to be able to see his level...Then it clicked. She, too, was an Ascendant. Maybe that was why she could see his level.

The guard stopped well back from the steps. Meera stopped beside him where a commoner had been petitioning his king but had stopped to stare at Meera. The entire imperial court was gawking at Meera, save for Munral, who kept a cool gaze despite having been caught in a lie.

Meera nodded to him and passed him a small smile. Yes, I'm here.

The guard dropped to a knee and bowed his head. "Apologies for interrupting your court proceedings, but there is someone who must see you." When the king didn't say anything, he went on. "Your Divine Majesty, please allow me to introduce Meera, the Reverent Lady."

Silence descended on the hall.

It got awkward when no one said anything for a long moment. Several seconds passed, and then, finally, the entire court erupted in hushed whispers. Munral left his seat and walked towards the throne. He had taken but two steps when Arhazar raised a hand; Munral stopped, as did all the hushed gossip.

The God King stood, and with him stood the entire imperial court. Even the people in the viewing seats upstairs were up on their feet. His Imperial Majesty walked down the steps to stand before Meera. She felt really out of place.

With a start, she realized he was a king. She must be bowing to him or something. She lowered her head and was about to bow to him when the king spoke.

"No, My Lady," Arhazar said. His voice had a soft and yet powerful tone. "You bow to no one. It is I who must bow to you."

With that, the man who ruled a world bowed at the waist. As if that wasn't awkward enough, seeing their king bowing. The entire imperial court was on a knee, even the Chamberlain who, up till now, had just bowed to her. It felt good even though she knew she should not be enjoying someone bowing to her.

Oh God, what is this place doing to me?

"Please, Your Majesty," Meera dribbled out the words. "You don't-shouldn't bow to me. I'm just a girl."

The king lifted his head. "No, My Lady, you're not just some girl. You're the Reverent Lady. When your brother left us, we were saddened that we would never again be able to host someone of such grandeur as he, but when your coming was prophesized, it filled our hearts with joy that the blood of the Savior will once again be amongst us."

The court roared their approval with shouts of joy. Arhazar raised a hand, and they settled down.

"When did you arrive, My Lady?" the God King asked.

"Yesterday, Your Majesty," She replied.

Arhazar frowned and looked to his Chamberlain. "Why wasn't I informed of her coming at once?"

"Your Divine Majesty—" Munral started, but Meera spoke over him.

"He told me that you were resting yesterday and that you were meeting with some foreign dignitaries this morning. So, I waited in my room until I got bored and went for a walk and found out from this guard that you were hearing the petitions of the common folk. So, I hoped you would hear mine as well."

The God King's head slowly swivelled to his Chamberlain. "Munral, is this true?"

Munral didn't even show an iota of shame or fear. "Yes, Your Divine Majesty. It is true."

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"And who you are you to stop the Reverent Lady to speak with me?" Arhazar's tone was dangerously low. The man was radiating with power. It was like he was shooting sparks of electricity. Meera instinctively took a step back.

Munral dropped to his knees. "Your humble servant begs to discuss this matter in private, Your Divine Majesty."

Arhazar had to give a single nod, and everyone in the room, including the ministers and nobles, bowed their heads once again to the God King and walked out of the room. In just moments, the whole place was empty, save for Meera, the God King, and the man she figured was the God King's son.

"Munral…" the God King trembled with rage. "I put up with a lot, but you have crossed the line this time. Speak while you still can."

Munral gave Meera a look that was hard to read. He was either scared of her or glaring at her. Truth be told, she wanted to hear what he had to say as well. She had done nothing to antagonize this man, and yet he had tried to stop her from meeting his king.

"Your Divine Majesty," Munral began. "She is not entirely safe. Her tag is as was prophesized by the oracle, and her looks cannot be denied. Both point towards her being the Savior's sister, but this woman…" He looked her in the eyes. "She is responsible for much death and destruction on Gethys. My Reapers report that she awoke an archdragon which eradicated the Sorceresses of Akhessai. The dragon keep is no more, and Veridiana, one of our staunchest allies, has departed these worlds by her hand."

This came as a shock to everyone, even Meera. Not the death and destruction part, but the fact that this man had found out so much in such a short amount of time.

But there was one thing he had said that all but confirmed her suspicions as to who was responsible for sending the assassins last night. If she wanted to, she could expose him now, but she didn't. She would keep that one with her. After all, it would be good to have some ammunition to blackmail him with.

"It would be best, Your Divine Majesty, that we do not entertain her for long and send her on her way as fast as possible before she brings a similar fate down on us," Munral finished.

Arhazar exchanged a look with his son before he spoke. "Is this true, Reverent Lady?"

Meera's first thought was to deny all this. But she didn't know if they would stop respecting her and throw her out, then one of the greatest sources of information on Neel would be lost to her. If she did tell him the truth, the end result could still be the same. She didn't know which path to pick, as they both were equally perilous.

"My Lady?" Arhazar asked again when Meera didn't answer after a long moment.

Meera sighed. "It is true." More shocked faces. "I had no other choice, Your Majesty. Your Chamberlain doesn't know the whole story. I was chased by everyone from the moment I stepped foot on Gethys, first by the dragons, whose hate was fueled by the Cult of Aetheron. Yes, the Cult told them I was responsible for the killing of dragonlings. They chased me all across Wiryar forest until I arrived at the sorceresses who held me prisoner and wanted to use me to draw in my brother. In the end, I had no choice—"

"But to wake an archdragon that hates humans?" Munral cut her off.

"You weren't there," Meera snapped. "You didn't know the circumstances I was in. I was surrounded by sorceresses, dragons, and cultists. Waking Zero-Raxor Winterbrace was the only choice I had left. And did your Reapers tell you that there was a war going on between the sorceresses and the dragons?" He didn't reply. "I suppose not. But don't worry. The threat of the archdragon has been dealt with. He's been put to sleep until Aetheron awakes."

Again, more shocked faces. She was sure she was getting to the point that, eventually, they would stop being shocked, as nothing could shock them anymore.

"How did you manage that?" Munral asked.

"I had help from a friend." Meera left it at that. "Besides, you don't have to worry about me being a danger to your realm as long as you don't get in my way."

She knew most people wouldn't call threatening a servant of the king in front of the king wise, but this man rubbed her the wrong way. He gave off a very sorceress-like vibe. There wasn't anyone in particular he reminded her of, more like an amalgamation of the lot.

Meera looked to the king. "Your Majesty, I'm only here to get information on my brother. I was informed that my brother stayed with you. Once I learn everything it is that you know about him, you won't have to entertain me after that. Your Chamberlain doesn't have to worry about me doing something dangerous to you. I bear no ill will towards you or your realm."

"Forgive my Chamberlain, Reverent Lady," Arhazar said. "He guards me zealously and was only performing his duty to me and the empire."

"Nothing to forgive, Your Majesty. I don't mean to rush things along, but my affairs on Gethys delayed me quite a lot, and my brother must've put quite a distance between us. So, is it okay if we talk about him now?"

"As you wish, my Lady." He nodded to Munral.

The Chamberlain clapped his hands together, then extended them outward, and as he did, a faint shadow bubble expanded outwards from his hand to cover the four of them. All sounds died, and the world took on a tinge of darkness. It wasn't the true dark of the shadow prison where Perilla, the Shadow scribe, imprisoned her, or like the Reapers from last night, but it was like they were standing in the shade.

"Cool trick," Meera stated, but Munral didn't reply or even acknowledge she had spoken. She shrugged and turned to the God King. "Please tell me everything about Neel. I've been trying to find him for some time now, but whenever I get close to him, he seems to evaporate into thin air."

"Yes, of course, Reverent Lady," Arhazar said. "I will provide as much aid as I can, but unfortunately, he hasn't returned to us in some time."

"That's okay," Meera said. "Maybe I'll put together something from what you can tell me."

"The Savior," Arhazar started. "spent nearly two months with us, and if it weren't for our royal oracle, we wouldn't have recognized him. Yes, it was us who realized who he was. It was we who recognized the Champion of the great prophecy and spread that information throughout the three worlds. At first, no one believed us, but in time, they did. They thought it was Varshan propaganda, but your brother proved them wrong."

She almost asked why they wouldn't believe it, but then she had been privy to how people on the other worlds just loved Varshans.

"I've seen the hate that people have for Varshans on the other worlds. Then how did they come to accept him as the Champion?" She asked.

"Well, it was his class and ability to teleport to different places, cities, or even worlds without the need of a Gateway Mirror. He didn't just stay with us the entire time; he traveled far and wide, making himself known and getting many monarchies to accept that he, indeed, was the Champion. However, eventually, about three months ago, he returned to us and stayed for two months straight. After all, why wouldn't he want to stay with his people."

"Of course," Meera said, but no one caught the sarcasm in her voice.

"In his free time, he started training and became a master swordsman, dispatching many veterans with ease. It was all going well until they showed up."

She noticed that all three made disgusted faces or sneered.

The prince sneered. "A thousand curses on that woman."

"What woman?"

"Domina," the God King said. "She's an oracle, but I felt she was more than that, but her two helpers…they were the truly powerful."

Munral spoke up. "With a snap of their fingers, they forced me to take the three of them to Neel. It was like they had taken over my body. My limbs moved of their own accord. I could do nothing but watch, a distant viewer stuck in my body as it carted the three of them to the Savior."

Meera's heart thrummed. She asked the question she already knew the answer to. "What were their names?"

"Silas and Cossus."

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