HBWnovel Chapter 67: Knights of Solaris (5)
Chapter 67: Knights of Solaris (5)
Chapter 67: Knights of Solaris (5)
While Leon was happily led on a tour of the massive and beautiful Twilight Keep, Amon walked the dreaded hallways to his impending doom. Over the years, he had remembered every route in the colossal castle and no path more so than the passage to the Grand Commander's office. He would be summoned here at least once whenever he visited the Black Dragon Order's headquarters.
Calling it his personal walk of shame, Amon tried to ignore the whispers of the clerks and administrators who recognised him and steeled his way through the final barricades.
While he couldn't understand why, everyone in Twilight Keep remembered his face, for better or worse. It felt suffocating to carry the gazes of the curious plebians, but Amon shouldered through them all. He inhaled a deep breath before finally reaching his destination.
The highest point of Twilight Keep and the place he dreaded the most in the entire palace.
"Enter."
Without knocking on the stone gates, an assertive yet lyrical voice beckoned him in. Taking a moment to steel his resolve, Amon pushed hard on the massive doors and creaked them open.
Almost instantly, a tidal wave of mana surged towards the young Knight, sending his rich, ebony hair flying back. An invisible pressure mounted upon Amon's entire body, and his muscles convulsed as he struggled to remain standing. The pressure was nothing short of dominating, as any regular human would have been crushed into a paste by now.
If Amon so wished, he could circulate his Six Suns and Moons to withstand the immense mana being sent his way, but that would unveil all of the power he wanted to remain hidden. Therefore, he could only grit his teeth and endure the wrath of the being who forced him into this state.
"There he is... our resident celebrity. You sure have some nerve!"
A bead of sweat dripped down the young man's white cheeks as all of his muscles were engaged to keep him standing. The gravity only intensified with each passing second, and it became more of a challenge for Amon to keep a straight face. But, even with all of the mana mounted upon him, Amon could view the insides of the chambers.
Easily the size of a city apartment, the Grand Commander's office held many ornate and eye-popping decorations. From taxidermy beasts to prized artefacts seized from bandits... the decorations added to the mystique of the Black Dragon Order's Grand Commander.
A hunter... a dominant warrior... and a fierce Knight.
The Grand Commander of the Black Order was such an individual.
And right now, Amon had crossed her.
A woman, who appeared to be in her thirties, stared straight at Amon in the middle of the heavy oak desk. Her long black hair was relatively unkempt but remained in perfect straights. Wearing a black-yellow vest with a striped shirt, one might misidentify her as a fashionable office lady who sat behind the desk all day.
If not for the golden vertical slit pupils piercing right into Amon's soul.
"... Grand Commander."
Even though he was given a rude welcome, Amon still bravely gave the woman a respectful bow. After all, he was the one who messed up this time.
"You still have the nerve to address me as your Commander, huh? AWOL again? What's stopping me from stripping your Knighthood right now?"
"I have no excuse."
"Hah?!"
The woman slammed her fist onto the table, shattering it in two. Amon could scrutinise his superior from head to toe without the desk blocking his view. She was about his height, possibly half a head shorter. However, even without height, the woman was far more intimidating than any other giant he'd met.
Her appearance marked a captivating figure, a commanding presence that could intimidate anyone. Even though she was over forty, her pristine face made her look in her mid-twenties. Her pale skin complemented her red lips and sharp chin. With high cheekbones and a defined jawline, one would easily describe her as a beauty worth pursuing. However, the one thing that deterred most suitors... was her inhuman eyes.
Vertical slit eyes that resembled that of a Dragon, the woman could scare off a school of children with just her stare alone. Not that it mattered to an imposing and influential person like her.
The Grand Commander was just under Alrock, possessing the mana of Seven Suns. And even amongst all of the Sun Knights, she easily stood heads and shoulders above them all. There were, at best, three Knights in the entire Solaris House that rivalled her, and she was hard-pressed to find a suitable foe to match her brutality.
Yet, Amon was enduring her wrath.
"Carmen, reign in your anger... Do you want to kill the kid?"
"..."
Fortunately, Amon received help from a trustworthy source. A well-groomed gentleman gestured to his superior and gradually walked before Amon to block the Grand Commander's view. That small action calmed the woman somewhat as Amon felt the immense pressure dissipate off his back.
Turning around with a harrumph, the Grand Commander turned her back towards Amon and strolled to a corner of the chamber. Taking this opportunity, the distinguished Knight gently tapped Amon's shoulder while closing the door behind him to prevent the commotion inside from spreading out.
"You alright, kid?"
"... thank you, Sir Oswin."
"Don't sweat it."
"To cut Carmen's body without Aura! It must be at least Legendary-grade!"
"A powerful weapon, indeed."
Carmen flicked her finger as if nothing had happened. And sure enough, her open wound was closed entirely in just a few seconds. A blissful smile appeared on the woman's face as she stared straight at Amon.
"You've summoned a fine companion. Treasure it, and you will ascend to even greater heights."
"... thank you."
"Now get out of my face."
"..."
It seems that the Grand Commander still hasn't gotten over her anger. Not willing to cause any more commotion, Amon whimpered out of the chambers, unaware of the silent looks that his superiors were giving him.
❖❖❖
"What a monster."
After Amon had disappeared down the corridors of Twilight Keep, the muffled voice of the Vice-Commander sounded out, drawing Carmen's undivided attention. She stared at her right-hand man, waiting patiently for his following words.
"That kid... Can I even call him a kid anymore?" Oswin wondered out loud. "Judging from how calm he was when facing your mana, he's definitely condensed four Suns. And his composure and strength... it's far beyond any eighteen-year-old! It felt like I was watching a veteran of a thousand battles!"
Oddly, the topic of conversation wasn't Amon's behaviour or the fact that he accepted Leon as his squire. Instead, all they were focused on was his growth as a Knight.
"Has any Solaris Knight condensed their fourth Sun before twenty?"
"I doubt it..."
The venom in the Grand Commander's voice dissipated as she rested her bum on the comfy lounge chair. Crossing her legs, she reached for a new gourd of wine, and downed the entire bottle once more, giving her a chance to clear her head and reflect on what just happened.
Carmen could not hide her smile as she reflected on how Amon withstood her power as if it were just an autumn breeze. There was a reason why the Grand Commander had her eye on him to inherit her position.
Carmen Solaris. Many consider her the closest thing to a Dragon in the modern era. Every few generations, there will come a child in the Solaris House that would inherit a significant amount of the Founder's bloodline. Called super-inheritors, they would possess enhanced bodies far beyond human understanding, and their mana reserves would far exceed any living creature.
The vertical slit pupils of Carmen's golden eyes were a testament to her strong bloodline.
The Grand Commander was closer to a Dragon than a human in many aspects. She experienced intense emotions, was immune to most poisons and impurities, aged slower than most people, and constantly emitted her frightening mana.
Just being in her presence was enough to terrify an average Knight. Add on her dragon-blessed mana and absurd cultivation state; hardly anyone on the planet wouldn't be intimidated just by breathing the same air as her.
And here came Amon, a brat who was completely immune.
"I'm sure he's hiding his power to keep a low profile. But no matter how much a diamond tries to hide itself in the mud, its shine will eventually blow its cover." Carmen laughed bitterly. "The only problem is his tendency to go AWOL. But every time I see him, it feels like he was forced against his will."
Unknowingly, Carmen hit the nail on the head. If she knew that Yue was the one constantly dragging Amon around, Amon's mom would have gained a new supporter of the anti-Yue club.
Knowing how much his Commander favours the kid, Oswin stifled his laughter before asking: "So what's your plan for him? I doubt you really want him to be a janitor."
"What's wrong with that? If that teaches him some discipline, I would happily have him clean the toilets. Besides, other than the Ascalon brat, he's the most popular person in town. A month in seclusion should be enough to wane the public's interest."
"Oh? So that's your real plan. To keep him out of the spotlight?"
"That's about it."
Carmen waved off Oswin's zippy tone with nonchalance. However, looking closely, one would see a faint blush on the lady's pale cheeks. The pair remained silent for a full minute before Carmen lightly coughed and gave another order.
"Oswin... Cancel my other plans—Reserve Aldrich's Fields. After a week, call that brat to me. Let him bring that Ascalon brat if he wants."
"Hoh... You can't mean..."
"Well, since he's going to be my precious successor, I should help him hone his skills... don't you think?"
Carmen wore one of the most dazzling smiles known to men, yet... All Oswin could feel was fear and pity.
Fear for his life and pity for Amon, who would lose his.