The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 305: Preparing for war (3)

Chapter 305: Preparing for war (3)

NOTE: This Chapter is considered the extra for achieving 102 Powerstones in the week of 26 jan-2 feb 2025.

Edward sympathized with Ericka as she squirmed at some of the words heard in the court. To see dignitaries act in such an undignified manner could be a harsh experience for anyone. Even more so for someone like her who lived a sheltered life so far. He, at least, had been fortunate enough to acquaint himself with such behavior when traveling.

As an average man, he had always considered himself inferior to these nobles and ministers. It comforted him to see them act like his usual crowd did. He hated seeing Ericka in discomfort but some things can’t be avoided. Not if he wished her to remain the Queen of Asterella.

He glanced at the King seated beside her. Solos Asterio watched his court descend into mayhem without the slightest change in his expression. He didn’t even flinch when the Minister of Left threw a chair at the Minister of Right. Nor did he instruct the guards to intervene when the Minister of Books stabbed the Minister of War...with a quill.

Although Edward didn’t dare to look toward the Crown Prince, he believed him, no Him, to be smiling. In the short time he had served the Divine Lord, he had noticed Him relish whenever humans presented their ugliest selves. It amused Him.

Despite seeing a lot, and perhaps understanding even more, Edward remained still. His duties as the Queen’s Guard involved the security and well-being of Ericka. To Edward, nothing else mattered. If the Court turned to dust or the Divine Lord bathed in the tears of the world, he didn’t care.

The mayhem continued till most of the people lay on the floor, writhing in pain and crying in agony. Few, who remained on their feet, gasped for breath, holding on to anything they could grasp and that could bear their weight.

They seem to be done.

Edward heard the Divine Lord’s voice inside his head. For some reason, He never used His mouth to speak nor did He leave Edward out of the conversations. It wasn’t as if He wished to hear his thoughts on the subject at hand. To be honest, Edward didn’t have much of a thought on most things discussed in their meetings.

"It would seem so, My Lord," Solos replied. "But shouldn’t we conduct our meetings without having them kill each other?"

Solos gave his Lord a please-stop-doing-this look. People who didn’t witness the event at the broken monolith wouldn’t understand but Edward did. He was there. He knew Solos implied that the Divine Lord could thwart each action someone of Asterella wished to take. All Strings of Fates were in His hands. He could do as he wished with everyone present. He happened to choose for people to descend into madness for His enjoyment.

Fine. It will be boring but I think we should indeed not lose the few people we have.

The Divine Lord sounded serious, finally. From what Edward gathered, they were supposed to be discussing their preparations for the upcoming conquest. Yet, at the first discussion concerning the candidate of a proper Field Marshall, things spiraled out of control.

Throw those on the ground out of the Court, stripped of their titles and lands.

The guards sprang to life. They picked the ones on the floor and were thrown out of the Court, quite literally. The Court didn’t have a corridor. The two-story building consisted of a base for servants to prepare food and clean up after the Court. The second story housed the Court.

After the guards had thrown the so-called losers out of the windows, they melded back into the white walls and columns of the building.

No discussion is needed. The Field Marshall will be the descendant of my old general.

The remaining people took their seats and looked confused at their Crown Prince. Only the Chief of Court looked pensive. He seemed to have realized their mistake. They considered the war as Asterella’s war and optioned candidates born and bred within its borders. The Divine Lord, however, treated this war as something bigger than that. They needed someone able to manage that. But who could it be? Before he gathered his guts to question the Lord, he sensed something. As did everyone else.

The world fell into darkness and in a deafening silence. For a second, all sound disappeared, and then...the sky thundered, followed by a blinding light.

Edward required some time to regain vision. When he opened them, the sight before him left him in awe and shock. A woman cloaked in feathers stood in the air. The sky above her was black with lightning snaking through it. But what shocked Edward most was the woman herself. Lightning slithered all over her and her eyes crackled with electric arcs. She had a pair of wings on her back with flashes of light glowing in the gaps between the feathers.

Welcome –

The woman didn’t wait for the Divine Lord to finish. She streaked as lightning wreathed around her hand. She flashed and appeared before the Divine Lord. Lightning arced and wrapped around her fist as she punched.

Lightning whipped and charred the floor but the Divine Lord stood without a change in his expression. Her attack destroyed the chair behind him and shattered the floor. Edward reacted almost as soon as she punched. He pulled Ericka in his arms and turned, taking the wayward lightning arcs on his back.

Listen –

Edward glanced over his shoulder to see the Divine Lord stand unscathed. He tried to communicate but the woman wasn’t done. She shot in the air.

Hearing the sky rumble and the lightning disappear, all color drained from Edward’s face. He held Ericka tightly against his chest. Her grip on his upper arms tightened and he felt her lean into him. Edward took a deep breath as fear numbed his mind and happiness filled him with courage. He shot out toward the nearest window and jumped. But he didn’t land.

Right as he jumped, the sky collapsed. He sensed the air fry and explode, sending flying tens of meters out. Panic filled him as a flash blinded him. White and silver blanketed the world around him.

"Edward..."

"Edward!"

"EDWARD?!"

Edward heard a voice call out to him. At first, the voice sounded far but as his awareness cleared up, he heard the sound louder and with more clarity. The calls turned to shouts, and then into cries. Hearing the despair in the voice he often thirsted to hear, his eyes shot open and he sat straight up.

"I am here, my Queen," he said, doing his best to sound as well as he could. "I am okay –."

His intention to calm and console her was cut short when she threw her arms around him and wailed against his chest. Her warmth froze his mind and body for a second. Despite enjoying the moment, he gripped her shoulders, ready to push her away. What if someone saw them? A Queen – even if only in name – in the arms of her guard? She would lose whatever little freedom she had and he, well, he would be executed.

Edward held her shoulder and hoped that they had yet to be seen. But as he glanced around, he realized no one was around to see. The Royal Court stood in shambles with multiple charred bodies strewn around.

Bam!

He barely registered something flying past him and crashed into the ground. A muffled groan pulled him out of his dazed state, causing him to realize not something but someone crashed behind. Edwards turned halfway toward the person when he heard His voice.

You tested me enough. The third time might be your last.

With a start, Edward turned back, only to see the Divine Lord appear with a flicker. He didn’t pay any heed to him and walked slowly toward the woman on the ground.

Edward couldn’t help it. He followed Him with a feeling of dread in his heart. Whatever He did to her didn’t matter. As long as they survived. Or that she survived at the very least.

The lightning lady winced as she struggled to get on her knees. She was in pain. Her blood-soaked clothes and missing wing screamed so. Yet, she didn’t cry or even groan as she sat on her knees, her head lowered in a bow, waiting for the Divine Lord’s judgment.

I won’t kill you. You are just like her – rebellious, unwilling to bow, and strong. But never forget, you have her blood, you aren’t her. Besides, even if you were...so what? In the end, she, the mighty Sky Goddess, bowed and followed me too, leading my troops.