Reitz smelt the all too familiar smell of burning. It irritated him that some bandits were brazen enough to attack his domain. Normally these bandits would stay far away from his domain and stay put at the Badlands farther south from his location, a land not owned by any lord or monarch, this was a barren desolate place full of cliffs and rocks. Though there was an underground river in the territory no one had tilled and cultivated this land that is why it was in such a sorry state. Brigands, thugs and bandits would normally occupy this territory. In a sense, they were squatting since it technically was still under Rex Imperia"s protection though, the current Rex Imperia never sent out campaign toward the Badlands. He had no interest in reclaiming the territory.
Rex Imperia is the sovereign of the Imperium it is also the t.i.tle held by the Elementalist who is the most powerful. So, in theory, anyone could be able to attain this t.i.tle. In reality, though only the Primarch Four could contend for the t.i.tle since they were both the closest to controlling the four elements but even attaining the rank of a Primarch is not sufficient anymore to become Rex. The current Rex Imperia is pa.s.sed down from House Regaledeus. They held this for over four hundred years. Originally they were just normal Fire Elementalists, but for some unknown reason, the Regaledeus"s progeny could wield two elements at an early age giving them an unfair advantage.
Their house would pit the most talented against each other in their own compet.i.tion. Upon victory, the victor immediately gains a t.i.tle: Primus Praetorian or the first royal guard this guard is as powerful as Rex Imperia himself as he should be able to command the four elements. This guard is the one who protects the Rex Imperia"s t.i.tle. The Primus Praetorian will be a proxy for the Rex Imperia, the Primarch must deal with the Primus Praetorian first before he can challenge the Rex. When no challenges were made the retiring Rex Imperia would pa.s.s the t.i.tle to the Primus Praetorian this is the system that was made in order for the house to retain its power and authority.
No Primarch had ever succeeded in toppling the Primus Praetorian for three hundred years. And so, in theory, becoming a Primarch only ent.i.tled you to be able to duel the Rex but you would rarely get to challenge the Rex himself. To become a Primarch though you needed to attain a Primarch Seat.
Each Primarch had sixteen Primarch Seats below them which correspond to the direction in the compa.s.s. The strongest among them would be the North Seat. When you won a seat you were considered both a rival and a student of the Primarch over you but in tradition, the North Primarch Seat would not contend for the position of Primarch until the Primarch pa.s.sed it down to the North Seat under him. The Primarchs were both ministers and rivals of the Rex Imperia and thus there was check and balance. They also had their own domains under them they had Monarchs, Dukes, Marquess, Earls, Viscounts and Barons who had to answer their summons if needed in battle. They had their own forces to settle disputes.
However, Rex Imperia had a reserve of his own that superseded the Primarchs and one of these Lords was Reitz chosen from the forces of the Fire Primarch. Reitz was thus only answerable to the current Rex and also conferred with more land that was taken from the surrounding domains, which invoked envy from other n.o.bles as they thought he had somewhat of the same standing with the Primarchs.
Reitz walked through the village with two guards. The village was pretty huge compared to the normal villages. It had a Village hall where the village people would meet. Half of the houses were burning and the other half were ransacked. There were corpses on the side of the dirt road. Around a third of these were naked. Reitz was displeased when he saw this. Especially when he saw children amongst the corpses.
"Report" Reitz commanded a captain that oversaw the vicinity.
"My liege, there were ten guards I posted here. This is the last village the bandits have pillaged. The bandits seemed to have retreated to the nearby caves. This was a peaceful village so I did not deploy more men. Seven of their corpses were found stripped naked. While the other three are yet to be found." The captain replied.
"Treachery?" Reitz asked.
"That is doubtful my liege they were on rotation here and the three that are missing are one of my veteran soldiers." The captain answered.
"Is it possible that they are still alive?" Reitz inquired with a hopeful tone.
"That is a possibility my liege but unlikely, there were signs of a fierce battle here. The survivors reported there were around thirty bandits." The captain explained.
"Something seems to be off. Thirty of them could deal this much damage?" Reitz thought and did not say it out loud.
"What were their weapons and armour?" Reitz asked.
"Most were just wearing leather armour, my liege. Two or three wore mixed chainmail and some armour," the captain answered.
"Are any of the survivors capable of sensing the magic capacities of the scoundrels?" Reitz continued to ask questions.
"There is a boy that most probably can my liege, he was new in the village as his family had moved in recently but his parents died in the raid. He is around seven years old but very promising. The other villagers told me that he knows how to cast a spell."
"Oh? Then he definitely sensed the magic capacities of the bandits. Even though most probably his appraisal would not be accurate. He is our only lead. What type of magic can he do?" Reitz said as he raised his eyebrow.
"Water magic, my liege. His name is Caspian." The captain replied.
"Then summon him," Reitz commanded.
"As you command my liege." The captain left to fetch the boy. After a few minutes, he came back with a scrawny looking peasant child. He had azure eyes and grey hair. His clothes were shabby. He stumbled a bit and bowed face flat.
"The boy is here my liege." The captain presented the child to Reitz.
The boy was scared and was shaking. He said "Y-your L-lordship."
"Caspian is your name. Is it not? Rise." Reitz gazed at him with pity.
"Y-yes y-your lordship." Caspian still bowed and did not look directly at Reitz as he answered.
"Did you see the magic aura of the bandits? How bright were they?" Reitz asked Caspian.
"Your L-lordship th-they had b-brightness of oil lamps. although two of them were as bright as a campfire. "Caspian stutteringly replied.
"Hmm, knight level aura. Quite formidable for a bunch of ruffians." Reitz thought to himself.
"Very well Caspian. I would like to ask you if you can cast spells, what is your element? " Reitz asked the boy.
"Y-your L-lordship I-I c-can c-cast Water Ball b-but I am not v-very g-good at it." Caspian honestly said.
"Caspian how would you like to be one of my son"s retainers I can train you at magic and with this you can become a knight someday," Reitz explained.
There was silence for a while. It seemed Caspian was reluctant.
"Answer, boy!" The captain commanded.
"It"s okay Captain Ashen, there is no need to pressure him," Reitz said this softly.
"You have nothing to look forward here, back in my castle I can give you a better life just pledge fealty," Reitz said with a look of concern.
"W-well I-I am at your command, Milord." Caspian thought first before saying this.
"Good." Reitz smiled and then faced the captain.
"Captain, give him a fresh change of clothes and have one of the Blackfyre Guard escort him to Castle Blackfyre. Tell him to give the boy to Maester Grimfire on my orders. He"ll know what to do. As for the bandits" location, I will personally take charge and deal with them today. Ten will stay here as scouts to notify us if the bandits come back. Evacuate the villagers in the meantime and prepare the expeditionary force immediately." Reitz continued issuing orders.
"As you command my liege." Captain Ashen replied.