Ascension of the Nephilim

Going back several minutes in time, right before Mezal made his amazing conclusion...

Mezal followed the Champions and many Viscounts gave way to them. Never before was the Steele family honored in this Parade of Champions.

The Viscounts who have heard of Mezal and his Steele family had stunned gazed. Others hated it. Those who belonged to the kingdoms to whom the accusations were had foul expressions. There were even Viscounts who glared at Mezal as the hatred that was buried to them due to the crimes of the Olander clan.

The claims that Mezal made were severe.

Ordeus managed to calm the crowd, but Mezal's strong power made everyone fear his crazy actions. And the weakened Mezal was immediately gifted by some Champions with herbs and many Force recovering High-Tiered medicines that allowed Mezal to recover.

Along these gifts were offers of a goodwill alliance and even an invitation to welcome them into their kingdoms.

"Kyros is right. Fate is not making it too difficult for me." So Mezal thought as he was escorted towards the large audience hall. He had gained much, and the negative effects of his revelation did not appear.

Finally, he was brought into the hall. The Champions all took their seat with the Paladin presiding over the meeting and Ordeus standing next to Mezal.

"Let's get straight to the heart of this matter. Mezal. You claim three Viscounts have been worshiping a Necromancer and have the powers of Darkness?" Drake Vestitude immediately asked.

"Champion Vestitude, I regret to inform you that that is not our biggest concern." Mezal shook his head.

"A few nights ago, I have heard that Querk Stonefist attacked you with an undead group. And it's normal to assume that the Lorem Ipsum is behind this. However, some items were stolen from champions and other powerful warriors! And you wish to go through the bottom of this mystery. I know who stole your items! I met them!" Mezal declared.

Everyone was startled at the news.

"The first thing that I want to tell you is that the attack of Querk, the mysterious deaths of Viscount Conquistar and Toro, was all part of the plan. I understand it since I met enemies who assaulted us and forced us to flee with our lives!"

"You know who it was that was responsible for the attack and the theft in this fort? Ha! Like we'd believe you and your conspiracy theories!" One of the Champions laughed.

"If you don't believe me... Then I'll prove it. I know the names of some of the Champions whose rooms were raided. I know that your special chests were not enough to protect it!"

"Is that your proof? News of that would have reached my kingdom by now!" The champion laughed.

"I already said that I know among the items that were stolen was the Paladin Armor of Champion Vestitude and the Greatsword of Champion Emberwood. Was the information of the exact weapons they lost leaked as well?" Mezal challenged.

"This is a conspiracy. It's as simple as that. He's just twisting these small truths to his liking." The wounded Champion Spearmaster answered.

"Champion Peridot. Have you found your missing Purple lance as well as the Elemental Jewel collection that you use to socket your spears for added elemental weapons?" Mezal smirked.

"Wha-What did you say?! You thief!" The Champion Spearmaster roared.

"Oh? It was you that he was talking about! And he wasn't lying!" Mezal cheered.

"Give it back!" The Spearmaster roared.

"Are you an idiot? Have I not said that from the lips of the thief, his boasts revealed it? He told of a book for Paladins, an alchemy pot beautifully embroidered with gold and socketed with several fire elemental jewels. He spoke of an amber necklace and took an interest in a strange book which he stole thinking it to be the spellbook, but it turns out it was a diary! He even read the diary for fun!"

The more he listed the items, the more some of the Champions reacted.

"What?!"

"That's mine!" Another exclaimed.

"Who stole my stuff? Who is it?!"

"A-a diary?" The woman mage who had the magical vacuum cleaner asked.

Ordeus took center stage.

"Champions. The knowledge of Mezal should prove the truth of his claims. He met the thief."

"I also know that the thief did something to confuse everyone. He left hidden messages! You found a few, haven't you?" Mezal smiled.

"Those information has also spread throughout the castle! It's possible..."

"A knight was found with a dying message. Written on the floor using his own blood was the letter S. An archer with a terrifying bite mark was also found. His dead body, when lifted up, would reveal the name of his killer. I'm guessing that name was the name of the Viscount. A knight was dead near the drapes of the castle window. Looking at this room, this should be the place where that person claimed he left it. If you lift up his body and pull the sheets, you would find another hidden message written behind the curtain." Mezal listed down a few. These were the things that Kyros and his team prepared on their first raid.

"That's right!"

"Amazing! He knew the details of that man!" The champion who discovered the archer was amazed.

"There were more hidden messages?!" Another Champion exclaimed. He only knew of the first one who drew the letter S.

Peridot, the Champion Spearman, had an ugly expression on his face. He knew of the one in the hall and knew the secret behind it. This was what caused him to suspect Watt Ordeus's betrayal. The archer was one of his. How could this man have known?

"The real culprit that we met boasted of eight people to which he killed and planted these things. His plan was to create chaos in this place, and so, he made vague dying messages from our own knights. All except for one dead warrior. He said that one warrior would right two names from two kingdoms in order to create turmoil in the human kingdom alliance. Champion Watt Ordeus and Champion Drake Vestitude. Those are the names he wrote behind the curtains. It was written using a small arrowhead. Can the champion who discovered it please reveal yourself? I am sure that the messages this person left must have caused you to mistrust others."

There was silence. Peridot didn't want to admit it.

"Wait. You said that it was in this room?" Ordeus asked.

"He said he left it in a large hall. This seemed to fit the description."

"Then it should be here. Where was the dead body found? I recalled there was a report of this." Vestitude demanded. He and Ordeus were the names this conniving person used. Both were part of the Alliance of the Light, an organization with its roots in the Highlands.

"Over there. I recall that it was Peridot's archer who died." The mage with the vacuum cleaner pointed.

Peridot's expression turned ugly.

"Oh? It was you? Then my report should have convinced you. Are you so petty that your grudge against me takes priority over the kingdom itself?" Mezal sneered. Secretly, he was delighted. It turned out that the archer was Peridot's man.

"Kyros is really amazing! He even thought this far ahead when he raided this place back then! He already planned their way back here. What great intelligence!" Mezal thought to himself as he saw things going according to plan.

"I must follow all his instructions carefully. Even that odd order should have a purpose!" Mezal thought and decided to look for the perfect moment to deliver that 'line.'

Ordeus reached the area and removed the curtains. Right there, written were the names Ordeus and Drake. It even had the words, 'they killed me.'

When Ordeus pulled back the curtains, the Champions were all amazed at the accurate information.

"What's going on?" Drake then asked Mezal immediately.

"It was a plot. The purpose of the attack is something nefarious. The theft was also part of the plan. And that plan was to break the alliance of the humans!"

"This theft was a plot to break the human alliance? I can't believe it!" Ordeus was shocked.

"Yes! This place is an important place. It not only holds the alliance of several human kingdoms, but it shows our extent of unity. And so, the attack that happened had several purposes. And one was to distort the truth of what really happened here in the fort! Am I not correct in assuming your panic and confusion?"

The Champions nodded.

"The chaos affected you and made you doubt each other! They were distorting one truth and made it look like there were many! But!" Mezal paused for dramatic effect.

"There is always only... one truth!" Mezal held one finger up.

"Only one truth prevails! You were searching for the items in the wrong place! You believed that your fellow brothers betrayed you during the attack and stole items! These were caused by those dying messages! But that is not possible! Even if it were true, where would these items? Where are they now? Did you all not search the fort and even raided each other's room to find nothing? There was no time to do that! But because you harbored doubts, you rejected this truth. In truth, it was impossible to steal at that circumstance! You were under attack!" Mezal pointed out.

"Then what is the truth?" Vestitude asked.

"By logically rejecting that which is impossible, whatever remains, even if it is highly improbable, is the truth! What is the truth of the theft in this fort? Did humans did it? No! By some will of Fate, I found the truth." Mezal spoke grandly.

"The items that were missing were thrown outside! The thieves could have found an opening and threw the items down the high walls. With a battle going on at the other side, you couldn't hear the sounds of these falling items! And that theft and those murders were not made by humans or vampires! It was made by another unexpected party! The thieves were orcs!"

"Orcs?!"

"Yes. Those were the enemies we fought on our way here! They are working alongside vampires of great power. That's why they planned to weaken our alliance first by making us doubt each other. The things they stole were valuable but not irreplaceable because that was not the purpose! More important than the items themselves, is the shattering of trust between the bonds of men!"

"What insidious plan!" Drake Vestitude burned with rage.

"They might attack us soon. You have to hurry and warn all your kingdoms and scouts! The orcs might be on the move! They might even make lies and pretend that some of our kingdoms would attack their platoons and transports!"

"Hmph! Shameless!" Ordeus also cursed.

"It seems that the orcs are smarter than what we think them to be." The mage with the vacuum cleaner frowned.

"There it is..." Mezal finally saw the opportunity. He could deliver that one line! This was one of Kyros's most important instructions. He took out a pair of glasses he prepared which had been dipped in dark ink.

"Yes. This entire plot... " Mezal paused once more.

All the Champions turned to him again to hear what he had to say.

"You could say... that this was..." Mezal cooly stated as he wore the shades.

"A well Orc-estrated plot."

"YEAAAAAAHHHH!" Jules suddenly shouted as per Kyros's orders.