Kingdom's Bloodline, page 669
“And is another one of the styles of the Eight Arteries of Eradication?”
Mallos’s gaze shifted at this question.
In the field, after a few unsuccessful attacks, Ness grew restless. He was forced to retreat a few steps to take a break. Sweat was dripping from his face.
Toledo, on the other hand, grew calmer. He even had the time to make an inviting gesture by brandishing his sword, showing some resemblance to Mallos’ sardonic look.
“Since you are familiar with the ancient books, Your Highness.”
The watchman stared fixedly at Thales. “Do you then know, in the thousands of years of its glorious history, what is the Temple of Knights’ strongest adversary, its biggest threat, its most inevitable battle?”
Thales shuddered a little, not because of the question, but because he sensed that:
Mallos, gaze blazing, was extremely serious in that moment.
Almost unlike that superficially courteous, composed and innocent, but actually disdainful, two-faced and snarky, his most hated personal guard captain.
Thales turned his attention to the briefly separated and resting opponents.
The strongest adversary of the Temple…
He knew that it was Calamity that finally brought down the Temple of Knights.
But…
In the Training Field, Ness and Toledo faced each other with their swords raised. Their gazes met and for a moment, all they could see was their opponent, almost forgetting that the prince was still spectating.
They reaccumulated the momentum to duel in preparation for the next confrontation.
Under Mallos’ weighty stare, Thales put on a serious face and slowly uttered, “The Empire.”
The watchman’s pupils narrowed.
In that moment, neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere was muted by this phrase.
Until Ness yelled as he commenced another attack!
Amidst the clanging of metal against metal, Thales took a deep breath and went on, “Indeed, thousands of years ago, in order to quell chaos and restore peace, many ranger knights came together under the flag of Great Emperor Camelot Karlose and followed him into battles and expeditions, expanding the territory.
“And consequently forging the strong foundations of the Ancient Empire.”
Thales suddenly recalled the debate between Putray and Kentvida about the Empire and Northland in Kaslan’s tavern a long time ago.
So much had changed.
The prince returned to reality. “But once the territories were united and peace was achieved, these ranger knights who were highly-skilled in martial arts, arrogant and originally scattered across the lands…
“As well as the dignified Temple of Knights that was regarded as the spiritual homeland by tens of millions, that had the ability to rally the support of the masses, that was armed and independent…”
Thales’ tone was somewhat chilling, “Replaced the original enemy and opponents and became the discordant voice in the boundless prosperous world.
“And was viewed as a glaring threat by those in power in the courts of the Ancient Empire.”
Mallos switched his focus back to the battle in the field—Ness’ had not made any breakthroughs in his attacks, but Toledo did not seem to have the upper-hand either—but his gaze gradually froze.
Thales thought about the stories he had read before and sighed. “In history, the fate of the Temple of Knights has corresponded with the rise and fall of the Empire.
“Under the pressure of royal power and military conquest, they suffered repeatedly and collapsed several times.
“But every time, sparks stubbornly remained and, when the Empire underwent civil strife, they rebuilt and thrived again.”
Thales let out a sigh. “Therefore, the biggest adversary of the ancient Temple of Knights, is none other than…” he stared at Mallos, “the Empire itself.”
Mallos similarly turned towards Thales and looked at him with an inscrutable gaze.
After staring at him for a while, the watchman finally nodded.
He acknowledged the prince’s answer.
Clang!
Ness and Toledo were again locked in another fierce clash!
They both swayed and each took a few steps back, panting.
There was fury in Ness’ eyes; the fight seemed to have stoked real anger in him.
“But what you didn’t know was…” Mallos said in a deep voice as he turned his attention back towards the battle, “At the same time, under the Pegasus Throne, the legionaries directly under the Emperor experienced continuous expeditions and endless wars to quell rebellions. They emulated the army and guards, and emphasized collectivity and discipline.”
Directly under the Emperor, legionaries.
Thales frowned.
The watchman’s gaze became more incisive. “Hence, under their utmost loyalty to the Emperor, their worship of the Empire, their absolute obedience to the army…
“And amid the Pegasus Throne’s expectations and their covert struggles against their competitors…
“They developed a unique martial arts style that is vastly different from that of the Temple of Knights.”
Thales was slightly dumbstruck.
Mallos stared at Toledo’s machete. “Just and gentle, dignified and elegant, upright and generous, assertive and strong, restrained and dutiful, simple and solemn, tenacious and bold.”
The watchman’s words carried an indescribable power which inadvertently made Thales sit up straight.
“With the official recognition and support of the Empire, the school of thought of these legionaries developed quickly. It was widespread and universally emulated for a period of time.
“Finally becoming Empire orthodoxy, on par with the acclaimed Temple Disciples and not inferior in any aspect.”
‘On par with the Temple of Knights…’ Thales’ ruminated the meaning of these words, and reappraised the dueling pair.
There was a change in Ness’ gaze as he swung his sword and his Power of Eradication accumulated like never before for the next attack.
Toledo held his machete horizontally and converged his momentum. August as a mountain, he was prepared to counter all possibilities.
The dynamism of their confrontation elevated.
“And so a thousand years passed…” Mallos’ words were calm, but embodied a trace of indescribable emotion, “The rise and fall of the Temple cycled between destruction and restoration; the rise and fall of the Empire oscillated between decay and revival.”
He looked up towards the dull sky and seemed somewhat disheartened. “And the development and changes to martial arts and superpowers—amid the ebb and flow of these two prominent schools of thought as well as the battles between countless talented warriors and capable swordsmen—fluctuated and flourished. There were tournaments and duels, no shortage of wars and quests, and occasionally private clashes.”
Mallos went on passively, “That was the fabled, most glorious and brilliant golden age of knights.”
Golden age.
Thales did not speak, seemingly also mulling over the weight that these words carried.
Inexplicably, Thales recalled his time at Blade Fangs Camp and the listless look of the owner of ‘My Home’ Tavern, Tampa when he talked about “the age of mercenaries”.
“Until the Battle of Eradication…changed everything.”
Mallos closed his eyes and exhaled gently. “The Temple was destroyed and the Empire fell.”
In the field, Ness’ accumulated attacks peaked. Following a fleeting stride forward, a sword beam could be seen reflecting from his strike!
Toledo growled and similarly took a step forward, ready to confront force with force!
In that moment.
“Enough!” Mallos bellowed, “That’s enough!”
Ding!
The two weapons—Ness’ long sword and Toledo’s machete—crossed in mid-air.
With Mallos’ command, the momentum of the blades dissipated and both fell to the ground weakly.
The dueling pair faced each other from an arm’s length apart.
“Go rest,” the watchman softly.
After a few seconds, with their stirred aggressions giving way to their conformity to orders, they exhaled in unison, stowed their weapons and bowed to the prince.
Thales applauded them solemnly and saluted them respectfully in return.
“As such, the sparks of knowledge left by the Temple of Knights were vested in the Tower of Eradication, and through tumultuous times, have been passed on until today.”
Mallos was slightly distracted by the sight of Ness’ back, but his gaze quickly refocused on Thales.
“And the Iron Blood sword style of the Empire, accompanying the flag of the King of Renaissance, accompanying the descendants of what remained of the Empire’s army, rose again in the new kingdom.”
The watchman stared at Thales.
“The martial art of knights, having its roots since the Empire and of supreme orthodoxy, has been passed down through the legacy of knights and court training in Constellation. It recounts the majesty of the throne and the prosperity of the army of yesteryears.
“Toledo and ‘Thousand-Blade Knight’ are representatives of the style.”
Thales noticed Mallos’ gravitas and nodded slowly.
“For centuries, generation after generation of Constellation masters have painstakingly studied and poured their heart into teaching the style, in hopes that this ancient legacy can advance in the hands of future generations and keep up with the pulse of the times.
“And the sword stances and sword styles that you have been practicing incessantly for the past few month, including the demanding ‘Seventeen Swords of the Knights’, are part of that.”
Thales thought about his training in the past few months that contrasted with that in the Northland and suddenly understood.
Mallos exhaled. His stern expression faded and he slowly reverted to his usual breezy demeanor.
“Today, this equally long-established martial art faction which is diametrically opposed but on par with the Tower of Eradication…
“Corresponds to the ‘Temple’, and is termed by rigorous scholars as—”
In that moment, the watchman’s voice grew faint as he murmured, “Imperial Style.”
Chapter 561: Cannot Escape the Sheath |
Imperial Style.
Thales ruminated these words for a while.
‘A style that is able to go head to head against ‘Temple’.
‘Is it the style of the Empire, or the style of the Emperor?’
“Now, do you understand?”
Mallos gently placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. There were mixed emotions in his gaze.
“The significance of Imperial Style—this line of martial arts inherited from the Age of the Empire—to Constellation, to the Jadestar Royal Family, and especially to you?”
There was barely anyone on the Training Field, and silence filled the courtyard. Behind them, the main stone hall was standing majestically under the gloomy sky.
Thales pondered for a long while before he spoke.
“That means, ‘Imperial Style’ does not merely represent martial arts, but also history. It has an extraordinary significance, and is equivalent to the Jadestar Royal Family heritage style…”
‘So this was another historical parable for me to learn from…’
At this thought, Thales’ words were stuck in his throat.
‘Wait a minute.
‘Jadestar Royal Family heritage…’
Thales’ expression changed slightly. Mallos, on the other hand, did not say anything.
“Doyle of Mirror River…” Thales uttered this family name out of the blue for no apparent reason.
“Last night, the duel between Doyle and Byrael…”
Thales looked towards the watchman and wondered aloud, “Even though his weapon and style were different, but I seem to recall, Doyle’s sword style… Is it also part of the Imperial Style?”
Mallos narrowed his eyes slightly.
After a few seconds, the watchman nodded.
“Danny Doyle was the last disciple of Sir Joaquin, the knight. Before his death, Sir Joaquin was the chief swordskills instructor of the private army on the home territory of the Jadestar Royal Family. He was a master-level figure in Imperial Style martial arts.”
Swordskills instructor of the Jadestar Private Army.
Having his query answered, Thales gaze changed as he immediately followed up with another question. “What about the others?
“Apart from Toledo and Doyle. Glover? Bastia? And yourself?”
Thales stared at Mallos.
The watchman smiled plainly and confirmed Thales’ speculations, “Yes.
“Glover, Morgan, Vladivostok and Oscarson of the Vanguard Division…
“Bastia, Franzuke, Ferri, and Kostad of the Defence Division…
“As well as Townsend and Chevanov under my command.”
Mallos still had a palm on the hilt of his sword as he sighed, “Not just them. Your Star Lake Guards, or to be more precise, the entire royal guard staffing structure, is mostly made up of Imperial Style practitioners.”
‘Most of the royal guards.’
Thales had a moment of realization before he was lost in thought, frowning.
“As for me, the instructors who taught me martial arts were also Imperial Style knights,” the watchman explained slowly, “Thanks to the Jadestar Private Army, even the regular soldiers of the royal family—which have been established for no more than a few decades—have more or less been influenced, resulting in many practitioners from commanders to foot soldiers.”
Thales was silent for a while.
He contemplated the reason behind all of this.
Mallos did not rush him, but waited patiently for the prince’s reaction.
“Mallos,” After a few seconds, Thales started softly, as if in a daze, “You mentioned that people choose their own school of thought between Temple and Imperial. Do they look for anything in particular?”
Mallos’ gaze turned hazy.
He gently released the hilt of his sword.
“My thoughts are that, in the rise of authoritarian powers and troubled times, the skills taught by the Tower of Eradication will often be popular for a time, propagate, and become a prominent school of thought.”
The watchman shook off his hazy gaze and reverted to a calm demeanor. “While in the height of peace and prosperity, the orthodox style of the Empire will become the trend that people pursue.”
Mallos looked at Thales. He was calm as usual, but there was something different about the pauses between his words. “Do you understand?”
Thales took a deep breath.
He corrected his seating posture and solemnly faced his personal guard captain cum martial arts instructor.
“Mallos.
“What are you actually trying to tell me through this lesson today?”
The edges of Mallos’ lips curved upwards, but he shrugged and put on an innocent look. “The two main representative schools of thought, of course…”
But Thales cut him short.
“You could have been more straightforward. You didn’t have to be so obscure and careful.”
The Duke of Star Lake glared at him. “It’s not as if I’ll do a keyword review.”
Mallos was slightly taken aback.
He scoffed. “So what do you—with your profound wisdom—think I’m trying to say then?”
The two exchanged a glance.
Thales took a deep breath, closed his eyes gently then opened them again.
“That Stupi…ahem I mean, respected young master Kohen of the Karabeyan family in South Coast Hill,” Thales stared at Mallos and continued in a serious tone, “From what I gather, he’s a disciple of the Tower of Eradication.
“And based on what you’ve told me, a ‘Temple’ practitioner.”
Mallos’ eyebrows twitched but he did not comment.
“Miss Miranda of the Arunde family in the Northern Territory.
“And Anker Byrael of Crow Caw City in the Western Desert from last night.
“As well as Ness. Like you said, before moving to the Central Territory, he was originally from Blade Edge Hill.”
Thales’ tone was certain as he pushed on.
“Oh, and Eckstedtians.”
Thales recalled what Wya told him.
“As far as I know, the legendary ‘Ground-Shaker’ Kaslan Lampard learnt skills from the Tower of Eradication in his youth.”
Mallos shifted a little when he heard this name and looked pensive.
He looked up and casually replied, “You know a lot indeed, Your Highness.”
Thales frowned. “And last night, when you said the assassin’s martial arts originated from the Tower of Eradication, your nemesis’—apologies, I mean Vice-captain Vogel’s—first reaction was: he’s a foreign noble.”
Thales paused, but Mallos remained calm.
“As for Imperial Style…”
Thales felt that he had caught hold of the thread, and was pulling it tighter, until he got closer to the crux. “Of my guards, D.D and Glover’s family are from Central Territory. More accurately put, they are Seven Jadestar Attendants.
“And you mentioned that Toledo is the descendant of a branch of a Seven Jadestar Attendant family.
“Even you yourself, Tormond Mallos, are a descendant of a Seven Jadestar Attendant.”
Mallos’ breathing staggered.
“Along with ‘most’ of the other royal guards.”
Thales continued solemnly, “Temple and Imperial.
“Their practitioners are so divergent. Is this a coincidence?”
But Mallos did not take the bait, instead responding with a rhetorical question. “What do you think?”
Thales furrowed his brows and thought to himself that this guy was definitely taking revenge against the prince for interrupting him earlier by refusing to speak much right now.
“I think…” Thales tried deducing, “At least in Constellation, local nobles are inclined to send their children to the Tower of Eradication to train in the Temple style martial arts?
“Central suzerains, on the other hand, mostly adhere to the Imperial legacy to butter up to the Jadestar Royal Family?
