More than a week after the death of Nireus Chronis, the emergency summit occurred at the old garden in Laochyro where all summits have been held since Decatris was formed. The council has made it a requirement for all rulers to be present.
Unlike in the actual summit month, the atmosphere was far more serious and the awful silence due to the absence of celebratory noises from the city intensified this sensation.
All rulers stared at each other, waiting for Vandrad to officially begin. One of them was evidently filled with fury. The old king, Ision Patreas. The ruler of Caprines. The one who lost a son to an assassin.
Vandrad cleared his throat, "I offer all of you my deepest gratitude for answering our call for this summit. We have been informed about the tragedy that occurred in Pantera. A tragedy that is now hypothesized as the deed of a being of chaos. Monsters who had caused great destruction and death in the Age of Insanity."
The head-council member, Vandrad, paused. He scanned the others before he continued.
"What we fear might happen sooner than anyone could predict," Vandrad gulped, "Another Age of Insanity."
In the past, all kingdoms were at war with each other, trying to conquer each other's lands. Because of this, no one was prepared nor realized the upcoming reckoning. The annals of history mentioned the seven beings of chaos with a vague description of their appearance. What's given emphasis was the destruction and death they have brought along with the main perpetrator, the Calamity of Chaos. Some records said that he was a man, others portrayed him as the amalgamation of chaos, and some said that the Calamity of Chaos was the most evil-looking monster. Their end wasn't even recorded. Some believed that the heroes of the past vanquished them, others said that they merely disappeared after they were satiated with their massacre.
From the ashes of the fallen, Laochyro was formed as the last fortress in the Age of Insanity. Survivors from all kingdoms rushed to the center area of Nusterra as their homes were engulfed in madness. All nationality didn't matter and peace among humans was obtained for survival.
Written history wasn't clear as to how the Age of Insanity ended. But it did, and Decatris was formed by the heroes of the past to maintain the peace and create a central governing body that aims to combat a second coming of the Age of Insanity if it ever occurs.
"Although we have a great force of elite warriors in the Order Against Chaos, the recent tragedy in Pantera made us afraid that it isn't nearly enough," Vandrad said.
Survivors from the Panteran expedition said that the Behemoth seemed sluggish at first then gradually became active. A contrast to its record from the past. From the annals of history, the behemoth attacked from below causing earthquakes and dark flames to burst from the ground. It didn't stop attacking the moment it emerged. When compared to what happened in the Great Verdant forest, Vandrad and the others assumed that the behemoth didn't possess its entire strength and none would have survived if it did.
Vandrad turned to Kyrios, the head of the order against chaos. His scars and golden eyes were as intimidating as before. With a nod from Vandrad, Kyrios spoke,
"Members of the Order die each month fighting against maddened beasts and trying to solve our predicament. Although the academy produces a lot of elite warriors, it is not enough when compared to the number of deaths," Kyrios took a glance at each of the rulers, "As the lord commander of the Order Against Chaos, I ask all of you to encourage more young talents in your kingdoms to enroll in the academy."
"Decatris asks all of you to oblige with you and your ancestor's oath in protecting the realm," Vandrad said with a serious tone, "Please raise your hand if you will," he continued.
All twelve rulers raised a hand seconds after hearing what Vandrad said. This agreement would ensure that the strength of the army of Decatris would surpass all other kingdoms. Once someone becomes a student of the World Academy aiming to be part of the Order Against Chaos, they would recite an oath to be a protector of the realm and revoke their deep ties to their home kingdom. It would be directed to their God. Disobeying their vow would be the same as desecrating their God's name, which almost everyone believes to result in great misfortune and disaster. Their loyalty must be towards the people of the entire continent under the leadership of Decatris. To serve and protect them mostly from maddened beasts.
Under oath, knights in the Order Against Chaos are unable to join their kingdoms if ever an all-out war happens. They would move according to what the council decides, be it to assist one kingdom they believed to be innocent or to stop the war by annihilating both. Nevertheless, this kind of situation has never happened in the long age of brittle peace.
"There's another important detail we've learned about the recent tragedy," Vandrad said before turning to the Panteran king, "King Ander, would you do the honor?" He continued
Ander responded with a nod. After a few seconds of an intimidating stare, he spoke,
"There's a high chance that someone or a group of people were behind the Behemoth or the maddened beasts."
The Panteran king explained more about what he said. It was a detail they deemed important not to let the public know. Ander said that his knights found tracks from strangers. Some believed to see a figure of a man from when Nireus was attacked with chaos magic. Ander knew about Aeneas, but he left out his name and made his accounts of what happened sound more general.
Everyone could feel an intense aura coming from the old king of Caprines, Ision Patreas.
"It must be those bastards who killed my son. People who bear a demon's Zeal," Ision stared at Vandrad, "We must revive the bloodhounds and hunt them all," he continued.
Few of the rulers nodded after hearing Ision's suggestion. Scythas Conium, from the Noxious Scorpion's kingdom of Aakdan, was more glad than anyone.
"I understand your fury King Ision and appreciate your attendance in a time of mourning. But, we mustn't do something that would result in another time of hatred and many deaths without proof," Vandrad replied.
Ision gritted his teeth, "What more proof do you need!? I saw it with my own eyes," he paused and turned his gaze to Ander, "Their leader was someone with the Wolf's Zeal."
Ander stared at the old king. Like everyone, Ander also admired Ision as a ruler, he thought that he was someone who was always logical with his decisions and wouldn't be swayed by emotions. Seeing him act in such a way made Ander disappointed but could also empathize with what he felt for losing a son.
"King Ision," Ander spoke with a serious tone, "I understand how you feel, I would have felt the same had it been my son. But, you are asking for a massacre without conclusive proof. Had it been me, I would want the council members and the other rulers to reply with reason."
"Are you calling me a liar, King Ander?" Ision replied. Everyone could feel anger in his voice.
The king of Akrisia, Gallus Logea, joined the conversation,
"King Ander was merely suggesting that what you saw might be due to some kind of magic or something else. There are those who are capable of borrowing one's appearance from those who bear the Venerable Twin's Zeal. Although there's the chance of what you saw being true, we must act following the truth we have confirmed."
Ision's face twitched as he tightened his fists.
"W-we have nothing to do with that! We mustn't be… hmm," Castor, one of the conjoined kings of Doscuri replied.
"I think the word you're looking for is 'accountable' brother," Pollux said.
"That's right. We know nothing about what happened, King Gallus."
"I was not putting blame on you King Castor. Forgive me if it sounded like I was. It was merely a suggestion of what could've happened."
King Ision was fed up and slammed his fists on the round table cracking some portion of it.
"Enough with the nonsense! I am certain of what I saw. If you do not want to hunt them, I'll do it myself. Just allow my forces in your lands," Ision turned to the Panteran king, "King Ander, allow me to speak with those people with the Wolf's Zeal that you protect."
"I cannot do that," Ander replied.
The Panteran king's reply made Ision angrier. He wanted to announce war then and there, barge in Pantera and explore the entire land to find the people of Mene. But, although driven by emotions, Ision still knew that even with the death of one of the pillars of Pantera's knights, the army of Caprines, Zeal-bearers of the Savage Goat, stood no chance against Pantera. Even so, intense emotion overcame his reason and was about to declare war on Pantera. But before he could, they all heard a voice meters away from the round table.
"Aging truly made a fool of you, Ision."