Cont. from Part Twenty Eight or Story Start/Part One if your just joining
The room was quiet now and Nathan turned to look at the on watchers...he was still in shock over what he had just done.
One of them, an older woman nodded at a younger man in a smart tunic standing next to her and they both got up onto the stage, while the others continued to stare at him.
The younger man moved quickly to disappear behind the alter and then through a grand door out the back, slamming it shut behind him.
The older lady proceeded to the body of the cloaked man, she leaned down and put her ear to his mouth...presumably looking to see if he still drew breath?
“He is gone…” She stated as she lifting his head and removed his fire shard crystal necklace now losing it’s red glow and becoming transparent once more.
She climbed down from the stage and carefully navigating around the debris, she extended the necklace towards Nathan
“As per the rules of the challenge by magic, this is now yours my Lord, along with everything Gather Once owned”.
He was still in shock, but hesitantly he took the necklace from the strange woman and wondered to himself what it all meant.
“I…I am not your lord, seriously I just came here looking for help not a fight” he said to her, breathing deeply just now realizing he was feeling exhausted from the battle.
The lady seemed confused or concerned..
“My Lord like it or not you defeated Lord Gather and by right of magic you are now our ruler, this is the law....what is your name sire?”
“…My name?...I am Nathan! but look apart from you few people in the room, no one saw this...So, why don’t you be the ruler lady, here you go I give it to you” said Nathan trying to hand the necklace back.
“A rider has already been dispatched my lord, and the rules of leadership are clear, they were set by the fire king himself long ago..we dare not disobey. Anyone may challenge a lord but only with magic, you have a shard and challenged so now you rule this province my lord”
With this she turned to all the others and nodded, then turned again to face him, then they all bowed down before him.
“All hail Nathan, Lord and ruler of the Martikka province”