Far away from our world there is another one so close to our own as different it is. That world had had a lot of names through history but its residents call it “Wonder”
The world is divided in principalities in which the governing families are called “Royals” each “Royal” family has a family leader that is their representative on the Council. The council is the organism that decides the laws, weather if those laws are only for a principality or for the whole world of Wonder.
These family leaders are called “Monarchs” and they only can achieve that title if the previous Monarch denies their own right as Monarch or if the Council forces them to do so. Only the ones older than eighteen can achieve the “Pactio” state which put them automatically as “Selected” on the succession. If the Selected breaks the Pactio is automatically considered a “Fallen” and their right to be a Monarch falls to the following one in the line.
Wonder has many and different stories, intertwined so tightly that there is many times in which is impossible to guess where ends one and starts the next. Just as the magic and technology that run hand in hand as the world around them changes. Is because of that that a lot of those stories start in the same moment that many others are starting to be considered simple nightmares…
Prologue: The Legions
The leader of the squad inspected the land once again, the scattered bodies that were all over the rocks made the place look as if it was something extracted from a nightmare. With a sigh the leader turned to his men that were still searching for minimal signs of life.
Even if they keep searching they already knew that they weren’t going to find anything, the sliced throats of many of the bodies didn’t give any encouragement and the sulfur odor that impregnated the air gave the idea that the attackers had used some kind of far-reaching weapon feed with something else that mere coal and magic.
Arthur, that was the name of the leader, growled as he kneeled in front of what had been his own comrade in arms; Lancelot had been alive a few hours earlier when he had signaled his last position at the north part of the southern frontier of the White principality but now the gigantic guardian looked at the sky with blind eyes and Arthur couldn’t do anything else than closing them, his free hand clutching the piece of fabric and iron that the death guardian had been holding between his fingers until a few minutes ago.
The symbol of the legions glowed at the sun as Arthur looked at it; the crossed swords engraved on the interior of the medal were stained with blood and mud and Arthur shuddered as the memories of what had happened years earlier echoed in his mind. The Council wasn’t going to be happy with what had happened there.
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Despite that the council room was full with Monarchs the silence filled the air as pale faces and worried eyes looked at each other from their seats which encircled the big round table that occupied almost all the room. In the table laid the little medal that had come from the nearest portal of the White principality.
Leopold White himself had his right hand near the object, the way his forehead was directed to the floor made him look like an animal, his little teeth biting his lips as rage boiled noticeably inside of him.
The Council, formed by twenty four Monarchs, didn’t say anything as the old Monarch raised and turned, leaving her personal screen still open, Arthur’s Pendragon report still glowing on it.
The report had been clear, The Legions walked freely on the White’s principality and since the alert was high every form of communication would be inspected from now on. Leopold knew the protocol, he had helped to create it once upon a time but when he finally closed the door a tired sob could be hear. Sob that quickly turned into something more like an animalistic growl.
Behind him, in the room, the other twenty three Monarchs looked at each other while identical screens made by copper and light showed the same report.
“This changes everything” Said Rapunzel succinctly, her soft accent turning sharp as the worry emerged in her dark eyes.
“I suggest a complete obstruction on the principalities near the White one” Replied Blue as her piercing eyes looked at the other Monarchs that surrounded her as she moved her wings nervously.
“Suggestion heard and denied” Replied Spencer Nolan “We are talking about my principality here and we can’t block it because White’s has been invaded by The Legions”
“I need to remind you that The Legions can be many things but not weak, Nolan?” Asked Lucas from the other side of the table, her feral yellow eyes glowed as well as her sharp teeth while her hands touched repeatedly the butt of her trusty crossbow.
Eugenia Lucas was very well known for her hate against the refined political games that appealed to many Monarchs and it wasn’t only Spencer Nolan who gulped when the sound of her nails grazing against the wood of the crossbow resonated strangely high in the room.
“And what’s your idea then? White has less than a month to effectuate the change and we have the paths blocked to the principality. There isn’t much that we can do” Replied Blue has she moved her tiny wand between her fingers “We need to make an obstruction and wait until everything…”
“I think I said very clearly that that wasn’t going to happen” Exclaimed Nolan with a feral growl on his own, his teeth bared as the fairy tried to hide on the Wonderland’s Monarch dress “Those are my lands, if you want to try an experiment go to talk with The Legions by yourself”
The rest of the Monarchs looked between the two of them, it was well known the hate that Blue held against Nolan and the feeling was mutual for the old Monarch.
“I need to worry about the fairies under my watch, I won’t tolerate that because of your pride The Legions cross the borders once again” Blue’s reply was muffled because of her clenched teeth, her fists were tightly closed against her wand and dark blue lights danced between her chocolate tresses as she moved closer to Spencer Nolan.
“And I have my subjects; I’m not going to leave them alone in which is a certain death only because of your stupidity. That’s my final word” Nolan’s reply was suffocated by Lucas barely hidden laugh and it was her turn to receive a threatening look as Spencer turned to glare to the werewolf’s representative “Is there a problem?”
“None at all” Replied the woman too sweetly as the rest of the Monarchs rumbled uncomfortable on their seats.
Finally it was Locksley who stood; he was relatively new to the Council and his voice trembled for a few seconds when the rest of the Monarchs turned to look at him, the white walls and the screens titillated as the Monarch started his speech, the images of the screens changing along his words.
“Mary Margaret White needs to arrive at the council before she turns eighteen; the Pactio has been effectuated and maintained so if the Title doesn’t get passed to her the White House would be unprotected”
The Monarch of Oz nodded as she eyed the young man, she had been the last one to enter in the council three years ago and was still very aware of the protocol.
“It’s possible that the Legions had used this situation to win the White’s principality, those lands are known by the richness of its iron, perfect to make weapons” Kept Locksley as he encircled the table with quick steps “We need to escort Mary Margaret outside the principality and make her achieve the nearest Portal, the one that, if I remember correctly, is in one of the cities of the Nolan’s principality”
Spencer Nolan nodded reluctantly, even if he was the first interested on stop the Legions his old rivalry with Leopold White was also whispered on some circles inside the Council.
“I suggest sending a Féerico from Gold’s Academy” Proposed Midas, his smile making visible the gold teeth that he had “The Legions had never been very strong against magic, we can use that on our favor”
Every Monarch nodded at that, the Wizards Academies, or Féericos, were scattered all over the world but the one that was the largest were on the capital: Storybrooke. Gold’s academy had the best source for young and powerful Féericos. Even he had the oldest and most dangerous names among his pupils.
“Then I suggest to take a Guardian”- Interceded the Pendragon Monarch at the same time as she took her eyes from her personal screen in which the words of her husband were still visible “You all have seen what a whole detachment had suffered, we need strength and intelligence as well as magic”
Every monarch, even the ones that were well known for their preference to peace, murmured accordingly to that; the report had been bloody and full of details, many of them were still trying to keep their stomachs on check.
“After Neal’s Cassidy death the Guardians are being a little difficult to work with” Midas explained as the general screen changed once again and showed the young Guardian, dead only a few weeks ago because of the Ogres. “It’s going to be complicated to make one single of them to escort us, and is going to be less likely that they would want to cross a principality to help a Selected”
“Then we are going to need them to think twice” Replied forcefully Ginevra Pendragon at the same time that she stood, her height and demeanor shrinking Locksley figure that was still standing “My husband is the one out there defending the first defensive line, Midas. We need more reports as well as protection to help that poor child”
Midas raised his gold and ruby covered hands but kept silent, everyone knew that Ginevra had blood fairy running on her body and it wouldn’t be the first time that her untrained magic provoked a fire on some Monarch clothes.
“I was going to suggest taking a Vigilant” Commented Eugenia Lucas “But with Cassidy’s death I suppose that the spies are also being held on the Ogres wars”
“We can’t protect her with only a Féerico” Protested Rapunzel as the Monarch of Oz nodded quickly at her side “They would been death even before crossing the first border”
“Then I suggest to talk with the Guardians and make them send us one of their man” Finished Lucas as she raised from her chair, the wooden and crystal beads that hung from her wrists jingled as her personal screen turned off with a spark.
“I will talk with them” Spoke Locksley “The second in command is an old friend of mine, I hope that he would be more open to lend me some of his men”
“Then this reunion is suspended” Screamed Blue while the other Monarchs stood as well “I hope that we can send at least two to help that Selected”
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