Stars Asunder (The System Apocalypse #9)

Queen Karlelo is no demure, wilting flower of femininity. She’s hot in the Xena, Warrior Princess way rather than the petite, demure Disney Princess manner. Even seated on her throne on the raised dais, the Queen dominates the room. She’s at least seven feet tall, ripped and beautiful from generations of gene editing. Her presence is a palpable force, one that constantly sets off my Charisma and Aura Resistances. She rests on the throne on the Erethran capital planet of Pauhiri, her golden eyes boring into mine and glittering with amused curiosity.
Every inch of her is bedecked with enchanted Master, if not Heroic, Class items. There’s a diadem around her forehead that screams defensive equipment. Her light blonde hair is cut short, and a metallic plate feeding information into her brain takes up one side of her hairline where diodes glitter and sparkle. The purple dress suit covers her body, with small etchings and glittering embroidery in a language I don’t read offering offensive and defensive enchantments. The spear that rests on the throne is a Legacy Weapon, as is the bracelet around her right arm. I could go on, but suffice to say she’s casually bedecked in more—and higher Tier—equipment than the entire planet of Earth.
“So. This is our latest Paladin,” Queen Karlelo says.
I can’t help but glance at her Status information again.

Empress Hasbata Karlelo of the Erethran Empire, (more) (??? Queen Level ???)
HP: N/A
MP: N/A
Conditions: N/A

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I say. At least, that’s what I think is the right term. I really don’t know. It’s not as if I’ve spent a lot of time interacting with royalty. If I’d considered it, I might have bought a System information pack, but who expects to get dragged to see royalty?
“Smaller. And weaker than I’d expected.”
“True, Your Majesty. But he learns fast. Levels faster. And, occasionally, surprises us,” Ayuri d’Malla speaks up.
I turn my head to eye the woman, my captor and Erethran Champion.
“Rude. I’m right here,” I grump mentally to Ali.
While I might be as rude as a bull in a china shop at times, throwing out words and actions as carelessly as cheap necklaces from a Madris Gras float, I’ve still got some sense. And not backtalking the Queen in her center of power is one bit of it.
“I wouldn’t, boy-o.” Ali, my two-foot-tall floating friend sends back to me. Like myself, Ali’s changed his clothes and mirrors me in my sky-blue Erethran military uniform, with its high collars, epaulets, knee-high boots, and green trimming. The only thing he has different is the design on the epaulets. His is a minor variation on mine, indicating his role as a Spirit Companion to me—a Paladin of Erethra.
My “special” Master Class technically gives me a rank within the militaristic Erethran Empire. In fact, I report directly and only to the Queen herself. Paladins are part of a separate branch in their society, playing the role of wandering judge, jury, and executioner. We’re the troublemakers and problem solvers. At one point, there were as many as three dozen Paladins in the entire empire.
Now, there’s just one.
Me.
Technically, I’m not the only one still alive. My master? Sponsor? Mentor? The person who approved my ascension into the Master Class still lives. But she’s not coming back. Not anytime soon. Not ever, if she has anything to say about it. Which leaves me as the idiot holding the giant bag of shit that is the Erethran Empire.
“Wouldn’t what? I’m being good. Not telling them how pretentious and dumb-looking this entire room is. How much I’m getting flashbacks of Germany,” I reply to Ali.
The Spirit companion link is purely mental, run through the System. Over the years since the advent of the System and the destruction of Earth, I’ve gotten used to replying to him without showing it.
The throne room is less an ostentatious display of power and more of a functional bunker. It’s a structure with guards, shield projectors, and full-on artillery emplaced within. No gilt, no gold, no imposing pictures of past rulers. Hells, other than a few holographic projections of banners taken from the corpses of beaten armies and kingdoms—and in one case, a dragon’s head—it’s the least impressive throne room I’ve seen. Says a lot about the culture when they showcase their battle glories rather than gold and riches.
“I would listen to your Spirit, Paladin.” The Queen leans forward as she speaks, fixing me with a flat, disapproving gaze.
I feel the pressure she exerts, her Aura suddenly focused. For a second, my legs buckle, wanting to give way, wanting me to kneel and grovel for forgiveness. I can barely breathe, the pressure is so great.

Aura of the Empire partially resisted (90%)

I have to admit, I’m kind of impressed with myself. I wrap myself in the stubbornness, the muleheadedness that makes up who I am, and I refuse to kneel. It takes everything, even biting my own tongue till blood, coppery and salty, fills my mouth to focus and lock my knees. But I manage. The weight of an empire sits upon my shoulders, pressing on me in both a mental and physical sense.
And I resist.
Too bad I don’t have enough strength to offer a quip.
The tension in the room continues unabated for long minutes as I fight against her disapproval and the Queen turns aside to chat with one of her advisors. Her casual dismissal sets my anger alight, and I push back harder, no longer needing the goad of pain to stand.
Eventually, she relents, and I feel the pressure disappear. I stagger as the sudden disappearance throws off my sense of balance. As I catch myself, the snarl that threatened to erupt comes out. By the time I manage to control myself again, return my demeanor to something resembling polite, the Queen has leaned back on her throne.
Her fingers trace the upraised buttons on her steel gray throne as she speaks to Ayuri. “Barely adequate. He will need more Levels.”
“We know that. We did plan for him to conduct the training in the meantime.”
“What training?” I snap as they talk over my head. I was willing to be patient, but after that little display, I’m just about done being nice.
Fine. Maybe I don’t have a lot of sense.
“Of the other Paladins, of course.” The Queen sniffs then looks at Ayuri. “Are you sure he has specced into Intelligence?” She doesn’t wait for Ayuri to answer before continuing, already turning to another of her attendants. “Have it done.”
The moment she finishes speaking, Ayuri’s snaps off a left-handed salute, grabs me by the shoulder, and drags me out of the throne room. She doesn’t even wait for me to offer my own salutations. I could resist her—I might even be strong enough these days to physically stop her from moving me. But I don’t really want to stick around. So I follow.
“What other Paladins?” I hiss at Ayuri, only for the Champion to shush me as she hurries us out of the throne room. She’s probably scared that I’ll say or do something stupid. Again.
For my first introduction to royalty, I wasn’t stabbed, shot, or condemned to death.
I figure it was pretty good.

Release Date: July 1, 2021

Pages: 472

Genre: LitRPG Sci-Fi

eBook ISBN: 9781989458747

Language: English

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