Chapter 278 - 277. Players And Pawns (2)
I glanced once more at Zale, whose challenging gaze burned into me with a mix of curiosity and veiled defiance. It was almost amusing. Inhaling deeply, I allowed an air of uncertainty to creep onto my face. My hands lifted slowly, fingers curling as if reluctant to act.
I summoned a fraction of mana into my palms. The motion was deliberately careful, calculated, yet not without grace. A shimmering orb of water materialized, hovering above my open hand. The room erupted in startled gasps, the collective shock of the nobles palpable.
"A Water Mage!" one noble blurted, voice trembling with disbelief.
"But... that’s impossible!" another stammered, their eyes wide with a mixture of awe and fear.
Water Mages were considered legends, anomalies so rare that their existence had faded into myth for most.
Water Mages were even rarer than healers, the mages who could use other elements were able to materialise their elements but they would have to use the element from around them. For example, an air mage would use the air in the atmosphere to use his spell, the earth mage would use the earth, the fire mage would use the friction in the air and mana and create the fire but the water Mages were capable of materialising water after using the capabilities of all the elements. Especially fire and air.
"How fascinating," Zale murmured, his lips curving into a smirk. The gleam in his eyes was far too sharp to be simple admiration.
I released the orb, letting it dissipate into the air. The room grew silent once more as the nobles’ eyes darted between Damon and me, their expressions a mixture of greed, suspicion, and unease.
"Where did you find a Water Mage, Duke?" King Augustine finally asked. His tone was steady, but there was no mistaking the intrigue behind his question.
Damon inclined his head, the picture of deference. "We will announce the appearance of a Water Dragon—a divine figure sent to guide and reassure our people in these uncertain times. This mage will create a manifestation of the Dragon to deliver a message of hope and unity. A Dragon’s presence will lend undeniable weight to our words, allowing us to shift public perception and stabilize the situation."
The nobles murmured among themselves, the debate immediate but notably restrained.