A Declaration for Slaanesh

PS: All right, all right, I read your comments. I won't write it like this again. I admit my style is old-fashioned and doesn't suit the current version. I was wrong, I was wrong. But let me stubbornly insist on one thing: "It's all Tzeentch's plot!"

Once again, events unfolded just as Aaron had hoped.

He had deliberately stirred up a fully armored duel with Disma and barely managed a draw. The result had left a deep impression on everyone in the Purple Dragons.

This kid had skill! He was a little cocky, but he had the strength to back it up!

He was a spellcaster, too! And a handsome one!

So when Aaron approached the entrance to the recruit registration office, more than a dozen young Purple Dragon Knights had already gathered there. The oldest was only in his thirties, and the youngest was Disma's age. They formed a semicircle and loudly welcomed Aaron into the family of knights. They gripped his arms and hands, clapped him on the shoulders, and called out his name.

"The last Salian! The Purple Dragons welcome you!"

"Manuel has a successor!"

"Not bad, kid. Challenging an Elite while you're still an Apprentice? You've got guts."

"Welcome, welcome, my friend!"

Aaron greeted his fellow local noble knights just as warmly.

"Tch... Suzail folk," Disma muttered again. He shook his head in disdain, full of contempt and another feeling he couldn't quite name.

When he had reported for duty, no one had come to greet him. Even the staff had barely acknowledged him.

He knew his personality was awful, but...

"Suzail folk," Disma repeated. These children of the royal city were far too easy to spot. Every one of them liked long hair and well-tailored uniforms, and they brushed their boots until they shone. Disma could identify a Suzail native at a glance. What he couldn't figure out was how they told one another apart.

More than half the Purple Dragon Knights had been born in Suzail. Its people took immense pride in seeing their sons and daughters serve in the Purple Dragons. For Cormyr's nobles in particular, a period of service was invaluable. They wore the purple dragon emblems on their surcoats and chests with pride.

Tch! Disma looked away, folded his arms, and stamped his foot impatiently.

After the warm welcome, Aaron was ready to register, but a Half-elf was being interviewed ahead of him. He would have to wait a little.

Aaron sat down and listened to the interviewer's questions inside.

"Could you introduce yourself?"

"..." The Half-elf introduced himself.

"What brought you to Suzail? Why do you want to join the Purple Dragons?"

"What connections do you have in Suzail? Who would be willing to vouch for you?"

"What flaws do you think you have? Can you control your temper?"

"Do you have a girlfriend? Do you intend to marry her? Do you want to settle in Suzail?"

"What did you do before this? Could you describe your experience?"

"Which of your parents is an Elf? Where are they now, and what are they doing? If they asked you to give this up, would you firmly refuse and consider cutting ties with them?"

The interviewer's string of intrusive, oddly pointed questions clearly grated on the freedom-loving Half-elf. Aaron could hear the anger in his answers to the last few.

Even Aaron thought the questions went a bit far. But the Purple Dragons were an army, not an ordinary employer. They trained Cormyr's elite, so they had good reason to learn everything they could about a recruit.

He ran through the questions in his head and considered how he would answer them.

"All right, Mr. Alan Davis. Please go home and wait to hear from us." The interview was over.

The Half-elf stormed out, pushed past the people blocking the doorway, and left without looking back.

It was Aaron's turn.

"Transfer order?" The interviewer did not look up. Aaron noticed him write "Rejected" on the Half-elf's file.

Aaron handed over his transfer order. The interviewer glanced at the parchment. "Please sit."

The interview began.

"Aaron Salian. How's your aunt?" the interviewer asked casually as he looked over Aaron's file.

"?" Aaron froze for a moment, then realized he could not stay silent for too long. He nodded and answered honestly:

"She's doing well."

"Good. That's all." The interviewer wrote "Approved" on Aaron's file, stamped it with his signet, and slid the parchment back to him with a smile. "Welcome to the Purple Dragons, recruit!"

The interview was over.

From that day on, Aaron would officially be a knight trainee and undergo six months of training.

When he came out, Disma was still waiting by the door. Aaron smiled at him. "Sorry for the wait. I held you up."

The Child of Chaos reached out and took his weapons and pack from Disma.

"Not long. Suzail folk are always quick, especially when they're the last Salian and the old bastard's friend's son," Disma said. "If that Half-elf hadn't been ahead of you, you'd have been out in the time it takes to piss."

"Is it hard for a Half-elf to pass the interview?" Aaron asked with interest.

"Different race, outsider, not a noble. He's got several strikes against him." Disma muttered disdainfully, "That's Suzail folk for you. You always stick together."

That included him, too. Aaron only smiled. He had already fought Disma once; there was no need for a second round.

"Hey, kid. Have you picked a mentor? Who are you going with?" Disma's tone was forceful. He watched Aaron out of the corner of his eye, waiting for an answer.

Aaron knew this was the first choice he had to make in joining a new group. Every large organization had its smaller circles. The one he joined would shape his days to come: whom he met, whom he befriended, what opportunities he found, what he learned, and how he lived.

It was an important first choice.

What? You don't want to join a circle?

How could that work? A sage from Kara-Tur had once said that a knightly order without factions would be a strange thing indeed. Apart from the very few Purple Dragon Knights sent on long-term field assignments by royal command, everyone belonged to a circle.

"Give me a moment. You'll know the answer soon enough." Aaron answered Disma with a mysterious smile.

The power of Slaanesh inside him had grown more active after what had happened earlier.

He had picked a fight the moment he entered the order. By fighting an Elite knight trainee to a draw, he had made sure everyone at the main training ground knew who he was.

That was what the power of Slaanesh wanted.

In that case, I'll put on an even bigger show!

With his approval parchment in hand, Aaron raised both arms, walked out of the courtyard, and stepped alone into the main training ground.

"Okay, brothers, eyes on me! Come on, look over here."

His Extraordinary Charisma shone in full.

The knight trainees practicing against wooden posts lowered their weapons.

The workers sweeping the ground stopped their brooms.

The guards on watch turned to look.

The clerks and logistics staff passing through were drawn by his voice.

The wheels of a supply handcart stopped turning.

Even several Purple Dragon Knight officers in the middle of a discussion turned toward Aaron Salian at the center of the training ground.

What was he up to?

Under the gaze of more than a hundred people, Aaron spread his arms into a V, palms outward, and shouted with an infectious smile, "I have an announcement!"

"I'm Aaron Salian, Manuel's son! As of today, I'm officially joining the Purple Dragons for training, and Lucian Bachmann is my mentor! Remember my name!"

"And the Lady of Silver Selûne's realm is number one!"

"That's right! Thank you, everyone!" Aaron spun a full circle, applauded himself, and returned to Disma under everyone's gaze.

The once-noisy training ground was now as quiet as a reading room in the Royal Library.

"Now do you know the answer?" Aaron slung an arm around Disma's neck. "What should I call you now? Senior? Brother? My man?"

"Whatever I call you, buddy, let's have a drink at the tavern tonight. My treat." Aaron grinned wickedly. "We can talk about how to show that old bastard what we're made of!"

Even Disma's defiant face broke into a smile.

He found himself starting to like the newcomer.

Aaron, meanwhile, felt the power of Slaanesh inside him practically boiling.

That felt good!

Just a little more!

He needed only a little more, one fresh thrill, and he could unlock more of Slaanesh's power and raise his level as a Chaos Sorcerer!

The silence on the training ground lasted a while before laughter broke out here and there.

What an interesting fellow.

Thanks to Aaron's Extraordinary Charisma and striking looks, the hundred-odd people there thought only that he was "funny," "outgoing," or "a bit cocky." They remembered the name Aaron Salian, but almost no one felt offended or put off.

He had fought an Elite knight trainee to a draw, had just officially joined the order, and was Knight-Captain Manuel's son. A little swagger was understandable, wasn't it?

He was young, after all.

Almost all the older full knights and officers made that excuse for Aaron without thinking. They exchanged amused glances, fixed him more firmly in their memories, and went back to work.

Only Ian Hutson looked thoroughly displeased.

"By the Namemaker, have you come to your senses, recruit?" The Grand Inspector strode up with a scepter and smacked Aaron on the shoulder with it. "If you've nothing to do, go help the workers clean the cesspits in the moat outside the fortress! Stop acting like a lunatic here!"

"I only wanted to meet some new friends, Grand Inspector Ian." Aaron saw that Ian's face was darker than ink. Realizing that his choice of mentor had wounded the Grand Inspector's pride, he added, "Before he died, my father told me he hoped Lucian would be my mentor."

His father could hardly object now, so Aaron might as well make use of him.

"Hah. Who do you think you are? Do you think I'm eager to teach you?" Ian gave Aaron a dark look. "You look impossible to teach. I'm glad you're not my responsibility."

"Let Lucian have the headache. And these so-called friends of yours." Ian's tone turned contemptuous. "Though I suppose you should make friends with people like Disma. What he considers beneath him is about as high as you'll ever climb."

"As for whether you'll pass Lucian's tests, I have no confidence in you." Ian Hutson turned to leave.

"What business is it of yours whether he passes my tests?"

Banneret Lucian appeared just then. The bearded Master Purple Dragon Knight, who looked as imposing as a lion, glared coldly at the snide Grand Inspector. "He's my knight trainee now, not yours. Go back to your office, or get on with whatever you were doing."

"Tch. No wonder someone keeps calling you an old bastard." Ian rolled his eyes. "Fine. You can take this troublesome fellow who only knows how to play with his deceitful magic. But Lucian, are you really planning to open an orphanage? Hahahaha!"

The Grand Inspector walked away laughing.

The Banneret snorted. He turned, and his stern expression gradually softened. "Aaron, come here."

"Banneret Lucian." Aaron stepped up to his father's old friend.

"It's been a while. You're taller, and stronger, too." Lucian looked less like a stern hero than a kindly elder now. "I heard what happened to you. Surviving something like that must be Tymora's blessing. I assure you, your instincts were right, and so was your choice. Next time, though, you needn't shout quite so loudly. They could hear you outside! Hehehe."

"Because I believe I made the right choice, I wanted to say it loud and clear. You're the mentor I chose, Banneret Lucian!" Aaron said earnestly at once. "No one has the right to stop Aaron Salian from choosing the right path!"

"Hehehe." The Banneret stroked his thick beard, closed his eyes, and let out a slow chuckle. "Good lad."

Old bastard!

Beside Aaron, Disma was practically cursing him out in his head.

So you're all smiles for this kid, but you come down hard on me!

Just because he announced he'd chosen you in front of everyone and made you look good?

Disma was about to speak when the Banneret's gaze sharpened and swept over his face. The trainee immediately felt the ache in his head again and muttered something unintelligible.

"Come along, recruit." Lucian beckoned Aaron after him. "I'll be responsible for your training over the next six months. I'll make you a proper knight."

"Yes, sir."

"But first, I'm going to introduce you to the Purple Dragon Knights."

"And you need to know where Manuel's coat of arms hangs."

"Let's begin."

At that same moment, high above the Moon Gate.

In a divine garden bathed in silver moonlight, a beautiful, dignified goddess full of maternal love stood beside a shimmering pond beneath the Sacred White Tree. Dressed in a gauzy gown of snow-white silk, silver moonlight, swan-lake elegance, and dewy radiance, she watched an image reflected on the water.

It showed Aaron making his "declaration" before the crowd.

Her expression turned a little strange.

"And the Lady of Silver Selûne's realm is number one!" Aaron's exuberant voice drifted up from the pond.

"Pfft!" The goddess could not help laughing softly.

"My child, what are you doing?"

The Lady of Silver Selûne's realm is number one!