229 Suppor (1/2)
In fact, they did not seem to have the iron will and robotic discipline that the blood legionnaires had either. That was to say, the knights were not untrained. Actually, far from it.
Li stepped up to the double doors, and the knights immediately reacted. They stared at Li with the poise of soldiers used to guarding. They had that stiff-postured ability to somehow pay attention to you while staring straight ahead to look as intimidating as possible.
But it was not their skill or posture that impressed Li, if anything did. Their power levels were fairly low. Mid to late thirties, meaning they were definitively a cut above the norm, but not anything overwhelmingly powerful. The blood legionnaires, for example, had an average level that ranged in the late forties to early fifties.
Which, come to think of it, did mark out a kind of ”mortal limit” for human strength, if there ever was such a definitive thing. It seemed that without remarkable talent or good genetics, the average human could not break past level forty.
In any case, what did vaguely impress Li was their equipment. Their golden armor shone with powerful magical radiance, and it was clearly evident that the quality of the armor far exceeded the levels of their wearers. Upon a closer look, he realized he recognized the armor too.
The Sunforged armor set. Lore wise, it was armor crafted from sunlight made solid through magic. It was extremely resistant to any dark or demonic magics, though they provided little in the way of standing against eldritch power. It also granted an immense amount of bonus health, health regeneration, boosted stats, and a huge bonus to holy magic based upon the number of set pieces worn.
The armor set was mythic tier, meaning it was to normally be worn by individuals of level sixty to eighty. However, the requirement could be waived to a large degree if the wearer subclassed in anything related to the light. So being a priest or paladin would suffice.
And all the knights were paladins or priests, it appeared from cursory glance
”Easterner,” said a knight. He nodded to the others around him, and they moved with efficiency, moving past the doors and opening them.
Li took in that reaction to mean that the knights were expecting him. ”I assume my presence is wanted somewhere?”
”Top floor. Audience room.” The knight spoke briskly, almost gruffly.
”Shiny man,” commented Tia. She squinted her eyes. ”Eyes hurt.”
There were no civilians as there usually were. Riviera was in full wartime mode now, using every ounce of its resources and manpower to organize a war effort.
”Busy,” muttered Tia as her eyes darted about, trying to make sense of the hundreds of different threads of conversations and hurried bodies that zipped by her.
”A little too chaotic, I agree. Let's go somewhere calmer,” said Li.
Up the familiar stairs, the same stairs he took to obtain to his herbalist's license so long ago, and passing the hallways of sculped, smoothed marble and facades that depicted a great many battles, he made his way to the audience room used by lord Lys. The floor itself was incredibly empty, forbidden for entry by common staff.
Outside the room, there were two more knights wearing sunforged gear, and they parted way to let Li inside. There were familiar faces seated around the round table of the audience room.
”And speak of the devil,” said Swift as he nodded to Li, his feet crossed and upraised on the table in lounging manner. ”Or, I should say, god? But that does not roll off the tongue quite as well.”
Sunstar sent out a striking glare to Swift's way, and the young hero became uncharacteristically silent.
”Interesting,” said Li. Lord Lys was at the table, as was Swift, the duchess, and Sunstar. ”Though, as I think about it, not too interesting. It would make sense for the duchess to be here, at the heart of the war effort.”
The duchess Vivienne rose from her seat at the head of the table and curtsied. ”I would be no leader of mine people were I to cower under the safety of Eclat's golden walls.”