In the realm of Zariel, every person can manipulate one of the four elements their zodiac belongs to - Fire, Earth, Air or Water.
Tamie Wingfield dreams to become the greatest Zodiac Master of all time. For that, she decides to join the Rose Cruce...
One evening, a representative of the new Zodiac Council visited the Rose Cruce Order and demanded to see Magister Edmund Jaeger.
"Huh? What's the issue?"
Goldmund received the guest at the counter in the hall. Erisa, who stood beside him, eyed the guest with apparent curiosity.
"Nothing's the issue, Lord Goldmund," the man smiled, "It is just that the Zodiac Council has sent me here with an offer. It should be discussed with the Magister in person".
"Oh, alright".
Goldmund rang an electronic bell that was attached to the wall near the counter so that only the receptionists (thus Erisa and Goldmund) could reach it. Soon after, hasty steps came downstairs and Edmund appeared in the hall:
"What's wrong?"
"A representative of the Zodiac Palace has come, under the Zodiac Council's orders. It seems they have a special offer and they needed you," Goldmund explained.
"Oh..."
Edmund shook the hand the guest had stretched out to him. After a warm introduction, the representative began:
"Magister Edmund, the Zodiac Council has acknowledged your, and your order's, efforts in uncovering the crimes inside the previous Zodiac Council and in helping us apprehend the criminals. We further acknowledge your efforts in reclaiming the stolen powers of Sun Dragon Ketsuryuu and thus re-establishing the balance of the zodiac circle.
"We've also considered the fact that your order is now home to both of the Dragon Kings, as well as all the twelve Celestial Lords. Thus, it is the most powerful order in the entire Zariel realm. The Zodiac Council has come to a common agreement to give you the allowance to move your Order Headquarters into the Zodiac Palace and operate as the new Royal Order (the institution which hasn't been set in motion for years due to the lack of suitable candidates). You will thereby receive the most difficult, prestigious, and highly-rewarded missions throughout the realm.
"You as the magister will be appointed representative of your order in the Zodiac Council, thus its seventh member (we've only had seventh members when Royal Orders existed and operated).
"We sincerely hope you will accept to collaborate with us".
All the three - Edmund, Goldmund, and Erisa - had their mouths wide open at such a gracious offer they would never imagine receiving. The Royal Order? - Such an honour! Magisters of Royal Orders were sometimes even called Zodiac Kings! However, once the first wave of stupefaction and shock passed, Edmund adjusted his glasses and said in a strict and prideful tone:
"I am truly grateful to you and the Zodiac Council for giving us such an offer. Even though we, the Rose Cruce Order, are a family of loyal members, who do not seek fame and money, but take missions only to help those in need and support one another in difficult times, we still consider all the circumstances you've mentioned and are delighted to humbly accept your gracious proposal".
Hearing a positive answer, the guest's eyes brightened and he shook Edmund's hand with both palms:
"Thank you, Magister Edmund! It is a great pleasure for us to cooperate with you!"
Thus, he was warmly received, treated as a welcomed guest, and then seen off to the Peak of Placidus, where he had come from. Once he left and took the signed treaty along (attested by Magister Edmund's and his two advisors' - Lord Goldmund's and Lord Nick's - signatures), Goldmund turned to Edmund with a chuckle:
"You talked to him as if you were a saint, 'we do not seek fame and money'! What a trickster!"
"Ugh, come on! That is the way to handle the business!" Edmund adjusted his glasses with pride and looked at Nick, "Tell him, Nick!"
Nick smiled:
"You're right".
All the three laughed.
The Order soon received its Royal Order Certificate and officially moved to the Zodiac Palace as its new headquarters. All the members flew into seventh heaven with happiness: to live in the palace! Such luxury and glamour, no more tiny rooms of the basement! Instead, they'd have high-class comfort, all of them, regardless of their ranks!
The Order administration underwent great changes because, as it had become a Royal Order, it grew quite famous and many new people busted in to apply for membership. A solid hierarchy was formed: the Magister, his advisors who were referred to as 'Elders' (Goldmund and Nick), Elite Grandmasters (all of the Celestial Lords, and the two other strongest members of the Order - Tim Wingfield and Kokuyo von Drachen), Grandmasters (people of Rank Seven and Rank Eight of their respective Classes), and casual members. From then on, Elite Grandmasters were deployed on specific missions assigned to the Order by the Zodiac Council (of course, they could take other missions by will, but these special missions of the Zodiac Council were done only by them).
The rooms were displayed accordingly: on the first floor was the Order Hall and dormitories of casual members; on the second floor were chambers of Grandmasters as before; on the third floor resided the Elite Grandmasters; on the fourth floor lived the Magister and his advisors; on the fifth floor was the room of the Order Council which was conducted by the Magister on special occasions when they needed to devise new strategies and plans; on the sixth, and the final floor, was the biggest library of the entire Zariel realm – the well-known Zariel archives.
Thus, the life of the Rose Cruce Order changed for the better: from a casual order of Rosenweld, it became the Royal Order of the Zariel realm - the home of the most powerful Zodiac Masters the world had ever known.
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