Journals of the Exalted Overture: Your Burden

Featured image art “The New Exalted” by Arute (@ast05water)

Welcome to Journals of the Exalted! This is the prologue to a four-part series exploring each member of Anna’s new Exalted. Now that she’s accepted leadership of this secret society, she’ll also be responsible for putting it together… before Lord Yixin tasks her with his ultimate objective.

Make sure to follow each member’s story:

Overture: Your Burden

Part I: The Gold Reindeer

Part II: The Ruby Tiger

Part III: The Sapphire Phoenix

Part IV: The Emerald Dragon

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From: Peony Sinclair

To: HM Queen Anna

Re: Welcome to the Exalted

Dear Anna of Arendelle,

I wish to extend my congratulations to you for recently proving your mettle in the face of incredible odds, against our Exalted’s member, Katina Romanov. Or should I say, your Exalted. For you’ve earned my lord Yixin’s favour and rightfully expelled Katina from the Exalted. You’re now free to reshape this secret society as you choose, although my lord insisted that you keep me in its ranks: both to keep him in the loop and to advise you.

Who’d have thought that His Lordship would have failed with Elsa, while I failed with Countess Vi… but we’ve finally succeeded with you.

I’m aware that Katina has already revealed to you the true purpose of the Exalted, which goes far beyond merely controlling the world’s governments and economies. I would like to take the initiative and reassure you that she’s telling the truth. We aren’t simply about power for its own sake, but for a greater, truly transcendent purpose.

Hard though it may be to believe, our true goal has always been to find the elixir of life, the fabled formula that rulers have sought through the ages. From primeval times, since Utnapishtim and Gilgamesh. It’s the ambrosia that we believe Arendelle’s rulers deserve. We already had aspirations of greatness for your kingdom. But the world’s fate was changed forever by Elsa’s birth. Her coming into the world, unique among the magical beings and spirits, reconfigured the elemental forces of the world and revealed the secret locations of the elixir to us. And since then Lord Yixin has had his eyes on you.

Now, you and I both belong to him, queen of Arendelle. Through the Exalted, you’ll rule the world. And through the world’s resources, you’ll hunt down the elixir of life. Immortality is yours for the taking.

There’s much more to reveal to you when you come to Peking. Until then, the work of re-assembling the Exalted will be your task alone. Lord Yixin has already bestowed upon you the code name of the Emerald Dragon, while my hidden identity is the Sapphire Phoenix. It falls to you to summon the other two: the Ruby Tiger and the Gold Reindeer. I’m intrigued by who you’ll choose.

I look forward to seeing you again in the presence of Lord Yixin, this time as our leader.

All hail the Emerald Dragon!

Peony Sinclair