It was a busy sky. The messenger birds took flight from the royal palace of Meredith in all directions, aiming to announce the dawn of a new beginning. The royal Saes had enough letters to write on this day. A letter to each land which existed in Albane, all conveying the same message.A letter for one. A message for all.The war in form of hostility against magic, which had lingered for so long within the walls of Meredith had come to a halt, and this would signal the dawn of a new war.A war against dark sorcery! A war against blood mongers! A war against the red king!"The land of Meredith shall stand with the wizards of the reach and the witches of the isle, and together, they shall wage war on the one called the red king."And so the message flew to Vaile, and Hayden and Hailey, and to the wizards reach as well as the isle of the witches.As the letters flew in the sky, Ul Thera began to remove the banes in Meredith. Those spells he had cast years ago during the great war to pre
It had been almost two days since Percival was sent after the wild beasts who escaped from the royal palace. Tension had started to grow among the soldiers of General Arthogan. What could have happened to the son of the general?Arthogan did not disclose his son's predicament to any member of the royal council, nor did he present his case. But he was not at rest in his heart. He wished he had not sent the boy after those beasts."I should have known better than entrust him with that responsibility. He is always uncalm and forward. What would his mother say now?" He pushed away the tray of food which was set elegantly on the table before him. He was fuming with rage and fear."Mother shall know nothing of this." Smaragdus said, assuring his father. "I shall find him!""No!" The general rejected the idea. "You shall remain here in the royal palace with the prince. The havoc that plagues our land right now, I do not think he is alive anymore."Smaragdus was taken aback."You think he has
Daella rose from her bed in high spirits. Today, his majesty would announce personally to his people the annulment of the law he made all those years ago. And he would declare war on the red king.Everything was now going her way. This was a moment of change, her moment of change. And she already had her plans in place to make sure that these events work out in her favor.She knew deep within herself that even if the wizards were received back with smiles and laughter, and the dignity of Meredith was restored in their eyes, the dignity of King Morrys would never be revived. He would always remain an enemy to the conjurers of magic."They will never forgive him for all he did!" She said to herself as she dressed up before the mirror. There was no maid around and she tended to herself. It was her choice.She had now finished making herself up for the day, and she admired her own beauty in the form of her reflection. While she stared on with smiles on her face, the image of the strange
As the curtains of night drew upon Meredith, the people remained still in their large numbers under the receding sun, chanting and reciting the same words over and over again. While some parts of the crowd sang songs of war and restraint, the young brave men swarmed towards the royal palace so they could join the war and fight alongside their brothers against the red one.They moved in a long line towards the general's base to swear their loyalty and commit their swords to his command.The general admitted them even though he knew that they were mostly young lads who had no experience in battle. But what to do? Warriors were needed more than wine right now. He remembered his pact with Prince Daerys. If their plan would go on to succeed, he would need enough men to make up for the number of soldiers who would ride away with Daerys to the end of the world. Even though he wondered if the action was really necessary anymore now that the king had returned earlier than expected, he remai
Even all through the nights, the palace was still busy preparing for war. More men came in at every hour, pledging their loyalty to the sword of Meredith. As another morning came slowly, the prince strode around the palace, awaiting the time for the execution of his plan.A group of soldiers gathered at a part of the palace, and they stalled up the bodies of the wild beasts who were killed on the night of the attack. "Burn them!" One of them said. And at the command, two guards came forward speedily with torched steels in their grasps. They moved towards the bodies and made to set them ablaze."Wait!" A voice called from behind. "Your highness!" The men bowed to Prince Daerys as he came towards them. "It is the order of the king to burn these bodies," said the soldier who had commanded the others earlier."I know." The prince sighed, "Pull that one out.""What?" The man stuttered. "Pull him out." The prince repeated, "It is an order."There was no choice for the soldier. He sign
A young warrior found his way past the groups of men who were swearing their swords to the crown against the red king. He was awed by the magnificence of the royal palace.All his life, he had always watched from afar. The beauty, the greatness and the might, all bestowed on the house of Arnold. Now all that was right in front of him.He stared with his eyes in his mouth as he walked the length of the palace. Ahead of him spread the most elegant picture he had ever beheld. The walls shined like diamond, bearing almost no difference to the silver windows. From upclose, it seemed like the height of the palace reached into the deep heavens.These lures of beauty caught him in their trap and led him away from his companions. Slowly, the chants of the soldiers faded into the rustle of the wind. Till he was far away from where he could recognize.Everywhere was as silent as a grave, even the chants of soldiers could not be heard again. The only remaining voice was that of birds as they flap
Cynthy appeared back in Princess Daella's room with the butter tea the princess had requested for earlier.As she laid the flat tray on a table, Daella was seated in front of her mirror, staring at the beauty that belonged to her reflection."What did you hear them say?" She spoke as she watched Cynthy through the mirror."The lords were talking about you." "I know. What did they say?"Cynthy turned around and proceeded to the princess's side. "They say you are in cahoots with the wizard. They even think that you may be his blood and flesh, they doubt your mother's loyalty to the king.""Such is the way of those lords. I am not suprised." Daella replied, seemingly unconcerned with the rumours."Is it true?" Cynthy mumbled to Daella's ears.The princess was shocked at her question. "My mother would never lay with a wizard. He is well below her taste.""No. Not that.". Cynthy replied, "Are you in cahoots with the wizard?"Daella turned her head upwards to look her maid in the eyes. "Ye
The feel of the floor was cold to her skin as was the touch of the strange dark sword which lay closely upon her neck, stretching back to the arms of the shadow and threatening to push further into her throat.The mysterious soldier wore a dark cloak that pulled over his face, emanating coldness. Looking deep into his face, Daella could not see a thing until she looked even harder, and then she beheld his two orb shaped grey eyes.They stared at her so close, and yet felt so far as though they looked upon her from afar. Dark and cold, but yet so distant.It seemed as if he wasn't real, but the head of the unfortunate soldier still lying dead and cold on the ground beside her was enough testament to the shadow's realism. He could have killed her, but something in him would not allow it. She could see it. And she could feel it. A strange power, stronger than his will, keeping him rooted in his steps and transfixed before her.For so long, he only stared and stared until his grip became
The tension has sparkled to tall heights within the hearts of Percival and Agnos, the son of the undying witch. Together, they sought to know what Daella had in the dark with the red king. "We should find out what it is they are discussing." Percival said as soon as he had pulled Agnos to his side, away from Brienne the beauty.But that did not stop the tavern girl from scooping her ears onto the most quiet air around her, just in case their secret words would escape in her direction."This is our chance to succeed in this quest. If we find a way to know his plans from here, it may save us the journey of a thousand miles." It was true what Percival perceived. Zathryon may be helping them by his being in that place. What if he would spill his evil ambitions against the king's army in that one meeting? Then the prince and the general, with the rest of their men might be able to return with their lives."You believe that the princess is a part of his plans?" Agnos murmured, still bewild
"My heart is blessed to another. There is none of it you can own". Daella said into the red face of Zathryon.Zathryon released a slight smile, reaching his face again into the cup lifted before him. He could sense her heart burning with rage for him, and he wondered why she was still seated before him."Why have you not told the world about me?" He asked her. "Your father, his lords and soldiers. A word from you and your people may stand a chance in defeating me. Believe me, if I am dead, my cause is too. My demons will not fight without my command. And no command shall I give with my head off my shoudlers"."But will you actually stay dead?" She returned to him a question in place of an answer after which the red king wore a pink smile. Then Daella proceeded, saying, "When I put you down, you will never again be able to rise. It will be forever."Her words would indulge a rustle of fear in the heart of any person especially with the way she chose to utter them. But Zathryon was not
The mother of witches stood before the huge waves of the ocean, staring into their vastness as though she could see the future written in their ever rising currents.Behind her was her closest sister, Teresa the second in rank of the witches. Or the second sister as they were called. Teresa knew very well what Marina was thinking about. She knew her so well that she could almost read her mind."The princess of Meredith". Teresa started, taking her place beside Marina and joining her in the sight seeing of the waters. "What will you do about her?"The waters raised to huge heights and dropped again with force, letting away huge splashes and smashes. The waves kept roaring with the wind, but none a single drop was fierce enough to cast a daint on the clothings of the two witches."She has brought these evils upon us, but the waters show us nothing of her future. We know not what problems she shall bring upon us next." Teresa continued. "Her mother once was a bone in our necks of ice, an
Daella walked up the stairs with her face closed to the ground. She did not expect that she would encounter Percival at this tavern."What has he come to do here?" She wondered, climbing up the stairs. He came so close to seeing her face when she collided with him. That would have been a disaster; No one should know that she was meeting with anybody today.As she appeared before him, her host pointed to her a place before him to sit."Please, princess. Sit". He said, rising to pull the little chair before her table so she could sit. After that, he returned to his own place opposite Daella."The entire kingdom is on the lookout for you. My father has developed sleepless nights and my brother is riding with an army to fight you. But you are here, within the sniff of our own noses, drinking and smiling as if all is well". She began, staring in his red eyes."But all is well". He replied. "The wine here is good. The air is nice too. And I have become more popular with the women of Meredit
While the witches paid their last respect to Ircane, her body laid within her cave of flowers. Her son Agnos sat beside it in tears while Percival stood by his side, consoling his loss.Her body now lay beside the little stream of water that flowed in the cave, adorned by the flowers she had nurtured for all her years. There she would stay for years to come without decay.Ircane's body had vanished mysteriously from Ghosti'dor the moment she breathed her last. Anyone would have thought it was the work of Ul Thera, but the wizard was no where to be found.Agnos had thought that his mother would return with the wizard who was his father by her side for he did not know his name nor could he recognize his face. But what he got was only disappointment. His mother, who was supposed to have learnt the art of immortality, dead before him. No wizard, no father. He was now completely alone in his world of mystery. Not completely alone anyway. Percival put a hand on his shoulder."I'm sorry th
In Hayden, Cynthy had almost lost her dear life. She barely escaped from the magical grips of the tall and powerful man who tried to prevent her from entering her new life of freedom.He had appeared from nowhere and offered her revenge."The king of Meredith is neither just nor grateful," he had said. "Is he not deserving of punishment?"A question to which she could not find a voice to reply since her strength was numb and her tongue seemed tied by whatever magical powers this man possessed."Oh! Do you want to decline my offer? I know that the desire for revenge still dominates your heart from within. Why must you deprive yourself of such justice?"She struggled to look in his eyes. His magic had a stronger hold than the thickest chains.And she mumbled, forcefully but audibly. "L-o-v-e".Zathryon chuckled. "Oh love, our excuse for being weak. You know, I also believe in love. In truth, I have a lover among your kind. But at the same time, I know of some good ways through which lov
The princess woke up from another nightmare. She had kept awake all night, falling into a dreamy land of despair each time she fell asleep. At this point, she could no longer keep count of how many dreams she had had tonight.Sitting up on her bed, she checked around for her dear maid but then she remembered. Cynthy would have been by her side the moment she jumped off from bed. She missed her so much at this point.To make matters worse, her last nightmare was all about the maid herself. In her dream, she saw her friend in Hayden, struggling with the pains of death. Bitten by a particularly powerful red demon, she only escaped by the breadth of a needle string. And as she stumbled around the city, unaware of her destination, night robbers got in her way, carting away with the gold the prince had given to her.No one helped her, and she was lying behind an old tavern, dying slowly.It was at this point that Daella woke up. She had no idea why she had seen so many things in her dreams
Over the cold waters on the isle of the witches, the trees mourned for the death of the undying witch.The witches felt a force like never before, rushing against their heart and telling them that they had just lost one of their own. They knew what had happened, but they could not help but be suprised."I know I am supposed to hate her, but isn't she an epitome of witchery? Who knew Ircane never left this world until now? Such a powerful witch she was! The heavens shall sing her name!". Teresa exclaimed in awe or respect. Marina was by her side as she said these things and to the witch mother, Teresa's words were far from truth.The witch mother had always known that the undying witch still lived. That Ircane was always alive within the walls of Meredith which in perfect irony was the worst place for a witch to hide her face. She could always feel her powerful presence anytime she used the power of the isle. Whenever she commanded the waters or used the plants. Ircane's aura always fo
Once upon a long time ago when men were boys, when the old was young and when the wise was foolish, Soatio the great chief of the night fell in love with Ircane the undying witch.She came to him as a priestess, eyes dazzling like the shine of the evening stars. Hers was the most beautiful face he had ever beheld. He could not help but think that all his motives in life were encompassed in her life with him.He thought that her white face was all that the blackness of his skin required. That her balls of light would balance his whorls of darkness. That her love was all he needed and all his dreams would be fulfilled.This he believed to his heart, but she was no goddess to make true his wishes. She never bore the same affection that he endured. In the end, she was only a witch who had come to him to learn a secret that can only be found in Ghosti'dor. He gave her everything she asked for and the ones she could not mention. She used him so much, and she used the secrets she stole from