End of chapter XII
XIII: Secret of the Woods
Sevidon was already a week ahead into the empire as he passed the ruins of Melgrace. He was determined to talk to Tamiron about Evangeline. He already felt something very wrong about her since the start of the war, but with the recent developments, and the fact that they are in the dark with what she was really up to in the southern region of Shardon already made him doubt her more.
Her questionable silence on matters of interest, her unrevealed motives and her exemption from the chain of command, to which Tamiron gave permission to, was problematic.
The sun set in its late afternoon glaze as he was about to cross the borders of Huertian and Barceneim. An Orderian owl flew in front of him, as though it was trying to get his attention. He ignored the owl as he tried to whisk it away but the owl did not stop. He sighed and chose to rest under a tree on the road. He went down from his horse and tied it to a tree, gave it water then he instructed the owl to begin with its message.
The owl started to project an image from the branch and one of the Meskotav Viris councilors appeared.
“What is wrong, councilor? I have urgent matters that I need to attend to,” he said.
“I do apologize, my liege. But we cannot put the matter to wait any longer,” the councilor explained. He looked at the councilor and nodded, as he rested.
“It is in regards with the attack that occurred with the tomb between our kingdom’s respective borders,” said the councilor.
He sighed and was clearly disinterested about the matter as he stood, “You have already given that idea on the message you sent to both us, councilor. I do hope you understand I am well on my way towards the imperial capital because of it. Go ahead and report that now to the Venis and Viris—”
“Grand Elven King,” the councilor cut him off to which he looked at with disappointment. “Apologies.”
“Again, I’m already giving you permission to report that directly to the respective Venis and Viris kings. I have an idea who it is but I still need to confirm something in Tamara,” he said with Evangeline in his mind. He needed to be careful by uttering such accusations.
“But, my liege. We cannot just let them know about this. You know how we elves are. The Venis might take it a bit lightly but the Viris will certainly not let this stand, especially the Grand Elven King,” the councilor said.
He did have a point. The Grand Elven King almost started a war with the Tigris way back. It was for the ancient city of the race of men that the Tigris claimed for their own when they abandoned it. It was their new home and capital, Tigeria. His father wanted to bury it even further but the Tigris declined to let it go. If it wasn’t for him, they would’ve have won the war with the Tigris being added to the list of races they drove to extinction.
“You have any more information about that attack then, Councilor?” he asked.
“Yes, my liege,” the councilor then grabbed some papers. “The attack resulted into casualties, all twenty-four of them. The dead were the elite guards of the Viris Kingdom. They were killed in a manner that both of us and all of elven kind, including the Venis elves are very familiar of,” then the councilor looked at him directly.
He paced slowly as he gave it more thought, and judging by the look of the councilor, he already knew that they had arrived with the same conclusion.
“My liege, if the Grand Elven King ever found out about this, without proper counsel, he might go to war — no, he will go to war over this,” the councilor corrected himself as his voice deepened in thought.
Sevidon prepared his horse and said, “Councilor, I will head straight there right now. Whatever you do, do not let the news get out. We can’t afford to be in another war at this point.”
“Are you sure, Sire? Wouldn’t it be wiser if you head straight to the empress and the prince with this information?” the councilor suggested.
“It wouldn’t be wise without any proof. I will be there in two weeks,” he said then the horse galloped and the councilor’s disappeared as he bowed out.
He was afraid this would happen. The current situation could spell the premature dissolution of Unibeltrasia. He knew perfectly well that it would not end with good tidings for the Viris kingdom.
EVANGELINE HOVERED above the ground to not make any noise in the La’Sarien Forest as she looked for the source of the disturbance she felt days ago. She felt she was close to it when out on a small opening in this thick forest, she saw the hidden tomb. She inspected it further and saw that somehow it was intact, like nothing had happened. All she could hear was the sound of the animals in the forest and the leaves rustling with the wind.
But she proceeded with caution still. It was bad enough that it was orderian magic that caused the disturbance in the Iron Kingdom, let alone Ravaen blaming her or one of her magisters as the perpetrators of the attack in their holy temple. She still had her reservations. She firmly wanted to believe it was just that — magic.
After all, there had been several instances in the past that non-reos were able to learn orderian magic, which then became beneficial for the Orderian as a whole kingdom.
As she moved closer to the tomb, she immediately felt a cold chill run down her spine. She could not explain the feeling and turned around but found nothing out of the ordinary. She hovered towards the tomb again and briefly caught a glimpse of the forest floor saw the dead elven guard.
She held her palm towards the tomb and she detected seven more. She shakenly casted a spell to detect if magic was used, and in an instant, the place lit in pink.
They were at war, but she did not expect this within unibeltrasian lands. She breathed deeply and began to cast another spell, Torun’On aveis.
A pentagram with light blue color appeared in front of her then it enlarged and changed to a horizontal position that covered the entire area. It began to pulsate and she hovered in place. She stared upon the dead as the pentagram pulsated and slowly began to shrink and turned into an image of a cloaked figure.
She tried to spin the image around to face her, but somehow it did not respond. She tried again, putting in more magic to her spell then it did, only to see the eyes of the figure. She was stunned to see the eyes, same as hers, but darker. She struggled to hold on and tried to burn the image in her mind but the blue image suddenly turned red then it cracked and then exploded.
She suddenly remembered something in a text from a book in the library.
“Did you hear that?” said an ominous chatter from far away.
She looked in the direction where the voice came from and instantly knew it was the Viris elves.
She teleported away immediately and into the orderian library where she frantically gazed around her. She extended her hand upward and a book landed in her grasp. She opened the book and began to read it again.
The maroon crystal gave them power. And so they were known as the People of the Maroon Crystal. Blessed and gifted by the grace of god and the power to control the elements, bend reality to their will, and command of the body, and even bring someone from the afterlife.
But not all of the People of the Maroon Crystal... Soon they were called the Maroon Orderian. Power had been distributed and some were only good at healing, while some are only good with controlling the elements. But there will always one above everyone; one who will have command of all three aspects of this power.
Amongst the people of the Maroon Orderian, a chosen one must lead them in every life cycle or any other era that would have significance for the People of the Maroon Crystal. Heor she is to lead the people of the Maroon Orderian and make sure of the survival of their own people. It was The Grand Sage.
The Grand Sages are but strangers to this world that they now call home. The Grand Sage is not alone on this and another was to serve as a guide, a source of wisdom for the Grand Sages, known as the Grand Seer, who was both blessed and cursed of immortality, forever serving the people, the Grand Sage and the Grand Seer.
&nbs
p; However, there was one instance that the Grand Sage was not one, but two — they were twins. They both ruled over the Maroon Orderian. Both the Grand Sages had their powers split between them, with one of them taking the title of the Grand Warlock. However, the Grand Warlock vanished. Never to be heard from again, even until they arrived in this new world.
She closed the book and read the title of it. “The History of the People of the Maroon Crystal, The Maroon Orderian,” she read softly. She took a glance of the writer of the book, Yorrun Etherford — Grand Seer.
GLAIVEL WAS AT THE elven command tent. With High Eagle Guards standing outside, Aderon had pressured him with the reinforcements from the elven kingdoms which were still a week and a half away. Also, he was mad at Sevidon for suddenly disappearing to Tamara for who knew what. And to top it all off, he was already feeling the full brunt end of Aderon’s anger.
Soldiers flooded the tent as they filed their reports. To the point, at least Sevidon’s adoptive brother, the Venis Prince does his fair share of the command, the prince was not as useful as his brother was.
“Prince Glaivel, here were the reports from the seventeenth battalion currently stationed at near the jagged pass of rondag,” said Prince Wraponreth. He sighed to the sight of the papers he laid down on the table.
“Prince Wraponreth, maybe you could help me out with the south eastern and south scouting reports as well?” he asked him. The venis prince only looked at him before he grabbed the files for it and immediately left the tent with his own escorts.
He sighed again after he saw that.
“Is something wrong, sire?” a soldier asked him.
“Nothing, let’s just get this over with,” he said and continued with stamping reports that he had already verified and whatnot.
After several moments, a messenger from the communication’s tent came in with an owl.
“Sire, message from General Sevidon,”
“Oh thank god. Everyone leave. The general will have a beating from me,” he exclaimed as the soldiers inside were surprised by what he said, but they all obliged and immediately left.
The owl then began to project an image of Sevidon who were riding a horse at that very moment.
“Glaivel I’m currently—”
“You big pile of elephantes dung!” he shouted to Sevidon to which he was shocked.
“What, did you call me?” Sevidon said as he slowed down, because of what he just said.
“You heard me, you idiot. You leave me here with a pile of work. Do you have any idea how large the remaining elven forces are here in the Termosad Camp? It’s still large enough to siege your petty Venis capital!” he said as he threw tirade after tirade to which Sevidon chose to not to argue.
He tried to catch his breath at that point as he sat behind his table, while Sevidon kept riding on. “You done?” Sevidon suddenly said.
“Shut up,” he said, as he caught his breath and finally calmed down. “I didn’t know the Orderian owls could that.” He was referring Sevidon’s projection as he hasted towards Tamara. “Where are you by the way?”
“Currently half-way through the Middle Kingdom,” Sevidon said, immediately catching his attention.
“What are you doing there? Where are you going?” he asked.
“To the Meskotav Council. Something happened there that I need to deal with first,” Sevidon answered.
He already knew what he meant, “Is it another raid?”
Sevidon refused to answer and simply nodded.
He immediately felt heavy after that. He sat back to his chair and quickly gathered his thoughts. “What would that, thing, do with their bodies? Those bodies are probably dust by now. They are pretty much several hundred years old.” he wondered.
“I know. That is why I’m going there to figure it out,” Sevidon answered. “Nothing is hidden there, right, Glaivel?”
“Nothing but their bodies and my own personal guard,” then he stood. “I need to go there as well.”
“No, you stay there.”
“And you could go?” he suddenly shouted at him. “Those are my people who got massacred out there. I already paid my respects to our friends and until now I’m still paying for it — with other people’s lives.”
“You need to stay there. Lead the army with my brother. I will keep you posted with the things I’ll find out. Leave this to me. I will be back as soon as the situation permits,” Sevidon said as the image faded away.
He was drained after that conversation. His mind drowned by the thought of his own people dying for his own cowardice, several hundred years ago. He wanted to be alone. Sevidon had always been the good child, he knew instantly what to do and when to do it.
He chuckled and threw his head back, with his eyes closed. “At least we are talking like in the good old days.”
“Care to tell me what exactly is going on with your brother, Glaivel?” Aderon suddenly said as he burst through the room with his guards.
End of chapter XIII
XIV: Red Prince of Old
The morning mist and rising sun filled the air as Tamiron watched over the city beyond were the plains of Tamara. His green fitted tunic and black overalls glimmered in the sunlight. He took in the cold morning air as he watched the city come to life. He caressed his freshly cut hair before he walked back to his room and proceeded towards the throne room. He walked the halls that were refurbished to bear the image of a new Trasidar Empire as his sister envisioned it to be without the arrogance and grandeur of self-importance like then of their father’s.
The marble pillars stood with the traditional green and gold of the empire and the walls were filled with murals depicting the unity of all the kingdoms in Arumar.
He entered the throne room and was met with silence. He was the first to arrive. He walked towards the throne that was adorned with four large golden horns, fit for the empress of the Trasidar Empire, her sister Queen Tamara. He stood in front of it and marveled in its design. The newly attached four horns on the throne emitted power that somehow granted to its bearer.
“It’s not too late to assume your rightful place, Brother,” a voice suddenly echoed throughout the throne room. He looked behind him and saw the Tamara wearing the crown of four horns, accompanied by the court, the council of three and her ladies of the courts.
He did not talk and simply lowered his head as they made their way to the throne. He looked at his sister and she only smiled at him. “You know I can’t, dear sister,” he answered as he gently caressed the arm rest of the chair the guards had brought in for him.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Tamiron,” said Tamara.
He averted eye contact and grabbed the chair with his two hands. “So, where is the recordsmaster?”
The grand doors of the throne room opened again and an old man slowly paced towards Tamara. He walked with a white cotton garb with ruby-colored stripes and that looked like it had not been washed for weeks, or months even. His hat was just as unclean. On his shoulders were the pads of red with a ribbon, tasseled with different colors, attached to the left pad that ran down towards his belt. The ribbon confirmed that he was the head of the great libraries in the empire, a master of wisdom and knowledge of the empire’s existence and history.
He stopped in front of Tamara and bowed, “Your Grace.” He then looked at the other councilmen and did the same, though not as low as what he did for his Queen and when their eyes met, a slight pause occurred. He beamed a smile at Tamiron and proceeded to show his respect to him as well.
“Prince Tamiron,” he said. “Master of Books and Knowledge, Torentyia Zubalnor at your service, Queen,” he said as he faced Tamara.
He looked at his sister and he could tell that she was just holding a giggle.
“Enough pleasantries now, Master Torentyia,” Tamara said.
“Recordsmaster would be fine, your Grace,” he confidently said as he rubbed his short greybeard and smiled to the Queen.
“By the way, Recordsmaster
, are you ready to accept the post of Master of Wisdom and Knowledge my father offered you years ago? A place is waiting for you in my council,” Tamara asked but the old man just laughed and shrugged it off.
“I am fine, your Majesty. The imperial palace is not for me. I’ll just get bored,” the recordsmaster laughed.
“Is this old man for real?”
“Hush!” Moselei silenced Ferrier.
Tamara quickly cleared her throat and got the attention of the others.
“A shame then.” Tamara gently tapped her fingers. “I do believe you’ve received my message in advance, the reason why I called you here?” she asked him to which he clapped loudly and the doors flew open with a cart of books brought in by the soldiers.
“I am well aware of that, my Queen and came prepared,” Torentyia said with glee as he paced casually towards the cart like he had not lost his youthful energy.
He clasped his hands loudly and looked at the books, “Now where should we start?”
Tamara giggled then cleared her throat again. “Recordsmaster, you haven’t changed quite a bit.”
“Well, you were one of my most impressive students back in the south. The fact that I taught the Queen of the Empire was certainly news for me that I immediately started to write a book about this age, or this particular year for that matter,” Torentyia said as he searched the cart once again then finally settling on one particular book. It was dusty and big, and the letters were faded.
“If you don’t mind me asking, Recordsmaster, but why are the books you brought not in good condition?” Tolous asked him.
“Because they were kept hidden, ordered by the late king,” Torentyia answered quickly, much to the surprise of everyone.
“And why is that?” asked Tamiron.
“It is because these books are, uhmm how should I put this? Oh who am I kidding — they are forbidden. They were banned by your father,” Torentyia said as he kept flipping through the pages until he stopped at a one. He looked at Tamara with the same confusion written all over their faces.
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