"The great change? What's that?" Nick asked.
"Well it's no wonder you guys don't know," She said. "you have been in the dungeon for a month now after all. Anyway, the great change, is a prophecy."
"Uhhn, care to humour us. Tell us about this, prophecy."
Olga who turned to Nick, Jade and I. "From what we know, almost a hundred years ago, the last of the great diviners left a prophecy that would affect all of Mavis. You all are monsters, how come you don't know about her."
"No!" Jade said. "Was she a monster or something?"
"No. But people said she directed the prophecy at the monster race most of all. Like they would be affect from whatever happens more than any other race."
"Really? Then tell us the prophecy, please."
Olga turned to Estrid and looked at her as if asking her consent to tell us. Estrid, who was also looking back, gave her a light nod then turned her head back.
This made me curious about what the prophecy told. If it was a prophecy that told about the future of monsters, then I need to know.
Then Olga began. "Alright.." She said. It went like this.
#A great change shall come,
and a great disaster shall follow.
Once the one true king returns,
a tide of blood and war will wash up to shore.
Once he gathers his friends and foes,
then the wall's strength will hold no more.
A massive war between day and night,
shall consume all that was bright.
Then the six heroes shall rise,
to face all that seek the night.#
A moment passed in silence after she recited the prophecy. Everyone must have needed a moment to process it. Though the Diviner spoke in riddles, many things were pretty obvious about the prophecy.
First, someone returns, and war begins. If not for the word returns, I might have mistaken the one true king in the prophecy to be me. But I did not return to the surface, I only arrived. But still, she was right about the war part. Some other parts of the prophecy still needs reviewing, but, it was obvious that the Diviner's prophecy was accurate.
The silence remained for a while until Ace exclaimed. "Wow! That sounds really confusing."
"Isn't it?" Tracy added laughing. "I've heard the prophecy a lot, but, I still don't understand it at all."
"It is rather vague." Jade mentioned. "She mentioned a king. But there are many kings and queens in Mavis."
"Exactly," Kiera said joining the conversation. "the part I am confused about is when the king gathers his friends and foes. How does one do that?"
Then Nick added his thoughts to the conversation. "But, how does the prophecy affects the beasts of the dungeon?"
"It says so in the beginning of the prophecy." Kiera replied. "A great change shall come. Everyone thinks the little changes happening around the continent is like a warning. A warning that the prophecy is beginning. And, the beasts aren't just acting different in the dungeon. It's happening everywhere. They have been acting like this since a month ago."
"That's true." Tracy said. "The time matches. The prophecy started spreading around the guilds, and the changes, they started happening around the same time."
"Hmm. It does sound accurate." I said. "Maybe the beasts are just getting smarter. Maybe they only started noticing the changes because of the prophecy. Or maybe, something really is happening. Anyway, we just need to get through today first."
*
*
It was a cold winter evening, the young Princess of Margrave, Tessa, was in her large room at the Royal Palace of Margrave. The princess was in the company of her personal maid and her personal guard. Then they heard a knock on her door.
KNOCK. KNOCK. "Tessa! It's Theo and I." A voice said from behind the door. Tessa recognized the voice. It was her eldest brother, Tyler.
"Come in!" Tessa said then she stood up.
Two men entered the room. The first was Tyler, the first son of the Emperor of Margrave, and the Crown Prince. The second was Theo, the second son of the Emperor. Tessa was the third and last child of the Emperor.
As they came in the room, Ava, Tessa's personal guard and Gina, her maid, bowed greeting the princes.
Tessa walked to her brothers and hugged them. "Welcome brothers. This way." She said and led them to a small round table. Then they sat down. "Gina. Please get us some tea." She said to her maid.
"Right away princess." Gina said and left the room. Leaving the two princes, their sister, and her guard who was standing behind her.
"So?" Tessa started. "What brings you here? You haven't visited me since the last year."
"It was Theo," Tyler said. "he called me saying he had something important he wanted to talk to me about. I went to meet him then he suggested we have our talk here, with you."
"Oh? What did you want to talk about Theo?"
Theo smiled at his sister then said. "It's nothing much. I just wanted to ask you guys if you have heard the rumour that has been spreading around the Empire?"
"Rumour? I haven't heard anything." Tyler said. "What about you Tessa? Have you heard anything?"
"I believe I have." Tessa said excitedly. "It's is the one that has been spreading around the guild's. The one about the change."
"Yes! That's it!" Theo confirmed.
"I heard it from Ava here." Tessa said pointing at the guard standing behind her. "Right Ava?" Tessa asked her guard.
"Yes Princess." Ava said. "It's the great change. I also heard it from someone the barracks."
"Tell me." Tyler said to Ava. "What is the rumour about?"
"The prophecy Prince Tyler. It is about the prophecy."
"Prophecy?"
"Yes!" Theo exclaimed. "The prophecy left behind by the last of the great Diviners."
"Yeah." Tyler said. "I remember. It used to be a bedtime story for us a long time ago!"
"Yes! That's the one."
"But I barely remember it now." Tyler confessed.
"I didn't either. Until I heard it again." Theo recited the prophecy to everyone in the room.
"I remember now! So this prophecy has been spreading around the guild's. Why, after so many years?"
"That was what I wanted to discuss you guys. People believe that the prophecy finally came to circulation again because it's finally happening."
"What's finally happening?" Tyler asked.
"The prophecy! It's finally happening. After many, many years of nothing happening. The prophecy is finally happening."
"Hmm." Tyler folded both of his hands on the table the said. "So, you mean that the change and wars mentioned in the prophecy will finally happen?"
"Yes!" Theo answered. "I called you here so we could discuss this. As we know, the Diviner's prophecies always came to past."
"We don't know that for sure." Tyler countered. "We only know what you were told by teachers and history books."
"Ugh. Can't you just keep an open mind for once big brother." Tessa said.
"Exactly." Theo said. "Assuming the history books were accurate, then the prophecy must be credible."
"That was a very long time ago." Tyler said. "The Diviners might have been right. But the last one could have been an exception. All other prophecy came to past not too long after they were foretold. But the last diviner died not too long after leaving this prophecy. After she died, everyone waited and waited for the prophecy she left to finally come to past. But it didn't. It never did. So everyone forgot it. The few who remembered turned it into bedtime stories. So there is no assurance that the prophecy is real."
Theo sighed loudly, then he shook his head. "For once big brother, please keep an open mind. Even if there is no assurance like you said, there is still a chance it might come to past. Shouldn't we be prepared for that at least? It has been almost a hundred years since she left the prophecy at the summit of kings and yet nothing. Until, a month ago, the prophecy resurfaced. Don't you think there might, at least, be a reason for this?"
"Huh. Well you make a good point." Tyler said. "Alright. Let's say that maybe the prophecy is real, and let's say it resurfaced a month ago because it is finally coming to past. What now?"
Theo smiled. "Now you are listening. I want us to find the truth hidden behind the riddle of a prophecy. The Diviner's words are hiding the truth. And we need to understand it, so we can have the upper hand."
"Alright then. Let's do it!" Tessa said.
That was when Gina entered with a tray containing a large jug and three cups. The jug had steam coming out of its spout. Gina set the tray on the table then served freshly brewed tea in the three cups.
"Okay." Tyler agreed. "The first line is pretty obvious. Change comes then disaster follows."
"Yes." Theo said. "But, the second line. Once the one true king returns, blood and war follows. Who? Who is the one true king?"
"And! Whose king is it?" Tessa added. "Is it the kings of men? King of giants? Queen of the elves? Queen of the fairies? Or maybe, is it any on the eight kings and queens of the monsters."
Tyler picked up his cup, sipped his tea, then set the cup back on its saucer. "All races have kings and or queens except the dwarves. So it will be hard to deduce that. But, don't forget the word, returns. This must mean something."
"That is true." Theo added. "Returns. This must mean, the king isn't new."
"If that's it then," Tessa said. "what about the monsters. The eight kings are trapped in the tower. And the only king in the north now is the king of Minora. So, what if the north has, or will have a new king? Maybe someone will return to rule the north!"
"No!" Tyler exclaimed shaking his head. "That will never happen. The monsters will never allow anyone other than the eight kings and queens of the tower to rule them."
"But," Theo said. "what if they have changed? The first line does talk about a great change. Tessa could be right. It could be monsters."
"Nah! You don't know monsters like I do. They never change, and they never will."
"Hmm." Theo sighed. He let his thoughts wander for a bit before he continued. "What about, whatever new king surfaces in the next few months, we watch over that person."
"We can't just assume that." Tyler said. "The next king could be anyone. It could be Glavis or Salvador. But since we are in peacetime, we can't really say. We need more facts."
Theo accepted his brother's deduction. "Okay, so what do you think?"
"I have an idea." Tessa said. "How about, if any new king who isn't affiliated with any of the six nations of Mavis, is crowned? Or a new nation is born? Then we can say it might be the prophecy."
"Hmm," Theo grunted while rubbing his chin. "that sounds plausible."
"I believe it is." Tyler added. "Nice Tessa."
"Hey guys." Tessa said. "Why do you think there haven't been any diviners since the last one?" Tessa and Theo both looked at their elder brother for an answer.
Tyler furrowed his brows and said. "Why are you both looking at me?" Then he sighed. "Honestly. I don't know. All I know is the same as you. Before the last diviner died, there was a diviner for every generation. And they were given the position of Great Diviner of Mavis. They were loved and respected. Whenever a disaster was at hand, they would always prophesy before it happened."
"But ever since the last diviner," Tyler continued. "Diviner Sharii, died, there hasn't been another."
"Oh." Tessa said softly. "Well all we need to do is be ready. Her prophecy speaks of wars and deaths. Margrave should be ready!"