In the grand palace of Orinthia, King Alden paced restlessly in the hallway, his steps echoing in the eerie silence. Outside, the storm raged, its ferocity shaking the very foundations of the palace. Lightning flashed through the high windows, illuminating his face, which was etched with a mix of fear and frustration. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, his breaths heavy and uneven.
With a sudden shift, his expression hardened, his fear giving way to cold resolve. He straightened, his piercing gaze dark with fury. "Guards!" he bellowed, his voice cutting through the sound of the storm.
Two armored guards rushed forward, bowing before their king. "Yes, Your Majesty?" one of them asked, his voice barely audible over the roar of thunder.
"Bring Queen Adessia back here to me," Alden ordered, his tone icy and devoid of emotion. The guards hesitated for a fraction of a second, exchanging uneasy glances. The storm outside was unlike anything they had ever faced, and the idea of stepping into its fury made their stomachs churn.
"Now!" Alden snapped, his voice booming with authority.
The guards nodded quickly, retreating to fetch the queen. Minutes later, they returned, dragging Adessia into the hall. She fell to her knees before Alden, her wide eyes searching his for any trace of mercy.
"My king," she began, her voice trembling, "please, I thought you have forgiven….."
But Alden silenced her with a sharp wave of his hand. "You dare to question me?" His tone was venomous, his eyes blazing with cold fury.
Adessia shook her head desperately, her tears mingling with the rainwater dripping from her hair. "I swear to you, my king, I only acted that way inorder to give you a child. I also want a child of my own!!!"
Alden sneered, his lips curling in disdain. "Enough of your excuses. Guards, flog her. Do not stop until Elyria returns. And if she does not… then flog her until her last breath leaves her body."
Adessia's eyes widened in horror, and she crawled forward, grasping at the hem of Alden's robe. "Please, my king, I beg you! This will not bring her back! I am loyal to you! Please, spare me!"
But Alden stepped back, his face devoid of sympathy, his gaze cold and unyielding. "You chose to defy me. You will face the consequences."
At his command, the guards seized Adessia and dragged her to the center of the hall. One of them raised a thick cane, its surface polished and cruel, and struck her across the back. The sharp crack of the cane echoed in the hall, followed by Adessia's cry of pain. She writhed under the blows, her pleas for mercy drowned out by the storm outside.
Time passed, each lash accompanied by her weakening cries. Alden stood unmoved, his face as stone, watching the punishment with a detached air. Twenty minutes dragged by, the guards hesitating as Adessia grew limp beneath their strikes, her body barely able to endure the torment.
And then, the storm outside reached a terrifying crescendo. Thunder roared like a hundred beating war drums, and the winds howled with an otherworldly ferocity. The palace itself seemed to quake under the storm's wrath.
Suddenly, a voice boomed across the sky, powerful and resonant, drowning out even the thunder.
"HE'S HERE!"
The declaration tore through the night, shaking the very air around them. King Alden's eyes widened in shock, and the guards froze, their arms raised mid-strike. The voice carried a power that left no room for doubt, it was divine, undeniable.
Before anyone could react, the impossible happened. Midnight, which had cloaked the land in darkness, turned into day. The pitch-black sky lit up with a radiance brighter than the sun, bathing Orinthia in an ethereal light. The palace and its surroundings glimmered under the brilliance, leaving everyone awestruck.
Alden stumbled back, his cold facade breaking as fear clawed its way back into his chest. His breath quickened, and his gaze darted around, searching for the source of the phenomenon. The guards dropped their canes, falling to their knees in prayer, their hearts racing with a mixture of awe and terror.
Adessia, despite her injuries, lifted her head weakly. Tears streamed down her face, but this time, they were not of pain but in jealously. She whispered, her voice barely audible over the crackling light, "The prophecy… It has come to pass."
An hour later, the storm had finally subsided, leaving the air thick with tension and an eerie calm. King Alden sat on his throne, his jaw clenched and fingers drumming against the gilded armrest. The hall was silent except for the occasional murmur of the guards stationed nearby. The earlier phenomenon had shaken him to the core, but he forced himself to remain composed.
Suddenly, the heavy doors to the throne room burst open, and a guard sprinted inside, his face pale and breathless. "Your Majesty!" he exclaimed, bowing deeply. "Lady Elyria has arrived at the palace gates. She's holding a child."
Alden's eyes widened in shock, his heart skipping a beat. Without waiting for further explanation, he rose from his throne and stormed out of the hall, his cape billowing behind him. The guard and a few others trailed closely as he made his way to the courtyard.
When Alden stepped outside, the sight before him froze him in his tracks. Elyria stood at the gates, cradling a child protectively against her chest. Her movements were slow and weak, as though each step drained her of what little strength she had left. But despite her fragile state, she emanated an aura that was both divine and untouchable, her presence commanding reverence and awe.
The news had spread rapidly throughout the palace, and a crowd had begun to gather. Elders, nobles, and servants all stood in hushed anticipation. Even the women who had recently given birth came out, silently praying that the child in Elyria's arms was a fraud, a trick, anything but the child of prophecy.
Alden took a step forward, his voice sharp. "Guards! Bring the child to me."
The guards hesitated, exchanging nervous glances. Elyria, though visibly exhausted, fixed them with a glare that froze them in place. Her voice, though soft, carried an unyielding strength. "No one touches my child."
The guards recoiled, stepping back as if struck by an unseen force. Alden's face twisted with anger, his teeth grinding audibly. "That child is mine!" he roared, his voice echoing through the courtyard. "He belongs to me, and I will see if he is the one foretold in the prophecy. Now, give him to me."
Elyria continued her slow, deliberate walk toward the gathered crowd, her gaze unwavering despite her evident fatigue. When she finally stood before Alden, he reached out to take the child from her arms.
The moment his hand drew near, a sharp, crackling energy surged through him like a bolt of lightning. He recoiled, clutching his hand in shock. Furious, he tried again, only to be met with the same result. The air around the child seemed to shimmer with an invisible barrier, repelling any who dared approach with impure intentions.
Elyria's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. "The child is just born," she said, her voice calm yet imbued with an undeniable authority. "No one with dark thoughts can touch him now. Until he reaches the age of five, anyone with ill intent will find him untouchable."
A murmur rippled through the crowd, the mix of awe and fear palpable. Alden's face darkened, but before he could speak, Elyria continued, her tone turning sharper. "If you truly wish to confirm whether my child is the one spoken of in the prophecy, then look at this."
She gently turned the child's neck, revealing glowing tattoos of ancient runes etched in the shape of a bright blue moon. The seal shimmered with a divine brilliance, its power undeniable. The gathered crowd gasped collectively, their whispers growing louder.
Even without the seal, the air around the child pulsed with an energy so potent that it left no room for doubt. But the sight of the glowing mark silenced any remaining doubt.
"The Creator has favoured us," one of the elders finally said, his voice trembling with awe. Others nodded in agreement, their faces breaking into smiles of awe and relief.
Yet not everyone shared the sentiment. Among the crowd, a group of queens and concubines watched the scene with narrowed eyes. Their envy and hatred for Elyria simmered beneath their composed exteriors. They exchanged whispered words, their expressions darkening as they realized what this meant for her status. If Elyria's child truly was the one foretold, her influence and power would grow exponentially, elevating her far above them. They could not allow that to happen.
Elyria, aware of the undercurrents of malice but unbothered by them, held her child closer and stared directly into Alden's eyes. "This child is protected by forces beyond your comprehension," she said firmly. "His destiny is written in the stars, and no amount of your schemes or ambitions can change that."
The king stood silent, his pride warring with his fear. Around him, the crowd began to bow their heads in silent acknowledgment of the divine event that had just unfolded.
Amidst the crowd of awestruck onlookers, three figures stood apart, their faces shadowed by the hoods of their dark cloaks. Unlike the others who gazed at Elyria and the child with wonder, their expressions were cold and displeased. They exchanged furtive glances, their displeasure barely concealed.
One of them, a tall figure with piercing eyes that gleamed with malice, muttered under his breath, "It seems we can't touch the child. That barrier of divine energy makes it impossible to take him."
Another, a shorter figure with a raspy voice, spat in frustration. "This complicates everything. We need to reach him before he becomes too strong, before that light overtakes his innocence and solidifies his path."
The third figure, standing in the center, let out a low, sinister chuckle. Pulling back his hood just enough to reveal a wicked smile, he said, "Patience. There will always be another chance. The prophecy's safeguards may protect him now, but they won't last forever." His e
yes glinted dangerously as he added, "We strike when he turns five. By then, the barrier will fade, and we'll ensure he is taught the dark ways. He will belong to us."