After the meeting Kaelen felt tired and annoyed by the fact there are member of the council that might belong to the faction that murdered his father, the previous king and both his brother and sister.
After a few minutes putting his thoughts in order he got up from the wooden chair and turned around looking into Marevith eyes.
"Marevith, I need you to investigate all the members of the council." Kaelen spoke as he straitened his eyes, "I want to know everything about them. There might be some rats among us."
"It shall be done, young lord." Said Marevith while bowing to Kaelen.
Kaelen started walking the long corridors of the castle, the servants and maids bowing and making way to the young and lovable prince when he passes by their side while going towards his study room.
After walking for about five minutes, he stopped in front of door with intricate designs, a door made of black wood, one of the special products of Vaeloria kingdom, carved with intricate and beautiful designs, forming beasts and even a dragon, depicting the shapes that fallen members of the Royal family, his ancestors were bound to as shifters. He took the key from his pocket, inserted into the keyhole and turned it around, unlocking the door.
The study was a haven of knowledge, its towering shelves laden with books that chronicled the history, magic, and legends of Vaeloria. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating motes of dust that danced lazily in the air. Kaelen sat at the massive oak desk in the center of the room, a thick leather-bound tome spread open before him.
The book was ancient, it's pages yellowed with age and its edges frayed from centuries of handling. It was a journal of sorts, a collection of writings left by his ancestors—each entry a fragment of their experiences, their discoveries, and their warnings.
Kaelen's fingers traced the delicate script as he read, his mind absorbing every word. The journal detailed the origins of the shifters, a lineage blessed—or cursed—with the power to alter their forms, adapt to their surroundings, and bend reality itself.
"The power of the shifters is both a gift and a burden," one entry read. "It will respond to your will, but it will also test your resolve. Those who fail to master it risk losing themselves."
Kaelen paused, the words resonating deeply. He had felt the truth of those warnings the night before, when the runes had flared uncontrollably on his skin. The power was vast, its potential limitless—but it was also dangerous.
He turned the page, revealing a diagram of glowing runes similar to the ones that had appeared on his body. The accompanying text explained their purpose: they were conduits, channels through which the power of the shifters flowed. Learning to control the runes was key to mastering the gift.
Kaelen leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. The journal offered guidance—meditation techniques to calm the mind, exercises to strengthen the connection between will and power, and rituals to unlock hidden potential. But as he delved deeper into the book, he found himself drawn to a section labeled "The Infinite Shifter."
The heading was surrounded by intricate patterns, the script beneath it bolder and more deliberate than the rest. Kaelen's pulse quickened as he began to read.
"The Infinite Shifter is a rare manifestation, a power that transcends the boundaries of mortal understanding. It is said to be limitless, capable of bending not only reality but time and space itself. Those who wield it are both blessed and cursed, for the burden of such power is immeasurable."
The text went on to describe techniques for channeling the Infinite Shifter's power, methods to harness its immense potential without succumbing to its weight. There were accounts of past wielders, their triumphs and failures, their moments of glory and despair.
But as Kaelen reached the final entries, the words became harder to decipher. The ink blurred, the once-clear script dissolving into smudges and stains. Entire paragraphs were illegible, the pages tainted with dark splotches as if the ink had been spilled deliberately.
Kaelen frowned, his frustration mounting. The incomplete text left him with more questions than answers. What had his ancestors tried to record about the Infinite Shifter? What truths had been lost to time?
He closed the book gently, his mind spinning. The knowledge he had gained was invaluable, but it was only a fragment of what he needed. If the journal's warnings were true, then mastering the Infinite Shifter would require more than study—it would demand strength, resilience, and a willingness to confront the unknown.
Kaelen rose from his chair, his gaze falling on the window. Beyond the glass, Vaeloria stretched out before him, a kingdom filled with hope and uncertainty. He clenched his fists, the faint hum of the runes stirring beneath his skin.
"I will not fail," he vowed softly. "Whatever trials lie ahead, I will face them. For Vaeloria. For my people. For the throne."
But even as he spoke the words, the faint echoes of doubt lingered in his mind. The power of the Infinite Shifter was a force unlike any other, and mastering it would not come without cost.
Kaelen turned back to the desk, his resolve hardening. If the answers he sought were not in the journal, then he would find them elsewhere. The legacy of the shifters was his to claim, and he would uncover its secrets—even if it meant confronting the shadows of the past.
For now, however, he had work to do. The council awaited his guidance, the kingdom demanded his attention, and the shadowed figure's warning lingered at the edge of his thoughts.