Over a sea of golden clouds, the ethereal castle floated, its spires like so many shards of bright glass piercing the luminous haze of a perpetual twilight sky. The structure shone like polished pearl; intricate carvings of celestial beasts and divine symbols shimmered faintly, as if they were alive with inner light.
Enchanted waterfalls cascaded from each side, crystal streams dissolving into the glowing mist below. It was a dainty vibration of magic in the air, keeping step with the distant toll of bells.
Sharp echoes of footsteps resounded along the alabaster bridge that would lead one to the main gates—a hurried, uneven cadence that grew louder with every breath. It echoed off the marble walls as one lone figure ran across the bridge, breathing in jagged gasps, his clothes flowing with iridescent fabrics changing color between tones of gold and silver as he moved.
The style was characteristically celestial: he wore long, flowing muslin that swept down to his knees, and trousers which allowed him to move swiftly. His cloak flowed behind him, trailing threads of starlight as he ran.
In the distance stood a colossal gate, its surface covered in streaming runes of the skies that faintly pulsed with life. Two guards stood as attendants, their armor like the very gold of the sun.
Their helmets bore haloes of faint fire around their crowns; stiffening, they slid their spears into a defensive guard as the man came near, then relaxed as recognition dawned upon them, springing to push the mechanism which would undo the door. The doors groaned their way apart, sunlight pouring down upon a corridor.
He strode forward into the great hall of the castle, his feet faltering slightly as he made his entrance. The space was enormous, almost impossible, with a painted ceiling of unmapped constellations: it seemed to stretch up towards infinity.
Lined up either side were giant pillars of luminescent crystal, each with the image of celestial warriors carved upon its surface. Suspended starlight formed chandeliers above and cast a soft glow over the pristine, opalescent floor. The scent of old incense was present, sweet yet sharp, intermingling with the tangible tension that seemed to fill the room.
On the far end of the hall, there was a throne carved from a single obsidian and veined with glowing crimson sitting on a dais.
Seated upon it was the king, his presence radiating authority so immense that it seemed to warp the very air around him. His emerald-green eyes were sharp, sharp enough to catch your breath, glowing with unnatural intensity, their edges streaked with crimson as though touched by fire.
He wore a robe of robbing majesty woven from what seemed threads of shadow and flame, a circlet of blackened gold resting on his brow.
Beside him stood two figures. On his right stood a beauty of breathtaking form, her long pink hair threaded through with vivid blue, flowing like silken ribbons to her waist.
Her eyes were like the void, cold and dark as it was, yet they danced with an edge of unsheathed hardness. Her gown, cut from shimmering fabric that catches the light just as molten glass would, was at once both elegant an intimidating, speaking no less of her power.
Across from the king, to his left, stood a man, whose mien was just as daunting. His hair was a polish onyx blackness. His features were chiseled sharpness, his green eyes possessed an icy intensity rivalling that of the woman. His armor faintly glittered with runes etched into the dark metal, and nothing at all could be found in his face—only ruthless vigilance.
The man who had run into the hall hesitated for a split second before dropping to one knee, his trembling hands pressing against the floor. "Your Majesty," he rasped, his voice barely above a whisper, "I have brought news. And it is… terrible."
The king's gaze narrowed, his posture rigid. "Speak," he commanded, his voice low and resonant, carrying an unspoken warning against hesitation.
The man fumbled with a folded parchment roll, his hands shaking as he extended it toward the nearest servant. The servant, maintaining perfect composure, stepped forward and accepted the roll with both hands, bowing deeply before presenting it to the woman.
She unfolded the parchment with deliberate precision, her crimson eyes scanning its contents. A sharp intake of breath broke her stoic facade as her pupils constricted.
"He's on the move, Your Majesty,"
The king's expression darkened, a shadow falling over his features as the temperature in the hall seemed to plummet. The man beside him stepped forward, his gaze narrowing. "Are you certain?" he asked, his tone calm but laced with a menace that could cut through steel.
The messenger nodded furiously, his forehead nearly touching the floor. "Yes, my lord. The signs match perfectly. There is no doubt."
The king leaned forward slightly, his voice like a rumble of distant thunder. "And, what about the kid?"
The messenger swallowed hard, his entire body quaking. "Not yet, Your Majesty. But, the seals are weakening…. It's only a matter of time before—" His words broke off into a strangled gasp, silenced by the weight of the tension in the room.
The woman rolled the parchment tightly, her crimson eyes snapping to the king. "We must act now, before it's too late. If he moves unchecked… everything we've built will crumble."
The man with green eyes crossed his arms, his expression as cold as ever. "We need more information before we make any rash decisions, Sasha"
The man with green eyes stepped forward, his arms crossed as he glanced briefly at the trembling messenger. His cold voice cut through the room like the edge of a blade. "Summon the council immediately. This is no trivial matter. If the seal is weakening, the consequences will be catastrophic."
The king's fiery green-and-red gaze turned sharp as he leaned forward on his throne. "Send word to Alyssum as well. This matter is not ours alone to resolve. The King and Queen must be informed. The seal's breaking concerns the balance of all realms." His voice was firm, but an undercurrent of urgency laced his words.
Sasha lowered the parchment she held, her gaze distant for a moment. Then, she turned to the king, her expression unwavering but her tone measured. "If the child's seal weakens any further, there is no telling the destruction that might follow. The council may not understand the urgency of this matter, but Alyssum's royals… they will." She handed the parchment back to the servant, who hurriedly withdrew with it.
The messenger, still kneeling, dared to speak again, his voice a trembling whisper. "Your Majesty, The Thalion, the signs… they are not merely of the seal's weakening. This may be something far greater than we've anticipated."
The king's eyes flickered with something dark, but his expression remained unreadable. "Greater or not," he said slowly, each word laced with conviction, "we will not let fear dictate our actions. The seal must hold until we find a permanent solution."
Sasha stepped forward, her pink-and-blue hair shifting like liquid light with every movement. Her crimson eyes bore into the messenger, forcing him to bow lower. "You will report every detail of these signs to the council when they arrive. Do not withhold anything, no matter how insignificant it may seem."
The man beside her added, his voice as icy as the glint in his emerald eyes, "Ensure that all preparations are in place for their arrival. The council will need proof, not vague warnings."
The king Thalion, rose from his throne then, his towering figure casting a long shadow across the marble floor. His aura was palpable, a mix of raw power and unshakable authority. "This is a matter that will require unity. Inform the royal court of Alyssum that their presence is not requested—it is demanded. If the seal breaks, the child will bring ruin to not just one realm but all. We cannot allow that to happen."
The messenger flinched but nodded, his forehead touching the floor once again. "It will be done, Your Majesty."
The king's gaze shifted back to the Sasha and Veyron. "Prepare the chambers for the council's meeting. And make sure the barriers around the seal are reinforced immediately. If the child stirs—" His voice faltered for the briefest of moments before regaining its sharpness. "We may not have the luxury of time."
Sasha bowed slightly, her crimson eyes glinting with determination. "It will be done. I will oversee it myself."
Veynor inclined his head. "And I will ensure Alyssum's swift arrival. If they delay, I will bring them here myself."
The king's lips curled into a grim smile. "Let them know this: failure to act will mean not just the destruction of the seal, but the end of everything we've fought to protect. No one escapes that reckoning."
The hall fell silent as the king returned to his throne, the faint sound of the massive doors opening once again marking the messenger's departure. As the echo of footsteps faded into the distance, the king turned his fiery gaze toward the infinite ceiling, where the stars swirled endlessly in an eternal dance.
"The heavens will not break under this storm," he said, his voice low and resolute. "Not while we still stand."
Sasha glanced at him, her red eyes darkening. "But if the child awakens, Thalion, even the heavens may not be enough."
"Your Majesty!" The heavy oaken doors burst open as a guardsman stumbled into the throne room, his breastplate rattling with each panicked breath. He fell to one knee, the impact echoing through the cavernous hall. "Dire news demands your immediate attention."
King Thalion rose from his obsidian throne, the movement fluid yet charged with latent power. The ambient torchlight cast jagged shadows across his sharp features as his gaze darkened like gathering storm clouds. "Speak," he commanded, his voice a velvet-wrapped blade.
The guard trembled beneath the weight of his sovereign's attention, a bead of sweat tracing a glistening path down his temple. When he spoke again, his words carried the gravity of a death knell: "The ancient seals have been shattered. The boy has awakened his birthright." A pregnant pause filled the chamber before he added, "And it seems the containment operation... has failed."
To be continued…..