Chapter 12

BALCROFT TOWN.

TWO WEEKS LATER

Alan walks through the busy street to arrive at his stall. A letter is placed before the door. Taking the letter, he tears it open, reads the content and leaves immediately.

He rides on his horse till he gets to the secluded part of the village beside a river. He ties his horse to a nearby tree and crosses the river using the wooden bridge. He walks for a while till he's in the middle of a forest.

He stands and looks around shouting, "Kayden!" but there's no response.

A chuckle is heard as Kayden makes his way down a tree to face him.

"Scared?" Kayden asks.

Alan scoffs and walks closer asking, "what do want to discuss with me that you couldn't come directly to my stall?"

Kayden sighs and pulling a twig from a short tree nearby starts playing with it, "I've already attracted lots of attention the first day I went there with my clothes. If people should see me there again, you'll be reported." He says with a serious look.

"And why would I be reported?" Alan asks confused.

Kayden chuckles and walks closer to Alan, "Your kingdom Balcroft forbids magic and anything related to it. And now magic is the very root of the existence of the Venine Temple at Gilmorsh.

Your kingdom is dominantly filled with vampires and humans, who depend on their physical strength, while Gilmorsh on the other hand is mainly filled with magicians and humans, and they depend on their supernatural abilities. Due to these stark difference, the ties between Balcroft and Gilmorsh was cut."

"So the tie between Balcroft and Gilmorsh was cut, just because of the difference of magic?" Alan asks.

"We're here for a history lesson, aren't we?" Kayden says sarcastically but replies,

"Well, as I was told, the previous king and father to the current king, Edward was the one who severed the tie between the two kingdoms.

Magic in those days was practiced freely in Balcroft, till a prophecy which has been told centuries ago was found in writing at the Venine temple. No one could tell where it came from. The news of the written prophecy was soon spread across towns and kingdoms, Balcroft included.

The prophecy was told of how a Venine goddess will be birthed in human form, and she will reign over all the lands and Kingdom. An additional part is added of how her powers will surpass all those in the kingdoms, of how she'll possess the power over life and death.

That didn't sit well with most Kingdoms who detested the people of Gilmorsh but masked it with pretense. They didn't embrace the idea of being ruled by a Venine goddess or priestess.

Edward's father, the ruthless king then, made a move supported by other kingdoms, to usurp the kingdom of Gilmorsh but failed woefully due to the powerful magic the Venine Temple gave to the Gilmorsh kingdom, it's their source of life and protection.

Seeing that it's a feat to usurp and control the people of Gilmorsh, he made them decide between denouncing their magic and stopping it's practice, or cutting ties with the Balcroft kingdom and other several kingdoms as well. The people of Gilmorsh chose the later option.

The day Gilmorsh made it's decision, at night, a mass murder of humans and animals was done by Balcroft and other kingdoms in alliance as well, houses and farms belonging to the people of Gilmorsh were razed and burnt. That was the night my grandmother, a servant at the Venine temple was killed. Her daughter, my mother was later taken in by a Balcroft woman who lied to everyone that she was hers.

The murder was done to weaken Gilmorsh and make them change their decision of cutting ties with the several kingdoms. But the people of Gilmorsh had so much hope on the prophecy of the future goddess.

They stuck to their decision and they were cast away from their lands to start life afresh at an isle, which is now known today as the Isle of Gilmorsh where the 'new' Venine Temple resides.

They toiled and built their kingdom from scratch, in pure hope of the goddess who will come a day, to take revenge on all the kingdoms that was against them, mainly Balcroft. The Royal family and it's kingdom will be treated exactly the same way Gilmorsh was treated decades ago."

Alan shudders at this revelation, but decides it'll be better for the Royal family who bought his sister and made her a mistress be killed. Maybe by then, they would have escaped to a faraway small village.

Still shocked at the revelation of Kayden being a Gilmorsh, he asks, "So your mother was a Gilmorsh?"

Alan chuckles, "She was a Gilmorsh. During her youthful days, she worked at the Royal house to support her foster mother.

She gave birth to me out of wedlock from a man she refused disclosing to anyone. After a while, she continued her work there, she came home to see her foster mother and I once in a while.

After some time, she didn't come home for almost a year. We were worried, but we later learnt that she was accused of theft and imprisoned.

Luckily she escaped and came home. The first night she arrived, she told me of the story between Gilmorsh and Balcroft, she told me how she watched her mother being killed and how her foster mother smuggled her out successfully, away from the killings and slaughtering, to later take her as a child she never had.

There, I noticed an injury on her thighs, oozing with blood which I guess she got while escaping.

Before day break the next day, we boarded the public carriage with her face hooded. I still remember the long uncomfortable bumpy ride and the sail. We arrived at the Isle of Gilmorsh and after several identifications of her mother being a Venine servant, we were let in.

The priestess made a move to heal her as she was too weak but she refused, saying she has lived long enough for this cruel word, her parting words were, 'find your sister and keep her safe' before I watched her bleed to death. Funny right? Watching her mother killed to have her son watch her die."

Kayden chuckles and sighs deeply before beginning again,

"Get your things ready, we'll strike tomorrow at the Royal residence, we'll rescue Zelda and you'll run away. Worry about yourself first and leave Zelda to me, she'll be in my care and protection after the escape."

Alan chuckles coldly.

"What do you mean about her being in your care? You want me to leave my sister for you to protect? What makes you think I can't protect or care for her?" Alan asks angrily.

Calm and collected, Kayden chuckles again, "You haven't done much of a good job when she was with you, have you? I left her in your protection once and this happens, I won't be making same mistake again." He says in a cold voice and walks for a brief moment before disappearing into the thin air.

Frustrated, Alan rakes his fingers through his hair, "Just because you're a Gilmorsh with magical abilities makes you think you're superior and capable than I. Zelda is my sister and she stays with me! Plot and help with the escape first, then we'll fully decide who she goes with!"