Secrets Beneath the Throne

Liam sat in his dorm, staring at the moonstone in his palm. The events of the brothel echoed in his mind-the priest's ties to the Harbingers, the cursed jewelry of the eldest prince, and the unsettling knowledge that the kingdom was teetering on the edge of destruction.

But Liam couldn't afford to dwell on shock; time was slipping away.

The Investigation Begins: "Liam opened the Tower's shop window and scanned for tools that would help him rummage for concealed evidence."

After some searching, he purchased: Shadow Wisp: A small, invisible spirit that can record sounds and visuals for twelve hours. (Cost: 2,000 Tower Points); Truth Essence: A potion that forces its drinker to speak truthfully for five minutes. (Cost: 5,000 Tower Points).

He stuffed the Shadow Wisp into a pocket of his cloak and muttered to Nyx, "Let us start with the eldest prince. Whatever is amiss with him is tied to that cursed jewelry."

Step 1: Gathering Proof of the Eldest Prince's 

Corruption 

Liam slipped out of the dorm under the cover of darkness, undetectable due to his invisible cloak. He headed to the eldest prince's private chambers. The corridors of the castle were deserted, only the wind could be heard rattling through open windows.

Once near the chamber doors, Liam used Nyx' shadow powers to slip the Shadow Wisp underneath. The Wisp floated invisibly into the room. Liam whispered to it, "Record everything."

From outside, Liam could hear faint voices-the prince talking to himself. His tone sounded strange, cold, and unfeeling-almost as though he were arguing with something unseen.

After a while, the prince muttered, "You promised me power... and the throne. I've worn your cursed gift, yet I feel it draining me. I will kill the youngest brat if that's what it takes."

Liam made fists. That indicates-cursed jewelry. The Wisp recorded everything from the conversation. He got the Wisp quietly back in the shadows.

Stage 2: Find the Youngest Prince's Hidden Supporters.

Inside the castle settled all the colors of the rainbow by Liam-the next day-disguised as an ordinary servant. The gossip and prattle of the people in the castle are all ears while performing his duties. He knew there's no way of escaping before loyalists to the youngest prince and his late mother.

While polishing armor in the knights' barracks, Liam overheard again a conversation between two senior knights which were in whispers from where he was located: "The kingdom was better when Lady Seraphine was alive. She was a just woman. If only her son wasn't so fragile..." "I still serve her memories. If the youngest prince could stand strong, I'd swear my sword to him in a heartbeat." They were approached later by Liam, still in disguise. With much subtlety of Nyx's power, he influenced their emotions-just enough to build trust. "Lady Seraphine's son might just have a chance," Liam whispered. "Will you stand for him if that day comes?"

"If you speak the truth, boy, we will be ready. Such a memory deserves justice." The older knight, a rough man with a scarred face, looked at Liam intently.

Two allies secured. 

Step 3: Finding out the Puppet Masters Behind the Eldest Prince.

That night Liam had used the potion Truth Essence on a low-ranking servant who always attended to the eldest prince and now here he was- his way disguised and hidden under invisibility cornering the fellow in the kitchens. "What more than that jewelry was given to the eldest prince?" Liam's cold voice shot out.

In stupor, the servant replied, "It was by a cloaked man, one of the Harbingers of Ruin, making a secret visit to the prince-thus, promising him strength to lay claim to the throne."

Liam squinted through the darkness. "Where do they meet?"

"In the cellars underneath the church," muttered the servant before flopping to the ground.

Liam's mind was whirring. So the Harbingers were operating directly beneath the church. Now he needed more allies and a plan for confronting them.

Step 4: Meeting with a Hidden Ally

Liam remembered what he had heard regarding Lady Seraphine's faithful maid- a crone who had cared for the youngest prince. Her name was Madam Orla, and she was the one in charge of the laundry at the castle.

Liam sought for her at the back courtyard, where she was chiding younger maids. When alone, he approached her and took off his disguise.

"Lend me your helping hand," came the quiet voice of Liam. "For the youngest prince."

Madam Orla turned herself with a start, her eyes popping open in recognition. "You... you are not just a servant, are you?"

"I am one who wants to save this kingdom," countered Liam. "The eldest prince has been corrupted. The Harbingers of Ruin are behind it. But I can't save the prince alone."

Madam Orla's grim face softened. "Lady Seraphine would have given her life for her son. If you have a plan, I will help you. I can gather maids and servants still loyal to her memory."

Liam smiled faintly. "That's all I needed."

The First Move: Planting the Seeds of DoubtWith such allies among the knights, there were even more servants, and even Madam Orla. All they had to do now was to convince the public that the eldest prince was nothing.

He gives the recording from the Shadow Wisp to Madam Orla. Here are her instructions on the mission, "Spread this among trusted ears. Let the knights and nobles hear the truth-that the prince's strength comes from dark powers." As Madam Orla left, Liam whispered to Nyx, "It won't be long before the Harbingers intrude. We need to move faster."

Hours passed and it was just the ticking clock over Liam's empty dorm that kept him company. He sighed after receiving a notification from the Tower-

"12 Days Remaining Until the King's Death".

He looked at the sketch he had drawn earlier, depicting the cursed jewelry. "The eldest prince is being manipulated, and those strings tie to the underground. I must snip it before it's too late."

With determination gleaming in his eyes, he got up to face the challenges. "It's time to go deeper".

To be continue...