Chapter 1 – The Blood of Heaven

Chapter 1 - The Blood of Heaven

The wind was cold and sharp that morning. He was rushing between the worn-out stones of Sky's castle, screaming like a wounded beast. The sky was gray, heavy with threatening clouds, casting a dreary shadow over the main courtyard of the castle. The dark stone of the ground, moistened by the drizzle of night, faintly reflected the light of the nascent day. The banners of the Sky house, once bright blue and silver, were now tarnished by time, their torn fabrics beating faintly under the wind.

In the center of the courtyard, Elion Skyless stood still. His icy blue look swept the stage in front of him. In front of the great hall of the castle, his father's coffin, King Aeron Skyless, rested on a black marble pedestal. The king's body was covered with a white sheet embroidered with silver thread, his crown placed beside him. Around the coffin, a dozen nobles and knights stood in silence, dressed in black. The atmosphere was heavy, heavy.

Elion felt anger bubbling in him. He was nineteen, too young to be king, but he had no choice. His father was found dead three days ago, lying in his own blood in the throne room. The circumstances of his death remained unclear. A poisoned blade, said the royal doctor. But no one had seen the murderer. No witnesses. Just the king, dead, and a kingdom left in chaos.

Elion took a deep breath. He had to stay strong. The nobles were waiting for him to waver, to falter. The Kingdom of Sky was an impoverished barony, a barren land wedged between two powerful kingdoms, the Kingdom of Velis in the west and the Duchy of Draknor in the south. Sky's strength rested only on the military prestige of the past, a distant legacy of the warriors of the Sky house. But that legacy had eroded over time. Today, Sky was just weakened prey.

"Elion."

He turned his head. Velkan, the lord of the house Valoras, was approaching. He was a tall man, with an imposing build, a stern face and a sharp look like a blade. Velkan was the most powerful of the lords of Sky, ruling a vast region in the north of the kingdom.

"It's time."

Elion nodded. He slowly headed for the coffin, his step echoing on the cold stone. All eyes turned to him. He stopped in front of his father's body and put a hand on the white sheet. He felt the roughness of the tissue under his fingers. A shiver ran through his spine.

"Father..." he whispered.

Then he straightened up. Velkan approached, carrying in his hands the silver crown of the Sky house.

"Elion Skyless, son of Aeron Skyless, king of Sky," said Velkan in a loud voice. "Today, by the blood and inheritance of your house, you wear the crown of Sky."

Velkan raised the crown above Elion's head.

"Do you swear to protect the kingdom of Sky, defend its people and uphold the laws of the Sky house?"

Elion raised his chin.

"I swear."

Velkan slowly lowered the crown, placing it on Elion's head. A thrill swept through the room. Elion felt the weight of the cold metal against his forehead.

"Long live the king!" said Velkan.

"Long live the king!" resumed the nobles in a weak, hesitant voice.

Elion felt their lack of conviction. Their loyalty was fragile, based on fear and interest. He knew that. He would have to prove his worth. He should force them to follow him, by force if necessary.

Elion turned around, scanning the room with his eyes.

"My father was murdered," he said in a cold, sharp voice.

A thrill swept through the assembly. Velkan remained marble.

"The murderer is still at large."

A tense silence set in. The nobles exchanged glances