Stone Of Fate

ELVISH TEMPLE

King Tolis strides towards a shrine where a group of clerics is gathered before a great altar bearing a giant dark glowing crystal at its centre. The stone is surrounded by ancient inscriptions. Rays of the morning sun descend from a hole in the crown of the dome above and strikes the crystal directly.

The chief priest turns away to welcome the King.

"My apologies your majesty for hurriedly summoning your presence." The priest respectfully bows.

"I don't mind as long as the matter is of paramount importance." King Tolis answers.

"Precisely my lord." The priest agrees as he leads Tolis to get closer to the alter.

"Your Majesty the stone of fate has not turned dark in a thousand years. We worry that a dark cloud looms over the future of our Kingdom." The priest remarks.

King Tolis rolls his eyes in contempt. The chief priest carries on explaining nevertheless.

"The last time it turned this dark was days before Zedon attacked and laid waste to your father's kingdom." He adds and finally gets a serious reaction from Tolis.

"What can it be warning us of now?" He asks.

"We can't tell exactly. But we have revisited ancient texts. The only thing that hints of our forthcoming misfortune is Lord Ordin's great prophecy. It tells of King Zedon's return." One of the other priests answers.

Tolis purses his lips. "I find that prophecy hard to believe. No witch can make the dead return. Call me when you find something less ridiculous." He states turning towards the doorway, leaving dismay painted on the cleric's faces.

A few strides from the shrine Tolis meets his assistant, Lahore, who dismounts from his horse and quickly approaches.

"My lord I have just gotten word that the Lodz army attempted a surprise invasion on Arwos despite the treaty they had signed." He reports, breathing heavily. "It appears that King Adriel had not given up on his pursuit of the legendary sword of Zedon. That treaty was a hoax."

"So Adriel succeeded in taking over Arwos?" King Tolis asks sounding more intrigued by these news than what the priests were telling him.

"No. Adriel's entire army was decimated by a group of beggars lead by a young Princess. The story is hard to believe. I was told that while King Edric and his soldiers were busy making merry in celebration of the peace treaty, his third daughter had figured out that the treaty was a hoax and made an incredible plan to protect the kingdom."

"She sounds smarter than any legend I have heard of." Tolis comments and his assistant nods in agreement.

"What is even more astounding is that she gathered a group of beggars and used them to ambush Lodz army as they marched through a deep valley in the south of Arwos. She guided them to use massive boulders to clash most of the army before shooting arrows to kill the rest. Only a few soldiers survived the onslaught." Lahore eagerly supplies.

A thrilled smile spreads across King Tolis's luscious lips. "Interesting. If humans weren't so dump they would make that Princess their king." He mutters walking past his assistant to get to the horse. "I need to get back to the palace and see if my mother may be harbouring some deep knowledge about the stone of fate." He adds, picking up his pace.

"There is something else you need to know." Lahore calls and King Tolis halts.

"What?"

The assistant hurries back to reduce the space between them.

"The princess is half breed. Her mother was an elvish woman who King Edric married as soon as she arrived in Arwos. She disappeared after two years, leaving behind her daughter. No one knows where she had come from. But King Adriel believes that she was the elf who stole King Zedon's sword and lived in the run for hundreds of years." He reports after halting steps away from Tolis.

"So the accursed sword could indeed be in Arwos?" King Tolis questions, his voice tense.

"It's not what I was implying. But yes, there is a possibility that it was lost within that Kingdom." Lahore answers.

Tolis remains silent for a long moment, looking thoughtful.

"That sword once killed my father and forced his people to submit to a wicked

King. I will not sit back and wait for it to fall into the hands of another ravenous human King." He states, his eyes glowing with overwhelming emotion.

"Your Majesty you're not considering going to Arwos, are you? Such a move will give way to pretentious alliances with human Kingdoms which we have avoided for a thousand years." Lahore points out.

"The stone of fate just turned dark which means that a turbulent future awaits us. If there is a chance that the sword of Zedon is in the kingdom of Arwos then finding it before it falls in wrong hands is worth a reconnection with humans." King Tolis answers with a tone of finality.

"Besides, don't you wish to meet the genius Princess?" He asks mounting Lahore's horse to head back to the palace.

"Yes, but this quest is -" Lahore starts but is cut short.

"Prepare the escort, we will leave early tomorrow." Tolis orders before riding away.