Crest of Power: Kevin and the Magician

32 The Warlord Japeth

"Who are you?" Krevik asked as his mother stood beside him.

She reached out and held his hand. "I am Asvoria. Wife of King Izmirlian. Mother of Emir and Isadar. "

"Mother of Emir?" Krevik questioned. "True, I did not give birth to him." She smiled sweetly. "But... he is my son none the less. He is a very bright boy don't you think so?"

"How would I know?" asked Krevik.

"Oh, there is no need to stand on ceremony here. Your mother Isadora has brought you to me to help you gain understanding. She said you seemed confused when you saw her last. She is also here to commit an act of betrayal. Is this not correct?" She asked that last question looking at Isadora. Isadora hung her head down. "Don't worry. My ability to see the future is not as strong as Krevik's. It's more of a feeling. I feel the future when I dream."

Krevik remained silent. He tilted his head so slightly it was almost unnoticeable. But Asvoria saw it. She smiled brightly.

"Your mother told you of the origin of our people the last time you met did she not?" Krevik Nodded in answer. There was something about Queen Asvoria that made one want to be silent. He didn't know what it was...a type of reverence she commanded. This was what the presence of royalty was supposed to feel like... wasn't it?

"I am here to tell you about the Crests, and their significance. Isadora who can interact with the dream realm. She will Show you what I speak."

Krevik could not hear all the words spoken by Asvoria. But he could see the images that her story formed through his mother.

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A long time ago there was a very powerful dreamer. So powerful he could dream of the future. Only the most powerful dreamers ever see the future. What he saw horrified him. There was to be a powerful warlord, this warlord would control the people with fear. The more they feared him the stronger he would be. He was a creature born from nightmares. This powerful dreamer saw that the warlord could only be defeated by an Ametian. The dreams would need to be two things. One would be a Crest of Love, born from all the love that the Ametians were capable of and most especially the love that was there since the beginning. This crest would show itself with great love. And the other would be a Crest of Power, born from the fear this warlord would cause. Because the second Crest was born from the fear this warlord would cause, it would only show itself with a betrayal.

The dreaming man pulled the crests out of the very core of his dreams. He placed them into his bloodline to appear at such a time when they became needed. The prophecy of the two crests was passed down among the Ametians. It was so well known among the Ametians that even those who were not Ametian had heard of it.

The Warlord Japeth rose from his origins, and struck fear into the heart of the people. He too had heard of the crests, and he knew only an Ametian could call it forth. So he hunted the Ametians. He thought that he had wiped them all out; He thought there were none who could defeat him. He was wrong.

Some Ametians survived. The Crests were able to find their way into the world once more. Japeth was defeated, but not completely. He was only locked away. Over time his prison weakened. He was able to persuade a man to let him marry his daughter. They lived happily, until she realized who he was. Knowing he could not go far from his prison, she escaped. But she was pregnant. She did not want the child of Japeth, but she could not bring herself to harm a child that had not yet done any harm. Shortly after a girl was born, Japeth's wife passed from this life. She was attacked in the forest.

The baby girl survived. She was named Esmiralda. The king's son Izmirlian fell in love with her. They were soon married. Esmiralda died in childbirth. But she gave the king a great gift. Out of his love for his queen, he named his son...Emir.