The Broken Crown

All That Glitters

There is a sensation which cascades over me, a tingling feeling in my fingertips, my knees locking as a shiver runs down my spine, and a skip in the beat of my heart – it all causes me to prick up and focus on the situation at hand even harder. All my senses seem to become heightened, as if I can feel each hair on my head which is strained back into a braid, as if I can feel the slight breeze not just paining my face, but running between my fingers, and I can smell the sulfuric sent which causes a metallic taste to settle in my mouth.

Centered in a group of ten men, I find myself surrounded by those pledged to protect me at all costs. Brie and Cedric informed me these men are the best of what warriors we have, yet I do not know their names. They have sworn their loyalty to me on this day and I do not know who any of them are and what they could lose. Straightening my back, I glance over to Declan as his instructions spoken to his fellow mages are in a language I cannot understand. All I can understand is that whatever spells are being cast, it has caused such sensations to run over me and strike a fear in my heart.

As I am within a group of eleven total, we will enter through a portal with another two small platoons. Declan had informed me previously that the portal I am entering through will be projected within the observatory of the palace, for River had informed Declan of the security the room provides. River, Cedric, and Brie are grouped in the platoon which will work with my own, about fifteen warriors working alongside them as I feel like I am only here for the ride – the thrill. A thrill I will never wish to partake in again.

The atmosphere shifts within the area, for our eyes all look ahead to what the mages have conjured up. The tension within our groups seems to settle and transform into a sense of astonishment as a portal is projected before our very eyes. What I had expected was perhaps a portal formed of a green or purple hue, swirling within itself, yet this is different. A shimmery film seems to be placed almost before the section of land behind it, the portal perhaps glimmering as it has a hallucinogenic effect. The portal seems to call to me, soft whispers sailing through the wind, my body drawn towards it as I wonder just how powerful this form of Chaos really is. As the area of the portal stretches out to fit our platoons, I notice the other portals which seem to appear from nowhere, spanning wider to fit more of our army through.

"The bridge has been placed," I hear Declan exclaim, informing us that the portals are complete. "Go through."

There is a form of cheering in the air, one which could be compared to men charging into war upon their horses. The cheering here is not one a crowd would put out at a celebration, but one indeed formed in times of war and battle. I notice the first platoon of warriors for our portal enter into the shimmering object, their bodies fading away as my platoon takes a step forward. Glancing over my shoulder, I look back to River, catching his gaze as I notice just how tense he looks in this moment. His stare goes straight through me though, looking ahead to the portal as I feel a rush of wind spiraling around me. The counter-rotation of the wind almost creates a panic to settle within me as my warriors step closer to the shimmer. My body is pulled closer and I look away from River as his own platoon with Cedric and Brie follows us.

As my body is feet away from the shimmering portal, I reach out of my fingertips, brushing the fabrication of the shimmer as a magnetism seems to draw me in without a second through.

The howling of wind passes around me, nothing to see as I sense the men around me. My head becomes heavy and I stumble forward, feeling as if I have faded away from existence.

Within a split second, the oblivion I was staring into shatters and a gust of wind blows quickly over. The moment I sense the wind is the moment it ends and before my eyes lies the familiar architecture of the palace belonging to Eternal Shadows.