Chapter 10 – The Azalea Garden
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"Who do you think will become the chosen one?" Someone from the right murmured to her fellow teenage friend.
Her friend pursed her lips, "Honestly, I trust what Adaya said last week."
"About the Jaald picking the one who gives the most benefits to Staile?"
"Yup."
A rush of teenage boys hissed at each other from the left, their words vulgar. Good thing an older warlock decided to break them apart.
"Boys, behave! Fall in line properly!" That was Dreik, wasn't it? One of the eldest warlocks among them right now.
"It's almost your turn, Fichi!" Peeking from a short distance behind a couple more kids, a young boy bowed his head to the king before moving away. The girl, Fichi, was up next.
"Do you think the one the Jaald chooses will have some sort of reaction or sudden power surge once they touch it?" The taller warlock in front whispered to the one closer to Fichi, brushing his curly brown hair away from his face.
The one closer to Fichi shrugged, his dual-colored eyes focused on the stone in Fichi's hands. "Only one way to find out, maybe."
"If anyone gets a reaction out of it, they're sure to boast about it."
"Exactly. But I still doubt it will pick anyone right now since we're all children here. I believe the Jaald will pick the one who becomes the strongest."
"That makes sense. I'll ride on that belief too, then."
Fichi returned to her friends on one side, while the two that whispered their opinions followed shortly. Both of them didn't seem to have felt anything with that brief interaction with the Jaald.
The kind-faced man with a tall, piercing crown of gold smiled and gestured for the young boy to take a step forward. So he did.
The boy pushed his messy neck-length, black hair away from his face, only to meet the man's gentle mannerisms.
The king of Staile was like the personification of kindness. Something about him felt pure and clean, and the boy believed in his instincts.
"How old are you?" The king asked.
"..I'm 12."
"Part of the last generation, I see." He nodded. "Here you are." The king offered the Jaald, and the boy took it slowly.
"Careful!" The boy's hands trembled.
"I'm s-sorry... Please don't d-die...."
Wish granted.
The boy immediately shoved the Jaald back into the king's hands and stared at his own for a second. His trembling fingers gripped his shorts, and sweat trickled down his forehead and neck.
He bowed his head and dashed away from the magnificent throne room of Staile Cons.
What was that just now?
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"Can you believe it? That Kazix was willing to sacrifice our kind for the sake of Staile!"
"I could see why. But in a way, it seems like he was blinded by fear that the royal family or something might turn their backs on us someday."
"I heard it's because of the fae leader."
"There's that too. Kazix was so desperate to keep that young ruler alive. I get that they were friends and all that, but geez!"
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The Warlock's Azalea (EDITING) ✔
FantasyCURRENTLY EDITING/REWRITING OFFLINE - The Warlock's Azalea: The Secret of the Enchanting Stone - Leaves and petals of different hues were falling around, and to her, in the middle of it all, was the soft gaze and gentle smile Aziel had for that one...
