The stones turned, the concentric circles aligned with one another. Words appeared on the stone, and they slowly began to glow. Words facing the east glowed blue.
Child of Arkanos, in front of you stands the Child of Teknos, like how light and darkness stands on each side of the world. Facing the west, facing your sworn enemy, what is it that you truly seek?
Words facing the west glowed green.
Child of Teknos, in front of you stands the Child of Arkanos, like how light and darkness stands on each side of the world. Facing the east, facing your sworn enemy, what is it that you truly seek?
Ayna read the words inscribed on the stone, glowing blue as it was filled with magicka. She looked up and saw Olu doing the same.
"This is mana," the young boy said as he kneeled down on one knee and touched the green glowing inscriptions.
"Mana?" Ayna asked with a confused look.
"Just like how you people from Arkanos need magicka to make your spells work, we from Teknos use devices powered by mana."
"Hmm, you're quite knowledgeable for a servant." He glared at her. They met a month ago, and since then they started meeting in the forest every week. The forest was split by a river, which also serves as the boundary for the continents of Arkanos and Teknos, who were always warring against each other.
Earlier, the two children decided to have lunch by the riverside, when explosions from skirmishes disrupted their peaceful picnic. They ran along the river towards a nearby hill and found a small abandoned village by the foot of the hill. Still thinking it wasn't safe enough, they searched around and found a small cave entrance into the hill. Deep inside, they found a strange area. Four stone pillars were erected around a floor of stones forming concentric circles. By the foot of two pillars on opposite sides, they found two circular tablets with inscriptions.
Here stands the child of Arkanos.
Here stands the child of Teknos.
Olu stood on the Teknos tablet, while Ayna stood on the other. Suddenly, the stones shifted and that is how they were now.
"So, what is it that you seek, princess?" Olu half-jokingly asked.
"Peace," she answered without a moment to think. The tablet she stood on suddenly glowed a bright blue.
"Woah!" Olu exclaimed in surprise. He looked down on his tablet and scratched his cheek. "Maybe, I'll go for peace, too, for now." A bright green glowed beneath him.
The two tablets slowly moved towards each other, the stones blocking their path moved aside as if to make way to royalty.
"Look, princess! You kingdom of stones is paving a way for you!" the young boy teased the girl slowly approaching him.
"Well, at least the stones are better than the lowly perverted servant who can't decide if he really wants to have peace over this never ending war!" Ayna answered back.
"Ouch! Not only are the citizens made of stone, but the princess herself has a heart of stone!"
The two tablets collided in the middle, and Ayna lost her balance. Olu caught her in his arms and steadied her. She held on his sleeves tight while blushing a little. The fused tablets then slowly descended into the dark undeground.
"Hold tight, princess."
"I planned to do so even if you didn't tell me," she whispered under her breath.
"Did you say something?"
"I said you stink."
"Hey! I took a bath twice! Not that I did it 'cause I knew you were coming..." Hearing that, Ayna smiled and held his sleeves tighter.
