The Prophecy of the Kings

Chapter 7: The Distraught

With their noses wrinkled up in disgust and sweat pouring down their faces, Alex and Johnny were bored out of their minds on that sweltering summer day. Suddenly, the idea to play a hilarious prank on Butch the Butcher struck them like lightning. They couldn't help but snicker as they placed fetid, moldy tomatoes next to Butch's prime cuts of meat, hoping to catch him off guard.

As Butch's eyes widened in horror and he gagged on the putrid stench that now filled his shop, the boys could hardly contain their laughter. But their giggles quickly turned to gasps of shock as Butch's massive arms wrapped around their shirts and lifted them off the ground like rag dolls.

"Ye pair of young rapscallions!" Butch bellowed, his anger palpable. "You think ye can just play pranks on an old man like me? Get out of my shop and do something useful with yer lives!"

Their pride wounded, their egos bruised, the boys were unceremoniously tossed out onto the sizzling pavement. As they picked themselves up off the ground, they knew they had gotten what they deserved. But despite their embarrassment, they couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

With a deafening clang, the resounding chime of the colossal Shula bell echoed through the air. The two boys, Johnny and Alex, exchanged a knowing glance, recognizing the ominous tone as an indicator of conflict brewing within the Kohana council. With a sense of urgency, they bolted towards the center of the village, the sound of their hurried footsteps pounding on the ground.

As they approached the throngs of people, a wave of despair and anxiety seemed to emanate from the crowd. They jostled their way through the gathering, overhearing hushed whispers of foreboding news. Suddenly, their attention was drawn to a man fervently pasting a poster on the village billboard.

Upon closer inspection, the boys' eyes widened with shock and disbelief as they read the ominous words scrawled on the poster in bold letters:

The Rebene is dead. 

Lyra Barathow is missing.

 She is the culprit. 

Whoever finds her will receive 5000 golden talons.

Johnny and Alex exchanged a worried look, their minds racing with thoughts of the gravity of the situation. The thought of their dear friend and Lyra being accused of such a heinous crime was unfathomable. 

"This cannot be!" Johnny shouted. He couldn't fathom the idea of his own sister being the culprit in the assassination of the Rebene while investigating Alex's Aliyahan. The mere thought was unfathomable to him. Anger surged within him, and he wanted to confront the man, but Alex held him back, suggesting that there might be more to the story than they knew.

However, before they could process the situation any further, chaos ensued. The village center had become crowded with people discussing the news, and emotions were running high. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced Johnny's head as a villager hurled a stone at him. "Traitor!" the villager screamed. "You and your family should be damned in hell before they see the Goddess! Your sister has brought ruin upon us all!"

Johnny was speechless. He collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed with emotion and unable to process the events that were unfolding. Tears streamed down his face as he crumpled to the ground. Alex, equally stunned, wrapped his arms around Johnny in an attempt to shield him from the angry mob. They were both caught up in the fury and desperation of the crowd, feeling as though the world was spinning out of control around them.

Verily, the tumultuous scene in Amare came to a sudden end when Venice, with a commanding tone, cried, "Enough!" The frenzied mob immediately ceased their uproarious behavior and dispersed, keeping their eyes lowered. Alex and Johnny, with a resolute expression, turned towards Venice, ready to face whatever consequences awaited them.