Crown of Glass (Heritier Lunes # 1)

Prologue

Two misericordes were placed on a marble pedestal, razor sharp edges glinting alongside the first signs of noon. One was of radiant gold, showing off its rays akin to the Sun while the other was matte silver, rivaling the Moon's glimmer.

A crowd of people in hooded white robes bowed their heads and parted, letting a man wearing black robes with silver linings through. Unlike them, his face wasn't obscured with a steel mask, crimson eyes serving as the mere light flickering the dim dome.

"Come forward, Diamond Etrangeroi and Veralis Tristereine."

Two of them stepped forward, dressed in laced up shirts, breeches, and boots. The boy's hair was the color of ash, tied in a high ponytail, his grey eyes stern and expression serious. The girl's expression was full of anger, eyes catlike; golden, and furious, blonde hair tied into tight but uneven braids.

Sun and Moon personified.

"As per tradition, two children are born at the same time, as soon as the former ruler of Verren shatters. Now, these two children will be trained until they reach twenty."

The man in black robes goes between them both, beckoning them to take their assigned misericordes.

The daughter of the Sun harnesses its power and the Son of the Moon embraces it.

"You're both aware that the defeated must die? Are you ready to kill for the sake of protecting your kingdom?"

The future king or queen nodded, grim.

"Then... prepare to stand on the platform before you."

Veralis glanced at her misericorde, a blade that had thousands of noble Verre shattered into nothing. And now... it shall shatter him.

She visibly faltered but quickly steadied her stance.

Diamond must die.

Everyone in this hall must die.

For the sake of her people. No, not the villagers, the nobles, every mage, magic, and magician. No.

It's for the sake of her beloved family, the only thing she needed to protect.

Diamond's face was unreadable.

Thoughts were running in his head, gnashing and screaming to come out as the sole decision.

Veralis must die.

For the sake of everyone in this room.

Only he can make this world a better place. Only he can kill her.

Now, there was one last thought that settled in his senses.

Kill.

Etrangeroi and Tristereine clashed blades at once with fervor, ambitions rampant throughout this duel for a crown.

A crown of glass.