Crown of Glass (Heritier Lunes # 1)

Chapter 1

A valley full of corpses and blood.

Screams of agony echoing, clawing at his eardrums.

"Defeat them..." A wispy voice whispered, rough hands grasping his neck from behind, squeezing its beating pulse.

"Defeat them... and you'll rightfully take your crown!"

Sharp golden eyes stared at him, angry and vengeful, and he cowered in fear, as if they would strike him at any moment.

"Defeat them!"

"AHH!" Diamond Etrangeroi clutched on the bed sheets, breathing heavily from the dream... a dream that felt so real...

A dream so different from his previous ones.

Slowly climbing down from his bed, he lit his lamp and let his feet. lead him to the reprieve of, well– anywhere but his quarters.

The palace walls were the same as he remembered. Old yet elegant walls, clean floors.

However, the paintings hanging on the walls never failed to hold his interest. Clara the beautiful, Artemis the twin, Horace the mischievous...

Varying expressions of the former rulers of Verren, happy or sad, fun or serious, it all amazed him.

He stopped and lingered on the last painting- the one at the far end. Diamond smiled in admiration at the portrait of King Maximillien, the first ruler of Verren. A demigod at birth, he served the people that his mother, La Cristal, created until he shattered.

Shattering. It scared Diamond. Wouldn't everything hurt all at once at the time of one's last breath?

"Interesting... the young prince woke up quite early, are you that excited for lessons?" He jumped and turned to see Amaury.

Amaury was Felicien's son, Diamond's brother more than friend and retainer.

"Ah, yeah! I am excited, but guess what?" His friend raised an eyebrow curiously.

"I had my first dream of my nemesis!" Diamond had to admit that it felt strange but, this could mean that he was one step closer to becoming a ruler that would change Verren...

...If he won.

"-And now you're shivering. Tsk, come, I'll bring you back to your room." Amaury slung an arm around him and they both ran back inside.

Felicien's smile brightened when his charge arrived earlier than usual. "I see that you're eager to learn, young Etrangeroi."

"You and Amaury are the same..." He slumped and swung his legs.

His master stood from his pristine chair of oak, dusting off imaginary filth from his elegant black robes. Bony and pale hands lingered over old rosewood shelves, settling on the latest lesson about Verre history.

"Now, this is a new lesson for you, so listen carefully." Diamond nodded quickly.

"As you know, our goddess La Cristal created us Verre, beings so pure, wielders of special powers. Mages, magics, and magicians brought forth together to live in peace. Alas, even now it remains in discord.

"You've also read about what magics and magicians are capable of, yes?"

Diamond nodded, "Magics only wield one power while magicians can only deceive." His mentor smiled approvingly.

"Lastly, mages have the ability to do anything,"

"Mages can indeed do almost anything, they can even reach the level of the Gods given the proper meditation and training. However..." Felicien put down his book and sat on the table.