Shadows' encyclopedia - The Prodigies of Arahsmurd book 1

Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Izbur 🎀

At dawn, Ortysse was cooking soup in a cauldron. She simmered the ingredients, letting coarse bubbles escape from the large pot. The smell of the mixture woke Rebecca up, her body feeling a little numb. The chill outside gave her little shivers, which she didn't find all that unpleasant. Once served, Rebecca ate quickly. A few bits of vegetable wandered into the broth, which she enjoyed. An hour later, Ralph arrived. He was a little disturbed. He signalled to his pupil to get his things and set off immediately. Ralph took hold of his arm and together they entered the loop formed by the stone. All they had to do was say the destination they wanted to reach. 

Ralph and Rebecca landed in front of an enormous tower perched on a hill. Emptiness surrounded the two protagonists. Rebecca had no idea how many metres separated them from the ground. Creatures swarmed at the bottom of the hill, giving off an unbearable stench. At the bottom of the abyss, Slaves were eating corpses like hungry scavengers. A Hunter bitten by a vampire became a Slave. Rebecca's stomach churned at the sight of this morbid image. Ralph took her by the shoulder to comfort her. In front of them stood two large doors. A creature no bigger than a gnome emerged. Its eyes were tiny and its face covered in pustules.

"Rebecca, don't look at that Neph's hands, they could paralyse you."

"Very well..." Rebecca replied, confused.

The hideous, greyish creature moved towards them to identify them.

"What is the reason for your visit?" he said, in a feverish voice.

"I am Ralph Aquin, Hunter of rank M and Mentor to this young girl, and we have come on urgent business."

"Urgent business?" continued the creature, suspiciously.

"It's a Hybrid Hunter, of the third branch of rarity to be precise," whispered Ralph.

Without waiting, the Neph led them inside the Supreme Court. The corridors were lined with spells and incantations. The Peace Guards lined the length of the corridor. They wore the same uniforms as their colleagues in Arahsmurd. Their red cloaks were emblazoned with a salamander - also visible on their shoulders. A door stood at the end of the corridor. 

The Neph hurried to reach him. Ralph explained to Rebecca that each Kingdom had its own emblem and colour to distinguish it from the others. For example, the colour of this Kingdom was generally red. There were pictures of Hunters with names written on them. They looked majestic, grand and powerful. The first painting symbolised a woman with blonde hair. She had vials in her hands and a birthmark on her forehead. At the bottom of the portrait, her name was inscribed on a bronze plaque: "Mafalda Laam - Doctor". Right next to her, a woman was standing with plans and compasses, calling herself "Ursula Cook - Strategist". She wore an iron mask covered in spikes. Opposite the paintings, on the right, a man with a gigantic white wolf was riding a broom. Below this painting was written: "Malvin Cross - Messenger", and right next to it was another painting. The figure on the canvas was carrying a compass and emeralds. His name was Alphonse Falcone - Leader. Ralph waved to her and looked up at the ceiling. Rebecca was astonished to discover a huge portrait of Thomas Klein covering the entire ceiling. His name appeared with the word "Shooter" just below the fresco. However, his face was covered by the hood of his white coat. Suddenly, something in the painting struck her - her weapon: the pink thorn, the one she was currently carrying. Rebecca was dazzled by the fresco and its detail. The corridor seemed endless and the scent of black ink heavy. They reached the end of the corridor. The Neph whispered unpronounceable words in front of the gigantic door. It made an excruciating noise and opened. He gave them the green light to enter before disappearing into the darkness. A ray of light illuminated the place where Rebecca was to appear.