Its black beady eyes mirrored the rolled-up scripture fastened to its ankle. With black and white feathers, a rarity in itself, the peregrine falcon held unique power, capable of delivering messages to anyone within a day. In the land of Magnus Cattus, these falcons were a rare breed, so rare that hunting them was strictly forbidden; their protection extended due to their puissant uses. Even if a peasant desired to send a message, they would have to rely on the services of a footed messenger.
Lord Rowan is renowned for maintaining a multitude of these birds, employing them to dispatch messages between kingdoms. He terms these missives as crucial for diplomatic efforts, aiming to reconcile differences and halt the ongoing war. Unbeknownst to Lord Rowan, he granted Alex permission to use one of these birds to send a crucial message—a warning. The message conveyed the urgency for Raven to devise and initiate a plan, an essential step to liberate Lyra and Johnny. Without their intervention, Venice would persist in poisoning the minds of Ravenwood villagers, inevitably drawing the Luminarian war into the borders of the Ravenwood kingdom.
Despite Alex discovering that Lord Rowan also possessed magic, the lord's true intentions remained ambiguous, as he imparted mixed messages to Alex regarding his motives.
Alex extended his hand towards the falcon, offering it a rat before permitting the majestic bird to soar off toward its destination. In the fleeting moment after the bird took flight, Lord Rowan emerged from behind the trees, signaling to Alex that it was time to depart for the Ivory Altar.
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Night descended, casting an eerie stillness upon the surroundings, prompting an abrupt halt among the onlookers who saw nothing amiss. Lord Rowan, sensing the peculiar atmosphere, ordered everyone to camp once more, summoning Alex to accompany him. Amidst the shadows, Angelina, harboring suspicions from the past few days, clandestinely trailed them. Concealing herself behind a bush, she observed as Lord Rowan performed magic on a tree. A strange star pattern emerged, bathed in yellow light, and the adjacent twin tree mirrored the phenomenon. Between these enchanted trees, the surroundings blurred, and Lord Rowan gestured for Alex to follow. Stepping into the nebulous curtain of trees, they vanished, leaving Angelina wide-eyed with the revelation of her lord's magical abilities. How had she remained oblivious all these years of her service?
Feeling a sense of betrayal, Angelina resolved to warn the others before the duo returned. Suspicions about Alex also lingered in her mind; she had sensed his affinity with magic. Thanks to Lord Rowan's revelation, the responsibility now rested on her shoulders to bring them down.
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In stark contrast to the forest's darkness, the Ivory Altar, perched on a cliff, stood bathed in the luminous glow of the full moon. As Alex and Lord Rowan concealed themselves behind the trees, a sprawling and lofty marble altar came into view. It loomed over the cliff, resembling a city's majestic dwelling, dwarfing even the expansiveness of Ravenwood in Alex's eyes. Below the altar, a majestic waterfall cascaded into the ocean, casting a shimmering rainbow under the moonlight.
Lord Rowan gestured to the side, saying, "We must go through that bridge over there."
"What bridge?" Alex inquired.
"Remember, you have magic; channel it through your mind." A sense of awe enveloped Alex as he realized he possessed his own magic. Walking toward the bridge, they encountered a tall, dark, and muscular woman with fluffed-up curls, her eyes closed in serene concentration. Adorned in a brown bear hide breastplate, a long silky white cape draped over her shoulders, cuisses, and greaves covering her legs, she carried a sword holstered to her left waist.
Tilting her head upward, she sensed the presence of Alex and Lord Rowan without opening her eyes. "Lady Sonnaisi has been expecting you," she declared. Without gesturing for them to follow, she turned around, yet both men understood the silent directive. As they trailed behind the woman, a stone bridge began to manifest in a glistering manner, connecting the cliffs of the forest to the altar's precipice.
YOU ARE READING
The Prophecy of the Kings
FantasyIn a realm where magic is both a gift and a curse, Alexander Corvus conceals his extraordinary abilities, honoring his mother's final wish. But when destiny calls, thrusting him into the role of uniting the fractured kingdoms of Magna Cattus, Alex e...
