The Ordeal

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Ruhn Danaan, Crown Prince of the Valbara Fae, knew three things for certain. First, he was fucked. True and royally fucked. He didn't know how it had gotten to this part, gearing up to enter the Cave of Princes. Second, his father would no doubt have some punishment set up if he failed both the engagement and this task. Third, he secretly wanted to succeed not just to rub it in his father's face, or his cousin Cormac's for that matter. No, Ruhn wanted to win the right to the Star sword to prove to himself that he was a better man than his Father- despite his Father.

Ruhn spotted Cormac talking to his father, Morven, King of the Avallen Fae. Though Morven had shaggy black hair and pale gaunt skin, the similarities to Cormac were undeniable. Cormac's facial features are entirely those of his fathers, while his short blond hair and blue eyes are those of his mothers. Morven's night dark eyes stared daggers at Ruhn, and he couldn't blame him.

Ruhn had agreed to this because Flynn had taunted Cormac about being a true Star Born Fae. He couldn't project the light of the Star Born Fae, but he had the command of the Shadows, like one. The shadows Cormac summoned were more controlled and precise than even the ones Ruhn could produce. He often wondered if Cormac could also mind speak; he surely wasn't about to announce that he could, though.

"I'll give you a ten-minute head start, cousin; you sure you wanna take those two... friends of yours?" Cormac's accent was thick, "They look like they're gonna be sick before you even step foot inside the caves." He nods to the cave entrance less than twenty feet from where the court of Avallen now stands, waiting for the game to begin. Flynn had bet Cormac wasn't worthy of the Star Sword, that Ruhn could wield the sword because he was the true Heir of Pelias, the first Star Born Fae in our world of Midgard. Flynn had a point, though; Ruhn had all the Starborn powers, the shadows, minding speaking, and even the light, no matter how little of it he could produce. The argument had started when Cormac made a sly remark about Ruhn to Kalliopi Demeli, whom Ruhn was sent here to ask to marry.

The engagement was an order given by his father less than forty-eight hours ago. He had only talked to her once since he and his friends got to Avallen. The stupid mist-covered Island off the coast of Valbara took time to get to since you had to get permission from Morven himself to even make it through the mist. She didn't seem too interested in him, which only slightly bugged him. No, her interest was Prince Cormac; she kept looking towards the prince with what looked like longing and desire.

"Shut up, Cormac. Dec and Flynn are at the top of the league back at the Aux. You wouldn't last a day. We'll see you inside." It was true. Declan Emmett, the man who could hack into just about everything, including the Archangel Micah's email for a prank that thankfully no one ever figured out was them, could also hold his own in a fighting match. While he may be more on the slender side, he can hold his own. Tristan Flynn, the muscle in their group who could pass for a UFC fighter, could beat the crap out of Ruhn if he ever stopped holding back, and they both know it.

Ruhn and his friends made their way into the Caves of Princes. The last place Ruhn had ever expected this trip to end up at. This was what every Star Born Fae wanted: the sword, Prince Pelias's sword. The sword that held the destiny of the chosen one. When the Knife and Sword are once again reunited, so shall our people be. The Prophecy of any chosen Star Born son of Pelias wields when they pull the sword from the sheath. His father was obsessed with all things Starborn, which is probably why his father had a child with an Avallen woman, and now he's making Ruhn do the same thing. He has a singular goal in mind, no matter who he hurts. Power. Being the Chosen One, or even having the Chosen One be in your direct family line, means you hold all the power.

All right, guys. From now on, we will only communicate through this mental bond. Who knows who could be listening to us down here, let alone what lurks in the dark down here? Ruhn spoke as his mind created the mental bridges linking his friends' minds to his.

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