Claire has lived a life of thievery and loneliness in the dark and gang filled streets of Camden, New Jersey. She's constantly hiding and sneaking through the streets and shadows. Her only friend is a wealthy daughter who took mercy on the troubled...
Near the Beginning of the Stone War: Hundreds of Years Ago
"My King, there is an army in the distance, and they are being led by Thallo." The servant rushed in, his breath coming in deep gasps. The King's closest advisors, Soren and Nicandro, shared a brief glance with the King. He only nodded and the two left the majestic throne room silently.
The servant's news was no surprise, but the sadness and implication of such devastating words, and the desperation of the man leading the charge weighed heavily on the two men's shoulders. There was a time when they had trusted the man leading a raging war against their home and loved ones, trusted him so much to give him a portion of the greatest power anyone had ever seen. There is always a risk when energy and greed come together, and the two had always known that he would be the one who would succumb to it. Yet, their own foolish minds and hearts had hoped that it would not be so, they had blindly followed their friend for so long they had failed to see him turn into the enemy. And now they were on the breach of war against someone they had called their brother, who knew and experienced things with his two old friends that they had all promised to take to the grave. Their trio was down to a duo, and soon enough any link they shared would be separated.
"We should hurry, friend, for I fear we don't have much time." Soren encouraged and together they entered the secret cavern hidden within the stone walls.
"Is everything prepared?" Nicandro asked as the stepped in the round room. They had prolonged this event for as long as they could. The fear of what Thallo could do with such power and control sent a shiver down the pair's spines. Choosing to leave a kingdom defenseless and powerless without them to guide and harness the energy that protected them. It would be a devastating loss, and it had been a tough decision, one Soren and Nicandro did not make lightly. They were putting their faith in a King who knew so little about what he was doing, who could not fathom the power he kept hidden within his walls.
"Yes. The King has been given the instructions on what to do." Soren answered as they stared at the objects centered on their own pedestal. The brilliance of them left Soren and Nicandro in an awe that always had them speechless. The bright blue, white and yellow of the stones made them want to reach out and grab it.
It was this temptation that was always the worst. It was this temptation that had turned their beloved friend and brother against them.
"You know what will come out of this friend. If he ever finds these, and is able to harness it..."
"He won't be able to." Soren snaps and moves toward the erected rock in the middle of the room. "Not after we are done here. We have to give Asonia the best chance it can."
Nicandro nodded as he placed his hands over the stones. The thoughts of what he was about to do sent his stomach reeling and lurching. To be empty, without the stone's energy, it almost made him snap Soren's neck and keep the power for himself. Soren clasped his own hands with Nicandro's, ending his murderous thoughts. Together they could resist the temptation. They gave each other a final look before they touched their hands to the stones. Nicandro let out a scream as the power rushed through his body. A pain unlike anything they had known rippled along their arms and up their veins. It had always been three to share the pain, make it bearable. Now it was almost too much to handle. They began glowing as beams of lights shot out of their bodies.
"We have to do it quick, say it now." Soren screamed over the rushing of power that flowed through their ears, a deafening noise that seemed as if it was filling their lungs and veins, vibrating their bodies with energy and cold, cold ice.
They chanted the mantra together as their bodies began to glow more and more. The noise only grew until all the men could hear was the energy and all they could see was light. Beams of light shot from their body, ripping the skin and causing them to wordlessly scream into the void. However, they did not stop holding hands, fingers and palms gripped tight as the energy overwhelmed their bodies and finally tore them apart.
The only thing left in the room was two piles of glowing shards of shattered glass, and three humming stones perched on their pedestal.
*****************
Three Years Later
Thallo slipped into the palace silently, surprised his fellow comrades hadn't mentioned their secret entrance to the guards. Then again, his old friends had never trusted anyone. And that had been their downfall. He slinked across the floor, his steps leaving a freezing slippery surface behind him. He checked once to make sure before entering the room.
"Finally." He breathed under his breath as he shut the door behind him. The bright colors illuminated his face as he stepped closer.
"Now that Soren and Nicandro are dead, you are all mine." He said to himself as he stepped closer to the center, his arms outstretched to feel the sudden rush of power he had missed so much.
But the feeling didn't come.
He looked suspiciously at the stones. Why wasn't he feeling the rush of power, the urge to reach out and grab them? He placed his hands near the stones and instead of the aura drawing him closer, they pushed him away.
And he knew then what had happened. The real reason behind the suspicious death of his old brothers. Even in the grave, those two were making his life harder and his mission more difficult. He let out a growl of frustration.
"They actually did it. They actually took away my position. They took away my power, my ability to harness the energy. Well you know what?" He paused and looked around. There was no one else there, a bad habit of Thallo's to seek an audience and an outlet for his frustration and anger. He loved being the spectacle, the center of attention. He was beginning to regret not bringing a lackey to kill at this disappointment.
"Oh, this would be so much better with an audience. Don't worry, I'll answer my question." Thallo continued as if one of his disciples were cringing behind him. "They thought they could stop me. But they're wrong. I'm going to show them what I can really do, and what I'm made of."
He reached forward and grabbed the stones. His calloused hands met rough rock, letting out a shrill scream he lifted them and shouted,
"I lift the curse on these relics, and I return my position, Keeper of the Stones, to its full authority."
The Stones dimmed for a bit before becoming even brighter.
"No, no it can't be." He whispered as teeny cracks began to race up his arms, light emanating from them. Thallo's heart began to panic, death was imminent now. His war would be lost, and he would be a failure to his people.
His eyes widened, he knew it was over. He couldn't do it, he couldn't control them. And then he smiled wickedly, his scarred mouth twisting into a sneer. "You have bested me now, brothers. But come time, and the Faith will rule Asonia as it should." Light shot from the stones, a blinding mixture of yellow and white and blue that traveled to the ceiling and disappeared. Fissures grew larger on Thallo's body and his skin ripped apart, his body breaking and falling to the ground like snowflakes.
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