The Unknown Lands

Prologue

It is the Oracle's fiftieth year of guidanceship. The annual celebration of the Summer Solstice have reached its peak but the grandeur of the festivity and what the day itself represents in the history of Alfilenes—The Ekelipshe Luna; the day the ancient Moon People arrived in Alfildalia—is not as important as the prime event of the present: the grand finale of the Lunaskala; the Oracles' ritual.

It is performed seven days prior to the Summer Solstice. Every child within the realm, age seven through twelve, enters the Fortisarium for the ceremony and do not leave until the symbol of Azure Lune appears in the forehead of one of the children on the eighth day. That child would then be announced as the next Oracle.

The ecstasy and anticipation of the crowd gathering at Gemma Amahara did not infected Chiro who was desperately resisting a yawn. The result of his efforts left him with teary eyes even more desperate to close for the day. But he cannot afford any slight misconduct. Not today. His master and his brother are right next to him. They each had promised him something if he attends the ceremony and not cause trouble; a spell of animation from his teacher, and accompanying his brother on his next journey. Both things are what Chiro has been begging for lately, so he persists. However, something is not quite right. Three moons are now visible in the sky but the Oracle is yet to come out with her successor. It's terribly late and if the crowd doesn't hear from the Oracle by the fourth moon, everyone might have to go home disappointed and baffled. For Chiro, he'd be a bit grouchy for having his time wasted away in boredom for nothing. Clearly this lengthy suspense is not supposed to happen as Chiro can see the Council of Knights and the Divine Council looking uneasy. Soon Sir Nataku left with the Grand Priest of Gem and the queen. Chiro reckoned they are heading towards the Fortisarium, opting to be sneaky about their leave so as not to trouble the already troubled audience.

Meanwhile, as the eyes of all, native Alfilenes and Mulitversal travelers alike, are set on the Gem, trapped in an overbearing moment of inconclusiveness, three merchant ships from another world entered the Albecidel Sea. Two of which docked in Prime Port at Arquidyne. The other is slowly sailing along the eastern coasts of the Desert Lands, towards the port of Altrata, the city of all trades.