In the highest towers of Castle Eaven, the King looked out its window towards the north. On his right he could see the Open Country, to his left the Wisdom Mountains that shadowed over the Hill Country, and ahead of him where the River North flowed; the Olostic Gardens, beyond that, was the Sea of Nothing. The sky, in its brilliance, shimmered its radiant light across the land, for no night had ever befallen Aradi. Yet, in all the King’s infinite wisdom, he could tell there was a hue of purple building up in it.
The Wisdom Mountains looked a bit more ominous, their normal light green color getting darker. They loomed over Bigiddo Valley like giants ready to pounce. But he had heard no word of anything out of order from those provinces in Hill Country. The Chancellor of Billathor had just visited the palace last week in a meeting with his High Minister Atan Rey, and Atan had not reported anything out of the ordinary.
The King stroked his long white beard. A wrinkle formed on his troubled brow and he sighed. “Something is still not right.” he thought to himself. He had a connection with everything in Aradi, he was a part of it as it was a part of him.
“Your majesty?” a low voice came from behind.
“Ah, Minister Rey,” the King was happy to see his most trusted advisor. “I was just thinking of you.”
“Were you, my Lord?”
High Minister Atan Rey was probably the most beautiful of all the citizens of Aradi. He was one of the Firstbornes, one of the Eternals, and head of the King’s Gathering. He held the high honor of heading the Temple, and was the trusted advisor to the King. Whenever the citizens of Aradi needed advice of the King they came to the Temple and heard words spoken from the King , through Minister Rey. Atan was the wisest of all the subjects and answered only to the King himself.
“Atan,” the King began. “Something troubles me. I wonder if I might entrust you with the burden of listening to me.”
“But of course, Sire,” Atan Rey sat beside his king and placed his delicate hand on the King’s. “You need not fret over burdens, you are much too busy for that.”
“Atan, there is a disturbance here that I cannot put my finger on.”
“Sire?”
“The Presence, it feels different somehow. Usually, it flows and penetrates through everything, giving off its warmth to everyone here. But it feels…corrupted.”
“Your majesty, certainly you can’t mean…?”
“No, no. I do not mean that the Presence has turned itself against us, that is quite impossible. But there is something out there that is…tainting it. Do you know what I mean? Can’t you feel it yourself?”
“I’m afraid that I cannot, your Majesty. Surely if there was some…impurity within the Presence I would have noticed something at the Gathering. We all would have.”
“I suppose your right, dear friend. Perhaps I am being foolish then?”
“On the contrary, my Lord. If there is something behind this then mayhap you should hand this responsibility to someone else.”
“Yes, Atan, you are right. I shall have an investigation start immediately. I will need someone to travel amongst the citizens of Aradi and see if there is anything that they can detect.”
“I shall start on it immediately, my Lord.”
Atan Rey got up to leave and the King stopped him with his mighty voice.
“No, Atan, I should not need to bother you with such matters. I will find someone else.”
“But, Sire, if anyone can detect an anomaly in the Presence, surely it would be me. I am the High Minister of the Gathering. The people of Aradi look to me for spiritual guidance as you do, wouldn’t I be the prime…”
“I understand your reasoning, Atan.” the King interrupted. “But I’ve made up my mind. I will have Chael and Briel answer my call.”
“Chael and Briel? Pardon my insolence, but they are your soldiers. The people look at them with more contempt than anything else. I again beg you to reconsider this matter and make me your….”
“Atan, I have chosen Chael and Briel. If their investigations come up with anything, then I will have them bring what they’ve found to you. Agreed?”
“Agreed, your Highness. Please excuse me.”
Among the River North, just to the south of Mandragel, Lady Ankind sat dreamily on the banks. Her hair shimmering in the light, her gown glowing about her as it rest in the lush grass of the Olostic Gardens. Her delicate foot dipped into the cool water of the river, she was reading a scroll that had been written by Atan Rey. She did this every afternoon. It was her time to meditate and to let the Presence flow through her.
Just beyond a grove of Vera Trees, a watcher sat in hiding. He stood there in the shadows of his cover admiring the beauty whom sat before him. Her hair was a dark brown that matched her deep eyes. It flowed just past her shoulders in curls. Her eyes were always expressing happiness. Her full lips had a constant grin on them, that made her dimples express themselves on her rosy cheeks. This watcher’s heart agonized to be with her, but he was a soldier, not royalty at all.
He decided reluctantly to leave her to her reading. He crept out of his shadows and walked towards the Front Gate of the Gardens. His thoughts were only on Lady Ankind, until an Uribim interrupted his daydreams.
“Master Chael,” it was Taph, leader of his kind. The Uribim were small, like new borns at full growth. They had wings like humming birds. They were kindred with the faeries, but spent most of their days running messages to the people of Aradi.
Chael had jumped, “Taph! By the King, you’ve frightened me!”
“My apologies, sir.” Taph’s head bowed.
“No apologies needed, friend. What news do you bring me this hour?”
“The High Minister Atan Rey requests your presence at the Temple post haste. There is a mission of most importance he has for you.”
“Very well, Taph, and thank you.”
Taph looked towards the direction Chael had come from and then back at Chael with a grin, “She is beautiful, is she not Master Chael?”
“Mind your business, Taph.” Chael returned his grin.
“Very well, I’m off to find Briel, as he will be joining you on this mission.”
“I believe you’ll find him at the Drenton Temple or on the banks of Le’Anse Lake, I believe he was helping Priestess Lith with something there.”
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