Chapter 1: Book One: Hymn of Angels, Prologue

                                                                                          Thank you Zoe for the Cover Art

 

Upon reaching the Library of Crineforge, the elvish Queen, Queen Arein of Ermintale glances across the overwhelming tower of a library which towered over her, built under the secrecy of an ancient fortelling book. The skies were lifeless and dull as rain was inevitable. Peering towards the distance however Queen Arein finds the tower itself was made of arcadian steel, a durable form of steel able to withstand the toughest of wind currents, and was well reinforced too. Arein thought it could reach higher than even the highest of mountains, as if the library was built to reach for the heavens. 

     It was the twenty third day of her restless travels and since her departure from her kingdom, Being escorted by five of her best knights as she flew atop a brown Drejin. Glaring back to watch the final knights making their landings, she converts her attention to her large avian beast, larger than two full grown men as it rests its hazel eyes. 

 Alongside her were two Lords, sworn to loyalty, Lord Faryn and Lord Idriica. Queen Arein continued onwards towards the gates, her thorny crown gifted to her on her coronation glittered violently from the several jewels placed on top as she trotted closer and closer towards the gates. Arein had a serious frown painted on her pale, elvan face. A cool breeze hit her body, marking a close end to the Autumn season. 

    “My Queen”, Four knights bearing Arcadian Armour kneel down before her. While towering above them, she stares a dully at them. Her white hair swayed with the violent winds, the trees danced side to side as if about to snap, “Get up and open the gates” she orders, within a heart-beat the four men rise up towards the gates, pulling a lever as the great iron wall slowly rises. There, awaiting the queen, was a large bridge which led to the library far beyond mortal comprehension. 

       The Queen had been called in for a council meeting, to fulfil an ongoing pact which was established many years before her birth and upbringing. 

“But my queen, the Aerilonian Guild Exams?, we must make it to Aerilon and back in time!” says Lord Faryn, walking to her right, Lord Faryn was an old man, around his sixties, with a bushy beard and a crooked nose, he was, however, very wise, and was seen as an advisor to the Queen. As they walked across the halls, the pristine tiles beneath them shined so bright it could blind a man, with books which reached far beyond infinity, the libraries decor was on par with that of any royal palace, as it was tended to greatly. “The Guild Exams can wait, im sure the Kayuu family have many other families arriving, we are not needed” Arein replies, as they turn halls, many of the scholars watch them in shock, the queen of Eastern Estapar has paid them an unforgettable visit. “What exactly are we doing here my Queen?”

“Don't question her” Lord Idriica scolds Lord Faryn. To the left of the Queen, Lord Idriica, was an old woman too, no older than her mid-fifties, wearing an elegant gown, and bearing purple eyes, she had lived long enough to understand never to question those of high status.

    “It's fine Idriica, if you must know, we are here to pass a message onto the Ano Family in the Western lands of Storfis, its of the Craeforion'' before they enter the Meeting hall, they peer across the large wooden table which seated 10 elders of the library. “Our Queen '' an elder said, she had rough skin with white hair, she was mostly identified with a cut on her left eye, deeming her half-blind. “We have awaited your arrival for months… we have assigned three of our best scholars, one with ties with King Arton Ano, to safely send the scrolls to the King of the West to warn him of the dangers that are to come…”  

Peering across the room, she sees the 3 scholars who stare in excitement at their queen. “What is your name?” asks Queen Arein, she looks towards a man with a cunning smile “My name is Lannis Orindite, sent to the library by the perished King Alpon Ano'', Lannis was the mature one within the bunch, Arein could sense it, he had just passed his thirties by the looks of it and carried a bright ecril sword along his waist which was covered by a silver painted sheath, “What about you, young boy?” She switches her attention towards a scrawny boy, no older than his teen years, maybe 17 at most, unable to keep eye contact with the queen. “M-my name is Krial Irvan, and my brother, next to me is Aeris Irvan…”, He replies, looking to the side. Krial’s brother, Aeris, palmed himself of the embarrassment his brother bestowed upon them, the two had golden hair, with Krial wearing blue eyes while Aeris brown. As the Queen, while observing the luxurious marble built meeting hallway, steps closer towards the large wooden round table. It was crafted by the finest of woods, most likely wood from the Elder-forest near her kingdom, the table held stacks of paper and books and was very well kept. Arein crept closer towards the table while the elders insisted for the Queen to write on the scroll, looking down on the brownish scroll in front of her she reaches for an ink pen to her left

     Swaying her arms and wrists, gliding across the scroll as if it were a canvas, she holds it tightly, closing her eyes before walking towards Lannis Orindite and pulling out his hand. “You must hurry, the entirety of Aestane lies within your palms, Lannis Orindite” The Queen places the scroll on his palm before closing his fingers, Lannis grips the scrolls tightly, as the three make way for their departure. 

The three men set off for a long journey which awaits them, Krial had frightening thoughts playing in his mind, remembering the tales of the unfortunate who fell off the backs of birds and fell to their deaths, if even a single thunderstorm was to form while closing near Storfis it could set back their journey for months. Riding on the feathery backs of a Drejin, one brown, another black and the last, an albino. All packed for the journey ahead, they say their farewells to the cool breeze they were used to in Eastern Estapar, as Lannis latches his sword and puts the scrolls in a brown pouch around the flying beast before mounting on top of it. Clinging onto its soft fur Queen Arein prays before wishing farewell 

  “Hyah!” 

  Shouts the three, the Drejin flapping its large wings. As rain began to pour slowly and softly. The skies had left no more room for the sun to shine upon them. Rising higher and higher, Krials heart pumps faster and faster “I don't think I like this”, says Krial, as he holds tightly to his Drejins clean brown fur.

    “You’d best shut your mouth Krial, would make this journey a whole lot faster” replies Aeris, who by that time was already sick of Krial. Aeris looks to Lannis, “How long is this journey meant to take Lannis” he questions, they reach above the clouds, as Krial panics silently. “Two weeks if left unbothered, we shall take a route from the Eastern Gates to the Grand Path which will lead straight to Storfis, it's one of the largest paths I know of” he replies

“By my estimates in a week's time we will already be half-way towards Storfis, it should be fairly easy to reach” Lannis continues on. He remembers of being a child, living under the great perished king, King Alpon Ano, Lannis was once friends with the current King of Storfis, King Arton, but through his father, he was sent through the Grand Path to the library, forgetting his old life-style on the floating kingdom of Taettaris Empire, and becoming a student, sworn to loyalty by oath. 

     “Two weeks above the ground in the perilous skies… why have the gods forsaken me” Krial mutters, by that time they were overlooking the clouds, the sun shone so bright above the grey skies. It was truly an amazing scene, Krial himself thought it was heaven. Just as their Drejins began to steady, Lannis reached in for his brown pouch mounted onto his Albino Drejin. 

     “What does the scroll read, Lannis?” Krial questions.

  Fixing his eyes on what he really needed to read, he replies “It says ‘Your children are the Phoenix Children, the prophecies are true and will be fulfilled, such claims will also mean the two prophecies are true….’ i don't understand what this means however” a perplexed Lannis replies.

   “Read the prophecies” Krial replies back, hinting he too was confused. Within seconds Lannis reaches in for a second scroll the Queen had given him. 

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“Prophecy One, Chapter 400: King of Shadows the II, it says ‘ Oh Mad One, who will wage conquest of all of Aestane for a legendary cause. However, is blinded by ambition and manipulated with lies ’... I don't understand this?” he says, looking confused, the winds picking up. It's almost as if an image played in his head, like a vision almost… Lannis, in that very second saw fire, a fire which raged and burnt through the lands of Aestane, as he envisions a King coming out with a bloodied blade. But he is interrupted. 

     “Read the second then” Aeris replies.

   “Okay, uhm, Prophecy Two, Chapter 401: The Light Seeker, this one says ‘ The Light Bringer of hope and justice among their race… who shall lead a cause of light and justice to rid Aestane of its inevitable war ’ I can sense a connection between the two but how does the third prophecy connect?” he questions as he looks down at the scroll, the sun shining on his back. Lannis envisioned another image in his head, he saw hands rising up, as a silhouette of an angel rises up, rising towards something as others follow.

     “Okay let me see the final prophecy” Aeris says once more.

  “Prophecy Three, Chapter 402: Lords of the Phoenix, ‘ The children of three, born by a mighty king, will become lords of the Phoenix, and help a forbidden cause ’- this has to have a connection between Artons children… This must be why the Queen sent us to Storfis… which other House has ties with the phoenix?” Lannis says, cracking the code between it all, everything was connected but they had no way to explain it or even identify who. 

   “If it’s all connected.. That must mean everything we were taught of, the pact for the craeforion, the families part of it, was a lie…” says Krial as he questions everything he had been taught of in the library. 

   “We were taught the Craeforion told prophecies of the four royal families of Aestane through a pact”

      “The Ano Family”

          “The Palmer Family”

    “The Ivor Family”

          “And Lastly the Farmin Family, Queen Lucielle was to make a book to ensure her family was safe from any dangers by telling the futures of her family, but never specified when, so prophecies could take decades and in this case… centuries for simple things to happen… Deeming the book worthless, she formed a council” Lannis continued, trying to jog his memory as best he could.

    “She formed a council called ‘The Sisla Council’, inviting 3 other families allied with Eastern Estapars forces, the Queen was to give the Craeforion to one of the families, she chose King Harold Ano of Storfis” Aeris continues. 

   “However, King Harold handed it to King Aldrin Palmer of Ilugara Region, as a sign of peace between the two countries, King Aldrin Palmer instead gave it to King Vercin Ivor II, King of Kanaria'' Krial says with a smirk on his face, proud he is somewhat on par with his brother, “Ah but King Vercin Ivor gave the Craeforion to his eldest son, Prince Aldrich Ivor, the knight son of the King. I suppose he would then go on to make the Library of Crinforge to show gratitude to the Queen, as loyalty to her i suppose..” Aeris interrupts. 

    “Yes.. but when Aldrich made the Library he made one last blood oath with all the families he was allied with… forging their families futures and sealing it into the Craeforion…” Continues Krial as he tries to best his brother. 

     “Indeed… But it did not specify which families he was allied with…” Lannis continues on.

  “What do you speak of?” Krial, confused yet excited, as he always was in the face of a new adventure. 

   “If my suspicions are true… when Aldrich made the blood oath he may have added other families into the Craeforion without the Queen knowing, the secret must have died with him however….” 

   “So what do we do now?” Aeris had a confused look drawn all over his face, “We warn the king… as for one thing I know certain, its manifest at this point of time-” he continues with one last line. his golden eyes widening.

    “A great war is coming to Aestane”

Fun Fact: “Rumours in the south speak of a great claim, a creature of brawn and idiocy leaving its marks in the trees in the mysterious and eerie dark-wood forest, knights have tried ferreting out this beast but their efforts are futile"

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