2022-12-15 00:04:46The bird returned to Zussorader and perched gently on his hand. Zussorader looked into its eyes and immediately saw everything the bird had seen and heard.
He smiled and said, “You have done a great job, my dear,” then kissed the bird softly.
Turning to the mercenaries, Zussorader announced, “The bird has located where the Mind Crystal will be. The Light Army is guarding that place, which means the crystal is there.
We will be heading into Lythridite and finding a way to infiltrate the palace. During that time, everyone must be on their best behavior. No one is to act without orders from Philip or me".Zussorader paused before adding, "Sooner or later, we will face the Light Army. Do not underestimate them—they are far more powerful than they appear, and they can only be killed through the heart. Is that clear?”.
“Yes!” the mercenaries answered in unison.
---
LYTHRIDITE
King James continued, “The five crystals were given to each kingdom to protect, and Marcelos was put into an eternal sleep. The reason I am telling you all of this is because you have come of age to know about it. Every royal blood in each kingdom knows this story — even the wizards.
King James paused before adding, "And one day, you will be my successor,”.
He said that while looking at his daughter. Then Princess Tracy said with a smile, “Thanks for trusting me, Father".
“You are the only daughter and child I have. If I don’t believe in you or trust you, my princess, then who should I trust?” King James said, smiling warmly.
“Thank you, Father. There is something I need to ask you though,” Princess Tracy said.
“What is it?” asked King James.
“Who are those guards outside? I’ve never seen them before, and they look different from the others,” she asked.
King James smiled, saying, “That is why I love you — you never let anything get past you. They are not regular guards; they are called the Light Army.”
“I heard you mention them before,” Princess Tracy said.
“Yes. They were created by King Hope from a powerful stone, forged with the help of the wizards of that time. The stone now lies within a crystal, known as the Light Crystal. They were once human like us, but they volunteered to be made immortal so they could protect the kingdoms against any evil forces that might rise", said King James.
“How old do you think they are?” Princess Tracy asked.
“I have no idea, but they are very old. Back then, before the reign of King Damon, the Light Army could only be seen in Axrax because that is where the first king resided. After Marcelos was defeated and the five crystals were distributed among the four kingdoms, King Damon assigned five Light Army soldiers to each kingdom to guard the crystals and ensure they never fell into the hands of evil...", said King James.
He paused before adding, "One more thing — the Light Army can only be controlled and commanded by the king of Axrax. However, they know well to respect the other kings".
“Why can the Light Army only be controlled by the kings of Axrax, and not other kings?” Princess Tracy asked.
“The kings of Axrax are from the bloodline of magic. Magic runs in their veins, just like their forefather, King Hope. That is why we also call them the Great King", said King James.
Princess Tracy nodded. King James continued, After the Light Army was created, King Hope made a ring and linked it to the souls of the Light Army. Whoever wears the ring has control over them and is spiritually linked to the army. The ring has been passed down through generations. If you were to wear it, you must have magic; otherwise, the ring will enslave you".
“So everything with power has a positive and a negative side,” Princess Tracy said thoughtfully.
“I guess so. One of the reasons the other kings can’t even think of wearing the Ring of Command. That will be enough for today. Let’s return,” said King James.
---
NIGHT
Zussorender and the two royal princes arrived at Zussorender’s house and climbed down from the wagon. The princes looked around, surprised and confused — the house was small, far from the grandeur they expected.
“How come you live in a house like this, Master?” Noah asked, watching Zussorender busy packing his things from the wagon.
“Get your belongings and meet me inside,” Zussorender said, dismissing the question, and walked into the house.
The princes followed him inside, carrying their things. They found Zussorender, his wife Lythia, and a nine-year-old boy, Gabriel, sitting at the dining table.
“Show them their room so they can put down their things, and don’t take their belongings from them,” Zussorender instructed his wife.
“Drop your things and come back to eat,” he said to the two princes.
Lythia stood and guided them. “Follow me.”
After placing their belongings in the room shown to them, the two princes returned to the dining table where Zussorender and his family waited.
They sat down and were served food.
As they ate, Lythia asked politely, “I’m sorry to ask this… what are your names?”.
“No need to apologize. We’ll gladly tell you. We are the princes of Axrax,” Noah replied.
“I know you are,” Lythia said with a smile.
“Noah is my name, and my brother’s name is Ramsay,” Noah added.
Noah continued, turning to Zussorender, “ Master, you are the wizard of Axrax — the greatest wizard of all. But I don’t understand why you would choose to live in a place like this, in such a small house. Far from the kingdom".
Zussorender and Lythia exchanged a look. Then Zussorender turned to the two royal princes. He said firmly to them, “First lesson, boys: don’t ask questions from strangers".
“But you’re not a stranger — you are our master,” Noah replied.“Then don’t ask me questions that don’t relate to your training,” Zussorender said, annoyed.
“There is something I need to ask, Master,” Ramsay said cautiously.
“What is it? I hope it relates to your training,” Zussorender replied.
“Ever since we arrived, I haven’t seen anyone coming in or out. I thought wizards train apprentices with magical powers, but I haven’t seen any of yours around. Do you send them on errands?” Ramsay asked.
“I don’t have any apprentices. No more questions,” Zussorender said sharply, now clearly angry.
“But…” Noah started.
“Dinner is over,” Zussorender cut him off.
“But we’re not done eating,” Noah protested.
With a flick of his hand, Zussorender used his magic to rot the princes’ food. Then he said, “Now you’re done eating. Go to your room.”
The two princes stared at him in disbelief, unsure what to say.
“Come, Your Highnesses,” Lythia said, guiding them.
“This is my home. Your title and power do not exist here. And Lythia, you shall address them by their names,” Zussorender instructed, and the two princes followed her silently.
---
Meanwhile, King James of Lythridite sent a letter to King Raynold requesting permission to raise more soldiers and improve the army’s standards.
---
Zussorader, Philip, and the mercenaries entered Lythridite disguised as merchants. Zussorader even transformed his staff into an ordinary stick.
They began living as merchants, selling drugs and clothing, while secretly gathering information about the palace. Zussorader also sent the bird to survey the palace, mapping its layout and security measures.
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THE LIGHT OF CHOICE
Everyone was now on their feet as Noah prepared to approach the crystal. Each of them silently wished, hoped, that he would be the chosen one. If he were, it would mean that their efforts and suffering had not been in vain. It would also reaffirm that they could always trust Esther’s instincts.Not only that, it would mean the crystal had not merely toyed with them, but had tested their strength to find someone truly worthy of the power within. It would also mean that Ramsay had been wrong.Yet the chance of Noah being the chosen one was slim. Even though they hoped for it—simply because he was the last—the crystal might still reject him, just as it had the others. It could manipulate him, play with him, crush him. If that happened, everything Ramsay had warned them about would be proven true.The fate of everyone now depended on Noah being the chosen one. If he were not, they would lose the power within the crystal—the only force capable of defeating Marcelos. Perhaps, then, every li
THE TRIAL OF NOAH
After Kinsley lost, the chamber fell into a suffocating silence. No one spoke, yet the truth lingered in the air like a bitter taste: Kinsley hadn’t simply failed—he had been tricked.The others felt it. They had watched his trial closely, seen how the question cornered him with no clean answer, no true path to victory. The more they thought about it, the more it felt deliberate… as though the crystal had never intended to let him win in the first place.Whispers spread through the group—not spoken aloud, but sensed in glances, in tension, in the tightness of their breaths.Maybe Ramsay had been right all along. Maybe the crystal really didn’t want to help them. Maybe it was playing with them—offering slivers of hope only to snatch them away the moment anyone came close.The pattern seemed too clear now: Every trial looked winnable… until the final moment, where something twisted, shifted, or turned impossible. The crystal dangled victory like bait—and then denied them cruelly.Yet de
The Trial of Choice
Tracy could be seen sitting with the others who had faced their opponents and been defeated. She rested her back against the cold stone wall, seated next to Esther, allowing the healer to work her magic.As Esther’s magic wove over her, repairing the lingering effects of the trial, a heavy silence filled the chamber. No one spoke. Everyone seemed lost in thought, caught in the weight of unspoken fears. Their thoughts: "What if Ramsay was right? What if none of them was truly the chosen one? Could all their efforts to reach the crystal have been in vain?"Six challengers had already approached the crystal—and each had been defeated. The uncertainty pressed on the remaining challengers: could they reach the crystal without suffering the same fate? The thought lingered, unanswered, as no one dared voice it.Yet despite the doubts, they could not see another way. If they ever hoped to defeat Marcelos, they would need the power held within the crystal. Without it, there was no chance of s
TRACY TRIAL
Kylie’s eyes narrowed, blood and sweat blurring her vision, but her mind raced faster than ever. She feinted a jab to the left, then twisted low, spinning her body in a movement she rarely used.Her fist shot upward from below, a rising strike aimed for the mirror’s ribs—a combination of force and surprise. The mirror-Kylie hesitated longer this time, caught off guard by the unorthodox angle.Kylie didn’t pause. She flowed into a rapid succession of punches and elbows, striking with precision and unpredictability. For the first time, the conjured girl stumbled back, absorbing blows that should have been anticipated.A sharp cry escaped the mirror-Kylie, a sound Kylie had never expected. The clone’s defenses wavered. Kylie’s chest heaved, pain screaming through every muscle, but she pressed forward, relentless.The others watched, wide-eyed. Even Ramsay’s jaw tightened, knowing Kylie had finally found an opening.Kylie’s smirk was faint but real. For the first time, she felt the advant
KYLIE TRIAL
No matter how much Hawk tried, endured, or held on, he still couldn’t win. He couldn’t land a single point on the shadow. His sword never touched its body even once.Yes, his supernatural hearing helped him know when the shadow appeared, but that wasn’t enough to secure victory. The shadow’s skill was fierce—far more incredible than he had imagined. Because of that, he spent most of the fight defending, barely having a second to breathe.Hawk didn’t have the time to showcase his fighting skills at all, nor could he use his last resort technique. The shadow kept disappearing and reappearing unpredictably, forcing him to stay on constant defense. In the end, Hawk was defeated—wounded—before the shadow struck him hard enough to send him flying toward the others.His body was soaked in his own blood. With his healing ability blocked by the crystal, every cut the shadow left on him remained open, stinging and burning. He suffered wounds all over his body from the shadow’s blade.Now, Hawk
THE SHADOW TRIAL
Ragmus’s facial expression showed pure annoyance as he glared at the beast, now motionless, with the surrounding fire completely dead.Ragmus sat next to Esther, who held his hand while magically healing his wounds. Her injuries had also fully healed.Ramsay, seated beside Esther, couldn’t stop laughing. The others, standing nearby, couldn’t understand why, but Esther ignored him, and Ragmus, furious, didn’t even notice.Ramsay’s laughter grew irritating, prompting Lilia to kick him in the leg as she asked why he was laughing. That finally made him stop, then he asked, “Why wouldn’t I laugh? Don’t you all find it funny?”.The others simply scowled, which only deepened his disbelief. Ramsay continued, “Don’t you see the crystal playing with us?” With me, the crystal was straightforward—maybe out of respect for who I am. But what it did with Esther was the same as what it did with Ragmus. It gave them hope that they could win, that they could become the chosen one—a hope that reached a
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