2022-12-15 00:06:45MORNING
Ramsay and Noah were the first to wake. They stepped outside the house and went straight to the same stone they had been struggling to lift for days.
Zussorender woke moments later and went to check on the two royal princes, but when he didn’t see them in their room, he rushed outside, fearing they might have run away.
The moment he stepped out, he stopped—relieved to see them training. Zussorender cleared his throat, making them turn toward him.
The princes immediately stopped and greeted in unison, “Good morning, master.”
“Morning,” Zussorender replied, and the princes returned their focus to the stone.
Zussorender walked between them. With a mere thought, he lifted the stone beside his chair using magic, floated it over, and set it down neatly beside the two stones the princes had been struggling with.
Then he said to the royal princes, “You both know I don’t need words or gestures to move anything with magic. That is because I have mastered it, unlike you both who are new to it".
He continued, “Magic is something you are born with—something that lives inside you. It wants to be released, not buried. But remember this: when you let it out, you must remain its master. Never let it master you.”
He stepped back slightly, and said, “Now… do exactly as I taught you. Stand upright.”
The two princes obeyed. He instructed, “Close your eyes. Breathe slowly.”
They inhaled and exhaled, steady and controlled. He continued, “Now look inward. Find your magic.”
As they focused, a sudden surge of power rushed through their bodies.
“I can feel it!” Noah said, excited.
“I feel it too,” Ramsay added, smiling.
“Good. Now open your eyes. Direct that energy into your hands. Let it flow through you… and release it toward the stone with the intention of what you want that energy to do", said Zussorender.
The two royal princes did exactly as Zussorender instructed, and to their shock, the stone lifted—rising steadily under the force of their shared magic.
Energy flowed visibly from their outstretched hands toward the stone.
“We did it, master!” Noah said, smiling widely.
“I guess we did,” Ramsay added, happy but trying not to show it too much.
“Thank you, master. So we really do have magic,” Noah said.
“You shouldn’t get too excited,” Zussorender replied calmly. “You still have much to learn. But if you remain patient, you will learn everything you need to know.”
“Wow… we did it,” Noah said again, unable to contain his joy.
---THREE DAYS LATER (AXRAX)
King Raynold and four other kings gathered in the great palace hall of Axrax:
King James of Lythridite, King Marcus of Domitrus, King Michel of Samuzia, and King Josh of Micapus.King Raynold sat on his throne, while the other kings sat on chairs arranged before him.
“Welcome, your majesties. I thank you all for answering my call,” King Raynold said.
“The pleasure is ours, your royal majesty,” replied King Michel.
“I summoned you here concerning King James’s request,” King Raynold continued.
“And what was his request, your royal majesty?” asked King Josh.
“If you don’t mind, King James, tell them yourself,” King Raynold said.
“Yes, your royal majesty,” King James said with a respectful bow.
“Your majesties,” King James began, “I request permission from the great king to improve the standard of the army… and to raise more soldiers.”
“You all heard him. That is why I gathered you—to hear your advice and opinions", said King Raynold.
“You must not allow that, your royal majesty,” King Michel said firmly.
“And why is that?” King James asked, turning to him.
“If we start raising an army now, there will be confusion among the people. They may panic, thinking a war is coming. We cannot allow that,” King Michel said to King Raynold.
“I agree with King James, your royal majesty. We’ve enjoyed peace for a long time, but we know nothing lasts forever. Raising more armies and improving our standards is preparing for the future—whatever it may bring", King Marcus replied.
He paused, then added, “And… I dream about Marcelos once in a while. In those dreams, he awakens.”
“Is that true? Do you really dream about Marcelos?” King James asked King Marcus, but King Marcus remained silent.
“Do you dream about Marcelos, King Marcus?” King Raynold asked.
“Yes, your royal majesty,” King Marcus answered.
“Your royal majesty, we cannot raise an army because of a dream—or because of their assumptions. And we all know King Marcus loves war. That love for war is what caused the Varlyn and their Nylin army to leave, which should never have happened," King Josh said.
“That’s not true! Those beasts—the Nylin—were never meant to live among humans. They fed on my people!", King Marcus snapped.
“Are you saying the Great King Hope was wrong to accept them? And no one knows if they truly fed on your people. You waged war on them before we could investigate", King Josh responded.
King Marcus smirked and said, “And what was I supposed to do? Sit back while they fed on my people?”.
King Josh rose to his feet. He said to King Raynold, “Your royal majesty, the Varlyn lived in peace with Great King Hope. History records nothing evil about them or their Nylins. But when you banished their Nylins from all kingdoms, the Varlyn left as well—they refused to abandon their companions".
He paused, but continued, “I am not questioning your judgment, your royal majesty, but we never investigated the matter because King Marcus insisted they were killers—which may not be true. Now he wants us to stir panic among our people by raising more troops".
To further affirm, he added, “We are not at war. There is no need for a larger army. Every kingdom already has five hundred thousand soldiers, and Axrax has one million, five hundred thousand. I see no reason to raise more.”
King Josh then sat down, but King James stood up and said, “Your royal majesty, it is true we’ve enjoyed peace, but now is the time to plan for the future. Evil cannot be fully erased. It waits in the shadows for the moment we lower our guard. We cannot assume Marcelos will sleep forever. There may be people plotting to awaken him. That is why we must prepare—not when danger arrives, but before it comes.”
King Raynold leaned back on his throne. He thought for a while before saying, “Well, you are all right in one way or another. But I will not give my decision now. Return to your kingdoms and discuss the matter with your councils. Then inform me of your final decisions.”
“Yes, your royal majesty,” all the kings said in unison.
King Raynold convenes the kings of Lythridite, Domitrus, Samuzia, and Micapus to discuss King James’s request to raise and strengthen his army. King Michel and King Josh argue against it, fearing public panic and citing past conflicts with the Varlyn and their Nylin.
King Marcus supports King James, citing potential future threats and dreams of Marcelos' awakening. King James urges preparation for the future rather than waiting for danger to arrive.
King Raynold decides to delay his decision, instructing the kings to consult their councils and report back.
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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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