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TarynTaryn slumped to the ground, her hands between the grass, as she breathed heavily, as if she had run all the walls at least a dozen times."It is not enough," Elhias said behind her, looking at the stone giant Taryn had created."Not enough?" asked Taryn, floundering for air."Don't get me wrong, aesthetically it's nice, but you get tired too easily and you can't bring it to life. Form doesn't count if it doesn't move," replied the king, approaching the figure of motionless stone.He touched it with a fist, dropping some soil. "But maybe I asked you something too complicated," he continued, reflecting to himself.Taryn got back on her feet and summoned all the power that vibrated within her body. As Elhias watched the stone giant with a raised eyebrow, paying no attention to her, Taryn took that power and placed it inside the stone giant, praying that it would begin to move.In response, the giant moved an arm trying to hit Elhiàs but quickly dodged him, moving to the side. The
"I hadn't considered this new situation," he admitted after some silence."The brilliant mind of Aeris who didn't think of this?" asked Taryn, pretending to be upset. "What a disgrace," she continued, mocking him."I admit my lack," he said, making a blatant gesture."If you weren't too busy shaping your muscles, you'd have thought about it sooner." Taryn folded her arms to her chest and looked at him with innocence.Elhias gave a mischievous smile. "And deprive yourself of such a view?" he insinuated, pointing to his body. "Never allow me not to satisfy a lady."Taryn laughed and punched him lightly on the arm."So you're going to try again?" asked Taryn, changing the subject."Better. We will try," Elhias said, his eyes shining."But I don't know how to do anything," Taryn declared, frowning."It won't help. It will be enough for you to be there so that I can channel your power and use it as I please. Maybe the two of us can destroy that damn barrier," he said, nodding to himself."
Doreon The port of the city where they had arrived, after days of walking, was full of ships departing and even offshore. Doreon looked at the surface of the open sea and all he could see were hundreds and hundreds of ships of different sizes. Some were gigantic, capable of carrying hundreds of people, others had compartments to transport animals. The sails were colorful. Some were green, like the banners of Haefest, others were gold, like the banners of Aeris, still others blue like those of Locrand and in the distance Doreon could also see some white and gray sails like Devian's sigil of arms. "Unbelievable, isn't it?" said Pix, leaning his back against the fence and his gaze towards the ocean. The light breeze ruffled his hair. Doreon, with his elbows resting on the fence, watched the men load huge wooden crates onto the docked ships. Pix was next to him, dividing them was the fence, while the lord breathed deeply. "It looks like a fleet too big for simple reconnaissance," Dor
WildHarbor was located on the border of Locrand, a region almost forgotten by the king himself, and the lord in charge of the city practiced the dark cult, as did most of the people who lived there. It was like the neutral place for its people, where no one hunted them and where they did not have to hide the statuettes of their Gods under the floor, despite everyone hiding their nature from the king who was completely unaware of what was happening there. Pix had explained to him that the lord would be the one to perform the rite, but that he would not leave with the others, not when he was so close to the capital and when it was in turmoil. In return, he had donated ships and men so that they would have more means at their disposal. The voices of those present were muffled, and both Doreon and Pix turned their heads towards the stone stairs leading down to the pier. One man, probably Lord Manor, was descending slowly, his face solemn. He wore a milky white tunic, which he rubbed t
Doreon entered the streets of the small town, looking around, but could no longer identify it, as if it had vanished into thin air: which was very difficult, given the very flashy clothes with which she had entered the scene. The streets were already starting to crowd and people were already starting the festivities. People were piling up. Women and men throwing themselves on each other, tavern owners filling mugs with beer. Doreon watched a group of men toast good luck. "The festivities are the part that people prefer," said a voice behind him. Doreon turned and found her there, resting her shoulder on the stone wall of a gap between two buildings, hidden in dim light. "Isn't that what everyone wants? A moment of pure freedom to let one's primordial instincts free?" replied Doreon, shrugging his shoulders. "Is that the reason you participate at the rites?" she asked, looking at him. Doreon shrugged his shoulders and looked at the crowded people. "For a moment I thought the gods
AthelstanThey had been on their way for two days and, slowly, were approaching the border of Locrand to enter the kingdom of Haefest.As they moved away from the capital, they found fewer villages with the royal banners, as if people had decided not to belong to Locrand's kingdom. For Athelstan this was a very serious situation and, if even one of the other kingdoms had known about it, an attack would have brought down the kingdom and his house for good.At that moment they were crossing a forest. After leaving the capital, Amris continued with them for half a day, then embarked on his way to Althea. Athelstan only hoped that the knight would arrive at his destination safely, and that he would not incur an accident that would attract the attention of his father.He knew that Amris was a trained knight and that he alone knew exactly how to move without arousing any suspicion, but Athelstan was also aware that, in recent times, the king had become paranoid and had sent spies everywhere
SumonThat day the fortress was in turmoil. People were scrambling to complete the final preparations for the celebration. Sumon had spent the last few days thanking and complimenting the lords and their wives arriving from all over the kingdom.Seventeen lords had decided to attend and swear allegiance to the new king. But the failure of thirteen lords to respond continued to worry not only Nathan, but the entire council. They wondered if this new monarchy would lead to a rebellion by lords who did not accept Nathan as the new king, deeming him inefficient or unreliable.Her husband's position hung more and more in the balance, and Sumon felt partly responsible for this precarious situation.Although she and Nathan had started to had sex every night again, and despite Sumon having stopped taking the herbal tea she used to avoid conceiving during the time she spent her nights with Doreon, she still couldn't get pregnant. She had
The light hit the gems that adorned it, creating colorful reflections that danced on every wall of the room. Sumon had attended her brother's coronation when she was just a child, not that she remembered anything specifically, but in her mind there was always the image of her brother kneeling, with red hair like his combed and pulled back and the crown placed on his head. She did not remember the rites performed by the priests the week before that event nor the fact that they closed themselves in prayer for a whole week, without interacting with anyone and without food. They spent a whole week praying to the five Gods and the Mother to prepare for the coronation. Sumon blinked when Nathan said, in ancient language, Ic sweria. «I swear». The priest solemnly laid the crown on Nathan's blond hair, then said, "You have entered as a prince and you will go out as king. Waruld caresses you and accompanies you. Rise, King Nathan Fannil." He spo