In the throne room within Aladon, King Oroth sat on his throne with his hands clasped together, his eyes closed in deep concentration as he focused his mind.
"You may enter," King Oroth called out, his voice echoing softly in the grandeur of the throne room.
One of the Aladon elders strode through the double doors with a stern and almost angry expression etched on his face.
"Oroth, have you lost your damn mind!" the elder exclaimed, quickly striding up to the throne and waving his fist in agitation.
Three guards quickly surrounded the elder, their presence a clear barrier preventing him from making any further movements.
"You send one former Sky knight and seven rookie knights for the most important mission that could change our economy as it is! Are you crazy, Oroth?" The elder's voice rose in anger as he continued to express his frustration. "We could send our army out and take it in a matter of seconds, and Ongix wouldn't be able to do a thing!"
King Oroth leaned on his fist, his eyes closing as he contemplated the elder's words. After a moment of silence, he responded with a sly grin, "Now what would be the fun in that?"
The elder's eyes widened in complete surprise at King Oroth's response, taken aback by his unexpected attitude.
"If we sent reinforcements to Choyo, it would only make the next war approach faster, and we wouldn't want that yet, would we? Especially without knowing the capabilities that lie within these young knights," King Oroth explained, his thoughts turning to a particular young knight.
"Oroth..." The elder muttered disapprovingly. "I simply can't believe you put this mission on the line just to see some potential in mere kids!"
King Oroth started to chuckle slightly, finding amusement in the elder's reaction. "I have my reasons," he said with a playful grin, raising a finger to his lips in a gesture for the elder to hush.
As the sky slowly begins to shift to night, Xolene walks inside the quiet grand temple in Aladon. She glances around, seeing no one was here. She walks to the large god and goddess statue, and gets to her knees before the ancient statue.
Xolene's hands clasped together in a fervent prayer, her eyes closed in solemn concentration. "goddess Niehilia... the last remaining god," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "Grant me guidance in these troubled times. The visions that I saw... darkness encroaches upon our land, and I am lost in its shadows. Why did I get those visions, show me the path forward, reveal to me the truth that eludes my grasp."
Silence answered her plea, broken only by the echos of her own words within the temple. Xolene's brow furrowed in frustration as she waited, her heart heavy.
"Why do you not answer me?" she whispered, her voice tinged with desperation. "Have I not served you faithfully by inheriting your ballad? Have I not upheld the sacred duty passed down through generations of my bloodline to have a connection to your will?"
Still, the statue remained silent, its stone features impassive and unmoving. A surge of frustration welled up within Xolene, boiling over into anger. With a sudden motion, she rose to her feet, her hands clenched into fists.
"Answer me!" she demanded, her voice echoing through the temple. "I have sacrificed everything for the life my father told me I was destined for, and still, you remain silent! Do you not care for your people?! Do you not see the suffering that plagues our land?!"
No response came. Xolene's frustration reached its peak, and with a cry of defiance, she slammed her hand down upon the pedestal of the statue, the sound ringing out through the grove like a thunderclap.
YOU ARE READING
Ballad of Heaven: Clash of the Cursed
FantasyIn the quiet mountain village, Niel's life takes a turn when vivid visions and cryptic messages thrust him into a destiny linked to ancient gods. As dark premonitions unfold due to his father's past, Niel grapples with the burden of his path and the...
