Blessing Moon

Twenty-One: The New Prisoners

Not being able to find out anything with his communication mirror, Oslac decided to leave his chamber. However, as soon as he opened his door a number of guards ran past him.

"Hey! What's going on?" The prince called after them. "I demand someone stop and tell me!"

One guard did as instructed, halting mid-stride. He turned and knelt before the teenage prince.

"Stars shine upon you, Your Highness," the guard said before lifting his head to look up at the royal's face.

"Guard, tell me, what is the situation?" Oslac demanded in the most authoritative voice he could muster.

"There is unrest in Tuanalis," the guard answered with no hesitation.

"Tuanalis? The Biabus-Lus' village?"

"Yes, Your Highness, word is that the Head of Draoicis-Lus has gone over to stir trouble."

The guard's information sent the prince's thoughts reeling. He couldn't help but imagine the worst. Visions of Beanni being attacked by those Biab lads flashed in his mind. He saw her curled up on the floor cuts littering her skin, the cobbled streets of Central City splashed with her blood. Worry took him by the throat.

"Prince Oslac?" The sound of the guard's concerned voice dragged him from his spiralling thoughts.

"The king has issued a violet beam warning," the guard said and instinctively tapped the fighting staff that was strapped to his side.

"A violet beam?" Prince Oslac repeated, then darted to the window, where he saw a distant line of violet light shooting up into the sky above the village in the north.

"I must go, Your Highness, and I must ask you to return to your quarters."

"Yes, I am aware of the violet summons protocol," Oslac retorted, not looking away from the window. "Go where you must."

"Thank you, Your Highness," the guard said as he got to his feet and ran out of the corridor. Moments passed and Oslac watched, through the window, that same guard run out of the Palace and across the grounds. He kept true until wisps of violet light surrounded him and made him disappear.

The loneliness of the empty corridor grabbed at the prince, as he made his way slowly back to his chamber. The very place he just left. It was useless being in there, sitting idle, just waiting to hear news.

An idea then struck him, making him halt on the spot.

There may be a way he could receive news faster, to see what was going on in Tuanalis. Of course he wasn't sure, he had never tried it before, but he had to give it a shot. He had to do something! He turned away from his own quarters and ran to the door that led him to the tallest tower of the palace.

He opened the door and was faced with a stone spiral staircase, which he began to climb. He took great care on each step, for the stairs were so old they began to warp at the edges, careless footing would end up with him slipping and he didn't want to risk falling, as there was no rail to catch himself on.

Along the rounded wall just above his head were lanterns that burst into bright, orange flames when they sensed his orb approaching them. They lit up the windowless stairway until he got to the very top. He stepped into the murky, cramped room that held no furniture, just a Trabem pool that was lit by a skylight situated directly above it. Today the pool was lit by a violet glow from the beam of royal light magic that now took over the sky above.

Oslac took his light orb out of his pouch and made it grow in his left palm. As his light magic grew, lanterns that were built into the walls around him lit up with dancing flames. He then slowly approached the side of the Trabem pool and looked into the glassy water inside.