The Gem Holders

Chapter 1: A mother's Adieu

A/N: (-) means scene change

A warm breeze blew through the forest, the trees dancing alongside the weak gale. The insects and the birds chirped in perfect synchrony, producing a soothing rhythm that rang throughout the forest. Animals scampered throughout the woods, as the sun brought down its rays, sheening the lustful leaves of trees and glistening the feathers of the birds that passed by. Just then, A silhouette of a woman burst out of the woods, her legs churning beneath her, as she forced one leg in front of another, dismissing the damp smell of the forest, along with the bitter taste in her mouth. Her cape billowed behind her, with her braided brown hair swaying alongside the wind. Her arms were folded by the baby she was holding, a gem dangling from her neck.

She panted, as another body jumped from where she came from. The figure was barely visible, with a massive frame and bloodshot eyes the only thing noticeable. He walked toward the woman, his gait purposely slow, mocking the woman that tried to flee. 

"Give up, sooner or later, you'll eventually turn." 

His voice was monotonous, not even giving a hint of the slightest of emotions. The woman ignored him, instead, she opted to thrust her arms downwards, and muttered the words, "Divine roots!"

The ground beneath the man rumbled, cracking under his feet, creating crevices that stretched throughout the ground. The man's eyes narrowed, and his entire body tensed. With a grunt, the man leaped away, and just like he expected, the ground exploded from where he once was. Gigantic tendrils made out roots emerged from the cracks, and not a second sooner, they shot forward, grabbing the man by the feet, before slamming him down to the ground. He grunted but had no time to recover as more tendrils grabbed his limbs, coiling and wrapping around his body, effectively trapping him in place. The man growled as he glared at the woman, "BASTARD!".

The woman didn't stop her pace, her legs carrying her through the forest, narrowly avoiding trees and large rocks. She halted in a clearing and scanned her surroundings, her eyes darting back and forth, and eventually landed on a nearby cave. It was small and narrow, yet big enough for both her and her son. She entered the den, and gently placed her son behind some rocks. She then leaned forward, before planting a kiss on her son's forehead. "Stay here, I'll be back, okay?" With reluctance, she stood and turned around, to see the man standing outside, his body and face still shrouded by shadows.

The woman stiffened before building enough courage to speak, "What is it that you want?" 

Her voice was coated in a thick layer of protectiveness. The man scoffed, "Don't act dumb, you know exactly what I want" his eyes settled on the gem dangling from the woman's neck. It glowed a vibrant green, as a smirk began to creep at the corner of his lip.

(-)

An eagle whistled as it flew past the clouds, it stretched its wings, basking in the sun's warmth and the tempest that brushed past it. It soared through the sky, before it zoomed into a sea of clouds, the misty haze obscuring its vision. Eventually, it reached the other side, and beneath its majestic wings, dwelled a kingdom, the kingdom of Bourbeux.

The palace was constructed by the best of architects, it stretched several feet from both the left and right, with the ends expanding forward. In between the two ends was a small plot of land, a caramel-colored path leading to the doors of the mansion. A fountain was in the middle, surrounded by well-trimmed trees and plants. Inside was a corridor, splitting into three directions, each room unique from the rest.

One particular room, however, was special. It was the throne room. Three stained glass on each side, all having a different person showcased, the light that entered cascading shadows throughout the room. A long red carpet led up to the end of the hall, where a majestic throne lay. Behind it, was a massive stained glass, with a mysterious person painted on it.