Blessing Moon

Thirty-Nine: Corruption At The Gate

The Natanstrelleans followed Oslac every step of the way. With his shoulders back and head up he repressed the fear that was threatening to bubble to the surface. His heart beat against his ribs in a rapid rhythm, desperately wanting to give him away. He prayed to Illuminare-Trabem that no one else could tell how scared he truly was. He had no idea what they were about to face or what the darkness had up its sleeves. All he knew was that he had to trust the ancient powers, no matter how confusing and secretive they seemed to be.

He led his people through the streets of Central City with Beanni and Ethan at his side. They no longer glowed with violet magic head to toe. However, the deep power was still there within them both, for they were able to open up a violet passageway through the surrounding walls with just a touch of their hands. It took little time for them to reach the farthest edge of Eartem, where Astrid Palace stood.

When they got to the gates, something caught the prince's eye, making him suddenly stop. Confused chatter erupted amongst the baffled crowd that had no idea why their journey had come to an end so soon.

"He is the prince, is he not?" Oslac heard someone question behind him. "Can't he enter his own palace?"

"The gates!" Oslac projected to the crowd. "I fear the king has protected them with an ancient spell - Ballarus Teinig."

He then picked up a stone from the ground and chucked it, aiming for the centre of the gate. The crowd's gasps filled the air as they all watched the stone shrivel to dust and violent flames rush around the perimeter of the surrounding wall.

Oslac took out his light orb, made it grow, and with a deep, steadying breath he stepped forward. He held it at arm's length, but as the white light within his orb shone its rays upon the gate he was thrown back and the orange flames turned black. Shadows then took over the gate and surrounding wall and they began to stretch higher into the sky - blocking the palace entirely from the Natanstrelleans' sight. The impossible, black, burning walls did not fail to intimidate the crowd.

"The gate, the palace, it has been corrupted!" Fear filled cries sounded amongst the crowd. "It is true, it must be true - Noir-Astra is back!"

Oslac glanced over his shoulder towards Ethan, who was looking at Beanni with a smile stretching his very calm looking face. Oslac, with a scowl etched in his bewildered brow, then looked at Beanni whose facial expression mirrored that same smile. He watched her give Ethan a small nod and turn her focus to the towering dark obstacle. With confidence she strode forward and reached her hands out towards the gate.

"No, Beanni! Don't!" Oslac yelled after her, and he heard Lorrus' voice call out the same behind him.

Both of their shouting did not faze her, she grabbed the gates, and as she did so the violet light from within her burst out and sent rays across the entirety of the black, smoking walls. Their flames turned violet and the shadows dissolved, making the surrounding walls' shrink back to their original size, adorning a violet hue for a few seconds before it too dissolved into the air. Oslac then watched, with mouth agape as Beanni opened the gates with ease. She turned and gave him a wink then stepped inside.

"Come on, Prince, let's go," Ethan whispered in his ear. Oslac took his cue and led his people through the gates, into the palace grounds, where the king awaited them all with his guards and the Emerald Army standing behind him. All their eyes were plagued with churning, dark smoke.

"Dillan?" Lorrus' unmistakable voice sounded from the crowd behind the prince. "Dillan!"

Oslac's gaze was drawn to the Emeralds - where indeed, Dillan stood. Beanni's older brother didn't so much as flinch in response to his father's voice. The prince's heart skipped a beat when he saw the warmth that usually sat within Dillan's eyes lost within a deep chasm of hopeless black.