Shadow Kingdoms | Book 1 ✔ (REWRITTEN AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 22 - Crowned Heir

"What do you mean by that?" Jon demanded.

"Well, it is simple. Here in Silvardor, we have rituals that give out so much life magic that it awakens the dead. It comes up in mere days. Your friends will be up and living soon."

"Why did the elves never say anything?" Jon frowned.

"I believe that they do not know. It was written in an old manuscript that I read in my castle... before... this all happened."

"When is the ritual? What do they do?" Jon's eyes were alight with hope.

"It is in three days. The seventh of Fireleaf." Darron said, "The elves dance the World Dance, and recite the Creation of the World. Erm... the dancers are nude. I didn't want you to get a nasty surprise."

Jon blushed and his pale cheeks turned a shade of light pink.

"Why?" He managed to croak.

Darron got the gist, "They want to give thanks to the gods for creating them. And they were born naked, as were all of us. The dancers will be the middle of their life-spans, appearing as a teenage male and female. Elves honor our gods of the crystal pantheon beyond all else."

Jon nodded. Everyone knew of the gods. Mighty Haert and his powerful daughter Nukatu. Nukatu's children, Pelos, Gilan, and Aeliyas. Mostly, however, the elves honored Sylune, the goddess of the woods, and of the hunt. Less known, was that Nutaku had a twin brother, Vitaku. Only the elves knew that, and they held a ritual in Blacksun, to honor him. Black sun was the second month in the year.

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A day before the Fireleaf Ritual, Eryna came to visit Jon. She had a white robe neatly folded on her arm and she waited rather impatiently as Jon hurried to answer his door.

"Hello, Eryna." He said with a slight smile. Just a tiny uplifting of his lips. She fixed him with a moody stare, "What took you so long?"

"Ah. I was bathing when you decided to pay me a visit." He chuckled. It was now that she noticed that he wore no shirt, had only just thrust on pants and had sopping wet hair. She blushed. He was her cousin, and she felt no attraction to him, but his pale skin prompted her to stare at him. Had he never been in the sun? Even Dethemina had less pallor than he.

"The door was not locked, anyway." He mentioned, "I was wondering how you kept out thieves, seeing as there was no lock." He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh. We cannot enter unless given permission from the owner of the house. So, no thieves." Eryna explained.

Jon grinned, "Wow. Now, why did you decide to pay me a visit?"

"Oh! Yes. I was to give you this robe." She handed it to him, adding, "For the Fireleaf Ritual. You must wear that and nothing else. To wear anything under that is a violation of our sacred Ritual."

"Oh, um... okay." Jon took it, shaking it out to see it clearer. It was a beautiful robe, with intricate silver embroidery and a silver cord to tie it off at the waist. The inside was decked in a silky fur, also dyed white.

"Also, do not bear any weapons other than the Ritual Dagger, given to you by Dethemina at the ceremony. Take a moment to try on the robe before tomorrow, but do not wear it in public. I will wake you tomorrow morning. Please give me permission to enter your house." Eryna said briskly.

"Okay. Wait... how do I do that?"

"Say this, 'I grant permission to Eryna Agian to enter my dwelling at will.'"

Jon copied her and a blue light flew from his house and entered Eryna, making her glow brightly before fading back to normal.

"Thank you, Jon." She gave him one of her rare smiles and left.

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The sky had barely changed from darker to light when Eryna slipped into Jon's house. She silently crept to his bedroom and knocked, expecting him to open the door any moment and welcome her. When there was no answer, she opened the door to find Jon fast asleep on his bed. He was sleeping on his back with one arm dangling off the side of the bed. His head was facing her and his mouth was slightly open as he let out a light snore every now and then. She walked over to him, bending over so that her face was right over his.

"WAKE UP! TARYN AGIAN, WAKE UP!!! THE SKY IS ON FIRE!!!" She yelled right in his ear, causing him to jerk up, his eyes wide.

"Holy mother of Nature! Eryna! Sky on fi- wha?" He yelped. He brushed his long white hair out of his face, blinking.

"Ugh... Eryna, what time is it? Why is it dark?" He yawned, trying to stay awake.

She beamed at him, "Why, it is the day of the Fireleaf Ritual. Come with me. We must make you presentable." She walked right out of his bedroom as he hurried to tumble out of bed and padded after her. She led him into the bathing room and lit a candle with her magic, sending a spark of life into the candle. Then she stepped aside and pushed Jon lightly to the sink, with was filled with water.

"Wha- ?" Jon muttered. Eryna smiled wickedly and cupped a large handful of the water before throwing it right in his face. Jon bellowed as realized that the water was ice cold. Hair dripping wet and leaking onto his nightshirt, he faced her as she said, "Put your robe on. Meet me out in five minutes. No weapons." Then she swept out, leaving him to deal with his sodden nightshirt and drenched hair. He grumbled under his breath as he removed his nightshirt, dried off with a towel and put the robe on. He tied the rope at the waist tightly, feeling bare without his weapons and clothes. He had to appreciate whoever had made this robe, for it was warm and fit him perfectly.

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Five minutes later, he stepped out to see Eryna impatiently tapping her foot as she stood with her arms folded over her chest.

"That was six minutes." She grumbled. She had given him a whole extra minute. And she was clearly unhappy about waiting for him.

"I'm sorry. I am ready now. Will you lead the way, Eryna?"

"No. I, ah, I must also change, she said, gesturing to the second robe that she now held. Please wait for me. I will be a minute at most." She vanished and reappeared a minute later in a stunning robe of vibrant autumn colors. She had the same intricate embroidery as Jon's but they were done in a different color thread, nearly gold in its color. A similar cord was tied loosely around her waist.

"Now we go." She said, then stalked off. Jon hurried to follow her, his bare feet nearly tripping him over his robe. Walking out of the house, he was grateful to the well-kept lawns, because his feet were bare.

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Eryna led him through the city, to the middle where they had the four rituals. The Blacksun, Bluefire, Fireleaf, and Silvermoon. One for each season. Strangely, there were no other elves around, but the singing could be heard in the distance. Bluefire was the fifth month, Fireleaf the eighth and Silvermoon the eleventh.

"It is beginning. Hurry!" Eryna whispered, increasing her pace even more. Jon grunted and tried to increase his pace even more. She brought him right to the walls that separated him from all of the other elves. He halted, unsure of whether he was ready. He would have hesitated longer, had Eryna not given him a big shove in the back, sending him staggering into the blinding light from the huge bonfire in the center of the room. He was painfully aware of every elf staring his way as he stood there, unsure of what to do.

"Welcome, Taryn. Come. The ceremony begins." Dethemina stood from her seat on a raised podium. She extended an arm for him and he took a halting step forward until he began to take sure steps to the woman who looked like him. Five other elves, all woman, rose from their seats next to Dethemina and gave him piercing stares. They each bore a circlet twin to the one Dethemina wore, and the one who she now held in her hands. He reached the podium and some elven instinct in him told him to bow. He did so, gracefully sinking to one knee, bowing his head and waited for her next order. Instead, he felt a weight on his head as Dethemina placed the circlet on his head.

"Rise, Taryn Agian. Rightful heir to the Winter Throne." Dethemina declared. Then, raising her voice, she said, "Let the Fireleaf Ritual proceed, now that my son has finally returned!"