Page 9 of Crowned

Stepping inside, a sense of foreboding descends upon me, growing more palpable with each footfall into the inner courtyard.

It’s deserted.

My brothers and I exchange nervous glances.

“Shall we head for the council chamber instead?” I ask.

Reef nods and leads the way. With the prof gone, Bhodi and I automatically look to him to lead us. He was always the prof’s second, and now he’s got impossible shoes to fill.

The palace grounds are immaculate. No sign of the devastation from outside has touched the walls within. It’s a relief. But a worry too. Where is everyone? I hope the people of Aerwyna were able to find sanctuary within the keep.

Outside the palace walls, the devastation greets us once more, somehow more shocking and stark. We make our way to the nearby council chamber, quietly and swiftly.

Inside the council chamber, it’s a relief to finally see people. It offers me a sliver of hope. Maybe we can get some help and find out what has happened here.

The Elders are gathered around a table, their faces etched with grief and desolation, as they study maps and scrolls splayed out before them. Upon noticing our arrival, their expressions shift from resignation, to a flicker of hope mingled with disbelief.

“You have returned,” Elder Mirra whispers softly. “We had feared the worst when Aerwyna fell.”

“What happened?” Reef demands.

Next to me, Bhodi sways on his feet. “Can we get a healer?” I ask, indicating Bhodi’s wound.

Elder Mirra nods, his gaze softening as he gestures for a healer to approach us. The healer, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes, hurries over and begins inspecting Bhodi with gentle hands. I can see the relief in Bhodi’s eyes as the healer starts her ministrations, a sense of calm washing over him.

Meanwhile, Reef presses the Elders for answers, his voice edged with urgency. “What happened here? Who attacked Aerwyna?”

Elder Mirra sighs heavily. “It was the Shadow Legion,” he says grimly, and my brows raise.

My fists clench at the mention of the Shadow Legion, a notorious group known for their brutality and thirst for power, but when we left for our mission, they were a small band of rebels who supported the Shikari. They should have been easily squashed. What happened? Now their devastation stands as a stark reality before us, their destructive might undeniable.

“They came in the dead of night,’ one of the other Elders explains. I can’t recall his name but his face feels vaguely familiar. “A relentless army led by a dark sorcerer. They caught us unaware, overwhelming our defenses and laying waste to our city. The casualties were vast, and I fear Aerwyna may never recover from the loss.”

“We’ve managed to fend them off for now,” Elder Mirra continues, determined. “But they will not rest until Aerwyna is under their control. We must prepare for battle.”

Reef’s jaw tightens with resolve as he absorbs this information. “We will not let them take Aerwyna,” he declares fiercely. “We will fight to protect our home, our people.”

The other Elders nod in agreement, their faces set in grim determination.

“We have reason to believe they’re attempting to bring down our wards, with the goal of letting the Shikari in. Aerwyna will fall completely if that happens.’ The desperation in his voice makes my pulse race. My mouth turns dry as uncertainty and fear war within me once more. “Please tell me you’ve completed your mission and the wards are fortified once more.”

Malia is different. The storm the other night was cathartic for both of us, and ever since, her mood has been steady. Calm. Peaceful. It’s been, I think, five days now, and there have been no more storms. The landscape has remained verdant and lush. She’s not asked any more big questions, and seems content to spend the days exploring the fields and meadows, groves and glens. Her favourite place to be is on the cliffs, overlooking the ocean. She never goes down onto the beach, declines politely whenever I suggest it, but she’s unable to tear her gaze away from the watery horizon.

Is she waiting for something? For someone to join us? Or is she looking for a way back?

Malia’s eyes hold a longing I can’t quite decipher as we stand together on the cliff, the wind whipping our hair around us.

Today, I sense her restlessness, despite the calm façade she wears. The ocean stretches endlessly before us, its waves crashing against the rocks below, with a rhythmic melody that seems to call out to her.

Without a word, she turns and begins walking away, her steps purposeful yet hesitant, as if pulled by an invisible force. I follow her in silence, unsure of what she is searching for or where she is headed. The fields and meadows blur past us as we walk, the sun painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, as it begins its descent towards the horizon.

Finally, Malia comes to a stop at the edge of a dense forest, her gaze fixed on something beyond my line of sight.

“What is it, Malia?” I ask softly, stepping closer to her side. She turns to me then, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

“I have to go,” she whispers, her voice barely louder than the rustle of leaves in the wind. “There’s something in there calling to me, Vance. Something I can’t ignore any longer.”

Before I can respond, she steps into the shadows of the forest, disappearing from view, as if swallowed by the darkness. A sense of loss washes over me, followed by panic, and I dive into the forest right after her.

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