Page 19 of Quest

“Please don’t mistake me,” he said. “I do not doubt that account, considering I was intricately involved in the events that transpired. But with the curse’s lingering tendrils I sense there is more to the story behind the curse’s origins. After all, magic doesn’t just come from nowhere.”

As a practitioner myself I could attest that was true—while I possessed my own power, I could only cultivate it through the use of enchanted herbs and spoken spells derived from my concoctions’ recipes. “So you suspect that wherever the sorceress obtained her spell might still be at work behind the scenes, causing the cursed darkness to maintain some of its hold? Considering these lingering roots are currently affecting the land, you believe the curse might have originated from one of the herbalist spells contained in this library?”

Prince Darcel nodded. “The cursed night that engulfed Lumeria was devastating. I will do all within my power to prevent the darkness from returning to this land in order to protect my kingdom, no matter the cost.” Sincerity blazed his eyes, making his sentiment impossible to doubt.

I examined his words from every angle but his reasoning seemed sound, giving me reason to believe him—rather than being driven by greed and the ambitions for power I had initially feared, his sole aim was to uncover historical practices of herbalism that could benefit the realm and protect his people. My doubts had accompanied me so long that I was almost disappointed that Prince Darcel had an innocent, even noble reason to want to access this ancient knowledge.

Yet even in the face of his admirable honor I couldn’t deny it could still be a cover for a darker motive that could inadvertently threaten the secrecy and safety of my family’s magic.

Despite my lingering cynicism, his seemingly sincere intentions caused something to shift within me, a turning point I hadn’t realized I’d reached in my journey to trust him; this change chiseled away at the wall I’d erected as a barrier between us from the moment we’d met, leaving me almost unsure how to interact with him. To cover my confusion, I turned away and scanned the library, trying to decide where to begin.

In the dimly lit, cavernous library beneath the temple I began to explore the contents, searching the scrolls for information pertinent to the prince’s needs, each shelf and alcove whispering secrets of a bygone era. As my lantern cast a warm, golden glow over rows of ancient texts, a promising title eventually caught my eye, etched into the spine of a weathered scroll:Legend of the Cursed Night. My heart raced and my hands trembled as I reached for it, the leather of the scroll cool and slightly stiff beneath my fingertips.

With gentle reverence I unrolled the scroll. The moment my fingers brushed the faded ink, the characters shimmered and the ancient words came to life before my eyes, rising and twisting in the air like smoke. Invisible brushstrokes formed images that danced before my eyes—a celestial dragon whose scales glistened like the night sky, and a corrupt emperor whose greed darkened the realm.

The vision unfolded like a tapestry being woven by an invisible hand, and I scarcely breathed as I watched the history of my nation. The powerful dragon—angered by the emperor’s insatiable greed—swallowed the sun, casting the land into unending darkness. I flinched at the reminder of the horrible, all-encompassing blackness that had defined my world for most of my life. I blinked back tears as I watched the people suffering beneath this eternal night crying out for salvation.

Guided by ancient wisdom and the whispers of the earth, a brave herbalist crafted light from the celestial lights. The lantern glowed with a light that no shadow could touch, shining so brightly that it pacified the dragon’s wrath and unveiled the emperor’s deceit. With the truth revealed, the sun was restored…but the remnants of the dragon’s shadow lingered, hiding across the land, and over time they began to gain sentience.

As the images faded, I looked up to see the Prince Darcel standing across from me, his expression a mix of awe and grave concern. The enchanted lantern’s light pulsed gently from the table where I had set it, as if in response to the story we had just witnessed.

“That legend is a far different account than the events that unfolded in our kingdom as I understand them,” he finally said. “But if there is any truth to it, then we must discover the ingredients needed to craft the lantern in order to dispel the darkness once and for all.” His eyes shone with a newfound determination.

Unease pressed upon me as I nodded vaguely. The weight of my family’s legacy weighed heavily on my shoulders as I turned back to the scroll, my head and the prince’s bending close as we pored over the ancient text. All elements of the legend were a part of the legacy my family had guarded for generations. Though Prince Darcel wouldn’t have any way of knowing this when he first recruited me, it seemed too strange to be accounted to mere coincidence.

Though some of my suspicions about the prince’s intentions had been abated, this shift in our circumstances nourished my lingering doubt, stoking my newfound responsibility not just to the mission but to the truth it might unveil.

CHAPTER 9

Prince Darcel reverently lifted the fragile parchment that had fallen dormant, its vivid images once more reduced to mere symbols. His fingers gripped the edges protectively, as though it contained his heart’s deepest desire. I couldn’t keep my gaze away from him as he stared at the inscriptions, brow furrowed like he meant to decipher them by sheer willpower.

He looked up, his intense gaze locking with mine. With a slight incline of his chin, he beckoned me closer. “Does it give instructions for finding what we need to defeat the curse?” He watched me expectantly.

Should I reveal the full truth of the legend, or continue to safeguard it?This nagging question that had haunted me since the beginning of our quest overshadowed my thoughts as I pored over the ancient scroll for additional information about the curse’s origins, blurring my focus.

“I…hope so,” I responded lamely, undecided on how much to share.

Determination blazed in Prince Darcel’s eyes as he discussed the ingredients necessary to craft the spell that would dispel the darkness. I nodded in vague response, yet though his words echoed the urgency of our quest, unease churned within me as I studied his intent profile. The legend of the celestial dragon intertwined history with my family, while the ingredients he cited were closely guarded secrets of my lineage, adding layers to the already burdensome legacy I carried.

Though Prince Darcel's earnest demeanor had tempered some of my initial reservations, seeing the legend myself reignited my doubts about his true intentions. Could I truly entrust him with secrets that my family had protected for generations? The risk was immense, affecting not just our mission but the very essence of the legacy we were sworn to uphold.

Thanks to the connection forged by my lineage between my thoughts and the sentient lantern, these turbulent thoughts possessed a single audience. Lumis’s whisper gently nudged my silent contemplation. “Your concern makes you a worthy guardian of your legacy, though might I suggest you resolve your worries by testing the prince to determine his true character?”

A test?

Its glow flickered in soft confirmation, a comforting yet poignant reminder of my responsibilities. I considered the idea the lantern had proposed. While I had subconsciously scrutinized the prince’s motives since our journey began, my measurement had been nebulous and intangible, more a pretext to keep him at a safe distance than a true examination of his heart.

I knew my initial judgment had been harsh. It was unfair to hold our first tense meeting against the prince forever—especially considering our current relationship was between him and my masquerade as “Ren”—yet now that I’d finally found the means I’d been seeking to formalize my assessment, I found myself hesitating.

Can you use your magic to illuminate his true intentions?I voiced the question I’d been pondering since discovering the enchanted lantern, my words heavy with implications that could either mend the chasm between us or further widen it irreparably.

“While my abilities allow me to perceive much, the nuances of the prince’s heart require more than magic to discern, especially for one who is not linked to me as you are,” Lumis responded. “I can see that he has both good and evil in his heart, as does every human, but whether he approaches this quest with pure motives is not for me to determine.”

I frowned in puzzlement.What do you mean?

“While your caution to trust him is admirable, are you certain your hesitation stems from genuine concern for your duties as keeper, or is it perhaps influenced by your wounded pride after he questioned your capabilities at your first meeting?”

Lumis’s tone carried a hint of smug knowing. The lantern appeared to not only possess access to my current thoughts but also my memories tinged with irritation from my initial encounter with the prince.

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