Prince Aziel:
At the front of the Grand Hall, PrinceAziel, now clad in regal black and silver, stood before the court. His face was solemn, his tone steady.
"Last night," he began, his voice echoing across the vast chamber, "His Majesty, King Darius of Arcadia , passed peacefully in his sleep."
A hush fell. Gasps, then murmurs.
"It was sudden," Aziel continued smoothly, his gaze sweeping over the nobles. "But he left us with honor, his legacy unshaken. As is our custom, he was laid to rest before dawn."
A few councilmen looked up sharply at that buriedalready?,but none dared question the prince.
"The royal burial ceremony will still hold," he added. "We shall honor his memory properly."
He gave a small bow of his head and left.
Just as he walked down the royal corridors,Dax came in front of him, He bowed low.
"Your Majesty," he said."We found her."
"The witch," Dax confirmed grimly. "We tracked her into the northern woods. She was already gone when we found her… likely bled out from the arrow wound. Her body lies at the outpost."
A silence stretched between them,thick and tense. Then, slowly, Aziel's lips curled into a smirk.
"Dead?" he repeated, his voice laced with satisfaction. "Good."
He turned away, "Burn what remains of her," he ordered quietly. "I don't want a single trace left. Not even ashes."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
As Dax left to carry out the command, the new king no, the man wearing his son's face lifted his chin and continued to his destination.
*************
Soraya:
She woke to the taste of straw and the sour stink of the cell. For a second she couldn't understand where she was then the bars, the shadowed corner, the ache in her head all slammed into her like a fist.
"Uh what happened my head hurts"Soraya said.
Then a realization,came to her mind.She feels her face and hands,It was that of the young girl,she heaves a sigh of relief,The switch worked.
"Where am I?" she croaked, pushing herself up.
"Hey! Anybody there? Let me out!"She yelled.
Then someone came in,it was the same
market man,he wore a mean and triumphant grin.
"Well, well. Wake up, pretty thing. You're not going anywhere this time."
"You think you can run away last night? Good thing my men caught you." He said. she snapped back. "Who the hell are you and what are you blabbing about?"
"Ooo, you want to play dumb? That won't work, miss. If you don't get me my coin,You will stay locked up for the rest of your life."
He laughed and pushed the door closed. "I guess you aren't ready to go yet."
Soraya swore under her breath"How dare,that idi*t".
"i need to escape this place fast,time to burst myself out of here".She added
She rubbed both palms together and inhaled the way she always had to summon Chi , slow, a coil of will under the ribs, the memory of the first time a spark had answered her.
She pushed.
Nothing. The air refused. No tingle. No lift. No answering hum.
"What?" she whispered.
She tried again and again, harder each time until her shoulders shook. Each time failed the same, nothing.
"W-what happened to my Alchemy?"She asked no one but herself.
The heavy man reappeared like a bad smell, hand on the latch. He shoved the door open and grinned. "You're free to go. Lucky for you your friend paid up." He stepped back theatrically. "Now walk. No funny business."
She rose, legs still unsteady, and stepped out of the cell with a mean stare on her eyes.
Rhea was waiting just outside the gate,She wrapped Soraya in a warm hug immediately,she spotted her.
"Are you hurt? Are you bleeding?" Rhea's words tumbled out, clumsy with apology. "I'm so sorry I left you last night, I was so scared."
Soraya felt the embrace but did not return the gratitude.
Instead she let the hug last a beat too long, then disentangled with a slow, deliberate motion.
Rhea looked worried,while Soraya looked expressionless or not panicked,which Rhea didn't expect.
She looked indifferent,and bored of the whole situation.
"How do I get to the palace from here?" she asked with a serious demanding voice which was different from the small, and calm voice Soraya always had.
Rhea pointed the way, brow furrowed.
Itching to ask lots of questions but barely got any chance to do so cause,Soraya sprinted to the direction she had earlier pointed.
Soraya walked toward the palace gate with her chin lifted. At the threshold two guards stood.
"Who are you?" one asked. "State your business."
"How dare you talk to me like that," Soraya snapped."These young people have no respect for their elders anymore."
The guard's mouth tightened. "State your business, woman," he repeated.
"I wish to see the Crown Prince," she said plainly.
"Why?" he asked, suspicious.
"That is none of your business." She moved to step inside,the guard shoved her back. She tried to slip by again,the guard pushed her down to the ground.
A small crowd started to form at the scene,murmuring and whispering over them.
Pride old and stubborn flared in Soraya's chest,"Fine," she said coolly, voice steady. "Since you insist on behaving like common brutes, I shall now invoke my wrath on you."
She set her hands as she had a dozen times ready to strike and called for the surge of energy.
Nothing.
The crowd's laughter turned sharp and cruel. The guards looked at her as if she were mad and then shoved her out.
She didn't scream. She didn't plead. She walked away, back toward the narrow lane.
In the small room she shared with Rhea,she sat quietly and stared at her hands as if seeing them for the first time.
"I wonder why my powers aren't working," she said aloud.
Then she tried again,again and again. Still nothing. Frustration filled her and she let out a yell.
She gave a small, resigned sigh.
"I need my spellbook and my stones," she muttered to herself.
"What was I even thinking," she muttered bitterly.
"That cunning old man would actually keep his promise?"
She let out a frustrated yell and hit her palms against her head, anger burning hotter with every breath.
"That spellbook and the Soul Stones…" she hissed, stopping suddenly. "They're far too dangerous to be left out there. I need to retrieve them,before they learn to use it"
Still in her thoughts,someone entered the room it was Rhea.
"O,you're back!" Rhea exclaimed, rushing to her. "Why did you run off like that?"She asked worriedly.
"I need to find a way to enter the palace."Soraya said,ignoring Rhea's question.
"The palace? Why?" Rhea asked again, her brows furrowing. "Do you… have any business there?"
Soraya slowly turned toward her, eyes narrowing in faint irritation, but before she could say anything, a loud commotion echoed from the streets outside.
"What,is it time already?" Rhea said, her face lighting up with sudden excitement.
"Time for what?" Soraya asked, clearly uninterested as she crossed her arms.
Rhea spun up immediately, practically bouncing on her feet.
"The young mages! They're entering the palace today for their advanced training in the Arcane Dominion Academy!" she said, eyes sparkling.
Soraya frowned slightly. "And what exactly does that have to do with me?"
"Oh, come on, Soraya!" Rhea pleaded, already grabbing her friend's wrist. "Everyone's going!They look so charming in their robes"
Soraya scoffed and rolling her eye
"how fascinating."She said sarcastically.
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Rhea asked, blinking in surprise.
"That's new. You used to envy them,always talking about how you wished you could be one of them one day. What changed?"
Before Soraya could reply, Rhea huffed, brushing it off and grabbing her hand. "Forget it! Come on, we're going before we miss everything."
"Unhand me, girl," Soraya sneered, trying to pull her hand away.
Rhea ignored her completely, tightening her grip and dragging her toward the door. "You can complain later!" she said, laughing as she yanked Soraya outside into the crowded streets.
When they arrived, the streets was already filled with people,parents, relatives, nobles, and commoners alike cheering and waving goodbye to the young mages chosen to enter Arcadia Academy. The air buzzed with excitement and pride As they wore their academy robe,waving from carriages.
The Academy stood tall beyond the gates,an elegant structure built within the palace grounds, where only the most gifted mages were allowed to train and fully master their abilities. It was every young mage's dream, and every parent's honor.
Families embraced tightly, mothers wiping tears from their eyes while fathers clapped their sons and daughters proudly on the shoulders. The chatter of goodbyes and promises of success filled the air.
Rhea's eyes sparkled as she waved excitedly. "Look, Soraya! That's Jaren! He got selected after all! And oh, there's Mira! Isn't she beautiful in that robe?"
Soraya, standing beside her, looked utterly unimpressed. Her arms were crossed, and her gaze swept over the joyful chaos with disinterest. "So much noise for nothing" she muttered under her breath.
Rhea turned to her, frowning. "Soraya! Don't say that. This is a huge honor. Do you know how hard it is to get chosen?"
But Soraya wasn't listening. Her eyes had drifted toward the massive palace gates and the line of young mages entering one by one, each showing their acceptance scroll to the guards. Her mind was racing.
A thought flickered.
The palace… the soul stones… my spell book.
Then, like a spark catching fire, an idea took hold.