"The Kingdom of Elris shall perform the Rite of Summoning on the sixth day of the first month, during the Year of Light. For this world shall find salvation, for a hero shall return and bring peace to the age of chaos."
The Oracle of the Temple of the Six Spirits gasped as the long-awaited message finally arrived. She rose from the pool where her body had been floating, struggling to dispel the hallucinogenic fog clouding her senses. She waved a hand before her face, forcing reality to displace the lingering visions of the spirit realm.
The spring's warmth was her only shield against the mountain's biting cold. As her trembling limbs steadied, she called out hoarsely, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Alfine... quickly..."
With feverish haste, the Oracle snatched a parchment and scribbled the sacred message delivered by the spirits. The moment the quill stilled, she thrust the parchment toward her young attendant.
Alfine's eyes widened as she skimmed the contents, realization dawning on her face.
Without hesitation, she burst from the Oracle's holy chamber, feeling the crushing gravity of the moment. She flung open the heavy doors with surprising force, having already cast both a protective barrier and a light orb to guide her way into the darkness.
The young priestess descended the treacherous stairs carved into the summit of the continent's tallest mountain. The biting cold of the pitch-black night gnawed at her barrier, numbing her fingers and toes, yet she pressed forward, undeterred by the stinging snowflakes that lashed against her face.
Her destination lay at the lower temple, where the Cardinal resided. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she finally reached the temple gates and pounded on the imposing metal doors.
Two towering guards stood watch, startled by the breach of silence. They frowned at the intrusion, but upon seeing the sheer panic in her eyes, they hauled the doors open immediately. Alfine did not pause to explain. She rushed past them, her swift steps echoing through the quiet halls.
At last, she reached the center chamber of the vast monastery. Fortune favored her; the Elder was there, seated in deep meditation before the six statues representing the elemental spirits.
Clad in an immaculate white robe adorned with intricate embroidery, the Cardinal appeared serene, unfazed by the commotion. Without breaking his composure, he murmured a final prayer before rising slowly to face Alfine.
"I humbly apologize for my abrupt intrusion, Your Eminence, but Lady Ermeya has entrusted me with this message for you," the girl said, bowing deeply as she presented the parchment.
Her voice trembled with urgency, and she waited in silence as the elder began to read.
"What is... this about?" Cardinal Hesvalt murmured. His calm demeanor fractured as the parchment's contents sank in. His expression, once composed, grew grave.
Much like Alfine, who had hastened to deliver the message, Cardinal Hesvalt now found himself bound by the weight of the prophecy. It was his duty to act without hesitation, to spread the word to every kingdom within the Church's vast reach.
A glimmer of light returned to his weary eyes. The time to confront the demons had come. It was the dawn of a new era, where the faithful would finally drive back the darkness.
Months passed in preparation. The day of prophecy finally arrived, and the Kingdom of Elris buzzed with fervent activity. From the grandest nobles to the humblest peasants, every citizen contributed to the monumental occasion.
Hope triumphed over fear as rumors of the looming confrontation with the demons spread across the continent. Cardinal Hesvalt had worked tirelessly, ensuring the Oracle's message reached every corner of the domain. Under the watchful gaze of the spirits, he rallied the brightest minds and most courageous warriors to stand ready.
Temples across the land became hives of activity. Priests and priestesses, having toiled ceaselessly, now gave their remaining strength to finalize the preparations. Today, with the spirits' guidance, they would summon the hero.
Though distant from the frontlines of the war, the Kingdom of Elris had been chosen as the sacred ground for this pivotal ritual. Everything was in place, ready for the momentous event that would shape the fate of the world.
In the opulent confines of his chamber, the king paced restlessly, sweat beading on his brow. His regal composure had given way to the crushing burden of command.
Summoning a hero would bring unparalleled strength to his kingdom, but it would also spark envy and rivalry among the other nations.
"Why must I be the one to receive the hero? Out of all the rulers in this age, why me?" he murmured bitterly, lifting the golden crown. The symbol of authority now felt heavier than ever.
As the gold settled upon his brow, the king reflected on the immense trust placed in him.
It was not only his kingdom's fate at stake but also the life of someone dear to him, a son already fighting on the front lines of the terrible war. That thought solidified his resolve. He would guide the hero, nurture him, and mold him into humanity's savior, no matter the cost.
Preparations were complete. The summoning room was ready. Mages stood in their circles. Guards waited at their posts. Even his daughters had been dispatched to manage the unfolding events.
Taking one final, deep breath to steady himself, the king approached the grand doors leading to the throne room. As they swung open, he was greeted by the largest crowd he had ever faced: nobles, knights, priests, and common citizens alike, all gathered in anticipation of the prophecy's fulfillment.
"The Kingdom of Elris shall perform the Rite of Summoning on the sixth day of the first month, during the Year of Light. For this world shall find salvation, for a hero shall return and bring peace to the age of chaos."
The Oracle of the Temple of the Six Spirits gasped as the long-awaited message finally arrived. She rose from the pool where her body had been floating, struggling to dispel the hallucinogenic fog clouding her senses. She waved a hand before her face, forcing reality to replace the dreamland she just came out of.
The spring's warmth was her only shield against the mountain's biting cold. As her trembling limbs steadied, she called out hoarsely, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Alfine... quickly..."
Moving as fast as she could, the Oracle snatched a parchment and hastily scribbled the sacred message delivered by the spirits. The moment the quill stopped moving, she thrust the parchment toward her young attendant.
Alfine's eyes widened as she skimmed the contents, realization dawning on her face.
Without hesitation, she burst from the Oracle's holy chamber, feeling the gravity of the situation. She flung open the heavy doors with surprising force, having already cast both a protective barrier and a light orb to guide her way into the darkness.
The young priestess descended the treacherous stairs carved into the summit of the continent's tallest mountain. At times the biting cold of the pitch-black night seeped through her barrier, numbing her fingers and toes. Yet she pressed forward, undeterred by the stinging snowflakes, which at times landed on her delicate face.
Her destination lay at the lower temple, where the Cardinal resided. Her breath came in heavy gasps as she finally reached the temple gates and pounded on the imposing metal doors.
Two towering guards stood there, clearly unimpressed with her behavior when all was silent, but seeing the urgency in her expression, they opened the doors immediately. Alfine did not pause to explain herself. She rushed past them, her swift steps echoing through the quiet halls.
At last, she reached the center chamber of the vast monastery, where the Cardinal was known to pray. She was fortunate to find the elder there, seated in deep meditation before the six statues representing the revered spirits of each element.
Clad in an immaculate white robe adorned with intricate embroidery, the Cardinal appeared serene, unfazed by the commotion. Without breaking his composure, he murmured a final prayer before rising slowly to face Alfine, ready to hear the urgent message she bore.
"I humbly apologize for my abrupt intrusion, but Lady Ermeya, the Oracle, entrusted me with this message for you, Cardinal Hesvalt," the girl said, bowing her head deeply as she handed over the parchment.
Her voice carried urgency, and she waited in silence as the elder began to read.
"What is... this about?" Cardinal Hesvalt murmured, his calm demeanor shifting as the parchment's contents sank in. His expression, once composed, grew increasingly serious.
Much like Alfine, who had hastened to deliver the message, Cardinal Hesvalt now found himself bound by the weight of responsibility. It was his duty to act without hesitation and spread the word to every kingdom within the church's vast reach.
A glimmer of hope returned to his dull eyes.
The time to confront the demons had come, signaling a new chapter where believers would reclaim dominance over the world.
Months passed in preparation. The day of prophecy had finally arrived, and the Kingdom of Elris buzzed with fervent activity. From the grandest nobles to the humblest peasants, every citizen contributed in some way to the monumental occasion.
Hope triumphed over fear as rumors of the looming confrontation with the demons spread across the continent. Cardinal Hesvalt had worked tirelessly, ensuring the Oracle's message reached every corner of the church's domain. Under the watchful gaze of the spirits, he rallied the brightest minds and most courageous warriors to stand ready.
Temples across the land became hives of activity. Priests and priestesses, who had toiled ceaselessly, now gave their remaining strength to finalize the preparations. Today, with the spirits' guidance, they would summon the hero.
Though distant from the frontlines of the war, the Kingdom of Elris had been chosen as the sacred ground for this pivotal ritual. Everything was in place, ready for the momentous event that would shape the fate of the world.
In the opulent confines of his chamber, a king paced restlessly, sweat beading on his brow and palms. His regal composure had given way to the crushing weight of responsibility.
Summoning a hero would bring unparalleled strength to his kingdom, but it would also spark envy and rivalry among the other nations of the continent.
"Why must I be the one to receive the hero? Out of all the rulers in this age, why me?" he murmured bitterly before placing the golden crown on his head. The symbol of authority and obligation now felt heavier than ever.
As the crown settled, the king reflected on the immense trust placed in him.
It was not only his kingdom's fate at stake but also the life of someone dear to him, a son already fighting on the front lines of the terrible war. That thought solidified his resolve. He would guide the hero, nurture him, and mold him into humanity's savior, no matter what.
Preparations were complete. The summoning room was ready. Magicians stood in place. Guards waited at their posts. His daughters had been dispatched to manage the unfolding circumstances.
Taking one final, deep breath to steady himself, the king approached the grand doors leading to the throne room. As they swung open, he was greeted by the largest crowd he had ever faced: nobles, knights, priests, and common citizens alike, all gathered in anticipation of the prophecy's fulfillment.