The Relics of Álvaro

Chapter 1: The Hall of Álvaro

Fortress Álvaro was silent. The maids passed through the halls frantically, filling the quests of their Lord, King Álvaro. The fourth floor of the large fortress was busy with different guests passing through. This time of year, King Álvaro hosted a royal festival in order to celebrate the birth of the Kingdom itself. He welcomed men, women, and children from around the Melusine land to come and stay in his halls for seven days. After the seven days were up, the seven were to return to their homes and live life normally, until the next festival was announced. Now, in the fourth hall of the fortress, the guests rushed through to get to their rooms. The King was letting his guests occupy the fourth floor only, for the other halls were his sacred halls that only he, the queen Khalida and his royal advisors could enter. One of the guests that walked through the hall had a black mask covering their faces. At the end of the hall stood another man who had his hands on his sides.

“Rupert Azar!” the other guest said, shaking their head. The man in the mask, Rupert, laughed.

“What Kione, do you have a problem with me being the ‘entertainment’ for the King?” Rupert asked, removing the mask. Kione smiled and laughed as he saw his friends face painted with thick, blue stripes.

“What did you do, have a run in with the Gypsy Akuji, did you?” Kione asked. Rupert rolled his eyes.

“Follow me, we must be in the kings’ presence before Midnight” he said, starting to walk down the hall. Kione nodded and followed him. Rupert ducked, swerved and jumped over the many guests that were in the hall. After the two had been walking for a while through many corridors, Rupert stopped in front of two large oak doors. He touched the door and it automatically opened. Kione smiled and watched as Rupert walked into a crowded hall. He could see at the front of the room two thrones where King Álvaro and Queen Khalida sat. They shuffled into the hall and watched as King Álvaro got to his feet.

“People of Melusine! You are about to witness a very special event! Something more special than any festival or party that you can experience here! Today, I am showing my affection for my wife, dear Khalida!” he announced. The people cheered and the queen, Khalida, rose to her feet. She was dressed in a long black robe with a purple streak going down the middle. On her head was a hat that was very tall and green. She blushed slightly and watched as her husband knelt to the ground. He reached into his robes and pulled out a large, elegant golden box. It was crested with different colored jewels. The people in the room moved closer to see the box. They swayed back and forth with glee because they were astonished by the beauty of the box. Queen Khalida smiled and held her hand out. The king opened the box slowly. He snapped his fingers and the torches around the hall were dimmed by a very tall man, as Kione could see it. The crowd gathered closer again to see a yellow light emitting from the inside of the box. Queen Khalida gasped and smiled.

“What’s in it?” Kione asked in a whisper. Rupert swayed back and forth to look over the heads of the people in front of him.

“I believe it is a locket…” Rupert replied quietly. Kione nodded and sighed.

“I’m going to try to make my way to the front of the line, ok?” He said, looking at Rupert. Rupert shrugged and continued to sway back and forth. Kione ran along the back of the line straight to the end of the hall. He then cut his way through a gap that was in the large crowd.

“’scuse me, ‘scuse me ma’am, ‘scuse me dearly” he said as he moved through, avoiding stepping on anyone’s foot. He finally made it to the front just moments later. Although he was at the end of the hall, he could still see the King and Queen. Queen Khalida’s smiled grew wider as her husband got to his feet and placed the necklace around her neck. She looked down at it, noticing a large ‘E’ printed elegantly in the center of the gray locket. King Álvaro smiled and leaned over to her.

“Turn for them to see, dear” he said, smiling. She did and when she was facing the crowd, the locket glowed so brightly, it could light the darkest of rooms. The King began to clap his hands when thunder boomed outside. The whole room shook as if an earthquake were occurring. Kione looked at the back of the crowd. Rupert looked around and put the mask that he wore before on his face. King Álvaro clapped his hands twice.

“Do not mind the thunder, my people!” he yelled over the many rumblings of the crowd. “This gift that I have presented to my dearest wife was to bond us together for eternity. I would like to thank you all for coming to the festival! As some of you know, I also hold a trinket that will keep my side of bonding the queen and my own people together for eternity! The trinket in which I speak of is this:” he said, reaching inside his cloak. He pulled out an object that was the size of a small boulder. He placed it around his neck, walked over to his wife, and held her hand. “The names of these two trinkets are very sacred, and I cannot say them at the moment. Please, enjoy the rest of your stay…” he was cut off by a loud crashing. Every window in the hall was broken. Lightning soared in from the biggest window and flew directly at King Álvaro. Queen Khalida screamed. The whole crowd jumbled about hurriedly. Most of them ran out of the room and into the Fortress, while others screamed and fainted as they saw their king fall to the ground. Kione tried to see Rupert but he had already disappeared. Khalida bent to her husband, tears flowing madly from her eyes.

“Do not go, my dear! No!” she screamed, bowing her head to him. He smiled and held his hand up to her cheek.

“Dear Khalida…I love you more than you will ever know. Now, I have one request before I pass on…” he stopped, looking up.

“Why must you die, my dear?” Khalida asked, tears rushing down onto his silk robe. “It was only a mere stroke of lightning” she said, placing her head upon his chest. He stroked her long hair and smiled. Just then, another crash happened. Kione looked over to see a figure in a black holding a staff. A blue light shot out of it.

“No!” Kione yelled, jumping over. He fell into the stream of the blue light and the being in the black cloak stepped toward Kione. Khalida looked over to see what was happening. She shook her head and held her hands up. The blue light began to direct itself toward the far wall. The being in the cloak roared loudly and disappeared. Kione fell to the ground, shaking. Khalida looked down at her husband and shook her head.

“Did you get harmed, my sweet?” Khalida asked through a long spout of tears. The king shook his head.

“There is no harm done to a man unless he feels pain. I have felt no pain; therefore I will go peacefully with the love of my life in my arms. My dear, sweet Khalida.” He coughed, looking over at Kione. He looked back to Khalida and coughed. She looked into his light blue eyes. “Promise me one thing, Khalida. Live for eternity” he said, his voice breaking. He grabbed the locket around her neck and pointed to the ‘E’. “Eternity!” he said harshly, now grabbing her hand. Khalida nodded and grabbed the locket, her eyes flashing.

“I will do as you say, my love” she said slowly, smiling. He nodded, closing his eyes.

“And let the Kingdom live forever and ever. Let it live for as long as you live, my dear” he said silently, clasping her hand. She looked down at his hand and touched it delicately. “Goodbye, dear Khalida” he said, breaking off slowly.

“No, do not leave me, love! Do not leave me! You must stay, you must stay!” she pleaded, her tears uncontrollable. He shook his head.

“The locket will bond us for eternity, Khalida. Do not let the locket fall into the wrong hands. I love you” he said as his last words. He turned his head to the side and went limp. Khalida cried hysterically. She held her husband’s hand in hers for what seemed like hours to Kione who was standing by. He moved slightly and she looked up.

“You, man, you did this!” she screamed, getting to her feet. Kione shook his head.

“No, you misunderstand my Queen! I was the one who saved the King from that blue light, whatever it was” he said, wincing. The queen hesitated for a moment and looked down at the ground. She sighed, wiping tears from under her eyes. Those who remained in the room held their breath as if waiting for something to happen. The queen turned around and faced the people. Her eyes were now a dark purple, and she stretched her arms out slowly.

“Leave now!!” she commanded, her voice echoing through the halls of Fortress Álvaro. The people fled quickly, some turning around to look at her, others running with the thought that she would do something to them if they didn’t leave. Kione shrunk back so that Khalida couldn’t see him. He looked over to see her kneeling to her husband’s body. She closed her eyes, letting one last tear fall. It fell and hit the Kings’ robe. She opened her eyes again and rose to her feet. She raised her hands as she had done before, but this time, lightning shot out of her finger tips. Kione shrunk back into the darkness, whimpering. A scream emitted from Khalida’s through and she shot the lightning harder out into the hall. The Queen was destroying the room, and this was only the beginning of her releasing of anger on the kingdom. “I will find who attempted to slay my husband, the King, even if it takes me all eternity!” she yelled to the air. Lightning flashed in her eyes and the force grew stronger. Kione shivered, watching as the lightning coming from her fingers went out of the windows and into the darkness. She looked down at the King’s lifeless body and nodded her head. The King slowly was rising in midair. Khalida’s lightning was now directing itself towards King Álvaro. “May he rest in peace…” she said so quietly that only Kione could hear what she spoke. King Álvaro’s body twisted around and finally disappeared as Khalida’s lightning hit him. She smiled, lowered her hands, and sighed. She looked down to the locket that hung around her neck. She took it in her hand and it began to glow the same light that had came out of the box when King Álvaro opened it to show what was inside. Kione came out of his small hiding place and watched as Khalida was rising in the air just as the King had done.

“No, no, do not go my Queen!” Kione yelled, standing up. Khalida looked down as she was rising into the air.

“Do you dare stop me, Kione of Mesuline?” she asked, a warning look passing her face. He knelt to the ground and looked up at her.

“I wish to serve you, my Queen! Do not spare me of my life…I promise to serve under your rule on the land of Melusine!” he exclaimed. Khalida stared down at him. Her eyes glowed purple and wind began to blow into the room violently. Kione fell over from the force of the wind. Khalida raised her hands up higher and she continued to rise until finally, as she managed to destroy the ceiling of the room, she was outside of the castle. Kione looked up to see mounds of brick falling down upon him. He was about to move, but it was too late.

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Khalida looked upon the land of Melusine. Rain poured down upon her and upon the green grass that surrounded Fortress Álvaro. She smiled, watching as the people who had fled the castle before now ran across the land.

“Fools. You now know that I rule this land of Melusine! Let the ground shake under your weak feet! Let the sky pour ice upon your mortal skin! You are responsible for the Kings’ death, one of you! One is responsible, and all will pay for the sin of one!” she screamed, letting everyone hear it. The people screamed and some cried because of what happened next. The ground shook violently under their feet. Men, women and children ran to and fro, trying to find a way out of this situation. Khalida raised her hands and lighting shot out of them once again. “Suffer my people of Melusine! Suffer and forever feel the pain that I have!” she screamed again, aiming the lightning down to the ground below the Fortress. The ground cracked, splitting many different ways. Khalida laughed maniacally and looked down at her locket. “For ever…for eternity” she whispered, watching as the ground below Fortress Álvaro began to crumble under the force of lightning. When the lightning that came from her fingers began to fade, she looked around, worried that her power was failing. Suddenly, a powerful bolt of lightning came from the sky and struck Queen Khalida’s locket. She shook her head when a voice came into her head.

“My queen, Eydis needs you” a silent voice said. Khalida watched the lightning pulling her necklace away from her neck.

“I can’t…fight the force” Khalida said, frowning.

“Khalida…Eydis needs you!” the voice said again. Khalida closed her eyes and looked around at the land of Melusine. She had destroyed it with a power that she didn’t know she possessed. Khalida nodded, reaching her hand toward the locket. The lightning that had struck it before was still surrounding it.

“No…stop it” she said, her voice faltering. Queen Khalida, still on the roof of her Kingdom, watched as six orbs came toward her. “What…are…you?” she asked, directing her attention toward the orbs. The orbs flew at her chest and went into the Locket. As they did, Khalida let a piercing scream and closed her eyes. Queen Khalida swayed and tipped over the side of Fortress Álvaro. She fell as the fourth orb entered the locket, the precious locket that King Álvaro had given to her before he died inside his own homestead.

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The highest tower of Fortress Álvaro was busy besides the crinkling of a large fireplace. Two men wearing heavy black cloaks stood by the fire, folding their arms.

“Do you notice that if the Queen uses her strength to the best ability, she has potential to ruin our land and our lives? I do not trsust the power of the kingdom in her hands.” The man said. The other man stroked his chin.

“Dysis, what do you think about this?” the man asked in a smooth, buttery voice. A woman to their right stood up from a long, wooden table and sighed. She wore a think white cloak that had the same ‘Á’ symbol that the two men near the fire had.

“I say that we consult Eydis. He should know should he not?” she asked, holding her hands out. The two men nodded and took her delicate hands. They slowly walked out of the small room that they were in. Outisde stood a group of men and women conversing about the King’s gift giving to the Queen. The three passed through the line of people into a staircase. The staircase wound upwards. The railing was elegant, and the walls stairs became smaller with the suitcase and the stairs themselves. On the walls were pictures of King Álvaro and Queen Khalida dancing at a ball or standing in front of a large crowd of people. Dysis looked at the pictures whereas the two men simply looked forward. As the staircase grew longer, small windows appeared embedded in the walls. Rain bathed the windows with loud, sharp noises. Once the staircase had gotten small enough, they came upon a small wooden door. The first man who held Dysis’ left hand knocked on the door. Dysis turned her head from the pictures on the walls to the door now. On the door was a large ‘E’.

“Who comes to my door at this time of night? Intruder, friend, or invader?” an aged voice came from inside.

“It is I, Dysis and my two friends Nyoka and Delano.” Dysis said. Nyoka and Delano smiled at her. They heard shuffling footsteps and then a lock clicking in the door. The three stepped backward as the door swung open. A man in a brown cloak stood there, stooped over. Dysis could see two large, black pupils staring out from under the hood.

“Well hello” he said, smiling. The three walked in and greeted him one by one. “Why have you come today…?” he asked, sitting down at a large table that stretched to the far end of the room that was shadowed.

“We have concerns about Queen Khalida, Sir Eydis” Delano said. Eydis motioned his hand for them to sit down. They chose a seat that was nearest them and Delano continued. “We are…afraid for her powers” he said, looking down at the table. Eydis reached his hand across the table slowly and picked up six dice, one by one.

“Yes, your concerns are great, do not doubt that. I understand that Queen Khalida does have potential to do things to Kingdom Melusine that no other mortal can do.” He said, shaking the dice in his right hand. Dysis looked down at the table to see different pictures engraved in the wood. One was of four beings holding hands. Another was a man holding onto the side of a boat. Her gaze was shifted when Eydis rolled the dice down the table. Instead of numbers, there was a person on the face of the dice that landed near her.

“What are these, Eydis…?” Dysis asked, reaching her hand toward it. Eydis reached his hand out quickly and snatched the piece of dice quickly.

“These will determine the future…the future of the prophecy” he said practically as if he was reciting his name.

“The prophecy, Eydis?” Nyoka asked, leaning back in his seat. Delano looked worried for a moment and then placed his elbows on the table in front of him.

“Yes, the prophecy Young Nyoka. The prophecy that has been in the writing for ages now, the prophecy that determines the future of our six young warriors. The six seekers will determine the future of Kingdom Melusine. Each one gifted a power; each one seeks to win the glory for themselves. One will stay strong, two will fade off. Each destined to reign as Kings, each destined to become a skeleton under the earth” Eydis said, looking around at them.

“But…who are the six in the prophecy, Sir Eydis? And what do Queen Khalida and King Álvaro have to do with it…?” Delano asked, stroking his chin slowly.

“They are the keys to the future…the ones who will path our path into the light. They are those who will bury and find the relics of King Álvaro.