Chapter 04
Chapter 4
As twilight deepened, the assembled delegations entered the outer royal grounds.
The Great Shakka Hall could no longer contain the full grandeur of the occasion. Nobles, royal families, ambassadors, guardians, and honored guests filled the surrounding courtyards and ceremonial terraces. The gathering extended across the palace grounds, where enchanted gardens and marble stairways had been transformed into a magnificent stage for the ancient rite.
At the center of the royal plaza stood a circular platform of white stone.
Its surface bore ten interconnected emblems, one for each kingdom, surrounding the radiant insignia of Luminosus.
Golden lanterns floated overhead.
Crystal fountains rose along the perimeter.
And above the platform, a vast arch of enchanted light had been prepared to receive the blessings of the gathering.
“My King, it is about time.”Agartha paused.
Levarro looked toward the western horizon, where the last golden light of the day was giving way to twilight.
“Yes,” he said. “It is.”
Agartha placed the vessel upon a ceremonial table.
“May I ask something, Your Majesty?”
“You may.”
“Do you believe the ritual will proceed peacefully?”
Levarro considered the question.
“I have spent my life praying that it would.”
“That is not quite an answer.”
“No,” he admitted. “It is not.”
He turned back toward the hall.
“Tonight, we welcome every kingdom beneath the light of Luminosus. We honor the bonds that hold Avelia together. Whatever uncertainties await us, we must not allow fear to destroy the unity our ancestors struggled to preserve.”
Agartha bowed her head.
“And the eight young women?”
Levarro's expression grew solemn.
“They will be present.”
“Are they ready?”
“No,” the king answered honestly. “But perhaps none of us is ever truly ready for the moment our lives change.”
Outside, the first ceremonial bells began to ring.
The Lumus Annua Ritual was about to begin.
As King Levarro entered to the sound of ceremonial trumpets.
The crowd fell silent.
He wore robes of white and gold, embroidered with sky-blue threads that shimmered beneath the lanterns. Upon his brow rested the royal crown of Luminosus, its central crystal glowing with a soft golden radiance.
Behind him walked his sons.
Prince Hectoro.
Prince Akilio.
Prince Gino.
At the center of the Great Shakka Hall stood King Levarro, sovereign of Luminosus and guardian of the ancient traditions that bound Avelia together.
Beside him stood Prince Hectoro, composed and dignified, and Prince Gino, whose youthful eyes wandered across the extraordinary gathering. Prince Akilio stood a little farther to the king's right, greeting the visiting dignitaries as befitted his royal station.
Yet one place beside the royal family remained conspicuously empty.
King Levarro glanced toward the entrance.
Then he turned to Akilio.
“Akilio, where is your brother?”
The prince's expression changed slightly.
“Prince Finio, Your Majesty?”
“Do you see another brother missing from my side?”
Akilio lowered his head respectfully.
“I beg your pardon, Father. I have not seen him since earlier this afternoon.”
The king's brow tightened.
“The ceremony is about to begin. He knows how important this night is to Luminosus.”
“I understand, Father.”
“Was he informed of the time?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. He knew that all four princes were expected to stand beside you for the opening ritual.”
Levarro looked toward the towering doors of the Great Shakka Hall.
“Then where has he gone?”
Akilio hesitated.
“The guards mentioned that he had traveled to Hydranas.”
“Hydranas?”
The king's voice remained controlled, but the word carried a note of displeasure.
“For what purpose?”
Akilio chose his words carefully.
“I do not know everything that transpired, Father. But I believe he had something important to settle there before returning to Luminosus.”
King Levarro regarded his son for several moments.
“Important enough to miss the opening of the Lumus Annua Ritual?”
Akilio had no answer.
Before the king could question him further, a deep ceremonial horn sounded from the outer courtyard.
The great doors began to open.
A thunderous chorus of ceremonial trumpets announced his arrival.
The Light King ascended the white marble steps, his golden mantle flowing behind him. His three sons followed, taking their places beneath the royal banners.
The crowd bowed.
The royal guardians lowered their staffs.
And the musicians began the ancient melody reserved for the Lumus Annua Ritual.
Levarro surveyed the gathering.
He saw the white-and-gold standards of Levithali, the shimmering blues of Hydranas, the dark brilliance of Latiper, and the crimson banners of Agordom. He saw the scholars of Fordala, the healers of Ajonoth, the musicians of Etara, the earthbound nobles of Raterion, and the solemn representatives of Gathorio.
Every kingdom had answered his summons.
Every royal house had sent its people to honor the ancient bond.
Yet the absence of one prince remained at the back of his mind.
Levarro turned slightly toward Akilio.
“Your brother will answer for this,” he murmured.
Akilio bowed his head.
“Yes, Father.”
The king faced the gathering once more.
“People of Avelia,” he proclaimed, his voice carrying across the plaza, “children of ten kingdoms and heirs to ten ancient histories, welcome to Luminosus!”
The crowd answered with a mighty cheer.
“Tonight, we gather not merely to celebrate the prosperity of our capital, but to honor the bond that has endured between our kingdoms through generations of triumph, sacrifice, and change.”
A gentle breeze swept through the plaza.
“May the strength of Fire protect without consuming. May the wisdom of Earth endure. May the grace of Water nourish life. May the freedom of Wind carry hope. May the power of Lightning defend the innocent. May the compassion of Healing restore what has been wounded. May the harmony of Music unite our hearts. May the knowledge of Books preserve our wisdom. May the mystery of Soul remind us of what must never be forgotten.”
The king raised his hands.
“And may the Light guide us all.”
Thousands of heads bowed.
For a single heartbeat, the world seemed to hold its breath.
Then King Levarro proclaimed:
“Let the Lumus Annua Ritual begin!”
A brilliant blue spark emerged from the center of the ceremonial platform.
It hovered above the sacred stone, pulsing once, twice, and a third time.
Then the spark erupted into a towering column of celestial light.
The energy surged upward, illuminating the royal plaza and bathing the ten delegations in an ethereal blue radiance. The clouds above Luminosus began to turn golden, unfolding like immense silken curtains across the heavens.
Golden particles descended from the sky.
The clouds formed a magnificent tunnel of magical yellow light, stretching from the distant horizon toward the royal platform.
Wind spiraled around the palace towers. Enchanted waters rose from the fountains in ribbons of shimmering blue. Lightning flashed within the golden clouds, illuminating the standards of Latiper. Crystals awakened along the ceremonial steps, while flowers opened across the gardens in radiant waves of color.
The books of Fordala turned their pages in unison.
The healing crystals of Ajonoth glowed like miniature suns.
The instruments of Etara rose into a triumphant melody, their notes weaving through the magical spectacle.
Even the solemn lanterns of Gathorio shone brighter, their purple radiance mingling with the gold and blue that enveloped the capital.
For one breathtaking moment, the ten kingdoms appeared to answer one another through their ancient magic.
The royal plaza became a sea of celestial splendor.
Thousands of voices rose together.
“Lumus AVelia Inspiarto!”
The ancient words echoed from the Great Shakka Hall to the outer gates of Luminosus.
“Let the Light of Avelia inspire you!”
King Levarro stood beneath the golden heavens, his expression filled with solemn pride.
The ritual had begun.
Avelia was united.
And the light of Luminosus shone over them all.
The cheers swelled. Prince Hectoro’s jaw tightened as his gaze swept the crowd, searching for any sign of his missing brother. Akilio stood motionless, shadows pooling beneath his eyes. Gino clutched the clasp of his cloak until his knuckles whitened. King Levarro lifted his chin, letting the golden light play across his face as though he felt none of the absence beside him.
From the Fire delegation, Lunagor’s thin smile widened. Prince Jero watched the empty space beside Hectoro, then glanced toward the palace gates with open curiosity. The lanterns of Gathorio flickered, their purple glow dimming for a heartbeat before steadying again.
Far from the plaza, hidden in the folds of shadow beneath the colonnade, Finio pressed Shaynna’s hand to his chest. Their fingers trembled. The light from the tunnel of clouds reached them even there, turning her eyes the color of deep water. Neither spoke. They only listened to the voices still chanting the ancient words, knowing that tomorrow the same light would demand answers neither of them could give.
Finio's grip tightened. The chant rolled over the marble colonnade like distant thunder, and his pulse hammered against Shaynna's palm. Beyond the pillars, torchlight flared across the plaza as the ritual reached its peak. A single guard's footsteps echoed from the far archway. The prince's breath came short.
His eyes darted toward the palace's lesser gate, then the servant passage behind them, then the shadowed steps that led to the old observatory where few dared tread after dark. Each way out offered its own danger, each carried its own price.