Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series

Kamau

The Executives, Cassius, and I sit around an enormous ancient stone table. Deep carvings showed unidentifiable depictions of a past undiscovered. I sit next to my mother, Queen Esther. The Alpha, Big John, sits beside her, and Cassius beside him. The remaining order: King Tobias and Queen Camilla of Faelios, Asmodeus the Demon King, an empty seat reserved for King Broderick, King Hrothgar of the Dwarves, and lastly William Williams, the figurehead of humans.

The air was dense with unspoken tension. A deep groan resounds in the bare meeting hall and Queen Winona strides in, bearing a scroll tightly in her hand.

“Sorry to keep everyone waiting. I’m sure you are anxious to return to your search parties,” she starts gently.

“This had better been worth our while, Queen of the Witches.” Queen Camilla noted crossly.

The Witch Queen stared at the Elven Queen with severity. “Queen Camilla, I’ve known you since the day you stopped hiding behind your mother’s skirts. Don’t use that tone with me.”

King Tobias grabs his queen’s slender hands to calm her. He was usually the jovial royalty, but today he was rigid with barely concealed anger. “With all due respect, Queen Winona, but this latest kidnapping has put us on edge.”

She nods slowly.“I understand.” Queen Winona gazes at each of us before her eyes land on the empty chair. “Does anyone know where the great Vampire King is? Unpunctuality is unlike him.”

“Fear not, people! I have arrived!” someone declares upon entering the meeting hall.

I grind my teeth in annoyance. This was not King Broderick. In no way would he address us so. I inhale his scent and wrinkle my nose in disgust. He smelled of decaying roses, and he was dressed in a dark suit that a sleazy male lawyer would wear in a courtroom. The odd stranger definitely looked the part.

“Excuse me, young man. You must-” my mother begins

The stranger holds a hand up in interruption. “Ah! King Broderick is quite forgetful. Since he is away on business, I was sent to fill in for him. I’m Alaric, his Second-in-Command.”

Quick movement is caught at the corner of my eye, Cassius remains impassive, but his composure is straighter, and his nose flares a little.

Alaric holds a hand out to Queen Winona, but she steps away. “Please have a seat so we can begin. I have high expectations of your promptness in the near future, young Alaric”

He flashes -or attempts- a one million dollar smile before dropping his hand and drops down in King Broderick’s seat, propping up his feet without a care.

“Now that everyone is here, we can begin.” Queen Winona claps her hands above her head and thunder rolls overhead.

The lights dim and transcendental beams of light surfaces on the ornate stone table. My mouth is agape while my eyes take in the scene. Flashes of images flit across the table like a holographic theater screen. I saw glimpses of Apocalyptic War waging, some of my life, and even a small depiction of Styliani…

I look up to Queen Winona staring intently at me. “What do you see, lion cub?”

“I see the past…”

“What else do you see?” she pressed.

“I…” my voice is lost at the sight of a specific scene.

A soundless scream as a lifeforce is cut.

A body erupting in flames.

The world in utter chaos.

The Witch Queen’s eyes bore down into mine. “Well?”

“The past and the future.” I concluded.

She shakes her head in disappointment.

Queen Esther leans forward. “Please stop with the symbolic shit and tell us what we need to know.”

Queen Winona cocks an eyebrow and my mother almost withers away.

“To answer your question little lioness, there was a prophecy written long even before my time.”

All was quiet as the Witch Queen unrolled the well worn scroll. She lays it gently on the table and it shrivels up and disappears. The light soon dies down.

Alaric drops his feet and sits forward.“What? That’s it? You declare a prophecy and burn it up? Have you lost your-”

Bright radiance shoots out from the table again. Shades of white cascades into dark reds and coal black, followed by shades of blues and then pale yellows, and lastly rich shades of browns and greens.

A bodiless voice void of emotion speaks aloud for everyone to hear.

“Through sacrifice, spirit lives

Of blood and ashes forages the fires of hel

Waters stir with life and transcendence

With chaos and loss come the storms of wind

Bondage and depravity bar earthquakes

Shall realms gather

War begins and the abyss comes

If no balance be had, there will be no peace

Darkness shall conquer

Only with imperial ichor will ye prosper.”

With a small poof the table is clear of any divine light and the meeting hall returns to normal. I looked over at Cassius and he seemed paler than before.

King Tobias shoots up from his seat.“This is outrageous!”

Queen Camilla reached up to hold his arm, but he yanked it away. She pulls him back down and they appear to have a silent conversation. They were locked in an intense battle of will before King Tobias lowered his head in yield.

“My mate is right. This is an outrage. Is this the best that you can come up with? The reason behind the kidnapping of our daughter?” the Elven Queen asked, her eyes knitted in a severe frown.

Big John slams his fist down. “You aren’t the only one who’s lost someone precious! Wolf packs are drastically diminishing!”

Queen Camilla upturned her nose. “It isn’t like you mutts can’t procreate. This is the heir to the throne of Faelios we are discussing here.”

“Now, just wait a minute, Camilla. The world is not ruled by just one race. One way or another, we all contribute so the Earth can thrive.”

Queen Winona taps her cane lightly and everyone is silenced. “Queen Camilla, didn’t a young faeling interrupt a trial about a warning around summer?”

The Elven queen pursed her lips. “Yes.”

“And just what did Siobhán say?”

“The west shall be restored by the southern flames.” she stated.

The lights burned brighter and heat began to course through my veins. Looking over at Cassius, he seemed to feel the same.

Queen Winona caught the exchange between us, but said nothing.

King Tobias sighs heavily. “I guess we let the prophecy work it’s coarse and pray to the gods for the best.”

Everyone rises from their seats and are in agreement.

“I will forewarn you all now: Prophecy or not, if my daughter isn’t returned to us by this time next year, then you will be met with the icy rage of Faelios. That is a promise.”