April 22nd Year 508
It has been one week since the arrival of Prince Endalef of Muurin to Alarulin. The last of his royal line, he has been struggling to fit in as we attempt to familiarize him with Fendran customs. With his return and Kenta’s presence in the castle, we have at last established communication with the Arden on a respectful and civil level.
Flain has yet to return from Keshkin and has ordered me to fill in the records on his behalf in his absence. He reports he is alive and well, and that the barrier is completely intact as it once was. The Malnix have yet to make a return since the initial destruction of the boundary, and nothing has come through from Muurin since Cael’s return.
Countless meetings have been held since I awoke, many of which were centered around negotiations with the Arden. It may take some time to reach an accord, as there still appears to be some form of unrest and divide amongst them.
Tuulin has vanished - no doubt fled - meaning that I did not slay him within my dream that night. Nevertheless, there are those still loyal to him, and the response to Endalef’s return is not entirely what we expected. A mixture of fear, excitement and reluctance plagued the minds and dreams of the Arden after word got out of his arrival. Perhaps his family name is not something they are fond of, or perhaps there is a reason yet undisclosed for why he went unmentioned until now. Nevertheless, the Arden seem willing to listen to us now that he is present.
Speaking of Kenta, he received a formal apology from the members of the council for doubting him and has been accepted into the castle. He has been put in charge of guarding and advising the young Prince Endalef. They seem to have a certain degree of familiarity between them. I suspect Kenta interacted with Endalef often prior to coming to Alarulin.
Cael reported that Endalef was hiding away within a cellar, surrounded by empty barrels of food and water. When she found him, he was starving and looked like he had hardly left the cellar at all in months. She brought him back to health, before making her way back to Alarulin. They were chased, of course, by Malnix that had apparently taken over the abandoned palace in the absence of the rest of the Arden.
Cael noted that the geography of Muurin appeared to be almost identical to Alarulin, although with minor differences. We have since taken to nicknaming it “The Mirror Realm” as it appears to reflect our own.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Furthermore, Cael documented that never once did the sun rise. The land was shrouded in eternal night, and though the moon floated high above, the stars were dim and did not stir. A strange description to be sure, but one that Kenta and Endalef will surely be able to expand on for us in the future.
A few traits we have noticed about the young prince thus far is that he is capable of magic like Mennic and Tuulin were. Though he has not used it often, it seems to flare up in moments of intense emotion. While this is not uncommon among juvenile magicians, never have we seen it harnessed with such potency before. We have sent a messenger to find the Second Great Magician, Armeil, who is rumored to be living out his life just south of the highlands in the Tarabon Delta. We believe he may be the best fit to further understand this emotion-driven magic. While this typically would be little challenge for other scholars, Endalef has shown remarkable sensitivity to even the slightest emotional stress. As his power grows it could become dangerous.
Rell seems to be unsure of the newcomer. Given that he is a year older than her, it may be that she feels threatened. Despite this, we have assured her she is the rightful heir to the throne, and that she needn’t fear him. Endalef is just as lost as his people are, and Rell simply needs to realize that. Rune seems a little more interested in the boy, perhaps if nothing else than for his unusual magical quirks.
Our unexpected guests, Filera and Elkin, have been kept in the castle. We insisted they stay for a time while we work through the chaos that happened, and to allow Filera to continue tending to Rell’s trauma. They will be returning to their homes in a few days, but we have been happy to have them, and I think Filera is quite enjoying the castle life.
From what I have heard, the siblings have found themselves tied up into many of Alarulin’s recent troubles. I cannot help but wonder if they are inclined to go where there is trouble, or if trouble is prone to follow them.
Having returned from my nightmare, I have been struggling a little bit to resume my duties. I still find myself feeling rather sentimental every time I see Rell or the other Keepers. Watching them die may have left a permanent scar in my mind that I will not be able to simply shake off. Nevertheless, I had never been aware of how fulfilling my duty as Keeper of Mind could be. After discovering what I was capable of on my own, I feel confident in Harmony’s decision to assign me with her magic. I will continue to live by what I learned from my dream and use it to propel me forward.
Tuulin’s disappearance has us all worried, and we have an order for arrest spreading across the kingdom as we speak, although, knowing him, he will not be easy to find, let alone capture. He is incredibly clever, so he will surely have something up his sleeve. All we can do now is wait and anticipate his next move.
This concludes the Records of Alarulin, penned on April 22nd, 508 by Madia Nullan, Keeper of Mind.