CHAPTER 5

SUNSPARK, THE HIGHEST PEAK

Seed of Night was already fascinating for Hans and when Queen Reina mentioned them again. He wanted to know more. And by some coincidence that smelled more of a scheme, so it intrigued him further. Hans read the flashing lines again,

“You might be curious why no one knows about the Tree of night, right?”

“Because it’s a knowledge that was kept secret. In the dawn of time, the God created the two entities, responsible to populate this world in harmony. One commanded the day and other the night. Yet we the descended of the day tree sought over the domain of night and massacred everything belonging to It. Yeah, we were the cutthroats from the beginning.”

“But, I couldn’t find what happened after it. No matter how much I researched, no matter how many have I interrogated. No one seems to know about how the Tree of Night and its descendants disappeared. Our history starts from imperial calendar following the defeat of the Mage king while elves’s history starts with the Tree of day dying, taking their longevity blessing away. Before it happened, an elf was supposed to live hundreds of years and high ones could easily cross thousands, but now, they are quite similar to us.”

“Elves also have different customs than us. It was decreed in their doctrine that the throne must pass to the daughter of ruling family who was born with light element and others who weren’t eligible must seek the ways of Shadow family, guarding the royals and the remnants of Tree of Day.”

“I wasn’t sure about this myth of Elves till I saw this incredible tree of day—it was even more amazing than Osiris temple. It reached the sky, and its light was so bright that night never seemed to arrive. But, surprisingly, it wasn't perfect. The branches were torn, and the bark was broken from some big disaster. It was clear that something devastating happened to it. The magical energy leaked out of it, like some faint ghostly wisps. The trunk had deep wounds, and the roots, usually protected, were exposed and seemed to be losing the life from them.”

“Come on father, don’t write a novel, just get to the point.” Hans mumbled and continued to read.

“Even though it looked so damaged, the tree still glowed from the cracks, showing that the old magic inside it was still strong. Small shoots were hanging on to the withered branches, showing that the tree was trying hard to survive.”

“I wanted to explore more but I wasn’t an elf and the tree saw it as a thorn tearing its wound. It put up a fight and I had to run, but it was not a loss, since I robbed its priced seed. I don’t know how many were left there but I took the oldest one. They should’ve allowed me first, now they could only regret. But, for some reasons, humans aren’t allowed to possess them, it had its own will and I seem to lose it again and again. So, I sealed it inside one of my favourite thing, a Book. Now you are holding that very book and the ‘Seed of Day’. Through which you’ll inherit those powers. I’m not exaggerating when I say, the power packs mean punches.

“So how do I unseal that seed?” Hans shook the book, flipping its pages, but neither the book, nor the augmented display said anything. “Oh come on, don’t leave me hanging.” He whined and continued his vain search till the sleep fairy lulled him to slumber.

“Tak! Tak! Wake up princess. Tak! Tak! Rise and shine, princess—”

“Shut up Winters. Stop annoying me.” Hans threw something at his door. Yet the giggles from the outside continued. After a while, she spoke, “The Parvians are here—”

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“Its not even morning…Haa! They said first light. Damn it!” Hans cursed, “Tell them I’m coming.” Hans dragged himself out of his bed and came out with minimal effort into his appearance.

Not many had woken up, but all the important people were there. Hans peeked and found several familiar faces, Aredhel, Rudolf, Sierra, Walter and apart from Delimira and Chris, his little minion was also present. “Haa! This moron.” Hans sighed and move towards Parvians. “Lets go.” He said, his voice tired.

“He will come back, right?” Rudolf asked Arat for confirmation.

“I won’t do a thing that Prince does not desire—”

“Thats not the answer he wants to hear.” Homar, from behind interrupted and assured Rudolf, “He’ll be in Concordia in a jiffy. So leave too and don’t whine old man.”

“You wanna taste my fist Homar.” Rudolf thinned his eyes.

“You wanna experience your head exploding again. Sir Alastor.” Homar rebuked.

The sudden increase in tension woke Hans up completely. “Wow, so they did fight. I wonder how it was?” However, Arat interrupted before this could escalate. “We have been in foreign soil for too long, Garuda. I don’t want to be here anymore. So, move it.”

“Tsk,” Homar clicked his tongue and backed off.

“Shall we go Prince Hans?” Arat asked showing him the way out, and Hans responded with a nod and moved out with a grace. The old man following from close behind him, glanced at Bernard with malice and commented, “You are really born with the devil’s luck. I never saw any traitor getting a pardon in my three generations of serving the imperials.”

Bernard didn’t rebuke. He just took every scorn of Arat and when Arat had his fill, he pushed the apologetic Chris forward, “Go, fulfil your destiny, son.”

“Destiny as if.” Hans interrupted the father and son moment and added pointing towards Arat, “He doesn’t want the imperial bloodline power to fall on someone else’s hands and you want the same. This is a frickin’ deal where Chris had no say in it—”

“You are wrong Hans. I need…no I want this.” Chris said, his eyes showing lustre of confidence confusing Hans more. He added further, “This will not only pardon my father, but the Holger family living as commoners in Parv too.”

“Fine. Fine.whatever. Lets get this over with.” Hans looked at Arat, prompting him to call the INGRESS and the shining pillar of light fell upon them and they disappeared in the majestic ways of Parv.

Upon opening his eyes, Hans saw himself atop of an awe-inspiring precipice, veiled in a unending shroud of glistening snow and ice. “So this is the place where Parvian knights took their oath”, He muttered.

Suddenly the wind whistles through the towering peak, carrying with it the biting chill of the high-altitude air. “Is this the place?” Hans asked, shivering.

Arat answered, as he put a thick white cloak of imperials around Hans. “Yes, this is Sunspark. The highest peak of Sleeping giant mountains. The closest place to the sky.”

Hans looked forward, to the edge of the cliff. A carved stone platform adorned with intricate symbols and magic runes which marked the hallowed spot. “That must be where the oath is taken, right?” He asked.

“Yes, that is the place.” Arat affirmed gazing the stone, weathered by countless storms and the passage of time. He spoke further, “It bears witness to the echoes of centuries past.” He then pointed towards a ceremonial brazier, perpetually lit with the purest orange flames, “This symbolises the enduring spirit of the Parvian knights and their unyielding commitment”

Arat felt proud introducing this sacred place to Hans and the young prince felt how much pride this old man had regarding his nation. He looked around and asked Arat, “This seems like an important place. I’m not seeing any guards or protection here?”

“Its not needed. This peak is impossible to climb. Only through INGRESS one can come here.” Arat explained and pointed towards the endless forest down the peak, “this is another reason. The forbidden ground of Parv, Frostspire. Even you aren’t allowed to go there unless called upon.”

“Why?” Hans asked, now more curious.

“Because that’s where OSIRIS temple is.” Arat answered and Hans recalled what he read yesterday, his father had mentioned how Elven forbidden lands were much more majestic than Osiris’s temple. “Now, I wanna see—”

As if Arat had heard his thoughts, he interrupted, “Don’t even think about it. I, neither any other Parvian has power there. You won’t even live to tell the tale.” He cautioned.

“Fine. Fine.” Hans gestured Arat to stop nagging and continued with a sulking tone, “Whats the point of being the one in power. If I Can’t do this. I can’t do that—”

“I’m serious.”Arat stressed, his tone almost begging. “You really don’t wanna go there.”