Lucius

Lucius woke up from his peaceful rest by N'elenia's bonfire, his senses sharpened. As he slowly rose to his feet, his armor still resting beside him, he noticed something in the distance. Beyond the hallowed shrine, a knight and a priestess were making their way towards him. The knight, almost as tall as Lucius himself, was clad in black armor, his helmet hiding his face. The design of the armor spoke of a skilled warrior, and his presence confirmed that.

Walking beside the knight was a priestess, a striking contrast to her armored companion. She was small, short, and fragile in appearance. Her white robes were adorned with symbols of N'elenia, marking her as a servant of the goddess.

Lucius watched as the knight and the priestess drew nearer to the shrine, their footsteps echoing softly against the sacred ground. It was clear that they had come with a purpose, and Lucius could sense the weight of their quest in the air.

The priestess approached the bonfire first. She raised her hand, allowing the flames to dance around her fingertips. She made a connection with the fire, she was also a chosen champion. Lucius could sense the connection between her and N'elenia. But who was the mysterious knight that followed her?

The mysterious knight stood beside her, he was still. The helmet concealed his expression, leaving a cloud of mystery surrounding him.

Lucius stepped forward to join them. He knew that they had the same quest, maybe they could help each other.

As they gathered around N'elenia's shrine, the priestess introduced herself, her voice soft. „I am Lydia,“ she said, her eyes reflecting the warm glow of the sacred flames. „I hail from a bustling town near the western shore, a place where the sea and the goddess's of fire have always been intertwined.“

Lucius nodded, he understood where she was coming from. The coastal towns had a deep connection to N'elenia, for the goddess's presence was often felt in the fiery sunsets that graced the horizons and the eternal flames that burned in their temples.

Beside Lydia, the mysterious knight remained silent, his helmet still concealing his identity.

Lydia continued, her gaze focused on the flames. „The darkness that looms threatens not only my town but all of our world. A malevolent force that wants to extinguish the sacred flames and plunge the world into eternal night. I can see that N'elenia has chosen you too, as well as me. We share the same quest.“

Lucius spoke. „N'elenia's fire burns brightly within us all. We are bound by a common purpose – to protect the world from the darkness and destroy it. Maybe we can help each other out.“

Lydia nodded. „Since I was a child I have an oath to serve N'elenia, that's why I have chosen to be a priestess. I was very surprised to see that she picked me to be her champion, it made me very happy. And this,“ she gestured to the silent knight beside her, „is my vassal, sworn to be loyal to me until the end of time. He helps me with my quest.“

The loyalty of such depth was a rare and precious bond. As they sat there talking about our divine quest, an unexpected presence made itself known.

A cat, its sleek fur a deep shade of midnight black, emerged from the shadows and padded silently towards them. The cat, its eyes gleaming with intelligence, approached Lydia. It tilted its head and spoke.

„I am sorry but I was listening to your conversation right now. Do you hail from the town of Nelien?“ the cat asked.

[https://i.imgur.com/9VwwaXT.jpg]

Lydia's eyes widened in surprise. „Yes,“ she answered cautiously, „I am indeed from Nelien.“

„And this next to you,“ the cat looked at the knight, „must be from The Sovereign's Loyalists. So you must be the king's daughter.“

The mysterious knight, who had been silently observing, shifted slightly.

The cat continued, „I thought as much. You see Lydia, you don't have to be scared. I am no ordinary cat. I am a mage and a scholar. I have studied the line of Nelien for generations.“

Lydia's eyes widened, she was surprised.

„I am sorry, but, what is The Sovereign's Loyalists?“ Lucius joined their conversation. The cat turned around and looked him straight in the eyes.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

„When a prince or a princess is born, from the faction they choose a young boy, the same age as them to be their vassal and protector. From a young age, they undergo rigorous training, they are created by the souls of higher demons mixed with our own, they are faster and stronger than us.“ The cat explained, and the knight sat in silence, not saying a word.

The cat continued. „They are taught to kill and protect, to do anything for their master. And their souls are intertwined, bound by loyalty and duty.“

The cat's form shifted and transformed before their eyes. In place of the sleek black feline now stood a mage and scholar, his presence radiant with knowledge and wisdom. His robes were black, and a staff out of wood rested in his hands.

[https://i.imgur.com/iI22YvY.jpg]

„I am known as Malachi,“ the transformed cat introduced himself.

Lydia and the mysterious knight exchanged glances. Lucius knew that Malachi held a lot of knowledge that could help them in their quest, but at the same time, he looked so young, like he wasn't a scholar.

Malachi continued, „I have witnessed the rise and fall of kingdoms, the ebb and flow of magic, the start of struggle between light and darkness. Where are the three of you headed?“

„Blairr and I were headed towards the bell tower.“ Lydia answered, revealing the name of the mysterious knight.

„So you'll be passing by the Castle of Lokia.“

„Yes, we planned to find a blacksmith there, we need something repaired.“

„The Castle of Lokia is now just in ruins, there is no one there, except the ones who carry the dark mark.“

Malachi's gaze seemed to drift into the distant past as he began to share his own tale.

„Long, ago,“ he began, his voice carrying the weight of centuries. „I was a king's guard in the Castle of Lokia, a fortress that once stood tall and formidable. Our king was a just and noble ruler, and we served him with unwavering loyalty.“

Lydia, Blairr, and Lucius listened carefully, drawn into the story.

„One fateful day, the demons attacked, we stood our ground for many centuries, defending our castle walls from them. But we couldn't defend forever, we had to do something, and our king heard of the four towers and their legends.“

The four towers and their story were known to everyone. Each tower is guarding one of the cardinal directions. These towers were known as the „Sentinels of Divinity.“

The Eastern Tower: Crafted from celestial silver, it was guarded by Aulova, the goddess of dawn. Her bell, called the „Bell of Eclipse,“ sang with the hues of the sunrise. Those who rang it were blessed with the gift of clarity, and the ability to see through darkness.

The Western Tower: Forged from enchanted sapphire, it was protected by Zymbrus, the god of winds. His bell known as the „Divine Breath,“ granted those who rang it with the power to command winds, allowing them to travel swiftly and effortlessly.

The Northern Tower: Made out of ancient oak wood, it was watched over by Laria, the Earth Goddess. Herbell, the „Terra Tone,“ granted the strength of the earth itself to those who rang it, making them stronger and nearly invulnerable to harm.

The Southern Tower: Made from the purest jade, it was the realm of Ignis, the son of N'elenia. His bell the „Inferno Bell,“ bestowed the gift of fire manipulation to its summoners, allowing them to harness flames in both creation and destruction.

To reach the legendary golden gates, where the gods resided in a celestial citadel, one needed to ring all four bells. This was no simple feat, for the bells were not easily won. Many brave souls ventured forth, but only those who embodied the virtues of humility, courage, wisdom, and compassion could summon the blessings of the Sentinels of Divinity.

Yet, for those rare individuals who succeeded, the golden gates would part, revealing a path to the divine realm. Here they could join the gods, and be a part of their army ready to attack and destroy the darkness.

As the ages passed, the gods of the bell towers were overthrown by malevolent demons. The celestial beings, once protectors of the Sentinels of Divinity, were killed or forced into exile, leaving the towers vulnerable to darkness.

But the legends of the towers lived on, and brave souls still sought the blessings that were said to lay within. They knew that while the guardians were not there, the power of the bells remained unchanged.

„We were tasked with a mission to go to the Southern Tower. Our army marched towards it. We entered the tower one by one, and when I passed through the gate, I encountered a darkness unlike any other.“

His eyes held a distant sorrow as he continued. „I found myself alone, lost in the abyss of the tower's depths. The tower was filled with demons, and it took me five hundred years to navigate its treacherous passages and confront the demon in control of the tower.“

Lucius thought to himself that five hundred years within the tower was an amazing feat and show of will.

„When I finally emerged,“ Malachi continued, „a couple of guards stood at the tower's entrance. They informed me that three days had passed since we entered, and I was the first one to get out. The tower had taken its toll, the darkness within had consumed the rest of our party, and with them, our king.“

„Lucius was it?“ Malachi asked Lucius.

„Yes.“

„You are also headed towards the first tower am I right?“

Lucius just nodded, nervous because of the challenge ahead.

„Even if you can't help each other inside the tower, I would recommend the three of you to help each other to get to the towers. The path to them is also very difficult, and you'll need any help you can get. I am also headed towards that direction, so if I may join your small party, I would be honored.“

Lucius considered his words carefully, he saw the wisdom in his advice. The path to the towers was known to be difficult, and any assistance they could get would be invaluable.

With a nod, he replied: „Your guidance has already proven invaluable. I think I am talking in everyone's name when I say that we are the ones honored to have you join our party.“

Lydia and Blairr agreed. As they prepared to embark on their journey together, their quest took a new sense of purpose and unity. The two chosen champions, a vassal, and a cat, stood before N'elenia's shrine, ready to face the challenges ahead.

[https://i.imgur.com/l3h2Iag.png]

Their current location