The day was the 10th of September, 1200. The foliage that once carried the vibrant colors of summer now turns into a tinge of amber. Its leaves plucked out one-by-one from its branches by the cold breeze, comparable to that of winter, and descending upon the ground. The mellow tunes hummed by the birds as they hid inside the foliage in their nests made of twigs resonated into the fields that bloomed with pumpkins, ready for harvest. Above the clear, blue sky, the sun swam across the ocean of clouds, as if it were stranded in the vast seas of the kingdom.
The leaves scattered across the stone stairway crunched as a set of footsteps trampled all over it. Vines crept upon each step of the stairway, with tens of cracks spread across its rocky surface. While a young man ran down the many steps, a drip of sweat broke off his face. Dyeing his hair was a shade of light-cyan, while a tint of magenta covered his pair of pupils. Sweat rained off his face, staining the light-cyan tee he clothed himself with. Wrapped around his neck was a long, grey scarf, its ends waving in the air as he descended the stairwell.
As he took the last step down the stairway, he took a moment to stop and bent over his body. He tugged the end of his scarf and dragged it across his face, wiping the sweat that had dripped off his forehead. He erected his body and once more, continued his sprint down the dirt path covered in a layer of foliage that fell off the many trees that stood by its side.
“That damn alarm clock, it’s always that damn alarm clock! If I miss this ship, I’m a total goner!” he yelled out loud to himself.
He halted once more and leaned a portion of his body forward. He rested the palms of his sweaty hands upon his knees and took in as much air as he could, his chest puffed in and out with each breath that he took. His body retched as the taste of salinity from his sweat dripped onto the muscles of his tongue.
He took one more breath as a smirk curved on his lips. Come on, Phoenix Amber! You can make it there just in time!
He reached his hand into the innards of his leather sling bag and pulled out his water canister made out of glass and shaped like a bottle for potions. He popped the cork off its smooth neck and poured the frigid water down into his throat. As the water kept flowing into his mouth, tiny droplets stuck onto the linings of his lips. He popped the cork back in and hid the canister back into his sling bag. Using the fabric of his scarf yet again, he dried his lips and continued to sprint.
/***/
After what seemed to be an eternity of never-ending sprinting, he stepped foot into the main hall of the Magirno Port. The bag fell off his grip as he bent over once more. Gasping for air, he darted his eyes around him. Families crowded each corner of the main hall, all of them lining up towards a ticket booth or two. Damn it, why does my coronation have to be at this time of the year, of all seasons?!
From the corner of his eyes, he spotted a ticket booth with a short line. The space inside the booth was big enough to fit at least a single person in it. He lifted the bag from the carpet floor and hastened towards the booth. He placed the bag atop of the wooden counter and peered his eyes through the glass pane that separated him from the woman who sat inside, filing her nails. She clothed herself in a uniform similar to the one’s sailors used.
“May I please, please, please, please get a ticket to Raycania?” Phoenix faked a smile on his lips as he continued to gasp for air.
The woman threw a glance at Phoenix all the while filing her long fingernails brushed with a pink pigment. She put down the file on top of her desk and shifted her chair to face towards Phoenix. The pulse of his palpitating heart sped up with each breath he took, sweat still dripped off from every corner of his face.
She leaned in and narrowed her beady eyes, looking deep into the captivating magenta pupils Phoenix had. “Hold on...” she rose from her seat and observed Phoenix, starting from the strands of his hair down to his black trousers. “Aren’t you... the new king?” she asked whilst crossing both of her arms.
Phoenix’s head tilted as one of his eyebrows rose. He slowly pointed to himself and turned his head left and right. “Yeah... I am...?” his body shrank as he winced. God, can people stop asking me if I’m king? I’m sick of it already!
The dead look on the woman’s face faded away. A smile curved her lips and her eyes sparkled as it widened. A soft laugh escaped from between her lips as she slid a ticket through the large gap of the pane. “Well, what are you standing here for?” she chuckled. “You know you’re the king, so don’t even bother worrying about the guards. Your ship is the SS Zephyr, bound to leave for Raycania in...”—she rolled up her sleeve and glanced at her watch—“thirty minutes.”
He grabbed the ticket off the wooden counter and looked at the woman. The fake smile he had worn turned into one filled with sincerity, “Thank you very much!”
He lifted his bag off from the counter and jumped over the red stanchions. In the blink of an eye, he ran out of the hall and sprinted towards Gate A. Towering over him was a wooden archway with banners of the Magirnon Eagle hanging off of it. His jaw dropped to the floor as he leveled his head. Right in front of him was a long line heading towards the checkpoint. He slapped his palm onto his face while he shook his head. This is gonna be a long... long... day.
He stood right at the back of the line, still clinging onto his sling bag. He rolled up the sleeve of his coat and took a glance at his wristwatch. He tapped the tip of his shoes onto the concrete pavement as he waited for the line to shorten. Fifteen minutes later, the swaying gates of the archway were only a few meters from him. Two guards stood right before him, with one of them each standing right beside the poles that supported the gates. They twisted their heads towards Phoenix and took off the caps on their heads. “Greetings, your Majesty. You may pass,” a guard said.
The two of them pushed open the gates of the archway. Phoenix gave a sweet smile to the two soldiers saluting him whilst he passed through the gates they had pushed opened. Inside of the docking bay, his jaw unhinged once more. His eyes glimmered as he marveled at the broad ships anchored within the docks. Holy shit, when did these things get big?!
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the paper ticket the woman had given to him. As he took a look at the ticket, he wandered around in search of the ship assigned to his ticket. Minutes later, he stood right before the docking gates of the Magic Cruises. Right beside its wooden fence erected a sign, “Magic Cruises – SS Zephyr: Boarding”
Finally, I found it! he rejoiced to himself.
He slowly thrust the swaying gates inward the pier and lifted his bag off the concrete ground. He sauntered down the little pier that leads up to the staircase which ascended into the halls of the SS Zephyr. Before he walked up its many steps, he handed over the ticket to the staff who stood by the stairwell.
“Enjoy and have a magical trip!” the lady smiled as she bowed right before him.
He ascended the metal steps and walked into the long hallway that spanned hundreds of meters in the side of the cruise ship. He shifted his body and strolled down the wooden planks, making his way towards the vast bow of the ship. Huge assembles huddled over to the railings as they waved goodbye to their families watching them from below.
He approached a nearby wooden bench and sat right beside its metal armrest. He grabbed the newspaper situated atop a small desk that was beside the bench and flipped it open, letting the fragrant smell of fresh-printed paper enter through his nostrils. Right above the front page of the newsletter, headlines had his name written all over it. “Phoenix Amber to be crowned King!” an article said. “Phoenix Amber, a farm boy in Magirno?!” another one exclaimed.
The edges he had gripped with his fingers slowly crumpled as his hands tightened its clasp. “So what if I grew up on a farm, huh?! At least my uncle took good care of me!” he yelled to himself.
As he dragged his eyes across the wall of paragraphs, the bench he sat upon slightly shook. His magenta-tinted pupils drifted to the corner of his eyelids, his curiosity for who sat next to him brewed like a kettle of hot water. On the far side of the bench sat a man with both of his legs crossed over each other. He clothed himself in a white polo-long sleeve with a waistcoat the tinge of red over it; all the while he wore a black trench coat with all buttons open. Wrapped around the collar of his long-sleeve was a plain back tie, it ends reaching the level of his belt buckle. Tucked atop his head was a dark-grey top hat with a red, silk band wrapped around its brim.
The man inserted his fingers into a pocket sewn on his waistcoat that was the level of his chest. Out from it, he tugged a golden pocket watch latched onto a long silver chain that clamped around his pocket. “So, I heard you’re the new King, aren’t I right, kid?” the man asked, his eyes fixed upon the gears inside his watch.
Phoenix put down the newspaper back on top of the desk. He lowered his chin and stared at the floor made out of wooden planks, “If I had myself a Raycanian Dollar for every single time I hear that phrase, I’d buy myself a new home!”
The two then shared a soft chuckle. A sigh escaped from the man’s lips as he lifted his chin and faced towards the heavens, “I feel you, kid. Sometimes, it just gets on your nerves to hear that phrase repeated over and over again every time you meet someone new, huh?”
As Phoenix raised his head, his lips parted from each other to let out a soft gasp underneath his cold breath. He turned his head to face the man who sat across from him. He raised an eyebrow as he analyzed the get-up the man attired himself in. Only now did he see the man’s light-grey tinted skin, similar to that of a mannequin, along with his magenta pupils that matched the ones he had.
What does he mean by ‘I feel you?’ Is he... is he one of... my ancestors? Why does he look... familiar? Leaning his back onto the steel wall behind the bench, questions bombarded his mind one after another. “M-m-may I ask who you are, to be exact?” he stuttered.
The man turned his head towards Phoenix as he rose from the wooden bench. He took off the top hat that rested upon his hair and brushed the dust off its crown. His short, curly, white hair shined like a gemstone as it basked in the rays of the blistering sun. The ends of his coat waved as the autumn breeze brushed against it, bringing along the rich scent of the sea.
Lines curved around the edges of his lips as he smirked, winking at Phoenix, “You’ll know when you know, kid.”
The man turned his back against Phoenix as he tucked his top hat back onto his head. Phoenix angled his head down to his shoulder whilst trying to comprehend the words the man had spoken to him. His train of thought is then interrupted when a memory from his past flashed right before his eyes. He shifted his head yet again towards the back of the man, and his heart sunk to the bottom of his stomach as he gaped at it.
Sewn onto the upper part of the backside of the man’s coat was an insignia of a grey crown. Flashbacks came and went right before his widening eyes. Hey, isn’t that... isn’t that..?!
Without any hesitation, he rose from the seat and ran after the man, nudging the civilians to the side as he forced himself through the expanding crowd. A soft grunt seeped through his lips as the elbows of the civilians hit him back against his ribcage. With each corner the man turned to, Phoenix fell short by a few meters. With each hall inside the cabins the man sauntered down, the more air taken off his frantic breath. His body slowly drooped closer to the floor, his mind becoming nauseating as he struggled to catch up with the man. The beat of his pulsing heart surged in speed as he panted for air. The rapid thud of his shoes slowed down with every single step he took to try and advance towards the escaping man.
Moments of endless running later, he noticed that the wooden planks that lined the floor were beneath the soles of his shoes yet again. He lifted his chin and found himself standing outside in the stern of the ship. Around the ledges of the ship, an assembly formed as they watched the waves that followed behind the sailing ship. He took a few more steps forward and rotated his entire body to the left and the right. While he bit his lower lip, his eyes darted around his surroundings.
He walked up to a random man and tapped him lightly on his shoulder. The young man turned around to face Phoenix with a warm smile that curved on his lips. “G’day, how may I help you, young lad?” the man asked with sincerity in his voice.
“Have you seen”—Phoenix gasped for air—“a man attired in a black trenchcoat?”
The man shook his head, “Sorry, I haven’t.”
A deep sigh passes in between his lips, “Alright, thank you. I’m sorry for the trouble.”
Phoenix twisted his body and walked over to another bench situated right beside a pillar. He pushed aside the newspaper atop of the seat and sat down. His body shrank as he let out a long sigh. Jeez, give me a goddamn break, what was that all about anyway?
/***/
Seven hours have passed, Phoenix’s eye shut tight; saliva drooled out of his lips as he let out a loud snore. To himself, he mumbled incomprehensible words. However, the buzzing of the speakers then interrupted his little nap. Following the buzz was the deafening taps of a microphone.
“Greetings and a good afternoon to all of our passengers here in the SS Zephyr! It is currently 5:17 PM, September 10 and we have now anchored at the Escala Port here in Metro Raycania! Please do not forget to carry with you your luggage, as the management of Magic Cruises will not take any liability for any lost or forgotten items. Thank you for cruising with us, we await you on your next trip!” the captain spoke with audible enthusiasm.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
As the captain blathered on about their discounts and upcoming promotions, Phoenix walked over to the nearest exit to him, He descended the stairwell, step by step. He twisted his head to the left and then to the right. “Where’s my dad? Jeez, I already told him to wait here!” he murmured underneath his freezing breath.
He threw a glance to the left, and suddenly, he spotted something from the sides of his eyeballs. He shifted his head back to the left and down below in the pavement, wandered the man. On his left hand, he kept a loose grip on the golden pocket watch he held in his palms. Meanwhile, wrapped around the handle of his wooden briefcase were his right fingers.
Phoenix hastened down the metal steps, excusing himself through the huge line with a slight nudge to their arms. A second right after he took a step into the pier, he scampered towards where the man had stood. He forced his way through the horde that blocked his path towards the wandering man, yet as soon as he reached where he stood, the man disappeared from his sight. Did... did he just disappear again? he questioned himself.
A masculine voice then called out to him, “My son, finally, there you are!”
His attention was then directed towards the direction of the voice. From afar, his father stood underneath the shade of a palm tree growing inside a crate. Inside the pockets of his grey trousers hid his hands. Overlaying his grey tee was his signature red-leather coat with leather arm binds the hue of yellow sewn onto the ends of each sleeve. A tinge of dark-cyan dyed his curly, short hair, complimenting the light tone of the magenta pupils he had.
Phoenix jogged towards where he stood, opening his arms wide open as he reached in for a hug. He embraced his father’s masculine body in his arms, tightening his grip on his body with each second that passed. “Dad, how have you been?” he asked with a wide smile.
“I’ve been doing quite fine, my dearest son,” the smirk on his lips faded away as he dropped his head to the floor. The tone of his voice filled with euphoria switched over to one filled with sorrow, “but alas, my senility has caught up with my now-weak body. No matter how much determination I had left to reign the kingdom, as much as I wished to bring joy and happiness to all, the only choice bestowed upon me by fate was my inevitable retirement.”
Phoenix snickered as he poked his father’s shoulder, “Well, it has been quite a while since you’ve sat on the throne.”
“I’ll give you that, it has been a hundred and seventy-eight years since I’ve been crowned the monarch...” he clasped Phoenix’s shoulder with his palms and looked straight into his eyes with a glimmering smile, “but it is quite a pleasure to hear that you’ll be inheriting the crown! I can’t wait to hear about the great feats you will overcome and conquer. It is time for you to mature, experience the reality and truth; it’s time for you to be an adult, my dear son.”
“Excuse me, but adult, me?” Phoenix cackled as he slapped himself in the knee, “I’m only seventeen, dad!”
The two burst into a fit of laughter. Seconds later, his father pulled his hands out of his pockets and held a leather wallet within his grip. He flipped it open and took a glance inside of it before he reached it out to Phoenix’s palm.
“Well then, excuse me for my rudeness, but I have to return to the palace. Why don’t you have a little fun and wander about in the city? I would like to recommend heading over to Barnaby’s and try munching down on their grilled wolf meat. It is perhaps one of the greatest things I have ever tasted! Well, aside from you know... your mother,” he wiggled his eyebrows as giggles seeped through his lips. He rolled up the sleeve of his coat and stared into his silver wristwatch. He lifted his chin and turned his head back to Phoenix, “Well then, I’ll be waiting patiently for your arrival at the palace in about an hour or so. For now, I will have to supervise our butlers and maids to make sure they clean up the ceremonial halls.”
Phoenix raised one of his thumbs with a smile curving on his lips, “Alright, will do, dad! By the way, what were you talking about when you said ‘your mother—‘”
At the snap of his fingers, a shining, blue light covered his father’s entire body as he waved at Phoenix. Moments later, he disappeared into the thin air. Phoenix cringed and fell to the floor, “D-d-did he just use his teleport spell to avoid my question? Damn, what a clever one you are, dad...”
/***/
Downtown Raycania, chatters of the citizens filled the air. Merchants who came from the far lands of Crowlia sat behind their carpets with elixirs resting atop yell out loud in an attempt to coax the adventurers into purchasing their goods. Men and women in crowds sang to their heart’s content as they chug down beverages made from the finest fruits reaped from the orchards in Magirno. The pitter-patter of rubber soles of the many sandals children tucked into their tiny feet as they participated in a game of tag.
Sung out of his lips was a harmonious tune as he strolled down the stone pavement. He lifted his chin and faced towards the heavens above. I wish dad could’ve brought me here sooner... I mean, look at all of these buildings!
He twisted his head towards his left. While his eyes marveled at the buildings that stood 3-storeys tall, his focus shifted towards something tall over the distance. Behind all of the buildings erected a soaring clock tower. Its body comprised of large bricks of stones, stuck to each other using a mortar, and held up by wooden pillars. As he gazed upon what he had considered a magnificent feat of construction, he spotted a dark figure stood atop the stone ledges. Waving behind the figure’s neck as the autumn breeze glided by was what seemed to be a long scarf.
“On second thought, I think it’s good that I stayed at Magirno... Why is this place filled with weird people?” he murmured as he trudged down the pavement.
He folded the sleeves of his white coat and drifted his eyes towards the leather wristwatch wrapped around his wrists. The pupils in his dwindled as his eyelids broadened, “Shit, why is time so fast today!? I better hurry to the castle!”
The beat of his heart pulsed in rapid succession, his mind filling with worry as he panicked on what to do. Moments later, however, an idea lit up the insides of his mind. He pulled onto his sling bag and unzipped it. He inserted his hands into it and pulled out a leather book on the grip of his fingertips. Encrusted onto its cover were several gemstones from the deepest caves of Raycania. Carved right in the midst of it was the Phoenix God, whose wings were wide open.
He flipped the cover open and went from page to page until he landed on page 67. As he darted his eyes around the paragraphs written all over the parchment, he murmured the words underneath his warm breath. He slid his fingertips across the giant text written on top of the parchment that spelled “Portal Spell.”
“Perfecto! Thank you, 6-year-old me who didn’t hesitate to learn this one!” he exclaimed out loud with a smug grin.
His eyes shut as he took several deep breaths. The chant of the spell escaped as both of his lips parted from each other. As his mouth chanted the last word, the book burst into an explosion of sparkles. Right beneath his feet, a portal tinted with a shade of green formed. The portal slowly opened, revealing a gateway to the palace. The pull of gravity on his body grew in strength, his body descended into the gateway. Seconds later, he fell on top of a marble floor that glistened like the stars.
Soft groans came from his mouth as he lifted himself with his arms. The portal that loomed above his head whirred as it folded in on itself. He let out a soft sigh as he tidied his coat. “Next time maybe I should remind little ol’ me to open the portal right above,” he bellowed to himself.
He turned around and let out a shriek as he jumped out of his skin. Standing in front of him was his father, whose eyes stared deep into his pupils. His head lowered to his shoulders while a fist was right in front of his chin.
“My dearest son, may I ask what is it that you are doing?” he queried.
“Oh, don’t worry dad. I didn’t do anything stupid again, I only used your weird portal spell you drilled into my head when I was young. Problem is... I haven’t mastered it well,” Phoenix chortled.
“Fret not, my dearest son, practice does make perfect after all,” his father took a step back and analyzed him, beginning from his sharp hair to the tips of his black shoes. “By the way... uh... How do I say this... You should change into—“
“Sorry, dad, I prefer to wear this. My coat is way comfortable compared to the several layers of silk robes you wore when you inherited the crown. To be honest, that made you look like a clown.”
“—into your king outfit,” his father paused momentarily. The look on his face turned a blank slate, void of any emotions as he faked a smile.
A cold silence formed in between the two, gazing deep into each other’s eyes. His father shook his head and cleared his throat. “Well, I suppose I could allow that. Your grandfather never put it on, nor did your great-grandfather. All they attired themselves with were their fancy tuxedos or whatever.”
His father reached into the pocket sewn at the back of his trousers. He pulled it out soon after, clasping a stack of papers stapled together on his hands. He handed the papers over to Phoenix, who then analyzed each edge of its rough surface. His father turned his back onto Phoenix and walked away, waving as he plodded towards the backroom.
Phoenix sat down on a seat close to him and flipped the pages of the stack. It was a script for the coronation written by Jonathan James Amber. He flipped the pages back to the front and began to mumble to himself the many phrases written, repeating them at least more than once.
/***/
Ding... dong... ding... dong. The bells of the palace chimed outside, flocks of white doves soared into the sky as the guards released them of their metal cages. The banners of the kingdom unfolded onto the walls that lined the palace. Children blew the trumpets they grasped in harmony as Phoenix’s father stepped into the ceremonial halls.
With both hands, he held a royal, red pillow with a golden crown resting atop its surface. Encrusted around its golden band were a variety of gleaming gemstones. Hovering above its four arches was a giant diamond the size of an entire hand, only supported by the magic enchanted into the body of the crown.
Well then, my time has come. Farewell, Raycania, may my son treat you well, he sighed.
He trudged towards the throne where Phoenix sat, smiling as he approached him step-by-step. He then moved adjacent to the golden throne and stood right behind its back. He lifted the crown off its royal pillow and raised his heels off the marble floor.
“I, the fifth generation of the royal Amber Family, Nizoro Vermond Amber, now bestow upon to my descendant and my dearest son the Crown... of Justice. I now present to you all, King Phoenix Vermond Amber.”
The sleek body of the crown descended atop Phoenix’s hair as Nizoro lowered both of his hands. Nizoro let go of his grasp on the band of the crown and let it rest upon Phoenix’s head. The band of the crown let out a glossy shine while the gems glistened as they savor the rays of the blistering sun passing through the panes of the stained glass as it set over the horizon of the sea.
The crowd filled with nobility and regular citizens rose from their seats and gave a standing ovation to Phoenix. “Long live the King!” they all chanted, “Long live Raycania!”
While the large assembly acclaimed him, Phoenix sat still on the red pillow resting upon the seat of the throne. His forearms rested upon the red manchette that encased the throne’s golden armrests. A line of thought filled with flustered emotions ran around the walls of his skull. His eyes welled up with tears as he began to weep.
Finally... finally... I’m now... the King, he thought to himself as lines curved around his cheeks.
/***/
A few hours have passed ever since the coronation had come to a close. The sun had already set over the horizon. The bells of the clock tower a few kilometers away from the palace chimed out loud, sending the ringing of the bells in every corner of the city. The stars in the night sky let out a glint of light as they drifted across the cosmos.
A dim light shone over Phoenix’s new bedroom as he rested his head on the wooden surface of his wooden desk. His ever-growing boredom filled his eyes with the void, his mouth drooling with saliva as he becomes lost in his thoughts. A loud snore broke out from his throat.
Man... I miss my barn... this lavish lifestyle is so boring... he thought to himself.
His eyes shut as he began counting sheep in his mind. Suddenly, the fluffy sheep bouncing around his thoughts disappeared into the thin air as two sets of knocks hit on his door. His body flinched as he quickly wiped the drool off his lips; he combed his hair using his fingertips as his posture erect.
“C-c-come in!” he stuttered.
The door creaked as it slid over the floor. A black shoe popped in through the gap between the frame and the door. Nizoro slid himself through and shut the door behind him as he traipsed into the room. He then approached Phoenix. Phoenix’s eyes spotted the single piece of paper his father stuck in between his fingertips. Nizoro dropped the piece of paper atop the glossy surface of the mahogany desk. He leaned his back onto the windowpane right behind him.
Phoenix stared into the eyes of Nizoro then shifted his attention to the piece of paper he had dropped. He lifted it off the table and placed it atop his fingertips. He examined each nook and cranny of the paper, flipping it back and forth. The paper was blank, not even a single drop of ink had touched the paper’s surface.
He turned his head to Nizoro as he lifted a brow. “What is this for? Why is it blank? Is this another one of your dad jokes?” he angled his head to the side.
Nizoro chuckled, “No, son, I won’t tell you that the paper is ‘tear-rable.’” he wiggled his eyebrows, “Now, my dear son, do you recall those stories I told you before your bedtime?”
“Of course I do. You always tell me about the mythics every time we meet before you sent me off to uncle Troy. They’re like the strongest whatever...”
“Well, I said farewell to all but one due to your coronation,” a smug grin curved Nizoro’s lips.
“But... why would you—“
Phoenix’s jaw remained unhinged as a series of flashbacks flashed right before his eyes. Every time a new king has been crowned... we must assemble a group called... the Raycanian Mythics...? Mythics... Mythics...!
He twisted his head back to his father, now wearing the same smug grin he had as well. “I see now...” he snickered.
“You are indeed correct, my dearest son. Now, to whom will you bestow upon the duty that the previous generations had? Old acquaintances of yours, I presume? I do hope that they’re fit enough to become Mythics, unlike somebody your great-grandfather Pink chose...”
Phoenix reached into a drawer from his desk. From inside of it, he pulled out a black fountain pen and patted it on his cheek. “Well, you’re right on the fact that they’re my friends. However, I find it disrespectful of you just to underestimate them. Oh well, I’ll jot down their names for you.
Nizoro chuckled yet again as he crossed both of his arms, “That’s what he said too.”
His pen hovered over the paper resting atop his desk. He lightly shook it before dragging the tip of the pen across the paper, forming names written in perfect cursive. A few moments later, he let the pen rest atop the table and handed over the paper to his father. He patted himself on the back as he placed his feet upon the table.
On the rough surface of the paper, the black ink from the tip of his pen formed into lines that drew three names. Obligous Stabilis, Emerald Ademar, and Ruby Flora Jasper. They were names who were not familiar with Nizoro. Aren’t these three famous in the other regions?
Nizoro turned his head back to Phoenix as he showed the paper to him. He placed his fingertips right below each name as he narrowed his eyes, “Son... may I ask who these three are?”
Phoenix turned his head to his father as a sly grin curved his lips, “Oh, I guarantee you, dad. You’ll really that’s for sure.”
/***/
It was one minute ever since midnight had passed. The bells of the tower continued to chime as the city only grew louder each second. Standing atop of the tower’s ledges was a man. A shade of dark-purple dyed the strands of his silky, short hair. He garbed himself in a grey tee and a white coat similar to a certain someone wore. The long ends of his long, grey scarf waved across the air as the soft, autumn breeze brushed against his soft cheeks, carrying along tiny dewdrops and the scent of a feast filled with a variety of meat, berries, and vegetables.
He lowered his head and looked in envy as intoxicated people danced about on the streets, yelling at the top of their lungs as they mumbled out songs. Fools, all of you. How can you be so blind to the corruption in our Kingdom!? his face distorted into a scowl.
Out of nowhere, whirring came from behind. He glanced over his shoulder and a few inches away from him, a portal covered in a purple tint levitated in the air. Stepping through the portal was a young woman. The same shade of purple the man had dyed the strands of her hair, albeit hers was of a lighter tint. On her hand, she held a clipboard with notes clamped onto it. She stood right beside the man and turned her head towards him.
“So, darling, what’s our plan?” she asked.
The man’s brows furrowed as he looked over to her. He let out a sigh, “I’ve told you before already. All we need to do is distract the King and his allies. Soon enough, we will discover the truth, and our coup for the throne will come to fruition. For now, we lay low.”
“Understood, darling,” she nodded with a smile.
She rotated her body and walked away from the man. She stepped back into the portal and closed it the moment she passed through it. Meanwhile, the man looked over to his shoulder once more and wore a smirk on his face. He soared up into the sky. In his stead, he left behind a single petal of a pink rose.