Cedric eyed the setting sun over the horizon, a cool breeze stirring his hair. His lids were heavy, as they always were. If he allowed himself to sit down he would certainly fall asleep, so he stood, leaning against the balcony’s railing and drinking in the rapidly cooling night air. He longed for rest, but it was not becoming for men like him. Again he found his mind drifting to his father. The former king made it look so easy. Even under his failing health, his shoulders always seemed broad enough to hold up the weight of the kingdom and her people.

Cedric yearned for his father’s wisdom, something he had brushed off too easily when he was young. Had he had an inkling of what was to come, he would have filled scores of tomes with every word his father spoke. Alas, he had no such luxury. He was brash in his youth, declaring himself a man of action rather than words. His father’s slow and methodical approach frustrated him to no end. Now, he could only wish for more time to think. His kingdom was crumbling, a pristine skin around a rotting fruit, and worse yet, he did not know how to save his people or protect the legacy his father had left behind.

“Those damned bastards,” he muttered.

“Are you thinking of your father again?” a voice behind him asked. He did not bother looking over his shoulder. It was a voice he could recognize in a warzone.

“I did not send for you,” he responded, more harshly than he had intended.

“And yet, I am here,” Aeliana said. She stepped closer to him, and put an arm over his shoulder. “He was a good man. You have that in common with him.”

“If only we had seen them plotting in time,” Cedric said, burying his face in his hands. Aeliana released her hug, positioning herself to take in the same view that the king saw.

“If we had, we would have likely joined your father in the crypt,” Aeliana said. “None of us truly understood what we were facing, or how far our actions would ripple, but I think we did as well as could be expected of us.”

“I still think Eldrin should devote his time to the temporal arts,” Cedric mumbled. “If we could turn the hands of the clock back, we would not be in such a difficult position.”

“Cedric, come now,” Aeliana scoffed, rolling her eyes. “That was a child’s fantasy from decades ago. The past is gone, forever slipped between our fingers. If you keep grasping for it, you will lose everything you have in your hands now.” Cedric did not respond to this. “What happened today? You are not usually this dour.”

“An encampment near the Nexus Wastes was burnt to ash,” Cedric said, his eyes locked on his own hands. “Their relief found the site charred and scavenged. There were no reported survivors.” Aeliana’s breath caught in her throat as she took in the news.

“Have the Rokeans truly become this bold?” she asked. In response, Cedric could only muster a faint nod. A heavy silence fell over them as each lost themselves within their thoughts. Aeliana said a silent prayer to the fallen soldiers, bidding their souls freedom and peace on their way to life thereafter. The silence continued until the sun had completed its descent, and the stars had begun shining through. As if the emerging constellations heralded them, Eldrin and Hadrian swung open the balcony doors, their cheerful conversation immediately colliding with the dreary mood that had settled quite comfortably outside.

“I sense we have come here for very different reasons,” Eldrin said, placing the bottle of wine he was carrying down on the small stone table. Roland followed suit with four glasses.

“Be that as it may, both reasons seem to warrant some drink,” Cedric said, picking up the bottle. He bit down on the cork to pull it free, spitting it over the railing of the balcony, an action he always did when he intended to finish a bottle. He began pouring the wine with a heavy hand. “Please, tell me you come bearing good news.”

“I do,” Hadrian said, puffing up his chest with some pride. “It seems my charge has something we have been looking for for a very long time.”

“The boy’s physical strength is impressive,” Eldrin confirmed, picking up one of the glasses and savouring the aroma of the wine that swirled around inside.

“Indeed, but I was not referring to his strength,” Hadrian said, taking a glass of his own and sitting in his usual spot. “Roland has grit. Far more than I had at his age. I think we have the makings of a fine warrior and a powerful leader on our hands, and with his modest upbringing he could stand as a beacon for the commoners, bolstering their pride in our kingdom.”

“He must be truly impressive for you to speak so highly of him,” Cedric noted with raised eyebrows.

“He is, but I dare say my ward will have him beat,” Eldrin said, giving Hadrian a smirk.

“Has Aldric relearned his magic?” Aeliana asked, a glimmer of hope shining in her eyes.

“No,” Eldrin said bluntly, shattering her momentary reprieve. “He drank up the theory like a sponge, but when it came to casting even the simplest of spells I could not draw even a flicker of mana from his kiln.”

“Then what makes you think he could have Roland beat?” Hadrian asked, his tone mocking, but with an undeniable undertone of curiosity.

“The same reason you think Roland is stronger,” Eldrin explained. “In Aldric’s eyes, I see determination that drives most men to insanity. The boy is a lightning storm on legs. If I direct him properly, he will become the most powerful sorcerer we have ever recorded, and by a significant margin.”

“That leaves Seraphina,” Aeliana said, failing to match the excited pride in Eldrin and Hadrian’s voices.

“I was under the impression that she had progressed during the tournament,” Eldrin noted, prodding for further details.

“Yes, but try as I might I have not been able to replicate it,” Aeliana said. “What happened in that arena was… it was a truly unique event. These three children are each special. Between them, they hold untold power, and we inadvertently put them in a boiling pot together.”

“Do you fear them, Aeliana?” Cedric asked, pouring more wine into his nearly emptied glass.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“I fear for them, Cedric,” Aeliana said, scowling. “We have placed the hopes of our kingdom on their shoulders, and we have not even told them what we expect of them.”

“If we do that, they will buckle,” Eldrin said. “They are not in a position to handle that weight on their shoulders. They need time to adjust to their new positions.”

“We might not have the luxury of time,” Cedric muttered. His voice was quiet, his tone still, and yet it commanded the balcony immediately. The air itself seemed to shift in accordance with his words, growing colder, the occasional gusts sharpening their teeth.

“Cedric, what is weighing on you so?” Hadrian asked, placing a hand on Cedric’s shoulder.

“I already informed Aeliana, a squadron near the Nexus Wastes was attacked,” Cedric said, unable to meet Hadrian’s eyes. “We do not know of any survivors.” Hadrian's eyes narrowed, his entire demeanour shifting. “You were busy with your duties as an instructor, so the report came directly to me.”

“Those animals,” Hadrian growled. “Cedric, I can not keep wasting away in this castle. I need to be there.”

“No, you do not,” Cedric said, his authority absolute. “I need you here.”

“There are a dozen men all eager to take my station from me,” Hadrian retorted. “Any one of them could fill my post and serve this kingdom.”

“Yes, they could,” Cedric said, nearly a whisper. “And they would do it admirably, but you misunderstood me, Hadrian. The kingdom does not need you here. I do.”

“Cedric is right,” Aeliana affirmed. “The four of us are balancing the kingdom’s future between our hands, and we are barely keeping it from tipping.”

“We can not keep fighting fires as they appear,” Hadrian said. “We are one bad day away from everything falling apart.”

“And what do you suggest we do?” Eldrin asked, letting his head fall back against the wall. “We are beset by enemies on all sides. Even our internal affairs are working against us. The Legion, the Merchant’s Assembly, all of them are vying for more influence and power, and the court can do little to stop them.”

“We need to be proactive,” Hadrian insisted.

“The best way to fight a plague is to prevent it,” Aeliana agreed.

“It is too late for that!” Cedric barked, silencing their arguing. “Do you not see that the kingdom is already festering? And since my father’s passing the stench has only grown worse.” He collapsed into his seat, his head falling between his knees. His voice caught in his throat as he spoke again. “My home is sick, and I can do nothing but watch it die, just like…” His words died on his tongue, his mountain of will crumbling under the weight of his burdens. It was enough to make him fall apart, but he was held together, not by the power of his own spirit, but by the three pairs of hands, two resting on each of his shoulders, and one taking his own. He looked up into Eldrin’s eyes, who was kneeling before him.

“Cedric, we have failed many times in our lives. The number of times Hadrian and I should have died is numbered in scores and the only reason the two of us still have the privilege of drawing breath is because of your leadership. Without you, our home would have fallen into anarchy and civil war a long time ago. It is solely because of you that we have made it here, where the smallest glimmer of hope can shine in the darkness, and it will be under your rule that we greet whatever future that hope can buy us. If the kingdom is to burn, it will do so proudly flying your banner, until its very last moment.”

“I do not wish to lead you into darkness, Eldrin,” Cedric muttered.

“Even if you did, we would still follow you,” Eldrin responded. Cedric shook his head, a smile cracking the sorrow and stress caked on his face. He stood and put his arms around Eldrin.

“Thank you, Archmage,” he said. His burdens felt no lighter, but he was reminded that they did not rest solely on his shoulders.

“You are welcome, your Highness,” Eldrin responded, returning the hug.

“I know you three are right,” Cedric said, taking a step back and collecting himself. “We can not let things stand as they are. We have been pushed into a corner, and there might be only one way out.”

“And what might that be?” Aeliana asked, smiling at Cedric’s improved mood.

“We break down a wall,” Cedric said, returning her smile with a smirk of his own. “We need those children to grow into their roles quickly, but it will still take time. In the meantime, it would be wise for us to set the stage for their debut.”

“I have received favourable recruitment reports from all over the country,” Hadrian said. “If we can last long enough, we will have a reasonable standing army by then.”

“That is the greatest news I have received in weeks,” Cedric said, clapping Hadrian on the back.

“I still have some sway in the darker corners of the kingdom,” Eldrin added. “Information is the greatest power there is. If I trade in some favours I can get us a steady stream of information at a reasonable price.”

“And why, pray tell, have you not done so already?” Hadrian asked.

“Because certain members of this court do not like it when I make deals with less than reputable members of society,” Eldrin responded, locking eyes with Aeliana.

“And I still do not,” she said. “But these are dire times. As long as you keep it reasonable. I do not want you signing contracts with murderers or Gears.”

“Come now, Aeliana,” Eldrin scoffed. “As if a single one of the Gears of the Axiom would breathe the same air as this kingdom’s Archmage.”

“Build up your information network,” Cedric said, trying to get the discussion back on track. “I will allocate more funds towards our arcane research. You are free to… distribute those funds however you see fit.”

“And what shall I do?” Aeliana asked, crossing her arms. She did not like being sidelined, but her position in the church often meant that while she was privy to all these dealings, she was rarely involved.

“We need the Church to bolster morale, especially to the North,” Hadrian said. “People need to keep their hope. As long as they have that, they will continue to fight.”

“I will do what I can,” Aeliana said, casting her eyes down.

“I am also authorizing you to delegate all of your work, except for the Saint’s training,” Cedric said. “We need her to make a breakthrough, and soon.”

“I am out of ideas for her,” Aelaina sneered. “Were it not for the tournament I would have been certain that we had made a mistake granting her the title of Saint.” She took a breath, and her expression softened. “The poor girl works herself to the bone at my behest, and she never sees any results. I worry for her soul. She surely feels like a failure, and I do not know how to show her what I can see in her.”

“She has persevered through much,” Hadrian said, looking to the sky. It was almost completely dark now. “She is stronger than you think, but sometimes you must try a gentle hand when a firm one does not work. Let her taste the carrot, not just the stick.”

Aeliana considered his words. She had wanted to show her ward kindness and care, but with the weight of the entire Church on her shoulders, she never found the time or the patience. By now, she was sure that Seraphina hated her, and for very good reason. She had strong doubts that she could repair the damage that she had done to their relationship, but now that Cedric had freed her from many of her duties, she wanted to try. Finishing off her glass of wine, she stood and headed for the door.

“You boys should take care not to stay out too late,” she called over her shoulder. “It would be a shame for any of you to fall ill.”

“We know you would cure us,” Eldrin said.

“Maybe them, but I would let you suffer,” she shot back, giving Eldrin a devilish smirk. Her mood, and it seemed the moods of the others, was significantly better than it had been only an hour prior. She closed the door, hoping they would not stay out there till too late. Each of them had a lot more work to do.