Dawn Of The Shadows - Part 1

Chapter 2

         When they reached the palace grounds Their grandmother was already in the front garden waiting for them. "Thank Emris you two are fine. We have to meet the king, NOW!" Luna and Helene sensed that something very sinister had happened. Because if their grandmother herself came to greet them, then all hell had broken loose for sure.

They quietly went in with their grandmother who was now dashing towards the king's private study. "What's going on Luna?" Luna heard her cousin's question through the link. "Well, we are about to find out hells.'' In no time they were in front of the king's study.

Luna and Helene's parents and also the king were present in the study. "Mage Luna, Mage Helene is Lilian with you by any chance?" the king had a nervous shrill to his voice. "No, your grace, me and Helene were on duty." Luna was confused as to why the king was asking about the princess from her and Helene. Yes, the princess and the two cousins were very close to each other. But the princess was prohibited from going out of the palace grounds due to the increase of the beasts. "Your grace, we would never take the princess out of the palace no matter how many times she begs us to do so," Helene said while looking at Luna and the king. "THEN HOW COME SHE IS MISSING?" This was the first time Luna and Helene saw the king this angry. And the fact that the princess was missing on the day her courting ceremony was announced the two cousins only had one hunch but they did not dare to utter it out loud. "Did she perhaps runway with the yellow hood guy?" Helene asked from Luna. "thought the same thing but that is highly unlikely to happen. She would never leave without saying goodbye hells"; "yeah you are right." There was nothing the two mages could say. So they stayed silent until something happened. " your majesty! Your majesty! My apologies for interrupting your meeting! But the trading tunnel is blocked out. There is no way in, no way out." The fear in the soldier's voice just made the room's air more thicker. "WHAT?" was the only thing the king said as he went to check the tunnels himself, others following closer behind.

The tunnels were created many centuries ago by Emris and Draven after the outbreak of the demons. It was created by powerful spells protecting it from any harm caused by the demons. The kingdom of Otos and the kingdom of Viltarin were linked through the tunnels for mostly trading and traveling through the two kingdoms. The huge tunnel leads three passageways one for the Otos harbor, one for Viltarin and one near the no man's land. The no man's land tunnel was closed by the king decades ago and the harbor is under maintenance so only a few authorized people could enter it. The tunnel leading to Viltarin was fully ruined and the tunnel leading to the harbor was also ruined as if to cover up the correct passageway. This could only mean one thing. Everyone who was in the study knew it. Princess Lilian of Otos have been kidnapped. " Everyone except the mages LEAVE!" no one dared to question the king as everyone left the sight. "I am one of the most powerful kings to ever exist in this century. And I could not protect my own daughter...'' The calmness of the voice was lethal that a mere word uttered by anyone would make the king behead them. "Luna, Helene checks if it is the so-called shadow prince who took Lilian." "yes your grace" and just like that they started investigating. After a through search for signs of the shadow prince, they both went to the king. "Your grace, it was certainly not the shadow prince. If he was the one he would have made sure to leave a black rose." Luna said while Helene took her place by her side. "My king, I think I can clarify our doubts about the Viltarin kingdom. I found this near the princess's quarters" handing the king an emblem of a raven. She saw the growing fury inside the king's pale blue eyes. "How could they betray us! And to the extent of taking my own daughter?!!"

" I'm not going to tolerate this at all. But nor can I put my people in danger. I gave them hope something look up for... I can't take it away this fast....." The king was pacing around the tunnel thinking what he can do to get the princess back to safety." Mage Luna ,mage Helene I want you two to go on a secret mission... I need you two to go to Viltarin and get my daughter back." As the king uttered those words silent gasps went through the mothers of the young mages. Since the tunnel has been ruined by the captures, the only way to Viltarin was simply through the no man's land, where there are no barriers just monsters roaming around freely and worst of it all, where the malevolent 7 rumored to lay. The two mages only knew within the king's border and even though the parents knew they were immaculate warriors they possibly couldn't let their children go to the Draven's den just like that." But my king, do the children have to go? We will go to Viltarin and bring the prin_"; "there is nothing to talk about the matter Theodora. I want Luna and Helene to do this. And do not even try to question your king any further." Ignoring the pleading look in his friend's eyes the king went back to the palace without even glancing back at his loyal subjects.