Crownless King: The Heir of the Forgotten Throne
Chapter 5 – The Oracle's Price
The sky shifted dramatically above them, an unsettling movement that felt profoundly different from the gentle motion of a breeze or the fleeting turbulence of an oncoming storm. Instead, it resembled a living entity, as though the very heavens were drawing in a deep, contemplative breath, turning its celestial gaze upon Kael and Seris.
Kael sensed the palpable change in the atmosphere long before its visual manifestations registered in his mind. A subtle yet insistent weight pressed against his chest, a signature of impending revelations—almost as if the very air around him was suspended in a moment of tension, holding its breath in anticipation of something significant. The crown, which he had secured to his back with a fraying piece of rope, felt increasingly burdensome with each cautious step he took toward the edge of the cliff. A metallic tang of unease filled the air, enhancing his awareness of the path ahead.
Before him, Seris knelt with focused intent beside a stone totem that emanated a faint, almost ethereal glow. Her fingers danced over ancient glyphs etched into its surface, each stroke imbued with respect for the history woven into their meaning.
"We're getting close," she affirmed, her voice a hushed whisper filled with urgency. "The leyline's energy is thinner in this vicinity, which indicates that the vault we seek is likely active and aware of our approach."
Kael raised an eyebrow, skepticism clouding his expression. "You genuinely believe this... oracle figure will assist us in our quest?"
Seris met his gaze with unwavering determination. "I cannot guarantee his cooperation," she replied enunciating each word with deliberate gravity, "but I am confident that he will possess crucial knowledge about your true nature."
The outpost before them presented a ghostly visage, a remnant of antiquity that had succumbed to the ravages of time. It comprised nothing more than crumbling platforms and tortured spires that clung desperately to the underside of a vast, floating ridge. Yet, despite its dilapidated state, there was an undeniable hum of latent power permeating the air, a soft reverberation that echoed like the pulsating rhythm of a heartbeat that refused to cease.
As Kael stepped into the stone circle at the heart of the outpost, every sense suddenly sharpened, and he came to an abrupt halt, frozen in place.
The air around him twisted in an uncanny fashion.
Reality itself seemed to warp and shift.
In one blink, they were traversing a realm of dust and decaying ruins; in the next instant—
They stood before an imposing entrance, a door crafted from an otherworldly fusion of crystal and bone. The surface shimmered, alive with flickering visions that tantalizingly danced just beyond Kael's grasp: cities ablaze, skies ripped asunder, and a darkened throne consumed by shadows that churned like smoke.
"He sees all things that were... and all things that may yet be."
The quiet, chilling voice of the Crownless brushed against the edges of Kael's consciousness like a cobweb spun from dread.
He let out a slow, deliberate breath. "I'm beginning to genuinely dislike it when you do that."
To his surprise, the crystal door opened fluidly, without so much as a whisper of sound.
As they entered, the atmosphere enveloped them, thick and warm, laden with an almost palpable density. Scores of pale candles floated serenely in the air, their flames flickering without movement, casting an otherworldly glow on the surroundings. Dominating the center of this enchanting yet unsettling chamber was a figure seated upon an elaborate throne woven from roots and crystal—a man who was disturbingly devoid of eyes.
Where one would expect to find his eyes, two hollowed sockets pulsed faintly with a silvery mist reminiscent of faraway stars. His skin bore an ethereal, pale-gold hue, etched with intricate runes, while his flowing robes glimmered as if woven from the very fabric of constellations themselves.
"Come forward, Crownless," the oracle beckoned, his voice resonating with an age-old authority.
Kael hesitated for a brief moment, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features. "You know who I am?"
The oracle's response was slow, deliberate. "I know what you carry within you," he replied cryptically. "And I understand what you have the potential to become."
With a cautious step forward, Kael felt his heart thud a rapid rhythm in his chest. His companion Seris remained still at the threshold of the chamber, arms crossed defensively, scanning the shadows with a vigilance that suggested she was prepared for an ambush at any moment.
The oracle tilted his head, an enigmatic expression gracing his features.
"You hear the voice, don't you? The one that speaks in flame and starlight."
Kael stiffened, the reality of the oracle's words settling around him like an unwelcome shroud.
"…Yes," he admitted, apprehension lacing his tone. "I can hear him."
The oracle nodded knowingly. "Then the bond is genuine. You have awakened the Starblood within you. But I must warn you—it is incomplete… and unstable."
Kael lifted his hand instinctively, the runes etched along his skin glowing with an intense light in response to his thoughts. "Is this what you mean?"
"I mean you," the oracle clarified, his gaze unyielding. "The crown does not confer kingship; rather, it reveals the power that lies buried deep within your very essence."
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As Kael advanced further, inquisitiveness mixed with trepidation compelled him to ask, "What exactly is the Crownless? What of the voice? The haunting visions? Am I… truly him?"
"No," came the oracle's soft whisper, almost a gentle admonition. "But you are indeed his echo, a whisper of what once was."
Rising from the throne with an air of both authority and grace, he moved slowly, deliberately.
"The first Crownless was a king who brazenly defied fate itself," he recounted, each word imbued with purpose. "A ruler stripped of throne, bloodline, and any entitlement to power—yet the very skies bowed to his command. The gods trembled at his existence, while the stars waged a relentless battle to erase him from memory."
The oracle leaned closer, his presence both unsettling and magnetic.
"And now, that very essence resides within you," he concluded.
Kael felt a surge of panic wash over him, instinctively recoiling.
"…Why me?" he whispered, his voice barely rising above a breath.
The oracle offered a hint of a smile, one filled with both understanding and sorrow. "Because destiny does not choose the worthy. It chooses those who endure the fires of suffering long enough to emerge transformed."
As a profound silence enveloped them, thick and laden with the weight of ancient truths, Seris took a resolute step forward.
"We need answers," she demanded, her voice firm and unyielding. "What is it that lies ahead for him?"
The oracle shifted his piercing gaze toward her. "Everything."
"Be specific," she pressed, determination etched into her features.
He extended his hand toward the iridescent pool that rested at the base of his throne. Swirling visions erupted from it, taking on form and substance—cloudships ablaze in chaos, the banners of guilds snapping defiantly in the wind, masked soldiers parading ominously across the sky.
"News of the Crownless has spread far and wide," he said somberly, his voice resonating with the gravity of the revelations. "The Ley Guilds, the floating monarchs, the priesthood of the Ninth Flame—they will all converge upon you now."
As Kael's hands clenched tightly into fists, the ember of determination ignited within him. "Then teach me how to stop them," he declared fiercely, the weight of his resolve rising to meet the impending challenges ahead.
The oracle's serene smile dissipated as if it had never existed.
"To fully awaken your dormant powers, you must venture into the depths of the Starvault," he declared, his tone now grave and unyielding.
Kael blinked in disbelief, his mind racing with questions like panicked birds. "Where exactly is this Starvault?" he managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper.
The oracle slowly turned his head, his eyes glinting with an ancient knowledge that seemed both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
"…Beneath Vel'Therin. Directly beneath the very throne of your sworn enemies," he said, his voice heavy with the weight of the revelation.
Seris's eyes widened to the point of near shock; they sparkled with fear and disbelief.
"That's—That's madness! It's suicide," she exclaimed, her voice tinged with urgency and concern.
"It's necessary," the oracle replied, his gaze unwavering, leaving no room for debate.
Kael took a step back, the world around him beginning to spin—his head was filled with chaos.
The blinding visions of power surged within him like a tempest, but so too did the burden of his lineage and the expectations that came with it.
To tread the path forward, he would have to infiltrate the very heart of the empire that had brought ruin to the kings who had once ruled proudly before him.
Yet, deep within the recesses of his soul, something flickered to life. It was a fierce flame that refused to be snuffed out, a spirit that would not concede to fear.
"I will go," he uttered softly, but with a resolute determination that surprised even himself.
Seris stared at him incredulously, her features a portrait of disbelief and desperation. "You're insane, Kael. You can't possibly be serious," she insisted, her voice rising in pitch.
"Perhaps," Kael replied, a trace of a smile ghosting his lips. "But if the entire world is converging upon me—if they're coming to claim me—I want to face it all standing tall and unyielding."
Miles away, in the ethereal floating city of Vel'Therin, a girl clad in sleek black armor stood resolutely atop a high spire, the wind whipping her dark hair around her face like a living shadow.
She gazed upward, her eyes fixated on the ominous red storm billowing across the once-clear sky, a harbinger of change and chaos.
"The Crownless has returned," she whispered to herself, the words dripping with a potent mix of dread and anticipation. "And this time… I will end him before he has the chance to claim his throne."
To be continued...