The Ocean Hearth (A "Hymns of Evermorn" Story) by Lionelson NY
Chapter 6: The Visitiation

“Open the gates!”

Upon the order of the captain, standing above the stone walls of Eleazar, the large, wooden gate entrance was opened. Thus, in came a troop of six starbornes, riding majestic grey bears as big as a stallion. They wore coarse black cloaks, hooded from their heads and flowing down to their ankles. It hid their light blue skin from the sun as well as concealing their leathered attire beneath. They carried their bows on their backs. Their quill of arrows and sheathed sword dangled from their saddles.

“Milady” a guard approached a huntress. “The king requests that no weapons shall be allowed into the city”

The lady was silent and just signalled the guard to take it himself. So the other guards came and took away the arrows and swords from the rest of them and kept them at the entrance storage.

“Thank you, milady. Please follow our men and they will escort you to the Royal Castle. The king will see you in his throne room”

Upon the order, two soldiers on horseback whipped their steed as they led the starbornes into the city. And so the starbornes followed without muttering a single word, silent as ghosts. And just like ghosts, they left the guards feeling eerie.

As they rode through town, many gave them curious stares. From butchers to bakers, from gold merchants to blacksmiths, all were awestruck to see starbornes perhaps for the first time in years. Some shops even closed up immediately at the sight of cloaked women on wild beasts. Meanwhile the children gathered by the streets to see the bears parading by, but one by one their worried parents took them away.

Passing through the marketplace, they’ve finally reached the castle walls. The huntresses gazed at the marvellous castle. Rays of sunlight bounced off its gleaming marble finish. They saw the man-made waterfalls on its sides which flows down to the streams below. But they were disgusted by the irony of creating beauty out of exploitation.

Upon the request of their escorts, the castle gates were opened. So they entered through it and into the castle’s yard.

“You may tie your beasts to those posts” one of their escorts said. But then his friend neared him.

“Are you sure those bears won’t just break it? They need a cage!” his friend whispered. They looked at the grey furred carnivores again. Their ivory were showing. Even the sound of their breath was terrifying!

“They do not need ropes or cages, human.” One of the huntresses spoke up. “They are a loyal but free creatures”

She jumped down from her bear and placed her head against his. Harmonizing her breath to the bear’s, she caressed its chin while she whispered into its ear. She pointed to the post and the bear gently stepped towards it and lied there. Then the rest of the huntresses did the same. Next thing they knew, all the bears were sitting and lying at their posts without even a sound.

The guards only looked at each other, astounded.

“Very well then…Follow me” he said. Then he turned to his friend and whispered “Get a few other men and make sure those beasts don’t make trouble”

So he led the huntresses into the castle, traversing through stony corridors and into the throne room. And there, the proud King Velron was sitting on his golden throne, illuminated by sunlight that passed through the stained glass windows. Windows which display nothing more than images of false gods in the eyes of the starbornes. His ministers sat in a row on his right. And at the foot of the pyramid stage that the king was mounted on was the master of ceremony, vested in dark brown.

“Fellow Dalharians, you are now in the presence of the Great King Velron Allistair. Lord of Eleazar and patron of Evermorn. Revere now in his glory, the King!” the man in brown announced as he turned and kneeled towards the king. Then all the other guards and ministers kneeled as well. But the starbornes did not kneel at all.

“To whom am I addressing today?” Velron asked, frustrated to see the starbornes’ refusal to pay him homage.

One huntress walked up and pulled back her hood, revealing her turquoise complexion with her face inscribed with Dalharian words. Her violet hair tied to her back. Her deep black eyes expressed nothing less than vengeance.

“I am Laia of Dalhar, Daughter of Erna and head huntress of the Sye’rah. I come to represent my Ashosh Ma’al and Tarsya Raenna”

“I suppose your old king is too much of a coward to come here himself”

“My king is busy rebuilding the city that you destroyed”

“Ah yes! Of course, how could I be so insensitive” he smirked. “And I suppose he sent you here to negotiate the terms of your surrender.”

“On the contrary, King Velron, he sent me to discuss the terms of peace between our two nations.”

“Peace?” the king shrugged “You speak as though our races are equal.”

Laia kept quiet. The king only smiled and shook his head as he continued.

“What is the proposition of your king?” he said.

Laia pulled out a scroll out her cloak and gave it to the master of ceremony. Then he delivered it to Velron. The king opened the seal and read it.

“Provide us the necessary compensation for the damages…mourning…if so, Dalhar will vow not to retaliate…” he muttered. Then he laughed and crumpled the scroll as he threw it on the floor! “You do not have the right to request compensation. I have made my move against your city and your city suffered its loss. Your choice right now is either to fight back, which will not end well for you considering you’re low on resources, or…surrender your land.”

Laia was clenching her fist so tight beneath the cloak. If she could, she would just climb up the pyramid and slice his throat. But she gained repose and took a deep breath.

“If I may ask, your highness.” She said. “Why the sudden interest in our city? 34 years of being neighbours with us, never once did your predecessors defiled our mutual respect for one another.”

“Because they were un-revolutionary!” He stood up. “Those royalties think gold is the most precious stone to mine and so they pile up their vaults with it. They’ve even took a whole dynasty and named it the Age of Gold! But perhaps I was the only one who realized how functionless gold is. How it’s nothing but a piece of metal”

The king caressed the golden arm rest of his throne. He observed how carefully it was crafted. Every curve and angle was designed to have meaning. Every jewel placed and image carved symbolized their Rodenian heritage. But it never was his desire. He looked above where his prized regalia once was, now left empty. He continued.

“My endeavour for power compels me to do what I did, head huntress. I need a resource far superior to gold. One which holds power in itself.” He stated. Then it came to Laia what he meant.

“The Terazine ores?”

“Yes. Those precious, glimmering Terazine ores”

“Then you should’ve thought about that before you shortened our supply of Galaviere. The ores are nothing without its power source and you’ve taken that away from us.”

“You could always make more. And I could always wait another dozen years. So here is my proposition, Lady Laia.” The king said. “Request that your Ashosh surrenders his throne. Then make every Dalharian, Sye’rah and common folk alike, pledge their allegiance to me. And I will send you gifts of men and resources so you can rebuild your city with ease to its once glorious light!”

Laia was furious! Seeing that the king had no intention of peace whatsoever, she pulled out another scroll from her cloak.

“Then here is another proposition for you, King Velron.” She handed out the scroll to the master of ceremony again. “My Ashosh believes that you are as honourable as your brother, King Varthas of Rodenheim. So he requested that you allow a month for Dalhar to mourn and rebuild. Then we can have the war you so deeply desire.”

But the king only smirked at the request.

“Your people know nothing of war, don’t you?” he grinned. “Seize them!”

Immediately, all the knights in the room drew out their swords against the starbornes and surrounded them. But the starbornes were not even surprised of this. In fact, it was anticipated.

“Vas kin na, an maharaesh!” Laia shouted out loud. Then all the huntresses took on their battle stance; one foot in front of the other in a crouching position.

The knights prepared to pierce with their swords but the starbornes didn’t seem to move. Suddenly, from outside the hall they could hear vicious growls and painful screaming accompanied by the sound of trampled glass and wood. The knights start to shake as fear filled their chest. When out of a sudden, the six giant bears stormed into the room!

They crashed and toppled the men like twigs! The men screamed as they were devoured by the beasts. The huntresses then jumped onto the saddles of their bears and grabbed the knights’ swords and fought back.

Laia led her huntresses in battle. The bears pummelled all the iron-cladded men as the huntresses sliced, stabbed and pierced!

The ministers quickly left the throne room through the back entrance while the king was still staggered to see the bloodshed in his chambers. But just as the huntresses thought they were winning, more men came with crossbows and spears.

From afar they shot their arrows into their beasts’ hearts and skulls. One by one they collapsed. Although the starbornes killed a considerable number of men, they were outnumbered by the hundred. But the starbornes were fast and agile. They could dodge the arrows and spears, and even hide in the blind spots of their enemies, mid-battle. Alas, two sister was shot, another one was speared, another one stabbed and an unfortunate one had her chest spliced open. All their bears suffered multiple arrows to their flesh and collapsed.

And just like that, only Laia was left. She took off her cloak, revealing a sleeveless leather attire that went down to her ankles. She threw down her sword which she took from a knight then pulled out a dagger that she hid on the side of her thighs. Swiftly, she evaded the arrows and slaughtered the knights that neared her. The dagger gave her immense speed and power! It made her kill another ten men. If she had turned herself invisible, she could’ve killed twenty more. But the spell could only conjured in the night.

Then as she saw the king was left unguarded by his throne, she raced towards him, climbing up the pyramid! But suddenly a huge knight tackled her from the side until she tumbled down the stairs. All the men quickly grabbed her and tied her in chains. They pushed her down to her knees as a knight lifted up his sword, ready to decapitate. Laia could only force her eyes shut, preparing for the worst.

But just as the knight was about to swing his sword through Laia’s neck, Velron yelled out the order to halt!

The knight immediately stabbed his sword down into the tiles and knelt down towards the king. He bowed his head as the king stepped down from the pyramid. And just like that, all the commotion became pure silence. Although, the dusts of battle still floated in the air.

The king slowly walked down towards the chain-bound Laia. The sound of his boots on the golden pedestal could be heard across the room. Approaching Laia, he lifted her chin and looked at her blue face, breathing fast in frustration. As he gazed into her deep black eyes, he could see it was full of rage and bloodlust.

The angry king growled as he slapped her cheek hard! But it made Laia angrier as she grunted and struggled to get her hands on Velron.

“Send her to the dungeons” he mumbled. “We shall execute her tomorrow with that thief. The Kingdom needs to see what happens to those who oppose me!”

He then stormed off the throne room as Laia was dragged away to the dark catacombs.