The Heart of Illumia

CHAPTER ONE

Illumia, a kingdom filled with mystics, might and magic.  It was a world filled with brilliant light and seemingly goodness seeps through its walls.  Most of the environment around the kingdom was filled with trees with their barks glowing and their fruits sparkling under the sunlight.  The flowers were seemingly giggling as the breeze passes through.  It was truly a place of magic. 

            Its people were divided into sections.  Each section has their own quadrant and they are allowed to roam their own quadrant but they should not step out of their quadrant unless it is deemed important by the council of elders. The elders created these sections to monitor the development of each and to ensure peace within the kingdom. They are warriors, mages, priests and hunters.  Each has their own specialty and each are peaceful in their own right.  Of course, where there is light, darkness cannot completely be dispelled.  In the dark recesses of Virui mountains, there resides the hisui or the dark forces that were dispelled from Earth.  The death of Queen Andromeda upon her return to Illumia has been passed down from each of the inhabitants and became almost a legend.  Even though her return brought those evil shadows with her, the return of the knights of Illumia, the Illuvians, was embraced by the whole kingdom as the greatest gift to all Illumians.  The legendary knights went out of their way to find the members of the hisui and send them further into the Virui mountains.

            In the heart of this kingdom stands the majestic castle of Durin.  Its king was the father of Queen Andromeda, King Lucius.  It was believed that he personally trained the Illuvians before they were tasked to accompany the queen when she married King Nadim.  His powers extend beyond the quadrants and it was no simple feat to create a base of command where all sections are welcome to be assisted by the king himself.  It was no simple castle.  It was fortified with illum, the strongest mineral in the kingdom and the one used in all types of weaponry.  It is also the situated on top of a hill where it seemingly overlooks the quadrants, its luscious trees surrounding the lands.  The warriors have their homes there as they swore to protect their king, the largest house belonging to Leo, the Illuvians’ general.  All sections are welcome to enter these lands, even those who belong to the hisui when they are banished from the mountains.  It was certainly a land full of promise.

            A young girl dashed at the streets of the marketplace, her hair braided in two and her green eyes alight with mischief.  She was dressed in a simple yellow dress, with her brown boots thudding on the pavement.  A couple of warriors were seemingly hot on her heels.

            “Princess, come on.  Stop running!”  Leo could feel his cheeks forming a blush.  The women around them, young and old alike, were openly laughing at how he and his men kept on running after the little princess.  Sometimes it scored their pride that such a little girl can wrap them around their finger but just one look from the little girl was enough to melt their hearts.  Truly, she was the queen’s daughter.

            The little runt was running away from her scheduled lessons.  Once she found an escape route, she immediately ran away from her onerous teacher albeit she would have been justified to run away from the tutor.  After seeing the woman, Leo admitted that even he would turn tail and run the other way.

            The girl giggled as she sped up.  Ever since she started her training on the elements, she has been using what she learned to escape.  Like her mother, she can summon the wind and fire but she was mostly in tune with the wind.  She would use it to flip the knights during training or flip the curtains off the walls.  Of course, the king would only smile indulgently.  He would rarely scold the little brat but Leo remained adamant in teaching the little princess proper decorum.    He made a promise to the queen so he will do all that he can to educate the princess.

            When the princess rounded the corner, Leo determinedly stepped up.  Using his ability to call upon the wind, he landed himself in front of the princess.  She squeaked and instinctively waved her hand out to fling off Leo but he used the same technique to create a shield.  He then grabbed onto her arm.

            “Gotcha!”  He smirked before flinging the little girl onto his shoulder.

            “Uncle Leo, you’re no fun.”  The little girl had the audacity to pout at him, her crimson lips puckered in annoyance but her eyes remained mischievous.

            “Lessons are lessons, little princess.  I promised your mother that you will learn everything that she had learned and I keep my promises.  You need to learn patience and perseverance.”  Leo replied while keeping a firm grip onto the little girl.  She was quite thin for a princess but she was already blossoming into what she would become in the future.

            “But I don’t get to play.  I don’t even know how many kids are there outside the castle walls.”  Princess Auria complained and whined while making herself comfortable on the knight’s shoulder.  The people bowed their heads as they passed, some smirking at the panting knights who were trying to catch their breath.  Others were in awe at the young queen-to-be, her flawless beauty something that they had not expected from one so young.

            “I see you have caught the little heathen.”  King Lucius muttered as he saw the way the knights were carrying the little princess.  He was currently walking towards his office with the council members following at his heels.  He focused his gaze on his granddaughter before fixing Leo with his stare.

            “We will be having visiting dignitaries tonight.  I hope you and your knights are prepared to welcome them.”

            Leo bowed before the king.

            “Yes, all preparations have been made.  Rest assured security will be our utmost concern.”  Leo then placed the young girl down but still held her hand in his.  The council members eyed the little princess in interest but King Lucius moved to block them.

            “Good.  I expect no less from my Illuvian General.  See to it my granddaughter is fully occupied before you join me in my chambers.”  With a wave, the king walked away with his entourage.  Leo looked on until the king was no longer in sight.  He then transferred his gaze to the little troublemaker.

            “You heard your grandfather, violet.  You’d best get a move on your studies or he will get very angry.”

            The little girl sighed in resignation.

            “Okay, okay.  For you, Uncle Leo.  I don’t want you to get into grandda’s bad books.”  She muttered before letting go of the knight’s hand.  She stomped towards her room where her tutor was there, her handmaids appearing out of the woodwork and scurrying to follow the princess.  Leo smirked.  Even if she likes to make mischief, she has been groomed to follow instruction and keep herself in check.  He made sure of that.

            “Call the lieutenants.  I need to speak with them before I meet with the king.”  He instructed the knights who were with him.  Each made their own way in different directions.