Prologue
A couple stood in a throne room, filled with red, gold and false luxuries. The tapestries and rugs that were once opulent show wear. In the middle of the room, directly in front of them, a throne stood, carved with beautiful and intricate designs. On it, a tired man sat, skillfully feigning confidence and fiery energy. Only his sunken eyes betrayed his weariness. His robes and clothes were clearly once an extravagance, but now they hung loosely, reflecting recent hardships. His crown laid on his head as if it were the world. He took a deep breath, steeled himself, and straightened. He continued speaking to the couple.
“Well, you two know your responsibilities. On the other side, the door must remain uncovered or it will be useless. Portals have to be visible. Once you leave us, it will disappear on our side. You will not be able to find it again, so you better take everyone with you when you depart,” the man paused, and described where they were going one last time.
The couple listened guardedly. The woman tensed at his words, but she threw her shoulders back, her strawberry blonde ponytail whipping back into place. Her determination glinted in her hazel eyes, despite her anxiety at being away from home. Behind her back, her knuckles turned white. The man next to her, her husband, glanced at her, his eyes tightening slightly in concern. He hated seeing her distress, even though he knew she was more than capable of handling this mission.. He tried to relax, and turned his attention back to the man on the throne as he continued to speak.
“ Everything I just told is vital. I expect you to already have it memorized,” the king of the merchant country declared, betraying his arrogance, and sliding his hand through his short, coppery locks.
“Your royal highness, it will be done,” the man said confidently, almost arrogantly. He added under his breath, “I wish it didn’t have to be Earth.”
“You remember what to do, correct?” The king graciously ignored the comment and moved on with his final instructions. “When the time comes, I don’t want you to forget. Raise them well. Your control over them is the key to our success. When you get them, supplies will be waiting outside the Eastern Fevirar Forest. Go, my vassals. What you do after this is crucial to the success of your country and your king. ” And with that, and a wave of his hand and a break of his heart, he dismissed the one and only love of his life.
