Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 457: House of el (1)

ARAKATH

THE KING PALACE

The light of the shining moss lights the halls of the grand palace of Arakath. The wind sometimes blows bringing cold air from the outside, as the moon shines brightly up there in the sky.

A man can be seen walking on the Oval Courtyard, one of the many courtyards in the King palace. 

He is calm and he can be seen walking with poise and dignity. The guards that see this man all bowed in reverence and respect.

He then walks to the Gallery of Sariel which connect the King other buildings with the Chapel, decorated with colorful frescoes and a painting of illuminated stars on top of the ceilings.

He stops for a while. He admires the painting like he is on a sightseeing tour. The man sighed.

'Arathorne is waiting for me' he reminded himself and he walk again.

There is also countless of statues that could be seen decorating the gallery; each one was an exquisite work of art since the beginning of Arakath. 

The man smiles. 

A few years ago, to commemorate the safety of her wife, he has commissioned an architect from the dwarves to build the Palace of Eternal Calm on the eastern part of this Palace which follows the style of Arrandy but also preserving the old style of the building while incorporating the Arrandian style of architecture.

This beautiful architecture combines the best of both worlds, a mixture of human culture and demons

Then the man walks to the ballroom. 

In it were the bard gallery, and a carved fireplace. 

It is a monumental fireplace, decorated with bronze statues originally copied from classical statues in the ancient kingdoms of the past.

The ballroom was originally begun as an open passageway. 

In about the time of his great grandfather reign he closed it with high windows and an ornate coffered ceiling, and transformed it into a room for celebrations and balls. 

The 'symbol EL', the symbol of the royal family, is prominent in the decor.

The frescoes on the walls and pillars were painted by the famous elf Daruwin Frozentime.

On the garden side of the ballroom there is a fresco that represents the Goddess of Harvest, a field that is surrounded by bountiful harvest, The Fire God forging weapons for the Goddess of Love, Hector begging the Sun God to ride his chariots and three Winged Furies in the home of Demon Lord Rael.

The frescoes on the side of the Oval Courtyard represent: The feast of the Horned God with his Companions, The God of Art and his maidens on top of Mount Burning Dawn, and the Three Wise Men from the Sea coming out from the sea water to the Demon Lord to issue a warning, and the wedding feast of him and his wife. 

Seeing that, he smiles looking at such beautiful art.

He then keeps walking to the Room of the Guards. It is located just next to the royal bedchambers.

It has a vaulted ceiling and a frieze of military trophies attributed to past demon lords that occupied the throne.

There is also a bust of Gabriel the Fifth that conquered the Davarus continent and Mikhail the Second who crushed a rebellion of the Orcs who marched to Arakath with their large Horde during the time of their Great Cahan, Rang Hur Erhan, the Great Cahan of the Great Golden Horde of Orc.

These two figures are on either side of the fireplace. And then the man climbs the stairs also known as The Stair of Reflection

The upper portion of the walls is divided into panels, oval and rectangular, with scenes representing the love life of Levitia the Great Avenger. 

The paintings are framed by large statues of women by the great architect of dwarves. Then finally he arrived at the Council chamber.

It was close to his throne room. But he visited the Queen before which is why he take such a detour. 

He is always happy each time he spend time with his Queen.

This man is none other than the King of Arakath, The Ruler of Anvali, Protector of the Eight Realms, King Azrael Mournstar.

He pushes down the door and enters. It was decorated with painted wooden panels showing the virtues and the heroes of antiquity. 

It also shows the allegories of the seasons and the elements, painted by Jean Batiste Pierre a Vanguan artist that chance upon this land by a merchant ship of the Vermont's.

He was a talented artist and architect.

The five paintings on the vaulted ceiling were the work of another Vanguan artist, Francois Voult, and it show the seasons and the sun beginning his journey and chasing away the night. 

Azrael look and see one man is waiting for him. The man is sitting in one of the chairs. His face is hard. 

There is something bothering him. The man did not get up from his seat neither did he offer any salutations. 

The man is Orcol Arathorne the head of the House of Arathorne one of the heavenly Noble Protector.

'My King, you are late.' The man said, a tinge of nervousness in his tone of voice. But not nervous of him. 

He is nervous about something else Azrael mused. 

'I did not think your worries warrant a visit in the night, Lord Orcol' Azrael reply calmly. 

If it was any other man Azrael would have ignored the summons but it is an Arathorne that summons him. 

One of the head of the family of one of the four Heavenly Noble protector

He needs to give some face.

'My matter concerns the safety of our homeland. My worries warrant a visit in the night, my liege.'

'Hmm, that is for me to decide.' Azrael sighed.

Of all the four family Arathorne is the strongest and most powerful. They have a large private army and influence reaching the Western Seas.

The Devonhurst is allied to him by marriage; House Vor only interested in their Grassy Plains and has no intention with meddling with the inner working of the administration of the Eight Realms. 

House Crow is weakened. 

But House Arathorne? They are not only powerful but they are also mysterious. 

But the reason why the other King of the Throne did not feel threatened is because the Arathorne rarely meddle in the politic of the courts. 

They are like the House of Vor. 

They do not interferes and never in the history of Arakath has they rebelled against the King of Arakath. 

They have always acted as the sword and shield of the Dark Lands. Their honour is unstained, their reputation is widespread. 

Azrael sit as he looks at Orcol. This is the first time he ever saw Orcol in the palace. He never comes to any banquets or feast, secluding himself in EverReach.

The last time Azrael meet him was during the capture of the people rebelling against him before they sign the treaty with the Humankind.

'What is the problem that you speak of? I have read the report of my courtiers. There is no immediate problem. There is no great drought or great flood. Trades are prospering, our country is stronger and stable, and there is no sign of dissatisfaction from the other Kings.'

Arathorne sighed.

'This is embarrassing to talk about. After all, it is my mistake.'

Embarrassing? What does he mean? Azrael thinks. 

'What do you mean Lord Orcol? Please enlighten me'

'Ehem...the Stone of Life has been stolen.'

Hearing this Azrael becomes more perplexed. Stone of Life? What is that? He never even hears of it before. 

There is an expression of confusion in his face. Orcol look at the dazed expression of the king and he smiles bitterly. 

'I guess your father did not tell you about it yet. Well, considering that you were only ruling for a few years it makes sense.'

'What do you mean?' Azrael said his voice slightly rose. Is he thinking that I am a child king? 

Orcol immediately understand that the king is misunderstanding his word. 

'My lord that is not what I mean' he said. And then he sighed

'The story of the Stone of Life is told usually in the ten years of the new king reigns or maybe twenty. After all that relic rarely plays any part in the wellbeing of the continent.' 

'What do you mean?' Azrael ask. Orcol look at the young king and he said.

'Even your father knows about it at his nine years of reign. But we Arathorne always knew. We were charged with its protection since ancient times.'

Hearing this Azrael began to sense something. Stone of Life? He never heard of it or even read about it. 

Charged with its protection?

What it is? But from the way that Orcol is talking about it, it must be something important. The atmosphere is the room turns tense.

'Tell me. What is it? And why it matters?' If this Stone of Life is some magical weapon.then this might turn a bit complicated. Is it a relic from the Age of Gods?'

'Hmmm.' He said.

'To tell you about the stones.I need to tell you about the House of El.'