Prologue
Raiden Emyrdeis
Ice-cold wind sliced through me, chilling my flesh and settling deep in my bones. The Demnocollis Mountain Range had always been treacherous to travel, but the rough winds whipping through the landscape were particularly cruel. Sleet, and oftentimes hail, pelted through my thick leather coat and chilled my skin.
I patted Redulos’s neck, urging him forward. The beast had tired over the past few days; the higher we climbed, the harsher the weather had become—a clear indication of the Gods’ wrath. Clouds surrounded us, fogging our path, hiding the land below,and slowing our journey to a snail’s pace. Had I ridden another stead, I wouldn’t have made it this far.
The last Fortenax stallion didn’t fail me, as I knew he wouldn’t. A horse bred for war in our kingdom’s harsh climates, he was stronger and more aggressive—able to complete the longest journey faster than any other beast. This trip would risk him, likely kill him, and with his death, as the last remaining stallion, the end of the Fortenax would come.
Redulos, who I raised from a foal and bonded with from birth as the breed demanded, was one of many things I would sacrifice in this war.
It still wasn’t enough.
It spurred me forward, I didn’t take risking him lightly, but I had no options left. Nothing I’d done thus far had brought us close to success. Evil still spread throughout my lands unhindered. This was our last hope.Mylast hope. I would seek assistance from the Gods—beg for it if I had to. Risking my life and the life of Redulos to make the perilous journey upon the highest mountain in the range, to reach Mulaphen Temple, the most holy place of worship to the four Gods.
I could sense their presence now.
Watching.
Roburvirtus—God of Sea and Sky—battered against me, testing my conviction. Ammoraelis—Goddess of Earth—deprived me, the land barren, save for ice and snow, my rations down to scraps and my stomach in a constant state of hunger. Vanimalis—Goddess of Sun—taunted me from behind gray clouds, not offering a single ray to provide warmth. How I wished to feel the sun on my face. We’d been traveling through thick clouds for days, and I longed for her warmth to soak into my skin. Even Mobitus—God of Moon—lingered, as if sensing my waning strength, indicating my death was near. He hovered close, ready to take it for his own.
Not yet.
Their presence, to feel them so strongly, meant we were close. We reached another sharp incline, and I tucked my chin against the howling winds as Redulos started the climb. The sight of Mulaphen Temple when we crested the ridge had me sagging into the saddle.
Carved into a sheer cliff face, four large pillars representing each of the Gods loomed. The two outer pillars were slightly smaller, waves and spiraling wind for Roburvirtus, and purloe flowers for Ammoraelis. They were my mother’s favorites.
The two center pillars were wider, framing the large timber door of the temple’s entrance. Rays of light for Vanimalis, and the eight phases of the moon for Mobitus.
A glow pulled my attention through the fog; a small cave nestled to the right. Redulos trudged closer, his muscles shaking with each step, as if the sight of our destination had drawn the last of his strength. I halted him and dismounted, leading him to it. He had done well to get me this far, I could walk the twenty feet to the shelter.
Inside, a small fire kept a trough of water from freezing. After taking a long drink, Redulos moved to the pile of dried grass. Sheltered from the worst of the wind, I unsaddled the stallion, running my hands over his wet coat, searching for obvious signs of injury.
“Take your rest, Redulos,” I murmured. His answering soft snort seemed full of sarcasm, and I chuckled, scratching between his eyes how he liked. Leaving him to the meal, I stumbled back into howling weather and battled through the sleet worsening with each step. I was shivering by the time I made it to the temple door.
Exposed to the harsh elements, the worn timber reflected the many storms it had weathered. A large iron knocker—a combination of all the Gods’ symbols—stood out in the center,no handle in sight. With trembling hands, I raised the heavy metal, the resounding thud echoed from behind the door in an ominous threat.
It didn’t take long for the heavy wood to creak open, revealing a hooded man standing impossibly still. Burgundy robes hung limply on his slight frame, not an inch of skin visible.
The High Priest.
It’s said the Gods gifted him immortality in return to dedicating his life to their worship. He hadn’t left the temple since, because how could you worship them if you weren’t close.
“The Gods have been waiting for you, Your Majesty.” His voice was soft and rasping, scarcely used. Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked down a narrow hall. I followed with heavy limbs, each step taking colossal effort. I pushed through the exhaustion, running through the speech I’d replayed over and over in my mind the entire journey. Only once I achieved what I needed, would I seek warm food and a bed.
We walked straight for at least 500 feet, passing several dark tunnels along the way. The smooth stone walls were lit with a single candle every ten feet or so, barely providing enough light to see the High Priest before me. A dark chamber greeted us at the end, but the High Priest didn’t enter the room, instead standing to the side and nodding me forward.
The low flickering of the candles provided just enough light to make out a dais running the length of the room. Four chairs, made to seat a being larger than a human, sat empty upon it. I hesitantly stepped into the dark, swallowing back the dryness that had overcome my mouth. This was the reason I was here, to see the Gods, but I hadn’t been so nervous since the day I took the throne.
The door closed as soon as I passed the threshold, shutting out the soft glow and sending the room into inky blackness. The air was cooler than the icy terrain outside, a chill settling deeperthan bone, a frost crystallizing along my soul. The energy in my chest—the one that fed my magic—stilled, the shadows usually curling within me hardening until they froze. I could sense the otherness of the space. It was more. An oppression sinking deep into my skin.
Since I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, I moved on pure instinct, shuffling forward to kneel on the ground before the dais, or at least where I thought it was.
When my knees hit the floor, a blinding light filled the room, though I couldn’t tell where it came from. I squeezed my eyes shut as it flared brighter—so bright I could see the backs of my eyelids. A high-pitched ringing joined the light. I covered my ears and slammed my head to the floor, sure it would crack open from the sound piercing my skull.
As suddenly as it started, it stopped, sending the room into silent darkness again and leaving a powerful presence in its wake. I didn’t dare raise my head, pressing my forehead and palms into the cool stone. The formidable aura constricted every ounce of magic normally warming my veins, choking me in weakness.
“You have disappointed us, Raiden Emyrdeis, son of Jovan and Reina.” The lyrical voice was neither male nor female. The sound all at once beautiful and terrifying, made worse by the truth ringing with each word. Even the Gods were aware of my greatest failure.
