The Portent: The Coming Storm: A Bearer of the Seven Truths Book by O'Brien Dan

Author:O'Brien, Dan [O'Brien, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2015-03-07T16:00:00+00:00

NICHOLIA LOOKED BACK as he saw the spider-like lightning crawl across the sky. The individual spikes looked as if some supreme being had reached out through the veil of death and beyond to grasp at the living. He looked back over the streets just outside the crumbling Hall of Thorns, as the previous lords of Getzenut had referred to it. Now, it was little more than the deathbed of the king, N’ione.

He had long ago committed to memory the streets and buildings that surrounded the once-grand hall; though he had been away from the city for many years, not returning until word of his father’s illness reached him far to the east. He ran his hands over the raised stone that depicted ancient warriors in flight, feathery wings bursting from the backs of warriors of Getzenut. Once, the city had fought alongside Arantania’s greatest warriors and the Kingdom of the Crimson Shield. That was long before the time of N’ione and even longer before the headstrong warrior had been conceived. He pushed open the doors, the hinges giving way easily; he had come through hours before the assault on the outer wall.

He made a point to spend as much of his time as he could with his father, the last moments of the dying man’s life. The doors opened wide, a flash of lightning revealing a place that had once teemed with life and energy. He remembered running through the halls, screaming and playing with others of the kingdom––carefree and exuberant.

Now, it was cold and dark. It was a throne of sadness and death.

The warrior-prince walked down the halls, ignoring the mighty stone pillars that lined the walls. Evenly spaced and wrapped into a stone relief with scores of roses that intertwined, they cascaded far beyond view. Never had the Hall of Thorns been considered a large place. There was the introduction hall and the throne room that led off to the side, where the chambers of the king’s family made their home. Nicholia placed his hands on his hips as he walked beneath the arch of the throne room. The door was only half of what it had been; the other piece had long ago dislodged and was on its side near the entrance.

Nicholia had taken a room at the Bard’s Song because he could not find it in himself to sleep within the tomb, even though his father lay on his deathbed. Many within Getzenut perceived his return as an ill-omen; he was neither an experienced governor nor of the age that was required to govern.

But, it was his by right.

Political scandals and power struggles permeated Prima Terra. Getzenut was farthest from that arena; yet, there were those who would contend him for the crown. He shook his head at the thought and stepped into the throne room. The rough cough of his father drew his attention from deeper within the private chambers of the king.

Nicholia quickened his pace. Crossing through the remnants of the throne room, he did not pause to glance at the dust upon the throne or the misplacement of the crown.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.