The High Priests of the Tribunal resided within the Ark, a towering cathedral at the heart of Nairon. It stood as the spiritual and political center of the Faith, home to hundreds of priests and thousands of devoted followers. For the faithful, it was a sanctuary. For the ambitious, it was a battlefield cloaked in hymns.
High Priest Wyland, both young and cunning, had obtained one of the highest positions in the Tribunal, a High priest. Some envy the luck he'd been given, few know that his becoming a High Priest was not mere luck, but talent. For Wyland possesses a high affinity for faith magic and a terrifying knack for politics.
As Wyland walks the halls of the cathedral, ready to meet with the Prince, he stumbles upon a colleague, Second High Priest Arthen, though old he is not one to be taken lightly.
"Ahh Wyland...how fares your preparations for the meeting with the Prince?, you are ready yes?" Asked Arthen, his tone slow and rasped with age, yet laced with a quiet sharpness that suggested his mind was far from dull.
Taken aback by the sharpness of his tone Wyland quickly regained his composure and said,
"But of course, if I am to meet with the Prince it is only expected that I be prepared."
With a smirk Arthen hurriedly corrected Wyland
"oh? You haven't heard?, there was a slight change in the matter. You will be meeting with the 3rd not the 1st prince."
Though shocked Wyland didn't reveal such emotion on his face but simply replied
"hmm... is that so? Well, that makes things easier then"
"You would be a fool to take light of the Royal family, though young and inexperienced, Claude has so much potential, More than you may ever realize." said Arthen, before slowly walking away.
"I didn't know the old man favored the 3rd Prince so much, hmm... interesting indeed." Wyland murmured to himself as he turned, already preparing for the prince's arrival.
The plaza is just outside the Grand cathedral Ark, a huge circular area with five elevated chairs facing towards the entrance of the plaza. These five seats were reserved for the High Priests of the Tribunal, and yet, only one of the five were present for the meeting.
With the crowd gathering around to watch this spectacle, A carriage arrived along with a dozen golden knights escorting it, this was the prince.
"Make way for the His Highness Prince Claude Tariel Valence, the third Prince of the Valence kingdom!"
Before Claude had arrived at the plaza, he made a quick detour.
"Lady Shera, I will leave you here for now, I have errands to run you see." Claude said with a smile.
Shera, having been conversing with the Prince for some time, finds the Prince Interesting to say the least. She then got down from the carriage and slowly turned to face him.
"I'll be watching you my Prince, though I may never see you again, do know this. People yearn for those they have lost, I pray you tell your father what you truly feel, before it's too late." with a bow, Shera slowly walked out of sight from the Prince.
"An interesting girl indeed" the Prince murmured to himself.
As the carriage continued on it's path, with the sun slowly going down, Claude began to fall asleep, then the carriage suddenly halted on it's tracks making Claude fall.
"Hey can you guys slow it down?" asked Claude.
Yet the carriage did not move nor did someone answer him. Claude having a bad feeling about this, draws his sword and proceeds to get off the carriage, only to find that everything is dark, pitch black, and when he turned, the carriage was gone. Only Claude remains.
"What dark magic is this?, undo this at once!" Shouted Claude Angrily.
A few seconds goes by and still no answer, no noise, no chatter or chanting, nothing.
"Child, I only say this once, so you best listen"
With the sudden words Claude was quickly startled, but still intends to listen to whatever the voice from beyond has to say.
Within the darkness emerged a tall figure wearing a cloak, and what sounded to be armor beneath. the cloaked figure suddenly stopped just enough so Claude could see, the cloaked figure slowly draws his long sword from beneath the ground, on what seems to be a pool of liquid, a liquid both thick and dark for it to be water, Blood, it was blood.
Yet not the blood of humans but something else, something out of this world.
The cloaked figure draws his sword and strikes it at the ground that suddenly became a solid.
"Oh Prince, hear me, hear the herald of woe. Upon the passing of the blood filled night, upon the news of passing, shall emerge dark tidings for the kingdom. Blood shall be spilled, both old and new, vows and bonds be tested, oh Prince of the morning, heed my words for each shall come to pass, find the twelve, find them, make them your aid. Only then, can you save those which you hold dear."
The figure slowly retreated back within the darkness, slowly fading from Claude's sight.
"Wait! what do you mean? tell me!, what does any of those mean?" Claude shouted as he chases the cloaked figure, yet no matter how hard he chased, the figure was still slowly disappearing from his sight, only then did Claude wake up.
Claude woke up sweating from all over, leaving him both distressed and in turmoil, for his dream holds mystery even he, can't answer.
Claude began to frantically think of what any of those words mean, remembering the words of the herald.
"Blood shall be spilled... both old, and new." Claude murmured to himself, racking his mind on what any of those mean, but as if those words weren't enough.
"Make way for the His Highness Prince Claude Tariel Valence, the third Prince of the Valence kingdom!"
A knock on the carriage can be heard and crowds of people can be heard rallying outside.
"My Prince, we have arrived, let us proceed with the meeting." said Essil.
As Claude slowly went out of the carriage walking slowly towards the plaza. Though troubled, he had put that aside for now, and focused on what lies ahead, as he exchanged a stern gaze towards the High Priests waiting for him.
Claude walks forward, ready to meet the faith as the Tribunal's Judgement begins...