The audience chamber was a masterpiece of architectural design, with high vaulted ceilings supported by massive stone columns. The walls were decorated with intricate stonework, and large arched windows with stained glass panels allowed natural light to flood into the room.
The chamber was currently lit with a warm, majestic glow. No matter how many times Elyana came here, she still marveled at its beauty. The floor below was paved with polished marble, and a large, richly woven carpet added a touch of splendor to the area.
The King and Queen were currently seated on their respective thrones at the far end of the chamber. The seats were raised on a platform and were lavishly decorated with precious metals, gems, and fine upholstery.
On either side of them were two guards, clad in distinctive armor that set them apart from the other knights. These were the royal guards, charged with protecting the royal family until death, and were typically referred to as ‘Kingsmen’.
“What is it that you wish to tell?” the King asked in a commanding voice, his features becoming sterner.
“Your Majesty,” Elyana said, bowing her head respectfully. “We have reason to believe that an Otherworlder might have arrived in these lands.”
Silence fell across the room. Voss and Blade, on the other hand, were staring intently at the King and Queen, as though gauging their reactions.
“…I beg your pardon?” the King finally said. The bewilderment was evident in his expression. “You say that an Otherworlder has arrived?”
“That is not possible,” the Queen said with a shake of her head. “The boundary between both worlds had already been closed 200 years ago. None have crossed that boundary ever since.”
“Apparently, one somehow managed to break through, Your Majesty,” Elyana said, closing her eyes. “I regret to tell you that we may not have much time left.”
“How did you get this information?” the King demanded. “If an Otherworlder has indeed arrived, then where are they? Rather, are you sure that the source of the information is credible?”
“That,” a disembodied voice suddenly spoke, “is something that I can answer.”
Everyone instantly turned their heads to see Evan entering the chamber, his normally gentle face replaced by a solemn, stern expression.
“Your Royal Highness!” the kingsmen greeted automatically.
Elyana, Voss, and Blade immediately stepped aside to make way for their Prince, allowing him to take over the conversation.
The King’s features tightened. “Evan. How certain are you that an Otherworlder has arrived?”
“If you can recall, Your Majesty,” Evan said somberly. “In the past, the people who found the Otherworlders noted three strange things. One, there was a dark-purple light. Two, the Otherworlders were wearing strange clothing that was clearly not from this world. And lastly…”
He held out a hand and twisted his wrist, spreading his palm open. Then, a transparent sphere was conjured out of thin air, revealing the dead Linger inside.
The King instantly stood up from his seat in shock. “My word!” he exclaimed. “Is that a…?”
Evan nodded. “You’ve guessed right, Father. This is a Linger.”
The Queen approached him, her eyes wide with fear. “The books…” she murmured. “It cannot be…”
“Evan!” the King exclaimed. “Are you saying that you—?”
Evan shut his eyes for a moment. He never liked lying to his parents.
But he felt in his heart that this was the right thing to do.
“Not exactly,” he said quietly. “I have not seen the Otherworlder myself. But Voss and Blade did on the way here.”
“What?” The leaders’ attention instantly turned to the other two in the room.
“It was when we passed the shores leading to the city,” Voss reported calmly. “We did not see the Otherworlder either, but I indeed saw a distinct violet light near the area.”
“It was no ordinary light,” Blade added. “We could sense it creating a magical disturbance in the surroundings. By the time we arrived, there was nothing else there except for the Linger.”
“We immediately contacted Prince Evan and discussed it extensively,” Voss provided. “Seeing as it is a sensitive matter, we had to verify the evidence first before presenting it to you.”
Evan nodded. “According to the book, it is no mistake. The violet light, the disturbance, and the dead Linger… It’s unmistakable.”
“Even if there is the slightest chance it might be wrong, we cannot take the risk, Your Majesty,” Elyana implored. “The lives of our people are at stake.”
“I checked in with the holy ones at the Church, and they agreed that there has been a very distinct disturbance since earlier,” Voss reported. “Something clearly sinister.”
The Queen looked like she was about to faint. “This cannot be happening,” she murmured. She knew that the priests had reported something odd, but never had she ever imagined that it would be this big.
The King was enraged. “For 200 years!” he growled. “We have been rid of those cursed parasites! You mean to tell me that Summoner Xanthe’s sacrifice was all in vain?!”
Evan’s eyes narrowed. “You cannot say that it was in vain, Your Majesty. After all, Summoner Xanthe did succeed in sealing the boundary between our two worlds. However, it would seem that the sealing is not permanent.”
“Goodness gracious!”
The King began pacing back and forth across the room. He looked clearly agitated. The Queen, on the other hand, was squeezing her fingers nervously.
They had thought that they finally attained peace from the Otherworlders.
But to think that one of those dastardly dangerous trespassers would come to their land during their reign…
“Father, we must evacuate the city at once,” Evan urged. “There is much to prepare. We cannot risk any lives here. It is evident that the Otherworlder appeared near the city, and you know that the Calamity gets attracted to a massive population. With this many souls, it’s practically a feast for the demon.”
The King looked like he was struggling to regain his senses. “Evan,” he uttered, and he suddenly looked like he had aged ten years older. “Are you absolutely certain of what you are claiming? This… This will create chaos and discord among the people. The world will be turned upside down!”
Evan looked the King in the eyes, and when he spoke next, his voice was filled with conviction.
“You know me, Father. Why would I ever joke about something like this? Me, the Prince of this land?” he said with conviction in his tone. “I will do whatever it takes to protect my people. Our people. Even if it means having to risk my own life.”