CHAPTE 2. SORCERY

For centuries, humans have thrived on the planet Morvius, developing a technologically advanced society that harnesses the abundant resources of their world, in the most populated cities one could see robots walking among people, flying cars, teleportation gates, and many other technological wonders.

In the dead night, within a lavish yet gloomy chambers of the loran family estate, the atmosphere was tense and maffled screams filled the night, echoing through the large castle like mansion making people who heard them even more tense in preparation of what to come.

In one of the meeting halls of the loran estate, embodied with marble columns, richly carved with the family's symbol decorated with gold and different rubies forming an impressive colonnade, a thick crimson carpet stretching across the marble floor, its intricate patterns betraying the secretes of arcane lore and forgotten rituals.

In this hall, all the important people in the loran empire were present, as summoned by the head of the family, the tense atmosphere between them made it appear like a fight was going to break out at the faintest sound, in this hall sat seven of the most powerful and influential people in Morvian, the six people in the hall sat in a circular position leaving a reasonable distance from one person to the next, all facing one throne on which sat a majestic man his presence as imposing as the kingdom itself. 

The current head of the loran family. lord Kaedin, a man of striking presence. he stands tall, his stature dwarfing all those who dare to stand in his shadow. he has a pale white skin, almost ghostly in its pallor, save for the veins of deep purple that twist and turn like vines across his hands and face. ma crown of pure gold combined with unknown yet beautiful jewels with intricate detailed carvings of unknown origins, adorns his brow, and his dark, piercing eyes seem to pierce the very soul of those who mate his gaze.

The people seating with him in this grand hall are not any less majestic, to his immediate right sits his most trusted advisor, lord Sen: a sharp minded tactician whose skill with political intrigue is well-known across Morvius,

directly across from lord Sen sits lady Akasha, Lord Kaedin's niece and heir apparent. a skilled sorceress, she bears the family's gift for sorcery with a natural ease and grace. to lady Akasha's left seats lord Deron, a stout and grizzled general who commands and trains the loran armies with an iron fist. his battle-hardened gaze sweeps the room, his hand never far from the hilt of his blade.

next to him sits lady Arina, the family's mistress of spies and secrets. her dark eyes and veiled demeanor speak volumes about the mystery she is privy to. opposite lady Arina sits lord Taran, the family's steward and master of coin, further down the table, lord Faren, the family's archmagi, sits with a solemn and stoic expression. his white beard and piercing gaze radiate power and authority,

lastly, lord Ian, the family's youngest member, sits on the far end of the table, his eyes darting nervously between the other attendees while looking for a way to get rid of this tense atmosphere, he was the youngest after all, he may appear calm but God knows the storm ravaging his mind, just thinking of the possible reason for being summoned this agentry, which only brings him to a single conclusion.

Lady Evelyn, her excellence is in labor, and it does not seem to be a normal labor at that, it seems she's having trouble conceiving the child, which is strange in itself. so that's the reason why everyone is so tense. Ian didn't know what to do given the situation in the room.

should I congratulate the king? no, at least not yet that would make things complicated if something happens, ok so what should I do now. then should I console his majesty that its going to be fine? no, bad idea Ion, bad idea, that would be like saying his majesty is weak and can't cope with emotional stress, that would be like asking for death, 

but these people are not helping at all they all seem like unmoving statues, or is there some kind of telepathic communication that I'm left out, Ion squinted his eyes looking at lady Akasha suspiciously, If there is someone capable of that, it got to be the sorceress. then Akasha turned and met him face to face. a shiver run down his spine just looking at those deep crimson eyes, he turned his eyes away as soon as they met, while his mind was racing, "did she read my mind, did she know what I was thinking, she sure is scary", poor me why did I fight so hard for this position, I just what to go home.

this is too much for someone as young as me, I'm afraid I'm going to develop white hair and be bald before I even come past my prime, and I still don't have even a girlfriend yet why is life so unfair. while Ion was busy immersed in his own mind, the other lords were concentrating on lady Evelyn's chambers for any unusual sound, and that's when it happened.

the pained sound of a newborn baby after tasting the dry air of the world, though its painful to the baby, to the onlookers its a miracle, and to the meeting hall audience it was a relief, it was like a giant bolder was lifted off the hearts of the lords in the hall and everyone could only sigh in relief, but ion was the most excited of them all,

he looked like he was the father of the baby which was strange because even the father himself had a dead pan expression which did not even change at all, and the silence now was killing Ion,

then finally someone broke the silence, the old man lord fallen broke the silence first, "congratulations to his majesty for welcoming another child to the family, I hope the family grows stronger", then lady Akasha spoke, her voice as smooth as a melody of sirens, leading men to their doom, "congratulations uncle, its a baby boy, an unusual one at that seems like a new sorcerer is born in the family" 

just those simple words were enough to turn the now livery room back to silence,