Chapter 1:

Death of a King

Across from a glass table, the seven counsel members, dressed in black robes with hoods, sat cross-legged. "So Amber, is he dead?" said a boy who had blond hair cut short, with bangs, in a low voice from behind a sapphire encrusted steel throne that hovered over a nightingale floor. The throne and the man sitting in it were facing a massive window.

"Yes sir," answered Amber, one of the seven bowing counselor members. Sadly and heartbroken he continued, "As of now you, Levi Crane, are the High Emperor of the Mandamus Empire and High Spellbinder of the courts of Thebes."

"Has the counsel made a date?" Levi asked as he moved from his throne walking on the air itself as if walking on invisible stairs.

"For your crowning? Yes sir, it is to take place in two weeks." Levi turned and started walking toward the window. Levi's eyes were odd dark blue with beneficence, yet a bit scary to look into.

They were all in a stone room with three large marble columns on each side of the throne. Each column had five lit incense candle burning off it. An aroma substance of flowers engulfed the room. Large balls of light, called Normen, played like fireflies before their eyes, illuminating the room. On the walls were oceans of bookshelves filled with thousands of books. Right across from the Throne was a long altar dressed in purple robes.

On the side of the seven counsel members was a pool of water emanating heat. Being so close to it, they could feel it touching their skin, massaging them, relaxing their muscles. This was really needed because they were all taking the old emperor's death hard. In truth, many of them had not slept well since the emperor first fell sick three and a half months ago. They had circles under their eyes with was blood-shot red.

Walking around the throne room he just inherited, Levi could not help but feel a little heavy-hearted and intimidated. The late Emperor Maximus Crane's sickness and death was not foreseen. Levi's father had been only 45 years of age upon his death. Inheriting an empire at the still young age 18 was unheard of.

His late father was a great ruler, and Levi could see how many people were heart broken when he fell ill. Out the window, Levi could see his father's likeness in the mountain of Berside. Nestled in the heart of the Axe Mountains, the mountain of Berside is a living monument to the now four greatest emperors of Mandamus. How could Levi not feel intimidated? His father was so great that he even made it on the mountain of Berside.

Another counsel member bowed before him and said, "What is your command? You should act fast and strong before people start judging your worthiness."

"Are you referring to Malachi again?" answered Levi with great annoyance.

"Sir, he has expressed interest in your throne and should not be taken too lightly."

Levi merely laughed. "My dear David, you worry too much. Malachi is only a ten-year-old boy; what can he really do?" Levi gave off a little sigh before ending his statement, "besides he adores me."

A bit frustrated and very conceited, David replied, "Malachi is the only person to graduate from C.D. Monks Academy, the most prestigious academy we have; may I add, at the age of nine. A feat that took you thirteen years, only took him five. Furthermore, at the age of ten, he was the youngest winner of the air- board fights, a sport that should only be played by adults."

"Also sir, his caretaker Morgane Moon has seen to it that the boy has been tutored in virtually every field: philosophy, music, art, physics, magic, and military strategy!" added another.

Angry, Levi's voice echoed, "He's only ten! I will no longer take any criticism of my cousin!" He stopped, caught his breath, and then added, "Anyhow, there are more pressing matters to attend to."

"Yes the people of Falcorn. As you know their religion prohibits them from accepting you as their leader. Your late father wanted to annihilate them, but what will you do?" replied David. "Amber has the details."

Levi read the report about Falcorn, though he did not need to, he had spent hours researching Falcorn.

'Falcorn is a third-world-county located on an island off of the Cabulee oceans. Enormous limestone encrusted gates lead into Falcorn called Falcorn Great Gates. There are rows among rows of shacks and cottages, with dozens of people walking about. There is a unique river, beginning in the heart of Falcorn and coursing northward for twenty miles. Thanks to this river, an area several miles wide on both banks is capable of producing abundant harvests. There are merchants and artisans all engaged in active trade up and down the Falcorn River. Also, they believe that their god would kill them if they surrender to any invaders.'

"Their military it's nothing at all …' David said but was interrupted.

"So why are we talking about them? The empire of Mandamus rules over every major country on this planet; why do you care about what their people do?" asked Levi. He had become bored of this.

Upon hearing this, the oldest counselor member there, a 55 year-old man, named Marrite almost had a heart attack. He was so sad and surprised to here these words come from their new Emperor. He stood up and stated, "Sir, it pains me to no end to hear you say such things." Levi as well as everyone else turned towards him. However, Levi made a look that said he really did not care to hear what that old man had to say.

"For hundred's of years we, the Empire of Mandamus, have slowly taken over every part of this world. Moreover, by doing this we had ended countless numbers of wars and have united the people of this world under one ruler. In addition, we have brought education, law and order, peace, health care, and theology where there is none. To allow these people of Falcorn to get away with this would undo all the good that we have done."

With that, the old man prayed that his words would work.

"Fine then, let's tell the Falcornese that." Levi said.

In a mediation room on a forest green zabuton, sat a boy dressed in a red hooded meditation cloak with his red eyes closed. Around his right hand, he wore a black onyx mala. Beautiful and a mysterious it was handcrafted with small beads with a small guru bead. Around him were glass two-headed dragon shaped incense burners.

The door opened and a young woman walked in. She had long black hair that went down her back. She also had long fingernails that were painted blue and oily skin like a snake. She walked over toward the boy.

"He's dead," she said with a smirk. "So, what will you do, Malachi?" however, she already knew the answer.

Malachi opened his eyes. "The key is in Wind Guild right?" he asked.

She nodded then added, "Our spy penetrated Falicon's, so called 'great walls' and learned that it's a boy living with a family called the Lycon. They live in the tinboru called Eureka and work for a Guild called Wind."

"Wind Guild is the leading manufacturer of air-boards, and virtual reality technology. People say in feel like you are in a real world: taste, sound, touch, and even sight, one cannot ever tale it is not real.

"Then I will send Sonya Walker."

"Sonya Walker, nh?" started Morgane, "good choice. She is the 16-year-old spellbinder over the state of Áine, which means she also is over Eureka." She laughed. "To think a 16-year-old child governing a whole state it's unheard of. Before her, the youngest was a 38-year-old man. Your ability to persuade prodigies to your side still amazes me."

"A prodigy would only listen to another prodigy, listening to anyone else would be illogical." Malachi's voice and countenance was as if he were space itself, a great void, or empty abyss cold and emotionless.

Playing with him, Morgane give him an off smirk. "It is said that Sonya's beauty and gracefulness knows no equal, and that her voice made a Lyrebird kill itself from jealousy and spite."

"That doesn't matter; Sonya is a prodigy. She will not fail."

"You heard him." Morgane said. Then a young man appeared behind them.

"I understand" was all he said before disappearing.