Chapter Text
The Crown
The entire world had their cameras poised on the grand wooden doors to the Apostles Church. The intricate detail from a time forgotten was the sight many would see for the next three or four hours. Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets as they began to bet and place money down. The only betting that was allowed to happen in the kingdom officially, was when a new Monarch of Zerus was being crowned. It was a sacred ritual that many gathered to with great excitement. The week-long holiday was also an added benefit, but you wouldn’t hear anyone mention this in public.
“Place your bets here Ladies and Gentlemen! Place your bets here!” were the various shouts up and down the stalls.
Raking in an unfair amount of money from foreigners and those who lived on the island alike. The chosen colours of the new Monarch could mean a prosperous new life or the degradation of livelihood. It was within everyone’s business to plan for their future monarch. The colours were all the nation based everything on when the time came. It also happened to be the only event where flocks of people came to the capital. It benefitted most and very rarely caused concern for the majority. The only people out of luck were the various guards that had to be called in for this event and the planners/organisers. Though this time things were different. The late Queen Forna had been the person to establish contact with people from the various communities around the world.
The most noticeable attraction had been from the “Western” countries who had sent more than enough spies, diplomats and ambassadors to their tiny island. Why? Well that was because Zerus is the only known place on the planet to still have the practicing ability to produce magic. Most saw this ability as something to be harboured and taken for their own selfish needs, but thankfully any attempt so far had been completely detrimental to their own bank accounts. The island had a plethora of hidden tricks and plights that had prevented people from landing and invading. Wind magic, electromagnetic waves and the strategically placed volcano made flying and bombing practically impossible. Long range missiles were also taken care of by the Goddess, Ahadia, herself. It was the ultimate place to live and to be happy. Long life here wasn’t uncommon, most living well into their 110’s. Citizens all had the miraculous ability to live long and fruitful life and it was heavily scrutinised by those in more wealthy countries. The secret would never be revealed though as the person who held the crown was the only one who would know.
The only person who allowed anywhere near the heir in line to the throne was the Pope herself. It would be here that Arasil, Crown Prince to Zerus, would choose his uniform, his reginal name and colours. The most important factor was that he would be forcibly grown into his adult body in the span of ten minutes or less.
The Pope offered her arm to him, breaking him from his train of thought, and walked him into the Room of Voices. The room was completely sealed. The dark room held no furniture and the darkness within was so pitch black that if there hadn’t been a floor Arasil would have assumed he was falling into hell itself. Arasil had done plenty of lessons on this specific room by his own mother. The last things she would ever discuss with him before she had died two months ago. Here he would be able to communicate to voices of the past. His entire family tree contained into one spiritual room that only he was allowed inside. The Pope bowed as she retreated out of the room and locked the door.
Walking in the room a little and fumbling his way to where he thought was the centre of the room, he stopped and breathed to even his thundering heart. A seal began to glow a faint blue hue on the floor. The swirls and lines creating the crest his mother had held during her reign. Slowly he stepped onto the seal and waited for something to happen. A couple of seconds later he felt the distinct warmth his mother used to give him when she hugged him. Slowly her apparition appeared in front of him, smiling happily.
“My dear boy.”
“Hi mama.” He couldn’t help but tear up at seeing her there. He had missed her in the three months since she had died. She gently allowed her hand to caress his face before taking a more stern approach.
“You remember the incantation I taught you?”
“Yes Ma’am.” He took a deep breath and began to recite the incantation to start the process. It was here that the most terrible pain engulfed his body, rendering him incapable of being able to process the pain much less scream about it. He wasn’t aware just how much time had passed between the start and the finish. When it finally stopped and he could actually feel everything again and process his surroundings, he was on the ground. The crest that would have fit his 11 year old body had grown more than a foot and a quarter. Using his hands to feel the outline and shape of his body revealed that the training he had done had translated perfectly to the image he wanted. Powerfully built but not grossly muscled. Nothing to indicate abs had come through, thank god for that, and everything else including his feet he had almost pin-pointed exactly. Other endowments had thankfully been normal. The only abnormality, if you could call it that, was a slightly girthier appendage. Nothing else besides a normal healthy young man in his twenties. The beard was not a welcome sight though but he would wear it until his coronation was done though.
“Quensia! Forna, please tell me in all honesty who did you bed? It wasn’t a God was it?”
His grandmother gasped whilst floating all around the place eyeing Arasil up and down.
“It was no one special. He wasn’t even that good looking. To be honest with you, I was too drunk to notice. It wasn’t as if I had to see the man again. We just went ahead and did it and that was that.”
“Do you think this could be the blessing Queen Torra mentioned?” His great-grandmother Tena thought aloud.
“Is he the Astralcloud?” someone piped up further in the room. From voice alone he assumed it was someone a little further removed from any of his immediate relatives here. When the apparition came into focus he was surprised by who he saw. It was in fact Maris, the very first Queen of Dorth. She looked at Arasil. Well it was more like looking into him than looking at him. She seemed to come to an answer after a few brief seconds whilst his mother argued with her grandmother.
“Ladies. He is the Astralcloud. Look.” Just as she motioned back to him his royal clothes started to materialise onto his body. He looked down as the clothing changed but what would be the most noticeable point to everyone, spirit or otherwise, he had no specific colour scheme like the other Queens of time past. His uniform was black, royal blue and had trim of bright gold. His cloak was bright royal blue and casted with millions of tiny gold dots which resembled constellations. Before he could say anything, a knock came from the door.
“Your majesty, is everything alright?” The Pope called out. Her concern evident.
“I’m fine.” He said before realising how deep his voice was. It shocked him and clearly The Pope too who backed away from the door quickly. Standing up slowly he tried to quickly get accustomed to his taller and broader body. It felt weird but he didn’t really have much time to get fully accustomed. He was sure that he had spent too long in the room and people would be getting nervous if he spent anymore time here. The light from outside the door jar was the only thing that kept him from bumping into any of the walls.
“Arasil.” His mother called out. The apparitions were beginning to fade as he moved away from the seal on the ground.
“Good luck.”
She grinned before disappearing into a puff of smoke. The seal vanished and the dim light in the room descended the room back to pitch black. He fumbled his way to the door and his hand engaged with the handle. Just before he opened, the crowds outside were so loud he wondered if they were actually safe. The Pope must have sent a smoke signal to those waiting in the Cathedral across the street and those waiting outside.
Light spilled into the room from the outside and he saw The Pope standing with her head bowed, waiting respectfully near the crown. She raised her head and he could visibly see her eyes bulge out of their sockets.
“Trust me I am just as surprised as you are.” He told her and knelt in front of her.
She proceeded to anoint him and do the whole ceremony in the witnessing of his spiritual ancestors. Once she was finished she held her arm out and helped him off the ground, steadying him when he tilted a little bit.
“We’ve got a bit of a walk down to the main church so you can get used to your new body. We can go slow if you need more time to adjust.”
“Perfect. The long legs are tripping me out. That and my new centre of balance. Any tips?”
“Your mother put her arms out to the side to help her balance other than that it’s all just practice.” The Pope said before holding open the first door to their first obstacle. Stairs. Lots of them. Thankfully there was a bannister for help as he descended.
“I don’t suppose you’ve picked a reginal name for yourself have you?” She asked him as they got to the last round of steps.
“Ezrick.”
“A very bold choice might I say your Majesty.”
“Yep. I have a feeling that this will be the age of new discoveries. Thought it would be more fitting to name myself that way.”
“Of course sire.”
When he rounded the corner to the last step he was greeted with a TV showing the news of the Capital. How the cameras panned the waiting crowds and the commentary of the reporters. There were thousands more people in the streets now than when he first went in and it was now proving difficult to see anyone’s faces clearly.
“Do they seem positive at all?” He asked as The Pope adjusted her robes and hat.
“They seem to be responding well to your coronation. A little concerned over the length of time, though when you emerge from these doors they will understand why?”
“Then let’s get this party started then. Shall we?” He asked and motioned to the closed door. The last obstacle for this part of the journey.
End of Chapter 1