Ouranos
Planetoid
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2020
"Just a bit further," he reassured himself as he worked to keep his footing in place among the rocky terrain of the Sacred Mountain. He could see the summit from his current position, and knew he didn't have much longer of a climb until he reached the Temple of Ashalladeen.
As the crown prince of Torroria, it was Brode's duty to climb the holy mountain and spend the final evening before the solstice praying to the Goddess Ashalladeen for guidance and wisdom. For he would be king one day, and her blessing would be required if he was to ever be an effective ruler. It was tradition, and his father and his father before him had all spent the eve of the solstice alone in the temple, engaging in deep prayer and meditation. Every Torrorian Prince from the age of 13 and every year after until he took the throne was required to do so. This was Brode's sixth time making the journey.
He reached the summit and started to walk towards the modest little temple. An open air structure with four pillars in each corner hoisting up an ornate ceiling of styled marble. Figures of his legendary ancestors were carved into the edges of the roof around exterior band, shown kneeling before the Goddess Herself.
Brode wasn't sure of what he thought of that. In all his previous treks to the Temple, he never saw another being from the time he left his company of Royal Guards at the Foothills until he returned the following morning. He certainly never saw anything like the Goddess Ashalladeen appearing before him. He figured this whole exercise was just tradition. A lesson in teaching him how to do what was expected of him.
The temple was barren and vacant, with the exception of a singular bronze brazier in the center of the floor that had the ash and dust from his previous visit still within in. He set down his bag of supplies and walked around the perimeter of the temple, collecting a small bundle of branches and twigs to start a new fire for the evening.
Several hours had passed and the young prince was already growing weary. He had started a fire within the brazier and rolled out his blanket that he would meditate and also sleep on. He was on his feet, leaning against one of the temple columns as he watched the sun set over his father's kingdom in the valley below.
"It's quite the burden you bear, Prince Brode," said the soft yet regal voice from behind him.
"What?--Who?--" the dark-haired Prince said in a startle as he quickly turned around. No one else should have been anywhere near the summit, and especially not near the temple. It was forbidden.
The soft yellow aura bathed over him, dimming the bright orange glow of the brazier that stood between them. A figure, with long golden brown hair and a silken dress, now stood before him. Intricate jewelry of silver and gemstone adorned her body.
"It cannot be... You are..."
"I am Ashalladeen. Watcher of Torroria. Watcher of your people. You as well will be a watcher of your people, Prince Bride. That is why I am here."
He must've been dreaming. Perhaps he nodded off without knowing. He looked to to floor, expecting to see his slumbering body curled up against the stone.
"You've never appeared to me before. Do you appear to every Prince?"
"No. I appear when needed. Your path will be one of great struggle and turmoil. You will lead Torroria through desperate times. I am here to ensure you have the faculty and fortitude to be the Hero that your people and lands need."
"I don't understand.. Hero?" The way she said it made it seem like the title had more to it than the common understanding of the term.
"Let me explain further, Young Prince ..."
As the crown prince of Torroria, it was Brode's duty to climb the holy mountain and spend the final evening before the solstice praying to the Goddess Ashalladeen for guidance and wisdom. For he would be king one day, and her blessing would be required if he was to ever be an effective ruler. It was tradition, and his father and his father before him had all spent the eve of the solstice alone in the temple, engaging in deep prayer and meditation. Every Torrorian Prince from the age of 13 and every year after until he took the throne was required to do so. This was Brode's sixth time making the journey.
He reached the summit and started to walk towards the modest little temple. An open air structure with four pillars in each corner hoisting up an ornate ceiling of styled marble. Figures of his legendary ancestors were carved into the edges of the roof around exterior band, shown kneeling before the Goddess Herself.
Brode wasn't sure of what he thought of that. In all his previous treks to the Temple, he never saw another being from the time he left his company of Royal Guards at the Foothills until he returned the following morning. He certainly never saw anything like the Goddess Ashalladeen appearing before him. He figured this whole exercise was just tradition. A lesson in teaching him how to do what was expected of him.
The temple was barren and vacant, with the exception of a singular bronze brazier in the center of the floor that had the ash and dust from his previous visit still within in. He set down his bag of supplies and walked around the perimeter of the temple, collecting a small bundle of branches and twigs to start a new fire for the evening.
Several hours had passed and the young prince was already growing weary. He had started a fire within the brazier and rolled out his blanket that he would meditate and also sleep on. He was on his feet, leaning against one of the temple columns as he watched the sun set over his father's kingdom in the valley below.
"It's quite the burden you bear, Prince Brode," said the soft yet regal voice from behind him.
"What?--Who?--" the dark-haired Prince said in a startle as he quickly turned around. No one else should have been anywhere near the summit, and especially not near the temple. It was forbidden.
The soft yellow aura bathed over him, dimming the bright orange glow of the brazier that stood between them. A figure, with long golden brown hair and a silken dress, now stood before him. Intricate jewelry of silver and gemstone adorned her body.
"It cannot be... You are..."
"I am Ashalladeen. Watcher of Torroria. Watcher of your people. You as well will be a watcher of your people, Prince Bride. That is why I am here."
He must've been dreaming. Perhaps he nodded off without knowing. He looked to to floor, expecting to see his slumbering body curled up against the stone.
"You've never appeared to me before. Do you appear to every Prince?"
"No. I appear when needed. Your path will be one of great struggle and turmoil. You will lead Torroria through desperate times. I am here to ensure you have the faculty and fortitude to be the Hero that your people and lands need."
"I don't understand.. Hero?" The way she said it made it seem like the title had more to it than the common understanding of the term.
"Let me explain further, Young Prince ..."