The Enchanted- Prologue

Prologue

15 years ago-

“OUT!”Mrs. Alberta shouted, “The Council needs complete silence when they make a prophecy. Out you go!” She shuffled Corneilius out the large oak double doors and closed them after him. He could understand why she was being so insistent; he wasn’t really supposed to be in the Vision Room in the first place, but that last swift kick to the rear was a little much. He walked glumly down the brightly lit corridor toward his room. Ever since the Castle took him in as a Visionary Scholar his one main goal had been to witness the Council make a prophecy.

“Hey, Neil!” A voice whispered from behind a decorated pillar on his left. Corneilius tiptoed around the column to find Shawn, a tall, thin boy with chestnut hair and a rather weasel-like face, leaning against it.

“What are you doing here?” He questioned, “Shouldn’t you be studying?”

Shawn glanced at him sideways and chuckled, “I could ask you the same thing,” he retorted, “Come with me I want to show you something.”

Without giving him time to make a choice, he swiftly walked down the hallway and turned to the right, Corneilius following closely at his heals. Shawn led him through so many passageways and rooms that, even though he’d spent over half his life in the castle, Corneilius had lost track of where they were exactly. But, after all, the fortress was enormous and on some days just finding the lunch hall was a challenge. All Corneilius did know was that Shawn had taken him well away from the Scholar chambers.

After a moment the boys passed a sign reading Servants quarters, “We aren’t supposed to be down this way Shawn.” He warned.
Shawn scoffed, “Like that’s ever stopped you before.”

Shawn had a point. He directed him into one of the abandoned servant’s chambers. It was a grey and dusty place; Corneilius watched as he strode over to an ancient looking tapestry hanging on the wall and lifted it up, uncovering a door. He opened the door and revealed an old winding staircase.

“After you.” Shawn said smiling mischievously.

Corneilius hesitantly entered the staircase and began to climb, “How did you find this place?” He asked Shawn.

“Oh you know, I just stumbled upon it one day, anyway keep your voice down, we’re close.”

“Close to what?” He whispered, but just then he met a door. They opened it and found themselves in an extremely small room, it had no windows and no furniture. Shawn quietly walked over to the wall facing them and beckoned for Corneilius to follow. He then lifted one of the panels of wood off of the wall easily and set it down. Behind the panel was an air vent.

“You wanted to hear the Councils prophesy right?”

Shawn and Corneilius shoved their heads against the vent just in time. The view was fantastic; they could see everything in the Vision room below them.All eleven Councilmen circled the Revelation Orb in the center of the room. The Orb usually floated in the center of the room, pulsating its crystal blue light as if it were alive. Today on the other hand the Revelation Orb had lit its self on fire. Each of the Councilors hands began to glow bright white and they placed them on the flaming sphere. They then began to speak in a deep unified voice.

“War comes soon, the darkened ones plot against us already, they come for the throne, ruling above all. They have found one of the Garethem already. They are strong; they will reap havoc and destruction over every land. The Enchanted stand no chance against them, they have numbers we know not. Only one aspect of hope remains. The Halflings, born today the first of three, they are filled with unknown powers. Only with them do The Enchanted have the strength to stop the war. Wait for them.”

The Council let go of the Orb as its flame went out. It returned to its usual pigment and looked as if nothing had happened. The Councilmen seemed to have had all of their energy wiped from their bodies and each sat down in their chairs as the healers entered.

Corneilius turned to Shawn white-faced from what he had just heard, “We…we’ve got to-”

“No Neil,” Shawn said interrupting him, his face was blank but his eyes hid dread, “We aren’t going to do anything; we aren’t going to tell anyone, we never saw what we just saw, got it?”

“What?! You heard what they said, there’s going to be war Shawn! They already have one of the Garethem! We have to-”

“No! We could get in really big trouble for being up here in the first place. The Council always figures these things out, we have to leave it to them, we can’t cause panic. Now, promise me that you won’t tell anyone, swear it.”

Corneilius took a glance back at the Council, who now seemed to have begun discussing the prophesy. His heart was racing but in the back of his mind he knew that Shawn was right, the Council would know what to do better than they would, “Okay, I promise.”