he still looked like a warrior in his prime. He wore a blue tunic embroidered in silver thread with the glittering symbol of the fist in front of a sun. His belt was thick and well worn, carrying a jeweled broad sword swinging gently as he stood to greet his guests. His tanned face was worn and looked like old leather, but his smile was welcoming.
“Ah, Landon, my friend, it is good to see you,” the king said in a booming voice. King Gavinsteal stepped around the table to shake hands with the merchant.
Jonas noticed that the others stood at their arrival. He saw two men that were obviously soldiers for they carried themselves as such, wearing swords and bright chain mail shirts under their tunics. One man was middle-aged, with long dark hair and a thick massive frame like the king’s. He wore a green tunic over his chain mail shirt that was embroidered with the same symbol. Jonas learned that this was Prince Baylin, the eldest of King Gavinsteal’s sons and first in line for the throne. He looked just like his father.
The younger warrior was Prince Nelstrom, the king’s youngest son. He was taller and thinner, but still laced with muscle. His strong shoulders and chest held up a black tunic that also had the Finarthian mark. He crossed his muscled forearms and Jonas saw the Finarthian symbol clearly on his right hand. This was the master swordsman that Cyn had mentioned. The man looked hard, like carved stone, and he did not smile, glancing at Fil and Jonas with undisguised disdain.
The other two men were high priests. They wore long robes of fine quality. Each one was made from soft fabric lined with silver thread that flowed around their bodies when they stood up in greeting. Androg was the eldest priest. He had gray hair and skin that hung loosely from his thin face. He wore a silver chain around his neck that carried the four pointed symbol of the High One. Manlin was younger, but his dark hair was still peppered heavily with gray and his weathered face showed signs of aging. What caught Jonas’s attention, however, was the silver chain he wore around his neck. It carried a blue and silver symbol that looked almost exactly like the one on his chest. This man must be a priest of Shyann.
Jonas unconsciously rubbed his chest as they approached the king nervously.
“It is good to see you, King Gavinsteal. I thank you for your hospitality, and for the healing.” Landon and the king shook hands like old friends.
“Anytime my friend,” replied the king glancing at Fil and Jonas. “So these are the two reasons for this meeting? Welcome to Finarth, I am King Uthrayne Gavinsteal.”
Fil and Jonas both bowed awkwardly, not sure what else to do.
“It is a great pleasure to meet you. My name is Jonas Kanrene,” Jonas said, his voice breaking slightly.
“My name is Fil Tanrey and I thank you for your hospitality, King Gavinsteal.” Smiling, the king introduced the others at the table who nodded their heads in greeting. “Come, have a seat at the table and let’s hear this important news,” the king commanded, moving to the head of the table.
They all sat down and Jonas continued to stare at the huge painting on the wall in front of them. He had to look back and forth to take in the colossal piece of art.
“You like my painting, young Jonas?” the king asked.
“Yes, Your Highness. It is magnificent. I have never seen anything like it.”
“I should hope not,” the king said, turning to glance at the painting himself. He looked back at Jonas. “Do you know what that picture represents?”
“No, sir, I do not. It looks like a battle.”
“Indeed it is, but not just any battle. That painting represents the great battle at the Shadow Plains over a thousand years ago. The two warriors that you see are Malbeck, the Dark One himself, and my great ancestor, King Ullis, who slew him in combat. The battle against the evil that was fought on that day destroyed the battlefield forever. Even today nothing grows there, hence the name Shadow Plains. No one really knows why, but some suggest that when my ancestor killed the Dark One his evil was released, staining the ground and killing it forever. This sword that I carry is a replica of the very weapon that killed him.”
Standing, the king drew the dazzling weapon holding it so Jonas could