A Worthless Crown

Silence pressed down on the room. My father moved to his desk, his fingers tracing the golden crest etched into the wood. "Then it must be stopped before that happens. I am still shocked that it escaped it's seal, it must've had help from the outside. I can offer some of my knights."

The grey-haired leader nodded grimly. "But we need more than swords. We need knowledge. The seal was ancient—crafted by the old kingdom, long before the Exiled King was sealed here. We need the texts hidden in the lower archives."

My father glanced toward a locked chest in the corner—one I had seen but never dared touch. His hand hovered over it briefly before returning to his side. "You will have access. Discreetly. This must not reach the town. If they suspect the mines are cursed word might spread…"

The Dragon-slayer smirked, though there was little humor in it. "Rumours breed conflict. It wouldn't be pretty if they tried to take over the mines."

My father inclined his head slightly. "Exactly."

My heart raced. I stepped back from the door before they noticed. My mind reeled. A demon had escaped from the mines. The race for the crown. My father's calculated poise masking the knife-edge of peril. 

I gritted my teeth. This was bigger than I imagined. And for the first time, I felt the weight of my family name—not as privilege, but as burden.

"If you wish to listen, perhaps do so openly. It is rude to peek and spy." The sorceress of the group called out, her icy voice struck a chord in my heart, it felt unnatural.

"Sorry, I was passing by and curious." I spoke modestly, all of them looked me up and down and quickly recognized who I was.

"Don't worry, you must be his son. You too play a part in this chaos." The Dragon-Slayer spoke with a smirk hitched up the side of his face.

"Who will tell him?" The burly warrior spoke slowly, as if to lessen the burden of what was to come.

My father gestured with his hand for me to come closer. I walked into the centre of the room, feeling the foreign eyes on me, and seated myself on a spare chair.

"As you should know Fraero, the current King has fallen ill and only has a few years remaining. He wishes to use the traditional inheritance process to factor the next king. Currently there are 7 competitors for the crown, but another is needed for the process. The noble with the closest bloodlines to the throne, who is suitable to become ruler of Thesia..."

"It's you kid." The Dragon-Slayer chipped in. "If you couldn't tell."

I looked down at my hands, they were soft and pale, like my mother's.

"What does this mean? You want me to go to the capital and try to inherit the crown. That'll get me killed!" I almost shouted, my emotions had overtaken my thoughts.

"You don't have to die, but you have a chance to achieve everything. You may take your belongings, you can stay with the Earl of Ballor and you may bring a companion to keep you company in the royal academy."

"But-."

"It's not a request, or an option. This is a chance people would sell their souls to be given. You need to bring your family honor, this is the oppurtunity life has served you." My father looked around at the group of adventurers.

"You may take one of these adventurers with you aswell, for protection and to be your champion. Each of the 9 competitors for the crown will bring a champion, I believe these people are up to the standards of the competition. This is your noble duty."

"What if I don't-."

"Silence. You must go and you must succeed. If not I will throw you outside the city tomorrow."

I gave up, he clearly wouldn't shift. He even suggested murdering me, what a father...

"When do I leave...?" The words came out hollow, my face sunk. There was no way I could live if I had to battle for the crown in the capital, everyone knew the best way to claim the crown in an inheritance war was to destroy all your enemies.

Of course, I would have a few years since the inheritance war only commenced when the King died, but it was certain death. For the other competitors would surely have more backing and noble power than I, who was only in this position because of my mother who carried the royal blood in her veins.

"That is a good question." My father looked around, towards the adventurers.

"He should be fine to stay here for another month, then he must immideatly travel to the capital and enroll in the royal acedemy, allies will be the key to victory."

"You said I have to choose one of these people as my champion, when do I have to make that choice?"

My father looked around, to which they looked back with awkward stares.

"Ehh." The Dragon slayer spoke up, tousling his golden hair as he did so. "We will have to leave right after this is done, so if you take one of us it will have to be right here, right now."

A lump formed in my throat. This was stressful, my skin crawled and my bones creaked. The tension in the room was palpable, a hot knife could cut straight through.

"Tell me your names, and your powers then." I spoke with a tone of grief, with this I was signing my death warrant. Choosing a champion would mean I would have to go to the capital.

The burly warrior went up first. 

"My name is Olaf, the Guardian of the North. I wield a great-axe. I have faced frost giants and slain beasts older than the snow itself. No enemy crosses the northern borders while I stand."

"My name is Luxelle, Grand Sorceress from the Starlight Tower. I command light and flame, shaping magic to shield the innocent. I sealed a rift in the sky that almost destroyed my home-land."

"My name is Askath, Dragon Slayer. I brought down the Calamity Emperor, a dragon whose fire could burn whole cities to ash. I have fought many dragons and I remember them by their heads on my wall."

"My name is Vernon, Sword Saint of the East.I have perfected my swordsmanship. I defended my homeland against the Orcs and mastered sword arts few have ever seen. When I raise my sword, none can stand against me."

My father spoke joyously.

"Ha. See, what a talented lot they are. Quick, make your decision boy. Before they leave for their next adventure."