Christopher Cernat
Mr. Naccarato
EWC 4U1
April 7th 2015
The Fall of Weston Everyone has an aura. Some shine so bright anyone can see you from a valley away. Radiance, that is what you are most likely contemplating currently. My name is Wallace of the Servitum house and I can truly see peoples aura. I work for the Velantis, the current ruling house and my position is officially throne advisor. I prefer not to lie to myself and to see it as executioner. Over the past nine years I have convicted over two thousand souls to their pitiful end, I have seen their auras gray with guilt then black, empty as their torso. My employer utilizes my skill, seeing it as a just method. Ryard Velantis is the current head, he owns me to say. After the reform of the Centis age, his house claimed all others, executing the ones they felt threatened by, and making use of the others as slaves mostly. My house, the Servitum, is rightful heir to the throne, but the oligarchy that is the Velantis house has kept the throne vacant for far too long. My birth rite is my gift, this aura, the perception is passed down my lineage. I however, am bestowed with a mutation of the gift; I can see how someone will die. It frightened me as a child, especially my mother’s glowing pink aura when she was carrying my youngest sister. I know now that is means death while in labour. My father raised us well, once part of the main council he gave us everything he could. Out of six children I was the only one sent away. I went to the hinterlands, a monastery, where I learned to understand and control my vision. I accepted it as a gift instead of a curse but it took time. I was already working for the king at 15, judging smugglers, thieves, murderers and rapists of any sort. Yeval Velantis, Ryard’s daughters took a liking to me while I was younger, but our houses would not permit such happenings. Since then, I have remained true to the monk’s ways. Three strikes on my quarters door followed by: “Wallace of Servitum, lordship Ryard demands your council at once!”. Ryard was calling on me again; I have no choice but to oblige. I equipped my black, sleek leather boots and my houses tunic, presenting the majestic colours of purple and black. My shortsword, steel flashing, custom made with a single gem, an amethyst to represent the Servitum house. My cloak heavy with guilt is always the most burdensome to equip. Embroidered with my houses crest, but all it represents is puppet of Velantis. The courtyard damp, the spring air moulding the ground to accept every step with a grave. The birds chirping to the bright sky while the raven that always is perched upon the Elder Yew is eyeing into your soul was a familiar sight this time of year. Two guards at the front of the main halls gates, always the same, half asleep and half envious. You see, the Velantis made all the rough positions in the castle be occupied by the inferior house. Everyone in the kingdom of Weston that was not a Velantis was inferior, a pawn only utilized when needed. Their house had a special lineage also, their sage Merik could control the weather, helping the kingdom always prosper and making them a very unwanted enemy. They have control over all kingdoms resources; taking whatever they desire when they want it. My oldest sister Maria was taken after the discovery of her majestic voice. I witnessed her perform at the Full Moon meet and then never heard her heavenly voice again. The main palace rich with gold lined walls, statues of the family Velantis and few detailed pieces of the old gods captured ones eye immediately upon entry. They used the statues of old gods more as decoration, none were of faith. The throne where the self-proclaimed ruler sat mocked me with every step, lined in jewels that should have been adorned in my quarter. “Wallace come hither as there is much to do” Ryard ordered. The seat next to Ryard was vacant for the placement. “Begin” he gestured. Instantly all the servants vacated the room and a dozen guards entered the room. Every minute another three entered maneuvering a barely conscious male who looked so famished his bones were as though escaping his skin. Five prisoners arranged horizontally in front of Ryard and myself. “By the sovereignty of the house of Velantis and the ruling of Ryard of the Velantis you have been summoned here for trial! May the Gods show mercy and justice in your favour!” bellowed the front guard. “Osligar from the town of Hamera you have been charged with robbery of the house of Velantis’ caravan. How do you plead?” the guard continued avoiding the eyes of the prisoner at all costs. “NOT GUILTY!” But he was, I knew it. His aura red with anger then quickly grey with guilt and sadness. I made the usual gesture at Ryard, a simple turn of the head and then a nod his way. The ruling guard, knowing the process knew the ruling before it was announced. “By the house of Velantis I sentence thee to a swift death by the executioners hand.” He waved his hand as though to say next. The guards brought up the next prisoner and removed the sack that covered his face. I blinked twice. My head felt it was deprived of thought before my eyes readjusted to the colour of the man aura I have never witnessed before. But I have, in a book at the monastery. As I realized what this was my heart sank into my stomach. This was my chance to bring down the oligarchy that was the Velantis. If I would not sentence this prisoner the catastrophe would ensue. Plague, plague would ravage the land just how it did centuries ago. Even the Velantis could not stop nature. I looked at the falling ruler with sweat pouring down my forehead and shook my head. “By the house of Valentis you are freed from our holdings and I pray we do not meet again.” Ryard sounded displeased saying that, and oddity to him. My mind was racing. I could not control my gift and everyone’s aura was shining. My adrenaline from my previous decision quickly turned into heart palpitations. Only two guards were without dark green auras. Ryard was sporting a dark green aura also. How bad was this plague going to be? “What have I done…?” I slipped. “Speak only when asked, Wallace!” Ryard barked. I disregarded him completely as my head would not stop spinning, my heart was beating so fast every breath was a challenge. Did I possibly just damn the entire kingdom? My sight hazed progressively. “Wallace, what is your opinion on the fact?” Ryard said. I completely missed the next prisoner, my head in my hands now. I looked up to find only darkness. My sight was gone. Slowly everyone’s auras reappeared, dark green was the only colour I perceived. “Wallace! Though you sit where others could think more that they shall!” he bellowed. “Not guilty” I muttered. He was guilty, his aura was the only one a mix of red and dark green, but I could not condemn another man. “You traitor! Have you deceived me these years more so? He is clearly displaying treachery against the regime! Execute him! And for you Servitum scum you shall rot in a cell, stupid was I to overvalue your worth!” I awoke in a cell, though my solitary prison was my mind. I ran my fingers along the walls. The cold stone raised the hair on my arm as I pondered my fate. My vision still gone, left my sight brighter then my expectations for the time ahead still. “I am not glad to have royalty as a cellmate, for when Kings are jailed a new era is on the horizon.” I turned my head to see a faint white aura. “You are of the Deimier house?” I asked. “Yes my brother in bonds, and I have seen the visions of your actions.” The Deimier house could see the future, it was they that predicted the rising of the Velantis but were unsuccessful in opposing it. Rumor now turned to lie as the idea that they had been slaughtered with during the Centis age fell apart. “And what do they tell you? These visions of yours.” “You are immune my boy, and so am I. Our families are resistant to the oncoming blight, for it is not a plague, but a curse that will swallow the land. Our houses will rule once more, let your fear not cause dismay for if you survive this torture the reward will be grand.” he said. And so I waited in my cell, only seeing dark green auras of the guards pass by as they chuckled at me. The days past, weeks I counted. The patrols becoming fewer every day, the guards told us the blight had begun. The plague was only the first stage of the reform that I knew for certain. I do not know how long my wait will last until its duration will conclude, however I will not give up hope. The throne will be mine. I will rebuild my kingdom in a way that will invoke envy in the hells that the Velantis will reside in. And so I wait, for the treasure will be one that is reaped by only me.