An old tale passed down from generation to generation, taken from

         Come, and I shall tell you a story. An old legend of love and doom. Once, two star-crossed lovers dared to define their own destiny. But alas, Fate had other designs for them.

          I shall tell you of Zenith, a land as ancient as time, existing purely on magick. Birthed by the Mother of Heaven and ruled by three sister Fates, seven kingdoms thrived within. The Kingdoms of Argun, Lythe, Argyll, Glynne, Kymme, Durrayne, and Mor’aire. ’Tis of two kingdoms I speak of in particular, and of two souls whose lives will forever be altered by judgment of the Fates. Behold the tragic tale of the Mor’airian prince who dared to steal the magick of the Fates, and foolish Lythen princess who gave up all for love.

         This story began many thousands of years ago when Zenith was a land still in the blossoms of her youth, not but a few hundred years into her reign. The three Fates — ethereal, whimsical creatures they be — decided to teach magick to a select few. They called forth a council of all men great and mighty throughout the realm to present himself. ’Twas from these men that they would choose one worthy to bestow their magick upon. They favored King Juleus Leikin of Kingdom Lythe and gifted him with their powers. For a month’s time, they secluded themselves off with the royal Leikin family, teaching them magick. During that time, the Leikins were forbidden to interact with any others outside of their family.

          One week before the month’s end, ’twas discovered the youngest Lythen princess, Princess Anoria Leikin, had been secretly trysting with the heir to Kingdom Mor’aire, Prince Kym’rin Rainyll. The Fates were furious. They revealed that during that month’s time, magick was transferred freely, thus, ’twas why it had been imperative for the Leikins’ seclusion. Once the magick of the Fates was given, it could not be returned. With her involvement with the Mor’airian prince, Princess Anoria had passed on magick to Prince Kym’rin. The Fates judged the Mor’airian prince and found him guilty of stealing their magick, concluding that he’d used his charms to trick the foolish Lythen princess into teaching him magick.

         In their wrath, the Fates of Zenith have decided, and so their judgment be. A curse upon not only Prince Kym’rin, but his entire kingdom and any heir begot of his blood. For such a foul deed, Mor’aire shall no longer flourish. Stripped of its power and prosperity, the kingdom shall be shunned by all. Even the sun shall turn its back on Mor’aire, no longer permitted to grace the kingdom with its presence. For someone so black of heart, darkness shall consume the Mor’airian prince and all those he held dear, stripping them of their humanity and the very last vestiges of their tainted soul. An eternity of darkness, be the curse of Mor’aire for the devious deed done to the Fates that day.

         As for the Lythen princess, such foolishness deserved not death. The Fates had taken a liking to her, had it not been for her vocal objections of their treatment of the prince. Angered that she dare question their judgement with her defiance and nonsense about love, they cursed her immortal so that she may one day see the fruition of her actions, for only unspeakable consequences would come of her foolishness. Banished to a life of solitude, she remained hidden from Zenith, separated and concealed by magick, regret, her only company.

         As for the gifting of their powerful magick, the Fates had finally learned to practice caution. Fearing their magick might once more fall into the wrong hands, they cloistered themselves off with only King Juleus and his heir, and for that last week of the month, taught them a different kind of magick. A magick that none would ever know save the King of Lythe and his heir. ’Twas whispered they were taught the secrets of the universe, the most powerful magick there was to safeguard Zenith against all evil. The King of Lythe and his heir were sworn to never use the magick for evil or selfish deeds, their oaths binding them like an iron shackle around the ankle.

         And so the King of Lythe and his heir became two of the most powerful beings in Zenith. The oaths they made on that fateful day passed down from generation to generation, carried in the bloods of every Leikin to rule Kingdom Lythe.

         And so Mor’aire turned dark. What was once a lively kingdom that rivaled Lythe in might and prosperity, now became a necropolis devoid of life, cold, barren, and empty. Those who fled the kingdom before the curse took form were saved from the fate of their kinsmen as the curse slowly ate away at the souls of all those who remained, turning them into evil, shadowy Mohgs. Madness gripped the royal Mor’airian family of mind and body, disfiguring all who carried Rainyll blood into a mindless, hideous creature of darkness who hid behind shadows and veils.

         And so ended the rule of the great Rainylls of Mor’aire many thousands of years ago with the death of the Mor’airian prince.

         And so the foolish Lythen princess, better known as the immortal princess, became nothing more than a legend of old.

          This was the story of the curse of Kingdom Mor’aire. A kingdom sentenced to darkness, untouched for thousands of years. Forgotten and ignored.

         Until recently when a being not of Zenith thought to end the curse, bringing light back into the dark kingdom, and freeing an innocent soul trapped for too long in the darkness, battling the evil that eats at his inside.

         Ah, but the story has not ended. Indeed, it has yet to begin, for all things happen in cycles. Now that darkness has been lifted from Mor’aire, begins the true meaning behind the curse of darkness. Many thousands of years later, and this — this — is the real story of the prince who dared to steal the magick of the Fates and the princess who gave up all for love. This is the real story of the curse of Kingdom Mor’aire . . .

Click for the second book in
the Zenith fantasy series,Prince of Darkness.