Minow accidentally fumbled his cup of water as the piercing shriek of a woman cut through the compound of his abode. Jumping to his feet, the young warrior reached for his sword and rushed out of the kitchens, swallowing his mouthful as his booted feet slapped against the wooden floors.

He almost tripped over his long lanky legs in his eagerness to find out what was amiss. Shoulder-length hair adorned with decorative beads swung back and forth as he darted out into the open. He hurried to stand right beside his towering father in the compound's center.

Through his slightly mismatched eyes, he stared at what lay before him. Instinctively his hand jumped to the hilt of his sword, grip tightening as he gazed upon the formidable eyes of the Priestess who had but visited their clan just a month or so prior. Minow scowled as he caught sight of those unnaturally blue eyes staring at them from within a pretty face. Looks be damned, he didn't trust this sorceress no matter what his father had said. In fact, he still couldn't believe he had sent Wylen out on this quest of highly questionable truth.

Fallen sun with three thorns?

Could the Priestess be any more vague?

Ruthlessly Minow furrowed his brows, glaring at the woman in white silks as his father's men brought her forward.

"They’re coming!” The Priestess gave a shriek, her limbs thrashing about as the words tumbled off her lips.

“Lady Senisari!” His father rushed forward. Alarm rang in his voice like the bellow of a ram’s horn.

“You must follow me and make ready for their arrival!” The Priestess lunged forward and grabbed his father by the shoulders, the blues of her eyes swirling and making a chill run up his spine.

Minow scowled. He gritted his teeth as his eyes narrowed into reptilian slits. How dare this woman grabs hold of their Chief? Who did she think she was? She had no damn right!

Before Minow could even pull his blade from its sheath, the woman’s red guard materialized as if from thin air. The ruby armor glinted on their bodies as they formed a semicircle around the Priestess. Hands on their weapons. Ready to deliver a lethal blow if they deemed their Lady in any harm.

“I do not understand you.” The Chief tried to say, but the Priestess only continued to thrash about like a puppet on strings. Her long nails dug into his arms, making him wince with discomfort.

“The egg!” She shrieked. Only then to clutch at her own throat.

The small crowd watched in disbelief at the Priestess stumbled back. Her fingers clawed at her neck as if fighting off a choking hold of an invisible assailant. Delicate features twisted, and her eyes bulged as ivory skin started to blotch as the girl struggled.

“The—gol—golden egg! It’s—on—on its way!”

“Take her!”

Minow and the rest of the warriors who had assembled upon hearing the woman’s shrieks snapped their heads to the left and took in the small stature of an old woman stepping out from an elaborate wooden palanquin. From head to toe, she was covered in an array of black silks. A long, translucent ebony veil flickered in the wind, obscuring the lower portion of her face.

“For the love of the sun and moon, grab her and put her in the palanquin!” The elderly woman ordered with a furious cry. “Did I not say to watch her and make sure she doesn’t run ahead? How many times have you lost track of her?”

“Our apologies, High Priestess.” A few of the red guards bowed low while two others went to secure the still choking Priestess Senisari.

“Be careful with her!” She glared, watching the whole scene take place. “Do not allow harm in any way! If she falls ill when the time of implantation commences, everything will be lost.”

“Yes, High Priestess.”

The black veil swayed with the shaking of the Priestess’ head. “Confounded, child. You know there’s a price for speaking words of prophecy around impurity.” Wrinkled hands clasped together as the woman tsked. “Mistake after mistake with this one. How our gods choose messengers is beyond me.”

Minow wrinkled his nose, not following the string of conversation. However, before he could even raise a question with the vociferous company, the elderly woman turned her attention back to them.

“What is going on?” His father demanded. The wind whipped at the emerald-colored sash holding his hair up in a thick bunch on his head.

“It’s the prophecy.” The elderly woman explained. Her small form was standing proud as she gazed at them. “Your son was successful in his quest of finding the fallen sun with three thorns.”

The Chieftain grinned at the news.

“Well, that’s good, right?”

“Yes…but,” the woman paused. “…When we sent him out on this quest, we weren’t exactly sure what this fallen sun was.” She shuffled on her feet, fidgeting. “Now…after Lady Senisari had her vision a few days ago…we realized we don’t have much time…”

The grin disappeared off the Chieftain’s face. In its place, a frown appeared. “I do not understand.”

Frankly, neither did Minow. These priestly folks always spoke in riddles. How hard was it to just say it like it was? If more people were blunt and to the point, lots of confusion would be avoided. His brow furrowed—damn priestesses and their visions.

“We must all make haste to reach the Ellos clan and make ready for their Prince’s arrival.”

“I’m sorry.” Minow decided to butt in, having had enough of this trickery and vagueness. There was only so much of this nonsense he could take. “Either you tell us straight out what it is going on or get the hell out of here. This Prince of the Ellos clan…what in hell’s name has that to do with us? With Wylen?”

The old woman snapped her head towards Minow. The temperature between them dropped, and the young warrior felt his hair stand on end. An icy gust of air pricked at his cheek. Its kiss chilling and uninvited. Nonetheless, he stood his ground and stared back at the Priestess, stubborn as a mule.

“It would do you good if you learned some respect, heathen. Or else,” She whispered in a savage tone, “In your next life, you might find yourself taken advantage of and left behind by the people you love most.”

Frightened by the ominous threat and aura expelling off the woman swathed in black, Minow stumbled back and gulped. The curse seemed oddly specific.

“As I was saying.” The old woman turned her attention back to the Chieftain and waved her hand in the air. “It was not a thing but a who your son was tasked to find. If we do not hurry to the Ellos clan, I’m afraid we’ll lose the son of prophecy forever.”

“Son of prophecy?” Wylen's father furrowed his brow. He was growing more confused by the minute. “But my son has only been gone a month and a half…how can he beget a son so quickly?”

“Because two days after Jaelan of the Ellos clan, the one which contains divine blood in perfect equilibrium with that of a mortal… will return to his people. He will bring forth an egg...” The High Priestess replied just as the wind turned vicious and blew the veil straight clear off the elderly woman’s face.

It revealed skin as youthful and vibrant as of a girl, aged but only fourteen summers.

The Chieftain inhaled sharply and stumbled back.

“I speak truth and nothing but that…when Jaelan of Ellos returns, he will spawn an egg of gold—fathered by your son. And if we do not act in time and transfer it into a woman pure of heart and soul…the bringer of nations will be lost to us all—our King will be lost to us all.”