1 PROLOGUE

"ACKNOWLEDGING THE PRESENCE OF PRODEA OF THE HOUSE OF LIMOR, GRAND PRINCESS AND CHIEF MAGISTRATE OF NAGOZUL. ONE OF THE ISLANDS OF THE HOLY LANDS…"

A great silence engulfed the room of what seems to be a meeting chamber inside an old medieval Palace. There are nine men occupying a round table all wearing extravagantly embroidered outfits befitting royalty. Sparks of candles can be heard flickering inside as the men stood up to witness the fabled princess of the most mythical islands of the one true God, creator of the world.

"You'll be surprised, my lord." whispered a handsome middle-aged man beside the Emperor. "You've never seen anything like this. What she would like to offer would make our empire richer than ever before."

He has a clean-cut beard standing at his position in the round table with a wide smile of excitement. He usually sits at the eastern side with the Emperor but today they made precautions to sit at the northern part close to the wall that is behind them, directly in front of the door, gaining vantage point to everything and everyone. They have a secret back door at one of the wall's panels behind them should anything awry happens, but the handsome middle-aged man is proudly confident that they would not require such provisions in meeting with an unknown foreign delegate. Someone, as loyal as he is, would not endorse someone to the Emperor if he's not certain that that person would not pose any risk.

The huge metal doors in front of them gradually opened as the princess walked slowly inside the chamber together with her two beautiful handmaids at her sides looking like floating angels with their white silk gowns. Tailing behind them is a tall muscular man dragging a metal chest on a trolley. This fear-provoking titan looks like a man who sprung out of a flawlessly made sculpture that it rendered some of the younger men in the table to gulp in anxiety thinking feverishly on how to defeat such a perfect human specimen if such a need arises.

The radiant princess wears a red lengthy silk gown covering all her body that made her looked like a goddess. Light emanates from her forehead which seems to be originating from the three gemstones placed as if embedded on her skin. It is curious to note that there are obscure tattoo markings on her forehead around the embedded gems. She had a long brunette hair that stretches to her hips at the back and her heavenly face glows without compare.

The men at the round table were stunned with awe as they gaze to Prodea's magnificence. She walked straight behind the chair that awaits her which is directly in front from the Emperor's spot and bowed gracefully. The muscular man pulled the chair away as she entered in her place in the round table, still standing, looking at all of those men mesmerized at the sight of her with their mouths still half-opened in anticipation. She nodded just slightly giving the cue for all of them to find their seats and then she started.

"Blessed day to you all nobles before me, I am Prodea of the House of Limor, Grand Princess of Nagozul." Her soft but firm voice echoed in the room as the men slightly bowed their heads to recognize her presence. "I come before this council of your great and benevolent eastern empire of Leonus, and to you Emperor Balthazar Ferryl Lionmaster, to bear a treaty that would benefit your empire's expanding culture and beauty. I am proposing to give you rights to have twenty chests of the Gems of Bathala that are found only in the Holy Lands."

As she was exclaiming, the big muscular man mustered his strength and lifted the impossibly big and obviously heavy metal chest and put it on top of the table beside her. The thud vibrated a faint creak making the table three to five degrees askew sloping to their spot, giving the impression that it might have been weighing at least a thousand pounds, but the muscular guard looked as though he didn't even break a sweat.

The handmaids touched the side of the chest that has some weird markings with some form of magic. The nobles that are near to the chest stood up in fear as they saw small sparks of fire shoot out of their fingers and into the metal chest creating an encompassing light to envelop it as if being swallowed by a fizzing wisp. The men in the round table were puzzled and wary in their seats as the handmaids closed their eyes and muttered a weird language. The chest sprung open and the nobles stood up slowly almost synchronized being amazed at the five sparkling fist-sized gems properly organized inside. What's curious is that they all glow brightly as if they have captured the tongues of candles inside of them. They saw Red Rubies, Green Emeralds, Blue Sapphires, Yellow Topazes and White Diamonds that radiates light upwards and all around as if magically bringing forth rainbows to spring out. Their eyes sparkled with joy and their emotions of fear immediately dissipated, replacing it with astonishment and excitement.

"In exchange for this grand gesture we would like to have designs and knowledge in your metallurgical, mechanical and alchemical technologies…" As she enumerated her demands, the council who are in deep shock fell into a great gasp leading them to discuss the matter to one another in disagreement. "…Bear in mind," she added, "that these gems hold power within if used properly. It's very rare and can only be found in the Holy Lands. This is your one and only opportunity to acquire them."

The discussions among the said council grew louder and louder. "This is preposterous!" said an old fat noble banging the table with his hand. The muscular titan noticed this immediately and snapped his attention at the angered noble which led him to tone down his violent reaction to her statements. He cleared his throat as if smiling and then continued with an amicable pitch. "We can't share our profound technologies to you, my lady. This is our only line of defense against those barbaric Gnarshu. And even if we can, we simply won't!"

"Yes… correct my old friend Duke Gollwun. But with that, we can have new ways on developing our strong army and defenses," stated calmly by an old noble on the other side of the table. "With those gems, if given to our scholars, we can turn the tides of war and even save thousands of lives."

"Yes, Yes! Old Duke Rumilo is right!" exclaimed hurriedly by the handsome middle-aged noble that sits beside the Emperor. "If we don't take this now, she will take this offer to the Gnarshu and who knows what will…"

"That's enough Duke Tabarius!" the Emperor interrupted. "Grand Princess Prodea, we will convene on this matter for now. I know that your offer is extremely generous. No disrespect intended, but this sensitive matter cannot be decided hastily. Surely, the safety and wellbeing of our empire comes first and the whole council has gathered here to prioritize in discussing the said matter.

"Why won't you relax as our guests here for the time being? I'm sure you're all weary from your travels. We have prepared the best chambers for you and your servants and I really do hope that it satisfies to your liking," he stood smiling and leveled his hand to point the direction to the door that the guards currently opened for them. "We promise that we will have the decision by tomorrow. For now, we have to discuss this matter thoroughly and with the utmost scrutiny."

She looked at her handmaids and her bodyguard with a calm smile signaling them to prepare to move. "I must admit that this is a very hard decision for you and your people. Rest assured that even if you won't accept our treaty, I would leave this chest for you as a sign of goodwill, good day gentlemen," she bowed to curtsy and then gracefully strode to the door and left together with her servants.

The Palace guards escorted them into their chamber at the top of one of the towers in the west wing of the Palace.

"Here you are your highness…" said the heavily armored Palace guard who's been showing them the way, "If you need anything at all, your highness, just give us a holler." The other guards, who are carrying spears with a triangular flag on the end that carried their empire's gryphon insignia, opened the large thick metal braced door. Then, they took a deep bow and stood away to the sides courteously giving way to the royal party.

A large inviting gold-colored room awaited them. At the immediate vicinity you can see a fully furnished receiving area with elegant gold-plated metal braced table that is full of different kinds of fruits in all shapes and sizes that is indigenous to the area. Truly a first-class suite fit for royalty, but it didn't impress them at all. Truly the rumors about the riches of the Holy Lands pale in comparison to their lands, the guards thought as they stepped back into the hall.

Prodea's bodyguard inspected a door inside the room that appears to be the bedroom. He gives a signal after a minute or two of examination and bowed to her insinuating that the area is secure. She entered the room together with her two handmaids.

"Relay to your master that I am pleased with my accommodations," she said rather indifferent after looking around for a while inside and then, after all is well, she looked at her bodyguard automatically giving him instructions to close the door. The Palace guards that stood at the other side bowed again saying their goodbyes as the terrifying muscle of the royal party closed the doors to a shut.

They settled into the receiving area as Prodea sat near the fireplace. She took a serious gaze at the window directly opposite of the door as if solving a great riddle. The sun is nearly setting then as skies of orange light engulfed the whole room.

"uhm… your highness Prodea?" a handmaiden interrupted, quietly moving closer to her spot, anxious as if someone might hear. "Might I impose a question?"

Prodea sighed as if irritated but nodded to entertain.

"I do not wish to insult," the handmaiden continued, "but we're technologically superior to them. Their primitive privies are an example of that. All of the things here are unsanitary and…"

"You bore me," stopped Prodea, "get to your point."

"What I meant was… do you think this will work? It's ridiculous for them not to accept. I mean we went away there without an answer on their part? Do you think your plan failed?"

"Fool!" she shouted as she snapped out of her concentration. "Do not question my intellect Daomagar! If you were not my sister-in-law, I would've smitten you to ashes already!" she then stood up and walked near the window. "OF COURSE, IT WORKED! Just wait 'till tomorrow. Those greedy pigs already signed the treaty when we first walked in that room. Understand this Zeba, my plan is already in motion." she then smiled and continued on to solve a mystery beyond the majestic amber-dipped skies of dusk.

-------ooO0Ooo-------

At the throne room, after minutes of disagreement at each other's opinion the discussion continued.

"This is impossible!" exclaimed the noble in the table. "Your Highness, although these gems are marvelous and magical, containing it and knowing its uses would take us years to accomplish and another decade to perfect it. What if it is a plot served to us by the Gnarshu?"

"Your highness I assure you, I personally know her. She really came from the Holy Lands," Duke Tabarius rebutted. "Do you all know, by any chance, the myth of Agua Vida and the River of Life?"

"The fountain which you can make a single wish for?" asked Duke Rumilo.

"No, he's talking about the river underneath that seeds life to our lands," replied the Emperor. "I've heard of this story when I was a child. It's what old people tell their children."

"A story to tell children so that they will appreciate the food in the table," added a young noble, snickering in jest.

"So, Duke Tabarius, do you now twiddle in children's fantasy?" shouted the ever-angry Duke Gollwun. "Is the war getting' on your head now?" he mocked.

"Shush Gollwun let him state his point," the Emperor ordered looking at the handsome Tabarius with enthusiasm.

Duke Tabarius controlled his frustration to some of the Duke in the table who's grinning and continued to state his point. "Legend has it that the people guarding the Fountain have magical prowess enabling them to cripple any man who dared to enter their lands. They have been granted the power also to speak in different tongues in order for them to ward-off any people who have any desire to defile the said lands that has been created by God himself on this very earth. Those lands, islands of three, are where the Grand Princess is from, the very well-hidden islands of God where the well to the river of life can be found."

"So, what are you suggesting young Duke?" uttered Duke Rumilo with questioning eyes. "Surely she spoke in our language. That doesn't mean she can speak many tongues, even my slaves in the far south can learn our language properly in a year or so. As for the account for that trick earlier, I can clearly say it's witchcraft!"

They all murmured and nodded their heads in agreement which frustrated Duke Tabarius even further.

"If it's not witchcraft, then its alchemy," expressed by a young duke across the table. "They must've known how to create a complicated trick I'll tell you that!"

"No, no, no!" Duke Tabarius contested still trying to convince the council. "You still don't understand what I'm saying." He paused for a moment and spotted a slave beside Duke Rumilo and then he continued. "You have your slave with you, yes?" looking directly at the slave behind Rumilo holding a platter of his favorite grapefruits.

"Yes? And so?"

"Does she speak our language?"

"No! I bring slaves to this room who doesn't speak our language to protect the secrecy of our meeting. Are you accusing me of something?!" he shouted and then an awkward feeling rose in the room. "Is this how you prove a point? By attacking my integrity? My honor?"

"No, please… NO! I'm just pointing that fact out. Command her to tell what Princess Prodea told us."

The council fell silent and knew immediately what he wants to point out.

"No! I mean, I can't," Duke Rumilo said hesitantly. "I don't speak her language. I just point my finger and she follows me like a dog that she is, but I can let the guards fetch my servant outside because he can," He waved his hands and the guard stationed at the door went outside.

A few minutes later the servant came in. Duke Rumilo briefed the servant and ordered him to ask the slave on what she understood. The assistant interviewed her for a few minutes as the council all concentrated on what they were discussing. Finally, after much scratching of the head by the aide who appears to be bewildered by the information, he muttered doubtfully to the council.

"She said… there was a Princess named Prodea… Who is a Grand princess of Nagoluz?"

"Nagozul" Corrected the slave.

"oh… Nagozul and a Magistrate of the Holy Lands. She said that she was offering a certain amount of that chest that contains some… Gems of Bathala?" he said hesitantly to his Lord hoping not to get punished by the weird information he was stating. After looking around the council who are staring at him with awe and enthusiasm, he continued thinking he's doing the right thing and is at the right track. "She said that in return for the grand gesture she wants knowledge in your technology in mechanical… metallurgical and alchemical sciences."

There is much silence in the room after the assistant finished his last few words. The bewildering idea of Duke Tabarius gave fright and surprise for a few minutes until someone broke the ice.

"Oh, my Lord! How could she have known our discussion! A spy! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" shouted a noble on the other side of the table.

"Settle down young man," laughed the Emperor. "Calm down, you're being hysterical."

The Emperor waved his hands to dismiss Golluwun's assistant together with the slave who are more than happy to leave fearing for their lives. A moment of silence ensued after the both bewildered servant and the slave girl shut the door to a thud. He waited for about a minute just to be sure, being paranoid and excited at the same time, before continuing on with their last agenda for the day.

"Assuming it is true, is there a rational explanation as to how?" a rational noble man queried breaking the silence that muted them.

"It is magic I assure you!" answered Duke Rumilo. "No man can talk to both people in different languages at the same time while uttering different words. You can see her mouth move right?"

"Yes yes. I fancied her perfectly arched lips, so I was looking at her mouth the whole time," said a young noble occupying the farthest chair opposite of the Emperor, closest to where Prodea started her speech.

"If this is true, then… then all… no." The Emperor paused for a moment in contemplation until he finalized. "No, we will first investigate the matter. Duke Gollwun, prepare all technological finds we can spare and ready it for next week."

"But your highness…" he whispered in dispute, shocked at his request being the Head Science Master of Leonus.

"Are you defying your Emperor?" he said with glaring eyes.

"Uh… No, your greatness. I-I will ready it right away."

"Be sure to prepare only the ones that we are using now. Save developing technologies in the archive and don't let her know a thing. Satisfy her 'till she gives in," he smiled deviously and all of the council members who are in awe directed all their attention to him. "I have a plan… and we might just get more than we bargained for."