Light Seeker
Legacy Name: Light Seeker

Once upon a time- because of course that‘s always how it starts- there was a great kingdom. Peace reigned throughout the land and for a time all was well.

Then, disaster struck.

A murky fog sluggishly rolled its way through the kingdom until even the brightest fire could not be seen from more than ten feet away. Signs and street markers were impossible to read. People scarcely stepped foot out of their doors at night. When the dark clouds rolled in they refused to even venture out during the day. The kingdom which once sparkled with life was quickly becoming a ghost town.

The king, heartbroken at the sight of his falling kingdom, summoned his royal knights. They listened raptly as he told of an ancient legend of a magic light. This light was said to be able to pierce even the darkness that lurks within the deepest of caves. Some rumors told of its ability to outshine a star.

But, every legend has an obstacle. The light was said to be guarded by the spirits that had forged the light. They would test whoever sought the light with three questions made to assess that person’s strength, intelligence and courage. None knew what they were for none had ever returned.

So the knight set off on what they felt in their hearts was a hopeless quest. They rode through several nights, barely stopping to rest. A lone rider followed behind them, just out of sight.

As is usually the way, the kingdom had a princess. Alana was well-mannered, graceful and everything a proper princess ought to be. But she was also fourth in line for the throne, allowing her to live a life that wasn’t under absolute scrutiny. This allowed her a chance to develop interests beyond those reserved for the noble life, something beyond court gossip and laws.

Alana’s main interest revolved around legends. She’d read everything from treasure hoarding dragons to bridge guarding trolls. Since she had first learned to read, Alana had spent hours losing herself amongst the dusty pages, imaging herself on heroic quests.

But such things were simply not suitable for a princess, regardless of her far down she was from the throne.

When the darkness and clouds had rolled in, it had been Alana who whispered the legend of the light into her eldest brother’s ear. He’d of course told their father, taking all the credit. Alana hadn’t minded, it was just a step along the way of getting what she wanted. She listened intently to the knight’s plans and easily made her own plans to follow them.

As it turned out, adventuring was not as easy as she had believed. The stories she’d read failed to mention the difficulty of sitting for a horse for hours on end as well as the utter boredom from staying completely silent. She couldn’t even sleep away the time since her horse relied on her for guidance.

When the knights finally stopped to camp, Alana tethered her horse a safe distance from them and snuck up ‘till she could hear them. From what they were saying, the cave was about a mile straightforward but they would be camping here for the night. This was great news for Alana. Now she could continue undisturbed.

She grabbed her horse’s reins and led him around the camp. Once she was sure she was out of hearing range and once again facing the right direction, she mounted and set the horse on a brisk trot.

Alana almost rode straight past the cave. It was covered in thick vines and the entrance was only the size of a regular doorway. She hopped off the horse and again tethered him to a tree. Then she took a deep breath and entered the dark cave.

She noticed the chill immediately and clutched her cloak tighter around her shoulders. Her eyes scanned every inch of darkness, searching blindly for the first of the three questions she knew awaited her. There was no missing it. The question glowed brightly in the darkness, illuminating the area for several feet.

Pictures drawn in the same glowing ink lay below the message. They gave step by step instructions of what she was to do. Alana placed her hand on the indicated piece of wall and watched as her hand sank through it. Pain stabbed at it, traveling to every part of her body. She fell to her knees but did not remove her hands. The pain intensified and her vision turned fuzzy.

Time passed, though she did not know how much. The pain stopped with no warning and her hand was thrust from the wall. A glowing red chain of symbols formed the skin of her right wrist. When she held it forward, the wall parted. Alana walked through and it closed behind her.

She continued on, the glow on her wrist the only light. The next clue presented itself in much the same manner.

Alana stared at the message, completely confused. Then she heard it. Soft hissing began all around her but its maker remained a mystery. She could feel it brushing against her skin, curling around her legs and traveling up to her neck. It was cold and smooth, sending shivers racing down her spine. Sweat trickled down her nose and her eyes widened in fright. Alana shut her eyes against the darkness and grasped one of the things traveling across her body. It eluded her, but not quickly enough.

“It’s silk!” she shouted, relief clear in her voice. This hissing stopped and Alana touched the gorgeous silk wrapped around her neck and shoulders. Her left wrist was encased by another and when she removed it, a glowing green chain of symbols was there as well. The wall parted and Alana began her journey again.

This section seemed to stretch on for miles and the princess could feel fatigue creeping in on her. If she could just rest for a moment then she’d be better than ever.

Alana sat down, her back against the tunnel wall and closed her eyes. Not long after, the tunnel began to rumble. A glowing message appeared on the wall directly ahead of her.

Your rest has cost you dearly

As you can now see clearly

The light is now lost

Your kingdom will pay the cost

Panic gripped at Alana’s heart and she pounded her fists against the wall. “No! Spare them, please.” The quaking increased and Alana found herself pinned under a heavy rock slab. Tears raced down her cheeks as she sobbed. “Take me instead. Please, take me.” The darkness seemed to grow heavier as she lay there. The rock was unmovable, though she tried with all her might.

Then, the quaking stopped just as suddenly as it had started. She found the rock could be moved and she shoved it off to the side. A glow formed on the wall and Alana read the final message.

A small alcove formed in the wall and a brilliant light shined through. Alana lifted the glowing crystal and stood. A tingle on her chest prompted her to look down. There she found a glowing blue symbol.

Outside the cave, Alana found the knights preparing to enter. They stopped and kneeled as she exited. The captain stood and marched through her. “Your highness, what are you doing here?”

“Getting the light.” She answered simply, holding the still blazing crystal. The knights watched in stunned silence as she walked to her horse and mounted. “Let’s go home then, I feel as though I could sleep for a week.”

They followed her back to the dark kingdom and stood back as she walked to the center. The crystal in her hand cut through the darkness, reaching all corner. The citizens cheered from doorways, but the cheers quickly turned to screams of fear.

An enormous terrifying black bird swooped down with silent wing beats. Its talons stretched towards Alana. She clutched the crystal to her chest and drew her long dagger from the sheath at her waist. As she held it above her head, the three marks began to glow. The bird screeched and veered away from her. Courage surged through Alana and she stood as straight as she could. The bird snapped its beak bur knew it was defeated. It screamed once and soared away across the sky, a dark haze surrounding it.

Alana returned to the castle and her life, though it was never the same again. She was honored with title after title by her father, The Light Seeker among them. Her siblings doted on her, praising her bravery and courage. Suitors from other kingdoms flocked to her, each hoping to win her hand.

Alana accepted the titles and praises graciously. The suitors she turned away, promising to give each offer careful thought, eventually. But she was more than happy to return to her books.