The corridors leading to the Ebonhart Clan Hall stretched long and solemn, carved from obsidian-black stone that drank in the moonlight rather than reflecting it. As Duke Draven Ebonhart and Duchess Eleanor walked side by side, their footsteps echoed softly, swallowed almost immediately by the oppressive stillness that ruled the ancestral passageways.
At the corridor's end stood colossal twin doors forged from blood steel.
The metal bore no rust, no seam, only a mirror-smooth surface engraved with a massive sigil—the Ebonhart Crest, etched so deeply it seemed to bleed shadow. At the center of the doors, a circular rune pulsed faintly, alive with power.
As the duke and duchess walked towards the doors, the duchess still clutching her child, the doors opened automatically to reveal the interior of the hall.
The interior of the clan hall was restrained yet dignified, its elegance born not of excess, but of age.
Obsidian pillars rose in solemn rows, their surfaces etched with thin lines of bloodscript that glimmered faintly in the dim light.
The floor was polished black stone, smooth as glass, reflecting the crimson glow of suspended chandeliers.
At the far end of the hall we're three massive thrones and beneath them were five smaller ones.
All three thrones were occupied by shadowy figures, their forms indistinct, as though they were part of darkness itself.
These were the ancestors.
Beneath them where five smaller thrones with only three occupied.
This thrones housed the grand elders of the Ebonhart family, these were former clan leaders or people who had reached a certain realm of power.
As the duke and duchess entered the hall, they felt the solemnity and power inside the hall.
Each person in this hall was a equivalent to a force of nature, who can cause unimaginable chaos with a flick of their fingers.
Duke Draven glanced at the empty thrones and broke the silence
"My father and uncle Cassius have yet to return"
Then a chuckle emerged in response from the only female grand elder.
"After he passed the mantle of duke to you, his adventurous spirit returned
He and his little brother have been out since then. They will return after they are done journeying around Eldoria" said the female grand elder whose name is mircalla
A sigh came from one of the shadowy figures, the second ancestor.
"Those men behave like they are still boys, creating chaos everywhere they go.
But, that aside, the reason we called this meaning is due to the heavenly phenomena that just past.
Who has an answer to what happened?"
Silence returned to the hall, then the duchess spoke
"The phenomenon was triggered by the birth of my son, as for why I do not know"
All eyes converged on her
The same ancestor questioned.
"Explain what exactly happened"
The duchess now went on to explain
"After he was born, the lightning clouds converged, pinning everyone in their place.
Before we could understand what was going on, a bolt of red lightning burst the roof and landed on the baby.
I was terrified about what might happen to the baby, but the lightning just hit him and vanished" the duchess looking puzzled as she recounted the events.
"You are trying to tell me that, a bolt of lightning of that magnitude struck your child and just vanished" a raspy female voice emerged from the shadow on the right. This voice belonged to the third ancestor.
"I know it may be hard to believe, I hardly believe it myself, but you might want to check the child.
For the first time since the meeting started did they acknowledge the presence of an infant in the hall.
The ancestors and grand elders soul senses swept over the baby cradled in Eleanor's hands as they sat on their thrones.
Grand elder Mircalla exclaimed in shock
"How is this the blood energy belonging to a child?
And why is it so dense, I even feel a faint oppressive feeling from it"
"It carries faint ancient feeling, it feels like I'm in the presence of vampires of the immemorial era.
The person who spoke was the grand elder seated on the central throne, grand elder Thalor.
"Aside from that I feel something promise is hidden beneath all this
Something that is waiting for the right time to be awoken"
For the first time the ancestor seated in the middle spoke, this was the first ancestor of house Ebonhart.
"That's not all, his blood is this active because it is steadily forging his body towards its current limit.
It's currently constrained by his infancy but it will continue as he grows, truly marvelous"
The last person on the room, grand elder Arkan finally spoke.
"I've felt this aura before" the raspy female voice spoke again
Everyone turned towards her
"It belongs to those heavenly physiques which grant absurd talents and other characteristics to its holder"
"Yes, but this one feels more primial, it feels different in a way, strange"
The second ancestor spoke
Duke Draven after spoke up at this moment
"What should be done about the child,
if the royal family or the other dukes get wind of this it will be troublesome" he sighed.
A boisterous laugh came from grand elder Arkan looking amused
"Since when did trouble scare you"
"It's not that trouble scares me, but more trouble means more paperwork and I don't want that" Duke Draven said, feeling a headache coming
Grand elder Arkan was the duke before it was handed over to his father and his grandfather so he knew of Draven's true character
Hidden behind that cold face and strong regal aura was a man who had a thirst for battle.
This was the man who was called the crimson war general —when he was younger.
"So what shall be don concerning this child" Grand elder Thalor spoke
Silence returned to the hall once again
"I shall place a seal on the child, this will help hide his blood energy and his physique from anyone"
Duke Draven nodded towards the suggestion
"After that i want all news about everything that transpired today contained"
The duchess finally spoke for the first time since the meeting began.
"Apart from my blood servants and everyone in this room, every other person that knows of this matter is dead"
"Terrifyingly efficient, this is why I like you"
Grand elder Mircalla said
"Good Good, I shall now begin"
The first ancestor stretched out his shadowy hand and a crimson drop of blood was released.
The blood defying gravity, moved towards the child in Eleanor's arms
As the blood reached the child it transformed into a dark blood red rune, then it touched his forehead and sank into him.
The blood energy radiating from him vanished completely, like it never existed to begin with.
Seeing this the Duke signed in relief and asked
"How long will the rune last"
"Until the day of his awakening. The moment he steps into the awakening pool it will cease to exist
By that time he should have learnt how to mask it on his own" The first ancestor said.
"Will he be able to hide it from people in the saint realm" Draven asked
"By the time he fully awakens, even someone on my level, will only be able to discover traces while its hidden" The first ancestor replied.
"The rune won't restrict his growth in anyway right?" Mircalla asked
"No, Mircalla the rune I used will only create an illusion that the baby was born a genius but not too extraordinary"
After saying that he stood up, the remaining ancestors followed, he looked at Draven and said
"Take good care of the child, Draven"
Draven nodded in response and after that they vanished
The grand elders followed as well except grand elder Arkan
He looked at Draven and asked
"Where is my great grandson, Malrik"
"That boy is probably on a battlefield somewhere"
Grand elder Arkan laughed and said
"That reminds me of you, when you were a hot blooded youngster"
He laughed again before vanishing but the sound of hos laughter hung in the air for some time.
Draven then turned to face Eleanor and said
"It seems you've given birth to another monster this time around, hopefully this one won't turn out like Malrik"
Eleanor turned towards him and said
"As long as your blood runs in his veins, I doubt it"
Draven chuckled and sighed
"What shall we name him or do you already have one" he asked
"We will call him Valdis— he who stands between life and death"