Broken Vow: King Peter and the Memories of the Stars
The air in the subterranean vault was thick with the scent of ozone and ancient dust. In the center of the chamber, resting upon a pedestal of obsidian, pulsed a crimson gem the size of a dragon’s head. It didn’t just glow; it beat like a living heart. Jak stepped forward, the flickering torchlight dancing in his wide eyes. He reached out a trembling hand but stopped inches from the heat radiating from the crystal. "’We the people of Torra pledge our undying allegiance to Odin, King of Deltora and Symphonia, and the royal bloodline,’" Jak whispered, reciting the etched inscriptions lining the walls. "’If this vow is ever broken, may the Great Stone of Fire—the heart of our city—crack and decay, and may our people be swept away.’" He turned back to his companions, his voice cracking. "Is this it? Is this the Stone of Fire?" The Council of Travelers Haru Glory adjusted the strap of his Decalorce sword, his gaze fixed on the gem’s swirling depths. "It fe...