The Poisoned Emerald

Prologue
The Sorcerers Underworld
1910

Terrence Emberd’s sweaty palms tightly gripped the King’s Jewel as the evening commenced. A cool breeze blew in from the west, causing the hairs on his arms to stiffen. Although he was only just becoming a man, his sixteenth birthday in a mere two days, he felt like a little boy who was about to be severely punished by his parents. Tonight was the Tradition, the official date in which a new king would be crowned, and Terrence himself was chosen to present the crown to the king before it would be placed atop his head for generations to come.

Terrence, more commonly known as Terry by his friends, should have been proud. His parents certainly were, by the way they were beaming at him. But something within Terrence did not feel right. He was holding the Jewel of the King in his hands, but now it felt heavier than before, as if the burden of the king’s power was entrenched in the gold.

“Are you okay?” Andrea asked. She was Terrence’s very young neighbour, a quirky girl who would be moving to Germany in a few years.

Terrence thought for a moment, but then decided a hesitant answer would not look good. “I’m great,” Terrence said. “Listen, we’re going to be starting soon. You should go back to the crowd.”

“Well, okay, Terry,” Andrea said, her cheeks rosy, and she trotted off happily. Terrence’s gaze ripped away from her to the Jewel, and he swallowed roughly. Somewhere in the distance, a horn blared. It was to signal the beginning of the coronation—the time for Terrence to present the crown.

Terrence had been waiting for this moment anxiously, but now he felt almost frozen. It was the loving gaze of his proud mother and father that finally got him to move. “Here I go,” he said, and then he carefully walked down the blood-red carpet.

Five hours earlier, Terrence had been assigned another task. Since he was chosen to be the crown bearer, he would also have to carry on another tradition. The crown bearer would also have to place a new gemstone on the crown, which was a task commonly designated each time a new king would have his coronation.

Terrence was eager about this part. He had chosen a precious emerald, and presently he was furiously carving the perfect slot for the gem to be embedded within the Jewel. He was sure his workmanship would impress the king. He was also infatuated with chemistry, which was noticeable by the state of his bedroom. Beakers and test tubes were scattered all around his desk, and with his ashen-black hair sticking out in all directions, he looked like a true mad scientist.

“Terry, lunch time!” his father called from floor below.

“Coming, Papa!” Terrence replied. He was looking over the details of the carved slot—it had to be just right so the emerald could fit on the crown properly. When he was done with the carving, he decided to insert the emerald in the crown. He held the smooth gem on his rough palm, gave it a quick glance, and then placed it on the Jewel with ease. The emerald was held by a few latches Terrance had created while carving the slot. Seeing the emerald shining proudly on the King’s Jewel, he couldn’t help but feel proud of what he had done. Now he just had to present the Jewel to the king and his work would be complete.

He slammed his door shut, exited his room, and ran downstairs. His table shook because of the slamming door, and a few of his chemical-filled tubes fell onto his desk. The greenish substance from one tube slid across the table toward the Jewel. The liquid looked as if it wanted to move—as if it were alive.

In a place full of magic, this was surely no normal chemical. Terrence’s test tube was filled with something much worse than he had anticipated—not just a chemical, but a poison.

The poisonous green substance latched on to the emerald Terry had just placed on the crown. The gem seemed to be absorbing the green liquid like a sponge. Soon the poison had completely locked itself in the emerald.

Terrence came up after he’d eaten, quivering with excitement. He hadn’t noticed the spill of chemicals in his rush. He held the Jewel to his face, his reflection cast in the gems. For once in his life, he felt that he had done something important. Something special.

Now, five hours later, he felt the exact opposite. Shaking from his knees up, he made his way forward and tried to keep the Jewel steady in his hands. A thunderous roar of claps came from the audience. The king sat patiently on the throne, his eyes as green as the emerald which had earlier been poisoned.

Terrence stood before the king, heart pounding faster than he thought possible, and slowly but gently placed the Jewel on the king’s head.

Years and years from now, when he would finally realize his mistake, he knew what would happen. He would be imprisoned indefinitely—or possibly worse, if they had no mercy. Terrence just hoped that nothing would happen to the emerald. That it would never be detached from the Jewel.

Terrence’s wish had not come true. From that moment on, with the crown placed on the king’s head, a poison was ready to spread across the world. A poison that would wipe out all magic—all powers—from the place where magic itself had begun.