The Legendary Mage (Alavin)
Chapter 351

In the grandeur of the ancient throne room, a majestic statue of a King towered over the diminutive figure of Alavin. For a long moment, it stood silent before its thunderous voice filled the chamber, "The Kings... awaken..."

With a firm grasp, it took hold of the chains that adorned its stone form and, with a slow, deliberate strength, began to pull, dragging a massive boulder from the altar.

The scene unfolded once more. The altar shook, and a myriad of stone steps extended in disarray, triggering other chains and stirring the slumbering statues of the Kings. Clang and rattle!

Chains linked the statues to the altar, vibrating intensely, taut with the force. One by one, the statues of the Kings opened their eyes, radiating a divine authority. They bore the presence of the ancient monarchs themselves. Their formidable auras filled the Royal Mausoleum like a tide, unsettling every Magi-Monster within.

They were awake! Truly awake! Alavin let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His eyes darted excitedly around at the Kings.

Eighteen statues, each as imposing as a mountain. Their collective revival was a sight to stir the soul.

From a high ledge, the Ivory Turtle stretched lazily, its tiny eyes blinking open to observe the awakening below. It spotted Alavin, aloft on the altar with the Immortal Edge held high. "Am I dreaming?" it thought. "Such a beautiful dream, the lad has come to rescue me. Oh, woe is me, even in dreams, I yearn for freedom."

The turtle wiggled its little paws and twisted its head, rolling onto its back and sprawling out to resume its slumber. But suddenly, a cry rang out from the altar, "The Kings, accept my invitation, leave the Royal Mausoleum, and descend upon Stormcast with me!"

Jolted awake, the Ivory Turtle scrambled to its feet, chains clinking as it stumbled forward, eyes fixed on the altar. "Am I not dreaming? Has he returned?!"

Rubbing its eyes vigorously, the turtle hesitated to scratch itself with its paws. Perhaps it feared pain, because he awkwardly lowered them. "Ha! It's him! It's true! Oh, heavens and earth, you finally answered my prayers."

"I will be free! He has come to save me!"

"You there, lad, yes, you—I've fallen for you! Mwah! A kiss, mwah!"

In a moment that should have been solemn and expectant, this bizarre declaration left Alavin utterly baffled. He had to wonder if he was hallucinating. Looking up, he saw a small turtle professing its love, waving its paws, wriggling its shell, blowing kisses, and dancing with excitement. Alavin was utterly bemused.

"What in the world?" Alavin's brow furrowed. Was it speaking?

"Do you awaken us to bid us leave?" The Kings' voices boomed, heavy with solemn majesty.

"News of the Kings' Acceptance has spread across the Northlands; many will come to contest it. My life is in danger, my townspeople are in peril. I beseech the Kings to depart with me."

"The souls of Kings guard the Royal Mausoleum, an eternal charge!"

"So long as the soul endures, the tomb remains, undiminished through the ages."

"The legacy has been passed on; you have no further connection to us."

"Depart, we have our duty to protect the Royal Mausoleum, and we shall not leave with you."

The Kings rejected the plea.

Alavin called out with grave determination, "The Kings, you have granted me your legacy, and I am the new sovereign of the eternal kingdom. Your mission was once to guard the Royal Mausoleum, but now it is to protect a new kingdom, a new legacy. You should no longer remain here."

Alavin's purpose was clear. He sought to persuade all eighteen statues to depart, to aid him in defending Stormcast, to stand against the warlords of the Northlands.

He could not forget the fierce battle beneath the waves, the Kings' souls clashing against their foes. He could not forget the overwhelming power that emanated from the Eighteen Souls. He believed the Eighteen Souls could still fight and had the power to deter the warlords of the Northlands.

So it was, a month prior, on a restless night as he gazed upon the watchful seas, that he conceived this bold and mad plan to summon the Kings back into the world.