[2734] A Wellspring Tale

Hello All, this is an excerpt from the first chapter of my fantasy novel. My overarching theme is simply the quote “The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children.” I'm 40,000 words in so I figured I ought to know if I should keep going. Mainly I'm searching for criticism on my prose, pacing, and characters. But I'd love questions about world-building or any inconsistencies you noticed with specific terms. I beg you to rip my work to pieces. Brief description of the story: "Impoverished by the fallout of a political assassination, and desperate for something beyond survival Elias and his cousin Vyce make a discovery that unravels into a generational conflict."

Submission: A Wellspring Tale

Crits: [2393] Royal Hearts [1036] Ave, I