THE FORGOTTEN HEIR

Chapter 38

The Forgotten Heir

The giant golden eye blinked once.

The earth trembled.

Mountains shook.

Across the Wolf Kingdom, people fell to their knees as an overwhelming pressure spread through the land.

It felt as though an ancient god had awakened beneath the earth.

Inside the palace, every candle went out at once.

General Kael gripped the edge of a table to steady himself.

"The prison seal..."

"It's breaking."

---

Ethan stood frozen on the balcony, the silver pendant clutched tightly in his hand.

"Little... brother?"

The words echoed in his mind.

It couldn't be true.

He was human.

He had lived among humans all his life.

So why did that voice sound familiar?

Why did the symbol inside the pendant match the royal crest hidden beneath the Moon Temple?

A sudden headache struck him.

He staggered, dropping to one knee.

Images flashed before his eyes.

A palace engulfed in flames.

A woman dressed in white, tears streaming down her face.

A man in black armor raising a crimson sword.

A baby wrapped in a silver blanket.

Then...

Darkness.

---

"Ethan!"

Aria rushed to his side.

She caught him before he collapsed.

His breathing was uneven.

"I saw... something."

He looked into her worried eyes.

"I think those memories are mine."

Before Aria could reply, Luna let out a sharp howl.

Every guard in the courtyard turned toward the eastern gate.

A messenger rode into the palace grounds on a wounded horse.

He barely stayed in the saddle.

"Your Majesty!"

"The Blood Wolves have attacked the border villages!"

"They're not conquering them..."

"They're taking prisoners!"

The council chamber erupted in alarm.

"Prisoners?"

Kael frowned.

"Why?"

The messenger swallowed hard.

"They're searching for children born during the Crimson Eclipse twenty-three years ago."

The room fell silent.

Ethan's face drained of color.

He was twenty-three.

---

Deep beneath the Dark Valley, the First Prince entered the chamber of the ancient gate.

The massive eye slowly turned toward him.

A deep voice echoed through the darkness.

"Have you found... the vessel?"

The First Prince bowed respectfully.

"Yes."

"The final heir has awakened."

The voice rumbled with satisfaction.

"Bring him to me."

"And the seal..."

"...will finally shatter."

---

Back at the palace, the royal historian hurried into the council room carrying a dusty leather-bound book.

"I found something!"

He opened it carefully.

Inside were portraits of the old royal family.

One painting showed the Wolf King.

Another showed the Moon Queen.

Beside them stood two young princes.

The elder prince had one golden eye and one crimson eye.

The younger prince...

Had Ethan's face.

The book slipped from Aria's trembling hands.

"No..."

Ethan stared at the portrait in disbelief.

"This... isn't possible."

General Kael slowly removed his helmet and knelt before Ethan.

"Your Highness..."

"I have failed to recognize you."

One by one, the palace guards followed.

Then the elders.

Then the servants.

Soon, the entire hall was kneeling before Ethan.

Aria looked at him, torn between relief and fear.

"You were never an ordinary human."

"You were the Lost Prince."

Before Ethan could respond, a deafening explosion echoed from outside.

BOOM!

The palace walls shook violently.

A soldier burst through the doors, covered in dust and blood.

"The eastern wall has fallen!"

"The Blood Wolves are here!"

Another explosion ripped through the palace.

Stone rained from the ceiling.

Through the shattered windows, thousands of black-armored warriors could be seen surrounding the capital.

At their front stood the First Prince.

He raised his crimson sword toward the palace.

His voice thundered across the battlefield.

"Ethan!"

"No more hiding."

"Come home..."

"...or I will burn this kingdom to ashes."

Outside, the Blood Wolves roared as one.

Inside, Ethan tightened his grip on the silver pendant.

For the first time, he understood the terrible truth.

The war was never just about the Wolf Queen.

It had always been about him.