4. THE TRUTH

CLOUD

Present day

So if will get right “You’re telling me that I’m… a prince?”

He nodded slowly.

“A prince from the Kingdom of Nivea.”

I blinked twice.

I even looked behind me.

“Are you sure you’re talking to me?”

He couldn’t help smiling.

“Yes, you.”

I laughed nervously.

“Uncle, are you feeling okay?”

He folded his arms.

“I’ve never been more serious.”

I sat down heavily on the wooden chair.

Everything inside my head felt upside down.

“So let me understand this…”

“I’ve been living in this tiny hut…”

“…eating burnt yam almost every morning…”

“…fetching firewood…”

“…getting chased by angry goats…”

“…and all this time…”

“I’m actually a prince?”

Uncle Thefar laughed for the first time that day.

“You always complain about my cooking.”

“Because your cooking is dangerous.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Dangerous?”

“Yes.”

“The soup fights back.”

For a brief moment…

We both laughed.

Then the laughter slowly faded.

His face became serious again.

“Cloud…”

“There is something else you need to know.”

I looked at him.

“Your parents…”

“…did not abandon you.”

My smile disappeared.

“They died…”

“…protecting you.”

The room suddenly felt quiet.

“So…”

“My father…”

“He was King Kaelor.”

Thefar nodded.

“And your mother…”

“Queen Pesha.”

“They were killed…”

“…the night you were born.”

I lowered my head.

I had never met them.

Never heard their voices.

Never called anyone Father.

Never called anyone Mother.

Yet somehow…

My chest hurt.

“So…”

“I never even got the chance to know them.”

Thefar placed a hand on my shoulder.

“But they knew you.”

“Your father smiled the moment he held you.”

“Your mother kissed your forehead before she let me carry you away.”

“They loved you more than their own lives.”

Tears slowly filled my eyes.

“And they died…”

“…because of me?”

“No.”

Thefar shook his head firmly.

“They died because evil wanted the throne.”

“They died protecting hope.”

“You were never the reason.”

I wiped my eyes.

“So…”

“I’m also this child of prophecy?”

“Yes.”

“The prophecy that was spoken many years ago.”

“The child born under the Crimson Blood Moon.”

“The one who carries both bloodlines.”

“The blood of the Varak…”

“…and the blood of the Lycari.”

I looked at my hands.

“So that’s why I can become both.”

Thefar nodded.

“And that is exactly why Lord Claws wants you dead.”

I sighed deeply.

“Wow…”

“My life became very complicated in one afternoon.”

Thefar smiled.

“You still joke.”

“If I don’t joke…”

“I’ll cry.”

He looked away.

“I know.”

I stood up and started walking around the hut.

“So let me get this straight.”

“I save one girl…”

“…just one girl…”

“…and now everybody wants to kill me.”

I threw both hands into the air.

“Since when did doing something good become a crime?”

Thefar sighed.

“In this world…”

“Sometimes good people pay the highest price.”

I frowned.

“That doesn’t sound fair.”

“It isn’t.”

Silence filled the room.

Then Uncle Thefar walked slowly toward his bed.

He knelt down and pulled out an old wooden box covered in dust.

I had seen that box many times.

Whenever I asked about it…

He always changed the subject.

He opened it carefully.

Inside was an old rolled map.

Beside it lay a silver necklace with the crest of a wolf and a werewolf standing together beneath a crescent moon.

He handed both to me.

“My father?”

I whispered.

He nodded.

“This belonged to your family.”

I slowly held the necklace.

It felt strangely warm.

Then he handed me the map.

“This…”

“…will lead you home.”

I looked at the faded drawings.

“Eclipse…”

“So this is where I was born.”

He nodded again.

“It is time.”

I looked at him.

“Time for what?”

“To continue your journey.”

My smile disappeared.

“You’ll come with me.”

His eyes became gentle.

“No.”

I laughed awkwardly.

“Good joke.”

“I’m serious.”

I stopped laughing.

“No.”

“You are coming.”

“I don’t know anybody else.”

“I don’t even know how to survive without you.”

He looked away.

“You’ll learn.”

I shook my head quickly.

“No.”

“No.”

“No.”

“I don’t want to learn.”

“I already have family.”

“I already have you.”

He closed his eyes.

“My boy…”

“My duty was never to walk beside you forever.”

“It was to prepare you.”

I could already feel tears forming.

“You can’t send me away.”

“You can’t.”

“I’ve been with you all my life.”

“You taught me everything.”

“You taught me how to hunt.”

“How to fish.”

“How to fight.”

“You even taught me how to stop burning food.”

He smiled.

“You still burn it sometimes.”

I smiled through my tears.

“Only sometimes.”

He reached forward and hugged me.

For a long time…

Neither of us spoke.

“I am proud of you.”

Those words broke me.

I buried my face against his shoulder.

“I don’t want to leave.”

“I know.”

“I’m scared.”

“I know.”

“What if I fail?”

“You won’t.”

“What if I never come back?”

He gently placed both hands on my shoulders.

“Listen carefully.”

“When you reach Eclipse…”

“Go to the Golden Temple.”

“There you will find High Priest Mell.”

“He knows the truth.”

“He will answer the questions I cannot.”

I nodded slowly.

Still crying.

“Cloud…”

“There is one more thing.”

“When you meet people…”

“Judge them by their hearts.”

“Not by whether they are Lycari or Varak.”

“Peace.”

“Unity.”

“Those are your father’s dreams.”

“Protect them.”

I swallowed hard.

“I’ll try.”

“No.”

He smiled.

“You’ll do it.”

I suddenly hugged him again.

“Come with me.”

“Please.”

“We can walk together.”

“I still need you.”

He looked toward the window.

“I cannot.”

“Why?”

“Because someone has to stay…”

“…and buy you time.”

I froze.

“What do you mean?”

He slowly picked up his old sword.

The blade reflected the evening sunlight.

“For twenty years…”

“I kept this sword hidden.”

“I prayed I would never have to use it again.”

He smiled sadly.

“But destiny has finally come knocking.”

My heart began to race.

“No…”

He tightened the belt around his waist.

“I promised your father…”

“…that I would die before anyone laid a hand on you.”

“Tonight…”

“I intend to keep that promise.”

“No!”

I grabbed his arm.

“You don’t have to die.”

“We’ll both run.”

“We’ve done it before.”

He gently removed my hand.

“Not this time.”

“I am old.”

“You are just beginning.”

Tears rolled freely down my face.

“I love you, Uncle.”

His eyes became wet too.

“I know.”

“I love you too.”

“I always have.”

“You were never just my duty.”

“You became my son.”

I could no longer speak.

He smiled softly.

“When you find someone who truly loves you…”

“Protect that love.”

“Don’t make the mistakes our generation made.”

I nodded.

Trying to hold back my tears.

The sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains.

Night arrived.

I packed my small bag.

My axe.

Some food.

The map.

The necklace.

The rope.

Everything I owned fit inside one bag.

Uncle Thefar sat outside the hut.

Slowly sharpening his sword.

The sound scraped against the quiet night.

I walked over.

“Uncle…”

He didn’t look up.

“Hmm?”

“Let me stay.”

“No.”

“We’ll fight together.”

“No.”

“I’ve gotten stronger.”

“I know.”

“So let me help.”

He finally looked at me.

“Your destiny…”

“…is to lead.”

“Mine…”

“…is to protect.”

“I’ve already lived most of my life.”

“You still have yours ahead of you.”

I sat beside him.

Neither of us spoke.

The night was peaceful.

Almost too peaceful.

Then…

He suddenly raised one hand.

“Shhh.”

His nose twitched.

He sniffed the air.

His eyes widened.

“They’re here.”

My heart skipped.

“Who?”

Before he answered—

WHOOSH!

A flaming arrow shot through the roof.

Another struck the wall.

Then another.

The hut exploded into flames.

“GO!”

Thefar shouted.

“No!”

“GO!”

“I’m staying!”

He grabbed my shoulders.

“Cloud!”

His voice thundered louder than I had ever heard.

“THIS IS AN ORDER!”

I froze.

He pushed my backpack into my hands.

“Run through the back.”

“But—”

“RUN!”

“I love you.”

Those were the last words he said before drawing his sword.

With tears blurring my eyes…

I stumbled out through the back of the hut.

I ran into the forest.

Branches scratched my face.

My breathing became heavy.

Behind me…

Steel clashed.

Men shouted.

Fire crackled.

I kept running.

Because he had ordered me to.

After several minutes…

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I stopped.

Slowly…

I turned around.

Far away…

The little hut that had been my home for twenty years…

Was burning beneath the night sky.

The flames reached high into the darkness.

I could still hear swords clashing in the distance.

My knees gave way.

I fell to the ground.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.

“No…”

“Uncle…”

“Please…”

My voice cracked into the silent forest.

“Don’t leave me…”

The wind carried no answer.

Only the sound of the fire…

…and the distant echo of battle