NOAHDagma glows brightly, and I know I need to open it. Even though I don't know what awaits me, I inexplicably feel safe in that moment. Gradually, it lights up in a dim, slightly yellowish light, like that of a candle. I stare at her, not understanding what is happening, the sense of calm intensifies now, I feel calm all of a sudden, almost like the way I felt when I was transported back in time and saw everything that happened to my adoptive and biological parents. .I open the door. I look up slowly and startle, nearly knocking the vase over behind me as I stare into the face of King Moriam, that is, my father, or his ghost. He's here, his same messy black hair, his beautiful blue eyes, looking at me fondly. He doesn't say anything, just smiles at me, waves his index finger, behind him is another runner. I continue to look at him, who turns his back, and goes down this new corridor, while I stay there, trapped in the same place.He nods, and smiles showing me the way, so I follow
NOAH— Then why would Direl be holding Killian captive?” Could he be planning something against the King? — I ask, Duric and Andrew stare at me, their gazes at me seem thoughtful.— It's a great question, and I think we should better think of it as something that could happen, or has already happened! — Duric exclaims.— You know, I once heard some stories about Direl back at the palace...— What did you hear? — I ask. — What did he do?— That he was Killian's apprentice, and became corrupted because he wanted to use magic for his own good…— That's true! — Duric confirms. — Direl became corrupted and Moriam threw him out of the palace at Killian's request, and after Alexander was crowned, he became the King's Wizard and advisor.— I didn't know that part of the story, but thinking about what I questioned, what could be his motive for rebelling against Alexander?— Very easy, if Direl got tired of being Killian's apprentice, wouldn't she get tired of being my father's doormat?"— It m
BALCK— I won't stop you, wait for me! - he says, runs and catches up with me, holds my arm tightly, I stop abruptly and face him. — I'm not going to stop you, understand?— Then what you will do? — I ask curiously.— I'll help you find Yan!— Like you can't leave the territory? Got mad?— And who told you I'm leaving here? — he answers and raises his sword that shines brightly, making me a little dizzy. — I found a way to help you, without having to leave here!— Like this?— Dagma can help...— What can your sword do, Noah?— Simple, I can use it to find out where Yan is right now!— Is that really possible? How did you find out that the sword does that?— I already said that she somehow communicates with me, remember? — he says, and I nod my head in agreement. — So these days, kind of spontaneously I asked where Andrew was, because I looked for him in various parts of the territory, and I couldn't find him, and she showed me clearly, like on a canvas, a moving painting, or somethin
BALCKI was very afraid of losing Yan, he and Noah are the most important people in my life, thinking about the possibility of not seeing them anymore makes me extremely sad, because I know what it's like to lose the people we love overnight . When I lost my parents, and it was just me and Noah, I became even more attached to him, even though I knew he wasn't my blood brother, and that she was the heir to the throne, so my worries increased even more, mainly because mine before we ran away, made me promise that I wouldn't tell her anything, because everything would be found out in time.I look at Yan lying in bed, sleeping after such traumatic days for him, and for me too, it's a huge relief to see him well, despite everything. I lightly run my hand over his head, move closer and kiss his forehead. Someone knocks on the door taking me away from my moments of affection for my beloved. I open it and meet my sister's concerned gaze. I let him in, close the door, then sit down at the tabl
BALCK— And what do you want, Yan?— I want to have you, I need to have you, I can't take it anymore... Please sleep with me tonight!My heart races hearing words so sweet and warm at the same time. I smile. He squeezes me tighter, leaves light kisses down my neck, leaving me with goosebumps.— Yan, I…— Come with me Balck! — he speaks, and I feel his breathing irregular, his heart beating faster.He pulls away, removes his arms from me, and I slowly turn to face his. I find a beautiful smile when our eyes meet.— Yan, you're still hurt, you haven't recovered….I can't finish talking, Yan grabs my waist once again, I shudder to feel his hands so firm squeezing me. My body is pressed closer to the table, I bite my lip, and his mouth takes mine. Our tongues meet, and both explore each other, eliciting a shy moan from me. My hands pull his hair, his kiss leaves me out of control. I feel his arousal vibrating between us, but in this case I'm the same way he is, his lips seem to want to de
NOAHKnowing that soldiers are scouring our territory is not new news, but them trying to intercept ours makes me turn on the alert, what do they want anyway? I always thought they wanted to find out our location to arrest Duric, but after recent events, including the dreams I've had, I'm starting to think that's not just what they want, there's something more. And something else, would be me.While I was in the palace I met Direl a few times, but whenever I saw him, even from afar, I had a strong impression that he knew my identity. Since Dagma came back into my hands, they must have guessed that whoever took the sword did it with the intention of taking it back to its owner, and that the sword has been releasing a lot of energy, and a mage of Direl's level, is sensitive to any magical energy, and he must know that the sword was awakened, and that it was not just anyone who awakened it. He knows he was the true heir, he may not know it's me, but he's sure of my existence, and that I
NOAH— So you were the one with him all this time?— a voice asks, I turn towards the trees, and meet Andrew's worried gaze, and Márdoc, the general of Alexander's army, holding him from behind, and with a sword around his neck. — You better not try anything, the orders I have are not to care if he was once a Prince, so I think you know what can happen if you try something, don't you?— What do you mean, I'm not a Prince anymore?— Andrew asks.— You ran away and put your father, the King, in an outrageous situation, he found himself obliged to convince his nephew, Prince Heikki, Lord William and Lady Artanis to reach an agreement!— So what, the agreement was between my father and Guilhermo, I had nothing to do with it!— That's why he dismissed you, you were never committed to the kingdom, you would be a terrible King! — Márdoc says and smiles.— What you want? Who sent you here? — I ask.— I don't have the obligation to answer your questions, I don't think you have an advantage here,
NOAHThe soldiers move away little by little, making way for someone to walk among them, and the person who walks among them is the Mage Direl. He smiles at us. Facing us, he raises his hand, and using his magic, tries to take Dagma away from me. What, perhaps, Direl did not know, is that the sword was awakened by me, and will not obey his commands. His eyes widen as he notices that he's no use trying to take her away from me.— But what is this? Why doesn't she come to me? he asks, and then stares at me intently. — I think I'm sure of your identity now, boy... Or rather, Your Majesty!When I hear those words said, I feel butterflies in my stomach, my hands sweat, and a bad energy spreads through my body, and I'm sure he's not here just to take Andrew, or to arrest us.— What are you talking about? The only one who has a title of nobility here is Andrew!— Don't be modest, introduce yourself to your subjects, after all, we are facing the true heir to the throne! — he says in a tone of
NOAHThis is wrong!This is wrong!This is wrong!That phrase has been playing around in my head for days, and the memories of that night are so fresh. I remember every detail, but I blame myself for it, after all it is the most absurd thing that has ever happened in my life, Andrew is my cousin, and maybe if I really felt something for him, this would not be allowed according to the laws of Ascabaltt, not that I'm really interested, which would be absurd. I shouldn't feel this way. That kiss wasn't supposed to leave me like this, and it left me extremely disturbed, I haven't been able to sleep very well. No, I didn't feel that way about Andrew, or did I really?I've never felt this way about anyone, it's just too weird. The few times I've been in a relationship with someone, I've never felt as lost as I am right now, what's going on? Why does my mind remind me of the damn kiss every time I think of something that reminds me of him? There are so many questions, and I don't have answer
NOAH— Noah, Noah! — Balck screams desperately as I raise my sword in the air, before counterattacking my opponent. — Noah, your mother is looking for you!— Balck, I can't now! — I answer and continue my fight. — Can't you see I'm in training!— Your mother is coming here...— What? Why didn't you stop her? — I answer, I stop my training, put the sword in my scabbard, and face Balck.— As if there's a way to stop your mother, please, you know there isn't!—I hurry through the large courtyard until I reach one of the entrances that leads to the entrance hall of the palace.— Andrew is at the palace!— What? Who called you?Whenever I think about having any contact with my cousin, my stomach hurts. Andrew is an Alpha Lupus, annoying, arrogant, and thinks the world revolves around him. Since we're kids, there's not been a minute of peace between us, he's always up to something to piss me off, take my peace.— He came to the ball!— But there's a week left for that to happen...— But his
ANDREW — Well, well... It's not that he believed, and followed his uncle's ghost! — the damned Direl manifests himself, and soon afterwards he lets out a great laugh, which echoes throughout the place. — I figured you'd follow your uncle, you're as predictable as your father!The mention of my father makes my blood boil. I stare at Direl with great anger remembering everything that happened.— Who are you to talk about my father? After all, you helped him create this chaos.— Yes, I helped because I took his word for it, that Sattir would be mine, but your father broke his word, in fact Alexander never had a word!— Why did you draw me here? — I ask and observe the place around me, dirty, many cages, and one of them is open.— Very simple, I'll lock you up!The cynical smile on his face is annoying, he walks back and forth, but before he does anything I smell a very familiar smell, and I hear a familiar voice coming from behind me.— You are not going to lock anyone in this cage, you
NOAHLast night's dream doesn't leave my head, I seem to be in an eternal temporal loop. What was it really about? It seemed to be a time that never existed, but that could exist if nothing bad had happened to me, and to my biological parents, and consequently to my adoptive parents. A reality I can never experience. I feel something strange since leaving Andrew's mother's house, Hannah made me agree with the idea that I should wait, I believe she knows something else that I don't, when she told me that, I had the same feeling as Duric passed it to me, they know something, they know Killian's whereabouts, and they know what weapon he's looking for.If I'm going to be the King of Ascabaltt, why are they hiding so much information from me? I know that sometimes I'm very stubborn, and even arrogant in thinking I can beat something, or someone, but everything they hide from me is related to my past, and possibly the future. So, there's no reason to hide anything from me, that's not fair t
NOAH— You must be looking for my son, am I right? — she asks, I shake my head. — I think you better come in, we have a lot to talk about!Hearing this my heart races, I feel that something is wrong, that something has happened to Andrew. She invites us into the house, pushes the door aside and lets us in. I go in, followed by my brother and brother-in-law. The room is not very large, there are some paintings of flowers and landscapes on the wall, a large wooden table with many seats, in the corner of the room by the window.— Feel free! — she says, goes through the door next to the table, and then returns with a tray, with a china vase and some glasses of the same material. — Here's fresh water for you to drink, I think you walked a long way to get here.— Yeah. — I answer, put my backpack on the floor, in the corner of the door, and then sit at the table, take a glass and pour water into it. — You said we have a lot to talk about, does that mean Andrew? Did something happen to him?
NOAHI observe everything carefully to assess the environment around me, I feel frustrated and tired, there is no way I can fight, they are small, but there are many of them, by the heaps. I try to concentrate, like I did at Catarina's, I try to get the power out of me, but it seems impossible, I feel exhausted. Desperation starts to take over my mind as all attempts to get the power out fail. Maybe it's because I'm so tired, I don't know, what's the point of having something like that if it doesn't work when I need it? When I use too much I get weak, and when I'm too tired, it doesn't show up? I'm on my own and alone. With no apparent alternative, I take off running into the forest, tripping over my own feet on the way. Branches scrape my arms and legs, slicing my face as I desperately try to brush them away. I scream for help, I call my brother and brother-in-law's name, but the monsters scream louder and louder as they chase me. I dare to look back if I see them running so fast the
NOAH— What if he isn't on Volcann, what if this is one of Direl's grand schemes to lure you in, and trap you? — Yan asks as we walk between the trees of the forest that gives access to the bridge that connects the petrified area of the territory to Volcann.— I don't know Noah, I don't want to be pessimistic, but what if it doesn't work out? Or we don't find it, what will we do?— Oh, shut up, my God! I heard something, shhh!I look around.— What's it?— No, shhhh!— What's it?— I don't know, I think it came from there! — Balck says and points to a dark cavern just a few meters to our right. —There's something there.— What? I ask, approaching the cave.— Calm down, not so fast! — Yan holds me by the arm.— Stay there, I'll look! — Balck says.— Be careful! Yan replies.Balck walks towards the cave, slowly. He stops beside the entrance, half-hides himself in a mound of crowded leaves, and carefully cranes his neck inward. Yan and I watched in silence.— I think I made a mistake, I
NOAHThe days drag on and I still have no news of Andrew's whereabouts. After that dream, I have other dreams, and I feel like he uses them to communicate with me. Today's training makes me a little tired, restless, until I see Balck from afar, and his expression doesn't look very good, he makes a sign with his hand, for me to go to him. I walk quickly, my heart beating faster than normal, I approach.— What's? Any news from… — he doesn't let me finish.— Yes, I have news from him. Can we get out of here?We leave the training site. We walked towards Balck's house, which is close to where we were. He opens the door, I go in, drag a chair, and sit at the table, while my brother does the same.— So what's new?— The soldiers have returned, and they tell Duric that there is none of the former royal family in the palace of Venas...— What do you mean, there's no one? Is the palace empty?— It's not empty, it's been occupied by a new crop of nobles who seem to support the new King...— But
NOAHHe looks at me intently, lowers his head, then opens his mouth and says something.— Okay, I'll get it for you!— Look for him?— Yeah.— No, I want you to help me look for him!— What? Got mad? You know you can't leave here, Direl is looking for you...— I can't stay here waiting to find out what really happened to him, I can't wait, I want to see him, I need to do this!— Noah, don't be stubborn, you know you can't!I end my discussion with Balck as I know it will get me nowhere. I miss you, I know it may seem stubborn, and reckless, but I need to do something to find you.[...]It rains outside. The rain doesn't seem to want to stop, but along with it, I smell a very familiar smell, which puts me on alert. Andrew is here? How can you be here in this rain? I look around me, and I don't see him in any room in my house, my heart beats wildly, I need to find my love. I open the door, run, following his scent, which is stronger, more intense. The rain keeps falling, but that doesn'