The night was quiet when King Samuel walked into the Royal Library of Liora. Unlike the grand public library, filled with history and literature for the people, the Royal Library was a place of secrets, a sanctuary where only the royal blood could step. Its walls were lined with towering shelves of leather-bound tomes, their spines etched with symbols that shimmered faintly in the lamplight. The air was heavy, almost alive, for this was no ordinary library—the books here could speak.
As Samuel walked deeper, a voice drifted from a nearby shelf, low and ancient.
"Welcome back, King of Veridia… what knowledge do you seek tonight?"
Samuel placed his hand gently on the spine of an old chronicle. "Tell me," he murmured, "of the dangers that approach this kingdom."
The book quivered, pages fluttering as though stirred by a wind that did not exist. Then it answered, the voice echoing faintly in the chamber. "The swords draw shadows, my king. Beware the hand that covets what it cannot wield. Even the closest friend may wear the mask of loyalty."
Samuel frowned, the words heavy on his heart. He did not reply, but the warning lingered as he moved further into the library, seeking wisdom in silence.
Inside, the shelves whispered restlessly, as if the very library sensed the danger drawing near.
Outside the Royal Library, the night air was heavy with silence. Zarthus lurked in the shadows, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his dagger, his eyes fixed on the doorway. He could not enter—the library was forbidden to all but the royal bloodline—but he knew that Samuel would emerge. "Forgive me, old friend," he whispered coldly to himself, "but your throne, your swords… your life… must all be mine."
The great oak doors creaked open. King Samuel stepped out, his mind still burdened by the ominous words of the talking books. But before he could speak, a sharp pain seared through his chest—Zarthus had struck. Samuel staggered, blood staining his royal robe, yet he did not fall. His brave heart fought to stand.
At that moment, Queen Sophia, her instincts pounding like drums, raced through the corridor. Her breath was ragged, her heart wild. "Samuel!" she cried, her voice trembling. She reached him just in time to see him collapsing. She knelt beside him, clutching his shoulders. "Stay with me, please… don't leave me."
But Zarthus's eyes burned with merciless hunger. He raised his dagger again, striking toward Sophia. She gasped, her eyes wide as the blade pierced her. "For Veridia… for Ava…" she whispered faintly, before her body slumped into Samuel's arms.
"No! Sophia!" Samuel's cry broke the night, filled with pain deeper than steel. His trembling hands cradled her, his lips pressing against her fading face. Tears streamed down his cheeks as the strength drained from him. "Forgive me, my love… I could not protect you… I could not…"
The cold stone floor of the Royal Library's entrance was stained with crimson. King Samuel, his breaths ragged and shallow, clutched at the wound in his chest. His eyes, once filled with fire and strength, now shimmered with the fading light of life. Beside him, Queen Sophia lay lifeless, her hand still entwined in his, her face pale yet peaceful in death.
Zarthus bent low, his lips curling into a false mask of grief. "Samuel… my brother in arms," he whispered softly, though his heart danced in triumph. Then, turning to his loyal guard, he commanded, "Cairn… bring David here. He must see his brother's last moments."
Cairn bowed quickly and disappeared into the shadows. Moments later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway. David, pale with dread, rushed in. His eyes widened in horror as they fell upon the sight—his beloved brother lying bloodied, his sister-in-law lifeless in his arms.
"No… no, this can't be true… Samuel! Sophia!" David's voice broke, trembling as he dropped to his knees. Tears streamed down his face, his very soul shattering at the scene before him.
Samuel lifted his trembling hand, struggling to speak. His voice was faint, like the whisper of a dying flame.
"David… my brother…" he gasped, "listen to me… the Sword of Lightning… protect it. Don't… don't ever let it fall into Zarthus's hands."
David's eyes darted towards Zarthus, confusion and disbelief clouding his heart. But Samuel tightened his grip weakly on David's arm, forcing his attention back.
"Promise me, David… protect yourself… protect my Ava… and the whole Blackwood family. They will need you now…"
Tears blurred David's vision as he clutched Samuel's hand. "I promise, brother. I swear on my life."
Samuel's lips curved into the faintest smile, though his eyes were dimming fast. "Good… I always… believed in you."
And with those final words, his head fell back against Sophia's shoulder. His last breath slipped away, leaving the once-brave king silent forever.
The hall was filled with David's cry of anguish, a sound that echoed through the night, carrying both grief and a vow that would shape the fate of Veridia.
The silence of grief was suddenly shattered by Zarthus's piercing scream. His voice echoed through the marble halls like thunder.
"Guards! Guards! David has betrayed us! He has slain King Samuel and Queen Sophia!"
The royal guards, loyal to the throne yet blind to the truth, stormed in. Before David could gather himself from the shock of his brother's death, iron hands gripped his arms, chaining him like a criminal.
"No! Stop—listen to me!" David cried desperately, his voice breaking with agony. "I would never harm my brother… or Sophia! Please, believe me!"
But Zarthus stepped forward, his face twisted in false grief, his voice smooth and venomous. "Enough of your lies, David. I saw you standing over their bodies with my own eyes. The truth is clear to all."
The guards, deceived by Zarthus's cunning, dragged David toward the dungeons. His words of protest drowned in the wave of suspicion already spreading through the palace like wildfire.
From the corner of the hall, a small cry pierced the air. Princess Ava, trembling and wide-eyed, stumbled forward. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gazed at her uncle—her once-beloved protector.
"Why, Uncle David… why did you do this?" she sobbed, her voice filled with heartbreak. "I loved you… and now I hate you!"
Her words struck David harder than any sword ever could. His heart broke into a thousand pieces, but no words could change her mind. To the people of Veridia, David was now a murderer.
The Veridians, burning with grief and rage, gathered in the courtyard, chanting for justice. Their voices rose like a storm. "Kill David! Kill the traitor!"
Even Ava, blinded by sorrow and Zarthus's deceit, joined their cries. David's hope crumbled, and Emily—his loyal, strong-hearted wife—clutched his hand as tears streamed down her face. For the first time, both of them felt the weight of hopelessness pressing down, as though the world had turned its back on them.
The cold stone walls of the prison echoed with silence, broken only by David's steady breathing. His heart carried the weight of grief, betrayal, and the last words of his brother Samuel.
Late that night, the sound of footsteps approached. The cell door creaked, and Emily appeared, her eyes sharp and determined. She whispered urgently, "David… I cannot let you die for a crime you never committed. The people won't listen—they've all been blinded by Zarthus's lies. We must leave."
David looked at her, torn between despair and hope. "Emily… leave me. If we run, Zarthus will call us traitors. Ava already hates me… how can I live with that?"
Emily's hand tightened around his. "Because you still have Ethan. Because you still have Samuel's words. You must protect the Sword of Lightning… and protect us. That is the only way you can honor him."
Her courage gave him strength. With a key she had secretly taken from a guard, she unlocked the cell. Together, they moved through the dark passages of the palace, Ethan cradled gently in Emily's arms.
David carried the Sword of Lightning, its weight both heavy and sacred. "Brother," he whispered into the night, "I will keep my promise."
They slipped into a forgotten chamber beneath the palace, one known only to the royals. At its end lay a narrow path leading to the riverside, where the Wondrous Stone waited.
The moon shone over the water, silver and calm, as though guarding the secret of worlds. The stone glimmered faintly beneath the surface, its light awakening after five long years.
Emily held Ethan close while David grasped her free hand. His voice was steady, though his heart trembled. "Once we cross, there is no returning… not until the stone opens again."
Emily nodded. "Then let us leave the pain behind. We will find a new life on Earth, until the time comes to return."
Together, they stepped forward, hand in hand. The river embraced them as they jumped, the light of the Wondrous Stone wrapping around their bodies. In an instant, the world of Veridia faded—and they were pulled into the current of magic that would carry them to Earth.