Chapter 46(Volume 2)– The Secrets of the World
The throne room of Britania, a vast hall of ancient stone, rose in oppressive silence. Once a sanctuary of light and glory, it now bore the scars of an attack that had shaken the entire kingdom. The tall stained-glass windows, once vibrant with color, were now shattered fragments scattered across the floor. The columns engraved with ancient runes were cracked, and embers still glowed in the fissures of the marble.
At the center, on the golden and silver throne set with precious stones, sat Arthur Britania, King of Britania. His posture was upright, imperial; his sword Excalibur rested against the armrest as an indestructible symbol of his sovereignty. His blue eyes, cold as steel, fixed on the invisible horizon, but his firm features betrayed no weakness. Arthur was uninjured, and that was the essence of his strength: even after facing the unimaginable, he remained unshakable.
At his side, Merlin, the great mage of Britania, advanced slowly. His emerald robe, embroidered with silver threads, trailed over the ash-marked stones. His deep green eyes scrutinized every crack, every remnant of chaos, as if trying to decipher the invisible language of catastrophe. His furrowed brows betrayed a concern he could hardly conceal.
A little behind, almost overwhelmed by the immensity of the hall, stood Glann. His hands still trembled. His pupils seemed lost between fear and admiration. Though sitting in the shadows, he felt the weight of a destiny he had yet to understand.
A silence stretched, oppressive. Merlin was the first to break it.
— I can hardly believe it, Arthur, he said, his deep voice echoing against the walls. Only three men, and all of Britania still bears the scars of their passage.
Arthur finally lowered his gaze to him.
— Three men… no. I would say three monsters. Their strength surpassed anything I had ever known. Their magic was not of this world. And their cruelty… was demonic.
The word hung in the air like an invisible sword.
Demons.
Merlin froze. His lips opened and closed, as if the word had awakened a memory he would have preferred to forget.
— Do not speak that name lightly, Arthur, he whispered. The Demons… are nothing but legend today. A vestige of ancient myths. They were sealed away millennia ago, banished to Hell by God himself. That is what our chronicles say.
Arthur stared at him unwaveringly.
— And yet, they were there, before me. Of flesh, blood… and fire.
Merlin stepped back slightly, fingers gripping his yew staff. His eyes widened, as if a missing piece had just fallen into place in the puzzle of his fears.
Gosh, who until now had dared only to listen, clenched his fists and summoned his courage. His trembling voice broke the echo of the stones:
— Before you returned, they came to see me.
Arthur turned sharply.
— What did they say?
Gosh inhaled deeply, as if he feared the words themselves might trigger a curse.
— They asked me… where the Heart of Britania was.
A chill ran through the room. The flames of the torches flickered, as if they too feared the name.
Merlin froze. His usually impassive face twisted in astonishment and dread. His lips murmured almost involuntarily:
— The Heart… No… impossible…
He slowly raised his gaze to Arthur. For the first time in a long while, his eyes reflected not just wisdom or cunning, but naked, almost childlike fear.
— If the Demons are truly seeking the Heart… then it is not just Britania that is in danger. It's… the entire universe.
Glann recoiled, his breath short.
— The entire universe…? But… what does that mean?
Arthur straightened on his throne, his hand sliding gently over the hilt of Excalibur. His gaze stayed fixed on Merlin.
— Enough half-words. No more legends to lull children. Tell me the truth, Merlin. What is the Heart of Britania? What have you been hiding from me all this time?
A leaden silence fell. Only the distant beating of the wind through the broken windows could be heard. Merlin remained still, eyes closed, as if seeking the strength to speak the unspeakable.
Finally, he reopened his eyelids. His lips opened slowly, and each word he spoke resonated like a decree:
— Arthur… my King… it is time you learn the true secrets of this world. The myths you think you know are merely veils. The history of Britania… the history of the Demons… and even that of our gods… is far different from what you have been taught.
He took a few steps, his staff clattering on the cracked stones, and his shadow stretched to the feet of the throne.
— Prepare yourself, Arthur, for what I am about to reveal will forever change your view of the world.
Hundreds of leagues away, in an entirely different world of greenery and mountains,
The deep red sun slowly descended behind the titanic mountains of the Dragon Kingdom. Rolling green hills stretched endlessly, carpeted with wildflowers in shimmering colors, and in the distance, snow-capped peaks glowed under the last rays of the day.
On one of these hills, three figures trudged forward.
Seth, hands behind his head, whistled nonchalantly. Alma walked with elegance, but her piercing gaze constantly scanned the surroundings, alert. Damian trailed behind, short of breath, shoulders slumped.
— I swear, if we don't survive this slope, I'm attacking the first dragon I see, grumbled Damian, trying to keep his balance.
— You want to attack a dragon when you can't even handle a descent?! laughed Alma, doubled over with laughter.
— Hey, I only slipped twice, that's all! protested he.
— Three, corrected Seth, rolling his eyes. And you scream like a goat every time.
Damian sighed loudly:
— I'm going to die… I can feel it…
These hills are endless… who decided to send us here anyway?
Seth looked up, a mocking smile on his lips:
— You, the great strategist who said: "Oh, let's go this way, it'll be shorter."
Result: three hours climbing and descending, and all we've seen are wild sheep.
Alma gave a small smirk:
— For a future great mage, you run out of breath quickly, Damian.
Damian pointed a trembling finger at her, face red:
— You… shut up. You almost float when you walk! I have normal legs, not princess wings!
Seth burst out laughing, making Damian blush even more.
As they reached the top of the hill, a dull sound echoed behind them, like a massive wingbeat. The air vibrated.
— What was that?! — shouted Damian, pressing himself to the ground.
Seth turned… and his heart stopped.
A massive dragon, with bright sapphire-blue skin, had appeared above them. Its outstretched wings covered the entire hill, and its luminous eyes fixed on the trio intensely.
— D… D… DRAGON!! — the three screamed in unison.
Without thinking, they ran in all directions, screaming like children chased by a dog.
— Left! — shouted Seth.
— No, right! — yelled Alma.
— I WANT TO GO HOME! — bellowed Damian.
But suddenly, against all expectation, the blue dragon let out a shrill cry, almost… frightened. And it sped off into the nearby forest.
A stunned silence fell on the hill. The three friends stopped, panting, incredulous.
Seth, hands on his knees, tried to catch his breath:
— Wait… did you see what I saw?
Alma, eyes wide, nodded slowly:
— … The dragon was fleeing.
Damian blinked several times, still shaken:
— So… we screamed… it screamed… and IT Ran too?
What is this crazy kingdom?!
Seth lifted his head, his gaze fixed on the forest where the creature had disappeared.
— Whatever… let's go see.
They cautiously descended to the forest's edge. The air was cooler there, filled with the damp scent of moss and the soft song of birds. But no dragon was in sight.
Instead, a boy of about fourteen stood there, half-hidden behind a tree.
His blue hair, braided into long strands, reflected the twilight light. His features were soft, almost fragile, and his red kimono contrasted sharply with his pale skin.
Alma approached first, wary:
— Hey, you. Did you see a dragon pass by here?
The boy's eyes widened in fear. His hands trembled.
— I… I… I didn't see anything…
Seth frowned. He carefully observed the ground, noting the fresh tracks, then looked back at the boy, quickly making the connection.
— Wait. This is exactly where the dragon crashed.
And you're here… just by chance?
The boy took a step back, panicked.
— D… don't hurt me… I beg you…
Tears welled in his eyes. His voice broke.
— I… my name is Noël. And… I am… the dragon.
A stunned silence fell over Seth, Alma, and Damian.
— … What? — they all said at once. What is this story????
To be continued…..