The records lay open on the polished oak table, pages brittle with age. Names, dates, seals—each line heavy with history. Alex traced the ink with trembling fingers until the words sharpened into clarity.
Lord Darius of Veymore — Dark Mana Affinity.
Callen Dareth — Adopted Son, Earth Mana Affinity. Deceased.
Alex's breath caught. The name. Too close. Too impossible.
"Callen Dareth," Kael murmured aloud, voice low and grave. His pale eyes flicked to Alex. "It's nearly the same."
Saphira leaned closer, frowning. "Professor Callum Dareth. Earth Mana user. The records shouldn't align this way unless—"
A harsh intake of breath cut through her words. Riven's shoulders were tense, his jaw locked tight. His eyes, usually so quick with mirth, now carried something far heavier.
"There's something you don't know," he said quietly, but the edge in his voice silenced the room. "Something most of you were never meant to know."
Lady Marriane's gaze sharpened. "Then speak."
Riven exhaled slowly, as though bracing himself. "Dark mana users… their power goes beyond shadows and destruction. If a soul lingers after death, they can take it—transfer it—into another body. They call it reincarnation. They can regenerate limbs, heal wounds that should be fatal, even corrupt or shatter a soul entirely. They can distort their own appearance, prolong their lives far past what's natural."
The room seemed to shrink with his words.
"But—" Saphira's voice was sharp, brittle. "That can't be allowed."
Riven shook his head. "It isn't. Not anymore. Since the reign of the current King of Hensville, those uses of dark mana were banned. But there's one exception: the royal family. They alone can wield the full breadth of it." His gaze darkened. "Including me."
A silence fell, broken only by the faint crackle of the fireplace.
Alex swallowed, mind racing as the pieces clicked into place. "Then… Lord Darius. He must have used that power. He must have taken his son's soul and placed it into another body. Into Professor Callum Dareth."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Edrin's brow furrowed as he leaned forward, voice wary. "But… isn't the current king himself a dark mana user?"
That single question dropped like a stone into still water.
The realization spread across their faces one by one. Lady Marriane's lips parted, her expression a rare slip of control. Kael's hand stilled against the page. Even Saphira's quill faltered mid-scratch.
Alex's stomach knotted. "The king… it's not just that he's a dark mana user." His voice was quiet but certain now. "It's that he's the same man. Over and over again. Each new reign isn't a successor. It's him. The same king, changing his face, prolonging his life. All this time."
The fire hissed, as though in agreement with the horror taking root among them.
For a moment, no one spoke. Then Riven finally broke the silence, his voice low, dangerous.
"Which means every other descendant… every spouse… they've all lived and died while he still sits on that throne. And the kingdom has bowed to the same shadow for centuries."
The weight of truth settled over them like a shroud. What had begun as a search for answers had just unraveled into something far darker: a kingdom ruled not by legacy, but by one man's refusal to let go of power, no matter the cost.