"Uncle Victor...."
"Twenty knights came with me. They're not here for show. They're yours. Along with access to the family's full treasury and all political connections and ntelligence networks. Everything." He stood. "You're not alone in this, Hadeon. You never were. You were just being an idiot before, and now that you are ready.... "
Something tight in my chest loosened. I'd been so focused on my faction, on my allies at the academy, that I'd almost forgotten.
I had family too. Even if they are slightly fake in the fictional world.
"Thank you," I said, and meant it.
"Don't thank me yet. This path you're on is going to get worse before it gets better. Much worse." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "But I believe in you. Just like I believed in your father. And this time..." His grip tightened. "This time, we're going to win."
☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆
After Victor left to settle his knights in the guest quarters, I sat alone in the meeting room, turning the vault key over in my hands.
Three hundred years of Ravana resistance. Generations of my new adopted family fighting this fight. Dying for it. Failing, but never stopping.
And now it was my turn. I was forced into it but there was no other choice but to drag into the light, that which was hiding. Only then would I know of my true fate.
[CRITICAL INFORMATION ACQUIRED]
[Thornheart Family, Multi-generational resistance movement]
[The Cycles, Confirmed across centuries]
[Previous Heroes, All became tyrants or were eliminated]
[Council of Fates, Kill anyone who threatens their control]
[Your Parents, Assassinated for getting too close to truth]
[RESOURCES UNLOCKED]
- Family Vault access
- 300 years of records
- Ancient artifacts
- 20 Thornheart Knights
- Full family treasury
- Political connections
- Intelligence networks
[QUEST UPDATED: THE CONSPIRACY DEEPENS]
[You are not the first to fight this war]
[But you might be the first to win it]
[WARNING: Your uncle is right, it will get worse]
[The Council kills threats]
[You are now a confirmed threat]
[Prepare accordingly]
I pocketed the key and stood. The Spring Festival was here and someone would try to kill me.
But for now, I had work to do.
☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆
I found Damian in the headquarters' small library, reviewing supply manifests.
"Uncle Victor is staying?" he asked without looking up.
"For a few days. He's worried."
"Reasonable, given our plan." Damian set down his papers. "Though I suspect his visit isn't just about concern."
"No. He brought information. Important information." I sat across from him. "Damian, I need you to keep something confidential. Even from the others."
His attention sharpened. "Of course, Young Master."
"My parents' deaths weren't an accident. They were assassinated. By the same people who are trying to kill me now."
Damian was very still. "How long have you known?"
"I suspected. Uncle Victor confirmed it today." I met his eyes. "The people we're fighting, they've been doing this for centuries. Killing anyone who threatens their control. My parents got too close to the truth. So they eliminated them."
"And now you're walking the same path."
"Yes."
Damian was quiet for a moment. Then, "What do you need from me?"
Not "are you sure?" Not "is it worth it?" Just "what do you need?"
This was why his loyalty was at 100%.
"Keep doing what you're doing. Be my shield. My sword. My right hand." I pulled out a small token, the Ravana family seal. "If anything happens to me, give this to Uncle Victor. He'll know what it means."
"Nothing will happen to you. Not while I'm breathing."
"Damian...."
"No." His voice was firm. "I've served the Ravana family for five years. I knew your parents. They were good people. Honorable. Just." His hands clenched. "If they were murdered for trying to make things right, then their deaths will not be in vain. You will succeed where they couldn't. And I will ensure you live long enough to do it."
The conviction in his voice left no room for argument.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
"It's not thanks I want. It's justice. For your parents" He stood. "Let them come. Let them try. They'll learn what it means to threaten a Ravana."
That afternoon, I met with Uncle Victor in the training grounds. He'd requested a conversation, away from the headquarters.
"I wanted to see where you train," he said, watching students spar in the distance. "Get a sense of your environment."
"And?"
"It's softer than back home. But that's expected. This is an academy, not a military outpost. Besides, you never take to training back home as well."
We walked in comfortable silence for a moment.
"I'm going to tell you something else," Victor said finally. "Something I didn't mention earlier because the wards needed to be family-only."
"I'm listening."
"Your father left you a message. Sealed with bloodline magic. It can only be opened by you, in the family vault, with your blood." He glanced at me. "He created it the week before he died. Like he knew something was coming."
My heart clenched. "What kind of message?"
"I don't know. It's sealed. But given the timing..." Victor's jaw tightened. "I think he knew he was running out of time. That he'd learned something critical. Something worth dying to protect until you were ready to hear it."
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Because you weren't ready before. The Hadeon from two months ago? He would have ignored it. Maybe destroyed it out of spite." Victor looked at me directly. "But the Hadeon standing in front of me now? You finally get your head screwed back and so you'll understand it."
We stopped at a quiet corner of the grounds.
"I will leave you to deal with things here in your capacity," Victor said, "after you've dealt with your assassination attempt, I want you to come home. Visit Ravana ground. Open the vault. Read everything. Train with our family's weapons. Prepare properly."
"I will. But Uncle Victor..." I hesitated. "When I come to Ravana ground, I'm bringing my inner circle. The people I would need. They need to know some of this too."
"How much do they know now?"
"Not much at all."'
Victor considered this. "Bring them. If you trust them enough to die for you, I trust your judgment." He smiled slightly. "Besides, we could use fresh perspectives. Three hundred years of Ravana approaching the problem the same way? Maybe we need new minds."
"Thank you."