The throne room shook.
King Sable slammed his fist into the marble table, cracking it down the middle.
The generals around him flinched.
"HE ESCAPED!" Sable roared, his voice echoing through stone walls.
"That CHILD — that weapon I crafted — dares turn his blade against ME?!"
General Kaito stepped forward nervously.
"Your Majesty… Sataro was always unusually gifted. His instincts are—"
"I know what he is!" Sable snapped.
"I raised him from nothing. I shaped him. I molded him."
He kicked the broken table piece aside.
"And now he believes he can run?! WITH the younger brother?!"
Another general cleared his throat carefully.
"My king, the younger one… Haruto… we believe his magic is awakening."
Sable froze.
"What did you say?"
"Local towns report strange flickers of light in the forest. Heat signatures.
Signs of… uncontrolled bloodline magic."
The king's face went pale with fear — then dark with hatred.
"That boy," Sable whispered, "is more dangerous than his brother.
And if his power awakens fully—
he could rival the ancient kings."
He turned sharply to the commander of the special forces.
"I want Sataro Aoyami and Haruto Aoyami found.
Dead if you must."
He paused.
"…Bring the girl alive. She may be useful."
The commander saluted.
"Yes, my king."
Sable wasn't finished.
"Post their faces across every kingdom.
Tell the people they are traitors.
Murderers.
Enemies of peace."
He smirked.
"And give a reward for their heads.
Make the public hunt them for me."
Every general bowed as Sable whispered:
"The Eclipsed Ones… will not be allowed to rise."
Back in the Forest
Sataro's group had grown stronger quickly.
Ren was sitting on a rock, juggling apples.
Lira was giggling as Haruto tried (and failed) to juggle too.
Sataro sharpened his blade, listening for danger.
Haruto threw an apple too high and smacked himself in the forehead.
"I'm done learning," he declared.
"You lasted 20 seconds," Ren said.
"That's 19 more than YOU when you tried," Haruto shot back.
Ren froze mid-juggle.
"…Fair."
Lira checked Haruto's forehead.
"You're okay," she said softly.
Haruto blushed again.
"…Thanks."
Sataro finally spoke.
"We need supplies again."
Haruto perked up.
"Town trip?! Can we get meat this time?"
Lira nodded eagerly.
"And tea? They had tea at the last place."
Ren smirked.
"I could go for some stolen bread—"
Sataro glared.
"I mean… purchased bread."
They all packed up and walked toward a new village deep in the southern woods.
A Different Tavern — Darker Secrets
This tavern was quieter than the last.
More private.
More secretive.
The kind of place where thieves, mercenaries, and wanderers traded information.
They slipped inside, cloaks up, moving quietly.
Ren whispered, "Keep your heads down. Places like this… eyes everywhere."
Haruto immediately bumped into a table.
Everyone stared at him.
Haruto whispered, "Sorry."
Lira grabbed his arm.
"I'll guide him."
Haruto's face turned red.
The Wanted Posters
Sataro froze when he saw it.
A poster nailed to the wall:
WANTED — DEAD OR ALIVE
THE ECLIPSED CHILDREN
Sataro Aoyami
Haruto Aoyami
And one unnamed girl
Reward: 500 gold pieces
Haruto's mouth dropped.
"Bro… we're famous."
"We are NOT famous," Sataro hissed, grabbing him by the hood and dragging him away.
Ren whistled.
"That is… a LOT of gold."
Lira looked scared.
"People… will come for us?"
Sataro nodded.
"Yes. And we'll be ready."
A Whispered Conversation
Sataro approached the bar quietly.
An old man sat there, drunk, mumbling.
Two mercenaries beside him leaned in.
"You hear what the King wants?" one whispered.
"That book…" the old man slurred. "The forbidden one…"
Sataro's eyes snapped toward them.
The mercenary continued:
"They say the King lost it.
Someone stole it from his vault."
"Stole from him?" the other gasped.
"Who'd be crazy enough?"
"No idea. But the King is furious.
He says the book holds secrets of an ancient bloodline…
The Aoyami bloodline."
Sataro's heart stopped.
Haruto and Lira listened from near the table.
Haruto whispered, "Aoyami… that's us."
Lira's eyes widened.
"The king had a book about your family?"
Ren leaned in closer.
The mercenary lowered his voice.
"They say the book explains why the king exterminated certain families.
Why he fears magic.
And why he wants the Aoyami boys dead."
The old man chimed in, drunk.
"I heard… anyone who reads that book… learns the truth about the King's lies."
Sataro's blood ran cold.
So that's why the king hunts us.
That book holds everything…
The second mercenary added:
"And rumor says… the one who stole it is a girl.
Black hair. Young. Quick."
Sataro's eyes narrowed.
Haruto whispered.
"Who is she…?"
Lira put a hand on Haruto's arm gently.
"Whoever she is… she must be brave."
Haruto nodded, looking at her hand, his face pink.
Ren whispered, "Bro… she's totally into you."
"SHUT UP REN—"
Lira giggled.
Time to Leave
Sataro stood and motioned for them to move.
"We're leaving. Now."
Haruto whispered, "Because of the book?"
"Because," Sataro said quietly,
"if that book holds the truth about our parents…
we need to find it before the king does."
Ren smirked.
"A book hunt? I like this already."
Lira slipped close to Haruto.
"Don't worry," she whispered softly.
"We'll find it together."
Haruto's heart nearly exploded.
Sataro scanned the room one last time.
The world was changing.
Enemies everywhere.
But now they had a direction.
A purpose.
A mission.
Find the book.
Uncover the truth.
Destroy the king's lies.
And the Eclipsed Order took its first true step forward.