Heat sat alone in the quiet room assigned to him. The room stretched out like the sky. The bed felt like soft, smiling clouds. The sunrise colored the white room in yellow, orange, and red
.
His face gazed across the room, and the kingdom caught his sight at the window.
"This kingdom is peace. This feels great. I wish my brothers were here with me, but because of that snake…" Heat was lost in thought. A knock on the door snapped him back to reality.
"Come in," he said as he waited for the door to reveal what was beyond. The door slowly cracked open, and footsteps grew louder.
"Heat. Come with me. There's a lot of things we need to discuss," King Gorame said as he stepped into the room.
"I'll come when I'm ready, on my own time!" Heat retorted.
"I don't have time for your attitude. When I say get ready, I mean it! You will meet me at the dining room. You already got a tour of my castle, so please don't make things hard and get ready," King Gorame's rage burst.
"Fine, you annoying ape!" Heat shot back with a reckless tone. King Gorame smashed the door and stormed out.
Heat trembled and whispered, "Maybe I was too foolish."
Heat cleaned up and went to the dining room. The long, wide table was spotless.
The food on the table was mouthwatering. The smell of baked bread filled the room. Heat's belly felt lighter as the smell played with his nose. His feet spoke for themselves as they got closer to the table.
He got comfortable with the chair, but his target was not forgotten.
"I can't wait to taste the food," Heat thought, his mind thrilled. As quick as lightning, he snatched the bread. The bread was covered in red, sweet, and smooth jam. The bread made its way to his beak and went down his throat.
"This tastes delicious. The bread is softer than clouds. The jam tastes like a thousand hugs, mixed with many fruits that sing in harmony," Heat's mind whispered as he filled his stomach.
"I can't believe a fool like you eats like a pig. You didn't even notice my presence when you entered here. You barely caught a breath," King Gorame remarked with a laugh.
Heat smiled, his stomach full and happy.
"I'll admit, I couldn't help myself." Laughter escaped from their crests, and the air carried pleasure.
"Well, it's a good thing that our world doesn't have carnivores. All xtros only eat anything besides meat," Heat said as he leaned back and his shoulders relaxed.
"I agree. Unlike the world of the living, we never ate meat nor hunted for meat," King Gorame said humorously. The echoes of laughter sounded larger than before.
Heat went silent and stated, "King Gorame, I want you to tell me more about this prophecy stuff."
"Right. I completely forgot about that. So what else would you like to know?" King Gorame asked with less humor.
"I want to know how to do this prophecy. What's my next step? How can I make it perfect?" Heat asked with confidence and determination.
King Gorame carefully explained, "You should make your own path. It's up to you how you achieve your goals and desires. The prophecy may show you your future, but it will never decide how you reach it. The prophecy only gave you a choice. You led a team of strong warriors, but how you lead them is your own choosing. But don't forget this: another warrior will help you guide this team."
Heat was lost.
"Who are these warriors? And who is supposed to be my partner in this team I'm supposed to lead? How am I supposed to earn their trust?"
"I don't know. You have to figure out everything, and you have to guide them. The prophecy didn't mention these warriors because it knew that only you can choose the best. But always remember this: the best allies are the ones you have to trust with your heart," King Gorame clarified.
"This sounds like a tough choice. May I make a request?" Heat asked with a polite and clear tone.
"A request? What is it?" King Gorame asked.
"Will you please train me and my team?" Heat asked.
King Gorame rubbed his forehead.
"Me? Train you and your future allies?" He folded his arms, and his mind wandered.
"I need you, King Gorame. You can become my new master. I know that I'm an idiot who doesn't have any skill. That's why I want you to be my teacher," Heat begged.
As time moved by and the seconds became slower, he waited for disappointment to enter.
"Fine. I'll become your new master," King Gorame answered.
"Thank you so much. I thought you were going to refuse. Being disappointed is not fun," Heat said as his heart jumped with happiness.
"So when will you choose your team members?" King Gorame asked as his arms unfolded.
"I'm leaving today, and I think I'll head to different kingdoms," Heat responded.
"Are you heading to different main kingdoms?" King Gorame asked.
Heat replied, "What are these main kingdoms anyway? I never understood how main kingdoms and branch kingdoms work."
"Why am I not surprised? You really are an idiot," King Gorame murmured.
"Hey, I'm standing right here, you know," Heat barked.
King Gorame sighed and explained, "Long ago, xtros battled for power. This led to a period where many xtros died. Finally, the battles stopped, and a new law was released in our world.
Strong kingdoms are known as main kingdoms. An example of a main kingdom is my kingdom, the Gorilla Kingdom. The weak or dependent kingdoms are known as branch kingdoms. The main kingdoms are led by Breamo leaders, one of the greatest rankings in our world."
"So that's how it works. And if I recall, the kings and queens of the main kingdoms are called the Breamo leaders, which means that you're one of the Breamo leaders," Heat said as he digested the information.
"You caught on quicker than I expected," King Gorame said, giving him credit.
"Yeah, I think I'll visit the other main kingdoms and take it from there," Heat said. "I'm leaving now."
"Good luck. Make sure you don't cause trouble on your journey," King Gorame said as Heat left the room.
With curiosity and excitement, he was ready to take flight into the unknown.