The hall of Veltos Castle was silent, save for the faint cries of the newborn. Torches flickered along the stone walls, casting long shadows that danced across the banners of the kingdom. On this night, the royal welcomed a child, the third son of the King, a prince who would unknowingly set the wheels of fate into motion.
The priests has gathered, their faces solemn, lips moving in prayers no one else could understand. One among them, the eldest stopped suddenly,his eyes widening as if a ghost had crossed his path.
"This child..." he murmured, voice trembling,"The prophecy..."
The king seated upon his grand throne,frowned."What is it?" he demanded, though there was a flicker of fear in his eyes.
The priest took a slow breath, his hands shaking as he clutched a scroll."The stars do not favor him. The gods themselves whisper.. the third prince... should not exist."
A fush fell over the hall. The queen gasped, clutched her chest, her fingers trembling."What do it mean?"
"The child carries a fate that may bring ruin...or power beyond measure. I do not know which," the priest replied."But signs are clear.This boy..." His voice faltered. "...he must not live among the thorne's shadow."
Theking's jaw tightened.He had expected this. Whispers of the prophecy had reached him long before the birth. But a father's heart does not bend to star."No priest or prophecy will Decide the life of my son," he said, voice cold and unwavering. "He is mine. He will live."
The queen's eye filled with tears,both relief and mingling in their depths. The child's tiny cries echoed through the hall, a fragile sound of life untouched by the weight of prophecy.
But life in the palace would not be safe.
That night, under a sky with dark clouds,the king summoned a figure cloaked in black–Luien a knight known for his unmatched skill in both sword and magic.His reputation preceded him: a five star mage and an expert- level swordsman,loyal only to the crown.
"You know your duty," the king said, placing the child's small body in Lucien's arms. The boy's eyes, barely open,seemed to glammer with a spark that neither Lucien nor king could explain.
Lucien nodded solemnly."I will protect him,Your Majesty. No harm will come to this child under my watch."
The king's hand rested briefly on Lucien's shoulder."Take him to Veyran.Keep him hidden. If the prophecy's shadow reaches him. It must find only the void."
With that, Lucien disappeared into the night. Torches flared behind him as palace guards looked on in confusion, but none dared to question the king's command. Rain began to flow, soft at first,then heavier, as if the heaven themselves wept for the life of the child who should not have been.
The journey was long and treacherous. Lucien moved like a shadow, steeping over rocks, through thick forests, and accross rivers swollen from winter rains. The boy in his arm cried only once, then fall into deep sleep, as if already sensing the danger surrounding him.
Lucien murmured, voice low and steady."Do not fear, little one.The world is cruel,yes... but I will teach you to survive. To fight. To become more than a prophecy."
Hours turned into days,and the world beyond the palace revealed itself to the boy: the scent of wet earth, the distant roar of wolves,and the chilling wind whispered through the trees. Every sound was new, every shadow a potential threat.