The night in Elforia was eerily quiet. Even the rustling of leaves and the chirping of nocturnal creatures seemed muted. Rheus and Luisa made their way to a small inn at the edge of the village, the dim glow of lanterns casting flickering shadows on the ground.
Inside, the innkeeper, an older woman with silver-streaked hair, greeted them with a kind but curious smile. "Not many travelers come through Elforia," she remarked as she handed them a room key. "Are you here for the archives?"
Rheus nodded, offering no further explanation. The innkeeper didn't pry further, as if accustomed to strangers seeking the village's hidden knowledge. She gave a small nod of understanding before turning back to her work.
As they settled into their room, Luisa finally broke the silence. "Do you really think your family is connected to the Lost Kingdom?" she asked, sitting on the edge of her bed, her eyes searching Rheus's face for answers.
Rheus sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know. My family has always been... important. But this? Tied to an ancient kingdom destroyed by dark magic? It feels too far-fetched."
"Maybe. But we've seen stranger things," Luisa said, her voice softening. "What matters now is figuring out how deep this connection runs and how it puts you in Pandemonium's sights."
Rheus clenched his fists. He had always known his life was far from normal, but this revelation stirred something unsettling in him. A sense of responsibility he wasn't ready for. "Pandemonium... they won't stop, will they?"
"No," Luisa said simply. "Not until they get what they want. And right now, it seems like what they want is you."
Rheus stood, pacing the small room. "Then we need to be faster. We can't let them stay one step ahead."
Just then, a soft knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Rheus approached cautiously, his hand hovering near the hilt of his blade. When he opened the door, the elderly scholar from the archives stood there, his face serious.
"I thought you might want to see this," the old man said quietly, handing Rheus a small, leather-bound journal. "This was found at the ruins of the Lost Kingdom, hidden deep within one of the towers. Few have seen it, and even fewer understand its significance."
Rheus took the journal, feeling the weight of it in his hands. "What is it?"
The scholar's voice lowered to a whisper. "It belonged to one of the last members of the royal family. Inside, there are references to a prophecy. A prophecy tied to the kingdom's fall—and possibly, to its resurrection."
Luisa's eyes widened. "Resurrection? You mean someone's trying to bring the Lost Kingdom back?"
The scholar nodded slowly. "It's more than a kingdom they seek to revive. They seek the power that once coursed through its rulers. The royal bloodline was believed to be a conduit for magic unlike anything the world has seen. If someone were to unlock that power..."
His voice trailed off, the implication clear. Whoever controlled the Lost Kingdom's magic could change the balance of power across the world.
"Is there any mention of the bloodline's survival?" Rheus asked, flipping through the journal's yellowed pages. The words were written in an archaic script, barely legible.
"There are hints," the scholar said. "But nothing concrete. However, one thing is clear—the prophecy speaks of a descendant who will either restore the kingdom or be the key to its ultimate destruction."
Rheus felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Could he be that descendant? Was this why Pandemonium was after him?
Before he could voice his thoughts, the scholar continued. "I must warn you, there are others who seek this journal. Powerful forces who would stop at nothing to claim it. I entrusted this to you because you are one of the royal blood of the Kingdom of Marcellion, the Lost Kingdom. The name before, and the last name of the royal bloodline, still survives within you. Be careful who you trust."
Rheus froze. His mind raced with the implications. Marcellion—the name echoed in his ears like a long-lost song. His family, the bloodline he had never fully understood, was tied to a forgotten throne, to unimaginable power. And now, he was a target.
"But why me?" Rheus asked, his voice barely audible. "Why would this fall to me?"
"Because you are one of the last," the scholar said gravely. "The royal bloodline is all but extinguished, yet you remain. Whether it was by fate or chance, the kingdom's magic has not forgotten its heirs. The question is, will you claim the destiny that awaits you, or will it destroy you?"
The weight of the scholar's words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, Rheus was at a loss for what to say. Luisa stood by his side, her gaze intense yet comforting.
"Rheus," she began, "we'll figure this out. Together. No matter what happens, you're not alone in this."
Rheus nodded, his mind still swirling with questions, but a sense of resolve began to form within him. There was no turning back now. Pandemonium, the prophecy, his lineage—it all pointed to one thing. He had to confront the past, or it would consume his future.