Chapter 11 – Partings and New Beginnings
The council hall was bathed in golden light, yet the atmosphere remained heavy. Five days earlier, the twelve S-rank hunters had concluded a crucial meeting about the coming battle. Maps littered the table, covered with numbers, troop movements, and zones of potential danger. The reports had been carefully examined and discussed. Every hunter knew this would not be an open war, but that every decision taken now could save—or doom—lives.
Aleos, S-rank hunter of the Fire Kingdom (Solgaleo), stood back, observing the maps and reports he had kept. He was no prince, yet his skill and experience made him one of the most capable warriors of his rank. He knew how much a carefully considered decision could weigh on the future. Lines of fire, danger zones, the distribution of enemy troops… all was clear to him, and yet he felt deep inside that his strength still had to grow to face what was coming.
Kael, sitting at his table in his room, had opened an old grimoire he had discovered at the black market. The ancient runes seemed to vibrate under his fingers. The magic he was attempting to study was ancient, corrupted, its language foreign to him. Each incantation he tried to decipher pulled him toward a power both tempting and dangerous. In a corner of his mind, he felt corruption seeping in, but he could not stop: he had to understand this power in order to protect himself—and those he loved.
— "Kael…" Tara murmured as she approached, her eyes filled with worry. "This magic… it's changing you. You must be careful."
Kael lifted his gaze toward her, both determined and troubled.
— "I know… but if we want to be ready for what awaits us, I must understand this power. Even if it exposes me to shadow… I have to try."
Suo entered the room, and Kael hastily hid the grimoire. Suo had already urged him to abandon the book—destroy it, even—but Kael, stubborn, resisted.
— "Do you know where Seth is?"
— "Yes… with Arthur, I think," Tara replied.
— "Come. I have something to tell you."
Tara and Suo left, leaving Kael alone with his thoughts, the book still hidden. They joined Arthur and Seth in the palace gardens.
— "Ah, Suo, you're here," said Arthur.
— "Yes. Seth, I wish to speak with the three of you."
The children exchanged surprised glances, but Suo spoke with a calm firmness, his voice carrying authority:
— "Listen to me. We have traveled far together and faced dangers that many would never have survived. But my journey must continue… elsewhere."
Seth frowned.
— "But… you're our guide, Suo…"
— "I'll always be with you in thought," Suo replied. "You are my brothers and sister at heart. You must keep growing, become stronger, and above all… stay united."
The children did not know the true reason for his departure. Suo never revealed the secret mission entrusted to him by Arthur, King of Britannia. It was a secret only Arthur and he shared, and he knew that revealing it would put the children in peril.
A few days earlier, in the throne room, Suo had stood before Arthur. The king regarded him with gravity and resolve.
— "The children must continue without you," said Arthur.
— "I'm afraid so…" Suo replied, impassive.
— "Your mission must remain secret. Infiltrate the Dark Continent, gather intelligence on their armies and alliances, and return alive. The fate of our kingdoms depends on it," Arthur declared.
Suo nodded, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders.
— "Very well, Your Majesty. I'll do what must be done."
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October 16, X545 – 00:25 — Suo's Departure into the Night
October 17, X545 – 14:25 — Palace of Britannia
Seth and his friends had noticed Suo's absence. Deep down, Seth knew this moment had to come—that it was part of the unspoken pact between him and the hunter.
— "Seth," Tara asked in a trembling voice, "what do we do now?"
— "I… I don't know," he admitted, "but I intend to find answers to my amnesia."
— "You really don't remember anything?" she whispered sadly.
— "No… I don't even dream. Just my name… It's strange," he said with a bitter smile.
— "Losing your memory and remembering only your name, that's a bit cliché," Kael muttered with sarcasm. "But… do you know where we might find books on magic? I'd like to learn more."
— "I… I don't know," Tara replied.
At that moment, Merlin appeared as though he had overheard their entire conversation.
— "If you seek magic, there is a place where everything begins…" he said in a voice laced with mystery.
He made a gesture, and his radiant aura lit up the surroundings.
— "The Academy of Etheria awaits you. For centuries, it has trained the greatest mages, warriors, and knights of the continent. Those who survive its trials become the elite: strategists, fighters, and masters of magic. Etheria is not merely a school—it is a bastion of knowledge and power, where every trial reveals the hidden potential within you."
The children exchanged glances. The Academy represented an immense challenge, but also the promise of unmatched power and forbidden knowledge. After several days of thought, they made their decision and went to Merlin's cabin.
— "We accept the challenge, Merlin," Kael declared, his heart pounding, aware that his studies in dark magic could prepare him… or consume him.
— "We will go to Etheria… and we will become stronger," Tara added, determined to push beyond her limits.
Seth, silent but resolute, followed his friends, ready to face whatever trials the Academy had in store for him.
To be continued…