The moon had always ruled Eldoria's night, but never like this.
For the first time in a thousand years, the heavens split—one moon of silver, one of blood.
The priests called it a celestial miracle.
The sorcerers whispered it was the final reckoning.
To Kael, it was a warning.
To his shadow, it was a throne.
---
1. The Red Sky
The false Kael—golden-eyed, flawless, adored—stood atop the citadel balcony, watching as the second moon bled across the sky.
Below, the people knelt, praying, believing the heavens bowed for their king.
He raised his hands.
> "The night submits! The curse is no longer our prison—it is our power!"
The crowd roared.
But in the midst of the cheers, a strange wind swept through the streets, carrying the faint sound of a horn.
A war horn.
Eir turned pale.
> "Majesty… the northern banners. They bear the sigil of the old crown."
Kael's golden eyes darkened.
> "So the impostor dares march upon my gates."
He smiled faintly.
"Good. Let the world see which king the curse itself obeys."
---
2. The March of the True King
Far to the north, beneath the bleeding sky, the real Kael led his army of exiles and beasts.
No banners. No songs. Only the sound of countless feet in the frost.
At his side ran the silver wolf, eyes glowing with ancient sorrow.
> "He wears your face," the wolf growled, "but not your heart."
Kael's gaze never wavered. "Then tonight, I take both back."
They marched through ruins that once belonged to his ancestors, places where the curse first took root. Each step, the moonlight burned hotter. The closer he came to the capital, the stronger the pull became—like a heartbeat calling him home.
---
3. The Mirror War
When Kael's army reached the outer walls, they found them already opening.
The guards didn't fight—they dropped their spears and bowed.
Because as the two Kaels faced each other across the battlefield, even the soldiers couldn't tell which one to follow.
Both bore the same scars.
Both spoke with the same voice.
Both claimed to be king.
Only one difference remained—
the eyes.
One burned gold.
The other shone grey, alive with pain and memory.
> "You are no king," the golden Kael said. "You are a relic of weakness."
"And you," the true Kael replied, "are a crown without a soul."
The air split as their blades clashed—light and shadow colliding, tearing open the earth. Every strike echoed across the kingdom, shaking towers and waking the sleeping curse in every bloodline of Eldoria.
---
4. The Queen's Sacrifice
In the palace above, the queen mother lay dying.
She could hear the battle through the walls, and with her last breath she whispered to the mirror:
> "Let the true blood rise. Let the curse end with me."
Her reflection smiled—a younger version of herself, crowned in moonlight.
> "Then give your light, child of the first sun. Burn away the lie."
And the mirror shattered.
A wave of pure light burst from her chamber, flooding through the city—
washing over both Kaels where they fought.
---
5. The Eclipse Unveiled
As the light struck, both kings staggered.
Their blades locked—and then fused, one half gold, one half silver.
For a heartbeat, time stopped.
The golden Kael screamed, clutching his head as black smoke poured from his mouth and eyes.
The true Kael fell to his knees, chest heaving, as the shadow peeled away from him like a second skin.
> "You cannot kill what you are!" the Shadow King roared.
Kael lifted the half-broken sword.
> "No," he said, "but I can forgive what I was."
He drove the blade into his own heart.
The world exploded in light and darkness intertwined—
the two moons merged into one, bleeding white fire across the sky.
When the light faded, only one figure stood.
His crown was gone.
His eyes glowed silver and gold together.
And for the first time in centuries, the beasts of Eldoria bowed in peace.
---
6. The Dawn After the Blood
Eir found him standing at the riverbank where it all began.
He looked tired—but free.
> "It's over," she said softly.
Kael smiled faintly.
> "No curse ends. It only learns to live differently."
He turned toward the horizon, where dawn broke—pure and clean.
> "The crown is gone. Let the people rule their own light."
The wolf appeared once more, fading with the mist.
> "Then the curse has chosen well."
Kael watched the rising sun.
His shadow stretched behind him—
but this time, it followed him in silence.