Silence fell abruptly. Carmel had just pierced the assassin's shoulder, neutralizing him with a single blow. In that same instant, the mysterious book he carried was pulverized, destroyed by the intensity of the light erupting from his own arm.
Overwhelmed by panic, the boy scrambled out of the attic ruins. He ran. He ran for half an hour without stopping, leaving the borders of Atlantis far behind. But hunger, thirst, and exhaustion eventually caught up with him. Carmel collapsed on the road, his strength completely spent.
It was then that a figure approached. A mysterious-looking old woman observed him for a moment before exclaiming:
"Oh, my son! How exhausted he is!"
She turned to the shadow accompanying her.
"Seth, at least help me bring him to the village."
They carried him to Tiane, a village located a few kilometers from Atlantis, nestled in the heart of the Holy Empire of Jama—the world's second-greatest power after the Empire of Jata.
Carmel remained plunged in a heavy sleep for a day and a half, his mind still haunted by the tragedy of his parents. When he finally woke, the old woman's face was the first thing he saw.
"Fear nothing," she said softly to reassure him.
She served him a meal. Despite his mistrust, Carmel eventually ate to regain his strength. Once calm had returned, the woman finally introduced herself:
"My name is Brynhild."
The boy took a deep breath.
"My name is Carmel Xanarth."
Upon hearing that name, Brynhild began to tremble. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and in a choked voice, she began to call him: "My King."
"Me, a King?" Carmel exclaimed, incredulous.
Brynhild decided it was time to reveal his history to him:
"Your grandfather was the King of Vintergard. Your mother was the one destined to become the queen of that kingdom. But when she was only five years old, the Kingdom of Lulucia attacked Vintergard. At that time, I was her knight. During the battle, I was separated from her... I had lost all trace of her since that day. I thought she was dead."
Carmel looked down at his right arm.
"What happened to your arm?" Brynhild asked.
After a moment of hesitation, he told her about the attack and the awakening of that strange force.
"You have inherited the power of your grandfather, the King," she explained immediately. "But know that your father's power is the true reason why Lulucia attacked the kingdom of Vintergard... Only a family member knew of the existence of your grandfather's power."
"Can you tell me the origin of this power?" Carmel asked.
"I know nothing of its origin," Brynhild replied. "Only the royal family held that secret."
Brynhild did not live alone. She had taken in Seth, an orphan one year older than Carmel, who possessed a gentle temperament but exceptional intelligence.
"Carmel, I am going to help you master your power," Brynhild declared.
Under her tutelage, the training began. She taught martial arts to Seth and instructed Carmel on how to channel the energy dormant within him.
Two years passed.
Today, Carmel is a master of his power. Seth, for his part, has become a martial arts expert capable of rivaling the best. Strengthened by these two years of training, Carmel has made his decision: it is time to set out and discover the secrets that his father and mother wanted to entrust to him.
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