Chapter 4: The Weight of Secrets

Caelum awoke the next morning, the memory of the cave and the Shadow lingering in his mind. He felt different—still the same boy he’d always been, but somehow altered, as if a seed had been planted within him. He didn’t understand it fully, but he knew the encounter had changed something deep inside him.

Maira, however, seemed troubled. She had barely spoken on the walk back from the cave and avoided his questions, her gaze distant and pensive. He noticed her glancing at him with a strange look, almost as if she were seeing him for the first time. Yet, whenever he asked her what was wrong, she would simply shake her head.

The village, as always, treated him with indifference or outright scorn. The other villagers eyed him with disdain, whispering behind his back, calling him the blacksmith’s weakling. He was used to it by now, but after the revelations in the Heart of Shadows, he felt the sting of their words more keenly. They saw him as nothing—a mere boy of no consequence. If only they knew the truth that even he wasn’t aware of.

For the next few days, life went on as usual, but an undercurrent of unease rippled through the air. He continued his training with Maira, practicing basic combat and honing his instincts. Yet, a question weighed heavily on his mind: Why had the Shadow appeared to him? What did it mean to be "chosen by the realms"? And why did he feel as though Maira was holding something back?

One evening, while they trained in the secluded glade outside the village, he couldn’t hold back his questions any longer.

“Maira,” he asked, lowering his practice sword. “Why did you bring me to the Heart of Shadows? What is it that you’re not telling me?”

She paused, her gaze softening. “Caelum, there are things you are not ready to know yet. Some truths are burdens, and once you carry them, you cannot set them down.”

“But I need to understand. I can feel… something inside me, something changing. I’m not just an ordinary villager, am I?”

Her expression grew distant, as if she were remembering a time long past. “You are special, Caelum. More than you know. But some truths are best revealed at the right time. Trust me.”

He opened his mouth to press her further, but a sudden shout from the village interrupted them. A sound that shattered the quiet night—a scream of terror.

They both turned, seeing smoke rising above the trees. The village was under attack.

“Caelum, stay close!” Maira shouted, drawing a blade from her cloak. The two of them sprinted toward the village, hearts pounding with fear and adrenaline.

As they neared the outskirts, Caelum’s breath caught in his throat. Flames licked at the houses, and shadowy figures moved through the streets, cutting down anyone who dared resist. The villagers screamed, scattering in all directions, but the attackers were relentless. Cloaked figures with cold, unfeeling eyes swept through, striking down those who tried to flee.

Maira pushed him behind a tree. “Stay hidden,” she whispered fiercely, her face a mask of grim determination. “Whatever happens, do not reveal yourself. Do you understand?”

“But Maira, I can fight—”

“No!” she snapped. “You must survive. That is your only task. Do not let them see you.”

With that, she rushed forward, disappearing into the chaos. Caelum crouched behind the tree, heart hammering as he watched the destruction unfold. The attackers were ruthless, moving with precision and purpose. Whoever they were, they hadn’t come to raid—they had come to destroy.

He couldn’t stay hidden for long. Driven by fear and fury, he crawled forward, keeping to the shadows as he searched for anyone he could help. His heart sank as he saw familiar faces lying still on the ground, their lives snuffed out.

In the midst of it all, he spotted Maira, locked in combat with one of the attackers. Her movements were swift and deadly, but Caelum could see she was outnumbered. Two more assailants closed in on her, blades gleaming in the firelight.

Before he could think, he acted, grabbing a fallen dagger and charging forward. He slashed at one of the attackers, the blade catching them by surprise and sending them staggering back. Maira turned, shock flashing in her eyes.

“Caelum, I told you to stay hidden!” she cried, but there was no time to argue. They fought together, side by side, desperately holding their ground. But it was a losing battle.

A brutal blow struck Maira, sending her to the ground. She clutched her side, blood seeping between her fingers as she struggled to rise.

“No!” Caelum shouted, dropping to her side. The attackers had withdrawn, leaving them alone amidst the burning village. Maira’s breaths came in shallow gasps, her face pale.

“Caelum… there is no more time,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the roar of the flames. “I had hoped to tell you… when you were older. But fate… has its own plans.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked, panic rising as he tried to stem the bleeding.

“You are not… who you think you are,” she murmured, her gaze softening as she looked at him. “You are not the blacksmith’s son. He loved you… as his own, but you are… of a different blood.”

He froze, her words sinking in like a dagger. “What… what do you mean?”

“You come from a family of strength… a family that holds power beyond this village. They entrusted you to us… to protect you. But now, with the village… gone, you must seek them. Find the Dreambound. Find… the path that is yours to walk.”

Tears blurred his vision as he held her hand, feeling the life slipping away. “Maira, don’t leave me. Please…”

She gave him a faint smile, her hand resting gently on his cheek. “You are stronger than you know, Caelum. Follow the mark. And remember… you are chosen.”

With a final breath, her hand fell limp, and her eyes closed. Caelum knelt there, his world crumbling around him as he held her lifeless form.

The flames crackled around him, but he felt only numbness. He was alone now—his home, his family, everything he had ever known was gone. But Maira’s words echoed in his mind, a whisper of hope amidst the despair.

“You are chosen…”

As dawn broke over the charred remains of the village, Caelum stood, his heart hardened by loss. He had nothing left here, nothing to hold him back. Maira had revealed a sliver of the truth, a hint of a path that lay beyond the village’s borders.

With one final look at the smoldering ruins of his home, Caelum turned and began his journey, leaving behind the ashes of his past. The road ahead was uncertain, and he knew he would face trials beyond anything he had ever known. But he would find the answers he sought, one way or another.

The mark on his wrist pulsed faintly as he took his first step into the unknown. The journey of the Dreambound had begun.

---

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***