The Prophecy Unveiled

: The Prophecy Unveiled

Athena stood at the far end of the chamber, her arms crossed as she observed her father and Nate. The two were deep in conversation—her father wearing his usual composed smile, while Nate's face remained unreadable.

She frowned. What could they possibly be talking about?

Nate narrowed his eyes, his voice low and firm. "Who are you?" he asked, staring directly into the king's gaze. "And how do you know about Reyes?"

The king remained unfazed, not even flinching at the question. Instead, he rose from his seat, his expression impossible to read.

"Follow me," he said simply.

Nate hesitated. Every instinct screamed at him—this could be a trap. But at the same time, he needed answers. Gritting his teeth, he pushed aside his doubts and followed as the king led him through the palace’s long, ornate hallways.

After some time, they stopped in front of a large, reinforced door. With a firm push, the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit chamber beyond.

Nate stepped inside—and his breath caught in his throat.

In the center of the room stood a massive, crystalline heart, glowing faintly with a blue light.

"What… is that?" he whispered.

The king stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the enormous gem. "This is the Heart of Ecronia," he explained. "Or rather, a replica. The real heart is inside."

Placing his hand on the crystal, the entire structure began to split apart, revealing a smaller shard at its core, pulsating with pure energy.

"This," the king continued, turning toward Nate, "is the true Heart of Ecronia."

Nate didn't move. His body remained tense as he stared at the shard.

"Why are you showing me this?" he asked, his tone cold.

The king studied the glowing fragment for a moment before holding it out toward him. "Because…" He paused, his voice calm yet firm. "This belongs to you."

Nate remained silent, his muscles tightening.

"That doesn’t explain how you know everything about me," he said slowly. "And how does this shard prove anything?"

The king exhaled, his gaze steady. "The Heart has always worked to maintain balance in this world," he said. "And it was the one that summoned you here."

A heavy silence stretched between them.

"You," the king continued, "were brought here to unite the world."

A dry scoff escaped Nate. "Unite it from what?"

Instead of answering, the king turned toward the far wall, pressing his palm against it.

A deep rumbling echoed through the chamber as a hidden passage slowly revealed itself. Without turning back, he gestured for Nate to follow.

Nate clenched his jaw but stepped forward.

If he wanted answers, this was the only way.

Athena had been searching the palace for her father and Nate, but there was no sign of either of them. Frustrated, she wandered through the halls until a voice spoke behind her.

"What are you looking for?"

She turned to see her mother standing there, watching her closely.

"For Father and Nate," Athena answered, still scanning the halls.

Her mother’s expression remained unreadable. "Worried about your friend?"

Athena frowned. "What is Father doing with him?"

"If you’re truly concerned," her mother said, "then find out for yourself. They’re in the Heart of Ecronia."

Athena’s eyes widened slightly.

What could they possibly be doing there?

Nate stepped into the hidden chamber, his eyes widening at the sight before him. The room was filled with relics—ancient artifacts that looked as if they belonged to another era.

His gaze drifted over the collection until it landed on a long, ornate staff. Unlike the ones he had seen in this world, this staff radiated immense energy. It was old—ancient even.

But his attention was soon drawn to something else.

A book.

It sat on a pedestal, its cover worn with age, yet the sheer power it exuded was undeniable. Something about it called to him. Without hesitation, he reached out and lifted it from the shelf.

"That," the king spoke, watching him closely, "is the first invention of magic. It is called the—"

"Grimmoire," Nate interrupted, his fingers tightening around the cover.

The king nodded, slightly impressed. "It was created long ago, and only its true owner could unlock its full potential."

Nate flipped through the pages, but the text was unreadable—filled with symbols he couldn't recognize. As his fingers traced the worn edges, he noticed two torn pages.

"Where are the missing pages?" he asked, turning the book toward the king.

The king shrugged. "They were stolen long before I was born. No one knows where they are."

Nate narrowed his eyes. "If you knew I was summoned to this world, who told you?"

"The Heart," the king replied. "It showed a future where a new ruler would rise—a ruler who would unify those we thought were long extinct."

Before Nate could respond, a rustling sound caught his attention.

He turned his head—and his gaze landed on an ancient painting.

The image depicted an elf wielding the same staff he had seen. Beside him stood a man with animal ears, a crowned human, a small fiery spirit, and a massive beast.

At the forefront of the group, a hooded figure stood tall, holding the very same book now in Nate’s hands.

He stepped closer, staring at the image. "Who are these people?"

"According to history, they were long extinct," the king said. "They waged war against humanity, but the God of War blessed those loyal to him with power beyond comprehension."

Nate scoffed. "And those people became heroes and holy knights, right?"

The king nodded.

So he had been right all along.

But now, things had become even more complicated.

Was there a race that still possessed the same power he held now?

His eyes drifted toward the beast in the painting, deep in thought.

Before he could speak, Athena’s voice suddenly broke through the silence.

"So this is where the two of you have been, huh?"

Nate turned to see her standing at the entrance. She looked… shocked.

"What now?" he sighed.

"Ahh… umm…" Athena hesitated, her gaze shifting between Nate and the book in his hands. "No one… no one has ever been able to open that book. Not even my father."

Nate blinked.

Just when he thought he was doing something normal, she had to point out how out of the ordinary he actually was.

"Is that so?" he muttered. "And why is that?"

"No one knows," she admitted.

The king stepped past Nate, speaking as he moved toward the exit. "Nate, I hear you and my daughter are a team now."

Nate arched a brow.

"You are to protect her at all times," the king stated.

And just like that, he walked away.

Nate exhaled sharply. "I'm going to the guild," he announced. "Tomorrow, we move."

Eden had been too busy eating to notice Nate's absence. But when he finally saw him leaving the castle, he quickly followed.

"So, where are we going?" Eden asked.

Nate frowned. "What do you mean ‘we’?"