Chapter 15: Secrets Unveiled

The soft glow of candlelight flickered in the royal study as Emperor Valerian and Leonis stood facing each other. The emperor's silence was heavy, laden with secrets that Leonis knew could change the course of their empire's future. Valerian, the mighty 7-star swordsman and ruler of the Perdium Empire, was not a man easily shaken. Yet, Leonis could see the weight of old memories and untold truths in his father's eyes.

The air between them felt thick, as though time itself had slowed, waiting for what was about to be revealed.

Valerian finally broke the silence. "I had hoped you would never have to face this. Not so soon." He gestured for Leonis to sit, pulling up a chair for himself as well.

Leonis remained standing, his focus unbroken. "Father, I've read the histories. I know about Zar'Ghul, the demonic forces, and the orc invasions. But this… shadow, and the Eclipsed Order, none of this was part of what I learned. I need to know the truth."

Valerian's face hardened. His fingers traced the edge of the table as he spoke. "The shadow figure you saw is a remnant of an ancient darkness. It is not tied to Zar'Ghul or his demons, at least not directly. The Eclipsed Order… They were once the guardians of a force beyond mana, something forbidden. Their power lies not in magic or swordsmanship but in controlling the essence of shadows—of the void."

Leonis's heart raced. He'd read countless stories, knew of the old legends, but none described anything like this. "Are they back? The Eclipsed Order?"

Valerian nodded grimly. "I have feared their return for years. And now, with the rising demonic threat, they've resurfaced. The Order was thought to have been destroyed centuries ago, but I suspect their influence has been creeping through our lands, slowly, quietly. They manipulate events from the shadows, biding their time."

Leonis leaned in, his voice tense. "But why now? Why return now, when Zar'Ghul threatens the empire?"

Valerian's gaze darkened further. "Because there is more at play here than just Zar'Ghul. The demons, the orcs, the goblins—they're all pieces in a larger game. A game the Eclipsed Order has been orchestrating. They want the prophecy to be fulfilled. And they believe… they believe you are the key."

Leonis felt a chill run down his spine. "The prophecy. What does it say, exactly? What is it that everyone fears?"

His father paused, considering the weight of the words he was about to speak. "The prophecy speaks of a child born of royal blood, one who will rise to claim the power of the progenitor. This child will either save the world… or plunge it into eternal darkness."

Leonis's throat tightened. He had read about the prophecy, but in the novel, it had been vague, unclear. Now, hearing it from his father, it sounded far more ominous. "And you think that's me."

Valerian rose from his chair, his massive form casting a shadow over Leonis. "The signs are all there. Your sudden awakening of mana, your rapid rise to the 4th circle, and your… unique connection to the progenitor's spirit. You are stronger than any of your brothers, even Eonis. And that is why you must tread carefully."

Leonis's thoughts swirled, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I won't become a pawn for the Eclipsed Order."

Valerian placed a firm hand on his son's shoulder. "You are not a pawn, Leonis. But you are a threat—to both sides. And that is why you must be prepared. The Eclipsed Order will seek to manipulate you, just as Zar'Ghul will try to destroy you. But there is a way… a way to counter their influence."

Leonis's eyes flickered with curiosity. "How?"

Valerian turned toward a locked chest near the study's wall, taking a key from around his neck. He opened the chest and revealed a small, intricately carved wooden box. "This is something that has been passed down through our bloodline since the time of the progenitor. Few know of its existence, and fewer still know its power."

He opened the box, revealing a small crystal shard glowing faintly with a dark, swirling energy.

"This," Valerian said, "is the Heart of Shadows."

Leonis took a step back, instinctively wary. "What… what is it?"

Valerian's voice dropped to a near whisper. "It is a piece of the void itself. The Eclipsed Order once used this power to conquer kingdoms and bring even the most powerful mages and swordsmen to their knees. But my ancestor, the progenitor, found a way to bind it, to control it. He used it to rise to power, but he hid it away once he saw its true nature."

Leonis stared at the shard, a mix of awe and fear filling him. "And you want me to use it?"

Valerian's gaze softened. "No. I want you to understand it. This shard is both a weapon and a curse. It can give you unimaginable power, but it can also consume you. The Eclipsed Order wants it back, and they will stop at nothing to get it."

Leonis clenched his fists. "Then why keep it? Why not destroy it?"

Valerian sighed. "It cannot be destroyed. The void is eternal. But if you learn to control it, you may be able to use its power against the very forces that seek to destroy us."

Leonis felt the weight of destiny pressing down on him harder than ever. "So, this is why they want me? Because I'm connected to this?"

Valerian nodded. "Yes. And this is why you must be careful. The path ahead is fraught with danger, and you are walking a fine line between light and darkness."

Leonis stared at the shard for a long moment, the glow of its dark energy reflecting in his emerald eyes. He knew now that his journey was only beginning. The enemies at the empire's gates were just the surface of a far deeper and more dangerous conflict.

And he was at the center of it all.

"I'll do what I must," Leonis said, determination hardening his voice. "I won't let the Eclipsed Order control me. And I won't let the prophecy decide my fate."

Valerian smiled faintly, pride shining in his eyes. "I know, my son. I have faith in you."

As Leonis turned to leave the study, the weight of the Heart of Shadows still pressing on his mind, he knew that the battle ahead would be unlike anything he had ever imagined.

The shadows were rising. But so was he.

Leonis closed the door to the study behind him, his mind swirling with the new knowledge his father had revealed. The Heart of Shadows. The Eclipsed Order. He had thought his understanding of this world was complete—after all, he had read the entire novel back on Earth. But now, it was clear there were things hidden even from the story he knew so well. And the weight of those secrets now lay on his shoulders.

As he walked down the dimly lit halls of the royal palace, his thoughts churned like a storm. The prophecy spoke of two paths: salvation or destruction. He was supposed to be the key, the descendant of the progenitor, but the idea that he could also plunge the world into darkness gnawed at him. The prophecy had always been vague in the novel, and now it seemed it was even more ominous than he had imagined.

And then, there was the shard—the Heart of Shadows. The moment he had laid eyes on it, he had felt something tugging at his soul, as if the darkness within the shard had recognized him, called out to him. He could still feel its faint pull, like a whisper at the back of his mind.

The corridor stretched on, and Leonis's steps felt heavy, his exhaustion catching up to him after the sleepless nights of training and now this revelation. Yet, determination surged through him. He had come too far to falter now. He had learned the ways of mana faster than anyone thought possible. He had unlocked the power of the progenitor within him. And he had something no one else had—the knowledge of the future.

As he rounded a corner, a familiar voice broke him from his thoughts.

"Brother," a soft voice called out.

Leonis looked up and saw his youngest sibling, Caelum, standing by one of the palace windows, the evening light casting a soft glow over his youthful face. Caelum had always been a quiet presence, observing more than acting. But Leonis had come to respect him in these past few days.

"Caelum," Leonis greeted, forcing a smile to hide the tumult inside him. "What brings you here?"

Caelum approached him, concern etched on his face. "I've noticed you've been… different lately. Everyone has. You train harder than ever before, and I sense a shift in you. Is something bothering you?"

Leonis hesitated. He had never been close to his siblings before—before the novel, before he had taken control of this body. But Caelum had always been the most perceptive of his brothers, and Leonis couldn't dismiss his worry.

"I'm… dealing with some things," Leonis replied carefully. "Preparing for what's to come."

Caelum looked at him for a moment, as if weighing his next words carefully. "Is it about the prophecy?"

Leonis froze. "What do you know about the prophecy?"

Caelum shrugged, leaning against the stone wall. "Not much, only what we've all been told. That a descendant of the progenitor will either save the world or destroy it. Father keeps most of it hidden, even from us. But I've always wondered… could that descendant be one of us?"

Leonis felt his pulse quicken. His youngest brother was more aware than he had thought. But he couldn't let Caelum know everything—not yet.

"It's possible," Leonis said, keeping his voice neutral. "But prophecies are tricky. They don't always mean what they seem."

Caelum nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps. But if it is you, Leonis—if you are the one meant to fulfill the prophecy—just know that I trust you."

Leonis was taken aback by the sincerity in his brother's words. He hadn't expected that kind of faith from Caelum, especially after the reputation he had built as the cruel and distant first prince.

"Thank you," Leonis said quietly. "I won't let you down."

Caelum smiled faintly. "I know you won't."

With that, Caelum left, leaving Leonis standing alone once more in the dim hallway. But this time, he felt a strange sense of warmth. Perhaps he wasn't as alone in this fight as he had thought.

That night, as Leonis lay in bed, his mind returned to the shard. He couldn't stop thinking about it—the darkness swirling inside it, the power it promised. His father had warned him about the dangers of using it, but a part of Leonis couldn't help but wonder: could the shard be the key to defeating the Eclipsed Order? To stopping Zar'Ghul and the demonic forces once and for all?

He knew he shouldn't—he knew the risks. But curiosity gnawed at him. What if the shard could give him the edge he needed? What if it could make him stronger than even the progenitor?

Without fully realizing what he was doing, Leonis sat up in bed, his breathing shallow. His mind raced as he thought about the wars to come, the battles he would have to face, and the prophecy that hung over him like a shadow. Could he really face all that without using every tool at his disposal?

The temptation was too strong.

He stood up and crossed the room, retrieving the small, locked chest his father had given him. His heart pounded in his chest as he opened it, revealing the shard inside, its dark energy pulsating faintly.

Leonis hesitated for only a moment, then reached out and touched the shard.

The moment his fingers made contact, a surge of power shot through him, overwhelming and intoxicating. He could feel the darkness seeping into his body, wrapping around his soul, but with it came a surge of strength unlike anything he had ever known. His mana pulsed wildly, his body trembling with the raw, untapped power of the void.

But then, he heard it, a voice, soft and distant, whispering in his mind.

"You are the one we've been waiting for…"

Leonis pulled his hand away, gasping for breath, his heart racing. The shard pulsed faintly, as if alive. He stumbled back, shaken to his core.

The voice was real.

And the darkness within the shard had recognized him.

Leonis didn't sleep that night. His mind was a maelstrom of thoughts, doubts, and questions. He had felt the power, the allure of the void. But he had also felt its hunger.

He would have to tread carefully from now on. The shard's influence was strong, and he knew that using it could come at a terrible cost. But with the Eclipsed Order, Zar'Ghul, and the prophecy looming over him, he couldn't afford to ignore its potential.

As dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight filtered into his room, Leonis made a vow to himself.

He would master the void, not let it master him. He would become stronger than his progenitor. He would become stronger than Zar'Ghul.

But most of all, he would forge his own path, prophecy be damned.

Because in the end, only he could decide his fate.

And no one, not the Eclipsed Order, not Zar'Ghul, not even his father would stand in his way.