90 The Son of the King

HAELAN POV

"Umbriel", the high priest called. "You said you're stuck in a very unlikely situation. Is that also why you're out of Brandenburg? And escorted by these knights, more so a paladin?", he asked all of a sudden. Probably, it's just to divert the hot conversation since he's being fried by Ottis. However, this diversion of topic piqued my interests somehow.

"I..uh.. heh", Umbriel cleared his throat as he lower his nervous gaze. "I saw Lord Harlan murdered.. in the hands of General Rowan", he revealed. My heart instantly sank along with my jaws that dropped down the ground. The priests gasped at the petrifying news as they sat frozen on their seats. 

"He's dead?", I softly uttered. Atrius and I stared at each other's eyes, only to realize he didn't know too. We turned our heads to Jac who's all teary nodding in affirmation.

"It's true. I was there", Jac said with his right hand raised.

"Oh boy", Ottis shook his head. "That should be Callaghan", he said as he leaned backward with his palms on the ground.

"Good grief! What happened?", the priest with several amulets said.

"So, there really is a radical snake lurking in the palace", the high priest uttered.

"General Rowan saw me and ordered the palace knights for my head. That's when these knights and Sir Haelan came to my rescue", Umbriel explained. "If not for them, I would've been dead", he said.

"I know you have a sort of a habit to snoop around.. I remember I told you before, that one day, it would caught up to you. What did you hear?", the high priest asked.

"The.. Lords were in an argument.", Umbriel kept his eyebrows creased. "They found out that there's a soul traveler amongst the knights.. but he's no ordinary. Apart from possessing the power of the wind, water and earth.. he is also the son of King Silvius and Tris of Caluso", Umbriel couldn't even look me in the eye.

"Tris? So they have come back", the high priest clutched on his knees as he lower his eyes. The high priest knew my mother, and he could probably know why exactly she left Nether. 

"I can't believe Lord Callaghan is a part of this", the man with the brown skin said. 

"How sure are they that he's the son of the King?", the priest with the red hat said.

"The King once told me... that after breaking his sword, he gave it to Tris... the only reminder he could give to his unborn child. And when they come back, the child will be recognized as his own along with that hilt", the high priest said. Hearing him clouded my mind. My eyes stared so much that I forgot to blink. 

"The young prince carries the dragon hilt of King Silvius", Umbriel said. Even without looking, I could feel the three knuckleheads gazing at me. I elbowed Atrius to stop staring. "Lord Callaghan wanted to take matters with his own hands, but Lord Harlan wanted to trust the pure heart of the traveler who meant no harm. It was then General Rowan decapitated the Lord's head.", Umbriel said. It felt like I was showered with cold water. To my understanding, King Silvius sent my mother away to save her from the hands of the imperial palace. 

I have heard enough of so many spine-tingling and hair-raising stories today. I chose to leave everyone by the fire and decided to breathe some air around the Holy Land. I walked in no particular direction. Kicking a piece of rock, I just followed where it go. Staring at the lines on my palm, I wondered if I'm walking the path of my destiny. My mother never told me of any relations with the royals, let alone about King Silvius. My father, Gaius, have always treated me like one of his own. I never doubted his love. Even if I wanted to seek for all the answers here, Agalea doesn't deserve to be caught in the middle. She should not be involved of my own personal affairs. And so, I think... I need to get the stone, and go all the way to Caluso to have my crest fixed with the help of Ottis. 

When I got back to the bonfire, everyone else have gone except for Ottis. Atrius, Jac and Umbriel assisted the priests to the river to tend for themselves. While I saw the high priest and Bertram leaving for the relic hall, probably to tend for the latter's wounds. Near the fire, I found Ottis laying down on a pile of leaves with his hands over his head. He's chewing on a piece of twig with his eyes closed. A few moments I decided to walk away when I heard him click his tongue.

"Tch tch. Don't", Ottis said like he knew what's going on inside my head. 

"He'll die", I answered as I face him. 

"They will know", he answered vividly without getting up.

"I don't care", I replied as I turn my back.

"Umbriel left out a single, not-so-important detail that the prince and is here in this circle.. Oh wait, yea. he happens to be a soul traveler too.", Ottis said. "Why don't you sit tight, and tag along? It's just one life, so spare it", he said as if the priest's life is nothing but a litter that can be easily thrown away. 

I looked back at him who's already up facing the flames. "I don't like the idea of people dying around me", I said.

"Haelan, they are afraid and frantic of travelers and now, they doubt the palace. If they find out what you are, what do you think would happen? Besides, the dying and even the wounded are not your responsibility", he said as he laid back down. I soul traveled here with the values I grew up with. And tonight, I will use my ability for what it's worth because no one can save Bertram's life but me. 

"Don't say I didn't warn ya, squirrel", Ottis said as I made my way to the relic hall.