* * *
“Den, they’ll use tracking magic to find us soon. I’ll use the time we have left to read the stars and perform the ritual. It’s the only way to save you and Ed.”
Bey, heir to the Zelda clan, descended from merfolk who once guided lost sailors with their songs, gathered the last of her strength.
Though she couldn’t save the village, she resolved to ensure the safety of the man she loved and their child.
When she found the azure star in the night sky, she traced its guidance with her blood, drawing a sigil on the ground as she whispered softly.
“Ed, my beloved child,” she sang, her voice tender.
“You’ll face dark barriers so tall they’ll feel insurmountable. At times, you’ll feel lonely and brokenhearted.”
She listened to the star’s whispers and passed its message to her child.
“One day, you’ll embark on a journey to seek the golden star. It might not be grand or glamorous. It may wear you down.”
Her face grew paler.
“But Ed, you’ll keep moving forward with courage, and one day, you’ll become a brilliant guide to the golden star you love.”
She kissed Ed’s forehead.
“I love you, Ed.”
As her vision blurred, she saw a fleeting image of a smiling Ed beneath the azure star.
“Live, Ed,” she murmured, tears welling in her eyes but feeling at peace.
Responding to her song, a faint light enveloped Ed’s body.
As it faded, her strength left her.
Her body slumped gently to the side.
“Bey!” Den cried out.
Den sat on the floor, cradling her head on his lap.
Tears fell steadily, dampening her face.
With trembling hands, Bey reached up to caress Den’s face.
Her strength was ebbing, the price of pushing her powers too far.
“Ed’s soul will only return to his body when his will to come back manifests. Only then will he find his way here.”
Bay’s voice grew weaker as she relayed the final message from the stars to Den.
Her vision blurred, yet she mustered all her strength to move her lips.
“So, Den, you must protect him. Until our child can find his way back to us.”
“…Bay.”
“There’s no time to grieve, Den. If the enemy is tracking my energy through their mages, they’ll catch us soon. You must run. Follow this path.”
Bay weakly raised her hand, pointing a finger to guide him.
Den wiped the tears clouding his vision and held the swaddled child tightly against his chest.
“I love you, Den.”
“I love you too, Bey. Truly.”
A faint smile graced her lips as she reached into her robe.
“From the moment we met near the frozen lake until now, I’ve been so happy to be with you.”
“…Oh, Bey.”
“Protect Ed, our child. Promise me.”
When Den lowered his head to kiss Bey’s lips, she closed her eyes, memories of their shared joys flooding her mind.
Bay whispered softly.
“Go now.”
Den clenched his teeth, his chest tight as he pulled away.
Though his heart yearned to stay, Bey shook her head firmly.
With one last nod, Den rose, his arms cradling the child protectively.
From her robe, Bey retrieved a small bottle of rum and sprinkled it over a pattern she had drawn on the ground.
As Den hesitated, she lit a match, her hand waving faintly in farewell.
Flames erupted in an instant, consuming the area around her.
Her magical blood fueled the blaze, turning the small fire into an inferno.
To their enemies, it would seem the family had been caught and perished.
Den took one last look at Bey, his resolve hardening as her words echoed in his mind.
“Protect Ed.”
Their child.
His mission.
The Grand Duke’s vision shifted as a flicker of fire danced before him.
The scenery transformed into a strange room—narrow, with white walls, a small desk, and a cramped bed.
“Where am I?”
As he turned his head, he noticed someone curled up on the bed under a blanket.
The man had black hair and an unfamiliar face, but the Grand Duke immediately recognized the soul within—it was Ed.
The man was fast asleep, barely moving, one foot poking out from under the blanket.
The Grand Duke instinctively wanted to cover the exposed foot but found he could touch nothing.
Instead, he softly stroked the air above it, as if his warmth could somehow reach.
The sleeping man stirred, throwing off the blanket and sitting up abruptly.
“…Wait, but why does the Grand Duke die there?”
With a furrowed brow and arms crossed, the man mumbled groggily, his voice languid, as if he had been drinking.
The Grand Duke remained silent, watching Ed’s habits—the way he muttered when displeased.
“If the Grand Duke hadn’t died, Ronen wouldn’t have fallen into darkness or become a tyrant.”
Though he couldn’t understand everything, the Grand Duke listened carefully.
“It’s strange… I keep thinking about the Grand Duke and Ronen. They won’t leave my mind.”
Ed fidgeted with his foot as warmth filled the room.
Sighing softly, he pulled the blanket close and lay back down.
“I wish I could help them somehow. Make sure they’re happy.”
The Grand Duke felt a twinge of warmth, only to be startled by a sharp sensation on his shoulder.
Glancing down, he saw a small lizard biting him before transforming into a flicker of flame.
The flame grew, distorting the space around him.
The Grand Duke opened his eyes in a glowing cave, a shining orb in his hand.
He steadied himself, emotions swirling as he replayed the visions in his mind.
“Was everything I saw real?”
A dragon’s voice rumbled from above.
“Yes.”
If it was true, then… He remembered Ed’s murmured words.
“If the Grand Duke hadn’t died, Ronen wouldn’t have turned dark or become a tyrant.”
The Grand Duke looked up at the dragon.
“What did Ed want to prevent? Was it the empire’s future?”
“The future is a series of fleeting moments, each shaping the next,” the dragon replied gently.
“Still… I need to know. What did Ed see?”
“And what will you do when you know?”
“If Ed saw pain and fear, I would comfort him. I would hold him and promise it will never come to pass.”
The dragon exhaled, a sound somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh.
Mist swirled, and the Grand Duke saw a vision: a man gripping a bloodstained sword with an expressionless face—an older Ronen.
Sunlight brushed against Ed’s eyelids, waking him.
He opened his eyes to find the Grand Duke leaning over him.
Their gazes met, unspoken words passing between them.
* * *
OMG!