CHAPTER 69: CHAPTER 69: LANE

Then Harold said, "It’s too late now, son; you have to go to bed and sleep properly. I told you unfinished tales some other day." Luther: "Okay, Dad, now I am going to my bed for taking rest, sleep. After some time both son and dad left the place for sleep. On the other side, Kael feels better now. He is now much older. After this fight he feels a little bit tired. Also his tiredness reason was, hungry for food. Fenrick told him to take some fruits from the basket to eat. For eating those fruits, he got his strength back. He did the same as what Fenrick said: eat some fruits, for instance. After some time he stands up. "Now I am fine, ready to move forward to the village side." But Fenrick sadly said, "My boy, look at the basket; you already ate half of the fruits. It’s not enough for our family. We should collect some more and then leave." John felt bad to hear this, that they are so poor like that, without even enough food or fruits for their family. John calmly said, "Don’t worry about it. My guards collected fruits for your family, and they will give them to you." John instantly ordered the guards to collect fruits for them. After some time the guards collected huge amounts of fruits for Fenrick and Kael’s family. They put off all the fruits in the basket of Kael’s basket. Fenrick and Kael become so happy to see this. Now they calm themselves and release a deep breath of peace that now their family won’t suffer hunger for some next days. John is also happy to see that they helped these people with his guards to manage their fruits. They understand it’s really dark deep night now. All around was becoming cold and cold. Ice wind coming from the front side. John in the tremble of cold wind: "Guards, increase the flaming power of the lamp." It’s become foggy and cold around. We need to hit for us." Guards instantly used some dry grass on the flaming lamp to increase the fire on it. They feel much better now to get rid of the cold. But what’s shocking is that Fenrick and Kael look like they didn’t even feel it was cold or midnight or something. They stand at much distance from them. They are just standing hard, not feeling any cold. John said with shock, "Hey, you both? Don’t you both feel the cold and icy wind coming?!.Kael calmly "No, we have a habit of journeying at night and visiting the jungle in the middle of the night in cold times. We come here to hunt and gather food and wood also." Fenrick "From my childhood I came to the jungle to hunt and gather food with my father." When he said those things, he became emotional from being reminded of his childhood. He said in an emotional way, "After the passing of my dad. I came here alone at the age of you, John." It means he lost his dad when he was just eleven. After this some drops of water came into the eyes of Fenrick. He started crying to remind us of this. Again, Fenrick said, "My dad was a really brave one. But some other village members killed him by attacking him on his back". This incident really makes John sad. He asked, "Really sad, what’s happened with your dad?" Fenrick "Yes, I know, but John, it’s too late; we should move. The more we stay here, the more dangerous for us. Because after some time many wild animals come out." Kael said silently, "Not only animals. Most of this wolf gang should be coming for us. We killed one of them." When he said these lines, he just looked at his dad, like he was warning his dad to leave this place quickly.After this Kael said, "Dad, we don’t think about only animals. Suddenly any enemy can attack us by using this situation. We should move now." Fenrick understood what Kael wanted to say. Fenrick admired, "Yes, wolves can’t hunt alone. They are always in a gang. But if this was alone, it was killed by us. His gang can’t tolerate this. They started finding us. We must leave." Then all of them started again, walking to pass the jungle as fast as they could. When they are walking in the jungle, all of the guards are noticing that for Fenrick and Kale, not a single animal is coming to them. It’s a really weird thing that they have been noticing. Although they are both walking separately from them. It gives a vibe they are another gang, which shows the legacy of them. This weird thing John hasn’t noticed yet. He’s just walking beside them. After some time John asked, "Hey, Mr. Fenrick, what are you doing for a living?" Fenrick "Basically I am a farmer now, but in past times I did hunting of animals. Then carry them to eat, living life like this." but suddenly a faint sound drifted through the silence.

A voice: broken, shaking.

"Aaah... aaah... help..."

John froze. His heart skipped. "Did anyone hear that?"

The guards instantly raised their weapons. One of them whispered, "It’s coming from the east side... about fifty meters."

Fenrick cocked his head and listened attentively. "That’s not a beast," he said softly. "It’s a man — and he’s dying."

Without another word, they plunged into the undergrowth, forcing their way through thick vines and low branches until the faint cries grew louder. The smell of blood hit them before they saw him — iron, sharp and heavy in the air.

Lying against the trunk of the huge oak, he was a man in torn armor, his chest marred by deep gashes. His breathing was shallow, his hand clutched at his stomach as if he was trying to keep himself together. On his armor, there was a crest, the emblem of King Merlin’s elite guard.

John’s eyes widened. "He’s one of ours!"

The guard’s eyes flickered open at the sound of John’s voice. "L-Lord John. you’re alive. thank the heavens."

One of John’s soldiers knelt beside him and gasped. "I know him! He’s from Princess Elsa’s escort unit!"

In an instant, John fell to his knees beside the wounded man. "What happened? Where’s the Princess?"

The man coughed. Blood stained his lips as he spoke. "We. we were ambushed." His voice shook, words broken between sharp breaths. "A magician. a powerful one. A-rank. named Mathew."

Even Fenrick’s face darkened the moment the name left his lips.

"Mathew," Fenrick muttered. "That name belongs to the Magus Circle. A rank-A magician is no ordinary foe.

The guard continued, shaking. "He came from the mist... like a shadow wrapped in flame. His eyes... gods, his eyes glowed crimson. He wanted the Princess — he said something about bloodlines and the royal curse."

John’s fists clenched. "Elsa fought him?"

"She did," the guard rasped. "She summoned her aura shield... her sword of light... she fought like a true heir of the Merlin line. But his power — it was too much. He controlled the elements, fire and wind together. His magic tore through our defenses like glass. Even the captain couldn’t hold him."

Kael stepped closer, his jaw tight. "What happened then?"

The man’s eyes darted to him — uncertain, fearful. "We tried to retreat. But... one by one we fell. I saw Captain Roderick struck down, burned by that cursed fire. Then the Princess screamed... I turned and saw her on the ground, bleeding. I tried to reach her but—" He winced in pain, clutching his side.

John leaned forward with urgency. "But what? Where is she now?"

The man’s eyes welled up with tears. "I don’t know... I... I blacked out after that. When I woke up, the forest was burning, everyone gone... only ashes and the sound of that magician’s laughter echoing through the smoke..."

His voice started to fade, trembling as he strained for breath. "He said. ’The girl’s blood will awaken what the world forgot.’"

There was silence. The wind ceased to blow. John’s heart was pounding in his chest, the words echoing like a curse.

"The world forgot...?" Fenrick repeated in a hushed voice, his face inscrutable.

The guard tried to lift his head one last time. His eyes met John’s. "Please... find her... before he does..."

Then his strength gave out. His head fell to the side and his hand slipped from John’s grasp.

John froze as his mind started racing: Elsa’s bloodline, Mathew’s words, awakening something ancient.

The flames danced once more, casting an eerie, shifting light through which Kael caught Fenrick’s eye — a single, wordless moment, the shared understanding of which neither would be able to conceal.

John turned to them abruptly. "You both look like you’ve heard that name before. Who is Mathew? What did he mean by saying the world forgot?

Fenrick’s gaze drifted to the dark horizon. "If that magician really desires the Princess’ blood. then it is sooner than I’ve feared-the past we’ve buried is returning.

The night grew heavier, the jungle seemingly whispering around them.

The silence was broken by John’s voice as his tone shook with anger and dread. "Tell me... where is Princess Elsa now?"

The forest wind sighed through the treetops, carrying nothing but the dying guard’s last echo... "I don’t know... where she is now..." John knew — Elsa was not here but...