Chapter 10: The Second Sign
Rain poured heavily on the fourth night after the Closed Council meeting. The royal palace was shrouded in an eerie silence—as if every pillar and wall was waiting for something dreadful.
Xebec stood on the balcony of his chamber, watching lightning strike in the distance. Beyond the flickering light, the silhouette of the magic tower was visible—the place where the royal mages sealed away all forms of artifacts and curses. The place where old seals were checked… and one of them had been found active again.
Behind him, a knock came at the door.
"Come in," said Xebec without turning.
Astrid entered in a simple gray dress, her hair damp from the night wind. In her hand was a scroll.
"There's a new report from the north," she said. "The old temple at the foot of Mount Artheon we discovered yesterday... has been destroyed. But not by time or nature."
Xebec turned, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"The temple guards were found dead with burns that seemed to come from within. Their bones... melted like wax."
Xebec took the scroll and read it quickly. At the bottom, a deep red stamp stood out—not the royal seal, but a symbol that only appeared in forbidden texts.
The symbol of Baal. Again.
"I smell war, Astrid. But not a normal one."
Astrid nodded. "This isn't just a coup attempt… this is a ritual. A sequence of events to open something. And there's someone inside the palace helping from within."
Suddenly, the door burst open—Nanea rushed in, panic on her face.
"Brother! Bastian… he's gone!"
Xebec stood straight. "What do you mean, gone?"
"The guards outside his room are unconscious. They were found with blood coming from their ears. No sign of a fight, no screams."
Astrid gripped Xebec's arm. "If he disappeared tonight… it's not an ordinary escape."
Xebec immediately changed clothes and grabbed his sword. "We're going to the lower chamber. I need to see that demon seal. It might… already be active."
---
Hours Later – The Secret Magic Chamber
Four royal mages sat in a circle, reading the aura from softly glowing stones. Xebec, Astrid, and Nanea stood behind them.
One of the mages whispered, "My lord… the seal we kept in this room… is reacting. And one of the backup seals—it's gone."
Xebec drew his sword. "They're not just awakening curses. They've taken an artifact capable of reviving Baal's body."
Astrid took a sharp breath. "The second sign."
"Yes," Xebec said. "The first was murder and the blood sigil. The second is the theft of the seal and the body…"
Nanea looked at her brother, fear in her eyes. "Is Bastian… involved?"
Silence. Long.
Then Xebec replied, "I hope not. But if it's true… then he's not just an heir—he's a vessel."
---
Elsewhere – A Sealed Cave in the Artheon Forest
Red light pulsed along the cave walls. Bastian stood at the center of a magic circle, his body trembling, but his eyes glowed with a faint crimson hue. In front of him, a robed figure with a hidden face whispered an incantation.
"The mark has merged. You will soon remember everything, Young Lord Baal…"
Bastian screamed, but what came from his mouth was not human.
Behind that terrified gaze… another presence was beginning to awaken.
---
Special Scene – Astrid's Private Room, Midnight
Rain still fell on the palace as Astrid stood by her window. The fireplace cast a soft glow on her face. Her nightgown was damp from the mist creeping through the open window. In her hand, she held a small locket containing a portrait of her mother—the only remnant from her childhood before her stepfather entered her life.
A soft knock broke her thoughts.
"Come in," she said softly.
The door opened. Xebec appeared in a long coat, his hair wet, looking tired but his eyes sharp as ever.
"You're still awake," he said quietly.
"So are you." Astrid turned away but didn't hide the faint smile on her lips. "What brings you here, Prince?"
"Not a prince tonight," Xebec murmured, stepping closer. "Just… someone who doesn't know who to trust. And tonight is too quiet to face alone."
Astrid didn't answer. She could've mocked him, greeted him with her usual sarcasm. But there was honesty in Xebec's voice, a wound that hadn't closed since the night his brother vanished.
She patted the chair near the fireplace.
"Sit, One-Armed Prince."
Xebec chuckled softly. "You like calling me that?"
"I like it when it makes you scowl."
Xebec sat down. Silence hung for a moment. Then he said, "I'm scared, Astrid. Not just of Baal or war. But… if Bastian has truly given in to darkness, then I've failed."
Astrid looked at him. "You're human, Xebec. Not a god. You lost your arm to save your brother. If that's failure… I want to know what success looks like in your eyes."
They shared a quiet laugh, and for a moment, the world felt calm.
Then, as Xebec started to rise, Astrid called to him again. "Xebec."
He turned.
Astrid stepped closer, standing so near that their breaths merged.
"If the world ever falls apart… I hope I'm still by your side. Not because you're a prince. But because I'm starting to love the way you… fight, speak, and… live."
Xebec looked surprised. Then he smiled softly. He reached for Astrid's hand and kissed it with deep respect.
"Then don't leave me when the darkness comes."
Astrid held her breath, then nodded. "Don't make me regret it, One-Armed Prince."
As Xebec left her room that night, the rain had stopped. But the real storm had only just begun.
---
When the Fog Settles
Xebec's footsteps echoed softly through the palace corridors. The night had grown long, yet his thoughts remained sharp. His talk with Astrid left a strange tremor in his chest—not just a warmth, but something more terrifying: hope.
He stopped at the eastern balcony, gazing at the sky as stars began to peek through the rain. His hand—his only hand—clutched the sword at his waist. A sword that had saved lives, but still hadn't been enough to save his brother's heart.
"Bastian…" he whispered, full of pain and longing. "If I have to fight you, then let me be the sword that breaks the demon's chains, not the brother who loses everything."
From afar, the usual palace fog began to shift. Its color turned slightly purple. An aura of ancient magic.
Xebec narrowed his eyes. He recognized that sensation.
A demon seal had been broken—somewhere.
"Not tonight," he said softly. He turned and walked quickly. "Tomorrow, we begin the hunt for Baal's traces."
But before he reentered the palace, a soft voice called from the shadows of the hall.
"I'm coming with you."
Astrid stood there, already dressed for travel in dark velvet. Her gaze was firm.
"Whatever happens, I want to be by your side. If the darkness is coming… then we face it together."
Xebec looked at her for a long moment, then nodded. No words could carry more meaning than that. Between two curses and two dark pasts, something new was growing—a resolve.
And in the silence of that night, two wounded souls stepped forward toward destiny.
---
To be continued.