"Nuclos' The Bank"
1996 Words
In Nuclos—a place hidden from all maps, known only to commanders and kings— stands the central bank of the Four Kingdoms and the secret meeting ground for rulers in times of urgent matters. Today, the chamber will see the arrival of three kings, gathering once again to discuss a long-unspoken tragedy: the fall of Raven Kingdom. Years have passed since the infamous Night of Blood, but now, they have returned to decide what must be done.
In the early morning, the horns echoed across the land—loud and commanding—signaling the arrival of the three great commanders. Soon after, the kings themselves entered Nuclos, the hidden stronghold of power.
Phoenix Heart of Ventara, Unicorn Heart of Auralis, and Foxen Heart of Virel each made grand entrances, cloaked in the pride of their banners. Foxen, ever flamboyant, tossed gold coins into the streets as his entourage marched through the market-lined road leading to the great castle.
Inside the grand meeting hall, the atmosphere grew solemn. The kings stepped forward and bowed respectfully before the High Priest—one of the only three in existence, each a guardian of balance and truth in the world.
They took their seats around the ancient round table, each throne marked with the sigil of their kingdom. But one seat remained untouched—the fourth chair, left in silence and shadow. It was the seat of Raven Heart, the fallen king… now a ghost in their memories.
Add a little bit of bodyThe meeting began as the hall quieted under the towering ceiling of Nuclos. The High Priest, robed in white and gold, rose from his seat. His voice echoed with calm authority.
“So, today we are gathered to discuss the matter of Atris— the fallen kingdom once ruled by Raven Heart.”
Before he could continue, Phoenix Heart leaned forward, his tone sharp and dismissive. “What is there to discuss? Atris is a ruin. Its people scattered, its king long dead, and his bloodline extinguished.”
The room tensed. But Unicorn Heart stood, his voice cold and precise. “That is not entirely true. I sent my commander to investigate the remains of Raven Castle… and also to the Luna Market.”
Foxen Heart abruptly interrupted, his voice laced with sarcasm. “Interesting. After all these years, you suddenly grow curious about your half-brother’s ashes?”Unicorn’s silver eyes narrowed. “That is none of your concern, Foxen. The issue is this: my commander claims to have seen the son of Raven Heart— alive—in Luna Market.”
A low murmur spread through the room. Then, Phoenix Heart chuckled and leaned back in his chair. “The son of Raven Heart? Oh please. If that’s true, then I must have seen Raven himself last night standing on my balcony.”
Unicorn’s voice rose, sharp as a blade. “Is this a joke to you, Phoenix?”
Phoenix smirked. “Of course it is. You want us to believe a dead boy walks freely in our cities after all this time? Don’t insult the council with fairy tales.”
The High Priest raised his hand, silencing the room once more. “Enough. Truth or rumor—we must consider every possibility. If a descendant of Raven lives… it changes everything.”
The three kings stood silently for a moment, then bowed and began to leave the hall, returning to their kingdoms with new orders. But as the crowd dispersed, Foxen Heart lingered. He stepped aside and whispered to his commander:
"Go find that boy. No matter what stands in your way—bring him to me, not the High Priest.”
The commander hesitated. "But, my lord, we are bound to take the boy to the High Priest. It would be a sin to defy the order.”
Foxen narrowed his eyes, his voice turning cold. "There are many religions in this world. Every second person follows a different god, a different holy book. But most of them share one truth—they pretend to follow religion while doing the opposite. Do you really think the High Priest is a holy man?”
The commander stayed silent.
Foxen leaned in. "Just do as I say. Find the boy. And bring him to me.”
"Yes, my lord," the commander said, and left with purpose.
On his way back, Unicorn Heart turned to his commander and spoke firmly:
"Take our best knights and find that boy. Search every corner if you must. But be careful—Foxen’s soldiers will be on the move too. He’s clever… but a cunning man. Trust nothing and no one. Now go.”
Meanwhile, Phoenix Heart’s commander approached and asked, “My lord, shall we begin the search as well?”
Phoenix scoffed, leaning back with a smirk. “Hell no. We’ve got better things to do.”
It was clear—Phoenix was a free-spirited man who loved chaos more than control. He hated rules but lived for battle.
The commander nodded reluctantly. “As you wish, my lord.”
But then Phoenix’s eyes lit up with a wild grin. “Well... it’s been a while since I’ve broken something. Tell me, is the Ahrncl still locked and protected?”
“Yes, my lord,” the commander replied.
Phoenix stood up, cracking his knuckles. “Good. Then let’s break it.”
He chuckled darkly—and in an instant, his whole army erupted in laughter and wild cheers. They weren’t soldiers. They were wolves hungry for war.
towering halls of Unicorn Castle, the air was tense. After returning from Nuclos, Unicorn Heart stormed into the throne room. His sharp eyes burned with frustration.He threw off his cloak, sat on his throne, and immediately summoned his advisor.
He threw off his cloak, sat on his throne, and immediately summoned his advisor.
As the man approached, Unicorn leaned forward and said in a low, controlled voice, “Hmm… it seems Foxen is more clever than we gave him credit for.”
He tapped his fingers on the armrest. “I’ve always known it, even when we were just boys. He never chose the losing side—not out of courage, but out of calculation. He manipulates people. Makes them feel at ease. That’s how he wins them.”
Unicorn paused, remembering the grand display on the way to Nuclos—Foxen throwing Tenets to the crowd, winning hearts with silver smiles and gold coins.
“Just like today,” he muttered. “Throwing Tenets in the streets. Disgusting.”He clenched his fist.
Unicorn was a man of honor, sharp judgment, and pride. He believed in strength through righteousness —not showmanship or deceit. And most of all, he despised interference. Anyone who meddled in his affairs crossed a dangerous line.
“No one,” he said under his breath, “plays games with me... not even my brothers.”
No one,” he said under his breath, “plays games with me... not even my brothers.”The torches burned low in the stone chamber of Unicorn Castle, casting long shadows across the polished floor. The king sat silently on his throne, hands clasped before his mouth. His advisor stood before him, his voice low and measured.
“My lord,” the advisor said, “I bring confirmation. The news was true. The Wings of Raven live.”Unicorn Heart's eyes narrowed. “So you were right,” he said quietly. Then, suddenly, his expression changed—shocked, confused. “Wait… what did you just say? Wings? Plural?”
The advisor hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, Your Grace. I believe you already suspected it.”“But the High Priest only told us about one boy,” Unicorn said, rising from his throne.
“That’s true,” the advisor replied calmly. “But in a way, that’s good news. It means we may be the only ones who know the full truth.”
The king paced for a moment. “If you know it… then I’m certain Foxen knows as well. He’s probably already on the move.”
We’ll need to send more people.”Then, after a short pause, Unicorn asked, “By the way, who is your spy?”Unicorn sighed. “Fine. But at least—”The advisor cut him off politely. “That’s the price of secrets.”
“But our move was in vain,” the king said.
The advisor replied, “No, sir. Not fully.”Unicorn narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, not fully?”
The advisor answered calmly, “Well, my lord, our work has been done. You sent our commander on an expedition to Atris because I advised it.”The king nodded. “Yes. And you were wrong. There was no underground base there. This time, your spy failed.”
The advisor’s expression did not change. “My spy has never failed, my lord. But our commander never even entered the kingdom. He only went to Luna Market.”
The king stiffened. “Are you accusing my son?”The advisor bowed slightly. “Grace, what is my name?”Unicorn frowned.
“Humas Klant.”
Moments later, the commander arrived and knelt before the throne. “Yes, Father,” he said.
“Listen,” the king said sternly. “You are a Unicorn. I named you Cleain after my late father. You are my heir, and I commanded you to investigate Atris.”Cleain replied, “I did, my lord. I even gave you the information about Raven’s son.”
The king waved a hand. “Oh, thank you. But Humas already knew about that.”Cleain's eyes flared with anger as he turned to glare at Humas. But the king’s voice cut through the tension again. “Look at me. I am asking you a question. Did you enter the kingdom?”Cleain lowered his head. “No, Your Grace.”
“Why not?” the king demanded Cleain lifted his chin defiantly. “Because I hate lowborns and their houses—especially their food. If I had entered that kingdom, filled only with filthy peasants, I would have died from the smell alone.”The king slammed his fist on the throne. “Out! And do not return until I call for you!”
Cleain stood tall, casting one last furious glare at Humas before storming out through the royal doors.
Virel, Foxen received news that both sons of Raven were alive. He leaned back in his chair and said, “Well, it’s obvious—if one survived, then the second must have as well.” Without delay, he ordered his guards to summon the finest hunters of the Virel kingdom. An announcement was made across the land: “Whoever brings me both Raven boys, unharmed and happy, shall be rewarded with two gallons of Tenets.”
That last condition—unharmed and happy—was emphasized as very important. The news spread like wildfire throughout the kingdom, and soon, every hunter, tracker, and mercenary began the search for the lost sons of Raven.
In the Heart Kingdom, Queen Madies sat upon a throne grander than any other across the four kingdoms. Her presence radiated power, and the throne room was silent as she summoned all her commanders and the High Priest."It has been many years since I avenged my father," she said coldly. "Since I wiped out my brother and his entire kingdom in a single night, using our strongest army and our spirit animal.”A tense silence followed—until the High Priest stepped forward."And what of the people of that kingdom?" the High Priest asked."My Queen, there are whispers… They say your brother’s sons still live.”
The Queen’s gaze sharpened. "Then we must find them.”"We should capture them," the High Priest advised."No,"
Queen interrupted firmly. "My war was with their father, not with his sons.
- Writer
