The blood of the first king

Chapter 2: The crimson eclipse

The wind felt different on the walk home.

Kael couldn't explain why.

The strange vision at the ancient stone lingered in his mind like a half-forgotten dream. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about the voice.

"The heir has returned..."

The words echoed in his head.

"Kael?"

Rowan's voice snapped him back to reality.

His friend waved a hand in front of his face.

"You've been staring into space for half an hour."

Kael forced a smile.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

Before Kael could answer, a loud horn sounded from the village.

Both boys froze.

The horn was only used during emergencies.

They exchanged worried glances and immediately ran toward Ashfall Village.

Villagers crowded the central square.

Farmers, hunters, blacksmiths, and merchants stood shoulder to shoulder.

At the center stood Elder Garrick, the oldest man in the village.

His weathered face looked unusually tense.

"Everyone listen carefully," the elder announced.

"The royal astronomers have delivered a warning."

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

"A Crimson Eclipse will appear tonight."

Silence followed.

Even the children stopped talking.

Kael noticed fear in the adults' eyes.

"What's a Crimson Eclipse?" he whispered.

Rowan swallowed nervously.

"My grandfather told me stories."

"What stories?"

"They say it only appears once every thousand years."

Kael felt a chill run down his spine.

A thousand years.

The same amount of time mentioned in countless legends.

The same amount of time from the vision.

That evening, darkness arrived early.

Clouds rolled across the sky.

The village seemed quieter than usual.

Kael sat outside his family's cottage, staring upward.

His father, Darius Ashborn, stepped outside carrying two cups of tea.

He handed one to Kael.

"You seem troubled."

Kael hesitated.

Should he mention the vision?

Something told him not to.

Instead, he asked, "Father... have you ever heard of the First King?"

Darius nearly dropped his cup.

Only for a moment.

Then the expression vanished.

"Why do you ask?"

"I found an old symbol in the forest."

Darius stared toward the mountains.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Finally, he sighed.

"Some secrets are dangerous, Kael."

The answer only raised more questions.

Before Kael could speak again, a gasp erupted from nearby villagers.

Everyone looked skyward.

The eclipse had begun.

The moon slowly crossed in front of the sun.

Darkness spread across the land.

Birds stopped singing.

Animals fled into hiding.

Even the wind seemed to disappear.

Then something impossible happened.

The moon turned red.

Not slightly red.

Blood red.

The entire sky glowed crimson.

A wave of fear swept through Ashfall Village.

People whispered prayers.

Others knelt.

Children cried.

Kael could only stare.

His heart pounded harder with every passing second.

Then the pain began.

It felt like fire inside his veins.

Kael doubled over.

His cup shattered against the ground.

"Kael!" his father shouted.

The pain intensified.

Every drop of blood in his body felt as though it were boiling.

He screamed.

Villagers backed away in terror.

Dark red light erupted from beneath his skin.

Glowing symbols appeared across his arms.

The same symbols from the stone in the forest.

The same symbols from his vision.

"No..." Darius whispered.

His face had gone pale.

The light became brighter.

Brighter.

Brighter.

Then—

BOOM!

A shockwave exploded outward.

The earth trembled.

Windows shattered.

Trees bent beneath the force.

Above the village, a pillar of crimson energy shot into the heavens.

The blood-red sky seemed to answer.

Lightning cracked across the clouds.

For a moment, Kael saw something within the storm.

A massive dragon.

Made entirely of crimson fire.

Its golden eyes stared directly at him.

The creature opened its mouth.

And spoke.

"Awaken, descendant of kings."

Far away, inside the capital of the Iron Empire, Emperor Varkos sat upon his black throne.

Suddenly, every torch in the hall extinguished.

The emperor's eyes widened.

He felt it.

The power.

The bloodline.

The forbidden bloodline.

A cold smile spread across his face.

"So."

He rose from his throne.

"The last heir lives."

Around him, generals and nobles lowered their heads.

"Send the Blood Hunters."

The emperor's voice echoed through the hall.

"Find the boy."

His smile widened.

"And bring him to me."

Back in Ashfall Village, the crimson light slowly faded.

Kael collapsed to the ground.

Exhausted.

Confused.

Terrified.

The glowing symbols remained on his skin.

Everyone stared at him.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

Even his friends looked afraid.

Then Elder Garrick stepped forward.

His face was pale.

His hands trembled.

"The legends were true."

Kael looked up.

"What legends?"

The old man swallowed.

"You carry the blood of the First King."

A distant thunderclap echoed across the mountains.

And somewhere in the darkness beyond Ashfall Village, hunters had already begun their journey.

They were coming.

And they would stop at nothing to claim the heir of the ancient bloodline.

End of Chapter 2.