SHADOW OF FATE

Chapter 7: The Shadow King's Secret

Kael stood frozen beneath the crimson sky.

The Shadow King was directly in front of him.

For years, Kael had imagined the enemy as a distant monster hidden in legends. But now he was standing face-to-face with him.

Behind the Shadow King, inside the tower, stood Kael's mother.

She pressed her hand against the window.

"Kael, don't trust him!"

The Shadow King smiled.

"Still trying to protect your son after all these years?"

Kael raised Nightfall.

"What did you do to my mother?"

"I did nothing."

The Shadow King turned toward the tower.

"She chose to remain here."

Kael shook his head.

"That's a lie."

"Then ask her."

Kael looked up.

His mother nodded slowly.

"Kael... there is something you must know."

The Shadow King stepped aside.

The tower doors opened.

Kael rushed inside.

At the top, he finally stood before his mother.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then she pulled him into a hug.

"I thought I would never see you again."

Kael's voice trembled.

"Why did you leave me?"

His mother looked down.

"I didn't leave you. I was protecting you."

She explained that years ago, the Guardians of Fate discovered that the Shadow King could not be destroyed by ordinary weapons.

Only someone carrying both Light and Shadow could defeat him.

That person was Kael.

"The Broken Fate mark was placed on you when you were a child," she said. "It hid your true power."

Kael stared at his hand.

"And Nightfall?"

His mother looked frightened.

"Nightfall is the other half of your power."

Kael looked toward the sword.

"The other half?"

"Yes. The Crystal of Light represents your light. Nightfall represents your shadow."

Kael finally understood.

He wasn't chosen to destroy darkness.

He was chosen to control both sides.

Suddenly, the tower shook.

The Shadow King's voice echoed through the room.

"Enough secrets."

The doors exploded open.

The Shadow King entered.

Kael stood between him and his mother.

"You won't hurt her."

The Shadow King looked at Kael.

"I never intended to."

He raised his hand.

A vision appeared in the air.

Kael saw an ancient battlefield.

He saw the Guardians of Fate fighting a powerful creature made entirely of darkness.

Then he saw something impossible.

The Shadow King was fighting beside the Guardians.

Kael's eyes widened.

"You were one of them?"

The Shadow King lowered his hand.

"I was their greatest warrior."

Kael stared at him.

"Then how did you become the Shadow King?"

The Shadow King's expression changed.

"Because your ancestors betrayed me."

Silence filled the tower.

He explained that the Guardians had discovered a f*******n power called the Heart of Fate.

They wanted to control it.

But when the Heart awakened, it consumed everything around it.

The Shadow King tried to destroy it.

Instead, the darkness entered his body.

He became the first Shadow King.

Kael's mother stepped forward.

"That's only part of the truth."

The Shadow King looked at her angrily.

She continued.

"The Heart of Fate didn't choose him."

Kael looked confused.

"Then who did it choose?"

His mother looked directly at him.

"You."

The entire tower became silent.

Kael looked at Nightfall.

Then at the Crystal of Light.

His two powers began reacting to each other.

The Shadow King smiled.

"Now you understand."

He pointed toward Kael.

"The war between light and darkness was never about defeating me."

Kael's eyes narrowed.

"Then what is it about?"

The Shadow King answered:

"It is about deciding who controls the fate of the world."

Suddenly, the Crystal of Light appeared in Kael's hand.

Nightfall began glowing at the same time.

Light and darkness surrounded him.

His mother stepped backward.

"Kael..."

A powerful voice echoed from somewhere beyond the tower.

"THE HEART OF FATE HAS AWAKENED."

The ground split apart.

Far away, in the kingdom of Eldoria, Mira and Ren looked toward the sky.

A massive symbol appeared above the clouds.

Ren whispered:

"That's Kael."

Mira shook her head.

"No."

Her eyes widened.

"That's something much bigger."

Back in the Shadow Realm, Kael looked toward the darkness beneath the tower.

Two enormous eyes opened.

Something ancient was waking.

The Shadow King looked at Kael.

"Now you know my secret."

Kael raised his sword.

"Then I'll uncover yours."

The ancient creature beneath them roared.

The entire Shadow Realm trembled.

And the battle for the Heart of Fate began.