Upon hearing his name, yet not his name, the once confident Will stopped his approach. "What did you just call me?" he said in a quiet voice, not trusting his ears.
"Prince William Ragnos II also known as the Crimson Prince, Heir to the throne of Ebonhart, Crown Capital of Crystallia." Michael announced with a formal bow.
"You have it wrong and you know it," Will said with a shaky voice. "I'm from Minnesota back in my world, my father is Jonathan Carter." As he said his father's name, his confidence returned ever so slightly. There was no way the man could possibly be right. Will knew he was born in Minnesota and he knew Jonathan Carter was his father. He had been there his entire life, anything Michael said could change that.
Michael chuckled to himself within his cage. "Where in Minnesota were you born?" he asked, "Have you seen any pictures of you as an infant?" he continued, not looking as if he was going to stop anytime soon. " Surely your father has shown you pictures of you as a child."
The more Michael said, the less confidence Will held on to. "Just stop!" He shouted, not able to hear any more from this man. "I'm sure my father just hadn't gotten around to showing me since we've been moving so much." He retorted, trying to justify the ignorance evidently growing in his mind. He couldn't believe Michael not even for an instant. The man only wanted to get out of the cage, he wouldn't let that happen
"And why exactly have you been moving ever since your mother left? Has your father given you an explanation? Did he put out a missing persons report? What about his job? How did he come about so much money as a traveling author? Have you read any of his work before? Money doesn't exactly appear out of no where you know William." Will couldn't take it anymore, he put his hands over his ears, shaking his head. None of it truly made sense and he knew he had always questioned everything that Michael had just said. With the words now spoken, a door opened within Will. Not a door of power, but a door leading to answers for the questions he had been asking his whole life. Will felt his argument slipping from his reach. Every question that was asked was one that he had asked himself numerous times. How could Jonathan afford to move all the time? He had never truly seen his father pick up a notebook and pen, why didn't he ever get to see his work? Will couldn't stop the doubts from forming, picking away at the thoughts he already had of Jonathan. Soon the image that was left was not that of his father, but as his guardian.
"If you still don't believe me, let me out of this prison, so I can lead you to the truth." Michael said, his voice soft enough to where Will could be comforted.
Will didn't know what to do. He had spent a lot of his aura to trap Michael in the cage, it also took a considerable amount of power just to keep it up. If he let him go, all of what he just went through was for nothing. All of the insults Michael had thrown at him would be practically forgiven. Could he really accept that? He had even gone as far as insulting the memory of Maya.
Will was at a crossroads. Either he killed Michael where he was and stayed the William Carter he had always been, or he let him out, possibly changing the life he had always known. He had never really put too much stock into the phrase 'ignorance is bliss,' instead he had always yearned for the truth. If Michael had just been goading him to let him go, then it was a pretty compelling story.
Will couldn't be so conceited as to think he would stay the same William Carter he was at the time by killing Michael. Jonathan etched it in his mind at an early age that all life was precious. If he were to take away a life without knowing full well of the guilt of the person in question, his hands would be tainted for the rest of his life.
He had to make his decision, if there was just a shred of truth in what Michael was saying, he had to take a chance. Reluctantly his hand came up to his chest. Slowly bringing it down, the cage came down with it. By the time his hand was back to his waist, it was just him and Michael standing just feet apart.
With a sad smile, Michael closed the distance between them. "Follow me William, there is much to discuss."
The man walked past Will and continued further. When Will turned around to follow, He saw a cozy little cottage he could have sworn wasn't there just moments ago. "Welcome to my home," Michael said as he held the door open for him.
Will didn't know what to do. He had just let his enemy go and now he was about to head into his house? The same man that threatened the life of his mother and father, he same man that had just finished calling him weak, and the man who had also blamed Maya's death on him? Will couldn't turn his back to Michael, as soon as he saw through this act, he would put him back in his cage. If the man betrayed him again, it would be proof enough to ensure his hands stayed untainted.
Walking inside the small building, Will took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the lack of light. He noticed a small bed in the corner, a simple dresser, a table in the center with two chairs, a chest, pots and pans which hung in a corner away from everything else, a book shelf full of books Will didn't recognize any authors to and a recliner next to the books shelf. None of Michael's living arrangements grabbed his attention more than the pictures on the walls. Every wall of the little house was covered in rows of them. Some of them were of an infant held in a woman's arms, others looked like soldiers just coming back from a deployment. Will instantly picked out Jonathan from the picture, He had an arm around Michael almost as if they were brothers.
The woman was what instantly grabbed Will's attention. He would know that smile from anywhere, and just to confirm his suspicions, he saw the same smile every time he was ready to go to school, or every time they had a movie night. He would recognize the woman of whom he spent his entire life with from anywhere. Staring back at him in a picture on the wall was his mother. She was in a field smiling with that beautiful smile he had dreamed of for so long. Next to that one was one of the same scenery yet she was holding a child with blue eyes.
"Your eyes didn't turn hazel until you were three." Michael said as he saw Will's gaze turn to the picture. "You wouldn't remember me from so long ago, but we all lived here for a time when you were younger." His eyes looked much younger, much happier as he told the confused young man beside him. Michael talked as if he had known Will his whole life, but so far as he knew, the man had only become his protector recently. Something didn't make sense and Will was afraid he knew the answer, he just wished he didn't need to ask.
Almost afraid to open his mouth, Will dared to test his voice. "Who are you really to my family?" He asked in a quiet voice. "How could you possibly have these pictures?" Michael remained silent and moved towards a portion of the wall in which was covered with a blanket. With a sigh, he brought it down to reveal another portion of his pictures.
Will walked over to the wall. At first he just saw him and his mother, then he saw another person. A young man, he couldn't have been older than twenty six holding a baby in his arms, the same baby in which was in all the other pictures, the baby that was supposed to be him. "I am Michael Devereux, and I'm your mother's brother." Will stared at him in disbelief. "I'm your uncle William."
A lot of things suddenly made sense to Will. Fourteen years ago, the Crimson King had lost his wife and his son. Isabelle could have used a portal from Ebonhart to go to Earth with him. While she visited her brother, she met Jonathan. Something must have happened between the two of them to stay together. But a few other things still didn't add up.
"Why did my mother leave Jonathan?" He asked. Michael looked both relieved and depressed that Will finally came to reason.
"The wraiths tracked her." He started, Will sat down at the table to listen to the part of his life he had been waiting to hear. "Your mother left the kingdom because there was an assassination attempt on you and her. Had she not left and found me, both of you would have been long dead. While meeting up with me, Jonathan instantly took a liking to her. Knowing she needed a new life, she married him and raised you with a surrogate father. When she disappeared from the kingdom, your father was mad with grief. He locked himself in his chambers and allowed his advisors to rule for him." Michael took a brief pause to allow Will to let it all sink in. "The advisors became power hungry and contracted the wraiths. They have been waiting all this time in order to kill all in line for the throne, that way when they kill the king, they would inherit the kingdom."
Not truly wanting to talk again, Will just stared at the man. "Don't think this revelation is over quite yet." Michael said with a small chuckle. He moved past Will in an unhurried pace, giving Will a little more time to think as he walked over to the far side of the wall.
Will didn't know exactly what else Michael could do to mess with his mind. He said the revelations weren't over yet. What he meant to say was there was still a little bit of hope left him Will's heart that maybe he was mistaken. Maybe somewhere deep inside Will that clung to the idea that Jonathan was his biological father. Will watched his uncle walk over to the far corner, much further from all the other pictures.
Michael stopped at the last picture, gesturing Will to follow. Seeing as though Will's life had just been torn apart, there wasn't much else that could possibly be done to make matters any more complicated. Will walked slowly over to Michael, like before when he had made the flame prison, though this time it was for different reasons. His face no longer held the confident demeanor it did then, instead it looked as if he were an egg, ready to crack under any more pressure.
Arriving at his uncle's side, Will felt a comforting arm go over his shoulder. Slowly Michael pointed to a picture that stood out from the rest. Will's mother instead of having a simple dress on, was suited in a ruby red dress, a necklace adorned with rubies, and a crown. On her lap sat the baby William, and to the right sat a proud man wearing a ruby red robe adorned with precious jewels, and a large crown adorned with Every color jewel Will could think of.
Will could easily pick out many features in which he had in common with the man. The high cheekbones, the stern eyes, even the hair was the same color. Will felt as though he were staring at an older version of himself. After seeing the resemblance, there was no other way to deny the truth which was staring him in the face.
"This is your father," Michael said, with a soft whisper, "King William Ragnos, King of Ebonhart, Crown Capital of Crystallia."