He awoke with a start every morning was the same he would gasp covered in sweat panting from some nightmare he didnt remember.
His first thought was potatoes remembering the last thing he and his uncle had spoken about the night before.
The potates were ready to be picked and if he knew his uncle it wouldn't be long before there would be a knock on the door.
For as long as he could recall it had been just him and his uncle Marcell, Chris had asked about the rest of their family several times but never got a definite answer.
He could tell it hurt Marcell to dwell on whatever had happened so Chris simply stopped asking figuing when he was ready his uncle would tell him.
Finally the knock came Chris grunted his acknowledgment and began to get dressed it was never a good idea to keep Marcell waiting.
It wasnt that he was violent or even raised his voice he simply had a way of looking at people that drained any ounce of courage or defiance out of them.
Chris opened the door just as his uncle raised his hand to knock again "stop doing that"scolded Marcell " you know what could happen if you begin to tap into that power."
Chris, hoping he looked appropriately chastised simply nodded in response, there would be a long lecture that morning.
Chris never tried to access this mysterious power his uncle warned him about, he believed full well how dangerous it could be, still sometimes it was like his body instinctively tapped into it.
"Atleast this time it was just a premonition and not you levitating off a balcony" Marcell said as he chuckled.
" The looks on people's faces were priceless" Chris tried not to laught but ultimatly failed.
Maybe it wouldn't be the worst day after all if marcell was still in such good humor.
Though he was aware that he was speaking Chris reolized that he had not actually heard anything his uncle was saying.
He didnt know how long he had been in his own world but from the sounds of it a good amount of time had passed.
It was thoughts of Angie again ever since he found out she cared for him chris couldnt stopped thinking about her, hell he had loved her since they were in diapers.
Now all he could think about was seeing her later that nite and finally taking their relationship to a physical level.
Her father and marcell were best friends and truth be told they were bound to be married anyway, so what would it hurt.
Suddendly he was snapped back to reality by a sound, something foreign in the garden, something alarming.
As Marcell stood Chris realized the sounds were foot steps hitting the dirt hard, whomever it was they were running at full speed rite tward them.
"Your majesty" a deep voice yelled from a few dozen feet away "my king" another voice added.
Chris didn't recognize either of the people but since Marcell didnt draw his weapon he knew they couldn't be strangers.
" What the fuck are they taking about" chuckled Chris but his uncle just glared at the men looking at that moment regal.
He was standing too strait, his posture too comanding, even his glare was t Chris wasn't sure why but his stomach lurched.
Somehow deep within himself he knew after today all the plans he had for his young life were all but forfeit.
"Your majesty" the man with the deep voice said again as he went to one knee in the soft dirt.
Marcell immediately motioned the man to rise "Zeo you know perfectly well you are never to adress me by title outside of the palace" Marcell roared "are you trying to ruin every fucking thing ive built here".
Chis was speechless he had never heard his uncle raise his voice not to mention curse ,and he still had to reconcile the two men kneeling in the dirt who had just refered to Marcell as a king.
Chris knew sometimes his uncles work took him to the palace ,but there was no way he could be a ruler ,these people had to be crazy.
But why would marcell entertain such nonsense, why were these two even alive one twich of his wrist and his uncle could have cut both men down, something incomprehensible was happening.
Chris stared at his uncle in confused shock ,he couldnt begin to imagine what was happening, and on top of everything he felt the beginings of a migrane begining behind his left eye.
"Breathe and tell me what has happened" Marcell prompted clearly irritated at the intrusion.
" My king the sage has been resurrected" Zeo proclaimed in an overly formal tone " he has given prophecy the council demands to see you".
Anger flashed fiercely in Marcell's eyes " come to my home again sprouting demands and i will snatch your fucking tounge from your mouth, do you understand me?" " yes your majesty" Zeo replied ,clearly taking the threat seriously.
"Uncle" chris managed to say before he hit the dirt heavily face first.
" He should have been told years ago" an unfamiliar voice whispered " is that really relevant now" another voice added " i did what i felt was best, after his parents and my wife" Marcell trailed off " he was just a boy that weight of responsibility would have crushed him" Marcell continued.
Chris was content to lie there any let the conversation continue around him ,but he needed answers.
" Probably a good idea to fill me in now" Chris interjected.
" Young lord" one of the disembodied voices from his waking dream exclaimed " young lord, i am Gaya please try and relax, i will call for the healer".
Marcell simply locked eyes with Chris, pain and misery evident in his eyes.
"Young lord?" Chris asked still trying to get his bearings " where are we, uncle what going on?" Chris pleaded.
"Angie is probably pissed" he added almost to himself
"Her father knows everything" Marcel said " don't worry she will be here later, I left out a few details I would let you fill in".
" Hush now my son ill explain later please just rest now". Marcell said comforting him
The third person in the room did not speak but the look in his eyes told Chris he didnt miss a single detail.
The door banged open with a thud "ahh my boy your finally awake i see i thought you mite sleep the entire day away" an older gentlemen in a spotless white outfit " your father would recover from his episodes much faster" he chuckled ".
Grandfather show some respect" admonished Gaya as she followed hin into the room.
"Yes yes" the old man muttered " young lord" gaya started formally " this is Lo leader of the Hiwren".
" Hiwren?" Chris asked thinking he must be in a coma that was the only way to explain anything.
"Forgive me" Gaya said bowing " all will be explained but first we must tend to your headaches".
Chis's eyes went wide " how would you know about those".
"Have the nightmares started as well" Lo interjected.
Chris tried to sit up on the bed but the silent man put a hand on his shoulder staling him.
"Uncle what is this, who the fuck are these people, where are we?!" Chris was near panic his eyes had gone wild around the edges.
" Im sorry my son" marcell started " im so sorry i have to lay this burden on you im so sorry but please i need you to calm down and get control of yourself.
You are seventeen years old and i raised you myself ,now act like a man."
Those words seemed to snap Chris back to reality, his breathing visibly slowed, his eyes closed slightly, and some of the apprehension left his face.
" I guess i should start from the beginning from the day your parents and my wife were killed" marcell went on.
Chris couldn't pay attention, too much was happening ,too much was out of place but when he heard his uncle say " and that makes you the new ruler of Alced" he knew it was true deep in his soul he knew.
Before he could begin to reconcile any part of the situation there was a knock on the door.
"Enter" said Marcel sounding every bit a ruler
When the door open Angie poked her head in timidly eyes straining to take the entire room in at once. The apprehension on her face almost tangible to anyone with eyes.
"Thank god your ok" Angie whispered sounding almost in tears. "He is alright isn't he" she said pleadingly to the room, Marcel nodded and she ran to Chris falling into his arms.
"I'm so sorry" he said brushing a tear from her cheek
Chris spent the next few days in lessons with advisors, learning, studying, memorizing.
Luckily Angie had come to visit and he could explain what had happened to her, she at least seemed to understand. Though now she wasn't sure if she was a queen or not he was often lost in daydreams of her and only mildly noted the lessons.
He was always an excent student his memory
was almost perfect so even half paying attention
he could mindlessly recite the endless book lessons but after a week he still couldn't digest the fact he was a king.
"We should talk" Marcell said too casually as he entered the room. " there is much i should explain".
" no shit" replied chris," you can't turn my life upside down and then disappear", " I am the king now" he chuckled
"leave us" he exclaimed over his shoulder as he rose to embrace his uncle. "I've missed you" he whispered.
though he was dieng to know Chris never pressed his uncle about his sudden absence or about where he had been.
The beginnings of Marcell's story were lost on Chris he was so focused on the familiarity of his and his uncles interactions. it never dawned on Chris how starved he was for genuine companionship, the weight of loneliness lifting from him was almost physical.
When Chris finally forced himself to refocus his uncle was asking, "so how are your studies progressing? " Tedious at best" replied Chris. "I know most of what they teach here, have known for years honestly."
The truth of those words weren't lost on Marcell as he chuckled, "I guess I'm to blame for that ,I wanted so bad for you to be prepared I overdid it".
"There is no way you could have known uncle." Chris said trying to project confidence into his voice "with everything that has happened you were only preparing me to be a man"
"if only that were true", Marcell sighed "I have been preparing you to live a lie, to become something against your nature. I wanted so badly to protect you I neglected every lesson that would save your life."
Feeling the atmosphere turn serious chris assumed a studios demeanor but could not keep the apprehension from his voice.
"What are you talking about", he asked shakily "I couldn't have imagined a better upbringing ".
"Just let me speak for a while!" Marcell growled stoping Chris before the next words could leave his tounge. "Please allow me to explain" he said in a more controlled tone, "I promise I'll answer any questions after"
Chris nodded his agreement and sat back in his chair contend to listen for now
"Since there is no easy way to do this" Marcell began," I will just say it I knew about your parent's death years before it happened, it was revealed in my first prophecy. "
Noticing the look on Chris's face he said "give me a moment I promise it will all make sense"
"Chris many centuries ago a gift was bestowed on our bloodline by the original occupants of this dimension. The force known as magic was introduced to our ancestors and the world as we knew it changed forever. The ancients as they were known had complete control of this force, but in humans it manifested in different facets. Some could control nature or even time and space itself. While others could manipulate objects from a distance and the rarest had the gift of prophecy."
unable to hold back anymore Chris blurted out "I'm calling bullshit uncle, that sounds like the stories you would tell me to help me sleep."
"Not stories" replied Marcell "lessons, factual tales passed down and disguised as fairy stories. centuries of our history presented in a way that the one who it was meant for could grasp it starting a very young age. Please dont side track me though this will be hard enough."
Resigning himself to once again listen Chris opened the decanter and poured drinks for the both of them.
"Chris" Marcell started again after taking a long drink, "The accident that killed your parents was not random, it was in fact the results of an incredibly complex series of equations seeking to balance forces in this world. You see this gift has a reverse an anomaly of sorts, once in a great while one is born with such potential it threatens life itself. Sages have spent lifetimes searching for such people, I however have met two in 42 years. Your father was one and you my son are the other."
Chris sat bolt uprite a feeling like molten lead in his stomach his eyes were wild around the edges. Marcell stood to steady his nephew unsure how to react just as the doors to the great hall slammed open drawing both of their attention.
"Sire an emissary from the wilds is approaching the gates.