Maze's breath hitched as the weight of his words settled over her like a heavy mantle. She had always suspected there was more to her heritage than she had been told, but hearing it spoken aloud brought a whirlwind of emotions grief, anger, confusion, and a flicker of longing for the parents she had never known.
Her voice quivered as she asked, "Why didn't she tell me all these years? Why did Mother Lina keep this from me?"
"She has her reasons," Xandros interjected, his gaze steady. "Perhaps she wanted to protect you. To keep you safe from truths that could endanger you before you were ready."
Maze furrowed her brow, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "But safe from what? My parents' love was forbidden, yes, but why? Aren't the four realms supposed to be united?"
Xandros and Kairos exchanged a glance, as if silently deciding who would explain.
Kairos spoke first, his deep voice laced with a tinge of bitterness. "Before you were born, only three realms were united."
Maze tilted her head, her confusion deepening. "How is that possible? There are four realms, so which one was excluded?"
Xandros leaned forward, his face darkening as he explained. "As it was believed, long ago, the four realms were indeed one. But a clash between two powerful entities Lucan, the Demon King, and Xavier, the Heavenly King shattered that unity. Lucan defied Xavier's authority, challenging the laws of the heavens. The battle ended with the demons being banished from the heavenly realms."
"And the three realms?" Maze asked, her voice trembling.
Xandros sighed, his expression heavy with regret. "After the death of your parents, I found what they did to your father, Lucien, an unforgivable injustice. To preserve the sovereignty of my own realm, I severed ties with the heavenly realms."
"And so did I," Kairos added, his voice firm. "The lycan realm withdrew from the alliance soon after. We could no longer abide by the hypocrisy of the heavenly realms rule, thus making us enemies."
Maze's thoughts spun like a raging tempest. The image she had held of the four realms united in harmony was crumbling before her eyes. "So… if my parents were such great people," she began, her voice tinged with uncertainty, "then why are my powers so weak? All I can do is heal and teach about the stars. My own star… it's so dim."
A silence settled over the room as her words hung in the air. Kairos and Xandros exchanged another weighted look before Xandros finally spoke, his voice low and steady.
"There's more, my lady," he said, leaning forward as if to shield his words from unseen ears. "You are not just any child. You are the one foretold in the prophecy—the one who embodies both light and shadow. Your power is unparalleled, Mazikeen, but it is also dangerous. The realms fear what you could become, which is why your spiritual core was sealed."
Maze's eyes widened, her heart racing as his words pierced through her. "Sealed?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "By who?"
Xandros hesitated, his usually confident demeanor faltering. He glanced away, his expression tinged with guilt. "That… is a question only your guardian can answer."
Maze's mind reeled, the pieces of her life falling into place like jagged shards of a shattered mirror. "Mother Lina…" she murmured, realization dawning on her. The one person who had always been by her side, who had raised her with unwavering devotion, was also the one who had kept her greatest truth hidden.
Xandros's voice drew her back. "Know this, Mazikeen: your destiny is not fixed. You have the power to shape it. Whether you bring unity or destruction to the four realms will depend on the choices you make."
Kairos stepped forward, his towering figure radiating a quiet strength. "And you will not face these choices alone. We are here, my lady. We stand with you."
Maze's chest tightened as she looked between the two men. Their loyalty was evident, yet the burden they spoke of felt insurmountable. She nodded slowly, gratitude softening her features. "Thank you, Lord Xandros. Thank you, Lord Kairos. For helping me. For trusting me with the truth."
Xandros rose, his movement fluid and deliberate. His shadow stretched across the room, a silent testament to his presence. "This is only the beginning, my lady. The path ahead is treacherous, but you are stronger than you realize. When the time comes, you will find me at your side."
Kairos followed, his posture just as commanding. "And I will stand with you as well. You carry the bloodline of two extraordinary beings, Mazikeen. The realms may fear your potential, but I see it as their salvation."
With synchronized bows, they turned and stepped into the shadows, their figures fading as if they were never there. The room fell silent once more, the faint echo of their words lingering in the air.
Mazikeen sank back into her seat, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to process everything. Her heart ached, she was dazed at some point, she couldn't move for a while and just stared at a blank space. Vesper climbed her laps and whimpered as if reading her thoughts he looked into her eyes and licked her face.
~~~~
As they walked along the dimly lit path that marked the point where their journeys would diverge, Kairos couldn't hide the unease that weighed on his mind. He paused, glancing back toward the direction they had come from. "I don't know if our decision to tell her was the right thing to do, Xandros," he said, his voice heavy with concern.
Xandros continued forward a few steps before stopping, his hands clasped behind his back. He sighed, the weight of their choice evident in his stance. "I don't know either," he admitted, turning to face Kairos. "But it's better she knows who she is and begins to understand her power now, before it's too late. The realms cannot afford for her to remain in ignorance."
Kairos shook his head, his brows furrowed in worry. "This is going to be dangerous. If Maximus discovers what we've done—if he even suspects she's starting to uncover the truth—he will try to kill her. You know that as well as I do."
Xandros's eyes narrowed, his expression hardening. "If she's truly the one foretold in the prophecy, then I believe it won't be as easy as he thinks. The Chosen One isn't so easily defeated."
"You place a lot of trust in her," Kairos said, his voice softening. "I never even knew she existed until now."
"Nor did I," Xandros admitted. "I was as shocked as you when I felt her power resonate in my realm. It was undeniable, Kairos. The moment I saw the petal, I knew."
Kairos's eyes widened in astonishment. "The petal!" he exclaimed. "How did you come by it? I have one in my realm as well. It appeared out of nowhere, as if delivering a message I couldn't decipher. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get rid of it."
Xandros nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Her parents brought it to me long ago. They told me it would serve as a sign that the time had come to act. For fifty years now, it has shone without stopping. That alone tells me she's the one."
Kairos fell silent for a moment, processing the revelation. Finally, he nodded, his earlier worry giving way to a sense of reluctant agreement. "You're right. If the petal chose her, then there's no denying it. She's the one we've been waiting for."