Chapter 9: Revealing the Past
As the space around them began to twist, Eric felt a strange sensation—like a force was pulling his soul toward a distant place, something that could not be explained by common sense. In an instant, everything went pitch black, and all that remained was a deepening rumbling sound.
"Eric...?" Celeste whispered, her voice muffled in the void. "What happened?"
Eric felt his hand being held tightly by something he couldn't see. A force that was bigger, older, and deeper than himself.
Suddenly, a blurry image began to form. A familiar, yet distant sight came through the darkness. It was a memory from a long-buried past—a moment he was never supposed to see again.
"Eric Valentinus Everia..." the voice boomed, coming from the depths of darkness. "Witness the choices that have shaped your destiny."
Eric felt as if his body had been transported back in time, to a time when he was young and full of hope, before all the tragedies that had befallen his family. Before him was a large room that looked like a palace hall. There were noisy voices, the roar of celebration, and familiar faces—people who had been in his life. But there was one face that dominated them all.
Her father, Duke Alaric Everia, stood in the middle of the hall, his expression full of hope. But on the other side, there was another figure—a young man with eyes full of hatred and unspoken ambition. Leon. Her half-brother.
"What do you see, Eric?" the voice came again, echoing around him. "This is an inevitable choice—one that will lead us to a future of suffering."
Eric froze, his eyes unblinking. Looking at his father, who had always seemed so proud of him, but also felt a hidden tension. These memories, long buried, were now beginning to resurface—a reality he had to face. Behind everything that had happened, there was something darker than mere power.
"Now you see, don't you?" the voice continued. "Leon—your ambitious half-brother—has always been behind the scenes, trying to take everything that should be yours. But don't you feel that this is not just about title or power? This is all part of your destiny, Eric."
Eric knelt, his eyes closed with a face full of sadness. He remembered the first time he learned that Leon was manipulating his father, trying to usurp the position of Duke. He couldn't fight back then, trapped in an inevitable helplessness.
"Is this what I must choose?" Eric whispered to himself, his heart breaking. "Is my destiny filled with nothing but suffering and betrayal?"
Suddenly, the image disappeared, and Eric was standing in the darkness again. But something was different—the voice was no longer threatening, but like a whisper offering a choice.
"You have to choose, Eric. Will you stay trapped in the past, or will you change it for a better future?"
Eric felt his heart beating fast. In the pitch black, one question came to his mind: Could he change his destiny, or was it already determined?
In the darkness, Celeste seemed to grow distant, her eyes searching for Eric, who was now caught in a test greater than just physical combat.
Eric stared blankly ahead, feeling a huge weight pressing down on his chest. But this time, he knew—to move forward, he had to let go of the past.
But how much must he give up to gain a new future?
As Eric stood in the darkness, the whispering voices from earlier echoed back, deeper, more urgent. Each word seemed to carry a heavy weight, pressing into his soul. A past that had been sealed off was now exposed, and he had to face a truth he had long avoided.
Suddenly, a light appeared before him, illuminating the room filled with darkness. The light formed a familiar image—a large room with walls filled with family paintings. It was the palace hall he had long since left behind. In the middle, he saw his father, Duke Alaric Everia, sitting with an expression full of hope, but also tension in his eyes.
Beside his father, Leon stood, his eyes filled with ambition. As he looked at his half-brother, Eric felt an emotion that was hard to describe—a mixture of hatred, disappointment, and helplessness.
"What did you see, Eric?" the voice asked, flowing softly but still containing a threat. "You realize everything now, don't you?"
Eric wanted to scream, wanted to run, but his body was tied to the spot. The memories came back with more power than anything he had ever experienced. He could feel the tension between himself and Leon—a power play he had never fully realized.
"Now you know," the voice continued. "All of this is your destiny. Decisions that have been made for you, by those who want everything you have. But you still have a choice. The choice to change it all."
Eric felt his hands clench. "Change what?" he muttered, his voice filled with desperation. "Can I change anything after everything that's happened?"
"Destiny is not something that can be avoided," the voice answered emphatically. "But fate is also not absolute. You can choose a different path, Eric. A path filled with sacrifice, but also hope."
Suddenly, the image changed. Eric was back in the real world, in a room full of darkness. But this time, something new appeared—a shadow stronger, clearer than before. It was Celeste, who seemed increasingly detached from him, yet there was a sense of power surrounding her.
"Eric, what happened? What did you see?" Celeste's voice was heard clearly, even though she seemed far away.
Eric felt a heavy burden on his heart. He knew that the path ahead would not be easy. All the choices they had made, all the decisions they had made, had brought them to this point—a final test to determine their future.
"Nothing is easy, Celeste," Eric replied, his voice filled with determination. "But I will not be trapped in the past. I will choose a new path, even if it is full of sacrifices."
And with that, Eric felt a new power flow through him—a decision that freed him from the shackles of his past and gave him hope for the future. But would the move he made truly change everything, or would he become trapped in a cycle of destiny greater than himself?
Out in the darkness, the answers are still unclear. But one thing is for sure—their journey has only just begun.
Darkness enveloped Eric and Celeste once again, but this time it was different. There was tension in the air as if something bigger was waiting for them. Eric stared at Celeste who was now getting closer, though he could feel the tension in the air. Her face was full of confusion, but also determination. Celeste knew that this journey was not just about finding answers, but also about overcoming everything that was hidden.
"What are we going to do now, Eric?" Celeste asked, her voice full of worry. "Are you sure about your decision?"
Eric stared ahead, his eyes filled with determination. "I have to face this. I have to choose a new path, even if it means leaving everything I know behind." His voice was stronger than ever, even though his own heart was still pounding. The decision he made would lead him to a future he could not predict.
Suddenly, the mysterious figure that had appeared earlier echoed in the air again, the voice filled with an irresistible power.
"The path you have chosen is not easy, Eric Valentinus Everia. The past you try to forget will continue to haunt you. But remember... that your destiny will be carved by every step you take forward."
Eric felt a strong gust of wind, even though they were still in the dark. However, the voice did not answer. Instead, a subtle movement was detected in the distance—a shadow moving quickly toward them.
"Get ready!" Eric shouted, raising his sword in readiness. Celeste got ready as well, though her face looked worried.
The figure emerged from the darkness with incredible speed, but this time, Eric was ready. With a swift and skillful movement, he launched a counterattack. But just before his sword touched the figure, the shadow disappeared again, leaving only an echo in the air.
"Is it so easy to think you are ready?" the voice asked, closer this time, but also colder. "There is no easy way out for those caught in destiny."
Eric felt another ray of light begins to illuminate the room, opening up a clearer path. In the light, the large shadow reappeared—but this time, the figure was clearer. It was the figure that had been chasing them from the beginning, the figure that wanted something from Eric.
"You have come to a crossroads, Eric," the voice whispered, "And the path you choose will determine what happens next. But remember, every choice has consequences."
Celeste looked at Eric, doubtful. "Eric, we have to find a way out of here, not just focus on what they want from us!"
Eric looked at Celeste with a stern look. "This isn't just about getting out. This is about what I have to face... and what I have to change."
With determined steps, Eric moves forward, ready to face the final test he has long avoided. This journey, though fraught with challenges, will lead to a greater destiny—something even darker than they could have imagined.
And though the path is not easy, Eric knows that he cannot turn back. The decision he makes today will change the course of their lives, change the fate of the Everia family, and perhaps, the entire kingdom itself.
What will Eric choose?
What would happen if he continued forward, or if he chose to retreat?
End of Chapter