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Chapter 1: The king was Born
The sky was shrouded in thick, dark clouds. A chilling wind howled through the air. Under the cover of night, a group of people stood in a circle around a roaring fire. Their eyes were filled with fear, their hands clutched torches, and their faces bore the weight of a terrible burden. The flickering flames cast eerie shadows on their anxious expressions.
At the center of it all lay a newborn child—innocent, helpless… yet cursed.
One man, his voice trembling, urged the others, "Hurry! If we delay any longer, the King will have us all executed!"
The infant's tiny body shivered in the cold night air. His cries were desperate, pleading—begging for mercy. But no mercy would be found here tonight. A man stepped forward, raising his torch, preparing to end the child's life.
The Storm's Arrival
Suddenly, an unnatural wind swept through the clearing. It was no ordinary breeze; it was fierce, violent—unstoppable. The flames in the torches flickered wildly, and a blinding swirl of dust and smoke engulfed everything. The men shielded their eyes, struggling to stay on their feet.
"What's happening?!" one of them screamed.
The storm raged stronger, and then—just as suddenly as it had begun—the baby was gone.
When the winds finally died down, the men looked around in stunned silence. The child had vanished without a trace.
A voice, shaken with fear, whispered, "We threw him into the fire... He must have turned to ashes."
The others nodded hesitantly. They had no other explanation.
Fear Fades in the Palace
That night, in the grand royal palace, the King sat upon his mighty throne. He was a man of ruthless power, his eyes burning with cold determination.
Kneeling before him, his soldiers delivered their report. "The child has been eliminated, Your Majesty. We burned him—he is nothing but ash now."
The King exhaled deeply. A sense of relief washed over him.
For years, he had lived in fear of a prophecy—a prophecy that foretold of a newborn who would one day rise to destroy his kingdom. But now, that fear was gone. He smiled, believing his future was secure.
The Jungle's Secret
But…
That very night, deep in a dense, shadowy jungle, the faint sound of a baby's cry echoed through the trees.
The newborn lay on the damp earth, alive but alone. His tiny body trembled as he whimpered into the darkness.
Then, from the depths of the jungle, came an eerie rustling. Glowing red eyes emerged from the shadows. A pack of wolves had found him.
The wolves crept closer, their sharp teeth glistening in the moonlight. Their hot breath brushed against the child's fragile skin.
One of the wolves sniffed the baby cautiously, as if trying to decide whether he was prey. It bared its fangs, ready to strike—
Then, something strange happened.
The wolf suddenly stepped back, its fur bristling with terror. One by one, the others also recoiled, their growls turning into whimpers. Without a second thought, they turned and fled into the darkness.
The baby continued to cry.
The Shadow in the Dark
Then…
A figure moved in the darkness.
It was a shadow, tall and ominous. Its form flickered like smoke, neither fully human nor entirely spirit.
Silent and deliberate, the shadow approached the child.
Slowly, it reached out and lifted him into its arms. The moment the infant felt its touch, he stopped crying.
For a brief moment, the entire jungle seemed to hold its breath.
Then—
The shadow cradled the baby tightly and vanished into the night.