It has been a week now, and my vision hasn't returned yet. Although I still can't see normally, instead of complete darkness, I can see people's souls. It was a bit hard at first, but I’ve managed to get used to it.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiH3z8RzXI
I then realized that my grandmother cursed me to endlessly return and suffer, all because of the forbidden love my parents shared.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCmd1eiqgt
This might be why my father suddenly lost his emotions due to the curse, leading him to believe that my mother had an affair.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDzhv3G5iG
Baron Samedi told me he initially thought my soul was inside the princess of this empire, Lychnis, since that was my true body.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSO7La7G7Un
Later, he discovered that the mother of demons had taken over my body, sending my soul to different worlds and timelines.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIOWsqzvnZ
My memories are faint, so I can’t even remember if Baron Samedi is an enemy or an ally. But I do recall a man who pledged his loyalty to me the moment I opened my eyes in this world.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQjMMcMWxA
I remember my mother smiling while a man with long silver hair held me. Yet I feel no connection to Baron Samedi.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFrzza6IGG
He said I can’t see his soul because he once submitted to a demon for power. Castor and Cara are my twin dragon familiars. According to the baron, each gifted human has a familiar, and mine—a dragon—symbolizes power and authority.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gUoc5kxfa
Little by little, I’m managing to digest everything and grow accustomed to seeing only the souls of others. As I question myself, I wonder... What happened to Ermis? Is he safe? Where is he now? It’s been five years, I hope he’s doing well.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWqQFA8PS7
---
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbm8zMyVc0
Time flies so fast, and it's already the end of their grade.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUvBZjQSW0
"Huhuhu, I'm gonna miss you, Leth," Sienna said, tears streaming down her face.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7L7q2sE0f
"Don't worry, we'll exchange letters," Leth replied with a gentle smile.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbAh1Sa5cL
They hugged each other goodbye before parting ways. Aeron accompanied Leth on her journey to the palace, while Caelum stayed in the magic tower to further refine his skills in magic.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYXLh3IHOL
As Leth stared out of the carriage window, she noticed a strange plume of smoke. A sense of familiarity washed over her, and she gave a slight smirk as the carriage continued toward the palace.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aQ3vx89pK
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2iTp14sC9
---
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUT8mevXDwJ
Meanwhile, as they passed through the Willow Forest a place once destroyed by the emperor due to a demon ambush memories lingered of its tragic history.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJozBkWh44I
The willow tree stood as a sentinel of ancient wisdom, its gnarled trunk veined with silvery streaks that faintly glowed under the moonlight.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyZFLXNTQE
Its long, drooping branches cascaded like a shimmering green waterfall, their leaves whispering secrets of forgotten realms whenever the wind danced through them.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizYs8chmdv
Tiny, bioluminescent orbs clung to the tips of the branches, flickering like stars caught in a gentle sway. Beneath its canopy, the air felt heavier, imbued with an ethereal calm that muffled the world outside.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DcmVCxgx2
Legends whispered that the tree's roots reached into the heart of the earth, drawing upon magic as old as time itself. Those who sought solace or answers often found themselves drawn to the willow, its presence a silent promise of shelter, clarity, and the wisdom of ages.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvY5GLAyp0
As they passed through, Leth's heart skipped a beat in horror. She caught sight of a shadowy figure lurking behind the tree.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMmQJfvnbz
"Aeron!" she gasped, her voice trembling.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD30UcmyQcC
Aeron, noticing her distress, frowned. "Leth! What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXLYKk3Bv0
"I... I think I saw someone," she whispered shakily.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZWji2Qdf7
Aeron quickly ordered the coachman to stop the carriage. He stepped outside to search for the suspicious figure but found nothing. As he turned back to the carriage, he froze Leth’s coat lay discarded on the ground.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡov1WNgxyO7
"Leth! Leth, where are you?" he shouted, his voice echoing through the eerie forest. No answer came. A chilling memory surfaced in his mind:
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJkozS1WiG
"It is said that the willow tree was planted by the goddess of creation herself. Each tree can reveal your heart's deepest desires and answer your questions.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAEdD7noyY
But behind its cryptic answers lies a disturbing truth. These trees serve as warnings, reminding humans never to cross the boundaries between worlds."
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Yv3sC1qjP
"It's just a myth," he muttered, gripping Leth's coat tightly. "Before the Great War, the willow tree stopped answering questions..."
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lw9D6bAlX
"Child," a sweet voice echoed around him, faint but persistent.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZXCOC8Y5O
Aeron felt his vision blur as dizziness overtook him. The voice seemed to pull him into a hypnotic trance.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFm5yoyi5S
"Focus on what you aim for, and do not listen to the voices," another voice suddenly cut through, snapping Aeron back to his senses.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnEyeV7Z5G
"Huh?" Aeron turned to see a cloaked girl standing nearby. She was about the same height as Leth.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOc6rswxjo
"Who are you?" he asked.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqB8Llq5oh
"You mustn't let the voices sway you if you want to escape this forest alive," the girl warned. "The willow tree might be magical, but without the blessing of the elf who guards it, you will remain trapped in its illusion forever."
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQTJGlMCNA
"Illusion?" Aeron asked, confused.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyss8N4sD4
He caught sight of a man standing behind the girl—a tall figure with long silver hair, his face obscured by a veil and a large hat.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcaMw2jng7
"Beware of the one you travel with," the girl whispered. "She is a devil with an angel's face."
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJ2JuuwzMG
Before Aeron could respond, the girl vanished.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuE6Tt82HLJ
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV75QgMBADA
---
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSCfOLpWsb
"Brother! Are you alright?" Leth's voice jolted him awake.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1T0iGgvEvx
"Leth...? You...?" Aeron murmured, disoriented.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rOPVKsS8y
"Are you alright, brother?" she asked, her concern evident.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuI8pTyKJu
"Was I... sleeping?" he asked, trying to piece his thoughts together.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaAy7dkokZ
"Yes, and we're already at the capital. What happened to you?" Leth asked worriedly.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdwRUFpYFf
"Nothing," Aeron replied, shaking his head as the carriage resumed its journey.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesNmorcvef
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOOqk3Nbqr
---
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVciTRveqSk
Meanwhile, back in the Willow Forest:
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnH8EyVG1kw
"Was it her?" the cloaked girl asked.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71sVmEMFpf
"Yes," the man replied.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCN1VuVbQs
"Alright, let's continue the play and finish what we started," the girl said, her tone resolute.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLa7dvPw69
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PtjTXQ12U
---
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8mqD4U2pn
At the Evigheden mansion:
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9tuCoiQES
Lucian Evigheden, the eldest son at 17 years old, and Cedric Evigheden, aged 15, stood in the garden alongside their younger sister, Elena, who was just 6.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuZH0q6Z7Z
The three of them mocked Ermis, who sat on the ground with a bleeding head. Beside him lay the shattered remains of a flower pot.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPkPwsbXCt
"Haha, I don't understand why Father would take someone like you," Lucian said.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTsbDUjmUv
"Maybe because, in Father's eyes, you're not worthy of becoming the next duke!" Elena shot back, standing protectively in front of her stepbrother, Ermis.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwBsdPnyFU
"What the hell are you doing, Elena?" Cedric shouted, his shadow emerging behind him, scaring her.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zc2fsLprk
Ermis glared piercingly at Cedric through his shadow, which suddenly disappeared.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOqXBDtu7a
"See? Did you see that? This guy is a total mess!" Cedric shouted in frustration.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJl1eK4nvZr
As Lucian moved to grab Ermis, their mother appeared.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxijnDdtDBF
"Are you bullying Ermis again, Lucian?" Amara asked calmly.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AU2zOwoeP
"M-Mother..." Lucian muttered, looking away.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq42smdv2Bi
"Lucian... Your father and I love you both equally, but that doesn’t mean you can bully your brother," she said firmly.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzknx4uuQQ
"He is not my brother! And he never will be!" Lucian shouted, storming out of the room.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKI9IukSyX9
Amara sighed and helped Ermis to his feet. "I’m sorry about that, Ermis. And I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your graduation. Something urgent came up at the palace," she explained.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEXz3oG1r4
"It’s fine," Ermis replied quietly.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2gSrNKMIZ
Amara smiled. "You know, I have a little gift for you." She handed him a small, old, rusty key.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErMicc21t2
"Deep in the Willow Forest, you’ll find a strange, wooden door. The door only appears under the red full moon, which comes once a year. It hasn’t appeared yet this year, but when it does, this key will unlock something far greater than you could ever imagine," Amara said.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtaGfQsxXse
"Wow! So magical! Ermis, take me with you, alright?" Elena said excitedly.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5ZWxEOgeZ
"Elena, Ermis will go alone," Amara said, holding her daughter's hand.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooQiLw2LYO
"Ehhh... Mom, you’re mean!" Elena pouted.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPgadsJkHg
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlrz2jDNTR
---
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQInIbUGVt
Later that evening, as Ermis practiced his swordsmanship alone, the duke approached him.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxI72uVqnZ2
"I couldn’t come earlier because of an emergency at the palace," the duke said.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSoklma9S3
"D-Duke... Oh, it’s alright," Ermis replied.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjIYNMDO6p
"We’re going to the palace tomorrow. You’ll come with me to participate in the war. Is that alright with you?" the duke asked.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywpwyCkz0R
"I don’t mind at all, Duke, but... If you’re choosing me, doesn’t that mean you’re naming me your heir?" Ermis asked hesitantly.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlLiNVu7wR
"Precisely," the duke confirmed.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiMuQMzkpQ
"But what about Lucian?" Ermis questioned.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQvhOMfXrZ
"You’ll understand the reason why when you enter that door," the duke said, smiling as he patted Ermis on the arm. "Now, get some good sleep. We’re leaving tomorrow."
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPM2V4lvafV
_________
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHWly8gTuc
Ermis and the duke then went to the palace for the emperor to gave then his blessings while taking aeron with them.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBH40CzCwRa
A lot have happened the duke, aeron and Ermis won each war. They conquer 3 kingdoms and eliminate dark forces this happen for almost 8 years going and fulfilling the oath. Yet the duke somehow got to leave for another order for his majesty he only serve in the war with Ermis and Aeron for 5 years.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPWo5Fcp82
(5years ago at the palace)
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQUqRfUH03
"Your Highness, Xyril is here." Commander Albert said.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbllGqviDq
"Let him in" the duke said.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6miXAQPb0h
"Duke Evigheden, his majesty want you to go back to the palace." Xyril said.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsp48FYkWEZ
Meanwhile at the training area where Aeron and Ermis are sparing.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVMVBBHxUH
"Xyril is here, I guess something big came out" Aeron said.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwnyc2E8yE
Ermis on the other hand he looked at the different direction feeling a sense that someone was looking at them.
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVH4Gpy5HT5
34Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3ddAhBJBj
→ Request update
and then Add to home screen.