THE CHOSEN ONE (Reunion)

THE REVELATION

Queen Lindsey continued, her voice steady as she recounted the events.

“After Damon took Ethusa to the palace, Marcelos was heartbroken. He cried for days, consumed by grief. In his heart, he vowed he would not accept what Damon had done; no matter what it took, he would reclaim Ethusa.

Marcelos confronted Damon, demanding the return of Ethusa and the dragon gene power. Damon refused. ‘Ethusa belongs by my side, not yours,’ he said coldly. Enraged, Marcelos challenged Damon to a duel in five days, declaring that whosoever won would claim Ethusa and the dragon gene. Damon accepted.

I tried to reason with Damon, urging him to return the dragon and its power, but he refused. Likewise, Marcelos’s father attempted to persuade him to step back, but Marcelos would not relent. He was determined; he had to reclaim what was rightfully his, even if it meant defying his father, who ultimately disowned him.

The duel took place atop the highest mountain. Marcelos fought with every ounce of strength he had, and for a moment, victory seemed within reach. But Damon, using the dragon gene power unfairly, overcame Marcelos. Marcelos fell from the mountain, and we believed he had perished. We mourned him, thinking all was lost.

Unknown to us, Marcelos had survived, gravely wounded. He was taken by the witches known as the Revengers. They healed him and, sacrificing their own lives, made Marcelos more powerful, with the hope that he would reclaim the world that had been taken from them.

When Marcelos returned, Damon had already declared himself King of Axrax. Marcelos’s family was nowhere to be found; Damon had killed them when Marcelos’s father dared to oppose him with a group of wizards. Damon seized all that belonged to Marcelos, leaving devastation behind.

Fueled by rage, Marcelos waged war on all five kingdoms. Darkness swallowed the sky as the sun ceased to shine, and terror ruled the night. His armies of the undead attacked relentlessly, forcing the other kings to submit.

But Damon, my people—the Varlyn and their Nylins—the wizards, and the light army, refused to bow. They fought, knowing Marcelos had become a tyrant and an evil that could not be allowed to exist.

We won the battle against Marcelos, and at last, he was put into eternal sleep, stripped of the powers that had made him a terror. But the victory was paid for in blood. The battlefield was a graveyard of the fallen—Jack and his wife, my people, countless lives extinguished in the storm of war. The silence after the battle was heavy, broken only by the whispers of those who survived, carrying the weight of what had been lost.

Yet, even in slumber, Marcelos’ malice did not end. Before his consciousness faded, he cursed Damon with words sharp as blades. He declared that Damon would never know peace, never find rest, until the day he drew his last breath. And so it began. Damon’s mind twisted with fear and paranoia, seeing enemies in every shadow, conspiracies in every murmur. He spoke of Marcelos haunting him in dreams, of voices that would not be silenced, and of an inevitable doom pressing upon his every step.

First, Damon struck against the shape-shifters, exiling them from the kingdoms. He called them traitors, conspirators plotting against his throne. Their pleas and protests were ignored; their homes were lost. Then, he vanished into solitude, building a castle far from the eyes of all the kingdoms, a fortress hidden in the wilderness, dark and unyielding.

Into the heart of this remote fortress, Damon placed the light crystal. He spoke of it as if it were no more than a hollow stone, declaring it powerless, claiming he had been unworthy of its energy when he faced Marcelos. And yet, he entrusted Ethusa to guard it, warning her never to leave the castle, binding her to a duty she could not refuse.

I alone bore witness to Damon’s deeds. I alone knew the full truth. I possessed the map to the castle, for it had been my people who built it. And knowing this, Damon’s wrath turned toward us. He cursed my people and me, condemning us to a life we had never chosen. Never again would we walk on land; our bodies were bound to water, our forms reshaped to live as mermaids. Immortal, unaging, forced to exist in secrecy, carrying the burden of knowledge and the pain of exile.

In this way, Damon ensured that no one would ever find the castle, never claim Ethusa, and never wield the light crystal. The world would remain blind to its power, and we—my people and I—would swim forever beneath the waves, invisible witnesses to the fortress that held the key to the balance of all things.

The curse settled upon us like a weight, heavy and unyielding, and in its shadow, the kingdoms continued, unaware of the power locked away, and of the silent guardians who would live forever, carrying the knowledge of what was lost and what could never be reclaimed".

“Wait… with everything you just said—are you telling me my kind once lived in kingdoms, not a town? And that my father… sided with King Damon to betray their friend?” Ryn asked, her voice shaking as she stared at Queen Lindsey.

Noah stood silently beside her, the weight of Queen Lindsey’s story still settling heavily in his mind.

Queen Lindsey replied, her voice soft but unwavering, “Yes. And it cost him—and his wife—their lives.”

Ryn’s face tightened, her expression collapsing into hurt. “This can’t be true…” she whispered, unhappy and shaken.

“It’s the truth, Ryn,” Queen Lindsey said, gently but firmly.

“What you told us isn’t what we learned, or what anyone has ever said about King Damon,” Noah said as he stepped forward, eyes narrowing with doubt.

“Damon was the King of Axrax. That alone made him a legendary figure. They rewrote the truth to protect his image—so he would never be remembered as a tyrant. Only as a great king", Queen Lindsey answered.

Noah walked closer to her, his anger rising. “I don’t believe you,” he said, staring directly at her. “I think everything you said is a lie. You’re trying to trick me.”

“And what makes you think I’m lying?” Queen Lindsey asked calmly.

“In your story, King Damon is a betrayer and a thief. That can’t be true. King Damon was a good king—not the monster you’re trying to paint him as,” Noah said, annoyed and breathing harder.

Before Queen Lindsey could respond, a door behind them opened with a heavy echo. Footsteps filled the room. 

Noah and Ryn turned as several people emerged, entering quietly and spreading throughout the chamber. They stood around the room, watching Noah and Ryn with solemn, unreadable expressions.

“All I told you is the truth, Noah,” Queen Lindsey said, her voice echoing slightly in the tense silence. “Nothing but the truth.”

Noah looked around at the others—their faces calm, their presence unsettling. He shook his head slowly. He said, “I’ve never even heard of someone who’s immortal. And look at your people—they don’t look like they’ve lived a thousand years. And this story about walking the land… I don’t believe that either.”

He pointed at them slightly with a frustrated gesture. “What if you’re just mermaids pretending to be human… so I’ll set you free? Or evil that had been locked here and wants to be freed?".

The room fell silent. And Queen Lindsey simply watched him, the faint sadness in her eyes deepening. Queen Lindsey's voice cut through the silence.

“Then ask her—Ryn—if immortals are real,” Queen Lindsey said calmly.

Noah’s brow furrowed as he glanced at Ryn. Confused, he asked, “What does she mean?”.

“I… I don’t know what she’s talking about,” Ryn admitted, her voice hesitant.

“She is lying. She is a shape-shifter, and everyone in their town is like her,” Queen Lindsey said firmly.

Noah blinked, turning fully to Queen Lindsey. He asked, “What… even is a shape-shifter?”

“They are people who have the ability to change into any animal of their choice. And they are immortals. Ryn is more than a thousand years old", Queen Lindsey explained.

Noah’s jaw dropped, disbelief written across his face. He said, “You have got to be kidding, right?”

“No. I am not,” Queen Lindsey replied, steady and unwavering.

Noah turned to Ryn, searching her face. He said, “Tell me what she said isn’t true.”

“It is the truth. That is who we are", Ryn said softly, but with certainty. 

“Oh… merciful gods of our lands,” Noah muttered, shocked, his eyes wide.

“We don’t grow old and don’t die unless we are killed,” Ryn added, calm and matter-of-fact.

Noah’s voice dropped slightly, a mixture of confusion and frustration, “And you… and my brother… didn’t bother to tell us who you are?”.

“We had to keep it a secret so you wouldn’t be scared of us. We have been painted badly so people become scared when they know about us", Ryn said.

Noah ran a hand through his hair, still processing. “Well… I don’t know if I’m scared right now, but I don’t know how my brother will feel when he hears this.”

“You don’t need to be scared of them. They are friendly people and don’t harm unless provoked", Queen Lindsey said softly. 

Ryn’s eyes narrowed slightly, annoyance creeping in. “You are telling him not to be scared when you are the one who made him scared,” she said to Lindsey, her voice sharp.

“Okay, let me chill for a few minutes,” Noah said, closing his eyes.

He leaned back slightly, shutting out the world, letting the words of Queen Lindsey and Ryn swirl through his mind. For several minutes, he stayed like that, eyes closed, heart trying to catch up with his racing thoughts.

When he finally opened his eyes, he took a deep breath, steadying himself. 

“Okay,” he said to Queen Lindsey, voice measured, “I’ve decided to believe everything you said. Can I ask… why you brought us here?”

“To negotiate,” Queen Lindsey replied simply, her gaze steady.

“Negotiate?” Noah echoed, confusion plain on his face.

“You have the dragon gene in you. That is why I called you a king—because you are destined to be a great king. You also have the potential to wield the power of the Light Crystal. And only you can lift our curse. If you promise to lift our curse, in exchange, we will give you the map to the castle to find Ethusa", Queen Lindsey explained, her tone calm but firm.

Noah laughed, a short, disbelieving sound, and the others in the room exchanged puzzled glances, wondering why.

“Why did you laugh?” Queen Lindsey asked, her brow furrowed.

“Because I don’t have the dragon gene, and I don’t want to find Ethusa—or the map. This also proves the theory that you want to be freed from this place,” Noah said, shaking his head, amusement and disbelief mingling in his voice.

“You have the dragon gene in you, I assure you. And why won't we want a way out? We have been trapped here for a long time for a reason that isn't worth it. It is only right that we want to be free,” Queen Lindsey said, her tone unwavering.

“And how do you know that I have the dragon gene?” Noah asked, leaning forward slightly, suspicion creeping into his voice.

“Why do you think Ethusa saved you?” Queen Lindsey asked, her eyes locking onto his. “I guess you have no idea. Your magic has made the dragon gene manifest in you. You have changed once, which means you are slowly becoming a dragon. To stop yourself from fully turning, you have to link with Ethusa.”

Noah’s lips curved into a small, incredulous smile. “Stop saying funny things. That is impossible,” he said, shaking his head. 

Queen Lindsey walked toward him. She stopped directly in front of Noah, her presence commanding yet calm. She said softly, “Follow me. Let me show you your true self.”

Without hesitation, she turned and began to lead the way. Noah hesitated for only a moment, then fell into step behind her, his mind racing with questions, doubts, and an unfamiliar spark of curiosity.