The Lost Kingdom (The Fifth Element Chronicles)

Chapter 19 "The Kingdom of Fire"

I knew what it felt like to discover the truth after many lies.

I knew what Caelus felt.

How many years he'd wasted blaming himself for something that wasn't even his fault.

If he had never faced the test, he would never have known the truth.

His father had killed his mother in an attempt to get rid of his son's powers. It was unforgivable. And I knew he would want revenge, I knew he would seek a way to redeem his mother's memory.

But now he had unlocked the possibility of the ultimate test.

One more test and we would reach the Tree. All the effort would finally pay off.

After several minutes in a still and absent position, Caelus rose without a word and left the cave.

Everything had become very fragile between us, and he was fighting against his own darkness.

I could not demand anything of him, I could not be so selfish as to think that our issues were more important than what I had just witnessed.

So I just followed him a few minutes later, thinking that everything would soon be over, everyone would go on with their lives and we would never remember what had happened there.

I was about to climb up the small rock ladder, when the fairy grabbed my arm.

Her little green hands squeezed my skin.

'Hey, what?'

'Listen to me carefully child, I can only say it once. Dark times are coming. And I can only ask you to help me and my darlings. We want to be free.'

'Free? I thought it was you who imprisoned them.'

'Yes, it is me, but I have no choice. You see, no one has a choice when it comes to what they are destined to do. You are the only one who can change our story. If you promise me that you will help us, I will give you something in return.'

Without letting me reply, the fairy carefully lifted a golden ring.

'This is the mind ring. I have used it for years to enter the minds of all who come to the cave. But now I will give it to you,' she said, taking my left hand and placing it on my index finger. I could see it clearly, the ring had an eye in the middle.

'But what do I want it for?'

'Gaia, that boy hides a secret that not even the Cave of Fears could reveal.'

'What do you mean by that?'

'I mean that there are greater forces that prevented me from showing it to you here. Fears that live in him concealed until it is time to reveal them, until fate wills it. When you have the chance, just touch his head with your finger and you'll see the secret he hides from you.'

It was too much information for too little time.

'You must wait for the right moment, you'll know when.'

'I shouldn't...'

'Gaia wake up, please realise, we are all counting on you. Whether you like it or not, this is the role the Gods gave you. Well, unless you can change that too.'

The fairy vanished, leaving behind the ring on my finger and a thousand unanswered questions.

I climbed the rock steps, trying to digest the fairy's words.

Caelus was hiding something from me, something he couldn't tell me because fate wouldn't let him.

What kind of game were we playing?