Fated To The Fae King

Chapter 24

▪️A L A R I C▪️

As the echoes of battle faded into the night, Baldur approached me, his massive frame towering over the battlefield. Blood streaked his blade, a testament to the ferocity with which he had fought, and his brow was furrowed with concern as he surveyed the aftermath of the conflict.

"Alaric," he rumbled, his voice deep and resonant. "I thought you were the strongest Fae on the Isle of Wrobel."

Letting out a sigh, I replied, "I thought so too..."

"How did your brother get so powerful?" Baldur asked. His eyes were intense, searching for answers amidst the chaos that surrounded us.

Meeting his gaze, I admitted, my voice tinged with frustration, "Honestly, I don't know. But whatever dark forces are at work, they've twisted him into something monstrous."

Baldur nodded solemnly, his gaze sweeping across the forest with a sense of sombre contemplation. The canopy above cast dappled shadows upon the forest floor, where fallen leaves lay scattered like a tapestry of forgotten dreams. His eyes lingered on the gnarled trunks of ancient trees, their twisted forms standing as silent sentinels against the encroaching darkness.

"We must tread carefully," he murmured. "The dark power that Cedric wields is ancient and powerful. We cannot afford to underestimate it."

Golnar stepped forward to join our conversation. "What if Queen Nissa survived?" she pondered aloud. "What if there's a connection between Cedric's newfound power and her defeat?"

The Orc King's eyes narrowed at the mention of Queen Nissa, his gaze darkening as he spoke, "My ancestors defeated the Fae Queen. But given that Cedric mentioned her earlier at the meeting, perhaps there's more to the story than we know."

The implications hung heavy in the air; a silent acknowledgment of the mysteries that still remained unsolved. As we grappled with the possibility of hidden connections and dark alliances, I could not shake the feeling that we were only just scratching the surface of the darkness that lurked within our midst.

As we mulled over the possibilities, Kieran suddenly interjected. "You know, Cedric has always been power hungry," he remarked, his tone edged with a hint of resignation. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's delved into dark and long-forgotten magic to satisfy his thirst for control."

"Whatever Cedric's motivations may be, we cannot allow him to succeed," Golnar declared, her voice ringing with resolve. "We must uncover the truth behind his newfound power and put an end to his treachery once and for all."

Baldur grunted, his grip tightening on his bloodied blade. "Agreed," he rumbled, his voice resonating like thunder. "We will hunt down Cedric and whatever dark forces he has allied himself with, and we will crush them beneath our heels."

As the Orc King's words echoed through the clearing, a heavy silence settled over us, broken only by the rustle of leaves in the breeze.

I could feel the weight of his determination pressing down upon me, his tenacity unwavering in the face of our shared adversary. Yet beneath the surface, a tumult of conflicting emotions raged within me, threatening to engulf me in a sea of uncertainty.

For though I knew that hunting down Cedric and his allies was a necessary task, I could not deny the ache in my heart at the thought of potentially having to kill my brother. The bond that had once united us, forged in the fires of our shared history and childhood memories, now lay shattered at our feet, broken by Cedric's treachery and lust for power.

But even as I grappled with the bitter reality of our situation, a steely resolve hardened within me, driving me forward despite the pain that gnawed at my soul. For though Cedric may have strayed from the path of righteousness, I could not abandon my duty as king and protector of our realm. The safety of everyone on the Isle of Wrobel depended upon our success in this perilous quest.