Fires of Fate

Chapter 4

King Eldros's twin children, Serapha and Helion, were destined for the service of the god Solorion at an early age. When they were still young, their father decreed that they would serve in the temple of Solorion. One day, while playing in the temple, they lost track of time and decided to sleep there. During the night, a snake, sent by Solorion, licked their ears, bestowing upon them the gift of prophecy.

As they grew, young Serapha blossomed into a woman of remarkable beauty, which captivated even the gods. Solorion himself became enamored with her and declared his love. However, Serapha rejected him, despite his divine nature. Solorion, hiding his anger, requested only a single kiss from her. As Serapha leaned in, he spat in her mouth, cursing her. He told her she would retain the power of prophecy, but no one would ever believe her visions. From that moment, Serapha was seen as mad, her words dismissed as the ramblings of a crazed woman.

Far away, in the city of Aranth, preparations were underway for the Festival of Alectros, a grand celebration in honor of Prince Alexandros, believed to have died many years ago. Soldiers had traveled to Mound Idris, seeking worthy tributes for the festival games. Among their prizes was Caledon's favorite bull, which the royal soldiers took as a tribute. Caledon, unwilling to part with the animal he cherished so deeply, decided to journey to Aranth and compete in the tournament to reclaim it.

Before he departed, Lyrielle, the nymph who lived with Caledon and loved him as if they were wed, foretold his fate. She warned him, "If you leave for Aranth, you will never hold me in your arms again. You will cross the Leorian Sea and find another woman who will win your heart. And when you finally seek to return, it will be too late." Despite her dire prophecy, Caledon made up his mind to go.

The shepherd had never set foot in a city as vast and splendid as Aranth, and its magnificence overwhelmed him. He registered for the festival games, where he would compete against Aranth's finest warriors, including the sons of King Eldros. Among them was the crown prince, Malion.

One by one, Caledon defeated his opponents, surprising the crowds and humiliating the royal family's warriors. His victories culminated in a final battle against Malion, Aranth's most skilled fighter. The duel was fierce and closely contested, but to everyone's astonishment, Caledon triumphed over Malion.

Watching this unfold, Doravos, another of King Eldros's sons, seethed with fury. He could not bear the sight of a mere shepherd humiliating the royal house of Aranth. Rallying his followers, Doravos drew his sword and attacked Caledon. The young shepherd fled, seeking sanctuary in the temple of Zephyros.

Serapha, who had long recognized Caledon as her lost brother and knew that his presence would spell Aranth's doom, cried out for Doravos and his men to slay him. Yet, as always, her warnings were ignored. Instead, King Eldros and Queen Lyranna ordered their soldiers to stand down.

The queen approached the young man in the temple. Through her tears, she recognized him as her son, Prince Alexandros, whom she had believed to be dead for many years. "My child," she whispered, calling him by the name she had once given him. Caledon stood speechless as the revelation dawned on him.

It was then that Damarion, the man who had raised Caledon as his own, stepped forward. With a bowed head, he confessed to the royal family that he could not bring himself to kill the infant prince all those years ago. "I believed the gods had another fate in store for him," he said. He produced the rattle Queen Lyranna had crafted for her infant son, dispelling any doubts about Caledon's true identity.

The revelation shook the city to its core. King Eldros and Queen Lyranna wept as they embraced their long-lost son, and the people of Aranth celebrated the miraculous return of their prince, Alexandros.

But even amid the celebrations, the shadow of Serapha's prophecy loomed, for she alone knew the tragic fate that awaited Aranth because of her brother's return.