Bound by Fate

Chapter 36: The Dark Prophecy Unfolds

Envi: In the beginning, there was mention of a dark prophecy and the dark king...

What does it all mean? Will it all tie together? You'll just have to keep reading to find out! 

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Before we dive deeper into the current story, we must first understand the ancient prophecy of the Dark Realm and its twisted, dangerous ruler. The king of the Dark Realm, known only as Ragnos, is a rare being with a deep affinity for dark energy, much like Jungkook and Taehyung. But unlike them, Ragnos' ambitions are far darker. He is driven by a hunger for ultimate power—a power that can only be attained by absorbing all dark energy for himself, enabling him to rule over all realms, both light and dark.

Ragnos' ruthless quest for power had already cost many lives. He had been hunting others with dark energy like his own, killing them one by one to absorb their strength. But with each soul he consumed, his thirst for domination grew. His eyes were now set on a far greater prize—eternal life. To achieve this, Ragnos sought forbidden magic, a spell that could grant him both immortality and unmatched power. But such magic came at a high cost.

To cast this spell, he needed two things: the bloodline of pure magical power and a dark soul as strong as his own. After years of searching, he discovered that Namjoon, the future ruler of the kingdom, was the only one left of the 4th generation of pure magical bloodline. Namjoon's child would carry the 5th bloodline, and that child would hold unimaginable power. Ragnos knew that if he could obtain Namjoon's bloodline, he could secure eternal life. But there was another requirement—the most powerful dark soul, one he had yet to find. Ragnos searched far and wide for the Prince of Darkness, but the dark soul had remained elusive.

Yet, amidst all this, there was a hidden truth, one that no one spoke of: Namjoon, despite his immense strength and pure bloodline, was destined to die before he reached the age of 22. His soul, known as the Prince of Brightness, carried a curse—one placed upon him by none other than the Moon Goddess herself.

This curse was rooted in a tragic history, a story of love, betrayal, and death that had repeated itself across lifetimes.

The Story of the Prince of Brightness and the Curse of the Moon Goddess

Long ago, when the realms were still young, the Moon Goddess had two forms—one that held the light, and one that embraced the darkness. The light side of the Moon Goddess, called Lunara, was pure, kind, and sought balance in the world. Her darker counterpart, Noctara, was fierce, passionate, and driven by a love for the shadows. Despite their differences, they were two halves of the same whole, each essential for the balance of the cosmos.

Lunara and Noctara each found their love of life in two powerful brothers: the Prince of Brightness and the Prince of Darkness. Lunara loved the Prince of Brightness, who carried the power of light within him. Noctara was drawn to the Prince of Darkness, who possessed the power of shadow and mystery. For a time, the world existed in harmony. The brothers ruled their realms together, and the Moon Goddess's two halves lived in balance.

But as the time for the throne approached, the brothers found themselves in conflict. The king, their father, chose the Prince of Darkness as his successor, believing his calm demeanor and strategic mind made him the better ruler. This decision enraged the Prince of Brightness, who had always believed he was destined for the throne. Consumed by jealousy and pride, he grew darker with each passing day, despite his powers being rooted in light.

Noctara, who deeply loved the Prince of Darkness, tried to calm the situation, but her efforts were in vain. Blinded by his anger, the Prince of Brightness did the unthinkable—he murdered his brother in a fit of rage.

The death of the Prince of Darkness shattered Noctara. Her grief turned into madness, and she plunged into the deepest shadows, dragging the entire realm into darkness with her. The skies wept, and the kingdom fell into chaos as Noctara's sorrow consumed everything in its path. Seeing this, Lunara, the light side of the Moon Goddess, had no choice but to intervene. She confronted the Prince of Brightness, devastated by his actions.

"You have brought ruin to the world, and for what? Your pride?" Lunara's voice was filled with sorrow as she looked at the man she once loved.

The Prince of Brightness knelt before her, his hands stained with his brother's blood. "I... I didn't mean for it to go this far."

But Lunara's heart had hardened. "For your crime, you will die by my hand," she declared. And so, she cursed him, vowing that in every lifetime, he would die by her hand on his 22nd birthday. The weight of her curse was heavy, but it was the only way to restore balance.

Yet what no one knew was that the Prince of Brightness and Lunara were mates, just as the Prince of Darkness and Noctara were. Despite the curse, they were fated to be reborn, again and again, doomed to repeat the same tragic cycle. Each time, they found each other, and each time, they fell in love, only for the curse to strike, tearing them apart.

This had happened four times already, and now, in this generation, Namjoon carried the soul of the Prince of Brightness, while his destined mate, the soul of Lunara, remained unknown to him.

Back to story...

The Dark Realm's Minister's Plan

Meanwhile, in the present day, Ragnos, the dark ruler of the realm, was unaware of a dangerous plan brewing within his own kingdom. His most trusted minister, a man of cunning and ambition, had devised a plot to kidnap Namjoon's husband, Jin. The minister believed that by luring Namjoon into the Dark Realm, he could present him as an offering to Ragnos and earn the king's favor.

Late one evening, as Jin wandered through the palace gardens, unaware of the eyes watching him, the minister's men struck. They captured Jin swiftly and silently, covering his mouth to stifle any cries for help. Jin struggled, but the men were well-trained, and soon enough, they had him bound and taken away to a secret underground room in the heart of the Dark Realm.

The room was cold and damp, the air thick with the scent of mildew. Chains clinked as Jin was shackled to the stone walls, his heart pounding in his chest. He had no idea where he was or why he had been taken. All he knew was that he had to survive, to find a way out and get back to Namjoon.

The minister stood outside the door, speaking quietly to one of the guards. "Keep him alive, but don't let him escape. We need him to lure Namjoon here. When the time comes, Ragnos will reward us for our efforts."

Jin, overhearing this conversation, realized with growing horror that this wasn't just a random kidnapping. He was a pawn in a much larger game, one that involved his husband and forces far beyond his understanding.

Back in the kingdom, Namjoon was frantic. It had been two days since Jin had disappeared, and no one had seen or heard from him. Namjoon had searched every inch of the palace, the gardens, the surrounding forests—yet there was no trace of him. His heart ached with worry, his mind clouded with dark thoughts.

"Where is he?" Namjoon muttered to himself, his fists clenched as he stormed through the palace. "Where could he have gone?"

Jungkook and Taehyung had been helping with the search, but even their combined efforts yielded nothing. The entire kingdom was on edge, the peace they had known now shattered by Jin's sudden disappearance.

"I'll find him," Namjoon vowed, his voice filled with determination. "I don't care how long it takes."

But as the second day came to a close, a heavy sense of dread settled over Namjoon. Something wasn't right. It felt as though Jin had been taken, not just lost. And whoever had taken him was hiding him somewhere far beyond the reach of the kingdom.

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Envi: I hope you guys now have a better understanding of the dark prophecy, the dark king, and the stories of the princess brightness and moon goddess.

These are all key to understanding what's coming next in the story, so make sure to pay attention! If anything is unclear, feel free to re-read it. And if you're still confused, comment down below, and I'll do my best to summarize it for you! 😊