The Phantom Man

XXVII - Revelation

The prince was in the library picking some books to take to his chamber and read by the fireplace. On that night, his parents had gone earlier to bed, right after dinner.

The young man had stayed awaken. Lonely, he walked around the palace. His thoughts were on Verena while the guards kept the surroundings on watch. The shelves filled with books were an invitation for the boy to calm down his heart. He enjoyed reading a lot. Besides living situations that he could never experience in reality; he learned more about the world. Philip used to spend hours in the library; he was the one who used the place the most. Manuscripts, besides horses, were his passion. For many times, when he was still a kid, the servants would find him sleeping on a book, and then they would take him to his bed to rest.

However, that night wouldn't be like the others. Philip had just picked a book when he heard a harsh noise that distracted his concentration. The window opened abruptly due to the blowing wind. The curtains waved. For a moment, he thought that he had seen a shadow behind the curtain. He blinked, and the shadow disappeared. He walked to the window to close it when he felt something strange on his skin, as if someone had touched him on his back, demanding his attention.

Philip turned himself and he was face to face with two spiritual beings, both translucent, floating before him as if they were lighter than air. For the first time, he was frightened. Not by seeing the ghosts, which he was used to see; but by seeing his reflection on the window glass, that showed him his eyes shining as if they were on fire.

The young man rubbed his eyes and they didn't burn at all. He realized that it could only be the result of pure and simple magic. He felt himself strong as the power took over his mind. The power seemed capable of using his eyes as windows to the spiritual world. He realized that the flame meant light. It made him able to see what other human beings would never see.

The two beings became more visible, as if they were alive right there, before him: A man with a long white beard wearing light grey clothes, and by his side, a gorgeous woman in a light pink dress. They were both surrounded by a blue aura.

"Hush now, my sweet boy. Don't be afraid! I am Elheonora, your mother."

The boy looked at her, in complete disbelief. He knew that his mother was Queen Mariele. What was that woman saying?

"I am Agathor, and I want to tell you that I am your father."

"You two must be out of your minds! I already have my parents."

"We know about everything, Philip. You are privileged, my son, for being able to see the real and the spiritual worlds. Don't tell anyone what you're about to see and hear. They will not understand, and you may be accused of witchcraft, a serious accusation that could lead you to death," Agathor warned him.

"I must be dreaming... It's not possible that this is real," the young man said.

"Pay close attention to what I'll tell you, Philip," Elheonora whispered.

They looked at the half-opened door, and it slowly closed. At that moment, Philip thought of running away, but the door silently locked up.

"Please, my son, listen to us! You may shout or even bang on the door, but no one will hear you. What we're going to tell you is of great importance to your life," Agathor stated.

"Someone extremely powerful will hunt you down to kill you. He will move heaven and earth to have you destroyed, as well as anyone that blocks his way," Elheonora revealed.

"About whom are you talking about? My father's army is strong enough to destroy anyone planning to kill us."

"This man that will come after you not only has a great power, but he is also escorted by a spiritual being full of tricks. He aims to be the only wizard on Earth's surface. When he learns about your existence, he will track you down without any doubts."

"A wizard? Me?" Philip smiled, while his eyes were still on fire. "You may go, now. I don't believe a word of what you're saying. This is nothing but a bunch of lies... Witchery belongs to fairy tales."

"We've come here tonight, dear Philip, just because we love you. We are not permitted to walk to the real world now that we're dead. However, if we did nothing, your fate would be horrible," his mother replied.

"You must listen to us if you don't want your family killed, just like what happened to us when you were just a baby. You were lucky that a good mage was able to swap you with King Albert's stillborn daughter. It gave your adoptive parents plenty of happiness, while you gained a nice home to live. They are not supposed to know the truth, for you are the most important thing in their lives," Agathor said. "The wizard that saved you many years ago will meet you soon. His name is Juan. Follow his teachings thoroughly, and you'll learn the ways of a warlock and have more chances of being victorious."

"You are saying that I'm not my parent's son?" Philip asked, with teary eyes, lost amidst so much information. "That's a lie!" He shouted, although deep in his heart he felt that what they were saying was the truth.

"My sweet boy! They are your parents. They were the ones who raised you with love and care. Love binds people more than anything. I'm not sure that we should have revealed that we are your parents, too, but we have decided to tell you the truth, for the truth lasts forever and strengthens our souls."

Philip stood still like a statue at the knowledge of those secrets. But before he could say anything, he noticed that someone, a being of light, was calling Agathor and Elheonora. They were being summoned to return to the world of the dead.

"It's time to say goodbye, my darling," Elheonora said. "Keep in mind everything that we've said. The world is a dangerous place, and learning how to deal with it is the best way to survive."

She approached Philip, placed a soft kiss on his cheek, and then caressed his face. His father hugged him even though the boy was frightened and paralyzed, felling something unusual, a feeling that he had never experienced is his life.

"Farwell, dear son. Be a good man. May the spiritual forces always protect you," Agathor said.

They walked toward a tunnel of light that suddenly appeared, making the whole library vanish. The couple held each other's hand and walked together with the other being, the three of them surrounded by a light so intense that it blinded Philip for a few seconds.

When the prince recovered his vision, everything had returned to normal. There was no trace of any supernatural presence. Philip raised his hand to say a shy goodbye, even though it was late. In the bottom of his soul, and despite the fantastical events, he was still skeptical. Time would tell if all that was real. He gave up reading and went to his chamber, thoughtful.

"Who were those beings? Were they truly my parents? What about me? Am I a wizard? I have always felt a bunch of strange things that I can't talk about to anyone, like talking to animals and some premonitions. But becoming a wizard overnight? It can't be true! What about my parents? Am I an adoptive son? And who is the old man that I'll meet?"

The boy's mind was stacked by doubts, but soon enough, they would be replaced by certainties.

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