Way of the Knights

Chapter 32 - Fate

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"Anyways I believe we got sidetracked. I don't know how long I could stay since too much time had passed. I just want to make a small request."

Raven stayed silent, signifying that old king to relay his request.

"I left an inheritance at the cave near the palace. If the location didn't change from my era, then you should be able to locate it. The cave is hidden on the fifth hill, just look for the white paint that spelled out the words 'Trinity' and you'll be at the right place."

"I left an item in there, that thing accompanied me throughout my travels and provided me with much assistance. My death was rather…abrupt, and I didn't get to pass it down to my descendants. Now, I don't know if how many descendants of mine are left or if there's even one. If you could go there, take the item and use it to protect the kingdom. That will be my last wish before I truly disappear from this world."

King Harold sighed in melancholy, it carried profound sadness and regret. Time was the most ruthless killer that there is. No matter how strong you get nor how much you preserved your dear life, it will constantly erode you to the point that it erases every single thing that you care about: identity, family, wealth, power, descendants. All of those will eventually succumb to time and will be erased as well.

On the contrary to his sadness, Raven actually laughed which made the king startled. He laughed for a good while before stopping.

"So that's how it is! So you were the one who left it there! Oh fate, how mysterious each of your moves are!" Harold was a bit perplexed as he heard Raven's words, he thought: 'Is he alright?'

"Look into my eyes Harold." Raven smiled and instructed. The old king followed only to see a surprising change happen. A golden corona appeared on the child's eyes. Harold was instantly gobsmacked.

"Divine Overseer's Gaze! You…" Harold trailed off as he was finding it hard to believe what was happening.

"That's right. The Crown is with me." Raven smiled and revealed the truth to the old king.

"So that's why your soul is this powerful. It's because of the Crown! I guess I was using it wrong all this time." Harold lamented a bit but was relieved at the same time.

"No, you're wrong Harold. The strength of my soul isn't because of the Crown, in fact I found it when the kingdom was destroyed."

"The kingdom was destroyed!?" Harold stood up abruptly from his words.

"Oops, didn't mean it that way. Calm down Harold and let me explain." Raven chuckled and gestured for the old king to sit down.

"The kingdom isn't destroyed Harold, at least not yet." The old king was flabbergasted as he was having difficulty following his meaning.

"You see, I'm not a regular person Harold, you should know that by now." The old king nodded in agreement, "My soul experienced rebirth. I know everything that might happen in the future if things are to continue like this."

The old king went speechless. Believe it or not, he was actually waiting for Raven to say that he was joking but it didn't look like he was.

"…How?" This was all that he could ask after a long period of silence.

"It's because of the Ancestral Crown. It was the one who sent my soul back in time."

'So Ancestral Crown is it's name.' Harold thought to himself.

"There is so much more to this world than what you could possibly think Harold." Raven continued to say, "All of you were thinking that this kingdom is last haven for humans but none of you have ever wondered beyond this Grand Ancestral Plane, the world where this kingdom exist. You haven't visited the Divine Realm, the true place where all of the Ascended Humans are gathered."

"You haven't faced the real terrors to humans. Abbyssal Devils as we call them. Heck, I bet you didn't even knew that there are other humans left in this tiny world since you never bothered to look before."

The old king's mind was reeling from all of this revelation. He found it absolutely unbelievable yet he could also tell that he wasn't lying to him at all.

"How was the kingdom destroyed?" Harold asked.

"Well you know, usual stuff. Beasts hordes, Curtain and some greedy fuckers that wanted to sit on that moldy throne!" Raven venomously spat while Harold sighed in a defeated manner.

Raven wasn't joking when he said 'usual stuff', that is because he personally knew this as well, in fact this was the very reason why Harold died as well. The Black Curtain Guild managed to penetrate his forces under his nose, then the beast horde attacked, he left the palace to help with the defence, then he was suddenly cornered by the guild since one of his advisers betrayed him. Then he died.

"Back then, the size of the Beast Horde was just insane, by my estimations, must be at between 1 to 1.5 million in size. What's scarier is that the Black Curtain Guild managed to leash them all, making them act like some disciplined army. On top of that, their forces yet again, managed to penetrate the kingdom's defences and take root inside. Now we have to divide our forces, and because the kingdom is at decline, it's destruction was certain."

"Oh and by the way. Breaking news! That 'Pale Bastard' managed to leave a seed, and it is now baring it's fangs." Raven snorted.

"What!?" Harold was startled once again. He looked intently at Raven and took his silence as a form of confirmation, his face then visibly turned pale as he cursed in a low voice: "Fuck!"

This wasn't a good news at all. No wonder the kingdom faced destruction! That 'Pale Bastard' was quite a force to be reckon with! He had long since forgotten how many times he, a former king, was driven to corner by that bastard over and over again during his reign. He even formed a crusade and personally lead it just to vanquish that bastard but who thought that it managed to leave a seed? He wasn't even aware that it could do that!

"Quite a deceiver isn't it? Fooled all of you. Now it remembers and it's mad. Given how low today's kingdom had declined and how tempting the curtain's enticements are. It will only take few years before the promised date occurs."

The old king grimaced, the poor remnant soul felt like he had gotten visibly older by this news. 'How could this be? Does the Heaven's want my home to suffer that much? How many innocents have to die before it ends.'

As the old king felt despair, he felt like he was forgetting something important, just as when he wanted to consult the person in front him, he was once again reminded about something. That something that he forgot.

'That's right! I forgot that this kid in front of me is not a normal person! His soul experienced rebirth! If he knows what's going to happen then it's possible that…'

"Rest assured. Leave it to me. I have plans." Raven could somewhat tell what the old king was thinking so he reassured him, the old king in front of him is nothing but a remnant soul after all. He might have a lingering feelings about the kingdom he once ruled, but in truth, his condition is nowhere enough to help.

"I express my deep gratitude young friend. You don't understand how much relief your existence brings." The old king lowered his head in gratitude. The Final Haven Empire might not be aware of it yet, but he was glad that he met the one who will bring prosperity to his home, he might not be there to see it, but he was sure that there will be day when his home does not need to be afraid of the threats outside.

Raven smiled, he saw that the old king was slowly fading yet did nothing to stop him. He instead rose and kneeled in front of the humble king, he placed one hand on his chest and lowered his head.

"Have thy rest King Harold Fylnn Alexander. May you find eternal peace at the other side of the shore."

The old king flashed one final smile of serenity before he truly disappeared. Raven didn't grief nor cry since he knew that the old king can now rest in perpetual peace. Harold was one of the most benevolent king that had ever ruled the kingdom, he was loved by his people and many will gladly follow his footsteps. Even though Raven is technically stronger and more capable that he is, he didn't hesitate to bow down to give due respect to someone like Harold.

For all he know, the Final Haven Empire would've ceased to exist without him ruling it.

And since the old king had now departed, the space where his soul was collapsing.. He gently willed his soul back to his body and return to the real world.