Aria's POV
"The Eldrid clan were the rightful ruling monarchs of Everia.
They were said to have been blessed by the ancient ones themselves. They were born with magic running through their veins. Other families were also blessed with magic. They were bound to serve the royal family and Everia with their abilities.
To avoid conflict, a rule was made that only the strongest Eldrid bloodline would sit on Everia's throne.
King Luthor and Queen Estelle were loved by all. Their rule was marked by peace and prosperity until it wasn't." Kael paused, as if trying to control his emotions before he continued.
" Calamity struck the kingdom, leaving destruction and despair in its wake. Crops withered and burned, plagues swept through the land, killing thousands it's wake.
They was nothing the King could do, try as he may. The stores had run dry, the royal coffers were emptied. The kingdom was in shambles and no amount of their magic could save it.
The people were hungry and dying. They became desperate and angry.
It was then that the fanatics had come, claiming that the calamity was a punishment from the gods. They had preached of darkness and sin, of the need for sacrifice and atonement. And the people, desperate for answers, had listened.
The Eldrid clan were hunted and killed, along with the families that swore fealty to them. Any one with a drop of magic was killed.
Blood filled the streets of every city, town and village, not even the children were spared" He spit out, his voice filled with venom.
"They claimed it was the will of the gods. That we invoked their wrath by using magic. They claimed we were an abomination that should've never existed. And so, we were overthrown, our rule brought to an end." He looked up at me, eyes blazing with fury.
"But that was not the end of the story." He continued,
"The fanatics, in their zeal to purge the kingdom of sin, had also sought to eradicate magic from the land. They had believed that magic was a corrupting influence, a tool of evil, and that it must be destroyed.
And so, they had performed a ritual, a dark and powerful spell that had wiped magic from the face of Everia. The land had been scorched, the magic that had once flowed through it was gone. They threw feasts and celebrated the deaths and destruction they caused and named a traitor King."
Kael's eyes burned with intensity as he spoke. His eyes were filled with pain and anguish.
"My parents were killed right before my eyes, they sacrificed themselves so that I could escape" Kael said, his voice low and even. "They were innocent they did nothing wrong yet they were slaughtered and hanged for all to see. Even in death, they were ridiculed. Their bodies mutilated and abused"
I felt a conflicted as I listened to Kael's words. I had never heard that story before. We were taught that the King had gone mad, his evil powers consuming him. He cursed the whole of Everia, bringing forth different disasters. My grandfather had been the one to defeat him and freed Everia from the evil clutches of magic. In gratitude, the people had named him King. Was that who Kael was talking about perhaps? Was my grandfather the traitor?
I wasn't sure what to believe anymore.
I observed Kael. Nothing gave me the impression t he was being untruthful. Still it was hard to believe.
"Only the blood of a direct descendant of those who bound it can break the bindings of magic," he continued, his eyes gleaming with an intense light. "That's why I need you, Aria."
I was taken aback by his words. "What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Kael's gaze never wavered. "You are a direct descendant of the ones who bound the magic," he said. "Your blood holds the key to unlocking the bindings and restoring magic to the land."
"Why me?" I let out.
Kael's eyes seemed to bore into my soul.
"Because you are the last living heir of the bloodline," he said, his voice cold and calculating. "And I need your blood to break the bindings and restore magic to the land."
"How can I be the last descendant when my father is still alive". I asked trying to make sense of what he was saying.
Kael's expression turned solemn, and he hesitated for a moment before responding.
"Your father is not the one I am referring to," he said, his voice low and measured.
"The bloodline I speak of is not one of physical descent, but of magical inheritance. You, Aria, are the last living heir of the bloodline that was bound to the magic of the land."
I felt a surge of confusion, and my mind struggled to keep up with Kael's words. "But… how can that be?" I asked, trying to make sense of what he was saying. "My father is still alive, and I have other relatives… how can I be the last descendant?"
Kael's eyes seemed to bore into mine, as if searching for something. "The bindings only recognize the last born direct descendant," he explained, his voice patient. "If you were to give birth, that ability would be passed to them, and you would no longer be the last descendant. But as it stands, you are the last living heir of the bloodline, and your blood holds the key to unlocking the bindings."
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized the weight of Kael's words. I was the last living heir of the bloodline that destroyed magic and my blood held the power to unlock it. It was a daunting thought, and one that filled me with a sense of trepidation.
"But why do you need magic so badly?" I asked.
Magic was evil. That was all I've been taught.
Kael's gaze never wavered. "Because Everia is dying. It has been without magic for too long " he replied.
"I plan on returning magic back to these lands even if it means draining every single drop of your blood to do so."
I stood from my chair and took a step back, my eyes wide with fear as I remembered the terrifying sight of Kael's eyes turning red and the black mist surrounding him. "But you have magic," I stuttered, trying to understand. "I saw you use it. Your eyes turned black and there were shadows and darkness…"
Kael's gaze never wavered, his eyes seeming to bore into my soul. "That's because I didn't get my magic from the land of the living," he said, his voice low and dark.
"I got it from the dead."