The hall was heavy with silence. Chains rattled as Colden knelt, his breath sharp, his eyes locked on Austin. Isabelle's tears shimmered in the torchlight, the brothers growled low, and Ralph's grief hung like a shadow.
Austin leaned forward on his throne, his smile fading into something colder. His voice carried across the chamber, deliberate, heavy.
"Do you want the truth, Colden? Then hear it. Hear the tale of Dean Everhart."
Colden's chest tightened. His father's name struck him like a blade.
Austin's eyes gleamed. "Dean was a punctual man. Never cunning, never greedy. From every conversation the neighboring nations and towns had, Dean was respected. A fabulous man, they said. He knew values, he knew math, he knew the things that truly matter. But time…" Austin paused, his voice lowering. "…time was the villain of his story."
The torches flickered. Colden's breath caught.
Austin's gaze drifted upward, as though recalling a memory etched deep. "It all began one night. My father and Dean sat together, worried. I remember it clearly. They spoke of the Junice Empire — the third largest empire, with five nations in its grasp. The Junice had been secretly planning to invade the northern lands. Windemere. The towns. The nations. Everything."
Colden's heart pounded. Windemere. His birthplace.
"Dean wanted to save Windemere," Austin continued. "It was his home, his blood. My father wanted to save Polace, his birthplace. Both men carried the weight of their lands. But what truly started all of this was the Merchant's Guild."
The hall stirred. Isabelle's eyes narrowed.
Austin's smile returned, thin and cruel. "The guild claimed they had connections with the empire. They promised they could appeal to stop the invasion — for compensation, of course. This raised hope in everyone's mind. But my father… he thought something was fishy."
Colden's fists clenched against the chains.
"Dean had already arranged a meeting," Austin said, his voice sharp. "With the minister who handled the empire's affairs. The location was set — the guild itself. My father advised Dean not to go. He warned him. He said it was a trap. But Dean…" Austin's eyes locked on Colden. "…Dean didn't listen."
The hall grew colder.
"That night, it began," Austin whispered. "If not for my father's cunningness, Windemere — the very place you call home — would have been a graveyard. The empire had already sent armies toward other towns. But my father acted. He sent word to other nations, rallied them, stopped the invasion before it reached here."
Austin's voice hardened. "But the guild… the guild that held the meeting… was bombed. By some matter unknown. And Dean died."
Colden's breath shattered. His body trembled, his mind spinning.
Austin leaned closer, his smile cruel. "It was that day you were born, Colden. One heck of a birth, wasn't it? Your father's death and your first breath, tied together in the same night."
The hall fell silent. Isabelle's sobs echoed, the brothers' rage simmered, Ralph's grief deepened. Colden's eyes burned, his chest heavy, his soul breaking.
Austin leaned back, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "So now you know. Dean Everhart didn't die of illness. He died because he trusted too much. Because he believed in hope. Because he walked into a trap."
Colden's tears fell, his voice trembling. "No… no…"
Austin's smile widened. "Yes. And all this time, you've been lied to. You thought your father's death was simple. But it was war. It was betrayal. It was the empire. And it was the guild."
The torches flickered again, shadows dancing across the walls. Colden's chains rattled as he lowered his head, his heart breaking. Isabelle reached for him, her voice trembling. "Colden…"
Austin's laughter echoed, sharp and cruel. "Now you carry his legacy. The son of Dean Everhart, born in blood, raised in lies. Tell me, Colden… will you be like him? Will you trust too much? Will you die the same way?"
Colden's eyes lifted, burning with rage and sorrow. His voice was low, steady, defiant. "No. I will not die like him. I will live. And I will fight."
Austin's smile faltered, just for a moment.
The hall trembled with tension. The truth had been spoken. The tale of Dean Everhart had been revealed. And Colden's world would never be the same.
TO BE CONTINUED…
NEXT CHAPTER ON 8th APRIL 2026