Chapter 5 - Pledges and Shadows

Axl didn’t answer Joseph’s question right away.

The weight of the Great Hall seemed to press in on him—its high vaults catching the silence like a net, holding it taut between marble and shadow.

John shifted beside him, posture straight, eyes sharp but carrying a soldier’s unease. The woman by the throne kept her gaze locked on Axl, but her fingers curled once at her side, as if bracing for an impact she couldn’t see.

Axl drew a slow breath.

“It’s not a shadow you’ll see coming,” he said at last. “But it’s already moving.”

Joseph’s gaze hardened. “Go on.”

“There’s a stone—what’s left of it—being pieced back together. Not just a relic, but one of the Divine’s oldest stones. History says our first ancestors, the borthers Kiah and Zadicus, each carried one in the earliest days of our people. They were said to grant unmatched strength, clarity of thought, and the will to lead… but Zadicus twisted his, bending the kingdoms of Othania under his heel. When he fell in the War of Ideals, the stone was shattered, its shards scattered to keep that kind of power from ever being whole again.”

He shook his head. “Now, Alaric is hunting the pieces. And if he finishes what Zadicus started… Othania will bow or burn.”

Axl’s voice lowered. “Some of the old myths even claim the stones could ‘carry the will’ of their bearer into the next age. I’ve always taken that as just a story the elders told—but if there’s even a grain of truth in it, we can’t let him succeed.”

John’s voice was quieter now, but edged with steel. “I heard things… back when they were experimenting on me. Orders, whispers. They said a piece of something—something important—was hidden here, in this castle. They wanted me to take it. I didn’t understand what it was at the time… only that they spoke of it like it was the key to undoing everything you’d done for this place.”

Joseph leaned back, fingers tightening on the carved arms of his seat. “Then it seems my walls have been keeping more than just the wind out.”

Axl continued. “We think their base is somewhere remote, outside your borders. I need scouts—quiet ones. Mass troop movements would be noticed, and the other kings won’t like the smell of war this close to their borders.”

Joseph’s gaze hardened, the warm host giving way to the calculating ruler. “You’re asking me to risk men and political goodwill on your word alone.”

“You’ve done it before,” Axl replied evenly.

Silence stretched for a beat, and then Joseph exhaled slowly. “And you?”

“John and I will return to our capital, Azkaion, and reach out to my uncle—see if anyone from the old Divine militia is still alive and willing to assist. If we find the stone, we end it. No matter the cost.”

The King turned his attention to John. “And you’re ready for that?”

John hesitated, then squared his shoulders. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t. I owe more than I can repay—and this is a start.”

Joseph gave a slow nod. “Then you have my support. I’ll move scouts quietly, and I’ll call in favors where it matters. But Axl—if this fails, I’ll have more enemies than just the ones chasing your stone.”

“You’ll have results,” Axl said firmly.

The woman beside the throne shifted, as if ready to speak, but Joseph’s voice cut in before she could.
“Before you go, there’s something you should know, Axl. After you left the castle, I decided it was time to find a bodyguard—someone who could match your skill.”

Axl tilted his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

The woman stepped forward, light catching the soft curve of her cheek and tracing over the long brown hair that framed her face. Her eyes—rich brown, with a glint of green that surfaced when the light found them—carried a quiet intensity. She moved with the precision of a soldier, each step deliberate, but there was a gentler undercurrent in the way she held herself… something that tugged at the edges of memory. Axl’s gaze lingered a fraction too long, a flicker of recognition stirring without a name to anchor it. When she extended her hand, her voice was measured but warm.

“Scarlet,” she said, her tone steady but touched with something softer. “It’s good to see you again, Axl.”

His grip tightened almost unconsciously, his mind sifting through half-forgotten moments—training grounds, fleeting glances, battles swallowed by smoke and chaos. “See me again…?”

Her gaze didn’t waver. “We crossed paths a few times during the war.”

Heat crept into Axl’s face. “I hope you’ll forgive me. That time in my life was… a blur.”

Something in her expression tightened—gone in an instant—before she gave a polite nod and stepped back letting the silence close around them.

Joseph cleared his throat. “Well then, we’re finished here—”

The doors burst open.

A small figure streaked across the marble like an arrow loosed from a bow. John’s hand flew to his weapon, but Axl raised a palm.

“It’s just the princess.”

Charlotte’s laughter filled the hall as she collided with him, arms tight around his waist. “Sir Axl!”

He knelt, returning the hug with a warmth few ever saw from him. “You’ve gotten taller.”

Queen Caroline swept in moments later, her gown whispering over the stone. “Charlotte! I told you—oh, I’m so sorry, Axl. She slipped away.”

Axl rose, bowing, and John followed suit.

“It’s an honor to see you again, Your Majesty,” John said, his voice carrying a tremor he tried to hide.

Axl grinned. “Don’t be nervous. She doesn’t bite.” He ruffled Charlotte’s hair. “Charlotte, this is my friend John–he;s the one who helps keep me safe.”

Her eyes went wide before she darted forward and hugged him. “Thank you for protecting Sir Axl!”

John froze—then, slowly, his arms came up in return. When he smiled, it was small but genuine.

Joseph clapped Axl’s shoulder and leaned in, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “Before you go, speak with Scarlet. If there’s history between you, best you uncover it now—on your own terms.”

Axl glanced at her, then nodded. “Yeah… maybe I will.”

Joseph straightened.

“Excellent! Scarlet,” he called, “please accompany Axl—and keep him distracted while I have my tea moved somewhere safer.”

He turned just enough to wink at Axl.

Scarlet crossed toward a side door, offering Axl a faint, knowing smile. “If you’ll follow me.”

Axl fell in step, glancing over his shoulder as he reached the threshold. “While I’m gone, John—tell them about yourself. It’s a great story.”

John’s eyes widened. “Wait—what?”

Axl didn’t slow, just raised a hand in parting. The last thing he heard before the doors shut was Charlotte’s eager voice.

“So, have you ever fought a dragon?”