บท 19: 19. Meet Me In the Forest of Lost Souls
Prince Arkana's confusion only deepened after hearing all that had happened to his two friends. "The appearance of two troublemakers in different places at the same time," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "They've always worked together to cause chaos, but what exactly are the Darkconian Empire and the Midnight Melody tribe scheming this time?"
"All I know is that they'll never stop until they get what they want," the nameless young man replied.
"Are they still obsessed with unicorn blood?" Arkana asked, his tone sharp.
The nameless young man raised his face, crossing his arms. "The remnants of the Darkconians started resurfacing 31 years ago—ever since I collapsed their empire centuries ago. But it wasn't until 11 years ago, when they learned about Kairav, that they began causing regular trouble. So yes, they're still after unicorn blood," he continued.
Casildo rubbed his face, frustration clear. "They're nothing but trouble with all these crazy obsessions!"
Arkana sighed heavily. He turned to the nameless young man again, asking, "Do you think the Darkconians have anything to do with the Depths Abominations coming out of the Deepshadow Realm? If you think about it, those creatures have been showing up more frequently since the Darkconians reappeared."
"I actually wanted to talk to you about that," Arkana added.
The dark-eyed youth remained silent for a moment, his solemn face betraying his deep thoughts before he replied, "It's possible. Maybe they've opened the gates to the Deepshadow Realm or released the monsters intentionally."
Casildo snorted in frustration. "Those monsters are insane! Last night, I had to rush to Duskmyst Island because my men reported sightings of the Bati people there," he said irritably. Turning to Arkana, he added with a tired expression, "You and your father were right to form the Myth Slayer Taskforce, Bro."
"They've been helpful with the Depths Abominations, but the Shadowrift Abominations are still a massive problem for us," Arkana said, his brow furrowed.
"That Stellar Essence explosive monsters…" Casildo grimaced. "We only know they come from black hole portals, but we don't even know what world they come from..."
"For now, let's focus on the Depths Abominations," Arkana suggested.
The nameless young man's voice was calm as he said, "Even if the Deepshadow Realm's gate is fully opened, there's not much we can do. We know the realm exists, but we don't know where the gate is."
Casildo, growing more frustrated, shouted, "Then what do we do now?! How do the Darkconians always know these crucial things? Even the origins of our powers are only known to them!"
In his usual calm tone, the nameless young man replied, "Because they're the beginning of everything…"
A heavy silence followed, the grim truth settling over them.
"You should've asked Ardika those questions before you killed him back then, Bro…" Casildo muttered, sitting back with a tired look.
The nameless young man remained expressionless, while Arkana shook his head, sighing as he changed the subject. "What are you planning to do with Kairav after this?" he asked.
The nameless young man's gaze drifted to the unconscious Kairav. After a long pause, he said, "I'll become his shadow."
Arkana frowned. "You're still going to protect him?"
"What choice do I have?" The young man responded without looking up. "Teaching him how to use his powers isn't possible, not when the only person who could've taught him how to control the Unicorn Spirit has long since become an undead. The only way to protect him now is to keep him close to me, especially since the Darkconians and the Midnight Melody tribe know he's here."
The young prince crossed his arms, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Why are you so determined to protect him?"
"To keep his blood from falling into the wrong hands," the young man answered. After a brief pause, his voice softened. "And… he might help me find answers about my past..."
Arkana's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"His biological father is the only key I have. If Kairav can somehow restore his father's soul, maybe I'll get the answers I've been searching for."
Casildo's tone softened, filled with sympathy. "You're still trying to uncover your past?"
The young man's gaze shifted toward the window. "My curse, the secret of my birth… I need to find the answers before I die. I've got less than three years left…"
A somber silence followed. Casildo sighed deeply, glancing at Kairav's still form. "Is unicorn spirit blood really unable to give you more time?"
Arkana responded before the nameless young man could. "It can't. When his time comes, his body will turn to ashes."
"I'm tired of living," the nameless young man whispered. "I don't care about death. I just want answers before I go."
The gloomy atmosphere weighed heavily on them. Arkana, not wanting to dwell on it for too long, changed the subject again. "Are you still going to keep the truth from Kairav?"
"The trauma from 11 years ago erased some of his memories, but now, piece by piece, the truth is coming to him. It'd be pointless to keep hiding it," the young man said, his eyes on Kairav. "There's no safe place to hide anymore. The Darkconians and the Midnight Melody tribe already know about him."
After a pause, the young man made his decision. "It's time he knows who he is."
He pushed open the window and, without hesitation, jumped onto the ledge.
Casildo sprang to his feet. "Hey! Don't disappear yet! You haven't told me everything about this Failed Product!"
The young man glanced back at Kairav, silent for a moment, then reached into his bag. "Take this," he said, tossing a small glass bottle to Casildo.
Casildo caught it, examining the crimson liquid inside. "Crimson Begonia Extract?" he asked, astonished.
Arkana leaned in, equally surprised. "That's a rare plant from Sapphire Island. Why give it away?"
"The tribal elder from Dusk Ridge Village gave it to me," the nameless young man explained. "I won't need it, so I'm giving it to someone else."
Casildo's face lit up with joy. "Thanks for the gift!"
"Not for you," the nameless young man said as he leaped out of the window.
Casildo's smile vanished. He ran to the window, shouting, "Who's it for?!"
"If you want to know, meet me in the Forest of Lost Souls when the rainy season comes!" the young man called back, already walking away.
"What are you going to do in that haunted mountain?!" Casildo yelled, exasperated.
"Looking for someone's soul," the young man replied as he disappeared into the distance.
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