For many years, the people of Chingy City believed that the great war had finally ended.
King Austin had defeated the dragons.
King Crag-Empress had been defeated.
The armies had returned home.
The streets had been rebuilt.
Children once again played beneath the warm sunlight, and the sound of laughter had replaced the sound of swords.
But peace had made the people forget something.
Not every enemy was defeated by a sword.
Far beyond the mountains, where the sunlight never reached the ground, an ancient castle stood hidden among black rocks.
No kingdom had ever claimed it.
No map showed it.
And no ordinary soldier knew it existed.
Inside the castle, a man stood before a huge stone table.
On the table was a golden crown.
The crown was old.
Very old.
Strange symbols covered its surface.
The man slowly touched it.
Immediately, the room became cold.
A voice came from the darkness.
"You failed."
The man lowered his head.
"I did not fail."
"You lost the war."
"I lost the battle."
The shadow stepped forward.
His face remained hidden beneath a black hood.
"The difference will not save you."
The man looked at the crown.
"King Austin believes the war is over."
The hooded figure laughed.
"That is exactly what we wanted him to believe."
He reached for the crown.
But before his fingers touched it, the crown began to glow.
The entire castle shook.
The man stepped backward.
"What is happening?"
The hooded figure stared at the crown.
For the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.
"It has awakened."
A deep voice echoed through the chamber.
"THE FUTURE HAS CHANGED."
The hooded figure froze.
Then the crown released a powerful wave of energy.
Every candle in the castle went out.
And somewhere far away, in Chingy City, King Austin suddenly woke from his sleep.
His heart was beating violently.
He looked toward the window.
The moon had disappeared.
The sky had turned completely black.
Austin slowly stood.
"What is happening?"
A loud thunderclap shook the palace.
Then he heard a whisper.
A voice that seemed to come from inside his own mind.
"The first king defeated the dragon."
Austin's eyes widened.
The voice continued.
"But the next king must defeat the darkness."
Then everything became silent.
Austin stood alone in the darkness.
For the first time since the war ended, he felt afraid.
Not for himself.
For his family.
The next morning, King Austin summoned his most trusted advisers.
Queen Lisa entered the throne room and immediately noticed the worry on his face.
"You did not sleep."
Austin looked at her.
"I had a dream."
Lisa smiled gently.
"A dream?"
"No."
Austin shook his head.
"It felt different."
He explained everything.
The black sky.
The mysterious voice.
The crown.
The warning.
When he finished, nobody spoke.
Captain Jack finally stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, perhaps it was only a nightmare."
Austin looked at him.
"I have fought dragons. I know what fear feels like."
He turned toward the window.
"This was not fear from a dream."
Suddenly, the palace doors burst open.
A soldier rushed inside.
"Your Majesty!"
Austin turned.
"What happened?"
The soldier was breathing heavily.
"The northern village…"
He struggled to speak.
"What about it?"
"It is gone."
Silence filled the room.
"What do you mean, gone?"
"The village is still standing, but everyone inside has disappeared."
Austin's face became serious.
"Everyone?"
"Yes."
"Men?"
"Yes."
"Women?"
"Yes."
"Children?"
The soldier lowered his head.
"All of them."
Queen Lisa covered her mouth.
Austin immediately stood.
"Prepare my horse."
Captain Jack stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, you cannot go there alone."
"I won't."
Austin looked around the room.
"I am taking the royal guard."
Then another soldier entered.
This soldier was covered in blood.
He fell to his knees.
"Your Majesty…"
Austin rushed toward him.
"What happened?"
The soldier looked terrified.
"We found something."
"What?"
The soldier swallowed.
"A symbol."
Austin's expression changed.
"What kind of symbol?"
The soldier lifted his trembling hand.
He had drawn a strange mark across his palm.
Austin stared at it.
He recognized it.
It was the same symbol he had seen in his dream.
Queen Lisa whispered:
"No…"
Austin looked at her.
"You know it?"
Lisa nodded slowly.
"My grandmother used to tell me stories about it."
"What stories?"
Lisa's eyes filled with fear.
"She said it belonged to an ancient group called…"
She paused.
"The Eternal Order."