Aria's POV
"I am a descendant of the Eldrids, the rightful ruling monarchs of the kingdom of Everia and rightful heir to the throne. My family were loved by all, and their rule was marked by peace and prosperity.
But then, calamity struck. A series of unexplained events ravaged the kingdom, leaving destruction and despair in its wake. Crops had withered and burned, plague had swept through the land, and the people had been left to suffer.
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 Eldrids, with their kindness and justice, had been cast aside. They were seen as weak, as unable to protect the kingdom from the wrath of the gods. And so, we were overthrown, our rule brought to an end.
But that was not the end of the story. 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 the devil, 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 had been torn asunder, and the people had been left to pick up the pieces"
Kael's eyes burned with intensity as he spoke of his family's history. I could see the pain and the anger in his eyes, the sense of injustice that had been done to his family. And I couldn't help but feel a sense of sympathy for him, for the weight of his family's legacy that he carried on his shoulders.
"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 just and fair rulers, loved by our people. Yet they were killed mercilessly"
I felt a surge of emotions as I listened to Kael's words. I had never heard the story of the Eldrids before. We were never taught. It was like they were wiped from existence.
I observed Kael. Nothing gave me the impression that 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, his voice low and husky. "Your blood holds the key to unlocking the bindings and restoring magic to the land."
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
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 red and there was black mist…"
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."