World of Ruin – Act 13: The Journey East and the Queen’s

The Journey Begins

The underground caverns were cold and endless, filled with remnants of a forgotten world. For weeks, Jonathan, Johan, and their royal knights had wandered through the darkness, searching for lost knowledge. What they found was beyond expectation—a manuscript said to belong to the legendary King David.

After sealing the final passage behind them, the party emerged from the depths, stepping onto barren land. Above them, the sky had shifted from its ominous red daytime glow to the deep, endless blue of night. In this ruined world, the daylight brought terror, but the night felt like an ocean stretching forever, a haunting reminder that there was no escape.

Jonathan, holding the fragile manuscript, turned to his brother. "We found a record from the time of David."

Johan scoffed, exhaustion evident in his face. "A piece of paper… That cost the life of a knight."

Jonathan placed a firm hand on his brother's shoulder. "Do not let his sacrifice be in vain. This document might reveal the truth of how this world came to be."

One of the knights, Sir Aldric, bowed his head. "Prince Jonathan, Prince Johan, we must move quickly. It grows darker, and the creatures that lurk in the night may soon emerge."

Johan sighed. "Alright then. But we need to find someone who can decipher this."

Sir Roland, another knight, stepped forward. "I've heard of a kingdom far to the east—Crusabeth. Their scholars are said to possess knowledge older than our own."

Jonathan considered this. "Not a bad idea. How long will it take to reach Crusabeth?"

Sir Roland hesitated before answering. "Approximately eight months, my prince."

Johan groaned. "Eight months? That's an eternity."

Jonathan tightened his grip on the manuscript. "Then we leave now."

With that, the brothers and their company began their long march eastward, unaware of the trials ahead.

---

Meanwhile, in Egress…

Back in the kingdom of Egress, Queen Nolvia faced a very different kind of battle—one that involved diapers, sleepless nights, and a prophecy she was starting to doubt.

Her son, Jacob, the so-called Child of Prophecy, was now two months old. According to legend, he was destined to be the beacon of salvation, the chosen one who would bring light to a dying world.

Unfortunately, he was currently the chosen one of crying all the time.

A Sleepless Kingdom

Nolvia, once a queen who commanded armies and stood unshaken in the face of war, was now a sleep-deprived mother, pacing her chambers at night, rocking her wailing son.

Her advisors had tried everything:

Royal nurses? Jacob screamed louder.

Magic lullabies? Jacob only got angrier.

A soft bed made from phoenix feathers? He spat up all over it.

"This child," Nolvia muttered one night as she tried to soothe him, "has more willpower than my entire war council combined."

Her knights, once hardened warriors, had started developing nervous twitches every time they heard a baby cry. Some of them had begun wearing earplugs during palace meetings.

The only person who seemed unbothered was Jacob himself. He would wail for hours, and then, as if nothing had happened, coo happily, completely forgetting his previous suffering.

The Prophecy and the Royal Mess

The High Priest of Egress had once declared:

"The child born of divine light shall lead us to salvation."

Yet, at this moment, that same child had somehow managed to escape his crib, crawl under the royal table, and was chewing on an ancient scroll.

"Jacob!" Nolvia cried, rushing to pull the sacred artifact from his tiny hands. "That is not food!"

Jacob giggled, utterly unrepentant.

As she cleaned ink off his face, Nolvia sighed. "A beacon of salvation… Right now, you're just a beacon of chaos."

Her royal advisors did not dare correct her.

Help Arrives

One evening, after a particularly long day of ruling, Nolvia sat in the royal garden, watching Jacob roll around on a blanket. She was exhausted.

That was when a familiar figure approached—Gertrude, an elderly woman who had once served as a caretaker for Johan and Jonathan. She had raised princes, trained knights in the art of discipline, and could silence an entire war camp with a single look.

"My Queen," Gertrude greeted with a deep bow. "You look like you have not slept in weeks."

Nolvia groaned. "That's because I haven't."

Gertrude chuckled. "Then you need a proper caretaker."

The Queen hesitated. "I can't just hand him off—"

Gertrude lifted Jacob with expert ease, rocking him gently. To everyone's shock, Jacob yawned and… fell asleep.

Nolvia's jaw dropped. "How did you—?"

Gertrude simply smiled. "Experience, my Queen. Shall I assist you?"

"…Yes. Immediately."

The Babysitter of Destiny

From that day forward, Gertrude became the official royal babysitter of Jacob, the prophesied child.

She taught Nolvia tricks only experienced mothers knew:

How to outsmart a baby who refused to nap.

How to distract him with shiny things when he started to cry.

How to make him think he was getting what he wanted… when he really wasn't.

Slowly but surely, Nolvia regained her sanity.

And finally, after two months of sleepless nights, Jacob slept for six hours straight.

The Queen wept with joy.

A Glimpse of the Future

One evening, Nolvia sat with Gertrude by the fireplace, watching Jacob sleep peacefully.

"Do you believe in the prophecy?" she asked quietly.

Gertrude gave a knowing smile. "I believe that prophecy or not, he will be great. Because he has a mother who loves him."

Nolvia looked down at her son, his tiny hands curled into fists, his chest rising and falling with each breath. He was still so small, so fragile.

Yet, deep in her heart, she knew he would do incredible things one day.

For now, though, he was just her baby.

Her Jacob.

And that was enough.

---

To Be Continued…

As Johan and Jonathan journeyed east, facing dangers on the road to Crusabeth, Queen Nolvia fought her own battles—ones filled with sleepless nights, mischievous antics, and the struggles of raising the Child of Prophecy.

One day, Jacob would become a legend.

But today, he was just a baby… who had just woken up and started crying again.

Nolvia groaned.

Gertrude laughed.

And in the heart of Egress, the future of the world lay wrapped in a blanket, blissfully unaware of the fate that awaited him.