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Chapter 39 – The Royal Secret and The New Quest

The trio absorbed Prince Zhao’s words, the weight of his plight settling heavily upon their shoulders. They were caught in a struggle far more complex and perilous than they had anticipated. Makara, ever perceptive, broke the silence with a pointed question. “You mentioned that your father said you all hold something crucial to his life. What did he mean by that?”

Prince Zhao’s face grew even graver, and a shadow of contemplation darkened his expression. He drew a deep breath, the gravity of his revelation palpable in his voice. “To understand the significance of my father’s words, I must tell you a story that happened many years ago,” he began, “Long ago, during a fateful confrontation, my father faced the Guardian of that era. The Guardian, a figure of immense power, overwhelmed my father in a climactic battle. In the final moments of their conflict, the Guardian shattered my father’s sword, forcing him to concede defeat. After the battle, my father painstakingly collected the shards of his sword as a remembrance.”

A deep, melancholic pause followed his words. Prince Zhao’s gaze was distant, lost in the echoes of that fateful confrontation. “Then, long after,” he continued, “We were embedded with the fragments of the shattered blade—four children in all, three still young and one scarcely more than an infant. These fragments are not mere relics; they are the very conduits of his core.”

The room fell silent, the enormity of Prince Zhao’s account settling heavily upon the listeners. Shawn, Princess Selena, and Makara exchanged uneasy glances, their concern growing with each passing moment. Prince Zhao’s next words only deepened their apprehension. “To defeat my father in battle, one would need the full sword reassembled. No other weapon, no matter how sharp or powerful, can make even the slightest scratch on him. Only the complete sword, restored from its scattered pieces, holds the power to challenge him.”

The gravity of Prince Zhao’s words struck the trio with the force of a tidal wave. The task before them was daunting, shrouded in complexity and danger. Prince Zhao’s expression grew even more sombre as he delved deeper into the matter. “Moreover, even if someone were to gather all the pieces of the sword and reforge it, wielding it would be nearly impossible. The sword resonates only with the Guardian, the one who originally shattered it.”

As he spoke, Prince Zhao drew his hand close to his chest; his chest started curling around something unseen, and the fragment emerged from his chest and dropped into his hand. He revealed a fragment of the sword—a small but unmistakable piece of the once-great weapon. The fragment consisted of the hilt and a few inches of the broken blade. Prince Zhao carefully placed it on the table before them, the glint of the metal catching the flickering light.

“This is one such piece,” Prince Zhao explained, his voice taut with suppressed frustration. “I can extract this fragment using my core power. However, I cannot say the same for my siblings. They bear their pieces within them as part of their very core. To obtain their fragments, they would need to surrender them willingly—or, in the worst case, they could only be extracted through their deaths.”

As Prince Zhao finished his explanation, the sword fragment on the table began to hum softly, a faint pulse emanating from its broken blade. The mild resonance filled the air, causing a ripple of energy that made the torches flicker and the shadows dance across the walls. Prince Zhao and Princess Selena exchanged curious, shocked glances, their eyes widening as they realised the broken sword was reacting to something—or someone—among them.

Shawn and Makara’s expressions immediately shifted to alarm. The resonance was too close, too telling. If it continued, the secret they had been keeping might be revealed, something neither of them was prepared for.

“That’s… strange,” Prince Zhao muttered, his gaze fixed on the glowing fragment. He cautiously reached out and grasped the piece of the sword, intending to study it further. But as soon as his fingers wrapped around the hilt, a sharp jolt of energy surged up his arm, causing him to cry out in pain. Startled, he instinctively flung the piece away from him, his face twisted in shock and pain.

The fragment flew across the room, arcing through the air toward Princess Selena, whose eyes widened in fear and confusion. But before it could reach her, Shawn moved with blinding speed. He leapt from his seat and caught the fragment mid-air, his hand closing around it tightly.

For a moment, the room was utterly still, save for the soft, pulsing hum of the sword piece in Shawn’s hand. Prince Zhao clutched his arm, wincing as the residual pain from the shock coursed through his fingers. “What… what just happened?” he asked, still stunned, his gaze shifting from Shawn to the sword fragment now held firmly in Shawn’s grasp.

Princess Selena stood frozen, her face a mixture of confusion and suspicion. She stared at Shawn, her eyes narrowing as if trying to piece together a puzzle she hadn’t known existed. “How did you…?” she began, her voice trailing off as the realisation of something extraordinary dawned on her.

Shawn, still holding the sword piece, felt its energy pulsing against his palm. He tried to maintain a calm exterior, but the weight of the moment was pressing down on him. He could feel Makara’s eyes on him, a silent reminder to keep his composure. Makara, for his part, remained seated, his expression deliberately blank, acting as though he knew nothing of the significance of the fragment’s reaction.

Prince Zhao, still clutching his hand where the sword fragment had shocked him, stared at Shawn in disbelief. The realisation was dawning on him, and his voice trembled slightly as he asked, “Don’t tell me… Shawn, are you…?”

Makara, sensing the secret was out and that there was no point in hiding it any longer, stepped forward to intercept. “I’m sorry, Prince Zhao,” he said, his voice steady but serious. “We should have told you sooner. Shawn is indeed the current Guardian.”

For a moment, there was a heavy silence in the room. Prince Zhao’s face was a mix of shock, realisation, and a sudden understanding. Without saying another word, he turned and moved back through the wall to his throne room, his expression distant, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. Shawn stood there, the fragment of the sword still in his hand, its resonance pulsing through his veins like a second heartbeat.

Princess Selena was frozen in place, her mind racing. The shock of the revelation settled in her chest like a stone. She had fought Shawn, the Guardian, and he hadn’t even revealed his true identity. She felt a sting of betrayal mixed with confusion. How could he hide this from her?

“Princess,” Shawn began, his voice gentle but earnest. “We didn’t mean to keep this from you or your father. It was never about deception. We just… didn’t want to raise any unnecessary hopes or fears.” But his words seemed to drift right past her. Her eyes were fixed on the sword piece in his hand, and the look on her face was one of someone trying to reconcile what she thought she knew with this new reality.

Makara broke the silence, his voice firm. “We need to speak with Prince Zhao. There’s no time to waste.” He motioned for them to follow, and the three of them moved toward the throne room. As they entered, they found Prince Zhao seated on his throne, lost in thought, his gaze distant and unfocused.

They stood before him, a tableau of tension: Shawn clutching the sword piece in his hand, Princess Selena with her face still clouded with confusion, and Makara, calm and steady, as though he had expected this moment all along.

Prince Zhao finally looked up, his eyes filled with a new clarity. “It all makes sense now,” he said, his voice a mixture of realisation and resignation. “I was a fool not to see it sooner.” He took a deep breath, his voice growing heavier. “Shawn… no, Guardian,” he corrected himself, “as the Crown Prince of the Azure Kingdom, I beseech you to gather all the sword fragments from my siblings and reforge them, to save my father, and this kingdom. Stop this war or, at the very least, free my father from whatever the dark force binds him… by any means necessary.”

Shawn felt the weight of those words settle on his shoulders, heavier than any burden he had carried before. His grip tightened on the broken sword piece, feeling its power resonate within him. He straightened his back, meeting Prince Zhao’s gaze with newfound resolve. “Prince Zhao, I understand the gravity of what you’re asking. I may be inexperienced, but I will do my best.”

A small smile appeared on Prince Zhao’s face, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Very well,” he said, standing up. He moved to a wall and traced a circle with his hand, creating a shimmering portal. “There is one last thing I can do to help you. This portal will take you to the forest near my youngest sibling’s territory. From there, you must make your own way.”

Makara turned to Shawn and Princess Selena. “Princess,” he said, his tone softer, “I promised your father I’d see you safely back to Atlantis once you had served your purpose. Despite that, we did allow you to accompany us further, but I believe that purpose is now fulfilled. It’s time for you to go home.”

He then looked at Shawn, his expression firm. “Shawn, we have another journey ahead of us. Let’s go.” He approached Prince Zhao, giving him a respectful nod. “My prince, thank you for your hospitality and your help. We will do everything we can.” With that, he stepped through the portal and disappeared.

Shawn turned to Princess Selena, his voice earnest. “Thank you for everything, Princess, but now you must return home. We go in our path.” He gave her a reassuring nod, then moved toward the portal. He paused briefly, giving Prince Zhao one last nod of acknowledgement, and then stepped through, vanishing from sight.

Princess Selena stood there, torn between duty and desire. She felt the pull to return home, to Atlantis, where she belonged. But she also felt something else—a nagging feeling that her part in this wasn’t over. Before she could make up her mind, Prince Zhao spoke, interrupting her thoughts. “You know,” he said quietly, “Makara is drunk half the time, and Shawn may be inexperienced, but they need all the help they can get. I would go with them myself if I could.” He turned his gaze away, acting like lost in thought.

Princess Selena’s resolve hardened. “Who are those idiots to tell me what to do?” she muttered under her breath. Making up her mind, she stepped forward and walked into the portal, following Shawn and Makara. As soon as she entered, the portal shimmered and closed behind her, leaving Prince Zhao alone in the chamber.

Prince Zhao watched as the portal closed, a wistful smile on his face. “That was… fun,” he said softly to himself, enjoying the brief company he had had. “I hope everything will be fine.” The room fell silent once more, the sea lanterns casting long shadows on the walls. With a deep sigh, he turned and walked back to the portrait, his form becoming liquid-like once again as he disappeared into the painting.

While Shawn and Makara step into the next step of their journey, accompanied by a new companion – Princess Selena.