Author’s Note: This chapter jumps around in time and some of the events from previous chapters are retold from Izel’s point of view.

“My son, I gift you this dagger,” said King Xenon.

It was Prince Thallios’ eighteenth birthday.  He knelt before his father with his arms outstretched and received the ornate dagger.  It was curved with a jewel on its hilt and was encased in a scabbard with intricate designs.

“Thank you, father!” the prince replied.

“It can actually transform into a sword.  All you need to do is…”

Izel watched them from a distance and smiled.  The king and the prince still did not interact much in general, so today was a rare occasion.  Izel himself had gradually stopped tutoring the prince, since the prince was getting older and was no longer in need of supervised instruction.  In the past several years, the prince had become a decent barbat player and developed elegant calligraphy and painting skills.  He still did not seem that interested in history and preferred his fanciful tales and legends, but Izel supposed that it was fine, even though it would be better for a future ruler to be knowledgeable in the events of the past.

Except that the prince would probably never be a future ruler.  Izel frowned.  Although it had been more than two years since the king had revealed the late queen’s prophecies and nothing had happened since then, the thought of it was always in the back of his mind.  

So we live on borrowed time, and how much we’ve borrowed, we still don’t know, he thought.  Although the Western Region was still relatively peaceful, some cracks were beginning to show.

“There are reports of famine in various parts of the empire,” Izel, speaking as Lord Oganesson, declared to the ministers as he stood by the king at the most recent High Council meeting.  “If we do not render aid in a timely manner, there may be widespread revolt as the people get desperate.”

The king sat on his throne, chin resting on his hand.  He gazed briefly at Izel as he spoke, and tried to suppress his smile in front of the ministers.  Over the years, Izel had gone from a shy, silent observer to someone worthy of his title as king’s advisor, and now he led the High Council meetings.  

What a shame it would have been if he had just remained a mere servant, never realizing his full potential, the king thought as his eyes drifted over the room.  On the other hand, I was merely born into a high position, even though I do not feel like I genuinely have the aptitude for ruling.  We only have this empire because of my dear Selenia’s powers and it is only held together through the work of the ministers.

Ever since the king had appointed Izel as his advisor, he was vaguely aware of whispers amongst the ministers that Izel did not truly deserve his position and that it only came about because of favoritism.  Regarding that, he could not completely deny it, even though Izel was doing a decent job regardless.  However, which of these ministers before him could genuinely say that they came into their position through merit alone?  Most of them had inherited their role.

The other servants had also spoken in hushed tones around Izel after his appointment, which made it awkward for him to remain in the servants’ quarters.  Only the Palace Elder was genuinely supportive and his influence over the other servants waned as he aged.  

The king recalled that, months after they had first met, he had noticed that Izel occasionally looked glum when he came to visit him in his chamber.

“Is something on your mind, Izel?”

“Mm, it is nothing Your Majesty, just some talk amongst the others in the servants’ quarters.”

“If anyone is bothering you, I could have that taken care of.”

“Your Majesty, I appreciate the offer, but that would only increase the gossip.  I only wish to keep the peace amongst my colleagues.”

The king approached him and caressed his face.  “What if you no longer needed to stay in the servants’ quarters?”

Izel’s eyes widened.  “Oh…Your Majesty, are you suggesting…?”

The king smiled.  “You are welcome to stay here.  I can give you the key so you can come and go as you wish.”

“Your Majesty,” Izel blushed.  “The other servants will definitely talk about this…”

“But then you won’t be there to hear them,” the king grinned.

“Your Majesty, thank you…”

The king smiled and kissed him.

***

Izel stood on the balcony overlooking the courtyard, his crossed arms resting on the railing.  It had now been six years since he first met the king, who was currently standing in the shadows behind him.  The prince was now twenty-one and was conversing in the courtyard with a dark haired stranger who had just spontaneously generated a whirlwind with his bare hands.  Izel recognized that person as one of the members of the trade caravan from the Eastern Region that had just arrived yesterday.  He had read before of rare individuals possessing elemental magic abilities but had never seen it with his own eyes until now.

“Your Majesty,” he said, turning to the king.  “His Highness the Crown Prince is spending a lot of time with this stranger from the East.”

“Oh?”

“Should we be concerned?”

The king reached forward and grasped the balcony railing, his hands close to Izel’s arms.

Izel knew that the king had not slept at all, as was evident from the dark circles under his eyes.  He had tried singing to him as they lay in bed last night but had eventually fallen asleep himself in the king’s arms.  When he had awakened in the morning, he was still being held by the king, who had been staring blankly at the ceiling.

The king looked down into the courtyard at his son and sighed.  “It’s fine.”

Izel looked at him.

The king continued, “This stranger may be the one in the prophecy…”

“Your Majesty, it just worries me.  We are just going to blindly trust His Highness’ life to someone he just met?”

The king smiled.  “You are a better parent to him than me…”

Izel blushed.

The king sighed.  “I do not really know what will happen, if there is any truth to these prophecies, if we will all be doomed in the end, or if we will wake up one day realizing that all these fears were for naught.  However,” he said as he put his arms around Izel, “it seems that Thallios and his new friend get along very well…”

***

The atmosphere was tense in the king’s chamber.  They had just been informed by the palace guards that there was a sneak attack and that the Southern Region’s forces were almost at the city walls.  The king told the prince that he had to leave immediately and made his friend from the Eastern Region swear to protect him with his life.  The prince was reluctant to leave and had asked the king if there was something he could do to help.  The king suggested that he find the Sword of Ages so that he could come back someday and avenge them.  He embraced his son and told his son’s friend to take him away quickly before it was too late.

As they were about to step over the threshold of the door, the prince turned around and asked, “Lord Oganesson, are you also coming with us?”

“I will stay by His Majesty’s side as his loyal advisor,” Izel replied.

“Then…thank you for everything that you taught me…”

Tears started to form in Izel’s eyes. “You’re welcome, Your Highness.  Please, go now so that you may live…”

The prince and his friend walked out the door.  The tears began to roll down Izel’s face.

“Why did you not go with them?” asked the king.

Izel turned around.  “I am your loyal advisor.  My place is by your side.”

The king frowned and walked up to him.  “My fate is already sealed.  You will die if you stay here with me.”

Izel looked at the king solemnly.  “If you live, I live.  If you die, I die.”

The king gasped and he cupped Izel’s face in his hands.  “Why?!  Don’t you value your life?  I am cursed already, don’t let me bring you down as well!”

Izel wrapped his arms around the king’s waist.  “I don’t want you to be alone when you go, Your Majesty…”

The king began to tear up.  “Izel, why are you so good to me?  I don’t deserve this.”

“You have been good to me, Your Majesty.  I am but a humble palace eunuch.  Where would I go once the palace burns down and you are gone?  In all the history books I’ve read, those closest to a king are always the first to perish once another power takes over.  And even if I did end up escaping with His Highness the Crown Prince and his friend, I would just hinder them.  What if we end up getting captured and killed anyway?  If I am doomed no matter what, I’d rather be by your side when it ends.”

The king wrapped his arms around Izel.  Suddenly, he had a terrifying thought.  “Oh Izel, what if they…hurt you?  I can fight them off as much as I can, but you…you won’t be able to…”

Izel looked up at the king. “Don’t worry, Your Majesty, I’ve already prepared for it.”

The king looked at him with concern.  Izel reached into his collar and took out a vial attached to a necklace. “If the invaders end up taking your life and try to capture me, I will take this poison and follow you soon after…”

The king’s eyes widened in shock.

“And if that doesn’t work,” Izel produced a small dagger from his sleeve, “I’ll make sure I don’t stay behind….”  Putting the dagger back into his sleeve, he reached up and held the king’s face in his hands.  “I’ll be with you, Xenon…”

“Izel…” the king embraced him tightly and wept.

***

Leiyu and Thallios continued walking down the stone steps on the hill.

“I don’t really know all the details,” said Thallios, “but there were rumors…”

“That your father and his advisor were…very close?”

“Yes…very…I know my father loved my mother very much.  He was in grief for years after she passed away.  Lord Oganesson…or Izel rather…that was his name before my father gave him his title…in a way, he brought my father back to life…at least for a few years, before…”

Thallios began to feel lightheaded.  He sat down on the stone step.

“Are you all right?” Leiyu asked.

“I’m fine.  I just…feel very tired…”

“We can go back to the inn and rest.”

“Sure, we can do that.  Right now, can you just…sit here next to me…for a little while?”

“All right.”  Leiyu sat down next to him.  Thallios leaned his head against Leiyu’s shoulders and closed his eyes.