With calm and measured steps, Carlos Casial entered the throne room. He was dressed in white robes embroidered with gold and a purple cloak that draped over his shoulders. His long blond hair cascaded down his back, and his purple eyes set him apart from others. All eyes were on him as he ascended the steps until he reached the throne where a man with a massive build and snow-white hair, flowing down to his feet, sat. His sharp features instilled fear in the hearts of the weak.

“Carlos Casial, step forward,” said the man seated on the throne.

Carlos approached until he stood before the throne, then knelt on one knee, saying, “Carlos Casial pays his respects to the great ruler of Nibelarium.”

Nibelarium, the Kingdom of the Sky, is ruled only by the Chosen Ones—those who possess incredible power and eternal lifespans. It is far removed from Earth, and they cannot directly interfere in human affairs, but they bestow special abilities and gifts upon those who are deemed worthy.

Amandius, the ruler of Nibelarium, rose from his throne, and his aide handed him a golden crown encrusted with purple sapphires, and a golden scepter topped with a red ruby and the symbol of the Phoenix.

“Carlos Casial, a mortal, you fought bravely and sealed the ruler of Nerigard, Serathor, while all his allies banded together to support him in his attempt to seize our great kingdom. You fought not only for our kingdom but also for your land. Therefore, I grant you and your people the blessings of our kingdom. You shall be granted eternal youth and long lifespans. You shall have wings to fly through the skies, and you shall possess abilities no other mortal has. You will have powerful healing abilities, and the Phoenix and the White Tulip shall be your symbols. But remember, anyone who dares to use this power for evil, if it is of their own free will, shall be stripped of it. You resemble the immortals, but you are not one of them.”

Amandius placed the crown on Carlos Casial’s head and handed him the scepter. Carlos rose from his kneeling position and bowed to the ruler of Nibelarium.

“Your Majesty, ruler of Nibelarium, I promise that my people and I will be under your care and will never disappoint you.”

Amandius looked at Carlos thoughtfully. This child was intelligent, strong, and brave. Amandius had never seen anyone like him before. No one had dared to face him or stand against him. Carlos led a great battle with his simple magical powers and his people to stop Serathor, and they managed to imprison him. **Carlos Casial, I wish you were my child**, Amandius thought as he placed his hand on Carlos’s shoulder.

“My son, be strong and live happily, but remember that Serathor will try to return again.”

“When that time comes, I will do what is necessary to stop him forever, even if it costs me my life, Your Majesty,” Carlos said confidently.

Everyone in the hall cheered for the young man who had been granted the blessings of Nibelarium. Amandius’s prediction came true. Serathor did attempt to return, but Carlos Casial sacrificed himself and sealed himself with Serathor, leaving behind three sons.

“My son Cassius, you are the ruler after me. Take care of your brothers. Johan, Maximilian, do not abandon your brother. I love you all equally.”

Carlos embraced his three children and headed toward his inevitable fate. A great flash of light occurred, and then the two disappeared, forever.

His three sons were from different mothers. Cassius, the eldest, was the son of his childhood love who died during the first war against Serathor. Cassius was blond like his father, with a cheerful personality and strong leadership. He was fond of women and married many times. The second, Johan, had long black hair and calm features. He was the son of the second wife who died during childbirth. He had a strong personality and sometimes lacked humor. He lost the love of his life due to a trick from the woman he married and had only two children: Killian and Gina. After the death of his wife, whom he was forced to marry, he never remarried. Since his son ran away for no reason, he did not search for the woman he loved and fell into a state of dormancy and depression.

The third, Maximilian, with dark blue hair, was of average height, barely reaching his shoulders. He was strong and quiet and was the kindest of his brothers. His wife died during childbirth, and their only son was later lost with his nephew. Maximilian represented calmness and always tried to support his nephew Evering.

As for Cassius, he was the most peculiar of the brothers. He married multiple times and had many children. He married a divorced woman who had a child after she complained to him about the injustice of her husband. He took her and her child in, and later they had Evering. His wife was killed by a member of the former Noble Council because they objected to an empress being a commoner and a divorcee. After learning of this, he exiled them from Casial, and because they used their powers for evil, they were stripped of them.




**His second wife was Kylos’s mother, the daughter of his minister. He had admired her when he visited her father’s palace, but she died after giving birth to him and his twin sister, Elianor.**

**The third was Phoenix’s mother, who was from another world. While wandering through parallel worlds, he fell in love with her. She was a beautiful woman with blood-red hair and the power of the phoenix. Their only child, Phoenix, inherited her traits. Phoenix was a young man with long red hair and possessed the abilities of the phoenix, literally. His mother died in a staged carriage accident along with her sister, planned by their uncle to seize their inheritance. Cassius killed him, took his child, and returned to his world.**

**The fourth was Eithanos’s mother, a saint with beautiful silver hair. She was gentle as the breeze, and he loved her with all his heart. She died from an infection she contracted while treating people who were struck by a severe plague. Their union bore Eithanos, a tall young man with beautiful, very long silver hair, and unmatched healing abilities.**

**The fifth was Alexander’s mother, a dragon. Dragons in Cassial can also take human form. He fell in love with her and married her, but she died during a battle between dragons and wizards. The other dragons were sealed, and their only son was cursed because he was half-human, leaving half of his face covered in black runes that he hides with his shoulder-length hair.**

**The sixth, Isolda, was Demic’s mother and was descended from the wizards who had sealed the dragons. Everyone warned him against marrying her, but he said she was different and not like her family—or so he thought. Their marriage resulted in twins: Demic and Judith. Judith resembled her brother Demic a lot, but she was shorter than him with very thick brown hair. She was every man’s dream. Isolda was executed on charges of conspiring against the royal family and abusing her young son Demic, as she would always beat him with whips. When Cassius discovered this, he executed her without hesitation.**

**The seventh was the second daughter of his minister. There was no love between them; she was the one who offered to marry him to take care of the children. She felt responsible for caring for her sister’s children and their siblings and was like a mother to them all, even to Johan’s and Maximilian’s sons. She was a kind mother and the only one still alive after Cassius’s disappearance under mysterious circumstances.**

---

**Cassial Now**

The three of them arrived at the room 
where he and Demic were now.

They opened the door to find the room crowded; all his brothers and uncles were there. Judith was crying, holding her sleeping brother, and Max was gently stroking the hair of the son he had missed for years. Everyone was looking at them longingly. Evering moved with trembling steps to finally see his brothers after years of longing.