The Shadow Crown: The Lost Heir's Trial

Once, there was a kingdom where laughter echoed in every corner and creativity was celebrated. But after a change in rule, the land fell under the shadow of fear. The new king declared creativity illegal. People lived in silence, stripped of color and joy. They wore only grey. Hushed whispers spread tales of glowing red-eyed monsters that devoured the souls of travelers lost in the forest.

In the quiet town of Wappapello, on the edge of this troubled realm, lived a boy named Thomas Frey. Like others, he wore grey, but he was unlike any other. Thomas had no known parents. He simply appeared one day in the town square. A kind old man raised him like a son, in a wooden house built by his grandfather. Thomas grew up strong, honest, and loved by all.

One day, recruiters from the King’s Fort arrived, conscripting all able-bodied youths. Thomas’s elderly father woke him at dawn, handed him his shoes, and said, “This war is not for you. Go north, my son.” Without hesitation, Thomas ran.

He ran through fields and hills until he reached the entrance to the dark Strigen Forest. He hesitated—rumors spoke of evil within—but he pushed forward. As he ventured deeper, the canopy grew thick. When he looked back, the path had disappeared. He was trapped.

Soon, he heard a low, warbling sound and started running. Vines tore at his clothes. Thorns scratched his skin. Then he crashed into a hidden net and was hoisted off the ground.

When Thomas awoke, he was tied to a stake in a clearing surrounded by masked figures in black cloaks. Strange music played. A tall leader in a horned mask watched silently as an old crone stirred a boiling pot. Muscular men, maidens, and growling bearhounds surrounded the fire. It felt like a twisted ceremony.

Thomas struggled, yelling, “Let me go!” But the crowd tightened their circle. Then the masked leader stepped forward, holding a bowl of herbs. He poured oil over Thomas and raised a blade. Thomas flinched—but the knife only cut open his shirt.

A birthmark was revealed on Thomas's chest.

Gasps filled the air. “The lost heir!” someone whispered.

The masked figure, now furious, shouted, “Tainted!” Thomas was dragged to the boiling cauldron. His vision blurred, and he fainted.

The story ends there. Did he survive? Was it all a test? Or was the prophecy misunderstood? The kingdom waits—for answers, for hope, for the return of its true heir.