His mom jumped over him, grabbed the man's hands, and threw him back across the room.
She landed in front of Kal and turned to look at him.
Her face was filled with anger. Not fear
anger. And something else… hatred.
Kal took a step back.
He had never seen his mom like this.
"Mom… are you alright?" he asked, his voice shaking.
She didn't blink.
"Get back," she said. "Stay back, Kal."
He nodded slowly, stepping behind her.
Something was wrong.
And his mom was ready to fight
She grabbed the sword hanging on the wall. In one swift motion, she dashed toward one of the masked men.
But he raised his hand and sent a sharp wind slash toward her.
She swung the sword up just in time, blocking it with a loud clang. The force pushed her back a step.
The second man threw a fireball at her.
She dropped low and rolled to the side, flames barely missing her.
Then the man in the owl mask stepped forward.
"Hello, Queen Elira," he said calmly. "And hello, Prince Kal."
Kal's eyes widened. "Prince…?"
His mother's face twisted with anger. "Shut your mouth."
Kal looked at her, confused and shaken.
"What is he talking about…?"
Before she could attack again, a strong gust of wind slammed down in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.
The owl-masked man tilted his head.
"Why don't you help your mother, Kal?"
Kal's breath caught in his throat.
He didn't know what was going on.
She got up slowly, holding her sword tight.
"Don't worry, Kal," she said. "I will protect you. I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you… not like they did 17 years ago."
Kal took a step back, his eyes wide.
"What is happening?" he asked, voice shaking.
She glanced at him, her voice soft for just a moment.
"Don't worry. Once we get out of this mess… I'll explain everything."
The owl-masked man stepped forward again.
"You are the prince of Kaldren," he said, voice calm. "And your mother is the queen."
Kal stood frozen, heart pounding.
"…What?" he whispered.
He looked at his mom, waiting for her to say something.
But she said nothing.
She just tightened her grip on the sword…
One of the masked men threw another fireball.
Kal's mom dodged, sliding across the wooden floor. She rushed forward, aiming straight for him.
But the man with wind magic raised his hand. A sharp blast of air knocked her back.
She hit the wall hard, coughing.
"I'm getting rusty," she muttered, wiping blood from her lip.
She looked at the two masked men and narrowed her eyes.
"You two must be from Caelum and Solhara."
They said nothing.
Another gust of wind slammed into her. She hit the ground, hard.
Then a fireball flew across the room and exploded near her.
"Mom!" Kal shouted, eyes wide.
She groaned and pushed herself up, blood now dripping down her arm.
Kal ran forward, tears in his eyes. "Stop! Please!"
They didn't stop.
More fireballs and blasts of wind shot toward her.
She blocked one with her sword, but she was slower now. Weaker.
His mom fell to the floor, breathing hard, her sword slipping from her hand.
Blood stained the wood beneath her.
The owl-masked man stood still, his eyes on Kal... waiting.
Watching.
Kal's chest rose and fell fast. His hands trembled.
He looked at his mom broken, bleeding.
Something inside him snapped.
His eyes glowed gold.
A low hum filled the air.
"STOP!" Kal screamed.
The whole room shook.
A blast of energy exploded from his body, sending a powerful gust of wind in every direction. Dust, fire, and broken wood flew everywhere.
With one sharp motion of his hand, Kal flung one of the masked men across the room.
CRASH the man hit the wall and didn't move.
The second attacker tried to react, hurling a fireball.
But before it could hit, the blast curved slamming back into the wind mage, sending him flying through the door.
Silence.
Kal stood in the center of the room.
Eyes glowing gold.
The owl-masked man stood still as smoke cleared around him.
He tilted his head. "You remind me of him."
Kal raised his hand and sent a blast of wind at him.
The man didn't move.
The wind broke around him like nothing.
Then pain shot through Kal's head.
He grabbed his face, his glowing eyes burning.
"Ah—what is this?!" Kal dropped to his knees, gasping. "What's happening to me?!"
His mom limped over, bloody but still standing.
She knelt beside him and held his face.
"Don't worry," she whispered. "Everything's going to be alright."
But it wasn't.
The owl-masked man moved fast.
With one hard kick, he sent Kal's mother flying across the room.
"No!" Kal shouted.
The man grabbed Kal by the collar and punched him across the face. Then again in the gut.
Kal gasped for air, stunned.
"You remind me a lot of him," the man said coldly, "but without all the whining."
The front door slammed open.
Three warriors stormed in, cloaks marked with the Kaldren sigil on their shoulders.
"We're here, my Queen!" one of them shouted.
She pointed toward the owl-masked man. "Stop him!"
All three drew their swords and charged.
The masked man grabbed a blade from the floor and met them head-on.
Steel clashed with steel. The room shook as they fought.
While they battled, Kal turned and crawled toward his mother.
She was barely conscious.
He dropped beside her.
She pulled him close, kissed his forehead, and whispered, "Don't worry. I'll always love you. Please..."
One of the soldiers ran up behind them.
She turned fast and knocked Kal out with a strike to the neck.
"Protect him," she said.
The man nodded, lifted Kal into his arms, and ran through the open door.
Snow filled the night
Kal's mom pushed herself off the ground.
Her hands were shaking, but she stood tall.
The masked man knocked the two Kaldren knights back with a powerful strike.
They hit the wall hard and didn't get up.
She grabbed a sword from the floor and rushed him.
Steel met steel. Blow for blow.
She fought with everything she had.
Then the man leaned in close and whispered something.
She froze.
Her eyes widened.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"What…?" she said softly.
The man stepped back, reached into his cloak, and pulled out a glowing object.
It was black and gold, humming with dark energy.
"No…" she whispered.
He held it toward her. The artifact opened like a blooming flower.
Light shot out and wrapped around her.
She screamed.
In seconds, her body was gone.
Trapped inside a glowing prism, floating in the air.
The man caught it in one hand and stared at it silently.
Then he turned and walked into the snowKal's mom pushed herself off the ground.
Her hands were shaking, but she stood tall.
The masked man knocked the two Kaldren knights back with a powerful strike.
They hit the wall hard and didn't get up.
She grabbed a sword from the floor and rushed him.
Steel met steel. Blow for blow.
She fought with everything she had.
Then the man leaned in close and whispered something.
She froze.
Her eyes widened.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"What…?" she said softly.
The man stepped back, reached into his cloak, and pulled out a glowing object.
It was black and gold, humming with dark energy.
"No…" she whispered.
He held it toward her. The artifact opened like a blooming flower.
Light shot out and wrapped around her.
She screamed.
In seconds, her body was gone.
Trapped inside a glowing prism, floating in the air.
The man caught it in one hand and stared at it silently.
Then he turned and walked into the snow