The next morning, an elf asks Hilbert, Matilda and Gödel to proceed to the throne room where they would meet King Filanwin.The room was very simple and there were no plants.

There were only two thrones carved out of solid white rock and it was full of details and carvings. In the room were King Filanwin and Queen Yhirllien, sitting on their thrones, and Elwin was standing beside his mother.

Elwin had his cloak and hood covering his face, with a brown shirt and brown pants with mudded metal boots that went up to his knees. The king wore dark robes and a mantle of very fine materials. His hair was golden and his eyes were very dark blue. The Queen wore transparent white silk robes and her beauty was very impressive, the very long and braided silver hair seemed to shine like a metallic jewel.

The king looked haughtily at the three friends as they respectfully bowed to him. 

“It is a pleasure to be before Your Majesty! I'm Hilbert Ygdrazz White and these are my companions, Gödel and Matilda Troderitch! I need information about an ancient legend and about someone named Arkhatov.”

“Those eyes.” the king looked deeply into the prince's eyes.

“They are your family's inheritance. The blood of one who was once a dear son of Gaia runs through your veins.” says the king, still looking at him with an air of superiority. The three friends were surprised by these words.

“I'm sorry for my ignorance, but I don't know what you're talking about, Your Majesty!” says Hilbert puzzled by the kings’ glare.

“How could you know? This tale was not recorded by humans. Only orality carried and distorted it through time! The time has come to know about the truth. I hope that after that you accept your destiny. Everything I am going to tell you dates from ages ago and were not accounted by human calendars. I know that doubt consumes you. I can feel it in your heart. All of this is related to those who persecute you, including Arkhatov! I ask you all to pay attention to my words, as it is a very long tale! Humans are not good listeners. Very short span of attention for a very short span of life! ” 

Everyone listened attentively as the king continued to speak:

“The gods themselves told these stories to my grandfather hundreds of millennia ago. I was small when I met the face of the gods.” says the king crossing his arms and continues.

“This universe was completely empty, only a large amount of matter and energy was accumulated in a central point. The universe was not yet conscious, until the first thought arose: Life.” The king pauses and opens his eyes wide.

“At that moment, the entire energy flow and the accumulated matter spread throughout the universe. From that thought was born Gaia the goddess of creation. She toured the static universe shaping galaxies and planets using celestial matter and energy. The universe was still dark and lifeless. Gaia sighed with sadness and from that sigh the god Ignis Helius was born, creating all the gases that exist in the universe. Gaia wanted the universe to be less dark and from the warmth of her heart the god Ignis Pyro was born. Pyro used his celestial flame to create the stars with the elements Helius gathered. These gods helped Gaia shape the universe, they were rivals and allies. From the first light of Pyro that touched the celestial body of Gaia, shadows emerged. Gaia's shadow became conscious. Nocthanath is the goddess of night and death, and she accompanies the passage of the living to the various dimensions of the dead in its three different forms. The goddess's creation was perfect, but she felt that the planets were very vast and empty. From her tears came all the liquids in its various states and this matter created consciousness by becoming the god Famthos. This god permeated his mother's planets with various liquids. The joining of the celestial elements began to shape the planets, but something was not right and the worlds were still lifeless. Gaia thought that the planets should contain a core that could carefully retain all the other elements clustered by her children, so that life could manage to sustain itself. That thought spawned Atmos the god of the earth element and all metals. The conditions were ideal for all life in the universe to be configured. Life was gradually emerging, but it was different from her children, the other gods. So Gaia decided to create beings that resemble her and her children.” the king pauses. Hilbert and Matilda were watching the king while Gödel looked lost.

“How does this involve Hilbert and our enemies?” Gödel asks. The king seemed irritated by the question.

“The forgotten god: Chaos!” the king glares at Gödel with a look of deep irritation.

“The universe is regarded as the seventh god, the heavenly father! But that is a wrong assumption. The universe is not a god! It is not above nor below that category, for it simply exists for eons. The second thought emitted by the universe was chaotic and that entity became semi-conscious. There was no definite form for Chaos, the one that finally put the galaxies into motion and created the black holes, dark matter and other forms of energy!” the king pauses briefly.

“When Gaia molded the first beings that inhabited this planet, Chaos had already influenced the minds of all the gods! The first creations were deformed and unbalanced.” 

“Those are the ones your people refer to as “the ancient ones”, aren't they?” asks Hilbert looking that there were no escape routes.

“Yes. They inhabited the world before our creation and some still do. Those my father saw, when he was very young were deformed beings, but many of them were peaceful!” Filanwin replies and sighs in dismay, sensing that he would be interrupted.

“There was a war against the gods and a powerful wizard fought them! Is this legend real?” Asks Hilbert now more focused.

“You humans are indeed very impatient! Yes, what human folk call legend is real.” 

Silnce took over the place once more, but not for long.

“The gods finally realized that Chaos was influencing them, so they decided to leave this dimension and take care of the universe, far from this chaotic force. Two of these beings were the proto-humans. They were the Black Wizard of the legend: Marhg Naroth, and the Paladin of Chaos: Arkhatov. Marhg Naroth and Arkhatov were able to communicate with Chaos and awakened immense power. The gods realized that this would be catastrophic for their other creations on this universe, including my kind. All the gods, except for Gaia and Nocthanath, decided to manifest themselves in this dimension and end the existence of Marhg Naroth and all the creatures that were corrupted by the influence of Chaos. When they manifest themselves in this dimension, without actually being in it, their powers are much less. Marhg Naroth and Arkhatov gathered several Chaos-corrupted allies and waged war against the gods. The children of Chaos were losing. Gaia watched the whole battle with great sadness and decided to intervene by crossing the heavenly dimension in her true form. Gaia had completely ridden herself of Chaos influence. She interrupted the battle with tears in her eyes, when she beheld all the dead and injured creatures. Gaia cleanses her children of the maddening connection with Chaos as Marhg Naroth and Arkhatov; who were on their knees before Gaia, begged for mercy. They loved Gaia as much as she loved them. Gaia forgives her children for their sins and leaves with the gods to the god’s dimension again. Gaia created humans in the likeness of Marhg Naroth and Arkhatov so that their children would not be left alone and charged the elves to protect the order in the world. For millennia, we have developed efficient spells and enchantments against the energy of Chaos and we have been able to teach humans how to use them. You were very lucky to defeat that being in the forest, for it was using a weak variation of the Chaos aura.” the king settles back on the throne crossing his arms and taking the opportunity to pause.

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Matilda and Hilbert seriously listened to Filanwin's words, while Gödel still looked a little lost.

“So… why is Arkhatov and his allies still serving Chaos?” asks Hilbert.

“It happened later. Marhg Naroth and Arkhatov decided to follow different paths and philosophies, although the brothers loved each other, they decided to look for a new purpose for their lives. Arkhatov set out on a journey around the world to improve his combat skills and to purge himself of all the energy of Chaos. Marhg Naroth decided to help humanity and mingled with a primitive tribe of humans who inhabited the northern region of that continent and founded the kingdom of Whitecastle. He magically sculpted the castle from a mountain formed of white rocks in honor of the light that Gaia emanated.”

The three were amazed by this information and silence took over that room. The elven king continues.

“Marhg Naroth, or Magnus White, was the first king of Whitecastle and your very ancestor, human prince!” Hilbert was shocked by this information, but the elven king continues to speak.

“The gray eyes and pale skin that cannot change before Pyro’s flame were characteristics of Marhg Naroth and Arkhatov, and these characteristics were passed down from generation to generation. Magnus was totally redeemed and lived a peaceful life, but he lived much more than an ordinary human being and when he witnessed the death of those he loved several times, he was completely devastated. Many centuries of grief have passed, and Chaos reconnected with him once more. After centuries, Marhg Naroth was dominated by chaotic forces and resentment. He decided to destroy the human race, as he thought they had been Gaia's  punishment for him to suffer the losses of his loved ones. My father and grandfather decided to intervene and gathered the human kings and a great war was fought against Whitecastle. Marhg Naroth was very powerful, he was defeated nevertheless, and decided to return to the Black Iron Island to be able to recompose himself and gather more power. He created a black tower on this island and began writing on large monoliths about ways to invoke chaotic magic. Chaos was taking over Marhg Naroth spirit and his power was similar to that of a god. The war extended to that island and all the wizard's opponents were wiped out. In the battle of the island, some elves survived, including my ancestors.” the king pauses for a moment, and sighs before he started to speak again.

“The gods manifested themselves again, but this time they were defeated, because their manifestations in this dimension were no match for the immense power acquired by the Black Wizard. Gaia decided to intervene again and used her power to destroy the wizard corrupted body, but with tears in her eyes. Marhg Naroth still existed in spirit, although his power was less. Gaia decided to contain the spirit of Marhg Naroth in a dimension made of beautiful and peaceful places so that Marhg Naroth could purge himself of the influence of Chaos. Atmos and Famthos manifested their auras on the twin moons creating a barrier that seals that dimension. Arkhatov was devastated by the news of his brother's death and this caused him to become corrupted. Somehow, Chaos once again began to dominate his heart. He still wandered the world and decided to gather allies and strengthen his body and aura. When he invoked the ritual of immortality using the power of Chaos, he challenged a spiritling of Nocthanath in her form of Death, as these entities can be trapped in this dimension where they roam freely to take the living to their destinations in other dimensions of the spirit and matter. A Death sprite can only be freed from this ritual if it kills or is defeated by the one who imprisons it! The battle lasted a hundred days and a hundred nights and when Arkhatov defeated that spirit; he became an immortal for the toll of his flesh. My father and grandfather were studying the island's scriptures when Arkhatov appeared to confront them. They were losing the battle. My grandfather sacrificed his life to seal the island at the bottom of the sea, using a celestial enchantment and my father lost his immortality, but that only prevents the island from rising and the Paladin of Chaos from leaving the depths of the sea. This does not work for other beings or for magic of the darkness. Arkhatov is stuck in that spot and barred from leaving, but the cult of the Chaos champion is still immense. Arkhatov's plan is to take advantage of the alignment of the moons so that he can destroy them and by doing so, the dimensional barrier will be weakened and the black wizard will be free spiritually. The black tower can fire an enormous energy towards the skies, but this can only be done once, since it is the first time that the moons will align to the tower location during the entire creation of this planet this winter. The only thing Arkhatov needs is a vessel that can retain Marhg Naroth's spirit. And that body is yours, human child!” Filanwin looked at Hilbert with contempt.

Everyone was shocked by the elven king's words and was still trying to process that long story told. Hilbert was beginning to understand the situation.

“That's why they need my body! Now, it all makes sense. I thought for coming here I would find the solution for the end of the world; but I think you already have a better plan, don't you? I don't think you intend to let me out of here alive, do you?” asks Hilbert clenching his fist.

Gödel and Matilda were preparing to fight, even when unarmed. Elwin emanates his celestial aura and casts a magic that paralyzed the three companions. They were covered by that magical aura and unable to move. The elven Queen was shocked by what she was witnessing.

“Unfortunately, child, I have no alternatives. I made my part in telling you all of this, and now  my spirit is in peace to take your life. Make amends to this world, for your end shall come. I will release your friends after that. It's the least I could do to make sure you leave the realm of the living in a peaceful state of spirit and mind! I am very sorry for the nightmares I gave you, I had no better alternative to lure you here off guard!” says Filanwin and waves to Elwin that levitated the immobilized bodies of the tree companions using a celestial spell, and taking them to the elven cells.

Elwin closes the cell doors made of a very resistant and enchanted metal. The elf disperses the magic and then leaves.

The three were in their cells trying futilely to approach the bars that repelled them. Hilbert tried to use some spells, but the bars and walls absorbed them. After a while they were exhausted.

The enchantment in the adjoining rooms did not allow them to communicate. Hilbert tried to communicate with Morgan, but it was in vain. The prince had asked the eagle to stay outside the palace, in case of an emergency it could help, but unfortunately the magic barriers were very powerful.

Matilda was very angry and Gödel was starting to despair. Hilbert was sitting on his cell bed thinking of some way to escape.

The only relief he had felt was that his friends could escape unscathed. But that thought turned to desperation, for he knew that they would not give up trying to save him, even at the cost their lives.

The happiness of before had turned into desperation like the calm before the storm.