"Our empire, Romerian, is divided into three great States: Zethian, the northern wind State; Hardian, the State ruled by desert and famine; and Nethuns, the tropical State of the South," Beatrice explained, holding Theo atop a small red bench.

  They were in Ethan's office, right beside a massive wooden desk that was always meant to be organized—yet never was.

  Cardboard boxes were scattered around the room, carefully avoiding the red carpet that covered the entire floor. There, beside an open window veiled by a curtain swaying in the wind, Theo studied a framed painting on the wall: the map of the continent.

  "We live in the State of Nethuns, named after an ancient hero who once walked these lands…"

  "Hero?" Theo asked innocently.

  Beatrice nodded with a gentle smile.

  "Many years ago, there were three men who ruled over these lands. A few years later, they were acknowledged as gods… The god of the sky and lightning; the god of the underworld; and the god of the oceans and beasts. The Trinity of absolute reign… each of them was an admirable king."

  Theo watched in silence, mouth slightly open. Even in Liam's memories, gods were nothing more than tales. There was only one God—the Creator—a Being without image or representation.

  The Everything and the Nothing; that was how Liam had seen Him. Yet in this empire, Theo heard about gods all the time. Camille often told him about literature, about kings, gods, heroes, spirits, and beasts…

  Theo glanced at his father's chair. It was empty, a black coat swaying in the wind that entered through the window.

  "My father is one of those men…" he thought, recalling the myths and legends Liam had heard in life.

  He felt happy.

  Then, with an innocent smile, he turned back to the framed map. In a certain region, southeast of Nethuns, clouds obscured part of the drawing.

  "Why?" he asked, confusing Beatrice. "That part isn't drawn…"

  He pointed at the cloud, guiding the instructor's gaze.

  "Ah…" she murmured, thinking of how to approach the explanation.

  "Nymph Forest," Ethan answered, seated on a cushion in the back.

  "Sir!" Beatrice exclaimed, jumping slightly.

  Ethan had not been there—at least not seconds ago. He had entered unnoticed; not even the door had made a sound.

  "Go on."

  "You may explain, Bea. There's no problem."

  Crossing his legs and intertwining his fingers, the Duke watched his son and the instructor. Beatrice swallowed dryly and turned back to the map.

  "As my Lord said, this region is what we call the Nymph Forest. An enormous biome that stretches across all three States…"

  Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

  "How can a forest cross Hardian's desert?" Theo asked, making Ethan chuckle at the innocent question.

  Clearing his throat and settling in, the Duke relaxed his shoulders before speaking. Beatrice felt lost—she could not keep up.

  "Before it became a desert, Hardian was a tropical paradise," Ethan replied, taking over the explanation. "Then the sand covered it like a mist…"

  "And everything became a wüste…"

  Ethan leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing in thought.

  "A what?" he asked, making Theo rethink.

  "Ah… What does 'wüste' mean again?"

  Briefly, he thought of sand.

  "Desert!" he declared firmly. "A desert, Father…"

  "Ah, yes… That's right. Everything turned into a vast desert, surrounded by the mountain wall that separates the two territories," Beatrice added, pointing at the map.

  A mountain range divided the two empires: Romerian to the east of the continent; and the Gran-Empire, the western continental empire.

  "Your mother's family came from there, Tê," Ethan informed, his leg trembling with anxiety.

  "Wow…" The boy smiled sincerely. "But why the cloud?"

  Kneeling on a cushioned stool, the instructor tucked her dress between her legs and hesitated. She did not want to explain that to a child, but after discreetly glancing at Ethan and seeing his approval, she took a deep breath.

  "Because the Nymph Forest is divided into three regions…"

  The office door opened slowly; Michel appeared carefully, trying not to distract the Young Master. He looked well-kept, having bathed and been treated like royalty by the maids.

  Feeling uncomfortable in the new, fitted clothes—though suitable for work—he walked toward Ethan.

  "So? Like the new clothes?" Ethan asked with heavy sarcasm.

  "The habitable zone is where we live," Beatrice continued. "Where humans prosper. And…"

  She hesitated again. After swallowing, she concluded:

  "There is also the Death Zone. A place dominated by dense mist, almost like night without light. There are monsters there—abominable creatures that do not follow human sense, nor behave like animals."

  Beatrice held Theo by the shoulders, afraid of his reaction. Yet he remained serene and calm. Like someone who had heard that story countless times—and even witnessed parts of it.

  "Lastly, we have the Heart of the Forest. That cloud you see… It appears that way because no one has ever managed to reach it. It's only speculation, since the farther one goes, the thicker the mist becomes—and the greater the number of monsters. We say it might be the monsters' nest… an ethereal paradise for them. Or perhaps a kingdom where supernatural beings live in harmony…"

  Just like the Isle of Imagined Lands, located west of Egon, where the rival empire Mikoto's territory was supposed to lie. Ice mountains dominated the horizon, while the air felt stagnant, lacking direction. Where dragons had once flown centuries ago, and now hid within the depths of mountains that could only be touched with the eyes from the high seas.

  Liam had never seen it personally—only in paintings. After all, a few hours sailing the waves of the Central Sea were enough to annihilate entire fleets. As if the sea itself were alive; because it was.

  The Young Master Lawrence drifted through his own memories—ancient ones. Older than this body.

  "Ich habe das Meer noch nie gesehen…" Theo muttered, staring at the floor.

  "Pardon, Young Master?" Beatrice asked, confused.

  Michel stretched his neck, trying to see Theo's expression; the boy had spoken naturally, without confusion.

  "The sea, Miss Beatrice. I've never seen the sea," he said sweetly, though bored.

  "Neither have I," Michel said. "The most I've seen is a river."

  Theo turned in astonishment; but upon seeing the man beside his father, he joined the conversation.

  "Really? I've never seen one!" he said enthusiastically. "Well… just the little stream from the spring at home, nothing else…"

  "Really? Never seen a river?" Michel looked at Ethan, who discreetly avoided the judging gaze. "Want to see something truly beautiful? Like… a field of fire."

  The boy's eyes sparkled intensely.

  "A field of fire?! Wow!"

  "Will you take him to Midian, my Lord?" Beatrice asked.

  "Yes," Ethan replied. "Has your shift ended?"

  "Not yet… I must go to the county school. I need to complete the training hours I still owe."

  "Go. We'll take care of Theo today."

  While they spoke aside, Michel walked toward Theo. Kneeling, he touched the Young Master's golden hair and admired him.

  "He's a copy of your wife… There's nothing of you here."

  The remark pierced Ethan's pride.

  "But then, lad… Want to come with me to the fields of fire?"