I sat at Maham's right hand, the flickering torchlight casting shadows across the room. It was late, and my mind was heavy after the conversation I'd had with Lucien Valerius. A conversation that made me question everything about my existence.

  Lucien Valerius had claimed me as his son. Stranger still, he also claimed to be the devil himself. The devil. The very being I prayed against, the one I begged God to keep far from my path and my destiny. How could I be his son? It made no sense.

  From Maham's dusty old books, I learned that Lucien Valerius was a man without origins. There were no birth records to his name in Samaria, the land where he was raised. But he had an adoptive mother-a widow who took him in as a child.

  Lucien had always known who he truly was. He didn't need anyone to tell him. And it wasn't long before his adoptive mother discovered the truth as well. Yet, she raised him with kindness, teaching him compassion, love, and humanity. She showed him what it meant to care for others, and her influence shaped him.

  When she died, Lucien was shattered. Her death left a void he couldn't fill, but he had always known it was coming. God, as Lucien often said, had promised not to make his life easier than any human's. He would endure loss and heartbreak just as deeply as anyone else.

  Lucien learned this the hard way. He watched as Samarian men were slaughtered as gladiators, their blood spilling for the amusement of others. He saw Samarian women sold like cattle to the elite families of Oakwyn. It hardened him, even as it broke him.

  Lucien became a commander after saving King Malak Severus from a coup orchestrated by the king's ambitious eldest son. In a dramatic twist, Lucien not only thwarted the rebellion but also killed the prince who sought his father's early dethronement. Grateful beyond measure, King Malak Severus appointed Lucien as chief commander of the largest legion in Oakwyn and crowned his younger son the next king.

  Over the next thousand years, Lucien served under 49 monarchs in Oakwyn, each reigning until they grew old and passed on. While Lucien's appearance aged only marginally over centuries, the people whispered of his otherworldly longevity.

  Many believed he was the devil himself, the son of God sent to cause mayhem on Earth but chose to do good. The people revered him; some even built temples in his name, worshipping him as either a god or a divine figure with unmatched strength. This adoration created tensions within the royal courts.

  As the centuries passed, kings grew increasingly wary of Lucien's influence and popularity. They saw him as both an asset and a threat. To undermine him, they assigned him and his armies the most perilous missions during Oakwyn's endless wars with Historia and Gladeshaven. Yet, despite Oakwyn's limited resources and small territory compared to its rivals, the kingdom emerged victorious time and again-thanks to Lucien's unparalleled leadership and strategy.

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  Eventually, his loyalty came into question. Sixteen years ago, a few months before I was born, Lucien was executed for treason.

  "What kind of treason?" I interrupted, breaking Maham's reading.

  "How should I know? We live on a tiny island far removed from Oakwyn's affairs. Those matters are none of my concern," Maham said, removing his reading glasses. "But I do know this-there are two kings ruling Oakwyn today."

  "Two?" I asked, my brow furrowing.

  "A few centuries ago, a Duke's family in Oakwyn waged war against the royal family. With Lucien's help, they emerged victorious. Apparently, the royal family was attempting to form an alliance with Historia, and Lucien wasn't having it."

  "Is that why they killed him?"

  "No, that happened much later," Maham clarified. "The Duke's family established themselves as rulers of the northern region, now called North Oak, while the southern region remained under the royal family's control. That war divided the kingdom and likely sowed the seeds for Lucien's eventual demise. The royal court probably waited for the perfect moment to get rid of him."

  "And they did," I whispered, feeling a pang of pity for the man I didn't even know.

  "Yes, they did," Maham replied solemnly.

  "At least he can rest now. A thousand years is no small feat," he added, "Funny how he never aged. If only I were a god, how much simpler my life would be."

  "Even gods don't escape the burden of their stories," I muttered, "But i just can't believe he is my father. That's a lot to process I mean how did I end up in Samaria then? And my parents how did they find me. They never spoke to me about being adopted."

  ___

  Did you know?

  The duke, whom Lucien aided in securing the northern half of Oakwyn, was Malak Severus (Named after King Malak Severus I), the second grandson of the last emperor, Sihe Severus. Unlike much of the royal court, Malak stood firmly against his older cousin, Emperor Taka Severus, and the corrupt path he was carving.

  Taka sought an alliance with Historia-a morally bankrupt nation-to dominate the world by force, subjugating other tribes to establish a new era of civilization.

  Taka ruled with an iron fist, his inner circle just as power-hungry and ruthless as their emperor. His hatred for Lucien was no secret. While many praised Lucien for his unparalleled strength and wisdom, Taka saw him as a threat to his authority. The emperor's envy deepened when Lucien openly defied him, demanding an end to the alliance with Historia. When his demands were ignored, Lucien turned his back on the royal family, vowing to wield his blade against them should they proceed.

  This defiance led to a decade-long war-a brutal conflict that fractured Oakwyn and tested the resilience of its people. With Lucien's support, Malak Draven emerged victorious, claiming the northern territories as his own and establishing himself as king of the North. The war left families divided, tribes dissolved, and the political landscape irrevocably changed. Yet under Malak's rule, the North thrived.

  Policies were reformed, communities rebuilt, and prosperity seemed to favor the North-a testament, many believed, to Lucien's divine favor. For where the gaze of God falls, there too shall fortune follow.

  ___