Shattered Oath Silent Kings

Ian's eyelids fluttered as he slowly woke up. His fingers twitched, reaching for something—anything—around him. His vision adjusted to the world above. The sky was clear, an endless expanse of blue.

How long had it been since he'd last seen a sky like this?

Ian glanced down at himself. His clothes were tattered, hanging loosely over his small frame. Dirt and old stains clung to the fabric like a second skin. A bitter chuckle escaped him. He reached out, using a tree for support, and pushed himself to his feet. His legs felt unsteady, his body weak.

He stared down at his hands—small, fragile. These weren't the hands he remembered. He tightened them into fists, trembling slightly.

"Tomorrow," he murmured. "Tomorrow is the awakening day for members of the Imperial family."

The words felt distant, detached like they belonged to someone else. In his past life, his awakening had been a proud moment—he had inherited the rare monarch's aura, just like the previous Emperor. It was a gift that came with endless expectations and crushing responsibility. But this time… this time it would be Allen's turn.

Ian closed his eyes for a moment, then let out a slow breath. When he opened them, a faint shimmer of light appeared in the air before him.

[Year 834th of Ishvalianne Continent]

A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "So, it's twenty years ago," he whispered, staring at the text. "I'm thirteen again."

He dragged his small body forward, each step cautious, as if the ground beneath him might crumble. When he reached the lake nearby, he crouched by the edge, staring at his reflection. His blue eyes stared back, the same shade as him. The wind rustled the trees, carrying the faint scent of autumn.

Ian's fingers hovered over the water, his expression unreadable. A cold, lifeless image filled his mind—the child his family had once promised to protect.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips, sharp and laced with self-loathing. "I want to kill that child," he muttered.

The thought wasn't new. It had haunted him for years, growing louder and stronger until it threatened to consume him. The envy buried deep inside clawed at his soul, screaming to be released.

But he had always suppressed it. He had to.

Ian clenched his hands tightly, his nails digging into his palms. His breath came out ragged as nausea churned in his stomach.

"Why do I even exist?" he whispered. "Why… Why wasn't I the one cursed instead of Allen?"

The memories surged forward, unbidden.

"If only you weren't born… I would've been happier. I curse you. I curse your existence, you monster!"

His mother's voice echoed in his mind, sharp and cruel. Those words had been her parting gift, uttered with venom until her final breath. Even now, they felt fresh, cutting through him like a blade.

Ian's gaze shifted to the blooming chrysanthemum flowers nearby. They were her favorite, a strange contradiction to her hatred.

"She loved these," Ian murmured bitterly. "But she couldn't stand to look at me."

He resembled the former Emperor too much. The man she had loved and hated in equal measure. His resemblance to that man, not his faults, had condemned him in her eyes.

A sharp laugh broke the silence. "How laughable," he muttered. "A failure in my father's eyes, a monster in my mother's sight. Who am I supposed to hate? Them? Myself?"

He gripped his head, trembling.

Allen's face flickered in his mind. His bright smile, his unshakable confidence. Allen was the prodigy, the ray of light in a family drenched in shadows.

Ian closed his eyes tightly. "Even so… Allen told me he loved me," he whispered. "He said he needed me."

Those words had kept him going, even as the whispers in the palace halls called him useless. Worthless. Even as his own family scorned him, Allen had stayed by his side. Ian had trusted him.

But in the end, it was Allen who betrayed him.

The memory burned in his chest. Ian felt bile rise in his throat. He wanted to scream, to cry, but no sound came out. He doubled over, gripping the grass beneath him as the nausea overwhelmed him.

"Why? Why did you save me, Allen?" His voice cracked. "Why did you sacrifice everything for someone like me?"

The reflection in the lake stared back at him—empty, hollow. Ian forced himself to stand, his legs trembling beneath him.

"I don't deserve to live," he whispered. "But I won't waste this second chance."

Before Ian could lose himself entirely in self-loathing, a deafening roar ripped through the stillness of the forest. It was guttural and primal, sending a chill racing down his spine. Ian froze, his senses on high alert. His blue eyes darted around, scanning the dense forest as his system notification updated with a faint ding.

[System Notification: Current Location - Death Forest, Winterbell Empire]

[Warning: The land where death and monsters roam freely. Survival difficulty: Extreme.]

Ian swallowed hard, his fingers twitching. "Death Forest?" he muttered. His lips curled into a bitter smile. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"

With a cautious breath, he accessed his inventory and pulled out a small dagger. The blade was unimpressive, a basic tool meant for self-defense, but it was all he had. With his current body—a thirteen-year-old with neither his previous strength nor the monarch aura—he doubted he could handle even a B-rank monster unscathed.

He adjusted his grip on the dagger and began moving in the opposite direction of the roar. Each step was calculated, his eyes scanning every shadow and movement. The forest was eerily quiet now, save for the occasional rustle of leaves.

Out of nowhere, something soft and furry collided with his face.

"Ah!" Ian stumbled back, his arms flailing as he tumbled into the lake. The icy water shocked his senses, stealing his breath. He emerged with a gasp, coughing, and spluttering, as the culprit—a cat—scrambled onto his head.

"What the—" Ian froze as the cat suddenly spoke with an impatient voice.

"Finally! Took you long enough to notice me, Ian."

Ian's eyes widened. "Theoarize?"

The cat, now perched smugly on his shoulder, flicked its tail. Its sleek black fur glistened under the sunlight. "The one and only," it said. "And before you ask, yes, I'm stuck in this ridiculous form. Blame the system update."

Ian gawked at the talking cat, his soaked hair plastered to his face. "You… You're supposed to be the Goddess of Fate. What are you doing as a cat?"

"Long story," Theoarize snapped, "but we don't have time for that. Listen closely—the system is undergoing a recalibration to accommodate your regression. I'm here to guide you through the consequences of your actions and explain the law of causality."

Before Theoarize could elaborate, Ian tensed. His sharp instincts picked up the faint tremor in the ground, the distant sound of something massive crashing through the forest.

Theoarize's ears twitched. "Something's coming," it said, alarmed.

Without a word, Ian pulled the cat into his arms and began climbing the nearest tree. He pressed a finger to his lips, signaling Theoarize to stay silent. The cat, for once, obeyed.

From their perch, they had a clear view of the chaos below. A mutated deer burst into the clearing, its eyes glowing an unnatural red. Its antlers were jagged and twisted, dripping with an acidic substance that hissed against the forest floor. The creature was enormous, its muscles bulging unnaturally as if something dark and corrupted fueled its rage.

It crashed through trees, trampling bushes and tearing apart anything in its path.

Before Ian could process the sight, another figure emerged—a massive python, its scales glinting a sickly green. The serpent's body was thick as a tree trunk, and its fangs dripped with venom that sizzled against the ground.

The two creatures collided in a violent clash.

The deer charged with its antlers lowered, aiming to skewer the snake. The python coiled its body with lightning speed, wrapping around the deer's torso and squeezing. The deer thrashed wildly, its acidic antlers slashing at the serpent's coils, leaving deep gouges that oozed black ichor.

The python hissed in pain but retaliated by sinking its fangs into the deer's neck. Venom pumped into the struggling creature, its movements growing sluggish. The ground trembled beneath them as the struggle continued, the forest echoing with snarls and hisses.

Ian held his breath, his heart pounding. He clutched the tree tightly, his dagger forgotten in his belt.

Theoarize whispered urgently, "We need to move while they're distracted."

Ian nodded but froze as the python suddenly turned its massive head toward their direction. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto them, its forked tongue flickering in the air.

"Damn it," Ian muttered.

The python lunged, its massive body surging toward the tree. Ian grabbed Theoarize and leaped from the branch just as the serpent's tail smashed into the trunk, shattering it.

They hit the ground hard, and Ian felt a sharp pain shoot through his ankle. He stumbled but forced himself to run, cradling Theoarize in his arms.

"Faster!" Theoarize yelled.

"I'm trying!" Ian snapped, gritting his teeth.

The forest blurred around them as Ian sprinted through the underbrush. The python was chasing him, crashing through trees in pursuit. Ian's lungs burned, his injured ankle screaming in protest, but he didn't stop.

Suddenly, pain flared in his side. He looked down to see two deep puncture wounds oozing blood.

"Poison…" Theoarize hissed, its tone grim. "You're poisoned, Ian."

Ian stumbled, his vision swimming. His body felt heavy, his strength draining rapidly.

Through sheer willpower, he pushed forward, the forest pathway narrowing ahead. They burst into a clearing, only to find themselves at the edge of a cliff. Below, a river can be seen.

Ian glanced back. The python was closing in, its massive form slithering through the trees like death itself.

Theoarize's voice was frantic. "Jump, Ian! It's our only chance!"

Ian hesitated, his body trembling from the poison and exhaustion.

"Jump!" Theoarize shouted.

With a final burst of strength, Ian clutched the cat tightly and stepped off the edge.

The world seemed to slow as they plummeted toward the water below.