Chapter 128 The road home

Chapter 128 The road home

They continued walking until they found an abandoned building where they could rest for a while. Nobody spoke much at first because all of them were still trying to process what had happened, especially Viktor, who sat quietly with his elbows resting on his knees. Every few seconds, he looked at his palm as though expecting the mark to disappear, but it remained there, faintly glowing beneath his skin.

Ellie finally broke the silence. "So what now?"

Viktor looked up. "We go to my father's kingdom."

Joyce frowned. "But caius has all his men around. We just escaped them, how do we go back??"

"I will think of a way. We need to arrive at my father's throne that caius never allows me to touch.”

Elara watched him carefully. "What exactly changed? We were so okay in the human world before all these started.?" Elara sighed painfully, her eyes glistening with tears which she blinked away fast.

Viktor looked down at his hands. "The moment Maui transferred his power to me, something happened to my memories. Things I had forgotten started coming back."

He paused before continuing.

"I remember the palace. I remember my father vividly, even things that never happened in my presence. Its like everything about Maui and everything that he knew has now been transferred to me.. I remember the people who worked there, the guards, the servants, even the old gardens behind the palace."

Elara sat beside him. "And Caius?"

Viktor's expression hardened.

"I remember now everything he did exactly how he did them. Which means Maui witnessed everything.."

Nobody interrupted him.

"Caius was close to my father," Viktor continued. "My father trusted him completely, but Caius wanted the throne. He believed my father was too weak to rule, so he began gathering people who were loyal to him."

"What happened when your father found out?" Joyce asked.

"Framed and killed for something he didnt know about which was also later pinned on me."

Viktor lowered his head.

"Caius attacked before anyone realized what he was planning." His voice became quieter. "I was taken away before I could understand what was happening."

Elara reached for his hand. "Maui saved you."

Viktor nodded.

"He got me out of the kingdom and helped me navigate the human world. I was too young to understand why I was framed. but as I grew older, I started asking questions. Maui always told me that the time would come when I would understand."

"And now it him," Ellie said.

Viktor looked at her. "Yes."

Joyce leaned forward. "What happened to your family?"

Viktor's expression became painful.

"My father was killed."

He took a slow breath before continuing.

"Caius told the kingdom that everyone from my family had died whereas he killed them and watched me get banished. He took control of the throne and made sure there was no one left who could challenge his claim."

Elara looked at him. "But you're alive now. I am glad he couldn't fulfil his evil wish.”

"And that's why I have to go back."

She shook her head slightly. "You know they might not accept you."

"I know."

"They've lived under Caius for years."

"I will prove my innocence, Elara. ."

"And even if they believe you are the rightful heir, they could be too afraid to stand with you."

Viktor looked at her. "Then I'll give them something to believe in."

Elara stared at him for a moment before sighing. "I'm not trying to stop you."

"I know."

"I'm trying to make sure you don't go there because you're blinded by anger."

Viktor remained quiet.

Elara's voice softened. "You just lost Maui. You have all this new power inside you, and now you're talking about confronting the man who destroyed your family. I need to know that you aren't going to throw your life away simply because you want revenge."

Viktor looked down. "I'm angry," he admitted. "I'm not going to pretend I'm not." He lifted his eyes to hers. "But Maui didn't give me his power so I could spend it chasing revenge."

Elara's expression softened.

"He told me to take back my father's kingdom," Viktor continued. "He wanted me to fight for the people who lost everything because of Caius." He closed his fingers around Elara's hand. "I'm going back because that is what he died asking me to do."

The next morning, they continued their journey toward the kingdom. Viktor noticed that the closer they came, the more memories returned, and by the time they reached the final road leading toward the kingdom, he could remember almost everything about the place.

He stopped when they reached the top of a hill.
Below them stood the kingdom. The path they had taken the day before seemed like a magical path that took them far away from the kingdom..

Viktor stared at it for a long time without speaking.
"That's it," he finally said. “Finally here to prove my innocence.”

Elara stood beside him. "Your home….time to get it back and be the ruler you were meant to be."

Viktor nodded. "My father's home."

He stared at the palace, but instead of feeling the happiness he had once imagined, he felt a deep ache in his chest. He had spent years wondering what it would feel like to rule and take over the throne yet now that he was finally standing about to achieve this aim, the only thing he could think about was how many people had been taken from him before he ever had the chance to grow up.

Ellie looked toward the gates. "There are guards everywhere."

Viktor nodded. "More than we can see."

Joyce frowned. "Can you hear them?"

"Yes."

Viktor closed his eyes briefly. "Thirty-two at the main gate. More along the eastern wall, and there are guards inside the courtyard."

Elara stared at him. "You really can hear everything now."

Viktor opened his eyes. "Almost everything."

Before they could decide what to do, a voice came from behind them.

"You shouldn't have come back."

Everyone turned at once.

An elderly man stood several feet away with a sword in his hand. Ellie immediately raised her weapon, but the man's eyes remained fixed on Viktor.

He looked at Viktor for several seconds, as though searching his face for something.

Then the sword slowly lowered. "No." His voice trembled. "It can't be."

Viktor stepped forward. "Who are you?"

The man's eyes filled with tears. "I knew your father."

Viktor stopped and stared at rhe man dead in the eyes.

The man swallowed. "I served your family for fourty years."

Viktor studied his face, and suddenly, a faint memory appeared in his mind. A younger version of the same man standing beside his father in the palace courtyard, holding a sword while Viktor ran past him as a child.

"Marvin," Viktor whispered.

The old man froze. "You remember me."

Viktor nodded slowly. "I remember."

Marvin looked around nervously.

"We were told you committed a heinous crime and that was why you were banished."

"Caius lied."

Marvin's expression hardened. "I know." He looked toward the kingdom. "There are still people loyal to your family, but they have been forced into hiding. Caius killed anyone who openly challenged him, and those who survived have been waiting for a chance to fight back."

"Then help me give them one."

Marvin stared at him. "My prince, you don't understand what you're asking."

"I do."

Viktor lifted his palm to see the mark had begun glowing.

Marvin's eyes widened. He immediately dropped to one knee. "My prince."

Viktor quickly stepped toward him. "Get up."

Marvin looked confused. "You don't need to kneel before me."

"You are the rightful heir."

Viktor looked toward the kingdom. "Then help me bring my people home."

Marvin slowly stood nodding in agreement to Viktor's words.---