1. Frank's Awakening
Frank opened his eyes to a barren desert, with nothing alive in sight except a sky cracked in the color of blood.
The air was heavy, every breath stabbing into his chest like a blade.
He stood with difficulty, gripping his axe, only to notice the mark on his chest glowing brighter than ever.
> "Is this my path? A desert with no end?"
A faint voice rose from the sands beneath him:
> "Here… your only enemy will be yourself."
He turned, only to see his shadow stretching across the sand, moving on its own.
The shadow smirked wickedly:
> "Elder brother… didn't you kill me long ago?"
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2. Dan on the Path of Betrayal
Dan awoke inside a black throne hall, its pillars made of bones and its ceiling endless.
Upon the throne sat a man cloaked in shadows, his face identical to Dan's but with blazing red eyes.
> "At last, you've arrived," said the shadowy figure.
"I am the betrayal you chose… and the king you will become."
Dan trembled:
> "I didn't choose… I was forced."
The shadow laughed loudly, the bones around him bowing as if in worship:
> "Every betrayal in your blood was born from me. Now you must decide… will you rule betrayal, or serve it?"
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3. Ricard and the White Gate
Ricard found himself in a silent white forest.
The trees had no leaves, and petrified birds perched lifelessly on the branches.
At the center of the forest stood a massive black bird, its wings bound by chains of light.
Ricard stepped forward heavily, his heart pounding:
> "Are you… the Lost One?"
The bird raised its head, a deep voice rumbling from its beak:
> "I am absence itself. Your body has returned, but your soul has not. If you wish to be free… release me."
But upon the chains was inscribed an ancient script. Ricard translated it with difficulty:
> "He who frees the Lost One… takes his place."
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4. Barnila and the Lady of Light
In the ruined hall, Barnila pounded the ground with her fists:
> "Bring them back! I don't want a kingdom without them!"
The luminous woman placed a hand on her shoulder:
> "Do not weep… this is not the end. The three paths are not a conclusion, but a beginning. If they endure the trials… they will return. If they fail…"
She fell silent.
Barnila seized the woman's staff desperately:
> "Then show me the way to them."
The woman looked at her with weary eyes:
> "Perhaps the riddle never mentioned it, but… you are not outside the game either."
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5. The Heartbeat
As the brothers walked their paths, each felt a pulse within his chest—not his own, but the others'.
Frank heard Dan's cry, Dan felt Ricard's tear, and Ricard sensed Frank's rage.
> "We are connected…" the three whispered in unison.
In the depths below, the colossal green heart that had begun to awaken throbbed louder, its voice echoing across the three realms:
> "Face your curse… for the fall of one means the fall of all."
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6. Closing Scene
In the desert, the shadow raised a blade of sand against Frank.
In the black hall, the King of Shadows smiled at Dan, offering him a crown of bones.
In the white forest, the chained black bird spread its wings despite the shackles and roared:
> "Choose, Ricard… free me or perish!"
Meanwhile, in the original hall, Barnila gripped the staff with trembling hands, while the luminous woman whispered:
> "It is time for you to show your courage as well."
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Curtain falls on Chapter Eighteen
Each brother walks his own path, yet their shared blood binds their fates.
Betrayal, blood, and absence—three trials that will decide not only their lives, but the survival of the entire kingdom.