"Kalli and the child can wait. For starters, let's welcome the newest member of the council, the second descendant of the lion to set foot on this island, after his namesake Leo—the only one among the princes who defied his father's will and sacrificed his life so that all of you could escape safely, just like my mother. Leo, come forward, please, and this time, tell the truth about yourself."

  Eftis returned to his seat, and I stood up, head bowed and eyes fixed on the ground. I walked to the center of the square, stopped, and let a little time pass. The fireflies were flying around with greater intensity than before, darting through the air and gathering in the square, making the place look like daylight.

  "My name is Leo, and I am a descendant of the lion. Nikiforos is the name of my little brother, who is now dead. My family no longer lives; I am alone in the world and trying to ascend to the castle to dethrone the knight, who unlawfully occupies the throne. The path here was horrific; I was forced to witness many violent and abhorrent events. In the forest, my life was constantly in danger, and only when the deer found me and saved me did I feel human again, with hope.

  I won't deny that much of what I've done—probably most of it—was to satisfy my personal ego. Even the curse that was released, was freed because I feared harm to myself. And when my body dissolved again, I turned into a firefly and rushed to find the deer. It was the deer that restored my body, not some curse or other kind of magic.

  I stand before the island and the council to declare my intention to fight against the princes and the illegitimate king. I owe the deer not only my life but also the salvation of my dignity. It gave my life meaning and purpose. The world beyond the tangible cannot be described, and I know well that I touched nothing, only tasted what exists there. I don't intend to lose it.

  I will not betray you, and if my words are not enough, then I invoke the hospitality and warmth of Petros's family. We have Kalli before us; she can vouch for my honesty these past two months, as well as my systematic dedication to training for our common goal.

  As soon as I'm forced to return to the road, I'll be alone again, exposed to the dangers of the path, already considered dead. I need the skills and talents I'm learning here to survive, since none of you can take my place. Please, help me so I can help you.

  Petros has already sacrificed much for me to succeed, without deceiving himself that I'll make it. I don't know his past history, I barely know what happened today, but what I do know is that anyone who saves another person's life, even for personal gain, is a good character.

  He gave me a room, clothes, and a bed; he spends time organizing my training program, preparing me despite the adversities to help all of you gain freedom. And yes, I know you'll say he does it for his own benefit, but you forget that in this case, one person's benefit coincides with the benefit of many.

  We've long passed the issue of trust. There's none from you toward me; I don't need to trust any of you. Whether I stay here or leave and find myself on the road again, my fate is death, and you know it. Sooner or later, it comes for all of us.

  But the deer trusted me and saved me, and if you could see and feel what I've seen and felt these past months in this place, I tell you honestly it would change anyone—it would change even the hardest and most selfish character.

  Fear, sorrow, hatred, destruction—the worst and most violent spectacles happening before my eyes in the worst and most violent ways—leave me nothing but stunned. And still, I wavered and thought I controlled things, that in the end I'd do it all just for myself and succeed.

  I thought that if some other opportunity arose on the way to the castle, I should seize it and exploit it, but I can't do that anymore.

  When the little boy threw me into his body, the pain from the caustic liquid was killing me slowly and torturously. I felt my skin dissolving and sticking to my bones. I could taste it on my tongue, feel it piercing my head.

  And at the moment of my death, nothing remained to testify that I ever passed through here. All my ego, all my pride to stay alive, to become immortal myself, all of Petros's and Eftis's promises seemed empty now. I'm saddened to be here dreaming of that emptiness.

  But hasn't anyone wondered why the child headed toward the lake? What reason led it there and saved you from death and destruction? It was me—I, who even with my last spark of life, sacrificed my time to save your lives and help a little child crying inside.

  And after what you saw in that lake, after Peter's and his children's irrational effort to save the little boy, after even my own presence, do you still feel that all this is coincidence that will lead you to destruction and annihilation?

  I don't know how many other strange and paradoxical things have happened on this island, but on my word, I'd believe them all now. I don't think, though, that all were so helpful or at least neutral. Unless the thousands of years you've been here have destroyed your minds and deprived you of the ability to hope and believe in a better tomorrow.

  I can't bring anyone to this island; I can't because I can't see in the darkness of the forest. I ran without stopping for hours and hours and hours. I slept at the roots of trees and didn't know where I was going until I stumbled upon the lake by accident. I can't betray the island's location; I can't disturb its isolation from the rest of the world for so many years.

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  I'll ask you for only three things. The first is to forgive Petros and his family, because they did nothing with ill intent. The second is to let the child live. There's a way to restrict its powers and stop it from being in the island's shadow. It will be able to enter the dimension of time again and grow normally.

  And the third is to let me train for the remaining months until my preparation is complete. If you approve them, I want you to approve them in this order. If you reject them, I want you to start from the last. I have nothing else to say about myself and whether I'm useful to you or not, but about Petros's kindness and the little child's soul, I could talk to you for hours until you accept my request."

  Silence in the audience. The inhabitants didn't speak; they only strained their ears in case someone said something new and they missed it, unable to grasp the full picture. Kalli stood between the council and the inhabitants, like in a safety field, with the child still in her arms.

  The council sat thoughtful, and no one spoke to anyone else about the direction they wanted to follow. Everyone was thinking and occasionally turning their heads to see if anyone else looked more certain.

  I turned back to my seat, leaned my back against the chair, tilted my head to the sky, and closed my eyes. I don't think there's anything else to say. I've done my job. Now it's up to the inhabitants if they want someone else to fight in their place, to stop seeing their relatives die or turn into monsters, to taste the light for once in their lifetime.

  It's also up to the council if they wish to keep sending their children into the forest, to see so many young ones lost, to know they're powerless, but when a chance is given to achieve something—a crumb of hope—to reject it seems like madness. But in this place, madness is a given.

  Eftis, seeing with a smile that no one else was taking the initiative to speak, to stand and express their opinion, stood up again himself and positioned himself at the center of the island and said:

  "Ultimately, perhaps we should all die once to become better people, because with those words, Leo doesn't sound like someone who would willingly kill his family for personal gain. Unless he's playing good theater; I don't know that.

  But I'll speak to you realistically, based on what we all know, and not idealistically because we must support him to do the job instead of us.

  He's tasted a part of the princes' brutality, he's passed through the forest with immense difficulty, he's stayed on the island long enough, and yet he's willing to return to the road and fight for us. He knows that even if he completes his training, it won't be enough to defeat any of the princes; it'll only be enough to survive among the other players.

  I don't think he'll betray us easily, but even if he does, it doesn't have much value; it doesn't change our lives. Why can't we cling to a hope too?

  And I know what you'll say—that many have died and been lost who believed my words, which is truly the case. I'm not asking you to believe me again; it doesn't interest me anyway—others will be born who will believe and follow me. But never in the past have we had such an opportunity again, neither you nor I.

  And the wolf, like the other knights, will wait in the forest for the slightest chance to kill him; you know it well. They won't act open-mindedly, nor will they listen to me."

  Eftis sat down again and waited for someone else to stand and express their opinion. His eyes were fixed on the two elders, both of whom were looking at each other. With a nod, the elder in white stood up, followed by the elder in blue. They both positioned themselves at the center, and the first of the two began to speak:

  "I hate you, Eftis, and I hate you for good reason. I never knew my father because I was born and you had already fooled him into following one of your murderous ideas. And he died at the hands of the princes, leaving my mother and me alone to live. You convinced many of the men to follow you in yet another raid toward the castle, like so many others, with your fine words and grandiose promises.

  My mother told me that you laughed when you returned and, along with the wolf, announced the death of all from the moonlight, as well as the brutality and pursuit they suffered from the princes and their followers. Even when the wolf left with his head bowed, full of shame, you still laughed in the center of the square for days on end.

  And before my mother, you've fooled many people many times to follow you. Many dead for your experiments or even your own amusement. I don't know when you stopped trying to defeat your father or if you ever really tried to dethrone him. You might even now be playing one of his games and punishing us for not all being dead yet.

  From my side, though I don't agree, I'll accept Leo on the island to continue his training; in fact, I'll help with it too. Members of my own family will help him train and prepare for his journey back into danger.

  But it won't be your way this time, Eftis. Petros was one of the strongest fighters we've ever had on the island, with his only weakness being a woman. He's capable of doing anything for her; love has blinded him so much.

  And like a devil, you always wait for the right opportunity, the right weakness, on which you'll exploit our desires and convince us that we old ones are wrong and that those who live on the island now are the true chosen ones, who will manage to save themselves and the rest.

  It never happened like that; all dead and all fools. I spit on the ground you've walked on in the hope it erases your filthy traces."

  He spat on the ground and looked at Eftis with hatred, who simply smiled and seemed to enjoy the spectacle unfolding before our eyes.

  "I hate you, and I'll hate you forever," he said to him again.

  Both elders felt the same; their teeth gritted, and they began to cry. They drew two knives from their clothes, and the blue leader spoke this time:

  "We'll accept Leo, since the deer accepted him—not for you, but for everyone else. But we want proof that you won't exploit the trust we'll show you again. First, Kalli must release the child and show that its curse won't destroy the island further. If the child can walk the island's streets without her help, then we're off to a good start.

  Second, Leo—and you too—must accept the blood pact we'll make. Two lives will be sacrificed to force you to keep your word and commit to fighting for the salvation of the island's people. Otherwise, there will be no agreement.

  And you, Eftis, though we won't impose a binding term that endangers your life as we will for Leo, you'll be forbidden entry to the island for as long as you live. You'll lose ownership rights; you'll no longer be able to find the island for the rest of your life, and in your place, another dragon will join the council."

  "Agreed," said Eftis, but his smile had faded. He leaned forward and began nervously rubbing his hands.

  "Let's start with the first, then," said the elder in white. "Kalli, you can let the child come to the center of the square."