Chapter Twenty: The Legend of the Forgotten Kingdom

"Guys, can we talk?", asked a man.

The two got up and saw He, "Yes what is it?", asked Thomas.

"If you two don't mind, can you explain about your love and how you met each other? I also wanted to know more about your side of the story based on your kingdom's perspective?"

The two were stunned that he asked that question, "Well sure as long you won't judge us.", replied James with a nervous tone as he still found him quite intimidating.

"Don't worry my friend. I'm not the type to judge. So please tell me. You might be the answer.", said He kindly.

James and Thomas didn't expect him to say that. How could these two be the key to help He's memory? Then they both decided to help He to gain his old memories back. The three walked away from Nia's hut and there Thomas and James began to explain their story and how they were meant to be.

The more He heard about their story and their kingdom's side perspective, the more questions kept popping upon his head. What did the long lost prince look like? How did the prince disappear and more importantly, who was the last person with the prince?

"Wow. The hate between two kingdoms because of the Fyre prince's disappearance. That's awful.", he sighed sadly, feeling pity for the two princes.

"Yeah, but at least Thomas and I are together now. No one is going to stop us.", vowed James as he kissed Thomas on the cheek.

Thomas then replied, "They always love is strong, but the truth is even stronger."

He knew that James's vow was true as James wouldn't allow anyone to get in between him and Thomas. He also knew that Thomas was right as truth will give closure no matter how painful it is.

As the two continued their walk, still talking about the long lost prince and the two princes' forbidden love, Thomas noticed a ripped fabric in the colour of royal purple, hanging from a tree, "Guys look! It looks like a piece of fabric."

The others turned to the fabric and thought it was very peculiar as the only area you find the royal purple fabric is from a kingdom. They were so puzzled by it, "I wonder where it came from.", asked James.

They all decided to brush it off until He tripped over a brick stone. The two younger men gasp, "He! Are you okay?", cried James as he and Thomas got him up on his own legs.

"Yes, I am it's just I think I tripped…", replied He.

But before He could continue, he gasped in awe.

James and Thomas looked at each other in confusion. What was He looking at? They decided to turn their heads where He was looking at and they realised what he was looking at.

There in right of their own eyes, were a bunch of stone bricks and some were still intact. What shocked them more was that the surviving bricks made a shape… of a castle. They couldn't believe their own eyes. There was a castle that has been destroyed. No wonder why there was a ripped purple fabric nearby, but the question was that how did the kingdom got ruined?

"It looks so ancient.", said Thomas in awe.

"What is this place?", asked James.

"I don't know but for some reason, it looks… so familiar.", replied He quietly.

They decided to go inside the ruined castle and look around. They all can't believe that somewhere in a forest, was a ruined castle and nobody knew about it. They look at each of every area, and everything looked wrecked and old. The thrones were pure gold with a purple cushion on it. However, the thrones were filthy as it was covered with cobwebs and dust.

"It looks like either war had taken place or it was just left there to rot.", said Thomas as he held James' hand.

Then He noticed something that caught his eyes. It was a banner. He went towards it and picked it up. He examined it very carefully and to his surprise, showed a gold unicorn on it as the symbol of this kingdom. Then He realised that for some reason, he remembered where it came from.

"Harmonia…", mumbled He.

"Harmonia?", puzzled Thomas, "What's that?"

"That's the kingdom's name and for some reason, I remember it and its legend!", cried He.

James gasped, "I heard about that story from my parents when I was a toddler and my brother would join in."

"What's the legend behind it?", asked Thomas with curiosity.

Then the three sat down on each brick stone and James began to tell the legend of the forgotten kingdom, "Long ago there was a beautiful castle where the sun shined so bright that the trees grew quicker and animals would find their place home. It was ruled by a beautiful queen name Harmonia, which is why the kingdom was called that. Her generations lasted for hundred years until a shadow demon name Umbro cast a spell to make the place ruined and he said that the spell can be reversed by true love that was made by destiny itself. Many lovers tried to reverse the spell but with no such luck. Then they left the kingdom to rot and it's now been thousands of years now."

Thomas's mouth went wide in fascination while He nodded at each sentence that James had spoken. That's the story he had heard but when?

"Will this kingdom be saved?", asked Thomas.

"I got no clue Thomas, it might just be a legend.", sighed James.

"Legends are legends.", added He.

"Who told you about the legend?", asked James to He.

"I got no clue.", replied He, "All I know is that I remember the legend somehow. I do know that the Skarloey dwarfs never told me about it."

"How did they found you?", asked Thomas

"I don't remember but the first thing I remember was this…", replied He.

Then a flashback was shown. He looked way younger like he was ten years old. He woke up and groaned in agony. He looked around, frightened. He didn't know where he was.

"Thank goodness you're alright.", said a voice.

"Who's there?", said He shakily, "Where am I?"

Then He noticed a short man with red clothes and a red dwarf hat. He seemed very nice and he held a bowl of soup, "My name is Skarloey and you're safe here in my cottage that's hidden in the mountains.", he answered with a gentle tone.

Then he handed the soup to the young boy, "Here have this.", said Skarloey.

"Are you a dwarf?", asked He.

Skarloey nodded, "Yes and I'm not the only one here. My brother and friends live here too. We found you alone and we notice you lost your eye."

Then he looked at the soup and saw his reflection much clearer. He has a deep gash that was healing, and his eye was pure white as snow. He realised that he couldn't see with his damaged right eye at all. The boy began to cry.

"There, there.", said Skarloey in his gentle tone as he rubbed the young's back to comfort him, "It's okay. Tell me what's your name and where did you come from?"

"I-I can't remember but I do know that my name is He.", replied the boy as he wiped his tears.

"Well, He. You're more than welcome to stay. We will look after you.", said Skarloey as six more dwarfs appeared. One was dark orange-red, one was orange, one was yellow, one was light green, one was dark green and the other one was rich dark blue. The boy smiled. He knew that he's safe. He then learned their names are Rheneas, Rusty, Duncan, Luke, Peter Sam, and Sir Handel.

As the flashback ended, He sighed, "I just wish they told me about the scratch and where I was found."

The two princes felt even more sorry for him, especially James, "These dwarfs were very selfless at least."

He nodded. When he was raised by the dwarfs, they treated him with kindness and they helped him with his memory. But the dwarfs didn't do as well as Nia, which was why he sought her help. He was also raised to mine the gems and he was pretty good at it. He even called Skarloey his father and the others his uncle.

As he took a deep breath, he stared at the banner again and examined it more. Then he noticed a scratch mark on it, and it looked quite old. The scratches looked like the scars he had on his right eye. That got He even more curious about this place. Then he looked to his right and saw red dry stains on the ground that resembled blood.

"Looks like someone was attacked here.", said He.

James and Thomas also noticed it and found it very strange. If this place was old and ruined, why where there a bloodstain that looked like it was there for a decade or two? They were stunned by it.

Then He decided to put the banner right in front of him and the two princes gasped. The scratches fit perfectly with his scars like a piece of a puzzle. Then James saw a headpiece nearby and it was ripped from someone that was way smaller. James picked it up and showed it to Thomas and He. The headpiece belonged to either a baroness or a noblewoman.

"Look what I've found.", cried James.

He then looked at him carefully. He looked at the bloodstains, then the banner, and finally the headpiece. Suddenly he dropped the items and he went blank.

Inside of He's mind, showed a woman, dressed in a baroness outfit with the younger He and he didn't have scars at all and still have his eyes. The boy walked happily while he giggled along the way.

"Are we there yet?", asked He.

"Just about.", replied the woman with a sinister grin upon her face.

Then the two entered the ruined castle, "Wow! So, this is where the forgotten kingdom is!", cried the boy in joy as he picked up a piece of a banner fabric.

"Yes, little Hiro.", replied the woman, "This sighting is the last thing you'll see!"

There the woman grabbed a glove with sharp claws on it and lunged at the boy. The boy turned and screamed. He hid behind a banner and was then slashed in the face, losing his good eye. The boy ripped the woman's headpiece off and began to cry, "Please don't hurt me. What do you want from me?"

The woman cackled, "As if I'll fall for it. Once you are dead, the Skyla kingdom will fall. Then I will take your father's throne y force so I'll be queen! I will do this for my thousands great grandfather, King Umbro!"

He gasped in fear as he found out that she was the descendent of King Umbro and that she was doing this to corrupt everything. She then went after him as the boy screamed, "Father! Mother! James! Help me!"

"Die!", laughed the woman as she was behind him.

Then she pushed him very hard and he hit his head on the concrete very hard, which knocked him out. His head hit the ground really hard. Then everything went black.

The flashback ended and He began to gasp in horror. He remembered his origin.