PROLOGUE | " THE DARK IS RISING  "

THE STAR NAMED CAI WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TRIED TO SETTLE DOWN THE DEVASTATING FATE OF SCARDADENGUAS, THE POPULATION OF TENEBRIS. Or this is how it was described when Wraithane was born. He was born in the Cataclysmic temple that was built into the pitch-black mountain that shed shadow on the capital city. It's where all the great sovereigns of the Scarthus dynasty were born and it was also the place where they first received the crown followed by the most charming ceremony. 

All the dust falling down from the precisely carved ceiling turned into little glowy orbs that started to dance around the coronation room. They started to beam whenever one of the royal members came close to it. The little stars created an imaginary aura that radiated, even more, when two lovers were nearby. This created an illusion of a star constellation marking their destiny. It was quite ironic. The people of Tenebris were made from the darkness and shadows so seeing direct light was one of their biggest nightmares. 

It wasn't just their destiny. It was their definition of death. Despite the horrifying fact, everyone wanted to see light before their execution.  However, nobody knew what the illumination would look like yet they wanted to feel it. They perceived it as an exemption from never-ending suffering.

Wraith stood there inside the Cataclysmic temple for such a long time. He adored the quietness that was concealed here. He was imagining his own coronation ceremony. After he took a deep breath he felt the aura burning around him. The blazing feeling was so intense he felt forehead perspiration. The sweat straightened his soft curls. After all, it was just a feeling. 

The silence and warmth were gone since someone stepped into the cold hallway. Wraithane knew the interval of the steps too good. The steps were fast and full of youth. It was his childhood friend Calamit. 

That's why he called him Cal to be more specific about their friendship. Their bond was sometimes too strong and everyone believed they lived for each other. Lately, Wraith saw a mentor figure in him because he was a few years older than him. Cal was protective over his younger friend and pretended like he was his little brother despite the fact that Calamit's blood wasn't royal.

They resembled each other too well. Both of them had strong features. They had defined cheekbones but Cals was deeper and his jawline was sharp like it could cut your finger if you ever touched it. All the Scardadenguas loved him and sometimes mistook him for the prince. Wraith didn't tell anyone but he loved him too, he adored him a lot to be more specific. Wherefore he prevented Cal's father to be part of the army. He was too weak to be able to serve the king and also he knew it would hit Cal too hard if he found out that his father died in a war.

"You are here again," Calamit said. Although his voice was soothing, Wraithane startled a little bit. His body was shivering as long as the echo of Cal's voice flew past the massive columns along the long hallway.

"And yet, you are still annoying me," Wraith stated quietly while he was still looking at the silver-plated box with a locket that blazed so bright he could see his own reflection. The silver plates were rusted but looked alluring with many images showing the memorable moments of the history of Tenebris.

"Are you even surprised?" Calamit chuckled and walked past the hall to watch his friend closely. He noticed that his best friend was staring at the box. The box was a big mystery to all of the people of Tenebris. Nobody knew what was inside. 

"Do I look surprised?" Wraithane asked him and examined Cal a little. He looked worried but still, he managed to keep his charisma on.

"It was a rhetorical question, Wraith. You need to stop taking these comments seriously, especially if you want to become a king," Cal grinned and put the palm of his hand on his shoulder trying to make it up for his disrespectful behavior to the prince of the darkness.

"You sound just like my father," Wraith uttered irritably. 

Calamit shook his head as soon as he heard this. He slightly raised his eyebrows with a pensive glance.

"He trains me, maybe that's why I sound just like him. He would train you too if you ever tried to talk to him. He misses you, I know it." Calamit attempted to talk to Wraith very carefully about his father. It wasn't their fault they didn't start in the right way and always ended up in a huge argument.

"He told you that or are you once again trying to help me to feel better about myself?" Wraithane asked but there was no answer. He sensed that Calamit won't have an answer to this tricky question but still questioned him wondering if his father sent Cal to make things right. It was as he thought. Calamit was only trying to be nice to him despite the fact Wraithane didn't tend to talk to his father at all.

"I said I know it, Wraith."

"He trains you only because he needs to find a better heir apparent and you seem like the only choice. You are strong, sophisticated, and trustworthy and I am not." Wraith seemed very upset about this fact. He was mad about it because Calamit was everything he always wanted to be. He wanted to be close to his father but this was taken from him as well as the confidence serfs had in him.

"You as well. You are just too yourself, Wraith," Calamit tried to calm him down with this awful statement hoping it would help. But it didn't help at all. The only thing he noticed about it was Wraithane's bored facial expression. The black-haired boy shuddered so the hand of his friend stopped touching him. It was the last straw. He didn't want to be in his company anymore. Cal probably wasn't aware of it, but the last sentence hurt him a lot.

How can be being yourself a bad thing?

It was one of the things that kept him alive lately. He liked being himself because he was different. His actions and behavior contrasted with others. His mother loved him for being divergent. Wraithane's mind and gestures were unique, however, this distinctiveness was also one of his weaknesses because this bearing as king's apprentice was inadmissible. Apprentices should be humble and not deal with their past. In spite of that Wraith kept coming back to the thoughts he had as a youngling.

He never understood why the terrain of Tenebris was so dark. Everything looked so dim, even the sky looked gloomy as it's never seen daylight. If he ever could depict the appearance of this ghastly planet, he would say that it looked like it didn't have any color to it. The entirety of the planet was jet black, unlighted, and simply dreadful as the souls of dark beings who lived there.

It wasn't like he didn't like it there, he loved it because his family lived there. The only thing he ever wanted was to travel around space and see the true colors of the universe and even see the bodies of celestial creatures called stars.

Sorrowfully he was trapped here with the only one purpose — to become a king.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," Cal said in a trembling voice. 

Wraith didn't say anything to it and just looked away trying to hide his despair.

Calamit quietly studied his gestures. He knew that he messed it up a little but still he didn't realize how this young boy can be so sensitive. Cal tried to be his mentor figure but he failed.

Wraithane was speechless. He thought that his only friend would be on his side but he was mistaken as always. He looked away from the silver-plated box and decided to leave the Cataclysmic temple to find serenity. Normally Cal would follow him but he soon realized this wasn't the greatest idea.

Wraith disappeared in the darkness right away as he stepped down one of the stairs that lead out of the temple.

Suddenly he reappeared in an unlit arcade with tears in his eyes. It was a succession of contiguous arches that held one of the buildings connected to the Crepuscular castle. It was a hallway similar to the other one in the Catalysmatic temple, however, this hallway didn't lead into the coronation room but to the castle court.

Wraith tried to avoid shedding tears by wiping them with a black sleeve while walking down the hallway with quick steps. His only intention was sneaking into his room so nobody would disturb him from this depressive state of his. He thought he would finally find peace but he froze right in the entry to the castle court that was connected from the alley.

There was soldiery standing around the courtyard. The quadrangle was surrounded by ornamented walls of the castle and it was closed with a glass roof with heavily decorated windowpanes so the court was closed to the eyes of mortals.

Wraithane soon realized something was happening because it wasn't normal for the soldiery to spend time inside of the Crepuscular castle. Only castle guards were welcomed here because they knew this place. A royal castle was known for being like a maze. There were plenty of glamorous rooms and winding alleys that were attached to each other. He didn't think much of it. He interpreted it as guard changing or something even though castle guards looked quite different.

Wraith's thoughts dissolved as soon as he saw his uncle Gothane who seemed furious.

"Uncle? What happened?" Wraith asked carefully wondering why is he so angry but he ignored him. He didn't bother to even look at him. Gothane just nudged him in the shoulder trying to escape from the judgy glances of guards and soldiers. Suddenly the tears were gone, however, Wraith was stuck in confusion. 

"Where's my father?" Wraith demanded an answer. He needed to know at least something but the old man was quieter than usual. He was bewildered by Gothane's way of acting. He didn't even try to answer him, the only thing he was thinking about was leaving the castle walls.

Some of the soldiers went along with him. Wraithane finally acknowledged why he didn't recognize them at first. It was the soldiery of his uncle not his father. 

"Your father is safe."

"Huh?" Wraithane was filled with skepticism despite the fact it sounded like a relief that the king is safe somewhere. But up to this time, he was unsure whether it was even true. Wraith looked around to see who's voice was that. He knew it from somewhere but he wasn't able to classify it. Finally, he discovered the originator of the sound. He glanced at the ebony-haired woman with the most special skin tone around there. Her skin was a dark umber like the deepest bronze similar to natural sardonyx. A jewel that was pleasing to look at that everyone wanted to find a way to spend time in her presence. They wanted to see this enchantress with their own eyes and be blessed by her beauty. 

It was General Ruine, a long-term family friend. Unfortunately, Ruine was very too harsh to be marked as the most magnificent being on this planet. Wraith didn't see it as a bad thing. She helped to serve the army of Tenebris which was one of the unyielding things to be ever part of. And she did great. She was one of the most ambitious and brilliant generals who had the honor to work with king Scarthane.

"What happened then? Is everything alright?" Wraith interrogated her. Perhaps he questioned her too aggressively. 

Ruine came close to him because he had a very frightened look on his face. She tried to calm him down but unsuccessfully.

"I'm worried he became one of the delinquents that don't understand how the Dark Lord could help to flourish our society," General Ruine tried to interpret it in her way which this young boy could understand.

"Who's the Dark Lord?" Wraith had a very distinguished look on his face. The only dark lord around here was his father who was one of the most powerful Scardadengua.

"You don't remember?" General Ruine questioned him because everyone knew who the Dark Lord was.

"No," Wraith shook his head so he rejected this kind of question. 

"Thanos, the Great Titan — our only redemption."