I'm sure you can imagine what happened to a jerk like the king at that time. A new mage king, this time a girl, usurped him and was able to stabilize our economy.
Neither uncle or I were going to petition her to search for my parents. Uncle rue had gotten sick, and was barely clinging to life. I had given up on finding my parents so I could take care of the little family I had left.
"Lyle." uncle rue grabbed my hand suddenly. I was feeding him a soup that he used to feed to me when I was sick. He never complained about it, but I was never sure if I added enough ginger.
I struggled to wring my hand from his grasp. He was unnaturally strong for his age. "What is it, Uncle?"
"Lyle. you need to know the truth about your parents. About where they went."
I shoveled a spoonful of soup into his gullet. He gulped it down quickly to go on.
"They went to Titan's crest. Where the diamond Kingdom borders the Club kingdom."
"I know that, Uncle. You've shown me on the map several times."
"True." he accepted another spoonful. After chewing he said, "But I've never told you what they were after."
In all these years, I never even asked what they were after. Was it a spell book? Some technique to increase your spell crafting? Maybe they were after some shortcut to climb the ranks of hierarchy.
"They were after…" Uncle rue licked his lips. He stared off into space, his eyes glazed over. His eyes had lost color days ago, and now his skin was sagging. Whatever sickness was claiming him,it was aging him."After the Titan's secret. Just over the ridge at the border. There is a great being there, with terrible power. It gives any passerby whatever they want in exchange for something just as valuable."
"What did mom and dad ask this supposed being for?"
Uncle slowly turned his head to me. "They asked." he was wheezing a lot. "They asked for… omnipotence."
Omnipotence, the ability that made someone all powerful was as feared as it was awe inspiring. But because even the four kings feared omnipotence, they had banned the pursuit of it.
If what uncle said was real, about the being giving and taking, then whatever was taken from my parents was equal in value to being a literal god. I couldn't fathom what that could be. I learned a few years later, however.
"Why did they want to be all powerful? I thought they gave up on being the mage king?"
"They did. But They wanted to give their all to something so special to them. They were willing to risk their lives. They wanted to give you the world, Lyle. to lay the stars at your feet. To cherish you, their little prince."
Rue's eyes seemed to clear up, but only for a moment. His hand grazed my cheek. "You look so much like your mother. You've got your dads big ole eyes, but you look so much like my dear Ally." A lump formed in my throat. Who knew that my parents, who I'd long forgotten, looked just like the man in the mirror.
"Promise me, Lyle. Promise you, that no matter what, you wont never, ever, ever, do what they did. And that you'll never chase power like everyone else does. That hunger will consume you, no matter what your goals are."
I thought about the previous king, the cool one who knew my parents. Was the power he attained swallowing him alive too?
That glazed gaze overtook my uncle again. With bony fingers, he grabbed my hand. Sitting up, he cried , "promise me, Lyle! Swear on the great Demiurge that you won't chase power in any way. Swear it!!"
I had no clue who Demiurge was, but I decided it was best not to ask now. Uncle seemed delirious . Still, I promise. "I swear on the Great Demiurge, that I, Lyle Beydo, will never seek to become all powerful."
A great wind rushed through the room. A strange red mist swept around the room, thunder rumbling so strong it shook the earth. Uncle Rue gripped my hand tighter, as if he was afraid of falling out of his bed. I held him down as the earthquake subsided.
When it was over, I got off of my uncle. He had closed his eyes, his face relaxing. He looked so peaceful. Too peaceful for my comfort.
"Crap, Uncle. Please tell me I didn't squish you to death!"
I reached for his neck, hoping to check his pulse . His hand flashed to grab mine with that crazy strength he had. "I'm not dead yet, nephew. I'm just resting my eyes. Now get out. And leave the soup behind."
I wanted to smack him for such a cruel joke but he was too frail. Instead I took my frustation out through a heavy exhale.
"Uncle," I asked from the door. I had one question from him that I never asked. "How come you never try to be mage king. You're powerful enough to be one. You used to be a magic Knight after all."
Rue smiled at me, a big impish grin. For a second, I saw what he must have looked like in his early days. A jovial man with a heart of gold. "Because, nephew. I'm fucking rich! What more could I want?"
When I went back to check on him a few hours later, he was sleeping . And the soup was devoured.