The following morning, Maxwell was sitting up in the medical bed and looking around as he felt his back, the cuts and scars were still there, but he was somehow able to move again, and felt decent. He carefully stood up and shakily walked over to the door to let himself out, but as he grabbed the handle, the door swung open and his mother was right in the doorway. Maxwell screamed in surprise and landed on his backside with a grunt as he fell back from the shock of seeing his mother standing there. “Oh dear, Maxie, I’m so sorry.” She rushed in and helped her child to make sure the young adult was okay. “What’re you doing up? Your father said you were in critical just last night!” She said in a stern motherly voice as she helped him sit on the bed as Maxwell looked up, blushing at being called by the nickname he was given at such a young age as he always found it embarrassing whenever his mother would use it.
“I’m fine mother. I know I shouldn’t be up but for some reason I don’t feel pain, and I’m not really stiff. The only problems I can feel in my current state are the fact my legs are totally weak, I can barely feel them. And that’s obviously just from me not being awake for a few days.” He said, but blushed deeper when his stomach roared as Nomad gave a soft smile and a bit of a giggle as she found that very adorable. “And apparently my body is very hungry to.” He said and chuckled bashfully as he looked up at his mother with a smile as she nodded and helped him stand.
“Then let's go and get you some food, you haven’t eaten food properly in days so you must be starving.” She smiled as the most food he has gotten in the past few days was all from being put into his bloodstream by an IV, so his body was ready for something normal to eat as she helped him walk. “When I got the news about Sean, I was really worried about you and Marz, your father sent me a letter about his death and how Drazernon fought you at the peace council, and I had to rush here quickly both for my safety and to make sure I didn’t lose two kids. I’m grateful Draco and Saria were there at the council with you because if they weren’t, I worry what might’ve happened.” She said softly, speaking her mind a bit to get her son caught up on why she was in Elderitch suddenly. Maxwell nodded as he sighed remembering the loss of Sean as well as feeling a bit of shame for losing to drazernon.
The thoughts were short lived though as Maxwell had something else on his mind as he looked up at the taller feline woman. “Mother, speaking of Drazernon… I have a question I want to ask you. While I was unconscious, I had a weird dream like vision, I can’t tell if it was from the past or the present or what, but it felt so real.” He said softly and looked at her in wonder. “Are me and Saria actually from Elderitch, or… or are her and I descendants of Drazernon?” He asked his mother, looking her in the eyes as she sighed and knelt a little to kiss her boy’s head. “Gather Marz, Saria and anyone else involved. It’s time I shared the truth with you, we shouldn’t have hidden it from you, but you’re all old enough now to know what we’ve been hiding.” She said, heading to the dining hall to get Maxwell’s food ready while he went to get everyone.
Maxwell had gathered Marz, Lynx, Saria and Draga to the dining hall, Drax already there and sitting with Nomad, both watching them. Maxwell sit at the spot with a plate of food knowing that was made for him since he just woke up. Everyone was more relieved to see Maxwell awake but it sounded serious that Nomad needed everyone around and they decided to wait on celebrating Maxwell’s recovery. Everyone took a shirt and sighed seeing the somber look on the fair queens face as she stood up and watched them. “We needed all of you here to let this be known, but this mostly concerns Maxwell and Saria. There’s something me and king Drax have been hiding for almost two decades now, and since Maxwell is almost of age to take the throne… it's time we reveal the truth of why Saria and Maxwell possess powers Marz doesn’t. Almost twenty years ago, Myself, Drax, Verius and a woman named Shari were on a mission, that mission was to stop Drazernon from plunging the world into eternal darkness. His method of doing so was to use the child of his own and one other… his wife Shari.”
Everyone was shocked to hear the name on both the side of Nomad and also as the wife of Drazernon. Drax decided it was best to take over so Nomad didn’t have to keep going and sighed. “Shari was his wife but she wasn’t in agreement to what he wanted, despite being in connection with him, she got our help to fight him. It turned out the son of his he wanted to use… was Maxwell.” He said and everyone gasped in surprise, all looking at maxwell who was mostly silent and didn’t know what to say, he was hoping that the dream wasn’t truthful but it was slowly becoming apparent to the young wolf man that his whole life was possibly a lie, he wasn’t the child of Drax and Nomad.
“Before you guys pass any judgement, let me finish.” Drax told everyone and sighed as he got ready to continue the story. “Now, Maxwell was being used as the catalyst, but that does not mean he is an evil being. Before Drazernon could make his son the vessel of the darkness, we managed to get to him, and your mother and Verius were able to beat Drazernon while Shari and I managed to save Maxwell. We knocked Drazernon unconscious and locked his body away in a prison realm in order to keep him from causing anymore chaos to the world we live in, but that was obviously very short lived as he has been freed for over fifteen years or so, so the realm wasn’t able to hold him, but before he managed to escape, we did take his two children at the time, Maxwell and Saria, Shari wanting us to raise Saria when she died. Upon escaping though it seems he also either had or created two kids, Wesker and Inferno, and he might use one of them to do the same thing again.” Drax explained everything carefully as he watched all their eyes, everyone was more sympathetic to Maxwell over anything as they watched and listened to the story.
“So even as Drazernon’s children, me and Maxwell were able to not be corrupted by our lineage and you managed to raise us so we would follow your path of good and right?” Saria basically clarified, getting a nod from both the royals as Lynx watched them, he seemed to already know this story so this wasn’t as much a shock to him but he still felt remorse for Maxwell since this was probably a lot to take in. Maxwell shook his head and stood up, taking off the necklace that had his family crest on it, setting it on the table. “If I really do come from a lineage crafted by someone as vile as Drazeron… I don’t deserve to be king. I can’t take the throne if I am from someone like him.” He shook his head turned away “I’m sorry, I need to go.” Maxwell said and quickly ran from the room, Saria gasping as she went to follow him, Marz doing the same since he was worried and concerned for what his brother was doing, and hoped he wasn’t about to just run away.
Maxwell had returned to his room and shut the door, locking it behind him as he went and sat on his bed, sitting against the headboard as he pulled his knees to his chest and buried his face into his arms, a few tears escaping his eyes as everything gathered in his mind, it was all to much for him to take in, and despite his training as a warrior that would make him steel his emotions, even this was hurting him now. Maxwell didn’t feel hatred towards the people he called parents, he hated that he was cursed to be a member of Drazernon’s lineage. Maxwell didn’t much, he quietly cried into his arms, not sure what else to do. He didn’t feel he deserved to be in a family like this if his legacy really did fall behind Drazernon.
Saria sighed as she tried opening the door, Marz standing beside her with worry as Saria gently knocked. “Maxwell, please… don’t lock yourself away, don’t think this is something we can’t fight. I know you must be feeling a lot of pain, and a lot of suffering, but this Shari women, our mother, wanted these two to protect us and raise us, and they did just that. They raised you to be a suitable good king, and that’s something you can’t just throw away. I know you’re hurting, but please, don’t hide yourself away, answer the door, let me and Marz help, let us talk through this. No matter who out father is, no matter where we come from, we are still Nomad and Drax’s children, you are the crown prince. Please... let us in.” She said, trying to calm her brother, as she stood against the door to listen for him.
There wasn’t an answer, all saria could do was sigh as she put her back to the door and sat on the floor, sighing gently. “Take your time. I’ll sit here until you are ready. Just please, talk to me when you’re ready. Let me help you, let us help you. You’re our brother, and our leader, I know this is a lot to take in, but this whole family loves and needs you.” she said gently. “I promise… we will get through this.” She said and shut her eyes as she leaned against the door. Marz took a seat beside Saria and did the same. He didn’t know what to say, but he did know he wanted to help Maxwell, and so he wasn’t going to leave until he knew his big brother was okay. “I’m here to.” He said gently as he sat beside Saria and waited “I care about you, no matter what.”
Maxwell heard the two and teared up more, he didn’t cry, he couldn’t. He just lied there, he needed rest. All they could do was wait for him to be okay.
Draco watched them from around the corner and sighed. “If only they understood how important it is that they continue this fight. Once Maxwell is ready, we must tell him why he needs to continue fighting. Don’t worry Maxwell, we are going to help you. You will beat your father and prove your lineage from him doesn’t make you the same.” he said and silently walked off to the dining hall, he had something to say to Drax, and wanted to help the best he could. This was a matter Maxwell couldn’t handle alone.
![Tale to the King [arc: 1] [Chapter: 12]](https://sf.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/2365/2365774_YusukeNakamura_e6e49a1b-8d21-40f9-993a-477db0b64eaf_noncustom.jpg "Tale to the King [arc: 1] [Chapter: 12]")
![Tale to the King [Arc: 1] [Chapter: 14]](https://sf.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/2391/2391604_YusukeNakamura_2284954_yusukenakamura_img_3244_noncustom.jpg "Tale to the King [Arc: 1] [Chapter: 14]")
