wn of

s silence that enveloped the Palace of the Sun of Ages, that majestic citadel which had regained its grandeur after Azarukh, the Fire King, returned to

adows twisted like serpents, Zahariq the Jinn-the Sun of Ages' loyal

rom black meteorite stone, his eyes glowing like coal, scanning the distant horizon.

ht was no or

pierced the palace, echoing like a lightning strike in a gra

ed his head, his eyes wide

ered to

phecy has fina

eat and blood, screaming in pain, while the investigator Muhammad sto

ld, crying fiercely, as if it had emerged

h tear-filled eyes as Muhammad

ell, the price of our escape from the palace. Give

e cold and sh

against his chest with equal measures of caution and awe. He emerged from the room, each step heavy, the crie

black manuscript he had found years before

Child of

ntil he realized that the letters concealed

:

the pass

ortality,

Parents," was the prophecy he h

eborn from a child born

approaching newborns, as if the palace itself were breathing new life. He opened his arms

.. my awa

he Newborn to

what the future might hold. In his hands, he cradled the newborn, the tiny body trembl

and presented him to the sheikh, his

n, Sheikh Sh

footsteps echoing softly against the stone floor. He reached out to take the c

l of authority and

Son of Goodness, the Guardian of the H