History Called Him a Devil. I Called Him Home

 

The kingdom I grew up believing in was built on lies. The people I trusted had been raised on those lies for generations. For years, I believed we were the heroes. My name is Kiara. I was born in the Kingdom of Virelia, where every child's magic is stolen the moment they are born. No one remembers except the King.

My father was a soldier loyal to the crown until his last breath. My mother died when I was three. Everyone in my village told me that the mountain Devils killed her. I had never seen one. I did not know what they looked like. But I grew up with one wish—to avenge my mother. The day I met a Devil, I promised myself I would kill one.

I was never the strongest or the smartest. I simply refused to give up. Every fall only made me train harder. Whenever training became too much, I escaped to my favourite place—Aseria Falls. The crystal-clear waterfall flowed from the Black Mountains. It was my escape from the world.

Then one day, everything changed. My father and the other warriors decided it was time for us to become true soldiers of Virelia. They entrusted our training to the kingdom’s greatest commander.

His name was Troy Bolten.

He was one of the King’s most trusted warriors. The strange thing was—I had never seen him. I only knew the stories.

The day he arrived, I expected someone terrifying. But when I saw him, all my anger disappeared.

My friends became shy whenever he spoke, but I refused to act like them.

I smiled and said, “Morning, Guruji.”

He sighed. “I told you to stop calling me that.”

I smiled. “Then stop acting like one.”

For a moment, I saw a small smile on his face.

Training with Troy was different. Slowly, we began to feel for each other. The day came when he confessed that he had come here only for me. After that, we began meeting in secret, hiding our love from the world.

Then Virelia was attacked. The streets were filled with fear. Soldiers fought everywhere. People screamed for help.

I searched for Troy. Then I saw him. A warrior saving people. But when I reached him, my heart stopped.

It was not Troy.

His face was different. His voice was different. The person standing there was a stranger.

The Troy Bolten I knew was not the man who I loved.

Nobody knew where the real Troy was. Nobody knew the truth.

Not long after, my home was attacked. Flames surrounded me. I thought I was going to die.

Then a bright light appeared.

Something lifted me from the ground and carried me away.

I never saw the person’s face.

But I knew who it was.

A Devil.

Because everyone knew only Devils had powers.

When I opened my eyes, I was beyond the Black Mountains.

But it was not a kingdom of monsters.

It was a kingdom of people.

The only difference was—they had magic.

Then someone entered.

I raised my sword.

But I froze.

It was him.

Troy.

My Troy.

Except now I knew the truth.

He was a Devil.

Anger filled me. Pain filled me. Everything I believed shattered.

“You killed my mother,” I whispered.

“Kiara, please listen,” he said.

I wanted to hate him.

But I couldn’t.

Because he was the same person who I loved.

I returned to Virelia, but questions followed me everywhere. If we were the good ones, why did we have no magic? Why did the Devils have everything we were told they stole?

I searched through the old records of Virelia. But there was nothing. No mention of magic. No mention of the past.

Then I found something that changed everything.

I followed the guard who took orders only from the King to the Liam family. A child was about to be born.

I watched from the shadows as the King’s guards arrived with their so-called blessing.

But it was not a blessing.

I saw the guard take the newborn child away. I followed him.

In a hidden room, I watched as he forced the baby to drink something. The child disappeared for a moment and appeared somewhere else.

A power.

Teleportation.

The guard captured the light that left the baby and placed it inside a glass jar.

Then he carried it to a hidden chamber beneath the palace.

There, I saw countless jars filled with stolen magic.

That was the moment I understood.

We were not born without magic.

It was taken from us.

The King had stolen the power of every child in Virelia.

I found Troy again. This time, I needed answers.

He finally told me the truth.

His real name was Edward.

Long ago, Virelia and the kingdom beyond the mountains were one.

His father believed magic was a gift meant to be shared. Our King believed magic was power meant to belong only to him.

When Edward’s father refused, our King created a war and blamed the magical people.

He called them Devils.

My mother discovered the truth.

And the King killed her to protect his secret.

I returned to Virelia with the truth.

I stood before the people and revealed everything.

The King tried to stop me.

He used all the stolen magic against us.

But he forgot one thing.

Magic was never his.

I opened the chamber beneath the palace.

The stolen magic was released.

Light filled the kingdom.

Every person who had lost their power finally remembered who they truly were.

I fought beside Edward with my power of telekinesis.

Together, we defeated the King.

For the first time in generations, Virelia knew the truth.

The Devils were never monsters.

They were people.

I looked toward the Black Mountains.

The place I once feared became the place where I found my truth.

History called Edward a Devil.

But I knew his heart.

He was my home