"Oracle’s Silence" [Part 44] Wukong's Path - An Infinity Kingdom Story

🔷 Introduction

Welcome to part 44 of my Wukong series. We are following three famous fire immortals and their ally Wukong, who is currently training in the arts of fire. They have had a challenging journey as of late, and their adventure is constantly changing with new challenges just beyond the horizon. 

📄 Recap of Part 43:  "The Cave and the Crown"

After escaping a perilous cave, Seondeok, Wukong, and their companions find refuge in a village and are escorted to the Spartan capital, where they warn Commander Theron of a rising magical threat. With the return of Leonidas and his battered army, alliances are forged by firelight as a desperate plan begins to take shape against the trolls.

🔷 Part 44:  "Oracle’s Silence"

At first light, the mountain rose in the distance like an ancient sentinel cloaked in mist. Leonidas and Wukong rode quietly, leaving the safety of the capital behind. No escort followed. Only the two of them had been chosen to seek out the Oracle. Leaders. Fighters. Carriers of the burden no one else wanted.

By midday, they reached the base. The horses could go no farther. The trail became steep and narrow, carved into the rock by hands lost to time. Wind howled through the cliffs, sharp and cold, carrying with it the scent of snow and something older.

“You trust this place?” Wukong asked, his breath visible in the thinning air.

Leonidas didn’t stop climbing. “I don’t trust much anymore. But the stories say the Oracle never lies. And we need truth, even if it’s ugly.”

The temple revealed itself just as the clouds began to break. A half-ruined thing, buried in stone and ivy. Pillars leaned at strange angles. The entrance yawned like the mouth of a dead god. Despite the decay, a presence hung in the air. It made their skin prickle.

Inside, the silence was absolute. No birds, no wind, not even the sound of their boots on the floor. Then a flame lit on its own in the center of the chamber. It pulsed gently, casting long shadows. And then it spoke.

“You have come far. Fire from the forge and fire from the storm. But you must know, truth is not salvation. It is a burden.”

Wukong folded his arms. “We didn’t come for riddles. Tell us what’s happening.”

The flame flared brighter, then settled.

“The trolls were not born of rage. They were made. Long ago, kings and mages took wild creatures from the mountains and broke them. Twisted them. Bound them in runes and chains. The shaman does not corrupt them. He unbinds them.”

Leonidas’ expression tightened. “No. That’s not what we were taught.”

“The past is not what you were taught. It is what was buried. And it is rising.”

Neither man spoke.

Wukong finally looked up. “So we’re fighting the wrong war?”

“There is no right war,” the Oracle replied. “Only choices. You can defend your homes, or you can break the cycle. But not both.”

Leonidas turned away, staring at the flickering shadows. “And if we choose wrong?”

“Then history will repeat itself. It always does.”

Snow had begun falling by the time they stepped outside. It came slowly, soft and cold, blanketing the world in silence.

They didn’t speak as they descended the mountain. Each step carried the weight of something deeper than war. Something that couldn’t be put into a speech or a strategy map.

At the base, Wukong paused.

“We can’t tell them everything. Not yet.”

Leonidas nodded. “They’ll never follow us if they think the trolls are victims.”

“They’re not innocent,” Wukong said. “Not anymore.”

“But maybe we don’t have to be monsters either.”

Wukong looked up at the gray sky, then back at the road.

“We act like we know the way forward. Like, we’ve still got answers. Because if we hesitate, they’ll all fall apart.”

Leonidas looked at him for a long moment. Then he gave a quiet nod. “So we make a new story. One worth following.”

And without another word, they turned from the mountain and started the long walk home.

📄 Recap Questions

Why did Leonidas and Wukong choose to stay quiet about what the oracle said?

What will they tell their people to convince them otherwise?

🔷 Conclusion

Wukong and his new friend Leonidas have gotten themselves in quite the predicament. How are they supposed to get everyone to follow them if the trolls aren’t what they thought they were? But in the end it's still war, and their homes are under attack. It's a sticky situation that feels like there is no way out.

See you next week!

🔷 Hades, Press Officer.

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