Omri's face's had become pale as he saw the unconscious Athos lying on the ground, the prince was bleeding profusely from a lethal injury on his abdomen.
Athos' condition was serious, healing spells had been blocked off by a nullifying enchantment and Omri felt frustration as he was unable to treat Athos due to his weakened state. He felt miserable and guilty as he had failed to protect the young prince despite Omri pledging to be his shield. All he could provide was first aid to inhibit the heavy bleeding.
'Damn this! No! Athos, please stay with me.'
Omri's thoughts were filled with panic, he hastily took off his cloak and used it to cover the wound, Omri's right hand firmly applied pressure to Athos' abdomen while checking on his vitals. The cloak was wet with the rain and Athos' blood had seeped through it.
The young prince had lost consciousness and his body went into shock, Athos' condition was deteriorating fast, Omri knew the gravity of the situation and struggled to keep calm.
The red-cloaked assailant, watched with satisfaction as he saw the two struggle. A twisted smile decorated his face. He knew that his attack would bring a slow and painful death to his target and he watched with delight as he saw the cobbled ground get stained by his victim's blood.
Omri had noticed the attacker's presence and quickly armed his sword and pointed it towards the man.
"W-who are you?" Omri's voice trembled as he faced the assailant.
"You need not know my name… child of the Fidelis." The man snickered.
Omri's eyes dilated with shock, only a handful few knew about his lineage inside the Palace. The imperial family and the Cura couple had concealed Omri's information after the ruin of House Fidelis and it was impossible for outsiders to know of his bloodline.
"You did something that piqued my interest earlier…" The man closed the distance between them with one swift step, he then smashed through Omri's barrier, dispelling it. The man came close to Omri then grabbed his neck with force and lifted him up, disarming him.
*Clang*
The sound of a sword dropping to the ground echoed through the empty alleyway. Omri winced and struggled as he felt the man strangle him slowly.
"...I can spare the lives of those who are useful by giving them a choice." The man gazed at Omri with a sincere smile.
"Tell me Omri Fidelis, would you prefer to join your helpless master to the End or come with me and be my Brother instead?" The man's smile flattened and instead glared at Omri with a deathly desire.
"Ugh… Y-you b-bastard…" Omri grunted, the man's tight grip on his neck made it hard for him to talk and breathe. "Y-you think, I'm t-that easy? Haahh… Ughh…" Omri felt the grip tighten and he struggled to catch his breath.
"Ah, but I don't plan to let you go that easily though." The hooded man had an evil grin, he then activated a fire spell and Omri felt the hand on his neck heat up and then intensify into a scorching burn.
"AAaaaahhhhh!"
Omri screamed in agony, the heat from the man's hand had permeated and scorched through his skin. It left a distinct burn mark on his neck.
"I'll ask you again... Be my blood brother or die here along with your dear prince?" The hooded man then unsheathed his sword with his left hand and readied his stance.
Omri glared back at the hooded man, the pain was etched on his face but his eyes gleamed with a strong resolve.
"...I'd rather die than to serve the likes of you." Omri then spat on the hooded man's face.
"Tsk! You disgusting son of a bitch." The man clicked his tongue with annoyance and wiped his cheek with his sleeve. "I tried to be nice… but I guess you made your choice." The man cackled while maintaining a firm hold on Omri's neck.
"Time to die you piece of sh-"
A blinding light suddenly enveloped Omri and Athos' bodies. The hooded man was caught by off-guard and had released his grip on Omri's neck to cover his face.
"What the fuck?!"
The hooded man felt a great mana presence flash before him, it was brief, but the man felt an intimidating aura manifest before him.
[[I won't let you hurt the children.]]
A voice of a woman reverberated through the alleyway.
The hooded man was taken aback by the unexpected event. Eventually, the light died down and he saw only a pool of blood left on the ground.
Omri and Athos had vanished.
"To think that woman lived… Shit!" The hooded man clicked his tongue and stomped on the shortsword that Omri had left behind. The force was powerful enough to break the blade into pieces.
"I can't track him with that damn spell… Fuck this! We're back to finding mice again." the hooded man groaned as he scratched his head with frustration.
"Haaahhh… time to find another replacement for Docere." the hooded man sighed with bitterness then cast a teleportation spell and left the alleyway.
***
"Father…!."
Tears of joy swelled on Athos eyes as he saw his father appear in his memory room. His desire to see the faces of his parents one last time transformed the empty space into the familiar rooms of the Palace.
The Memory Room allowed him to recall, remember and reminisce with a great amount of detail. Athos recollected the warm morning of the 13th Day of Spring which was after his 7th birthday.
Athos' tears fell relentlessly as he saw both of his parents, alive inside the memory. He was an observer and his body drifted throughout the room.
It was the day he woke up to the sound of his parents' bickering.
"My love, please don't stay up late!" Florestella reprimanded Lucis in a gentle but stern tone.
"Athos' bedtime last night was supposed to be by 8:00, don't go past it again, alright?" She then pinched Lucis' cheeks until they turned red like ripened tomatoes.
"Ouch! Stella, forgive me, please! I couldn't help it…" Lucis pleaded to his wife. "Our cute son begged for- Owww!!"
"Don't drag Ath into your workaholic habits, my love." An annoyed vein protruded in Florestella's face as she pinched Lucis' swollen cheeks harder.
"If I see both of you staying up late again, you'll be sleeping on your own from hereon."
Lucis' face had gone pale, he knew that an angry wife at home is far more horrifying than waging wars with other countries. His face became dispirited and Lucis shrunk as he knelt in front of Florestella.
"Please forgive me, my Star… It won't happen again, I promise." Lucis cried pathetically on the ground, tears started to well up and snot littered Lucis' face while his cheeks were sore and swollen.
"Don't make me sleep alone, please." Teardrops started to fall from Lucis' eyes.
It was hilarious to witness the Emperor breakdown in such a fashion. Athos who was observing the memory broke out in laughter as he saw his father's unexpected side. He was used to seeing his father manage his composed expressions every day and revisiting the memory brought back joy to his heart.
"Ah, were we too loud?" Florestella noticed Athos squirm then sat up from his bed.
"M-mother?" Little Athos rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"Good morning Ath! We're sorry if we woke you up." Florestella gave the little Athos a warm hug.
Seeing his father, kneeling and crying pitifully on the carpet, had Athos confused. "What's wrong with father?"
"Nothing's wrong my son!" Lucis quickly got back on his feet then hastily wiped off his tears and snot with his robe. "I'm fine, don't worry." His cheeks were still a bit flushed and swollen from Florestella's pinching.
"Father, you really looked like a tomato back then… Mother was also a bit scary too." Athos' who was observing the memory felt an overwhelming wave of melancholy. His laughter faded as he recalled his current predicament.
The Memory Room was a gift that was bestowed to Athos by Fate on his birth.
It was believed that the first generation of Moirais, their ancestors, possessed a rare ability that allowed them to stockpile boundless amounts of information for their disposal. Every memory, whether it was a common one or a pivotal event would be recorded and logged in the room.
It documented the experiences of the beholder, the sights, sounds, smells, touch and tastes all of it would be memorized with a vast amount of detail. It was an ability that allowed oneself to never forget and always remember.
However as time went by and the Moira kin multiplied, the ability to use the Memory Room gradually vanished. All that was retained were their mana talents, precognition and abilities to invoke bonds and threads.
Thirteen years ago, however, Athos was born and it became an unprecedented event to learn that the Memory Room had resurfaced from the Crown Prince.
Fearing for their son's safety, Lucis and Florestella had placed a gag order on Athos' information. They had also advised Athos to refrain from using it and taught him how to control the Memory Room by suppressing his strong emotions.
Athos realized how fortunate he was that he grew up in a bubble that kept him safe. Now that he was outside of it, a feeling of uncertainty overwhelmed him.
"This place doesn't seem that bad."
Athos contemplated as his heart was torn between staying and leaving the room. He wanted to stay longer to alleviate the pain and burdens on his chest
"At least… Mother and father are here. I won't go hungry if I just revisit a memory of a meal or remember my bedroom if I need a place to stay." Athos sighed.
"YyyYoOunNgG OoOnnNee…"
Athos' thoughts suddenly cleared up after hearing the unknown's voice once more in his head.
"YyYyOouU MuUsSt LLleaAvVee! YyOouU DdoO NnoOtt BbeELLoOnGg HherEe yyEeTt!"
The space around Athos started to disintegrate to nothingness.
"W-what's happening?" Athos panicked as he saw the pieces of furniture turn to dust and his room break up like pieces of glass in front of him.
The five blobs of shadows that Athos saw earlier had reappeared, they surrounded him and slowly swallowed him into the Abyss.
"GgGooO BbaaCkkK! GoOo BaAackk!"
"RrEeTtuUurrNnn!"
"RreEemMembBeerR UuUssS!"
"WwaAaKkkE UuUpPp!"
"AttHhhoOooss!"
"No! Wait a minute! Let me-" Athos drowned into the darkness. Only the voices of the shadows remained and echoed through the empty space.
"WWweeE WwIiLL MmeeEtTT sSoonNn."
***
*Clack*
*Clack*
*Clack*
*Clack*
'What is that sound? Is that a clock I'm hearing...?'
My eyes felt heavy and tired, my entire body was in pain and I struggled to move my muscles as it felt like someone weighed me down on me. I tried to open my eyes to follow where the sound was coming from but they refused to open.
"...M-mother! I-I think he's w-waking up!"
"Calm down, we need to close the wound first and deal with the enchantment after. Haahhh…"
'These voices… they sound so familiar, what is happening?
"Mother, the anaesthesia has been applied to the wound, it should take effect shortly. Here are the clean bandages too."
"Pass me the needles too, I need to suture this properly."
"Y-yes! Here, please use these, it's been disinfected thoroughly."
'Needles...? Suture...? What is going on?'
I then felt a dull pressure slowly creep on my abdomen, it made me recall what had happened earlier.
'Oh right… there was a black sword that went through my stomach... Then these voices must be… Omri and Sagitta.
"Mother, I'll activate the mana field, please tell me when you're done suturing so I can dispel the enchantment and replace it with a recovery one."
"I'm almost done Omri…"
*Clack*
*Clack*
*Clack*
"It's done Omri, you can remove the damned enchantment. Haahhh… that was nerve-wracking."
I felt a gentle wave of mana course through my body. It was warm and it felt comforting. I heard the two sigh and breathe with relief. My body pains gradually faded and I managed to finally muster my strength to bat my eyelids to open.
"Little prince! Thank goodness! Omri… he made it!"
~~~~~
To Be Continued.
~~~~~