It was very sunny that day and the wind flutter his skin: warm and refreshing. The huge cage was in the middle of the tower, floating. It is made of pure gold and protected by mana, a magicules that is coming from the Earth.
"I've finally had the chance to imprison our famous killer machine, Prince Darius of Eternal Kingdom." he grinned and summon a magical whip, "Now you can pay me back for what you did with my left eye," He is a man wearing a weird suit and has an eyepatch in his left eye.
He feels like an executioner, and is able to take his revenge to someone who stab his left eye. But what he did not expect is how confident Prince Darius right now. He is smiling from ear to ear.
"I didn't expect to see a talking bug here," he said. That made the man furious.
"How dare you! You really think that you can go out here, huh?!" he started laughing so creepily, then ready his whip, "I'll whip you! I'll make you crippled! Hahahahaha!" he said.
The whip is embedded with magic, so Prince Darius is expecting it to hurt him. He is a human afterall. And the Council really did a good job making all this preparation, as if they are expecting him.
He cannot use his magic, the Sun. His mana is like being drained from his body. And every time passed, the cage is taking his life essence. He need to get out soon, or else he will die.
'Fucking Council," he spit on the ground upon taking the first hit.
"HAHAHA... HAHAHAHA!" like a fool, laughing upon hitting the Prince. "Can you feel it? The pain you inflicted on me?"
Instead of making a pained expression, he grinned as if mocking him. This made Edul more mad.
"Why? Why? Why are you laughing?!" she shouted. He started whipping him more. Darius feel intense pain. This cage is sucking out his mana and life essence, and the whip fucking hurt so much.
'Is this my retribution?' he asked himself. But he cannot continue grinning. He does not want anyone to see his weakness. He started reminiscing things he does not want to remember.
It was a rainy night, with thunderstorm and lightning. He was so scared that night that his mother asked him to hide in the closet.
"Prince... please do not go out and make a noise," his mother was crying. "Mommy will come back, be a good boy, okay?" she caress his head.
The little boy felt so much fear. But if his mother told him to be a good boy, he needs to follow her order no matter what it takes.
So he hide and look at the gaps of the closet. The light from the thunder shone upon the room and he heard a scream.
"Ahhhhhhhh!" it was his mother's voice. He wanted to go out and help his mother, but he couldn't move his body. And he need to follow her.
"Please! Stop!" the voice of his nanny echoed the room, and many things have been broken.
"Queen Ezrae! Run now!" the nany shouted. "No! No!" and several screams were heard. Fierro was crying and cover his mouth so that his sob cannot be heard. He wanted to go out. He wanted to see what is going on. Is his mother okay?
The door of the room opens, and he look at the gaps. It was a man wearing a dark robe and holding a sword, and his mother. He saw the blood splatter on the floor, and his nanny laying on it.
"No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" a large scream was heard and he saw how the man pierced his mother's heart with sword. The Knights started noticing it, and rushed into the scene. Then the man kneel on the floor then hug her tightly. Before leaving, he looked at the closet, and Darius could see how deep dark blue his eyes is. Very beautiful and dangerous.
Then he jumped from the window. In the end, Darius could not get out of the closet until his mother said so.
Servants came and rushed to his mother. He felt so much pain in his heart and passed out and the servants did not notice her. It took him days before getting out of the closet when he had a dream that his mother is telling him to go out.
His mother's death was said due to a strange disease, but Prince Darius knew very well she was killed. How strange that many member of the council agree so without even investigating. I mean, she is a Queen.
That left a deep scar in his heart. He investigated it secretly and it all pointed to one person, the Kings new consort, the current Queen Nefaria.
She even abused him from time to time. And he remembers this one time that one lady who visited the palace.
"What are you doing?!" The little girl shouted at the maid, "Why are you hitting him with a cane?!" she pointed at the servant. Prince Darius was such a small child back then, and was afraid of everything.
The servant arrogantly frowned at Laria, and snapped.
"Why do you care? Who do you think you are?" and the servant examine her from head to toe. The young lady felt insulted. Servant were grinning and the injured Prince Darius is on the ground.
The young girl slapped the maid.
"You...!" she couldn't finish her words and pointed at the young lady.
"Y-you are a grown up adult and youre beating a small child? How shameless!" the girl shouted, and its as if she have taken all of her courage to do that.
The servant was about to hit her when a beautiful lady appeared who looked exactly like her. Just an adult version.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," The lady smiled and walk up to us. The maids behind her walked graciously too.
"Mom!" the young girl run into her and cries. "I-I'm so scared! uwaaah!" the girl who was so fierce earlier is crying like a baby.
Upon recognizing her, the maid who was about to hit the young girl kneels and beg for forgiveness. The lady graciously talked to the servant. And Prince Darius remembered her mother from her.
"Oh my, why are you crying?" she asked Prince Darius. "Laria, give him your cookies," Laria hesitate to give him her hard baked cookies, firmly hold it. However, when her mother asked her to give one, she could not refuse.
'So her name is Laria'
He opened his eyes. Pain and scratches was all over his body and it was dark.
"Fucking Council..." he murmured. He spit blood.
"I see now that you are awake," he looked at the corner of the floating prison, and saw Costa, his shadow.
"Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to protect Laris?" annoyed, Costa smirked.
"Your dear wifey asked me to come here. And she is absolutely right about your situation," he looked at his body. "I'm glad the Lady was able to take the Archimead at advance," the Archimead is a medicinal pill that will stabilize your body and stop the outside to take your life force away. But it will not heal your wounds.
"What do you mean?" Darius asked while receiving what Costa threw at him.
"It was a letter from the Lady." Costa was examining the situation. "Also, it is her family heirloom ring, she said that you should wear it if you want to keeo your mana bank intact," Prince Darius was not shocked to see Costa sneaking into the Council. He is his shadow guard after all.
"Is the situation bad?" he asked, wesring the ring.
"I suggest you regain all of your strength, the Lady is doing everything she can to get you out of the prison of Council, so hold on a little longer," Costa said. "Also, the lady had awakened the Icetierre."
His eyes grew larger and was in awe. Very surprised. Prince Darius cannot believe it.
"What?!"
But Costa just shrugged it off.