Happy reading.

.

.

-The Heir to the Throne-

[ Southern Region, the kingdom of Alekrona]. Notus is a place that is always cold all year round. ]

This year is not the first year that Notus has experienced snowfall in the region. Nearly fifty years ago, this region no longer experienced spring and summer.

It's almost cold and gloomy all year round. Ice-covered the tombstones. The bushes never grew, except for a strange and dreadful thorny plant.

For ordinary people and residents of the capital city. Notus is not just a southern region led by Duke Sebastian Clinton, the current king's brother. But Notus was also an arid, barren, and impoverished area where many monsters were rumored to be living there.

The exile of Prince Sebastian and his family. His wife, Duchess Scarlett Louver-Clinton, and their son, Prince Zidane Clinton, are both members of the Royal Family.

There, the figure of a monster is created from the injustice that restrains it.

A cruel tyrant, Prince Ziden. Monsters from the south are rumored to be usurping the current king's power.

***

This year is exactly fifteen years after the death of Duke Sebastian Clinton on the same snowy night. A horse screeched through the mist, its hooves buried in the icy ground.

In a matter of seconds, the horse came to a stop on the shore of a frozen lake that looked almost like a glass. A person riding his horse dismounted, stepping slowly to the shore of the lake. Someone who shouldn't have come to this forbidden place.

"Huh..."

Prince Zidan sighed softly. He could see his breath. Steam billowed slowly and steadily in front of his face, before disappearing into the cold night air.

His hands are numb. He couldn't even feel the weight of his armor on his back, nor the weight of the metal chain shirt pressing against his neck that stung his skin from the cold.

The man stared blankly ahead. His black beads narrowed. Far away, he could see the shadow army, the black clan guarding the restricted area. Troops are assembled by black magicians with magical powers.

They stood in the night mist like ghostly silhouettes, floating like black smoke in the air. The chill became even more pronounced as Prince Ziden stepped closer, walking across the frozen, glass-thin lake.

The shadow army gathered, forming a defensive wall once Prince Ziden managed to cross the frozen lake. He furrowed his brow in thought.

The coldness he had felt earlier became more pronounced, stronger as if the thin snow falling could not possibly create a chilling aura that pierced the bone marrow.

The sense of vigilance made him grip his sword even tighter. With swift steps, he swung his sword, cleaving the army of intangible shadows. In an instant, Prince Ziden slashed his sword, and the shadows scattered in all directions.

Prince Ziden looked up, dumbfounded. The shadow army melted into the air, disappearing like smoke. It was only a moment before another shadow was cast in the air. Taking the same form as the figure the prince had just defeated.

"Is that possible?" he thought.

That's right ...

The creature is immortal. As if it would not be destroyed even if he drew his sword right at the heart of the intangible army that was floating in the air freely.

"Tsk, dammit." he chuckled.

The goal was ahead. There was no other choice but to breakthrough. A cold valley flanked by icebergs that are thousands of years old. Where black magicians live.

The man strengthened his resolve. He swings his sword again to open a path. It's just that nothing has changed. The shadow army disappeared and reappeared again and again.

Meanwhile, Prince Ziden was exhausted. The man was breathing fast. His black beads were glaring and alert. If he continued to attack, then he would run out of calm much faster than previously thought.

After a few minutes of silence, the man furrowed his brows in thought. As if something was strange when the shadow army didn't attack him at all.

They just hovered in the air, flying low and irregularly. It didn't look like it was going to attack him at all.

For a while, Prince Ziden was silent. He took off all his armor. It was useless if the enemy in front had no intention of attacking.

The man closed his eyes. He thought of running, taking a quick step forward. But everything stopped for a moment in his mind.

Prince Ziden felt it too. A hallucination that suddenly struck him at the same time, swirled in his brain rapidly. His blood seemed to be sucked out. by something invisible to the naked eye.

His body shivered, his legs lost balance, and he fell to the icy wet ground along with the sword he was holding.

Everything is numb. followed by excruciating pain that surfaced. The man widened his eyes, his internal organs were being pulled by force. Scratches suddenly appeared on both arms, mysteriously. Drops of blood reminisced on its surface, hatching a few on the wet ground covered in light snow. makes it feel very clear.

From the wet ground appeared the figure of a woman he recognized. The strands of blonde hair drifted in the wind. His gaze was straight. flat, as if there was no emotion at all.

"Se-Selena..."

The woman's form was barely clear. turned like the smog of the shadow army, and just disappeared.

"No, Selena!"

With his remaining strength, the man grabbed the sword lying not far beside him. It's just that his vision began to feel foggy, shadowed, and slowly no longer clear as the black color made his consciousness completely disappear.

***

"You're awake, young man."

Someone's melodious voice made Prince Ziden come to his senses. The boy opened his eyes suddenly. He forced himself to sit down even though the pain in his body was stabbing.

Prince Ziden turned his head. He frowned. Observe the surroundings that look gloomy and dark.

There was no fireplace at all, making the room icy cold. The musty aroma, characteristic of earth and stone, is mixed with a hint of rancid blood and rotting slime.

Prince Ziden covered his mouth.

"Don't act young. Here I am your savior. "

Degh...

Prince Ziden followed the source of the voice. The man narrowed his eyes for a moment because it was too dark.

He only heard the footsteps of someone approaching and stopped a few meters in front of him.

"Who are you?" "Prince Ziden asked."

For a moment, the figure was silent. The cold aura that suddenly radiated made Prince Ziden remember the shadow army he faced earlier.

The aura is almost the same. even slightly stronger than the shadow army.

The figure laughed. He was getting closer. Light a small candle.

Prince Ziden frowned even more in thought. That tiny light made the figure in front of him a little clearer.

A beautiful woman with wavy black hair, probably her age.

A long black dress covered her body with a strange lace that also covered her head.

The woman smiled as she got closer. He placed a small candle on the small table right up to Prince Ziden's seat.

"You don't know me, young man? Didn't you come here looking for me? "

"W-what are you-"

"Right, I'm the black magician you're looking for."

To be continued...