Our surroundings changed again and we appeared on the palace training grounds. It was nighttime now and I saw myself around eighteen, training with my new sword against a mechanical suit of armor. I was now wearing black armor, and I was training vigorously. I chopped both arms off of the suit along with the head before cutting the entire thing in half, armor and all. It clanked to the cobblestone floor, and I took a second to catch my breath.
A door opened from the castle wall next to me, and my mother came from the lightened hallway behind it. She shakily approached me and her expression was grim as she spoke. "Darling, don't you want to come inside? It's your birthday, your family is waiting for you." My younger self didn't look at her as I turned to set up another suit of armor. "Leave me."
My mother sighed and came closer. "But honey-" She was about to put her hand on my shoulder when I grabbed it and threw her to the ground. "Ah!" My past self finally turned to her, but only to shout. "Stop acting like you care about me!! I can smell your fear every time you look at me, and you have good reason to. Now, I suggest getting the hell out of my way and start planning my coronation before I chop you into pieces next!!"
I pointed my sword to her neck and tears filled her eyes. She quickly got to her feet again and ran back to the castle while crying. My past self turned back to the suit of armor without a second glance and continued to train. The memory faded again, and we appeared in a palace hallway. In this memory, I was about twenty. Me and my father were arguing like in all the memories I had of us together. I was also wearing armor in this one as well as all the others, but this time the design of it was more intricate and closer to the one I wore now.
My past self stood in front of the king with rage behind his eyes. "Why am I not king yet?! I've trained my entire life!! Am I still not good enough for you?!" My father's voice was raised, yet not as powerful as mine. "It isn't the right time!" Out of anger I grabbed his robes and punched him in the face hard with my metal knuckles. "Ah!"
He stumbled back and covered his nose which was now bleeding profusely. I clenched my fists at my sides and held my expression of hellfire. "What are you going to do, old man? I just hit you. Go ahead. Hide behind the stone of Sudre and smite me with it, you pathetic excuse for a man." My father hesitated and my anger only became stronger. "You can't wait forever!! I will be king one day whether you want me to be or not!! And when that happens, the first thing I'll do is kill you!!"
My past self then stormed off, and once I was gone my father's wound healed. However, he still held his hand over his face in sorrow and shook his head slightly. The memory stopped from there and blended into another one that took place in a different hallway by a banister. This time I was close to the age I am now, and close enough in time that I was wearing the same armor I am today.
I was with my brother again but this time I was beating the ever-living pulp out of him. I held him against the wall as I punched him hard enough in the stomach that he coughed up blood. I punched him in the face then after, and I did it again and again. His face was beaten and I only stopped to grab his neck. "You did that on purpose!! You frame me for every mistake you make because you know how much mother and father hate me and are willing to believe it!!" I then threw him to the ground and kicked him hard in the stomach.
He coughed up more blood and yet was able to smile. "Y-Your envy is, pathetic..." My past self then stomped on his head and pressed it hard to the floor. "I don't give a fuck if it's obvious!! Ever since I was born they've hated me and I've never known why!! You weren't around when I actually tried to win their affection, and soon I learned how pointless it was!! Yet, when you came along they poured their souls into loving you effortlessly!! I fucking hate you!!"
I pressed my foot harder on his head to cause him to start screaming, and then after a minute, I removed my foot to kick him down the staircase. He tumbled down the short stairwell and passed out as soon as he hit the bottom. My past self stood there motionless for a moment and turned to walk away in silence.
The memory ended and once again started to deteriorate around us. The setting by the lake appeared again and we were back in the present. Saniel was there where we last saw him and was resting his head in between his arms. I stood in front of May and Theodius again and panicked at the sight of May's horrified face. Theodius stretched his arms up and placed his hands behind his head after he finished. "Well, that was enlightening. What do you say, CherryMay? Still think Dedrin is a bud of sunshine who still has yet to blossom?"
May just looked at me uncertainly, and I tried to think of a lie to get her back on my side fast. "May, you've got to believe me, I'm not the same person I was then." It took a while but the fear on her face faded and she sighed as she looked to the ground. "Yes, Theodius. I still do believe that he has yet to blossom. Even if he really is the cruelest man in the world."
My expression shifted to surprise. "You knew? Then why are you helping me?" She returned her gaze to me and smiled. "Because you are my friend. I made you a promise and I never break a promise. No matter what, I'll always believe in you!"
I was frozen from how surprised I was at her answer, and her smile brightened. "Besides! I know that you're getting the stone of Sudre to help make up for your mistakes, so I know for a fact that you aren't all bad deep down!" She skipped away happily toward Saniel and Theodius smirked as he turned to me. "Do you want to tell her, or should I?" I was angry at him enough for showing her my memories, and I pointed to him as I followed after her. "Don't you fucking dare. If you want us to keep playing your game, stay out of this personal crap."
Theodius shrugged and he continued to hold his hands behind his head as he followed us. "Don't you two want to hear about the next test?" May stopped herself and turned around a few feet from Saniel. "Oh right! Yes please!" I stopped walking as well and turned back to Theodius as he spoke. "Get ready because you three are going to Dragon Valley to retrieve the dagger of extraction."