"She died while trying to rescue you from the clutches of that creature."
Though the man's voice was only a hushed whisper, it sounded like thunder in Rowan's ears. His eyes widened as his grip slowly loosened. He quickly stepped back, his mind still processing what the man had said.
After awhile, he finally got a grip on himself.
"No. You're lying! She's not dead. She can't be dead!" Rowan clenched his fists, and his face contorted in an uncontrollable rage.
"You're lying!" A loud scream forced its way out of Rowan's mouth. It was as if his soul unleashed his inner demon. At that moment, it felt like all of his frustrations and rage turned into black confetti.
His fists clenched tighter as his expression darkened.
With a blink of an eye, Porteur found himself pinned to the ground. Opening his eyes, he saw the boy on top of him. His gaze went through him like a blast of freezing ice. It made his muscles stiffen. The boy looked like a little devil at the moment.
Porteur tried to move; however, the boy's power instantly suppressed him into submission. The grip on his neck tightened, choking the air out of his lungs.
"Tell me she's not dead! My Kalliste is not dead!" Rowan once again roared in anger. His eyes would sometimes glow crimson.
"I apologise, My Prince. But it was the truth! She died while trying to save you from the creature!" Porteur managed to respond in between the small ragged gasp that escaped his throat.
As the seconds passed by, Porteur could feel that his oesophagus slowly closed. However, he could not do anything but wait for death to claim his life.
"She is not dead!"
The boy's exclamation of fiery wrath and disdain was the last thing that Porteur heard before he was totally consumed by the darkness.
When Rowan felt that the man was no longer moving, he finally let him go before walking out of the room. He had no idea where to go. He just let his feet lead the way.
Soon enough, he found himself in the forest that was located just behind the palace.
"Ah! Kally!" Without any hesitation, he screamed on top of his lungs.
As he did, a dark aura suddenly enveloped him. As the seconds passed, it grew stronger and stronger.
After awhile, the land beneath his feet trembled. It was soon followed by loud explosions that could be heard throughout the entire forest.
"What's going on?" Captain Barrion, Captain Barrion, who was in close proximity, was alarmed. At first, he thought a demonic creature was at work. However, the absence of any portal that could lead to his suspicions made him think otherwise.
Glenn, who was beside his captain at the time, eventually noticed the dark aura that rushed out in the middle of the forest and shouted in shock.
"Captain! Over there!"
Somir was taken aback by Glenn's sudden outburst. As soon as his eyes fell upon the familiar power, a cold chill rushed down his spine as he watched how the terrifying dark aura engulfed a large part of the forest.
Only one person crossed his mind at that moment. "My Prince!"
Without a second thought, he quickly rushed in the direction of the forest.
"Captain! Where are you going?" Glenn shouted as he followed his superior, albeit unwillingly.
Soon enough, the two finally found the source of the commotion.
Their eyes widened like saucer plates when they saw how the initially calm Prince now emitted a horrifying and overwhelming mana that looked like it was about to erupt.
"What in the…" Glenn trailed off, having realising that the power was almost matchless. It seemed that a powerful demon awakened after endless years of slumber.
Meanwhile, Somir's heart pounded like crazy. He saw nothing but darkness. Just one glance was all it took for him to know the boy's unstable state. The prince's expression darkened even more as the seconds passed by. His mood made his mana even more aggressive as it grew stronger, frightening the two of them.
"Crack!"
Even the land where they stood could not withstand the raw power as a massive crater appeared.
Glenn was left aghast, and he shouted in horror, "Captain! We have to do something!"
"How? Who could stop him?" Somir bellowed. At that moment, he felt powerless against the rampaging prince. However, his safety was now his responsibility.
"Damn it! I'll try." Somir took a deep breath. He quickly made up his mind and slowly approached the boy, conscious of the distance between them. However, before he could even say anything, a loud bang suddenly resounded in the area.
The powerful force slammed into him. Though he unleashed his own mana to block the force, it was futile. Somir was blown several meters away. He spat out a lot of blood even before landing on the cold ground.
"Captain! Are you alright?" Glenn quickly
came and helped him up.
Somir was pale, but he managed to
nod.
Seeing his captain's situation made Glenn alarmed. His captain was among the strongest Imperial guards; however, he did not even have the opportunity to get close to the prince.
With another loud crash, all of the trees in the area split in half.
"What is happening here?"
Another loud voice echoed through the area. Somir gave out a breath of relief when he saw his fellow captain, Geoffry Verne. The Emperor himself's personal knight.
"Captain Verne! Am I glad to see you!"
"I'll give it a shot." Eyeing the prince, Geoffry took a deep breath as he whispered, "Energy Barrier!" His body instantly lit up bluish, bordering silver.
At that moment, he channelled his ultimate defence to its limits.
He slowly walked closer to the Prince while talking at the same time, "Your Highness, please steady your emotions…" He did not even finish his sentence when an even more powerful force assaulted him. However, he managed to compose himself as strands of furious lightning gushed out to protect him while he walked forward.
"Buzz!"
However, it did not even take long before an overwhelming force came crashing down on him. He did not give up though and continued to close the gap. Alas, even his most powerful defense could do nothing against the might of the prince.
"Gah!" With an ear-splitting scream, Verne's barrier instantly shattered like a fragile piece of glass. Crimson liquid immediately seeped out of his mouth, eyes, and ears. His instant regeneration was now unable to heal his wounds at all.
"Captain Verne, no!" Glenn was astounded. This man was a level 7 knight and was considered to be the strongest amongst the six Imperial Captains. However, he was also helpless against the prince.
'Was this the true power of the Imperial Family?' He could only look at the prince with wide eyes and a gaping mouth.
"Bang!" Ultimately, Captain Verne was blown away in a much worse fashion than Barrion. He flew out of their sight like a shooting star.
"What now?" Glenn was now blanched with fear. He had no idea what could happen if this continued.
"Bang!" With another thunderous sound, a massive part of the land slowly cracked.
Somir's expression immediately hardened when he saw the damage. He understood that their meagre powers were not enough to stop the prince's outbursts. "We must leave now, or die even before we knew it!" Somir gritted his teeth. This was a difficult decision for him.
Glenn stared at the prince, who was now a few meters above the ground. "What about the Prince?" Though he tried to control it, the worry in his voice was palpable.
"Step back and let me handle this!"
Despite the commotion, another voice resounded in the area. The two gave out a long breath of relief when they saw the Emperor walking towards them. Two of the six captains were also present. However, their relaxed state screamed that they were only here to watch.
Meanwhile, as soon as the Emperor saw the Prince, he narrowed his eyes. 'Is it happening? But why now? It's still too early!' he thought to himself. His face turned serious.
"Leave us!"
At the Emperor's command, all of them turned to run. Nobody dared to linger around, as they would not be able to survive the aftermath even if they were stronger.
When the group was out of sight, the Emperor took another deep breath and slowly approached his son. However, the same thing happened to him. The moment he was within reach, a bone-crushing sound came about. As Rowan's invincible and uncontrollable power began to grind him down, blood immediately stained his majestic robe.
While facing the Prince's wrath, the Emperor finally shouted, "Flame Barrier!" Just then, the nine mana rings that circled his heart shone brightly. It quickly engulfed his body with a sparking radiance, which served as armour to protect him from the force. With that, he finally ambled towards the boy. With every step, his own mana expanded far and wide.
Under his control, the entire area lit up. His only option was to seal a large forest area before regaining consciousness.
With only a glance, he understood that the boy was in a state of spiritual emptiness. Ordinary words would not be able to reach him, so he had to use another method of communication.
When the Emperor was finally within arms length, he closed his eyes as he tried to reach the Prince's soul. Whatever he was going through right now, he had to somehow connect with him through the ocean of memories that he did not want to remember. To let him see all of his life's vicissitudes, both ups and downs. His joys, as well as his deepest sorrows.
When his worst memories returned, the Emperor clenched his firsts and gritted his teeth. A past he long buried deep within his mind. However, he had no choice. The connection of feelings was the most effective method of communication, even without uttering a single word.
------------------
Meanwhile, the group could only watch from afar.
The Emperor's mana seal made the forest look like an impregnable fortress.
After seeing this move, Glenn emotionally commented, "the Imperial Family was really on a whole different level!" He was amazed. There were a lot of gossips and stories about how powerful the Emperor was; however, this was the first time that he actually saw him in action.
The three captains were actually worried about their emperor. They didn't doubt His Majesty's strength, but the prince's was terrifying.
They all held their breaths as they waited for any improvement.
After awhile, Glenn finally lost his patience and muttered under his breath, "Will His Majesty be alright?"
"Are you implying that His Majesty was weak?" Joel Creighton, captain of The Order of the Shadows, snapped back at Glenn.
Glenn's eyes widened upon realisation of what he just said. He quickly corrected his words. "I apologise, Captain Creighton. I am only afraid of the uncontrolled magnitude that slumbered within the prince's body. It would be difficult to calm him down without harming him."
Before Captain Creighton could answer, a loud buzz came about, and the Emperor's mana slowly died down, revealing the state of the forest. Compared to earlier, the damage was terrible that the place was almost unrecognisable.
"Oh, no! His Majesty!" Without any second thoughts, they all rushed forward.
What they saw made their eyes widen in disbelief. The Emperor slumped on the hard ground, blood everywhere on his body. There were countless wounds on his figure, making him look like a broken piece of ceramic. It seemed that he would fall apart with a gentle touch. His complexion was also pale.
The two captains hurriedly rushed over and asked, with concern in their voices, "Your Majesty! Are you alright?"
The Emperor feebly opened his eyes. "At the very least, I won't die!"
The two gave out a breath of relief when they heard his joke.
Meanwhile, Somir and Glenn found the prince, who was now lying unconscious on the ground. "Your Majesty! Is he better now?"
At this time, Rowan no longer emitted any mana and slept peacefully. From the feint smile on his, it appeared that he was having a good dream.
'Who would have thought that a small child who was barely ten years old housed such an overwhelming amount of power within his body?' Somir whispered to himself. He did not dare to say it out loud.
"Bring him back to his palace. I am afraid that he would not be able to wake up anytime soon. Barrion, keep a close eye on him and notify me should you see something out of the ordinary." The Emperor glanced at his son and sighed.
Though the group was curious about what happened earlier, no one dared to ask.
"Let's go," the Emperor said before walking away.
----------------
When Rowan came to be, he was already in his own bed, with Somir standing like a statue near the door.
"My Prince. Thank goodness you are finally awake!" The captain was instantly by the prince's side.
Though he tried his best to hide it, Rowan noticed the rise in his voice's pitch. He also stumbled over his words.
"Why am I still alive?" Rowan asked casually, as though it were a normal question.
"Do not say that, my prince! Of course you are alive!" Somir's eyebrows instantly drew together, and the skin between them wrinkled.
Looking at the motionless and stoic expression of the boy, the events from the forest rewinded in his mind. Just thinking about it made his skin crawl and his bones rattle. All of his muscles screamed at an unseen horror.
"How long was I out?" Rowan asked in a monotone voice. His face is now devoid of any emotions.
"It has been over a week."
"A week, huh?" Rowan muttered halfheartedly. At that moment, it felt like he lost his appetite for everything. His entire being struggled to comprehend the girl's departure. Despite their brief acquaintance, he felt as though he had lost his other half. A very dear friend who lost her life just to save him.
At that moment, it was like the remaining colours in his life became an endless darkness.
"Somir Borrion. Go and request a formal meeting with His Majesty in my stead."
Upon hearing his voice, a cold chill immediately ran down Somir's spine. He quickly blinked, thinking that it was only an illusion; however, he was wrong. The prince was still in front of him, but something about him changed. He could not even see a small hint of emotions on his face, and the dangerous glint in his eyes made his guts scream for him to stay away.
Even the air around the boy changed completely. It was as if he was in the presence of a deadly predator.
"What are you waiting for? Go!"
"Ah! Y-yes, My Prince!" Without saying another word, Somir quickly scrambled towards the door, almost tripping in the process.
Meanwhile, Rowan finally got out of bed. Ignoring the throbbing in his head, he ambled towards the large, open window. The first thing that he saw were the leaves that fell to the ground, indicating the beginning of a new season.
'Autumn,' he thought.
A bittersweet smile etched on his face as he watched the magnificent rays of the sun that now graced over the horizon. This season used to be his favourite. For him, Autumn perfectly represented his personality. It was neither excessively cold nor excessively hot. However, it was now in the past. Even the warmth of the autumn sun could no longer melt his already frozen heart.
"My Kally. What have you done? Was it worth it to sacrifice your life just to save mine? Why must fate be this cruel to me?" Gently touching the window panel, a tear slid down his face. Though a part of him wanted to believe that she was still alive, the endless setbacks, as well as the grief, continued to slap him back to the harsh reality.
With her death, she took away his heart and his soul. He would cherish the brief memories they shared and would never trade it for anything in the world.
"You would remain in my heart and mind forever, my Kalliste. Please guide me from wherever you are." Wiping the tears from his face, he took a deep breath.
When he opened his eyes again, they were no longer the innocent eyes of a child. In them were the eyes of a vicious tyrant, ready to butcher his enemies on the battlefield. He remained motionless as he stared at the horizon with a stoic face.
Crack!
Somir entered just as a loud crack echoed in the room.
"My Prince. Your meeting with His Majesty has been granted. You may now see His Majesty as soon as possible," Somir announced before slightly bowing his head.
However, he heard no response from the prince. Looking up, he saw him standing still like a statue.
"My Prince? Is everything alright?" He tried to ask.
It took a few minutes before Rowan spoke. "Tell me, Captain Barrion. What would happen if I killed the queen?"
"You would face imprisonment for treason if you killed the Queen. Stripped out of your title as the Prince, or worse, be killed by Gallotin in front of all the citizens of the Empire." As soon as the words escaped his lips, Somir's eyes widened in realization. He snapped his head towards the boy and realised that he was now looking straight at him. Those gazes felt like they were going straight through his soul.
"My prince, please do not joke like that. The walls have ears. What do we do if someone heard what you just said?" Somir blurted out in a panicked voice. Walking towards the door, he quickly inspected if there was someone outside. He only sighed a breath of relief when he made sure that the area was clear.
"My Prince. Please be mindful of you… Huh? Where is he?" He did not get to finish his sentence because he could not see the prince where he stood. It seemed as though he had simply vanished into the air.
"I sure hope that you are only joking, My Prince." He sighed. He could only lament his fate.
Somir was about to go out when he finally noticed something. Walking towards the window, his eyes widened when he saw that the wall around it had a massive crack.
'How in the world?'
----------------
Meanwhile, the Queen was having her breakfast in her private garden. She had a smile on her face as she slowly ate her favourite food. She actually enjoyed the fact that Rowan was in a coma due to mana depletion. Her only wish for now is that the boy never wakes up.
Suddenly, she felt a familiar surge of mana behind her. Her face instantly soured as she slowly put her fork down. A forced smile etched on her face.
"Are you just going to stand there and not greet your mother, Prince Rowan?"