- "Hey brat, aren't you too weak to wield a sword?" – Even when the contain experienced the freezing season, the Goba desert maintained its temperature regardless of the change of seasons.
Among the many myths that involved the origin of that world, one was particularly important to the men of the sands.
- "I don't know what that old man Cicero saw in you to send you here with us, but these lands are cruel even with our descendants, since under the sand is the lake of fire. That is why the vegetation barely grows, but monsters abound dozing under our feet, waiting for us to let our guard down." – Barely reacting for a few seconds, the young prince Remius stopped the rapier of King Ambrosio's sword, who smiled pleased by the boy's reflexes.
- "My father is not an old man and I have been sent here as a representative of the kingdom of Melina to help them put down the revolt in the east. I ask you please not to make light judgments about me until you see me fighting at the front."
- "A prince of Melina fighting at the front? Who could attest to such a feat by a race that always keeps its leaders in the rear? Brat, you usually call yourself strategists. But to me they are nothing more than cowardly rats" – Scratching his beard keeping a challenging look on the prince to see his reaction, Ambrosio was surprised that the young man maintained his composure even when his pride had been insulted.
- "King Ambrosio, you know well the duty of kings. Correct?"
- "Of course! I do not wear the crown as a mere ballerina ornament. A king must always be one step ahead of his subjects."
- "So is. A king should be ahead of his subjects, not to prove his position. But to walk before them leading them. The delegation of soldiers who have come from the kingdom accompanying me have followed my father's orders. How could I, the king's son, stay behind while the men who entrusted their lives in my hands fight for me?
My people will not fight their battles for me, but I will fight them together. Because one day I will be their king" – Standing firmly on his legs, Remius's eyes brimmed with determination and his words the solid conviction of someone who speaks with the truth of his heart.
Witnessing that brave young man who was not intimidated by him, Ambrosio hit him on the shoulder in a friendly way, smiling at him as a sign of approval. From that first meeting, a friendly relationship developed between them, sharing the same fate on the battlefield. Celebrating their victories and shedding tears of blood for their fallen men in duty, Remius and Ambrosio had recognized each other as equals.
- "Why did you have to do this to me, Ambrosio?" – Coming out of his memories, Remius blocked the incessant attacks of the King of Sidelia, who, immersed in his bestial nature, rammed the prince's body again and again. Who attacked in response to his opponent, letting out sparks with the clash of metals.
While Ambrosio moved in an erratic but brutal way, the prince connected his blows following a fine dance on the desert sands. Maintaining his balance on that unstable ground, giving orders to the basilisk to attack from time to time in order to buy him time in search of an opening.
From the distance sheltered in the sled, Aurora watched the fight thanks to the spyglass that the soldier had provided her at her request. Feeling goosebumps when contemplating the solid defense of the prince in combat. As if it were the battle of Ares against Poseidon, that spectacle kept that woman's heart on the edge of delirium, thinking that everything before her eyes was an impossible prodigy for a common man.
"Ugh. What is happening to me? – Feeling a slight discomfort in her belly, Aurora lay down on the floor of the sled panting at intervals while her mind reacted to the obvious fact that labor contractions had started. Despite having helped other women give birth in the past, the mother-to-be was nervous about her own labor, her breathing agitated to synchronize with the pulse of the contractions.
- "Hey, are you alright? There is with a demon! Why does this have to happen to me?" – The soldier who had remained so stoic in front of Aurora, showed his true colors when contemplating the mother who was complaining with her legs open on the floor of the sled.
- "What do I do? Do I give you water? Shall I hold your hand?" – Consumed by nervousness, that young warrior who had experienced the stress of battle with aplomb even at the moment of taking a life, had broken down in a matter of seconds before the situation as different as it was to help bring an existence to the world .
- "What is your name?"
- "The one with the baby? How do you want me to know that?"
- "No damn idiot, yours!" – Giving a groan of pain throwing her head back, Aurora squeezed the blankets tightly trying to contain the intense pain of labor contractions.
- "Excuse me, my name is Stuart!"
- "Okay Stuart, find a bucket with water, clean blankets, some scissors and some string"
- "Don't tell me you're going to do it alone?" – Turning around with the expression in her eyes sharp as daggers, Aurora cast a wry look at the young man, who quickly felt stupid realizing that he was the one who would have to help since all the soldiers were outside witnessing the battle.
Similarly on the battlefield, his breathing ragged and light streaks of blood running down his face, Remius was on his knees leaning against his sword as the basilisk's heads held back the beast king's furious attacks.
Unable to control his movements, Ambrosio launched his attacks against every living creature within his range of vision. From time to time lashing out at the prince's soldiers, who were covered by Remius himself, even though receiving the attacks squarely left him in poor condition.
- "My lord, we will retire so as not to disturb you anymore!"
- "Idiots! Where could you run if the enemy is faster than you? Maintain your positions in diamond formation and order the magicians to cast protection spells" – Doing as their lord ordered, the troops prepared themselves in defense and lightened the prince's workload, who caught the beast's attention, taunting him. order for him to pursue him, feeling a great relief to put his men in a safer situation.
- "Dad!" – Alerted by a woman's voice, the prince turned in the direction of the source of that sound, lowering his guard to later receive a full blow from King Ambrosio's sword. Destroying his shield splitting it in two, destroying part of the breastplate of Remius's armor in flight.
Dazed and with a ringing in his ears, the prince tried to get up from the ground while he saw in a blurred way how that young woman ran towards the uncontrollable king turned into a beast. Instantly surprised by Ambrosio's unexpected reaction, who for a moment lowered his arms when he saw Princess Suthi with her face bathed in tears.
- "Su... Suthi" - Stammering his daughter's name, Ambrosio took a few steps, recovering his rational state for a few moments; but what seemed like a miracle soon turned into a nightmare.
Returning to his bestial form, the remnants of the king's consciousness were forever lost, releasing a howl that shook the silence of the desert. Raising his sword in a threatening manner against the fragile body of the princess.
- "AMBROSIO, STOP!" – Raising his arm towards the king, Remius materialized one of the heads of the basilisk that managed to contain the blow of Ambrosio's sword, receiving a deep cut over his left eye. Feeling hurt, the snake swayed violently, hitting the princess's body, throwing it into the air and falling onto the sand.
Seeing that the situation was far from a point of return for King Ambrose, the prince bit his lip, cursing himself for being unable to find a way to reverse the monarch's transformation.
Gathering mana on the soles of his feet, the prince channeled his life force into the muscles of his legs, placing the rapier of his sword in front of him like a spear. Reciting a wind manipulation spell, and a rock spell to harden the sand under his feet in order to have a firm foothold, Remius flung himself hard at King Ambrose's chest.
- "Prince Remius, what do you think of my kingdom?" – Evoking a happy memory of a past that will not return, the prince recalled that day he walked alongside King Ambrosio touring the Kalifuto palace. With the revolt to the east completely eradicated, the territory of Sidelia had returned to peace thanks to the combined efforts of both leaders in battle.
- "If I had to answer you now, my answer would not be pleasing to your ears, your excellency"
- "Mmmm, that has me intrigued young prince. Usually you are always direct with your answers, but now you are giving me the evasion. Can I finally inspire fear in him? – With a friendly tone of voice, Ambrosio did not seem bothered by the prince's concise response, who continued on his way until he reached the main garden inside the palace.
- "King Ambrosio, this small tree in the center of the garden, do you think it does not fit with the imposing structure of this palace?" – Placing his hand on a tree with a rough trunk, the prince looked into Ambrosio's eyes, who slightly twisted the corners of his mouth.
- "It may be a tree that at this moment is not comparable in its majesty with the palace, but nature never remains the same. With the seasons, that tree will give off its shoots and grow until it becomes imposing. Strongly resisting the desert wind, but sheltering those who dwell under it with its shade" – That little tree had a very important meaning for Ambrosio, since that tree that no one could say a compliment about, was planted by the deceased Queen in commemoration of the birth of Princess Suthi.
-"If you are aware of the magnificence of this tree despite its youth, then I think you already know the answer to the question you just asked me" - With a smile from ear to ear and the expression on his face Filled with sincere affection, the face of Prince Remius remained etched in the king's eyes, who let a tear roll down at the thought of how that young man had reached the same conclusion that the late queen had at the time towards the princess.
- "THIS IS THE ENDING AMBROSIO!" – With the reflection of the prince's silhouette in those darkened eyes of the beast, a tear flowed one last time, marking a smile on the jaws of the monarch. Who was pierced by Remius's sword, destroying his heart with a fire spell.
Both the beast and the prince fell to the ground, facing each other on their knees with their arms exhausted from exhaustion. At the same time, the king's combat beast form fell apart, his face returning to normal again.
- "Forgive me, my friend. Wait for me in the other world" – With his face lowered, Remius felt a thick hand rest on his shoulder, making him react instinctively to see him one last time.
The king's stern face had a peaceful appearance, with a smile that radiated tranquility. As if he were trying to comfort the dejected prince with his last strength, who barely took the monarch's hand, saw how his body turned white like a pillar of salt. That upon contact with the cold night wind, it gradually fell apart until not even a single gram of it was left behind.
- "I like you Prince Remius, it's a shame you're the son of that damn old Cicero. I really envy that hard-headed wretch; If you were not his son, I would have adopted you as my own and named you my successor."
- "I'm sorry King Ambrosio, but I will be the king of Melina. Furthermore, Sidelia already has a king worthy of his people"
- "Then when you become a king, come see me boy! It will be a great honor for me to cross swords with a magnificent king like you" - With that memory that turned bittersweet on his palate, the prince cried on the desert sand at the foot of King Ambrosio's great sword. Remius's cry echoed through the desert air, unleashing a sea of answering howls from the city, announcing the departure of the man who was considered a king among kings.