"I accept the conditions" said Abel with a creepy smirk
"Very well Amber release the clouds… and the chains he has in arms and legs" said the king
"Yes my lord" obeyed Amber
Amber used her mana and the chains undo themselves…
"Ah my wrist finally are relieved…thank you Amber-chan" said in a creepy but calm way Abel
"Quiet you creep" looked with disgust Amber
"Ah so hateful Amber-chan" made a little smile Abel
As the clouds dissipated, the prison came into view. The clouds had given the impression of a miniaturized space, making the prison seem larger than it actually was. It was rumored that the magician hero had built this cloud prison, and Amber had only fortified it.
The guard looked surprised and made no move, well aware of what they were holding. The other prisoners looked on, screaming for their freedom.
"Let us taste freedom!" shouted one of the prisoners.
"I want to see my family," cried another.
"I'm not just going to see Amber. I want her to be my wife," said a creepy prisoner.
Amber was seething with anger as she used Wind Blow to send the prisoners flying.
"I will not allow anyone to disrespect me," Amber said, her gaze also fixed on Abel.
"Oh, I'm so scared," Abel replied in an ironic tone.
"Let's get out of this filthy place. And the prisoner who mentioned my daughter's name? Cut
him to pieces and throw him to the pigs. I don't want anyone alive who disrespects my
daughter in that way," said the king, his voice heavy with anger.
The guards quickly seized the prisoner and dragged him to the torture chamber. He crawled and cried, begging for mercy.
"I was joking! Have mercy on me!" he pleaded.
The king said nothing as the prisoner's screams echoed through the halls. Abel simply waved at him with a smile on his face.
Amber blushed at her father's words and looked down, not wanting anyone to see her in that state.
They left the prison and entered the vast halls of the castle.
"It's been a long time since I've seen this place. It hasn't changed at all," Abel said as he touched the walls.
"I forgot that this used to be your home a hundred years ago," the king said as they walked together.
Abel wandered away, but Amber remained on guard and was ready to attack. The king, however, didn't allow her.
"My lord, why?" Amber asked, surprised.
"Because of the deal we have. He won't do anything," the king replied.
Abel moved to the castle's massive balcony, stood on the edge, took a deep breath, and enjoyed the beautiful night.
The warm summer breeze carried the sweet scent of blooming flowers up to the castle's balcony. The distant sounds of crickets and birds added to the serene atmosphere, creating a peaceful melody that surrounded the castle. The cool stone of the balcony felt refreshing underfoot, and the sound of flowing water from the castle's fountains provided a relaxing soundtrack to the night.
As the night wore on, the darkness seemed to take on a life of its own, revealing hidden mysteries and secrets of the castle. The soft glow of the torches along the castle walls illuminated the towers and turrets, casting flickering shadows across the landscape below.
Despite the darkness, the night was a symphony of natural beauty, and the balcony of the castle was the perfect place to sit back, relax, and take it all in.
"Finally Fresh Air" started to breath Abel
"Abel, go to the room that is close to the watchtower," the king instructed as he prepared to retire to his own bedroom.
"But my lord, that room!" Amber exclaimed in shock.
The king silenced her with a gesture of his hand. Abel simply enjoyed the view and nodded to the king before heading off to the designated room. He knew exactly where it was and went there without delay.
As he entered the room, Abel took a deep breath and felt a sense of familiarity wash over him. "I'm home," he said softly, then promptly went to sleep.
*Next Day
The king and Ruby were dining in the royal hall, but Ruby appeared sad and disappointed. The king enjoyed his meal, but the sight of his daughter's unhappiness made the food lose its taste.
"Ruby, did you enjoy the festival?" the king asked, trying to lift her spirits.
"The festival was beautiful... wait, how did you know, my lord?" Ruby asked, playing with her food. She was surprised that the king knew where she had been.
The king smiled. "I know everything, my daughter," he replied before continuing to eat.
Ruby blushed, remembering the festival, but then turned to her father. "My lord, what about Abel? I still have hope for him," she said, with a determined look.
"My daughter, he..." The king was interrupted by Abel's voice from a distance.
"Wow, you truly are annoying, princess," Abel said as he approached the king and Ruby.
As their eyes met, something shifted between Abel and Ruby. There was a moment of electricity, a connection that they couldn't explain. Abel took an apple from the fruit bowl and then sat in one of the chairs. Ruby couldn't help but steal glances at him as they ate.
"So, King, why don't we go to the Demon Continent?" asked Abel while eating an apple.
"I want to end it quickly, but due to a treaty between the seven kingdoms, I need the approval of all of them. So, in a way, that's what's stopping it," said the king while the maids were moving the dishes.
"Seven kingdoms? I never thought my kingdom would need approval to attack," looked kind of surprised Abel.
"At your time, it was a powerful kingdom due to you and the heroes being here. But when you got in jail while my father was on his deathbed, war started between the seven kingdoms. And my father, the king, decided on a peace treaty and did not allow us to go and conquer it. So, in a way, the Demon Continent turned into a neutral kingdom," said the king.
"So, in terms of military power, we are equal with them," touched Abel's beard and looked kind of disappointed.
"You could say that, but there are also your friends who live there, so the scale of power changes from time to time," said the king.
Abel laughed a little, and the king and Princess Ruby were surprised.
"I have to say, Rafael was a genius to become the ruler. In a way, it was given to him as a gift given to a kid. Your father never thought the Demon Continent would be ruled by us," said Abel while looking at the king as the biggest fool.
"My father has done some stupid stuff, but that's another topic," the king got a little frustrated.
"The heroes, how many of them?" asked Ruby Abel.
"We were seven heroes. We were known for a specific ability that we had. We had a priest also. He was good at using blessing magic and light magic. I should say he was the most brutal when it came to fighting with blessing magic," said Abel.
"What was his name?" asked Ruby in a well-mannered way.
"We used to call him Father Marcus, the blessing hero," said Abel.
"Father Marcus!?" Ruby got up from the chair.
"I think he is a famous name in the kingdom, right?" said Abel, surprised.
Some heroes in the story have been removed because the king wanted his people to forget them, but due to time, that worked. And some heroes have become just a myth and aren't very informative about their abilities or appearance.
"How to say it?" said the king, and Ruby started to speak.
"He is the ruler of the Kingdom of Sanctum, a kingdom ruled by the Holy Order of Priests and Priestesses. Sanctum is a land of piety and devotion. Its rulers are the High Priestess Isadora and the High Priest Marcus, who lead their people in worship of the gods and goddesses. The kingdom is known for its grand temples, sacred rituals, and powerful divine magic. The people of Sanctum place great importance on morality, virtue, and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment," said the princess as she started to get nerdy.
"Oh, no way! Good for him! Looks like he got married. He was always nagged about going to marry a princess," said Abel.
"So now our quest is to get approval. I would just use the neighbouring kingdoms, but due to the black slime thing and the magician hero, we need all seven kingdoms," said the king while peeling oranges.
"Why don't we hold a meeting and present our plan to them?" asked Ruby, sounding worried.
"It will not work," said Abel, looking at the king and stealing a quick glance at Ruby. He knew the reason why, but he couldn't help but feel drawn to Ruby's concerned expression.
"Why?" asked Ruby, and Abel was momentarily lost in her deep brown eyes.
"Princess, due to the revival of the demon king, they are scared that the curse will be upon the kings this time," said Abel with a sad smile, breaking his gaze from Ruby.
"Just like you said, Abel," said Ruby, still looking at him intently.
Their moment was interrupted by the door of the dining hall opening, and Amber came in with two personal guards. She was dressed in shiny armour and had a wand in her belt that was said to be made from a powerful snake that lived close to the kingdom.
"Good morning, my lord," said Amber, breaking the tension between Ruby and Abel.
The king just nodded, and Amber then bowed to her older sister.
"Good morning, high priestess," she said, giving a salute.
Ruby smiled at her sister, trying to hide her disappointment at the interruption of her moment with Abel. "Good morning, my warrior," she said, trying to sound cheerful.
Amber looked at Abel with disgust, and he gave her a smirk and said, "Good morning, the strongest warrior of the Kingdom of Benevent," and saluted Amber.
Amber ignored him and sat down in a chair, visibly agitated.
"Father!" she coughed, sounding younger than her age, and tried to speak again to her father. "My lord, I agree that the royal family and special guests from the nobility are allowed to sit on those chairs, but why is that despicable man allowed here?"
"Oh, my princess, those words hurt a lot," said Abel, speaking ironically.
"Do you truly want me to kill you?" said Amber in frustration, her anger evident.
The king didn't say anything and simply got up from his chair, ordering his daughter, Amber. "Go with Abel to the barracks and let him join the special squad of knights."
"My lord, but...?!" Amber looked at her father as though it were a bad idea.
"This week, you have been very spoiled. I know he is a prisoner, but he has been a hero, and a powerful one at that. Send him there, and you will know what I am talking about," said the king firmly.
Amber knew she had no choice but to obey her father, despite her reservations. She sighed deeply and gave Abel a cold look. "Let's go," she said, her voice flat and devoid of any emotion.