However, he was suddenly startled by a voice. That voice pierced through the deep silence within him, abruptly bringing him back to reality. This voice rekindled memories of the past, creating a moment of distraction within him. Despite being under the dominance of the dark power, Stephen remembered his internal battle with this sudden jolt. He was still struggling to control his own soul and mind, but this voice reminded him that it was not over yet.
When Stephen heard the unexpected voice, he initially didn't want to believe his ears. As he turned his head in astonishment, he saw that the person standing in front of him was indeed Alicia, but there was still a cloud of denial in his mind. With the melodious sound of Alicia saying his name, he felt the dark energy within him dissipate a little. This moment brought him rare tranquility, as if he had taken a step back in a chaotic world. However, this peaceful moment was suddenly overshadowed. A kind of mysterious power took over his emotions and began to direct him. All of a sudden, he was filled with feelings of hatred towards Alicia. This emotional storm began to suffocate the peaceful calm in his mind.
As Alicia looked at Stephen with a worried expression, she wanted to ask what had happened to the castle and its inhabitants. Stephen, however, stood with empty eyes, as if staring at a distant point. But suddenly, his expression changed and a smile appeared, though it carried a strange air.
"Are you not going to answer me?" she said, and Stephen remained silent. The worried expression on Alicia's face mixed with sadness at his silence. Noticing this, Stephen frowned and looked at her angrily. The gleam in his eyes created an atmosphere completely opposite to the previous peaceful moment. Dark emotions began to envelop him again, this time stronger, like a shadow trying to envelop his soul and take control.
When Alicia noticed Stephen's emotional fluctuations, she approached him with concern. Stephen's facial expressions were changing rapidly, as if a whirlwind was dragging his soul. Alicia realized that simply asking questions wouldn't reach his inner world and began to approach him silently.
Taking careful steps, Alicia moved towards the throne where Stephen was sitting. "Life," she said, and as a sphere of water appeared in her hand, she touched Stephen with it. However, this touch only startled him without having any other effect. Eventually, Stephen managed to stop his erratic movements and facial expressions, regaining control over his own body.
Stephen's facial expressions still seemed chaotic, but he now displayed a more stable posture. Amid Alicia's worried glances, Stephen's soul seemed to be in a deep conflict, but at least physically, he could control himself.
Glaring at Alicia with anger, Stephen couldn't help but ask where she had been for the past few days. The accumulated fury and anxiety added a quiver to his voice.
"Do you know what I've been through, what I've suffered in your absence?" he said, his tone quite harsh. While Alicia tried to calm him down, Stephen's anger was relentless.
"Please stay calm, I'm here now," said Alicia, but these words were not enough to soothe Stephen.
"Stay calm? Look at my condition, look at the state of the castle. How can I stay calm?" Stephen retorted, still seething with uncontrolled rage.
Alicia pointed out that she had seen everyone, including the servants, turned to stone. These words only fueled Stephen's anger further. "Did you do this?" he asked, the heat in his voice noticeable.
"Yes," Stephen replied resolutely and coldly, surprising Alicia.
"You don't know why you did it, do you?" Alicia asked with a voice full of curiosity and concern.
Holding his head in distress, Stephen began to speak in an anxious tone. Through tears, he confessed that he didn't understand his situation and didn't know what he was doing. The quiver and the raised tone in his voice reflected the turmoil within him. This sudden emotional outburst also caught Alicia off guard.
Alicia had always known him as someone mature, so seeing him in such a childlike state felt strange to her. Among Stephen's tears, she sensed a feeling like a child lost in a forest. Instead of his strong demeanor and determination, he was now fragile and helpless. This sight stirred a mix of sadness and worry within Alicia.
"It feels like someone is trying to take over you, doesn't it?"
"My body feels like a puppet."
Alicia immediately realized that he was under the influence of the Dark Power, but facing this reality shocked her. She examined Stephen once again with stunned eyes, her fear and concern growing.
Alicia thought that it was almost impossible for Stephen to survive because the Dark Power was an entity filled with intense dark energy, and Stephen was extremely sensitive to such negative energy. She had fears about how his body and mind could cope with such intense darkness.
Stephen's weak and fragile appearance made it harder for him to withstand such intense negative influence. Alicia, seeing him so far from his strong and determined self, now resembled only a shadow of his former glory. This situation evoked deep feelings of concern and helplessness within Alicia.
Desperately, Alicia called out to Stephen, telling him that he needed to find the Sword of Justice. But Stephen's eyes were closed, as if he were in an internal struggle. It seemed Alicia's words didn't reach him; he appeared indifferent.
But suddenly, Stephen's eyes opened, and he turned to Alicia with a stern look. "Why should I follow your commands?!" he snapped, his voice filled with anger. "You're a servant, while I am a great prince!"
Alicia took a deep breath before responding to Stephen's words. "Stephen, you won't let the Dark Power completely take over you, I know that," she said, her voice full of sincerity. "I understand your mind isn't in the right place right now, but I'm here with you. Keep fighting."
Stephen's gaze was still filled with anger, but Alicia's determination and support were shining like a beacon of hope as he struggled with the darkness within him. In the midst of his turmoil and rebellion, Alicia's presence gave him a kind of strength.
"What fight, woman?! What are you talking about?" Stephen snapped, still in an angry tone.
Alicia patiently replied, "You are very strong. You will defeat that 'demon' inside you."
"Yes, I am very strong. Did you think I was weak?" Stephen retorted, defending his ego.
"No, what does that have to do with it? You encountered this at a time when you were emotionally vulnerable and troubled. There's nothing more normal than that," Alicia said, her voice calm.
Stephen's anger was still uncontrolled, but Alicia's calm and logical approach was helping to start a struggle against the darkness within him.
Turning to Alicia with eyes full of anger, Stephen said, "I'm not weak in any way! If you want, let me prove it to you," and stood up. After swinging his sword and planting it in the ground, the earth began to tremble. Alicia reflexively protected her head; when the tremor stopped, she looked around but saw no change.
Suddenly, black smoke appeared and surrounded Stephen. Alicia watched in astonishment; after the smoke covered the area, it disappeared. However, she now felt that there was a change around.
Stephen proudly continued, "You might be wondering what's changed. Let me explain; a large portion of the people outside the castle have now turned to stone. Now do you see my power and what I can do?"
Alicia was stunned by Stephen's words. She had not anticipated he was this powerful. Now she realized she was facing an even greater challenge in dealing with him.
Alicia quickly spread a warmth within her, adjusting her facial expression. She replaced her previous worried look with a warmer and more cheerful expression. Trying to hide the concern in her eyes, she spoke in a sweet tone.
I know, dear, you're very strong," she said, her voice full of sincere warmth. "But everyone can have emotional lows. The Dark Power, that demon inside you, takes advantage of such moments."
Alicia was trying to be as close to Stephen as possible, empathizing with him. Focusing on understanding and supporting him, she wanted to help him fight the darkness within.
Stephen was surprised by Alicia's lack of fear. "Why aren't you afraid of me?" he asked, still with a hint of threat in his voice. "You know I can turn you to stone if I want, right? Your life is in my hands."
Alicia responded calmly, "Why should I be afraid of you? I know how pure your heart is and that you are a good person. You just can't control yourself right now."
"And what if I turn you to stone?" Stephen asked in a threatening tone.
Alicia replied with a smile, "That doesn't matter to me, believe me. I would be okay with my death being at your hands. I've never been afraid of death."
Stephen was surprised by her words. Her courage and determination gave him strength and bravery.
"Wow, I thought you would run away from me in fear," Stephen said, astonished.
"I will never be afraid of you, Stephen. Everything will be fine once you return to your old self," Alicia responded in a determined tone.
Stephen continued with a worried expression, "No, it won't. My reputation is too damaged. Everyone must hate me."
Alicia responded with a loving smile, "I love you, isn't that enough? We'll restore your reputation as well, don't worry. Just fight alongside me."
Stephen was overwhelmed with emotions at Alicia's words. As a few tears trickled down his face, he took the Sword of Justice ring from Alicia's outstretched hand with trembling fingers. Suddenly, he was surrounded by golden fairy dust, engulfing him in a magical atmosphere. When the fairy dust disappeared, Stephen reappeared. His clothes, hair, and eye color had all returned to their original state.
However, this sudden transformation had greatly weakened Stephen. He collapsed into Alicia's arms, unconscious. As Alicia held him in shock, another unexpected event occurred in the midst of this moment.
Her aunt Sarah, whom she'd seen turned to stone, had witnessed the moment. Then, the other people who had turned to stone also began to return to normal one by one. Alicia's heart was racing, filled with the astonishment and excitement of these events.
After Sarah, the first to come was King Edward. Alicia stepped back from Stephen, ensuring the palace physicians immediately attended to him. However, as she was about to return, Edward stopped her. His eyes were full of meaning, and Alicia sensed that something was about to change.
"Alicia, don't go. I have a few questions," Edward said, stopping her.
"I'm listening, Your Majesty," Alicia replied, looking at him with curiosity.
"Why was Stephen behaving that way?" Edward asked, his eyes fixed on Alicia.
Alicia responded directly: "Your son was taken over by the Dark Power. I somehow managed to save him."
"Well then, thank you. I'll learn the other details later," Edward said, giving Alicia a slight smile before walking away.
Alicia couldn't understand Edward's strange attitude. However, she was already confused, and her morale was low. So, she decided not to care about Edward's behavior. What mattered to her now was the health of the man she loved.
⚔️⚔️⚔️
While Alicia was arranging the dishes in the kitchen, a few people suddenly entered and informed her that the prince was calling for her. Excitedly, she went with them to Stephen's room, and then the two people left. Stephen sat up from his lying position on the bed.
When Alicia stood across from him in the room, a look of gratitude appeared on Stephen's face. "No amount of thanks is enough. You saved my life and the lives of many others. If I showered you with gold, it still wouldn't be enough," he said sincerely.
Alicia smiled and replied, "You're welcome. Knowing you're okay is enough for me."
Alicia's humility in response to Stephen's gratitude created a peaceful atmosphere in the room. This moment strengthened the bond between them even more.
"You've always been so modest. I love this trait of yours," Stephen said with a smile, and Alicia blushed.
She responded a bit shyly to his smile. "Thank you," she said genuinely.
"I didn't treat you badly, did I?" Stephen asked, embarrassed, as he looked at Alicia.
"No, don't worry. If you had, none of us would be alive right now. But I am curious about something. All the people had turned to stone. How did they survive?" Alicia asked, curiously.
Stephen took a deep breath and replied, "The power inside me caused me pain if I didn't kill. So, I wanted to play a trick on it. Living beings affected by the petrification spell can be reversed within the first two days. I used that to my advantage."
Alicia admired Stephen's move, but her mind was full of questions. Did Stephen remember the love confession she had made to him? She was both hesitant and embarrassed to ask, but Stephen didn't seem to remember it at all.
"Did the Dark Power manage to take over your consciousness?" Alicia asked, a bit embarrassed. Stephen's reaction to her question made Alicia a bit more anxious.
"I guess it did towards the end. I remember bits and pieces," Stephen said in a quiet and thoughtful tone. Alicia felt a bit relieved hearing Stephen's answer.
"I see," said Alicia, as if wanting to close the subject. Stephen, however, was trying to gather his courage. He suddenly reached out and took Alicia's hands. He began to look at her with passion. Alicia's face turned very red, and she was extremely surprised. She hadn't expected this. She could feel every beat of her heart.
"Alicia, you've always supported me since we were kids. I treated you coldly, we had arguments. I didn't appreciate someone as wonderful as you," Stephen said sincerely.
"Please don't think that way. It's normal in every friendship," Alicia said, a bit startled.
Stephen's unexpected move stirred complex feelings within Alicia. His heartfelt confession and emotional openness made Alicia's heart race. This moment deepened the bond between them even more.
"You are very understanding. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve someone as good as you. I never thought I could have someone as special as you in my life," Stephen said, pausing. He needed more courage for what he wanted to say next. Alicia's heartbeat accelerated with each of Stephen's sentences.
"Every moment I spend with you makes me want to spend more time with you. I've felt my heart beat for you these past few days. Alicia, will you be my girlfriend?" Stephen asked sincerely.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Alicia said happily, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Stephen. They both hugged each other tightly, overflowing with the joy and excitement of the moment.
Alicia was filled with joy at Stephen's unexpected proposal. She knew that being with him would bring such great happiness that it would make them forget the hardships they had faced in this period of their lives. This moment was a herald of a new beginning they would share together in the future.