Ares successfully lifted the nature's curse from the young prince, a feat that left him visibly fatigued. Despite his unparalleled power, the curse was known to be insurmountable—a mark of nature itself, with no recorded history of anyone breaking it before.
The king, overcome with gratitude, knelt before Ares, his voice trembling with thanks for saving his son despite the risks that such an act might draw from outside forces.
Out of appreciation, the king offered Ares anything within his power, but Ares gently refused. "It was the right thing to do," he said softly before slipping away, returning to the Dragon Realm before his absence could be noticed.
…
Years passed, and the young prince grew into a formidable warrior, renowned throughout the human realm for both his remarkable strength and mastery of the sword. Once frail and cursed, he now stood poised to take the throne.
To solidify his reputation as a benevolent and capable leader, the king tasked him with clearing the bandits who had taken refuge at the edges of the Great Forest. The prince executed this mission with confidence, but on the return journey, he and his men encountered a Dark Dryad—a creature feared for its deadly prowess.
The ensuing battle raged for an hour. Though the prince fought valiantly, the Dryad emerged victorious, leaving him gravely wounded. Poison from the Dryad's cursed strikes coursed through his body, sapping his strength with each passing moment. By the third day, he lay weakened, unable even to brush away the fly that landed on his brow. His life seemed to slip away.
…
The prince blacked out.
…
When he opened his eyes, a young boy sat beside him, appearing only a few years his junior.
"Where am I?" the prince whispered.
The boy's eyes glimmered with a knowing smile. "It's been a long time since we last met."
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