It had been six months since Alaric's disappearance. The search had been relentless: 200 ships, more than 1,000 planes, and 2 million soldiers scoured every inch of the kingdom and beyond, searching for any sign of Alaric or even his remains. Despite their exhaustive efforts, they found nothing—no clues, no traces. The lack of progress only fueled the Sword Emperor's frustration and anger.
In the grand palace, the atmosphere was thick with tension as reports came in. "In six months of investigation, we have failed to uncover a single detail," an officer stated, his voice trembling.
The Emperor's roar echoed through the hall. "Is this country, are these advanced forces just for show? Did I build this army just for display? If you cannot even protect a member of the royal family, how can you protect the people of this kingdom? Do I pay you just to sit and do nothing?"
Alaric's mother wept, her tears reflecting her anguish. She spoke softly, "He is alive, he must be."
But her voice was drowned out by her own despair, as she also said, "Alaric is dead. We have to accept our fate. We cannot do anything."
The Emperor, filled with grief and determination, declared, "I will keep searching until my dying breath. I wish I were dead now, for I have failed to protect my family."
Alaric's father and uncle stood nearby, silent but clearly affected by the situation. His aunt's eyes were filled with sorrow and confusion. The Emperor looked at them with deep disappointment. "The hardest thing I have ever done in my life was to bring you into this world. You, who do not believe in your own blood. You, who trust a fake video over your flesh and blood."
Alaric's father, his face contorted with anger, shouted, "How can this be a fake video? It has been tested in the lab. It is not fake. How dare you silence me?"
The Emperor's gaze hardened. "Do not ever show your face to me again if you cannot prove your loyalty and dedication to this family. The hard work here is not done. We will find the truth, and we will find Alaric."
In the six months following Alaric's disappearance, the Aryan Kingdom was turned upside down. The entire military was mobilized to search for Alaric, but despite their efforts, they found nothing and had to eventually cease their search. However, the Emperor refused to accept this outcome. Determined and relentless, he formed a new team of searchers and built a dedicated force responsible solely for finding his grandson, with no deadline in sight.
The Emperor's obsession with finding Alaric seemed to border on madness. Other countries viewed his actions as a waste of resources and even some within the Aryan Kingdom began to question his decisions. But the Sword Emperor, steadfast and unyielding, was not going to give up. He believed with every fiber of his being that his grandson was still alive and he would stop at nothing to bring him home.
One month after the initial search ended, the Emperor visited his eldest grandson's grave. The graveyard was silent, a somber contrast to the turmoil that had gripped the kingdom. The Emperor, usually a figure of unshakable strength, now looked weary and heartbroken. He knelt beside the tombstone, the cold stone beneath him doing nothing to numb the pain he felt inside.
"I couldn't save you," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Forgive me. I couldn't save you." Tears streamed down his face as he placed a bouquet of flowers on the grave, his hands trembling. "I know you loved your little brother the most, and I promise you, I will find him. I will find him."
His mind flashed back to the joyful moments his grandsons had shared, moments now tainted by grief and loss. The Emperor clenched his fists, his resolve hardening with each memory. He rose to his feet, a new determination burning in his eyes.
From that moment, the Emperor redoubled his efforts. He expanded the search beyond their borders, utilizing every resource at his disposal. The newly formed search force, a specialized team of the kingdom's best and brightest, was dispatched to every corner of the known world. Their mission was clear: find Alaric, no matter the cost.
The kingdom's people watched as their Emperor poured everything into the search. Some whispered that he had lost his mind, that his grief had driven him to extremes. Regardless of opinion, one thing was certain: the Sword Emperor would not rest until he found his grandson.
Meanwhile, rumors began to spread in the underbelly of the kingdom and beyond. Stories of sightings and whispers of Alaric's survival and why emperor should save a traitor even if he is his grandchildren reached the Emperor's ears. The Emperor's agents moved through cities, forests, and mountains, leaving no stone unturned.
The Emperor's nightly visits to the grave became a ritual. Each time, he would speak to his deceased grandson, sharing updates on the search and reaffirming his vow. "I will bring him back," he would say, his voice steady despite the tears. "I will make things right."
As the search continued, the kingdom itself began to transform.
Despite the lack of concrete results And though Alaric's whereabouts remained a mystery, one thing was certain: the Sword Emperor would never give up. He would continue to fight, to search, and to hope, until the day he could bring his grandson home.