Amon had always been an outlier among them, which might have been why the Third Prince favored him so much.
Among the billions and trillions of souls the prince had tortured, broken and tormented, they were the only three elites who had survived and been chosen to become something more. Something beyond.
Though they currently had no task, this was merely a resting period granted to them until the Third Prince ascended to the throne and changed the entire world.
When that time came, their roles would be crucial as they would become the King's very extensions.
In his future quest of endless power and conquest, they would act as foundational pillars to his hegemony and would usher an era of brilliance and fortune under his name.
They'd be immortalised legends.
And yet, Amon had always remained indifferent and detached from it all, never allowing his mind to forget about the chains that bound him. He went so far as to refuse all gifts made by the prince—whether clothes, food, or housing.
He rejected it all, much to the chagrin of the other two.
Seeing Amon completely ignore him, Amato frowned, preparing to start barking. But before he could do so, Amon flashed him a cold gaze and spoke.
"Amato, please remain quiet. There is no healer present to stitch you back up, and I do not want the failure of this mission to result from your stupidity and weakness."
Without waiting for a response, he closed his eyes, ignoring the prince's chuckles and Amato's incessant barking.
'Just a few more months…'
****
A few hours later, the carriage landed in the middle of a forest, at the foot of a tall mountain.
"There!"
After disembarking from the carriage, they navigated through a maze of paths encircling the mountain, led by the prince, until they stood before a grand gate embedded within the mountain.
It was made of thick black metal, etched with strange emerald and purple runes, sealed tight by a dragon's head motif.
Around it, anyone with a keen eye could discern the thick aether flowing through these runes, indicating the presence of an arcane formation.
Arcane formations were akin to spells aether users could employ upon forming their aether marks, except they could be permanently set on an area or object, relying on runes.
They could serve purposes ranging from security, detection, and scanning to shielding, transportation, and more.
Upon noticing this, the prince glanced at Awa, the young red-headed girl.
With a nod, she stepped forward, dragon wings suddenly erupting from her back as she soared into the sky and approached the dragon head at the gate's entrance.
Her pupils glowed, and she gestured in the air, white runes manifesting as more aether gathered around her, causing the air to tremble in anticipation.
"Ah!"
With a low shout, she brought her hands together, and at that moment, all the white runes around her connected to form a spell circle that hovered behind her.
Aether surged through it violently, expanding the circle as she seemed to glow brighter and brighter.
[Open!]
RUMBLE!
The gates flung open violently, revealing a world of endless darkness, but soon, a swirling portal of gold appeared, emitting an aura of pure majesty.
The Third Prince's eyes sparkled like a million stars upon seeing this, his excitement bubbling forth as he dashed into the portal, his laughter echoing.
Amato, Awa, Amon, and the twelve guards wasted no time following the prince into the ruins, prepared for what would surely be a daunting challenge.
After all, nothing that excited the prince this much could be simple.
***
However, the scene inside was entirely different from their expectations.
They found themselves on segregated platforms floating in a landscape filled with endless clouds.
The skies were radiant blue, the sun high above casting warm rays that illuminated them.
Their platforms were arranged in a circular manner, and at the center, a man sat cross-legged in mid-air.
The man was naked, his entire body made of stone, yet he exuded an aura of life and reality.
For a while, nothing happened.
Amon looked around, his gaze sharpening as he noticed a few anomalies.
He looked at his hands.
'What is this…'
His chains. They were gone.
'Mordred, can you confirm my chains are really gone or is this just an illusion?'
[No, father. Your chains truly are gone. In fact, that isn't the only change. You've broken through the fifteenth wall.]
His eyes widened.
'Are you saying that…?'
[Yes. The chains were hindering your progress, father. It seems the Third Prince had enough foresight to adjust your chains and make them even more restrictive.]
Amon took a deep breath.
[The good news is, the chains accumulated all the progress that should have been yours. Now that they're gone, in just a few hours, you'll likely break through countless more walls.]
He exhaled.
'It's fine. I'll continue playing his game for now. I don't know what other methods he may have used to control me.'
On the other platforms, both Awa and Amato frowned, feeling their power surge as their chains, too, disappeared.
They glared at the Prince, but he simply smiled, unconcerned about their rage.
None of them were powerful enough to even crease his clothes, not even Amon. He didn't care.
Soon, however, the tension dissipated as the stone man began to move.
As he moved, cracks formed in his stone skin, revealing veins of emerald and snakes began appearing on his head, resembling a medusa-like fresque.
His eyes opened, revealing abyssal depths.
BANG!
All were forced to their knees under the oppressive aura of the stone man as he surveyed all who had entered his domain with calm observation.
"It seems someone has finally come to seek the master's legacy," he spoke, his voice primal and ancient.
Unfolding his legs, he began to stand, using the air as if it were solid ground.
Just as he was about to speak again, he locked eyes with Amon, his gaze narrowing.