After the perpetrators had been eliminated as ordered by the king, Maximus went ahead to register his nephew at a martial arts academy due to Roshan's continuous pestering.
When it was the hour of the dragon [7am to 9am]. Roshan was walking out of the palace with a load in his hand while Maximus and some guards accompanied him.
"Are you sure you can do this? What if something goes wrong there? I am scared. You should go with someone." Maximus said with a voice laced with worry.
"Your majesty. Why are you scared? That I will die there? Don't worry, my determination conquers all. I will be back with victory in a month's time. So do not be worried." Roshan replied with a firm and steady voice.
"Uhhhh. I believe in you. Please do not disappoint me, and come back alive."
"Your highness. I have to go now. You know I must not be late." Roshan kept a straight face and turned to leave when his uncle pulled him into a hug.
"Please come back safely." Maximus pleaded as he let go of his cousin and they both bid farewell.
After a few steps. A feminine voice stopped Roshan.
"Your highness." Euphoria called as she walked hurriedly towards him.
"Are you sure you can do this? You know how the academy is. You know how they fight each other to death. And you still want to go there? Please stop this, your highness! You should know that place isn't for you!"
"I will be fine." Roshan replied curtly and turned to leave.
"Wait. Keep this with you." Euphoria brought out an eight-trigram mirror and kept it in his sleeve.
"And… come back safely." Her voice trailed off as he turned and left.
After Roshan's figure disappeared from her view, Euphoria turned to leave. Upon turning around, she met the king watching the path Roshan followed with a sorrowful expression.
At that moment, Euphoria remembered something. The customized masks, the king should know about it. She walked to the king and bowed before him.
"Your Majesty. I humbly request a brief audience with you to discuss a matter of great importance." Euphoria said, while on her knees.
"Nothing is more important than my son right now." Maximus replied nonchalantly and turned to leave.
"It is about the perpetrators that attacked his highness a while ago." Euphoria quickly voiced out in order to seek an audience with the king.
Maximus halted in his steps and quickly turned back. "Go on."
Euphoria raised her head up, she looked at the guards standing behind the king and then looked at the king's face, wordlessly telling the king she didn't want the guards to know about it.
"Excuse us." The king ordered the guards.
"Thank you, your Majesty. When I saved his highness that day, something seemed odd. All the perpetrators had masks on their faces.
However, when I encountered one of them, I recognised the mask immediately. It was the customised mask gi..ven to the pa..lace guards." Euphoria's voice trembled as she spoke.
"The perpetrators are from this palace." Euphoria declared.
Maximus' body trembled upon hearing that, he was lost and confused for a moment. He felt thunderstrucked as he glanced at the guards standing behind him.
"Are you telling me that this palace... is no longer safe… f-for me?" Maximus stammered.
The moment Euphoria nodded positively to his question, he couldn't withstand his shock. He fell to his knees and passed out immediately.
_
After a forty minute walk, Roshan found himself at the entrance of Onju Martial Academy.
For years, the Onju martial academy has been known for producing the best mages in Drakonia. However they are also known for their strict rules, such as sparring to death and performing tedious activities.
The moment he stepped into the place, a peaceful atmosphere welcomed him. He looked around, he noticed the vast and serene courtyard, awards, ancient crafts and tranquil water features. Despite all that, his body was tense. He felt like he had just entered a lion den, a trap that he must come out from alive.
"Who is there?" A voice queried from afar. Roshan turned and saw a man standing before a group of people. He seemed like the supervisor.
"Are you part of us? If yes, join your mates." The man spoke nonchalantly as he gnawed on a stick. With unhurried steps, Roshan moved closer to them.
"Isn't that the crown prince?" One of them asked. "What do you mean? He was the crown prince but not again. Now, he is just like us." Another one replied.
Roshan's ear caught that, but he ignored it. Rather, he went to an empty place and settled down there. The people there began to gossip about him, emphasizing on the day he couldn't unsheath the ancestral sword.
Few minutes later, the man from earlier came back and gave them clothes to change into. He also instructed them to pair themselves into two.
When Roshan had finished changing, he went back to get someone to pair with. However, he couldn't get anyone because they were nine in number and he was even the last person to get there.
He sighed heavily upon the situation. Things are not really going well for him, what if he is disqualified because he doesn't have an opponent? Just the thought made his mind race.
Still he went ahead and assembled where they were told to assemble. Just then, another man came out, he looked old, like he was in his seventies. He cleared his throat before speaking.
"Hello everyone! I am master Lucas and I am your coach. I hope you all know what you are here for. Before we go on, let me list some rules and regulations."
"Firstly, while you are here, you must be up before 7am. No one is allowed to visit you except during the end of the week. You must not complain or be rude to anyone. And lastly, you are not allowed to fall in love!"
"Do you understand?"
"Yes master!!" They echoed in return.
"I will continue now. You will be here for a month. In this first week, you will learn to train your muscles together with your partners. That is all you will be doing this first week, and you are starting today."
"Now turn around." The man ordered and they all turned.
"At your front, you will see bamboo sticks there. You all are to move hundred each to the other side together with your partner before the hour of the goat! [1pm]"
"Do you all understand?"
"Yes master!" They all replied except Roshan who seemed lost in thoughts.
"Ex…cuse me master!" One of them spoke. What if we are unable to move them all before the hour of the goat?"
"Hahaha." The man's laughter echoed in the air. Why don't you try that? And see what happens to you." He replied with a deadly glare.
"Get to work!" He yelled and they all left hurriedly to go and move the bamboo sticks.
It was then Roshan realized he doesn't have a partner. He quickly ran to meet the man to let him know that he doesn't have a partner.
"Excuse me, master." The man stopped in his steps and turned around.
"I do not have a partner. What should I do?"
"Uhhh. Wait, aren't you the crown prince? I mean the crown prince that failed to unsheath the ancestral sword."
"Yes..master." Roshan answered and nodded positively at the same time.
All of a sudden, the man's facial expression changed. He snickered diabolically.
"Then do it yourself." He replied snappishly and walked away.