The sun had risen over the horizon, casting a warm glow over the Royal Cadet Academy (RCA) as Evelyn, the princess, sneaked through the gates, her personal guard and maid were the only ones aware of her clandestine visit. With her hair tied back in a ponytail and dressed in a simple yet practical uniform, she blended in with the other cadets, her royal status all but forgotten. It was a freedom she had grown accustomed to over the past four years, as she secretly trained in the art of combat, her passion and determination driving her to pursue a path that was not traditionally meant for a princess.
As she walked through the academy's corridors, Evelyn's eyes scanned the bustling hallways, taking in the sights and sounds of the cadets as they went about their daily routines. She had always been fascinated by the RCA, and the opportunity to experience it firsthand, even if only for a short while, was exhilarating. Her personal guard, a towering figure with a stern expression, followed secretly and some distance behind her, his eyes ever-vigilant, ready to defend his charge at a moment's notice.
Evelyn's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her name being called, and she turned to see a familiar face, approaching her with a charming smile. They had met by chance in the forest, both of them chasing after the notorious Soul Raider, and Evelyn had been struck by his bravery and quick thinking. For a moment, they stared at each other, the tension between them palpable. Then, Evelyn's face broke into a radiant smile, as she also met Stanley.
"Well, well, well," her voice dripping with amusement. "Look what we have here. The competition from the woods."
Stanley couldn't really understand what she meant by 'competition from the woods' but he was fascinated that she actually still recognizes him...after all, they've met only once and in a dark night for that matter.
His face twisted into a scowl. "I'm not here to compete." He growled.
Evelyn chuckled. "Oh, I think you are. You not just aware of it yet."
As they conversed, Stanley lied that he was a cadet-in-training to in some way,impress her, but Evelyn's instincts told her that something was off. They had never met before, and yet, their conversation flowed effortlessly, as if they had known each other for years.
"I'm surprised we've never met before," Evelyn said, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Stanley's face. "I've been training here for a while now."
Stanley's smile faltered for a moment, before he regained his composure. "Things happen,don't they?," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "Though I was transferred from another academy."
"I hate to say, I'm surprised you're a cadet," Evelyn said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You're not just the type."
Stanley chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corner. "And what type is that?"
Evelyn released a mischievous smile, her voice teasing. "I don't know...you tell me."
Evelyn's suspicions were piqued, but she let it slide, trying to enjoy the easy banter between them. As they talked found himself lying to cover up his first lie, and he enjoyed the fact she was finally being convinced and impressed. He didn't know why he was trying to impress her. It wasn't his thing to try to impress ladies, ladies were natural impressed even though he was a shepherd—he was extremely handsome, he was rich, funny and his father was the King's Arm...who wouldn't want to be the daughter in law to the King's Arm. Impressing ladied was rather done by Trevor. But this one was different. She was...inexplicable in a lot of ways.
Stanley almost forgot his initial purpose of coming to the academy. He was disappointed that he had to leave sooner to meet his cousin. He simply excused himself and walked away to look for his brother. As he left, he didn't see any sign of disappointment in her...how come his charm wasn't working?!
•••
Back at the palace, the king and Lord Ardo, sat in the throne room, discussing the upcoming visit from the neighboring kingdom. King Rule sat nonchalantly on his throne, while Derek sat on the floor at the foot of the throne, both paid less attention to the guards there. The king's expression turned nostalgic, and he began to reminisce about his youth, about the battles he and Derek had fought side by side. Derek listened, a mixture of curiosity and concern etched on his face.
"Your Majesty, is everything all right?" Derek asked, as the king's reminiscing continued. "You seem...distracted."
Ryler's eyes snapped back into focus, and he smiled wistfully. "I'm sorry, Derek. It's just that...I've been thinking about the past a lot lately, haven't I?. Memories I thought were long buried have resurfaced, and I find myself wondering what could have been."
Derek's expression turned thoughtful. "Perhaps it's the upcoming visit that's stirring up these memories, sire. The neighboring kingdom's ruler is, after all, an 'old acquaintance' of yours."
The king's smile grew, and his voice carried such great sarcasm. "Acquaintance indeed," his voice now took on a conspiratorial tone as he leaned forward. "It's not just that, Derek. I've gotten my power back. The power that I thought I had lost forever."
Derek's eyes widened in surprise, and he leaned back against a leg of the throne, his mind racing with the possibilities. "But, that's impossible. You've been without your power for years. How is this possible?"
The king's eyes glinted with a hint of mischief, and he leaned back in his throne, a faraway look in his eyes. "That, my dear Derek, is a story for another time."
Derek raised an eyebrow as he turned to look at his friend. "Really? Now's no time for jokes."
"Ain't joking. It's a story for another day." The King's expression was neither serious nor jocular.
"Say that again and I'll have your tongue!" Derek hates suspense in situations like this that he forgot to mind his language in presence of guards. He looked around to see if any heard him but none of them moved a muscle in the post.
Ryler smiled brightly,now he was obviously not being serious. "No...you can't do that to your king." His expression turned grave as he read the questions on Derek's face. "To be honest,...I don't know how it happened."
"The Eye of A god isn't just any power, man. You lost it for a reason...and now you say it's back. There must be a good reason behind you regaining it." Derek's mind raced back to when Ryler lost his power due to the fact that his mind was filled with vengeance. He lost his ability to 'see all', and even his maind energy nearly completely dissolved.
"Well, I can't say I've regained it like that," Ryler started his explanation. "I can't really access the power like before. I only see glimpses now. And it's all distorted. So...can't really say I've regained it."
Derek's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean you can't access it? You felt it, right? For you to have confirmed it's resurfacing, you must have used it...am I wrong?"
"Actually, I didn't use it. It just came...it 'used' me. I know that sounds dumb...but it's true. At the moment, I think I can only see the glimpse of the present and past..." Ryler's voice was gentle but some urgency could be heard.
"You never could see the future."
"Yeah...but now all I can see are have clear pictures." Ryler rested his chin on his hand now. He was tired of thinking about the cause of the sudden change in his life.
One of the thing Derek had learned from Ryler was that sometimes, you just have to leave people alone when they're confused. "I'd go to the RCA now to tell the commander about the change of plans...and I have to visit Trevor." He stood up and faced Ryler properly. The king didn't even say a word. He placed his hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "I promise I'd help you find answers."
The King smiled, approving of Derek's dismissal. "I know. You don't have to promise. You will find a way, either way. It's what you do."
Lord Ardo's half-build soldier-like figure matched out of the room.