It happened the day before he was sent off to study. His father threw a party, not because he wanted to cheer up his son, but to show everyone that his offspring had discovered magical abilities at such a young age and was ready for difficult trials. It was, in a way, another demonstration of his power. The power of the royal family.
Then, pale and frightened, Klaus sat in an overly large chair and listened to the praising speeches of adults. No one cared that he was still a child. His status required him to give firm answers to questions that he did not understand, and the prince fulfilled his duties by answering according to a pre-learned pattern. When it seemed to Klaus that he would soon faint from excitement, a smiling young man with disheveled hair approached him.
"Hello, little Klaus," August said, leaning close to the child's ear. "Let's run away from here and eat some sweets? You like sweets, right?"
Klaus was taken aback at first. How could he leave? He needed to sit here until his father said he had had enough. The child looked at the young man. His eyes widened in fear for just a moment, but then he took control of his emotions, as he had been taught, and answered firmly but quietly.
"Thank you for your concern, sir, but I have things to do now. Perhaps I can keep you company later."
The young man couldn't help but chuckle slightly.
"What a serious and responsible little boy, but you still haven't answered, do you like sweets?"
Klaus had not been taught how to answer such a question, so he hesitated for a moment and blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.
"I like meat! Soft and juicy on a piece of hot bread," and then he blushed, realizing that he had given away his true desires, and this was absolutely forbidden.
The young man smiled more softly, then moved away from Klaus, turned to the assembled group and loudly announced.
"Gentlemen, please forgive me. The prince will be leaving for training tomorrow, and I will not be able to spend time with my brother for a long time, allow me, on behalf of His Highness, to thank you all for gathering on such an important day for him. And now," he did not wait for anyone to answer him, he picked up the stunned child in his arms, "we must take our leave," and carried Klaus to the quietest corner of the hall.
"And now we can eat some juicy meat with hot bread," August summed up, sitting the baby on the bench.
"Are you my brother?" the child blurted out.
"Yes, a cousin and there is another one, but he is only three, so he stayed at home. And you also have sisters, but they are already quite grown up and have their own families."
Klaus relaxed and smiled. He felt much calmer with this young man. August froze and stared at such a rare and beautiful smile of an innocent prince, who at such a young age tried to control his every word, facial expression and even thought.
Klaus pushed the memories away and looked at the exhausted Abel. Klaus had no idea what to do with him, but he knew one thing for sure - he couldn't just let him go. He would have to take him with him. If, of course, he managed to get to the portal.
Voices brought him out of his thoughts. There were three of them. Klaus tensed up and gripped the knife harder. He hadn't expected a long rest, but he still hoped for it.
"Hey, get up. They came to save you!"
Abel perked up a little, but as soon as he felt his brother's hand on his throat, and the tension from the discharges made his hair stand on end, all his enthusiasm melted away.
"And you thought I'd just let you go?" Klaus grinned.
The prince and his captive came out of hiding. What was the point of sitting around? Three soldiers were confidently walking towards them with swords at the ready. They slowed down a little when they saw those they were looking for.
"Your Highness, please release our master and we promise to kill you quickly." One of them spoke.
Klaus laughed in his head, but answered in a flat, cold voice.
"What a generous offer, but I have another. Now you all turn around and go back. My brother and I still need to discuss something. If you are obedient, then so be it, I will spare this one's limbs," he pointed his head at the prisoner, and he yelped from the increased tension and threats.
"Master?" the same soldier addressed Abel uncertainly.
"Did you hear that, piece of shit? He will tear my arms off! Useless dogs! Get out!"
The soldiers retreated, but did not leave. The second one had already formed a fireball in his hand, but did not move.
"What do you think will be faster? Will my lightning tear off your master's head or will your fire toy reach us?"
The soldier hesitated, but did not remove the ball. Klaus felt the vibration, but did not have time to react in time. The ground under his burrows collapsed, and he and his brother fell down. Damn! The fireball was just a distraction. The other was an earth mage.
Complaining about his inattention, Klaus threw Abel off himself, who landed softly on the crippled prince during the fall. His brother did not even resist. He was not used to such treatment. Having come to his senses a little, Abel still shouted a couple of choice curses at his negligent defenders.
"Your Highness, you are trapped."
"Yes, along with your master. You miscalculated a little, soldier."
"In this position, it will be easier for us to take it by force - the one with the fireball smiled. His magic projectile began to lengthen and now he had a fire arrow in his hand, aimed straight at the prince."
Klaus understood that there was nowhere to dodge in the narrow space. It would not be possible to hide behind his useless brother either. He was below. The enemy had a full three hundred and sixty degree view. He sighed. "I hope this thing has enough strength to kill me right away."
He didn't have time to say goodbye to his own life, as the bloody sword came out of the fire mage's chest. He only looked at the wound in confusion. The murder weapon had already left his chest, and the dead man himself flew into the already cramped pit.
"Ugh! Take him away, take him away! He stained me with his filthy blood," Abel screamed, but the prince ignored him.
He heard the sounds of a struggle, the clanging of metal and cries of "Traitor".
He didn't sit there for long, throwing the corpse to the bottom of the pit, put the resisting Abel on top, bent him over and climbed onto the back of his screaming brother. This allowed him to reach the edge of the pit, find a more or less stable piece of land and pull himself up.
Leaving his brother and his loyal servant below, the prince climbed out to freedom, throwing the earth on the captive's head.
"I'm still alive, hey, what are you planning? Bury me alive?" Abel panicked.
"Shut up!" the prince snapped and looked ahead.
Two soldiers were fighting each other and the prince was still inactive. He did not know which of them helped. Both were wearing helmets. The ground under one of the soldiers' feet rose up, and he scattered the sharp spikes that were forming with a wind whip.
Klaus jumped up abruptly and after a few moments one of the soldiers was lying on the ground with a charred skull instead of a head. The second soldier was breathing heavily, but without hesitation, he fell to his knees.
"Your Highness, have mercy!"
"Is that you?" he asked the soldier, holding out a knife in front of him, as if demonstrating it.
The soldier raised his head and nodded slightly.
"Get up and take off your helmet."
He did so.
"Who are you and why did you help me?"
"Your Highness, forgive me, but now is not the time or place. Reinforcements will arrive soon. I managed to convince the soldiers that three will be enough for reconnaissance, but they will not wait forever."
Klaus nodded.
"I need to get to the ruins. There is a portal there."
"If I knew where to transfer you to a safe place, I would create a portal now, but I do not know."
"You know how to create portals?" Klaus was surprised.
"Yes, I recently started practicing when I was taken from the production of stimulants, and I have made good progress, but I need time and know the place ..."
The prince did not think for long, he approached the soldier and extended his hand to his face, but did not touch it.
"What is your name?"
"This slave was named Pritik."
"So, Pritik. If we get out alive, I'll thank you, but now let's do what needs to be done."
The boy glanced around nervously. They both heard approaching footsteps. He looked back at the prince, who touched the spot between his eyebrows. A clearing near a large cliff appeared in the boy's head. Next to the steep stone wall, one huge tree grew, blocking the entrance to the cave.
Pritik blinked and looked admiringly at Klaus, whose breathing was ragged.
"Now give me your sword and get to work."
"Your Majesty, I'm not sure I'll have time..."
"Do your job, and don't worry about the pursuers. I have a personal score to settle with them."
The young boy was nervous, but he didn't waste time. He walked behind the pit, where Abel was still shouting angrily, sat down on the ground and closed his eyes.
Klaus did not scatter greetings and immediately went on the attack. There was very little magic power left, and physically he was not feeling the best. Hatred gave him strength. This scum dared to humiliate him, put him on his knees, tie him up!
He cut off heads, made holes in bodies, missed blows. Yes, now he could not dodge everyone or put up electric armor, so he bled, holding on only on adrenaline and the power of hatred.
"Your Highness, I'm ready!" a voice was heard behind him.
"Well, finally! A couple more minutes, and I'll fall either from the sword or from loss of blood from the holes I already have!"
'Get my brother and open up!" he shouted.
Abel's squeal and curses told Klaus that Pritik had pulled him out of the pit. It was time to retreat. He could feel with his back that the portal was already open and the enemy's distorted face confirmed it. Klaus turned sharply and ran. It was the first time he had ever run away from a battlefield, but now was not the time. He needed to survive!
"Forward!" he shouted to Pritik, and without asking, Pritik pushed Abel into the portal and stepped in himself.
Klaus was already entering the white light. A strong push in the shoulder and a sharp pain helped him, literally throwing the prince into the portal. He fell to his knees in a familiar clearing. His shoulder was throbbing. An arrow was sticking out of it. It went right through, got stuck in flesh and shattered bone.
A treacherous fog enveloped his eyes. Damn! Weakness! He staggered, trying to get up, and Pritik's strong hand caught him, preventing him from falling completely.
"Your Highness," he barely whispered.
"I'm fine," the prince croaked.
The patrolmen were already running towards them.
"Master! Call the doctor and the captain, our master has returned!"
"Tie up the one who profanity," Klaus croaked to one of the guards who had arrived, and he followed the orders without question.
"And this one?" The assistant asked, nodding at Pritik, whose arms were also twisted.
"Feed him, examine him, and give him a room. He saved my life."
Pritik was released immediately.