"Crown Prince Lucian, I hope this is false. For your own sake, leave and tell your father to prepare for war," the King of Eryndor declared, his chilling voice resonating throughout the hall. Everyone felt a shiver run down their spines as tension gripped the room.
"And now, for the finishing touch," Kael thought with a grin as he turned toward the advisor of the Jimi Kingdom.
"Father wait ".., kael said
"You did say your kingdom would fulfill one request of mine, no matter what it was, correct?" Kael asked calmly, his piercing gaze locked on the old man.
"Yes, Crown Prince," the advisor replied, though his voice trembled. His body quaked with an unshakable sense of foreboding.
"Why do I feel like something terrible is about to happen?" the advisor thought uneasily, eyeing the faint yet ominous grin on Kael's face.
"I want you, the advisor to the King of Jimi Kingdom, to kill the Crown Prince of the Fin Land Kingdom," Kael said coldly.
A wave of dread washed over the room. Everyone understood the consequences of such an act. A war would undoubtedly break out between the Jimi and Fin Land Kingdoms. Before, the fin land kingdom might have confidently faced such a conflict. However, with the addition of an ancient warrior to Jimi's side, the scales tipped dangerously. Their kingdom could be utterly destroyed.
Ancient warriors were shrouded in mystery. Few had witnessed them in action, but the tales told by peak grandmasters left no room for doubt: reaching the ancient warrior stage was a monumental leap, humbling even the most arrogant. At that level, it was said they could destroy entire kingdoms with a mere wave of their hands.
"But, Crown Prince, I can't... It's impossible!" the advisor stammered, sweat soaking his back.
"You can't?" Kael repeated, his tone dropping to an icy chill.
"Let me make this clear. If you refuse, both I and the Eryndor Kingdom will wage war against your kingdom. And don't even think of using your ancient warrior as leverage. After all, he's just Kim's master. Do you think he'll risk himself to save you? Besides, my sister has returned, and you have no idea how powerful she is. She can summon one or two ancient warriors with ease. So, go ahead—disobey me," Kael said, his words cutting like blades.
The old man froze, stunned by Kael's audacity. The room was silent, save for the pounding of hearts. Only one person seemed pleased: Valthera.
"Good boy," Valthera thought, grinning slyly. "I like this new brother. I his elder sister is terrifying. I don't even know how strong that witch is, but all her servants are ancient warriors. Flattening the Jimi Kingdom would be child's play."
Meanwhile, Lucian, the man at the center of it all, trembled uncontrollably. "These two are deciding my life and death like I'm some kind of joke," he thought, his guards watching the scene in anxious silence.
"Kael!" Lucian shouted angrily.
"A dead man's words are meaningless. Kill him," Kael ordered indifferently.
The advisor sighed, resigned to his fate. He had no other choice. Kael's terrifying elder sister had returned, and from all indications, she was a powerful figure in an unknown yet formidable continent.
"For the survival of my kingdom, I have to do this. May your soul rest in peace," the advisor murmured as he prepared to act.
Lucian, though a cultivator, was only at the Martial Disciple realm. His guards were at best at the Martial Warrior level. He had not anticipated that the Eryndor Kingdom would dare to kill him, and as such, had not come adequately prepared.
"Wait... Where's my bodyguard?" Lucian wondered in panic as a figure suddenly appeared.
A young girl wearing a rabbit mask stepped forward, her presence commanding attention. Her aura, that of a Martial Master Stage One cultivator, filled the room as she eyed everyone warily.
The advisor, however, remained unfazed. As a peak Martial Master, he was confident in his ability to defeat her. Just as he was about to strike, a voice cut through the tension.
"Kael, stop!" Kim's voice rang out firmly, halting the old man.
Kael turned to her, his expression unreadable. "Does the princess wish to handle this herself?" he asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.
Kim clenched her fists, her anger barely contained. "I said stop this madness! Let Lucian go and leave the old man out of your kingdom's mess!" she demanded, her voice trembling with frustration as she locked eyes with Kael.
Kael's smile disappeared, his expression darkening. "Have you forgotten that this Lucian tried to kill me? That a general under your command was his accomplice? I would be dead if not for one of my guards. Shouldn't you be angry at him—or at least show some remorse? And this 'kingdom mess' will soon be yours. You're marrying me in a month, so start using your brain instead of your boobs..." Kael trailed off, his sharp words leaving Kim speechless.
Her shock turned to embarrassment, then anger, before her expression became unreadable.
"Old man, this is the last time I'll say it. Kill him," Kael commanded.
The advisor moved without hesitation.
Boom!
Two opposing shockwaves collided as Lucian's bodyguard intercepted the advisor.
Splat!
A head flew through the air. Kael caught it effortlessly, his cold eyes fixed on the face of Crown Prince Lucian, frozen in terror.
Lucian, Crown Prince of the Fin Land Kingdom, was dead.
Blood spurted from his lifeless body, staining the hall as silence engulfed the room.
Lucian's bodyguard stood in shock, frozen in place as the reality of what had just happened sank in. The crown prince of their kingdom... was dead? Slowly, her vision blurred, and she felt herself losing consciousness. As she looked down, she saw her own headless body.
"Is that... my body?" That was her final thought before everything went black.
"Kang Lea!" Kim called out in shock, her voice trembling. She couldn't believe it—Kang Lea, the king's advisor, had actually killed the crown prince of the Fin Land Kingdom.
"Apologies, Your Majesty, but it had to be done," Kang Lea said as he bowed respectfully and turned to face Kael.
"Your request has been fulfilled," the advisor said, his voice tinged with wariness. Kael nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. As for the guards..." Kael paused, his sharp gaze landing on the stunned soldiers, who stared at the lifeless body of their prince.
"Take his head and report that the advisor of the Jimi Kingdom's king killed him. You all saw it happen," Kael ordered coldly.
The guards snapped out of their daze, hastily gathering the bloodied body and catching the severed head as Kael casually tossed it to them. In stunned silence, they rushed out, their minds in turmoil. The crown prince was dead. It was inconceivable.
"As for you, Advisor, don't worry. We will support you in the war. Consider this your punishment for the actions of one of your generals who tried to assassinate me," Kael declared, his words cutting. Kim's expression darkened as her head hung low.
Kang Lea's face was pale, his thoughts chaotic. "Thank you for your mercy, Crown Prince," he replied, bowing deeply.
Kael ascended the steps to his throne with measured steps. "If I were you, I'd start preparing for war," he stated, his tone final. Kang Lea bowed again and turned to leave, with Kim trailing behind him. Her eyes were unfocused, her thoughts in turmoil.
"Who is this man? He's so dominant, so authoritative, so... different. I feel drawn to him, yet I despise him. Am I losing my mind?" Kim thought, her heart racing as she followed Kang Lea.After all kael has changed both mentally and physically.
Once inside the carriage, Kim noticed Kang Lea already seated, his expression grim and thoughtful. Her guards surrounded the carriage protectively as she stepped in, sinking into her seat. With a sigh, she closed her eyes, trying to steady herself.
Kang Lea glanced at her briefly before looking away. "At least we have a chance thanks to you," he mused silently. "But at the same time, this shows he views you as nothing more than a tool. It's your first meeting, and while you're beautiful, he's handsome and destined to be king. He won't fall for you easily."
He sighed inwardly, his gaze fixed ahead. "This war... so many of our people will die. Let's just hope Crown Prince Kael is merciful enough to assist us in time. And your master... will she even care about us anymore? Sigh... Crown Prince Lucian was foolish to provoke someone so cunning."
The carriage shook slightly as the horses began moving, carrying them back toward their kingdom.
*************
The Castle: Study Room
Kael stood in the study, his father's back turned to him. The room was tense with unspoken words.
"Father, I apologize for acting without your consent—ignoring you while you were present and making decisions that represented the entire kingdom," Kael began, his tone respectful.
Silence stretched between them, and Kael's thoughts raced. "If only I were already king, this would be so much easier."
"Kael," a deep, calm voice finally called out.
"Yes, Father," Kael replied, bracing himself for his father's judgment.
"You behaved as though you were already king—planning and implicating the Jimi Kingdom by using the token found on General Rygar. All this just to weaken the Fin Land Kingdom, ensuring we could destroy them with minimal losses," the king said, his tone measured.
"Close. My real goal is completing the trial, but this works too," Kael thought, remaining silent.
A smile spread across the king's face as he turned to Kael. "I'm proud of you, my son."
Kael's lips curved into a smile. "I'm simply following in your footsteps, Father."
The king laughed heartily, clapping Kael on the shoulder. "Hah! I always knew my son wasn't a fool or a frivolous boy, but a man destined for greatness—a man who will surpass even me!"
That night, father and son spoke at length, finalizing their plans and discussing the fate of Selena.
*************
Elsewhere in the Castle:...in a Room
A young woman stood by the window, gazing at the moon.
"So lonely yet so beautiful. You are the only one of your kind in a sky filled with countless stars, yet you shine the brightest and the most beautiful," Selena murmured, her voice tinged with melancholy.
Suddenly, a knock sounded at her door.
Knock, knock.
Selena's heart began to race. "Is it time? Have Father and Kael decided my fate? Will I be arrested... or executed?" she wondered, her thoughts spiraling.
"Who's there?" Selena called out, her heartbeat quickening.
"Kael," a familiar male voice replied.
Selena's heart stopped.
*******************†********************†***********