Alexander Stone walked the world with unwavering confidence. From his youth, he had been hailed as a prodigy, an unparalleled warrior whose achievements seemed to have no end. His upright stature and haughty gaze were testaments to his glorious past, where his name was synonymous with victory and power.

The world revolved around Alexander, or so he firmly believed. His parents and mentors had instilled in him a vision of greatness, repeating over and over again that he was superior to everyone else. This constant flattery had molded Alexander into a narcissistic, self-centered being, unable to see beyond his own reflection in the mirror.

— Shit —

He was, in fact, hailed as the god of the kingdom. In addition to being blessed with strategic intelligence, he had mastered elemental manipulation at his complete mercy. The people of his great realm believed blindly in Alexander Stone, as he could always prove that he deserved to get the heavy crown.

But behind his facade of invincibility, Alexander felt a constant need to prove himself. Every achievement, every victory, was necessary to fuel his insatiable ego and maintain the image of perfection he so valued.

And now, Alexander Stone was ready to prove and deliver the final blow, letting people know it was time for the king to be crowned.

— Fuck, shit! —

The neighboring kingdom, called Draedon, had struggled with its kingdom for years. Endless wars, political fights, shady business and deaths had long occurred between the two nations. No kingdom wanted to give up because of their pride. Every generation of kings in their own nation had failed to win a final victory. But one day, his father decided to change everything.

Eventually, he had reached a peace treaty. An agreement in which both nations finally accepted the conditions and believed they were fair. His father, in celebration of this great achievement, decided to commemorate with a great feast at the castle, inviting nobles from both nations.

Alexander had told his mother many times that he did not trust those Draedon imbeciles. They were liars, traitors and with a bestial cruelty. But suddenly they easily accepted a peace treaty? He felt something was wrong.

But his mother, for the eighth time, gave up her claims, telling him to trust his father and his decisions. Alexander could only be reluctantly silent.

His four older brothers mocked him, saying how paranoid he was. Nothing bad was going to happen.

And so it was. The feast in the castle's main hall was normally held. People at the feast looked happy and excited about the meeting. Or at least it seemed on the outside. He didn't care if he was called paranoid, crazy and upset. He preferred to be and procure any unwanted events before letting any problems occur outside of his plans.

He decided to go outside, moving away from the noise of superficial conversations. Elisa and Maria had urgently asked for his presence in the garden, according to the butlers who warned him. Reluctantly, he warned that he would go.

Alexander Stone did not have a close relationship with his older brothers. Actually, sometimes I thought I didn't even have any ties to them.

His childhood had not passed alongside theirs. While they enjoyed a delicious hot meal, the radiant warmth of the sun, great gifts, and the satiating love of their parents, he was to train hard in a mansion far from the main house. He had to train physically non-stop until he felt his muscles fade. He trained his magic control to the limit. It didn't matter if he reached his limit, he had to try harder. Even if he vomited, fainted, or blood came out of his eyes, he had to try harder. According to his mentor, his power needed to be strong enough to crush the neighboring realm. He was chosen among his brothers. He had to accept his fate.

Alexander Stone never received a visit from his parents and siblings. Just letters with short sentences.

Strive more.

He knew that, when he showed his potential, it was also the condemnation of his loneliness.

When he finally finished his long training, on his 14th birthday, he was integrated into the family. He remembered how he felt: like a dirty stray dog being watched by dogs of a great breed lineage. They examined him from head to toe, judging his dress and lack of manners. Alexander knew why he was called to the main house. They needed to be close to him. Alexander was already a monster. What would happen if he got out of control? They needed to chain him, to have him at their mercy.

His brothers showed a clear envy towards him. All his parents attention was focused on Alexander to get his favor. Suddenly, they no longer had the spotlight they loved so much. He always knew that endless hatred had awaited him since he touched this house.

Years passed and, although hatred continued to increase on their part, Alexander continued to grow more and more, creating an immense gap between him and his brothers.

— Calm down Alexander, the barrier will not be broken. —

Maria declared mocking as she covered her face with her fan, leaving only her grayish eyes full of hatred in sight. Elisa let out a mocking little laugh at the situation.

— How? — Alexander asked. He was full of rage; he wanted to shatter his figures until they were unrecognizable. How could they create a barrier of that level? She knew her sisters were incompetent in magic. They lacked talent and only got poor results. Then he asked himself again: how?

Malachor Blackthorn.

At age 5 or 6, when Malachor Blackthorn was assigned as a mentor, Alexander felt a mixture of emotion and pride. Malachor was a respected magician, known for his skills and knowledge in the arcane arts. Being his apprentice was an honor few could match.

At first, Alexander admired Malachor and struggled to learn as much as he could from his mentor. However, as the years passed and Alexander began to surpass his teacher in skill and achievement, he noticed a change in Malachor's attitude. What was once a relationship of mentorship and mutual respect morphed into a mixture of tension and resentment.

Alexander wasn't stupid. He could see the hatred and envy in Malachor's eyes, though his mentor tried to hide it behind a facade of professionalism. Every time Alexander accomplished a new feat or received praise, he felt Malachor's resentment grow. However, for his own safety and to avoid conflict, Alexander decided to pretend that he did not realize his mentor's true feelings.

Alexander's intelligence and strategic sense allowed him to handle the situation with caution. He knew that confronting Malachor could result in an open confrontation, something he preferred to avoid because of his low level. Instead, he used his cunning to stay one step ahead, anticipating Malachor's possible actions and taking precautions to protect himself.

Every triumph of Alexander was a victory not only against external challenges, but also against Malachor's intrigues. He knew that his success not only demonstrated his superiority, but was also a way to keep his mentor in place, constantly reminding him who the true prodigy was.

He knew that Malachor wished that every time he went to battle, his death would finally be announced.

Alexander was alone, he had no one. However, his enemies had one thing in common: the endless hatred they had for him. So much so that they wanted to trample on it, even if they had to ally with others.

— You are alone, little brother. — Elisa continued her teasing, which Alexander did not hear before because she was immersed in his thoughts.

The jet-haired girl interrupted the wave of teasing her sister threw endlessly by raising her hand, shutting her up. He approached with elegant steps and with his due time to the barrier.

With false sorrow, he bent down at Alexander, who was kneeling due to the chains of the barrier that kept him still. He looked at it with real disgust.

— Brother, stop being selfish. Could you die, please? —

Maria hated Alexander for being the center of her parents attention and for having skills she could never achieve. Envy and resentment consumed her, and she wished to see him destroyed to regain his place in the family.

Suddenly, an explosion echoed throughout the kingdom, shaking the foundations of the castle and filling the air with the sound of chaos. Alexander raised his head, his eyes filled with determination and rage. Perhaps this was his chance to tear them apart, despite the chains that kept him prisoner.

However, to their surprise, Maria and Elisa showed no warning signs. Their faces remained calm, with a coldness that made Alexander feel a chill in his back. They turned around slowly, facing the direction of the explosion with a disturbing calm.

Alexander watched, his heart racing with confusion and suspicion. How could they be so calm? What was really going on?

Mary stood up elegantly, her fan still partially covering her face. — This is all part of a plan far greater than you can imagine. — His voice was tinged with disdain and satisfaction.

Elisa, with her usual mocking air, approached Alexander. He moved slowly, with calculated elegance, and bent down to his level.

— We have sold the kingdom to the neighboring kingdom of Draedon. — His words echoed in Alexander's ears like thunder.

Alexander felt a wave of anger and betrayal sweep his body.

Elisa interrupted him, raising a hand to silence him. — Malachor Blackthorn was the one who helped us create this barrier. All this has been orchestrated from the start. —

The revelation hit Alexander like a sledgehammer. Malachor, his former mentor, had been conspiring with his own sisters to betray the kingdom. Betrayal burned in his chest.

— ..how.. How could they...— Alexander whispered, his voice charged with disbelief and rage.

His sisters, Mary and Elisa, watched from afar with cold satisfaction. The appearance of his other two brothers, who until then had remained hidden, added even greater weight to the betrayal.

Malachor slowly approached, each step resonating with a palpable threat. — How could I contain you, Alexander? — he said with a cruel smile. — I have used forbidden magic. I made a contract with a powerful demon. Your strength, though formidable, cannot compare to the dark power I have unleashed. —

Alexander felt his wounded ego inflate with blind fury. How had he been so arrogant as not to foresee this? His thoughts were full of self-criticism and anger. He could not believe that Malachor, someone he had once respected, had dared to use such low and despicable methods.

— Malachor... you are a coward, — Alexander spat, his voice charged with contempt.

Malachor raised a hand, channeling a dark energy that resonated with a disturbing power. — Your arrogance was always your greatest weakness, Alexander. It's time for you to face the consequences of your actions. —

With a fluid movement, Malachor unleashed his magic. An explosion of dark energy engulfed Alexander, causing him to scream in pain. He felt as if his body was being torn from within, every fiber of his being consumed by forbidden power.

Fury and pain mingled in his mind. Alexander, with his wounded pride, refused to accept his defeat. — I will kill you all! — he roared, fighting against the agony that consumed him.

But Malachor's magic was relentless. Darkness closed around Alexander, stifling his life and pride. He felt his consciousness fade, his thoughts fade into a sea of shadows.

As he fell, his last thought was a mixture of rage and despair. He had been too arrogant, too confident in his own invincibility. And now, I was paying the final price.

His sisters and brothers watched from a distance, their expressions cold and uncompassionate. The betrayal was complete, and Alexander Stones, the prodigy who had once been hailed as a god, fell defeated by darkness.

Malachor looked at Alexander's inert body with an expression of dark triumph. Your kingdom, your greatness, everything has come to an end.

And so, amid betrayal and darkness, Alexander Stone met his end. His legacy of arrogance and power had been broken, and the kingdom fell into the hands of those who had betrayed him.