It then dawned on King Fayziel and Prince Kayziel. They looked at each other as the same word appeared in their minds.Iron!It was the only thing that was deadly to an Elf. When they are around it, they grow weak. Weaker than a old human. When it touches them, it burns their flesh and they can never heal from it.Now that it's inside them, they knew it. They were all going to die.Prince Berthiel, who was the youngest amongst all the elves was naturally weaker and had zero tolerance for iron so his body reacted quicker.Everyone watched in horror as he completely collapsed on the floor, writhing and moaning in pain, bleeding from his eyes, nose, ears and mouth. He kept clutching his throat, coughing and choking on his own blood. The sight was gory and downright frightening.King Fayziel could not watch his son in such agony. "You evil bastard!" he yelled with a wave of his hand.A sharp gust of wind blew towards Prince John and Nathan. It was like the sharp tip of a deadly arrow, sli
Prince John heard so he turned to Prince Berthiel and raised the iron net, looking at down at the Prince who was drenched in his own blood. "What are you talking about?"They could hear the fear in his tone even though he tried to hide it.Prince Berthiel struggled to raise his head then pinned Prince John a deadly glare. "You will die" he sneered. "I promise you. You will die the most painful death at the hands of my brother."Prince John's eyes widened. "There's another one?" He turned to Nathan. "I thought you said this is the only heir! You lied to me!"Nathan began to panic. "He is! I didn't lie! He is the only heir! He's the only son of the King!"Prince Kayziel chuckled deeply. It was a good thing that Nathan didn't know about Zedekiel. After all, Zedekiel rarely showed himself. Berthiel was the outgoing one.Hearing that, King Fayziel couldn't help but laugh. "Is that what he said, Berthiel? Will he avenge us?"Despite the agonising pain, Prince Berthiel nodded. "He promised m
Immediately after those words, Prince Ron found himself back in the garden, standing before that huge tree."It's the Umbrella tree" he murmured, gazing around. Everything was still in place. The flowers, the statues, even the ground in which he fell through was intact. As if he never fell in the first place.Prince Ron was confused. "Was I dreaming?...""Of course not. Are you stupid?" Prince Kayziel said in a condescending tone.The pearl in Prince Ron's hand began to vibrate and he opened his palm, staring at the pearl in awe. "I don't know why you humans cannot comprehend simple things. Are you saying meeting me and seeing my story is a dream? Can your puny brain even conjure up such stories?"Prince Ron was starting to feel offended. His brain wasn't puny and he was sure that he was very capable of making up magnificent stories. He raised a finger and started wagging it at the pearl. "Look here royal Elf spirit. I am a Prince. Just like you. If you keep on insulting me, I'll thro
Hearing the first part, the servant's eyes nearly rolled back into his head. He started to sweat. Did the Prince of Ashenmore become a cripple? He could already see himself being sentenced to death. It was all his fault. He shouldn't have let the Prince wander alone."C-Call...His Majesty..." Prince Ron insisted, adding more stress to his beloved's title just in case the servant didn't hear.The servant's brain clicked and he rushed to his feet. "Yes, Yes. I'll call His Majesty right away. I'll call everyone."The servant started to run as he cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted; "I've found him! Everyone! I've found the Prince of Ashenmore! Your Majesty! I've found the Prince of Ashenmore!"Prince Kayziel was horrified. "What do you want Zedekiel for? Do you know what will happen if he senses my spirit in a pearl?""Not my problem." Prince Ron snickered."As a matter of fact, it is your problem." Prince Kayziel retorted. "If he finds me and seals me back in that pit, your spirit
The person who was shocked the most was Prince Ron. He never expected Zedekiel to carry him. Although he knew his beloved was just helping, he couldn't help but feel special.Ever since they arrived in Netheridge, Zedekiel had been nothing but hostile to him. The only times he saw the gentle parts of the King was when they danced during the feast and when he helped apply medicine on his wound.Which was directly after choking him.For Zedekiel to willingly carry him, Prince Ron felt he could faint from pure joy.At that point, the moon in the sky shined brighter and the wind picked up a bit, temporarily blinding the people watching behind them. The branches of the humongous Mother Tree slowly swayed with the wind, releasing a sweet scent which wrapped around Zedekiel and Prince Ron. A few leaves went with the wind and a particularly one brushed against Zedekiel's lips lightly before finally settling down on Ron's dry lips.Seeing this, Zedekiel was stunned. He sharply turned his head
The King knew he had no other choice so he just nodded then he remembered something. "Mother, something strange happened when we found the huma-The Queen mother glared at him then he coughed slightly, clearing his throat. "I mean the Prince. Prince Ron. Something really strange happened."She gazed at her son with a raised brow then he proceeded to explain."I don't know if I'm the only one who felt it but when I carried the Prince in my arms, I felt my powers grow. I mean, the Mother Tree started to sway as if she was happy. She even released her scent and her leaves caressed me."He glanced over at Prince Ron and corrected; "Caressed us. Her leaves caressed us."He then turned to his mother. "What could that mean?"The Queen Mother smiled deeply. So she wasn't the only one who approved. Even the Mother Tree liked the little Prince. Although she understood, she didn't explain it to her son for she knew her son was so against humans that he wouldn't understand. It would be better if h
Zedekiel blinked, surprised by the sudden action. "What are you doing?"Prince Ron was stunned. "W-What am I doing? What are you doing?""Taking off your clothes." The King replied simply. "You're covered in dirt."The Prince gazed down at himself, still holding his clothes tight. He was truly covered in dirt but Zedekiel helping him didn't sit well with him. After seeing the past, he knew Zedekiel didn't have an ounce of good feelings towards him. It might be a ploy to kill him."Ah, there's no need to bother your Majesty with such a trivial thing. I can do it myself." he smiled nervously as he gathered his robes and jumped down the bed then instantly headed for the door. "Thanks for the help though. I'll see myself out."He was halfway to the door but suddenly realised that he couldn't move. Something was holding him back. He turned to find Zedekiel stepping on the edge of his robe, limiting his movements.Prince Ron started to sweat. When did Zedekiel move away from the bed and he
It wasn't possible for now but he had to think of a way for Zedekiel to know the truth, release his uncle and then, find a way to get Zedekiel to forgive his race. Maybe after then, he'll be able to worm his way into his beloved's heart.With that in mind, Prince Ron felt a new found courage. It didn't matter how cold his beloved seemed to be. He would do his best to melt the ice and warm his heart!At that point, the double doors to the King's room opened and the Queen Mother walked in with a line of servants carrying trays of food. She saw Ron standing in the middle of the room and her face brightened like the sun."Ron dear! You're awake!" she exclaimed as she rushed up to him and engulfed him in a big warm hug."Mother," the Prince chuckled, happy to see her again. Her hug reminded him of his mum and tears gathered in his eyes. "Mother I was alone and so scared." he whined pitifully, like a small child. "I didn't think I'd survive. I didn't think I'd see you again.""Oh don't talk
Frustrated, Prince Kayziel grabbed one of them. "You're just a bunch of cowards! The boy is not even a 100 years old! If you do not fight-" he directly slit the throat of the soldier he grabbed. "You die!"Upon witnessing the scene, the soldiers pivoted their attention to Zedekiel, brandishing their swords. Knowing Prince Kayziel's prowess as a fighter far exceeded Zedekiel's, they speculated that confronting the boy might afford them a chance of survival, albeit slim. However, facing Prince Kayziel spelled certain death for all. Besides, Zedekiel was injured and had lost a significant amount of blood. Putting him down should not be difficult. And so, they collectively surged toward him.Young Zedekiel strived. He fought with all his might, killing some soldiers while fatally injuring some. He fought like a mad man, swinging his sword with reckless abandon yet maintaining an unparalleled level of precision at the same time for he drew blood with each swing. The vale was quickly litter
He sighed, placing on a hand on Zedekiel's cheek, stroking the cold skin gently. "You know, I wanted to spare your life but when I saw the way you took hold of everything in the castle, I just couldn’t. You're still so young, yet you were already ruling the Kingdom like a proper King. When your Father died, I thought the entire Kingdom would be in a state of disarray and I would return and take charge like a grand hero but I was surprised to find that everything was under control. Even when I commanded the Officials to do something, they would say that they had to run it through you first so I knew that I had to get rid of you.""If you desired the throne, you could have just said so." Young Zedekiel gritted. "I haven't even been crowned King yet. I could have willingly abdicated in your favour.""Yes, you could have." Prince Kayziel nodded. "But would you have let me marry your Mother?"Young Zedekiel fell silent but the answer was evident in the intense glare that emanated from his
He had tried to go beyond the garden but he found that he couldn't. He was bound to his younger self and could only go where his younger self went or the places he had been to before. Which meant that if Ron didn't go back to the garden, he wouldn't be able to see him again. He just hoped that Ron would not give up on his stupid self and come back or is stupid self would stop being so stupid and go find Ron.Prince Kayziel had gone to his younger self in the middle of the night and convinced him to join them in their journey to Ashenmore so they could start their revenge. At first, Young Zedekiel didn’t want to go for he had already agreed to wait as his mother had instructed but Prince Kayziel managed to convince him by reminding him of the things the humans had done to his father and brother. He then told him that if they waited too long, the humans might fully prepare themselves for what was to come and they would lose the element of surprise.Hearing this, Young Zedekiel put on hi
“This should be the last time we meet.” Young Zedekiel said. “Normally I would kill you for being a witch and lying to me but since we have been together, I will spare your life. Never make the mistake of coming before me in the future because I will kill you.”With that, Young Zedekiel turned and continued on his way, leaving Ron kneeling there, completely and utterly heartbroken.**********Zedekiel wanted to stay and see what Ron would do but something told him to follow his younger self and so he did. He followed even as his younger self sprinted away from the garden, his movements a blur of speed, almost as if he were a shadow racing across the earth. The wind whipped around him, tousling his silver hair. His dark robes billowing behind him like the wings of a dark angel.He dashed past the castle, his supernatural speed carrying him effortlessly, propelling him forward with a sense of urgency that mirrored the turmoil within his heart.Finally, he arrived at the labyrinth, a pla
"I'm not deceiving you," he insisted, locking eyes with Zedekiel, “I swear it. My true identity is Raldore Nightshade, a witch—the youngest child of Malik and Yara Nightshade, leaders of the esteemed Nightshade Coven."Young Zedekiel's shock was palpable, his features frozen in disbelief as Ron's words washed over him like a tidal wave. He shook his head, taking a few steps backwards. “No. No you’re lying. You cannot be a witch. You smell different. You smell human.”“That’s because my magic is extremely weak.” Ron explained. “I am the weakest Nightshade to ever exist. Look, this is the only thing that I can do.”He crouched down on the grass, closed his eyes and muttered some words. Slowly a small plant germinated from the ground and gradually grew a single red juicy looking apple on its branch. But Ron already knew that the apples he grew were not tasty at all. He plucked the fruit, stood up and held it out to Zedekiel. “See, I’m a witch.”To say Young Zedekiel was shocked was an un
He ran and hugged Young Zedekiel tight from behind. “I’m sorry okay? Please talk to me. Tell me what I did wrong and I promise never to it again. I love you Zedekiel. I can’t live without you.”“Lies!” Young Zedekiel snarled, yanking Ron’s arms away from his body. He turned around, his eyes blazing with fury. “Lies lies lies! All you humans know are lies, deceit and betrayal. You do not love. You can never love. All of you are too selfish for that!”Ron stared at Zedekiel, unable to understand what he was talking about. “What are you saying?” he asked. “What do you mean?”“You know exactly what I mean.” Young Zedekiel replied. “Stop acting like you’re innocent. You humans are all the same.”“No we’re not.” Ron argued. “I don’t know what you’re talking about but we’re not. I have done none of what you mentioned. I love you wholeheartedly, Zedekiel. I have been waiting here for weeks, at this same spot where we both first met. I have been waiting for you like you asked me to but not onc
“Good. You will rest for two full weeks and heal properly. Only then will I allow you to take my children into war with the humans. I get that you’re all angry. I too am brimming with rage and there’s nothing I wish more than to see those humans dead but we all have to wait. We have to be patient and strike when they least expect it. We have to be at our best so we can avenge the lives they took from us. Understand?”Prince Kayziel nodded instantly.She turned to Young Zedekiel and although he didn’t want to agree, he could not go against her. Especially after his uncle had agreed. “Yes, Mother.”Zedekiel, who was watching, closed his eyes and sighed for he knew what came next and he wished he had listened to his Mother. His stubbornness and impatience had cost them the lives of more Elves and had nearly cost that of his Mother and siblings as well.********After listening to Prince Kayziel's side of the story, Young Zedekiel was walking back to his room when a guard frantically appr
Without hesitation, Alaric closed the distance between them, enfolding Ron in a gentle yet firm embrace. His arms wrapped around his younger brother, offering a comforting anchor amidst the storm of emotions. He pressed Ron close, as if trying to shield him from the pain and disappointment that threatened to overwhelm him.Zedekiel floated into the shadows, his heart hurting as he silently watched Ron cry. He couldn’t believe that in the past, he hurt Ron so much and made him cry. He felt like total jerk. A complete asshole. He was the one who had approached Ron first and declared him his wife but here he was, abandoning the person he claimed to love. This must be why Alaric had been so mad at him back in the coven.The Elf King had no idea that he had seen nothing yet.That night, Alaric succeeded in convincing Ron to go home, rest, and eat some good food then come back the next day and wait again. Zedekiel on the other hand, floated back to the castle. On getting there, he noticed t
“My brother is yours?” Alaric chuckled coldly. “What an introduction.”“Brother, he’s the one we saved some months ago.” Ron informed Alaric.“That drowning smelly Elf?” Alaric asked.Ron nodded. “He’s the one. I’ve told him many times that I cannot return his feelings for me but he just won’t leave me alone. He said he’d rather see me dead than with someone else.”Hearing that, Alaric's anger ignited like a roaring inferno. “You want to see my brother dead? My brother?" Alaric's queried, his voice rumbling like thunder, laced with a dangerous edge that sent chills down the spine of anyone who heard. Even the neighbouring leaves, bushes, flowers, and animals were not spared. They trembled at the sound of his voice and the intensity of his magic.His chest tightened, and muscles tensed as if coiling to strike. The mere thought of someone wishing harm upon his beloved sibling was enough to send his emotions spiraling out of control. He shielded Ron behind him and held out his hand as he