(Flashback) Julius knits his brows as sleep slowly clears from his eyes. Everything around him appeared hazy, and he could not identify where he lay. A smile welcomes him after blinking a few times; his Master is by his side, holding his hand. "Don't get up" was the only sentence he understood in the first few minutes. He could not hear, so he tried to read the other's lips. More so, he fell in awe, seeing so many amulets plastered to his body. Arlen removed them one at a time, applying pressure on each spot before peeling them off. "Okay, now you can sit." Arlen pulled Julius by the arms and leaned his head against the bed frame. "Do you hear any voices?" He brought a cup of water. Julius shook his head. His throat was too dry and husky to speak. He sets the cup to his mouth and sips the water. Judging by how hard he had to swallow, one would think he was gushing down a bucket of water instead of a tiny ceramic cup. "Okay, but don't be frightened when you hear them later. Spir
Reed found a better shelter and gathered food and water. Things did not go as planned, but heaven was on his side- leading him to see five of his men lost in the vast land. It was difficult leaving the Prince behind, but it proved fruitful. He had more people to help him protect the young Braddock. If this person stays alive, he can return home with his head high. But after the death of the Prince's special servant, the honour due him seemed to dwindle. "Your Highness, I brought fruits. Please manage them until I figure a way out." Reed went on his knees to present what he had found. For one man, it should be enough berries. Julius was in a sour mood. All the anger inside him mutated into something else after spending two hours alone with his thoughts and the unseen voices. "Sir..." "Take that thing away. Bring back my servant. Only then will I be satisfied," Julius said. Reed lowered his eyes remorsefully as he gathered the drive to repeat what he had stated earlier and more. "Th
The small cave brightened gradually as fire swallowed the twigs the omega gathered. "Hahh." Arlen whimpered, moping about the pain in his neck. " WHAT?!" He yelled at the man sitting across the flame, staring at him with an angry frown. Luca looked away, but only for a second. How could he not stare? This person could have let him suffer there yet chose to save him. Arlen continues to grumble. He had used up a lot of energy and could hardly keep a spell up. Unfortunately, there were no spirits to utilise in their hiding spot. What else to do but lean against the cave walls and try to regain a little strength? On the other side, Luca was bleeding out. He shoves the pain down his throat and does nothing. His ego could not bear being at this person's mercy- he had been humiliated more than he should be, carried like a cripple by a prisoner, a kid. Arlen's eyes shot open at the sound of movements. At this juncture, anything was possible; Luca might make another attempt on his life. T
Telling day from the night was close to impossible. Arlen and Luca made no count of the hours spent so far. But they had been buried underground with the beast for two days and two nights. Half the time was spent with both parties thinking the worst of each other in silence, while the other half focused on the omega spying on the alpha. Luca stayed put. He firmly believed the men outside would send for help. Arlen was not counting on it. Getting help meant him being captured again. Nevertheless, his chances of escaping this den seemed bleak without assistance. His quest for food jolts his mind to the small pouch hidden in his pocket. A smile lit up his face when he picked up Moon. Holding it brought a little comfort, yet it turns sour when he thinks back to the people who must be waiting for him...and Julius. He wondered if Julius was okay. 'He probably thinks I'm dead. *sigh* I must send him a letter if I get out of here. My Jules must be bawling his eyes out.' "There are nuts
"Cousin... Cousin!"Rufus eased his hand on a bow, lowering the weapon with the arrow pressed between two fingers. He was surrounded by the giant canopy of the forests, hunting for game in broad daylight. The catch he spotted disappeared with the wind, trampling the leaves on the dry ground. "Arlen?" Hearing his brother's voice did not make any sense. Arlen should be thousands of miles away- out of reach and sight. Rufus gazed into the distance, trying to look past the trees in his way, but all his eyes could see beyond the branches and the crooked path was the mountain view and the great river. "Cousin..." The voice resounded behind him, and he whirled around. "Arlen." Rufus drops the weapon, reaching the other in four wide leaps. Arlen wore the same outfit he had left in and looked fragile. Rufus held him carefully, afraid he might break the omega if he clung on too tight. "What are you doing here?" It was the right question. Arlen pouted. "I missed you. I miss Candor." "Im
Arlen wakes up about an hour later and panics when Luca is still knocked out. Also, there was a loud bang against the entrance of their hideout. He had no doubt it was the creature sniffing out Luca's injury. Animals such as these are like vultures; they can smell death. "Hey, Beaumont...Your Highness, wake up!" Arlen shook him several times, but he would not budge. "Hey, you can't die now; we must leave here. Damnit!" Arlen jumped back, angry and afraid. He paced the confined place, feeling tense. It is one thing to be alone and another to watch Luca die in this place. Giving someone spirit energy meant sharing a part of him. And so far, he only shared himself with Julius. But that was done with a lot of caution and practice. He is not like other mages and beastmen. Instead of transmitting light, he would be giving out darkness. It is not that he couldn't possess light- he was born with a core as red as the darkest ruby. "How do I help without polluting him? Think Arlen, think!"
First, there was darkness, something I've been used to all my life. It soothes me- it is the only home I know. But then came a blinding light followed by the thundering sound of rain, reverberating like a thousand drums being struck simultaneously. As the sound rescinded, the shrill chirps of birds followed. Then colour began to fill in like a spectrum of light. And when it was over, I saw myself. Well, a younger version of me... "Arlen, try again. You can do it." Her voice was as lively as I recalled it. I couldn't see her face, but I saw the boy she was talking to, an impatient little troublemaker who kept killing the lovely orchids in his mother's garden, burning them to a crisp with a single touch. Mother strived to teach me how to control my abilities- to save the things I wish to protect or preserve. I leaned against a wall and watched myself fail repeatedly, withering those flowers. I didn't mean to; it was just out of my control back then. The failure made me furious at
Clive waited till dawn. "Well, they didn't show up. Let's return home." He climbed up his steed and signalled his men to wrap up. He spent less time looking or waiting for Luca and the men he sent to find him. Just as he shook the reins on his horse, a loud cry came from behind. " They're coming! They are here!" Clive turned, his face contorted in a frown when he saw the soldier he instructed to look for Beaumont. "The barrier. The barrier is broken!" The second wailed as he kept sprinting. Clive's men became alarmed and took up their weapons. "What nonsense are you two spewing! Did sleeping in the forests turn you into a madman?" Clive held tightly to the reins, too annoyed to pay attention to his horse kicking its hoof into the ground to register an impending danger. Only when the men drew closer did he see the army of the dead chasing after them. "That's impossible." Clive's eyes could fall out of their sockets. His men immediately formed a circle around him, awaiting orders.
By the time Reed realized he had been used- again- it was too late. Julius gently set him on a shabby bed of hay, crouching beside him with an expression of childlike curiosity. "Are you feeling better?" he asked, patting Reed’s head."What happened? What time is it?" Reed groaned, pressing a hand to his throbbing temple. He tried to get up but found his legs numb and unwilling."Wait, don’t try to move. You're still recovering," Julius said, pressing him back down."How could I sleep so deeply? My men… the carriage…" Reed’s voice was dazed, his words scattered.Julius dismissed Reed’s fragmented concerns, believing him to be rambling. "It’s alright, Owen. This will be the last time I take your energy, I promise." He leaned in, brushing a gentle kiss across Reed’s lips.Reed’s brow furrowed as he pulled away. "What did you do, Julius?"Julius’ smile faded. "What are you implying?""What did you need my energy for?"Julius’ face hardened. "If you must know, I collapsed the fog at the b
"Did you miss me?" Arlen asked as Luca thrust into him for what felt like the hundredth time."Every hour, every minute… every second," Luca replied, voice thick with longing."Then kiss me harder. Show me the depth of your despair," Arlen cooed.Luca held Arlen close as if he could disappear at any moment. The memory felt lucid, almost unreal. It was harder for him not to bury himself deeper. It was in an alpha's nature to bite and knot his cherished omega, and Luca was nearly numb with excitement as Arlen wrapped around him like a vine, making desperate, teasing sounds that ignited every instinct within him."Arlen, if we keep going like this, I might fall into a rut.""That's not... fair," Arlen murmured between breaths.Luca lifted his gaze to meet Arlen’s. "Is this not to your liking?""No, that's not what I meant. I have to claim you, Luca.” Arlen averted his eyes, his voice dropping to a whisper. “What if you woke up and changed your mind?"With a steady rhythm, Luca pressed g
Arlen led David to the guest quarters, leaving him in the care of capable servants. He then continued along a different path, Luca close behind. Every now and then, Arlen glanced back with a smile, ensuring that Luca stayed close. As they neared a large compound, Luca presumed the inevitable meeting with his father-in-law was approaching. He braced himself. It was unlikely to be a pleasant encounter given their family history, but it had to happen. The structures of this place felt different from the cold, mechanical landscape of Damaris. The statues here were immense, fearsome, and far removed from the serene ones back home. Guards stood at every corner, their expressions stern and lacking any warmth. For Luca, walking side by side with ‘the’ Arlen Braddock still felt surreal, and yet his heart was overwhelmed with love. When they entered a large room, the doors shut behind them with a quiet snap. Luca turned at the sound, only to notice a faint blue hue glowing over the ex
For a moment, Arlen studied Luca’s face as if caught in a daydream, focusing on all the features he longed to touch- his eyes, ears, cheeks, lips. Luca, however, stood motionless, like an old tree rooted in place.But Arlen dropped to his knees. Luca clenched his fists as he struggled to find a way to redeem himself. The sight of Arlen touching his feet, as though a lowly servant, made Luca feel like the monster Rufus had always claimed he was. It was a sharp reminder of the blind hatred he’d harboured for over a decade before their paths had crossed. “I should’ve told you the truth. I tried, but…” Arlen’s voice was frail. Somehow he couldn’t shake the fear that Luca had come to end his life. His heart sank further when Luca hesitantly pulled his feet away. However, Luca had other other plans. Arlen watched, confused, as the alpha knelt, lowering himself until their eyes were level. His breath caught when Luca’s forehead dipped to touch the hem of his robe. “Forgive me, Your Highn
Naturally, Rufus and the others followed the royal family closely after the celebrations with the people, but they couldn’t get too near due to the barricades of soldiers. Seeing this, Rufus suggested an alternative. “We need to separate my uncle from that imposter.” David: "But how do we do that? There are so many guards around that jerk. Did you notice he’s gotten taller since the last time we fought him? And his voice-“ "Focus, David!" Rufus snapped. Luca cut in, “Rufus, go after the King. Leave the imposter to me.” Rufus nodded at the logic. The King would recognize him easily. “In that case, go with David. Nathan and I will follow the King.” *** Zariah took Arlen under her wing after the main event, leading him to mingle with their subjects. Believing there was no danger, Caesar did not object. Arlen wore a solemn expression as the celebrations continued. Earlier, his speech had lightened the atmosphere, making the people feel important and remembered. They laughed and c
Arlen approached his father’s study. Caesar was obsessed with having his wife’s ghost roaming about, but when Arlen mentioned someone else as the source of his troubles, Caesar listened."Son, be honest with me. Why is that slave still alive?""He’s not a slave, Father. He’s my best friend, someone I consider a soulmate.""Well, what about your mate? Do you dote on this Julius more than them?""Not that kind of soulmate. Julius and I share a bond that even I can’t break- the kind that would make him do anything for me without hesitation.""Like trying to kill your uncle? Do you think he would’ve stopped there?""He wasn’t himself," Arlen said with a sunken voice."Then maybe you don’t know this Julius as well as you think you do.""You’re not listening to me. I exploited my best friend’s loyalty. I recklessly tainted his soul with demons. He tricked you because I made him that way.""And you still haven’t learned your lesson. You cannot put one man- a beta, above Ingram." Caesar shook
Arlen sat under the pavilion with Zariah, working on his speech for the upcoming festival."That’s terrible, toss it out. You can add this line to the last one... Come on, kid, didn’t you learn anything from me?" Zariah’s tone was firm."This isn’t like dealing with omegas, Aunt," Arlen sighed, already bored with his first duty as Prince."Of course it is! The people need to believe you're committed to your role. You’re an omega- hasn’t anyone ever said something that made you feel special?" It turned out Zariah’s nagging could be worse than Basma’s."How would I know? My mate... he barely says anything sweet. He’s the stiffest alpha you’ll ever meet.” “Worse than your father?” “Far worse!” Arlen stressed. “Half the time, he said I was trouble. On lucky days he expressed how much he wanted to keep me by his side." Arlen blurted, then paused, realizing he might never hear Luca say those words again. "But I can’t say that to my subjects."Arlen refused to reveal the identity of his ch
Reed could not accept reality. A new Arlen Braddock had replaced the one he knew. He was astonished that this was the servant his person nearly killed him for losing.As a high-ranking warrior, the men guarding Julius' cell allowed him to pass without questions.Reed's hands went around the metallic bars. "Is it true?" His usually gentle voice sounded scratchy. Sitting on the floor at the far end, Julius answered without looking at him, patiently drawing secret symbols. "I am not my master," he said."Then who are you?""It would be best if you were disgusted by me," Julius chuckled under his breath."I meant what I said. Even if you were not a noble, I'd still stand by you." Reed pulled on the bars, stating to whom his allegiance belonged. That did surprise Julius. He looked at the alpha, and a laugh burst out of him. "Hahahaha, did I bewitch you too much?"Reed unlocked the prison door and entered, his footsteps heavy and hasty. "Can you look into my soul and tell me what we had was
Julius tried the same trick on Arlen twice, using pheromones borrowed from his special pet, but it failed. Arlen's mind had grown stronger. "Master Arlen, I-" He gasped, peering around for the weapon he dropped. He gathered himself and quickly dashed for it, but Moon intentionally rolled away, making his attempt useless.'I'll distract him. Run, you fool!' Sephire screamed, right before leaving Zariah's body.“Sephire, don’t!” Julius watched in horror as his guardian opposed his maker.Sephire, unbothered by the consequences, did not hold back. Arlen caught her by the neck. "There is nowhere to run," he said, sinking his hand into her skin.Julius felt the impact of losing one of his demons. He slumped in a corner, trying to salvage his last strength. Even then, he could not take his eyes off Sephire. For once he got a better glimpse of the woman whispering into his ears. Her maniacally soothing voice was befitting of her frame. Despite the scales covering half of her face, Julius sa