Soul Behind The Mask

Prologue

It was a cloudy chilly day.

Lewis, Prince of the Sacred Royal Felines Empire, was having a great time with his best friend, the Earl Stefan, chasing hares on their horses. The prince jumped from his horse, morfing into his feline beast form, a powerful lion. It wasn't a hunting day, so he decided to spend this morning just by running and hanging out. His long black mane moved as he ran, the wind caressing his whole body. He felt so happy, so free.

He had everything: a good family and the best sister whom he cared for dearly, and loved spending time with too. The Crown Princess however was now at the castle, preparing both for her Coronation and wedding ceremony. Even though the event was going to be taken in around a week's time there was so much she had yet to learn. It was an arranged marriage of course, but the prosperity of the Empire depended on it, uniting a popular kingdom as well and ensuring both parties would get benefited this way.

Lewis raised his head as he suddenly noticed snowflakes falling around him and laying on his lion's wavy mane and body. He stopped for a second. Snowing wasn't a rare thing in his land, but his instincts suddenly told him something was wrong. Very wrong.

He ran towards Stefan and with a head sign they galloped towards the castle as fast as they could.

*******

"I am not doing what your worthless pathetic ass wants."

"Oh you'd better do. You're going to be my wife after all, aren't you?"

The Crown Princess clenched her teeth but said nothing.

"Look, I'm only asking what a loving husband would expect from her wife. You give me the land and part of your Beast powers to my hold, that is all. I serve the people and you enjoy life as much as you want to. Pretty ladies like you want to have so much dresses in their wardrobe. We can live happily ever after then. Easy".

Flashbacks of the pain suffering people have to endure daily during his reign flowed to Gwen's mind. She shook her head, anger and sadness in equal parts flowing through her. "I am not your wife, and never will be".

"Then tell me what the whole contract papers mean. I thought you already discussed these matters with your parents, hm hun?" Duke Tirich grabbed the documents and slowly walked towards her. He smirked.

The girl had enough. She spitted on his face. "So you shut up your fucking mouth for once."

Silence.

Just as he approached her, Tirich walked away from her and grabbed a napkin to clean his face.

He sighed. "Very well. If we don't do this the easy way, we'll have to do it the hard way". Turning around he took a pistol from his trousers and pointed at her.

The Royal Feline family was known across the whole empire for their strong stamina and quick ability to heal from everything, both in their human and feline sides... except from shalaghites, a crystal which once could act as a catalyst and transmitter to hold their divine power to help others heal quickly as well. For unknown reasons, people started to find more and more shalaghites covered in Darkness, and it was soon discovered that even if it held no harm for the commoners, it could be used as a mortal weapon for destruction against the royal blood. Of course, the King ordered for everyone to search for the remaining crystals to be destroyed as soon as found.
The princess wouldn't have to worry much if the duke wouldn't have said the following afterwards.

"Oh, and don't worry, it's filled with pure shalaghite so it will make things way easier for us."

Gwen gulped. Thousands of thoughts started rushing through her head. Was it wise to transform into a golden panther right now? She could escape... Through the window? Would she survive though? It was up enough. She could quickly push him and reach the door. She didn't know what to do.

One thing was clear. No matter what she made, he would shoot. And one touch with the crystal, it would be the end.

Steps running.

"Gwen!! Sister!!"

Tirich didn't even let her react. The door opened, and the young prince watched in horror how his sister received the crystal bullet on her left leg.

"GWEN!!" He didn't even think twice and morphed to his feline form, attacking the duke. He would have ripped his head off if the Royal Guards didn't arrive by that exact moment.

Despite being severely wounded, the duke was now laughing.

Stefan reached him, trying hard to calm the prince down. Lewis finally managed to escape him and ran back to his sister.

"Gwen, Gwen! You'll be alright. You can heal it! It's just in the leg, wait Father will arrive right now!"

The princess coughed. Asides from the blood that was on her leg, some flowed from her mouth. "L-Lewis"

Tears started to pour from his eyes. "Sis, it's going to be okay, you're not dying. You're not dying."

Gwen reached for his hands, holding them tightly. She looked at him and smiled. "Lewy, my dear brother... I feel my time is coming.. Listen."

"Gwen no we can--"

"Ssshh. Brother, listen to me carefully. I want you to be the one that will take care of our people. You, okay? And promise me, you will be the best version of yourself. That you will never give up."

Lewis slowly nodded, sobbing.

"Remember I will always be watching you. I love you endlessly." She said, as her eyes felt more and more heavy.

"Gwen please, please don't go!" He shook her anxiously.

Meanwhile, Duke Tirich quickly grabbed his dagger and reached both soldiers that were holding him. He smiled watching how the dagger's contact to their blood and flesh made them disappear into thin air, as if they were made out of smoke.

Steps again. A second before the King arrived, Tirich pierced a cut in his right arm and stabbed himself in the same leg he mortally wounded the Crown Princess.

Lewis tried desperately to tell his father the situation, begging him to heal her, to save her before it was too late, but the King wasn't listening to him.

The prince turned back to his sister as his father shouted and yelled at him, telling that it was all his fault, and that he was now banished from the land forever.

He held the princess' hand close to his face and put it down gently.

A million thoughts shaped into one.

He was now alone.

Completely.