Part 2
It was the princess' death. The only star of the empire, the First princess' death and yet only a few grieved. Her father, the Emperor didn't even come to the funeral, even just to show appearances. Only the man standing in front of the princess' grave, crying in the midst of the heavy outpour of rain, my superior and the Crown prince of this empire, grieved at the death of his beloved sister... And me, his aide, stood by his side, silently watching him breakdown...
I've never seen him cry. Not even once for the ten years I've been with him ever since we're only 13 years-old. He's a strong person who'll do everything to protect his sister. A strong person who never showed his weaknesses and him crying is proof of how strong he has been and how much emotions he's been bottling up through the course of the years living in the imperial court. Just for the sake of his sister...
...
It's been a few weeks ever since the princess' death. His highness... He's been only staring out in the window of his dimly-lit room, and looking worse as days go by. His jet black hair swayed gently at the cold wind of this cloudy weather. His red eyes were filled with grief and loss as large bags are seen under his eyes. He hasn't been eating anything for days now...
He would only drink. I'm worried but I don't think he'll listen to me this time... Female aides are frowned upon. Nobles think it's only a job for men. His highness is the only one who believed in me, and in my capabilities... Only him...
"... Your highness, please... Get yourself together..." I pleaded "You'll lose everything at this rate! The right to the throne, your faction, everything that you've worked hard for through the years! You'll lose everything! Everything..." My voice trailed off as soon as I saw his sobbing eyes. The very ones which I admired for having strong determination to do anything for his sister were filled with grief, and his broken self, appearing dead even when he's right there standing in front of me.
"... I already lost everything, Lady Soleia..." He uttered in a hoarse and tired tone. " I already lost everything because my everything is my sister..." He continued saying those words shattering the small hope I have deep in my heart. I knew long ago that the reason your fighting so hard to claim the throne is to protect your sister...
I followed you because you believed in me and I saw that strong determination you have. I wanted to protect that. I wanted to continue helping you reach your goal without making you experience hardships but what can I do when the reason your trying so hard is now gone and tragedy came one after the other... I need you to tell me what to do... Just anything will do, so please...
Months passed by in a blur. His highness is still the same. He'd stare at the vast plains outside his window, where his sister used to walk about. The nobles are probably rejoicing at His highness' grief. Everyone must be gossiping about it with their vicious tongues... I expected to see the same scenario of his highness staring about the window today. I'm supposed to deliver the report about his highness' faction, and happenings in the imperial court, like I always do. I also prepared some tea and snacks even though he never touches them.
I went inside his room but there was no prince inside. I went to look everywhere in his room but found not a trace of him... At first I rejoiced thinking he finally went out to get some fresh air but that only lasted for a moment before I saw the pile of papers scattered in his bed... A report about... The princess? I quickly scanned the document and an ominous feeling overcame me. The king... is behind the death of... I immediately ran to the throne room. The castle's eerily quiet. There's no one here. No servants, no knights... Oh please don't let it be what I think...! I ran and ran and immediately pushed open the doors to the throne room...
I gasped in shock. The room that greeted me is filled with a sea of blood as piles of corpses are everywhere and the only person standing in the midst of this bloodbath is him... His highness... My eyes welled up at the sight of his once ruby eyes filled with kindness turned into a blood like one filled with a violent thirst to let out his wrath, coldly slicing through the necks of every one who stood in his way... I covered my mouth trying to muffle my sobs as he walked his way toward me. With his bloodstained sword in hand he pointed it at my neck. I look at him with my tear filled eyes and held the blade in my hands injuring it. I winced and he seemed shocked by what I just did and tried to loosen my grip on it but I didn't budge.
He dropped his sword and I then let go of the sword. I wiped away the blood on his face with my bloodied hands. He furrowed his brows while I gently smiled and embraced him. Tightly hugging him and quietly sobbing about how I failed him. I didn't do my duty justice. I didn't help him enough. I was helpless in everything. I couldn't protect them both... When I finally felt him relax a bit, I immediately changed our positions and I was pierced by an arrow in my back. There is an archer hiding in the Throne, ready to shoot when he felt like His highness's guard was down.
I noticed it ever since I entered the room. A metal taste filled my mouth and blood gushed out of it. I gasped for air. I collapsed on the floor feeling everything in my surroundings sway. His Highness must've already dealt with the archer as he's already kneeling by my side trying to stop the bleeding in my stomach. The wound's quite deep and the arrow is filled with poison. I can feel it restricting my lungs and black spots appeared in my body. The arrow is coated with some kind of black magic which is poisonous for humans with mana. I am a mage so it'll obviously be deadly to me... I raised my hand and held his face, caressing it. I smiled at him feeling apologetic for my short-comings as tears blurred my vision. I motioned him to come closer to me. I hugged his neck as I mustered all my strength in saying his name... For the last time...
"Your Highness, Kaleid... I'm sorry..." I look at his confused face and smiled gently as my vision slowly faded and my life ended...
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"What's that girl's name?" A man who stood in the midst of the chaos done by those deformed creatures, asked a crow with bat wings and eyes the same color of its master, blood-red.
"Soleia, Your Majesty." the crow answered. The man in a black suit furrowed his brows. He pondered about how much that girl looked like her plus they have the same name. ' Is it just a coincidence?' He sighed as he thought there is no way she's the Soleia he knows. It's been... what? A thousand years? A thousand decades since that happened? It doesn't matter. I'm now in the underworld to pay for the sins I've committed.
" Is that all the souls that we need?" The man asked as he checked on the quota he had of collected souls. They had a bit of a problem with the souls that are supposed to be in the underworld. They're frequently going back and forth to the living world and back to the underworld. It's been giving him a headache... They were preparing to go back when the souls they have collected went back to their bodies and all the destroyed buildings went back to normal as if nothing happened. This is the problem... They couldn't control what happens in the living world and only collect souls that are already near their time limit. When the world goes back as if in a loop they'd have to repeatedly wait for the right time again to collect the due souls... It's such a nuisance...
" ...Find the girl." The man said in a pissed tone. "I think she's related to this."
" So find her..."
"... No Matter What."
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To be Continued
