The Prince of Blood (boyxboy)

1.Lost and Found

In the thick of snow, a brown haired young man lay unconscious face down. Voices from a patrol squad rang out overhead as soldiers in white military uniforms argued over what they should do. The young man heard it all, but he could not be bothered to react physically to the action around him, that would require much more energy than what he had.

Eventually, the party of soldiers made up their minds and lifted him onto a stretcher. He was to be taken to their base. A warm blast of air hit his face as they carried him inside a technological advanced building with surveillance cameras every three meters and excessive amounts of glass. He wondered what was advanced civilisations' deal with using glass everywhere inside their buildings. Whilst massive glass panes looked pretty, they were not particularly useful in dangerous situations. In fact, they usually were the opposite.

The soldiers eventually moved him onto a bed in a brightly lit white room. They placed shackles on his hands which lead to a metal link in the corner to ensure he does not try to escape. Inwardly, the young man laughed, no one could lock him up if he truly wished to escape. Fortunately for the soldiers, right this instance, the young man had decided that he merely wanted to sleep.

*

Ace was staring blankly at the battle plans projected on the hologram screens in front of him as he sat in his glass box known as an office. He had been in the Glisten Fort for three weeks now, the expectations and pressures are high, but he was struggling to make headway. His country was at war, they were being invaded and he was in charge of defending it as well as launching counterattacks.

He ran his hand through his shiny blonde hair. He grew up in the palace learning what to say and what to not say, leading an army was not particularly high on the curriculum, especially when he was the Third Prince. In fact, it wasn't on the curriculum at all.

"Your Highness," a familiar male voice belonging to a man of late forties came from the other side of the frosted glass door. Though the walls were see through glass with colour changing and changing opacity abilities, Ace did not understand why the door was chosen in particular to be frosted glass.

"Come in, Nyal," Ace called out.

Major Nyal Sachley was in his mid forties despite looking somewhat older than his age. His defining feature was a roughly trimmed thick beard around his mouth, which he wore with pride. He had short light brown hair and deep emerald eyes. Ace had known him for over a decade and looked to the older man as a mentor.

"What is it now?" Ace asked, his tired blue eyes shutting itself as the dryness of his eyes caught up with his overuse of them along due constant staring at hologram screens.

"The patrol squad found an unconscious man at the borders of our territory," Nyal said, standing tall in his white military uniform, which was the standard for the Kingdom of Parisora.

Behind the desk, Ace wore a very similar outfit. "Is he a Opalian spy?"

"We do not believe so," Nyal answered, "his appearance is not Opalian and his clothing is strange."

"In what manner?" Ace pushed.

"He wore a long black robe," Nyal answered. "Like a priest during church service but black and more sophisticated in design."

Ace frowned. "No one wears robes in this day and age."

Nyal nodded in agreement. "He was lying in the snow, clearly underdressed for the weather, yet he did not die of hyperthermia before the patrol squad reached him."

Even Ace thought that to be strange, northern Parisora is known for its cold and unforgiving winters. "Let me know when he wakes up," Ace said.

At that very moment, Nyal's digital watched dinged. He looked down and pressed the side of the watch, causing it to project a hologram screen before him. "It seems like he is awake, Your Highness."