~HOPE~

Chapter 1

Armour clattered as a pink haired girl walked down the hallway. Her hair was tied up to a bun, her face not pleasant. Then she reached the end, to a room. The door was large, and blue. Knowing who lives in the room, all alone, she went in without knocking. Her eyes, narrowed when she saw the man, she has been searching, sitting on a chair, looking outside the balcony, hair tied up and drinking wine. Nika scoffed at him, and cleared her throat to attract his attention. The man, lazily turned his head towards her and turned away. Irritated by hos actions, Nika, kept her sword down near the door and went towards him. She sat on the other side of him, and crossed her legs over, her armour clattering.

"Why are you drinking?" she asked. The man, took a sip of the wine, still looking out, questioned her back: "Did he come back?" Nika, visibly was annoyed. The man noticed it yet he did not say it out loud. "Answer me, first. Why are you drinking? Drinking is forbidden in this castle, you are the crown prince, yet here you are drinking. What is up with you, Valt?" her question was simple but meaningful, Valt paused for a moment, before he started laughing. His hand covered his eyes, as he hysterically laughed out loud, looking up at the sky. Nika was still irritated by the way he acted. After a moment, his laugh was over. "Crown prince, my ass. It's just father who decided it. I do not want to be a prince in the first place. And who the fuck is he to forbid me drinking?" another laugh escaped his mouth. With a serious tone, he said: "He took my power away, he took my will away. I am basically, useless. A trash in this family. Yet he, you, the people, call me crown prince? Funny"

Nika, scoffed at his words. "If you didn't recklessly went to save that Kurenai, father wouldn't have punished you. You are just too kind for your own good. And it's self-destruction. It needed to be stopped so in order to help you, father sealed your power away. And she is not coming back to you any time soon. So stop calling yourself trash and drinking, and act like how you really are" her words hit Valt hard. Yet Valt was unphased. With a sly smile, he answered her back: "What a great speech. Maybe, you are cut out to be a queen to this place. Go ahead, kill me and take my place, dear sister" Nika was angered at this point. She got up, and took her sword and stomped out of this room. But before closing she said: "Toko is not coming back. He is a traitor and he needs to be held out"

The silence was back. Valt, started to laugh again. His voice was bitter as he laughed. "God! How funny are they!" he continued to laugh "First, they would take my power away and keep me useless" his laugh echoed through the castle "And then they would frame my brother as a traitor and boycott him!" his laugh stopped as he took the glass of wine and drank it in a gulp "Then they say 'I should act like how I use to be'?! This is bullshit!" his eyes contained rage as he looked at the painting of Valkryie in his room. "Oh how they mock me by keeping a portrait of my power right in my room after they took her away!"

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Far away from the Spriggan Empire, is the Valkryie Empire. Both of their emperors used to be very great friends! They almost like siblings, they were even rumours that they were cousins. There was no exception in their kids as well. All of them, bonded as if they were blood siblings, especially the crown princes. The rumor told that they were engaged-a couple that can make the two empires more lively than they already were. Of course that was rumours. But it was clear that they both knew each other since childhood, along with the empire Xcalius crown prince, Xander Shakadera. The crown prince of the empire Spriggan, Shu Kurenai, was the shy kid that always tries to not get attention but somehow, he always ends up doing the opposite, he is not strong physically, but mentally, he is known as the strongest person. He is smart and intelligent. Xander on the other hand, is the strong man in the world. His spirit, Xcalius is as strong as him while Xander is physically the strongest. And the crown prince of the empire Valkryie? He is the kindest being that no one wants to ever hurt. He might not be as strong as Xander or Shu, but his calm voice and music always calms down the war. His talent to always be calm and kind even in stressed moment had made him popular and a well known prince. This trio princes of the east empires is what they are known to be. The trio that cannot be destroyed. Of course, the rivalry between them was considered as friendly.

But on the other side was the trio of the West empires. They are known to be cruel and strong. Lui Shirosagijo, the crown prince of the empire, Luinor, is a man of coldness. His bitter and harsh words makes him enemy fall as his power make them freeze. Free De La hoya, the crown prince of the empire, Fafnir, is the definition of calm before the storm. Although he seems to be relaxed most of the time, his mind is always calculating and is ready to attack. Then comes the crown prince of the empire, Zillion Zuetron, Zenkuro Kurogane, also known as Zac by his people. The man that is considered as the star of their empire, the man that always brings light to the war where the light only leads to destruction. The west trio, is considered as dangerous and is always feared. Even by their own people.

When the West and East, met, arguments broke out. But, there was something. The Valkryie crown prince and Luinor crown prince-They laughed and talked together. The others were left confused in their interaction. It couldn't be. It was fire and water, bonding. Something impossible. How?. Of course, the Spriggan crown prince, was angry. He had never thought that Valt would talk with Lui, that lovely. He had never did. The fight between them broke larger. It was, not how it was predicted to be.

"How can you?! You are my best friend, yet you talk to him that way?!" shouted Shu, he felt betrayed. How can Valt talk like that to Lui, the Lui Shirosagijo! The one who scarred him! "Calm down Shu-We are in public-" tried Valt. "Public?! Hell, compared to what you did, this doesn't matter!" shouted Shu back. Xander came in between them, "Calm down you too. We can discuss this later" he said, in a serious voice, hoping that they would stop. Shu, understood what he meant as he took deep breaths. Soon he was calm, but he still glared at Valt and Lui. Lui on the other hand, was clearly not doing so well. "Well, What can I say? Rumors say that you both are engaged when we, Valt and I, clearly are lovers" said Lui, scoffing. Valt's eyes widened when he said that, Valt pulled Lui by his hand as he said: "Lui, What the actual fuck?! I told you-"

"I know, I know. But when he acts like he practically owns you, it irritates me" said Lui, rolling his eyes. Shu, on the other hand, was shaking in rage. "Lovers?" his voice was low as he mumbled. Spriggan, was flaming inside him, his voice loud in Shu's head. "He does not own me. And it does not allow you to act like that! Your jealousy isn't what I want, Lui" said Valt, his eyes narrowed at the remark Lui did. Lui scoffed at him. He was about to speak until, Zac came in, smiling nervously "Let's talk about this matter someday but not right now" he said, pulling the angry Lui away.

Xander sighed in relief. Good thing that Zac was here. He, then turned to look at Shu to see him, angry. He was about to speak until, Shu walked away on his own. Valt, however was distressed by this. He sighed, knowing that this will not turn out the best.

That day, was when the east trio turned into the east duo. The Spriggan empire, secluded themself. They did not have any other person, other than Shu himself to represent in competitions. But of course, thanks to the emperor, the trading was going well for them. But the incident left a scar across everyone in the east. This gave away a chance for rumors to spread more. After all, people are more dangerous than a single king or queen.

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