奔跑後的落葉- Wither x Skeleton Fanfic

被附身的他

**二十一 (Chapter twenty-one)
eng: He who is possessed...

A/n: Initially, the plan was to publish this October 1st. I decided since I already had the next three chapters completed that I'd publish this chapter today and the next one October 1st. Enjoy!

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Wither

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"...And that concludes our Full Moon Ceremony! It was an honor to witness our very own Prince conduct tonight's ceremony. All hail the heir of the Nether!" A bowl of fine alcohol was placed into my hands. I accept it graciously with a smile, raising the bowl into the air. My subjects follow suit, along with the royal officials. I down the alcoholic beverage in a single gulp, placing the now empty bowl onto the cart in front of me. A roar of cheers come from the crowd of subjects below.

"...May the end of this Full Moon Ceremony bring prosperity to all those who attended tonight's ceremony." With that, I walk back inside the palace. The Lord followed behind me.

"Well done, Ash. You may deserve your title yet."

I only bow in response, and the Lord dismisses me. I return back to my quarters, placing my crown onto my nightstand before sitting down onto my bed and gazing at the full moon.

~

"Dear Ash, another day has started... Best not be late meeting with your father, especially after your crowning as the Prince."

It seems I had fallen asleep due to the exhaustion of performing the ceremony last night... "Understood, Mother." I sit up, placing my crown carefully upon my head. As the newly crowned Prince of the Nether, I had many responsibilities to attend to. I fix my cloak and place it neatly upon my shoulders before exiting my quarters.

"Ash. Wonderful timing," The Lord says, "I was just about to send a servant upstairs to fetch you."

I nod respectfully in response. The Lord beckons me towards him, holding out a neatly rolled-up scroll. "Written in this scroll are the tasks you must complete today. Hopefully, you are feeling up to completing them after last night's ceremony."

"Of course." I bow my head in response and scan through the tasks listed in the scroll. Most of the tasks were simple, such as overseeing the Guard and making my rounds around town.

"Simple enough...," I mutter to myself, deciding to take the walk around town first. The air was crisp and clear, and the town was almost empty. There was barely anyone outside at this hour, which was fair considering the time. As the prince of this realm, it was a responsibility of mine to take a few strolls a day around the town. Why, you may ask? On top of being the prince, I was also a skilled fighter in combat-- I worked alongside the Guard for many years (as per the Lord's request.)

I enjoyed my strolls every morning. It was peaceful being alone with the warm breeze. The lava shines especially bright in the mornings.

At some point during my daily walk, I decided to take a seat on the side of one of the lava fountains. Pulling out my scroll, I read through the rest of my assigned tasks for the day. Usually the day after the Full Moon Ceremony is uneventful, but I didn't mind. Performing that ceremony was not only a huge honor, but it was exhausting. The amount of energy the one performing the ceremony must sacrifice to our savior is no laughing matter. I yawn quietly before standing back up, resuming my tasks for the day.

~

I had finished overseeing the Guard, and was pleased to report to the Lord that all of the Guard was present today. I am dismissed once again, and I decide to make another round around the kingdom. Before I exit the palace, though, a Guard general comes running towards me. He seems distressed.