Meeting in Endless Worlds

General and Crown Prince

The Shaman got his retribution from his son. He was despised, knowing he traded someone's life to bring him back to life. The child committed suicide but as the father, he couldn't bear to let him die and at that pure time the Queen came to him, offering her part of her soul.

He again did the exchange and left the alive son alone. But in fifteen years his son died. He lived wondering what was gone right and wrong. Due to his magical power, he could only be aged slowly, unlike other normal people. He lived double the times compared to humans. In the end, he was faced to John who don't know appear out of nowhere, yet he was picked up by the Crown Prince yesterday from the unknown dungeon. And he knew the retribution of another has come too, and he would be freed.

Ace knowing everything felt nothing. All he did was grieve and display his utmost sadness swelling inside him. His eyes were bloodshot, "Father and Mother never would have expected me to find out, right? If it was not for meeting this shaman on my way yesterday, your killing intent towards John, and the anthology of grandfathers appearing not complete, I wouldn't have known."

"Would have been killed before knowing anything." His voice turned to whisper slowly. But everyone heard it.

He remembered the killer who was just a step late to pierce inside his heart and Aaron who had turned pale with worry. Despite everything Aaron was against to let that last moment be waste in worry and sadness. He did everything which make him crazy. A wild night in blood. They spent last night. On the way back, Aaron carried another wound beneath his chest. Which was to save him. He saw the attack coming and with fast speed turned to escape, but Aaron always seemed to be faster than him to protect him.

Grip expressed his apathy, "What a pity, I really shouldn't have left you there." He is indicating the time when he was left with the librarian alone to study. He thought that time was the source that led Stephen to know everything, but he is wrong. The real Stephen didn't know it.

Grip took hold of his sword and attacked, seeing the pick time. When he was just a step distance from Ace, he was shaken to see Ace laughing as he escaped easily. The sudden fight between father and son shocked the minister and empress.

Ace's voice is cynical, "Father, you are cruel. This cruelty exceeded mine."

The empress had only Grip in her eyes as she screamed, "Stephen, don't you dare to touch your father!"

His eyes bulged with anger, "Why?" He almost killed his love yesterday and made him feel pain. Don't you think he deserve punishment for the sin he committed.

Saying this, Ace unsheathed his sharp swords. They exchanged several attacks but, Ace slashed Grip's hands apart, leaving the thudding body on the floor. Due to their age and experience, Stephen is more powerful than the King. Grip couldn't accept this; he was slashed just by this. He felt enormous pain but didn't scream out.

His ear meandered off Ace's voice and sobs of his Queen, "Remember grandmother caring for your little scratched injury as it was a life-threatening cut, do you miss it?"

Ace reminded again, "Do you miss that endearing warm smile hung to that beautiful person, who went to find a cure for you in every door, every mountain, crossing every deserted area? Was your hatred so deep that you forgot the fatal attack grandfather took to save you?"

"You are so entangled with your hatred that you forget to see the love they had for you. You only pitied yourself and loved yourself, you were selfish to this extent to sacrifice something as priceless as souls, just to live more to see this boring luxurious throne, the same out frame of this country."

"What did you get from doing so? You lived, resulting in today's painful situation."

Like a god standing between the excellent peoples. Like a divine grace of verdict, Ace stood in the same place, his eyes neither had hatred nor pain. It was cleared, Grip doesn't know why but saw this. His soul feel life stabbed by thousand daggers. But he couldn't scream to let others know that he is in pain. Like his mouth is sealed, all he could do is grit his teeth and endure.

He hardly managed to ask, "How did you know?"

Ace gave a side glance to the Shaman. He didn't reply. But his action answered. Grip having nothing to do was shuddered under the influence of excessive pain. Ace waved his hand and the imperial doctor waiting outside came in and hurriedly treated his flowing bloody cripple body. Of course, it's not done for Grip, it is to show he does care about his father to the crowd. To show his benevolence.

Ace massaged his forehead. His eyes are still red, his lips pursed tightly. He just sat at the side, his noble temperament still intact, as he said, "Were my grandfather and grandmother bad people? Tell me and write the truth about everything." He indicated to the court writer to wrote everything down.

His question was not answered. He gestured to the Right Minister to speak. Minister Allen said, as a matter of fact, "They were. The late emperor Jasper was very generous and kind. To make amends for his past deeds he made twenty temples in the forest of Jena, Taxa, and Shero areas. He donated large sums of money, praying for the health of his son. The past empress was benevolent and used to chant mantras at the temple every day. They worshiped every god, visited different spiritual areas, and knocked on every door for cure." His voice turned into whisper.

In short, it was done for Grip. But what their son did, he sold their soul. Ace couldn't help but sigh, noticing the circumstances.

The empress cried, her eyes red and tears falling like pearls. But it doesn't affect anything. Ace simply decreed the edict. 'The Crown Prince was to become the king from this moment, due to the severity of the situation the emperor was crippled, and the empress became mentally unstable. In these circumstances, they can't take care of the kingdom. Their health is uncertain. So, for the good of citizens and the activity of the court, Stephen Logan, the Crown Prince, will be assigned as the new emperor.'

None of the ministers dare to refute him. The emperor and empress lost all their support in this mere hour of activity. They recognized the new monarch, bowing with respect. Ace led the courtier to order the maids to clean the area.

He looked at the Shaman as he nodded, saying apathetic, "Are the souls freed?"

The shaman shook and said pointing at Grip and Virno, "If I freed them, they would die."

Eyes brimming with tears, Ace choked, "Let them rest in peace."

The shaman chanted some mantras as he formed a blue seal, where three exhaust souls appeared. All pure white and was somewhat translucent. Without any other thought, he took Grip's soul too, and freed them. They all disappeared without a trace. They collapsed at their respective places.

Ace collected his emotion as asked about John's condition, "What happened to Jon?" This question made Minister Allen a slight fright, but he calmed down soon. He is calm about his son all because Ace reassured him.

The shaman replied obediently, "I did some predictions, that's why I came here. I met him in front of the city gate. So, I asked him by divulging my identity as the shaman about the Crown Prince, but he suddenly demanded to make him look like General Daniel. I turn him down and wanted to find someone else, but he didn't let me go, so I made witchcraft as he wanted and poured his soul into it. In this, an accident happened due to his chaotic mindset, his memory fragment was turned to ashes leaving only one part of it. He will be the same as before after my death." listening to this, Ace was amazed by the luck of John as the fated person. The world's consciousness did its best to help him regain what was supposed to be his. But also felt like laughing at his stupidity.

The shaman bowed, "Thank you for releasing my burden of so many years. I can't be more thankful to you." He was waiting for this moment to escape this life. Finishing his last line, the shaman fell, and he left the world following the four souls.

Ace made a knowing look. That's why he acted a fool. Ace appeared sad and ordered the guard to release, John. The minister thanked him again and again. Ron Allen is after all a father; how can he not want his son back?

Ace made another edict about the death of the monarch and empress. The soul rest ceremony must be held in one day. His face the entire time was rigid, but his eyes were moist. The surrounding people sympathize with him. 
His last words were. "If you ever self-pity yourself than you will never understand love. You will lose it all like my father did. For him it was unjust but for my grandfather it was all he could do. He could only give him love but his son never felt the same." The court scribe wrote it down in the first page of his memorial.