The Possession Of Xanthos

Chapter 1: The Execution

                                                                             AUGUST 31, 1789   

A dark, eerie forest known as the crimson, filled with vibrant, blood-red flowers called cardinals, which form winding pathways leading to a towering cliff. The cliff, ominously named the Cliff of Bloodshed, serves as a place of execution. In the center of the scene, a built stadium surrounds the cliff, filled with jeering crowds. Shouts of ''traitor,'' ''kill him,'' and ''murderer'' echo through the air as various objects are thrown at a young man being carried towards the guillotine. The young man, despite his dire situation, hold a defiant gaze, his eyes sharp and powerful like a phoenix. The atmosphere is tense, with the contrast between beauty of the red flowers and the grim fate that awaits on the cliff.

''Prince Xanthos of the kingdom of Phoenix, it is time for you to face execution for the destruction of your kingdom and the slaughter of your own people,'' the judge declared with a cold finality.

A young man in the crowd, his eyes filled with sorrow, stepped forward and cried out, ''What kind of people do this to their own ruler?'' His voice trembled as he continued, ''Please, stop! I'm begging you ---- he couldn't control it!''

In a state of desperation to reach the prince, who was now undergoing his punishment, the young man rushed to the stadium, his heart pounding with urgency. But as he approached, the guards blocked his path. He sank to his knees before them, his voice trembling and bordering on a whimper, yet filled with despair, sadness, and a rising tide of rage. ''Please,'' he pleaded, ''let me through.''

The girl with long silver hair and golden eyes stood before the crowd, her voice trembling as she pleaded, ''Please, I beg you, don't do this! He's not the monster you think he is. You all knew him before ----- he's the man who protected this kingdom, the man I love. Something beyond his control has taken hold of him.'' She fell to her knees, her hands clasped together in a gesture of pure supplication, her golden eyes shining with a mix of love and fear ''Don't let fear and anger drive you to this injustice! I beg you, with all my heart, spare him!''.

A mother crying hysterically for her son ''Please, I can't lose my son......not like this. You Know he doesn't deserve to die for something he couldn't  stop. Have mercy, I'm begging you, have mercy on the man who once stood by your side, who fought for you, who loved this kingdom just as much as all of us. Please, don't take him from me!'' she said with an overwhelming sense of helplessness as she looked into the faces of those who held her beloved son's fate in their hands.

The mother, her face etched with anguish, clutched the judge's robes, her voice cracking as she pleaded, ''Please, Your Honor, spare my son. He's just a boy ---- he made a mistake, but he's not beyond redemption. I know he can change, I know he can be better. Please, I'm begging you, don't take him from me.''

The judge sighed heavily, his expression stern but tinged with sympathy. ''I understand your pain, but the law must be upheld. Your son's actions have consequences, and the people demand justice. If we show leniency, what message does that send? Sometimes, the hardest choices are the ones we must make for the greater good. I'm truly sorry, but his fate is sealed.''

The mother's grip tightened, tears streaming down her face. ''There must be another way. Please, give him a chance to make things right. He's all I have.''

The judge hesitated, the weight of his decision clear in his eyes, but finally, he shook his head. ''I wish i could, but the law cannot bend, even for a mother's love.''

The judge's hand rose, signaling the guards to proceed. The guillotine's blade glinted in the dim light as it was released, descending with a swift, merciless finality. The crowd gasped, and the silver---haired girl's scream echoed through the stadium as the prince's life was cut short. But just as the sound of the blade striking the wood reverberated, everything went black.

With a jolt, the prince awoke, his heart pounding in his chest, drenched in cold sweat. He gasped for breath, the vivid memory of his execution still lingering, haunting him like a shadow. His eyes darted around the room, taking in the familiar surroundings of his chamber. It was all a dream---a horrifying memory of what had once happened. But something was different this time. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft golden light through the window. He wasn't dead; he was alive, with memory of his past mistakes burning in his mind.

A second chance. Fate had granted him the impossible---- a chance to change the course of events, to undo the tragedy that had befallen him and his kingdom. His heart pounded with determination as he realized that this time, he could make things right.