Sword of Ericliff (BoyXBoy)

Prologue Part 2

Alexios' POV

I woke up to a slight headache and my lungs felt like I couldn't breathe in any air. I flung up into a sitting position and breathed in sharply. My chest rose and fell and the only discomfort I could feel was in my lungs due to the harsh breathing. That seemed to calm me down quickly as I lifted up my shirt. I touched the skin where the claw marks would be, only to find it fading into scars. How the hell?

I froze and took in my surroundings. Everything was blindingly, and purely, white. The walls, roof, floors, and even the covers on the bed were white. It contrasted with the sunlight seeping into the room from the two french doors and it made everything else in the room seem to glow. Around the white bed frame, there was a curtain that was see through but covered the bed as if to give me privacy. The bedside next to me what white and the curtains covering the french doors were transparent white. Everything was blindingly white. I hurt my eyes.

Where am I? I thought to myself glaring around the room. How did I get here?

It was then that I remembered the moments before I ended up in this place. The strange nurse running in and drugging me before I blacked out. Was this where she took me? Or could I be wrong about all of this? Was this... am I dead? Am I in the afterlife? Would I be all alone? What about my family?

I felt tears well up in my eyes before they started sliding down my cheeks. This couldn't be happening! I knew I said I was ready for Edward to take my place, but I wasn't ready to die yet! I still wanted to live a long, happy life. I wanted to watch my kingdom grow and expand. I wanted to play with Edward and get to meet a girl of my dreams. I wanted a kid that I could call my own and I wanted to settle down and learn just how easy life can be. I wasn't ready to die yet!

"No!" I cried out angrily. I was too young to die!

I didn't have enough time to cry as the door to my room opened and shut quickly; before I could even get myself to look decent. That was a rule of my fathers. No matter what was happening, I had to look like I was in control of all times. Though this time, I wasn't prepared and I really wasn't in control of my actions. And why did I have to follow my father's rules if I were dead?

That thought seemed to calm me down in an instant. That helped in making me look decent in front of the women who just walked in. She had a Chinese appearance with shiny black hair and warm brown eyes. Her eyes at the moment seemed to hold sympathy for me as she brought in a white tray filled with several fruits and a glass of water. The fruits were the first thing of color I had seen in a while and it shocked me a little. She started her walked towards me and I was too mesmerized to move. She had on white dress pants and a white tank top that fitted to her small frame. It was amazing that she was still walking, considering she was so thin I could snap her in half.

The women walked over and placed the tray of food on the edge of the bed. "Go ahead and eat." She spoke softly, her voice barely having any accent, but it was there. I quickly looked down at the food and back up at her. Why was I being fed? Do dead people have to eat?

"Dead people eat?" I asked, my voice rough and raspy from crying. I wiped my eyes once more as if I were still crying. The women tilted her head to the side like a curious dog before looking back down at the food.

"Eat." She urged, shoving the tray closer to me. I felt myself jump slightly at the forceful tone and nodded quickly. I picked up the bowl of fruits and a fork. I swallowed tightly at them. I was hungry, but I really didn't know if I could trust the food or not. That was something my father had taught me. Never take food from someone–

The women sighed dramatically, causing me to jump. She rolled her eyes and grabbed a grape from my bowl before popping it in her mouth. She chewed and I watched her with morbid fascination as she swallowed. "It's clean." She spoke. That was all it seemed to take because before I knew it, I was shoving the food in my mouth at breakneck speed. I had finished the plate before I knew it and almost downed the water when I felt my stomach cramping. "You ate too fast," was all she said before I threw up over the side of the bed.

***

"I think maybe you should try just some toast right now. I didn't know you hadn't ate in so long, otherwise, I wouldn't have given this to you in the first place. They did feed you while you were out, obviously." I frowned at that comment. She explained to me that she didn't know that I hadn't eaten in almost a full day and then slept for over two weeks healing and recovering. That shocked me, I was out for over two weeks? She even explained that I had a feeding tube put in only until yesterday afternoon, as they anticipated that I would be waking soon. That was mostly why my throat was raspy and it burned. She said that that was why I felt like I was starving. She was told that I could eat solids, which was why she gave me some. However, I obviously wasn't used to those solids. She brought in some toast with a little butter glaze atop it and some more water. I really didn't want to eat right now, but I knew that it was best to do so, and I did. I also didn't want to seem impolite. I nibbled on the toast and took small sips of the water.

"Why am I here?" I asked before she could leave. She froze at the door and turned to me. "Am I dead?" She watched me intently as if she couldn't believe what I was saying. "I mean. I think I know I'm dead, but my little brother–"

"I can't answer your questions," She spoke suddenly. I froze my talking and looked at her. "I can't answer so you might as well wait for the king." Then, she shut the door and locked it behind her.

I sat in silence as I nibbled on the toast. Who was that person? Why couldn't she answer me and who was the king? Did that mean I wasn't dead? Was the king my father? Did he set all this up?

I barely sat in silence for long as the door opened again to reveal another person. I pushed my tray away in preparation for this person. This person was very buff and brute with dark brown skin though wasn't taller than six foot. He had bright, warm eyes that stood out and black hair shaved close to his skull. His face was stony when he spoke to someone outside the door, but once he turned to me; he smiled. His smile was one you'd give to a kids to make them feel better. I wasn't a child.

"Hello Alexios, how are you?" He spoke with a slight hitch in his voice. He also bent down slightly as if to look me in the eyes. His tone was one you would use to talk down to a child. Why was he treating me like one? Didn't he know who I was?

"Why are you treating me like a child? I don't understand. Am I dead? I don't need you to sugarcoat it I pretty much know that I am." His brows rose and he straightened to his full height. I guess he wasn't used to kids my age talking like this? Or maybe he thought I would be someone different? "Where am I? How did I get here? Do you know if my brother's safe?" He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Most kids your age are sobbing for their mommy's and daddy's right now and all you care about is if you're dead and if your baby brother, Edward, is out of harm's way." His tone had a hint of curiosity in it that made me confused. Shouldn't most kids be wondering where they were right now? Why would they call out for their parents? I mean, they can find the way out by themselves, right? Though the mention of Edward's name made me perk up to attention.

"I know my parents won't come if I call. And how do you know Edward's name?" He stared at me a moment as if calculating me before smiling.

"You are exactly what we are looking for." He murmured. I frowned.

"Excuse me?" I asked. He smiled brightly and came over to the bed. He sat down heavily beside me and patted my knee underneath the blanket.

"You, are ready to be the next king of Elevation."