The Legendary Prince: Junior Years {On Going}

Ruins Of Memories

Sir Esper

We made sure everyone was ready to set out again. Being a Royal Partner is an honorable but tough duty. Once we rode on our Ecaprios, we headed to a place known as the Ruins of Memories.

Prince Alessandro looked around the place and said, "I wonder who's castle was destroyed. It looks beautiful, despite being remnants ."

Our Ecaprios seemed to slow down.
Xavier's Ecaprio seemed to be restless, so he comforted it by stroking it.

Somewhere in the distance, I saw an illussion of a black haired prince with red eyes smiling at us.
"My faithful Ecaprio, come here!"
Xavier's Ecaprio immediately ran to him, causing him to hold on tightly to it.
Xavier struggled to say, "What are you seeing, my Ecaprio?"

A moment later, the illussion disappeared. The Ecaprio was disappointed.

"That is strange..." Wizard Shimura said, "We didn't see anything there, yet it ran to an empty space."

I was surprised a little bit. It seems I was the only one who saw that.
"Aah!" Prince Alessandro shouted, looking scared at a black haired king with yellow eyes. The king laughed then faded away.

Prince Alessandro was confused and said, "What is with this place? I saw him then he disappeared!"

"Saw who?" asked Prince Hiro.

"You didn't see the Nightmare King?"

"No, maybe it's the sun's heat causing you to see things."

"Companions!" I said loudly. They looked at me. "This may sound crazy but I see what our companions see."

"How is that?" asked Sir Renaldo.
"I am not sure either," I replied, "Regardless, please believe in me!"

"If it is true, what did Alessandro saw that made him scared?" asked Wizard Flair.

"I saw the Nightmare king appear before Alessandro then he disappeared. Am I right, Prince Alessandro?"

He replied, "Yes, that is what I saw."
I continued, "This place is not called Ruins of Memories for nothing; I can assume that our memories can be  only seen by those seeing it and it can distract them for a long time."

Wizard Shimura nodded his head then said, "I believe in you. Can you guide us until the end of this place?"

I replied, "Only if you all trust me."

Everyone looked at me and nodded. I was put in front of the group to lead them. At some parts, I saw many things that were most likely memories of my companions.

The same black haired prince fighting against the Nightmare king...
to which Xavier could only yell, "Xander!"

A black haired boy with blue eyes giving a hammer to a red haired girl with blue eyes that has a necklace...to which Hiro showed a disapproving face.

A working robot prototype that Alessandro quickly smiled at...

And a mirror with the same features of Storm only with a more serious face...that caused Storm to chuckle.

What I saw next shocked me. It was my mother, Glaze. She had brown hair with turquoise eyes.
"My son, I am so proud of you!"
I stopped and smiled to myself. I was about to leave my Ecaprio when Storm stopped me.

"Sir Esper, what do you see?"

I stopped and hesitated to ignore Storm. Glaze motioned for me to come closer.

Without breaking my eye contact with my mother, I said, "My mother, Glaze. She's here!"

"Huh?" Storm said, confused.

I got off my Ecaprio and was about to run when realization hit me.

She's gone.

I quickly felt myself become weak. I felt myself fall to my knees.

Why could I not get over this! She's GONE.

"Esper, come here!"

I looked at her and she was smiling.
It hurt me so much but...

"SHUT UP! You are NOT REAL!"

I could see tears blurring my vision. The illusion faded.
"Sir Esper?" Wizard Flair asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm not!"

I could hear my voice crack.

"I'm sorry Wizard Flair..." I failed terribly to correct the sound of my voice.
"Let's stop here for now."

Everyone stopped immediately but looked puzzled about what happened to me. Wizard Shimura was the first to come near me.

"What did you see, sir Esper?"
"I saw..." I cleared my throat, then continued, "My deceased mother smiling and calling me."

"I'm sorry for your lost," he replied.

That's what they always say...

"It is fine, you do not have anything to do with her."

Wizard Shimura looked at me with a face I could not tell if he was angry or confused. Oh no... I think I said it too fast.

I blurted out, "Wizard Shimura."

He looked at me quickly, so I flinched. I then thought of what I was going to say.

"I just need to confirm something before we continue our journey."

"What is it?" He said, indifferent of what happened.

"Is ignoring an illusion enough to make it disappear?"

"I have read in some books that if you believe in it too much, it will become a hallucination, and can hurt you."

"Interesting...thanks for answering my question."

I faced everyone and announced, "Everyone, I am ready."

We continued to exit the place. More illusions appeared to distract us, but I made sure each one of them stayed near me. We successfully reached the end of the place...until an illusion of the Nightmare king appeared in front of me.

It said, "I don't like you, Esper. You should have just stayed with your mother in the Ruins of Memories...That would have made her happy."

I shouted, "Get away from me, you illusion!"

The illusion looked at me in a confused way, then said, "I'm the REAL thing!"

With those last words, I readied my sword. However, he disappeared the moment I was about to swing it at him.

"I should have thought about this..." said Alessandro, "I should have anticipated him following us."

"Prince Alessandro...not everything is your duty. You prepared nearly everything for this journey." Wizard Flair replied to him.

Alessandro just nodded.