The gates opened slowly.
They were expected.
Inside—
They were led through the main street, lined with armed villagers.
Eyes followed them.
No trust.
No warmth.
At the center of the village stood a large wooden hall.
The meeting place.
That's where the discussion began.
Inside the hall—
The village chief stood at the far end.
Beside him—
His son.
Rai. (Elric friend)
The prince stepped forward.
"…Rai."
Rai's expression didn't soften.
"You shouldn't have come."
"I had to."
The prince took another step.
"Please… just listen."
The chief raised a hand.
"Speak."
The prince inhaled.
"…Give me one year."
Silence.
"I'm seventeen. When I turn eighteen, I'll take the throne."
His voice steadied.
"I'll change everything."
He looked at both of them.
"Just endure for now. Don't resist. Don't provoke them."
Rai's eyes hardened.
"…You're asking us to submit."
"I'm asking you to survive."
Tension filled the room.
Rai shook his head.
"No."
"This goes against everything we stand for."
The chief spoke—
"Enough."
Silence.
He looked at the prince.
"You speak of peace…"
A pause.
He turned to his son.
"You don't understand war."
His voice was firm.
"War has never brought anything good."
"…And it never will."
A long silence.
Then—
A slow exhale.
"…Fine."
The prince's eyes widened slightly.
"You may leave."
Relief flickered across the prince's face.
"…Thank you."
"But, Father—"
The word barely left his lips.
The chief looked at him.
That was all.
No anger. No raised voice. Just a single, steady glance—calm, heavy… final.
The air shifted.
Rai breath caught.
The rest of his words dissolved in his throat, like they had never existed.
His fingers tightened into fists at his sides, nails pressing into his palms. He wanted to speak. To argue. To push back.
But he couldn't.
That look said everything.
A quiet exhale slipped through his teeth as his shoulders stiffened, then slowly lowered.
"…Understood."
The chief had already decided.
And no one—not even his son—was going to change it.
They exited the hall.
Walking through the village again.
"I promise you won't regret this," Elric said.
Silence followed.
The chief said nothing, but deep within, a single thought lingered—
I hope you're right.
Toward the gates.
The chief walked beside the prince.
Rai followed behind.
Valko and Seren stayed close.
Kael walked slightly behind them all.
The five men lingered at the rear.
TWANG!
An arrow tore through the air—
THUD!
It struck the prince in his chest.
His body jerked backwards.
"…HAH!"
"Your Highness!"
Chaos erupted.
"Who fired that?!"
The five men—
Gone.
Running.
Valko drew his blade instantly.
Valko didn't hesitate.
"Kael! stay with the prince."
Then dashed forward.
Seren was already moving.
Warriors from the village joined the pursuit.
Rain poured harder.
Mud splashed underfoot.
Rai rushed forward.
"Stay with me—!"
The prince didn't respond.
His body lay still.
Rain poured over him.
From a distance—
It looked fatal.
"Go! get the healer!," The Village chief yelled.
"Right," a warrior answered.
Only one the Royal guard remained behind.
Kael.
Kneeling beside the prince.
"…Elric!." Rai shouted.
The prince's fingers twitched.
Barely.
"…Don't move."
Kael's hand pressed lightly against his chest.
…I see.
The prince exhaled slowly.
His hand rose to his chest—
His fingers brushed against it—
Then stopped.
Something felt wrong.
The arrow.
"Don't."
Rai's voice cut in, sharp.
"If you pull it out now, you'll bleed out."
The prince didn't respond.
His eyes stayed on the arrow.
His breath caught, just slightly.
He pulled it out.
A pendant.
Cracked.
Bent inward.
The metal had caved where the arrow struck—
taking the force… instead of him.
Inside—
A faint engraving.
His mother.
His father.
For a moment—
Silence.
His thumb traced the fracture.
And just like that—
A memory surfaced.
Warm sunlight.
Laughter.
Smaller hands gripping the very same pendant.
"Father, is it really that strong?"
The king chuckled, crouching beside him.
"It's forged from one of the finest metals in our land."
The young prince's eyes lit up.
"Then… can it withstand a cannon blast?"
A pause—then a laugh.
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
A hand rested on his head.
"But it can surely take a hit."
The boy stared at it in awe.
"Whoa… that's amazing."
The memory faded.
The present returned.
Cold.
Quiet.
His grip tightened slightly around the broken piece.
"…I guess you were right…"
His voice came out low—
Unsteady.
Not quite breaking… but close.
"…father."
He looked down at the cracked pendant again.
A faint breath left him.
"…Even now…"
A pause.
Soft.
"…you're still protecting me…"
"But how?" Rai asked.
Elric steadied his breath.
"The arrow pierced slightly… but the pendant took most of the impact."
"You're still breathing… that's enough." Rai smiled.
Blood had begun to seep through his fabric.
"The healers are here."
The healers rushed immediately and tended to the prince.
The chase was short—
But brutal.
Footsteps returned.
Valko and Seren.
Dragging a man between them.
"…We caught one," Valko said.
The rest—
Gone.
The captured man was thrown to the ground.
Mud splashed.
He coughed.
Blood mixing with rain.
Seren stepped closer.
Quiet.
Cold.
"…If you don't speak," he said softly,
"…you won't leave this place alive."
The man laughed weakly.
"…I'm dead either way…"
Valko stepped forward, gripping his uniform.
"Why would you do this?" he demanded.
"Speak!"
Behind them—
The prince stirred.
Slowly.
Forcing himself up.
"Give him space to talk"
Valko turned sharply.
"…Your Highness?!"
Relief flashed across his face.
"You're okay—"
"…I'm fine," the prince said weakly.
The prince looked into the man's eyes.
"Now speak."Voice cold.
Elric stood slightly behind.
The man hesitated.
Then—
"…Your uncle…"
Silence.
"…He ordered it…"
The prince's breath caught.
"…No…"
"He planned everything…" the man continued.
"The illness… the king… the queen…"
Lightning split the sky
"…and you."
Before another word—
A blade flashed.
SHK!
The man's head fell.
Blood spilled into the mud.
Rai stood there.
Sword lowered.
"…Why?" Valko snapped.
Rai didn't flinch.
"…He was an enemy."
The chief said nothing.
A heavy silence followed.
Broken only by rain.
The world went still.
The prince stood there—
Still processing.
"…My uncle, it…can't be"
His voice barely a whisper.
That's when—
Kael moved.
No warning.
No hesitation.
SHK!
A blade slashed across the prince's back.
"…!"
Blood spilled.
The prince stumbled forward.
Valko's and Seren's eyes widened.
"…Kael?!"
All of them were shocked about what they just witnessed.
Valko drew his sword.
Seren turned sharply.
"What are you—?!"
Kael was already moving.
Running.
"Traitor!" Valko roared.
He dashed forward instantly.
Seren followed.
"What are you waiting for!." Rai shouted at the healers.
"Does this look like a show to you!Hurry up and do your damn job!."
The healers quickly attended to Elric.
Meanwhile on the pursuit of Seren….
He's fast—!
Seren's eyes narrowed.
…I've never seen him move like this before…
Kael reached the river's edge.
"There's no way for you to escape now"
Valko raised his blade.
"Why would you do such a thing?" Seren asked.
Kael said nothing.
Valko's expression went blank.
"The time for asking questions has passed." His voice was low, seething. "You're going to die, you bastard."
Kael stepped to the edge—
Just once—he glanced back.
Not regret.
Not hesitation.
Then—
He jumped into the river.
SPLASH!
The current swallowed him instantly.
Gone.
Valko clenched his teeth.
"Kael!!"
Later—
The palace.
Zaire stood before the remaining men.
The four men knelt before him.
"I trust it is done."
One stepped forward.
"We lost one."
A pause.
"But the prince…"
"…the hit was fatal."
Silence lingered.
Zaire's expression didn't change.
Not a flicker.
"…Then it's finished."
Days Later.
Darkness.
Then—
Breath.
Sharp.
Uneven.
Elric's eyes snapped open.
"…—!"
Pain followed immediately.
A deep, burning sting across his back.
His body tensed instinctively as his hand moved—only to stop midway.
"…Where… am I…?"
His voice came out dry.
Weak.
The room was dim.
Wooden walls.
A faint scent of herbs in the air.
A small village house.
Not the palace.
Somewhere… quiet.
Safe.
For now.
"You're awake."
Elric's gaze shifted.
Seren stood near the doorway, arms folded.
Valko sat closer, watching him carefully.
Relief flickered across both their faces—subtle, controlled… but real.
"You were out for three days," Seren said.
Elric blinked slowly.
"…Three…?"
His hand instinctively moved toward his back—
Pain surged.
He winced.
"…Kael…"
The name barely left his lips.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
"We left," Valko said.
Direct.
No hesitation.
Elric looked at him.
"…Left?"
Seren nodded slightly.
"It wasn't safe to stay."
A pause.
"We don't know how deep this goes."
Valko's voice hardened.
"If Kael was involved… then others might be too."
Elric's gaze lowered.
"…My uncle…"
"…is not acting alone," Seren finished quietly.
"Your right for leaving Valdorai," Elric continued,
"If we return now, we walk straight into another blade."
"And this time," Seren added,
"…we may not be as lucky."
Silence filled the room.
The truth settled.
Cold.
Unavoidable.
Valko exhaled slowly.
"…So we run."
"No," Elric said.
Firm.
"We survive."
A beat.
"Until we're ready."
Elric sat there for a moment.
Thinking.
Processing.
Then—
Slowly—
He pushed himself up.
Ignoring the pain.
Reaching for a folded cloak beside him.
He pulled it over his shoulders.
Simple.
Plain.
Unremarkable.
A traveler's wear.
Not a prince's.
His fingers tightened slightly.
"…We need a plan."
No one spoke.
But both men listened.
Carefully.
"I can't return yet," Elric continued.
"…Not like this."
His eyes hardened slightly.
"But I won't stay silent."
A pause.
"I'll expose him."
Quiet.
Controlled.
"But not without preparation."
He pulled the hood over his head.
Shadows fell across his face.
The prince disappeared.
For now.
"…Thank you."
The words came quietly.
Almost reluctant.
"I'm… fortunate to have you both."
Valko snorted lightly.
"You don't need to thank us."
Seren remained silent.
Valko glanced at him briefly, then back at Elric.
"We chose this."
A small pause.
"And we'll see it through."
Valko spoke after a pause.
"…Rai left a message for you."
Elric looked at him.
"…What is it?"
A brief silence.
"…War is inevitable."
Valko's gaze hardened slightly.
"They'll blame us for your death… whether we speak the truth or not."
Silence.
But not empty.
This time—
It felt like resolve.
BACK TO PRESENT
The road stretched ahead.
Wind moved through the trees.
Quiet.
Heavy.
Elric's voice fell still.
"That's why I need your help."
No one spoke immediately.
The weight of his story lingered.
Itsuki's gaze lowered slightly.
His expression unreadable.
But something in his eyes had shifted.
Not sympathy.
Something sharper.
Thoughtful.
Calculating.
"…What happened to your kingdom is tragic," Itsuki said.
His voice calm.
Steady.
"But we can't help you."
Silence.
Elric's expression changed.
"…Why?"
Itsuki lifted his gaze.
Direct.
"There are two reasons."
He raised one finger.
"First—our orders."
Her tone didn't waver.
"We were deployed to gather informatio
n on The Shadows."
A pause.
"Not to interfere in external conflicts."
His second finger rose.
"Second—this is political."
His eyes held his.
"If we intervene, we don't just help you."
"…we declare involvement."
A beat.
"And that changes everything."
"The Revolutionary Army doesn't take sides in internal power struggles," he continued.
"Our purpose is singular."
"To stop the Shadows."
"Nothing more."
Silence.
Firm.
Final.
Elric's jaw tightened slightly.
"…I see."
A moment passed.
Then—
"…What if I gave you a reason to?"
Itsuki didn't respond.
But his eyes narrowed slightly.
Elric stepped forward.
Just slightly.
"If I take the throne…"
His voice steadied.
"…I will support you."
A pause.
"Resources."
"Manpower."
"Access."
His gaze sharpened.
"And when the time comes…"
"…Valdoria will stand with you against the Nahora Nation."
Silence.
But this time—
It shifted.
Itsuki's eyes flickered.
Just for a moment.
A thought forming.
Something dangerous.
Something useful.
The wind moved again.
Soft.
But different now.