Disaster

When Ace blinked again, he felt the soft breeze and a gentle smell of water as his vision cleared.

He stood on the edge of a balcony, overlooking the waters below as he stared at the waves increasing and then receding.

His eyes fell on his arm and saw that it looked normal, it felt slightly tight but, not as much as it did before.

"What happened?" He asked aloud.

"It was because of the time change," Cleo said, sitting on his shoulders. "It dispelled the spell, so you are safe, for now."

"Meaning?"

"We don't know when the time will change again and we can't rely on that to save you. First time was mere luck. You can't rely on it next time, so do not use your magic."

"That would be easy." He said, shrugging. "I never had magic before. It would be just like going back, right?"

"In a world where magic is being used like this …" Cleo shook its head. "You don't know. Besides, you showed yourself as someone that could use magic pretty well. Just … be careful."

"What day is it?" he asked, looking around him.

He was on the balcony of his room. Walking in, he noticed the properly made bed and the slight smell of blood around the room.

"Well, if we are to take it according to the timeline. This is the next day's evening. You fainted and woke up only a couple of minutes ago and are looking outside now."

"No one came to check on me?" He asked, looking around the silent, empty room.

"Unless you came out, they did not think to come in. I think some knocked but you did not tell them to come in." It said, shrugging. "Imagine if you were dead? They would only find your body after a couple of days, maybe weeks."

"I don't want to think about that." He sighed as there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

"Hello." The pigeon girl pocked her head in the room, smiling brightly.

"Hello." He said, mirroring her enthusiasm. "What brings you here?"

"The servants told me that you have not eaten anything the entire night and have not been responding either. So I just came to make sure you were alive still." She clapped her hands together. "I am so glad you are up and well."

"I am glad too." He chuckled. "I apologise for the inconvenience I caused. I was … tired."

"That is expected." She said, looking at the bed. "Did you make your own bed?"

"Is there something wrong with that?" he asked, slightly worried that he might have offended her.

"No. But you are the prince, and our esteemed guest. You shouldn't be doing things like this." She began to panic, walking around the room, murmuring to herself as another knock came on the door.

"Come in," he called as the queen pocked her head in. "Hello, your majesty."

"Hello." She said, "I just came to check-"

"Mother." The girl shouted, running to the woman. "Look. He made the bed himself."

"Oh, dear." She said, covering her mouth with her hands. "You shouldn't have to do that. I am so sorry-"

"I do this at home often." He said, smiling at them. "Please don't feel guilty. It is just a force of habit."

"You make your own bed at home?" She asked, surprised.

"Yes. My brother always told me that we should do our part, even if it is small." He said with a smile on his face.

"That is a wonderful brother you have." The queen said, taking his hands in hers. "But you do not have to do that during your stay here, ok?"

"Yes, your majesty." He said, nodding his head at her, hands clasped behind him. "Shall we get going for dinner?"

"Of course." She grinned at him. "Please follow us."

The two walked out of his room as Ace ran to the drawers and pulled out gloves and wore them as quickly as he could.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he suddenly realised what just happened and stared at his hands.

"Why-"

"No time," Cleo said, pushing him out of the room. "Go."

"O-ok-" Suddenly his vision blurred again and he shook his head to hear screaming as someone bumped against his shoulders, almost shoving him to the ground.

He managed to catch himself as his vision finally cleared and he noticed that he was in an open field.

Right in front of him is what looked like a minotaur, charging and attacking people wherever it went.

It trampled on bodies with its hooves and on its horns were more bodies, impaled.

Ace stared at the creature, eyes widening as he realised just how tall this creature was. About the size of a twenty-foot oak tree and ... its tail seems to be alive as well.

He stared at it swishing and impaling people, the ones that its horns missed.

What just happened? He thought, looking around him.

People were running all over the place, screaming their lungs out. Some falling over while others were with severe injuries, trying to get away.

His head ached when he remembered how he was trying to use his magic when nothing came out and, suddenly, a minotaur was out there killing people.

Did he summon it? Can he even do that?

Where would the minotaur even come from??

"Your highness!" Someone grabbed onto his arm as he turned to see the distraught princess of that kingdom. She is completely covered with dirt and has some wounds on her.

"Princess." He said, surprised. "What happened?"

"I don't know. But my father is suspecting that you might be the cause of this." She said, eyes filled with concern.

"Really?" He said, slightly impressed. That man is very quick. "May I ask why?"

"He said that these 'accidents' are only happening when you came." She said, sobbing.

Accidents?

He suddenly remembered how a tornado came here only a day ago and then there were the earthquakes which destroyed the buildings.

Heavy rain that almost flooded the entire kingdom.

"He's got a point." He said, looking at her. "But I just thought that this was how the terrains were? Given that there are measures for it all."

The crisis was averted almost as soon as it appeared. The houses were rebuilt in no time and the excess water was taken care of.

The tornados hardly did anything.

"We are prepared." She said, smiling at him as he smiled back at her.

Why do I feel like we are forgetting something?

A loud scream filled his ears as a person fell in front of them, neck snapped in a very unnatural direction.

Oh, necks should not be facing in that way. He thought, looking over at the person whose eyes remained wide.

He heard another scream, this time coming from the girl beside him.

He felt hurried, loud and heavy footsteps behind him as another shout filled his ears.

"Melody!"

Without meaning to, his body moved and stood right in front of the girl as something pierced through his chest, almost getting to her but pausing only inches from her eyeball.

"Ugh." He felt the blood run down his mouth as his breathing grew shallow while looking up at the creature in front of him.

Its beady eyes seemed to stare directly into his soul while he stared blankly at it, blood still pouring out.

Ace tried to breathe but something felt like it was lodged in his lungs.

Looking down, he saw the tail right through where his lungs were.

"Really? There?" He managed to gasp out, holding the end of the tail, trying to make sure it did not pull it out.

Otherwise ... the blood would fill his lungs quicker than he can take a single breath and ... death.

This wouldn't be too bad of a way to die. He thought, looking at the girl behind him. I gotta try to look cool. Gotta ... die cool.

"Get out of here." He managed to grunt, still holding onto the tail as the creature tried to pull it out. Oh no, you don't!

He heard scurried footsteps as he felt his strength leave him, slowly.

Will I die here? Like this? Is that ok?

But ... what else can I do? I can't use my magic. His eyes landed on the mark on his wrist. I still need to teach that 'brother' of mine a lesson though.

Can't die here. Not yet. There has to be something I can do.

The creature tried to pull its tail out even harder and Ace felt a little bit of it slip out of his hands.

As it moved slightly in him, blood continued to pour out of his mouth as he managed to stop it from coming all the way out.

Gasping, Ace's vision blurred slightly, his feet growing unsteady.

"Ace!" He heard a shout and turned just as a sword landed at his feet.

No way.