Glenn's Message

"Dominic!" A familiar voice shouted in the dark, making Nicholas search for its source.

"Your highness." The man named Dominic answered the voice.

Your highness? One of his brothers?

Nicholas tried his best to see through the darkness or at least for something to materialize, but it was as if his eyes were covered, forced shut.

He could feel the cold air against his cheek, he was probably in one of the dungeons under the palace. But how was it possible that his attackers were able to take him there without alerting any of the servants or the king's men.

Surely, someone would realize the value of helping a king's sons, especially his most favored.

"Deal with him as we agreed." His brother said in a kind almost sad tone.

"Why are you doing this to me?!" Nicholas shouted, questioning the brother that he couldn't identify. "Don't you remember that killing a prince of the Cruor line will disqualify you from being king? Did you not listen to any of our lessons?"

His unknown brother remained silent. It seemed that he refused to answer Nicholas' question.

"I want him gone by tonight. Keeping him here is too much of a risk. I want them to find the body in a public space." His brother ordered.

"Yes, my prince." Dominic answered as Nicholas struggled against the ropes that bound him.

He could also now feel the cloth tied around his eyes, he struggled to get it off. Nicholas could feel it slowly falling from his eyes, his captors had not done a good job of covering his eyes.

As the cloth fell low enough for him to see, the door slammed shut. He missed the opportunity to see which of his brothers had ordered him captured.

In front of him stood a tall man, he had the same hazel eyes as Ryenne, marking him as a Vale mage. His hair was clearly dyed red in order to hide his identity, it was clear that who ever he served wanted him hiding in plain sight.

Nicholas could tell that this man was older than him, probably the same age as his brother Edward.

He couldn't help but wonder if it was Edward that had ordered him to be captured and possibly killed.

But Edward would never risk his chances at being king like that. Even if he had commanded Dominic to send him to another realm, it still fell on a gray area of the rules of becoming king.

Sending Nicholas to that other realm may not have killed him in their own, but he was as close to death as one could be.

"You are lucky my prince doesn't want you dead." Dominic said with a smile as he observed Nicholas. "You will still have some time in this realm, unlike some Vale Mages, my magic is limited. A result of decades in hiding, I've only known freedom with the help of your dear brother."

"Let me go!" Nicholas shouted at Dominic.

"In time, Prince Nicholas, you will be free." Dominic said with a disgusting smile as the image changed before him.

It was dark once more, but slowly his vision became hazy as a dark cloud seemed to cover his eyes.

"Ancient magic?" He heard a younger version of him ask as he looked around and saw himself sitting in his office with his uncle Glenn.

"Yes, according to some ancient sources, Cruror blood is Corporali Blood, that the same magic used by Corporali mages are used by Cruor mages." His uncle Glenn said as he pointed at an image in the book.

"Then I'm nothing special if all Cruor mages are Corporali mages." He argued in a small voice.

"Oh little prince, that's not true. You see, Cruor mages were able to shape energies to their will, and as they became stronger in that aspect, their Corporali magic vanished." The man explained.

"I don't understand, uncle Glenn." Nicholas said as he looked up at the older man.

"When you come of age, I'll show you the books. For now I don't want you to try anything that could risk your life, at least not until you are strong enough." His uncle Glenn said as he patted Nicholas on the head.

"What fantasies are you filling my son's head with this time, Glenn?" His mother, Lady Liira said as she entered the room, unamused by Uncle Glenn's stories to Nicholas.

With that his vision changed once more, this time it was years in the past.

"These are all of Uncle Glenn's journals?" Nicholas was angry, he knew there was more. His uncle had told him stories about the link between Cruor and Corporali Magic.

"Yes, your highness." Dion said as he kept his head bowed. "We searched his lordship's rooms, these are all we found."

"Impossible!" Nicholas said angrily. "Out! All of you out!"

With that Dion and his men quickly made their way to the door before Nicholas could unleash his rage on them.

"Where did you hide them, uncle?" Nicholas asked as he opened a journal.

He read through his uncle's familiar writing, there was not one mention of the ancient theory.

"New application, new cure, new illness, ancient illness! Couldn't you have left me clues?" Nicholas asked as he slumped down on the floor. He felt defeated.

He knew that his Uncle Glenn had hoped he would become king someday, that he would beat his brothers with a unique magic.

"Uncle Glenn, you found something, what was it?" Nicholas asked as he looked at the journals now scattered across the room. "What were you trying to tell me?" Nicholas asked, frustrated as he felt himself being shaken.

"Your highness, your highness!" Ryenne was practically crying as she shook him awake.

As Nicholas opened his eyes, he was greeted once more to the image of an angel, and this time, she was undressed.

"You're alright." Ryenne said as she smiled at him.

"It was useless!" Nicholas groaned as he got out of the bed, kicking the sheets away and walking over to pick up his clothes.

"Your highness?" Ryenne asked as she tried to find out what was wrong.

Unfortunately for her, Nicholas was dressed as he marched out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

He couldn't believe how despite everything they had done, nothing had worked. He still didn't know which brother of his had sent him to that other realm, and he still had no idea what his secret abilities were or how to tap into them.

All of it, all of their efforts were wasted.