“ The feeling spread like fire . . . ”

He turned to see a massive flower of ice on the horizon, it sparkled in the distance. It was a message he was all too familiar with.

It was a signal for the plan to commence. And so, he used all of his blessings to command the lake to rise and flood the village as the flames inched dangerously close to the forest, extinguishing and drowning everything in its path.

-

The Tanzanite Wolves combed the area in, sniffing for the scent of their queen and prince, which proved ineffective. The traces would've been covered by the scent of the lake by this point, but they needed every bit of aid they could get.

Nerune, accompanied by his soldiers, turned the waterlogged village inside out, hoping that they weren't buried under any rubble. Every step he took without seeing his family made his heart skip a beat.

"Please be okay," he prayed.

He frowned as he passed by ruptured and burned-out buildings; this place used to be full of joyous and hardworking people, now reduced to nothing.

He stopped in his tracks as he saw an arm sticking out from under the rubble. He ran and lifted the wet concrete and pushed it aside. The body was charred in every single way, leaving it unidentifiable for the most part. However, this person wasn't his wife or son; the figure was too tall and built differently for it to be either of them. He silently offered his sympathies and called for someone to escort the body away.

"They're alright. I have to believe..."

He was reaching the edge of the village when he was feeling more and more dreadful. That's when he saw it, the cracked melting sphere of ice on the outskirts of the village, in an open field.

"CAERA! JODEUS!" he called out.

He slid his knees into the dirt as he came to a stop with her back facing him, moving the chunk of ice shell out of the way. As his heart pounded in his chest, he brushed her hair aside and felt for her pulse. Then turned his attention to their boy who was wrapped around her arms, feeling his breath tremble.

-

A short while after opening his eyes to a brilliant, white world, Jodeus recognized a familiar sight. He could tell where he was by the royal blue ceiling and the golden highlights; all the windows were open, giving light to his room as the sun glared down at him.

The messy table and the scattered papers on the ground were cleaned up, respectively. He ought to thank the maids, but his body found it challenging to move, or more accurately, something was halting him from doing so. Looking around, he saw a bottle of soothing ointments and honey, along with surgical supplies and other medical necessities. Things that he remembered from his early medical studies with The Alumnus. He looks down to discover his entire torso wrapped carefully in bandages..

'W-what happened?' he thought to himself, unable to speak as his throat was slightly dry. 'I don't remember …'

He tried to recollect but most of it was just fog and, from a distance, the voice of his mother, 'but she couldn't have been there, could she?'

He still felt a tad bit light and nauseous. 'Other than that…' He worriedly caressed the part of his stomach where he had been bitten off. 'So the Alumnus must've done his work well.'

He got to his feet and stood. He approached the mirror only to be confronted with bewilderment. Under his collar, just over his left chest, was gibberish writing scribbled in white. It wasn't their script or any script he was familiar with. He raised his eyebrows and examined it more, trailing it with his finger.

"Those are Azurite scripts, not ones you'd know unless you've been out there," said the Alumnus as he entered the room.

Jodeus turned to look at him. "Why did you put this on me?" he tried rubbing it more but it just won't come off.

The Alumnus had a face of regret. He was silent for a moment with his head bowed. Then finally, he spoke,

"I wasn't the one."

"Not you? Then who did?" he asked, but received no reply as a heavy silence dawned on the room.

-

His sweat trickled down his neck as he ran through the marbled halls, his breath heaving while trying to catch his own. 'It can't be.'

His legs shook and his heart pounded heavily in his chest, but he kept going. Why does it feel as though the west wing was further away? He slipped before getting a hold of himself and running up the marbled staircase. Everything was becoming more and more like a maze, and it seemed like the whole place was narrowing by the second.

'It can't be. It can't be.'

The usual busy bustling of servants was no longer there, and the hallways were devoid of any life form. His heavy and sluggish footing echoed in every way possible, as though the whole castle was deserted.

As more and more steps were taken, he fought back the tears threatening to fall.

It can't be.

And there it was: the servants, guards, and healers were all gathered in a circle in the center of the room, with his father, Nerune, wearing a grim expression as he stood idly next to the bed.

As soon as he stepped foot, grave eyes fixed on him. His father dimly gestured for the people to leave, leaving only them in the candle-lit room. He approached slowly as he saw his mother with her face hidden beneath a cloth. He felt his own body giving out as he knelt at the foot of the bed.

"It can't be."

Nerune knelt beside him and placed a steadying hand on his trembling shoulders. Consoling him in silence as he doesn't have the power to speak.

Hours have passed and they still haven't left their spot.

"My King, it is time."

He stood and nodded solemnly.

Jodeus protested. "Don't take her away!" Nerune embraced him tightly and gestured for them to proceed. "Please..."

'I remember now. I remember when the ground shook terribly as fire rained down on us, and as mother tried to shield us, an arrow pierced through her before we were engulfed in water. She held me close in her last moments.

And I couldn't do a thing.'

-

It was a dark evening in the country, everyone wore their darkest suits and went out to the docks for the funeral. Everyone stood in respect for the dead. The knights, in their silvery armor, raised their swords high. And at the front, were Prince Jodeus and King Nerune, bowing their heads solemnly.

Everyone else followed suit as The Alumnus prayed for them all.

"May the Stone protect us all," he ended.

King Nerune stepped forward, and in his hand, was a Nightlight Lily. He rested the flower on the surface of the dark waters and let its glowing hue float away. The other people came forward and each of their chosen flowers was cast into the sea. It stood in for every person they had lost that day.

Jodeus stayed and stared at his red lily. He stayed put.

Once it was over, King Nerune raised his head high and let the sky rain, sinking the flowers to the bottom of the ocean. He looked over at his son, unmoving, feeling his heart break at the sight. He approached and embraced him in a tight hug. Every tear was washed away by the rain.

He remembered when Jodeus was about eight. He had lost a game of wrestling with Natiya and the other kids, he cried so much that he could fill a whole bowl with it. And so, he promised to buy him new toys and books, trying to lift his spirits but his boy continued to sulk.

"It's just a game, son, why do you cry so much?" he asked, rubbing his back.

"B'cus, I 'lways— lose!" he sniffled into his collar.

He pursed his lips, trying to think of something. Then an idea popped into his head.

"How about we wrestle? See if you can beat me?" he grinned as Jodeus sobbed lightly, peering at him behind his small hands with wonder. "Come at me!"

And with his small fist, he tried to punch him in the arm. Nerune grabbed his torso and lifted him, before bringing him back down. His son was laughing now as they both rolled on the grass. Jodeus successfully punched his face, which felt like marshmallows thrown at him. Then with a dramatic gasp, he fell, clutching his chest.

"Talk about terrible acting," said Caera. He peeked, seeing Jodeus run into her arms. But he remained still on the ground, refusing to move a muscle. He will not let his theatric skills be taunted but he gasped for real when Jodeus jumped on top of him. Making her laugh out loud.

"I win!" Jodeus yelled out in triumph.

He lifted him, glad to see him smiling again. "I am so proud of you my boy,"

And now, he doesn't know where to even begin to make him smile again. He hugged him tighter, watching as the flower fell from his son's hand. He crouched down to pick it up when he didn't, placing it back in his hands. He stayed that way, staring up at him from below with one knee.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I shouldn't have let her—"

But Jodeus shook his head, he didn't speak, instead, he accepted the flower and embraced him, sobbing into his collar. Nerune embraced him in return, rubbing his back.

"We'll get through this, son, we'll live for her."

"I want to go home," he sobbed.

And back to the castle, they went. They didn't talk on the way back, only stared at the rain-plastered window. It was calming in a way but it wasn't enough to drown the sorrows.

When they got back, he rushed into his room and locked it closed, but The Alumnus was there, waiting for him. He wondered how he had gotten there so fast but didn't question it out loud.

"I know this isn't the best time, Young—Jodeus, but it is urgent,"

He looked at him, trying to read the expression on his face. It worried him and was rightfully so.

-

"W-why?" he asked as he saw the pale body of Brytos lying on the cotton bed. "My mother... and now Brytos?" he whispered.

"I have been trying to heal him since I brought him here from the flood. You must hear what I've gathered. It is rather worrying." Jodeus nodded, his shoulders slightly trembling. The Alumnus continued, "From my inspection... The trace of magic found in you, him, and your late mother both came from a single source, and a very powerful one at that."

He handed him a piece of paper that included all of his findings. Jodeus read the words, but they all seemed jumbled.

"Whoever did this to Brytos must've held a deep hatred for him."

"Is…I-Is this even possible!?" he yelled, particularly to no one as he tried to comprehend what he was reading once again.

"Yes," he said, his expression turning grim. "A hundred curses in a single enchantment is unheard of and to be able to generate it in the first place is horrifying. Although this much will undoubtedly put the conjurer under a massive strain… but for the receiver to stay alive this long is equally impressive."

He put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Young King, this season has been the worst for all of us. I have a feeling that this will only be the beginning of a much greater pain down the road. You must be headstrong and ready for whatever may come next."

"I…"

"You don't have to say anything... you need to rest as of now."

Jodeus rested his head against Brytos's hand. Rest, how he wanted to rest for eternity. He felt broken at this very moment, but he didn't cry, instead, he shoved it down. He already cried over the death of his mother, he wouldn't do it for as long as Brytos lived.

But it was too much, the weight of his heart burdened with a feeling of loss and dying hope in a single day. The feeling spread like fire.