It's Time To Come Home

Silence befalls the battlefield as the head of the orc's lead is continuously rolling on the hard yet bloody ground. Via's sword as well as herself are stained with his disgusting body liquid. She turned towards Aiden.

' Your orders, your highness. '

Via said it as she bowed towards him and was followed by the rest of the knights. While being respectful to the second prince of the empire, Aiden was about to give his orders when suddenly they were interrupted by a loud thump sound. As all of them turned their heads to the sound, they saw that the sound was coming from the orcs dropping their weapons and on their knees. The orcs admitted defeat and surrendered to the empire.

Aiden who had risen from his place walked towards them where he spotted the second in command who was in charge of the orc's clan.

' Looks like you're the next head. '

' Yes, your highness. We admit defeat and will cooperate with the empire. I represent the voice of my clans, swear on our life that the orc's clan will respond to the call of the country. '

The orc said it while handing in a piece of leather with the words 'life' and 'contract' engraved on it. The words written on it were in the ancient language of the empire which only the royal family and leader of each clan only understood it. Aiden accepted the leather paper and without reading the rest of the words on it, he burned it into ash. His actions became quite a shock for both his knights and the orcs.

' Y-your highness... '

' It's true that this fight was last for decades and lives were taken from it. With our winning and your defeat, it was only natural that you would swear your loyalty to the empire but I will not accept it through a life-binding contract. I do not wish to tie life to becoming a slave. That includes every clan that lives in this empire. I will find peace for the empire in a respectable way for both parties. You will swear your loyalty with the 'honour oath '. In this way, the orcs will be free from the pressure of being slaves to the empire. Swear your allegiance and loyalty to it. '

' But why, why would your highness be willing to go this far for us orcs? '

' Why you asked? It's because it's pointless even if you had lost but then you're being tied into becoming slaves when it's clear that every being has the right to live a life of freedom. The sight of being mistreated especially those who had been defeated by the empire is no different than seeing small children looking through garbage just to find something edible to eat just so they could carry on with their lives. You had lost, yes, but that doesn't mean you will have to be like a dog after that. I wish to create an empire where all clans are comfortable living with one another, conflicts are resolved without sacrificing any lives and can live their lives to fullness without leaving any regrets. Are those reasons good enough? Because if it's not, I can't think of any other. I did not prepare any speech for this kind of occasion you know. '

The orc could not utter a word after Aiden told them his reasoning. The former head taught orcs that the people of the empire were cruel to all beings of the land. Not only he but the rest of his clans were speechless. After observing his royal highness, Prince Aiden, they came to realise the truth. All of them wanted peace within each clan and their former leader lied by telling them that the people of the empire wanted to create destruction and kill others. The late leader deceived his own clan and led his tribe into fighting for the wrong thing all for his own profit. Without wasting any more of his time, the next head of the orc...

' Upon the Honour Oath, we, The Tribe of the Orc, pledge our utmost loyalty to the empire, swear our allegiance and will follow any orders only from His Highness the second prince of the empire, Prince Aiden De Wyatt, following his highness bloodline. '

With that, Aiden created the 'Honour Oath' with his magic abilities, one which had an emblem of a lion drawn in dark cyan ink which represent Aiden's power and a trunk trademark which represents the orcs. Through this oath, either party will be faced with a heavy penalty if one were to break it. After a few moments, all ended with Aiden had given some time for the orcs to bury their brothers and sisters who sacrificed their lives in the war and will be holding a ceremony to celebrate their unity in the upcoming day in the empire.

Another war had been resolved. While at the Claramay household...

...................................................................................................................................................................................................

Aurora's family could see that she was slowly losing herself in the dark force that was pulling her towards it. They couldn't turn away from the only daughter of the Claramay family. Aurora was always an elegant yet fierce lady, a brilliant yet sneaky daughter and she was anything but evil. But it seems like the one facing them was not Aurora. A dark force resides inside her together with the light magic which fights against it before the darkness consumes Aurora.

' Clearly, you should not be lying to me dear brothers, did all of your affection for me disappear as soon as you saw me taking a life? '

' Goodness, how could your thoughts come up in such a way little sister? Antoine, Cullen and I would not want any killing stained on you. '

' Keane's right sis, this kind of time-spending activity is usually handled by the three of us. It pains me to see you like this sis. '

' Of course, Aurora, you too, will handle this in the future but your training is not fully completed yet both physical and magical. I'm afraid you will hurt yourself Aurora. Mother and father are worried about you. We will clean up from here, how does that sound Aurora? '

Aurora turned towards her parents after listening to her brothers' words. She saw it clearly the unsettling looks on their faces.

' Aurora, my daughter... '

Her grace spoke up. Then dark force was slowly fading away from Aurora.

With her senses coming back to her bit by bit.

' Mother..... father......brothers..... help me, please.'

Everyone didn't waste a second and ran towards Aurora but Aurora was turning her attention toward her bedroom.

'Brothers, what's happening to me? Is this my magic? What am I? I can feel it becoming more powerful. '

Antoine could not answer her,

' Mother, what exactly am I? '

Aurora turned to her mother.

' You do not have to worry about it, my precious daughter. All you need to know is that everything is going to be alright. You will get your answers, your brothers will lend a hand also. '

Aurora understood that she could not get any answers that night as things involving mana and power must not be rushed. The bloodlust in her eyes could still be seen a bit when........

' All of you really care for Aurora huh? '

With that, the dark force who was gone for a second came back and with a swing of magic, she sent them flying across the room thankfully they were not injured as Aurora had placed a strong defence barrier around her family when she was able to regain herself a bit ago.

' I did not expect that that child a pretty smart one. Aurora is quite the scheming young lady. I did not even realise when she placed such magic. Guess she could feel that I was about to come back to her and did not tell any of you about it as she knew that I would sense something wrong. '

Her family were surprised by Aurora's action. They too could not sense it. From there they knew that Aurora too is fighting it. The dark force resides in her and was able to take control over Aurora and use her ability to hurt others. Not only that, but since it resides inside of her, it sounded exactly like Aurora and tricked others into thinking that their beloved Aurora had fully come back.