Crown Prince Ryohei stood in his private tower, a place of solitude and commanding view within the heart of the Imperial Palace. The room was opulently adorned with banners of crimson and gold, the colors of the Kuro Empire, each one bearing the insignia of the imperial phoenix. The air was thick with the scent of burning incense, a blend of sandalwood and myrrh, favored for its calming properties. He gazed through the tall, arched windows, his eyes fixed on the distant spires of Phoenix Academy, where his youngest son was likely entreating his chosen patron deity.
Though over eighty years had passed since his birth, Ryohei’s youthful face appeared untouched by time, as if he were a man in his prime, barely into his mid-thirties. His ki radiated from him in subtle waves, the sheer density of it warping the air around him like heat haze, a testament to his mastery. The ki was so potent that it was said he could live another millennium before the burdens of age would dare to touch him. As his father’s favored son, he carried the title of Crown Prince, a mantle that signified far more than a mere honorific. It was a testament to his strength, wisdom, and the immense trust placed upon him to safeguard the empire while the Eternal Emperor sought further ascension in the Celestial Realms.
The pavilion overlooked the city of Ei'en, the capital of the empire, a sprawling metropolis filled with ancient temples, bustling marketplaces, and grand palaces that reached toward the sky. The city below was a living tapestry of life, illuminated by thousands of candles, lanterns, and flickering pyres that cast a warm, amber glow over the cobbled streets. From his vantage point, he could see the crimson banners of the empire fluttering in the night breeze, the sounds of distant festivities reaching even this high up—a soft murmur of laughter, music, and celebration.
Ryohei's thoughts drifted to his youngest son, who, at this very moment, would be selecting his deity. The boy was at a crossroads that would define his destiny, much as Ryohei had done decades before. If his youngest child proved to be as talented as his siblings, the emperor would bestow upon him blessings and powers beyond his current station, solidifying Ryohei’s position as the Crown Prince of Kuro. He allowed himself a rare smile, thinking fondly of his youngest son, who had always held a special place in his heart.
"Come back with good news, Ezio..." he whispered, his voice barely audible over the crackling of the incense, as memories of his own blessing ceremony flooded his mind. Ezio wouldn’t fail him. As his favored youngest son he had long shown immense talent that even many of his siblings hadn’t shown, but the thing that really made him stand out. Ezio was driven.
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A large crowd of youths stood in amazement as a pillar of golden flames erupted from the ground. The shrine, depicting a Phoenix emerging from ash, towered over them, dwarfing their figures.
The Flames had seemingly devoured a young man who had been meditating for a while causing some to step away from fear. Everyone knew that interfering with the bestowing of a blessing was asking for disaster.
"I accept you as part of my familia, young one. Go now and serve me well." The golden flames of rebirth died away, revealing a silhouette that took the shape of a young man.
The fourteen-year-old bowed deeply toward the shrine of the god, a broad grin on his face followed quickly by a look of pure happiness. He had done it; he had received the blessing of Saisei, the Phoenix god of rebirth and patron god of the current emperor, his grandfather, and his father, the Crown Prince. Saisei held a prestigious position as one of the strongest gods in the heavens, leading the Imperial pantheon of the Kuro Empire.
Nothing could have been better, one of the most popular and extremely picky gods in the empire selected him as part of his very small familia. Naturally many of the girls around him were fawning over him, but he didn't care much for the fan girls; they all were only looking for an opportunity to try and gain his affections for their own gain.
The crowd erupted into murmurs, the girls among them casting admiring glances at the blessed youth, their eyes filled with admiration and envy. But Ezio paid them no mind; he had grown accustomed to such attention. Being the son of the Crown Prince came with its burdens. Trust was a luxury he could rarely afford, even among the elite of Kuroian society.
As he walked through the academy grounds, whispers trailed after him—commoners bowing low, their eyes filled with a mix of reverence and fear. The cobbled path beneath his feet led him toward the grand hall where the inner disciples were to be assessed. The ancient stone walls, covered in creeping ivy, seemed to vibrate with the echoes of centuries-old prayers and blessings.
Being the son of the crown prince caused him many headaches over the years only those of similar status could be seen as trustworthy and even then he had to be cautious needless to say commoners could not be trusted. They all lusted for power not knowing the responsibility and burdens it came with. Even at fourteen he knew that many of the people of Kuroian society viewed the imperial family as almost mythical existences. While that wasn’t completely far off the only existence in the imperial family that could be considered on the level of mythical was his grandfather. Even his father was a long ways off from that level let alone his various uncles and aunts.
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Walking away from the shrine he headed over to Grandmaster Hong who along with the other masters would be assessing all the disciples that got blessed to see if they could become an inner disciple of the Phoenix academy of the empire. It was common for students to be selected by masters of the inner court; some had many students while other masters were much more selective of whom they wanted.
Ezio was extremely confident in his ability and never even bothered training as an outer disciple, opting to train under his family until now which was not uncommon for high ranking people of Kuro to do such. In particular in the capital city of Ei'en.
As he approached the steps to the main building he noticed out of the corner of his eyes the secret corps that his father sent to protect him should they need to, they were always so annoying, but once he enrolled and gained entrance into the inner court they would no longer be needed.
Swiftly turning he called out to them "hey! The two of you can leave now this is one of the safest places in the empire. I have no further need for you."
Both of them silently listened to the orders and jumped out of view flying into the tree branches before running along the branches out of the academy complex. The black ashes corps were some of the most elite and deadly assassins in the entire empire and he felt it was a bit overkill for them to be guarding him. Ezio was pleasantly surprised that they listened, smiling as he turned around to go inside.
*THUMP*
Ezio's chin collided sharply with someone's forehead, sending both of them sprawling to the ground.
“Ouch!” he groaned, rubbing his chin with a grimace. A dull throb pulsed through his jaw, but his irritation quickly replaced the pain.
"Hey! Who the hell bumped into me?" he snapped, getting to his feet and brushing off his robes. His eyes fell on a girl still seated on the ground, rubbing her forehead with a dazed expression.
Ezio’s annoyance faltered as he got a better look at her. She was beautiful—strikingly so. Her skin was smooth and luminous, like polished ivory, contrasting with her long, midnight-black hair that cascaded around her shoulders. She was shorter than him, her head barely reaching his chest if she were standing.
For a moment, Ezio forgot his irritation. His heart skipped a beat, and he found himself staring, entranced. The pain in his chin seemed to fade into the background as he took in her delicate features. The longer he looked, the more captivated he became, until he realized he was gawking like a fool.
Shaking himself out of his daze, he stepped forward and offered her a hand. “Sorry about that,” he said, trying to muster his most charming smile.
The girl opened her eyes, and Ezio felt as if the world had suddenly dropped out from beneath his feet. Her eyes were a piercing, brilliant shade of azure—a color so vivid it seemed to shine in the dim light of the academy courtyard. He had heard of such eyes before, of course. The legends whispered that those born with azure eyes were cursed, doomed to bring misfortune to themselves and those around them.
His smile faltered, and he instinctively took a small step back. Despite her beauty, the old superstitions gnawed at him. What a waste, he thought to himself. A girl this stunning, cursed with such a cruel fate.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The girl merely stared at his extended hand with a look of mild irritation, as if debating whether to accept his help. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, she swatted his hand away.
“Watch where you’re going next time,” she said curtly, her voice like ice.
Ezio blinked in surprise. Most girls would have been eager to gain his favor, especially after realizing who he was. But this one… she didn’t even bother with the customary Kuroian politeness. She was either incredibly bold or utterly clueless about his identity.
“Excuse me?” he said, a hint of indignation creeping into his tone. “You were the one who walked into me.”
The girl gave him a scathing look, her azure eyes practically daring him to argue further. “Whatever,” she muttered dismissively, getting to her feet and brushing the dust off her tunic. “Just stay out of my way.”
Before Ezio could retort, she turned on her heel and walked off, her steps swift and purposeful.
Ezio stood there, dumbfounded. It was rare for anyone to speak to him like that, let alone someone who clearly had no idea who he was. As she disappeared into the crowd, only two words formed in his mind: Country bumpkin.
He gritted his teeth in annoyance, his earlier fascination with her beauty fading into frustration. This girl was certainly not like the others who fawned over him, and for some reason, that irritated him more than he cared to admit.
“Just you wait,” he muttered under his breath.
"This girl." He gritted his teeth in embarrassment as he muttered to himself as he watched her disappear behind the doors.