Chapter Thirty One

I N T R O D U C E : YOURSELF TO THE CLASS

“Listen up!”

The cadets stood at attention, frozen in place as the winds picked up to sweep across the tundra floor sitting beneath their feet.

“Today the nobles, and a royal, will be showing up any minute!”

Hakim’s boots clicked as he walked back and forth against a flattened stone rock. It gave him a little height, but it was enough to address the entire platoon under his command.

“Now we must be mindful. The Prince has not had his Foundation Party, so please keep that in mind.”

A few of the teens snickered.

“There are also a few important things to mention, as they are a warning from the King himself.”

Hakim was skeptical.

Who wouldn’t be, even after receiving a personal letter from the King as a warning. Each of the commanding officers that will be working with Osiris received one.

Dear All Commanding Officers,

If my son is ever in your care do NOT aim your ego his way. If he reacts you have no one to blame but yourself.

-Mikael Von Lux

“First, the prince has a mana leak. This means he cannot turn off his aura.”

More snickering.

“Second, do not touch his food.”

That got a few gruntled faces. Food is well known to be tight during war. Even he was upset the Prince was getting his own food supply.

“And Third, don’t touch him or point your ego at him. The final note states that he is not responsible for anything that happens after said rules are broken.”

Hakim turned and faced his men.

“Let’s-”

Weight.

A prickly little thing held solid and firm.

They were here.

Hakim watched as each and every one of those faces, especially the ones that laughed, dropped.

“Do not worry, it is not an enemy.”

Hakim was a bit surprised at the potency of his aura. They were still a good bit aways too. He did hear once, from a friend who worked at the castle, that they had to put a special barrier around his castle to stop disturbing the other royals.

He also heard that the Prince had a habit of escaping his castle and the barrier only worked when he wasn’t poking around where he didn’t belong.

His friend’s words, not his.

Hakim stood with the rest of his men in silence as the Prince approached with the other nobles in tow. He found it funny to see the other carriages a bit away from the Prince’s. Hakim wondered what sort of character this Prince was going to be.

Eventually the gold and white carriage stopped beside their platoon.

A lot of commoners hated these royal etiquettes. He was never a fan himself, but rules were rules.

“Introducing Prince Osiris Von Lux, Fourth son.”

Shouted the driver shakily.

He looked ragged, back so hunched that he looked to have aged fifty years.

“This is stupid. I don’t want to do this.”

Haldir sighed as he exited the carriage first. The boy’s mood became cantankerous ten minutes ago.

“The faster we do it the faster you can unpack.”

Haldir moved to the side and offered a hand he knew would be rejected.

And he was right.

Sunnie watched as the door to the royal carriage opened. She was already having trouble standing, so the moment that kid stepped out of the door the full weight of his ego dropped. She fell to her knees.

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Others followed, making Hakim sweat. This was going to be a rough war.

Osiris watched as steam rolled off him as the bone chilling air hit his body. It felt.. wonderful. He could feel himself begin to cool, hissing so much he was pretty much a ball of steam as he took his first step.

He almost fell.

No one commented on the Prince’s stumble to the ground. He barely managed to catch himself before falling on his face.

Osiris righted himself.

Everyone was weak.

One, and two stars littered the unit of men waiting on them. There were at least a hundred of them.

He was also positive he was in a fantasy world now. Everyone carried with them their own demons, some in their skin, others around them. Spells stuck to their bodies like parasites. There were also clearly different races here. He was now positive the short lady and man were their own race. He sort of felt out of place with how human he looked.

No one thought Osiris looked human, no not at all.

Osiris was a bit taken aback by the sheer number of beings waiting. He thought platoons were supposed to be small.

“I’m Osiris.”

The boy said nothing more.

Osiris just stood and crossed his arms, staring straight into the crowd. He was really interested in looking, but he was hungry.

If he didn’t eat soon he was going to have a fit.

As if to respond his mana revved up, burning even more of his stores and making him feel starved.

“Welcome Prince. I have to ask, is there not a way to lower your aura?”

Osiris felt a nerve twitch.

“No. Did that fucking father of mine not explain anything again.”

The air became prickly, like the pins and needles were now scratching his skin.

“I’m not sure talking about the King-”

“Did he or did he not explain my leak to you.”

Hakin felt a bit annoyed at the commands sent his way. This was going to be a hard one to crack. But 5 stars or not, age and experience will always win out. Hakin has run into kids like him. They showboat and push their weight around until someone pushes back.

So, like all soldiers under his command, he stood tall, faced them, and released a bit of his ego on them.

He barely managed to stop the side kick from connecting to his face.

Fire sparked and flew around his shoulder.

The kid hit hard.

Hakin wrapped his hand around his ankle and the body changed its tune, wrapped around him, and aimed the sole straight to his face.

Heat his hit face.

“Hook.”

Haldir shot an ice spell and pushed Osiris’s leg straight into the air. A talon-like claw appeared around the foot before rearing back and snapping at the empty air. You could hear the sliding of a metal as they snapped closed.

Not stopping his spell Haldir grabbed the child’s ankle and pulled him to the ground. He kept him standing as ice enveloped his body.

Steam rolled as he melted the ice alarmingly fast. Haldir pushed more mana. It also helped that it was mid winter here in Dragon Territory.

Osiris kicked and cursed, but eventually settled down. When he stopped kicking he glared at him.

“Let me go. I’m fine now.”

Hakim was standing with his hand over his throat as he looked at the boy watch him with death in his eyes. The child was aiming to kill him. Hakim took a step back. Then another. Then another.

“I would have believed you, if that smile wasn’t on your face.”

His smile was cold and wide.

Those eyes were void of light.

“Draw.”

A foot shot out from the ice, aiming straight for Hakim.

“Hook.”

Everyone watched as the claw snapped and clipped the Sergeant's nose.

“If you or anyone else ever direct any intent at me again I will kill them.”

Haldir watched as the boy heaved, little body dropping off the high of adrenaline.

“I think it would be best if we returned for the night.”

It was still smack dab in the middle of the day.

“Let me go.”

Haldir dropped him after looking at his face.

“Where is the food.”

“Past the two tents then a right and two lefts. The tent is the only blue one.”

Haldir took the chance to let the boy go off on his own. The soldiers he passed all tensed. Once he was far enough away the weight of his ego let up. But only just enough for the others to stand.

“What the heck was that sarge!”

A few of the rowdier teens piped up.

“Yeah, how are we supposed to live like this AND fight in a war.”

Hakim was still holding his throat.

“So it is my understanding that we all understand the King’s warning, am I correct?”

The soldiers grew quiet.

Hakim spotted a few doubtful faces. They were the sturdier soldiers, the ones with experience and power. But he knew a bomb when he saw one.

“Let’s move on so we can dismiss for the day.”

The soldiers' faces lit up.

While Hakim tried to answer his mens questions Haldir checked the man over before checking on those who fell. Once he was sure everyone was good he headed to the Prince.

He found him lost a row over, rubbing his temples, and muttering to himself.

“This way.”

Osiris shot him a glare but followed him.

At the tent Osiris could clearly spot where his food and the other’s laid.

It was startling to see the quality difference.

But he couldn’t afford to eat anything less. He will die if he cannot meet the demands of this body.

It was just his truth.

Though he was clearly starving, Haldir watched him set up a drying rack as he watched from across the tent. His hands were shaking, but his face was firm as he got the rack up. Then he started pulling items from the chests and over to a small shabby table to cut the items into strips and chips. Once the racks were full he looked over the goods before picking some of the foods that easily spoil to munch on.

After about thirty minutes the boy was full and this aura was light.

Haldir stared.

So he was just grumpy because he was hungry.

The man could feel a headache coming.