I remembered the body of a little girl.

My blood covered hands trembled both from excitement or dread and I tightly squeezed that dagger before quickly running to the healers, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t fix her.

I thought that since she was a Nemen, those wounds wouldn’t be enough to kill her, but I was wrong.

“Sir?”

“Mmm?” I looked my left to find a concerned Chali.

I then looked up and gazed at a large portrait depicting a family. A once happy family now left with half its original members.

I sighed before following Chali out of the palace and into the courtyard where countless Rendaro were gathered.

They were all dressed in dark and formal clothing.

Standing in front of all of them was Erevu who was saying various things I didn’t care about.

I simply walked over to where mother sat.

All the chairs around her were empty.

“He would not have wanted us to succumb to sorrow. We must march on even in these dark times.” Erevu said while I looked at the dark sarcophagus behind him.

The empty thing had been prepared many years in advance.

A dark box, other existed for every royal family member.

I glanced at my mother to find that she wasn’t crying or anything.

Instead, she looked up at me before offering her hand.

I reluctantly took it and looked away as the funeral went on.

The ceremony eventually ended and I found myself surrounded by all the Ia leaders and some Foph Arcus’s

The Nemen family heads were nowhere to be found and many of the other Arcus’s had died in a manoeuvre that many continued to question.

“Your Highness, I am afraid the time for mourning will have to be brief. Recent reports suggest that the main force is suffering heavy casualties as we speak just beyond the plateau. What should we do?” One of the Ia Elders asked.

“Mmm… I can’t think of anything right now. Just keep those reports on hand until tomorrow. I think I’ll be ready to fully respond by then.” I said before taking mother back into the palace.

On our way into the dark building, I caught a glimpse of Laïnne and it looked like she had something to say, but I ignored her before making my way upstairs.

I left mother in her chambers before making my way back to my room where Räne still stood.

I ignored her and plopped onto my bed.

I decided I wouldn’t think about anything related to my duties until the next day-

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

I went and opened it to find Chali only he was standing in front of two palace guards who held in their hands a certain crown and a sword.

Sword was extremely large, made of a dark matte crystal and looked fairly worn with a few cracks here and there.

I allowed them to enter before crossing my arms and raising a brow.

“What’s this?”

“The Great King’s crown and his great sword, Stormbringer.” Chali said.

I looked at the crown, which sat on a fluffy pillow before looking at the unsightly sword.

I grabbed the crown and placed it on the table before grabbing the rather heavy sword.

I then offered it to Chali, who’s eyes widened.

“Your Highness-!” He gasped.

“Use it to protect this place. We both know I’m no good in a fight.” I said.

Chali opened his mouth to speak, but I placed my hand on his shoulder.

“That is an order. Also, I’m pretty sure that every guard in this place is a Nemen right?”

Chali nodded.

“Mmm… I’d like to override father’s orders. I feel as though the dark day he foresaw has yet to come, but when it does come, I don’t want you to he here when this place falls.“

“What about you?”

“I have a feeling I will be somewhere else. Not necessarily somewhere safe.” I said.

Chali frowned at me.

“Leave the room.” Chali instructed and the guards left.

“I will not leave your side, Kenos.” Chali said with a frown.

“Mmm… fine. Just make sure to give my instructions to the guards. They deserve better than to die here.”

“Alright.” Chali said as he turned to leave, but he stopped midway.

“May I have a kiss?”

“What for?” I asked with a smirk.

“Motivation.”

“Hoh?” I sounded before grabbing Chali and gently pressing my lips onto his.

I then undid the knot that kept his beautiful hair up before pushing him away.

His hair messily covered his face as he stared at me with bewilderment.

“You’ll only get this back after you’ve done what I instructed.” I said while waving the silky ribbon.

Chali stared at me for a moment before leaving my room.

I sighed before tossing the ribbon to the side and plopping onto my bed again where I desperately tried shutting my thoughts off.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

But my thoughts would offer me no reprieve.

I then heard screams.

It sounded as though someone was in incredible pain.

I raised my head and quickly realized that they were coming from my mind.

Hundreds of voices that I couldn’t distinguish.

Two were different, however.

It sounded like… my parents.

It sounded like the exact noise the made that day.

Father was gone.

He was dead.

The kingdom was under siege and there was no hope of victory.

Just what is a Golden Knight? I wondered.

Surely there was a way to defeat them.

If I could somehow coordinate the clan leaders, we could shift the odds in our favour.

Or not.

Perhaps we were doomed to die regardless of whatever decisions we made.

I didn’t think about it often, but as soon as we arrived in Edenton, mankind outright confined us to this dessert.

Maybe we lost the ability to resist back then.

Maybe we never had it in the first place.

I closed my eyes to sleep as the screams got ever louder.

.

..

I opened my eyes to find that I was covered in sweat and my heart was beating frantically.

I sat up to find that Räne had fallen sleep next to the bed.

I winced as the screams got so loud, I couldn’t even hear myself move as I got off the bed.

I walked up to Räne and raised my hand.

Black smoke filled my palm, but I lowered it slightly after realizing that somewhere deep within the sea of screams, was Räne’s.

I remembered all of our time together and lost all interest in harming her.

Instead.

I searched the sea of screams for something.

A scream I’d never heard before.

A squeezed my fists before mindlessly walking towards the door.

“Mmm?” Räne sounded as I left the room to find myself in a moonlit corridor lined with guards.

I ignored them before making my way to the staircase which I took to the floor beneath the first.

I eventually made my way to the cellar where I grabbed the nearest bottle and downed it in an instant.

I looked around my and saw countless of rows of rows of various alcohols.

I hoped that they would help silence the screams and so I drank bottle after bottle which wasn’t that hard since the bottle were all normal sized.

I’d need a lot more to get drunk and so I grabbed a barrel of years old brew, tore off its lid messily downed the entire thing.

“What’s going on in here?”

Someone asked.

I looked to find several of the help staring at me while holding lamps.

They all watched fearfully as I drank bottle after bottle of alcohol.

“AAAAARRRG!” I screamed as my mind ached even more intensely.

I heard the sounds of commotion, but no one dared approach me as I drank everything in site.

My robe was quickly drenched and the smell of alcohol filled the air, but it wasn’t enough.

I could still hear the screams.

I let out a soft chuckle as the screams of a little girl surfaced above all the others.

My chuckle quickly turned into deranged laughter and I laughed for so long and so hard that my stomach ached.

“Kenos?”

A sweet voice called.

I looked up to find a mortified Chali.

“Ah… my dear.” I said. My voice a deep, distorted growl.

“What are- what are you doing?” He asked as the cellar filled with dark smoke.

I slowly walked towards him filling the cellar with the loud plings of empty glass bottles.

I stopped a few centimetres of Chali and let out a deep sigh which came out as a plume of black smoke.

“Kenos…” He muttered as I placed my hand on his cheek.

My eyes rolled back as I felt his skin’s softness-

Ah.

I’d never heard Chali properly scream before and so I grabbed his right arm before kicking Chali in the chest and breaking his arm.

“AH!” Chali let out a gross squawk as his body limply fell to the ground.

His eyes then glowed a bright gold and he used his other arm to throw a ball of light at me.

The ball struck my skin and even though it stung, it barely singed my skin.

I mounted him before pressing my lips onto his eyes and for the first time, he turned away.

I laughed loudly as he glared at me as it was the first time he had looked at me this way.

I wanted him to make more expressions and sounds.

So I grabbed his belt.

“No!” He cried as I forced his pants down.

“Kenos… please… don’t.” He begged.

“Don’t worry, my dear. I’ll make it quick. Show me all of you.” I said as I raised Chali’s leg up.

A single tear fell from his eyes as he silently pleaded for me to stop.

“Ha!”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

I smashed my forehead into his and just as his body grew limp, I force my fully erect penis into his ass.

I saw that dear Chali wasn’t reacting much and so I forced darkness into his lungs, crated several spikes and watched as he violently choked on his own blood.

“YES! FEEL MORE!” I barked while slamming my hips into his ass.

This was it.

This was just enough.

I grabbed a nearby bottle and poured its contents into my mouth, but just as I lowered the bottle, a large armoured fist punched me in the face, sending me flying backwards.

“WHO DARES STRIKE THE PRINCE?” I hissed as the black smoke cleared.

This revealed several palace guardsmen.

Two of which grabbed Chali before taking him towards the cellars exit.

“NO!” I screamed before running towards Chali, but before I could even get close, one of the guards tackled me to the ground.

He then dislocated my shoulder prompting me to let out a pained squawk.

Several others guards approached and they all grabbed my other limbs before breaking them.

My vision rapidly darkened as the guards subdued me.

I found myself calling for Chali, but even though I moved my lips, no words left my mouth.

.

..

I dreamt of a distant time and a kingdom without cities or towers.

A war torn land filled with countless simplistic, almost barbaric tribes.

One of them was the Nemen and they were the mightiest.

Their chief was a strong and proud man who cared for his people as much as he did his family.

He ruled with a firm, but caring hand and his rule was a peaceful one

The chief eventually had to assume the role of a Great King to unite his people against what was their greatest threat, mankind.

Through negotiation and compromise, he ensured no violent conflict ever broke out.

He did all this while his mischievous son learnt to sin.

.

..

A few days had passed since the guards subdued me and funnily enough, they took me to my dungeon and bound me in chains of light made by non other than Chali himself.

My arms and legs were stretched as far as they could go, so movement wasn’t really possible.

I also hadn’t been fed for some time.

Instead, healers would save me whenever I was close to death.

Iron bars had been placed at the midpoint of the dungeon where my favorite chair once sat.

Every orb of light has also been brightened and I often had to close my eyes just to get a break from all the brightness.

The guards never talked to me, but they never did in the first place.

Chali hadn’t visited me and only Erevu came to inform me on the situation of the kingdom.

Apparently, all of the north and northwest was in ruins. It was only a matter of time before this place was besieged.

As for me, the screams had returned in full force, but I had grown used to them.

I even gained the ability to tune into specific screams.

I’d then test my memory and see of I could remember who the scream belonged to.

It made the boredom less unbearable.

My ears perked up as footsteps filled the air.

I then saw Erevu, only he was surrounded by guards.

“Hey, old man.”

Erevu simply glared at me with crossed hands as I sat hung in my prison.

“Ha! What’s with that look? Aww… don’t tell me you’re disappointed. It’s a shame though… I couldn’t have my way with Laïnne before-“

“I am not disappointed. Just frustrated.” Erevu said with a sigh.

He then sat on a small stool next to the bars that held me captive.

“Leave the room.” He said.

“But sir-“

Erevu said his hand and the guards left shortly after.

Silence returned to the prison.

“I have certain plans and you and you… Father keep making things harder for me.”

“Does this have anything to do with the pillars around Rendaya?” I asked.

“Yes. I wish I could just leave everything and everyone, but I have a duty to my people.” Erevu said while staring at the ceiling.

“The first few words sound like exactly what you would say. The last part…” I muttered while pouting my dry lips.

“Ugh, enough of all this other stuff. Why are you here? Do you wanna break your favorite nephew outa here?” I asked but Erevu simply sighed in response.

“No. I just wanted to see exactly what you had become. It feels like yesterday when a little Nemen boy came into my tent-“

“and you showed me an entirely new world. Don’t worry, I’ve enjoyed every moment since them.” I said, but Erevu looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

“Have you really?”

“Enough dancing, old man. Say what you want to say or get out of here. I’d rather converse with the screams.”

“Screams?” Erevu asked.

“Yes. As of a few days ago, I’ve been tormented by the screams of every one of my victims. Man… woman… Child…” I muttered before noticing that Erevu was looking at me with a strange expression.

“What?” I asked as he stood up.

“Is that pity?” I barked as Erevu slowly walked away, his back facing me.

“Ha! Give that pity to the pile of corpses atop which your seat on the Council of Elders sits, asshole!” I yelled as Erevu left.

“Pity.” I muttered.

I didn’t need to be pitied.

Pity was for the weak, wounded and broken.

I was perfectly fine.

A little shortsighted, but I was pretty sure that’d change with age.

Yeah.

All that remained was for me to wait for my eventual release.

It probably wouldn’t take too long.