Chapter 011:

All was silent within the vast and frigid expanse of white, save for a single flame.

“Nammu, why?” The kneeling Alexander asked as the fire encasing his body grew dimmer. His armour fell long ago, entombed in ice ever burning, along with everyone else.

“Alexander,” A voice as soft as cotton answered, “I’m sorry but this was the only way,”

“Shut up!” Alexander replied as he smashed the ground beneath him, spreading fire all around and causing his surroundings to shudder from the impact and for the snow to melt from the heat. The snow’s disappearance revealed the horrid figures of snarling things once resembling man; resembling people Alexander once knew and loved.

Staring into their faces, he felt nothing but heartache, despite the vitriol with which they had contorted.

“We could have fixed them, your healing waters could have-”

“It wouldn’t have mattered,” The soft voice interrupted, “The moment they became tainted, they no longer mattered,”

“Nammu,” Alexander looked up in shock, but there was nothing to look at of course as the voice did not come from a single person but rather from all around him, from every single flake of cursed snow.

“We knew from the very beginning, this story isn’t about us. So long as you are safe, all is well,”

Now fully incensed, Alexander’s fire raged, and soon his surroundings, once lush and green before turning white, now blackened into coal. The ash of people he once loved coated him briefly before disintegrating in the heat.

When the fog lifted, he could see a group of people in the distance. They wore uniformed garbs, making it apparent that they were soldiers. Some smiled in relief after seeing him, others recoiled in fear while most were just sad.

‘What right,’ He thought with venom, ‘What right do you think you have to be sad?’ Fire accumulated in his palm and he moved to end their miserable existence.

“Alexander no!” The soft voice spoke once more as snowflakes descended upon him.

“Why not?” he asked, his voice frighteningly calm, contrasting the infernal blaze he casually held within his palm. “What right do they have to live? A thousand of them are not worth a strand of your hair, yet you…us, you…” It was then that he began to cry.

“I know that you might hate them,” The voice continued, only it was now noticeably weaker. “But remember who you are,”

He hung his head in resignation and his fire dwindled.

“Alexander, you are a hero,”

..………………………………………………

He woke from his nightmare in a cold sweat.

His eyes wide and his heart beating hard, Alexander did his best to climb his way out of the emotional mire his subconscious mind had swan dived into.

[You are a hero,] The phrase that used to fill him with pride now haunted him.

‘But that’s in the past,’ He thought to himself as he suppressed the urge to burn everything away.

Minutes later he was in his bathroom, repeatedly washing himself in cold water.

{Synchronisation Rate: 5%}

He laughed mirthlessly to himself. It seemed Timmy couldn’t quite comprehend what that was. “Neither can I, kid,”

After a refreshing bout of exercise, Alexander washed up again and opened his windows to let the morning breeze in.

The slowness of morning thawed and people could now be seen moving to and fro. Alexander watched all this listlessly as he thought of what to do today.

‘I have a whole day to spend before I can meet with Grim and Ed,’ He pondered as he supported his chin with his hand, ‘I could toil away in the smithy,’

But he discarded that idea as he recalled the annoying brat who had been pestering him recently.

That being said, he had to admit that the kid had both the talent and drive to back the endless talk.

But when said talk was so aggravating it would cause one’s ears to bleed, then all else was meaningless.

Kid was a brat.

‘Also, he’s already wasted a sizeable chunk of my supplies,’ Finally coming to a decision, he slammed his fist into his hand and said with some melancholy, “Thus, to support my floundering business, I shall begrudgingly resort to a life of crime,”

This was ignoring the fact that he had already committed several crimes with his henchmen before even starting his business.

“Ahem,” An awkward cough sounded behind him.

Alexander turned around in fake surprise to meet chief butler Carson as if only just registering his presence. “Old man, why didn’t you knock?”

The butler bowed as he replied, “I did, master but you were too busy resorting to a life of crime to notice,”

“I kid of course,”

“Of course. On another note master, his majesty sent over an invitation,”

Alexander started to ask why before figuratively slapping his forehead, ‘Oh shit, I forgot to visit them last week,’

“Ah yes, tell him I’ll be there by lunch or something like that,”

“Yes,”

With that, the two stood in silence for a few awkward minutes.

“Uhh,” Alexander voiced.

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“Any other commands, sir?” The head butler said.

It was then that Alexander slapped his forehead once more. "Ah yes, prepare some sweets for her highness,"

Carson raised a brow after registering what he had just heard.

"I mean Eleanor," Alexander hurriedly corrected.

With the matter finally settled, the butler disappeared through the door and Alexander breathed a sigh of relief. 'Man that butler is needlessly perceptive,'

{Synchronisation Rate: 5.1%}

'Oi, don't get giddy cause I felt something you relate with, dipshit,'

Another sigh later and Alexander was now seated, mentally preparing himself for what was to come.

It was then that an army of maids invaded his room, he remained calm initially but lost the facade once he noticed that one of the maids was holding some makeup.

..………………………………………………

The royal palace was two things:

Pointlessly large and frighteningly opulent; granted, on the latter, it was not overbearingly so. It wasn't the crass, shoddy attempt of class Schuyler’s manor suggested, but it was still far and away the swankiest place Alexander had seen yet.

By his side as he walked through the lavish halls was an attendant from his manor who Timothy struggled to remember the name of, and to his other side was a royal servant who led the way.

After finally reaching the dining room, Alexander was shocked to see a couple of familiar faces.

At the centre of the large room was an impossibly elegant table and seated around that was a group of people.

Obviously, at the head of the table sat the king, a middle-aged man of impeccable posture and grace; his only fault, if one were to even describe it as such, was the fact that his kingly presence still failed to obscure his kind and warm aura. Though his facial features were square and robust, his eyes were soft and disarming.

Alexander frowned at the sight of him. ‘This man is dangerous,’ He thought to himself before averting his gaze toward the others.

Opposite to the king, and at the other end of the table, sat another, older gentleman with similar bearing. But unlike the king of Iron-wall, this person was darker in complexion and with an overall sturdier build.

Alexander immediately placed the pieces together and deduced that this was the king of the land neighboring his: Graveclaws.

In between the two men sat their respective family members and another family with whom Alexander was uncomfortably familiar.

The Schuyler family.

Seeing this star-studded roster of attendees, Alexander froze in his spot. Inexplicably, nerves had gotten the better of him. But this did not make sense as he had already dealt with many kings, most far stronger than the two before him combined.

‘It’s you isn’t it?’ Alexander asked as he opened the Synchronisation tab and sure enough:

{Synchronisation Rate: 6%}

With this, Alexander had a better understanding of what the rate meant; basically: the higher the number, the more of a wimp he would be.

Immediately, Alexander’s eyes hardened as he forcefully regained composure. ‘Sorry, kid but do me a favour and stay dead. This is my world now,’

“Timothy Beak greets his majesty the King,” Timothy finally said with a deep bow after the palace’s attendees announced his presence.

The room turned silent for a moment as everyone looked toward him. His heartbeat quickened for a flash before stabilizing.

“Ah, Tim. You are finally here; with this, our party is complete. Staff, please present the food,” The king’s booming voice sounded genuinely pleased to see him, and that put Alexander at ease; he immediately knew that the king of Iron-Wall was a fine ruler.

It definitely had nothing to do with the fact that the benevolent king immediately brought the food out.

He thought all this while he finished greeting the rest of the guests. Finally done, he sat in the only chair which was conveniently beside the princess; another close childhood friend of Timothy: Eleanor.

She was younger than him by a fair bit, being around twelve. That being said, it was clear to all which parent she got her looks from as appearance-wise, she was extraordinary. Sky blue eyes framed by locks of foreign silver hair that were rumored to look more white under the moonlight. Given time, she’d probably rival her mother’s legendary beauty.

‘But it’s all a facade!’ Alexander reminded himself as he reviewed Timothy’s memories.

The poor young master TimTim was often bullied; granted, he was a pushover so it was only fair. But by far, the most vile and vicious had been this young lady who had yet to completely lose her baby fat.

“Hello big brother Timothy!” Eleanor said with a toothy grin.

Feeling a gaze burning through the back of his head, Alexander turned to look behind him where Erika was looking over anxiously, clearly worried.

That’s right!

It wasn’t enough that Timothy was constantly on the losing end in a battle of wits against a child but he often had to be saved by the woman he tried wooing as well!

‘Ah, Timothy, you poor bastard,’ He thought to himself as he felt a sense of shame wash over him.

‘Ah whatever, her face is still cute,’ Alexander decided as he pinched Eleanor’s cheek.

“Hey there, Ellie,” Timothy said with an innocent smile.

At both the words and action, the little princess’s smile dropped and her eyes widened into saucers as she visibly fought the urge to smack his hand away.

Alexander snickered and he didn’t need to turn around to know that Erika was currently sporting an expression similar to the little lady as well.

‘How’d you like that you little brat!’ Alexander smiled victoriously inside. He had met countless little brats in his previous life and so he knew that the most effective strategy against them was to treat them as such: Little shits.

“B-big brother stop you’re gonna make my cheeks flabbier!’ Eleanor protested as she weakly smacked his chest with her fists.

“Hahaha. Good to see you two getting along!” The king of Iron-wall, Eleanor’s father, and Knight-Captain Lobo’s closest friend: Gregory Seeker said aloud with his booming voice.

“Yes, it is always a pleasure to see the children get along. Son, greet your friends,” Responded the king of Graveclaws, Henry Dunes, as he nudged the youth next to him.

“Hey Timothy,” the bronze-skinned youth uttered at once and in a perfunctory manner.

Alexander, after having released the princess’s cheek from his hand, ignored her venomous looks and turned to meet the youth’s gaze.

His eyes were clear and strong, at least Alexander guessed that that was the case as he could not really see the kid’s eyes. He was too busy looking down on Timothy with an upturned head.

‘Another little shit,’ Alexander recalled, ‘Oi, tilt it any further back and you’ll fall over, careful there!’

“Hey, Clive!” Alexander said with a radiant smile. This clearly threw the youth off and he did a double take as if making sure it was really Timothy who had greeted him.

Alexander knew that he was being supremely suspicious and acting not at all like Timothy would, but he decided not to care. ‘Besides, I think that ship had sailed the moment I broke things off with Erika,’ He consoled himself.

“Wow, big bro you are in a pretty good mood!” Eleanor exclaimed once she was done soothing her aching cheek “I thought you’d be sadder! You were dumped by big sis Erika after all!” She said with a smile so sunny it could melt the coldest of snow.

But the consequences of her words were anything but innocent as the moment she said it, the two kings frowned slightly, and poor count Schuyler immediately choked on his wine.

Erika lowered her head, hiding her expression while next to her, Clive smiled smugly.

Alexander’s own smile cracked momentarily.

‘Fuck this brat is shooting straight away, at least wait for the food!’ He was tempted to pinch the other cheek now, and this time he would not let go no matter how many times she’d kill him with cold glares.

“Ah yeah. It was pretty public so I guess it’s not a surprise for you to know that already, Ellie,” Alexander replied without any change in tone.

Again the princess was surprised, but seeing that her attack was not as effective as she hoped, she doubled down, “Wow big bro you are so strong! To be able to stay so calm despite big sis flaunting her new relationship with Clive right in front of you!”

“Ellie!” Erika shot up from her seat in shock.

Feeling a headache approaching, Alexander prepared for a fight.

..………………………………………………