"My King" Weisheng said bowing before Godefroi.

"What came of Zoe and Richard? Were you able to retrieve them?" Godefroi asked

"They are… gone my lord, or rather they have escaped."

"Escaped? How?"

"It is uncertain at this time, I will conduct an investigation promptly."

"Weisheng"

"Yes my King"

"Were they the only ones to escape?"

"Yes my king, and there was no sign of forced entry either, its almost as if they were let out."

"Speak of this to no one, it seems we have a traitor in our midst." Godefroi said. "Someone loyal to the Bourbon family must have recognized them, and let them go… Someone… close to Prince…"

"Set out a search for those two hypocrites" Godefroi instructed. "Also, call Changying, I want her to tell me the name of every noble who has visited the castle this week."

January 1st 1611,

"So… you seem to have had a change of heart? Are you going to join my crew?" Lindor said, extending out a hand. The two of them were perched on top of a building looking down at the people in Vienna square. Though high enough to avoid suspicion, they were still low enough to make out faces, and even hear conversations of the people below.

"Tsk!" Pedro barked "I hate this guy! He made me bleed… I know... lets kill him!"

"We can't just go around killing everyone we meet… Have some tact." Prince said grabbing his head.

"Well… Cut off a limb! Or tear out his tongue! This man is too cocky I can't stand it! We have to-"

"Don't get the wrong idea" Prince said, refusing to shake Lindor's hand. "I'm in this for myself… I want to learn how to progress through society, that's all."

"Are you ignoring me?" Pedro yelled

"Hmph very well." Lindor said, withdrawing his hand. "What shall I call you then? Prince?"

"No… "Prince said coldly "Prince died in the fire…I am someone completely different."

"Is that so…" Lindor said, placing his hand on his chin. He always seemed to go into a certain stance whenever he was contemplating something. With one hand on his chin and the other under his elbow supporting his arm, Lindor leaned against the wall, thinking.

"Since you have no family I suppose I could adopt you…"

"Adopt me?" Prince asked, giving Lindor a bewildered look.

"Yes yes, from now on you will be known as my nephew." Lindor said briefly pausing to think, "My nephew Lindt." Lindor said

"Tsk! You're no family of mine" Prince said gritting his teeth. "I'd rather be burnt at the stake!"

"He is becoming darker and darker" Lindor thought "Is it the effect of the events… or is it the ancestor speaking to his mind?" Lindor thought

"Listen boy, if you want to fly under these banners, you will take on my name, having you as a nephew will be…. Convenient." Lindor said, shrugging his shoulders. "It will make me look less suspicious, and allow you to get into places you otherwise couldn't, don't you want to climb as fast as possible? Don't you want your revenge?"

"This event is no different! Believe in the future that this tragedy will bring you to! I love you my son!" Carolyn screamed(Prince remembered)

"Whatever, a name means nothing to me anymore" Prince said looking away.

"Well before we let you in you'll have to prove yourself!" Lindor exclaimed

"Prove what?" Prince said, seemingly insulted by the remark.

"Prove to me that you have the heart of a thief. I want you" Lindor said pointing down at the crowd below them. "To pickpocket someone in that square."

"That's all?" Prince said "Easy enough"

"No hesitation… that means it's not the voice in his head… these are his conscious thoughts. He truly is becoming darker, which means his soul..."

Prince walked into the square looking for an easy target.

"Pedro…" Prince asked "How do we perform a successful pickpocket?"

"Hehehe leave it to me" Pedro answered

"Shadow eye!" Prince said

"Well how did it go?" Lindor asked Prince who had returned with a woman's purse around his neck.

"You couldn't see from up here?" Prince said. "I think it went perfectly"

"Hey! Who stole my wallet?" A man yelled from below

"Yeh! Mines gone too!"

"Someone stole my purse!"

Lindor face palmed himself, shaking his head as Prince popped out a dozen wallets out of the woman's purse.

"I said steal a wallet… not all of them!" Lindor said.

"Pedro doesn't know restraint." Prince said.

"Pedro?" Lindor asked

"The ancestor inside of me, I kind of blacked out when he took control." Prince admitted

"We'll need to work on that" Lindor said, taking his stance ``Give the people their possessions back, say you found them or something. And then meet me in the dungeon! Cover your face when you enter as usual!" Lindor said, taking off.

Lindor and Prince headed back to the Den of Wolves and regrouped in a basement.

"So, before you can officially join the crew, you need to learn complete control of your Ancestor. You'll need to stay in the "Dark Prince form" for at least 6 hours"

"6 hours?"

"Yes… If people are aware you can change into a different form… things will become complicated. You must keep this a secret. By day you will hide from the members of the wolves den, appearing to the world as my nephew Lindt. By night you will be "The Dark Prince" the embodiment of darkness.

"Is that why you shackled me here?" Prince said, once again handcuffed to a large beam.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

"Precisely, if you can survive this training for 30 days, I guarantee you will be able to control your ancestor! So shall we begin?" Lindor said eagerly

"Sure what's first?" Prince said, completely void of enthusiasm

"Well it's the morning and we have just woken up... We shall begin by meditating. Close your eyes, and focus only on your breathe."

"In… out… in… out…in-" Prince thought

"In and out Prince, focus only on the breathe, free your mind of all thoughts" Godefroi said (Prince rememebered)

"Tsk!" Prince said breaking concentration.

"What is it?" Lindor asked

"It's… nothing" Prince said returning to meditation.

"Ok now what?" Prince asked after finishing the exercise

"Next we shall read an hour of scripture."

"Scripture? Why do I have to read that? What does that have to do with-"

"I can't explain it now but trust me" Lindor said, throwing a bible at him. "Over the next thirty days that Bible will become your closest friend."

"This? My closest friend?" Prince though opening its dusty pages.

"Finally, this is the sword your ancestor used to attack me with ease." Lindor said, giving Prince the artifact. Once you finish 10 swings 10 pushups 10 pull ups and 10 sit ups you will be done with exercising for the day.

Prince lifted the artifact above his head.

"It was so easy back then… but this thing is actually pretty heavy..." He thought

It was more of a scimitar than a straightforward sword. Its curved edge was lined with dents along its blade, showing the wear it had weathered through the years. With a red hilt and a loop guard around it that looked like a Jolly Roger, it made sense that the blade had belonged to a pirate. It was heavy but not enough to make 10 swings difficult.

Prince blew through his exercise with ease, barely breaking a sweat through it.

"That was easy, this training is going well, what's the catch?" Prince said

"Catch? There is no catch, you're doing well. It's time for lunch. Is there anything you would like in particular? Anything at all?"

"Yeh…." Prince said unconvinced by Lindors kindness, can I have something with chocolate? Anything with chocolate would be amazing"

"You've got it! Did you have an instrument you played at the castle?"

"Well I used to play the harpsichord…"

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Yes, I used to play love songs for… a past lover on it..."

"Then we shall add that to the training! I will bring one for you! Feel free to play it until dinner."

"This certainly hasn't been what I expected training to be…" Prince said. "It's been pretty simple so far, when will the hard part come?"

"I will tell you after dinner," Lindor said. "I will bring you the harpsichord to practice, I want you to play me something."

Prince sat at the harpsichord, filled to the brim with the delicious supper he had just devoured.

"Well begin!" Lindor said instructing Prince.

"This is a piece I wrote myself…" Prince said "Back when I was in love."

Prince began playing a soft melody, softly touching on the keys. He played a wondrous series of arpeggios, softly dancing his fingers across the chord with ease. As the song came to an end, he came down on the harpsichord hard and strong playing a series of powerful octaves, filling the room with a great passion.

"That was amazing!" Lindor said, clapping his hands. "Where did you learn to play like that?"

"My mother taught me…" Prince said softly rubbing his fingers on the keys. "She used to say sometimes one song can explain emotions better than a thousand words are able to…"

"She is more right than she ever knew," Lindor said. "That is precisely why I have brought it here."

"What… are you talking about?" Prince asked

"Prince" Lindor said in a serious tone. There was a hint of regret in his voice, but a stern diligence in it as well,

"For the next thirty days you cannot eat… under any circumstances. Every day I will eat my meals beside you, and I will also bring a plate of food for you as well that you will not be able to touch sitting outside your cell each day growing cold… as you hunger for it"

"That's madness! I could die if I go without food for that long!"

"You won't die as long as you have food for your soul… Remember that and you will survive this ordeal" Lindor said "Tomorrow as well as the next day's onward, you will add 30 to each one of your exercises, 30 swings, 30 pushups, 30 pull ups and 30 sit ups incrementing by 30 each day. At the end of each day you will also play the harpsichord for me… In exchange for that I will give you water."

"So that's it? You're just going to say that and leave? What is the purpose of this training?"

"We will start this training all over from the beginning under two circumstance. A, you break out from your cell and eat the food, or B you do any kind of self-mutilation?"

"Self-mutilation? Why would I do that?"

"I pray you don't have to find out" Lindor said exiting the room

January 2nd 1611,

"Well it's been a day let's see how he's doing "Lindor said coming down into the dungeon.

Prince's eyes were red as blood, but his hair was still the same color. He hadn't undergone the transformation, but it was clear he hadn't got an ounce of sleep.

"Lindor…" Prince said "Please… let me out of here! Let me out!!!!!" Prince yelled. He ran to the edge of his cell banging on the bars with his shackles in a crazed frenzy.

"As I thought." Lindor said "For the last 24 hours that one has been polluting your mind and trying to get you to break out."

"Yes! Please let me out let me out!"

"Im… sorry Prince…" Lindor said. "I don't think you can play music in that state… I'll have to hold this water until tomorrow…"

"Please! Please let me out! At least give me something! Water! Alcohol! Anything to quiet this demon!" Prince yelled.

January 3rd 1611,

"Maybe… today will be better" Lindor said

When Lindor came into the room, Prince was passed out on the floor, trembling with a bible in his hand. His hand rested over a scripture he had circled.

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen."

-Corinthians 4

"So, you have found salvation," Lindor said, placing a glass of water next to Prince. I will show you mercy just this once, you're my nephew after all."

January 8th 1611,

"It's been a week now… your harpsichord has gotten better but it's nothing compared to what it used to be. How can this be?" Lindor said chowing down on some porridge.

"How…" Prince squeaked "How do you expect me to have any energy at all?" Prince said. He watched Lindor's porridge slide down his throat like it was the last drop of water in a scorching desert.

"I'm doing nearly 300 of those exercises a day and my stomach is beginning to burn" Prince said grabbing his aching belly.

"I gave you that answer on day one… do I need to repeat myself?" Lindor said slurping his bowl.

"You mean to feed.... my soul? How does one do that?" Prince asked.

"Find out what your soul is… and then you will have your answer" Lindor said walking out.

"What my soul is…" Prince thought

January 15th 1611,

"It's been two weeks of this and yet you look better than last week? Care to explain?" Lindor asked, eating a delicious cherry pie. He watched Prince calmly flip through pages of bible.

"I've been thinking to myself…" Prince said without turning around. "The only thing keeping me going was to kill my uncle… I thought... That was my soul… but I'm beginning to see there's more to it than that…" Prince said

"He's ignoring the pie… no it's deeper than that… He hasn't noticed the pie!" Lindor thought

"Oh? And what do you mean by that?" Lindor asked

"I… I wrote another song for the harpsichord today… That's not going to help me with revenge… That's not going to help me get out of this room… but I did it… and I enjoyed it… I couldn't figure out why that was until now." Prince said

"And why is that?"

"It's because I like expressing myself… I also like figuring out the truth of things… that's why I've finished the bible."

"Here is the water." Lindor said, placing a huge gallon of water next to him.

"Lindor! This is enough for two weeks! Why did you give me this?"

"Here's a better question, why are you asking me that? Why aren't you gulping it down? Why didn't you complain about your stomach hurting?"

"My… stomach?" Prince said.

Immediately he felt the pain of his hunger start to overcome him again. His eyes began to flash red, as his hair slowly started to turn black.

"Foolish BOYYY!!!! Get me out of here! I'm going to drink that entire gallon!"

"Great is the lord and worthy of praise" Prince said opening a bible.

Within moments his hair returned to its normal color.

"Bible verses seem to put my soul at ease" Prince said. "And through that ease… I can control him."

"It won't be long now," Lindor said. "Soon you will be in full control of him."

January 30th 1611,

"Are you ready for your final exam?" Lindor said. Prince looked like nothing more than rags and bones, but seemed mentally pristine. He had a grace to him now, a cold and defiant one, but a grace nonetheless.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Activate your power." Lindor said getting into his stance.

"Shadow eye!" Prince said without hesitation. There was nothing, no fighting from Pedro, not even a word, only the eyes of glistening scarlet.

"It's quiet in there isn't it?"

"How… what happened."

"You fed your soul and starved his out, now you are in control!"

"Tell me, what is this thing about souls?"

"The way an artifact works is by tethering your soul fragments or soul spheres."

"Soul what?"

"Everyone has a soul, this soul is fragmented into 5 parts or 5 spheres. Your ancestor has 5 spheres as well. These Spheres can be used to perform special skills called artes.

"Using an arte like a shadow eye probably takes up one sphere, but transforming your body probably costs 5 and depletes even more spheres over time. By default using attacks uses your ancestor's spheres. Once your Ancestors spheres have been used up, you can use your own to perform artes, however once your souls have expired, you're supposed to die, but in your case your ancestor is taking over."

"I'm using all of my soul on just one attack?" Prince asked

"Before you definitely did not have 5 spheres. Or if you did each one of those spheres must have been incredibly small. Only a sliver of your soul was left for fighting, after all, a big attack like summoning a spirit must take at least 4 or 5 souls. That immediately burnt through your ancestors' souls and left you with maybe half of one, if you could only control him for a few seconds you didn't have much. But now you have 5 spheres, I can see it. And with those 5 you should be able to control him!"

"How did you go from near 0 to five? The soul gets stronger by making your body more physically tough, and by reading the scripture and playing the harpsichord you cultivated-"

"Lindor…" Prince said lifting his handcuffs. "That's great and all… but can I get something to eat now?"