When Edwin next opened his eyes, he found himself caught in a relentless current, the river's icy grip tugging at his frail form.

Confusion and fear surged through him as he realized he was no longer on the familiar streets of the Royal Capital.

Panic set in, and he desperately flailed his tiny arms, struggling to make sense of his surroundings.

The river showed no mercy, sweeping Edwin away, drawing him further and further from the protective walls of the city. He could only watch in terror as the familiar buildings grew smaller and smaller in the distance.

As the river surged onward, it inexorably approached a deafening waterfall.

Edwin's heart pounded in his chest, his eyes widened in terror, and his voice was silenced by the rushing roar of the water.

His tiny form plummeted over the edge, a helpless scream trapped within his throat.

The harrowing descent ended with a unbearable crash into a vast, cold lake below. The impact was catastrophic.

Edwin's fragile body bore the brunt of the fall, and the bones within him snapped and cracked upon impact.

Agonizing pain lanced through his being as he sank into the depths of the lake, his consciousness slipping away like a wisp of smoke in the chilling water.

In those final moments, as darkness closed in around him, Edwin's young mind was left with a profound and haunting sense of puzzlement and terror.

‘Why?’ This question roamed in his mind at this moment.

As Edwin's consciousness began to slip away, a variety of aquatic creatures, including fish, frogs, lobsters, crabs, seahorses, coral, clams, and more, drew closer to his fragile form. Nature dictated that his body would become their meal.

However, before a single bite could be taken, a colossal and menacing presence materialized, enveloping Edwin's tiny form in a protective shroud.

The fish, startled and alarmed, issued a collective cry, "Scatter! This is the aura of that Eccentric Serpent!"

In response to the ominous energy, the aquatic beings hastily retreated, leaving Edwin's unconscious body untouched.

Shortly thereafter, a remarkable, green-scaled creature, capable of walking on two legs, appeared beside the young and vulnerable Edwin. Its orange eyes, with slit black pupils, regarded Edwin with an oddly detached gaze.

'These humans can be so vicious. Even a hatchling like him has been struck by such a dreadful poison. Perhaps rescuing him won't be worth the effort,' the creature pondered.

An enigmatic and comforting energy swathed Edwin entirely as the Eccentric Serpent prepared to whisk him away to safety.

Yet, in a sudden twist of fate, the creature's eyes widened as it sensed something peculiar.

'Fascinating. He bears the Royal Bloodline of the Brolia Empire,' it mused, its lips curling into a sly grin.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

'It seems that saving him may indeed be worth the trouble. He shall serve as a most intriguing experiment.'

~~

Slowly, as if emerging from a dream, Edwin began to stir. He found himself in an unfamiliar, dimly lit place.

His eyes blinked in the darkness, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

"Where... where am I?" he muttered aloud, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

As his senses adjusted to the gloom, Edwin's wide eyes darted around, and a shiver of fear crept over him. The cave-like walls, the eerie silence, and the strange ambiance left him bewildered and anxious.

Just then, a pair of orange eyes with black-slitted pupils flickered to life, gazing at him coldly from the shadows.

Edwin's heart leaped in his chest as he caught sight of the imposing figure before him.

With an audible gulp, Edwin managed to stammer, "S-Snake! I... I gotta get away!"

He attempted to shift his body, but a sudden jolt of pain shot through him, especially in his tender bones and muscles.

"Don't move. Your body's still healing from that fall and the nasty poison," the Serpent stated with a chilly demeanor.

"What?" Edwin blurted out, his wide eyes fixed on the Serpent in disbelief. "Th-the snake just talked!"

The Serpent's eyes flashed with irritation as it corrected him, "I'm a Serpent, not a lowly snake!"

"Yikes! The snake spoke again!" Edwin exclaimed, his fear escalating. A little child like him, naturally, couldn't distinguish between a Serpent and a Snake

The Serpent's stern gaze lingered on Edwin for a moment, but eventually, it relented with a sigh. "...Forget it. You wouldn't understand," it muttered, its tone less icy than before.

As time passed, the fog of confusion in Edwin's mind began to lift. The memories of the incident gradually returned, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle falling into place.

He remembered the sweet mango-flavored candy, followed by the ominous darkness that had engulfed his world.

Then came the vivid recollection of being carried away by the river's relentless current and the terrifying plunge down the waterfall.

"W-why am I here?" Edwin inquired with childlike curiosity, his initial fear gradually giving way to the need to make sense of his bewildering surroundings.

The Serpent, its demeanor still cold but now tinged with patience, began to explain, "Human, you were poisoned and cast into the river. The river's relentless current swept you off the cliff, sending you plummeting down the waterfall and into the lake. That's where I found you. At first, I contemplated allowing you to succumb to your fate, but upon sensing that you might be of some use in my experiments, I chose to save you."

Edwin's brows furrowed at the Serpent's response, and he pouted, puffing his cheeks in an irresistibly cute manner. "Don't call me 'Human.' I have a name, you know! It's Edwin! What's your name?"

The Serpent, deep in contemplation at Edwin's question, took a few moments to ponder. Finally, it replied, "...You may call me Vlad."

~~

The night had fallen, casting a shroud of darkness over the Royal Palace of the Brolia Empire. Within its ornate halls, chaos reigned as the absence of Edwin vi Rocswell, the Seventh Prince, sent shockwaves through the entire palace.

Allison vi Rocswell, the Fourth Queen of the Empire and Edwin's mother, paced anxiously in her chambers. Worry and self-doubt gnawed at her.

Her voice trembled as she issued a desperate order to her personal guards, who knelt before her, their faces masked with concern.

"My son is nowhere to be found within these walls," she implored, her tone fraught with anguish. "You must search the entire kingdom if need be. Do whatever it takes but bring him back to me."

The personal guards left no time to question the urgency of their Queen's command. They dispersed throughout the palace, interrogating servants, maids, and even palace’s guards who might have glimpsed the Seventh Prince.

Meanwhile, in her chamber, Allison was consumed by guilt, berating herself for what had transpired.

‘This is all my fault,’ she thought to herself. ‘My own leniency allowed him to venture outside to play. I should have been firmer with him.’

Her mind raced with dark thoughts, ‘Did something bad happen to him? Could it be someone who harbored resentment toward me and is taking it out on my precious son? Or was it someone from the enemy nations? Or even a stranger from the capital? I…I must save him.’

Allison's distress deepened as she considered the absence of her husband, Charles vi Rocswell, who was currently on an expedition, far from the Royal Capital.

The prospect of waiting for his return, which was still weeks away, became impossible.

‘I cannot afford to wait,’ she resolved, her determination strengthening as the urgency of her son's disappearance pressed upon her.

Just as she was about to move, she fainted. The stress had been too much for her frail condition.

Fortunately, her personal maid was there who went and immediately asked for the assistance of the Royal Physician and other Queens of the Brolia Empire.

Among the four Queens, it was the Third Queen, Margaret vi Rocswell, who stood by Allison's side, ready to offer her support.

Margaret swiftly issued orders, mobilizing a contingent of guards and granting them access to the Blood Tracking Relic to aid in the search for Edwin.

Regrettably, despite their fervent efforts and the deployment of this powerful artifact, the Blood Tracking Relic yielded no trace of Edwin.

Frustration and concern loomed over them all, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the fate of the Seventh Prince.

A day later Allison woke up, and she was informed of this news. A sense of relief washed over her as she received this news because this indicated that her son’s blood hadn’t been spilled.

Yet, lurking in the recesses of Allison’s mind was a far grimmer notion, one she dared not entertain: the unsettling possibility that those who had caused Edwin's disappearance knew about the Blood Tracking Relic and were astute enough to evade it.

The Royal Guards were completely unaware that Edwin was currently confined within the lair of a formidable Serpent nestled behind the waterfall, at the base of the cliff upon which the Royal Capital stood.

While the forest held a reputation for danger, it drew numerous parties of human hunters who ventured in, seeking to capture the various creatures that roamed its depths.

These intrepid hunters would return bearing the beasts they had slain, eager to sell their bounty to a variety of merchants and organizations in exchange for valuable currency.

The carcasses of these creatures would then find their way to organizations in need of resources.