The air in the prison was suffocating, thick with the stench of rot and despair. For years, Prince Lucian had been confined to this hellish place, far from the grandeur of his family's castle. This was no royal dungeon; it was a filthy, forgotten cell beneath the manor of a corrupt noble. The stone walls were damp, the straw bedding teeming with vermin, and the only light came from a small barred window high above. He had no idea how many years had passed, only that each day in this place felt like an eternity.

The noble who owned this land had risen to power in Lucian's absence. Rumors of his decadence and cruelty had reached even the depths of the prison. On this particular day, distant echoes of laughter and music reached Lucian's ears. A wedding was being held above—a grand celebration for the noble's daughter. Nearly every guard had been summoned to the festivities, leaving only a pair of soldiers to patrol the prison.

Lucian's resolve sharpened. This was his chance.

The crude lockpick he had fashioned from a rusted nail was finally put to use. With shaking hands, he worked it into the lock. The years of confinement had weakened his body but not his determination. The tumblers clicked, and the cell door creaked open. His heart pounded as he slipped into the shadows of the corridor.

At the end of the hall, the two guards sat at a rickety table, drinking and playing cards. Their laughter grated against his nerves. Grabbing a loose stone from the ground, he stepped into the room. One guard looked up just as Lucian brought the stone crashing down on his head, dropping him instantly. The other guard scrambled for his sword, but Lucian lunged, tackling him to the ground. Using the first guard's dagger, he ended the man swiftly. Retrieving their weapons, a sword and a shield, he felt the weight of vengeance settle in his hands.

The manor above was alive with drunken revelry. Servants bustled about, carrying trays of wine and platters of food. Lucian moved through the chaos unseen, slipping past distracted guards and servants. Reaching the outer gates, he timed his escape perfectly with a burst of fireworks that lit up the night sky. He disappeared into the surrounding forest, leaving the noble's estate behind.

The journey back to his homeland was a haunting one. Villages lay in ruin, their streets eerily quiet. The fields, once teeming with crops, were now overgrown or barren. He encountered soldiers on the outskirts of a farmstead, jeering at the villagers who toiled under their watchful eyes.

"Look at these worms," one soldier sneered. "Slaves pretending to be people."

Lucian froze, his grip tightening on his sword. He could feel his anger boiling over. Before he could think, he was upon them. His shield bashed into the first soldier, sending him sprawling. The second raised his weapon, but Lucian's sword cut through him with ruthless precision. The remaining soldiers shouted and rushed to attack, but he fought with the fury of years lost to captivity. When the last soldier fell, the villagers stood in stunned silence, their faces pale with fear.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Lucian turned to them, blood dripping from his blade. "You're free," he said, his voice cold. But their fear of him lingered as he walked away.

The palace gates were ajar when he arrived. The courtyard was a battlefield, littered with the bodies of guards and nobles alike. Inside, the stench of death was overpowering. Lucian pushed open the doors to the throne room, his heart pounding.

Blood stained the marble floors, and shattered weapons were strewn about. At the center of the carnage sat his sister on the throne, her armor smeared with blood, a sword resting across her lap. She looked up as he entered, her gaze sharp and unyielding.

"I thought you were dead," she said flatly.

He stepped forward, his sword lowered. "What happened here? What has become of our kingdom?"

She rose from the throne, her posture rigid. "Foolishness happened," she said bitterly. "These guards and nobles thought they could take my life and claim the throne for themselves. They underestimated me."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of bloodshed. He glanced around the room, piecing together the story. "You've been fighting alone."

She nodded, her expression hardening. "When you vanished, Father sent search parties to every corner of the realm. He even begged for help from neighboring kingdoms. It destroyed him. Mother died within a year, her heart broken over your loss. And Father..." Her voice faltered, but she quickly recovered. "Father couldn't bear it. Losing you and Mother weighed too heavily on him. He passed away a few months later."

Lucian staggered, the weight of her words threatening to crush him. "I didn't choose to disappear," he said, his voice trembling. "I was taken, imprisoned by a noble who betrayed us. I escaped only days ago."

Her gaze softened, but only slightly. "While you rotted in a cell, I was here, extinguishing rebellions and exiling traitorous nobles. I know some of them were under a curse, their actions twisted by dark magic, but I couldn't take chances. The kingdom had to survive. I regret the choices I made, but I had no choice."

He stepped closer, his grip tightening on his sword. "What about the soldiers? What about the villagers?"

Her voice dropped, heavy with guilt. "The curse didn't spare the soldiers. It made them cruel, monstrous. The villagers suffered under their tyranny, and the rebellions followed. I hid the truth, but the weight of it... it's unbearable. Not all the soldiers were affected, though. The loyal ones, the ones who remained untainted, kept me informed. They told me about the Dark Elf—how he met with some of the nobles before they changed."

Lucian's eyes narrowed. "This Dark Elf... do you know where he is?"

She nodded grimly. "The loyal soldiers believe he went to the wood elves. If you want answers, you'll need to start there. Investigate it, Lucian. Find the truth."

He studied her, the sister he had once known now a hardened warrior. "Why didn't you tell me all of this sooner?"

"Because you weren't here," she snapped. "You abandoned us—whether by choice or not, you were gone. And I was left to pick up the pieces."

Her words cut deeper than any sword. "Then why let me live now?" he asked.

She held his gaze, her voice steady. "Because we need you. The kingdom needs its prince. Act, don't linger. Prove you're still worthy of the throne."

He nodded, his resolve hardening. "I will."

As he turned to leave, her voice stopped him. "Lucian... don't let me regret letting you go."

Without another word, he set off toward the east, where rumors of a Dark Elf and a deadly curse awaited him.