Elsewhere, within the high walls of the castle, the prince sat upon his throne, relaxed, drinking fine wine and eating rare fruits. Outside, his people bled in the streets, the kingdom shattered into pieces. But he didn't care, never had. Only one thing ever mattered to him - himself.
"Your Royal Highness..."
The voice came from a guard entering the hall. He dragged a man behind him, all bloodied and barely conscious. Handcuffs clinked around the prisoner's wrists.
"We caught him passing information about our troop numbers and positions to the enemy."
The prince didn't even flinch.
"Kill the coward.... We don't tolerate traitors here."
The guard bowed and turned to leave with the prisoner in tow. But then, a broken voice, but steady flew out of the man's lips.
"Coward...?"
The prince turned, eyebrow raised.
"The only coward here is you.... You sit on your throne, drunk on power and gold, while millions live without food, without hope, without a future.
You are no ruler... just the spoiled child of a monstrous family. A coward who lets others suffer so he can feel like a king."
Silence fell for a moment. Then, the Prince stood.
"Wait," he said.
"I'm bored... Let's play a game."
A faint smile appeared on his face, like he's about to do something cruel.
"It's called hand roulette. But instead of your hands... we'll use your entire body."
Four guards pinned the prisoner to the ground. Arms stretched wide. Legs spread apart. He couldn't move, not even flinch.
The prince stepped forward, smiling. He drew his sword and whispered
"Let the game begin."
He started with the legs. With precise aim the prince brought his sword down not to kill, but to play. Strike after strike slammed into the ground between flesh and bone.
Until finally... he pierced through the left leg. Then the right.
The prisoner screamed, not from the fear, but from the pain.
Then came the upper body. He stabbed between the ribs and arms, toying with space, pain until the sword found its first flesh. Left arm. Right arm. Four clean holes.
The prince laughed. A deep, uncontrollable laughter that echoed through the castle like a song of hell. And refused to stop for minutes
"That was... entertaining."
He raised the sword one final time. And drove it through the man's chest straight into his heart.
A man who had overcome his fear, who spoke the truth for the very first time in a kingdom of silence... was given a hole in the chest. The truth that bought him death.
"Your Royal Highness!"
A guard ran through the doors with a panic in his voice.
"The Legion of Knights has begun their assault - they're raiding the city!"
The prince didn't blink.
"Kill them," he said coldly.
"Kill every living soul."
Without a second thought, the guards rushed out, leaving the prince alone in the throne room.
Meanwhile two avengers entered the castle. With the same magic The Guide had used during past battles against the royal army, they slipped past the guards unnoticed. But then - they heard it. A sharp, maniacal laugh echoed from above. They followed it.
They reached it, the throne room. Wrapped in invisibility, the two stepped inside. At its centre stood the prince - alone. A sword hung in his hand, dripping with fresh blood. A lifeless body lay at his feet. Then he turned.
"Show yourselves!"
The Reaper's hand moved toward his sword. The Guide took a single step backward. The magic that made them vanish, disappeared. The magic couldn't hide them anymore, not from the son of the Tyrant.
Two avengers, born of blood and tragedy, and the Monster who had never feared any consequences finally met.
And in that moment... The end finally began.