I stared outside the window of my room while sitting in a chair. Auriana was on the floor playing with halo blocks on the floor. She was stacking them and knocking them down while summoning small versions of shadow animals. I was resting my head on my hand while my elbow was resting on the arm of the chair. It was past noon, Auriana and I finished eating lunch provided by Kliene not too long ago.
Today is the first day of me being on "leave" and I'm already growing bored sitting cooped up in the room. Kliene visited us in the morning and gave Auriana those halo blocks to play with. He told me that he will visit later on in the evening before he goes to eat dinner, but gods knows if he will actually show up.
Auriana looked at me and sighed, "School sucks."
I looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "How come."
Auriana sighed and slumped, "No one talks to me. I think it's because of my powers. They are weirded out that I talk to Death."
I sighed, "Well, it's not normal Auriana, you're a Pylae. Not many people can talk to gods. Maybe they are jealous."
Auriana sits back and leans on her hands, "I doubt they are momma. I am a Pylae like you say, my powers are frightening. Where they summon Ignis or Unda, I summon the dead." She looks away, "I made someone pass out of fear when I summoned the dead Kaelos bear you killed."
I looked at her, "you did what?"
She pursed her lips, "summoned the bear you killed."
Kaelos monsters are living? We thought they were already dead.
Auriana looked at me and smiled. If the Kaelos monsters are living, then they would have an origin spot or maybe even a creator. Auriana stumbled upon this by mistake, confirming David's theory on them being alive. The Kaelos monsters look undead though.
"Did I do something wrong? I just wanted to break the ice by showing the other students what I can do." Auriana sighs.
"Well… yes and no." I stood up, "You discovered an answer to our Kaelos invasion a bit Auriana." I went to the door, "I'll be back."
Auriana blinks, "but, you aren't allowed out."
I smiled, "I'll do it by force." I opened the door. The guards instantly blocked the entry by crossing their spears. I sighed and glanced at them separately, "let me out please."
Silence.
"I have an important message for his Highness." I crossed my arms.
"You can send him a message with that Mira technology you all Aetherials have access to." One spoke, "Don't you have perms to message his Highness?"
Auriana got up and walked over, "let my momma through please."
"I'm not allowed, his Highness would let us hear about it for months." They spoke again.
Auriana tips her head, "you can't stop us you know."
The guard laughs uncomfortably, "Oh, we know. We just hope you all will go easy on us."
I sighed again, "well, sorry in advance."
Auriana stomps her foot and two undead monsters broke through the ground and jumped at their faces. Their spears went to the ground with a clang. I rushed out of the room and winced as other palace staff came out of their rooms in confusion.
"He's escaping!" One of the butlers yelled, "Grab him!"
"G-grab Seth? Are you crazy Marcel?!" One of the maids shouted.
"Prince's orders!"
Yeah right… His Highness ordered them to keep me in my room, not manhandle me.
Auriana streaks past me with a Scythe in her hand that was way bigger than she was. She ran at Marcel and he went running back shrieking. Monsters broke through the ground behind her keeping the palace staff at bay. I followed her for awhile until I broke off towards Kliene's quarters.
The palace staff backed up as I passed by, looking at me weirdly.
"Why is he?"
"What is Seth doing out of his room?"
"Is that Seth?"
Man, they act as if I have a terminal illness. I rounded the corner and jumped up and over a guard running at me. I slid under the other one and kicked them back as they turned to run at me. I ran a few feet and ended up at the High Prince's chamber doors. The guards stationed there probably already knew what was going on. I walked slowly forward and they crossed their spears. I paused. Again?
I folded my arms, "mind letting me in?" I said dryly.
"You should be resting." The left guard spoke sharply.
I stared at them, they stared back. I tapped my foot and made note of their forms. I could take them down easily and they probably know that. Minutes passed, I rolled my eyes and unfolded my arms getting ready to knock them out. My aura ignited and I vaguely noticed them tensing up. I was a few feet away from them when the chamber doors opened. I paused.
Kliene stood there and he smiled faintly, "let him in."
The guards pulled back their spears and I walked past them, up to Kliene. He wrapped his arm around me and closed his doors. He lightly kissed the top of my head and I frowned. What is he doing? Kliene pulled me along with his arm and broke away once we made it to his seating area that we usually sit at when we are alone. Kliene went to the table and poured himself some hot water into a tea cup and began to make himself tea.
"Sit." He said dryly as he stood up, "What is so important, that you almost injured two more of my staff?" Kliene looked at me sternly, "If I was my father, I would have had you fired. However, I'm not him and not that kind of person. I'll give you time to explain yourself." He went over to a chair across from me and he sat down with his cup of tea.
I scratched the back of my head, "Well, now that you said that, it really isn't that important."
Kliene raised a brow.
"Auriana just discovered something and-"
"You could have just sent me a direct message using the system, Seth." Kliene took a sip of his tea, "her discovery can wait. Your health, can not. I had a royal Auxilium run tests on you while you slept and your energy levels are critical."
I stared at him.
He looked at me while he took another sip of his tea, "don't give me that look Seth, I'm your Prince but also your friend."
I gritted my teeth and turned my head away.
I heard him place his tea cup onto the table in front of him. I looked back at him and his gaze flickered at me once before he brought up his window. Kliene has on a white royal coat with a broach connecting his collar together that was the same color as his eyes with white pants and shoes. His Auburn hair made his white attire stand out and it was just barely touching below his ears. Kliene today had no royal crown on, meaning he was more than likely spending the majority of his day in his private quarters or office.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and he scrolled more on his screen. He brought up a finger to his lips in thought. Kliene's eyes skimmed quickly and he started typing up a message using the holo keyboard. He quickly sent it and his window dissolved out of the air as he sat back, sighing.
"David reported two more Kaelos monsters." Kliene pinched the bridge of his nose, "This is getting worse."
I crossed my arms and stared him down, "They're living, your Highness. Auriana summoned the bear I killed at her school."
Kliene's gaze flickered towards me, "So. This was your important message?"
I nodded.
"Well, it helps, but to increase security we need to go to Solaria again. Though I doubt we can… we've tarnished the fragile relationship we've had with them last month." Kliene sighed. A message panel flew up in his face and he frowned while reading it. Kliene swiped it away and it vanished. "The imposter just put bounties on our heads."
"That's not even legal, you're the High Prince of Valoria." I said sharply.
Kliene shrugs, "The people of Valoria will probably dismiss it kindly, however outsiders may not." He sat up and picked up his tea and raised it to his lips, "Some time in the near future though, we'll have to go back. I just don't know when." Kliene sipped his tea.
"It's illegal to try and kill the current Pylae. You house a fraction of a god's authority."
Kliene looked at me, "That won't stop a mad god. In their eyes, I'm just a human."
"You're the closest thing to Divinity, your Highness."
"It's like you think I'm able to be on par with a full god, Seth. Avalorne's main body resides in the realm of gods, even his secondary form can't rival a full god. They know what they're doing. The age of gods is long gone. Luminark appearing means nothing to Kinnarus, it only infuriates them."
I looked away, "then, what's your plan?"
"No idea."
… I looked back at him disgusted. Kliene was smiling with his eyes and lips. If a person could sparkle, he was definitely sparkling. A fox appears out of thin air next to his shoulder floating in the air. It had three tails and small demonic wings on its back. It was a juvenile fox.
"Hi." It spoke.
I jumped.
Kliene opened his eyes and looked at it, "Hey Foxy, is Auriana alright?"
It nodded and licked its lips, "Yeah, she gave your staff a big scare though. I loved watching them humans run away from a small girl in fear." It brought up its paws up to its face and its tails wagged happily, "got anything interesting going on here?" its eyes ran over the room and when it landed on me their eyes widened. "Ohhhh is that him?!" It started to float over to me.
Kliene's hand shot out and he grabbed the fox and covered its mouth, "Shut!"
The fox's tails wagged rapidly. I raised an eyebrow. The fox tried flying but Kliene's aura flared to life and sparks began to flash around them. They both began to growl.
What in Avalorne's name is going on?! I sat forward and raised my hand out, "Um…" The energy died quickly and they both looked at me. "What's going on?"
The fox wiggled free and flew out of Kliene's hands and nudged him with its paw, "Want me to tell him or you?"
Kliene grabs its throat, "Neither! If you blab, I swear I'll feed you to Avalorne!"
The fox squeaks.
I frowned, "What?"
"Nothing!" They both yelled.
Right, nothing about this is making any logical sense to me, and I bet if some third party was listening in, they too wouldn't understand.
"And so, the Prince continues to keep his heart closed off to others. In his heart there was only room for one person. Oh how I wish they would understand! He thought to himself. However he knew they never would." The fox sang.
Kliene covers his face and waves his hand at the fox, "just leave."
The fox giggles and poofs out of existence.
I stared at the open air where the fox had disappeared, "What was that?"
Kliene groaned, "The monologue or the fox?"
"The fox."
Kliene ran his hand through his hair, "A gift from Auri's god to keep her company. It's a creature from his realm that is commonly kept as a pet." Kliene stood up and went to his balcony. He leaned on the railing, his hair flew gently in the wind. A few message panels flew up next to him, but he didn't pay attention to them. Kliene is the youngest monarch ever recorded to rule Valoria. He refuses to accept the title King until he finds a companion to rule alongside him. Per his wishes, the people call him High Prince in place. Kliene's parents were murdered by two people, the past clan leaders of Lumoria.