Mitch's POV

I slung my bow over my shoulder. "Dad, I'm ready to go!"

"You can go outside and ride, go hunting for a bit. I'm trying to deal with some issues with your grandmother!" came my dad's muffled reply from the other side of the door.

My shoulders drooped. Grandma.... hasn't been doing really well. She's got dementia, something that.... old people get and they can't remember stuff.... I think.

"Oh. O-okay." I headed outside and went towards the stables. There I grabbed the reins of my horse, Benja, and lead him to the forest nearby. I swung onto his back and started riding through the huge forest.

A quick history lesson, if you don't mind.

The kingdom of Nadern, the one I'm freaking prince of, has always been the run-down kingdom. Half forest, half poor village, I don't understand why the founder, Joseph Garrett, decided it was a good place to build a kingdom. Or even name it Nadern. I mean, what the Nether does that even mean?

We're most known for the Azdels. Specifically their 12-year-old son. Seto Azdel is probably from Nikolai's prophecy, as the lightning dude. Seto's also the son of General Jayden Azdel of the Sky Army. And to top that, Seto's a flipping wizard. He's living like a king at his home.

Me? I'm a nobody.

Sure, my dad is the king of Nadern and I live in a literal palace, but do you think I LIKE being a flipping prince? I have to go everywhere with a guard. Nobody likes me because they think I'm a selfish little brat, even though that was SIX YEARS AGO. My maid dresses me like I'm three. Nobody in the castle appreciates my love for PVP.

Come on, Dad. I'm not a little two year old anymore.

By the time Dad was done with Grandma, I had killed 15 cows, 32 chickens, 47 pigs, and 21 sheep. And hauled it all to the kitchen.

Ah, hunting.

"Sorry about that, Mitchell. Your grandmother was being a tad bit more difficult than usual," Dad said, a smile on his face. His smile was empty and hollow. I frowned.

"Dad, what are you not telling me?" I asked, eyes narrowing. "Something's off. Spill it."

Dad sighed and dropped the smile. "I'm really that bad at acting, aren't I." I crossed my arms. "Okay, fine. Your grandmother is getting worse. We'll have to move her to the retirement home by next week."

Tears pricked at my eyes as I hung my head. "O-oh..."

Dad put his hand on my head. I looked up. "Don't worry about it, Mitchell. She'll be happier there." Geez, Dad. The one time you decide to be a good father.

"Anyway, Mitchell, how do you want to get to the Mycetain kingdom? Horse or carriage?"

I looked up and wiped my eyes. I smiled. "I can't believe you're actually asking that, Dad. What did you think I was going to answer?" I jumped on the back of Benja. "Let's go!"

An hour later...

"Ahh! Mum, help!"

"Vikram, use your bow and shoot from on top of your horse!"

"I'm trying, Mum."

Dad and I looked at each other before heading towards the direction of the cries. I held my bow out, ready to strike at any hostile target.

The source of the shouts were from a dark skinned boy and his mother. They both wore gleaming golden crowns, so I guessed they were probably the queen and prince of a kingdom. And they were being attacked by... I think they were wolves. But they were unlike any wolves I've ever seen. They were pitch black, with collars that seemed to be made of packed ice. They were weird.

I cocked an arrow into my bow and aimed at one of the wolves, who seemed to be attacking the boy. The boy had a bow in hand, but he wasn't using it. I rolled my eyes before releasing the arrow, which landed in the heart of the wolf. Stupid, I thought. Who brings a weapon into a fight, then doesn't use it?

Dad jumped off Orel, his horse, and mercilessly attacked the wolves with an iron sword that I think he drew from the inside his shirt. Blood stained his clothing, but he didn't seem to notice. He just kept on hacking and slashing at the black wolves.

Gotta admire my dad.

I've never seen him attack like that. Anger was flashing from his dark brown eyes like... um, I would say like a wolf meeting its prey, but that's happening now so.... like an annoying brother who just found out you ate the last cheese stick.

I shot another arrow in the direction of another ice-collared wolf. I reached into my quiver, only to find it empty.

"Notch flip these stupid cliche story ideas," I cursed. "Dude." I looked at the dark-skinned prince. He had a blue t-shirt with a red-and-blue diamond design on it. "You have arrows?"

The dude nodded and handed me twenty arrows. Not a lot, but it'll do. I hope.

The kid drew a gold sword and started fighting the wolves. As I stayed back and shot any wolf within 30 meters (go, metric system!), I couldn't help but stare in disgust at the dude. Well, not the dude. His sword. I mean, sure, if you're a prince you could afford a gold sword, but who would want to fight with one? It's heavy and too weak.

"But super flashy," I mused under my breath.

I reached into my quiver again. It was empty again. I cursed and drew my emergency iron sword. Running over to help the random prince whose name I don't know, I watched my dad fight ten wolves head on.

If only I could stop what happened next.

Stabbing at the wolves, Dad didn't see the huge wolf sneaking up behind him. The alpha, I thought.

The alpha was bigger than all the rest, and it had a white muzzle. Its black paws were littered with small snowflakes that looked like throwing stars. I stopped running to the prince dude and watched in shock as the wolf

pounced,

landed on my dad's back,

and sunk its teeth into Dad's shoulder.

"Dad!" I screamed.