Last week was hectic, not only from Blarence's arrival but also from the knowledge that I gained during our hunt for Blarence, and what could be his twin sons. Onel's older brothers, from what I heard.

I never expected the Grevalons to live in such misery from the issues that did not sprout from the outside but rather from within the family.

Maybe Fearian wasn't committing all of these crimes because he was a Naught. Maybe it was his way of letting his emotions loose and maybe cope. Or the fact Onel was lying the entire time and tossing the blame on his son as a way to live a life without anger, fear and negligence. Onel was clearly unprepared for fatherhood, yet he insisted on becoming one.

Was this the reason Fearian didn't want to answer me when I asked for the reasons behind his crimes? Was he ashamed to answer? Was it because he never had a stable relationship with his father? Onel's actions and lies alone have answered my questions.

But then, I was surprised to see Fearian mourn for his father when I announced that Onel will be imprisoned, for his deception that caused all this mess to happen, and how Onel accepted his penalty without hesitation. Perhaps he learned his lesson after all during our search for his father, or maybe something happened between him and Fearian that changed his perspective. Anyways, that wasn't shocking.

What shocked me the most was what happened when I went out cold. I woke up in the Healing Temple and found men surrounding my bed. Hunter Red Minsan was there along with what seemed to be foreign humans, each wore a different colour from red to violet.

From there, the men told me they came to the deep dungeons and fought alongside Fearian and Red and held Blarence down for a bit, but that didn't last, and Blarence broke loose again. Only for him to suck Fearian's shadow form.

I was confused by that part, and they were too, but some of them were worried about why it happened. They continued fighting without Fearian until the beast himself flashed and disappeared, revealing Fearian and Blarence himself.

I was glad it was over, but the shocking part was when Blarence killed himself before they rushed to save him.

I would've sighed in disappointment, but Blarence was different from the rest. The men said he killed himself in shame or because of some failure rather than sacrifice like the previous Dark Meanians I caught. I was shocked by his sudden death.

However, at least we have his twin sons to interrogate, and maybe I'll ask Fearian and see what he had done to make the monstrous form disappear.

But not now, not after General Anikar and Master Hunter Roiass have returned from their search with dreadful evidence. It was the moment my heart had sunk deeper, and my anxiety had reached the roof.

"We went all over the continents and across all seas, from our kingdom to the Swan Kingdom in the south, and all the way to The Eastern Lands. Without luck we haven't found him." General Anikar pointed at the map and slid his bandaged fingers across the parchment.

"We even went to the Windelia Empire where that big family of Olmers rule, a large island in the south-east from our land, and he wasn't there either." Roiass rested his leg over the other as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Then how did you say you found him?" I turned my gaze to the chain bracelet in my grasp, watching the blue mist wander inside the black orb as I rotated it with my fingers.

"That's where we discovered a land we haven't stepped our foot on, there were unexplored continents in the west of Mashillia," Anikar spoke as his cold eyes darted at Roiass.

"Don't throw the blame on me but rather at whoever thought he explored 'all' of Mashillia, this isn't my fault--"

"Well you should've at least cooperated and mentioned some of the lands you explored and led us there, so we wouldn't have wasted our time." Anikar pulled the map and rolled it to a close quickly.

"I barely survived those lands on my own! Why risk bringing all of the men to search there?! There's nothing else except for dangerous beasts living on dangerous environment! I warned you because I experienced it myself!" Roiass stomped the floor as his visible veins pulsated on his neck.

"Gentlemen, don't start an argument, I just need answers." I looked at the two men again, who stared at each other with dissent. "Get to the point when I ask, did you travel to the west? Or not?"

The men turned to me.

"We did," Anikar's tense shoulders slumped. "it was worth it, but unbearable." He threw his peridot eyes at Roiass again.

"What happened?" I quickly asked to prevent another argument, but that only brought more yelling.

"I warned you! I fucking warned you Anikar but you didn't listen--"

"Although it was a risk but we found him there! The environment or the beasts weren't the issues we faced! But rather your lack of responsibility--"

"How the fuck I was supposed to know there is a colony living in that shit hole they call home!? I only reached the surface of that goddamn place and barely survived so I didn't go deeper than that! Why do you throw all the blame on me?!" Roiass jumped from his seat and smacked the table.

"Because you have the damn experience and skill you should've known better--"

"ENOUGH!" I jumped from my seat and smacked the table with both hands, and silver spikes burst out of the floor behind them.

Gladly, that shut their fight.

"Look, last week had been chaotic enough and gave me a headache! So when I ask you what the hell happened you should get to the damn point cause I don't want to waste time! Yet here you are fighting over an argument that won't take us anywhere instead of providing the fucking information that I need!" I smacked again with a fist as the items on the table jumped from my force.

Silence draped over the room as the men stood there, staring at me in disbelief and shame washing down upon them. I fell back to my seat with my eyes still locked on them. "Now, tell me, what exactly happened when you went to the west?"

The two men followed my position by sitting in their seats.

"When we went there, we encountered what Roiass had warned us about and managed to get over them, we had no problem with it, however," Anikar's hand clenched to a fist.

"During our search, our men started to go either missing or killed by traps set by the colonisers who lived there, that's what Roiass didn't warn us," Anikar spoke.

"The deeper we went in that land the riskier the paths have become until we were ambushed and outnumbered, and the attackers... Showed no mercy, and we tried to fight back." Roiass averted his aquamarine eyes from me, folding his arms that were wrapped in bandages.

"None of the men survived, we were the only survivors, and these attackers were none other than Dark Meanians who claim they are from the Dragon Colony," Roiass added.

"From there, we were taken to their leader, King Elevor, and he gave us this message to send it to you. And that's all." Anikar took out a scroll from his bag and gave it to me, then leaned his back on his seat.

"That's it?" I asked. "That king murdered my people and is now holding my brother captive?" I clenched the bracelet.

"That's what we heard and saw, your majesty. Now one day had passed and nine days are left, so we don't have much time to lose." Anikar folded his arms.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Because if we're going back to that hellhole, we need to prepare our supplies from now on, and if I'm not mistaken, it's going to take us at least three days to travel there on ship from here," Roiass answered.

"That's not the only thing to consider, but what needs to be concerned about is the fact that Dark King 'demands' King Salvador's presence, and another thing to be worried about are the risks. We've seen what happened to our men, so we shouldn't bring more--"

"But still, the king can't go there on his own, we don't know what that shithead Elevor is going to do to our king, that is another risk to think about." Roiass interrupted.

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Anikar asked.

"Let's just prepare the supplies for travel and let King Salvador and I go there, this way I have the knowledge of the dangers that lurk there--"

"No," I said.

"Why not, your majesty?" Anikar turned to me in surprise.

"You two have went through a lot, and you've been travelling for more than two weeks just to search for my brother. So you have accomplished your mission as I asked you, now go and have rest while I'll think this through," I explained.

"Look your majesty I'm not doing this because I want to but because we're worried about your future and this kingdom, what will happen when you--"

"I said I'll think this through," I raised my hand to silence Roiass. "now you are dismissed, go and rest because your bodies went through enough injuries. I'll call you when I have the solution." I stood up from my seat, left the library and closed the doors behind me.

Once I did that, I took out the items to examine them.

I held the bracelet in one hand while the other held the golden remains of my brother, consisting of hair and a feather, along with the Dark King's violet scroll.

I failed to contain my tears.

~~~

I couldn't stop my heel from tapping the floor, and I couldn't stop thinking about all that stressed me. I don't know how long I sat on my desk pondering about what the two men have told me.

My first worry was when we encountered Blarence, who was possessed by my enemy's clone spirit and caused chaos with his arrival. From that incident, I began to worry about the possibility of his return when I saw his new abilities put into action. His abilities were powerful, perhaps too powerful that he might've used the power of darkness itself to assist him.

And now, after I discovered about my brother's capture by another Dark King, things have become... Stressful, overwhelming and anxious for me personally. The fear that I've tried to hide for years had started to rise again, aching my heart with heavy concerns for the future.

Right now, I have two enemies, one demands my presence and is holding my brother captive, the other is coming for my blood, somehow.

I never expected my role as a king to be that difficult, very difficult when your enemies are seeking a way to annihilate you for vengeance and bring danger along. As well as planning on 'bringing the kingdom to the depths' as they say, destroying the peace I brought and built for my people.

In all honesty, that's what I'm afraid of the most, to see innocent people suffer and see my loved ones get hurt when I don't have the power.

But I shouldn't be worried, as king, I should have planned a way to protect my people and defend the kingdom from all threats, right? Well, I have already planned that, but even I don't know why I'm still afraid and worried about the current situation I'm thrown into.

I thought maybe it has something to do with King Black's possession over Blarence and the number of Dark Meanians trying to break into the kingdom. A serious issue that must be investigated--

A knock on the door brought me back to reality, stopping my train of thought and opening my eyes. Did I drift into sleep with my countless thoughts? Maybe I did accidentally slip into a light slumber. That's strange of me.

I gently shook my head to push the tiredness away and looked at the door across the room.

"Come in," I called.

The door opened with a gentle creak and a little furless boy came running towards my desk, a wide smile was drawn on his little face as his sandy blond hair bounced along with excitement. Then came the Helpiur after, his arms hidden beneath his robes' wide sleeves.

"Daddy!" The boy cried as he approached me and I stretched my arms for him.

"Hey little Samuel," I lifted him from the floor and put him on my lap. "how are you doing?" I rubbed his hair with a smile.

"I'm happy!" The boy cried as he hugged me.

"Happy to see me again? I'm happy to see you too!" I hugged back, gently of course, otherwise I could've broken his little skeleton with my Meanian strength.

The moment we embraced, the stress and fear melted away like the winter snow, thawing for the bright spring to take over once again. That spring was my relief and joy when I saw Samuel again.

The boy whom I took and put under my wing, the boy who somehow washed up on Marketa Shore with a fresh scar on his temple, not a single thought about his family's whereabouts. Yet after my care, he seemed to forget about his own past pain.

"Good evening, your majesty, I hope you had a pleasant week," The Helpiur spoke with a warm smile.

I looked straight at The Helpiur's eyes to send him a mind message about what happened, it took him a short moment to read and his eyes widened.

"Deyar Solius... Again?" He whispered in shock.

"We'll speak about this later." I nodded then looked at Samuel again. "How did Samuel do for the week?"

"Well... " The Helpiur looked around, trying to shake away the knowledge he just acquired about what happened.

"Little Samuel here had learned a lot of things, he even learned how to count in Meniesh." He smiled again.

"Really?" I raised my brows to show my impression.

"I can count in Meniesh!" Samuel waved his hands excitedly.

"Well then, show me," I asked.

Samuel closed his hands into small fists as he counted each number. " Ony... Tewo... Tehry... " He hesitated. "A-And... Foyur, Fyvei, Syks, Seevyn, Iyet, Nynie..."

I secretly counted along to help him remember, and for the last number, I gave a hint. "Ty?"

Samuel paused, then his eyes lit. "Tyen!"

"Well done! You counted to ten in Meniesh!" I clapped and the boy laughed. "Did you show your counting to your friends?"

Samuel's bright smile slowly faded at the mention of friends, the light in his eyes had disappeared as he looked down.

"What's wrong?" I narrowed my brows in concern.

Samuel remained silent and fiddled with his fingers.

"I... Don't have friends..."

I was surprised by his words, and I looked at The Helpiur for an explanation.

"Well... Unfortunately, since his first week in the Meanian Kingdom, the children haven't been so... Nice to little Samuel," he explained sympathetically.

"Did they say or do anything to you?" I looked at Samuel again.

He paused.

"They called me puny and l-laughed at me." Tears started to build up in his natural green eyes.

The moment I saw the rising tears I lifted him and wrapped my arms around him, that's where he began to whine and cry.

"There there, it's alright, they're just mean." I gently patted his back.

"But why?"

"Well, maybe because you're human, the boys think you're weak, but you're not weak," I stroked his head. "in fact, you're strong and I know it. And it doesn't have to be about lifting heavy things."

Samuel pushed himself away so he could see my face, tears streaming down his cheeks and his lips quivering.

"How?"

"You're strong in here," I pointed at his heart. "you're strong because you are good and kind, the boys might not see that, but as time moves on and you keep being good, they'll see."

"But their words... T-They hurt me a-and I keep remembering them." Samuel sniffed. "What did you... What did you do when the boys hurt you?"

I paused at the question he asked, and I thought about it for a few moments as it brought all the memories of the past. Some memories were sweet, bright and warm, while others were bitter, dark and cold. I hesitated for a moment, then an idea had struck my mind.

"You know what? How about I tell you a story about how I became king? Maybe that will help you understand how you are strong and be stronger, what do you say?" I said with a smile.

Samuel sat there for a brief moment, then he nodded at my suggestion.

"That's what I like to hear, now I want you to dry your tears and head to bed, I tell you the story tomorrow."

"Already?" He awed.

"Yeah already, it's almost midnight and you need sleep." I playfully poked his little nose. "Now, you promise to go to bed?"

"I-I promise!" He smiled again and made another embrace.

"Alright, now off you go." I put him on the floor and he immediately ran to the door.

The Helpiur was about to follow along, but I stopped him.

"Tylon, if you could stay for a moment?" I called.

He turned to me. " Is there anything you need your majesty?"

"I know it's a bit early to inform but... Tomorrow morning, I need you to escort certain men to my palace. Tell them it's the king's orders."

"Escort them? Sorry for my curiosity, but why do you need them? And who do you want me to bring?"

I paused.

" I need these men so I can offer them my story as well, they deserve to know what happened and what is happening at the moment. Since they seem to be... Excellent fighters,"

"I need you to bring Kyvan and Sehaun Deylia, Red Minsan and the Grevalon brothers, specifically Darvin and Fearian. They need to hear what happened after they had their incident with Blarence." I answered his curious question with confidence.