{Please read on a laptop if possible}

"You either control your mind, or it controls you,"

~Napoleon Hill

"Sapphirus no!" Becky yelled as she witnessed Adonius project onto Sapphirus. 

Sapphirus tried to dodge him but tripped before he tried to get back up. He got on one of his knees but couldn't get up. 

"Ngh!" 

He grunted as he felt one of his ankles sprain. 

Before he could even look back, he felt Adonius crawl towards him and come above him but he stopped him with his other leg and kicked him away. 

"Father! Come back to your senses!" He yelled as he managed to get up and clutched his sword. Adonius smirked and launched at him again. Sapphirus tried to stab him in the shoulder but the blade was now stuck in the wrap of his fingers. 

"Stop it! You are hurting yourself!" 

Sapphirus tried calling out to Adonius again. He didn't utter a word until the blood dripping from his fingers to his hands, began to stop and his wound healed, the rest of the blood turned into a dark, evil essence. Sapphirus widened his eyes upon the sight in front of him, allowing Adonius to shove the sword away and stir closer to Sapphirus. 

Before Sapphirus knew it, he got grabbed by his throat with the hand that bore the essence. He got lifted above the floor as he clutched the demon's wrist into his grip. The essence disappeared into his neck as he choked on the shortness of air. In a moment, he lost consciousness before Adonius let go of him, making him fall to the floor with a plop. 

"Oh, no," Becky exclaimed as she neared Sapphirus's figure.

"Is he dead?" 

"Oh, well no," 

Adonius leaned downwards, close to her face and blew on it, leading her to faint as well. 

"To the least, not yet,"

"Ugh! My head has been spinning!" Sapphirus said as he woke up in the middle of the library. 

It seems he had fallen asleep while reading one of the books. He had taken his coat off, leaving himself in the white translucent undergarment, neatly tied from the front. While turning to another page, he noticed something on his left arm, below his wrist. He reached for the left sleeve with his right hand and slipped his fingers under it slowly, a bit tense to see what it could truly be. He slowly pulled on it, until it came up to his elbow. 

What he saw, did not look dreadful but it was a mark. The mark of a black serpent tangled within an emperor's crown. He then peeked at the study and something immediately caught his attention. It was the vista of the same mark he had just seen. He widened his eyes and moved the page lying on it. 

The words under the vista left him pale and trembling. 'The mark of oblivion' It said. Sapphirus's fear grew more and more as he kept skimming one detail after another from the book. He pushed his seat outwards, stumbling as he read the last line and began to tremble, the purpose of the mark echoing throughout his mind, repeating itself. He rushed out of the library, leaving his sword there and stumbling right to the tunnel and headed for the stables. His mind was infiltrated with thoughts he couldn't ever begin to count. But at the moment, all he could think about was conveying it all to his friends. He got on his horse, pulled on the reins and rode off without a single word. 

"I must tell everyone where the totem is before it is too late, I cannot die before that,"

"You are well aware of how I feel about it!" Graham cried while Sophia continued to write the letter she was about to deliver to Father Aaron. 

"You know very well what happened last time you answered the prophecy,"

Sophia's quill stopped as she heard those words escape Graham's lips. 

"It took an entire piece out of you!" 

Flashes of the past flowed through her mind as he finished, flashes of how she grunted, screamed and suffered painfully as she answered the prophecy for the first time. She had no realisation or knowledge of who she was before those events. It was a rush but she hoped this moment would be one to make her stronger since she was prepared this time. But this was not because she didn't want to go through the pain, but because she lost her daughter and son to that instance and was promised to see them this time. She looked down as tears began to flow through her cheeks to her lower face. 

"I am truly sorry my love but, all I desire is to see my children again," She said, her voice cracking. 

Graham's gaze softened as he pulled her close, laying her head on his shoulder and caressing her back.

"And I truthfully understand Sophia, I do," 

"I cannot hold this magic for long now, I have to pass it on as well,"  

"Being a vessel comes with its downfalls," She added. 

"Do not say that, you are a Juriaelle, not a vessel," Graham protested. 

"I was one until I took our children's magic to protect them," Sophia said as she sniffled. 

"Now, I must use that magic to seal Helius, once again,"

"So, I was wondering, now that we have fortified this wall, we should-" 

The door burst open before Athelia {Cecilia's mother} could finish narrating the required fortifications. 

"Your majesty! His majesty has fainted!" The handmaiden exclaimed, freight dominating her tone.

"Oh no!" Athelia clamoured as she got off her seat and rushed out of Decius's and her shared room, holding onto the lower part of her gown between her fingers. She manoeuvred through the stairs before reaching the aid room, where Decius lay in bed, the physician taking note of his condition. She sat at the foot of the bed and looked at the physician with the regard that was asking for every answer that would affect her beloved husband.

"Your majesty, I am afraid to enlighten you upon this but he has mostly an amount of 30 days left," The physician said. 

Athelia exhaled sharply as her face softened and her frown deepened, her tears knowing no boundaries. She buried her face into her hands and sobbed while her handmaiden caressed her back and comforted her. 

"Your majesty I-" 

"Send Cecilia that letter, now," 

She sniffled as she cut her handmaiden off. She looked at Athelia out of utter concern and hesitated to agree with her but Athelia looked at her with a pleading stare, finally making her nod and rush to the shared room. The maiden went up to the dressing table and gripped the handle of one of its drawers. She pulled it, dragging it open, a sealed envelope coming into view. 

"Ugh! The headaches again!" Decius grunted as his eyes fluttered open.

"Headaches? It got worse this time, love!"  

"I am well aware, love. But why do you cry?" He asked as he sat up slowly while pressing his palm to his forehead. 

"Lie back down, the physician has asked you to take lots of rest!" 

"Why do you sound so worried, love?" 

"He said you are devoid of time," She managed to let those terms escape her mouth. 

Decius grew surprised as he heard that. 

"Did you send that letter?" He asked. "Yes love, you need not worry about it, our little dandelion will get it soon,"

"Uh!" Cecilia grunted as the firewood separated in two parts perfectly with the axe she used on it. 

"Ruby! Do not give it a little too much of yourself! you'll grow tired!" Felipe called out as he came closer to her with more of the firewood. 

"It is alright, Feli," She said with a sigh while placing another log on the cut bark of the tree. 

"How is your study going though?" 

She cut that piece in half as well. Felipe stared at her with wide eyes, pouting in tiny, as if a little frightened.

"What?" Cecilia asked while panting. 

"Nothing, I need to be certain not to pick a fight with you," Felipe said jokingly as he placed a log from his pile on the bark cut next to Cecilia's. Cecilia rolled her eyes and went with it. 

"Yes, take note of that as well," 

She tilted her head, putting up the next log. 

"Study's going well. Just 15 days more and I'll become fit to be king," 

He leaned back up and spread half his arms, looking up and then looking at Cecilia. 

She stared blankly at him as if waiting for him to finish. 

"...to my queen of course," He bent forwards towards her and lent his hand out. Cecilia smirked and raised her axe. 

"Ahh!" Felipe screamed and stumbled backwards as she changed the axe's direction and ended up separating firewood again.

 "Thank you, your majesty," Cecilia replied, her smirk still intact. 

Felipe gave her a death glare as he got back up and gripped her arm, pulling her close to his body. 

"Let me see if this behaviour of yours stays intact tonight, while you sleep," He whispered into her ear. 

Her smirk disappeared as she heard that, her cheeks turning crimson in an instant. 

"And that is how a queen is to a king," He separated his log. 

She looked him in the eye and smirked again as she pushed him back, her palm on his chest. He widened his eyes in surprise again as he was easily pushed back, his back flat on the ground. She took a seat on his waist and pulled up his upper body. He let his hands slither to her waist whilst raising his head towards her face, reaching for her rosy lips.

"You have a very brutal wish to be dominated tonight,"

"And you should know that a queen is the king's equal, in strength, in love and in war," 

She bit back a smile before she pushed him back down and got up.

"Your Highness!" A voice called out fading with the galloping of their horse. 

"Edgar?" Cecilia questioned as the messenger neared her. 

He got down as he stopped the horse and strode toward her. 

"What brings you here?"  

"Your Highness, his Majesty is not in good shape, he urged that this letter be delivered to you," He replied as he extended his occupied hand towards Cecilia. She dropped her axe and took the envelope before tearing it open.

My child,

This letter is to enlighten you on the fact that you were chosen to rule Crescentia. I do not know if you will have the strength to rule alone but the reason why you were chosen is that you have the knowledge and the capability to rule your kingdom. I am well aware this is sudden but your mother and I had to hide my illness for your happiness. You might face many hardships and obstacles but Felipe will be there to help you through them. I allow him to rule by your side as your king as he gets done with his studies. I apologize for this shocking news but there is nothing much I can truly do, my daughter.

I once remember you questioning me if you could rule this kingdom and I had no answer to it. Hence, I replied with that answer I could simply give, where you shall rule it once you find the right suitor, that is, a prince, or a king. But the true answer is that you can rule the entire world if you want because my princess, you get to make your own decisions, which everyone sees fit. While the other princesses planted their interests in bowing their heads forward to rulers and queens, you ought to look right at their thrones and planted your ambitions in becoming a ruler. I did not want to pay much heed to it but you brought an end to that ignorance of mine when you first asked me when you'd be allowed to wield the sword. That was the only question I could not answer but I do not need to answer it anymore either. What I truly wish, is for your happiness to keep itself alive, along with those you love.

Love, Father.

"I remember her in that yellow gown, running through the meadow as if she were a little girl," Decius said to Athelia as he held her hand, his back leaning on the head of the bed. 

"Father!" Cecilia called out as she reached the palace. She hustled towards the physician's room and stopped in the centre of the frame as she stared at Decius with a shattered gaze before plunging herself onto him, hugging him as she sat on the floor by the bed, sniffling and sobbing. 

"Why didn't you apprise me about this?! I would've come to you before!" She cried.

"I understand my child, I truly do," He patted her back. Felipe could hear the exchange of words between them both and couldn't help but shed tears upon it all, from behind the wall separating the room from the hall. 

"Felipe, you can come in," He heard Decius say. He wiped his tears and went in. 

"Your majesty," He bowed his head. 

"You do not have to address me that way. Just address me as the father, as my dandelion does," 

Felipe nodded and took a seat at the foot of the bed. 

"My child, I assume your studies are about to end?" 

"Yes," Felipe replied. 

"Then I indeed hope you will be able to rule Crescentia," He said. 

Felipe looked at Decius with a nervous demeanour and looked down. 

"It is alright to be less certain about it but once you begin, you will have no hindrances my son," Decius replied with a slight chuckle. 

"It is not that that worries me,"

"Then what is it?"

"I wish for Cecilia to rule Crescentia,"

Decius looked at Felipe with concerned regard.

"Father, you certainly know Cecilia. She is capable of anything," Felipe said. 

"I understand. Henceforth, I shall had Crescentia over to my beloved daughter,"

Cecilia clutched his hand, wrapping her fingers tightly around it. 

"Do not worry, children. I will be alright. You should make yourself at home here now,"

"It is still the same," Cecilia said as she took a look at her room. 

"I agree," Felipe said as he moved near to the bed. He plopped himself on it before commenting, 

"Hmm, it's still so soft and warm, like your embrace," 

"What?" Cecilia said, blushing. 

Felipe smiled and patted the part of the bed beside his body, inviting her. A diminutive smile crept to her lips as she took hasty steps to the bed. She got on slowly and lay beside him, facing him. He joined his palms and slipped them under his head, his ear on the knuckles of his right hand. She does the same, her ear on the knuckles of her left hand, continuing to stare into his hazel orbs as he stared into her dark ones. 

"I do not know what I did to deserve you," Felipe said, in his deep, serene and honey voice. 

"You saved my life to have all of it," Cecilia replied as she went closer to him, reaching for his forehead, before placing a peck on it. 

Felipe closed his eyes upon feeling her peck. She came downwards as she pecked his cheek and then finally his lips. He let her sink in, to reach his tongue and withdrew his right hand from under his head, to slither it to her nape and get above her. He continued to devour her as he began to conquer her. 

"Felipe, somebody might see us!" She managed to speak. 

"I do not care," 

His honey voice habilitated into a cold, stern and conquering tone as he dived into the crook of her neck and dragged her sleeve down from her shoulder to her arm. She gave in and slithered her hands to his back. They went upwards, towards his nape, to the back of his upper garment. She wrapped her fingers around the nape of the garment and pulled her hands in the opposite direction harshly, the white cloth split in two, his back exposed. He was taken aback by this action of hers at first but he loved it and let her do anything. 

"I wonder what else you have occupied for me, my queen,"

She smiled as she slightly yeeted him to the centre of the head of the bed after throwing his garment across the room somewhere. She took a seat on his waist as she took her gown off and let herself remain in her corset, her bosoms struggling to stay in. Felipe tried to touch her by raising his hand but she gripped his hand while it was inches away from her chest and pecked the palm. 

Her gaze averted from his hand to his eyes, jabbing into his like a wild cat. Her pecks travelled down to his Triquetrium. He smiled at her, his cheeky behaviour untamed. She continued to look into his eyes and let go of his hand before leaning forward and pecking his lips. 

Her hand snaked to his chest before crossing his neck towards his jaw. Her fingers clenched his jaw, four of them on his lower cheek. She tugged on it lightly while tapping her forefinger on his cheek. He took the signal and opened his mouth, letting his impatient and plum-coloured tongue out, trying to look for hers.

She smirked at how he was longing for her touch, her lips, her body and the control she possessed at the moment. Instead of giving in to his needs, she bit his lower lip and pulled it towards her, the pink skin crouching under the red her teeth carved into it. 

"Uh," He moaned lethargically, feeling agonised and pleasured at the same time. 

She let go of his lip and tilted her head, their lips centimetres away from each other, as if exchanging breath. 

"You are something else," He mumbled under his breath.

Felipe panted scarcely as she sat up. 

"What are you doing?"

"I can't do anything unless you tell me what you need,"

Felipe was dumbfounded but the need for ecstasy blinded his domination completely.

"Please, ravage me, my love,'

She didn't flinch

"Please, make me give in to your pleasure,"

She only blinked.

"Please, shower me with your touch, your ravaging actions and your figurine, my mistress,"

She grinned from ear to ear as she rushed downwards towards him and grabbed his lips with hers, devouring him whole before stirring her ship of amusement beneath, going for his neck, sucking on his sweet spot.

"Uh! Yes, mistress that feels ecstatic! Huhh~!"

His moans powered her to bite his neck and leave a deep purple mark on it. She kept falling toward his chest further and leaving more of those purple marks on it as his moans occupied the air in the room like a vacuum, casting out every other sound. Her ship kept sailing downwards before she reached his torso as he threw his head back. 

"Hu-ah-ah-ahhh~!"

{Please play this song before reading further, for a better experience}

https://youtu.be/cP3gFqLfF5E

"Philip!" Sapphirus screamed as he burst into Philip's room stumbling. 

"Sapphirus! What happened?" Philip exclaimed as he turned around to see Sapphirus on one of his knees, grunting and huffing. 

"You need to rest first," 

Philip wrapped Sapphirus's arm around his shoulders and lay him on the bed. 

"Philip, I know where the totem is,"

"That is not of importance at the moment, Sapphirus. May I request you to calm down?" 

"Philip, you refuse to understand, the totem is under the throne, of my palace,"  

"It is the throne that corrupted Adonius from the beginning," Sapphirus added before beginning to cough. 

"You better destroy the totem," Sapphirus managed to say before losing consciousness. 

"Sapphirus? Sapphirus!" 

Philip tried to wake him up and capped if he was breathing and sighed slightly when he felt his breath. 

"I must go get someone," 

He rushed towards the door. But before he could open it, it was opened by someone else. 

"Isaac?" He questioned.

 "Move, I need to see my son," He said before rushing towards the bed. But he stopped immediately as he saw that mark on Sapphirus's wrist. 

"No, no, no, no, no," He recited as he neared Sapphirus and took his hand, wrapping his fingers tightly around it. 

"Philip, do not do anything until I say so, stay here," 

He closed his eyes and went into Sapphirus's subconscious with the magic he now had. 

The vision?

 Isaac wondered as he looked around, to see a throne smeared with blood, men lying around it and the demon occupying it. 

"So you infiltrated this boy,"  

"Yes, but I had to mark him," The demon replied, playing with the crown. 

"I am aware of this vision since I have had it before and trust me when I say that you will die a horrific death for what you did to my son,"

"I would've asked you to be in his place instead but I'm afraid it does not go on like that, since the mark is permanent," The demon said. 

"Then be afraid now demon, as she will wake and put you to the sleep from where you will never wake up," Isaac said.

"Isaac? What are you doing here?" A voice from behind him asked. 

Isaac turned around, and tears began to shed from his eyes. 

"Oh god! What happened to you? Why is there blood all over you?" 

"I have been fighting this demon ever since he marked me," Sapphirus replied. 

"I go to sleep without realising it, I faint at times I should be conscious. I can not-" 

The demon got down from the throne and charged at Sapphirus. 

"Look out!" He said as he pushed Isaac to the side and held his sword up, in a horizontal manner, blocking the demon's large, malicious sword, which was surrounded by a green glow of poison. 

"You won't get out of this spectrum anytime soon, you feeble boy," The demon said, a devilish smile displayed on his face. 

"I am aware," 

Sapphirus placed a kick on the demon's abdomen and stabbed him in the heart. 

"Arghh!!" Helius screamed. 

"Sapphirus! Stop!" Isaac pleaded. 

"If you kill him here then you will die as well!"  

Sapphirus then looked at himself and blood began to ooze out of his chest, later dripping out of his mouth. He fell to the floor, unconscious before Helius raised his sword to kill him but Isaac got on top of Sapphirus's figure. Suddenly, the sword stopped and Isaac looked up. It was the brown stoned sword, the one she possessed. 

"I don't think so," She mumbled as she blocked his attack with her sword and swirled it, driving the demon away.

"Do not kill him!" Isaac said. 

"I know, he linked himself with the boy," 

She put her sword back into her katana and began to throw punches at the demon's face. Helius kicked her away, making her project into the air a bit before putting her feet on the ground, one of her hands also placed on it, creating sparks as she applied the stop to herself. 

"He shall wake up, you better go as well,"

Isaac attempted to help Sapph but stopped as she said something.

"Unlink him, find a Juriealle,"

*Gasp* Sapphirus awakened while panting for air. Isaac looked at him, concerned and frightened. 

"Sapphirus, Sapphirus," He called to him. 

"I am so content to have finally found you, son,"

Sapphirus looked at Isaac before his gaze softened and his frown grew larger. 

"It is alright, let it all out, son," Isaac said.

Sapphirus leaned closer to Isaac until he was close enough to hug him. Isaac pulled him into his embrace, his tears dripping down to Sapphirus's shoulder. 

"It is alright," He mumbled as he patted Sapphirus's back. Philip's eyes teared up as well upon the sight in front of him. 

"Father, I am-" "I am aware my son, I am well aware," Isaac cut him off before he could state anything. 

"What do I do?" He asked as his tears erased their boundaries. 

"Sapphirus, I am truthfully sorry for everything," 

Isaac withdrew from the embrace and wiped Sapphirus's tears. 

"No, you have nothing to be sorry about, Father," Sapphirus trembled, sobbing still.

"She has saved my life too many a time but I am still-" He didn't finish. 

"I am too late," Isaac said. 

"No, Father. It is my fault. I shouldn't have tried to fight Helius alone," 

"Son, I know how much time you have left, but do not freight as you have a lot of it on your hands before we unlink you from him," Isaac said. 

"You are an Inkario. You can keep fighting," Isaac added. 

"I can not keep fighting the curse forever because then Helius will return and I won't let that happen, no matter what," 

"Then let us find a way to unlink your life with his,"  

Philip wiped his tears off and sighed silently. 

"I think I know somebody who can do that,"

***

"Ugh! Not again!" Felipe said, being back in his subconscious. 

"I apolo-" 

His subconscious tried to say but quieted down when Felipe looked up with a death glare. He looked around until the doors finally appeared. He frowned as he grew surprised at the sight in front of him.

"Where is the third door?" 

"Oh, you won't answer, alright. I forgot," He mumbled as he looked at the words etched into both the doors. 'happiness' and 'family'.

He walked closer to the family door and placed three knocks on it. The door didn't budge and he grew a bit scared as he thought he could be stuck here and tried the door 'happiness'. It opened to the same blinding white light pouring right into Felipe's eyes until they adjusted to its surroundings. He came across a little boy with a paper bird, looking at him. 

"He must be Sapphirus, I remember meeting him a year after the concealment of my memories," 

"Come with me!" 

The boy yelped before Felipe smiled and followed him to the meadows, closer to the palace of Vasilia. He found Sapphirus playing with a girl, one with bright, orange hair, but couldn't see her face. He tried to take a look at her but she got up and ran away. He soon came across a boy with blonde hair running towards Sapphirus. 

That is me.

He thought. 

This truly remains my happiness.

The surrounding changed in a flash. He was now in Philip's room, looking at Philip and him talking about how he was in love with Cecilia, discussing how he wanted to marry Cecilia. Felipe asked Philip if he was in love and Philip denied it until the next memory flashed before him, one where he was in the bar with Philip, singing to the others, having them embark on joy within themselves, while they drank to their fullest. He smiled as he looked at himself. 

"It is a good thing Cecilia doesn't see me this drunk," He thought before another flash took place and he was now in the alley where he first met Cecilia. 

He looked at the way he took a huge scar for her and frowned slightly at that as if he still felt that cut but brushed it off until one of those attackers swivelled his head towards him and looked at him with green, glowing eyes. 

"You are the lost prince,"

"Felipe! Felipe!" Cecilia called out to Felipe, trying to wake him up. Felipe woke up with a huge gasp and looked at Cecilia. He hugged her tight. 

"I am sorry if I scared you, love,"  

"No you didn't Felipe," She said as she tried to withdraw. 

"No, stay for a while, please," Felipe pleaded, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. 

"Alright, Calm down my love," Cecilia caressed his bare back. 

Felipe withdrew. 

"Now, what was it you were trying to say?" 

"War has been declared on Ardalia,"

~To be continued