Ifan got his consciousness back when he felt the cold from the marble floor on his cheek as the guards threw him on the ground. He immediately grabbed his flank where the wound was. The sharp pain was still there as his body shivered. He tried to stay focused on what was around him.

He could only hear indistinct voices all around him. He recognized Orian’s voice and then, as his eyes adjusted slowly and the blurriness went away, discerned his uncle Eloden, arguing with his former best friend. He could not hear much of what they were saying, his head was throbbing and all he could catch from their conversation was parts of it.

“(…) foolish boy! (…) need him alive!” Eloden shouted.

“I didn’t hit (…) organs. It’s on- (…) small wound. He (…) die from it! Besides, (…)” Orian retorted back. Then, he saw him looking at him and he immediately smiled. “Looks like (…) awake.”

Two other guards pulled Ifan up and tightly held his arms to stop him from running away. As if he was able to anyway. What could he do against trained soldiers with magic abilities?

Orian then strode towards the Elf Prince, he was talking, but Ifan still had difficulties focusing on what was happening. Suddenly, Orian slapped him hard on his face and as he did, Ifan’s senses came right back.

As he glanced around him, he realized he was now in the throne room. He panned his eyes and they opened wide in horror. All his family, his mother, his father, and Athelan were all here, around them were large circles of rune spells that were emanating an insane amount of magic energy. It was pinning them hard on the marble floor. They couldn’t move a single inch!

His father and Athelan were badly injured. Bruises and cuts were on their faces and blood stained their clothes at places. Athelan was laying on the floor, holding his fiancé in his arms. How did the guards even manage to capture them? They were the most powerful Arcane Wizards of the Kingdom! Ifan then saw his mother talking to someone as she desperately tried to reach a hand towards who she was talking to.

As Ifan panned his head to see who she was talking to, he realized with horror that his little siblings had been captured as well. Their mother was trying to reassure her terrified children. Kolthen and Ilithya were sitting down. His little brother held tightly his little sister in his arms, protecting her from the guards that surrounded them to stop them from attempting to flee. They had their sword out, pointing at them.

Why were they doing this? Kolthen and Ilithya’s magic hadn’t even awakened yet! They were only children, what could they possibly do against armed guards?!

Ifan’s heart dropped to his feet as he heard his little siblings crying out to their mother. Ifan wanted to do something to protect them, but he was terribly helpless and completely overwhelmed by panic. He didn’t want them to get hurt!

Suddenly, Orian slapped him hard again, making Ifan spit blood. “Are you back with us, now? Good. You like what you see?” Orian smirked.

“W-why…?’’ Ifan finally dared to ask as he didn’t understand what was happening at all.

His former best friend stayed silent for a moment, studying him. “… You’re seriously asking me “why?”?” Orian said, irritated. “Well, it’s simple. Everybody hates you. I hate you. I hate the shit out of you and your stupid family. You always think you’re better than anyone. But you’re so fucking useless! You don’t even have magic and you dare act like the future ruler?!” Orian shouted, his face was distorted with anger.

“W-what…?” Ifan asked in complete shock. He couldn’t believe what he just heard from the only person he thought wasn’t like everyone else. “I trusted you… You were my only friend…” the Elf Prince let out in a painful whisper.

The betrayal of who he once called his best friend was hard to take and to know he always hated him was even more difficult to swallow. Ifan’s head was throbbing. He was in total shock.

“Friend? Don’t make me laugh!” Orian snatched Ifan’s collar. “Let me tell you the truth, Ifan. I used you.” He said, sounding like he was proud of himself.

Used. He had used him… Like everyone else… Why? They grew up together… They shared good moments together… They supported one another… This revelation stung him more than the wound he had on his left flank.

Orian’s mouth turned into a twisted smirk. “Yes. That face is nice.” He snickered, his hand was still grabbing the Elf Prince’s collar tightly as he got closer to his face. “That’s right. I used you. From the first day we met, I knew that if I wanted out of that shitty commoner life, I could befriend you and use you to achieve my goal.” He confessed. “It was such a torture to act like your friend with you always complaining about your shitty life and how miserable you were. You’re fucking magicless and you’re still the Crown Prince! How miserable can you be? You have everything!” Orian snapped at him, releasing him as he threw Ifan hard on the floor.

The guards quickly put him back up as Ifan let out a sharp groan of pain coming from his flank. Despite the horrible revelation he just heard and the tears that threatened to come out, the Elf Prince tried his best to stay composed. He couldn’t allow himself to show Orian that this affected him. But his former best friend didn’t seem to appreciate it and was about to hit him once again.

“Orian, that’s enough!” Eloden, who had stayed quiet and simply stared at them the whole time, suddenly ordered. “We need him alive, remember.” He added coldly.

“Tch! Alright!” Orian said displeased, stopping himself from hitting the Elf Prince on the face yet again.

“Ifan!” Athelan suddenly cried out.

Ifan immediately looked at him. Athelan had managed to speak despite the immense magical pressure that was pinning him down on the ground. Simply trying to talk while under that spell is extremely agonizing. His brother must be suffering right now and Ifan wanted to tell him to stop talking. He didn’t want him to get any more hurt!

“N-no matter… what happens…, d-don’t… don’t let your emotions take over yourself!” he said, panicked.

Ifan was shocked. He had never seen him like that. Even his father had the same terrified look plastered on his face as he stared at Ifan. Why was he telling him this? What was going to happen? Ifan’s breath became sharper. His head throbbed even more as his whole body trembled. Despite his older brother’s warning, he was about to let fear overwhelm him.

A guard then walked towards Athelan and drew more magic runes symbols in front of him, increasing the amount of magic pressure on him. This caused him to flatten even more on the floor, not able to speak anymore as he coughed in pain.

“No! Stop! You’re hurting him!” Ifan cried out as a horrified look was on his face.

“Ah! I like that one! Give me more of those faces, Ifan.” Orian swooned, a disgusting smile on his lips.

Even though Ifan heard him say that, he was not listening. He was worried for his family. Why did his uncle betray them? Why would he hurt them like this? Ifan’s mind was drowsy. He was confused and millions of questions were battling in his head. He had to do something! Anything! But what?... He was injured, he was surrounded by trained soldiers and both Orian and Eloden were Master Wizards.

He could do absolutely nothing. He was hopeless…