The air was getting drier and heavier the further we got from the shore; it had only been half a day since we set foot on land. I could still not get used to the change of atmosphere, and the closer we got, the more I could feel my panic rising. The Kingdom of Erythros. My birth home. The home I am a prince to—or at least I was supposed to be.

"Hey," said Bennu, my best and only friend.

"Yeah?" I replied and turned to face him, although I already knew what he was going to ask, as he had been doing so ever since the boat left the Port of Asamis.

"Are we almost there yet?"

I sighed and faced forward again. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? That's all you've been saying since we left."

"That's because I don't know. Cut me some slack; I haven't been here since I was a child."

And even then, I didn't go out of the castle much.

Bennu picked up speed on his horse, and I followed steadily behind him. It had been three days since the start of this journey and only half a day since we set foot on land. It had been tough and tiring, but we were finally here, nearing Erythros.

Has it been thirteen years already? Since my father Acheron was the reigning king of Erythros—a tyrant one at that. Never one to care for others, I believe that if there was a better position than first place, he would most likely seize it.

He destroyed those who didn't subject him, and that was not a small task, especially for a king whose crown was forced into his head. An illegitimate son. A disgrace. A crook tainting the monarchy. He had gotten lucky when the true heir to the throne had passed of an unknown illness. I used to overhear from those in the castle that it had been suspected poisoning.

My father's only desire was riches. But in a kingdom known as the Coal Kingdom, not even the king was exempt from the dreaded poverty that surrounded the land. Even worse, during his reign, he demanded more and more from the citizens and raised the tax to unbearable amounts. The pressure got so tough on the citizens that there were rumors of an uproar to dethrone the king. My father was a coward. He decided to flee the kingdom and take all the valuables he could, leaving useless things—including me.

I decided to follow him, foolishly, into a small vessel that was headed to a far land. During this time, it had been typhoon season, and there was a roaring storm at sea. Waves shoved and pummeled the vessel violently, and the heavens seemed to have unleashed their wrath in spite of Acheron, making the seawater pour and swallow the vessel, slowly making it sink and eventually capsizing it.

After that moment, I blanked, but once awake, I noticed the only survivor was me. I had washed upon the shores of Asamis, alone. I was found by Bennu and his sister Iliana; his family kindly took me in and raised me as their own, giving me the courage and upbringing I wished my own father had given me. It made me brave. Thanks to them, I had the courage to come back here and fix the damage my father made and that all the other kings had done—heck, even since the beginning of time. And even though my father was illegitimate and my lineage is not the most honorable, I won't give up on Erythros despite that. My father left this place torn and hopeless.

I will make it whole again, brick by brick, with the strength of my resolve.