YEARS AGO

“ I want to be with you forever.” Prince Arth whispered beneath his breath as Jaeger leaned down to kiss him.

They were young. 

Their love was innocent, and forbidden.

They grew up together, learned together, fought together, and laughed together, they shared a bond deeper than friendship and eventually blossomed into something… beautiful, yet very dangerous.

They sat beneath a tree, Arth’s head lay on Jaeger’s lap. They like spending time in the forest; their excuse always was ‘ training’ but it was more than that.

When the moon shines above them, the young lovers make love like it’s their last.

Arth panting beneath Jaeger as he felt the intense pleasure and tingling sensation as Jaeger continued to move in and out of him. Jaeger’s breath was heavy and his face was twisted in pleasure that turned on Arth more.

“ aahhh! Ahh! Jaeger… hmm moree…” Arth moaned as he pulled Jaeger closer and wrapped his legs around his hips.

They know what they have is forbidden and cannot be known by anyone but they are both determined and confident in their love that nothing else matters.

—-

“ We are losing the war.” Emperor Eli said in front of the generals.

They’re fighting against Erith, a huge Kingdom that Emperor Eli wants to conquer for their resources, but their huge impregnable walls have stood the test of time, and they’ve been waging war for 20 years with zero progress, only depleting their resources.

Prince Arth and the esteemed General Jaeger were present at the meeting and they both looked defeated and cornered.

“ Why not accept their peace treaty? The marriage proposal between Prince Arth and Princess Cerces.” General Icka voiced his opinion, he is the oldest general on the battlefield but his body was still built like a stone, hardened with time.

Prince Arth turned to him. “ We have no chance of conquering their walls, a political marriage isn’t a bad deal, we can still access their resources.” He added.

“ That is true.” Emperor Eli agreed and most of the generals nodded in agreement, except for Jaeger and Prince Arth which the Emperor noticed.

“ What do you think, General Jaeger?” Emperor Eli asked.

Jaeger looked up at the Emperor and glanced at Prince Arth. “ It is indeed a great option for us, but–” He paused and stared at Arth for a moment.

Emperor Eli raised his brows. “ But what?” The Emperor asked.

“ I think the Prince should have the right to marry whom he–”

“ Stop, I’ve heard enough.” Emperor Eli said.

Jaeger immediately bowed. The Emperor sighed and raised his hand. “ Meeting adjourned,” he said.

All generals bowed in sync and left the tent. “ Not you, Prince.” Emperor Eli said, making Prince Arth halt on his way out.

Jaeger gave him a glance and bow then left the tent. “ What do you think of marriage to Princess Cerces?” He asked.

Prince Arth was silent for a second. “ It is indeed a great option for us, Father.” He started.

“ So, let’s arrange the wedding then.”

Arth eyes widen. “ No– I–love someone else.” He uttered, almost a whisper.

Emperor Eli raised his brows. “ And? What does it matter?” 

“ I don’t want to marry someone I don’t love.” Prince Arth said, his voice was low, almost hesitant, but he stood his ground.

“ I will kill that person, and skin him alive in front of you.”  Emperor Eli's words were low and threatening, he said it slowly as if taking time to say each word.

Prince Arth's eyes widened. “ You knew.” 

“ I’ve watched you two long enough, anyone with eyes knows.” Emperor Eli said.

Prince Arth’s brows furrowed, fisting his hands. “ Then you know I can’t—”

“ Would you rather choose him, one life, over thousands of lives? ”  The emperor asked calmly, yet threateningly.

Prince Arth had his head bowed low, feeling a rush of anxiety and anger through his body. 

No! He will never leave Jaeger! No way! 

“ With that marriage, you can save thousands of lives, you’ll save young wives from becoming widows, parents from losing their sons, sisters from losing their brothers.” 

Arth swallowed. 

He knew that.

“ You are a prince first before a lover.” Emperor Eli's tone was stern and authoritative.

Prince Arth felt small and helpless, he felt like he was back to being a child all over again.

Weak and powerless.

All those years in battle didn’t matter in front of his father.

“ You can end this war and send our soldiers back home, don’t be a fool.” Emperor Eli added as he walked towards Arth, stopping in front of him.

Emperor Eli took a potion from his coat.

“ I gave you enough time, I turned a blind eye trusting you won’t make a stupid choice in the future, and that future is here and now.” He said, handing out a bottle of potion.

Prince Arth looked at the bottle, it was a potion he had never seen or heard before, its color is black, yet the vapor was colored green.

“ This potion can make you forget whoever you harbor intense romantic and sexual feelings with, not completely forgotten, all those intense romantic and sexual memories will be replaced with something mundane.” 

Prince Arth's fists were shaking, his eyes wide and his breathing started to become rapid, racking his brain for any alternative solution.

“ Do not, disappoint me.” Emperor Eli threatened.

Prince Arth was too stunned to move or speak. Emperor Eli placed the potion on the table.

“ I’ll give you til sunrise.” Then he left the tent.

Prince Arth was left alone, a tear escaped his eye as he glared at the potion on the table.

I  knew this day would come. 

He covered his mouth with his hand feeling the overwhelming emotions rushing through him.

Anger, anxiety, helplessness.

I thought I was strong enough to deal with whatever is to come.

Tears blurred his vision as memories of Jaeger and him flooded his mind.

I’m sorry..I’m sorry…I’m sorry..I love you..

Guilt and love dominated his entire being, his breath became rapid, his chest started to tighten, and he felt like he couldn't breathe as felt his soul being broken and smashed into pieces, his knees becoming weak as he slowly fell on his knees.

He bit his hand to prevent any sounds coming out of him. “ aahhghh..” silent groans managed to escape as he cried uncontrollably.

I’m so weak.. I can’t… Jaeger please…help me..

He glared at the potion and angrily grabbed it, his eyes glowed red, a tear escaped his eyes for the last time as an image of Jaeger smiling at him, and his gentle voice echoing in his mind.

I love you Arth. Jaeger’s voice echoed in his mind.

I love you Jaeger, I’m sorry.

—--

Present moment

Prince Arth stood alone on Jaeger’s tomb, all the people had left, it was raining and he was just standing still looking down at the land where they buried him. A huge statue was built in memory of him and his great feats. Jaeger wore common clothes, not a uniform, or armor, Prince Arth wanted him to be remembered as him, as Jaeger.

Emperor Eli watched at a distance. Prince Arth didn’t shed a tear during the funeral, he was silent and only spoke a few words. 

Emperor Eli raised Jaeger like his own after finding the boy as a baby in the middle of conquering a small kingdom, he took him in as a warrior when he saw he was smarter than the rest and had talent beyond average.

He turned a blind eye when he noticed something blooming between them for he knew one day he had to force them apart, for political reasons.

The potion did its job for the past years but now as he watched his son seemingly losing himself, he starts to have doubts about the potion.

Did he even take it?

The Emperor could only wonder. “ Let us leave, he will be back at the palace.” He said and entered the carriage with Princess Cerces.

Prince Arth still remembered that day like it was yesterday. How Jaeger held him on his arms, and how his kiss felt on his lips

Because he didn’t drink the potion.

He cannot possibly choose to forget Jaeger, he doesn’t want to forget his smiles, his laughs, his dreams, his warmth.

Tears started to blur his vision as memories that he tried so hard to suppress started to surface.

He had to act like he had forgotten about him.

Memories of the past started flooding his mind.

Prince Arth stood before the fire that’s burning their dead warriors. He had to watch how their dead bodies turned to ash, for they had given their lives for the Empire, for him. These unknown soldiers died because of his weakness and indecisiveness. He had indulged with his love for years now it’s time to face the truth. He cannot afford to love and rule at the same time. Being a leader requires rationality over emotions, that’s the first virtue his father taught him.

He clenched his fist as the fire burned in his vision. 

One life over thousands?

A tear escaped his eyes.

It was simple. Even infants can answer that question. He received a letter from Jaeger this morning, and he cannot open it, he cannot read it. If he does, he will cave.

He crumpled the letter with his hand and threw it in the fire.

I am sorry.

—

It was the day Jaeger came back from his mission. Prince Arth was in the training room, training with golems powered with mana, trying to calm himself down, he didn't realize he destroyed all of the golems in there and left a deep wound on his palm.

He knows Jaeger will come see him immediately so he and Princess Cerces hang around his quarters until Arth could see a familiar figure walking towards them in the hallway.

He fisted his hand with a wound to stop himself from running and hugging him, instead he raised his arms casually, like how a brother would after not seeing his brother.

He introduced Princess Cerces as his fiance and he can sense immediate shift in his mana, it was heavy and intense, as if ready to deliver the final blow in battle, Princess Cerces cannot sense it for she only met Jaeger for the first time, but as someone who have known him since they were little, every shift on his being, Arth knows.

A heavy sting on his being, he felt like his heart was torn into pieces as he watched how Jaeger dismissed himself without giving him a glance.

He turned to the princess and kissed the princess’ hand bidding his goodbye and left. Blood dripped from Arth’s wounds as he tried to overpower the pain he felt inside.

—back to the present 

I’m so sorry, there was no other way.

Prince Arth slowly bent down his knees as tears uncontrollably fell from his eyes.

I had to hurt you, so you can move on easily.

He covered his mouth with his hands trying to stop himself from screaming.

“ I’m sorry…I’m sorry..” He managed to utter in between sobs.

All the emotions he’s been carrying poured out as he cried and screamed, his mind filled with Jaeger’s voice and smiles, his chest tightening every second, feeling the guilt, shame, and regret.

Cold rain soaked his entire body but it doesn’t compare to the coldness he felt on his soul.

“ I love you…I never stopped loving you.” He whispered.

END

PART II ( THE DRAGON’S )

Dragons were ancient beings. They were among the first creatures that roamed the planet and ruled over everything, they were immortal, their mana were abundant, it all sounds great at the surface but almost all dragons after existing for thousands of years, they all started to chase death.

Immortality is a curse.

Homo sapiens started evolving as dragon’s started to give them knowledge of the world, and how to use mana, they eventually created human civilization, countless wars, and famines. Only the human race faced changes under a short period of time and dragons started to envy them, they started to mingle with humans, eventually breeding half breeds. 

Years turned into decades, and decades into centuries. Human civilizations rise and fall like a tide, it was nothing new.

Everything was mundane.

But still.

Dragons envy humans.

The Azure dragon, sat on his throne, he just woken up from his century slumber and he felt tired more than anything, if only he could just sleep and not wake up. He stared at his own human form for a time.

I wished I was born a mortal. He said and by instant, a wave of hot mana passed through his body and he screamed as he felt his body being split into two by something.

AAAAHHHH!! 

He was floating and flailing around. His screams were primal and guttural, like an animal being skinned alive.

Then it was black. 

Uwaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

The dragon opened his eyes as cries of an infant pierced through his ears. His eyes widen as he sees a crying infant beside him.

What in the world?

—

The dragon went to see the oldest dragon on the planet, the white dragon. The dragons are solitary creatures, they rarely see each other for centuries but when they do, it’s bound to be about something gravely important.

“ What is this thing?” The azure dragon asked as he floated the human infant towards the White dragon that’s sitting on her throne.

The white dragon smirked, her sharp fangs showing as she gently guided the floating baby towards her.

The Azure dragon waited for her response anxiously.

The white dragon silently observed the infant for a moment then her eyes met the Azure dragon, it was serious and blank. “ It is, you.” she answered, her tone was neutral but her eyes were piercing and a glint of knowing.

“ what? Explain yourself. ” The Azure dragon asked, confused.

The white dragon looked down on the baby.
“ Words are incantations, we are the most powerful after our slumber, whatever you will say, can manifest into reality, one way or the other, that’s how most of our kin died, they wished themselves death.” The White dragon said and lifted her gaze to the Azure dragon.

“ You wished to die.” Her tone were flat, she wasn’t surprised but her eyes slowly began to soften.

“ Everything became meaningless to me.” The Azure dragon said, his voice low and gentle, as if confessing a crime he felt guilty.

A moment of silence were deafening until the white dragon slowly walked towards the Azure dragon.

“ This infant is your time limit, it will grow old and die, and you will die with it.” The white dragon said, dragons killing themselves were nothing new, there were thousands of them millennia ago, but now you can count them with one hand.

Apparently. They no longer wished to live, immortality to them was a curse.

“ I didn’t know we could do that.” He said a hint of humor in his tone. “ if I did, I would’ve done that millenia ago.” he lightly chuckled at his own dark humor.

“ This infant was born out of yourself, he will have your purity in heart and soul no matter his circumstances, he is your essence, for you cannot create life as a whole, it is something a part of ourselves.” The white dragon gently floated the child back to Azure dragon.

They met each other’s eyes. Their eyes spoke of understanding. 

“ I’m not surprised.” She said, her voice low and almost coarse, as if she’s holding tears.

The Azure dragon gently held the infant in his arms. “ I am forever grateful to you.” The Azure dragon said, smiling gently at the white dragon.

“ Hope you find peace.” The white dragon replied.

“ and.. love.” 

—

Two old couples were living on a farm in a small town, the husband was coming back from the town after selling some vegetables when he spotted a basket in front of his house, he rushed to see it and his eyes widened as he saw a sleeping baby.