OUR PROMISE

Gariel's heart was racing as he felt the cold grip of fear tighten around him.

"Jack, we need to leave now," he pleaded in a hushed voice, trying to pry Jack's hand off his own.

"They pose no threat, Narsillia," Jack retorted, his voice low and unwavering as he held onto Gariel with an iron grip.

But as they stood their ground, more Succubi and Incubus began to surround them. These half-human, half-demon creatures were among the strongest and most elite in the Saint Kingdom, known for their alluring beauty and dangerous powers. With blue-black wings and horns adorning their heads, the succubi exuded a seductive femininity while the incubi emanated a masculine charm that was impossible to resist.

"Welcome, humans," a succubus purred as she approached Jack. "How fortunate for us to have such handsome visitors."

"Herkaus Forest is heavily guarded. You must be here to witness our captivating presence," added an incubus, his hand caressing Gariel's cheek with a sinister smile on his face.

Jack's heart raced as the succubus leaned in, her piercing gaze fixed on him. Gariel reacted quickly, pushing Jack away with his wand as a precaution.

"Stay back, monster!" Gariel yelled, his wand ready for any attack.

The nearby succubi and incubi eyed them both with a mix of malice and arrogance. In one swift motion, Gariel cast a spell at the advancing incubus,

"Freezing Sword!" he declared.

A massive ice blade materialised, freezing the incubus in its tracks. The succubus let out a shrill scream and lunged towards Gariel, but was also caught in his magic and frozen alongside the incubus.

"Narsillia!!" Jack cried out from where he had been thrown.

"You demons of seduction have crossed a line and shown no gratitude! "I'll seal your bodies so you can never tempt humans while they're dreaming or carrying out your summoning rituals," Gariel said, bringing his wand down hard on the ground. A blinding light illuminated the forest as the group of succubi and incubi were sealed by his powerful magic.

The royal crest of the Saint Kingdom glowed brightly on the chest of each elite monster, a symbol of their loyalty and strength.

"If you try to back out, your bodies will disappear along with the sunrise." Gariel's warning made the group of monsters scatter and return to their positions.

Gariel slumped down, using his magic wand as a support for his tired body. The strain of casting such powerful spells had taken its toll on him. Despite only having been taught once by his master, Gariel had managed to control a lot of energy. Jack rushed over to him, looking concerned.

"Are you OK, Narsillia?" he asked anxiously, helping Gariel stand up.

"These demons will never be accepted into the Saint Kingdom. That succubus nearly took your life and yet you remain oblivious?" Gariel replied sharply.

Jack's eyes widened in shock at Gariel's words. He had assumed that this forest, sealed by his father, belonged to their kingdom and all living creatures within it were under their protection. But now he realised his mistake and how these elite monsters refused to submit to the Saint Kingdom.

"I'm really grateful for your quick thinking, Narsillia. You saved my life and I owe you one." Jack said sincerely, embracing the small man beside him gently.

Gariel just sighed and pulled away from the firstborn prince's embrace.

"Let's go home," he muttered tiredly, walking towards their horses that were nearby.

"I'll work harder so that next time, I can protect you instead, Narsillia!" Jack declared determinedly, following closely behind Gariel.

Riverwort Wharf, LOTUS MARSH.

The village was nestled within a murky swamp, with inhabitants who looked like elves with pointed ears and delicate whiskers. But these were no ordinary elves – they had an affinity for the elements that was stronger than any other race. Here, in the Hall of Fairystar, lived Gariel and his Master Mariel. The village had been affected by a meteor strike years ago, leaving behind a lingering radiation that affected the residents to this day. Gariel and Mariel were currently studying in a nearby valley, where Mariel had taken on the task of finding a cure for their people.

"You've mastered the five basic elements," Mariel said to Gariel, gently touching his face through the blindfold gifted to him by King Arus. "Now it's time for you to learn the final two elements, which are probably the most important."

Gariel's face lit up with excitement as he replied, "Yes, Master."

"The elements of water, fire, earth, wood, and iron each have their own unique characteristics," Mariel began to explain, circling around Gariel.

"And so do the two elements I will teach you now."

Mariel paused at Gariel's side before continuing, "Elemental magic is different from the Ancient Magic or Divine Magic wielded by the Order of the Apostle." It's the most fundamental and powerful type of magic.

Gariel took a deep breath and turned to face his Master, Mariel. She was the most powerful magician he had ever known, and he hung onto her every word.

"You know the two elements I'm going to teach you, Narsillia?" she asked, her voice low and full of mystery.

Gariel nodded quickly in response, excitement bubbling up inside him. The thought of learning something new from Mariel, who was known as a master among masters, filled him with anticipation.

"Light and Dark," Mariel added, her voice hinting at a hiss as if she were dramatising the importance of these elements.

Gariel's body immediately stiffened at his Master's words. A flash of memory appeared in his mind, causing him to hold his breath for a moment before composing himself. Mariel watched him closely, her eyes flicking to the magic wand he held in his hand. As if in response to her gaze, the small crystal ball that remained in the middle of the tip of the wand suddenly shone brightly.

A smile spread across Mariel's face; her month-long guess was correct – she was never wrong.

"These are the elements of life," Mariel explained as she began to circle around Gariel's body. 

"Light and darkness are two sides of the same coin. They need each other and must be balanced."

Gariel listened carefully as Mariel went on to describe how the Light Element is often associated with the Order of Apostle, a group with impressive lightning and healing magic but one that has not advanced beyond those abilities like the Hall of Fairystar has with their development of Ancient Magic and Time Magic. Every word that fell from Mariel's lips felt like precious knowledge being imparted onto him by a wise sage. He couldn't wait to learn more about these mystical elements and their secrets.

Gariel couldn't contain his curiosity as he interrupted Mariel's explanation.

As Gariel listened intently to Mariel's explanation of "Time Magic", a forbidden and ancient practice passed down from their Sorcerer ancestors, the air around them seemed to still. It was as if time itself had frozen in anticipation of their conversation. Mariel, her long silver hair cascading over her shoulder, crouched down to meet Gariel's gaze.

"It may halt the process of aging for the magic user, but it cannot cheat death," she said seriously.

Gariel, filled with curiosity, couldn't help but ask, "Will I ever learn this magic too, Master?"

Mariel's eyes softened as she replied,

"Not yet. Your main job is to learn about the elements of life, Narsillia. Without a good understanding of these basic parts of magic, you won't be able to protect Jack and King Arus if they get into trouble."

Gariel nodded and said, "Please teach me how to protect them, Master." The sun-drenched meadow seemed to hum with energy as their conversation came to a close.

The piercing wails of a newborn baby echoed through every room in the grand palace. It was meant to be a joyous day for His Majesty King Arus, but it had quickly turned into one of mourning for the entire Saint Kingdom. Queen Claire's delicate body couldn't withstand the strain of giving birth to her second child, and she passed away during labour. The kingdom was in mourning for three days following her death. The King himself stared at his wife's grave with a look of emptiness on his face. Even their son Jack, overcome with grief, refused to leave his room or attend his mother's funeral.

As the Saint Kingdom mourned, they were also vulnerable to outside attacks. This worried King Arus greatly, and he turned to Gariel for help when he visited the palace.

"Can you please get Jack to come out of his room, Narsillia?" asked King Arus with a heavy heart.

"Of course, Your Majesty," replied Gariel with a solemn nod. He made his way towards Jack's room but paused as he remembered the King's words.

"You know, I am grateful that you are here, Narsillia. "Claire would've wanted someone like you to take care of Rupert too," said King Arus with a small smile.

"It's my duty and privilege, Your Majesty," replied Gariel without turning back before continuing towards Jack's room.

The door to Jack's room was decorated with the royal symbol of the Saint Kingdom and Gariel knocked softly before calling out Jack's name from outside.

"Jack, it's me, Narsillia," Gariel said loudly, his voice echoing off the stone walls of the castle. The door to Jack's room remained closed and there was no answer.

"Queen Claire won't calm down if you act like this, Jack. You don't want to see me anymore?" Gariel shouted again, his tone pleading and concerned.

Gariel reached for the doorknob and turned it slowly. To his surprise, the door wasn't locked. He pushed it open and entered Jack's room. He noticed the sweet scent of Queen Claire's favourite flower filling the room. It was a fragrance that Jack loved and used as his room freshener. But the room was empty, devoid of any human presence. The bed was neatly made and there were no signs of anyone having been there recently.

Gariel's eyes landed on Jack's study table and he noticed an envelope lying there. He picked it up and felt its weight, noticing something inside. Without hesitation, he ran out of the room and towards King Arus' chambers.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Gariel called out in a rush, his face hidden behind his eye patch.

"What's wrong Narsillia? Why are you in such a hurry?" "Have you managed to get Jack to come out of his room?" asked King Arus as he approached the young male wizard.

"No, Your Majesty. I couldn't find him in his room. But I found this envelope on his study table," replied Gariel, out of breath from his run as he handed the white envelope to King Arus.

Arus opened the envelope and read its contents with a solemn expression, knowing that Narsillia would not be able to see the writing inside due to his blindfold.

"Dad, I'm sorry. I've been struggling since mum passed away and my sense of duty as Crown Prince has only made me feel worse. I feel like such a failure that I can't even protect my own family. That's why I've decided to leave and become a Guardian, protecting the Saint Kingdom from afar. I also promised Narsillia I'd train harder so I could be worthy of him and earn his respect. Please don't worry. Give the title of Prince to Rupert and reassure him that I'll return for Narsillia one day. It may seem selfish, but you still have Rupert and Narsillia by your side. "The glory of the Saint Kingdom will continue with or without me, especially if you grant Narsillia the title of Royal Sorcerer when he comes of age. Farewell, Your Majesty, King Arus."

Your Beloved Son,

Jack Renville of Oracle.

As Arus finished reading, he turned to look at Gariel's tear-streaked face. The King's heart ached as he saw the pain and anguish etched into every line of Gariel's features. But before he could say anything, Gariel had already turned and fled from the courtroom, his footsteps echoing through the halls of the palace.

Gariel ran until his lungs burned and his legs refused to carry him any further. He collapsed against a sturdy tree near the royal gate, seeking solace in its strong trunk. He was out of breath and frustrated, so he let out a cry of despair. It was as if the rain was mirroring his emotions. He grabbed at his blindfold, wanting to rip it off and see clearly again, but he couldn't break his promise to King Arus. He had sworn to wear the blindfold until he found the truth and discovered what he truly loved.

Gariel sat on the wet ground, whispering to himself, "Will I be alone again?"

But then a deep voice interrupted his thoughts, causing him to lift his head in surprise. There was Arus, crouched down beside him with open arms. Without hesitation, Gariel fell into the embrace, feeling comfort and warmth flood through him as Arus stroked his long, damp hair.

"I promised you that you wouldn't be alone again," Arus said softly. "Do you remember what I told you at Esdelron Lake?"

Gariel nodded, sniffling as he recalled their conversation by the peaceful waters. And in that moment, despite all his doubts and fears, he knew that he would never truly be alone as long as Arus was by his side.

Gariel's voice trembled with emotion as he made his promise to protect King Arus and Rupert. He gave them a tight hug, as if trying to physically shield them from any danger. Tears glistened in his eyes as he released the hug and met Arus's sharp gaze.

With determination shining in his own eyes, Arus held out his small finger to Gariel, a gesture of trust and companionship. Without a moment's hesitation, Gariel linked his own little finger with him, sealing their bond in that simple action. A moment of laughter broke through the tension, a shared understanding between the two friends. Their promise was unbreakable, their loyalty unwavering.