18 ᑕᕼᗩᑭTᗴᖇ 17

sᴇʟᴇɴᴇ's ᴘᴏᴠ

Nightfall is approaching again. And it turns put that there aren't any tall enough trees around us. So building a tree house in any random tree might be a bad idea.

We were quite while walking. And everyone is busy looking around.

Listening to whatever's coming.

After only a few minutes. Prince Shade suddenly stopped. His face were covered with certain fear. And it was the first time he looked this vulnerable.

"Prince Shade! Is there a problem?" Acrox asked. He's standing beside me.

"As much as any of you can! Do not think of anything that may lead them about the maps!" he said which confused everyone.

Why did he said that. It seems that he wants us to hide this crucial information to someone.

And only after a few seconds. They all appeared as if they've been here for so long.

Vampires. Sorcerers. Elves and more.

"Your Highness!" the vampire greeted Prince Shade.

"Liam!" Prince Shade said with a monotonous tone.

Everyone were so busy glaring at Liam's allies. As they as well glaring at us with a grin plastered on their faces.

"Oh really? What a useful information!" Liam said and Prince Shade looked at Jean as if he was fearing for her.

"It must've been very huge advantage fof you now that you've found the first piece of the map!" Liam said and the trace of manners is now gone.

He walked around Prince Shade and spoke. "I do mow mind if you take the lives of my friends! As long as I get the mermaid!"

He attempted to grab Jean and Yalex and Lexus immediately moved her behind them. They formed a circle covering all the girls.

While Prince Shade stood in front of Liam.

"I do not intend to resort to any violence! A bloodbath is never an answer to anything!" he said.

"You're no different from Jairo! And sooner or later! You as well will be thrown away from the castle!" Liam mocked the Prince as of he's better than he is.

He turned to his friends gaining everyone's attention. "Everyone!!! Behold! The Prince of Vampires!"

"We shall see! That as of this moment! Will he be able to prove himself! Deserving of taking over the throne someday! If he fails to protect the mermaid! We will have his head as our prize!" he said filled with nothing but greed and eager for victory.

I looked at Prince Shade and couldn't deny to worry. Iam aware. That he doesn't intend to resort to any violence.

What is he going to do?

"I do not want to prove myself to a throne I never wanted! But I can prove you that I can protect my friends much better than you can protect yours!" he said again with his monotonous voice.

Me, Jean and Coleen were covered under a thick shell-like branches. They insisted us not to join the fight as me and Coleen are both mortals. While Jean is their target.

We can hear loud screamings outside. The sounds of flames and ice scattering around the area. Our hideout will move a little because of a few impact. Someone even tried to destroy it.

"This is all my fault..." Jean said while crying.

"Was it really that hard for you to stop thinking?! You're such a huge idiot! And here I thought jerks and assholes are only for men ywt there you are!" Coleen yelled at her boiling mad.

"Coleen! Even though you have a point! You don't have to say that to her! You're so harsh!" I exclaimed and she just rolled her eyes.

After a few seconds, Jean started crying while holding her face. I didn't bother to stop her from crying. Instead, I listened to whatever's happening outside.

And after a half an hour, the branches disassembled and we saw the piled up bodies around us. The blood almost formed like a small pond. And what looks like pieces of hand amd heads are scattered everywhere.

I checked one by one whoever remained standing.

Laurant and Acrox are standing beside each other with their swords on their right hand. Each swords was dripping with thick blood.

Salazar, he was sitting on the ground talking to Nina.

Lexus. He was standing behind someone kneeling on the ground. While Yalex was the one who released us from our hideout.

I turned when I heard Abie and Ayane arrived from somewhere. They must've followed someone who attempted to run away.

"What happened?" I asked.

"What do you think?" Acrox replied in sarcastic way.

"What happened to Prince Shade?" Abie asked.

The Prince seemed a little off.

"We should camp here for the night!" Lexus said.

ᴀʙɪᴇ's ᴘᴏᴠ

Right after when Yalex finished building small shelters. Some of us immediately decided to sat in for a rest.

I was walking around the are when I noticed that Prince Shade wasn't around.

Well it's not that I care for the guy. It's just maybe I got used with the sight of all twelve of us together.

Ayane came and called me. "What is it?" I asked.

"Lexus said Prince Shade was feeling down after what happened! And he went strolling around but eventually hasn't returned yet! Since you volunteered for the night watch, you should search for him and bring him back! Make sure not to fume him mad okay!?" she said and before I could try to refuse she immediately walked away.

Well. I won't deny that I'm curious about what happened to him so I decided to search for him. After a few minutes of walking there and there. I found him sitting under a small and dried tree.

He was clutching on his knees with his head down.

I walked towards him avoiding him to notice me. But...

"Leave me alone!" he said but his voice was cracked.

He was crying.

I decided to sat beside him and this time. I'm watching him crying up close.

"What's wrong?" I asked but he didn't gave me any reply.

"You're not injured, aren't you?"

"Just leave me alone!" he scowled.

"How can I leave you alone in this state!?" I exclaimed and he turned to me with glaring eyes.

Even though I know he was trying to scare me off. It's of no use. Iam Abie Daoan for pete's sake.

And right now, what I see in front of me is a child crying.

"You don't have to pretend that you care Abie! Just leave me alone and I'll be fine!" he said coldly.

"Pretending was never in my vocabulary! I'm here because I was asked to be here! And I'm staying because I wanted to stay... Besides... Everyone's worried about you..." I said and he didn't reply.

After a few minutes of silence. I decided to ask him again.

"Are you really alright?"

"I don't know..." he turned to me and I could finally gaze on his pale and gorgeous face.

There is no denying that he really is gorgeous. And his visuals will no doubt to stand out among men. He have such features that can only be seen from rare men.

"As much as I can... I don't want anyone getting hurt... I want everyone to be safe... But as the saying goes, the world isn't like a house of candy... There will always be bitterness that follows every sweetness..." he said while sniffing.

"It seems to me... that you're not a fan of hurting anyone..."

"Not really..." he forced a laugh.

"Then why did you do it?"

Earlier when we were fighting, I saw how he fought with his enemies. He's really good and skilled. And I say that he's even better than me.

Dang this guy. He have so much compliments from me. And I'm pretty sure once he get over his stupidity whines he'll probably bug me again.

He didn't answer to my question and instead he sat there whining. I decided to stay with him and after a few minutes, I felt his head on my shoulder.

He's closing his eyes pretending he was asleep. If only he can sleep. I wanted to push him away but I can feel that he needs it right now.

And I was comfortable with him alone.