Atlas meets the Prince

Prince Saul POV

Present day

"Prince Saul! I know it isn't time yet but the warden is looking to meet with you before the ceremony."

A dream again huh. I wonder what will come of me when I die.

Nothing was worth it. I should have just smiled and supported him. It's been two years since then and I still can't sleep.

I get up from my bed and prepare for the coronation.

The tall man said that he would be here a month after I was crowned. Bastard took everyone and headed back east. It took me two years to get everything together.

I put on my king face and leave my room.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Atlas POV

The sun had finally set. I spent the day hiding in the shadows, listening in on all conversations.

From what I've gathered:

The coronation will begin at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Those who helped the prince take over two years ago won't be here for another month.

Representatives from the other three empires/kingdoms will be here by 8:30 a.m.

There will be constant patrol from the guards for the next few days.

Something else I found that was interesting. It seems like the prince has constant nightmares. Who knows what happened when he took over but he seems rather regretful.

My main priority was to kill the prince. But now I should prioritize restoring the royale family. For the sake of the Queen, I will try not to kill him.

From what I've found, the prince's Death's Aura is at 40%. So, taking him down will be tough. Taking out the guards around the capital will make it easier since there will be less people getting in my way. I guess the night will begin with a hunt.

------------------------------------------------------------

"Get up man. You can't be drinking right now! We're about to go on patrol."

"Fine! Fine! You go on first. I will catch up."

"You better! We're both in trouble if you don't show up!"

The man runs out with his armor and prepares for his patrol. The drinker was slowly getting up and taking a piss.

"Ahhhh. Man, that feels good."

He turns around and zips up. Preparing for his patrol duty.

Before he could follow his partner, he let's out a muffled scream and then he suddenly falls into his own shadow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Atlas POV

I learned that I could store things in my shadow. I could store inanimate objects obviously but I wanted to try a live creature. I guess a human could work.

After I pulled the guard into my shadow he began freaking out. The first minute was him screaming how he was blind and couldn't see anything. The next minute he began breathing very hard. The final minute he started scratching at his throat and was trying to take in all the air he could.

So, it seems like a living being can only last three minutes in my shadow before dying.

I pull myself and the guard out of my shadow. I had already moved towards an empty area so no one was around.

"Listen carefully if you don't want to go back in there, okay?"

The guard agrees quickly.

"Anything you want sir, please just don't force me back in there."

"Answer all my questions then."

"One, who is in charge of the entire patrol schedule and two, who can meet with the prince?"

"The prison warden is in charge of the patrol schedule and he can also meet with the prince."

"Where is the prison warden currently?"

"He's most likely in his home at the moment, the biggest house within walking distance of the palace. Later he will be in front of the palace, where he needs to gather the guards and set them up before the prince's speech."

"I see. Thank you."

I unleash my Death's Aura onto him.

"Stay home today. If you live close to the warden then don't go near there. If you have plans to go to the speech then don't. If you plan to tell anyone about me… well you know I can kill you before you leave this city."

The guard just nods and runs away.

'Biggest building within walking distance of the palace. It's currently 3 a.m. The warden is most likely leaving for the palace around 6 or 7 a.m. I can take out a few more guards before talking to the warden.'

I move back into my shadow. I guess it's time to continue my hunt.

--------------------------------------------------------------

After taking out more guards, I finally move to find the warden's home.

'Biggest building within walking distance of the palace.'

I reach the area around the palace. According to the servants, the prince had the area changed.

The area around the palace was cleared, filled with only greenery that the Queen loved apparently. But after the prince took over, he cleared everything and built an entire small village surrounding the palace.

Those who had earned the favor the prince was allowed to live within this small village.

The security around was tight. Making sure that no harm would fall upon these people. This time, the security was even stronger since the coronation. However, it didn't matter to me. I am nearly undetectable when hiding in the shadows.

I found the warden's home. His house was near the center of the village. Checking the entire building, I find a few mana points in the building. Searching through, there were two constant mana points outside the house, two others inside and there was a mana point alone in a room on the third floor. This was most likely the warden. The others are probably guards and maids.

I found the two guards first and knocked them out. I enter and avoided the maids. Making my way through the house, I make it safely to the third floor. I find the room that the mana point is coming out of.

I slowly open the door. I see the back of a pot belly man. It seems like he was waking up to prepare for the day. Using his tree trunk like arms and sausage fingers, he tried desperately to cover up the bald spot on his head. He then gets up and heads to the bathroom. I use that moment to get behind him.

'Absolute silence.'

I cast the strongest wind barrier spell I know so that no one could hear us or detect us in here.

"Hello Mr. Warden. From what I've heard you have instant access to the prince."

The pot belly man turns around and stares at me.

"Who the hell are you!? What do you want with me?!"

While he's asking me questions, I could feel the mana in the air change.

I wrapped my mana around him and give him a good squeeze. Just strong enough to wake him up from the delusion he just attempted.

"Please don't be so excited. I wouldn't want this house to burn down just because you thought you could kill me with something that weak."

I could see his brain working overtime. He appeared to give up and stop struggling but he is still trying to figure out how to escape.

"Please listen to me before you do anything crazy."

I leak out just a bit of my Death's Aura as I begin my questioning.

"What is your relationship with the prince? Why does he trust you so much?"

The man stands in front of me stiffly. I can still see his eyes looking around and his brain working to find a way out. I guess it can't be that easy.

I leak out all of my Death's Aura onto him. That usually puts them in their place.

"Once more. What is your relationship with the prince and why does he trust you? Please answer the question sir. I don't mind blood but I rather not see it today."

The man final gives in and lets out a sigh.

"The prince use to work with me in the prison. When he killed the king and took over, he put many of the prison guards into high positios. I was assigned the role of one of the new generals."

The man stops.

"Why did you stop? Tell me why does he trust you so much? You could easily turn on him, no? I heard his backers aren't even on this continent at the moment. With all your powers combined could you not take out the prince and rule over the kingdom yourself?"

Are the man's hands shaking?

"You don't understand… the prince… he's a monster. You haven't seen it…"

The man begins trembling.

"A year ago, a small group wanted to take over and so they plotted to kill the prince and the rest of the royale family… but that was where they messed up."

I release my Aura from him. It looks like I won't be needing it.

"They were his personal guards. Followed him everywhere. The only place they weren't allowed was when he met with the tall man. So, they thought they knew him well. They planned to kill him in his sleep but… that night a beast's roar could be heard throughout the kingdom. The following morning, the entire floor the prince stayed on was covered in blood. All of the bodies were found with their heads missing. The heads were found carefully lined up together and looking out a window."

The man looks at me.

"Why does he trust us you ask? He doesn't need to trust us. He has put us all in our places. If I knew what kind of monster he was, I would have never let him take charge… no… never…"

The man begins to have a breakdown. Looks like talking about the prince is a rather difficult thing.

The barrier kept noise from inside leaking out but it also kept noise from entering. So, I hadn't realized that one of the maids had opened the door and walked in until she let out a small scream.

I turn around and grab onto her instantly. Pulling her close into me, I whisper to her.

"Excuse me. Please don't let out a noise if you want to live, okay?"

The maid nods and I continue on.

"Could you tell the-."

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING BITCH?! GET HIM!!"

The old man suddenly shouts at the maid. I could feel the maid in my embrace begin to shiver a bit. I checked on her. I could see bruises on her arm and what seemed to be faded finger marks around her neck.

Why? Why can't I meet a good person?

"Miss. Don't worry about him, okay? Just listen to me."

I try to make my voice sound more soothing so I don't freak out the maid anymore than she already is.

"Could you please go to the palace and tell them the warden here wants to meet the prince? Once you do, take the other maid and the guards and leave, okay? You don't have to worry about coming to work tomorrow. Take whatever you want from this house as payment, okay?"

The maid didn't move. She kept looking between me and the old man.

"Don't you dare you bitc- AHHH!"

I use air scythe and cut off the man's leg at the knee. The maid shivers and holds tightly onto my arm. I tell her once more.

"Like I said earlier. Don't worry about coming back here for work. Just ask for the prince to come here. Once you've done that, take whatever you want from here and leave."

"O…okay… thank you."

The maid gives me a little bow and then leaves. I wonder how long it will be before the prince shows up.

I turn to see the old man squirming on the floor.

"Still haven't bled out yet? Ceto, could you stop the bleeding?"

"Of course I can sirrr!!!!"

Ceto flies out of my body and heads over to the old man. With a glow, the man stops bleeding and glares at me. In response I tell Ceto,

"Ceto, can you cast water prison on him and then cancel it right before anything happens to him. Make sure to torture him slowly. I'm sure he has laid his hands on the other maid as well."

"I will happily sir!!!"

The man doesn't understand it now but I will make sure he suffers until the prince shows up. He better pray the prince decides to move quickly today.

---------------------------------------------------

Three hours later, 7 a.m.

"Ceto, it looks like the prince is close by. Finish off the man. We need to go meet him."

"Alrigghhtyyy!"

I head downstairs as Ceto finishes her business.

I sit at the dining table as the prince gets closer and closer.

I left the door wide open for him to walk in.

After a few minutes, the prince walks through.

"Warden! What do you want? You know that we both have a long day ahead."

The prince sees me smiling at him.

"Please sit down your Majesty? My prince? Just sit."

The prince, to my surprise, just strolls over and sits down. He hid whatever he was feeling perfectly behind his calm demeanor.

"It's a pleasure to meet you prince. My name is Atlas."