"Is power something you desire?"

.

.

.

He was sprinting and breathing deeply, which caused the entire academy hallway to reverberate with his steps.

He was being chased by several of his age. His entire body was soaked in perspiration, and his forehead was bleeding. To find someone who could assist him, he hurriedly ran from one place to another, but the academy's hallways were completely devoid of anybody to be seen.

"Why are they still trying to catch me? Lydan tried to maintain his rapid pace while running, his thoughts tumbling.

...

A short while back.

"Your highness, Professor Edward has called for you," As he curled up in a bow, a Noble student said.

Looking at the small youngster in front of him, Lydan was standing perplexed at the entrance. He was joined in his confusion with Edmund, who was standing nearby.

"Did he explain the cause to you?" Lydan made a sign.

The Noble student stood back from the entrance and stated, "I was only ordered to give you the message and show you the way, Your Highness."

"Do I need to go right away?" Lydan gestured once more.

"He has requested me to fetch you as quickly as possible," the Noble replied.

Lydan gave a slight nod, indicating to show the way as he stepped outside when Edmund's voice halted him and he looked back.

Edmund made a bow and said, "Your Highness, let me go with you."

Before Lydan could make a gesture, the Noble interrupted, "The professor has instructed me to bring you alone."

Edmund was bowing in front of him when Lydan offered him a pleasant grin and followed the nobleman to the academy.

...

Inside the academy,

Lydan was following the Nobel student down the hallway as he made his way through his clouded thoughts.

Lydan watched the boy from behind and thought, "He doesn't appear to care about the regulations, given as he is strolling ahead of a royal."

After a short distance, the boy halted in front of the door, turned around, and motioned for Lydan to enter the room with a bow.

Lydan saw that the nameplate on the room's door was not Edward's, but rather someone else's. He stopped when he realized that the room was a self-study class rather than a professor's office.

He looked away from the entrance and toward the youngster, who was standing straight and had a blank expression.

Lydan took a little step back as he thought the atmosphere was nervy.

Lydan pointed and said, "This is not Professor Edward's room."

His eyes briefly widened as he caught sight of the student laughing evilly.

The boy knocked on the door with a nasty chuckle, "Your Highness, you are silly to follow me without confirming anything," he remarked sarcastically.

When Lydan realized there was an impenetrable, invisible wall behind him, he scowled at the student and turned around.

Lydan turned back again to the youngster and stated in his head, "They are using magic."

A group of youngsters emerged from the room through the door as it opened, grinning.

One of the pupils commented, "So he is Prince Lydan," as he approached Lydan.

Lydan was attempting to come up with a reasoned solution. "They can utilize powers but I can't, and without a sword, realized I can only defeat some of them," he thought.

Two students exchanged glances as one of them grinned and moved forward to perform a spell of invisibility hazy lightning while Lydan was thinking of a solution.

Lydan had tremors and anguish throughout his entire body. As soon as the necklace he was wearing was struck by the bizarre, misty lightning strike, he heard desperate whispers and felt a piercing ache in his scar.

"What happened just now?" Lydan struggled to understand the predicament in his head.

As soon as they saw him wince in agony, the guys in front of him all began to laugh. He was attempting to keep his mind clear to not restrain himself, so he missed one of the boys gently approaching him.

"Who do you think that you are to treat His Highness Ayrton in such a manner?" Lydan was yelled at by the approaching student, who also attempted to take his cape.

Before the youngster could even get close to him, Lydan suddenly glanced up and glared at him. The child recoiled as soon as he glimpsed a brief blue light in his eyes before everything in his field of vision darkened.

...

With the aid of the little light emanating from the barely opened window, a black figure standing in the pitch black was looking through a bookcase in front of him in quest of a book.

A voice said, "King Carlos will not let go of this issue," from behind the person.

As some light reflected while showing his face, the man turned in the direction of the voice.

Richard murmured as he limped to the divan next to the window, "Gage, don't be concerned."

"What if they act recklessly and seriously harm Lydan?" It was repeated by Gage in a booming voice.

Richard opened the book and turned over a few pages as he relaxedly sat on the sofa.

Gage was looking at Richard, but he began reading oblivious to his anxious perception.

"Are you aware that there is someone behind him, whom I want to find out?" As he turned another page, Richard murmured.

"Sire, what do you mean?" asked Gage.

Richard glanced at Gage, who was standing next to him, and said under his sneer, "He is here."

Gage looked Richard in the eye and created a spell about him. Along with Gage, a dense fog emerged and vanished.

With a smirk forming on his lips, Richard closed the book as he said, "We are finally going to meet soon."

...

"Catch him before someone else see him," a voice echoed in the hallway of the academy.

Some boys with bruised faces were chasing behind Lydan as they were anxious because of the mistake they had made against a royal that couldn't be undone.

"Why are they still chasing me?" Lydan said in his mind as his regard fell on a familiar name scribbled on the door.

Without a second thought, Lydan entered the room and abruptly closed the door behind him.

"Feron" was written on the door outside the room. Lydan leaned against the door as the murmurs in his head began to gradually fade away, and soon there were no whispers left, only a sharp agony in his chest.

Lydan inhaled deeply and opened his eyes to discover a big library illuminated by the weak light coming in through some windows.

Lydan exhaled a sigh of relief. He looked astounded as he look at the enormous library with his eyes.

Lydan plodded ahead as his eyes caught sight of a handsome man he had never seen before reading a book while seated on a sofa.

After finishing the book, Richard moved closer to him. The man who was approaching Lydan gave off a domineering aura.

"So," Richard responded, "You are Prince Lydan." When he looked at the pendant Lydan was wearing, his eyes grimaced momentarily.

"Who are you?" Lydan gestured incomprehensibly.

As he stroked Lydan's head, Richard grinned. " Is power something you desire, Your Highness?" He queried.

When Lydan heard Richard's remarks, his eyes opened in shock, and he temporarily forgot about the pain of his wounds.

…

The third kingdom was a muted pandemonium, as was evident from the rumor on every market and every street. The atmosphere in the castle was more strained overall.

From the horse that had just stopped on the castle's floor, a soldier hopped down. He hurriedly went through the main door of the castle and gave a letter to one of the servants inside, who carried it inside.

Nicolas was sitting in front of Eragon on the opposite side of the table, and Isabella was staring intently at both of them. Carlos was sitting at the head seat of the table, looking intently at the map that was laid out on the table in the middle.

"The whole country of Dragmire is encircled by those creatures, without a chance to escape, according to our most recent information," Nicolas remarked.

Nicolas got up and walked slowly toward one side of the map as Eragon sat beside him, silently.

Eragon pointed to a certain location on the map and declared, "There is only one way out."

"Laskerville Kingdom?" Isabella inquired.

Carlos turned to face Edmund as Edmund nodded to Isabella.

"After hearing you say it, I believe you are correct. No creature will approach this realm due to the holy force there, "Nicolas stated.

"In comparison to the army of our country, their army is still nothing," Carlos added.

With a smile, Nicolas remarked, "The more the better."

"It has been determined that I shall invite Laskerville today. A little assistance is preferable to none " Isabella remarked as the knock on the door diverted her focus.

A servant entered and bowed in front of all the royal majesties before advancing.

The menial handed Carlos the letter and stated, "Your highness, a letter has arrived from the academy."

Isabella became nervous when she saw the letter in front of Carlos.

To be continued...