Turbulent Thoughts

Ten Minutes Ago:

Rebus wiped his sweat and unsheathed his sword. "Five out of seven is mine. Again/" he said to the opponent standing in front of him. It was the little boy that was always following behind Erudite, named Sylas.

"Yeah, come on," Sylas shouted and charged at him with his sword raise above his head. His long stubby sword came down on him at a high speed.

But for an ancient Devil, this little boy's moments were too predictable. He dodged his attachment and with his sword hilt he slammed his exposed armpit.

"AHH Zhong did you have to hit me so hard," Sylas whined, massaging his shoulders.

"You are exposing your weak points too much," Rebus said. "Don't lift your sword above your head, it will expose your ribs and weak armpits. Keep your sword to your shoulder level and charge," he advised.

As per his instructions, he lowered his sword to the shoulder level and charged at him again. This time the Rebus sidestepped and knocked his hilt at his exposed neck.

"Oh, I forgot, you have to carefully guard your neck in this stance," he said to the kid rolling on the floor.

"Come on Zhong~ you misguided me," Sylas whined again, rubbing the newly formed bruise on his neck.

Rebus shrugged and sheathed his sword. "I guided you correctly but you should have figured out the stance's weakness," he said.

"But..."

"He is right," their master Huyt said from the distance. "No one is going to guide your movements in war you have to figure out your own strengths and weaknesses." He picked up the sword laying innocently on the floor.

"Well done Zhong, your skill has improved so much in just four months," Huyt said, patting his shoulders.

"Thanks master," Rebus said awkwardly, scratching his head. He is an ancient devil, of course it was a fact that a snot-nosed brat cannot not defeat him.

"And when you see Eru, tell him I want to meet him," Huyt said with a sinister grin.

Rebus sighed and nodded. The naughty child probably slept off anther training. 'He is definitely going to hear an ear full, that's for sure,' he thought, rolling his eyes.

"And Sylas you are good at archery why are you trying so hard to learn a skill that you are not talented in," Huyt pointed the sword to his neck.

"It's because.... I want to on be like Kaden," Sylas mumbled with a small blush.

Rebus gazed at the blushing little boy and sighed. He could smell his love from a mile away. 'Young love huh... it looks like this kid has a crush on Kaden.'

Thinking about love, he couldn't help but remember about his beloved Nyx. Her cute smile when she does something naughty. Her frown, her grimace.... everything.

'Nyx, I miss you so much. I will.... I will definitely bring you back soon,' he pledged gazing at Vera and Altair.

Just like Vera and Altair's star crossed love, his love also came to an abrupt end.

'But... It is not the end. It's the beginning.'

A hand waved in front of his face, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Zhong? Yo, are you okay?" Sylas whispered with a frown.

"Yeah, I... I'm fine," he said and walked away.

But the insistent kid followed behind him. "Bro, you were crying,"

Rebus paused and turned back with a glare. "I am a grown man and grown men don't cry." He shouted and strode away.

"Eh, but there is nothing wrong in a grown man crying," Sylas whispered as he watched his hurrying back.

Hearing his mutter, Rebus smoked from his ear. 'I was not crying. Just... there was something in my eye,' he internally cried and wiped his wet eyes vigorously.

Thinking about his lover made his eyes tear unknowingly. But he did not want to show such a weak side to anyone else.

'Besides, I still have Erudite, he is the soul of Nyx, then why should I cry?' he soothed his agitated heart.

Suddenly a soft voice echoed in his mind. {'Oh my god, is this tentacle play? I want nothing to do with this ah!!'}

"Erudite? What is a tentacle play? What is this kid thinking about?" Rebus wondered, but his steps unknowingly hastened.

Months ago, he had connected his mind with the little prince. And whenever he is agitated, his thought will get transmitted to his mind.

{'Eh, why is he holding me so tight, ah? He might squeeze my inners,'} Erudite's soft voice whispered in his mind.

"Holding? Holding what? What is this kid up to now,?" Rebus mumbled and darted though the corridor. The guards stationed there gave him weird looks, but he did not even bother. His heart was agitated by the little prince's thoughts.

{'Dear? Yay don't use endearment, ah. It makes my heart flutter,'} Erudite's soft voice echoed again.

"What the hell? Who is making your heart flutter?" he whispered with his eyes wide open. His heart started aching badly, as if he is going to lose his love again.

'I am coming. Don't give your heart to anyone else!' he internally transmitted. But he was still not sure if Eru got his message.

Running down the winding corridor, he reached the passageway to the court room.

Rebus could smell the intense smell of daffodils from that direction.

'He is here,' he darted through the passage way.

But what he saw made him freeze on the spot.

Prince Erudite was presently clinging onto a guy's hips with his veil covering both their heads.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" Rebus shouted.

All three of their heads snapped his way.

Rebus noticed a shadow demon attached to the maid, wiggling its paws towards the little prince.

'What is a shadow demon doing here?' he thought and glared at it. Sensing his superior demonic aura the shadow demon squealed and retreated.

"Oh, Zhong come here, help me get this off," Eru said pointing to something.

Upon close inspection, he noticed the bottom of his veil tangled up pin that hostage prince's hair.

With narrowed eyes he walked up to then. He gripped the decorated edge of the veil and tore it. Leaving the tangled up piece still stuck in his hair.

"Hey, why did you tear it? It's a gift from mum," Eru shouted.

Eru still clung to the tall prince. 'Does this kid even know what he is up to? Look at him climbing to him like a leach,'

Rebus gritted his teeth and plucked him away from the hostage prince's grip. He placed him on his hip as if he is carrying a little kid.

The kid squirmed a little. Rebus gripped his slender waist and held him in place. "Zhong, this… let me down," prince Erudite whispered.

"I will be taking the prince to his quarter now." he said in a low voice.

Deric glared at him and whispered, "I think Prince is very uncomfortable."

"I don't think so. The prince vaguely seemed ecstatic to be held like this," Rebus said with a sneered.

After saying this, he glared at Lafta's prince one last time and strode away with the little prince in his arms.

The two people, Deric and Yelli, were left standing alone gazing at his retreating back.

"Ahh Zhong? Can you let me down?" Eru whispered softly.

"Oh, your highness seemed to enjoy being carried around like this so this lowly servant would take up the honor," Rebus whispered with a smile.

{'Goddess, his smile is so creepy ah. Why is he calling me your highness? This devil is definitely cross with me about jumping on Deric,'} Erudite's thoughts sounded in his mind.

"It's okay. It's not that I enjoyed being carried like that its... It's because I saw a spider," Little prince said with a small blush.

{'This guy, is he jealous? But I didn't do that on purpose,'} his little voice transmitted in his brain.

His eyes brows twitched hearing the kid's thoughts. Rebus gazed at him with the same smirk and said, "No, it's okay your highness this servant exits to serve your needs."

Erudite wiggled even more. Rebus glared ahead at the guards and servants in his way and gripped his waist tighter. Some guards gazed at them in shock and some did not even meet his eye. They all scattered away as if seeing a ghost.

{'This is so uncomfortable. Is he not going to loosen his grip? Why the hell is he carrying me around like a baby? Oh god people are looking our way. My public image as a prince is completely sunk low ah….'} the little prince's thoughts transmitted to his mind again.

'Now he is feeling uncomfortable. He didn't think it was comfortable when clinging to that… that Deric.' Rebus spat out in his mind. His thoughts turned chaotic when he realized that he was indeed very jealous at that moment.

He dropped the wiggling prince on the carpeted ground and strode away.

Watching him cling to someone else made his heart burn like it thrown in hell fire.

He clenched his chest. "But why…. why is it hurting so badly?" he whispered.