Prince of Asterl - Part 2

Suddenly, the prince lowered his sword and pondered these words for a moment. At times, when Laugs displayed an involuntary smile, he would only lift the corners of his lips in an apathetic gesture, but this time, his smile also revealed some of the loneliness and sadness that lurked deep within him.

Then, Prince Laugs raised his head and gazed at the general, speaking with bitter words, "Why can't I become king? Am I not the prince of this realm? Furthermore, am I not already a powerful mage? But all of you keep telling me the same things... that I can never rule. Do you also believe this, master?"

"The Divine Sword chooses only those not awakened to magic. We've had this conversation before, Prince," replied Thelus, shifting into a combat stance to divert their conversation and continued, "Come, focus more on your training."

However, Prince Laugs continued, "And why do we still obey such a foolish system?," he ranted. "The king should be the one with the greatest power. The strongest should rule, the weaker should be ruled. Isn't that the law of nature everywhere, master? Why should it be different here?"

The prince's outburst caught everyone's attention, and within his words, Thelus began to sense an excessive hatred and a wicked glint in his eyes.

"You fool!" exclaimed Thelus, raising his voice. "Never speak such things in your father's presence."

"You don't understand me either, master..."

"Mistaken you are, Prince Laugs," Thelus gently smiled. "Come, the day you take this sword from my hands, that's when I will believe you can defeat your father."

Laugs displayed a reluctant smile. "I'm not the child I once was, master..."

"Then don't act like one," interrupted General Thelus. "Just prove to everyone that you've changed."

To prove that he had changed? Laugs smiled.

"That's what I'll do, master."

Laugs advanced ferociously, spinning his sword swiftly, launching a quick strike from above. On the other side, General Thelus matched his intensity to defend himself. The sound of their clash echoed loudly, leaving nearby guards slightly startled, not quite sure why they were using such force in a routine training session.

"What's happening? Why is he so angry?" asked the brown-haired boy.

"Don't ask me, you idiot!" Rude replied exasperatedly and then whispered, "How should I know?"

The boys began to wonder if this hostile behavior was the reason they were prohibited from approaching the prince.

"We should go back," whispered the red-haired boy once more.

"But then we won't know what's going to happen to them," said Lince.

Rude was annoyed with himself for having to agree with his friend. So, they continued to observe the training, which had now turned into what seemed like a life-or-death struggle.

"What are you doing, prince?"

"Huh? Just giving it my all. If this is the way to prove that I've changed, I'll show you just how much I've changed... you'll be the first to see it, master."

Prince Laugs spoke these words with a provocative smile as he attempted to press the general with his swift blows. He pushed his sword with all his might, but on the other side stood someone with far more strength, easily resisting his onslaught.

Thelus did not fall for the prince's provocations. Instead, he used his strength to make him step back. Then he said, adopting a more cautious tone, "You are still young, Prince. So, you say foolish things. Let's conclude today's training. Come early tomorrow..."

"Prove me wrong, master. Make your sword defeat my magic," Prince Laugs insisted.

There was no way he could defeat an opponent like the powerful General Thelus in a sword fight. Both his strength and his swordsmanship were legendary wherever his name was mentioned. But when it came to magic, Laugs considered himself a genius. Therefore, his brilliance should not be overshadowed by a mere tradition held by foolish and outdated people.

"I'm here to teach you, not fight you," Thelus retorted and sighed. "Let's forget this matter. Go take a bath; maybe cooling your head will do you good."

It was not uncommon for a conversation during their training to turn into an unwanted topic like this. However, that morning, Prince Laugs seemed to be in a bad mood. Thelus knew him well enough to understand that it was better for everything to end there before it became a bigger problem.

However, Prince Laugs lowered his head, remained silent for a while, yet remained obstinate.

"I've grown tired of this," Laugs said finally. And as he looked at his left hand, he added, "The agreement with my father stated that if I defeated him once with a sword, I would no longer need to train in swordsmanship... But he said nothing about only using the sword to defeat you. Master, watch what I've learned recently..."

Prince Laugs raised his left hand to eye level and, with the tip of his index finger, began to write symbols in the air. He did so with astonishing speed, with his lips moving in time with his swift gestures, and from his mouth came a set of strange words.

Thelus stared at Prince Laugs in total amazement. He may not have known the meaning of those words, but he knew very well what it meant to use them. After all, it was an incantation in the language of the Ancients.

"A spell?" Thelus murmured, still in disbelief. "Are you using spells now, Prince Laugs?"

Laugs only smiled with satisfaction at his master's astonished expression and continued the incantation even more fervently.