~ Talking Corpse ~

"It's been seven days."

Alexion looked at Winter who was unconscious on her bed. Her temperature continued to spike and lower to dangerous temperatures, leaving her bedridden.

When her temperature lowered, the King or Lysander had to use their heat affinity in order to stabilize her magic. Due to their duties, Etrix had to eventually step in when they couldn't stay by her.

When her temperature raised, several doctors buzzed about her room desperately trying to keep it at bay. Winter was extremely sick.

He recalled what the Royal Physician had told them: "Since Her Highness' affinity reacts based on her emotions, it's possible she underwent some sort of shock or high stress levels. Has anything been troubling her?"

Alexion sighed, holding Winter's hand at her bedside. He had been so busy with the investigation that he had hardly seen Winter recently. He couldn't help but feel as if his actions were neglectful, leading Winter to fall sick.

"Get well soon," He said, squeezing her hand gently. "It won't happen again, so wake up soon."

He glanced up at Etrix, who was seated at the desk in the corner of the room. Etrix shuffled through a series of papers. The sound of the paper rustling and the scratching of his quill against it filled the silence.

For the past seven days, Etrix ate and did his mage work in Winter and Aiden's room. He would only rest if the King or Lysander came to watch over Winter.

"Did you know?" He asked him, watching the druid try to concentrate on his work. "Did you know she was having a hard time?"

Etrix froze, hand crumpling the edges of a paper where he held it. Did he know? He thought something was up with Winter ever since she visited him at the tower, but he didn't ask any questions. Winter had made it very clear that she had no one else to turn to.

"I think the investigation's been bothering her," He replied, resuming the scribbling of his quill. "She doesn't like being left in the dark. I think it stresses her out, not knowing what's happening. Her Highness is very mature for her age, so she doesn't like being treated like a child."

Alexion sighed. Etrix was right. The reason why he got along with his little sister so well was because they treated one another as equals. He knew more than anyone else how much she liked staying informed about stuff that was going on.

The door slowly creaked open and two doctors entered the room. One of them was holding an abundance of herbs in his arms and the other clutched a leather satchel.

"Your Highness," One of them greeted with a bow. "I'm here to check the Princess' condition."

Alexion nodded, rising from the chair he had pulled up beside her bed. "Do your job well."

He squeezed Winter's limp hand one last time before letting go.

"Y-Your Highness," The other doctor stuttered. "Please, please allow me to treat the P-Princess. I have brought the herbal medicines the other doctors and I discussed."

Alexion nodded slightly. "If you wish to keep your heads, then do everything you can."

He strode towards the door without looking back.

Etrix sighed, watching Prince Alexion shut the door behind him. The doctors, clearly terrified, trembled from the effect of his words and began to work hastily. He brushed his green locks of hair from his eyes and began to shuffle through the papers once more.

~***~

The atmosphere in the throne room was heavy enough to suffocate a perfectly healthy knight.

Prince Lysander had done a good job keeping the news of Winter's collapse from leaking out. With everything going on right now, the King ordered for it to be kept a secret. Any weaknesses within the Kingdom had to be subdued in order to prevent them from being used against the Empire.

Lysander clicked his tongue, studying the men kneeling at his feet. They shuddered under his watch like wet dogs.

"It's been several weeks now," He said in an ice cold tone, tightening his grip on the handle of his sword. "Is there any reason why the King's elite unit has failed to make any progress?"

The Shadow Unit, cloaked in the colours of night, flinched at his words. Six of the Empire's most skilled mages and assassins were right below his feet, whimpering like lost puppies. The sight made Lysander want to spill blood.

"I should just kill you all and use your blood to decorate my room," He barked at them. "I really do like the colour red."

"Your, Your Highness," The captain pleaded from the cold floor. "We do have a lead, we do!"

Lysander raised an eyebrow. "A lead but no progress. Sounds contradicting to me."

The captain raised his head slightly, cold beads of sweat stained his face. "We've been following trails of Black Magic for weeks. It is true that we reach a dead end each time, but there is something in common at each place!"

"Go on."

"People affected by Black Magic."

Lysander sighed, pointing the tip of his silver sword at the throat of the esteemed captain. "Is that so?"

The captain paled, afraid that if he moved even a single muscle his neck would come off. "We have detained them and they are currently under surveillance at the mages' tower. The mages there are doing research on their condition."

"I have no interest in those affairs, I'm taking about the culprit behind their manipulation. Where is he?"

A heavy silence filled the air.

"As I thought," Lysander said coldly while raising his blade as if he was about to swing. "Thank you for your loyalty and service so far."

"Brother," A small voice called out.

Lysander paused, lowering his sword. Aiden trembled like a puppy with wide eyes, witnessing the whole scene from the shadows.

"Aiden?" Lysander asked, hiding his sword behind his back. "I thought you had training."

Aiden shook his head, hesitantly taking a few steps towards his brother. "I was worried about Winny, so I couldn't focus. Captain let me leave early today."

"Ah," Lysander said. "Shall we go check on her?"

His sword hit the marble floor with a crisp thud. The mages and assassins released their breaths, as if their lives had just been saved by a miracle.

"Yes!" Aiden exclaimed, grabbing his brother by his sleeve. "Let's go, come on."

Lysander turned towards the cowering unit once more. "Next time we meet, I won't be so lenient."

They nodded at his words, silently thanking the gods for their survival.

Sir Emris glanced at the men and women on the floor before following closely behind the pair. He was glad he had chosen not to join the King's unit.

~***~

"Kyakyakyakya."

The sound of the creature's laugh echoing throughout the cell was vile.

The King studied the face of the man who was held down by several chains imbued with magic. His eyes were entirely black and his teeth were rotten. The skin on his body had become discoloured, turning a rotten looking green and purple. It was as if someone had thrown a cursed soul into a corpse.

"We await your orders," A mage said from beside him, illuminating the disgusting scene before them with a burning torch.

The King crinkled his nose in disgust. The cell smelt of burnt rubber and metal.

"Did the other two talk?" The King asked them, kicking the breathing corpse with a strong leg.

The corpse let out a wretched cough, releasing a gooey black fluid. The black substance stained his rotten teeth and peeling lips.

"No, Your Majesty," One of the mages said. "This is the first one who can speak. Either the other two could speak and chose not to, or only this one can."

The creature smiled at them with yellow teeth stained black. The sight was enough to make the weak-hearted faint.

"Talk," The King ordered.

The creature said nothing. Instead, it smiled at him in a mocking manner.

"Does it feel pain?" The King asked.

The mage with the torch shook his head. "No, Your Majesty. It can also stay alive without food or water. Only after decapitating the other two were we able to kill them."

The creature twisted its head in a disturbing way, watching them with black eyes. Its smile faltered, before it opened its mouth. An eery lullaby filled the cell.

"The Empire will crumble in the dark of night.

The family you love so much will break.

The King's blood will stain the floors at first sight.

The one who harbours harsh feelings of hate."

The lullaby ended with the flick of a blade and the creature's head hitting the cell floor.

"Bring me everyone corrupted by Black Magic," The King said, wiping the black substance that splattered from the creature's body off his face. "Kill every last one of them."

"Right away, Your Majesty. We shall communicate with the Shadow Unit at your request."

The King rubbed his nose. The smell was disgusting enough to make him want to vomit, but why did it seem so familiar? The scent of metal. Where has he smelt that before?

"Your Majesty," One of the mages said, opening the cell door for them to exit. "I did extensive research on their condition, but it is incapable of being reversed. Once the soul is corrupted with Black Magic, it is impossible."

The King nodded slowly, following the mages closely through the dungeon corridors. The cries of prisoners could be heard from every corner.

"I figured," The King said under his breath, gazing at the iron bars as they passed the never ending rows of cells.

"They were once people," The mage said with a shaky voice, holding the burning torch high in the air. "I wish there was a way."

"Once Black Magic reaches their soul, they are no longer people." Caderyn's words echoed against the desperate cries in the darkness.

The King frowned, picturing his daughter unconscious under her blankets. Was Winter awake now? The news of her calling out for him in her last conscious moment shook his indifferent heart.

He smiled slightly, reminiscing about the colour of her silver hair and her fiery eyes. Winter reminded him of Indra. She was a spitting image of her mother.

At first, he wasn't sure how to feel about the news of him having a daughter. He had raised two sons, but raising a daughter was a challenge he has yet to overcome. It was especially hard since Winter was as fierce and cold as he was, but as smart and quick-witted as his passed on lover.

'She looks just like you, Indra.'

The only females he had ever loved in his entire life were Winter and her mother. It was too soon for Winter to fall through his grasp like Indra did. No matter what, he would keep Winter where he could protect her.

"Will you be returning to the Royal Palace, Your Majesty?"

"Yes, I want to see my daughter."