ICE PRINCE, DEVIL AND BASTARD

Kyrian, seeing the heavy burden that his brother voluntarily took in his small shoulders, had his heart stung with pain. Looking at his brother with so much sadness in his eyes still hurt him. Even though Aisling looks at him rarely as a brother, he is still family, no matter what. He felt guilty for finding the war comfortable, just that thought intensified the increasing guilt.

"I'm so selfish to even think that the war is to my advantage," he said to himself. But Kyrian still desired peace. He may not realize it yet but he'd do anything for peace, for the cessation of war that had befallen them. He hated how this war created a rift in the family he grew up in, how it transformed his once rational older brother into a corruptible and cruel tyrant that he no longer recognizes or how it is slowly crushing his younger brother into deep unhappiness.

To the other nephilims, he is a cold and blood thirsty general that one must avoid at all cost. It was maybe because of his emotionless face when he kills someone or his pale, blue eyes that are dead to a soldier's act of mercy or his somewhat deaf ears that hears no pleas of compassion that is seen by those around him as ruthless, heartless and cold-blooded. He earned the nickname, the "ice prince" from his own men, the "devil" from the lips of the families of people he killed or that repetitious insult "bastard" that he still loathes deeply.

But his heart spoke differently. Whenever he kills someone, his heart would break like a fragile glass that is thrown on the ground. The cries and pleas of the many people he killed in the past still rang in his head whenever he sleeps and he wakes up in a nightmare that continued to haunt him for what he assumes as forever. His impassive face which he trained to be empty of any emotions is his way of a defense and barrier from people's defamation. He refused to shed any tears in front of anyone even if he wanted to because he doesn't want to be insulted as weak or pathetic by the people he still wished to accept him. His fear made him cold and people could not see that, they could not see his sensitivity nor his emotions. What they see is only the "ice prince", the "devil" and the "bastard" that they wanted him to be.

That morning after his audience with Aisling, Kyrian prepared for the worst. It was this day that would be the day that they defeat Ezio, whom the people referred to as the "tyrant". However, Ezio as compared to Kyrian still holds a great advantage in his army's number and strength. Ezio's forces are the soldiers and military who swore loyalty to the crown. They, who committed an unbreakable vow to protect whoever sits on the throne and shield the empire from any enemies, are Ezio's. Kyrian always thought that even if these soldiers personally wanted to fight for Aisling, the "prince of the people", their sworn loyalty to the empire, bound in blood and magic is what prevents them to do so.

The Occiden's military vows is after all a ceremony and tradition that the former emperors of the kingdom conducted to welcome the voluntary soldiers who wish to protect Occiden, in their care. It is an unbreakable vow where the soldiers must slit their hands with a magic knife, let it bleed a drop or two and mix it with their drinks, a spell is imbued in their cups of wine and after a few chants they would all cheers to it in unison, marking them as official servants of Occiden kingdom's military forces. It was seen as an honorable position and to take part in that ceremony is the dream and aspiration of most men of the Occiden kingdom since only the best and the strongest are allowed to take part in it.

But Aisling's forces, despite not from the Occiden kingdom's greatest are well-trained from military academy. They are the ones who did not make it to the ceremony, however they still showed very good prowess and potential that are worthy of a soldier. For the sake of Aisling, many people joined Kyrian's forces willingly. However even with both of their army's combined, Aisling and Kyrian's men failed to outnumber that of Ezio's.

But Kyrian trusted that their men are skillfull enough to be worthy of a fight, despite being not a member of the official Occiden warriors. With both of Ezio's and Aisling's opposing forces, their multiple encounters in the past lasted for almost ten long enduring years and the war waged on without a definite winner. But that will soon come to an end.

That morning, Aisling and Ezio met once again in the battlefield. To Aisling's forces, their greatest power is Excalibur. However, despite being chosen, Aisling's kindness and gentleness is what drew back Excalibur's fullest potential. His hesitation and reluctance to put an end to Ezio made his determination lacking and this has affected Excalibur's power.

But because of his soldier's immense and genuine support, they secured a near victory for the third prince, in the middle of the growing fires of the war. On that fateful day, despite being overpowered and obviously outnumbered, Aisling's forces subdued the enemy with their purest resolve and willpower which favored each one of them with overwhelming control of mana.

Seeing his men about to lose the war, Ezio's pride was shattered. He holds the strongest army yet he is still going to loose? In his last last attempt to win, he did something which he previously never wanted to do. In the middle of the raging war, Ezio placed his palms towards the sky and gathered his mana.

"Videtur," he whispered with a voice of regret, gritting his teeth and accepting the fact that he is already disadvantaged and in a desperate need to win. After uttering the "appearance spell", a crimson wave of blinding light projected in the sky to reveal a large blaze in the form of a roaring dragon, Ezio's spirit animal.

Suddenly, the ongoing battle stopped, all movement halted and everyone's gaze was directed to the dragon-shaped light which appeared on the sky. Both Ezio's and Aisling's men dropped their shields and their swords and slowly returned to their side of the battlefield, each soldier assuming a salute position.

It was Ezio's signal, his signal to signify his agreement to a proposal that Aisling first proposed to him ten years ago, which he previously rejected- a battle with only the strongest man of the two forces, one from each, in a one-on-one fight. It was a respected tradition which Occiden honored for centuries where soldiers must each retreat to give way to their leaders.

And in response to Ezio's dragon, Aisling muttered "videtur" , projecting a blue light towards the sky to reveal a blinding flame in the shape of Aisling's spirit animal, a howling wolf. Both leader's acceptance of the one-on-one battle was sealed with both of their appearance spell. Now, both the crimson dragon and the blue wolf shall color the skies until only one of them wins. In three days, that battle will be seen but until then, both forces must cease battle for a while as Occiden's skies is divided into two.

This was Ezio's last chance of winning and fortifying his claim to the throne. Aisling, who no longer wanted to see unnecessary deaths and sacrifices among his men, conceded to the truce.

And the people, who loved, admired and adored Aisling expected their prince to take part in the duel. These people, who looked up to him for support believed in him and trusted that he would win for the sake of peace.

That is why, no one saw it coming when the prince announced that the one to fight for Aisling was not himself who wielded the strongest sword of all but his brother, the second prince, Kyrian, the one people referred to as the "ice prince", the "devil" and the "bastard".