Dreading Incompetency

Eidan fell into a deep slumber, his body exhausted from the recent battle and emotional pressure he had faced. It quickly became a restless sleep, his mind began to conjure up a vivid dream.

In the dream, Eidan found himself in a dark and foreboding landscape, with shadows looming around him.

The air was thick with an overwhelming sense of dread, and he felt a tightening in his chest as if something was weighing him down.

Suddenly, he heard a voice, soft and whispery, that seemed to come from all around him. "You are weak, Eidan," the voice hissed. "You will never be strong enough to protect the ones you love."

Eidan tried to move, but it was as if he was held down by an invisible force. His heart was pounding in his chest as the voice continued to taunt him.

"You will fail, just like you did before. You will watch as those you care for are hurt and killed, and you will be powerless to stop it."

Tears welled up in Eidan's eyes, and he struggled against the unseen restraints. He wanted to scream and fight back, but he felt trapped and helpless.

It wasn't anything like the dreams he had before, there was no serenity in the darkness and there was no familiar coldness that he could hold on to.

"You cannot let your emotions control you," these words glowed in front of him and swirled around almost caressing him. Seeing them Eidan remembered something crucial to dreams.

They are a part of your imagination, and you control the thoughts that bring forth the imagination.

Eidan closed his eyes in the darkness and covered his ears, with a soft mumble that he managed to let out, "I won't let you exist here," he said and slowly opened his eyes that were glowing a bright cyan, "Begone…"

Eidan felt a sudden surge of strength, and he fought back. Slowly but surely, he managed to push the force back, and the whispers diminished into the shadows.

With those words, the dream ended, and Eidan jolted awake, his body covered in sweat. He sat up, breathing heavily, his heart racing with impending dread and confusion.

The dream had felt so real, and it left him shaken. But now wasn't the time to be immersed in those emotions, he had to know…he had to know if his family and people were really alright.

Eidan's eyes were still half glowing, but soon he groaned as he felt the pounding headache that had settled in his skull. As he tried to sit up, a sharp pain shot through his chest, causing him to wince and clutch at his chest.

A small, worried demon by his bedside jumped up, alarmed.

"Your Highness, are you okay?" the demon asked, his voice trembling with concern.

He was still wearing his white shirt that survived a few attacks from the entity in the sinister realm.

Eidan forced a smile, trying to put on a brave face. "I'm fine, just a little headache," he said, his voice coming out weaker than he intended.

As he tried to stand up, another wave of pain hit him, this time accompanied by a short nosebleed. The small demons surrounding him gasped in alarm, and one of them ran off to get help.

Eidan staggered towards his jacket, which was hung up nearby. He felt weak and unsteady on his feet, and his vision was starting to blur. As he reached for his jacket, he felt a hand on his shin, steadying him.

"Your Highness, you should rest," the small demon said, his voice full of concern.

Eidan nodded weakly and collapsed back onto his bed. The small demons fussed around him, trying to make him comfortable. Eidan couldn't help but feel touched by their concern for him, and he smiled weakly at them.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," he said, trying to reassure them.

But as the pain in his chest continued to pulsate, Eidan couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with him. Was it the after-effects of the battle with the entity in the dimension of sinister intent? Or was it something else entirely?

He could not wait any longer, his thoughts were going haywire and he needed answers.

Eidan stumbled out of his room, trying his best to hide the pain pulsating in his chest. His breathing was shallow, and sweat trickled down his face. The small demons surrounding his bed had tried to help, but Eidan waved them off, insisting he was fine.

Eidan's heart raced as he made his way out of his room, the pain in his chest still pulsating. He could feel the sweat on his forehead and his breaths were short and shallow.

As he made his way toward Samael's quarters, he couldn't help but feel a sense of panic. What if his family was in danger? What if they were hurt? He needed to know what had happened while he was unconscious.

As he made his way down the hallway, his steps faltered, and he had to stop to catch his breath. He leaned against the wall, trying to ignore the sharp pain in his chest.

Finally, he reached Samael's quarters and knocked on the door. Samael opened it, surprise evident on his face when he saw Eidan's condition.

"Eidan, you're awake? You should be in your bed!" Samael half asked and half scolded, concern etched on his face as he guided Eidan inside.

"I need to know...my family, are they okay?" Eidan's voice was strained as he struggled to speak.

Samael hesitated for a moment before answering. "I don't have any news yet, Eidan. But we'll keep trying to contact them."

Eidan nodded, relief mixed with disappointment washing over him. "What happened after I fainted? Did you find anything out?"

Samael hesitated again before answering, his face darkening. "The investigation was forcefully shut down. We were unable to gather any more information."

Eidan's heart sank, his worst fears confirmed. "What do we do now?"

Samael looked at Eidan with a determined expression. "We keep trying. We can't let this go. But I do have an unfinished business with that bastard," he clenched his fists, "And that bastard had the audacity to call ME a fool."

Eidan didn't want to listen to Samael pop out his annoyance.

After huffing out in anger Samael took a deep breath and said, "That and we have to make sure the things we have to protect are protected, there's too much at stake."

Eidan nodded, determination flickering in his eyes despite his pain. "I'm not backing down when I didn't even give it my all."

Samael gave him a small smile. "I know you won't. But first, let's get you some rest. You need to take care of yourself, Eidan."

"No!" Eidan's thoughts turned his anxiety to frustration, and he couldn't help but argue with Samael. "I can't just rest up like this! There has to be another way to stop that entity and protect our realms! I couldn't even fight that thing!"

"You fought well, for a mortal, but that's there was you could do at the time," Samael remarked, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance.

Eidan gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with fury. "I am not just any mortal," he retorted. "I am a crown prince, heir to the throne of the human empire. And I will not let you or anyone else stand in my way."

A vein popped up on Samael's forehead as he forcefully chuckled at Eidan's behavior. "Ah, yes. A prince… How quaint. And yet, you seem to have forgotten one important thing. "You can die!"

Eidan bristled at the insult. "We may be mortal, but we have something that you don't," he said, his voice ringing with conviction. "We have the will to fight, the courage to stand up to those who would try to dominate us. And in the end, that's what really matters."

Samael laughed a sound that echoed around the room. "You humans and your delusions of grandeur, you really think you can win this war alone?"

Eidan met his gaze, but couldn't answer.

The tension in the air was thick, as the argument between Samael and Eidan escalated to dangerous levels. Samael decided it was best to intervene in the argument before things escalated and persuade Eidan to step away from the situation.

Samael's expression softened slightly. "I understand your concern, Eidan, but we have to prioritize our safety. We can't risk something that can cause another war. You are that important, do you understand?"

Eidan's eyes quivered, but hearing those words he sighed, "I apologize," Eidan muttered, his voice laced with guilt. "I should have been more patient." He rubbed his temples.

Samael placed a hand on Eidan's shoulder, looking him in the eye with a gentle expression. "I know you're frustrated, Eidan. It's a difficult situation we find ourselves in, and I understand your eagerness to ensure the safety of your family. There's no need to apologize, my friend. We're all under immense pressure and sometimes we make mistakes. What matters is that we learn from them and move forward with a clear mind."

Eidan nodded gratefully but didn't speak any further.

Seeing him agonize over the argument Samael flicked his finger and a shadow assistant came outside the door, "Come in," he demanded. "Escort his highness to the backside of the Nightfall Castle, and do whatever his highness asks."

Eidan blinked a few times at his orders but followed the shadow assistant calmly.

As soon as Eidan left, Samael summoned another assistant and gave him a completely different task, "Gather the Demonic Generals…we are going to have a long annoying meeting."

The assistant bowed and without saying anything dispersed the same way as he came.