《Love of the Cursed [Temp Title]》 Chapter 1: The Fourth Prince of Lygandoria ¡°Arkas, it pains me to be the bearer of bad news, but this you must hear.¡± King Arkas Lygandoria III frowned upon hearing the words of his old friend. He was alone in his study when someone suddenly entered without permission. When he saw that it was the old court magician, he relaxed only to be surprised by the words that the other spoke. ¡°Speak, Darxis,¡± Arkas said as he regained his composure and emitted his usual regal air. Despite the gap in their age, they had been long time friends, but this was the first time he spoke in this manner towards the old man while they were alone. ¡°It¡¯s about your son, the fourth prince. You must prepare yourself for what you are about to hear.¡± Arkas¡¯ face darkened. He knew that this old man meant what he says and never joked around about important matters. ¡°What is it about my son?¡± ¡°That thing on his back is not a birthmark.¡± Old man Darxis suddenly went silent after he spoke those words. It seemed like he was stuck on what to say next, unable to find the right words. King Arkas remained patient and waited for the old man to continue. He already had an idea what the court magician was about to say, and it was a thought that had been lingering on his mind since his fourth son was born. He had seen that mark on his back personally, and he had seen something similar before. If the two were indeed related, then it was a truly dreadful conclusion. ¡°Our suspicions were not wrong,¡± the old man spoke slowly. His voice trembled with pain and grief. ¡°The mark on his back is the mark of the curse.¡± The room fell silent once again. The two were both looking down on the floor, their faces shrouded with darkness. ¡°Does anybody else know?¡± the king asked. ¡°No. Only his mother had seen the mark in its entirety but thought that it was just a birthmark.¡± ¡°Make sure that this news doesn¡¯t spread.¡± Old man Darxis realized what the king was planning, and he thought that it was foolish, yet he was unable to dispute him. If he were in the king¡¯s shoes, he would do the same. ¡°Pretend that the mark doesn¡¯t exist and let my son live a normal life,¡± Arkas said as he looked out the window. The sky was layered with dark clouds, and in the distance he could make out the sounds of a never ending battle. ¡°Ervan will not become one of them,¡± he said with a voice filled with resolution. *** ¡°There¡¯s no way I would marry a scaredy-cat like you!¡± a high-pitched voice of a young female child was heard from one of the palace courtyards. The patrolling guards and passing maidservants looked curiously at the source of the commotion and found an interesting sight. They all smiled at the scene before moving on to continue their tasks. What brought that smile to their faces was the current plight of the fourth prince of Lygandoria Kingdom. It was not that they look down on the young five-year-old prince but because they were quite used to seeing such things happen on him and had already found it amusing. Of course, at first they were worried for the prince, but seeing that he had his usual companion with him, there was nothing left for them to worry about. In the courtyard were three figures. The source of the commotion was a young seven-year-old girl dressed in a red and frilly noble dress perfectly matching her short golden hair. Her fierce eyes were like orbs of emerald. She stood with a proud and haughty demeanor as she looked down at the boy hiding behind his companion squire. The name of this young girl was Jenika Bershifa, the second princess of the kingdom of Bershifa. She had come here along with her father to meet the boy she was betrothed to only to be disappointed. The fourth prince Ervan was a timid boy. He had light brown hair which he got from his mother who was of common birth, in contrast to his father and eldest brother who had the regal platinum hair. His eyes were teary as he looked at Jenika while hiding behind the legs of Cenia. Cenia was from a noble house of knights with a long history of service under the Lygandoria royalty. She was currently twelve years old and was in her second year of knight apprenticeship. Because her family was trusted and the recommendation of her father, she had been taken in by the royal family to serve under the fourth prince as his personal retainer knight. If she completes her apprenticeship without problems, she would be instantly be taken as the chief retainer of the fourth prince and all other retainers he will take in the future would be under her command. But as for now, since the fourth prince was still a child, Cenia had taken the role as his babysitter instead. The prince was quite taken to her and instead of her following him around, it ended up with him sticking to her like glue. ¡°Cenia,¡± the prince whispered as he completely hid behind her, ¡°Ervan doesn¡¯t like this girl either¡­ She¡¯s scary¡­¡± ¡°I heard that!¡± Cenia smiled wryly as she tried to placate the two. Jenika had been in a terrible mood since seeing Ervan, and the prince¡¯s timid nature did nothing to help. ¡°Now, now, young prince. Your royal father and princess Jenika¡¯s father have already agreed by the time that your mother was pregnant of you that you will be taking the princess as your wife in the future,¡± Cenia tried to explain. ¡°No! No! Ervan wants to marry Cenia!¡± ¡°Eh? I¡¯m quite honored prince Ervan, but you must follow your royal father¡¯s orders, alright? It was an agreement that was already established and known by all, so breaking the engagement would result in a lot of problems.¡± ¡°Hmpf! Who wants to marry this useless fellow?¡± Jenika snorted in a very unfitting manner for a princess. ¡°Cenia will marry Ervan! Cenia will be Ervan¡¯s future wife!¡± the prince protested as he ran away with tears in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll tell father! I¡¯ll tell father!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, princess,¡± Cenia apologized with a bow and went to chase after the prince. Cenia found the prince standing in front of the conference halls¡¯ closed doors. His face was scrunched up in an attempt to stop crying but tears and snot still covered his face. ¡°Prince Ervan,¡± she called out to him in a gentle voice. She could hear muffled voices from inside the conference hall. Despite the room¡¯s soundproofing, their voices were still barely audible from outside. They must be in a heated discussion. ¡°Your royal father is quite busy at the moment. It would be best not to disturb him, alright?¡± The prince nodded dejectedly and walked towards her. He then hugged her legs tightly as he sobbed, ¡°Does Cenia not like Ervan? Won¡¯t Cenia marry Ervan?¡± A gentle smile appeared on Cenia¡¯s face. She separated from the prince and crouched down in front of him. Using her own handkerchief, she wiped the snot and tears on the little boy¡¯s face. ¡°I like Prince Ervan very much, but our statuses are too far apart. I¡¯m just a measly squire relying on her house¡¯s name and prestige. I have no merits of my own. I¡¯d be too ashamed of myself to be considered a woman fit for the prince,¡± Cenia said as she lovingly stroked his head. ¡°But Ervan likes Cenia very much.¡± ¡°I know, and I¡¯m very happy for that. But the world doesn¡¯t just revolve around you. You must make decisions so that not only you will benefit from it but also from everyone else around you, especially since you¡¯re a prince.¡± ¡°Then¡­ Ervan doesn¡¯t want to be a prince anymore!¡± Seeing the child¡¯s serious expression, Cenia couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She lifted the boy and hugged him tightly in her arms. ¡°You¡¯re a very sweet child, fourth prince, but wait for another ten or so years, and if you still feel the same way towards me, then I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise!¡± The two linked their pinkies and sang a song. Whoever breaks the promise would have to swallow a hundred needles. *** The kingdom of Lygandoria was located in the northern region of the continent of Vullene. Snow-capped mountain ranges separate the kingdom¡¯s territory from the frozen wasteland further north. Currently, King Arkas and Court Magician Darxis were riding their horses over a hill. They stopped at the peak and cast their gaze at the tragedy bellow. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. An entire village was being burnt to the ground. Outside the village walls, makeshift barricades were made. Foot soldiers hid behind them. There was tension in the air, and Darxis couldn¡¯t help but grunt after smelling the foul stench of burning flesh carried by the wind. ¡°An entire village this time¡­¡± the king said with a low and deep voice. It was quite obvious on how pained he was at the plight that this simple village received. ¡°We still don¡¯t know how it spreads. None of the cases in these past two decades match. They were all random and scattered,¡± Darxis said and sighed. He, too, was troubled and distressed by the tragedy that was slowly encroaching the kingdom. ¡°We¡¯re lucky that the cases in the capital are extremely few.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s indeed a pattern, it would be that the appearance of the curse is more concentrated in the northern areas.¡± Upon him mentioning the curse, Darxis saw the King¡¯s face darken. He must have been reminded of the fourth prince. ¡°The prince have not show any signs of turning. I have personally taken the task of tutoring him in magic to see if it could suppress the curse.¡± ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°The prince have a bit talent in the arcane arts, but I still haven¡¯t seen if it had any effects on the curse.¡± ¡°Ervan will turn fifteen in a week¡¯s time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen him practicing the sword with Cenia many times. It seems just like yesterday when he was easily bullied by the Bershifa Princess. The last time the lass visited, she was quite smitten with him.¡± ¡°People change as they grow. I¡¯m quite glad that my fourth son had finally grown into the fine young man he¡¯s supposed to be.¡± ¡°He still has a long way to go.¡± ¡°Compared to us old-timers, indeed he has.¡± The mood suddenly turned sullen. Their unspoken words broke their heart. In their minds, they thought of how the prince¡¯s future with be with the curse¡¯s mark on his back. Did he even have the chance to grow up like in their expectations? They don¡¯t know when he would suddenly¡­ The two shifted their gazes back on the burning village. They could make it figures of burnt humans walking within the village. Despite being shrouded in flames, they continue to walk and stumble, and groan in pain. ¡°This is a sight I¡¯ll never get used to,¡± the king said. ¡°No one will be able to get used to something like this,¡± old man Darxis affirmed the king¡¯s words. Meanwhile, back in the king¡¯s castle, a heated battle was on-going within the knight¡¯s training grounds. A youth of fourteen years was facing off against five young knights. Even though they were only junior knights, their combat skills were top-notch compared to other youths their age. For the fourteen-year-old youth to fend them off as they simultaneously engage him was a testament to his ability. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± a deep female voice rang in the air and the five junior knights backed off. They then bowed towards the youth in the middle and praised him. The surrounding spectators, the castle guards and maidservants, applauded as the sparring match concluded. ¡°Whew!¡± the youth sighed as he found a bench to sit on. He was Fourth Prince Ervan. A maidservant approached carrying a tray with a glass and pitcher. She then poured him a glass of cold water. ¡°Well done, Fourth Prince,¡± a female knight said as she stood before him. Her dark-red hair and deep blue eyes were all familiar to the fourth prince. After all, she had always been by his side as long as he could remember. ¡°The training¡¯s getting harsher by the day¡­ Do you have a grudge against me, Cenia?¡± Ervan said after downing a glass of water in one go. ¡°Indeed, I do, prince. You have stolen my youth from me. I had been forced to slave under you since I was ten.¡± After she said that, the maidservant felt like there was something wrong with the atmosphere and ended up holding her breath. She was not sure whether the knight Cenia was speaking the truth and if she was, then wasn¡¯t her words a major offense to royalty? This maidservant was still quite new within the castle. If she had known the relationship between these two, then she would just be like the other bystanders wryly smiling at the scene. The prince and the knight stared at each glaring daggers. It was as if electric currents were flying out of their eyes and clashing in the air between them. After a long awkward silence, the two laughed out loud. ¡°What forced? I once heard your father mention that when you found out that you would be working under me, you were quite excited,¡± the prince said with a sneer. ¡°I was only ten back then, and I thought that the he meant the second prince. I never thought I would be babysitting the fourth prince,¡± she retaliated. ¡°Oh? So you actually liked the second brother? Should I put in a good word for you?¡± ¡°That was back then. He was the idol of kids my age at that time.¡± ¡°Just back then? How about now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something for you to care about.¡± ¡°As the fourth prince, it is my royal decree that you tell me right now!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, only the king can use the royal decree.¡± ¡°Tch!¡± Hearing the back and forth between the two, the maidservant was bewildered. She didn¡¯t know what to make of the current situation. The two ended up laughing once again, but the prince started groaning and grumbling when Cenia suddenly declared another sparring match. By night, Ervan was in the bathhouse. He had three maidservants washing his body. Just outside, Cenia was standing guard by the entrance. The maidservants were young and pretty but the fourth prince never laid a hand on them. They were quite disappointed at first. They wanted to take this opportunity to gain the fourth prince¡¯s favor and maybe become his concubine in the near future. After all, fifteen was the marriageable age within Lygandoria, and the prince was just a few days away. They had used all sorts of subtle tactics as well as blatant seduction to gain the prince¡¯s eye, but they failed. Sometimes they wonder whether the prince was even interested in women. They knew that he already had a betrothed and that she would visit from time to time, but they never heard of any story about them acting intimate at all. Could the prince possibly be¡­? That would be a major scandal! ¡°Cenia,¡± the prince called out, disrupting the thoughts of the maidservants. ¡°Are you there?¡± ¡°Yes, Fourth Prince. I¡¯m here,¡± came the knight¡¯s voice from outside the closed doors. ¡°Do you¡­ uh¡­ remember?¡± the prince asked in a not so confident manner. ¡°Remember what?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Fourth Prince?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The maidservants saw the prince¡¯s dejected expression and they realized that their thoughts were mistaken. It was not that the prince was not interested in women, but he already had someone in his sights. Outside, Cenia was staring blankly into space. She knew what the prince was asking her about, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to raise the prince¡¯s expectations. It was not meant to be. Her father had reminded her again and again that she should never develop intimate emotions for the prince. Like the prince, she too, was already engaged. This had happened right after her promotion to a senior knight a year ago. She wanted to tell him but couldn¡¯t bear to see what the prince¡¯s reaction would be. ¡°I can¡¯t delay this any further,¡± she murmured. The prince would turn fifteen in a few more days. By then, he would surely bring up the promise again. That same night, dark clouds covered the stars. From villages and towns in the north of the kingdom, people were dying from an unknown illness. A strange aura of death was slowly spreading. Within the surrounding forests, similar incidents were happening to the wild beasts that inhabited the area. They all had one thing in common: a strange black mark on a part of their body. Chapter 2: A Kingdoms Fall Today was the Fourth Prince¡¯s fifteenth birthday celebration, but the celebrant was currently missing from the party hall. Earlier, the prince had greeted personally the guests who arrived and gave their well-wishes. Unfortunately, at the height of the celebration, the prince suddenly felt ill and asked for leave. As the Fourth Prince left the hall, an ominous rumor spread quickly among the guests like wildfire. There was a spreading illness within the northern lands, and the rumormongers inferred that the prince had also caught this sickness. ¡°I¡¯m fine, father. Please, entertain my guests for me,¡± Ervan said as he was put to bed with the assistance of Cenia. A worried look was on King Arkas¡¯ face, but seeing his son¡¯s smile, he couldn¡¯t help but accept his son¡¯s request. He took out a small box from under his robe and handed it to the prince. ¡°Happy birthday, son,¡± he said as prince Ervan took the box. ¡°Thanks, father. Can I open it?¡± ¡°Sure. Go ahead.¡± Ervan¡¯s hands slightly shook as he opened the box. It seemed like just moving his fingers took a lot of effort. Within the box was a simple necklace. Its string was made of woven dried plant fibers, but the pendant was a clear crystal engraved with strange runic marks. ¡°I had Darxis make this for you,¡± the king said. ¡°Is it enchanted?¡± Ervan asked with widened eyes, excitement glinting within them. ¡°It¡¯s more of a lucky charm.¡± The two laughed before the king left and went back to the party hall. Only the prince and his knight was left in the room. ¡°Ah¡­ how pitiful. This is so uncool,¡± the prince grumble as he turned to face away from Cenia. He held the necklace in front of him and observed the beautiful engraved marks on its surface. Cenia remained silent as she sat on a chair in one corner of the room. She watched the prince¡¯s back and it looked frail and lonely. ¡°Fourth Prince¡­¡± she called out in a low voice but the prince did not respond. She bit her lower lip and did not proceed with what she wanted to say. Earlier in the hall, her fiance, a successor to one of the noble houses in Lygandoria, had come and introduced himself to the prince. She saw that Ervan had no reaction to the man¡¯s words but after that, she felt that he had started treating her coldly. *** Five months passed since the Fourth Prince¡¯s fifteenth birthday celebration. The king had been leaving the capital almost every week, returning after five to six days before leaving again, taking a group of elite knights and soldiers with him as well as the court magician. News of villages and towns from the north falling to a strange illness was spreading within the capital, rousing a sense of fear and urgency among the citizens. Cases of people falling ill have been reported daily and the capital¡¯s medicine houses were quickly running out of supply. Trade caravans went in and out of the capital forming heavy traffic within the main highways all over the kingdom. The prince had also never left the palace since his birthday celebration. Then, tragic news shook the entire capital. Fourth Prince Ervan Lygandoria at fifteen years old, due to illness, had died. ¡°None of this is your fault, girl,¡± Darxis said as he suddenly appeared behind Cenia. She was in the prince¡¯s bedroom, standing still near the entrance with a blank expression. On the bed was the prince¡¯s lifeless body, and kneeling by the bedside was the weeping king. King Arkas III had always shown a strong front to everyone, except for Darxis, and this was the first time that she had seen him in this state. Cenia had been by the prince¡¯s side these past five months despite his cold attitude towards her. She had seen him gradually weaken over the passing days. His illness was strange and something she had never seen before. Rot and pus slowly spread all over his body, originating from the presumable birthmark on his back. He had vomited black blood, and his hair fell off strand by strand. By the time he breathed his last, he looked like the corpse of a person who had died long ago. ¡°If only I had watched over him more¡­¡± the female knight gritted through her teeth. ¡°You are not to blame. There were things that the king and I kept secret from everyone else regarding the prince. His death was something that we already expected. Trust me, we did everything we could to prevent this tragedy, but it seems like the Gods truly wouldn¡¯t let mortal men play with fate.¡± The old man¡¯s words shocked Cenia. There had been a lot of things going on within the kingdom outside the light of day and the eyes of many, and this fact just now dawned on her. And it also seemed like the prince was involved in one of those secrets kept in the dark. ¡°Even the prince didn¡¯t know about it. Sometimes, I wonder if the decision that I and Arkas chose was truly the right one,¡± as he spoke those words, his eyes fell on the crystal resting on the prince¡¯s chest. It was already night by the time the king left the prince¡¯s side. He was dejected and without strength as he walked out of the bedroom. When his gaze met with Cenia¡¯s, she saw that the king had no disdain nor disappointment towards her. Instead he only whispered a few words, ¡°Thanks for taking care of my son.¡± The king then disappeared through the dimly lit hallway. The following days, the king refused to leave his own room. He was accompanied only by his most trusted friend, the old court magician, Darxis. But misfortune doesn¡¯t come alone. Beast and human corpses rose from the dead and marched south from the northern territories of Lygandoria. For every town and village they passed, they increased their numbers. Soon, they turned into a horde and quickly swept towards the capital. Within the capital, a similar event was occurring. People who died from the strange illness rose from their graves and started attacking anyone nearby. Chaos quickly ensued within the capital. With the king in his current state, there was no one to lead the people through this disaster. *** ¡°It¡¯s a huge mess outside,¡± Cenia said in a carefree tone. She was currently alone with the prince¡¯s corpse in his bedroom. It was the king¡¯s command that no one was allowed to remove the prince from his bed. It was as if the king treated him to be only asleep despite his appearance of a rotting corpse. The situation within the kingdom was turning worse by the moment. The king finally recovered but the situation was still dire. The horde was already outside the capital and pushing their way through the barred gates. ¡°But you¡¯re still here sleeping without a care for what¡¯s happening. You¡¯re already a grown up, so be a bit more responsible, Fourth Prince.¡± Cenia was talking to the prince¡¯s corpse. She knew that he couldn¡¯t hear her anymore, and she knew even more that there was no way that he would respond. Still, it did not mean that she didn¡¯t long for such a miracle to happen, no matter how impossible it may be. It takes one to lose something before realizing how important it was. This was how Cenia felt at the moment. To her, she had always treated the fourth prince like a little brother even though she knew how he felt for her. After she had set that condition ten years ago, the prince had rarely mentioned it to her. Instead, he showed it through his actions. He pursued both sword and magic, and took to heart the lessons on ethics and nobility that the royal tutor taught. He did his best in all of those to gain her approval, but that was the wrong way to go about it. One must not act to impress. If a person wanted to change himself, he should do it for himself and not for another¡¯s impression. On that night during the prince¡¯s birthday, when he found out about her engagement, what she felt from the prince was not anger towards her but disappointment and loneliness. Since then, they have drifted away. The prince would rarely talk to her and would most of the time dismiss her. He gave her too many days off despite her wanting to stay by his side to take care of his illness. ¡°Maybe, if I chose to disobey your orders and stayed by your side all those times, you wouldn¡¯t have died¡­¡± she muttered, but quickly shook her head. All that had passed was past, and there was nothing she could do about it anymore. Wallowing in regret would not help anyone and it surely wouldn¡¯t bring the prince back to life. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. If it was either the king or the court magician, they would just immediately enter the room. Thinking that, Cenia stood and opened the door. Outside was a young soldier in a harried state. ¡°We need every manpower we have. Please, assist us in defending the castle!¡± the soldier said. ¡°What¡¯s the situation outside?¡± Cenia asked. As the retainer knight of the deceased prince, she still held a higher rank than this ordinary soldier. ¡°The undead had already broken through the capital¡¯s northern gate and are quickly flooding into the city. It won¡¯t be long before they make their way to the castle.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ve received the message and will be heading out shortly.¡± ¡°Thank you very much!¡± The soldier saluted and ran through the hallway, presumably passing the same message to other able-bodied fighters within the castle. After closing the door, Cenia went back to sit beside the prince¡¯s bed. With a warm expression, she smiled and fixed the blanket on the prince. ¡°I will be leaving for a while,¡± she said. ¡°When I return, I¡¯ll tell you stories of my feats of valor in this battle. Do you remember? You always asked me tell such stories to you before you go to bed, but I had none to tell. After this, you better listen well, alright?¡± She then left the prince¡¯s side and headed for the door. With one last long look, she left the room. Outside was an old man dressed in magician¡¯s robes. Held in his hands was a wooden staff. It was Darxis. ¡°Prepare for the worst,¡± he said. ¡°I am prepared.¡± ¡°Then, let me tell you more about the prince on the way. There had been too many secrets that the king and I had kept, and speaking to you about some of those will be like lifting a huge burden from my heart.¡± ¡°I am listening.¡± The two walked along the corridor as Darxis spoke in a voice like a whisper. As they left, there was a small movement within the prince¡¯s room. No one was there to witness it. As the crystal pendant on his chest faintly glowed, one of the prince¡¯s fingers twitched. *** A kingdom¡¯s fall was news that none could ignore. It brought an uproar that shook the heavens and the earth, more so that it happened in such an unexpected manner. It was brought about by a horde of creatures that resembled risen corpses which was referred to as the undead, a never before seen abomination. They had heard that the kingdom of Lygandoria had been suppressing troubles further north but not a single one expected those to be something so dark and evil. A horde of undead was something that brought images of horror and fear to all. There were still many survivors from Lygandoria, mostly those that lived near the southern borders. They fled towards the nearby kingdoms to seek refuge from the approaching horde. At first they were quickly accepted as the other kingdoms had good relations with Lygandoria after all, but when investigations were conducted and it was found out that the undead had risen from those who had died from an unknown illness, the other kingdoms increased their state of wariness. The refugees suffered discrimination as they were feared to carry the illness that brought the fall of Lygandoria. At the first sign that they were sick, even if it was just the common cold, they were either thrown out of the kingdom or killed on the spot. It was terrible sight to behold. Jenika Bershifa couldn¡¯t believe everything that had happened. The fourth prince fell ill and died. Then the kingdom of Lygandoria fell. It was all too much to take in. Just a few months ago, she had seen the prince during his fifteenth birthday celebration, and now she could never see him again. At first, when they were young, she had bullied him because of his timidness. As he grew up, he became more valiant and attractive. He was intelligent and strong, and did not take long for her to fall for him. Although she was two years older than the fourth prince, it was just a small gap in age and it would be negligible by the time they grew older. She was his betrothed and this had been agreed upon even before he was born. She had the advantage and was the most likely to become his first wife if no unexpected accident occurred. She had seen how the prince looked and acted towards the knight retainer that was always by his side since they were young, but she didn¡¯t treat her like a rival. ¡°There¡¯s no way for a knight retainer and their master to ever be together,¡± was what she thought. She never expected that even she herself wouldn¡¯t be able to be with the prince either for he had died too early and too unexpectedly. ¡°Princess,¡± a middle-aged female cleric entered her bedroom. She was the princess¡¯ tutor on the holy arts. The kingdom of Bershifa was one devout to their religious beliefs and practices, and many fair maidens within the kingdom chose to become clerics and priestesses. Jenika, as the second princess, could be married to another prince in a different kingdom. There was no reason to stick to the engagement now that both the fourth prince and the kingdom of Lygandoria were gone. Yet, she refused being engaged to another. Instead, she chose to dedicate herself to the Gods. ¡°Are you sure about this, princess?¡± the tutor asked. She had been the only one who knew of the princess¡¯s plan to join the religious circle. She had only declined the engagement offers and had not stated her reason. Today, the entire kingdom of Bershifa would be made known of her decision. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± she said. ¡°If he is truly dead, then maybe, if I show the gods my determination¡­ they would let me see him again.¡± The tutor was shocked by the princess¡¯ words but she was in no position to deny her. In fact, many of those maidens who chose to join the circle were also those who had lost their loved ones, hoping to see them again by dedicating themselves to the gods. ¡°Then, let us be off,¡± the cleric said after regaining her composure. The second princess of Bershifa nodded silently and followed her towards the ceremonial shrine of the gods. *** A lone figure was walking north from the ruins of an old castle. His flesh was rotting but was covered with cloth bandages underneath his tattered robes. He was an undead like many others around him, but he was also different. They were all heading south¡­ no they were fleeing the north, while he was heading towards the opposite direction. Sensing that he was different from them, the other undead would approach and attack him. Those who tried to approach him were quickly dispatched off. In his hands was a longsword stained with rotten blood and flesh. He held it firmly as if afraid to let it go. He had taken it from the corpse of a woman in the place he had woken up in. When he woke up, he could not remember a thing. He was attacked multiple times by the undead but easily fended them off with the sword in his hand. He found out that he was in a castle filled with corpses. There were no signs of life, only the occasional undead wandering about or lying down pretending to be dead only to sneak behind him as he passed by. As he left the castle, he felt a strange sensation coming from the north and that was why he decided to go in that direction. He had walked for days without rest. He need not sleep. He need not eat. It felt somehow strange yet natural to him. It was something he could not understand nor explain. Every now and then he would stop walking and just gaze around him. Everything felt so familiar yet he could not remember. Sometimes he would end up frustrated and confused and just swing the sword around in a fit of madness. At that time, a strange crystal hanging around his neck would faintly glow. It filled him with warmth and he would feel calm again. He would then grip the cold metal in his hand and feel a sense of security. To the north, he continued his travel.