The Battle Arena

"Aiden? Aiden, are you sleeping?"

A woman's voice sounds soft, making dreams about his past come to an end. Aiden opened his eyes, the beautiful black haired girl's face was right in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Aiden who lifted his head slowly from the pillow. The scent was gone, completely imperceptible. Whereas before that the smell was everywhere, especially in this small room.

"I'm here to see you, is that wrong? I'm supposed to be with you after all, right?"

"Ugh-" Pain attacked his head. Aiden grimaced in pain, it had been a long time since he had last felt this pain. But lately, this really annoying pain has started to come back.

"Are you okay? Do you want me to make medicine for you? Father gave me a very effective medicine to relieve your pain. It seems like I already know that you will show the same symptoms as then!"

"Tch, shut up and go! leave me alone!"

"Why do I have to go when my place is with you? did you forget the promise we made at that time? did you forget it, Aiden?" Aiden asked her to leave, but she approached Aiden more aggressively.

This was his weakest moment, enduring the pain of not following his intense killing instincts. As the only son of the king to receive the diavolos curse, it meant endless suffering for him.

The king's bloodline was special, had an extremely great regeneration ability. While the recipient of the curse is a common sacrifice for second-class families such as royal concubines and slaves.

Becoming both a king and a slave is his destiny and Sheera knows that the only thing that can make Aiden retain his human side is only if Aiden can fight against his desires and kill the god's descendants, even if it means he has to fight with himself.

"Have you killed that girl? I think the pain you feel right now because you keep her alive. I don't understand, why don't you just kill her just like you used to do to those people?"

"I can't!"

"What?"

"I can't kill her!"

"You can't? Why?"

"I don't know! Her smells same as that boy!" Aiden remembers the face of the boy he met in the flower garden during his visit to Evangelia.

Even then, Aiden was ready to get rid of him, but he couldn't fulfill his wish and made him suffer from pain for months.

Aiden got up and took the white shirt hanging on the wall. This was the shirt Seraphina wore before Aiden finally let her go. Aiden inhaled the scent left on the shirt, the more he felt, the more he believed they had the same scent.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the palace!"

"So, you finally listened to your father's orders too? did you really receive the blessing?" asked Sheera. Aiden who felt that he didn't have time to explain it just walked away.

"Aiden, wait!"

***

"Oh my God, what happened to you? why are you hurt like this?" Asked Queen Alexandra hysterically when she saw Seraphina's condition which was full of wounds, especially on her chin and forehead.

Even though she had showered and put on clean clothes so that her mother did not realize that on her feet and hands there were more wounds that would make her angry.

"I fell while riding a horse this morning, so-"

"Riding a horse? How could you still fall? Oh my God, what if everyone saw you like this? We'll soon be going to the battle arena to see the fight!"

"Fight? What fight?"

"I don't know, but what is clear is that the fight is to measure the strength of Evangeliavand Edafos. There is a possibility that you will participate in it!"

"What? What does that mean?"

"You will show your fighting skills and face Prince Keith of Edafos!"

"Fight? But, I can't!"

"You and Prince Keith will only have a sword fight to measure the extent of your abilities. Therefore you must try your best and make your father proud!"

Seraphina was silent to hear her mother's explanation about how she should do something that was beyond her ability. Even though she had been training for years, if she had to be faced with a tall and burly young man who looked strong, in the end it would only make her a joke.

Her mind wandered far away, even though her body was now in a place where many people had gathered. Beside her, the father sat with dignity, staring at the arena of the competition which was still being prepared.

This place was completely bustling, far from what she had expected a while ago. On the left, King Jacob and members of the Edafos royal family sit with proud faces. Even she could see Prince Keith who gave her a disdainful smile.

"Shit, how about this?" She thought as she swallowed hard. She could not hold back the pace of her body which continued to tremble with fear.

It felt like what she was experiencing right now was far worse than the seconds before death when she was buried in a hole.

"Stop shaking, it will soon be time for you to show your abilities. You may use your God powers naturally, so that they all know who is in charge!" Said King Roderick in a voice like a thunderbolt that made the hairs of her neck stand on end.

Seraphina found it very difficult to breathe, this nervousness made her urination habit recur.

"Ouch..how is this? What should I do? What power? I don't have that kind of power!" She whined silently.

Finally, a tense moment began when she and Prince Keith were asked to come down and fight with the swords that had been prepared.

"Prince Xavier can do it!" Shouted the people of Evangelia who watched the match.

"Long live Prince Nathan...! Long live Prince Nathan...!" Shouts bearing her name continued.

As her feet stepped past Prince Samuel who was sitting behind her, their eyes met. Samuel stares coldly at her and Seraphina just thinks, maybe Samuel should do this fight.

Her legs and arms did not stop trembling as she stood in the middle of the battle arena. Three meters ahead of her, Prince Keith was already in perfect position with his sword in hand.

"Looks like you are trembling, are you afraid, Prince Xavier?" Said Prince Keith showing his grin.

Seraphina could feel the immense power of this opponent. Besides being able to change his form into a bird, she believes he has other abilities that are so great that make him so confident.

"Very well, in the north, Prince Keith De Velgmegeur of Edafos and in the south, Prince Xavier Alexander Zafeiri of Evangelia!" Shouted a man who stood between the two heirs to the throne.

After the man left, Prince Keith prepared to raise his shining sword. Meanwhile, Seraphina was holding her sword with trembling hands. Everyone could see her panic and it made King Roderick uneasy.

"Prince Xavier is trembling like that, it looks like the Prince is dealing with an unbalanced opponent!" Said Valerie sarcastically.

"What do you mean? You underestimated my prince?" Queen Alexandra who was annoyed immediately denied Valerie's words.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty! But, I think Prince Xavier has absolutely no experience to fight before. I thought to avoid bad looks, it would be better if Prince Samuel took over Prince Xavier's job to fight!"

"That's not necessary! this isn't a battle between life and death, this battle is nothing more than a show. So, you don't need to interfere!"

"Really? But, I see it seems Prince Xavier's condition is not well. Isn't his face hurt?"

"Tch, you are-"

"Stop it, Alexandra! She's right! What happened with Xavier? What did he do to get hurt like that?" Asked King Roderick irritably.

"This morning he fell while riding the horse, so he was injured!"

"Didn't I tell you to prepare it to be in good condition when fighting?"

"I'm sorry, honey! I really forgot to warn him!"

"It is your insolence that will destroy Evangelia's honor!"

"I am sorry, Your Majesty! I'm so sorry."


***