Adan laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling, questions still swirling in his head. He just couldn't understand why he couldn't cultivate. Why was he so different from his brother?
Let me try again, maybe this time it will be different. Adan thought as he sat cross-legged in a meditative position, in the middle of his bed.
He closed his eyes and put his hands together, he was able to accumulate and arrange the liquid contents in the air around him. His body started glowing with blue hues, and his blue hair fluttered and glowed too. Then the liquids joined together, forming a ring rotating around him.
Soon, a total of three rings were formed around Adan. They rotated in the air for a few minutes before a crack appeared on one of the rings.the crack soon multiplied and was affecting the other rings, but still Adan was focused. He tried to repair the cracks, but they got bigger and then the rings broke and dispersed.
Adan tried again the second time and the same thing happened. He tried the third time, but this time, as the rings cracked, his chest tightened, and as they dispersed, he coughed up black fluids.
This was usually what happened when he cultivated but after what happened this morning, the pain was worse. He stood up from his bed slowly and walked to the bathroom to wash his mouth before changing his clothes.
Adan felt extreme pain in his chest as he walked back to his bed to lay down. He stared at the ceiling, feeling confused trying to understand what he was doing wrong.
***
The bell rang across Euphrasia (Water Empire) indicating that it was noon. Adan was already on his way to his father's chamber. He looked nervous, not knowing what to expect this time but he knew it wouldn't be anything good.
Soon, he stood in front of a huge duplex that looked and felt like an ominous ice castle. The guards at the entrance wore deep blue attire which indicated their ranks.
"Good Day, Your Highness." The guard on the left greeted with a friendly smile.
Adan nodded his head and asked, "Is my father inside?"
Yes… " the guard on the left replied but was cut off by the one on the right. "Do you wish to see him? I would have to inform him first."
"There's no need for that," Adan replied with an unbothered attitude and walked past them through the entrance door.
"Can you believe how arrogant he is? He's still in the low level of the lesser realm and yet he still has pride! His younger brother is way better than him!" The guard on the right vented to his colleague after Adan left.
"Well, he's still a prince and may be the future Emperor so he still has the right to be prideful. You are just from a knight's family, you are nothing in his eyes." The one on the left laughed while the other glared and didn't say anything else.
When it comes to social ranking, the Royal family was obviously above all. Then the Noble families, the Knight families and the commoners at the bottom of the list.
Adan soon passed through some chilly hallways before arriving in front of his father's office. The door had flakes of ice in some places. He took a deep breath pushing away all the memories that tried to resurface.
As he was about to knock on the door, a deep, cold voice was heard from inside the room, "You are free to come in, there's no need to knock."
Adan then grabbed the doorknob, which was covered in ice. He felt a sharp pain in his palm but he ignored the pain and turned the knob. The cold he felt in the hallway couldn't compare to the one he was feeling at the moment as literal snow fell from the ceiling.
"Greetimgs, Father." Adan bowed, he was close to the point of shivering. His father, who was on the other side of the room, was seated behind a table and had the most plain look ever, as if he was unaffected by the temperature.
"No need for pleasantries, let's talk in my domain." Emperor Mykel said then the snow in the room stopped. Adan was shocked, has his father finally had a breakthrough?! "Ice domain: Crystal Throne Room."
The room Adan was standing in changed! He was now in an actual throne room made out of light blue ice. There were rows of stairs made of ice to climb to reach Emperor Mykel's ice throne. In his domain, he had absolute control.
Adan was standing below those stairs while a pair of cold blue eyes were staring down at him. A bland chuckle was heard from the throne. "After more than twenty-five years, I have finally broken through to another level. It feels so reviving!"
"Congratulations, Father."
"Who asked you to speak?" A glare fell on Adan "Besides, this is not why I called you. I want to give you chance to cultivate and grow. You have no choice but to accept it." His father paused. "There's a fruit that can solve all cultivation trouble, some say it could even give a normal person the ability to cultivate. It is called The Fruit of Potential but it cannot be obtained easily."
There was another pause. Adan knew his father was toying with him, so he asked, "How can I find it, Father?"
"Exactly what I wanted to hear. There is only one known tree that bears this fruit and it only grows in the Land of Redemption."
Adan's eyes widened, he had heard a little about that place, but from the little he had heard, he only knew that there was no civilization there and time there flows differently and is not controlled by any of the empires. Most people say it is an abandoned island no empire has a claim over.
"You will set out in one week, prepare yourself. You are dismissed." The ice domain dispersed and Adan was back in his father's office.
"Thank you for this opportunity, father." Adan bowed towards his father and exited the office.
He walked back to the main entrance and then walked out. He felt some warmth, his body still shivering from the cold he had to endure.
"Brother!" Aziel ran to his brother with concern. "I was worried about you. You are not bruised, are you?" Aziel asked hurriedly checking his brother. He has been waiting for Adan for almost half an hour.
Adan shook his head, "Oh, that's good. I'll just make you warm then." Aziel smiled widely, all his worries were relieved.
He then covered Adan with a water-made bubble which emitted warm air. Adan pale complexion turned back to normal then the bubble dispersed.
"Thank you."
Aziel nodded in response and asked, "So what happened? I want all the details."
"Father has had a breakthrough," Adan said as he started walking with Aziel.
"What?! Father has had a breakthrough!?" Aziel asked in shock, He thought his father would be stuck at a bottleneck like some previous emperors.
"I just told you that, did I not?" Adan stared at Aziel.
"I know, it is just surprising, but indeed, I am happy for him." There was a short comfortable silence. The kind where you feel like something should be said.
"Can you teach me how to use a sword? The ones that do not need cultivation." Adan asked, which caused Aziel to stop walking.
"Have you forgotten what Father did to you when he found out I was teaching you last time and the time after that? I am sorry but I will have to decline. Father is going to hurt you and this time it will be worse because he is on another level." His eyes looked so sincere.
"I know and I have not forgotten. I have a scar to remember that every day. Besides I am certain Father would not say anything this time, so just teach me." Adan once again pushed back the memories invading his mind. His brother did not reply so he added, "But it is fine if you do not agree to it. I will have to train based on what I remember." and walked away from Aziel.
Aziel sighed "Why do you want to train so suddenly?"
"I'll tell you some other day," Adan answered not looking back.
"You like being mysterious, don't you?!" Aziel yelled from behind. He was standing in a place watching his brother back.
"Who knows?!" Adan yelled back.
* * *
The next morning, the birds were chirping as the sun shined brightly in Euphrasia. Meanwhile, a prince was just waking up when he heard a knock.
"Who is it?" Prince Adan asked while standing up from his bed.
"It is maid Veronica, Her Majesty sent me to tell you that breakfast is ready. Should I bring it to your room?"
"Tell My Mother, I am not hungry and there is no need to bring it to my room." He replied.
The maid nodded, forgetting that the door was closed. "Yes, Your Highness." She said and turned around.
After sending the maid away, Adan went to his wardrobe to search for a training outfit. Soon he found one that was blue with a mixture of black.
He went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, had his bath and put on his contact lens. After he was done with dressing he walked out of his room and went straight to the training room.
He got to the door and the two guards at the front greeted him.
"Good morning, Your Highness." They both said in unison.
"Good morning, I would like you to open the door for me." Adan said.
"But My Prince, His Majesty has forbidden you from entering this room. I am sorry but we will have to disobey you." The guard on the left said while bowing his head.
"I know, but this time, he would not do anything. Just let me in." Adan tried to walk passed then but the guard stretched their arms, and their spears blocked the door.
"I am sorry, My Pri…" The guard on the right was cut off by the temperature around them reducing. The Emperor was passing by!
"All hail the Emperor of Euphrasia." The guards knelt on one knee and bowed their heads.
Adan turned around, bowed his head and said "Good morning, Father."
"You can let him use the training room from now onwards." Emperor Mykel paid no heed to their greetings and walked away.
"Yes, Sir" The guards replied, remaining in the same position until the Emperor had gone before standing up. Then they opened the door for Adan to enter.
"Thank you." Adan walked in.
Meanwhile, on the East side of the palace, a maid with long, curly blue hair was walking towards the second prince's room.
Prince Aziel heard a knock from inside his room. He walked to the door and opened it. The maid immediately screamed and turned around.
"Your Highness, You are shirtless!" The maid exclaimed still remembering the smooth, fair skin and abs she had seen. Her cheeks were so red and she could not wait to brag to her colleagues.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Aziel smirked, enjoying how flustered the maid was.
"N…no, No..not at all." She stuttered.
"Then turn around and come in." Aziel turned and went back into the room.
The maid turned and walked in, she got a full view of Prince Aziel's back. Is this how all men's backs look like? I can't wait to brag about this. I'll become very popular with this. She fantasised about all the privileges she would get among the other maids.
"So what did you come here for?" The prince asked, going through his closet looking for what to wear.
"Her Majesty asked me to tell you that breakfast is ready. Should I bring it to your room?" The maid regained her manners and lowered her head.
"Oh, I do not know, yet. Have you told my brother?"
"Yes, Her majesty sent someone else there."
"Okay, call her for me."
"Your Highness, I do not understand."
"What do you not understand? You know the person that my mother sent, do you not?" Azielvturned, finally picking out a robe to wear while the maid nodded answering his question.
"Well then since you know her. Go and call her for me. I want to speak with her."
The still-confused maid nodded and left to look for her colleague.
After a short search, she finally found maid Veronica in the kitchen.
"Prince Aziel wants to speak with you, Veronica."
"Really? Me? Did I do something wrong, Chrissy?" She panicked
"No, I do not think you did. He wants to ask you a question. That is all." The maid, whose name is Chrissy, comforted her friend. "Come on hurry up. I do not wish for him to get tired of waiting." She pulled Veronica and went to Prince Aziel's room.
They knocked on his door and he answered with, "Come in."
The door opened "She is here, YourHighness" Maid Chrissy bowed and pointed at Veronica. "Good morning, Your Highness."
Prince Aziel who was currently sitting on a cushion, smiled. "Are you the one my mother sent to Adan?"
"Yes, Your Highness." Maid Veronica nodded.
"He always gets the prettiest one. He probably hasn't even seen her face." Aziel thought out loud, making Maid Veronica blush while her colleague was feeling envious.
Prince Aziel turned his attention back to the maid "Did my brother eat?" he asked, now serious.
Veronica was taken aback by the sudden change of expression but soon regained herself "He said he was not hungry." She lowered her head.
"Hm, then I would not eat either. Tell my mother I am not hungry as well," Aziel told Chrissy. "Is he still in his room?" he asked Veronica.
"I am not sure about His Highness whereabouts but I heard some people say he went to the training room"
"The training room?" Aziel eyes widened.
"Yes, My Prince." Maid Veronica bowed her head.
"Okay, You both may leave." Prince Aziel said. What could he possibly be doing there? Did Father let him use it? I'll have to ask him myself.
Meanwhile, On the Northeast side of the palace, a Prince was staring at his fist in confusion.