(Regaleon's POV)

I saw blood trickle down on the side of Alex's mouth. Shock and despair was all that I can feel right now.

"Thank you for this." Clara had a sinister grin on her face. She pushed Alex and he fell unto the ground with a thud.

I can feel blood rush towards my head, feeling the anger building up. I grip my broken sword firmly and hurled it right towards Clara's head. Before it hit her, a wall of water blocked the way.

"Your highness…" Clara looked at Gladiolus with dreamy eyes that made me want to hurl.

"Clara, come here." Gladiolus ordered.

With his order, Clara moved swiftly to Gladiolus' side. She instantly gave him the two key fragments.

"You have done well, Clara." Gladiolus said while looking at the key fragments. "I am afraid that I cannot play with you any longer king of Grandcrest. I will bid you farewell."

Clara made a hand gesture and strong wind started to envelope their bodies. They started to float on air and towards the sky. Both of them flew away, with fast speed. If I used my flight abilities, I have no doubts that I can chase after them. But my mind right now was focused on Alex, who was lying on the ground motionless.

"Alex!" I quickly ran towards him.

When I arrived to where he was, I quickly knelt down and carefully moved him. I can still hear his faint breath.

"Y-Your majesty…" Alex said and coughed up blood. "I-I am sorry…"

"Hush Alex. You will just further worsen your wound." I quickly said.

I looked at the stab wound on his chest. Much blood has oozed out, staining his shirt blood red. I can feel the pain just by seeing it. I quickly used my white magic to heal him.

"I-I am sorry, your majesty." Alex said with a groan. "I have let the enemy get the key fragments. Her majesty… she will be in danger because of me." Tears are starting to fall from his eyes.

"It is not your fault, Alex." I said. "You were caught by surprise by that sneaky Clara." I gritted my teeth in anger recalling Clara's sinister grin.

"If…If I was just more alert, she could not have…" Alex coughed up blood once more. "could not have… taken the key fragments."

"Do not worry about that now, Alex." I was feeling anxious. "Let us get you better first, and you can get revenge on her once you are better."

I have told Alex that, but the wound that I was trying to heal was not getting any better.

'Dammit! Why is my magic not working?!' I cursed inwardly.

I knew the answer to my own question pretty well. My white magic can heal any injury there is, but it cannot heal ones that are past the point of healing. Alex's wound was close to the heart, which I suspect has damaged his major arteries, hence the excess blood loss. I was too late in getting to Alex, and I know that very well that I felt angry towards myself.

"DAMMIT!" I shouted out of frustration.

"Y-Your majesty…" Alex lifted his hand. I quickly took it and I can feel him squeeze mine. "It has been an honor, to serve you. I… I would have wanted to be there and see you rise to power as the emperor of this continent."

"Alex… do not say that." I can feel my heart squeeze in pain from his words. "I am so useless! I was not able to save you in time." I was so angry at myself.

"You do not have any fault your majesty." Alex said with a smile. "In battle, there are always casualties that cannot be avoided. I was caught of guard and this was the price I have to pay. Do not blame yourself your majesty…*cough cough*. You have been a just and wise leader to us. My only regret was… that I could not stand by your side any longer."

"Alex…" I squeezed his hand tightly.

"It is getting darker…" Alex said. His eyes were losing its brightness. "I am feeling tired your majesty. I want to rest."

"Yes Alex. You can rest." I said with utmost pain, my voice trembly. I squeezed his hand tightly.

"Save her majesty. I am sure that she is waiting for you, sure." Alex said and breathed his last breath.

"I promise, I will get my wife back." I can feel the pain of loss envelope my body. Tears started to build in the rim of my eyes. Tear drops started to fall on Alex's chest. "I will avenge your death, Alex. You will never be forgotten, I swear upon my name."

My grief for Alex's loss turned into hatred. I have experienced lose of many subordinates since I was young, but Alex's loss was something that etched deep within my heart. Alex was a promising young man. He had a great future ahead, and it was cut short because of this war.

"I will end this war once and for all." I promised to myself.

"Your majesty!" My men was running towards me. "The enemy retreated. We came here to help you."

"Oh no… Alex." My men gathered around with sad faces.

"Does Alex have surviving family members?" I asked.

"Yes, your majesty. He has a younger brother by the age of eight." One replied.

"His parents were one of the few that were able to survive the Atlantian purge. They had Alex and his brother after the purge." Another replied.

"But I heard the their parents were scorned for being Atlantians and was not able to live peacefully, like us. His father was killed by bandits while protecting his family when Captain Dimitri came. He saved the young Alex and the pregnant mother. Unfortunately, their mother died in childbirth." Another explained.

"Captain Dimitri took them in and saw talent in Alex. He recruited him in the special unit with the promise to feed them and given a place to live." Another one said.

"All of us under Captain Dimitri was someone like that at first, someone who has no where to go to, nowhere to call home." One said.

"But working under you, your majesty, it gave us a place to belong to." One said.

"You gave us a place to call home and we thank you for that. We will be loyal to you until the day we die." Another one said.

My men all kneeled before me. Loyalty was etched on their faces. This gave me a sense of accomplishment, having to help fellow Atlantians to have a home to call.

"Alex is a proud member of the special unit under you your majesty, and he gave his life for a cause. We here are the same. We will gladly give our lives to you." I was touched by their words.

"I am happy to hear your loyalty, everyone of you." I placed Alex's body gently back on the ground. My hands and clothes are stained with his blood. I clenched my fist, vowing that I will seek vengeance. "I will do everything in my power to end this war, so please lend me your strength."

"YES, YOUR MAJESTY!" all of them shouted in unison.

"Take Alex's body. Be sure to take it back safely to Grandcrest. He will be buried as a hero." I ordered.

"Yes, sire." One replied.

"Make sure that his brother will be given living support. I will personally take charge of him until he is of age." I ordered. 'It is the least I could give to Alex who gave his life. I will make sure to give his brother a good life he deserves.'

I looked up at the sky and saw a huge bird flying towards us. I knew at once that it was Tempest, carrying Dimitri and William.

"They have come at last." I said. "We will need to mobilize once I talk to Dimitri. We need to make haste and catch Gladiolus and his men." I ordered.

"I will crush Clara with my own two hands." I said with fury.

Edited by: nalyn