Kieran shot up covered in cold sweat. His hands were numb from his unsteady breathing. He searched the room for Teal and the attackers. Nothing. They were nowhere to be seen. In the dreary box that was his room, there was only a desk, a dresser, and the bed on which he sat. The cold stone floor sapped his feet of warmth as he threw open the blinds. A soldier clad in full armor stared back at him.

He closed them and burst out of his room running down the hall. He banged on Teal’s door as he fumbled with the doorknob. When it finally opened he almost knocked her to the ground. She was already fully dressed and seemed just about ready to wake him up.

“Teal, are you okay?”

Partially stunned by sudden appearance she stammered in her response, “Y-Yes? Y-Young Master, why are you here?”

“I-I saw you, I saw mother… I was fighting someone and you were about to… I was…” His train of thought kept derailing. Was it all just a dream? How come it felt so real? He thought The Garden and The Gardner were just dreams at first too. But if it wasn’t a dream, then what happened? Did he see into the future?

As he struggled to regain his composure, Teal pointed at his chest, “When did you get that, Young Master?”

“Huh?” He looked down and saw the pendant. He’d completely forgotten about it, but seeing it now threw him into more confusion.

“...You gave this to me today,” he answered.

He pressed the button on the top of the pendant. Its cover popped open, the ashen winged emblem shone through the back. Crystal blue rays reflected onto the wall as sunlight struck the sapphire rims. Sudden heat radiated through his palm, spreading to the rest of his arm. Kept sacred inside the pendant was not an image of a loved one nor something of sentimental value, but a misty liquid preserved behind glass. Shifting and swirling, the liquid turned into a number.

‘10’

Ten?

What did it mean?

“Oh,” Teal said as her brows furrowed and she twiddled her thumbs. “I-Is that right? I don’t remember…”

Kieran shut the cover and turned to leave. If he started rambling to Teal about how he had a vision or a dream about the future, he’d seem crazy. Hell, he wasn’t sure if he was sane himself. Multiple things already didn’t match up. First of all, Teal didn’t wake him. Secondly, when he looked through the window, he took the man staring up at him as proof of his vision, but if he woke up before Teal could come in, then why was the man at the same exact spot? Perhaps he’d been there for longer than he thought?

Lastly, why did he have the pendant?

The first suggested that it was only a dream. How could he wake up before Teal came? The second point listed could be used to support either idea, that he’d glimpsed what was going to happen, or that things were just coincidence. If the guard was always stationed there, then maybe he turned back when he noticed the blinds moving. The last one suggested it was real unless Teal slipped it on him when he was sleeping, but she didn’t seem to recall giving it to him at all.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

Too many things were different from his dream or whatever it was. Servants scrambled around the halls trying to finish preparations for the funeral. These were empty when Teal had woken him.

“Young Master, hold on,” Teal said as she chased after him. “Where are you going?”

“Outside, if I can find it. Do you know the way?”

“Yes, but I don’t think we should go out there.”

“Teal,” he said as he looked her in the eyes, “I have to confirm something.”

He still felt a bit like a madman, but maybe it was a bit of that madness leaking through that caused her to comply. With a simple nod, Teal expertly navigated through the maze-like halls of the castle until they were at the entrance. Standing at the ready were two royal guards wielding their six foot halberds.

Outside looked normal. A number of the castle’s original guard and the royal guard shuffled about, patrolling the walls and area like clockwork. With this many of them around, any attack, surprise or not, would be reported in seconds and relayed to the members of the royal family. The royal guards would immediately rush to their side.

Right. It had to have been a dream. It felt so real to him that one time too, that time when he was floating in the river and was attacked by the Corrupted and the mass of hands.

With Teal’s guidance, he managed to find himself back in his room. He changed into his mourning clothes and started toward the funeral. Curiosity guided his step as he led them through the halls. In a moment or so, he’d get lost and have to ask for help. It was a given since he dreamed up the attack.

But when he turned the corner and saw the guards and servants around the brighter maplewood doors, chills ran down his spine. Like a child stuck outside on a cold winter night, his teeth chattered unceasingly. Suddenly, Teal tackled him from behind. When he looked up, a wall charred black by Essence greeted him. A second later and he’d have been dead.

“An attack!” one of the guards yelled. “Protect the royal family!”

Servants scattered like flies. Metal clanging against metal reverberated through the halls pounding at his eardrums. They rose to their feet and dashed toward the beckoning guard. Kieran already knew what awaited them inside the funeral room, but there was nowhere else to go. Mighty claws rended the armor and flesh of the enemy. His father had unleashed his gifts in their full glory.

Something was off, however.

He hadn’t noticed it in his dream or whatever it was, but his father’s horns looked a bit fragile and they moved around on his head as if loose. Red skin and scales covered most of his arms, stopping at the neck. It wasn’t blood. Just like Kalstras, his father must have reached the point where his blessings evolved on their own. Still, how come it didn’t extend past that?

“Kieran!” His mother gave him a quick embrace, “I’m so glad you’re here but we have to leave. Your father and your brothers can handle themselves. We must find assistance.”

“There’s none. They’re surrounded and losing!”

“Kieran!” Drastan screamed. “Take Mother away from here!”

“But-”

“There is no time. You must escape!”

The air around Drastan began to change. He coated his eyes in Essence and saw his brother’s Flow swirling around him. The knights engaging him in battle ramped up their assault. Drastan fell back as his Flow continued to move. In the back, an observing knight’s Essence flowed out and his Flow began to swirl as well. His mother tugged on his arm, “We must go!”

Everything progressed the same way as before and dread gnawed at his mind. When they came across the two servants, Kieran held onto his mother. “We can’t go that way.”

“The guards-”

“I’ve already said there aren’t any that can help us! If they could then they’d have shown up by now. Teal, take us to the teleport room!”

They diverged from the direction of the servants. After a string of turns they arrived at a set of doors similar to the ones before the Restoration Rooms in the palace. There was a gap indicating that it’d already been opened. When Kieran peered inside, he felt all hope disappear. Five knights examined the room, tracing their fingers along the spell circles etched into the ground and studying the clear fist sized crystals..

Silently, they retreated. An explosion powerful enough to shake the whole castle erupted somewhere else. The knights instantly turned and saw them. Kieran pulled the door shut with his shadows and held it tight. Something slammed into the wall from the other side and splintered wood shot out everywhere. A fist punched through the weakened area. Shadows coalesced to block it.

Each step down the hall caused his Flow and manipulation over his shadows to weaken. Upon entering another large open area, the sounds of wood being destroyed reached their ears. Heavy clanging metal followed close, dogging their every move. Before they knew it, they were surrounded. The ones behind them must have split up, as only three were there. Three more trapped them from the other end.

‘If you are ever surrounded, quickly assess your enemies and aim for the weakest first. If you create an opening, escape.”

It was advice meant to be used in a situation against normal enemies. These men surrounding them were far from normal. At the very least, they were all on the upper rung of lower ranked knights, and some obviously matched the might of High Demons. Nonetheless, he put her words to action and looked for the weakest among them.

Nothing.

He came up with nothing. They were all faceless foes wearing similarly battleworn armor. He was also new to warfare and fighting. With a swear under his breath, he picked the knights who hadn’t broken through the doors and charged them. Once again, he was unarmed, but his strength lied in his Essence and Flow. Teal and his mother picked up on his plan quickly. Teal kept one occupied while his mother created a barrier to stall the three pursuing them.

Kieran’s shadows slithered behind one and under another. It rooted Knight Two in place, and threw Knight One off balance. He needed power more than anything else, so he uttered the spell, “Jarl und vass!” It flew toward Knight One. Kieran saw Knight One’s Essence flare and swirl. Shadows messing with his footing blew apart like water hit with a blast of wind, and Knight One stopped the shadow bolt with his hands.

Fuck!

This one wasn’t like the one he fought before. Knight One slammed his foot down with so much force it seemed the ground was about to crumble beneath his feet. His fist shot forward like a bullet, aimed right at his gut. A barrier formed around Kieran. A wind blade struck Knight One. The barrier shattered and the wind blade had no effect. He could only describe the punch as being stomped by an elephant.

Kieran was thrown to the ground, the back of his head crashing into the stone floor. Everything spun and he couldn’t breathe. As he activated Raah, Knight One’s body was covered from head to toe in his Essence, his Flow.

What was it? What made him so strong?

Alexandra’s voice entered his mind, ‘A Path, in regards to Essence, is something only achievable by someone who has gained a near master level understanding of their Flow. There are different types of Paths, however, the most common type of Path is the Enforcement Path. One releases their Essence and uses their Flow to strengthen their bodies to unnatural levels of fortitude and strength. It is similar to releasing our gifts as Blessed.”

The taste of iron filled his mouth as a warm liquid dripped from his chin. He turned his head, seeing both Teal and his mother shouting something. In Teal’s hands, a ball of concentrated Essence swirled. She shot it at Knight One but Knight Two jumped in the way. Knight Two hadn’t released his Essence and one of his arms used to block the attack became crippled.

Knight One looked down at him.

“You must be the fifth prince. Not bad, but trash can only ever be trash.”

Knight One brought his foot down.

The world went black.

Kieran shot up covered in cold sweat. His hands were numb from his unsteady breathing. He searched the room for Teal and his mother and any signs of the attackers.

There were three gentle knocks on his door before it opened. “Good Morning, Young Ma-” Teal recoiled in surprise. She hadn’t been expecting him to already be awake. She approached him. “It’s strange for you to be awake so early.” He watched her with wide eyes and sweat running down his neck. “Here, I have something to give you,” she said as she reached behind her neck. “From today onward, this is- huh? I-I don’t have it. It-It’s missing!”

As Teal panicked, Kieran looked down at the pendant hanging from his neck. When he opened the cover, he saw the number, ‘9’.