Hey guys this one begins the rewrite hope you all enjoy the differences and hopefully I can keep it all in order.

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I turned around and saw my father walking to my desk. He had a somber expression as he got close and brought a chair with him to sit down on.

“I didn’t even hear you come in,” I said.

“You must have been deep in thought. Tell me what were you thinking about?”

“The slaves in town.”

“Ah, well slavery is illegal.”

“But they were doing it out in the open!” I shouted incredulously.

“Yes, but-“

“Why are you letting them do it out in the open! What about them! They have families! The-”

“Calm down and listen to me,” said my father in a stern voice.

I quieted down as I was scolded a bit.

“Those slaves are illegal immigrants. Any race that does not have our nationality is to be captured and brought back to their own,” he explained.

“This does not stop slavers though as they take this as an opportunity to profit,” he continued.

“Then why not abolish that law?!” I asked incredulously.

He looked at me sternly and asked, “Do you understand what it is you just asked? Do you understand the ramifications of that act?! I know how smart you are so tell me, what would be the problems and benefits of abolish this law.”

I grumpily said, “Abolishing the law will allow all sorts of people to be able to set up residence in the Rigel Kingdom. In doing so, there will be a massive influx of people which will increase those in poverty as resources will be used up much faster.”

“And the benefits.”

“The benefits would be an increase in population to which conscription can be used to get more people into the military… or to the ritual magic which requires sacrifices… but we shouldn’t do that!”

“Ritual magic is strong, it is our final line of defense. It is one of the reasons why we are still able to keep our borders with the Lunaria Federation. That aside, you understand right? The problems of the law far outweigh the benefits. Even I am reluctant to use ritual magic.”

I looked down knowing that he was right. Ritual magic, I haven’t heard much from Malakir about it yet but from what I know, Ritual magic creates stronger versions of any kind of magic. A ritual magic fireball will be hundreds of times stronger than an average fireball which can only burn one tree to a crisp. The consequence of using the magic is that its strength is entirely dependent on sacrifices. These sacrifices can be anything but sentient life is the best sacrifice. Another restriction is that a ritual circle has to be created first before the magic can even be done. I don’t know anything about my country’s ritual magic but I know that it has the power to stop any advances from any enemy.

“Zed,” said my father.

I looked up and he held my chin and said, “I know you want to help those slaves but right now we can’t do anything. The best thing I can do is to tolerate it every now and then. I believe that when you assume the throne that you can do it.”

I was shocked at my father’s words.

“Me? Assume the throne?” I really couldn’t believe it, “but… my brothers…”

“Your brothers?” my dad scoffed a bit but then smiled, “true your brothers are better than you right now. Salazar is a skilled diplomat and Leon is a wonderful lieutenant but none of them can match you.”

He stood up and said, “A true king knows his subjects. He knows what they feel and he can protect them. Salazar is capable in protecting them through threats from the outside but what about from the inside? As long as Salazar does not show capability in understanding the people’s thoughts then he has no right to be king. Leon is able to protect the people from both outside and inside but he lacks compassion for the people. He cares for his family but he does not think of the people as family.”

He sighed and said, “I may say these things, but I wish for the best for you and your brothers… Each one of you has claim to the throne and if it were up to me, I would give it to the one who can show that he is a true king. But I– no forget it. It does not concern you.”

I looked at him curiously but hid it as he sat back down looking very tired. I got up and started massaging him.

“Thank you,” he said.

After a while, I stopped massaging him and sat back down. My arms were tired from moving so much but since it was for my father, I didn’t care much.

“I’m sure you know that your mother was a commoner,” he said as he looked at me somberly.

I nodded and he said, “Do you wish to know why I married your mother?”

I nodded profusely as I never did get to know why my father married mother.

“Hahaha, alright alright,” he said.

“Your mother… but first, do you understand the differences between the nobility and the commoners?”

“Uhm, one is rich and has servants the other does not?” I answered playfully.

“I know you are smarter than that,” he said laughing.

I laughed as well and said, “the nobility is a group of men that has political, economic, and military power given by the king as a reward for service. That being said, the current nobility is from generations past as there are not many problems now as there were then. The commoners is the group where everyone else is. This is also the group from where the nobles came from but the nobles just disregard that fact.”

After my father listened intently he said, “You are correct. It is exactly that reason on the commoners that I married your mother. That and she was extremely gorgeous. Oh how she looked back then…”

I looked away from my father and gagged as I didn’t want to think of it.

My father laughed apparently at my figure and said, “Oh well you are too young anyway.”

“Anyway, that is why I married your mother.”

“Her looks?” I asked.

“No, its because I loved her and yes her looks too,” he said laughing.

There was silence between us when I asked, “I’ve never heard you talk about my grandparents.”

His expression changed and he said in a deep foreboding voice, “Never mention them again.”

I felt scared at the sudden change but I wanted to know and so I boldly asked, “Why?”

He looked at me sternly and said, “Not one more word young man!”

“But why?!” I asked shouting.

Slap! My father slapped me across the face. I was shocked at my father’s fierce and scary expression as he slapped me for the first time ever. Tears started to swell in my face and I couldn’t help but cry. The pain hurt but the pain from being hurt by my father was worse.

My father must’ve felt regretful as I was suddenly wrapped in a hug and his calm soothing voice said, “Shhh”, “there, there” as my back was rubbed.

I was leaning on him with my face buried on his chest as he kept saying sorry as he tried to calm me down.

I didn’t notice how or when but somehow I was now in my room and my father was placing the blanket over me and said, “Rest… you’ve had a long day.”

I did and I woke up in the middle of the night.

I wasn’t wearing my night clothes and that was what woke me up as they felt uncomfortable for sleeping. I got up and changed into some soft warm clothing of some color as I didn’t want to turn on the light when I would go to bed immediately after.

I got on the bed but I couldn’t sleep again so I asked Malakir if he could tell me a story since I didn’t feel like learning anything and it might make me go to sleep.

“How about the Aliad master, it seems you have quite a love for it,” said Malakir.

“Yes!” I almost shouted as I really did want to know more about the flying kingdom.

“Well,” started Malakir, “as you know. Aliad was a flying country… but what most don’t know is that it still exists. It flies freely all over Arun.”

“Why does it do that?” I asked excitedly.

“It flies because of the mineral it is made from. A mineral called Flygite, it was created by Asmodeus to make his kingdom fly in the air, unrestricted by borders.”

“How did he create Flygite?”

“By using magic. Being a Form mage, he is capable of creating new materials but he was only able to make Flygite when he reached god-ranked. That being said, there seem to be some new god-ranks right now.”

“How do you know?” I asked curiously.

“It is a historical moment and one that is making us deviate from our conversation. Now, you will be able to make Flygite as well but you can create it right now.”

“Really?!” I asked with excitement.

“Yes, you can but we will leave the teaching method for the future… Master I realize that you like asking questions but if you keep asking questions I won’t be able to tell the story correctly.”

I was a scolded by my own summon… “Sorry…?”

“I’ll be going now master,” said Malakir as he started to glow and go back to inside me. I found out that he can do that when he needs to be with me but I can’t carry a book.

“Wait, wait!” I shouted, “I’m sorry ok. I was just very curious.”

“I’m always here for you master, and I will always be the one to try and make sure you do not make mistakes. Asking questions is alright but please understand the goal of asking questions.”

“Sorry,” I said sheepishly.

“None of that master. It is not needed. Now I will continue the story of Aliad.”

“Aliad was a mighty kingdom. It attracted all those wanting to study magic and there were many. Yes master?”

I apparently had a look that wanted to ask a question and so I asked, “Was there no enmity with magic back then?”

“No there was not. The enmity only happened afterwards. You must understand, magic was used very frequently. It was not to the extent of the elves but magic was a daily use for all humans.”

“All humans and even Avans, had many uses for magic. Because of their inferiority to the other races, humans studied magic and created items that are now considered historical items.”

“For example, the humans back then created horseless carriages that moved by magic. Every city had light that made it look as if the stars had fallen and brightened the world. Each and every human used magic as a tool and it helped make their lives better.”

“But it didn’t last…” I whispered.

“But it didn’t last,” agreed Malakir, “Something happened with the other energies. It covered Aliad and made it disappear from sight and history. But I know it exists for there is no record of Aliad ever falling or being dismantled. You se, every single part of Aliad has a record, it is through this record that I know that it still exists.”

I was amazed at the advancements back then but something was still bothering me and I asked, “What about the enmity?”

“Ah yes, the enmity. It was caused roughly near the time as when the disappearance was. Magic was used to create monsters. These monsters are different from animals and the dragons. These are true monsters, amalgams of animals and sometimes dragons. They are known as Chimeras and they roam about the world.”

“Chimeras are able to use more than one affinity at once. They are usually like wild beasts, searching for prey to feed upon but sometimes they can be very cunning and these are the most dangerous. Nonetheless it is easy to distinguish them.”

“This is the reason why they are afraid?”

“This… and the fact that the Chimeras killed more than half of the human population of the past.”

I was struck with fear at those words but then Malakir said, “The Chimera’s are fewer now. We are better equipped at handling them and they do not hunt humans anymore. It might even be safe to say that they do not exist at all anymore. There are no records that I know of that even hint of any Chimeras but this is the reason why humans generally fear magic, for it can create these monsters.”

I nodded, satisfied with the story and then yawned.

“It seems to have worked,” said Malakir, “good night master.”

“Night,” I said as I slept peacefully only to be woken up moments later by a bright light and a noise from outside.

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