TheRoguePrince
Spoiler: show
Path of the Will
The stars and moon shone brightly in the night sky, gently illuminating a long figure as he walked across the pale ground. The lion paused on top of a small hill to survey his surroundings. Everywhere he looked, the land was all the same: the monotone pale color of ash covering what used to be proud golden grasslands. But now, there was nothing left of the savanna. The grass served only to fuel the fire that swept through the lands, leaving only a layer of ash and dust as a reminder of what used to be here.
This was my home. I was supposed to rule these lands one day, thought the lion, but what am I supposed to do now? Everything I knew, everyone I've known, everything's simply... gone.
The prince frowned, looking at the horizon, hoping to spot something that stands out in the paleness of the ash. But wherever he looked, there was only one conclusion: he was alone.
Who will want to do this? Why? What's so important about this place that they will come and just burn everything?
In his mind, the lion recalled the last time he was with anyone. He was with his pride, defending from waves of unknown invaders.
---
The pride was small, but powerful. What they lacked in numbers, they made up for in individual skill. The lion snarled and roared as he tackled yet another invader before sending it crashing to the ground with a powerful swipe from his claws. Before it had a chance to get back up, the lion ended its life with a quick slice from his claws.
But this small victory was meaningless. For every intruder they took down, another two took its place. The lion felt like the intruders were not real fighters, but they didn't need to be. It was only a matter of time before the pride would tire, and be overwhelmed.
As the prince fought off a group of three, he heard a loud roar from behind him. He knew instinctively that it was not good news: one of the lionesses was overwhelmed and received a large wound to her foreleg. The roar was a call for help, not one to intimidate the enemy.
The lion turned to help his pride sister, but as he did so, one of the intruders jumped on his back, and forced him to the ground. Shacking it off, he quickly got back up to his feet, and ran over to help the lioness, who was now surrounded by a large group of the intruders. The prince ran into the group and separated a good size of the intruders from the lioness, but it was too late. With a defiant roar, her life was taken as the intruders ganged up on her and slipped through her defenses for the killing move.
The prince looked over what used to be the kingdom where he grew up and lived his life. Tears fell across his face as the memories of the attack played themselves in his head, no matter how much he tried to suppress them.
The end was certain. The battleground was littered with the bodies of the intruders. And half the pride.
What was left of them were all huddled together in one final stand. all of them were wounded and tired, and yet, the intruders kept on coming.
The prince stayed next to his parents, determined to fight until the end in the vain hope that they will be able to stall the attack just long enough for the intruders to give up, and let them live.
But next to him, a roar of pain shattered that hope. The prince turned and ran over to the fallen lioness. "Mom! Hang on, I'll help you!" He jumped over the queen, and defended her with all of his ability. As long as he will be around, no one will be able to harm his parents. Next to him, the king was also defending the lioness, but neither him nor the prince were able to keep the intruders from pressing on the attack.
From the ground, the queen coughed. "Keto, get out of here. You can't save me... Go, save yourself!" She coughed loudly again. The prince quickly turned his head to look at her in between attacks. "No, mom! I'm not going to leave you!"
Just as he said this, next to him, his father fell, quickly getting covered by numbers of the intruders. "Dad!"
The prince ran over to his father, but it was too late. The king was dead.
From where she was still lying on the ground, his mother still tried to save her son from a useless death. "Keto, do it for me! Don't kill yourself over this... Run! Save yourself! Please... my son..." Her voice grew quieter, and the prince knew she was nearing her end as well.
"No mom, don't leave me, not yet. I'm going to save you!" He stood over her, and released the loudest roar in his life. [i]If you want to get her, you have to get through me first!
He didn't know for how long he fought, nor the number of intruders that fell from his teeth and claws. But eventually, one of them got into the right position, and hit him hard over the head, sending the prince flying away from his mother, and into blackness.
When he wok up again, the savanna was on fire. He got up as fast as he could, and ran for his life.[/i]
---
Keto closes his eyes and lowered his head to the ground as he grieved in silence. When he looked up again, his face was twisted in rage. He was going to find out who was responsible for the death of his family and pride. He was going to find them, and make them suffer to the point where they would beg for mercy. He-
Keto froze, realizing what he was thinking. Even now, he heard one of his father's lessons, about how revenge was not a path that he should ever take. How no matter the grievance, he should never let it become personal, and let his emotions get in the way. It was not who he was, not how a king should behave.
But he was not a king yet, and his father was dead. This war was now very personal. And yet, Keto felt something tugging at him not to let go to his anger. His parents never let anger control them, and who will he be if he was to let go of his restraints?
Stomping at the ground in anger, Keto argued with himself, trying to make up his mind. The only thing he felt along with his grief was this rage. But if he will let himself be consumed by it, everything his parents worked so hard for will be in vain.
I will find out who did this. I will find them and kill them. As Keto though longer, he began to form a plan. He will seek his revenge. He will use his rage to kill the one responsible...
...But until then, he will keep it in check. He will be the prince that his parents loved and took care of. He will go on a quest, one that will remove the evil that killed his pride. And perhaps after that, he will finally settle down.
But until then, he will be someone else...
A rogue prince.
This story is PG-13, so if you don't want to read it, don't click on the spoiler.
Hope you like it, Rogue!
But anyway, here it is.
