First Arc (King of Euphorion) – 2. A New Start

Angel sat on a table in a hunter guild at Graywood Village, it was more than a month since Ilex executed him. Now, he lived under the name Zel, taken from his middle name Raizel. He was a dead man, it was better for him to stay dead until he needed to show himself.

After that incident he realized there were so many changes with him, his regeneration was faster than normal humans, his endurance increased and there were no poisons that affected him anymore. But the most significant was a mysterious power that came from his new self and the dark crystal inside him, allowing him to use magic. But there was a little difference between his power and an ordinary magic user. A magic user used their magic power to gather the energy around them and converted it into the power they wanted. While his dark aura took his own energy and converted it directly into the power he wanted. That's why he didn't need casting time like an ordinary magic user. The other difference was, that the magic he used was the same magic power as the Dark King's, so he had to use it carefully.

But of course, the greater the power the greater it would cost. If magic users ran out of their magic power, they simply couldn't use their magic temporarily until their energy recovered, but him...it would cost his life. After he gained this power, he had a hard time controlling it. His dark aura kept leak out and made the frightening atmosphere around him, as the result everyone was afraid of him, it took a month before he was able to control his power properly.
"Your hair colour reminds me of someone," said a hunter named Armie who sat beside him.

He turned his gaze to Armie as he waited for him to continue.

Armie leaned his face slightly towards Angel and gave him a serious look.
"The second Prince of Asteria, Prince Angelus. Have you heard the news? A month ago, he tried to start a rebellion and the King of Asteria sent his cousin, Prince Ilex to catch him. But that coward committed suicide before Prince Ilex managed to caught him. Well--- A greedy person like him deserve to die," said Armie accompanied by his awkward laughter.

"I already heard the news. Thank you for your information," he replied formally. The news about his rebellion had been spread across Andromeda Continent, they were not only killed him but also tarnished his reputation. He had heard this news so many times but for some reason, he felt nothing. He didn't feel sad or angry about it.

But then Armie realized his words could hurt Angel's feeling.
"But it's doesn't mean you also a bad person like him, erm... your hair colour also resembles our late prince, he's a good person," he swiftly added.

Suddenly the guild master approached them to deliver their drinks.
"Don't talk about other kingdoms, we better look at our kingdom situation. Since King Xenos took the throne eight years ago, Euphorion is in a mess. That idiot king only knows how to take our tax and play with some woman, now he even think want to start a war with another kingdom. "

Armie placed his index finger on his lips in panic.
"Sttt!!!" He looked around to checked was anyone heard their conversation, but lucky the bar condition was noisy since it was full of people who wanted to take shelter from the rain. Then he turned his eyes back to the guild master.
"Master, are you crazy? What if an officer hears you? You gonna be executed! "

"What can I say? It's a fact! " the guild master replied in annoyance as he casually took a seat beside them.

Angel kept silent as he listened to their conversation.

Armie frowned at the guild master as he let out a sigh.
"What can we do? It's the late king decision. He also desperate because he lost his only son. Moonfall Family doesn't have any descendant anymore. If he doesn't make this decision, Euphorion will still in a power struggle right now."

"King Xenos is not from Moonfall Family?" said Angel out of blue. This was the first time he heard something like this.

The guild master and Armie turned their gaze to him at the same time.
"Of course not!" they said.

He startled by their reaction.

"There's no way that idiot king from a royal family. He just lucky to get the throne," the guild master continued.

Armie nodded at the guild master words.
"Since his only son died, the late king of Euphorion, King Eiron Magus Moonfall changed the rule for taking the throne. He imprisons his four elemental spirits in the castle main tower, thus who can defeat them and make them admit him as their master will be the King of Euphorion. He also becomes Moonfall Family," added Armie.

Now, it was the guild master who nodded his head to Armie's words.
"Yes, but who knows a strong random tyrant showed up and defeat them," the guild master continued.

The Kingdom of Euphorion had long been closed themselves to other kingdoms, he only knew a little information about them. The only thing he knew, if Asteria had the Reinheart Family who specialized in using swords as its ruler, then Euphorion had the Moonfall Family who specialized in using the light magic power. In other words, the Kingdom of Euphorion's ruler must be an extraordinary magic user. But this was the first time he had heard about the rules for taking the throne was not based on bloodlines.

'The late king of Euphorion must be so desperate to find a legitimate person to succeeded his throne.'
"Is King Xenos strong? " he asked again.

Armie breathed a heavy sigh.
"I hate to admit it, but yea... He's strong... His power is about the same as the late king's son Prince Lucian. "

The guild master looked down with regretful expression.
"If only Prince Lucian didn't die that young. Euphorion should be in its golden age right now."

Angel turned his gaze to the guild master.
"What happened to the prince?"

The guild master and Armie exchanged gaze with a puzzled expression before they turned their gaze back to him.
"Ah... I forgot you not from Euphorion. Of course, you haven't heard about it since they covered the news,"  said the guild master.

"You know... Ten years ago, King Eiron send his only son Prince Lucian Crimson Moonfall on a mission at a forest near Pearl Gate City. It's not a heavy mission, considering Prince Lucian is an expert magic user. But, the mission turned wrong...they had been attacked by a mysterious shadow. The prince and all of his troops die in that attack. Since then, King Eiron blamed himself and fell sick, then he died two years later. " explained Armie.

He frowned and his expression turned serious after he heard Armie words.
"A mysterious shadow? "

Armie leaned his face towards him and gave him another serious look.
"Yes. A witness said that shadow moved fast and his eyes glowing in red," he answered.

Angel's eyes widened as his heart pound faster.
"Glowing in red? Are you sure about that?"

Armie nodded as he maintained his serious look.
"Yes, according to the witness is."

Suddenly, he stood up from his seat.
"Can you tell me who the witness is and where he lives now? "

The guild master and Armie looked confused with his sudden reaction.
"He's Chay Fadington from Pearl Gate City," said Armie.

He placed a coin on the table.
"Thank you for your information." Then he ran to the exit.

"Hey! How about your tea?" the guild master shouted.

"It's yours!" he replied without turned his gaze to them.

Angel opened the door, the rain was still pouring down heavily. He ran through the rain, but strangely the rainwater just flowed down before reaching him, it was just like there was an invisible barrier around him.

'Ten years ago... that meant it happened at the same time when the shadow attacked me and father. It's possible the shadow that attacked Prince Lucian and us are the same person. At last, I get some information about that mysterious shadow.'