lpffa Chapter 172: The Former Prince
Chapter 172: The Former Prince
"Kris..."
The prince’s ears twitched when he heard his name, turning back to see who had called out to him.
A large sized man with cat ears on top of his head walked up to him, a large greatsword strapped to his back.
He had a head of greying hair that showed his ears but his face was still boyish looking, making him look more like a young man with grey hair instead.
"Father," he greeted with a bow.
The older man nodded, "How is your training going?"
"It is going well, father. Worry not, I am prepared to join the defense of the city."
His father sighed, "To think... There would come a day where our proud kingdom is pushed to the brink like this. I fear this may be the last days of our kingdom."
Kris straightened himself, "It’s alright, father. Elder sister is leading the civilians and those who cannot fight out of the city to a safe place. We will be able to hold them here. Even if we are to fall here, we will not bring shame to our family name."
The older man stared at Kris for a moment before he clenched his teeth as though hardening himself for a decision he had to make.
"Kris..." He muttered, slowly pulling out the sword on his back.
Kris straightened himself, frowning when he saw his father holding his weapon out towards him.
"Father?"
"Kris... A kingdom is nothing without its people. The walls can fall, the city can be lost, but if the people remain, the kingdom will always exist."
Kris looked down at the sword that was being presented to him before his face fell.
He looked up at his father in panic, "No!! Father!! I can fight!! Let me fight!!"
The older man knelt down on the floor to bring himself to the same height as his son.
"Kris... Listen... You do not need to fight... Go with the others. We have found a safe place that you can hide with the others."
Kris shook his head, "No... No, no, no!! We said this already didn’t we, father?! My brothers... They are all going to fight!! Let me fight as well!!"
The king slowly pushed the sword into Kris’s hands, "Kris... You know--"
"That I’m weak! I know!! Even elder sister is stronger than me... But I want to fight!! Please let me fight... Please don’t... Please don’t push me away..."
His protests were getting weaker and weaker as he started choking up on his own words.
The king shook his head, "That’s not it, Kris... You are strong... Not of the body but of the heart. In that regard, you are stronger than all of us. You will be the heart that will guide our people to a new beginning... Something that none of us can do except for you."
"No, father please...Please... Please... Please don’t..."
"Kris... The people need a guide... You will be their guiding star."
"I can’t... Father, I can’t do this alone..."
"Your sister will be with you. Please, Kris... We can only fight if we know that our people have their guide..."
The older man pushed the greatsword towards the young prince again. This time, Kris did not push it away and reached up his hands to allow the king to deposit the sword in his arms.
"Use it to protect your people Kris... I entrust the sword of our kingdom to you."
Kris looked up with tears streaming down his face, "Father... I... I’m not ready... I’m not ready to lose everyone..."
The king clasped his hand over his shoulder, "It’s alright Kris. I know you will be alright. You will also find the one destined for you as well."
He choked up, "Can I... Even find anyone who would take me in this world anymore?"
"Maybe not in this world... But maybe they are waiting for you in another world. Have faith, my son."
*
Kris clutched at the sword he was carrying in his arms, looking down at the capital city that was once his home.
The monsters that had one day appeared in his world had broken through the walls and the city was already ablaze.
He could feel nothing, almost like this was some kind of dream that he was stuck in and he would just wake up the next moment.
Yet that moment never came and a hand tugged at his shoulder.
He forced himself to turn away, looking back at a young woman with similar features to his but dressed in armour with a sword and shield behind her back.
"Brother... We have to go..."
He nodded, his body moving on autopilot as he followed his sister to return to the group of refugees fleeing the city as their home burned behind them.
*
"Kris!! Kris!!"
The cat boy’s ears twitched, turning towards the source of the noise and away from the campfire in front of him.
Compared to the weeks before, he had grown haggard and while he had a smile on his face that he would show the people around to keep their spirits up, one would be able to tell his smile did not reach his eyes if they looked close enough.
His sister ran up to him, "Kris!! There is a new portal!! We can use that to leave!! There’s only a few of those monsters right now, we can break through and leave this place!"
Kris felt a glimmer of hope rise up in his chest before he quickly squashed it, "Are you sure, sister? That it’s not some portal that leads to somewhere even worse?"
"I’m sure! This one is different! Instead of having those monsters pouring out from it, they are just guarding it from this side! That means it leads to another world like we thought!"
"Another world that is about to be invaded by these monsters as well sister. Is it any better? What if the people on the other side attack us as soon as we appear?"
"Anywhere is better than here! At the very least, we would have tried instead of just staying here and doing nothing!"
Kris looked back at the refugees that had gathered in the cave behind him.
Thinking back on the past few weeks where just surviving was already a hellish experience where they don’t know if a horde of those monsters might find them and finish the job...
At this point, they don’t know if there is even anywhere else that is safe in the world anymore.
So they might as well take their chances...
He turned to nod at her, "Let’s do it."
*
The giant monster roared and smashed its arm down on the ground, shaking the earth beneath their feet.
Kris pushed himself up on unsteady feet, using the greatsword his father had given to him as a crutch.
He could feel the broken ribs pushing against his side, making it hard for him to breathe.
He gritted his teeth and looked up, right as the creature lifted its hand again, fully prepared to bring it down on him.
He let out a sigh as his gaze drifted to the portal, spotting the last of the refugees successfully jumping through the portal.
At least... He was able to--
"Kris!!" His sister shouted out, slamming her shield into him and sending him flying in the direction of the portal.
He looked at her in horror, his sister’s broken armour and shield looking no less majestic than they had when they were pristine to him.
"Live on for us, ok?" She smiled at him.
That was the last thing he saw as the monster’s fist came down and he slipped through the portal, the young prince appearing on an asphalt street.
His mind replayed the last sight of his sister, the last person whom he called family, being crushed by the monster.
Something seemed to snap and the world seemed to close in around him.
Everything felt black and dull and nothing mattered. All he knew was to put up his usual smile and pretend like everything was alright.
While he was happy that the refugees managed to find a new place to call home, he realised he could not say the same.
So when there was a vacancy to go right back to fighting the creatures again, he jumped at the chance, fully intending to die like how his family had also died in battle as well.
That was until someone came crashing straight through the darkness, someone who could face these monsters and was an even brighter shining beacon of light than he was.
"Take as much time as you need. Let me borrow this."
He watched from where he lay as the one they call Mortal God used his family’s sword to cleave through the Anomalies effortlessly, almost like he was cutting through the darkness that surrounded him.
He didn’t know why back then, but he thought that if he were to just follow behind him... Everything would be alright...
All he needed to do was to follow behind him... Maybe with a collar around his neck with him holding his leash~