Cordelia's voice was laced with conviction as she spoke. "I would be nothing but a pretty trophy and a pawn in the royal family, only to bear children for the royal family," she said, her eyes flashing with determination.
Prince Nox smiled, his expression unwavering. "Despite that, your village will be protected and cared for quite well," he said, his voice smooth. "You will want for nothing, and your people will thrive under the royal family's protection."
Mother Rosibelle stepped forward, her eyes flashing with a fierce light. "The Priests of Divinity are already doing what the Royal Family fails to do," she said, her voice strong and unwavering. "We don't need your protection or your charity, Prince Nox."
One of the guards stepped forward, his face twisted in anger. "How dare you defy and answer back to the Prince so crudely?" he shouted, taking a step closer to Mother Rosibelle.
But before he could get any closer, Aiden stepped forward, his eyes blazing with intensity. He stood between the guard and Mother Rosibelle, his stance protective. "If you dare make a move, you'll lose the hands that lay on Mother Rosibelle," he said, his voice low and deadly. The guard hesitated, his eyes locked on Aiden's intense gaze.
Prince Nox arched his brow, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in Aiden's imposing figure. "And who might you be?" he asked, his voice dripping with curiosity.
Aiden stood tall, his eyes locked on the Prince. "I am Aiden Grey, a Priest of the Priests of Divinity," he said, his voice firm and confident. "And I've been watching over this village, ensuring its people are safe and prosperous."
Prince Nox's smile faltered for a moment, before he regained his composure. "I didn't know there was a Priest here," he said, his voice laced with a hint of surprise. Aiden's eyes flashed with a hint of challenge. "I'm the reason this village is in better shape, not thanks to the Royals," he said, his voice unwavering.
Prince Nox's expression darkened slightly, his eyes narrowing. He turned to Cordelia, his voice smooth once more. "So, Cordelia, will you be agreeing to the proposal?" he asked, his eyes locked on hers.
Cordelia stood tall, her eyes flashing with defiance. "No," she said, her voice firm. "I will not be agreeing to marry you, Prince Nox."
Prince Nox's expression turned cold, his eyes glinting with annoyance. He clicked his tongue, a soft sound of disapproval. "It's too bad," he said, his voice dripping with menace. "You're coming with me, either way."
The guards moved towards Cordelia, but Aiden's eyes flashed with warning. "If any hand lays upon Cordelia without her permission, they will be severed from their body," he said, his voice low and deadly. "They are lucky to have their lives not taken."
The head guard snarled, his face twisted in anger. "I won't stand such insolence!" he growled, drawing his sword and charging towards Aiden.
But Aiden was too quick. With a swift motion, he disarmed the guard and sent the sword flying. Then, with a fluid movement, Aiden swept the guard's legs out from under him and twisted his body, using his hands on the ground to generate momentum. As the guard fell, Aiden dropped his leg against the guard's head, knocking him unconscious.
The other guards hesitated, their eyes wide with surprise and fear. Prince Nox's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "You dare to attack my men?" he growled, his voice low and menacing.
Aiden's voice was laced with defiance as he mimicked Prince Nox's words. "You dare to try to take one of my people?" he said, his eyes flashing with anger.
Prince Nox's face twisted in rage, and he growled at the guards. "Attack! Take Cordelia!" he barked.
The guards charged at Aiden, while two others tried to grab Cordelia. But Aiden was ready. He grasped the silver handle and focused his energy, forming a blue staff that shimmered with power. The Heavenly Handle glowed with an otherworldly light as Aiden gripped it, using it as a focal point for his power.
With the staff in hand, Aiden blocked the guards' attacks with ease, his movements swift and precise. As he deflected their blows, he landed critical hits, striking true and sending the guards crashing to the ground. The sound of clashing steel and the scent of ozone filled the air as Aiden fought off the guards, his staff glowing with an intense blue light.
Aiden swiftly threw the staff between the legs of one of the guards trying to take Cordelia, tripping him up. With a swift motion, he called the staff back to him and smacked the head of another guard who was attacking him from behind.
But as he turned to face Prince Nox, he saw the Prince trying to take Cordelia. Mother Rosibelle intervened, trying to protect Cordelia, but Prince Nox was too strong. He smacked her back, sending her crashing to the ground.
Aiden's eyes widened in fury as he saw Mother Rosibelle fall. His iris turned a piercing white, and the white of his eyes turned a deep shade of blue, radiating an aura of frenzy. His hair flared with blue radiance, as if infused with an otherworldly energy.
With a bellow of rage, Aiden roared, "No one harms my Ma!" His voice was like thunder, shaking the very foundations of the village. The air seemed to vibrate with his anger, and the guards took a step back, intimidated by Aiden's ferocity.
The staff in Aiden's hand shifted into a scythe, its blade gleaming with an ethereal light. With swift and deadly precision, Aiden cut down the guards, dismembering them with ease. But despite the severity of the wounds, there was no blood splashing, and the cuts seemed to heal instantly. The guards' faces contorted in agony, their bodies screaming in pain despite the lack of bleeding.
Aiden's eyes blazed with fury as he approached Prince Nox. The Prince, still reeling from Aiden's sudden transformation, bellowed with defiance. "You can't kill royalty!" he shouted, trying to assert his authority.
But Aiden was unfazed. With a swift kick, he sent Prince Nox's leg flying back, causing him to lose his balance. As the Prince stumbled, Aiden seized the opportunity to smack his head to the ground, sending him crashing down with a thud. Prince Nox's eyes widened in shock and pain as he struggled to get back to his feet, but Aiden's grip was unyielding.
Aiden's words were like death whispering into the Prince's ear, cold and unforgiving. "You're lucky to be royalty," he said, his voice low and menacing. "And you're also a child of God, just like the rest of us. Otherwise, you would have met your maker here and now."
Aiden's gaze bore into the Prince's soul, his eyes burning with an inner fire. "Go back and never return," he commanded, his voice firm and unyielding. "If you ever set foot in this village again, next time your body will return cold, without a head on its shoulders."
The Prince's face paled, and he nodded hastily, his eyes wide with fear. He knew that Aiden was not a man to be trifled with, and he didn't dare to test the Priest's resolve. With a swift glance at his guards, who were still reeling from their injuries, the Prince retreated, his dignity bruised but his life spared.
The guards were loaded onto a wagon, while those who were able-bodied left with the Prince, dragging the wagon with the wounded royal guards behind them. As the Prince's party retreated, Cordelia turned to Aiden, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Aiden," she said, her voice sincere.
But Aiden, now back to his normal self after the intense berserk state, swayed on his feet, his exhaustion evident. Before Cordelia could react, Aiden's eyes fluttered closed, and he fainted, his body collapsing to the ground.
Mother Rosibelle and Cordelia quickly came to his aid, helping him back to the house. They knew that the Prince would not take kindly to the humiliation he suffered, and they expected him to return, thirsty for revenge and blood. But for now, they had a reprieve, and they could tend to Aiden's wounds and exhaustion.
Aiden's eyes fluttered open, and he was greeted by Cordelia's warm smile. She was sitting beside him, her eyes shining with gratitude. As he stirred, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek, her face blushing slightly. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm thankful you stood up for me."
Aiden's face softened, and he smiled weakly. "It's nothing," he said, his voice still laced with exhaustion.
Cordelia's smile grew wider. "Mother Rosibelle is cleaning up in the village and attending to her duties," she said, her voice filled with warmth. "And... there's something else. A white dove with golden tips has arrived from the Priest Academy."
Aiden's gaze followed Cordelia's nod towards the window, where the dove perched, its feathers gleaming in the sunlight. A note was tied to its leg, and Aiden's curiosity was piqued.
The note, penned in elegant script, was brief and to the point. It was from Aiden's caretakers at the Priest Academy, and it informed him that he had been assigned a mission. The words danced across the page, conveying a sense of importance and urgency.
Aiden's eyes scanned the note, his mind racing with possibilities. What kind of mission could it be? And what would be required of him? He looked up at Cordelia, who was watching him with a curious expression. "It seems I have a mission to attend to," he said, his voice low and thoughtful.