Zen's POV
I remember back then how much I treasure my mother's diary. It where everything I need to learn for. I always sneak out every etiquette classes just to hide under the oak tree and read her diary.
Everything that written them were as if she knew the future ahead of her. All her experiences and knowledge were written there. As if she already knows that her future child will need those in the future.
"Be the predator in the room of wolves" She tells in one of the pages. Where it stated that be on the top but don't let them know what's going on in your head, and that's the real way why the lion is the King of the jungle even though the elephants are bigger than him. Why the wolves always have successful hunts, because they always hide themselves as a sheep among the farm. And why humans are the most feared animal, because they have the strongest instinct to survive.
Creatures are always on the top of the food chain, not because they're much bigger and stronger, that's because they're capable to move others without using their hands but their minds.
"A King that is loved by all is also the King who is feared by all..." she stated.
How funny a dead person can still control a perfectly human being through her writings. Mother, she is truly a genius, and that's why she did not died because she was giving birth to me. She died because they thought, she was a witch.
"My dearest son..." the familiar figure once again repeated what my father just said. I instinctively grab the handle of sword as I was waiting for him to attack. I pull all my 'aura' to my body in case I was too late to attack him. He only chuckles.
"Marvelous!" he exclaimed and laughs. He was a creepy guy, that's for sure. His appearance is just like my father when he was in his prime but now, he was 67 years old, he was nothing but a frail old man who was waiting for his son to take his place.
I flinch as I felt his skinny hand on my wrist, as if he was trying to stop me from attacking the creepy figure near the balcony.
"My dearest son..." he repeated again, how can he say the words I always yearn when I was a kid, when I was still his dearest son.
I pull my hand away, it's not warmth that I felt, it was disgust. I know my real father are, I've been watching him the moment I open my eyes to reality. He was nothing but an old geezer who have uncontrollable lust towards everyone.
"That's right, push that old man away..." the figure slowly approach me as his voice starts to change. I can feel my father behind me was shaking, why is he afraid of?
The unknown figure starts to change his appearance, is it the devil? Probably, what did he do that my father shakes in fear so much.
"Who are you!?" I tightened the grip on my sword, he was probably dangerous. Should I flee? But what about my father? I look back at the old King again, I feel empty, the only thing that gives me a reason to pity him is my brother, Lucian. This is the father he adored so much in his life, but at the same time, the same man I hated and envy the most.
"Why stop talking?" the moment I turned my head to look back the unknown figure, he was now in front of me.
I can feel his breathe against my skin, I can hear my heart beating so loudly. For the first time in my life, I was the prey that being hunted by the wolf.
Black eyes with red bloody pupils staring right back at me. I couldn't move an inch, I can hear my father whining on the bed, but I didn't dare to move my head to look at him. Because I know, the moment I took my eyes off this monster, it'll devour me. It's a ghoul, just like my mother describe on her diary.
"A devil with white hair with a streak of pink, symbolizes the death and life. Black eyes with crimson red pupils and red pulsing veins around it. Sharp thousand tooth for eating and devouring their prey, not leaving any trail behind. And Pale skin as if it was a ghost, claw for their hand and terrifying sharp tentacles surrounding them, it was a ghoul, a grim reaper who'll devour any living things in their way" my mother stated in her diary.
I looked up in this monster as I met his wide open mouth with his sharp tooth showing to me. He opens his mouth wider as if it's sizing up my head, I can't die here just yet.
"Why are you here...Aether?" suddenly my father broke the tension and the ghoul laughs. He slowly shrink back to his form, just like my young father.
"You know why I'm here, my costumer..." he replied with the voice just like my father.
"So you're here to devour me?" my father asked as he let a little laugh, it makes the ghoul enraged.
"NO ONE LAUGHS AT THE FACE OF DEATH!" he suddenly turn his self back to his form again making me draw my sword out and protect my pathetic father.
What was I thinking? Why did he call me here in the first place? I he here to sold my soul instead to make him younger? By that time, I slowly losing my mind and let my 'aura' spill out. It was fear? Sadness? Anger? no...
"I see..." the ghoul finally calm himself and goes back to my father's form.
"You must be the next King..." he continued, I can sense his gaze analyzing me from head to toe.
How terrifying this creature is, how he can copy any details in my father's body...
I gripped again in my sword and point straight at him, I rather die in a fight than dying in the most pathetic way possible.
But I was afraid of dying, not yet, it's not my time. I haven't achieve anything yet. I want to be stronger, the most powerful human and face gods to tell them, who decided to have them as our ruler? Why should we, humans fear them.
The ghoul let out a small chuckles, as if he was laughing at me. Can he read minds? Did he think I'm absurd? I let my emotion get my head again, making me spill more 'aura' into the room, it shakes. The whole land were shaking at the time, it probably makes the people wake up in the middle of the night. But I don't care, I just have to survive this.