My name is Seito Ituzu, a royal prince of Regnor, and field general of the elite Regnor Knights 2nd division. This is a story about I betrayed my kingdom, and became hated by my armies, my friends and my family.

Here in my world, the four kingdoms – Regnor, Protock, Drenstan and Frile have been engaged in a 400 year old unsolved conflict, going all out against one another. For generations, this global war had been stuck in a state of equilibrium, where each kingdom was holding its ground.

However, in recent times, the King of Regnor, described as many as a god amongst men, came to the throne with seemingly infinite wisdom, power and skill. Landing a foothold in each of the neighbouring territories, the other kingdoms tried with almighty force to fight back, cranking up the intensity of this struggle to something unlike ever before, with millions perishing. This King is my father.

Since a child, I was forced into weapons and mage training, by top class teachers hand-picked by the king. I became an army prodigy, managing to defeat full grown soldiers, and even army captains at the age of 14, as well as excelling at an unusually fast pace in mage classes. After enrolling that same year, I was quick to show my talent in small border clashes, and after 18 months was promoted to royal general, most probably with help from my father.

As field general, I trained with my men every day in all weathers and temperatures, making sure to be as fit and agile as possible for the next encounter whenever it may be. My job role also included reconnaissance work, where I used to travel in disguise as a civilian to towns and cities just over the border of an enemy territory, to map out the area and find any possible weak or blind spots. 10 months ago, another of these recon assignments was handed to me, to head to a large town in Drenstan's territory in the South East, Telguard. This was the beginning of my downfall.

Walking around, everything was falling into place. I scouted and mapped the area, before resting in an old tavern for a while. Across the room, I saw her. A hooded woman, no older than me, relaxing and eating on her own. She looked up and back across at me, I had never experienced such beauty on a face - I sat there in awe. Her long, blonde hair flowed down her neck and cascaded off her shoulders, onto a perfect, delicate body. She gave me the warmest of smiles and continued to eat.

She was different to the others. Showing any form of positive emotion in this world, especially as a royal soldier in the army was viciously frowned upon, and seen as a weakness. I'm sure she knew that. I had grown up with a severe lack of emotion, being beaten if I outwardly expressed anything at all except anger, which was channelled towards my enemies. I spent most days and nights without a hint of expression on my face, and naturally blocked any feelings which may have started to brew inside. Without a doubt, I became a statue of a person, with no warmth or depth, raised to slaughter any person targeted as an enemy, with no regret.

This was different - the smile was branded into my brain, and melted away any barrier I had built for barring emotion. Even if I wanted to, of course I couldn't stop it, the sincerity and prettiness of it was all I could think about. I felt my mouth subconsciously curve up into a smile – it felt strange… but, good. Never really feeling like this before, it began as an uncomfortable urge, but I very soon grew into relishing in the moment.

I carried myself over to where she sat and awkwardly stood at the table, stuttering and mumbling – I probably looked like a fool. But she looked up at me, again with a wide smile on her face. This time, I couldn't help but reciprocate, and cracked a half smile back towards her.

"Could I sit here?"

"Of course!"

I pulled up a seat opposite her and introduced myself.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Seito Ituzu."

"What's with the formal introduction?" she said, never wavering the grin stretched across her face,

"Naomi Mazumi. Want something to eat?"

"I... You can't waste your money on me, I'll order for myself. Thank you though."

"Don't worry about it, my treat. I have more than enough, please let me get you something!"

Without a chance to respond, she called the waitress from across the room and ordered a large plate of meat and vegetables just for me. I was in shock at how generous this woman was being to someone she had just met.

"Why are you being so kind to a stranger, ma'am?"

"Ma'am?" she giggled. The sound of the quiet chuckle seemed like a blessing upon my ears, not hearing a laugh of happiness for years. It again made me unknowingly flash a small smile across my own face.

"And I know your name, don't I? Well we're not just strangers then, Seito."

Everything she said was in such a pure, positive tone, and I was amazed. We ended up talking in that one tavern for 4 hours, and I cherished every second. Her outlook on the world, her personality, her looks, were all so wonderful. But, there came a point where she needed leave and complete some errands, as did I. I thanked her for the meal and began to head off. Turning back to look at her one last time, I knew I didn't want it to simply end like this.

"Excuse me… Naomi?"

"Hmmm?" She turned back and looked at me, flicking her elegant hair behind her in a wave of magnificence.

"Can… um… do you live here? In Telguard?"

"No, unfortunately I don't. I travel around a lot, to many of the towns in this area. Why?" She looked at me, puzzled, yet with a strangely satisfied look on her face.

"Oh… well I don't either. Actually I travel a lot, too. Do you know where you're going next?"

"Dawnbreak, in a week's time. Maybe we'll meet again, then?" she smirked, and with that, she left.

She was an exception to the rule in this world. This boring, dreary world. She was like a breath of fresh air compared to the expressionless crowds surrounding every turn of every town on the globe. As I continued to map out the area, I couldn't help but think back to her, and our conversation – how much I enjoyed it, and her. These newfound emotions confused me and I wasn't sure what to do… other than to go to Dawnbreak in a week's time.

I returned to the castle with everything mapped out. I felt so uncontrolling of myself, and completely out of character.

"….."

…

"Did you hear me Seito?"

I completely zoned out. I shook my head to gain control of my mind again, and looked up to see the king sitting in his majestic throne in front of me.

"Uh, yeah…"

"WHAT? How dare you address the King in such an informal manner! You've seemed distant ever since you returned from your errand. Pull yourself together and stop acting so WEAK."

"I'm not sure what came over me. I'm truly sorry, sire. Please forgive me."

Silence. This was my moment to try and get permission to see HER again. I didn't care that it was affecting my actions at the palace. It felt… good being around her. I had to see her again.

"My lord, I have heard rumours of protests and small scale riots in Dawnbreak, may I scout the area for any information? I believe it could give us a tactical advantage if we pounce on this opportunity."

"Very well. Now get out of here."

My father may seem cruel, but being brought up under his iron fist is the reason why I became so adept at fighting. I'm used to it now. He granted my wish, and that's all that mattered. I am lying to my king to see Naomi again.

I went to see her, and found her walking down an old, empty ally. When she looked over, in that same optimistic manner I was used to. My eyes lit up and I was once again happy.

Happy.

I was not used to being happy, I'm still not. But it seemed like it was worth missing out on, over all those years, just to build up to these moments where you feel so warm and light inside, unlike at any other times. The rarity of these occasions make it feel truly special to me.

Once again we made time for each other, and took to the nearest tavern to catch up and speak a bit more. We repeated this process several times all in different cities across the globe, just to catch up and talk. We never asked each other why we were travelling so far, in fact we never talked about our family or work related lives, instead life as a whole in this world. We shared opinions, and managed to see the world in different ways to our own, being from different kingdoms. It was always interesting, and fun. I could have talked to her for days on end.

One day, the hooded girl didn't say where she was going next. She didn't even say a proper goodbye, rather, she told me this is the last time she can do this, as family matters were at hand which she had to tend to. As the time to depart arrived, she didn't have such a positive look on her face. She looked sad, almost pained. She thanked me for taking up my time, as I did her. There, we walked away, branching back off into our separate lives.

That night, I felt so empty. I couldn't stop thinking about her, of course I couldn't. I felt inside me just as she looked on the eve of that last day – sad and pained. Knowing that I had no way to contact her again, I just sat in my chambers, unknowing of what to do next.

I didn't sleep that night. But no amount of sleep could have prepared me for the news the next day. The King personally called upon me, his youngest son, to command half of his army into Southern Drenstan, and his Second in Command, Sergeant Hyusi, to command the other half in a pincer-like movement around a main military base in enemy territory.

I trained for weeks and weeks, as hard as I could – as hard as my body would physically let me, to train up for this momentous occasion. I fuelled all of my anger and frustration from not being able to see Naomi again into strengthening myself in training. I felt unstoppable.

Soon, it was time.

I couldn't forget that day. No matter how hard I try, no matter how much I wish it never had happened, I remember every painful detail. It was raining. The skies were ambushed with dark clouds, the landscape was transformed from a gorgeous green masterpiece into a muddy washout. The meadow-filled rolling hills, normally so stunning was invaded by a sea of grey, as if someone had spilled murky water over a grand masterpiece of art.

I marched my thousands of soldiers and mages over the crest of the southern hills, and stood there to gaze upon my opponents. I stared down upon the commanding officer of the mage regiment of the enemy army. I focused my eyes to get a better view. Then, something broke inside of me. I felt an intense throbbing pain inside, not simply from my body, but my soul. I collapsed to one knee as I fixed my eyes in front of me on the mage, tears welling up until I couldn't see any longer.

Stood in front of me was a hooded girl, with the most beautiful face I had ever seen. Her long, blonde hair flowed down her neck and cascaded off her shoulders, onto a perfect, delicate body. She looked up at me. Then she smiled. But this time it wasn't a smile of happiness or joy, no. Rather, it was a pained smile. A smile which said "Fate has finally brought us back together, but in the cruellest of ways". She knew how I felt, but the quick smile soon withdrew, and a blank expression glazed over her face, one which I wasn't used to on her. I don't know how I felt. Anger, pain, sorrow, confusion, everything burst out of the depths of me all at once, like an explosion of emotion.

"Sir?"

My men had seen me slip to my knee, but I quickly got back up onto my feet. I had to show them I was strong, I was leading these men into a battle, which for many may be their last. I should show them confidence. However painful this experience was, however hard it was to seal the tears away, like a dam overburdened with water, I had to make a stand.

But why her… why now… I can't…

…

But I have to. For the sake of our kingdom.

I looked at my men, started to scream and shout about how we should and will win this fight. It was a way of letting out the frustration of the situation. But no matter how hard I shouted, of course I would never be satisfied. It felt like a punishment from a higher power.

After rallying the army, I let out the loudest yell I could, closed my eyes and charged down the hill towards the enemy. Rain collided against my face, camouflaging my tears. The battle commenced.

The war raged and ravished on for hours, screams of men sounded from all around me. Pleads to be saved followed by gruesome slashes of blades suddenly ending these cries made me sick. I had lead the best of Regnor's men into a mass grave. Judgement for them soon followed after my lone yell to charge with everything they had. I looked up from wildly attacking the men in front of me, and in front of me was Sergeant Hyusu on the brow of the opposite hill, ready to finish the skirmish. He charged down the slopes and attacked the rival from behind, rapidly decreasing their numbers. Fire blasts, thunder bolts and tornadoes from their desperate mages were all futile, and eventually the survivors were trapped in a small pocket next to a large lake.

I look at the fright on their faces, and many of them began to break down and cry. One at the very front seemed to stay strong, fearless, emotionless, and raised their staff. Casting a wind elemental attack, their hood blew down to reveal their face.

… Of course. Who else could it have been? I felt disgusted that it had come to this. Naomi.

She was powerful, and rallied the remains of her troops to fight until the very end. I heard snivels and chortles from behind me, my men knowing they would soon end everything.

Anger.

This was an emotion I was used to. But this was different. I was not angry at myself, or at an enemy. I was angry at my own men, I was angry at the situation. I was angry that out of everyone on the globe, it HAD to be Naomi who stood valiantly for her final stand against me. It wasn't just anger, it had developed into full blown rage.

A surge of hurricane-speed gusts radiated out from the resistance, and flew many of the front men backward. It created a gap for me to sprint into, I wasn't thinking like a commander anymore, I never really was in the first place - I succumbed to my own emotions. I stood there as wave after wave after wave of my men threw themselves at the opponent, trying their very hardest to eradicate them.

Wait… enemy? They're no enemy of mine. How can I call Naomi an enemy? That beautiful girl who I spent so many hours, so many days talking with, who connected me back to my emotions. Then, she looked at me. She had a look of despair and desperation about her. That look is the one look I can't bear to remember, but it is imprinted on my mind. Such a bright woman, a kind-hearted, soft woman could be forced to be put into such a position as to lead an army. That's when I snapped.

I screamed, and ran out in front of everyone else.

"NO!" I cried.

"NO! JUST…. STOP. STOP!" I was shrieking at the top of my lungs, but hardly a soul listened.

They were enjoying the fight. Enjoying it. A fury had been developing inside of me for a while. Nothing else, just raw fury. It crawled out from the depths of my very existence, like a bubbling magma, ready to explode from a fuming volcano.

Naomi's wind barriers were getting weaker by the second, she was tiring out. My soldiers were gaining ground quick. My eyes were fixated on Naomi. NOTHING was going to happen to her. If fate wanted to play its game with me, then I better make my move. I let out a cry which filled that valley, and shaking with new found ferocity, I was ready for those sadistic brutes to get what was coming to them.

Slice.

Slash.

Crash.

Boom.

I ploughed my way through my own men to get to Naomi, my OWN men. I didn't care, they were disgusting cretins to me, if they thought taking lives was so fun.

Die. DIE. Die, I say. If you enjoy taking a life that much you must feel my judgement.

"Naomi… NAOMI!" I yelled with everything I had. I felt like I was going to tear a vocal cord.

My own men soon shook out of the confusion I had put them all into. It was their turn for their eyes to light up with anger, but I didn't care for them anymore. Not one bit.

"You bastard!"

"Traitorous coward!"

"Emotional freak!"

"YOU ARE WEAK!"

I was hit with the insults as the armies soon converged to attack me. I was about 5 metres from Naomi now. She had said nothing, but I didn't mind. I just wanted her to be OK.

My army-turned-enemy now threw everything it had at me and Naomi's resistance. I was so furious that my will carried me on to fight with my magic and swordsmanship.

Fire. Water. Lightning. Rock falls. I threw everything I had into saving her. I was fending off at least 10 at a time, all from different directions. My will was unbreakable, but my body was quickly becoming feeble. My powers began to weaken, and soon enemy magic attacks were raining upon me, and a rogue fire blast had scolded my legs, throwing me to the ground.

I was pelted with what seemed like an entire mage's armoury, every element in all forms crashing upon my weak self. I could barely breathe, in short, irregular breaths. My ears were ringing, I could not see anything, and my face and body felt torn up. My armour was scattered around me, and a streak of pain rushed up my back, but all I could think about was her.

I have failed Naomi. I am so, so sorry.

"HAAAALT."

It sounded like sergeant Hyusu. No, he wasn't defending or saving me, I know how loyal he is to my father and to the kingdom, and he would never become a traitor like I had just minutes before. He grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and yanked me to my feet. I could hardly stand, I couldn't feel my feet.

"How wonderful, PRINCE Seito." He put incredible amounts of effort into ironically hissing the phrase out his bloodied mouth. Then, he started quietly chuckling.

"Finish me off" I said.

I just wanted it to be over now. I had betrayed my entire kingdom, and my father, and failed to even accomplish what had strayed me to become a traitor in the first place. As if he hadn't heard me, he continued to laugh like a complete lunatic. It was slowly getting louder and louder until he was bellowing in my face, keeping fierce eye contact with me until he was finished.

"You dirty piece of SCUM" he spat, "HOW DARE YOU."

A pause as he looked me up and down in disgust, and threw me back down to the ground. At this point I was able to get myself back up and retreated several yards from him.

"HOW DARE YOU!" he repeated, "No-one has ever done this in the history of this war. You have not only stained the history Regnor, but the history of this WAR. You failed to lead your armies to a victory, and you have overridden your power as a commander to follow your emotions."

He turned away for a second.

"But I guess that wasn't hard for a piece of SHIT like you. How dare you even believe that you are worthy to be part of a kingdom at all, let alone the Kings own flesh and blood? He'll have you killed. I will be humbly satisfied watching you painfully executed in front of thousands of people, from here on known as a coward and a traitor."

I exploded. I could take no more of this mocking.

"NO. HOW DARE YOU. YOU WOULD HAPPILY TAKE THIS GIRLS' LIFE, WITH NO GUILT? YOU'RE A DISGUSTING MONSTER! YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD, I FEEL ILL EVEN KNOWING PEOPLE LIKE YOU. THIS WOMAN IS KIND-HEARTED, OPTIMISTIC AND WOULD HELP ANYONE IN NEED OUT. WHY KILL SOMEONE WHO WE NEED MORE OF IN THIS WORLD. EMPTY, COLD SACKS OF SHIT LIKE YOU SHOULD BE EXTERMINATED, LIKE RATS. I WOULD HAPPILY PUT MY LIFE ON THE LINE 20 TIMES OVER TO PROTECT NAOMI. SHE IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS SHOWN ME KINDNESS. HER LIFE IS 100 TIMES MORE VALUABLE THAN THE LIKES OF YOU. JUST… FUCK YOU!"

Surprisingly, Hyusu calmed down. Not only that, he chuckled once more.

"Hm. Well too bad you failed miserably at your "quest" boy. And, oh, Naomi, is it? Glad to see you are so friendly with the princess of an enemy castle. How long have you been backstabbing your own father then?"

As soon as he mentioned princess, I was shocked. My eyes widened and I turned to look at Naomi, who was now just a couple of feet behind me, due to the fact I had been slowly backing up this whole time. This whole time, royal blood between two mortal enemies had been meeting up, talking and having a wonderful time with one another. Not that it changed my views of anything.

"No answer? Aw, too bad. Well I guess play time is over then, you repulsive vermin. ATTACK!"

And with that, I don't know what happened. I let all these emotions and feelings stir up inside of me, and knew I had one last stand. With a shriek I opened up to the sky and felt a surge of energy race through me. Grinding my teeth, I growled as fiercely as I could as this vitality coursed through my veins. I violently smashed my fists into the ground, and screamed once more.

"No way…." Hyusu disturbingly told himself.

"The Infinity Field?! Only grand masters of all elements can perform such magic! There's no way…"

"ARRRRGHHHHHH"

I was draining the sudden power surge out of myself at an insanely fast pace, creating the blue field surrounding Naomi and I.

"S…Seito…."

It was the first thing she had said, and it helped me just hearing those words.

"Thank you, Seito. There are no words to show my gratification towards you. But if you stop now, they might not kill you! Please…"

"I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL YOU ARE SAFE NAOMI. YOU HELPED ME CONNECT BACK TO MY NORMAL SELF AGAIN AFTER YEARS OF SOULLESS TRAINING. YOU ARE THE BEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS WORLD, AND TO ME, FOR A LONG TIME! PLEASE, GO!"

"Heh," she let out an ironic giggle, "Seito, I think I can look at you now and say that you are miles ahead of me on that front. You are the most pure hearted person this world has ever seen, and you've risked your own life for the sake of me. That's what I love about you Seito. I love everything about you. I will never forget this. "

Love.

Love? I haven't ever experienced or felt it. In my world, it's a strictly prohibited emotion, banned from the people who live here. Marriage and reproduction is simply used as a tool of convenience, to bind to families or businesses together. But now, the more I think about it, how can you ban a feeling? It's a natural emotion which everybody has and should have the potential to show. Hearing that, I know that now. Even though I'm stuck fighting for my own existence, hearing that from Naomi filled me with satisfaction which could pleasure 100 men. Those words rung around my ears for what seemed like a decade, and I was drunk with ecstasy. Enlightened with these feelings, I knew I could now die in peace. But I had to stay strong for her, so she could get away in time. She had a Pridas called for her – a dragon/bird type animal used to transport mages and soldiers across battlefields and used as aerial threats.

A few more seconds.

Naomi hopped onto her Pridas and shouted "I will cherish this moment forever, and will try my hardest for my family and our kingdom to recognise you as a true hero."

With my last strength, I uttered,

"Be safe, Naomi…"

I felt the energy in me disappear, along with the force field. Naomi left. Things began to seep into blackness, and then…. Nothing. I collapsed in an unconscious heap.