The morning after the duel
The morning after the duel, Luces' bruise were still fresh, laying in his bed. His father watched, with an anger in his eyes.
The King spoke, "Lucen" his voice sharp like a blade "you dare show mercy in front of me, you showed hesitation with MY name. You showed weakness! You are just as useless as a broken blade!"
Lucen didn't speak, he didn't dare look at his own father. He listened as he trembled in fear.
"You will be sent in the dungeon, where you will learn to obey and not bring such embarrassment. You will learn in the dark, until you learn to follow my path." That was what his father said before leaving.
Everyone heard it with a shocked open eyes, but no one dared to speak. Not the guards, not the maids, not even his own brother, Silas.
Lucen was then dragged away to the dungeons, it was hell. He looked through the bars of the cage, it was where all the prisoners were held. It was full of rats and bones. Lucen's vain is to wish to be free and help everyone.
An old prisoner which was called Garrick came to him, a General that was betrayed by his own father, Vorzak. Garrick spoke "I see, you are the son of Vorzak. But you don't have the eyes of evilness like him."
Lucen asked "mhm, yes. Do you think a person like me could change this place? This cruel rule of the world?"
Garrick answered "of course, this world needs you, one with plenty of courage. This world needs a flame to burn all the lies that was buried throughout the generation of darkness. You will cut all the cursed veins of the kingdom."
Luces got encouraged by what Garrick said.
Luces asked "how come you're in the dungeons? Why are you imprisoned? Have you done something unforgivable? You seem like a nice guy"
Garrick once again answered "ah well, you're right. I am not a bad person, I was only imprisoned because I refused to kill all the innocent villagers with your father. Not only killing them, but torturing them all. I betrayed him and chose not to follow the wrong path he was taking me. I tried to escape but they caught me."
As Darrick kept telling more stories, Luces Listen. He learned, but not about any kind of war. Just men who chose to be human and peace instead of being a monster and power. It was as if Darrick became the mentor he never had.