As celebration music sounded, the guests all got into a cheery mood as most of them are teachers and students from the academy, and the others are parents of these students.
The top graduating students all stood together in a lively circle, discussing their future plans, with the exception of the now 18 year old Flynn.
The Flynn as a young adults has long, silver-blue strands cascading down below his hips, with the only style being having his bangs combed back, revealing his sharp, cold, but beautiful features.
As Flynn grew, his childish baby fat disappeared, and a face with more mature features is exposed.
The years worth of time changed who he is. His kind eyes back then are now narrowed, casting a dark shadow upon his pupils, making his eyes seem darker than they already are.
He is the only top graduate not conversing with his fellow schoolmates, this made him stand out a bit as he instead stood leaning against a wall, his arms crossed. His indifferent and cold demeanor attracted a few onlookers who were curious about him but were too nervous to get close.
"Flynn!" A deep voice sounded out.
The youth's cold eyes turned to the direction of the sound. Then, a hint of warmth was seen as he walked over to his father and brothers.
"Father." Flynn called out calmly, then he greeted his brothers whom he had also not seen much in these years.
Duke Wisteria has a proud look in his eyes. If it weren't for the loud celebration occurring, he would find it hard to believe that his son, who couldn't properly use the slightest bit of magic back then had become a top graduate of the most famous academy of the human continent.
The family who had not seen Flynn in so long crowded around him, listening intently to his experiences, and chattering happily about what has occurred in the following years.
"3rd brother, did you know that the crown prince of this kingdom seem to hold some feelings for our little sister?" Said Elias. Luke nudged him in annoyance, afraid others will overhear
Flynn's face showed surprise as he replied:
"I've never heard about this."
"You have not? In fact, it was because the prince took her to gain some hunting experience that she had not arrived. She did say that she definitely have to attend this celebration for you, so rest assured that she will come."
"Is that so..." Flynn muttered happily.
"Ahem," the emperor's voice sounded loudly with voice enhancement magic. Everyone silenced under his authority.
"Now it's time for the main event, let us welcome up the top 10 graduates!"
All the guests cheered as the Royal Family's band played the kingdom's anthem.
Flynn excused himself as he made his way up to where the rest of the graduates were standing and stood beside them.
Above them, the emperor was smiling amiably in front of his throne. A servant walked up to him, holding 10 badges.
As the servant handed the badges to the king, Flynn felt a light throbbing in his head, but didn't think too much into it as it wasn't painful.
The king then called out the top student in the 10th place, who walked up the stairs, and the king personally clipped the badge on their chest.
At this time, the throbbing grew a bit more apparent, but as this is a very important ceremony, Flynn could only hold it in.
It time for the next person to walk up. Flynn stood as still as he can, but couldn't hide the pain on his face. When it was almost his turn, he stumbles a bit, but quickly went back in place, which only the person next to him noticed.
'You ok?' The person seemed to be thinking.
Flynn only nodded slightly as he waited for the ceremony to be over so he could find what's wrong.
Soon, it was his turn.
Flynn raised his head to the flight of stairs above him. Right now, his eyes are a bit blurry but he could still see just fine.
'I just need to get through with this.....' he thought.
Each step he took felt as heavy as a boulder, but he wasn't slow to the point where others would find something wrong with him. Only the guard standing by the emperor's side had a wary look on his face.
Flynn finally reached the top using all strength, but, at this time, a painful headache erupted from within, feeling as though countless knives were stabbing through his skull.
This feeling......
Flynn felt his consciousness slipping
Isn't this the same feeling as......
His consciousness entered an in an abnormal state. His mind is able to process what's happening, but it felt as though he was a puppet on a string, and someone is controlling him...
The outsiders could only see Flynn suddenly clutching his head as if in great pain, but the individual stood up normally soon after.
The youth then lifted his face, and to everyone's horror and surprise, the white around his eyes were red, which signifies his identity as a demon.
Demon, the enemy of humankind.
Flynn raised his hands, a cold air erupted from his palms with a violent turbulence.
In less than a second, numerous ice shards appeared in mid air, each of different sizes but all are sharp and strong enough to stab through a person.
This all happened too fast for anyone to react. By the time the powerful figures in the room began rushing to protect the emperor, the onslaught of the icicles came shooting down to kill.
Many do not expect the emperor or empress to be able to come out unscathed, but when the dust settles, a golden light is seen enveloped around the emperor, which protected him from harm.
The same couldn't be said for the empress, as despite how she had many enchantments and protective gears, it wasn't enough to stop the attack completely.
A large shard of ice pierced through her stomach as she lay motionless on the ground, the blood already gushing out from beneath her.
The emperor's eyes widened with fury. With the shield like barrier around him, he called for Flynn to be subjugated alive.
But the demonized youth seemed to have gained a sudden increase in power as he used powers that were supposed to be out of his capabilities. And add on to the order of the king to capture him alive, the task was difficult for the few elites that are currently taking him on.
When one of Flynn's attacks went in the King's direction once more, a figure suddenly appears to shield the attack.
With a simple short sword in his hand, a young man in a knight's uniform easily cut down the attack.
His tall figure moved quickly and easily through the onset of ice, his expression did not change the slightest bit as the distance between him and Flynn decreased.
Once the man had gotten close, his hand reached out, clamping itself around Flynn's neck.
Then his arm swung down, knocking Flynn's head down against the ground. His other hand with the dagger was about to slice down when the emperor commanded him to stop.
The man complied with the ruler's demands. After binding Flynn up with chains that prevent him from using mana, he stepped off to the side.
The emperor had a furious expression on his face, completely unlike how he was before the incident.
As Flynn is now detained, the rest of the guests also calmed down slightly, but are still tense with the dead empress and the possible presence of a demon.
It's also at this time that Flynn seemed to have regained control over his body. The red in his eyes fades back to white.
Since he knew what his body had done, he could only tremble at the thought of what he had done.
With all his courage, he lifted his head to the furious king:
"I...... I didn't mean it....... I don't know what happened to my body!"
But even he knew no one believed him. No matter what he said, he won't be able to get out unscathed.
Not him.....
Nor his family......
Flynn quickly looked back to where his family stood.
His father and two brothers were currently being detained by the guards, all of them eyes wide with horror and shock.
The emperor looked on coldly, then he spoke:
"You don't know what happened to your own body?"
"Yes! I really don't.....—."
Before he finished, the usual kind emperor sent a heavy kick towards him, knocking him down to the ground.
"Then explain how did you just morphed into a demon before our eyes."
"A demon? When? Why? .... I...... I do not understand."
"You could only become a demon if you were born from that bloodline....... or........"
The emperor's golden eyes narrowed.
"You made a contract of blood with their kind."
With this, everyone in the room gasped.
It's common sense that Duchess Wisteria is an elven princess, so there's no possibility of her being a demon in any way.
And there is even less need to mention Duke Wisteria, as the position of a Duke is passed down generation after generation, with detailed history written down for each member of the family.
So with the high possibility of the son of the Wisteria family being a traitor to the light, this is enough to topple down the whole noble line of the Wisterias, and mark a black stain on the empire.
"No, I'm loyal to this empire! I have never even met a demon, I would never -"
all of the sudden, his words paused. He recalled the mysterious figure who appeared in his room that fated night, and the pill he presented......
But while his silence was used to think back to the past and only possibility, the others around him only thought of it as admitting his guilt.
except for his family, who knew despite the large change in personality he had went through, he never committed wrongdoings and remembered to keep in contact despite being away.
but how would anyone else understand this?
Especially the emperor who just lost his queen to the person before him?
Flynn struggled to make a sound, trying to prove his innocence, but even he knew that he had no basis for his claims.
And when he was finally able to let out all the truth, from how he desired power to being tricked by a mysterious figure who visited him when he was a child, everyone listened to his words like the lies of a captive suspect.
The words that no one will believe.
What Flynn had said does not explain how he had turned into the demon kind.
No pill can turn a human into a full fledge demon.
After listening enough of Flynn's words empathetically, the emperor finally spoke:
"Duke Wisteria."
Flynn panicked once more.
"No! My father has nothing to do with this! Not him, nor anyone in my family!"
But his words made little impact.
His father stood out from the crowd and made his way over to where Flynn stood. His face contains a complicated expression.
Anger? Disappointment? Worry?
Flynn couldn't make out what his father is thinking.
He had made a mistake. No, a mistake is too light of a word.
No matter the reason, no one in his family will get away unscathed.....
If lucky, his family will get away just with his execution.
"Your majesty." Henrik's voice trembled. He too was appalled by what had occurred.
"Duke Henrik. I ask you, what's the punishment for harming one from the loyal family."
"It.... it's....."
The Duke froze before spitting out his words.
"Public execution of the criminal......"
"What about for betraying the kingdom and conspiring with the demon kind?"
"........ death by torture... and execution for all individuals related to the criminal."
The emperor stared coldly at Flynn, then said:
"Duke Wisteria, you had been a great contributor to our empire. While the crimes your 3rd son committed is enough for us to execute all members of your family many times over, for your loyalty and contributions, I will lighten the sentence."
Henrik glanced up, about to thank the emperor, then heard the other spoke.
"Kill him."
Henrik's eyes widened.
"Pardon....?"
"Kill this criminal, the enemy of this kingdom. If you do so, I will consider your faction unrelated to this incident, and that you yourself got rid of the enemy on behalf of this kingdom."
This was a cruel choice. But Duke Wisteria had no choice.
It's either the execution and downfall of the entire Wisteria bloodline..... or using his own hands to end his son's life.
It's also obvious which choice is the right one.
But this is his own son, his child he would be killing!
Flynn knew there was no way out, and under tight constraint, he said:
"Father, please do it, for the family.... and for me."
That finally gave Henrik some resolve as his hands reached for the hilt of the sword a knight by his side handed out.
Fingers trembling, the blade of the sword rested by the side of Flynn's neck, where it stayed still for a moment.
Not willing to watch the duke's internal struggle, the king ordered.
"Do it."
Flynn's eyes closed, waiting for the end to come.
But as seconds passed, nothing happened.
And when his eyes opened, he saw a flash of silver.
The sword his father was holding fell, clattering against the tiled floor, it's blade reflecting the king's cold eyes.
"So that's your answer, Duke Wisteria. This tells me your family had been conspiring with the demons, and to preserve peace....."
"Everyone related to the Wisterias must be executed."
With these words, the knights by the emperor's side moved, suppressing the duke and his other two sons.
"No! Don't! Please just kill me, my family has nothing to do with this!" Flynn cried out desperately, but the young man holding him down only grasped him tighter, preventing his slightest movement.
"Why is this happening, what have I done wrong, why does everything keep messing up!?" At this point, Flynn wasn't just trying to prove his innocence, but questioning his fate.
"I really don't understand anything! I'm really not conspiring with the demons!"
But all around him are skeptical looks, eyes of disgust, and scornful words.
"Help..... help...... anyone.... someone...... please save my family!" Flynn called out, but with his own eyes, he saw execution formations forming over his father and his two brother's heart.
The rotating formations shined a brilliant gold, but its use was to use light to form a sharp blade, piercing through the heart of criminals......
"No! Don't! Please! Don-"
But it was set stone the moment the formation appeared.
A brilliant blade formed from the center of each spell, instantly shooting forward, piercing through the chest of each of his loved one, scarlet blood spurting out, covering the polished tiles with sprays of red.
"Aaaahhhhhhhh! .....Ahhhh!...... ahhhhhhh!"
Flynn was choking on broken screams and sobs, his vision blurred with his tears.
The pain in his heart was so strong that he did not feel the edge of a sharp dagger pressed against his neck.
And from the corner of his eyes, he could barely make out his grown up younger sister running into the chaotic castle hall, disregarding her disgraceful figure as she ran towards them, screaming out....
But Flynn could not hear what she was saying. The surrounding was too chaotic..... he also couldn't see her appearance as his vision is dyed with red
Red?
Flynn then could finally feel the excruciating pain below his head, where a fountain of blood covered his neck and chest, drenching the ground and depicting a scarlet pool.....
Pain, sorrow, regret, anger, hate
Extreme emotions threatened to shatter his very being, corrupting his soul.
A crack appeared on the shining blue soul, gradually lengthening, before breaking the soul and its shards slowly dissipate into nothingness.
And that was the last of Bai Lian's vision.....