the Forgotten little prince

In the enchanting realm of Veralis, where every soul possessed unique powers, a young boy named Elia Nagai lived a life shrouded in hardship. His family, the prominent clan of Celestials, held a deep-seated belief that power equated to worth, and Elia was an outcast among them for being a bastard half-blood.

Elia's father had slept with a beautiful maid with stunning white hair and golden eyes. But Duke Nagai only saw her as a plaything, and when the duchess discovered his betrayal, she cruelly cast Maria aside, calling her derogatory names. Little did they know Maria carried within her the gift of new life, for she was pregnant with Elia.

After Elia was born, his mother couldn't have been more grateful that he didn't resemble his father. With his mesmerizing white hair and golden eyes as bright as the sun, he was seen as a delicate soul in a world of strength. As the infant grew, surrounded by his mother's love, things were peaceful. However, it wasn't meant to last.

A devastating pandemic swept across the country, and Maria fell ill. As she grew weaker by the day, she knew it was time to reveal the truth to her seven-year-old son. With Elia beside her on the small bed, she explained the circumstances of his birth, and how his father and she came to be. Elia was saddened by the hardships his mother had endured for such a wretched man. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he asked, "Why, Mama? Why did you have to suffer so much?"

But Maria's love for her son shone through her pain. "Elia, my beautiful son, I don't regret anything. I have something far more precious than being a duchess or having a noble ranking," she whispered, tears glistening in her eyes.

Sniffling, Elia asked, "What did you get, Mama?"

Maria let out a small laugh, her voice filled with love. "Of course, it's you, my little prince." She scooped Elia up into a big hug, and the boy giggled, feeling the warmth and safety in his mother's embrace.

But Maria's time was running out, as she grew weaker she had a few months at most and after Elia had fallen asleep, she mustered the last of her strength to write two letters. One was addressed to Duke Nagai, informing him of Elia's existence. The other was to her younger brother, pleading for his help in protecting Elia from the darkness that awaited him. As she finished writing, green bulbs of light appeared and danced around her, a testament to her plea for guidance and safety.

"Thank you for all the help you have given me, my dear friends. May we meet again," Maria whispered, watching as the orbs carried her letters away into the night.

Meanwhile, in the grand halls of the Nagai estate, Duke Nagai reveled in a lavish feast, surrounded by his loyal subjects. He was a man of immense power, both due to his noble bloodline and his formidable Celestial abilities. But beneath his accomplishments, a darkness festered within him, a coldness that chilled his soul.

Little did he know, his sins were about to catch up with him in the form of a young boy with white hair and golden eyes. While Elia slept obliviously in his small room, he was a secret, a stain on his father's reputation. The duchess had discovered Maria and Elia's existence first, ordering her henchmen to capture and imprison them in the depths of the estate's dungeons.

In the darkness beneath the Nagai estate, Maria endured unspeakable torture, every lash of the whip and searing of her skin witnessed by a terrified Elia. He screamed and begged for mercy, but all he received in return was the chilling laughter of the duchess.

Weeks turned into a relentless cycle of pain until Maria's body could no longer bear it. As the whispers of angels called her towards the light, she whispered words of love and adoration to her brokenhearted son. Elia clung to her, desperate for her to stay. But as her eyes dimmed and her last breath escaped, a small smile graced her face, a testament to her love and resilience.

Elia's heart shattered, his screams echoing through the dungeon. His anguish caught the attention of the duke's adviser, who rushed to inform Duke Nagai of the child's presence. Fearing it was one of his beloved children, the duke hurried to the dungeons.

However, what awaited him was not the scene of twisted pleasure he had expected. Instead, he found an unknown child, with white hair and porcelain skin stained with tears, cradling a lifeless body. Disgust twisted the duke's features, and he turned to his adviser with a chilling command.

"Take the woman's body and give her a proper burial. As for the child, he shall reside in the dark tower, hidden from the world. No one is to utter a word of his existence," the duke spat, his voice laced with a mix of anger and revulsion.

"As you wish, my lord," the adviser replied, bowing low.

As the years passed, Elia Nagai grew up in the dark tower, hidden away from the world. He was subjected to the cruelty of his father's wife and two legitimate sons, who saw him as nothing more than a reminder of his father's infidelity. Starved and beaten, Elia's spirit remained unbroken. He held on to wisps of hope, dreaming of a life free from pain. But his dreams were shattered one fateful day when his half-brothers and stepmother descended upon the tower, accompanied by a group of menacing guards.

Shock consumed Elia as his accusers pointed their fingers at him. "That's him! He's the one who tried to kill the crown prince!" Their words struck him like a dagger, and before he knew it, he was brutally grabbed and dragged through the streets, shackles biting into his wrists and ankles.

Rocks and rotten food were hurled at him, insults mingling with the air. Yet amidst the chaos, Elia's gaze remained fixed upon the one thing he had missed for so long – the beautiful blue sky. It filled him with a sense of peace, a reminder that there was still beauty in the world despite his suffering.

Finally, they reached a raised platform. Elia's heart thudded in his chest as he looked ahead and met a pair of sky blue eyes and golden hair. The man, clearly important, seemed conflicted, as if a battle raged within him. The king whispered something to him, and their voices danced on the wind.

But then, with a tone that carried a finality Elia refused to accept, the king asked, "Do you have any final words, young man?"

Elia's mind whirled for a moment, and his gaze once again turned towards the sky, where golden eyes seemed to be filled with the heavens above. The scene would have painted a beautiful picture. And then, in a voice filled with defiance and truth, he spoke, "The sky is beautiful, isn't it?"

Fury burned deep within the king's face, and he raised his hand, signaling for the execution to proceed. Elia's body was forced to his knees, his head roughly positioned on the cold, merciless guillotine. In his last moments, he cast one final glance at the prince, his eyes conveying a message: 'It wasn't me,' spoken silently with a sad smile.

As the blade fell, Elia's life of darkness came to an end, but little did he know, it was also the beginning of a wondrous new chapter.

Elia found himself surrounded by a room of clouds. A voice, gentle and wise, resonated around him. "Young one, I am sorry for the hardships you've endured. This is not your true ending, but a new beginning."

Confusion knit Elia's brows together as he addressed the voice. "What do you mean, sir?"

"Your gift, the one I have bestowed upon you, shall now be unlocked for you to use. But how you use my gift, child, is up to you. You are loved by the heavens, my chosen one," the voice explained.

A spark of realization flickered in Elia's eyes. "Does this mean I'm going back?"

"Yes, may you fulfill your true destiny. Goodbye now, child," the voice whispered, fading into the mists.

Everything went black, and Elia awoke to find himself back within the confining walls of the dark tower. However, this time, a ray of hope pierced through the darkness of his life. He felt a newfound curiosity about the gift bestowed upon him.

As the days turned into weeks, Elia discovered the extent of his powers. With each touch of his hand, injuries healed, pain dissipated, and energy surged through him. Tears streamed down his face as he mourned the lost opportunities to use this gift earlier. "If only I had this power sooner, I could have saved you, Mama," he whispered to the empty room.

Unbeknownst to Elia, his uncle, whom he had never met, arrived at the tower, resolute in fulfilling his sister's dying wishes. With the help of a few loyal friends, they devised a plan to free Elia from his prison and whisk him away to safety, hidden from the prying eyes of his enemies.

The escape was perilous, filled with close calls and hidden dangers. Elia's golden eyes, filled with determination, scanned the shadows as he clung to every moment of freedom. His newfound powers served as a shield, protecting him and his rescuers from harm.

But just as they thought they had eluded their pursuers, a squadron of guards cornered them at the edge of a treacherous cliff with a raging river below. Elia's heart pounded in his chest, and his breath hitched as he stared into the face of impending doom. His uncle and men brought out there weapons and a fight began. Elia still on the edge of the cliff made eye contact with his uncle when he was struck with an arrow the force catapulting him off the ledge. Desperation was in his uncle's eyes as he watched his last living relative be swept away by roaring waters.

Memories flashed by quickly in his mind the feelings of finding out about Elia's existence and how the boy became lost in the shadows, a forgotten secret held by the Nagai family. How he held a tattered letter addressed from his long-lost sister. The date on the letter filled him with fury, as he realized he had been kept in the dark about her and Elia's plight. Flashes of his childhood and sister's strength and kindness flooded his mind, a bittersweet reminder of the world they had lost. So with eyes full of grief and anger he lifted his sword and was prepared to fight to death.