I gasped as soon as I woke up and frantically looked around. My heartbeat was still fast as my hands were on my chest. I then realized that I was back in my room. Was it all a dream? I don''t know. I opened my mouth to call Nate just in case that he was here but then my voice came out very groggy and hoarse. I can even barely speak a word if I didn''t try my best to do so. I tried to stand up and my feet felt really weak. I was about to start walking to the shower when I heard a voice behind me.

    "You''re in big trouble Alexander." I looked back immediately as I recognized the voice. Standing on the wall was Captain Elevi with a serious stare. He had his arms crossed and he looked like he haven''t slept for some time now as he looked really tired. Then I remembered what happened last night. I immediately looked at my hands but saw no change..

    "I brought you coffee- Alexander! You''re awake!" Nate came walking in with two cups of coffee. He immediately sat the coffee on the table and ran towards me. He looked very worried and he looked the same as Captain Elevi. He looked sleep deprived. I spoke but once they heard my voice, they looked at me with even more worry. Well, Nate did but Captain Elevi only looked at me with a stare that almost say "you deserve it brat."

    "Let me get some medicine for that, I''ll be right back." Nate said and immediately went out of the room. He might be going to the general clinic or he might call someone from my kingdom to bring medicine or even a doctor. Captain Elevi was sipping on his coffee as he kept looking at me. I also noticed that I was now wearing a different garment as I recognized the fabric of my nightwear. I walked towards the bed and plopped myself. I feel very tired, probably because of what occured last night.

    Speaking of, the mage did something to me and even made me sign a contract but up until now, nothing has change with how I feel. No foreign thing flowing in my veins and just nothing. Every sign of having a power is missing aside from the water thing which was days or even weeks ago. I looked at my window and saw that the sun was already starting to set. I slept the whole day?! I looked at Captain Elevi who only said "duh" when I asked him.

    I''m supposed to be practicing right now. Even more so that I only got tricked by that abyss mage. I sighed once more as I looked at the high ceiling. My throat felt very dry as if I haven''t been able to drink water for how long. The room was dead silent as I can''t speak even if I wanted to and the man with me is practically mute and only speaks when its necessary.

    Moments later, Nate came back after a while with a handful of medicine and some more which I can''t figure. He started to prepare all of what he brought. There was medicine tea and some pills for me to ingest. He brought the tea close to me to which I gladly accepted as I was very thirsty and I also want to get better fast because I wouldn''t be able to communicate with my team if this persists. Speaking of which, I also need to meet up with them tomorrow. I drank the tea in one go and then drank the medicine also in one go.

    "Wait for a few minutes, your voice will be back just as how the healer said." NAte said.

    "It better come back as he has a lot of questions to answer. With or without his voice." I can now sense the irritation in Captain Elevi''s voice which is very rare to happen as he ''s usually very composed. I do understand where he''s coming from and that I was indeed very reckless but I think nothing is going to happen as that mage only did some scamming. What I am worried about is the paperwork that I signed without even reading.

    After a few moments, I opened my mouth and spoke.

    "I think that it was a lie. A scam." I said my voice already back thankfully to Nate and the medicines.

    "What do you mean Alex? What did he offer you-"

    "And why on the gods did you accept it?! Are you out of your mind?! Out of all people, you should be the one of the few who would know about how important your signature is. You signed that paper so recklessly that I do hope that you read what it said!"

    Captain Elevi''s voice rang through the wide room. He looked at me with disappointment. Nate could only look down as he know that I am in the wrong as well so there''s nothing he can pull to defend me, not that I am expecting him to. I looked at Captain Elevi and he looked even more disappointed in me as he sighed even more. Nate looked at him confused and it was my time to look down. I was now ashamed for what I did as everything that I did last night started to sink in to me.

    "Abyss mages are known to be cunning and smart despite their reputation. They very much capable of fooling those who they may encounter but what a disgrace that their kind got to fool a royalty! A royalty who is also stupid enough to not read what he signed! You damn well knew that if someone requires your signature, you read the paper they want you to sign but you on the other hand didn''t! You grew up learning these customs! What did he say to make you into such a fool?!" Captain Elevi exclaimed, clearly frustrated.

    "He said that he''s going to activate my powers-"

    "That''s bullshit Alexander! You know that powers are sacred things! They are given to you by the gods! And you depended on a mage?! You know that those creatures obtain things through the abyss. The source of all evil in our kingdom and yet you said ''hey sure, I think I''m pretty hopeless so let me just be stupid and sign this as I depend my whole destiny on you. Fuck the gods''-"

    "It''s because I really am hopeless! This damn situation is driving me crazy! If you were in my shoes, I think you would do the same! Do you know how hard it is to stay here knowing that you can barely prove yourself to the others because I am practically useless without my name?! Do you know the feeling of embarrassment when of the heirs confronts you about you being useless! Do you know the feeling of being in a situation where it seems like the gods are against you!?" I talked back agitated while crying.

    "I know most of this is my fault but none of this fucking bullshit would''ve happened if all of you did not insist on making me come here knowing full damn well that I was powerless! None of this would''ve happened if you didn''t chose my options yourself! Shame on you, no, even father and the others! Shame on you for calling me stupid! Well sure, I made a mistake by meeting with an abyss mage but I did it because I need to make my kingdom and all of you who pushed me here proud! But let me remind you that at least I didn''t threw a soldier on the battlefield without a weapon and an armor!" I continued.

    "I am a Prince too! Put me in this situation where competition is high then I get thirsty to prove myself not just to my kingdom but to everyone! So don''t you dare come in here and lecture me about things that I learned years ago when you were the ones who threw me into this situation! Fuck you and everyone else! I didn''t do this to myself! You did! All of you did! I was the one who was woke enough to know the things that would happen if you sent me here! Now I made a mistake because I was pressured and you go on fully blaming me for this shit!? If I had my powers now then I would''ve burn you to the ground already!" Fucking hypocrite!" I went further even I barely could see Nate and Captain Elevi. Both of them was beyond taken aback as their expression changed from disappointment to regret. Especially Captain Elevi. I glared at him before I went back to my bed before saying; "Send him away. I don''t want to see him for a while." I spoke between sobs as I buried myself with my blanket and pillows. Once I heard the door close, I screamed with all I''ve got.

    "Fuck the gods." I said as I cried yet again.