Ace, the capital city of Andromeda
A gentle drizzle descended upon the parched land, sprinkling its delicate touch amidst the arid drought. The dim moonlight retreated behind the dark gray clouds, surrendering itself at the edge of night.
The townsfolk had long succumbed to slumber, cradled by the cool breeze that whispered through the night. The bustling crowds that once filled the settlements and marketplaces under the sun's gaze were now absent.
Yet, in the heart of the city, a few remained vigilant. Guards stood steadfast on either side of Theia Palace's grand gate, weapons in hand, their eyes sharp with alertness.
Palace servants moved quietly through the opulent complex, their duties undeterred by the hour.
Majestic pillars upheld the palace's roof, predominantly constructed from red bricks. Colossal statues of varied forms adorned each corner of the courtyard, where clear ponds teemed with fish and turtles, centered by a graceful fountain.
Dry leaves from the garden trees settled upon the yellowing grass, scorched by the relentless sun of the day. The prolonged dry season, a frequent visitor to this vast and prosperous tropical kingdom, had led its people to adapt their attire to combat the heat.
Men typically donned sleeveless tops with open chests, or went bare-chested, draping a thin silk cloth with simple embroidery over one shoulder.
For their lower bodies, they wore knee-length trousers or full-length pants, accented by belts made from common fabric, silver, or other precious metals, signifying their social status.
Women wore sleeveless dresses that flowed from chest to ankles, cinched at the waist with elegant silk sashes adorned with various gemstones.
Both men and women wore footwear crafted from animal hide or wood.
The soft sound of footsteps echoed through the silent night as a young man's sandals met the cold floor of a grand chamber, furnished with antique pieces, many gilded in shimmering gold.
Aerglo de Archer Andromeda, the crown prince, wore a dark blue short-sleeved top that revealed his well-toned, sun-kissed chest. A thin red silk cloak, embroidered with golden threads, draped over his broad shoulders.
His long golden hair cascaded down to his waist, gently tousled by the night breeze flowing through the wide-open window.
His crimson eyes gazed sorrowfully at his third younger brother, who lay unconscious on the bed.
Soon, another set of footsteps broke the silence, prompting Aerglo to lift his head and see his second younger brother approaching.
Prince Alceo de Archer Andromeda wore a simpler outfit—a thin black silk cloth draped over one bare shoulder, paired with matching trousers and a golden belt. Golden armlets adorned his upper arms, each set with black gemstones, and his long jet-black hair was tied into a ponytail.
"How is he, Brother?" Alceo inquired, his ruby-red eyes fixed intently on their ailing sibling.
Aerglo sighed softly. "I don't know," he murmured. "It's been nearly four days, and he still hasn't regained consciousness."
Silence enveloped them once more until a faint movement stirred from the bed. The young man slowly regained consciousness, drawing Aerglo and Alceo's full attention.
"Sirius?"
"Sirius?!"
Pain throbbed in Xavier's head as he instinctively clutched it, discomfort etched across his face. His body ached, bruises and scratches still visible on his sun-kissed skin.
Struggling, Xavier attempted to sit up. Concerned, Aerglo gently offered his hand to assist. "Brother, how do you feel? Are you okay?" he asked softly.
Alceo sat beside him, his face a blend of seriousness and worry. "Sirius, are you in pain?"
Xavier remained silent, his golden eyes reflecting confusion as he stared at the unfamiliar faces before him.
His head pounded, thoughts swirling with the oddities surrounding him.
He glanced around, noting the antique furnishings—vases, urns, tables, chairs—reminiscent of historical dramas. "What is this place? Is this heaven?" he wondered.
His eyes caught a large mirror in the room's corner, sparking a sudden curiosity. He slowly swung his legs off the bed, his feet meeting the cold floor, and staggered toward the mirror, with Aerglo and Alceo watching anxiously.
"Brother, is something wrong? Do you need a doctor?" Aerglo asked, reaching out to support him.
Xavier brusquely brushed him off, a shiver running down his spine. "Why do you keep calling me 'Brother'? Your father never married my mother!" he thought indignantly.
Xavier kept walking until he finally stood right in front of the mirror. The moment his eyes caught the reflection, they widened in shock.
The person staring back at him didn't have fair skin, short brown hair, or brown eyes like he was supposed to. Instead, the reflection showed someone with sun-kissed skin, striking golden eyes, and hair of the same color that nearly touched his shoulders
Even though the face reflected in the mirror was technically his, he could swear he was now inside someone else's body. It wasn't just the skin tone, eye color, or hair that was wrong—his entire physique had changed. The body wrapped in a simple, sleeveless white silk robe clearly didn't belong to him.
There was no way he could ever have a muscular build like this—especially when his daily routine, outside of the occasional theft, mainly consisted of lying in bed scrolling through social media.
"What's happening?!" he screamed internally, overwhelmed by shock.
The young man instinctively slapped his head, as if trying to jolt his soul awake from a deep, disturbing nightmare. "Who am I?! Where am I?!" He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs right now.
Seeing his brother's strange behavior and expression, Aerglo was instantly overcome with a deep sense of worry. "Sirius! What's wrong? Is something not right?" He gently patted Sirius's cheeks. "Please, tell us!"
Meanwhile, Alceo quickly yelled at the guards standing by the room's entrance, prompting one of them to immediately sprint away in panic. "Get the doctor, now!"
And in that moment of chaos, the young man's golden eyes slowly reflected a hollow confusion as he tried to look again at the unfamiliar faces before him. "Who are these people? Did I… go back in time? To some kind of kingdom? But what kingdom?!"
And just then, the system's voice—strangely sounding like a female version of SpongeBob and previously erased from his memory—suddenly echoed again in his ears.
Ping!
[ System: Before you pass out again, let me introduce these characters to you! ]
His eyes grew even more confused as a transparent square-shaped screen began to appear, hovering next to Aerglo. It displayed the young man's photo and profile.
Beep…
[ System: Scanning… ]
Scanning: 85% … 92% … 100% complete!
[ System: Character scanned successfully! ]
Name: Aerglo de Archer Andromeda
Title: Crown Prince of the Andromeda Kingdom
Age: 21
Pure Element: Nature
Controlled Elements: Nature, Wind
Elemental Mastery Level: 2 / Ocean
Weapon: Timber Trap Sword
Xavier rubbed his eyes in disbelief as if trying to confirm whether what he was seeing was real or just some kind of illusion or hallucination.
But what happened next only made things worse—the blue holographic screen moved, floated, and then shifted to hover next to Alceo. Once again, that irritating SpongeBob-wannabe voice spoke up, bluntly dictating Alceo's biodata with an accompanying photo.
[ System: Scanning… ]
Scanning: 85% … 92% … 100% complete!
[ System: Character scanned successfully! ]
Name: Alceo de Archer Andromeda
Title: Second Prince of the Andromeda Kingdom
Age: 19
Pure Element: Fire
Controlled Elements: Fire, Lightning
Elemental Mastery Level: 2 / Ocean
Weapon: Phoenix Cage Arrow
"Wait! Why do their names sound exactly like those characters in that cursed novel?!" Xavier's heart almost stopped as his sluggish brain finally caught up too late with a terrifying realization.
"Sirius... His character profile appeared in front of me too, back then…." He clutched at his hair as memories of that first encounter with the blue screen came flooding back—right when he had just opened his eyes in this strange world.
"No way! My soul can't have ended up inside that cursed prince's body, right?!" His eyes widened in shock as a bitter truth hit him square in the sanity.
[ System: I already explained that before. I'm not explaining it again. Too lazy. ]
Xavier's knees gave out completely, as if the bones in his body had just been yanked out, sending him crashing down to the floor, defeated. Aerglo and Alceo's concern only deepened at the sight.
"Sirius! Sirius!" Aerglo shook his little brother's shoulders in a panic, realizing that blank, unresponsive stare.
"Guards! Why isn't the doctor here yet?!" Alceo shouted, both panicked and furious.
And amidst the visible chaos in the room, a far greater, invisible chaos was erupting—inside Xavier's mind. A harsh slap of reality had just broken him.
"I did dream of becoming a prince! But not this cursed prince!!!"
Thud!
"Sirius!!"
[ System: Ugh! Passed out again? ]