It was an idyllic summer morning and a group of five young children were out playing in the private garden of their fathers castle. Each of them laughing and practicing their magic as they played.

One of the children firmly planted his feet on the ground and opened his mouth to unleash a roar.

A wave of blue lightning resonated out from where the second youngest son stood, knocking all of the kids to the ground.

They all got up and dusted themselves off as they laughed in amusement

As the children played, a huge black figure loomed in the sky above them. This was Acnologia. Known as the prince of Armageddon, The black dragon of the Apocalypse, and the adopted younger brother of the Dragon King.

He landed in his hulking dragon form and reverted to his human state. Long blue hair contrasted his tanned skin as the silver gilding in his black suit shone in the sunlight. He walked towards the door of the castle when the youngest of the five kids and the king's only daughter ran into him.

???2: "Sorry uncle, I didn't watch where I was running."

The daughter was the more innocent one out of the five, she was by far the smallest and most fragile of the five children. Though her power was something that could be nurtured to be a devastating weapon against her foes.

Acnologia: "Don't worry about it Serena."

He smiled at her and she leaped into his arms for a hug. He chuckled and put her down after a minute or two before asking her a question.

Acnologia: "Do you know if your brother's around? It's time for he and I to begin our training."

Serena: "Which one? I have four."

Acnologia: "The living, breathing bonfire."

The girl giggled at her uncle's nickname for her brother before running off to find the boy in question.

Acnologia walked towards where Serena ran off to but was stopped by an all too familiar voice.

???: "Brother!"

Acnologia turned to see a white haired man wearing his royal attire: a white and gold suit with armoured shoulders and a steel chestplate built into the fabric of the shirt. Upon laying his eyes upon the man, Acnologia smirked before walking over and shook the man's hand. The man in question was Sephorox. The Dragon King.

Acnologia: "Brother, it's been some time hasn't it?"

Both men's smiles turned mischievous as they pulled their heads back and then slammed them together, causing a huge shockwave that had enough force to crack the wall of the castle.

Nearby, the youngest son heard the sound of the shockwave created by his father and uncle, he then heard somebody calling his name and he looked to his right as his sister ran over to him with her black and violet hair blowing in the wind as she ran.

???: "What's up Serena?"

She skidded to a halt in front of the prince before taking a second to catch her breath, to which the boy just laughed.

Serena: "Brother! Uncle Acnologia's here! He says it's time for you to start training with him!"

The boy's eyes widened in excitement as his warm smile turned into a huge grin as he ran off to go find his father and uncle.

As he approached the castle, he saw that Acnologia was standing talking to the king. Then an ear splitting roar tore its way through the sky.

Vartalis. The man known as the crimson dragon of blood.

As he landed, the boy could see clearly his deep red and black scales shimmering in the sunlight before a wine red smoke surrounded him and out came a very pale, blonde man who wore a classy black and red suit with a golden amulet that had a ruby in the centre.
Vartalis saw the boy and smiled as he made his way over.

Vartalis: "Geez, kid!"

He smiled as he stood in front of the boy that only reached up to his waist.

Vartalis: "You're gonna give your old man a run for his money if you keep growing like this!"

The boy laughed as his uncle ruffled his hair. The moment was cut short however, when Acnologia's heavy footsteps indicated his arrival.

Acnologia: "Y/n. I take it that Serena already told you what's gonna happen?"

Y/n: "Yup!"

Acnologia smiled and told the boy to start packing his things for the month of training that he was going to endure. The two were only going for a month because the boy was still just five years old and couldn't handle any more than that with Acnologia.

The boy ran inside of the castle as Acnologia turned to his brothers.

Vartalis: "Are you sure the boy will be alright?"

Acnologia: "I'd die before I let something happen to him."

Sephorox: "Hold off on that thought, brother. My intelligence is seeing major movements from the cult of Hyralith. They've been conducting small scale raids, taking out scouting parties and smaller outposts. If this continues, they may try to perform a summoning ritual to bring the god of corruption here so they can mount an assault on the castle."

Acnologia: "Now of all times!? The fucking war against the Serpent Gods just ended!"

Vartalis: "What do you think? If they attack, what will we do about the children?"

Sephorox: "The children must take priority. If even one of them is captured by Hyralith's cult, then we're all in deep shit."

Vartalis: "You truly believe them that powerful?"

Sephorox: "Erik and Aaron have already shown signs of extreme power growth. Liu's power is also surging by the day. When Y/n reaches their age, his power will soar, as will Serena's. When that happens, I want to ensure they are prepared for it."

Vartalis: "So what happens if we cannot protect them."

Acnologia: "... I know a place. Aaron and Erik are old enough to hold their own with Vartalis and I. However, I know of a place that will take Y/n and Serena in."

Vartalis: "Ah, yes. I know the place you speak of."

Sephorox smiled at his brother before the sound of Y/n's footsteps caught their attention.

They looked over as the boy stood with a dark-haired woman who bore a kind smile on her face. She was adorned in a sky blue dress with a wolf pelt over her shoulders. On her arms were markings indicating her status as the grand priestess of Lunara, Queen of the Wolf Gods. However her neck bore the markings indicating her status as Sephorox's wife and the Dragon Queen.

Sephorox: "Eriana."

Eriana: "Y/n tells me it is time for his training."

Acnologia: "Yes. We will be gone for a month and no longer."

Eriana: "Make sure he comes back strong, Acnologia. He's always going on about how he wants to use his flames to protect others. See to it that he trains hard for it."

Acnologia chuckled as Y/n hugged his mother before walking to his uncle's side.

Acnologia: "Ready to go?"

Y/n nodded enthusiastically before Acnologia began to walk into the middle of the garden.

Sephorox: "Train well, Y/n. Show your uncle that your flames burn through any obstacles."

Y/n nodded before Acnologia transformed into his dragon form and motioned for Y/n to release his wings.

Y/n did as he was instructed and his dull, grey wings burst out of his back before the two took off in a burst of momentum.

A month that could be described as hell on earth passed in a flash. The young prince honed his flames to a razor's edge and used them in every sparring battle against his uncle. Though Acnologia was far too powerful for the boy to bring down. Despite that, it pushed Y/n to climb to even greater heights of power as his flames became more and more intense.

The two dragons hunted together for food before they sparred throughout the night and throughout the day. There was only space for a single hour of sleep as the two fought again and again. Not by design of Acnologia, but because Y/n wanted to push himself so far. The black dragon of the apocalypse fought against the scorching prince almost endlessly.

However once that month was up, the two returned to the castle. Y/n was greeted warmly by his parents and siblings while Acnologia was greeted with warmth and alcohol by his brothers. There was a feast to celebrate Y/n's progress in training and for their safe return. The prince laughed as he ate, taking in every moment with a smile as most children did.

However that joy was not to last.

That same night, the castle came under attack by the cult of Hyralith, with the god himself descending upon the world. Sephorox and Eriana held back as many cultists as they could, effortlessly killing each that tried to attack them.

However they could not stand up to the god Hyralith.

He cleaved the two in half before Aaron's very eyes as Vartalis carried the boy away as fast as he could. Erik had escaped through the sewers with Liu and they met up with Vartalis, Aaron, and Serena in the forest that surrounded the castle as it burned to the ground.

Vartalis: "Where's your brother?"

Liu: "We don't know. He was with Uncle Acnologia last we saw him."

Erik: "What of mother and father?"

Vartalis lowered his head so that his eyes were covered by his hair.

Aaron: "... They killed as many as they could... But Hyralith, he..."

Erik and Liu both turned pale as their brother explained. Serena broke down in tears. Their sorrow was cut short as Acnologia walked through the treeline.

Acnologia: "You all... Where's Y/n?"

Vartalis: "You lost him!?"

Acnologia: "One of the pillars collapsed and separated us."

Vartalis: "Then he-... By Draksis' fangs..."

Acnologia fell to his knees and roared as loudly as he could at the sky. A mix of pure anguish and fury in his voice.

Within the burning castle the cultists, donned in their black robes, surrounded the prince as he fought them off. Hyralith wasn't too far behind them. A smirk made it's way onto his pale face as he got closer.

He would not claim his prize that day however. As Y/n fought, his flames slowly turned bright crimson and with a single roar, he was able to scorch away most of the cultists that surrounded him. When the smoke was swiped away by Hyralith, the god saw that the boy had vanished. On the ground was an odd mark, but one that Hyralith recognised.

The god growled in frustration before turning to walk away.

On the nearby mountain, Y/n reappeared coughing and spluttering.

He cried as he watched his home burn to the ground before his eyes. But he could not linger, so he ran as fast as his little legs could carry him.

The years passed in the blink of an eye as the boy became a young man. One who wandered aimlessly. He had forgotten who he once was, instead only remembering his name.

Many years after the murder of his parents, Y/n found himself in a small port town. People from all walks of life congregated here...

And it was in this town of Hargeon that our story truly begins.

THE FORSAKEN PRINCE

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