THE FALLEN PRINCE

Chapter Four: Shattered Blood

“Help! Help!”

While Gabriel peacefully gazes at the stars in the night sky, a piercing cry echoes through the forest. Reacting swiftly, he sprints towards the source of the sound and undergoes a remarkable transformation into a colossal creature. Venturing into the woods, he diligently searches for any signs of disturbance. Utilizing his heightened sense of smell, he attempts to track down the woman who pleaded for his aid, but the forest suddenly falls into an eerie tranquility.

Gabriel persists in his search, convinced that the plea for help was not a mere figment of his imagination. However, after a thorough investigation, he finds no evidence of any unusual activity. Returning to the palace, he retreats to his chamber and reverts to his human form, proceeding to cleanse himself in a shower.

Despite his efforts to dismiss it, the voice beseeching for assistance lingers in Gabriel's mind. It refuses to be ignored, even as he prepares to sleep, causing him to abruptly recall its urgency. Managing to momentarily escape these persistent thoughts, he eventually succumbs to slumber.

At the break of dawn, Gabriel is awakened by an unfamiliar voice emanating from outside the palace. Hastily rising from his bed, he peers out of his window and witnesses a bloodied woman. Without hesitation, he rushes out of the palace to investigate.

"Whoever is responsible for this shall face the consequences!" his father exclaims with anger. "This is the first incident to occur in Avria, and I will utilize all my authority to apprehend the perpetrator."

Gabriel gazed upon the lifeless body of the woman, her blood splattered and her head nearly severed from her neck. The sight was unbearable, yet his hand felt inexplicably heavy. He knelt before the deceased, aware of the scrutinizing eyes fixed upon him. Closing his eyes once more, Gabriel reached out and touched the largest wound. At that moment, he heard the voice from the previous night. Could this be the woman who had pleaded for his help? With a sigh, he began to aid the lifeless woman. Minutes passed before he finally opened his eyes, witnessing the woman's neck realigning and her heart beating once more.

"She's alive," Gabriel declared, rising to his feet. He couldn't bear to witness the shattered expressions on the faces of those who had witnessed him resurrecting the woman.

"How did you do that, Gabriel? You already learned to use your gift?" his father asked in disbelief.

"I have learned to harness the powers bestowed upon me by the witches. I can now use them to heal wounds and revive the dead," Gabriel replied.

"This is madness!" an elder witch interjected, her eyes ablaze with disbelief that he had brought the life of the woman.

"We granted you the power to heal wounds, but bringing the dead back to life is beyond our intentions. How did you acquire such a power?" another elder questioned.

"I do not know. All I know is that I possess a power unlike any witch or wizard," Gabriel retorted sarcastically.

"That is the realm of dark magic," another elder spoke up. They simply could not fathom the extent of Gabriel's abilities. "Such power must be eradicated from you," she continued firmly.

"And who are you to make such a claim? I am the Prince of Avria, while you are merely an elder witch," Gabriel retorted, surprising the witch with his defiance.

"That’s enough," King Alanic intervened.

Thankfully, the woman he had revived was now looking at him. She approached him, finally speaking. "Thank you, Prince Gabriel, for restoring my life."

"I heard your voice last night. Who was it that attacked you?" Gabriel asked directly.

"I am completely clueless. I was simply gathering wood for tomorrow's bread baking for our store. Out of nowhere, a monstrous creature with a large mouth grabbed hold of my neck. Despite my attempts to seek help, the creature was incredibly strong and dragged me into the depths of the forest. It moved so swiftly that I felt as though I was floating in the air. I couldn't even transform into a wolf.

"That will be enough for now," the King said. "Allow the investigators to question you and answer them truthfully," he added.

The woman nodded and replied, "I will answer them with utmost honesty, especially since I owe my life to our Prince."

Gabriel gazed at his father with a serious expression. "Father, allow me to do the investigation. I will ensure that she receives the justice she deserves and prevent any future incidents."

"You cannot do that. The investigators are wizards and witches. It is our responsibility," objected an elder witch.

"You are not the King, Salora. King Alanic will make the decision," he retorted to the elder witch, who glared at him in disbelief. Perhaps these witches did not anticipate such a rude response from him.

"I will permit you to handle her case, Gabriel. Consider all the information you have gathered and refrain from acting independently," his father stated.

"You have my word, father," he assured.

Gabriel glanced at the faces of the elder witches. They were astonished that this time the King did not heed their advice.

"They will ensure her safety and guarantee that no one will harm her again. I will request that she stay in the palace. No one will be allowed to speak to her except for me, and I will command all the wizards and witches not to cast any spells on her," he declared, locking eyes with his father.

"Is that necessary?" his father asked.

"It will be beneficial. I am the only one she trusts here, so everything will proceed smoothly."

"If it will expedite matters, then I grant you the freedom, Gabriel. Do as you see fit."

"Thank you," he said seriously.

"This situation is absurd," the elder witch interrupted before vanishing abruptly due to her disappointment. Gabriel escorted the woman into the palace and provided her with a room, allowing her ample time to rest and recuperate. Considering the significant amount of blood she had lost, she needed to take a break.

"Prince Gabriel, I am truly grateful," the woman said gratefully.

"Tomorrow, I will ask you about what happened. For now, please rest," Gabriel responded. As Gabriel was about to depart from the room, the woman introduced herself.

"I am Diana," she revealed.

"You already knew my name, I don't need to introduce mine" he said calmly.

Diana nodded and smiled. Gabriel left her in the room and proceeded to his quarters to have some tea. Although the tea had turned cold, he still consumed it. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts about the aggressive creature that had attacked Diana. Gabriel couldn't detect any trace of that creature's scent on her. He was certain it wasn't a werewolf, leaving the possibility of it being either a vampire or a witch. But what if it was neither? Could there be another creature residing in Avria? Gabriel pondered this question with great curiosity.