For generations, every prince and princess of age was sent to one place!

Mystic Villay Academy.

To some kingdoms, the academy was a place to make connections. To others, it was where young royals sharpened their magic and proved themselves worthy of the throne.

But two kingdoms had never cared about either.

The Luminous Realm, kingdom of light.

And the Eternal Night Kingdom, kingdom of darkness.

Their rivalry was so old that no one remembered how it had started. They fought over territory, influence, magical achievements, and sometimes things so ridiculous that the other kingdoms had stopped asking why.

That was why Mystic Villay Academy had earned another name.

The Rivalry Academy.

Every year, the academy held an Arena competition. The winning kingdom would rise in rank and, if victorious enough, could claim the title of Supreme Kingdom.

This year was different.

Both rival kingdoms were sending their firstborn.

Ray Alderheart.

Eighteen years old. First prince of the Luminous Realm.

And—

Max Obsidian.

Eighteen years old. First prince of the Eternal Night Kingdom.

Their families expected one thing.

Victory.

Ray, however, had a different plan.

He wanted friends.

He wanted adventure.

And, preferably, he wanted to survive long enough to convince everyone that their ridiculous rivalry needed to end.

Which was exactly why he was currently climbing over the palace wall.

“Easy… easy…”

Ray glanced down.

Very far down.

“Okay. Maybe not that easy.”

He jumped.

He landed.

Then immediately rolled down a bush.

“Ow.”

He stood, brushing leaves from his clothes.

“Perfect. Nobody saw that.”

A guard walked past him.

Ray froze.

The guard kept walking.

Ray smiled proudly.

“See? Genius.”

Unfortunately, the first part of his journey proved that genius did not always mean competent.

Three hours later, Ray had walked in the wrong direction twice, nearly activated four traps, fallen into one, and accidentally set off his own smoke bomb.

Yet somehow, he made it into the Eternal Night Kingdom.

His newest invention—a camouflage mask—had actually worked.

“Finally,” he whispered. “My creations are useful.”

He slipped into the palace and eventually found the room he had been searching for.

Max Obsidian.

Ray opened the door.

A short dark haired figure stood with his back turned, surrounded by glowing symbols carved across the floor.

Ray took one step forward.

Crack.

Something beneath his shoe broke.

Max’s head snapped around.

An arrow flew through the air.

Ray dropped.

The arrow struck the wall behind him.

“HEY!”

Max reached for his sword.

“Who are you?”

Ray raised both hands.

“Wait! We can talk about this!”

“You broke into my room.”

“I can explain.”

“You interrupted my magic circle.”

“I can also explain that.”

“You have exactly three seconds.”

Ray swallowed.

“Okay, but before you kill me, I just want to say something.”

Max’s eyes narrowed.

“What?”

Ray smiled nervously.

“You’re actually prettier than I expected .”

Max’s expression went blank.

Silence.

Max’s sword rose.

Ray’s smile turning nervous.

“Okey… that was probably the wrong thing to say.”

Max stepped forward.

Ray stepped backward.

Then his heel caught on something.

Snap.

A net shot upward and wrapped around him.

Ray stared at the ceiling.

“…You have got to be kidding me.”

Max slowly lowered his sword.

For the first time, max found something amusing enough that a smile slipped off.

It wasn’t full hearted one though.

“That was easy.”

Ray’s heart sank.

“Why do I feel like you’re enjoying this?”

Max looked at the trapped prince.

“Because I am.”

And somewhere beneath the palace, something ancient began to awaken.

Ray stared at Max from inside the net.

For someone who had spent his entire life hearing terrifying stories about the first prince of the Eternal Night Kingdom, Max didn’t look quite as frightening as he had imagined.

Ray had seen his face countless times before.

Everyone had.

The newspapers were practically obsessed with the two princes.

“PRINCE RAY ALDERHEART SAVES VILLAGE FROM BANDITS!”

“PRINCE MAX OBSIDIAN CAPTURES RAMPAGING MAGICAL BEAST!”

“LUMINOUS PRINCE RAY USES SUPER STRENGTH TO RESCUE FARMERS!”

And, of course, every article about one prince was usually followed by an article about the other.

Their kingdoms had turned them into walking symbols of the rivalry.

Ray had seen Max’s picture so many times that recognizing him was easy.

Still…

Seeing him in person was different.

Ray tilted his head.

“So you’re really Max Obsidian.”

Max’s sword stopped halfway upward.

“And you’re really Ray Alderheart.”

Ray blinked.

“Wait. You knew?”

Max lowered his sword slightly.

“Who else would sneak into my room wearing a Luminous Realm cloak?”

Ray looked down at himself.

“Oh.”

He had completely forgotten about that.

“Fair enough.”

A loud voice suddenly echoed from the hallway.

“Who is in there?”

Both princes froze.

Ray’s eyes widened.

“Oh no.”

Max clicked his tongue.

“This is your fault.”

“My fault?! You were the one trying to kill me!”

“You broke into my room.”

“Fair point.”

The footsteps grew louder.

Ray looked toward the door.

“If they find me here, both our kingdoms are going to have a field day.”

Max sighed.

“I don’t need that headache.”

He walked toward Ray and sliced through the net.

Ray dropped to the floor.

“Ow! My poor—”

“Get up.”

“You could at least help me.”

“Why would I waste my energy on you?”

Ray pouted.

“Some prince you are.”

Max walked past him.

“Follow me.”

Ray hurried after him.

“Wait! Where are we going?”

“Somewhere you can explain yourself without getting us both caught.”

Max placed his hand against a hidden wall.

Dark magic spread across the stone.

A doorway appeared.

Ray’s eyes widened.

“Whoa.”

Max glanced at him.

“Try not to touch anything.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

“You were thinking about it.”

“…Maybe.”

They stepped inside.

The door vanished behind them

Ray looked around.

The room was small but strangely comfortable. Books covered one wall, magical objects covered another, and several strange weapons were scattered across a table.

“This is your secret room?”

“Yes.”

“It’s actually kind of nice.”

“Don’t get comfortable.”

Ray sat down anyway.

Max sighed.

“You have about five minutes before someone notices something is up.”

Ray leaned back.

“Then I better make them count.”

Max crossed his arms.

“Go on then .”

Ray looked at him.

“I told you. I wanted to meet you.”

“Why?”

Ray shrugged.

“Because tomorrow we’re going to the same academy.”

Max raised an eyebrow.

“And?”

Ray hesitated

He had been thinking about this all day.

The grudge and rivalry between their kingdoms was everywhere. In the newspapers. In the palace. In the way their people talked about each other.

And now that he was finally sitting across from the person he had heard about his entire life, something felt… different.

***Zake***\- what are you mumbling about over there, if you have something to say, say it at loud, you are never quiet anyway.

*Ray- hehe nothing much, just admiring how beautiful your castle is.”nervously laughing.”

*Zake - yeah right admitting this place” smirks with disbelief on his face.”

*Ray - no really it is not that bad” laughing nervously while cold sweat starts to form on his body.

*Zake- that net actually suits you, how about being stuck in there for the rest of your live.

*Ray- n-no please don’t say that, that sounds more horrible then death itself.

*Zake- oh so you prefer to die then, okey I can fulfill that wish for you with pleasure.

Ray- you are actually enjoying this aren’t you.

Zake- yes you are right, considering what you had cost me to lose this is really nothing, okey ready or not here I come “Zake takes his sword off from the cover”.

Zake- you know, you should be honoured, you will be the first one to test this precious sword of mine.

*Ray- n-noo waittt please just hear me out, you know you should hear a dying person’s wish first before killing. what kind of prince are you?.

*Zake- what did you just say?.

Ray- n-nothing, nothing at all, I was just requesting the cool, handsome and powerful first prince to please hear what I have to say first.

Zake - agh shut up, don’t thing that could work on me but since you are bagging me that much I shall hear you this once, go on rat.

“Ray whispering to himself, while pouting”, still calling me rat I see.

Zake- did you say something.

Ray - no nothing, hehe.

*Zake- talk already, stop wasting my time.

Ray- okey so how about if we come to an understanding, what do you say.

*Zake- an understanding, with you” huh you must be kidding, why would I ever want to come to an understanding with someone like you.

Ray- whaat you don’t know me, how is that possible, how could you not know me the most good looking man in the world, you must be living under a rock or something, oh wait, you are hahaha opp.

Zake- “ so angry coming closer faster, while having a sword that lookes like it is bloodthirsty.

Ray- waait stop- stay where you are don’t come any closer, s-sorry I didn’t mean it, I just couldn’t stop myself.

It is me Ray Alderheart the first prince form the kingdom Luminous Realm.

I just come here to finally see you and talk to you, I didn’t mean anything else, I’m sorry. “ it was Ray’s first time someone approached him with the intent to kill him not to be friends so he was kinda scared and overwhelmed by it all”.

Zake- ohh so you are that prince, the spoiled first born who can’t even sleep on his bed alone because of how scared he is, who is crazy over junks and always looking for it, who always runs after women.

Ray- hey don’t call my baby’s junks and I don’t run after woman they run after me. And I prefer to sleep alone okey.

Who idiot is spreading this much false information about me and they even dare call my baby’s junks. don’t make me find you, you hear me.”says it out loud while pointing his finger up, to where ever those guys may be.”