As Eric lay in bed, almost about to close his eyes, something crossed his mind. Without wasting more than five seconds thinking, he jumped off the bed, stepped gently to the door that led to the backyard, and sneaked outside.
The spirit already knew what he was going to do, so didn't ask anything. And did nothing other than tease him with jump over the fence already. Eric Windsor doesn't know how to ride a horse.
Eric did that because he was already going to. And headed towards the southern part of the palace. His chambers were also in the same part, but where he was headed was much like a village on the outskirts of a big kingdom.
Soon enough, though not so quick, he reached the short brick fence of the oldest prince's chambers. The immature warlock, as hypocrites around the palace call him. Eric vaulted again – the third time this evening and his knees were almost giving out. He had to stop in his act anytime soon.
The guards there were safeguarding the entrance and some other parts except for the window. And that was where Eric rolled in from. He coughed, almost blowing his own cover, as he smelled the incense burning in the prince's room.
The evil spirit said,
Stay too long in here and you'll fall into a deep slumber. That's a sleeping incense.
Eric had blocked his nose with his arm, not breathing in much but feeling a bit dizzy.
'The incense is so strong.'
He crept closer to the prince sleeping on the bed in the middle of the room, candles placed at the four corners. Eric almost stepped on something around the bed before he noticed it and retracted backward. It was a circle drawn with something white—maybe salt, flour, or chalk.
Eric knelt before the circle and even took a moment to look at the roof. Talismans and cowrie shells were hung around.
He mumbled, looking at the prince who was fast asleep, "So… the royals also know his condition is beyond just amnesia? If not, they won't be putting this much protection in his room."
The evil spirit explained a little,
Those cowry shells are invoked with the spirits of some two powerful gods – Bes and Taweret. So, definitely, you're right – the royals are aware too…
Eric cut it off, pointing at the circle, "But what's this? I've never seen one before."
The spirit replied,
That's a Magic Circle, my boy. Too much protective magic in there.
Eric nodded, rose from his knee, and stepped into the Magic Circle. Well, he expected the spirit to be affected in some way by the Protective Magic in the circle, but it seemed there wouldn't be anything since it lived inside him. Like a passive being.
"Let's take a look at his memory a little. We might find something useful…"
The spirit replied,
Are you sure? We have used my Memory Key on the queen, the king, a lot of maids, and now a dummy cut away from existence? He's total trash, Eric – no way he can be useful.
Eric didn't reply but looked at the prince first. For some seconds. Then he said, "He's the one most likely to be connected to those who murdered the princess. This is our best target. Hand over the key already."
If you say so. Just don't stay too long, or else the incense will tie you down.
In the next second, a black-metal key appeared in Eric's hand. Longer than his middle finger and wider than his palm. He knew how it was done because he had been using it for the past five years. Kneeling beside the prince, he placed the key on his forehead and, in a heartbeat, a dull black hue coiled from the key.
It covered the prince's body like a cloak and then, just a strand of it connected with Eric's forehead as well. That kicked consciousness out of him, and his head hit down against the prince's chest, eyes shut.
And all this gave the incense smoke more chances to escape into his nostrils.
***
Eric was in a dream.
A dream not his, but of the prince. He found himself standing at the top of a mountain by the cliff and watching something unfold beneath him. The land beneath, where an armored gallant man stood, holding a staff before a stretch of men. If not up to a hundred. Calling them men was even an understatement – they had twisted maws, saggy skin, and moved on their fours.
Witches.
By the back view and the staff – a weapon only for Wizards – Eric could tell immediately the man was…
'The prince.'
A brilliant white light surged out from the staff, shooting into the sky, which split open to rain down something onto the land. Crystal white arrows.
They tore down on the witches that they couldn't even get a few meters closer to the prince anymore before they were all reduced to chunks of flesh and blood. Eric held his jaw tightly not to react out of this overwhelming feeling, because one of the rules of using the evil spirit's Memory Key was not to intervene or act anyhow when in someone's memory, so they wouldn't become self-aware.
If they do, noticing you, then you'll be trapped in there forever.
That was even if Eric had time to react in the first place. Because almost immediately, his vision went black then back to normal, but to a dark alley between buildings whose roofs were of yellow stone. Only the royal house has such a valuable roof.
"Uh?"
Eric mouthed when he saw the prince approaching him. His chest tightened, and he stepped back before realizing he might not have been found out. Maybe the prince wasn't really coming for him…
"Blood… on his sword…" Eric mumbled, eyes rolling between the prince's sword and his blood-stained face, too.
Why the palace? This familiar alleyway? And… blood too? This doesn't make sense.
Eric immediately sprinted past the prince and looked right at the corner he found next. A wave of nostalgia and déjà vu washed over his face as he saw the princess's dead body. Eric shot his glance back at the prince, gritting his teeth in the process.
"Did he…?"
But cutting off both his words and thoughts, the spirit's voice shrieked.
Oh, boy… the incense is making you fall asleep. The king's first wife is also in the prince's chamber now, so get out of there already.
Eric groaned, "Curse it." It would be a hell of a trouble if the prince's mother finds him in the room that the king himself set off-limits.
Eric jolted awake, his eyes falling on the prince's white duvet. He smelled a fragrant scent from it. Anyway, he shielded his nose from the incense and turned on his legs to the window.
… But right then, a brilliant white light shot upwards around the Magic Circle that repelled Eric's body and sent him thrashing back onto the floor near the prince.
He yelped. The Magic Circle's Protective Magic definitely had activated because of the evil spirit within him! Eric's earlier assumption was wrong—and he clenched his jaw, realizing it.
Outside the room, the queen and the guards glanced toward the door as they heard the sound.
"Someone is inside the prince's chambers!" one of the guards announced, prompting every other guard, around twenty of them, to draw their swords and surround the building in a moment.
The queen, her voice loud and authoritative, said to the guards, draped in a pink gown, "What are you waiting for? Get inside already!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" a set of guards responded and dashed toward the door.
Inside, Eric clenched his jaw as he hit his fist against the Magic Circle's white barrier nonstop. He bled. But that didn't matter much. There had to be a way out of this… if not, he would be in serious trouble. The queen had been hostile towards him and his mother for ages, and would take the chance of capturing him in a restricted room… to go against him before the king and his officials.
He himself knew how rigid the Cloud Kingdom's rules were. This could disqualify him as the crown prince!
Eric hit harder, the same way the guard's shoes clobbered against the floor as they came for the door. He stopped and looked at the translucent cardboard door – their shadows were getting nearer by the second.
'Curse it!'
The evil spirit's voice shrieked up,
I guess today is when you will finally allow me. To switch places with you and control the body.
Eric mumbled, "What?"
Just say "I will let you in" so I can take full control of this body. Trust me, I don't want our plan to go down the hill because of this single mistake either. Come on, Eric Windsor. Let me in.
Eric's heart pounded. He was hesitant. Scared. Was it either to get caught by the evil queen… or to give the body to a spirit that could end up betraying him?
"Whatever."
Eric clenched his jaw. Outside, a guard unrelentingly reached for the doorknob. Eric swallowed down inside the room… It was now or never.
"I will let you in!"
Good boy.
----
A/N: Please vote with power stones. Thank you!