Chapter 27

    

*Third Person's Pov*

"Your highness, how will we face your father after failing our mission?" Steffan asked Zion worriedly before they enter the portal that will bring them back to the kingdom of Darkness.

The prince expected that question from him. But he's eager to protect the woman he loves and he can't do anything to harm her.

"Steffan, my father and I are two different persons. I know how to value love, unlike him who only care about power," the prince stated.

Steffan's eyes widened. His fears are slowly happening. He feared that the prince would fall inlove and that it would be hard for him to kill the princess. And now it had just happened. They failed on their mission because of love.

"Your highness, love is a weakness," he tried to explained. But the prince stared at him and smile.

"But for some people, love is their source of strength. And I'm one of them," the prince answered and stepped inside the dark portal.

Steffan shook his head disappointedly and followed him.

Dark smoke appeared inside the portal and for a few seconds they are already standing infront of the palace of darkness that was surrounded by dark clouds and smoke. 

"Your highness, I'm afraid of what the king will do to you," Steffan said worriedly.

Prince Zion patted his shoulders  before he spoke, "Whatever punishment he have for me, I am willing to accept it. Even if it's death. Because from now on, I no longer want to betray my heart."

"Even if it means betraying your own father?" Steffan asked that made prince Zion drown on his thoughts.

Is he really betraying his father by choosing love? That's the question that's bugging his mind right now. Why would it be wrong to choose love over hatred?

    

    "ZION!" The roaring voice of his father echoed the whole place as soon as they reach the throne room.

    

    Steffan started to feel nervous while Prince Zion remained calm. Steffan just wanted the ground to swallow him right away.

"Father," Prince Zion greeted his father and bowed down infront of him.

King Velion's eyes is full of hatred. He stood up from his throne and attacked his son. He punched the prince's face multiple times.

"Your majesty please stop it. Don't hurt your son," Steffan begged him. But Velion is too angry to listen to him. Instead he struck him with his power causing Steffan to bump on the palace wall and spit blood.

Prince Zion saw it and he felt really sorry for involving him in his failures when all he did was to support him.

"Father, please don't hurt Steffan. It was my fault only!" he begged while wiping the blood on his face using his hands.

"Do you think I'm not aware of everything?" King Velion shouted as his fist landed on his son's handsome face again.

"You are my son! My blood runs in your veins! How could you be so stupid! How could a prince of darkness listen to his heart instead of his own father!" he shouted angrily.

Prince Zion tried his best to stans up and face his father.

"I'm not like you! And I will never be like you! My heart is not as dead as yours!" he reasoned out causing his father to be more mad at him.

Velion created dark smokes in his hands and struck it directly into his son's heart.

"Arrrrrcccckkkkkkk" Prince Zion shouted. He felt his own heart burning.

"Prince Zion!" Steffan shouted. He no longer want to see the prince suffering. He wanted to help him, but what could a wizard like him do against the king of darkness? Even his own son is helpless against him!

"The heart that caused your weakness will die on my will! You will no longer feel love from this moment on! Hatred will now live within you forever!" Velion's evil laughter echoed the whole kingdom of darkness.

"From now on, you will feel nothing but hatred my dear son." Those were the last words Prince Zion heard from his father before the darkness slowly take over his body.

    

    ********

"Thousands of immortals are infected by the dark spell. They are all under Velion's control!" Hera, the queen of the Gods said worriedly.

All the Gods and Goddesses were gathered in the throne room because of the bad situation. Velion started to invade some villages where some white immortals live. He put them under his spell and filled their hearts with hatred.

"What are we going to do now? Even Aphrodite can't bring them back to normal," Hestia said worriedly.

"I think it's time, we need the ember of love and the chosen one," Zeus announced. 

All the Gods and Goddesses stared at him with hopes on their faces. Especially Aphrodite and her husband. They longed for their child for such a very long time, and that they will finally see her again.

"I think you're right Zeus. We need Hermes to go to the mortal world to pass our message," Poseidon, the God of the ocean and Zeus's brother stated.

Zeus turned to face the messenger God and his son Hermes. 

"Explain everything to her mortal parents. And most importantly you need to keep her safe until she returned her," Zeus warned him.

"I will father!" Hermes then flew into the air.

All the Gods and Goddesses stared at him with hopes on their faces. 

"Finally, my daughter will be back! I've been dying to hug her once again," Aphrodite said happily.

"She grew up as beautiful as you mother," Eros said with a smile.

"And she will be as loving as you my dear daughter," Zeus added that made Aphrodite more happy and proud of her daughter.

"And as brave as you, father," she said and Zeus laughed hard.

"Of course! She's the chosen one and she has the blood of a deity," Zeus said proudly.

"But she grew up in the mortal world, and she's not even aware of her power and the danger that awaits her when she face Velion," Athena blurted out that made Aphrodite worried.

"A part of my heart wants to be happy that my daughter is back but I can't be very happy. I'm afraid of all the obstacles that she's going to face," Aphrodite said with tears in her beautiful eyes.

Her husband held her hand and gently squeezed it to comfort her.

"We will be with her. I will sacrifice my own life just to protect her," her husband promised.

"We will all protect her," Hera added to stop Aphrodite from worrying.

"Athena will taught her on how to use weapons, while Artemis will guide her on power control. She will be fine," Zeus comforted his daughter.

He knows that his grandchild's life is at stake but he strongly believes that the prophecy did not choose her for nothing. And he will be with her as she fulfill her mission to end Velion.