By The Crest

❃13❃

Wooyoung's shoes padded softly along the regal carpet of the castle halls, his book for notes in hand as he walked towards the workshop.

Currently, it was the Spring Festival's opening day down in the Capital, and Wooyoung wished he could go. Despite that there would be an ambush, he still wanted to see the many fun things the festival has to offer before it could happen. Though sadly, he and Eden have a session as well as the older needing help to make a few prototype suits for a friend's business.

The male stops himself from thinking more about the festival as he twist the door open. Inside, he would usually see the tailor being busy with some fabrics that he was sewing together or try to come up with a new design on his desk, but the workshop was empty. Wooyoung found the silence a bit odd, but decided to check the two storage rooms that was for the finished clothing piece's and the other for extra dressmaking materials.

He's checked every nook and cranny of the workshop but found no one, even calling for the older was of no use. Wooyoung threads his hand through his hair as he goes over Eden's desk. That's when he saw it. A note, signed by the older himself. Written on it was telling the male that they wouldn't have a session today and that they could do the suits in the next session. The last part also stated that the tailor was already in town for the festival and that he'll see Wooyoung around.

A smile stretches on the male face, heading out the door and finding Maddox to prepare a carriage for him. He waits for his ride as he goes over to how and where the ambush would happen, wanting to be prepared.

The ambush would be an ambush of Tenebroses, otherwise known as the ones who got cursed by the soulmate crest. Just like Aria, the novel's Goddess of Love, there was also the god known as Erebus, the God of Darkness. He was said to be the one who is in charge of handling those who fell under the curse. However, since magic is present in this world, many would also practice dark magic in secret since it was banned given that it would mainly be use for wrong deeds.

And from what Wooyoung remembered from the book, the ambush was caused by a dark wizard who was trying to get an army of Tenebroses under his rule. The male is lucky that the two Imperial Princes' as well as other knights would be there,
and that they did apprehend the wizard, but he couldn't help but worry that something else might happen since he has been changing the plot of the story.

Wooyoung just hopes that nothing more horrible than the ambush would happen.

-

The smile on Wooyoung's face kept growing as he walked along the town's busy streets. Many stalls lined the crowded road with its unique items displayed for the public to purchase, colourful banners that were tied to post or the top of the tent swayed with the wind, and a stage on the other side of the market entertained those who were watching the different acts that they had.

The Capital was truly worth the visit.

"Here you go Wooyoung" Yunho passed the male a meat skewer that they just bought. The younger knew that his friends would be here since they told him the last time they met, and he was just fortunate that he actually found them near the stage.

The four chatted as they made their way to the center of the Capital while munching on the delicious street food. Wooyoung felt more exhilarated as he was able to visit the place, the memory of him passing by in the carriage as he made his way to the palace for his new work seemed like it was just yesterday.

"So when are you and him going to make your relationship public Sangie?"

They found a spot on the fountain that was just enough for the four of them to sit on.

"Both of us aren't sure yet. Though it is true we are soulmates, we both agreed to take our time and get to know each other before announcing anything. He also wants to do it around the same if his brother finds his soulmate." Yeosang plops some of the roasted nuts in his mouth after his statement.

The people that they were referring to was Jongho and San. It is a common rule and sense that if a member of the Imperial Family has found their soulmate then they would need to announce it to the people of the land. And since the youngest prince has found his destined partner he has to make their relationship known for the public. However, the young royal had a guilty conscience that he first found his soulmate instead of his older brother, so he gave the older time to find his soulmate. Even if the older prince had no intention of it and that he doesn't have a crest to begin with.

Yes, Choi San, the First Imperial Prince and the main character of this world doesn't have a crest of his own.

Wooyoung was fascinated by the logic and backstory of it when he was a reader of the novel, but now that he is a part of the story and the destined soulmate to the royal, getting that damn crest to appear on the other would be his biggest challenge as he tries to finish the plot. San didn't get his crest even after the original 'Wooyoung' had died, so the male had no idea how to make the mark appear.

The friends continued their conversations between them until they heard the people cheering and clapping as they all crowded near the main road of the Capital.

"It's the parade!" Hongjoong stood up from his seat and beckoned his friends to get closer so that they could also watch. They squeezed their way towards the front of the crowd, even holding each other's hands to not get seperated. The cheers, whistles, and claps of the people flooded Wooyoung's hearing as he and his friends were now at the front to have a clear view of the parade. The four males spot was a little further ahead so that they could see who was leading the paraded. Spotting who was at the front of the march, Wooyoung's eyes stayed on the person.

San sat on his horse mightily as he guided the black beast, his outfit that the male recognizes as one of the suits that he and Maddox made a few days ago, and his expression was just as stoic like the first time Wooyoung saw him. The male sensing his dominant aura as the royal got closer to where he and his friends were watching the parade. That's when the two caught each other's gaze, San focusing on the male as he blurs out the other faces near him.

Somehow, everything moved slowly. The prince trotting on his horse slowly as Wooyoung stood still watching. It wasn't until he gave San a small smile that their surroundings moved back to normal. The two snapping from their own little trance, as the royal continues to lead the parade. Wooyoung noticing that slightly behind the prince was Jongho on his horse and then Seonghwa and Mingi that was on either side if the younger prince. The male didn't need to look at his friends to know that they were basically ogling at their soulmates.

Instead, his head snapped to where almost everyone else heard screams. Behind him the people began running as they began a stampede. Wooyoung suddenly got pulled on the arm by either of his friends as they ran to get away from the growing danger. The male made the decision to take look behind him and saw what looks like to be actual living nightmares.

These tall, dark, and inky figures with a black crest of their chests terrorizing the Capital as they went around destroying almost everything that was in their path. Letting out gruffs and inhumane growls as they grew angrier by the second.

This was the Tenebros ambush and the first climax of the book.