Rebirth of the Prince: System of Fate

Alexius shifted uneasily in his seat, the velvet of the high-backed chair doing little to comfort his aching body. His ribs throbbed with every shallow breath, and the bruises lining his arms sent sharp jolts of pain through him whenever he dared to move. Even sitting upright felt like a battle. His mind, however, refused to focus on his physical agony; it was too busy trying to process the surreal, jarring truth of his new reality.

He was no longer Taro Shimizu. He wasn't the invisible high schooler anymore. He was Prince Alexius, eleventh child of King Alden Valdor, ruler of the Kingdom of Valdor.

The cold, echoing corridors of the palace were far removed from anything Taro could have ever imagined. Grand, yes, but suffocating. Each step he took toward the meeting room was accompanied by a fresh wave of anxiety. The polished floors reflected his unfamiliar face, sharp cheekbones, youthful yet regal features framed by tousled blond hair. The reflection mocked him, a stranger wearing his skin.

But the tension that gripped him had little to do with his existential crisis. No, it was the sharp, unrelenting stares of his siblings that froze his blood.

Six brothers and four sisters lined the corridor, their presence suffocating. They were seated casually, yet their postures were predatory, their gazes razor-sharp. Each of them exuded authority in their own way, from the stoic eldest brother, Crown Prince Cassian, to the shrewd and calculating Princess Selene. Their richly embroidered garments and polished armor gleamed under the pale morning light filtering through the arched windows, but their disdain dulled any beauty they might have possessed.

The whispers started before Alexius even reached the threshold of the room.

"How pathetic," one of his older brothers muttered under his breath. Alexius couldn't tell which one. "He should've stayed in bed where he belongs."

"Let him stumble in," Princess Selene added, her voice sweet and venomous. "Maybe the King will finally see what a waste of space he is."

Alexius lowered his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. The old Alexius, the real one, the boy whose body he now inhabited, would have lashed out, would have let their barbs sting and provoked them in turn. But this Alexius, the one who still remembered dying on train tracks, wasn't ready for a confrontation.

He clenched his fists, ignoring the sharp pain in his bandaged hand. Keep moving, he told himself. You just have to survive this.

The council chamber was colder than he'd expected, despite the ornate braziers that lined the walls. A long, polished table stretched through the room, its surface gleaming like a mirror. At the far end sat King Alden, his imposing figure draped in a crimson robe trimmed with gold. His crown, a simple band of silver inlaid with a single ruby rested atop graying hair, but it was the weight of his gaze that commanded respect.

The room fell silent as Alexius entered. His siblings turned to watch, their expressions ranging from disinterest to outright disdain.

"Ah, the little whelp joins us," Cassian drawled, his voice low and dangerous. He lounged casually in his seat, but his eyes bore into Alexius with predatory intensity. The crown prince radiated authority, his broad shoulders and sharp features making him every bit the image of a future king. "I didn't think you'd be able to walk after yesterday. You surprised me."

Alexius stopped in his tracks, his mouth suddenly dry. Yesterday. The duel. He had flashes of memory, hazy and disjointed, a younger version of himself staggering under the brutal blows of Cassian's sword. Blood on the training grounds. Jeering laughter.

Cassian's smirk widened as though he could see the memories playing out in Alexius' mind. "Didn't think I'd leave you standing, did you?" he asked, his tone light, almost playful.

"Enough, Cassian," King Alden said, his voice like a rumble of distant thunder. It silenced the room instantly.

Alexius tried not to look directly at his father, but it was impossible to ignore the sheer gravity of his presence. The king's sharp eyes raked over him, assessing, judging.

"You look weak," Alden said, his tone cold and clinical. "A prince of Valdor has no room for weakness."

The words cut deep, though Alexius wasn't sure why. He felt a rush of anger, anger that wasn't entirely his own. The old Alexius had lived his entire life under this scrutiny, had fought tooth and nail for even the faintest scraps of approval from his father, only to be dismissed time and again.

The King's words stung, but they were nothing compared to the sneers of his siblings.

"Perhaps he should focus on embroidery," one of the younger brothers quipped, earning a ripple of laughter.

"Enough!" Alden snapped, silencing them with a single word. He turned his gaze back to Alexius. "You've spent your life being coddled, and now you see the price. Your brothers and sisters excel while you lag behind, a disgrace to the Valdor name. With war on the horizon, I have no room for failures in my bloodline."

Alexius' jaw tightened. He wanted to yell, to scream that he wasn't really this boy, that he didn't ask to be reincarnated into this fractured, venomous family. But he bit his tongue.

"You are dismissed," Alden said, his tone final.

Alexius bowed stiffly and turned to leave, ignoring the burning stares of his siblings as he walked out. The tension in the room clung to him like smoke, suffocating and inescapable.

The corridor was mercifully empty as Alexius made his way back to his chambers, his mind racing. He hated the humiliation, the way they spoke about him as though he wasn't even there. But more than that, he hated how powerless he felt.

This isn't going to work, he thought. I can't survive like this. Not in this family. Not in this kingdom.

He collapsed onto his bed, wincing as the bruises on his back protested. His thoughts swirled, an overwhelming storm of frustration and hopelessness. But as he lay there, staring at the ornate ceiling, something stirred within him.

A faint, pulsing sensation, deep in his chest.

He sat up abruptly, his heart racing. The feeling grew stronger, like a rhythm beating in time with his own pulse. And then, a voice echoed in his mind.

"Welcome, Host. The Fatebound System is now active."

Alexius froze, his breath catching. Words appeared before his eyes, glowing faintly in the air as though etched in light.

[System Activated]

Initializing…

The disembodied voice continued, calm and soothing.

"You have been chosen to wield the Fatebound System. Your destiny is yours to shape. Strength, strategy, and survival are all within your grasp, if you are willing to fight for them."

Alexius stared at the glowing words, a flicker of hope rising within him. For the first time since waking up in this strange, unforgiving world, he felt a spark of possibility.

Fight, the voice repeated.

He clenched his fists, a surge of determination coursing through him. He didn't know what this system was, or what it wanted from him, but one thing was certain: he wouldn't remain a victim.

The next time he faced his family, he wouldn't back down.