The Cursed Prince: Awakening

It had been an exhausting day at work. The higher-ups were relentless, hounding us to wrap up the final performance tests so our game could launch on schedule. That meant more hours, more stress, and a mounting sense of burnout. Today, though, for the first time in nearly three weeks, I’d actually left at a reasonable hour. So, I decided to hit the bar—to unwind a bit and, admittedly, wallow. It was a little embarrassing, realizing I’d become such a regular that the bartenders knew me by name. I didn’t even have to order anymore; I’d take my usual seat, and a minute later, my drink would arrive.

Tonight, however, the bar was strangely empty. Usually, there were a few other patrons quietly nursing drinks in their own corners. As I entered, the bartender looked up with a soft smile. I nodded, took my seat, and, like clockwork, my drink appeared in front of me. I murmured a thanks and took a few sips, feeling the bartender’s eyes lingering on me a little longer than usual. Avoiding her gaze, I pulled out my phone, scrolling through a dating app for a distraction.

After a moment, she spoke up. “So… is something big going on? This place is never this empty.”

I looked up, surprised. Her face was unfamiliar—a new hire, maybe. She had dark brown curls framing a round face, her chubby cheeks contrasting with her otherwise slim figure. A small crescent moon tattoo on her wrist caught my eye, a charming detail that made me smile. I blinked, and a thought struck me like a thunderbolt, then asked, “Wait, if you’re new, how’d you know my drink?”

“Oh, well…” She hesitated, then pulled out a laminated sheet from under the counter. “Joel made this cheat sheet with photos of the regulars and their usual orders so we can get familiar with everyone.”

I groaned as she showed me my photo. “A regular at 25… If my parents knew, they’d be thrilled,” I joked, rolling my eyes. “And where in God’s name did he get that picture? Isn’t that like illegal to take someone’s picture without permission?”

She laughed, pouring herself a shot. I gestured for one too, and she slid the glass over with a grin. “Joel said you willingly took the picture one night when you had a few too many.” She said before downing her shot.

Following suit, I downed my shot and motioned for another. “Pretty sure that’s still illegal,” I said with a small laugh.

She shrugged, and we soon fell into simple conversation, each shot melting the stress and exhaustion until I could feel myself fully unwinding for the first time in weeks. She teased me about being “old” at 25, and I leaned back, laughing along. But after a few more rounds, the buzz hit hard, and I excused myself, wobbly, making my way to the bathroom.

I held onto the sink to steady myself as the world around me heaved and spun around at a frightening speed. “I hope I don’t throw up,” I thought bitterly.

As I splashed water on my face, the icy shock brought me back for a moment. But when I looked up, I saw her reflection in the mirror behind me and I could swear there was a smile on her face, and something felt off about it. It wasn’t the playful smile from earlier. There was something more sinister about it, like an animal watching its pray.

“Run!” said a faint voice in the depths of my mind.

Blinking a few times and shaking away the uneasy feeling, dismissing it as being far too drunk, I turned to the women in the doorway, “Um… you know, this is the men’s room, right?” I stammered.

She shrugged, smiling apologetically. “You were in here forever. I thought you’d… I don’t know, slipped or something.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Jeez, was I in here that long?”

“Almost thirty minutes,” she replied, giving a soft laugh. “You might be a little drunker than you think.”

I feigned shock, putting a hand to my chest. “There’s a pervert in the men’s room! Somebody help!” She rolled her eyes, and I followed her out, laughing as she shot me a half-amused, half-exasperated look.

She poured us one last round, and after clinking glasses, I stood to leave, but the room spun fast, and my knees buckled. I barely registered her reaching out before everything went dark.

When I came to, a dull ache pulsed in my head, and I struggled to move my arm, only to find it pinned down. Blinking, I saw the bartender asleep beside me, curled against my arm in a loose embrace. Confused, I looked around, realizing I was in an unfamiliar bedroom. Looking back at the bartender, I felt my cheek flush. She wore an oversized t-shirt and shorts that hugged her thighs snuggly, and as I tried to pull my arm free, she stirred.

“Oh, sorry, Patrick,” she murmured, scooting away, her cheeks red. “I’m a restless sleeper. Hugging you just… kept me from waking up.”

“It’s… it’s fine. But, uh… where are we?” I asked, glancing around again, trying to piece things together and avoid looking at her.

“My place,” she said, looking embarrassed. “You passed out pretty hard. I didn’t know what else to do, so I called 911, and after the medics checked you, they said you just needed to rest, so I brought you here. I… well, I didn’t want to just leave you.”

The realization hit like a wave of shame. This girl—someone I’d just met—had taken care of me. “I’m really sorry for the trouble. I don’t even remember your name.”

She gave a small, almost disappointed smile. “It’s Clair. I told you last night.”

I laughed awkwardly. “Right… sorry.” I ran a hand through my hair, but something about her expression—her posture—seemed off. She held her face at a slight angle, her gaze intense.

“Run Patrick!” screamed a faint voice. I looked around for its owner, but we were the only two in the room.

“Patrick, look me in the eye, will you?” Her voice was softer now, a hint of something almost mournful in her tone.

I turned to face her fully, and the sight of her eyes stopped me cold. They’d turned from warm brown to a chilling, vivid red, glinting with an unnatural light. My heart hammered, and I could barely force myself to breathe. The pounding in my head intensified and felt as if it would explode at any moment. Her lips twisted into a sinister smile, her face no longer soft, but darkly triumphant.

“Oh, that was almost too easy,” she whispered. Her chilly hand clasped my face, and though I tried to pull away, my body wouldn’t respond. She leaned close, her voice dripping with dark amusement. “You should be more careful who you trust, Patrick.”

In a heartbeat, she changed. Her hair shifted to a deep purplish-blue, two small horns jutting from her forehead, her skin tight clothes blending into her form like shadows given life. Dark wings unfurled from her back, and a long, pointed tail curled behind her as she regarded me with a look of twisted pleasure.

I gasped for air, my lungs burning as if held captive. She let out a chilling laugh, leaning closer, her mouth brushing against my ear as she whispered, “Oh, don’t look so surprised. Did you think you could let your guard down without consequences?”

My vision blurred, the edges darkening, but the sound of her laughter cut through, ringing louder as my heartbeat slowed, each thump a heavy echo in my ears. The last thing I saw was her watching me, her eyes glittering with satisfaction as the darkness claimed me completely.

Though the world dissolved into darkness, a profound and unexpected relief washed over me, rather than fear. The tight ache in my chest vanished; the struggle to breathe was gone, replaced by a calm that soothed me like nothing I’d ever felt. I floated, weightless, in a vast expanse of silent darkness, enveloped by a comforting emptiness. No sounds, no light, no sense of direction. It should have been terrifying, a nightmare of disorientation, yet peace enveloped me. If this was what death felt like, I couldn’t understand why people feared it. It was… nice.

Then, pinpoints of light flared in the distance, countless tiny glimmers blooming in the darkness like stars. They shimmered and danced, some streaking across the black like shooting stars, while others pulsed with a gentle, steady light. Drawn by an invisible force, I drifted along with them, watching as shapes of planets and moons emerged, their colors vivid against the blackness. Suddenly, I felt myself plummeting, and before I could grasp what was happening, I landed hard on a solid surface. Pain shot through my head as I crashed down, and I muttered a curse, pressing a hand to the sore spot. As I opened my eyes, I found myself on a vast marble platform, suspended in space. The floor beneath me was an intricate weave of black and white stone, polished like the foyer of a grand hotel. Flanking either side were towering statues of men and women, seven in total, each carved from the same stone as the platform, each holding something unique. I stood, dazed, and moved toward the nearest statue: a woman, serene and strong, holding a cornucopia overflowing with food. A plaque sat at her feet, inscribed in delicate, swirling characters unlike any language I’d ever seen.

“That’s the earth mother, Vida,” said a soft, familiar voice behind me.

I spun around, startled. Standing there was an angel. Her golden hair flowed like silk, crowned by a small, glowing halo. Her feathered wings, white as fresh snow, brushed her sides, and she wore a simple, flowing dress that fell just above her knees. White sandals laced around her ankles. Her deep blue eyes sparkled as she watched me, her smile both kind and mischievous.

“Umm… hi,” I managed, still reeling from everything around me.

“Hello, Patrick. It’s wonderful finally meeting you—though I wish it could have been under different circumstances,” she said gently, her voice like sunlight breaking through clouds.

I hesitated. “You… know my name? Where am I? And… who are you?”

She held up a hand, stopping my rush of questions. “I know you have questions, but maybe you’d like to get dressed first?” She raised her eyebrows, and I glanced down, mortified to find I was, indeed, completely naked.

Blushing, I hurried to cover myself, averting my gaze in embarrassment. “Uh, yeah… let’s handle that first.”

She snapped her fingers, and a wardrobe appeared beside me. I quickly grabbed a simple outfit and dressed. Once I was done, the wardrobe vanished, replaced by a small café-style table with two chairs and a teapot in the center. She took a seat gracefully, gesturing to the other chair.

“Would you like some tea? It’s not every day you get tea made by an angel,” she offered, gesturing to the other cup.

I took a tentative sip, forcing myself not to grimace. The tea was bitter, like instant tea left to steep too long. But she looked at me expectantly, so I forced a smile. “It’s… great.”

Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction. “Really? Most people can’t stand it,” she said with a chuckle. Her smile softened as she continued, “Now, let’s get to your questions. My name is Darcia, and as you guessed, I’m an angel—your guardian angel, to be exact. I was assigned to you at birth to watch over you and, eventually, guide your soul back into the Circle of Life and Death.” She tilted her head slightly, a hint of amusement in her voice. “I’m sure you’re at least familiar with my voice. You know that soft little whisper in the back of your mind telling you not to do something reckless? Warning you against dangerous or foolish decisions? That was me.”

Darcia gestured around at the empty expanse. “And as for where we are… let’s just call this platform a waiting room.”

A chill crept over me as her words sank in. “So… I’m dead?”

“Not exactly,” she replied, her tone serious. “You’re here because of an unfortunate accident—a mistake, really.”

I frowned. “A mistake?”

She looked away, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. “Yes. You see, a succubus who was causing havoc on Earth, the woman you know as Clair, was meant to be captured before she caused too much damage. I was supposed to handle that, but... she slipped through my fingers after I’d finally captured her, and...” she trailed off, her voice laced with regret and a hint of self-reproach.

“So I’m dead… because of your mistake?” I asked, disbelief lacing my voice.

She winced. “Yes. And I am deeply sorry.” She looked down, remorse in her eyes. “That’s why I brought you here—to apologize and to offer you a second chance.”

My eyebrows shot up. “A second chance? You mean… going back to my life?”

She shook her head. “Not exactly. I can’t return you to your old life. But I can help you live again, in another world.”

I stared at her, trying to process. “Another world? Like… an alternate dimension?”

She nodded, her expression turning solemn. “The soul of a prince in another world recently left his body after many years in a coma. His body lives on, maintained by a powerful doctor’s magic, but his spirit is gone. You could… take his place.”

“A prince?” I echoed, feeling a strange mixture of excitement and disbelief. “And… what happened to his spirit? Why would he leave?”

Darcia’s eyes softened. “He had a peaceful passing, ready to move on. You’d start where he left off. All your memories will remain intact. And, to help you adjust, I’ve been allowed to grant you one wish.”

I was silent for a moment, taking it all in. “One wish, huh?” I said, running my hand through my hair, feeling a mix of curiosity and hesitance. “Can I ask… about the world I’d be going to? What’s it like?”

Her expression turned thoughtful. “It’s like your world, but with magic, ancient traditions, and conflicts, very different from what you’ve known. You’d be surrounded by people with strange abilities, and you’d have to navigate an unfamiliar culture, one that places high expectations on royalty.”

I exhaled, feeling the weight of it. “And I’d be expected to… live as a prince?”

Darcia nodded. “Yes. But you’d have my guidance, as well as those around you.”

An idea struck me. “Can… can my wish be for you to join me?”

She blinked, surprised. “You want me to come with you? Of all things you could ask for?”

I nodded. “It sounds like a complicated world, and you seem like… a good friend to have by my side.”

She considered this, her wings twitching as she pondered. Finally, she clasped her hands together and said, “Well, if that’s truly your wish, I’ll agree… if you promise to take responsibility for me. After all, journeying to the mortal world is a rather big deal for us angels.” Her cheeks tinged pink, and she looked away, flustered.

I laughed, relieved. “Deal.”

With a smile, she clasped my hand, leading me to the edge of the platform. She glanced at me one last time. “Are you sure? There’s no going back after this.”

“Absolutely,” I replied. “Let’s do it.”

She grinned, and together, we leapt off the platform, falling through the stars, hurtling into the unknown with Darcia by my side.