The morning sun cast a serene light over the Royal Academy. Inside, Prince Taiyo Haru focused intently on his studies, surrounded by the buzz of other students. His loyal bodyguard, Rai, stood vigilant nearby, his eyes ever-watchful.

Suddenly, an explosive sound shattered the calm. The classroom door splintered open, and chaos erupted. Wynter Ryuu entered, his face obscured by a menacing mask. His aura was cold and commanding, sending shivers down the spines of everyone present.

"Prince Haru, you're coming with me," Ryuu's voice echoed with determination.

Rai immediately sprang into action, positioning himself between Ryuu and Haru. "You'll have to get through me first," Rai declared, drawing his sword.

Ryuu's eyes, though masked, gleamed with amusement. "Very well," he replied, conjuring an ice sword from thin air.

Rai lunged forward, his movements swift and precise. Their blades clashed with a metallic ring, sparks flying as steel met ice. Rai fought bravely, his strikes fueled by loyalty and determination.

Ryuu, however, was unfazed. He parried Rai's attacks with fluid grace, the ice sword shimmering in the dim light. He summoned ice that wrapped around Rai's feet, momentarily immobilizing him.

Struggling against the ice, Rai gritted his teeth and freed himself with a powerful slash. "I won't let you take him," he growled, launching another attack.

The battle raged on, each clash of swords intensifying the tension. Ryuu's magic swirled around him, amplifying his strength. With a swift, calculated move, he knocked Rai's sword aside, sending it skittering across the floor.

Disarmed but undeterred, Rai stood his ground, ready to protect Haru with his bare hands if necessary. Ryuu, however, was relentless. He struck Rai with icy magic, sending him crashing into the wall.

Haru watched in horror as his protector fell. "Rai!" he cried out, his heart pounding.

"It's over," Ryuu said coldly, turning his attention to Haru. "You're coming with me, Prince."

Before Haru could react, Ryuu seized him, vanishing into a swirl of frost and shadows. The academy was left in disarray, students and teachers reeling from the unexpected attack.

Miles away in the imperial palace, Emperor Taiyo Kiyoshi was in a council meeting when the urgent call from the academy came through. His face paled as he listened to the frantic report.

"His Highness has been kidnapped," he gasped, struggling to process the shock. He could barely keep the panic from his voice.

Akumu, Kiyoshi's steadfast bodyguard, entered the room at that moment.

"Your Majesty, someone is here to see you. A man named Nickolas. He claims to be Ryuu's lawyer and says he's here to discuss terms for Haru's safety."

Kiyoshi's blood ran cold. "Bring him in," he ordered, trying to steady his emotions.

Moments later, Nickolas was escorted into the room, his demeanor calm and calculated.

"Emperor Taiyo Kiyoshi, I represent Wynter Ryuu. We have your brother. Let's discuss the conditions for his safe return."

Nickolas showed Kiyoshi the contract. Kiyoshi's expression hardened with anger and disbelief. "I have finished reading your contract. Did you think I wouldn't read this contract and mindlessly sign it?" he looked up, meeting Nickolas' gaze with rage. 

"I never expected you to sign it without reading it, Your Majesty. And you're right. The contract does say that you will hand over the ring. In return, you get the pleasure of knowing your country won't become a frozen wasteland because of my client."

"The only reason I am here giving you the time of day is that you will become a nuisance if you aren't dealt with now. Stop wasting my time and give me back, my brother, or you shall pay."

Nickolas leaned forward, his smirk turning into a sneer. "You're here, giving me all this time because you know my client is a threat.

  If I give them the ring, There is no telling what destruction he will cause if he stays alive longer, everyone will probably think it's all my fault or that I'm secretly working with him. He has put me in a tight position.

"I have all the time in the world, but you, on the other hand, should decide quickly."

"Give me time to think," Kiyoshi said, rising and exiting the room.

As he walked down the corridor, Kiyoshi thought, curse that old man (the former emperor). If he could have kept himself in check, little Haru wouldn't need to face such hardships.

Turning to Akumu, he said, "Get the search team ready to look for Haru and call the curse association, they owe me."

The tension in the palace was palpable as they prepared for the challenging task ahead.

Back in the negotiation room, Nickolas patiently awaited Kiyoshi's return, confident that the emperor would make the necessary decision to save his brother and protect his empire from becoming a frozen wasteland.

Haru opened his eyes to see a younger-looking man, likely in his early twenties, sitting across from him. The man's white hair and icy blue eyes gave him an almost ethereal appearance. Haru realized he was tied to a chair with tape over his mouth.

"Hello, Your Highness. Did you have a nice nap?" Ryuu's voice was calm and composed.

Haru just glared at him, unwilling to show any fear.

"I'm so glad we can finally have a proper conversation. My name is Wynter Ryuu. I apologize for kidnapping you, but once your brother makes a decision, you can go home."

Haru tried to talk through the tape, feeling helpless and angry. He glared at Ryuu, searching for a way to escape.

"Oh, it looks like you want to say something. Let me help you." Ryuu reached across the table and ripped the tape off Haru's mouth.

Haru winced at the sudden pain and yelled, "What do you even want?"

"You see, there are people called cursed ones, and I am one of them. You probably don't know we even exist because you're always in that big fancy palace of yours. We make up less than 10% of the world's population. The United Nations formed the Curse Hunter Association, but they're essentially an army that either hires or forces cursed ones to work for them. They kill us off quietly, seeing us as some type of super monster that needs to be taken down. When we were first discovered, we were seen as blessings, but people soon learned the more we use our 'blessing,' the more it slowly destroys our bodies. So people them curse, and the people who have the curses are called cursed ones."

"That still doesn't explain to me what you need from my brother," Haru demanded, his voice edged with frustration.

"The Phoenix Fire Ring," Ryuu replied, his tone almost reverent. "I've heard a lot about it. The former emperor found a way to transfer a cursed one's power into that ring. Quite an intriguing story, don't you think? Many have tried and failed, but why fail when you can just take it from the source?"

Haru's mind raced with questions. "Why does he want the ring so badly?" he thought to himself. The legend of the Phoenix Fire Ring was known only to a few, and his family carefully guarded its secrets. What power did it truly hold that made it so valuable to someone like Ryuu? Haru's curiosity and concern deepened as he considered the implications.

Realizing there was no need to hide his abilities now that Ryuu already knew about the ring, Haru concentrated and ignited the rope binding him. As the flames consumed the rope, Haru quickly threw the chair at Ryuu and dashed towards the door, desperately attempting to escape. But the door was locked tight.

Ryuu's eyes narrowed as he realized Haru had the ring. With a menacing calm, he started to approach Haru, who quickly conjured a wall of flames to separate them. The temperature in the room dropped sharply as Ryuu used his icy magic to extinguish the flames.

"Did you think your father's cheap copy would be enough to beat me?" Ryuu taunted, laughing maniacally.

Haru's heart raced as panic set in. The situation was spiraling out of control, and he needed to find a way out before Ryuu's power overwhelmed him completely.

Ryuu continued to approach Haru menacingly. Haru's panic peaked, and he yelled, "Why do you even want the ring?"

Ryuu sneered, "Well if you were paying attention earlier, my curse is slowly destroying me. I need that ring to slow down the effect. It's one of the few things in the world, possibly the only thing, that can help with my condition."

Now standing right in front of Haru, Ryuu demanded, "Hand me the ring."

Trembling, Haru slowly took off the ring and hesitantly handed it to Ryuu. Ryuu's eyes glinted with triumph as he grasped it.

But as Ryuu held the ring, he felt a blazing heat in front of him. Shocked, he looked at Haru, who was now radiating intense heat. The ice Ryuu had conjured around Haru began to melt rapidly. Haru's condition was worsening, his body temperature rising dangerously. He looked like he was about to faint.

Ryuu felt the sudden blazing heat and was momentarily disoriented. "What...what's with this heat?" he muttered, glancing at the ring in his hand. But then he realized the heat wasn't emanating from the ring. His gaze shifted back to Haru.

As Ryuu looked at Haru, noticing the warmth radiating from his body, the realization dawned on him. The intense heat was coming from Haru. "You're cursed...?" he whispered, more to himself than to Haru, the pieces finally falling into place.

The connection between them, their shared affliction, became undeniable. The room, still sweltering from the blazing heat, The intensity of this newfound understanding filled the room with a heavy tension.

As Ryuu held the ring, he felt a sudden blazing heat in front of him. Shocked, he looked at Haru, who was now radiating intense heat. The ice Ryuu had conjured around Haru began to melt rapidly. Haru's condition was worsening, his body temperature rising dangerously. He looked like he was about to faint.

The heat momentarily disoriented Ryuu. "What... what's with this heat?" he muttered, glancing at the ring in his hand. Then he realized the heat wasn't coming from the ring; it was coming from Haru.

As Ryuu looked at Haru, noticing the warmth radiating from his body, the realization dawned on him. "You're cursed...?" he whispered, more to himself than to Haru, as the pieces finally fell into place.

Haru's mind raced, bewildered by the sight before him. "How is he still alive? He should have burned to a crisp by now," he thought. The intense heat radiating from his own body would have been unbearable for anyone else. Yet here was Ryuu, standing firm, a look of confusion mixed with dawning realization on his face. Haru didn't know how much longer he could endure this; he felt like he was about to pass out. The connection between their curses became even more evident at that moment, adding another layer of tension to their situation.

Ryuu acted on instinct, drawing Haru into an embrace as the localized blizzard swirled around them. The icy winds and gentle snowfall began to cool Haru down effectively. As the temperature stabilized, Ryuu could feel Haru's body relaxing, the searing heat slowly ebbing away.

Haru's breathing steadied, but the exhaustion from the intense heat and stress took its toll. Ryuu felt Haru's body go limp as he passed out. Holding him securely, Ryuu quickly put the Phoenix Fire Ring back on Haru's finger, ensuring it was firmly in place.

With Haru now stabilized and the ring back where it belonged, Ryuu carefully laid him down, ensuring he was comfortable. The strange connection between them is forged through their curses and this unexpected encounter.

As Ryuu held the unconscious Haru, his thoughts raced. The moment of connection they had just shared, born out of necessity and their shared cursed existence, weighed heavily on his mind. He wondered if there could be more to their relationship than just captor and captive. Was there a chance for understanding, even cooperation? The realization that Haru's curse had the potential to counterbalance his own left Ryuu both hopeful and conflicted. These thoughts swirled in his mind as he gently ensured Haru's safety, the cold determination giving way to a flicker of genuine concern.

Ryuu dialed Nickolas, his hand gripping the phone tightly. The moment Nickolas answered, Ryuu's voice was urgent.

"Did the emperor sign the contract yet?"

Nickolas's reply was immediate and firm. "No."

Ryuu felt a surge of frustration but kept his composure. "This ring isn't what we thought. I know the prince is cursed, and the former emperor didn't find a way to harness the power of cursed ones. It's likely the emperor and the prince don't have the same mother."

Nickolas, though calm, couldn't hide his surprise. "Seriously? So, what's the next step?"

"We need to revise our strategy," Ryuu explained. "Here's what I need you to include..."

Nickolas, still processing the information but remaining composed, nodded. "I'll call the team to make the revisions immediately. 

"No problem, but once this is over, you better pay me double," Nickolas replied.

Ryuu was taken aback. "What? Why?"

"You gave me a three-day notice of your little plan. So many things could have gone wrong. Next time you want to do something reckless, do it with your own life. I'm not risking my life for you."

Ryuu sighed, exasperated. "Alright, that's enough. I get it."

Nickolas hung up without another word.

Ryuu picked up Haru and carried him out of the room. As he exited, he encountered Tamotsu, his loyal servant. "Hello, young master," Tamotsu greeted, glancing at the mess behind Ryuu.

Ryuu looked away. "I'm fine," he said, attempting to brush off Tamotsu's concern.

Tamotsu sighed, taking Haru from Ryuu's arms. "You should go to the clinic."

Ryuu hesitated. "Why? I told you, I'm fine."

Tamotsu's gaze was steady. "Just go. It's better if you get checked out."

After a moment, Ryuu reluctantly agreed and headed towards the clinic.

When Ryuu arrived at the clinic, Ziva, the head nurse, looked up from her desk and couldn't hide her amusement. "Damn, what happened to you?" she asked, barely containing her laughter.

Ryuu, ignoring her comment, walked straight up to her. "I need a check-up," he said firmly.

Ziva, still smiling, nodded. "Alright, let's get you sorted out. Follow me."

Ziva quickly looked Ryuu over. "You're fine," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "Your clothes are just a bit burned. But since you're here, let's check on your curse."

Ryuu sighed, knowing there was no way out of it. "Alright, fine."

Ziva led him to an examination room. "Let's see how things are going," she said, her tone more serious now.

In the examination room, Ziva set to work, her demeanor professional. She carefully assessed Ryuu, checking for any signs that his curse had worsened or caused new damage.

After a thorough examination, she nodded. "You're holding up better than I expected. Your curse seems to have lessened. This is unusual, given your condition."

Ryuu's mind raced. "I was right," he thought to himself. "Haru can counter my curse."sssssss

Ziva noticed the expression on Ryuu's face and couldn't help but feel a wave of happiness for him. She knew how much his curse had been affecting him for a very long time. "Let's keep monitoring it, and hope you keep improving."

Emperor Taiyo Kiyoshi sat in his office, the weight of the recent events pressing heavily on him. Akumu, his steadfast bodyguard, stood before him, delivering the latest report.

"We still haven't found Haru," Akumu said, frustration evident in his voice. "And the Curse Association isn't answering our calls."

Kiyoshi's expression darkened with concern. He took a deep breath and picked up the phone, dialing the head of the Curse Association. After a few rings, someone finally answered.

"Hello, this is Emperor Taiyo Kiyoshi. I need to speak with the head of the Curse Association immediately," he said, his voice firm and authoritative.

A moment later, a voice came on the line. "This is Director Victor of the Curse Association. How can I assist you, Your Majesty?"

Kiyoshi's voice was urgent as he explained his predicament. "My brother, Prince Haru, has been kidnapped by a cursed one. We need your immediate assistance. The consequences for my country are dire."

Victor's response was blunt. "Your Majesty, this is beyond our ability to intervene. The cursed one you're dealing with is exceptionally powerful, and we've been struggling to contain him for years."

Kiyoshi was taken aback. "Are you suggesting we let the cursed one have his way? My country's safety is at risk!"

Victor sighed. "Yes. It's better to let the cursed one die naturally. We can't contain his powers. We can offer to watch the Phoenix Fire Ring for you, but that's all we can do."

Kiyoshi was shocked. "You're willing to sacrifice my country for the greater good?"

"We can't help you," Victor replied bluntly before hanging up.

Kiyoshi stared at the phone, a mix of anger and disbelief on his face. He knew he had to find another way to save his brother and protect his country. The blunt refusal from Victor left him feeling cornered. The weight of the situation was suffocating.

As the minutes ticked by, Kiyoshi's thoughts turned to the contract presented by Ryuu's lawyer, Nickolas. The terms were harsh and the thought of signing it made his stomach churn. But with every second that Haru was in danger, the idea of signing the contract became more tempting. His responsibility as an emperor warred with his duty as a brother.

Akumu watched Kiyoshi closely. "Your Majesty, are you considering signing the contract?"

Kiyoshi took a deep breath, the inner conflict evident in his eyes. "I don't want to... but I might have no other choice."

Emperor Taiyo Kiyoshi made his way back to meet with Nickolas, intending to accept the deal. Once he arrived, they sat down and Nickolas began to speak.

"There has been a change of plans. My client requests to meet with Prince Haru at least every two weeks to help him with his flare-ups," Nickolas stated.

Kiyoshi was taken aback. "Why would he want to do that? What's in it for the cursed one?"

Nickolas's expression remained neutral. "That is a personal matter. All you need to know is that we don't want to cause any harm or distress to you, your brother, or your country."

Kiyoshi felt a surge of frustration at the sudden change in demands. He wondered how they had figured out that Haru was cursed. He didn't want to drag Haru into this mess, but he had no choice. "Fine," Kiyoshi agreed, "but I want to add a few conditions of my own. One, as long as the contract is in effect, they cannot attack the royals or my country. Two, neither side can force one to work for the other. And three, the cursed one responsible must help defend my country when I ask for assistance. If you do not agree with any of these terms, I will not accept."

Nickolas thought it over for a moment and then nodded. "Agreed. I will have the contract ready by tomorrow. Be prepared."

Kiyoshi watched Nickolas depart, a swirl of relief and anxiety churning within him as he contemplated what lay ahead.