As Arthur entered the castle doors, he was frozen in shock. His eyes widened and he was completely horrified. He dropped off from his horse and saw dead bodies everywhere. Blood splattered, and bodies were hanging on wooden sticks. Some people seemed to be burned in ashes. The sight was horrible.

"Max! Louis!" Arthur shouted and ran towards the doors, that lead to the halls of the castle. He tried his best not to touch the dead bodies of his soldiers that lay on the ground everywhere.

As he entered, he shouted for their names again.
"Max! Louis!"
No response was given to him.
The situation was the same inside as well. Blood, dead bodies and silence.
Arthur panicked.

"For goodness sake somebody answer me!" Arthur yelled from the top of his voice.

A cough was heard from inside a room in the right. Arthur ran towards the room and saw Maximillian move.
He was lying on the ground, and a dagger was pierced in his stomach.

"Max!" Arthur ran towards him and crouched down. He stared at the dagger pierced inside him.

"Who did this, Max? Tell me!" Arthur yelled.

Maximillian tried to speak.
"Th-"

"Tell me." Arthur said calmly, with tears in his eyes. This was the first time he has seen his brother in this state.

"Thaddeus." Maximillian finally said in a broken voice and shut his eyes as he fell unconscious.

"Max?" Arthur asked.
"Max? Come on, wake up! You can't give up. I need more than just that!"
Arthur dropped his head low.

His eyes shifted towards the dagger pierced inside his brother's flesh. He pulled it out gently, so that he wouldn't hurt Maximillian.

"An ordinary soldier would never even have the guts to harm Maximillian. He's way to powerful for them." Arthur observed.

"That means, Thaddeus himself was here. He is the one that did this." Arthur gritted his teeth and looked at the dagger. He turned it only to reveal a symbol. There were four lines, on each corner. In the middle, there was a creature, with horns, which seemed like a devil.

"This must be Thaddeus'."
Arthur voiced out his thoughts.

After seeing the symbol, Arthur sat back and rested his head on a pillar that stood inside the hall.

A soldier entered inside and was equally shocked to see what happened inside.

"Tell the soldiers, who were supposed to be keeping watch, that Prince Arthur is summoning them to the throne room." Arthur said in a deep and terrifying voice.

"Y-yes sir." The soldier replied, scared to death.

"And pick up all these bodies. Bury the ones who are dead and....take my brothers and the rest of the injured soldiers to the medical wing. Call the doctors from all over the Kingdom. Tell them to come here fast." Arthur ordered in a seldom voice and walked outside.