《The Scarlet Rain》


 Prologue: The Girl from the River

    Long ago, in the age of the gods when the world was still young, an ancient river once circled the land from which life sprung forth. It was said to be created by Aisha, the Goddess of Life, with the sole purpose of giving and distributing life on Earth. Tales of Aisha pouring a handful of water from the heavens became the origin of the sacred river. It was then called the River of Life, where tribes and civilizations flourished on its banks. The river was regarded as sacred by humans.


    The crystal-blue stream sparkled under the sun. It curved gently like a serpent and flowed through lush forests, verdant mountains, and fertile valleys. The water¡¯s taste was refreshing as it leaped over glossy rocks. In totality, the river itself was invigorating. When evening came, and the stars covered the sky, the water shimmered like sprinkled fairy dust. The River of Life was longer than all of the world¡¯s rivers combined. It was so grand that nothing could compare to it.


    Time passed by and humans began to worship the gods. They built shrines and temples in honor of the primordial deities who composed the natural laws of the world. There were seven gods at the beginning of time. Each of them ruled over a specific domain that kept the order and balance of the universe aligned with the Will of Chaos, their father and the first thing that came into existence.


    For thousands of years, life on Earth was pleasant and peaceful since the creation of the sacred river. Humans prayed for guidance, bountiful harvests, and abundance of sea creatures from the gods. Their population efficiently increased due to the divine blessings they received. Tribes began their expansion of territories. Some built great kingdoms, and others started their conquests for new lands. However, the greed deeply rooted within the imperfections of human beings led to their destruction. No seas nor lands were enough to satisfy their greedy nature.


    Humans started to seek more power, more wealth, and more glory. These earthly desires that they found led to chaos and conflict among them. War broke out across the land and the gods in the heavens were forgotten and gravely displeased with them. Tribes and kingdoms waged war against one another. They lost many lives for the sake of twisted ideologies. Innocent people suffered and lost their lives protecting what was precious to them. The world was plunged into chaos and divided by different sides who had different beliefs about the world. The casualties and victims of war were so many that it almost broke the cycle of life.


    The sacred River of the Gods, once pure, ran red with blood. The gods in the heavens were forgotten, and they were gravely disappointed with the humans. It deeply saddened and angered Aisha. To end the conflict and make the humans repent on their sins, Terra, the Goddess of Earth and sister of Aisha, cursed the world to enter into a glacial period that would eventually freeze to death all life forms known to humanity. In the first year of the long, harsh winter, many plants, animals, and trees did not survive the cold. It was a period of constant darkness. The air was frigid and could almost freeze the human lungs. The gloomy skies hung sadly outside as if to reflect the pain and suffering of the humans inside. The once green earth was blanketed in bleach-white snow and made the surroundings look almost blinding to the eyes.


    Famine and diseases killed many lives and survival became their top priority. They tried their best to adapt to the extreme climate and survive the harsh weather. Then one by one, like a domino effect, kingdoms fell and froze to the ground. The humans were broken, hopeless, and sick with the cold. Out of desperation, they went back to worshipping the gods and prayed for divine intervention, but their prayers went unanswered, and the gods never made contact with them again. As their last light of hope vanished, a miracle that defied all the natural laws in the universe, occurred from the kingdom in the north, near the frozen sacred river.


    A young girl from the small Kingdom of Solaria changed the fate of the world. She was not of royal blood nor part of the aristocracy. Her family was destitute, and they were merely natives of the kingdom, but her compassion for humanity was the greatest among the people in her land. She revered the gods and had great respect for all forms of life on Earth. She lived a life of contentment and had an appreciation for the beauty of nature. She grew up witnessing countless of deaths and wars around her.


    Out of empathy and respect for life, the girl couldn¡¯t stand seeing the world suffer in misery any longer. She felt the pain of her fellow humans and saw the anguish in their eyes as they were all left to die in the cold. The girl had no special powers, she didn¡¯t even know a single spell nor how to use magic, and if they existed, but she had unwavering faith and courage even more potent than magic. In the second year of the glacial period, the girl was determined to save the world. She knew she had to do something or else all of them will freeze to death. She went to the frozen river, unfazed by the cold wind blowing harshly on her face. The skin-seeping cold didn¡¯t bother her as she only focused on one thing, and that was to save the world from becoming a barren wasteland of ice.


    Upon reaching the sacred river, she closed her eyes and willed herself to focus all her attention on the world around her. It was too quiet, no chirping of birds nor a sound of any animal from the frozen forest. A gentle hush cloaked the land. She felt her body shiver from the cold draft and her feet went numb from being buried in the snow for too long. The girl breathed a lungful of air and took out a dagger from the pocket of her coat. She sliced open her left palm and let her blood drip onto the frozen ground. She cleared her voice then gambled everything she had.


    ¡°Here do I let my blood flow on the sacred ground beneath me,


    I call upon Chaos, the father of the gods and the creator of the universe.


    I offer thee, this life and body of mine


    Come forth to me!


    And with your divinity,


    Appear before me from the depths of the universe!¡±


    The young girl courageously summoned Chaos. She stood like a statue for what seemed like forever. The cut in her hand didn¡¯t heal, and the bleeding was slowly taking her life away. Nightfall came, and the weak rays of the sun were about to disappear into the dense clouds, she couldn¡¯t feel her body anymore. Her senses dulled and she was sure that she would die from the cold at any moment. Then as if in a trance, a young man appeared before her and placed a large fur-coat around her. It was warm, and it smelled of spring like the woodsy scent of the forest and the newly-bloomed flowers in her garden. She stared at him and noticed that he was also wearing the same coat.


    ¡®Am I dead? Is this heaven?¡¯


    The man before her had golden blonde hair and eyes the color of topaz, and his skin seemed to glow in the twilight. She gently caressed his face with her cold fingers, to see if he was real and not just a figment of her imagination. She felt his smooth, warm skin as he smiled down at her. He caught her fingers with his warm hand and held them in place on his cheek. She watched as he exhaled puffs of cold air from his mouth. He seemed real to her and everything else happening around her. She concluded as much since they were both affected by the cold.


    The man encircled her with his arms and tucked her head under his chin. She leaned on his chest and felt the steady beat of his heart. His body heat surrounded her shivering body as he locked her in his warm embrace. His face and the warmth she felt from him were her last thoughts before her vision went black. The girl opened her eyes and saw darkness. She found herself floating in space. She didn¡¯t feel any cold nor warmth from her surroundings. She looked around and spotted a giant blue orb that glowed gently in the distance. She noticed bright dots glimmering around it and a myriad of colors swirling in space. The vibrant colors mesmerized her and its overall beauty. Then, she heard a deep voice echoing from the bottomless chasm.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°I am Chaos, the father of the gods and the creator of the universe. Are you the one who summoned me?¡± She felt the loud booming voice resonating within her. She looked everywhere, but there was no one in the dark with her and yet she could feel Chaos'' commanding presence.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied.


    ¡°You are in my domain and in front of you, is the world where you live in.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± She gasped in awe.


    ¡°So tell me, young lady, why did you summon me?¡± Chaos asked.


    ¡°I wish to save the world.¡±


    ¡°How will you save it?¡±


    She paused for a moment. It was now or never.


    ¡°Please bestow upon me the powers of the universe.¡± She replied with determination in her voice.


    ¡°And what will you do with it?¡± Chaos asked gently.


    ¡°With the power of the universe, I will use myself as a vessel and contain within me all the sins and evil committed by humanity.¡± She declared with conviction. She was ready for anything to happen. She knew she was going into this headfirst with her eyes blindfolded. Still, she would take this chance to speak with Chaos, a hundred times over, if it meant the salvation of the world.


    ¡°Are you ready for the consequences?¡± Chaos inquired.


    ¡°Yes I am, and I will accept all of them. I will do anything to save this world.¡± The girl said with finality in her voice. A long moment of silence passed, and she thought that Chaos wouldn¡¯t answer her. She was about to appeal to him once more when she heard his voice again.


    ¡°I have received your offer. I bestow upon you the power that you need, the infinite power of the universe. And with that, I shall now dwell within you. Call for my name once, and you shall have my power.¡±


    At that moment, she became fearless. The words of Chaos seemed to echo in her head. She did it. She finally did it. It didn¡¯t matter if she lost everything she had, just as long as the world was back to its former splendor. The gentle voice of Chaos and the power that his words held eased her doubts and calmed her worries. She was right from the start to seek help from the Great Father. The gods had already forsaken humanity, yet Chaos, the mighty creator, still believed in her.


    She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she was back in reality and still in the arms of the mysterious young man. She felt the brisk wind on her skin and his comforting warmth followed in an instant. She tilted her head and stared at the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°I am Deo, the God of the Sky and the Son of Chaos. I came here to see you.¡± He replied in a husky voice which seemed to have a soothing effect on her. It was like honey coated his voice.


    ¡°What does a god like you want with me?¡± She asked with confusion and curiosity on her face. She didn¡¯t know why a divine being would be interested in meeting her. A god never once came down to see a human. It was the first time.


    ¡°I have always been looking at you from above. You are an exceptional girl, and that beautiful red hair of yours caught my attention.¡± Deo looked at her straight in the eyes with sincerity in his words as he tucked a stray of red locks behind her ear. She was taken aback by his response. Who was she to have the God of the Sky be interested in her? She felt her face go warm at the intensity of his stare.


    He was by far the most handsome man she had laid eyes upon in her seventeen years of existence. Well, considering that he was a god and all gods possessed divine beauty which made them inhumanly beautiful.


    ¡°I am flattered, Lord Deo, but this meet and greet will have to wait later. There¡¯s something I must do first.¡± She smiled back at him, and he smiled back too. It was as if he knew what she was about to do.


    She called for Chaos and felt his essence in every fiber of her being. She closed her eyes at the intensity of the power permeating in her bloodstream. All her senses were alive and a hundred times sharper than usual. She felt energized, and she gently broke free from Deo¡¯s embrace. She focused all the power she obtained from Chaos into her will.


    ¡°My word is the law.


    My wish is a reality.


    The seven primordial gods in the heavens.


    The seven natural laws of the world.


    In the name of these sacred laws


    And by the infinite power of


    The universe bestowed upon me,


    I order all the mighty forces


    To restore and bring peace to this world.


    With Chaos who dwells within me,


    I cleanse this world of its sins and darkness


    I seal within me these evils.


    Maythe divine light of the heavens forever guide this world!


    A bright silver light came out from where she stood and shot up straight into the heavens. Dark clouds rumbled, and thunder roared across the sky. The silver light got brighter and brighter until it swallowed the whole land and everything the eye could see, restoring the world in its wake. A few moments later, the silver light disappeared, and the world was back to its former splendor. The blue skies, the glorious rays of the sun, the lush forest, the fertile soil, the verdant mountains, the gem-blue seas, and everything else was back to normal.


    The picturesque view of the new world brought tears to her eyes. She could hear the chirping of the birds, the sound of the water splashing from the sacred river, and the joyous laughter of the humans. She toppled from exhaustion, and Deo immediately came to her aid.


    ¡°What do you want from me, God of the Sky?¡±


    She asked in a weak voice. She felt dizzy, and her body ached all over. Her consciousness was slowly fading, and her vision was blurry. She couldn¡¯t stand on her feet for a moment longer. She was about to fall when Deo caught her in time.


    ¡°Please call me Deo.¡± He said as he effortlessly lifted her and carried her in his arms. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, brushing his silky golden locks. She stared blankly at him, and he laughed.


    ¡°I want to be your shield and your strength. Can you please tell me your name?¡± The God of the Sky knew her name already, but he wanted to hear it from her lips. She leaned closer to him and whispered her name to his ear as the fate of the world was forever altered by the girl from the river. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes and smiled. It was only the beginning of everything.


    <hr>


    ¡°¡­And they lived happily ever after.¡± The child¡¯s eyes twinkled at the end of the story. It was her first time hearing the tale, but she knew that from then on it would be her favorite bedtime story.


    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s the girl¡¯s name?¡± The child asked. Not once did her mother mention the name of the girl in the tale.


    ¡°I will tell you some other time, Ria .¡± The mother laughed seeing her daughter pout.


    She kissed her forehead and tucked her into bed. Her daughter fell asleep within minutes. Before the mother turned the lamp off, she stared at her young daughter¡¯s face and felt a surge of sadness well up inside her heart.She knew she did the right thing, which changing the end of the tale into something beautiful was best for her daughter. It was not because she wanted to hide the truth from her but because she loved her deeply that she wanted her to live a life not burdened by anyone or anything.


    Deep inside her, she knew that should have told her daughter what happened at the end of the girl¡¯s tale. She should have said to her that months after the world''s restoration, eighteen beasts appeared, wreaking havoc in their wake and thrusting the world into utter destruction.Three oceans vanished overnight, mountains cut in half, and almost all of humanity was wiped out on the face of the Earth. The peaceful world they have known ceased to exist. She turned the light off and stood to take her leave.


    ¡°Her name is Ria.¡± The mother whispered in the dark.


    She closed the door, and when she turned around, a scream was caught in her throat as she felt the length of a sword bore through her stomach. She fell on her knees and choked on her blood, clutching the hilt of the sword with her bloodied hands.


    Even as tears blurred her vision, she was still able to identify the royal crest on the hilt of the sword. Her eyes widened in shock, and all the blood in her body froze. They were here. They came to take her daughter away from her. Her killer¡¯s dark violet eyes and sweet smile were the last things she saw before she died.


    </a>

 Chapter One: The Third Prince of Illyria

    The royal palace of Illyria was buzzing with activities on the day of The King¡¯s Fair. Every person in the castle seemed to have their hands full of something. The palace maids were busy with cleaning and decorating the great hall for the Grand Royal Ball later in the evening. The cooks were also busy preparing the exquisite food to be served to the royal and noble families who will be attending tonight¡¯s dinner party.


    It seemed that the only person in the castle who didn¡¯t have his hands full of something was no other than the Third Prince of Illyria himself, Ren[1]</a> Clarendon, who was yawning on top of a tree in the palace¡¯s gardens.


    Ren was sleepy and bored to death. His attendant woke him up at the crack of dawn following orders from the King. He was having such a beautiful dream when the old man, Randy, woke him up.


    His dream was about a beautiful girl with black hair that was strikingly in contrast with her fair skin. Her eyes, fringed with long and dark lashes, were the color of the clear sky on a fine day.


    Ren was lost in his thoughts daydreaming about the raven-haired beauty when he heard a shout from one of the guards.


    ¡°Here he is! Your Highness, please come down.¡±


    ¡°Nope. I won¡¯t and I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    He was already thirteen but he still spoke like the spoiled brat that he was. Everyone in the palace still treated him like a baby just because he was the third prince.


    He was sick of it! Why can¡¯t they treat him like his older brother, Riven? Sure, Riven was 3 years older than him but still, it wasn¡¯t fair.


    Riven<sup><sup>[2]</sup></sup></a> Clarendon was the Second Prince of Illyria. He was born with all the blessings heaven had to offer. He was of royal blood, smart, skilled in everything, and blessed with good looks that even in sixteen, captured the hearts of every woman he happened to look upon too.


    Ren, however, was still treated and scolded like a little kid who didn¡¯t know a thing or two about life. He snorted at the thought of the many times he was scolded just because he got his clothes dirty or his boots caked with mud.


    While Riven was treated like the prince that he was. People in the palace admired his older brother, even the common people of the kingdom. Matrons from noble families wanted Riven to marry their daughters. That was how great Prince Riven Clarendon was.


    ''Now, where is Riven?''He thought to himself. Thinking about Riven suddenly made him curious of his whereabouts.


    Ren always played pranks on Riven and not once, in all the nasty and stupid pranks that he pulled on him, did he see his brother got flustered, annoyed, or seriously angry with him.


    He was thinking of yet another prank to pull on The Great Prince Riven of Illyria. This time for sure, he will make Riven cry running to the King. Thinking about Riven filled his head with evil and mischievous thoughts and at the same time, made his blood boil that he forgot he was already making his way down from the tree to go look for him.


    His eyes were gleaming with mischief as he was mumbling to himself and fuming with jealousy about how unfair life was to him when suddenly, two guards carried him off right after his feet landed on the ground.


    ¡°Hey! Put me down, you jerks!¡± Ren shouted at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Now, now, Prince Ren. Please stay calm and let the guards carry you to your room. You haven¡¯t taken a bath yet and your cousins are due to arrive in an hour.¡± Randy said while glancing at his big, round pocket watch that most old people seemed to carry in the palace.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Shut up, Randy! I¡¯ll charge you with treason and you¡¯ll go to prison very soon. I¡¯m sure of it!¡± Ren was wiggling his body as he was carried off by the guards through the hallway to his room.


    If looks could kill, the attendant would have already been dead with the way Ren was staring daggers at him. Randy was used to Ren¡¯s empty threats that all of it just fell on deaf ears.


    Then, a deep hearty chuckle made Ren look away from the poor bullied attendant. It came from his older brother, Johann<sup><sup>[3]</sup></sup></a>, the First Prince of Illyria and the successor to the throne.


    Johann was lounging on the chair, sipping his tea and reading a book on the balcony. Randy and the two guards stopped on their tracks and greeted the prince.


    ¡°Come now, little brother. You wouldn¡¯t seriously charge Randy with treason just because he wanted you to take a bath, would you? I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t even know what that word means.¡± Johann laughed again and the sound of it grated on Ren¡¯s nerves.


    ¡°Aarghh! Johann! Cut it out. Stop laughing. I¡¯M REALLY ANGRY HERE, YOU KNOW!¡±


    Ren was shouting like crazy at his older brother who clutched his stomach and burst out laughing instead. He was scowling so hard by the time Johann stopped laughing.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. That won¡¯t happen again, but make sure you take a bath, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ren conceded.


    Johann was the only person in the world who could make Ren obey and that¡¯s because he was the only person he listened to, not even their father, the King himself could make him obey.


    Ren admired his older brother so much that he would do anything to please him. A complete opposite from his feelings towards his second older brother, Riven.


    ¡°Guards, please put down my little brother. He is old enough to walk on his own.¡± Ren stuck his tongue out to the guards.


    ¡°¡­and next time, Randy, please report to me if Ren is not behaving well. He doesn¡¯t listen to anybody other than me. Even father couldn¡¯t get through to that thick skull of his.¡±


    ¡°Very well then, Your Highness.¡± Randy bowed to the First Prince.


    ¡°Thank you, Randy. You may leave us now.¡± Randy and the guards took their leave, leaving Ren in the care of the First Prince.


    For Ren, Johann was greater than Riven. He vowed to become like him and take his role in the kingdom. Johann was nineteen years old,three years older than Riven and six years older than him but he was already too mature and wise for his age.


    Johann turned to Ren and ruffled his silver hair. It was his way of showing affection to him and Ren was glad that Johann cared deeply for him.


    ¡°Ren, I want you to stop acting like a brat now, do you understand me? You are the Third Prince of Illyria, you will rule this kingdom one day and being treated as less is simply unacceptable so you must act accordingly from now own. Earn the respect you deserve, okay little brother?".


    Ren looked intently at Johann¡¯s deep blue eyes. He knew very well that this time, Johann was serious with him. It wasn¡¯t always that his brother lectured him like this. Johann wasn¡¯t around the palace very often and so he always avoided lecturing him at all cost.


    ¡°Yes, big brother. I understand.¡± Ren replied with sincerity in his voice.


    ¡°Good. Well then, I still have things to do. You must take a bath now. You can go outside the palace later to enjoy the fair. I will send one of my knights to escort you to the city. But only after, you take a bath.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, big brother!¡± Ren smiled for the first time in that day with his eyes twinkling with excitement. It wasn¡¯t every day that he was allowed to go outside of the palace, especially to visit the city. This was a good way to spend the rest of the day and enjoy The King¡¯s Fair.


    Ren hurriedly went to his room and a large bath filled with hot water, prepared by Randy, was already waiting for him there. He thought about all the exciting things he would see later in the city. Completely forgetting his schemes for his older brother, Riven.


    <hr>


    ¡°¡­to you, my love, three thousand years in the future. We vowed never to part. Even death nor any force in the universe couldn¡¯t tear us apart. The gods in heaven envied us. Our hearts were one and our souls were bound for eternity, intertwined by fate and destined to meet again. You were my strength and my shield. So why, my love, why did you betray me?¡±


    [1]</a> Ren is a name of Japanese origin that means ¡°love¡±.


    [2]</a> Riven is a name of Greek origin that means ¡°to tear down¡±.


    [3]</a> Johann is a Germanized name of Hebrew origin that means ¡°God is merciful¡±.

 Chapter Two: The Girl from the Fair

    It was in the middle of summer and the city was bursting with excitement. The heat didn¡¯t really bother her just as much as it did to the other folks walking on the paved streets of the capital city of Illyria. Food, drinks, and merchandise were everywhere around the city.


    The people of Illyria were brimming with happiness because today, was their King¡¯s fair. She didn¡¯t really know what it meant but from what she saw, it was some kind of a celebration. Although she wasn¡¯t exactly sure what they were celebrating for.


    Maybe it was the king¡¯s birthday? Or a new king¡¯s coronation day? Well, it didn¡¯t really matter for her. She was there to look for someone and she needed to find that person quickly before she ran out of time.


    The girl ran until she ran out of breath when suddenly, she crashed into a person and were both knocked over due to the force of their collision. She was still blinking the stars out of her vision when she saw an outstretched hand.


    She took it and was pulled up by a boy who was a few centimeters taller than her. She stared up and saw the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. The boy¡¯s eyes were violet with flecks of gray in it and they were mesmerizing.


    She was staring intently into his eyes that she didn¡¯t notice she was pulling on his front shirt to make him lean down and make up for their difference in height.


    ¡°Uhm, what are you doing?¡± The boy asked awkwardly.


    ¡°Your eyes, they¡¯re so pretty. I want to touch them.¡±


    The girl inched her face closer towards the boy¡¯s face. She didn¡¯t know what this feeling was but it felt like she had already seen those pretty eyes before. But if she did, then surely she would¡¯ve remembered them.


    The young boy blinked his eyes a few times and it brought her back to reality. She quickly loosened her grip on his front shirt. He grabbed her hands to keep her balance since she still felt wobbly due to the crash.


    She noticed that they were somehow closer in age. She was ten years old and from the looks of the boy, she guessed he was about two or three years older than her. His silver hair gleamed under the heat of the midday summer sun.


    ¡°Please, forgive me. I¡¯m really sorry for crashing into you.¡± She bowed in apology to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It was partly my fault too since I wasn¡¯t looking my way.¡± The boy shrugged it off.


    ¡°Oh, okay. I have to go now. Bye!¡± She hurriedly ran off and disappeared into the crowd.


    ¡®Well, that was weird.¡¯ Ren thought to himself. He was only running fast earlier because he wanted to get away from the knight that Johann assigned to escort him around the city.


    Ren didn¡¯t want someone watching over him. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy the festivities if someone was constantly eyeing his actions and besides, Illyria¡¯s capital city was one of the safest cities in the world.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    He was casually walking around the city when a thought suddenly occurred to him. Earlier, when he saw the girl¡¯s face right after they crashed into each other, there was this feeling at the back of his mind that somehow, he had already seen the girl before.


    Ren stopped in his tracks. People were looking at him and he didn¡¯t notice them because he was completely immersed and lost in his thoughts.


    ¡®Where have I met her before?¡¯He mused.


    He racked his brain searching for the girl¡¯s face in one of his memories. It didn¡¯t take long for him to remember the girl, because she was the girl he dreamt of last night.


    ¡®What the hell? Is this for real? Am I still dreaming or what?¡¯


    Ren pinched his cheek and squatted in the middle of the street. He was getting getting the attention of the people passing around him but was still clueless of it.


    The girl was young but there was no mistaking it. She was really the girl who appeared in his dream last night. She had the same long black hair and he remembered her eyes, they were blue like the clear skies on a sunny day.


    Her skin was fair in complexion but it was also kind of pale earlier. But still, the girl was gorgeous! Everything about her face was perfect.


    Her cute straight nose, her almond-shaped eyes, and her pink lips. She was every bit of the beautiful girl he dreamt of last night. She was a bit too young though. She was still a little girl to be exact.


    Ren was in the same position when the knight found him in the center of the city. People openly stared at him and when he looked up, he was shocked to find a large crowd gathering around him.


    ¡°Your Highness! Are you alright?¡± The knight asked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay. I was just thinking about something.¡±


    He stood up and continued walking casually when he heard murmurs coming from the crowd.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s the Third Prince.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know the youngest prince was this handsome.¡±


    ¡°He looks nothing like his older brother, Prince Riven.¡±


    ¡°He resembles Prince Johann!¡±


    Ren didn¡¯t want to hear their comments about him any longer. He wasn¡¯t allowed to go to the city that much so most of the people in Illyria didn¡¯t recognize him but today was different, it seemed like they couldn¡¯t hide their curiosity about him.


    He walked briskly this time to avoid the curious stares of the people around him. His cover was completely blown. So much for hoping to have a little fun in the city.


    Ren went back disappointed. He was inside the carriage when he saw the girl again, climbing up the wall of the palace.


    ¡®What the hell is she doing? She¡¯s going to break her bones if she falls.¡¯


    Ren stopped the carriage and hurriedly went to the girl. He saw her mumbling softly to herself while trying her best not to fall.


    ¡°Hey!¡± He called out to her.


    The girl was startled and he approached her hoping she wouldn¡¯t fall.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come near me!¡± The girl shouted.


    ¡°Why? You¡¯re going to hurt yourself.¡± Ren replied and ran towards the girl.


    ¡°I said no!¡± The girl insisted.


    ¡°Come down now or else I¡¯ll call the guards to bring you down.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes widened in alarm. Ren looked up and was about to climb the wall when something heavy landed on him. The brat threw her bag at his face. Ren fell on his back and she shouted at him.


    ¡°I told you not to come near me because you¡¯re going to see my panties! You pervert!¡± The little girl burst out in anger.


    Ren sat dumbfounded for a moment. My gods! The brat sounded exactly like him. He could recognize a brat anywhere when he saw one.


    He was massaging his forehead when he heard the little girl scream. He looked up and saw the girl falling to the ground.


    <hr>


    "...I can still remember the vow we made. You said you''d protect me and cherish me for eternity. Where are you, my love? I have been waiting. My heart is breaking and my body is hurting. Where are you, my love? It''s so dark and lonely in here. Why have you left me here all alone?"

 Chapter Three: A Night of Celebration

    Ren adjusted his position to cushion the fall of the girl. In the briefest second, he felt his body being crushed to the ground. It wasn¡¯t enough that she threw her bag at his face. She just had to land on his whole body too.


    The girl fell unconscious and the guards immediately came to their aid. There wasn¡¯t a single scratch on his body, just his clothes getting rumpled and dirty. On the other hand, the girl¡¯s ankle was wounded by a jagged rock protruding from the ground.


    They took the girl to the palace¡¯s infirmary. He was thankful she didn¡¯t have any broken bones and that he managed to save her from a bad concussion. That¡¯s because he shielded her head with his arms. He looked at the girl sleeping on the bed with a serene expression on her face. She was so young and innocent.


    After saving her and seeing her sleeping soundly, he had this sudden urge to protect her and shield her from all the bad things in life. He thought that she deserved to live only under the light of the sun and away from the darkness of the world.


    The girl was a stranger to him and yet he wondered to himself why he was having these protective thoughts about her. His train of thought was brought back to reality when the girl stirred in her sleep.


    ¡°Big brother¡­¡±


    The words were whispered faintly but the sunset breeze carried it clearly to Ren¡¯s ears. He felt sad for her. The girl was calling for her big brother in her sleep. She probably missed him and needed his comfort at this time.


    Ren suddenly remembered the times when he was sick with fever and he would call out to his older brother, Johann, in his dream and when he woke up, he''d find his brother sitting beside his bed. He knew how the girl felt.


    The sun was about to set in the horizon and Ren gently patted the girl¡¯s cheek. He needed to wake her up and ask her where her home was so that they could take her there safely.


    The girl opened her eyes and slowly blinked a few times, clearing the cloud from her vision. She looked at Ren and he stared back at her.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± The girl finally asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re in the palace¡¯s infirmary.¡± Ren answered.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The girl tried to move her right leg and winced at the sudden burst of pain from her wounded ankle. The wound was already cleaned and wrapped in bandages.


    ¡°Why did you climb the wall?¡± Ren asked after a brief silence.


    The girl bowed her head and tears fell from her eyes. Ren¡¯s eyes widened. He didn¡¯t know what he said that made her cry. Maybe because her ankle was hurting?


    ¡°Please, don''t cry. I¡¯m sorry. Does your ankle hurt?¡± He asked gently.


    ¡°Yes. But that¡¯s not why I¡¯m crying.¡± The girl said, trying to keep her tears at bay.


    ¡°Then what is it?¡± Ren offered his handkerchief to the girl and she took it with a faint mumble of gratitude.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for my brother.¡± She replied.


    ¡°So you think he¡¯s here in the palace?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    At that moment, Ren decided that he was going to help the girl find her older brother. He thought about asking Randy for help first.


    He assisted her out of the bed and placed his coat around her to protect her from the cold since it was night time already. The girl was wearing a blue summer dress and her feet were clad in boots.


    She was limping when they got out of the infirmary and Ren couldn¡¯t stand seeing her with a painful expression on her face. So he carried her in his arms and he was shocked at how light she was. She protested at first but then allowed him to carry her to ease the pain. They were going to find her brother and so they needed to find his loyal attendant first.


    They walked down the hallway with her arms wrapped around his neck. The girl was silent and he thought she was asleep.


    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± The girl asked, surprising him.


    ¡°Yeah sure. What is it?¡± Ren answered casually.


    ¡°What is the King¡¯s Fair?¡±


    Ren didn¡¯t expect that kind of question. Everybody in Illyria knew what the King¡¯s Fair was. Her question implied that she wasn¡¯t from Illyria.


    ¡°The King¡¯s Fair is a tradition in Illyria. It¡¯s a celebration that falls on the birthday of the king. It¡¯s like a double celebration in the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The girl buried her face into his neck and was about to close her eyes when a burst of color exploded in the sky. They were fireworks.


    She watched in awe through the large glass window of the hallway as different colors exploded and faded into the night sky.


    Ren noticed her reaction and so he brought her to the tallest part of the castle, the clock tower. He held her in his arms as she watched the display of colors light up the starry sky. Her eyes were filled with wonder and amazement. Ren thought she was more beautiful than the fireworks.


    ¡°My name is Ren Clarendon. What¡¯s yours?¡±


    He realized that he didn¡¯t know that name of the girl yet.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ria.¡±


    ¡®Ria¡­ What a beautiful name.¡¯ Hethought to himself.


    When the display was over, they decided to go back inside the palace. They were about to turn around when he saw a huge, dark smoke from the corner of his eye, coming from the direction of the grand hall where the Royal Ball was being held.


    Ria saw it too and a second later, the emergency alarm echoed throughout the palace. Ren carried Ria tightly in his arms and dashed off to the grand hall with his heart beating wildly in his chest.

 Chapter Four: The Heir of Illyria

    The scene that welcomed him was so gruesome that he covered his mouth upon seeing the dead, mutilated bodies of the guests on the floor. The grand hall was engulfed in flames and at the center of it were his two older brothers.


    ¡°Riven!¡± Ria called out Riven¡¯s name and broke free from Ren.


    Riven looked in their direction and Ren couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. His older brother, Riven, the Second Prince of Illyria, looked bruised and beaten, and was wielding a sword in his right hand.


    In front of him, was his opponent ¨C Johann, the First Prince of Illyria. Johann was covered with blood and in his right hand was a sword coated with dried blood.


    Ren stood motionless on the floor. He couldn¡¯t stop Ria when she ran towards Riven. He was having a hard time processing in his mind what was happening in front of him.


    ¡°Riven!¡± Ria yelled as she approached Riven.


    ¡°No, Ria don¡¯t come! Stay away from here!¡± Riven yelled in response.


    It all happened in a split second, Riven took his eyes away from Johann for a moment and Ren saw Johann¡¯s sword descending upon Riven who was distracted by Ria.


    He didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but his feet carried him towards their direction. He ran as fast as he could to try and stop Johann from killing Riven. This was bad. It wasn¡¯t just a friendly spar between his brothers. Johann¡¯s intention was to kill Riven!


    There was no time for his brother to avoid the attack and so he threw himself in front of him and in that exact moment, he heard Ria scream.


    ¡°NO, DON¡¯T!!!¡±


    A silver light appeared from where she stood, it shot upwards, past through the high-ceiling, and straight to the sky. Ren was momentarily blinded. The silver light was so bright that it swallowed the grand hall.


    After a few seconds, the light ebbed but a faint glow still remained. When he opened his eyes, she saw Ria bathe in a brilliant silver light with her eyes closed.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°Johann, why did you¡­¡±


    Ren fell on his knees and clutched the hilt of the sword embedded on his chest. He couldn¡¯t believe that Johann impaled him with a sword. With his eyes wide in shock, he looked at him and his blood froze in his veins.


    The Johann in front of him had a face devoid of any emotion. He looked like a completely different person. Gone was the gentle look in his face. His aqua blue eyes were as cold as ice.


    ¡°Johann, you bastard!¡± Riven raised his sword against their older brother.


    Johann removed the sword from his younger brother¡¯s chest and Ren felt the sickening pain and sensation of the sword sliding against his bone and flesh.


    The two princes continued their attacks on each other. Ren coughed up an enormous amount of blood. Johann missed his heart a few inches but it was still a fatal wound.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with you, Johann? You stabbed Father and Ren and killed everyone. You¡¯ve gone mad!¡± Riven screamed at Johann while avoiding another strike.


    Ren¡¯s vision was getting blurry and his chest hurt so much that breathing was painful. He was lying in a pool of his own blood. He could hear the clash of swords and Riven¡¯s angry voice. Johann wasn¡¯t speaking a word. He wondered if that person was really his brother.


    Ren knew he was going to die at any moment. He didn¡¯t have much time left. His eyelids felt heavy and he couldn¡¯t seem to hear the sounds around him anymore. He thought that dying wasn¡¯t scary at all when you want to protect a person you care for.


    His life flashed in front of him. He remembered the happy times he spent with his family and the pranks he pulled on Riven. He remembered the sweet voice of his mother and the warmth of his father when suddenly, a voice called out to him.


    ¡°Ren! Ren! Please wake up. I will perform a spell on you and this spell will exchange my life for yours. Live, Ren. Live your life to the fullest and protect the people of this kingdom. I leave everything in your hands. I have faith in you, my son. Your mother and I have always been proud of you.¡±


    Alaric Clarendon, the King of Illyria, crawled his way to his youngest son with a hole in his chest. Ren was overwhelmed with a strong emotion hearing his father¡¯s voice. He wanted to run into his arms and fall asleep, just like the old times, wishing that this was just a bad dream.


    Ren felt his father¡¯s cold hands on his chest. He heard him chanting some kind of a spell but he couldn¡¯t clearly make out the words. Then slowly, Ren felt warmth coursing through his veins. He felt the sensation of the wound on his chest closing by itself. His strength slowly came back and he didn¡¯t feel any pain at all.


    He opened his eyes and saw his father¡¯s gentle face. They had the same hair and eye color. He closely resembled his father among the three princes.


    ¡°Ren, listen to me. Ria is your sister. Take care of her.¡±


    The King of Illyria took his last breath. Ren¡¯s tears fell as if a water dam was opened inside him. He was still disoriented but he hugged his father¡¯s body and wept like a child.