The Imperial Guards arrived to help the wounded, and collect the remains of the dead. All they saw was the profound brutality of the battle — the aftermath of the clash that would forever haunt their history.

They suddenly stumbled on a survivor and asked him what happened. The survivor could barely speak but tries to tell them of what happened. His last words were truly dreadful and they sent one of them for Imperial Palace to deliver the alarming message.

The Imperial Council along with the Archbishop, the advisor to the King, had been discussing small matter in the northern region of Malatur’Aren with the Imperial King Madarick present.

“My liege, a mining town was devastated by a flood a day ago due to nonstop rain. We need to rehabilitate the town as soon as possible,” said one of the councilors.

“What is the impact of this to our iron ore production?” asked the Archbishop.

“Well, as per estimate by the capital of the region, Larinksod, due to what had happened, they are only producing at eighty-percent output,” the councilor answered.

“My King, may I suggest that we start rehabilitating the town immediately?” the Archbishop suggested to the King. He noticed that the King did not look well, but paid no attention to it.

“Command the governor of Malatur’Aren to send food rations, along with the building materials needed to restore the town as fast as possible. Make sure as well that irrigation or flood ways be built around the town,” commanded the King.

“At once your grace,” said councilor and wrote it down on his piece of paper.

The Archbishop read from his paper as well, “Next up is the—“

The doors of the throne room opened wide as a guard rushed to the King – He is stopped by the palace guards but the King allowed him to approach.

“My King! My King!” yelled the guard before falling to the floor. King Madarick approached the guard and helped him up.

“What is it? Speak.” said the king as he returned to his throne as the guard spoke.

“The Prince! The Prince has betrayed us! He has joined the remaining Xerxecian army upon their retreat. Sire, a survivor told me that he attacked the imperial army just when our forces were on the brink of victory,” said the guard and the room went to entire disarray as they heard the guard’s message.

The King was dumbfounded and heartbroken of what the guard has reported.

“This is absolutely unacceptable,” the Archbishop said in complete frustration. “My King, the Prince must be found at all cost! He knows every secret passage in the empire! He could launch another attack and maybe this time—”

The King tried to stand up from his throne but suddenly collapsed, startling everyone in the room. The guards scrambled rushed the King to his chambers. Some follow the guards as they carry the stricken King. The Archbishop remained in the throne room with disgust in his face along with some members of the council that remained in the room.

“This is very unacceptable,” said the Archbishop in a pent-up voice.

“What do we do now Archbishop Menoich?” asked one of the councilors.

“The King is stricken right at his very heart by his son. No one is left to temporarily take his place.” he said, looking at the councilors.

“What do you have in mind, Menoich?” another asked.

“The daughter of the king is currently in the Remolussium region for her studies,” the room and the people thought of what to do, and then Menoich continued. “There is nothing left to do but for me to temporarily lead the Empire out of this impending storm. The king needs rest. His heir deserted his fatherland, and his daughter is still unfit to rule. I, Archbishop Menoich Anarchu, declare myself to be the prime minister of the Trasidar Empire for the time being. To hold and control the interests of the Empire, the fatherland.” He said it with much confidence painted on his face.

Small chatter erupts in the room and Menoich spoke again without hesitation, “Those who agree said Aye.”

Murmurs started again in the room and when everybody stopped, one by one, they answered. “Aye.” They agreed on the archbishop’s proposal and started clapping and chanting his name again and again until finally he halted them all and silences the room. They had no choice. In the Empire’s dark day someone has to step up, and they saw it in Menoich. He approached the throne, turned around.

“As my first decree, we will send all our diplomats to the rest of the west kingdoms. Tell them what happened today and tell them we need help,” ordered Menoich.

A councilor interrupted him and said, “We still have forces in the northern and southern regions of our territories, they are enough to defend us.”

The Archbishop grinned with unknown intentions, “We need help in securing our borders and our people. But with the threat that has just risen which we all know we can’t contain ourselves, we need more than that,” he said as he gazed upon the worried councilors, guards and servants in the room. “We need their help to assassinate the Prince.”

Everyone in the room was horrified by the idea.

“Are you mad? He is the last remaining heir to the throne,” someone objected.

The smile on Menoich’s face was washed with fury and rage, “He has deserted us! He has become a threat to the empire. He has sided with the enemy that can rival our strength other than the High Kingdom! That kind of problem needs to be terminated immediately!”

The room drowned in silence as he sat down on the throne. He was right. Prince Tamiron was the one who made the Imperial Army most formidable. With him as an enemy, and with the Xerxecians forces, who knew what could happen next.

Menoich calmed down and continued with his proposal, “Tell them that we need their best warriors. Best princes or princesses or someone strong enough to take him down. And judging on what happened in that battle, I said we need them all.”

Everyone murmured again but this time, they indifferently agreed to the plan. Everyone hurried on the Archbishop’s first orders. All the best diplomats were to be sent throughout the inner kingdoms as ordered by the Archbishop – now Prime Minister.

All hope had been put on to every individual diplomat in the success of the mission and the safety of the Empire. It now depended with their way with words and how the Kings and other realm Lords would agree to the conditions put up by the newly appointed Prime Minister.

Days grew longer as the situation in the empire had become more hopeless by the weeks that passed. The story of the Xerxecian attack and that they had grabbed much of the imperial territory of Huertian buzzed across the land. To make matters worse, the army was led by the traitor Prince himself, and is now referred to as the Red Prince. In the following weeks, the Archbishop ordered the evacuation of the enduring outer regions and brought them to the capital region of Barceneim.

The Prince had given the empire its most difficult time yet as he attacked the empire on a daily basis. Starvation plagues the different parts of the empire and civil unrest broke out of several cities. The Archbishop prayed to the Gods and Animos to know what to do next to stop the brewing pandemonium.

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Several weeks passed and good news finally arrived at the empire as the first diplomat reached his destination to their longtime ally the “Maroon Orderian.” The diplomat felt exhausted in his travel. With no time for breaks, Mosolei Maktu, now faced the wizards in their round council room. The lower ranking councilors sat near the bottom and the high ranking councilors just above them, with the High Wizard at the very top and center of the councilors.

“The Trasidar Empire, the strongest kingdom in the west continent of Arumar – Home of Unibeltrasia, has a dire message to tell the remaining realms. Our Prince Tamiron has betrayed us and chose to rebel against the Empire. We are now calling out the strongest and the mightiest of warriors that the seven kingdoms have to offer, to help us take out the Red Prince. This is not only for the safety of the Empire, but also for the safety of the western kingdoms.” Mosolei Maktu declared.

A high ranking wizard, adorned with silver bracelets and a large silver necklace with a blue gem at the end, stoos up and questioned the diplomat, “You come here, bringing up that you are the strongest kingdom and yet you require our help? Is the empire on the brink of a civil war? Does the red prince really pose such a threat? Why not do it on your own may I ask?”

“The Prince is the strongest amongst the entire army of the empire combined. He crippled more than half of the army in one swing. If he takes out the empire then soon enough, all the remaining kingdoms will fall along with it.”

Before the wizard could deliver his answer, Mosolei added another statement of his own, “And may we remind you, Orderians, the land you are claiming to be yours is a little gift from the Trasidars. We gave it to you- as a token of friendship and everlasting peace between our people.” The wizard started to sweat under pressure and is forced to sit down again. “If we gave it to you, we can certainly take it back either by peaceful talks or, by force. We will not take no for an answer for this is of utmost importance,”

“But killing him without any proper hearing is injustice by itself,” pointed out one of the low ranking wizards adorned only in silver bracelets with no gems.

“Even with what he has done, the Prince deserves to explain himself in front of the Imperial Court and Council. Killing him would only state that we are still barbaric, and uncivilized, people.” he added, winning over the council.

“Letting him speak after what he has done is a complete negligence and disregard of what he did. The Prime Minister will no longer require a trial. The Red Prince will be killed on the spot and his body paraded in the streets of Tamara. That decision is final,” the diplomat said firmly. Deep inside he is opposed to it, but he had no choice but to convince the council.

The council started to consider the Empire’s plea. The Council discussed among themselves as some stood up to go talk to the others in hushed tones. Mosolei only looked around, looked at them, as they make their decision. The wizards then went back to their places and the high wizard once again stood up.

“The council has yet to conclude. We will give this the appropriate time it needs to come to a decision. For the mean time, you shall be accompanied to your room until we come up with an answer to your call.”

Mosolei sighed, but bowed to the high wizard in respect and was escorted by the guards to his temporary room.

Argument stormed at the leave of the diplomat.

“How can they said such things at a time like this? The Imperial Council is holding us by the neck I tell you!” said one of the council wizards.

“Trasidars have access to everything we can do and I said absolutely everything! Asking too much once again, they could drain our own forces if they continue to behave like this!”

“That kind of behavior should not be tolerated further!” the arguments continued.

“We have to be honest here. The Imperial Army is taking too much of our forces, – resulting to our own regiment serve the Empire. But without their sheer number and strength, we would have fallen a long time ago in the Last Old War.After that time, they have become the very wall of the Western Kingdoms,” said one of the high ranking councilors.

“Not to mention that the prediction of King Madarick has now come true. They have been preparing for years. Only we, and the Mystic Falcons have prepared with them. Now that they are at the very doorstep of the people who gave us a land we can call our home. Now is the time for us to return the favor,” added another.

“However, this doesn’t grant them authority to take one of our own yet again!”

“They are not taking, they are requesting. There is a difference there councilor. I might have to ask you to read a book,” another councilor pointed out, getting a small giggle from some of the councilors.

The high wizard stood up, “This meeting is now over, we shall discuss this tomorrow at mid-day. You may leave now.”

The councilors left the room but still talked about what to do in this situation.

The high wizard sat down again and held his head in his hand. Another wizard entered the room with a cape and on her side a wand mace, one of the wizard’s primary weapons.

She held the high wizard by the shoulders and said, “My Theodore, we can’t send her yet. She’s too young.”

Theodore looked into his wife’s face, and smiles with a hint of doubt. “Sonia, we don’t have a choice. She can do it,” he said.

“I believe in her. I believe in our daughter. She can take this. She can handle this. My love, she’s a survivor. And she’s the special one amongst our people who will lead us out from the darkness and into the light.”

“Don’t said that again. You know I can’t bear the thought of it, ” Sonia said while sobbing.

“I can’t deal with it too Sonia but we have to accept facts. She’s the One. She is destined to be in this battle, to save Unibeltrasia. My love we have to.” The only thing Sonia did is to cry and just to accept the task for her daughter. Theodore hugs her tightly in his arms to comfort his wife, “It’s going to be okay Sonia. It’s going to be okay.”

Dawn came outside Castle Sanctum, the main castle of the Orderian and was situated in the center of the city of stone and towers. Giant crystals hovered around the three highest towers in the city. Shattering glass echoed and a loud voice casting spells thundered along with the wind that swayed the leaves of the trees.

“Maybe we should take a break. Let’s take a short break, your highness,” said an instructor.

“No! Again. I’m not going to stop until I master this shield spell,” shouted the female student, then casted her spell and a big pink sheet appeared in the air just meters away from her. The instructor sighed, and casted another spell. It was an offensive spell and a strong one. It hits the pink shield the other made, shattering it instantly and threw the student several feet away.

“Princess, are you alright? Are you hurt? I am sorry that was a very strong spell I shouldn’t—”

The princess stopped her and groaned, “It’s okay. Now let’s do it again.”

“My daughter,” they are interrupted by her mother in their practice, “the instructor is right. You should rest because you’re straining not only your body, but your mind as well.”

She said as she walked towards them, “My dear Evangeline.”

“Mother!” she ran to Sonia and hugged her so tight.

Evangeline Ressei, was the daughter of Theodore and Sonia Ressei, rulers of the Maroon Orderian. She had a pleasant look that radiates like those of a flower under sunshine with her long, black silky hair and fair, white skin. Her eyes can be mistaken for red sapphire gems. Her lips were as red as the most beautiful rose and as bright as the sweetest of apples. Her kindness towards others was her greatest trait. However, her powers were different from the others. It was stronger and harder to control, making her feel more different and a bit insecure of herself. Hence, she had difficulty controlling her spells and even conjuring the easiest ones. But still she managed.

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Midday arrived and the councilors were inside the council room. The council called for the diplomat and discussed certain matters until they get into the topic from yesterday. Who will the Order send to the secret meeting place for the assassination of the now dubbed The Red Prince?

“You have promised me your answer to our call. Who will the Order dispatch for this perilous mission, councilors?” the imperial diplomat asked as little chattering started.

The high wizard Theodore stood up and announced, “I have decided that we will send my daughter, Evangeline Ressei to be one of the seven warriors.” The entire council was dumbfounded, even Moselei.

“Why are you sending your own daughter? Why not the youngest member of your council? He is stronger than your daughter. Explain to me your reasons High Wizard,” Moselei stared at the high wizard as he and everyone in the room waited for an explanation.

“My friend, if I explain this now it will not make any sense to you. But let me tell you this: take my word for this one now and you’ll see,” Theodore said in a calm voice.

“I am conflicted whether to accept this or not. Are you absolutely certain about this?” Moselei asked again as he tried to reassure the high wizard’s decision.

“I am sure of it my friend. Your Prime Minister will be pleased when he hears the result after this mission is over.” Theodore added and sat back.

The diplomat’s eyes dilated, “You mean to tell me that you accept that your daughter, whom you love the most in this world, may die during this mission? A mission where there’s no guarantee that she might make it or not? A mission where you may not see your daughter, ever again?”

But Theodore said no more and the only thing he did was look straight into Moselei’s eyes, implicating his certainty. Still confused on Theodore’s decision, Moselei thought for a moment that he might be on to something and that Theodore didn’t want to said anything further.

Moselei asked, “Does she know about this?”

Theodore answered immediately, “I shall tell her tomorrow dear friend and then she will come with you later that day.”

“Then we have an agreement. Prepare the princess tomorrow for our departure. I wish to return to my quarters now,” Moselei bowed down to the high wizard and the others before leaving the room.

“Are you sure about your decision, Theodore?” asked one of the councilors.

“Yes. I thought this over countless of times last night. I said she can handle this on her own. You may leave now, all of you. Go have the rest of the day for yourselves.”

The councilors said their regards and left the council room. Sonia came in again and holds her husband by his arm.

“Are you sure? When are we going to tell her about this?” Sonia asked with a little shaking in her voice.

“Tonight. We will tell her tonight,” he answered.

“But this is so soon. It will surprise her,” she added as she gripped both his arms now.

“She can handle this, Sonia,” Theodore said as she embraced her.

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Just outside her room, Evangeline looked up into the clear starry night sky, with the moon in its full, lighting up the sky. Evangeline stared at it with curiosity. The door slowly opened as her mother entered the room.

“My daughter, come here. I got something important to tell you,” Sonia told her.

Her daughter approached her in glee. They embraced each other and sat together on the bed. “My daughter, you are going on a long trip. On a quest to save Unibeltrasia.”

Evangeline is confused with what her mother said. “Mother, I don’t understand,” she said shaking as her eyes became watery and her mother started to cry as well. Her father entered the room. Theodore explained everything that was happening and what the Empire wanted to happen. Evangeline held back the tears for what she heard as her mother tried hard to be strong in front of her only child.

Evangeline’s eyes shed tears again and she stood up from the bed. “What are you trying to said? I don’t want to leave!” she stuttered. “I don’t want to leave the Sanctum mother, father. This is my home. I won’t accept that.”

She dropped to the floor and her mother knelt down in front of her, hugged her, “My daughter, this is for your own good. Please listen to us.”

Evangeline would not want to leave and she kept screaming while her mother tried to calm her down. Her father, who couldn’t bear to see his daughter cry, casted a spell to put her to sleep and laid her down to bed. Sonia stared at her daughter as she cried.

Theodore put his arms around Sonia and said, “She will understand this tomorrow my dear. Let us get some sleep.” Sonia kept crying even when they left Evangeline’s room and into their bed chamber. He looks at her and apologizes to her. He too starts to cry in what will be, the final night their family will be together.

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Outside, in the forest beyond Sanctum walls, three assassins from Xerxecia slipped through the Orderian defenses. They slowly approached the first outer gate. The two guards were unaware of the presence of the enemy. Completely off-guard, their throats were quickly slit and both dropped dead to the ground. From there, the assassins hastened themselves to approach the main Sanctum Castle that was only a mile away.

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The next day, Moselei and Evangeline, prepared for a long trip to the meeting place. Everyone was busy on the farewell gifts for the diplomat.

“Everything must be in order and prepared well, am I clear?” one shouted.

“Yes Milady,” the maids answer.

Sonia and Theodore helped Evangeline down with her baggage. On their way, a thick fog outside the front garden suddenly crept into the courtyard. The guards were puzzled and they look at each other.

“You, check the other— uggghhh!” the guard’s throat was slit. One by one the guards at the castle gate fell down.

Sonia and Theodore along with Evangeline approached the carriage. A maid noticed the fog and opened her mouth to warn them when a flying dagger struck her in the back and everyone started screaming. Theodore, Sonia and the others surrounded Evangeline to protect her.

“Princess, get in the carriage now!” Moselei shouted as he climbed the carriage.

“Evangeline go with him now! We will hold them here!” bellowed her father.

The fog enveloped the entire front garden and maroon colored lights with static sounds came into the scene. Evangeline was stunned and unable to move as the guard protecting her was struck down.

“Ourus Raveignon!” Theodore casted a fire spiral around them, removing the thick fog and revealing their three enemies.

“Sain’triet!” Sonia casted a lightning spell and quickly took out one of the assassins. The remaining assassins dispersed into the fog and a blade suddenly struck Theodore on the chest. Sonia screamed her husband’s name as she rushes to his aid when she too was struck in the back by the assassins.

Evangeline was alarmed by the sight before her eyes. She knelt to the ground in grief and held her head with both hands in despair. Her tears start to run down. She was speechless and frozen.

The assassins appeared in front of her and another one behind. She glared at the assassins as hate flooded her. The assassins lifted their blades into the air but then Evangeline’s hair gently turned pink and her eyes glowed bright maroon and her body turned dark violet. The princess screamed her lungs out, so loud it echoed through the entire city. A bright pink sphere surrounded around the princess and grew instantly. At the height of its size, it exploded.

The fog cleared up and to Mosolei’s surprise, they were still alive. The explosion only killed the intruders. Moselei, still perplexed, got down from the carriage. He approached the unconscious princess, who was back to her old self and appearance. He called for help to carry the princess inside the carriage.

The head councilor came to their aid and put the princess to a comfortable part of the carriage and said to Moselei, “When she awakens, tell her we will handle everything, and I will temporarily hold the position of high wizard until her return.”

Moselei agreed and said further communications between the kingdoms will be made. After which they headed for a long, long journey to the meeting place inside the Empire. The princess, still slept in the carriage as tear fell down from her eyes. For what she had lost that day, that day she never thought would come, would be the last time she would see her parents alive.

End of chapter I

Next Chapter: Chapter II: The Great Tree