Chapter I

Being situated near the cliff, Lusha castle was the fastest route to the eastern kingdom and the only passage within that land that was safe enough for an army to pass. That was why it was no surprise that the Black Army was already attacking the whole place.

Karilaya watched the flashes of lights from the highest tower in the castle, it kept appearing from the far side of the walls, causing the sky to flicker every once in a while. A good sign that meant the magic surrounding the whole area was still in place.

“Princess, you have to leave right now, the enemy has managed to break the first seal surrounding the castle, it won’t be long before they can break the second one.” Soraya, one of the princess’s royal guards states.

Karilaya hugged herself, shaking when she felt the coldness of fear crawl inside her body. Just hearing those words was enough to make her tremble, knowing that their kingdom’s doom was near.

The magic surrounding their castle has never been broken since the time it had existed, not even once in the long line of the siege’s throughout their history had it ever happened before. It was the one thing that had kept their kingdom in place, and finding out that it had been broken only meant one thing. An enemy far beyond their ancestors' power had appeared.

Turning slowly to her guard Karilaya tried to keep her face straight. “Has everyone manage to vacate the castle?” she asks since she was still seeing a lot of people running around the place.

“There are still a lot of the servants who do not wish to leave princess,” Soraya bowed her head with her hand on her chest.

Hearing that just made Karilaya even more distressed. “Do...Don’t they know what will happen to them if they stay here?” she wasn’t able to hold her voice, stuttering from panic.

She wasn’t new to war, since she had experienced at least two in her lifetime, this being the third. And she knew very well what happens to castles that fall under siege, having read several accounts on their history’s record, something she made sure that everyone knew within the castle at the start of the attack.

“They feel a lot safer within the castle’s walls your highness, so we weren’t able to convince them,” Soraya remained to bow as she answered, ashamed of not being of much use.

“What of the people in the town? I’m sure half of them had fled by now after knowing the dangers of this,” Karilaya asks, wanting to at least feel a bit at ease.

“The same your highness, we were not able to convince them,” Soraya bit her lip closing her eyes as she answered.

Karilaya felt like her blood had suddenly gone out of her body, feeling weak and distraught from the news. “Then I...I cannot leave, I have to make sure everyone has managed to flee before I can go in peace,” she firmly states, trying very hard not to stutter, all the while feeling her insides knotting on one another.

Soraya then straightened up, her face etched with worry. “But princess...” she tries to state but was cut off midway.

“Please, this is the only thing I can think of as the eldest daughter of the king!” Karilaya’s eyes felt hot and watery, as she really wanted to escape but was unable to do so because she didn’t want to tarnish their family name, and knowing the guilt of leaving her people there would surely not let her rest.

“Yes, your highness, though I don’t think they will change their mind if we tell them to leave again,” Soraya reasons out, wanting to fulfill her duty.

Feeling the conflict in her guard, Karilaya felt regret and remorse for having to put the woman in such a situation. Letting out a deep breath, she quickly started thinking of a way to save as many people as possible.

“Then please call the commander, tell him to meet me at the keep at once,” she says when an idea had managed to come out of her mind.

Soraya felt relieved seeing that she was now able to do something. “As you wish your highness.” Smiling as she gave a quick bow, she then turns towards the door to leave.

Alone, at last, Karilaya fell to her knees, losing strength from trying to be as brave as possible in front of her guard. She let out a sob, trying to keep herself together, knowing that she needed to stay strong for her people to survive.

It took her almost half an hour to compose herself, making sure that there was no trace of a tear or any impression of her distress.

Though her heart pounded she made sure to hold her head up high as she slowly made her way to the spiral stairs of the tower.

Somehow, walking through the castle’s large corridors managed to calm down Karilaya for a bit, as she began reminiscing her time and childhood throughout the place. A smile finally appeared on her face remembering how she and her younger sister would get chased by their little brother down the hall, or when they would bother their father in the library, asking questions related to their magic or anything out of the blue.

Nostalgia quickly took over her when she saw the castle yards, remembering the time when she would watch her brother train swordsmanship and archery, then tease him by copying the moves whenever she would quickly learn how it was done, she then also recalled how she would tag along with her younger sister whenever she had lessons in incantation and magic.

Enjoying and learning along with her siblings were the best days of her life, and it never did stop her from focusing on the thing that her late mother wanted for her, which was the art of alchemy, the one practice that had been passed down through the eldest women of their lineage.

Even though she had that privilege from her mother, she still felt a bit sad and regretful, knowing that she was unable to inherit her father's legacy, as it was only given to the firstborn male child in the royal family. She could not set that thought aside since if she was only born as a man, none of this would have happened, since she would have been able to fend off their enemies with that power and fight along her father’s side. It then dawned on her that her little brother wouldn’t be in his current state right now if only she had not been born a woman.

Her mind only went back to the present when she had finally reached the arched double doors of the castle’s keep.

Wiping the tear that had escaped her eyes, Karilaya then puts on her straight face before opening the door, pushing it with one quick pat, activating its magic that reacted to her.

The high arched ceiling quickly greeted her as she walked inside, moving to the second door a guard stationed there opened it for her to allow her entry, she then proceeded to move to the middle of the room to check on their defenses.

“Your highness,” the head priestess greeted her.

The woman was clad in a white silk garment, with large sleeves that were adorned by writings on its side and white divided pleated trousers. She held a fan made of large white feathers with black tips and her headband had the same kind of ornaments, besides the large white pearl that was attached to the middle.

Karilaya gives her bow in respect before proceeding towards the middle of the room that was being surrounded by other shamans who were all busy chanting.

Two out of the three circular patterned writing that was carved on the floor continued to glow, it was the remaining seal that was protecting their whole castle, which could be described as a spherical barrier that surrounded the entirety of their capital, making it impossible to breach from any corner, up until now.

Several of the crystals that were placed inside of it remained intact, those represented the turrets which were their main offensive weapon against attackers, a sign that there was still no breach from inside.

Seeing that managed to put the princess at ease knowing that the town's folks were still safe within the walls.

“Priestess Unei, how goes the restoration of the magical wall?” Karilaya asks.

“Apologies your highness, but my sister and I are unable to do that since every time we begin restoring an inch of it, it breaks because of the non-stop bombardment of attacks from our enemies. But rest assured we are trying our best to mend it, to protect the two remaining seals.” The head priestess lowered her head in shame.

That made Karilaya’s inside twist and her knees shake, as once again the cold touch of fear began seeping inside of her.

“Is there any other way for us to be able to fix it?” It was the one thing that Karilaya knew that would calm her down at the moment. As having it meant more time for them to let the people escape.

Priestess Unei let out a sigh. “Unless the enemy stops their attacks, we won’t be able to erect the magical wall around the capital,” she waves her fan at the seal on the floor which represented their whole castle.

“How about the third seal, it should be reviving by now right?” Karilaya still had hope.

The divine seal that was placed upon their capital was one of legend, erected by her ancestors hundred of years ago, it had a special ability to rebuild itself.

“I fear that to be impossible now your highness,” priestess Unei once again bowed down in defeat raising her fan to her head as a sign of deep apology.

“What, why?” Karilaya was unable to stop herself from shaking now, hearing dreadful news.

An ominous shadow appeared on the priestess's face when she stood up, looking straight into the princess’s eyes.

“The being who broke the seal is no ordinary person your highness. The whole spell that had protected our capital for hundreds of years has been tainted and is now totally destroyed, I’m afraid we may be facing a monster demon, a monster not from this world, a creature of abomination,” priestess Unei’s voice was deep and full of fear as she explained her insights.

Struck with terror the princess was lost for words, she froze in place, staring at the floor, looking at the now damaged legendary writings on the floor.

“It’s best if you escape now while you still can princess. A being such as that can probably wipe out an entire army. I doubt that even our strongest warriors would be able to match that kind of power, as you’ve already heard the news about your father,” the priestess tries to reason out, thinking of the safety of her lady.

Hearing the thing about her father awoken a bit of courage inside of the princess, the anger also helped to increase that.

Karilaya closed her eyes, saying a prayer in her mind to the high heavens and her parents' spirits. Heaving out a sigh, she mustered her remaining courage to speak.

“I just can’t...I can’t leave until I make sure that everyone has managed to escape, even if it means staying here and facing that monster, I have to do it, for the sake of my father and mother’s name.” she shakily says.

“Oh princess, you don’t have to do this,” priestess Unei held the princess's hand, she could feel her lady’s dread as it was obvious that she was just trying to keep a face in front of the people around them.

Seeing the princess’s eyes water, she quickly embraces her. Hiding her from the eyes that were surrounding them.

Karilaya was still able to keep her sob from escaping. “I’m scared, I’m really scared, but I can’t let down the kingdom just because of this, or else I won’t be able to face my ancestors in the afterlife,” she whimpered, clenching her fist in frustration as she was unable to keep her conviction in place.

Knowing what was about to come once their defenses break, she knew exactly what horrors awaited all of them who were still there once the castle falls, and she was entirely helpless to do anything about it.