[Spring Kingdom, 1822]
The 9 am sky was at bright blue with cloudscapes in the south of a place named, Spring Kingdom. When you look at the Kingdom from above, it is a prosperous place with a lively culture. Nobles interacting with people, students focused on learning, music, and dancing, and the crowd of people with smiles and laughter. An ideal place that the late ninth king envisioned a millennium ago.
"I believe that one day, that silly dream I always dreamed they say will come true. It may not be now but someday it will do. Together with my queen, we will begin the very first step. For the future!" His statue was built in the center of the Kingdom together with a woman who the people couldn't recognize but people would always say that the current King was the reincarnation of the 209th. Moreover, they have the same name.
The Kingdom was shaped to a square and a circle inside. The square measurement was 400,000 kilometers per square where each point is guarded by four defensive Masters. Wind in the north, Water in the South, Earth in the East, and Fire in the West. The circle was 50,000 kilometers per square where most of the important person resides. More than 1,300 years ago, the Kingdom was divided into ten regions by the ninth king. The Spring's land was wide and it was the reason why the legendary ninth king decided to separate his people. He appointed leaders to every region and these leaders were connected to the royal family.
Hundreds of years passed by, the people protested to the king on why they had to be so far from the main Spring Kingdom. The current king then answered their outcry by visiting each of the regions.
"One reason is that we don't have enough land for you to stay so as the land we need to plant for our food sources. In the places you're now staying has all the resources. Abundant enough to sustain daily consumptions. If one region needs help, the other region will help. If two or all the regions need help, the main Spring Kingdom is responsible for all the help. My people, maybe you have forgotten that we are not the only living creature that craves to survive. The ninth king did this for all of us."
And soon, the people began to realize that it was really for their own good. The new system was effective and it made the entire kingdom live in prosperity with little worry. The ten regions of the Spring Kingdom prospered as the year counts. However, peace didn't last long. It was so unexpected and tragic as the Malac region fell from the hands of demons. The whole kingdom was put to the edge of annihilation but the kings of every generation fulfilled their part just to secure the future of everyone. And in the process, many lives were taken. Death was just inevitable in their world.
All seems to be normal for the day. A girl wearing a dress and its silk was as soft as the petals of expensive roses. Though her face was covered by a mask, her presence was still attracting people. Like a garden of captivating flowers, bees were drawn. It has been weeks that she was wandering anywhere and the people she'd meet couldn't help but stare at her enticing beauty that she agreed to put on a mask. The only place she would like to be at when exhausted, was the largest and biggest library of Spring Kingdom, the Aclatan. On her first day setting her feet in the library, she found peace. Sitting in a chair and observing how the others behave as they read was new to her. Opening a book was new for her with images and words she cannot read. She was happy. This young girl came from the outside of the Spring Perimeter. Alone living at the foot of Northern Mountain ranges. Above her little house was the Sky Castle Region.
On a rainy night, a squadron of knights patrolling the outskirts of the Northern Region was caught off the defense. A demon attacked annihilating them by half. They managed to do a counterfeit but to their surprise, the demon was a D5 category- the deadliest of all the known demon. They soon understand that their situation was one foot off the grave. One by one, before they could even shout, they're dead. Only one knight managed to escape the scene and on his way of escaping, he saw a young woman staring at her flowers.
"What are you doing here?"
The knight didn't have a lot of time to wait for her answer. She grabbed her hand and they both run. When the sun rose, the young woman found herself in a place called Abelon City and started wandering until she came to Spring Circle.
By weeks of staying in the library, she acquired knowledge. She can now read and speak which her seatmates found surprising. Her first conversation with them didn't last long for she can only nod and smile. But with all the books she had read in the Aclatan, it helped her gain information and knowledge. Moreover, with all the books she had read, fantasy was her favorite but almost storylines got the same objectives. The main character is powerful or powerless. He or she will meet friends along the way and fight alongside with them and grow in all aspects. Camaraderie. Someone has to say goodbye, has to die, sacrifice and there's betrayal. The good must defeat the bad guys to finally achieve peacefulness.
"What if they were forced to be the villain? What if their perspectives were different? What if all their bloodsheds were only a cause of misunderstanding? Or is it of pure evil?"
She was so tired of reading the same thing but when she reached the restricted level of the library, she found an interesting book that made her happy. Doubtingly, there's no one in there so she was able to get the book.
"There is a sign 'restricted' but none were guarding nor looking at this room." She thought of. The book has nothing imprinted on its cover. At first, it looked like it was only a record of those borrowed books but when she opened it, waves of overwhelming memories devoured her. The book glued in her hands. She wanted to stop herself from reading it but her mind tells her to continue. Like she must finish it so that a missing piece in her will be found. She was not actually reading it but just holding. It was like her lost memories returning. She is now wondering. Halfway through the story, her chest tightened up. The book was a romantic tragedy of a young king with her beloved young queen named, Flora Zeymer. And the name of the king was Claudio Lockstream IV. "Claudio," saying his name triggered an emotion she was holding.
"Who are you? Why am I feeling this much...sadness?" The sadness she felt brought her to tears.
"What are you doing here?" A booming voice interrupted her. She quickly wiped the stream of water on her face and now she can clearly see him, a royal. A visage with no painted emotion at all but the cold stare pierced her heart and soul.
"Tell me your name young lady." The man walked to the hesitant girl and towered her.
"Why are you holding that, " it was a threat, not a question. She could feel the pressure of his emitting.
"How can I tell you my name? When I, myself, don't know either?" But those words were spoken only inside her head. The royal touched the book and then a surge of electricity traveled their whole system. The book glowed. They look at each other and stayed in that position for minutes of remembering something the book was channeling. The royal man threw the book while the young girl cried silently.
"Who are you?"
They asked in unison. There's a question in his head like the girl had in her mind.
"I'm sorry. I have to go." Two steps she took then her body was immobilized.
"You can't leave like that." His baritone voice was deepened by the close room and it sounded more threatening. She knew he did something since she can't move her body. Besides that the girl having no name, she can't tell him where she came from.
"Grow, my friends." This is the only spell she knew since waking up and coming out from a gigantic flower back at the Northern Mountain Ranges. The vines from the outside grew fast and strangled the royal hoping it would make him lose control of the binding spell.
"Flora..." She ceased trying to break out from his binding spell and look at him straight in the eye. His voice, the way he pronounced that name was nostalgic for the young lady. The man loses his concentration after her stare that seemed forever.
"Claudio?" Her mouth uttered a name she didn't know but feel like she was always saying it. The royal man, for a moment, thought of the person in front of him was his wife. His head ached that he's forced to close his eyes. The vines entangled him fully and that was her chance. She escaped while thinking his eyes full of unexplained pains.
"Am I having a dream?" The man just let the vines, he felt his strength was sucked out of his body.
A clamor of people, a parade of aristocrats she guessed was the first thing that welcomed her after coming out from an alley. All she did was run after getting out of the Aclatan. It was a perfect thing to fully hide and go back to the knight who brought her to the kingdom. She joined the mass of people dancing and singing with the live drums and trumpets.
"Beautiful lady, can I have a dance with you?" A fine young man offered his hand.
"I take that as a yes, " he held both of her hands and led the dancing.
"The steps are not that difficult but it seems that you're not gifted to dancing."
She just smiled and continue to follow his lead. They danced for a little longer then the lady excused herself.
"I have to go Mr. Good at dancing. It was nice having a dance with you."
She immediately turned her back and left the crowd.
"What's your name?" She glanced back and smiled, "I don't have one."
Right at that very moment, the fine young man knew for himself. He was captured by that smile.