Richard's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden memory that sent chills down his spine. He remembered the day when his grandfather, Duke Cedric, was lying sick on his deathbed.
It was a dark and stormy night, with lightning flashing across the sky and thunder rumbling in the distance. Richard was just a little boy at the time, scared and alone in the shadowy room.
In a weak voice, Duke Cedric had whispered to him, "Richard, that child Beatrice, has been cursed."
Richard's heart raced as he asked his grandfather, "What do you mean, Grandfather?"
Duke Cedric's eyes were bloodshot as he said this, "The day she was born, all the cattle and plants died, and the plague appeared, killing many. It was as if the Almighty Solaris had left the Kingdom Avaloria and its people."
