Chapter 1 – The Legend of How the Aikah Family Began
Once upon a time, a very, very long time ago, in an age when humans reigned and magical creatures hid in seclusion.
A time when hunting elves and any kind of magical prey was worth more than gold, where mass slavery existed.
A distant time of darkness where there was prejudice between races, especially to and from the human race.
There was a small kingdom in the northern region of the continent Mahāna, more precisely somewhere in the northwest region of where the Aikah Empire resides today.
In freezing lands, where it snowed every day of the year, surrounded by trees or carcasses of trees, starving creatures, and larger kingdoms eagerly waiting for the collapse of the walls that protected them so they could hunt them down with an overwhelming hunger.
The small kingdom was facing a major crisis: a foolish tyrant had taken the throne, and he sent his men to die on the front lines of a war for land conquest.
The king spent and spent, stole from the poor and left little for the rich, killed those who displeased him, and tortured those who betrayed him. Thus, the kingdom entered a crisis that lasted for years.
Just as the coffers were empty, so too were their souls, devoid of any pride.
Everyone did what was necessary to survive; even warmth was a luxury that few had.
The surrounding kingdoms sought lands to conquer, and the people knew that even if they could overthrow the tyrant with a massive revolt, the outcome would be worse: they would be enslaved by any powerful kingdom with its eyes on them.
The only thing they had was love—love for the friends or companions who lived in the same dire situation.
Love for the small things they cherished, whether it was the beauty of a snowflake falling from the sky or the auroras that danced in the sky at night, as if there was a ball in the heavens. A ball where the lights danced with the stars in a dance only they could understand.
The northern stars were beautiful; each had its own story, passed down from parents to children as a distraction from hunger. The stars seemed to enjoy being remembered.
Sometimes, while the children played in the snowy fields with their few dirty and tattered clothes, they could catch a brief glimpse of fairies or even magical animals.
Life was simple and hard, but they had each other, and that created a sense of brotherhood and compassion in that kingdom.
In one of the most remote villages of the small kingdom, there was a man named Николай.
The village where Николай lived was the only one with an open border to the forest that surrounded them. From time to time, glimpses of creatures beyond their understanding could be seen, which both terrified and intrigued them.
One of the stories his parents told him was about a great white dragon that slept in a large cave somewhere in the center of the forest. Legend has it that he is the guardian of the forest, protecting it from all evil.
Николай firmly believed in the stories; he placed his hopes on the idea that one day the great white dragon would help free them all from the great evil of their kingdom, the King—
The book falls to the ground. Without noticing, Mrs. Mahal falls asleep in the middle of the story. She falls asleep without realizing she is being tucked under the covers again.
She falls asleep without noticing the crows or a white cat with a red ribbon around its neck watching her.