Prince of The Ruined Kingdom
In the depths of despair, Arche, a prince who had lost everything, stood amidst the ruins of the castle that was once his home. Torrential rain soaked his frail body, and for the first time in his life, Arche had decided to give up. He no longer believed in hope, nor in the goddess Oriana, whom he had once worshipped daily. Everything seemed futile—his kingdom destroyed, his family gone, and he had failed to find any trace of his siblings.
"Where are they?" he whispered to the dark sky, his tears mixing with the rain. "Where was Goddess Oriana when we were slaughtered? Am I always alone?"
Massive wolves emerged from the rubble, their eyes glowing red, ready to strike. But then, the world stopped. Time froze. The pounding rain hung still in the air, and the wolves halted mid-leap. In the eerie silence, the statue of Goddess Oriana, still standing tall, emitted a mysterious aura, and a soft voice—full of regret—echoed directly into Arche's mind.
"Forgive me, Archemidas. I am sorry for everything that has happened…"
Stunned and filled with anger, Arche lashed out bitterly. "Where were you when everything fell apart?! You stood by while my family died! When my father and mother were murdered, when my siblings vanished?!"
"I could not stop that fate," the voice replied, laden with sorrow. "I could only watch from afar, bound by the limits of this world. But I am here now because you are on the verge of giving up. And I cannot let you go."
Arche wept harder. He had spent his life searching for his family, but all he had found was destruction and disappointment. "I'm tired... I can't search any longer. I don’t even know if they’re alive..."
"They are alive, Archemidas. You must hold on, because they need you, just as you need them."
For the first time in what felt like ages, a faint glimmer of hope ignited in Arche's heart. Despite the overwhelming pain and doubt, he realized that giving up was not the answer. There was still so much left to discover. And though his faith in his goddess had been shattered, one truth remained—his family was still out there.
With tears in his eyes and a trembling heart, Arche finally accepted that reality. "Alright... I will keep going. For them. For myself."
Under the frozen sky, Arche rediscovered his purpose—to survive, to fight, and to find the ones he loved most.
