Prologue

The night was embroidered by heavy, dark hazes. The enthralling moon faded as the vague clouds embraced it entirely.

The stars seemed elusive to be seen, which made the jungle eerier and imperiling.

Sounds of flickering trees, flying birds, and bear's growls sounded off around the wilderness. "Huh! Huh!"

I coughed and breathed heavily.

"My wound!" I exclaimed as soon as I remember what had happened.

I was lying on the cold surface, thinking about my chest. 

Thousands of soldiers died. Swords and spears scattered throughout the massive and tremendous battlefield.

I was... I was searching for one of my greatest and unconquerable enemies. But she hid and let her allies fight against me.

"Princess Thalia! At your back!"

One of my soldiers warned me, but I had failed to turn my back. Too late to realize that my leg was sliced by the opponent's soldier.

I cursed out into the wind when I caught a glimpse of my bleeding leg. But I'd strived to fight despite the pain.

I grasped the weapon that I have, still. I looked around the battlefield, my soldiers got killed and stabbed by the Atheros.

"We will never leave the land where we lived for years! We will fight until our last breath!"

My weak voice sounded off around the field.

The remaining soldiers fought with dignity and pride for their King. For my father's sacred name.

"Protect Princess Thalia!"

The soldier said.

But, everything turned upside down as the moment I've had realized that I was all alone and the only mankind standing.

Bloodstained was on the ground.

Corpses and weapons were everywhere.

I was breathing heavily when I heard a voracious laugh behind me.

Without hesitation, I know that it was her– the Phoenix Queen of Atheros. The King's sophisticated wife.

She walked towards me, laughing and grinning like a witch. "Your Grace, you have nowhere to go. Your allies are all dead and no one will save you!"

"I loathe you for doing this! I know you only want power and wealth!" I looked at her with bitterness in my voice.

I didn't either understand, why my father married a greedy and selfish maidservant like her.

"Princess! Princess! Princess! You are such a naive and innocent woman. But, I have no other choice but to kill you." She said.

I wanted to grab the Queen's robe and slash her neck until she died.

But, I was powerless to do so.

"Kill me if you can, Thalia. I will never hesitate to fight you back."

Anger and wrath urged me to run towards the Queen. The soldiers let me, without knowing that the Queen was grasping a sword too.

She hissed, "Farewell to you, Princes Thalia!"

The Queen tried to stab me, but I rolled out into the ground. Blocking and preventing her attack with all the strength that I have.

Until I felt unbearable pain in my chest. 

Only to realize that I was stabbed by her sword. Slowly, I dropped the sword and for the last time, the Queen angrily thrust the sword into my chest which led me to fall into the filthy ground.

"Ahh!" Blood dribbled from my nose and mouth. I saw her laughing loudly as she exclaimed, "The victory is in my hands, Princess!"

And it was the last words that I've had remembered.

~

~

I touched my head as it began to hurt.

I didn't know, but I felt something strange within me. Upon looking around the place, I knew nothing about the place.

I stood up from the ground and whispered, "What am I doing here?"

"Why I am here?"

I was surprised and disturbed as I woke up in the middle of the cold night.

The trees were flickering and dancing. And the moon was bright enough to see the surroundings.

"I... I... just woke up in the middle of the woods!"