The moon hung low, a silver lantern in the inky sky.
Melovine, with her brown hair spun from moonbeams, twirled in the moonlight. Her gown, crimson as spilled wine, clung to her form, and her laughter danced like fireflies. "You are now able to see that I'm the most beautiful woman in the world," she declared, her eyes alight with mischief.
Teri squinted through his blurred vision and collected his blindfold from her. "Even if my sight were clear," he retorted, "you would not claim that title. Have you seen my mother? She's the very embodiment of grace."
Melovine scoffed, her fingers deftly adjusting her gown. "That's because you can't truly see me," she whispered, her voice like the rustle of leaves.
Selina leaned closer to Teri. "She's right, you know. The lady in red has an otherworldly allure."
Teri yawned, unimpressed. "She can keep her beauty to herself," he muttered, sinking onto the dew-kissed grass.
Undeterred, Melovine settled beside him, her eyes glinting. "I can't wait for you to see and fall in love with me," she teased. "I'll break your heart into a thousand pieces."
Teri scoffed.
"But let us ponder," Teri mused, "the enigma of the three kingdoms: Delmos, Herl, and Alririt. If Herl Kingdom is real and still exists, why is it shrouded in myth?"
Melovine's head snapped toward him. "You don't know the origin of these kingdoms?" Her surprise was genuine. "Didn't your parents tell you the story?"
"As far as I can remember," he said, "they never did."
Selina nodded in agreement.
Prince Ivive, who had been listening intently sat opposite them on the grass, "Allow me," he said, his voice a velvet whisper. "Let me unveil the secrets of the three kingdoms, their birth, their fall, and the echoes that linger across time."
And so, beneath the moon's watchful gaze, Prince Ivive began his tale
More than two hundred years ago,Ivive, an empire of grandeur and might, once spanned the known world. Its name, bestowed by the empress herself, echoed through history. For centuries, Ivive stood as a bastion against rival empires and covetous kingdoms. Its walls were impregnable, its banners unfurled in defiance of time.
But two hundred years agi,Within the palace's hallowed halls, the emperor reigned,a man of lineage and secrets. His four children, disparate as the cardinal winds, bore the weight of destiny upon their shoulders.
Crown Prince Delmos, born of the queen's womb, was the sun-kissed heir to the throne. His eyes held the wisdom of ages, and his sword arm was swift. The southern provinces bowed to his command, their fields lush with golden wheat.
Prince Alririt, the second son, ruled the western lands. His laughter echoed through vineyards, and his heart danced with the rhythm of distant seas. His people whispered of moonlit revelries and the scent of jasmine on warm breezes.
Prince Talmon, the enigma, harbored secrets darker than the midnight sky. In hidden chambers, he practiced black magic,the art of twisting fate itself.he ruled the east
And then there was ,Princess Herl, the firstborn daughter. Her birth had been whispered among the stars, for she bore a core,a pulsing ember of power,within her very being. The empress, fearing the world's judgment, kept her daughter's secret close.
But secrets, like shadows, cannot be contained forever.
She ruled the north province with her husband.
As the years wove their tapestry, the emperor's life flickered like a candle nearing its end. His breaths grew shallow, and the court gathered for the coronation of Crown Prince Delmos. Nobles, officials, and rival factions converged upon the palace, their ambitions simmering beneath silken robes.
Yet fate, capricious as a moonbeam, had other designs.
Prince Talmon,fueled by envy and the allure of forbidden power, unleashed his crimson core. It pulsed within him, a malevolent heartbeat, and the air crackled with dark energy. Chaos erupted,a tempest of magic and steel,as the prince sought dominion over the empire.
Princess Herl, her own core resonating in response, sensed the impending cataclysm. She escaped the palace with Prince Delmos and Prince Alririt and fled to the northern province.There, she erected a barrier, shielding her people from the maelstrom beyond.
The north province, its population sparse, became a crucible of resistance. For four years, Princess Herl honed her powers, forging weapons imbued with her core's.
She made a red core similar to talmon's ,a sword, the Redwhip and the Extendability Spear, its reach defying mortal limits.
She shared her core with those who dared join her cause—their eyes alight with determination. Together, they stood against ,Prince Talmon and his black magic legions, their fate woven into the very fabric of Ivive's history.
The moon, a silent witness, bathed the battlefield in its silver glow. Blades clashed, and magic crackled like lightning across the night. The fate of Ivive hung in the balance, woven by threads of loyalty and betrayal.
Prince Delmos, his grip unyielding on the Sword , carved through the chaos. Each swing was with power and Beside him, Prince Alririt wielded the Extendability Spear, its reach defying mortal limits. Their breaths mingled with the scent of blood-soaked earth.
And then there was the enigma,the nameless wielder of the ,Redwhip. Her lashes seared like dragonfire, and her eyes held secrets etched in crimson. She moved with grace, her steps a dance of vengeance. Her identity remained veiled, a phantom in the fray.
But the true enigma lay within the bodyguard,the one who had died and returned. His fingers bore red threads, pulsing with power. His hair, once ebony, now gleamed silver. He was the guardian of the ,Red Core, entrusted with its fiery essence.
Prince Talmon stood alone. His crimson core pulsed, a malevolent heartbeat. The black magic arts had twisted him made him hunger for dominion. His loyalists, drawn from the east province, fought alongside him. Their eyes glowed with forbidden knowledge.
Within the palace, Princess Herl and her brothers faced their own battles. The ghost weaver, clashed with black magic practitioners. The barrier he wove protected the throne room, concealing the struggle within.
Outside, the people of the north province fought alongside their princess. Their crimson cores blazed, fueled by Herl's sacrifice. The air crackled with energy,the clash of destiny against despair.
As the moon waned, the barrier weakened. The palace revealed its secrets. Prince Talmon's soul scattered, leaving only his clothes as testament to his existence. The ghost weaver vanished, his fate entwined with shadows.
The empire, fractured and scarred, began to heal. Princess Herl returned to the north province, her weapons with her weapons,leaving behind the sword to king delmos. And it remained, passed down through generations ,only the first son of the king could feel it's power.
Herl feared her brothers' ambitions. To protect her people, she sealed the north province forever,a realm veiled in mist and memory.
Years later, Emperor Delmos and his brother, King Alririt, though on good terms, still harbored a fear that one day his brother might vie for the throne. So, Delmos decided to divide the remaining parts of the empire into two, and the brothers ruled over their respective domains.
The once mighty empire was no more; it had transformed into two distinct kingdoms: Delmos Kingdom and Alririt Kingdom," Prince Ivive recounted, yawning as he rested his hand on the ground.
Melovine and Teri were so engrossed in the story that they lost track of time.
"It felt like my father was telling me the story all over again. It never gets old," Melovine remarked.
"I had no idea about all this. I must share it with Elley tomorrow," Teri said.
Turning his gaze skyward, Prince Ivive lay on the grass, hands behind his head. "I never asked, so I'm not entirely sure. But if you're going to suggest something fanciful like I was named to unite the kingdoms, spare me such meaningless notions. I entertained that thought when I was younger, hearing the tale, but look at me now."
Teri clicked his tongue and shook his head. "I never entertained that notion. If anyone is destined to unite the three kingdoms, it's King Athelin. You and your wishful thinking."
Prince Ivive grinned slightly and stood up. "Let's return to the others and get some rest. It's better if we stick together."
Teri and Melovine rose from the ground, adjusting their clothes. Teri secured his blindfold, and the four of them,himself, Prince Ivive, Melovine, and Selena,walked back to join the rest.