Prologue
Every legend hides truths, but only the brightest minds and the bravest hearts can grasp them.
A black cloak that revealed long brown hair, flowing like the waves of the sea. A green dress, common among the citizens of Astram in the First Rising.
The girl moved her fingers just above the surface of the Fire Lake, followed by thousands of brightly colored fish glowing red under the sun, which gave the lake its magical name.
The first ray of sunlight turned her hair into almost golden highlights, reminding her of the passage of time. She stood up, waved goodbye to her little companions, and ran off, entering the forest and disappearing among the dense trees that separated the two dominant kingdoms: the Saire and the Maler.
When the silent, peaceful night gave way to day, the war continued, involving all the Famiglie of Astram—millions of people from every species, each taking a side in the battlefield, aligning with one of the two kingdoms.
The Saire, humans with fishtails, conquered the soul with their sweet songs and the sea with their tails, claiming the dreams of anyone close enough to allow it. Followed by the five main Famiglie, the Saire faced the Maler, who dominated the skies with their dark wings, like those of bats, and their shadowy abilities.
The battle marked the history of Astram and became known as the War of the Continents, which began with the era of the First Rising, long before the creation of the Famiglie.
The Saire and the Maler had coexisted peacefully, each in their own territory, thanks to a golden rule: never mix with each other. However, this simple rule was destined to break, just like the fragile peace that came with it.
A young Saire girl met a Maler boy. Their love grew, and they gave birth to the first hybrid child. The union was forbidden to prevent the birth of a powerful race, one that could destroy all of Astram.
The two were discovered with the little girl, and the two kingdoms declared war, accusing each other. Chaos reigned for millennia—a brief time for the two eternal peoples, but a long period for the Famiglie of Astram, who lived only up to two hundred years.
The Maler were winning, on the verge of victory, and had just conquered the Saire castle in the city of Othran, at the heart of Astram. Despite the war devastating the lives of common people, the Maler did not hesitate to celebrate their imminent victory and held a banquet in the very castle.
Everyone gathered, ate, and sang songs long forgotten, until a figure cloaked in fiery red entered the main hall, carrying the little girl in her arms. The Maler stood frozen at the sight of the creature that symbolized the union of the two kingdoms: small, fragile, with immense beauty, and at the same time, the greatest threat Astram had ever faced.
The figure approached the King and placed the girl before him, making her touch his forehead with her tiny white hand. A powerful, blinding light enveloped everything, starting from that touch, and all the inhabitants of the two kingdoms disappeared, bringing an end to the war.
Many believe that the mysterious figure who brought the girl used magic to stop them and that the girl is the current queen. No one knows what truly happened, who that woman was who brought the child there, or where all the Saire and Maler inhabitants went.
And most importantly, no one knows why all the citizens of the five Kingdoms of Astram were left alive. Time, however, buried these questions beneath the small daily troubles, under a new era and the reign of Queen Seira and the five Famiglie.
The Second Rising brought light to Astram, hiding the truth in the shadows.
