Prologue
“Where are you from?”
You may have heard this thousands of times.
“Mill Creek.”
“Fjiva.”
“Asender.”
But only once will you be asked:
“What is your story?”
Which is one of the many questions we will answer throughout this tale. Now, let’s begin:
This story starts in the dark forest of Fjiva, where nineteen stand in a circle, facing one another. Scars litter their bodies, blood oozes from their wounds. But a smile stretches across each and every face there. “It’s completed! We’re free from the curse!” a girl, barely a woman, shouts. They all cheer, hugging one another.
But in the mist, a dark figure watches the battered group. The curse wasn’t really over. It was merely set aside for another day. The being grimaced, holding her sword closer to her chest. A hand rested on her shoulder. “It must be done, Bellus.” Bellus glanced back at the dark shadow behind her, pulling her attention from his shadowy hand on her soft silk sleeve to the laughing group ahead.
The laughing nineteen sat in the clearing they ended the curse in, feeling excitement run through them. A shiver ran through each individual, everyone glancing at each other. “I don’t think it’s over yet...” And oh, how they were right.
A silence fell over the group, soothing not the least. Fireworks erupted in the sky above them, sending a chill down their spines. “I’m sorry.” A voice called out, before the land was plummeted into darkness
