Prologue
To all my sisters
The Shierran kingdom was once a wealthy and successful nation compared to its neighbors inside the continent of Schirom. They were known for their folktales, such as the Misty Steed and the Dragon, Sabled Prince, and more, and their production of the best gold in the economy. Their mighty ruler, King James O'Grannett, led the United Army Against Fear and Darkness (U.A.A.F.D.), which kept all the nations together to protect borders, resources, the people, and most importantly, their hope. The highest leaders each owned one seat in the Council House. These arrangements all followed their belief in the Great Ruler.
The king had three daughters and one son, each very peculiar from one other.
The eldest had a rare and magical condition, in which her body slowly turned to stone as she aged. When she was born, everyone predicted that she would die at 10, but her father had a trusted friend cast a spell to slow this curse down by implanting a magical amethyst just below her neck. If somebody were to do any harm were done to this jewel or its nesting ground, she would become one of the gargoyles, but more in a human form. She had to be highly cautious whenever she did any physical activity. So to pass the time, she spent a humongous amount of her time studying. She never let her curse get in the way of her wanting to help anybody in any way she could. One could say she was slightly stiff-necked. She spent most of her time with the favored Lady Carol, the king's advisor.
The youngest had a mind of steel, the spirit of a warrior, and wolf blood flowed through her veins. The combination resulted in literal wild goose chases, wicked speed, and vicious victories in arenas. Some civilians even called her the "Crowned Canine." Despite her dark genes, her loyalty to her family remained. She maintained a close friendship with an Ammon-elf who originated from Saden, even though he admired the eldest sister.
As you could imagine, the other sister was the most beautiful, possessed a heart of gold, had a talent for magic, and enjoyed life. She was known for her angelic voice and engagement to a prince of Oceana (kingdom of merpeople travelers; east of Shierra) and sometimes be wetter behind the ears than her younger sister.
Their brother worked with a scythe and worshiped the arts of dark magic, adopting the twisted worldview of bloodlust and death. He kept to himself about his stance about life as he trained as a possible heir, but he was constantly associating with the outsider—much to the kingdom's disdain.
These royal siblings were like peas in a pod and loved each other dearly. Everything was genuinely perfect until it happened.
One night, the brother led an ambush, allowing vampires, werewolves, phantoms, and other monsters from the shadows to invade Shierra, spreading fear wherever they went. With the king slaughtered in his chambers, the castle staff was captured and tortured by the invaders. The outsiders seized power; the princesses were never seen again, the U.A.A.F.D. disbanded, and all of Shierra lost their hope.
