The Minority Kingdoms sat cradled at the edge where three continents clashed — raw, violent, desperate. Every day, hundreds lined up at the battered border gates, trading what little gold they had for a place on an overcrowded horse wagon heading toward survival.
Among the chaos, a boy slipped aboard without paying —
Ren Everhart, sharp-eyed, deadly, the infamous bounty escapee whispered about across kingdoms.
A soldier spotted him.
"Hey! You, off the wagon!"
Another narrowed his eyes. "That's Ren Everhart! He's worth a fortune!"
Shouts rang out. Soldiers swarmed. Ren fought, but numbers overwhelmed him.
Steel shackles snapped around his wrists.
"You won't escape again, Ren," the captain sneered, yanking him toward the towering floating fortress —
the Throne of the Three Sky Lords.
Inside the throne room, beneath golden banners and a cold judging gaze, the high lord ordered,
"Throw him into the deepest dungeon. Let him rot."
In the underground prison, damp and reeking of death, Ren leaned against the wall until a voice whispered through the darkness.
"So... what's the plan now, Ren?"
It was Kade Sterling, his reckless best friend — captured too, somehow.
Before they could exchange more words, a guard stormed up.
"Silence or I'll slit your throats!"
Kade grinned, fast as lightning, stealing the guard's keys.
"Guess we're escaping early."
They broke free, reclaiming Ren's swords, fighting through corridors.
Alarms screamed through the fortress as they raced toward the cliff-edge.
"Now what?" Kade panted, cornered by soldiers.
Ren smirked.
"We fly."
And he leapt into the open sky.
"IDIOT!" Kade roared, jumping after him.
Wind screamed past them — until a massive black dragon swooped beneath, catching them mid-fall.
Finn Wrenford, their wild dragon-rider friend, laughed.
"Late as usual!"
They soared away, leaving a furious army shaking fists at the sky.
Deep in the Forest Lands, after crash-landing in the mud, they regrouped.
Kade kissed the ground. "No more flying. Ever."
From between the trees, a girl sprinted —
Lyra Veylin, Kade's wild, fiery lover.
"You're alive!" she cried, tackling him with a kiss.
Ren smiled at them, but his path was set.
"I have to go. Ice Lands. There's someone I need to find."
Lyra squeezed his shoulder hard.
"If you're ever in trouble... we'll know."
They hugged — a silent promise — and Ren vanished into the wild.
Wandering rugged lands alone, storms battering him, Ren stumbled across a burning camp.
Smoke. Screams.
Steel clashing in the dusk.
A lone figure fought against a squad of soldiers — swift, lethal, hair flashing silver in the firelight.
Nyx Azura.
Alone. Outnumbered. Fierce.
Without thinking, Ren drew his swords and joined the fray.
Back to back, they cut down the soldiers — wordless and wild.
When silence fell, Nyx turned to him, breathing heavily, silver hair clinging to her face —
cut short in a layered, feathered butterfly style, fluttering like wings around her cheekbones.
Their eyes locked — strangers tied by survival.
Battered and bloodstained, they limped into the nearest town.
In a dingy roadside hotel, Nyx collapsed onto the lumpy bed, flinging her boots off.
Ren cleaned his weapons silently in a chair.
After a moment, Nyx sat up, grabbing a hair tie and awkwardly gathering her soft butterfly-cut hair into a messy bun. Strands escaped and curled around her flushed face.
She looked over at him, tilting her head.
"Why did you save me?" she asked, voice low.
Ren shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea."
Nyx narrowed her eyes suspiciously — then smiled, small and real.
The next morning, Ren packed supplies while Nyx tugged on a worn cloak.
"You're heading to the Ice Lands," she said. "I owe you. Let me come."
Ren looked at her — stubborn, proud — and nodded once. No questions.
Their journey began under a red dawn.
Through misty forests, endless hills, and river-crossings, they traveled side by side —
two broken things leaning quietly on each other.
One evening, after fighting off a pack of razorbeasts, Nyx sat by the fire, grumbling and yanking at her messy hair.
Ren snorted and knelt behind her.
"Sit still."
"What are you—?"
Before she could argue, he gently gathered her silver hair and began weaving it into a loose braid.
His fingers worked clumsily at first — he wasn't exactly a ladies' maid — but he tried.
Nyx froze, cheeks burning, heart thudding oddly at the simple, tender touch.
"There," Ren muttered finally. "Not bad."
Nyx touched the braid lightly, looking at him strangely — something soft blooming between them.
A few towns later, they paused for supplies.
Nyx immediately disappeared into a row of stalls, darting between fabrics, sweets, and weapons like a magpie.
Ren followed grudgingly, arms piling higher and higher with bags.
"Is this really necessary?" he grumbled.
Nyx winked.
"Consider it training, hero."
At one stall, Nyx tried on a silver pendant shaped like a crescent moon.
She held it up. "Pretty?"
Ren, caught off-guard, blinked once. Twice.
"...Yeah," he muttered, looking away quickly.
Nyx smirked and bought it, slipping the chain around her neck.
That night, as they made camp under the stars, Nyx lay beside the fire, fingers playing with her new pendant.
Ren sat opposite her, sharpening his blade.
"What's waiting for you in the Ice Lands?" she asked softly.
Ren didn't answer for a long time.
"An assassin," he said finally.
"Someone I have to find."
Nyx watched him quietly.
Then she simply said,
"Whatever happens... I'll watch your back."
Ren looked up, meeting her gaze — silver shining against firelight — and something unspoken passed between them.
A fragile trust.
A dangerous hope.
At last, after weeks of blood, laughter, and strange growing warmth, they stood at the final ridge.
Beyond the cliff, an endless ocean of frozen white stretched beneath the stars — jagged, brutal, breathtaking.
The Ice Lands.
Nyx tightened her cloak.
Ren checked his twin blades.
They glanced at each other once —
and stepped forward, into the frozen unknown.
Together.
[End of Chapter 1]