Present day) princess Clare POV
Chapter 3
A story was told of the most powerful being in the universe—one who traveled the world, helping the less privileged. He was the pride of our family, the guardian of our great nation. In every land he visited, enemies would cower at the mere whisper of his arrival. Those who dared to challenge him and his sister met their end.
Even the notorious Jacob abandoned his kingdom the moment he heard of his coming. He reclaimed all that was stolen from us, restoring our lost heritage. But in the end, he was betrayed—by his own people.
Yet, I would not let my grandson perish. He was more than just my son; he was our savior. I used the last of my magic to send him to a distant world, a planet called Tryzo.
"Mother, how can I bring my brother back?" I asked.
The old woman, Esther, pointed to the far-right corner of the room. "Sing his song and step into the portal," she said.
Philip, my cousin, and Esther—the quite girl whose mystery only Grandma understood—stood beside me. As one, we began to sing.
The Song of the Ice Prince and Nature Princess
A sound like thunder splits the sky,
A frozen whisper, sharp and high.
It chills the bones, yet soothes the land—
A fate long written in ice and sand.
Whose power calls this endless night?
Not the Ice Prince—his heart still glows,
From infant days, his path was light,
His hands still guard where cold wind blows.
Nor the Nature Princess, fierce and free,
Whose whispers bend the ancient trees.
Her name, a hymn in storm and sea,
Yet shadows rise on trembling knees.
The old man speaks with knowing breath:
"Innocence does not fear its death.
Ask the children—watch their eyes,
They know no guilt, they spin no lies."
But those who fear—their hearts are stained,
They hear the echoes of the past.
Their fathers' greed, their kingdom's pain,
Their judgment comes on ice-bound blast.
Betrayers crowned in gold and chains,
Once cast aside the sworn protectors.
Now heroes rise, through blood and bane,
To claim their throne, to stand as specters.
The old man sighs—his warning clear:
"Through evil, goodness dares to shine,
But fate is ice—both bright and sheer,
A prophecy bound in frozen time."
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As the final note left our lips, the world around us shifted. Blue light swirled into red, then green, then white—colors melting into one another like liquid fire. The ground trembled beneath our feet.
Then, in an instant, we were no longer in our home.
We stood in the center of a vast hall, its towering walls shimmering with unfamiliar hues.
This was not our world.
This was something else entirely.